Hello! There’s recently been a lot of discussion about the classes and how similar they feel. And because I only have one last exam coming up before the Summer (hopefully), I decided to try my hand at coming up with new class abilities. Keep in mind, these are all pretty far-fetched and would require a lot of programming and such. Also, I’m not saying the classes need to be changed so drastically, as it’s quite possible they’ve been made similar on purpose, so that the zombie killing and different weapons stay the core of the experience.
I gave every class three abilities to make them a bit more interesting (usually two Combo Powers and a Special item). I also went with giving every class a clear focus and purpose, so that’s why the mercenary has three Combo Powers and the electrician has three Special Items. Also, this is nowhere near a definitive, balanced, thought-through list of changes that should be made.
Also, this doesn’t touch anything beyond the abilities. I saw people suggest changing other things, such as stats or starting weapons, but this suggestion doesn’t effect about any of that. Still, those are also very cool ideas.
Survivor
The „tight spot“ class- the one designed to be able to save their team in a pitch
Ramming Charge
Hardened by the apocalypse and well-versed in its workings, the survivor puts together a makeshift shield and uses it to plough through the horde, leaving behind an escape route for his friends.
Allows the user to perform a single aimed charge that kills anything in its path (except bosses) and leaves a trail the zombies can‘t temporally walk onto. Also, the shield’s model should in my opinion look like an actual makeshift, but very dangerous shield, not a magical glowing orb.
Heroic Stand
With an epic battle shout and perhaps an almost lethal amount of painkillers, the survivor gives their teammates the strength to hold on for just a little longer by making them temporally invincible.
Grants a short temporal invincibility to the user and everyone around them.
Special item: Supply Crate
The survivor, always collecting scraps and leftovers of supplies, sets down a crate full of energy drinks, batteries and pieces of metal, refreshing his teammates and speeding up their ability cooldowns.
Spawns a crate that speeds up nearby teammates‘ ability cooldowns.
Mercenary
The DPS/combat class
Martial Training
Sometimes, melee can be both quicker and more effective than any gun, and the mercenary knows it. They pull out their combat knife, which allows them to quickly dispose of zombies and even block to protect themselves.
The user gets armed with a quick and deadly combat knife, that also grants them the ability to block incoming attacks using right mouse button. However, doing so decreases the ability’s timer even faster.
The Tool of the Trade
Finally willing to spend some of their specialized ammunition, the mercenary takes their beloved custom assault rifle and uses it to show the zombies what they’re truly capable of.
Gives the user a really cool gun to temporarily use.
Nade!
Despite advancements in weapon technology, good old explosives still have their place in every soldier’s arsenal, and the mercenary is no exception. They throw several grenades in quick succession.
The user throws several explosive grenades.
Doctor
The healing class
First Aid
The doctor does what they do best- patching up a teammate.
Allows the user to pick another player to heal.
Healing Serum
While they couldn’t stop the outbreak, the recent medical advancements still brought some futuristic inventions to the table. This one allows the doctor to apply a healing effect to everyone around them.
Gives the user and all teammates around them a temporal HP regenerating effect. Heals a bit less than First Aid.
Special Item: Doctor’s Bag
All doctors carry the supplies they so desperately need on themselves. Only a few let their friends have a go on them, however. The doctor sets down a bag of healing supplies for anyone to use.
Spawns a bag that automatically heals any nearby humans.
Journalist
The crowd control class
Camera Flash
Someone, perhaps in a fit of terror, discovered that flashing the zombies really hard makes them disoriented and open for attack. Good thing the journalist’s camera is capable of this.
Stuns zombies around the user. The stun lasts very long and even makes zombies unable to attack.
Emergency Prototype
Using an experimental device granted to them by their company’s upper management, the journalist brainwashes nearby zombies into becoming a unified combat force.
Temporarily turns the zombies around the user friendly, making them fight as a unified force against other zombies. They they explode. Effects fewer zombies than Camera Flash and doesn’t last as long.
Special Item: Speaker Tower
The journalist sets down a tower capable of sending out a sound of a very specific frequency, making all zombies target it instead of anything more… alive.
Allows the user to set down a tower that forces nearby zombies to target it until it’s either destroyed or it’s timer runs down.
Electrician
The structure/Special Item class
Special Item: Tesla Coil
The electrician, knowing not only of the uses of electricity, but also its raw power, sets down several Tesla coils. Setting down three or four decreases the damage dealt by each electricity arc.
Allows the user to set down two to four coils, creating electricity arcs between them (always in a single line). This creates a wall that damages any zombies that pass through. Setting down more than two coils decreases this damage.
Special Item: Magnetic Field
Electricity and magnetism go hand in hand. With their expertise in everything electrical, the electrician puts together a simple field trapping any zombies that enter it.
Allows the user to place down a trap that slows down the movement of any zombies that enter it.
Special Item: Turret
What would a good combat engineer be without a high calibre automatic turret?
Allows the user to place down a turret that automatically shoots at incoming zombies.
Scientist
The support class
Virus Inhibitor
The closest we’ve got to a cure. The scientist throws down a vial, slowing and weakening all zombies the chemical contained inside hits.
The user throws down an aimed vial, slowing down and increasing the damage dealt to any zombie that gets hit.
Organism Catalyst
The inhibitor’s little sister, this chemical makes the scientist’s teammates faster and more resilient. Applies to everyone around the scientist.
The user increases the speed of and decreases the damage dealt to themselves and their nearby teammates.
Special Item: Molecule Assembler
This marvel of modern science can spit out medicine, food, fuel, or, you know… guns. The scientist activates it, ensuring a supply of weapons.
The user sets down a crate-like machine that periodically creates new weapons.
EDIT: Oh yeah I stole the Journalist brainwashing idea from @Arkive86, should probably mention that