[WOTC] Proficiency Class Plugin: Templar

Proficiency Class Plugin: Templar

This mod reworks the Templar class to fit alongside (and depends upon) my [WOTC] Proficiency Class Pack. This is a moderate re-imagining of the Templars using a similar Focus-based Energy mechanic, but with a bigger emphasis on spending this Energy for interesting abilities rather than it being more beneficial to save it up.

Templars were one of the better-designed elements in WOTC, but they tend to play rather one-sided, with a greater benefit coming from building up – and holding – focus, making a majority of their abilities rarely used. The overall goal was to encourage spending Focus Energy on offensive and support abilities, while keeping a similar identity for Templars. Below are the major changes from the WOTC Templars you are familiar with:

Templars no longer buildup passive benefits by default from their Focus Energy mechanic, making it much more of a resource to be spent rather than a powerup to collect. The way that Templars gain Energy is similar to before, though they have more options available to them as they level. The tradeoff is that Energy can only be harvested from sentient enemies – not zombies or robots.

Templars still start with Rend and Momentum, but also get Empower, which allows the Templar to boost their castable abilities, spending 1 additional Energy to gain additional effects that vary for each ability. They also start with Brand, an initial support ability that allows them to use their Energy to increase the squad’s offense against targeted enemies.

Templars now have a full 3-branch ability tree and will have the same increased AP cost for purchasing abilities as the core Proficiency Classes. To further distinguish them as a special class, they gain increased AP per promotion compared to a core class and almost all of their abilities are guaranteed to hit.

Their stat progression has been tweaked alongside their ability tree to fit their new role(s). You can go to the discussion page Here or the Googledoc Here[docs.google.com] for more details on all of their abilities and stat progression. Abilities are split up into three thematic groupings:

• Sorceror – Mysterious and secretive, Sorcerors excel at harvesting Energy and turning it to offensive uses.
• Crusader – Powerful melee combatants, Crusaders specialize in using their Energy to bolster their martial skills.
• Chaplain – Invaluable support forces, Chaplains use their power and conviction to augment their allies, and condemn their enemies.

Almost all values for abilities and effects are configurable and will be updated in ability descriptions accordingly. Anywhere you see a colored value in a description, that value can be adjusted. The custom AP costs for abilities can also be adjusted. By default they are intentionally pretty high, but if you don’t like it, you can change it.

GTS Unlocks allow a limited number of standard, non-faction soldiers to train as Templar Acolytes, taking the Templar’s equipment and skill tree.

The following mods are required for things to work properly:

• WOTC Community Highlander
• WOTC Proficiency Class Pack
• Templar Gauntlets for Soldiers Animation Patch (needed for training non-faction soldiers as Acolytes)

The Templar was designed around the same kinds of mods and game environments suggested in the core Proficiency Class Pack mod – the suggested mods there apply here as well, though they are not required.

I recommend using this with one of the two options below that enhance the unit flags (UI above the unit that shows stats, etc.) to support the focus bar. The choice depends on which you prefer visually (I prefer the blocks in Unit Flag Extended over Tac Info Overhaul’s solid bars):

• Unit Flag Extended
• Tactical Information Overhaul

Training projects in Covert Infiltration for the new, limited trainable Templar class are not counted towards the limit and can be abused a little bit. Base-game training projects are properly counted while in-progress, but CI projects are less accessible at the moment.

There are several minor visualization issues still present in the mod – I’ve been working to fix several of these for quite a while, but I’m far from a visualization expert, and now that all abilities are functional, I wanted to get it out there. I’ve been holding this at ~95% complete for 2 months! None of these issues should change gameplay, just visuals:

• Projectile for Psi Strike will not play.
• Empowered Reanimate will spawn a generic XCOM human zombie, rather than taking the appearance of the enemy unit raised. Standard Reanimate doesn’t have this issue.
• Skyfall doesn’t visualize correctly – the teleport effects are not synced and the freezing effects don’t play correctly.
• Sundering Storm sometimes leaves the Templar floating above the ground a bit. I’m guessing this must also happen with base-game Ionic Storm that it’s based on…

Why is the Proficiency Class Pack required? Can I use this without it?

• This class utilizes several abilities and functions from my core Proficiency Class Pack and these elements will not function without it. You will need to have the mod active, however you may disable all or any of the classes if you desire.

Does the mod really require Alien Hunters?

• For now, yes. Skyfall grants a freezing effect instead of stun to make it useful against big bads that tend to be immune to stun. I may convert this into some sort of stasis varient with different visuals in the future to remove this DLC dependancy.

Do you plan to give Psi Ops, Sparks, etc a similar treatment? When?

• I have no plans to do anything with Psi Ops – I don’t like or use them and the Templar will fill that role enough for me. No plans for Sparks at the moment either – there are already several options available for them out there. You can keep an eye on the linked Googledoc above for any further development plans as they unfold.

Special thanks to the authors and contributors of the required mods – without them, I would not have been able to make this mod at all. I’ve learned much from MANY members of the community, but I’d especially like to thank Pavonis/LW2, robojumper, Musashi, Iridar, and xylthixlm – their assistance with my questions and their mods as assets and examples have been crucial in getting this to release! Thanks!

(See Change Notes for full history)

1.0.2
• Fixed issue with broken Fuse abilities.
• Added GTS unlocks that allow training a limited number of non-faction soldiers as Templar Acolytes, as well as the standard proficiency boosts. This serves as a replacement form of Recruitable Templars; but with unlocks, limits, and using the proficiency class tree.