Is Warmonger the new hero?

Violet_Shadow posted...

This is really pathetic for a new Hero: basically, a slightly altered Warden. Tsk. Disappointing, to say the least. It doesn't even have a different weapon, just the same longsword as Warden. Even taking into account that a few parts of the kit will be different when the Hero is fully implemented, this is just too much like 'cloning' a character. I was hoping for 2 more Wu Lin Heroes to balance the roster correctly, though I did mention that I assumed they wouldn't be, but instead we're getting a half-assed Warden-clone (an extra Knight Hero). What's the other one going to be, a slightly beefed-up Orochi (since the Orochi was the one who finally defeated Apollyon in the 'Story Mode')?

Anyway, I must say that I am truly disappointed by this news. I was at least hoping for Heroes with new weapons. Oh well...

The Warmonger uses a zweihander, not a long sword like Warden. Also rumor has it that we only are seeing some of their kit and some of the mechanics are going to be revealed around when the hero drops in August. Also many of their animations currently are placeholder animations taken from Warden, Tiandi and multiple other heroes.

Personally I find them uninspired due to how much the current fighting style is just Warden with a unblockable dodge attack, but a few things about their kit could change in two weeks.

Shade_Swordsman posted...

The Warmonger uses a zweihander, not a long sword like Warden. Also rumor has it that we only are seeing some of their kit and some of the mechanics are going to be revealed around when the hero drops in August. Also many of their animations currently are placeholder animations taken from Warden, Tiandi and multiple other heroes.

Personally I find them uninspired due to how much the current fighting style is just Warden with a unblockable dodge attack, but a few things about their kit could change in two weeks.

Indeed, a zweihander, but it's still barely different from the Warden's longsword. A zweihander is simply a slightly longer longsword, anyway. Both are also meant to wielded two-handed. But, I digress. A zweihander, then, also has similarity to Highlander's weapon (which is a claymore, but clearly larger than the Warmonger's zweihander which doesn't make sense). So, Basically Warden with Highlander's weapon. The point is, It's not different enough to warrant a new Hero, imo.

I already mentioned 'even taking into account that a few parts of the kit will be different'. The point is, it's still just an altered Warden, and we already have Warden. I was hoping for something actually different...

So, why did this hero not get some kind of trailer or promotion?

Kensaimage posted...

So, why did this hero not get some kind of trailer or promotion?

Probably because their kit isn't quite finished yet, and maybe the devs wanted to 'surprise' us with them.

Kensaimage posted...

So, why did this hero not get some kind of trailer or promotion?

It could be for a number of reasons. For one, the hero doesn't drop till August which is about a week or two away still (mattering on how you view Sundays). Another reason could be that the trailer never got finished by the team who works on the CGI trailers due to the epidemic. And the only other reason I can think of is that this season's trailer is supposed to be the new hero's trailer (which isn't far fetched since the new hero is all over it surprisingly, they're just in the background behind Appolyon).

I wouldn't get to hung up on her just being Warden but better yet. Her shared animations are no doubt placeholders, considering they don't even sync up properly with her. Like the GB animation. All her throws show her with her sword rested on her shoulder yet her GB animation is Warden, so she just snaps to her own throw animation from that. That's a placeholder, not a single doubt. She'll get her own unique moves, don't worry.

As for actual playstyle I initially was a bit worried she'd just be better Warden to at first but now I don't think this is the case after examining her moves. Her bash cannot be used to vortex so I don't think it'll be her primary offense. The light stab for its quick bash is a finisher and her heavy confirmed off charged bash cannot be used to chain into the bash, though it can go into another light I believe which CAN chain to the bash. In any case, its not a true vortex. Also has that parry riposte but its functionally identical to LB's impale just with a dirty and disrespectful wall punish that causes bleed.

Where he playstyle really starts to come into its own is her ability to dodge cancel her finishers, along with an unblockable dodge attack and an undodgeable forward dodge attack to mix up with the bash. She also has hyper armor on chained heavies and superior lights as the icing on the cake. I think she'll be plenty different.

Design wise I get it. There's a whole plethora of weapons to be represented and we have another sword. I see why, they wanted Apollyon, fans wanted Apollyon, and so they made this and personally I do love her sword's pretty design. But yeah I get it. Just doesn't bother me. I'm very much a sword sorta person.

We've already tackled that Warmonger's kit isn't complete, thus the 'placeholder' moves. However, Even if 98% is changed, the fact is that the Warmonger's aesthetic is the exact same as Warden's: full-armor knight with sword. I love swords, I really do, but there are other swords that the devs haven't utilized. Also, I hate Apollyon, was glad she died, was happy she wasn't playable; thus, why I'm not thrilled about this half-assed pseudo-Apollyon/alt. Warden being added to the game when there's other things they could've done: like finished out the Wu Lin. Speaking of the Wu Lin and swords: a Wu Lin Heavy with a classic Chinese straight-sword fighting-style would've been awesome.

Anyway, I was hoping for the Wu Lin to be filled-out as a Faction, and didn't really want 'another Warden', but I'm sure the majority of the fanbase is ecstatic about the Warmonger. If they continue in this direction, the second Hero this year will be either a Samurai or Viking Vanguard, along with one for the other Faction next year and probably finally another Wu Lin after that, with the final two Wu Lin the following year. Though I doubt the game lasting that long.

^thats kinda how I feel. Seems the new hero is essentially a poser

Thing is if we'd got a new Wu Lin with a straight I'd probably be the one saying stuff like that. "Another sword Wu Lin? Come on." Though I think it'd also have something to do with the Chinese have some extremely weird weapons to see to. But personally if something plays different enough I tend not to mind regardless. Bear in mind I have Knight bias and liked Apollyon a lot to. And Warden is a favorite of mine just for the classic Knight look.

While it would have made sense to have a couple Wu Lin this year I admit I'd have been pretty bored if we did. Something about them just doesn't do it for me. They're pretty underwhelming, never seem to be very strong and are all pretty samey. Very underwhelming faction as it stands so my enthusiasm for them is currently very low. Even if I like Chinese warriors and their looks and fighting styles.

Justapoorchibi posted...

Thing is if we'd got a new Wu Lin with a straight I'd probably be the one saying stuff like that. "Another sword Wu Lin? Come on." Though I think it'd also have something to do with the Chinese have some extremely weird weapons to see to. But personally if something plays different enough I tend not to mind regardless. Bear in mind I have Knight bias and liked Apollyon a lot to. And Warden is a favorite of mine just for the classic Knight look.

While it would have made sense to have a couple Wu Lin this year I admit I'd have been pretty bored if we did. Something about them just doesn't do it for me. They're pretty underwhelming, never seem to be very strong and are all pretty samey. Very underwhelming faction as it stands so my enthusiasm for them is currently very low. Even if I like Chinese warriors and their looks and fighting styles.

I understand, and everyone has different opinions. But, It's not the fact the Warmonger has a sword, it's the fact that the sword is not aesthetically different to the longsword; it's just slightly longer. The Tiandi has a dao (or 'broadsword'), the Zhanhu has a changdao (slight similarity to the Japanese katana), and the Nuxia uses hookswords (a weapon I find uninteresting and ugly, honestly); none of these swords are aesthetically similar. That said, it's not just the sword that's aesthetically similar, but also the design as Apollyon was already just a beefed-up Warden that they want to emulate with Warmonger.

I also have always liked knights, though I have a decent preference for ninja (by extension, samurai); in fact, the only Faction I'm not fond of is vikings (no, I'm not insulting them, just never found vikings in general to be the least bit interesting). One thing, though, is that I find the Tiandi every bit as strong as the Warden and tend to have better results when playing him even against Lv3 Bots (I don't play PvP, though, so I can't say anything about playing against other skilled players). Also, The Wu Lin are definitely not 'samey', their movesets vary wildly and they can be quite strong, especially Jiang Jun and Zhanhu; mind you, they're not my favorite Faction, but I'd say they're tied with the Knights as second favorite. I'd recommend giving them a try, if you haven't played them much.

As for being bored if they'd went with Wu Lin Heroes instead, I can understand because now I'm going to be bored as I find the Warmonger uninteresting and uninspired, and probably won't care for the second Hero this year (which will likely be a Viking Vanguard).

As an aside: I've played all of the Heroes a bit, my favorite being Shinobi (who was gutted bad a while back) and my least favorite being Jormungandr (as a Heavy, is a bit underwhelming in my opinion). I find all of the Samurai, most of the Knights and Wu Lin, and maybe a third of the Vikings fun to play.