User:GoldenYak/World's Heart/Accursed

Accursed
Favored by	Arakkoa  Blood elf  Draenei  Dwarf  Forsaken  Furbolg  Gnome  Goblin  Human  Night elf  Orc  Ogre  Tauren  Troll  Vrykul  Worgen
Role(s)	Tank, Damage dealer
Specializations	Fel (melee DPS) Decay (ranged DPS) Void (tank)
Resource(s)	Eldritch Energy, Mutations
Primary attribute	Strength
Weapon proficiency	Daggers, Fist Weapons, One-Handed Axes, and One-Handed Maces
Armor proficiency	Mail
Skill(s)	Feral Rake, Abyssal Lash, Mutate Form, Wyrd Flesh, Eldritch Fury

"Many moons have passed since I left my old existence behind me. Since then I've tried to forget the terrors I beheld beneath the cold earth, and the twisted nightmares that have haunted my every waking moment. There’s something dark within me now; I can feel it, driving me towards the north, assuring me that my salvation lies within the ruins of ancient kingdoms. Though I know the way, I know not what perils will arise to hinder my journey, and as I pass through the first gate, I know that the better part of my soul will remain behind... forever."

— Anon

The Accursed are those poor, lost souls who have been driven over the edge of madness by the evils of the world. Scarred by dark magics and darker tortures, they are no longer entirely sane, natural, or mortal. Some suffered from the taint of demonic corruption as the fel energies of the Burning Legion poisoned the land, seeping into their flesh and blood, clouding their mind and staining their spirit. Others languished in prisons and slaughterhouses raised by the Scourge and other undead, the subject of cruel and debased experiments, alchemical torture, or soul-tearing necromancy. Still others lost their minds in the face of the rise of the dark powers of the Void, sending them screaming beyond the jagged edge of insanity even as their flesh buckled and flowed into hideous, new alien forms. All of these broken souls have fled the light and taken solace in darkness, tormented by madness and pain, unable to find true respite. Their hatred of the dark powers that have scarred them make them too volatile for the forces of evil to manipulate, but there are few indeed who walk in the Light that are prepared to welcome the abominable. Only on the very outskirts of society can they find a place, haunting the lost and forgotten edges of civilization, waiting for some sign, hoping beyond hope that their torments might end.

An Accursed's form is forever changing, their flesh bubbling and mutating as the dark powers within shape and re-shape them into beasts and monsters. An Accursed can barely keep conscious control of their transformations at the best of times, usually isolating themselves so that no one can be injured should their control slip. In the midst of battle, Accursed often lose control completely, degenerating into hideous aberrations of fang, claw, tentacle, and burning darkness, rending and tearing the enemy until all are slain. Only then does a mote of reason return, and their malformed bodies revert to something more akin to their original form. To be an Accursed is to fight a constant battle against a soul-devouring evil that has taken root in one's very flesh, knowing that the day may come when the battle is lost, and a new and dreadful monstrosity is born into the world.

With the rise of the dark powers from beneath the world, many of these lost creatures have felt some force, something deep in their battered, twisted souls, urging them to seek out and destroy the fiendish creatures and wicked mortals who have embraced the same dark arts the Accursed loathe. Slowly but surely, the Accursed of the world make their way north, skulking by moonlight through brush and wilderness, hiding by day within wagons or in cargo-ship holds. As if drawn by some unknowable signal, the Accursed are slipping out of the shadows and converging on Northrend.

Class overview

The Accursed are mortals who suffered terrible tortures from the worst of the dark powers on Azeroth. They are former prisoners of the Scourge, victims of the Twilight Cult, those whose minds and bodies were twisted by the fel corruption Burning Legion, and countless other victims of tragedy through dark sorcery, demonic worship, or invocation of the dread powers of the Void. They have been driven beyond sanity by the torments they endured, their bodies twisted by wicked magic, wracked with mutations and hideous malformations. They can no longer be called entirely mortal, and only some spark of their former selves, some glimmer of a noble soul buried deep within their tortured forms ensures that they do not become indistinguishable the very evil that destroyed them. Instead, the Accursed turn all of their ferocity and savagery on the wicked of the world, ferreting out magical corruption and dark cults and ripping them apart with their bestial ferocity. Other than this one, overriding impulse to destroy the wicked before they can bring greater harm to the world, the Accursed are little different from the most vile of demons and aberrations, and each one walks a fine line, knowing that any day the last of their control could slip, and they become truly nothing more than another monster.

An Accursed's body has been subject to all manner of dark magic, and their tortured flesh has become twisted and mutated as a result. Their bodies are covered in mutilations and mutations, scars and distortions clearly visible. An Accursed is wracked with pain, constantly shivering and spasming as their body turns upon itself, perhaps even visible transforming before the eyes of any shocked, disgusted onlooker. An Accursed's malformed features are perpetually twisted and snarling, pain and anger the only expressions evident on their scarred visages.

The Accursed bind their bodies in whatever they find, driven to cover their mutated flesh from sight. Scrap metal, leather, and cloth are woven together, sometimes even attached to protruding bone and spine. Some of the more lucid Accursed uses locks and heavy chains to bind their makeshift clothing and armor together, the thick links occasionally serving as a means of keeping their unstable bodies from growing out of control through mutations.

An Accursed's body is a nightmare of twisted flesh saturated with the darker energies of the cosmos. Their flesh has become like a lodestone for wickedness, drinking in and metabolizing dark power. An Accursed may burn with the demonic energy of Fel, seethe with the dreadful power of Decay, or may act as a vessel for the malefic darkness of the Void. By giving in to these powerful dark energies, the Accursed can transform their bodies into various twisted, monstrous forms, each one suited to a different means of unleashing carnage.

Key Features

Dark Transformation

The Accursed can transform into various monstrous shapes, each one different, all of them together granting the Accursed unrivaled flexibility in combat.

• Hound Form - Transforms the Accursed into a feral, quadrupedal best with vicious attack speed.

Mutations

Accursed can alter their physical forms to produce various mutations, each with different strengths. Developing a powerful array of mutations mid-combat can mean the difference between defeat and overwhelming victory.

• Vorpal Talons - An Aggressive Mutation, the Accursed that develops this mutation will ignore a portion of the target's armor, increasing their damage.

Multiple Roles

Depending on which form and power an Accursed utilizes, they can fulfill close combat roles, batter foes from a distance with dark sorcery, or withstand the strongest of enemies as resilient walls of flesh.

• Fiend Form - Transforms the Accursed into a withered, ghoulish spell-caster form that can dissolve the enemy with deadly magics from a distance.

Double-Cast Effects

A number of the Accursed's abilities have additional or different effects when re-cast in quick succession. These effects are situational, and may come with an additional cost as well. The wide variety of options adds to the Accursed's combat flexibility.

• Doom Sphere - When cast, conjures a sphere of dark energy floating overhead that will pursue a single target and deal damage to them when they are nearby. For 5 seconds after casting, the spell may be re-cast, which causes the Doom Sphere to drop to the ground and explode, dealing a burst of damage to all nearby targets and spilling dark energy onto the ground that will damage any enemies standing in it.

Races

All the races of the world have known sorrow and suffering. An Accursed can come from any race.

Background

"I have heard the whispers for as long as I can remember. They have been my constant companions, sharing secrets with me, secrets that I wish I could forget, things that I wish I could tear out of my mind, along with the whispers themselves. They have always been there, but they have grown quieter of late. There is another voice now, a new voice. Deeper, more... profound. It comes from far below. It tells me to go north, to go down, down into the dark below. It tells me where to find them, the ones I must kill. I'm so tired... so tired I want to die. But I must heed the new voice. It is so vast, so terrible... The other whispers, the ones from before, the ones that are quieter now... they're afraid of it. ...I am too..."

— Anon

The Accursed are not an organized faction, nor truly a recognized discipline of combatant or spell-caster, like the paladin or the warlock. They have no leaders, no representatives, and very few links with the more civilized world. They are the lost and the damned, souls too broken and scarred to ever return to ordinary lives, united only by the common manner of their suffering and affliction. They have passed through insanity and come out the other side, living a shadowy existence in abandoned towns or the most destitute of undercities. They scavenge and scrounge for what little they have, scraping an existence from the forgotten outskirts of civilization. Most lead solitary lives, shunning even their own kind. Only when one senses a trace of dark power, be it from a cult of Void worshipers, a rogue warlock bargaining with demons, or a renegade necromancer disturbing the spirits of the dead, will the Accursed leave their secret places and hidden lairs and creep out into the world, accepting the company of others. They will stalk their quarry like blood-hounds, sniffing out traces of dark power until they find their prey, and then unleash the hideous power seething within them. When nothing is left of their victims but rags of cloth and smears of blood, the Accursed's anger and hatred will subside and they will slink back into the darkness.

It has been this way for centuries throughout all the civilizations of the world. From humans who lost everything to the Scourge, to orcs suffering from the taint of fel blood, to even ancient night elves who encountered some horror in the deepest, darkest reaches of the wild, there have been those driven to madness as their flesh warps and changes from the touch of evil. But some lingering sense of the person they once were still holds fast in the depths of their spirit, and though they have been scarred by evil, evil does not truly rule them.

In the recent age, the power of the Void has risen to ascendancy in the cosmos. In that blackest, most unknowable realm, the Void Lords grow in power, yearning to devour all the realms of the Light. Their gaze has fallen on Azeroth, and the powers of darkness grow strong. Demons gather. The Shadowlands spill forth their necromantic energy. The Void beckons. This conflux of dark energies has driven the Accursed of the world to unprecedented activity, and as more and more mortals fall under the sway of the darker powers, more and more of the Accursed are at work in the world, the monstrous defenders of a world that will never truly accept them, even if they desired to still be a part of it. Sightings of the Accursed are on the rise, with many of them seemingly making their way to Northrend. They stow away on-board ships and in the holds of zeppelins, or creeping along ancient underground tunnels. Slowly but surely, a small army of these broken creatures are making their way north, where the dark powers are strongest, down in the darkest reaches of the earth.

It remains to be seen whether the Accursed will, ultimately, be ally or enemy to the world...

Appearance

Unlike most classes, Accursed characters will come with special visual customization options. Their malformed bodies are twisted and covered in mutations, and the underlying nature of these will change depending on what specialization an Accursed utilizes.

• Fel Mutations - demonic horns, fel blood, spines, bulging muscles
• Decay Mutations - withered flesh, plague blisters, exposed bone, rot
• Void Mutations - tentacles, multiple eyes, fleshy-growths

Accursed are tormented beings, unhealthy and monstrous in appearance. They do not stand tall and proud like other races, but are hunched over, shivering and twitching as their bodies are wracked with spasms. They sometimes cry out, snarl, mutter to unseen voices, or giggle manically at random moments. You can never be certain how an Accursed will act, at times quivering and weeping for no reason before leaping about wildly and howling like a mad dog.

Starting experience

The Accursed are a Hero Class and have a unique starting experience, similar to death knights and demon hunters. It is shorter than either previous hero class, rapidly giving the Accursed an overview of their capabilities before sending them into the main storyline.

The Accursed starting experience takes place in several small regions reserved for them, beginning with the Blighted Moorlands, and unknown region of the world, a place of tainted forests and mutated beasts. The Accursed are gathering in these tainted woods, drawn by Void-worshipers and their dark rituals. A mysterious voice compels them, lending some measure of sanity, a whisper that is at once soothing and frightening, coming from some vast, unknowable power hidden deep within the darkest depths of the world.

The Accursed are then led through ancient caverns and tunnels to the Aqir'za Underway, a series of aqir-built tunnels beneath the surface of the world. The Accursed slowly be surely make their way through the tunnels, emerging in the land of Northrend.

Specializations

Like most classes, Accursed have 3 specializations: Fel, a melee damage spec, Decay, a ranged damage spec, and Void, a tanking spec. All Accursed have access to three different transformations - Brute, Hound, and Fiend. They can use all of these transformations at will, though each specialization has a specific form that will see primary use, while the others forms may be adopted temporarily.

Fel

Accursed who use the power of Fel channel demonic energy to rend asunder their foes with savage fury. The Hound form is the primary shape an Accursed will take.

• Brute Form - A hulking monster resembling the mo'arg.
• Hound Form - A bestial creature resembling a felhound.
• Fiend Form - A withered shape resembling an inquisitor.

Void

Accursed that wield the power of the Void become alien aberrations with unnatural resilience, able to absorb punishment that would slay ordinary mortals. The Brute form is most suited for this power.

• Brute Form - A slithering creature resembling a n'raqi.
• Hound Form - A vicious canine-like beast made of the living darkness of the Void.
• Fiend Form - A spindly abomination resembling a merciless one.

Decay

Accursed tainted by the powers of Decay summon dark sorcery and dreadful afflictions to destroy the enemy from afar. The form of the Fiend is the one that the Accursed will most readily adopt.

• Brute Form - A brutish a grotesque resembling an abomination.
• Hound Form - A rotting beast resembling a skeletal wolf.
• Fiend Form - A fleshless fiend shackled in chains akin to the lich.

Abilities

Shamed and defaced

Scathed and disgraced

Tainted by hatred

that can't be erased...

— Lament of the Accursed

Accursed use Eldritch Energy as their resource, though depending on what form they take they will utilize it in different ways. Accursed can also use the secondary resource of Mutation Points to fuel different mutations. Mutations Points are built up as an Accursed uses his different abilities - Mutation Points are then consumed in various ways to produce different beneficial Mutations that enhance the Accursed, and can even grant benefits to their allies.

Class Abilities

All Accursed automatically learn the following spells and abilities, regardless of specialization.

• Ability	Description
  Form of the Brute	Transforms the Accursed into a hulking, powerfully muscled brutish form.
  Form of the Hound	Transforms the Accursed into a sleek and vicious, quadrupedal canine form.
  Form of the Fiend	Transforms the Accursed into a withered, malformed creature bristling with sorcerous power.
  Wyrd Flesh	Allows the Accursed to rapidly recover health and generate Eldritch Energy. The Accursed reverts to their true form in this state and gains increased movement speed, but cannot use abilities.
  Eldritch Screech	Instills a soul-chilling terror into the target, interrupting their spell-casting and locking out that school for 3 seconds. For 5 seconds after using this ability, it may be re-cast on the same target to cause them to flee in [Fear] for a short time, at the cost of adding an additional 8 seconds to the ability's cooldown.
  Wicked Call	Calls out to the evil in the soul of the target, taunting them. For 3 seconds after using this ability, it may be re-cast on the same target to cause them to Fixate on the Accursed, ignoring all other taunt effects for a short time. When this secondary effect is used on enemy players, it will cause all other targets besides the Accursed to become untargetable to the enemy for a short time.
  Aggressive Mutation	Consumes Mutation Points to generate a mutation that enhances the Accursed's offensive capability.
  Incubating Mutation	Consumes Mutation Points to generate a mutation that enhances the Accursed's defensive capability.
  Malignant Mutation	Consumes Mutation Points to generate a mutation that randomly enhances either offensive or defensive capability. Can synergize positively or negatively with Aggressive and Incubating Mutations.
  Dread Flight	The Accursed sprouts a pair of membranous wings, allowing them to fly.

Specialization Abilities

The three Accursed specializations are Fel (melee DPS), Void (tanking), and Decay (ranged DPS).

• Fel

  Ability	Description
  Savage	Deals damage to the primary target. Replenishes Eldritch Energy, which fuels the Accursed's other abilities. Deals greater damage when attacking a foe from behind. Produces a greater amount of Eldritch Energy when a foe is slain using this ability.
  Feral Rake	Damages the two nearest targets. Increases the damage of the next Feral Rake.
  Caustic Bile	Damages all targets in a frontal cone and places a damage over time effect on them.
  Diabolic Presence	Increases the damage the Accursed deals for a short time. Enemies attacking the Accursed while Diabolic Presence is activated lose attack power, stacking up to 4 times.
  Vorpal Strike	A powerful attack that pierces defenses. Deals high physical damage and ignores enemy armor.
  Vile Ooze	The Accursed leaves a trail of ooze as they walk that damages and slows enemies who stand in it.
  Furious Bite	A strong physical strike that heals the Accursed for a % of their maximum health. The % is increased the lower the Accursed's current health is.
  Lashing Tentacles	The Accursed sprouts two tentacles that make long-ranged melee strikes against nearby targets.
  Festering Swipe	Inflicts Festering Wounds on nearby enemies, causing them to take damage over time. When Festering Wounds expires it then inflicts Festering Taint, a debuff that cannot be removed until it expires naturally. Enemies with Festering Taint can be seen by the Accursed even if they employ stealth effects or invisibility.
  Wild Flight	The Accursed leaps 15 yards three times in succession, the direction of each leap depending on their current facing. The Accursed inflicts a Feral Rake on any enemies they happen to land on between leaps.
  Undulate	The Accursed gains 3 stacks of Undulate. Each stack allows the Accursed to evade one damaging attack per second, while inflicting 100% of the damage from the attack on the attacker if they are within melee range.
  False Retreat	Places a Fel Mark at the location of the Accursed. The Accursed then leaps backwards 15 yards. If re-cast within 2 seconds, the Accursed will leap to the location of the Fel Mark, damaging and interrupting any nearby enemies.
  Bloodletter	Marks up to 5 enemies in an area. Damaging attacks against marked enemies by the Accursed consumes the mark and inflicts bonus damage on the enemy.
  Vicious Pounce	The Accursed leaps forwards rapidly up to 20 yards, stopping at the first enemy in their path and slowing them and all nearby enemies for a short time.
  Burrow	The Accursed burrows underground for a short time, reducing their movement speed by 70% while becoming untargetable and undetectable. If re-cast before the effect ends, the Accursed will immediately surface, knocking up any enemies nearby.

• Void

  Ability	Description
  Mangle	Deals damage to the target and generates Eldritch Energy. Has a chance to heal the Accursed for a % of the damage dealt. Generates threat.
  Abyssal Lash	Hideous tendrils lash out from the Accursed. Damages and stuns up to 4 enemies in a frontal cone area.
  Eldritch Fury	A powerful single-target attack that has a high chance to be a critical strike.
  Berserk Slam	Charge the enemy and knock them into the air, slowing their movement speed. Can only be used above a certain level of Eldritch Energy.
  Abyssal Grasp	The Accursed marks all enemies within 10 yards with Abyssal Grasp for 4 seconds, causing them to be slowly pulled towards the Accursed's location. This effect is persistent, allowing the Accursed to drag affected enemies with them as they move. Enemies can partially resist the pull by moving away from the Accursed, but will be pulled towards the Accursed as long as they remain marked.
  Dark Feast	Deal a strong physical attack to the enemy and heal for the amount dealt. Increases maximum health for a short period of time.
  Mutate Spines	Monstrous spines erupt from the Accursed's flesh. These spines reflect a % of physical damage dealt in melee combat to the attacker.
  Vile Rupture	Tears open the ground underfoot, causing an explosive rupture that damages and knocks up all enemies in a line. Stacks to 2.
  Force Pulse	Grants the Accursed a damage absorption shield. Can be re-cast at any time to cause the shield to detonate, dealing damage to all nearby enemies. The earlier the shield is detonated, the greater the amount of damage done to enemies.
  Vile Swarm	Spawns a number of Vilespawn creatures that will attack the Accursed's primary target. For a short time after using this ability, auto-attacks have a chance to spawn additional Vilespawn. If this ability is re-cast, the Accursed absorbs all nearby Vilespawn, healing and and gaining bonus health for each one absorbed.
  Atrocity	The power of the Accursed's Brute form becomes monstrously magnified, increasing their health and defensive capability, as well as increasing the amount of damage they deal for a short time.
  Void Shell	Absorbs a portion of the damage dealt to the Accursed. When the Void Shell effect ends, the Accursed will receive healing over time based on the amount of damage absorbed.
  Entropic Field	While active, deals periodic damage to all nearby enemies and heals the Accursed for a % of damage dealt. Can be re-cast at any time to end the effect and deal a burst of damage to nearby enemies, healing the Accursed for a % of damage dealt.
  Voidshift	Transforms the Accursed into a spectral wraith for a short time, increasing their movement speed. Any action will break this effect, as will re-casting this ability within 6 seconds of the initial cast. When the effect is broken, the Accursed returns to their previous form and deals a burst of damage to all nearby enemies, taunting them. While in wraith form, Accursed will not trigger hostile reactions from enemies that are not already in combat with the Accursed.
  Dark Catalyst	Grants all nearby allies a Lifesteal attack, allowing them to heal for a % of the damage they deal. The Accursed is empowered, dealing greater damage and receiving improved healing, based on the number of allies affected.
  Void Expulsion	Removes all negative magical effects from the target, granting bonus defense based on number removed.

• Decay

  Ability	Description
  Wither	Deals damage to the target and improves Eldritch Energy regeneration rate.
  Screaming Skulls	Causes spectral skulls to erupt in an area, damaging up to 3 enemies.
  Withering Cursemark	Brands the enemy with a dark curse imbued with the power of Decay. Reduces enemy damage and increases damage they take. The Accursed can have up to 3 Cursemarks active at one time.
  Dark Rift	Tears open the earth underfoot in a line, causing it to explode in a blast of dark energy after a short time. This ability stacks to 2.
  Breath of Decay	The Accursed breathes a column of destructive energy in a cone which deals heavy damage to all enemies caught in it. While using this ability, the Accursed is forced to face their current direction constantly, though they may slowly turn left or right to direct the breath.
  Doom Sphere	Conjures an orb of ruinous energy above an enemy, which deals periodic damage to them and follows them slowly. Can be re-cast at any time to cause the sphere to drop to the ground and detonate, damaging all nearby enemies.
  Doom Blade	Increases the damage that the Accursed deals for a short time. Can be re-cast at any time, ending this effect and causing the next damaging ability the Accursed uses to detonate on the target, dealing extra damage and healing the accursed.
  Rift Walk	The Accursed teleports to a target location after 2 seconds, exploding upon arrival and dealing damage to all nearby enemies. This ability stacks to 2. If a second Rift Walk is used with 5 seconds of the first, the second Rift Walk will become empowered, and the Accursed will teleport after 1 second, deal more damage on arrival, and knock-back nearby enemies.
  Reap	Tears open a rift to the Shadowlands at a target location, draining the life from all enemies in that area. The Accursed will be healed for a portion of the damage dealt.
  Corrosion Slicer	The Accursed launches a slowly drifting Corrosion Sphere and after 1 second will automatically launch a second sphere in the direction they are currently facing. A band of deadly energy will connect the two spheres, dealing damage to any targets that pass through it. If the two Corrosion Spheres drift far enough apart, the band will be broken and the spheres will fade.
  Maddening Visions	The Accursed transfers their twisted consciousness into a target, seeing through their eyes for a short time. This ability can be re-cast repeatedly to damage the affected target. The 5th re-cast will deal a large burst of damage and end the effect.
  Dark Grasp of Terror	The Accursed channels dark energy at a target location, damaging all targets within it. If targets stand in the area for 4 seconds, they become Feared.
  Wraithswarm	Conjures a group of spectral wraiths that attack the Accursed's target.
  Tear the Veil	Spectral grasping hands erupt out of the ground around the Accursed to grasp at enemy targets. Reduces the movement speed of all nearby enemies to 0, with enemies regaining their movement speed over the course of 3 seconds.

Talents

• Ability	Description
  Monstrous Strength	Feral Rake's bonus increased from 1 to 3.
  Progressive Mutation	After using a mutation ability, that same ability may be re-cast up to 2 times with no cooldown for 1 Mutation Point per cast, for up to 5 seconds.
  Baleful Energies	While in combat, after taking no damage for 5 seconds, gain a shield that absorbs 1 damaging attack for up to 50% of max health, or 1 crowd control effect.
  Scent of Fear	Enemy targets that are below 50% health are visible to the Accursed at all times, in a manner similar to the demon hunter ability [Spectral Sight].
  Slicer Burst	When Corrosion Slicer is broken, its nodes erupt and deal damage to all nearby enemies.
  Verminous Hive	Regular attacks have a chance to summon Vilespawn.
  Blood Bladders	Damage dealt contributes to a health reservoir. When taking lethal damage, the Accursed becomes invulnerable for 2 seconds while regenerating health equal to the amount stored in the reservoir. The reservoir begins to depletes after no damage has been dealt for a over 6 seconds.
  Black Hunger	Auto-attacks place a stacking debuff on the target, up to 5. Auto-attacks against that target heal for 2% of the Accursed's maximum health per stack.
  Inchoate Flesh	After changing into a different form, the Accursed receives a 90% damage reduction for 2 seconds.
  Vampiric Wraiths	Wraiths summoned by Wraithswarm heal the Accursed for a portion of damage dealt.
  Explosive Wraiths	Wraiths explode upon death, dealing a burst of damage to all nearby enemies.
  Abandon Hope	I don't know, something cool.
  Unspeakable Knowledge	--
  What I Have Seen	--
  Anger Management	--
  Voices from Beyond	--
  Quicken Mutations	--
  Polluted Blood	--
  Carnivorous	These are all something cool.
  Damnation's Touch	--
  Dreadforged Shackles	--
  Vile Bondage	--
  Broken Soul	--

Monstrous Forms and Mutations

"This flesh is not my flesh! This face is not my face!"

— Anon

The Accursed can change their shape in a variety of different forms suited for different types of combat. Depending on their specialization, the Accursed will have one primary combat form, and can temporarily adopt the others during combat for a short time. Out of combat, the Accursed typically adopts their mortal form, though they can freely enter their alternate forms if they desire. When entering combat, the Accursed instantly changes into their primary form, whatever their previous form. When changing form in combat, the Accursed reverts to their mortal form and then shifts into their monstrous state over the course of 2 seconds. The Accursed suffers from greatly reduced movement speed while transforming in combat and cannot use their abilities until the transformation is complete.

Form of the Brute

The Brute form is the Accursed's most resilient form, that of a powerful creature with supernatural stamina. This is the primary form of the Void specialization, which mutates the Accursed into a hideous, hulking alien grotesque. Brute forms increase the health and defensive power of the Accursed, improving healing and reducing damage done to them, allowing them to absorb a great deal of punishment. When used in the Fel and Decay specializations, a Brute form grants slightly less defensive power than in Void specialization, and also reduces mobility, but can enhance certain offensive and utility abilities. While using Brute form with the Decay specialization, certain abilities that have range and cast-time become melee ranged and can be cast instantly. Brute forms generate threat with their primary Eldritch Energy generating ability - Savage, Mangle, and Wither.

Form of the Hound

The Hound form is the Accursed's melee combat form. This is the primary form of the Fel specialization, which transforms the Accursed into a savage, quadrupedal beast form. Hound form improves movement and attack speed, but renders the Accursed more vulnerable to damage. When using Hound form in Void, the Accursed loses much of their defensive power, but gains increased mobility and offensive damage, and can be useful to inflict damage on an enemy in situations where an Accursed can reliably avoid taking damage themselves. When using Hound form in Decay, certain abilities that have range and cast-time become melee ranged and can be cast instantly.

Form of the Fiend

The Fiend form is the Accursed's spell-casting form. This is the primary form of the Decay specialization, which transforms the Accursed into a long-distance spell-caster. When using Fiend form in Fel and Void specialization, all offensive capabilities gain a range of between 15 and 40 yards, and some abilities gain a casting time of between 0.5 and 2 seconds. The Accursed takes increased damage while in Fiend form. The Accursed will also passively generate Eldritch Energy while in Fiend form.

Mutations

When using Eldritch Energy, the Accursed builds up Mutation Points - 1 Mutation Point is produced for every 75 Eldritch Energy consumed. An Accursed can have up to 4 Mutation Points. Mutation Points are used to cast the Accursed's three mutation abilities - Aggressive, Incubating, and Malignant. The first two abilities cost 2 Mutation Points each, while Malignant Mutations cost 3 Mutation Points. An Accursed can have one mutation of each type active at once - new mutations of one type will replace older mutations of the same type.

Certain combinations of Mutations trigger a Mutation Synergy - all current mutations are removed and a single buff combining all of them is granted. This allows Accursed to obtain new mutations, though any new Synergy they acquire will replace an existing Synergy. Not all Mutation Synergies are beneficial - some negative Mutation Synergies can occur. Negative Synergies cannot be cleansed like ordinary debuffs.

• Aggressive Mutations
  • Vorpal Talons - The Accursed will ignore a portion of the target's armor, increasing their damage.
  • Eldritch Venom - Damaging attacks place a stacking Eldritch Venom debuff on the target. At 5 stacks, the debuff is consumed and deals a burst of damage to the target.
  • Infested Flesh - Auto-attacks have a chance to spawn Vilespawn, which will attack the Accursed's primary target and are immune to AoE damage. Void-specced Accursed can consume Vilespawn to heal with the Vile Swarm ability.
  • Metabolic Boost - Increases attack and casting speed.

• Incubating Mutations
  • Spellbreak Hide - Reduces the damage the Accursed takes from magic and reduces the duration of most negative magic effects used against the Accursed by 20%.
  • Regenerative Pustules - The Accursed grows fluid-filled pustules across their body that have a chance to burst when they take damage. A bursting pustule will heal the Accursed.
  • Thickened Skeleton - Increases stamina and reduces physical damage taken.
  • Enhanced Reflexes - Increases the movement speed of the Accursed and grants them a 10% chance to evade damaging attacks.

• Malignant Mutations
  • Potent Regeneration - Grants the Accursed health regeneration and periodically grants them Eldritch Energy.
  • Eldritch Blood - Damage dealt to the Accursed will be spread to nearby enemy targets.
  • Parasitic Flesh - The Accursed's tortured flesh develops a life of its own, and a hunger. The Accursed's auto-attacks heal them.
  • Adrenaline Glands - Increases both movement and attack speed when the Accursed deals damage. Stacks to 3.

• Syngeries
  • Monstrous Vitality - Grants bonus damage, reduces damage taken, and grants health and Eldritch Energy regeneration. Positive Synergy from Vorpal Talons, Spellbreak Hide, and Potent Regeneration.
  • Abyssal Blood - Gains the effect of Eldritch Venom, Regenerative Pustules, and Eldritch Blood simultaneously. Positive Synergy from the aforementioned abilities.
  • Hive of Horrors - Basic attacks produce Vilespawn that heal the Accursed when they deal damage. Also grants increased stamina for every active Vilespawn. Positive Synergy from Infested Flesh, Thickened Skeleton, and Parasitic Flesh.
  • Killing Machine - Greatly enhances attack, casting, and movement speed. Positive Synergy from Metabolic Boost, Enhanced Reflexes, and Adrenaline Glands.
  • Bone Spurs - Increases damage dealt but also increases damage taken by the Accursed. Negative Synergy from Vorpal Talons, Thickened Skeleton, and Potent Regeneration.
  • Maddening Tumours - Grants the Accursed increased healing but also causes periodic damage over time. Negative Synergy from Infested Flesh, Regenerative Pustules, and Adrenaline Glands.
  • Tortured Flesh - Prevents the Accursed from changing shape or acquiring new mutations for a short time. Negative Synergy from Metabolic Boost, Spellbreak Hide, and Parasitic Flesh.

Glyphs

"I was not always a monster..."

— Anon

The Accursed can make use of the following glyphs to modify the appearance of their abilities.

• Glyph of Tragic Illusions - The Accursed can use this glyph to retain their mortal appearance when changing forms. All of their abilities and actions remain unchanged, but they will not appear to change form when using their Transformation abilities.

Gear

Accursed are able to wear cloth, leather, and mail armor, with mail armor being their primary armor type. Armor is represented on Accursed as ravaged and broken, bound to their bodies with chains and padlocks.

Accursed can equip fist weapons, one-handed axes, and one-handed maces.

Trivia

• Accursed are all fucked up...
• Inspired by werewolves (the messed up tormented kind, not worgen who seem cool with it), Primordius a little bit, the Daemonhosts from Warhammer, the Abomination from Darkest Dungeon, and other such wretched creatures.