(updated) Wolfgang rework ideas + skill tree

[Mortalbane]

Why rework?
Wolfgang is a strong and straightforward character. I like the pumping-up-before-doing-stuff mechanic that his refresh brought.
But i don't like his gym's minigame and appearance. Am i the only one who dislikes the design of the gym?
I think Wolfgang's skill tree is meh. I understand that Wolfgang is a hard character for making a diverse skill tree, where each branch shows different aspect. Because to show different aspects, the character has to have them. And Wolfgang is just a strong guy, and there's nothing more to it. This wasn't a bad thing until skill trees arrived, and now making a skill tree for him requires some thinking. So, let me share what my thinking led to.

Base kit changes
Changes to his fears, dumbbells, gym and mightiness - more on that below.
Favorite food - sauerbraten (currently roasted potatoes). It's kinda hard to become a Strongman eating only potatoes, not to mention how easy roasted potatoes are obtained. Wolfgang is a German name, i googled German national dishes, and literally the first thing is sauerbraten. Crafted with, let's say, 1 meat, 2 potatoes and 1 veggie.

The Mighty, the Normal, the Wimpy, and the proper nutrition
When Wolfgang has below 50% hunger, he is Wimpy. He hits weaker and does everything slower - moving, crafting, picking grass, etc. Tools and oars are less effective. His max sanity and health are reduced. He freezes faster. The only upsides are that he overheats slower, and the tools that he uses don't break that fast.

When Wolfgang is at 50-100% hunger, he is Normal. He deals 125% damage (currently 100%), carries heavy objects with 75% of the usual move speed penalty. Tools and oars are 125% more effective, but break 125% faster. Cuz he is still stronger than average person.

When he is at 50-100% hunger and his max hp exceed 100%, Wolfgang is Mighty. He deals 150% damage (currently 200%). He now moves 10% slower. Carrying heavy objects, Wolfgang suffers 50% of the move speed penalty (currently has no penalty). Tools are 150% more effective and break accordingly, no insta-completion crit chance. His early game is nerfed to make him work towards his full power, like all other characters. He freezes slower, but overheats faster, as usual.

Note: Wimpy and Normal are not the desired states, and i don't think that they should have any significant bonuses. Wolfgang is all about being and staying mighty. I think that perks like the current Coaching and Leg day are not a good idea.

Barbell
Wolfgang can craft Barbell Shaft. It is a weapon with low damage and infinite durability, usable only by Wolfgang. It has its own 2 inventory slots, where only Weight items can be placed - items that are used with the Klei's Gym. To access that inventory you have to put the shaft on the ground, then the heavy items can be carried to it.
When only 1 slot is filled, the barbell can still be used as a weapon, with lower attack speed, damage and durability depends on the item. Giant crops can both break and rot, it's not a ham bat. This barbell can't be put into inventory anymore, only held in hands. Always wanted to kill a Deerclops with a giant potato on a stick? Here's your chance.
When both heavy items are equipped onto the barbell, it can't be used as a weapon anymore. Both items must be from the same weight category, otherwise Wolfgang comments that the weights are wrong. Wolfgang can use it to work out on the go, same as Klei's Dumbbells. No throwing, no elemental attacks, for God's sake.
Dumbbells is for dumb, and Wolfgang is no dumb!

Working out with the barbell allows Wolfgang's maximum hp to exceed 100% for some time, amount of bonus hp depending on the weight. So, if his maximum hp exceed 100% and he is at 50%+ hunger, Wolfgang becomes Mighty.
He can also craft the weights which are not represented by existing heavy objects, for example Marble Weights. Btw, Marbell sounds more like barbell, rather than dumbbell. Just saying.

Mighty bench
Wolfgang can craft and place the gym bench, a normal bench with the barbell holders, not some carnival monstrosity. Using the barbell with it allows Wolfgang to do bench presses, which adds more bonus hp than without the bench, and for longer.
The minigame can be removed at all, if people don't like it. The Klei's Mighty Gym minigame sux, that's for sure. Or it can be done like with oars - intuitive, no indicators, rewards for pressing in rhythm, punishing for pressing too fast. Punishing like dropping the barbell on yourself and receiving a bit of damage. Cuz you have to be careful when training.

Mightiness indicator
I personally don't like when Klei adds new indicators like Mighty meter, Inspiration meter, etc. I think you should stick to the initial three, and get creative. Only Abigail's hp are ok, cuz we need a way to see her hp. I wonder if anyone agrees with me here.
So, since mightiness depends on the bonus maximum hp, it can be shown on the health indicator. For example, the number can change color, and the heart icon can grow little muscly hands and flex, when Wolfgang is Mighty.

Fears nothing that can be punched
I think that fearing monsters for a strong man is meh. But some things cannot be punched. Like darkness. Or ghosts. Or death. Wolfgang gains heavy sanity drain near skeletons, graves and ghosts, including player ghosts and Abigail. Wendy herself has this effect on Wolfgang (though reduced), because he finds the girl creepy. Being near a ghost has a chance to cause panic, making Wolfgang run uncontrollably for a few seconds, or freeze in fear. Dead players can have some fun chasing the poor guy.
He suffers bigger sanity drain in the evening and at night, compared to other characters.

Loves attention
What is the point of having big muscles, if no one is around to admire you? For each non-hostile intelligent creature around - like players (but not griefers ^^), pigs, bunnymen, etc - Wolfgang gains some sanity regen.
It has absolutely nothing to do with fear of being alone in that scary Constant, no-no-no. The perk is called "Loves attention", not "someone hold my hand, i'm scared", am i right?


Skill tree

Punch branch
As the name suggests, this branch is all about combat.
Perks might include the following:
- bringing damage dealt to the rightful 200% and beyond
- "Fight makes might!" perk, which increases bonus max hp (aka mightiness) gained from combat, especially when fighting using the Barbell
- increasing the damage of blunt weapons, like the Barbell, Thulecite club or good old hammer
- thick skin, aka built-in armor
- slow down your attack speed, but gain AoE damage
- increasing your unarmed damage, which is especially good in early game, or in a pinch
- "One punch man" perk, which gives good chance of instantly killing a non-boss enemy when unarmed, and reduced chance when armed
- some active abilities, like Ground Slam, which deals small AoE damage and stuns enemies for a second or two. Are you going to improve the combat system or not, Klei?

No train no gain branch
This branch is about training in various ways. Everything's an exercise if you're brave enough! Also about helping your puny camp mates to gain some muscle.
With perks of this branch you can gain the following:
- more bonus max hp (aka mightiness) from the Bench
- "Coaching", which allows other characters to use the Bench to gain some temporary max hp. Other characters don't require the barbell (cuz they can't lift it anyway), but Wolfgang has to be nearby. Special animations would be cool too, like Wickerbottom doing bench presses with a book, or Wortox doing squats with a Crampus sack, or Wendy doing bicep curls with Abigail's flower
- max hp is gained faster from any non-combat sources and decays slower
- chopping, mining, etc (chores) gives more max hp
- "Might over matter" - regain that one-shot chance when doing chores in Mighty form
- "Warm up" perk, which increases your temperature when doing chores
- "Strong back" increases stack size of chore drops (wood, stone, etc), and removes any move speed penalties when carrying heavy objects while Mighty. Also prevents bonus max hp decay when carrying a full backpack
- "Leg day", which removes the move speed penalty while Mighty, and prevents the mightiness decay while running
- perk which gives sanity, when you use flex emotes near non-hostile intelligent creatures, with a cooldown

Affinity branch
Shadow affinity can indeed focus on damage, both to lunar and regular mobs. But the name should be changed from Guardian into something that attacks.
Lunar affinity can focus on defense, tanking and damage reflection. Cuz variety. And the name Guardian will fit here. Putting the words Wolfgang and Strategist in the same sentence feels wrong.

[Mortalbane]

I've updated the post and added skill tree.

As you can see, there are enough perks to make a big and blooming skill tree. Perks with similar effects, like "Strong back" and "Leg day", contradicting perks like the one that boosts unarmed damage and the one that increases weapon damage - so that there is something to choose from.
What do you think about this? Am i thinking in the right direction? Or all this is not needed, and what Klei does is fine as it is?
Feel free to share your opinion.