A suggestion: Wanda's Skill tree.

[Wilf0rd]

So, it's my first Forum post, so maybe I won't use much of those features much. Hope this won't be ignored by klei at least

     As we know Wanda is a clockmaker, so she uses clocks to get advantages on survival. Her aging system is a downside in most situations that are needed to be handled. And that's why she's fun to play as. Aside from a clock naming or color system there's more we can do about clocks that don't need to have any more complex that they already are, but rather an opportunity to handle them smoothly. When you play wanda for too long on a game you start to get confused about where backtrek watches lead you to, what place to go aside from ruins and honestly everywhere else on the surface (aside from pig king) and the most issue i think of, benefits from using clocks. Assigned teleportation perks are cool, sure, but these don't feel enough since it's about survival progression. it's needed to know where anchor points are on world map (come on, people get airheaded sometimes) and means to action improvement (On the option to make clocks there needs to be more reward than just having risks to take).

    So as a suggestion I make myself a skill tree that I thought of based about mostly her career as a clockmaker. Not only that, but since clocks on XIX century needed systems not only used gears, also got gems involved. Even on that design I thought on a third branch as well. Affinity skills included.     Well, expect complex stuff. It's not easy to get a clock working after all.

 Clockmaker Branch: (4 skills)

     This is a branch clock based, and since there's few of them there's this much of skills to get.

• Pocket Watch (base branch): Enables wanda to make a Watch Satchel. A leather based bag that stays in your inventory (may work better if only on the main inventory and you'll eventually see why). they're watch exclusives, counting time pieces as well, not clockmaker tools. Functions the same as Wendy's casket or walter's ammo, and has only 3 slots.  Crafting recipe:  3 pig skin, 1 rope and 4 silk.
• Watchmaker's Bench (after Pocket Watch skill):  Wanda is able to craft a new crafting station that only can work on clocks so only wanda could use. Instead of enabling new items to craft or have a science and/or magic level, it works like a potter's wheel that needs a clock to function. Once a wanda's clock is given Wanda can calibrate that given clock. This calibration mechanic removes the said clock's cooldown, switching that to durability stats. This means no cooldown effect so continuous clock using is now enabled for that selected clock. Wanda is not able to fix them with this station once the clocks break, but they give back resources just like if they're dismantled.
  Durability of each clocks:
    Backstep watch: 12 uses
    Backtrek watch: 12 uses
    Ageless watch: 10 uses
    Second Chance watch: 4 uses
    Alarming Clock watch durability is not available to calibrate. (it strikes at the right moment already lol)

 

• Watch Monitor(second branch after Pocket Watch skill): Wanda can craft a new clock device (it will look mostly lens like) only able to be used only inside a watch satchel. the watch monitor once enabled tracks the clocks inside with it and there will be lights on the same slot size right above the satchel showing clocks. During a fitting situation, as like there's hostile enemies for backstep watch, places that there's backtrek anchor points set on the map, an alarming clock with no charges or a fallen friend around you those "watch slots" will emit glowsthat enable use from inside the satchel.
  On action terms it enables:
•   On backstep watches: on right click you are enable (the timing is yours since the monitor detect hostility on a wide area) to use the satchel to backstep travel. (it emits a golden glow on the satchel) On backtrek watches: you're enabled to see where it goes on the map, it emits a faint purple glow if done so, if the anchor point is on caves the monitor will have a screen when the mouse is hovered over the lens area on where the cave is. On multiple cave anchors, well two screens (it's not live, it will change screen only when used or set, and night vision enabled.)
•   On ageless watches: when your age is low based on your age phases (young, adult and old) it will emit a pink glow and you're able to use the ageless watch clock from the satchel. It gets top priority when old over other lights
•   On Second Chance watches: once a fellow survivor is a ghost near you you're able to revive him by using the satchel. It always will be low priority over other clocks. The second chance watch emits a brown glow
• On alarming clocks: if the alarming clock is below 50% the monitor will emit a faint gray glow on the satchel. It doesn't get high priority such as backstep watch or ageless watch.

            Crafting recipe: 2 glass 1 twig and 1 flint

 

• Automatic operator (end branch): A new gearbox based tool that is a gem setter. Once in any inventory, it will automatically set gems and nightmare fuel if needed at once, without wanda manually having to do it as she is able to walk around. On the skill tree wheel it will be enable to shift into manual mode and to auto mode. Both modes will consume nightmare fuel on Wanda's inventory. However this device also improves the monitor one, giving automatic effects only to monitored watches.
  Each clock effects:
• Backstep Watch: during hostile presence on wanda when the enemy attacks, no matter if far or close, the backstep watch will be activated.
• Backtrek Watch: as you socket a gem into it so it becomes a rift watch the operator device will remember this and consume 1 nightmare fuel to socket any purple gem at it automatically.
• Ageless Watch: when on the right time to remain full health at your current age stage the operator will use the clock for you. It will restore less age however since you're not actively using it.
• Alarming clock: On very low durability (below 25%) the automatic operator will use 2 nightmare fuel to repair it. only will do it if there's 4 spare nightmare fuel since it will always spend it to automate tools.

      That's the clockmaker branch. On the lower right side of the skill tree. On the entire left there will be another branch focused only on gems.

     Jeweler Branch: (6 skills in total)

• Ruby Backstep (branch start): Wanda is allowed to socket a red gem on it. The monitored light will be golden with red on the edges. Upon use, the backstep watch leaves a small explosion (stinger zingers aoe) of flames. They doesn't burn creatures, but the inflicted area sets them to panic once they are able to. If used many times repeatedly it will overheat and eventually break. Dismantled, but the gem is consumed.

 

• Backtrek Gem socket (after Ruby backstep):  It is possible to socket three gems types more on backtrek. Blue, green and yellow.

Effects given:

•   Blue gem: Upon destination, a tile long radius will have ice effect freezing enemies. Frost value of 3.
•   Yellow gem: When on arrival an area of light with as much ratius as a log-in during darkness effect will appear, as well as a slight gain of sanity (maybe 10? 15?)
•   Green gem: Once you get on the anchored point Wanda will get a slight amount of age regeneration during a minute. The clock going backwards will be slightly faster than a rest. The age regeneration won't pass over her current state if the watch is monitored inside a pocket watch along a monitor. risk notes: 
  the socketed gems will break if backtrek watches won't get used from inside caves or in the following seasons:
  Blue for Winter
  Yellow for Summer
  Green for Spring
• Gem Resonance (center skill): A Variety of gems socketed on watches on your inventory grants more duration of the effects (on the case of blue gems the frost value, raised 1 for each variety.) Orange gems also count. (ithere will be a skill about it later on.). To give balance to those effects each 2 different colors will increase duration of the watches effects to 12 seconds (it will only increase panic durationof ruby backstep, lesser duration value, ofc)
• Chromatic Backstep (available after center skill): The backstep Watch, if not with any gems, gets to activate all socketed backtrek watches in hand inventory without using them durability. (notice it doesn't need any clockmaker skills, but surely adds to the more clocks you own.) there will be no effects for rift watches and alarming clocks. Orange gem effects will also count.
• Chromatic Mastery (same placement as the skill before): Orange gem is enabled to be socketed at any watch. The effect is simple. On clock use it reduces the age drain. It stacks to 20% less aging decrease speed only if that same watch is often used in 1 minute.  (i didn't do the math so idk how many days wanda could live without ageless watches with that skill on). This skill also enables to socket an iridescent gem on an alarming clock. Doing so will enable the gem to have this weapon lunar aligned, and so give it its maximum damaged regardless of Wanda's age. (nightmare fuel is required the same, once it gets to 0 uses the gem will be consumed.) 
  On action terms: This means watches other than backstep and alarming clock won't be of use to this skill's maximum potential when about orange gems.
• Jewel Removal: The clockmaker tool can remove a socketed gem of any kind, but only if not on cooldown or with max durability.

The next tree branch is support and tree merging focused, it's hoped to be versatile as you make up your own combinations.

      Mechanic Branch:(7 available skills)

• Cursed Gears (base branch): Allows Wanda to craft cursed gears (recipe: 1 gear and 1 nightmare fuel). Cursed gears restore half the cooldown of any clock when used, also restoring any clock's durability. Works with alarming clock as well. (cursed gears could be edible to wx but removing some sanity idk)
• Rapid repair (next  branch):Wanda's crafting and fixing animations are faster with this, and it now restores 70% of any clock's cooldown. The automatic gearbox will use it as a priority when on auto mode.
• Area overload: (After Cursed Gears): Gems socketed on clocks now will do a small area of effect damage . It also increases effect durations .
  On action terms:
  Backstep watch: it will only do 10 damage, no matter the gem socketed
  Backtrek watches:
  Rift Watch: it will extend the time portals duration
  with blue gem: the hit will come first and right next the freezing. 30 damage. Aggro will be lost
  With yellow gem: the light area will become a "dwarf star", the middle area able to emit more heat and also sanity source. However Wanda can't cook (people with cooking benefits should, like warly, willow and walter).
  with green gem: the regeneration will happen at a small area upon destination creating a 4 fences diameter healing area on the anchor point (could be tile radius, but again idk if that will be too op or not). 
  With ageless watch (will work only if there's a gem socketed, so by definition it's about Chomatic mastery skill): the effect will be stacked 3 times each use instead of one
  With second chance watch (same situation as ageless watch): when a fellow survivor is revived the temperature and any effects like grogginess and sandstorm/miasma clouds slowness won't be an issue for that same survivor for 20 seconds.
  With alarming clock (any gem): the alarming clock will do aoe damage to near targets, but below half , that works with all phases but doesn't stack with the iridescent gem socketed.
• Enhanced Gem Socket (middle skill between rapid repair and area overload): Allows Wanda to socket gems on the watch monitor, changing the lens color and giving effects that are already known on jewelry branch only if inside a watch satchel, with an adding effect that rift watches generate random and 
• Overload reinforcement (Area overload required): Increases all the clock efficiencies, meaning Wanda will travel faster with time travel watches and healing more with ageless and second chance watches. Currently I'm not sure if the alarming clock having the same attack rate as a normal weapon or even slightly less such would sound broken for a skill so I'm leaving it for now.
• Precision tuning (unlocked after 3 skills spent on this branch, no matter where they are. It's a side skill just like wx's drone enhancment skill): Wanda improves the calibrated watches uses by 3 (after calibration ofc. This means 3 more durability uses if Watchmaker's Bench is enabled.)
• Overclocking mode(end skill): Wanda enables 1 skill more, that needs an ageless watch to be available at the skill wheel. (more of them don't stack). This ability can be used  when the ageless watch is on cooldown, right clicking on it as well. when used Wanda consumes a nightmare fuel so every clock won't wear down any cooldown/durability for 40 seconds. This applies to every clock on her hand iventory, including the alarming clock.

     

 

     Well, there's affinity skills, right? I've been thinking on.. well.. new clocks. These clocks will work differently to show Wamda's both sides. One side of her being a potential support character, easing lives of other players alongside her, and another being a high dps character. As every clock she has, these same abilities will be rewarded if timing is correct. However they can't be calibrated, overclocked and will grant penalties, just as how it's implied that Wanda is running from the shadows as long as her time in the constant. Things can change..

 

Lunar Affinity - Moonlit Temporizer

      Well, instead of a shadow only ability I see Wanda as also a smart person. Her quotes are supposed to be "timeless" (lol) but always implying she knows more than apparent layers. This can mean experience with lunar concepts themselves. Not only having knowledge, but also means to harness. (taking the iridescent jem as example. Yeah it's a trip ik.)

        This new clock will attend to expansions of possibilities, stretching the time passed on an area around her. Players won't be affected by it, but a timer will appear over the clock when used. It's timer like, and each number counting down will be looking like digital (since lunar energy is safely linked with electricity). Once the countdown reaches zero (ofc starting right when the clock animation ends.) Wanda gets a penalty of what she's just done, slowing her down groggy like for a small period of time (maybe similar to eating lunar shrooms until you sleep.). Lunar energy is too much to handle after all.

• Details: Same Umbralla turned-on mode radius. Inside, enemies will have 80% percent movement and attack animations. When inside that same area, Wanda gets planar defense applied to her no matter the armor she's with for double the time the clock is active (40 seconds, sounds fair when using the alarming clock.). this clock has same cooldown as backtrek watch. (1 day)

Materials: 2 pure brilliance, 1 elastispacer, 2 time pieces.

 

What if wanda got too close to the shadows? what could she do with such immensurable formless power?

 

Shadow Affinity - Chronoshadow Temporizer

     Such as how Maxwell feels unstoppable when wearing void gear Wanda will also be powerful with that skill... if you're able to keep up. Once the clock is used you are on the run to deal as much damage as possible, void wrapping her body granting a void masked face, red sparks flowing, and nightmare strikes at aid to her abysmal might. Time running out right above the iventory slot as an black themed clock running through. You only have one chance, one life that is capped to your old age, and better make it count hitless, or else your time that's up.

• Details: right after when the clock is used wanda enters her void form, instantly getting old (65 years old. If she is already old then nothing happens ofc) and having a percentage of planar damage the more clocks she has. Works on the alarming clock only, but all the clocks on her hand will gain black palettes. A catch happens to the alarming clock, tough. When landing a successful hit over the enemy it generates a shadow mark (it will be a white spark but with shadow mist like dust) that increases in size (not damage) each hit. Once it gets to 15 times the mark explodes handling lots of damage to the enemy. (I'm taking 800 planar damage, but yeah, none of that is backed up with math or testing). When the time is gone the clock will ring bell-like, and most of her age will be drained (16 years old). Wanda will need an ageless clock right on use to make it without dying.

Materials: 1 dreadstone, 2 pure horror, 1 ageless watch.

 

    Here goes some comments now

 

I've brainstormed this 2 weeks ago, and liked the possibilities on how wanda can be rewarding despite the risks. Wanda relying on clocks too much is not a problem, it's actually the purpose of this character. to me she resembles Maxwell, wickerbottom and wolfgang in many ways, and at the same time not looking like them at all. Wanda is rewarding to play with, even more with friends. And until now I really think she changes the ways we view the game. A true glass cannon, and yet the best at being so.

Wanda is a clockmaker, and clocks used to have jewels and such. This is why I wanted a jewel based branch. The clock and mechanic part were just to add complexity and maybe QoL. Afinnity

That's the skill tree I suggest. Leave your opinions on the comments below, even ideas what I didn't had (It may be too much without any picture. But you could imagine pictures on your minds. Maybe even draw them? pls?). I would be glad to hear them.

Spoiler

I'm hoping I get some of the skills right, being honest, ahah

Quote

"You are old, Father William," the young man said",

""And your hair has become very white;",

"And yet you incessantly stand on your head—",

"Do you think, at your age, it is right?"",

""In my youth," Father William replied to his son,",

""I feared it might injure the brain;",

"But now that I'm perfectly sure I have none,",

"Why, I do it again and again."", 

-Lewis Carrol. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland (Found funny to post it here)