Hello and welcome to another Firstborn development blog! This week, we learn all about the upcoming Guardian hero and the arsenal of powerful abilities she brings to the table.
Before we begin, please note that Firstborn is still in development, and everything in this article remains subject to change.
Bulwark:
Unlike the other Heroes, the Guardian starts with a passive ability. Her mighty shield is almost impenetrable, and renders her invulnerable to most frontal attacks. Even arrows are easily deflected by the Guardian's Bulwark ability.
Be warned, however, that some particularly powerful enemies can break through even the Guardian's shield. Always approach new foes with caution!
Shield Bash:
The Guardian's first active ability is the Shield Bash. Unlike other heroes, the Guardian cannot directly move enemies around the battlefield. Instead, her shield delivers a stunning wallop that prevents the target from acting next turn.
Though she cannot directly kill enemies with her Shield Bash, stunned foes often run afoul of their companions on the battlefield.
Reflexes:
The Guardian's second passive allows her to quickly turn and face an attacker when she is targeted from the flanks or the rear, interposing her shield and taking no damage. The fewer actions the Guardian takes on her turn, the more times Reflexes will kick in.
Heal:
In addition to being a heavily armoured tank, the Guardian is also a priestess of the Great Mother Goddess and capable of powerful feats of divine magic. Her first spell is Heal, which allows her to restore some hp to a single target. The Guardian possesses only a limited pool of power for spells, however, so she must choose carefully which spell to cast and when.
Shield Blade:
The Guardian's second spell, and perhaps her most powerful ability, is the Shield Blade. This invocation to the Great Mother summons a blade of shimmering divine energy on the front of the Guardian's shield. Maintaining this Shield Blade is so taxing that the Guardian cannot attack or cast any other spells while it is active, but it is nevertheless a deadly tool.
Enemies can be pulled into the shield blade to deal heavy damage, and kill most lesser foes outright.
The Guardian's Shield Blade can also be pushed into enemies to deadly effect, impaling foes with a savage charge. The Shield Blade is consumed after a single use, however, and draws upon the same resource as the Guardian's Heal.
Choose wisely when and how to use your magic as you command the mighty Guardian against the Firstborn!
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this week's breakdown of the Guardian Hero. Join us next week for more behind-the-scenes dev stuff!
