Tank Talk: Ravendawn Developer Q&A
Ravendawn is a brand new, free-to-play, retro, top-down, expansive MMORPG, due for release on January 16th 2024.
We reached out to the developers at Tavernlight Games to see if they would answer some questions more specific to Tanking in Ravendawn, and they happily agreed.
We posted our questions to Ravendawns Game Director Nicolas “Knighter” Schrik who was kind enough to give us an insight into what players should expect, if they choose to become a Tank in this nostalgic MMORPG.
The Tank Role in Ravendawn
TC: With regards to balancing – what was the plan or overall idea when it came to adding a Tank role into Ravendawn? What considerations did you take into account to ensure that Tanks are both durable and effective at holding aggro?
The Tank role is quite a bit different in Ravendawn than it is in most MMORPGs. In Ravendawn, Protection is the Archetype that provides you with the ability to Taunt or Refocus Creature attention. Additionally, Protection provides a handful of skills that allow you to tank more efficiently. The combination of how you build your Protection character with two other Archetypes decides the style of tank you’ll be. We’ve seen very interesting varying styles on Tanking in Ravendawn between Shield Tank builds, Healing Tank Builds, Lifestealing Tank builds to pure Damage Mitigation builds.
TC: With Ravendawns potential group dynamics, how do you envision Tanks working together with other classes to create a balanced and synergistic team?
I think it is completely based on the content that the team wishes to undergo. I think at times a Tank could fill a role of allowing larger AOE creature killing, providing support to weaker team members, or challenging more difficult content.
TC: I’ve played through the Open Beta this week – my favourite Tank archetype so far has been Protection, Warfare, and Shadow to make a Dark Knight. What are your favourite archetypes for a Ravendawn Tank and why?
I’ve always been a paladin type player in almost every MMORPG i’ve played. So I have a soft spot for Protection, Warfare and Holy. However, Dark Knight has definitely been a common Tank Build in this recent Open Beta and players seem to really enjoy the Tanking element it allows while also being very flexible.
TC: Tank Customization: Are there plans to introduce additional customization options for Tanks, such as unique talents or skill trees that allow players to tailor their Tanking style to their preferences?
We already have an incredibly deep amount of customization between Archetype Trees and Ravencards. Depending how far you’ve progressed in Ravendawn, Ravencards will open up an incredible amount of further depth for your Archetypes and Builds. We pride ourselves on player Customization though and will always explore new ways to make your character and playing experience as unique as possible!
TC: Will Tanks be valuable in Ravendawn? Especially in the higher-level content – if so, what content will a Tank really be essential?
Absolutely, they’ve already shown to be incredibly useful in Quests, Largescale PvP and Grinding. We feel they will have a strong role longterm in Ravendawn.
TC: With mechanics and engagement, these are important part of making Tanking enjoyable in an MMORPG. Are there specific encounters or boss mechanics that pose a significant challenge for Tanks, and how are these challenges balanced to ensure a satisfying experience?
I think every build in Ravendawn has encounters that they feel weak against, and that is by design, tanks would feel no different in certain encounters. However, with that, that means other builds shine against them and they encourage creativity and diversification. We will always look to make sure the world feels challenging (more so mid and late game) but also rewarding.
TC: PvP is quite a fundamental part of Ravendawn. How does the Tank role translate into player versus player scenarios?
We’ve seen a handful of battles already occur with Tanks leading the charge and completely disrupting backlines. I think Tanks will find themselves excel in multiple ways in PvP depending on their build.
TC: To be a Tank in Ravendawn, it appears that one of your class selections must be the Protection class, as it’s the only class with a taunt. Are there any plans to increase class diversity or add other taunt skills in the future?
Currently we only have one Archetype with Taunt. However, we plan to introduce more Archetypes in the near future that may or may not contain additional Taunt abilities within them.
TC: How does enemy aggro work in Ravendawn? Only the Protection class has a taunt. Is aggro threat-based? Is there a way to increase threat that doesn’t include a Taunt?
We currently have a more unique aggro system than most games. There is no aggro meter like most MMORPGs, that leads to pausing damage or healing throughput. Instead Creatures have a varying chance to aggro off to a different target based on the combat situation.
TC: Future Development: Can you provide a glimpse into any future plans for Tank-related content or updates? Are there new features, classes, raids/dungeons, or mechanics on the horizon that Tanks can look forward to?
There are some rumours that we are working on Dungeons as well as World Bosses that will show even more utility for Tanks. However, as most top teams already know, there is huge value in having a Tank in your team for virtually all team content.
Final Words
Huge thank you to Nicolas from Tavernlight Games for taking the time to answer our questions!
This is one of the first big MMORPGs to release in 2024 and if you want a nostalgic MMO to try or maybe something a little different or new, you definitely need to give Ravendawn a try. I’ve had a lot of fun in the Beta tests and felt some real excitement, there’s a lot to explore and the game map is absolutely huge, it’s a game I am personally looking forward to playing on release!
