Scars of Honor - Behind the Class Design

Last Sunday on ArmegonTV, Venelin (Creative Director) and Aleksandar (Design Director) walked through the original class design document for Scars of Honor and shared how the classes are being shaped.

The document is about a year and a half old. As they explained on stream, it shows the original direction and thinking behind the classes, not a final version of what will be in the game. Some systems have already evolved, and others are still being refined. We’ve always tried to show you how Scars of Honor is being built, even when things are still being iterated upon.

Here is the full livestream for those of you who want to soak up every bit of information: https://www.youtube.com/live/exvLzZvXvl0?si=4A_pWDKt1HfMMHuo

No More Subclasses

Earlier in development, classes were split into clear subclasses like tank, DPS, and support. That structure has been removed.

Now, each class uses a large talent tree. You start by choosing one of six starting nodes. That sets your initial direction, but after that, you can move across the entire tree.

You can’t pick multiple starting nodes, and you can’t unlock everything. Every build comes with trade-offs. The idea is to give players freedom while ensuring decisions still matter.

Roles Aren’t Locked

They spent some time talking about roles and how they don’t want them to feel rigid.

The idea isn’t to have tanks that just stand there, healers who only stare at health bars, or DPS players stuck following one fixed rotation. Roles still matter, of course, but they’re not meant to feel restrictive.

If you’re playing a tank, you can lean more into damage. A healer doesn’t have to stay completely passive. Even a DPS can invest into survivability or control if that fits the situation.

You still have a primary role, you’re just not boxed into one narrow version of it.

Class Overview

Below is a recap of how the classes were originally conceptualized, based on the design document shown during the stream.

Warrior

Warrior has always been about close combat and weapon control. It wasn’t designed to be just “the tank.” A big part of the early thinking was adaptability, someone who knows how to handle different weapons and stays effective in different situations.

They also talked about a heavier frontline presence and a more aggressive, pressure-based approach. Those ideas are still there, just no longer split into fixed lanes.

Paladin

Paladin drew from several strong inspirations. There was a judgment-focused identity built around fire and punishment. Mobility also played a role, especially with cavalry-style movement and impact. Support mechanics like banners were part of the early thinking as well.

On stream, Cavalcade Of Light was shown as an example of that high-impact design - powerful, but dependent on timing and positioning. Venelin also noted that earlier versions made Paladin overlap too much with Warrior, and that they continue to refine the separation.

Priest

When they talked about Priest, it wasn’t just about numbers or healing output. A big part of the discussion was how healing should actually feel to play.

The class still carries that familiar holy support identity, but they also explored a more aggressive angle inspired by exorcist themes. That version brings dispels and disruption closer to the fight instead of keeping everything at a distance.

The idea is simple: healing shouldn’t feel passive. You’re part of the action.

Mystic

Mystic originated from darker, more mystical concepts. Cosmic energy and celestial themes were part of it, but so were plague-style curses and unsettling transformation ideas.

Rather than focusing on raw damage, the class was shaped around influence - applying pressure, weakening opponents, and controlling the pace of the fight.

They also mentioned that certain debuff interactions have to respect encounter design, especially when it comes to bosses.

Mage

Mage wasn’t reinvented. It’s still your elemental caster with beam spells and big area damage.

What changes is how you build it. They talked about the Battle Mage direction, which adds shields and more durability so you can play closer to the action. You’re not switching to a different specialisation, you’re just leaning into a different part of the same one.

Druid

Shapeshifting has always been central to Druid.

The early vision included a powerful combat form capable of holding space in the thick of battle, as well as a caster style built around a spore mechanic that reacts differently depending on your target. There was also a strong focus on fighting alongside animals rather than simply summoning from afar.

That mix of shapeshifting and reactive spellcasting is really what gives the Druid its identity.

Ranger

Ranger developed around mobility and control. Long-range precision and movement formed one core identity. At the same time, controlling the terrain through traps and small bombs shaped another part of the class. Later, a more technical angle was introduced, bringing in turrets and electrical abilities.

All of those ideas now blend inside the talent system rather than standing alone.

Assassin

Assassin wasn’t designed around permanent invisibility. They were pretty clear about that on stream. Stealth is part of the identity, but it’s meant to be tactical, not something you sit in forever.

A lot of the early ideas focused on precision, landing crits, applying pressure, cutting through armor. There was also an anti-mage angle in there, with tools meant to disrupt spellcasters. And then you’ve got the faster, riskier melee style that leans into aggression.

All of that now sits inside the same talent system. You’re not picking a fixed version of Assassin, you’re deciding how much you want to lean into each part.

Necromancer

Necromancer leaned heavily into presence.

Some ideas explored a more imposing, almost frontline approach infused with cosmic energy. Others focused on summons and aura-style weakening effects. Blood magic introduced risk, allowing players to trade their own health for power.

Rather than being confined to a single expression, those elements now coexist within the same talent tree.

Pirate

Pirate was designed to feel bold and dynamic.

The duelist-style swashbuckler captured the close-quarters flair. Deeper, darker sea-magic influences added a cursed identity. And explosive artillery-style abilities gave the class large-scale impact through gunpowder and cannon mechanics.

The result is a class built around presence and momentum rather than subtlety.

Iteration Is Ongoing

One key takeaway from the stream was the team's approach to development.

Abilities can be prototyped quickly. Internal playtests happen often. If something doesn’t feel right, it gets adjusted.

The document shown on stream is a foundation, not a final blueprint.

As Venelin said during the stream, the priority is simple: “The classes have to feel fun first. Everything else comes after that.”