One way to intertwine narrative and mechanics in a game is to do so through character classes. In order to have unique feeling classes, the class style needs to match the narrative of what they are. For example, a warrior needs to feel like a physical powerhouse, and a mage needs to feel like a squishy, but powerful spellcaster.
SONGSTRESS:
In Draconic Echoes: The Ardent War, the magic-based healer/support class is Lyrra’s “Songstress” option. The in-game description of the Songstress is as follows:
Selecting this option will change Lyrra to the “Songstress” class. She will focus on singing to support her allies and attacking with psychic magic. Songstress spells are more TP efficient than most, allowing more frequent use of them. She will also passively reduce psychic damage that she takes. The Songstress excels at helping her fellow party members shine and can fit into any composition easily. Compared to the War Sorceress, the Songstress falls behind in damage potential, but can still output viable damage.
Draconic Echoes: The Ardent War
The Songstress is very much primarily a support class, but to keep things interesting, there are tweaks within the class to the TP generation. As in, TP generation is notably higher for the Songstress, even when using just single-target and support spells. Advances skills learned by the Songstress either generate more TP or refund some TP on use, which makes the TP requirement to cast higher, but lowers the effective casting cost. Additionally, as the class is based on being an advanced bard of sorts, most of the spells are songs and are animated as such in order to give the player the impression that it is the Songstress’ voice that is willing the magic into being, and it is her natural rhythm that generates her Tempo (TP) faster. To elaborate on how the Songstress works in this manner, I would like to describe some of its skills in more detail.
Discordant Dirge I-III – Perform a funerary song that rakes the target’s mind with personal doubts, worries, and anxieties.
(Level I – 30 TP cost, 0 refund, net 30 cost)
(Level II – 40 TP cost, 5 refund, net 35 cost)
(Level III – 50 TP cost, 10 refund, net 40 cost)
As seen here, adding a simple refund of resources can let the initial cost be higher, but cost less in a practical sense. Applying this mechanic in Songstress makes it seem that she is using her songs and rhythms to be more efficient in combat.
Healing Melody III -A soothing tune that heals one ally. This spell generates 5 extra TP. (Only usable in combat.)
A level III heal is only available to the Songstress, which asserts her superiority in healing and support, and having it generate 5 extra TP not only allows her to cast more frequent mass support spells via TP (as most support spells shift from single-target to a party wide buff when TP is spent), but also reaffirms the point made above about her rhythm helping her in the flow of combat.
Combat Rhythm – Sing a song enhancing the rhythm of one ally, spending 25 TP to grant 30 TP to the target.
As the Songstress’ aim is to help her allies, she can transfer the extra TP that she generates to a different party member, reinforcing her role as support. Additionally, it is worth noting that she grants 30 TP at the cost of 25 TP, so she is generating even more TP than what she is spending. In this way, it is clear to the player that the Songstress is suited to helping the rest of the party.
As a whole, the Songstress generates a significantly high amount of TP considering that she has no magic AoEs to bolster it. She has powerful heals and support, but also has a few tools, such as Discordant Dirge, to deal damage or help another party member deal more damage when needed. To give a greater narrative sense for her TP generation, her songs and music tie into her spells. Since TP is a measure of a character’s momentum in combat, the narrative fits well with the mechanics here.
If you’re curious about how all my nonsense actually plays out in a game, check out Draconic Echoes: The Ardent War on Steam!