Warhammer Online Announces Two New Careers: Slayer and Choppa
By GRAGTAR GUTSMASHA. Filed in Warhammer Online Articles |Tags: Bloodlust, Brutality, Choppa, Enemies, Enemy Lines, Ferocious Fighters, Horde, new careers, Offensive Juggernaut, Orcs, Plan Of Attack, Slayer, Wreaking Havoc
CHOPPA
“WAAAGH! CHOP DA HUMIES! CHOP DA SISSIES! CHOP DA STUNTIES! CHOP CHOP CHOP! WAAAGH!”
-GAR THE MAD, CHOPPA
Orcs are always itching for a fight, and at the best of times their insatiable bloodlust is barely restrained long enough to form some sort of rudimentary plan of attack. Choppas don’t even have that minimal self-restraint. Ornery and savage, their one-track mind is dead seat on getting stuck in and bashin’ heads! Chopping is what they live for, chopping is what they are best at, and this one-track focus makes them ferocious fighters. As such, a Choppa who lives long enough quickly turns out to be the most elite fighter of the Greenskin horde, wreaking havoc throughout enemy lines purely for the sake of satisfying their own self-indulgent bloodlust.
CHOPPA SPECIALTY
Choppas are driven purely by their unending and inexplicable thirst for battle, which compels them to throw themselves headlong into battle against any challenges who stand before them… or against anyone vaguely nearby… or against anyone trying to running away…or occasionally against rocks and trees if no one is nearby. Their endless love of battle drives Choppas into a nearly euphoric state, especially when they come across an enemy who presents a real challenge and their battle rage becomes stronger and stronger with each vicious strike. Most Choppas will even heedlessly push themselves off-balance, not caring about how vulnerable they become as long as they get a “Gud fight” out of it.
PLAYING AS A CHOPPA
The Choppa is an offensive juggernaut that rains increasingly punishing blows down upon their enemies as their battle frenzy consumes them more and more. However, while the Choppa is single-minded, they’re also clever in their brutality, and they have found that they can channel their battle rage into massive, exhausting attacks, briefly sacrificing their enraged power in an attempt to fell the enemy with a single powerful blow. For those who choose the life of a Choppa, the limited control of when to embrace their battle frenzy and when to exhaust it will be a constant back-and-forth as their battles rage on.
FIGHTING AGAINST A CHOPPA
While Choppas may appear to be completely vulnerable at first glance, do not be fooled, for they’re under the protection of Gork (or maybe Mork), and as such can be very resistant to damage. The surest way to fight against a Choppa is to simply hit them hard and fast, and preferably while they’re engaging a different enemy. Always remember that the Choppa’s battle frenzy, while granting incredible might to the Orcs, also makes them increasingly more vulnerable as well, so striking at a Choppa who’s already in the heat of battle allows you to take advantage of their weakness while still keeping your own safety. Of course, that’s cold comfort to the poor fool who’s being chopped to bloody bits…
SLAYER
“KILLING THE BEASTIE WOULD BE A GREAT DEED, AND DYING IN THE ATTEMPT WOULD BE A MIGHTY DOOM!”
-DAVIK SHATTERED-HAMMER, SLAYER
While many of the other races view promises and commitments with a pragmatic eye, Dwarfs hold their honor in the highest regard, and uphold their oaths in a way that can only be described as nigh-obsessive. If something somehow prevents a Dwarf from fulfilling his oath, then he becomes shamed more deeply than any other race could even conceive of. Any Dwarf dishonored so thoroughly has only one choice: to stand before Grungi and take the Slayer’s oath, swearing to atone for his sin through an honorable death in combat. He forsakes his traditional armor, shaves his beard, ritually tattoos himself, and then sets off to rid himself of the shame and regret that haunt him. Slayers are just as stubborn as any other Dwarf, and dying quietly is simply not in their nature. The Slayers therefore become ruthless and terrifying fighters, throwing themselves into battle with no regard for their own well-being as they desperately search for a foe that is strong enough to end their painful quest.
SLAYER SPECIALTY
Every moment of a Slayer’s life is filled with the rage of their dishonor and loss. As they battle an enemy, they become more enraged with every passing moment, furious and saddened that this foe is not strong enough to bring them death’s atonement. This rage fills them with deadly fury, making them more and more dangerous as it builds up. Eventually, their rage will begin to push their body past its limits, putting their own health and safely into dire straits.
PLAYING AS A SLAYER
A Slayer focuses on brutal offensive attacks. As their rage builds up, they become more and more powerful, but they will eventually start to become more vulnerable as well, as fatigue takes its toll. While Slayers are able to briefly dampen their rage by using powerful and exhausting attacks, they can never be truly calmed, and their rage will quickly begin to build once again. Playing as a Slayer will ultimately come down to your choices between allowing your rage to consume you entirely and keeping you in a massive frenzy, or constantly exhausting your rage while also forgoing the furious might that it would otherwise give you, or striking a careful balance between the two. No matter the style, all Slayers are a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
FIGHTING AGAINST A SLAYER
Even though Slayers wear almost no armor, Dwarf fortitude and the Slayer’s utterly-focused nature significantly make up for it. The best tactic for defeating a Slayer is to do so quickly, and far out of the reach of their weapons. Always remember that a prolonged engagement against a Slayer is a dire gamble for you, for if you manage to survive their initial assault, the Slayer will only grow stronger as their rage builds up – but the weakness that the rage eventually inflicts may possibly work in your favor…if you can survive that long.
