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Angels Online Dev Journal: Birth of Assassins

Floating Island, the new expansion for Angels Online, was launched nearly two months ago, introducing tons of fantastic new content like the Crown Jewel. Since the release, the new Assassin class has been quietly gathering player’s attention. Here, the Angels Online Dev team shares their excitement about how and why they designed this new class.
 
Assassins are a paradox between secrecy and wide-ranging notoriety. Everyone seems to know of them, but no one knows anything about them. Most picture them in black masks and robes, clutching a dagger or wielding some mysterious weapon. But where do they come from? Where do they acquire their skills and training? Nobody seems to know. The Assassin’s powerful explosive force makes this class one of the most exciting and challenging to play in Angels Online, and the release of this class takes the in-game PVP system to a whole new level of challenge.
 
Players may wonder why the Angels Online Dev team didn’t release this fantastic class at the very beginning of the game. When it was first released, the game introduced the wars between Heaven and the Evil Lyceum as the main storyline. Each character class possesses a main attack skill and five assistant skills to help wage war against evil. As the game has progressed, players have become quite creative. They’ve learned how to mix various skills and various classes together more effectively. Now, even common classes can hold myriad possibilities for clever players. The unique classes and battle skills combined and created by players surpassed even the Dev team’s expectations. Players were so excellent at creating effective combinations that it inspired the Dev team to design a brand new class.
 
In Angels Online, Assassins differ from other classes which can train a battle skill and five assistant skills. Assassins are free to learn three battle skills including Shadow Blade, Avatar, and Assault, and three assistant skills. In addition to the necessary attributes that are obtained after the character levels up, each battle skill also grants players the ability to learn three different battle stances. Shadow Blade is the most basic, but it’s an indispensable skill for Assassin class players. The Avatar skill grants players the ability to summon several assistants who assist the player, and the Assault skill offers players various additional buffs. All three of these skills work in conjunction with each other to make Assassins a feared and respected class. The Dev team considered the in-game battle system and carefully balanced Assassins with other classes. The choice was made to decrease Assassin’s natural health points (HP). Now, when players encounter an Assassin who possesses striking attack power but relatively lower HP, anything might happen! Be warned, though: players using the Assassin class go to battle believing that “One shall stand, one shall fall!”
 
There is no doubt that Agility is an essential attribute to help pull off daring and danger missions and quests. The Assassin class excels in this attribute. It features the highest Agility rating in Angels Online, which allows them to master quick attacks and fast movement. A player facing an Assassin may not have much time to, say, critique the Assassin’s outfit. What’s more, the Dev team also forged a series of new and unique weapons for Assassins. Inside a player’s inventory, the new weapons might appear as typical swords used by Swordsmen. However, when Assassin class players clutch that same weapon in hand, everything changes. Players won’t be able to see the details of the weapon because of the Assassin’s incredible speed. Stealth is another unique skill for Assassin players. It grants them the ability to hid within any environment, completely invisible to others. This allows them to operate competently and effectively on the battlefield.
 
With the release of the Floating Island expansion, the competition between Heaven and the Evil Lyceum is becoming more and more complex. The Dev team for Angels Online feels that now that the system design and detailed game adjustments have been made, it’s time to launch the new Assassin class. Now it’s in the hands of the players to explore the Assassin class’s potential powers and the possibilities it holds. Who knows how the battles will now unfold? Will this new class turn the tide of war? How will players integrate Assassins into their goals? Only time will tell!
 
Coming soon, the Angels Online Dev team will reveal even more high-level skills and equipment for Assassins. If you want to experience the exciting battles of any class, from Swordsman to Priest to Archer to Assassin and more, join the fun now!
 
Visit http://ao.igg.com to learn more about Angels Online or the Floating Island expansion.