The Scoop On The Dryad - Abilities & Defenses

Haven't seen it in the forums or posted on the news yet, but it's up on YouTube already:

Looks like her alternate attack transforms her into a corrupted version, while corrupted her abilities and defenses have different effects.

Abilities

Double Jump - Second hero that is able to double jump. I would like to see this added to every hero. I believe the Gun Witch and the Dryad are both unique enough that they don't lose anything by improving QoL for every other hero.

Fly - Triple jumping or holding space after Double Jumping gives her wings (not a redbull reference).

Corrupt - Dryad's alternate attack ability changes her into the corrupt form. While in corrupt form her abilities and defenses are buffed. Being in corrupt form drains mana. Defenses built by your Builder Dryad will receive these buffs if you swap to a DPS Dryad and go into Corrupt form.

Dryad's Blessing - Self Buff

• Normal Form - Buffs her resistances so she takes less damage
• Corrupted Form - Buffs her attack damage Deals AoE damage around her

Powder Toss - Healing/Utility

• Normal Form - Spawns mushrooms in target area that heal players and slow enemies
• Corrupted Form - Mushrooms damage enemies and explode to root enemies in place

Starfall - AoE damage and mana restore

• Normal Form - AoE nuke that leaves a star in the targeted area. Picking up the Star restores her unique mana type.
• Corrupted Form - Increases AoE damage and leaves an AoE DoT in the targeted area after the star hits but restores less/no mana.

Defenses

Dryad brings a new tower type to Dungeon Defenders II, referred to as an AI Spawner. You place the tower down and it periodically spawns AI controlled friendly (to the player) units. When the Old Ones armies come within range the AI controlled spawns will attack them.

World Tree - 30 DU 

• Normal Form - Blockade that provides AoE healing and powers Dryad's other defenses. It is similar to the Protoss Pylons from StarCraft. Defenses can only be placed in the area around the Tree. If a tree is destroyed the defenses become disabled until a new Tree is built. It can only be upgraded twice.
• Corrupt Form - No information was given about how or if corrupt form will affect the World Tree

Moss Hornet's Nest - 30 DU 

• Normal Form - Our first AI Spawner! Spawns 2 hornets near the nest and they fly out to sting enemies with poison damage. Probably hits ground and air enemies. Not clear if Hornets can be killed or die.
• Corrupt Form - Spawns a 3rd hornet at each nest (essentially a +50% damage buff)

Harpy's Perch - 40 DU

• Normal Form - Long Range Offensive Tower. This functions very similar to Frostbite Towers except that it's "beam" is a barrage of feathers and it it deals damage while it is attacking instead of slowing, with a cooldown period between attacks. Probably hits ground & air enemies.
• Corrupt Form - Increases damage by about 7.5% and pierces through enemies to hit 1 additional target, similar to the Squire's Harpoon tower (if placed correctly, +115% damage buff)

Slime Pit - 40 DU

• Normal Form - AI Spawner, spawns up to 3 slimes. Slimes explode on enemies dealing AoE damage. Probably hits only ground enemies.
• Corrupt Form - Increases movement speed of Slimes, Increases their damage, and oils enemies that are hit by Slimes.

Angry Nimbus - 100 DU

• Normal Form - AI Spawner, spawns a flying Angry Nimbus cloud that damages and drenches enemies below it. Probably AoE. Possibly ground only.
• Corrupt Form - Periodically strikes enemies with lightning.

Weapons

The Dryad uses swords, but the Squire cannot use Dryad swords, and the Dryad cannot use Squire swords. All weapons are still hero specific.

We don't know anything about her weapons except for one of them.

Meowmere - Attacks shoot out a bouncing cat with a rainbow trail.

If you think I have misinterpreted any of her abilities or defenses post below

Awesome!  Thank you for sharing this!

lmao love the one punch man reference.

Updated with ability and defense descriptions.

I think we got a new mechanic in this game. Her defense seem to spawn friendly AI "mobs" that attack enemies who get within range.

So she is a dps and def hero? She looks so awesome, im gonna buy her fast when she comes out

One punch Man reference! Also i can't add her to my deck, because its maxed out 64/64!

Totally knew Blessing was making it in. I really need this char like yesterday.

@mindlessdefender quote:

Also i can't add her to my deck, because its maxed out 64/64!

Time to start deleting. Those 64 characters can't all be useful. This game isn't diverse enough to have 64 useful characters right now.

@Hom-Sha-Bom quote:

Haven't seen it in the forums or posted on the news yet, but it's up on YouTube already:

Looks like her alternate attack transforms her into a corrupted version, while corrupted her abilities and defenses have different effects.

Abilities

Dryad's Blessing - Self buff

• Normal Form - Buffs her resistances so she takes less damage.
• Corrupted Form - Buffs her attack damage.

Powder Toss - Healing ability

• Normal Form - Spawns mushrooms in target area that heal players and slow enemies
• Corrupted Form - Mushrooms damage enemies and explode to root enemies in place

Starfall - AoE damage and mana restore

• Normal Form - AoE nuke that leaves a star in the targeted area. Picking up the Star restores her unique mana type.
• Corrupted Form - Leaves an AoE DoT in the targeted area after the star hits

World Tree - more healing and... something else... allows her to build defenses near it?

I'm not quite sure what this does. From the video it sounds like it's a healing area and she can only summon her defenses inside of the area, but I think I am just misunderstanding this one.

Defenses

It looks like her defenses bring a new mechanic to the game. They seem to spawn friendly units that hang out near the defense that spawns them and seek out enemies to attack when they get within range.

Moss Hornet's Nest

• Normal Form - Hornets spawn near the nest and they fly out to sting enemies with poison damage. Probably hits ground and air enemies.
• Corrupt Form - Increases the spawn rate of the Hornets.

Harpy's Perch

• Normal Form - A ranged defense that fires at enemies. Probably hits ground & air enemies.
• Corrupt Form - Increases damage and fires through enemies to hit more in a line, similar to the Squire's Harpoon tower

Slime Pit

• Normal Form - Spawns slimes near the pit that seek out enemies to explode on and deal damage (possibly a small AoE?). Probably hits only ground enemies.
• Corrupt Form - Increases movement speed of Slimes, Increases their damage, and oils enemies that are hit by Slimes.

Angry Nimbus

• Normal Form - A flying cloud that damages and drenches enemies below it. Probably AoE. Possibly ground only.
• Corrupt Form - Periodically strikes enemies with lightning.

WOW!! Hom, good job on this. I saw the YouTube video myself and was thinking of posting the video of n the forums as well for the same reason you gave. You even went so far as to type out everything. Job well done! This gives me hope for you. ;-) I will give credit where credit is due! WTG!

Now to comment about the Dryad.

As I watched the video, she looks like they did exactly what TE wanted to do with LM harden/Enflame mode. Hopefully they will change that with LM one day.

She abilities and "towers", or rather Defenses, look awesome! I wish she had more clothing, however, she's basically naked except for a couple "fig leaves." This makes me sad. :-(

Love her two modes and how everything about her changes based on what mode she is in. And actually...it looks like she will function kind of like the Monk when he uses his Nimbus cloud. Where his right click/2ndary attack is not an attack, but rather triggers his cloud and his primary attack becomes the ranged lightning. Right click again and he is normal melee again. So, it looks like when we right click, she will change modes instead of having an actual 2ndary attack.

1:45 you see her double jumping, which turns into her fly/Glide. I like that.

Her defenses look funny, but useful. I like that those change based on her mode, too. I wonder if her DPS version will be another useful "tank" as well. Although, thatnwould not make as much sense since she is nearly nude. But, maybe it would make sense because she is magical? I dunno... anyway, overall I am impressed. I hope she has a costume that covers her up. I would buy that if that is the case.

*edit*

Upon further inspection, her 1st ability IS EXACTLY what TE was trying to do with LavaMancer! [[63962,users]] [[4370,users]] [[3957,users]], PRETTY PRETTY PLEASE make the LM harden/Enflame mode how you originally intended before Choosing the quick and easy way out!!! I recognize that was so you could get him out in the time you promised, but is there any way you can change him to how you meant to have him?

Also, Dryad's powder toss normal form is an exact carbon copy of the monk's Serenity Aura with relic passive. I gues this means we can have a healing circle within a healing circle within a healing circle (Monk SA + AL Healing Aura + Dryad mushrooms). Any other circles I am missing? Of course, we'd need at least 2 players to utilize the AL healing circle. We should never die now!! And oh yeah! Monk boost also heals players. So, there is another heal circle. Lol

Anyway, GJ Trendy and Terraria peeps!

One correction, her first ability corrupted form likely doesn't increase damage, but rather provides a damaging aoe centered on the Dryad.

As for her skimpy outfit, that's how it is in Terraria, so it's unlikely to change, and frankly I don't mind in the slightest lol. Also, [[39695,users]] there is this animate gif of Dryad in what I assume to be her alternate starting costume, so you get your wish anyway:

Is that the Dragon armor from Terraria? :O

And [[39695,users]] That's pretty much what she wears in Terraria lol. Go look up the insane amount of artwork. They went conservative frankly.

And [[4370,users]] I agree with Dan. Go back and tweak LM Harden/Enflame. That was the thing I was originally stoked about myself.

@Vagnar quote:

Is that the Dragon armor from Terraria? :O

I dunno, it might be. I've only ever played it on the PC, so I've never encountered that armor set before. It does kind of look like it, with the exception of the horn coloring.

Actually, I think it's Shadow Armor

http://terraria.gamepedia.com/Shadow_armor

@Ambiguous quote:

One correction, her first ability corrupted form likely doesn't increase damage, but rather provides a damaging aoe centered on the Dryad.

As for her skimpy outfit, that's how it is in Terraria, so it's unlikely to change, and frankly I don't mind in the slightest lol. Also, SpiderDanX there is this animate gif of Dryad in what I assume to be her alternate starting costume, so you get your wish anyway:

And @Vagner, dang! Sad day! I can just hear my family's voice in my head when I am playing this new hero. They won't like the look. And frankly, I am at war with myself. I am a guy...so the "sexy/skimpy" look is intriguing. But, the "good" side of me says "no! This is wrong!" Lol but, I take your words for it.

If this armor is available in game, I'll def get it. :-) Although, it is kinda reminiscent of the girl squire armor in DD1.

Yeah, that's definitely shadow armor.

From the video, I think your Protoss Pylon hypothesis is right. She builds all her defenses near World Trees. 

Also was it just me or did Dryad's blessing blow away those grenades the goblins were throwing at her?

@Ambiguous quote:

One correction, her first ability corrupted form likely doesn't increase damage, but rather provides a damaging aoe centered on the Dryad.

That could be it. When it said the leaves become razor sharp I was thinking it meant the leaves on the blade of her sword.

@SpiderDanX quote:

 I wish she had more clothing, however, she's basically naked except for a couple "fig leaves." This makes me sad. :-(

You not play terraria? it's exactly how she looks -_- ( also dryads traditionally  wear little to no clothes at all in fantasy lore) 

                                                                                      

@gigazelle quote:

From the video, I think your Protoss Pylon hypothesis is right. She builds all her defenses near World Trees. 

It'll be interesting to see how this mechanic impacts people's playstyle.

Updated with more information that we got on the Devstream

@legion160 quote:

@SpiderDanX quote:

 I wish she had more clothing, however, she's basically naked except for a couple "fig leaves." This makes me sad. :-(

You not play terraria? it's exactly how she looks -_- ( also dryads traditionally  wear little to no clothes at all in fantasy lore) 

                                                                                      

Man! I can barely tell what is what. And the game has smaller pixels. Te game is very very pixelated (on purpose) and that is  not my style of graphics for a game. Not saying it's  and game, just saying it is not my style that I enjoy. That said, I have played a little bit with my brother & a friend. I don't know how anyone can tell who is wearing what with such small pixels. I dunno. I am glad, however, that she has an armor costume reminiscent of the armor of the female squire counter-part in DD1. I think I will be getting that :-)

@SpiderDanX quote:

@legion160 quote:

@SpiderDanX quote:

 I wish she had more clothing, however, she's basically naked except for a couple "fig leaves." This makes me sad. :-(

You not play terraria? it's exactly how she looks -_- ( also dryads traditionally  wear little to no clothes at all in fantasy lore) 

                                                                                      

Man! I can barely tell what is what. And the game has smaller pixels. Te game is very very pixelated (on purpose) and that is  not my style of graphics for a game. Not saying it's  and game, just saying it is not my style that I enjoy. That said, I have played a little bit with my brother & a friend. I don't know how anyone can tell who is wearing what with such small pixels. I dunno. I am glad, however, that she has an armor costume reminiscent of the armor of the female squire counter-part in DD1. I think I will be getting that :-)

her alt costume is shadow armor Here's what it looks like in Terraria