DiabloFans

I could see a little bit of a regenerating/mitigating tank idea (as opposed to the high life/armor of a barb)on Doc with this -depending on how Willpower affected the character- but, I think that doesn't eliminate the glass cannon build either. Although, Leeodin, your post did bring to mind what exactly willpower will do for the Doc. It could reduce the cost of his spells, increase the health return rate, or increase healing effects on him. I still also think that a buffer when healing and having not fully regenerating after casting could build as temporary buffer, or 'spell pool' that would drain away.

I, Like Jackzor, also don't see how people just assume all resource is the same. And this is especially the case with this health as resource system compared to mana. As for the Doc dying a lot faster, here was where I think the buffer would help, Like a percentage of healing you do while waiting for your casting to wear off would go be like temporary HP which would be lost upon casting and also might drain away Slowly. Additionally he would only die a lot quicker if he had cast a significant amount when he got hit and the life had not returned yet. There is also a possibility that some spells might heal him for a percentage of there damage or cost or something, like Soul Harvest. Still thinking on this though, to make it less 'casting=death' and more 'yea that's actually cool'.

Edit: Oh, and by the way, they already have a bit of this. Look at trait "Ritual of Blood" which pays 50% of a spells cost with HP, and that is actually damage that does not come back as my system would allow.

It would make him tough to play and balance I agree there But I think there are a few things going for him too. Such as Being a caster with meat shields, Having skills to avoid damage/recoup energy, and have traits that synergize really well with it (like death pact). Also, Remember that it is not permanent damage it would slowly regenerate the cost of a casting.

It's not perfect, and I think there ought to be some kind of buffer, but I haven't thought of what it might be or how it would work. Yet.

I dunno. I thought of this and Was like: That's it that's what the Doc's missing! people on the street stared at me like I was a maniac.

I know the Wizard already uses Arcane power, but last time I checked Blizz said they were not quite happy with it. Give her Mana and change the Doc instead. I thought Mana was much too 'clean' for the Witch Doctor anyway.

My idea was that the WD would use his hit points as his resource, but not as permanent damage. The way this would work is: his energy globe would be able to hold some percent of his maximum hit points (like 10-25% or so) and whenever he cast a spell, his life would drain by the cost and the energy globe would fill with it. once full, you couldn't cast further (he is only able to use some of his max life force, and can't kill himself.) His life would slowly fill back up from this pool as it drains to allow him to cast again. This would not result in healing or permanent damage though.

An example: so Doc 'Holiday' has 50 HP max and summons a zombie dog. Doing so costs 5 HP which transfers into his energy globe. over the next 10 seconds his energy globe drains that 5 HP and Holiday restores the 5 HP. Then he gets into combat. Holiday has a player who is not very observant and gets hit by a skeletal Archer for 8 dmg. As a response he summons another dog. His Current HP is 37 and his energy globe has 5 HP in it. He gets hit for another 8 dmg from the Archer and Sacrifices one of his dogs which costs 6 hp, killing the Archer. His energy globe had drained 1 HP in this time so his current health is 24 (50 -(8+8) -(5+6-1)) and his energy globe has 10 HP. His energy globe is full, so when he tries to summon another dog, Holiday yells at him "What??? You want to kill me!" He waits 20 seconds for his energy globe to empty leaving 0 HP in his energy globe and leaving him with 34 HP. Good thing too as if he hadn't waited the siege beast would have dealt 25 damage when he had 10 HP in his energy globe and bitten his head off.

This does have the problem that you can't cast when you are at really low health but I was thinking 3 things:
1: when you're that low you should be running!
2: Escape spells like Spirit Walk could let you cast it when it would kill you, because you cant take damage and are a ****ing Spirit. Also, your HP would recoup from the casting during its duration
3: It really fits his flavor (See the wiki entries for his traits things like "The spirits take their toll. Best to be ready to pay." and "My blood knows where it must be. I tell it, it goes")

I know it's kinda late for this sort of topic, but I felt it needed to be shared and I didn't see anything like it when I did a search. Tell me what you think!

Edit to clean language