User:Jormungand01/Demon Hunter idea

Demon hunters are a new hero class, to be released in a later expansion. They start at level 70, but an existing 70+ character must be sacrificed in order to be able to make one. Demon hunters are primarily damage dealers and are accomplished in both melee fighting and spellcasting, allowing them to fulfill this role both in close combat and at range. However they also have a limited ability to heal by draining health from one target and feeding it into another.

Lore
Ten thousand years ago, when the demons first set foot on the soil of Azeroth, the night elves and their allies found themselves at a severe disadvantage. For most of that great and terrible war, the defenders of Azeroth relied primarily on good old-fashioned swords and spells, with the former being more than out-matched by the mighty Felguard, and the latter relying heavily on the Well of Eternity. Even when they had the advantage, the night elves dared not use these weapons to their full potential, for fear of becoming like demons theirselves. The Burning Legion had no such qualms, and so, in the end, it was inevitable that the sapient races would be slaughtered down to the last child, and that ultimately Kalimdor would be reduced to one vast desert devoid of all life.

Into the midst of this crises came one who was just as much responsible for changing the course of the war as his brother Malfurion, the Sisters of Elune, or even the time travellers from future generations. Illidan Stormrage realised that the only way to properly defeat the Burning Legion was to use its own powers against it. After losing all he had ever cared about, he abandoned the allies, infiltrated the royal palace of Zin-Azshari, and there pledged allegiance to the Burning Legion. Though this act sundered him forever from the other night elves, Illidan made history by being the only person ever to deceive Sargeras. He was granted the gift of unrivalled control over magic, and then, in a sudden shift of loyalties, used his new powers to penetrate deep into the Well and then suck every last demon out of Azeroth.

Though he was later imprisoned for his alleged betrayal of the night elves, Illidan rapidly become a hero among many elven youths. In the few weeks between the Sundering and his imprisonment, he succeeded in gaining a host of followers, including many of the Moon Guard and Highborne, and managed to teach them the basics of his powers. When their leader was taken from them, these new "Demon Hunters" continued to learn, and despite the disapproval of their friends and family, they played a vital role in tracking down and destroying any new demons who managed to find their way into the world. Some later followed the Highborne to Quel'thalas, and thus were the first high elf demon hunters born.

Throughout the centuries the demon hunters have been the first line of defence against hostile supernatural entities, but recently their kind has dwindled. Many succumbed to the dark forces they manipulated, and others were trapped and slain by demons. When they were finally outlawed in both elven civilizations, the steady stream of new recruits dried up, and from then on the cult rapidly vanished. If it were not for the release of Illidan and his escape to Outland, they would have died out completely, and Azeroth would at last be open to another full-scale invasion.

However Illidan was released, and he began to gather all the remaining demon hunters to him. He even negotiated with Kael'thas, heir to the throne of Quel'thalas, and obtained some blood elf recruits to try and reestablish the Silvermoon order. Over the next few years he built up an empire in Outland, driving back the Burning Legion wherever it could be found, and training his demon hunters to take over the task when he was gone.

Today, Illidan Stormrage lies dead in the Black Temple, slain by naive advnturers hungry only for power and glory, but his followers still thrive across the ruins of Outland. Realising that they can do little without allies, they have now reverted back to their own people and lead the offensive to destroy the demon threat forever.

Stage 1 - The Invasion
When one of your characters reaches level 80, they can unlock a lengthy quest chain taking them all over the known worlds. This involves uncovering a plot by the Shadow Council to finish what Kael'thas failed to do, by bringing the demon lord Kil'Jaeden to Azeroth. The first quest starts from a very rare world drop (less than 0.01%), and leads the player to speak with either Tyrande Whisperwind in Darnassus or Grand Magister Rommath in Silvermoon City.

You are then instructed to confer with several of your faction's military leaders, intelligence officials and demon experts, as well as representatives of neutral factions. Eventually you are sent on a diplomatic mission to either Thrall or Jaina Proudmoore to request their aid against the upcoming threat. Relucatantly the two factions agree to work together, and preparations begin to marshal their armies.

You then have on week to help gather supplies, from weapons and armour to bandages for the wounded. After that, through the use of phasing, the invasion begins.

The battle takes place just west of Northwatch Hold in the Barrens, near a portal mantained by sixteen warlocks from various races. The combined Alliance and Horde armies, with up to 20,000 reinforcements in total, stand against an innumerable Burning Legion army, with reinforcements in their millions. Needless to say the defenders are driven back into the fortress, where they prepare for a long siege. You buy them some time by using siege weapons to destroy a number of demons, then leave the army to try and seek some other help.

Equipment

 * Demon hunters in combat prize speed and agility above all else. For this reason they shun heavy armour, preferring to wear dsimple cloth or leather garments instead. Some may even leave their upper bodies bare. Therefore demon hunters start off wearing cloth, but have the option to upgrade to leather once they reach level 80.
 * A key part of a demon hunter's appearance is the blindfold. This helps to cover their ruined eyes, and so reduce the likelyhood of civilians fleeing in horror at the sight of the blackened pits. Most blindfolds are for cosmetic purposes only. Demon hunters come with a simple one anyway, like the death knight's glowing eyes, but there are many others in the game which can be acquired and placed in the head slot.
 * They usually wield specialised two-bladed swords known as warglaives. This doesn't improve their abilities in any way though, and normal swords work just as well. To put them to full use a demon hunter must embed the weapon with the essence of a demon - doing this will enhance their powers and allow them to channel magic through it.