Valkyrie

[Celebrindal]

Given that the game does get pretty hard in the mist/ashlands, and given that I have heard various complaints from players about trying to play without magic/the bow, I might consider something to this effect.
One of the most interesting things about Viking culture was that the Valkyrie would seek out those who died in battle to bring to Valhalla. In order to be more friendly to melee users (although I do not know how I might limit it to only be of use for melee), I might consider allowing an item to function as a DNF from LOTRO. Perhaps it could take the form of a horn, that when blown is consumed (or perhaps just has a long cooldown), that calls the Valkyrie that first brought you to Valheim to circle over the battlefield and watch over you in and "stop" you from dying. I am thinking this would mean grabbing your corpse when you die, letting you keep your armor and food, and dropping you back off in that same battle and flying away (like the cloud in MarioKart). This would help increase late game defensive options for non magic users. Also, I think the devs put a lot of work into the model for the Valkyrie, and this would provide her another place in the game.

[pipo.p]

But only if you show valor before you fall down. Perhaps a system of "charges" building the more you inflict damage, based on your weapon. When you reach the trigger, a Fallen-like power activates to signal you that the Valkyrie is pleased. The "power" switches off as soon as the average DPS fall (you lose "charges"). This would be a lore-complient alternative to the tombstone runs tactic used against bosses in other games.

This would only suit a last stand in an epic melee fight.

[Celebrindal]

Interesting Idea. So long as those charges last a moderate amount of time (perhaps ~20 seconds), I would be fine with that.
Also, Maybe the Valkyrie could announce her arrival by making a sound like the Gjall (but one that would be less terrifying).

[Celebrindal]

I think I have an idea iIn order to "show valor". (I feel like just monitoring DPS would turn of when your stamina runs out/would only appear when you use AoE which is notorious for bloating DPS numbers).
The cooldown could be calculated by a dynamic formula. For example, let us say that the area where the Valkyrie watches is the size of the workbench's area. If you blow the horn, the Valkyrie comes, and counts the number of enemies present in that area, and divides the cooldown proportionally to that. This way, ranged combatants, being far away from the larger groups of enemies, will not benefit as much from this ability. If you really want to ensure ranged combatants cannot use it, you could have the Valkyrie despawn if she sees you leaving that area she is watching (thus lack of valor).
I might also add a modifier for fighting more powerful opponents, for example if an abomination appears while you fight the draugr.
Perhaps the formula could look like this Cooldown = 120 minutes / [ the number of opponents in the area * their highest rank ]
For a short example, in the ashlands twitcher < archer < warrior < morgan < fallen Valkyrie. The numbers would obviously have to changed, but in this example, say 2 twitchers 2 archers and a fallen Valkyrie attack, the cooldown would be 5 (the total enemy count) * 5 (the "rank" of the Valkyrie in my example). thus 120 / [25] = =4.8 minutes

[Joe Coffee]

Originally posted by Celebrindal:

Given that the game does get pretty hard in the mist/ashlands, and given that I have heard various complaints from players about trying to play without magic/the bow, I might consider something to this effect.
One of the most interesting things about Viking culture was that the Valkyrie would seek out those who died in battle to bring to Valhalla. In order to be more friendly to melee users (although I do not know how I might limit it to only be of use for melee), I might consider allowing an item to function as a DNF from LOTRO. Perhaps it could take the form of a horn, that when blown is consumed (or perhaps just has a long cooldown), that calls the Valkyrie that first brought you to Valheim to circle over the battlefield and watch over you in and "stop" you from dying. I am thinking this would mean grabbing your corpse when you die, letting you keep your armor and food, and dropping you back off in that same battle and flying away (like the cloud in MarioKart). This would help increase late game defensive options for non magic users. Also, I think the devs put a lot of work into the model for the Valkyrie, and this would provide her another place in the game.

That sounds really cool. Only there's a problem I think with that.

You were NOT brought to Valheim by Valkyries, you were brought in the talons of Hugin. It's not canon at the start of the game if Valkyries had anything to do with you coming to Valheim, but I can't say if Valkyries have anything to do with bringing you to Valhalla at the end, though, as I've not completed this game.

Valheim is a purgatory of sorts where the Forsaken have taken control of the lands from Odin. Since you died in that other life and been brought to here, your journey is already set to go to the Viking paradise, all you need to do is collect the seven trophies and bring them as offerings to the Stone Circle. I get it about the whole "WITNESS ME!" (as I'm all Chrome and Shiny!) about having Valkyries watch as you/we do some sort of bad@$$ery.

And summoning Valkkyries to stop you from dying, well, that's kind of counter to what Valhalla is, where you are SUPPOSED to engage in fighting and dying and are reborn every day to go do it again (with lots of feasting, drinking, probably banging each other, too). Why should Valkyries spare you from demise? Vikings kinda welcome death, if not outright laughing in its face. I realize what I said means nothing where Valheim is concerned since Valheim isn't Valhalla and, hey, yeah, show me bikini-clad 2.5 meter-tall Norse Valkyrie babes in chain mail bikinis (*cough from the makers of SHE WILL PUNISH THEM!) and it's admittedly possible to have Valkyries do whatever, but still it doesn't make sense to me to prevent death, not in Purgatory, at least. And I say and mean this with all sincerity and respect.

However, that being said, and I did say it elsewhere, since there is magic in-game, why not have also Skald abilities to where players can learn songs and play instruments and tell tales around a campfire or right before a battle, that acts as an additional buff. IDK exactly how to implement it, other than having cooldowns and finding runes or storytellers in-game that can teach you the ways of the Skald so you can use chants and ceremonial things to enter a bear-shirt frenzy and all that, or to all you to damage sponge a bit while the song or chant acts like a buff for a time with obvious cooldowns and possibly some sort of agent that you'll need, like consuming the blood of creatures, some ale, or using those special shrooms (Flugsvamp) that were eaten in the VIkings tv series, etc. Intestingly, those shrooms are allegedly more like a sedative than as a stimulant. /shrugs.

Of course, what do I know. If your ideas get chosen, good deal regardless.