Proposed Archetype: Instigator

Instigator:

While most superbeing's powers place them within a strong, centralized, role within a superteam, not all are so lucky as to have their powers flow toward a single position, and must instead find their role in a given situation, in a given team, to make it their own. Some choose this flexibility, and find themselves prepared for a variety of situations.

These beings, broadly called Instigators, are flexible by nature. They have to be.

Primary Powerset: Assault.

By using Assault as a primary powerset we place Instigators in a moving position. Some of their abilities require melee, others can be used at range. Some of the Assault sets also lend themselves more heavily toward Melee, Range, or AoE, with some even offering sniper shots.

Secondary Powerset: Command.

Command Powersets would need to be cobbled together, but could largely be described as a combination of Defensive and Control Powers. 2-3 defensive toggles, perhaps a passive defensive power or two, and the rest control. This places the Instigator in a position between passive and active defenses. Using controls they can lock down some enemies while using their toggles to help reduce damage from those they cannot stop.

Inherent Power: Stalwart, Striker, Support

Three mutually exclusive toggle powers which cost no endurance and each causing different changes to the character's abilities and attributes, similar to the Dual Pistols ammo toggles.

While the Stalwart toggle is active, the Instigator's Command powers have greater effects. It increases the magnitude of control powers by 1, uses a higher defensive value from the toggle powers than normal, and gains increased aggro generation. For example Focused Fighting might provide +10% defense to melee would instead provide +15% while Stalwart is active.

While the Striker toggle is active, the Instigator's Assault powers have greater effects. Specifically, the damage of their attacks will have a second value 20% higher than the base value of the attack which is only used while Striker is active.

While the Support toggle is active, each of the Instigator's toggled powers is partially shared with allies within a short range of themselves. This is done through an aura function that only activates while Support is in use. Further, their attacks have a chance to proc a small targeted AoE healing effect around their enemy.

Proposed NEW Powersets:

Blazing Command (Fire Armor/Fire Control)

Earthen Command (Stone Armor/Earth Control)

Energy Command (Energy Armor/Gravity Control)

Frigid Command (Ice Armor/Ice Control)

Gadgetry Command (Super Reflexes/Gadget Control Powers)*

Mental Command (Willpower/Mind Control)

Natural Command (Bio Armor/Plant Control)

Shadow Command (Dark Armor/Darkness Control)

Shocking Command (Electric Armor/Electric Control)

*Gadget Control Powers would be things like Caltrops, Smoke Grenades, Web Grenades, and Tasers. Powers taken from other sources to be combined with Super Reflexes into a Command Powerset.

I'll make a second post in this thread to outline the individual powers I recommend.

Archetype Scaling:

Damage: 0.85 Melee, 0.85 Ranged

Hit Points: 1.25

Support: 1.0

Control: 1.0

So what we have is a character who deals roughly Tanker level damage with a Scrapper's hit points and defense values slightly lower than a scrapper (10% compared to 13% for example). They have good control duration but don't have comprehensive control effects or high magnitudes, and while they're very supportive they lack any powers whatsoever which provide heals, buffs, or debuffs.

They're very close to Peacebringers or Warshades in values, actually.

Once they flick on the Stalwart Toggle, though, their defensive powers increase to be closer to Tanker, somewhere between Scrapper and Tanker. And while that's not enough to make them equivalent to either, their control effects also increase in magnitude, giving them the ability to lock down foes more effectively and often.

Once they flick on the Striker Toggle, though, their damage values for melee and ranged attacks leap up to very near Dominator levels (0.85 x 1.2 = 1.02) which are a bit below Blaster levels. But since both values are the same, they're more effective than a Dominator when fighting enemies at range.

Once they flick on the Support Toggle they can provide aid to melee or ranged characters by choosing where to fight. If they hang back and focus on ranged attacks and controls, they're able to provide defensive buffs to the Defenders/Sentinels/Blasters/Controllers/Etc while throwing some small amount of healing to the melee characters. Or they can be in the melee stack providing PBAoE buffs and some small healing as a melee-support character.

This is a character archetype that can be played Sentinel-esque by throwing on the Striker toggle and never turning it off. It can be played as a mid-ranged off-tank (Or Tanker, with the right buffs!). It can be played as a more damage-oriented Controller with the Stalwart Toggle. Or it can be played as a new melee-support and ranged-support class. All depending on which powers are chosen, what they choose to slot for, and how they use their inherent power.

One Archetype. Three Toggles. Multiple Roles. Evolving as the situation changes, responding to each circumstance, and finding a niche in every team they join because their powers are varied enough to work with different concepts.

Hanging with a Mastermind and a Dominator? Pop on the Support Toggle to buff the minions as you bash heads in melee and fling extra layers of Mez onto the battlefield.

Scrapper and Stalker? Flip on Striker and help them slaughter everything before it can take a swing.

Brute just went down and the Tanker is 60 yards back resting during an ITF? Flip into Stalwart and gather up some aggro while locking down a lieutenant that might screw up your Corrupter.

You'll never be as good at a given role as someone of the appropriate archetype, because you'll lack comprehensive power options. You'll never be a Controller or Dominator 'cause you just don't have enough holds to lock down the group. You won't have Aim or Build Up to spike like a Blaster and your ranged attack options are limited. You may get a few defensive powers but you'll never be as unkillable as a Tanker or Brute. And even when you slip into Support Mode you won't have the Buff/Debuff/Heals of a devoted Defender or Corruptor.

But you can bridge some gaps your group might have. Or double up on some coverage while still finding your specific niche.

Blazing Command:

Fire Shield

Fire Cages

Healing Flames (PBAoE Heal in Support)

Char

Plasma Shield

Flashfire

Hot Feet

Cinders

Rise of the Phoenix (PBAoE Group Rez, Usable while Down)

Earthen Command

Rock Armor

Stone Cages

Fossilize

Brimstone Armor

Stalagmites

Crystal Armor

Salt Crystals

Minerals

Earthquake

Energy Command

Lift

Kinetic Shield

Gravity Distortion

Power Shield

Dimensional Shift

Entropic Aura

Gravity Distortion Field

Energy Drain (PBAoE Endurance Recovery Buff in Support)

Overload

Frigid Command

Ice Slick

Frozen Armor

Shiver

Arctic Air

Wet Ice

Chilling Embrace

Glacial Armor

Flash Freeze

Glacier

Gadgetry Command

Focused Fighting

Caltrops

Wide Area Web Grenade

Focused Senses

Taser

Evasion

Stun Grenade

Quickness

Elude

Mental Command

Mesmerize

Mind Over Body

Confuse

Indomitable Will

High Pain Tolerance

Mass Hypnosis

Heightened Senses

Terrify

Strength of Will

Natural Command

Roots

Inexhaustible

Hardened Carapace

Spore Burst

Evolving Armor

Ablative Carapace

Vines

DNA Siphon

Seeds of Confusion

Shadow Command

Dark Embrace

Living Shadows

Murky Cloud

Fearsome Stare

Cloak of Darkness

Dark Regeneration

Heart of Darkness

Soul Transfer (PBAoE Group Rez, Usable while Down)

Shadowfield

Shocking Command

Charged Armor

Chain Fences

Conductive Shield

Jolting Chain

Tesla Cage

Grounded

Static Field

Power Sink

Paralyzing Blast

You'll never be as good at a given role as someone of the appropriate archetype, because you'll lack comprehensive power options. You'll never be a Controller or Dominator 'cause you just don't have enough holds to lock down the group. You won't have Aim or Build Up to spike like a Blaster and your ranged attack options are limited. You may get a few defensive powers but you'll never be as unkillable as a Tanker or Brute. And even when you slip into Support Mode you won't have the Buff/Debuff/Heals of a devoted Defender or Corruptor.

so basically you're going to be useless forever, got it

i'll stick to my VEAT which already does everything this proposal does but better

You'll never be as good at a given role as someone of the appropriate archetype, because you'll lack comprehensive power options. You'll never be a Controller or Dominator 'cause you just don't have enough holds to lock down the group. You won't have Aim or Build Up to spike like a Blaster and your ranged attack options are limited. You may get a few defensive powers but you'll never be as unkillable as a Tanker or Brute. And even when you slip into Support Mode you won't have the Buff/Debuff/Heals of a devoted Defender or Corruptor.

 

so basically you're going to be useless forever, got it

 

i'll stick to my VEAT which already does everything this proposal does but better

That's a pretty radical interpretation of the text, Solvernia. To not be the best at something does not mean useless. The intent of the archetype is to be flexible, to cover a lot of roles while also allowing for a wide variety of concepts.

Wanna be Batman? This would be how to Batman closer than the game otherwise allows. Martial Assault/Gadgetry Command. Maybe pick up the Leadership toggles. Martial Arts, Stun Grenades, Shuriken you can RP are Batarangs, and Super Reflexes to avoid getting hurt. Swap roles to fit different positions on the team and use your leadership buffs at defender levels.

Or create your own character concept that's built around being flexible but not built around GUN and CLAWS and SPIDER FASCISTS.

you don't have to RP as being actually a part of arachnos to play the AT but ok

also arachnos isn't fascist you're thinking of council/5th column

What mode of play does this AT support that is currently un- or under-served?  To me, this seems like a character trying to be a team unto itself.  If they fail, they aren't anything; if they succeed, there's a serious problem for the design of every other AT.

To me, this seems like a character trying to be a team unto itself.

joke's on you

Oh, wow, yeah.  That's a good joke that follows directly from something someone said.  Both the humor and illustrative power of your image are relevant to the discussion.  I value your input.

What a creative Idea! Sometimes I see powersets I'd like to see together but I'm not quite sure what role they'd fulfill. I'm not very knowledgeable at all on the mathematical side of things, though, so I don't go near it, LOL. I don't know if this AT would work or not. I think if the designers wanted to add a few AT's they'd more then likely make their own drawing heavily from player input. I'll eventually get around to making a few, if nothing else just for fun.

To me, this seems like a character trying to be a team unto itself.

 

joke's on you

 

I don't remember Arachnos Soldiers being able to summon all that stuff, that some temporary power or something?  Or am I missing something insanely awesome?  Cause an Arachnos Squad would be super sexy.