megaericzero

Some more icon replacements: This one changes the Staff Mastery toggles' icons (Form of the Body/Mind/Soul) to the standard "damage buff", "recharge buff," and "recovery buff" (since there is no "endurance discount") symbols. It also color-codes them red for damage, violet-ish for recharge, and blue for endurance. The pack includes their 1-2-3 stack icons, with chunky text that has the same color-coding. staff-form-icons.zip Similarly, this pack replaces Bio Armor's Adaptations with the normal "defense buff", "recovery buff", and "damage buff" icons with similar color-coding to Staff Mastery's icons. I wouldn't normally color powers' symbols differently from the rest of their set but I think the mutual exclusivity and special, integrated nature of these toggles (as well as Dual Pistols' Swap Ammo) merit a sparing exception. bio-armor-adaptation-icons.zip Since Fiery Embrace adds fire damage to attacks, I've appropriated Dual Pistols' Incendiary Ammo icon as an "adds fire" icon. And since Fiery Assault's Embrace of Fire used to be the same power, I've included a replacement for it as well, though its effects aren't actually the same. fiery-embrace-incendiary-icon.zip Just as well, this will give the Envenomed Blades power in Martial Assault the Chemical Ammunition icon from Dual Pistols. The gold icon should replace the actual power that goes into your tray. I saw in the files that there's one with a green droplet but I don't have a Martial Assault Dominator so, being unsure of when/why that is used, I've included a green-tinted version of the biohazard symbol for it. envenomed-blades-toxic.zip This one changes the Assassin's Focus icon to have the inherent palette and the "buff" arch overlaid (underlaid?) on the Assassin's Strike symbol. assassin-focus-strike-icon.zip And for anyone who photoshops their own icons, here's rips of the "ammo", "incendiary", "cryo", "chemical", and "poison/blood" symbols. They're not perfect but they should get the job done when overlaid on a clean power button; just shift their hue to match the power set you're applying them to. (They're red so that their hue value is 0°; there are 1x1 black pixels in the corners to help align them properly.)

FWIW you can target allies through enemies and vice-versa. When there's a mismatch between your target and who the power can effect (trying to attack an ally or buff an enemy), if their target is valid, you will activate the power on that entity instead. So if your demon prince is aggroed to the AV and you target the prince to buff them, you can actually queue attacks and debuffs while still targeting the prince and your character will use them on the AV instead. It's also useful in the reverse if you want to buff/heal whatever teammate a boss is attacking.

Uun said "add Taunt plus you have to add taunt aura" then listed dropping Blinding Powder for Taunt but also adding a taunt aura to another power, which read to me as them thinking armor sets have both Taunt and a taunt aura. My mistake if I'm misreading their post.

Taunt goes in melee sets, not armor.

No, no; you're good. Don't be sorry. The discussion and flow of ideas is good.

I would've assumed that's something that Kheldian/Nictus patron pools wouldn't offer is the shapeshifting. They're already templated for each archetype.

Random thought because of that thread about HEAT transformations, as someone mentioned ancillaries: Peacebringer and Warshade epic pools. The big question: why? - they already have a humongous list of powers that covers all power set types. My reasoning: a character can only have one epic pool. This lets us create "branches." Still why? So characters can choose to "master" a shapeshifting style - human-only, biform, or triform. That said, I am very inexperienced with PB and WS; my highest is like mid-30s. I'm putting this out more as food for thought/discussion: Peacebringer Mastery Human specialization. (All powers are suppressed/inaccessible while in Nova and Dwarf form.) Stellar Glow (PBAOE) Ally/Self Heal, +Heal Responsiveness Neutron Shackles (Ranged AOE) Foe Minor Damage-over-Time (Energy), Immobilize, -Fly Light Prison (Ranged) Foe Moderate Damage (Energy), Hold Light of Reason [Toggle] Self +Protection (Disorient, Hold, Sleep) Fusion Core [Auto] Self +Damage Mefnanim Mastery Nova specialization. These powers can be used in Nova form as well as human form unless noted otherwise. Neutron Shackles (Ranged AOE) Foe Minor Damage-over-Time (Energy), Immobilize, -Fly Bright Nova Comet (Snipe) Foe Superior Damage (Energy), Chance to Knockback, -Defense Meteor Shower (Location AOE) Foe Moderate Damage-over-Time (Energy), -Defense Light Prison (Ranged) Foe Moderate Damage (Energy), Hold Particle Duality [Auto] Self +Defense (Ranged, Area), +Protection (Fly) (Suppressed outside of Nova form) Kurukt Mastery Dwarf specialization. These powers can be used in Dwarf form as well as human form unless noted otherwise. Stellar Glow (PBAOE) Ally/Self Heal, +Heal Responsiveness Speed of Light [Auto] Self +Recharge, +Movement (Suppressed in the air) White Dwarf Impact (Melee Cone) Foe Minor Damage (Smashing/Energy), Disorient Solar Prominence [Auto] Foe Taunt; Self +Regeneration (per foe) (Suppressed outside of Dwarf form) Transfer Essence (Melee) Foe Extreme Damage (Smashing/Energy), Chance to Disorient; Self Damage Kheldian Mastery Shapeshifting specialization. Stellar Glow (PBAOE) Ally/Self Heal, +Heal Responsiveness (Usable in human and Dwarf forms.) Neutron Shackles (Ranged AOE) Foe Minor Damage-over-Time (Energy), Immobilize, -Fly (Usable in human and Nova forms.) Bright Nova Comet (Snipe) Foe Superior Damage (Energy), Chance to Knockback, -Defense (Usable in human and Nova forms. White Dwarf Impact (Melee Cone) Foe Minor Damage (Smashing/Energy), Disorient (Usable in human and Dwarf forms.) Light of Reason [Toggle] Self +Protection (Disorient, Hold, Sleep) (Suppresses in Nova and Dwarf form.) -- Warshade Mastery Human specialization. (All powers are suppressed/inaccessible while in Nova and Dwarf form.) Gravimetric Field (Location AOE) Foe -Movement, -Fly, -Jump, -Resistance Nictus Corruption (Ranged Cone) Foe Confuse Gather Darkmatter Self +Special Veil the Mind [Toggle] Self +Protection (Disorient, Hold, Sleep) Graviton Core [Auto] Self +Damage Hulnanim Mastery Nova specialization. These powers can be used in Nova form as well as human form unless noted otherwise. Nictus Corruption (Ranged Cone) Foe Confuse Dark Nova Ray (Snipe) Foe Superior Damage (Negative), Chance to Knockback, -Recharge Starless Night [Toggle] (Ranged AOE) Foe -Tohit, -Damage Gather Darkmatter Self +Special Void Body [Auto] Self +Defense (Ranged, Area), +Protection (Fly) (Suppressed outside of Nova form) Ruktur Mastery Dwarf specialization. These powers can be used in Dwarf form as well as human form unless noted otherwise. Gravimetric Field (Location AOE) Foe -Movement, -Fly, -Jump, -Resistance Infinite Density [Auto] Self +Resistance (scales w/ missing HP) (Suppressed in the air) Gravitational Slingshot (Melee Chain) Foe Moderate Damage (Negative), -Recharge Accretion Disk [Auto] (PBAOE) Foe Taunt, -Tohit (Suppressed outside of Dwarf form) Black Dwarf Maul (Melee Cone) Foe High Damage-over-Time (Smashing, Negative) -Recharge Nictus Mastery Shapeshifting specialization. Gravimetric Field (Location AOE) Foe -Movement, -Fly, -Jump, -Resistance (Usable in human and Dwarf forms.) Nictus Corruption (Ranged Cone) Foe Confuse (Usable in human and Nova forms.) Dark Nova Ray (Snipe) Foe Superior Damage (Negative), Chance to Knockback, -Recharge (Usable in human and Nova forms.) Black Dwarf Maul (Melee Cone) Foe High Damage-over-Time (Smashing, Negative) -Recharge (Usable in human and Dwarf forms.) Veil the Mind [Toggle] Self +Protection (Disorient, Hold, Sleep) (Suppresses in Nova and Dwarf form.)

Interesting suggestion! Hero patron pools are periodically suggested and everyone dances around Longbow, Paragon PD, Wyvern, etc. Maybe Kheldian and Nictus could be two of the four. The PPD already has a PB branch. This would even put the Epic back in Epic Power Pool.

On the whole, I agree with Caltrops being problematic for a melee character. If I had to guess, the idea might've been that - given the game's AI - it would should give Stalkers an "I need breathing room" power because the mobs become largely concerned with fleeing from the prickly floor. Minor tangent: had Stalker secondaries been designed differently from COV launch, I would've assumed they'd be more like Ninjitsu. That is to say, in addition to dropping their taunt aura for Hide, that their tier 7 and 8 powers would be more CC/utility instead of raw damage mitigation. So in place of Caltrops you'd have fire with a less-potent Bonfire, ice or elec with a sleep, energy with a stun, dark with click version(s) of Cloak of Fear / Oppressive Gloom, etc. -- FWIW, Alchemistic and I have postulated a Tanker-Brute version of Ninjitsu here (Alch) and here (me).

@Greycat please help me understand why the suggestion subtracts from HEATs. The suggestion was purely cosmetic, so characters would play 100% the same way they do currently. And, at least as far as I can tell, no one said to take away the current squid and lobster forms. What if I want to play a budding Kheldian who has trouble getting their form up so only partially transforms? Or a wizard who stole a Nictus' powers, becoming a Warshade whose forms are ghostly outlines around their still-humanoid body? I agree with you wholeheartedly on the mechanical stuff - Voids should've remained a threat, a level requirement would be fine as a bar/filter so new players can't hop right into such a complex archetype without knowing, etc. What I need help seeing is what's lost by adding more freedom for players to express themselves. The Epic (story) and gameplay of HEATs would be untouched. That's what they are, right - the story? (Unrelated but if you were saying in your earlier post that SOA were originally gender-locked, slight correction: they weren't, at least not by full release. The campy official trailer for them had the Longbow drill sergeant narrator cite that fact. Also, the live forums had a field day with the huge model blood widow, nicknaming them Widow Thunderthighs.)

Because in this thread kelika2 said: 😜 For no specific archetype: (this is mostly a joke) Luminous Blast and Umbral Blast proliferation Gleaming Bolt Shadow Bolt Glinting Eye Ebon Eye Proton Scatter Gravitic Emanation Gleaming Blast Skulk Luminous Comet Moonray Phosphorescence Dark Detonation Neutron Push Shadow Blast Luminous Detonation Essence Drain Dawn Strike Quasar Luminous Aura and Umbral Aura proliferation Shining Shield Gravity Shield Incandescence Absorption Thermal Shield Orbiting Death Reform Essence Veil the Mind Light of Reason Eclipse Quantum Shield Shadow Cloak Essence Boost Stygian Circle Restore Essence Inky Aspect Light Form Stygian Return Luminous Melee and Umbral Melee Proton Punch Shadow Strike Glowing Strike Shadow Smite Radiant Strike Gravity Maul Inner Light Glimse of the Void Solar Flare Siphon Essence Taunt Taunt Incandescent Strike Consume Essence Pulsar Sunless Mire Transfer Essence Gravitty Well Luminous Affinity and Umbral Affinity Stellar Glow Shadow Grasp Glowing Touch Gravimetric Field Share Essence Starless Night Relight Stygian Dawn Light of Clarity Veil of Shadows Radiance Obfuscate Glowing Aura Unchain Essence Gleaming Aura Starless Void Fusion Boost Dark Extraction Luminous Manipulation and Umbral Manipulation Neutron Thrust Gravimetric Snare Glowing Strike Shadow Strike Inner Light Orbiting Death Radiant Strike Gravity Maul Conserve Energy Sunless Mire Photon Seekers Glimpse of the Void Boost Radiance Consume Essence Boost Range Shadow Pit Incandescent Strike Gravity Well Luminous Assault and Umbral Assault Gleaming Bolt Shadow Bolt Radiant Strike Shadow Smite Neutron Push Ebon Eye Glinting Eye Gravitic Emanation Boost Radiance Overshadow Solar Flare Engulf Incandescent Strike Essence Drain Luminous Comet Moonray Gleaming Blast Gravity Well

That's who first came to mind when I read the OP. My second thought was some form of minimal visual tell - the Dwarf fists as gloves and the Nova tentacle-shoulders as pauldrons - along with the tendril outline and tell-tale flame eyes that come with using PB/WS powers. I also like ScarySai's suggestion about Jojo; presumably with the form floating behind and slightly higher than the character model, with both the human and kheldian models performing animations during attacks.

Perhaps a Grant Cover-style power to draw a parallel to Dispersion Bubble? Paired with the tier 9, it could move this set towards being a partial support-hybrid armor set. You could keep a taunt effect so mechanically the set still has a taunt aura and thematically because enemies see you're the force field "generator" and thus see you as a priority target.

Count me in on the opinion that Energy Aura could get there by having Force Field's visuals, though I do want to express: 1) Full points for fleshing out an entire set. It has its own feel in the reverse-Hand Clap and tier 9 powers. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing this set added. 2) Thank you for recycling Force Field's shields' names, including the internal name for Detention Field's icon - Refraction Shield. It shows a high level of care, attention to detail, research and love for the parent set.

Thank you. 🙌 I have nothing to add to the thread topic but it's incredibly vindicating to hear I'm not the only one that feels that way.

Here I thought you meant Daddy Longleg and his Long Arms of the Law going up against Domestic Terrorist and his cronies, the Bondage Brigade. Glad you cleared that up. 😛

FWIW the zone maps also have lines drawn to show the geysers' intended trajectory. (Not saying things couldn't be better.)

Thanks! The icons are largely from Titan Weapons; I just copy-pasted them. You're more than welcome to link to your post! In fact, I did in the OP as well.

Here's (yet) another set I've been kicking around for a while: Polearm This one is largely for theme/aesthetics but thought and care was put into giving it a particular feel. Leogunner and AspieAnarchy have suggested scythe and spear power sets before, respectively. I'd like to do my own take with a more generic set that covers both. Functionally, it's a lethal alternative to staff. Sort of the Battle Axe to Staff's War Mace, though very different in powers. This set might require its own custom animations, making the entire idea a non-starter, but we'll try recycling animations instead. I feel the set's animations should focus on a solid stance and simpler, more impactful strikes that leverage the tool's bladed end. Thematically, a sort of midway between Staff Fighting and Titan Weapons - slower, less flashy, and more impactful swings than staff but still fluid, agile, and mobile compared to titan. Here's the power table: Polearm You wield a polearm - a regal trident, a powerful scythe, or a trusty spear. Attacks from the weapon will puncture armor and skin, causing extra bleeding damage over time. Pierce (Melee) Foe Moderate Damage (Lethal, ignores resistance), Minor DOT (Lethal) Rend (Melee) Foe High Damage (Lethal), -Resistance (All), Minor DOT (Lethal) Carve (Melee Cone) Foe Moderate Damage (Lethal), Minor DOT (Lethal) Hone Blade Self +Damage, +Accuracy, +Special Crescent Slash (PBAOE) Foe Moderate Damage (Lethal), Chance to Knockdown, Minor DOT (Lethal) Confront (Ranged) Foe Taunt, -Range Guillotine (Melee) Foe Superior Damage (Smashing, Lethal), Disorient, Minor DOT (Lethal) Javelin (Narrow Ranged Cone) Foe High Damage (Lethal), Knockdown, Minor DOT (Lethal) Plunge (Ranged) Foe Extreme Damage (Lethal), Immobilize, Minor DOT (Lethal); Self Teleport The table is for Scrappers. Brutes, of course, swap Confront for Taunt; Tankers swap Taunt and Hone Blade's tiers; Stalkers drop the PBAOE for Assassin's Strike at tier 4, Hone Blade becomes generic Build Up at tier 5, and Confront becomes Placate at tier 6 with all other powers shifting down as necessary. I'd love to let Stalkers keep Hone Blade instead but it seems all Stalker sets give up their special Build Ups. And here's the detailed power info: Pierce (Melee) Foe Moderate Damage (Lethal, ignores resistance), Minor DOT (Lethal) You thrust your weapon at a foe to puncture through any armor they may have. The damage done by this attack ignores most types of damage resistance. Damage: Moderate Recharge: Fast Suggested animation: a poke; do the Cimerorans have something like that we can use? Rend (Melee) Foe High Damage (Lethal), -Resistance (All), Minor DOT (Lethal) You strike at a foe using your weapon's leverage to cleave through or pop off armor, dealing high damage and lowering their damage resistance for a time. Damage: High Recharge: Moderate Suggested animation: an upward swing like Katana > Soaring Dragon Carve (Melee Cone) Foe Moderate Damage (Lethal), Minor DOT (Lethal) Slice at all foes in a large cone in front of you, dealing moderate damage and causing them to bleed for additional lethal damage over time. Damage: Moderate Recharge: Moderate Suggested animation: the wide, back-handed weapon swing (ex: Broad Sword > Slice) Hone Blade Self +Damage, +Accuracy, +Special Straightens your weapon's blade, greatly increasing your damage and chance to hit for a short time. Additionally, your bleed damage will ignore most types of damage resistance during this period. Recharge: Long Suggested animation: generic build up Crescent Slash (PBAOE) Foe Moderate Damage (Lethal), Chance to Knockdown, Minor DOT (Lethal) You lash at all foes around you with one large swing, dealing moderate damage and possibly knocking them off their feet. Damage: Moderate Recharge: Slow Suggested animation: same as Whirling Smash Guillotine (Melee) Foe Superior Damage (Smashing, Lethal), Disorient, Minor DOT (Lethal) You bring your weapon straight down with full force on a single foe, dealing superior damage and stunning them in the process. Damage: Superior Recharge: Slow Suggested animation: I want to say Titan Weapons also had a two-handed, overhead, downward swing Javelin (Narrow Ranged Cone) Foe High Damage (Lethal), Knockdown, Minor DOT (Lethal) You launch your polearm with incredible force, dealing damage and knocking down both your intended target and anyone unfortunate enough to be in your weapon's flight path. Damage: High Recharge: Slow Suggested animation: the Cimeroran spear-tossing animation (Pulim I think it's called?) Personally, I am wholly unconcerned with "you threw your weapon, now you have to go grab it" for multiple reasons. I don't find it immersion-breaking, in fact that level of immersion grates on me, there are plenty of characters in fiction with ways to recall their weapons (magic, tech, or otherwise), characters could wield multiple weapons and throw a different one than the one they're using or switch to a duplicate if they're using disposables, and the next power (Plunge) is an easy write-off as well for "you jumped to your weapon and grabbed it out of the person it embedded into." Plunge (Ranged) Foe Extreme Damage (Lethal), Immobilize, Minor DOT (Lethal); Self Teleport You dive directly at a targeted foe and plunge your weapon into them on impact. This attack deals extreme damage to your target, closes even large gaps between you and them, and pins them in place. Damage: Extreme Recharge: Slow Suggested animation: something like Shield Defense > Shield Charge or even Ninja Blade > Assassin's Blade's fast animation (but, of course, you teleport during it) -- This set has a few gimmicks going for it. The ubiquitous secondary effect is lethal damage over time. Both the tier 1 power and the "bleed" damage (when using the set's Build Up equivalent) have damage that partially ignores normal lethal resistance, which is my attempt at raising their damage floor and average damage (as the character gets higher in level) without raising their damage ceiling. Hopefully that would be useful as the character progresses through the game and comes across more and more enemies that resist lethal. I don't think it would be too problematic as it's effectively raising damage by normalizing it; mobs that are meant to be truly invulnerable for story beats and other gimmicks are already labeled with things like untouchable or intangible, plus the ignore-resistance is all on minor damage effects. Javelin is like a hybrid between other melee sets' ranged attacks (Focus, Hurl Boulder) and ranged cones (Throw Spines, Shockwave). In a way, it's also loosely related to many weapon sets' tier 8/9 narrow-cone, though having traded raw power to be ranged instead of melee but that's more of a stretch. Speaking of the tier 9, it's a teleport attack. Dunno what other people think of these but I am cool with them becoming more common, especially to make sets feel "zippier" by allowing characters to dive at their next victim or use as an alpha strike when engaging enemies. -- For weapon customization, in addition to the existing blade-tipped staff options, we could have: Staff's tech staff and trident Additional spear options (tribal, knife-tied-to-a-stick, elemental staves, etc.) A couple of scythe options (plain, decorated, Halloween) Medieval pole-axe Whatever you call that symmetrical, double-bladed tool wielded by Thanos in Endgame and Groh in Soulcalibur Perhaps elongated Arachnos maces And... that's about it. I'm (still) bad at outro-ing my own suggestions. 👍

Glad to be of inspiration! 😛

Wanted to toss this one out: Thrown Weapons for characters who toss disposable blades or other things. Ideally, the set would allow power customization options like darts, shurikens, sawblades, knives/daggers, even short swords, and more. All-in-all, I think the set would function as the blast-version of Claws. Its powers do lethal damage and most have no secondary effects but compensates with fast animations and short recharge times the same as Claws. Throw Dart (Ranged) Foe Minor Damage (Lethal); [Special] Sleep Throw Blade (Ranged) Foe Moderate Damage (Lethal) Flechettes (Ranged Cone) Foe Moderate Damage-over-Time (Lethal) Envenomed Blades Self +To Hit, +Special (Toxic damage to all attacks) Bullseye (Snipe) Foe Superior Damage (Lethal) Trickshot (Ranged Chain) Foe Moderate Damage (Lethal) Hammer Toss (Ranged) Foe High Damage (Smashing), -Defense, -Fly Explosive Blade (Ranged AOE) Foe Moderate Damage (Lethal) Storm of Blades (Location AOE) Foe Superior Damage-over-Time (Smashing, Lethal), -Movement, -Fly As far as the unique powers go: Throw Dart (Ranged) Foe Minor Damage (Lethal); [Special] Sleep A small, fast projectile that deals light damage with the puncture wound it creates. When you envenom your blades, your darts will be coated in a poison that can put weaker foes to sleep. Damage: Minor Recharge: Very Fast (Uses the overhand throw animation.) Flechettes (Ranged Cone) Foe Moderate Damage-over-Time (Lethal) Throws a handful of small, sharp objects in a cone in front of you, dealing moderate damage over time as foes are cut to shreds and start to bleed. Damage: Moderate Recharge: Slow (Uses the wide, backhand swing that Broad Sword > Slice does.) Hammer Toss (Ranged) Foe High Damage (Smashing), -Defense, -Fly Strike a foe with a heavy projectile, dealing high smashing damage as well as reducing the targeted foe's defense. Flying foes will also be knocked out of the air. Damage: High Recharge: Moderate(Uses one of the whip animations without the whip VFX.) Storm of Blades (Location AOE) Foe Superior Damage-over-Time (Smashing, Lethal), -Movement, -Fly Sends a barrage of thrown weapons at a targeted location. Any foes caught in the area will suffer superior damage over time as they are battered by the sheer number of weapons striking them. Enemy movement will also be slowed as the strewn weapons create obstacles and flying enemies will even be knocked out of the air. Damage: Superior Recharge: Slow (I want to say there's an animation in-game of throwing a bunch of stuff into the air. Otherwise something like Flurry/Shadow Maul's animation with blades landing at the targeted area like Rain of Arrows.) -- Side note: The power name is referring to this type of hammer toss but glad I could inspire @Rudra to want to make a koopa character. (I'm not against a power customization option to just throw a construction hammer as well.)

The HC devs stated they don't want to do that kind of power choice again.

You find a worn slab of stone in Grendel's Gulch with etchings intentionally scratched into its surface: "GOLAPO OOG? Y / N" You get the feeling you should just put it back down...

Ah, understandable. I appreciate the feedback. Support sets are less patterned than other categories so it's harder for me to get a feel for over/underdoing it. In the particular case of the tier 1 power, it's a blatant clone of Force Bolt / Repulsion Bomb that switches based on the set's gimmick. If it's too underwhelming, it can easily be junked for a new power. EDIT: Good point. I'm a bit apprehensive of giving a control set a hard control as its ubiquitous secondary effect instead of a debuff. Should it be a short-lived disorient?

What does a standard support set layout look like?