[Suggestion] Time (for all)

[WanderingAries]

*sorry, I'm a bit blurry-eyed atm*

 

I was working on a solo-themed group based loosely around Time, but I was a bit saddened by the fact that it's only used for ranged ATs. Could we get a bit more choices by adding the melee into the mix? Maybe something similar to that of the heavy weapons (forgot name0 thing that has a building up effect. Generally, I think it'd be cool to have Any powerset for any AT that makes sense (obviously a troller isn't going to be swinging things bigger than their hand).

[The 1 Endless Waltz]

I know this isn't quite what you're asking for and I'm all for a melee set to impose -regen or more consistently a -dam ... But to work with  what's already present, far as a "Time Armor" is concerned. For those that didn't want to be like Daredevil, I've known many to considered their Super Reflexes to actually been seeing into the near future allowing you to OLE! yourself out of attacks unscathed. If you wanted to wander away from the usual interpretation of the Dark Powersets to a connection with the Netherworld; easily connecting them to magic or Natural origins. But you could also  interpret  them as a sort of Entropy, or a "Negative Time" imposing a time dilation where everything's fuzzy explaining the -tohit. Leaning more easily into Science & Tech origins. Psionic Melee's Insight and -recharge  can be seen as forms of future sight, and time dilation, or stealing small bits of time away from them. There's also Kinetic Melee being you know how to Palm Catch attacks and rechanneling the force back out through knowing well placed counterpunches. 

[MetaVileTerror]

I drafted up a Quantum Defense Set for my Tabletop version of City of Heroes, since one of the players asked for it by special request.

Want me to drag that out and share it here?

[WanderingAries]

32 minutes ago, MetaVileTerror said:

I drafted up a Quantum Defense Set for my Tabletop version of City of Heroes, since one of the players asked for it by special request.

Want me to drag that out and share it here?

If you have a new AT plotted out, then by all means throw it in the suggestion box on here. From the little bit of dabbling about it looks like there might be enough bits and pieces already inexistence that would work together for a new AT without necessarily starting from scratch. Sadly, they're not all in a single AT right now.

[MetaVileTerror]

I'm sorry, are you suggesting a new Archetype?  I believe there was a miscommunication, then.  The Set I was speaking of is a Survival Set (ie:  Scrapper Secondary, Tanker Primary, et cetera).  I thought your original post was calling for Melee Archetypes to receive Power Sets which include Powers which are thematically within the Time Travel/Control paradigm.

[Shadowsleuth]

 

I would love to see a Temporal Melee & Time Armor powersets.

 

Temporal Melee should have a power that slows the enemy while speeding up yourself like the Tsoo's Siphon Speed power.

 

Wither, a power that puts a DoT on the enemies due to accelerated aging.

 

 

Time Armor should have a Time Reversal power that restores you to a previously undamaged state (heals you, long recharge).

 

Temporal decoy(s) that can grab aggro for a (very) short time could fit in a Time Armor powerset.

[Steampunkette]

So we have 3 Melee Attacks from Blaster's Temporal Manipulation.

 

Aging Touch as a Minor ST Psionic Damage Attack

 

End of Time as High PBAoE Cold/Energy Damage Attack

 

Future Pain as a High ST Psionic Damage Attack

 

Both Aging Touch and Future Pain reuse the model animation of Ranged Blast attacks. Aging touch pulls the right arm back, then thrusts it forward, fingers ahead of open palm in the "Fireball Cast" animation, while Future Pain has a double hand at head level thrust forward, "Power Blast Cast". Meanwhile Edge of Time is a sort of whole body thrust where the character gathers energy by bringing their shoulders forward and bending their knees with their hands balling to fists, then rapidly straightens their legs, throws back their arms, unclenches their fists, and throws their head back.

 

This gives us a partial visual expectation for Time Melee as a powerset. Specifically that it doesn't involve punching, kicking, or even striking the target. Simply reaching out towards them, or building up Temporal Energy and letting it burst outwards.

 

We also learn some things from the damage types chosen. Firstly that it focuses on "Exotic" damage, in this case Psionic, but has room for particularly eclectic combinations of damage types. I don't think I've ever seen another attack which deals both Cold and Energy Damage. And I think that's a good thing.

 

To me, this feels like a set where strange damage combinations should be a significant part. And where different powers deal different damage types, rather than having a monolithic damage type identity. An Eclectic Array, essentially.

 

Here is how I would implement a Time Melee set.

 

Tier 1: Aging Touch (ST Minor Psionic, chance of Fear)

Tier 2: Temporal Shift (ST Teleport Moderate Cold/Energy) Violently yanking the target through time, you teleport them near to you. (Use Recall Enemy model animation, use Pseudopet at the player's feet as target location for the teleport)

Tier 3: Glimpse the Future (ST High Psionic, chance of Fear)  (Power Push model animation)

Tier 4: Chronos (Build up with Recharge Component)

Tier 5: End of Time (PBAoE High Cold/Energy)

Tier 6: Dessicate (Cone Moderate Energy/Toxic) You send out a shockwave of time that causes enemies to feel as though it has been a week since they ate, drank, or slept. (We can use the Wall of Force model animation)

Tier 7: Future Pain (ST Superior Psionic, chance of Fear)

Tier 8: Timeslip (PBAoE -Spd -Rech -Dam, Self +Spd +Rech +Dam per target hit)

Tier 9: Warped Time (PBAoE High Cold/Psionic/Energy/Smashing Knock Up, Dimension Shift Pseudopet at Caster's position for 3 seconds while the damage is happening) (Use Nova Model Animation) Cold/Psionic/Energy hits immediately, then the AoE Group Lift portion triggers for Smashing Damage.

[Zepp]

A model for Temporal Armor would likely be similar in many ways to super reflexes. However, going off of @Steampunkette's Time Melee set, it would likely be a mixed set that has some healing (Temporal Healing from Temporal Manipulation and Chrono Shift from Time Manipulation?), some recharge (again, Chrono Shift fits the bill although it may need some adjustment as armor sets generally have 20% rather than 50%, so Time Lord from Temporal Manipulation may also be one to consider), some defense (Farsight from Time Manipulation and/or Foresight from Widow Teamwork may be some ideas here), and some psy/cold/en resistance (Use animations from Force Fields or Sonic Barrier for a Resistance Toggle). The key will to make it balanced and not too clicky...

 

T₁ Chronovision -- Auto, +Res (Def Debuff, Res Debuff), +Per,  +Spd

T₂ Proximal Foresight -- Toggle, +Def (Melee, AoE (moderate)), +Res (Confuse, Fear)

T₃ Distal Foresight -- Toggle, +Def (Ranged, AoE (moderate)), +Res (Stun, Hold)

T₄ Time Bubble -- Toggle, +Res (Psi/Cold/En)

T₅ Temporal Displacement -- Toggle, +Def (All), +Res (Sleep), +Stealth {weak}, +Confuse (5s tick, 5s duration, mag1)

T₆ Temporal Healing -- PBAoE, Ally +Absorb, +Recovery, +Res (Slow, Regen Debuff)

T₇ Farsight -- Ranged Hold, Hold, Foe -Regen, -Heal

T₈ Temporal Preparation -- Self Rez

T₉ Chrono Shift -- PBAoE, Team +Recharge, Heal, +End, Moderate Healing over Time, +Recovery

 

This is just a quick outline, it is a little swayed towards the Defensive end, but I think it does include enough to give it a feel of something different from SR...

 

[Zepp]

50 minutes ago, Steampunkette said:

To me, this feels like a set where strange damage combinations should be a significant part. And where different powers deal different damage types, rather than having a monolithic damage type identity. An Eclectic Array, essentially.

 

Here is how I would implement a Time Melee set.

 

Tier 1: Aging Touch (ST Minor Psionic, chance of Fear)

Tier 2: Temporal Shift (ST Teleport Moderate Cold/Energy) Violently yanking the target through time, you teleport them near to you. (Use Recall Enemy model animation, use Pseudopet at the player's feet as target location for the teleport)

Tier 3: Glimpse the Future (ST High Psionic, chance of Fear)  (Power Push model animation)

Tier 4: Chronos (Build up with Recharge Component)

Tier 5: End of Time (PBAoE High Cold/Energy)

Tier 6: Dessicate (Cone Moderate Energy/Toxic) You send out a shockwave of time that causes enemies to feel as though it has been a week since they ate, drank, or slept. (We can use the Wall of Force model animation)

Tier 7: Future Pain (ST Superior Psionic, chance of Fear)

Tier 8: Timeslip (PBAoE -Spd -Rech -Dam, Self +Spd +Rech +Dam per target hit)

Tier 9: Warped Time (PBAoE High Cold/Psionic/Energy/Smashing Knock Up, Dimension Shift Pseudopet at Caster's position for 3 seconds while the damage is happening) (Use Nova Model Animation) Cold/Psionic/Energy hits immediately, then the AoE Group Lift portion triggers for Smashing Damage.

I like it overall. There are a couple of things I would do differently. For example, replacing the T₄ with a Follow-up type attack (Stolen Time perchance) wherein you have a complicated +Damage, +ToHit, +Recharge to Self, -Damage, -ToHit, -Recharge to Foe on top of a touch of Negative damage. Also, you might want to look into some of the Kin Melee animations as possibilities...  I also find the T4 and T8 double build-up may be a little out of line with other melee sets, and you may want to remove the damage and recharge buffs from the latter (maybe add +Fear so that you have one AoE fear to go with all the ST fears).

[Steampunkette]

36 minutes ago, Zepp said:

I like it overall. There are a couple of things I would do differently. For example, replacing the T₄ with a Follow-up type attack (Stolen Time perchance) wherein you have a complicated +Damage, +ToHit, +Recharge to Self, -Damage, -ToHit, -Recharge to Foe on top of a touch of Negative damage. Also, you might want to look into some of the Kin Melee animations as possibilities...  I also find the T4 and T8 double build-up may be a little out of line with other melee sets, and you may want to remove the damage and recharge buffs from the latter (maybe add +Fear so that you have one AoE fear to go with all the ST fears).

Maybe!

 

My thought on the Double Build Up was to make the second one a big damn debuff with a small buff per target (Capping out at around 30% Recharge and Damage bonus but applying a 30-40% debuff to each target) and then give it a long recharge and a fairly long duration (40 second Duration, 10 minute recharge) Impossible to get to perma or overlap, but definitely a big boost two or three times per mission.

 

I only used Chronos because it's the build up from Time Manipulation

[Zepp]

You mean Temporal Manipulation. Sorry, I overlooked Chronos. In that case, it may be good to keep as is, I just think a Dark-type attack would match the eclecticity of the set better.

[WanderingAries]

21 hours ago, MetaVileTerror said:

I'm sorry, are you suggesting a new Archetype?  I believe there was a miscommunication, then.  The Set I was speaking of is a Survival Set (ie:  Scrapper Secondary, Tanker Primary, et cetera).  I thought your original post was calling for Melee Archetypes to receive Power Sets which include Powers which are thematically within the Time Travel/Control paradigm.

Yes, reading back, I would be asking for Melee to receive their own /time options. TBH, besides the weapon based ATs, I'd rather see all groups have the same options across the board.

[WanderingAries]

*Reads through replies* Now just to smooth out the numbers and we've got ourselves a worked out set of powers. :p

[BrandX]

While one could just as easily use one of the existing defense sets and call it Time related, I'd love to see a Defense set that uses Time Manipulation as a template.

 

A nice mixture of Defense, -to-hit (which would likely give it little or no Defense Debuff Resist), I'd mix in Regen toggle and a clickie heal, a Revive, S/L Passive, Regen Passive, and a +To-Hit Ability, though it could be tied to one of the passives and then give it's tier 9 the same treatment that Time Manipulation has, possibly at lower numbers.

 

I'd also make it so one of the passives always put them under Time Manipulation Accelerated condition.

[BrandX]

01 Enhanced Response:  *Toggle* +Defense All

02 Accelerated: *Toggle* +Regen / Accelerated Status / Regen Debuff Resist

04 Temporal Healing: *Click* Self-Heal (Reconstruction Clone or Temporal Mending Heal Over Time Clone)

10 Time Lord: *Toggle* +To-Hit / +Perception / Mez Protection (Standard - Being a Defense based set, I'd likely give it low to no KB Resist) / Slow Resist / +Speed / +Recharge

16 Time Shift: *Toggle* -Damage / -Speed / -Recharge / -To-Hit

20 Out of Synch: *Toggle* +Defense All / +Stealth (Suppresses Time Shift when Stealthed)

28 Time Phase: *Toggle* Phase Shift / +Rec (30 Second Limit)

35 Rewind Time: *Click* Revive (15 Seconds of +Defense / +Resist / Mez Protection)

38 Chrono Shift: *Click* +Regen / +Recharge / +Heal (Self on the same Time/Duration) / Energy Resist

 

No Passives.  I'd probably keep the Toggle costs down.  I know Hibernate is close to Time Phase, and that ability is last in line on Ice Armor, but it's basically a Phase Shift clone with +Rec but available later than Phase Shift is.

 

A Defense + Regen style Armor Set.  One would have to build for End Reduction and Recovery and I'd keep the Defense Debuff Resist low or none at all, allowing the -To-Hit to cover that.

[kikyoku]

OK, not to necro but I've been playing with the temporal armor set a lot in my head, and I figured this was better than a new thread.

 

I like the gist of what's been said here, where temporal is high defense with heals, kind of like SR/Ninjitsu.

 

But we have those already, so let's get weird. 

 

Blah blah see the future and dodge attacks. But you can't just heal for free, it has to come from somewhere: Really high power abilities with consequences.

 

A toggle that boosts recharge and regen, but drains end as you concentrate on controlling time.

 

An activated ability that resets your recharges, but then hits you with -Recharge as time unscrunches itself.

 

A heal + absorb that cuts regen. Inversely, a recovery boost that drains end after a bit.

 

A toggle that boosts recharge the more enemies around you, as you slow them and steal their time.

 

A buff that makes all attacks crit for a few seconds, and then blocks crits for a while, as you moved those attacks backwards in time.

 

Temporary self rez buf, as a version of you from the future switches places all buffed out, and then goes back, leaving you barely conscious.

 

This kind of concept would build a really unique and interesting play style, where you're trying to shift around your strengths in a fight to make yourself best at what's needed when needed.

 

Addendum :

Time Doppelganger. A static pet with a taunt aura pops in, deals some trivial damage, and disappears after a few seconds.

Edited May 21, 2021 by kikyoku