Force Redux's List of Quick N' Easy Suggestions!

[Force Redux]

Hello. In no certain order, I'd like to run down a few 'quick fixes' for various powers/sets that might one day make it across the Dev table and see the light of day. They are certainly open for discussion. I'm aware some of these are possibly mentioned in other posts, these are just my not particularly comprehensive ramblings. 

 

Dark Miasma (Black Hole)

Defenders, Corruptors, Controllers, Masterminds

Make Black Hole useful (somewhat)

The issue: Black Hole is worthless for play. It only prolongs fights and it's niche use is so limited that this power was a quick pass even back in the Early Issues of Live. Using this on a team might get you kicked.

 

The Solution: Give this the Dimension Shift treatment from Gravity. While still a niche use, it is more friendly to teams who get a quick explanation, can offer some protection, while not slowing down game speed. 

 

Earth Control (Stalagmites)

Controllers, Dominators

Bias against Flight Travel

The Issue: Stalagmites wants you to be on the ground. Not all concepts need Earth characters to be stuck on the ground. Maybe I'm Asteroid Lad, and I fly. 

 

The Solution: Allow Stalagmites (and other Earth-based powers that require being on the ground) to work while OFF the ground. Concept is important.

 

Energy Blast (Knockdown)

Blasters, Defenders, Corruptors, Sentinels

Dealing with KB.

The Issue: I love the set, visually. I don't like having to deal with the KB in teams. This is an old saw, I know, I know. But there is a 'tax' to using the set if you want to convert KB to KD with IOs. Various solutions have been proposed to deal with it.

 

The Solution: Have the Costume Creator have two choices to pick: A Knockback Original and a Knockdown Derivative. That way, you can pick and choose in the Costume Creator which attacks you want to KB (ie, your single target stuff or the Power Pushes and stuff for the GETAWAYFROMME power, and also choose which ones you wish only to Knockdown (ie, probably most of your AOEs). But this does leave the player with their own choices, and doesn't take up valuable slotting options. 

 

Force Field (the Defense buffs)

Defenders, Corruptors, Controllers and Masterminds

Add DDR to the set

The Issue: The pre-eminent defense buffing set lacks Debuff Resistance (DDR). , and being able to hand out DDR to ATs who lack it would improve its usefulness somewhat at high levels with a quick fix. The fact that Darkness Affinity (of all sets!) has DDR and Force Field doesn't is a crying shame.

 

Solution: Give a Defender 15% DDR each with Deflection/Insulation Shields and another 10% with Dispersion Bubble. That's 40% unenhanced, 60% at the upper range of Enhancement Diversification. Players spend $MMs of Influence to get to or close to soft cap (Blasters, many resistance sets, etc) and they can lose it so quickly with debuffs. This is a quick fix that improves FF's ability to keep its buffs valid and useful at high end. 

 

Force Field (Repulsion Field)

Defenders, Corruptors, Controllers and Masterminds

Make Repulsion Field more useful

The Issue: The fact that Bonfire in Fire Control and in the Fire Epic for Blasters(??) and Masterminds is more reliable control AND does damage shows how poorly Repulsion Field has been maintained over the years in viability. Bonfire has an Endurance Per Second cost of 0.36 and can easily be made perma as well, and also takes numerous procs to enhance it's performance. Replusion Field is END hungry and when proc'd for KB2KD has its proc rate reduced to about 10%, neutering this power. No one has issues with Storm's Hurricane being a mobile repulsion field and yet while endurance hungry, it also debuffs as well. Repulsion Field is very lacking.

 

Solution: Reduce cost to run the toggle to 0.36 END per second. Get rid of the extra per-target END cost. Allow the power to have KB2KD conversion without a reduction of % proc on targets. 

 

Gravity Control (Wormhole)

Controllers, Dominators

Make Wormhole more useful on big teams

The Issue: Wormhole doesn't have enough Mag on its Teleport to move Bosses or Lts that are +4 levels higher than you. Which is a problem on large high-level teams, which include a LOT of Lts and Bosses. You try to help herd a group and the power fails miserably. At least they aren't angry at YOU, though.

 

The solution: increase the Magnitude so that it can capture Lts or Bosses. Particularly now that Fold Space is coming with the TP power pool, let's try to keep Wormhole relevant in the new game. 

 

Illusion Control (Phantasm)

Controllers

Phantasm dies too easily on large teams

The Issue: despite having no melee powers, Phantasm rushes into melee combat to use his Power Bold and Energy Torrent. He also has minimal resistances and a HUGE weakness to negative energy damage. He dies easily, especially on large teams and on the popular ITF, where negative energy abounds. Controller pets shouldn't be worthless on teams. Rocky, SIngularity and Venus Fly Trap are all useful on my teams.

 

The solution: I can only suggest giving Phanty the AI of one of the other pets or some other port that changes his behavior. Likewise, Phanty has never been looked at numerically and still bears the 'old school' numbers. Get rid of his Negative Energy deficiency and boost his resistances a bit. 40% energy, 20% lethal/smash would be my suggestion. 

 

Extra suggestion: It would be nice to have the option to have Phantasm as a Male, Female or Huge form, in the Costume Creator. 

 

Necromancy (Grave Knights)

Masterminds

Make Grave Knights tougher

The Issue: The Grave Knights are your two real damage dealers. They wear armor, too. But they have no resistance to the most common damage types in the game, Smashing and Lethal. They could use a little help.

 

Solution: Give 10.5% Smashing Resistance, 21% Lethal Resistance and 5% Melee/Lethal defense to the Grave Knights. It fits the theme of their armor and allows them to mix it up better in melee, which is where they primarily go into.

 

Robotics  (Protector Bots)

Masterminds

Reduce Protector Bot bubbling time

The Issue: The Protector Bots take a lot of time at the start up and then again throughout the gameplay buffing EACH and EVERY single robot. They love it. And it is a huge impingement on their attack cycle. Compare vs. Thugs, where they Enforcers simply have a leadership aura. They can spend their time hurting things. Now, the perk of the Protector Bots is that one of them will buff the MM, which is helpful. But then again, Enforcers will buff OTHER PEOPLE'S thugs, too, not just their master's own. 

 

The Solution: Have the Protector Bots apply their buffs as an AoE, much as a FF defender does. One buff, they hit all their buddies in range. BAM. Done. Back to the fight.

 

Shield Defense (Active Defense)

Tankers, Scrappers, Stalkers

Give option for turning into a toggle

The Issue: activation time for Active Defense can interrupt attack chains or other needed actions, such as a Taunt. It also eats up the only auto-fire power you can have without complex bindings. 

 

The Solution: already in play, sort of. Allow it to be chosen as either a clicky (some folks like the double status protection) or a toggle (call it Master Defense). Unlike the Sentinel change to Master Brawler, there is no need to add absorption or other things, just the option for click or toggle. Shield has extra HP, a -Damage aura and also decent resistances already to layer with. 

 

Super Reflexes (Practiced Brawler)

Tankers, Scrappers, Stalkers

Port the Sentinel change over

The Issue: Super Reflexes is a great set. But not everyone wants to have the click activation status protection of Practiced Brawler, and it would also benefit from an extra layer of protection besides naked defense.

 

The solution: already in place, as Sentinels have a version of Practiced Brawler (Master Brawler) that provides status protection with toggles and offers a clicky Absorption buff. Now you can choose. Choice is good. Some folks like the original as they can 'double up' on the status protection. Others would prefer not to break attack chains with the animation. 

 

TL;DR - quick suggestions that might help QoL with various powersets. 

That's all I got. Comments or suggestions welcome. Have a nice day!

Edited November 12, 2020 by Force Redux