A new archetype that does NOT require new assets.

[Hex]

What?! No NEW assets?! It's too good to be true!

Well, no actually.

So I've had this idea rattling around my brain ever since I first experienced the MM class all those years ago. "MM's?! <groan>"

Yeah yeah, hear me out.

Anyways, a certain other MMO at the time had a class that was... lets say a mini MM. Let's call it... the ANTI-PALADIN. I'm sure some of you know which class I'm talking about, but I'll move on. The class in question could summon one whole combat pet when they reached a particular level. Now this wasn't exactly a pet class, it was more of a hybrid melee dps class, with the pet being more like a DoT spell that followed you around.

I'm not saying that the "new" archetype is a carbon copy of the anti-paladin, far from it. I'm just explaining where I got inspired, so you can get the jist of what I'm trying to paint.

The "new" archetype is:

 

The Dynamic Deadly Duo!

 

How it works:

The class has for it's primaries several very different powersets, each for setting up your toon the way you want it to play:-

1. Long ranged sets for those that want to play it from a distance.

2. Melee for those that like it in their face.

3. Utility for those that like to do other stuff as well as smash skuls.

 

At a particular point, (probably like level 6 or something) the character gets to pick their Sidekick power.

Now, the sidekick power works differently depending on what the player wants it to be. They'll have the option of picking a long ranged assistant (a cut-down blaster of some fashion), a brawler (a cut-down scrapper of some fashion), or a more utility driven sidekick (<cough> defender <cough>) - but they'll have the option of picking Light or Dark. Light or Dark only affects the cosmetic choice - Light being of a more brightly coloured heroic costume theme, and dark being the more DC-style dark hero/villain costume style. Naturally, the colour schemes the Sidekick has is down to what the player actually chose at creation. (This is an ease of use thing, I'm sure there are a number of ways of allowing players a little more flexibility over how their sidekick pops out on use, but hey this is in it's idea stage.) As far as gender options go... there are ways I'll leave it up to the dev's. It's their choice if they want to use this idea or not.

 

Now we all know each archetype has it's own "quirk", brutes have the fury bar for example. For the Deadly Duo, I thought a two-pronged assault would be interesting. First, the idea I came up with is called "teamwork" - and no, its nothing to do with the extra powersets. "Teamwork" (as well as making the dream work) grants both the character and their sidekick minion a mild (read as miniscule) damage and to hit bonus. However, If either the sidekick or the character "falls over" from having zero hitpoints, the secondary effect triggers. The secondary effect is that the remaining individual has a rapidly depleting dps buff that degrades over time (its like Vengeance but only affects them, and the longer it runs the weaker it gets until its countdown hits zero).

 

I've also mentally toyed with the idea that the sidekick, when "summoned" sticks around even when dead. This means the player has to use a Wakie or some other resurrection effect on them. (For things like zone transitions, the corpse gets placed by their feet. What Boss would leave their trusty partner behind?!) This of course means it's the first archetype with minions that allows for resurrection effects...

 

From what I've seen of the enemy creator in AE, and from what I've experienced playing an the arachnos epic archetypes, this is all doable. Sure, it may require some coding, but as far as new art and assets go - they're already in the game.

 

I'm deliberately leaving the primary powersets vague, and what secondaries the archetype should have up in the air, as I'm primarily posting this as a discussion and a post our current hard working dev's can draw new ideas and inspiration from.

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited April 24, 2021 by Hex

[AngryJesusMan]

I'm down for this. Maybe this could just be a Mastermind build with a mildly different philosophy to the power selections, though the different advancement of the pet may cause some issue. This hits the same notes as Druids and Rangers from classic D&D with their badass pets. So I'm definitely in favor of  this general idea.

[bmemoneytree]

I like this idea. A partner/sidekick option (customizable) would be nice.

[John Atlas]

Love this idea.

[Herotu]

If WWE taught me anything it's that if your villain doesn't look bad enough, put a man in a suit next to him.

[Rathulfr]

3 hours ago, Herotu said:

If WWE taught me anything it's that if your villain doesn't look bad enough, put a man in a suit next to him.

 

It's been my experience that the man in the suit is usually the baddest villain.

 

[MTeague]

On 4/25/2021 at 12:57 PM, Rathulfr said:

 

It's been my experience that the man in the suit is usually the baddest villain.

 

Tellin you, man.

I still want a Dominator with Legal Control and Legal Assault powersets.

Now THAT's some scary stuff!

[seebs]

I wonder if this could be a Pool, rather than an archetype, because it really feels like it's supposed to work with most archetypes.

[Narfu12]

Well archetype hmm... We could do PPD/RIP Cops and then branch off from that similar to Arachnos or take say the baseball bat, sledgehammer, knife, single pistol, etc moves and use them for say an escaped prisoner (like prisoners from the prisoner faction) archetype who could get jobs from certain factions say you get a job from the Hellions in Port Oakes well you just harmed your rep with the Family and more vulnerable to ambushes there by that faction or better yet depending on what powerset you choose (if its not like the previous overall single pistol, bat, knife, molotovs, etc.) You could possibly be a recruit for a faction either being Crey or any of the villain factions like 5th Column/Council.