Next Wave of MM Tuning

[Zugzwangz]

I like the current direction of MM changes, but for the next round, I have a few suggestions that should be considered:

 

1. Eliminate the dual upgrade system. Having two buttons that upgrade your minions seems unnecessary. Keep the T9 upgrade and divide their boons into either being baseline or upgradeable at T9.

 

Example: Zombies.

- Zombie Vomit can become baseline while Projectile Vomit gets added with the T9 upgrade. This frees up a powerslot for one of my other suggestions (see bullet 3).

 

2. Beast Mastery pet revision. Specifically, the Dire Wolf/Call Wolves. This feels rather redundant for a powerset based on controlling animals. Perhaps a bear instead of a Dire Wolf? Or maybe hyenas or monkies instead of wolves. Out of your 6 perma-pets, 4 of them are wolves... you might as well be the wolf master. The lions should be looked at as well. Perhaps instead of two lionesses, one male and one female? Maybe an option in the creator for this? 

 

3. Thematic powerset armor. Each MM can have an armor baked right into their primary that fits the theme for their respective hero. This armor can have a neat effect based on the primary to add a little pepper to the archetype, and can be offered on the same tier as the lower upgrade enchant. 

 

Example: Necromancy -- Bone Armor

- Provides the Mastermind with resistance to smashing, lethal, and negative energy damage. When struck, has a x% chance to spawn a specter that attacks the assailant for y seconds. Only z specters can be spawned this way. 

 

Mercenaries -- Flak Jacket

- Provides the Mastermind with resistance to smashing, lethal, and fire damage. When struck in combat, has a x% chance to enrage the Mastermind's henchmen, causing them to deal y% additional damage for z seconds. 

 

Beast Mastery -- Thick Hide

- Provides the Mastermind with resistance and defense to smashing and lethal damage. When struck in combat, has a x% chance to call a mighty bear into combat for y seconds. This bear will taunt weaker enemies prioritizing those attacking the Mastermind. Only z bears can be spawned this way. 

 

Ninjas -- Something Ninja-y

- Provides the Mastermind with resistance to smashing, lethal, psionic, and toxic damage. When struck in combat, has a x% chance to throw a poisoned Kunai at the assailant, dealing toxic damage over time and slowing them. 

 

These are just examples, but they can even play into the recent buffs with Ninja, Robots, Necro, and BM (similar to how I designed the Necromancer's armor). 

 

I understand implementing the armors into the powersets would mean a slight alteration to the MM ancillary/patron powers, but some of those sets don't even offer armors as is. Those sets can offer a different, more diverse armor, or perhaps a defensive armor. Additionally, they could even offer an armor toggle for the minions specifically.

 

Example: Necromancy -- Hardened Bones

- While this power is toggled, it provides the Zombies, Grave Knight, and Lich with added resistance to smashing, lethal, energy, and negative energy. Each active specter increases the potency of these resistances by x% for their duration. 

 

Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble on. I appreciate all the hard work you guys do and look forward to the evolution of this game in the future! You guys are doing great. Thank you!

Edited October 21, 2022 by Zugzwangz
clarity, grammar, and anxiety

[Rudra]

No thanks. The two upgrades are fine for me. First tier upgrade is advanced training or equipment for the minions. Second tier upgrade comes after I develop specialty/expert training or better equipment than I already had access to. And with Bodyguard Mode, MMs get better damage mitigation than most even with their armors. I get to divide incoming damage 8 ways, take 2 of those, and then apply my damage resist to it? Yep, works great in my book.

 

(Though I do agree with you on the Dire Wolf bit. I just can't think of anything that would make sense as an animal that could be given a ranged attack, would make for a good tank/brute pet, and be part of a pack for the Pack Mentality.)

[biostem]

I like some of your suggestions, but I think they may be a little too lofty.  For instance, are there any bear models in the game?  Maybe spend some time on MM pet customization, and those shadow hounds and spirit panthers could be added as alternate options for beasts.  Regarding the upgrade options, perhaps a simpler solution would be to add a special "combined upgrade" power, which becomes available once you have take the other 2, which applies all the upgrades to all your pets in one fell swoop.  I don't know where you'd fit the MM armors you suggested.  I wonder if bodyguard mode could be given additional special bonuses based upon your primary, or maybe they could be added as additional APPs...

[Blood Speaker]

Frankly, I'm a) happy with the current (new) arrangement, and b) wanting even greater pipe dreams: pet customization and/or new MM primaries, first and foremost. I'd particularly love a "Vermin" set (swarms, roaches, big spider, etc). Yes, I know option b is highly unlikely, and option a is... only slightly less unlikely. But they're what I dream of, for an Archetype that has notably fewer build options than any other.

 

This is NOT to say that your suggestions lack merit, though I do question putting a separate resist/defense into the mix. Maybe make part of the defenses from the training powers affect the MM themself? While I'm aware that MMs were originally envisioned at "Villain Tanks", there's never been a way to really leverage that to the degree that it was first planned, though I may be misremembering the fine details. Still, the enhanceable pet upgrades help. Now, if only the PETS (not the MM) had any degree of aggro control... But that too strays somewhat from what MMs currently ARE, into what they originally might have been.

[Rudra]

It's my understanding that Brutes were the villain tanks. MMs got Bodyguard Mode added after the fact because enemies liked to ignore the MM pets and go straight for the MM. And after Bodyguard Mode was added, MMs  became the red side version of tanks.

 

I would love for pet customization, or at least a list of alternate pets for each tier of each set. I would love for more power sets for MM primaries. (Please no spider sets. I like not being terrified of playing the game.)

[Voltixdark]

1 hour ago, Zugzwangz said:

I like the current direction of MM changes, but for the next round, I have a few suggestions that should be considered:

 

1. Eliminate the dual upgrade system. Having two buttons that upgrade your minions seems unnecessary. Keep the T9 upgrade and divide their boons into either being baseline or upgradeable at T9.

I do not think the dual upgrade system should be removed. It would limit the options of buffing the pets with enhancements to just one power instead of two.

[Blood Speaker]

1 hour ago, Rudra said:

 (Please no spider sets. I like not being terrified of playing the game.)

 

I'd treat this as responsibly as I do with my Creepy Murder Clown: if a team mate has an issue with him, I either swap characters of go back to soloing, no hard feelings. It's already plenty easy to create characters that can cause emotional distress to other players; ruling out the option isn't going to change that.

[Rudra]

Appreciated, but mobs aren't as considerate. (Edit: Keep them looking like the Arachnos units? And we're fine.)

Edited October 22, 2022 by Rudra

[biostem]

6 hours ago, Voltixdark said:

I do not think the dual upgrade system should be removed. It would limit the options of buffing the pets with enhancements to just one power instead of two.

That's why I advocate for adding a 3rd upgrade power, which is unlocked upon selecting both the other regular upgrades, which encompasses both upgrades in 1 power...