Focused Feedback: Storm Blast

[The Curator]

New Power Set - Storm Blast

 

 

New primary for Blasters, Corruptors, and Sentinels. New secondary for Defenders.

Storm Blast conjures violent weather to attack your foes. The use of your storm attacks will empower your created storm cells.

 

Powers:

•   Gust  Ranged, DMG(Smash), Foe -Fly

  • You create a chaotic change in atmospheric pressure, causing a sudden gust of wind to deliver a small amount of Smashing damage and knock foes out of the sky. 

  • While in a Storm Cell, targets experience additional Smashing damage over time.

•   Hailstones  Ranged, DMG(Cold), Chance for KD
  • You cause the air around the foe to rapidly condense, causing hailstones to crash down, dealing Cold damage. There is a chance that an especially large chunk of hail will form, knocking the target down. 

  • While in a Storm Cell, targets are much more likely to get knocked down by large chunks of hail.

•   Jet Stream  Ranged Cone, DMG(Smashing), Foe Repel or Knockdown
  • You call forth a cone of rapidly moving air that repels enemies, causing Smashing damage.

  • Enemies who are within a Storm Cell will not be repelled, but instead will be knocked down.

•   Storm Cell  Ranged Location AoE, Foe -Recharge, -SPD, Special

  • You conjure a storm in the area that defines the boundaries of your stormy powers. Rain from this power will slightly lower a foe's movement and chance to hit. The use of your Storm Blast attacks may create high winds and lightning within the storm cell, delivering stronger debuffs and causing damage. Additionally, Storm Blast attacks will be enhanced when used against foes victimized by Storm Cell.

•   Intensify  Self +To Hit, +DMG, +Special

  • Greatly increases the chance to hit of your attacks for a few seconds. Slightly increases damage and your storm strength.

•   Direct Strike (non-Sentinel) Sniper, DMG(Energy), Foe -End, Special
  • You channel your storm powers into a direct hit, jolting the enemy with a bolt of lightning that deals Energy damage and saps some endurance. If fired outside of combat, it can be interrupted by enemies, but will do bonus damage. If you are engaged in battle, this attack becomes instant-cast.
  • While in a Storm Cell, targets have a chance to be stunned.

  •   Lightning Strike (Sentinel only), Ranged, DMG(Energy), Foe -End, Special

    • You channel your storm powers into a lightning strike, jolting the enemy with Energy damage and sapping some endurance.

    • While in a Storm Cell, the target has a chance to be stunned.

•   Chain Lightning  Ranged Chain, DoT(Energy), Foe -End
  • Hurls a ball of electricity into the air, which moments later returns as a bolt that strikes your target, then chains outward to additional enemies. Creatures unfortunate enough to be struck will be dealt Energy damage and be sapped of some endurance.

  • While in a Storm Cell, the main target of Chain Lightning will experience additional endurance drain over time.

•   Cloudburst  Ranged, DoT(Cold), Special
  • Unleashes a cloud that drops a torrent of freezing rain on your target, causing Cold damage. 

  • While in a Storm Cell, targets experience Recharge, ToHit, and Movement Speed debuffs.

•   Category Five  Ranged (Location AoE), DoT(Energy) Foe Knock
  • Summons a severe storm that begins light, but that grows in power until it becomes a raging engine of destruction. Left on its own, the Category Five storm is capable of delivering moderate damage over time, and as it grows in power, will eventually begin to fling foes through the air. In addition, each use of your Storm Blast powers builds its electrical power, rendering it capable of delivering lightning attacks that deal Energy damage.

 

"Pow! Wind, rain, AND lightning!"

[ScarySai]

 

One of my wishlist sets happened and it's actually really good, it's a good day.

[Wravis]

One step closer to wind control, I guess.

[Veloice]

From a purely visual standpoint: initially I was a little disappointed in the lack of actual projectile blasts, like Seismic Blasts, but in practice after running a few missions with it... I'm sold. Once you get Storm Cell and start creating mini tempests, it starts to feel really satisfying and powerful. Watching enemies randomly get struck by lightning or wind blasts every time you attack, on top of the visually appealing attack animations as a whole, is definitely very cool. Category Five is also crazy good fun to watch go off.

 

Definitely feels very solid in the power fantasy department, way more than Seismic Blast did, from the get go.

 

Don't let the preview in the powers menu at character creation put you off. With everything in motion it's really cool.

[Nightscamp]

Ok the animations are REAL good. Pure Storm from X-Men type which is good, because that's how I'd want it over firing from your hands or else its no different to elec.

I am noticing those Wind animations though... The long requested since live Wind Control next perhaps!? [insert eyes emoji here]

[WindDemon21]

2 hours ago, The Curator said:

New primary for Blasters, Corruptors, and Sentinels. New secondary for Defenders.

Storm Blast conjures violent weather to attack your foes. The use of your storm attacks will empower your created storm cells.

 

Powers:

•   Gust  Ranged, DMG(Smash), Foe -Fly

  • You create a chaotic change in atmospheric pressure, causing a sudden gust of wind to deliver a small amount of Smashing damage and knock foes out of the sky. 

  • While in a Storm Cell, targets experience additional Smashing damage over time.

•   Hailstones  Ranged, DMG(Cold), Chance for KD
  • You cause the air around the foe to rapidly condense, causing hailstones to crash down, dealing Cold damage. There is a chance that an especially large chunk of hail will form, knocking the target down. 

  • While in a Storm Cell, targets are much more likely to get knocked down by large chunks of hail.

Awesome! Good theme, nothing wrong with these powers i can see, can't get on beta right now to check stats though.

 

 

2 hours ago, The Curator said:

  Jet Stream  Ranged Cone, DMG(Smashing), Foe Repel or Knockdown

• You call forth a cone of rapidly moving air that repels enemies, causing Smashing damage.

• Enemies who are within a Storm Cell will not be repelled, but instead will be knocked down.

For the LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, make this knockdown, do NOT add repel to an aoe. That is the WORST mechanic that you can't do anytihng about, making this end up a worthless power cause it'll contstantly spread the mobs. KD only PLEASE!

 

2 hours ago, The Curator said:

•   Intensify  Self +To Hit, +DMG, +Special

  • Greatly increases the chance to hit of your attacks for a few seconds. Slightly increases damage and your storm strength.

•   Direct Strike (non-Sentinel) Sniper, DMG(Energy), Foe -End, Special
  • You channel your storm powers into a direct hit, jolting the enemy with a bolt of lightning that deals Energy damage and saps some endurance. If fired outside of combat, it can be interrupted by enemies, but will do bonus damage. If you are engaged in battle, this attack becomes instant-cast.
  • While in a Storm Cell, targets have a chance to be stunned.

  •   Lightning Strike (Sentinel only), Ranged, DMG(Energy), Foe -End, Special

    • You channel your storm powers into a lightning strike, jolting the enemy with Energy damage and sapping some endurance.

    • While in a Storm Cell, the target has a chance to be stunned.

•   Chain Lightning  Ranged Chain, DoT(Energy), Foe -End
  • Hurls a ball of electricity into the air, which moments later returns as a bolt that strikes your target, then chains outward to additional enemies. Creatures unfortunate enough to be struck will be dealt Energy damage and be sapped of some endurance.

  • While in a Storm Cell, the main target of Chain Lightning will experience additional endurance drain over time.

•   Cloudburst  Ranged, DoT(Cold), Special
  • Unleashes a cloud that drops a torrent of freezing rain on your target, causing Cold damage. 

  • While in a Storm Cell, targets experience Recharge, ToHit, and Movement Speed debuffs.

These all seem fine outside of possible stats that I can't see right now. Would be helpful to include those in these notes. Would be nice to have an aim type power on a set that offered a lower but more consistent buff, like follow up/souldrain/reach for the limit etc. But otherwise fine, except for possibly how the nuke works which brings me to:

 

2 hours ago, The Curator said:

  Category Five  Ranged (Location AoE), DoT(Energy) Foe Knock

• Summons a severe storm that begins light, but that grows in power until it becomes a raging engine of destruction. Left on its own, the Category Five storm is capable of delivering moderate damage over time, and as it grows in power, will eventually begin to fling foes through the air. In addition, each use of your Storm Blast powers builds its electrical power, rendering it capable of delivering lightning attacks that deal Energy damage.

I think we all agree here, that having, especially a nuke, deal its weakest damage first and build up, is the WORST way to go with a nuke. You need it to do the upfront damage, especially on blasters. If it's other factors help control the mob like blizzard does, this can be ok, but let its damage even out like blizzard then, having it be weaker at the start, is exactly one of the main reason why Meteor is such absolute trash, especially when teaming. Since the mobs can end up dead before your nuke even does anything for damage. Please fix this to be more evened out over it's duration. Additionally, rain powers don't benefit as much from powers like build up which also really hurts it, hence where this, (and ice blast IMO) should have a longer duration buff that will last during the whole nuke's duration.

[Wravis]

Chain Lightning looks ridiculous.
 

[Replacement]

18 minutes ago, WindDemon21 said:

For the LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, make this knockdown, do NOT add repel to an aoe. That is the WORST mechanic that you can't do anytihng about, making this end up a worthless power cause it'll contstantly spread the mobs. KD only PLEASE!

Wrongo.  Due to the flagging system they added, the Repel should fully deactivate with OF slotted. Test it out.

 

Also, you should ensure you're aware of the interaction within storm cell.

[KaizenSoze]

Here is an example of a trick arrow/storm defender taking out a 54 Arachnos spawn. I was a bit sloppy, but it shows most of the powers.

 

 

[GM Impervium]

41 minutes ago, WindDemon21 said:

For the LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, make this knockdown, do NOT add repel to an aoe. That is the WORST mechanic that you can't do anytihng about, making this end up a worthless power cause it'll contstantly spread the mobs. KD only PLEASE!

 

 

 

19 minutes ago, Replacement said:

Wrongo.  Due to the flagging system they added, the Repel should fully deactivate with OF slotted. Test it out.

 

Also, you should ensure you're aware of the interaction within storm cell.

As a note to everyone, THIS is why we prefer actual testing, instead of what I've come to call "Armchair patchnote reading".

The power will do repel UNLESS the targets are within the effects of certain other powers in the set. It's also not a perma repel like TK; it only lasts a few moments, and is a really good "oh crap, get away from me" button when you allow it to be.

Not picking on you specifically, WIndDemon21. But as an example, this was too good to pass up. Hope you enjoy the set (as well as the rest of the patch)!
 

[ScarySai]

The repel is a non issue, believe me, I'd be making noise about it if it was a problem.

 

 

[Vinceq98]

have you actually played it?? i mean a poster just made a 1 min clip of x8 spawn and i dont see alot of OMGWTFBBQ repel that you are crying about. The set looks really cool and imaginative.

 

Why dont you record actual gameplay of situations where the repel becomes apparent and show the rest of us how bad it is. 

[Sovera]

6 minutes ago, WindDemon21 said:

Right I said I would when I can get the beta to work, what I'm saying though is, it just plain doesn't need to be there at all. Maybe it's not as bad as I'm imagining, but I can tell you if it ever happens once where it repels the mob, it'll be too much. (Unless again there exists a less than mag 1 repel so they only move like 1/4 foot etc or maybe it could be coded for all repel if it's less than mag 1, it repels them slightly upward like knockup?)

 

Still, the point remains. Try it first and then report on your findings.

[biostem]

I'm not able to check ATM, but can someone please give me an idea of the size of the AoE, recharge time, and duration of Storm Cell, as it seems critical to how the powerset works.  I'm excited to try this set out!  Can you place 2 with enough recharge?  Thanks!

Edited April 6, 2023 by biostem

[Luminara]

14 minutes ago, biostem said:

I'm not able to check ATM, but can someone please give me an idea of the size of the AoE, recharge time, and duration of Storm Cell, as it seems critical to how the powerset works.

 

https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=blaster_ranged.storm_blast.storm_cell&at=blaster

[WindDemon21]

2 minutes ago, Luminara said:

 

https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=blaster_ranged.storm_blast.storm_cell&at=blaster

No data found when I click that link. Likewise it would be nice if in these focused threads, the power stats were just given here especially for those of us that can't access beta at the moment.

[biostem]

2 minutes ago, Luminara said:

https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=blaster_ranged.storm_blast.storm_cell&at=blaster

Says "No data found for power "blaster_ranged.storm_blast.storm_cell"!"...

[ScarySai]

1 minute ago, biostem said:

Says "No data found for power "blaster_ranged.storm_blast.storm_cell"!"...

 

Change your settings to beta.

[KaizenSoze]

7 minutes ago, biostem said:

Says "No data found for power "blaster_ranged.storm_blast.storm_cell"!"...

Try navigating from main menu. Check the upper right corner, it should say cryptic followed by numbers. You can select the text to change.

 

https://cod.uberguy.net/html/index.html

 

Also, try an incognito window.

Edited April 6, 2023 by KaizenSoze

[PoptartsNinja]

14 minutes ago, WindDemon21 said:

Maybe it's not as bad as I'm imagining, but I can tell you if it ever happens once where it repels the mob, it'll be too much.

I had the same initial reaction to and reservations about Jetstream that you do. It's not as bad as you're imagining, but I do think it'll make scrapper and brute teammates grumpy. I generally like repel; Force Bubble was my favorite power. Knockback and repel are two different types of soft control with two different use cases and shouldn't be used interchangeably.

 

I still hate that the only way to turn off the repel is a unique IO. Sudden Acceleration would shut the repel off too if the power took knockback sets.

 

 

6 minutes ago, biostem said:

I'm not able to check ATM, but can someone please give me an idea of the size of the AoE, recharge time, and duration of Storm Cell, as it seems critical to how the powerset works.  I'm excited to try this set out!  Can you place 2 with enough recharge?  Thanks!

The best direct comparison is carrion creepers. Storm Cell is a pseudopet that generates no agro and will try to chase the nearest enemy mob (or follow you if it has no remaining targets, but it's on a short enough duration that it following you will probably never matter). So the solid 25' AoE radius is pretty reasonable but can be a bit bigger/fuzzy because it doesn't stay exactly where you put it.

[biostem]

2 minutes ago, ScarySai said:

Change your settings to beta.

The setting was listed as "Alpha", but I can see it now, thank you.

 

For those not wanting to go through all of that, here's the details:

 

90 sec recharge

25' radius

Storm Cell lasts for 60 sec

 

[biostem]

8 minutes ago, WindDemon21 said:

Ok, this is the dumb part here then for sure. It does knockdown at least so at the VERY least, make it so the power can take knockback sets. Please at least do this

The problem is, AFAIK, you cannot enhance the "special effect" that some powers get - similar to how the teleport of mystic flight is unenhanceable.

[WindDemon21]

12 minutes ago, PoptartsNinja said:

I still hate that the only way to turn off the repel is a unique IO. Sudden Acceleration would shut the repel off too if the power took knockback sets.

Again, the power does knockback, it SHOULD take kb sets. Especially given the sudden acceleration would hinder the repel and not force you to use the OF proc in it. Please fix this.

[WindDemon21]

Just now, biostem said:

The problem is, AFAIK, you cannot enhance the "special effect" that some powers get - similar to how the teleport of mystic flight is unenhanceable.

It has knockdown, that's always enhance-able even I'd the mag is like .1. It should take kb sets, especially given that allowing them would let the SA kb-kd work for the repel.

[biostem]

Just now, WindDemon21 said:

It has knockdown, that's always enhance-able even I'd the mag is like .1. It should take kb sets, especially given that allowing them would let the SA kb-kd work for the repel.

No, it has a repel effect.  The knockdown is part of the special effect while the enemy is within a storm cell.