New Power Sets: Mystical Cards, Card Assault

[Archsaint]

If I had a nickel for every time a player wanted to read my fortune… I’d have a lot of nickels. But that got me thinking, a Power Set revolving around cards would be really cool. Below is my attempt at making one (two actually). I called it Mystical Cards to keep the theme open; you could roleplay it as a tarot deck or something like The Deck of Many Things from DnD. It would probably fit as a Defender primary. The second Power Set is called Card Assault and is a Blaster primary.

 

Some card animations are already in the game. Visually (for Mystical Cards), a single card would fly around your target (enemy or ally) for each active effect. The graphic of the card would appear above the target, much like the Mystic Fortune power does now, to let you know which card/effect the target receives. Only one card can be active at a time. If all the cards of a power are in play, the power cannot be activated until the effects end. Hopefully that makes sense as you read below (I didn’t go crazy with numbers or technical power descriptions).

 

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

New Power Set: Mystical Cards 
While others play with cheap knockoff versions of magical cards, you have the real deal. You either inherited or crafted your own supernatural deck of cards. This self-replenishing card deck can bless your allies and curse your foes. While many powers in this set draw cards at random, some can be drawn at will.

 

Tier 1: Misfortune (Ranged, Foe)
You focus malicious intent upon your target and draw a card from your mystical deck. Your target is affected by a random negative effect based on the card drawn:
The Broken Sword (Damage Debuff)
The Slug (Movement Debuff)
The Glaring Sun (Accuracy Debuff)
The Exhausted Soldier (Defense Debuff)

 

Tier 2: The Laughing Cactus (Toggle: Self) 
When an enemy deals damage to you from any source, they receive double the amount of raw damage in return.

 

Tier 3: Fortune (Ranged, Ally)
You focus benevolent intent upon an ally and draw a card from your mystical deck. The target and other allies in close proximity receive a positive effect based on the card drawn: 
The Roaming Fortress (Defense Buff)
The Healthy Llama (Max Health Increase)
The Unearthed Treasure (Increased Infamy Gain)
The Secret Stash (Receive Three Inspirations)

 

Tier 4: The Enduring Flame (Toggle: Self)
You focus your energy on the cards in play. As long as this power is active, the duration of your cards is permanent. The more cards in play, the greater the endurance cost.

 

Tier 5: Shuffle Deck (Self, +Regeneration,)
You remove all cards in play that are affecting targets. You gain increased health regeneration based on the number of cards removed. If four or more cards are in play when activating this power, it also removes all negative effects. 

 

Tier 6: Dire Misfortune (Ranged, Foe)
You seek greater calamity upon your enemy. The target is affected by a random negative effect based on the card drawn: 
The Plague (Toxic Damage, spreads to other enemies)
The Aberrant Watcher (Tentacle Hold, Negative Energy Damage)
The Trickster (Random Knockdown/Knockup/Knockback every 5 seconds, Crushing Damage)
The Lunatic (Confusion)

 

Tier 7: Great Fortune (Ranged, Ally)
You seek greater blessings upon your allies. The target and other allies in proximity are affected by a random beneficial effect based on the card drawn: 
The Shooting Star (+Energy Regeneration)
The King's Stash (Upgrade Three Random Inspirations)
The Marksman (+Accuracy, +Recharge)
The Vigilant Nurse (+Health Regeneration)

 

Tier 8: Cataclysmic Reading (Targeted Location)
You seek a powerful card to alter the battlefield. 
The Leviathan (AoE Fear, Cold Damage)
The Behemoth (Summon Random Large Creature)
The Hungry Pack (Summon 6 Wolves)

 

Tier 9: The Reaper (Ranged, Foe)
You draw forth the deadliest card in your mystical deck, summoning death himself to reap the souls of your enemies. A dark shadowy figure stands next to the targeted foe, instantly slaying it and all nearby enemies. High ranking foes will instead receive damage equal to half their maximum health and have a fear effect placed on them.

 

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

New Power Set: Card Assault 
In your hands, a simple deck of cards is a deadly weapon. 

 

Tier 1: Sharp Edge (Ranged, Lethal)
You throw a card like a razor sharp shuriken. 

 

Tier 2: Card Stack (Ranged, Lethal)
You throw multiple cards at a single target.

 

Tier 3: Fanning Throw (Ranged Cone, Lethal)
You throw several cards in an arc to hit multiple foes.

 

Tier 4: Boom Card (Ranged AoE, Lethal, Fire)
You throw an explosive card.

 

Tier 5: Charged Card (Ranged, Lethal, Energy)
You throw an electrically charged card. 

 

Tier 6: Cardtrops (Ranged(Location Area of Effect), Minor DoT(Lethal), Foe –Speed)
You throw multiple bladed cards into the ground, damaging and slowing enemies.

 

Tier 7: Cardnado (Ranged Targeted Area of Effect, Lethal)
You summon a whirlwind of spinning cards to slice your enemies.

 

Tier 8: Bewildering Deck (Ranged, -ToHit, Defense Debuff)
You cause an entire deck of cards to fly around a foe, greatly hindering Accuracy and Defense. 

 

Tier 9: Deck of Pain (Ranged, Lethal)
You rapidly throw an entire deck of cards at an unfortunate target. 
 

[Rudra]

10 minutes ago, Archsaint said:

Tier 2: The Laughing Cactus (Toggle: Self) 
When an enemy deals damage to you from any source, they receive double the amount of raw damage in return.

Pretty sure the game isn't set up to handle this mechanic. And this is waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy OP anyway.

 

10 minutes ago, Archsaint said:

Tier 3: Fortune (Ranged, Ally)
You focus benevolent intent upon an ally and draw a card from your mystical deck. The target and other allies in close proximity receive a positive effect based on the card drawn: 
The Roaming Fortress (Defense Buff)
The Healthy Llama (Max Health Increase)
The Unearthed Treasure (Increased Infamy Gain)
The Secret Stash (Receive Three Inspirations)

Replace The Unearthed Treasure and The Secret Stash with standard player buffs, and okay.

 

10 minutes ago, Archsaint said:

Tier 7: Great Fortune (Ranged, Ally)
You seek greater blessings upon your allies. The target and other allies in proximity are affected by a random beneficial effect based on the card drawn: 
The Shooting Star (+Energy Regeneration)
The King's Stash (Upgrade Three Random Inspirations)
The Marksman (+Accuracy, +Recharge)
The Vigilant Nurse (+Health Regeneration)

Replace The King's Stash with a standard buff.

 

10 minutes ago, Archsaint said:

Tier 8: Cataclysmic Reading (Targeted Location)
You seek a powerful card to alter the battlefield. 
The Leviathan (AoE Fear, Cold Damage)
The Behemoth (Summon Random Large Creature)
The Hungry Pack (Summon 6 Wolves)

The Behemoth? What random large creature? Like a GM or a Monster? No. Also, reduce The Hungry Pack to 3 wolves to be in line with other non-MM summons like Phantom Army.

 

10 minutes ago, Archsaint said:

Tier 9: The Reaper (Ranged, Foe)
You draw forth the deadliest card in your mystical deck, summoning death himself to reap the souls of your enemies. A dark shadowy figure stands next to the targeted foe, instantly slaying it and all nearby enemies. High ranking foes will instead receive damage equal to half their maximum health and have a fear effect placed on them.

No.

 

 

10 minutes ago, Archsaint said:

New Power Set: Card Assault 

Unlike your Mystical Cards set, this one seems to be fairly balanced in its scope. I like this set.

Edited June 2, 2023 by Rudra
Edited to add missing "with".

[Saiyajinzoningen]

The cards foretell a city of Gambits mon amie

[Archsaint]

11 hours ago, Rudra said:

Unlike your Mystical Cards set, this one seems to be fairly balanced in its scope. I like this set.

 

Greetings Rudra, as I said I didn’t go into a lot of technical detail regarding power descriptions. You’re supposed to use your imagination. You don't seem interested in the concept of Mystic Cards, but I'm glad you like Card Assault, though it’s much more generic in scope. 

 

11 hours ago, Rudra said:

Replace The Unearthed Treasure and The Secret Stash with standard player buffs, and okay.

Replace The King's Stash with a standard buff.

 

I see no problem with The Unearthed Treasure or The King’s Stash, seeing as there is already a free PW2 power that does exactly this (Inner Inspiration), only they’re medium-large Inspirations. Also Fortune and Great Fortune only have a chance to draw those cards. It could be toned down to only effect 1 player, and only give 1 Inspiration if needed. This set has enough standard buffs and debuffs, those powers are unique - they stay.

 

11 hours ago, Rudra said:

Pretty sure the game isn't set up to handle this mechanic. And this is waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy OP anyway.

The Behemoth? What random large creature? Like a GM or a Monster? No. Also, reduce The Hungry Pack to 3 wolves to be in line with other non-MM summons like Phantom Army.

No.

 

Just saying ‘No’ to something isn’t constructive criticism, nor does it suggest anything to make it better. This is why I assume you don’t even like the theme of Mystic Cards. But for The Behemoth, it could be a creature like a Greater Devoured (with stats adjusted), and The Hungry Pack could function like Gang War (the wolves would disappear after a set duration, and they'd be weaker than MM wolves). The theme of the Power Set is randomness.

 

4 hours ago, Saiyajinzoningen said:

The cards foretell a city of Gambits mon amie

 

Indeed! 🙂 I certainly had him in mind for Card Assault.

[captainstar]

I wonder if chatgpt could create a new AT like this, if we ask "him".

[Rudra]

6 hours ago, Archsaint said:

18 hours ago, Rudra said:

Replace The Unearthed Treasure and The Secret Stash with standard player buffs, and okay.

Replace The King's Stash with a standard buff.

 

I see no problem with The Unearthed Treasure or The King’s Stash, seeing as there is already a free PW2 power that does exactly this (Inner Inspiration), only they’re medium-large Inspirations. Also Fortune and Great Fortune only have a chance to draw those cards. It could be toned down to only effect 1 player, and only give 1 Inspiration if needed. This set has enough standard buffs and debuffs, those powers are unique - they stay.

Are you willing for this Defender primary power set power and Corruptor secondary power set power to only be usable once per half hour while being unaffected by recharge buffs/enhancements? If you see this power being used more frequently than that? Then you should have it stick with regular player buffs. It may be a random result to get the inspirations, but it also means that your character has a "grant others money" power in the ability to spontaneously grant inspirations rather than gift them from your own supply.

 

6 hours ago, Archsaint said:

 

Just saying ‘No’ to something isn’t constructive criticism, nor does it suggest anything to make it better.

Then here is why 'The Reaper" is a "No". When a player uses their nuke or their Judgement power, they are using a power that does X damage (with some variance) against affected target's resistance and health.

 

If X damage - resist - Y health = 0 or more, target dies.

If X damage - resist - Y health = -1 or less, target lives.

(Edit: Or put more simply: If target health - (damage - target damage resist) = 1 or higher, target lives.)

 

This applies to all targets from the level 1 underling to Hamidon himself. Now you are asking for a power that instead automatically kills affected targets or reduces their current remaining health by half their maximum health. (Edit: So it becomes 'check target tier, if tier = boss/lieutenant or less, set target health to 0. If target tier = boss/Elite Boss or higher, reduce current health by 50% max health. The applied damage is unresistable because it lacks a damage type because it is a flat percent of max health reduction applied to current health.) This means that two Mystical Card Defenders/Corruptors can go up to Hamidon and just kill him outright. Who needs a league to fight him anymore? Just grab these two characters and kill him. Then they can do the same thing to all the buds that spawn shortly after when their heavily slotted for recharge (not counting the extreme focus on recharge they would go for on set bonuses) to instantly wipe out the buds too. Who needs teams or leagues any more? You can duo everything in the game including the new Hard Mode content.

 

So my response to that? Will always just be "No".

 

6 hours ago, Archsaint said:

The Hungry Pack could function like Gang War (the wolves would disappear after a set duration, and they'd be weaker than MM wolves

That is what I figured you were going for. Here is what I view as the problem. A Mastermind character has a whole three attacks to his/her/their/its (for non-gendered characters like MM bots) name for combat. Because they have access to pets. Lots and lots of pets. Other ATs that get access to pets have a much more limited number of pets available because they have lots of attacks, whether damaging, control, or both. The most pets any AT gets from a single power and is not a MM is three. So my recommendation is to limit The Hungry Pack to 3 wolves. Even Masterminds have a whole three wolves in their pack, and pets are their raison d'etre. (Edit: And the three wolf limit is with them also having a limited duration timer like Gang War and being weaker than Beast Mastery's wolves. Take away either the timer or the weaker than Beast Mastery's wolves? And I say make it summon a single wolf. Also, as for The Behemoth? I would say limit it to lieutenant strength at best. So a single creature of lieutenant or minion strength. Also on a short duration timer, still subject to dying due to health loss.)

 

The problems with The Laughing Cactus is first, the game does not have a "thorns" or damage reflection power, and I am not sure it can have such a power incorporated. Second, you are having that power start at double the inflicted damage returned. Other damage reflection powers in other games, which is the only reference I have for this, start you well below equal damage. I've seen them start at 40% damage reflected nominally with other games starting as low as 10% reflected.

 

So I see a Mystical Cards character being built one way with no variance. You take the The Laughing Cactus, The Reaper, any primary for Defenders or secondary for Corruptors that has a self-heal, Hasten from the Speed pool, Heal Self from the Medicine pool, Unrelenting from the Presence pool, and build your character for max recharge, max healing buff, and as much +Max HP as you can squeeze into the character. Then you just heal yourself through everything. No need to fight. No need for teams. The Reaper instant kills everything and The Cactus wipes out what the Reaper doesn't while you just spam your chain of self-heals.

Edited June 2, 2023 by Rudra

[starro]

This will fall like a house of cards.  Muah ha ha. Fun to read. 
 

make this a mastermind set and let the pets be random from bodiless swords to fire imps 

 

 

 

Edited June 2, 2023 by starro

[Saiyajinzoningen]

all kidding aside instead of making an entirely new powerset wouldn't it be easier to just reskin an existing one?

for example

Archery perhaps?

[Archsaint]

2 hours ago, Rudra said:

Are you willing for this Defender primary power set power and Corruptor secondary power set power to only be usable once per half hour while being unaffected by recharge buffs/enhancements? If you see this power being used more frequently than that? Then you should have it stick with regular player buffs. It may be a random result to get the inspirations, but it also means that your character has a "grant others money" power in the ability to spontaneously grant inspirations rather than gift them from your own supply.

The simple solution for that is to make Inspirations gained through Fortune and Great Fortune to be unsellable.

 

2 hours ago, Rudra said:

Then here is why 'The Reaper" is a "No".

This applies to all targets from the level 1 underling to Hamidon himself. Now you are asking for a power that instead automatically kills affected targets or reduces their current remaining health by half their maximum health. This means that two Mystical Card Defenders/Corruptors can go up to Hamidon and just kill him outright.

Sure, all that's needed is a damage adjustment for The Reaper when dealing with stronger enemies. I'd have no problem with it simply dealing an amount of damage in line with other T9 nukes.

 

2 hours ago, Rudra said:

That is what I figured you were going for.

(Edit: And the three wolf limit is with them also having a limited duration timer like Gang War and being weaker than Beast Mastery's wolves. Take away either the timer or the weaker than Beast Mastery's wolves? And I say make it summon a single wolf. Also, as for The Behemoth? I would say limit it to lieutenant strength at best. So a single creature of lieutenant or minion strength. Also on a short duration timer, still subject to dying due to health loss.)

I suppose the card name would have to change if it's not a 'pack' of wolves, which I would think would be 6 minimum. But I'm all for balancing the thing out.

 

3 hours ago, Rudra said:

The problems with The Laughing Cactus is first, the game does not have a "thorns" or damage reflection power, and I am not sure it can have such a power incorporated. Second, you are having that power start at double the inflicted damage returned. Other damage reflection powers in other games, which is the only reference I have for this, start you well below equal damage. I've seen them start at 40% damage reflected nominally with other games starting as low as 10% reflected.

I also don't know if the game has a thorns mechanic, but hey the Devs might be able to figure something out. 🙂 It's a tradeoff defensive power, you hurt the enemy but you must take damage first. Nothing is concrete though, if someone comes up with another idea that fits the name of the card then I'm all ears. 

 

3 hours ago, Rudra said:

So I see a Mystical Cards character being built one way with no variance. You take the The Laughing Cactus, The Reaper, any primary for Defenders or secondary for Corruptors that has a self-heal, Hasten from the Speed pool, Heal Self from the Medicine pool, Unrelenting from the Presence pool, and build your character for max recharge, max healing buff, and as much +Max HP as you can squeeze into the character. Then you just heal yourself through everything. No need to fight. No need for teams. The Reaper instant kills everything and The Cactus wipes out what the Reaper doesn't while you just spam your chain of self-heals.

If your intention is to min/max - sure. But I don't play my characters like that. For me the appeal of the Power Set is the random draw of the cards that effect allies/foes, and all the character concepts I can make. I think the likely hood that a Power Set suggestion will actually get made by the Devs is… unlikely. And even so, if they do want to fill the void of non-existent card sets, I’m sure they’ll use their own ideas. So I'm just having fun with it and not holding my breath, because if they ever did use my write up, I'm sure they'd balance the crap out of it. 😉

 

1 hour ago, starro said:

This will fall like a house of cards.  Muah ha ha. Fun to read. 

make this a mastermind set and let the pets be random from bodiless swords to fire imps 

Thanks, a card Power Set would definitely fit a MM! But you'd have a lot of  Yu-Gi-Oh! guys running around... is it worth it? 😛

 

1 hour ago, Saiyajinzoningen said:

all kidding aside instead of making an entirely new powerset wouldn't it be easier to just reskin an existing one?

for example

Archery perhaps?

Not for Mystic Cards, but for Card Assault... sure? 🙂 The only problem with reskins is it doesn't change the sound of the power (as far as I know), so throwing a card and hearing the bow sound would be kind of lame. 

[Rudra]

5 minutes ago, Archsaint said:

The simple solution for that is to make Inspirations gained through Fortune and Great Fortune to be unsellable.

This has been brought up before for other options. It really doesn't work that way. The only way for that to work is for the devs to create new inspirations based on the existing inspirations that are non-transferrable upon being granted. And that is a lot of work for no real gain.

 

6 minutes ago, Archsaint said:

3 hours ago, Rudra said:

Then here is why 'The Reaper" is a "No".

This applies to all targets from the level 1 underling to Hamidon himself. Now you are asking for a power that instead automatically kills affected targets or reduces their current remaining health by half their maximum health. This means that two Mystical Card Defenders/Corruptors can go up to Hamidon and just kill him outright.

Sure, all that's needed is a damage adjustment for The Reaper when dealing with stronger enemies. I'd have no problem with it simply dealing an amount of damage in line with other T9 nukes.

7 minutes ago, Archsaint said:

I suppose the card name would have to change if it's not a 'pack' of wolves, which I would think would be 6 minimum. But I'm all for balancing the thing out.

If The Reaper was changed to function like other nukes and The Hungry Pack was brought in line with other powers? I would be all for it.

 

8 minutes ago, Archsaint said:

I also don't know if the game has a thorns mechanic, but hey the Devs might be able to figure something out. 🙂 It's a tradeoff defensive power, you hurt the enemy but you must take damage first. Nothing is concrete though, if someone comes up with another idea that fits the name of the card then I'm all ears. 

What about a variation of the Quills power from the Spines power set?

 

 

[Rudra]

20 hours ago, Archsaint said:

Tier 3: Fortune (Ranged, Ally)
You focus benevolent intent upon an ally and draw a card from your mystical deck. The target and other allies in close proximity receive a positive effect based on the card drawn: 
The Roaming Fortress (Defense Buff)
The Healthy Llama (Max Health Increase)
The Unearthed Treasure (Increased Infamy Gain)
The Secret Stash (Receive Three Inspirations)

 

Tier 7: Great Fortune (Ranged, Ally)

You seek greater blessings upon your allies. The target and other allies in proximity are affected by a random beneficial effect based on the card drawn: 
The Shooting Star (+Energy Regeneration)
The King's Stash (Upgrade Three Random Inspirations)
The Marksman (+Accuracy, +Recharge)
The Vigilant Nurse (+Health Regeneration)

Question for you: Have you considered just having these powers apply a random inspiration-equivalent effect? Like The Roaming Fortress grants a defense buff already. So it could go something like this:

 

Fortune:

You draw a card from your deck and confer a benevolent effect on a target and any allies in close proximity.

The Roaming Fortress (+RES)

The Healthy Llama (+Max HP)

The Unearthed Treasure (+DAM)

The Secret Stash (+stealth effect?)

The Page/Jack (+movement)

The Knight (+DEF)

The Queen (+END)

The King (+HP [heal])

(Edit: Or apply a small inspiration effect in targeted AoE as "sole" effect.)

 

Great Fortune:

You draw a major arcana from your deck and confer a benevolent effect on a target and any allies in close proximity.

The Shooting Star (+REC)

The King's Stash (+DEF, +RES) (both effects, just using lesser values for two effects)

The Marksman (+ACC, +RECH)

The Vigilant Nurse (+Regen)

The Hierophant (effect equivalent to a Breakfree inspiration)

The Fool (turns target(s) into Rikti Monkeys) (Edit: Because sometimes you just want a good laugh or the deck says "no".)

The World (+Perception, +ACC)

(Edit: Or apply a medium inspiration buff effect in targeted AoE as "sole" effect.)

 

Or maybe having them work like the Mystic Fortune power from P2W where Fortune is single target in effect and Great Fortune is targeted AoE?

Edited June 2, 2023 by Rudra

[Saiyajinzoningen]

1 hour ago, Archsaint said:

Not for Mystic Cards, but for Card Assault... sure? 🙂 The only problem with reskins is it doesn't change the sound of the power (as far as I know), so throwing a card and hearing the bow sound would be kind of lame. 

Trick arrow for mystic cards then and sound effects are the easiest thing to change in the game, easier than even animations

[Archsaint]

15 hours ago, Rudra said:

This has been brought up before for other options. It really doesn't work that way. The only way for that to work is for the devs to create new inspirations based on the existing inspirations that are non-transferrable upon being granted. And that is a lot of work for no real gain.

No real gain? You'd gain 2 cool and unique powers. 😉 I know there are Enhancements that cannot be sold. I don't want to say what is and isn't possible or what would be difficult to add. We definitely need a Dev to chime in on those things.

 

15 hours ago, Rudra said:

What about a variation of the Quills power from the Spines power set?

I envisioned a toned down animation of the Quills power for The Laughing Cactus, but it would only go off when taking damage. But if the thorns idea isn't possible technically, sure.

 

14 hours ago, Rudra said:

Question for you: Have you considered just having these powers apply a random inspiration-equivalent effect? Like The Roaming Fortress grants a defense buff already. So it could go something like this:

 

Fortune:

You draw a card from your deck and confer a benevolent effect on a target and any allies in close proximity.

The Roaming Fortress (+RES)

The Healthy Llama (+Max HP)

The Unearthed Treasure (+DAM)

The Secret Stash (+stealth effect?)

The Page/Jack (+movement)

The Knight (+DEF)

The Queen (+END)

The King (+HP [heal])

(Edit: Or apply a small inspiration effect in targeted AoE as "sole" effect.)

 

Great Fortune:

You draw a major arcana from your deck and confer a benevolent effect on a target and any allies in close proximity.

The Shooting Star (+REC)

The King's Stash (+DEF, +RES) (both effects, just using lesser values for two effects)

The Marksman (+ACC, +RECH)

The Vigilant Nurse (+Regen)

The Hierophant (effect equivalent to a Breakfree inspiration)

The Fool (turns target(s) into Rikti Monkeys) (Edit: Because sometimes you just want a good laugh or the deck says "no".)

The World (+Perception, +ACC)

(Edit: Or apply a medium inspiration buff effect in targeted AoE as "sole" effect.)

 

Or maybe having them work like the Mystic Fortune power from P2W where Fortune is single target in effect and Great Fortune is targeted AoE?

That would work just as well. In fact, you adding more cards to each power makes them even more random - which is great! I don't think adding The Fool would work with a power that is supposed to grant a 'benevolent' effect though. The character is supposed to be able to guide the Mystic Cards, but not completely control the outcome. But, Rikti Monkeys... that would be funny. 😄 In a large team, at least early on, you'd have to really spam Fortune if it was only a single target. I like how when you force field bubble someone, everyone nearby gets it too. But enemies would definitely be single target.

 

14 hours ago, Saiyajinzoningen said:

Trick arrow for mystic cards then and sound effects are the easiest thing to change in the game, easier than even animations

I think you're right. I hope we get the option to do that for the powers we have now!

[golstat2003]

I like the suggestion with the refinements suggested. Hope this one is actually made be the devs!

 

Kudos @Archsaint and @Rudra 😊