Speed Melee Powerset Mockup

[BigDonkeyJay]

Speed Melee! (Scrapper)

 

Hey all! I've always dreamed of having access to a dedicated speedster melee powerset (the Flash, Quicksilver, etc.) so I took the liberty of tossing together a concept for it. The nice thing is that alot of the FX and animations needed to get it looking great are already implemented in the game somewhere, or if they aren't, they don't seem too difficult to slap together.

 

Let me know what you think! I attatched a PDF.

If you don't want to read the PDF here's a quick run down:

 

Double Punch (minor, very fast, +1 stack Velocity)

Jackhammer (light, fast, +1 stack Velocity)

Wall of Fists (cone, moderate, moderate, +1 stack Velocity)

Mach Speed (+DMG, +ToHit, +5 Velocity)

Zip (Very High, long, -DEF, self teleport, special)

Tornado Hand (minor, moderate, stun, ranged)

Pinball (moderate, long, knockup, chain special)

Zoom (Pbaoe, moderate, long, self teleport, 3 uses, +1 Velocity)

Mach Punch (extreme, very long, stun, special)

 

Velocity: -end cost, +movement speed, +disorient/stun chance

 

 

Playstyle:

Pros: high mobility (duh), decent crowd control, lots of AoE range

Cons: mediocre damage, needs Velocity to counteract high endurance usage

 

Basically the set should balance to have relatively low cool downs but also low damage. You’ll burn through endurance quickly but as you accrue Velocity stacks that levels out and you start stunning enemies for some decent crowd control. Ultimately, you spend your Velocity stacks to either Pinball for AoE, Mach Punch for single target damage, or Zip for an instant recharge.

Speed Melee - CoH.pdf

[CrusaderDroid]

I like this a lot. It's definitely much better than just settling for Speed's meager options.

 

I like the -end component of Velocity, but is it adding a chance for disorient to all attacks, or boosting what's already there? If it's adding a disorient chance, what's the magnitude and duration you have in mind? I'm a little wary that with the wrong numbers, you can have a really goofy CC lock by spamming T1 and T2 to pile on enough combined magnitude that even EBs get stunned. At the same time, it's kinda pointless if the only things you can reliably stun are minions about to get chumped.

 

I do like that Zip refreshes its own cooldown when used at 5+ stacks. Very cool. It gets weird, though, since Mach Punch is also in the same niche, so you kinda need to choose between the two...buuuuuut since all ST melee powers can carry at least 3 procs, realistically you use Zip for the Achilles Heel -res proc and Mach Punch doesn't get to play unless its numbers are seriously cracked enough that it can put out more damage than 2x Zip with all its procs.

 

Tornado Hand is an odd choice. I guess having a skippable power is okay. You might want -fly on it since it isn't really doing anything unique by itself.

 

There's no PBAoE attack on the set, which seems like a pretty glaring absence when you've got the whole "run fast to create whirlwind" speedster trick. If you wanted to include it, Tornado Hand and Mach Punch look like the easiest ones to swap out.

 

It's a really cool set overall - I'd definitely use it myself if it was added. I would especially like the burst damage from using Zip twice in a row as well as the chain hits from Pinball if I can keep the stacks going between fights. I could live without the stun chance on Velocity - if it got swapped for literally any other bonus beyond CC, I wouldn't mind.

 

Keep up the good work! 

[Saiyajinzoningen]

Welcome BigDonkeyjay

 

its rare to see such a well thought out powerset suggested

If super str and Psi can get a melee set then why not super speed?

kudos! (do people still say that?)

You got my vote!

[BigDonkeyJay]

5 hours ago, CrusaderDroid said:

unless its numbers are seriously cracked enough that it can put out more damage than 2x Zip with all its procs.

Hadn't considered this! I think the cleanest solution is to rethink the T9. Maybe it could be more like an ultimate buff? I like the idea of it just augementing velocity stacks further, like adding a +DMG /+ToHit to them.

 

5 hours ago, CrusaderDroid said:

There's no PBAoE attack on the set, which seems like a pretty glaring absence when you've got the whole "run fast to create whirlwind" speedster trick.

Zoom has a PBAoE component, and with the three uses it could really spread out the damage. I thought about just a standard PBAoE ala Whirling Hands, but thought the chain attack sort of performs that function as well.

 

As far as the disorient buildup, I think it should add a very small amount per stack to all damaging powers. I'd rather it be a little useless, and mostly just good for stunning some lietuenants than it be overpowered. I think its possible to balance it just right in terms of numbers haha. Alternatively You could just swap it for something simple like foe -speed and -recharge.

 

Thanks for the thoughtful response!

[BigDonkeyJay]

Also another T9 idea (but its very unusual for a melee set):

 

Speed Double - Pet Summon, creates a copy of yourself for a short while. Your copy will have access to T1, T2, T3, and Pinball. After use, you suffer extreme end drain.

[Ston]

Amazing idea for a new melee set. Would definitely "feel" different than other sets. I would play tf out of this.

[Jack Spanky]

Are you me?! I've had a very similar idea I've been working on for a few months now, banking on the Flurry/Dark Melee ghosting effect and the visual duplication trick from Speed of Sound's Jaunt to simulate superspeed visuals, (Assuming those things can be easily copied and aren't crazy spaghetti code one-offs.) Aside from the power specifics the main difference is that I made Velocity a single buff state instead of a stackable, and I think it could work for Brutes and Stalkers as well. 

Edited May 18 by Jack Spanky
Accidentally changed font size

[hockey21man]

I think a fun a visually cool T9 would be something similar to the incarnate judgment power Vorpal.  Seeing dozens of you punching a mob lighting fast.  

[Jack Spanky]

Even though it's been a while, I don't want to let this great idea fade into the archives by starting a new thread so I'll post my version here instead. Might as well let it into the wild, since probably nothing will come of it anyway.

 

Superspeed Melee
-main damage type: Smashing
-main status effect: disorient
-fast animations, inventive use of Jaunt-style "ghost" animations/lighter Super Speed streaks + brief character model duplications (a la Jaunt) to simulate superspeed displacement
-unique mechanic: Velocity, enables powerful additional effects/damage on some moves and +run speed while up, 
-Speed pool synergy: Hasten and Burnout activate Velocity; while in Velocity Flurry becomes a 45-degree cone attack w/additional moderate DoT, 6 second recharge
__________________

 

Quick Jabs: sped-up Street Justice Initial Strike animation, light Smashing damage, chance to disorient, enters Velocity

Speed Barrage: three-hit high Smashing attack, in Velocity gains mag 3 disorient, rapid chaining of Brawl/Jab/alt-Punch animations

Pinball Blitz: 5-chain light Smashing attack w/50% knockdown chance, uses "ghost" animation + Super Speed streaks, in Velocity chain extends to AT max targets and 100% knockdown

Turbocharge (Build Up): activates Velocity along with Build Up properties, character goes into Athletic Run stance instead of default Build Up animation

Vortex Blast: ranged Smashing damage/knockdown burst of wind, -Fly, Flash-style arms-twirling move (Power Blast animation w/spinning arm ghosting)

Taunt/Confront for Tankers/Brutes/Scrappers as appropriate

Spin Cycle: PBAoE click version of Speed pool Whirlwind, light Smashing damage and knockup, activates Velocity

Vibro Hand: Superior single-target Lethal damage, -res debuff applied; character reaches back and thrusts arm forward with vibration effect ("ghost" arm fluctuating around outstretched limb), modified Power Thrust or Cobra Strike animation

Hypermass Punch: Extreme single target Smashing damage, high Smashing/Energy PBAoE teleport attack, requires and consumes Velocity, high knockup to target and knockback to PBAoE-affected mobs; Jaunt-like vanishing run into a powerful uppercut with shockwave on impact

 

*Stalkers: Assassin's Blitz/Placate replace Pinball Blitz/[Taunt/Confront]; Assassin's Blitz enters Velocity, uses Martial Arts' AS windup animation with ghosting distortions around character on windup and Jaunt w/Super Speed streaks on strike

[Jack Spanky]

On 5/21/2024 at 2:39 PM, hockey21man said:

I think a fun a visually cool T9 would be something similar to the incarnate judgment power Vorpal.  Seeing dozens of you punching a mob lighting fast.  

Man, that's brilliant. I wish I'd thought of that.

[Normal Thomas]

I've this idea for a set. Even the velocity concept (I had it as "build speed"). Glad to see someone is able to give it some power icons and some polish. I feel with the vorpal incarnate power fx and flurry's fx I think this would be relatively easy to implement from a graphics side. For fun, here is how I did the powers and description in my version if you want to see another take on the idea:

 

SUPER SPEED MELEE
Attack your foes using your superior agility. While lacking in raw power, your superior speed gives your powers little down time in addition to some range.
As you fight, you can build speed to gain a bonus to recharge and special effects for Multihit and Power Tackle

Visual FX: Vorpal Judgement, Super Speed power pool

 

Stalker:
T1: Feint: Melee (Single Target), Minor DMG (Smashing), Foe -DEF Self +DEF, +build speed
T2: Sudden Strike: Melee (Single Target) Moderate DMG (Smashing) +build speed
T3: Mach Punch: Melee (Single Target) High DMG (Smashing), +build speed
T4: Assasin's Speed: Melee, Special DMG(Smashing)
T5: Build Up: Self +DMG, +To-Hit
T6: Placate, Ranged, Placate
T7: Multihit: Melee (Chaining), Moderate DMG (Smashing), Self Teleport,
strike at multiple targets in rapid succession. The more speed built up the more targets hit
T8: Power Tackle: Melee, Superior DMG(Smashing), Knockdown, Self Teleport
-This power would have either a very narrow cone ala Piercing Beam or a chaining effect of sorts (knockbacked foe deals damage to enemies)
T9: Full Sweep: PBAoE, High DMG (Smashing), Knockdown
-Pretty much uses the same animation as Vorpal Judgement but as a PBAoE