Proposal for Utility Belt

[TheMoneyMaker]

We're never going to get the originally planned pool, and I say that's a good thing because they tried to adhere to a formula of including a travel power in each "origin" pool along with a buff, attack, and other utility powers. But The utility belt powers described in the wiki show two powers that have no need for a utility belt or anything else. Free Running is not a Utility Belt power; it's obviously an attempt to give the Natural origin some kind of travel power. Ditch it. Flying Strike? I mean, not a terrible idea but the idea sounds more training and less tool tucked into a utility belt.

 

So here's my take on how a Utility Belt pool should look:

 

4 - Web Grenade:   Ranged, Foe Immobilize, Knockdown            Grenade throw animation, web effect
4 - Poisoned Shuriken:   Ranged, Moderate (Lethal), Light DoT (Toxic), -DMG    Shuriken throw animation, Spines toxic effect
14 - Flashbangs:   Ranged AOE, Foe Hold/Confuse                Grenade Throw, Foe Hold (Blind power), Confuse, or Placate (random)
14 - Brass Knuckle Brawl:   Charge (Targeted AOE), High (Smash), Knockdown        (Energy Melee's Whirling Hands, minus glowing fists)
20 - Life Support System:   Self or Ally+HP, +Heal Over Time        (Medicine pool scanner animation)
 

• Web Grenade:  Just substitute the web grenade power already in the game for the Bola power.
  • No need for new animation or substitutions, but maybe call it Net Bomb or Weighted Net to differentiate it if you must.
• Poisoned Shuriken:  Another slight substitution with shuriken instead of dagger, but otherwise same damage & effect.
  • Shuriken makes more sense for a utility belt weapon than dagger because they're smaller and easier to conceal.
• Flashbangs:  No damage, just bright flash and some kind of sonic effect that can affect a group of foes centered on the main target. Have it randomly affect each on as either a Hold (Blind from Illusion set), Confuse, or Placate.
  • A tried and true resource of ninjas and superheroes is the ability throw distracting chaos into the midst of enemies.  I'd much rather have this than a running travel power.
• Brass Knuckle Brawl:  Charge attack similar to the original proposed Flying Strike, but instead of leaping into combat you just rush in and spin around with a heavy-handed spinning punch that assumes you grabbed some brass knuckles or something similar to put the added oomph into your strike to help knockdown affected foes.
  • Not sure if something akin to brass knuckles could be manifested on the user's hands as they strike, but maybe a combination animation with the reaching to draw dual pistols followed by the Whirling Hands strike as you teleport/charge into the targeted location.
• Life Support System:  This power should function as intended, but they probably were planning some new animation with activation.
  • Use the Medicine Pool scanner thingy animation and effects.  This seems like it would overlap with the Medicine Pool powers but even be superior, but I think it would be a good addition to expand on the Medicine Pool since they wouldn't be mutually exclusive and a long recharge on this (similar to other 5th tier pool powers) would keep it from being spammed like regular heals.
  • Controversial take: you should be able to affect yourself or an ally with it (possibly both). Consider that Batman has pulled stuff from his utility belt occasionally to help others instead of himself.
    • Considering how Recall Friend and Teleport Foe were combined into a single power able to do one or the other depending on who is targeted, this seems feasible, but could be complicated since you can't actually target yourself to make the distinction.
      • Option 1:  Target Ally or Affect Self if no target is selected.
      • Option 2:  Make this an AOE self & ally affecting power with appropriately long recharge.

[megaericzero]

You would need to, yes, rename Web Grenade here. Multiple archetypes can get it which, AFAIK, the game goes to lengths to make sure you can never have two of the same power by name on one build, even if their effects are virtually identical.

 

Overall, I don't think the remaining origin pools are where you want to make large paradigm shifts because either side will have people who feel robbed - people who wanted the travel power but like natural origin or utility belt theme, and people who like a different origin but would want more utility instead of the travel power they got. Especially since this one and Gadgetry are already fleshed-out and Experimentation and Force of Will were added to HC with the powers they had listed on Paragonwiki.

[TheMoneyMaker]

No one can feel cheated for not getting something that they never had. Even if it was fleshed out, the utility belt pool is incomplete and thus subject to change. Also, given that existing travel powers from other non-origin pools can be had at level 4 and other variations can be had at the START Vendor, there's just no need to try to "reinvent" them just to have more of the same thing. If there's a decidedly new feature that could be made into a travel power, sure why not? But I don't think Utility Belt needs a free running power.

Edited yesterday at 01:20 AM by TheMoneyMaker

[Techwright]

3 hours ago, TheMoneyMaker said:

 But The utility belt powers described in the wiki show two powers that have no need for a utility belt or anything else.

 

I've felt for some time that a good gadget (read "utility belt") power would be an anti-grav grappling "hook"-and-cable system.  Essentially better known as a "web swinger", but sidestepping the licensing violation, and adding the anti-grav "hook", so that you don't need a wall nearby to stick a web on.  Instead, launch the hook, it reaches into the air, holds at a position you designation (possibly by a second tap) and then tightens the cable and swings you.  Two hooks up and running and you'll be doing whatever a spider can.

 

EDIT:  Forgot to conclude by noting the game engine and animation development probably would make this an impossible dream.

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 01:54 AM by Techwright

[TheMoneyMaker]

I don't think we'll ever get web swinging or wall crawling, but not really becase of the possible licensing issue. I think it would be more an implementation/animation issue.

[megaericzero]

1 hour ago, TheMoneyMaker said:

No one can feel cheated for not getting something that they never had.

Slight semantic rebuttal: people can most certainly feel cheated for that. Whether they actually were is different, and I agree that they won't have been.

 

My point is that people will feel slighted about changing the powers in Utility Belt, which have been listed on ParagonWiki for 12 years and two siblings of whose were added to Homecoming without their powers being changed, as opposed to making a new pool for your suggested powers. There's no shortage of recurring suggestions for side arm, nonlethal armament, and improvised weapon pools.

Edited yesterday at 02:46 AM by megaericzero

[Glacier Peak]

Here's what the Utility Belt Pool looks like power wise. 

 

https://cod.uberguy.net/html/powerset.html?pset=pool.utility_belt

 

Edited yesterday at 03:22 AM by Glacier Peak

[JasperStone]

I kinda like the original Utility Belt more.

 

I would lean more toward a hover-type power instead of the run. It's more anti-grav over actual flight. 

Yeah, I know... take Hover. But it could save me a power pool choice on several of my characters. 

Or save me from taking jet packs or START options that don't necessarily fit with my concept.

[Skyhawke]

Needs fake shark repellant spray.

[TheMoneyMaker]

8 hours ago, JasperStone said:

I kinda like the original Utility Belt more.

 

I would lean more toward a hover-type power instead of the run. It's more anti-grav over actual flight. 

Yeah, I know... take Hover. But it could save me a power pool choice on several of my characters. 

Or save me from taking jet packs or START options that don't necessarily fit with my concept.

"I kinda like the original Utility Belt more. But here's what I would change about it."

[Rudra]

19 minutes ago, TheMoneyMaker said:

8 hours ago, JasperStone said:

I kinda like the original Utility Belt more.

 

I would lean more toward a hover-type power instead of the run. It's more anti-grav over actual flight. 

Yeah, I know... take Hover. But it could save me a power pool choice on several of my characters. 

Or save me from taking jet packs or START options that don't necessarily fit with my concept.

"I kinda like the original Utility Belt more. But here's what I would change about it."

I'm not understanding the point of this comment. That was exactly what @JasperStone said. So why just repeat it?

[JasperStone]

1 hour ago, TheMoneyMaker said:

"I kinda like the original Utility Belt more. But here's what I would change about it."

Yes.

To help you, here is a ranking:

1. My version  - and swapping in an anti-grav-hover type power instead of a running power.
2. Original - to me, the run never seemed to fit thematically unless we got cool gear to pop out of the belt and wrap around our legs. Six million dollar man!
3. Yours - 

To help further:

Kinda - means Kind of 

kind of - adverb ˌkīn-də(v)

: to a moderate degree : somewhat

   itʼs kind of cold in here

 

somewhat -  more or less

 

more or less - to a varying or undetermined extent or degree

 

So ... not 100%

 

 

 

[TheMoneyMaker]

15 minutes ago, JasperStone said:

Yes.

To help you, here is a ranking:

1. My version  - and swapping in an anti-grav-hover type power instead of a running power.
2. Original - to me, the run never seemed to fit thematically unless we got cool gear to pop out of the belt and wrap around our legs. Six million dollar man!
3. Yours - 

To help further:

Kinda - means Kind of 

kind of - adverb ˌkīn-də(v)

: to a moderate degree : somewhat

   itʼs kind of cold in here

 

somewhat -  more or less

 

more or less - to a varying or undetermined extent or degree

 

So ... not 100%

 

 

 

I kinda like mine better.

[TheMoneyMaker]

1 hour ago, Rudra said:

I'm not understanding the point of this comment. That was exactly what @JasperStone said. So why just repeat it?

Sarcasm.

[JasperStone]

1 minute ago, TheMoneyMaker said:

I kinda like mine better.

Cool 

...

So you don't like yours 100%?

...

interesting

 

Edited to add: Sarcasm does not translate well in the forums. Unless you state that you are being sarcastic.

Edited 5 hours ago by JasperStone

[TheMoneyMaker]

10 minutes ago, JasperStone said:

Cool 

...

So you don't like yours 100%?

...

interesting

 

Edited to add: Sarcasm does not translate well in the forums. Unless you state that you are being sarcastic.

Nope, I'm not 100% on mine. Would rather have the bolas as intended, but since that would require new animation and effects, I'm willing to make substitution for the web grenade effect.