random Power Sets Randomizer Mode (PvE only)

[LightMaster]

Have you ever wondering what happens if you have access to a Power Set of randomized Powers? And by that, I mean “powers from random, different power sets”, not just randomly picking up two power sets from the available power sets of your archetype.

 

Part of why I made this suggestion is due to the enduring popularity of fanmade and even official randomizers that adds a lot with the game’s replayability, giving from simple reordered stages, to even a roguelite experience.

 

Disclaimer: This is not a high priority suggestion and is more of a for-fun thing for advanced players to experiment with. As such, take it all with grain of salt and while suggestions are welcome, it is not recommanded to engage in snarks or sarcasms as it will not help with potential development. The Game Masters also have the right to lock this thread if they see unfit for Homecoming.

 

Basic Premise

The Power Sets Randomizer (or just Randomizer) allows you to roll two randomized power sets once you picked up your Origin, clicked on the “Randomized” mode in either Primal Earth or Praetor Earth, and select any Archetpye. Once fully created, your character cannot participate in PvP areas (such as Arena and PvP Zones), but can still participate in Gladiators and Base Raids.
 

The reason for PvP restriction is due to potential combinations that would break the pace of PvP or makes whoever has it too powerful to fight against; for Base Raids specifically, it is up to the Base organizer to restrict it by explicitly says whether or not characters with Randomized Power Sets can participate.

 

There will be three type of Randomizers: Logical, Off-Archetype and Chaotic.

• Logical simply follows the same type of Power Set your picked Archetype but otherwise puts different powers from different power sets, while also respecting the “Tier” of the finalized Power Set. While the VEATs can benefit from different starting power set and can exchange from each others, the HEATs have no benefits from selecting this option other than from each others, creating an “Hybrid” Kheldian.
• Off-Archetype means the randomizer can roll powers from another Archetype’s power set, but otherwise sticks to the general type of power sets. This means that, for example, a Blaster can roll a Dominator’s Assault Power Sets, and only those set for one Power Set, while also rolling the melee-type Archetypes’ Melee Power Sets with same rules as before. The Tier ruling remains the same.
  • Mastermind’s Primary and Henchmen Power Sets are exempt due to being ingrained with the Mastermind’s Inherent Power and other factors in mind, but the Mastermind may otherwise roll a different type of secondary power set. The VEATs and HEATs remain the same as in Logical.
  • The Stalker will always have a variant of the Assassin’s Strike for their Primary, and Hide in their Secondary, due to these powers being fundamental parts of the Stalker’s playstyle.
• Chaotic is the most complicated, disregarding logic and randomizes every single possible player power into two chaotic Power Sets. The only logics are the following:
  • Mechanic-related powers remains exclusive to the Archetype. This means the Henchmen-summoning power remains on Mastermind and that Archetype always rolls three Henchmen-summons, one first-upgrade and one second-upgrade. It also means the Nova and Dwarf forms remain exclusive to respective Kheldian / HEAT. Stalker always receive a Hide and a variant of Assassin’s Strike.
  • Tier 1 will remains tier 1 version, as to not make the starting Randomized character a sitting duck.

In all cases, Powers of the same name (i.e. Total Focus, Inferno) will not roll twice within both Power Sets. Potentially incompatible power sets will also be taken in mind; if Shield Defense is picked first, then two-handed weapon Powers (including Archery, Dual Pistols, Assault Rifle and Beam Rifle unless AE logic applies) will not be rolled, and vice versa.
 

In the Power Selection when creating a character, the player is given an option to reroll the entire Primary or Secondary Power Set if the combination would be too undesirable (i.e. too little good powers in general, or too many powers that don’t fit the Archetype). Once the character creation is finalzied, the power sets cannot be rerolled.

 

Ancillery Power Pools and Patron Power Pools are also randomized using the same selected logic as above options and the general rules, such as no rolling the same power already picked in Primary and Secondary, and the Epic Power Pool versions are randomized within each others. The other Power Pools, as well as Incarnate Powers, will remain the same as normal.

 

Any randomized player will have the option to have the Randomized player tag, akin to “Help Me!”, “Helper” and “Roleplaying”, with the tag name color in lime-green or white. Additionally, if possible, the player will also have an “R” mark alongside their Archetype icon in both Team and League windows.

 

Other than a permanent 50% XP bonus (stacks with XP Boosters) until reaching Security / Threat Level 50, there is no reward exclusive to Randomized characters. This is to prevent messing with the already volatile economy of the Homecoming Auction House. The 50% XP bonus is just so Randomized Players doesn’t get stuck with weak or situational powers for too long.

 

An alternative is to create a new Archetype called “Randomized”, “Shuffled” or “Mixed-Upper” with an exclusive Inherent Power that boosts damaging Powers with Light or Minor damage, but won’t have access to Mastermind’s Upgrade Powers and can only carry one type of summon power per Power Set.

 

For the lore reason, it can be a friend of Null the Gull sent to check how things’ going recently, a sick experiment of a scientist / doctor, a human from an odd dimension, or a war robot that have a huge variety of built-in weaponry.

 

What do you think of this idea? Would it be a fun experience, or would it have no place in CoX?

[Uun]

Pretty sure it's not possible, but regardless, this would be massively unbalanced. 

[Rudra]

23 minutes ago, Uun said:

Pretty sure it's not possible, but regardless, this would be massively unbalanced. 

There is also the question of how it would only be available for PvE even if it was possible and somehow balanced. Because any character can be a PvP character. Just not all PvP characters can be PvE characters (Temporal Warriors).

[LightMaster]

@Uun@Rudra

 

Both of you have a valid point. The reason why I only suggested in the first place is due to popularity of randomizers and I myself is a huge fan of those, but you helped me realized this is really not the game that could make use of it without breaking game balance to unrecognizable level.

 

As for Rudra specifically, the reason for the PvP restriction is for the fact that there’s too much RNG involved for a viable build in PvP, while simultaneously even more difficult to balance than just PvE. It’s the opposite of Temporal Warrior only accessing PvP zones due to already starting at level 50 and having access to all Incarnate Powers for free, leaving PvE oriented players in the dust if they are allowed for PvE zone.