Arctic_Princess
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Quote:Originally Posted by Demondante
Oh, and in addition to this, unique IO's for immobilization protection would be nice too, we got knockback and what not, throw me a bone and make an immob one so i can finally skip combat jumping for once.
I'd prefer a Fear Prot of 1-3, maybe even 4. Immob can be mitigated using set IOs already (and quite a few). Fear has a couple of set bonus resistances in total and not always in the most desirable of sets.
I quite like the suggestion about damage types (in terms of character concept) but then there's a good reason why melee toons (specifically Scrappers) have smash/lethal as their main damage type - they are the two most-highly resisted forms of damage with the majority of mobs. Scrappers should, in my opinion, be keeping up the DPS with moderate survivability, not necessarily having access to a multitude of damage types within their primary (and even secondary, if you count damage auras).
Damage Procs are a good way round the monotony and tend to do better in the attacks which recharge quicker.
Also it makes little sense to just do it for Scrappers (and Tanks and Brutes and Stalkers and Dominators and Blasters... basically anything with a melee attack) so it would have to be rolled out to everyone which would mean that, for instance, fire blasters would have access to toxic/psi/cold/smashing/lethal/energy/negative energy IOs. Rinse and repeat for all the other sets.
So original idea - /unsigned
However I don't see why something similar couldn't be implemented for the 'advanced level 50' rumour/mechanic (!) when Going Rogue hits. Additional slots with, maybe, access to different damage types maing characters 'level 50+'.
Right from the get go? No. -
City of Hero/Villain - Mangaverse Edition?
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Matron Knowles was revived by two of the mercenaries.
"Was it really necessary to have hit me so hard on the jaw?" she enquired, rubbing her face which ached something chronic. Well, her words were a little less coherent than that but ultimately conveyed the same message.
She offered her arm and the two men lifted her up to a relatively stable standing position.
She looked back at the assembled throng of inpatients who were doing their best to not look at the group by the doors. At least the lights were on now.
Ah, Doctor Carson.
"Did you, by any chance, see a middle-aged man, dark hair, glasses, wearing a white coat downstairs? Only I believe he would have more to tell you than I do." she lied.
***
((sorry for the godmod: I got carried away by events))
Widow Frost's skin, where it hadn't been burnt by acid, was acquiring a much healthier tone. The pale, almost translucent, white skin was deepening to a rosy complexion. Her facial features which had been so cruel had softened. Even her white hair was taking on a dark blonde hue.
The light issuing from the clouds above dissipated and the shadows thrown by it disappeared.
***
The nanites did their job again quite remarkably. No sooner had the congressman realised he had been hurt, they were busy patching him up from the inside out.
A curious smile played on his lips a few moments after Widow Frost's demise. With her gone he could concentrate on extricating himself from Acid's 'care'.
"The poor woman was deluded. It is to a better place that she goes now." he ventured.
"Now, I am fully aware that my position is...um...highly unstable. So, how about a little compromise, eh? Set me down, you can keep this forcefield thingy around me," he eyed Dire as he said those words. He wasn't entirely stupid.
"You've done a brilliant job preserving my health. I'm sure if I was given the chance to speak to some of my colleagues we could...um...pardon you with regards to that whole previous murder thing."
He shifted his attention, as best he could, to Rosalind.
"Now, what's this I hear about a Soul Crystal, hmmm? Some kind of trial? I can assure you I was not aware of its properties when I accepted it as a gift. If I hand it over to you, as a token of goodwill, perhaps you can see to it that whomever this council you answer to is satisfied that no more trouble will come of it. What do you say?"
There really was nothing to lose. Powerless as he was (and slightly deranged), the skills of a politician kicked in on auto-pilot. His mind was blocking the part where he was handed over to some magic crime tribunal and... well, it really wasn't worth putting his own mind under that kind of stress.
He smiled at his captors, averting his gaze from the crazy little boy as best he could. Then a thought occurred to him: That kid...child endangerment...ah, yes!
***
The sirens were approaching at a moderate speed. They were holding back. -
Quote:The AE does have a benefit - tickets. And tickets DO allow you to purchase recipes (standard) as well as random rolls, insps and most 'regular' enhancements. Essentially for 'free'.
See my thing is that i dont care really about the xp, influence etc as a single thing. But IMO there should be soemthing the AE offers in exchange for slower leveling.
Tickets can be gained quite quickly and allow a player to bypass paying a lot (i.e. 10,000+ to quote a number from the ether) for items such as Luck Charms and Scientific Theories.
As for time spent on creating = less xp, so what? Have you looked at the MA threads? Considered creating anything with a hope to get it on the 'For Our Consideration' thread (or whatever it's called)?
AE, for me, is fun. It is a good distraction just as TFs are a good distraction. It doesn't have to reward me oodles of xp or drops. The 'regular' rewards for playing are good enough to allow for a bit of R&R time in the MA.
And although the tips etc say that you can level from 1-50, they don't mention anything about comparative drop rates (on Dev Choice arcs). It's true, you can spend a whole toon's 'career' in the MA if you want to. It's an alternative levelling path. It can also address some people's issues with mobs that are just too easy. Now with the new difficulty settings I feel the balance has shifted again towards Dev Content.
Being a fan of most of the Dev content and vehemently against PLing in 2 days this is win-win for me. -
The scythe sliced through Widow Frost.
Several things happened at this point. All of them, thankfully, repeatable to an officer of the law. Although not, perhaps, to be immediately believed even in Paragon City.
Widow Frost screamed. It was very loud. So loud, in fact, that the glass on the doors of the hospital and several other buildings in the immediate vicinity vibrated almost to the point of shattering.
Then, in an act to defy the laws of physics and nature, the light appeared. It was a bright light. Very bright, in fact. It issued from the clouds above the Widow where, had she been given time to complete her spell, they would have issued forth a contained yet epic blizzard.
But nothing came. At least, not at first. Not until the body of Widow Frost spasmed and she let out an almighty scream, louder than the first. In its harsh tones were contained all the anguish and bitterness that she had felt in her relatively short life. ((in effect, a large area of ground has been covered by Anguishing Cry and all that entails - enjoy!))
That's when the shadows danced.
The light sparkled down on her in an over-the-top, dramatic fashion. It was no longer deathly cold and so Jase, a footstep away from her, would have felt nothing. And through the light - perhaps it was just a trick of the eyes? - danced a small sequence of shadows, who looked as though they were re-enacting her life. Well, the interesting bits anyway:
A young woman meets a young man and they dance. Another male figure interrupts them, tearing them apart and tries to dance with the woman. There's a struggle. Then demons appear and consume the young man, then the woman who emerges from the scene, covered in jagged edges. Then...
And that's when the paint can hit her.
After the fates had arranged such a swan song for her, they decided to have fun and make her very last moment of consciousness a humiliating one. The acid fizzed and popped and burned. Her clothes dissolved and a nasty smell filled the air.
***
The congressman felt he was being tickled. At first.
Then the realisation dawned on him. Ouch.
The strands of magic cut through the gelatinous substance although this time he remained relatively demure and covered.
He spasmed. Something cut at him. He bled. A tiny amount. Nothing to worry about. The pendant would save h--
"Oh sh--"
***
Sirens wailed.
They were in the distance, somewhere near Brickstown. For some reason the police units had kept clear of the situation until now.
***
In the morgue some kind of normality had resumed. The nurses had waited for the mercenaries to leave the building manager's office. With the lights restored they would have been, ironically enough, sitting ducks for the men to pick off. Although they seemed to be intent on something else and not the weird battle that had played out down the corridor.
The children, when comforted, had displayed no recollection of the woman in black or the spirit or even Dire Lament.
The nurses, on the other hand, were going to see the occupational counsellor at the first opportunity.
Doctor Carson looked like he had taken the worst of it. His chest was covered in dried blood: he presumed it to be his own as the chest wounds were starting to ache. When he'd been under that woman's spell he had felt no pain - it had almost been comforting.
The Midnight Squad were going to kick his *** over this and on top of that he'd have to explain to the board of directors the actions of the evening. The congressman would sort it all out. He hoped. -
Quote:The following post might contain spoilers (if it turns out to on the money, which is unlikely)Originally Posted by Zombie Man
Calvin Scott.P is the leader of the Resistance. BellaDonna (Ghost Widow) is a member.
Ah cool. I wasn't around when the first version of the Sister Psyche TF was in place (Calvin Scott's TF). Anyone here who was and who did it?
So I guess Calvin is trying to separate Aurora from Mother Mayhem. That's if he was ever Aurora's husband in the first place. And I know this is 'another dimension and all but in this dimension, Ghost Widow was a member of Arachnos. She was also a Night Widow. And a thug. I wonder why she's joined them in Praetoria. I hope that's filled in a bit more, rather than just having her as a contact with a couple of paragraphs of explanation and nothing more.
Oh and is Calvin the one who looks like he's wearing rickety, blue armour and goggles? -
Obama top-right looks like Spider-Man...
Wait, is Spider-Man an African American?! That would make Michelle (sp?) Mary Jane.
I wonder if the election results night ended like this:
The White House, Washington DC, 04:45
SPIDER-OBAMA: Well, I finally get rid of that Evil Ape Man and I arrive home to find Aunt Arethra has set me up on a date.
AUNT ARETHRA: There's someone to see you, Barak.
MICHELLE: Face it tiger, you just hit the jackpot...
[FADE OUT]
Heck I could go for miles with this stuff. How about 'Face it Tyger, you just hit the jackpot' - cut to Tyger Woods - 'My wife is gonna kill me!'.
I'll stop now. -
That was it. The final straw had been removed from Widow Frost's sanity as Acid Zero announced some sort of countdown and the boy behind her picked up the scythe.
"Show's over!" she screeched, the wind again picking up and carrying her voice.
The icy claws that protruded from her fingers lengthened. They were brittle and barely capable of making an impact without shattering, but then they weren't intended to cause any great harm. Much like the twin swords she had hurled at Dire Lament in the morgue, Widow Frost turned her back on the group covering the congressman and viciously swung both her arms towards Jase. Icy needles, laden with cold magic designed to slow the opponent down, flew towards him and some of the strands of dark magic he had weaved in a wide arc.
"If you intend to kill me, boy, you had better do so quickly." Her voice soughed in the wind.
As the projectiles of ice carried on their path towards Jase, Widow Frost drew in the cold air around her. Her hair flew out behind her dramatically as swirls of cold energy danced around her slight figure. The cape she wore also billowed in a magical wind and her eyes, now back to their full cruel potential, blazed black.
"What a shame that you don't appear to be wearing cold-weather clothing."
Widow Frost smiled. -
Quote:Is this a reference to the Rikti War or Going Rogue? Or both?!
II. The glor'ous monarch will defend, his homeland to the bitter end, An army built to soothe all doubts, but ripples show in upstart bouts, Make you choice: red blue or gray, choose who to spurn and who obey, You'd like to think there's no price dear, but the real world is not so clear.
I'm assuming this is reference to the Kheldians.Quote:IV. A peaceful race comes from afar, a living message in a jar, Find they cannot grow any more, into new flesh they are reborn, Silence breaks by the gods thunder, coexistence cast asunder, Now just one culture slow to change, not evil pure but surely strange.
Good old Hami. Or Rularuu. Undecided about that one.Quote:V. Bloated life which has not a peer, gobbles all that mankind holds dear, The hive will grow to rise and fall, all will battle the monster tall, Across the way a mirror flow'r, has no such foes slow its devour, Not placated with scraps to eat, it's rage shall spark leader's retreat.
Imperious, Romulus et al. I'm guessing.Quote:VI. A thousand men with javelin, fight to compound their master's sin, Darkly corrupt by twilight gaze, a secret deal to end our days. Hero, villain, that time forgot, what do they know that we do not? Side-by-side both sides excel, fighting for time-warped parallel.
Lord Neme-- Sorry, Mender Silos and Ouroboros.Quote:VII. Time's river's course is left to run, till shattered by the million suns, Eternal gear comes back to warn, all must beware the coming storm, From ice and flame and tests of will, forgotten deeds one can fulfill, Has he made strong by accident, those whose acts will despair prevent?
Mission Architect.Quote:VIII. No purse to snatch or kid to nab, is fashioned by a novel lab, But legends writ and lore create, as cohorts play and strangers rate, Easy to praise; the virtues plain, of fighting just to entertain, Endless time spent in sirens dens, yet who will save real citizens?
Did anyone say INCARNATES???! (wild speculation of course *ahem*)Quote:IX. The iron turns into crystal, their doomsday shall be missed til, When a pair of fives arrives, power flows and power drives, The spinning rod lives again, then destroyed in evil's den, Mere prelude to what bright hell, comes from drinking of the well.
Going Rogue. But whose games are we not going to stand for any longer...? Duh duh duuuuuh!Quote:X. Man kills brother; sets into motion, a hundred lifetimes of commotion, Meticulous manipulation, attempts to take this very nation, Within mirrors glow he finds a pawn, his trick forces them to take us on, We shall fall for his games no longer, that which challenges makes us stronger.
City of Villains. Wraith - Ghost Widow, Beast - Mako, Hulk - Black Scorpion, Thief - Scirocco.Quote:XI. The web is formed in careful craft, since fatal rescue on a raft, Wraith- beast- hulk- thief- prepare for war, the mastermind will hide no more, Let loose the tide of villain mix, heroes will gain their own new tricks, And in the end; a world fini, unless the one stops destiny.
Wentworths/Black Market and the Statesman TF.Quote:XII. Create new thing which heals or harms, accelerate the race of arms, A million more to buy and trade, the inventors must all be paid, A flood of brains rain in the town, but evil lurks to bring all down, The helmed one strikes with draining web, the war comes to a crucial head.
SOON (tm)Quote:XIII. You may have seen all that I say, or await it another day, Of many things I have not dreamt, events the gods have not yet sent, And do forgive this awful curse, the fates decree I write in verse, Wish I were there to interpret, but battle calls and must be met.
So was III. the Midnight Squad? Unsure of that one. -
Widow Frost jumped as arachnoids leapt around her. Then as Dire began to chant her own magical senses kicked in.
She spun on her heels and saw the figure of Jase, having just summoned his allies, and then clocked the scythe stuck into the tarmac.
"Was all your talk just a distraction? Were you all intending to subdue me with words and then strike me down?"
The look on her face was pure bewilderment but telltale signs of anger were returning.
She regretted dropping that dagger. She regretted even further letting her guard down, allowing the spirit that she saw in a brief flash as it stole her power to interrupt the blizzard she had been preparing.
But the congressman didn't look like he was going to get out of this without serious payback for the souls he'd stolen and the pain he'd caused. Perhaps she should just leave them to it.
Ah but then Dire Lament had witnessed what she was capable of - the lengths she had been prepared to go to in order to catch the congressman. And the dark, spirit girl's words, no matter that they were issued from such disturbing lips, had hit a nerve inside 'Frost.
Subconsciously sharp icicles formed from her fingertips like claws as survival instincts kicked in. She spoke to everyone but her main focus was on Dire.
"I'm prepared to make a deal here. I can't hope to fight all of you. And perhaps you're right - perhaps you're the better option for the congressman."
She turned sideways, pointing her left hand towards Jase and her right hand towards the group assembled around the congressman.
"But you have to let me go." -
All sorts of emotions flickered across Widow Frost's face.
"But if you take him in then what will become of me?"
Her voice sounded younger now and a lot more unsure than when she had burst forth from the hospital ready to rain down ice on everything in her way.
"If it weren't for him then this may have never happened to me."
She indicated her pale skin and the remnants of ice clinging to her. Then she glanced at Dire, trying in vain to break through Acid's impenetrable forcefield.
"You said vengeance was pointless - that it was empty and had no use. Where does all that anger and hatred go when it's been spent?"
The congressman ceased his attempts to placate Widow Frost. Although, in truth, he had hoped she would go ape anyway and distract his current captors. His addled brain searched for another way to extract himself from the situation. Maybe a spell? No use without that damned pendant. So he found himself babbling half-remembered sermons from his youth and snippets of bible quotes. At this stage he figured he should try and make peace with anyone or anything that might save him from Rosalind's future investigations.
Widow Frost relaxed her grip on the dagger she held. Then she let it fall to the ground. It clattered and sparked a little but otherwise presented no further use to her without her having to stoop down and pick it up.
Something within her was nagging her to give herself up now. Perhaps it was Rosie's kind words or seeing the congressman helpless, like a drowned rat, trying to make peace with a force which he had clearly foresaken some time ago. It may even have been the Spirit's intervention, siphoning some of her power and along with it her cold ire.
Of course, in this crisis of conscience, she didn't spot the real figure of Jase behind her: Her figure was prone to any kind of attack.
Surely no-one here would be as cruel to strike her down in such a vulnerable state? -
The cold air swirled around the woman - Widow Frost - but the Spirit's intervention made her falter. The temperature evened out to just below freezing. Her left hand remained skyward however and her face registered confusion.
Vengeance was supposed to be swift. The beings assembled before and all around were complicating things and her addled brain was finding it difficult to concentrate.
She sighed as some of her magical power was siphoned off to the spirit world: It translated as a soft moan in the wind.
As Dire touched down and the figure of the boy, reunited with his shadow, readied his weapon Widow Frost spoke, this time in her own voice and not through the air:
"Proper channels? Souls? He's taken more than one?"
A tear rolled down her cheek and froze into a tiny icicle.
"I knew he was corrupt. He was a jealous soul. He wanted me but I was so in love with..."
The congressman spoke, sensing an impending monologue in which he might appear in a light worse than the others had already guessed.
"Jacqueline - Jackie - you're sick. You need help. Why don't you give yourself up? These...people will understand. So will the authorities. You don't need to do this. I'm- I'm nobody to you. Not anymore."
The congressman's voice was soft, if a little oily. It wasn't particularly welcome, at least to Widow Frost.
"You can't help it, can you? Lies! Always lies!"
Her right fist clenched tight around the dagger. At the same time she dropped her left arm and tiny crystals of ice sprinkled on the sidewalk. The clouds that threatened a blizzard above her subsided.
Her features softened, "How can any of you be prepared to spare that man the fate he deserves? After what he's done to me? After he took the man I loved from me?"
Widow Frost began to cry. -
*runs into the thread*
Hello!
*throws grenades at floating tomato/fireball hybrids*
Oh, wait, I misread the thread title...
Server list merging is a big thumbs up from me.
But to be honest the game, for me, seems to be ticking along nicely at the minute. I mean, it's now December so nothing major usually happens. I'm not too fussed about Xmas events anymore.
I would like some more GR love though. Anyone know what sort of work has to go into CG promos? I'd be happy with another teaser CG thingamabob. But then I'm easily distracted (and pleased) by shiny things.
Oh and on a sly last note - I am very glad CO doesn't seem to be doing so well re: player opinions I've heard IG and on the forums. Yes, I still love this game.
*runs out of the thread, towards Castle Wolfenstein* -
The lights tripped on in the hospital. As light travels faster than sound in usual circumstances, an audible murmur rippled out from each ward.
The figure of the Matron lay next to the slumbering men. They still hadn't woken up and the whiff of sulphur from Angela's magical device had dissipated.
To the casual observer, the building manager's office looked like a military waxworks museum - around the still and prone figures, now lit by harsh strip lighting, Balgair's men stood, doing things with military efficiency.
***
The lights tripped on in the morgue. What had first seemed like an eerie grotto now became a shining, slick, modern room that just happened to have magical ephemera dotted about it.
The lighting here was more subdued, recessed into the ceiling.
The enslaved children and adults slowed down further as if they were clockwork toys. Whatever magic had enthralled them was being directed elsewhere now. Or perhaps the woman in black was too far to maintain the power?
Whatever the reality, thin strands of magic appeared to strip away from the innocent people and dissolve in midair. Very slowly, the children and adults came to their senses.
***
"I want the soul of the man who killed my one true love to suffer an eternity of despair and pain." The woman in black howled at Rosalind.
"Only then will I find peace." She added, as Acid bid adieu to his spirit friend.
"Cut me down now or take his life with mercy and I'll make sure you never rest again" This threat was directed at Jase.
"If none of you here will help me, then I will be forced to bring the fury of a thousand frozen hells upon you."
Her left hand twisted in the air and made some arcane gesture. The clouds above swirled faster and the temperature continued to drop. A film of frost formed on the woman's limbs.
"I only want to hurt him. Please, let me have my vengeance!"
-
The Matron made a whimpering 'Oomph' noise as the gun butt hit her square on the jaw. The magical doohickey she'd been carrying dropped to the floor and broke like a china cup. There was a faint smell of sulphur as it did so.
Angela Knowles collapsed to the floor.
***
The woman in black dared not look behind her. Dire Lament had shown capability for sudden bursts of speed and she was still recovering from the magical toxins that had pierced her body as the two women fought.
She clambered up the final stair and burst through the door to the lobby, calling out to the gathered crowds that there was a madwoman on the loose.
***
The congressman, still covered in cake and some kind of gelatinous goo, had given up on attempting to communicate with his captors. The goo surrounding him was actually doing a fine job of supporting his back from harm as he was flung about.
They were all clearly insane and, sadly, a little too clued up on the whole Soul Crystal issue for his liking.
Damned Heroes. Or Villains. Or whatever they were!
The little boy, insane as the whole lot of them combined it seemed, disappeared and reappeared. The reptile's posse of spirits, werewolves and giant eyes (Oh my!) defied logic and yet this was a man who had sold his soul for prosperity and power. Perhaps he had died during that attack on the bridge and this was some Swiftian satire of Hell, with a bit of Dali and Dada thrown in for good measure?
The the guy who he'd thought was good but turned out to be carrying a knife with intent to kidnap envoked some kind of weird magic. Definitely Dali. Maybe a little bit of Munch too. If the congressman had possessed the ability to clap his hands over his ears then he would have done so. Instead his brain cooked, frizzled and sparked with the myriad sights, sounds and smells around him.
Without that pendant he was definitely losing it.
Which is why when he saw the woman in black barrelling out of the hospital, clutching an elaborate dagger, he thought he saw someone else. A girl. Someone he once knew. His mouth formed a smile and he managed to spit some of the cake away.
"Jackie? Is that you?!"
The woman stopped in her tracks.
Her form rippled. At one moment she was Nurse Celo - light blonde hair, half-smiling; then the black costume seemed to swirl about her and there she was - white hair, pale skin, ruby red lips, a cold snarl on her lips.
"Give that man - that thing - up, right now!" She howled and her voice carried through the air like the North Wind.
And to show she meant business, she raised her left arm in the air. High above the bizarre scene outside of the hospital, the clouds stirred.
The temperature plummeted. -
The woman grabbed the Redcap by the feet just as the flash of light lit the room up. She didn't have time to shield her eyes.
She heard the little demon squeal and threw it in a direction that she hoped Dire was in.
Her eyes hurt but she stumbled towards where she remembered the door had been. Unsure of where she should be attacking, the woman raised her arms and brought them down in a swift motion. Cold energy swirled in a cloud above her before it descended in the morgue ((Ice Storm)). If it hit her slaves then so be it - their sudden awareness of the situation caused by her lack of control could provide an excellent distraction for Dire.
Her eyes still stinging, the woman grabbed the splintered doorframe to steady herself and called out into the corridor:
"Help! There's a mad woman attacking me! Help!"
Concentrating as best she could, her features changed and her clothes, at first a swathe of black, softened to look more like a tattered raincoat. It was a simple spell but effective. Or so she hoped.
She clutched the dagger, pulled her 'coat' tight and stumbled through the corridor towards the stairs. -
The woman in black recoiled from the quick succession of blows - her vision was blurred by dark magic - and she fell back into the arms of her slaves.
As each blow had landed on her, the people behind the woman in black had become more aware. It would only take a few more hits and it looked as though their enslavement would be finished.
The woman dived between the legs of her slaves, emerging behind them so that they provided a wall between her and Dire. She reached the small pile of discarded artefacts, picking up another dagger and a handful of small charms.
Concentrating for a second, the charms dissolved in her hand and wisps of energy shot up the woman in black's arm. She was recharging some of her power.
***
Matron Knowles saw the men enter the room. Even in the dim light they didn't particularly look like legions of the damned but it never paid to be under-cautious in these situations.
She stood up from her position behind the slumbering men, pointing the glowing orb at one of the soldiers.
"Flatus Illuminarium!"
She cried out and a blast of energy flew at the soldier...
... earthing itself in the light fitting.
"Oh sugar" -
The woman in black reeled from the assault. Whatever dark energies encircled her were slowly draining her own energy - this was not going to be a long-lasting battle if she went head to head with Dire. The blast from the wand blurred her vision briefly.
As several shards of dark magic cut at the woman, the zombie-like slaves behind slowed down. Her hold on them was waivering as her own wellbeing was in danger.
She was also hurtling inevitably towards Dire.
At least the twin ice swords had made some kind of mark on the haunt, although it was difficult to tell; perhaps she should unleash more powerful magic in order to slow her opponent enough to get to safety?
The woman stopped herself short of coming face to face, literally, with Dire. She drew in the coldness around her and inhaled. When she exhaled, a cloud of icy daggers shot out at Dire in a wide arc ((Frost Breath)).
She wasted no time after that in drawing more magical energy and fired a chilling blast of cold, designed to freeze an opponent in their tracks ((Freeze Ray)) - although instead of aiming at Dire's body, she went for the head again.
As she fired the freezing cold at Dire she retreated backwards, her army of slaves no more than a foot away. -
Further to the conversation I had with Pious today IG - although I don't have any characters, at present, who'd fit with this group, I'm more than happy to dream up some demons, ghosts, ghouls and other things that go BUMP! in the night
for you to run into.
I haven't meddled with the MA lately (there's an arc that still needs a lot of work sitting there, looking at me...) but could always be persuaded to cook something up if you want IG shenanigans!
EDIT: I misread Liz's entry as Dessert Princess! There's a whole arc in that, you know...
-
Quote:Was it the Hero Con '09 video where Mr Miller mentioned, very briefly the police force in Praetoria and the possibility to develop them as a career we could choose? Not just a dayjob but, perhaps, a set of skills or new AT.Originally Posted by Adeon Hawkwood
Well with Going Rogue just around the corner there isn't a lot of point in adding Nictus (except from a story point) since Warshades and Peacebringers can switch sides to give Villains those ATs.
PPD would be good since they have a lot of interesting story hooks, but I think would be hard to really make an interesting AT using them.
The SWAT troops and low level cops/detectives are basically AR/Dev Blasters with the Leadership pool. Similarly the PSI Division are basically Psi/MM Blasters while Awakened are Peacebringers without the forms. Drones are out for obvious reasons.
The Powered Armor Cops would probably work from a powers point of view, their primary could be a mix of ranged and melee attacks with a secondary structured like an armor set (so they'd basically be Assault/Armor). The problem though is costumes. Unlike other ATs where having powers be granted through power armor is only one option amongst many this is an AT where their powers are exclusively granted through armor (and the animations would reflect this). Unlike the Crab Spiders though you can't really just have this as an extra costume piece. You'd need a way to make it so that they can only use the majority of their powers while in their armor but still allow for non-armored costumes to appease the roleplayers. Additionally in a perfect world they'd also be allowed some leeway to customize their armor.
Here's how I'd do it. For every costume slot you designate it as either combat or non-combat, your primary costume slot is always combat but you can change the others at the tailor as part of the costume editor. In a combat slot you get access to a very limited version of the tailor that has a fixed selection of costume parts which form your power armor. It would be impossible to make a costume that isn't power armor similar to the current NPCs but you'd get some flexibility such as color, a few minor variations, or opting not to wear a helmet. In a non-combat slot you get access to the standard costume selections but while wearing a non-combat costume you can't use any powers from your primary or secondary (or possibly you can't use any powers except for walk if the devs are feeling mean).
Now I can't see the devs doing this just because it's an awful lot of work just to add something we can pretty much already do (AR/Energy or Energy/Energy blaster depending on which type of power armored cop you're going for).
Ooh, careers! Perhaps, building on the day job themes, we will finally have access to additional careers that provide extra bonuses/powers or indeed new AT-types? This is, of course, wild supposition, but think of the possibilities:
Police
Mages
erm...okay, that's all i can think of right now. Who's with me on blindly and wildly speculating?
-
With Vigilance I'd say it'd make more sense to provide a small recharge buff to the defender on top of the reduced end cost for when team members begin to lose HP.
As it stands I'm never sure when Vigilance starts to kick in as I have one Kin, one Rad and one Dark defender - these sets always seem to survive and help the rest of the team survive without the inherent kicking in (okay, not always but you get the picture)
Another suggestion would be (either for Khelds or Defenders) provide an aura of Secondary Buff (so like a Power Boost aura) as part of the general inehernt. So when your teammates are near you their secondary effects are boosted: Defense Debuffs, Buffs, To Hit etc are increased. This obviously wouldn't affect -Res or +Dam powers as those are not considered Secondary Effects.
And a final suggestion for Vigilance - give either a global mez protection or a global mez resistance buff to a Defender when other teammates are in trouble.
Gauntlet - hmmm, not sure. No point in increasing survivability by any means in terms of secondary effects in my opinion as each Tanker set has that covered in some way. For example if you increased defence then some powersets would be at an unfair advantage over others.
Does Ice Armour include a recharge debuff in any of its powers? If not then perhaps that could be a Secondary effect applied to Gauntlet? If it does then Ice would suddenly become very powerful.
Nope, I have no idea what to do to Gauntlet without unbalancing a lot of stuff. -
Lying at the back of the morgue was a hexagram, fine trails of chalk and some other powder lay about it and five candles, almost burnt down to the stub, flickered uneasily in the cold air. A broken glass phial lay in pieces at the centre of the chalk drawing.
The woman in black whirled round to face her opponent. Dire Lament was advancing on her so she considered that the best option was to rush at her, ice swords forward, ready to strike.
The ring on the haunt's finger registered as old magic and it would be a good idea to remove it from Dire before she drew on her greatest powers to dispatch her target.
Sprinting towards her, the woman in black threw one of the ice swords aiming for the ring and then the other directed at the magical girl's head. With luck this would slow her down enough to unleash a greater assault.
Behind the two women the enslaved group of nurses, the doctor and children moved like zombies, still under the command to grab Dire. A couple of them had been hit by dark magic owing to their close proximity to Dire as she had flown over them, out of reach.
***
The congressman snarled at Rosalind and the UFoMW. Then something else registered with him: he was naked. -
The magical force intent on enslaving the boy found resistance. The cat-o-nine-tails snapped back like an angry hydra. So there was something special about this boy. Never mind, she had enough protection from her slaves to fight the magical haunt closing in on her.
Quote:"Fine! If you won't consider my offer then I'm forced to fight. A pity. I can feel your pain, whatever you are."“ there are no more innocents anymore ..all that remains are us victims , ..the power is not yours , and you shall not keep it …,I do not bargain , it is not deals that shall be cut !...no more sacrifices shall you drink of , …foolish one I am vengeance ,it is all we are now , ..your fate is set ,there are no more choices ..All is here and now …"
Her right hand, balled into a fist, rose in the air and from it formed a glittering, sharp sword. It howled with cold and although it looked fairly brittle, it also looked as though it could cut through steel.
"Children! Nurses! Doctor! Grab her!"
The slaves, as one, reached for Dire Lament's ankles - or at least where her ankles should be.
The woman in black readied her ice sword and, as the magical energy rebounded from the boy dissipated, her left fist started drawing power. Within seconds another blade of cold was in her hands and the smell of magic drifted over the morgue.
"When I am through with you, there'll be no more pain - and nothing will stop me from claiming vengeance!"
***
The congressman was regaining some sense of where he was. The loud music continued to play and the strange girl was sniffing him.
Whatever Acid Zerohad done to him was, it had to be said, working wonders for the pain in his back.
Then he realised his pendant wasn't around his neck.
"I need that pendant!" he cried, to anyone who'd listen.
Then he noticed Jaseclearly for the first time. His eyes widened.
"You're not... You're not REAL!"
Then his gaze took in the young boy, toting what looked like a thin bazooka. He resisted the urge of his brain to shut down and pass out. Instead his natural instincts as a politician kicked in:
"Say, little man, hows about you get that nice, shiny pendant back for me, huh?" his voice, though frail, dripped with oil.
"If you do, there'll be cookies for you!"
Anything, at this juncture, was worth a shot.
***
The Matron finished chanting, the orb in her hand glowed.
She heard more footsteps approaching from the stairwell and eased off the door handle. She figured that the odds of her survival were far greater if she went one-on-one with someone, as opposed to unleashing an attack against a host of opponents.
The footsteps grew nearer to the door so she deftly sprinted to a place behind the slumbering men in the office and crouched. The orb sparked, picking up a magical discharge from somewhere.
The door handle turned. -
According to the quiz result I am True Neutral. And I'm happy with that.
Character-wise... well it depends on mood.
Although I just re-ran the quiz and found two of my main characters, Arctic Princess and Whirling Dervish, to be on the Neutral Good side (?) of things. I had to answer a tiebreaker for AP (Stealing is Wrong / What's Important Is To Help Other People) to get that result for her. -
((I'm available for help of the 'making things' and 'running things past me so as not to spoil any plot twists' variety - if you need any more characters done Randy, I'm available.
I'm also happy to play 'unwitting citizens', 'incidental characters' and the like. I fancy being a chorus member for this ))