ahh.... apparently i DID miss that lol.
Warshades crossing over?
Dissapointing from when i heard there was an EAT coming to CoV in i8, but still good... i love WS's :-)
Edit: Wonder if there is any possibility of actual Nictus being brought to CoV... un-hosted. Or maybe with different hosts. Not very likely but still... :-)
I mean, khelds CAN survive 10 years without a host... it was either that or 5.
10 years - probably in their home planet. Not on Earth, just like the Nictus who can't survive without a host.
As far as being disappointed, yes, mostly all of us were expecting new EATs, but then we get the Kheldians again. To be unbiased, we do need to balance it out, so it's a good idea, but I know alot of us wouldn't mind if we didn't get them at all and get new ones instead.
I think Warshades in COV will be awesome.
In their alternate forms Warshades are basically Flying Blasters and Teleporting Tanks. Since Blasters and Tanks aren't available in COV, Warshades will provide a unique play experience in COV.
Also, since Positiron stated that the "Going Rogue" feature is a long way off, Warshades will be the ONLY way to experience the joy of Blasting or Tanking in COV for the forseable future.
Heck, I've stopped playing my Warshade in COH in anticipation of their invastion of COV.
Centinull
The quote on the super computer mentions use of Leylines and landscape geometry; the oil spill that dosn't dissapear shaped like a magic symbol could be just one part of this. Im thinking this "supercomputer" is in all actuallity the harnessing of magic from the use of symbols of power carved out on the earth (The Oil Spill being one of them) and using bits of technology to harness this power... to what end we dont know; use all that magical energy harvested from the earth to unleash demonic hordes maybe? This is the connection to Ba'tzul?
I have to say I am intrigued by the idea of turning the entire planet into one giant conduit for magical energy.
khelds can survive for 10 years on they're own anywhere. nictus can do it for 5 because of changes they made to themselves to enable the draning of live force from others.
the comon foe comes with the invention system and is the batalion, which is intended to be nigh-invincible unless fought with invention system powers.
the fat loot system is perhaps the beginning of the legends system and not the incarnate EAT. i'm guessing this because of the poll which occured earlier this year where we voted on the new zones which we wished would be added, i was a sucker for rikti home world. one of the options was under water, probibally the coralax home city. if we were to have the coralax home city it would make sence to have the coralax EAT. it was also confirmed that the new EAT would be unlocked by purchasing the box, again makes sence. it was not said, to my knowledge, that the next EATs were due with the box, i beleive the next one the nictus (and possible the 'war'bringer?) will be in I8. it is also possible that heroes will be given the much anticipated hero 'issue 6' being as issue 6 and 7 were entirely centered on villains. this leads me to beleive that we may see a hero EAT as well, perhaps the avians.
for the new box. as far as the coralax are concerned,i beleive their under water level would be villains only as it is very clear that the coralax actively hate humanity and the damage its done to the earth. hence the coralax would be villains. now with such an evil EAT the heroes would need a new heroes only EAT, and with blood of the blackstream sounding more and more like a technology EAT, the whole oil and all, what serves as a better enemy to the fury of nature? plus the fact that they have used villains against eachother. heroes would get the rikti homeworld and while it would not fit into the EAT it would allow for the story of Hero1 and his team.
Hmm... isn't the box due to come out next spring? I think I might have seen Posi mention the first box expansion coming out next year, in the 2nd anneversary address.
i dont understand wat ur talking about
villains need to have AT's unlockable at lvl 50
[ QUOTE ]
villains need to have AT's unlockable at lvl 50
[/ QUOTE ]
Not going to happen. As the developers have mentioned time, and again, having Kheldians unlock at lvl 50 has, in retrospect, been decided as a mistake, and thusly, no new AT's will unlock at 50.
The only possible exception to this might be the villainous Warshades/Nictus, as those might not be a "new" AT, but I suspect, given the tone of the WS and EAT refferences, that even those will not be unlockable simply by getting a lvl 50, but rather instead, a high level SF.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
villains need to have AT's unlockable at lvl 50
[/ QUOTE ]
Not going to happen. As the developers have mentioned time, and again, having Kheldians unlock at lvl 50 has, in retrospect, been decided as a mistake, and thusly, no new AT's will unlock at 50.
The only possible exception to this might be the villainous Warshades/Nictus, as those might not be a "new" AT, but I suspect, given the tone of the WS and EAT refferences, that even those will not be unlockable simply by getting a lvl 50, but rather instead, a high level SF.
[/ QUOTE ]
For clear reference: The Interview
Specifically:
[ QUOTE ]
Do you have any plans about creating a new epic archetype?
Theres an epic archetype planned for the retail expansion, but until then we are looking at introducing Warshades to City of Villains. Youll not get access to the new epic AT just by hitting level 50 this time. Instead well send you on a special Strike Force or trial.
[/ QUOTE ]
If you'll allow me to parse that out here:
Theres an epic archetype planned for the retail expansion , but until then we are looking at introducing Warshades to City of Villains. Youll not get access to the new epic AT just by hitting level 50 this time. Instead well send you on a special Strike Force or trial.
I have a hard time as reading that as anything other than "The EAT from the Expansion set (ie, the "new" EAT) will be unlocked with a SF/TF rather than hitting 50."
A Warshade is not a new epic archtype. Combine this with the fact that this paragraph is actually talking about another epic archtype, referred to as the NEW epic arctype, with the Warshade as an aside (even seperated out of the sentence with a comma) and I find it highly unlikely that he's saying the Nictus will be unlocked with a TF
Especially given that it would seem wierd that heroes get theirs at 50, but we get our clones after a SF.
STILL, would this mean a new, nifty SF that intros us into the Khelds? That would be nifty if it were true. Just don't think it is.
[ QUOTE ]
I have a hard time as reading that as anything other than "The EAT from the Expansion set (ie, the "new" EAT) will be unlocked with a SF/TF rather than hitting 50."
A Warshade is not a new epic archtype. Combine this with the fact that this paragraph is actually talking about another epic archtype, referred to as the NEW epic arctype, with the Warshade as an aside (even seperated out of the sentence with a comma) and I find it highly unlikely that he's saying the Nictus will be unlocked with a TF
Especially given that it would seem wierd that heroes get theirs at 50, but we get our clones after a SF.
[/ QUOTE ]
As I said, it's a bit murky there. Long before the devs ever announced there would be such a thing as Warshades for villains, they said they were never introducing an EAT unlockable by getting to lvl 50 again. However, I assume, and even hope, that villainous Warshades are the exception to the rule, for the reasons you mentioned.
[ QUOTE ]
STILL, would this mean a new, nifty SF that intros us into the Khelds? That would be nifty if it were true. Just don't think it is.
[/ QUOTE ]
Agreed...though...what if they just did a Warshade/Nictus ONLY SF, that introduced us to more in-depth content...would be interesting, and fun...
Though I don't mean to imply only Nictus would be able to join, just that they'd be the only ones able to get access to the SF...though then they'd have to do the same for Heroes...which I'm certainly not against, either...
I just can't wait to see the Warshade contact, standing in opposition to Kalinda and Burke in Mercy...speaking of which...
*GASP*
Do you think villainous Warshades may possibly be able to break away from the tyranical hold of Arachnos??
[ QUOTE ]
One other possibility is the Coralax, since Posi said that in the expansion, villains and heroes will be joining to fight a "common foe" so it's easy to think that it might be the Coralax, but that's just pure speculation.
[/ QUOTE ]
There's another meager bit of evidence. The Expansion pack will contain new zones based on the survey they took recently. And what was one of the survey options? Underwater zones!
We've already got underwater content... there's a "deep" pool of water just west of the Grandville walls, clearly a test-run of underwater code, so it seems my dream of deep waters have come true.
Regardless, it seems they ARE coming. Maybe not I8 or I9 nor even the expansion, but Soon(TM). I wonder what other sweetness they will bring? Perhaps a swimming power pool? I'd love to be able to make non-Coralax underwater charactes too. There's no reason, after all, that you can't have an atlantean Brute or a aquatic Dominator.
This presumes, naturally, that Coralax will play similar to Khelds (only one choice of powersets but with many powers and no patron powers). It's possible that they'll play quite differently.
*ponders*
again, coralax is not the common foe. the common foe is the battalion which was mentioned in the announcement where they scrapped the skill system for good and announced the invention system.
[ QUOTE ]
again, coralax is not the common foe. the common foe is the battalion which was mentioned in the announcement where they scrapped the skill system for good and announced the invention system.
[/ QUOTE ]
Who are you to say? Your name doesn't look red. I think the Coralax could, quite likely, be the common foe, being that they hate all life on Earth. (rather than in the ocean)
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
again, coralax is not the common foe. the common foe is the battalion which was mentioned in the announcement where they scrapped the skill system for good and announced the invention system.
[/ QUOTE ]
Who are you to say? Your name doesn't look red. I think the Coralax could, quite likely, be the common foe, being that they hate all life on Earth. (rather than in the ocean)
[/ QUOTE ]
I'd also love to see that quote. I can't seem to find anything in the search engine. 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
again, coralax is not the common foe. the common foe is the battalion which was mentioned in the announcement where they scrapped the skill system for good and announced the invention system.
[/ QUOTE ]
Who are you to say? Your name doesn't look red. I think the Coralax could, quite likely, be the common foe, being that they hate all life on Earth. (rather than in the ocean)
[/ QUOTE ]
I'd also love to see that quote. I can't seem to find anything in the search engine.
[/ QUOTE ]
I remember Statesman saying the skills system was 'shelved', but that was all that was in his comment. I don't remember anything about the Battalion. If you ask me, I would think it's either (a) The Coralax (b) The 5th Column (c) The Shadow Shard or (d) a new threat that.. threatens.. all of Earth.
At this point, I'd take anyone's opinions in consideration, if there's official proof, that just makes it all better.
[ QUOTE ]
The quote on the super computer mentions use of Leylines and landscape geometry; the oil spill that dosn't dissapear shaped like a magic symbol could be just one part of this. Im thinking this "supercomputer" is in all actuallity the harnessing of magic from the use of symbols of power carved out on the earth (The Oil Spill being one of them) and using bits of technology to harness this power... to what end we dont know; use all that magical energy harvested from the earth to unleash demonic hordes maybe? This is the connection to Ba'tzul?
I have to say I am intrigued by the idea of turning the entire planet into one giant conduit for magical energy.
[/ QUOTE ]
I believe there's still alot of pieces missing in this puzzle - which is what this really is. A big web of.. conspiracies and connections. To me, honestly, alot of things don't make sense. They add up but they don't make sense.. yet. I hope the devs can give us more info sometime soon, not a spoiler, but just more hints.
What makes Statesman or Recluse Incarnates? What separates a Tank Incarnate from a Tank?
[ QUOTE ]
What makes Statesman or Recluse Incarnates? What separates a Tank Incarnate from a Tank?
[/ QUOTE ]
I recommend reading up on their history, Statesman and Lord Recluse I mean. I recommend picking up the novel "Web of Arachnos" which pretty much covers that history - should be available in your book stores.
Anyway, to give you a summary (fyi, their story is a bit hazy to me now, pardon me if I may present you with some small minor errors in detail in their story): Statesman and Lord Recluse were once pals, normal people, wanted to look for this mythical island. They found the island, which is basically the Well of Furies, and there, they found the Fountain of Zeus. By drinking out of the Fountain of Zeus, Statesman was reincarnated into Zeus, so he became a demi-god - that would explain Statesman being a Tanker having Lightning powers. Lord Recluse drank from it too and was reincarnated as Tartarus (yes, it's a place in Hades but Tartarus in some mythos is portrayed as a god.) There's some other stuff in there about both of them opening Pandora's Box, thus unleashing the Golden Age of Heroes (and apparently villains) but I'm gonna need to pull the book out for that and I'm not sure where it is. Again, I recommend picking up the book "Web of Arachnos" which talks about their history.
So overall, an Incarnate means you're reincarnated with or to someone.
Now, don't think that just because Statesman and Lord Recluse were reincarnated into demi-gods or personified, that we'll be able to do that too. Remember, they play the lead roles in this game - er, it's story anyway - so we can't be more powerful than they are.
Also note that it's still unknown what the devs are gonna do with the Incarnates.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What makes Statesman or Recluse Incarnates? What separates a Tank Incarnate from a Tank?
[/ QUOTE ]
I recommend reading up on their history, Statesman and Lord Recluse I mean. I recommend picking up the novel "Web of Arachnos" which pretty much covers that history - should be available in your book stores.
Anyway, to give you a summary (fyi, their story is a bit hazy to me now, pardon me if I may present you with some small minor errors in detail in their story): Statesman and Lord Recluse were once pals, normal people, wanted to look for this mythical island. They found the island, which is basically the Well of Furies, and there, they found the Fountain of Zeus. By drinking out of the Fountain of Zeus, Statesman was reincarnated into Zeus, so he became a demi-god - that would explain Statesman being a Tanker having Lightning powers. Lord Recluse drank from it too and was reincarnated as Tartarus (yes, it's a place in Hades but Tartarus in some mythos is portrayed as a god.) There's some other stuff in there about both of them opening Pandora's Box, thus unleashing the Golden Age of Heroes (and apparently villains) but I'm gonna need to pull the book out for that and I'm not sure where it is. Again, I recommend picking up the book "Web of Arachnos" which talks about their history.
So overall, an Incarnate means you're reincarnated with or to someone.
Now, don't think that just because Statesman and Lord Recluse were reincarnated into demi-gods or personified, that we'll be able to do that too. Remember, they play the lead roles in this game - er, it's story anyway - so we can't be more powerful than they are.
Also note that it's still unknown what the devs are gonna do with the Incarnates.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I've read the book. I think it was a great book. Anyway, I never got that they were reincarnates. That helps. So, now they just have to figure out a way to let any number of people be an incarnate of any number of things...that might prove to be difficult.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What makes Statesman or Recluse Incarnates? What separates a Tank Incarnate from a Tank?
[/ QUOTE ]
I recommend reading up on their history, Statesman and Lord Recluse I mean. I recommend picking up the novel "Web of Arachnos" which pretty much covers that history - should be available in your book stores.
Anyway, to give you a summary (fyi, their story is a bit hazy to me now, pardon me if I may present you with some small minor errors in detail in their story): Statesman and Lord Recluse were once pals, normal people, wanted to look for this mythical island. They found the island, which is basically the Well of Furies, and there, they found the Fountain of Zeus. By drinking out of the Fountain of Zeus, Statesman was reincarnated into Zeus, so he became a demi-god - that would explain Statesman being a Tanker having Lightning powers. Lord Recluse drank from it too and was reincarnated as Tartarus (yes, it's a place in Hades but Tartarus in some mythos is portrayed as a god.) There's some other stuff in there about both of them opening Pandora's Box, thus unleashing the Golden Age of Heroes (and apparently villains) but I'm gonna need to pull the book out for that and I'm not sure where it is. Again, I recommend picking up the book "Web of Arachnos" which talks about their history.
So overall, an Incarnate means you're reincarnated with or to someone.
Now, don't think that just because Statesman and Lord Recluse were reincarnated into demi-gods or personified, that we'll be able to do that too. Remember, they play the lead roles in this game - er, it's story anyway - so we can't be more powerful than they are.
Also note that it's still unknown what the devs are gonna do with the Incarnates.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I've read the book. I think it was a great book. Anyway, I never got that they were reincarnates. That helps. So, now they just have to figure out a way to let any number of people be an incarnate of any number of things...that might prove to be difficult.
[/ QUOTE ]
There are a few things or.. possibilites:
The Incarnates has always been thought of as an EAT, which means a seperate EAT, not a fusion like Statesman (Tanker+Incarnate) and Lord Recluse (MM+Incarnate). So if it were to be seperate, it could either be a whole new.. thing. Like from the beginning, you're able to pick which being you'd be reincarnated with.
Another possibility is the fusion - one solution for that is probably like the Patron system, where you pick one and you're stuck with them from lvl 41-50.
All in all, I do hope that it's a seperate EAT. I don't think anyone should expect them to be 'god-mode' EATs (aka more powerful than other ATs) but I think it would be interesting to see what the devs have come up with. Some speculate that the Incarnates are the EAT coming in the expansion box - I'd rather see the Coralax but.. we'll see.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What makes Statesman or Recluse Incarnates? What separates a Tank Incarnate from a Tank?
[/ QUOTE ]
I recommend reading up on their history, Statesman and Lord Recluse I mean. I recommend picking up the novel "Web of Arachnos" which pretty much covers that history - should be available in your book stores.
Anyway, to give you a summary (fyi, their story is a bit hazy to me now, pardon me if I may present you with some small minor errors in detail in their story): Statesman and Lord Recluse were once pals, normal people, wanted to look for this mythical island. They found the island, which is basically the Well of Furies, and there, they found the Fountain of Zeus. By drinking out of the Fountain of Zeus, Statesman was reincarnated into Zeus, so he became a demi-god - that would explain Statesman being a Tanker having Lightning powers. Lord Recluse drank from it too and was reincarnated as Tartarus (yes, it's a place in Hades but Tartarus in some mythos is portrayed as a god.) There's some other stuff in there about both of them opening Pandora's Box, thus unleashing the Golden Age of Heroes (and apparently villains) but I'm gonna need to pull the book out for that and I'm not sure where it is. Again, I recommend picking up the book "Web of Arachnos" which talks about their history.
So overall, an Incarnate means you're reincarnated with or to someone.
Now, don't think that just because Statesman and Lord Recluse were reincarnated into demi-gods or personified, that we'll be able to do that too. Remember, they play the lead roles in this game - er, it's story anyway - so we can't be more powerful than they are.
Also note that it's still unknown what the devs are gonna do with the Incarnates.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I've read the book. I think it was a great book. Anyway, I never got that they were reincarnates. That helps. So, now they just have to figure out a way to let any number of people be an incarnate of any number of things...that might prove to be difficult.
[/ QUOTE ]
There are a few things or.. possibilites:
The Incarnates has always been thought of as an EAT, which means a seperate EAT, not a fusion like Statesman (Tanker+Incarnate) and Lord Recluse (MM+Incarnate). So if it were to be seperate, it could either be a whole new.. thing. Like from the beginning, you're able to pick which being you'd be reincarnated with.
Another possibility is the fusion - one solution for that is probably like the Patron system, where you pick one and you're stuck with them from lvl 41-50.
All in all, I do hope that it's a seperate EAT. I don't think anyone should expect them to be 'god-mode' EATs (aka more powerful than other ATs) but I think it would be interesting to see what the devs have come up with. Some speculate that the Incarnates are the EAT coming in the expansion box - I'd rather see the Coralax but.. we'll see.
[/ QUOTE ]
Wow, I just have to say wow. I don't know how long you've or anyone else has been browsing the forums, reading the interview or whatnot, but I can't imagine how much has been going into it. Kudos to you, because I don't have the time or effort.
Sometimes, I think it's more fun to think about what the possibilities are that are coming out than to actually get them. My antipation for the Kheldians totally overwhelmed how I actually felt when I got them. I just hope that whatever the new archetypes are, they won't disappoint. I really hope that it's like what I read in an interview, that they're going to not just slap some powers together and call it an EAT. I hope they come up with something that combines ATs.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What makes Statesman or Recluse Incarnates? What separates a Tank Incarnate from a Tank?
[/ QUOTE ]
I recommend reading up on their history, Statesman and Lord Recluse I mean. I recommend picking up the novel "Web of Arachnos" which pretty much covers that history - should be available in your book stores.
Anyway, to give you a summary (fyi, their story is a bit hazy to me now, pardon me if I may present you with some small minor errors in detail in their story): Statesman and Lord Recluse were once pals, normal people, wanted to look for this mythical island. They found the island, which is basically the Well of Furies, and there, they found the Fountain of Zeus. By drinking out of the Fountain of Zeus, Statesman was reincarnated into Zeus, so he became a demi-god - that would explain Statesman being a Tanker having Lightning powers. Lord Recluse drank from it too and was reincarnated as Tartarus (yes, it's a place in Hades but Tartarus in some mythos is portrayed as a god.) There's some other stuff in there about both of them opening Pandora's Box, thus unleashing the Golden Age of Heroes (and apparently villains) but I'm gonna need to pull the book out for that and I'm not sure where it is. Again, I recommend picking up the book "Web of Arachnos" which talks about their history.
So overall, an Incarnate means you're reincarnated with or to someone.
Now, don't think that just because Statesman and Lord Recluse were reincarnated into demi-gods or personified, that we'll be able to do that too. Remember, they play the lead roles in this game - er, it's story anyway - so we can't be more powerful than they are.
Also note that it's still unknown what the devs are gonna do with the Incarnates.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I've read the book. I think it was a great book. Anyway, I never got that they were reincarnates. That helps. So, now they just have to figure out a way to let any number of people be an incarnate of any number of things...that might prove to be difficult.
[/ QUOTE ]
There are a few things or.. possibilites:
The Incarnates has always been thought of as an EAT, which means a seperate EAT, not a fusion like Statesman (Tanker+Incarnate) and Lord Recluse (MM+Incarnate). So if it were to be seperate, it could either be a whole new.. thing. Like from the beginning, you're able to pick which being you'd be reincarnated with.
Another possibility is the fusion - one solution for that is probably like the Patron system, where you pick one and you're stuck with them from lvl 41-50.
All in all, I do hope that it's a seperate EAT. I don't think anyone should expect them to be 'god-mode' EATs (aka more powerful than other ATs) but I think it would be interesting to see what the devs have come up with. Some speculate that the Incarnates are the EAT coming in the expansion box - I'd rather see the Coralax but.. we'll see.
[/ QUOTE ]
Wow, I just have to say wow. I don't know how long you've or anyone else has been browsing the forums, reading the interview or whatnot, but I can't imagine how much has been going into it. Kudos to you, because I don't have the time or effort.
Sometimes, I think it's more fun to think about what the possibilities are that are coming out than to actually get them. My antipation for the Kheldians totally overwhelmed how I actually felt when I got them. I just hope that whatever the new archetypes are, they won't disappoint. I really hope that it's like what I read in an interview, that they're going to not just slap some powers together and call it an EAT. I hope they come up with something that combines ATs.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well, combine is a really strong word. Sometimes it almost isn't fair. In some cases, it can be picked or not picked over certain ATs, just like how some Kheldians complain about getting kicked off the team because another AT can do their job better. Anyway, to me, Epic ATs mean being able to join an Epic story, so I am looking forward to.. unique power sets rather than a combo of two or more, but all in all, the best part of being able to play one is to be part of their story - but ofcourse I'm mostly referring to the Coralax which I'm just very excited about. The Avilans and the Blood of the Black Stream as well.
As far as dev quotes, I just check the Dev Digest and interviews don't really go unnoticed around here in the forums. Once news hit that there's an interview, it'll be the talk of the day. But thanks though. 
Every epic archtype seems to me to be an attempt to fill a unique comic-book niche that the primary ATs cannot, as well as an effort to expand the storyline of Paragon City and the Rogue Isles.
Kheldians are the "alien" archtype, ala Martian Manhunter, the Shiar or Statesman's favorite "Badoon." They're a unified race of beings with powers inherent to their nature (while that's possible with any "Natural" AT, having a unified set allows Khelds to relate to one another).
Incarnates seem to me to be Divine heroes, along the lines of Thor, with possible nods to Spawn/Angelica and Wonder Woman. Making them into an EAT would allow you to tie them more deeply into the setting's mythology, which is exactly the point of giving them there own storylines.
A quick glance at the Kheldians show a few things we might expect from any Epic Archtype, including the Incarnates. As has been repeatedly stated, EATs are all about the story. Incarnates would likely recieve their own brand of storyline, including unique contacts, arcs and/or TFs (new EATs might be unlocked with a TF, allowing you to get solid backstory before you play one). What has me curious is the fact that Kheldians have a well-defined background. Incarnates don't. If I'm a kheld, you can tell me what planet I came from and about the races that I'm bound with, etc. But with Incarnates, do I get to conjure up whatever god I'm bound to ("I am the reincarnation of Hades!" "I am the reincarnation of Lugh!" "I am the reincarnation of Ameterasu!"), or do I have to pick ("I'm the reincarnation of Apollo!" "Hey! So am I!"). In the latter, it becomes possible to create specific storylines. In the former, only general.
The second thing all EATs seem to get (ie, Kheldians got it, so I wouldn't be surprised if others get it) is a unique playstyle. Cryptic doesn't do things by halves, and avoids desperately rehashing old elements. If you could do Incarnates simply by making a (whatever) hero and pretending he was an incarnation of a god (something many people do already), it wouldn't add much to the game, and would likely go the way of the Skill system.
Whether you love or hate Kheldian shapeshifting, it adds a completely new dynamic to CoH that hadn't existed before. They're characters that can shift their role in a team, and they're extreme flexbility leads to a great variety of unique builds. I would expect nothing less interesting from Incarnates.
Like what? I'm not sure. If you need to tackle a slew of possible gods (The gods of the dead. The gods of war. The gods of love), I would either create new powersets to reflect them, or possibly (considering they're often seen as infusions on other ATs), they could get a "third" powerset, one that reflects their divine origin. This would allow Statesman to have his Tanker Powers, and then turn around and gain lightning blasts. I don't know what tricks Recluse has; maybe others can enlighten me. Regardless, a third rail of power would create a completely new dynamic to the game without unbalancing the game (though people would go nuts with cherry picking, I'm sure).
This is all conjecture, naturally. I have zero evidence that it'll work that way. I'm just pointing out that EATs take such a long time to develop because Cryptic tackles them so completely. They get unique story and play-dynamics, so EAT would likely have the same assets should they be added. "Plain better than you" isn't enough, naturally, so they'd have to have something more interesting than that.
No no, you missed some news I think, haha.
The next EAT coming for the villains are the Warshades (or Nictus), what does that mean? we might be getting Rogue Peacebringers and Nictus - but let's not debate over that again. Other than that, nothing has been said other than we'll get 'em with Positron using the term "Warshades".
The next NEW EAT will be in the expansion box set, and most people think it's the Incarnates because in I8, we'll get a 'fat loot' system which will make our characters 'better and better and better..' and Posi even compared it to having to lvl to 60. Anyway, it's been officially said that the 'fat loot' system is only the beginning of it, and the expansion box will further it even more, so that's why people think it's the Incarnates, but then again, the devs have somewhat announced it to be a seperate EAT so I'm not sure.
One other possibility is the Coralax, since Posi said that in the expansion, villains and heroes will be joining to fight a "common foe" so it's easy to think that it might be the Coralax, but that's just pure speculation.