[ QUOTE ]
What if a series of ranged power pools were created that could be selected like any of the others? They would have less effect than similar powers in existing primaries and secondaries.
As an example:
Energy Powers:
Energy Bolts (L6) 30 damage
Energy Blast (L6) 50 damage
Energy Torrent (L14) 30 damage
Exploding Blast (L20) 30 damage
These numbers are based on Mids', and would put the effect a bit below even Defender damage. Accuracy, endurance and so on would be the same as usual.
If there were power sets like this for several power effects, you could have your Broadsword guy toss Flares or Ice Bolts or whatever suited your concept. Do you think this could be balanced? I mean, if it's available to everyone, no one has an advantage. Do you think it would be too much? Are we treading into Tankmagery here?
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Depends if the devs have a system in place to create power pools at those levels. Don't know how hard or easy that would be to do.
Personally, other than that I have no objection to it.
Ofcourse creating them and then balancing them with the existing primary/secs would probably not be a trivial amount of work.
I would NEVER choose ANY of those powers, so they better make a fire set, a rad set, a sonic set, etc etc. There's THAT.
Blazara Aura LVL 50 Fire/Psi Dom (with 125% recharge)
Flameboxer Aura LVL 50 SS/Fire Brute
Ice 'Em Aura LVL 50 Ice Tank
Darq Widow Fortune LVL 50 Fortunata (200% rech/Night Widow 192.5% rech)--thanks issue 19!
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I agree, some sets are easier to do this for than others. However, these sets were recently given ranged attacks in the MA. Granted, they're not great in many cases, but they are something to start with, at least. As you say, the weapon sets are the hardest to come up with something for. In my opinion, it just requires a little imagination.
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This is a horrible example to use. Some of the ranged attacks actual make some of those critters ridiculous. I would not be looking at custom critters for examples of balance.
And yes BALANCE trumps imagination. Sorry.
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They make the characters ridiculous because they didn't bother to balance the damage output (for the custom critters in general OR for the ranged powers specifically). If the powers and NPCs were balanced, there would be no problem.
All I was saying is that, worst case, Dual Blades would be tossing Shurikens (which I consider FAR from ideal, but this would be the worst case scenario, after all).
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As for thrown weapon customization ... if you went as far as to come up with new animation schemes for thrown weapons, using the current weapon customization the player has selected would be the easy part to implement in all this (its just a skin difference ... one that's already made).
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From what we've been told by the Dev BAB, it's not that easy. It's basically power customization at that point, instead of just costume customization, which is what Weapon Customization is. Weapon Customization is nothing like Power customization. Being able to swap out one costume piece for another is one thing. Changing out power graphics based on those costume choices is another. Again, it's the reason that Spines isn't customizable: the images that form the body can be swapped out, but the powers like Impale can't be easily swapped out. So, even if you made the spikes metal, you'd still be throwing a banana.
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That just sounds like bad coding (or lack of forethought) which could very well be (happens often in MMOs). From a coding standpoint, there should be no difference from "power" to "costume" customization *except* with regards to differences in animations (as we discussed) as that is the only real difference (standing graphic (or meshed graphic in the case of a costume piece) versus an animated one).
Having said that, I bet it would be easier then BAB (who is fairly new to the team?) thinks if some thought were really put into it.
You'll notice two different types of devs (goes for most programmers btw) ... one that says everything is hard (with the idea that it gives then auto padding by just saying that and possibly can kill an idea in its tracks rather than having to work on it (programmers are lazy)), and the one that says everything is easy (which is usually guilty of speaking before thinking).
But I'm fairly certain in his definition of "power customization" he really meant new animation.
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I agree, some sets are easier to do this for than others. However, these sets were recently given ranged attacks in the MA. Granted, they're not great in many cases, but they are something to start with, at least. As you say, the weapon sets are the hardest to come up with something for. In my opinion, it just requires a little imagination.
[/ QUOTE ]
This is a horrible example to use. Some of the ranged attacks actual make some of those critters ridiculous. I would not be looking at custom critters for examples of balance.
And yes BALANCE trumps imagination. Sorry.
[/ QUOTE ]
They make the characters ridiculous because they didn't bother to balance the damage output (for the custom critters in general OR for the ranged powers specifically). If the powers and NPCs were balanced, there would be no problem.
All I was saying is that, worst case, Dual Blades would be tossing Shurikens (which I consider FAR from ideal, but this would be the worst case scenario, after all).
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If we all got to VOTE on which powers got what, sure. Authors are currently complaining about some of the choices they made.
If they were truly balanced with us in mind, I can see the ranged powers being horribly gimped from the get go.
Case in point, look at the damage on some of the RANGED Patron Pool Powers.
Blazara Aura LVL 50 Fire/Psi Dom (with 125% recharge)
Flameboxer Aura LVL 50 SS/Fire Brute
Ice 'Em Aura LVL 50 Ice Tank
Darq Widow Fortune LVL 50 Fortunata (200% rech/Night Widow 192.5% rech)--thanks issue 19!
[ QUOTE ]
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As for thrown weapon customization ... if you went as far as to come up with new animation schemes for thrown weapons, using the current weapon customization the player has selected would be the easy part to implement in all this (its just a skin difference ... one that's already made).
[/ QUOTE ]
From what we've been told by the Dev BAB, it's not that easy. It's basically power customization at that point, instead of just costume customization, which is what Weapon Customization is. Weapon Customization is nothing like Power customization. Being able to swap out one costume piece for another is one thing. Changing out power graphics based on those costume choices is another. Again, it's the reason that Spines isn't customizable: the images that form the body can be swapped out, but the powers like Impale can't be easily swapped out. So, even if you made the spikes metal, you'd still be throwing a banana.
[/ QUOTE ]
That just sounds like bad coding (or lack of forethought) which could very well be (happens often in MMOs). From a coding standpoint, there should be no difference from "power" to "costume" customization *except* with regards to differences in animations (as we discussed) as that is the only real difference (standing graphic (or meshed graphic in the case of a costume piece) versus an animated one).
Having said that, I bet it would be easier then BAB (who is fairly new to the team?) thinks if some thought were really put into it.
You'll notice two different types of devs (goes for most programmers btw) ... one that says everything is hard (with the idea that it gives then auto padding by just saying that and possibly can kill an idea in its tracks rather than having to work on it (programmers are lazy)), and the one that says everything is easy (which is usually guilty of speaking before thinking).
But I'm fairly certain in his definition of "power customization" he really meant new animation.
[/ QUOTE ]
BAB is NOT AT ALL fairly new to the team.
Go read his posts please.
EDIT: I was actually going to link the posts here, but I can't find it.
I hope they weren't purged. 
Blazara Aura LVL 50 Fire/Psi Dom (with 125% recharge)
Flameboxer Aura LVL 50 SS/Fire Brute
Ice 'Em Aura LVL 50 Ice Tank
Darq Widow Fortune LVL 50 Fortunata (200% rech/Night Widow 192.5% rech)--thanks issue 19!
Yeah, that's what I mean, there would be a set for each of the main types of damage, Energy, Fire, Ice, Rad, and so on. All they'd have to do is make sure they're all the same (excepting special effects).
That is, the first power would be Power Bolts/Flares/Ice Bolts/Whatever, and each would do that 30 damage, plus the side effect of the power type (ie. Energy does knockback, Fire does a small DOT, Ice a minor slow effect, etc). If they're all the same, it wouldn't matter what you picked, except for concept reasons (AceMace could actually get to call some lightning in the game!).
Of course, I wouldn't expect this to be a trivial task, but at least most of the animation and art is already in the game.
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I didn't suggest which powers might be best replaced, as I took that to merely be bait for the straw man, that is, I figured you were just trying to get me to say something you could easily shoot down. Considering the history of these boards, that kind of defensive thinking is becoming second nature. I'm glad to see you were actually in earnest.
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I was in earnest, but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't have shot it down. 
Basically, what I was trying to get you to do was look at the other sets aside from Energy Melee, and really look at what powers you think could be replaced with ranged attacks. It's not as easy as it looks. Dark Melee, for instance, really doesn't have any powers that are that bad in it. And changing any of them out for a ranged attack like Dark Blast would definitely throw lots of wrenches into the works for Dark Melee users.
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this assumes the set was balanced to begin with
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Taking this first. If they sets are not balanced the way they are currently set up, you need to show that. If sets with ranged attacks are currently outperforming the other sets because of the ranged attacks, then the other sets getting ranged attacks has some validity to it. If this is not the case, the purposefully screwing with balance to add something that isn't needed (because the sets are balanced now) is a lot less than a valid opinion.
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If Bone Smasher was replaced, the challenge would be to replace it with a ranged attack that was as effective as the power it's replacing (this assumes the set was balanced to begin with). The effect of the stun, for example, might be deemed more useful than knockback, so the liklihood of knockback might be increased to compensate for the difference. It's just a matter of adjusting things in the new power. It doesn't require adjustments throughout.
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Maybe not. But here's the thing: if you're adding a power that needs a lot of work in mechanical changes to make it balanced, where there was a balanced power before, aren't you just adding one headache onto another? If the sets are balanced now, then replacing powers with another means that you can just adjust that power and can probably eventually work it out. However, just because you can eventually balance it out is still not a reason to do it in the first place.
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I agree, some sets are easier to do this for than others. However, these sets were recently given ranged attacks in the MA. Granted, they're not great in many cases, but they are something to start with, at least. As you say, the weapon sets are the hardest to come up with something for. In my opinion, it just requires a little imagination.
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Giving these attacks to MA critters does not even begin to touch on the effects that player character balance would need to discuss. MA critters can be more powerful than each other, and it's fine. But AT balance does need to be considered when giving similar powers to players.
[ QUOTE ]
Also, I would agree that ALL melee sets should have at least the one ranged attack, regardless of the AT (well, Blaster secondaries likely don't need them...).
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Why should only melee sets get this kind of treatment? Why shouldn't ranged characters also get melee options? Why shouldn't characters with both melee and ranged powers get some debuffs? Should Blasters be given more armors earlier, despite that they can get some later, meaning that later in their careers they can become real tank-mages?
If so, why? If not, why are melee ATs special in this case?
And still, without showing that sets without ranged attacks are somehow imbalanced with the sets that have them, I find this whole argument rather moot.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
Ranged ATs do have access to melee attacks. Blasters have their whole secondary. Dominators have melee in the Assault sets, and everyone else has access to things like Air Superiority, Boxing and so on.
I realize it would be a daunting task to replace powers in some sets. Even looking at Energy Melee, it was hard to decide what would be replaced.
I was covering myself with the comment about the sets being balanced in the first place. Just noting a premise we were all assuming.
That a power can be balanced is not the reason to add it. The reason to add it is to fill a hole in the power sets. I've often been left running away redside, because my melee character can't reach that Bombardier. It's the same reason they gave ranged attacks to all NPCs - to keep them from being helpless in some common circumstances (and from my personal perspective, to allow better realization of certain character concepts).
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That just sounds like bad coding (or lack of forethought) which could very well be (happens often in MMOs). From a coding standpoint, there should be no difference from "power" to "costume" customization *except* with regards to differences in animations (as we discussed) as that is the only real difference (standing graphic (or meshed graphic in the case of a costume piece) versus an animated one).
Having said that, I bet it would be easier then BAB (who is fairly new to the team?) thinks if some thought were really put into it.
[/ QUOTE ]
Please, please, read his post on it. He points out specifically why it's harder than you might think.
Yes, it was 'bad' coding. They didn't think that the players would want it, and so set up the power codes to not need anything like it. They then made each power based on this code. It was an oversight more than bad coding. They were a small team even then, and they were trying to get a game out quickly. They made a business choice, that came back to bite them a bit (the game still works without power customization, but people still really want it).
To re-do this decision, you'd need to re-do every animation in the game six times over, then add extra code on top of that.
Why six times? Here's why:
1) Male standing
2) Male flying
3) Huge standing
4) Huge flying
5) Female standing
6) Female flying
9 powers across about 70 sets. Even if we knocked that down to 7 powers across 70 sets to account for duplicate animations like Taunt that could be more easily reused, that would still be about 2,940 animations that you'd need to do. And that's not even counting unique powers in the Ancillary pools or temp powers, or pool powers (would add another 200 or so animations to do).
It is NOT impossible. It's just time consuming to re-do all that work. So far, the Dev decision has been that it's not worth it. Time spent on this would take time away from new powersets and new animations.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
It always amazed me that they wouldn't think players wanted it. I mean, they knew we would want to customize the appearance of our characters, and gave us the most amazing character design system extant, then dropped the ball with customizing the powers themselves...
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Ranged ATs do have access to melee attacks. Blasters have their whole secondary. Dominators have melee in the Assault sets, and everyone else has access to things like Air Superiority, Boxing and so on.
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Okay, if that's the case, then wouldn't the optimal solution be to add ranged power pools, not replacing powers in current sets? I mean, if the other ATs can get what they want from power pools to make the characters they want (including an Energy/Energy Blaster taking Tough and other power pools to become more like Iron Man), then why should the Melee ATs be burdened with needing to make sacrifices to get theirs?
That still doesn't cover things like Debuffs and Controls for those who don't get them.
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The reason to add it is to fill a hole in the power sets.
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Just to say this again: the ancillary pools were designed SPECIFICALLY to do just that. What you're saying is that they come too late. However, those holes exist in the early game to make the ATs different. The powers in the ATs' sets are designed to perform the ATs main goal. You can generally supplement these with power pools over the course of a career. If you can't, then the Ancillary Pools shore up the holes remaining.
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I've often been left running away redside, because my melee character can't reach that Bombardier. It's the same reason they gave ranged attacks to all NPCs - to keep them from being helpless in some common circumstances (and from my personal perspective, to allow better realization of certain character concepts).
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The enemies don't have travel powers. The enemies don't have great AI that let them make the choices that players do. The enemies don't have nearly as many powers as an equivalent level player does. THAT is the reason that all mobs were given ranged attacks. Otherwise, there would be no need for Tankers or Scrappers at all. A Blaster would be the most survivable character out there, capable of decimating foes with no return fire.
You, on the other hand, have the ability to find pathways that the Mobs can't. You have the ability to choose powers that let a pathway not even be needed.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
Ding!
Most people aren't against this stuff in theory (well, in wishful thinking), but are explaining why it simply is too much of a burden for the devs to do now, with the engine that they have to work with. It's sad but true.
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It always amazed me that they wouldn't think players wanted it. I mean, they knew we would want to customize the appearance of our characters, and gave us the most amazing character design system extant, then dropped the ball with customizing the powers themselves...
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I agree with you on that. It probably wasn't the best long-term decision that they could make. However, it's the one that they did make. I'm not trying to say it was the right one by a long shot, just that it was the one that was made.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
[ QUOTE ]
It always amazed me that they wouldn't think players wanted it. I mean, they knew we would want to customize the appearance of our characters, and gave us the most amazing character design system extant, then dropped the ball with customizing the powers themselves...
[/ QUOTE ]
While it's definitely a shame they did, and I agree they dropped the ball, well, remember that post of mine you so heartily agreed with. It really shouldn't be surprising when taking the history of this game's development. Disappointing, yes, but there's not very much that even the devs can do now except change values, animations (animations and powers are quite different things) and add new systems. The old stuff, in many ways, is practically set in stone.
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It always amazed me that they wouldn't think players wanted it. I mean, they knew we would want to customize the appearance of our characters, and gave us the most amazing character design system extant, then dropped the ball with customizing the powers themselves...
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I agree with you on that. It probably wasn't the best long-term decision that they could make. However, it's the one that they did make. I'm not trying to say it was the right one by a long shot, just that it was the one that was made.
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Keep in mind back in the day most mmos didn't have nearly the customization that COH was putting forth for the market.
I'm sure if you said to some developers of mmos back then "why not allow every single player to be able to have a unique look to their avatar?" they would have looked at you as if you had two heads.
Developing an mmo in 2009 vs 2001 are VERY different eras.
Blazara Aura LVL 50 Fire/Psi Dom (with 125% recharge)
Flameboxer Aura LVL 50 SS/Fire Brute
Ice 'Em Aura LVL 50 Ice Tank
Darq Widow Fortune LVL 50 Fortunata (200% rech/Night Widow 192.5% rech)--thanks issue 19!
[ QUOTE ]
I see it more like this: you want to play soccer. You want to be the goaltender. You get told that you need to wait 2 to 3 years to play goalkeeper. You get told to be a forward. You petition to allow forwards to use their hands.
[/ QUOTE ]
Using the soccer analogy: I take it more to mean he wants to play soccer and wants to play forward. But seeing what the goal keepers can do with their hands, he now is petitioning for forwards to use theirs so they can be more like the goal keepers.
(edited for typos)
Throwing darts at the board to see if something sticks.....
Come show your resolve and fight my brute!
Tanks: Gauntlet, the streak breaker and you!
Quote:
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Originally Posted by PapaSlade
Rangle's right....this is fun.
|
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I agree, some sets are easier to do this for than others. However, these sets were recently given ranged attacks in the MA. Granted, they're not great in many cases, but they are something to start with, at least. As you say, the weapon sets are the hardest to come up with something for. In my opinion, it just requires a little imagination.
[/ QUOTE ]
This is a horrible example to use. Some of the ranged attacks actual make some of those critters ridiculous. I would not be looking at custom critters for examples of balance.
And yes BALANCE trumps imagination. Sorry.
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Agreed, you can't base things on critters in MA. They need to give them range attacks to counter the games AI. When hover makes the enemy completely inept something is wrong.
As far as adding range attacks, I would rather they add them to the travel pools. It would be possible to add another first tier power, like they did for epic pools. Flight could have mini-gust that sends out a mini tornado that works like lift. Speed could have kinetic push, where you build kinetic energy with your hand and send it out, which would work like energy blast. Jumping, I am not sure maybe something more natural like pulling a pistol, and TP I think should be added to tp foe, where you bring them to you and punch them as they appear.
Dirges
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It always amazed me that they wouldn't think players wanted it. I mean, they knew we would want to customize the appearance of our characters, and gave us the most amazing character design system extant, then dropped the ball with customizing the powers themselves...
[/ QUOTE ]
While it's definitely a shame they did, and I agree they dropped the ball, well, remember that post of mine you so heartily agreed with. It really shouldn't be surprising when taking the history of this game's development. Disappointing, yes, but there's not very much that even the devs can do now except change values, animations (animations and powers are quite different things) and add new systems. The old stuff, in many ways, is practically set in stone.
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With BAB's developer diary that just got put out, I have a strong feeling that we are going to be getting a lot more customization. It's hinted at in the diary, and maybe I'm counting my eggs before they're hatched, but I'm not sure what other type of customization they could be hinting at with Going Rogue than power customization (since we can already change weapons, costumes, costume emotes with I15/Magic Booster, change powers, etc.).
This ranged discussion just doesn't make sense to me. Giving Tanks ranged powers earlier muddies the character of different ATs and seriously creates the possibility of a Tankmage. Even if it's all balanced and ranged players don't get peeved about it, I fail to see why a ranged attack earlier would be that great. It's nice to get it from the epics if you have room, but I rarely am wishing I could do some ranged damage with my melee characters.
This turn to the thread doesn't really make sense. It's a whole lot of talk about an idea that really wouldn't make sense to do to a lot of people, and I don't see the devs going after it. People would rather have more sets, more sets shared between the ATs, etc., than a major change to existing sets, which is what this idea requires.
Guide: Tanking, Wall of Fire Style (Updated for I19!), and the Four Rules of Tanking
Story Arc: Belated Justice, #88003
Synopsis: Explore the fine line between justice and vengeance as you help a hero of Talos Island bring his friend's murderer to justice.
Grey Pilgrim: Fire/Fire Tanker (50), Victory
[ QUOTE ]
Please, please, read his post on it. He points out specifically why it's harder than you might think.
Yes, it was 'bad' coding. They didn't think that the players would want it, and so set up the power codes to not need anything like it. They then made each power based on this code. It was an oversight more than bad coding. They were a small team even then, and they were trying to get a game out quickly. They made a business choice, that came back to bite them a bit (the game still works without power customization, but people still really want it).
To re-do this decision, you'd need to re-do every animation in the game six times over, then add extra code on top of that.
Why six times? Here's why:
1) Male standing
2) Male flying
3) Huge standing
4) Huge flying
5) Female standing
6) Female flying
9 powers across about 70 sets. Even if we knocked that down to 7 powers across 70 sets to account for duplicate animations like Taunt that could be more easily reused, that would still be about 2,940 animations that you'd need to do. And that's not even counting unique powers in the Ancillary pools or temp powers, or pool powers (would add another 200 or so animations to do).
It is NOT impossible. It's just time consuming to re-do all that work. So far, the Dev decision has been that it's not worth it. Time spent on this would take time away from new powersets and new animations.
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This is kind of what I said (without going into specifics). And my apologies, I suffer from programmers syndrome ... "bad coding" virtually always means bad planning.
I understand it would be time consuming which is why I said it probably would never get done.
I'll assume the rest was meant for someone else as we weren't talking about broad based power customization originally.
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It always amazed me that they wouldn't think players wanted it. I mean, they knew we would want to customize the appearance of our characters, and gave us the most amazing character design system extant, then dropped the ball with customizing the powers themselves...
[/ QUOTE ]
While it's definitely a shame they did, and I agree they dropped the ball, well, remember that post of mine you so heartily agreed with. It really shouldn't be surprising when taking the history of this game's development. Disappointing, yes, but there's not very much that even the devs can do now except change values, animations (animations and powers are quite different things) and add new systems. The old stuff, in many ways, is practically set in stone.
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I think that the "set in stone" thing may be a result of going from one extreme to the other. When the game was first in development Cryptic had a much more free form style of character generation and power selection in mind. That proved to be too unwieldy so they went in the opposite direction, perhaps the concept of power customization got lost in the shuffle. This is, of course, pure speculation and I hope to see an announcement in the near future that NCSoft/Paragon Studios is working on CoH 2. With a sequel they can start from scratch as it were; new engine, more customization, a seamless world, etc...
With Champions Online and DCUO lining up to join the ranks and Marvel still trying to tap the MMO market I would think that we are already on the rails to a sequel.
"I am a Tank. I am your first choice, I am your last hope." -- Rune Bull
"Durability is the quintessential super-power. " -- Sailboat
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Please, please, read his post on it. He points out specifically why it's harder than you might think.
Yes, it was 'bad' coding. They didn't think that the players would want it, and so set up the power codes to not need anything like it. They then made each power based on this code. It was an oversight more than bad coding. They were a small team even then, and they were trying to get a game out quickly. They made a business choice, that came back to bite them a bit (the game still works without power customization, but people still really want it).
To re-do this decision, you'd need to re-do every animation in the game six times over, then add extra code on top of that.
Why six times? Here's why:
1) Male standing
2) Male flying
3) Huge standing
4) Huge flying
5) Female standing
6) Female flying
9 powers across about 70 sets. Even if we knocked that down to 7 powers across 70 sets to account for duplicate animations like Taunt that could be more easily reused, that would still be about 2,940 animations that you'd need to do. And that's not even counting unique powers in the Ancillary pools or temp powers, or pool powers (would add another 200 or so animations to do).
It is NOT impossible. It's just time consuming to re-do all that work. So far, the Dev decision has been that it's not worth it. Time spent on this would take time away from new powersets and new animations.
[/ QUOTE ]
This is kind of what I said (without going into specifics). And my apologies, I suffer from programmers syndrome ... "bad coding" virtually always means bad planning.
I understand it would be time consuming which is why I said it probably would never get done.
I'll assume the rest was meant for someone else as we weren't talking about broad based power customization originally.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, the rest was to kind of put to bed the issue that full customization was easy. I wanted to make it clear to others just what we were talking about.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
You know what I miss? I miss that gauntlet bug that caused (some) attacks have "splash damage" if some of the foes were standing to close together. Or maybe it was just the simple joy of K.O. Blowing a tight little group into the air.
Yeah, I miss that. 
"L'on'das: "Query: madness? Current location: SPARTA!!!!!!""
-gnosis05
I've often thought that should have been the Tanker's thing. Tanker=aoe melee, Scrappers=single targets.
I mean, think about the comics, you usually see Superman or Wonder Man or the Thing smacking dozens of foes around with each punch. Add to that the mmo idea of having the Tanker crowd controlling, and it seems logical.
Since neither Superman nor Wonder Man nor The Thing are tanks, I'm not so sure that your argument provides the idea any more weight.
[ QUOTE ]
I agree, some sets are easier to do this for than others. However, these sets were recently given ranged attacks in the MA. Granted, they're not great in many cases, but they are something to start with, at least. As you say, the weapon sets are the hardest to come up with something for. In my opinion, it just requires a little imagination.
[/ QUOTE ]
This is a horrible example to use. Some of the ranged attacks actual make some of those critters ridiculous. I would not be looking at custom critters for examples of balance.
And yes BALANCE trumps imagination. Sorry.
Blazara Aura LVL 50 Fire/Psi Dom (with 125% recharge)
Flameboxer Aura LVL 50 SS/Fire Brute
Ice 'Em Aura LVL 50 Ice Tank
Darq Widow Fortune LVL 50 Fortunata (200% rech/Night Widow 192.5% rech)--thanks issue 19!