vanguard EAT

ok, so longbow HEAT didnt go down too well . taking some suggestions from that thread, here's my first draft of a Vanguard EAT , open to both heroes and villains.

The premise I am using is that vanguard take in heroes at level 35 because hteir own ranks are filled with , highly trianed and capable, soldiers that use devices and training instead of super powers.

Following the Arachnos setup I have gone for the process of initial AT for levels 1-23 and then unlocking new primary and secondary options at 24.

Initially there are 3 types of vanguard soldier who can unlock 2 each out of 4 higher ranks:
Sword - special ops
Helm - scout / info gathering
Gauntlet - front line fighters
Shield - defensive and support firepower

Vanguard:

Soldier : 1-23
Three paths:
Assault , heavy , field support


1-23 : choose one of the three above. At 24 can choose to enter a new career path and unlock a new primary and secondary powerset.

Assault:
Sword , gauntlet

Heavy:
Shield , Gauntlet

Field support:
Helm , sword


Assault
These are the frontline and most common type of vanguard soldier. They are versatile and skilled at both ranged and melee combat and enhance any unit they are assigned to:

Primary
Snapshot 1 single shot: dam minor lethal , foe - def
rifle butt 1 melee: moderate damage smashing, %foe disorient/ KD
burst 2 damage: moderate lethal , foe - def
aimed shot 6 single shot: dam high , % foe stun
grenade 8 AoE: dam high DoT , foe KB
covering fire 12 Cone: dam high DoT , Foe -spd, -def
Rifle Blade 12 melee: dam high lethal/smash
neural disruptor 18 AoE: Foe Hold, moderate DoT

Secondary:
Secondary
Body Armour 1 20% resist smashing/ lethal/ fire/ cold +resist: immob, KD/KB,
Hand to Hand tactics 2 self: auto +acc / +dam for melee attacks
Combat training: Assault 4 self auto: + acc / +dam ranged
Combat training: Defense 10 self auto: +def
Combat training: Leadership 16 toggle: PBAoE + hit, perception, + resist: sleep / hold/ immob / stun / fear / terror
Combat Training: Threat assessment 20 toggle: PBAoE + damage, + defense
Combat training: Team Dynamics 22 toggle: PBAoE + recovery , + movement ,
Reinforcements: summon battle drone 38 summons a battle drone.

Heavy Trooper:
Heavy trooper are the take and hold force of vanguard. Not designed for fast movement they provide covering fire and hard point defense points for the assault troops. Their weaponry delivers intense and constant firepower and their defensive abilities give their allies a safe location to fall back to and plan their next assault.

Heavy troopers naturally progress to the heavy mechanised assault units but can also opt to enter the frontline units of the Gauntlet

Heavy inherent: mental fortitude
Primary
Slug 1
Bludgeon 1
Supression Fire 2
Mortar 6
Heavy Supression Fire 8
Heavy Blade 12
Hard Rain 12
Barrage 18

Secondary
Heavy Body armour 1
Personal Defense field 2
Force Field Generator 4
Resistance Field Generator 10
Gun Turret 16
Disruption Field generator 20
Repulsion Mine 22
Smart Field 38





Field Support:
Field support are the healers and enhancers of any vanguard unit. Its all very well being able to damage the enemy but you have to survive long enough to get the opportunity first.

Inherent: Mental Fortitude
Primary
healing aura 1 pbAoE: ally heal, self heal, + moderate heal over time
Recall ally 1 teleport an ally close to you for attention
Heal other 2 target heal + mag (?) break free
Resurrect 6 resurrect an ally at 50% health and 20% end
Resistance aura 8 pbAoE: + defense all
neural Blocker 12 pbAoe: +res mental effects
Adrenaline Shot 12 targetted ally: + health, + end, + spd, +rech.
First aid station 18 AoE: aura heal/ mez resist

Secondary
light body armour 1 10% resist
stealth 2
Pistol Snapshot 4
Combat Knife 10
Invisibility 16
teleport 20
Aimed shot 22
Autodoc 38 respawn point for ally. 75% health, 50% end


I have tried to make the powersets slightly more powerful than existing powersets to reward the player for playing the EAT. A typical unit of 8 would consist of 1 Field Support, 2 heavies and 5 Assault. ideally they should work alongside existing hero / villain EATs and ATs and have the ability to fill more than one role on a team as requried.

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so. suggestions ? Am I going compeltely the wrong direction ? Are the powers too powerful, not thematic enough , not defining enough to fill the role described?

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Wrong direction, I think.

The most distinctive Vanguard units are thier sorcerers, with green lightning powers.

Followed by thier -resitance Talosian claws.

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I really should do something about this signature.

I was thinking of the sorcerors and I think maybe a fourth starting kit leading into them (having them as a seperate core to the swords etc).

I like the VEAT idea of unlocking new primaries depending on which path you want to go but I also like the idea of a training regime that a character follows giving them the feeling of moving up in ranks. I'm not 100% sure how to fit sorcerors (or supers) into that tbh. As I said, I thin kthe majority of vanguard are soldiers - normal human men and women - trained up to deal with the rikti threat to such an extent that they seem almost supernatural and supported by technology. Sorcerors sort of , just are. they are supernatural from the outset.

Perhaps an Acolyte starting group that branches into sorceror and assassain type upper echelon ?

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On the subject of Vanguard troops, their first costume slot could be like the VEAT's a uniform slot with the second costume slot after being issued sooner also like the VEAT's.

But at least with Vanguard you know you can craft additional uniform parts for your additional costume slots.

Also the first mission sequence would have to be going from a recruit to a full member of Vanguard. (Aka the level 35 'Member of Vanguard' missions.)

But being suitable for beginners (Level 1's and 2's.) and yes they would get the chance to gain Vanguard Merits from Rikti at this early stage due to the fact they are Vanguard (Personnel.) EAT's!

Heroes have the advantage of a Vanguard DPO in Atlas Park, but this could be overcome by having an innate 'Vanguard Base Teleport' power, whilst limiting them to having no exit to the RWZ compound until level 35.

Door/Portal exit's to Atlas, Galaxy and Mercy would be available via one of the Vanguard's base's 'Off limits to non personnel' doors.

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As for Vanguard sorcerers:
Heroes have blue/purple lightning.
Villains have red/white lightning.
Therefore green lightning would suit neutrals.

(Green lightning is probably similar to the 'Repair' blast from either a Robotics MM or one of their Protector Bots.)

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It needs green lightning... GIEF NAO!

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@Jay Leon Hart
Kerensky: this has nothing to do with underwear
Zwillinger: I put on my robe and wizard hat...
Synapse: I had to resist starting my last post off with "Yo dawg!"

I don't beleve this fits thematically. Vanguard is a group that fights specific evil (Rikti) rather than general evil (everything else), and they're not very villainous either.

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They're about as evil as they come

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@Jay Leon Hart
Kerensky: this has nothing to do with underwear
Zwillinger: I put on my robe and wizard hat...
Synapse: I had to resist starting my last post off with "Yo dawg!"

[ QUOTE ]
I don't beleve this fits thematically. Vanguard is a group that fights specific evil (Rikti) rather than general evil (everything else), and they're not very villainous either .

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah they are neutral thus being available to both sides. Peacebringers and Warshades seems to fit in other stuff besides killing nictus, yelling VOID!!! And running away.

Lots off stuff seems to involved with rikti. Freaks, Nemesis and Lost for an example.

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Might be nice to see as a rework of the APP idea rather than a full EAT system. Give four specialisations that you can unlock at 30, each then makes your character into a Vanguard Recruit for 5-10 levels, with powers based on your original AT rather than completely standalone. At 40 you get to do another mission chain the either lets you leave the vanguard as unsuitable (hero) get kicked out as ne'er do well (villain) or given a new vanguard rank. From then on you get specific vanguard missions, arcs opening at 40, 45 and 50. Bonus fighting Rikti (probably similar to the Accolade) and a new set of vanguard costume parts.

The above (OP) specialisations would need the magic using sorcerer type added but would be what you end up as rather than start out as.

IMO Anyway.

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I'd love to be able to see Vanguard as playable AT's, I think maybe stick to Sorcerer and Soldier rather than go along the lines of the Vanguard Shield, Gauntlet etc

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Vanguard EAT VEAT style:
From Recruit at level 24 to:
Soldier <- Recruit -> Sorcerer

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