Natural Origin Powerset: Whip Control

Hi everyone,

I'm a fairly new player, only been playing for two months and this is my first post on the forums. However, whenever I get into an MMO I tend to do massive reading since previous experiences in other games have shown how easily you can nerf yourself if you don't plan your character in advance.

I've been loving the whole origin->archetype->powersets gig and all the combinations you can make. However, at the moment it's pretty difficult to justify a Natural origin Controller!

This is the European forum and I haven't been allowed to log in to the American one, so I guess my chances of being read by the devs are slim. Regardless, I wanted to present the troller version of Archery and Willpower: Whip Control!

Quoting Wikipedia:

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Because of popularity of whips in film and television, people often want to learn to use the whip as a weapon, though in reality this is seldom practical. Whips when applied against a human adversary are of limited effectiveness, and are primarily psychological. The potential for the infliction of pain and the loud crack produced by long single-tailed whips popularly seen in cinema can scare less resolute opponents into fleeing. However, their ability to defeat an adversary usually stops there.

Short, stiff whips, including crops, are capable of inflicting welts or painful stings, but typically no disabling injuries. Long, single-tailed whips can inflict deep cuts and can wrap around limbs or the neck, but this is extremely difficult even with training and not practical in most environments where there is not adequate space to throw the whip.

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So we have the perfect weapon for controlling instead of dealing damage. Of course, there's going to be some damaging powers in the set, seeing how these are superheroes and are graced by the Rule of Cool. The schtick of the set is going to be a short to medium range control powerset, based around fast activating powers that cause fear and confusion in the foes and diminish recharge as the enemy recovers from the surprise whipping.

On to the powers:

Level 1: Trip - You flick your whip at the foe's feet, making him trip and fall over, taking moderate smashing damage and having difficulties standing up. (Medium Ranged, Knockdown, Moderate Smash Dam, -Recharge)

Level 1: Disarm - You can use your whip to knock your foe's weapon out of his hands, leaving him unable to act while he recovers from the shock. (Medium Ranged, Hold, -Recharge, Moderate Lethal Dam)

Level 2: Flog - A series of well placed and painful flicks allow you to force a foe to fight for you. The reduced range makes it difficult to remain unseen while doing this, but it's compensated by the increased damage from the frenzied foe. (Medium Ranged, Foe Confuse, Foe +Dmg)

Level 6: Whiplash - You lash out in full force with your whip, dealing damage to all enemies within a narrow cone with a chance to knock them down or make them loose their concentration. (Cone, High Lethal Damage, Knockdown, -Recharge)

Level 8: Crack Whip - You crack your whip on the floor, the ensuing sonic boom will instill fear into the hearts of your foes. (Medium Ranged, Targetted AoE Fear)

Level 12: Flagellation - In order to stand your ground in melee, you go into a defensive stance, swinging your whip in a circular weave around you that is sure to keep enemies at bay. (Toggle, PBAoE Minor Lethal Damage, Konckdon, -Recharge)

Level 18: Disarming Sweep - You swing your whip around your head in a broad radius, disarming every enemy you hit as they duck for cover. (PBAoE Hold, -Recharge, Moderate Lethal Dam)

Level 26: Cat O' Nine Tails - You go into a whipping frenzy, creating the illusion that your whip is in nine places at once while you hit your foes and pound the ground with loud cracks, leaving them afraid and disoriented. (Cone, Moderate Lethal Damage, AoE Fear, AoE Disorient)

Level 32: Tamed Beast - Your experience taming the wild allow you to summon an animal companion (wolf/tiger/bear) you have trained to aid you in combat. The pet doesn't have notable resistances against the elements, but it has learned to see you as its only master and is thus highly resistant against control effects. (Summon Tamed Beat: Melee Heavy Damage Smashing/Lethal)



As to the graphic depictions, well that's up to the devs, but the Indiana Jones bullwhip, a chain whip, a thorn whip and an energy whip are mandatory.

I'd be very grateful for any input or criticism you have.

Cheers!

This should probably be in the Suggestions.

Also..I wouldn't be surprised if a Whips powerset is coming soon™.

Anyways...welcome to the forum

Oh, um, what do I do now, repost over there?

Repost, or click report to moderator and let GR move it.

It has been suggested before, but I wouldn't be as optomistic as Archy about seeing it any time soon. The animations would be very tricky to do within the game engine.

There is a gap for a "Natural" control set.

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Repost, or click report to moderator and let GR move it.

It has been suggested before, but I wouldn't be as optomistic as Archy about seeing it any time soon. The animations would be very tricky to do within the game engine.

There is a gap for a "Natural" control set.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have a feeling...

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Repost, or click report to moderator and let GR move it.

It has been suggested before, but I wouldn't be as optomistic as Archy about seeing it any time soon. The animations would be very tricky to do within the game engine.

There is a gap for a "Natural" control set.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have a feeling...

[/ QUOTE ]

You can get a cream for that

If they implant Whips i doubt it will be a controller set tho. Even controllers are dying for a new set, Whips sounds more like a end light, fast, low damage and ranged scrapper set.

For a natural controller set i guess it will be some sort of extended version of Devices blaster secondary.

[ QUOTE ]
If they implant Whips i doubt it will be a controller set tho. Even controllers are dying for a new set, Whips sounds more like a end light, fast, low damage and ranged scrapper set.

For a natural controller set i guess it will be some sort of extended version of Devices blaster secondary.

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So Traps then?

Would that not be Tech origin though?

So far this is the only way Controllers can get something adeptable to Natural origin, IMO. Unless they put in Politics which is all natural and more effective over people.

I don't know. I added the Wikipedia quote specifically to make a case about why whips are impractical weapons and mostly effective for herding animals. My party has tried them in LARP combat and it basically ammounts to a cool weapon that's impossible to attack with but great for making loud noises.

A ranged scrapper powersets kind of defeats the AT's point of being melee powerhouses. That sounds more like "Whip Blast" and with all the control potential you have from weilding a whip, that sounds like a shame.

Sure, a Trap Control set would be possible, especially when there's already a bunch of VEAT tech immobs and holds. I just don't see it being that much different from the Traps Corruptor secondary, which Controllers will get sooner or later as a secondary power.

Yeah i am agree with your point but players mostly expect Whips to be a attack set, as whip has fairly short range it can't make a blaster set. Low range scrapper set seems more in tune with idea of attack set as it is originally a melee weapon.

If we think about mediatic whip-lashers, they all use their whips to attack (Whiplash, Catwoman and Indiana Jones). Even this has nothing to do with reality of the weapon, in a comic related game people expect that.

I hope i made my point about it a bit clearer.

COuldn't they do both? A Whip Control powerset and a Whip Assault powerset for Dominators, where the whip truly is used as a means of attacking? I feel the whip is so tied to the sheer concept of Dominators that they can't just give it to Stalkers and Scrappers!

Yeah they could to that. If they only put it for controllers than you can see upcoming moaning from the player base.

Actually Whips = Dominators is very fitting idea. Hmmm also Proeatan counterpart of Miss Liberty is using a whip, Ms is a scrapper but have no idea about other one.

Dominatrix is a Gravity Dominator. Fought her the other day and it was ironic to see my own controller powers used against me. She doesn't use the whip to attack, though.

She will, just as soon as the devs get round to making the animations...

I actually like this idea. I'd make one (Michelle Pfieffer Cat Woman Rip offs anyone). And its true that controllers have faired quite badly recently when the new powers have been coming out.

I cant get my head round whips for scrappers - as Monkeyspirit says it kind of defeats the point of Scrappers being Melee.

Whip based Dominators would be great - surely the Dominator was MADE to wield a whip