Force Field changes

I always loved the general idea and look of the Force Field set but always felt the execution was lacking, with the absense of any real debuffs sorely hindering it compared to most of its peers - the Cold Domination set appears to be a much improved design for a defence-based set except without the natty force fieldy graphics.

So a few ideas for some tweaks:
Force Bolt gains 10 second 10-20% defence debuff - it has a high inherent accuracy making it handy for hitting high-defence critters like Rikti Drones, with the debuff to make subsequent attacks easier to land.

Detention Field grants the target a 15 foot 20% resistance debuff against his allies (insert spiel about resonance fields or some such reducing resistance of foes in the vicinity) - because of the only-affect-self thing it would probably need to be implemented as a pseudo-pet or something, but it gives the set some means of increasing damage output whilst also making one of the less popular powers more desirable.

Repulsion Field becomes a 25 foot 62.5% movement and recharge debuff - lets face it, these knock back powers have never been terribly popular, and having it in the same set as Force Bubble, which helps stop critters getting into melee in the first place, just made it even less useful. I had a few ideas for outright replacing the power but that's generally not a done thing so instead, in keeping with the general theme of keeping enemies away from you, having it slow the movement of anyone near you isn't too far removed and adding a recharge debuff as well is an added bonus. It also doesn't become redundant with Force Bubble running as foes pushing against the repel in Force Bubble are further slowed by Repulsion Field giving the repel more time to do its thing. Because of this Force Bubble may need a smaller radius however, which may actually be a good thing as the 50' made it easy to accidentally aggro another group.

So there you have it. Adios amigos.

My thoughts:

Force Bolt: No issue with the proposed change.

Detention Field: Even with the change proposed, It'll still be a skipped power. You'll find yourself in one of two situations most of the time:

The power is still offensively useless against single targets (such as Archvillains) because any amount of -resist it actually applies to the AV is negated by the fact that now you can't deal damage to it, allowing it to regenerate it's hitpoint unhindered for the next 30seconds).

Against groups you get into a situation where you're speeding up defeating all the mobs but one, then forced to wait longer to kill that last guy than it would have taken to defeat ALLL of them if you HADN'T used the power.

Repulsion Field: Unfortunately the change you proposed breaks the "Cottage Rule" so regardless of if I liked it or not it will not happen.

I agree with the fact that the Force Field set is lacking in some ways that other powers in its class have. I have said for years now that the Force Field set needs a revamp, but of course it get shot down. For the most part its a great set. I love to the look and feel of the set, but I think bubble either need an endurance reduction across the board, a defense increase across the board, and/or to hit debuffs at least added to dispersion and/or force bubbles. Just a little something somethings is all I am asking for. All three would be great lol. I know they'll never change this set, but its nice to have a dream

I would like to point that to work around the rule... Just follow the link in my sig.
/plug

Now getting to a more serious note, one thought for forcebolt might be basically making it a slottable nemesis staff bolt. I mean why not? So what if a defender, controller, or MM now has a slottable high damage attack with a 100 ft range? None of the above classes are exactly designed to be damage dealers on their own. (Well, the MM's a slightly different case but still)
Though in the end, this is far from saying that the OP's idea is bad for it. I know it would still be nice.

Carni-fax seemed to have a good idea about Detention Field, though perhaps instead of knockback it's a delayed stun AoE. This could go doubly so is we assumed that Detention field bubble was air tight.
Maybe halving the duration like I think the OP said as well as the recharge and that works pretty well.

Now for repulsion field and force bubble, here's a thought: what if the actual field of knockback was much smaller, like Repel (about ten feet radius around the caster) but the outer areas (the other 15 feet of radius) had gave a slow and a -tohit debuff effect effect?

Now for a random thought about PPF, Umbral's right how it does seem weird to give a defender set something that almost seems more fitting for a tank armor, so...
What if while you activated PPF, you had a Debuff aura around yourself that would allow you continue to contribute to the team in the form of a PBAoE pseudo pet that's not effected by the "affecting only self".

Okay, it's nearly 4AM when I wrote this, so... probably not the best ideas. Feel free to disregard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow City of Heroes is a game about freedom of expression and variety of experiences far more so than it is about representing any one theme, topic or genre.

They should make Detention Field and powers of that ilk a high endurance cost toggle. Then I can see it being useful.

A pretty good idea that keeps the theme of the power. I would "sell" repulsion field and force bubble as one package. The repulsion field will have a large radius which can slow the mobs down, and the force bubble will have a smaller radius which represents an impenetrable core.[/QUOTE]


I do like that idea. Force Bubble, being the last power in its set should have kept its defense enhancement. I still think bubbles as to defelect damage as well as defense. Thats why I suggested maybe one of the larger bubbles to have to hit debuff, and really I played enough bubbler toons to know that adding a little to hit buff would not make them that over powered. Thats just my oppinion.

Something that a friend reminded me of as we talked about this thread:

I think a good first step before touching any powers is re-ordering the Controller and Defender version of Force Field using the Mastermind order. I personally have always hated having a completely wasted initial power pick for Controllers and, when combined with the idea of giving Force Bolt a defense debuff, would make Force Field a match a bit more with Sonic.

With regards to Detention Field/Sonic Cage (and then Black Hole/Dimension Shift) - Do the former powers count as phased? If so, then does a Player Character using Phase Shift or similar get to attack them?

It's something I've always wondered about but was afraid to ask.

If Detention/Sonic became phase powers then that might open up an interesting reason to take Phase Shift. By casting Detention Field, the Def/MM/Con has access to a specialised Hold.

Of course if it doesn't currently work like that then would changing the effect of Detention Field to a phase power be breaking the cottage rule?

I think adding a slow to Force Bubble is genius. It helps it maintain it's goal without changing the power's design.

I think Detention Field is a bit more victim to the game not having enough defense based missions.

I think Force Field would be the one set they break the cottage rule on.

Turn either Repulsion Field or Force Bubble into a -Regen/-Def Power. Whether it's an AOE or ST power, doesn't matter.

The only difference I findwith these powers is the range of the powers.

I also wouldn't mind Force Bubble if staying as it was, had a reduction to 25ft, to not aggro as many enemies, as keep to the size of Dipersion Bubble.

Excellent idea for Force Bolt.

I have no opinion on Detention Field. I avoid powers like that.

I like the idea for Repulsion Field too, especially the -recharge. Throw in whatever effect it is that makes enemies try to leave the area, even if you drastically cut the radius, and it would still have it's "repulsion" effect without having knockback. But then the set might be a little too powerful.

I agree with BrandX that Force Bubble is too big. It needs to be the same size as Dispersion Field. It's great in Cimmerora with a team of blasters but a terrible aggro magnet most of the time.

Then again, I only have the one mastermind for experience so take anything I say with a grain of sodium chloride.

Another concept for helping buff Force Bubble would be to allow it to accept KB IOs like Repulsion Field can.