/Martial Arts for Blasters

Like Windows for Workgroups, but with more kicks to the face.

For introduction in Going Rogue, this set focuses on knockdown, knock back and self improvement through the focusing of chi. There are Bright, Dark and Minimal/No FX options available.

1: Palm Strike (Low Smashing Melee Damage, Knockback.)
A distance gaining move, the character would Thrust out with a palm, knocking the targeted foe back some distance. Useful when mezzed like Power Thrust for getting enemies out of melee range. (Options for the animation could include Cobra Strike, or something akin to the Power Push animation)

2: Storm Kick (Moderate Smashing Melee Damage)
The moderate damage and recharge kick from Martial Arts we all know and love. Say it with flowers. When flowers don't work, say it with a kick to the chops. The move of choice for Chuck Norris.

3: Focus Chi (Self +Damage and +ToHit)
As it says on the tin, focusing your energy to aim better, blast harder and beat up inoffending cars for bonus points.

4: Dragon's Tail (Moderate Smashing PBAOE Damage, Knockdown/back)
Knock them down to set them up with a PBAOE blast or AoE blast, or even just to get the hell out of dodge. This ground sweeping kick will trip all but the spriest foes up. Unless they happen not to have legs or be built like a brick outhouse.

5: Goad (Single Target -To Hit, -Defence, -Resistance, +Damage Taunt)
Calling your opponent out in battle can do a lot to your opponents ego, especially if your warrior's words include a 'yo momma' reference. Enraged and reckless, their attacks will go wide and leave themselves open. But when they hit you'll feel the pain, and they may ignore other opponents for the delight of breaking your teeth. Comes in a mix of taunt, bring it, cut you and come get some animations.

6: Crane Kick (High Smashing Damage Single Target Melee Attack, Knockback)
For when a palm strike doesn't convey your derision or disgust for an opponent, a kick from the hip will hurt and send them flying back, prime for ranged retribution.

7: Trained Body (Self Auto +Spd, +Jump, +Recharge, +Minor Defence (All))
Hours in the gym, dojo, streets and waxing, both on and off, have left you with an improved physique. You can run faster, jump higher, strike quicker and roll and dodge with some blows. It also gives you a warm glow when you look in the mirror. Check out those guns.

8: Eagle's Claw (Superior Smashing Damage Single Target Melee Attack, Knockdown)
The ultimate in kicking to the face technology, or punching if that's your bag. Comics will star your signature move and children will send themselves to ER attempting to replicate it on the neighbour's kid in their back garden.

9: Battle Meditation (Self Click Duration +ToHit, +Speed, +Jump, +Recharge, +Recovery, followed by self -ToHit, -Damage, -recovery, -speed, -jump)
When the chips are down, summoning up your chi, willpower, moxie or just your drive to inflict as much damage on someone as possible can really get you out of a tight spot. In your moment of madness or martial prowess you can leap tall prefab homes in a single bound, outrun a horse, attack faster than a guest on Jerry Springer and have the energy of a team of ravers. Once the moment passes though, you'll be as feeble as a kitten for a bit. Possibly not as cute.

I really want to say no but at first glance it looks like energy manipulation without the energy...I don't care sure why not.

I'll take this and a Combat Knife secondary please!

Call it...SELF DEFENSE.

Ooh, that's a good one, Vitality!

And I'll sign this suggestion every time it comes up.

The noble art of keeping baddies away from me while I blast them. Without me using weird powers.

/signed

Not a bad idea. Why are you giving this set a Taunt (Goad) though?

I think putting Taunt on a blaster is a good way to end up dead.

You want Gun-Fu.

So, I'm getting that Goad isn't that popular a choice. What about if the taunt was taken out and it was turned into more something like Surveilance? 'Assess Opponent' or some such?

As a note, the +Damage part was considered around the target being the one that gained the buff. Hence being less accurate and leaving themselves open, but having them hit harder when they do land a blow.

Exploding Shuriken in a secondary I don't think would go, and I personally loathe the non-body based powers being in an MA concept set.

Being a Blaster addict, I have constantly hated not having a melee set that doesn't rely on using Elements or gadgets to hit the enemy. The best I can do is use Energy Manipulation and turn the effects right down.

So hell yes, a natural set that allows me to smack foes in the face when they get close. I definitely approve. As an added bonus (but an animation nightmare) have the weapon stay out so you can pistol whip them or smack them in the face with the rifle butt.

/signed

I guess my biggest problem with this particular set and suggestions is that it misses the point of the existing blaster secondaries.

Ignoring Devices for a minute the other sets are largely based around increasing amounts of mitigation to get players out of trouble.

At the low end of the manipulation scale are basic attacks, such as fire sword, ice sword, charged brawl, and so on.

Once you get above level 20, the damage generally stops.

Energy Manip, for example, gets it's 3 damage attacks by 10: Power Trust, Energy Punch, and Bone Smasher. At 38 you can pick up Total Focus which is a devastating attack. At 50 though, Total Focus has a base DPA of 60, while Energy Punch has a base DPA of 131, and Bone Smasher sits around base DPA 96.

The rest of the energy manip set is about self buffing, with build up, power boost, conserve power, and boost range, with additional close-range mitigation in Stun.

When you look at other sets like Fire, the pattern continues. Ring of Fire, Fire Sword, Combustion, and Fire Sword Circle are available by level 10. From there you get Hot Feet, which sends enemies running; burn, which sends enemies running even faster; consume; and strangely enough, blazing aura. Which at least now thankfully seems to have the taunt removed in the combat numbers.

On Psi you do get another damage power in the Tier 9 slot with Shockwave, but like Total Focus, the power is as valuable for it's stun mitigation as it is damage.

As you look over the manipulation sets, the design stands out. You get damage at low levels to defeat enemies, then as the levels go up, you get powers that are more about getting a blaster out of combat...

As I read through most of the lets port this set from scrappers / stalkers / tanks to blaster secondary... I think most people miss out on the basis design of the blaster secondaries. Even the high level devices powers are more about getting the blaster out of a melee situation and keeping them out of a melee situation. (Cloaking device, to hide from enemies; trip mine, for enemies to blow themselves up on; time bomb, same thing, place the bomb, get out of range, baboom; and Gun Drone, which fires on enemies separately of the player).

I'm not sure the developers are going to consider a new secondary for blasters that doesn't follow the pattern of using high level powers to avoid melee combat.

With the proposed powers of 5: Goad, 6: Crane Kick, 7: Trained Body, 8: Eagle's Claw, and 9: Battle Meditation, this proposal is never going to be seriously considered.

Now, if you moved one of the Stun's / Knockdowns to Tier 9 and added damage to it, like Total Focus, dropped the whole Trained Body Idea, moved focus chi later in the set, and borrowed some of the powders from Ninjitsu for a +stealth + enemy placate, this might be more acceptable to the design patterns of the Blaster secondaries.

Okay, how about:

1: Cobra Strike
2: Storm Kick
3: Crippling Axe Kick
4: Dragon's Tail
5: Focus Chi
6: A stealth type power
7: A power boost type power
8: No clue whatsoever here, any ideas?
9: Eagle's Claw

That more in theme with things?

Consequently I find that some of the powers you mention as being more in the vein of things for Blaster secondaries are some of the more boring ones there are. Hence why my personal wish suggestion didn't contain them. Best way to stay alive is to make the other one fall down first.