New Blaster Secondary: Martial Manipulation

I would prefer some type of "Pistol Whip" secondary, this would reduce re-draw if the animations left your pistols equiped.

Another thing, a Streetfighting Secondary for Blaster would only work if it didn't cause the weapons to redraw.

I'd pay extra for something along these lines.
A a balster secondary martial set just akes sense for so many hero types, but especially for those toting rifles or guns.
Not every natural character is a gadgeteer, after all.

/sign

/signed

But admittedly how I would invision this would be:

1 - Jab, Melee, Minor DMG(Smash), Foe Disorient
2 - Crippling Axe Kick, Melee, Moderate DMG(Smash), Foe Immobilize, -SPD, -Fly
4 - Punch, Melee, Moderate DMG(Smash), Foe Knockdown
10 - Focus Chi, Self +DMG, +To-Hit
16 - Hand Clap, PBAoE, Foe Disorient, Knockback
20 - Cobra Strike, Melee, Minor DMG(Smash), Foe Disorient
28 - Bullet Time, PBAoE, Foe -Speed -Recharge, Self +Speed +Recharge -Interrupt Time
35 - Dragon's Tail, PBAoE, Moderate DMG(Smash), Foe Knockdown
38 - Knockout Blow, Melee, Extreme DMG(Smash), Foe Hold, Knockup

I like this idea because it seems like a nice mix between controls and natural melee types

/signed


I have felt this way since they rolled them out. Good Call.

If not this exactly, something along the same lines.

I sent Castle a PM with an idea like this some time ago, it took some similar ideas. In retrospect changing the Tier 1 into a kick version of Power Thrust might be a better idea.

The biggest reason why this is so Kick heavy is to prevent issues with Weapon redraw. I know that isn't quite the issue it used to be, but I find the whole "Holster, Punch, Draw" concept a little jarring.

Martial Art Manipulation - Blaster secondary
All damage is smashing unless stated otherwise

Tier 1 - Cobra Strike
Animation - Kick-style attack
Effect - Mag 3 stun
Alternative: Crippling Axe Kick rebalanced as a Tier 1 blaster seconday (Similar numbers to power thrust, but 100% smashing and a mag 3 immoblie)

Tier 2 - Storm Kick
Per Martial Arts

Tier 3 - Focus Chi
Per Martial Arts

Tier 4 - Crane Kick
Per Martial Arts

Tier 5 - Second Wind
Similar to Energize from Electric Armor without the heal
Click, +75% EndRdx +75% Regen

Tier 6 - Roundhouse Kick
PBAoE 130 degree cone kick attack

Tier 7 - Dragon's Tail
360 degree PBAoE kick attack Per Martial Arts

Tier 8 - Nerve Strike
Single target Hold - uses a light punch animation (Hard to justify this as a kick)
Alternative idea: Regen/Recovery DEBUFF

Tier 9 - Lightning Kicks
Damage 50% smash/energy
PBAoE 30 degree melee Cone attack
Damage is dealt as a rapid series of Kicks (think Chun-Li from Street fighter)

Find a way to fit:

Bullet Time, PBAoE, Foe -Speed -Recharge, Self +Speed +Recharge -Interrupt Time

and i'll be happy but no need to force a redraw in the case of pistols just allow for it as a possibility in the animations that involve punches. With MA now you can alternate some of the animations into punches anyway. So to avoid redraw the user would have to avoid these alternate animations. Build em in or we deal with the redraw. In the comics and film there are many types that shoot a man 1 second and hit the guy behind em. If we are going to imagine a martial set lets allow for a few cowboys, cops etc that aren't going to have the time to perfect their round house kicks before going out on the trail.

I guess they could build a Martial Set that could animate as either a punch or a kick decided at costume screen. Build into the punches animations that wouldn't force a redraw of Bows, Rifles or Dual Pistols. This would make me very happy but I imagine there efforts currently are focused on the items they have on plate for Going Rogue. Still I imagine we would all love some variety of this Martial Manipulation idea.

I'd love to see a stealth power in the set. I know it wouldn't fit every concept for a martial artist, but right now Blasters are the only AT that don't have access to a non-suppressing stealth power. Make the powerset melee heavy and give it a non-suppressing stealth power. That way those who want to play in close can do so without attracting as much enemy attention.

I agree with this and the stealth idea. Perhaps a hide like cloaking device.

Okay, I'm gonna do a modification and combination of Ransim and Raithnor_Mal's suggestions into what I'm calling Combat Manipulation:

Combat Manipulation is about going into a combat situation and being well prepared to take on what comes your way by manipulating the opponent or the situation to your advantage. It has its basis in martial arts, but adapts minor tool usage, and some street saavy to make the user a force to be reckoned with even if they actually use very little direct force.

1 - Bola Snare: Minor DMG(Smash), Foe Immobilize or Slow, -DEF

2 - Storm Kick: Melee, Moderate DMG (Smash)

4 - Combat Senses: Toggle AOE Debuff/Self Buff(Moderate Foe -To Hit; slight self +Regen)

10 - Knuckle Duster: Melee, High DMG(Smash), Foe KnockUp

16 - Tiger's Eye: Self +DMG, +To-Hit

20 - Blinding- or Sleeping Powder: Ranged (Cone), Foe Confuse or Sleep (not sure on this), -To-Hit, -Perception.

28 - Roomsweeper: PBAoE, Moderate DMG(Smash), Foe Knockdown.

35 - Spirit Shout: PBAoE Terrorize, minor DMG (Psi)

38 - Personal Best: Click, +75% EndRdx +75% Regen, +Recharge


My concern with the prior posts is that most of the suggestions have been OMG BLAPPER damage-oriented, when most of the Blaster sets are not geared toward hella tons of damage*. Rather, secondaries are usually best described as alternate strategies to your Primary Blast set. It's about versatility and mitigation, in general (work with me here). So. You have the above.

* Yeah, I know Fire Manip is about damage, and EM feels like it is while in play, but go with me here

Here's the thinking I have behind these:


T1: Ranged Immobilize. Unfortunately it might need a new animation, but 5 of 6 of the secondaries have a Ranged Immobilize. That's really what this should be. Keeps enemies controlled at a distance. I added in a -DEF component for what I imagine is actually a minimal damage effect. Alternatively it could be a respectable slow power with same -DEF. Surprising we haven't seen bolas in the game yet, they're pretty standard Utility-Belt items.

Alternatively, a "Boomerang" stun, which could use a very slight change to the Throwing Knives animation.

T2: Melee Damage. I think Storm Kick is basically on the money here. Maybe rename it to something not obviously a clone of MA (perhaps using MA-Alt animation).

T3: This is basically an inverted Rise to the Challenge. In most sets, this is a Toggle with some utility. In some cases this is Damage, others not. I think RttC is a great power and would be easily placed in here, plus it plays into the idea of this powerset being about "controlling the combat". Inverting the emphasis on -To Hit and +Regen makes it a bit more consistent with Blaster rather than standard melee types.

T4: Damage, with some secondary soft control. Nothing more to say here. Crane Kick is the inspiration here, but since I see this as being a bit more punchy, I think Knock Up is a decent mitigation. Maybe Dial down Damage and crank up Recharge so you're offsetting the fact that Knock Up does not push enemies away.

T5: THIS IS WHERE YOU PUT BUILD UP. All sets except Devices and Energy Manip put it at 16. This is obviously where the devs want BU, don't mess with it. Devices doesn't have BU, and EM's focus is self-buffs rather than enemy debuffs.

T6: More mitigation here. I couldn't decide whether this should be a confuse or a sleep. If its a confuse, it sorta seems odd to make it -ToHit (cause then the mobs couldn't hit each other), but -Perception seems okay on other sides. The -ToHit should synergize with Combat Senses. If this is a sleep, the debuffs should persist even if they are attacked.

T7 - This is just a non-MA specific version of Dragon's Tail. If we were going for new animations, I'd totally go for a Spinning Clothesline effect, but Dragon's Tail is good enough. Alt animation could be that mid-air spin and ground punch thing that I can't remember the name to.

T8 - The T8 is really what I was having a hard time with. What is slotted here varies from secondary to secondary. I decided to go with another moderate control. There's not much resistance to Terrorize, and adding some minor Psi damage seems to make sense in regard to demoralizing enemies. Not sure on the animation here, but between the Howl animation or Psychic Shockwave or something like that, there's something existing that will serve.

T9 - Pulling this from Raithnor Mal's suggestion: "Similar to Energize from Electric Armor without the heal", renamed from "Second Wind" above, add recharge instead of heal to make it a reasonable T9 power. For balance purposes this might end crash or have a hefty recharge. Animation wise I anticipate the MotG/Strength of Will FistPump or something like that.


Anyway. Up for discussion.

I would replace any powers that duplicate the Devices power set (caltrops, etc). They belong to another set and should not be used for a hand-to-hand street fighting secondary. Just my opinion.

I think we need a 'natual' dominator set more than this.

And now that we have Dual Pistols, a "Dual Pistols Assault" set would be lovely. A combination of Martial Arts powers and Dual Pistols.

Yet I love this idea just as much!

I'm all for the idea, but I worry about the idea of creating a new set specifically to go with natural-styled primaries that would continue to enforce weapon redraw as the norm.

I know BABs has been doing some work on eliminating said redraw, but the last he mentioned, the method he'd worked out was a no-go. I'm sure he'll continue to work on it when he has time (or heck, perhaps he already has), but without further communication in regards to weapon redraw, I'm very wary.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bright Shadow I think we need a 'natual' dominator set more than this. And now that we have Dual Pistols, a "Dual Pistols Assault" set would be lovely. A combination of Martial Arts powers and Dual Pistols.

I've long hoped that they'd be working on Pistol Assault simultaneously with the Dual Pistols set, which would include a combination of Dual Pistol attacks with a Martial Arts kick or two, as well as a "pistol whip" melee attack and a crouching, spinning, short-range "shoot them in the knees" knockdown attack.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nethergoat it's NEVER too late to pad your /ignore list!

I agree as it is related to and peppered with referances to Dual Pistols this is where it should be for now.

Who made Talen_Lee our new mod?

I back this idea. Maybe not this exct iteration, but the desire to have an MA type secondary to back Dual Pistols so we can have the complete Gun-Fu experience.