While I love how this could help some people in getting an ice/fire combo for example...i'd just be happier if they said "okay epic powers unlocked" and you got to choose from the pool of powers.
For instance, I've had Fire Melee/ toons where the concept didn't call for the toon to have a hold power like Char, or I just didn't want the hold power to begin with (usually both)...just the ability for the Fire Melee/ toon to now beable to throw a fireball.
*sigh* Still have to grab that stupid hold (or immobilize...which still doesn't fit the concept).
BrandX Future Staff Fighter
The BrandX Collection
Patron Pools are basically the same power pool with different graphics. Epic pools are not. They aren't designed to the same mould, the same framework or the same functionality, and indeed sometimes their powers come in jumbled order. For instance, Foce of Nature is last in Force Mastery for Blasters, but its equivalent in Electrical Mastery comes second to last, putting it one tier up. Body Armour is a T1 power in Munitions Mastery, but Fire Shield is a T2 power in Pyre Mastery.
Mixing and matching Epic powers is no more a good idea than mixing and matching powersets. The pools themselves are not designed to be balanced with each other on a power-to-power basis, they're designed to match up pool-to-pool, and as such mixing them is just one fine kettle of fish.
Besides, Epics unlock by themselves. Locking them behind story arcs all of a sudden sounds like a change for the worse.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
|
How I'd like to see the Patron Power Pools work:
1st: all APPs and PPPs would just be PPPs (for simplification)
2nd: Gaining access to a PPP, whether Hero, Villain, or Other, would be done much in the same manner as PPPs were originally on redside. You go to a patron and complete a big, nasty arc. Now you've unlocked access to that Patron's Power Pool, with 5 powers that are thematically appropriate to the patron. Powers are tiered and prereq'd the same as current, needing 1 of the 1st two before you can get later ones, etc.
3rd: Unlike original PPS, you can gain access to numerous PPPs, but unlike current, you must still earn access to each one. To gain access to another PPP, you pick a new patron and go do his arc, same as step 2. Repeat with as as many patrons as you want.
When you've gained access to multiple Patron Power Pools, you can swap powers between the pools freely in a respec or for another build, as now. You can also mix & match PPP powers, however the prerequisite limits are still in place. So you could get up to 4 powers from 1 pool, get 2 powers from each of 2 different pools (or split 2 pools in a 1/3 combo), or even 4 tier 1 patron powers from each of 4 different pools.
At first, this sounds unbalanced, though with the more powerful patron powers being limited to the higher tiers, that means you'd have to sacrifice power to get this versatility. It is basically intended to allow people to add a dash of numerous themes if needed to fill out a concept. For raw puissance, it would likely be better to stay with one pool for the high-end powers.
New Patrons: Basically, there should be at least one patron for every organization in the game, possibly multiple patrons for some groups (like Arachnos & Longbow), as well as big name Heroes and Villains being patrons in their own right. Even if you switch factions, you keep access to earned pools (You've learned Positron's secrets, and now intend to twist them to evil purposes while studying under Requiem.)
For ease of creation, most powers used should be clones or variants of powers existing in game. We don't need to develop brand new animations and such in most cases. Powers available should work in a manner similar to how PPPs work currently, in that the list of available powers is altered based on the character's AT, so that the powers you gain access to compensate for the AT's shortcomings, and not duplicate much of what they already have access to.
Dear NCsoft, if you go through with this shutdown you've guaranteed you'll not see another dime from me on any project you put out, ever.
http://xx-starhammer-xx.deviantart.com/