Alt Power Selections (Part Deux)

Alright then, but another concern is that this might be something that breaks away from the game being balanced around SOs, and while 100% damage type procs seem nice, they also seem like the kind of thing that would be rare and expensive. I also want to ask if you would feel these 100% chance, setless procs would be global (all powers of your that deal damage would deal the additional damage), or if you'd need to individually slot them. (Which would open up something of a can of worms).

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.

I *still* don't think it'd be balanced to just customize sets to do specific damage. There's got to be a reason why the devs didn't slap huge bursts of damage onto psi sets or fast consistent high dmg AoE onto negative energy sets.

It upsets the balance. As is, weapon (or smashing/lethal) sets often consistently do high DPS while specialty sets like Energy Melee, Ice Melee, Fire Blasts, Psionic Assault, etc, have a kinda 'shtick'. Energy Melee is high burst but slow, Ice is moderate damage with high control, Fire is all damage and no mitigation...you get the idea.

Now give Stone Melee ice damage. Stone already does respectable DPS and extreme control. Now it does a damage type rarely resisted? Or what about Super Strength with psionic damage? Dual Blades with fire.

I postulate that the devs *do* balance a sets capabilities (it's secondary effects, the amount of damage and how quickly it can dish it out, etc.) with the damage types it does as well.

No, I'm not a fan of the idea of elemental weapons or customizable damage types. It doesn't seem balanced, IMO.

I'm not saying it shouldn't or won't happen but that's something to consider. BrandX's suggestion on making IOs do this, well, you'd give up slots for it so there's a balance point. Maybe make it 2 fold:

-This special IO can give a chance of shifting a % of the attack's damage to the desired type if you slot 1.
-If you slot 2, it will permanently shift a % of the attack's damage to the desired type.

Honestly, I find this diversifying. In this set up, aiming for set bonuses might not be readily possible if you've only got 4 slots to work with (because the other 2 slots have dmg-type IOs in them). It may be a pity but in that scenario, frankenslotting will help out loads and is probably the best option. It's diversifying because now, frankenslotting can be as viable as aiming for max bonuses. So you might not have the best +rech but you've got a Lightning Rod that does Ice damage. Or a psionic katana.

It's give and take.

Well now I see what you've meant about being against elemental weapons.
Though I still want to point out that it was never the intent Stone melee, SS, martial arts, or sets like that gain elemental attributes.

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.

If it was setup to how I suggested, then it wouldn't open any can of worms.

Okay. Let's go with them averaging the damage of this NEW IO with a regular Proc.

Now, most damage procs seem to be set at 20% Chance for 71.75 damage (Touch of Death is saying 15%, but most others I quickly went through were set at 20%, in MIDS).

That averages an increase of 14.35 DPS (give or take...as the RNG may be in your favor one night, and against you the next).

So. We give these new IOs a 100% Chance for 14.35 (or round to 15, or maybe even incease it a bit) of Fire (or any other damage type) Damage.

There, no overpoweredness, as it has a lower damage amount than the procs, but it's a promised damage and of the damage type desired.

And yes, in my suggestion you have to slot them just like a 20% damage proc. Into each attack.

So, you have 5 Claw attacks? You'll need 5 of those IOs. You only have 4? One of those Claw attacks isn't going to be doing that Fire Damage.

Seeing as how they have no set bonuses involved with them at all, I don't see why they have to be rare.

In fact, I'd make them a bit common (as common as costume pieces perhaps), so people can fullfill their concept of Claws that inflict fire damage or laced with poison (toxic damage).

Could go the uncommon route, to have a good supply of them out there, but not as common as costume recipes sitting there waiting for a bidder. *shrug*

No, wouldn't make them global. Global means they could put it in one attack, and not risk their set bonuses over all. I think the losing of a bit of set bonuses, is part of the give and take of using this IO for it's added damage bonus of whatever effect you're looking for.

The only other point I think that might determine how balanced it'd be is how much elemental damage are we talking here? Added or replaced? If the damage replaced is small like a damage proc, is it really even worth adding such an option for so little an effect? If it's adding the damage and to a decent amount, how would you keep set balance?

Consider Dual Blades with fire damage? The Fire Melee set has no mitigation for the amount and type of dmg it does.

Thusly, consider Dual Pistols. It has a means to do fire damage and yet it gives up the chance for knock in exchange for damage. Not to mention, the set gives up Aim for the utility to do this.

I dunno if it'd be worth it. I guess it really doesn't matter since it won't do much better than a dmg proc over time. But considering a straight base dmg-type add-on favors small faster attacks over the slower recharging/slower activating power, I'm not sure I'd favor the option. Procs are well enough but I wouldn't mind a better spectrum of them.

If the IO exchanged a % of the attacks' damage for the type chosen, at least it benefits all attacks equally.

Well, I had originally been thinkin' 'bout it being damage replaced, and I suppose a limited ability of "damage added" in the case of fire for the sake of the replaced secondary as I was goin' by the dual pistols scale. but I suppose it does seem a little cheap to basically allow armed meleers to replace DP's specialty trick/trump card and still keep their tohit buff powers.
though I suppose the draw back would be; when you swap ammo with dual pistols, you still have all of your attacks. If you say... May a Prismatic damage sword (basically every power had a different elemental attribute) if you were cracking on weaknesses, you'd be a lot more limited in what you could use.

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.

My idea is merely meant to add flavor to the attacks with less needed change.

Seeing as how all attack powers have the ability (and I believe all offense powers in general...but I could be wrong) have the ability to slot a DMG proc now, my suggestion allows for added flavor, without any major changes.

Like, if an enhancement changed all of a Fire Blasts attack from Fire to Toxic, then the attack wouldn't have any defenses to go with along with it, or the opponent would still use the original fire damage as it's defense, even though the attack doesn't have a fire component anymore.

One could go with only a percentage of the attack converts, but that sounds like more balancing issues as well.

My suggestion, puts into play what is already in play. Damage Procs. Only it would be lower damage, to make up for the always happens effect, versus the 20% chance other +DMG procs have.

Seems simple and clean to me. And personally, I can see lots of people making use of them for both concept, and just added damage.

Those looking for the bigger burst, would likely stick with the 15-33% chance to Proc IOs, as that will deliver the bigger burst on occaission, while others looking for more DPS will likely go with either or (if based on the regular non purple procs, then the purple procs will still be gone after).