New defensive set: Toxic Armor

Toxic Aura:
Your body has been exposed to deadly energies, and you've become a walking environmental disaster. Through sheer will, you've mastered these energies and now use them to become a true force of power.

This set requires you to choose a "source" for your power. Each source offers different benefits to your powers. You may only choose one source per build. The sources are:

Chemical: Your body pulses with chemical toxins which can increase your own damage and weaken the attacks of nearby foes.

Biological: Your body has been exposed to various biological contagions. This can increase your healing and sicken the foes around you.

Radioactive: Your body is fueled by radioactive energies, making you a nearly exhaustless fighting machine.


Power choices:

Tier 1: Resistant skin: Self +Res (Smash, Lethal, Toxic, energy) (Toggle)
Your body has become hardened by exposure to toxic energies. Your tough skin protects against incoming physical attacks. You have gained strong resistances to Smashing, Lethal, and Toxic attacks, as well as some resistance to energy based attacks.

*This would have weaker resistances than some sets when it comes to s/l damage, more on par with fire and dark, due to other powers in this set. Toxic resistance would be high, however in this first power.

Tier 2: Toxic Emission: PBAoE Minor DoT, Toxic. (Foe -dmg if Chem, -Regen if Bio, Self +Rech. if radioactive) (Toggle)
Your body literally oozes with dangerous energies, damaging all nearby foes, and possibly aiding you. The secondary effect depends on your chosen power source.

*this toggle seems OP at first, due to it being both a damage AND secondary effect at the same time. The damage would need to be scaled properly, perhaps 65% of a normal damage aura, inexchange for the secondary effect.

Tier 3: Particle cloud: Self + Res (Fire, Cold, Energy, Negative Energy, slow) (Toggle)
You surround yourself with a cloud of toxic particles which protect you from the elements.

*fairly standard toggle +res power, again, similar in % to dark and fire as opposed to invul or Electric, etc.

Tier 4: Noxious fumes: PBAoE Foe choke, vomit, Self + Res Knockback, Sleep, Disorient, Hold, Immob., Psionic. (moderate rech.)
You release a noxious cloud around you. These vapors will stimulate your mind and body, leaving your resistant to status effects for a while, but can also cause weaker foes in melee range to choke and vomit.

* This mez resist is a click instead of toggle, but has the unique function of creating a localized patch of mitigation when clicked.

Tier 5: Phsyical Regeneration: Self heal, (if Chem +Dmg, if Bio +Regen, if radioactive + Recovery, for 20 seconds) (recharge 60 seconds)
You unlease the energies within your body, briefly healing you and boosting you physically for a short while. The boost depends on your chosen power source.

* This heal would be weaker that those of dark and fire, and instead leave a 20 second buff to the player after healing.

Tier 6: Biological infusion: Self +Perception for 40 seconds, (+DMG if Chem, + HP if Bio, +Recovery if radioactive) (Recharge 120 seconds)
Your body becomes fully infused with the toxic energies around you, exciting every molecule. You are given added perception, as well as a secondary boost depending on your chosen power source.

*This power can be used one of two ways: saved for fights with mobs like Arachnos or Knives for the +percept, or used primarily as a personal buff when desired.

Tier 7: Localized Infection: PBAoE Foe slow, (-tohit Chemical, -regen if Bio, -recharge if radioactive).
You release a localized infection which slows and weakens foes in very close range.

*This would have a very narrow range, small enough that it really only protects the user, not his team. It would likely be used primarily to help when suddenly overwhelmed.

Tier 8: Cesspool: Location PBAoE Moderate DoT (Toxic/energy if Chem/Bio, fire/Energy if Nuke)
You create a cesspool of raw toxic energy beath you, damaging all foes who enter the sludge. The types of damage depend on your chosen power source.

Tier 9: Meltdown: Self +Res all, + HP, +Regen, + Rec. (PBAoE moderate toxic damage, Self - Hp, -End, -Rec after 180s)
Your body goes in to meltdown, making you an enraged, unstoppable warrior. During meltdown, you become highly resistant to all forms of damage and gain incredible regeneration and recovery. As the energies wear off, you unlease a damaging burst of toxic energy, however, you are left powerless, unable to recover health or endurance for some time. This power is not affected by recharge rate boosts.
*fairly standard tier 9 but with a function similar to Electric Armor's stun at the end, only this is a fairly solid damage burst. In exchange, you get a -hard- crash on both end and HP, and it can't be recharged.


So that's it. This is designed primarily to fit those toons who want to be the toxic beast ripping through the city. It clearly wouldn't stand up to WP, Stone, or Invul for survivablity, nor would it surpass shielders in terms of damage buffing and output, but it has enough unique possibilities to make it a solid, fun, survivable set and offer something new. Its much more click heavy than most of the sets, only having 3 toggles.

Wow. I gotta admit, Im really surprised I got more interest in my temporal defender than in this set. This set just begs to be made, to me, and I thought I came up with a pretty well rounded, but unique, armor set. :-)

Meh...

First off, this looks like you want three sets for the price of one, which I can already tell would play havoc with AE and clone enemies. I think you need to drop the whole 'source' aspect, and just try to wing it with a single, standard set.

Resistant Skin: Looks good as is.

Toxic Emission: Standard damage aura. Make the -Dam the only effect - this set will probably need the mitigation.

Particle Cloud: Again, standard toggle. (As a possible suggestion, split the Toxic resistance between the two toggles.)

Noxious Fumes: A click mez protection on a Resistance based set? With a PBAoE hold included? I think you may be asking for too much - making this an attack as well as the mez protection will either make its cost ridiculously high, or make it impossible (or at least impractical) to make permanent. And why would it provide Psionic resistance? While this makes for an interesting idea, I think the balance will be too much. Content yourself with either a standard click mez protection, or make it a toggle.

Phsyical Regeneration: Basic click heal. Again, removing the 'Source' mechanic... I think the +Recovery would be the best added effect.

Biological Infusion: ...Yeah, you know what? +Perception is nice to have, but not worth an entire power for it alone. Now, make THIS have the hold effect you put in Fumes... Now you've got something. In fact, switch the names - make the tier 4 Biological Infusion a standard Mez protection toggle (maybe with some small amount of additional resistance to S/L/T? I hate having a toggle with no enhanceable aspects...), and make Noxious Fumes the Tier 6, a click PBAoE that inflicts a Mag 2 (50% chance for an additional +1 Mag) 4-6 second hold (vomit animation), a -Dam to any enemy hit (even if the hold doesn't work), and a +Perception to the character. Yeah, I think that would be a good prop for this kind of resistance based set...

Localized Infection & Cesspool: Okay, not seeing it as you put it down. Localized Infection just comes across as too little, too late, and Cesspool makes this set too much like Fiery Aura. Instead, how about this:

Tier 7 becomes Cesspool, which sets up a 10' diameter patch on the ground that inflicts -Speed, -Recharge, -Regen, and (just because I seem to have made it a theme for this set) -Dam. No direct added damage, but a nice bit of mitigation, both personal, and for teammates.

Tier 8 becomes Catalyst, a self rez that provides an initial +Dam and +To Hit bonus, then after 30 seconds inflicts the 4-second vomit animation hold (irresistable, it will even take effect if the Mez protection is active.)

Meltdown: Not seeing much issue with this one.

Of course, I'm not sure there really needs to be a toxic-based defense set, but by the same token, I can see it working...

First, thanks for the feedback.

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Originally Posted by OneWhoBinds Meh... First off, this looks like you want three sets for the price of one, which I can already tell would play havoc with AE and clone enemies. I think you need to drop the whole 'source' aspect, and just try to wing it with a single, standard set.

I dunno. Is Dual Pistols 3 blaster sets for the price of one? With that set, almost every one of its powers can be "changed" when it comes to secondary effect by swapping ammo. Keep in mind that can be done in the same build, at any time. This concept allows the -secondary effect- of just four of its powers to be "tailored" to your source, and can't be changed without changing your build.

In total, you have a choice between a +dmg/-dmg secondary effect, a -regen/+regen/HP secondary effect, and a -recovery/+recov/rech secondary effect on just four powers. The rest of the set functions the same regardless of source, offering moderate resistances, one self heal, and two localized mitigations. Keep in mind these are -seconary- effects meaning their buffs/debuffs are temporary and minor, also.

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Particle Cloud: Again, standard toggle. (As a possible suggestion, split the Toxic resistance between the two toggles.)

Actually, great suggestion!

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Noxious Fumes: A click mez protection on a Resistance based set? With a PBAoE hold included? I think you may be asking for too much - making this an attack as well as the mez protection will either make its cost ridiculously high, or make it impossible (or at least impractical) to make permanent. And why would it provide Psionic resistance? While this makes for an interesting idea, I think the balance will be too much. Content yourself with either a standard click mez protection, or make it a toggle.

Actually, I was thinking the click mez protection was a -drawback- in exchange for the very minor benefit of the localized, very temporary mititgation of the choke/vomit. Keep in mind this isn't a hold, it's a vomit emote like poison gas trap. It just offers a brief moment of mitigation, and since it's very localized and it only activates for a second or so after you click the mez protection, it's really more "thematic" to give the set a unique flair than it is really going to effect game play. A melee toon would be almost idiotic "waiting" to activate the power when they have a mob gathered, since they could be held/mezzed/etc. without it active. Keep in mind that when this goes off, NPCs in the immediate vicinity of where it was activated would display the vomit emote, and even then, only a %chance, for 1 second or so. I'm talking a radius as small as "burn."

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Biological Infusion: ...Yeah, you know what? +Perception is nice to have, but not worth an entire power for it alone. Now, make THIS have the hold effect you put in Fumes... Now you've got something. In fact, switch the names - make the tier 4 Biological Infusion a standard Mez protection toggle (maybe with some small amount of additional resistance to S/L/T? I hate having a toggle with no enhanceable aspects...), and make Noxious Fumes the Tier 6, a click PBAoE that inflicts a Mag 2 (50% chance for an additional +1 Mag) 4-6 second hold (vomit animation), a -Dam to any enemy hit (even if the hold doesn't work), and a +Perception to the character. Yeah, I think that would be a good prop for this kind of resistance based set...

I agree, though this power would have the "Strongest" secondary effects in the set. It almost is unfair to call the source effects secondary. The power would grant a +percept plus a strong +source boost. So this power would, for a chemical toxic user, be a +perception/+dmg boost. Not fiery embrace or soul drain level, but enough to warrant being a useful power. For a Bio user they don't just get a minor regen boost, it is +Perception/+HP giving them more survivability, and for a radiactive user +percep/+Recharge. I could see a combo like a toxic/fire tanker making better use of the +dmg effect here, while a toxic/kinetic brute might benefit more from the +recharge, etc. This power would actually be a nice one for the set, and the uniqueness of the sources are what would make it shine.

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Localized Infection & Cesspool: Okay, not seeing it as you put it down. Localized Infection just comes across as too little, too late... Instead, how about this: Tier 7 becomes Cesspool, which sets up a 10' diameter patch on the ground that inflicts -Speed, -Recharge, -Regen, and (just because I seem to have made it a theme for this set) -Dam. No direct added damage, but a nice bit of mitigation, both personal, and for teammates.

Actually, it is meant to be kind of "little" in the same way that Dark Armor's cloak of Fear or Oppressive Gloom or Ice's Chilling Embrace are. They aren't main sources of mitigation, they're meant to be back up. I DID think about this possibly being a toggle, like the powers above, but thought that it would have to have such a huge end cost that it wouldn't be feasible for many players unless you went Radioactive for the end boosts. My thinking is that this wouldn't have a long recharge, but also wouldn't have a long duration. You get in to a pickle and can lay this down to help weaken the mob. That's it's only real purpose.

I'm cool with actually removing the source effect from this, though, and saying regardless of source, this power just does a -spd, -rech, -acc effect.

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...and Cesspool makes this set too much like Fiery Aura... Tier 8 becomes Catalyst, a self rez that provides an initial +Dam and +To Hit bonus, then after 30 seconds inflicts the 4-second vomit animation hold (irresistable, it will even take effect if the Mez protection is active.)

I avoided a self rez specifically to stay away from /fire and /dark. Cesspool does damage like burn, but in a way that entirely fits with the concept of this set. You're not a Willpower, stoner, or invul tanker able to stand there and take hits all day. You're also not an SR or Ice or Shields tanker or brute who can just avoid the incoming damage. You're a walking chernobyl/chemical spill/disease factory. You survive by weakening and damaging your foes as they get close simply from the toxicity you emit. You get in to a long, drawn out fight with someone powerful and you'll go down, so you make em sick and cut through them as fast as you can.

In all honesty, I was toying with "cesspool" being a -acc/-res localized power instead of a damage dealer, but I thought a -res PBAoE power on a melee set could easily be way overpowered, even if it does fit the concept perfectly. Instead, I thought a nice burst of localized damage would also fit, and help survival much like burn and mud pots do. Not make you uber, and possibly make you draw enough aggro to get him even more, but eat through them in the process.

What about making it some other form of AoE mitigation. What would fit the theme but not be overpowered for a melee oriented toon? Maybe an AoE disorient like Oppressive Gloom, costing you HP as you emit the energies instead of doing damage? What about just lowering the damage output slightly but like mud pots adding a -acc or -recharge component?

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Of course, I'm not sure there really needs to be a toxic-based defense set, but by the same token, I can see it working...

There doesn't NEED to be ANY kind of armor sets, but I know people have been asking for radiation/toxic/chemical armors for issues.

Thanks again for the feedback.

Interestingly enough...

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=252990

Someone just posted a radiation armor set again, in both the Tanker and suggestion forums.