Rather than allow us to choose single powers on a mix'n'match plan, the devs chose to limit us to full power sets to try and keep us from creating egregious "farm-me" push-over NPCs, I would think. Think about how bad the farming has been already, and then imagine how much worse it could have been - NPCs with Boxing and Swift or something.
That considered, we still have the options to tell any sort of story we wish to, as long as we remain within the bounds of good taste. I don't see that as a limitation but a great freedom.
Well, i think it's still necicary to have one or two AT powers, but my biggest thing is no leadership, and less travel powers.
I keep forgetting about the whole farming issue, I would think obviously limits need to be set on both sides of the spectrum, we can't have a minion with Full Fire Blast, Fire Melee, Fire Control, and Fire Armor, and then every single power pool in existance. But we also can have a lv 50 minion with Swift and Brawl.
Brings me to another point, why can't we limit the levels on our Custom Critters, such as (in a fire-based group) Scortch, Flares, and Kick, but only go from lv 1-10.
I have a feeling that we won't get the option to pick Power Pool sets. However, I've been thinking for a while of a way to slightly work around that. Currently, we can't choose defense or support sets as our primary to avoid people making enemies with no attacks. What if one melee and one ranged attack was added to each of these ? For instance, adding the ranged and melee zombie pukes to Poison. This would increase the options and variety available. Furthermore, a small defensive or support ability could be added to most attack sets such as adding Tough to Super Strength.
Another way could be this...
...the XP bar at the top, which decides how much XP the Critter is worth at what level.
...We could limit to 95%+ Xp to that level.
I.E.: is a minion got 95% at lv 32, then the minion is level limited 16-32 or something.
These key limitations seemed a bit limiting (sorry for repetition) in the AE:
a) A custom critter is only able to access two powersets, yet in the game critters, many possess powers from 3 or 4 sets.
b) Custom critters are disallowed access to Power pools (including Epic), yet in game many NPCs have pool powers (not including flight), especially leadership and concealment.
c) No brawl? Many NPCs have a simply brawl, zombies have their own zombie brawl.
What I have done is compiled a list of all NPCs who have more than 2 powersets, and pools powers (no list for Epics, lost my patience).
All this information comes from Paragonwiki.com, very little comes from me.
Enemies with 2+ power sets (sorry for abbreviations, me=melee, ar=armor, b or bl=blast, c=control, man or mani=manipulation):
-I excluded auto regeneration; all praetorian clockwork and vampyr have fast healing.
-Some power sets have been assumed (i.e.: Clockwork plasma attacks can be considered energy attacks)
- When there is a sub-NPC (see Vampyr) that means "the same goes for", same sets not same powers.
*Praetorian:
Neuron's Clockwork:
L: Repair Companion: (plasma) energy b, Empathy, force field
Powers Division:
Riptide: Spines, Electric Ar, Electric C/Man.
Praetorian Clockwork:
Mender: Particle (energy) blast, Force Fields, Empathy
Syndicate:
Pyrokinecicist: Fire me, Fire B, Kinetics
*Paragon/Isles:
5th Column:
L: Vampyr Adj: Dark blast, Darkl melee, Mind Control, (regen)
-AV:Shadenfreude/Nosferatu
-B:Vampyr Commandant
AV: Reichsman: Super strength, Invulnerability, Mental Man., Electric Blast.
Arachnoids:
B: Super Arachnoid: Claws, (web) traps, Poison.
EB: Biff: [^] Mind control
-EB: Withershinds
Cabal:
L: Maven of Ministry: Electric Melee, Electric Blast, Storm Summoning
B: Amy Johnson: Electric Blast, Empathy, Storm summon,
Av: Mary Macgrubber: Storm Sum., Electric Blast, Electric Armor, Electric melee
H: Katie's Ghost: Electric Blast, Electric Melee, Storm Sum.
Carnival of Shadows: Super strength, War Mace, Invulnerability
Cimorean Traitors:
L:Centurion: Sonic Res., Broad Sword, Shield
-B:Praefectus
-AV: Romulus Agustus
AV:Romulus Nictus: Umbral Blast, Sword, Shield, Sonic Res.
Circle of Thorns:
M: Possesed Scientist (Ice): Ice Melee (w/ blast), Ice control, Ice Armor
-Ice Thorn Caster
L: Poss. Sci. (earth): Force field, Earth C, Earth Melee
L: Behemoth Overlord: Fiery Ar, Fiery B, Fir Me
B: Agony Mage: Empathy, Gravity C, Kinetics
B: Madness Mage: Mind C, Psi B, Empathy
B: Behemoth Lord: Fire B, Fire M, Invul
B; Behemoth Overlord: see L
B: Hellfrost: Ice Ar, Ice Bl, Ice Me,
EB: Baron Zoria: Dark Bl, Dark Miasma, Psi blast, Mind C, Earth C
EB; Libri Vermus: Dark Blast, Dark Mias, Kinetics, Empathy
EB: Senestrus: Dark B, Dark Miasma, Fire Bl, Fire Man/Fire C.
Av: Archus: Psi Bl, Mind C, Dark Blast, Dark Mais, Empathy
The Family:
L: Marcone Underboss: Super strength, Assault rifle, Super Reflex
-L: Underboss
B: Marcone Consigliare: Grav C, Super strength, super reflex
Freakshow:
B:Blahpunk: Super strength, Regen, Sonic Bl, Sonic Res.,
-Noisetank
> All the Freedom phalanx except manticore
Outcasts:
B:Lead Scorcher: Fire Me, Fire Bl, Fire C
EB: Frostfire: Fire A, Ice A, Fire B, Fire C, Fire Me, Ice Blast, Ice Man.
PPD:
L:PPD Psi-Lieutenant: Mind B, Mind C, Empathy
Paragon Protectors:
M+L: 7th generation Paragon Protector: Energy Me, Super strength, Regen, Energy Bl
Rikti:
EV/EB: the Honoree: Energy Me, Psi Bl, Mind C, Invul
Rouge Isles Villains:
EB/B: Shock treatment: Electric me, Electric BL, Electric AR
Trolls:
EB: Atta: Earth assa, Super strength, Invul
Vindicators:
H: Malaise: Illusion C, Kinetics, Dark BL
H: Ms. Liberty: Martial arts, Invul, Electric assa,
W.I.S.D.O.M:
Foreshadow: Martial arts, Energy blast, Super Reflexes
Enemies with Pool Powers(no ranks):
*Concealment:
-Arachnos:
Bane spider scout: Hide (Invis)
Night Widow: stealth
>Ghosts: most ghosts possess Invisibility and/or ethereal (phase shift)
Carnie, [Master] Illusionist: Phase Shift
IDF, Mk-VI "Victoria": stealth
Soldier of Rularuu, (all) wisps: Aversion (phase shift)
*Fighting:
Destroyer, Rocket Girl: Boxing
-The Family (Mooks are same):
Marcone Muscle: Boxing, Kick
Marcone Buckshot: Kick
Marcone Buckshot (30+): Boxing, Kick
Marcone Gunner (30+): Boxing, Kick
Button Man muscle: Boxing, kick
Ajax: Punch (boxing), Kick
Warrior bruiser: Boxing, Kick
*Fitness: >all snakes: quick (swift)
*Leadership:
Cage Consortium Officer: Tactics
Cage consortium Captain: assault, Maneuvers
Dockworker Foreman: Assault
Marcone Capo (10+): assault
Emil Marcone: assault
Back Alley brawler: assault
Manicore: maneuvers
Longbow officer: Leadership (assault + tactics)
Luddite Crusader: tactics
>all Nemesis lieutenants: Vengeance
Nem. Auto.: Lieutenant Automation: Vengeance
PPD, SWAT sergeant: Assault, Maneuvers
PPD Captain: Maneuvers, Tactics
RIP, Ripper: tactics
RIP, Deadly Ripper: Maneuvers, assault
Scrapyarder Foreman: assault
Private security officer: tactics
Private Security Captain: assault, Maneuvers
Syndicate, Suit: Aura of empowerment (tactics)
-Wu Yin
[Elite] Resistance Officer: Leadership (Tactics)
Resistance, Jackhammer: leadership (tactics)
Resistance, Vagabond: leadership (tactics)
*Medicine:
Crey, Medic: Hypo (aid other + stimulant)
Crey, Geneticist: Reanimate (Resuscitate)
Freakshow, Meat Doctor: Air other, Resurrect freakshow (resuscitate)
Mortificator: resurrect zombie (resuscitate)
=Facemaker
*Speed:
Failed Experiment, (+improved) Type 53: Flurry of fists (flurry)
Synapse: synaptic strike (flurry), Whirlwind
Ghoul, Painted Ones: Flurry of fists (flurry)
*Teleportation:
W.I.S.D.O.M, Mirror Spirit: Teleport
Rikti, Headman gunman: teleport
Tsoo, Sorcerers: teleport
Sky Raider, Porter: Teleport
THis list is not onmiscent, I may have missed a few, but my point remains.