Rewrite the Description of a Set: Control Edition

Someone pointed out in another thread that the text descriptions of powersets are not particularly helpful and in some cases are completely wrong or outdated. I had the idea of asking how members of the community would write if they were given the opportunity. I doubt any of this will be used in the game, but it might be a fun activity.

There are a ton of powersets out there, so I figured I'd start by asking about the Control sets first. Here are the current descriptions; how would you rewrite them?

[I'd prefer serious rewrites to writing that Gravity Control excels at "long animations times and poor controls," but I'm not a forum policeman either. ]


Earth Control
You can control the forces of the Earth. You can manipulate earth and stone to defeat your foes. The crushing force of many Earth Powers can reduce a target's Defense. Being of the Earth, many of these powers need to be performed while on the ground.


Electric Control
Electricity leaps and sparks at your command. You can use raw electrical power to paralyze, knockdown and drain the endurance of foes.


Fire Control
You can control the essence of fire to entrap, scorch, and manipulate your foes with smoke and flame.


Gravity Control
This power set allows you to manipulate the forces of gravity to control your foes. Enemies have little defense against Gravity powers.


Ice Control
You can draw moisture from the air to create Icy formations. With these abilities, you can control ice with remarkable precision to dominate your foes.


Illusion Control
You can manipulate light and sound to manifest all sorts of Illusions, aiding your allies as well as deceiving your foes.


Mind Control
You can manipulate and control your opponent's mind. Since Mental powers directly affect the mind, most tend to be very accurate, and thus very useful against higher level foes. Few foes can resist Psionic powers, but creatures without minds, like machines and robots, are resistant to many of the effects.


Plant Control
You can call forth and control the power of plants and flora to control your foes. Animate and control vines, roots and spores to entrap, entwine and utterly dominate your foes. Many Plant Control powers are only effective if the target is near the ground.

Mind Control
You can manipulate and control the City of Heroes forum into debating for years whether you are in fact helping or harming your team. Your lack of visual feedback will cause creatures without minds, such as annoying team leaders, to accuse you of being AFK.

To be serious, though, do you think people read the blurbs? I didn't actually know that they still gave those to new sets.

No biters yet, so I'll approach it with the two that are wrong/misleading This isn't a heavy flavor rewrite, just correcting/clarifying the text:


Mind Control
You can manipulate and control your opponent's mind. Since Mental powers directly affect the mind, most tend to be very accurate, and thus very useful against higher level foes. Few foes can resist Psionic powers, but creatures without minds, like machines and robots, are resistant to many of the effects.

Rewrite: You can manipulate and control your opponents' minds. Since Mental powers directly affect the mind, many of your powers bypass enemies' abilities to dodge with Ranged and AoE defenses. Few foes can resist Psionic damage, but creatures without minds, like machines and robots, are difficult to directly damage with most powers.


[A little more flavor here altough note this assumes Propel was worth advertising.]

Gravity Control
This power set allows you to manipulate the forces of gravity to control your foes. Enemies have little defense against Gravity powers.

Rewrite: This power set allows you to manipulate the forces of gravity to control your foes. Many powers in Gravity Control allow you to directly or indirectly control the location of your foes, through teleportation, slows, and knockback... and when that doesn't do, throwing an anvil at the problem.

[I have no idea what the original second part was talking about.]

Yeah the "remarkable precision" bit in Ice Control is a little weird, like its suggesting you are especially likely to hit. The truth about two of the big sells in Ice, Arctic Air and Ice Slick, is that they are actually autohit, but with a totally random chance to confuse/fear/knockdown thats completely outside your control. I guess "remarkable precision" was just flavor text.

It does seem like Fire and Ice should have some sort of indication (warning?) that several of the powers need to be used up close. Electric sort of is too, but it only has that one PBAoE; something about the chain effects could probably be mentioned there.

I definitely think Ice Control should mention Recharge rate directly to distinguish "slows" from "slowed powers."