Unique Taunt Effects

TL;DR:

Add features to Taunt powers that reflect the melee pool they reside in. Not all melee sets play the same, so should they always Taunt the same?

Full Version:

Ok, we've all said it, or heard someone say it, just saying "nya-nya" at someone, really wouldn't make them stop what they're doing just so they can attack only you. Granted, since the game's debut, Taunt has seen the added benefit of reducing a target's range, which has done a lot to improve the intent of the power. But is that enough? I think just a little more could be done.

So I suggest adding a feature to each taunt that reflects the melee set it comes in. Something that fits the theme of the set, rather than just a blanket power. This could be a debuff, a proc of some type (not damage) or an effect. I don't think the effect should be too strong, just enough to add to the set it belongs to. Of course, some sets don't have easily related debuffs or effects (Fiery Melee for example, has no debuff in it) so for these sets, you'd have to be a little creative. But I have suggestions for these.

Battle Axe - You reflect the light off your axe to catch your foes' attention.
(10% chance to cause short duration Blind)

Dark Melee - Your taunt carries a haunting effect, causing a small ToHit Debuff (-2.5% ToHit)

Dual Blades - You distract your foes with one blade, while preparing a blow with another, thus creating a slight decrease in their defense. (-1.5% Def)

Electrical Melee - You used the charged air around you to raise the hair on your enemies necks and attract their attention, stealing a small amount of their endurance. (-2.5 End)

Energy Melee - The energy behind your yell catches your foes off gaurd. (10% chance to cause short duration stun)

Fiery Melee - Your taunts cause your foes to get heated up, slightly reducing their resistance (-2% Res)

Ice Melee - You send chills down your enemies' spines, causing them to hesitate their next move. Small -Rech effect (5% debuff)

Kinetic Melee - Open to suggestions, but I was thinking of something in the -Dmg department.

Martial Arts - Open to suggestions on this one as well.

Stone Melee - Your taunt causes the earth to tremble ever so slightly, sometimes causing your foes to stumble. (10% chance to Knock Down effected foes)

Super Strength - You intimidate your enemies with your strength, sometimes frightening them in place. (10% chance for short duration hold)

War Mace - You wave your mace menacingly at your foes, causing them to be fearful of you. (10% chance for short duration fear)

The intent here is to make it believable that taunting a foe would give them real reason to want to attack you, while providing something that aligns itself to the features of the set it's in and bringing a little more diversity to melee play style.

They shouldn't be overpowered, but good enough to make a difference. For example, perhaps you're near your aggro cap, and not all 5 targets will come after you, but if you reduce their to-hit, knock them down, stun them, etc., you just might give your teammate the chance to run to cover (even if it's a small chance).

I like it! I don't know how often people normally use taunt, but 10% does seem a little high to me. I dunno.

I don't think they could start adding effects like that, even as minor as what you're suggesting, without having to seriously consider the autohit and no-end-cost nature of taunts. I wouldn't complain about seeing such things, but not if I suddenly needed to start slotting Acc and EndRed in my Taunt.

I use taunt for pulling, so any sort of control effect is going to reduce its utility for me.

I thought this was going to be about animations =/
Effects wise, taunt is fine. Also, Cottage Rule (I think?)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zwillinger GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain_Photon NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.

I like the idea of adding debuffs... mezes, not so much. I wouldn't want enemies to get stunned/held/feared when I taunted them from range, it would prevent them from running toward me and seem to defeat the purpose of taunting them.

Hmn, however adding secondary effects would likely mean that Taunt would have to then require a To-Hit check to avoid making it overpowered. Which, in turn, would destroy the primary point of it; aggro control.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zwillinger GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain_Photon NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.