Earthen Blast

So, I like to come up with random concept powersets for the "City of ____" world. It's just a silly lil hobby of mine. This is one of em.

I'm all for every theme being represented in as many set types as (super)humanly possible, and playing a /Stone Dominator always makes me wish there was an Earth Blast set.

I started with the idea that Earthen Blast would be a more defensive set, kind of the inverse of how Fire is all about damage. At the same time though, I didn't want it to just be a poor dps set, which would kind of be the sticking point, more safety kind of has to mean lower damage. To get around this I came up with a pair of mutually exclusive powers (you can have both, but only 1 can be active at a time) that enable Modes, like how Fiery Embrace works. One, Earthen Fortification, would lower your damage and allow your attacks to apply minor Defense buffs to you when they hit successfully. Then the opposite power, Strength of Stone (which takes the place of Aim for the set) instead enables your powers to grant you a small damage buff, kind of like you get double Defiance buffs from them. Both of these buffs provide some benefit on their own, a base to start building off of. To prevent crazy IO build shenanigans though, none of the buffs from your attacks would be enhanceable, nor would they stack (from the same power) so at most you could have 1 buff from each power that grants a buff, for a predictable maximum benefit.


There's an (relatively) easy way to animate the set too. Stone melee attacks generally encase your hands in blocks of stone already, so instead of each blast necessitating that you bend down and rip up a chunk of earth, instead the animations would just use the same rocky glove bit as the melee powers to serve as the origin of the various projectiles.

So here it is, let me know what you think: (Numbers listed are using Defender mods, Blasters and Corruptors would get lower defense bonuses.)

Earthen Blast

1) Stoneburst
Launches a chunk of solid stone at your target, dealing minor smashing damage and possibly knocking them off their feet. If used in conjunction with your Earthen Fortification or Strength of Stone abilites, Stoneburst grants a small bonus to your Defense or Damage respectively.
Range: 80ft
Damage: 0.8scale Smashing Damage
Recharge: 3seconds
Effects: 10% Chance 0.67mag Knockback, +2% Defense for 5sec if EarthenFortification, +5% Damage for 5sec if StrengthOfStone

2)Shard Blast
You hurl shards of jagged earth at your target, dealing moderate damage to them. Like Stoneburst, Shard Burst has a small chance to knock your enemies down. Grants a minor bonus to your Defense if your Earthen Fortification is active, or a minor bonus to damage if Strength of Stone is active.
Range: 80ft
Damage: 4*0.41scale Lethal Damage over 0.5s
Recharge: 8seconds
Effects: 20% Chance 0.67mag Knockback, +2.5% Defense 10s if EarthenFortification, +5% Damage 10s if StrengthOfStone

3) Magma Bomb
You heave a mass of partially molten rock at a group of foes, dealing good damage to them and setting them ablaze for a short time. Some foes may be knocked back.
Range: 80ft
Radius: 15ft
Damage: 0.5scale Smashing Damage +5*0.1scale Fire Damage over 4.1sec
Recharge: 16seconds
Effects: 30% Chance 2.08mag Knockback

4) Catapult
Catapults a stone at your target enemy, hurtling them through the air on impact. Useful for keeping an enemy at range.
Range: 70ft
Damage: 0.26scale Smashing Damage
Recharge: 8seconds
Effects: 13.3mag Knockback

5) Strength of Stone
You draw on the strength of the earth to increase your own power. While active, Strength of Stone grants your a small bonus to your ToHit and Damage. This damage bonus builds with continuous use of your other Earth Blast powers. Strength of Stone requires you to maintain close contact with the earth, preventing you from Jumping or Flying.
Damage: None
Recharge: 4seconds
Effects: ModifyEffect StrengthOfStone, +10% ToHit, +10% Damage, -10mag Fly, -50,000% JumpHeight

6) Stone Spears
Stone spears erupt from the ground at the feet of your target, dealing substantial Lethal damage to them and knocking them high into the air. Moderately increases your Defense if used with Earthen Fortification, or your Damage if used with Strength of Stone.
Range: 60ft
Damage: 1.96scale Lethal Damage
Recharge: 10seconds
Effects: 0.67mag Knockup, +3.5% Defense 12s if EarthenFortification, +10% Damage 12s if StrengthOfStone

7) Earthen Fortification
You fortify yourself with earth and stone increasing your durability and deflecting incomming attacks. While active you sacrifice a portion of your Damage potential to boost to your Maximum Hitpoints and your Defense, many of your other Earth Blast powers will grant additional defense when used. Such fortification if extremely heavy though preventing you from jumping or flying, and moderately slowing your movement speed and reducing the range of your other powers.
Damage: None
Recharge: 4seconds
Effects: ModifyEffect EarthenFortification, +3.5% Defense, +20% Maximum Hitpoints, -30% Damage, -30% Range, -30% Runspeed, -10mag Fly, -50,000% Jumpheight
**While the defense buffs granted by your attacks are not enhanceable, the buff from Earthen Fortification itself is.

8) Magma Case
Encases your target in a block of rapidly hardening magma, dealing fire damage over time and leaving them held and helpless to defend themselves.
Range: 60ft
Damage: 5*0.2scale Fire Damage/4.1sec
Recharge: 16seconds
Effects: 3mag Hold 11.9sec

9) Grip of Granite
By stomping your foot you can create a violent upheaval of earth at your location. For the next several seconds any nearby enemies are assailed by wave after wave of erupting rock and stone. Many foes will find it difficult to maintain their footing, and some may be left dazed by the onslaught. Grants a considerable bonus for your Earthen Fortification or Strength of Stone powers.
Radius: 20ft
Damage: 1.5scale Smashing Damage upon activation then summons a pseudo-pet for 5seconds at your location which checks for 6 additional attempts at 0.3scale Lethal Damage. Each additional tick has it's own accuracy check. Maximum total damage of 3.3scale
Recharge: 120seconds
Effects: 30% Chance 2mag Disorient 6sec, 10% Chance 0.67mag Knockback each tick, +12.5% Defense 20sec if EarthenFortification, +20% Damage 20sec if StrengthOfStone


Blaster Defense numbers: (Keep in mind the Damage, Range and Mobility penalties)
Stoneburst: 1.3% Defense (Non-Enhanceable)
Shard Blast: 1.625% Defense (Non-Enhanceable)
Stone Spears: 2.275% Defense (Non-Enhanceable)
Earthen Fortification: 2.275% Defense (Enhanceable)
Grip of Granite: 8.125% Defense (Non-Enhanceable)

Sustainable Defense Buff:
7.475% Total (Unenhanced)
8.749% Total (Enhanced)

20second Maximum buff with Grip of Granite:
15.6% Total (Unenhanced)
16.874% Total (Enhanced)


Defender Defense numbers:
Stoneburst: 2%
Shard Blast: 2.5%
Stone Spears: 3.5%
Earthen Fortification: 3.5%
Grip of Granite: 12.5%

Sustainable Defense Buff:
11.5% (Unenhanced)
13.46% (Enhanced)

20second Maxumim buff with Grip of Granite:
24% (Unenhanced)
25.96% (Enhanced)


Corruptor Defense Numbers:
Stoneburst: 1.5%
Shard Blast: 1.875%
Stone Spears: 2.625%
Earthen Fortification: 2.625%
Grip of Granite: 9.375%

Sustainable Defense Buff:
8.625% (Unenhanced)
10.095% (Enhanced)

20second Maximum buff with Grip of Granite:
18% (Unenhanced)
19.47% (Enhanced)

@Oathbound & @Oathbound Too

I'm always down for a new blast set, and Earth is something we blasters lack. I like the idea behind the different buffs too, to keep it unique when compared with other blast sets.

...but only if we get an Earth Manipulation secondary with it

this is a great idea love your powerset.

most of the powers exist in game or have easy animations to make. there are what, like three versions of throwing rocks already: the yank chunk out of the ground, the summon chunk out of the ground like propel, and the summon little pieces/shards. and the dom secondary set has nice ranged goodies too. fault, fissure and tremor...

shouldnt be too hard at all. replace the snipe with a cone or aoe from above.

as i just mentioned in another thread, the dark seconday blaster set is a good example of not proliferation and not something entirely new, but combining several already in-game powers for a great hole-filling set.

god i hope this happens!!!

one question would strength of stone and earthen fortification be stackable? or will they be mutually exclusive? would any of them be mutually exclusive with travel powers? i dont believe either of those points were mentioned

depending on above answers i may or may not ever take those powers since -speed is not something you want on a squishy (-jump i could live with -speed i could not)

I like it. /Signed