Rough ideas: natural-origin Dom/Troller sets: Feedback and constructive criticism appreciated.

Just putting up some ideas to see what people think

Swashbuckling: Dominators

An Assault Set for Dominators based around a Gun and a Sword used simultaneously. Like Sparkblade, a Musketeer, or many pirate characters. It'd use some of the Self-targeting tech seen in Vorpal Judgement. It'd also be the only currently existing set to use two different weapons, which rather exemplifies the fighting philosophy of Assault sets. If Sparkblade ever makes it in-game. He'd Definitely be an Electric Control/Swashbuckling Dominator.

This would fit nicely as a "Natural Origin" friendly option for Dominators.

For the self-targeted AoE idea: Whenever a character fired a normally targeted gun/ranged power, they'd also fire a low-damage, very small self-targeted melee cone attack with the sword. Think, swing the sword, then fire the gun. The same would occur with normally-targeted melee attacks, Attack with the sword, then fire an extremely small (think Dual Pistols: Piercing Rounds where you'd hit three people max, if that) close-range(think Dual Pistols Executioner's Shot) shot in a different direction from the one you're facing. The idea is using the two different weapons in tandem to attack and defend at the same time. Defending with the sword when using the gun, and taking out an enemy sneaking up on you with the gun while fighting one in front of you with the sword. Things like large pistols, sawed-off shotguns, and one-handed "Big Guns". And one-handed close-ranged swords like machetes, Daos, Sabers, Cutlasses, Ninjato and such.

Throwing Blades: Controllers and Dominators.

A natural-origin friendly primary for Controllers and dominators would be great for people who play these type of characters.This particular set would also be great for any character who wants to get more mileage out of what they can do with Controller/Dominator secondary sets by offering a non-powered alternative to the primary, allowing them to explore concepts with the secondary more in mind.("This character's main power is empathy, but if you push him, he will throw knives at you"). It would also make a very nice thematic match to Thorny Assault for doms, and present a nice "active" match to the "passive" nature of Traps. Finally, it gives this Natural-origin friendly option to Controlers and dominators without just being a mashup of devices, ninjitsu, Traps, and the craftable temporary powers.

Not only does batman, everyone associated with him, and many similar characters use such weaponry, but the core idea is used by characters like Daredevil's enemy Bullseye, every ninja-related character ever. Captain Boomerang of the Suicide squad Xena warrior Prince's Chakram, and even Captain America's shield lends itself to this idea.

It's an idea that only gets touched on briefly with the Weapons Mastery Ancillary for stalkers/scrappers and it's shuriken attacks, and the envenomed dagger crafted temp power.

The central concept of this powerset is hand-thrown, offensive weapons used less as weapons, and more as tools to control the battlefield from afar. Throwing the Boomerang/Shuriken at the head of an enemy for a stunning effect, at the feet for an immobilizing effect. Expertly ricocheting them off multiple enemies for a chaining stun/confuse/hold effect. Mixed in would be a few "gimmick" throwing weapons, similar to batman and company's specialty batarangs, some exploding flash-bang throwing weapons, sonic shrieking Whistler throwing weapons. Things like this.

The best customization for this would be allowing players to choose from a few different types of color-tintable throwing weapons(I have a bird-themed Gadget-using character who would LOVE to throw feather-like blades) via the "powers" UI as opposed to a "weapon" customization. options would include

• Shuriken
• Boomerangs(both modern and traditional)
• Discs
• Chakram
• Knives of various design
• Spikes
• darts.

It'd be an interesting way to bring in a Swap-Ammo type mechanic, various "chemical treatments" for your "throwing weapons" And an animation flagging mechanic as well.

It would be a Control Set that used an "optional" Mix of the combo Mechanics, the Ammo-swap mechanics, and the alternate animation mechanics.

Every Power would have two Animation-altering "swap" flags. "Dominant hand/Off Hand" and "Overhand/Underhand.

The idea here is transitioning from your strong hand to your off hand(throwing with your right, then left, e.t.c.) is more cumbersome, slows you down, and breaks "flow" Because you are using two different sets of "Specially treated" throwing blades that have different effects.
fighting tactically.
"On the other hand"(heh)
Going the "Over/Under" approach uses one hand, meaning you can attack more quickly and fluidly.
Fighting Directly

Upon Executing a power, the next two powers in a possible combo would be "orange Ringed" similar to Dual Blades,(alternatively, you receive a temporary combo building buff going in the direction of whichever chain you chose, similar to Street Justice's combo system) to indicate which paths to take next. Giving you two choices for the next attack in the chain, and thus the buffs you'd receive(if you want)

Going the "Offhand/Dominant hand" route to the completion of the combo gives you a temporary buff that grants a secondary damage type and a secondary debuff effect based on what the two powers are.

Going the "Overhand/Underhand" route allows your character to attack more smoothly, seamlessly transitioning from one attack to the next by having them animate not from a normal "Standing animation" but starting out where the previous attack left off

The only example using in-game animations that would help visualize this that I can think of at the moment:

After a Street Justice Character used Rib Cracker, then executed Shin Breaker, instead of returning the raised knee from Rib-Cracker's animation down to a standing position, they would drop right down into an alternate "Shin Breaking" animation.
So a sort of
RibCracker->Psuedo-Crane Stance for 1\2 second->Shin Breaker
transition


Thoughts, suggestions, and questions are welcome and encouraged.

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