[SPOILERS] Speculatron 5000: The Future of the Phalanx
By
AzureSkyCiel,
Posted on: 2012-02-22 06:24 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
Weeeell, if it was me running the show:
Aurora takes over the Sister Psyche TF.
Synapse takes over the Manticore TF.
Positron takes over the Statesman TF.
Blue Steel takes over the Synapse TF.
Penny Yin takes over both of Positron's TFs.
Back Alley Brawler becomes a trainer in Kings Row.
Winner of Players' Choice Best Villainous Arc 2010: Fear and Loathing on Striga; ID #350522
Bringing back Coyote in any form would be fantastic and the transformation power was one I hadn't considered, even though it's totally obvious. And considering Coyote was originally a player character, you'd then potentially have two player characters in the Phalanx, thereby fulfilling the desire of the Devs to have us surpass the Phalanx.
S.
Part of Sister Flame's Clickey-Clack Posse
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I'd like to see this too, for a variety of reasons. First, it would be interesting to see a Mastermind-like character (in terms of powers) as a clearly defined hero. Second, it would be a nice counterpoint to the constant complaints that such powersets as Beast Mastery aren't "superhero-y" enough. Third, we have yet to see an NPC with one of the "frills" powers, like Coyote Travel, and that would be an interesting touch. (It might even be a handy marketing gimmick.) Fourth, I've always felt that Coyote was a great example of a "standard" four-color hero, something that a character like Penelope Yin, despite the character's interesting points, is not. We need such characters in a new Freedom Phalanx, lest it become a muddled grouping of "characters with superpowers" like Vanguard or the Praetorian Archvillains, rather than "superheroes." (While some have argued against including such a group in the game, I don't think it's too far out of line to have one or two classic "superhero" groups in a game that ostenibly has "superheroes" as its default protagonists.)|
Originally Posted by SuperOz
Bringing back Coyote in any form would be fantastic and the transformation power was one I hadn't considered, even though it's totally obvious. And considering Coyote was originally a player character, you'd then potentially have two player characters in the Phalanx, thereby fulfilling the desire of the Devs to have us surpass the Phalanx.
S. |
In the same vein, I think it's most likely that the Freedom Phalanx will fade into the background, to be replaced by Vanguard as the default "defenders of all that is good" group. This flies in the face of Vanguard's being an amoral group simply designed to fight Rikti and other extra-Earthly threats. But it falls into the pattern many forumites and some developers seem to think in, that any blatantly "heroic" group is automatically suspect. Oddly, this tends to have the effect of making the "good" groups "evil" and the "neutral" groups "good."
Here's how I expect the i0 Task Forces and other Freedom Phalanx content to break down:
Positron TF's: Unchanged from their present state.
Synapse: TF substantially revamped and given out by a different, possibly new, character. Penelope Yin, with her association with the Clockwork, seems most likely, though there are other possibilities. The emphasis will probably be more on the Clockwork King himself than on fighting warehouse after warehouse of his minions.
Sister Psyche: Completely revamped, given out by a different, possibly new character. Penelope seems like the obvious choice as the new all-knowing-psychic-type, but note that at present, there isn't any connection between Sister Psyche and a Freakshow plot to blow up the Zig. Back Alley Brawler might end up with this TF.
Citadel: Totally revamped but sticking with the same character. A while back, I recall reading that this would be the next TF to be revamped.
Manticore: Revamped, probably only slightly, and given by Synapse, the hero most connected with Crey.
Numina: Slightly revamped and given out by the same character.
Statesman: Revamped fairly extensively and given out by a Vanguard character, probably a semi-recovered Honoree.
I suspect there might be a new TF for the new, player-created character. It'll be interesting to see whether that character reflects more of a forumite or a developer conception of what makes a hero (remember, the devs make the selection), and if it's the latter, what that conception is.
Lord Recluse's Strike Force: Extensively revamped due to characters being slain, but probably still given out by Recluse for the time being.
This leads me to my final point. I suspect that the next round of Signature Story Arcs will give us as many shakeups among the signature villains as this round did among the heroes. My current theory is that Arachnos will end up as a more Praetorian-like organization (friendly face, evil machinations behind the scenes), since this seems to be a pet theme of some the writing devs, but we'll have to see.
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I don't really have an OP comment, but on this I'd like to say that I would prefer/hope to see instead: Arachnos remains obviously evil but become much more affably evil.|
Originally Posted by Olantern
My current theory is that Arachnos will end up as a more Praetorian-like organization (friendly face, evil machinations behind the scenes), since this seems to be a pet theme of some the writing devs, but we'll have to see.
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Lord Recluse will lend a hand to lesser villains, even assist heroes to stop world ending disasters and provide information.
But in truth they'll still put a bullet or knife in your back if you cross them wrong or are closer to taking over the world than they are.
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Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
City of Heroes is a game about freedom of expression and variety of experiences far more so than it is about representing any one theme, topic or genre.
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Calvin Scott TF restored to replace Sister P - which remains available via Ouroboros - and becomes WST for that week
BAB gets Manticore TF.
Hero One gets Statesman TF.
LRSF rejigged to reflect the new Signature characters.
Thelonious Monk
I've never had to fight Sister Psyche, but do red siders think replacing her with Penny in the LRSF will make it harder, easier, or much the same?
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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Psi-damage is Psi-damage, she will still be knocked-out first / second (paired with Numina of course).|
Originally Posted by Golden Girl
I've never had to fight Sister Psyche, but do red siders think replacing her with Penny in the LRSF will make it harder, easier, or much the same?
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I haven't personally seen Penny fight yet, but I imagine it will be the same.
@War-Nugget
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Originally Posted by Wavicle
CoH players are stupid and incompetent compared to WoW players.
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And even if she is a bit tougher, that'll probably be balanced out by whoever is brought in to replace Statesman - even if it's a new character created by the players.
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
So, if the LRSF is updated to reflect the new FP, will the LGTF be updated in regards to Penny and Hero 1? (If indeed they are part of the FP...)
Will Glacia and Infernia be a part of the new groups as well, seeing they have returned from the Rikti world? (Despite many heroes ensuring that they die off?)
Will there be a new TF, hosted by Manticore, in a new neutral ground? It'd be interesting to have a vigilante style TF that allows you to make moral choices, similar to the Praetorian choices. Each player gets a choice, the majority winning, with ties decided by the leader's vote. I could see DJ Zero allowing Manticore to hang out there, giving out tasks.
Why isn't there a CoH equivalent of the Injustice League? Arachnos is a great group, but it'd be nice to see a gathering of some of the other villains form a group as well. Mangle, Hollow Point, Critical Mass, etc., would be great as opponents in a TF. (Just a thought while musing on the new Freedom Phalanx...)
I find your lack of signature disturbing.
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Isn't that what Reichsman was trying to get going on the KTF? |
Originally Posted by Frost Warden
Why isn't there a CoH equivalent of the Injustice League?
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@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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Didn't get to fight her as an AV despite having my difficulty set for AVs (and it said she was a hero), so I can't say for sure. As an EB she dropped so fast that I didn't even notice she had new powers |
Originally Posted by Golden Girl
I've never had to fight Sister Psyche, but do red siders think replacing her with Penny in the LRSF will make it harder, easier, or much the same?
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(I hear they're cool)Depending on what her pet does (I thought it was just a re-skinned Singy until I saw some charging nonsense), she'll be more difficult.
Anyway, It's almost garanteed that the LRSF is getting overhauled, with the whole attack on Statesman motive not translating well with him all dead and stuff.
My guess would be that if Wade makes it out of the SSA, the new LRSF will be Lord Recluse's response to Wade's actions, and an attempt to "refocus" Arachnos.
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With Sister Psyche now seeming to be gone, and Penny Yin being fast forwaded in age, I23 is shaping up to be devoted just to revamping all the content SSA 1 has affected
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
Penny can't be the replacement for the Posi Taskforce without rewriting it slightly as the revamped TF indicates that Clockwork King strikes in the Posi TF to protect Penny.
I can see Aurora being the Sister Psyche TF Contact, but who will take over the training position in IP?
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Blue's Assembled Story Links
As Positron will now be the closest thing to a leader that blue side has, I think that he should have a high level TF and not the intro one - especially as Positron is already the guide for DFB.
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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Originally Posted by Golden Girl
... Sister Psyche now seeming to be gone ...
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That's another point. She's long been a fan and developer favorite, and she may not really be gone completely. We've had Sister Psyche move to different host bodies more than once before, and I could see her disembodied spirit ending up inside some existing (or new) character, as either a hero or a villain (though a villain kinda steps on the conceptual toes of Mother Mayhem).
"Bombarding the CoH/V fora with verbosity since January, 2006"
Djinniman, level 50 inv/fire tanker, on Victory
-and 40 others on various servers
A CoH Comic: Kid Eros in "One Light"
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How does that fulfill the desire of the players surpassing the Phalanx?|
Originally Posted by SuperOz
Bringing back Coyote in any form would be fantastic and the transformation power was one I hadn't considered, even though it's totally obvious. And considering Coyote was originally a player character, you'd then potentially have two player characters in the Phalanx, thereby fulfilling the desire of the Devs to have us surpass the Phalanx.
S. |
What it does is make player charactrs NPCs, and elevates two ex-PCs above the PC.
Personally, I'm okay with the FP being the premiere supergroup. Doesn't mean they're the OMG BESTEST EVER superheroes. Though they could be portrayed as being a bit better, but I still blame that on the point of SSA 1 just to be to get rid of Jack.
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The BrandX Collection
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So Statesman is dead, and let's assume Psyche is really gone too. Thanks to that coding flub in SSA6 where Penny's pet is part of the Freedom Phalanx, we can assume Penny Yin is taking over for Psyche. Makes sense, Psychic to Psychic transition, nothing really has to change in the TF aside from sparse personalizations.
Positron will likely be liberating his spot to ascend to Statesman's place in the game. He may liberate that TF spot, making it the player-contest winner's prize.
Manticore is now the wildcard - with Psyche dead, (Or my new favorite theory, she's mind-riding Manticore because you never see Wade explicitly take her powers, because the writer's ninja'd that bit in at the end of SSA6 as an assumption on behalf of the contact), either way he's not going to be himself anymore. I can see him going *actual* Vigilante instead of "Badboy statue in Brickstown who dislikes Crey", opening up more alignment stuff as you either help or hunt him. Or just MIA while the Psyche problem works itself out.
Who would fill in for Manticore?
With the recent slew of animal themed stuff, including the vanity pets and beast summoning, and Galaxy turned in to the new Tutorial, I think we should bring back Coyote from the old tutorial, give him Beast Summoning and the coyote travel power, and have him take over for Manticore.
Really, how cool would that be?
Would love to hear some discussion on the future of the Phalanx.
P.S. I don't post here often, be gentle!
The Story of a Petless MM with a dream
Well done.