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Vegetation Manipulation: Control Nature Itself!
speanoz
Posts: 238 Arc User
Alongside you wonderful community members, I have expressed interest in a potential entirely new framework within its own equally new power category. This new framework would be Vegetation Manipulation, and it would reside nice-and-cozy inside of a new category of powers known as Manipulation.
Much like I did on my Munitions Update thread, I am going to categorically state that I am not some Champions Online savant.
I am very interested in the gameplay and have put some time into researching the Champions Universe pen-and-paper setting, but I do not know every intimate detail of the functions of either format. That said, I do like to think that I have a pretty good grasp on the gameplay fundamentals and mechanics! With the "obligatory" disclaimer out of the way, and without further ado, let's just jump right into it!
The ability to manipulate and manifest nature already exists to some extent within Champions Online thanks to the Earth framework beneath the Brick category and Wind under Energy Projection. And while the strange lack of a water framework is unusual to me, others have made excellent suggestions covering that theme very well by now! That leaves just one natural theme left in order to leave no stone unturned (pun definitely intended): control over plantlife itself! Vegetation Manipulation would be an ideal framework for benevolent druids, earthly deities, and even those blessed by science! Because of the mutli-faceted thematic nature of mastery over flora, I have decided to avoid placing this hypothetical framework within the already thoroughly well covered Mystic category.
Vegetation Manipulation and, indeed, Manipulation itself would center around a versatile mixture of powers and abilities. While Brick is the universally accepted "tanker" archetype and Martial Arts delves into "melee DPS", I would like for Manipulation and all its constituents to incorporate hybridized gameplay similar to the direction Energy Projection has been moving towards as of late. Manipulating things, by its very nature, can be orchestrated in any number of ways!
This framework would completely revolve around the use of plants and vegetation as well as their inherent properties (both in real life and in general game nature!) What I envision is the use of ivies, vines, shrubs, trees, and even microbial particles in order to dispense verdant justice! I intend for this framework to pair nicely with both the Earth and Infernal Supernatural frameworks in order to provide upmost versatility and player creativity potential.
Now, let's get down to brass tacks and get to work doling out the powers, tiers, and even some advantages! Vegetation Manipulation will pair potent damage dealing with ally bolstering abilities. I will attempt to order powers as they would appear in-game, and additionally I will attempt to describe/format them in such a way as well. Lastly, this proposed framework is a work in progress and may be subject to changes!
Much like I did on my Munitions Update thread, I am going to categorically state that I am not some Champions Online savant.
I am very interested in the gameplay and have put some time into researching the Champions Universe pen-and-paper setting, but I do not know every intimate detail of the functions of either format. That said, I do like to think that I have a pretty good grasp on the gameplay fundamentals and mechanics! With the "obligatory" disclaimer out of the way, and without further ado, let's just jump right into it!
VEGETATION MANIPULATION
"Control Nature Itself!"
The ability to manipulate and manifest nature already exists to some extent within Champions Online thanks to the Earth framework beneath the Brick category and Wind under Energy Projection. And while the strange lack of a water framework is unusual to me, others have made excellent suggestions covering that theme very well by now! That leaves just one natural theme left in order to leave no stone unturned (pun definitely intended): control over plantlife itself! Vegetation Manipulation would be an ideal framework for benevolent druids, earthly deities, and even those blessed by science! Because of the mutli-faceted thematic nature of mastery over flora, I have decided to avoid placing this hypothetical framework within the already thoroughly well covered Mystic category.
Vegetation Manipulation and, indeed, Manipulation itself would center around a versatile mixture of powers and abilities. While Brick is the universally accepted "tanker" archetype and Martial Arts delves into "melee DPS", I would like for Manipulation and all its constituents to incorporate hybridized gameplay similar to the direction Energy Projection has been moving towards as of late. Manipulating things, by its very nature, can be orchestrated in any number of ways!
This framework would completely revolve around the use of plants and vegetation as well as their inherent properties (both in real life and in general game nature!) What I envision is the use of ivies, vines, shrubs, trees, and even microbial particles in order to dispense verdant justice! I intend for this framework to pair nicely with both the Earth and Infernal Supernatural frameworks in order to provide upmost versatility and player creativity potential.
Now, let's get down to brass tacks and get to work doling out the powers, tiers, and even some advantages! Vegetation Manipulation will pair potent damage dealing with ally bolstering abilities. I will attempt to order powers as they would appear in-game, and additionally I will attempt to describe/format them in such a way as well. Lastly, this proposed framework is a work in progress and may be subject to changes!
Tier "0" Powers
(Energy Builder)
(Ranged Attack)
Seedlings
Ranged Damage - Energy Builder - Spore
"You lash out at your enemy with clumps of invasive seedlings."
Click
+Single target Toxic damage.
+Generates Energy.
+The initial attack has a chance to apply Torpor, which reduces your target's movement speed and increases charge-up time on applicable enemies.
+Torpor cannot stack. Instead, new applications will refresh the duration of an existing stack.
+Torpor is a type of Spore.
+Different Spore effects cannot stack and will instead override one another.
Advantages
Compounding Exposure
Enhancement
+Seedlings has a chance to apply Torpor on every shot instead of just the first.
(Ranged Attack)
Vine Whip
Ranged Damage - Knock Down - Blast
"You reel your hand from overhead and bring a stalk of ivy down upon your unfortunate foe."
Tap
+Single target Crushing damage.
+Has a chance of Knocking Down your target.
Charge
+Increase the damage and Energy cost of the Tap effect.
+Increase the chance of Knocking Down your target, up to 100% chance at full charge.
Advantages
If a Tree Falls...
Enhancement
+Instead of knocking down your target, Vine Whip will instead have a chance of Knocking Back your target, up to a 100% chance at full charge.
Tier 1 Powers
Requires 1 power from Vegetation Manipulation or 2 non-energy-building powers from any framework.
Requires 1 power from Vegetation Manipulation or 2 non-energy-building powers from any framework.
(Close Attack)
(Close Area Attack)
(Ranged Attack)
(Ranged Area Attack)
(Healing)
(Active Powers)
(Buff Targets)
(Slotted Passives)
(Toggle Forms)
(Block)
(Energy Unlock)
Thorn Swipe
Melee Damage - Bleed - Combo
"Venomous thorns protrude from your arms, enabling you to fight up close and personal."
Click
+Single target Toxic damage.
+Has a chance to apply Bleed, which stacks up to 5 times and causes your target to suffer Slashing damage over time.
Combo Finish
+Deals Toxic damage in a cone in front of you.
Advantages
A Bad Rash
Enhancement
+In addition to potentially applying Bleed, Thorn Swipe also has a chance of applying Deadly Poison, which stacks up to 5 times and causes your target to suffer Toxic damage over time.
+Deadly Poison is a type of Poison.
A Thorn in my Side
Enhancement
+Finishing Thorn Swipe's combo now guarantees applying a stack of Bleed to your primary target.
(Close Area Attack)
Fungal Burst
Ranged AoE Damage - Spore
"Fungal Burst saturates an area with harmful bacteria that attacks your foes and may leave their defenses diminished."
Tap
+Deals Toxic damage to nearby enemies.
+Chance to apply Spoiled to targets, reducing their resistances to Toxic damage and Crushing damage by a small amount for a short period.
+Spoiled is a type of Spore.
Charge
+Increases damage and Energy cost of the Tap effect.
+Increases the chance of Spoiling your targets.
Advantages
Double the Truffle
Enhancement
+The Spoiled debuff now has a chance of applying one additional stack.
+Both instances of Spoiled are still removed if a different type of Spore is applied to the target.
(Ranged Attack)
Shoot Shot
Ranged Damage - Spore
"As if throwing a spear, you quickly lunge a shoot stalk at your dartboard of a target."
Click
+Single target Crushing damage.
+Chance to apply Torpor to your target, which reduces their movement speed and increases charge-up time on applicable enemies.
+Torpor is a type of Spore.
Advantages
Peppered
Enhancement
+Every use of Shoot Shot now applies an instance of the Deadshoot buff to you, increasing the damage of further Shoot Shot attacks by a small amount.
+This buff has a very short duration, but stacks up to 3 times, and each application refreshes the stack.
(Ranged Area Attack)
Allergen Bomb
Ranged AoE Damage - Spore
"It may not be a hydrogen bomb, but your Allergen Bomb still packs a wallop against your enemies."
Tap
+Deals Toxic damage to the initial target, and less damage to foes near that target.
+Chance to apply Hypersensitivity to targets, causing them to be Disoriented. When the debuff instance expires, it has a small chance of Stunning your target for a short time.
+Disoriented targets deal less damage and move slower.
+Hypersensitivity is a type of Spore.
Charge
+Increase the damage and Energy cost of the Tap effect.
+Increase the chance to apply Hypersensitivity.
Advantages
Cover Your Mouth!
Enhancement
+Hypersensitivity may now spread to other nearby foes.
+Instances of Hypersensitivity spread this way will still override other Spore effects.
Benign Reaction
Enhancement
+Charging this power at least halfway applies Illuminated to your targets.
+Players attacking an Illuminated target have a chance to be healed.
+Illuminated is a type of Curse.
(Healing)
Beneficial Bacteria
Heal
"Not all forms of bacteria are harmful. Your mastery over nature itself allows you to mend wounds and prevent further harm."
Maintain
+Continuously heals the target while maintained. If you don't have a friendly target, you will heal yourself.
+The initial amount healed is moderate but decreases as you maintain this power.
+Maintaining this power for at least 50% of its duration will apply an instance of Immunized. This buff slightly increases Toxic damage resistance.
+Further maintaining Beneficial Bacteria will grant additional instances of Immunized, stacking up to 4 times.
Advantages
Invigoration
Enhancement
+Fully maintaining this power on a friendly target will apply an instance of Invigoration. Invigoration raises the effectiveness of powers that increase damage, healing, energy generation, and damage resistance.
+This effect cannot stack and will instead extend the duration if reapplied.
(Active Powers)
Herbal Supplement
Active Offense - Energy Form
"You bolster your own capabilities with an all-natural Herbal Supplement."
Click
+Increase damage of all attacks.
+Assists in breaking out of Hold, Root, And Disable effects.
+Can be used while Held or Confused.
+Slightly reduces the cost of all powers.
+Increases your Ego and Presence.
+Counts as an Energy Form.
-This power is considered to be an Active Offense. Activating this power imposes a long cooldown on all other Active Offense powers.
Advantages
Vitamin Rich
Enhancement
+Using this power grants you Invigoration, raising the effectiveness of powers that increase damage, healing, energy generation, and damage resistance.
(Buff Targets)
Fortification
Shield - Enchantment - Heal
"You bestow the benevolence of nature on an ally, bolstering their vitality and keeping them in the fight for longer."
Click
+Grants your target a shield, absorbing incoming damage up to a set amount.
+The shield generated by this power scales with your Presence.
+Places Illumination on an ally, increasing the healing that they receive.
+Illumination counts as an Enchantment.
+Heals a small amount of damage.
Advantages
Ointment
Enhancement
+Fortification now has a chance to periodically remove Burning effects during its duration.
Antivenom
Enhancement
+Fortification now has a chance to periodically remove Poison effects during its duration.
Salve
Enhancement
+Fortification now has a chance to periodically remove Wound effects during its duration.
(Slotted Passives)
One With Nature
Slotted Offensive Passive - Energy Form
"No one understands the true potential of nature as well as you do, ensuring you know how to best use its strengths."
Slotted Passive
+Can be slotted in an Offensive or Balanced passive power slot.
+Increases all of your Toxic and Crushing damage. This increase scales with your Super Stats.
+Increases your resistance to all Toxic and Crushing damage. These resistances scale with your Super Stats.
+Generates a small amount of Energy when you are struck with Toxic or Crushing attacks.
+Counts as an Energy Form.
Conservationist
Slotted Passive - Energy Form
"You are familiar with the inner workings of all living things. You are able to use this knowledge to help your friends and hinder your foes."
Slotted Passive
+Can be slotted in a Support or Balanced passive power slot.
+Increases the damage of all your Toxic and Crushing damage. These benefits scale with your Super Stats.
+Grants bonus efficacy to all your Healing powers. This increase scales with your Super Stats.
+Moderately increases your resistance to all Toxic damage and slightly increases your resistance to Crushing damage. These resistances scale with your Super Stats.
+Grants a small amount of healing every few seconds to all allies near you.
+Grants a small amount of energy when you are struck with Toxic attacks. This amount scales with your Recovery.
+Counts as an Energy Form.
(Toggle Forms)
Naturalist
Buff - Form
"With a few moments of concentration and preparation, you may adopt an advanced martial posture."
Toggle
+Activating this power grants you a stack of the Exhilarated buff, increasing your ranged damage and melee damage to a lesser degree.
+This Form scales with your Recovery.
+Grants you energy when you gain a stack of Exhilarated.
+You can gain up to 8 stacks of this buff.
+At Rank Two, 2 instances of the Exhilarated buff are granted on activation. At Rank Three, you gain 3 instances on activation. This only occurs while out of combat.
Triggering Conditions
+While you maintain this Form you have a chance of gaining another instance of Exhilarated whenever you apply a Spore effect to an enemy.
+Spore effects include: Torpor, Spoiled, Hypersensitivity, and Infection.
+You can gain a stack of Exhilarated once every 4 seconds.
Side Effects
-You must fully charge this power to activate it, and taking any damage will interrupt your concentration, cancelling the charge.
-While this power is active, the Energy cost of all your other powers is slightly increased.
-You may only have one Form power active at a time.
-Activating this Form power immediately ends any pre-existing Forms.
Herbalist
Buff - Form
"You have a vast well of energy."
Toggle
+Activating this power grants a stack of the Soothe buff, increasing your Healing and your damage to a lesser degree.
+This form scales with your Presence or Recovery, whichever is higher.
+Grants you energy when you gain a stack of Soothe.
+You can gain up to 8 stacks of this buff.
+At Rank Two, 2 instances of the Soothe buff are granted at activation. At Rank Three, you gain 3 instances on activation. This only occurs while out of combat.
Triggering Conditions
+While you maintain this Form you have a chance of gaining another instance of Soothe whenever you apply a Spore effect to an enemy.
+Spore effects include: Torpor, Spoiled, Hypersensitivity, and Infection.
+You can gain a stack of Soothe once every 4 seconds.
Side Effects
-You must fully charge this power to activate it, and taking any damage will interrupt your concentration, cancelling the charge.
-While this power is active, the Energy cost of all your other powers is slightly increased.
-You may only have one Form power active at a time.
-Activating this Form power immediately ends any pre-existing Forms.
(Block)
Vine Wall
Block
"You raise a protective wall of vegetation in front of you to defend yourself from enemy attacks."
Maintain
+Self damage reduction with better overall protection than other Block powers.
+Increase your resistance to Hold and Knock effects. This resistance is very slightly higher than other Block Powers.
+Gives you energy when you are hit by an attack. This amount scales with your Recovery.
-Due to the nature of Vine Wall, you move slightly slower than other Block powers.
-The effectiveness of this power is reduced the higher you are in the air.
Advantages
Beanstalk
Enhancement
+Vine Wall now completely immobilizes you with maintained. Your resistance to Crushing damage, Hold, and Knock effects is increased even more.
+Your altitude no longer factors into the effectiveness of this power.
(Energy Unlock)
Terraformed
Innate Passive - Secondary Energy Unlock
You may only have 1 Energy Unlock power.
"Your connection with the ether provides you with energy whenever you spread nature's glory."
Innate Passive
+This power does not need to be slotted in order to function, and has no ranks.
+Generates Energy whenever you apply, refresh, or detonate a Spore effect.
+This effect cannot stack, but triggering the effect will refresh its duration.
+The amount of Energy gained scales with your Recovery statistic.
+The Endurance statistic also scales the amount of Energy gained to a lesser degree.
Post edited by speanoz on
0
Comments
Requires 3 powers from Vegetation Manipulation or 4 non-energy-building powers from any framework.
(Close Area Attack)
(Ranged Attack)
(Ranged Area Effect)
(Movement)
(Crowd Control)
(Summon)
(Healing)
(Active Powers)
(Buff Targets)
(Debuff)
Swords and Shields!
Plant Abilities!
Requires 5 powers from Vegetation Manipulation or 6 non-energy-building powers from any framework.
(Ranged Attack)
(Ranged Area Attack)
(Crowd Control)
(Summon)
(Controllable Pets)
(Healing)
(Buff Targets)
(Ultimate)
And that sums up my take on Vegetation Manipulation. With an assortment of brutal attacks, weakening debuffs, potent heals, and versatile buffs -- and everything in between! -- this framework is meant to provide an exciting new experience. The overall gameplay of this set focuses on applying certain specific Spores and then detonating them in order to inflict the debuff of your choice on enemies.
I hope you all enjoyed reading and pondering this grandiose suggestion of mine. I greatly enjoyed coming up with it! I appreciate your attention, feedback, comments, and suggestions! I hope to see you guys in Champions Online!
Update Log
10/24/19 - Finally completed first pass.
Swords and Shields!
Plant Abilities!
I'll respond to the actual content later o3o
My super cool CC build and how to use it.
I appreciate the kind words! I may be pretty new around here, but I am no stranger to BBCode.
I just wanted to make the post coherent and easy on the eyes for readers... as much as can be done on an internet forum, anyway!
Swords and Shields!
Plant Abilities!
My super cool CC build and how to use it.
That said, I understand your concern. I imagine its pulses would be very low fidelity but bright enough to be recognizable.
Also had that gem.
Swords and Shields!
Plant Abilities!
BTW, love the idea and the format you use!
EDIT: I will say that *one* of those suggestions is already pretty covered!
EDIT #2: I have tentatively completed the framework. Huzzah!!!
Swords and Shields!
Plant Abilities!
But seriously, nice job with the power names. the advantage names were especially clever. Some of the power imagery seems pretty neat too.
Seems like there should be a sleep in here, is there? Did I miss? Like flower that pops up and lays down a cloud of drowzy pollen around itself. Also shambling mound or animated tree seems a bit more in-theme than a golem to me.
You added a few new status effects, this concerns me since I can't seem to keep the ever-growing number of statuses straight in my head. You added yet another crushing defense debuff too. We have like five(?) already. I guess it doesn't even matter at this point, no one is gonna include them all.
Overall, fun ideas for sure. I wanna throw sprouts and have propeller pod friends!
There really should be a sleep......... Also, I imagine people will want a ranged single target maintain as well. I knew I was missing some stuff!
For the Earthen Golem, I was envisioning a high tier tank pet to either supplement or replace mid-tier pets of similar roles, such as those under the Sorcery framework. It would seem that you and @zombiehunter1968 have similar ideas involving treants. Perhaps I should overhaul my proposed golem entirely to give him a unique presence.
As for the new status effects and debuffs, I understand that my reasoning will be a bit polarizing to your mindset: I view the gamut of existing debuffs as a foundation from which to build my new proposed sets off of. First and foremost I planned out Vegetation Manipulation to revolve around unique Spores and detonating them in order to cause specific debuffs.
I hope that explains my perspective. I'll definitely keep your feedback in mind!
Swords and Shields!
Plant Abilities!
Spores Shmores! Spores are fungus, and fungi aren't even plants. Seeds are where it's at, I tells ya! Have powers that plant seeds, and then grow those seeds with other powers for bonus effects. That's the green thumb heritage variety way.
Swords and Shields!
Plant Abilities!
Swords and Shields!
Plant Abilities!
Swords and Shields!
Plant Abilities!
As the framework would fall into an entirely new category, I wanted to incorporate several different playstyles into it. I want all kinds of players to be able to enjoy it thoroughly!
Swords and Shields!
Plant Abilities!