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The Future of the Mentalist Framework: My Thoughts
ninjapiff
Posts: 283 Arc User
As it is, the Mentalist Framework has overall been getting less and less... well, in a word, "good". With Crowd Control getting weaker and weaker, and recent nerfs to things like the Master of the Mind miniset and various hold powers, Mentalists are taking blow after blow. The problem is a relatively common one for many games (for MMOs, PnP RPGs, Single-Player games, etc.) and isn't always solved easily; how do you make a certain playstyle that would REALISTICALLY be unbeatable god-tier be fair and balanced?
Crowd Control with no restrictions = Getting knocked prone indefinitely while things wail on you. You can't get back up, because before you do you get knocked back down again (Sorry Chumbawamba, not this time). That's CC at its best if you're using it, and its worst if you're on the controlled side. This is why it's necessary to "nerf" Crowd Control; I say "nerf" with quotations marks because anything less than total prone-lock is kinda a "nerf" to what "true crowd control" would be.
But the Mentalist Framework isn't just CC, and shouldn't just be CC. As we stand now, the Mentalist Framework is split into two Powersets: Telepathy and Telekinesis. I feel like this is sort of a mistake, especially in the case of Telepathy. By naming the powerset "Telepathy", you invite an ENORMOUS amount of possible powers and concepts that could fit that bill. "Telepathy", itself, if way too broad a category and should be broken up if we ever really want to see more Mentalist Powers. Here are some "new" Mentalist powersets that could replace Telepathy and further narrow down the various jumble of powers that the Framework currently holds:
Crowd Control with no restrictions = Getting knocked prone indefinitely while things wail on you. You can't get back up, because before you do you get knocked back down again (Sorry Chumbawamba, not this time). That's CC at its best if you're using it, and its worst if you're on the controlled side. This is why it's necessary to "nerf" Crowd Control; I say "nerf" with quotations marks because anything less than total prone-lock is kinda a "nerf" to what "true crowd control" would be.
But the Mentalist Framework isn't just CC, and shouldn't just be CC. As we stand now, the Mentalist Framework is split into two Powersets: Telepathy and Telekinesis. I feel like this is sort of a mistake, especially in the case of Telepathy. By naming the powerset "Telepathy", you invite an ENORMOUS amount of possible powers and concepts that could fit that bill. "Telepathy", itself, if way too broad a category and should be broken up if we ever really want to see more Mentalist Powers. Here are some "new" Mentalist powersets that could replace Telepathy and further narrow down the various jumble of powers that the Framework currently holds:
- Illusion: A handful of powers summon "entities" that help attack your foe, while others debuff your targets and cause DoTs. Powers like Summon Nightmare and Collective Will fit as powers that summon illusory enemies, while powers like those of the Master of the Mind Miniset could fall within the debuffing/DoT aspect of "Illusion".
- Manipulator: Taking the name from the hallmark Form, the Manipulator Powerset would consist of most of the CC powers we know and love/hate from the Telepathy Framework. Holds, Incapacitates, and Stuns would fall into this category, as well as possibly including various debuffs.
- Mental Empowering: Not the best name, but until I think of a better one that's what I'll call it. This would mostly include the healing/shielding powers of the Telepathy Powerset, as well as possible buffing powers that may or may not exist in the future (a girl can dream, can't he?).
It makes sense, if you don't think about it.
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Most often Slice N Dice@zap-the-eradicator in-game.
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Most often Slice N Dice@zap-the-eradicator in-game.
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I'm also a fan of revising CC for CO in general (love CC classes in other games and CO has some graphically pretty holds that I would like to actually use). I understand that strong holds and freeform builds with unlimited DPS don't necessarily mix, but maybe a simple change to casting mechanics would help resolve this:
Holds - should always be a maintain but as a trade off should be much stronger. In fact, a character maintaining a hold should be allowed to constantly refresh the hold strength of their hold while it is being cast (so that teammates don't immediately break the hold when attacking). This would allow DPS on a team to attack the incapacitated target(s), while the character casting the hold is effectively occupied while 'locking down' the target(s). By making it a dedicated, effective maintain, you don't have to worry about freeform tank-mages trapping and obliterating everything all by themselves. This change might even facilitate 'teamwork' >:)
Snares/Roots - should be click or short charge, degrading in effectiveness as the target(s) takes damage but also having a minimum threshold for some meaningful impact. Alternatively, add a lingering, minor debuff once the snare/root is broken so they aren't completely discounted in content like Alerts.
Also, what if only characters with higher CC strength could effectively maintain the hold for the longest periods of time? Granted, that'd require a overhaul of the way CC strength/CC resistance works in CO (assuming it even works at all?) though based on what we've already said that's not really outside the realm of possibility if the rest of what is suggested here was actually done.
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Most often Slice N Dice@zap-the-eradicator in-game.
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Spectre beats Eido in an SG run: VIDEO HERE
Eliminate the fact that PVE enemies escape the hold when you attack. Keep the effect in PVP.
Epic Stronghold
Block timing explained
THAT is what I mean by "True Crowd Control"; incapacitation to the point where you instantly win. And I'm not just talking about crowd control in MMOs, either; whether we think of the use of Mustard Gas and other chemical weapons in WW1, to the Romans' tactic of digging trenches around their forts with hidden spike traps, to using a tear gas grenade to dispel a rioting crowd in Ferguson, MO, being able to divert, repel, incapacitate and otherwise rout an enemy without any actual combat is oftentimes a goal in warfare. Being able to control an enemy through tactics can end a war before a single bullet is fired.
Also @kamokami I'm not saying the Mentalist framework is "bad". But however well you use it now know that it was once even better.
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Most often Slice N Dice@zap-the-eradicator in-game.
Right now crowd control is actually very very useful in fighting Qwyjibo, Kigatilik, and in Teleios Ascendant. In the case of the former it's actually pretty much required. This latest set of content makes holding targets an optimal choice in way more scenarios than we've seen for years. That's because those targets can:
- make life hard if not held or killed
- would take a serious effort to kill and/or would respawn right away
- are not immune to crowd control
The above 3 points are pretty unique to Qwy, Kiga, and TA. But if this latest content is any indication of a trend, we'll hopefully see more like it....where using this long-dead mechanic of the game is an optimal choice.
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Spectre beats Eido in an SG run: VIDEO HERE
But it's good to see the old rules have changed, I never agreed with the fact that most of the time it made more sense to burn the adds down than hold em.
RIP Caine
missed one, I have a fairly successful ranged telepathy dps, that the only CC it uses is Ego sleep, thus a dps ranged Telepathy powerset would be a nice addition