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New VA skill: Picard Maneuver

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
I think this would be an AWESOME Capt's skill... either Eng specific or just general.

It could be implemented in a similar way to photonic fleet...
When activated have it randomly generate an exact duplicate of your ship either 5km away from your current position, or instantly move your own ship 5km away and spawn the replica in your previous position. Both ships would attack and do dmg (the image maybe would deal reduced dmg) but more importantly when the ability is activated all enemies targetting you lose their target and must reacquire it. That way there's a chance they'll go after the decoy.

I know in the real Picard maneuver the image of your ship wouldn't do dmg but there's gotta be SOME reason to use it... also make it have a larger CD (like 5-10mins) and have it only last 15secs, just enough to shake things up. This would potentially give you time to pull off a hull or shield heal when the going gets tough... or just give a lil dmg boost for 15secs and confuse the hell out of your enemies (like scramble sensors or mask energy signature).

I'd love to get some feedback from others on this and also I'd REALLY like to see what any of the devs think of this? It'd be fairly easy to implement, fun to use, and a great tie in to the IP we all love.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    The point of the Picard manuever is to create a duplicate image of your ship while at the same time barraging them with rapid fire torpedos and phasers. Having the image attack would be silly and it would just be a duplicate of Photonic Fleet.

    That being said I wouldnt mind the manuever if it had some type of attack boost to accompany it.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    The point of the Picard manuever is to create a duplicate image of your ship while at the same time barraging them with rapid fire torpedos and phasers. Having the image attack would be silly and it would just be a duplicate of Photonic Fleet.

    That being said I wouldnt mind the manuever if it had some type of attack boost to accompany it.

    The only problem I forsee from a gameplay point of view is that is the image doesn't attack then your opponent would know EXACTLY which one to retarget and resume the attack. It wouldn't be a duplicate of Photonic Fleet cause:

    A) There's only 1 image and it's an exact duplicate of your ship
    B) It's random as to whether you yourself move 5km away and the image spawn from your original location or if you just stay put and the image spawns 5km away
    C) Your opponents would lose the target lock on you when activated, so they have to choose which one to try attacking.

    The image wouldn't attack all by itself or independently... it would just mirror all your attacks and movements but still do dmg. That's what essentially gives you the attack boost you speak of. Maybe have it do 20-25% of your dmg tho so as not to make it too broken.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Jakyre wrote: »
    The only problem I forsee from a gameplay point of view is that is the image doesn't attack then your opponent would know EXACTLY which one to retarget and resume the attack. It wouldn't be a duplicate of Photonic Fleet cause:

    A) There's only 1 image and it's an exact duplicate of your ship
    B) It's random as to whether you yourself move 5km away and the image spawn from your original location or if you just stay put and the image spawns 5km away
    C) Your opponents would lose the target lock on you when activated, so they have to choose which one to try attacking.

    The image wouldn't attack all by itself or independently... it would just mirror all your attacks and movements but still do dmg. That's what essentially gives you the attack boost you speak of.

    Combine it with sensor jam so they cannot target you for a short duration(say... long enough for the attack portion of the ability to go off) and are forced to attack the duplicate.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    O_Farmer wrote:
    Combine it with sensor jam so they cannot target you for a short duration(say... long enough for the attack portion of the ability to go off) and are forced to attack the duplicate.

    I like that ... I just wouldn't want to make it too overpowered. That's also why I suggested the duplicate does reduced dmg so as to give you a boost but not DOUBLE the dmg output.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Aaaand if our ships weren't equipped with FTL (subspace) sensors so that this light speed image trick would fool them, that would be a good idea.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Summers wrote: »
    Aaaand if our ships weren't equipped with FTL (subspace) sensors so that this light speed image trick would fool them, that would be a good idea.

    ?? what does that have to do with it? The Enterprise-D has subspace sensors aboard and yet in the series:

    In 2364, Lieutenant Commander Data calculated the only known defense to the Picard Maneuver, by scanning for gaseous displacement as an indicator for when the Stargazer had moved. This defense was used when Picard attempted to use the Picard Maneuver against the USS Enterprise-D while under the control of a thought maker deployed by DaiMon Bok.

    Also:
    The Picard Maneuver later became required reading at Starfleet Academy. (TNG: "The Battle")

    Why would it be required reading at the Academy if it didn't work?

    The reason it still works with subspace sensors is cause the ship doesn't just goto warp... it jumps to warp 9.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    Total awesome.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    It should be a Captains power in some form. Even if its just a 5KM jump to escape attack. They should add the Crazy Ivan too, just sayin.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    I've actually given this one some though and these are my proposed specs;

    EDIT; just noticed this looks a whole lot like Jakyre's revised idea. :rolleyes:

    'The Picard Maneuver;

    Grants same buffs as attack pattern alpha (does not stack with AP-Alpha but will stack with anything alpha stacks with.)

    Creates a 110% indistinguishable visual duplicate of your ship down to name targeting etc that
    Either (randomly)
    A; spawns between you and your target
    B; spawns on your current position, then you move towards your target instantly.

    This visual duplicate will actively do nothing except move in the same direction at the same speed as you.

    If anyone is currently targeting you their bracket has a 75% chance to be shifted to the duplicate, they can not prevent this.
    Any new targeting has a 65% chance to target the duplicate instead, but nothing physically prevents an enemy from manually targeting you, or hitting the 35% chance of targeting you anyways.

    If your opponent triggers any fire at will or scatter type abilities their targeting has a 70% chance to switch to the duplicate and be held there for 8 seconds.
    Any tactical buffs have a chance to break that hold if triggered.

    Mines will **not** be fooled by the false target.

    The illusion fades in 8 seconds, or less if being fired on down to a minimum of 4 seconds.

    Cool-down is 1.5 that of AP alpha.

    Counters;
    Watch your target carefully and be ready to switch
    Photonic shock-wave has an 80% chance to disperse the duplicate image
    If in the course of mimicking you the duplicate flys near a tyken rift or into warp plasma it disperses

    Shares a global cool-down with EPtE and ramming speed'

    The cool thing here is that until you begin firing your enemy has no way whatsoever of figuring out which of you is the duplicate, and because of the heightened chance to target the duplicate will hopefully waste their alpha strike on it,
    Because of the random nature of the effect there is no sure-fire way to choose correctly which is the entire point of the maneuver.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    nice ideas... anyone else think it's a good idea? or have any suggestions you think will make it more viable to Cryptic?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited July 2010
    There was a Picard Manuever skill in the icon files - not sure if we can use it at all.
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