intense combat special bar

[indigowulf]

We’re considering giving each archetype a unique “special” bar which increases their powers in intense combat. Perhaps increased damage and accuracy for Brawlers and Devastators, reduced energy cost for Support, increased defense or resistance for Tankers, or increased mez effectiveness for Controllers, as examples. How important is it that we have a feature like this by launch?

Very important – it’s a must-have
Very important – that sounds fun
Not critical – sure, why not
Not important – I don’t really care
Don’t do it – I’d rather not see this feature.
Something else, I’ll tell you in the forums

[Dying Breath]

This isn't something that I feel particularly strongly about one way or the other in general. However, in the event that this does get implemented, I fervently hope that you'll come up with something better than lower energy cost for support. Accuracy, damage, defense, resistance and mez effectiveness are all direct combat effects. Lower energy costs may help with efficiency, but as shown in CoH with Defender's vigilance, has very little effect on combat results. I played defenders quite regularly, and even before Vigilance I never felt that the limiting factor for my effectiveness was my endurance efficiency. Especially in the later game, people had already solved endurance issues, which made Vigilance all but worthless.

I think what was presented were placeholder examples for what a special bar would do, but please make sure Support gets something as useful/appealing as the other classes (if implemented).

[Odee]

We’re considering giving each archetype a unique “special” bar which increases their powers in intense combat. Perhaps increased damage and accuracy for Brawlers and Devastators, reduced energy cost for Support, increased defense or resistance for Tankers, or increased mez effectiveness for Controllers, as examples. How important is it that we have a feature like this by launch?

Very important – it’s a must-have
Very important – that sounds fun
Not critical – sure, why not
Not important – I don’t really care
Don’t do it – I’d rather not see this feature.
Something else, I’ll tell you in the forums

My response has been Bold Faced above. This is something that sets each class apart, and not many games have a Bar that shows the determination factor, and resolve our Heroes gain in a fight.
Would we see it varying in relation to how tough the fight is? Like it grows faster when a hard fight is fought? Or grow slower against lower level opponents?

[happydolphin]

We’re considering giving each archetype a unique “special” bar which increases their powers in intense combat. Perhaps increased damage and accuracy for Brawlers and Devastators, reduced energy cost for Support, increased defense or resistance for Tankers, or increased mez effectiveness for Controllers, as examples. How important is it that we have a feature like this by launch?

Very important – it’s a must-have
Very important – that sounds fun
Not critical – sure, why not
Not important – I don’t really care
Don’t do it – I’d rather not see this feature.
Something else, I’ll tell you in the forums

My response has been Bold Faced above. This is something that sets each class apart, and not many games have a Bar that shows the determination factor, and resolve our Heroes gain in a fight.
Would we see it varying in relation to how tough the fight is? Like it grows faster when a hard fight is fought? Or grow slower against lower level opponents?

Not many games have something like this? If you're talking about in comparing with MMOs, it seems this is in almost in every new MMO out there.

[Gerald_Deemer]

It´s good to have such a combat special bar but most games or all games doing the same with it. Making a tank more durable = more "tankier"
giving a damage class more power to do damage or giving a mage more power to do his magic.

So why not trying to do something different?

For example giving a healer class a super AOE attack? Giving a tank the ability to heal his team? Giving a ranged dps invulnerability for a few seconds?

I mean you could do both by using a skill tree which allows you to go the "classic way" which makes a tank more "tankier" or the "SOH way" which let tanks heal...

[Actjcksn]

Maybe you can choose which special the bar executes(like choosing a power) for the character.

[Gerald_Deemer]

Maybe you can choose which special the bar executes(like choosing a power) for the character.

Good idea but I suggest to make the choice fix. There should be no switching.

[Actjcksn]

I agree.

[Mainsil]

Change the wording to "If it would result in waiting an additional 3 to 12 months for release, how important is this feature at release?" and I think your poll results would shift quite a bit.

My vote is don't do it. Do it in an expansion, after you've balanced the live game.

[Gerald_Deemer]

It will be nearly impossible to integrate the special power bars later after release. These bars should be considered in an early state of the game because of balancing issues.
If you put them in after release they will destroy the balancing. And I promise it will be more work to patch the balance afterwards. I can hear the whining of all these PVP-players already....