Report 1412

Report #1412
Skillset: Psychometabolism Skill: SuspendedAnimation
 Org: Nekotai Status: Completed Dec 2015
Furies' Decision:
Solution 1 (will rename).
Problem: Suspended Animation is the Transcendant ability in Psymet, and it has
always been very useful situationally, acting as a get-out-of-jail-free card. In
the right conditions (outdoors, user has a bix) it can mean the user gets out of
hot water against unreasonable odds with little the opponents can do about it
(beyond spamming shieldstun and hoping for the best). Therefore, it has not
always had a positive effect on the enjoyment of opponents who have to deal with
it. On the flip side, it is also not very fun for the user, since the balancing
point for its very potent effect is to prevent the user from participating in
combat entirely as well. This report aims to maintain SuspendedAnimation's role
in monk combat as a last-resort ability to save themselves, but without
completely denying opponents the possibility of killing the target, nor denying
the user of any combat role.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #1: Keep the ability's activation conditions as-is now
 (see below comment). SuspendedAnimation becomes a
 LOCKED defense while it is active, and lasts for 30s,
 after which it will automatically unlock (does not
 consume psi balance on auto-unlock). While active,
 the user will experience regeneration ticks every 3s
 instead of every 10s, and cure an affliction every
 TWO ticks (once per 6s). While active, the user will
 also receive -3/-3 to balance and equilibrium speed.
 This solution has been created with the upcoming
 regeneration changes in mind (refer to forums post),
 and to synergize with the regeneration ability in
 psymet and also to retain some of the flavour
 (suspended animation, your movement is
 slowed/restricted, but your curing is increased).
 Regenerating 10p as a trans discipline lucidian
 demigod with a pendant is 65s, and making
 SuspendedAnimation a locked defense also allows
 disruption scrolls to counter it.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #2: The same as solution 1, except that instead of having
 it last 30s, make it last until the user voluntarily
 unlocks the channel (or it a disruption scroll
 unlocks the channel). In addition to all of the same
 effects as solution 1, also add the following: the
 user's max active power is capped at 5 for as long as
 the defense is locked.
[A: 0 R: 0] Solution #3: Keep the ability's activation conditions as-is now
 (see below comment). Rename to ProteanAbsorption.
 ProteanAbsorption becomes a LOCKED defense while it
 is active, and lasts for 30s, after which it will
 automatically unlock (does not consume psi balance on
 auto-unlock). While active, any damage the user takes
 will trigger the ability to begin absorbing (healing
 the user) that damage type, and only one damagetype
 will be designated at any one time. This will morph
 everytime the user is damaged by a different
 damagetype. The first instance of damage that
 activates the trigger is NOT absorbed. A hybrid
 attack will have its largest (or first, if all
 components are equal) component be used as the
 trigger (a 50% elec/50% cold attack will be
 considered an electric attack for the purposes of
 triggering the absorption change, but only the
 electric component will be absorbed). In addition,
 upon absorbing every 1000 damage (not specific to
 damage types), ProteanAbsorption will also cure one
 affliction.
Player Comments:
---[Lerad on 12/6 @ 02:39 writes]:
Here is information on how it currently works: It requires and consumes 10power,
and can be used only on the Superstratus psionic channel. The only thing
preventing its use is stun, unconsciousness or sleep, or the super channel being
off balance. Nothing else stops it, including paralysis, prone, greenlocked,
being in a pit etc. Once used, it puts the user in a completely invulnerable
state, and literally nothing can be done to the user or by the user. The user
spends up to 1 minute and 10 seconds (70 seconds) in that state. Power does not
regenerate in SuspendedAnimation. Every 10s after it is used, the following
effects take place in sequential order: 1) health to 100%, 2) mana to 100%, 3)
ego to 100%, 4) all afflictions (and psi balances) cleared, 5) health to 120%,
6) mana to 120%, 7) ego to 120%, 8) Suspendedanim ends. Note that the #7 step
takes place on the 67th second, and the #8 step takes place on the 70th second.
The user can WAKE to forfeit the ticks and return early, but will incur a
balance loss that is longer the earlier they return. (9s if you wake immediately
after starting it, 4.5s if you wake right after getting all afflictions cured
(after the 40s), 0s if you let it run the full course).
---[Raeri on 12/6 @ 15:03 writes]:
Sure, I could support this.
---[Raeri on 12/8 @ 03:23 writes]:
An elaboration upon the above @Xenthos - Support for any of the three Solutions.
---[Xenthos on 12/8 @ 03:25 writes]:
The last two solutions seem a bit too random and convoluted (based on whatever
damage type hits you). Solution 1 is more interesting, but probably should not
cure an aff every tick (keep the regeneration every tick, with an aff cure every
2 ticks perhaps?). A 6-sec passive-aff-cure is still faster than pretty much
anything else out there.
---[Lerad on 12/8 @ 03:28 writes]:
The morphing aspect of solution 3 was meant to be a balancing factor - as it is
very strong, but therefore balanced by a smart opponent cycling through attacks.
If you have a suggestion to make it more useful without being too overbearing,
I'll take it too! I'll also update solution 1 with your suggestion.
---[Shuyin on 12/8 @ 03:44 writes]:
I like solution 1 because it thematically fits, but I think that -speed is too
rough especially when you take into account that locks are important for a monk
---[Lerad on 12/8 @ 14:16 writes]:
I've adjusted solution 1 to be -3/-3 to speed instead of -5/-5, to take into
account Shuyin's suggestion. I've also changed solution 2 to a variant of
solution 1, suggested by Xenthos. Please keep the suggestions coming.
---[Enyalida on 12/9 @ 03:01 writes]:
The adaptive defenses assume that enemies CAN cycle through damage types.
Warriors, Monks, and -woods come to mind as classes that would be unable to
change their damage types to work around those solutions.
---[Lerad on 12/9 @ 05:03 writes]:
Yes, that's the point of the adaptive defense, so that it actually has a way to
benefit the user. Opponents who are unable to use cycling attacks will have to
wait for it to expire, or use other attacks or tactics. Whether it forces an
opponent who is able to cycle through attacks to do so, or forces an opponent
who is unable to cycle through attacks to change their kill strategy on the fly,
it will interrupt strategies and momentum, providing a defensive benefit.
Warriors and monks will find it hardest to change strategies, some more than
others, of course - not every warrior has a tert that has offensive attacks that
do a different damage type or provide a different kill route, and not every monk
guild has both cutting and blunt.
---[Enyalida on 12/11 @ 19:54 writes]:
Wildewoods cannot change their kill strategy on the fly, or in any other
circumstances, being a damage killing class who always deals 50% blunt damage as
the first descriptor on all but one attack, one of the 5p bombs. The point is
that having it switch around based on damage recieved is not as much as a
balancing factor as it might seem. If the 'adaptive' part is intended to be the
chief balancing factor, the solution is problematic.
---[Synkarin on 12/12 @ 02:06 writes]:
@Enyalida - read a disruption scroll, drop his defense and continue your
offense, Problem solved.
---[Shedrin on 12/13 @ 03:53 writes]:
I prefer Solution 1, though I think there should be a third person message for
it, so opponents can react appropriately.
---[Lerad on 12/14 @ 01:32 writes]:
Disruption scroll is intended to be a counter anyone can use, yes (also, making
it important for this can hopefully make it more desired than it is now - which
is not used at all) but I stand by my design intention of having the adaptive
effect of solution 3 be a balancing point for the ability. It makes it much more
effective against those archetypes who do not have access to the ability to
cycle through different damage types, and much less effective against those who
do: that is an intended, non-random variable that adds strategizing and pre-
planning as part of the ability's consideration for use. A psymet who does not
care who is opponent is, and uses it recklessly will get punished, and opponents
who know their target is a psymet and prepares a counter ahead of time (be it
disruption or just calling in a friend with a different damage type so as to
keep triggering the adapting effect and nullifying the effect) will be able to
gain an advantage despite it.
---[Lerad on 12/14 @ 01:34 writes]:
Also, yes, @Shedrin, I agree with a third-party message. What's the use of a
sweet trans ability if no one sees you use it? Something descriptive and epic
will be nice.
---[Tredian on 12/19 @ 00:59 writes]:
I also prefer solution 1 because the translated effect came with a balance
debuff, which is what I was wary of by making psychmet allow monks to be
attacked AND attack as well. Agree with third party message.
---[Enyalida on 12/25 @ 20:31 writes]:
I had forgotten about disruption scroll. It's still pretty problematic with
respect to Wildewoods, but I'm tired of trying to defend those mechanics from
further descent into uselessness anyways. Solution 3 preferred, I think.
---[Synkarin on 12/29 @ 16:35 writes]:
I don't know, the fact that you can remove the defense, means that any problems
you have with it disappear when you use the disruption scroll to unlock it. I
don't see how that makes it 'still problematic' when it's not up anymore