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Decided to join up...need some more advice
GameMonger71
Member UncommonPosts: 122
As I recover from a quite unexpected hospital stay, I have decided to give COX a try (COH actually since I plan on playing the hero side). I am trying to come up with a few chracter origin stories (I like to RP some and have chosen Virtue for my server), but I am having trouble being original.
My interests:
I like heroes with an edge and lean toward Wolverine and Iron Man type heroes as oppossed to to the overly goodie Superman, etc. I also like the concepts of Capt America and the Green Lantern. I am not a comic afficianado so my perception of each of these characters may be off from the comic "truth". I am also looking for a character design that has some sort of mental or kinetic powers (I don't think any of those listed above fit that, though the Green Lantern model could probably be flexed to meet that). I would really like a character with some good visuals and I am very worried about making a lame or gimped character. I will probably need to solo a fair bit as well. I have scouted the official forums a bit, but I really cannot spend a ton of time at the computer right now.
First, are knock-offs or clones of existing chracters looked down upon, especially on a RP server?
Second, here is a hack on ATs and power sets for the above characters that I have come up with:
Wolverine - Mutant, Scrapper, Claws/WP
Iron Man - Technology, Blaster?, Energy/?
Capt America - Science, Scrapper, Martial Arts/Shields
Green Lantern - Magic, I really do not know - Blaster, Controller, Defender AT
Would you suggest any of these characters over another for a first time player (I have played many MMOs, but not this one to any extent)? Once again, is the clone mentailty or near clone mentality frowned upon overall?
Thanks for your continued help! Once I heal up a bit more, I hope to walk the streets of Paragon City.
Comments
Knock offs and clones are really frowned upon. People may avoid grouping with you. You will get reported and then your name will be GenericHero####.
your arguement is so persuasive, so filled with knowledge and insight. You back up your argument very articulately, with suggestions of improvements and raising examples to glorify your position....oh wait, you didn't
Thank you for the advice. I will steer clear of clones. I guess I was not as clear as I could have been in the first post. I lean more toward the general idea of the powers and general themes more than a pure knock off...meaning that I may create a character who has claws and willpower powersets because I like those things (I cannot help it), but he is not going to look or be named Wolverine. The same goes for the others. I would like to use them as a jumping off point for ideas and power combos, but I would tailor them into something unique including names and costumes. Thanks again for the reply though, it definitely steers me in the right direction!
Wolverine is Mutant claws/regen.
Most people say a scrapper is the easiest AT for a new player. But honestly, any character you can enjoy is the easiest way to 50.
Mmmmm people do clone but I think for RP types it will be frowned on. Also any blatant clone amy bet genericized.
Some Comic characters, especailly ones that have their own comic maybe span multiple ATs. Iron Man could be considered a Scrapper/Balster hybrid or Tanker/Balster hybrid..
Green lantern was originally magic and then got altered into I guess super science with the Hal Jordan and later GLC.
Scrapper currently have no Mental stuff except Willpower. Controller have Mental cotrol. Defenders and blasters have Mental Blast. And blasteres have Mental Manipulation secondary.
A Sonic Blast/ Mental manipulation Blaster could be good for you. Or Energy/MM. I prefer sonic as it has more controls and the Shockwave is a good Knockback anyway. I think I made a Sonic/MM blaster Icalled Pyschic Screem or something like that. I did a few levels seemed pretty cool.
I would call Green latnern a controller but there is no control set that reallly looks like Green lantern as he is simply too free form.
1 - Welcome to Paragon City!
2 - What do you mean by "kinetic" powers? Jean Grey telekinetic powers? Or more to do with movement? There is a defender/controller powerset called "Kinetics" that has a minor heal, can increase your speed, increase your allies' speed, slow down your opponents, and a couple other things. I have a psychic blast/kinetic def I'm working on that solos pretty well. He's a better team player, to be sure, but I do solo with him occasionally.
There's also a Gravity Control powerset that works a lot like telekinesis, but it's not exactly "pretty" - the animations aren't very flashy at all. But it's fun to play. My first alt was a gravity controller, but I only played him up into the 20s, so I'm not sure what the higher powers are like.
As for mental powers, there's psychic blast (everything's purpley-pink) which can be fun if you feel like making a beam-type character (blaster/defender). There's also Mind Control, which has the confuse and phantom army powers. Again, I find the animations for Mental Control to be rather blah and it's never really appealed to me.
Something you might think about: you're going to have an alt, probably several. I don't know of a single subscriber that doesn't. Something some people do is create different versions of the same hero (Hero 1.0, Hero 2.0, Hero 2.5) that have related backstories. Like Bob has becomes a hero because he knows Martial Arts and has strong Will Power. Then he get recruited to participate in a new super suit program and becomes Techno Bob with blast powers. But then there's an accident and the suit's nuclear power core fuses to his chest and he becomes Beta Bob the radiation defender. Or you could do different supersuits that have different powers.
There's all sorts of ways to work it out. Something like that would let you play the same guy, but have different powers.
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The less you expect, the more you'll be surprised. Hopefully, pleasantly so.
Just a suggestion:
You might get a more original-feeling character (if not for acceptance than just for your own enjoyment) if you picked the Archetype and Powers first, and the concept second.
Like I would say Green Lantern is perhaps a controller, Gravity/Force Fields. But if you approach it that way, you'll always feel like you're playing a clone rather than advancing your own superhero creation.
I think you might try a blaster with Psionic powers. They can solo quickly if not entirely safely. (Mine solo just fine on the highest two difficulties, but then I'm pretty experienced.) It's an easy fit on any team. Any sort of mental backstory you want could likely fit just fine.
It wouldn't be a controller, so he wouldn't be putting enemies to sleep. But there is a confuse power availble! Graphics can be showy (if you don't mind pink, which is apparently the color of mental damage.
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Now you could be psi/psi, psi/something, or something/psi. I think you should go Psi manipulation as the secondary definitely, because that's where some cool stuff like the confuse fit in. But for the former, you could mix it up:
* Fire has nice graphics, and is probably the best pure damage focus.
* Ice has holds and good single damage target. Ice/Psi would be a very control-ish blaster. A Blastroller if you will.
* Archery isn't much in the way of the shots (arrow flying = arrow flying), though you get to pick one of several bow designs. Similar with Assault Rifle. Both have stun powers.
* Sonic isn't the flashiest graphic, but it works nicely to amplify powers including your own. It has a stun power.
* Electricity looks pretty good, effects-wise. Good zapping effects, with a spherical hold cage.
* Energy is very straightforward. Picture "a blast" and you have it. I consider it the most vanilla of blasters, but that's not meant as an insult. It has lots of knockback powers, which adds to the showiness.
So Psi/Psi is the most popular of them all, because both were added to the game at the same time (in addition to the obvious connection). Easy to do. But I think if you want a particularly unique character, take something not so obvious. If you can come up with a character for Electric Blasts and Mental Manipulation, it will be uniquely yours and make a clear impression on people.
Currently playing:
DC Universe
Planetside 2
Magic Online
Simunomics, the Massive Multiplayer Economic Simulation Game. Play for free.
Thanks for all the great advice! I will take the tips and hunker down for a bit to try and come up with a few unique ideas. I totally agree that "stealing" a character from existing heroes would bog me down over time. I guess I am just a bit intimidated at coming up with a good story and power set up. Looking back, most games do most of that for you and you are a cookie cutter (mostly) power wise and all I had to do was come up with a story.
Thanks again!