=PREFACE=
Since Black Bolt as been announced as likely for 2016 I thought I'd throw in one take on him. He is built as a physical/energy hybrid, and I hope to provide support for true ranged/melee hybrid gameplay via the toggle component of Silent Discipline (see his Warrior King tree for details).
'X' is used as a placeholder for numeric values.
=OVERVIEW=
Blackagar Boltagon A.K.A Black Bolt is the king of the Inhumans. He is able to manipulate ambient energy to produce numerous, often devastating effects. The organ which controls this is linked to the speech centre of his brain, meaning that any spoken word will be accompanied by immensely powerful, uncontrolled energy phenomena. As such he has taken rigorous training to control his voice, remaining silent even in his sleep.
Assuming we'll get some spoken lines for his voice attacks and perhaps internal monologues, Keith David would be great as Black Bolt IMO. He can definitely capture Black Bolt's solemn, regal personality backed by tremendous powers.
To give the feeling of great power while maintaining gameplay balance, his damage layer durations/cooldowns are 5 or 10 seconds as opposed to most heroes' 4 or 8 seconds, with their damage per use being tuned slightly higher as appropriate.
=STATISTICS=
- Durability: 4 -> 5
- Strength: 4 -> 6
- Fighting: 3 -> 4
- Speed: 3 -> 4
- Energy: 4 -> 7
- Intelligence: 3 -> 4
=SYNERGIES=
- Level 25: +X% power cost reduction
- Level 50: +X% signature/ultimate power damage
=SECONDARY RESOURCE: INFUSION=
Black Bolt stores energy in his body that can be used to turn filler powers into damage layers.
Maximum of 4.
Powers with the Infusion tag can 'reserve' 1 Infusion to change their function. This works similarly to how Ultron (in early Test Center builds) could reserve Bandwidth.
- When an Infusion power is first used, it deducts 1 Infusion (if available) from Black Bolt's maximum to transform itself into an 'enhanced' version for a period of time.
- Reserved Infusion is only returned after a power's enhancement period expires and the power returns to normal.
- Using an enhanced Infusion power refreshes the duration of its enhancement.
Ideally, this would mean he can pick any 4 powers to be damage layers without being restricted by shared DoTs, cooldowns or specs. For players who would like a 5th layer at the expense of his defensive passive, the Master Blow is a high-impact cooldown even when not Infused.
=TREES=
- Inhuman Lineage
- Electron Manipulation
- Warrior King
-INHUMAN LINEAGE-
Defensive Blow: (Melee, Basic)
Quick self-defense moves that conserve stamina.
X physical damage.
Restore X spirit per hit.
Infused Strike: (Melee, Infusion)
Expert blows using Attilan martial arts. Infuse this power to execute a rapid combo of punches and kicks.
- X physical damage.
Infusion:
Multiple hits.
X% damage reduction during animation.
- 10 second cooldown.
Heavy Sweep: (Melee, Infusion)
Swing heavily at enemies all around you, stunning those you hit. Infuse this power to increase its strength and guarantee a critical strike.
X physical damage in a wide arc.
Stun for X seconds.
Infusion:
X% more damage.
Guaranteed critical strike.
- 5 second cooldown.
Electron Haymaker: (Melee, Area, Infusion)
Heavy punches accompanied by point blank bursts of energy that intensify over time. Infuse this power to unleash a larger explosion of energy that leaves lingering burns.
X physical damage.
X energy damage in a frontal cone.
- X% more damage if this power is used again within 5 seconds, stacking up to X times.
Infusion:
Cone arc expands to almost 360 degrees (except for directly behind Black Bolt).
X energy damage twice per second for 5 seconds to enemies struck by explosion.
- 5 second cooldown.
- Loses stacking damage bonus.
Earth Fissure: (Melee, Infusion)
Stomp the ground, sending out a linear shockwave. Infuse this power to release a wider, more potent shockwave.
- X physical damage in a line.
Infusion:
Area expands to a cone.
X% more damage.
- 10 second cooldown.
Phalanx Breaker: (Melee, Area, Movement, Infusion)
Lunge forward and strike the ground at the target location, knocking them down and rattling their defenses. Infuse this power to cause ground tremors that continue to damage enemies.
X physical damage to enemies near you.
X second knockdown.
- 10% vulnerability for 10 seconds.
- 5 second cooldown.
Infusion:
- 10 second physical DoT hotspot.
Battering Stampede: (Melee, Movement)
Build up strength for a sudden burst of speed and power, ploughing through foes in front of you. Infuse this power to shield yourself from frontal damage and greatly increase its impact.
X physical damage.
100% more damage when fully charged.
Infusion:
X% more damage (multiplicative with full charge bonus).
X% frontal damage reduction while charging.
- 10 second cooldown.
-ELECTRON MANIPULATION-
Particle Bolt: (Basic, Ranged)
Fire a quick projectile that is efficient enough to leave your energy reserves unaffected.
- X energy damage.
Particle Ballista: (Ranged)
Launch a focused blast of energy from your hands that deals bonus damage to the first targets hit. Infuse this power to release a larger blast that deals full damage to all enemies struck.
X energy damage in a line.
Deals 40% increased damage to the first target hit. This bonus is reduced by 10% for each subsequent target, down to 0%.
- No spirit cost if Silent Discipline is active.
Infusion:
No longer deals bonus damage to first target but deals X% more damage to all targets.
X% wider line.
- 5 second cooldown.
Non-Infused version is functionally similar to Silver Surfer's Particle Burst.
Particle Torrent: (Ranged, Area, Infusion)
Maintain a steady stream of unstable electrons. Infuse this power for a much more intense, but short-lived attack that shields you from frontal damage at the expense of limiting your movement.
X energy damage twice per second while channeled.
Slow turn rate in exchange for damage competitive with single-target spenders.
Infusion:
X% more damage.
X second max channel time.
- X% frontal damage reduction while channeling.
- 10 second cooldown (channel time included).
Functionally similar to Cable's (Hyper) Viper Beam.
Particle Field: (Ranged, Area, Infusion)
Maintain a zone of unstable energy that disrupts enemies within. Infuse this power to make the zone persist for a time and short out enemy defenses.
X energy damage twice per second in the target area while channeling.
10% vulnerability for 5 seconds to enemies struck.
Infusion:
No longer channeled, leaves a 10 second hotspot instead.
10% vulnerability to enemies in the hotspot and for 5 seconds after they leave.
- A maximum of X Particle Fields can be maintained at once. Creating a new one beyond this limit dispels the oldest Particle Field.
Charged Bomb: (Ranged, Area, Infusion)
Create a large sphere of charged particles that slowly seeks out enemies before detonating. Infuse this power to create multiple spheres.
X energy damage in an area upon detonation.
Sphere detonates when it touches an enemy or after X seconds.
Infusion:
Create 3 spheres.
10 second cooldown.
Each sphere acts like Onslaught's Mental Orb.
Electron Pulse: (Ranged, Area, Infusion)
Release a shockwave of energy. Infuse this power to deal a guaranteed critical strike.
- X energy damage to enemies near you.
Infusion:
X% more damage.
Guaranteed critical strike.
- 10 second cooldown.
Perpetual Charge: (Toggle, Infusion)
You can dedicate some Infusion toward enhancing all other powers with extra energy.
Requires 1 Infusion to activate and reserves it until toggled off.
When you hit an enemy, inflict a 2 second energy DoT.
- All spirit costs increased by X%.
- Has a cooldown, lengthy to discourage stance dancing.
Hands-free damage layer for those who prefer fewer active powers.
-WARRIOR KING-
Terrigenesis: (Passive)
Your physique is superior even to that of other Inhumans, granting increased strength and stamina. Your control over energy allows you to fill your own reserves with energy from enemy attacks.
Passive:
X maximum health.
X% total defense rating.
- X defense rating.
- X% total deflection rating.
- X deflection rating.
- You and your allies gain Toughness.
- X% extra damage reduction for X seconds when you hit with a melee power.
Active (channeled):
Buff: X% damage reduction.
Buff: When struck, regenerate X% of your spirit over X seconds.
- Buff: CC immunity.
- Buff lasts while channeling and for X seconds afterwards.
- Has a cooldown after channeling finishes.
Royal Discipline: (Passive)
You have undertaken rigorous training to control your abilities. Activate this power to announce your presence with a blinding flash of energy, drawing their attention away from your allies.
Passive:
X damage rating.
X critical rating.
- X critical damage rating.
- X spirit.
Active:
10% weaken for 10 seconds.
Taunt nearby enemies for 10 seconds.
Anti-Electron Dash: (Melee, Movement)
Lunge forward, bowling over foes in your path.
X physical damage.
Knockdown for X seconds.
Anti-Electron Flight: (Movement, Flight)
Soar above the battlefield via manipulation of anti-electrons.
- Standard travel power.
DECREE: (Signature, Ranged, Area)
Speak a firm word to discipline your foes, defeating lesser enemies instantly and leaving survivors cowed.
X energy damage in a cone.
Irresistible knockdown for X seconds.
- Instantly destroy lesser enemies (whites, blues, yellows).
- Surviving enemies take X energy damage per second for the next X seconds.
- Has a cooldown.
Master Blow: (Melee, Area, Infusion)
Dash forward and channel all your stored energy into a single devastating punch that can finish off even the mightiest foes. Infuse this power to guarantee a brutal strike.
X physical damage to primary target.
X energy damage in an area around the primary target.
- Execute: Deal 1% more damage per 1% health missing on each target.
- Drains all available spirit.
- Has a very long cooldown.
Infusion:
- Guaranteed brutal strike.
Functionally similar to She-Hulk's Conviction.
=ULTIMATE=
PROCLAMATION: (Ultimate, Area)
Unleash a mighty shout, holding back only enough to spare the ground beneath your feet.
Channel for up to X seconds.
X energy damage four times per second to enemies in a wide radius while channeling.
- Invulnerable while channeling.
