EDIT: I used to think that Turtle’s shield had little purpose, but now I think that Turtle serves a slightly different purpose than this character. So disregard any statements saying that this could be a rework of Turtle.
I thought it would be fun to create a merc so I am throwing this idea out there. Also this merc has qualities that are very similar to those of the still-in-progress merc Turtle so this can maybe function as a rework of him (plus I am not a big fan of Turtles deployable shield).
Apologize for the length
[PRIMARY ABILITY]: Electromagnetic Shield
-> Upon pressing “E” an electromagnetic shield deploys which covers the whole front side of the merc and deflects bullets/shrapnel
(Virtually impossible in real life but could be fun in a videogame)
-> The shield is as tall as the merc and DOES NOT cover the back or sides of the merc
(however the merc can aim the shield in the direction of the cursor)
-> The shield blocks all incoming damage from explosives and hitscan weapons
(vertical attacks like airstrikes and lasers do not count, although the shield can block AoE damage)
-> The shield has an energy meter similar to Phantom’s cloak meter that depletes over time and with damage
-> The more damage inflicted, the more quickly the energy meter will deplete
-> The shield will last (maybe?) 4 seconds and will fully recharge in (maybe?) 10 seconds
(these details along with the maximum damage it can withstand will be hardest parts to balance)
-> You can cancel the ability by pressing “E” and the shield will recharge to maximum capacity
(if you did not fully deplete the shield, the shield will recharge from its current position)
-> After canceling/depleting the ability, you must wait until the ability fully recharges to use it again
(hopefully this will prevent shield spam and encourages smart usage of the shield)
-> You cannot attack or do anything else but move while holding the shield up
(no movement penalties)
-> There is a little bit of lag after the ability is depleted/canceled
[POSSIBLE SECONDARY ABILITY] (might be OP): By pressing “Q” you can create a EMP pulse that deflects explosives towards the enemies
-> The deflected explosives will only do a fraction of their original damage and will travel a shorter distance then they were thrown/launched
-> The emp pulse will use the whole energy meter
-> You can use the abilty while shielding, but it will instantly deplete your shield so use wisely
-> Explosives that can be fully deflected include:
* Nader/Fragger Grenades
* Thunder Concussion Grenades (Probably useless)
* Fletcher Sticky Bombs
* Stoker Molotov (Might not work)
* Javelin’s rockets (when he/she comes out)
-> Pulse DOES NOT deflect bullets back to enemies
[PRIMARY WEAPONS]: Blishlok, SMG-9, Crotzni
(no shotguns or else people could shield, walk up to a person, and then one-shot)
[SECONDARY WEAPONS]: M9, Selbstadt .40, Caulden
[MELEE]: Bat, Stiletto, Beckhill
[STRENGTHS]:
-> pretty much can defend against every merc for a few seconds
-> can counter explosive mercs
-> can protect objectives, allies, and friendly deployables (even maybe for extra xp)
-> can 1v1 against enemies pretty well
-> can rush through places without fear of headshots
[WEAKNESSES]:
-> very susceptible to focus-fire (multiple attackers)
-> cannot attack while shielded
-> can bait the shield or pulse so that it is wasted
-> shield only covers the front so the other sides are vulnerable
-> cannot defend well against airstikes and lasers head-on
[GENDER]: doesn’t matter, whatever gender is fine
[NATIONALITY]: Indian
(would love to see India represent)
[BACKSTORY]: Recent Grad school graduate who can’t find a job and dreamt of becoming a superhero who fights “bad guys”
(needs a little work)
[PURPOSE]:
I wanted to create an idea of a simple, fun, and effective merc that didn’t seem too OP or underwhelming. The purpose of this merc is to be a challenge while being accesible to all players. The timing of the Pulse secondary ability will take skill, but will be very rewarding. Additionally, the merc could fit all playstyles, both offensive and defensive. However, this merc benefits most by helping allies.This merc is fairly weak and should rely on the shield to get through the battlefield safely. The shield should be used wisely or else the player will be severely punished.
[POSSIBLE ALTERNATE NAMES];
-> Mag (as in magnet, seems boring)
-> Bouncer (refers to how bullets and explosives are deflected)
-> Static (I don’t know, sounds electromagnetic-y)
-> Freq (pronounced “freak”, refers to how electromagnetic waves have frequencies)
If you have read this far, congratulations and thank you for paying attention to this idea.
Please ask any questions because I would love to explain these design choices and because they give me a sense of purpose.