The Time Manipulation Power Set

The Time Manipulation Power Set

By Phil "Synapse" Zeleski

Time Manipulation is a new primary Power Set for Defenders and a new secondary Power Set option for Controllers, Corruptors, and Masterminds. Time Manipulation allows its users to bend the flow of time to their whim to empower and heal their allies, as well as cripple their foes.

Time Manipulation's offensive functions focus on reducing the attack rates and movement speeds of foes. The defensive strength of this Power Set is the way it allows support characters to be more proactive in preparing their allies for just about anything. Time Manipulation's effects often affect multiple foes or allies, but they can also be more closely targeted. For example, an ally or two can benefit from Temporal Selection to receive additional benefits from the healing effects of Temporal Mending and Chrono Shift. A foe or two can be targeted by amplified control and debuff effects from powers like Time's Juncture and Slowed Response if they are already affected by Time Crawl. This interaction creates a gameplay experience not found in any other support set.

Design Notes

Time Manipulation was originally an idea pitched to me by Sean "Dr. Aeon" McCann. In retrospect, the idea seems very appropriate given that character's dabbling in time travel. I always imagined a time-based Power Set as being control focused, and probably as a primary set for Controllers and Dominators. However, the concept Sean suggested with this set was very solid and quickly changed my way of thinking. In fact, I'd say the Time Manipulation set still retains about 50% of the original design proposal. After we solidified the proposal, it took a lot of balancing and number-tweaking, and then a lot of amazing work by our animation and FX teams to bring the idea to life.

Visual Themes

When I sat down with Keetsie "Tunnel Rat" Braz da Cunha to discuss this Power Set's visual themes, we both ruled out using clocks to represent time. We felt that this was both too obvious and too specific. Instead, we decided to use a more abstract visual language to describe time that would fit more character concepts than just using iconography such as portals, swirls, or motion lines.

Design Goals

The design goals of Time Manipulation were to let characters use nearly all the powers within the set while playing solo. This meant that most buff and heal powers needed to be able to target the caster. We also wanted to provide a tremendous amount of team or league utility. The set has some strong team heals (Temporal Mending and Chrono Shift), powerful debuffs (Time Crawl, Time's Juncture, and Slowed Reaction), buffs (Farsight and Temporal Selection), and control powers (Distortion Field and Time Stop). Time Manipulation is designed to support both large and small teams and to effectively deal with both large groups and single targets.

Mechanics

To give the rounded set an interesting twist not found in other support sets, I added the Delayed and Accelerated mechanics. Casting Time Crawl--a single target recharge, speed, and regeneration debuff--on a foe places the Delayed effect on the target. While an enemy is Delayed, all Time Manipulation debuffs against it are slightly stronger. Conversely, casting Temporal Selection on an ally boosts his or her damage, recharge, and regeneration, as well as placing the Accelerated effect on the ally. While an ally is Accelerated, Time Manipulation heals and heal over time effects are much more effective.