Cyclops Enhancement Project
Alakzar117
Member Posts: 29 ★
The meme machine himself, butt of oh-so-many jokes, Cyclops. The X-Men's version of Captain America.
I thought I could pitch a few changes for either version of Cyclops where I would synthesize my knowledge of the character, and game design to make him a much better champion than we currently see him. I mean he straight up has OP in his name.
Scott Summers has a few interesting features
1. He absorbs light and radiation in order to amplify his optic beams.
2. Immunity to his own beams
3. A ridiculously fine-tuned sense of angles, richochets, and trigonometric spatial awareness, making his beams nearly unavoidable.
4. He is the tactical leader of the X-Men in the field.
So how does this help us in-game?
1. Well Bishop has a similar Energy absorption aspect to him, I think Cyclops would be well served to have his own version of it.
2. I do believe Cyclops isn't harmed by his own beams, but I'm not sure about Havok. If it isn't this way already, it should be.
3. He should have a True Strike if certain conditions are fulfilled, and just be undodgeable (ie: can't Dex his beams).
4. Make use of another popular tactical team leader's unique mechanic: Captain America Infinity War. Cyclops is the X-Men's Cap anyway.
So here's what I believe we can do.
Keep:
Everything as it is (for both Cyclopses) except his Signature
Add:
Energy Absorption mechanic as a new passive ability.
Captain America's team synergies Signature mechanic to Cyclops, effectively making Cyclops the offensive CA(IW).
Energy Absorption Signature
Cyclops absorbs energy attacks against him, further increasing his innate optic blast intensity. Whenever Cyclops blocks or is hit by an energy attack he gains 1 Blast Level. Blast Levels are persistent and carry across fights. He can gain up to 10 Blast Levels. The Blast Levels give benefits that stack; they are as follows:
1. Beams deal 25% more damage.
2. Special 1 beams are unblockable
3. The first strike from a beam is always a critical hit
4. Beams deal 50% more damage
5. Special 2 beams are unblockable.
6. The second strike from a beam is always a critical hit. Additionally, if his opponent is not near him, his beam attacks cannot be dodged via the Dexterity mastery.
7. Using a special attack increases critical rating by 175% for 6 seconds
8. Beams deal 100% more damage, and all critical damage is increased by an amount equal to their armor lost due to armor breaks.
9. Beams have doubled chance to inflict armor breaks. If 2 stacks of armor break are on the opponent, beams also inflict incinerate, dealing 33% of Attack over 5 seconds.
10. Special Attack 3 inflicts permanent armor breaks and immediately grants 1 bar of power after the ability is used. Cyclops also suffers a potent Fatigue debuff for 10 seconds due to extreme mental exertion. However, while suffering from the Fatigue debuff, Cyclops' special attacks do not lose Blast Levels.
Signature: Dangerous Leadership
A leader known for extreme but effective tactical decision-making, Cyclops learns from his teammates, gaining a unique effect.
------------------
So at the End of the Day:
1. Cyclops is effectively the offensive version of Captain America Infinity War, with 6 team-based synergies that amplify his effectiveness in a fun and interesting way.
2. He will no longer remain a meme, and may find himself sitting at a god level position.
3. He will finally become the ramp-up bursty damage machine he was always meant to be, justice to the comics Cyclops.
4. He will however certainly suffer throughout a quest, so he will have a risky playstyle.
-----------------
Playing As Cyclops
1. Get used to blocking Energy based attacks, as they will rapidly fill up your Blast Levels. Try to engage in matchups with opponents that use Energy basic attacks. Fighting a Cyclops or Havok is extremely helpful as you take 0 damage from blocking, and they use many energy attacks.
2. Aim to make the best use of your synergies. If you expect shorter fights where you don't plan to max your Blast Levels, use the synergies that raise the Blast Level loss point. (Ie: Original X-Men, Enemies, Allies) (Eg: Archangel, Black Bolt, Sunspot).
3. If you expect to have difficulties landing hits on your opponent, they have unblockable energy specials, and need more safety, consider using the Rivalry, Original, Enemies, and Allies synergies, and try to stay at Blast Level 6 where you can spam Unblockable Special 2s with guaranteed crits.
4. In a longer fight, get to Blast Level 10 as quickly as possible and use a Special 3 to inflict a permanent armor break.
5. Immediately follow up with an unblockable, guaranteed crit Special 1 with the power leftover from Blast 10. Due to the Blast 10 Fatigue, you will not lose Blast level 7 doing this.
6. At this point you may use your judgment to decide how you want to use your specials based on your opponent. If they do not deal Energy damage, it may be better to sit on your Blast Level 7 and defeat your opponent with basic attacks only so you may get a Blast Level 10 sooner in a later fight.
7. If they do deal Energy damage, you may play around using levels 6-10 at your leisure as they all have good reasons to use them. Alternatively, simply get back to Level 10 and be prepared to ruin the next opponent in the quest.
Playing Against Cyclops
1. Do not bring Energy damage champions into a fight with Cyclops as it will give him power. If you do, don't push him past level 5 as you will no longer be able to Dexterity him at range, and getting clipped will be painful.
2. If you do push him to Blast Level 6, try to stay as close to him as possible so that you can Dexterity his beam. At range, you cannot.
3. Don't bother trying to finish off Cyclops with an energy attack as his Passive prevents him from dying to energy attacks.
Thank you for taking the time to read this,
Please feel free to add constructive criticisms at the bottom
---------
Also you are welcome to check out any of the previous installments in my Enhancement Project Series:
Beast
https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/163411/beast-enhancement-project#latest
Gambit
https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/152780/gambit-enhancement-project-mutant-appreciation-month#latest
Ant-Man
https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/157397/ant-man-enhancement-project#latest
I thought I could pitch a few changes for either version of Cyclops where I would synthesize my knowledge of the character, and game design to make him a much better champion than we currently see him. I mean he straight up has OP in his name.
Scott Summers has a few interesting features
1. He absorbs light and radiation in order to amplify his optic beams.
2. Immunity to his own beams
3. A ridiculously fine-tuned sense of angles, richochets, and trigonometric spatial awareness, making his beams nearly unavoidable.
4. He is the tactical leader of the X-Men in the field.
So how does this help us in-game?
1. Well Bishop has a similar Energy absorption aspect to him, I think Cyclops would be well served to have his own version of it.
2. I do believe Cyclops isn't harmed by his own beams, but I'm not sure about Havok. If it isn't this way already, it should be.
3. He should have a True Strike if certain conditions are fulfilled, and just be undodgeable (ie: can't Dex his beams).
4. Make use of another popular tactical team leader's unique mechanic: Captain America Infinity War. Cyclops is the X-Men's Cap anyway.
So here's what I believe we can do.
Keep:
Everything as it is (for both Cyclopses) except his Signature
Add:
Energy Absorption mechanic as a new passive ability.
Captain America's team synergies Signature mechanic to Cyclops, effectively making Cyclops the offensive CA(IW).
Energy Absorption Signature
Cyclops absorbs energy attacks against him, further increasing his innate optic blast intensity. Whenever Cyclops blocks or is hit by an energy attack he gains 1 Blast Level. Blast Levels are persistent and carry across fights. He can gain up to 10 Blast Levels. The Blast Levels give benefits that stack; they are as follows:
1. Beams deal 25% more damage.
2. Special 1 beams are unblockable
3. The first strike from a beam is always a critical hit
4. Beams deal 50% more damage
5. Special 2 beams are unblockable.
6. The second strike from a beam is always a critical hit. Additionally, if his opponent is not near him, his beam attacks cannot be dodged via the Dexterity mastery.
7. Using a special attack increases critical rating by 175% for 6 seconds
8. Beams deal 100% more damage, and all critical damage is increased by an amount equal to their armor lost due to armor breaks.
9. Beams have doubled chance to inflict armor breaks. If 2 stacks of armor break are on the opponent, beams also inflict incinerate, dealing 33% of Attack over 5 seconds.
10. Special Attack 3 inflicts permanent armor breaks and immediately grants 1 bar of power after the ability is used. Cyclops also suffers a potent Fatigue debuff for 10 seconds due to extreme mental exertion. However, while suffering from the Fatigue debuff, Cyclops' special attacks do not lose Blast Levels.
- Using a Special Attack at 4 Blast Levels or higher removes 3 Blast Levels after the ability is finished.
- When above 5 Blast Levels, blocking energy attacks heals you for 25% of the damage dealt.
- Cyclops cannot be reduced below 20% hp with Energy damage, ensuring that you won't be killed for him playing him correctly.
Signature: Dangerous Leadership
A leader known for extreme but effective tactical decision-making, Cyclops learns from his teammates, gaining a unique effect.
- Original X-Men: If Beast, Jean Grey, Archangel, or Iceman are on his team, Cyclops begins losing Blast Levels upon using special attacks 1 level higher.
- Phoenix Five: If Colossus, Namor, Magik, or Emma Frost is on the team, his Blast Level 7 benefit is increased to 10 seconds.
- The Summers Family: If Cable or Havok is on the team, these members take 10-25% less damage from Energy damage. If all are on the team, this resistance is doubled to 20-50%.
- Rivalry: If Wolverine, Psylocke, or the other version of Cyclops is on the team, Well-Timed Blocks have a 33-100% chance to refresh the duration of active Armor Breaks, Bleeds, or Power Locks.
- Enemies: If Iron Man, Captain America, Black Bolt, or Magneto is on the team, Cyclops begins losing Blast Levels upon using special attacks 1 level higher.
- Allies: If Gambit, Rogue, Nightcrawler, Storm, Sunspot, or Bishop is on the team, Cyclops begins losing Blast Levels upon using special attacks 1 level higher.
------------------
So at the End of the Day:
1. Cyclops is effectively the offensive version of Captain America Infinity War, with 6 team-based synergies that amplify his effectiveness in a fun and interesting way.
2. He will no longer remain a meme, and may find himself sitting at a god level position.
3. He will finally become the ramp-up bursty damage machine he was always meant to be, justice to the comics Cyclops.
4. He will however certainly suffer throughout a quest, so he will have a risky playstyle.
-----------------
Playing As Cyclops
1. Get used to blocking Energy based attacks, as they will rapidly fill up your Blast Levels. Try to engage in matchups with opponents that use Energy basic attacks. Fighting a Cyclops or Havok is extremely helpful as you take 0 damage from blocking, and they use many energy attacks.
2. Aim to make the best use of your synergies. If you expect shorter fights where you don't plan to max your Blast Levels, use the synergies that raise the Blast Level loss point. (Ie: Original X-Men, Enemies, Allies) (Eg: Archangel, Black Bolt, Sunspot).
3. If you expect to have difficulties landing hits on your opponent, they have unblockable energy specials, and need more safety, consider using the Rivalry, Original, Enemies, and Allies synergies, and try to stay at Blast Level 6 where you can spam Unblockable Special 2s with guaranteed crits.
4. In a longer fight, get to Blast Level 10 as quickly as possible and use a Special 3 to inflict a permanent armor break.
5. Immediately follow up with an unblockable, guaranteed crit Special 1 with the power leftover from Blast 10. Due to the Blast 10 Fatigue, you will not lose Blast level 7 doing this.
6. At this point you may use your judgment to decide how you want to use your specials based on your opponent. If they do not deal Energy damage, it may be better to sit on your Blast Level 7 and defeat your opponent with basic attacks only so you may get a Blast Level 10 sooner in a later fight.
7. If they do deal Energy damage, you may play around using levels 6-10 at your leisure as they all have good reasons to use them. Alternatively, simply get back to Level 10 and be prepared to ruin the next opponent in the quest.
Playing Against Cyclops
1. Do not bring Energy damage champions into a fight with Cyclops as it will give him power. If you do, don't push him past level 5 as you will no longer be able to Dexterity him at range, and getting clipped will be painful.
2. If you do push him to Blast Level 6, try to stay as close to him as possible so that you can Dexterity his beam. At range, you cannot.
3. Don't bother trying to finish off Cyclops with an energy attack as his Passive prevents him from dying to energy attacks.
Thank you for taking the time to read this,
Please feel free to add constructive criticisms at the bottom
---------
Also you are welcome to check out any of the previous installments in my Enhancement Project Series:
Beast
https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/163411/beast-enhancement-project#latest
Gambit
https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/152780/gambit-enhancement-project-mutant-appreciation-month#latest
Ant-Man
https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/157397/ant-man-enhancement-project#latest
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