Karnak Enhancement Project
Alakzar117
Member Posts: 29 ★
One of my all time favourite Marvel characters because I've always admired his superpower and thought he was just the coolest
I thought I could pitch a few changes for Karnak where I would synthesize my knowledge of the character, and game design to make him a much better champion than we currently see him.
Karnak has a few interesting features
1. Extremely enhanced reflexes, speed, endurance, and strength
2. Voluntary control over most of his bodily autonomic functions
3. The ability to perceive the weaknesses and stress-points of any object, in any capacity.
4. He possesses the able to preconceive and simulate combat outcomes (this ability is mental, not innate)
5. He is also, by nature, tempered and wise, acting as the royal adviser and sage to the Inhumans.
So how does this help us in-game?
1. These should be reflected in his stats and abilities, giving him evade and physical resistance
2. A unique function to halt or accelerate physiological functions to accommodate his situation (utility based around sp1)
3. The main reason to enjoy Karnak, his SP3 should feature crushing outcomes
4. Precognition is probably the ultimate pre-fight ability - the ability to perceive a fight before it happens and prepare accordingly
5. His defense, non-aggressive demeanour should be reflected in his playstyle, gaining benefits for not fighting
So here's what I believe we can do.
Keep:
His Passive abilities
Change:
His signature Poison reduction should be a Passive ability
Redesign his Signature
Add a Pre-Fight Ability
Increase True-Strike to 10 second duration
Remove the innate effects of his SP2 and SP3
Second Tower Training Signature:
Karnak internalizes and modifies the effects of all debuffs he receives, extending their duration by 22-60.06% but spreading the damage out equally across the debuff.
Precognition (Pre-Fight Ability)
Before entering a fight, Karnak simulates the outcome of the fight and determines an appropriate strategy to employ.
Insight
Karnak passively studies his opponent from a distance. For every 2 seconds spent away from the opponent and not blocking, Karnak builds a Seeing stack. Making contact with the opponent causes stacks of Seeing to be lost. Upon activating the Dexterity mastery, each Seeing stack is converted to Insight. Stacks of Insight are consumed by landing special attacks to apply effects based on the active Precognition ability. Additionally, while Karnak has stacks of Insight, he can consume 1 stack while charging a heavy attack to become Unstoppable, Indestructible, until the opponent strikes him. (He also has Combo Shield)
Special Attacks
The first hit of the special 1, the second hit of the special 2, or activating the special 3 applies an effect if it lands based on the active Pre-Fight Ability
Failing Mind: The opponent receives 1 Falter for each Insight consumed, causing the next attack against Karnak to miss
Weakened Spirit: The opponent receives another Exhaustion for each Insight consumed.
Fractured Body: The opponent receives another Armor Break for each Insight consumed
Special Attack 1
Karnak strikes the enemy, launching them away, and then reflecting on his tactical position. The reflection will refresh any active buffs, and cleanse any active debuffs. All cleansed debuffs can no longer inflicted on Karnak for the duration of the fight. If 4 debuffs have been cleansed by Karnak, he becomes immune to the effects of Stun.
Special Attack 3
After repeated use of this stress-point attack, the opponent becomes quite vulnerable to it and receives 20% more damage from each subsequent Special Attack 3 suffered.
------------------
So at the End of the Day:
1. Karnak can become immune to debuffs suffered by an opponent, which has a variety of uses
2. He has the potential to shut down a variety of opponents that rely on armor, ability accuracy, critical attacks, and more.
3. He becomes a utility-based versatile attacker and an annoying defender.
-----------------
Playing As Karnak:
1. Choose a Pre-Fight ability that suits the fight; deciding if you need to reduce Ability Accuracy, cause Misses (Failing Mind), Armor Breaks (Fractured Body), or increase your own damage (Weakened Spirit).
2. Stay at a safe-distance to activate Focused and build Seeing stacks; and use Dexterity to receive Insight stacks.
3. Once you are set-up, begin retaliating and building up to the special of choice
4. Use Special 1 to activate True Strike to handle Evasive enemies or those with physical resistance. Additionally, absorb your debuffs to become immune to them for the remainder of the fight. TIP: If you need to be hit to receive the debuff, charge a heavy attack (with Insight) to be indestructible, get the debuff, and immediately activate the SP1.
5. Use Special 2 for damage against lower health opponents, or if the fight isn't going to be very long.
6. Use Special 3 for damage ramp up against longer fights.
7. Do not rush into opponents after a special attack because the specials displace the enemy a lot and you can build Seeing stacks this way.
8. If using Failing Mind, take advantage of the safety it gives you to extend your Indestructible when charging heavy attacks, or use in matchups where Heavies are needed and stuns are scarce.
Playing Against Karnak:
1. Don't rely on bringing a champion who uses debuffs, buffs, or Evades like Aarkus, Archangel, Void, or Quake as Karnak will use his Special 1 to become immune to these effects, or cause you to fail activating your own.
2. If the AI is using Failing Mind (best for Defense), be aware that they will always impose Ability Accuracy on you when Karnak uses a special
2. If the AI is using Weakened Spirit, there is nothing to worry about.
3. If the AI is using Fractured Body, note that your bleeds will be worse
4. Do not punish his heavy attacks if he somehow gets an Insight stack.
5. Try to avoid getting SP3'd as they will progressively hurt more.
6. Do not let him cleanse your debuffs if you have them - he may become Stun Immune
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:
Cyclops
https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/165456/cyclops-enhancement-project#latest
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 Karnak where I would synthesize my knowledge of the character, and game design to make him a much better champion than we currently see him.
Karnak has a few interesting features
1. Extremely enhanced reflexes, speed, endurance, and strength
2. Voluntary control over most of his bodily autonomic functions
3. The ability to perceive the weaknesses and stress-points of any object, in any capacity.
4. He possesses the able to preconceive and simulate combat outcomes (this ability is mental, not innate)
5. He is also, by nature, tempered and wise, acting as the royal adviser and sage to the Inhumans.
So how does this help us in-game?
1. These should be reflected in his stats and abilities, giving him evade and physical resistance
2. A unique function to halt or accelerate physiological functions to accommodate his situation (utility based around sp1)
3. The main reason to enjoy Karnak, his SP3 should feature crushing outcomes
4. Precognition is probably the ultimate pre-fight ability - the ability to perceive a fight before it happens and prepare accordingly
5. His defense, non-aggressive demeanour should be reflected in his playstyle, gaining benefits for not fighting
So here's what I believe we can do.
Keep:
His Passive abilities
Change:
His signature Poison reduction should be a Passive ability
Redesign his Signature
Add a Pre-Fight Ability
Increase True-Strike to 10 second duration
Remove the innate effects of his SP2 and SP3
Second Tower Training Signature:
Karnak internalizes and modifies the effects of all debuffs he receives, extending their duration by 22-60.06% but spreading the damage out equally across the debuff.
Precognition (Pre-Fight Ability)
Before entering a fight, Karnak simulates the outcome of the fight and determines an appropriate strategy to employ.
- Failing Mind: When activating a special attack, the opponent automatically suffers from 1 Concussion debuff. A Special 1 causes 20% reduction for 40 seconds; Special 2 causes 40% for 40 seconds; Special 3 causes 80% for 40 seconds. Additionally, Karnak is immune to ability accuracy reduction in this fight.
- Weakened Spirit When activating a special attack, the opponent receives 1 Exhaustion, reducing their critical damage and increasing Karnak's attack against them. Additionally, Karnak gains 1% of a bar of power every second for every 10 hits on his combo meter, and for every Insight charge he has (up to a maximum of 10% of a bar of power/second)
- Fractured Body When activating a special attack, the opponent receives 1 Armor Break. Additionally, Karnak reduces the damage received by bleeds by 65%.
Insight
Karnak passively studies his opponent from a distance. For every 2 seconds spent away from the opponent and not blocking, Karnak builds a Seeing stack. Making contact with the opponent causes stacks of Seeing to be lost. Upon activating the Dexterity mastery, each Seeing stack is converted to Insight. Stacks of Insight are consumed by landing special attacks to apply effects based on the active Precognition ability. Additionally, while Karnak has stacks of Insight, he can consume 1 stack while charging a heavy attack to become Unstoppable, Indestructible, until the opponent strikes him. (He also has Combo Shield)
Special Attacks
The first hit of the special 1, the second hit of the special 2, or activating the special 3 applies an effect if it lands based on the active Pre-Fight Ability
Failing Mind: The opponent receives 1 Falter for each Insight consumed, causing the next attack against Karnak to miss
Weakened Spirit: The opponent receives another Exhaustion for each Insight consumed.
Fractured Body: The opponent receives another Armor Break for each Insight consumed
Special Attack 1
Karnak strikes the enemy, launching them away, and then reflecting on his tactical position. The reflection will refresh any active buffs, and cleanse any active debuffs. All cleansed debuffs can no longer inflicted on Karnak for the duration of the fight. If 4 debuffs have been cleansed by Karnak, he becomes immune to the effects of Stun.
Special Attack 3
After repeated use of this stress-point attack, the opponent becomes quite vulnerable to it and receives 20% more damage from each subsequent Special Attack 3 suffered.
------------------
So at the End of the Day:
1. Karnak can become immune to debuffs suffered by an opponent, which has a variety of uses
2. He has the potential to shut down a variety of opponents that rely on armor, ability accuracy, critical attacks, and more.
3. He becomes a utility-based versatile attacker and an annoying defender.
-----------------
Playing As Karnak:
1. Choose a Pre-Fight ability that suits the fight; deciding if you need to reduce Ability Accuracy, cause Misses (Failing Mind), Armor Breaks (Fractured Body), or increase your own damage (Weakened Spirit).
2. Stay at a safe-distance to activate Focused and build Seeing stacks; and use Dexterity to receive Insight stacks.
3. Once you are set-up, begin retaliating and building up to the special of choice
4. Use Special 1 to activate True Strike to handle Evasive enemies or those with physical resistance. Additionally, absorb your debuffs to become immune to them for the remainder of the fight. TIP: If you need to be hit to receive the debuff, charge a heavy attack (with Insight) to be indestructible, get the debuff, and immediately activate the SP1.
5. Use Special 2 for damage against lower health opponents, or if the fight isn't going to be very long.
6. Use Special 3 for damage ramp up against longer fights.
7. Do not rush into opponents after a special attack because the specials displace the enemy a lot and you can build Seeing stacks this way.
8. If using Failing Mind, take advantage of the safety it gives you to extend your Indestructible when charging heavy attacks, or use in matchups where Heavies are needed and stuns are scarce.
Playing Against Karnak:
1. Don't rely on bringing a champion who uses debuffs, buffs, or Evades like Aarkus, Archangel, Void, or Quake as Karnak will use his Special 1 to become immune to these effects, or cause you to fail activating your own.
2. If the AI is using Failing Mind (best for Defense), be aware that they will always impose Ability Accuracy on you when Karnak uses a special
2. If the AI is using Weakened Spirit, there is nothing to worry about.
3. If the AI is using Fractured Body, note that your bleeds will be worse
4. Do not punish his heavy attacks if he somehow gets an Insight stack.
5. Try to avoid getting SP3'd as they will progressively hurt more.
6. Do not let him cleanse your debuffs if you have them - he may become Stun Immune
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:
Cyclops
https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/165456/cyclops-enhancement-project#latest
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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