brynndragon: (Default)
benndragon ([personal profile] brynndragon) wrote2007-04-26 09:56 am
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CoH Supergroup

I've been playing CoH for all of three days and I already have an idea for a Supergroup based on the five Chinese elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water), having one of each archetype. I've already created the wood hero, Mu Cai, who is a scrapper (martial arts/regen), but I can swap for another archetype. I imagine fire would be a blaster, earth a defender, metal a tanker, and water a controller. If you're interested or know anyone who might be interested, please let me know.

EDIT: I'm planning on doing this on Triumph, but am flexible if there's a better option
EDIT II: Make that Justice rather than Triumph. Also, please chat with me before making your character, since the Chinese elemental system is not like the Western elemental system (see comment below) and I really want to keep that flavor to it. Optimally I'd call the group Feng Shui ("geomancy"), but the popular meaning of the term and the mystical meaning that I'd intend are so different that I don't think it'd work. Maybe I'll call it "Masters of De" (which is a rather ambitious name for a group, but hey, I am playing Wood here ;P).

Also, it's been requested that this be done biweekly, which I'm willing to do as well. If you're interested, tell me which element or Archetype you'd be interested in (or ask me for more info to help you choose) and what day you'd like to do it.

[identity profile] unseelie.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 04:31 pm (UTC)(link)
i'm interested.
I've been playing CoH - alot.

what server?
when?
Etc?
;-D

[identity profile] benndragon.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 04:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Not tonight, as I've got game, but tomorrow night after 8 I should be on. My global is @Brynn.

[identity profile] xany.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 07:16 pm (UTC)(link)
d00d!

You play CoX?!

What server(s)? What's your global? I'm @Xany (hard to guess, I know)

also, have you joined [livejournal.com profile] city_of_heroes or [livejournal.com profile] cityovillains yet? both are awesome groups full of great gamers and good resources.

[identity profile] unseelie.livejournal.com 2007-05-07 10:02 pm (UTC)(link)
@TheUnseelie

I am most often found on Freedom or Virtue

that is all

[identity profile] gothfather.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 04:34 pm (UTC)(link)
What server? :D

[identity profile] benndragon.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 04:44 pm (UTC)(link)
See edit :D

[identity profile] heinleinfan.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 04:44 pm (UTC)(link)
wwaaahhhh....I wanna new computer so I can play CoH again...


I had a supergroup called The Naughty Nurses, led by Nurse Betty. All heale, er, defenders.

[identity profile] distantantenna.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 05:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow, CoH. I played that a ton after it came out. Sort of ground on for me and I put it on the shelf for a while. Good luck fighting evil!

[identity profile] ellyfialy.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 05:40 pm (UTC)(link)
[livejournal.com profile] chadius, Morrigu, and [livejournal.com profile] pockethedgehog all play CoH and CoV. I should ask them which server.

[identity profile] xany.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 07:26 pm (UTC)(link)
I've got a ton of alts already on my plate, so I'm not sure how reliably active I'd be, but I might be more interested if this was maybe a bi-weekly thing.

Though I'd switch Water to a Defender or Blaster (Energy Blast's effects have often been described as water-based powers by RPers), Earth to a Tanker or Controller (as they get Earth-based powers), and Fire to a Blaster or Tanker (ditto).

[identity profile] benndragon.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 08:47 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm aiming less for elemental-specific power sets because I want to keep the Eastern meanings for the elements, which tend to be quite different from the Western ideas. Fire is perhaps the only element where pretty much everyone agrees as to what it's about, and blaster fits it the best. Metal is very clearly the tanker with protection and stability being primary aspects, while Wood makes the best scrapper with a need to be in the thick of things have a direct hand in the action, plus the regeneration ability fits very well. Earth and Water gave me the most problems for fitting Archetypes, so I thought long and hard about what they symbolize to the Chinese. Water is perhaps the least similar between the systems - its color is black because it represents The Abyss, the mysterious place between death and birth where those who enter have little to no control over what happens to them (it tends to feel both sinister and comforting and is the epitome of Yin). Earth is the link between all the elements, bringing them together to work for a common goal - it is found in the healer who gently guides the body to wholeness and the ruler who gently guides the nation to peaceful prosperity (yellow, the color of earth, is also the color of the Emperor). To me, the Chinese idea of Water is better shown in the hidden strength and manipulation of the Controller, while the Chinese idea of Earth works best as the leader who makes the group more effective while guiding them to victory (and worst when left without a nation or at least a group to guide), which is a task well suited to the Defender.

If people want suggestions for specific power sets and explanations for why I suggest them within the context of the Chinese elements, I would gladly provide that.

[identity profile] null4096.livejournal.com 2007-04-27 11:26 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm not familiar with the CoH system, but Water sounds like it would actually be a good necromancer or death-oriented hero.

Sounds like Earth would actually work as a healer (or wood...isn't it new ideas and regeneration?)

[identity profile] xany.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 08:48 pm (UTC)(link)
also, Triumph is full for me (yes, I have rampant altitis, why do you ask?).

Might I suggest Freedom, Champion, or Justice?

[identity profile] benndragon.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 08:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Unless one of those tends to be more full than the others, I'm going to pick at random. . . Justice it is!

[identity profile] benndragon.livejournal.com 2007-05-02 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
OK, having given it more thought, dark/dark defender actually works really well for Water. If someone wants to do that, that would be cool and Earth could be some sort of controller.

buddy code

[identity profile] bastardfnord.livejournal.com 2007-04-26 10:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Off topic, but if anybody wants a COH/V free trial, I have a buddy code that will get you a free trial and free game, if you want to keep playing past 10 days you don't pay for the game copy, just the time. Let me know if you want to claim it.

(I'm a member of United Powers of Paragon on liberty)

[identity profile] null4096.livejournal.com 2007-04-27 11:25 pm (UTC)(link)
I am too busy for MMORPGs (sadly), but I've long been interested in the Chinese conceptions of the five elements and their roles but have never found a good source. Can you recommend one?

[identity profile] benndragon.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 04:01 am (UTC)(link)
Actually, the single source that I've most found it in is Between Heaven and Earth, which is the fluffier of the two books on Chinese medicine recommended for people potentially interested in going to NESA and is centered around the Five Phase Theory of medicine (basically, using the elements as a basis of medical practice). I've also picked up bits and pieces from the I-Ching, which uses a different system (it's base 8) but there are many common themes regarding the ideas contained within the elements.

[identity profile] null4096.livejournal.com 2007-05-01 11:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, my left-brain mind absolutely loooves theories of correspondences. The big numbers in Chinese theories are 5 and 8, whereas Hermeticists seem to like 4, 7, and 12.