Fractal Idea [Contains EoD/IBS Spoilers]

[HnRkLnXqZ.1870]

As we have learned in the End of Dragons storyline, the Aetherblades conquered the Fractals of the Mists to collect airship parts for their fleet. So I thought it would be fun to have a randomized chance in the Aetherblade themed fractals, to meet Ankka and Renyak searching for supplies.

Concept:
You spawn at the usual starting location, but there is a necrotic aura in the area. Allied forces are found murdered with a battle-standard in their back. Regular Aetherblades are lying on the floor as well, with green bullet holes or shock marks. Airship consoles and other tech appears to be removed by force or destroyed. While wandering through the previously attacked Fractal, you encounter lieutenants of the EoD Aetherblades as mini-bosses, modern forces as regular NPCs.

a.)
In the Mai Trin Bossfractal, upon entering the final room, you witness Ankka shooting old Mai Trin. Horrik barely escapes, but catches a bullet in the leg. Ankka orders new Mai Trin to return to base with the stolen parts, while Ankka holds off the player party. During the encounter, Horrik will appear supporting the players with boons/protection domes to cover them from a deadly AoE super-blast Ankka launches. He does so shooting friendly mortar shells with his bazooka. After the last phase, Horrik joins the players as an active combat NPC. If you manage to beat Ankka before she can kill Horrik, you unlock a special achievement. At 1 HP, Ankka launches a massive AoE stun that paralyzes the party and applies torment. Every player that is not at 100 % HP will die during her dialogue/cutscene and fail another achievement. You watch her opening a mist-portal and escape the scene, activating a remote-charge with a timer.

Party is fully revived & healed and gets asked, if they want to activate a challenge mode. If they decide not to, they can port back to the Fractal Lobby safely. Upon activation of the challenge mode, the original passage get sealed and a new way opens up. Dessa reaches out to the players via comm, suggesting to find a new evacuation spot. Previously locked sections of the Fractal become accessible and are filled with Aetherblades. Those gain Jade Offensive and Defensive Protocol boons upon aggro. There will be a timer in the top-right corner of the screen, counting down to 0. The goal is to reach the safe location before the explosive detonates. If you managed to get your group there alive in time, you get additional loot. There are multiple achievements for reaching certain locations within short time. Including a special melodramatic achievement, if you manage to escape within the last 5 seconds of the timer. If you fail, you will be ported back into the Fractal Lobby - No 2nd chance. If you want to re-try this challenge, you have to restart the fractal and hope for the RNG to launch the invasion again.

b.)
In the Aetherblade Fractal, upon reaching Frizz' lab, the middle core is already down. You watch a scene where Renyak and Ivan play tic-tac-toe, deciding who goes goes through the portal first. Ivan loses and grabs a backpack with looted parts. Once Ivan is gone, Renyak turns around welcoming the players and begins to fight them. He utilizes the shock walls, spawns his Gyros and spawns regular Aetherblades during the fight. But Renyak can also be harmed by the shock-walls. Those deal massive damage to Renyak's breakbar and are required to break his defenses, when he pulls the bulwark-gyros. He has the usual aggro 1 player mechanic, who has to bait/lure him into the shock walls. Upon reaching his final 20 % HP, Renyak activates Impact Savant.

While this one is active, he gets Ryland's rage/endurance mechanic from IBS. That is the storyline combat mechanic after Dragonstorm, Ryland's final form. While attacking he converts X % of his outgoing damage into barrier. Automatically depleting his breakbar. When he runs out of endurance, he gets stunned with the debuff. It is possible to stun him during the attack phase with sufficient CC. Alternatively you have to run/dodge his attack-spree, prevent your allies from getting caught and burst away when he is stunned. There is a secret achievement for surviving the encoutner without causing a single point of barrier via Impact Savant on Renyak. At 1 HP, Renyak launches a massive AoE Stun and cuts every players maximum HP pool in half. That debuff cannot be cleansed. You watch him opening a mist-portal and escape the scene, activating a remote-charge with a timer.

Party is fully revived & healed and gets asked, if they want to activate a challenge mode. If they decide not to, they can port back to the Fractal Lobby safely. Upon activation of the challenge mote, all enemy forces are revived and gain Jade Offensive and Defensive Protocol boons upon aggro. There will be a timer in the top-right corner of the screen, counting down to 0. The goal is to reach the entrance of the Fractal before the explosive detonates. If you managed to get your group there alive in time, you get additional loot. There are multiple achievements for reaching certain locations within short time. Including a special melodramatic achievement, if you manage to escape within the last 5 seconds of the timer. If you fail, you will be ported back into the Fractal Lobby - No 2nd chance. If you want to re-try this challenge, you have to restart the fractal and hope for the RNG to launch the invasion again.
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Thanks for reading. 

[kaese.8765]

we don't want these changes

[samsar.9152]

I have to say you have some interesting ideas there, but how about no. 🙂 Many players do fractals to get fast money and fractal currency, not to get ultimate super extra challenge. 🙂