Concept:
A new branch for each Vaporizer that offers increased damage output, a larger blast radius, and stronger status afflictions at the cost of lower haze radius and haze duration. The bombs in these new branches will be known as Spritzer (subject to change).
Spritzers will all indicate only a slightly larger blast radius than their 2* (★★☆☆☆) components, and will produce a haze that covers that same radius. This radius is equivalent to 2 tiles.
Unlike existing Vaporizers, Spritzers will damage all enemies within that 2 tile radius upon detonation. The amount of damage dealt will be pure Elemental damage, and against neutral targets (Slimes and Fiends) will be roughly equivalent to the Blast Bomb of the same star rating. According to some of the data on the wiki (the data is inconsistent) this represents somewhere between 30% and 50% of additional damage for Spritzers when compared to existing Vaporizers.
The other difference between Spritzers and Vaporizers is that the haze produced by each Spritzer will only last 3 seconds, as opposed to 5. However, each haze comes with a Good chance of inflicting Moderate status (I believe that's a 3/3 according to Luguiru's notation, but whatever). In other words, the haze fades faster, but the status lasts longer.
Spritzers will retain the same charge time and fuse time as their Vaporizer counterparts.
Summary:
Advantages:
- Increased damage output (30-50% more than corresponding Vaporizers)
- Increased initial detonation radius (2 squares of immediate blast damage instead of 1)
- Stronger status affliction (4/3 instead of 4/2)
Drawbacks:
- Largely decreased mist radius upon upgrading (2 squares instead of 3 or 4)
- Shorter mist duration (3 seconds instead of 5)
Consistencies:
- No knockback
- Same charge/fuse time (I believe 3 and 2 seconds, respectively)
Alchemy Paths:
Note: Again, all new names are subject to change.
Fiery Vaporizer★★★☆☆ | Flame Spritzer★★★★☆ | Flame Spritzer Mk II★★★★★ | Incinerator
Freezing Vaporizer★★★☆☆ | Sleet Spritzer★★★★☆ | Sleet Spritzer Mk II★★★★★ | Glacial Grenade
Haze Bomb★★★☆☆ | Stun Spritzer★★★★☆ | Stun Spritzer Mk II★★★★★ | Cripple Capsule
Static Capacitor★★★☆☆ | Thunder Spritzer★★★★☆ | Thunder Spritzer Mk II★★★★★ | Surge Emitter
Toxic Vaporizer★★★☆☆ | Sickly Spritzer★★★★☆ | Sickly Spritzer Mk II★★★★★ | Epidemic
Vendors:
Recipes for Flame, Sleet, and Sickly Spritzers can be purchased from Remi (Hall of Heroes).
Recipes for Flame, Sleet, Sickly, and Thunder Spritzers can be purchased from Basil.
Recipes for Stun Spritzers can be purchased from Sullivan using Krogmo Coins.
Concept Art:
Pending. I may or may not cook something up in Spiral-Spy, depending on whether this gets positive feedback. If it's not worth my effort, there's no need for me to waste that effort.
What I had in mind was something similar to existing Vaporizers, but with little canisters of status-themed liquids instead of crystals or whatever's in Vaporizers.
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I'm open to all feedback, so let me hear what you think of these things.
Some more Damage-focused Elemental bombs would be very welcome, since all Bombers have for Elemental damage right now is the Electron Vortex (PvP-only) the Shard Bombs (crap) and the Vaporizers (Poor charge-to-damage ratio.)
I take it these have the same charge time as regular Vaporizers?