So the following suggestion is an attempt to create more incentive to use "energy" to activate gate, mecha knights, turrets, etc.
What are Energy Cores?
Energy Cores are the cores/souls of monsters that have been unnaturally energized. Should a monster be energized and killed before the energy can escape their body, the energy infuses with the core/souls of said monster and condenses into a small orb, later identified as Energy Cores. These energy cores have a very similar make up crystallized energy, except because they are infused with the souls and other impurities of other monsters, they are fairly unstable and do not last very long
What do they do, and how are they used?
Before I explain where they are obtained from, Ill explain how they physically function. As noted above, they are a drop from monsters (which kinds will explained later as well). and work similarly to capsules. They consume one of the 4 capsule spots, and you can hold up to three. 1 or 2, actually do not help you much. I'm not quite sure, but consuming one will either create a small, purely aesthetic burst of energy as you release the soul trapped inside, or provide a small energy explosion, with roughly half a square or so of push back and no damage. What ever it may be, it will be fairly insignificant and only serve as a method to remove them from your inventory. When you get three is when they're purpose really comes out. To put it simply, it works exactly like energy, allowing you to open gates, activate turrets, and all those other things you can do with three energy. That is their main purpose. Again, Im not so sure about this next feature, its up to debate, but all three could also be released as an energy explosion similar to one you make when you use a spark. Perhaps a little smaller. This however is not its main intention and can just as easily be left out. Finally, as stated in the paragraph above, energy cores are incredibly unstable. As a result, they disintegrate once you leave the clockworks, just like any other capsule.
How to I get these Energy Cores?
Every now and then a monster will spawn with a bolt of lightning, and appear to glow a faint blue. This faint glow serves as an indicator that the monster has been unnaturally energized and if killed will drop a single energy core. However there is a catch, or a few actually. First, the energy will give the monster a slight buff. What exactly this buff will be is subject to debate. The most likely would be a slight ASI and slight Damage increase. Base health and defense would not change. Secondly, they buff and the energize...ment would only last a short time, roughly 20-30 seconds. Essential long enough where a single person would not be able to out DPS the time limit in a party of 3 or 4. Only stronger type monsters will spawn energized like alpha wolves, large lichens, lumbers, Trojans (hue hue hue) etc. Killing one within the time limit drops one energy core for everyone. Ideally energized monsters will spawn on average 3 times every 4 levels. Of course its not only random, but slightly dependent on the type of level, so that number may be lower or higher. Has a much less chance of occurring on normal difficulty than elite. Oh and energy cores may possibly spawn in red boxes. Dunno up to debate
Wrap up
- Energy Core are small orbs of impure crystal energy
- Occupy a capsule space and can be used to as energy for gates and wot not.
- Cannot be carried out of clock works
- Drops from energized boss like monsters such as alpha wolvers that receive small stat boost
- Energized monster are only energized for a short time
Undecided
- A decent name for Energy Cores
- The stats boost energized monsters will have. Possibly low ASI and Damage increase
- What using energy cores by themselves as a means to get rid of them will do.
- How long the monster will be energized
Just as a final word, the purpose is to actually make gates and wot not worth while. While they can be obtained for free, it will often require teamwork and quick thinking to earn the chance to use all three. And hopefully the system will then encourage more turrets and other cool devices to be implemented into future levels, as people will actually use them
A nice idea to get people using using energy-based gear/gates in the arcade. Although a few changes
The energized monsters should stay permanently energized. In exchange, only newly created ENERGY monsters should be energized. Each monster class would have a single ENERGIZED monster:
Gremlins - a gremlin thwacker that does 3 consecutive attacks instead of 2. It has a slightly larger reach than normal thwackers and wields a weapon similar to a rocket hammer (appearance is of it's tier)
Constructs - a giant lumber with an axe for an arm. He turns slightly faster than normal.
Beast - An alpha wolver. His 3 charge attacks home in on the aggro'd player each time he lunges.
Slime - A giant lichen colony. His thorn roots attack has increased range and also produces an electric mist (minor shock)
Undead - An Almirian crusader (the small ones in LoA)
Fiend - A trojan. His sword slam deals shadow damage instead of normal, and also applies shock.
All ENERGIZED monsters are shock themed, regardless of the floor they are found in, and have slightly more health then the monsters they are based off of. These monsters usually only spawn in clockwork tunnels, but gremlins can spawn in Decon zones, beasts can spawn in wolver dens, and undead can spawn in graveyards. They only spawn in areas where killing all monsters is not required to continue, giving players the choice to battle them or not.
EDIT: ENERGIZED monsters still drop money and heat like regular monsters, however they do not drop pills or vials. They have 100% chance of dropping a single energy core