I'm trying to think my way through a Nightmare powerset, and I'm running into a few issues:
- It's going to necessarily step on the toes of Darkness Control, Illusion Control, and Mind Control. It can't be a villainous version of Illusion, because I guess too many powers wouldn't build/take advantage of Domination - I'm thinking Spectral Wounds, Superior Invisibility, and Group Invisibility, plus maybe too many pet powers. And thematically it's smack in the middle of Darkness and Mind.
- My main idea for Nightmare Control's shtick would be to utilize the Sleep mezz to supercharge all of its other powers - anytime a target is currently Sleeping (probably from any source), they take more damage and/or stronger mezzes from the character's Nightmare Control powers. This might work fine (if not fantastic) in a solo setting, but group play has tons of damage waking up Sleeping mobs all the time. I might be able to balance that with a Sleep PB/AoE effect (probably toggle), but I'm just concerned I'm heading down a dead-end.
- Another option would be if a proc-Sleep effect can be put on a target, to have them have to resist Sleep several times over the duration of the effect. That might let them be affected by the power, be damaged by something else, and then get hit with Sleep in time to have the Nightmare Control powers take advantage. The target would be able to still get off a response attack or action immediately after getting damaged, basically a kind of Immobilization effect while still being vulnerable to the Sleep shtick.
- With a Sleep-based shtick already, I'm not sure how much to actually crib off of Illusion Control. Probably the only thing that makes sense would be the Illusory damage heal-back (with higher initial damage), but I might tie that to the Sleep vulnerability.
So if you have 9 powers, I'm thinking a single target damaging Sleep (Mind's Mesmerize), a ST damage Hold (maybe Illusion's Blind with the AoE c/f Sleep), a ST Confuse, a ranged cone/AoE Hold (proc-Sleep on fail), a toggle PBAoE Sleep, a targeted Disorient with pseudo-pet AoE Fear/damage (a dream creature centered on/above a wandering target), and then I run out of (good) ideas.
