diff --git a/engine/client/r_partset.c b/engine/client/r_partset.c
index 31c817cc8..8dde42197 100644
--- a/engine/client/r_partset.c
+++ b/engine/client/r_partset.c
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ char *particle_set_spikeset =
 "diesubrand 0.7\n"
 "randomvel 1\n"
 "rgb 255 50 10\n"
-"rgbdelta -255 -25 -5\n"
+"rgbdelta -230 -45 -9\n"
 "gravity -25\n"
 "scalefactor 1\n"
 "assoc rocketsmoke\n"
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ char *particle_set_spikeset =
 "blend add\n"
 "type beam\n"
 "spawnmode spiral\n"
-"spawnorg 100 0\n"
+"spawnvel 100 0\n"
 "cliptype te_railtrail\n"
 "friction 0.7\n"
 "}\n" 
@@ -332,58 +332,6 @@ char *particle_set_spikeset =
 "assoc expgib\n"
 "}\n" 
 
-"r_part empcentral\n"
-"{\n" 
-"texture \"particles/emp\"\n"
-"count 100\n"
-"scale 100\n"
-"alpha 0.4\n"
-"die 6\n"
-"veladd -1\n"
-"rgb 128 128 255\n"
-"friction 0.2\n"
-"blend add\n"
-"assoc shrapnal\n"
-"spawnmode circle\n"
-"spawnorg 64\n"
-"spawnvel 72 0\n"
-"}\n" 
-
-"r_part empinner\n"
-"{\n" 
-"texture \"particles/emp\"\n"
-"count 75\n"
-"scale 100\n"
-"alpha 0.4\n"
-"die 4\n"
-"veladd -1\n"
-"rgb 128 128 255\n"
-"friction 0.2\n"
-"blend add\n"
-"assoc empcentral\n"
-"spawnmode circle\n"
-"spawnorg 8 0\n"
-"spawnvel 64 0\n"
-"}\n" 
-
-//the blob tempent is used quite a bit with teamfortress emp grenades.
-"r_part te_blob\n"
-"{\n" 
-"texture \"particles/emp\"\n"
-"count 100\n"
-"scale 100\n"
-"alpha 0.4\n"
-"die 4\n"
-"veladd -1\n"
-"rgb 128 255 128\n"
-"friction 1\n"
-"blend add\n"
-"assoc empinner\n"
-"spawnmode circle\n"
-"spawnorg 64 0\n"
-"spawnvel 256 0\n"
-"}\n" 
-
 "r_part gunshotsparks\n"
 "{\n" 
 "scalefactor -3\n"
@@ -538,6 +486,76 @@ char *particle_set_spikeset =
 "blend add\n"
 "}\n" 
 
+// emp effect, based off of purplehaze's idea
+"r_part empshocktrail\n"
+"{\n" 
+"texture \"particles/spark\"\n"
+"step 3.2\n"
+"scale 3\n"
+"alpha 0.7\n"
+"die 0.2\n"
+"rgb 64 0 255\n"
+"blend add\n"
+"scalefactor 1\n"
+"spawnorg 12 0\n"
+"}\n" 
+
+"r_part empcore\n"
+"{\n" 
+"texture \"particles/flame\"\n"
+"count 90\n"
+"scale 55\n"
+"scaledelta -110\n"
+"die 0.55\n"
+"rgb 168 128 255\n"
+"spawnmode circle\n"
+"spawnorg 12\n"
+"spawnvel -192\n"
+"blend add\n"
+"scalefactor 0.8\n"
+"emit empshocktrail\n"
+"emitinterval -1\n"
+"}\n" 
+
+
+"r_part empflash\n"
+"{\n" 
+"die 0.1\n"
+"texture \"particles/flash\"\n"
+"alpha 1\n"
+"count 1\n"
+"scale 400\n"
+"scaledelta -4000\n"
+"alphachange 0\n"
+"rgb 192 160 255\n"
+"blend add\n"
+"scalefactor 1\n"
+"assoc empcore\n"
+"}\n" 
+
+"r_part te_blob\n"
+"{\n" 
+"texture \"particles/emp\"\n"
+"count 120\n"
+"scale 35\n"
+"die 0.75\n"
+"alpha 0.4\n"
+"rgb 128 0 255\n"
+"rampmode delta\n"
+"ramp -32 0 0 0\n"
+"ramp -32 0 0 0\n"
+"ramp -32 0 0 2\n"
+"friction -0.9\n"
+"blend add\n"
+"spawnmode uniformcircle\n"
+"spawnorg 24 0\n"
+"spawnvel 280 0\n"
+"scalefactor 1\n"
+"emit empshocktrail\n"
+"emitinterval -1\n"
+"assoc empflash\n"
+"}\n" 
+
 // TE_LIGHTNING2 replacement, (c) 2005 TimeServ
 // If you steal this GPLed code you will be violating several international laws
 // as well as several laws of physics.
diff --git a/engine/partcfgs/spikeset.cfg b/engine/partcfgs/spikeset.cfg
index b2542820d..02d5498e7 100644
--- a/engine/partcfgs/spikeset.cfg
+++ b/engine/partcfgs/spikeset.cfg
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ r_part rockettrail
 	diesubrand 0.7
 	randomvel 1
 	rgb 255 50 10
-	rgbdelta -255 -25 -5
+	rgbdelta -230 -45 -9
 	gravity -25
 	scalefactor 1
 	assoc rocketsmoke
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ r_part te_railtrail
 	blend add
 	type beam
 	spawnmode spiral
-	spawnorg 100 0
+	spawnvel 100 0
 	cliptype te_railtrail
 	friction 0.7
 }
@@ -329,58 +329,6 @@ r_part te_explosion
 	assoc expgib
 }
 
-r_part empcentral
-{
-	texture "particles/emp"
-	count	100
-	scale 100
-	alpha 0.4
-	die 6
-	veladd -1
-	rgb 128 128 255
-	friction 0.2
-	blend add
-	assoc shrapnal
-	spawnmode circle
-	spawnorg 64
-	spawnvel 72 0
-}
-
-r_part empinner
-{
-	texture "particles/emp"
-	count	75
-	scale 100
-	alpha 0.4
-	die 4
-	veladd -1
-	rgb 128 128 255
-	friction 0.2
-	blend add
-	assoc empcentral
-	spawnmode circle
-	spawnorg 8 0
-	spawnvel 64 0
-}
-
-//the blob tempent is used quite a bit with teamfortress emp grenades.
-r_part te_blob
-{
-	texture "particles/emp"
-	count	100
-	scale 100
-	alpha 0.4
-	die 4
-	veladd -1
-	rgb 128 255 128
-	friction 1
-	blend add
-	assoc empinner
-	spawnmode circle
-	spawnorg 64 0
-	spawnvel 256 0
-}
-
 r_part gunshotsparks
 {
 	scalefactor -3
@@ -535,6 +483,76 @@ r_part ef_entityparticles
 	blend add
 }
 
+// emp effect, based off of purplehaze's idea
+r_part empshocktrail
+{
+	texture "particles/spark"
+	step 3.2
+	scale 3
+	alpha 0.7
+	die 0.2
+	rgb 64 0 255
+	blend add
+	scalefactor 1
+	spawnorg 12 0
+}
+
+r_part empcore
+{
+	texture "particles/flame"
+	count 90
+	scale 55
+	scaledelta -110
+	die 0.55
+	rgb 168 128 255
+	spawnmode circle
+	spawnorg 12
+	spawnvel -192
+	blend add
+	scalefactor 0.8
+	emit empshocktrail
+	emitinterval -1
+}
+
+
+r_part empflash
+{
+	die 0.1
+	texture "particles/flash"
+	alpha 1
+	count 1
+	scale 400
+	scaledelta -4000
+	alphachange 0
+	rgb 192 160 255
+	blend add
+	scalefactor 1
+	assoc empcore
+}
+
+r_part te_blob
+{
+	texture "particles/emp"
+	count	120
+	scale 35
+	die 0.75
+	alpha 0.4
+	rgb 128 0 255
+	rampmode delta
+	ramp -32 0 0 0
+	ramp -32 0 0 0
+	ramp -32 0 0 2 
+	friction -0.9
+	blend add
+	spawnmode uniformcircle
+	spawnorg 24 0 
+	spawnvel 280 0
+	scalefactor 1
+	emit empshocktrail
+	emitinterval -1
+	assoc empflash
+}
+
 // TE_LIGHTNING2 replacement, (c) 2005 TimeServ
 // If you steal this GPLed code you will be violating several international laws
 // as well as several laws of physics.