Attuning/Catalyzing Enhancements

So a bit of backgound on set bonuses before I talk about catalysts/attuned:

Set bonuses and globals stay functional if you exemplar to a level where you lose the power they are slotted in as long as that level is no more than 3 levels below the levels of the pieces you slotted. That latter condition applies on a per-enhancement basis. If you slotted five level 25 pieces of a set and one level 40, you'd lose the sixth bonus when exemplared to level 36 or below.

"Chance of" and "for 120s" pieces stop working if you lose the power they're slotted in.

Attuned pieces follow the same rules, but are effectively always the same level you are. However, they have a minimum - they can't follow your level down below where they exist. So if you have attuned pieces that don't exist below level 25, they stop giving you bonuses at level 21 and lower.

if you don't exemp or don't care about set bonuses following you when you exemp then don't bother catalyzing/attuning them (you may want to boost them instead)

Where catalyzing/attuning is really useful is for levelling. i tend to attune sets, use them to 50 then unslot them and put them into another alt.

NB! - THIS BIT BE IMPORTANT

There are a few things you should be aware of:

1. Always catalyze/attune orange ATOs and Winter O's - this actually boosts their stats

2. never catalyze/attune purple sets or pvp sets - these automatically allow their set bonuses at all levels already so it's a waste to catalyze/attune them - boost them instead

3. everything else, attune if you're going to exemp and care about keeping the associated set bonus when you do so, boost if you don't exemp or dont care about keeping the set bonus when you exemp (or would rather have the added effects of the boost when exemping)

Catalysts (out of Date)

Enhancement Booster

Nice breakdown, thanks. If I could ask a follow-up question, where in Homecoming are Boosters and Catalysts available?

You can get both Boosters and Catalysts through the Merit Vendors and ATMs. You can also get Catalysts as a very rare drop once you hit 50 and start earning Incarnate EXP.

Oh, nice.  How much do they cost?  (I'm away from my game PC)

How do you attune sets?

Also, do catalysts work on sets like Blistering Cold, where there is a superior version?  It says catalysts only work on Archetype sets, so I wasn't sure.

Oh, nice.  How much do they cost?  (I'm away from my game PC)

Five merits for a Booster, and twenty merits for a Catalyst.

How do you attune sets?

The same way you combine your regular enhancements: go into the Enhancements screen, click on the set IO you want to attune, then add your Catalyst.

Also, do catalysts work on sets like Blistering Cold, where there is a superior version?  It says catalysts only work on Archetype sets, so I wasn't sure.

Yes. Catalysts work on all Enhancement sets. That's set IOs, ATOs, and the Winter sets.

Also, do catalysts work on sets like Blistering Cold, where there is a superior version?  It says catalysts only work on Archetype sets, so I wasn't sure.

Yes. Catalysts work on all Enhancement sets. That's set IOs, ATOs, and the Winter sets.

Specifically Catalysts were originally implemented to convert an orange Archetype Origin Enhancement into its Purple Equivalent. See Point 1 above.

 

 

...snip...

 

 

NB! - THIS BIT BE IMPORTANT

 

There are a few things you should be aware of:

 

1. Always catalyze/attune orange ATOs and Winter O's - this actually boosts their stats

2. never catalyze/attune purple sets or pvp sets - these automatically allow their set bonuses at all levels already so it's a waste to catalyze/attune them - boost them instead

3. everything else, attune if you're going to exemp and care about keeping the associated set bonus when you do so, boost if you don't exemp or dont care about keeping the set bonus when you exemp (or would rather have the added effects of the boost when exemping)

 

 

Catalysts (out of Date)

Enhancement Booster

Oh nice I knew about attument and boosting but wasn't aware that purples were "attuned" so to speak by default... ty

Yeah Silk, they were always like that.

So one very important thing to be aware of:

You don't need to spend catalysts except for the Archtype and Winter sets

For regular IO sets the attuned and non-attuned IOs are actually linked on the market (meaning that sell offers for one can be used to fulfill bids for the others). Therefore buying an attuned version of an IO costs the same as buying a regular non-attuned version.

I only just realized this last night so I figured it might be worth pointing out.

Side note, how do I make text large? The standard BBCode size tags don't seem to work

The same way you combine your regular enhancements: go into the Enhancements screen, click on the set IO you want to attune, then add your Catalyst.

 

Yes. Catalysts work on all Enhancement sets. That's set IOs, ATOs, and the Winter sets.

Thank you!

The same way you combine your regular enhancements: go into the Enhancements screen, click on the set IO you want to attune, then add your Catalyst.

 

Yes. Catalysts work on all Enhancement sets. That's set IOs, ATOs, and the Winter sets.

Thank you!

But unless you are attuning an ATO or Winter set you're better off just buying the attuned IO from the market since it will be the same price as a regular IO.

The same way you combine your regular enhancements: go into the Enhancements screen, click on the set IO you want to attune, then add your Catalyst.

 

Yes. Catalysts work on all Enhancement sets. That's set IOs, ATOs, and the Winter sets.

Thank you!

But unless you are attuning an ATO or Winter set you're better off just buying the attuned IO from the market since it will be the same price as a regular IO.

unless you already have say a level 30 set slotted already

The same way you combine your regular enhancements: go into the Enhancements screen, click on the set IO you want to attune, then add your Catalyst.

 

Yes. Catalysts work on all Enhancement sets. That's set IOs, ATOs, and the Winter sets.

Thank you!

But unless you are attuning an ATO or Winter set you're better off just buying the attuned IO from the market since it will be the same price as a regular IO.

 

unless you already have say a level 30 set slotted already

Last time I looked Catalysts were going for about 5million each. Unslotters are generally around 100K-500K so it's still cheaper to unslot your level 30s, sell them and buy attuned enhancements. Sure it will cost you some inf (for unslotters, market fees and possibly an impatience tax) but it's still cheaper than spending 30million on catalysts.

Can you attune hamidon enhancements?

Can you attune hamidon enhancements?

No, since they're not part of the invention system as I recall.

In regards to enhancements such as Regen Tissue +Regen, Steadfast Proc +Def is it best to boost these or leave as is?

Regenerative doesn't have any effect from boosting, and no benefit to having attuned over just the lowest level. It's a flat bonus that works like a set bonus. The 3% in steadfast also works like a set bonus, but it has a resist component to it as well. So for that it would depend on whether you exemp a lot or not. You'd have to compare in pine's the different levels with or without boosts to find your sweet spot for the content you do most. If you never exemp, boosted top level would be optimal. Personally I just get attuned and forget it with that one

 

2. never catalyze/attune purple sets or pvp sets - these automatically allow their set bonuses at all levels already so it's a waste to catalyze/attune them - boost them instead

I wish I had known this before I attuned 2 purple sets!  I just tried boosting them, and that doesn't work.  If I want them boosted, I'll have to recreate them.  What a pain.  But thanks for the helpful guide.

 

2. never catalyze/attune purple sets or pvp sets - these automatically allow their set bonuses at all levels already so it's a waste to catalyze/attune them - boost them instead

 

I wish I had known this before I attuned 2 purple sets!  I just tried boosting them, and that doesn't work.  If I want them boosted, I'll have to recreate them.  What a pain.  But thanks for the helpful guide.

You can sell them and re-buy the regular type for about the same price. You'll lose the market fee but that's about it.

Regenerative doesn't have any effect from boosting, and no benefit to having attuned over just the lowest level. It's a flat bonus that works like a set bonus. The 3% in steadfast also works like a set bonus, but it has a resist component to it as well. So for that it would depend on whether you exemp a lot or not. You'd have to compare in pine's the different levels with or without boosts to find your sweet spot for the content you do most. If you never exemp, boosted top level would be optimal. Personally I just get attuned and forget it with that one

Thanks for this feedback

Noob question -- I've got a 6-slotted AT set and only 1 catalyst. If I make 1 enhancement Superior but leave the rest until I get more catalysts, is it going to mess with my bonuses until I get more Superiors, or do the bonuses "adapt" to the new level? I'm tempted to wait until I can change them all at once, but of course it'd be nice if I didn't have to.

Noob question -- I've got a 6-slotted AT set and only 1 catalyst. If I make 1 enhancement Superior but leave the rest until I get more catalysts, is it going to mess with my bonuses until I get more Superiors, or do the bonuses "adapt" to the new level? I'm tempted to wait until I can change them all at once, but of course it'd be nice if I didn't have to.

Yes, attuning 1 of out 6 in a set will "break" the set.  I reduces the count of the normal set, and starts the counter for the superior set.  They don't overlap.  I learned this hard way.  Don't attune a set until you have catalysts for the entire set.  Or simply sell your non-attuned set on the AH, and then turn around and buy the attuned equivalents to keep the set complete.

Thanks, Rathulfr. I am glad your pain was not in vain, for you have saved me some.

Maybe a stupid question, but what about IOs that have a level cap lower than 50 like Energy Manipulator (level range of 10-20). What are the benefits and draw backs of attuning vs boosting IOs such as these?

Thanks