MTeague

This is not a thing that can or should be controlled. Mind you, I disagree, vehemently, with the notions that "regen is crap" or "energy melee is not worth taking" or "force fields are useless". But clamping down on people spouting off opinions, even opinions i consider to be flat wrong in chat? Not without a darn good reason. Having strong negative opinions about a powerset in no way constitutes any kind of infringement on terms and conditions of Homecoming EULA / Chat Rules, etc, even if I really really wish people would moderate / qualify their opinions more. At the end of the day, people give bad advice on all MANNER of subjects across the world every day. Just like every other arena, the listener is going to have to decide when to take it as face value, when to put it to the test, and when they just disregard someone who's being Loud Opinionated Guy On The Internet.

If we're going to blast the earth, we should really get an Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator, first.

First, you use all screaming caps to tell the offender "YOU ARE BAD AND SHOULD FEEL BAD!!!!" several times in Help AND General and brow-beat them into submission! 😄 OK, Kidding aside. Yea. Often, I let it go, especially if I have the slightest shadow of a doubt on the issue. I don't use Discord, so when I am talking with other players, it's in text. Maybe someday I should use Discord / learn more about how it works, but.... eh, haven't gotten around to it yet. For the Inspirations example, I'd go parlimentarian and type something like "Point of Clarification: any 3 inspirations of the same size AND same color can be combined". And if i'm feeling really technical I'd add the bit about "Except for Dual Inspriations and Team Inspirations, which cannot be combined either".

I doubt anything would be a direct port. For one thing, the HC Devs have done quite a bit of work to get things to run in 64 bit, and to try to untangle all of NCSoft's wonderful Spaghetti Code, down to at least, Ziti Code. (is that a phrase? if not, I'm declaring it one) So there would still be a moderate effort to take whatever is there, unpack it to it's components, translate it over in the re-factored code environment, and then box it up, and then still playtest it out, and ensure that they were happy with the animations. I'd hope this happens for at least Wind Control, but I'd keep any expectations very low and just say whatever we get, whenever we get it, is a gift. I don't need the shiniest new toy now-darnit-now. I'm content to wait for something that meshes with the rest of the game and works well on the HC platform. Holy Light, I admit, I'm looking askance at that, just by the name. Because I'm picturing a flotilla of Villanous Holy Light Corruptors or Masterminds, and thinking to myself that Light can't be all that Holy if I can use it to go on a Mayhem Mission with, or if I can use that "Holy" Light to enforce the will of Praetor Tilman and Sinclair and Emperor Cole as a Power Loyalilst. At the very least I'd probably want such a powerset to be renamed to something a touch more neutral. Holy light objection retracted.

I'd believe it. I usually find myself disabling XP to make sure I can clear a couple story arcs in each level range on the way up, as well as do enough radio/paper missions for the Safeguard/Mayhem in each level range. yea, I know, I *could* do them later, but I like experiencing my character at different stages of power as they develop.

I've never done this. I've come close, but never 100%. My Mind/Kin controller is 9/9 for his primary and 7/9 for his secondary. My Claws/SR is mirror image, 7/9 for the primary, 9/9 for the secondary. Heck, even my Plant/Psi Dominator skipped a few powers in both trees. 9/9 for BOTH? Never. Some of this is no doubt a leftover from character building on retail, needing to plan on Fitness and a Travel Power. And I do like adding in Leadership toggles where they fit. And then I get quirky and do wierd things like take the Prescence Pool on my Dark/Dark corruptor to get the self-rez option, becuase his backstory involves him being cursed and can literally never die and stay dead.

You're not wrong but I agree with @NNDeepdish. The people who already skip low level content to power level via DFB or AE would continue to do so. Then they'd come back via Ouroborous as a decked-out lvl 50 exemplared down and one shot everything. I see only two ways to convince people to do lower level story arcs at content level. if friends start a group and invite them along, OR, if you put in some kind of desired reward, like a badge, that CANNOT BE OBTAINED LATER, if you're already outleveled it. Make no mistake, that second one is a Horribly Bad Idea. The entire point of Ouroborus is you shoudl be able to do any content in any order, and I still rank that as the ABSOLUTE BEST change that was ever made to the base game. I rank Ouro above the Invention system and above the Incarnate system. And for that matter, adding rewards that require you do to it at content level, wouldn't even be convincing people to do it. At best you would be COERCING the badge-hunters, forcing them into a corral they DON'T want to be in. And what about characters who are already 50? Too bad for you? Really the only viable option is the first one. If you see people blowing past content and you think they're missing out on something fun? Start a team. Invite them. Make it a fun experiance. I do not see any solution requiring developer action as a viable solution to this.

Glad to see this. I'm levelling up an AR/MC blaster, currently lvl 22 in the First Ward. I've been going back and forth between Buckshot and M-30 grenade. So far still have Buckshot for the KD vs KB. Someday I might swap that out, but for now, good to see every single Assault Rifle power I have selected is in your build.

This is why monkey wrenches are the best War Mace option

I know, I know. I just this morning promised not to touch this thread again. I fail. My willpower is weak. 🙁 But really, this is kinda different. I get to AGREE with you! Not the whole post, just this one point. If you want changes are to be made at all for a stronger Constant-On defense power or Toggle defense power, of the strength that you want, then Epic Pools / Ancillary pools are the appropriate venue to pursue that. I will say that you already have TWO such options, today and now, https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Cold_Mastery#Frozen_Armor https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Mace_Mastery#Scorpion_Shield Admittedly, Scorpion Shield is a Patron Pool, not an epic pool. Which means you'd have to spend X time as a Rogue or Villain. And I definitely have a suite of "dedicated heroes" who will simply never go villain, but for whom, Ice is not really their metaphor either. Maybe something like an Energy Aura toggle https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Energy_Aura#Kinetic_Shield would be a nice option to provide +DEF without having to be surrounded in ice, and without having to do Black Scorption's bidding. By no means guaranteed they'd do that, but having something like that as an alternate Ancillary pool option would be nice. They'd never let you take this AND Body Armor... but a "Energy Mastery" blaster Ancillary pool, could be added without skewing overall game balance. EDIT: though I'm sure a Blaster Ancillary version of Kinetic Shield would not come with any Defense Debuff Resistance.

Technically they could still adjust as they see fit. But given that they are in talks with NCSoft, yes, lore changes would be one more thing to reconcile in the event of a final deal.

I have zero problems with the gmotd. All lives matter, regardless of your genetics or beliefs. But there's NOTHING wrong with calling extra attention to black lives given the events we've all seen unfold Too Many Times. In fact, I'd say one can reasonable conclude one MUST call out extra attention to black lives, given said events. However, if you feel excluded by this, if you feel attacked by this, just sit back, put on some Gordon Lightfoot on continuous loop, maybe some Paul Simon, whatever it takes for you to find your happy place. At the end of the day, this is Homecoming's home, and we are here present as thier guests. They'd like us to all be calm, and think a few times before we pop the clutch on our mouth before putting the brain / heart in gear. It's really not that big of an ask.

On one hand, One strike and you're out forever seems a bit much. On the other hand, well.... I do think that upwards of 98% of the people will use customization pretty responsibly and creatively. I'm also sure that somewhere, someone, will go sailing RIGHT over that line. Because someone ALWAYS does, sure as the sun rises in the east. They'll think they're funny, or they'll be drunk, or someone will do it to someone else's shared account as a joke. It will happen. Or they'll just really be some godawful piece of work type of person who really thinks it's okay. Now, stripperific costumes? I still would not personally go for a Pimp MM. I've had people convinced that I myself MUST be female (I'm not) just because my characters who are female happen to be dressed rather demurely. But i'd find it hard to believe a squad of scantily-clad minions would cross the line considering what else I've seen in LIVE on brutes and scrappers. But you KNOW people will go over other lines. All black minions with chains on them, with a name like "Slavedriver" for the MM, etc. Someone, SOMEWHERE, is gonna be that dumb / tasteless. So, ya. Maybe there's something to be said for "You know what? Let them be that dumb. And then let them feel the wrath of the BanHammer and be done with them."

Also, before the Assassin's Focus changes... when you could ONLY assassin's strike from Hide.... Stalkers were the bedraggled puppies sitting in the rain all alone that you invited to a team because you felt so bad for them. Now they're freakin CERBERUS.

Insert the cast of "Fiddler on the Roof" doing "Tradition!" 🙂

While the point has been made multiple times, it's also worth re-iterating... The crowd saying "It's too easy!", are not people I often see running First Ward and Night Ward while exemplared down to the 30's still at higher difficulty levels.

I want Stalker War Mace where the Assassin's Strike is a giant wind-up and you KLONK them over the head.

@Joshex, In four pages worth of posts, not a single poster has upvoted a single one of your posts on this thread. Not one. Not one other poster has supported the idea of Afterburner offtering you in-combat defense. Not one. As @Blackfeather pointed out, Invisibility was formally changed by the devs to drop ALL of it's defense when you attack. Whether your old version of mids shows it having defense is immaterial. You have been offered many ideas on how to make your blaster less squishy within the existing framework. So far as I can tell, you have disregarded all of them. if you want to keep arguing for an extra defense pool power that honestly would make characters even more overpowered than they already can be, you do that. I have sufficient faith that the devs know what they're doing, and will decide this idea is a bad one. I do not concede. I believe your idea is a bad one from every angle of game design. But since you do not seem to care what is posted or what arguments are raised, I will make no further replies to this thread for any reason.

Spines stalkers currenty have three AoE attacks. Spine Burst, Ripper, and Throw Spines. And that's evne AFTER giving up Quills for Assassin's strike.

I do not see any need to break any stalemate. I do not even recognize a stalemate since my position is "Working as Designed, Change Nothing". You have articulated your desire, several times, over the course of this thread. I find it extremely unlikely that the devs will agree with you. However, I am not a dev, and who knows. Stranger things have happened. If you are looking to get other posters to agree with you, I think it should be blindingly obvious by now that your stance is in the DISTINCT minority, and we're not talking about "well maybe" softly-held-opinions. You're trying to get people to agree to changing a fundamental principle of characters design that's been in place since issue 0. Quite simply, good luck with that. Blasters are meant to be squishy. Pool powers that provide defense, generally fall into 1 of 2 categories toggle powers that provide a very SMALL amount of defense (Manuevers, Combat Jumping, Hover, etc) click powers that provide a LARGE bonus to defense, but come with a LARGE cooldown and literally by design cannot be made permanent. (Rune of Protection, Unleash Potential, etc) There are a few other outliers. Vengeance provides a very large buff, but requires a human teammate's character to DIE. This is it's limiting factor. Afterburner provides a very large buff, but limits you to Only Affecting Self. This is it's limiting factor. I completely disagree with your vision for Afterburner. Many reasoned arguments have been presented in this thread and I agree with ALL of them that oppose your idea. Again, you can appeal to devs, and who knows, maybe, they'll agree with you instead of everyone else. I wouldn't bet on it though.

QFT. When the set bonuses line up, absolutely, purples are worth it. When they don't.... well.... you judgement call it. Sometimes on a melee power I'm much happier with Touch of Death than Hecatomb, but it depends what I want to stack.

When to start a new thread or do the "Rise from your grave!" on an old thread is definitely a judgement call. Esp in a suggestions forum. My personal cut off is 2 months, but that is admittedly quite arbitrary and I have NO expectations that there's a real consensus around when to let old threads rest in peace vs not.

REFLECTION, I love the idea of. I have no idea if the engine supports anything like that , though. EDIT: though I think for simplicity's sake, we'd probably need a "you can't reflect a reflect" rule to keep infinite chaining

Fair enough. I'll acknowledge, I don't have a better idea myself. I just do think it's likely to be a subtle effect that most players won't even notice, and FF will still be treated as "doesnt' do anything" by the same players who already don't notice it. But maybe I'm just not seeing the other half of the equation since I tend to exemplar a LOT and only rarely run incarnate content.

I'm willing to work with changes. But I have to ask, if only to throw the monkey wrench.... What is +Absorb going to really DO for force field? I agree, thematic. I agree, would not face the "but I don't need any more +Def" you see from max-kitted-out-players at lvl 50. HOWEVER... if said lvl 50 softcap players are not being hit in the first place.... are they even going to NOTICE an Absorb Shield? Are you just trading one defensive bubble they don't need for another defensive bubble that they don't need? I'm fine with "well the current model has too many issues we have to try something" but... I'm far from convinced this will make people say "I have a fever, and the only cure, is more force fields!"