Greycat

I use them... solo, pretty much. Though my favourite place to use them has to be Mender Ramiel's arc. If you *don't* click the pile of debris before the final two rooms (past the Crey guards and into the Rikti,) nothing spawns in the portal room. Tossing trip mines throughtout he spawn points for at least the front two portals - don't put them where Cpt Holz or Honoree spawn - clears them out by the time you run back from the glowie. (Assuming, of course, you have the recharge to put more than a few down before falling asleep.)

Nope. And hard to get? You mention "kill x people in a PVP zone." You do not need a second account. You need to ... *ask someone to help.* Arrange a time. Go punch each other. Done. Tedious? Sure. Hard? No. Require second account? No. Any reason to make it purchaseable because of supposed difficulty? Absofreakinglutely not. They don't even award anything but another badge. So it's not hampering anything but a badge count.

No. Absolutely not. After all, if you do that, why stop there? Healing badges are hard to get on some ATs, those should be purchaseable too. Oh, and getting mezzed? What about those ATs with mez protection? Damage badges, too. Some ATs or powersets are not exactly high damage, those take *forever.* Oh, and how about killing all those Rikti monkeys for zookeeper? No. Make some friends. Arrange things with coalitons (or just other badgers.) Arrange times to do things with them. Otherwise, frankly, there's no point to the badges.

Cat: Cat isn't rich. She'd still likely be torn by it for a bit while she tries to figure out what to do with it. After all, *someone* lost this ticket, probably, and it's possibly one of the people who are affected by the fire. Or one of the fire fighters. She's also realistic enough to know walking around going "Hey, did you lose a winning lottery ticket?" isn't going to get her the real owner. So after talking to friends, her parents and her priest, Cat would put aside a chunk for taxes, see if there's any fund for the people who may have been displaced by the fire and donate to that, catch up on bills and give the business (and her apartment) a three to four month buffer of cash, start a little fund to help Pri out, replace the toaster that somehow burns one side of her toast while seeming to refreeze the other, put some in the plate at church, find a few charities to donate to, especially shelters with weather getting colder, and with what's left get herself a nice sandwich and coffee downstairs. Pri: "What's this?" Fortunately she does have friends to explain the lottery. And money. And help figure out what to do with it. She'd send some discreetly back the Ballroom's way, and hold on to the rest for later use. She's used to stashing things. And would likely have several actual stashes of physical cash hidden around the city. Not the whole amount, but still. Rez: "Sweetie? I know we just moved in here a few months ago, but how do you feel about a house? Or is there anywhere you want to go for a vacation?" Ishku: Would turn it over to her mom. Well, one of her moms, Lily, the one she lives with, who's good with money and finance. There are a couple of places that would get donations, but otherwise it's school - though, of course, some "fun funds" are available. And they'd have a nice Christmas.

Eh? They're dangerous *at* level, sure. But they don't scale with you - they're insanely easy if you happen to pop by on a higher level character. (And the firefighting badge adds "insanely easy depending on powerset." A character that uses some sort of Cold or Ice, or a Water blast character doesn't even need to see the Fire Chief by the mid levels to solo the SC fires.) And no, I don't think they *should* scale - no reason the Hellions or Trolls should be a threat to someone even in their 30s.

I don't think the target cap would have to be gutted that dramatically. It *still* causes aggro (which MC doesn't,) after all...

My Headcanon says there are headcannons. *shrug* (Also I thought I'd posted in this earlier, but apparently not. Possibly in some other thread. Headcanon - CLoning's the reason some groups have as many members as they do - and which we beat down regularly. Cheap, expendable cannon fodder. Especially if they can be masked.)

I think most of mine would just open it. The exceptions I could think of... Cat - Would be cautious about it. Jot down date received, etc. somewhere findable, just in case. The PI side of her business means she gets both junk mail *and* threats from peoples now-ex spouses and the like. Though, for some reason, I can't picture this as anything other than a letter from her aunt, who *insists* on using that sheet of free address labels she got... what, 15, 20, 30 years ago. Cat's told her the adhesive is dead on those things, and probably toxic, but her aunt uses them anyway and they *inevitably* fall off... Being near Christmas, she's tempted to send her a new set. Pri - Doesn't get mail. She and the group she's with are hunted, after all. Plus she doesn't have an address. Granted, she's staying at a hotel right now, but it's in someone else's name, so getting any sort of mail, much less something without a return address, would be a surprise and she'd likely find her friends to move her elsewhere while *they* take a look at the envelope. With luck it'd be a letter from Grace (also no return address, after all) - probably with some cash in it or something. Anything the least bit threatening or offering to talk about her car's warranty or get her a payday loan at stupid rates for the holidays ... well, she knows someone who can reduce that to a nice little pile of ash, so...

Hmmm. Sure, scirocco's redemption sounds good. The other thing I've really been wanting to see is one of the old EATs, Blood of the Black Stream. Sure, it's not going to show up as an EAT (sadly) but it could be a great vehicle for branching outside of Paragon, as their roots are back in ancient Egypt and could be developed with both red and blue side content. There are so many very obvious, longstanding hooks in game, I'd love to see those paid off.

Got through about half of them and had to (a) do things and (b) crash, so I didn't manage to get back, but it was great fun. Thanks, Trix. :)

It's ... kind of hard to answer that. I mean, they're higher than they should be, sure. The 1600 series is several years old. The 3060 series should, in theory, be taking its place (with the 16** being a decent budget card,) and the 3060 founders edition (straight from nvidia) has an MSRP/launch price of $399. If you can actually *get* one - and keeping in mind partners (MSI, Asus, etc.) would be selling a bit higher with custom bits - it's at least twice that, in most cases. (*Best* I've seen is about 150-175%.) So *ideally* systems running a 16** series card should be cheaper now. Waiting *is* an option, sure, but last year I was expecting to have to wait 'til around now to be able to buy, and word seems to be "late next year" is a more realistic target, cryptominers aside, for being able to buy a card at a reasonable price. There are a couple of things in the works, though, at least on nVidia's side - they're relaunching the 2060 (one generation back) with 12Gb RAM. It's older and uses a less in demand process for its GPU, so in theory they should actually be able to *supply* these (again, assuming cryptominers and bots don't just snatch them all up,) so prices there should potentially be reasonable, and it sounds like they're getting ready in a bit to launch (if at least on paper) the 4xxx series at some point - though whether that'll really make a difference... *shrug* That said, OEMs like Ibuypower and the like are getting components straight from nvidia, asus, MSI, etc, not clicking refresh repeatedly on a store website. Are they getting bit by - or charging more because of - the supply? Eh, sure. Are the prices outrageous for these? Eh, not horribly. Personally... since you're buying prebuilt, not building and getting severely gouged, I'd say take the advice on one of my mom's coffee mugs. "Life is short. Buy the shoes."

As one person who can be a *complete* ass, I can say the *way* you say it can make a huge difference. Someone's offended? Meh, tell them to ignore the post. Someone's offended at a post that flat out says they're stupid and comes off like a personal attack? That will be more likely to get hidden and the person warned. Wording and tone is important, *especially* here. And honestly, I think you know that, but you personally seem to really like arguing with the GMs and ... sounding offended. *shrug.* But that's just how it looks from here.

... er... 202*5.* :)

Oh, good. Those actually look like they have mesh instead of just glass or acrylic in the front s you get actual airflow... well, the "slate" and "trace" do at least. There's been this annoying trend (that some are getting away from finally, at least) of going "Oooh, look, tempered glass... TEMPERED GLASS! And all the lights! Pretty!" ... which, sure, 'til you realize you're sealing a PC in a glass box and starving it of airflow - and thus cooling. Regardless, while the 2060's newer, GPU wise, any of these should work. Ibuypower's at least using industry standard parts (unlike, say, Dell) so upgrading and such should be hassle free when you want to.

So... yay you, I guess? I'm not sure what your goal in posting any of this is. I'm an altoholic. I'm well over 100 characters on one server on one account. Being an altaholic and wanting to play all these different combinations isn't an excuse to not hit 50. Nor, frankly, does giving up in 30-40 mean you "know" a powerset or power combination... you don't. You're not fully slotted. You're not seeing how it performs, either solo or in teams, against the toughest enemies and content. Granted, we're getting harder things at lower levels, but they're still generally designed to deal with "incomplete' characters. And no, 50 - and the Incarnate system - isn't, and doesn't have to be, a "grind." Know how you get there? Playing a character. Yes, I've got characters I primarily use for raids - not because I "have to grind," but because I like them on (generally mothership) raids. Others? Hell, I'm on an RP server. I probably have gotten there *even slower* hours-wise, but they're T4'd and incarnated out... because I'm just playing them. Sometimes exemplared down, sometimes in custom AE content we write up for our SGs, or just running missions Suddenly I look and "Heym everything's unlocked, and I've got a ton of shards, threads and Empyrians, I should use those." What I find really funny in your post is that you contradict yourself. You say you don't want to experience content (40+ and incarnate,) because ... you want to play the content. Do yourself a favor. Get one character maxed out. That doesn't mean "ignore all the others." I don't - I character hop a good bit (too many stories to tell.) But pick one or two you like and try out some of the content you're skipping - the stuff you're labeling as a "grind" despite never having played it, at least by your own description. You'll find those sets you "know" have more in store with how they interact with APPs/Patron powers, maybe more Pool powers and fuller slotting against enemies you've never touched. There's a good bit more growth there you haven't experienced.

Well... Cat: "Difficult situation" is a bit of a defining trait for her. Daughter of a cop - one of the "old school" sort, who finally retired early out of disgust because of the slide into corruption of the precinct, police taking bribes, etc. SHe still joined the force, but kept finding herself blocked and redirected from within the department while investigating some fairly dark activities. She ended up working with the FBI, basically having her entire precinct, people she'd grown up with, taken down, as well as a judge and some other officials... but very much got the point she should leave town. ANd then there's Allie's whole situation... and the mess she's finding herself in now. Her plan to just run a nice, quiet PI office isn't quite panning out that way... Rez: She basically had her body turn against her, going from an athletic, outdoors girl to someone stuck in bed and in continual agony. She finally forced herself ot ignore it - and nearly got away with that until a nurse realized she was still very much in pain. Thanks to some experimental tech, not only is she not suffering from it... as much... now - it's still low level in the back of her mind - but she has the ability to help others, too. Ishku: Her world was dying as an affereffect of warring mages, the sun itself being hostile instead of comfortingly warm, crops failing, children no longer being born. She saw her parents killed in front of her, then had to go hide and live on the street. Finally caught, with a friend, for stealing, they were tossed into an arena and told to kill each other (the punishment for... quite a bit being "death in the arena.") She survived - something she's only recently come to terms with - and went on to fight for some time, until a chance cross-dimensional trip from a Primal group gave her the chance to leave and actually *live.* Pri - Clone, designed as part of a line to control teams of lesser clones. Knew she was due to be killed off while they "examined the prototype" and used her as the source af a new, modified, next stage of clones. She was freed from that, living with Grace and a few other freed clones and fighting back - she's literally *just* been given a chance at trying a normal life, which is rather disorienting for her.

I'm thinking (I was trying to find one way or the other) that the Furies are empowered by the Well of the Furies - prior generation of Incarnates, essentially - but they act on their own, not at the Well's direction.

Oh lord, now you've done it. Like telling someone you hope their shift will be quiet. Calling down doom, that is... 😉

WEll, they have to know about it first. Barring SG bases with it (that, again, either you have to be a member of or know about,) I don't think either *starter* zone does. A followon zone (Oakes/Kings Row) does... if you know where to look for it.

Subordinate Seagull.

Boosters heck. Refreshing the jetpacks would be nice, too.

Hmm. Cat: Doesn't. Hasn't really looked, doesn't really feel she has time, or really anything to offer. Plus there's this odd outfit that, for some reason, changes how she acts and feels somewhat... including that she's really missing someone who's supposed to be in her life as it is. Rez: Has Robert. Loves Robert. Robert gives good footrubs and is fun and silly and lovable. Ishku: Has Matt. Dates. Enjoys said dates. They "get" each other. She's happy. Pri: "Romance? ... no idea." (Bonus answer: Grace - "Absolutely not." Friends are fine, but ... bad experiences.)

Just so you can compare directly. https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Dean_MacArthur Personally he comes off more like Desperate Guy. And it doesn't show all of *your* dialog options that make it pretty clear *you* are the one in charge and he's doing what he's described as doing - kissing up (poorly and obviously.) He was really one of the first redside contacts that tried to put *you* in charge (as opposed to the rest of Redside where you were a lackey and/or treated like an idiot.) I'm trying to ... not let tone in this start sounding like I'm saying "You're oversensitive" or dismissing how you feel about this contact. I'm not. It obviously bothers you or you wouldn't post this. My main concern is that any attempt at rewriting... risks "bland-izing" him and turns him into another forgettable contact. So let's knock the ball back in your court here. With the lines he says available to you in that link, what sort of things would *you* suggest as an alternative, without losing the feel of the character (which I tend to characterize as "The 70s called, they'd like their bell bottoms back.") That's why I've edited this a few times. Trying *not* to do just that. (Dismiss, that is, not "trying not to think." 🙂 ) It's easy to slip into wording that reads that way, So for the OP, if it *does* sound like that - my apologies, that is not my intent.

Meanwhile, I got Holy Schist. Also, thanks to the way I always misread a friend's comment, I now have Electric Pagan.

So the ... "path" they take is: Knives of Artemis -> Knives of Vengeance (which start showing changes, they're described as a "sect" of the KoA whose leaders are loyal to the Talons) -> Talons of Vengeance. (Though that's not always the case, as the Huntresses and Zealots are described as "Citizens of First Ward" who swore loyalty.) The Talons upper echelons are listed as loyal to the Furies (not the Well of the Furies, which is different - Ms. Liberty's "Girdle of Hera" was originally a wedding gift to Maiden Justice by the Furies, for instance, and looking at MIss Liberty's info in the wiki you can see she's named Alexis after one of the Furies, and both that and the novels mention Statesman befriending the three Furies - now, they're likely incarnates and powered by the WotF, but I can't see info on exactly the nature of a direct relationship. They can act independently, though.) Trying to find info on just "the furies" is a royal PITA, though, since *every single entry* about lore pets mentions coming from the well, and multiple recipes mention "essence of the furies," among other things... couple references though for them being their own thing (primarily for hte belt...) Edit: AMA post mentions "To answer your specific question, MAGI’s sample was a personal gift from the Furies to Azuria in return for a favor she did for them. It seems even incredibly powerful mythical beings sometimes need multiple references when applying for a business license." Edit edit: Two of the Furies are named in clues in newspaper missions - Tisiphone and Alecto. https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Maiden_Justice https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Girdle_of_Hera