Erratic1

If it takes and inordinate amount of time (clicks) to use, that is a cost (detriment), which is a balancing factor compared to other sets without need for so much clicking. Saying something takes skill is basically saying there are unidentified factors which other sets do not deal with which are points of potential problem/failure. I seem to recall a couple of powersets touted for not requiring attention. I can assure you that is not how Bio works. While I most assuredly believe nerfs are called on at times I also see them get invoked due to failure to look at a sufficiently large context. But if we're talking nerfs to how it performs on Tankers only, that might be another matter.

Not sure how to reconcile, "...it takes a measure of skill to play" (especially from a Tanker standpoint) with it needing nerfs, and that before considering all the, "Its so clicky" comments one encounters.

Was feeling the urge to once again try to level up a redside character and ended up on the idea of a stealthy bludgeoner because I wanted to play War Mace, had never played Ninjitsu to 50, and the idea of a stealthy bludgeoner with a massive hammer was entertaining. He is a smart thug who, having realized that magic can do things people don't expect, went all in with "collecting" items to further his capacity to commit crime. As such, he uses items from widely different backgrounds and his fashion is a little disjointed.

Looks to be Hats/Imperial Defense with Detail 2/Cybertech 3 using Supernatural Face 10

As I understand it currently if an attack has multiple damage components then the highest defense you have against ANY of those components applies to the entire attack (i.e., all of typed defenses are checked along with the positional typing with the highest of any of your typed defenses applying to the entirety of the attack). This means that multiple damage type attacks are at a disadvantage because while you might be unlucky and have low typed defense to one type if the other component of the attack applied to a higher typed defense you have that results in a greater chance of the entire not fitting through. The change does not impact positional versus type checks at all. The wording "up to one" is meaningless as goes positional since no attacks come at you with multiple positional components (e.g. a ranged/melee attack). The key word which keeps getting missed is "and": The attack typing on all NPC attacks have been revamped to only check against up to one Positional defense and up to one Type defense. Since most protective sets only boost one flavor of protection (resistance, typed defense, or positional defense) the system as it currently is does not matter too much to people relying on positional defenses--the big thing they are checking is position, not damage type. Hybrid protection powersets and IOs throw a wrinkle in this because both give you some protection in all three realms. A character using Super Reflexes, a positional defense set, isn't going to care too much about the change most likely. Someone using Energy Aura, a typed defense set, stands to be a bit more concerned. Edit: Checking the Feedback thread, the phrasing in the post I see is: The attack typing on all NPC attacks have been revamped to only utilize a total of two defense types: Positional & Primary Damage Again, both position and damage type are checked but the word "primary" makes it clear what the change is. They also give an example: EXAMPLE: Previously, attacks checked for defense typings of any damage types involved in the attack. For example, most Ice Blast attacks are Cold/Smashing and when checked against a player's defenses, it would look at both Cold and Smashing defenses and use whichever was highest. After this adjustment, an attack will only target the defense of the attack's highest damage type. Using the aforementioned Ice Blast, those attacks will now only target Cold defense, even though they have a Smashing component, as Cold is the majority damage in those attacks. Mind you, the example is only looking at the impact to Typed defense because there is no impact to the positional portion of how attacks are resolved. As Ice Blast is a ranged attack, it will check Ranged defense as well.

My solution tends to be suffering until submitting to slotting IOs (which admittedly is not using Incarnates but isn't exactly doing a pure SO build either).

I've had builds where double End Redux in everything wasn't preventing hemorrhaging endurance. Came very close to abandoning what went on to be my favorite Tank because he was a virtual black hole of endurance consumption. Some powersets are quite unfriendly along the way (looking hard at you Radiation Melee--a powerset which on every character I have ever played it on has been problematic*). * I cannot even begin to imagine how punishing Radiation Melee and Dark Armor would be when combined.

Could be worse. You could be trying Dark Armor/Rad Melee. 😈

Heh yeah. I have yet to see a single combo posted yet that matches a character I've played, let alone the ones I have truly enjoyed.

As much fun as it was to homage a comic book character it feels a bit wrong to always be running around in the character's costume. So I have come up with a costume which drops me from referencing name and look to just referencing the name.

Think you just type @<name>, like @Infinitum Should mention that after you type @ you will get a list of names based on what you follow it with and you should click the name. Also, doing so will notify the user they have been mentioned, like @Hyperstrike should have just done for you.

You can have more than one build.

This configuration doesn't change much but at least allows you to not hemorrhage endurance even when not fighting when you have Focused Accuracy running and a bit more breathing room when it is not running:

I play both ATs and over all the disparity between the two ATs, if any, surpassed by a number of other things on what I would put on a "to be investigate/fixed" list.

I am not sure what a Tanker+2 and Brute+1 is supposed to indicate. If they clear it in the same time...what? The Tanker got more xp for it being +2. Like I said earlier, find the point where the Brute is just surviving then compare what the Tanker can manage to squeeze out. If he is as fast at the same level (bigger area means something) or is able to up difficulty further (and hence get more xp) then I am not sure how it will be maintained everything if fine but doubtlessly someone will surprise me.

You seem to be utterly missing the point Bill Z Bubba was making. He spoke of a mission soloing advantage through being able to turn up difficulty. That is not soloing TFs nor is it doing Trap Door. If you want to discuss those other things, fine, but the response you made does not in any way (so far) discount what Bill Z Bubba was saying.

Mission != TF I know of few people who level exclusively by TF let alone who solo 1000 TFs while levelling.

No, it really isn't.

Neither was popularity as a measure of balance. As I noted above, I am ambivalent on the matter. And I noted a methodology one might go about qualifying the matter.

So if Developers released a class which could push a button every second and make every mob within 50' instantly die, I am pretty sure it would be popular. That popularity would be due to being overpowered, not "getting it right".

What I see is repeated threads going on long binges about Tanker godliness but then suddenly when someone mentions balance (especially in light of Brutes) it is suddenly, "Woe is me, I have to trudge uphill both ways in snow drifts a mile high to eke out just barely passable damage."

The discussion was about more than just EM Tankers.

There went the supposed time gain as you have to go visit a vendor after every mission (or possibly while in the middle of one) to stock up. Or is one supposed to rely on random chance to always provide the necessary inspirations?

You have to be able to survive the crowd. I have already covered that Brutes are behind both by raw value and ED.

No. The Brute will not be turning up the difficulty at the same time but to one lower setting because while Brutes can reach Tanker caps, they do not get the inherently larger values for defense and resistance Tankers do. Some chunk of their survivability is gate kept behind ED and IO sets. Sticking 3 SOs into any of a Brute's armor abilities will leave them woefully behind where Tankers get to in terms of survivability. So unless you like dirt naps, you will not be turning things up very far.