Frozen Burn

I get your reasoning, but that buff to Freeze Ray (and other ST mez powers in non-snipe sets: Suppressive Fire, Screech, Tesla Cage, etc) was made by the HC team well after the set was created by the original devs - and it was to help balance the set because they have no snipe and was missing that extra in combat damage (Tesla Cage, in the case that while Ellectricity does have a snipe, it doesn't have a heavy ST attack like other sets). So, you cannot look at it from purely a damage/rech time/end cost standpoint when comparing powers' "roles" or reasoning for being in the set entirely. But still, for Ice Blast, you have FR as the ST hold, Bitter Ice Blast as your heavy hitting ST attack, and Bitter Freeze Ray with even higher damage still (essentially in place of the snipe power). But the ungodly animation time makes BFR less useful like a fast snipe in combat, so there is a loss of damage output, hence the buff to FR. If the OP gets their wish and BFR gets a fast snipe option, then FR would have to go back to normal low damage hold - and I'm not a fan of that.

Souvenirs happen at the end of story arcs... so just run some arcs and you'll get the badge!

Generally, no, clues do not count. If it's not in the souvenir tab, then it doesn't count. Sometimes a clue will be given at the end of an arc to spur you on to start the sequel arc, even if it's a new contact. The Faultine arcs are like this and storywise chain together.

Sorry. That did not come through at all. In this game with both Defense and Resist Types, it's difficult to talk about resist as a "defense" without confusion. But glad you understand (as there are some newbies who don't) and I didn't mean to offend. Happy to help. 🙂 I got that you stated Tough had no endo redux and you wanted some in Weave, but that comment as an answer to the other post you were quoting about moving Reactive Armor proc from Hover to Weave makes no sense. That proc has no bearing on the endo redux of Weave. So, it's confusing why you would bring that up about endurance. But certainly it makes sense about wanting your 3% resists earlier in the build. But whatevs. All good.

I am saying it in comparison as a power with cast time being used in combat. And as I also stated, the pay off isn't there compared to a nuke, so no comparison there. But when talking about clicking a button and a power activating, BFR is shorter than a lot of nukes. That's all.

"Good" is subjective and to you only and your goals for playing. First off, the animation of BFR was shortened ages ago to 2.5s - shorter than long snipes at 2.67s, and Thunderous Blast which is the same animation but is 2.93s (BFR used to be this long) - and in fact, most Nukes are 2.9 - 3s long and they are used in combat. So, really, BFR is not that horrible comparatively, even if used in combat. But yeah, the payoff is not like a Nuke, hence the slightly faster cast time. However, BFR and it's slower animation is perfect as the opening shot on a Boss - like that pesky Paragon Protector that MoGs or a Fake Nem that bubbles. Followed up with Freeze Ray and the hold maintained by FR, you can keep the boss locked and eliminate without the hassle and incoming damage from it. I also have Char from Fire epic giving me 3 holds and I can lock down an EB right off the bat (or hold 2 bosses) and have them die in my AOEs while I kill everything else and maintain the hold(s) with FR and Char. And if I have to work in BFR too due to a miss, it's possible. You are right in that BFR is the most skippable power in the set due to the long animation. But those who take it and use it properly, doesn't make their builds bad. You can disagree - that's fine. We all build differently and care about different things when doing so.

No, not true at all. Many sets have a heavy hitting ST attack along with their snipe, or they have the Heavy ST and replace the snipe with something else. Bitter Ice Blast is comparable to: Archery: Blazing Arrow (Snipe = Ranged Shot) Beam Rifle: Lancer Shot (Snipe = Penetrating Ray) Dark: Gloom (Snipe = Moonbeam) Dual Pistols: Executioner's Shot (no snipe, but the set's comparable snipe is Piercing Rounds) Energy: Power Burst (Snipe = Sniper Blast) Fire: Blaze (Snipe = Blazing Bolt) Psychic: TK Blast (snipe = Psionic Lance) Radiation: Cosmic Burst (Snipe = Proton Volley) Seismic: Entomb (Snipe = Tombstone) Sonic: Shout (no snipe, but BFR is comparable to Screech = high damage + Stun) Storm: Cloudburst (Snipe = Direct Strike) Water: Water Jet (no snipe) This is most sets and and the pattern that is followed. Clearly, Bitter Ice Blast does not replace the snipe. Again, not entirely accurate. Voltaic Sentinel is unique to Electric and more likely replaces the Heavy ST power like listed above, since Short Circuit more likely replaces a "Rain" type power, and the set has a snipe (Zapp). Life Drain is really more comparable to a T2 attack with it's lower damage - and nowhere comparable to BFR. Even though Gloom is in the T2 spot, it acts more like the Heavy ST attack of the set as it does more damage. Power Push is comparable to Freeze Ray, Tesla Cage, Abyssal Gaze, Stunning Shot, Beanbag, etc. It's damage is also nowhere near BFR. Beanbag and Stunning Shot - again, are more like Freeze Ray and similar damage scale and fast activation. They do not have the high damage and longer animation that BFR has. And Freeze Ray is not T3 - it's T5. But you can't compare it to other sets based on tiers as other mezzes in other sets are appear at various tiers throughout. Yes, BFR is a utility power, but not like the ones you described. It does the most damage of all ST attacks in the Ice Blast set and essentially does replace the snipe, but just gives a hold instead. Yes, the OP is asking for a buff to the set, but there is a reason - eliminate the long animation of BFR and lower the damage or hold mag in exchange for the "fast snipe" mechanic. It's a reasonable request, imo, as it might make people more apt to take it and use it. But if it doesn't happen, I don't care. I'm fine with the set as is and will continue to use BFR. 🙂

Love the concept and costume! But MD (Medical Doctor), DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine), and MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) are all equivalent doctor degrees and no one person would ever have all 3. Most US doctors are MD, but some are DO - never both. MBBS credentials are issued in many non-US countries following UK medical education standards. A US doctor would never have that, unless they trained outside the US then came to the US to practice. And they would also never list themselves as "Dr [name] + {credentials]". As you have it listed, your character is Doctor Henry Ferguson, Doctor, Doctor, Doctor. 😄 It's either "Dr [name]" or "[name], [credentials]." If your character is from the UK, surgeons (like your cardiologist) revert from being called "Dr" back to being called "Mr" or "Ms." But if your character is from the US, and as a cardiologist, they most likely would be: Henry Ferguson, MD, FACC. Where FACC = Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. Or Henry Ferguson, DO, FACC. Or just Dr. Henry Ferguson. ...I deal with a lot of doctors in my job, both US and international - can you tell?! lol 😄 😄

First of all your Reactive Defenses Scaling Resist Proc provides no DEFENSE at all. So, you are not getting 3% defense from it at all in Hover but you are getting 3% RESISTANCE base to all. And you get more RESISTANCE as you lose health. Yes, this is nice to slot as early as possible. Also, by adding the Reactive Defense Scaling Resist proc into Weave for the added 4 piece set bonus of 3% Fire/Cold Resist - would put you at 47.3% RESISTANCE to Fire/Cold. But there is NO soft cap for Resistance. "Soft Cap" only refers to Defense. Every attack has a 50% chance to hit or miss, and all mobs get a 5% chance to hit bare minimum making the "soft cap" for defense 45% (or something like that, iirc). Resists just scale up to the HARD cap, and for blasters it's 75%. (Defense actually does have a hard cap too of something like 175% which you see when incarnate Barrier power is used. And incarnate mobs have a higher ToHit and whcih make the incarnate soft cap up to ~55% DEFENSE.) Also, not sure what you're talking about for End relief early on with the Reactive Defenses Scaling Resist Proc - it has no bearing on your endurance usage at all.

Thank you! I love KB and embrace it. Bonfire is the only power I'll use a KB2KD proc, as it's fairly useless otherwise.

I have no use for such thing. Mixing and matching what? A controller set with an armor set? Nah. Don't need another Sentinel clone. The only sets I need are Blasters - that I play like scrappers anyway. So, not even a melee set/ranged set combo would be of any interest as: 1) it's already like that and 2) the utility/survivability powers would not be there. 😄 And this whole thing seems too OP. I get the appeal and doing to it to say you've done it, but it sounds like an "I win button" and it's not for me.

I love Energy/Martial Combo!! Glad you do too. It's SO fun! But, but, but... you skipped the most awesomest and funnest power EVER!! - Ki Push!! 😄 I just love watching them slowly float away through the air. 😄 I actually like the cones of Energy Torrent. I also Took Throw Sand and put the Stupefy chance for KB in it - it's great to see them mostly all fall backwards from the sand. 😄 If you or anyone else cares, here is my build.... Victorious Star - Blaster (Energy Blast - Martial Combat).mbd

I love Blapping! It's my preferred playstyle for my blasters. Ice is a great choice for primary. But your secondary determines if you're better suited for at range or in melee. If you want to do AOE damage I'd stay away from /Energy as there are none - it's strong in ST blapping, but no AOEs. So for blappers with good AOEs, I prefer these secondaries: /Fire - So many good PBAOEs and Hot Feet helps mitigate the incoming damage while dishing some out and slowing them. I recommend Ice/Fire/Fire (my namesake and first toon I ever made back in 2004 at game launch) - it's a devasting AOE and ST combo. /Martial - Ki Push is just the BEST power ever! 😄 /Mental /Temporal /Atomic /Ninja /Sonic /Electric /Plant Take and use your crowd control powers - they help with survivability. Slot your attuned IO sets as soon as you can so you can get the set bonuses as you level up. Chasing Defense.... there are different theories and neither are wrong. You can still chase ranged Defense and then "joust" with your opponents and hop in and out of melee range. This takes practice and skill, but you're hopping around like a lunatic and mostly at range instead of being "in your face" blapping. The other way is chasing S/L/E typed defenses as those are the most common damage types. Most sets lean towards typed defense anyway. and then you can stand your ground a little more (still kiting and positioning yourself around the mob as needed, but less frenetic movements). Scorpion Shield is a great power for this style - it's one power pick from the Mace mastery pool. Layering on Maneuvers, Weave, and Combat Jumping all help. Tough is a great mule for both of the +Def specials (and a nice toggle to run for the resists as well). Winter Event sets are great along with your AT IO sets - they make it easier to get close to the soft cap. DON'T worry if you're not at the soft cap - it's damn difficult to do so and you'll survive just fine if just under it. You always have inspires to supplement - like ANY blaster should be good at using. 🙂 But this is also where your crowd control comes in, Incarnate abilities help fill gaps, and etc. You CAN make a resistance-based blapper survivable too - like using Fire Armor, Temp Invuln, etc. You can layer on some defenses too for a more well-rounded approach as well. Again, your crowd control powers and etc all aid in your survivability. I also personally like to focus on more HPs as well. Many times, my blaster out lives others as I'm at 1750 to 1848 HPs (the cap) while others are at 1400-1500. It's just one or two more hits that I can take to let the Preventative Med +Absorb IO proc and/or more time I can get to eat an inspire or get a last hit in on the foe to finish them off. Good luck and have fun! Let us know what you pick!

@Story Archer Incarnate Choices are personal. It's what YOU want and are feeling for your toon. Many will pick the same incarnate powers for every toon because they are supposedly "the best" - but while some are better than others, they all do well and serve a purpose. I tend to mix it up from toon to toon and stick with the theme of the toon. Since you have a DB/Ninja Scrapper.... I would suggest these to go along with the theme: Alpha - While Musculature Core's top damage buff is nice, it typically is the only attribute from it that does anything for me - so, I have yet to actually take it on any toon. I typically prefer to choose an alpha that has many attributes that I can use to help fill in holes that sets/slotting can't fill. My picks for you would be: Agility Core (end mod, def, rech) or Radial (adds in movement speed) - you seem low on recovery, so either might be good for you. It will also boost your overall Def too and get you close, if not at the incarnate soft cap. And one can always use more recharge. Musculature Radial - Endmod, Damage, Run, Def Debuff, and To Hit Debuff would all be useful for you as well. Judgement With your ninja/martial arts theme, I would highly recommend Vorpal Radial - the T4 has a wide 120 degree arc and can hit up to 40 foes like Ion can + you get 10% defense to all to counter the hate you generate. I LOVE this judgement and take it on many of my toons. Interface - so many options here and you really can't go wrong. Diamagnetic Core with the 100% chance for To Hit Debuff is perfect for defense based toons - it just makes you that much stronger and survivable. Reactive is always good for the Resist debuff and fire proc Degenerative is good for the Toxic damage and -Max HP Lore - whichever damage or buff/debuffs you want. Not knowing your specific theme for your character, I would think any of the below could match somewhat. Tsoo Knives of Vengeance Talons of Vengeance IDF Longbow Warworks Destiny - Again, really your choice here. What do you need most here to supplement your build? You have great defenses and Rune of Protection, so Barrier isn't really needed unless you plan to run 4* hardmodes, then perhaps Barrier Core I probably would go with Rebirth Radial for the extra heal and regen. The Core side with more HPs is nice and allows you to take extra hits, but the HPs do wane as the power fades and you return to your normal max HP. Core can be good for resistance toons and squishies with lower HPs. But since you have high defenses, the attacks that do land will be less frequent and the regen will heal between those landing attacks. (Actually, I'd craft both and switch between the 2 depending on the content I do.) Hybrid - again, can go either way. I choose either: Assault Radial - you're a scrapper and already are high on the damage scale so the Core side is "meh" imo. I'd rather have the double hit of energy damage from Radial side. When it stacks with your crit - it's awesome! Melee Core or Radial is also an option - if you want a taunt aura, go Radial and pick up more def too. But Core side can also really help for when things get through your defenses. (Personally, I'd craft Assault Radial first since you have Rune Of Protection. Then, if you want, craft Melee Core to switch into depending on content, teaming, etc.) With Your existing Defense stats and Vorpal Radial Judgement and the +10% Def, and the 100% chance of To Hit Debuff from Diamagnetic Interface, you are practically invincible. If you layer on your Rune of Protection or Melee Core Hybrid after the alpha strike 10% Def buff wears off, you'll still be near unkillable. And then you have Rebirth Radial as an extra heal, if needed. OR... you could go Assault Radial Hybrid for more damage power and use Barrier Core for those times when attacks get through your defenses and Kuji-In Sha is on cool down. ...either path is great. As for your build.... You don't really need Teleport since Mystic Flight gives you a teleport power inherently. That would allow you to pick up an extra attack. Additionally, you don't need those 6th slots on your purple sets (except the confuse set) - tox/psi resist is not that needed (plus you get Tox resist with your heal) and you could use those slots to slot up your attack that you get replacing Teleport. You could slot a set of Blistering Colds for more defense and recovery too. Or you could slot up one of your ranged attacks for the similar bonuses if you just have to keep Teleport.

I can see some value in this OP as using the current Bitter Freeze Ray with long animation and high damage as a snipe and hold - jus tup the range on it. Damage can remain the same and NOT upped to Snipe level since there is a hold component. Then, while in combat, you get the "fast snipe" activation with lower (but still high/moderate) damage so you can use the hold better while in combat. I wouldn't mind a change like this. I often use BFR as my opener on a boss so that the long animation is done prior to any aggro, and then quickly follow it up with FR to lock the boss down. I don't need higher damage on it, but the increased range and the "fast snipe" activation while in combat could be beneficial.

No. Just no. Bitter Ice Blast is your heavy damage single target power that all Blast sets get. This should not be replaced. In the Ice Blast set, the snipe is replaced with Bitter Freeze Ray. So, I hope that is a typo in your title in that you mean to replace Bitter Freeze Ray instead. Edit: I meant, not replace Bitter Freeze Ray but perhaps change it up as you suggested.

Additionally, yes, slotting a set in Bonfire is ideal for the extra damage, but the primary use for Bonfire is the control, damage mitigation, and survivability it provides for the Blaster. So a single Overwhelming Force KB2KD IO is just fine if that's all the slotting you can devote to it. 🙂 And I agree with the above in that a single Acc/Mez Hami-O in Char is perfect.

As @Thraxen can't remember, I can offer this reasoning... Tactics has a lower end cost, buffs your team, and with the Gaussian proc has a chance to fire off more often with more teammates - FA cannot.

I generally go with both. A KB2KD proc in Bonfire is a must as not only does it keep foes where they are, but it also allows more damage taken from Bonfire. If I don't have another hold to stack with Char, sometimes I'll skip it.

There are many other ways non-healers can get healing points towards the badges - Lore buff pets that heal, other pets that heal, Temp powers like the day job rez ally power, etc, etc, etc. There really is only 1 way to drain end for non end-drainers and that is the interface that you mentioned. Given this, I would say this is still too niche for having a badge for it.

I never said to give up. I stated, the Dev team doesn't have an animator. There is no one available to do the work. Unless you can and will volunteer your time to create the animations to put on the test server, this won't go anywhere. 😛

Yes, And my blaster is one of them! When I farm, I do so on my Ice/Fire/Fire blaster. 🙂 But you're also proving my point - anyone who has a capable and survivable toon, can turn on the setting and get more rewards for free. All the farmers would turn this on and just get more and more for free. That's not right - for anyone - farmer or PvE player. There needs to be greater risk for the greater rewards. As a challenge setting - sure, put it in, but no rewards.

I accept that you want another challenge setting and again, in theory, this sounds great. But not for "great rewards." Yes, turn on 2x XP and you turn off Inf as a trade off. When you Ex down, yes, you lose powers, but you also gain all the slots and a higher % of the bonuses they provide than someone = to you in ever way that was leveling up - so again, a trade-off. Ouro missions, yes, you can set challenge settings - but for a badge reward. Not "great rewards" which implies drops of goodies (like aethers, recipes, tons of inf, etc) Your suggestion favors armored ATs. They could turn on the mode, and get "great rewards" for not dying - for not doing anything different than what they would be doing if the mode was off. It's a switch they could flip and get free rewards. And this isn't cool or fair, as.... Conversely, it punishes the squishier ATs who do tend to die a lot. Which means, they would never turn on the mode, and thusly, not have an equal chance at the freebie "great rewards" the armored ATs get. Or if they do turn on the mode, they would have to struggle MUCH more than the armored ATs who can basically turn on the mode and get the things for free/no danger/no risk. Your idea caters to one group of players and is not a benefit to all players equally. I would be fine implementing the challenge setting, but no rewards for it. The "challenge" should be its own reward.

Umm... no. Just no. I get the concept and appreciate where you are coming from. However, if you're making multiple trips to the hospital or using rez inspires or self rez powers, then you are already doing difficult content - even if it's "normal" content and not "hard mode" content. Then you are just making it worse and worse for you to succeed causing a cascade of failure. And if you are on Hard Mode content - where multiple deaths and team wipes are almost certain - you're making it practically impossible to succeed at all. Your concept also penalizes squishie ATs the most - as they are the ones who die more frequently compared to tanks, brutes, and other armored ATs. Who gets their debt badges first? Blasters! Controllers, Defenders, Corrs, and Doms to follow. It's not fair for these ATs to suffer cascade failures more frequently than others for what is supposed to be "normal" game play. Incurring XP debt is bad enough, but at least it's a way to get badges. I know some players who play squishies who will run and leave their team's side at the first sign of difficult trouble because they REFUSE to incur XP debt. lol The only way something like this could be implemented is there being a limit to only 1 debuff applied at a time and it replaces incurring the debt penalty. You get your 1 and then that's it until it wears off. However, if you get defeated again while you still have the debuff, then you start incurring debt penalty again for each defeat.

I whole heartedly agree with @tidge here. If you take the AOE stun power (like i did), you need to invest slots in it to make it viable, and loading up on procs doesn't yield as great a reward as one might hope (and you'd need at least 2 generic Acc IOs (or equivalent) to make the power on par with normal powers). If you take it and invest the slots, it's better and more useful to use 5-6 pieces of a set of something to get the set bonuses. Time Shift is a power to help your survivability and provide damage mitigation vs. doing a few damage points. If you have another stun power, the even more better as you can then mitigate damage of bosses while you drop them with your plethora of other attacks.