Rudra

Do you know why I am using Tankers for comparison? Also, the T1 pet upgrade for MMs? Does include defensive options. Such as Robotics with their damage resistance and ninjas with their defense boosts. They're both in the T1 upgrade. So when your Tanker has been defeated for any reason, you never need to toggle or click your low level powers? Not a single one? Not even the level 1 Temp Invulnerability? Never, ever, ever, ever, ever? Well, good news! If you keep your pets alive, you never have to click either of the upgrade powers after upgrading your pets! (Edit: Hells, even if you lose your pets, as long as just 1 survives? When you exit the map or zone for any reason? All of your pets now have the same upgrades applied to them even if you did not upgrade the replacement pets.) Now, when they die or you lose them for any reason, then you need to click the upgrade powers to get them back to max effectiveness, just like you have to click Temp Invulnerability, Unyielding, and Invincibility when you are defeated and want to get back to full effectiveness on your Invulnerability Tanker. Edit again: Oh, and if Maintenance Drone and the upgrade powers are any indication? Even if for some reason the T1 upgrade power was replaced with a buff pet? Since it isn't a MM combat pet and is only there to provide the benefits of the T1 upgrade? It still wouldn't be able to accept the MM pet enhancements. So you still wouldn't be able to mule the pet buff special enhancements on it. Those enhancements are in damage sets, so non-attack pets will not get to slot them. And I'm willing to bet the devs won't give us a 7th attack pet in the MM primaries.

Look at it this way: Your MM has successfully recruited a follower. After fighting through a few levels, your MM devises an improved training regimen teaching the recruited follower new techniques or provides the recruited follower with improved gear they were finally able to get. Your MM then later recruits yet more followers, who all lack the improved training your MM devised or arrived with the same basic gear they could get on their own requiring you to quickly teach them the new techniques or give them the better gear. Yes, you can name your followers to always be the same person, but especially if you watch Thugs or Mercenaries, you see that each time you summon, you are calling new followers to your side, who arrive with their basic training or basic gear. Correct, they are separate powers that you should take in order to maximize the effectiveness of your primary's purpose: protection from your enemies. By the same token, the upgrades are powers that you should take in order to maximize the effectiveness of your MM's primary's purpose: pets that do the fighting for you. Just like with the Tanker's primary powers, you can skip any you want, but you will find that you are not as effective at being a Tanker, or in this case, a Mastermind. Advantage of the MM over the Tanker? The MM only has 5 powers in their primary that work together to maximize pet effectiveness. (Some have a 6th.) And they only need to be used if you are missing any pets, no need for click powers to maintain benefit/effect, except for the odd set with a 6th pet improvement power, but that power can also be used on teammates. So no need to worry about taking 8 of 9 powers to reach maximum effectiveness, just 5 will do. With your secondary filling in the gaps. So like @biostem is saying, it is all about set synergy.

You're right. However, MMs aren't like any other AT either. While Controllers and Dominators get a pet power, their pets are what, minion strength? Whereas MMs start with a lieutenant strength pet and build up to 6 lieutenant strength pets. The entire AT revolves around fielding, upgrading, and controlling an army to fight for them. And like any good mastermind in the comics, they focus more on having their pets, I mean followers and henchmen, handling the heavy load of combat while they direct and support them. So yes, MMs have 2 powers that they have to use in their primaries to get the most out of their pets, but it makes perfect sense because the AT is all about pets. That Tanker? His/her/their primary is all about damage mitigation, so everything in their primary power sets is something that helps them survive being attacked. (Even the offensive sets like Fiery Aura, though they are less about damage mitigation through avoidance and resistance, and more about damage mitigation through removal of damage sources.) (Edit again: And some of those powers the Tanker may have? Require the Tanker to periodically click them again and again to get their benefit.) So for the Tanker to get the most out of his/her/their armor set, they have to take (nearly) all their primary powers. And the MM works the same way. Since pets are their primary, to get the most out of their pets, they need to take most of their primary powers. Edit: Out of 9 powers in the MMs' primaries, you only need 5 (most or a majority) to get the most out of your pets. That's all 3 pet summon powers and both upgrade powers. So that leaves 4 more powers in the set that are not needed to get the most out of the pets. That gives MMs lots of room to expand and grow in any way the player wants.

Odd thing is, the bug doesn't even require you to enter a mission at the same time as the other player. Back when CoV still only let villain characters get to level 40, my Ninja/Dark MM had just completed clearing an instance map of all enemies and was going back to the mission entrance/exit when I ran into a full team of 8 other players that had just entered my mission and were trying to find their targets to fight. It was a... surreal... experience.

Smelling salts! Someone get the smelling salts! Or a sacrificial soul or 3! Lumi' down! Lumi' DOWN!!!

The same reason why our first pet doesn't start with the T1 upgrade after we get it and none of our pets start with the T2 upgrade after we get it. Because the upgrades are not part of our pets, they are separate powers we apply to them. In the case of the T1 upgrade, it advances our pets to having similar numbers of attacks as the enemies we start encountering at that level. Prior to then, our pets are fine with just 1 or 2 attacks because our enemies only have 1 (sometimes 2) attacks. And the devs have already shown a lack of interest in having MM pet upgrade powers automatically apply. (We already got a huge gift when they made it so applying any upgrade to any pet applies it to all summoned pets instead of having to apply it individually. I can even target a Dark Servant with an MM pet upgrade and have it apply to my actual pets, though obviously it does nothing for the Dark Servant. Using the Dark Servant is often easier mid-battle though since he isn't racing from enemy to enemy and stays where I can target and apply without concern, and the fact I can use literally any pet even if not a primary power set pet to apply the upgrades to my primary power set pets is a huge advantage. Hells, I've used combat NPCs as targets to apply pet upgrades to my pets before because they were more convenient than my actual pets to upgrade my actual pets.) Also, I don't understand why you think there is a need to free up a power slot for MMs. To the best of my knowledge, it is a balance issue. And MMs are really robust.

Strictly as an option instead of it automatically always doing so? Sure. Add the option to the Windows tab of the Options menu. Not as a everyone automatically has it though. I don't want my screen getting even more cluttered.

Would you rather have to wait until level 24 (formerly level 26?) to be able to upgrade your pets? The point of the T1 upgrade being available early is so that you can improve your pets to deal with the more difficult enemies you start seeing. Not counting the zombies, each pet starts with 2 attacks, typically 1 ranged and 1 melee. (Edit: And that melee is typically Brawl.) The T1 upgrade grants them all another attack that matches the set's melee/range focus, in some cases 2 attacks/abilities. Which means now those pets have a more complete attack chain and can work better at defending you. And I know at least in my case. I want my followers to be able to fight better as soon as possible. Recruitment can be difficult, gotta wait for those levels, but better gear or training for your followers can be pretty much immediate. (Edit: All it really takes is seeing how their training or equipment stacks up or doesn't against your enemies, and then either improving your followers' training regimen based on what happened or getting them better gear.)

No. Rest is an inherent power shared by all ATs. And if Sentinels were allowed to replace Rest with a combat version, then all the ATs would get that version because it is a shared inherent. The point of Rest isn't to be used in combat and you have all those vulnerabilities to dissuade you from attempting it in combat. That's why there are powers like Hibernate. While only in the Ice sets I believe, those are the powers that let you recover in combat without a heal.

That information is already available in the game during character creation. Click the Detailed Information icon at the power set/power selection screen, and that information is there.

Was not aware. Thanks for the clarification.

The Warhulk already has claws. You didn't need to photoshop them in. It works though.

In the case of pirate hooks for claws? In the case for thick gloves for assault rifle/beam rifle? If those thick gloves had incorporated weaponry such as visible weaponry attached on the outside of the gloves, I would be fine with it. Something visible and recognizable as a weapon, yes. (Edit: Even if it is a repurposed normal costume option or blends into the existing normal costume option. The hooks from my own quote in this response as example.) Since he is in your example, if you look at War Machine? He is literally covered in visible weaponry. Other weapons that are not always visible become visible before he uses them. It is because he is an obvious arsenal of weaponry that Tony dubbed the armor War Machine. If you look at Iron Man? He has visible weaponry too. From the micro-missiles that pop out of his shoulder to the repulsors built into his gloves. The repulsors may be fitted into the palms of the gloves, but they still have obvious emitters built into the gloves that are always visible to others unless he intentionally prevents them from being seen by hiding his palms. And no, neither is "Arsenal Blast", both would be Power Armor set (like in CO). Weapon sets use weapons. Those weapons may be obvious from a distance or they may be much more discreet, but anyone seeing a character using weapons sees the character using weapons. So yes, I'm fine with additional weapon options for the various weapon sets in the game, as long as they have weaponry built into them that the set revolves around. Including added hook models for the claws set that will go completely unnoticed with the hook hands costume part or can be a hook with palm-held cross piece like they use for working with hay bales for characters that don't have hook hands but want to have hooks for claws as well. I'm fine with gloves with visible integrated weaponry, even if they are like Iron Man's. However, I am against designed as a weapon set power set having no weapons as an option. Why should no weapons stop for Beam Rifle or Assault Rifle? Why not no weapons for Staff Fighting? Or Titan Weapons? For clarity, I'm against those too.

Was going to respond that costume pieces can be moved without losing the character costume references that our characters use, but then I remembered SCR....

This is something I keep meaning to ask but keep forgetting to. Another thread however, reminded me, so here it is. Can we have alternate animations for Savage Melee that doesn't have our characters hunched over like some stereotypical, cliche wild person? Would be appreciated. Thanks for your consideration.

Savage Melee has very specific animations that do not necessarily fit every character. Then ask for alternate animations. Why, though? It sounds like just some misguided purism on your side. Because it is a weapon set. Weapon sets use weapons. Even integrated weapon sets use weapons. That is what makes it a weapon set.

Yeah, this I agree with. If there is going to be a breakout jet pack category, then all the jet packs should be there. Otherwise, the Goldbricker one should be folded into Backpacks with the other jet packs. Then ask for more varieties of unique tops to place in the group?

No. Whether a jacket has long coat tails that blocks out some back details doesn't matter because it is still a jacket. Trenchcoats already have their own category which makes it easy to find them, since they aren't jackets. Togas aren't tops, jackets, or anything else. They are basically minidresses. So leave them in the Unique Tops section please. It is the only place they fit. Edit: And what @biostem said.... (Edit again: I should also point out that the Patrician Toga isn't a Sybil anything. The sybils wear completely different outfits. The Patrician Toga is the general Cimeroran citizen outfit.)

I'm fine with alternate weapon models such as gun gauntlets, shoulder-mounted weapons, or whatever. However, I am against having weapon sets getting no weapon options.

But that doesn't answer my 1st question. Like I said, the trans people I know have the ultimate goal of undergoing the surgery to physically change their biological gender to their identified gender. So I don't understand the point of making a male character with the tag "Is female" or a female character with the tag "Is male". If the character identifies as a specific gender, then why not have the character complete their transition to the other gender? Non-gendered individuals I understand using those tags, such as a male or female character with the tag "Is They" or something. Why make a character that identifies as a gender and not let that character actually get to be the gender they identify as? There is no expensive surgery to have to wait to be able to afford, they can just walk up to any tailor nurse and have their gender changed to match. Okay, this part I get.

I do have a question. A couple actually. I know a few trans individuals and their ultimate goal is to be able to afford the operation to transition to their identified gender. So why not just have the character start as their identified gender and so avoid having to worry about Null altering your listed gender identity? Also, for people that don't identify as either gender, they refer to themselves as they, which isn't even a listed gender in the game. So I can see that being added for a gender identity, but how would that interact with the badge titles? There is The Once and Future King. There is The Once and Future Queen. What would be the correct badge title for neither?

So you are still demanding that players like me give up our characters? No.

As a soloist player, I get that. Which is why I avoid sets like Thermal Radiation. However, this is a multiplayer focused game even if we have progressed to the point where we can solo pretty much everything because of all the power creep and the incarnate powers system. So I at least understand why there are team focused sets. I've long since given up on them becoming soloist sets, because this is meant as a multiplayer experience. Edit: Also, Empathy doesn't need any CC or pets or debuffs. It has layered heals, Mag 10.38 mez protection (all), buffed perception, extremely buffed regeneration and recovery, stronger defenses than any other support set, +endurance, and high +recharge (plus -recharge resist and slow resist). There is a reason why the saying is to have a pocket empath to support you and not just a pocket support.

Was editing my post, but you replied while I was still looking things up. So! Fortitude (120s duration/60s recharge) Fade (60s duration/240s recharge) Shadow Fall (maintained toggle effect) +11.25% DEF (All) +9.375% DEF (All) +3.75% DEF (All) +25% damage +9.375% damage resist (Smash, lethal, negative, and psionic) +15% damage resist (Smash, lethal, negative, and psionic) +15% ToHit +34.6% resist defense debuff +35.5 feet Stealth radius Considering how easy it is to cut a power's recharge in half? That would make Fortitude permanent without having to consider Hasten or other such measures. And Fortitude starts out already perma. Yeah, I'd say that is rather strong for an affects self too power. Anyway, this is what I wanted to add to my previous post. The rest of you can go back to discussing this among yourselves. Edit: And for fairness: Farsight (120s duration/240s recharge) +9.375% DEF (All except toxic) +10% ToHit +51.9% resist Perception debuff +346 ft. Perception

I was planning on staying out of this conversation, but are you seriously comparing Dark Affinity's Soul Absorption (45 second duration) which can only work if there are enemies in range to drain from to anything from Empathy which requires no enemies anywhere on the map to be used? Or Nature Affinity's Wild Growth with its +100% regen to Empathy's +500% regen? Are you saying Empathy's Adrenaline Boost (90 second duration) with its +100% recharge, +800% recovery, +500% regeneration, and +80% resist all slow effects is not as good as Nature Affinity's Overgrowth (60 second duration) with its +93.125% endurance discount, +66% damage, and +10% ToHit or Time Manipulation's Chrono Shift with its +212 HP heal, +15% endurance (90 second duration?), +50% recharge (90 second duration) and +30% recovery (30 second duration)? Because while they bring different things to the table, Empathy's Adrenaline Boost doesn't look inferior to me. (And you would need to compare the T9s to each other if you're going to compare the sets for specific powers.) Look, I don't care if Empathy gets buffed or not. I have no stake in this. Your comparison however has me rather confused.