Rudra

I avoid taking Rage. I don't like it. I prefer using Assault even though it gives a lesser benefit because it is always on. However, I do have a brute with Rage. And when Rage crashes, I am not subject to a period of time of any length where my damage is 0. What version of Rage are you using? Because the version I am using does not match.

I don't understand this. Even when Rage crashes, the character is not rendered unable to take actions. When is the character subjected to mandatory twiddle your thumbs time? You suffer a 10 s penalty to defense and an endurance drop. That does not render you combat incapable.

It's a suggestion forum. By its very nature, it makes community lawyering both for and against the suggestion part of the equation. Otherwise it would not be a forum, it would be a blind suggestion message to the devs that the rest of the community would not be able to see. Edit: Let alone post comments on.

That's a surprise. The game is supposed to at least check if the leader is actually eligible. Edit: This may actually need to be reported as a bug.

To the best of my knowledge, it is not possible for the game to check your teammates' qualifications beyond alignment. I think it can only check the leader for specific requirements. I may be wrong though.

Is that current active, in testing, or still only a proposal?

Sure is. My mistake. However, Rage the power says nothing about needing to be hit to work. Just says you trigger it and it works. I skip Rage on my SS brutes, so am I missing something on Rage that the character needs to be hit for it to build up? Edit: @BamBam said the Rage requires the character to be hit to build up. And the only build up rage I know of is Fury.

Or, you know, hit. If the brute is hit or if the brute hits, the brute builds rage.

Well, like I said, actual axe fighting does have some precision strikes. I'm not an expert, but I have seen an axe fighter explaining that. Though only the short thrust at the face. Typically as part of the "What is wrong with this in movies?" bit. So there probably are axe attacks that would work. A spiked axe for certain could be used. I'm just saying that a bit of research to incorporate a sensible means of accomplishing this is in order. I'm not saying "No! Don't do this!".

I'm not entirely sure, but I think @biostem is right and character creation is completed upon initial spawn. If that is true, then that would preclude this suggestion. If not? Sure, why not? It saves a step or two.

If it was kept at just informational rather than active scanning, then it would be simple to code. And a source of information on general enhancement slotting tips and information would still go a long way to helping new players. It would just take a fair bit of dialogue creation and coding in this case. The scanning for and counting number of bonuses of each type and value, then flagging that any are at or past 5 counts, then notifying the player of that? Yeah, that would take a lot of coding and can easily be left out. (And the dialogue could still be similar to Becky the Tarantula Mistress for entertainment value.)

Don't have to be sneaky stalker to murder someone with an axe. Even to get away with it. The problem with axes for stalkers is how do you line up a precision strike on a target's vitals and then do an over-hand or across the body chop to hit it? Then again, in actual axe fighting, the axe isn't used to just swing and chop. It does have short thrusting strikes, particularly with a bearded axe after hooking an opponent's shield. Aside from a fast thrust at the opponent's face though? I'm not aware of any precision attacks with an axe. If the axe had a spike, it could work for a stalker's AS. Just have to find a sensible way for the weapon to work.

Uhm... which part of that video do you want as a pose? There is a LOT in that first video to unpack. For instance, the running on all fours we already have as beast run. The mid-flight aerobatics I'm not sure can be worked in. The initial rage or mighty display animation could probably be done though. What all in that are you asking for and could you break it down a little?

Nope. Not talking about patches like burn or tar patch or what-have-you. Mobs trying to get out of those make sense and they do not have a fear component. I mean things like cloak of fear and spectral terror.

Okay. Apologies.

Sure. The flag could be something like "You have $count set bonuses at or past the rule of five limit." instead. I would think that would give most players a high count though. If they didn't remember how high the count was prior, they would be doing a lot of checking. It is really hard to code an NPC to give that kind of proactive feedback without drowning the player in high count warnings. Personally, I'm more in favor of general advice and maybe a Mids comment. Then the player can be a bit more proactive in their build without having to wait to reach the point where they can slot the enhancements and go "whoops". {Edit: We're going to have whoops moments in our builds regardless. Or at least players like me will. How to make something that can guide and be useful without requiring a few million more lines of code though....) The problem with a character advisor, aside from what was already mentioned, is finding a way to have one that does anything like the OP requests that can be implemented.

You are misunderstanding what I am saying. The missions and arcs accessed through Ouroboros are all treated as TFs/SFs. I am not saying you can access TFs and SFs through Ouroboros, though there are 2 of in there. (The original Posi TF and the Sister psyche TF.) When Ouroboros was implemented, it was not possible to send a character back to out-leveled contacts and finish them. So the missions and arcs function as TFs and SFs so they can be accessed by the players and done at appropriate level (+5). So the comment is that if you are using Ouroboros to do out-leveled content, you are doing it as a TF/SF because it was the only way to code it to make it accessible. (Edit: Which is why we cannot progress out-leveled contacts by doing their content in Ouroboros, unfortunately.)

Actually, if you want a NPC to scan character builds and give advice, it could scan the set bonuses and let the player know if they have more than 5 of any given set bonus. To avoid all the dialogue writing calling out each and every set bonus of each and every value would require, just have the scan do a count of bonuses. Then tell the player "You have set bonuses that exceed the rule of fives." or "You have an interesting build. Keep at it.". ... or something similar. Nothing more. The NPC would still give the advice from previous posts, but would not fall into the flaws already listed in this thread. Then the player can open their enhancement management window, find the excess themselves, and decide if it is necessary or if some enhancements need to be replaced. Something like this could possibly work for a character advisor. Edit: Timing is everything and today I seem to be posting similar comments immediately after others. Oh well. Anyway, my proposal for the advisor is not to say the player did anything wrong by having more than 5 of any given bonus. The advisor would simply be flagging it for the player to review and make sure they needed it. I otherwise agree with @Frozen Burn above. Edit again: The advisor could even give a count of the number of times the rule of fives was exceeded so those maintaining builds that have to exceed it can know if they are on track for their plans or not. So maybe like "You have $count set bonuses that exceed the rule of fives at this time."

It's the 4% recovery that makes me think they are purples. While purple sets do have 4% recovery bonuses, the highest I can recall outside of purples is 2.5%. Someone with more knowledge about set bonus values would have to review the proposed sets' bonus values. Just to be clear, I am not for this idea, but neither am I against it. I am just looking for more information. I personally avoid fear powers because when I use them, the mobs all run away, and they already do that more than enough without being feared. (Which is why I am actually interested in the fear conversion effects. I'm just not sure they can be incorporated.) So please bear with me as I ask my questions. I am simply trying to understand.

I'm not sure effects can be transformed into other effects. I would think that would require the existing effect's duration to be set to 0 and the new effect to be applied with its own duration, which would then be resisted normally. So it is more likely that the feared target(s) would simply be freed of their fear earlier, though minions and lieutenants may be subject to the confuse effect. I'm not sure if mobs actually have any confuse resist. Let's say this does happen, what would be the magnitude of the hold effect? Also, I'm no expert, but it looks to me like all three sets are purples due to their set bonus values.

I agree with @biostem. The problem with an NPC evaluator of PC builds is it can only be made to look at specific things and it cannot account for the way the game changes over time, the primary effect/purpose the player is trying for with the build, and is completely based upon on what the coder thinks is best. The sheer variety of builds possible, coupled with the different ways the different set and non-set enhancements can be used together, would make coding this monster as an evaluation of each and every asking player's possible builds impossibly huge in order for it to actually do anything. My recommendation is to either not bother with it or have the NPC give only general build advice such as how set bonuses can only be gained five times for each bonus of a specific value per type. (As a side note? Having an NPC that tells you how to build your character takes away one of the more interesting elements of the game and risks making all characters cookie cutter cutouts.)

I should have been more clear. Let me try again. The starting arcs in City Hall are not in Ouroboros. So if anyone wants to do those, they need to do them at level. Any further arcs are available through Ouroboros. And Ouroboros doesn't care what your origin is, so you can do the origin-based arcs freely. There are two problems with that. First being that if you already have the contact started, it will not progress your standing with said contact because missions/arcs done through Ouroboros are TFs/SFs, rather than contact given missions/arcs. The second being not all missions are in Ouroboros as shown by the original starter arcs not being present, and I am not sure all other arcs are represented either. Edit: To be clear, I am adding the secondary concern since I am re-writing the original thought. Just drop the second problem from the statement, and you have what I was trying to say.

According to Mids, only Devices have the toxic web grenade, yeah. Traps and the Soldiers of Arachnos lack the toxic damage. I'm definitely for beefing up the Mercs set. My Mercs MM definitely struggles where none of my other MMs do. And I'm for beefing up the web grenade in Traps to include toxic too. So I guess I would be for just adding a toxic DoT to all non-AoE webnades depending on what specific mechanical benefits each version has. I am disinclined to go through and compare them all right now though. That would still leave out the Wolf Spiders' version however, since it is an AoE.

To deal with the MM (or anyone else) making MM sidekicks, could just limit the powers that are available for choice for the sidekick. Probably just lock out the MM AT as a sidekick choice. Then there wouldn't be any MM's with 13+ non-temp power pets. I would also recommend limiting the number of powers the sidekick/lackey gets. 7 powers is a LOT of powers for a helper/sidekick. Not sure what would be a good number though.

After ranking up, the proposed sidekick/lackey would be a higher tier, but lower level, pet than the MM's best pet. (Edit: With more powers at that.) That is a problem, at least to me. I typically find bosses, even when lower con than a lieutenant, to be significantly better than the lieutenant. That white boss will often outlast the yellow lieutenant, and do slightly more damage while at it. I feel the proposal rather undermines the point of the MM AT with its AT power set lackeys. At least patron power pool pet summons aren't available until your character is at least level 41. And the temp power versions have limited uses before expiring. Maybe that is just me though. ... Probably just me.... As for a boost for approaching tougher content? There is the difficulty settings that can be lowered if needed. And there is a rather large pool of individuals already complaining the game is too easy. This gives them another option to make the game easier. It may be optional, but why wouldn't they avail themselves of the extra free power? Especially since it doesn't take a power slot. Free extra firepower that will fight by my side, never expires from use, and I can still have all my regularly available powers? Sure! There is already a wide array of temp power pet summons available to all characters. Not just the PvP zone earned summons either. Several of those can be gained repeatedly in Ouroboros. (You can check the https://archive.paragonwiki.com/wiki/Category:Temporary_Summon_Powers page for more information.) And that doesn't count the pet powers you can buy from the P2W vendor. There are players that multibox and have multiple alts in play at once. And now they will have a sidekick that will auto-fight for them for each alt they are running already. (Not really a consideration, but something I think needed to be pointed out. They already have multiple sidekicks/lackeys following them around providing support.) That is the extent of my complaints about this. While I have a reflexive hatred of anything linking to CO, I can see the merit of a Nemesis-based system being added. *shrug* I don't know. I'm sure there is a group of players that will immediately say "yes please" to this. And you put a lot of thought into this. And the PC having a sidekick or lackey would be in keeping with comics. So between the likely popular opinion and the fact it keeps in theme with comic character progression (at least for characters not on a team)? If it gets implemented? I won't really object. Edit again: Just had a weird thought that could complicate this: A mastermind with all regular powers has 6 pets. 7 if they took dark miasma as their secondary. And they can take a mastermind sidekick/lackey under this proposal. That can have all 6 pets. 7 If they also take dark miasma. So now the MM player has 13-15 pets. (6 pets from AT + sidekick/lackey + 6 pets from sidekick/lackey +up to 2 more pets from secondaries.) Before you get into temp powers.