Hexquisite

I always write my bios in the first person, in the character's voice, and it can take me a while to find that. For example, my Magical Girl-turned-to-crime...

I've been validated of my costuming genius by the fact that nearly every one I've attended and never placed in, still earned me several million inf by several enlightened souls of superior taste approaching me and just giving it because they thought I should have won. Some of those, I wasn't even participating in. I just happened to be nearby.

Same. You get a bonus regardless of how you utilize them, and it's not as though Exhausted saps your endurance or anything. I personally don't understand the fervent need to eke out every scrap of possible DPS. It just doesn't sound fun to me to concern myself so much with numbers. But then, I also don't understand algebra, the appeal of dubstep, or any number of other things. Nothing wrong with it, just can't wrap my head around the why. Play what looks fun. Have fun. Hunt. Kil Skulz.

Both. Quills and Blazing Aura (and a third, I think, that I can't recall) go off on a steady, uninterrupted rhythm while toggled on. My brain doesn't react well to steady rhythms at certain speeds, such as an idling engine or construction equipment. Both the sound and the visuals are set to this pulsing rhythm, and the longer I'm around them, the more my brain focuses on them, and the worse it gets. I can ignore it in combat, when there are other things to take my attention. Outside of combat, such as when I'm working in AE, my usual solution is to just leave the area.

The 'dyne.

Honestly, CoH is the only MMO in which I do. But, um, to be on topic... everyone is wrong. About the things.

There should be a solo path to everything. In every game. Ever. Just because I like playing an MMO doesn't mean I always like being social.

Good point, I hadn't even considered the redraw... One damage aura, actually. I won't be taking Quills. It's one of the two or three powers that can induce migraines for me. One of the others is Blazing Aura, which makes being around fire farmers who won't turn their shit off utter hell. I make too many Tankers.... but those larger arcs are very, very tempting. Thanks for the reply! Gave me a lot to think about, and a lot I didn't know before!

I have a character concept that's mostly complete. Personality, backstory, all the delicious roleplay aspects have been figured out. Secondary power has been decided. Primary look and alternate costumes have been settled upon. But what has me in a stumble is the primary powerset. I have a few options that can work, but one in particular that has me most interested, and I feel would fit the character the best. However, after much scouring of the Brute forums, I found my interest mostly unremarked upon, aside from one specific and, for me, entirely useless area. Perhaps it's been addressed before, and I simply have been unable to find it. Nevertheless, I felt it prudent to create a new topic in order to pose my query, and perhaps provide a place for others who might be looking for similar information. So... tell me about Spines. I have no interest in farming, a fact well-documented, but the only discussions I can find relating to Spines are about their use on farms. But what works on Generic Fire Farm #86753.09j isn't necessarily useful when facing down a horde of Trolls or parade of Carnies. What I want to know is what powers are definite takes, which powers may be skippable, slotting options for said powers - basically, anything about Spines as it relates to regular gameplay. My intended secondary is Electric Armor. Are there any synergies? Any downfalls to this? How does it pair with other armor sets? Raw power and Orange Numbers are a tertiary concern at best, but does another AT utilize the powerset better? I'd settled on Brute because I like being tanky, but if the set works better on Scrappers, I could talk myself into swapping. (Maybe. She's a stubborn girl at times, but I know how to get through to me.) Talk to me about Spines, and everything I need to know about using mine to shatter those of my foes.* *This was an attempt at a pun, or a play on words; my spines would be the powerset. Those of my enemy would be their backbones. Did the joke land?

All the damn time. That was how I got Blind Panic, Radio Silence, and Open Secret.

I don't mind screen shake in general. When I'm moving about and playing the game, it doesn't bother me at all. It's almost specifically when I'm working in AE, and trying to focus on something static, that it bothers me and occasionally messes with my brain. As soon as I said it, I knew someone would have an easy solution...

I would really like, when these invasions occur, if when working in AE, the screen didn't shake when whatever makes that happen goes off. It's really annoying when one is designing a custom villain, and every five seconds the entire image shakes violently. Not pleasant, I can tell you. (I realize there are some zones I can go to to avoid the invasions. I'm also anticipating someone will reply with some easy graphics adjustment I never considered.)

This is exactly how I play and build my characters. I don't always turn off XP, but I do rather frequently just so I can play story arcs I've never done before, or feel would be good for that character's development. I've also found that slotting things as I reach the level they become available, is rather more economical. I'm not losing several hundred million INF in one go, so I don't need to change my once-a-week market blast money-making scheme.

The same way I handle everything, as my more frequent teammates can attest to. Stupidly, but somehow successfully.

Only when it's impossible to complete the mission. Like the final one in the Eagle Eye arc, that sometimes glitches, fails to give you the power required to beat BAB, and thus becomes unfinishable. Anything else, if I can't beat it myself, and don't feel like getting a team together, I add a failure to that character's story. Which is good for them and their growth. Shows them not everyone can win every time, and I believe makes them more well-rounded. ...or, fills them with a burning need for vengeance, and obsession with ending that particular threat once and for all, and suddenly I'm ONLY taking missions involving the same enemies, in a long, self-destructive spiral that can only end badly for everyone. It's about 50/50.

I'm in. I've recently rekindled my own fondness for street sweeping. It's been fun some nights to just run around, explore, feel like a hero just out on patrol, rather than simply running from one mission to the next. Also good for grabbing that last bit of exp to set off the ding that you weren't quite able to get in that last mission. Plus... anyone else feel bad when you run/fly/jump right past a mugging? No? I'm the only one?

As someone who mains a Psi Melee character - my namesake here, Hexquisite, Psi/Invuln Brute - I can say that a lot of what's said here is accurate, with the exception of the comments about the animations. I've never found those to be particularly stiff. And Greater Psi Blade has one of my favorite animations in-game, for feeling like a complete badass. It's damage is adequate, but nothing to write home about, and it's very lacking in really strong AoE. All that said, Psi Melee is the first set I ever took to 50. And I took it to 50 the long way - no farms, just going through content. Mostly solo, only regularly joining teams after around level 40. It's not a set you want if you're biggest concern is the Orange Numbers or being able to steamroll* through everything. There are more powerful, much more obvious choices for that. What Psi Melee was, for me, was a perfect fit for a character concept - Hex is not psionic. She's a witch who specializes in physical magic, and Psi Melee was the most interesting set I could find that I could RP as being just raw magical force without tying it into any specific element. And it was a set I'd never played before, which was another draw factor. Keeping an eye on Insight is something you can do, but honestly, not something you should concern yourself with - unless, again, the Orange Numbers are what's important to you. It works like a proc, gives a little boost, but always best to end it on your terms rather than attempt to eke out every last bit you can. Missing out on the massive burst damage an Insight-fueled Greater Psi Blade strike isn't worth letting it run out because you want a few more swings of Psi Blade Sweep or Telekinetic Blow. Wait out the lock, wait for it to pop again, repeat. It takes a bit more forethought to effectively use Psionic Melee, and again, if the Orange Numbers are what you concern yourself with most, you're never going to satisfied. I would even argue that Psi Melee is a good melee set for someone looking for a challenge - you won't steamroll* everything, and your focus is on single-target damage, so some strategy is in order. And most importantly, the set is fun. It's not the best. It doesn't need to be. But calling it "terrible" is honestly just showing that you haven't really tried. *This almost caused a tangent on my hatred for the steamroll mindset, but it was grossly off-topic.

I only ever take them on a character it makes sense to have them on. Which, so far, amounts to one.

From Mars

I'm not a numbers girl, so I'll leave those to other people. In terms of feel, however... when I play a Blaster, I may know I'm doing more damage, but no matter how much damage I do with any ranged AT, nothing feels as strong as melee. Maybe it's because it's more visceral, being so close to the enemy and pounding your fists into them. It could also be that, personally, I just enjoy beating people's faces in* while simultaneously laughing off the piddling damage they dish out against me. That sheer thrill and pure fun of close-quarters melee makes me feel like I'm doing more damage than I know I actually am. It varies, a bit, with powers. Claws and Spines and Broad Sword don't give that same raw feel of pure damage as Super Strength, Martial Arts, or Street Justice. And, as I say that, I realize that it might the knockback/knockdown that does it for me. Sending a dude flying into the wall definitely makes you feel like your dishing out some heavy damage. *In video games >_>

"It's that superhero game I've been ignoring you to play."

One of my villain SGs did the 'Rescue Baby New Year' event, except we RP'd it as 'Kidnapping Baby New Year.' We are currently holding 2021 hostage, with threats to make 2020 last longer unless the ransom is paid. The only power that will move us is MONEY.

Can confirm, I’ve been on the naughty list many, many times. 😉

That blep is definitely Longbow. He must be incarcerated. In my arms.

Several. To get a true assessment of their character and loyalties.