Doomguide2005

A quick note about something rarely noted about the regen debuff in both Transfusion and Twilight's Grasp I was reminded of while rereading the thread. That debuff stacks with itself. Given duration of the debuff and recharge times they can produce some not insignificant total debuffs. The drawback is solo you don't get mileage out of this as you're not attacking while using them. On a large or full team though spamming Transfusion (same numbers on TG) ... --> duration 20 sec, base recharge 8 sec you do the math. It's not LR but it's not -50% typically either if you need it if the team somehow lacks regen debuffs or is between recharges on the big guns

No, not what I'm saying at all. I'm pointing out the term "all" is hyperbolic and or inaccurate. Doubly so over the long view of the games history. Even with the emphasis on the hard mode content in the last few pages there have been noticeable buffs to Electric Blast, Sonic Blast and Trick Arrow just to name what I recall off the top of my head. Presumably buffs across entire sets hasn't made solo play more difficult but just the opposite, at least for players of those sets. Expecting everything to be solo friendly is just as off as expecting everything to nightmarishly difficult for teams. And yes there's been a lot of push for something more challenging for endgame incarnate characters to do which for those folks wanting it was limited to AE until recent pages. I'm not a Developer and have no input there beyond what we all have but feel fairly certain the Devs aren't focusing only on hard mode content and are or will be creating new lower and mid-level content designed with solo play in mind as well as teams for all sorts of skill and ability levels of play.

I think I was about 6th when I was following the star for my first deep foray into the Hollows. Hopped a boulder he'd just gone over unaware the Gulch was on the other side. I was dead what seemed like milliseconds later after having a very purple Troll plaster me with a rock. Yeah there's no way I'd ever say this game has gotten even remotely harder over the years.

When exactly was it promised by anyone that all content, new or otherwise, would be able to be solo'd much less friendly to such endeavors? Is it desirable for most content designed so it can be done solo? Probably a good goal for normal content. Maybe even relatively easily at minimum settings for most of that content. But no not all and some should be nearly impossible to solo and arguably some content should be essentially impossible without a team. All content is not created or intended to be equal in difficulty across all players of varying skill and builds. If the complaint is more hyperbole related to how hardmode and incarnate content has been emphasized with recent pages, *shrug*. Well there's far more overall content relatively easy to solo and very little to even start challenging a full team of experienced players running Incarnates. So if a couple pages focus a bit more on the hard end of the spectrum, chill. The pendulum hasn't stopped moving yet.

Very much! Beware the early 20's. You start to feel a bit comfortable gaining enough powers and slots just as the foes start to hit a bit harder, use more mez and woops there goes that try.

Chore is a potential understatement. The npc vendors weren't on the ingame maps at all. My friend's Blaster tried to hit the debt cap (a not particularly novel thing itself in those days particularly for Blasters) trying to find Agent Six, the Natural store vendor, as the Snipers kept nailing him as he hunted around looking for him unaware his position was under the roadway, not on the surface.

If I understand it correctly SS still provides 35ft stealth. The difference is it doesn't stack with stealth powers (such as in Hedgefund's post upthread). In both cases you still get the Threat reduction (as none is provided by Steamy Mist and similar). It's suppressed for 10 sec (afaik that didn't change either).

Perhaps a combo of recoloring the 'atmosphere' and magic. There's Dark Astoria's fog and the fog in the Shadow Shard TF. Maybe this fog could be recolored plus other effects to simulate water (movement speed debuff, vision and lighting limits, gravity/buoyancy changes) They need something similar (gravity-wise) to do Moonbase/Space content as well.

A few stray thoughts with the caveat that currently I can't use Mids (dead computer) Use Apoc proc in Charged Bolts rather than the the straight Damage aspect. Typically you'll be well into the red for damage, procs bypass this limit Power Sink - the power does no damage so there's nothing to enhance. Use IOs from the sets that don't enhance the damage. Perhaps 2 from Preemptive Optimization and 3 from Power Transfer. Avoid IOs from those sets which enhance Accuracy or Damage. So Endmod, End Rdx, and Rchg Rdx. Doing so would yield +3.15 to max end. Include the Power Transfer heal proc. Speaking of the PT heal proc. Consider slotting one in Short Circuit. Because i can't use Mids not sure on whether going all out on procs in it would be a good idea, but the power could be loaded up with them potentially. It would definitely be one I'd play around with on test slotting various combo's to see how much damage, damage from procs, and drain/recovery debuffs I could manage. I know it's possible to put both the damage aspect and the drain/recovery debuff into the red. Just not sure how many slots are left available for procs (2? maybe especially with something like Musculature used) Definitely agree Hurricane is using more slots than I'd generally use especially if planning on frequent (as in every spawn) use of Short Circuit. 4 DWD is generally my go to. Minimum slotting I'd probably do is 2 To Hit Debuff /Endred IOs boosted to +5 if only planning to use occasionally.

Truth, of sorts. That's as much a matter of knowledge as skill. For a brand new player there's all sorts of things you need to know for even something fairly simple like getting all the badges in AP including knowing why you might want to and that they even exist to find in the first place. Even moreso if they've never played a MMO before (though I'd guess that's getting increasingly rare). Starting with not doing the tutorial (if you're going to make a couple million at 1st anyway).

Yes, slot endurance reduction. Slot at least some in everything particularly if using SOs only. Attacks not toggles are your biggest end use. Therefore slot endurance reduction in them but also make sure you're hitting. A missed attack is endurance spent for no gain. The idea SR uses more endurance than other sets is also largely hyperbole. It's toggles cost the exact same thing as more than a few toggles in other sets (Unyielding, Kinetic Shield, Fire Shield, Alpha Barrier, Hardened Carapace, Integration, etc., etc.). Yes it's less than some others --> 0.26 end/sec in SR vs 0.208 (I believe is another common cost), a 0.052 end/sec difference ... or less than what it costs to run Combat Jumping. If you're having end problems from a combo of +20% recharge and running those 3 toggles you're going to have endurance issues regardless. Which points to other significant causes. And yes Mu in Arachnos tend to be potent end drainers (and recovery debuffers as well I believe). They'll drain any set that isn't drain resistant. In fact SR probably has an advantage there. Don't get hit you don't get mezzed. You will also avoid those drain attacks. But if endurance is already tight the few hits getting through will be relatively debilitating with no end drain or recovery protection I don't believe Family as Gravity users have any endurance drain or recovery debuffs.

I believe it's also a bit of 'equal playing field'. Much less risk of getting on a team full of "Leroy's" or a team tackling a mission at a much higher setting than they ought to be and getting dead that way. Though to a large degree the exact rules are up to you. It's all on the honor system in any case. Just note any of your own rules or how you elected to play a given rule.

AFAIK the bonus(es) are available at 22nd and attuned is the way to go for the set or boosted +5 if just the lone IO. The only powers i typically placed LotG def/increased global rchg alone in was/is Vengeance and or CJ. Most if my SR use 3 of the set at minimum as i was going after after the +regen and +max health set bonuses. So def, def/endred, def/endred/rchg in toggles (including Maneuvers and Weave). And def, def/x, def/7.5 inc rchg in passives.

I was aware of and knew this. What my brain, primarily I suspect was due to a lack of ingame or Mids experience, wasn't making was the connection of how the set bonuses of attuned sets worked compared to not attuned. I wasn't thinking of how an attuned version of Thunderstrike worked as if the IOs we're 27th lvl even if the set was 50th while exemped to 27th instead of having to actually use lvl 30 IOs. And how that might influence the build choices, especially now that primary and secondary are more compacted. I regularly used, for example, level 25 LotG specials while the set as a whole i used lvl 50s so to keep the global recharge even while exemplared.

If I'm following your explanation it makes sense. Due to life and timing of things I really don't have the experience with attuned vs non-attuned IOs that might be desirable. Like many build decisions there's probably sweet spots where using a full Thunderstike (ranged) or Touch of Death (melee) to push things to the cap where powers alone can't on an exemplar build.

I've definitely got some work to do in Mids on my main, a Claws/SR, once the new computer arrives. Got a couple new uniques to squeeze in at minimum plus seeing how the change in levels you gain powers effects things especially given how frequently I tend to exemp. I don't tend to use full sets for the defense positionals just powers to reach the soft cap, at least in SR. The problem as I see it is I can use Maneuvers and gain +defense (all) to increase all 3 positions with one choice. Or i can use 3 different 6-slotted sets to add a similar amount to all 3 positions. That's a lot of slots to gain the same thing. I'll do it to reach the incarnate cap, however, as there's only so many other powers you can take to gain +defense. But for most incarnate content it becomes overkill as team buffs are thick and frequent. You only need it when when solo in Incarnate content. Or Hardmode content perhaps but again the team should be providing buffs in HM content.

I'd have both, but that's definitely a me thing too. I like my Leadership. I'd probably also use only 2 or 3 additional slots beyond the base slot between both powers. And I'd place the proc in BU as I prefer to control when it occurs (as long as the 'math' works).

Mostly correct (again as I understand things). Chance to trigger on BU is fixed. It can be calculated and one of the factors is the enhanced recharge time of the power. Global recharge doesn't effect the chance and (just eyeballing the build) it appears to have a fair bit of global recharge. There's a 90% max chance to trigger at 'x' amount recharge so there's a sweet spot for how much recharge can be enhanced to maintain the maximum chance to trigger. BU has a relatively long recharge so (math involved) you may be able to enhance the recharge aspect without reducing your chance to trigger. Especially if primarily a solo build Tactics chance to trigger the proc is minimized, BU is steady regardless of team size. So it comes down to what the numbers are for BU (cool down, proc chance per trigger etc..) and predictability.

Wow talk about me totally missing something! Yes you should really have Practiced Brawler as well as Lucky and Evasion much earlier in the build unless you never want to exemplar or plan to make a second build to do so. Practiced Brawler is your mez and kb protection. The other two are a major portion of your AoE defenses. PB is at 10th, Lucky and Evasion at 24th and 28th. As for the Gaussian's set whether Tactics or Build Up is, to me, dependent on control of when it procs. As I understand it in Tactics it could fire off at anytime (checking once per 10 sec while active) including between spawns or right after you use a big AoE attack. In Build Up the proc will only check to trigger after you hit BU giving you a bit more control over when it happens.

Well first off what are your build goals? What do you want to be able to do with the character? For my SR characters I generally build for: Positional defenses of 46 to 47%. Generally I'm teamed or in Leagues for Incarnate content and find there's generally plenty of buffs to not need higher. Prefer to get those defenses via power choices and not set bonuses (outside the 2 +3% uniques). This leaves set bonuses for reaching other goals like i-cap defenses, max health/regen or high recharge etc. as desired. Capped DDR (95%). This is what really makes SR SR and separates them from almost everyone and everything else. I'm generally looking at +max health and +regeneration over high recharge. I want 2000+ health after accolades. If building for recharge I'm looking for perma-Hasten (or nearly so). Generally no Hasten in primary build. Typically no travel power in primary build either. 2nd and/or 3rd builds, if they have one, is where I'll add Hasten and/or travel powers to the character. You look to be building for recharge. I'm not the one to figure out what recharge you need to optimize your attack chain. But I'd get some advice there, build only for the amount needed then add protection against recharge debuffs (Quickness is a solid start but I'd get a Winter's Gift and similar in there if possible.) Maneuvers - I'd like to see slotted to ED limits unless it's 99% a mule for the LotG. Just a note here that my computer is dead so I can't use Mids currently to see your actual numbers. I'd hit the ED limits then toggle on or off if the end drain or certain mobs are an issue. Elude - mule for LotG or for use in incarnate or hardmode content? More slots if not a mule and consider Vengeance instead if it is intended as a mule. Assault - guessing it's an oops but that should be an endurance reduction not a recharge reduction in there. Tactics - drop a To Hit buff in there not a lone Rectified Reticle. It caps at 20th and even if attuned will not function at greater value than its value at 20th. If end usage is an issue then either slot 1 endred or 2 - slot 2 endred/to hit IOs. Build Up - I don't know if you need the 6-slotted set bonus to soft cap but ... well that's a lot of slots used. This is one reason I look directly to powers to reach defense goals and not set bonuses. It takes 3 separate powers for each boost across 3 positions typically. Gaussian's happens to be a rare exception (along with the two uniques) boosting all 3 at once. Add Kismet +6% to the build Because of the formatting I can't see what uniques or slotting you have in Health or Stamina. Food for thought.

And at 2 years I'd be SOL. But I'd also be surprised as hell if either of my 50's (or any of the rest) lost their names to someone getting to use the name because mine came loose. More than likely any I might lose would get reclaimed by me on return to the game. I think Sir Myshkin is right it's pretty darn unlikely.

The actual number (on a Controller) is a 30% debuff. As Psy pointed out fully enhanced it'll push 50%. Some suggested the debuff value might need adjusting as a result of any Repel changes. I'm pointing out that removing the kb/kd and repel plus reducing the debuffs could equal a pretty significant change to the mitigation power of Hurricane. Are there ways to deal? Absolutely, most of my Stormies are Controllers and don't use Hurricane at all (Stalagmites+Thunderclap etc.) But what if your not a Controller say Storm/Fire Defender rather than Fire/Storm Controller. Likely a major play style change. Especially against higher level, higher rank foes if the debuff is seriously reduced. But that's not really here nor there for me. It just strikes me subjectively as wrong. If it were changed so be it, won't pick up my ball and go home still love the game either way and I'll still love my Stormies.

Partly it's because unless you have a crystal ball you've no idea if the term "never" will be accurate. I was last able to log in sometime around late Feb 2020. In March Covid-19 hit, my son was barely 2yrs and buying a new computer to replace the dead one was on a back burner. I'm finally in a position to order one, have done so and I'm awaiting its arrival. But my wife called the other day to see why we hadn't gotten a recent update. Well one part is currently unavailable, don't yet know how vital or replaceable that part is (they're supposed to call back) and yay for messed up supply chains. But I will be back. I've only 2 50's so those are safe. And honestly if I lost a name or two I'd be fine with it. Small price to pay to finally be back.

Hurricane without the Repel means no more using it as a positioning tool (no Herdicane) and will definitely act as an aggro magnet the user best be prepared to deal with. There's a reason mobs are frequently and desperately trying to close with the user (2 powerful debuffs one of them -range) while the Repel continually pushes them away. My Storms rarely use it. It would vanish or be reduced to truly niche use on my Stormies particularly the Controllers. It would be a very different power without the Repel. Even though I rarely use Hurricane this would be a definite no thanks from me. I'd never use the IO is a certainty regardless.

How about this. Both Defender and Corruptor (or Blaster etc.) are concepts or labels applied by the Players of a game. Your character doesn't think of themselves that way. Their stats aren't them, they're a game based way of quickly defining them to others playing a game They just know they can do x,y and z. "I" heal not because I'm a Defender or Corruptor, Blaster or Tanker. I heal because I need sustenance, enjoy the warm rush of blood (and more) or maybe the expression of my hunts success as I feed or a lot of other possibilities. They may even call themselves a Defender or Corruptor but they aren't thinking of it the way a player thinks of it when another Player uses those terms. You have a hang-up, your character doesn't. They're busy being themselves, a complex set of moral, ethical and often contradictory beliefs and behaviors (and oblivious to the Player and Game they are in)