Doomguide2005

Is there a dot on the bar for AM? The global effects of a power (such a AM's global recharge buff) won't show unless those are enabled properly, at least in the versions of Mids I'm familiar with prior to my internet being only via phone. Same for Hasten, should be a button on the bar

Many, many ways: 2 Membrane HO's, 1 LotG def/increased global recharge -> minimum slots maximum buff of recharge, defense and to hit 3 Membrane HOs -> variant of above, no global recharge boost 6 Red Fortune -> range def and global recharge 5 Red Fortune, 1 def/increased global recharge -> maximizes global recharge 1 LotG def, 1 LotG def/recharge, 1 LotG def/increased global recharge -> +regen, +max health boosts Above plus LotG def/end -> adds +accuracy to the above 5 Adusted Targeting -> +accuracy, +recharge, max to hit buffs 5 Adjusted Targeting, 1LotG def/increased global recharge (See above) 6 Gaussian's -> +positional defenses, max to hit buffs 3 LotG (including increased global rchg) plus 3 Gaussian's -> defense and to hit buffs 2 50+5 defense IO's. Maximizes defense, minimum slots. With perma-Hasten, perma-AB level global recharge can keep Fortitude on 5 teammates minimum. I've done many of these on my various Empaths at some point depending on the overall build demands. Probably owing to demand for slots in the overall build #1 on the list is the most common enhancement usage these days. #3 in solo builds, #4 when looking to get another LotG def/increased global recharge in the build. #2 would be more likely these days in an "old school" build. Edit: In a GM (Green Machine) build they emphasize enhancing the defense because once you buff the next two on the team you are at the defense soft cap and already running under the effects of multiple Tactics (and 2 Fortitudes) or in otherwords your To Hit is already In the overkill realm and then some.

A Cold/Dark was 1 of 4 defenders on a 5-man static team my friends and I put together on Live (Dark themed). Had to be one of the most potent 5 character teams we put together or I've otherwise been part of along about i13 or so. And I ran a Cold/Ice/Power that was a lot of fun and no slouch either in terms of debuffs (or his ability to hit a light blue color with his To Hit in combat attributes).

We should all keep in mind when speaking of endurance usage vs recovery that, at least for a post 50 endgame build, Recovery Aura is probably making end issues non-existent while running and hopefully its downtime is under 40 sec perhaps well under. Unless consumption can burn through the end bar in less time the build should be solid from that perspective especially while fully enhanced with a endmod set.

^this is always the way I've understood it. It's also what pops up if you search the hcwiki. Edit: Wowsa ninja'd to heck and gone. Blue bar ... hmm because that's what color you turn if you run out.

Truth and many (all?) of the above are not done at +4/×8 settings either (or anything above the minimum) so that's already a footnote for some folks. They're all set up to maximize speed and minimize time first and foremost. There's no other player debuffs or foe buffs (aka challenges self inflicted or otherwise) set. Clearly reading comprehension retention was lacking when I made the below edit. Most of this is covered in the OP. Edit: no idea if records for differing notorieties or challenge settings are kept. Maybe these are simply the fastest no matter what notoriety or challenges are in place.

As others have said it varies, but some things to note. Does the power in question have an endurance recovery debuff? If so what is it? There are differing types of this sort of effect in a power. The first sort you only lose a not insignificant chunk of end. Examples: One with the Shield, Strength of Will, there's a -endurance of less than -100% but no -recovery. This is easily dealt with. Inspires (blue perhaps green) maybe use of a +recovery buff (empowerment, p2w). Then you have some that take all your end (-100%) but also have -recovery. They break into those you can overcome the debuff and those that practically speaking can not be overcome. Force of Nature, for example is, -100% end and -100% recovery. Use a blue inspiration and use or be under the effect of a recovery buff (empowerment buff, p2w, a teammates buff) that's +100% or greater. Last we have powers like Elude with its -100% endurance and -10,000% recovery debuff (games way of saying 'nope not happening') I use to ride it out by using Eye of the Magus and Geas of the Kind Ones. As the end crash was about to happen use Eye (adding defense and resistance to counter toggle drop) then at or right after use Geas. Geas has a +800% recovery buff (among other things) so after the crash debuff drops (20 seconds) you'll be gaining end very rapidly. Use enough blue inspiration to give yourself enough keep fighting, turning toggles on or whatever for that 20 seconds then Geas or other buffs (empowerment buff, p2w, Adrenaline Boost etc.) kick in and you're back in action. Hope that helps.

Very high recharge is definitely what to shoot for in an Empath built to team and while /Nrg (or Water) can readily slot for FF I can reach 275%+ recharge on pretty much any Empath build pre-Incarnate. More will help but you are getting into the realm of only trimming a few seconds more off your Auras. Post Spiritual I'm often looking at sub 120 sec Auras and sub 40 sec Nukes. Having said that it would be interesting to see what sort of average recharge boost I'd see from a bunch of FF procs in a build. Haven't been able to be in game and try it out. If you can manage anywhere near constant 100% recharge then ... well then you might be looking at Auras with ~20 sec downtime or less (and 10 sec is at the recharge cap) or about where a GM team of 3+ should be sitting these days. And a Rad/Sonic should be a nasty solo build offensively (among defenders) They can boost recharge and damage on top of what /Sonic already does (AM and EF). +30% solo, +18% Assault, +25% Accelerate Metabolism and then drop an additional -30% resistance debuff before Sonic Attack blasts start in. It's why Rad/Sonic make such good AV, hard target solo character nevermind teamed up.

My answer when it's more or less a coin toss and potential preferences is 1000 slots, so do them both. Then when the next person comes along asking, just like @OmegaOne you'll know the pros and cons. And weird assuming CoD is correct (weird twice over, first defender vs corruptor and then primary vs secondary). But the difference should moot outside of some very unique circumstances where the mobs both hit and hence stack 3 (vs 4) mag 3 mez attacks (and 4+ would likely mez both anyway).

Super Jump was the first travel power I recall seeing up close ... and the tell I sent asking the user "was that fly?" as they had soared up and away over Grendel's Gulch. Maybe it wasn't Fly but it did become my travel power all the way to 50 as a result.

Weee 👍

I'd be curious to see how the times for the new Strike Force, Chasing Fools Gold (Dr. Aeon) "curve" over time as player's learn the SF. I remember doing the ITF during closed beta. Now granted it's changed since that version but yeesh we'd have been well short of clearing the first mission in that time much less the TF.

Yup, and I suppose you can limit targeting to dead pet vs dead team or leaguemate (or ally pet or ...) But I threw that out there just cause it is a wrinkle to keep in mind.

Indeed 😈😈 because let me introduce you to the Faithful Fans of Fallout who'd absolutely be delighted with this --> death, Teleport Target, +/-Vengeance, Fallout, Mutate, rinse repeat. This is already their thing the sg was and is built around. Be like giving them a 9th teammate to cart around blowing up.

Stoopid expensive is very subjective unfortunately. Yomo is going to giggle at most folks stupid expensive and grab some pocket change while a new player on his way to his first 50 who is casual running content stupid expensive is probable an order of magnitude(s?) different. I think the idea of adding it to the respec trials reward menu is an idea worth looking into. For me only a handful of characters on Live had multiple builds. Generally that also meant they were the few among the many that saw a lot of time and attention (i.e. mains) and therefore part of the expense was essentially an entire set of IOs for what amounted to a second or even third character. (Yay for wanting, on Live, a second+ Glad Armor +3% on my Claws/SR)

I'm all for more build slots or the ability to get more. I doubt I'd have more than a few with multiple builds. That said I think what @kelika2is getting at is just create a character specifically for base building.

And while many areas are, as Shenanigunner put it, egregiously 3D many of those areas have ways for someone running SS or even just Sprint to move through the vertical if or when necessary. There are very few areas if any you absolutely can not reach even with no travel power at all. I've run a couple characters who deliberately experimented getting around certain zones with only Swift, Sprint, Hurdle and Combat Jumping. You add SS and all the various teleportation options, temp fly or jump powers and/or the jump geysers in the Shadow Shard you can reach anywhere.

Yes? Oh wait I'm supposed to ignore.

And as has been brought up in other threads for everyone of the hoarders sitting on 20+ lvl x characters there's folks who for a variety of real life issues can't log into their accounts, nevermind characters, for longer spans of time as well. And none of us are able to tell the difference between those two outliers. It took days for me to download the game when I first created the account, yeah for living off a throttled hot spot in a rural area. I've been forced offline by computer deaths, pandemic, new child/budget constraints, etc., etc. for well over a year. My main as a level 50 is currently safe. I've got others who would be in jeopardy. For me when I get back online if some have been taken *shrug* I can live with it. New names can be created, it's being in the game itself I'm truly missing. And honestly I'd be surprised if more than one or two got taken even if I'm unable to log in far longer than the current year+. At this point it would be a very tiny price to pay to see the city via my own characters avatar once again.

I think one reason you don't see as much 'demand' for respecs especially via the Trials is fairly straightforward. It's Mids. Much less likely with a build planner, particularly for an experienced player, to need to alter the build often enough to need extra respecs the trials provide. There are enough free ones to allow you to respec once the player reaches the point they do such things without needing to acquire additional ones.

The Immobilize in a stun doesn't seem useless to me. Though overall they don't Sprint away in a drunken speed waltz the way they used to it still keeps them from meandering off too much Edit: but yeah debuffing things like to hit is pretty wasted on an already stunned mob unless the effect outlasts the stun

Personally I wouldn't in general do Empathy on a Controller. My second ever Empath and first? (perhaps second) to 50 was an Earth/Empathy Controller. He was lots of fun but he also made me of the belief that Empathy was not typically a good secondary choice for a Controller. Empathy is a very busy set and my attention especially in a chaotic hard fight is focused strongly on my teammates and the team window firing buffs. I've gone entire fights barely looking at the actual fight as I'm busy throwing buffs and reacting to the health bars. Meanwhile my Controller side is (or more accurately wanting to) do the exact opposite. I'm focused on the battlefield and my foes. Where to drop my patches, which foe needs to be mezzed now! or is otherwise demanding attention. I could go entire fights without ever really looking at my team window. See an issue there? I always feel I'm neglecting one set for the other and this gets worse the more tough and hectic the fight gets. Now note I said typically. Illusion far more than other Controller sets is very Fire and Forget. It's much more forgiving if I decide to drop PA and Phanty then if needed focus on being an Empath and neglect the Illusion side as the situation warrants. At least that's what my head tells me. I've run several Illusion to 50 but never paired with Empathy. So if I were to do another Controller Empath it would almost certainly be an Illusion Controller.

For the most part I don't use binds to announce things like like "Gather for Auras" I just position near the majority of the team and let loose keeping an eye on whose blue bars in general suffer when the Auras aren't present on them. I'll prioritize Recovery over Regen if necessary (catch those with end troubles vs damage troubles if a choice is needed --> I can use Fort or HO/HA to help green bars). I've never found it necessary to use binds to inform about Fortitude or Clear Mind ... I just cast when available and needed. As for where you might find such binds I'd try the Guides section of the forums. Pretty sure if the exist that's where you're going to find them.

Against +4 mobs given a choice between buffs and debuffs I'd generally take buffs first when it comes to dealing with either foe defense or to hit boosts. Buffs are not effected by the Purple Patch, debuffs are. This is also especially true vs AVs where debuffs have to deal with both AV Resistance and the Purple Patch. Against a +30 defense buff on a +4 foe you can either seek a +30 to hit buff or a roughly -60 defdebuff which the purple patch will then cut about in half. Check out the HCwiki article "Archvillain". As it happens it goes through the math on what a fully enhanced Radiation Infection ends up doing to Mako when his Elude is running as a lvl 54 AV --> it goes from a starting value of -61% to debuffing his defense by -3.965. You get more out of popping a small yellow inspire than using RI. Part of the reason buffs sets like Empathy and Forcefield aren't desired over debuff sets in the current endgame is IO set bonuses have allowed characters to build to reach things like the softcap or reliably hitting +4's without outside buffs, they've made it possible to be self reliant. These settings are designed to make that much, much more difficult bringing back the value of having a buff set on the team to cover that gap. My Empaths can pretty much single handedly add ~30 defense and ~36 to hit to the majority of the team, neutralizing the foes boosted to hit and defenses in the process. And last I keep seeing folks talk about getting 1-shot. Unless the HC team has tweaked something if you are at full health you cannot, since roughly i4, be 'one-shot'. Even a single point of health lost off your max you are vulnerable. DoT attacks can get around this or you can be unlucky enough (even at the defense cap) to get 2 or more attacks strike you in rapid succession to make it seem like you have been 1-shot. But no even if hit by a single attack for 100,000 points of damage if you are at full health you won't get killed ... just be careful not to stub your toe hopping the curb while beating cheeks to safety 😜.