Peacemoon

Having just come off a Manti TF where some high powered teammates just stealthed to the end of every mission and did every objective while most of the team just idled near the start... I have to agree. The most fun I have in this game is just doing small team content with 1 or 2 people I know. We raise the difficulty high and we talk over mic and play strategically to overcome what is in front of us. Plus we can take it slow and it doesn’t have to be so gogogo, and you feel like you can actually contribute to the team’s success. I know people like to rush and a lot of the time they could solo the whole TF, but for the players left behind while a few melee do everything it can make the game very boring. Unfortunately I was on a character who couldn’t stealth or really take on a full group of Crey, but they didn’t seem to care.

Fair enough. A lot my problems with MMs is just me being me. Maybe there are some real issues with them, but if you’re enjoying it then fair play. As for /Sonic I just always find it boring. But actually maybe it would be more interesting on MM in the way it can raise your pets survivability and hep their damage.

Oh do you have a video of this on the forum already then? I could link to it in my original post?

Thanks. I understand that knockdowns are just low mag knockbacks (I wasn’t aware of how different knockUPs are though). But I still don’t get is how -res powers in this scenario would change oil slick from a knockdown to a knockback. To me it sounds like there is some strange interaction going on between oil slick and disruption arrow. Does disruption arrow light the oil slick? I’m not too familiar with trick arrow sorry. My only though is that somehow two pseudo pets are overlapping to create a knockback.

Yeah I would love to have some MA animations available elsewhere. Look how popular the martial set is for Blasters. People like doing cool kicks, it feels very super hero like being able to do some cool moves. I don’t want my hero to punch and kick as if they have no fighting prowess! So yes, some MA animations for fighting would be great (cross punch is much much better than Boxing or Kick), and like I mentioned earlier, maybe some opportunity for ranged characters to get some cool moves from APPs.

I’ve had some fun with enhanced difficulty recently. I tend to run all my TFs as either +2 or +3, and it doesn’t always go down as well as it could. Some people would rather do a quick 30 min Yin TF at +0 with zero challenge, then take an hour to do at +3 with a bit more effort. Also I was on a Synapse run last weekend where when the leader asked for the difficulty setting, someone shouted out -1 because they just wanted to get it done as quick as possible. I think we ended up at +2. So the difficulty settings argument is one I’ve pushed myself @Chrome, but since I’ve already seen pushback from the limited difficulty we can set already in game, I have a hard time seeing even higher difficulty ever used unless it gives some special badge, or some really big rewards. (For anyone who played WoW, it would be like M+ dungeon runs without the extra rewards..) Also I’ve teamed with a lot more ‘interesting’ players recently, and It’s reminded me of how varied the skill level of the playerbase actually is 😉 Back on topic.. I think people should try to relax about nerfs. People do get way too emotional about it. If it’s done properly it will just be some number changes that people will barely notice. TW I am sure will always be one of the strongest sets, it just won’t be quite as strong as before. But your characters will still be very powerful if they already are. So let’s just relax.

You have two get to the rare Lore and Destiny powers to get the incarnate shift. So takes a little bit of effort to get there.

How does -res interact with knockdown to turn it into a knockback? Genuinely curious. I have used a enervating field on an ice slick and I can’t remember it creating this effect. Also freezing rain does -res and knockdown.

I’ve never heard of -res enhancing knockdown potency into knockback. I have seen examples where multiple knockdowns happen simultaneously to create enough magnitude for a knockback. Could that be happening? If there is a link with -res it’s not something I’ve picked up on personally.

Oh I missed that. See I obviously didn’t read closely enough! Personally I just use Scream + Wail and don’t bother with Tornado (sounds weird when you drop all the psychic prefixes!) Rad Infection I use a lot when solo and on difficult fights so always consider it worth slotting!

When is comes to Psionic Blast I much prefer Psychic Scream to Psionic Tornado. Have to say I am not a huge fan of Psionic Tornado. I couldn’t get it to do good damage, even with procs, whereas Psychic Scream seems much more reliable (providing you like cones) at damaging and proccubg. Also it is a slow hitting DoT with a long activation time, so the damage just isn’t very immediate. The only good thing about tornado is using it as a mule for +recharge procs. For single target attack chain I would go for Psionic lance telekinetic blast (give it a FF +recharge proc. It does a little less than will domination but makes up with a knockdown/back which helps for soloing; and smashing damage for resistant enemies, and hits faster). Dominate (from APP - proc it up) or if not, Will Domination. Rad can be quite endurance heavy. The trick is to slot AM as @seresibyl3 recommends and try make it perma. Rad infection needs 5 slots of dampening spirits, focus on to hit debuff and end redux enhancements. Use accolades and set bonuses to raise your endurance to around 120, that will help a lot.

Haha that’s great. That was definitely the look I was going for! 😃

I’m not as experienced with Trick Arrow as I could be, but I always think it’s a pretty good combo, but one that plays differently to other Defender support sets. Most support sets have some form of ally buffs or heals. Even Storm brings o2 and Steamy Mists, and traps brings force field generator. Trick Arrow is purely about shooting enemies with your bow. I imagine plays much more like a blaster, but instead of massive damage you get a boatload of debuffs. You don’t worry about your allies health and status as much as focusing 100% on crippling the enemies and killing them, and letting your allies look after themselves. So I think it’s a good set, but you have to play it with a different mindset, to other support sets. It might be a set that benefits more from being a Corruptor, depending on the numbers, as people generally expect more ally support from a Defender (and I think it’s preconceptions like that which hurt Trick Arrow, more then the set itself). It’s a shame in a way because you could easily attach an Adrenalin boosting syringe to an arrowhead, and shoot it into an ally’s neck to give them a buff! 🤪 Of course you could always dip into medicine a bit for some heals, and experimentation has a nice ally injection buff. If you were doing a tech/science theme and really wanted some extra support...

I would say generally speaking a good Defender these days brings some very potent buffs/debuffs (variety generally preferable than one thing done to death), and also focus heavily on attacks and damage. I’d probably lean more to Storm than Poison, mainly due to Freezing Rain. It’s a very very powerful debuff with a fast recharge and a wide area effect. You can’t really go wrong with that power. Steamy mist will give you some stealth and extra resistances. The other powers are useful too. For blast sets try to get a nice single target attack chain and as much AoE as you can get in. Try throw in as many procs as you can. Char or Dominate at 35 can also double as an attack (use the Entomb proc if you do!) The Defender ATOs are really good. The set with heal AoE proc is good to 6 slot for the 5% ranged defence and 10% recharge. The other ATO set can be split into two, with 3 slots in one power and 3 slots in another. This will give you another +20% recharge. Choose what specific enhancements go where based on what stats you need. The procs are really good in single target blasts you keep firing often. Also the Defender ATOs bring a lot of end redux in their sets. So it’s good for high costing powers, like snipes, if you try using them as a standard attack. Also I’d recommend leadership, particularly Assault as +18.75% damage constantly on is great, and stacks nice with vigilance when solo. Also the Assault hybrid incarnate, which gives another 10%. So try to bring a good variety of buffs/debuffs, and bring as much damage as you can squeeze out and you’ll do very good in today’s fast pace style!

Not quite a pure Spec Ops, but this is my 'main' character Fallout Engineer, who has a Resident Evil inspired chemical spec ops outfit. He is Rad/AR Defender. Assault rifle not in the pic, but he uses the standard one coloured Black/Grey as it looks most like a flamethrower. Also has two gas canisters on his back to fuel said flamethrower! I used armoured bodysuit for his chest and gloves. Camo trousers coloured black, and resistance boots.

It feels more like a weak level 4 power pool power to unlock the good level 20 ones, not the other way around! Some changes would be good. The biggest shame is that it’s a new set so ideally wouldn’t need looking at again so soon. Maybe they were being extra cautious with this one. Damage powers are hard to balance in power pools.

I love the animations for martial arts. Particularly Crane Kick. I don’t want to go off topic, but I wish Defenders and Controllers had more ‘natural’ epic power pools that could contain some of these moves. High Pain Tolerance as the APP shield, and a good kick for good measure. Defenders can already get Total Focus, Greater Fire Sword, etc from APPs, I would love Crane Kick or Eagle’s Claw! Also, I really wish Defenders could choose a melee attack set instead of a ranged blast set. If the damage numbers were comparable I don’t see the problem. Ranged is safer, but some Defenders can fight in melee. This is the only reason I don’t have a Martial Arts character, because it’s not available on any support AT (which is what I usually play). I would love to play a Force Fields/Martial Arts Defender, protecting everyone with zen shields!

I would try get some hard numbers and goto the bugs forum if you think it really is ‘bugged’ (different from underperforming). And yes I tried it on a second build just to give it a whirl, and it didn’t feel like a damage power. It felt like a debuff patch without the debuff! Am I right in thinking mobs try to flee the patch as well? Just to make it extra tricky to use.

Well to be fair, it’s a more thoughtful contribution than most of your posts in this thread 🤪

I think you’re on to something. Particularly the power pool attacks. A lot of them are quite weak and only occasionally useful on an AT with no attacks... like Controllers. It would be great if they served a greater purpose. Like a good melee attack for a ranged AT, or a useful ranged attack for a melee AT.

What happens with the dual/team inspirations? They’re default off but you can turn them on. Does this mean you get extra inspirations or are some existing inspirations converted to these new types?

I always think MMs are suppose to play more like an illusion controller. Throw in it’s pets to distract the mobs and cause chaos while buffing/debuffing/supporting. But it never quite worked, at least for me. To much emphasis is placed in the pets (5 out of 9 powers). Another 3 out of 9 are wasted on personal attacks that are not allowed to function properly. I think the original devs got carried away with the pets and lost sight of the player. I often think I’d prefer it if the pets just followed and attacked like controller pets, and you didn’t need to equip them. It’s such a gimmick. You could drop the equip powers and repurpose them, with the personal attacks, for some control-type powers or attacks that actually do damage. Oh well! I’m sure some people like MMs, but I’m not a fan.

As much as I dislike MMs, not much sympathy for petless ones. It’s like trying solo with a controller-less Controller and just focusing on the secondary.

I think Mind works best with a less active set. And soloing with any of the more support focused sets is always a bit more challenging as so many powers are for allies. I don’t think Mind/Pain would be too bad. Certainly better than Mind/Empathy as Pain has a nice self buff and a -res debuff. Sleep the group, run in and debuff them, jump out and terrify them. I suppose it’s getting your expectations right.

A few mentions of Mind/ here but not sure I’d agree. It’s a very good damage set compared to other controllers, but falls off a bit when the others start getting pets. If you slot/proc Dominate/Mesmerise/Levitate/Terrify for damage you have a good attack chain and one of the biggest cone nukes in the game (which hits 16 not 10 targets). But yes, if you slot your attacks for +control duration and no procs, then your damage will suffer. My vote for worst sets would be: Sonic Emission buffing/debuffing set - not many good powers, and not much slotting opportunity. Weakest AT is easily MM. As you level up your pets get weaker, not stronger. Your minions are 2 levels below you and struggle to keep up. If most of your damage is suppose to come from them, you’re in trouble. Pets are already pretty easy to kill and this means you spend a lot of time resummoning them. Your personal agency is very low both in attacks (very very low dmg) and your secondary powers are taxed to cost more endurance. MM’s are encouraged to do nothing. Their epic power sets aren’t very good either. They’re difficult and fiddly to play, requiring lots of micromanagement of pets. Pets will randomly fire off their abilities with no player control, so pets like Mercs Spec Ops often waste their good control powers and don’t use them when they should. They are often balanced around these control powers so are just really weak. In the above example you have to try slot for everything the pet could do in 6 slots. Some sets have an extra pet you can mule all the unique pet buffs into, but otherwise you struggle again with where to put what enhancements. Pets are slow and every mission is like doing an escort mission with an annoying npc No customisation of pets so they always look the same no matter what concept you choose. Even controller pets have customisation with different colours/variations. I’m sure I could go on... As you might guess, I don’t like this AT! 🤪 So the weakest MM, combine a weak MM primary (or any of them), with some random secondary that doesn’t do much for them. Or try play a MM /Storm with the extra end tax on their abilities! Anytime you try to focus on your secondary as a MM you realise you should have just rolled a Defender and unshackle yourself from all those pets and just blast the enemies yourself. It’s more fun and you’re not weighed down. This is my highly personal opinion!