laudwic

Trick and Treated for a couple of hours last night, LOVE the EBs appearing for solo trick or treaters at level 25 plus. I know there was some discussion on the Beta thread that this may be changed in the future, but I respectfully request that you keep it as it is. The EBs are tough, but they are a welcome addition. Absolutely love the looks of the Werewolf, Mummy and Vampire (in that order of preference) the Ghost slows down my terrible computer, but still like him, the Witch is, well, like the others and only pales in comparison to how great the Werewolf, Mummy and Vampire are. The spawn rate is fine, I was able to get all the defeat badges for the EBs solo in a reasonable amount of time. The rewards were great despite the couple of defeats I got getting a little careless fighting. (The Mummy is tough!) The Badges look great!

Honestly, with the safety window to run away if an EB spawns and you cannot handle it, I really like that I'm going to have the opportunity to fight the EBs while solo. My playing time is generally limited and I have trouble setting aside time for team events. If they were limited to teams, I would miss out on a lot of them, or have to join something like the PI Horror Hotel, and I've never really enjoyed that. Plus, I like the idea that you may get a surprise/trick when you do a door. Plus, the worst that can happen is a little xp debt, it isn't a big deal and the patrol xp alone makes up for that many times over. The potential award of x5 xp for defeating one of the new EBs more than makes up for the risk. Thanks for all you do, but, to me, this is a feature not a bug. Honestly, I would prefer it stays the way you currently have it set up, and you spend the time you would need to spend 'fixing' the code on other fun and exciting things.

I think the pet is a really neat idea, but, your right, on a Dom it is greatly overshadowed by the other available pets. I'm keeping it in my build, but that isn't a ringing endorsement. Compared to Singularity it is terrible. Earth and Dark are far more useful. Even Fluffy with its annoying short duration is a step up. Sure, it can do a bunch of powers, but what it is going to do isn't very predictable or done very intelligently. For example, I know what is going to happen with Singularity. With the synth pet, it may shoot a single target hold at the minion I just confused. I take time to target cones, the pet doesn't. At times it does something useful, at times it tanks an enemy, Generally, I really don't notice what it is doing when I solo. It really doesn't make much of an impact. When I group, I have no idea what it is doing, I guess it is useful because I have to resummon it a lot (Singularity does not have that problem) so it must be getting agro and absorbing attacks. That's useful, I guess, but not enough to justify a top power. I guess the best suggestion I can make to improve this pet for Doms is to add a ranged attack power and a melee attach that it would do on its own, or when you do one of those type of attack powers it may fire its attack power. (I was going to suggest adding the ability to copy every T1 assault power, but, frankly, they are not used that often by the time you get the pet and some just will not make sense. Thematically, have it do Shriek nd Strident Echo from Sonic Assault. I can see argument for dropping the -Res and lowering the damage on Strident from High to Moderate but it would still be a vast improvement.) That way it can always do something. Its a little frustrating when you turn around and see your pet being beaten up by an enemy and it is doing nothing. Sure, you hold the enemy, it will then try to hold the enemy but, still, I am her to save kidnapped people not my pet. Again, I applaud the idea, the idea is amazing. Having the pet solely mirror one of the characters two power sets isn't enough. It needs to have something triggered when the player uses the other half of their character.

The nice thing with a costume award is there is no need to balance the game for it. These rewards encourage grouping, are available if you solo (with a drop rate of about 1 per 50 missions run), and form a new kind of reward. Appreciate the Devs for adding something new into the game that allows you to help realize a concept, all be it one that you have to do a little work for, rather than just suggest everything in a category should always be freely given. Sometimes its nice when there is something rare that can be earned. I'm still a little shocked that we get development in this game, and I appreciate all they do even if it isn't to my priority or disagree with it. (Still disagree about the blanket Confuse nerf in ITF higher levels of difficulties. I think they could have done it a better way.)

This happened to me too except it is 'the Path into Darkness Arc' for me. Considering I get the P string in all of the in mission text, I'm curious about the Souvenir at the end.

I like using the Overwelming force kd proc in Mastermind Pets. I can see some use here, but it is so expensive and I don't think it is going to give much beyond the already included Mez effects other than the satisfying fall to the ground and get back up. Once I get to 47, I am considering adding (and I think the powers should take) the Hami-os Endoplasm Exposure (acc/Mez) and Peroxisome Exposure (Dmg/Mez) Hopefully, both of those will buff all the mez powers as well as giving a little more acc and damage. I'm 38 now, it should work, but it will be a few levels before I know for sure. Plus, they are darn cheap in the auction house.

You know, the Symphony Control pet. I planned to put part of one of the Dominator Archtype sets, but those aren't allowed. Currently, I've done 4 slots of Expedient Reinforcement to give some Acc and give a 6.25% recharge. Any other ideas on how to slot this power? With all of the different types of powers it throws around, I really am at a loss of how to better slot it, especially when slots are at a premium in Dominators and the need to chase recharge wherever you can.

Can we change it to go 1-11? Please. . . .

That is part of the fun/strategy of playing a Dom. Immobilization does not go away when they are attacked, it can wear off though. Plus, they can still attack you even though they can't move. Personally, I skip the immobilization powers on my doms as I don't need them soloing, and, in a group, you have to be careful not to use them too early when folks are trying to gather the enemies together for AoE powers. If I want to immobilize, fear, holds, stun are a good substitutes. Immobilization can be very useful in keeping a mob from running around, especially in the later game, but I still skip them. With Fear, the targets only respond to attacks on a one to one basis, and, maybe, run away not attacking to wander back a little later. I would rather enemies only attack me if I attack them then to do as they please. Symphony's fear doesn't have any other effects (other than a little bit of damage) like Dark (-ACC) but still a great power. I use the Energy secondary so great damage, little AoE. I fear a group on approach. Hit one with my single target hold. Take it down. Single target hold has recharged, hold the next and repeat through the spawn. With Sleep, while some skip this power, I find it great to deal with adds or a way to keep things away when your trying to deal with other mobs. First, its an autohit so slot accordingly. Next, it stops the mobs. When I solo, I can sleep a group, then individually pick off each one. In a group, someone is going to wake them up with an AoE attack, but, remember, every moment they sleep is a moment they are not attacking, not buffing, and standing still. Confusion is great. Sure, when they do damage to the enemy and that lowers the xp you get a little, but, man, fighting others and not me, great power. Great to use on Tsoo Sorcerers for a free unreliable heal bot. Sky Raiders Force Field Generators are fun too. See a Sapper? Confuse it. Other fun thing about confuse, if they are the only enemy, they stand there like if they are held. Also, confused enemies do not attack you. Hold powers. You should have the single target hold, that lasts a decent amount of time, even if the target is attacked. Unless your in Domination you'll have to hit a boss twice, but great power. You'll get an AoE version in the late 20s. Great powers. Your a few levels away from a decent stun power. Nice cone, decent damage, and they do not leave stun if attacked. They meander like drunken idiots, but you can still shoot them to your hearts content. I'm a little more concerned for you a truly high levels when Blasters have their nukes and while you will have great holds, enemies are generally defeated so fast it does not matter.

Personally, I'm trying Symp/Energy Assault. Energy has a high damage output and it has a snipe. There are a ton of powers with knockback so you can throw the forcefeedback proc in. Since the knockback powers are all single target, I don't see the need to put in knockback to knowdown procs. I also like the synergy of Confounding Chant and Energy. I considered Psionic Assault, but I didn't want to be tied to one damage type.

I've got a Grav/Savage Dom and a Storm/Grav Controller. I've mostly soloed them, and have unlocked all their incarnates. I would drop Rune of Protection. You are going for Permadom, you don't need the status protection. Personally, I would replace it with Enflame. On my Storm Controller, I will do Gravity Distortion Field to teleport foes into a corner, put Enflame on one, and then proceed to take them out. I also like putting other AoEs there for when they are dropped in. You can also put enflame on your Singularity. I would six slot Gravity Distortion and put the Dominator IO (Ascendency of the Dominator) set in it that procs additional damage. You can have up to three of that proc going. Again, with both my doms, I soloed them and I would use that power as soon as it recharged, especially since it added damage to my other attacks. Put two recharge in hasten, you will not get it permanent with one. I would also take hasten earlier, my doms had permadom in their 40s.

Send yourself an E-Mail in-game and keep it. When your sending Inf, or anything else, between characters, always reply to that E-Mail. Greatly reduces the risk of a ton of Inf going up in smoke because you mistyped something!

Looked at it, had a 50 ill/Rad on Live and now a 50 Ill/TA. Withholding Judgment until I see something official, but first thought is I like it assuming Bind has a hold not a sleep, Spectral Terror still has a -ToHit Component. Swap of Gleam for team invisibility is good. Concerned with the idea that PA is lousing taunt. I don't mind PA changing to Energy damage from Psionic to be consistent with Phantasm, but I don't see what could replace the loss of taunt. That could be just a lack of creativity on my part.

You mean the Force Feedback Proc, right? I've just started an Earth/Energy and I'm curious how if putting that Proc in a good number of powers is worth it.

I've got an Ill/TA that I soloed to 50. One thing that helped me immensely was using the Sorcery Pool for some additional damage.

I really appreciate how well done the additions for the 'redo' are. If you didn't like how Laura Lockhart's arc goes, do yourself a favor and try it again through Oroboroes. Make sure to click on the glowie in the first mission, and follow the instructions.

Your fine. The game is balanced based on SOs. The only time where I say you kinda have to have IO sets and really plan your builds is if your playing a Dominator because you need to plan to get your recharge high enough for domination to be permanent. With that said, use the auction house, look at the hcwiki at the list of enhancement sets. Getting IO sets is not hard or expensive to get IOs for your character. I, personally, enjoy it. Generally each character pays for the next. I don't bother with purple sets but I do fine.

There should be a way to in-game recognize the Devs, GMs and other Volunteers. Certainly inclusion as new contacts, especially with the new task forces. One suggestion I made a while back in when they were soliciting ideas for fleshing out the K. Wharf was to have a Superhero Museum. There you can have 'statutes' of an honored character with a plaque with a quick story about them. Or a screenshot painting on the wall. Also, can we please replace Castle in PI?

Two suggestions from a non-PvPer: 1. Will the Insta 50s have any free Respecs? I can see them wanting to change their build, but, frankly, I would want the respecs just as an easy way to harvest IOs off of the character if I decide to stop using the character. Much better than having to buy a ton of unslotters. 2. If it isn't an large amount of work, a PvP setting that does not take enhancements into consideration. That will allow a faster ability to jump into PvP with less time investment and cost. Frankly, I also see this as a convenient way to try out some powers on a level 50 in the PvP zone against PvE enemies for those who don't want to download the Beta (test) Server.

Personally I would like to see playing of story content encouraged more, maybe some minor reward for a number of non AE Souvenirs. Also, xp feels fine until you hit around 40 then it takes too long to level.

Are you suggesting changing the confusion types of power to something more akin to the current DnD 5e version? Basically the target will either, 1)move in a random direction, 2) stand and do nothing 3)attack a random target in range or 4) act normally. Perhaps for CoH it could be: 1) run in a random direction but not be aggroed 2) dazed 3) become hostile to everything and follow the aggro rules. It may attack one of it's allies, but it would also attack a party member if close. One benefit is that it takes away the joy of making a Tsoo Sorcerer your incompetent heal bot or stealing Force Field Generators from Sky Raiders as I'm suggesting they agrooed to everything. ( I didn't convert the act normally because I've always hated that because you cast the spell, the subject fails its save, and there is a 20% chance then your spell does nothing? Nope, bad design.) If hostile to everything then enemies would attack each other so it could be a little bit better than the current version, but that is only a percentage of the results. Running in a random direction is decent, some groups will hate it, but for someone soloing it lowers the amount of enemies at the moment. Daze is a decent result but not as good as a hold. Currently, Confuse is a great single target hold for enemies that are alone. This would really remove that useful, all be it cheesy use. It would also remove the ability to Confuse enemies to have them buff you. If this change is made, the xp penalty is mitigated a bit because they aren't doing as much damage nor are they as reliable damage dealers to their former allies. Due to the unpredictability added in and the loss of utility, I would remove the xp decrease for damage they do.

Especially brass instruments like Marching Tuba (Contra)

Ideally, my suggestion is to have Confusion mitigation powers, like the Shout power described in this thread that gives a duration Confuse Protect available but otherwise do not implement any additional innate Confuse protection except upon EBs and higher. It is valid to have powers to mitigate or provide defense against confuse, just as it is reasonable for the enemy to try to debuff defense or resistance. With EBs and higher, increase the level of protection a minor boost when triangles are down and a massive boost when up.* It will still be possible, but hard, to confuse any enemy for a period of time, and make it impossible to perma-confuse EBs and up. If a player is solely focusing on limiting one enemy with all their attempts, they are heroes, they should be able to hamper an enemy. Also, that is why the minion cannon flodder is there, if you focus completely on the BBG the minions should take you down. Part of the problem you identified is that confuse is applied without danger, it misses nothing changes. While that is a concern, the bigger one that really should be addressed is inactivity when a confused ally attacks. In my ideal world, that would trigger the anti-confuse buff response and other responses by enemies rather than just standing there and taking it. You don't want enemies fighting each other more, but they should take some positive actions rather than standing there. I am ignorant on the programing aspect, but it would make a whole lot of sense that enemies with an anti-confusion AoE ability would activate that ability when they are damaged by an ally rather than just standing there. I think that is a better way to address your concern than make Confuse essentially not work. Again, I fall on the side of counter not nerf. If there is an enemy mob that does an anti confusion, reward players that work to negate that mob. For example, one of my most common uses for single target confusion is Sappers. I agree with you that confuse has certain bonuses, but you cannot ignore its negatives. Disorient isn't as good as holds as mobs wander, but using Gravity - Wormhole to take an entire group, and shove it into a corner with some DoTs and AOEs are very effective and with little to no risk. Full XP. Gravity ->Wormhole has the same lack of aggro problem when it misses (all your buddies teleported away - continue to act like nothing happened). With the last update, Sapping is far more viable. I currently have a defender that is able to effectively sap groups of mobs with the application of two powers. At most the mobs will get a single attack in. That strategy is effective on most EBs as well admittedly with the use of three powers not just two. (I mainly soloed the character, but I had no problem taking out all the EBs necessary for the Portal Jockey Accolade that way.) Drain End completely, enemies are trivial. No change to xp. (* The only reason I am suggesting a boost when the additional triangle protection is down as I don't think the game was designed with Perma-Dom in mind. Double magnitude for dominators is a game changer for that class. It should be hard to hold EBs even for a short time. I do not suggest a large increase because Controllers still need to be viable, and it is bad enough for the solo controller dealing with EBs as you rely upon the damage bonus you get from holding a foe.)

I'm coming at this from more of a table top RPG view point. Many games make distinctions between class of foes. Some that would go down easily, and the more important enemies that had more hit points, buffs and other boons to make them a greater challenge. To clarify, with your testing of confuse, are you referring to what enemies boss class and below were doing when confused or are you looking at EBs and above acting when confused? If you are looking at EBs and above, then my point remains, buff them EVs and above so you keep them from decimating their allies and fighting the PCs but still allow the PCs to be able to effectively wade through minions. If your looking at Bosses and below, are you looking at what they do to each other or what they are doing the EB and above? Personally, I suggest what confused bosses and below do to each other under confuse is not very important as your are in a situation where PCs have nukes as well as Incarnate AoE powers that will decimate that class of foes as fast or faster than Mass Confusion. I haven't played this new version, but are confused minions really able to tear EBs and above to pieces? Also, I disagree about your rewards analogy. There is still XP at this point, bonus XP even. So Confuse is still causing an XP drop. If the argument is that XP is no longer important at that point, it begs the question of why it was removed form AE when your 50+ if it does not matter? So, its the same penalty, but you are penalized during the mission as well. I appreciate the feedback, but can we just buff EB and above and leave the rest at normal levels of susceptibility? It seems to better meet your needs without nerfing this AT more than it already is. Save this kind of pain for Regeneration. (I kid, I kid)

Absolutely, Confuse is one of the best damage mitigation powers in the game, highly underrated in that regard. But, my point was that you should increase Confuse protection to EBs and up, you remove or lesson the amount of time that they are attacking their allies and not attacking PCs rather than giving 10 mag protection to Bosses and below. Bosses and Below are your cannon flodder at that level of power and enemy concentrations. Removing their attack and aggro is a reasonable use of a tier 4 ability or a tier 9. It is little more than what your getting from a Hold power in that they are fighting each other. Your point is well taken, but I still believe that you would better achieve the stated goal of preventing players cheesing the encounters if you buff EB and up Confuse protection but leave bosses and below unchanged. Its the Big Baddies you want to be aggro and still attacking, the cannon flodder is just decoration. You should be able to effectively fight the flodder.