CFIndustries

Anyone have a fire/rad build they'd like to share? I'm just overwhelmed by MIDS, but would like to try kitting-out my controller.

Sounds like the perfect server for those wanting to exist simply on SOs and generic crafted IOs. Self-limiting and easy to find like-minded users. Nothing wrong with having alts and friends on two separate servers. 🙂

Well, since you kindly invited me to give my 2¢ worth…I quickly skimmed (sorry, crushed for time and I try not to dive too deep on these sorts of things…) and I understand the gist to be the "no set bonuses" noteriety as an option? I'd have no use for it. I have no idea how the math would work out. Since I assume my "kitted" builds are leaning on their bonuses as part of the equation, I assume such a noteriety setting would fundamentally change the playstyle. (NOTE: I don't make my own kitted builds…I try to use MIDS on my own and my brain melts…but I had a friend who made kitted builds custom-tailored to my playstyle back on Live and I still have those builds around.) For example, I know a couple alts I have which would be gutted losing Recovery bonuses, others where the Recharge bonus loss would be terrible. This doesn't even include the +acc, +tohit, +def, +res, and other mechanics which truly spin my brain around with the math involved. This is a game, in the end, not work. I'd have to re-learn how to play such an alt, and…what would be the point? Wouldn't be fun. I don't have that problem with alts that I play from 0–50 on nothing but crafted generic IOs…nothing to relearn since I've been "gimped," as it were, from the get-go.

For those looking for limitations and oldschool gameplay, isn't there a server out there that caters to that? What is Rebirth's restrictions? I really am not an expert on all the variant servers honestly, but I suspect some in this thread might be. And some of these alternative servers have lower populations so maybe their Market is expensive, forcing your hand on builds? Just a thought…

And before I accidentally cause caustic words to be exchanged: I don't have a "solution" to the OP's "problem"…except to agree *I* think it's a problem as well. However, the cat is out of the bag. HC made "easy levelling" a core precept and they got it. Power Creep has happened, it's done. To nerf things will just drive players away, plain and simple. There are servers out there that have the game set to a sort of "Classic" mode and we could go over there if we wanted. I settled on HC because I figured sheer population was a plus, and it has been by and large. But alot has changed and I had to adapt. I solo alot, way more than I ever did on Live. I AE farm alot (mostly solo or close friend); but I feel like I have to on HC (I never did on Live). But as others have said: in this environment, you are responsible for your own fun, especially if you don't fit the mainstream (which apparently I don't). I don't have a good answer—except that nerfing is not the answer.

Yah but RP shouldn't be the answer…and my exposure to RP on HC has so far swung completely the other way (more RP than gameplay). I used to "RP light" on Live (Virtue? Intinity? I forget)…but that middle ground doesn't seem to exist on HC like it did on Live. I found RP on HC to be either awkward or too intense.

To the OP: Most fun I've had is finding a group of players who don't use the IO system (or barely do…just simple crafted generics, not sets) and are chronically low on funds from not using the auction house (except to sell stuff). They also don't use build guides and "feel" their way around a build. Less than a handful even have tried to use the incarnate system. This does a number of things: The game reverts back to the way it was designed and each AT feels relevant again and +2 is a challenge. I've never felt so useful and I can see the impact I make. We work as a team. It's like the old days: we each bring whatever alt we want, it takes a mission or two to find a groove and our synergies, and then the insanity ensues. It becomes as much a social event as game play. We chat mid-mission between fights, we talk about non-game fun, and we've becomes friends (as much as you can with super hero avatars). We're not going after efficiency, just fun. We fight white-cons all the time and crawl through the levels. And you know what? I barely notice. Getting to 50 stops being the only goal…sometimes is just altitis and hanging out with friends. Don't get me wrong, I have 50s, and I have my share of "kitted" alts (as the non-set-IO users in our group call them). I have T4 incarnates. I have a fire farmer in order to afford those super-builds, and I do a lame job of using the auction system. I enjoy using my überalts for their own sake. But yeah, the PuGs are only fun when it's a means to an end or I'm feeling like "being alone in a crowd." I've met very, very few users I'd consider friends or have exchanged meaningful conversation with. I just assumed everyone was just being efficient, or really just out for themselves. Or there are THAT many socially awkward Torch players…like almost all of them? I stopped doing TFs and iTrials because they aren't fun. ITF is still fun for me, and the arc and repeating missions in DA are fun when I really want to test a kitted alt. Thankfully, I found my regular non-kitted friends via a PuG with one member, who introduced me to the larger group. Now I enjoy that low-level, get-off-the-grind gameplay moreso than the "feeling like a God" gameplay.

Quite the opposite usually…PuGs almost universally don't talk on Torchwood, even between missions. Even if I tell bad jokes and make puns, best I can get is "LOL" and silence. And if I stop to type that long the group has moved past 2 more packs of adversaries in the meantime.

I just always assume all chat software with either: Be bought, and my privacy violated by, a large corporation when I'm not looking. Be a hive of scum and villainy, and I'll avoid using it even before it gets bought. I just try and reduce my exposure by avoiding chat systems like this altogether. Besides, I generally find my life is alot more peaceful this way.

I feel you on this…my very first alt to 50 on Live ever (around i3) I rage-deleted after Enhancement Diversification (ED) bcause it made him and his concept (as-designed) worthless and I had no interest in re-imagining him. I was sad and even wrote a bit of fan-fic on his demise as therapy. The story included Stygian Cat "Version 1" (mentioned above) who also got thrashed by ED. I did, however, re-create that first alt for the last day of Live just so I could go out on the same alt I came in on. So he was there until the moment they switched off the servers. But I have not recreated that alt on HC, his kind had no real place post-ED so…no point.

Stygian Cat (Claws/DA scrapper) will always have a special place in my stable. HC will be like the 5th time to 50 with him (one of those was Claws/DA stalker when CoV launched). I've played through every buff and nerf, remember the looping/DA sounds, etc. Not sure why, it really is a masochistic combo even fully IO'd and incarnated, but…he really is a "scrappy" guy. I also love the look of the tiny, creepy, black fluffball with red, glowing eyes and the PBAoE auras. After Styg, Polly's Revenge (Mind/Psi permadom) is my other huge favorite. I just love his costume, concept, and reception amongst teammates and friends. --"POLLY. HATES. CRACKERS." If you were to ask my regular teammates, they'd go with Barium Bunny (Rad/Rad defender). I definitely play him "offender" style and it's amazing how indestructible he can be. He's wearing body armor, but I guess a tiny, male, white-n-green rabbit just screams "cute." --"Hello everybunny!"

If this happened in this community, or IRL, I think I'd wonder what planet I was on. Or throw a party. Or move to wherever these people live. Been reading your posts @TemporalVileTerror, and I find them refreshing. Though I really wish a tickle at the back of my brain didn't also say "naïve." But maybe that sense of unjaded hope is a good thing the world needs a bit more of. Lots more. Having done my small share of volunteer work—including work in supporting state legislation and lesser things like being on an HOA board—I can say that in my experience most people aren't wired this way (this open-minded, rational, self-reflective way you expect) anymore, at least not in the USA. And for that reason, I don't blame the devs at all for not doing anything remotely like giving roadmaps or hints or even a smidge of a promise for something that is part-time and volunteer-based. At least not outside of some small core group. I've all but stopped volunteering because I find it toxic, by-and-large. I give it a go every so often when my hope returns and…am rarely disappointed by the bad taste it leaves. I give kudos to people who do it, and who can get past or gloss over all the bad parts. Or find like minds to make it happen coherently. I enjoy playing here on HC, and just treat it like a game made by Etsy…it happens when it happens, it gets here when it gets here, and if they nerf/boost I can take it or leave it, play or walk away. World has enough drama; USA has more than enough drama. Kudos to the devs for even bothering, and in my limited experience with them, for taking the time and caring. Expecting anything more is being presumptuous on my part and…I just shouldn't. Let the devs have their peace if they choose. In the end I agree with you @TemporalVileTerror about wishing the Devs felt comfortable giving more insight at risk of disappointing us every so often. But I have observed that the internet in almost any form, including forums like this, is sadly not the place to do it.

In addition to duos mentioned by @Grouchybeast, a 6–8 person team of casual players with basic SO or crafted IO builds is nice too. I found such a group and we play +0 to +2 and rely on everyone "doing their job" to pull through, but don't play so hard that we can't drag someone's lowbie alt along to join the fun (or just turn down the difficulty…). When I first joined HC I really felt I had to grind out getting a fully kitted alt to enjoy the rarified air such builds bring to a PI radio ROFLstomp. I felt kinda "dragged along for the ride" on an SO/IO-equipped 50. Now that I've found a group of more casual players where I can feel bad*** without spending billions of influence I'm having more fun, by and large.

Playing 0–50 is my endgame, on boring crafted IOs and maybe the odd tricky pony IO (like +Stealth in Sprint). No farms, no shortcuts. Don't even do DFBs, rarely do TFs. I can't wrap my head around "set IO" builds even using MIDS. Just a mental investment I can't be bothered with. Doesn't bother me at all though, I now have a good group of friends who play the same way with zero interest in the 50+ content. Altaholics all and by no means power gamers. But all my alts get to 50 eventually because I am invested in their concept, which is where the fun is. Then I retire them…I know better than to try playing with incarnates without a really nice set IO-based build. And I'm okay with that. The biggest exception is this: on Live I met a very generous player who complemented me on my ability to play even a sub-par build very well (since I play on concept I often skip powers or take powers and combos that min/max players don't). Since he "liked a challenge" he started making builds tailored just to my odd concepts and wants. He just liked watching me go nuts in higher content with one of his builds. So I have about two dozen of his builds from Live that I am re-building on HC and I enjoy using those 50+ builds to play incarnate missions or just roflstomping Level 50 content. And I have to say, he made me some NICE builds; I am forever grateful. And these will likely forever be my only 50+ builds. One huge exception is my "baby" fire farmer. Due to the changes in the economy on HC vs. Live, in order to afford to make these fancy IO Set builds again, I have resorted to farming. He was farmed from 0–50+ (doorsitting) and is based on a cookie-cutter forum build and played with efficiency in mind. Didn't need to do this on Live, but after a couple months on HC it became obvious it was either farm or give-up on doing any 50+ content ever. I missed my überalts, so… *shrug* Two other exceptions are a permadom built by a different friend on Live, and a defender I leveled to 50 and really wanted to make better and got lucky and found a forum build that matched my existing build mindset. Those two are "kitted" and enjoying 50+ content as well.

Does anyone know of a guide to the visuals associated with the various Incarnate powers? For example, Interface powers don't appear to allow customization, so if I'm picking based on colors/theme, how would I know what they look like? I have an Ice Dragon that I have been sticking to ice/white/blue theme, so Reactive is a bad choice (stuck with in-game orange flames). So either I need a visual guide/reference, or I need to know if any of the Interface have a white/blue or simply "inconspicuous" appearance. Was trying Spectral but with 10% chance of an immob is either really tough to see, or I can't get it to proc while I'm watching. That's when I realized I can't keep burning threads just blindly trying T1 Interface powers. 😜 Are there any other Incarnate powers that don't have visual customization? Would like to know about those in advance…

More content is my vote, specifically pre-50. More DA mission content would be nice for incarnates. I mean even the DA repeatables could use a couple dozen more variations. There are what now, 6 distinct repeatable "radio-like" missions in DA right now? Throw those of us who don't pound-out iTrials (or enjoy them) a bone, eh? And make it interesting. Redside or Goldside interesting, nunanced, clever, etc.

Any chance the Winter Forest could remain on Tunnel in some "de-Christmased" version year-round? I like having my winter-based alts hang out here. It's quite a lovely little mini-map. I'd go a step further and love if there was a base teleport beacon to get there. 🙂

Every alt gets a bio. The bio drives whether it's a hero, villain, or Praetorian. It drives what powers I pick, how I justify them, and how I slot them to a degree. It drives my mindset and playstyle, I involve myself in them as characters. All about the concept for me. All but one of my alt's bios are quite serious, like they are real creatures. All fit the lore (insofar as I keep CoX's lore straight in my memory), or more precisely, they don't outright conflict with the in-game lore. And no, I'm not an RPer. 😉 I used to "RP light" back on Live, but folks on Torch are kinda no fun in that department, so I spare them the oddness. I don't get involved in the full-blown RP scene; not my thing.

Well, you've probably seen the other shoe finally drop for the Apple laptops and Mini. What bothers me is this: I have a mid-2012 Mac Pro (the last of the "cheesegrater Macs") and an upgraded Metal-capable video card so…I can get as far as Mojave. I had been looking at one of the new Mac Pros, but the $10,000 cost was bit of a heart-attack (I'm a designer, classic gamer, and run multiple virtual machines via Parallels…the low-end gear isn't enough). I had just settled into the idea of being able to use a Mac laptop with a GPU (I need three non-Apple displays and this was really the only good way to do this on a laptop). But the horsepower seemed there, so that was my idea. This also seemed the best way to manage having literally dozens of USB devices (plug them into the GPU instead of the laptop). But the new laptops have on-die RAM as part of the stack, and only 16 GB. Not upgradable as near as I can tell. WTF? I need 20 at least, and really 32+ is what I need. And the new Apple silicone only has one Thunderbolt channel (not the TWO on current laptops and I have no idea how many on the Pro). And what does Apple Silicone mean for virtual machines? I run my basic PC needs that way, and some web QA work this way. I guess I'm back to the big $10,000 beastie? Or are those going to go to Apple Silicone too? If so, they need ALOT more RAM and more Thunderbolt channels. Glad I can survive on Mojave for a while, and use my work Mac laptop for anything I need Catalina+ for. Going to be putting off new Mac purchasing for home as long as possible to see how this all pans out. Windows really isn't in the cards due to my profession; though I might have to build another dedicated PC again if virtual machines become too difficult or performance isn't there. The next 2–5 years is going to be interesting…

I've rarely like the choices in Titles, they rarely fit my concepts. All my alts are animal/creatures and self-aggrandizing isn't in their nature. I don't badge hunt, but if I get an appropriate badge at random that is suitable to the alt's story or behavior, I'll use those. Heck, I don't even bother to change the colors on my name/title/badge or my thought bubbles anymore. I still write bios though; mostly for me, since few others ever read them.

Well, at least once ED hit on Live. Before that, skilled "pure empathy" defenders were well regarded by a large population of average/typical players. I cut my CoH teeth on such an alt and the inspiration of PCSAR. And not all of us had the Medicine pool, we took Leadership, Flight, and the Teleport pool. I recall having more than one attack (though poorly slotted, I was the popular Emp/Elec) I burned my pure empathy defender once ED hit; that alt was basically invalidated and I didn't feel like respec'ing him since he was a 50 and it wouldn't be the same experience. I haven't played empathy since, to be honest. The memories of what it once was just make me cranky.

I rebuilt my DB/WP scrapper from Live, was just as much fun as I remember. I am rebuilding my Claws/DA scrapper build from Live. Requires a certain level of masochism but this will be the…fourth? fifth?…time I've played 0–50 with a Claws/DA scrapper. I first did this combo back with the looping DA sounds and no IOs…we were a very rare breed back then…

@Blackfeather It does, thank you. But it's unfortunate. It still means using the power(s) very sparingly and generally if I have to concentrate too much on how stingy I have to be before using an optional power, I just don't bother. If it's not reliable, I don't want to count on it. If I have to try earning a bunch of different powers to make it work, it's too complicated. If I have to exit a mission and spend time deciding if I should use a teleport power (or which one!) or run to the transit…I just stop looking and run to the transit. That's just me and likely NOT the majority of players as I see it on Homecoming. Also unfortunate. It was a fun run, we were told not to rely on the slash command. Point taken; I'm not allowed to consider this a nerf. I was just hoping for…something closer to the convenience of the dev command, that's all. I've played this game since i3 and will survive going back to transit/tunnel/ferry/Ouro/fixed SG Portals. Maybe I'll luck out and tailgate through someone else's dropped portal now and again as an added side effect. 😉

Even one of those would do it, yes. THANKS @Blackfeather. Since I don't usually go looking for the Day Job powers (I just park where it's handy), how are these two earned? Is it still 10 days worth of logged out (so more practically probably 12–15 calendar days depending on your daily game time)? So basically unavailable to new alts? Are the day jobs the ones that rely on "charges"? If so, how many charges would build up over the course of 20–24 hours logged out in the proper location? Would it be the max of 30 charges? Depending on the circumstances I've been known to use the base macro now a dozen or more times in a 2–4 hour session either solo or farming (it's just convenient to go to the base for most transportation needs, bop into base for recipe pieces, bop out to use auction house, bop back in because I forgot something…).

I tried reading entirely through this but my eyes and brain started to hurt. Overlapping options, expensive P2W stuff, long recharges…can someone just clarify: Is there ONE power, that is free (or nearly so…I don't marketeer or farm at a level where 10m is remotely "affordable"), that has a sub 5m cooldown, that replaces the current base-slash-command-we-shouldn't-have? Okay maybe TWO powers...use one while the other is cooling down. SYNOPSIS. My brain needs *easy*. Otherwise, this all loosely translates to "welp, buck up and use the oldschool transit options unless you happen to be near a base portal." I mean that sucks, but whatever…just give me the Cliff Notes version. I tend to like options, but this change needs an Excel spreadsheet and detailed instructions…