Stormwalker

I mean, this is absolutely true for truly new players. But how many truly new players does this game have anymore? Most of us are on alt 20+ by now (me, I'm on alt 50+ by now, and some have way more than me).

That would be nice, in that we'd be able to switch back and forth situationally, but I'm pretty sure you're right that they'd never do it on account of them seeing it as too good. Not that Energy Blast has ever been one of the top-performing blaster primaries, so I don't know why anyone ought to be worried about making it too good!

Yeah, there's always a part of me that is tempted to remove my KB -> KD from Nova (especially since I realized that Nova is actually usable with Hover these days since it doesn't have the crash it had on Live, so I can still get KD that way), for exactly that reason. That, and, conceptually, it's an outward blast and ought to do KB. But I keep coming back to the fact that in team situations having Nova do KB really does make it very hard to use if the ceiling isn't high enough for Hover, and not having Nova avaialble just takes an *enormous* bite out of an Energy Blaster's offense. So it's the one power in Energy Blast that I accept the necessity of KB -> KD in, even though I don't want to. But it was pretty fun when soloing back in the old days to launch the spawn across the room in six different directions.

Yeah, I slot Overwhelming Force in Nova (minus one of the minor pieces, in exchange for a Force Feedback proc), so I already convert Nova's KB -> KD in my build.

As I've already said, I'm all in favor of making Explosive Blast KU. That would be cool, and it would make sense. The melee AT Epic version of Torrent is already KD, so there is a precedent, but I would honestly prefer it not be changed. Torrent is my go-to "push them all into the corner" power, and it's also the power I use when soloing if I get too much aggro (for example, if I run into a double spawn) and need to clear out some enemies to buy myself some time to thin them out a bit. KD doesn't accomplish that. Of course, if Explosive Blast got changed to KU, I could use it for that situation (KU accomplishes this significantly better than KD, since it keeps them off their feet longer). and then having Torrent be KD would bother me less.

Well, that was kind of what I was getting at... to say it's pointless, and then do it anyway is self-defeating. Not that I haven't done exactly the same thing myself a few times, so it wasn't meant as a criticism. Just an observation. It'd be pretty darn hypocritical of me to actually criticize for that! That said, I will quibble just a little bit with your take on the KB-defender's argument. Personally, I think KB is a positive control in solo play and some small-group situations. In large group play, KB is a mixed bag. There are situations where it has utility, especially in indoor missions. There are also situations where it can be detrimental if not carefully managed. The thing is, managing KB is... not really all that difficult. Mostly it is about situational awareness.

You state that you can't argue with people about Knockback, and then you make arguments about Knockback. That's a little self-defeating, isn't it?

The Clockwork being weak to knockback is not really relevant to this topic given that the whole suggestion being discussed (a toggle to turn KB into KD) would not address that problem to begin with. The fact that KB vulnerability turns KD into KB is a problem in and of itself, because it 1). creates KB where there wasn't any initially, and 2). removes most of the existing tooils for KB management (Hover still works, though. For that matter, so does jump-jousting).

KB only makes a TF awful if the player doesn't make the effort to manage it properly. While I've had plenty of players gripe when I joined a team on an energy blaster, the complaints have always stopped once the team got rolling, because I know what I'm doing. My rules of KB are very simple: 1. I am careful not to knock back enemies that melee characters are currently targeting. 2. If I knock back a single target, then I'm claiming that target and I'm going to finish it off, so you don't need to worry about it. 3. When I use my AoE attacks, I will either 1) knock things into a corner where they will stay nicely herded, or 2). use Hover to turn my KB into KD. 4. If something aggro's on me and gets in my face, and if there isn't room for me to fly up out of its reach, yes, I'm going to Power Thrust it. And then I'll finish it off, because see #2 above. I've never had anyone complain to me about my KB in a team once the team actually got rolling. The only complaints I've ever had were people who just assumed that any Energy Blaster would be a disaster for the party. The Synapse TF isn't awful because of KB. It's awful because of bad players and mostly because it's a bad TF to begin with.

I mean, I'd be totally in favor of slamming enemies into walls doing additional damage.

Thanks for the response, and especially the details in the previous post. Understanding why people slot things the way they do is often more important than just seeing how they do it, so the fact that you took the time to cover the reasoning is very helpful.

It wouldn't fit for a lot of energy powers because they're clearly intended to be kinetic bolts (and thus push the target away from the blaster), but Explosive Blast is an exception there since the animation suggests it detonates at a particular point and thus by modifying the point at which it detonates you can justify it knocking enemies in whatever direction you want. For KU, you just make it detonate at their feet. In fact, that would actually make MORE sense than the current behavior (which pushes the enemies away from the blaster, rather than the detonation point), but the current implementation is a compromise between game mechanics and verisimilitude, because the mroe realistic behavior (a scatter bomb, effectively) is not a good outcome for anyone in game mechanics. Changing it to KU (if you moved the power fx down to the target's feet) would solve both problems - it would make more sense, AND be better mechanically.

Yes, I'm aware. As I've already said in this thread, I DO slot KB -> KD in Nova. Because Nova's omnidirectional KB is actually pretty difficult to make effective use of (there are ways, including jousting and Hover, but it's tricky) so I slot KB -> KD in Nova as a minor concession to practicality). I also slot KB -> KD in Shockwave on my Claws scrappers and Brutes, for the reason that it gives Shockwave much better synergy with Spin., and I plan to slot it in Hand Clap on my SS Tanker when she actually takes Hand Clap for equally obvious reasons. But since you said that you didn't read most of my comment, I suppose you missed the part where I said that my concern was of giving players the ammunition of "it's easy to turn your KB off, so you should just do it," and not wanting to be told how to play. Actually, I will note there is one minor change I wouldn't mind making at all to Energy Blast, because it would still make perfect sense with Energy Blast's concussive blasts concept. Why not turn Explosive Blast into KnockUp instead of KnockBack? Just move the power fx down to floor level and have it blast everyone up into the air?

I'm frankly offended at you calling my response (the one Grouchybeast was quoting) disingenuous. disingenuous /dĭs″ĭn-jĕn′yoo͞-əs/ adjective Not straightforward or candid; insincere or calculating. Pretending to be unaware or unsophisticated; faux-naïf. Unaware or uninformed; naive. To be blunt, I was completely candid about my opinion. As I said, "I like Energy Blast the way it is." Do note that the comment I was replying to there was one that was, in fact, specific to Energy Blast, and was specifically suggesting changes to the set (to Explosive Blast and to Power Push, in particular). I am opposed to changing the set. Period. I am also opposed to the KB to KD toggle, and I've already stated my reason for that, in a different comment than the one that was quoted by Grouchybeast. You can say you disagree with me all you want and I will not take offense at that. You have a right to your opinion and I have a right to mine. But suggesting that I am in some way misrepresenting my opinion just because it's a viewpoint you don't agree with (or possibly don't understand, since I get the impression that you truly do not grasp why this is important to me) is out of bounds. Let me put this in different terms. I'd rate my degree of opposition to changing the Energy Blast set at a 10 on a 1-10 scale. I'm about as violently opposed to that idea as I can possibly be about something in a video game. If the knockback in Energy Blast powers was replaced by other effects as the person I was replying to was suggesting, I would retire my Energy Blaster, because her character concept would no longer work. It depends on her powers being "projection of blasts of focused light and kinetic force". Which is to say, concussive blasts. This is a character I'm very passionate about, for reasons: She's been with me a very long time. I originally created her on Live around Issue 5 or so. She's also the very first character i created on Homecoming when I started playing here. She's my favorite character concept I've ever created, and a character I've written fiction for (some bits of which are even posted on the Roleplaying forum here). Her character name is my global name on Torchbearer. In summary, changing the knockback in the Energy Blast set would actually cause me to stop playing my favorite character. By contrast, I'd rate my opposition to a KB -> KD toggle as about a 5 or 6 out of 10. I don't want it, and I'll argue against it, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. I'd just be unhappy with it. As I've said, I'm concerned about the normalization of KB -> KD causing players to start booting people from teams again the way sometimes happened back on Live. This concern is based on my own personal experiences playing an Energy Blaster on Live. I haven't run into this problem on HC... yet. But I've had enough experiences in enough different online games that I am betting that if turning off KB was a toggle, you'd start seeing players insisting on other players using that toggle when joining teams. I don't want to be told how to play by someone else. I know how to use Knockback properly. I don't go scattering the spawn all over the place, because I'm not an idiot. Also, I have Hover on my Energy Blaster, and proper positioning plus Hover enables you to turn KB into KD without needing a toggle for it (or slotting for it) in most situations (and in the situations where the ceiling is too low for that, like cave maps, there are lots of convenient walls to slam enemies into. I sure as Hell don't want to give up the KB in Power Thrust, which is my "get out of my face" button, just because someone doesn't trust me to manage my KB correctly. These are my feelings on the subject, candid and raw. You can think I'm wrong, but don't say I'm misrepresenting my opinion. Also, speaking of disingenuous, I find the statement that KD is equally effective as mitigation to KB to be that. Because enemies get up faster from KD than they do from KB, and also KB pushes enemies out of melee range (which is why I have Power Thrust slotted for KB - if a Rikti with a giant sword that will take half my health in one hit is in my face, I don't just want him on the floor, I want him out of melee range! I have soft-capped ranged defense - he can shoot at me all he wants, but I don't want him swinging that sword at me. Anyway, sorry for being long-winded, but as noted, I'm a bit offended and that tends to lead to rants. Edit: Fixed a wrong word that changed the meaning of a sentence a whole lot.

The specific comment I was replying to here was one specifically suggesting changing the way certain Energy Blast powers work - i.e. replacing the KB with other effects. So, no, in that case, it isn't.

I like Explosive Blast the way it is. I don't care what they do with Power Push, since I don't take that power. Also, y'know, some of us play concept characters and changes like people are suggesring don't necessarily play well with existing character concepts. Energy Blast as a ser is conceptually themed around concussive blasts. If you start making the powers do things that aren't consistent with that theme, you're messing with a lot of players' concepts and character themes and some of them are likely to get upser. There is no need to change Energy Blast. It's fine as it is. The KB is one of the defining characteristics of the set, and that is as it should be.

I am against option 2 because I don't want to join teams on my energy blaster only to get kicked for not being willing to turn on that toggle. Back on live, people used to try to get me kicked off TF's just for being energy/energy, before we had done a single fight. Funnily enough, once the battles started and they realized I knew what I was doing, the complaints quickly stopped. Thankfully, the ones doing the complaining were not the leaders. So, I'm pretty sure if such a toggle existed there would be players who would demand it be used. Granted, the HC community as a whole seems more mature than the community on Live was (probably because we are all older than we were then), so I expect there would be fewer of those players, but the problem remains - if you normalize KB -> KD, some players will use this as a justification for not using KB -> KD being "wrong". For reference, on my energy blaster, I slot KB -> KD in Nova, and ONLY Nova. And Power Thrust is slotted for KB because it is my self-defense button.

I did some tanking on a Brute back on Live and didn't have issues with holding aggro without a taunt. I figured a Tanker's taunt aura and Gauntlet would be more effective than a Brute's? Or is tanking that much harder on HC than it was on Live? (Note: I'm not planning on running Hard Modes with this character.)

Well, that tells you how long it's been since I've played an Invulnerability character. I had completely forgotten that Unyielding does more than status protection. Thanks.

So, I've been leveling an Inv/SS Tanker on the side. She just got to 25 this morning, and having acquired Rage at 24, she is suddenly a monster, and I am thinking I am going to be playing her more going forward than I have been, because she's very quickly become much more fun to play. Concept is she's something of a "mad engineer" who built her own powersuit. Kind of aimed for a classic Bubblegum Crisis sort of look with her. Now, I solo a large majority of the time, but I want to be able to tank for teams as well, so my build needs to accommodate both styles of play. My problem is... I'm used to building Scrappers. I've never had a high-level Tanker before. I'm aware of some of the fundamental differences (higher resist caps and higher HP, for example), but I'm sure there are ramifications of the differences between AT's on how you build them that I'm not all that familiar with. So... I've put together a build that looks like it ought to be plenty survivable,, but I expect that I have probably failed to account for some things that I should be considering. I built more for Resistance than for Defense, though there is still quite a bit of Defense in the build (not soft-capped, though S/L defense is soft-capped with 4 targets in Invincibility range). Energy/Negative seems to be my primary weakness with only 52.5% resist and 36.4% defense, but I don't see a lot of possibilities to improve that. And I do have Unstoppable available for emergencies. I feel like the build's damage output when soloing should be acceptable, at least. I'm also not sure which Alpha, Destiny, and Hybrid powers I should be looking at here. I will probably go Diamagnetic on Interface, Mighty on Judgement, and Robotic Drones on Lore for concept reasons. My scrappers usually go for Musculature, Barrier, and Assault, but I'm not sure I'll actually need Barrier here (though it seems like a good idea to have if I'm going to be tanking) and I'm not sure how effective Musculature and Assault would be on a Tanker. Any advice is recommended. Build link is here: https://api.midsreborn.com/build/download/FEzDHrssWWFAA91W Sylvie Stardrive - Hero Tanker Build plan made with Mids' Reborn v3.7.5 rev. 21 ────────────────────────────── Primary powerset: InvulnerabilitySecondary powerset: Super StrengthPool powerset (#1): SpeedPool powerset (#2): LeapingPool powerset (#3): FightingPool powerset (#4): PresenceEpic powerset: Energy Mastery ────────────────────────────── Powers taken: Level 1: Resist Physical Damage A: Steadfast Protection: Resistance/+Def 3%3: Titanium Coating: Resistance42: Titanium Coating: Resistance/Endurance Level 1: Punch A: Hecatomb: Damage3: Hecatomb: Damage/Recharge5: Hecatomb: Damage/Recharge/Accuracy5: Hecatomb: Recharge/Accuracy7: Hecatomb: Damage/Endurance7: Hecatomb: Chance of Damage(Negative) Level 2: Temp Invulnerability A: Gladiator's Armor: End/Resist9: Gladiator's Armor: Recharge/Resist9: Gladiator's Armor: Recharge/Endurance11: Gladiator's Armor: Resistance/Rech/End40: Gladiator's Armor: Resistance42: Gladiator's Armor: TP Protection +3% Def (All) Level 4: Haymaker A: Superior Might of the Tanker: Accuracy/Damage11: Superior Might of the Tanker: Damage/Recharge13: Superior Might of the Tanker: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge13: Superior Might of the Tanker: Damage/Endurance/Recharge15: Superior Might of the Tanker: Recharge/Chance for +Res(All)15: Superior Might of the Tanker: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge Level 6: Dull Pain A: Numina's Convalesence: Heal/Endurance17: Numina's Convalesence: Endurance/Recharge17: Numina's Convalesence: Heal/Recharge19: Numina's Convalesence: Heal/Endurance/Recharge37: Numina's Convalesence: Heal37: Numina's Convalesence: +Regeneration/+Recovery Level 8: Unyielding A: Invention: Endurance Reduction Level 10: Hasten A: Invention: Recharge Reduction19: Invention: Recharge Reduction Level 12: Resist Elements A: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance21: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance/Endurance45: Unbreakable Guard: RechargeTime/Resistance45: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime46: Unbreakable Guard: Endurance/RechargeTime Level 14: Super Jump A: Winter's Gift: Slow Resistance (20%)36: Winter's Gift: Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range Level 16: Resist Energies A: Unbreakable Guard: +Max HP21: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance36: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance/Endurance43: Unbreakable Guard: RechargeTime/Resistance48: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime50: Unbreakable Guard: Endurance/RechargeTime Level 18: Invincibility A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed23: Reactive Defenses: Scaling Resist Damage23: Reactive Defenses: Defense25: Reactive Defenses: Defense/Endurance43: Reactive Defenses: Defense/RechargeTime Level 20: Knockout Blow A: Superior Gauntleted Fist: Accuracy/Damage25: Superior Gauntleted Fist: Damage/RechargeTime27: Superior Gauntleted Fist: Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime27: Superior Gauntleted Fist: Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime29: Superior Gauntleted Fist: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime29: Superior Gauntleted Fist: RechargeTime/+Absorb Level 22: Tough Hide A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed31: Luck of the Gambler: Defense Level 24: Rage A: Invention: Recharge Reduction31: Invention: Recharge Reduction Level 26: Unstoppable A: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance31: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance/Endurance45: Unbreakable Guard: Endurance/RechargeTime46: Unbreakable Guard: RechargeTime/Resistance46: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime Level 28: Combat Jumping A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 30: Foot Stomp A: Armageddon: Damage33: Armageddon: Damage/Recharge33: Armageddon: Damage/Recharge/Accuracy33: Armageddon: Recharge/Accuracy34: Armageddon: Damage/Endurance34: Armageddon: Chance for Fire Damage Level 32: Kick A: Superior Blistering Cold: Damage/Endurance/Accuracy/RechargeTime43: Blistering Cold: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance Level 35: Boxing A: Superior Blistering Cold: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge36: Superior Blistering Cold: Accuracy/Damage Level 38: Weave A: Shield Wall: +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)39: Shield Wall: Defense39: Shield Wall: Defense/Endurance39: Shield Wall: Defense/Endurance/Recharge42: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 41: Conserve Power A: Invention: Endurance Reduction Level 44: Physical Perfection A: Power Transfer: Chance to Heal Self50: Invention: Healing Level 47: Hand Clap A: Sudden Acceleration: Knockback/Recharge48: Sudden Acceleration: Knockback/Damage/Recharge48: Sudden Acceleration: Knockback/Accuracy/Damage50: Sudden Acceleration: Knockback to Knockdown Level 49: Focused Accuracy A: Invention: Endurance Reduction ────────────────────────────── Inherents: Level 1: Brawl A: Invention: Accuracy Level 1: Gauntlet Level 1: Sprint A: Invention: Run Speed Level 2: Rest A: Invention: Healing Level 1: Swift A: Invention: Run Speed Level 1: Health A: Miracle: +Recovery37: Preventive Medicine: Chance for +Absorb40: Panacea: +Hit Points/Endurance40: Miracle: Heal Level 1: Hurdle A: Invention: Jumping Level 1: Stamina A: Performance Shifter: Chance for +End34: Performance Shifter: EndMod Level 14: Double Jump ────────────────────────────── Accolades: Freedom Phalanx ReservePortal JockeyTask Force CommanderThe Atlas Medallion

Well. Real life got to me and I was away for a very long time. But I'm back... and I still haven't finished this story, but I am still working on it. So... here's the next scene: Skylancer stuffed her civilian clothes in the locker she kept on campus, then tucked the cellphone into its designated pouch on her right arm. Two soft beeps sounded in her ear as it engaged her costume's comm rig, and a holographic display sprang to life in front of her eyes. Already the system was connecting to air traffic control to keep them apprised of her location and vector; it was doubly important for this trip, since she'd be leaving the city... and in a hurry. She stepped out of the locker room, letting the heavy door close behind her. Once she was past that obstacle, she floated quickly down the hall, moving with an effortless ease that had come only with long practice. Even in close quarters, she could fly more quickly than she could run, and with greater control. It was an ability that seemed to unnerve some of her non-superpowered classmates, so she saved it for when she was in costume or in a hurry. This time, she was both, and not terribly concerned over whether anyone else was disturbed by the sight. She followed the corridor into the main entry hall, and from there she moved to the building's back doors. She touched down lightly in order to gain leverage to open the door, and stepped outside. Then, abruptly, she blazed into the sky like a Fourth of July rocket, a red-and-blue blur leaving a trail of white light as she ascended into the heavens. She'd catch some flak for that later, she thought... she'd blown past the 100-mph in-city legal limit well before she was above War Wall altitude. Once she was clear of speed-restricted airspace, she really poured on the acceleration, watching the airspeed indicator in her holo-HUD surge into the triple digits as the familar skyline fell away beneath her. Navicom fed her coordinates, and she turned northwest, headed inland. Reminding herself to keep it under Mach 1, lest she get herself in federal hot water for sonic booms over a populated area, she eased off the power at just over 400 mph. Moments later, she reached the top of her arcing ascent and angled herself downward toward the destination marker on her display and noted her ETA: three minutes. It wouldn't give her much time to think, but that was really the idea. Already her mind was reeling with the possibilities. The theft had not been a random act, that much she was sure of... whoever had stolen the cell samples knew exactly what they were doing. How they had known, she would have to find out, but she'd need the details first, and she was not about to ask for that kind of information over the phone. More importantly, who had stolen them, and what did they plan to use them for? She could think of several reasons, and none of them were good. She decelerated rapidly as the hospital came into view, making note of the two police cars near the main entrance. She pulled up short, settling lightly to the ground, then paused a moment to take a couple of deep breaths and settle herself. She had to keep her fear and her anger in check, she told herself; if she came off as overly emotional, the police might hesitate to give her the information she needed. The fact that she was personally involved in this case would be a detriment in their eyes, but it was exactly the reason she had to see it through. Finally, drawing herself up, she walked through the automatic doors and into the reception area. "Ah... hello, Celeste," the receptionist greeted her nervously. She seemed almost fearful, Skylancer thought; had the theft spooked her that badly, or was she afraid of some kind of retribution? She shook her head, hoping it was the former; it was all well and good if the bad guys were afraid of her, but the last thing she wanted was to terrify people who knew her. "We're very sorry about--" "I know," Skylancer interrupted in the gentlest tone she could manage, which… she had to admit was not quite as gentle as she would have liked. "Sorry. Didn’t mean to cut you off; this is a bit stressful for me. I’m not here to blame anyone; I just want to get the details so that I can start tracking down the thief. Dr. Harold said he'd be waiting for me?" "Oh, yes," the receptionist nodded, suddenly remembering her responsibilities. "He's in the lab, where the theft occurred. The police are there as well. From the elevators, it'll be the fourth door on the left." "Thanks." It took a couple of minutes, mostly spent waiting for the elevator, to get to the lab. Dr. Harold greeted her when she came in. "Hello, Cel--er, Skylancer," the tall, thin, doctor addressed her, recognizing that her appearance in costume made this a professional visit. "The police are still going over the scene, but there's very little evidence to find, I'm afraid." He shook his head and sighed. "It had to be an inside job. None of the locks were forced, and only an employee here would know about the work that we were doing." "What about the security cameras?" She remembered seeing cameras in the labs during her previous visits to the hospital, as well as in the hallways and lobby. "Nothing. Someone shut down the entire system. Our security chief is obviously a suspect, but between you and me, I don't think he was involved. First of all, he's always seemed like an honest man--though I'd say that about almost anyone on our staff, which clearly calls my judgement into question now--but I also don't think he's stupid enough to do something that would so blatantly implicate him. Of course, the police aren't willing to rule anyone out at this point, and I certainly don't intend to interfere in the investigation." "Fingerprints?" Skylancer was starting to form her own suspicions, though she wondered if her experiences as a hero were coloring her viewpoint. He sighed. "They're still looking, so I can't get in there, but I don't think they've found any. Whoever did this was careful." She nodded. Whoever did this, she thought, wasn’t just careful. This was the work of a professional. A common thief wouldn't know what to do with such a prize. It wasn't something one could pawn or sell online. One could possibly sell it at Wentworth’s, but most of its value was derived from its source, and publicly admitting one was selling cell samples form an active hero was a really quick way to get a visit from agents of the FBSA. No, to sell something like this, the thief needed a buyer before they stole it. Even better for the thief would be to have someone hire them to steal it in the first place. "No witnesses, I assume?" "None." He grimaced. "We don't just leave these labs unattended all day, you know. There are people in and out of here all the time." "I know." She frowned, thinking for a moment, then looked toward the open door at the other end of the room. "I'm going to go talk to the investigators. I think this is going to be a job for a hero." Or two or three or maybe a dozen, she thought. She made a mental note to check the operational roster for Trouble Incorporated. Wherever this path lead, she was sure of one thing: When she found what was waiting at the end, she'd need backup.

Cauterizing Aura seems to take a fairly dizzying array of different enhancement types and enhancement set types. What's the most effective way to slot this power? Should I slot it for healing like other Blaster sustains? For damage? Does it need accuracy? At my current level (23) I don't feel like I need more Recovery, but I don't know if that will still be true at higher levels.

I've added some new ones. Kill O'Watts is my Electric/Electric Brute. Obviously, he's a villain. No, that isn't his real name. Perfect Ten was a world-class competitive gymnast in Praetoria before her athletic prowess became so great that she was required to register with Powers Division (and yes, I know that gymnastic scoring has changed and there is no such thing as a Perfect Ten anymore, but she's Praetorian and I'm headcanon-ing that it's still a thing there. Also, she's totally suggesting that she herself is a "ten". Flying Tigress is a Claws/SR hoverbrute. She's a mutant tiger-girl who is a relative of an aviator from the First American Volunteer Group of the ROC Air Force in WWII, the "Flying Tigers". I tried to add some retro aviator theme to her costume to suit. I may ditch the scarf-cape, though, since it doesn't really look like a scarf around her neck.

It depends on the attack. If the attack has a positional component, positional defenses will work. If it doesn't, they won't. I don't recall my /SR's ever having problems against Silver Mantis, but it's been quite a while since the last time I fought her on one. As for Staff, it's a fun set, and its AoE is pretty solid, but its single target damage is terrible. I enjoy my (level 46) Staff/WP quite a bit, and she's very, very hard to kill, but she'll never come close to my Claws/SR or my Energy/Energy in the damage output department.

You pretty much said it all right here. My two level 50 scrappers (Claws/SR and Energy/Energy) on HC can run +4/x8 against most villain groups if I want to. The several 50 scrappers (Claws/SR, DM/DA, Katana/Regen, DM/Regen, and I know I'm forgetting some) and the two 50 brutes (EM/Inv and SS/Inv) that I had on Live could do it also. The groups that each character has (or had, in the case of the ones on live) problems with are different, because different powersets and different builds have different weaknesses. And all of those weaknesses can be overcome if you're willing to go to enough trouble to do it. For that matter, the only 50 I have ever had that couldn't solo at +4/x8 was a blaster. And I'm sure if I'd had a better build for her, she could have done it, too, but she was a pure concept character and I generally suck at building blasters anyhow. That said, I usually don't solo at +4/x8, even though I can. Why? Because it's slow and I am just not that patient most of the time. Sometimes I will do it just for the challenge, or to savor the feeling of being able to do it, or to test some tweak to one of my builds... but doing it all the time? Ain't nobody got time for that (except obviously some people do... but those people are not me)!