Yomo Kimyata

An additional reason to respec: When you respec, you get to put slots wherever you want them, and are not restricted like you are in normal leveling. If you pick a power at lvl 49, it comes with the base slot and you can add up to three slots when you ding 50. But if you respec, you can put up to five there. Note: to the best of my knowledge, Mids will not let you model this. This also comes in useful at lower levels. You can now pick your primary T9 at lvl 26 (*cough cough power creep*), but you can’t normally have it 6-slotted until you ding lvl 31. But if you respec at 26, you can add five slots there (of course, you are losing slots from other powers).

and huges

To me, this summarizes to where to put the Critical Strikes proc (and maybe how many pieces of Critical Strikes to slot with it). I like to approach that question with 1: what attack is going to be a part of my rotation that will have a good chance to activate; and 2: which/how many attacks can I expect to get off that will benefit from the proc if activated. For a pure single target rotation, you'll get the best proc chances from Midnight Grasp, but that means of course you can't get the proc bonus on Midnight Grasp which is a big hitter. Since most of my melee is fighting as many critters as possible, I generally put it in Shadow Maul. If you are hitting five minions, you have five chances for the proc to activate, which means that the chances of the proc NOT activating is minimal. The problem here is when you are down to one hard target your overall activation chances will drop. Next, sadly, it helps to understand the mechanics of the combat system and the proc. When it activates, there is a 3.25 second period when the bonus is in play. But understanding when that bonus activates is important. Example: Midnight Grasp has a 2.244 second Arcanatime, which means it takes a total of 2.244 seconds to activate and execute fully. It also has 0.533 second Animation Time before Effect, which is when it checks for things like does the power hit and damage and proc effects. (All of these numbers are from City of Data (all hail Uberguy)). So if you have the proc in Midnight Grasp and you activate it, after 0.533 seconds it checks to see if the proc activates, and then you have 1.711 seconds of what I call dead time as the power finishes animations and such. This cuts into the 3.25 seconds of active proc bonus, which leaves you with 1.539 seconds of active time. Now, in order for the proc bonus to work for the next power you activate, it needs to have less than 1.539 seconds Animation Time Before Effect. All powers in Dark Melee except Soul Drain do. In fact, what you could do is get off two attacks if the Arcanatime of the first attack plus the Animation Time Before Effect of the second power < 1.539 seconds. Shadow Punch then Shadow Maul should work. In general, I assume that I will be able to get one attack off after/if the proc activates, but I check to see if certain powers will not work.

I want empathy melee and empathy armor.

For a long while I did not, but nowadays if I am using Sorcery, Force of Will, or Experimentation I will take whatever travel power is there.

Also, blasters now get "Contra Cheat Code" levels of recovery and regeneration

Everyone knows birds aren't real! https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/26/science/birds-birdwatching-nemesis.html?unlocked_article_code=ptj6q31Qhr6MjVBXeGRLtsNLj2_Zw6ctNDFLGcZvpy5SMaoicqsyEQbvZ2poY6wizhae-BNdjfSxsSg9-LFHWUKE4jkXAY60uMd-Vo-laSKmbBwY9XZ9AakOZkJrbzpkjqslm-WmJ683duvlFSdXgYxi3EvfghDbO8eSMfjk9eGUc1ltgGVLrNbcxKJy66a6eCCKobQmnCLCm0uiTdwaQnh0K4FGuP5qpPwLrv4rxJ2zpzLJFjhtQfcdTJjEYQYuH3nw_F_deoU89hb_3p1qbQDkDW1ipCznzfNBnUozhl1lQarQ4OIzmtk_JanhgyBBDvIml6sS-67_c_QCEx_s_KYq_j0&smid=url-share

Iron Will, that’s where it’s at!

Not to be flip, but what about break-frees? Alternatively, ranged defense.

Here's my current favorite. I laugh every time I see "Oh no! A Brazilian Monkey!!!"

*Nods*. It’s worthwhile watching that number if you are a buyer. The 10mm number is also useful insofar you know you can buy all you want at 100k, and I assume the devs would seed more at that level if needed.

Since I don't mind respeccing, I base my slotting in Stamina/Health on my needs as I level up. Running low on blue? Next time I get a level that grants slots put one or two of them there. At some point, if I have plenty of blue I'll respec. Most of my characters use the base slot (Perf shifter proc in Stamina, Panacea proc in Health). Then if needed I will add (in order): Miracle proc, Perf Shifter End mod, Numina's proc. Health is also a great place to pump up your regen if that's your build strategy -- I personally prefer active heals.

There *is* a processing lag, but it's relatively miniscule and that doesn't seem to be what the complain is here. You should always be able to buy something if it is listed and your bid is greater than or equal to where it was offered. You should always *eventually* be able to buy something if you put in a bid and eventually someone offers it at or below your price *and there are no other bids higher than yours in the system*. The problem is that at this moment in time, there are other bids higher than your in the system. Surely I cannot be the only one who has noticed that the number of bids for yellow salvage has increased by about 100k over the last month or so? I find it more likely that it is someone who put in 200 bids on stacks of 10 on 50 characters than it is 10,000 people putting in bids on a stack of ten. Definitely not me, that's way more clicking than I prefer. It's like going into the Mercedes dealership and offering them $1000 for a new S-Class. Maybe at some point that will be the best move for the dealer, but it's not likely. This isn't too much of a problem, however, because you get free S-Class or equivalents just for playing the game! The problem there is that you need to use the /AH to buy and sell to other players, and some people aren't comfortable doing so.

Something worthwhile pointing out: don't put the Critical Strikes proc in Eye of the Storm. Yes, it will hit up to ten enemies. But according to City of Data, the animation time before activation is very short, which means if the proc does activate you have to sit through a long period of dead time. Therefore it is impossible to activate Critical Strikes and then use it for, say, Sky Splitter or Serpent's Reach (although it will be possible for other powers).

I hear you on the visuals. Interestingly enough, that's what kept me away from Spines for so long for a number of reasons. Bio and Radiation are probably out. I'd suggest Ice if you can live without Icicles.

yes please, although I would prefer it reset the fixed level to the current level of the character doing the conversion

When I first came to HC I spent a lot of time on Staff, because it was new to me and I liked the animations. Later I got to 50 in all four variations of Staff/Bio and I decided that in declining order of greatness I ranked them Stalker, Tanker, Brute, Scrapper. At this point in time, I didn’t know much about builds (or even what an ATO was). Thanks to this post I went back and ran more content with some of my staffers. The thing I like best about Staff (now) is that there are lots of skippable powers. I need P. Strike, Guarded Spin (one of two +def AoE powers), Eye of Storm, Staff Mastery, Serpents Reach. I generally keep Sky Splitter but I can make the case to skip it. This means lots of other places to put powers that are very yummy. I recently remade my staff/bio scrapper and really leaned into offense, and it’s spectacular. Just enough mitigation to stay upright most of the time and it shreds. I’d probably clear faster with TW/bio, but he stands up there with any of my top scrappers.

*nods*

Not to shill my own goods, but I'm at the point where almost all my end-game builds have at least a few HO/DSOs. Most of the time that's to really squeeze out an extra half a percentage of something or other, which is hardly cost-effective but what do I care about that?!? If I'm looking at two or three slots, and if I don't love the set bonus, that's where I'm going. Generally I'll look to see if 1. is there a purple set I can +5 (41.4% Schedule A dual/33.1% triple); 2. Is there a lvl 53 HO/DSO I can put in there (38.3% Schedule A for both double and triple!); 3. Two to four +5 lvl 50 pvp IOs for ok set bonuses that exempt down all the way; 4. How about a one-off double +5 from some set (This is usually A/E, 33/1% at 50)? I mentioned Cytoskeletons before. My standard for Weave, defense armors, maneuvers, etc is three slots total with an attuned LotG +recharge and two 53 cytos which gets you well into ED range on defense and slightly into ED for endurance/to hit. 3x Lotg (D, D/E, rech) puts you close enough on the defense side but much less endurance reduction, and that's not worth the small set bonuses to me. Also, I'd consider Lotg rech, 2x +5 lvl 50 Shield Wall (D/E D/E/R) which gets you less defense and more endurance. To me, the cytos are the best of both worlds (although I level up with the 3x lotg generally). When playing scrappers or brutes, I generally split one or both of the ATO sets. Throwing a 53 Nucleolus in there will generally get you at or deep into ED levels in both accuracy and damage (darned purple sets don't have an A/D set to +5!). There are all kinds of things to do with toggles. Cloak of Fear becomes quite good with 2x 53 enzymes and 2x 53 endoplasms. Any endurance reducing power is generally enhanced with end mod/recharges (unless you want three slots with synapses shock for the slow resist) because I want that up faster. I even find a spot or two for Perox every now or again.

I try not to ever pick any magic opponents for paper/radio missions simply because I dislike getting the cave missions. I've suggested this before, but I wouldn't mind if this were totally randomized.

(checks gender preference) Dude, party on.

HOs/DSOs are pretty much the quintessential examples of frankenslotting. I use all kinds in EMD builds, particularly if I don’t really like any potential set bonuses. Example: I almost always slot Weave with a Lotg +tech and two cyto l53.

??? Hero and Winter packs?

I haven’t fixed up my ice/fire scrapper after they upgraded fiery aura, but in theory the Ice Patch/Corrosive Vial/Burn is looking like a very nice combo.