Ukase

Ah...a lively discussion. Perfect thing to delay my workout a few minutes. There are a lot of things that encourage me to log off, rather than on, lately. And it mostly involves personal issues I have. Things I probably could handle better with therapy. Like, when I see a name that references an STD, like "Burning Itch", or "Glorious Bean Fartz", goofy names like that. They bug me. Sure, it's a bit silly, and might produce a grin the first time seeing it - but beyond that, it annoys me. I don't want my small mind to be led to think of such things when I play. I want to see names like Galaxy Girl, or Photonic Man. Your standard hero names. Or pun names. A time character called Lagniappe. Something clever, not sophomoric. I mean, I get it. I made a character called Thong Kong. What's sillier than a gorilla in a thong? But I've since retired the character and don't subject people to a 4 hour run of a bad joke. And, as I freely admit, this is a reflection on me, that it bugs me. Not any of you. You keep doing you. But the biggest thing that bugs me is the stupid drama. Needless drama. I will spare you all the details, but it's annoying. I would rather not play then deal with small minds. One thing I will share is - I haven't an issue with anyone, rather my issue is with parties that used to get along but no longer do. Sucks when Friend A no longer wants to team with Friend B, and vice-versa. And it's over something so ...well, I don't get why they're upset. But, I guess I don't have to. I'm on my side. Not either of theirs. So, I'll just solo.

Thanks for your perspective, and your opinion. I also want to encourage you to express your opinion, rather than worry about offending people. I want players in CoH to think, and not filter their speech to worry about people getting offended over an expressed opinion. Not like we get paid for opinions in this game, lol. But who cares what I think right? Truth is, I'm with you to a point. I do think running DFB four times for each of the buffs that last to level...21, I think, is a bit too much. I mean, how many times can we do the same stuff over and over? Some folks have a different expectation when playing this game. Some folks just mash buttons and get their enjoyment out of interaction through chat/discord. The environment in which they do this doesn't mean much. So, here's the thing: if the HC devs were to make some changes, to the point where at level 2, a character can buy SOs for the ..9 or 10 slots they have, and then upgrade each level using the auto button...I wouldn't have a problem with it, per se, but for me, it would make the game void of dopamine rush. Nothing to get excited about. I say that with the background of having reached 50 t-4 in all incarnate slots well over 100 times. Obviously, if I were a newer player, I could still find the content engaging and interesting. Maybe fun. But honestly, I've never had "fun" playing this game. Engaging, interesting - at times. But when the right enhancement or recipe drops - ding - dopamine to the brain! I don't expect anyone else to view things the way I do. And I don't think you're alone with your position on the topic. I think any pushback you're getting is from folks who don't see your position as a problem, but as an opportunity for a goal, something to work towards.

I have a very clear and recent knowledge of how horrid a character can be, starting with zero influence and relying solely on drops. I did a "drop" challenge character, with several restrictions. No assistance from my alts, or any other player. No use of the AH except to sell. It was quite challenging, particularly after level 12. End mod recipes and enhancements do not drop nearly as often as they should. And you're right, the drops don't often match origin. Used to be, you knew Hellions were arcane, and would drop magic enhancements. As would CoT, and the mobs in Croatoa. Rikti would drop Science, as would Council. Sky Raiders and Freaks would drop Tech. Now, some parts of the game drop to align with your origin - like AE. For whatever reason, that works well. But, you've given me an idea for something new to try. A character starts with nothing, and has to essentially earn all enhancements without using the market. Oh - wait, that's been done by every player that played before IOs came out. The key is to not upgrade enhancements at every level. In fact, most don't even buy enhancements until a few runs of dfb - which get you in the teens. If you don't have 2xp (which costs you all the inf you earn while that buff is on), you'll have enough. And if you craft and sell your uncommon and rare recipe drops, you'll be swimming in it, even if you don't use/sell converters. Which are so easy to get now - it begs the question why you can't get those explores and sell the converters (from the reward merits) to subsidize your enhancement budget?

I'm in agreement, in the sense that I don't get why anyone would even pay for a Cyto, let alone the fact that I've seen the level 53's sell (if I believe the AH history) for 320M. I am thinking it was an extra zero type of thing. But, I'm one who abhors the use of Hamidon enhancements. Sure, they can fill a need in certain builds. But the idea of attending raid, after raid, after raid vs paying some truly outrageous price for one...I'll stick with my set bonus IOs, thanks. Glad we have options! Early today, while teaming with the SG, the old topic that many love to get into fights over - knockback - came up. We were smarter than most and laughed more than complained about it. My theory was, "The people that complain about KB are the ones that are selling the KB->KD IOs in the market." Part of a Nemesis plot, to be sure. I say that, to say this: Often times, aside from "AH glitch pricing history" where SOs seem to sell for many millions of inf, from time to time, an ebil marketer will see, for example, 30 enhancements in the Hami-O class listed for sale. That marketer will buy all of them as cheaply as he can, then he will knowingly take a loss as he has an alt buy 5 of them for a truly outrageous price, in hopes of snaring the next mark into over-paying, and hoping the cycle continues until all of them are sold. It probably works for only a few, but depending on the price he initially paid, it may only take one or two to break even. It will almost always pay to be patient. As I've gotten accustomed to saying recently - it's why we have so many slots for alternate characters! So we can place lower/reasonable bids, and then do something else while we wait for them to fill.

Each of us "ebil marketers" have our own methodology that may be unique when it comes to pricing. For me, Immediate sale = foolish. What's your rush? We have alts we can play while we wait for that IO/recipe/salvage to sell for a "fair" price. So, what's fair? It varies from person to person. For me, [Crafting cost + salvage cost (at buy now prices) + recipe cost (buy now price)] + (70k*15) = breakeven price. Add a little bit for profit. As an example: level 50: Mako's Bite recipe dropped on my afk-farmer. Cost of crafting: 490,400 Salvage cost: for my farmer - zero. but there is opportunity cost - I could just sell the salvage at 6 inf and get the highest bid out at that time. Recipe: Spirit Thorn - common 250 Silver - common 250 Thorn Tree Vine - uncommon 2000 (sketchy prices in this area lately - could maybe get 20k, lol) Magical Conspiracy - Rare - 500k (..prices creeping up a bit lately) Total: 490,400 500,000 2,000 250 250 992,900 + 1,050,000 2,042,900 The 1,050,000 comes from an average use of 15 converters per IO to get one that sells at a decent price over a decent amount of time. It's an opportunity cost. I could just sell the converters and get that much all day, every day. Instead, I spend the time to use them and turn that Mako's bite into something that sells for more, and more quickly. Mako's Bite: Damage/Recharge successfully converted to Sting of the Manticore: Damage/Endurance. 1 converter used. Sting of the Manticore: Damage/Endurance successfully converted to Unbounded Leap: Endurance. 1 converter used. Unbounded Leap: Endurance successfully converted to Force Feedback: Knockback/Accuracy. 1 converter used. Force Feedback: Knockback/Accuracy successfully converted to Siphon Insight: Chance for +To Hit. 1 converter used. Siphon Insight: Chance for +To Hit successfully converted to Mako's Bite: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge. 1 converter used. (Ouch, same trash!) Mako's Bite: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge successfully converted to Call of the Sandman: Accuracy/Endurance. 1 converter used. Call of the Sandman: Accuracy/Endurance successfully converted to Reactive Defenses: Defense/Endurance. 1 converter used. (now we're getting somewhere) Reactive Defenses: Defense/Endurance successfully converted to Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Recharge. 2 converters used. Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Recharge successfully converted to Luck of the Gambler: Endurance/Recharge. 3 converters used. Luck of the Gambler: Endurance/Recharge successfully converted to Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance. 3 converters used. Now, it's just a coincidence that I used 15 converters. Sometimes, it's 1 or 2, sometimes more than 15. 15 is just the average. So, now I list it at a price that people seem willing to pay. 4-5M. It may sell for more. It may not sell right away. But usually by the next crafting session, it sells. If it had turned into an Oblit, or a perf shifter +end, I'd list it for a bit less than 3M, to cover my costs (and opportunity costs) and Auction House fees. I think it's fair. Don't like it - bid lower and wait longer. Or make your own.

Bah humbug. Sadly, my SO only character, at level 20, during a posi flashback got smacked down by 3 cadavers. I had a full health bar, AM was just spammed, Sniped one, two whiffs, and despite choking cloud running, and what I thought was paying clear attention to what was happening, the damage taken from a couple of smacks, compounded with a slow, low HP heal...just wasn't enough. I think I now have to demote my playing ability from better than average to slightly better than mediocre. And all I needed for the kistmet accuracy that had dropped was one lousy uncommon salvage! Back to the drawing board....

Not exactly. I have a bin with my first purple drop. Does that count? OMG! That's brilliant! I would love, love, love it if we could only access a 2nd costume slot/cape/aura on inf thresholds. That would be fantastic! (My primary reason would be so I could recognize who actually needs inf, and who's just begging in hopes for a quick handout. ) And yes, I fully realize it would absolutely depress a number of players. I'm not at all being serious. I should rephrase. It would be amusing for a moment, to me. I'm well aware how much some folks love their costume slots and the tailor.

I have more inf than I know what to do with. But in game, and in real life, giving has to be my idea, not yours, or I get no blessing. Pictured below - a stash of purples, one bin for each purple variety. All packed full. Email with 900M in each one, that's why the pattern increases by 900M instead of 1 Billion. And you get nothing from me because your manners are like that of a goat only more ill-mannered.

Curious - I have some rare recipes that have dropped. But, the rng has not graced me with the required salvage. As I understand it - (and my own non-AH rule) - is there any rule against using AE (solo) to earn tickets for this salvage? I sure am missing the kb protection. Or would that be defeating the purpose of the challenge, earning the stuff to the point where the only distinction between this character and my non- challenge characters is convenience?

The problem with bidding on recipes is that they are then at a static level. Say...level 28. Then the character levels up to 29,30, etc...and the boost that the IO provides (aside from set bonus) diminishes compared to what an attuned version of the same IO would provide. In short - the new player would have to then learn how to sell one non-attuned and buy an attuned for roughly the same price - with different characters. In short - it's annoying for me - who is familiar with the process. I can't fathom trying to get a newer player to understand how to do it. In any event, he's all straight now.

So, as some of you know, I was attempting a "drop" challenge, where my character would only slot items that dropped, or craft recipes that RNG graced my character with. And, of course, the defeat/delete penalty. Like this one, no p2w, but also no use of merit vendor or AH, except to sell. I gave it a good try. 5 characters - with mixed levels of success. My best effort was level 21 before getting clobbered in First Ward by an EB. I'd like to think I know a lot about this game - using tricks like completing SSAs for an SO, instead of the merits. So, I figure I'm going to table that challenge for another time. It really isn't much fun, although it is nice to get excited about an enhancement drop. Even more than when a purple drops on one of my farmers! So, I'm going to try this challenge - but with one change - no use of the AH to buy anything. I figure I'm so good at the market, I could have 1 billion in a day if I put the time in. Then I could slot whatever, and the only concern is defeat. For a character with IOs, defeat isn't really an issue in most cases - because I avoid certain factions at certain difficulty levels. (like Banished Pantheons at +4...that's a death wish for 95% of my characters, particularly the ones without any DDR or armor. Thanks to those who have given us the idea for something different!

I looked this morning, and 15 of the GotA were for sale, for at least one of them. It's a set I largely ignore, so was unaware of anyone selling/listing them routinely. The guide I gave to the fellow is not on these forums, and covers things in a way that a new player should be able to follow it, as I list specifically the steps I take, which sets I think will sell for a good price, and which ones I tend to avoid, and why I avoid them, and a lot more. Hopefully, he finds a way to get through it, and it doesn't suck the fun right out of the game for him.

So...a returning player...all the way back from issue 2, maybe, crossed my path today. The fellow had found a build on the forums and had gotten his crab to 50, but was more than a bit overwhelmed with IOs and such. So, I helped him out, but not too much, where he'd have nothing to work towards, and then I get this tell asking how he should get Gift of the Ancients when there weren't any on the AH. Long story short, I explained how I would get them - but that some patience and come converters would be my tools to get it done. So I ask you, marketeers: We all know intuitively that the Gift of the Ancients recipes and crafted IOs are mostly going towards conversion into LotGs. Makes sense - the price of lotg is higher than GotA. But, isn't there some way we can ensure that there's always at least a few we leave behind for these folks that actually want the GotA ? I've been hashing it over in my brain, and other than me burning through far more merits and converters than I want, I can't think of a solution, other than having folks just be prepared to pay more for the GotA, even when they're really not that great. (at least, I don't think so. I can't think of a time I've used them in any of my builds. ) I just feel badly for these newer/returning players who know so little about the way our market works, that they genuinely have no idea how clueless they are. I gave them a copy of my guides to amassing wealth in game. It will be interesting to see if the seed takes root. In the meantime, let something get by you! There's new 50's that need that stuff. They don't all have to be LotGs.

I've made a few new characters that may be worthy of this list. Lola Palooza Layla Palooza Lila Palooza All three are a bit of a play on Lollapalooza, the odd name of a music fest, in addition to: lol·la·pa·loo·za /ˌläləpəˈlo͞ozə/ Learn to pronounce noun INFORMAL•NORTH AMERICAN a person or thing that is particularly impressive or attractive. "it's a lollapalooza, just like your other books"

This - you can do now. Left click on the channel in question and scroll to "set color" and pick the color you want.

I never understand threads like this. This game, that so many of us missed...and missed a lot...some of you just want to change it. I fully get that folks might get tired of the same content. But - there's still a ton of it, and a lot that many players have yet to experience. Sure, there might be some options the costume creator could benefit from, but heck, my wardrobe could benefit from more options too. If I'm gonna play a game of "What if", it'll be about money.

"Cost of recipe: 2.6mm" The cost of the recipes are free! At least, for me. That's the whole point of having the afk farmer. But, at least I see where your numbers differ from mine. Granted, everything has an opportunity cost, I'm in agreement on that. We both get where we're going, just use slightly different methods to get there.

I'm missing something. The cost of crafting is as you say, about 500k. The salvage is always free, or you don't craft it, until it comes from the rng. Or are you crazy enough to buy salvage? No wonder you're broke. (j/k - I know you deal in bulk, and who has room in inventory for 50-100 of each salvage) Seriously, the only price I pay to craft anything is the cost of crafting at the workbench. (490,400k unless it's a purple, but I don't sell those, just stash 'em.) Granted, there is opportunity cost of about 600k in salvage (current prices of rare salvage being higher than 500k for buy now prices), and another 490,400k to craft. So, on the high side, the cost of IO production is 1.1M. Sell for 3m, less 300k fee = 2.7M net proceeds, less the cost of production of 1.1M =1.6M How are you only getting 400k profit? (remember, converters are free, too)

I have ZERO sympathy for low-ballers like this. It's common that Unbreakables are worth, and sell for 3-4m. Curse these lowballers! Be a bid creeper for one item if you must, but for multiples? Shame! You know what they're selling for. Pay the price, or bust out your own converters. When I say lowballer, I refer to the intended bid price of 2.6M instead of the standard price of 3-4m, usually much closer to 3m.

So, my new brute, spines/regen is a lot of fun. Unfortunately - while stamina only just turned into an issue at level 17, accuracy is a huge issue. (I haven't taken the recovery power yet) Back on live, on Liberty, I had played Spines/regen scrapper (post nerf) and recall enjoying it quite a bit. This experience isn't much difference - except, in the back of my head, I know that HP is a big factor in regen rate. And the rules of the challenge are really inhibiting the best nature of this secondary. Add to that...defeat was suffered in my pursuit of an Accuracy SO on the SSA arc out of Skyway. It wasn't the boss, but the darn spectrals that came in with Echidna. I couldn't hit a darn thing. At level 16, "beginner's luck" only gave me a paltry ..I think it was 2% bonus, but that wasn't enough when all the accuracy enhancements were red. And although I had 2 level 15 common IO accuracy recipes, I didn't have the salvage to craft them. Still don't! But, suffice it to say, that after 5 failed attempts, I'm going to table the challenge for a while. I'll likely try again in a few months. For now, I think I'll just try to do a "don't work the market" for inf challenge, and go with SOs. By "don't work the market", I mean, I can sell whatever, but I can't buy recipes to craft and then sell. Or buy ATOs or Winter-Os and catalyze and repost them at a higher price. (Big inf maker, that is) I'll still stick with the get defeated, get deleted theme, but this way, I think I'll have a bit more fun. Also, if I see someone taking down a GM or something, I'll feel like I can ask for an invite without feeling like a freeloader. I still have a couple characters that are sitting in First Ward for the D.U.S.T. day job, which increases ToHit & damage & range. I'll give them a shot at the old challenge as soon as I recover from this feeling of inadequacy. Thanks for reading!

On the bright side, the dfb on blue side and the dfb on red side - much to my surprise - are identical. Run the dfb on blue, then go see null and proceed as a villain. Yeah, I get it - it's distasteful to do it that way, but it's an easy enough solution and there's no waiting for people to figure out if they want to do a dfb on red side. While I get that there are some that enjoy red side - to me, that's for good reason. The view is horrid, the content isn't that great - both of which are subjective - and there's far fewer zones to get the free merits from explorations. My red crawl toon is eagerly awaiting the switch to vigilante so it can gather all that free money off the streets. The best solution, as I see it, is for the devs to flag dfb and dib as co-op trials, like Market Crash or Apex/Tin Mage.

I tend to "crush" any content, with most characters - when I slot them in a typical fashion. It can get trying when I see the IO recipes I can use drop - and not have the salvage for them, and to have SOs drop that are useless due to the wrong origin. But, if I cross that line, then next thing I know, the game is easy and dull again.

Well, for me @Snarky, there's only so many times I can do a dfb. It's just so dull after all these times. And while I don't discount that the buffs and SOs would be useful, I wonder about the utility of the first couple as you'd outlevel them, I think, by the time you'd finish. To me, the adventure of being solo has more benefits than penalties. Up until this challenge, I've never tasted defeat solo. If I thought it were overly difficult (and not interesting) I wouldnt' do it. So, I say, suit yourself. To me, I literally have ..almost 1000 very rares in my base, all crafted and ready to go, should the HC devs ever take a nerf-bat to afk-farming (thus the supply of purples gets reduced, prices of then would creep upward). I just have nothing in game to get excited about, except during this challenge when an enhancement or IO recipe I can use drops. Not to mention, the XP in DFB is ridiculous. A little too good if you ask me. I'd just as soon avoid it. The only reason I do it now is for badges.

@LockeValken The Sisterhood is a group that uses an in-game chat channel. They may or may not have a discord, not sure. They're a fine group of folks; used to play with them on Liberty back in the day. I'm not in game at the moment, or I'd try to look up the name of one of them. I think @QP is one of them, or at least would know whom to refer you to. To answer your question, there are a number of sgs on Excelsior that use Discord. Cosmic Council is one of them. You would, in fact, be required to join their discord and read the list of rules in the publicly available Welcome and Rules channel, and state that you have read and agree to them in the gateway channel, and they should be able to get you an invite if that's what you'd like. An SG with rules. Crazy, right?

Well, if someone had told me a rad/dark defender would fare better than an elec/bio scrapper, I wouldn't have believed it. Died at level 7. A few lessons learned in this run, though. There's a day job in First Ward in the Free Fire zone that boosts ToHit and damage and range. So, that's where the next one is going to be parked. And a new rule: if I die at level 1, I don't have to re-roll, just carry on. This is a maddeningly frustrating task. I hate that the rad/dark got defeated. It was doing fairly well. A lot more fun to play than I thought it would be. This next time, I think I'll go with elec/bio brute. I will sorely miss the ATOs, for sure. But maybe with more hp, it'll be just the difference.