Jacke

I'm just waiting until someone with Ion Judgement knocks out a Star Destroyer. 😺

Welcome! I've had my main as a Blaster since late 2005/early 2006. Assault Rifle/Devices. Which nowadays brings its own Tanker in the form of /Devices' Gun Drone. 😺

"Great Scott!!! Marty, we've gotta go back in time and prevent this long discussion about comic book radioactivity versus radioactivity in reality. You see what the consequences are in 17 years time!?!" "Doc! That's horrible! What were they thinking?!?" "Sometimes it's not obvious what the consequences truly are. Always in motion the future is." "But what about the danger of unforeseen complications from changing what happened in the past?!?" "Marty, sometimes you've got to try no matter what! Risk is our business!" "Let's go! .... Doc, what are you doing?" "Just getting some extra Plutonium. I'm sure I've got some in one of these cupboards...." 😺

The second point is very interesting. In a similar case, I'd likely carry Large Dual Def+Resist Inspirations and pop 2 of them. But your point about keeping Def over softcap to allow for Def Debuffing (especially without Defence Debuff Resistance) is very important too. However, the duration values for break frees in some of the in-game and external documentation do not match what is current in the game. I've just tested all of them in the last 2 days and submitted a text bug report for the /linkinfo Info tab, which is in-game and at the top of their pages in CoD2. I submitted a similar typo report to the HC Wiki and it has already been fixed. There are 3 durations for Break Frees: 30s for the Small Break Frees available from Nurse and Contact stores, which also drop frequently 60s for the Medium Break Frees (Emerge) 90s for all other Break Frees: Large and Super, as well as all Team (Medium, Large, Super) https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Inspirations

@GM_GooglyMoogly, I'd like to have a Thinking/Hmmm feedback emoji, if that's possible.

While digging around in my links to the Olde Forums (via the Wayback Machine), I discovered these I'd found and saved a while back: Alty's profile back then, @Altoholic_Monkey: https://web.archive.org/web/20120904055043/http://boards.cityofheroes.com/member.php?u=359630 2nd page of a post discussing the winners of the 2010 Loading Screen Contest back in 2010: Alty's reply is the 2nd on the page. She won a runner up prize. I remember Alty submitting for the contest. I can't remember for which Zone she got the runner up. https://web.archive.org/web/20120904054948/http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=242531&page=2

[ TT Go Robin ] I AM NOT INSANE!!! 😺 https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Inspirations As Team Inspirations have their niche, so do Dual Inspirations (and even Team Duals). It's all about packing more benefits for a Toon or the Team/League into the limited Inspiration Slots on a Toon. Example: Accuracy and Damage: 2 Team Dual Inspirations of a given size (no Small Team or Team Dual Inspirations, so just Medium, Large, Super) have combined more Accuracy and Damage than an Accuracy and a Damage Inspiration of that given size. Or a Team Accuracy and Team Damage Inspiration of that given size. And 2 Dual Inspirations have combined even more Accuracy and Damage. If you're using macros to combine into desired Inspirations from the unwanted, I can see leaving off/turning off Team and Dual Inspirations to get more of what can be combined. Also if a Toon particularly needs much more of one aspect of a Dual but not really the other (eg. Health on Toons with good -End/-Rec Resists and very good net Recovery), then it can be better to focus on that. But otherwise Dual and Team Dual Inspirations are a good way to potentially pack more buffing into that 20 Slot box.

@Sovera, was looking at adapting your Stone/Fire Tanker build to my own idiom. How well does it run without Hasten? I prefer not to take Hasten unless there are critical very long recharge Powers (think Phantom Army or many Nature Affinity Powers). I figure the most affected Powers would be the 2 AoEs, Combustion and Fire Sword Circle, and Build Up and Earth's Embrace.

I think you're right, Camel. When doing a Scrapper build, I look to put the Critical Strikes +50% chance to crit ATO in an attack that is followed by strong attacks. Example: In a Dark Melee build with a ST attack chain Midnight Grasp - Smite - Siphon Life - Smite I put that ATO in Smite.

Better be good L50 builds and very good at Triple Boxing because Apex and Tin Mage II TFs are locked at +4 (the only reason they've kept those Reward Merit returns). Have fun! 😺

Just wait. That drummer will explode in Spontaneous Combustion!

But 2 Dual Inspirations should be more than 2 Regular Inspirations of the same size (Small, Medium, Large, etc.).

You can sell them at the Auction House.

Thank you everyone for your kind words. Alty was short for @Altoholic_Monkey, which may have been was her handle on the pre-Shutdown forums. Repeat Offenders is running on Homecoming much as we did pre-Shutdown. Global channel is "Repeat Offenders". Mostly on the Everlasting Shard. Your characterization of RO is spot on, as it was pre-Shutdown and as it is now. There's usually always someone from RO on and in the channel. The active members are the ones who chat more often. 😺

With the appropriate soundtrack.

Market-Garden was just such an unusual move for Field Marshal Montgomery. He was a deliberate commander and it was a go-for-broke operation. 1944 August into September was such a weird time on the Western Front with the collapse of the German forces in France. The Airborne troops kept planning for ops that got cancelled because the rapidly moving front overran the drop zones. Market-Garden was the one that finally executed because the front was stabilising. Monty was involved in the planning (with some interpersonal fireworks). The weakest thing there was depending on a single logistical axis for a full British Army Corps and 3 landed Airborne Divisions. Monty had correctly widened the original Overlord invasion front, but that was done in 1943 (I think), while Market-Garden was being planned while forces were in motion and broadening the operation front would have been very hard, especially when the logistical needs of all Allied forces in NW Europe were still coming over the Overlord invasion beaches. (The stopping of some formations just at the northern side of Antwerp and not pushing north to cut off the north bank of the Scheldt from receiving German reinforcements was tragic. It would be dealt with later by Canadian troops at much cost.) EDIT: One point I overlooked is the responsibility of a commander for the forces subordinate to them. They are ultimately responsible for their successes and failures. From this, Monty was responsible for the failure of Market-Garden. What he could have done to improve the planning: Encourage planning in reality. There was too much of assuming since the German forces had collapsed and retreated in August, this would continue well into September. Careful attention to intelligence would have revealed that the German forces were now regrouping and fortifying their line. In light of that, the needed rate of advance of 30 Corps to relieve the British 1st Airborne Division north of the Nederrijn before begin overwhelmed was too high. Pay attention to intelligence gathered, even if uncertain. Signs of German armour in the Arnhem area (due to the refitting German SS Panzer 9th and 10th Divisions (who even understrength would be a major factor that helped doom the 1st Airborne Division) was disregarded by some. Taken seriously, there could have been better selection of equipment to bring in the first drop, including more anti-tank weapons. Also the presence of elite German Paratroopers in the defences along the Highway if recognised would have warned clearing the route was going to be challenging and slower. The objective of British 1st Airborne was to secure the bridges over Nederrijn in Arnhem and nearby. The drop zones chosen for both the first drop and later reinforcements and resupply were all too far from these objectives. They could and should have been positioned closer. Similarly, the drop zones of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division were slightly too far from the bridges over the Waal near Nijmegen. As well, forces were not directed towards those bridges as early as they should have been. There was a lot of concern about German reinforcements from the east into the forested high ground dominating the area. This threat didn't actually happen during the battle. Better pre-op and post-drop reconnaissance and allocation of forces after the first drop would have better show this threat to not be significant as well as move troops towards the Division's objectives sooner. And likely more details I can't recall. Even with better and more thorough efforts by Monty and the staffs of 1st Allied Airborne Army and 30 Corps before and during the op, it is still likely it would have still been more or less a failure. But maybe the chance for success could have been improved. EDIT: With the responsibility of command, Monty was at fault for the failure of Market-Garden. But beyond that, his immediate decisions weren't the ones causing the issues that lead to failure. But as explained above, he could have also acted to improve the chance of success. I think the one person who can't and shouldn't carry the blame for the failures of Market-Garden was Monty (for other decisions at the time is another matter). There was pressure to employ the First Allied Airborne Army. Monty proposed the operation and was deeply involved in the planning, but wasn't directly commanding. All of the failures in the run up to Sept 17th and the start were done by others, as were those during the operation. I don't think Monty stepped in when things started coming apart, but there wasn't much anyone could do except what was done by the commanders on the ground, including at the end extracting what troops were north of the Nederrijn that could be ferried overnight. The salient was held, which was questionable, but the Germans attacked the forces there and were repulsed with heavy casualties. It'll be one of those If-only battles in military history. The greatest weakest may have not be the bridges but the ground, which is supposed to be a major requirement in reconnaissance and planning. The ground between the 2 northernmost rivers, the Nederrijn and the Waal (both branches of the Rhine as well as taking in waters from other rivers) is all polder, ground recovered by the Dutch, low lying, and at the time rather boggy. That made the road between those two rivers a long defile but exposed to observation and fire as the road was elevated. As much as the bridges, but even moreso, it had to be seized before many opposing troops had a chance to occupy positions. Market-Garden may have been doomed from start. But if only....

I like the Dual Inspirations because they pack 2 buffs into 1. The non-Team ones are stronger than the same tier Team ones. Tend to prefer the non-Team ones, but in certain cases, the Team loading up on Team Inspirations (Dual and otherwise) can really buff the Team for those difficult minutes.

Paragon Studios was thinking about it (did some IP / domain name registrations, I think). Proposed it to NCsoft. Turned down. Later, got Shutdown. Also, I think developing a whole new MMO by the Homecoming team: Is outside the scope of the licence they have from NCsoft. Is beyond the volunteer time and skills of the team. They can evolve an existing game. But going for new is just a Bridge Too Far (and look up Operation Market-Garden to see what happens then).

"My name is Hans. And this is my brother Franz. And this is our sister Heidi. And we're going to PUMP you UP!"

On Saturday, April 26th, 2025, Repeat Offenders will hold a wake for Alty, celebrating her life with RO. This post is a copy of one on the RO forums that can be read without an RO forums login. https://www.repeat-offenders.net/forum/topic/20488-wake-for-alty-2025-april-26-saturday-everlasting-echo-galaxy-city-check-1st-post-for-timings/ Pass on this message to as many Repeat Offenders and long time City Players as you can reach. The wake will be on the Everlasting Shard, where Alty spent most of her time on Homecoming. The wake will be in Echo: Galaxy City, in the courtyard in front of the Freedom Corp HQ, where Back Alley Brawler used to stand. The date is the week after Easter. This puts it well clear of any Time Zone changes to/from Daylight Saving / Summer Time in all Time Zones. Timing is challenging, as there are RO members at least across North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The wake will start between 22h00 UTC and 22h15 UTC. Around the world, that'll be: North America PDT 15h00 North America EDT 18h00 Europe UK BST 23h00 The following Time Zones will be early on Sunday, April 27th, 2005. Europe CEST 00h00 Australia Perth AWST 06h00 Australia Melbourne AEST 08h00 New Zealand NZST 10h00 Please join Repeat Offenders as we celebrate our beloved leader.

The Daggers are -Regen. -Regen and -Res are two vital debuffs that when strong enough make the difference between not defeating some AVs/GMs and defeating them. Sometimes, -Def debuffs are needed too. My 2 Rules of Thumb to using Pets effectively in City, ie. get their final ToHit on +3 Level mobs (which the Pets see as +4 Level) to 95% or close, after digging through the actual numbers and preferring not to do that again. This is because the vast majority of Pets don't benefit from the Caster's Global Buffs (like +ToHit, +Acc, +Dam, or Incarnate Level Shifts). This is a huge bug in MRB, so big it is effectively unfixable. The Pet Summon Power needs to be slotted with ED-capped Acc (94% and up). If the Pet has critical Powers that have less than 1.2 Base Accuracy (have to look up the Pet in CoD2 to be sure), the Caster needs Tactics, even just the base Slot, even weak Mastermind Tactics. Or -Def applied to the targeted mob. That's when -Def debuff is vital. Normally for a Toon, can use IO set bonuses to get that final ToHit on +3L mobs to 95% without -Def debuffs. But for making Pets work their best, that -Def makes the difference. I just made a build for a Traps/AR Defender and didn't want to include Leadership, so no Tactics. Many of the debuff Powers use Pseudopets, so that matters to them. The T1 Power for AR is Burst: On a hit, it applies a -12.5% Def debuff for 8s. Which can make sure Acid Grenade gets a hit to apply more -Def and -Res.

That's what happens in Hard Mode TFs and some particularly difficult groups. They have a lot of debuffs and stack them. Worse case can see a Toon--even a Tanker--see its Defense and Resistances floored. And don't last long. As for Buffs, one good example is the RO Supergroup Green Machine, which stacks Empathy Toons. Get 8 of them on a Team and they just chew through any group of mobs.

As others have pointed out, using a full set of Knockback IOs is rare. (Except in cases like setting up for Bowling Hellions in Atlas Park. 😺) One case (maybe) of a full set of Sudden Acceleration being useful is making sure to KD a hard AV at +4 or worse. The 5 IOs boost the KB to high levels, then the KB>KD IO turns that into a KB of under 1.0, which is a KD. (There's also KU, some Power send the mobs up, and now in some newer and changed powers Vectored KB, which can be pointed Up, Down, or wherever the Dev in charge wants (but usually Up or Down).) There's KB Protection, which reduces the KB that affects a target (maybe your Toon) by subtracting from the KB Mag, eventually removing it. There's also KB Resistance, which multiplies to reduce KB Mag. Tough targets have both, so maybe that full set of Sudden Acceleration is useful...? I wouldn't do it, too situational. There's also another fiddly bit that can affect some KB Powers KB effects, the dreaded ReduceIfKD tag. Here's the Power from Blaster's Epic Pool Force Mastery, Repulsion Field: https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=epic.force_mastery.repulsion_field&at=blaster Note this effect: Globe (PvE and PvP) 110% (will show why below) Yellow Tag (ReduceIfKD oh noahs!) Mag +4.985 to Knockback (all affected targets) for 0.5s Click on the Yellow Tag "ReduceIfKD" and get this page: https://cod.uberguy.net/html/tags.html?tag=reduceifkd&q=affects That listed the 3 IOs that provide a KB>KD effect if slotted into a Power that has KB. And there's a link to the Powers that have effects with that tag: https://cod.uberguy.net/html/tags.html?tag=reduceifkd&q=bears A whole lot of Powers. What happens to those Powers. Those KB effects tagged with ReduceIfKD, if they have that one of the IO that do KB>KD, get the % chance dropped by 100%. So that 110% chance of KB on Repulsion Field, gets reduced to a 10% chance to KD. How often? I'm not sure. It could be the Activate Time of the Power (for Repulsion Field, 0.5s), which hurts but may still work. But I think the vast majority of those checks for Auto Powers and Toggle Powers are only done every 10s (but this may only apply to PPM Procs, not sure). Which completely nerfs the KD. 10% chance every 10s ?!? So those very useful KB>KD IOs will change how often some Powers actually does do KB/KD.

They are not useless. seeing the most common extreme Purple Patch reduction (to +3 Level targets) is to 65%, ie. loss of 35%. The rarer case of +4 Levels is 48%, a loss of 52%. What they are is situational. The more HP a target has, the more they impact play. A minion is still likely to drop after a few attacks one way or another. But the effect on say the worst case, a +4 Reichsman (which is +3 to Team members with at least a T3 Alpha boost but still +4 Levels (maybe +5) to Pets and worse to many MM Henchmen), those -Res Debuffs can make the difference between a brutal long slog and impossibility. The 3 IOs that provide -Res, Def Debuff IO Achilles Heel special (3.5PPM -20% Res for 10s) https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=boosts.crafted_achilles_heel_c.crafted_achilles_heel_c Targeted AoE IO Annihilation special (3.5PPM -12.5% Res for 10s) https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=boosts.crafted_annihilation_f.crafted_annihilation_f PvP PBAoE IO Fury of the Gladiator special (3.5PPM -20% Res for 10s) https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=boosts.crafted_fury_of_the_gladiator_f.crafted_fury_of_the_gladiator_f all just replace when an application of the exact same IO with a -Res Debuff is applied, putting the duration back to 10s. But that's 3 different effects that applied and will stack, if there's enough of them in use on a single Toon or a Team or League. So the usual Purple Patch of +3L means -20% and -12.5% get reduced to -13% and -8.125%. Assuming maybe a 50% Uptime, that's effectively -6.5% and -4.0625%. So weak on weak targets, but something on bigger bags of HP. Also all 3 IO's can stack. And the effect is as if that % was a multiplicative boost of Damage after and outside of the Enhancement System. And that's just the -Res on 3 special IOs. The bigger Power -Res debuffs still get hit with the reduction to 65% by Purple Patch, but these often start larger and can have greater Uptime, My Rules of Thumb here: Rarely use the -Res IOs unless they don't hurt getting IO set bonuses or the particular bonuses lost aren't needed that much. Always look out for and use -Res Powers especially the ones that can have high Uptime and on harder targets.

They are. From https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Purple_Patch : > These modifers apply to almost everything in combat: Debuff strength, Mez duration, Knockback magnitude, and Damage are all affected. and > A character's chance to hit is not directly affected by the combat modifiers, above. While Defense debuffs applied to the target affect chance to hit and are subject to the purple patch, and ToHit debuffs applied to the player affect chance to hit and are also subject to the purple patch, a character's base hit chance follows a different formula. (I can confirm this with the devs too.) To find the effective Resistance debuff, apply the appropriate Purple Patch multiplicative modifier. That -Res debuff, because -Res is resisted by Resistance,, effective becomes a multiplier on Damage outside of the Enhancement System. Example: A Boss target is also at +3 Levels. The +3 Levels is the only thing that matters in this case, not the being a Boss. That means debuffs are cut to 65% Magnitude. Say a -10% Res debuff is applied. Purple Patch changes that to -6.5%. Then the effects of the target's Resistances mean that effectively becomes a +6.5% Damage increase (after and outside of the Enhancement System). If that debuff was only to SL Damage, only SL Damage is increased.