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I feel like the game would have morphed at least a couple more times, and almost certainly in at least one direction I would not have appreciated. In some ways, I'm still not over the (relatively neutral) changes to zones that added Universities, Auction Houses, and Arenas! Please don't bring up the zones that were destroyed/re-imagined. I did not appreciate the grind... either for build-crafting or Incarnate content. The future plans included more zone remodeling (Perez Park was to be made into some combination of Dark Astoria and Grandville, with high-level content that existed on geographically high levels) and more Incarnate grinds. The Live Incarnate system really rubbed me the wrong way. I saw it as "in order to be really good at running this content, you have to run the exact same content a whole lotta times to maybe get the rewards that will make you even better at running the exact same content." I know that people held out hope that more incarnate content would be the answer, but I always saw that as a dead end. Writing only for myself: I appreciate the Lore the best when it is essentially open-ended. I understand that the Live Devs felt like they wanted to tell stories about certain characters, but the game didn't need that. There is a reason the Golden and Silver ages of comics lasted a combined 50 years, and 'modern' comic universe re-imaginings last less than 5.

I haven't done anything like serious market play in quite some time; personal observation bias has me believing that until the market goes the 'path of fire' it is unlikely to affect my participation. There is still Inf to be made, but aside from some specific high-end pieces everything seems relatively smoothed out. Recently: I almost find myself spending merits for a Winter-O! A character had hit 50, and it was time for the build-tuning. The Winter set in question was being used at 5 pieces, but I had been sloppy/cheap with the 5 used during leveling. The AH didn't have one at what I thought was a reasonable price (even for buy-it-now) and I wasn't sure I wanted to commit to converter roulette. I actually remember to check a semi-retired market toon who had the piece I wanted. I used to think that the market was the best place to store certain items, but recently it feels like hording some pieces has been better for my toons' budgets. It felt like some previously available PvP pieces have been in shorter supply than I remembered.

I'm still in favor of this.

There are essentially two schools of thought for Gaussian's %Build Up. 1) Slot it in a Leadership-type aura power because everything that can benefit from the aura can contribute to the chance of the %Build Up firing. 2) Slot it in an Aim/Build Up type power, because that gives the user precise control over when it will fire. Note that the chance of any %proc firing will be clamped at a maximum of 90%, and that the Build Up is only for the character with the %proc slotted. Crabberminds are IMO the best way to use (1) because They can, with enough recharge, have a full suite of pets with them to potentially trigger the %Build Up from tactics (as @Omega-202writes) The base damage scale for Arachnos Soldiers isn't gimped (like it is for Masterminds) Crabberminds have a secondary power that works this way, without dipping into a power pool. Other AT's can set themselves up to benefit from the aura-effect, but they will need teammates/pets and a decent damage scale to see a reliable benefit from the %proc in an aura. If the AT doesn't have a Build Up, or wants to set-and-forget, then an Aura with the %Build Up will work fine for the character. For most other characters with an Aim/Build Up power (see also other powers like Chronos), path (2) will yield better (and more consistent) results. My specific experience with Blasters has been that with sufficient recharge (Hasten doesn't have to enter the picture) that the power can be triggered VERY frequently with the 90% chance to %proc. If Snipes (fast or slow) are part of an attack chain, you will benefit from having +ToHit from any source. I have a /Time blaster where Chronos is ready to be triggered every 20-ish seconds or so. This gives 10 seconds of the inherent Chronos boost, where the first 5 seconds will include the %Build Up boost from the proc. That character has Chronos on auto, because for most content I'm constantly spamming attacks. Chronos is also up more frequently than any other such non-attack power. I certainly could calibrate my attack chain to get even more performance by specifically triggering Chronos, but that isn't the way I roll. The recharge time for equivalent powers for lvl 50 Scrappers and Stalkers (which include some Global +Recharge from IOs) is roughly the same, although for those ATs I don't typically have the Build Up-type power on Auto. As @Mezmeranoted, the set bonuses for Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control are pretty good... especially if chasing after positional defenses with 6-pieces. None of the set bonuses that come along the way will make-or-break a build, but each has something that most builds can appreciate. I wouldn't fault anyone for single-slotting (the proc) but most powers can benefit from at least one other slot invested in whatever power: either a boosted IO or HO.

I haven't taken Placate on Stalkers. I had (what I assume to be) near equivalents on VEATs (and Pacify from the Presence pool). The only real utility I found was during leveling, if I was facing EB/AVs or +3/x0 content a Placate/Pacify on a lonely big bad would earn me some breathing time during long fights. You can of course use 'inefficient' powers while leveling up and respec out of them if you see the utility drop off. I suppose it is possible that in an end-game build with a very specific attack chain using only a limited number of attacks that a play could take Placate for use in limited circumstances. From my PoV the main thing being sacrificed by doing this is not making a power choice that offers an opportunity for some global bonus from an IO piece or set. If Placate could single-slot a useful Global IO bonus piece, my attitude would shift significantly.

The best that you can do is demonstrate to other players that you can use powers with KB that don't necessarily detract from their play. I've had many non-KB toons specifically take the P2W Plasmatic Taser attack (with KB) and use in in PUG to demonstrate how an AoE KB can be used to group enemies. I've seen a LOT of hate directed at users of Group Fly, and if no one else says it I'll be the one to point out that a trip to Null the Gull can address that specific issue.

I just got a melee character to level 50, and I'm in no rush to race down the Incarnate path, so I'm thinking of revisiting: 1) My Peacebringer. Essentially to re-experience the Kheldian content again. 2) A Blaster with Knockback as a control mechanism. I'm not *bad* at this, but on live I was *really good* at this. This is more of a proof-of-(play)-concept. I don't mind soloing if I must, but I'd like to be able to demonstrate to PUG that KB isn't the end of the world. 3) A Controller... possibly Mind/Poison. I have a character concept that I'd like to explore but I haven't settled on the primary/secondary (or AT), but I think this combo comes closest. My iconoclastic nature may be showing.

Anyone suffering from reactions to Poison Ivy/Oak/et al. has my deepest sympathies. I am in the category of folks who never suffered a reaction as a child, but as an adult will develop extreme reactions to exposure. In my case it isn't like the immunity wore off; it's more like childhood exposure predisposed me to having the current reaction. Other than avoiding contact by extreme clothing discipline, I have a couple of things I do that I'm not recommending, just listing. I get exposed to the villain whenever I do yardwork. I've been much more diligent about removing as much as I can from around the property than the previous owners, but the neighbors don't care at all! Shortly after exposure, I'll take a single anti-histamine. I suppose this could be taken as a prophylactic, but I wait until I'm done with the yard work and all clothes are segregated for cleaning. Also right after exposure, I rinse exposed areas (arms & legs) with isopropyl alcohol, and then wash with detergent. NOT SOAP... you want detergent to bind to and carry off any residual oil. Earlier this year, I made the mistake of doing yard work while wearing short sleeves; this exposed my forearms to more contact than I should have allowed. I discovered that I got some relief from a few of the affected areas which developed blisters (thankfully small, but nevertheless VERY itchy) by applying salicylic acid (sold as a wart remover solution) directly to the blisters. In my case, the blisters were all very small, and located in places where I could apply bandages to cover them. DO NOT OVER APPLY acid this way, as it will cause scars. Depending on your skin complexion and general health, the scars may not heal quickly (or at all!) Topical anti-itch and/or steorid medicines may provide some relief, but generally I've found that applying a protectorant such as a Zinc Oxide ointment and then covering the affected area with a loose bandage can be enough to resist the urge to scratch.

IIRC, they appear in other Red Side arcs (40+) as well. Televison vs. Radio includes them.

If we can't get it as a Control set, let's get some of it as a Power Pool set:

Not a Stalker Lord, but I've played a Spines/Bio with several cones and PBAoE: Spine Burst, Ripper and Throw Spines from the Primary, and DNA Siphon, Parasitic Aura from the Secondary. I left Genetic Corruption (secondary) on the table. This is a very active combination of damage-dealing powers. Sustainability means different things to different folks. The build I have (plus Accolades, before Incarnates) has plenty of Recovery/%+Endurance and can sustain attacks with perma-Hasten running (and a recharge on Build Up of 24 seconds, not considering the %proc). It's defenses are peculiar (30%+ on Fire/Cold/Energy/Negative), but it wasn't built to stand in one place and take a beating. If THAT is likely to happen, Shadow Meld is available to exceed soft-cap numbers on Defenses. On teams, the character has more than enough defenses to not worry. Playing solo I control the flow and pace of the combat. /Bio had other tricks to deal with incoming damage. Here's the current build. I tend to go heavy into set bonuses (leveraging Global +Recharge), and I don't worry about optimizing attack chains. This is a leveling/exemplaring build. If you are only playing 50+ content, I think it should be possible to drop one 'attack'. DNA Siphon is good enough (when slotted) that it really should be taken earlier in the build, but I wanted Hasten in the build before taking the lvl 32/35 attacks ASAP. Throw Spines is a good candidate for franken-slotting (with HO Centriole: Dam/Range). Not everyone likes to 6-slot Build Up like I do, so if all you want is the %proc and recharge... cut that down to 3 slots (1 for the %Build Up, and 2x recharge or 2xHO Membrane) And here is the code:

When I tried a 'pure mace' build, it was so slow against large numbers of enemies that I'm not sure Placate would improve performance except in very limited & specific content.

The only ATs for which I actively chase +Regeneration bonuses are Tanks (and Brutes, which I don't often play). The game has become 'faster' such that for much of the content, hanging in a fight with 'green bar expenses/regeneration' is far less important than ending a fight with 'blue bar expenses/recovery'. This is true even at low levels with access to free P2W attacks. There can be some rough patches for low DPS ATs at certain levels, depending on the enemy being fought and the powerset of the AT... but I have found that strategy (and Inspirations!) are generally superior to trying to Regenerate green.

Do you have the +MaxEnd accolades yet? You will see more Endurance Recovery with greater Max End. Part of your issue may be how often you use Hasten. If it isn't perma (and either set on auto or very tightly managed) you will suffer Endurance crashes. (I think) If nothing else, using Hasten will cycle through your attacks faster, burning more Endurance. I'll try some tweaking of your build, but there are some fast changes you can make. If you really want S/L resistance (I'm not sure why) you can get more by 2-slotting Celerity than by 2-sloting a Reactive Defenses. If you are in love with the power and enhancement choices I would reconsider Hide and Stealth. Hide seems over-slotted, but Kismet's %accuracy should almost always be in a power that is Auto or always toggled on. The Global procs can be moved to powers that you don't even have to click/toggle.

Grab those +Max Endurance Accolades as well!

To clarify my point about the RNG: It's more like a quasi-random number generator, in that it appears to be trying to uniformly populate the space of available numbers between 0 and 1. At level 50+ it is possible to run content where every attack (including the AoE) has a final to hit chance of 95%, and also run against very large enemy groups. I'm aware of perception bias, but I see STREAKBREAKER forced hits far more frequently than I expect. Fortunata can be constructed such that they aren't (or shouldn't be) running any auras that perform a to-hit check for enemies within range... unless I am misunderstanding how the auras work. For example, don't have a Gaussian's %Build Up in a Leadership toggle. I would be more than willing to do formal tests using a large group (10+) of test dummies, but I'm not aware of any place where that can happen. This wouldn't be the most exciting AE mission, but I would be in there trying to better understand what is going on. I've tested single-targets in RWZ, and the distribution of to-hit rolls looks ok (it's pretty flat) in that case. I'd just like to be able to check against multiple targets.

If you spend any time at all playing that build at level 50+, you will slowly begin to believe just how bad the RNG is.

I support the elimination of travel suppression in PvE across-the-board, and I agree that for Khelds this is a serious annoyance. I've grown accustomed to the suppression, but every time one of my characters is fighting in a map room with multiple levels and I suddenly have my movement between levels (Flight, Ninja Run jumps) suppressed it is disorienting. I am aware that I can make other power choices (with different investment in slots) for most ATs, but all Kheldian forms don't have that option.

If you are already having endurance consumption issues, I wouldn't be too quick to add the Forced Feedback %+Recharge proc. When trying for maximum %proc-slotting I'd give that up before giving up a Damage IO.

This is an important consideration: I have Kick/Tough as my last two powers (SR Stalker) ONLY to get the Global +Def IOs. If you have room for a 4th power pool, there are some powers you can take to leverage IOs. Here are a few of 'off-brand' choices: 1) Medicine -> Aid Other - I believe you can put the Preventive Medicine +Absorb proc here and it should trigger without ever using the power (and if you Exemplar below the range where the power choice is available, to the lowest level of the IO) Sorcery Spirit Ward should act the same way. 2) Concealment -> most powers : can slot LotG Global +Recharge 3) Force of Will -> Weaken Resolve : Not as good as it once was, probably not as useful for a Stalker. I have this on one of my "team" Fortunata builds for AV/GMs.

SR doesn't need Weave. If more defense is needed, a better choice would be to try to scrounge a 2nd slot for Tough and drop the two Global +Def IOs in it... I'm not sure a SR Stalker has anyplace else to put them. You won't have to even toggle Tough to get the bonuses.

Don't take this the wrong way, but I once knew a gent who, when encountering someone discussing the "meaning" of a word or phrase would want to invoke the "rule of thumb".

My mistake on the base. What's the difference between recovered Endurance per second for a VEAT and a non-VEAT, just because of stamina? A quick look using MIDS shows a blaster with 2.08 End per Sec, and a VEAT with 2.19 End per Sec (no slots filled) With a level 50 EndMod IO in Stamina the blaster is 2.26 End per sec, the VEAT is 2.37 End per sec. The extra .11 End per sec is appreciated, but between toggles and attacks, it still doesn't feel like enough.

The Soldiers need no-redraw, and the ability to lose the backpack if you aren't playing a crab build (as one of the alternate builds). As for the inherent: The VEAT +Recovery and +Regeneration is essentially just contributing to the law of diminishing returns, due to the Recovery/Regeneration formula... not to mention Recovery/Regeneration contributions from inherent Fitness. Yes, like all ATs the VEATs can get Endurance under control by slotting endurance reduction, adding certain procs, set bonuses, and accolades... but I think giving the VEATs a starting +MaxEndurance rather than a +Recovery would go much farther for them, especially at lower levels. Of course, such a thing would go farther for every AT, but I kinda feel like having less Endurance issues was supposed to be one of the hallmarks of the VEAT.

Since we have %Damage procs that can slot into confuse, I wouldn't want Mass Confuse to do damage... there is a play style that doesn't want to draw aggro to the caster. (If mass Confuse draws aggro, I'm wrong... but my Fortunata doesn't draw aggro when casting her non-damaging version). To @Zepp : Those numbers look fine to me for a 60 second (inherent) recharge to Mass Confuse.