tidge

If I was in a position to direct actions... and this was a 'hot topic'.... I'd suggest that the development team work on a NEW shape-shifting AT, sort of "starting from the ground up" to see what sort of balance issues need to be considered, how to address the 'form changing' etc... and then perhaps apply any lessons learned to the Kheldians. My own sentiment is that the Kheldians (as an AT, as a story source) were something of a development dead-end... even though I enjoyed them on Live and have a handful on Homecoming. In contrast: I find the VEATs to offer much more variety (including costume options!) for me to build and play... even though they've also got their own arc. I know that the forced VEAT respec can be something of a PITA, but the flexibility that comes with it really outweighs the HEAT path(s) IMO. If there was a choice between a new AT that followed either the HEAT or VEAT model, with no guess as to what it might be... I'd pick the VEAT model.

In terms of the "changeling exploit" (or Brute/Tanker "nerfs") soloing AVs is (based on my reading of the forums) a big part of what players consider to be 'over-performing'. I didn't make the world, I just live in it. Specific to Kheldians... there are a couple of points in the Kheldian arcs when a solo player will end up facing an EB that does its own 'form shift' and becomes a REAL PITA to deal with... these aren't even TFs, so it isn't like a solo player just doing their thing won't end up being over-matched. As for a potential revamp... I think such a thing is both technically hard (because changing forms is the reason for the HEAT) and the exploit (such as it is) isn't game-altering. The way I see this: someone on the HC team would have to REALLY want to change it, have a strong particular vision of HOW to change HEATs, and muscle the change through. I'm not saying it won't happen... but this seems to involve a LOT for a marginal set of ATs.

I can't speak to the volume of "policing" that happens, but I certainly see examples of intense policing from time to time, and it almost always bothers me. I recognize when I come close to 'crossing a line' w.r.t. to the behavior of other players with Giant Monsters in the open world (mostly because I find them to be sloppy) but for the most part there isn't anything in the game worth getting that upset about. For "ToT leagues", I'd be just as bothered by PI leagues full of sub 30s that aren't contributing any useful powers as I'd be bothered by someone AFK. For crying out loud, that level 10 could be running a bunch of Leadership toggles if nothing else.

Even though IOs scale down with level, I don't think there is much of a reason to have three slots in Hasten. My own experience with Blasters has been that I typically do not need the Numina +Regen/+Recovery piece.... of course, I rarely bother with Hasten, so perhaps for your build it makes a difference. The build looks like it is chasing perma-Hasten just to chase perma-Hasten. If you end up playing it, I suggest you run some solo content without Hasten just to see if it feels like it makes a difference or not. I'd take Tidal Forces before Build Up. On my Water Blast I usually end up with two of the "Build Ups", but Tidal Forces is always first.

I'm here... although I get the feels that current team would bend over backwards to avoid being "explicit". I find it mentally/visually exhausting to play on a team where someone is 100% exploiting "changeling", but I feel similarly with several other powersets too. Given what the power curve looks like for the rest of the game/ATs, I can't otherwise get worked up about the increase in performance of "exploiters" when the AT(s) are otherwise solidly mediocre(*)... especially in this era of easy set bonuses. For myself, I feel like I "know" what the problem with Kheldians is... and my feels don't align with "things people don't like about them". The core problem as I see it is that the alternate forms powers are basically "stuck" at the base levels they can be taken (6, 20) so they don't really scale like (later choice) powers for other ATs... and the choice of human form powers is pretty limited compared to all the variety possible from other ATs.... in other words, a high-level Nova form is basically blasting with low-tier attacks, and a high-level Dwarf (while able to survive a LOT) is stuck with its Dwarf powers.... unless risking changing forms (or exploiting the changeling). I see ^this^ as being distinct from the long list of player dislikes: KB in the blasts, lack of mezz protection outside of Dwarf, lack of costume in alternate form, etc. (*) mediocre at high level. From levels 6-16; In solo play find the Nova form to be somewhat OP, and the Dwarf is shockingly good up until about level 29. If I never had to face an EB/AV with a solo Kheldian, I probably wouldn't care... but I find them very problematic when trying to solo something like a Penny Yin TF. YMMV.

I was going by what I saw on City of Data....didn't scroll down enough. Nevertheless, it really has made no difference in my experience in clearing spawns.

The power does require a ToHit check (affected by Enemy Level), and the ToHit check is at the time of the PBAoE 'tick'... and the tick is modulo whatever is happening between the server and the client. Don't forget: Poison also includes a ST base -30% Resistance debuff in Envenom (which is also a source of -Regen, which is important for 'big sacks of HP') In team play (and solo as well, but it doesn't feel like folks care too much about solo play in this discussion) the effects of -Res really only matter if the number of attacks goes down because of the application of a -Res debuff. I haven't seen it take more attacks to clean up scrubs, and by the time bosses are left the ST debuffs get the job done.

I was somewhat surprised that this thread was still going after the end of August; by my reading the content after that point was repeating what had already been stated... you'll forgive me if I joined in with others in also repeating what I'd already said. I think @WuTang has been explaining my own perceptions of the power, and how it interacts with teams. I can forgive any inability to read between the lines of a single line response: A solo character has to be providing the alpha strike.... and for my own characters I find taking Venomous Gas (instead of something else) to get in the way of providing solo alpha strikes, and pretty much working against trying to solo alpha strike. This is my experience... I've tried to make VG work (solo and on teams) and it simply doesn't work for me. I'm faster solo without it, my teams didn't play faster with it. If I think anything about the part I quoted is wrong, it is the implication that their is some unconditional truth about how taking VG is superior to not taking it. Mechanically: it's a base 1 Accuracy PBAoE set of (resistable) debuffs. Typically I've found such powers to pretty meh, unless they provide something like a -Speed... but that's my opinion, just like it appears to be a contrary opinion that Venomous Gas is a critical and necessary T9 power from Poison.

I've already explained my thinking earlier in the thread. In a nutshell: If I (solo) or on a team need Venomous Gas... then the solo/team needs a LOT more. For me it is a sunk cost problem: I compromise too much to make Venomous Gas "move the needle", instead I can wallop enemies with AoE so that I don't need to try to leverage the PBAoE debuffs from Venomous Gas. I'm not (solo) alpha-striking with Poison Trap... if anything that's a power to use after the alpha strike. I've yet to find myself on a team where Venomous Gas would make more of a difference than single-target debuffs for whatever remaining 'harder' targets. I'm sorry if my personal play experience trying to make VG work has led me to a point where I dis-recommend it is "yucking in your yum". I'm simply (re)reporting that I've tried to make VG work, and I've never found it to be a better power choice than something else.

Fair enough. I personally don't favor the explanation that "Khelds aren't played" (as either the chicken or egg). They have a unique set of arcs to do, and they can be excellent performers... I just don't think they quite live up to the "MFing Warshade" reputation from Live. Like a lot of ATs and combos, players can make them shine... but for me, there are relatively few ways to make Kheldians really excel, as opposed to all the potential variety from the other ATs (even VEATs). For me: even with tweaks, they'd still be in a very similar place after any 'most likely' revamp. Maybe we'd 'blast better' in Nova Form about 30? Who knows?

I'm certainly in favor of a few more targeted enhancement sets, but I'm not crazy about the OP suggestions... As I comment every time this comes up: The game could use a new ('seasonal'?) set that boosts control attributes without being a dedicated Fear/Hold/Immobilize/Fishcakes set... like the HO Endoplasm/Peroxsomes and Controller ATO do.... I can sort of see a potential database limitation standing in the way, but some control sets (ehem Fear) have somewhat limited attribute combinations. Selfishly, I'd like such a set for those powers that offer multiple different types of controls. After such a set, I'd prefer more (and alternate) choices for Threat and Fear, although I am open to the idea of a set that might boost both healing and endurance modifcation... even though the powers that can be enhanced by both are somewhat few in number.

And when it is the Poison character tossing the alpha strike, VG becomes really superfluous.

No. The current 'binning' is good for the economy in a wide variety of ways. Specifically: folks who prefer to buy (or sell) at one level are blind to the bin. The demand/supply will satisfy everyone.

This topis is essentially beyond the scope of this forum. We've had a lot of discussion in this thread: There is something fundamental standing in the way of addressing the "changeling exploit": The Kheldians are intended to change forms(*1), so hitting the exploit would mean also hitting the players that don't use the exploit(*2). Almost incidental to the exploit is this: with the exploit, Kheldians don't really outperform other ATs, certainly not across all levels of content. Any player that get Kheldians to a point where they feel like they are 'overperforming' is capable of building a different AT to do better than their changeling Kheldian. (*1) Players are not obligated to multi-form, but that *is* the core design of the AT(s). (*2) I don't use the changeling exploit on my Khelds, but I do swap forms hella fast at times.

I'm not sure why aggro limits/changes are being brought up... I was there when it was changed, and I was playing a Tanker that could ultimately do very little except herd/survive. From PoV, the aggro change(s) barely qualifies as a 'nerf': It leads to boring, and somewhat inefficient method of getting XP (see also "Saturday Night Synapse", sorry fans but this 'event' is basically re-enacting Issue 1 playstyle) Herding an entire open-world map is kinda lame for other players in that open-world zone On the second point: I remember that it was bringing mobiles to Portal Corps was the primary reason for dropping the hammer... the dull playstyle being affected was just a fringe benefit. The first two times I herded multiple Giant Monsters or every Rikti Monkey to Portal corps was interesting to me (as a proof of concept)... but it wasn't exactly fair to other players, and it isn't as if players who want to fight those things can't just go to the part of the zone that has them.

The supremely confident and wrong people will not be convinced by a forum post. Even worse, such players won't try something like a TOT door knock solo with different settings and see that there is no difference. They won't learn from a Nemesis/Rikti/Zombie solo invasion that team settings don't matter.

Pumicite!

If someone is a really new player I can't imagine wanting to get (low level) XP faster... the starter zone content will get a solo player to level 10 with almost no effort... and I find that I run the risk of missing zones like Port Oakes, the Hollows or Kings Row even without extra XP. There are some fundamental things to learn early, like zone travel and travel powers.

Often with Blasters, I find that I've got enough offense (and put most of my slots) in the primary and secondary... so unless I have a concept reason I tend to go with either: Force Mastery (for enhancement mules) Fire Mastery (to get Rise of the Phoenix). The other powers are pretty good, but a short-timer self-rez is important to the way I play most Blasters.

For "supporting end game content", I'm thinking Destiny Barrier is probably bringing as much to the table as a /FF Controller. Dispersion and Dampening Bubble are the key support powers IMO. They don't really need much slotting, although extra recharge for Damping Bubble will be valued. The only real variation among ATs using Force Fields that I remember seeing is leveraging Force Bomb (or not). Personally, I like FF on Defenders, when I want to go heavy in to the Defender secondary... I find that FF has a bunch of powers that aren't very important to take early, and the blasty secondary typically means that it is less important (for me) to try to leverage Force Bomb as a critical AoE attack. Force Bomb is no longer as poor an attack as it used to be, but I still disfavor it... a lot my attitude derives from when it becomes available as a power pick, as it is running up against the availability of higher-level power pool picks. Pyro is an excellent control set... with FF as a secondary it's pretty much going to be picking primary powers to leverage enhancement set bonuses. The only powers I think are worth looking at %damage are Hypnotizing Lights and Dazzle... but if you are committed to "support" slotting Dazzle with 4 or 5-piece hold set (moar global recharge) would be fine. The only set choice I'd suggest is 6x Cupid's Crush in Catherine Wheel. The %proc is somewhat meaningless there, but the set bonuses are excellent and I find teh alternate set choices to be inferior.

I don't have to Teleport the Catherine Wheel at all... and I don't have the Teleport pool on any Controllers AFAIK. Yes, I see it has to move through elevators... but it is extremely rare that there are enemy mobiles right at an elevator. The most 'extra' effort I put into CW is to occasionally set it on 'aggressive'... after I've started AoE controlling it always seems like the Wheel is picking up whatever aggro is leftover. Best of all (from my POV) is that I'm not worried about casting a power to taunt/debuff... I can focus on the control (and doing damage). I'm glad somebody likes it. I'm happy that for me it is a skippable power early in the power set that allows me to pick up pool (or secondary) powers.

I want to publicly agree with @JayboH comments and attitude: JE wasn't wrong about everything... I see it more as him having peculiar blindspots... some related to how 'core features' related to player engagement, some about how certain powers 'should work'. (The lack of) Enhancement Diversification really only became an obvious balance problem (from my PoV) once the player level range was increased to 50, because of all the extra slots. IMO the dumbest 'core mechanic' that appears to have been a reason why (something like) ED wasn't initially considered for the game was the terrible lack of Recovery (without an inherent Stamina)... it makes sense (to me) that there is a necessary budget (Endurance) to spend engaging with the game... but waiting around for the blue bar to refill was simply no fun. Driving most players to take 3 power picks just to get Stamina was also highly limiting in terms of diversifying character builds.

I've only ever known 'facerolling' to refer to a playstyle where players don't employee anything but random button mashing... that is no strategy, no care about what the game is doing, basically an attitude of 'Imma just do whatever and the game is fine'.