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Signature Story Arcs start at Level 10.

To get boosts that expire? Why not run content to use boosts?

If "I only want to run TFs" is the constraint, I don't understand the OP complaint: Despite the DfB buffs lasting into the early 20's... that isn't a level 20 "Task Forces"... so I think there is some arbitrary ignoring of moving goalposts.... certainly on the question of "is it legit to run TF/SF for rewards after you have out-leveled the content" when you only want to play "team content". Why is it ok to keep running DfB above level 10 but it wouldn't be OK to keep run a Mortimer Khal TF? Classically (once the game had level 40+ content) I believe there was a "lull" in 40+ content (even discounting the way debt used to work), but I am not seeing it at all on Homecoming. Generally, my level 40+ characters make one of two (non-Ouroboros) choices: Turn up the spawn sizes, because by level 40+ some fraction of my characters can handle larger spawns Run x1 spawn mission arcs that I may have missed along the way, including: Cape/Aura missions Costume & Store missions Vanguard missions PVP zone missions Signature Story Arcs Patron Arcs If I'm really feeling like I've missed out on something (e.g. red-side fighting heroes) ... I will solo Ouroboros content. Ultimately it depends on what I want sooner: XP (larger spawns) or Rewards (more missions, smaller spawns).

While it is possible to street-sweep to collect most defeat badges, there is an invisible (to other players) component of being able to run specific content that yields up enough of certain enemies without having to street sweep. Owning the badge itself conveys none of that information, but players are free to display any earned badge for whatever reason they like.

Background information for reference: My characters are typically Inf, Merit, and Catalyst "rich" from playing content My characters craft recipes and spin the converter roulette wheel I have a SG base with storage (for Enhancements, Catalysts, Boosters, etc.) I will "shop ahead" for enhancements, but I am also relatively happy with a "GET IT NOW" attitude Here is something this occasionally grouchy (points to self) player does as part of respecs: Before I perform a respec, I will: move any enhancements not intended to be used in the respec to the Auction House Grab any non-attuned(*1) enhancements I can incorporate into the (upcoming) re-build. Use non-attuned enhancements and then catalyze(*2) them as appropriate(*3). After the Respec: I put the previously attuned enhancements back into SG storage. Typically: I end up running a LOT of content that has high-level recipe drops (i.e. level 50 recipes), which would not be usable by lower-level characters without being attuned. The level 50 respec allows me to recycle attuned pieces that had been in the leveling build out for the next batch of characters that will be leveling. (*1) During converter roulette, I will land on pieces that are either in short supply or have a typical market price above (arbitrarily decided by me as) 3MInf. If I expect to use that Enhancement in a future build, it goes into storage. (*2) There are only certain classes of enhancement where this is saving any Influence, since the Auction House will allow for auto-attuning, minus the vig and whatever price point the specific piece happens to be at versus the market price of a Catalyst. (*3) Typical (non-ATO, non-Winter) Enhancements that I attune: PVP pieces that are BELOW level 50 <- I never attune a level 50 PVP piece, as it can get converted/boosted into another PVP piece. Luck of the Gambler +Recharge Performance Shifter (%+End, Endurance) Miracle +Recovery, Preventive Medicine %Absorb a couple Defense and Resistance sets that offer bonuses and/or globals that end up in most builds Some commonly used %damage pieces (Auction House prices vary for these, and not all %damage pieces are equal) BTW: I usually do at least one respec in Pocket D to earn the "1 hour spent in Pocket D" badge. I haven't tried this in PVP zones.

It has been years since I even tried to use (let alone install) MIDS, so what follows is not an attempt to bad-mouth a software tool that I don't use... it is a short explanation of why I can't bring myself to use it. I didn't like that MIDS seemed (to me) to need (virtually) a metric ton's worth of extra software packages (along the lines of, but possibly not exclusive to, the .NET framework plus whatever the under-the-hood mechanism is used for database actions) and internet connectivity (this could have been illusory!) in order to work. The last time I went to try an install, the various system changes I was asked to make felt like I was being asked to host a month-long visit from the royal court. (The analogy is meant to convey the feelings of "no other software install has ever asked for that", at least since my days of subscribing to the Microsoft Developer Network) I appreciate that the tool is maintained and that so many people find value in it! I can tell from discussions of builds using MIDS that there are a LOT of powerful options within it to help players understand the effects of all the powers, bonuses, game settings, etc. I simply can't help but wonder if there isn't a way to refactor and/or repackage the tool so that it offers more of a stand-alone solution?

I associate some fraction of the desire to share a "what I am listening to now" to the rewarding/reinforcing dopamine response of the nucleus accumbens to the external stimulation by music interplaying with the highly-active cerebellum for motor control necessary for gamer play and the active pre-frontal cortex used for social interaction in a MMORPG. But I'm not that kind of doctor.

My suggestion for the level-less Clockwork badge in Kings Row was suggested to motivate players to clean up the spawns to allow the event to reset.

I mean the ones that hang out with Black Swan.

For as annoying they are: I always felt the Praetorian Shadows deserved a badge. And because I can't help myself: Defeat 10,000 level-less Clockwork in Kings Row to earn The Great Reset.

Allow me to jump on the /Atomic Manipulation train. I enjoy the heck outta Blapping, if the intent is to stay at range then it may not offer as much enjoyment as something like /Time. IMO both Atomic Manipulation and Time offer better "Build Up" type powers than are typically found in Blaster Primary sets. The only additional comment I feel like making about Atomic Manipulation is that slotting really matters to get attack chains smooth. Prior to the late 40s, I didn't feel like I had a really reliable ability to switch back and forth between Blasting and Blapping. Here is how my /AtomicManipulation powers are chosen and slotted at level 50. There is nothing particularly insightful, except possibly to note that this build doesn't lean into %damage from procs (except for the PBAoE Radioactive Cloud... even the primary doesn't use multiple %procs, in favor of raw boosts and set bonuses). This blaster also leverages Combat Teleport to get in-and-out of melee.

I don't feel much of a need to offer suggestions on a build that has obvious success, but here is what I shared in email. It is specific about the choice of Dominate. I recognize how easy it is to add %damage to that attack, and I can see what Thunderstrike is offering... and I have done something similar with my Fortunata (in the past)... it's just that whenever I am casting Dominate as a single-target attack in large spawn combat, it feels like such a waste-of-time! Using it for stacking Holds is a different, but rare use... see my comments below. Unless Dominate is serving double-duty as some sort of "single target snipe", I would absolutely use 2 pieces (plus the %damage) of Gladiator's Net to boost Accuracy, Hold and Endurance cost and take the extra Endurance set bonus.... otherwise, if it is mostly used as a damaging attack, I think I'd replace it with an cone AoE (Psychic Scream), primarily because in pretty much all large-spawn, non-hard-mode content the issue I have with Fortunatas is that they aren't great at quickly and repeatedly nuking (all enemies in) large spawns... so having a cone AoE to hit multiple enemy targets (with additional %damage) seems to be more valuable to me (for more content). 3 pieces of Artillery is only providing +0.94 Ranged Defense as opposed to Thunderstrike's +1.25 value, so ignoring the effect of an unbootsed Hold (current slotting) I think the thing to weigh is faster defeat times against spawns with more aggro versus the slight extra chances of enemies to land ranged attacks. ---- To be honest, the ONLY thing I would do differently with your build (and goals) involves Dominate, but it costs a little of that precious extra Ranged Defense: Level 12: Dominate -- GhsWdwEmb-Dam%(A), GldJvl-Dam%(31), Thn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(31), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(33), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33), UnbCns-Dam%(33) I almost always three-slot (and boost) Gladiator's Net Acc/Hold, 4x, %Lethal. I know the value a long duration Mag 3 Hold can bring, so I am assuming this is why you have this at level 12. I actually dropped Dominate in my post-page 5 builds, as I was somewhat unimpressed with the single-target damage. Me, I always consider Psychic Scream for hitting more targets. With your goals I might go: Bombardment %Fire Positron %Energy Javelin %Lethal Artillery Acc/Dam Artillery Dam/End Artillery End/Recharge/Range You lose a little bit of Ranged Defense, but you could be hitting more targets. Obviously with the content you are completing, you don't need to make such a change, but it might make the Synapes go faster!

FWIW: Catalysts aren't exactly hard to come by. At level 50, every character has a chance to get a Catalyst drop once-per-day as part of a regular defeat. The chances of the drop are quite high, I want to say that defeating something like 8 spawns of 8 (*1) should be enough for a Catalyst to drop. Any random tip mission with the spawn size turned up should do the trick, provided the enemies are actually defeated. (*1) Crude estimate based on clearing all four of the Kings Row Paladin level-less spawns twice. A side effect of running (any) level 50 content at high spawn sizes are the common IO recipe drops; on average, the level 50 IO recipes sell to vendors at 100k. Typical AH pieces for useful (non Superior, non PVP) enhancements, run from 2Minf to 6Minf.... (the 6Minf is extreme for things like luck of the Gambler) and if a player is running actual arcs (which includes completing an morality 'capstone' tip) mertis should be rolling in as well.

Have you by any chance a familiarity with Anno Dracula?

As far as random drops go: Prismatic Aether Particles are a sort of reward complementary to (Very Rare / PVP) recipe drops: The former are easier to collect by completing missions quickly, the latter are best accumulated by defeating as many mobs as possible on a map with large spawn sizes.

Hidden is the level-50 slotting I landed on: I respeced a couple of times along the way to test /Nature... despite Endurance issues, I dropped Lifegiving Spores, and opted for Regrowth with Panacea slotted. Endurance was being such an issue that I moved a slot into Health for the Panacea +HP/+End Global effect. Timing a recast of Regrowth was too inefficient for my taste. The lower-level choice of Regrowth (as opposed to Wild Bastion) is why I slotted which sets in each power. Spore Cloud isn't often used, but it comes in handy. Endurance was a HUGE issue for me (even with Accolades) so I made some slotting choices such that almost every power I regularly cast has an Endurance Reduction component, often achieved through franken-slotting and boosting. I need the (Superior) Scourging Blast %+End (PBAoE) to fire reliably, so it got slotted in Steam Spray. I definitely leaned hard into %damage procs in two of the attacks, and almost every attack has some sort of %damage. I don't have that many damaging attacks, so I wanted to have the up-front %damage, along the various damage-over-time effects. This build has crap defenses, which I can make peace with. The build is great on teams, for solo it isn't going to set the world on fire. I don't have to explain the benefits of Hasten, as a practical matter I don't often use it, as I can set my own pace while solo. If I am providing the buffs for teams, I'll use it. The build needs Rune of Protection, Infiltration was a personal choice pretty much for Quality-of-Life (grounded zippiness) and as toggle for Kismet.

We also have purchasable temporary powers for all sorts of things, including AoE attacks, travel, and Survivability/Offense/Defense buffs. Why draw the line at P2W Holds?

I want to thank Oklahoman for directing me to this forum on Discord.

Hmmm... In this Homecoming Era, I think it is only my Crabbermind who has one. In an earlier era, I used them on (maybe two?) on some characters that did very little damage. In this era, luckily %damage from procs means that lower-damage ATs can get through even-level spawns without having to struggle.... the 15-minute recharge times on those Patron Summons didn't look too bad when it took 45 minutes to clear a map.

Seriously! It makes me want to only take the AoE attacks!

There are quite a few; I think [Pool.Sorcery.Arcane Bolt] is the one I find is most embarrassing when it misses. First, there is the long wind-up, and during the cast you can already tell that the spell is going off-target. In my head: my characters are thinking "Pay no attention to whatever it is I am trying to do."

I disagree. [Temporary Powers.Envenomed Dagger] is probably the biggest temp power game changer; I feel that if the game isn't broken with these existing, I don't think a Temporary power with a Hold effect is the end of the world. Personally: I'd like to be able to buy a P2W temp power that offers an Immobilize, like a single-target web grenade.

The accuracy should help the %damage proc. On Tankers, I also 6-slot the Taunt, but I always opt for Mocking Beratement. Is this the point at which I get grumpy that we don't have a Purple Threat Enhancement set? I totally want a %contagious threat (to mimic %contagious confusion). Can I also complain about the utility of the D-Sync Provocation (Threat/Accuracy/Recharge) for non-Tankers driving the Black Market prices through the roof? I'm somewhat peeved that we don't have the following options for actual Threat Enhancements: Threat/Endurance Reduction Threat/Accuracy I'm fine with Range being prevalent... but some characters want/need to boost Accuracy as well as Threat (with few slots), and Taunt auras could certainly benefit from Threat/Endurance Reduction.

My purely speculative guess is that with a new powerset available, folks are buying, and not yet doing anything remotely like "farming" enough to get drops that would otherwise replenish the supply. My rough personal experience running a lot of even-level (or +1) content at x8 is that on average I get either a PVP or Purple recipe drop for 1 hour of solo play. Obviously higher-level content is easier to solo at x8... but it is not common I'll get a PVP recipe on something like a full Synapse TF (although a few weeks back, I ended up with 2!)

Where did I put that broken record? I like seeing how to have a Widow act as a tank... I have done a similar thing with one of my (pre page 5 revamp) builds, albeit with far less emphasis on resists. Mt TLDR answer is to leverage Scaling Damage Resistance and a fast-cycling Unrelenting to back up the naturally very good (positional) Defenses. I admit: I think that Provoke is a terrible choice for trying to grab (mass) aggro. When I use it it is typically under one of the following circumstances: Low level PUGs, where nobody has a Taunt (and often they simply hope their aura will draw attention) Higher level PUGs, where a squishy is getting ganged up on (usually because of a mass debuff) and they require help Now... at low levels, it is hard for a Widow to have much in the way of resists, but can have AoE control/attacks. It is easier with a Fortunata, but with the Night Widow I think the hard choice would be to use the cone (Dart Burst) to hit the spawns, leveraging the %Fear proc and lean hard into the Presence pool to also have the AoE Invoke Panic. available for Posi 1/2 I don't think even I would dedicate the power choices to take Unrelenting so soon... I understand the love of Spin, but if trying to "tank" sometimes you want the attention of somebody a little farther out. I also feel like I should suggest adding specific resist buffs from a SG Base.