tidge

On one hand, I appreciate the effort to prop up a (IMO, very weak) "breathe new life into old content" argument, but ^this^ is isn't helping IMO. Reasons? #1. This example is almost certainly the same AT with the exact same choice of primary and/or secondary. If a player is going to roll up nothing but these sorts of characters (i.e. duplicates of what they have already played), I don't think it is the game that is unreasonably limiting the player choices. #2 This argument is entirely focused on a level range (level 1-3) before power pools become unlocked at level 4, when all that in-game diversity becomes available to builds. Is this hypothetical player really seeking more build diversity solely to "breathe more life" into City Hall contacts? You can't even get a newspaper or radio contact at these levels, never mind that players at these levels can't accumulate debt.

I don't think the suggestion is a good one for this game: #1 I don't know what the OP is considering "lower level content", I'm going to proceed with teh assumption that the 'upper limit' on "lower level" is far below level 49. I'm a veteran player who plays with lower level content. I find it all completely palatable, no matter if I am encountering it organically via leveling up, or revisiting via exemplar/Ouro/TF/whatever. #1b At most, I end up with one power I am not going to use/use minimally in a Level 50 build. My hot take is: if there are more than one of the first four powers (T1, T2 from primary and secondary) that are completely useless for a player... the player has likely picked the wrong AT and almost certainly isn't really interested in low level content... which is easily handled by low tier powers and/or START vendor freebies. The most reliable case when *I* end up with a T1/T2 power that is nigh-but-useless is on perma-Dominators, because the one of the first three power choices ends up being a poor choice (for me, MMV) for dedicating many slots towards as I chase sufficient +Recharge set bonuses. #2 Build's can already be pretty diverse (suggestion: Skip Hasten and the Fighting pool). #2b The sort of 'exoctic builds' implied by a "lemme have T6, T7, T8, T9, powers with no prerequisites" would pretty much imbalance the game for content in which the enemies don't also have access to such tier powers, e.g. at "low levels". #3 This appears to be a rationalization for #2 that really wouldn't be born out by the game. The reason a level 4 Blaster "doesn't have control of their nuke" is, like-it-or-not, narratively explained by not having a nuke. IIRC "Every couple of minutes" was the pre-sunset timing on Blaster nukes!

I found it (non-Nemesis) to be pretty easy to run with level 50s, with better performance from support-oriented characters (because allies). I didn't run it as a farm (across alts), but if I was doing something else with a level 50, I'd try to run it for the rewards (and to unlock the Safeguard/Mayhem contacts). As for the Nemesis event: probably only about 20 times. The (personal) problem I had with the Nemesis event was that I had one (semi-retired) level 50 character that really wanted to complete it, but she kept ending up on either under-powered teams or teams with less-skilled players or players with a radically different (and IMO, inefficient) approach(*1) to tackling the Nemesis event. I'd guess that 10 of those 20 runs were evenly divided between (five runs of) the character I wanted (to complete) being on a team that failed, followed by a run with a different character that rejoined the team to help the others get their completion. (*1) There isn't much to be done when defeated players won't go to the hospital (waiting 2+ minutes for a rez), or the team has a whole lotta level 20s and 30s for Nemesis, but I found that a resistance based Scrapper with some self-heals was generally capable of both standing toe-to-toe with the wAVes *and* doing enough damage such that focused fire from the team could drop targets without too much fuss. A Scrapper with a Patron Snipe and a willingness to drag another bunch of AVs was also useful. As for "inefficieny",... anybody who successfully completed more than one of the Nemesis event is likely to have some idea of "what works", but I did have a few runs where an otherwise good player with a good build was calling out targets that made no sense to me... except in the context of that character maybe had a weakness (or annoyance) to something like holds, or defense debuffs, or whatever and didn't realize which of the AVs was actually making the fight hard.

Some characters would ask for a Dark roast coffe blend. Others may just stick with Ice Water. I've sure the submarine sandwiches are a new popular item on the menu.

My attitude and comments on this topic (henchmen upgrades) aren't really any different since the last round of MM upgrades: I agree that the first upgrade should be baked in, it make no sense to me that it should have to be applied because both (a) it comes so early and (b) it comes before the T2 and T3 henchmen are available as power picks. I disagree that the second upgrade should be automatic, because the level is is available at is necessary for the content that begins to appear at that level; it really is a "level up" for earlier level "powers" (the henchmen) necessary to scale MM performance at the higher levels. (This sort of level scaling is IMO observable from an AT that gets appropriate low-level attacks but lacks a similar sort of "power up": Kheldians. It's why the Nova forms are great at lower levels but kinda weak at higher levels... but I digress) I am satisfied with the current implementation of the first upgrade. Aside from all the post-live MM improvements (summon times/times, group buffing, map->map travel, opening up T2 secondary power choice, etc.) the ability to slot certain useful enhancement sets in those first (and in some cases, second) upgrades was a boon to MM builds that choose to take advantage of them. This implementation would not have been my choice; I think the (my words) "ya gots to apply the first upgrade as an intended cost of getting better performance" argument is somewhat weak(*1) but I don't feel obligated to try to analyze/prove/disprove that hypothesis when the final choice of auto/non-auto first upgrade will make no measureable difference (to me). It is obvious (at least to me) that reworking the primaries by replacing multiple powers and trying to come up with something else would involve analysis/effort for both balance and code... and the payoff would be of questionable value (IMO). (*2) (*1) The argument about the first upgrade being auto/non-auto feels "goopy"... or at least more "theoretical" than "empirical"... but as noted in my text above, players did get an improved set of enhancement slotting options, so minimally (from my PoV) there was a buff to those powers that I appreciate. (*2) Having played MMs for long enough on HC (also live, but that is irrelevant for this point)... buffs/upgrades applied to henchmen are 'flaky' in both expected and (somewhat) unexpected ways. The primary upgrades almost always 'stick' (when the henches are fully summoned and clustered) but I frequently observed some applied buffs (mostly Incarnate buffs) don't 'stick' to all henchmen... and others may have discovered that a non-upgraded henchmen will usually 'get a free upgrade' when changing zones/maps. I only mention this because there is more going on 'under the hood' to give us the IMO good state of affairs MM enjoy today.

I am still of the opinion that trying to make "fetch toxic positivity" a thing in place of using a less charged word/phrase like "blind advocacy" or "cheerleading" ... or even a potentially more charged, but in-vernacular use of something like "drank the flavor aid" or "the emperor has no clothes" or "rightthink" is an obvious (and somewhat lazy) attempt to equate some folks support of something that somebody else doesn't like as being inherently poisonous. The workplace examples cited about? Not cool, but they sound more like cult-like behavior with an emphasis on "othering", or at least an attempt at dividing people into in-group and out-group categories of rightthink. It is a real stretch to call out "positivity" as being toxic... it sounds like a term an edgelord would come up with after being called out for "toxic" behavior that was self-recognized as being "non-positive". If person A insults person B... that isn't "positivity" of any sort. If an individual feels they are being poisoned by (or having an allergic reaction to) more than one person disagreeing with them in the same way... that individual should probably disclose their allergy and not simply toss out wild accusations of being poisoned. The blog quote accusing the HC devs of "sins" also strikes me as extremely judgemental, with zero context provided. It is easy for me to imagine that the "positivity" related to the "sin" was that the devs implemented a change that guy didn't like, and some non-dev agreed with the devs approach.

I think the choice of "toxic" as the adjective for "positivity" reveals a lot about both preconceived beliefs and the limited vocabulary of the (blog) author. If the source of the quote was turned off by forum discussion (and not the HC game itself)... they must be incredibly sensitive and likely don't recognize very much autonomy in other people. The author of the article is almost certainly just doing a lazy drive-by 'both sides' piece. Here (forums) I observe a lot of non-dev-team folks explaining why certain things are the way they are, and the potential consequences of certain "drive by asks" in the suggestion forum, but for the most part these are pretty neutral (up to the point of someone posting in a petulant manner, very often the OP)... and the non-OP responses often show more evidence of critical thinking than the original post. Then of course, are the suggestions that are almost certain never to be implemented for which many of us can explain the dev's stated reasoning. I don't think that is "toxic positivity". It strikes me as rather pathetic for a blogger to equate "choice I don't like" with "sin". Pope wolfeyes must have a pretty wild heaven he's trying to get into.

Now I want to see this Ice/Ice/Ice Build that is 'broken' because of the current Epic power pool.

Sure! This was the page 5 build... I may have tweaked it a little since then, but it will be substantially the same. FWIW, I don't think I'd add the new Cupid's Damage/%Confuse to it, as the PPM isn't great and the duration of the confuse is too short (especially considering all the control & KB present). Mass Confusion has %damage to improve drop rates.

I know that @Maltese_Knight isn't the OP, but of all the powers in a Tanker's Invulnerability primary... I never would have guessed that Invincibility would be a power that players would choose to take without adding any additional slots.... especially if playing against +4s. The 'singleton' buff may not look that good, when holding the aggro of a large number of enemies in melee range (yay Tanker PBAoEs) the extra slotting pays dividends in my experience.

I don't like the exploit myself (and don't bother with it)... yet I think there is likely a conjunction of different possible reasons why it hasn't been addressed, including: It may not be straightforward to directly stop the changeling exploit without mucking something else up about the Kheldians. There is probably not consensus on how to improve performance of the Kheldians in the absence of the exploit. I can't speak to #1, but even without using the exploit I often get glitchy results when trying to change forms! As for #2, I think that 'performance' is somewhat subjective. Personally, I find the Nova form to be great up until about level 16, and not long after it becomes a drag. The Dwarf form is a solid tanker, but IMO miserable in terms of clear times. Pure human forms have their own issues, presumably 'for balance'. <- I don't think any of this is news, but it is how I feel about the Kheldians. I understand the suggestions to make the 'human forms' more resilient and/or do more damage... but those suggestion (my opinion) seem to go against the idea that tri-forms are the core identity of the HEATs. Personally, my suggestion to 'improve Kheldians' would lean towards better (i.e. more complicated) scaling of the damage powers in the (especially) Nova and Dwarf forms. The Nova attacks are essentially low-tier attacks that never really get any better (even with slots) than equivalent low-tier Blaster attacks, but the Nova's never get anything else (unlike Blasters). The Dwarfs (available at level 20) are a little better, but their melee attacks are very much low-tier Tanker attacks, they never get the equivalent of a T6+ melee attack (without exploiting changeling). I'm not suggesting new attacks get added to the Nova/Dwarf forms, more that the attacks could maybe be given different (scaling higher) base damage values at higher levels (of the character) for those forms, in such a way that exemplaring down gets the 'correct scale'. They should maybe not be as powerful as the higher-tier human-form attacks, but there ought to be a reason to NOT default to changeling exploits to clear and survive enemies.

I suggest learning how to blast without relying on the epic pool powers to keep you alive. /s Less sarcasticly: the epics/patron pools aren't uniform by design. The dev team isn't keeping a defense or resistance toggle out of player's build until level 41, the game offers pools with different power choices in them, available at different levels, that scale with the level of availability. The utility of that scaling will be different for different players, I don't know why anyone would insist on making all the sets the same.

My comments are not about "totally overpowering". My personal opinion is that a Blaster shouldn't need an epic toggle, yet if they somehow do, there is no content between levels 30 and 36 that require one. Player's (edit) not should ask for 'pure buffs' without proposing a rebalance. The need to take a pre-req choice, and an availability at a later level are part of the factors that make Frozen Armor better (IMO) than other 'toggles' that don't require those things (or a Patron unlock).

The non-patron Epic Pools don't all get a def/res toggle at level 35, nor do the available toggles all take the same sets. (I'll ignore the actual effects of the toggle, except in one case). Arsenal's Body Armor, level 35 Auto power Resistance sets only Dark's Murky Cloud, level 35 toggle power Resistance sets only Electric's Charged Armor, level 38 toggle power, Resistance sets only Fire's Fire Shield, level 38 toggle power, Resistance sets only Force Mastery's Temp Invulnerability, level 38 toggle Resistance sets only (PFF is a level 35 defensive toggle, but it doesn't allow players to make attacks) Ice's Frozen Armor, level 41 toggle that allows both Resistance and Defense sets. At level 41... Frozen Armor looks like an outlier, but it provides better options than the other Epics, and IMO even Scorpion Shield's (level 35) options. An enhanceable 10% S/L defense is excellent! The only similar options for Blasters come from long-recharge pool powers that require even more pre-requisites (e.g. Unleash Potential) If you want to propose shuffling the order of the power picks, there does need to be an accompanying proposal as to how to rebalance the set. Based on the non-Patron sets, it would be far more likely that the "toggle" would end up at level 38 across-the-board, which would still require a pre-requisite power pick. The toggle powers currently available only above level 38 would have to sacrifice some things.

Re: Epic/Patron pools: I'm perfectly ok with the variety of powers in those pools, including what each provides, what level they appear at, and which enhancement sets can be slotted in each. I occasionally get the same feels as the OP, but it is almost never about "looks", or even wanting to toggle an armor ASAP (at level 35)... I'm almost always considering those Epic/Patron powers as a place to slot an enhancement set. Read this as: almost entirely a min-max decision on my part, motivated by my personal desire to have "essentially complete" characters before level 35 using powers from the primary, secondary and non-Epic pools. Specific to Blaster's Ice Mastery... I rather like the variety, progression, and slotting options for it as a set for Blasters. I certainly wouldn't consider either Flash Freeze or Snow Storm to be "wasted picks" for an Ice/Ice/Ice thematic Blaster. If I didn't like either of those powers for thematic reasons, I think I'd also dislike Hoarfrost and Hibernate too... which would probably just drive this guy (points to self) to another Epic/Patron set to get an "armor" toggle.

As noted, the target cap is 10 (enemies). It is typical that my Invuln Tank has more enemies close by than allies. While my Tankers will run Maneuvers, they rarely also have Tactics. It isn't so much that I mind running ally buffs on a Tanker, it is more that the builds get too tight for it.

I think that Spirit Tree (and Triage Beacon) are vestigial powers from a completely different era of the game, in which: Leveling was slow (including different debt profiles) Fitness pool was not inherent There were fewer pool choices with more utility at the levels of Spirit Tree and Triage Beacon, especially (but not limited to) travel powers at level 4. Notice I didn't have to initially list all the other reasons I prefer to not take such powers: Inspirations can be used on-demand Greater accessibility to enhancement set bonuses/globals (regeneration, recovery, but also Defense and Healing/Absorb) 'fast-moving' through maps I agree that there can be content where such a power offers some demonstrable utility; but generally I find them to be inferior power picks compared to other options.

I agree about the pillars, although I think name and costume are typically more egregious. Some folks write-up a bio, some don't. This is not to say that I haven't seen a character with an obvious costume and name from an existing property that also had a bio that could have come from a comic-book wiki. I have a couple of characters that I created after inspiration from another IP (or a remix of more-than-one). Names are right out, and using obvious non-clever names isn't really my thing. If the costume isn't close... pretty much no one should care. If the costume is close, and the name I choose echoes (even slightly) I'll write a bio that makes it clear (at least in my head) that this character is its own thing. When inspired by another IP... I tend to gravitate towards slightly more offbeat choices than "four-color comic books", and for me the challenge is more about finding an AT/power-set combination that can channel the feels more than trying to copy a costume and name.

I smell what you are cooking with the Invulnerability Tank, I have one that performs really well across all content (including boosted Shadow Shard). There may be a case to be made for Super Reflexes. I haven't taken SR Tankers through as much (in terms of variety of) content, but I found them to be more boring than Invuln, at least once I had a handle on how much I could rely on Scaling Damage Resistance and when a burning of the green bar should be troubling and when it was just business as usual. That being said, I do have a few bones to pick with the slotting choices on the Invulnerability primary: I feel like the suggested slotting of Invincibility and Tough Hide is inferior to something like: Level 18: Invincibility (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed (*) Shield Wall - Defense: Level 50+5 (*) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All) (*) HamiO:Cytoskeleton Exposure (Endurance/ ToHit/Defense) Level 22: Tough Hide (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed (*) Luck of the Gambler - Defense (*) Kismet - Accuracy +6% Obviously I'm shuffling Scaling Damage Resistance to somewhere else (in place of a LotG), but the Auto boost from Tough Hide is where Kismet should go, and underslotting Invincibility seems like a crime against the AT. I've copied in my slotting showing that I'm trying for +Regeneration boosts in addition to simply boosting the Defensive attributes. 3-slotting Shield Wall would be a good thing for a Tanker (more HP) , but I decided leaning into each of the Hami-O boosts to be slightly preferable. I often drop the Gaussian's %Build up in Invcibility as well. In the current game, Invuln has much less of a "Psi Hole" than in the distant past, so there may be little need to try to patch it, especially if the ATO +Res is in use. MMV based on content I suppose. It also appears to be lacking a Power Transfer %Heal, which is far more important to an Invuln (or any, because of HP) Tanker IMO than an Impervium Armor Psi Resist piece.

Is there a sort of playstyle you prefer? Is there some specific content that you want to focus on or avoid? Storm Blast is perfectly fine on Blasters, but it is slightly slower (in terms of dealing max damage efficiently) than other primaries. The Fire Manipulation secondary leans rather hard into melee range... the primary doesn't restrict you from this, but it is highly ranged focus (like most Blaster primaries). I point this out because having some idea of what you want the Fire to do can give us a better idea of what to suggest.

Slotting the Robotic Henchmen does feel like a calculus assignment! Supremacy only goes so far in helping the (especially lower-tier) henches in non-Incarnate content, and as noted if Endurance slotting is ignored, the henches will end up standing around not fighting. I know the game offers some ways to mitigate inferior Endurance Reduction slotting, but the henches perform best when they don't require micro-management and TLC. I also feel that MMs got a little bit of a raw deal with the ATOs, since they can only be slotted in the Henchmen powers (and for primaries with a pet summons, plus the extremely limited number of secondaries that offer a single power). I don't think any other AT ends up being so severely limited in terms of choice of where to possibly slot their ATOs. I understand that aside from "Universal Damage" there aren't really that many choices of sets for henchmen that can boost Accuracy, Damage, and Endurance Reduction... yet I feel like if I could slot some of the MM ATO pieces in primary attacks, or even pseudo pets I could not just improve the performance of the MMs but have some more variety in my builds too.

I usually only 2-slot Alpha Barrier. (Ribsomes) I see the bonuses you are going for, but I think the slots could be better used elsewhere. I usually 4-slot Gamma Boost. The more Health is smart, but this is where I drop a Power Transfer %Heal and 2x Numina (+Recovery/+Regen, Heal) for extra healing on this resistance-based primary. IMO no Tanker should be missing a Power Transfer %Heal piece. I tend to skimp on slots in Fallout Shelter, treating it very much like a mule (for SteadFast Protection). It has relatively meager base values for enhancing IMO. Radiation Therapy shouldn't need a Theft of Essence +End piece in it. I put the Gauntleted Fist Recharge/%Absorb in it, and two pieces of Touch of the Nictus (Heal/Recharge, %Negative) for the HP bonus. I wouldn't bother with an Achilles' Heel %-Res in Beta Decay; I'd just slot am Enzyme (Endurance Reduction, -ToHit, -Def). You shouldn't need the Endurance Reduction, but I think this sort of piece is the only option to boost both of Beta Decay's enemy-affecting properties. I have only a couple minor notes on Ground Zero: I use 2x (boosted) Fury of the Gladiator in it (Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge, Damage/Recharge). The Eradication %damage is Energy, the same type as Ground Zero itself, I usually opt for off-type %damage when I have the opportunity. I don't sweat adding %Lethal or %Smashing to an Energy-damage attack. Weave looks to be overslotted to chase a bonus, Meltdown appears seriously underslotted. Meltdown is a high-grade T9. I happen to have it 4-slotted with (boosted) Gladiator's Armor, not for set bonuses but for the global and maximum recharge. As for the rest, the only specific suggestions are: I would franken-slot/boost Rage for as much Recharge as you can get out of the three slots, or just use two slots with (boosted) IOs. Even more ToHit isn't nothing, of course... it just may be not needed. You could still have 2 boosted pieces of Adjusted Targeting for level 45+ content with frankenslotting. I feel like at least one (maybe both) of the +ToHit from Rage or the Kismet piece in Combat Jumping is overkill. Melt Armor is probably going to be a more reliable source of -Resistance than any %-Resistance... even considering the long recharge time and the necessary ToHit check. I usually 2-slot this with boosted 50+5 Analyze Weakness pieces (Accuracy/Recharge, Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge). The %-Resistance in Ground Zero is probably fine, but I think you'd get better total damage from another %damage piece.

I feel like you are making a specious argument about slotting choices. There are (by my reckoning) six important "pet" globals that contribute significantly to henchmen surviving, making them better at bodyguard and better at sustaining DPS, From Recharge Intensive Pet damage: Call to Arms, Defense Aura Expedient Reinforcement, Resistance Aura From Pet damage: Edict of the Master, Defense Aura Sovereign Right, Resistance Aura From the Mastermind ATO: (Superior) Command of the Mastermind, Defense Aura (and Recharge time) (Superior) Mark of Supremacy, Resistance (also some Regen, and Endurance Reduction) There is one other "pet global" from Commanding Presence, but I tend to ignore it. There is a Pet-specific %Build Up, but that isn't a global, it is tier-specific. A Robotics Mastermind primary has only 18 potential slots (divided between 3 tiers of henchmen) to slot those six pieces. This is one-third of the potential slots! A Thugs MM has 24. If a MM has a power in a secondary, they might be able to slot a couple of the aura pieces in it... but this is quite rare. Storm has it best I think with Tornado (IIRC it can slot all three categories I listed for MMs), and Traps with Seeker Drones as mentioned earlier. AFAIK there aren't any pool powers for MMs to slot those pieces. A Stalker that wants to slot a global piece from one of its ATO typically has 7 different powers (with up to 6 slots each) from its primary to drop one of its ATO globals in (I know the stalkers ATOs aren't globals, but this is an argument about globals, not procs)

I only solo, no multi-boxing. No judgement, just me wanting to be upfront. On my solo Robotics, I used the MM attacks to draw/keep aggro... with some tricks... so I didn't notice a big change except that I couldn't rely on the henches to nearly-AFK solo things like GMs any more. I'm a 100% aligned with being sour about the lack of a non-hench power in the primaries for some of the MMs to casually slot with the global pieces. At least 'bots got the KB (mostly) removed, which saved a further precious slot on each tier. I was hoping that one or both of the reworked upgrade powers would be allowed to slot those pieces, even if such a thing makes no sense otherwise. I think the "slot tax" was referring to a primary like Robotics, and the globals (e.g. +Def Aura) which only can slot into the actual henches, which means sacrificing a potential other enhancement... could be just an attribute (Accuracy, Damage, Endurance reduction), could be a piece like the %Build Up, could be a %proc, could be for a set bonus. Other sets (like Demons, Thugs) have another non-hench power that can mule those globals with only limited impact to what those powers ultimately bring... so the henches can be "better enhanced" in those sets (because they don't 'burn slots' on global pieces).