Golden Azrael

Sir Myshkin, Hello there. I enjoyed your work on the knock back 'mad king' builds. Loads of good ideas there. I've recently rolled a Fire/SS Tank and you know what? I'm after some innovation on this 'plain jane' old school tanker. Any ideas on how to use procs on this? eg. Can Hand Clap be used to proc dam/stun/boost it's damage? I've been keeping my eye on this thread. And I know (try to find a Fire/SS build...on the tanker thread...20 pages in...) Fire/SS isn't very popular? (Doens't seem to be...) But can it be sexied up? Replies welcome. Can we add some more 'excitement' and imagination to a Fire/SS build? Regards, Azrael.

That's a fine build, Hyperstrike! Ty for contributing it. *looks the build over and drools politely. Azrael.

Anyone got any innovative builds for Fire/SS? Is this an 'old school' coh tank combo that needs a design pass? *(EM is currently getting a make over on Beta.) I've found it very 'plain jane' so far. It's not Rad/Rad (tried that on a brute. Monster stuff.) Maybe after the AT tank pass...the power sets are next for 'tweaking?' Anyone got any sexy and innovative Fire/SS builds for tank? I have taken Burn. Ofc. It helps boost SS's efficiency, I've found. And the Fire aura chips away at mobs. Obviously weaker in S&L. I've taken Tough to boost Res' and Weave to try and get hit less. That and popping a purp' inspire and I don't get hit as much at the start of a fight. Put the burn down. HPs are a lot healthier. Without doing this? One arm tied behind my back whilst I take a kicking...for 'No good reason?' I do have a L50 Ice/Ice/Ice tank. I'm intrigued to see how this compares. It's interesting that I'm 20 pages in to a tanking forum for Fire/SS before I get a thread on it. Not popular because? Azrael.

I see. Azrael.

EM. You had me at 'Hello.' Love the AoE stacking. Power Crash has really lifted the entire set from a grind fest with a monologue 'click this...and then click this...and then click this...' attack chain. You can play it vanilla. Or pour sprinkles on your gameplay ice cream. You can have a 'set attack chain.' Click random buttons. or use Energy Focus to make the play more thought provoking and absorbing. (But a choice of 3 stun, AoE or Short ET is hardly mentally taxing...) Is it on live yet? 😄 Azrael.

Devouring Earth. BU. Power Crash. + Whirling. Herd Thinner. What I like about the 'new' EM Tanking set is the sheer combinations of attacks that can 'Rope a Dope' or 'Rumble in the Bronx' that you can rinse the mobs with. You can finish with Short ET....Long ET....Energy PUnch...BS....Power Crash.... I even like rotating me some rope a doping T1-3 attacks with barrage, EP or BS. I even got a stun off a 'non' Energy Focus Barrage... Floats like a buttertank, stings like a truck. Azrael.

Interesting test. I just went on my 'Artie' test mission. +2 x 6. Set myself the task of defeating the mob with 'just' Bonesmasher. Just to see how fast and often I can get the stun. So I piled on Hasten and Ageless. Turbo charged BS! 😛 Didn't take long to take down the mob. Stunned with half a bar of HPs gone and then 'Good night vienna.' POW! Stunned or broken in a heap on the floor is fine by me. Comes up reasonably often. Twirly birds. On about 3 or 4 Artie Ninja Ladies. All walking around with the 'I don't know T.C' tongue out. Np problem, Benny. Is it me or does this EM set playing even smoother than ever? Def' better than the last time I tested. It's a subtle thing. But the overall experience is... It plays beautifully. No sticking points. Or lulls. Is it getting the hell tweaked outta it? Even BS seems be be swifter and harder and stunnier. (Hey, don't mind me...if you want to slip in a 75-80% chance to stun on BS...I won't tell...) It's being tuned really well. Very good polishing on the set, here. Feels rapid, super smooth and brutal hard, bone crunchingly good. Booyyy. This plays really well. Very tasty. I would caveat my experience by saying I have the L50 with bells and whistles incarnates on. Ageless and Spiritual can do alot to the smoothness of builds. I may take my hand to trying EM at the 1-10, 11-20 and 21-32 areas next. Azrael.

Bonesmasher. It's such a good EM 'classic' power. I liked it having what it says on the tin. Some 'specials in there.' -regen. A special. 100% stun. Take -regen and 100% stun. What do ya THINK is gunna happen to ya if ya get BoneSMASHERED? 'That's gonna hurt in the morning, Son...' Debilitating effect is in the name... A 100% stun (as a choice) to knock them senseless makes total sense to me. In lieu of the Stun that got taken out. Apart from that? I just want to roll this now. On live. Play it until my fingers bleed....again....and again...faster and faster....AoE...STACK ATTACK! Rinse those mobs....after I've done that? What's left can be Mother Trucked ET or BS'd to death. I don't remember grinding Dev Earth or Arties this ez. Power Crash and Whirling may be 'medicore' invidually? But together they take the top and 'bottom' off mobs. Leave the formerly rampant mob looking somewhat shell shocked, ragged and thread bare. EM. Is. Now. Brutal. I wince when I play it. This is 'put hairs on your chest' tanking. This is a Gift from the Tanking Gods. *SMITE THEM. BRING SUFFERING DOWN UPON THE MALTA! BRING SUFFERING UPON THE COUNCIL VAMPIRES!!! Mob, 'Wut?!' Me? 'KER-POW!' How's dat? You like broken teeth to go wit yer cornflakes...? Munch on that sonny boy... Azrael.

Word. True. Cap Powerhouse absolutely nailed Energy Melee's overhaul. And the praise from me has been abundant. 'Because.' A passionate work of art. And proves Coh's legacy is in safe hands. Plays like a dream. A fun, engaging, plays like butter and knocks seven bells of **** out of the mobs melee set. *stands and applauds. Stand up....for the Powerhouse...stand up....for the Powerhouse...stand up....for the.... *(Football chant.) Can't wait for it to go live. Azrael.

Elec/Elec. I thought it was fine as is. (Though I do like the Sentinels' Tier 3 'High dam' blast better than two successive AoEs that put you in danger as soon as you hit the Hollows. I wonder if High Dam Elec blast from the Sentinel set would be better than Short Circuit at Tier 4?) As for Elec' Melee? Not something I thought needed fixing. I'll try it on beta. But the elec/elec blaster on live plays just fine. I like the melee heavy nature of it from havoc punch (are you watching BS from EM?) to the Shocking Grasp. Having the LField cost no end is welcome though. I was quite happy with the unique way Elec Blaster/Melee 'Thunderclapped' their buff. Very 'I'm the boss' around here. Force of Thunder. Fine as was..? I have(!) rolled the en/en blaster melee. And I'm not sure I like the way it's been implemented. Seems to lack HC's customary elegance. Sure. I like the idea of boosting the single target stun to an AoE. And now you can boost that AoE stun to a 'ranged AoE stun fist...' at distance. It's....ok. Doesn't play as silky as auto snipe. Couldn't power boost for en Blasters have something unique to them whereby Power Boost increased the chance to 'stun' in all blasts to various degrees of 'dis' (or would that be 'too much' on top of the erratic knbk?) Power Boost seems the place to do that. I'll test this some more. I only had one brief play session. So maybe I haven't given it a fair shake down. Azrael.

Maiden of Archery. Seen her name floating about quite a bit in the chat window. Cool name. Azrael.

Just in time. 🙂 Wanted to get a wriggle on and get to 50. So I could compare before and after the new TA patch. I've tried TA on Beta. 'Promising.' (Though I don't like the new EMP effect for graphics. I do like the buffs from it though. 😄 ) Hoping the devs put new graphics effect from EMP onto Disruption Arrow instead. (Gives me headaches.) 😮 Azrael.

3 mob Devouring Earth pull on +2 x6 with Bosses. EB also on. (Maria AV arc.) Progressive mob pulling tactics and tool kit to do so. Azrael.

HC are sharing their cake. I'm just excited that EM is getting the changes it is. It's a work of art. Progressive design, dynamic gameplay. A big step forward for EM tanks. You get a piece of cake if you're old or progressive school. And the moAR feedback the better. That's the whole point. But for me, bar a few very slight timing issues, Version 1 was good to go for Tanks. I'd have put that on live for Tanks bar the ET (very slight) timing issue. (The 100% stun to Barrage feels a bit awkward. Thematically, bone smashing someone should 100% give them something to feel Bonesmashed about. How can you be 60% bonesmashed? Bonesmashing someone takes the mob out of the fight for 'a while.' Or the choice to hit them that hard with BS that it can or does.) I haven't, admittedly tested it on Stalkers or Scrappers. Their mileage may vary. Overall, plays as smooth as silk on Tankers. It's a massive improvement overall in single target, AoE and stun capa'. Azrael.

I'm less concerned about that. I'm more concerned about BS being what it says on the tin with a shell shocking 100% stun choice. Azrael.

Gas seemed to work better as a 'choke' interrupt rather than a 'wake up from' power. Maybe it's my imagination. An arrow version of Rad's Choking interrupt? I always did like dat. The new EMP is a work of beauty. Not sure about the 'place' mat activation. I liked shooting at the mob. More direct. And maybe the old graphical effect better. (Though it was underwhelming.) It's a muted 'stop dead' electrical effect. I@ve come to appreciate it though. Where I would put that graphical effect? Disruption Arrow. The pulsing grey rainbow gives me a headache. In fact, I avoided taking Disruption Arrow for this reason. Ironically, it's EMP that gets it's graphics changed. Any chance of moving the EMP graphic over to Disruption Arrow? Or using the same 'half dome' effect but with eg. a blue or orange colour for Disruption? The pulsing effect is hard going on the eyes. To the point where I avoid Long Bow mission now. And I can't take the disruption power either. In fact, didn't the Sonic devs change the grey pulses to something orange and less eye/head ache inducing effect back on live coh following complaints from players for that set on a few of the powers within? Played (and currently) and playing TA/Arrows extensively on live HC. And I guess I'll feel the 'changes' better when it comes across to my 'build.' I've got to L50 and broadly, I support the changes made. TA did need a 'brush over.' It seems to play very nice TA. Under rated set even as it is. But it's good that HC are listening to player feedback to make it more appealing. Entangle. - res. Is good. But as is, I found it very effective at ensnaring AVs and making them pause for thought. EMP. I like the new buff capability. And the loss of the aweful - end cratering for a yawn inducing 15 secs. Much, much better. Do I like the new graphical effect better than the old? And the new 'place mat?' Not so much. I guess it shows 'where' the effect is taking place for 'longer.' Disruption. Could do with swiping the new graphic effect from EMP rather than the pulsing migraine. Broadly, the changes are very good. MoAR -res' and an EMP that buffs are show stealers. Acid is more exotic with it's debuffing. Are we keeping the - res in it though? *bats eyelids. Powers are lasting longer so the TA trickster doesn't have to peddle quite as hard for their subtle endeavours. The rest? Is very good. And thoughtful. Like the TA set itself. Which is thoughtful layering upon layers of debuff to entangle mobs. Finesse rather than brute force? Azrael.

It's also worth noting how just swapping three powers out. eg. Entangle, Stunning Shot and Stealth out...for Ice Hold, AIM and Fistful of Arrows made for a different feeling build. I feel these changes brought about a more direct and aggressive approach to my play. Even small changes takes a while to adjust the muscle memory after 46 lvls of play. But I'm now happier with the changes. We've taken plenty of #money shots of our victories. Perhaps Tath99 can provide some 'choice cut' moments... Azrael.

UPDATE! Duo TA/Arrows is NOW L50. Now we're cooking. Mobs are melting like butter. L38 brought about some kind of 'arrival' for TA. Pulling more mobs and becoming more artful with TA. L46. Things were starting to crawl and stall progress wise. Then a dash for the finish line. L50! DING! I spent 'a day' building mine. Went for Melee emphasis with procs. Tath99 went more for range. For my build, out went Stealth for Hasten. Entangle out for Ice Arrow. And Stunning was replaced by AIM. My design aim and rp is to 'arrest' stuff faster. So that's quicker, more damagier and a hold that is pretty nasty on Bosses. I would say Entangle seems better on AV holding though. 😉 Wanted my build to be quick, damaging and have good melee defence. Why? We seem to get drawn into melee fighting 'most of the time.' 😉 And most of my 'deaths' came from melee. So I'm capped with S&L with Energy pretty close behind. I moved to get the Intuition Alpha Radial to + shift Tier 3 quickly. Then Support Tier 3. Then the Interface. I went for the - def interface. (Now Tier 4 on the 1st two with Interface on Tier 3.) Intuition is a real force multiplier for TA. I have the Lore pets and....Judgement. I'm happy with the inc's as they are. That's a lock. Build done. Inc's done. Did the Maria Jenkin's AV arc. Whilst we're not the AV kings that Rad' Defenders are? We managed to get to the Force Field AV before we drew a stalemate (and ran out of time...) on _1 x6. We did get her health down to the last 1/5th. But she kept putting on PFF. And she blew us both through that portal (which drew stifled laughs from Tath99. Me? I was less amused. 😄 ) But as Force Field is my favourite set? I thought it was a fitting stalemate. We managed to beat a Psi AV that our FF duo could not. But we could not beat a FF AV. Poetry. We weren't using incarnate pets. It was 'us' vs them. So very grindy. But doable. Until we met her. But to beat as many AVs as we did proved that a duo of TA/Arrows has potency. +3x8? On Council? No problem. +2x6 in general? Np. And we've got the measure of those carnie queens now. Now, TA/Arrows alt has to pay back all the influence it borrowed for the build... TA/Arrows. Has great battle field strategy in general missions. It whups bosses. Once you get TA Def' built to this level you'd make a blaster blush. With all debuffing allowing you to add layers of problems for the mobs. You want slow? You want - def? You want - res? You want a hold? An immob for AV? You want a corridor wide AoE damage that can stack with another AoE corridor wide damaging power? You want a stun? What about an AoE group stun with - end? What about blinding mobs? As a stealth? What about a power that kills incoming damage? Really? REALLY? What about a - def and - res power? Sounds like the gravy boat...pass that here... When you put it like that? Where do I sign up. ...in fact I did. Most of all. It is a lot of fun. It plays terrific. 🙂 A thoughtful 'legs off spiders' concept that really pays off as you mature with the 'money shot' build as you stand at the peak of Mount Olympus with Incarnates. Azrael.

Choice. The variety of combat options. I liked using the Bone Smasher to 100% put that Boss into tweety pie land. 60%? Meh. Nothing special about that. When you can 100% stun? That elevates BS to something more special befitting the name. Now it's just plain vanilla BS. 🙂 60%. I found the stun on that very random. 'Might happen.' Maybe I don't want to 'short' ET every time? I like to mix combat up a bit. I liked being able to cycle through a choice of options of stun, AoE stacking or 'short' ET depending on the situation. Maybe it's a guy thing. But I don't like big banging something quickly. 😄 So 'this is the most direct combat chain and I'll use this every time on everything?' Nope. I don't like combat to be that rigid. Build one had that bit more variety with a BS that could stun or could use it non-TF vanilla if you wanted to. Now. You can only use it? One way. The 'same' way. Don't think it's as good in Barrage. Feels weaker, less emphatic. Less appropriate. I'd happily see Barrage keep all he debuffs. But return the BS 100% stun back even if it meant slightly less dam. Sometimes the 1st idea is the best idea. And Build 1 I liked. Lots. Had a better flow. The 2nd build is, that aside, more refined/very smooth and polished. ET 'timing' tweak etc. I'm not fussed about having a chance for double EF all the time. Is that something for Scrappers? I'd rather the Tank's BS keep that stun whopper. Makes the attack more emphatic. It's in Beta. So I'm making the case. That's the point of feed back. Combat wise the 1st one had it. In a general AT tank point. Perhaps all Tier 1s could have -reg or - def to emphasis (or - res) that when you get hit by a tank? You get hurt. And when you get hit by eg. Havoc Punch or BS? You could rocked on your heels. HP gets the KB? I'd like BS to get that 100% stun. Ok. I'll stop now. 😉 Azrael.

Testing continues with the revised changes. So, how is EM on a tank..? Barrage. Miss. Hm. I long wondered how Tier 1s could have more relevance. And giving them a eg. 100% stun was an idea I muted privately. After all. It's barrage, right? And had this change been up 1st before 100% Bone Smasher? I'd have known no different and probably used it sparingly. Aside from the 100% stun (off EFocus…) Barrage is a decent Tier 1 which is part of the Tier 1, 2 3 basic attack chain trinity. Energy Punch. HIT! The recharge is slightly longer but the much needed dam boost gives this power a meaty feel. No longer a skippable Tier 2. Bonesmasher. Miss. This power was great with the revised change post Live. You get to mash a mob's head in...OR (choice!) 100% stun. Much better than the 60% stun here. You give a back breaking meaty punch that can serve as a finisher? Or? Stun a boss! The 100% off the EFocus felt more in context in this power. You had the 'choice' of balloping a mob or stunning them. OUTSIDE of that. As part of the attack chain, it feels good. Decent damage. I don't see how it can't be 'more freely' used in attack chains. YOu didn't 'have to' use it as a stun. I thought the stun here was great and more in context of what a Bonesmasher would do. The cast time reduction. That's nice. But with the maturing of the EM set over the levels...the 'smoothness' does come. A dollop of recharge in B/EP/BS always smoothed out the Attack Chain tiers 1-3. Power Crash. MASSIVE HIT! A great upgrade from the 'old fashioned' single stun. You can boost your AoE damage. And further with EF giving you greater mob reach. Rack and stack with the improved Whirling? And by the time you've finished mastercasting? All the mobs are near dead. Making whether you pick the long or short ET? Rather mute. And using this on top of Whirling takes away the soul sucking existence of trying to grind away your life in dev earth or arti - recharge missions on +2 x8. (Not all of use the *stifles a yawn..., 'Pylon Test.') This power has definitely elevated the entire set from being a boring chore of a grind? To 'I want to keeping whirling my power crash....' (I could be some time....*racks and stacks and racks and stacks and...) She's a keeper!!! Whirling. HIT! Ok. It got a dam boost. Yay! It was under performing according to the actual formula. What where the devs on live thinking? Use this as a dynamic AoE duo with? POWER CRASH ofc!!! Whirling has never been so good. And now it's augmented with 'Teh' Crash. YEap! Total Focus. HIT! TOTAL HIT! Even if it misses you're getting ENERGY FOCUS. (More about that real soon...) It's faster. And it puts the smack down. Very decent damage. Enough to put many mobs down. *(He's not getting up from that one Clive...) All of a sudden, there's a spring in my tanker's step. EM is like a new spring...no longer a boring chore. I can lay the smack down. It hurts. Mobs sleep. And? I get this... ENERGY FOCUS!. MASSIVE TOTAL RECORE REBOOT! WHAT A HIT BY CAPTAIN POWERHOUSE! A HULK WORLD BREAKEER HIT!!! Revision 1. I could: Wind up Total Focus. BOOM! Three choices. Do I..? a. BoneSmasher 100% stun. b. POWER CRASH a mob with AOE augmented reach. (Far superior to the power it replaces.) c. ET MOTHER TRUCKER. Hm. Let me see. Clearly, some of the handful of players who still played EM had a problem with Bone Smasher (it's in the name folks...) having a choice of knocking some mob's brains out? Or 100% knocking their brains out and leaving them stunned. It's so simple even I get it. It felt realllllly in place here. Now? There is only 'two' choices. (Well. Still 3. The 100% stun has moved to Barrage. That doesn't quite work as well for me. IN terms of flow. Feels a bit more awkward now. And I don't find myself using the stun choice as often. Shame.) Quibble aside? Having MOAR mobs, a truck hit and 100% stun have elevated the entire (dated dinosaur set) with some imagination, quick thinking, choice and a dynamic but simple choice of '3' (even I can count to three...) options. And in combat that's a reasonable number to make a combat choice. And the '3' options give you what you'd want in a EM set. To HIT HARD. To STUN. Or augment what was previously lousy AoE. Some mechanics. (NOt looking at you, Titan Weapons....) completely get in the way of play with anxiety reaching levels of....slowness. Energy Focus has provided a smooth as butter play experience (bar my quibble about BS loosing the 100% stun choice. Yeeesh. Folks. Cap Powerhouse was giving you this beautiful thing free of charge…) It's quick and it hurts. I guess those who don't like play mechanics because of...(I dunno…) some reason....will still not. But this mechanic doesn't get in the way. BS 100% stun didn't get in the way. You can choose to boost the powers or not. They're good non-boosted (with the boosted dam numbers...and lower rech' numbers...) and quicker cast times...and the new AoE option which boosts AoE and boosts Whirling! For those that do? You're in for a real treat. This is game play mechanic is gold. Energy Focus adds a great dollop of excitement to EM which had been old and dull. And slow. And BORING!. Energy Transfer. MASSIVE MOTHER TRUCKING HIT! ET. Would you like it Mother Trucking SHORT and SWEET? Or would you like it SLOOOOOOOOW and HARD? Uhm. Let me see. 'That's gonna hurt in the mornin' son.' Due to AoE boosted by the addictive to use Power Crash stacking with Whirling? ET being short and sweet is less essential than it used to be. And? I say that as a massive fan of it. No longer is EM a one trick pony set with TF not used due to it's aeroplane timing issues or ET taking ages to show boat. the love has now been spread around and using ET 'all the time' or building up to it...is no longer as essential. You mean? Due to the refinements to EPunch, TF and the diverse ENERGY FOCUS mech'? Not to mentioned the stupifyingly good Power Crash? You don't have to have THE ONE HOLY WAY ATTACK CHAIN to test on the Pylon and realise just how bad the devs on live made EM for tanks. You can have many Power Chains. And that leads me into... Conclusion. It was slow. No longer king of the hill. Titan Weapons had come and seen off the old single hitting king. Well. That and the live devs. It was slow, turgid and 2D. I hit this, power...then this...one...then this...then...ET. And I keep doing 'this thing' over and over again...until nobody plays it anymore. Because? IT@S BORING! Even I couldn't stomach getting my L40 EM/Invul to L50. Why bother? Life's too short. Single hitting was 'so so.' AoE was a dull as ditchwater grindy affair. (ergo. My 'tests' are play testing around mobs in actual missions. The ones that used to take ages to evaporate. I'm not sure if the mobs died because they were bored of EM? Or because I left Whiring on auto over night....) And that was it. You weren't good at either. And the play was very mono. Samey. Now? It's quicker. Smoother. MoAH damaging. Grinding is FAR QUICKER! Tier 1-3 is smooth as butter. AoE has more reach. Because their are now TWO AoEs. Sure, they might both be somewhat 'so so' on their own? But try stacking them. NOW DO IT AGAIN. (That mob doesn't look so hot any more, eh?) AoE that you can stack shouldn't be underestimated. And those single hits? BS hits hard. Decent finisher in its own right. EF will put some mobs down. ET? Boy. It hits hard. And you can show boat. Do you want to hit them with the south paw they never saw coming? 'What the bleep just hit me?' Or the 'coming down the train track...' Eh.... 'Better get out the way of this...before...' BOOM! It's great to have CHOICE!!! Despite the disappoint move of 100% stun from BS. (Don't use the 100% stun choice off EFfoous so much now. Makes far more sense on a big hitter like BS? I'd rather it was reverted back. All '3' of the choices were Energy Focus choices were close to gether to. Made sense in terms of the progression.) This is a night and day improvement over the old EM for Tanks set. I don't know who it plays for Stalkers or Scrappers. But for Tanks? It's beautiful. It's big. It's smooth. It feels like it was play tested to death before it went public Beta. The EFocus play mechanic is sublime. Truly transformational. I'm sure some will find out an optimised 1d attack chain for a Pylon. But in general play? In mobs? with annoying MOB! And in missions? This set is a complete and utter joy to play. Auto Snipe was great. But this is a seminal work which well and truly proves that HC have the dev' chops going forward. And? This gem of a quote. 'I'm not willing to let go of the old crit just yet.' CP. It shows that this EM tank set was well and truly considered not only for tanks...but across the board before being put 'out there.' You've done a great job. Take a bow. Azrael. PS. I never mentioned the timing mechanic re: short ET. I knew the HC devs would spot it and fix it.

I like Stunning. And the new EM has mobs tweetie birding around A-OK. 100 BS? Luvly. BOW! Tweety bird. AoE? MoAR tweetie birds! Rack and stack those stuns for mitigation. EM's Stun capability is coming home! Azrael. What I like about 100% stun. (Apart from finding them funny) I can put the beat down on beat down on other mobs whilst the dangerous one is taken out the fight with a twirly bird for a while. By the time he wakes up from that concussion? TF and ET are coming down the track. Poetry. There's a really nice play smoothness to all this. Get the feeling this has been private beta play tested to death before being released on the public beta. It plays to perfection. I like the fact that TF gives you the instant Energy Focus buff that immediately gives you three combat choices. Do you want to? 100% stun that nasty mob that's becoming an irritant with their damage? (Never poke the tank with a damage stick. It will draw attention to you Mr. Mob.) Short ET Mr. Mob with Mother Trucker Punch? Power Crash AOE with boosted mob radiance? Those are three solid choices. Depending on what you want to do. Historically. EM has hit 'hard', randomly stunned and had light AoE. Now? You can hit harder. Have a ded cert stun. And boost your AoE. And stack it. It's faster. Stunnier. Damagier. Single target quickier. AoEier. Stackier. The pace of the set is quicker. Smoothier. Harder Edged. Even the previously tepid T1-3s seem to have got a boost. I even enjoy Energy Punch now. Even that feels more meaty. It sucked as a pick before. 'Mere filler' it was. It feels far more bruising on the ground. In actual missions with irritating mobs like Dev' Earth or Arties which take ages to take down with the old plodding version. (The one that was slower, random stunnier...non aoe stackable...poor outside of the two big hitters...) In fact, I think the moAR mobs you have the higher the difficulty, it sings at this 'pitched' battle scenario. But not for long. Because they're all ded. DED! In a heap of BOnE SmAShURed! Azrael.

I@m really enjoying the BS stun from the TF energy focus. The new EM on tank should come with a health warning. IT's that GOOD. Are the AoE's stunning more now? I had a few Devouring Earth doing the twirly bird. It's good. More mitigation. Azrael.

You're welcome. An excellent job on the EM reforge. Some players don't like mechanics. (Eg. I'm not fond of Titan Weapons clunky mechanic or the OTT damage.) But broadly, I do like them. When done well. And the EM 'Energy Focus' has been done really well hear. Next level stuff. I haven't enjoyed a mechanic this much since Dual Blades, SJ or Auto Snipe. It really elevates EM to a whole new level that it just didn't have on live pre or post nerf. ET is a good 'Big Hit' power that is now worthy of the name with some great refinements now. eg. End removed. Faster recharge. Short and Long versions. Including both was a clever move. I certainly would like old timer CoH players have access to that. And I do still favour the new. But having both in mixed BiG Hitting is glorious. It's like super powered M' Ali. All the old sets are just that. Old. If a good idea comes up to elevate Stone in such a way? Try it. Eg. Stone gets a fiery DoT buff called Magma. Magma from eg. Fault? Allows all your hits to have Fire DoT on them. But as is. Stone is 'so good' and has 'aged so well' that it wouldn't worry me if it didn't have a mechanic. Not all sets need one. Stone plays so well and rumbles smoothly during a fight. Super Strength has 'Rage.' It already has it's 'cool idea.' Ice seems better on Tankers these days with their AoE damage seeming brighter. (Or it is on my incarnate uber build.) If Broad Sword is next (one set I've never tried...too much...) than I'd give it a go. But for me. EM has been transformed for the better with the Energy Focus mechanic. You can spend it as you please or not at all. Both fans of the old and new get a slice of cake. And the set feels more damaging on the tiers. More Stun. Single and AOE boosted and stacked. This was clearly a labour of love. For me, whether it's the most damaging melee set now...is less material than it just (like Stone) being so much fun to play. I wished everyone could enjoy it how I am. It's barnstorming stuff. (I do have a L40 HC EM/Invul' re-roll of my live. And it's night and day with the new Beta EM/Bio. The old one plays so slow. ) Azrael.

Lots of superfluous stuff in there. I kinda of switched off under the barrage of words. I guess you didn't like the substance of what I had to say. 😛 We 'know' it was the 'big hitter' (in its day) but the hype of the whole set didn't match the dull, plodding reality. It was a grind fest. And dull to play. The Tier attacks. Very light on damage. Attack chain very repeat-itive. Sure the TF was ok and ET hit big. Pre-nerf. But it's very dated now. Post nerf. All very? Slow to animate 'big' hitters had you levitating in air whistling a tune whilst the rest of the team had killed it and moved on. You played since 4, eh? I played since before that. Issue 4 wasn't that hot for a few reasons. Trolling? Don't feed the trolls, remember? 😛 I love the new EM. Faster. Bigger damage. More versatile. Stronger. More powerful. Just MOAR! We have more AoE that can stack. And a choice of three big hitters now with the TF inciting Energy focus. I like the new stuff. Less monotonous. Adds an extra dimension that the old EM just didn't have. It's old. The nerf only added window dressing to the ET with a cool animation. Which I like, ofc. Azrael. PS. Nothing wrong with Stone Melee that I can see. Great set. Fun to play. Rocks. It's aged far better than EM.

I had the Assault Core on my Beta EM/Bio. I found it helped with the damage. ie. The big hits. BOOM! Azrael. A crit ET? 😮