Wavicle

MMs are not just generally underpowered. Only in Incarnate and Hard Mode content. In the rest of the game they are plenty powerful. That's why it's not such an easy fix.

I just want to think about this for a minute. You think it would be easier for the dev team to program cross platform functionality than for you to go get a wireless keyboard and mouse?

Maybe drop the Flight pool and something in order to take the Fighting Pool instead. You're losing out on a lot of Defense and Damage Resistance not having Tough and Weave. Perhaps drop Hover, Air Superiority, and Soul Transfer. Also, I'm not sure how beneficial Cloak of Fear actually is. Might also be something better.

The game was made NOT freeform WAAAAAAAAAY back in ALPHA testing in 2003 specifically so that you COULDN'T do stuff like this. Let's not go backwards.

Why have any restrictions on powers at all?? Suddenly it's 2003 again and we're in Alpha testing...

The argument is "Fulfilling character concept is of such importance that game balance ought to reevaluated (and possibly even disregarded) in order to facilitate it." I'm not sure if I agree with that or not, but that's really the question the devs will have to ask themselves to make a decision on this issue. Given that they already lowered the level most Epic powers become available at, I wouldn't hold my breath for the t1-3 opening at 35. Even "Epic shields should all be t1 to make character concepts more accessible" seems like a bridge too far to me, probably. Your best bet is probably specifically Leviathan. "Patron shields should all be t1" since they require an unlock seems to me a bit more convincing.

This is a misapprehension due to the belief (very common, but incorrect) that powers are balanced against each other, when in MOST cases (there are exceptions, such as Blaster t1 and t2 attacks, Assassin's Strike, etc) it is Powersets that are balanced against each other. It isn't just a question of how strong the shield is, it's also a question of what ELSE comes in the set, AND what may be required to gain access. The Patron Pools were (originally) stated to be better than the Epic Pools (whether they still are is a question I'm not trying to address). This superiority included the order some powers come in. To use your example of Electric vs Mu: Mu requires specific content to be completed to unlock it. That's why it is "better", at least in the sense of what level the shield unlocks. This is also why the set gets a pet, although clearly that distinction is beginning to be erased or at least eroded.

Yea, this is confusing but intended behavior. If the dead target is the main target of your Telekinesis, then you can use Levitate on them (even when they are defeated) in order to Mass Levitate all the targets within TKs grasp.

I for one am very happy with the "slow but steady" pace of change here, and I have ZERO desire for HC to become more like the 4Chan server.

I guess whether you insulted me or not is a matter of opinion, but I certainly felt insulted when you called my entirely non-personal discussion "garbage".

Balance in terms of build concept isn't actually how the Epic sets are structured, but they COULD be. If the sets were reordered to make a Shield available for all relevant ATs at tier 1 there would be balance changes made to the powers that are now available earlier or later. But just changing the levels they are available without altering the relative power levels is clearly not going to happen.

If you use the START vendor Temp Power XP buffs, and get Exploration Badges in between missions to refill Patrol XP then levelling should remain pretty quick unless you are playing a toon with very low damage output.

Blaster Secondaries don't all get Build Up (those that get it at all) all at the same level. The Epic sets are exactly the same. They AREN'T Power Pools of the same kind you unlock at level 4. They are Tertiary power sets. I think an argument can be made that the sets overall still need additional balancing, but what we have in this thread is not an argument that backs up the claim they should unlock similar powers at similar levels, but instead an assertion that they ought to be structured in that way without an argument to back it up.

1. If you're incapable of recognizing that the design of Control sets is "use your powers to protect your pet" then we should definitely not continue to discuss this. 2. Suggesting that cosmetic changes are germaine to the discussion is ridiculous. 3. Yes you ARE making such a claim. It's in the TITLE of the thread!

The developers intend you to use Controls (and Support powers if you're a Controller) to protect your pet. Any improvement OF ANY KIND to the Phantasm will result in it doing more damage, either because it hits more guys, or because it lives longer. The set is already one of the very top damage dealers among Control sets. It is also pretty good at Control and Debuff as well. Therefore, aside from general pet AI improvements which should apply to ALL or MOST Control set pets, no improvement is called for. However, you are wrong. The onus is not on me. The onus is on YOU to back up your positive claim that Illusion has an issue that will be addressed by improving the Phantasm.

Because that's how the game works. Individual powers are not balanced against each other, sets are. As a set Illusion is absolutely top tier for both ATs. Is Phantasm the top tier of Controller/Dominator pets? No. But that doesn't matter, because it's good enough, and the set overall is top tier. Yes, the AI of all pets should be improved. Yes, Fear should be added to Containment. But neither of those are relevant to the question of whether Phantasm needs something else specific changed.

There is only one Controller set that's good at burning down large groups quickly and it's Fire Mastery.

It's a set for Dominators also, where it doesn't worry about Containment, and has an additional AoE control. The PA is literally unkillable, as is the Phantasm's Decoy. It IS among the very top performers for both ATs, the points you've made may be accurate but they don't change that basic fact.

*Changes the name of Phantasm to Peeve*

Can't really help with your specific question, but I wonder if you can get that tip from the sg base Mission Computer if you need it?

Stick a fork in this thread GMs, it's done.

I absolutely agree that ALL pet ai in the game could use improvements, Illusion included. I am firmly against ANY improvements exclusive to Illusion because it's already borderline op.

It's more likely a bug with a keybind or macro that you used to activate the power. Those "powexeclocation" binds don't always play well with the games geometry (they were not in the game at release, they were added years later, during the SCORE years if I'm not mistaken).

Just to circle back a little, "gatekeeping" means excluding someone. No one is doing that in any way shape or form. Informing someone that the devs have already said they aren't taking away KB from Phantasm is not gatekeeping. It just isn't.

The Phantasm is actually TOUGHER than the Imps against Lethal and Energy, and the same against other things besides Negative Energy and Fire. So this logic really does not hold.