Six-Six

sometimes they're on top of one another in the list. Try the search at the bottom left of character list.

@decomposey Haha. Well put! I couldn't have said it better myself... wait, I could have... I just didn't want to. :-P

All of us start out weak, and every level makes you stronger. Don't let this get to you. As long as you're having fun developing your toon, then all is good.

Blasters are quite tough, despite not having inherent def/res powers. With the tertiary pool (like Fighting and Leadership) and a few smart set bonuses, they are very survivable. Mez protection is the only worry I have with my blasters. Some mitigate it with Sorcery's Rune of Protection and building up range def (so the mez doesn't hit you in the first place). Others just learned to live with it. They get mezzed but it doesn't last long. Just annoying how it turns off some toggles every now and then. But then even mezzed, they can still attack with T1 and T2 primaries. Exemplaring down isn't usually a problem. pre 20, everyone's at a pretty level playing field, but you already have IOs, so your stronger than you were on the way up. 20-30 IO sets come into play, so you're never really that gimped. Of course, you're still more of a god of destruction at 50 with your incarnates. 😃

Same with the SFX, until I discovered @Solarverse SFX Mods. Now my Beam Rifles are much more playable, along with other powers. I swear the SFX mods make the powers stronger! trust me. 😃 I have a Rad/Energy Blaster that is just a joy to play melee (Energy) and range (Rad). No doubt one of my favouritest toons EVER (maybe even more than spiders, and that's saying a lot). The thing with Sentinels is, if you always compare them to corruptors and blasters, they will always fall short. I believe they have a different purpose. So the "lacking" doesn't bother me. They're still fun and useful. I just now prefer Spiders and the Blaster/Dom ability to be melee range.

Currently working on another widow. She's earning her incarnates now, but I just switched her from a pure range Fort to a hybrid fortunata to see how that feels. The problem I have with forts is that they have so many useful and un-meh powers that it's easy to lose yourself and end up taking a lot of them while being a master of none. I don't have MIDs so I have to do the whole guess and check thing to see if the build I have in mind works. Tends to become expensive, but a whole lot of fun trying it out. I suppose you need to have a fairly clear idea in which direction you want to take your spider. If not, they are so versatile in their power sets that it's easy to get lost and start taking powers you don't really need or won't really get you what you want. I remember times running my pure fort with a dozen powers having to stop and think in the middle of a fight, which power do I click next, do I want to stun them, hold them, confuse them, etc. There were just too many choices to make her attack(s) fluid and second nature. Then again, another explanation is I can be a total newb as well. 😃 I have 10 sentinels, and I don't care what people say about them and their lacking damage. I enjoy sents and often play them as ranged tanks. Some, like Dual Pistols and Elec are ranged, but play like melee in the sense that you're always up close and in the middle of the fray. Sent armour is awesome. That plus Fighting and Leadership pool usually results in a very tough bugger, if you manage the end of all those toggles. Incidentally, I think Leadership Maneuvers is over rated. yes it provides a decent chunk of def, but at a great cost in end. I usually take Leadership for Assault and Tactics so I can 6-so Gaussian for one of the best bonuses there is. When I do take Maneuvers, I usually just put an end redux in it to keep end at bay. Weave, I think, is superior to Maneuvers if it came down to choosing one or the other, even at the cost of a power pick (Kick or Box).

I have a Huntsman-Mu that's pretty much AoE crowd control as I didn't take any mace powers. While I enjoy him to death, I don't think it's fair to compare him to my melee-range Tankermind Crab nor both of them to the Pure Bane. The Crab has 4 (but uses mostly 3 including the Mace from Black Scorpion PPP) melee attacks and 3 range attacks. either chain is fast enough for me to choose just melee or range; but the ability to switch it up is what makes it fun. His attacks damage is not the highest, but they are supplemented by 6 pets (again, one courtesy of Black Scorpion) plus his Lore which is rarely needed to be summoned. Defences and resistances are through the roof. One thing I've noticed with the Crab is that while his attack chain is fast, it feels janky compared to the more fluid AR+nades of the Huntsman. Both are more AoE but I like how the Crab can go melee when the situation needs it, or whenever I feel like it. I like toons that can switch attacks. On my Pure bane and pure widow, I simply cycle through the same melee attacks, so I get how you feel that it becomes routine. But on both of them, I like the rhythm of the attacks. The bane's are slow to animate, but they hit like a freight train, and she's just as tanky as the crab. the widow is fast and nimble, but his damage comes at the cost of some of his def/res... until I figure out a fix.

If you like and enjoy spiders, why not try a crab build. crabs can go almost 50/50 melee-range with some pets to sweeten the deal. Other ATs that let you switch from range to melee to "keep things interesting" are Blasters, Dominators, and Widows (Blood Widow-Fort hybrid). I too prefer mixing things in the attack department. So far, my crab and a few blasters (not every power set lends itself well to melee) have proven quite enjoyable and stronk. I tried it on one Dom, but couldn't get him to the same caliber as the blaster (I'll probably have to work on his build some more). I just respec-ed my widow to the hybrid I mentioned, and am currently testing her out.

I'm just bustin yer balls. don't sweat it 😃 is all good.

A slightly larger violin? 😃

Hi all, semi-newbie here. I've played the game a fair bit but never at level 50, so I understand how the game works, but not how it works, if that makes sense. I'm trying to figure out how I want the Crab Spider I'm leveling to look in the end, which I really have no idea on. With most toons I have more intuition but with this one, I'm not sure. Aha! Fresh meat... I mean... recruit. Welcome to the brotherhood. If you've just rolled a spanking new spider, be warned: they are unlike most ATs, but are also very similar to most ATs (or more of combination of certain ATs), which makes them quite versatile and fun. They do have a wee bit of learning curve, but not too steep. One thing I'll mention is be flexible. You will have a "path choosing" at level 24. this means, don't be married to your build from day 1. build to get to 24, then once you've chosen your path, (Crab, I believe), that's the time you start investing in the build. Do I want attacks from the base Soldier list? I'll back up a bit: As an SoA, you have 3 main choices: A huntsman (AR + Nades), Bane (Mace) or Crab (backpack). You can combine huntsman + bane or huntsman + crab, but you can't have a bane + crab. (incidentally, if you choose an alternative build as a crab in either build 1, 2 or 3, all your builds will have the backpack whether it is used or not.) As a crab, you can still use minimal mace through Patron Pool powers (Black Scorpion). But that's totally up to you. Now, more towards your question. You can, but you don't have to. Some powers in the crab attacks are redundant with the huntsman (wolf) attacks like the toxic grenade and frag grenade--which you can only choose either the crab or the huntsman's, not both. Somebody mentioned an issue with animation and redraw. I've found that the trick to minimising redraw between attacks, is to chain up all similar weapon attacks (like venom nade-burst-frag from AR or venom nade-frag-suppression from the backpack). doing so will result in a more fluid attack uninterrupted by redraw. I suggest going full crab first. then when you have a respec available, try switching some powers. The slotting for them are basically the same and will accept the same IOs, so it's pretty much just choosing a flavour of how you want to kill the enemy. Do I want to stack Crab and Wolf Armours (I read somewhere that their resistance bonus is negligible?)? Yes. Crab and Wolf armours are auto powers that cost no end. So use that to your advantage. It's arguable that the res is negligible, but what you want there is the status protection stack. every point counts. (e.g. you know the last bit of ITF when you have to kill Romy 3 times, each time he rezzes, people get mezzed? my crab doesn't). Is Combat Training: Defensive worth it? pre 24 yes; post 24, no. It's ranged defence. You only want to build up range def if you're getting mezzed a lot, which you won't be. I deem it skippable, and in its place have taken Weave and double dipped in Leadership Maneuvers. Those two will have CT:Def benefits eclipsed. How do the Grenades, Suppression, and Heavy Burst compare? There are so many abilities I want and nowhere near enough slots. I'm not overly concerned with my build being the best, just viable and fun, and perhaps not too squishy. I'm also not asking for anyone to make the build for me, just some tips to help push me in the right direction. This I think, is a personal preference. both are "fun" if you're not too much into the stats (like me). My only advice is if you're going to get an AR power, go with 3 or 4-to minimise the jarring effect of redraw. So if you take burst, take both nades from Wolf as well, this will give you an opportunity to take other backback powers. Also, a spider will NEVER be too squishy. 😃 What I know I'm after is stacking AS Tactics with the Tactics pool. I don't think double dipping in tactics is smart. The tactics from the tertiary Leadership pool is an end guzzler. Consider that vs the benefit you'll get from it, and I personally do not think it's a good trade off. Maneuvres and Assault are a different case. get both, if you can. (I strongly advice to 6-slot Gaussian in tactics, the set bonuses are AWESOME, and doing so will take care fo the end consumption). but in the end, it's your choice, and that itself makes it valid. is Vengeance good? Some people use it really well, others like me are too slow to react when a teammate dies. Same with Victory Rush. I'm afraid I am in no position to comment on its effectiveness. ...getting all the Summons. Spiderlings, Reinforcements, Blaster (Black Scorpion PPP), Arachnos Lore Pet, Arachnos Heavy from Recluse's Victory. Spiders are cute and helpful, get as many as you can! Sounds like you're planning a crabbermind build. Be warned that these pets don't like to be ordered around like MM pets. but the are still effective, and most of your damage (and some control) will be provided by them. With a Tankermind Crab, I can solo a +3x8 ITF (only because +4 takes too long) with little trouble. and by solo, I mean all 7 of us--me and my spiders. 😃 I've been using the Sorcery pool for Flight/Teleportation, and used the Knockdown spell before the level 24 Respec, but I honestly don't know if there's space for a travel power. If not I can get by on Ninja Run but I would like it. Idk if it's practical or not but I want Omega Maneuver just because the concept of warping in a Doomsday Bomb makes me giggle. I think the problem with SoAs and Widows is that they have so many good powers that it becomes hard to choose. You have to practise a bit of restraint and focus on the type of play style and build you want. prioritise those powers, and things should be fine. I built my crab to be a melee + range tankermind. the 4 melee attacks and 3 range attacks cycle fast enough that the chain is ready before the last one ended. On my huntsman, I got AR+Nades and Mu, and also have a very fast and fluid chain. On my bane, I only have 5 melee attacks that are quite slow, but effective. On all three of them, I just purchase the jetpack from P2W lady for travel. The point is, only you can say what's right for you. If you get your jollies from warping in OM, then go with what floats your goat, my man. I was also planning on taking Soul Mastery unless there's a good reason not to. The only reason that I can think of is that she won't give you another pet spider... that and the fact that Ernesto Rodriguez is so insecure that he'll flip when he finds out. Other than that, holds and -to hit are nice. Besides, Ghost Widow rocks! The other thing is slotting. Oh gods, slotting. When my Warshade got AE Powerleveled into the 40s I started reading guides so I understand the basics, but I don't know what I need outside of "I will need so many End Reduction Enhancements for my toggles" and I really don't know about set bonuses. Any advice in that regard would be very much appreciated. Take some time to browse the AH and get familiar with set bonuses. Having +max end or x% recovery can really help with end consumption instead of slotting for end redux. Also, some sets that are quite cheap will give you awesome bonuses. and you can start learning frankenslotting to maximise bonuses. Also, if you choose your set bonuses right you can build up ...say def and res... WHILE getting more damage/utility. In a way, they help you save on slots so you can then assign your slots for more value. Enjoy your crab. I'm sure you'll do Lord Recluse proud. For the Glory of Arachnos!

I love how Blasters (and Doms and Spiders) have the range and melee option. I prefer toons that can shoot at range AND pummel their enemies. It just seems more realistic that way (for me at least). Like you're shooting/blasting at a guy that's coming at you. blast, blast, blast, he's still not dead, he's still coming at you. I'd rather hit him with the butt of my rifle, a taser, or my fists when he gets close enough instead of jumping back and firing from range again. My two inf. But at the same time, a ranged nuke sounds like awesome sauce. It may prove itself too easy, but sure sounds fun.

Haha! I remember a beach trip back in my youth. The place where we stayed was an old old house. The kitchen was separated from the main house. And they had an outhouse that has since been upgraded with indoor plumbing, but remained in all it's quaintness, an outhouse. Electricity was not from the main grid as well... anyhoo, cut to the time I needed to go to the loo in the middle of the night. Took a short stroll to the out house, Electricity has been cut from the entire compound except the bedrooms where people slept with fans. But the moon was bright enough. Went in, shut the door, did my thing. Now to clean up, I decided to flick my lighter so I don't blindly fumble about. When I did, I found that all the corners of the tiny outhouse (floors and ceiling) was jam-packed with big-as-my-hand spiders. I'm not one to scare easily, but that was stuff to give others nightmares for decades.

Yes, yes I did. Thank you. (I won't edit the previous post so that your comment will still make sense) 😃

Yes, ATOs are way cheaper from the AH. You can often get a non-superior version for 6-10mil depending on the AH's mood, then buy converters for 1-3mil a pop (again depending on the AH's mysterious ways), which will end up saving you a buttload instead of buying it with merits. Another way to come about them is to buy super packs for 10 mil a pop. You have a chance to get 0, 1 or 2 ATOs on every pack plus a bunch of items you can post for resale. On the average, it comes out more profitable if you can afford to buy in bulk rather than spend your last 10 mil on a gamble.

Haha, no. I find myself wanting to, sometimes, but at the moment I'm still in the process of learning different ATs and power sets. Maybe when I'm done with most of what I want to try, I might make a (and I use the word loosely) duplicate. If you have trouble keeping track of your alts' ATs and power sets, I found that listing them helps keep things orderly in my head. Have a look at what I've done here: It started out as a friendly request to post toons' costumes and back stories, but I've since used it as an inventory to keep track of all my toons' progress. I urge you to do the same, it's cathartic. Then send us a link so we can view your alts. 😃

on migraines, vertigo, and resonance... I got another one: Ear Worm. you infect a target with an ear worm (which you all know is a sound bite that he won't be able to get out of his head) and is thus unable to take part in the fight, or for all tents and porpoises, stunned. LSS or Last Song Syndrome may also work. ...just thought of another one: Discombobulate. 😃

if it happens again, close the tiny window (click the red dot--IIRC it is still visible or force quit the exe). Then if Island Rum fires up with no problem, try doing a rescan (click the palm tree icon on the top). It should check if all the files are in order. I don't remember a major change to Island Rum in the past month, though there have been a few updates. The most current version of Catalina shouldn't be in issue, as I run High Sierra which is several iterations prior to Catalina

@Dilanlius you can also opt for the flak jacket (also under Tight, not Jackets) instead fo the T-shirt. gives it a bit more of an armoured look. and instead of the beret, you can use the bandana, or cap/backwards cap. they all give that merc feel as opposed to the military or high tech helm. 😃

How's this? Mercs T-Shirt.costume You can remove the backpack and it still works. Or with a Jacket like this: Mercs Jacket.costume

I'm usually levelling up one or two toons through regular story content. those are usually new power set combos that I'm trying out, so slow levelling works for me. Then on weekends when there are iTrial runs in Reunion, I choose one of my toons working on their incarnates--I usually stick to just one until it gets all of its T4s. The rest of the week I try to catch themed runs. I usually have a dedicated toon for those, but those usually last for only a couple of hours at the most. Other than those 4-5 "currently active" toons, I work on one of my hardcore toons or my project toons (currently learning an MM and a tri-form WS) when I find that I have enough time to really concentrate on the play... that is if I'm not tempted by the costume creator. 😃

My take on it is the ability to have range and melee attacks, some control here and there and possibly a nice mix of ST, AoE/PBAoEs. The closest I've come to that is a Fortunata. Forts have several controls (some of which I deem redundant, but that's just me), some very strong ranged STs and AoEs, a few noteworthy melee attacks, and one helluva nuke. Plus it comes with a very sturdy armour set with buffs to everyone on the team. The problem I've had (am having) is deciding on the play style, as it will dictate which powers you take and how they fall into your chain. I have a fort with 2 builds so far that hasn't quite satisfied me yet, but I'm working on it. I like the option of attacking at range, then following it up with melee, or vice-versa, using ranged ST attacks to pick off runners. I've found a simpler version, not without faults, in Blasters and Dominators. With these two ATs, I armour gets bumped down in terms of priority, and I try to make up for it with set bonuses from IOs. They're not the toughest, but they can hold their own. I'm fine-tuning a Grav/Energy Dom to be sturdier at the moment, and seriously enjoying a Rad/Energy Blaster who is one of my fave AV killers.

@BalrogLord. No it's not. You suggested/demanded/pleaded for "Char Select should remember the last char you played and stay there when you log/relog. Instead it always goes back to Char 1... That can't be hard to change, can it?" It takes 2 seconds to relocate the last char you played to Char 1, then when you log/relog it will go back to it. "This is a tiny thing, but it bugs me all the time, which makes it less tiny.... Very annoying." Your sentiments, while may be valid to you, are subjective. Such a change to the character selection screen may not be appreciated by anyone else other than you. I haven't come across a similar request in the last year or so since HC let us play again, hence I'm not so sure others share your woes, that or they have either learned to accept what they can't change or change what they can't accept. Or would you rather impose several unpaid minutes or more of coding, testing, implementation, rolling out, and monitoring for possible repercussions from an obviously undermanned volunteer dev team so you can save 2 seconds?

I don't have the hard numbers or percentages for it, but stealthing to complete missions in the fastest times will result in higher XP reward as opposed to killing everything that moves within a map. So what I do is stealth or try in some way to complete the mission first, then go back to leave no witnesses. that's how I've been running regular missions for a bigger XP gain. I assume it is the same for TFs, and why speed runs became a thing. There is also the notoriety factor (again, no numbers or data), higher diff will require you longer to complete, and easier diff will be faster. Somewhere in the middle is a sweet spot for the optimum XP gain.

The only thing that makes an ITF a speedrun for me is a) 2nd mission, you get all the crystals without bothering with the ambushes... so much, b) 3rd mission, head straight for Romy, Riechsman, the control panel and c) head straight for Romy, then towers to kill the needed romans. Usually 20 mins is ample time, even with below 50 toons (no judgement/lore pets) though I've been on faster runs. 30-45 is already a kill-most (with the 2nd and 4th missions taking most of the time); 60-90 min runs would count as a solo or duo run. Now I personally prefer kill alls or at least kill most runs, but in your case if it was advertised as a speed run, it should've been a speed run regardless of what the team consisted of. IIRC, the faster you complete a mission regardless of kills awards a bigger XP bonus, so the leader's reasoning of the team wanting more XP was out of line.