Sovera

A 'per character' grind in City of Alts is a weird choice. Most of us change characters every couple weeks, even our mains and favorites. Re-chasing all the costumes? Weird. Though I guess it will be like badging and at most we will unlock that one costume we really like instead of having all to horse around with/in.

Welp, that's S/L no longer being a goal on resist characters. Not sure it was that OP considering resist sets (or no resists at all like squishes have) had no DDR and it got whittled in seconds, but maybe I'm just on the side of power creep? One one hand boo, but on the other it will be nice to have freedom of no longer chasing S/L. Not that I'm sure what I can chase after now except more recharge. Honestly this just feels like an extra push to play defense based characters. Not being hit by debuffs is big and 45% is much easier to build to than 90%.

Tankers are meant to survive. So they do. Then they whittle enemies down and I can't stand that anymore. On the other hand I've yet to make a Brute that feels durable enough. Stone Armor felt nice but its DDR might as well not be there.

Another good one is Energy Transfer, but only on Brutes/Tankers since they don't have a Energy Focus mechanic to give a second fast ET. My Tanker's ET goes from 647 damage with five purples and a second damage proc to 794 with four damage procs. And for no cost either since unless wanting to do slow ETs then ET always comes after TF which has a longer recharge than ET, ET needs thus no recharge, no endurance since it is endurance free, and only a bit of accuracy (since it has higher native accuracy (56% base against +3 instead of 48%) than regular attacks) and maxing out damage. All which is achieved with two slots leaving the rest free.

Agreed. But the talk was specific to incarnates. People 'feel' Diamagnetic 'really' makes a difference, but it's a 10 second 5% -ToHit, non stacking, purple patch-ed (so both the 10 second duration and the 5% are impacted), with a side of 50% chance to apply a non stacking 10% (10%, not even 100%) -regen. 😄 Heck, like I said most Interface options are just weak so there is no need for pitchforks when someone praises or likes or uses Diamagnetic. I just bring it up because of the context of 'feels' and how some options in slotting or power picks are based or defended on those when some testing shows it's not quite so.

Staff/Elec Melee are good fun. They are flashy, with cool animations. It's fun to hit things with a fist charged with electricity or spinning the staff like Ip Man (I was going to say Jackie Chan but he's more the type to spin a chair). Numbers wise they just fall behind since lots of AoE ≠ good AoE. But people will get absolutely if this is brought up. Almost like they never picked a stopwatch and cleared a map a few times or something. Or someone can run a Trapdoor with those and rub the results on my face and I'll retract my words and revise my estimate of the sets. As for the -ToHit incarnates the numbers are low and affected by the purple patch. Destiny Interface incarnates have little impact so it's not like it's a huge deal, but the -HP one makes a large impact when fighting AVs and GMs. Possibly the -Res one too, Not for the -res that is useless both against normal mobs or AVs but because of the moderate fire DoT that does make a difference when clearing a map.

Two damage procs per attack is my maximum (five slot a set that has a damage proc, then add a second from another set). We can put in more, but meh, to what point? The loss of bonuses steals what gains we get. Other than some specific combos all the procmonstering is about is fighting easy content where the hobbling is not as noticeable. For example: I used to procmonster Burn (four damage procs, two ACC/DMG Hamis) and only lost 3 seconds in recharge. But this happened at level 50, with all other sets in place, with Hasten up. All it took was exemplaring a few times to notice the lack of the bonuses and the recharge stats. Then I took the character to a farm and timed its clearing and got the same times with and without the procmonstered Burn. Less Burns Per Minute stole the extra damage the procs added once looking at mission clearing times. Same with Freezing Touch. Ran several tests with it slotted normal (five purples + a damage proc) then proc monstered, then semi proc monstered, Full procmonster hit the hardest but messed with the rotation and introduced gaps. Semi procmonstered still hit harder than the non procmonstered and had enough recharge for the attack chain to be smooth. But once pylon tested the times of all three were the same. There are a lot lot lot of 'gut feels' in the CoH community. <This> feels great, I use <that> and it really makes a difference. But once asked if the ones claiming it have done any tests and it's no, just how it feels. That's how we end up with the idea that Staff/Elec Melee are good AoE and the -ToHit incarnates make a difference in surviving.

Why are you running them at +0 if this displeases you...? Make your own, advertise it as a +2 or +3 or whatever.

After (finally) leveling this character up I have noticed a few tweaks that would be useful. This is why I don't like power leveling something since only by playing do we noticed the quirks. - The first and most obvious is that Sentinels are almost like Stalkers in their lack of agro. Leveling up I could count on the fingers of one hand the numbers of time I had agro and for the most part my inspirations sat un-used. Yin with three fourths of the team dead thanks to someone using the computers on top of the ambush was a case of being safely up in the air and eating a purple while helping the survivors. Because of this I have decided to make a less militant build and instead only chase to 33% ish defense. This allows to pop a small purple and be softcapped if deciding to tackle a spawn on our own or too many mobs were agroed or whatever without doing large slotting sacrifices. If intending to solo for most of the time then try using the original build but endurance will be rough (maybe not use Coordinated Targeting). - The second is that the -ToHit that messes with a meleer's life is hardly a problem for a ranged character. As such the Sentinel's version of Focused Accuracy can go take a hike. - Endurance is a little bit heavy while leveling. Using Lightning Bolt would fix this since the endurance recovery of Defensive Opportunity is noticeable, but Lightning Bolt has an awkward recharge time preventing making a three power ST chain, and also a longer animation that is not pleasing. While leveling occasional uses of Recovery Serums were needed. With Inexhaustible at 26 and a Performance proc in it the endurance problems were mostly alleviated but not gone, and this without having taken Tough and Weave yet. A one slot Rebuild DNA barely outweights the cost in terms of endurance (unslotted 13 cost, 25 endurance, so a whooping 12 points gained every 34 seconds This balance can be shifted either way by slotting a recharge or an endurance IO), but slotting Rebuild DNA fixes things (10 endurance cost, 54 endurance gained every 29 seconds for 44 net gain). I chased bonuses but three slotting health IOs and three slotting endurance IOs would allow the power to become a second heal as well as an endurance clicky, but the lack of agro mentioned above makes this less of a pressing matter. - Voltaic Sentinel has not been updated on Mids but it's in-game stats are 0.52 EPS and 10 seconds recharge. It's accuracy is natively high (2.0, where most powers are 1.0), so it just needs damage, a modicum of accuracy, and then heap some endurance discount. Armed with this knowledge I skimped points off of it to feed Rebuild DNA. - As @Crysis pointed out Voltaic Sentinel keeps on detoggling when we change maps and sometimes we don't even remember it until noticing the lack of damage. The easy fix is adding powexectoggleon voltaic sentinel to the attacks. For example: /bind 1 "powexecslot 1$$powexectoggleon voltaic sentinel". Unfortunately we still need to click to put VS down which would not happen with the powexeclocation command, but the location command will keep on toggling VS on and off. As it is with the toggleon command it will only happen once per map or not at all if remembering to toggle it by yourself. This could be replaced by ++forward instead but maybe we don't want VS 100% of the time (spoken as a roleplayer). - Parasitic Aura is a power I seldom bother with, but, I also have no other powers I am interested in taking so it will serve as an extra in case endurance is needed or more regen during chaos moments (last fight in Market Place with all the ranged ambushes), or... whatever. Same applies to Athletic Regulation. These are flex powers so take whatever, I.E. Super Speed and slot a stealth IO in it for sneaking around. - The nuke does 30% more damage when procced out and since it does not need accuracy thanks to Charge-up there was no reason not to. Overall the damage has been better than I remember Sentinels being, even with Fire/Bio. Tesla Cage, Charged Bolts, Zapping Bolt, Charged Bolts works easily from early on (around Yin with a leveling build). VS is noticeable to the point when it is untoggled we immediately know. More AoE would not go amiss but Short Circuit is a glacial 3.2 seconds and to be honest the opener of Charge-Up, Ball Lightning, Thunderous Blast, Tesla Cage, Ball Lightning does good enough. By then it's mop up time, not more AoE time. Changing to Charge-up, Ball Lightning, Tesla Cage, Thunderous Blast fits all three in Gaussian's proc unlike the opener proposed above, but I did not need or want the mobs to be alerted to my presence. Ball Lightning's travel time helps with Thunderous super glacial cast to almost make them hit at the same time, and then half the spawn is dead. Casting Tesla before gives time for the mobs to start moving and etc. Both approaches are valid so use the one better suited for the playstyle. For leveling I suggest this. Almost the same thing really. If the ATOs in Zapping Bolt and Lightning Bolt are still too expensive for your blood then use the same slotting than for Tesla Cage. If that too is too expensive then use one accuracy, three damage, one recharge, one endurance reduction in all attacks (at least level 25 ones), but as soon as possible start transitioning to the leveling build, and at 50 to the last one. Check my signature for money making. Sent (Elec Bio - leveling).mbdSent (Elec Bio).mbd

Beam/FF should be fine, just go Corruptor instead.

As someone who solos CoT at +0x8 from Posi 1 with lowbies all you really need is overwhelming power which translates to Build Up. Build Up allows to take them down before they get too many debuffs out. Fire Armor Tankers have had, in my experience, the best results, but only as long as the set has Build Up. Sets like Martial Arts or Energy Melee will not have an early Build-up and will suffer as ghosts stack -acc and the mages' force shields make us miss. Fire/Ice Melee is thematic enough for a mage and Frost + Burn + Build-up (+ ice patch) has let me rend early level CoT. Whether this is what you're after or not only you will know.

You'll hate this answer, but bring whatever. Even if a full league was nothing but Scrappers or Blasters they would still MSR as a breeze thanks to all the Incarnate Destinies being spammed.

Just remember not to be baited. Someone calling you a cheater is okay, but you answering calling them an idiot is a no no and gets you a forum ban.

While it's true what is the point of taking Boxing? An unslotted power clogging it up. So we have an extra power? Do we have infinite slots? Or even infinite interesting powers? I've had times I had nothing left of interest to take and took a second travel power for no particular reason. True power creep would be allowing to take five pools instead of just four. Then I could swap something of little value for.. whatever. Maybe Maneuvers on top of CJ on top of Hover. Regardless it does not matter much and I don't care either way. If it does not happen I keep playing like I am and if it does maybe I can take an extra power.

As someone who has heavily RPed the cringe factor of mind readers is something I can understand. Back during Neverwinter Nights bonanza of online servers I could switch and play something with completely new maps, sometimes even races. In one of those the bent was very D&D and I realized people would do rule-PvP without shame quoting rules to newbies and the newbies without knowing how to counter them. It is important to understand in character knowledge and out of character knowledge. Digressing slightly from my unfinished story it was a reason I did not get along well with my SWTOR experience since my heavy RP guild expected me to know all the jedi names for katas, forms, philosophies, etc etc, and despite having the wookiepedia at hand it was common for an OOC blunder to be taken IC. But if the player is new to the universe the character is not, they were born in it, raised in it. I might not know the moonspeak gibberish names for the different bodyparts where a blow will hit, but my studious padawan would, of course, it is basic knowledge. Back on course this lore-PvP happened all the time and as a D&D newbie I quickly grew to understand that the lore lawyering was in most cases subject to interpretation (I was told 'detect intent' would simply unmask my lies, which as a smooth corrupt evil character led to an interesting time of someone just sitting close as my character talked and whispering me their rolls. I was later on told Detect Intent did -not- work like that and I've no clue if it does or does not, other than understanding a level 1 Protection From Good/Neutral/Evil cantrip would seemingly block this. Something I did not know but my character certainly would, so I had spilled my beans for no good reason. AKA DMs are good when rules lawyering, also I probably mangled the terms and names of things since it's been 20 years) and in some cases was straight up ass pulling. Now I -have- heard of the semi-horror tales of telepathic characters 'forcing' people to do stuff or spilling secrets and without protection against it people are just unable to stop it. In pure roleplay terms it would indeed have a strong impact for Super-Guy to be mindcontrolled by Evil Joe, but CoH is not that strong a roleplay experience nor does it (usually) have DMs to keeps things either fair or not going overboard. Also people doing this will usually not care for consequences. When a little level 5 does this and then logs off and disappears while the player goes back to their main people don't feel inclined to go through major character repercussions. With those past experiences in NWN coloring my RP I also went through the road of immune to mind reading or at least resistant (my favorite approach became less of being immune and more of becoming aware of who was doing it, since one of the appeals of it is performing the act incognito. Becoming aware of who is doing it allows at least for confrontation) but eventually realized two things: A) It had never happened again and I do have twenty+ years of RP in all sorts of themes and games. B) If it happened it would be fine. It would generate roleplay, outrage, help requested from others, etc etc. I feel if asked most people will know someone or know of a story of mind reading/control, up to and including unsavory 'adult' RP, though that is confusing to me since all RP is consenting. Someone not liking what is happening should ask to stop or simply log off or put the person on ignore. But my RP social circles have matured past these things and in my experience even someone playing a big bad villain will keep out of character communication going to make the RP entertaining, less RP-PvP (not in the arena, that's a different kettle) and more a book constructed to make an appealing story for the audience. Heck, several months back we had a nice little plot going where someone with an hypnotic voice would control sidekicks and have them commit crimes and the RP community would be furious (in roleplay) while being thrilled (out of character) for the RP that seemingly simple plot was generating. Sidekicks would be protected, those hypnotized would be captured and deprogrammed, the siren type evil character was being detectived, etc etc.

Bios with sexual orientation are a subtle opening like posting on Tinder indicating availability for, shall we say, more adult roleplay.

Blast from the past.

It's still a 30-40 minute TF and I'll take hunting 10 greys eight times to doing a bunch of kill alls. Personally I just post the list, and then ignore what people say. I keep teleporting to the zones and picking the enemies without expectations someone will be there to do it for me.

Mmmh, bacon...

We could try to find either a single easy AV so squishies could do it (the new sky pirate AV in Market Crash seemed harmless enough, also a Tsoo one whose name I forget) or a gauntlet with different AVs that have different resistances (Hopkins is still a bane even on a Smash based Brute). Then make an AE mission with it. Or just create an AV from scratch wuth no ranged attacks so squishies can float and hit it. Pretty simple to do, but requires the community to accept it and use it as a new damage test.

Fortunately it has not happened to me to a point a mission has to be redone. Either pbaoes or trying to 'nose' closer while queing attacks eventually works. But since a vocal minority likes it and the devs adhere to the cottage rule the simplest solution is out. And yes, just slotting an IO would fix it, but we are talking about people who are either lazy, uninformed, or part of that vocal minority, and now 'lo, mob stuck, should have slotted the IO, hindsight.

Pylon tests have become a bane in these sense many sets are considered 'trash' for not doing X damage simply because they have no place to stick -res procs in. As an enemy ranked as +0 the -res effects are huge on a pylon and of course anyone chasing uber pylon times will slot them. We ought to start over with the testing and remove them from the equation since other tests such as Trapdoor or simply timing an AV fight with or without -res procs has show either no difference or a small difference. Good luck with that though, and because of that sets that can slot -res procs will always be 'better'. The Trapdoor test is more interesting even having its own flaws such as hindering any tester without an agro aura. But high ST pylon results do not equate better Trapdoor tests. A balanced character gets more mileage than a bleeding edge pylon killer.

I hover because 100% of my characters have Fly, I just do so near the ground even when I'm not fighting so it's really not a big deal. Bring whatever you'd like.

Shes spawns on players at random, not herself. And though I don't want to say the 'circles' are actually spheres they are at least ovals. So one spawned in the air is a lot less obvious and someone can run under it and have their HP chunked. As you've pointed out it's not a big deal and once people know about it they are more careful. Yelling at people who don't know tactics is a good way to show the yeller is a dumb ass.

Because they are done.