Sovera

That's me and half my builds. Do they work good at 50? Yes. Do I want them to have most their goods and survive Posi 1 ran solo at 0x8 while doing so at a decent clip (under 50 minutes preferably)? Also yes. Do I actually go and solo Posi 1 with a character once having leveled to 50? No 😄

I have revisited the Rad Melee that abandons Devastating Blow For Contaminated Strike (henceforth CS). In the past this did not have great pylon results and as such Devastating Blow was needed to improve the ST damage. The CS build best times are around 3:20 where the Devastating build swings between 2:30 to three minutes. Both cheat with -res procs which have a lot less impact in actual gameplay than in pylon tests. I've been messing around with this but have not managed to improve on the pylon times, but since then another test has come up which is the Trapdoor that better reflects actual gameplay. And as it turns out the CS build does catch up in actual gameplay. The previous best with a DB build that did not have Atom Smasher was 5:55 then improved to 4:42 with Atom Smasher. The Contaminated Strike managed a best 5:02 run -without- Atom Smasher and at worst simply kept up with the DB build with a 5:50 run (there will always be a bit of RNG involved in this so please don't look at it as a omg so much better version). Despite this with both at pretty much neck to neck then why go with the CS build if DB has better single target damage? IMO here are the reasons why it can be a valid choice: - Greater healing output. With DB the use of Radiation Siphon starts at 2.9 + 1.7 + 2.4 = 7 seconds the first use and then 1.7 + 2.9 + 1.7 + 2.4 = 8.7 seconds until combat finishes. With the CS build Radiation Siphon is used every 2.4 + 1 + 1.7 + 1 = 6.1 seconds each time. While it does depend on receiving the irradiated mechanic we can force three heals every 30 seconds or less with FF procs which (barring misses) makes a staggering 60% heal every 30 seconds. As someone who soloed both AVs at the end of Manticore with the CS build let me say that the extra healing was noticeable. - Better leveling and better exemplaring. It's not gapless down to Posi 1 but Contaminated Strike recharges fast enough to be used between each attack. - Better endurance. Two runs of Trapdoor required one use of Consume and that one time it was because I let one of the Mu survive to the end of a pack. Toggling FA off was enough to run the pylon tests. - No 2.9 second animation locks and corpse blasting. 'Nuff said. - Despite Contaminated being the weak link it can be played around. The simple rotation above does not include Burn who rears up its head every 8 seconds. Each time it comes up two Contaminated Strikes can be removed for someone who wants to be more min maxy instead of just pushing buttons. One thing that definitely improves times on all builds but particularly Fire Armor is not wasting time hitting anything that isn't a boss. This is because of Burn that can two shot +3 lieuts and will one shot minions. Using a skill to hit a minion then using Burn means the previous skill was pretty much wasted since the minion would have died anyway. Best thing is keeping an eye out for HP bars and switch targets to hit anyone who has a full bar because good chances are that anything other than a boss that is at half HP will die next time Burn goes off. This is a reason why the Trapdoor test is not done at 100% capacity since the camera prevents looking around to check HP bars. For those interested in HP bars: /optionset ShowVillainName 1 /optionset ShowVillainBars 1 Build is not perfect. A hair too little defense and S/L is not capped by a few miserable %, but though I could fix both it would come at the expense of the purple slotting in Radiation Siphon. Hasten is already at a weak 140 seconds and without the purples it would go to 144 on top of no longer being accuracy capped for +3 enemies. Maybe I'll have a flash of brilliance later but I have already sacrificed Atom Smasher for the slots so I think it may have to live flawed. Current Trapdoor listing:

Tested a Contaminated Strike replacing Devastating Blow build. Despite the loss of ST damage (Devastating build does pylon times between 2:30 to three minutes where the Contaminated Strike swings betwen 3:20 - 3:30) in terms of actual gameplay there was either no loss or an improvement. Previous best with a DB build that did not have Atom Smasher was 5:55 then improved to 4:42 with Atom Smasher. The Contaminated Strike managed a best 5:02 run -without- Atom Smasher and at worst simply kept up with the DB build with a 5:50 run (there will always be a bit of RNG involved in this so please don't look at it as a omg so much better version). - Fire Armor/Rad Tanker: 6:57 (no Atom Smasher). - Rad Melee/Stone Brute: 6:13. - Fire/MA Tanker: 6 minutes. - Rad/Fire Armor Brute: 5:55 (no Atom Smasher). - Savage/Stone Brute: 5:47. - Claws/Fire Brute (no Shockwave): 5:06 - Rad/Fire Brute (Contaminated Strike build): 5:02 - Energy Melee/Fire Brute, my main: 4:57. - Rad/Fire Armor Brute (w/ Atom Smasher): 4:42 One thing that definitely improves times on all builds but particularly Fire Armor is not wasting time hitting anything that isn't a boss. This is because of Burn that can two shot +3 lieuts and will one shot minions. Using a skill to hit a minion then using Burn means the previous skill was pretty much wasted since the minion would have died anyway. Best thing is keeping an eye out for HP bars and switch targets to hit anyone who has a full bar because good chances are that anything other than a boss that is at half HP will die next time Burn goes off. This is a reason why this test is not done at 100% capacity since the camera prevents looking around to check HP bars. For those interested in HP bars: /optionset ShowVillainName 1 /optionset ShowVillainBars 1

I ought to make one instead of piggybacking on that guy's thread. I've been following your exploits on the different forums and you have a looot more patience than I do 😄 Nowadays it seems I never even get to 50 with a new alt.

TF is not the place to go wild with procs since it is the start of the rotation. TF wants maximum recharge and two procs because it's a great place for them regardless. ET on the other hand is the place to go four damage procs since it requires no endurance or recharge (assuming that no masochists are around who want to use slow ET). This change alone can net over 150-200 damage depending on the original slotting. My own Tanker has their ET at 794, for example, where a more typical five-Hectacomb-and-a-Touch-of-Death-proc is at 647. Gaussian in Invincibility is a bit hyperbolic. Double stacks happen but lets not go crazy and say that they happen all the time. With ten mobs in range the chance for Gaussian to go off is about 60% every 10 seconds (assuming ten mobs even fit in a 8y radius). After the initial AoEs and half of that number left it's down to 30%. I prefer it over BU to have control when it goes off (preferably at the start of the fight when there are more enemies around) but others may do as they please, just do so informed. With all said the damage will never catch up to a Brute just like a Brute will not catch up to a Tanker's resilience. For 90% of solo content a Brute will do the same as a Tanker, just faster. For 100% of teaming with any sort of buffs or shields the Brute will be as sturdy as the Tanker. Without buffing (either damage heavy team or just different buffs like a Kin) the Tanker comes back at being sturdier (there are outliers like Rad/Super Strength but it's about the OPness of the combo rather than the AT just like we used to have the Titan Weapons/Bio combo).

In the meanwhile I'm blinking at rares having shot up to 750k to 1 mill. They were about 400k before my break.

Sticking to radio missions.

Though the use of two ETs is super seductive I might still try a test (pylons, mebbe?) of both rotations. Including a slow ET at 2.9 is daunting. I found that on my Brute and when I missed with ET I could still squeeze it back in before TF finished recharging. It did mess with the rotation a bit but I could straighten it up afterwards. By correlation that seems to imply two procced out ETs might fit. Taking a gander at the recharge times ET recharges in 4.10 seconds. TF recharges in 5.9. Since TF takes 2.8 seconds to cast it eats the 4.10 seconds for ET. Is the warning that you got two focus clearly visible? Because you could replace one of the Energy Punches for it. Lets see.. TF (crit, two Focus), knowing you got it you decide to use ET (one focus down, 1,2 animation, 4 seconds recharge), EP (1 second), Bone Smasher (1.7), EP (1). 3.7 seconds Bit too short. ET needed 4.1 to recharge so second ET goes off making 5.9. TF needed 5.9. TF takes 2.8 seconds to cast again, with an EP afterwards it goes to 3.8. Bit short for ET since it would be up in 4.1. Honestly 0.4 seconds might not be noticeable. But lets try reducing ET's recharge a bit by swapping the damage/endurance with damage/recharge. Alright. ET is now 3.72. TF (crit, two Focus), ET (one focus down, 1.2), EP (1 second), Bone Smasher (1.7), EP (1). 3.7 seconds total, second ET goes off. 1.2 + 1 + 1.7 + 1 + 1.2 = 6.1. TF recharges in 5.9 so it goes off again. TF (2.8), too short to segue into ET so use EP to make it 3.8. ET is up now and can be used. It's going to be a bit dynamic and on the fly but EP can be fit in to help smooth things. Sometimes you don't get a second Focus to use though and that is where you also use an EP after the first TF. Since TF recharges in 5.9 the loss of 0.2 seconds from switching ET (1.2) for EP (1) won't impact using TF on CD. At least until Hasten is on cooldown. Tbh this is more trouble than CoH deserves and I prefer a nice smooth and simple rotation. Upside is not having to subject yourself to a slow ET and also the damage boost staying (even with recharge ET is still going at 900 damage compared to the previous 726).

What the heck. That's some spaghetti code there. Good find, Voltak, and maybe let the devs know about it. Now that's twice the reason to go Sonic/Kin.

Sonic debuffing resistances also reduces damage like Fulcrum Shift is doing? Is that correct or did I misunderstand?

Whirling Hands in your ST rotation? How kinky of you. (I'm innuending about broadcasting your masochism in public ;p) Energy Punch is a pretty good skill to mix between each attack but this is how I would do it as a Brute. I know Scrappers have different interactions with crits and ET (it can be re-used if TF crits or something?) but perhaps some ideas can be of use: TF recharges in 6 seconds. TF, Bone smasher (1.5 seconds), ET (1.2 seconds), Energy Punch (1), Bone Smasher (1.5), EP (1) = 6.2 seconds and good to start over. This won't be as perfect once Hasten goes down though Entropic Aura will help a bit (no FF procs in the build hurts). Also worked in Power Smash since EM's AoE is anemic otherwise. You can TF (fish for a crit proc), Power Smash, WH, Power Smash. Start again. To fit this things had to be shuffled but the starting zones have toxic and slows so Energy Protection is taken early and Synapse leveling/exemplaring will be powered through before Dampening Field is available just barely in range for Yin and Super Stunners. Also fixed E/N's defense though your goal of increasing psi to survive carnies went down in flames for it. With 21% defense a single small purple would not have been of help either way. I do mainly play Fire Armor which has neither defenses or resistance to psi and survive Carnies but it involves killing a bunch of them fast where EM's strong suit in single target (but ask me about my EM/Fire Brute which kills bunches -and- in single target as well). Your defense won't be enough for anything that strips defense so be sure to abuse Energy Drain at the start of each fight no matter were your blue bar fits at (most of praetoria robots, kheldians, romans, etc). Not sure if it fits your goals but at least the damage boost should not go amiss. ET from 726 to 930 (great vehicle for procs due to not needing recharge or endurance. I would fit in a last damage proc but there are no more since Scrappers don't get access to taunt sets and the purple is best placed in TF being the start of the rotation), TF from 567 to 715 (great vehicle for the crit proc, don't sleep on making at least that change) and more AoE. It it is what you're actually after is a flip of the coin because recharge suffered (Hasten from 127 to 134) and your goal for protection from psi. But perhaps some slotting ideas can come out of it.

Or level to eight, do one Positron part one, sell merits and have about two million. Have mercy on the newbies when suggesting to sell stuff for 5/100/250 inf.

The AT I felt I had more success with Savage was on a Brute. But though it did okay and had about the same times on a pylon than Claws, and though I was doing fine solo, it was teaming that I felt its limitations. There was a lot of feeling I was flailing my arms while the mob's HP did not budge. Then all of a sudden the DoTs would pile up and the HP would evaporate. But in a team people would just come over and hit the mob.

*stares*

Heya, @Infinitum. I was looking at your invuln build for ideas and came across your Invuln/EM Tanker. I did a bit of tinkering when I noticed it did not have E/N defenses: Now it has E/N at 40% as well as S/L with the idea of using Barrier for the last 5%. Replaced Agility for Musculature. Bit more damage, bit more endurance recovery. In the original Tough already was just a mule with S/L grossly overcapped even with it toggled off, so took all those slots off and scattered them around while Tough continues being just a mule. Bit more damage everywhere with damage procs on the big powers. Cannot depend on more than one stack of the ATO because TF recharges so slowly, but the resists are at a sweet spot with just one stack and then with Barrier it bumps up to 89% for S/L and 88% for E/N, but with the scaling IO once at 90% HP it bumps up to 90% and 89% respectively. Lost a bit of recharge (Hasten from 136 to 140) but bit more endurance and less drain (from 1.9 with Tough toggled off, Hover and EvM on, with 3.24 recovery to 1.83 with Tough off, Hover and EvM on, with 3.55 recovery). Not sure this is enough to play without Ageless though (Recovery Serums when not playing with others who do use Ageless?). That last slot in Barrage leaves me cold since F/C damage is not that common to fuss about but I left it in place. Didn't want to mess with your power picks either so I didn't touch those but I do feel that playing/leveling/exemplaring without Bonesmasher must be painful. The framework probably works with most sets for those wanting E/N defenses in Invuln.

No AoE until 26 though. Can remove fire Sword Circle for fire Breath for AoE under level 20. Can also have both, but once you have Burn and Fire Sword Circle you don't need more AoE.

We will out level stuff if doing -all- the arcs so Burn will be available while doing the myriad level 14 arcs.

Ladies, ladies, no ad hominems. We're a small enough community to begin with and its easy to get mad and stay that way. We should appreciate the crafters since there is no way we'd dispose of thousands of converters that are created every day. As someone said it's a venting thread and as it was mentioned it is not terribly important (we type 10000 instead of 5000, not exactly a huge problem and none will go broke over it), but it's annoying. Heck, at some point I was buying yellows for 50k because I would type 10k and it would not be bought. I just had no patience to faff around typing 15k, then 20k, trying to discover when and where the bids currently were at. Just like I try to buy something for 4 million and if it does not buy I just jump for 5 million instead of trying 4.1 mill, then 4.2 mill, etc.

Might as well roll a Stalker then. Better crits, a major ST attack, initiating combat from stealth. Only with the sets butchered to have no AoE would a Scrapper be an alternative. That said no one should need an agro aura to play the game. In other games mobs stick around until they die. Agro auras are for tank characters so mobs direct their hate to them because otherwise the NPCs would hit anyone and everyone. But what we get are unhinged NPCs hightailing it to the africas. Which would be ok (I seldom bother to kill every single minion if they happen to be ranged and did not want to approach. I instead bounce to the next group), except this game has kill all missions. Still, bad as not having agro is it's still not as bad as attack power sets not having an AoE until 32. Not sure what the old devs were smoking but it must have been spoiled.

In the spirit of 'I'm playing with my friend who is already playing a Tanker' I thought I could make something to support instead of double melee. I started with Earth/Kin for the sweet sweet Speedboost and Earthquake, but now I'm thinking Earth/Sonic since what I'm reading from the combo is that I can debuff acc, defense, AND resists. Still not as nice as Speedboost, but on top of the Sonic shields it's probably good for the low levels. Higher level I would still go back to Kin.

There's a lot of information in this thread already, but take a gander at the guide in my signature since it is a good read for a new player.

My love affair with tanks is in direct proportion to my time on a Brute. Play a Brute? Eventually get huffy at being squishy and go back to a Tanker. Play a Tanker? Eventually get huffy at gently sandpappering a mob's HP bar and go back to a Brute.

Dunno. Ascribing malice seems too much. I'd rather believe someone pulled on a lose bit of code string and something unknotted somewhere deeper in the engine. Now if it was something the devs noticed, tried to fix and could not, or are happy with, or actually did it on purpose? No clue.

Flee code should just be ditched, but the old devs liked it and the new devs don't want to deviate too far so unless something tremendous happens it is bound to stay in some private server. Agro, like in other games, should be about which target the mobs hit, not the glue that makes them stick around instead of waltzing away from us like in Jibaro's episode.

Same when I brought my level 48 Claws/Fire to Moonfire. I wanted to test its time versus the Fire/Stone Melee Tanker and found that I spent... so... much... time trying to hit the vampyr. Oh yeah, if I'd jump in, manage to land Follow-up and Spin followed by Burn then half the pack would be reduced to floating cinders. Something with BU near ignores this with the major boost to ToHit that comes from it and Gaussian. Granted that just munching on a couple of purples at need would reduce being hit and thus the whiffing. But CoT in the end game is why I always take Focused Accuracy even with the loss of power that comes from not taking Gloom.