Rathulfr

Yeah, you'd probably have to write some logic that uses the additional external information to make it sort usefully before re-creating/formatting your playerslot.txt. I also have a character spreadsheet that includes additional information. If I were to write the script, my logic would use the additional information from the source file to determine sort order first, then output just the resulting pertinent data to the playerslot.txt. I'd probably also write a script to import the playerslot.txt file, and merge it with my spreadsheet, so that it's constantly refreshed if I add/delete characters. But then again, I write a lot of PowerShell scripts at work, so that's probably why I'm thinking of this now. The last thing I want to do when I get home is write more code. 😒

How handy are you with scripting? It probably would be pretty easy to write a PowerShell script to sort the playerslot.txt text file according to some defined criteria.

I guess I never noticed it, then. If so, then that's probably sufficient, and we won't need to add any more defense debuffs to Sentinel attacks. That said, I'd still like to see the base damage modifier increased to 1.0, and the defense/resistance caps raised to 0.75. Or to get the functional equivalent as part of a new, simpler inherent.

The main problem with Sentinels is lackluster damage, especially at higher levels. One would think that this problem is solved by IO sets, but there simply aren't that many IO sets that offer significant bonuses to damage for Sentinels. IO set bonuses were designed in such a way as to compensate for inherent weaknesses common to ATs. For ranged DPS classes, most of the IO set bonuses are aimed at improving recharge, regen/recovery, defense/resistance, and protection from status effects. This is why it's easier to build a tanky Blaster than it is to build a blasty Sentinel. But Sentinels already come with these baked into their secondaries, and there aren't IO sets they can equip to improve their damage. Sentinels consistently rank at the bottom of the DPS barrel in PvE, considerably less than one would expect with a 0.95 base damage modifier. Corruptors and Defenders have a significantly lower base damage modifier, but their buffs/debuffs and inherents compensate for that, allowing them to easily out-damage most Sentinels. Finally, nobody is asking for Sentinels to get "the ranged damage of a Blaster with the defenses of a Scrapper". The proposed requests are to give Sentinels a minor bump in the damage department, increasing their base damage modifier from 0.95 to 1.0, and perhaps to increase their defense/resistance cap from 0.7 to 0.75 (to match all other ATs except Tankers and Brutes). If re-working their inherent [planned by Captain Powerhouse] can accomplish the same things without changing those modifiers, then that would be acceptable, too. But that still wouldn't translate to "Blaster damage with Scrapper defense".

Your exact quote was: "it seems to me a bit unfair for Sentinels to be at Blaster damage output levels and have considerably better survivability". I don't know how else to read that?

You'll start to notice the problem once you get into your 40s, and especially at end-game, when everyone starts out-gunning you. Sentinels are good at low levels, but then flatten out at higher levels. Everyone else gets really good at high levels, when they get their slots, IOs, set bonuses, etc., while Sentinels become kinda "meh". Still fun, though. Just not as powerful.

It not only seems unfair, but it's also completely inaccurate. The base damage modifier of Sentinels is currently 0.95, but Blasters are at 1.125. Blasters also get Defiance, which significantly increases their DPS. Are you laboring under the misunderstanding that Sentinels can do the same damage as Blasters, just because they have the same primary power sets as Blasters? If so, then that's a fundamental flaw in your arguments. (edit) We need to disabuse this notion of Sentinels being "Blasters with armor", because it's not accurate. "Ranged DPS with armor" is a more accurate description, but the devil is in the details: Lower base damage modifier Lower defense/resistance cap Decreased range and AOE target caps No snipes, no Build-Up, no melee, no controls Most powers work differently than their equivalents in other ATs. All of the above are the trade-offs for being "ranged DPS with armor". Sentinels are not "Blasters with armor".

My understanding is that the single-target effect is -5% resistance debuff only, not defense. If I'm wrong and there's also a -5% defense debuff, then mission accomplished, AFAIC.

The base defense/resist modifier of Sentinels is 0.7, whereas everybody else (except Tankers and Brutes) is 0.75: how is that OP? Check my math here, but... 0.7 < 0.75, last time I looked. Your problem isn't with math, it's with the notion of "ranged DPS with armor". And I suspect this is based on the old canard about "range = defense" from other games and pre-I4 CoH (a.k.a. "City of Blasters"). Range hasn't made a significant difference to defense in CoH since 2005. Next, I never asked for more range or increased AoE target caps. I see the reduction in range and AoE target caps as a fair trade-off for the improved durability. Finally, 6 months of experience and extensive play-testing and reporting show that Sentinels are at the bottom of the DPS barrel. Defenders do better damage than Sentinels. I recently saw a post about a Stalker doing better DPS than a Sentinel, using only ranged attacks. So I hardly think that bringing up the base damage modifier from 0.95 to 1.0 (a whopping 5% increase) is going to "drive Blasters to the bottom of the barrel". That's just patently ridiculous. BTW: I play both Blasters and Sentinels, having half a dozen or so at level 50+. I can assure you that I have no concerns that my Sentinels would ever out-DPS my Blasters with such minor tweaks as those proposed here. And I can also assure you that at max-level with the proper IO sets, it's far easier to make a tanky Blaster than it is to make a blasty Sentinel.

Are you looking for this? https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Dimensional_Warder_Badge https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Portal_Jockey_Badge

/em ROFLMAO /em wipes tears from his eyes. /em bursts out laughing again.

+1 to this. That would almost bring Sentinels up to parity with Titan Weapons/Bio Armor Brutes. 😉 (In case your sense of humor module is malfunctioning: I'm kidding.)

The proposal is reasonable. It think we can all agree on the 1.0 base damage modifier and 0.75 caps on armor, to bring them in line with all other ATs. However, I'd propose that the Sentinel's inherent should not only debuff a target's resistance, but also debuff defense to a minor degree: maybe 5-10%, non-stacking. Perhaps also a team buff for perception, to counteract To-Hit debuffs and/or Blind. All of this would tie into the idea of a Sentinel providing insight in an opponent's location and weaknesses.

Is there a different one?

Not me. I've been on and off a couple of times today without issues. I just exited and came back in again to be sure.

You are incorrect. Do NOT avoid the market. Do NOT use Catalysts for regular set-bonus IOs. You can buy attuned IOs for the exact same price as regular IOs. This means that every time you use a Catalyst, you are short-changing yourself of several million Inf. The reason this works is because the AH has back-end magic that stores every IO enhancement in a common inventory pool stripped of level/attunement. For example, when someone posts a level 30 set-bonus IO, it goes into the same inventory pool as an attuned equivalent. So when someone else buys that same IO attuned, they might actually be pulling the inventory item that was previously level 30. If you look at the quantity and price history of each different set bonus IO, you'll see the same values. The net net is this: if you want attuned IOs, BUY attuned IOs. Don't waste your Catalysts. You can (and should) craft any IOs you want to keep: just sell them first, and then buy them back already attuned for you. Catalysts are necessary only for upgrading ATOs from regular to Superior. That's what you want to use them for, not for regular set-bonus IOs. Save your merits for that. Here's some screenshots I just took that show a Kismet: Accuracy at level 30 and Attuned. You can see in the red boxes where the quantity and price history is exactly the same for both.

+1 to the chorus of Willpower > Regen.

Um, actually, both work. The underscore is optional, and useful for readability.

Nurse! Get this man 10 CCs of "sense of humor", STAT!

+1

Windows 8.1? That's still a thing? Intel HD Graphics? There's your problem, right there. Have you got the graphics settings turned all the way down, especially any settings related to shadows/reflections? You should disable pretty much all of the special effects options, because the Intel chipset just won't handle those.

Almost. I've yet to take any of the Epic Power Pool powers on my Sentinels because they're just not that good useful to me.

Who says they won't still be after the tank changes? Methinks thou dost protest too much. Or someone else does. I think that when the dust settles, we'll probably see no significant difference.

IIRC, the reason for shards versus threads was to allow free players to access/equip only the Alpha slot with shards, while "Freemium" (long-time paid Veterans) and VIP (subscribed) players had access to all the other slots and the threads needed to craft/equip them. Now that there's no longer any distinction, I agree that it's time to deep-six shards a.s.a.p.

Those are PvP zones, and I don't PvP, so I have no idea.