Bionic_Flea

SoonTM

Correct. The resist and -dam help me last longer, but if I get hit by just about every mez and debuff I am still a piñata -- just a sturdier one.

I've been slow leveling a Marine/Water corrupter on Open Beta on mostly SOs (I have the Panacea and the +def & +res uniques slotted). It's been fine on low settings until about level 20 and I am dying several times per mission, mostly due to mezzes and debuffs. Most other support sets have a tool to avoid or mitigate debuffs, either through significant defense, -tohit, mez protection or resistance, or otherwise has protection against debuffs or some mez of it's own to mitigate. Marine's toolkit, while impressive, doesn't really have any of that. Specifically: no significant defense (It has minor defense in Barrier Reef), no -tohit, and no mez resistance or protection. I have found myself several times chain held and debuffed to death. Not fun. Yes, I know that I can fill those holes at higher levels with incarnate powers, IO builds, and an assortment of temp powers. My point is that at at these low levels on an SO build, Marine doesn't stack up to other sets. Without being able to avoid some mez and debuffs I think you will find many players get frustrated and give up. Dark has a ton of -tohit (plus defense from Fade if controller); Electric has Faraday cage; Force Field and Sonic have Dispersion bubbles for def or res AND mez protection; Nature has Spore Cloud for -tohit and Entangling Aura hold; Poison has Weaken and Venomous for -tohit and two holds; Rad has HUGE -tohit in Radiation Infection, Mez resist in Accelerate Metabolism, and 2 holds; Storm has +def in Steamy Mist, -tohit in Hurricane, a ton of KB and a stun; Time has HUGE self and team defense in Farsight, -tohit in Time's Juncture, and a hold; Traps has Defense AND mez protection in FFG, -tohit in seeker drones, a hold in Poison Gas, and some of the pets draw aggro; and finally, Trick Arrow has Flash Arrow for -tohit, a sleep in Poison Gas Arrow, Team Mez resistance and a hold in Emp Arrow, another hold in Ice Arrow, and KB in Oil Slick. The only sets left over are Marine, Cold, Empathy, Pain, and Thermal. You don't see many Empathy, Pain, and Thermal running around, not as many as those other sets. At least I don't see as many. Colds are everywhere, but I mostly see them in 4* and other hard content usually in pairs so that they are covering each other, and the rest of the team, in significant defense. I would suggest adding mez resistance to Torroidal Bubble and some -tohit to Shoal Rush to address the problem of mez and debuffs and to give better parity with other support sets.

I would think it might be an able alternate to Nature. But we won't know until we know. And we won't know until enough folks try it out with those settings.

I tend to level up my characters mostly solo, except for an occasional TF, trial or raid and have made a few ice armor characters and haven't noticed any bigger problems than other sets. Things always tend to get harder in the 20s as you lose your beginner's luck (https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Attack_Mechanics#Beginner.27s_Luck) and the proc damage from the freebie prestige sets. At the same time you start fighting critters that do more exotic damage, debuffs, and mezzes but still don't have enough slots for all your powers. I agree with Googly that you should slot the uniques ASAP. Some can be slotted as soon as level 10. I also start slotting ATOs and attuned sets that will grow with me as I level up. You will have less enhancement value at the lower levels vs SOs, but the set bonuses and the convenience of not have to upgrade constantly is worth it to me.

Just to make sure, I made a level 1 throw away character and tried to get into the Labyrinth. As predicted, I couldn't get in and got a little error message UI, basically saying 45+ only. What I did not predict it that the Map icon would not even be visible until I trained to level 45. Once I was trained to 45, the marker became visible and I could enter. This concludes this test of the Emergency Flea System.

I have to agree with Ultra Alt on the Whitecap Icon. What he is suggesting matches Shield Charge, Lightning Rod, Jaunt, and Spring Attack. But maybe with the short line on the bottom indicating it is also a debuff.

I have no idea if such a thing is possible, but can a critter be granted a power based on number of enemies around? I'm not talking about something like invincibility, against all odds, rise to the challenge, etc., where you get a stat boost for each enemy in range. I am talking about giving the Minotaur something like Dull Pain, Phase Shift, or his own incarnate judgment but only when facing a large number of players. That could be set at 20, 30, 50, whatever works. If you really want to be mean, give him Dull Pain at 20, Phase Shift at 30, and Judgment at 50! PS - Bonus points if having X mag of control stacked eliminated one or more of those powers (or others), even if the Mino is still active and not fully mezzed. I know, I know . . . no major changes as release date approaches. Just tossing out ideas.

Just make costumes squeak!

I can see people being REALLY upset if they were one hit away from defeating a piñata and get pulled away. Giving players agency as to whether to be teleported or not is the way to go, IMO.

Thanks for the response. Understood that it's late in the development so unlikely to change soon. But at least . . .

Congrats to America's Angel for winning the Flea Cup! Five emails of 200k each sent! More people should set up bounties. I'm down a billion, but I had fun watching and learned some stuff. Worth it.

I thought it was Yomo . . . or Masta Blasta . . .

Scirocco's Hammer of the World Arc, Recover the Malleus Mundi mission. https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Scirocco#Recover_the_Malleus_Mundi_for_Scirocco.

Hey @Cobalt Arachne, is it possible or desirable to have a certain color zone start at a lower level shift than the others to give soloists a little room to get the feel of the zone without being insta-killed? Also: for those trying out the Fog, solo or in group, remember that HC added an empowerment station, like you have in SG bases, where you can craft some extra stealth and extra resistance to all types of damage. It's not a lot, but it helps. Oh! @Cobalt Arachne, could we also add a S.T.A.R.T. vendor (fka P2W) to Midnighter Club? That gives both sides another vendor and can be used to purchase boosts and other temp powers to help in the Fog.

Hmmm . . . I wonder if it would be possible or desirable to have one of the colored zones start a little lower on the level shifts. Probably not because the problem becomes the floating level shifts. You could show up and see most things conning grey to you (due to others gaining the shifts), but then find a +11 EB or Minotaur hidden in the pack. So even if you had a colored area that started at level 50 or 51 or whatever it won't stay that way and you will still encounter Big Bads. On the other hand, it's not too different than the Hive or Abyss. You can go solo in those zones to explore, get badges, and you might even challenge a Giant Monster. Some characters are even able to take them down or survive getting hit by several. But Hamidon is beyond any single player.

I've suggested an incarnate power that has core adding KB and radial reducing KB. Bonus points if that incarnate power got a damage dot based on the distance knocked.

But Six, why do you have to double check? Did you think it was Jimmy? Was it Jimmy? It was Jimmy, wasn't it? Why are you covering for Jimmy?

Cobalt "Easter Egg" Arachne!

It's a fanny pack!

I agree. I don't think an accolade should have another accolade as a requirement. Especially one as grindy as this one. Pick anyone of the safeguard badges or one of the newer hero-side badges instead would be my preference.

How about a pair of Shield/Axe Tanker and Axe/Shield scrapper? You can do a lot of concepts with Shield and Axe from tribal to feudal to cops to futuristic. Phalanx Fighting and Grant Cover will add to your defenses. Add in some leadership powers and good slotting and you should both be fairly unkillable and do good damage. Here are links to the different shields and axes you can choose from: https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Shield_Customization https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Weapon_Customization#Axes