ScarySai

I have reason to believe the build up idea won't be considered, which is why I'm focusing on focused BS itself. BS generating EF in one way or another would be good. And again, brutes/tanks need more ways to generate focus, even if scrappers/stalkers get nothing else. Also, it's really not a "combo" system, so much as a build/spender system. There's a difference - just a minor annoyance is all.

We're not going to agree on lots of things here, so we should probably quit while we're ahead. Refining and improving the current system is likely the best way forward, lest we get another dark melee situation. To me, this thing is close to perfect, it just needs SOMETHING to make it more fluid. Energy assault can proc focus from beating the tar out of stunned targets. Globally, that would probably be a bit OP for the EM overhaul, but if bone smasher applied some kind of mark, like contamination, that caused further beat-downs on that target to generate focus, I could see that being something neat. At the end of the day, it's a very minor issue. EM could launch like this tomorrow and It would be my new main for quite awhile.

I imagine there's a fear that energy would become an unstoppable god if they did that, so if they implemented it, we'd take a hit on a few abilities. Though depending on severity, and if ET was touched at all, I could see energy assault's mechanic being ported in some way, like my idea above, maybe focused bone smasher could enable it, making it actually worth capitalizing on. @TrooEnergy melee's only identity is to hit things so hard that their brain melts and they stumble around as you beat on their sludge-heads more, until they fall down. You won't get always-on fast ET back without massive nerfs to everything else, that's why I prefer working with the system they have given us, it's more plausible for change to happen there.

No, but once you get to the higher end STJ chains for stalker, it's basically Shin breaker>AS>finisher, so it doesn't really need to be monitored at all. AS generates two combo points, that's why it's so strong and much more fun for stalkers. Plus, in the conversion from scrapper to stalker, it loses pretty much nothing of value. Hence it's popularity.

I don't really see a problem with that, outside of things being tuned down to compensate for it, which is why I don't really want to push that idea too much. Watching for focus procs and firing off an ET is the kind of thing I like, considering how fast ET is now, It's rather rewarding for me to maximize that and it keeps me on my toes.

If nothing else, nothing else at all - Brutes and tanks especially need another way to generate focus. They can't do the crit shenanigans that stalkers and scrappers can.

I wouldn't say it's 'held hostage', if they removed the bonus effect I doubt it would cause any problems at all. But that's boring. I'd like the option to use it, there's just no reason to. Nerfing ET isn't going to be a good idea there. More focus generation could be nice, perhaps targets hit by focused bone smasher are 'marked', and slapping them around a bit can potentially generate focus? I don't really have any ideas for how to fix it, just want to highlight the problem for the powers that be. I don't want to cause a massive balance shift with the set, because it's basically close to perfect. If buffing focus came at the cost of nerfing throughput, I would be worried about gimping throughput.

Expanding on my earlier complaint about lack of other ways to generate focus: due to how quickly we get ET after unlocking TF, I feel like focused bone smasher is mostly a trap for rotations. I'm focusing my tests on stalkers, but it really should apply to all energy users. That's not to say bone smasher with focus is bad, far from it - it's actually pretty good - the problem is it has to compete with ET for a very limited resource. PC is fine, because it does something ET can't do - AOE, but in every situation I can see focused bone smasher being nice to have, I don't see it being nicer to have than the massive nuke to the face that fast-ET is. Perhaps if there were other ways to generate focus, or at the very least we were able to pool it, I could see myself weaving in a focused BS from time to time, but as of right now, it feels more like a trap.

Typically unless you are using an MMO mouse, for modern gaming mice the top button near your thumb is button5, the one below is button4 and the mouse wheel is button3. For binds, left click would be 'lbutton' Double check with Synapse/logitech/whatever you use, or just look up your mouse if you aren't sure.

I find the logic behind not letting it use LOTGs 'because set mule' to be arbitrary. If I'm using CJ, it's because I'm using super speed as my travel power, and don't want to fly or teleport. If I'm using fly/hover/afterburner, it's likely a range focused build, or because flying is awesome. If I'm using teleport, it's because I want to instantly relocate as my main method of getting around in combat, whether it's to escape a bad situation, punch a sniper in the face or to slip through a crack that would otherwise not be doable. LOTG is just a bonus on top of that. Letting CT use it does not cause any problems, nor does it infringe on the former two power options. Denying it the best buff just because of some unfounded fear of min/maxing is ridiculous. --- As for fold space The more I play with this, the more I feel like it needs SOMETHING to stop mobs from scattering the minute you drop them. Crowd control would be too much, and likely steps a bit on gravity's toes too much, so I was thinking, what if we added taunt to it?

On one hand, I get concerns with making ToF too strong, with soul drain and such in mind, it's very easy to make dark melee go from "godlike single target, okay AoE" to the most powerful thing in the game. On the other hand, scrappers can already take fireball or ball lightning if they really want to. Targeted AoE slotting lets me cram another -res proc and ragnarok into tight builds, so that's not really something I consider a problem at all. It does feel pretty weak, though.

100% agreed. I love the Powexec_loc changes, I love combat teleport's functionality (iffy on the buff, but regardless), I like the idea behind the untouchable status on teleport, but teleport itself still feels sluggish and generally terrible. The only reason I have it on the shade is because I'm forced to, really. While having untouchable for the opener is cool in a way, I'd trade it in an instant for a more responsive travel power. As someone who hates the hover in teleport, please no.

They actually don't damage you at all, it's just a heal.

I'm unfamiliar with psi melee, so correct me if I'm wrong, but... 1: You aren't getting a critical insight boosted GPB twice per rotation, yes? 2: Psi's other attacks aren't as beefy as energy's other attacks, right? 3: ET is pure energy, Psi is typically not resisted much, or hugely resisted with no in-between.

The reliance on total focus to get fast ET off is no doubt an intentional balancing attempt. That's why I don't see any scenario where that gets lifted. More ways to generate focus would be a lot more plausible as far as buffs go.

Claws has follow up and a longer recharge. Spin also doesn't debuff or knockdown anything, so it gets more leeway in the damage formula. I agree that ToF should hit just slightly harder, or at least animate faster. If the ability didn't feel so sluggish the current implementation wouldn't bother me much. Perhaps if it were a longer cd and had a 1.65ish activation time?

I am aware of the intent, I was asking them of their personal results. Sheesh.

I didn't notice this at all during my testing. Are you certain?

Hey, @Captain Powerhouse, Is the idea of Starless Step working while in either shapeshift form a non-starter, or could we expect to see that dream become reality soonish? 😛

When macro'd with the location command, it would work exactly like that. One press and you're in their face, provided you are in range. Starless step while shapeshifted pls powerhouse.

I don't think you even can turn that off. Should be pretty easy to monitor if you have focus or not, unless you're watching something that isn't your screen.

I don't have the numbers in front of me right now, but during our testing total focus from hide took a decent chunk out of @Monos King. If I had to guess why it doesn't crit, Crushing uppercut has the combo system to kinda give it an excuse to hit that hard, total focus hits really hard and gives all these other benefits on top of that. Letting it crit at full power would be a bit crazy, not to mention would definitely reduce bargaining power on further improvements down the line. The fact energy can pull as much as it is without any real crit reliance should say a lot about how horrifyingly strong it is. I love it. Praetor White would be proud.

I see that possibility, but if the indication was early enough, it could be rewarding for most to slip that extra et in, or set up a stun for more procs if it does happen to bone smasher.

@Xanatos I said it already, but since you mentioned me, I'd prefer stealing from energy assault and tying the proc chance to beating the ever loving tar out of stunned targets. In addition to being fun to game and synergize with and likely less game-breaking/neccesary to balance around, this adds value to using focused bone smasher over avoiding it.

But hitting a stunned target does generate focus for energy assault. If any idea for more ways to generate focus would make sense, it's that. Otherwise I often find myself avoiding bone smash like the plague so it doesn't eat a stack from my fast ET.