Scarlet Shocker

Yeah bring back beige! Who cares what your prize gaming rig that cost you a couple of months salary (or more) looks like? 😄 😄 😄

Fair comment. Kahn is one of my favourite TFs in game so I will usually try it and hey, what's the worst that can happen? If you fail, then you lost some time playing a game you love anyhow so I try not to worry too much about that. Typically if I'm forming a TF I will consult with the team once we've mostly formed (7 or 8 ) and ask what levels they want. It will usually be higher than lower (I've never been asked to make it -1) but common courtesy (yes, it's still a thing) suggests that you could get your team on board because the clue is in TEAM.

That probably suits me well then. I tend to play somewhat defensively, I try and build my toons to not miss, to debuff, rather than do outright damage, so that may be a good option for me. Thanks for the info.

That's useful info thanks.

That makes sense. I've tried getting my head round the proc threads. Frankly they make my brain melt - but I appreciate the point you make. You've given me something to go at for sure 🙂 It's gonna be a fun experiment and one I guess will be long term. I'm actually enjoying a raft of Poison fenders, I've got a nice Poison/Sonic on the go at the moment too. I think that is one of my preferred primary sets.

Good info Dove, thanks again. So your build is very proc heavy - now I am not in any way an expert but my understanding is that Mids gives unrealistic expectations of how procs work. Makes them seem better than they actually are. Personally I tend to distrust procs anyhow - I feel like they are too much like gambling. I much prefer set bonuses. I also hate the fighting pool. It seems to take so many resources, though I do admit the benefits are good. It just grates having to use it to get the res and def I want.

Thankyou Dove, that's EXACTLY what I wanted to know! Question re Swap Ammo - I've heard that Chemical Ammo works really well when paired with Poison - which is what I want to pair it with. How do these different powers actually work?

I don't know why it's a difficult question to follow, but to ask it a different way, what attributes of a character make it more interesting and fun for you to play than others? Those could be anything from power sets, to back story to play style or anything else.

to a certain extent your playstyle will determine your preference, I imagine. If you solo and kite lots you'll need different tactics than if you're blapping in teams, so a lot of this will boil down to you and your own choices. Personally I tend not to solo blasters because I'm not that masochistic, but even if I blap I tend to take Manoeuvres, even with aim and build up because hitting is what is important and it's very difficult to cap Blaster defence in my experience, so a bit of +Def is welcome but not my goal, but not missing, so ensuring that every HP of damage counts is really important. I've taken both on the same character and that often makes me regret not taking other powers but again, personal preference. As I've often remarked, there are as many different ways to play this game as there are players multiplied by ATs times the square of powers taken. If you really want to test it for yourself, my advice would be to create two builds, slot them with SOs, and then run comparisons and see which you prefer. That's inexpensive and will give you a good baseline comparison.

interesting points thanks

Some amazing and very interesting answers guys, thanks for all your responses. I guess it's only fair I should reply myself. The question was prompted when I was asking myself whether I wanted to recreate Scarlet Shocker here, and if so, should she continue to be an all Electric Blaster? Scarlet was technically my 3rd character (I think, certainly not my 4th or later) and the name came first, then the powers, then the costume, then the grind through those early levels - plus the creation of the Shock Tactics SG, and making some good friends and getting all the way to level 49 then a long pause while I dabbled with lower level alts. Remember this was back in 2006/7 when there were very few electric powers there, far fewer costume options and a lot less content. This was Issue 6 and then I7. She became my favourite for many reasons but one of the most important is she does her best with the limited powers available to her. Let's remember that electric powers were pretty underwhelming back then (arguably most still are - though I've yet to really get to grips with electrical affinity) and -End is pretty pointless in PVE and next to useless in PVP. So she became something of an underdog hero, which is how I like my heroes. To me heroism isn't Batman or Superman who can beat anyone or anything with brains or brawn respectively. To me a true hero is somebody who goes up against the odds, and comes out smiling. Daredevil is a classic case in comic lore I guess. He's really only a normal blind guy with super senses and a massive amount of willpower but he can still beat Dr Doom, Kingpin, and just about anyone the Marvel writers throw at him - even though his life is shitty and made shittier by his own blind obstinacy (pun intended.) So Scarlet spoke to me from very early on and remains my favourite CoH character even though seriously sub-par in terms of capability and power. But she's not even my favourite blaster. That accolade goes to Snowfreak, an Ice/Energy blaster who has a great back story (lost an arm in a Rikti raid, then discovered her dad had been a villain back in Statesman's youth and had a few favours to pull in, got her a cyborg arm with a cryogenic function and a couple of high powered recoil adjusters for close quarters.... to get revenge on the Rikti and maybe redeem him along the way...) She rocked because she could hold her own in most fights. Then came Huntsman Strauss. He is interesting for two reasons. Some of you may remember Ghost Raptor, the EU CC from the forums. He and I shared a mutual love of cricket but from different perspectives - him being Aussie and me being from the same land as his Monarch. Hence the name, which will also give the discerning reader an approximate date of creation. But he became even more interesting when I declined to fork - I didn't like (still don't) the look of Crabs and I didn't have any feel for mace so I stayed with the concept of a Huntsman with a gun. And boy does he do that most excellently delivering a sea of orange numbers, backed up by some formidable pets. He was the first toon I soloed a Rikti pylon with and soloed the ITF (never could manage Lady Grey though, due to lack of holds, but the rest seemed like a breeze.) Oddly I can't say any of my many many controllers have ever stuck in my mind as "favourites" but the honourable mention must go to Barbed Quarrel - who began life as a humble plant/TA troller in Nova Praetoria, and became the head of Praetorian Imperial Secret Service - continuing Emperor Cole's mission of keeping Praetoria safe, while recognising Cole's misguidedness and his obvious flaws. And she's super tough too - but not in a ROFLSTOMP way, but very very competent at surviving.

Confusing Vazhilok bombers so they'd blow their own teams up Knockback having to earn capes and auras, I used to feel special when I'd done that shooting back to Atlas inside a red bubble after a respec mission running through zones trying to dodge mobs to get to your team or mentor (but not the Hollows, that was just too tough) spending several days over a single TF

many many many of us here have many many toons. Why not? This game spectacularly encourages altitis, and it is arguably one of the strengths of the game and has been historically. I don't believe even the Devs on live appreciated the power of it - but that's another story. But when it comes to all of our toons, what I've noticed is that many of us seem to have our favourites - even if we don't play them that often, even if they're not the best at what they do, even if they haven't had a respec since hitting lvl 50 at Issue 7 and don't have IOs or Incarnates or any of that cool stuff. But then there can be favourite favourites, and unfavourite favourites, favourites we know why, and those we are less sure of why they're favourite, but they just are. We can categorise them, we might have a favourite blaster, or favourite tank, but overall controllers are our favourite AT etc I'm appealing to the basic philosophy of the game here - but I think it's an important question - because even if you don't believe in "souls" per se, there's always a bit more of us as human beings, invested in our favourite characters, yet others, perfectly competent, capable, even perhaps better performing, just remain a suit, an name and a set of statistical algorithms, that just don't get our juices flowing. So the question is "why is X, Y or Z your favourite, not what or who?"

I'm working on a new Def - on live I rarely played them - but I'm thinking Poison/DP might be good. I've never really gotten my head around DP on any possible AT, but I do like poison and Frosticus' guide has reinvigorated my liking for them. So what are the best and worst things about DP? What are the strengths and relative weaknesses of the individual powers? Which are entirely skippable, which are essential? Etc etc I did search for a guide but my search fu is weak! Thanks

Cant' look at this build easily but I gotta say Plant/TA is a really fun thing to play. I love mine but I went red side and chose Mu as a PPP I also took Stealth as a power, with a proc in run to give me invis, and used a lot of HamiOs in the buiild especially Carrion Creepers I think your strategy is fundamentally sound, you can set up and funnel enemies into a killing zone and sit back and have fun 🙂

I love controllers, and Storm is one of my favourite sets out there for any of the "support" ATs. As others have mentioned some sets go better with it than others but my first ever controller (2006 vintage) was a Mind/Storm and that worked really well. Sure you're a bit of a poltergeist, and throw a lot of stuff around especially with Levitate, Tekekinesis and Hurricane going on, but played well, nothing but the biggest baddest bosses bother you, because nothing gets close. If your heart is set on Storm, then I suggest this as an excellent power combination (the name's already taken though!) Also, although I haven't played the combo myself I can fully see why Plant/Storm would work brilliantly together. My concern is that given you're mostly a melee player up until now, you may struggle with the seeming lack of damage of some controllers - so if your heart isn't completely set on /Storm as a set, then I'd suggest something that gives great damage, good control and isn't a Fire/Kin is Fire/TA which is a boatload of fun. One further word about Storm as a set - for years O2 boost was heavily criticised for being crap and a lot of people seemed to skip it - but once you stop thinking of it as a heal but more as a great buff with a minor heal component it comes into its own. Honestly, I'd suggest try them all, see which ones you like. What have you got to lose?

So far as I am aware, the only real difference is the side it punts you to. Loyalists send you red-side, Resistance sends you to blue. But that is insignificant now that side switching is so simple. If there are further, lasting consequences, I'm unaware of them.

back in the day on live it was often said that MM/Poison were the true AV killers, though I found mine to be a tad underwhelming but I think Poison as a set is excellent. If I recall, I think it got buffed around the time Dark control was released and I made a Dark/poison troller that is extremely good, even in PVP I think again much of how we perceive a set is very dependant on our play style, which perhaps varies more than the raw numbers might indicate.

It's coming on like a dream, peaches and cream... lips like... well technically at that age you can't drink...

I salute your masochism sir! 🙂

There's a movie I love. It's bitterly sad, lonely but extremely powerful, with a budget of sweet FA, and I first watched it when it made British TV which would have been the early/mid 70s. I think I was maybe 12 or 13 - and needless to say I did not understand very much of it but there were boobs and beautiful cars and even a guy I knew who was a private dick, Petroccelli (sp?) from a TV show. So mostly I loved it without understanding it. I have watched it many times since, and I love it despite its earth-shattering sadness. The soundtrack's pretty good too and there's a whole microcosm of human life in it - see the Snake Hunter for example. But here's the question; How would you represent this movie, or even the central character (the actual star is debatable, is it the man or the vehicle? Tarantino has an opinion on that too) in game? Is it possible? This is my challenge. The costume, less so. The look and feel would be pretty easy to do. I think we could agree that the travel power would be superspeed. But what else? So once you answer this (the movie is readily available and well worth watching IMNSHO so if unfamiliar give it a whirl, you won't be disappointed if you have a soul) burning question, I guess there's a follow up: Do it yourself. Pick a movie you absolutely love - preferably not mainstream - and then we can all have a go. Here's a teaser if you didn't already guess (be honest if you did by the way)

I don't think I misunderstood you. I'm fine with you playing the game you want but I just fund your position somewhat silly. Its analogous to saying "please make all MM non-pet powers stronger because my petless MM sucks but I want to play it anyhow." SoM is a bonus power designed to help you survive lower levels - to ask for it to be slotted is to make it far more powerful than intended and would inevitably create huge balance problems. If you use it, fine, but to expect it to be improvable is nonsensical.

Hardly elitist. If you have to build your character specifically to accommodate a free power, then you've probably missed out on other things your build could use more effectively. Your tanks have the attacks. They worked before SoM was introduced, and work now without it. If you want to do it that way, go ahead but it's probably less efficient and ultimately harms your build.

Here's one I've done for my own character, Sea Sore (the clue's in the name) It probably needs some refinement but I have high expectations of this character: Villain Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.6.0.7 https://github.com/ImaginaryDevelopment/imaginary-hero-designer Click this DataLink to open the build! Sea Sore: Level 50 Magic Corruptor Primary Power Set: Water Blast Secondary Power Set: Poison Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Leaping Power Pool: Concealment Power Pool: Force of Will Ancillary Pool: Dark Mastery Villain Profile: Level 1: Hydro Blast -- Thn-Acc/Dmg(A), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(5), Thn-Dmg/Rchg(7), Thn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7) Level 1: Alkaloid -- NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(A), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(5) Level 2: Envenom -- AchHee-DefDeb(A), AchHee-ResDeb%(13) Level 4: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(9) Level 6: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(9) Level 8: Stealth -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(11) Level 10: Weaken Resolve -- AchHee-ResDeb%(A), CldSns-ToHitDeb(11), CldSns-Acc/ToHitDeb(43), CldSns-%Dam(43) Level 12: Weaken -- CldSns-Acc/ToHitDeb(A), CldSns-%Dam(13) Level 14: Whirlpool -- SprFrzBls-Acc/Dmg(A), SprFrzBls-Dmg/EndRdx(15), SprFrzBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(15), SprFrzBls-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(17), SprFrzBls-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(17), SprFrzBls-Rchg/ImmobProc(19) Level 16: Tidal Forces -- RctRtc-Pcptn(A), GssSynFr--Build%(19), GssSynFr--ToHit(21) Level 18: Dehydrate -- AnlWkn-%ToHit(A), AnlWkn-DefDeb(21), AnlWkn-Acc/DefDeb(23), AnlWkn-Acc/Rchg(23) Level 20: Water Jet -- Thn-Acc/Dmg(A), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(25), Thn-Dmg/Rchg(25), Thn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(27), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(27), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46) Level 22: Project Will -- FrcFdb-Acc/KB(A), FrcFdb-Rechg%(29) Level 24: Unleash Potential -- Prv-Absorb%(A), Prv-Heal(29), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(31), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(31) Level 26: Steam Spray -- AchHee-ResDeb%(A), AchHee-DefDeb/Rchg(31) Level 28: Paralytic Poison -- SprEnt-Acc/Hold(A), SprEnt-Hold/Rchg(33), SprEnt-End/Rchg(40), SprEnt-Acc/Hold/End(42), SprEnt-Acc/Hold/End/Rchg(42), SprEnt-Rchg/AbsorbProc(43) Level 30: Water Burst -- SprScrBls-Acc/Dmg(A), SprScrBls-Dmg/Rchg(33), SprScrBls-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), SprScrBls-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), SprScrBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), SprScrBls-Rchg/+End(40) Level 32: Geyser -- SprMlcoft-Acc/Dmg(A), SprMlcoft-Dmg/Rchg(34), SprMlcoft-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), SprMlcoft-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36), SprMlcoft-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36), SprMlcoft-Rchg/Dmg%(37) Level 35: Poison Trap -- GhsWdwEmb-Dam%(A), FuroftheG-ResDeb%(37), Obl-%Dam(37), UnbCns-Dam%(39), NrnSht-Dam%(39), BslGaz-Slow%(39) Level 38: Venomous Gas -- AchHee-ResDeb%(A), AchHee-DefDeb(40) Level 41: Dark Consumption -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(42) Level 44: Dark Embrace -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), StdPrt-ResKB(45), Ags-Psi/Status(45), GldArm-3defTpProc(45) Level 47: Soul Transfer -- Obl-Dmg(A), Obl-Acc/Rchg(48), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(48), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50), Obl-%Dam(50) Level 49: Soul Drain -- AdjTrg-ToHit(A), AdjTrg-ToHit/Rchg(50) Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A) Level 1: Quick Form Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- UnbLea-Stlth(A), UnbLea-EndRdx(46) Level 1: Scourge Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A) Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A) Level 4: Ninja Run Level 2: Swift -- Flight-I(A) Level 2: Health -- Mrc-Rcvry+(A), Pnc-Heal/+End(3) Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A) Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-End%(3), EndMod-I(46) Level 1: Combo Level 1 Level 1: Combo Level 2 Level 1: Combo Level 3 ------------ ------------ Set Bonus Totals: 16.5% DamageBuff(Smashing) 16.5% DamageBuff(Lethal) 16.5% DamageBuff(Fire) 16.5% DamageBuff(Cold) 16.5% DamageBuff(Energy) 16.5% DamageBuff(Negative) 16.5% DamageBuff(Toxic) 16.5% DamageBuff(Psionic) 9.75% Defense(Melee) 7.88% Defense(Smashing) 7.88% Defense(Lethal) 21% Defense(Fire) 21% Defense(Cold) 19.75% Defense(Energy) 19.75% Defense(Negative) 6% Defense(Psionic) 18.5% Defense(Ranged) 21% Defense(AoE) 5.85% Max End 38% Enhancement(Accuracy) 10% Enhancement(Range) 40% Enhancement(RechargeTime) 42% SpeedFlying GrantPower Preventive Medicine (10% chance, if Scourge) 52.21 HP (4.87%) HitPoints 42% JumpHeight 42% SpeedJumping Knockback (Mag -4) Knockup (Mag -4) MezResist(Confused) 43.75% MezResist(Held) 43.75% MezResist(Immobilized) 43.75% MezResist(Sleep) 43.75% MezResist(Stunned) 43.75% MezResist(Terrorized) 43.75% MezResist(Teleport) 100% (20% chance) 20% PerceptionRadius 17.5% (0.29 End/sec) Recovery 42% (1.87 HP/sec) Regeneration 30% ResEffect(SpeedFlying) 30% ResEffect(RechargeTime) 30% ResEffect(SpeedRunning) 4.5% Resistance(Smashing) 4.5% Resistance(Lethal) 15% Resistance(Fire) 15% Resistance(Cold) 6.75% Resistance(Energy) 6.75% Resistance(Negative) 5% Resistance(Psionic) 42% SpeedRunning | Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer to view the build | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| |MxDz;1519;728;1456;HEX;| |78DA6594CB4F135114C6EF74A6424B110A14CAFB5DDA0223F85893006AAA90109BC| |8B21961C08965A64E0B919D98F80FB87105A8311112014D7CAE04D1AD9AB872AD89| |6082BAF7514FE73BB6246DDAFC6ECF77CEBDDF9C73DBF16BA3BECDB34B4342AA184| 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