Zeraphia

I don't agree with this, if you're solo, taunting can be very useful for toons who would have to chase down enemies otherwise (especially melee) it's one of the reasons I deleted my Rad/FA Scrapper, no taunt, bad times due to enemies running away.

I think another avenue would be, as I've said numerous times, in addition to this suggestion, just more content. I've already done the badging, and I enjoy playing my builds to the fullest, but ITF/MLTF/LRSF/LGTF/KHTF/TinPex get boring after you've run them twice in one day, thrice the other. I'd love to see a roster of more end-game interesting potentially some being harder TF's to include in the lineup with suggestions like these, and the option to still "speed through" and do them as they are in their current variation to not take away the fun others have. I also think that introducing a lineup of new task forces for different levels that are engaging, fun, and interesting should be considered as well, introducing new groups of harder enemies, unpopular opinion, but Citadel, Synapse, Positron are dated. I'd like to see more interesting and mechanically fun task forces for these level ranges. Further, we could introduce another new system that exemplars to the person who created the task force's level. Say for instance, I wanted to run a Synapse, but I was a level 50, the task force's enemy groups wouldn't restrict you to level 20, it would make them all come evenly as level 50 and you can use your powers as you'd like, which would make lower level content much more enjoyable and played more often.

This is rather golden advice! I actually cannot recall the last time I have ever used the LFG tool to find members other than when someone on the team says "player x would like to join, so and so are with me."

All due respect, not all of the sets are as bad as the others on the list. For example, Electrical Melee is saliently weak in ST. It has been found in numerous metrics that it not only has bad base ST damage, but it does not have access to consistent -res procs (technically Jacob's Ladder could technically take FotG, but it would not proc consistently given its 8 second recharge). This in turn lands this set in a weak position for ST DPS, when people put this set in the bottom of the bottom for ST, it is not an exaggeration, on average it will only do 50-60% of the damage of A-tier ST sets (not S-tier TW) not factoring even what they can run with consistent -res procs. Psionic Melee is deceptive. You think it's a top-tier ST set, unfortunately due to its cast rate of GPB + Insight's wonky mechanic structure + no -res procs to be ran, and it is not great for ST damage, though not as bad as Elec. PvP with this set is wildly different. Kinetic Melee is another deceptive one. It does have high bursts of damage, but it is still a slow set, and the lack of -res procs it can run consistently in conjunction with this fact, hinder the set substantially for non-Stalkers. Staff Fighting is the case of "not a bad set" but a poor performer overall for ST damage. It is slower in terms of animations, relatively weaker in damage, and cnanot run -res procs consistently. You can run Achilles' in Mercurial Blow, but it is doomed by its extremely short cooldown, also not even chosen in higher-end rotations just due to its base DPS being too low. However this set is endurance light and gives defenses, and gives knockdowns, therefore is actually an example of something with still great utilities that can offset the weaker ST damage. Energy Blast I've found to be less damaging than even Water by itself. Water can run -res procs, even without a sniper, its proc damage seems to actually carry it in a way that makes it slightly better than I've found with Energy Blast. Energy Blast cannot run -res procs in its optimal chains, is often going to "give up" slotting or melee DPS due to the fact that if you choose to "mix" it with melee hits to make it do higher DPS, you're going to have to "weaken" the blast attacks by slotting lots of kb->kd OR you lose out heavily on DPS by not mixing in melee hits, either way, it's a loss. Radiation Blast isn't too bad, and is in a considerably better spot overall compared to Energy Blast, I'm not going to say this one is bad, it's just that it isn't the highest ST DPS set. Elec Blast is hindered by not having a follow-up hit like Blaze, Will Dom, etc. for its sniper. Not in nearly as bad of a camp as Energy Blast for ST, but not great either. To get it to competitive levels as I said before, you rely a bit on Voltaic Sentinel to get it there. The former statements are reflective of the sustained hard DPS to down an AV/GM.

Oh no, it's not that the sets themselves as wholes are flawed, I'm pointing out sets that are weak in ST damage, does not mean they're bad sets.

In addition, (non-Stalker) Elec Melee, Psionic Melee (has decent burst but horrible sustain), Kinetic Melee, Staff Fighting, Energy Blast, Radiation Blast (though this one is a bit better overall than Energy), and Elec Blast isn't reliably good (relies on Sentinel which can easily get distracted if multiple enemies are present, to get it to competitive levels). In addition, Energy Melee's version of Whirling hands is far inferior to Dominator's "Energy Released!" Whirling Hands that I honestly consider the best AoE Dominator set because of that.

Though, I may disagree with these posts, as this is a milestone for you, congratz! I also think maybe you could change the topic from the "meta" to perhaps the "basic"?

Many sets actually do have "bad" ST damage. I do not consider 200 DPS "good" at this point in time now that we have procs, incarnates, level shifts, etc. There is definitely a reason for 10 minute Apexes versus 18 minute ones, and it is due to better team party buffs and higher ST damage against War Walkers and AV's, that is one example, but there are many. This is from the scope of someone who is probably doing PI radios on +4/x8 or ITFs at +4/x8, not from the perspective of speed runners, fast soloers, and people who enjoy speed task forces. It is not a niche specialty to down AV's much faster and shave minutes off of task force times and other tasks. Honestly for someone who wants to enjoy the game and do well in it, they may fair better running a low players setting at higher level difficulties and enjoy the game far more with the high ST DPS than AoE. Remember: the way you play is not the way that everyone plays and views it. My ideas range more on creating more "extreme" content, much nastier than Banished Pantheons. The theoretical enemy group would have high health values (much higher than the typical min/lie/bosses) and would do absurd amounts of damage that would feel stupid, and also have high mez resistances. These enemies would have to be chain stunned/held/mezzes to be able to get through it without totally incinerating the Tankers on the team. Now of course, that's something I'd love but I'm sure other people aren't as hardcore or want those things, but I recognize there is lots of content for these people who would not enjoy it, whereas I'd like to see that type of challenge for teams and myself.

-Shorter cooldown for Mass Confusion, I'd halve the cooldown and halve the duration. -Terrify is fine I actually don't want this changed I think it's a great proc power. -Telekinesis is trash sorry but it's true. Definitely open to breaking cottage rule with this one but I don't think I'll really ever pick it. -Dominate is great for procs -Confuse is one of the biggest reasons I take the set. -Mesmerize is situational but it's got uses and I like the power. -Levitate isn't great, but decent for controllers for damage. -Mass Hypnosis is situational but useful, kinda nice. Only 1 power in this set really is that bad honestly, and that's Telekinesis. IMO, all they should do is allow terrify to set up containment and halve the cooldown and duration on Mass Confusion that's really it, I really do not think this is a bad set at all.

My only real complaint about this set is the fact that "Traps" sounds so control-oriented that IMO it should've been implemented as a control set for a natural/technology theme alongside the support set!

Here is my criticism: this doesn't solve anything honestly, especially the latter option. The latter option is easily undone by the team stacking Tactics or the Build Ups and Aims used on the AoE nukes are just giving such substantial accuracy that 15% defense is not going to save them. Another criticism I have... I really don't think AoE is that valuable much anymore, sorry, but that's my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have it than not, I'd take all my T9 nukes, of course! But, I'd much rather a Stalker join my teams than a Water Blaster (that's NOT saying I'd reject them, do not get it twisted) due to the fact they're going to actually bring down the AV's faster. The end-game and meta is favoring ST DPS over AoE right now, everyone has a judgement, Defenders and Corruptors have their own T9's, just those two facts alone are enough normally to cover the AoE department. But you know what a lot of people lack? Hardcore ST DPS to down the AV's quickly, THAT is very important and that is what most people in the true "meta" are realizing. So I disagree with the principle that ST damage dealers are under-valued, and I also do not think this is a solution that will ultimately prove any better to what we currently have (sorry). As for controls, it's a much more complicated issue, that honestly, isn't rooted in turning normal content harder, I think if people want to judgement and nuke the mobs how they are now, who are you or I to judge them or their playstyle? What you and I wish for, is content that was actually exceptionally hard enough to warrant controls to survive mobs that would challenge you, and I think there is definitely a place for that type of content that is very difficult/hard, but I don't think it should be carried over into older/easier content.

Not to say others don't have some amazing memories as well, but wow this was especially heart-warming. Thank you for being a part of the community to make memories like this come true for all of us!

So here are some counterpoints: Yes, we can give weaker controls as a secondary, and they will still function. How? We reduce the durations rather than the magnitudes. You look at it from the angle that we can only produce them via reducing magnitudes rather than just reducing duration. Look, all due respect... do you sincerely play this game? I mean no offense, I really promise I don't, but I have to ask because controls are just never going to be "broken" in this state of the meta and the game. When we have judgements, crashless nukes, exceptional debuffing, etc. that make controls a questionable benefit to a team to begin with, I really have a hard time accepting the argument that giving an AT controls will make it "OP." There was a time where that may have been true in this game, but I'm afraid that time has long passed and the ship has sailed far off the dock and well into the sunset.

They're not control powersets, but they're literally some of the exact same powers and some of them are the best controls out of the bunch (from Mind Control). Maybe instead of being so rigid in your thoughts and analysis, being more open to new ideas that were never really tested, even if they're not necessarily "competitive" or "meta" may be interesting to some people and keep the game more fresh? Besides, a lot of the philosphies that Castle had were often debunked and found illogical later in the game's life and even to the HC devs. You don't see it as a logical flaw, and you see it as a false equivalence, I come to think of Fortunatas very distinctly being thought of as controls as their secondary and their nature as that AT and how it was intended, much more so than PB/WS/Spiders. It's extremely distinct, and it has far more hard controls than any of the VEATs/HEATs. I'm pointing it out, because you seem to be totally against the idea of having controls as a secondary effect, when in reality, Fortunatas already use this effect to an extent, and it works marvelously for them. You may not see it as such, but I see their controls as the secondary function of a Fortunata. I guess we just don't see eye to eye on this topic, but I think it's still solid evidence that despite controls not being the primary purpose of an AT, they're still quite serviceable/functional hence why I brought it up. This particular next section, is going to be about the terms you're throwing around with "Strawman" and "Ad Hominem." A Strawman argument takes another argument and greatly exaggerates the claim, in your argument you stated the following: your own words define, specifically, Web Grenade (which is an immobilize) as "nearly useless" and you quite literally state how it is never going to stop an EB/AV that you end up fighting. Me debunking how you find these "low-tier control powers useless" in your own words, is not a strawman argument. Why? I didn't exaggerate your words, or do anything of the sort, because by your OWN WORDS, you found them "nearly useless," especially against AV-level targets. Onto the Ad Hominem portion, I called your point narrow-minded, NOT you. An Ad Hominem argument is when you attack someone to debunk their argument, specifically their character. I did not call you as an individual and a person narrow-minded, I called your point/argument narrow-minded, as I found it was and I will on record always say that it was, because I do not feel the same way that you do or see these "nearly useless" T1 powers as awful as you tried to make them out to be, especially against AV-level targets. I found your argument didn't take into account many battlefield scenarios. This was a counter-point against your argument rather than me attacking you as a person and character. There is a big difference. Also to add onto this point, I even said "no offense intended," in my post, therefore meaning, I wasn't intending to actually attack you or your character, rather I don't think you understand the implications of that ST immobilize, or how good it actually is, otherwise you wouldn't be stating that in your post or trying to be using that as an argument against it, especially against an AV. I am actually arguing in good faith, though I disagree and I find that just because you don't see something as useful as another, and that person heavily disagrees with your logic, you shouldn't result to claiming they're utilizing "Ad Hominem" and "Strawman" arguments to attempt to debunk their claims. -- Personally, I have no issue with you as a person, this argument rests with me disagreeing with your logic and points.

But there's gaping flaws with this logic... the first one is assuming controls are not viable as long as they're not primaries, and last time I checked, Fortunatas who have a lovely vivacious blend of Dominate, Confuse, a Confuse aura, and an AoE Hold absolutely do have these "secondary controls" and they honestly still work. Now are they as good as it as say Dominators? No, but does it help them survive? Absolutely. Just because one has to stack the magnitudes two times does not make them "less effective" it just means they have to go through two cast cycles of the same power or blend it with another control power. Also, comparing controls, debuffs, and damage are all extremely different aspects of powers and have very unique properties (thus I think this argument is really weak, because you're not comparing apples to apples, you're not even comparing apples to oranges, hell we're not even comparing food to food.) Also, many control sets (plant and not on Dominator) are not going to be holding AVs without a lot of power boosting and spamming while triangles are up (along with having an extremely IO'd out build with tons of recharge). Also your point about these "low-tier" control powers is extremely narrow-minded. Keeping an enemy in an immobilize ring is a huge amount of damage mitigation for ranged characters with squishier health because that means they cannot hit you with melee damage at all, and many "auras" that are extremely annoying to deal with (think Requiem's stun aura) are completely nullified by having this immobilize easily stack-able. Also, in many cases, if you look at the true DPA of these powers, many of them are actually better than your T1/T2 blast *by damage* and actually have better proc rates than those powers. No offense intended, but in all sincerity, that is what a lot of people who do not understand battlefield positioning do not understand, it's not always about having the enemy locked down unable to do anything as much as it is sometimes them just not running away from you. Don't have a Tank on a TinPex? Well that Blaster spamming Ring of Fire in its chain rotation takes care of that, and that goes for any AV that is running around like a chicken with its head cut off because there is no form of taunt on the team. Honestly, immobilizes are probably the best controls against an AV that a set can have, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that.

Hear me out here, I've been thinking about pets/control as an AT. While it will clearly not be as great/functional as possibly the typical pets/support, I think it would add some bit of variety and interest into a new flavor. For example, say I wanted a character that summons the undead and truly manipulates the living through their powers, in this case, if the technology and AT existed, I could roll a Necro/Dark Control *whatever AT is named.* I think that controls could possibly add to the survivability of the pets directly by turning the enemies into statutes for them to hit on and lay waste to, whilst still having the damage yourself via your pets to solo well. I know, it won't be a "meta" combination, but I think it would introduce a variety of fun thematic character concepts! Also: excluding VEATs/HEATs, control and pets are the least duplicated primary/secondaries, only two archetypes have the default control sets, and only one archetype has actual henchmen pets.

I don't think their statements hold as much Trooth as they think they do.

I usually notice this on-momentum but it seems like it still keeps the actual damage hit's off-momentum to hit the enemy on occasion. Maybe I'm wrong here? But it seems to on occasion actually proc the damage on this power really really slowly (even beyond the momentum animation)?

It came off really rash, you are right, I changed the title already. I really did not mean to bring up the exhausting topic (it was really badly named...) it was more meant to be what my response to the topic would've been, and continue that aspect of the conversation and the "old meme" took up the conversation instead. It was genuinely not my intention. I guess it took what you wrote as an attack on my intellect for not knowing how to do something rather than "giving grief."

I just didn't know... I've never really had to rename any topic before or edit my first posts on threads, please stop attacking me.

I actually meant to and wrote an edit on how I couldn't, as in actually tried to...

You're right, there is probably a better title for this, I will rename it.

Except my intent with this wasn't to just post silly memes or have people just "/jranger" everything. It's meant to actually bring about discussions on what can be done as a reward to vet level 99+'s who have legitimately no reward whatsoever for leveling above that threshold. Many as well do not feel like the market had any significant change to merit the nerf.

I don't mean to oppose Widower's closing, but rather I think the suggestion has merit to continue logical discourse and conversation. I have no reward in terms of many of my characters who are vet 99+, which has always been my counter-argument. I'm not necessarily for or against the inf change being rolled back as much as I am for some form of rewards being granted to someone who levels up beyond those thresholds. Had I known on my main that the inf gain would be nerfed, I wouldn't have chosen the 2x Inf option, I would've continued doing the Vet levels to demonstrate how much I've enjoyed and played the game. -- I really did not intend on this thread to become a "flame war." This isn't meant to bash anyone or any GM, this is meant to come up with suggestions for vet 99+ who have no rewards and feel really left out now that no one recognizes their vet levels due to having the feature before vs. now.

I think it would be proper for a GM to move this to the suggestions/feedback section, as this is not a bug, though it is a noteworthy suggestion.