Force Redux

I can't count the number of times I've zoned into a hot doorway only to have Shadowfall keep my pets (and teammates) from being attacked before I was ready.

From the layout with Arachnos having reps and an LZ, it sure looks like it 😃🙂

On test server right now

Co-op is superior to red or blue only. More options. Less pissing anyone off. Same result.

Black Hole is the only skipped power. The rest are all too good. I guess Petrifying Gaze, the hold, is optional, but I like it for annoying Lts.

To come back to the OP, demons/dark is a powerhouse. It was, has been, and always will be a solid choice. Dark ranks up there with Time as the best (IMO) secondaries for MMs, each for entirely different reasons.

I remember long ago when the only option for spines was the "death bananas". 😛

It would be interesting and perhaps easier to balance if the last 4 incarnate abilities only worked during specific new trials or incarnate content.

Reworking it into a co-op zone would be much better. Little impact to existing heroes. Opens another zone to villains, and Striga is definitely a great candidate by way of flavor to have Arachnos sink it's claws into.

QFT +1 I'd hoped this would be fixed by now.

That's a fun idea! Three imps (pure ranged dps). Two slightly larger jacks (ice shield buffers, dps) Ones oversized Stoney (bruiser)

Phantasms and Duplicates would certainly be the low hanging fruit here 🙂

Robots/FF - indestructible tank. Classic. */Time - anything works terrific with time. Thugs, Demons, Robots are your top tier**. Necro/Dark. The sheer control and debuffs are incredible. And so much room for procs. **Beast/Time is not the community top pick, but IMO it's tied with my Thugs/Time for overall disgustingly effective damage monster. Time loves melee. Beasts love melee. You don't need to use Fortify Pack, so your damage stays buffed. The pets are always where you expect them to be, right next to you. And they are so quick and responsive, its easy to joust with them, even in TinPex with Battle Maiden and her blue flames of death. Highly recommend this combo. I went Leviathan for the shark immobility and armor, though I admit it was partly for flavor. I find I do not need Power Boost at all.

I'll be at work at the hospital, so good hunting on Friday!

FF is excellent at what it does. But Time is way more versatile. FF has AoE status protection from early on (freeing up an eventual Destiny pick). This is the big draw. It's why you want FF mechanically. FF offers End drain resistance. FF offers non buffable but significant Toxic resist. Everything else can be situational at best. I personally like PFF as a replacement for stealth and a panic button. Albeit not one needed much. It can also help shed Defense debuffs. Time is busier. FF is more relaxed. I personally prefer FF on my 50+3 Robot MM, and prefer Time on my 50+3 Beasts MM. I have extensive play time on my FF/Sonic 50+3 Defender as well. FF could use since love (some absorption in Dispersion, extra damage in its two attack powers, some DDR in the shields, the phase power acting like Gravity's would do it). But it's still as serviceable set. Many people spend hundreds of millions of influence to get their defenses capped but have no way to prevent them from being debuffed. Extra defense is always useful, particularly on some trials.

I'm Pacific Coast, Oedipus Tex. Would love to give it a try. Might need to level a cold first tho. Server?

This is awesome! I've wanted this for.. years...! This really helps me come up with better concepts for Illusion. The masked crusader phantoms always limited me.

No super speed or acro tho?

Yo, I heard you like heals with your heals...

Awesome, ty. I'm particularly interested in Cold and FF's procs. 🙂

How would porting Sentinel Regen back to the melee ATs perform? Because it's great on sents.

BTW, I love this game. That we can even have discussions about playing it in 2020 tickles me to no end. I still pinch myself now and again. 😃

On a side note, I have 3 incarnated Time characters and 2 incarnated Force Fielders. They are all fun, for varying reasons. Defense values don't seem to mitigate the fun factor for me. Where FF shines now is lowbie TFs, where FF can still impact team toughness. But on an MSR or TinPex we're all equally meaningless. Oddly enough it's the same feels for my Time MM, except Farsight is less available then bubbles. The problem isn't Dark Affinity or Time Manipulation. It's that Force Field had been neglected and was designed in a time when development and vision for the game has not been fully tested against players and actual non beta gameplay. What Jack and Co. Thought was important about group dynamics before launch was misaligned with the actuality. Non stacking armors. Toggle debuffs. Knock back. Solo ability of ATs. Force Field suffers from it's heritage. It needs improvement. Buff. Don't nerf. (Again, caveat that Fade shouldn't be buffed by Boost and that I'm open to the idea of FS getting some resistance in trade for same).

I don't agree 100% with everything Oedipus, but I do appreciate your thoughts behind your suggestions. Thank you.

I actually agree. I have four time characters (3 MMs, 1 Controller) and only one has Mace/Primal. It's not a must have, though it's nice. My statement has been is that the powers themselves are fine. If there's any review it should focus on Power Boost, and how it buffs some powers.