Focused Feedback: New IO Sets (Build 1)

[Tenkay Volts]

I did mention this in the Patch notes thread but just so it's also in the focused feedback threat as well:

 

the 4% regeneration in Synapse's Shock is pretty low for a regen set bonus, even Efficiency Adapter has a 10% regen bonus as a 4-slot set bonus. Might want to bump that up to at least 10%, maybe 12%. If balance is a concern the 3-slot 15% slow movement resistance could be dropped to maybe 10% since 15% is what a superior winter-o grants.

Edited February 26, 2020 by 10kVolts

[Haijinx]

Some interesting possibilities for Electric Blast, Electrical Melee.

[Vanden]

I got on Brainstorm and slotted up the new sets to see the enhancement values they give at 50; I put the numbers into my first reply in the thread. I actually thought about suggesting a Damaging Endmod series of enhancements a few times, but I never did because I realized that in order for the set to give the sort of numbers we're used to from sets for damage powers, it would probably need to be a purple set for the improved enhancement values they have, because of needing to spread the six enhancements across so many attributes. The numbers I see on Brainstorm seem to confirm my worries. I don't think I would ever slot Synapse's Shock or Power Transfer as is, at least not unless endurance drain becomes a lot more effective against the AI.

 

Also, I'm not sure what powers Preemptive Optimization is intended for. How many powers are there that don't have an accuracy check, but can be enhanced for range? Outside of the new electric buff set, the only one I can think of is Adrenalin Boost, and that already gives "you will never run out of end" +Recovery numbers out of the box. This is probably just me having a brain fart.

Edited February 26, 2020 by Vanden

[Haijinx]

Might be good to proc that chance for heal in the new Dark Consumption. 

[siolfir]

2 hours ago, The Curator said:

We can change the Acc/Rech to Acc/Rech/End, which would leave it with these numbers:

• 108.7% Damage
• 87.5% Recharge
• 61.0% Accuracy
• 39.8% Endurance Reduction
• Bonuses: 7% accuracy, 5% recharge

If this in still on the table, count me as liking this version better.

[The Curator]

2 hours ago, Vanden said:

Also, I'm not sure what powers Preemptive Optimization is intended for.

It's intended for frankenslotting. The early bonuses are nice enough that you'll want to slot two or three in a power where you need to fill a specific hole, but the late bonuses (and the set's name) are a hint that you shouldn't be focusing on this one too much. In general , expect any future Uncommon sets to follow this design philosophy.

Edited February 26, 2020 by The Curator

[twozerofoxtrot]

I personally like the current laydown of Bombardment; I think it's a nice "all chips in for damage" option for those that have already prioritized End Recovery on their build. It's probably not going to be best everywhere, but for example on my current Water/Regen Sent build, I've got 3 Positron's Blast sets that are going to get fully replaced by Bombardment if it rolls out as-is currently. My Sent needs the extra damage (and has the Musculature Alpha to max it), the range trade-off balances out about right on those powers and boosts my other shorter-ranged powers. Niche, but highly effective and a nice option.

 

My only question is, with so much recharge in the set, isn't setting the PPM to 3 a little low? Is this intentional to balance out with the flat power gains? Is this the "anti-proc" set?

[macskull]

10 hours ago, Jimmy said:

•  Synapse's Shock (Endurance Modification, Rare, 21-50)
  • The first of two new Endurance Modification sets with a damage focus, designed to be useful in endurance-draining attack powers.
  • Enhancements: 
    • Endurance Modification
    • Damage / Recharge
    • Endurance Modification / Recharge
    • Damage / Recharge / Accuracy
    • Damage / Accuracy / Endurance Reduction
    • UNIQUE: Endurance Modification / 15% Increased Movement Speed
  • Set Bonuses: 
    • 2: 7.5% Movement Speed
    • 3: 15% Slow Resistance
    • 4: 4% Regeneration
    • 5: 6.25% Recharge
    • 6: 4.5% Energy / Negative Resistance + 7.5% Mez Resistance

It seems a little silly to get 22.5% movement speed out of two slots in an IO set that can be slotted in a power every character gets for free at level 2. I think I'd rather see +max end or end discount as the 2-slot bonus.

[Vanden]

8 minutes ago, macskull said:

It seems a little silly to get 22.5% movement speed out of two slots in an IO set that can be slotted in a power every character gets for free at level 2. I think I'd rather see +max end or end discount as the 2-slot bonus.

Maybe there should be an Accurate End Mod category for IO sets.

[macskull]

5 minutes ago, Vanden said:

Maybe there should be an Accurate End Mod category for IO sets.

The issue there is that every current end mod set except Energy Manipulator (and now Preemptive Optimization) has an acc component somewhere in the set so they'd have to get recategorized and you'd have to go through every power and make sure to update it with the correct category.

 

EDIT: I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't think it's actually a big deal that people could get a huge movement bonus with the cost of a single extra slot in an inherent power, but I think it's a little weird that when someone suggested being able to slot universal travel sets in Sprint and the prestige sprints everyone lost their minds and started yelling about power creep.

Edited February 26, 2020 by macskull

[The Curator]

1 hour ago, twozerofoxtrot said:

My only question is, with so much recharge in the set, isn't setting the PPM to 3 a little low? Is this intentional to balance out with the flat power gains? Is this the "anti-proc" set?

It is actually 3.5 ppm, which is standard for damage procs in Rare sets. The patch notes were wrong.

[Vanden]

18 minutes ago, macskull said:

The issue there is that every current end mod set except Energy Manipulator (and now Preemptive Optimization) has an acc component somewhere in the set so they'd have to get recategorized and you'd have to go through every power and make sure to update it with the correct category.

You're right, pay me no mind.

[Bopper]

1 hour ago, macskull said:

It seems a little silly to get 22.5% movement speed out of two slots in an IO set that can be slotted in a power every character gets for free at level 2. I think I'd rather see +max end or end discount as the 2-slot bonus.

Hey now, let me enjoy 4 slotting my stamina for +96.7% endmod enhancement, an endurance proc, and 30% movement speed. 

[Major_Decoy]

1 hour ago, macskull said:

It seems a little silly to get 22.5% movement speed out of two slots in an IO set that can be slotted in a power every character gets for free at level 2. I think I'd rather see +max end or end discount as the 2-slot bonus.

Given the name, 22.5% movement speed is entirely the point.

[csr]

6 hours ago, The Curator said:

Remember that this is a Rare set; the change you proposed (Dam/Add and Dam/Rech/End) makes the enhancement distribution 2/2/3/3/4/proc, which is more in line with purple/pvp/mtx sets. To have those numbers in a rare set, the bonuses need to come down a lot.

 

Current numbers for the set, before ED:

• 108.7% Damage
• 92.8% Recharge
• 66.3% Accuracy
• 18.6% Endurance Reduction
• Bonuses: 9% accuracy, 6.25% recharge

We can change the Acc/Rech to Acc/Rech/End, which would leave it with these numbers:

• 108.7% Damage
• 87.5% Recharge
• 61.0% Accuracy
• 39.8% Endurance Reduction
• Bonuses: 7% accuracy, 5% recharge

Personally, I like it the way it is rather than with more EndRdx at the cost of the set bonuses.

 

All the sets look good to me, save Preemptive, which is pretty weak.  But it's an Uncommon set, and has the unusual Range enhancements, so I think that's fine as is too.

[Tenkay Volts]

3 hours ago, macskull said:

It seems a little silly to get 22.5% movement speed out of two slots in an IO set that can be slotted in a power every character gets for free at level 2. I think I'd rather see +max end or end discount as the 2-slot bonus.

The proc appears to be 15% boost to runspeed only, not all movement as it might suggest in the patch notes.

Also, if you're 2-slotting performance shifter into Stamina in there then you're already getting a 7.5% movement buff, you're just going to forego your +end proc for a runspeed one by switching over to Synapse.

Edited February 26, 2020 by 10kVolts

[Vea]

RE: Bombardment:

Targeted AoE sets don't seem unique at the moment so glad to see another set here however I think the set bonuses should reflect something similar to Gladiators Javelin (The PvP element though) to add some variety. The bonuses proposed are kind of similar to that to Positrons blast and Ragnarok.

 

Proposed set bonuses here would be:

• 2: 5% Increased Range (or 7.5%)
• 3: 2.25% Smashing / Lethal Resistance + 3.75% Mez Resistance
• 4: 3.125% Energy/Negative Defense & 1.5625% Ranged Defense (or Vice Versa)
• 5: 3.75% Fire/Cold Resistance + 6.25% Mez Reistance. (or 3% Damage buff) (or even End discount but I feel that is stepping on Annihilation toes a little)
• 6: 7.5% Recharge

It currently looks like bombardment is a Obliteration cousin which I think is needed because you would have a contrast of two rare sets one with plenty of recharge (bombardment) and one with little recharge (Poistrons Blast).

 

I'm not sure what the primary objective is for these new sets, but for me I would like to add variety to builds and for Targeted AoE sets for most builds it tends to be choosing Ragnarok then Positrons blast. Being able to slot for +def and +damage would be most welcome. I'm not entirely convinced we need more +accuracy in these sets.

 

RE: UNIQUE: Chance to Heal Self (2 PPM) Power Transfer

This looks to be similar to that of the Call of the Sandman proc which feels underwhelming. I have it in Frozen Aura on a scrapper and even when saturated around mobs it still isn't a sufficient heal. A +absorb proc similar to that in the Tanker ATO would be my preferred option, as this would allow for the proc to be more useful on an initial attack or at full health.  A respite inspiration restores 25% of HP where as the Call of the Sandman proc is 5% of base hp, feels like a disparity here. (Note i've not tested this in the Beta yet, some initial thoughts and will update this if proven otherwise).

 

Given that this is a damage focused endurance set, wouldn't a damage proc be more fitting?

[...]

10 hours ago, Vanden said:

I think the recharge change would be fair. I wouldn’t want to lose the Acc bonus though. When I originally proposed the set bonuses I put a 2.5% AoE Def bonus in the 6th slot instead of a 3.75% Ranged Def bonus, though, would that work? Or is AoE defense somehow considered a stronger set bonus even at a lower value?

Please do not change ranged defense to aoe defense in this set. AoE defense is the least useful defense. Ranged, on the other hand, is extremely useful for dominators, blasters, defenders and corruptors.

Edited February 26, 2020 by Vooded

[Vanden]

2 minutes ago, Vooded said:

Please do not change ranged defense to aoe defense in this set. AoE defense is the least useful defense. Ranged, on the other hand, is extremely useful for dominators, blasters, defenders and corruptors.

I thought it was less useful too, the intention was to balance out getting to keep the 6.25% Recharge, 9% Acc, and extra enhancement aspects in the set IOs.

[...]

15 hours ago, Jimmy said:

•  Synapse's Shock (Endurance Modification, Rare, 21-50)
  • The first of two new Endurance Modification sets with a damage focus, designed to be useful in endurance-draining attack powers.
  • Enhancements: 
    • Endurance Modification
    • Damage / Recharge
    • Endurance Modification / Recharge
    • Damage / Recharge / Accuracy
    • Damage / Accuracy / Endurance Reduction
    • UNIQUE: Endurance Modification / 15% Increased Movement Speed
  • Set Bonuses: 
    • 2: 7.5% Movement Speed
    • 3: 15% Slow Resistance
    • 4: 4% Regeneration
    • 5: 6.25% Recharge
    • 6: 4.5% Energy / Negative Resistance + 7.5% Mez Resistance

Does 100% slow resistance negate the movement and recharge penalty of Granite armor?

 

If so, electric melee + 5x this set solves most of Granite's downsides. Still can't jump though. And as stated, the damage enhancement value is not that good.

Edited February 26, 2020 by Vooded

[...]

8 minutes ago, Vanden said:

I thought it was less useful too, the intention was to balance out getting to keep the 6.25% Recharge, 9% Acc, and extra enhancement aspects in the set IOs.

Gotcha. Yeah I don't like your proposed change. Better to have good set bonuses than a little more enhancement values.

[Itikar]

I like Bombardment very much in all the forms it has been proposed so far.

 

I think the current state of the set is fairly good, and it seems balanced to trade endurance for recharge, the same way Positron's blast traded recharge for endurance. I would personally be very glad to slot the set as is, and I think the way it is it will not create too much variation in current established builds and guides.

 

On the other hand a more performing set as it has been proposed later, at the cost of set bonuses, or even better with alternate set bonuses such as damage instead of accuracy, might offer a less carbon-copy version of such bonuses. Right now Positron's blast already feels like a Ragnarok redux concerning its bonuses, maybe going out of the mold even if just a little is not a bad idea after all.

 

Switching focus over the damage/endurance sets I found a bit disappointing that none of them offers both high damage and high endurance modification values, although one could always use five pieces from the first set and try to achieve the remaining with a piece from the other set. Still, just for the sake of comparison these are the numbers I got for a frankenslotted short circuit on mids:

accuracy 47.70%

damage 88.07%

endmod 91.78%

recharge 73.78%

Regular endurance remained unaffected though, and the attack has still its hefty 15.6 endurance cost.

The pieces I used were: endmod, endmod/recharge and endmod/accuracy from efficacy adaptor and damage, damage/recharge and accuracy/damage/recharge from obliteration.

 

I get that the set bonuses of the new sets are much better than what I got above and that there is also added endurance to the mix, so perhaps, it is fine, you get something, you give something, but I still felt like bringing this up, because after all it's feedback that was asked

[Galaxy Brain]

Remembering that the Power transfer heal is unique made me a sad panda when thinking of the Ranged Damage heal proc + this in elec blast won't work

[Bopper]

29 minutes ago, Galaxy Brain said:

Remembering that the Power transfer heal is unique made me a sad panda when thinking of the Ranged Damage heal proc + this in elec blast won't work

For a unique, I would think it should be a 3ppm proc, similar to Pancea

[Rejolt]

I'd take a 6 percent movement bonus and 8 or 10 regen bonus.

15 hours ago, 10kVolts said:

I did mention this in the Patch notes thread but just so it's also in the focused feedback threat as well:

 

the 4% regeneration in Synapse's Shock is pretty low for a regen set bonus, even Efficiency Adapter has a 10% regen bonus as a 4-slot set bonus. Might want to bump that up to at least 10%, maybe 12%. If balance is a concern the 3-slot 15% slow movement resistance could be dropped to maybe 10% since 15% is what a superior winter-o grants.

Also - is the unique meant to be 15 movement or 15 run speed. In game it says and in Combat - movement - it says 15 run speed and nothing else.

Edited February 26, 2020 by Rejolt