Focused Feedback: Electrical Affinity - Powers (Build 2)

[Auroxis]

My issues with the pet:

 

1. The pet itself is supposed to help with solo, so if you plan to group there's no major incentive to pick it up.

2. It often doesn't help in stress scenarios when you need to heal yourself, as it's time consuming, clunky to use, and easily dies.

3. It doesn't feel worthy of a combo point spender as its endurance drain isn't that reliable and it adds nothing offense-wise.

 

My main issues with the set still remain:

 

1. All static builders aren't impactful for the vast majority of the time (heals aren't needed often, the damage buff doesn't stack, the t1 drain often isn't helpful), unless your team's struggling defensively. This leads to the set feeling "spammy" as you're using powers that don't do much for the sake of static.

2. The static spenders aren't that impactful either. Amp Up's recharge buff bonus remains weak, and the pet doesn't do anything offensively.

[Dispari]

Okay, just did some testing with a few people (up to 5 at one point) in PI radios fighting all kinds of baddies. So we had time to test more stuff and get a feel for the set. I'm going to go through all the powers and basically just break down everything I feel and think. Some of it might be crazy or controversial, who knows.

* SHOCK. I don't really have many problems with this power, but it could be better. It does have a good -DMG debuff. It's reasonably comparable to other t1 powers like Infrigidate and Corrosive Enzymes. However, I think it's weaker than both of those. Both of those have strong numbers and the whole debuff is useful (-DMG/-DEF or -RES/-DMG). And Infrigidate's -DMG is higher. I don't think the rather small (even slotted to +95%) -END is as good. It'd take 3 or more applications to fully drain a minion, and by that time the guy is definitely dead. Maybe if it did -regen, -DEF, -RES, or something else? Though it does also build Static so that's something.

* REJUVENATING CIRCUIT. This power is fine, I don't really have anything to say about it. I'm okay with it and how it works.

* GALVANIC SENTINEL. Okay, I do have several problems here. Besides the stuff I said above about how names don't stick, I found that in a team setting I just stopped using it. It seems great for solo or small teams, but the hassle of having to resummon it constantly is a real distraction. Even spending Static on it to extend the duration just feels bad, because I'm spending all my time building Static just so I don't have to summon the pet as often. I would MUCH rather it just last forever, with a longer recharge. Alternatively it could just be like Dark Servant where you only have to resummon it every 4 minutes or so. Having to click it every 30 seconds? I get to a point where I don't feel like it. What it provides other than a target to bounce things off (which isn't needed once you're not solo) just isn't worth that much effort.

* ENERGIZING CIRCUIT. This power is good, though I'm not sure it needs to be tier 4. Something comparable like Speed Boost is tier 6. Though I guess AM is tier 3.

* FARADAY CAGE. Love this power, nothing I really want to see changed about it. Since the bug with the +RES is fixed, it's probably great.

* EMPOWERING CIRCUIT. First off, small 'probably doesn't matter' comment here, it has the same acronym as Energizing Circuit (EC) so when we were discussing powers in chat we were tripping over some of the names. Anyway. I don't like this power. I feel like it should work more like Fortitude or Forge. It recharges in 15s base and only lasts 25s. This leads to me using it constantly. All the time. Every few seconds. Because I feel like I'm wasting it if I don't. Reflexively, I want this to be a power that I use every minute or so, not every 5 seconds. It chains and can hit multiple people, so maybe it could have a base recharge time of 120 or even 240? And obviously it should last more like 90s, not 25s. This is one of the powers that contributes to the overall "oh man I have to spam powers as fast as I can" problem that I'll touch on more below. Also final note, while testing it seemed like this power wouldn't stack from multiple casters? It was hard to confirm but maybe it should be checked.

* DEFIBRILLATE. Love this power, love the animation, no complaints here.

* INSULATING CIRCUIT. This power is good. Maybe too good, if I'm being honest? It's a lot of absorb you can spam on a really short timer. I can give almost half of my max HP as absorb every 6 seconds? Really? Dang. Maybe it should have a longer recharge. I think the only real comparable power to this one is Wild Bastion, and that starts at 240s. This has less benefits and hits fewer targets, so maybe 60s? 120s? 15s is really short. And of course this also contributes to the spammy playstyle the set has.

* AMP UP. I like this power. I don't think the benefit stacks from multiple casters? But I suppose that's okay.

* STATIC. Okay, this might be the most controversial opinion I have. Does this set even need a mechanic like this? Static only does a few things. One is make the pet last longer which, like I said, just isn't fun or rewarding and probably shouldn't need to be done in the first place. It boosts the rez which, okay neat but how often are you using that? It boosts Amp Up which is probably the one place you'd want to actually spend it. And it ups how many targets your powers chain to, which... okay let's talk about this.

Your powers constantly changing how many targets they can hit? Not fun. It's confusing, it's hard to keep track of, and it's unreliable. I don't like having to check my Static to think about how many people I can heal. Other support sets don't have to deal with that. It's like a tax on the set. And leaves me feeling like I need to spam powers to keep my Static up. This resulted in me using powers I don't really need to use, just to gain Static. Just in case I need it. And that didn't leave me much time to use my blast powers. As a heal/suport set, I felt like I was lagging behind and needed to work especially hard just so I could actually conceivably heal the whole team if I need to.

The fact that the whole set has tons of powers that don't last very long, and recharge very fast, means I have tons of powers I can use all the time. And you need to keep your Static up, so of course you use powers fast. It becomes very spammy very fast. Using a heal even when people are full on HP. Using Shock on a minion for no reason other than you want Static. As-is, it's a very demanding set, leaving you little time to use your secondary set. Or you just end up ignoring a lot of your powers, which isn't really better.

That said, I like the set! I actually do. I know I was pretty hard on it, but it just needs some improvements. It's very unique, I like Faraday Cage, I like the idea of having a pet, I like the unique buffs it gives like Amp Up. But there are certain aspects that are a bit much to deal with, and I feel like I'm constantly struggling to catch up to where basically any other support set would be.

Whew, I think that's everything. Feel free to tell me how wrong I am about everything. Thanks!

[Bopper]

1 hour ago, Bopper said:

T9: Amp Up (Ranged, Ally +Special, +Recharge, Self -Static)

• Empower an ally with raw energy, causing all of their abilities to unleash chained bolts of electricity at nearby foes. These bolts drain a small amount of endurance and have a chance to knock up the target. Amp Up also moderately increases their attack rate and greatly boosts the secondary effects of their powers. Their power effects like heals, defense buffs, endurance drains, disorients, holds, immobilizes and more, are all improved. The recharge bonus of this power increases in strength with the number of stacks of Static you have. Amp Up will consume all stacks of Static, and each stack consumed in this way will restore a small amount of your health and endurance. Recharge: Very Long
•   Hide contents

  Activation Time: 2.57s

  Recharge Time: 5m 0s

  Endurance Cost: 10.40

  Accuracy: 1.00x

   

  Power Type: Click

  Target Type: Friendlies

  Power Range: 8.00 ft

  Effect Area: Single Target

  Attack Types: ranged

   

  Grants power Amp Up

            25.00% chance for 0.67 magnitude knockup on target

   

  Special strength to healing for 1m 30s on target (Ignores buffs and enhancements, unresistable)

  Special strength to defense for 1m 30s on target (Ignores buffs and enhancements, unresistable)

  Special strength to absorption for 1m 30s on target (Ignores buffs and enhancements, unresistable)

  Special strength to endurance for 1m 30s on target (Ignores buffs and enhancements, unresistable)

  Special strength to to hit for 1m 30s on target (Ignores buffs and enhancements, unresistable)

  Special strength to run speed for 1m 30s on target (Ignores buffs and enhancements, unresistable)

  Special strength to fly speed for 1m 30s on target (Ignores buffs and enhancements, unresistable)

  Special strength to confuse for 1m 30s on target (Ignores buffs and enhancements, unresistable)

  Special strength to terrorize for 1m 30s on target (Ignores buffs and enhancements, unresistable)

  Special strength to hold for 1m 30s on target (Ignores buffs and enhancements, unresistable)

  Special strength to immobilize for 1m 30s on target (Ignores buffs and enhancements, unresistable)

  Special strength to stun for 1m 30s on target (Ignores buffs and enhancements, unresistable)

  Special strength to sleep for 1m 30s on target (Ignores buffs and enhancements, unresistable)

  +0.00% strength to recharge for 1m 30s on target (Ignores buffs and enhancements, unresistable)

I noticed in the description for Amp Up that the recharge is +0% strength. Is that a mistake in the description, or is the ally not getting a recharge boost? Or perhaps it's suppose to say "Special strength to recharge..."? Has anyone tested this to see if recharge is actually being boosted, and if so, how much per stack of static?

[Trickshooter]

The set definitely works a lot better with the chaining powers jumping back to the caster, and having the pet so a solo player can use these is a huge help too.

 

Faraday Cage's changes are very welcome. Graphics are easier on the eyes, new duration reduces some of the set's clickiness, and the addition of all damage types makes it feel more unique and less like one of the other Mez Protect toggles just turned in to a location AoE.

 

Shock still feels like I wish it did something else. Perhaps if it gave 2 stacks of Static? Or -Defense or -Resistance?

 

I like Galvanic Sentinel, but I think its effects are just a little too weak. I think it could be improved by an aura that ticks -Endurance/-Recovery on nearby enemies in addition to spamming Discharge.

 

Also, Galvanic Sentinel's Discharge is inheriting Recharge slotted in to the pet summoning power. Probably not intentional.

 

 

[Tater Todd]

I too would like to voice my disappointment that the +Special was removed.  I know the set already has at least 2 unique things going on with it but I think removing the + Special was not a great idea.  I would even settle for a + Special that boosts only half or a quarter of what Power Boost grants on Defenders.

[oedipus_tex]

This is such an improvement. I'm getting more and more excited about seeing this set in game.

 

What I love:

• It's clear to me that the designer(s) of this set are having fun. That's very important. Also, it's contagious. Thank you for your passion.
• The pet is a cool and unique idea! I really love where this is going.
• The anti-mezz cage power is so cool and unique. I'm in love with it (almost, see below).
• This is just a fun, interesting design overall that I think a lot of players will be excited to explore. It really speaks to the level of quality that the homecoming team has put into their work.

 

What I'm not crazy about:

• In general I think that buff/debuff sets need to teeter on overpowered in order to be competitive in this game. This set is never going to keep up with a damage dealing character and needs to really stand out in other ways. I'm not quite sure we're there.
  • I don't like Static changing my Run Speed. It makes it too variable from moment to moment. Anyway Run Speed isn't much of a bonus.
  • +Recharge or +Special on the other hand, are highly desirable on squishies and reasons people are drawn to particular sets.
• I don't like that the pet is the main way to build Static but also his duration depends on how much Static I have built up... it feels circular.  I wish this pet was just a nearly invulnerable entity. See Gravity Control's Singularity. If you need a mechanic for spending Static, maybe make it the Shock power itself, turning it into an AoE version of itself when the Static bar is full. 
• I would prefer no SFX at all on Faraday Cage. Or maybe just a SFX when it is first cast. I find the constant crackle sounds distracting.

Edited February 29, 2020 by oedipus_tex

[Waypoint]

Just did some testing.

 

• Shock should have a -res or -def component similar to Corrosive Enzymes. Current iteration doesn't do anything spectacular, especially since -recovery doesn't do much in PvE (you have to use it 3 times to completely drain an even con enemy). In PvP, it won't do anything crazy, either.
• Rejuvenating Circuit could use a stronger heal value. I believe it's a little stronger than O2 Boost, but at least O2 boost provides additional mez buffs. If anything, more charges of +Static should make the heal value increase.
• Galvanic Sentinel is bad. Compared to Dark Servant, Singularity, or even Voltaic Sentinel, it's low tier. Galvanic Sentinel has one power (that it rarely uses), the pathing was very odd (it walked on the ground instead of flying over to me 200 yds away), it has 0 resistances, and it has a really low duration. If it had a few more powers to use, some resistances, and a longer duration, it would be in a great spot.
• Energizing Circuit needs something else. Whether that's +movement or +recharge. It just feels kind of lame, especially since it is only granting 25 endurance.
• Faraday Cage is nice.
• Empowering Circuit needs a longer +damage duration, in addition to maybe +acc or +to hit. Say it's making your ability to track targets better or something.
• Defibrillate is alright. I personally think the animation is a little long, but I never really take rez abilities on my builds. Would be cool if you could use it on enemies similar to Howling Twilight.
• Insulating Circuit is nice.
• Amp Up is weird. Painbringer and Adrenalin Boost are a lot stronger, and it would've been great if this was more in line with them. I could be mis-remembering, but I don't think even with 5 stacks it comes close to the +recharge of Painbringer or Adrenalin Boost.

 

Overall, I think I would rather have a Pain Domination support toon over Electric Affinity just because of the T9 and the ability to actually debuff. Kinetics would also be a stronger pick just because of everything else it grants. The set looks really fun, and feels really fun, but I believe there are still some improvements to be made! Great work so far, can't wait to see the final iteration.

Edited March 1, 2020 by Waypoint

[moondoon]

After a bit of testing (from both before pet and after the update), I do not care for the pet.  I am a huge MM fan, and I love pet classes and abilities in general, but this felt very clunky. 

• Having to resummon it every 30 seconds in order for my chains to affect me.
• Plus it was kind of a pain to switch from enemy to the pet in order to cast the chains. (I don't have a macro set, but it almost feels mandatory for smoother gameplay.)
• Loosing the constant heal, but more specifcally end gain from static consumption actually made the lower levels much slower, having to pop more end inspirations between and even during battles. 
• As some others have stated if you're in a group or once it is proliferated to controllers and especially MMs the pet will not be needed. 
• If you wanted the chains to be able to affect the caster why not just have it originate form the caster. I would say change it so it starts with the caster and one ally (teammate or pet) and then each stack of static adds to the chain from there. With this change I would leave the strength the same for yourself and secondary target with reductions after.

 

I otherwise love this set.

• I don't mind the spammyness of the set so much; at least at lower levels, but I can see where others are coming from who don't. I have not tested this at max level, but would imagine it could become cumbersome to reapply the buffs and debuffs so frequently.
• I'd also like to mirror what some others have said about the endurance reaching 0 on enemies, If some additional effect could take place, some sort of AoE damage or self +end or +recovery, or even if that summoned a galvanic sentinel. (That last one is probably not gonna happen, but it popped in my head and sounded rather cool to me, so included it.) I think that would be nice and depending on what it is could really add something unique to the overall theme of the set.

Actually now that I've written that last part I could see that being the main mechanic instead of the static stacks, but i do like the chaining effect, so I don't know for sure. I'm gonna go test it some more.

 

[Auroxis]

I see no mention in the OP about Amp Up not buffing an ally's defense buffs. I tested it again and it still reproduces.

[macskull]

3 hours ago, Tater Todd said:

I too would like to voice my disappointment that the +Special was removed.  I know the set already has at least 2 unique things going on with it but I think removing the + Special was not a great idea.  I would even settle for a + Special that boosts only half or a quarter of what Power Boost grants on Defenders.

The +special was 32.5% with Defender numbers, about 1/3 of what Power Boost normally does for Defenders. To be honest, +special has extremely limited utility in PvE and can be kind of overtuned in PvP so without the extra +special it's easier to balance. It's just that now there's nothing going for that power except a small damage boost.

[oedipus_tex]

I agree that while the pet is a great start, he needs to do more on his own to be considered for a power pick. I wonder if we could drop Energizing Circuit and make that a power owned by the pet instead, to make the pet more viable. That would open a power slot and save a lot of clicks. You'd want to reduce the chain's endurance recovery strength if you did that.

 

Overall, I'm still not sure I'm sold on the chaining mechanic for most of these powers. The actual power effects aren't that strong really, and the limit on the number of targets hit feels punitive in a league setting, where other buff sets shine. Radiation's heal, for example, is super reliable.

 

I keep feeling like the actual power that should chain with limits is the T9 (currently a single target power). I don't mind if the other powers technically chain, but I don't like it being tied to Static or the number of links in the chain being so low.

 

When I look at other buff debuff sets I see a lot of BIG GAME CHANGING POWERS (all caps for drama 🙂 ) 

• Fulcrum Shift
• Chrono Shift
• Overgrowth
• Lightning Storm
• Heat Loss
• Liquefy (April fools... lets have a separate thread about this one 🙂 )

 

I'd be fine with T9 not chaining back to the caster if it is indeed made chainable. 

[BRADICAL]

Echoing the sentiments that this set is cool as heck both conceptually and visually; an elec support set has been a long time coming!

 

Looking at the numbers though, it seems like it's being balanced in a vacuum. The best support sets in CoH have always been the versatile force multipliers: dark, kin, storm, time. Honorable mention goes out to several of the rest of them, especially the ones with AoE -res (which 11/15 of the support sets have access to). The ones that don't either bring very high damage bonuses (kin, nature) or are empathy and force field, which I think everyone already has an opinion about.

 

With that being said though, elec affinity's strong focus on being a buff-oriented set puts it in line with those two outliers, but mechanically, it still comes out looking worse than either of them. The value of its comparable buffs are smaller or more contrived, it has no defense buff, and it's playing at mechanics that would normally be featured in an attack set with no real payoff for the effort it takes when other support sets just have to recast their two minute buffs whenever the opportunity presents itself. I'll say that if healing had any actual value in CoH, elec affinity in its current state would be at the top for me just because of how easy it is to target people with the chains in a game where people tend to uh... spaz around a lot. But from the perspective of someone who has played every support set on the high end, you kinda forget the heals are even a thing, making half of this set feel skippable and the other half seem weak by several degrees.

 

• Shock has very little value in a game where the reality is that a single enemy is never actually threatening enough to be worth the cast time to apply a damage debuff to it, many of which would resist most of the effect anyway. That same logic applies to the endurance drain mechanic; elec blast doesn't need any help with that anyway. (Try an elec/x/elec sentinel sometime, guys. They make sapping seem viable. They also make defenders look bad when they try to do the same thing.) If this power could chain, it would at least fall more in line with similar AoE damage debuff powers, but T1 powers in support sets are always a toss-up and this one might just be following suit.
• Rejuvenating Circuit is probably the best direct heal in the game now, when you take a look at the full functionality of it and compare it to the way other heals operate. It's fast, it's AoE, and it does what it's supposed to do without any fuss. I still tend to prefer +regen buffs on the high end for covering incremental HP loss, but this one is actually fast enough that it doesn't bother me as much.
• Galvanic Sentinel has me baffled. Compared to any of the toggle -dmg powers in most of the other sets, its discharge is anemic, and even if the debuff value was brought up to match (hopefully with some sort of addition, since all of those comparable powers also bring -tohit and other secondary effects), I still wouldn't use it. In any +4/x8 situation, this thing will drop in seconds. Its value when soloing is also dubious, considering how poorly the set handles in any solo situation as it is.
• Energizing Circuit is the new transference, available super early and useful at least on the low end for the same reason: blue bar issues usually don't sort themselves out until you're fully built, in some cases with incarnates. There's some value in that, but on the high end that value falls off completely and the power becomes, like several others, skippable.
• Faraday Cage is something new. I don't hate the power, at least now that it lasts longer and is fast casting. It still feels like a worse version of sonic dispersion, but that has more to do with how difficult it is for players to reliably herd themselves into the designated Good Places to receive the Good Stuff. I wouldn't expect anyone to stand in this for more than a few seconds, and the idea of having to recast it for every spawn isn't exciting, but on a design level it works and I'd be more willing to forgive it if the rest of the set brought more to the table and made this seem like a compensatory quirk rather than an intentional limitation in spite of its peers.
• Empowering Circuit is busy, and there's no actual payoff for how much effort this one takes compared to other, similar damage buffs. On the low end, it's fundamentally worse than accelerate metabolism, siphon power and world of pain. Several other sets bring powerful single target damage buffs that you can spread around with enough recharge, and come with a load of other effects rolled into those powers. This one is basically a fussy version of assault. It needs to do more, and really when you compare it to its peers, it needs to do a lot more.
• Defibrillate brings another AoE rez into the game, the value of which is dubious at best (howling twilight was always a viable pick for the -regen component more than anything else). This one has a unique identity compared to its ally-targeted peers, though, and for that reason it is at least logical. But it's still skippable.
• Insulating Circuit is unique, and I like it for the same reasons I like rejuvenating circuit. It's still one-dimensional, though, and will serve very little purpose on the high end.
• Amp Up is also unique, but its actual value as a T9 buff power is questionable. Many characters can't gain any real benefits from +special, and the ones who can are already built to take advantage of it (power boosted farsight, for example). An extra push in that direction wouldn't make much of a difference, and the impact on control powers isn't exactly game changing, either. The recharge bonus also doesn't compare to its peers. Other T9 buff powers have drastic effects—this one feels niche, but that has more to do with the realistic value of +special than anything.

Overall, elec affinity is trying to do things a little differently, and that's good. Those differences shouldn't have to come at the expense of actual usability, or versatility within the set, though. Many of the powers feel unconventionally one-dimensional for a support set, where it's common to find a buff or debuff power with three or more effects, and force multiplication is practically an expectation on the high end. In its current state, this set will have less of an impact than any other support set, for lack of any +defense, -res, and lower numbers on many of the effects that it does have compared to other, similar powers. And on the low end, force field is still keeping people alive better than elec affinity is. (And repulsion bomb is at least weirdly useful with procs in it.)

 

It just has me wondering: what does this set actually excel at? And perhaps more importantly, what should it excel at?

[Mystic Fortune]

• T1: Shock - I really dislike this power. I even gave it a fair shake this time around and took it in place of Defibrillate... It's just not very useful. It does two things, neither of them very well. It desperately needs something else though I don't know what. I seem to recall there being a firm stance against this set receiving any -res or -def attributes so I just don't know where this power goes from here...
• T2: Rejuvenating Circuit - I can finally heal myself somewhat 'easily'. Huzzah!
• T3: Galvanic Sentinel - I love this little thing, except for the fact that I constantly have to resummon it. Building to 5 stacks of Static should make this things duration permanent. Either that, or make it to where we're rewarded for chasing Static by allowing us to summon up to three Galvanic Sentinels. (Build Static, summon a energy ball. Build Static summon another energy ball). Although I don't know if this is feasible within the code.
• T4: Energizing Circuit  - This might need something else on top of just granting endurance. Perhaps this could provide a small amount of Recovery and Recharge Resistance?
• T5: Faraday Cage - I still feel that this power should interact somehow with the Static mechanic. I just don't know how yet.
• T6: Empowering Circuit - With the loss of the +Special this needs something else. Perhaps something as simple as it granting 2 stacks of Static instead of just one? I saw someone else suggest +Tohit, though I'm not sure that's the right direction either.
• T7: Defibrillate - This might need something more other than just being a group rez? Perhaps make it a PBAoE power centered around you that does knockdown, -end and -recovery to foes around you while also rezzing your fallen allies who are within range when you have 5 stacks of Static?
• T8: Insulating Circuit - It looks like there was an undocumented adjustment to this powers strength, it's +Absorb is about 160 points less than what I was originally seeing at 50. This is probably for the better. I was seeing 702 off the primary target with its enhanced heal value at 100%.
• T9: Amp Up - The numbers for this at 5 stacks need to come WAY up. For comparison, Kinetics has Speed Boost which is T6, and it grants 50% Recharge. Empathy has Adrenalin Boost which is also a T9, it grants 100% Recharge. Time Manipulation has Temporal Selection a T4 which grants 30% Recharge and Chrono Shift at T9 which is a PBAoE that grants 50% Recharge. This probably needs to be on par with Hasten (70% Recharge) at 5 stacks. Either that or stay at 31% but be able to chain to up to 5 allies, one for each stack of Static. Using the new Prioritizing System. However, have this power specifically exclude being able to jump back to the caster.

[Dan Petro]

T1 Shock - outside of the tier 9, this power literally does the most of anything in the set.  A lot of powers have a very singular functionality to them (Rejuv Circuit / Galv Sentinel/ Energizing Circuit / Empowering and Insulating Circuit).  Compare it to pretty much every other buff/debuff set and these powers are incredibly one dimensional.  I think only sonic comes close.  I really think this power needs a corrosive enzyme level of -res at least.

 

T2. Rejuvenating circuit - Ranged Ally Heal that is weaker than Cauterize / Heal Other / Soothe) but stronger than powers like O2 boost that provide a host of other benefits.   While for PVE it is probably "okay ish" for PvP a bump to the heal potential based on static charge (whether it is a flat heal rate or maybe an additional heal over time) will really go a long ways into allowing this set to wiggle its way into the role of primary support.

 

T3. Galvanic Sentinel - Worse for PvP by a wide margin, I get why it was changed to do what it does.  Even then the pet only having one power like that is pretty underwhelming.

 

T4. Energizing Circuit - Still a very one dimensional power, still very situational as far as use goes.  Something that might sit in your tray barely getting used vs. being nice to have every once in a while.  Another effect on this power would go a long way.

 

T5.  Faraday Cage - No real use in most PvP because of the dominance of movement powers.  That is okay as it does seem to do its pve job well now with +res to all. 

 

T6. Empowering Circuit - Without the +special this power went from "good but really high maintenance in PvP" to underwhelming/under tuned compared to other ally dmg buffs. 

 

T7. Rez is still a rez, not going to be viable unless it has an effect like nature's rez.

 

T8. Insulating Circuit - Activation speed and travel speed still make this power top tier for team arena play but the set is going to need more if it is going to see some serious use beyond the initial flavors. 

 

T9.  Amp up - An interesting power, but I think the question becomes is it on par with Painbringer / Adrenaline Boost? The power boost has some really nice value to it, but the lower recharge values and just the lack of other stats seems to point to "not really" 

Edited March 1, 2020 by Dan Petro

[JayboH]

Brought over from the Alpha Server:

 

I don't think Empowering Circuit is hitting the caster, when I try it on the pet.

 

I noticed (I think) that Corrosive Vial, when corpse-blasting (target dies before animation finishes) might not appear which is a problem since it is a lingering AOE.

 

Can confirm that Faraday Cage is not granting enhanced resist values.

 

~

Well, if Energizing Circuit doesn't bounce back to the caster and if it is not a bug, then have Shock steal endurance for the caster on top of what it does.  Boom, fixed.  I do like the idea of Energizing granting recharge resist, that's a decent idea.  Nothing wrong with having to resummon Galvanizing IMO.  Nothing wrong with Defibrillate as it is.  Faraday is much better than it was and it's ok IMO, interesting idea of having it continuously grant its buffs while in the bubble only.  I am not sure about Amp Up - I mean the idea it gives new abilities to its target is really wild!  Need to tune that one carefully - whatever you do, don't get rid of the abilities it grants - that is such a cool idea.

Edited March 1, 2020 by JayboH

[MetaVileTerror]

I am going to echo the sentiment that the pet is feeling a little too short-lived in its current state.  Whether it's an issue with the timer or with the hit points, it's just not really feeling super viable with how frequently it POOFS out of existence.

[biostem]

I feel like calling the set's "resource" "static" just doesn't sound right.  "Charged", "ionized", or even "amped" seems more fitting.  I am also concerned about the survivability/viabiltiy of the sentinel, since it can be targeted and is so early in the set.

[Olivia Crowley]

I am incredibly happy that they kept Faraday cage as a pbaoe while enhancing the ease of use of it. I know that it still leaves a bit of an odd taste in people's mouths compared to the usual bubbles, but I rather like the idea of being able to drop a big bubble on a spawn or set down a nice fight zone for an AV, etc.

 

There are times on my Sonic chars when I've had to get the heck out of the fight because I suddenly ate a bunch of incidental damage and now oops bubble gone.

 

I think it's an interesting twist on the protection bubble that has its own advantages, and with a 1s cast is now not that big of a deal to drop it on top of a fight and scoot.

Edited March 1, 2020 by Tsurupettan

[General Idiot]

I like that they kept it as it was with its own more unique identity but lessened the problems of ease of use that causes over a set and forget toggle with the longer duration and shorter animation. That's cool.

[0th Power]

Put me down as one who is disappointed in the loss of the -special.  I already had super team ideas. 

[ajlee209]

Any indication of when this will be ported to masterminds and other AT's on beta? This set looks very fun for masterminds yet, we cannot do any testing. 

[Jimmy]

1 hour ago, ajlee209 said:

Any indication of when this will be ported to masterminds and other AT's on beta? This set looks very fun for masterminds yet, we cannot do any testing. 

Once we're done with major changes it'll be ported, as doing so beforehand makes iteration a lot more time consuming. It'll very likely be in the next few weeks, if not sooner.

[ajlee209]

My $.2 about the set to reiterate what others have said:

 

I really like how this set is kind of a mix of others in what it does but it doesn't seem to do one better than any other except maybe heal/shield output.

 

Energizing Circuit - considering this has a 12 second base recharge with 25 second uptime, why not let the affects stack? +35% damage is pretty low for a power that you have to use often to keep it up.

 

Amp up - with 5 stacks of static this gives someone a measly 35% recharge bonus.  This power already has an incredibly long CDR and the affects are pretty negligible. Especially since it only targets one person. 

 

I feel like this set is close to Kin in the some of the buff types but compared to it, it is store quality.  Kin is and has always been overtuned but this set needs some buffs to the numbers. The ideas are FANTASTIC and I really enjoy the spirit of it, but it needs a lot of work on the numbers.

[HelBlaiz]

Just had a thought for Amp Up, set the granted recharge to a decent, static (aha) number, and have the static expended instead reduce the power's cooldown. Make it recharge 5% faster per charge expended for a max of 25% off the base cooldown. So if it recharges in five minutes (can't check the real number atm) make a five stack cast reduce it to 3:45 minutes. And THEN apply recharge values, if possible.

[Draeth Darkstar]

My feedback remains largely the same as the last version.

 

Problems

• A 12 target cap is too few for a support set in a game where it's common for 1 player to be bringing 7+ targets and group content to be 8+ players.
• Endurance Drain isn't worth the power picks for, whether it's a pet doing it or me is immaterial.
• The only power in the set that provides an effect that's in any tangible way better than the other supports is Faraday Cage, and that effect still isn't good enough to give this set a niche to be chosen for, especially when its weaknesses are so, so glaring.
• Losing stacks to rez people feels bad.

Suggestions

• Effects that scale with Static would be more in-line with the gameplay of other sets than a target cap that scales with static, more predictable and less frustrating.
• The majority of the powers need to have target caps comparable to the other support powers with similar effects or they're just bad.
• The offensive powers need an effect that makes the powers worth picking, much less actually casting - like -Res or -Regen.
• Faraday Cage would be much more attractive as a toggle.
• Chain powers should start from the caster instead of having to bounce back to the caster.