Super Reflexes: Quality of Life Improvements

[modest]

Recently, I've started playing older melee defense sets to relive some of the nostalgia from when CoX was live. My latest character is a Super Reflexes Scrapper. I have a few suggestions for quality of life improvements based on some problems that I have identified with the set.

 

The problems with the set that I see with the set:

1. Super Reflexes is meant to be the premier positional defense set, but it gets its AOE defense toggle at level 35.
2. Super Reflexes has three passive positional powers that provide a single positional defense. All other defense power sets offer +DEF to all (but Psi) in a single power.
3. Super Reflexes does not have any recovery or regeneration tools like other defense sets.

 

My suggested solution is to rearrange the powers as follows:

 

Level as Primary/Level as Secondary

• Level 1/Level 1: Focused Fighting. This power is perfect the way it is.
• Level 1/Level 2: Focused Senses. This power is perfect the way it is.
• Level 2/Level 4: Evasion. This power would be perfect the way that it is, but it currently comes too late in the set.
• Level 6/Level 10: Practiced Brawler. I like this power the way that it is. Click mez is controversial, but I feel that it gives the set its own flavor.
• Level 8/Level 16: Agility. A new power that is a combination of Agile, Dodge, and Lucky.
  • Auto: Self +DEF(Melee) +DEF(Ranged) +DEF(AoE).
  • 7.5% Defense on Tankers, 5.63% Defense on Scrappers and Brutes. These are the SAME Defense values as the current powers. I am not suggesting an increase.
  • 25.95% Defense Debuff Resistance on Tanks. 20.76% Defense Debuff Resistance on Scrappers and Brutes. These are the SAME DDR values as on the current powers. I am not suggesting an increase.
  • Scaling Resistances at the same level as the current Super Reflexes. I am not suggesting an increase or a decrease to scaling resistances.
• Level 12/Level 20: Quickness. Perfect the way that it is.
• Level 18/Level 28: Enduring. This is a power that the Homecoming team created for the Sentinel version of Super Reflexes. I would like to see it proliferated to Scrappers and Brutes.
  • Recovery: 30% enhanceable on Scrappers and Brutes, 40% enhanceable on Tankers.
  • This is the same power at the same value that the Sentinel version of Super Reflexes gets. I am not suggesting that a new power be created.
• Level 26/Level 35: Master Brawler. This is a click power that already exists in the Sentinel version of Super Reflexes. My suggestion is to proliferate it to the other archetypes. This version would only provide the Self +Absorb.
  • Click: Self+Absorb. Same value and mechanic as Sentinels have.
• Alternative Level 26/Level 35 power: Reaction Time. Recommended by Shin Rekkoha.
  • PBAoE Slow Toggle.
  • You attune yourself to the world around you, moving with preternatural speed. All enemies nearby move slowly and have reduced recharge, and you can absorb small amounts of damage every 2 seconds. When Reaction Time is deactivated, you gain a burst of speed for a short duration, increasing your own recharge and move speed.
• Level 32/38: Elude. Perfect the way that it is.

These changes would bring Super Reflexes up to the level of the other Defense sets. The defense values and defense debuff values would remain exactly the same. I am not suggesting that these be buffed in any way.

 

I am not proposing any changes to scaling resistances. I suggest that scaling resistances stay at the same level as the current Super Reflexes. I am not suggesting an increase or a decrease to scaling resistances.

 

What would these changes accomplish?

• Super Reflexes would have all of its positional defenses covered by level 8/ level16.
  • This fits with the theme of the set because its primary form of mitigation is in the form of positional defenses.
  • This would allow the set to function properly when exemplaring. Currently, the set does not scale well at low levels.
  • The defense and defense debuff resistance values would remain exactly the same. It would not be a buff to the set's defense or defense debuff resistances.
• Super Reflexes would have a passive recovery option in Enduring.
  • The Sentinel version of the set already has this.
  • Every other Defense set has a better option for recovery.
• Super Reflexes would gain a +Asorb option with the addition of Master Brawler.
  • This is the only true buff that I propose to the set. I don't feel strongly about this, and I am open to alternative suggestions for the level 26/level 35 power.
• These changes would require minimal time and effort from the Homecoming developers because they use powers that already exist in Super Reflexes sets. They would be quick and simple to implement.

Edited March 11, 2020 by modest

[aethereal]

These aren't quality of life changes, they're balance changes.

 

I agree that SR needs some mild buffs, but I'm unconvinced that these are the right buffs, they feel like they just push for greater armor set conformity.  I'd rather that SR got some weirdo buff that wasn't a heal, absorb, or end tool.  If you want a defense set with heals and end tools, Ninjutsu exists.  So does Energy Aura.  If you want a minimal-fx, good armor set that can be themed to natural characters, willpower exists, and honestly invul isn't terrible for this.  I'd rather we combined two passives and gave SR, like, a targeted telecharge attack that, I don't know, did minimal damage and gave a short-term recharge buff or something.  5 second duration 1 second cast, 30 second timer crashless god-mode?  I don't know, something weird.

[MTeague]

I will not turn down any /SR buffs. 

But my scrapper does not feel in any way shape or form underpowered.

[modest]

On 3/10/2020 at 7:00 PM, aethereal said:

These aren't quality of life changes, they're balance changes.

 

I agree that SR needs some mild buffs, but I'm unconvinced that these are the right buffs, they feel like they just push for greater armor set conformity.  I'd rather that SR got some weirdo buff that wasn't a heal, absorb, or end tool.  If you want a defense set with heals and end tools, Ninjutsu exists.  So does Energy Aura.  If you want a minimal-fx, good armor set that can be themed to natural characters, willpower exists, and honestly invul isn't terrible for this.  I'd rather we combined two passives and gave SR, like, a targeted telecharge attack that, I don't know, did minimal damage and gave a short-term recharge buff or something.  5 second duration 1 second cast, 30 second timer crashless god-mode?  I don't know, something weird.

 

The suggestions that I feel most strongly about are moving Evasion to level 2/4 so that Super Reflexes has all three of its positions covered early on, and combining the three passives into a single power.

 

I'm open to suggestions for alternatives to Master Brawler and Enduring. Keep in mind that these are powers that the Sentinel version of Super Reflexes gets.

 

Shin Rekkoha on Discord provided another suggestion: use Reaction Time as the level 26/level 35 power. A PBAoE slow toggle. The idea would be that characters with Super Reflexes move so quickly that everyone else appears to be moving in slow motion. This is already a power that exists on the servers.

Edited March 12, 2020 by modest

[ShinMagmus2]

I don't like the Master Brawler band-aid and I don't like how Absorb fails to Synergize with SR's main gimmick of scaling resists.  Here is the only thing I think SR needs: HP and a better mez toggle.

 

I say move Quickness to the T8 to get those core defensive powers earlier, and make Elude (still T9) grant another stat besides defense.  Not every T9 needs to be good and I don't think it should be Frosty Aegis or another perfect God power.  Just make Elude also grant +max hp or +absorb so it does SOMETHING and can take other sets besides Defense Buff.  Still a skippable power, I don't think making the T9 be the thing that fixes the set is smart.

 

Replace Practiced Brawler not with Master Brawler, but with the Blaster-made Reaction Time Toggle.  Giving SR a huge slow aura fits THEMATICALLY with Quickness too, and makes the CONCEPT of you dodging enemies with your speed make sense because they look (to you) like they are moving in Slow Motion.  Just add regular melee scale Mez Protection to all to Reaction Time, and give it the standard 0.21 per sec end cost.  Maybe less because now SR has to run 4 toggles, but honestly I think this is fine.  End won't be that bad.  Now your SR character really WILL FEEL faster than every enemy around them.  Naturally this should be a Taunt aura, so we can remove the ham-fisted taunt from a Defense toggle and let Scrappers get some taunt in their SR.  Stalkers would naturally not get the Taunt component.

 

Add minor un-enhanceable +max HP to all 3 passives.  When all 3 passives are taken you should have a boost similar in total value to a power like "High Pain Tolerance".  This boost should be big enough that hitting the HP cap with set bonuses + accolades is a distant yet achievable goal.  I also don't want to see SR become a slot-hungry mess where everyone has to 5-6 slot passives to get the most max HP out of them.  Keeping the value in each passive both small and unenhanceable is the key.  That's it.

[Felis Noctu]

Copied (and with minor edits) from the #at-build-general channel in the Homecoming discord:

 

Quote

Usual pattern for traditional defense sets is having your defensive toggles by at LEAST tier 7 (level 18/28). More commonly they get them by tier 4 or 5, unless they're the hybrids like Willpower, Bio, or Invul. So, if we considered SR to be a single strategy defensive set, it should have its toggles fairly early.

Tank/Brute/Scrapper
1/1    -  Focused Fighting
1/2    -  Focused Senses
2/4    -  Uncanny Reactions? / Avoidance? (old Agile/Dodge/Lucky)
6/10   -  Practiced Brawler
8/16   -  Evasion
12/20  -  Quickness
18/28  -  Reaction Time (thank you to ShinMagmus2, totally missed that)
       -  Alternatively: Metabolistic Burst (combo small regen and recovery bonus power, 60 seconds like Practiced Brawler?)
26/35  -  Burst of Speed
32/38  -  Elude

That leveling pattern puts it behind Ninjitsu (main defense by T3), and on par with Energy Aura and Ice Armor (main defense by T5), as well as being roughly equal with the hybrids (Shield, Invul). Willpower's a bit of an outlier, but it has its own thing going on. Ninjitsu is perfectly fair to be that early since its overall weaker than most but has utility to make up for it.

 

 

44 minutes ago, aethereal said:

These aren't quality of life changes, they're balance changes.

 

I agree that SR needs some mild buffs, but I'm unconvinced that these are the right buffs, they feel like they just push for greater armor set conformity.  I'd rather that SR got some weirdo buff that wasn't a heal, absorb, or end tool.  If you want a defense set with heals and end tools, Ninjutsu exists.  So does Energy Aura.  If you want a minimal-fx, good armor set that can be themed to natural characters, willpower exists, and honestly invul isn't terrible for this.  I'd rather we combined two passives and gave SR, like, a targeted telecharge attack that, I don't know, did minimal damage and gave a short-term recharge buff or something.  5 second duration 1 second cast, 30 second timer crashless god-mode?  I don't know, something weird.

Balance changes can still be QOL. SR's an old bag that's barely been touched since the game came out, holding onto a lot of weird design choices and clunky operation. It can easily be refined and brought into the modern age to make it more appealing, without sacrificing concept or functionality.

 

 

SR's theme:
- King of defense, both building and maintaining it

- High speed everything, high energy

Non-defining Mechanical Clunks:

- Three nearly-identical passives each doing its own tiny defense boost to a different value. These are extraneous power choices that could easily be combined to open up build freedom. EA has two and they're more specialized. Same goes for FA and IA (1 specialized), Invul (3 specialized), and Willpower (1 specialized). Shield has 2: one for res and one for def, and the def one is a combination of all 3 positionals. Hell, even Regen has a single all-res passive. SR shouldn't need to suffer arbitrarily splitting its components up just to fill power choice spaces.

- Poor dice roll vulnerability. Most sets have some built-in way to recover from a bad run on luck. SR only has its defense, even if the debuff res helps immensely. Collapsing those three passives into one and placing it earlier also means it gets the full benefit of the scaling DR right from the start, making the early game more enjoyable, because remember, not everybody is playing at 50+ incarnate content. A balance change here could be to reduce the overall amount of resistances provided if a 45% res at 15% of max HP is too much for a single power choice. Alternatively, start the scaling at a lower HP value.

 

Missing theme-defining traits:

- Displaying the associated speed. Something like Martial Combat's Burst of Speed or something similar to it gives the set a clearly visible representation of how fast you are. Obviously SR doesn't have to be super speed, but giving it something to set itself apart and show off is definitely an improvement. Several armor secondaries have attacks, this isn't out of place.

- Side-effects of the ability. Whether you're actually super powered or just extremely agile and at the peak of human condition, something that the common concepts of SR share is a high metabolism. Adding something like a regen/recovery boost to it won't outshine other sets that focus specifically on that, but also synergize with things like Quickness to demonstrate the type of person (or thing) the user is.

Edited March 11, 2020 by Felis Noctu

[Felis Noctu]

23 minutes ago, ShinMagmus2 said:

Replace Practiced Brawler not with Master Brawler, but with the Blaster-made Reaction Time Toggle.  Giving SR a huge slow aura fits THEMATICALLY with Quickness too, and makes the CONCEPT of you dodging enemies with your speed make sense because they look (to you) like they are moving in Slow Motion.  Just add regular melee scale Mez Protection to all to Reaction Time, and give it the standard 0.21 per sec end cost.  Maybe less because now SR has to run 4 toggles, but honestly I think this is fine.  End won't be that bad.  Now your SR character really WILL FEEL faster than every enemy around them.  Naturally this should be a Taunt aura, so we can remove the ham-fisted taunt from a Defense toggle and let Scrappers get some taunt in their SR.  Stalkers would naturally not get the Taunt component.

 

Add minor un-enhanceable +max HP to all 3 passives.  When all 3 passives are taken you should have a boost similar in total value to a power like "High Pain Tolerance".  This boost should be big enough that hitting the HP cap with set bonuses + accolades is a distant yet achievable goal.  I also don't want to see SR become a slot-hungry mess where everyone has to 5-6 slot passives to get the most max HP out of them.  Keeping the value in each passive both small and unenhanceable is the key.  That's it.

Oh nice! I snagged the Burst of Speed attack but I completely forgot about Reaction Time. That's a great idea. Maybe in place of the "Metabolistic Burst" concept I threw in mine. I edited my post above to include that.

 

The HP I don't agree with as much. The damage resistance it has now makes sense, as someone with extremely fast reflexes is going to start focusing even more on reducing collateral damage from hits they can't avoid entirely. That makes logical sense. So does regen/recovery to an extent due to the metabolism side of things. Agile people tend to not be the most durable, just fast and tricky.

Edited March 11, 2020 by Felis Noctu

[kryptochan]

I would love Master Brawler for all. And give the AOE toggle sooner, swap out with one of the passives. That and I'm a happy camper! But those idea's suggest would be sweeeett as well 🙂

Edited March 11, 2020 by kryptochan

[Felis Noctu]

13 minutes ago, kryptochan said:

I would love Master Brawler for all. And give the AOE toggle soon, swap out with one of the passives. That and I'm a happy camper! But those idea's suggest would be sweeeett as well 🙂

Honestly, the possibility of doing the same thing for the other classes that Sentinels got is a possibility, if they wanted to. Allow you to choose between Master or Practiced. Though I can't imagine brutes or tankers would want to go without their mez res. 😛 Scrappers on the fence. Stalkers though, I could see them taking advantage of that in some instances.

[Leo_G]

Where's my scaling resistance?

 

I'll have to certainly vote "no" on this.

[Felis Noctu]

33 minutes ago, Leo_G said:

Where's my scaling resistance?

 

I'll have to certainly vote "no" on this.

I think Modest just forgot to add them. There wasn't any talk about removing them on Discord, so they'd just be combined on Agility.

Edited March 11, 2020 by Felis Noctu

[modest]

35 minutes ago, Leo_G said:

Where's my scaling resistance?

 

I'll have to certainly vote "no" on this.

I will make clear that I am not proposing any changes to scaling resistances.

[0th Power]

What with everyone wanting +absorb for everything?

[Obus Form]

I'm just copying what I posted on Brute feedback

 

Below are some possible ideas to give SR "resist" given the theme/name of SR. There may be ways to scale its toughness so that the player has more of a reaction time:

 

STAGGERED  DAMAGE:

This would be a brand new mechanic, and/or something similar to the Pain Domination power where the caster hurts himself in the future (delayed onset future damage). Could flavour name it "Drunken Brawler" that allows "all damage bigger than 35% of your max HP to be dealt over 4 seconds" thus preventing SR from getting one-shot by a lucky shot AND guaranteeing the player use from scaling-resist by losing HP over 4 seconds AND allowing for reaction time/counter play to the incoming damage that innate resists would allow.

 

You could make this power a click active to reward good counterplay (if you choose to make SR a high risk/high reward set), or passive (to allow for more reaction time).  You could even use it as a "Heal" where after you click you get a buff "for the next 60 seconds, all damage taken is staggered over 4 seconds), and make it on a 90 or 120 seconds CD.  This way high recharge builds always have at least one stack of this buff (and cap this buff at 1 stack maximum regardless).

 

Averaging 2100+ HP on a brute that does not have innate %HP boosters in its power set (like willpower), 35% would be about 700 damage, which is about how much energy I take on my brute at 45% energy resist from one big attack by Seige (anecdotal experience, not empirical).  The 35% also allows such that many sources of BIG damage taken at once will still kill you quick (a gigantic DOT over 4 seconds). 

 

DEFENCE/HP--> RESISTS or ABSORB

To reward a lot of HP or lots of defence, and without needing to develop a new set of calculations like staggered damage, the SR set can directly convert % of defence or % of max HP (whatever number or ratio desired) into direct resist across the board except psy (flavour because super reflexes don't help against psychic type damage).  "You move so fast that some of the damage hitting you hits you really lightly".  

 

You could, instead of direct conversion to resist, convert it to an absorb shield that grows (up to a cap) with every dodge you do and starts at max when you cast the buff or toggle.  Flavour it "Learning through doing.  As you fight you learn your opponents moves and can even parry some shots"  where parry means you take less damage or have an absorb shield. This way, successive lucky shots still kill you but yo have effectively a huge HP bar that replenish itself by dodging incoming attacks, which is effectively the same as willpower HP regen that scales to the amount of HP you have, and scales to the number of mobs surrounding you.

 

If you don't like absorb, then call it "Parry" so that you "Parry" each attack, and negate a flat % of damage (say 25%?).  While being in combat with you build enough "learning the enemy" stacks or "parry" stacks so that you can either parry (negate 25% of damage) for X number of attacks, or X seconds per stack of parry.

 

Thoughts?

Edited March 11, 2020 by Obus Form

[modest]

1 hour ago, Obus Form said:

Thoughts?

I'm sorry, but I would rather preserve the existing set mechanics and performance rather than revamp the way that the set works.

 

5 hours ago, MTeague said:

I will not turn down any /SR buffs. 

But my scrapper does not feel in any way shape or form underpowered.

I am also happy with the way that SR works, and I do not feel that it is underpowered. However, I would like it to perform better while exemplared. The other defensive sets get their primary defensive powers in the first five tiers. I would like Super Reflexes to do so as well so that we're not waiting until 35 to gain the final third of our defense set.

Edited March 11, 2020 by modest

[kryptochan]

Ohh Master Brawler splits the mez resist into the melee and ranged toggles. You don’t lose the mez resist it’s just not a clicky! The clicky power becomes a scaled absorb based on how low your hp is and how much end you have. It’s one of the few advantages over Ninjitsu, it frees you up to auto cast, like hasten instead of practice brawler. It’s nice trust me! I have a 50 AR/SR and a 50 Arch/ Nin sentinel. The only downside is if those detoggle you lose them and your mez resist. 

Edited March 11, 2020 by kryptochan

[nzer]

2 hours ago, Obus Form said:

AND guaranteeing the player use from scaling-resist by losing HP over 4 seconds

I'm going to be very bold and propose that scaling resists should always take full effect no matter how large the hit is. The way they work now defeats the primary advantage resists have over defense.

[Haijinx]

If Scrappers had the Brute progression then the problems would go away. 

[roBurky]

I have not played Super Reflexes, but if it gained powers like Reaction Time (toggle aoe slow) and Burst Of Speed (rapid aoe teleport attack), I definitely would. Those powers are incredible fun on a blaster. I'd love to use them on a real melee character as well, and a 'super reflexes' theme seems like the perfect place for them.

 

If users of the powerset also think that it needs some consolidation of its auto powers, meaning it needs some new powers to fill the spaces, then this seems like the perfect opportunity to transform it into a more modern and interesting set with the addition of powers like those.

Edited March 11, 2020 by roBurky

[Gauntlet_Prime]

11 hours ago, modest said:

Recently, I've started playing older melee defense sets to relive some of the nostalgia from when CoX was live. My latest character is a Super Reflexes Scrapper. I have a few suggestions for quality of life improvements based on some problems that I have identified with the set.

 

The problems with the set that I see with the set:

1. Super Reflexes is meant to be the premier positional defense set, but it gets its AOE defense toggle at level 35.
2. Super Reflexes has three passive positional powers that provide a single positional defense. All other defense power sets offer +DEF to all (but Psi) in a single power.
3. Super Reflexes does not have any recovery or regeneration tools like other defense sets.

 

My suggested solution is to rearrange the powers as follows:

 

Level as Primary/Level as Secondary

• Level 1/Level 1: Focused Fighting. This power is perfect the way it is.
• Level 1/Level 2: Focused Senses. This power is perfect the way it is.
• Level 2/Level 4: Evasion. This power would be perfect the way that it is, but it currently comes too late in the set.
• Level 6/Level 10: Practiced Brawler. I like this power the way that it is. Click mez is controversial, but I feel that it gives the set its own flavor.
• Level 8/Level 16: Agility. A new power that is a combination of Agile, Dodge, and Lucky.
  • Auto: Self +DEF(Melee) +DEF(Ranged) +DEF(AoE).
  • 7.5% Defense on Tankers, 5.63% Defense on Scrappers and Brutes. These are the SAME Defense values as the current powers. I am not suggesting an increase.
  • 25.95% Defense Debuff Resistance on Tanks. 20.76% Defense Debuff Resistance on Scrappers and Brutes. These are the SAME DDR values as on the current powers. I am not suggesting an increase.
  • Scaling Resistances at the same level as the current Super Reflexes. I am not suggesting an increase or a decrease to scaling resistances.
• Level 12/Level 20: Quickness. Perfect the way that it is.
• Level 18/Level 28: Enduring. This is a power that the Homecoming team created for the Sentinel version of Super Reflexes. I would like to see it proliferated to Scrappers and Brutes.
  • Recovery: 30% enhanceable on Scrappers and Brutes, 40% enhanceable on Tankers.
  • This is the same power at the same value that the Sentinel version of Super Reflexes gets. I am not suggesting that a new power be created.
• Level 26/Level 35: Master Brawler. This is a click power that already exists in the Sentinel version of Super Reflexes. My suggestion is to proliferate it to the other archetypes. This version would only provide the Self +Absorb.
  • Click: Self+Absorb. Same value and mechanic as Sentinels have.
• Alternative Level 26/Level 35 power: Reaction Time. Recommended by Shin Rekkoha.
  • PBAoE Slow Toggle.
  • You attune yourself to the world around you, moving with preternatural speed. All enemies nearby move slowly and have reduced recharge, and you can absorb small amounts of damage every 2 seconds. When Reaction Time is deactivated, you gain a burst of speed for a short duration, increasing your own recharge and move speed.
• Level 32/38: Elude. Perfect the way that it is.

These changes would bring Super Reflexes up to the level of the other Defense sets. The defense values and defense debuff values would remain exactly the same. I am not suggesting that these be buffed in any way.

 

I am not proposing any changes to scaling resistances. I suggest that scaling resistances stay at the same level as the current Super Reflexes. I am not suggesting an increase or a decrease to scaling resistances.

 

What would these changes accomplish?

• Super Reflexes would have all of its positional defenses covered by level 8/ level16.
  • This fits with the theme of the set because its primary form of mitigation is in the form of positional defenses.
  • This would allow the set to function properly when exemplaring. Currently, the set does not scale well at low levels.
  • The defense and defense debuff resistance values would remain exactly the same. It would not be a buff to the set's defense or defense debuff resistances.
• Super Reflexes would have a passive recovery option in Enduring.
  • The Sentinel version of the set already has this.
  • Every other Defense set has a better option for recovery.
• Super Reflexes would gain a +Asorb option with the addition of Master Brawler.
  • This is the only true buff that I propose to the set. I don't feel strongly about this, and I am open to alternative suggestions for the level 26/level 35 power.
• These changes would require minimal time and effort from the Homecoming developers because they use powers that already exist in Super Reflexes sets. They would be quick and simple to implement.

Honestly looks really good.  I dunno about the master brawler option though.  Feels a bit out of character for SR as they are all about dodging and giving the absorbs feel odd.  I think if they have cat-like reflexes maybe just a better version of haste.  Weaker recharge buff but better cool down or end usage.  Sorta lean into that super fast feel.  Probably would be super broken with actual haste stacked with it though.  /idunno

[Menelruin]

A weird idea I had for a T9 before would be something like Glancing Blow or Roll With The Punch:  If something gets past your defense, they have to beat it AGAIN for full damage, or else some damage reduction applies, as if your character wasn't able to FULLY evade the attack, but was able to twist at the last moment to at least minimize the damage.  It wouldn't raise Defense in and of itself, but would at least give SR a place to slot for Resist Damage sets.

[Llewellyn Blackwell]

As someone whose first 50 on live was a kat/SR, and who has made a few other /SRs over the years since Ill try to highlight the issues with the set imo.

 

First its toggle heavy and has no real end recovery. Many complain about the end hog that is Dark Armor, but Id bet SR is pretty close in the race, especially because non elude builds tend to delve in pools for more toggles. Even totally kitting out stamina and health with every special IO really does not do a whole lot to counter the heavy cost.

 

Then there is the whole end crash of Elude. When elude goes down unless you got blues at the ready it also means your toggles are not an option, so you go from super hard to hit to bending over and asking for a spanking. Now one can with enough focus basically go perma elude, but then you may as well ignore toggles altogether, though such a build tends to then be rather shitty in low exemped runs.

 

Now I love elude, and frankly I tend to build SR builds as cap only play builds because for me SR only feels good with perma elude. That to me is when SR feels like the flash cant touch me hammer time awesome that I want from the set.

 

When I ponder how Id change SR, Id go pretty radical honestly. Id remove all the toggles, making them all autos of varying %s so taken together and stacked together would provide a decent say 40ish% global def all the time. Id increase the recharge and movement bonuses from its auto about 10% to make them better then the similar ones added to later sets that made SR nerfed by proxy. IMO SR should be the premier go to choice for speedster concepts.

 

Finally Id make Eludes recharge just low enough to make a moderate global recharge investment reach perma elude. Id also reduce Eludes crash to be a 50% drain on end bar though the same no end recovery for x time, so that while they would be dependent on their autos, they would still have some blue for swinging, or reactivating elude if they had gone for perma elude.

 

SR imo is the one defense set unduly dependant upon, but also logically centered around its T9. IMO it should be the one set that making its T9 perma shouldnt take a half bil inf build and incarnate powers to get anywhere near back to the glory days. Honestly a part of me wants to suggest something really mad, that Elude with the same level of def it currently grants, be made into the one and only T9 defensive toggle. No crashing, no handicap. Just good old fashion my weakness is overwhelming numbers or being locked down by ice/slow powers.

 

Id also frankly give it inherent regen, but not recovery. because virtually all SR type characters in comcidom have pretty decent fast healing, not regeneration levels but usually they are the 2nd runner up in self healing among such things in comics. IMO such should be kept in mind as that is the source material and genre CoH is based upon. So Id make every auto def power also have some auto heal rate buffing.

 

Remeber no matter how much def you have numbers will always overwhelm just defense. DR imo has no place in SR and frankly never sat right with me adding the scaling resistance aspect.

[SwitchFade]

1. SR is very late blooming. But when it does, it is a powerhouse 

 

2. SR does need a better ramp up from 12-40, as this is the area where it struggles.

 

3. I will vote no on an overhaul for SR, as it is not needed. No toggles, no power changes.

 

4. I would be open to power order changes, so long as they take tank SR sets into consideration. For example, tanks get AoE early, so scraps should be 3 choices after that or more. Perhaps 28?

 

5. Only one power change would I would vote for is replacing practiced with master from sentinel. However, I would have to be convinced, because having 20 mag protection has allowed my Kat/SR to be last toon standing and keep a group occupied and moved, to allow for them the wakie. So, this would take some selling.

 

No removal of powers, no changing of powers aside from maybe master brawler, no additional powers. SR is very powerful, yes to slight power reorganizing, with careful consideration and testing.

[Uun]

14 hours ago, modest said:

Level 32/38: Elude. Perfect the way that it is.

Hardly. It's completely superfluous the way it is. If I'm running 50-60% defense to all positions w/o Elude (on a tank), do I really need Elude for the recovery, run speed and jump height buff on a 17 minute recharge? Providing massive +def to a set that can soft cap already is silly, so I skipped the T9. I'd like to see Elude get the Meltdown/Strength of Will/MoG treatment (more modest buffs on a shorter timer) - cut the +def in half (or more) and add some combination of +res or +hp or +rech.

[Caulderone]

11 minutes ago, Uun said:

I'd like to see Elude get the Meltdown/Strength of Will/MoG treatment (more modest buffs on a shorter timer) - cut the +def in half (or more) and add some combination of +res or +hp or +rech.

Making it something akin to Unleash Potential or Rune of Protection would be nice.

 

edit to add general comment:

The tanker and brute versions of SR are fine in order of powers.  The scrapper and stalker versions need the AoE toggle earlier.

 

I really like the sentinel versions Master Brawler, and wouldn't mind it replacing PB across the board.  I like to think of the Absorb as representing you deflecting/parrying attacks with your reflexes.  It just works for me conceptually.

 

I also wouldn't mind a tweaked version of Reaction Time (lose the recovery) replacing Quickness (replace the recovery from RT with the slow protection from Q).  This would be a good place for the absorb, so shouldn't be combined with getting MB.  This would give a real "bullet time" feel.  The taunt currently in Evasion could also possibly be moved here and would make a lot of sense.

 

Edited March 11, 2020 by Caulderone