2nd application of Ablative Carapace doesn't refresh absorb shield when crashing

[Noyjitat]

Noticed this on my scrapper when testing a recharge build.  When the crash occurs and the shield begins to lose strength (as in the gray bar decreases) applying a second application of ablative carapace will only refresh the remaining absorb rather than give you the 2nd applications full strength. I assume this is because paragon didn't want you have a double strength shield on high recharge builds and they put in a bandaid to keep you from doing so; much like you can't stack hasten. This can result in a the 2nd application being as low as 1hp absorb if you don't let the shield completely dissipate. Ofcourse in most encounters you will lose the shield from damage but during those lucky encounters this makes the power useless. It would be like using dullpain when you have perma dullpain and not getting the heal effect.

 

-notes-

*At full absorb strength in a non combat situation

*Used ablative carapace and then use it again to refresh the buff as it dissipates.

*instead freezes the bar nearly depleted

*resulting in a very low absorb application (50 absorb instead of like 1200)

*occurs regardless of offensive, efficient or defensive adaptation.

 

 

I assume this could happen with other absorb powers but I haven't seen it happen on my nature affinity.

 

[JayboH]

Oh wow, yeah that's pretty bad.  I haven't played a scrapper with that but I don't recall it not refreshing on tanks/brutes.  Can anyone confirm this is happening?

[Bopper]

11 hours ago, Noyjitat said:

Noticed this on my scrapper when testing a recharge build.  When the crash occurs and the shield begins to lose strength (as in the gray bar decreases) applying a second application of ablative carapace will only refresh the remaining absorb rather than give you the 2nd applications full strength. I assume this is because paragon didn't want you have a double strength shield on high recharge builds and they put in a bandaid to keep you from doing so; much like you can't stack hasten. This can result in a the 2nd application being as low as 1hp absorb if you don't let the shield completely dissipate. Ofcourse in most encounters you will lose the shield from damage but during those lucky encounters this makes the power useless. It would be like using dullpain when you have perma dullpain and not getting the heal effect.

 

-notes-

*At full absorb strength in a non combat situation

*Used ablative carapace and then use it again to refresh the buff as it dissipates.

*instead freezes the bar nearly depleted

*resulting in a very low absorb application (50 absorb instead of like 1200)

*occurs regardless of offensive, efficient or defensive adaptation.

 

 

I assume this could happen with other absorb powers but I haven't seen it happen on my nature affinity.

 

Just finished testing this with my Bio Scrapper. I don't know if what I'm seeing is what you're seeing, but you can retest and see if they are the same issue.

 

When I cast my first Ablative Carapace, I create a 1248.9 HP Absorb Shield.  Then I cast a second Ablative Carapace (still had full shield), and the new shield I created was 89.7 HP.

 

Then I did another test. But this time I made sure to take some damage. My first Ablative Carapace was reduced to a 1037.1 HP Absorb Shield when I cast the second Ablative Carapace. Thit time I created a 301.5 HP Absorb Shield.

 

What do these have in common?

1248.9 + 89.7 = 1338.6. 

1037.1 + 301.5 = 1338.6

 

The base HP of a scrapper, which is also the max absorb shield you can have, is 1338.6.  So it would appear as though the 2nd Ablative Carapace is creating it's Absorb shield before removing the 1st Ablative Carapace shield, which winds up creating a much smaller 2nd shield before replacing the 1st shield. Then you are stuck with the small 2nd shield until next reapplication. 

 

Follow up test:

I reattempted the test one more time, but this time I removed my enhancements to ensure a 2nd A.C. would not result in me hitting the cap. This time, 1st Shield gave me 624.9 HP, when I created the 2nd Shield, it simply replaced the first with a new 624.9 HP.

Edited August 4, 2020 by Bopper