T1s, T2s, T9s and Skippables

[drbuzzard]

8 hours ago, Player2 said:

I did want and do just fine with it, and that was my answer to the OP's questions:  everything is skippable except for your 1st and 2nd level choices... it's all a matter of how you want to play.

This is certainly true. However the rest of us are running with the assumption that he actually wants to be effective or something.

[Player2]

50 minutes ago, drbuzzard said:

This is certainly true. However the rest of us are running with the assumption that he actually wants to be effective or something.

What part of "do just fine" sounds like I don't feel like I'm being effective in my playing this way?

[Erratic1]

As has been noted upthread, respecs exist in the game and it can be helpful when levelling to keep that in mind. I started online play back when MU*s were a thing and so came up in settings where rebuilding your character was not a thing. So I tend to horde my respecs. Even so I have come around to intentionally spending them at certain points.

 

Early on I want enough attacks to not be standing there with mobs in my face waiting on powers to recycle. I may not keep the T1 or T2 power from a particular set in the end, but early on I generally take both for the reason given. By the time SOs come available there are enough power choices that I usually plan my first respec then.

 

Not all T9s are great to have but generally reading up on the powerset will let you know that well in advance so you can decide to skip it or if necessary use it as a mule for IOs.

[Uun]

54 minutes ago, Player2 said:

What part of "do just fine" sounds like I don't feel like I'm being effective in my playing this way?

Just because you can solo at +0, doesn't make you effective. If a lvl 32 defender showed up on one of my teams with your build, I would kick them. A defender with 2 powers from their primary and 5 pool power melee attacks brings nothing to a team. You may think you're doing "just fine", but you don't provide material buffs/debuffs or dps. It's unfair to ask the rest of the team to pick up your slack.

[Player2]

10 minutes ago, Uun said:

Just because you can solo at +0, doesn't make you effective. If a lvl 32 defender showed up on one of my teams with your build, I would kick them. A defender with 2 powers from their primary and 5 pool power melee attacks brings nothing to a team. You may think you're doing "just fine", but you don't provide material buffs/debuffs or dps. It's unfair to ask the rest of the team to pick up your slack.

Yeah, it's open-minded people like you why I choose to solo with that character.

 

But my point is that if I can do fine on my own with skipping nearly everything, anyone can skip one or two based on personal preference without it being a big deal.  What matters is how you fill in those skipped powers and is it fun for you.

Edited December 22, 2020 by Player2

[drbuzzard]

1 hour ago, Player2 said:

What part of "do just fine" sounds like I don't feel like I'm being effective in my playing this way?

It can be demonstrated objectively and quantitatively that the powers you skipped in the time power set would have enabled you to do things more effectively. Time is a great set, and honestly there's very few powers (likely zero) which can be skipped and make your build better. Your subjective preference is fine as it is your character, but when I'm giving advice I prefer to give suggestions based on hard data.

[Player2]

Well, I never claimed what I did made the build better.  I said that it's playable and I do fine with it, and as I mentioned, if I can do fine with almost none of the primary & secondary powers, I firmly believe that anything is skippable.  There are no "must haves," so you can choose what you want for best effect or just the shallow preference of what you think looks cool.  Everything works, some things work better than others.  Whatever.

[drbuzzard]

Once upon a time 'Man Builds' were a fad. Nobody would claim that they were a good suggestion in terms of effectiveness. When people are asking for advice, it's reasonable to assume they want advice so as to be more effective. Telling someone that they can skip anything they like and do anything they like is true, but it is also about as helpful as pointing out that water is wet.