Any chance of changing the absolute garbage choices for the Alpha Slot?

[Judasace]

Seems like the alpha slot was made specifically to not actually benefit characters in any way. If you actually slotted even passably well, there is no combination of offered that helps a focused charcter such as scrapper, blaster, etc. There are a few that defenders or controllers can benefit from, but there should be combinations that include at least two of the following: Accuracy, Damage, Recharge and End reduction.

 

My blaster for example only slightly benefits from the Damage or Recharge sets, and most of the extra benefits in those go to waste.

 

As it stands, the alpha slot is just a pointless gateway to get onto the other incarnate content.

[Adeon Hawkwood]

My view on it is that the Alpha Slot abilities are primarily there to close the gap between SO builds and IO'd builds. You're right that a lot of them are a bit weak if you're IO'd out but they are much more powerful for an SO'd build where you're not ED capped for everything.

 

Even for IO'd build you can occasionally find a gem in the alpha slot abilities. For example back on live my AR/Dev blaster got great usage out of the Cardiac Core ability. I had Positron's Blast sets in my cones and slotting the Cardiac let me swap the Dam/End in those for Dam/Range which combined with the range boostbfrom the Cardiac itself gave me a nice boost to cone size for Buckshot and Flamethrower without running low on endurance.

[jack_nomind]

Seems like the alpha slot was made specifically to not actually benefit characters in any way. If you actually slotted even passably well...

 

2/3rds of alpha slot enhancement benefits bypass ED.  For Musculature, as one example, that's a minimum 30% global damage buff that costs you absolutely nothing to keep up, all the time, no matter how well-slotted you were before it.  What is it you're actually concerned about here?

[Shinobu]

 

I don't consider buffing defense numbers past softcap or reducing endurance drain to levels where I no longer have to watch my blue bar to be useless or pointless.  Some of my builds don't work UNTIL I have my alpha slot filled.

 

Sure it's not as game-changing as a good Judgment or Destiny, but that's kind of the point, it's the first slot out of six.  Once you have all six, you've got a ton of extra power to work with.

[Primantis]

Many toons get use out of Cardiac, especially high recharge builds with lot of toggles! It was an godsend to my Time/Radiation defender.

 

You can either use it to boost your strengths or shore up your weaknesses. I don't think any Scrapper would say no to a +30% damage buff across the board.

 

While other classes such as tankers, or defenders. Who might not have been able to squeeze in as much damage, as their priorities lied elsewhere; are bound to appreciate that nice juicy +45% damage.

 

 

 

[Zep]

I see the Alpha slot as very powerful when used to counter act a weak point of the specific AT. EG Fire/Storm Controllers are total END hogs. They can run out of end on speed boost (or at least I have) and the Alpha slot largely resolves that.

 

It also helps to respec after you max out the Alpha and build around it.

[Rhinoxx]

As it stands, the alpha slot is the gateway to get onto the other incarnate content.

 

Corrected for accuracy.

 

Again and again it seems like some players just want maximum power all the time and if that doesn't happen then everything sucks.

As stated elsewhere in this thread, Alpha is the first of 6 slots and it mirrors your passage towards being a full-fledged Incarnate - you don't start out as Statesman but you can slot your way towards it over time.

[Zolgar]

I mean, I would be all for more Alpha options... but I don't think the ones we have no are a problem or garbage. Spiritual and Agility both allow for either much easier permaing of Hasten (thus allowing you to focus on something other than +recharge from your IO build) or if you're not trying to perma something with high recharge (or dom) bypass Hasten entirely. Agility then adds to your defense powers and end mod, and Spiritual adds to your healing. While it may not be huge, everyone will benefit from at least one of those.

 

Musculature, you literally cannot go wrong with extra damage.

 

Cardiac can open up slotting and power choice options by reducing your end consumption.

 

Every Alpha slot is good and has a place. If you cannot find one that shores up a hole in your build, or improves something... then you're not looking very deep.

[Nic Mercy]

Every Alpha slot is good and has a place. If you cannot find one that shores up a hole in your build, or improves something... then you're not looking very deep.

 

Pretty much this. Anyone who thinks the Alpha slot options are "absolute garbage" doesn't have any idea about how the game works.

 

Even something as simple as Musculature for more damage, or Spiritual for more recharge can have a significant impact. You don't have to benefit from every stat on an alpha... but you can leverage the best stat for your build, since the alpha slot partially ignores ED.

[Rylas]

Seems like the alpha slot was made specifically to not actually benefit characters in any way.

 

Speak for yourself. I slotted Musculature T4 in my Rad/Bio brute. It's an extra SO's worth of damage to my attacks and now the -Def Debuff in them is enhanced. I find it hard to believe all your powers have absolutely maxed out all aspect of enhancement you can put in them.

 

Have you tried crafting an Alpha past T1?

[Vanden]

Every Alpha slot is good and has a place. If you cannot find one that shores up a hole in your build, or improves something... just take Musculature since it'll make your Judgement and Lore powers stronger.

Fixed that for ya.

[Solvernia]

Remember that up to two thirds of the Alpha enhancement bonus does not suffer from diminishing returns. That means Core Paragon gives you a flat 33% boost at the minimum, after your enhancements, before your global modifiers.

 

Musculature, Cardiac, and Agility are amazing for anyone. Intuition is great for anyone with Dark powers, for example.