Native Praetorian Doing All Gold Side Content

[Apparition]

Back in December, I made a Praetorian Time Manipulation/Dual Pistols Defender with the purpose of soloing all Praetorian content from level one through level 35.  I started out in Precinct Five and chose the Loyalist alignment.  All hail Emperor Cole!  Anyhoo, I followed the Loyalist "Accept Alignments" path from this guide to the tee, turning off XP at levels seven and fourteen.  It went swimmingly in Nova Praetoria and Imperial City.

 

However, I hit a major roadblock in Neutropolis.  Per the guide, my last contact in Imperial City was Praetor Sinclair, and I chose Loyalist.  I did some repeatable missions and winter event stuff to get to level nineteen, turned off XP, and went to Neutropolis.  I called up Provost Marchand... except he wouldn't offer me any Loyalist contacts at all.  Nothing.  Nadda.  Zip.  Zero.  So I called Calvin Scott... and he only offered me the Crusader Resistance contact, which I couldn't do as a Loyalist, and his own story arc, which again I couldn't do as a Loyalist.  I was stuck.

 

Now, I could have walked up to Aaron Walker and/or Dr. Hetzfeld and/or IVy, and maybe they would have talked with me, but the point of doing this was to do all Praetorian content, including breadcrumb missions.

 

I asked around and was told that it was probably a bug with having Calvin Scott as a contact at that level.  So, I thought maybe if I tried again, and skipped all of the Crusader Resistance contacts this time (since Calvin Scott is a Crusader Resistance contact), perhaps I would be okie.  It wouldn't be all Praetorian content, but I could do the Crusader Resistance story arcs via Ouroboros Flashback, and you get a badge for doing a Praetorian story arc via Ouroboros Flashback anyhoo.

 

So, I deleted my Time Manipulation/Dual Pistols Defender, and remade him.  This time I followed the guide again, but skipped all of the Crusader Resistance story arcs.  I got to Neutropolis... and Provost Marchand would not offer me any Loyalist contacts again, and Calvin Scott only offered me the Crusader Resistance contact and his own story arc again.

 

Defeated, I gave up, deleted my Time Manipulation/Dual Pistols Defender for a second time, remade him red side, and power leveled him to level 50.

 

However, I would still like to be able to do this on one character, probably a Corruptor.  Does anyone know if this bug has been fixed over the past five months?  Is there a tip or a trick to get it to work?

[MTeague]

My experiance has been the breadcrumb lead ins drop off one level BEFORE the contacts refuse walk-up-introductions.

I don't know why.

 

For Nova Preatoria, I would say get all the breadcrumb missions no later than level 8, and turn off XP at 9 until you're done with those arcs.

For Imperial City, I would say get all the breadcrumb missions no later than level 13, and turn off XP at 14 until you're done with those arcs.

For Neutropolis, I would say get all the breadcrumb missions no later than level 18, and turn off XP at 19 until you're done with those arcs.

[EDIT:  My values were slightly off, see @Apparition's more accurate numbers below]

 

I do think this is somewhat dumb. I don't see any reason for the breadcrumb missions to drop off earlier.

But given your goal, that's what I'd plan around.

Edited May 6, 2021 by MTeague

[Apparition]

39 minutes ago, MTeague said:

My experiance has been the breadcrumb lead ins drop off one level BEFORE the contacts refuse walk-up-introductions.

I don't know why.

 

For Nova Preatoria, I would say get all the breadcrumb missions no later than level 8, and turn off XP at 9 until you're done with those arcs.

For Imperial City, I would say get all the breadcrumb missions no later than level 13, and turn off XP at 14 until you're done with those arcs.

For Neutropolis, I would say get all the breadcrumb missions no later than level 18, and turn off XP at 19 until you're done with those arcs.

 

I do think this is somewhat dumb. I don't see any reason for the breadcrumb missions to drop off earlier.

But given your goal, that's what I'd plan around.

 

 

Hrm.  That makes sense, except I'm pretty sure I remember doing an Imperial City breadcrumb mission at level fourteen both times.  Perhaps I'm mistaken.  I'll give that a try.  Thank you!

[Apparition]

@MTeague , I just did some quick and dirty testing on Brainstorm.  I made a new Praetorian Loyalist character.  Set my level to level 7 and trained up.  Called Provost Marchand, and he offered me the Nova Praetoria Loyalist contacts.  Set my level to level 8 and trained up.  Called Provost Marchand, and he offered me the Imperial City Loyalist contacts.  Set my level to level 13 and trained up, and he offered me the Imperial City Loyalist contacts.  Set my level to level 14 and trained up, and he offered me the Imperial City Loyalist contacts.  Set my level to level 15 and trained up, and he offered me the Neutropolis Loyalist contacts.  Set my level to level 18 and trained up, and he offered me the Neutropolis Loyalist contacts.  Set my level to level 19 and trained up, and... he offered me nothing.

 

So, with the information gathered:

 

To be absolutely sure that you get Nova Praetoria contacts, do not level past level 7.

To be absolutely sure that you get Imperial City contacts, do not level past level 14.

To be absolutely sure that you get Neutropolis contacts, do not level past level 18.

 

Edit:

 

To be thorough, I made a new Praetorian Resistance character, and did the same things.  Set my level to level 7 and trained up, called Calvin Scott, and he offered me the Nova Praetoria Resistance contacts.  Set my level to level 8 and trained up.  Called Calvin Scott, and he offered me the Imperial City Resistance contacts.  Set my level to level 13 and trained up, and he offered me the Imperial City Resistance contacts.  Set my level to level 14 and trained up, and he offered me the Imperial City Resistance contacts.  Set my level to level 15 and trained up, and he offered me the Neutropolis Resistance contacts.  Set my level to level 18 and trained up, and he offered me the Neutropolis resistance contacts.  Set my level to level 19 and trained up, and... he offered me the Neutropolis resistance contacts.

 

So Calvin Scott will give you breadcrumb missions at level nineteen, but not Provost Marchand.  Weird.

Edited May 6, 2021 by Apparition

[MTeague]

Good to know.  Just dinged six on a Praetorian corruptor at the end of tonight. (Sonic/Sonic.  Yea.  I know.  I'm a masocist, I think.)  I'll make sure to nab the breadcrumbs before 8.   It's not as make-or-break for me, I wouldn't delete if I missed one, but I do *like* to get them.  Thank you for going for science and getting the hard numbers!

[Apparition]

After sleeping on it, I think this is two separate bugs.

 

The first "bug" is that Provost Marchand will stop introducing you to Neutropolis Loyalist contacts at level nineteen instead of level twenty, unlike Calvin Scott who will happily introduce you to Neutropolis Resistance contacts at level nineteen.  I see no reason why one will offer contacts at level nineteen and the other won't.  There is nothing anywhere stating that Provost Marchand will stop introducing contacts at level nineteen.

 

The second "bug" is that Calvin Scott seems to assume that you've unlocked his mission arc if his contact status bar is at or near full, even if you haven't started the Neutropolis Crusader Resistance story arcs yet, (I'm guessing that is the reason for this).  This will block him from introducing you to Aaron Walker, the start of the Neutropolis Warden Resistance story arcs.  You can still walk up to Aaron Walker and introduce yourself though.

 

These are obviously low priority "bugs" with workarounds, but for people new to gold side, and especially for new players playing gold side (as few as they may be), these may throw up roadblocks as it did for me, requiring you to scour the forums and the wiki just to get contacts and missions.

 

@Piecemeal, do you have any ideas?

[Apparition]

Well unfortunately, as expected, Calvin Scott bugged out on me again.  After finishing all of Imperial City, I tried calling Calvin Scott but he only offered a breadcrumb mission to Crow and the start of his own story arc.

 

 

 

 

So unfortunately I don't get the breadcrumb mission for Aaron Walker.  The good news however, is that Praetor Marchand will indeed talk with me!  So there is that.

[Placta]

On 5/6/2021 at 9:31 AM, Apparition said:

After sleeping on it, I think this is two separate bugs.

 

The first "bug" is that Provost Marchand will stop introducing you to Neutropolis Loyalist contacts at level nineteen instead of level twenty, unlike Calvin Scott who will happily introduce you to Neutropolis Resistance contacts at level nineteen.  I see no reason why one will offer contacts at level nineteen and the other won't.  There is nothing anywhere stating that Provost Marchand will stop introducing contacts at level nineteen.

 

The second "bug" is that Calvin Scott seems to assume that you've unlocked his mission arc if his contact status bar is at or near full, even if you haven't started the Neutropolis Crusader Resistance story arcs yet, (I'm guessing that is the reason for this).  This will block him from introducing you to Aaron Walker, the start of the Neutropolis Warden Resistance story arcs.  You can still walk up to Aaron Walker and introduce yourself though.

 

These are obviously low priority "bugs" with workarounds, but for people new to gold side, and especially for new players playing gold side (as few as they may be), these may throw up roadblocks as it did for me, requiring you to scour the forums and the wiki just to get contacts and missions.

 

@Piecemeal, do you have any ideas?

 

That he offers his story arc before it comes up naturally is a more serious bug, because...

 

During his arc, you kill Crow. I've seen a few people who've done his arc then take the mission to meet Crow asking for help because oops, Crow's nowhere to be found.

[Snarky]

i only did "all" goldside twice back on live.  the most painful part about that was the damned endless tough mobs.  i do not remember much, but i did "all" both sides flipping back and forth.  did not have a problem.

[MTeague]

2 hours ago, Apparition said:

Well unfortunately, as expected, Calvin Scott bugged out on me again.  After finishing all of Imperial City, I tried calling Calvin Scott but he only offered a breadcrumb mission to Crow and the start of his own story arc.

 

So unfortunately I don't get the breadcrumb mission for Aaron Walker.  The good news however, is that Praetor Marchand will indeed talk with me!  So there is that.

 

Dont ding if you can help it. He DID give you one of the two breadcrumbs. I suspect he only didn't give you the second breadcrumb, because I've never see that dialogue box offer more than TWO missions at once. 

 

I would try

• Do the breadrcrumb mission and meet Crow. Clear that off the docket.  Not necessarily the whole arc, but MEET CROW.
• Don't ding.
• Call Calvin back.  He *might* then have a similar dialogue box to have you start his personal arc, OR, meet Aaron Walker.

Can't hurt to TRY....

[merrypessimist]

Does just using the "find contact" button to get the contact in your list still work even if Marchand/Calvin don't offer you introduction missions?

[Carnifax]

We (we being the Hounds of Love) are currently running a themed Praetorian team on Reunion on Tuesdays. Theme is the Wizard of Oz (because we started calling it the Yellow Brick Road team and it spiraled). 

 

It really spiraled.

 

 

Edited May 25, 2021 by Carnifax

[Apparition]

On 5/24/2021 at 12:48 AM, MTeague said:

 

Dont ding if you can help it. He DID give you one of the two breadcrumbs. I suspect he only didn't give you the second breadcrumb, because I've never see that dialogue box offer more than TWO missions at once. 

 

I would try

• Do the breadrcrumb mission and meet Crow. Clear that off the docket.  Not necessarily the whole arc, but MEET CROW.
• Don't ding.
• Call Calvin back.  He *might* then have a similar dialogue box to have you start his personal arc, OR, meet Aaron Walker.

Can't hurt to TRY....

 

 

Too late.  I've read in a multitude of places that once Calvin Scott has you locked to his arc (which I somehow am even though I haven't even been introduced to Crow yet), that he will not introduce you to Aaron Walker, so I went up to Aaron Walker and introduced myself.  It kind of stinks that I lost one breadcrumb mission, but at least it was only one this time.  I can live with that.

 

 

9 hours ago, merrypessimist said:

Does just using the "find contact" button to get the contact in your list still work even if Marchand/Calvin don't offer you introduction missions?

 

 

Yep.

[Hew]

On 5/23/2021 at 11:13 PM, Snarky said:

the most painful part about that was the damned endless tough mobs.

 

People complain about everything being easy mode. I wonder how many of those people have tried dedicated redside or praetorian chars, where the content in both of those (endless blind, crits, debuffs, suffering, pain, misery) are part of both of those playthroughs. This is true even in the 40-50s, where seers will wreck you, widows will blind you and make you miserable, banes will placate and crit you, endless end drain and sapping,  slows, moar slows, more misery.

 

Quit killing council, fifth, and the rest of the easy pack. Maxed out DA mobs will wreck too.

Edited May 25, 2021 by Hew

[Apparition]

11 minutes ago, Hew said:

 

People complain about everything being easy mode. I wonder how many of those people have tried dedicated redside or praetorian chars, where the content in both of those (endless blind, crits, debuffs, suffering, pain, misery) are part of both of those playthroughs. This is true even in the 40-50s, where seers will wreck you, widows will blind you and make you miserable, banes will placate and crit you, endless end drain and sapping,  slows, moar slows, more misery.

 

Quit killing council, fifth, and the rest of the easy pack. Maxed out DA mobs will wreck too.

 

 

Exactly.  But they won't.  It's been mentioned time and time again to try red and/or gold side, but they never do.  "It's not where the people are."  "I want to be a hero!"

 

Honestly, red side and gold side players tend to be better at the game than blue side players on average because red and gold side content is more difficult, and sometimes much more so.  Quality over quantity, I suppose.

[Darmian]

Goldside!

 

[golstat2003]

58 minutes ago, Apparition said:

 

 

Exactly.  But they won't.  It's been mentioned time and time again to try red and/or gold side, but they never do.  "It's not where the people are."  "I want to be a hero!"

 

Honestly, red side and gold side players tend to be better at the game than blue side players on average because red and gold side content is more difficult, and sometimes much more so.  Quality over quantity, I suppose.

 

I always find it hilarious when folks say they want to play with others, this isanmmoarrrrrgh, but then refuse to realize that the "others" they want to play with aren't interested in any of the harder content. Inevitably, their next response "well make them play the harder content". Which at that point I just roll my eyes all the way to be back of my head.

 

LOL

[Apparition]

4 minutes ago, golstat2003 said:

 

I always find it hilarious when folks say they want to play with others, this isanmmoarrrrrgh, but then refuse to realize that the "others" they want to play with aren't interested in any of the harder content. Inevitably, their next response "well make them play the harder content". Which at that point I just roll my eyes all the way to be back of my head.

 

LOL

 

Yeah, I get the impression that a lot of people that only play blue side play it specifically because the vast majority of blue side is face roll on keyboard easy.  That’s one of the main reasons why I play red and gold sides instead.

[MTeague]

Everyone's got their breakpoints. 

 

Some folks just don't want to team with anyone else, ever, period.

Some folks want to team with people, but not if it means a facerolly stomp fest that you could literally be alseep through and they'd barely notice.

Some folks want to team with people, but not if means being debuffed to the point that they miss with their attacks, find that their wonderful softcapped defenses are cascading downhill, and they're being slowed out the wazoo. 

Some folks just want the hardest content they can do, even if that means leaving teams behind. 

Some folks don't care if the content is super easy or super hard as long as it's got a well written story and some feeling of agency. 

 

as long as they're not being massively hypocritical, sure fine. Takes all kinds.

[Glacier Peak]

Since this is your third (or fourth?) time going through all gold side, do you perhaps have a well-laid strategy for ensuring all content has been played? A roadmap even? I have only done the gold side complete all run once, and I missed so much content from not making the right connections at the right time that I gave up at Level 6 😁

[Apparition]

8 minutes ago, Glacier Peak said:

Since this is your third (or fourth?) time going through all gold side, do you perhaps have a well-laid strategy for ensuring all content has been played? A roadmap even? I have only done the gold side complete all run once, and I missed so much content from not making the right connections at the right time that I gave up at Level 6 😁

 

I do, actually.  I wrote a Completionist’s Guide to Praetoria from the tutorial through Night Ward for some friends a few days ago, and plan to reformat it for the Homecoming Wiki this weekend.

[Darmian]

Not part of the OP but I'm advertizing!  Have four (so far!) Pre War Gold side AEs written. Designed to fit in to the existing story as well as mechanics/maps/mobs allow. Scaled for 19 - 25, so coming off the end of Neutropolis and before you take the Rift mission (or head to First Ward)  scoot in to PD via Studio 55 and take a look.  Loyalist carries on from Imperial Power, while the single Resistance one is Neutropolis Warden.  Mainly because Chimera and Belladonna Vetrano are the two contacts. Details in sig.  

 

We now return you to your scheduled program.

Edited May 26, 2021 by Darmian

[huang3721]

On 5/24/2021 at 10:13 AM, Snarky said:

the most painful part about that was the damned endless tough mobs

The ambushes in Praetoria is a bit different. The next wave will spawn after a period of time and said period is very short. In addition, each ambush has many waves (more than three, probably nine). God  Emperor Cole help you if you haven't clear the previous wave but the next wave has already arrived. 

 

Imo Power Arc missions in Imperial city are the worst offender. 

Edited May 26, 2021 by huang3721
typo

[ZemX]

24 minutes ago, huang3721 said:

The ambushes in Praetoria is a bit different.

 

Yeah.  I've started most of my characters in Praetoria and most of them have been Stalkers.  The number of ambushes is off the scale.  Whoever designed these arcs LOVED the idea of ambushes and figured if one ambush was good then nine must be nine times as good!  No easy sneaking in and out in a lot of these missions.

 

They also didn't do the best job giving hostages an ability to navigate stair cases.  Especially the super long winding ones that lead up or down from the underground levels.  Especially fun when a timer is ticking down to another ambush and you're like... "Really? You're stuck on the railing going up the stairs again?  We're like thirty feet from the exit door here and you've got ten seconds to figure that out before I leave you right there for the goon squad to find!!!"

 

[McJigg]

The ambushes seem to be mechanically different too. I did a full gold run on a mastermind back when Homecoming was still pretty new. The enemies attack YOU, my henchmen couldn't get a lick of aggro. I most recently leveled a mind/poison controller through Preatoria. Even when I mind controlled one of them, sometimes they just continued to run to/follow me for a while instead of attacking the others.

 

Side note: If you mind control a Ghoul Lt. or Boss, they can still use their taunt aura move, which taunts YOU into attacking the target. I though that was hilarious at the time.