Iron man/Woman Challenge

[Hedgefund]

Yeah what the heck, I'll do this.  I willl never ever ever stream, but this is the sort of oddball thing I need about now.

[Rathulfr]

On 6/1/2021 at 3:08 PM, Hedgefund said:

Yeah what the heck, I'll do this.  I willl never ever ever stream, but this is the sort of oddball thing I need about now.

 

Sure, I'll give it a try with a Blaster.  But I won't stream it: I'm not a fan.  Introducing IM Blaster 1, of Indomitable Everlasting.

 

Edited June 4, 2021 by Rathulfr
Transferred from Indomitable to Everlasting.

[Rathulfr]

On 5/27/2021 at 10:47 AM, Chainz said:

So myself and other CoH streamers have developed a play on the classic "Iron man Challenge" that was popular for a time. As such i am inviting others to come along for the ride.  The Iron Man challenge is designed with streamers in mind but anyone can participate with using the honor system!

 

 

 

The Rules for the Iron Man is as follows

 

1. Must be a newly created character.

2. Cannot be any of the following AT’s: Brute, Tank, Scrapper, Sentinel.

3. No Power Leveling or teaming with any other live player unless they are also participating in the challenge.

4. May only purchase upgrades (inspirations and enhancements) with money earned by doing missions or by own means.

5. If your character dies for any reason they are to be deleted immediately.

6. No Supergroup invites will be accepted unless by other Iron Man challenge participants.

7. You must try to at least level up once per stream on the challenge.

8. No P2W items are allowed, only the items you get from creation.

 

IF you would like to join the discord where i have the rules posted up feel free to at 

https://discord.gg/WRmYbmkFHm

 

 

 

Which shard(s)?

 

[Griefmaker]

My attempt

[Rathulfr]

Blaster's Log, 2106.01 - Levels 1-9

 

IM Blaster 1 of Indomitable successfully finished the Habashy and Thierry arcs to get to level 7 without much trouble.  Next adventure: Skulls in Kings Row.  Finished Shauna Stockwell arc -- Chernobog almost had me down for good, but I put him down.  After that, a bit of street sweeping got me to 9 and I'm ready to tackle Eagle Eye's arc tomorrow.

 

Blaster's Log, 2106.02 - Levels 9-11

 

Earned my first 1M Inf by selling 3 orange Salvage drops for 450K each.  Also selling all other Salvage on AH for vendor price as minimum.  I spent quite a bit on getting all of my Enhancements up to level 10 SOs, bought from Freedom Corps vendors.  Just finished Eagle Eye's arc and am level 10.8: earned Skull Buster and You Should See the Other Guy badges.  No active Contacts in Kings Row now.  David Wincott showed up in my Find Contacts window, so I went to The Hollows and finished his first arc to get to 11.  I then teleported to Montague Castanella to run The Midnight Squad arc.  After successfully rescuing Percy Winkler, Lady Jane (she lived!), Argot Burgwot, etc., I was admitted into The Midnight Club and made a member, closing out the night at level 12.5.

 

 

Edited June 3, 2021 by Rathulfr

[arcane]

On 5/27/2021 at 6:33 PM, Aeroprism said:

 

Soloability exclusive to those?

 

My stalker and most of my controller would like a word with you 🙂

 

Seriously though: enjoy your challenge, sounds fun!

Rule #2 exists because it makes Rule #5 too much of a non-challenge, and Rule #5 is basically the most challenging part of this by far.

 

It should probably extend to Stalkers though. Doesn’t need to extend to Controllers though because at least those have to be careful with break frees occasionally.

Edited June 3, 2021 by arcane

[RageusQuitus2]

id be starting a toon today.  anyone got an iron man/woman sg going?  what shard?

[Chainz]

1 hour ago, RageusQuitus2 said:

id be starting a toon today.  anyone got an iron man/woman sg going?  what shard?

There is now a SG and most of the streamers are on Everlasting right now

[Rathulfr]

3 hours ago, Chainz said:

There is now a SG and most of the streamers are on Everlasting right now

 

Details?  I'll transfer IM Blaster 1 to Everlasting right now.  How may I get invited?

 

[RageusQuitus2]

On 5/27/2021 at 10:47 AM, Chainz said:

No P2W items are allowed, only the items you get from creation.

What about things like ninja run and some of the other travel you get for free from minute one?

[Rathulfr]

Blaster's Log, 2106.03 - Levels 12-14

 

Transferred from Indomitable to Everlasting, and joined the Iron Guardians SG.  They seem like a fun bunch.  Ran Flux's arc and defeated Frostfire with assist from SG mate, Randomizr.  We both almost bought it a couple of times due to large spawns -- I'd forgotten how tough Frostfire's gang can be at that low level.  Frostfire himself wasn't too much trouble, after we peeled away most of the trash around him.  It was definitely still exciting, though: my adrenaline was pumping, that's for sure.  Dinged level 14 when I called Flux at the end of the arc.  That was my cue to call it a night.

 

[Rathulfr]

1 hour ago, RageusQuitus2 said:

What about things like ninja run and some of the other travel you get for free from minute one?

 

Anything that you get automatically when you materialize in-game after character creation is fine; e.g.: Prestige Power Slide.  You just can't visit the P2W vendor to get anything else after that.  No Athletic/Beast/Ninja Run; no Sands of Mu/Undead Slaying Axe/Blackwand/Nemesis Staff; no Mystic Fortune/SecondaryMutation; etc.  Completely no frills.

 

(edit:) I miss Reveal most of all.

 

Edited June 4, 2021 by Rathulfr

[RageusQuitus2]

1 hour ago, Rathulfr said:

 

Anything that you get automatically when you materialize in-game after character creation is fine; e.g.: Prestige Power Slide.  You just can't visit the P2W vendor to get anything else after that.  No Athletic/Beast/Ninja Run; no Sands of Mu/Undead Slaying Axe/Blackwand/Nemesis Staff; no Mystic Fortune/SecondaryMutation; etc.  Completely no frills.

 

(edit:) I miss Reveal most of all.

 

starting over lol.  took athletic run.  ouch.

[Gulbasaur]

Started up a Gravity/Time controller in Praetoria.

 

Going pretty well, so far. I'm only level 5, though. Holds are better than armour because an enemy that is doing nothing is doing no damage and an enemy on the other side of a corner is also doing no damage.

 

Took the first three attacks to get a semblance of an attack chain going. Will pick up the heal next, then the AoE immobilise, eventually a travel power and then the debuffs. Not a huge amount of need for them under level 10. I've decided I'm not allowed to move on until I've also go the zone exploration badge, which isn't too hard. I might try the zone events too, although they really need more people.

 

Edit:

 

I went for the Ambitious badge, because I felt it appropriate. I'm not a flier. I may come to regret that decision when I get to the mission where you have to record yourself at a media thing? I can't remember. What I can remember is that you get about 30 enemies at once because ambushes are hard-hitting. Last time I did it by standing on a building and sort of punting them off the side?

Edited June 5, 2021 by Gulbasaur

[ZemX]

I have never bothered to figure out how you get that badge without flying since P2W made temp jetpacks ubiquitous.  I don't recall seeing any doors up there.

[Gulbasaur]

10 hours ago, ZemX said:

I have never bothered to figure out how you get that badge without flying since P2W made temp jetpacks ubiquitous.  I don't recall seeing any doors up there.

No doors. I looked.

 

First, get onto the roof of the base. A good running jump with superspeed did it. Then you need to scale the decorative gold diagonal strut, jump onto the pillar, then work along the next strut until you get to the side. This is checkpoint one!

 

The building tapers very slightly and the windowsills are standable onable - if you move back enough, you can jump up to the next ledge. Scootch back, jump up, get the next ledge, repeat. There is a second checkpoint plateau about halfway.

 

At the top, you need to drop down again into the middle, get the badge and take a few screenshots. 

 

Superspeed's new jump momentum mechanic meant that I could make it as long as I kept going. I had to hop on the spot or pace along the ledge a bit to charge it up a couple of times. Think of it like your character trying to build up the nerve to do the next jump. 

 

Ambitious felt like an apt badge to go for. 

Edited June 6, 2021 by Gulbasaur

[Delta]

I created my character today. Introducing Agent V, a Beam Rifle/Devices Blaster. This is the first time that I used either powerset, so it should be interesting. 

 

After completing the Galaxy City tutorial (for character storyline reasons), I finished the Matthew Habashy arc chain, which leveled me up to level six. After doing a few radio missions and getting the Jet Pack from protecting Atlas Park (as well as get a Rock from a weapons deal), I completed Shauna Stockwell's arc and leveled up to level nine. 

[Gulbasaur]

I've paused my XP at level nine to round out the Praetorian story arcs, roughly following Redlynne's guide. I feel like I've been bending the rules a bit, but I've been converting reward merits to inf to keep me in enhancements. I'm going to say it is okay as it's all self-generated. I'm toying with the idea of not using the /ah command as a roleplay thing. 

 

A downside of this slow gameplay is that there are no throwaway powers - I'm stuck with my choices for a while. There's no taking Kick so I can get Tough and Weave later - I am having to plan and reassess my choices as I go and base them on what I know will be coming up. It looks like I can put off the "ambush-a-gogo" missions until level 15, when I should have some AoE with me. At the moment, I have none. Crushing Field at level 10 feels like a long way away.

 

My Additional Roleplay Rules

1. Make a costume for every "faction" you join that has a defined uniform. If you've joined the Resistance, throw in a few resistance pieces, likewise Loyalists, Vanguard, Longbow etc. Wear it when working for them.
2. Before you completely leave a zone (level out, complete all story arcs etc), get every exploration badge so you can code it into the Long Range Teleporter. If there are plaques etc, get those too.
3. Before you completely leave a zone (level out, complete all story arcs etc), any zone events must be completed. Rules on teaming still apply.
4. Entrusted with the Secret has be be got via story arcs.
5. No respecs until you've done the trials. The free ones need to stay unused. You live with your choices.

Miscellaneous tips:

• Superspeed's stealth field is good enough for most things. Ambushes will either lock onto you anyway or go to your last known location - not sure what determines which.
• Immobilise + corners = safety. Break up groups of enemies.
• Knockback + ledges = safety, although remember who you've knocked off where as enemies will show up later and try to get revenge.
• Several support sets are effectively midrange tanking sets - Time has a -ToHit and -DMG aura and solid -recharge (which is much more useful than I'd expected). Traps has Forcefield Generator, which has a mobile mez protection and defence. Kinetics can heal generously and does -DMG (though I wouldn't recommend Kinetics solo). Forcefields and Sonic both have mez protection. Storm has strong area denial.
• Day Job buffs are nice. Pocket D is a good place to hang out as you get ticks towards the VIP Pass power to code into the teleporter and the logged-off power is a nice, if short-lived endurance bump.

Edited June 6, 2021 by Gulbasaur

[Rathulfr]

Blaster's Log, 2106.06 - Levels 14-16

 

Got from 14 to 15 running missions for Meg Mason in the Hollows.  I lost my Internet connection while I was in a cave fighting Vahzilok Abominations, so I suffered one defeat by Lost Connection to MapServer.  I check with Mijurai and he said that LCM deaths don't count -- I had no control over the situation.  When I was able to get back online, I was tired of running Meg's "arc" -- it seems to never end?  I checked the wiki to see how much more there was to it. 

 

Imagine my surprise to find out Meg doesn't have an arc: she just regurgitates the same handful of basic missions with different villains endlessly.  She's like a human Radio/Newspaper!  I did not know that.  So I decided to visit Julius the Troll, instead of running laps for Meg.  Unfortunately, I outleveled Julius by grinding Meg's missions, instead.  *SMH*  On to my next Contact, Graham Easton of Steel Canyon.  Dealing with the Tsoo for that scumbag got me to level 16.

 

Edited June 7, 2021 by Rathulfr
typos

[lemming]

I've been doing a stalker (SJ/WP) in Preatoria.  Try #3.   Endless ambushes on a escort got the first clone at level 12.   Second clone got to level 5 before getting some bad luck with a Lt.  (Stunned, then while stumbling around, hit again with a large attack.)

Let's see if clone #3 does better.

[Gulbasaur]

6 hours ago, lemming said:

Endless ambushes on a escort got the first clone at level 12.  

Do you remember the contact? I'm trying to plan for this mission specifically.

[ExoGrimz]

On 5/27/2021 at 8:47 AM, Chainz said:

CoH streamers

Hold up... isn't streaming Homecoming against ToS?

[Gulbasaur]

3 hours ago, ExoGrimz said:

Hold up... isn't streaming Homecoming against ToS?

They reverted the decision about a month ago. You can stream HC from your hot tub all day long. 

 

Edit because I don't want to spam this thread:

 

I finished Nova Praetoria's four faction story arcs one experience point short of hitting 10 (not that it matters, I just thought it was neat). I hit 10 on an exploration badge and finally picked up my first AoE power which will help set up Containment and allow me to make better use of line of sight for safety. I slapped in the suddenly very expensive Energy Font ATO, which will hopefully be helpful (occasionally). It turns out it spawns on me, not the enemy, which makes it less useful than I was expecting.

 

I had my first ambush-heavy mission and fared okay. I dealt with it by bricking it with superspeed to the exit and letting them catch up with me there, then methodically working my way back to where I'd abandoned the man I was "kidnapping". My next plan is to hit 12 and get that juicy debuff aura that Time comes with and using it to stay midrange for some extra security.

 

Because of the Beginner's Luck mechanics, you can just about skip accuracy enhancements in very early levels but by levels 8-10 I noticed that misses were beginning to add up, which is important for Controllers specifically because the difference in damage with Containment is quite marked.

 

I have to say, playing like this is really fun. Decisions definitely matter more than in tank and spank gameplay.

Edited June 7, 2021 by Gulbasaur

[ZemX]

6 hours ago, Gulbasaur said:

Do you remember the contact? I'm trying to plan for this mission specifically.

 

Uh oh... I'm 12 too!   So curious as well.   I've had plenty of ambush missions so far but none were "endless".  

 

I started a Praetorian Ice/Nin Stalker ("Cold Iron Ninja" on Everlasting).  I know both powersets and the AT is my favorite so I am not exactly outside my wheelhouse here.  I am angling for lots of mitigation with Ice Patch, Caltrops, and Blinding Powder eventually (if I get that far).

 

Still... I nearly died in the tutorial! 

 

Heh... a Stalker at level 1 might just be more fragile than a Blaster with nothing but Hide for defense and a need to be in melee combat to get stuff done.  I was trying to fight alongside the PPD in the room to help avoid the Ghouls focusing on me and swarming but they did anyway and I ended up being chased around with 1/4 health while the PPD mopped up.  Not a very noble beginning but I survived.

 

I am doing an undercover Loyalist.  I did Nova's Warden and Loyalist arcs in parallel to begin with, phoning it in to Marchand to rat out the Resistance whenever getting the chance.  At the end of all that, Marchand tells me to go deep undercover in the Crusaders, so I flipped to Resistance in the Fixadine mission with the doctor.  This was neat.  I've done several runs through Praetoria but never this particular route.  The one where you're asked to collect "food" for the Ghouls allowed me to sabotage my ghoul escort and then non-lethally take out all the PPD in the mission, who were then mind-wiped by seers to forget me.   Pretty decent writing!

 

On 6/6/2021 at 3:23 AM, Gulbasaur said:

Ambitious felt like an apt badge to go for. 

 

Impressive!  I don't have that kind of patience so I went with Mystic Flight (this one is a magic themed ninja).  

 

On 6/6/2021 at 6:22 AM, Gulbasaur said:

I feel like I've been bending the rules a bit, but I've been converting reward merits to inf to keep me in enhancements.

 

I know what you mean.  I have cleared probably 7 million inf so far this way and just upgraded everything to level 15 SOs.  But this is my read of the past posts in this thread.   It's allowed.

 

The way I figure it, as long as I am just selling, for fair market value, what I earn by playing, it should be cool.  And I am not buying what my IMer sells with any alts so I am not afoul of the sending cash from alts rule either.   In any case, I can make millions this way, but not billions.  I would consider playing the market (i.e. flipping) to be against at least the spirit of these rules.  This challenge is about playing and surviving the game content, not playing the market.

 

I've had a couple close calls so far.  Praetoria is a fun challenge for a Stalker though at least getting started.  Especially one that relies on Defense since so many enemies have defense debuffs.  The P2W restriction means the build is that much tighter in the low levels as you can't easily put off a travel power unless you just love slow jogging everywhere.  And no free jetpack from Safeguard/Mayhem either in Praetoria.  Keeping a MUCH closer eye on my inspiration tray in this run than I ever do and making sure it is stocked with a few greens, a few defense, and maybe one break-free.   Silver lining: Don't need to waste space on a Revive. 🤪

[lemming]

8 hours ago, Gulbasaur said:

Do you remember the contact? I'm trying to plan for this mission specifically.

The particular one was Alec Parson's "Bait and Switch" when rescuing Susan and having to lead her out.  Made more complicated in that I didn't clear up to her.

 

There was an earlier one where I kept getting bombs tossed at me by Destroyer's in one of Luke's missions.

 

Some ambushes in missions do not see stealthed chars, and some home right in and attack.