Fixing /Dark Manipulation

[WindDemon21]

Dark Manipulation has a LOT of potential that is being widely underutilized and could use a few tweaks. First off would be to move death shroud to 20 and work like Dynamo does, so it can't detoggle only suppress, and gives a toggle sustain power as well. Then make Touch of the Beyond a ranged and wider area version of the new melee touch of fear. Shadow maul as well should receive the melee version treatment, and then lastly, on ALL versions, fix dark consumption to a much shorter recharge/higher damage/15ft radius. Something like 30-45s double damage of current, and 15ft radius, and boost most of the end vs the 1st target and scale from there.

[Chelsea Rorec]

Death Shroud.. Didn't take it.

Touch of Beyond.. Works fine for me.

Shadow Maul.. Didn't take it.

Dark Consumption.. Took it, rarely use it.

 

 

 

 

 

[WindDemon21]

35 minutes ago, Chelsea Rorec said:

Death Shroud.. Didn't take it.

Touch of Beyond.. Works fine for me.

Shadow Maul.. Didn't take it.

Dark Consumption.. Took it, rarely use it.

 

 

 

 

 

I think you just explained why you actually agree lol. And while touch *works* it's far from optimal especially on a blaster where every DPA matters especially when in most cases that's all you're casting it for. Shroud, far too low of a radius too IMO esp for being toggled off constantly. Would be nice if it was a dark version of warshades orbiting death and as mentioned at 20 as the "dynamo" type power that only supresses. Maul, even with the melee version upgrades i would still debate it but at least then it would be WORTH it if you did. And DC, for obvious reasons lol

[Chelsea Rorec]

10 hours ago, WindDemon21 said:

I think you just explained why you actually agree lol. And while touch *works* it's far from optimal especially on a blaster where every DPA matters especially when in most cases that's all you're casting it for. Shroud, far too low of a radius too IMO esp for being toggled off constantly. Would be nice if it was a dark version of warshades orbiting death and as mentioned at 20 as the "dynamo" type power that only supresses. Maul, even with the melee version upgrades i would still debate it but at least then it would be WORTH it if you did. And DC, for obvious reasons lol

I tried a melee dark/dark and was like "meh" so went all ranged so that meant dropping Death Shroud and Shadow Maul (hate that power anyway) and havn't looked back since.

Touch of Beyond i basicly use as a Recovery buff and i think my build would fall a part without it which is why i don't use Dark Consumption much.🤷‍♀️

I do agree it needs some love.

 

Edited September 26, 2021 by Chelsea Rorec

[DreadShinobi]

On 9/25/2021 at 1:54 PM, WindDemon21 said:

Dark Manipulation has a LOT of potential that is being widely underutilized and could use a few tweaks. First off would be to move death shroud to 20 and work like Dynamo does, so it can't detoggle only suppress, and gives a toggle sustain power as well. Then make Touch of the Beyond a ranged and wider area version of the new melee touch of fear. Shadow maul as well should receive the melee version treatment, and then lastly, on ALL versions, fix dark consumption to a much shorter recharge/higher damage/15ft radius. Something like 30-45s double damage of current, and 15ft radius, and boost most of the end vs the 1st target and scale from there.

Yeah I still don't understand why Death Shroud didn't get the Dynamo treatment when Elec Manip was changed.

[WindDemon21]

Still hoping they'll look into this for next update/patch, would be fantastic to play the "properly done" /dark on blasters.

[Snarky]

i parked my Dark/Dark Blaster.  i love Dark..... but it is meh.  Whereas Dark/Dark Brute (or Tank/Scrapper) meshes every power perfectly into a whole that is greater than the sum of it's part.....Dark/Dark Blaster fights against itself nearly every step of the way.  Meanwhile other Blaster powersets synergize so much easier.  

 

Love Dark.  Hate getting played for liking a theme.

[WindDemon21]

Yeah, these changes would just make the set feel right. For on, non-toggling off death shroud, but would hope for the larger radius orbiting death lol. But def need the dynamo treatment for the sustain as a toggle. That single target one is just annoying. Plus, that "ranged aoe" touch of fear is just WAITING for a ranged blaster version with a bigger radius, to replace the now fear thingy, which would become the new death dynamo. And dark consumption still NEEDS changed, on all versions (and consume). That 3 minute timer is just dumb, make it like 45s with more damage, more end per first target and less per additional.

 

Personally all versions of soul drain should be 90s too not 120, the benefit is its perma-able status, woudln't really go beyond that, but would let it use on itself on a high rech build, and just in general do that more easily. It still needs to hit to grant the bonuses, and needs a big mob to equal that of regular build ups so even at 90s, it still makes sense without OPing it.

 

Shadow maul also should get the wider treatment for obvious reasons.

[Frozen Burn]

I am okay with /Dark the way it is.  A couple tweaks, sure.  But mostly what is being suggested, I do not agree with.

If every blaster secondary had a toggle sustain power, it gets boring and repetitive.  I like that /Dark is different.  So I am fine with Touch of the Beyond and the mechanics of it being a click power.  I actually use the fear component and keep it in my rotation.  I also have a Chance to heal self proc in it too that goes off fairly often.  (I also like that /Ninja  and /Mental both have click sustain powers). 

 

I am fine with Death Shroud being just a damage toggle (not combined into a sustain power) and do not care that that it drops when you get stunned.  Yes, it sucks to have to turn it back on, but it's just like some of the other blaster secondaries (/fire and Hot Feet, /Sonic and Disruption Aura, and etc) where you have to do the same thing. 

 

I will agree a wider radius of DS other than the current 8ft would be nice, but I think Warshade Orbiting Death would be too large (20ft) - that's the same as Hot Feet which while HF does damage, it is also a control power as it makes foes run away (slowly).  /Atomic's Beta Decay is 15ft and /Sonic's Disruption Aura is 15ft.  So I would think a 15ft radius would be appropriate.  ( /Plant's Spore Cloud is 10ft and could also use a bump to 15ft.)

 

Soul Drain is fine the way it is.  A 90s recharge is too OP.  The buff lasts for 30s (while normal BU lasts for 10s).  With max recharge, you can already get SD down to 24s.  Also, I'm fine with not getting the full 100% damage buff with <10 mobs because the buff last longer than normal BU and I will do more overall damage.  AV fights where there is only 1 mob may be a different story - haven't crunched the numbers on that.  But still, I am fine SD the way it is.  

 

Dark Consumption is just like Consume in the /Fire set and Power Sink in the /Elec set in that it's largely unneeded as a +End power (except RARE times when getting sapped and -recov debuffed).  BUT I take it and slot it with damage sets and use it as another PBAOE damage power.  The only thing that needs to happen with Dark Consumption (imo) is the radius needs to be opened up from 8ft to 20ft to match Consume (and Power Sink opened up from 12ft to 20ft too).

 

And sure, Shadow Maul could use a wider arc - can't go too wide with that power!  🙂 

 

Again, just my opinion.

 

 

Edited April 12, 2022 by Frozen Burn

[WindDemon21]

33 minutes ago, Frozen Burn said:

I am okay with /Dark the way it is.  A couple tweaks, sure.  But mostly what is being suggested, I do not agree with.

If every blaster secondary had a toggle sustain power, it gets boring and repetitive.  I like that /Dark is different.  So I am fine with Touch of the Beyond and the mechanics of it being a click power.  I actually use the fear component and keep it in my rotation.  I also have a Chance to heal self proc in it too that goes off fairly often.  (I also like that /Ninja  and /Mental both have click sustain powers). 

 

I am fine with Death Shroud being just a damage toggle (not combined into a sustain power) and do not care that that it drops when you get stunned.  Yes, it sucks to have to turn it back on, but it's just like some of the other blaster secondaries (/fire and Hot Feet, /Sonic and Disruption Aura, and etc) where you have to do the same thing. 

 

I will agree a wider radius of DS other than the current 8ft would be nice, but I think Warshade Orbiting Death would be too large (20ft) - that's the same as Hot Feet which while HF does damage, it is also a control power as it makes foes run away (slowly).  /Atomic's Beta Decay is 15ft and /Sonic's Disruption Aura is 15ft.  So I would think a 15ft radius would be appropriate.  ( /Plant's Spore Cloud is 10ft and could also use a bump to 15ft.)

 

Soul Drain is fine the way it is.  A 90s recharge is too OP.  The buff lasts for 30s (while normal BU lasts for 10s).  With max recharge, you can already get SD down to 24s.  Also, I'm fine with not getting the full 100% damage buff with <10 mobs because the buff last longer than normal BU and I will do more overall damage.  AV fights where there is only 1 mob may be a different story - haven't crunched the numbers on that.  But still, I am fine SD the way it is.  

 

Dark Consumption is just like Consume in the /Fire set and Power Sink in the /Elec set in that it's largely unneeded as a +End power (except RARE times when getting sapped and -recov debuffed).  BUT I take it and slot it with damage sets and use it as another PBAOE damage power.  The only thing that needs to happen with Dark Consumption (imo) is the radius needs to be opened up from 8ft to 20ft to match Consume (and Power Sink opened up from 12ft to 20ft too).

 

And sure, Shadow Maul could use a wider arc - can't go too wide with that power!  🙂 

 

Again, just my opinion.

 

 

You basically explained every reason why it's actually annoying, and you just simply DON'T mind, check 1 in the "i don't care" column, but these changes for the majority of us are in WELL demand. I have YET to see an actual /dark blaster on homecoming and I'm on Everlasting where people will be more likely to choose theme over function.

 

That said, 90s soul drain, not op, still requires a to hit check, and it's radius is still only 10ft, so unless you're getting herds which you can't do yourself anyway, you're not hitting that 10 target cap often, and can't use it for burst without getting yourself wailed on like you can build up. I'd be ok if brought down to 90s, to lose a little damage/to hit from concurrent enemies, but still get the main buff off the first one. Continuous benefitting powers ie perma, are always more useful than situational ones. And with 120s base recharge, it just too awkardly times with most, and is an annoying struggle to perma, which you kinda always are going for.

 

Blaster sustains being a toggle is NOT repetitive. When it's not, it's ANNOYING. That's precisely WHY they changed force of thunder to have the sustain in a toggle via dynamo. And 222000000333%, it should NOT be on a click that requires a target to cast off. (drain psyche not included because of how it works and is WAY more regen/recovery able, it's a crazy different beast, though would prefer autohit). Even /energy, outside of the super lack of extra aoe (which come-on, whirling hands is RIGHT there, and boost range/power boost which already should be either auto/toggles, could go right into energize , which I'd also prefer a toggle obv. /energy is just too many clicks for little effectiveness vs rech/duration and how much you spam them to get any use out of them, but that's another thread).

 

Using it for the fear is also a VERY uncommon thing for most people, as most blaster primaries already have ways to either outright kill the enemy anyways, or mitigate a single target some other way. And the only heal procs that go in it are the panacea/PT ones anyway, and those are much better in health/stamina, and unless you're spamming it every single time it's up, is hardly any better doing that versus the chances in a toggle.

 

DS toggling off doesn't bother you? That's amazing, cause it bothers literally ANYONE else I talk to, toggles in general on all ATs should really only suppress not toggle off (and armors should stay active always that don't affect enemies IE resist/defense armors)

[Frozen Burn]

4 minutes ago, WindDemon21 said:

You basically explained every reason why it's actually annoying, and you just simply DON'T mind, check 1 in the "i don't care" column, but these changes for the majority of us are in WELL demand. I have YET to see an actual /dark blaster on homecoming and I'm on Everlasting where people will be more likely to choose theme over function.

 

That said, 90s soul drain, not op, still requires a to hit check, and it's radius is still only 10ft, so unless you're getting herds which you can't do yourself anyway, you're not hitting that 10 target cap often, and can't use it for burst without getting yourself wailed on like you can build up. I'd be ok if brought down to 90s, to lose a little damage/to hit from concurrent enemies, but still get the main buff off the first one. Continuous benefitting powers ie perma, are always more useful than situational ones. And with 120s base recharge, it just too awkardly times with most, and is an annoying struggle to perma, which you kinda always are going for.

 

Blaster sustains being a toggle is NOT repetitive. When it's not, it's ANNOYING. That's precisely WHY they changed force of thunder to have the sustain in a toggle via dynamo. And 222000000333%, it should NOT be on a click that requires a target to cast off. (drain psyche not included because of how it works and is WAY more regen/recovery able, it's a crazy different beast, though would prefer autohit). Even /energy, outside of the super lack of extra aoe (which come-on, whirling hands is RIGHT there, and boost range/power boost which already should be either auto/toggles, could go right into energize , which I'd also prefer a toggle obv. /energy is just too many clicks for little effectiveness vs rech/duration and how much you spam them to get any use out of them, but that's another thread).

 

Using it for the fear is also a VERY uncommon thing for most people, as most blaster primaries already have ways to either outright kill the enemy anyways, or mitigate a single target some other way. And the only heal procs that go in it are the panacea/PT ones anyway, and those are much better in health/stamina, and unless you're spamming it every single time it's up, is hardly any better doing that versus the chances in a toggle.

 

DS toggling off doesn't bother you? That's amazing, cause it bothers literally ANYONE else I talk to, toggles in general on all ATs should really only suppress not toggle off (and armors should stay active always that don't affect enemies IE resist/defense armors)

 

Again, those are my opinions and I respect yours.  I see plenty of /Dark on Torchbearer.  Certainly not as much as others, but I do see them.  And I don't think you can accurately say these changes are for the the majority of people - have you polled every player?  I am sure in your circle of friends, people may want these changes.  In my circle, they would agree more with me.  But CLEARLY, due to the lack of responses on this thread, it is NOT a majority of people in-game or even majority of Blaster fans.  You necro'ed this old thread that got no traction back in Sept.  You cast your vote (as is your right) and I'm casting mine (as is my right).  

 

And I never said DS detoggling didn't bother me - I agreed it sucks.  It is a pain to have to toggle back on.  But I am ok with it detoggling as it is a trade off for having a click sustain power.  But that all goes away anyway with incarnates as most blasters take Clarion or Barrier and they do not get mezzed.  If the Devs do decide to wrap it up into a sustain power, then okay - whatever.  It's just 1 less set that is unique and will then function like all the others.  Break out the cookie cutters.  

 

I know people (generally speaking) want it easy - most will prefer a toggle sustain power... But yeah, I am OKAY with click sustain powers.  You aren't and I recognize that others aren't too and I respect that.  But I also know some players who are ALSO OKAY with clickie sustain powers. 

 

And yes, a 90s Soul Drain is OP.  With max recharge, you can then have it down to 18s recharge, and with the buff lasting 30s, you would basically be able to have perma double Soul Drain.  And that, my friend, is in fact Overpowered.  

 

Soul Drain is about the tradeoffs compared to a regular BU power.  Yes, it requires a ToHit check and you have to wade into melee range to use it.  But it's also an attack and does damage (many times, i will outright kill minions with it), the buff lasts 3x longer than normal BU and anyone with reasonable +recharge can have it perma or close to perma.  Normal BU cannot be perma - the most you can get it down to is 18s recharge so there is 8s of no buff.  So if SD is NOT perma - that is okay - it's balanced!  And again, even if you do not get a full 10 mob SD and only get a few - that is also okay as the buff last 3x longer so you deal more damage over a longer time too.  Again, trade offs that work fine as is.  

 

Sorry, if you don't agree.  But I like the set as is except for the few tweaks I stated in my previous post.  

 

[WindDemon21]

1 hour ago, Frozen Burn said:

And yes, a 90s Soul Drain is OP.  With max recharge, you can then have it down to 18s recharge, and with the buff lasting 30s, you would basically be able to have perma double Soul Drain.  And that, my friend, is in fact Overpowered.  

 

Soul Drain is about the tradeoffs compared to a regular BU power.  Yes, it requires a ToHit check and you have to wade into melee range to use it.  But it's also an attack and does damage (many times, i will outright kill minions with it), the buff lasts 3x longer than normal BU and anyone with reasonable +recharge can have it perma or close to perma.  Normal BU cannot be perma - the most you can get it down to is 18s recharge so there is 8s of no buff.  So if SD is NOT perma - that is okay - it's balanced!  And again, even if you do not get a full 10 mob SD and only get a few - that is also okay as the buff last 3x longer so you deal more damage over a longer time too.  Again, trade offs that work fine as is.  

 

Except nobody ever hits max recharge, even final builds average about 1/4, so JUST perma, it's not OP, I guarantee it.

[Frozen Burn]

14 hours ago, WindDemon21 said:

Except nobody ever hits max recharge, even final builds average about 1/4, so JUST perma, it's not OP, I guarantee it.

 

Keep in mind, I am talking max recharge to self.  There is a cap that a single player can do by themselves before having to use outside help, like speed boost, to get more.  A character by themself cannot go beyond 1/5 (one fifth) of the base recharge of any power.  

 

I have a couple characters where I do build for personal max recharge and I know of others who do too.  I have an Archery/Device blaster where Rain of Arrows (60s base rech) recharges in 12s (one fifth of base) and Gun Drone, I can have 2 out at all times.  But then with Speed Boost, I can have 3 Gun Drones out. 

 

And no, perma SD is not OP.  Currently, you CAN get perma SD, if you work for it.  And if you really push hard to your personal max recharge, you can get it down to 24s, which gives you 6s of overlapping buffs.  And for the Devs to change SD from 120s to 90s, it's not a question of does anybody already slot so much recharge for it... it's a question of WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE to get the power so low.  And then with Speed Boost, you will be under that and get even more overlapping buffs. 

 

You can ask all you want, but I don't see the Devs ever changing the base recharge on SD. 

[arcane]

To me, the only two “problems” are Touch of the Beyond and Soul Drain.

 

1) Touch of the Beyond is fine by the numbers but just plain annoying to remember to use. It’s not just a click; unlike Ninja Training it’s a click that is a bad idea to set to auto-cast. I live with it and won’t lose my mind if they keep it as is, but no doubt it’s the worst Blaster sustain power.

 

2) Soul Drain is actually a great power due to buff uptime, but it basically means the set is a bad idea for an all ranged approach. Other sets share this problem; many of them contribute next to nothing at range… but a Build Up power is sort of more important than any of the other examples like /Fire, /Sonic, /Electric, /Mental, etc

 

Everything else is fine. And the set does fine provided you go in accepting (1) I’m building a Blapper here, not some sniper and (2) I’ll have to periodically check on Touch of the Beyond. 
 

Still, could totally be better. 

[Snarky]

7 hours ago, arcane said:

To me, the only two “problems” are Touch of the Beyond and Soul Drain.

 

1) Touch of the Beyond is fine by the numbers but just plain annoying to remember to use. It’s not just a click; unlike Ninja Training it’s a click that is a bad idea to set to auto-cast. I live with it and won’t lose my mind if they keep it as is, but no doubt it’s the worst Blaster sustain power.

 

2) Soul Drain is actually a great power due to buff uptime, but it basically means the set is a bad idea for an all ranged approach. Other sets share this problem; many of them contribute next to nothing at range… but a Build Up power is sort of more important than any of the other examples like /Fire, /Sonic, /Electric, /Mental, etc

 

Everything else is fine. And the set does fine provided you go in accepting (1) I’m building a Blapper here, not some sniper and (2) I’ll have to periodically check on Touch of the Beyond. 
 

Still, could totally be better. 

The original Devs seemed to have the attitude of the Santa character from Bad Santa.  That got drunk and ate the kids Advent calendar.  Then taped it back together with a bunch of random crap inside.  When the kid looks at him after pulling out a piece of candy corn instead of chocolate "They can't all be winners kid."

 

The original Devs were in over their heads.  Many have stated this game is accidentally great.  It was not the game they tried to build.  There are many reasons for this.  Multiple layers of management, multiple teams, changing design parameters, the code itself.  

 

Dark/Dark Blaster.  "They can't all be winners kid."

 

It is unfair to ask the current Dev staff to go back and fix everything in the old game.  Well, it won't work anyways.  We keep asking and they keep rolling their eyes and working on what they can.

[WindDemon21]

On 4/13/2022 at 11:07 AM, arcane said:

To me, the only two “problems” are Touch of the Beyond and Soul Drain.

 

1) Touch of the Beyond is fine by the numbers but just plain annoying to remember to use. It’s not just a click; unlike Ninja Training it’s a click that is a bad idea to set to auto-cast. I live with it and won’t lose my mind if they keep it as is, but no doubt it’s the worst Blaster sustain power.

 

2) Soul Drain is actually a great power due to buff uptime, but it basically means the set is a bad idea for an all ranged approach. Other sets share this problem; many of them contribute next to nothing at range… but a Build Up power is sort of more important than any of the other examples like /Fire, /Sonic, /Electric, /Mental, etc

 

Everything else is fine. And the set does fine provided you go in accepting (1) I’m building a Blapper here, not some sniper and (2) I’ll have to periodically check on Touch of the Beyond. 
 

Still, could totally be better. 

And death shroud. Shadow maul can be fine with a bumped up damage with the smaller cone, but an 8ft damage toggle on an AT with no mez protection and inherent defense, is just messed up. It doesn't even (which to this day astound me) have -to hit in it which it should on the melee versions as well. Both /fire and /elec were CHANGED due to this issue in the sustain, so that they only suppress and not toggle off when mezzed. Why this is an exact example where it should be changed like those to be in the sustain instead, where also making the sustain a toggle.

 

Soul drain as well, to anyone complaining about the uptime if it were changed to 90s base, don't forget, that it has a long cast time on top of the small radius, so even at max rech on a 90s base rech build, it's uptime would still really only for it to buff ITSELF and maybe one attack, while also not usually hitting the whole mob on a blaster that can't effectively herd them together like melee's can.

 

And touch of the beyond, yeah... lol it's just wretched as is, and should merge with death shroud as a toggle sustain. That or make it a wider area cloak of fear sustain, would be neater IMO, but DS still needs to be non-mezzable off.

[arcane]

42 minutes ago, WindDemon21 said:

And death shroud. Shadow maul can be fine with a bumped up damage with the smaller cone, but an 8ft damage toggle on an AT with no mez protection and inherent defense, is just messed up. It doesn't even (which to this day astound me) have -to hit in it which it should on the melee versions as well. Both /fire and /elec were CHANGED due to this issue in the sustain, so that they only suppress and not toggle off when mezzed. Why this is an exact example where it should be changed like those to be in the sustain instead, where also making the sustain a toggle.

 

Soul drain as well, to anyone complaining about the uptime if it were changed to 90s base, don't forget, that it has a long cast time on top of the small radius, so even at max rech on a 90s base rech build, it's uptime would still really only for it to buff ITSELF and maybe one attack, while also not usually hitting the whole mob on a blaster that can't effectively herd them together like melee's can.

 

And touch of the beyond, yeah... lol it's just wretched as is, and should merge with death shroud as a toggle sustain. That or make it a wider area cloak of fear sustain, would be neater IMO, but DS still needs to be non-mezzable off.

I don’t agree that a PBAoE toggle on a character without mez protection is a serious problem (hello Hot Feet, Beta Decay, Time’s Juncture, Venomous Gas, etc etc etc). The radius maybe is though, so, sure, play with that. I always thought it was pretty OP to make damage auras the sustain powers for /Fire and /Elec because it’s obvious to everyone until now that damage auras used to be things that came with serious endurance costs. But Blasters are just OP in general these days. If they want to adopt your way on Death Shroud, I won’t complain. Just don’t think it creates anywhere near the problems of a target click sustain and melee build up power that no other Blaster has to deal with. 
 

Don’t know the point of bringing up the fact that Soul Drain is only barely perma. It’s way way more perma than Build Up still. I don’t think it’s OP, but it would be if they made it Targeted AoE or something without changing anything else. I don’t have any problems with Soul Drain’s stats. My only problem with it is that it’s super counterproductive for Blasters that want to play at range to have a melee build up (and Dark/Dark would be one of the combos that is counterproductive since no TAoE so that’s kind of bad). Nearly every other secondary has counterproductive powers for all ranged blasters… but said powers are not their Build Ups. 

Edited April 14, 2022 by arcane

[WindDemon21]

11 hours ago, arcane said:

I don’t agree that a PBAoE toggle on a character without mez protection is a serious problem (hello Hot Feet, Beta Decay, Time’s Juncture, Venomous Gas, etc etc etc).

I mean, they really ALL are, that's the point. They really should have enemy affected toggles only suppress if mezzed, not toggle off. Not affecting the enemy when mezzed, sure fine obviously, but detoggling is just plain a PITA when there can be a zillion quick mezzes to toggle you off out of nowhere. It's just unnecessary, and for lots of, especially support sets, can be REALLY crutial when that happens too. (BIG STARE at rad emission, but lots of others as well)

[Indystruck]

Touch of the Beyond is real bad, yeah.

[Wravis]

On 4/12/2022 at 5:08 PM, WindDemon21 said:

You basically explained every reason why it's actually annoying, and you just simply DON'T mind, check 1 in the "i don't care" column, but these changes for the majority of us are in WELL demand. I have YET to see an actual /dark blaster on homecoming and I'm on Everlasting where people will be more likely to choose theme over function.

 

Look around for Ink. He's my water/dark blaster.

What's wrong with Touch from Beyond? Is it having to use it as part of a rotation? Not trying to be contrary, I just never had an issue with it but I could be missing something.

[WindDemon21]

On 4/25/2023 at 2:14 PM, Wravis said:

Look around for Ink. He's my water/dark blaster.

What's wrong with Touch from Beyond? Is it having to use it as part of a rotation? Not trying to be contrary, I just never had an issue with it but I could be missing something.

That you HAVE to use where most others are toggles and just always on. Those that aren't toggles, by and large also don't need an enemy to fire it off at least.

[Snarky]

Dark Dark is wonky and, in my opinion, will never be touched or fixed on HC.  That is for a Blaster.

 

But.... If you run Dark Dark Dark Corruptor all the wonkiness goes away and the thing lines up like someone designed it that way.  Which.....not a history buff.  wasnt this orig a corr thing ported over to blasters and....done with the normal "the plane hit the ground so it must have landed" precision...?

[Wravis]

3 minutes ago, Snarky said:

Dark Dark is wonky and, in my opinion, will never be touched or fixed on HC.  That is for a Blaster.

 

But.... If you run Dark Dark Dark Corruptor all the wonkiness goes away and the thing lines up like someone designed it that way.  Which.....not a history buff.  wasnt this orig a corr thing ported over to blasters and....done with the normal "the plane hit the ground so it must have landed" precision...?

Darkness Manipulation is definitely not a port of Dark Miasma. There's like no overlap. It's dark melee/armor stuff modified to be a blaster secondary.

[Snarky]

53 minutes ago, Wravis said:

Darkness Manipulation is definitely not a port of Dark Miasma. There's like no overlap. It's dark melee/armor stuff modified to be a blaster secondary.

Yeah, Dark Blast was originally Corr only, proliferated to Blasters issue 21.  And they made (and by made I mean they slapped something together and went to the bar.....at their desk) Dark Manipulation in issue 21 as well.  it got a rework in issue 27 and it still SUCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKSSS.

[capricorpse]

personally i do not like having my sustain power baked into an AoE DoT power.  i usually skip those, or use them in certain situations but not others, but now I can't on the sets that have everything stacked on it.  so i think the touch of beyond is refreshing in that it's not part of death shroud.