Focused Feedback: Various Power Changes

[Maelwys]

2 minutes ago, ScarySai said:

 

Oh, my mistake. I skimmed over barrier being active in my morning rush.

 No worries, I'm exactly the same myself pre-caffeine! 😁

[Carnifax]

Is this where fixing EMP Arrow feedback should go? I hope so.

 

Seems fixed now but visually it was hard to tell who was affected. Can't remember if it was always like that (I vaguely remember them doing the "punchdrunk" animation). Maybe something like Tesla Cage FX might be a good idea. 

[Wavicle]

5 hours ago, Maelwys said:

They're currently perma-softcapped whenever i'm running Barrier.

 +4.42% from Maneuvers
 +5.00% from the Edict of the Master +Def Unique
+12.80% from the first Protector Bot Bubble

+12.80% from the second Protector Bot Bubble
 +6.00% from Barrier Core Epiphany (+5% regular with an extra 20% added to it from the Agility Alpha Slot is +6% total)
 +5.00% from the Call to Arms Unique

Subtotal = 46.02% Defence (as per the second screenshot)


But (unfortunately) they will stop being softcapped if the proposed changes go live.
 

 +4.42% from Maneuvers
 +5.00% from the Edict of the Master +Def Unique
+22.19% from a single Protector Bot Bubble (12.8/7.5*13)
 +6.00% from Barrier Core Epiphany
 +5.00% from the Call to Arms Unique

Subtotal = 42.61% Defence.

The totals in each of the positional defence categories in my screenshots are correct. The defence from the Call To Arms unique is already getting added at the very bottom of each of the positional defence categories. It's just that it is being lumped within a subheading named "Base Defence" instead of being listed individually.

It's only a few percent, but the difference between softcap vs nearly-softcap is pretty major. Hence my suggestion that if this is intended as a quality of life change... then surely it would be better to just change the defensive numbers for the Protector Bots; rather than the MM or the other henchmen.
And as far as I'm aware (from my own experience tweak my i24 test server) the most straightforward change would just require duplicating the Force Shield power and flagging one of the copies as [AoE/only affects robotic henchmen/stacks from different sources]; and the other as [ST/only affects owner/never stacks from any source]. That'd mean the Protector Bots would just need to throw up a single bubble each once every four minutes as an AoE (2x 7.5% base, affects all henchmen) plus one of them throwing another on their owner (1x 7.5% base, affects the player). The stat magnitudes would't need touched, so it'd solve the start-of-mission-setup delay and Protector Bot +Defence issues without affecting anything else.

Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the Defense portion of Barrier only lasts 5-10 seconds.

[Maelwys]

21 minutes ago, Wavicle said:

Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the Defense portion of Barrier only lasts 5-10 seconds.

Depends on the Barrier tier.
https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Destiny_Slot_Abilities#Barrier

The Core Epiphany is the one that can be "perma" as recharges in 120s and has a (small) component of its buff that lasts for all 120s.
https://cod.uberguy.net./html/power.html?power=incarnate.destiny.barrier_core_epiphany
+ Grants 5% Defence for 120s
+ Grants 2.5% Defence for 60s (so 7.5% total)
+ Grants 25% Defence for 30s (so 32.5% total)
+ Grants 57.5% Defence for 10s (so 90% total)

It also gets affected by any Alpha Slot buffs, so you can multiply those +defence values by 1.2 if you're running an Agility or Nerve Alpha.

(It has identical values for +resistance% as well; but the +defence% is obviously the one we're talking about for softcapping!)

Edited November 9, 2021 by Maelwys

[Wavicle]

2 minutes ago, Maelwys said:

Depends on the Barrier tier.
https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Destiny_Slot_Abilities#Barrier

The Core Epiphany is the one that can be "perma" as recharges in 120s and has a (small) component of its buff that lasts for all 120s.
https://cod.uberguy.net./html/power.html?power=incarnate.destiny.barrier_core_epiphany
+ Grants 5% Defence for 120s
+ Grants 2.5% Defence for 60s (so 7.5% total)
+ Grants 55% Defence for 30s (so 62.5% total)
+ Grants 57.5% Defence for 10s (so 120% total)

It also gets affected by any Alpha Slot buffs, so you can multiply those +defence values by 1.2 if you're running an Agility or Nerve Alpha.

This is not what the numbers in game say.

 

The in game numbers very clearly indicate that the defense portion last no longer than 10 seconds even on the tier 4.

 

Unless the in game  numbers are wrong?

And WHAT? Alpha buffs Destiny? Since when?

Edited November 9, 2021 by Wavicle

[Wavicle]

8 minutes ago, Maelwys said:

Depends on the Barrier tier.
https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Destiny_Slot_Abilities#Barrier

The Core Epiphany is the one that can be "perma" as recharges in 120s and has a (small) component of its buff that lasts for all 120s.
https://cod.uberguy.net./html/power.html?power=incarnate.destiny.barrier_core_epiphany
+ Grants 5% Defence for 120s
+ Grants 2.5% Defence for 60s (so 7.5% total)
+ Grants 25% Defence for 30s (so 32.5% total)
+ Grants 57.5% Defence for 10s (so 90% total)

It also gets affected by any Alpha Slot buffs, so you can multiply those +defence values by 1.2 if you're running an Agility or Nerve Alpha.

 

Ok, I literally just tested it and yes I see, the in game numbers ARE WRONG. Barrier t4 absolutely includes 120 seconds Defense buff (in the combat stats window), but the numbers indicate only the 10 second buff (in the powers info).

As for Alpha buffing Destiny, that's INSANE and sounds to me like a bug. Alpha should not be buffing things that cannot be slotted.

Edited November 9, 2021 by Wavicle

[Maelwys]

1 minute ago, Wavicle said:

 

Ok, I literally just tested it and yes I see, the in game numbers ARE WRONG. Barrier t4 absolutely includes 120 seconds Defense buff (in the combat stats window), but the numbers indicate only the 10 second buff (in the powers info).

As for Alpha buffing Destiny, that's INSANE and sounds to me like a bug. Alpha should not be buffing things that cannot be slotted.

As far as I'm aware Alpha Slot buffs have always buffed the other Incarnate Abilities (except for +recharge, which if I rmeember correctly was specifically disallowed by the devs since it'd make things like Lore and Judgement and Destiny too powerful to be up more regularly)

 

 

[Wavicle]

Is the same thing true of the Resistance portion if you have Cardiac or the Healing of Rebirth or anything else?

What about other iSlots?

Edited November 9, 2021 by Wavicle

[Maelwys]

14 minutes ago, Wavicle said:

Is the same thing true of the Resistance portion if you have Cardiac or the Healing of Rebirth or anything else?

Yep.

 

Quote

What about other iSlots?

As far as I know it applies to everything except for +recharge%.
So... if you have a Musculature Alpha, then that should buff the damage of your Lore and Judgement powers, etc.
I'll admit I've not tested all of them, but it's rather easy to see the effect in the combat stats window for things like "Barrier".

Edit: Yep, quick check shows the Judgement Ability is showing a very sizable difference in damage numbers with/without Musculature Alpha slotted.

 

 

Edited November 9, 2021 by Maelwys

[Wavicle]

Crazy, I had no idea.

 

Ok, well yes, the in game numbers for the barriers are messed up, but thank you for setting me straight and for the new info.

[Riverdusk]

Yep, have taken advantage of Vigor Alpha buffing Rebirth Destiny.  IIRC you can be running around with a minimum +290% regen buff at all times combining the two.  Not too shabby. 

[DoctorDitko]

Weighing in to say,  I love that Propel now shows the same weird objects to all teammates.

 

It was pointed out to me that the position and orientation of these objects are still inconsistent among characters, after the attack we all saw them in different places.

 

Not a bug per se, and certainly not a complaint, I'm sure the Devs have more important things to do, just pointing it out. 

 

Again, many thanks for allowing me to say, "Eat Buick, b*tch!" and not have my teammates think me insane (for that reason, at least).                                                                                                                                                                      

[KeepDistance]

On 11/9/2021 at 3:15 PM, Maelwys said:

Yep.

 

As far as I know it applies to everything except for +recharge%.
So... if you have a Musculature Alpha, then that should buff the damage of your Lore and Judgement powers, etc.
I'll admit I've not tested all of them, but it's rather easy to see the effect in the combat stats window for things like "Barrier".

Edit: Yep, quick check shows the Judgement Ability is showing a very sizable difference in damage numbers with/without Musculature Alpha slotted.

 

 

 

I'm not seeing this with Vorpal. Testing other Judgment powers now...

 

Edit: Oh, wait. I was right clicking on the power in the Incarnate Create tab. If I right click on the power in the Incarnate Equip tab, I see boosted numbers.

 

That's... odd, I guess. I never thought they'd be different.

 

Also! I can't believe that I've put this many thousands of hours into playing this game and am still learning new things. (Just the other day I learned about the secret bunker entrance on Keyes that only stalkers can use.)

Edited November 11, 2021 by KeepDistance

[KeepDistance]

On 11/9/2021 at 3:10 PM, Wavicle said:

 

Ok, I literally just tested it and yes I see, the in game numbers ARE WRONG. Barrier t4 absolutely includes 120 seconds Defense buff (in the combat stats window), but the numbers indicate only the 10 second buff (in the powers info).

 

I'm about 85% sure the powers info used to be correct and they got broken sometime around issue 27 page 1. Sometime around when the full description of the power got truncated.

[Wavicle]

10 minutes ago, KeepDistance said:

 

I'm about 85% sure the powers info used to be correct and they got broken sometime around issue 27 page 1. Sometime around when the full description of the power got truncated.

i thought so

[gameboy1234]

On 11/2/2021 at 4:04 PM, Booper said:

Portable Workbench

• This is now a mobile NPC that will follow the player around.
• No longer uses world collision.

 

Could other pets be looked as well?  This is a screenshot of my Umbra Beast.  Its collision box is huge, in the screenshot I'm running at the pet and I can't get any closer than what you see here, which is roughly a meter away from any point on the pet.  I can't walk through or push the thing and it's roughly the size of Texas.  If nothing else, shrinking the collision box would be a start.  I think if we clip a bit through the model that would be fine, my dog won't mind having its toes stepped on.  I think the best idea would be to make all pets not collide with players so we can walk through them, like MM pets.

 

[Without_Pause]

I haven't had the time to look into getting on beta, but has anybody looked at the Savage changes to give feedback? Is Hemo worth taking?

[aethereal]

1 hour ago, Without_Pause said:

I haven't had the time to look into getting on beta, but has anybody looked at the Savage changes to give feedback? Is Hemo worth taking?

 

It doesn't look like a major difference to me -- maybe outside of PvP.

 

Hemorrhage just got a fiery embrace bugfix, it's a no-op unless you're playing savage/fire.

 

Savage Strike got a fiery embrace bugfix, a nerf of its DoT damage (which was never that big) in PvP, and, for scrappers, it accidentally had a half-strength crit that's been brought up to full strength.  This is the tier-1, it's not going to be game changing for crit damage only to be increased by 33%.

 

Shred actually got a generalized damage bump...  of 7.5%.

 

Rending Flurry got an endurance change, plus a PvP change.

 

Maiming Slash got a PvP-only change.

 

I doubt that anyone will particularly notice these changes, except PvPers.  I mean, it's nice to have things that were broken, fixed, but I can't imagine that it will change anyone's take on the set.

[Without_Pause]

5 hours ago, aethereal said:

 

It doesn't look like a major difference to me -- maybe outside of PvP.

The changes seem to be negative towards PvP, and to be honest, I don't care about that aspect. I like the set, but I'm honestly playing it due to the feel. I fear it will end up being lackluster in the end. I was hoping changes to it would make it better. 

[aethereal]

10 hours ago, Without_Pause said:

The changes seem to be negative towards PvP, and to be honest, I don't care about that aspect. I like the set, but I'm honestly playing it due to the feel. I fear it will end up being lackluster in the end. I was hoping changes to it would make it better. 

I'm in the same boat, and I'm still mad that stalker hemorrhage was nerfed in the last page.  I acknowledge that it was a bug, but it provided a real reason to play Savage.

Edited November 16, 2021 by aethereal

[Sovera]

11 minutes ago, aethereal said:

I'm in the same boat, and I'm still mad that stalker hemorrhage was nerfed in the last page.  I acknowledge that it was a bug, but it provides a real reason to play Savage.

 

A rare case of managing that a power is not taken on all ATs 😄

[Unknown Magi]

Not sure if this is where this goes, but it didn't seem to fit anywhere else.  Why the massive nerf to the P2W amplifiers?  Personally, I really liked that they were cheaper at lower levels, it made them more accessible to smooth out the early levels for characters who weren't cheesed to the gills by level 10.  I frequently used them for leveling myself.  With the cost change, they're now *much* less accessible and attractive to the players who would potentially get the most value out of them (those who aren't swimming in inf and are at the lower levels), and the people who can afford to drop that many millions on a buff are probably running challenge modes which turn them off anyway.  Seems like an odd choice of a random thing to nerf in a second build.

[ZephyrWind]

P2W Amplifiers

• Can now be deleted.
• The countdown timer now uses "UsageTime" instead of "LifeTimeInGame". This will prevent the time from running down if the power is disabled (e.g. challenge modes).
• Price no longer scales with level. The price is now set to 2.5M influence/hour.

 

Whoa, whoa, whoa, what?  so it now costs 20 million inf EACH for a full 8 hours of amplifiers?  so 60 million per new character?  Isn't this a little much?

 

[Mr Pierce]

18 hours ago, ZephyrWind said:

P2W Amplifiers

• Can now be deleted.
• The countdown timer now uses "UsageTime" instead of "LifeTimeInGame". This will prevent the time from running down if the power is disabled (e.g. challenge modes).
• Price no longer scales with level. The price is now set to 2.5M influence/hour.

 

Whoa, whoa, whoa, what?  so it now costs 20 million inf EACH for a full 8 hours of amplifiers?  so 60 million per new character?  Isn't this a little much?

 

I also have to question this change as well. That's ridiculous. Either these boosts need to see substantial buffs or the price come down. I use this on new characters for the first few levels (25 or so). There is no need to raise the price this much for a level 1 character. Increase it over $1,000 if you must, but $2.5 mil is a bit extreme.

[Psi]

On 11/17/2021 at 3:21 PM, ZephyrWind said:

P2W Amplifiers

• Can now be deleted.
• The countdown timer now uses "UsageTime" instead of "LifeTimeInGame". This will prevent the time from running down if the power is disabled (e.g. challenge modes).
• Price no longer scales with level. The price is now set to 2.5M influence/hour.

 

Whoa, whoa, whoa, what?  so it now costs 20 million inf EACH for a full 8 hours of amplifiers?  so 60 million per new character?  Isn't this a little much?

 

Yeah this REALLY freakin' sucks for altaholics. This is how I make it through the first 20 levels without going crazy. What's the reason for this change?