Two changes for VEATs in the new patch. TT:Offensive and Placate

[KaizenSoze]

@Bopper The awesome person that he is, found a bug in TT:Offensive, which is fixed in this patch.

• Combat Training: Offensive (Arachnos Soldiers and Widows): Removed the IgnoreStrength flag from the +Accuracy effect to allow slotted Accuracy to enhance it. The power is now set to Ignore Strength from external sources which will allow slotted enhancements to buff the accuracy effect, but not outside powers.

 

Placate is now an quick firing AOE with a cap of five targets.

 

The Placate targeted power, typically found in Stalker power sets has been changed to meet the following standards:

• Range 60ft (some versions were set at 50ft)
• Cast time 0.8s, down from 1.5s (sometimes 1.67s)
• Instant Hit (down from 0.5s delay upon activation)
• Changed from Single Target into 15ft radius Sphere AoE
• Target Cap increased from 1 to 5

This applies to the following set categories:

• Stalker Melee
• Bane Spider Soldier
• Widow Teamwork

Edited November 5, 2021 by KaizenSoze

[carroto]

I looked at the DPAS of Placate for Banes here.  Here are the numbers with the new Placate, which will have a 1.056 second Arcanatime activation.

 

Attack DPAS numbers:

Bash - 45.6

Pulverize - 69.3

Shatter - 61.84

Crowd Control - 52.3

 

Placate (used with attack) DPAS numbers:

Bash Placate - 34.2

Pulverize Placate- 56.3

Shatter Placate - 73.2

Crowd Control Placate - 55.5

 

So new Placate can actually improve your DPS when used with Shatter.  As a quick way of determining this, generally if an attack has more than double the animation time of Placate, then it will probably be worth using Placate with it.

Edited November 7, 2021 by carroto
clarity

[tidge]

I have a "hot take" (no testing, judge me) based on my use of Placate (and Pacify) in Homecoming since spring 2019.

 

For VEATs, it's pretty much only the Bane's Shatter that I see this as being really useful for 90% of most content. The power pick Placate comes too late for VEAT (level 26 for Banes, level 28 for Widows) as opposed to Stalkers (level 12) to really make that much of a difference. [sidebar: VEAT's long wait for Placate is one of the reasons why I think it would be nice to allow Pacify (Presence pool) to act like Placate for VEATs and Stalkers] I realize that MOST of the game is played above these levels (including Exemplar content that would allow VEAT's Placate)... and if you are playing Red side only it is possible to need to "solo kite" the AV heroes that start appearing in the level 30+ missions... but otherwise I question the play circumstances that are going to make this a preferred power pick for VEAT.

 

I like the changes a LOT more for (low level) Stalkers. It won't be everyone's cuppa, but my experiences have been that (unless you are playing Ouro missions with no enhancement bonuses) it's pretty much only at the low levels where solo players can regularly get in over their head.

 

[KaizenSoze]

I wasn't seeing any better times on Trapdoor tests.

 

I think the new placate will have some defensive utility.

 

Being able to remove five targets attacking when you're getting overwhelmed should be helpful.

 

@carroto

 

Would be interesting to see what benefits most on Night Widows.

 

Right now, I pair placate with Slash, since that is by far NW's strongest single target attack.

 

But that doesn't follow the double animation guideline. Only NW AOEs are double the animation time on the new placate.

[carroto]

Pulling numbers from CoD for Widows and I'm not sure I'm doing it right.  If I am then the crits are not 50% damage.  Maybe I should have done this for Banes as well instead of just calculating them at 50% of base damage.

Attack numbers:

Swipe - 57.8 damage, 1.056 anim, 54.8 DPAS | crit - 29.7 damage (51%)

Strike - 95.5 damage, 1.32 anim, 72.3 DPAS | crit - 53.3 damage (56%)

Lunge - 123.7 damage, 1.056 anim, 117.1 DPAS | crit - 67.6 damage (55%)

Slash - 174.9 damage, 1.584 anim, 110.4 DPAS | crit - 101.75 (58%)

 

Presuming those are correct, here are the new Placate numbers:

Placate (used with attack) DPAS numbers:

Swipe Placate - 28.1

Strike Placate - 50.5

Lunge Placate - 64.0

Slash Placate - 96.4

 

So new Placate when used with Slash is better DPAS than Swipe or Strike.  I'm not sure it's so compelling that it's worth the power pick in a tight build, but seems worthwhile if you can fit it in, or just want it for theme.

[KaizenSoze]

Experience from the beta server. The extra damage is nice, but the defensive power of the new placate is the special sauce.

 

Getting swarmed, placate.

 

Need to take an annoying mob of the fight. While you deal with the other annoying mob, placate.

 

You get the picture.

[tidge]

11 hours ago, KaizenSoze said:

Experience from the beta server. The extra damage is nice, but the defensive power of the new placate is the special sauce.

 

Getting swarmed, placate.

 

Need to take an annoying mob of the fight. While you deal with the other annoying mob, placate.

 

You get the picture.

 

What did you give up in your test build to add Placate?

[KaizenSoze]

38 minutes ago, tidge said:

 

What did you give up in your test build to add Placate?

TT:Offensive. I like that %33 toHit resistance, but something had to give.