Revamp / Brainstorm about unused/underused Pools ?

[Spectral]

We know that the Fighting Pool, Speed Pool, Leaping, Leadership and a bunch of other get taken a lot...

 

Are there statistics about what pools never get taken in level 50 builds...? could be interesting to check out and maybe fix that by making other pools more attractive?

Presence, Experimentation and Force of Will could maybe be candidates for this?

Or maybe they can be merged with other pools to make those less attractive pools more attractive?

Like merging Presence with Force of Will and merging Experimentation with Medicine?

 

It could look something like this?

 

Experimental Medicine

1    Toxic Dart + Experimental Injection (foe)
    Ranged, Light DMG(Lethal), High(Toxic), -DMG(Foe, All), -Rech(Foe), -ToHit(Foe)

1    Injection + Experimental Injection (ally)
    Ranged, Ally +Regeneration, +Recovery, +Res(Status)

4    Speed of Sound
    Toggle: Self +Speed, (Special)
        > Jaunt
        Click, Self Teleport

14    Aid Self + Field Medic
    Self, Heal, +Res(Stun), +EndGain(Synergy), Special

20    Adrenal Booster
    Self, +To Hit, +Recharge, +Damage, +Special

 

Presence + Force of Will

1    Weaken Resolve + Pacify
    Ranged, Foe -Resist, -Defense, -To Hit, Placate (Foe)

1    Project Will, Provoke
    Targeted AoE, Light DMG(Psionic), Taunt (Foe)

4    Mighty Leap
    Toggle: Self Long Jump, (Special)
        > Takeoff
        PBAoE Melee, Self +Jump, Foe Knockdown

14    Wall of Force + Invoke Panic
    Ranged Cone, Minor DMG(Psionic/Smashing), Fear (Foe)

20    Unleash Potential + Unrelenting
    Self, +Regen, +Defense, +Rech, +Rec, Self Resurrect (Special)
        used to be (for reference):
        Self, +Regen, +Recovery, +Defense
        Self, Heal over Time, +DMG(All), +Rech, +Rec, Self Resurrect (Special)

Edited September 20, 2022 by Spectral
added merge idea

[Yaliw]

There are a lot of dud powers that I'd like to see improved but it's such a low priority for a variety of reasons that nobody can agree on.

 

I won't go into specifics but there are powers that are bad then there are powers that are simply niche. Presence is niche. There are some here that even swear by it (tankerminds). They aren't bad powers though. So it is something to remember when you don't see many people with them.

[Clave Dark 5]

The best explanation I've gotten is "they're dud powers because they're supposed to be and always have been" ha ha.  But I do think they should all be usable enough to be a functional niche choice for someone who wants to do that niche.

[plainguy]

There is a thread in general forums about power pool toons. 

Basically the rule is you pick 2 powers from your primary and secondary until level 4 where power pools are available. 
Then you can ONLY pick powers from the power pools to build your character.
So don't need to tell you, many cool builds which are capped out with defenses and resistances with IOs.

I have created a few and they work out decently.. There were some key powers sets that worked well. Like shield and Ninjutsu. 
I also have many Petless and Semi-Petless masterminds.

I would love to see a Massive power pool where you have the option to picked several powers at a specific level as per the norm, but then other powers are grayed out.  
As you can see to some degree the builds are set up in such way where you don't have the total option to gimp yourself  IF you work with Invention set bonuses.  (<- That is key )

But I also get they don't want you having the best powers from each set or power pool as well.

But it would be nice to have a free form build.