New Issues slowly changing the game experience drastically

[nihilii]

The following is interesting to me.

Just two years ago, when I leveled a character the normal way, I would want to slot those Dam/Rech level 1 IOs, then the ATOs as soon as available. Great enhancement efficiency, and set bonuses.

Now that we've got SOs starting at level 1, and easy upgrades? It's so much more efficient to stick with SOs until level 30 or so, save for a couple uniques.

Not to mention SO % enhancing at low levels turn you into an absolute powerhouse. Cram those attacks with 3 damage SOs right away, take care of accuracy with amplifiers (only 1k inf for 8 hours at level 1), the Hydra buff until level 22, the Kismet +tohit unique. Enemies start dropping at such a lethal rate it's hard to entertain the official story ("yes, I *arrested* those skulls with my battle axe").

Perhaps that leads us to the next reason for these positive feelings. Devs really are doing a bang-up job rebalancing the lacking powersets. The new Battle Axe? Fantastic stuff. I think it's even better for those of us who built lowered expectations for these powersets over the years - and now get to be awed with the performance.

It's honestly impressive this game and its supposedly finite amount of content and depth keeps getting better and better with the years. I applaud both the systemic strength underpinning CoH's design ideas, and the care our awesome devs have put to be both responsible maintainers and add just a bit of extra spice where it helps.

[Glacier Peak]