How are you guys feeling about Psionic Melee?

[Replacement]

I'd like to get a discussion going on it so we can have a central place for SCORE to see and even feel free to weigh in.  Keep it on the task at hand without a lot of noise about other new sets, please.  Ideally, we'd get a thread going for every "new-to-us" power set.

 

What are your guys thoughts and experiences with Psionic melee?  What ATs were you using?

 

For myself, I've only played on a Scrapper, paired with /Energy.  Mostly solo, only ~25 now.

 

I'm quite enjoying it, but Insight just giving additional DoT is actually pretty lame.  Something like -ToHit (to simulate you reading their moves) would've been good, but I can understand how that's Dark Melee's turf.  A grab-bag of effects on per-attack basis would've been nice though.

 

In lieu of a huge creative overhaul, however, I would be thrilled with a strong but short-lived -regen and -heal while Insight is up.  Getting real tired of these Freakshow healing through my DoT when I try to optimize my DPS.

 

I'm also usually pretty annoyed at Insight Lockout.  It feels like it lasts too long.  A part of me says "it's there to inconvenience Fury and give you a reason to take a moment to breathe" but that doesn't really hold up to scrutiny.

 

Anyway, your thoughts and feedback.  Go!

[jack_nomind]

I'd like it if Telepathic/Psi Blade (lethal/psi, with -rech like other Psi sets) and Telekinetic Might (mostly smashing, with Insight) were separate sets.  MIND FIST is one of my favorite power animations in the game and my MIND FIST concepts never work terribly well with psylocke-sword.

 

Since that's unlikely, I'd like it if the set did more upfront Smashing or Lethal, with Insight proccing as psionic -- and if the blade powers stripped away Psi resist.  There are a ton of psi-heavy enemy factions at higher levels and they all take psi damage about as hard as flung mashed potatoes.

[capsmackdown]

SO far have made it to 29 on a scrapper, paired with willpower. I'm quite enjoying it, though I may enjoy it more with a different defensive powerset. The problem I'm having is not enough attack powers. that being said, I may not take the last one because it don't even seem like a mellee attack. Insight doesn't seem to do anything for me. maybe mix in a debuff effect or somehow make it noticibly useful.

 

[Replacement]

I've noticed the strange hole in my attack chain for sure. I have every single attack picked up so far and I still need a pool power when there isn't enough fuel for my +recharge taunt aura.

 

As for animation stuff, I was also slightly disappointed that it would have the and problem as fire melee, where sometimes the sword doesn't fit, and other times you don't ever want it put away.

 

Am I the only person who's noticed how absurdly right-hand dominant the set is?

 

Lockout Last night was my first time playing with Greater Psi blade. It feels powerful but this mechanic never lets me feel like I'm making a good decision.  For the uninitiated:

If you have Insight up when you use Greater Psi Blade, it deals a bunch of extra damage and applies a second instance of Hold. BUT it also removes Insight.

The kicker for me is that it doesn't simply remove Insight: it moves you straight to the lockout phase (a period of time where all attacks have a 0% chance of gaining insight).

 

This is a real bummer. I had hopes this would be the ticket to avoiding lockout altogether, with optimal play revolving around using your other attacks until Lockout is nearing, and then performing a Greater Psi Blade to purge off Insight at the last moment.

 

My current assessment:

I'm clearly focusing too much on the Insight gimmick. The chance for insight isn't that high in the first place, and then the Lockout phases do their thing, so it feels like Insight is never there when you need it (namely, solo/low-man) and too easy to forget about in a full party (because there's no way that DoT will be allowed to play out fully).

[Solarverse]

The issue I am having is the animations. Very bland some of them. I was hoping for Psi Blades with maybe some animations that mimic Katana. Some of those animations are similar to the old /warmup command. Very lazy animation work if you ask me. Also, not a fan of Levate as the top tier ability, or the Confuse power instead of another Damage ability with perhaps a Stun or Knock Down.

[Mr. Vee]

I'm having fun with it mid 30s. I mostly just ignore the insight mechanic apart from throwing a couple quick hits on a boss to trigger it before using greater psi blade. I'm sure if you paid attention you could work it for more optimal DPS but it seems to kill quick enough so far and I've never been one for being too concerned with attack chain. My only real complaint so far is the knockup in the tier 9 will often take your target of of melee range.

[AkuTenshiiZero]

It's OK.  Psi damage is always kinda OP, but it's fine.  I only wish there was a way to replace all the fist animations with more blade animations, even though the damage type would still be smashing/psi, I just want to have the Psylocke blade on all the powers for theming.

 

Or just something that isn't a big ghost fist.  I get that some people like that and that's fine, but I'd love the option to swap it out.

[Solarverse]

It's OK.  Psi damage is always kinda OP, but it's fine.  I only wish there was a way to replace all the fist animations with more blade animations, even though the damage type would still be smashing/psi, I just want to have the Psylocke blade on all the powers for theming.

 

Or just something that isn't a big ghost fist.  I get that some people like that and that's fine, but I'd love the option to swap it out.

 

+1

 

You hit the nail right on the head. Some of the animations need to be a bit more flashy, instead of looking stiff, and more Psi Blade, less ghost fist.

[Mr. Vee]

I like the variety in animations. If anything moar fist.

[drbuzzard]

SO far have made it to 29 on a scrapper, paired with willpower. I'm quite enjoying it, though I may enjoy it more with a different defensive powerset. The problem I'm having is not enough attack powers. that being said, I may not take the last one because it don't even seem like a mellee attack. Insight doesn't seem to do anything for me. maybe mix in a debuff effect or somehow make it noticibly useful.

 

I'm not sure what you're experiencing in terms of resistance, but it doesn't much synch up with what I see. I have a 50 psi/wp sent and psi damage is pretty poorly resisted at endgame to be quite honest and I like that quite a bit. It is a fact that lethal is the most resisted damage type in the game, and smashing is probably a close second so you're asking for less effectiveness. The only things terribly resistant to psi are certain robots (not even all, as praetorian robots don't seem to resist very much).

 

As for psi melee, I have a 34 brute and I think it's a splendid set. The fast animations are great for building fury, and while it is a bit short on AOEs, the ones it has are pretty good with reasonably short recharge. Now I suppose some people like a utility power in every set, but I could definitely do without Boggle. Then again I also appreciate being able to skip powers as I always end up with a fair number of pool powers.

 

I didn't notice Insight being a DoT but just a damage boost. When I have Insight and I smack someone with Greater Psi Sword it packs some extra wallop.

[Vanden]

Psi damage is always kinda OP

 

This is a common misconception among players. While it’s true that Psi defenses are rare for players, it’s absolutely not true for NPCs. Resistance numbers upwards of 60% are extremely common among late-game enemies, to the point that, on average, Psi is one of the most-resisted Damage types, up there with Smashing and Lethal.

[drbuzzard]

Psi damage is always kinda OP

 

This is a common misconception among players. While it’s true that Psi defenses are rare for players, it’s absolutely not true for NPCs. Resistance numbers upwards of 60% are extremely common among late-game enemies, to the point that, on average, Psi is one of the most-resisted Damage types, up there with Smashing and Lethal.

 

I'd like to see numbers on that. My experience with a psi sentinel really doesn't reflect this. The only things which have solid psi resistance are council or skyraider robots (praetorian ones for some reason have little psi resistance), and users of psi damage themselves (I can't name them all, but they are just parts of factions like wisps, fortunatas, and others).

 

I also have a high level sentinel with lethal damage (archery) and psi is so much less resisted than that it is utterly laughable.

[Chance Jackson]

I'm a fan of the set, I was looking for a set that could replicate Gon's JaJanken(rock & scissors at least) as well as Green Lantern powers, the set works well at that

[Solarverse]

I'm a fan of the set, I was looking for a set that could replicate Gon's JaJanken(rock & scissors at least) as well as Green Lantern powers, the set works well at that

 

Green Lantern? I would say more like Red Lanterns.  :D

[Erydanus]

I like the set overall. It took a bit to clock that it is Psi MELEE and not Psi Blade. I wouldn't want it split though, it's a nice variety.

 

Mental Strike is complete ass. I know it's one of those weak/fast filler attacks and the damage numbers are good on paper, but there's something "off" about this one. I can't put my finger on it but it feel disruptive to use it. I think I'm going to replace it with Air Superiority. It'd be nice if it did something like the TK equivalent of Parry from Broadsword but like maybe 5% instead of Parry's 15%?. Maybe the issue is in the animation.

 

On stalker, the Assassins Psi Blade feels more touchy than any other assassin's strike I've used. It almost seems to self-interrupt a lot. I'll go to use it and the camera will start to pivot and the power use will cancel and I'll be "wut? WUT?" At first I thought I was hitting the power while still moving but I've been watching it and I've been at a complete stop when I hit the button and it still fails sometimes. If there's some factor AS powers use to check, this one needs loosening up by a second or something like that.

 

I'm not sure how much damage the insight DOT really is. I've just been trusting it's worthwhile and when Insight shows up I try to use several attacks and end with Greater Psi Blade since it terminates insight and when that happens Lockout begins.  I definltely enjoy how GPB turns into "Insight Strike!"

 

Boggle is supposed to contribute to triggering insight, because attacking a foe who you have confused has a greater chance. But in practice it doesn't seem so helpful.  Maybe Lockout could be removed by using the set's build up move Concentration? Maybe attacking a boggled foe would give a chance of ending lockout early?

 

Does it bug anyone else with two TK knockup moves, neither of them has any -fly?

[Galaxy Brain]

Itd be nice if we could choose between the fists and swords per attack

[Mr. Vee]

I'm a fan of the set, I was looking for a set that could replicate Gon's JaJanken(rock & scissors at least) as well as Green Lantern powers, the set works well at that

 

Green Lantern? I would say more like Red Lanterns.  :D

 

WTB ultraviolet power tinting.

[Chance Jackson]

I'm a fan of the set, I was looking for a set that could replicate Gon's JaJanken(rock & scissors at least) as well as Green Lantern powers, the set works well at that

 

Green Lantern? I would say more like Red Lanterns.  :D

Well you can tint the set however you like lol

[Solarverse]

I'm a fan of the set, I was looking for a set that could replicate Gon's JaJanken(rock & scissors at least) as well as Green Lantern powers, the set works well at that

 

Green Lantern? I would say more like Red Lanterns.  :D

Well you can tint the set however you like lol

 

Haha, that's the beauty of it, right?  :D

[Leogunner]

Itd be nice if we could choose between the fists and swords per attack

 

I thought the same thing. Like if the sets gimmick was more akin to dual pistols or staff and psi melee would have toggles that change the damage typing between psi/lethal and psi/smashing.

[MrAxe]

I like it. Its a slow starter but a PBAoE tier nine and a variety of secondary effects make it a nice set. Also I didn't realise an Insight Strike with Greater Psi Blade damaged surrounding enemies too which is another nice touch.

[Replacement]

The issue I am having is the animations. Very bland some of them. I was hoping for Psi Blades with maybe some animations that mimic Katana. Some of those animations are similar to the old /warmup command. Very lazy animation work if you ask me. Also, not a fan of Levate as the top tier ability, or the Confuse power instead of another Damage ability with perhaps a Stun or Knock Down.

 

I think it's worth pointing out that this set was never Live.  So we don't really know what had to be done to polish this set off.  Tbh, I'm impressed with them because I'm betting they were working with having to re-tool already re-tooled assets (e.g. flame sword animations with a purple stick glued on).

 

Pie in the sky time: I can't imagine this is in the cards, but I'd love to see Psionic melee re-envisioned as a counterpsychic:

Boggle:

Reduce Confuse duration.  Probably something like 6 seconds (I know, I know...)

For the duration (probably the current 15 seconds), any Psychic abilities the target uses causes their brain to overload, dealing fire or energy damage to them.

 

This is pretty far-fetched, not only because it's a pretty big change to the functionality of the set, but also because I'm reasonably sure the team would need to go through and special-case every single ability enemies could use and decide if they're classified as Psychic or not.  Still, I can dream.