Using power pools changed the game for me

[DougGraves]

I almost always team.  And I like to play a character that really makes the team work - for the most part that means controller.  Control plus support (which means a lot of healing at low levels) makes teams work.   The problem is low level controllers are terrible at doing damage.  So if there are other support characters I can end up doing very little.

 

I like dominators as a solo playstyle but they do not support low level teams as well.  But with the addition of the medicine power pool for healing, my dominator can heal when needed.  I have settled on two basic builds I can switch between - one with  aid ally, aid self, combat medic and the other with assault, tactics, and stealth.  Playing with several teams I have found that they lacked other healing and I played the medic each time.  

 

So now I can solo a dominator and then switch to a healing build if needed.  Or just stick with my leadership build.  And if we have a lot of support I can just focus on doing damage.

 

I have also added arcane bolt to my controllers which dramatically increases the damage they do, but I think I'll mostly stick to dominators for now.

[DoctorDitko]

Yes, Arcane Bolt is a great blessing to Controllers. When Empowered and Contained especially!

[MoonSheep]

let them die and pop veng, in my opinion it’s much better for team support

 

the nutrious corpse of our fallen comrade will bless the entire team with +30% def, +30% dmg and other goodies

[Psyonico]

I personally feel a dominator could be doing better things with their time than using Aid Other.  That being said, whatever floats your boat.

[Player2]

On 2/5/2023 at 6:34 PM, Psyonico said:

I personally feel a dominator could be doing better things with their time than using Aid Other.  That being said, whatever floats your boat.

I've been told the same about my scrapper that uses Aid Other.

[biostem]

On 2/5/2023 at 1:16 PM, DougGraves said:

The problem is low level controllers are terrible at doing damage.

This is only true for certain combinations of primaries and secondaries.  Even that initial immobilize power can deal decent damage if slotted and used for that purpose.  The issue is that many players build with an eye on how the build will perform at 50, so handicap themselves in the here-and-now toward that end...

[Seldom]

Having a measurable amount of altitis, pools really can swing the overall playstyle and really make the character feel totally different. I do have some go-to power sets and archetypes, and centering on a less common powerpool/epic pool to change things up or fill in some blanks has been great.

 

• The healing pool, particularly with field medic making aid-other instant, and aid-self help endurance problems, makes filling gaps easier but also makes some characters far more cooperative.
• Teleport, especially with targeting binds, lets you easily transverse and skip annoying path bits with ease.
• Sorcery gives all sorts of options, from damage to support to buffs, all very good.
• Presence is a tough sell, but I love my taunting crab spider/ranged "brute," and having taunt+bodyguard on a mastermind will never cease to be hilarious on PuGs where the squishy MM can taunt alongside the normal meatshield.
• Fighting is less a distinct flavor, but super nice on defenders who become way more durable than anyone would expect with just a few armors on.

Epic pool faves:

• Soul pool. So much good utility, control, all in a flavor all its own. No matter the AT, I find myself checking what it has to offer.
• Munitions on blaster pools. Not great options, but the flavor is so awesome. I love it, wish it actually worked better.
• Snipes on stalkers. Ranged assassin strike? Yes please.
• Fire mastery on dominators. For when your really want to play into being a blaster with holds.
• Leviathan shark attacks. Because sharks. Seeing giant enemies held in the jaws of a giant ghost shark will never be anything but wondrous.

[Erratic1]

17 hours ago, biostem said:

This is only true for certain combinations of primaries and secondaries.  Even that initial immobilize power can deal decent damage if slotted and used for that purpose.  The issue is that many players build with an eye on how the build will perform at 50, so handicap themselves in the here-and-now toward that end...

 

Five free respecs by the time you're 50...I can't be the only one who plans on using at least one along the way to adjust how the character plays at different points?

[Player2]

17 hours ago, biostem said:

This is only true for certain combinations of primaries and secondaries.  Even that initial immobilize power can deal decent damage if slotted and used for that purpose.  The issue is that many players build with an eye on how the build will perform at 50, so handicap themselves in the here-and-now toward that end...

Considering how easy it is to get respecs, that is just pure craziness.

[biostem]

5 minutes ago, Player2 said:

Considering how easy it is to get respecs, that is just pure craziness.

Craziness, perhaps, but it does seem that many players build their characters in anticipation of being "ready" at 50, instead of consuming a respec.  It may be easy to get them, but it's still something some people are loathe to "waste" on a leveling build...

[Doc_Scorpion]

1 hour ago, biostem said:

Craziness, perhaps, but it does seem that many players build their characters in anticipation of being "ready" at 50, instead of consuming a respec.  It may be easy to get them, but it's still something some people are loathe to "waste" on a leveling build...

*shrug*  It's tough to get advice on a leveling build, the meta on the archetype forums leans heavily towards endgame/"finished" builds and synergies between powers that are fully slotted/IOed.  I kinda wonder sometimes if there's a significant demographic out there that don't even know that leveling builds are a thing.

[biostem]

5 minutes ago, Doc_Scorpion said:

*shrug*  It's tough to get advice on a leveling build, the meta on the archetype forums leans heavily towards endgame/"finished" builds and synergies between powers that are fully slotted/IOed.  I kinda wonder sometimes if there's a significant demographic out there that don't even know that leveling builds are a thing.

Agreed.  For me, I usually use the 1st build as a leveling/"good enough" build, and save the others for end game.  By that, I mean I take low level attacks or even some pool/filler powers to get a decent enough attack rotation or to take powers that are good *now*, but may be overshadowed later by APP/PPP powers.

[killigraphy]

Honestly, I can't and won't complain. They're actually useful in various ways as opposed to the OG game.

[nihilii]

17 hours ago, Player2 said:

Considering how easy it is to get respecs, that is just pure craziness.

It's not so much the difficulty of getting a respec as it is the tediousness of reselecting every power and slot and rearrange the power tray.

If we had a "save power trays" and "import from Mids" settings, or if we could respec dynamically by just clicking on powers and slots to "unlearn" them and get back other powers and slots, I think I would respec twice. Per day.

[Snarky]

I know this thread is a good look at the versatility the game brings.

 

Still, every time I see it's title I think "Using silverware changed dinner for me"

[Player2]

21 minutes ago, Snarky said:

I know this thread is a good look at the versatility the game brings.

 

Still, every time I see it's title I think "Using silverware changed dinner for me"

[Scarlet Shocker]

I think it's quite easy to fall into the trap of going with what you know - which can be self-limiting. It's very good to sometimes explore different options and discover what (dis)advantages they bring to our game.

 

I remember in my early days on live (around 2006 - I6 if memory serves) I had a character that wasn't performing well, in the mid-20s (back in the days when we were still mostly running around Steel Canyon) and I respecced it into Maneuvers and Tactics - without understanding how end hungry they were. It rendered the character unplayable and so it was swiftly deleted but that was a lesson in remaining conservative.

 

I'm trying to improve my diversity but sometimes it's hard to make a compelling case for it.

[DougGraves]

3 hours ago, Snarky said:

Still, every time I see it's title I think "Using silverware changed dinner for me"

 

It's more like "using spices besides salt and pepper changed dinner for me"

[Snarky]

3 hours ago, DougGraves said:

 

It's more like "using spices besides salt and pepper changed dinner for me"

not as funny though.  and thinking of hasselhoff nodding like that after a fan told him their excitement about silverware?  priceless.

[tidge]

This isn't an attempt to yuck in anyone's yum, but imagine how much variety could be experienced when players take their characters past level 22. There is no obligation to take primary/secondary powers when first offered. My typical experiences have been:

• Before level 20, I usually have up to four slots available for use outside of the primary and secondary.

This allows choices of "third picks" from all power pools, which can offer a lot of insight into what the power pools can bring to different styles of play

• Before level 20, no build needs the Fighting pool for Tough/Weave, nor is Hasten needed. Feel free to experiment.

• By level 25, it will probably be possible to respec a build to alter the order of power choices, and drop pool powers that are no longer needed.

One personal example that comes to mind is the Medicine pool. I grok why at low levels it feels like a game changer, but once players have multiple rows and columns for Inspirations, and remember that they can combine inspirations, this pool isn't nearly as much of a "game changer."

 

 

[Zepp]

19 hours ago, DougGraves said:

 

It's more like "using spices besides salt and pepper changed dinner for me"

Two spinning racks of 16 herbs and spices, 6 additional shakers, six types of pepper in grinders, two types of salt in grinders, an additional five spice grinders, some lemongrass in a bag, two types of ground celery seed, and I have vanilla seeds in the fridge...

 

I find the origin pool travel powers are like like cloves, a lot of people recommend using them, but using allspice is generally the better option...

[DougGraves]

4 hours ago, tidge said:

One personal example that comes to mind is the Medicine pool. I grok why at low levels it feels like a game changer, but once players have multiple rows and columns for Inspirations, and remember that they can combine inspirations, this pool isn't nearly as much of a "game changer."

 

Totally.  At higher levels characters are so overpowered individual powers do not matter much.  Which is why I don't play at higher levels.

 

I want my choices and actions to be game changers.  

[Snarky]

30 minutes ago, DougGraves said:

 

Totally.  At higher levels characters are so overpowered individual powers do not matter much.  Which is why I don't play at higher levels.

 

I want my choices and actions to be game changers.  

personally i find this in corruptors.  having a broad base of different powers and several roles to juggle they are quite intricate to play well

[Clave Dark 5]

On 2/7/2023 at 12:00 PM, Barneysaurus said:

• Leviathan shark attacks. Because sharks. Seeing giant enemies held in the jaws of a giant ghost shark will never be anything but wondrous.

I tend to favor Bile Spray when I can pick it up because nothing beats puking procs all over a crowd of enemies.  I may have been on red side too long.

[Clave Dark 5]

On 2/5/2023 at 4:34 PM, Psyonico said:

I personally feel a dominator could be doing better things with their time than using Aid Other.  That being said, whatever floats your boat.

Floating my boat is indeed what it's all about, my Dom will do whatever they want to with their time, damn it!  😃