So.... I did a thing...

[r0adkill76]

I reloaded COH...

 

Now I am lost, the same anxiety is coming back to me...  I have no idea what to play.

 

When I played before me and a friend would always make toons, and he always wound up with the stronger combination, he could farm well, I could die well, he could do TF, I could die well. 

 

I like range, but Sentinels are weak, the Corrupter/Defender things just confuses me as the math says they are the same damage, but it don't feel that way.  Blasters... well my blasters, do tons of damage and then take a dirt nap. 

 

My goal is to play more than a week this time.

 

 

[Erratic1]

22 minutes ago, r0adkill76 said:

I like range, but Sentinels are weak...

 

They are not weak when built correctly.

[El D]

It kind of sounds like part of the issue might be aggro maintenance. Yes, Blasters are very squishy, but on teams were mob aggro is actively accounted for most mobs will be long dead before they have time to shift focus off of the tank. If you're soloing... well, that's soloing as a Blaster I'm afraid. Speaking as someone's whose main was originally a Blaster starting back at launch, that's just how the experience goes - they were deliberately designed as a 'glass cannon whose support is other archetypes.' Taking them out of that arrangement, much as later buffs (and HC's buffs) have boosted their survivability, is still going to be iffy at best. Well, at least until you get into IO sets but IOs can break most things.

 

For an actual suggestion of what to play, I've had a lot of fun with my Psychic/Kinetics Corruptor. Psi deals a ton of damage due to not being a commonly resisted type (and despite a handful of sluggish power animations) and Kinetics has great... well, everything. Buffs/debuffs/utility. It's considered the best support set in the game for a reason. Grab Hover to keep out of melee but stay easily within Transference range as needed, slot IO sets for Ranged defense, hit mobs with -damage, -recharge, and -endurance as often as you can. They're capable of soloing well enough and you will never lack for team invites.

Edited February 26, 2023 by El D

[lemming]

I solo my blasters a lot and while there's a bit of face planting in the early levels, at 50, they can blow through +4/x8 areas pretty well as long as you're willing to push the envelope.  That is at least with fairly maxed builds.  On non-optimum, they're still pretty good for non max content.

On teams, they're great fire support, just let someone else grab the agro.

 

Sentinals aren't that weak.  They do a bit less damage, but their survivability more than makes up for having to hit someone twice.

 

A lot of successful playing comes down to learning where you can let loose, and when to be a little careful.  And there will be a lot of dying while you learn that, but that's just another badge.  I don't trust level 50s that don't have the Exalted (or equivalent) Badge.

[r0adkill76]

32 minutes ago, lemming said:

Sentinels aren't that weak.  They do a bit less damage, but their survivability more than makes up for having to hit someone twice. 

 

Okay, what Sentinel do I make that will NOT feel weak?

[CloudMouse]

5 hours ago, r0adkill76 said:

I reloaded COH...

 

Now I am lost, the same anxiety is coming back to me...  I have no idea what to play.

 

When I played before me and a friend would always make toons, and he always wound up with the stronger combination, he could farm well, I could die well, he could do TF, I could die well. 

 

I like range, but Sentinels are weak, the Corrupter/Defender things just confuses me as the math says they are the same damage, but it don't feel that way.  Blasters... well my blasters, do tons of damage and then take a dirt nap. 

 

My goal is to play more than a week this time.

 

 

 

The ATs really do have playstyles. If you want to play without worrying too much about managing baddies, roll a tank or brute. Sure, you like ranged, but it sounds like an AT that lends itself towards putting time into learning the game systems would be helpful. If you've never taken a char all the way to 50, worked on enhancement sets, respecs and incarnates then I get your anxiety - there is  A LOT to learn. But it can be learned. And, use the help/general channel in game. Player base is still mostly helpful and good natured. 

 

If you definitely want a sent, my suggestion is ice blast + regen/ninjitsu/will/invuln. Ice gives you a mix of damage/control and each of those secondaries has somethign going for it on survival. Other than regen, you've got some defense built into the powersets and at lower levels, accuracy/defense makes the most noticeable difference. 

 

But most of all, don't discount inspirations, especially defense/break frees/health. I have hundreds of chars, one of every AT maxed out on enhancement sets and incarnates, and a fine tuned fire farmer - and I still use inspirations for everything. The only time I find myself forgetting about inspirations is on a solid team. Eat the insps BEFORE you engage to stay on top, especially before you have a fully built char (even with level 50 IOs in every power and no enhancement sets). 

 

It takes time to craft a character that can play exactly like you want. Hope you'll have fun experimenting and seeing whats in the game.

 

 

 

[CloudMouse]

6 hours ago, r0adkill76 said:

I reloaded COH...

 

Now I am lost, the same anxiety is coming back to me...  I have no idea what to play.

 

When I played before me and a friend would always make toons, and he always wound up with the stronger combination, he could farm well, I could die well, he could do TF, I could die well. 

 

I like range, but Sentinels are weak, the Corrupter/Defender things just confuses me as the math says they are the same damage, but it don't feel that way.  Blasters... well my blasters, do tons of damage and then take a dirt nap. 

 

My goal is to play more than a week this time.

 

 

 

As for Corr vs Def - base damage of attacks is only part of it. Corr scourge is powerful in certain situations, and mostly satisfying most of the time. Defenders on their own are only ok. But stacked together they are the only real way we get tank-mages in the game, but that is rare unless players are coordinating for that. A team of 8 emp defenders can out kill/survive anything else. But defenders are still geared for team play, and corrs benefit from team play. 

 

If you want a low level blaster that won't take dirt naps, don't play it at low levels. Even with a full stack of defense/break frees, the AT is made to be a glass cannon on it's own. 

[lemming]

5 hours ago, r0adkill76 said:

 

Okay, what Sentinel do I make that will NOT feel weak?

I'm currently screwing around with Radiation/Regen, but Fire/Bio is a strong combo

[r0adkill76]

8 minutes ago, lemming said:

I'm currently screwing around with Radiation/Regen, but Fire/Bio is a strong combo

 

I dusted off my Fire/Bio, it does not seem any stronger, its still struggling to do 4x8s.    Maybe I need a new build, but my builder friend quit the game. 

[EmperorSteele]

Hmm...

 

For Sentinel or Blaster, take Hover, and use it to stay out of melee range of your foes. If you take Energy blast, position yourself directly above enemies so that when you hit them, they get knocked back straight down instead of flying all over. They take some time to get back up, which is less time they will spend shooting at you. Which means you take less damage.

 

If you're brave, you can dip into melee range for a moment then fly back up; this will sometimes set the AI to prefer melee attacks and they'll forget to shoot you for a few moments, buying you time to attack without taking fire yourself.

 

Basically, just try some strategy instead of Leeroying into the mobs =)

 

 

[Tacheyon]

On 2/26/2023 at 6:36 PM, r0adkill76 said:

 

I dusted off my Fire/Bio, it does not seem any stronger, its still struggling to do 4x8s.    Maybe I need a new build, but my builder friend quit the game. 

 

This is the best place to get information on builds.  You don't even have to think about anything.  This person does random builds that are a very good place to start.  Just use ones that are from Oct 2022 forward (as that was the last major patch).

 

 

Also Sentinels are not "weak", sure their damage isn't scaled to a Blasters but it isn't that bad, especially with the survivability they get in return.  Also their inherent ability got changed last patch as well.  You now have a button (like Domination) you can click once your Opportunity bar is full that weakens a MOB up to 25% Def and Res.  So you don't need to take both T1 and T2 powers on your primary.

Corruptors are just a more offensively based Defender.  Their support powers are less "supportive" but they get Scourge which is a fancy way of saying doing double damage once a MOB is lower than 30% health.  Which is why people play them with a secondary like Storm as the final two powers bring some heavy damage.

I don't play too many Defenders but basically if you are solo (or small team) you get a damage buff.  But if you are on a large team you get more of a Endurance Discount the greater your team is close to defeat.  (just reading that off Mids).

 

At the end of the day this game isn't about being the top 0.05% that can clear every single piece of content solo without face planting.  Heck a lot of people laugh when they die because they get to work on their Debt Badge.  True, always faceplanting is not fun but that comes down to learning your character and they powers you have, and in a team what your role is.

 

Also you should not be anxious to play anything.  This game gives you 1000 character slots per server.  I have gotten up to 140 characters over the close to 4 years I have played Homecoming.  And that doesn't include the ones I purged because I didn't like the play style.  I make characters based on a concept I have in my brain.  Or sometimes the power selection makes my concept.  But I'd rather play a character that is sub-optimal but with a fleshed out idea than a min/max one that is just "Captain Super-guy".

 

Find what works for you.  There are plenty of AT's and combos that start off very slow (Contollers, Doms, MM's) but can be forces of Nature (literally) once you get them to 50 and put some love into them.  Just take a breath, and have some fun, this game's community is amazing.  And that is why a lot of people have stayed with this game since 2004.

[biostem]

On 2/26/2023 at 10:00 AM, r0adkill76 said:

Now I am lost, the same anxiety is coming back to me...  I have no idea what to play.

Are you looking to be "given" a character, insofar as we say to you "play this AT with these powersets", or are you looking for general advise.

 

On 2/26/2023 at 10:00 AM, r0adkill76 said:

I like range, but Sentinels are weak, the Corrupter/Defender things just confuses me as the math says they are the same damage, but it don't feel that way.  Blasters... well my blasters, do tons of damage and then take a dirt nap. 

Try an ice/devices blaster - you have good AoE, good control, good damage, and a secondary set that both allows you to stay at range and provides some good survival tools.  When you are able, grab combat jumping and slot an unbounded leap stealth in it, to stack with field operative, so you can engage enemies on your terms, with a safer margin.

Edited March 1, 2023 by biostem

[twozerofoxtrot]

Ho @r0adkill76, I hope you've stuck with it this long.

 

I recommend you try leveling a Willpower/Martial Arts tanker.

 

It's a very smooth ride from 1 to 50.

 

Skip Thunder Kick and Crane Kick in MA, and skip Resurgence and maybe Stength of Will in WP (I like the last one as an IO mule myself).

 

Even with basic understanding of the game you'll have fun. Don't worry about handling agro, just play aggressively  and the rest should sort itself out.

 

I'm guess by how your OP mentioned the frequency of faceplants, that aggressive play is your M.O. Lean into that with this combo and feel rewarded. 

 

[Bionic_Flea]

On 2/26/2023 at 8:36 PM, r0adkill76 said:

its still struggling to do 4x8s

 

I think this might be the issue.  Not every build and not every player is set up to run +4/x8.  Try running +1/x6 and then, if that becomes too easy ramp up to +1/x8, and then +2, etc.

 

Alternatively, post the build you are having issues with in the appropriate AT subforum and ask for advice on how to improve it.

[r0adkill76]

On 2/28/2023 at 9:41 AM, Tacheyon said:

 

This is the best place to get information on builds.  You don't even have to think about anything.  This person does random builds that are a very good place to start.  Just use ones that are from Oct 2022 forward (as that was the last major patch).

 

 

 

 

I appreciate the resource though I do not understand these builds, they don't seem to have a focus... or I don't understand the focus, no defense caps, no proc's. 

[Shred Monkey]

Quick Survival tip #1 - if you are ranged, take hover.  Fly back and away from the enemy.  Stay back and away from those enemies.  They will waste time trying to get to melee with you, and when they do get to melee they will use more attacks that hit harder.  So avoid melee and you live much much longer.

Quick Survival tip #2 - if you're melee, take air superiority and slot 2 SO recharges in it (plus other stuff.. with some accuracy).  This power does knockdown 100% of the time and with that much recharge you can knock down a target before it gets back up.  For low to mid-game this is the best power available to any and all classes.

Quick Survival tip #3 - as you level up focus on +defense.  45% defense is the soft cap where having more no longer helps in most normal situations.  But even getting defenses up into the 25-35 range makes an enormous difference.  You'll probably be in your 20s-30s before this really kicks in, but when you do it, it'll be game changing.

[JJDrakken]

19 hours ago, r0adkill76 said:

 

I appreciate the resource though I do not understand these builds, they don't seem to have a focus... or I don't understand the focus, no defense caps, no proc's. 

 

Are you high?  All that stuff is there. Soft Caps, Hard Caps, +Recharge, etc... 

 

For not understanding, you sure swayed right in and dropped a list of stuff you wanted....That I did....

 

Lets go over your list you dropped on me.   With a zero thanks mind you, I don't expect that, then I don't expect someone coming to a post thinking I don't look at and bemoan bout it either.

 

1, Fire/Bio Sentinel  ---  71.61% S/L Resistance. Cap for Sentinel is 75. Bio is about Regening/Absorbs. This before you use a Stance(of 3)

                                    39 C/F & 34 E/NE Defense. Bio armor even with recipe sets is not best for defense capping, without giving up a lot on front end.

                                    But, with Purples and Incarnates, this easily covered.  F/C/E/NE Resist 26.5% Good enough if you get hit over those D.

                                    Regen of 472.82% this not counting any incarnates and your absorbs. Endo Regen: 3.34%  Toxic Res: 50.82, Psi Resist: 25.45%

                                    Psi Defense:  26.42%   You have: 6 Attacks Recharges lowest at: 1.82 and max of: 34(Nuke). Thus plenty off attacks.  +85% Recharge.

                                   Not sure how you can't understand any of that. Tells me you don't understand Bio Armor's functions.  Other powers you have are most likely

                                   LoTG Mules for your +7.5% Recharge, like Grant Invis.

 

Fire/Atomic Blaster --- Fire Atomic is Soft Capped, S/L/E. 36% for Ranged.  First 3 are normally tied to most ranged attacks in game and CC, so you'll be avoiding a lot. Not going go over rest, it pretty damn basic and anyone here can go to my post, DL it see it.

 

Rad/Bio Brute   ---  Same as Bio Sentinel but better, I again don't think you understand Bio Armor.

TW/Bio Scrapper --- Same as Other Bio Armors

Rad/Kin Corrupter  --- 42% S/L Defense, yes your 3% short of a soft Cap, but for Kin that's good. A lot their secondaries don't work well for recipe +Defense. 

                                   But again you never asked for Tank style build, you just threw a list at me.

 

Poison/Sonic Defender --- 51% Defense vs S/L and 43% vs E. This doesn't even factor in debuffs you'll be doing with Poison. No need to go over rest. Seems like   

                                         you don't understand how Poison works.

 

Rad/SS Tanker --- Literally build I have for my Tanker Bully Goat. He's very strong and literally I can auto-pilot on him. I have a feeling you don't understand how   

                            any of this works.

 

As for Procs? Are you daft? Every AT has it's AT sets, those have Procs.... I have other powers listed with Recipes that have procs also. I don't think you understand how procs work.

 

I feel like you just don't understand how stuff works in general.  You may ask why am I calling you out on this, cuz I am honestly tired of folks shitting on me, being snide at me, or trying earn some kind cool points for attempts to dunk on me. It's a trend, one reasons I left the Discord of folks sending me nasty tells constantly. Managed to get those folks shut down here via the Mods and most them in game.

 

I just won't put up with anyone's shit anymore, well Far Beyond Driven in this regard.  Other then that, Have a nice day and maybe understand the game mechanics and powers better.

 

P.S.

 

4x8 is just a dick measuring contest that honestly not very functional.  3x8 math wise is will garner you faster XP/Cash/Rewards. Especially when your +1 Incarnate, this not counting when your +3 and doing actual Incarnate missions. I do all my stuff at 50 game at +3x8, rake in more then enough to fund next two-three toons in Attuned Recipes to level up and repeat. (Clearing all lvl 50 Contacts).  I have 45 50s that can attest to that with another 4 more 50s that still need to clear contacts.

Edited March 3, 2023 by JJDrakken

[r0adkill76]

30 minutes ago, JJDrakken said:

 

Are you high?  All that stuff is there. Soft Caps, Hard Caps, +Recharge, etc... 

 

For not understanding, you sure swayed right in and dropped a list of stuff you wanted....That I did....

 

Lets go over your list you dropped on me.   With a zero thanks mind you, I don't expect that, then I don't expect someone coming to a post thinking I don't look at and bemoan bout it either.

 

1, Fire/Bio Sentinel  ---  71.61% S/L Resistance. Cap for Sentinel is 75. Bio is about Regening/Absorbs. This before you use a Stance(of 3)

                                    39 C/F & 34 E/NE Defense. Bio armor even with recipe sets is not best for defense capping, without giving up a lot on front end.

                                    But, with Purples and Incarnates, this easily covered.  F/C/E/NE Resist 26.5% Good enough if you get hit over those D.

                                    Regen of 472.82% this not counting any incarnates and your absorbs. Endo Regen: 3.34%  Toxic Res: 50.82, Psi Resist: 25.45%

                                    Psi Defense:  26.42%   You have: 6 Attacks Recharges lowest at: 1.82 and max of: 34(Nuke). Thus plenty off attacks.  +85% Recharge.

                                   Not sure how you can't understand any of that. Tells me you don't understand Bio Armor's functions.  Other powers you have are most likely

                                   LoTG Mules for your +7.5% Recharge, like Grant Invis.

 

Fire/Atomic Blaster --- Fire Atomic is Soft Capped, S/L/E. 36% for Ranged.  First 3 are normally tied to most ranged attacks in game and CC, so you'll be avoiding a lot. Not going go over rest, it pretty damn basic and anyone here can go to my post, DL it see it.

 

Rad/Bio Brute   ---  Same as Bio Sentinel but better, I again don't think you understand Bio Armor.

TW/Bio Scrapper --- Same as Other Bio Armors

Rad/Kin Corrupter  --- 42% S/L Defense, yes your 3% short of a soft Cap, but for Kin that's good. A lot their secondaries don't work well for recipe +Defense. 

                                   But again you never asked for Tank style build, you just threw a list at me.

 

Poison/Sonic Defender --- 51% Defense vs S/L and 43% vs E. This doesn't even factor in debuffs you'll be doing with Poison. No need to go over rest. Seems like   

                                         you don't understand how Poison works.

 

Rad/SS Tanker --- Literally build I have for my Tanker Bully Goat. He's very strong and literally I can auto-pilot on him. I have a feeling you don't understand how   

                            any of this works.

 

I feel like you just don't understand how stuff works in general.  You may ask why am I calling you out on this, cuz I am honestly tired of folks shitting on me, being snide at me, or trying earn some kind cool points for attempts to dunk on me. It's a trend, one reasons I left the Discord of folks sending me nasty tells constantly. Managed to get those folks shut down here via the Mods and most them in game.

 

I just won't put up with anyone's shit anymore, well Far Beyond Driven in this regard.  Other then that, Have a nice day and maybe understand the game mechanics and powers better.

 

P.S.

 

4x8 is just a dick measuring contest that honestly not very functional.  3x8 math wise is will garner you faster XP/Cash/Rewards. Especially when your +1 Incarnate, this not counting when your +3 and doing actual Incarnate missions. I do all my stuff at 50 game at +3x8, rake in more then enough to fund next two-three toons in Attuned Recipes to level up and repeat. (Clearing all lvl 50 Contacts).  I have 45 50s that can attest to that with another 4 more 50s that still need to clear contacts.

  

 

I agree, I probably don,t understand the game well enough.  When I get home I will take a screen of my Fire/Bio (my main, or most enhanced), so you can see where I am screwing this up.

 

Thanks for the information on 3x8 vs 4x8, my brute can afk 3x8 but he dies in 4x8, so that helps me a great deal.

[Bionic_Flea]

5 hours ago, JJDrakken said:

Are you high?

I wish.   Ah . . . the good old days.

[flakoff]

On 3/3/2023 at 4:54 PM, JJDrakken said:

 

Are you high?  All that stuff is there. Soft Caps, Hard Caps, +Recharge, etc... 

 

For not understanding, you sure swayed right in and dropped a list of stuff you wanted....That I did....

 

Lets go over your list you dropped on me.   With a zero thanks mind you, I don't expect that, then I don't expect someone coming to a post thinking I don't look at and bemoan bout it either.

 

1, Fire/Bio Sentinel  ---  71.61% S/L Resistance. Cap for Sentinel is 75. Bio is about Regening/Absorbs. This before you use a Stance(of 3)

                                    39 C/F & 34 E/NE Defense. Bio armor even with recipe sets is not best for defense capping, without giving up a lot on front end.

                                    But, with Purples and Incarnates, this easily covered.  F/C/E/NE Resist 26.5% Good enough if you get hit over those D.

                                    Regen of 472.82% this not counting any incarnates and your absorbs. Endo Regen: 3.34%  Toxic Res: 50.82, Psi Resist: 25.45%

                                    Psi Defense:  26.42%   You have: 6 Attacks Recharges lowest at: 1.82 and max of: 34(Nuke). Thus plenty off attacks.  +85% Recharge.

                                   Not sure how you can't understand any of that. Tells me you don't understand Bio Armor's functions.  Other powers you have are most likely

                                   LoTG Mules for your +7.5% Recharge, like Grant Invis.

 

Fire/Atomic Blaster --- Fire Atomic is Soft Capped, S/L/E. 36% for Ranged.  First 3 are normally tied to most ranged attacks in game and CC, so you'll be avoiding a lot. Not going go over rest, it pretty damn basic and anyone here can go to my post, DL it see it.

 

Rad/Bio Brute   ---  Same as Bio Sentinel but better, I again don't think you understand Bio Armor.

TW/Bio Scrapper --- Same as Other Bio Armors

Rad/Kin Corrupter  --- 42% S/L Defense, yes your 3% short of a soft Cap, but for Kin that's good. A lot their secondaries don't work well for recipe +Defense. 

                                   But again you never asked for Tank style build, you just threw a list at me.

 

Poison/Sonic Defender --- 51% Defense vs S/L and 43% vs E. This doesn't even factor in debuffs you'll be doing with Poison. No need to go over rest. Seems like   

                                         you don't understand how Poison works.

 

Rad/SS Tanker --- Literally build I have for my Tanker Bully Goat. He's very strong and literally I can auto-pilot on him. I have a feeling you don't understand how   

                            any of this works.

 

As for Procs? Are you daft? Every AT has it's AT sets, those have Procs.... I have other powers listed with Recipes that have procs also. I don't think you understand how procs work.

 

I feel like you just don't understand how stuff works in general.  You may ask why am I calling you out on this, cuz I am honestly tired of folks shitting on me, being snide at me, or trying earn some kind cool points for attempts to dunk on me. It's a trend, one reasons I left the Discord of folks sending me nasty tells constantly. Managed to get those folks shut down here via the Mods and most them in game.

 

I just won't put up with anyone's shit anymore, well Far Beyond Driven in this regard.  Other then that, Have a nice day and maybe understand the game mechanics and powers better.

 

P.S.

 

4x8 is just a dick measuring contest that honestly not very functional.  3x8 math wise is will garner you faster XP/Cash/Rewards. Especially when your +1 Incarnate, this not counting when your +3 and doing actual Incarnate missions. I do all my stuff at 50 game at +3x8, rake in more then enough to fund next two-three toons in Attuned Recipes to level up and repeat. (Clearing all lvl 50 Contacts).  I have 45 50s that can attest to that with another 4 more 50s that still need to clear contacts.

Good info, but sounding a little rude imo. 

[r0adkill76]

10 hours ago, flakoff said:

Good info, but sounding a little rude imo. 

 

I understand where he is coming from though, he spends hours figuring all this complicated stuff out, and a n00b (me) posts "I don't get it" and it annoyed him.  I get it and that was MY bad.   I admit, I don't know much other than pushing buttons, so my response was worded poorly.