Nothing to look forward to

[Diantane]

Getting a character to level 50 takes me 3 to 4 days depending whether or not I use the double XP buff. With this buff I go from level 1 to 30 in approximately 7 hours doing arc missions with full teams.

 

My problem is, getting to 50 is the end of my character's career. Since I have no idea how to proceed beyond that with the incarnates. Sure, there are guides that are very hard to follow and I'll hear something from another player from time to time that I still can't figure out what they said. There should be a simpler guide built into the game. So going beyond level 50 brings me no benefit and is just grinding.

 

Because of this, I have 120 alts so far and its very hard trying to design a new character since I have done almost everything.

[Neiska]

After level 50, you keep getting exp and gaining veteran levels. Every few levels you will get free incarnate materials. That is more or less how I fully incarnated my mains. You can also turn emp merits into transcendant merits and mail them to yourself. You do get incarnate stuff for doing incarnate content too, but the farm/exp method is there for us lone wolves too. And a lot of the upper end of enhancements can only be equipped at 50. There is still a lot to do, even fun stuff like badge/title hunting. For some of us, getting 50 is just the first step and thats when the real game begins. If you are looking for team play, there are groups who run the weeklys (at least on everlasting.)

 

Its fine to go "well I'm done!" and shelf a character at 50. But for some of us thats when it really starts to get interesting.

[Snarky]

The simplest "guide" for 50s beyond 50?  Do every contact at 50.  There are a few HUNDRED contacts that are 35-50, 40-50, 45-50, and 50.  These are not through Ouro.  Many of them are trying to reach you in your contacts window or through messages to you.

 

For 50 incarnate.  If you just want to grind solo all of Dark Astoria was made for you.  It is Incarnate.  It is waiting.

 

You like teams?  level 50 kill most Imperious TF will open your Incarnate slots so fast!  Any level 50 Strike Force. Task Force, or Trial is where you should be focusing. 50 teams running content at 50 are not bad either. Then do Incarnate Trials for components.

 

I have yet to give detailed advice.  I gave options for solo and teaming.  Go, do, be.

 

[Luminara]

[dtjunkie]

Make a spreadsheet with all your alts. Use this to feed some countifs about powersets. Looks for Zeros and make new alts. Even with 120 alts you are going to have some zeros. One of these days I might try Titan Weapons. One of these days.

 

[Saiyajinzoningen]

2 hours ago, Diantane said:

Getting a character to level 50 takes me 3 to 4 days depending whether or not I use the double XP buff. With this buff I go from level 1 to 30 in approximately 7 hours doing arc missions with full teams.

 

My problem is, getting to 50 is the end of my character's career. Since I have no idea how to proceed beyond that with the incarnates. Sure, there are guides that are very hard to follow and I'll hear something from another player from time to time that I still can't figure out what they said. There should be a simpler guide built into the game. So going beyond level 50 brings me no benefit and is just grinding.

 

Because of this, I have 120 alts so far and its very hard trying to design a new character since I have done almost everything.

 

As an older gamer i clearly remember the olden times when getting to max level signaled the end of a game (or very close). Therefore I quite understand how you feel. Incarnates are not quite as daunting as you think. If you can craft IO's sets and gear up at 50 then you can do incarnates. If you haven't crafted and geared up well that's the next step after 50 (get Mid's, u will love it). Did you unlock all your costume slots? did you get the 4 passive accolades? Did you unlock every location in your long range teleporter? Did you create a SG for your roster? Did you create a base for your SG? While its not impossible to run out of things to do, 50 is not the end of the game.

 

[Black Talon]

Can't state anything that hasn't already been stated by those with far broader and deeper experience than myself (especially when it comes to the Incarnate stuff), but I will give the double-thumbs up and, "Yeah!" to hitting those contacts - through Ouros or otherwise - and perhaps building up the recipes until you've got your basic Julia Child's-Superhero-Cookbook of tasty extras for your guy/girl.

 

One final thing I will state out of suspicion: taking "3 to 4 days", especially with the double-xp buff, to get an alt to 50 strikes me as someone who's doing power-leveling; if so, fine, but I make it a point to get every alt through every story arc possible, at standard xp progression rate, and thus hitting 50 takes roughly three to five months (depending on how many free hours I can dedicate to said alt).  My Boys have racked up more than their share of damn debt badges - the Mark of Shame - by doing this, but it also means that I'm able to meet up with various villain groups and ever-repeating bosses/EBs/AVs (such as Doc Vahz and FrostFire; card-carrying members of a club that celebrates a failed parole system) on a predictable and most welcome basis.

 

I can see it as possible that the very inventive and resourceful HC Devs do ultimately craft a post-50 system at some point, but until that day, I'll be quite pleased to run through the gamut of mission arcs that the pre-Shutdown Devs (and various writers through AE) invented and put into working production, with every intent of giving the players A Real Hard Time of it.

[Mjolnerd]

Race past 90% of the game as fast as possible, then complain that there's nothing to do.

 

Look, I don't want to tell someone they're having fun wrong, but....

[cranebump]

7 hours ago, Mjolnerd said:

Race past 90% of the game as fast as possible, then complain that there's nothing to do.

 

Look, I don't want to tell someone they're having fun wrong, but....

Seriously. I was gonna ask ‘em, “What’s your hurry?” 
 

My advice. Run AE story misses. Slower pace due to lower XP, and many contain new creatures.

Edited May 5, 2023 by cranebump

[Diantane]

15 hours ago, Snarky said:

The simplest "guide" for 50s beyond 50?  Do every contact at 50.  There are a few HUNDRED contacts that are 35-50, 40-50, 45-50, and 50. 

 

That is grinding. I am not mentally able to grind. When we played Asherons Call years ago, players would kill the same creatures over and over again for a month to get to the max level (and then do it again and again). It took me 4 years to get to max level (275) by completing interesting quests (no grinding).

[MrAxe]

14 hours ago, Saiyajinzoningen said:

 

As an older gamer i clearly remember the olden times when getting to max level signaled the end of a game (or very close). Therefore I quite understand how you feel. Incarnates are not quite as daunting as you think. If you can craft IO's sets and gear up at 50 then you can do incarnates. If you haven't crafted and geared up well that's the next step after 50 (get Mid's, u will love it). Did you unlock all your costume slots? did you get the 4 passive accolades? Did you unlock every location in your long range teleporter? Did you create a SG for your roster? Did you create a base for your SG? While its not impossible to run out of things to do, 50 is not the end of the game.

 

 

The OP could also amass temp powers, collect all the soveniers and make 3 builds.

 

There's loads of stuff per toon. Also don't use double xp as that's part of the problem. Enjoy the leveling, zone and story arc progression more.

[Fan Mail]

Open up your Incarnate window on your level 50 character.  Have you unlocked your Alpha yet?  If you have, you should also see you have earned threads in your salvage window.  Take a look at all the Alpha power options and decide what's best for your character (for example, many of my melee characters go with Musculature - we love more damage!).  Ignore crafting anything with shards as that stuff has been disabled.  Only concern yourself with earning Empyrean Merits and Threads - that's what you use to craft all your Incarnate stuff.   

 

The way the people who wrote the Incarnate guides got the knowledge in the first place was by rolling up their sleeves and jumping right in.  So that's my recommendation.  There's a huge difference between a level 50 character and a tier 4 kited out Incarnate.  HUGE difference.  

 

Login in your favorite level 50 and unlock Dark Astoria by talking to Captain Nolan (if you're a hero, can't recall the villain contact).  Finish his missions and you'll end up in Dark Astoria where some of the good contact Incarnate missions are - run through those, earn levels and unlock all of your slots.  Then you choose what Incarnate slots you want to craft to better round out your character. 

[Tankshock]

1 hour ago, Diantane said:

That is grinding. I am not mentally able to grind. When we played Asherons Call years ago, players would kill the same creatures over and over again for a month to get to the max level (and then do it again and again). It took me 4 years to get to max level (275) by completing interesting quests (no grinding).

Not sure how I understand that to be grinding.  You are literally playing missions that you haven't played before, correct?

Or are you asking for help on how to place Incarnate abilities?  Your Incarnate tab pretty much tells you everything you need on that.  Play the game, get the components, place the abilities.  

[Greycat]

Stop rushing. Do the contacts at level, with no 2xp buff, no farms, no PI radio teams. You may have a bunch of powersets at 50, but I can't possibly believe you've actually *experienced* them and how they grow in 3-4 days, *CERTAINLY* not in 7 hours, or dealt with *not* being super-tanky or uber-damage or whatever. There is absolutely *no* reason to rush to 50 - can't even say "except maybe for PVP" any more, as you can make Temporal Warriors now.

 

Rushing to 50 to grind raids for gear is an "other MMOs" thing. Not a COH thing. Play slower. Yes, you'll be less powerful, it may even be frustrating at times because you're getting hit, running out of END, etc. But you'll be facing enemies at the levels they're supposed to be. Take the time to *get to know the game and the lore.* Pay attention to the comments, the plaques, the clues. The easter eggs in the names of places and NPCs.

 

Don't forget the other half of MMO is RPG. Dip your toes into RPing. The only reason *any* character of mine is "finished" is because I've gone through their storylines - they may be 50, they may not, but the only characters I have that are "finished" are legacies from live, where the people they were involved with may not be here (or may have passed.) But they've usually been played to a satisfying conclusion in whatever storylines we've made for ourselves. I have others at 50 who've got hundreds of hours on them - yes, they're incarnated out, etc, etc, but certainly not *finished* in the least. Get to know other players and what their characters are doing *as characters.*

 

If that's not your thing, give yourself other goals. How many badges does your highest badger have? What accolades do you have? Or give yourself other goals - just use SOs, play oddball characters (as many pool powers/few primary/secondary powers as possible, for instance.) On live, I'd done things like "every control set to 50."

 

Don't sabotage your own game experience with the 2xp/rush to 50.

[Skyhawke]

50 minutes ago, Greycat said:

Stop rushing. Do the contacts at level, with no 2xp buff, no farms, no PI radio teams. You may have a bunch of powersets at 50, but I can't possibly believe you've actually *experienced* them and how they grow in 3-4 days, *CERTAINLY* not in 7 hours, or dealt with *not* being super-tanky or uber-damage or whatever.

 

 

 

Posi 1 awaits all who rush to 50. Mwa ha ha ha haaaaaaaa 😈

[Belazarius]

14 hours ago, Mjolnerd said:

Race past 90% of the game as fast as possible, then complain that there's nothing to do.

 

Look, I don't want to tell someone they're having fun wrong, but....

It reminds me of another game where some players get to max level before others can even get in game because they are in queue. Every expansion o_O

[Shenanigunner]

14 hours ago, Mjolnerd said:

Race past 90% of the game as fast as possible, then complain that there's nothing to do.

 

Look, I don't want to tell someone they're having fun wrong, but....

 

This is my viewpoint, too, and why I've never bothered to hit 50 on HC until now. (Power-leveling my third this week; will pause and reflect with them for a while,) It's not like the game changes at 50; some twinks and baubles and content unlocks, and... yay. Otherwise, same game as at 20, allowing for scaling.

 

So I've never felt any need to defend my approach that I'm here to play, and not "rush past 90% of the game" to get to a largely meaningless goal... so I could sit around wondering what alt to PL to that point next.

 

I really do find the PL/50-is-all mindset baffling, for this game at least. But then, there are people for whom working out four days a week in the gym is the actual goal, too.

Edited May 5, 2023 by Shenanigunner

[MoonSheep]

run TFs with enemies buffed and no insps mode enabled, makes for a very engaging and fun experience. a sensible balance of challenge and pace

[Snarky]

5 hours ago, Diantane said:

That is grinding. I am not mentally able to grind. When we played Asherons Call years ago, players would kill the same creatures over and over again for a month to get to the max level (and then do it again and again). It took me 4 years to get to max level (275) by completing interesting quests (no grinding).

Okay....  You do not want to solo.  You call that "grinding" even if every single mission and story arc is different for three months play.  Okay.  Do not do it.

 

I also offered up team options.  Which you did not address.  I can only assume since there are maybe 10-15 "types" of things a 50 team does that would very quickly become "grinding"

 

Your original post said there was nothing to do at 50.  That you did not understand the detailed explanations people gave of what to do at 50.  I offered up months of easy to find and non repeat content.  "But that is grinding."

 

I got nothing.  You do not seem to WANT to play the game.  But it is the game's fault because there is nothing to do. Good luck.

[Luminara]

5 hours ago, Diantane said:

That is grinding.

 

You're defining grinding as:

 

5 hours ago, Diantane said:

kill the same creatures over and over again for a month to get to the max level (and then do it again and again)

AND

21 hours ago, Snarky said:

There are a few HUNDRED contacts that are 35-50, 40-50, 45-50, and 50.

 

So, basically, doing anything is grinding, as you see it.

 

Guess you're just shit out of luck, cupcake.

[SeraphimKensai]

You can always look forward to the next new powerset so you can finally clean up this city............

 

 

Janitorial Melee with a hovering buffer for a travel power. Clean those mops so you can clean up those streets. Hellions won't even be able to react when you've sprayed Windex in their eyes.

[Arc-Mage]

8 hours ago, Diantane said:

That is grinding. I am not mentally able to grind. When we played Asherons Call years ago, players would kill the same creatures over and over again for a month to get to the max level (and then do it again and again). It took me 4 years to get to max level (275) by completing interesting quests (no grinding).

I hear you. My first main on live took me three years to get to 50, and I’m a day one player. After almost 18 years of nonstop play now I get myself PLd to 50 then go back and just play the content I love. Along the way I pick up incarnate levels. So win, win. Like others have said, hitting lvl 50 is just the beginning. 

Edited May 5, 2023 by Arc-Mage

[Gulbasaur]

On 5/4/2023 at 9:16 PM, Diantane said:

Getting a character to level 50 takes me 3 to 4 days depending whether or not I use the double XP buff.

I usually turn XP off at levels ending in 4 and 9. There's a lot of content you miss by skipping to 50. Not all of it is available in Flashbacks and teams are locked for Ouro stuff anyway so you have to find a team and just run with it, you can't pick people up as you go on the LFG. 

 

Go slow. Go sideways. Take the scenic route. 

[Snarky]

There are badges (available in Ouro, or by turning off exp at 4, 7, 8, 9, 14) For all content completed in Atlas, Mercy, and the Hollows.  There are badges for certain specific missions at every level range.  

 

But that is grinding. I guess.  Because you are doing something.

 

I have one question.  What, EXACTLY, is not grinding to you?

[Glacier Peak]

These threads never disappoint!