Is there a way to force Assassin's Strike powers to root you during their animation?

[Taira]

I'm a habitual button masher and I have a habit of always moving when in melee combat from other MMOs that I play. This has been mildly annoying for me in City of Heroes, because most melee attacks root you in place during their animation, but it hasn't been an actual problem yet. I just started playing a Stalker and I'm having a big problem due to the way I play. I've found that when you use your Assasssin's Strike power while Hidden, you do not get rooted in place for the animation. However, the endurance cost is paid up front and if you move at all, the attack is canceled. This leads to me frequently instantly draining my endurance bar as I run up and mash my Assassin's Strike, paying the endurance cost 5+ times as I constantly cancel the attack because it doesn't root me like every other melee power in the game.

 

I get that this is a playstyle issue and I can fix it by just not moving when I Assassin's Strike, but I'm not really trying to break a 15+ year old habit at the moment, I'm not super attached to Stalker and I can easily just switch this toon over to being a Scrapper if there is no workaround for this, but I figured I'd come and ask if anyone else has experienced this, knows a way to make the Assassin's Strike powers root you like everything else, or has a different workaround for the problem.

[StrikerFox]

That sounds like a conundrum. Nothing I can think of to root you in place. Can try playing with Hide off. I'm pretty sure you can still build Assassin's Focus for the AS crit. Or keep Hide on and start your chain with your strongest attack (Other than AS). Will get a crit with that attack, and be out of Hide so no Slow AS. 

[TinyJuggs]

I wouldn't be using AS from hide. 99.99% of the time I use another attack from hide depending on the situation either another ST or aoe. The only rare time is if I'm struggling with a group and I want to delete something instantly. Open up with something else and it'll be instant and you'll stop losing end.

 

Also whenever you can afford it you will get the stalkers guile ATO which has a chance to proc hide. You want to slot this on your assasins strike. If you're lucky, you can get back to back crits doing this. 

Edited January 21 by TinyJuggs

[Grimm2]

Assassin's Strike is basically a melee Snipe. Both have an interrupt time where if you're out of combat and hit or move during it, the attack fails and you've spent the endurance. It was meant to be a higher risk/ higher reward kinda thing. 

 

Since then, things have changed, and both have a quick version that occur in combat, do high damage, but less then the interruptable version. 

 

Your best bet might be opening with a non-AS power. If you're lower level, training yourself to pause and AS might be worth it, as a successful AS also lands an AOE -to hit and terrorize .

Edited January 22 by Grimm2
Grammar

[Gunnarr]

On 1/20/2024 at 10:40 PM, TinyJuggs said:

I wouldn't be using AS from hide. 99.99% of the time I use another attack from hide depending on the situation either another ST or aoe. The only rare time is if I'm struggling with a group and I want to delete something instantly. Open up with something else and it'll be instant and you'll stop losing end.

 

Also whenever you can afford it you will get the stalkers guile ATO which has a chance to proc hide. You want to slot this on your assasins strike. If you're lucky, you can get back to back crits doing this. 

I'm still new to stalkers, so I am wondering why you wouldn't open with AS from hidden?

[TinyJuggs]

2 hours ago, Gunnarr said:

I'm still new to stalkers, so I am wondering why you wouldn't open with AS from hidden?

 

One part is because of the animation time. Assassin's Strike has a long animation time while hiding. But if you open with another attack from hide it'll be instant. 

 

But also due to having +crit from hide on most attacks. This can be an aoe or single target attack. 

 

So in a sequence of 3 attacks your crit potential overall is higher when opening with a non-AS power due to Assasins Focus building up from non-AS powers. Just one will generate +33% chance to crit. On top of that you will also use t

Non-AS opener

1)Highest damage non-AS = crit from hide. (Generate assasins Focus for +33% crit)

2) AS = more potential to crit without hide plus crit for next attack due to assasins guile proc.

3)Next non-AS attack building more crit and also assasins focus (now at 66% crit chance for next attack

AS opener 

1) AS= crits due to hide mechanic

2) Non-AS = crits due to Guile proc +33% crit from Assasins Focus

3

3) Non-AS lower crit potential 

 

So as you can see opening with Non AS generates more assasins Focus and has more Crit potential.  Not only that you are also generating proc hide from the ATO's.

 

Edited February 26 by TinyJuggs

[Signalrunner]

On 1/20/2024 at 6:00 PM, Taira said:

I get that this is a playstyle issue and I can fix it by just not moving when I Assassin's Strike, but I'm not really trying to break a 15+ year old habit at the moment, I'm not super attached to Stalker and I can easily just switch this toon over to being a Scrapper if there is no workaround for this, but I figured I'd come and ask if anyone else has experienced this, knows a way to make the Assassin's Strike powers root you like everything else, or has a different workaround for the problem.

 

My workaround is to play like a scrapper instead of rerolling as a scrapper. The base HP between the two ATs is only a difference of 134HP at lvl 50. I open with an attack other than AS like the others have mentioned. Using AS in-combat still outpaces a Scrapper's baseline damage output.

[Haijinx]

21 hours ago, Gunnarr said:

I'm still new to stalkers, so I am wondering why you wouldn't open with AS from hidden?

Cause it's so slooooow

[ZemX]

Unless I am on a fast moving team, my thinking on AS from Hide is essentially, "What's my hurry?"  Far as I am concerned, AS from Hide isn't slow.  It's instant.  What time matters to me but in-combat time?  If enemies aren't attacking me, the clock essentially hasn't started yet.  It starts the instant that AS lands.    Someone else who is measuring themselves by how quickly they clear a whole map may have a different view, but this is how I look at it. 

 

If I am either solo or far enough ahead of my team that I have time to set up and fire off AS from Hide?  Yes, I'll do it.  

[tidge]

When solo: I use Assassin's Strike from Hidden status.

 

When in the midst of a team-filled battle: I open with another attack.

 

To speak to the OP's original conundrum... what I do when trying to use Assassin's Strike

1. run up to target
2. hit 'S' (movement key) <- this is part of the sequence that attempts to mimic being rooted.
3. select Assassin's Strike

(Not included is the optional step of "MISS!")...

 

It should be possible to make a macro button that will (eventually) do parts 2 and 3, but the macro buttons won't show the power recharging. Maybe something like:

 

(embarassing attempt removed after testing!)

 

Edited March 3 by tidge

[nihilii]

I have the same problem as you do.

 

Slow AS and snipes are the main attack powers causing issues in City of Heroes.

 

Thankfully, both have "fast" versions meant to be used in combat. It switches to this mode as soon as you attack or get attacked.

So my solution is to always open with another power. Unless I make a conscious choice to use a slow AS/Snipe.

 

Also important to condition oneself into not using AS after you Placate... *or* to stay still.

 

I will sometimes drain my end stupidly regardless. There is no perfect fix. I definitely think Scrappers have an edge for that reason. Stalkers take a little extra mental workload. Perfectly playable for people with our "condition" regardless, but I expect to be more involved mentally when I play a Stalker, than when I play a Scrapper, when I can relax and mash buttons.