enhancements For SOs/DOs Only: Combine Accuracy and Endurance.

[Sunsette]

SUGGESTION: Have every accuracy enhancement of the generic types be like dual Schedule A Hami-Os (or half as strong as that, in the case of DOs).

WHY: This simplifies enhancement consideration for every single AT leveling up, by reducing the decisions to potency (damage, mez strength, etc.), frequency (recharge), and reliability (accuracy and endurance).

 

Accuracy in general is not considered to be an exciting factor to balance for in games. Exceptions can be made for attacks that have an unusual amount of inaccuracy to promote a 'casino' playstyle, but over the last 20 years, I've seen the concept of accuracy largely minimized. CoH even echoed this in the amount of accuracy it hands out passively on high level IO sets. It is rare (but non-negligible) that I have to consider slotting an attack for accuracy in a finished build, and when I do, it is largely on some sort of proc-monster attack.

 

Endurance is a transparent limiting mechanic that does provide texture and interest and you have to make combat or build options to deal with the cost of endurance. However, at low levels, you often lack sufficient slots to really make this build choice. The general agreement for the 'correct' way to build a character's attacks up to the 30s is to start with Accuracy, move to Damage, then put in Endurance or Recharge. Combining Accuracy and Endurance makes that first slot even more spoken for as Accuracy, but gives more freedom to consider the rest of the slots from there on out.

 

SIDEBAR: I thought about, and initially considered, proposing the same for generic IOs but 50+5 endurance IOs are powerful enough that they can warrant slots in final builds, and Acc/End IOs are actually uncommon to find in sets, so doing this for a generic IO would represent a wholly unnecessary increase in power for top-end builds. I don't think it would be the end of the world, but I don't think it'd be more beneficial than not; allowing IO builds to even more easily reach extremely high levels of accuracy risks further flattening the texture of high-level encounters which feature individual enemies that have unusually high defenses, either transient or constant. 

Edited February 19 by Sunsette

[Akisan]

Very interesting idea - Endurance is definitely limiting early game, and I have to pause or cycle my weak attacks if a fight drags on long enough.  Not sure about carrying it into late-game though, after we have enough slots to consider slotting both separately.  If it doesn't carry to late-game SOs/DOs, at what level should it start to taper off / turn off completely? (i.e. at 25-35, a SO accuracy only provides a DO's worth of endurance, and at 36+ it provides none)

 

Or, could this be instead translated to a global endurance discount that tapers as we level, the same way our base to-hit does with Beginner's Luck?

[Sunsette]

A global endurance discount that tapers is a really interesting idea, though I'd be a little concerned about it having the effect of making someone feel like they are getting weaker rather than stronger.

 

My big concern with having enhancements that taper is that I would worry it would add an unfun level of complexity to ward against something that I don't believe would cause imbalance at high levels. I don't think in late-game it's likely to be an issue because you start getting so many ways of rider accuracy/endurance via IOs that are more efficient if you can drop the inf for it. Mostly I think it would just make SO only builds slightly more competitive with IO/HOed builds.

 

I am very open to counterpoints, however. I just want to make the enhancement experience create less analysis overload/"waiting until fun" for a beginning player. 

Edited February 19 by Sunsette