People in General Chat are telling me that Super Strength sucks.

[Azari]

What do you guys think? Do they just not understand it? Is it underrated? Overrated? Is rage really the worst thing since moldy sliced bread? I don't get where the hate is coming from, seems like SS used to be extremely popular.

[TheMoncrief]

Super Strength is pretty much the most popular melee set for AT's that can have it. By that standard, it's overrated - it is not good enough to represent that much of the total melee player base. That does not, however, mean that it is *BAD*. It's quite good. Just not as good as you'd expect from a power set that's so popular. Its popularity is largely carried by its iconic nature, as we can all think of many classic heroes who have Super Strength.

 

I personally do not like Rage. I also do not like that Super Strength is largely balanced around Rage, which is very strong, however much I dislike it. I would love a Super Strength set balanced around getting Build Up instead of Rage. But this is all a matter of personal preference. As nearly as I can parse objective reality of the set, it's a reasonably strong set as long as you make the most of Rage, bordering on extremely strong if you are able to double-stack Rage. And Foot Stomp is amazing and incredibly satisfying.

[Azari]

7 minutes ago, TheMoncrief said:

Super Strength is pretty much the most popular melee set for AT's that can have it. By that standard, it's overrated

Perhaps one could call Super Strength overused yet underrated. I see people criticizing it quiet often.

[Azari]

1 hour ago, Krimson said:

I'd recommend not listening to people in General Chat. They were put there for a reason.

Put there? Are you saying they were banned from the forums and banished to General chat? Lolol

[ZemX]

I'm not a fan either but I would never tell you it doesn't perform.  It performs great, and yeah, a lot of that is down to double-stacked Rage.   I just don't care for it aesthetically.  It's a lot of big slow punches and only one, admittedly great, AoE damage power.  Hand Clap needs a knockdown IO to be useful and then it's only useful as a minor control power.  Meh.  I find other sets more exciting... but in no way does SS "suck".   

[Psiphon]

Just ignore them, SS is a great set, very good damage and some nice mitigation with footstomp providing knock down. 

The minimal damage part of rage crash is annoying but can be filled with P2W damage powers, these are unaffected. 

[Pleonast]

Ha, like Super Strength could ever supplant Kinetic Melee as the suckiest Tanker secondary. 
/grumpyKMtanker

Edited February 22 by Pleonast

[Biff Pow]

Right-click on the Global tab, choose Edit Tab, then General, then Remove>>.

[Haijinx]

5 hours ago, Krimson said:

I'd recommend not listening to people in General Chat. They were put there for a reason.

 

On any subject.

 

This is why I remove that channel on all my characters

[Haijinx]

Sometimes the Help channel is just as bad, TBH.  

 

If you want to know a simple question, then sure.  If you want actual build type advice, use the archetypes section on the forums. 

 

Super Strength is obviously good, just search for some of the outrageous flamefests that happen whenever the Devs suggest changing it. 

[Psiphon]

1 hour ago, Krimson said:

The Help channel is the only channel I have completely removed from some of my toons. 😄

Really, that's strange, I've always found it helpful. 

[Monkeyking]

I would argue that Super Strength isn't as pick-up-and-go as it should be for such an iconic super hero power, but it's hardly bad at all. People dissing SS likely just don't want to deal with managing Rage crashes, which is fair.

 

I do wonder why they focused on "Hulk smash" and didn't have a more generic "Superman" melee set, though. The alt animations help a bit but Rage is still an odd duck.

[Azari]

Yet another superman build. This one courtesy of Bellator. It’s pretty fun 😄

Tanker_Paragon_custom_Invulnerability_-_Super_Strength.mbd

[Haijinx]

10 hours ago, Monkeyking said:

I would argue that Super Strength isn't as pick-up-and-go as it should be for such an iconic super hero power, but it's hardly bad at all. People dissing SS likely just don't want to deal with managing Rage crashes, which is fair.

 

I do wonder why they focused on "Hulk smash" and didn't have a more generic "Superman" melee set, though. The alt animations help a bit but Rage is still an odd duck.

 

It's just a name and some flavor text.

 

It could be called Rainbow Sprinkles instead of Rage and people would wonder why the set is based on cutsie cartoons 

[PLVRIZR]

18 hours ago, Azari said:

What do you guys think?

My $.02 infl., and the preponderance of my experience is SS paired with Invunerability, although my titular toon is Stone Armor/SS and I've done Rad Armor with it, as well.  The experiences are unique, but each are very gratifying.

 

Foot Stomp is one of (if not the most) satisfying attacks, on a tank.  The QoL change to make it available (to tanks) at 30, changed the whole set's utility and makes exempting down to what, Yin, and later, makes playing SS a joy.  On Inv/SS, with a nearly imperceptible 27% recharge (and no Force Feedback procs slotted) through bonuses, it's <10 sec. cooldown.  When Hasten is up, it's 7.  That's a nearly nonstop stream of smashy destruction, with mobs on the floor and the Armageddon proc firing...which even fires during Rage downtime.  Speaking of, the Inv defenses are ridiculous and the -def from the rage crash is offset by saturated Invincibility.

 

As previously mentioned, Rage alone is good enough, double stacked is just silly, and (while I just recently started taking it) Hand Clap can also fit FF +rech and the KB/KD/Taunt sets' damage procs like Explosive Strike +smashing...also thematic 😆  Speaking of thematic, while no one would argue that Knockout Blow isn't "slow", the wind up animation is what hooked me on SS, back in 2004.  A proc. and double stacked Rage makes it remarkable.

 

Try it and see if you like it.  There are more combinations of archetypes and powersets than I could ever do in a lifetime, but I've done a few (see sig) and SS gets a thumbsup vote, from me.

Edited February 23 by PLVRIZR
reworded

[Warboss]

Without know what "General Chat" (Damn, another toon name...) was on about the set not being good it's hard to say why the hate. On Tanks SS is pretty awesome (mostly due to Foot Stomp). The lack of an earlier AoE is a pain. However, it does have Hand Clap (no, it's not a disease) and when slotted with the KB>KD proc it's amazing mitigation. And who doesn't love knocking an enemy head over tea kettle with KoB. SS is definitely the classic comic book set of City of Heroes. If you want to pursue your study of Super Strength, feel free to join us at a Tanker Tuesday, or on the TankHQ channel and you can talk to players who've paired it with all the primaries and will give you valuable advice and feedback.

 

Enjoy Tanking!

[Warboss]

1 hour ago, PLVRIZR said:

" the wind up animation is what hooked me on SS"

 

The "Popeye Punch" is great, I still laugh at it. Make sure to add + To Hit powers to make sure it lands. The thing has a thing with me on missing when I really want it to connect.... (I figure it's Hami's revenge).

[Infinitum]

Super strength. You never miss... And Smash. 

 

Whats not to love? 

[Erratic1]

8 hours ago, Warboss said:

 

The "Popeye Punch" is great, I still laugh at it. Make sure to add + To Hit powers to make sure it lands. The thing has a thing with me on missing when I really want it to connect.... (I figure it's Hami's revenge).

 

I do enjoy it, though it is worth remembering both it and Foot Stomp have alternate animations.

[Warboss]

1 hour ago, Erratic1 said:

 

I do enjoy it, though it is worth remembering both it and Foot Stomp have alternate animations.

 

Yeah, the double knuckle sandwich is pretty good for KoB and Punching the ground is fun for FS, but there's something to be said for the original animations.

[ZemX]

11 hours ago, Warboss said:

Yeah, the double knuckle sandwich is pretty good for KoB and Punching the ground is fun for FS, but there's something to be said for the original animations.

 

Yeah, I like big boot and I cannot lie.   People who love punching the ground should be investing in the Mighy Radial line of Judgement powers.    Do this during a Scrapyard fight and send 32 striking workers into near Earth orbit!  Take THAT organized labor!

[Marshal_General]

14 hours ago, Infinitum said:

Super strength. You never miss... And Smash. 

 

Whats not to love? 

The brief time where it also causes the mobs to never miss?

 

The problem with SS is that if you took away Rage, Knockout Blow and Foot Stomp, you would not miss the rest of the set. I have seen a lot of builds replace much of SS's attacks with the attacks from the fighting pool and be better for it.

 

The rage crash can really screw over certain armor sets.

[Spaghetti Betty]

Rage crash is definitely a slap on the wrist compared to SS's other major problem: it sucks until it doesn't.

 

No set that has Rage, KO Blow, and Foot Stomp will ever be bad. It's just that until you have those 3 things together (and some pool attacks) you're floundering. I would argue that's where the perception that it's bad lies. One of the toughest sets to try and do progression levelling with for sure. In endgame it's a top set that simply doesn't have to play by the same rules every other set does. What other set can get double perma Build Up while having one of the strongest ST attacks and AoEs in the game?

 

As many /SS Tanks I have that can slam pretty much anything put in front of them at 35+, I can never agree that it's bad. Flawed? Sure. Old? Definitely. Fun? Yes!

[Paragon Vanguard]

It is in no way flawed. You should give it a go and not listen to what "everyone else" says, especially in General Chat. My main tank has done and does very well with /SS. Rage is very useful with the cool down being of very little worry. If you haven't destroyed your mobs by cool down, it takes only a moment to pop back up, and you should be ready for another Rage with only two recharges slotted, and as said above you can double rage up if slotted more or/and with proper sets. 

The aesthetics are a must have for some concepts. While it is true that the fighting pool can enhance the set, it cannot replace it. Fighting Pool can enhance any set to be honest. So I dont feel that is a viable reason to not try it. 

I would adventure to say aesthetics and concept can be a big determination in your set up. 

 

I truly fail to see how the rage cool down can effect a toon enough to make it unusable. With Invuln/SS, Paragon Vanguard was fun to play from 1st level to Incarnate. Pick a set, and you will have negatives and naysayers. I HATE Unstoppable. I still like Invuln. Go figure. 🙂

[Psiphon]

On 2/23/2024 at 3:46 PM, Warboss said:

Without know what "General Chat" (Damn, another toon name...) was on about the set not being good it's hard to say why the hate. On Tanks SS is pretty awesome (mostly due to Foot Stomp). The lack of an earlier AoE is a pain. However, it does have Hand Clap (no, it's not a disease) and when slotted with the KB>KD proc it's amazing mitigation. And who doesn't love knocking an enemy head over tea kettle with KoB. SS is definitely the classic comic book set of City of Heroes. If you want to pursue your study of Super Strength, feel free to join us at a Tanker Tuesday, or on the TankHQ channel and you can talk to players who've paired it with all the primaries and will give you valuable advice and feedback.

 

Enjoy Tanking!

Hand Clap - could be the start of a new melee set, Biohazard. 😁

Edited February 25 by Psiphon