To respec or not...

[Crysis]

I respec every alt at least once, sometimes twice, during their initial run up to T4’s.  First, take them from a leveling build to their late game build.  Then, depending on Incarnate powers chosen, their end-game build.   For example, I play a lot of Stormies and they are all END thirsty so there’s a build with just about every possible +Recovery power I can take then there’s a build once they have achieve Destiny>Ageless and no longer need all those +Recovery powers.  

 

But once they are T4’d out, they get shelved for the most part and even if some of their powers no longer function the same after a fresh round of nerfs, I just leave them be, nothing more than another alt in the library.  I can think of a few times where a really deficient powerset got tuned up and I’ll go through the process of a respec on even a T4’d retired alt.  But that’s super rare, mainly because the devs tend to tune down more than tune up.

 

I have a handful of Sentinels I’m likely to respec if the class ever gets tuned upwards.  Likely the only ones I’m watching closely for potential respecs.

 

I find the respec process takes quite awhile though unless you are slotting most powers with same IO sets more or less.  

[Carnifax]

I usually don't need to respec them when levelling, I level them with a cheap IO version of a build, slotting sets as I go. Usually at 50 I just need to set or IO swap using unslotters (A Winters for an Oblit or purple procs for regular ones). I like IOing as I go because I'll get a good understanding of how they're coming along. And you end up nicely powerful mid-30s. 

 

I have been respeccing a lot lately one by one to take advantage of the previous lowering of when you can take tier 7/8/9 powers. I usually take advantage and might do power swaps when doing that (on Carni I replaced Dark Oblit with Tarantula for example).  Having Tier 9s for Yin is great. 

 

I did do a respec of my Dark/Tactical Arrow yesterday, again to take the nuke & oil slick ASAP. Still don't really like them though sadly but I'll keep them in the roster. It's mostly Artillery's and Thunderstrikes and I don't need to gut them (yet). I've lots of cash and IOs in the pot currently. 

[Hedgefund]

Once upon a time I used to plan 3 respecs up to and including attaining level 50,  One around 25, another at 40 then lastly at 50.  That time is long gone though.  The rationale was I could take attacks to fill in a chain for lower levels and get rid of them when the chain became full with other powers and higher recharge.  Now I'm content to spam whatever temps I've corralled while waiting for the chain to fill. 

 

To respec or not at 50 is still a question that varies on a case by case basis.  If I have to use something like 12 unslotters (or more) I'll respec but if it's 5-10, I'll just unslot.

 

As a member of triple digit t4d 50s club, I don't worry at all about respeccing retired characters.  I have some old characters I use for current play and for those I try to keep updated, but that's some number less than 10.  I have no intention to unslot them though, nor worry about system resources which are trivial for storing this kind of data.

 

Now that I think about it, when a set is drastically changed for a retired character, I make a new iteration.  Not a complete duplication, for example after recent MM buffs I had all those primaries but made new characters for ninja, merc and necro with different secondaries from their predecessors.  

[Jack Power]

Usually I run a character to lvl 27 before they even get an enhancement. After that I figure out a build that will take me to lvl 50. After that it's on rails more or less. But with a multi computer, multi screen set-up I don't fear the respec. 🙂

 

//Jack

[Ukase]

I want to thank you folks for taking the time to share your tendencies regarding a respec. 

I was all prepared to respec this one character...but then discovered Mids isn't quite done adapting to page 7. I've got a corruptor with Energize, and mids hasn't accounted for that yet. 

The character is quite good as is; and I don't really need to, but I've got a power that in practice just doesn't suit me. I don't quite grasp what good a minor control is, when as soon as they take damage, they're free to clobber you. I guess it ensures I get one good shot off, or I can stall until something better recharges, but thus far, that hasn't been a need or an issue. 

As for the 50 or so characters that were revolved around Rune of Protection, and/or stealth pool, they can remain as they are. I think re-rolling an alt is faster than making up my mind what to do with them. 

[Frozen Burn]

I hate Respecc'ing.  As so many of us do.  And I do not blanket respec just because of a new update.  I only do if it is warranted on a toon I am playing because a power changed or etc.  

 

I have SO many toons with builds that still have their T9 primary and secondaries at lvls 32 and 38, respectively - I never updated them when they switched level availability of powers.  I still play them and enjoy them.  Only if i think I'll Ex down a lot with them, do I respec them to get more Pri/Sec powers earlier.  And actually, in doing this on a couple, I've been able to tweak their builds and actually make them better.  

 

But anyway, again, a respec ONLY happens when it is truly needed - not just because an update happened.  Only if that updated affected a specific toon, do I respec them.  

[UltraAlt]

21 hours ago, sbloyd said:

I think I may just lay off the respecs until/unless something MAJOR happens.

 

I think I've still at less than 5 respecs total across all my 150 characters.

Unless I really screw up, I don't respec.

If it some minor screw up, I figure that's just the life of that character. 

[tidge]

On 3/7/2024 at 7:27 PM, Yomo Kimyata said:

I respec early and often, and maybe that repetition has made the process more enjoyable.  I'll make a build, play three missions, then respec again, play three more, then respec again. 

 

I'm often using a LOT of respecs during leveling. Often I want to try different powers, sometimes it becomes necessary to change up enhancements. There are some non-standard things that can be done with power pools, respecs help explore those options.

 

Outside of changes to power sets, the most common reason I'll respec a "completed" build is for some quality-of-life adjacent reason... commonly I'll discover that that I have Endurance management under control in a level 50 build, so I pull slots from things like Health or Stamina to put somewhere else.

[Lusiphur Malache]

I take pleasure in respecing.  Every build gets 3 mandatory respecs at 21, 36, and 50, usually I'll do another just before I equip my last T4.  All my semi-retired builds get used a couple times a month just to get the rust and dust off.  Occasionally a friend will need help, usually random, but sometimes specific and if that toon has a hole that a patch will fix, I'll do another respec.

 

I got a katana/electric brute that I must have been drunk every time I added slots or enhancements.  That respec may be an undertaking of massive proportions that might not be worth it as I already have a db/electric brute that works great.

[MrAxe]

I was very lucky with my main. The laser eyes change meant just swapping an enhancement out and that was it.