Masterminds' henchmen upgrades should be autopowers

[temnix]

Before I played a Mastermind, I assumed the upgrading powers for the minions were permanent boosts. I would "buy" the powers and enjoy stronger, better-looking minions. Instead my character had to upgrade them manually as they appear. This does not bring anything interesting to gameplay, and it is a hassle, especially if some of the henchmen out there have been killed and I have summoned more. Now half of them are improved, half aren't, I don't remember which are which, can't even make them out in the tangle of bodies rolling on the ground. I have to select them in the control panel and keep throwing more upgrades as the henchmen keep touching the grass. Don't I have anything better to do?

 

It's true, there is a little silent satisfaction in throwing that strange... upgrade grenade... to them and seeing them transform, but I would feel no less satisfaction in summoning them and seeing them come in stronger and better already. Actually I would feel more, because then I would really have at my disposal an improved army instead of being some kind of lame tailor always playing catch-up, more and more of it, in fact, with levels. I am the freaking mastermind, I am Dr. Evil, not his quartermaster, arsenal keeper and tattooist.

[Rudra]

The devs have already said they won't do this. Also, if you need to upgrade some of your pets but not all of them? Upgrade any of them and the ones that need it get it. It doesn't even ahve to be one of your MM primary pets. Any pet, including the Dark Servant or a combat NPC you are escorting, works as the target, and all of your not upgraded pets will be upgraded (unless they ran out of Supremacy's range).

[biostem]

Before I played a Defender, I assumed the buff powers for the teammates were permanent boosts. I would "buy" the powers and enjoy stronger, more effective teammates. Instead my character had to apply them manually as they appear.

 

24 minutes ago, temnix said:

This does not bring anything interesting to gameplay, and it is a hassle

It's called game balance.  Yeah, yeah - I know it isn't fun, but it is necessary.  What would you be willing to give up to not have to recast the upgrades whenever you have to resummon your minions?  

[gameboy1234]

1 hour ago, biostem said:

It's called game balance.  Yeah, yeah - I know it isn't fun, but it is necessary.  What would you be willing to give up to not have to recast the upgrades whenever you have to resummon your minions? 

 

Back on live, the upgrades only affected one pet.  And the recharge of each summon was a bit longer, so when pets started to die it became very "strategic" how you summoned them and which you chose to upgrade.  A "hot door" could be a particular challenge.  Now with the AoE pet upgrades it's just busywork.  Summon, upgrade everything.

 

Honestly I think I'd take a larger recharge time on the pet summons to avoid the busywork.  It would make the pets a bit less expendable, because you might not have that summon power up when you need it.  I think this would be worth it to get rid of the busywork.  Of course, in many cases you could just more slot aggressively for recharge, but that's kinda the point.  It would shift the power selection around to more interesting power choices, IO sets, etc.

 

[Saiyajinzoningen]

@temnix

If playing MM's feels like a chore

why don't you give controllers a shot?

less pets sure but

less micromanaging as well

we don't have to love every AT

personally I'm not a fan of defenders

but I love corrupters which are similar

[biostem]

4 minutes ago, Saiyajinzoningen said:

why don't you give controllers a shot?

A SoA "Crabbermind" is also quite powerful, gets lots of pets, and there's no upgrades to worry about...

[Rudra]

1 hour ago, Saiyajinzoningen said:

personally I'm not a fan of defenders

but I love corrupters which are similar

Funny. I'm the same way.