How do you folks build? Do you make a 50++ build in mids as a starting point or some variation of a leveling build?

[BazookaTwo]

I used to have a windows machine, and so I had Mids. But since moving to Mac, I've learned what works pretty well. 

 

I like discovering my playstyle and building to it. What does this alt do well at level 11? Level 20? Etc. sometimes it changes drastically and unless you make the journey, you really don't know. This is why I rarely farm for levels, unless I just know my next power pick or slot can vastly improve my play experience. 

[NotsoevilDM]

I tend to theorycraft in Mids but then build the toon a bit more organically when levelling. I may respec at 50 to the Mids build.

 

As I am not an inf billionaire yet, I tend to wait until lvl 22 before slotting IOs then slowly replace them with sets as the inf comes rolling in at higher levels.

[mistagoat]

Wow! So much diversity in the ways you all build, it's very interesting!

I kind of expected a couple of styles would dominate the responses and there are some commonalities but by and large, everyone has their own system. I'm stealing tips from everyone!!

[mistagoat]

13 hours ago, Luminara said:

 

 

I make liberal use of the middle-click function in Mids' when I'm matching a build to what I'm playing. 

Jeez! I've been using Mids forever and never knew that was a thing one could do! I can't wait to start my next build and make use of this, thank you!

[mistagoat]

1 minute ago, Clave Dark 5 said:

Uh.... sure, I do that too.  All the time!  But can you explain what this is that you're talking about?  You know, for everyone else but not me?

In Mids, if you have a power with 6 empty slots (for example), you can place 1 piece of a set in the first slot and then just middle mouse click all the other slots and Mids will drop the next piece of the set into each slot. 

 

I'm just learning this myself so there may be more nuance to it than that but it's pretty awesome! Wish I knew it long ago!

[Luminara]

2 minutes ago, mistagoat said:

Jeez! I've been using Mids forever and never knew that was a thing one could do! I can't wait to start my next build and make use of this, thank you!

 

Watch out for enhancement mutual exclusivity.  They changed the program a couple of years ago and now when you slot something like a regular ATO in a power, then flip to the alternate slots and try to slot the same enhancement (or the Superior version, if it's that type of enhancement), it'll say no.  This affects ATOs, Winters and Overwhelming Force, and it's a pain in the ass to work around.

 

Middle-click can sidestep the restriction in older versions by simply leaving one slot empty, flipping to the alternate and slotting the other version of that enhancement, then middle-clicking the rest into the power (then flip back, select one of the slotted enhancements and select it again in the same slot and middle-click to place the missing enhancement in the empty slot), but last year they made mutual exclusivity even more aggressive, so that no longer works.

 

You have to edit the enhancement database and set the mutual exclusivity group to None on every affected enhancement (several hundred) to fully resolve the issue in the newer versions.  Which is why I stopped updating a long, long time ago and make my own database changes now.

[WanderingAries]

Back on live, before mids (or whatever it was called back then) I'd gotten a few 20-30 something alts (before 50 was a thing) and had a good idea of how the system worked. Once Mids came out, the first thing I did when designing a new alt was to run through Mids so that I wasn't getting powers in an unideal sequence. Granted, that was Also when things like travel powers unlocked at certain times, etc.

[Forager]

I go look at all animations in the powerset in the character creator before I pick a powerset, but i don't think ahead ever again... then I just play normal af.

 

I don't even know at what level powers unlock. When they do, I get a surprise... AND since I've already seen it, I don't have to agonize over whether or not to pick it.

[BlackSpectre]

It depends. If I am playing a new powerset I play it straight through without mids. And then when the toon hits 50 I do a mids build to make sure my resistance and defenses reach the points that I want… max resistance and at least soft cap 45% for (S/L) defense. 
 

otherwise, if it’s a power set I’ve already played, I usually do a mids build by level 25 when I can reasonably slot IOs.

[Krimson]

Often I make the build before I make the toon. However, when I do make a toon, I like to solo up to around level 35ish until I unlock Patrons. So my build is fully kitted out, but I level with whatever drops until I hit 50. After I do Patrons, I often farm out the rest. I've made 28 toons since 2019 and I have a plan for each one I make. All of my toons are level 50, and they all have Tier 3 Incarnates, with half being fully Incarnate. So when I make a toon, I intend to play it a lot.

[BazookaTwo]

Beta server building method...and tis is a new approach for me, but I liked it. 

• Using auto level, step to milestone levels for the character. Ymmv but for me that's 7, 17, 22, 35, 44, and 50. 
• Outfit the enhancements the best you can along the way, saving screenshots. 
• You now have a roadmap, and an idea of the pain points as you build out 

Just last night I did this with a Pistols/Devices blaster. Early on I made the decision I wanted to prioritize End Recovery Bonuses, then Damage, then Def/Resist. I made these decisions by exploring slot bonuses and sticking to my arbitrary "flavor rules" for this character. In this case that meant no "super" travel powers outside of Infiltration and Combat Jumping. It Ended up being very AOE centric as well. 

 

This morning I joined a PUG in PI and said toon is now 22. I need to kit him out, but I know if I exemp down, what I can go for as essential for making it workable. 

 

[High_Beam]

1. I come up with an idea - powers and such.  I don't frame them up in Mids yet.

 

2. I go to the Test Server and bump the character to 20, selecting and slotting how I feel based on general experience.  Then I play to see how the play goes.  This is the fun zone.  The majority of your baseline bread and butter powers are in this zone and you will know right there and then if its worth the run.

 

3.  If it passes the basic fun check, I frame a build in Mids as a leveling build to level 30.  Because the majority of Set IOs for a 50 start at 30 I use SO's paired with applicable and usable Set IOs during this leveling build.  Keeping in mind that these Set IOs that are slotted during this leveling run are still to be used.

 

4.  At level 30 I do a new Mids build targeting the design for the level 50 run.  Sometimes this may include a respec sometimes I am good.

 

5.  Finally at level 50 I can say that I rarely have to do any real tweaking, its gone as I have wanted it to.  What I often do is fine tune and more specifically, tweak the elvels at which certain things get slotted to optimize the character for Flashbacks.

 

6.  I am a happy Beam because of my process.  Of course I don't have hundreds of alts, which is why I do the flashback build considerations because I play them a lot after they hit 50 (all 25 of them).  I have no farmed toons.

 

 

[Uun]

I slot SOs (and prestige enhancements) until lvl 22, then common IOs after that. I build by feel through about lvl 30, which is when I start slotting IO sets. At that point I will put together a build in Mid's. Even then, power picks stay fluid and often change as I go. I usually slot cheaper sets while leveling and replace them with more expensive sets once I hit 50. It costs nothing extra to do this if you respec at 50 and sell off the sets you're not keeping (even if you don't respec, all it costs you are the unslotters).

[Crysis]

It depends on whether or not it’s a power-leveled library alt or one I intend to content level.  But in general:

 

1) Find/Create an endgame build in MIDS.  I try my best to optimize via min/max and from advice from the great minds in this forum.  Once I’m happy with the build I’ll auto-arrange slots based on this likely being a respec build at some point in the late 40’s.  
 

2) Using the endgame build as a template I’ll create a leveling build.  For example, Hurricane and O2 Boost are useful at lower levels for most of my Stormies but I’ll never keep those powers beyond level 32.  So I may end up with a mid game respec build in addition to a leveling build.   I’ll also typically overslot early level powers that will be given fewer slots once respecc’d for end game.
 

3) If its a VEAT, I tend to multi-build those so repeat in MIDS as needed.

 

Basically, I think I spend as much time in MIDS planning the toon as I do playing it.  

[Ceejer]

• I get and idea, inspiration, muse for a name, bio, costume or AT/power set.
• Research anything I can find for build on the forum/wiki that fit. Confirm that there are no plans to limit the concept or primary game mechanics.
• Craft a final build with accolades, incarnate,  IOs in mids. If it's to good to be true, it's off to the test server to see if it really works. 
• Create the new character with origin, AT, power sets, costumes, power customization and cut and paste then format the bio. 
• Head to Pocket D, to setup the costumes, start vendor and Null the Gull.
• Invite new toon to SG.
• Level up/respec the character placing IO uniques and sets as it's available by level. 
• Slot common IOs at 22.
• Export build and respec at 27 for level 30 common IOs
• Export build and respec at 32 for level 35 common IOs.
• Export build and respec at 37 for level 40 common IOs.
• Export build and respec at 42 for level 45 common IOs, invite to 42+ level SG.
• Export build and respec at 47 for level 50 common IOs. 
• Export build and respec at 50 for level purple IOs.

Edited June 9 by Ceejer
Spelling, what else?

[Uun]

1 hour ago, Ceejer said:

• Export build and respec at 27 for level 30 common IOs
• Export build and respec at 32 for level 35 common IOs.
• Export build and respec at 37 for level 40 common IOs.
• Export build and respec at 42 for level 45 common IOs, invite to 42+ level SG.
• Export build and respec at 47 for level 50 common IOs. 

This seems like a tremendous amount of extra work for very little benefit. If you're going to stick with common IOs, there's little reason not to keep lvl 30s all the way to 50. For example, a Schedule A enhancement is 34.8% at lvl 30 and 40.5% at lvl 45. In most situations, that 5.7% increase isn't going to be noticeable (let alone the ~2% difference for a 5-level increase). Alternatively, slot attuned IO sets at lvl 30. If you're just concerned about the enhancement values and not the set bonuses, uncommon sets will work fine and should cost less than 6 sets of common IOs

[Ceejer]

43 minutes ago, Uun said:

This seems like a tremendous amount of extra work for very little benefit. If you're going to stick with common IOs, there's little reason not to keep lvl 30s all the way to 50. For example, a Schedule A enhancement is 34.8% at lvl 30 and 40.5% at lvl 45. In most situations, that 5.7% increase isn't going to be noticeable (let alone the ~2% difference for a 5-level increase). Alternatively, slot attuned IO sets at lvl 30. If you're just concerned about the enhancement values and not the set bonuses, uncommon sets will work fine and should cost less than 6 sets of common IOs

 

You're correct. I have 689+ toons though, so the Common IOs get cycled to the next alt. 

[Lazarillo]

Mostly, I make a build in Mids that's fully decked out, and one alt gets to 50, I've put together enough INF with them to pretty much buy out all the Attuned enhancements I need to put together the build as planned while leveling on the next one.

[mistagoat]

On 6/9/2024 at 12:50 PM, Crysis said:

Basically, I think I spend as much time in MIDS planning the toon as I do playing it.  

LOL! I often feel this way as well! When you play CoH, you're really playing 2 games, Mids and CoH 🙂

[Hedgefund]

Early in these HC days I used to plan for a 25/40/50 respec but I've simplified over the last couple of years and just have a lvl 50 target.

 

Now, I

1) figure out what I'm going to play

2) make a final build in Mids

3) create it in game

4) head to Pocket D to begin acquiring the enhancements needed.  Pocket D so I can have the added bonus of opening LRT by doing nothing at all (1 hour in PD opens it).

 

With the exception of Pana proc and Kismet unique I use SOs until I can get meaningful IO set bonuses or IO enh values catch up to SO values (whichever comes first).  I do slot L%tG 7.5s ASAP.

 

The next meaningful milestone is at 50 when I have to decide to unslot vs respec.  If I'm heavy on Winter-Os and ATOs then I'll use unslotters for what I'm substituting (and not catalyzing) but if I'm adding, say, 5 new purple sets, I'll probably just respec.

 

There are exceptions to this whole thing, like for a new powerset I'll take all the powers while leveling and will probably end up with a different build for a lvl 50 respec after omitting powers I find less useful.

[High_Beam]

On 6/9/2024 at 2:24 PM, Ceejer said:

• I get and idea, inspiration, muse for a name, bio, costume or AT/power set.
• Research anything I can find for build on the forum/wiki that fit. Confirm that there are no plans to limit the concept or primary game mechanics.
• Craft a final build with accolades, incarnate,  IOs in mids. If it's to good to be true, it's off to the test server to see if it really works. 
• Create the new character with origin, AT, power sets, costumes, power customization and cut and paste then format the bio. 
• Head to Pocket D, to setup the costumes, start vendor and Null the Gull.
• Invite new toon to SG.
• Level up/respec the character placing IO uniques and sets as it's available by level. 
• Slot common IOs at 22.
• Export build and respec at 27 for level 30 common IOs
• Export build and respec at 32 for level 35 common IOs.
• Export build and respec at 37 for level 40 common IOs.
• Export build and respec at 42 for level 45 common IOs, invite to 42+ level SG.
• Export build and respec at 47 for level 50 common IOs. 
• Export build and respec at 50 for level purple IOs.

Wow!  That is a real macro level process but as long as it works, Bravo!

[Ironblade]

I figure things out as I level up.  My only advance planning is to identify any key powers (like Fulcrum Shift or a blaster tier 9) and make sure to take them as soon as they become available.  I use SO's until somewhere in the low 30's and then start crafting and slotting IO sets.  I almost never respec at level 50 since the build I did on the way up is 'good enough'.

 

The exceptions to the above are characters from back on live that I wanted to recreate exactly.  In those cases, I had the builds and costumes saved, so everything was planned completely in advance but I used the above method for the original build back on live.  This applied to about 15 of my level 50's on Homecoming (out of a total of 39, I think).

[SeraphimKensai]

I occasionally make myself a build usually to theory craft ideas and variations, but I usually know how I'm going to slot a toon up from the time I decide to pick those powersets. I often have enough funds/IOs that I slot the character with them organically as I go if I'm leveling via missions or what not, or all at once if I'm farming myself a new alt.

 

I then like to test what it can handle, whether that is +4*8 content, some 801 series stuff or just some speed runs or whatnot.

 

I typically don't bother with SO's unless I'm actively trying a SO only build.

[Crysis]

6 hours ago, SeraphimKensai said:

 

I typically don't bother with SO's unless I'm actively trying a SO only build.

I don’t think I’ve slotted a single DO/SO since IO’s were introduced.  Levels 1-25 go by so fast that I’ve never found the time or need to do so.  I generally outfit all new alts with generic IO’s until their late 20’s and then start swapping for sets in the 30’s.  Uniques are the exceptions to this however….Panacea, Numina etc.

[Biff Pow]

If I'm not very familiar with the powerset, I'll take every power as I level up to get to know them and see what is useful and fun. I've seen builds posted here that skip over cool powers, so it's better to judge for yourself.