Mid-Level IOs

[DoctorDank]

So I am at the point with a lot of characters in that 20-30 level range and I would like to swap over to some IOs to just last me til 50 but I am basically just wanting to see general consensus of if people get cheap as possible IO sets just to last the character or do you get the same ones or one step down from what you would at these low levels as you would at L50?

[DSorrow]

I'm a bit biased due to having several billions of inf at my disposal, but I buy attuned versions of all the IO sets I have in my planned level 50 build and slot them as I level up. Purples and such that I can only slot at 50 I substitute with random cheap set IOs. On my first character I just slotted lvl 25 generic IOs until 50, but looking back I probably could have saved a bit of inf and had more effect by replacing some of those with dirt cheap IO sets.

[Yomo Kimyata]

I have a bad case of altitis -- don't even have a 50 yet.  But I try to make each character self sufficient.

 

Generally, I don't bother slotting until lvl 12, when I go to the University and kit out with lvl 15 generic IOs.  Then I will add sets on the 2s and 7s.  Example: at 17 on a targeted AoE I will buy an attuned set of Positron's Blast, then not worry about it for a while. 

 

I work off the attitude that if I want it, other people probably do as well.  So my rule of thumb is that if I want one, I buy or make ten and try to make a profit off it.  It's pretty much how I've gotten into most of my specific niches.

[Shinobu]

 

It depends on my mood.  I'm quite fine with slotting level 25 generics and calling that good until I'm in my high 30's or early 40's, but I've been building up a collection of attuned IOs in my base.  I've bought uncommon heal/endurance/defense/resistance/various damage IOs and converted them into the rare ones I usually like to slot.  For my attacks I often create a build that includes what I want to slot if price is no object, but in the meantime where I have purples and superior Winter O's placed in my build, I'll substitute other sets like Obliteration, Positron's Blast, Mako's Bite, whatever seems to work, on the theory that any decent set with bonuses is probably better than generics with no bonuses (which... is mostly but not always true of course).

 

I just hit 50 last night on my current project, a martial arts/invulnerability brute named Yohko.  The build works pretty well but has endurance issues, and I think if I start slotting Winter O's these problems will mostly be solved.  ^_^  But from my mid 30's until now, other attuned IO sets have done the job well enough.  We did an ITF last night and I think I was the only person to never die -- all of my resist and defense powers are already slotted how I want them to be, those parts are easy since there are no purple or Winter sets involved.

 

 

[ed_anger]

Whatever I pick up till 22, then full 25 IOs until 50, unless I have/find/bother with some specific attuned sets earlier. Leveling is so fast these days that 50 isn't far off (unlike spending months in 25-50 on live after launch, somehow).

[DoctorDank]

So a general consensus is do whatever you feel you need to do but more than likely if you want to be in a good spot dont skimp out. I've only been playing the game for coming on a week now so I havent established but about 3 or 4 characters I am set on keeping and like and only 1 of them is near 50 (46).  Ive built up almost 100m inf on him and he already is for the most part kitted out with all the IOs I want.  Due to this I am feeling a little more comfortable spending freely and think I will just slot some 1-4 mil range IOs in a couple of these mid level guys. 

[Adeon Hawkwood]

So the main thing to remember is that attuned IOs will improve as your character levels and cost the same as regular IOs. So if you do buy some IOs buy attuned IOs.

[Bropine]

Whatever I pick up till 22, then full 25 IOs until 50, unless I have/find/bother with some specific attuned sets earlier. Leveling is so fast these days that 50 isn't far off (unlike spending months in 25-50 on live after launch, somehow).

 

Unless you make all of your favorite toons with "Technology" origin, like I did. Literally no mobs in Steel Canyon drop DO's with "Technology".

 

So I pretty much just make level 20 IO's for all of them once I hit 17.

[Robotech_Master]

If you've planned out your build and know that you're going to end up with particular sets when it's all done, it can be worthwhile to start slotting Attuned versions of those sets as soon as you're able to.  But not everyone plans out that far ahead.

 

So, if you don't know what sets you plan to slot, you might as well start using IOs in the early to mid 20s. Level 25 IOs are almost as good as SOs, and level 30 and 35 are about on the order of white or green SOs. And they won't expire, so you can take your time about replacing them if you need to. (Really, that's one of the best things about IOs. No more "Eek, I've gone red, gimme 10 minutes to spend buying thirty or forty green SOs.")

[Justisaur]

I haven't been able to afford anything yet, and don't know what's cheap enough or if there is anything cheap enough, so it's been 25 invention IOs for everyone.  My one 50 even only has that, as I don't really like that 50 (plant/kin) and don't want to spend any money on it.

 

 

[Robotech_Master]

You know, the state of your Influential finances really need not be a concern...

[Rathulfr]

So I am at the point with a lot of characters in that 20-30 level range and I would like to swap over to some IOs to just last me til 50 but I am basically just wanting to see general consensus of if people get cheap as possible IO sets just to last the character or do you get the same ones or one step down from what you would at these low levels as you would at L50?

 

At level 22, you should be able to slot everything with level 25 generic IOs for under $2-4 million Inf.  These are basically the equivalent of -1 SOs, and they don't ever have to be replaced.  At level 27, start adding level 30 generic IOs, which are the functional equivalent of +1 SOs, and you won't need to buy anything else until you get to level 47+, when you can start thinking about IO sets.  Craft the 25/30 generic IOs yourself, or buy them from /AH for no more than 50-75K Inf each.  If you get any uniques/procs along the way, craft and equip those, as you level up: levels don't matter on most of the unique/proc IOs.

 

This means that you can spend 20-25 levels just making money: earning Inf, selling rares/recipes, etc.  Good luck, and have fun!

 

[DoctorDank]

You know, the state of your Influential finances really need not be a concern...

 

I'm sure you will be happy to know that your guide has actually widely influenced  ;) how well I have been able to make money over the past 2 weeks.  I greatly appreciate it!

[Robotech_Master]

Glad I could help!

[Heraclea]

I typically slot generic IOs starting around level 15, and Frankenslot anything that drops that fits, sharing among all the characters.  I upgrade these when the salvage drops to make replacements as they go; if not I don't worry much about it.  This will serve until at least 47 mostly, when I slot 50s for the sets that go that far.  Exceptions include Kinetic Combats and the like, which I will slot at 32 in main attacks that have 4 slots by then.

[Scientist]

I tend to plan out my characters way in advance, so as I level up I look at powers I can put the same attuned sets in that I want at 50.  That way I get to start benefiting a bit from the recharge, defense, etc. even before 50.  That might mean I 5 slot something earlier than otherwise, for example, to get a set bonus.  Other powers will just have generic level 25 or 30 IOs for a long time.  At 50 I'll typically respec anyway to make sure all my powers are available at the levels I may want to exemp to, and ditch anything I was experimenting with (goodbye Long Range Teleport!), so I can pull out anything I changed my mind on at that point and reuse it on someone else.