Enhancement Boosters?

[Cold Hard Cash]

Hi guys and gals. I am experimenting with boosters. Ive been using boosters on 50 purple sets in order to get more effectiveness out of some of the sets. Is this a good idea?  Also I can do the same with regular IO sets to increase effectiveness but I am wondering if Attuning them is better or worse then boosting?

[Machariel]

Boosters are pretty expensive in terms of merits so I definitely don't use them everywhere.  I think the only things I really look to boost are generic IOs in powers without many slots. 

A perfect place for them is to have two 50+5 IOs in Hasten as it's just as good as 3-slotting, and any time you can spend inf to free up a power slot, you should, because inf is infinite but slots are fixed.

If you go Fly/Afterburner, I think enhancement boosters can save a slot there as well.

I guess anything with a long recharge is a good candidate as well as it may be a cheap way to save another 5 or 10 seconds off of a long recharge power.

 

For non-generic (Set) IOs, I just buy attuned and forget about it.  Being able to not worry about exemping down is worth a lot more to me than boosting the % values of some enhancements, especially since most of the stats I care about are already so close to the ED cap anyway.

[Adeon Hawkwood]

In general I prefer to buy attuned IOs rather than using boosters. I mostly use boosters in three places.

 

The first is purple sets. I generally 5-slot purple sets since the 6th slot is just Psi Def or Res which isn't super useful. So what I do is skip the single-aspect damage piece and then +5 the Dam/End piece to get me up to ED capped damage and a little more endurance reduction (I sometimes +5 the Dam/Rech instead if it's a long recharge power).

 

The second is powers that only need recharge (such as Hasten or Embrace of Fire) there I just put two level 50 recharge IOs in it and use boosters to get to 95% recharge. I tend to +5 both of them for aesthetic reasons but you only really need to +5 one and +2 the other, the last three enhancement boosters don't have much effect.

 

The third place is powers that only really need two aspects enhanced such as toggles (endurance reduction and something) or long recharge buffs (need recharge and something). For these powers putting in a dual aspect IO and then +5'ing is gives you 33% enhancement to both aspects. So I'll put one to three of those in there instead of a set.

[Cold Hard Cash]

Thank you both. helped a ton.

[Mr. Vee]

Oh and to one of your initial questions, never get an attuned purple. they already work at every level like an attuned IO.

[PhoenixV117]

On 6/28/2019 at 9:32 PM, Veelectric Boogaloo said:

Oh and to one of your initial questions, never get an attuned purple. they already work at every level like an attuned IO.

So, +5 boost purple sets. Attune ATO’s and attune any set that’s at lv 50 so u get the bonus at lower levels. But sets that you get at low levels boost because you’ll get that bonus at low levels anyway. For example LOTG is a lv 50 set so attune. Numinas is a lv 30 set so you’ll get its bonuses from lv 27 so boost it +5

[Snarky]

I love min/maxing and building outrageously expensive builds just because Homecoming allows me to.  That said I pretty much only boost Hasten I/O so those two are +5.  And it is pretty much the law of diminishing returns.  I have a blaster with a bunch of Purple sets on.  Crazy expensive build.  I got the Purples non attuned, in case I ever want to boost them, then left them raw.  On this Blaster I am chasing damage, and in pursuit of that, recharge.  But as was mentioned above I left off the DAM Purple enhancer on each set.  You are still cranked hard into ED zone without the DAM enhancer (89.92% pre Ed 92.75%)  The reason I then moved away from tinkering with these sets is my Incarnate choices.  In this case Musculature total Radial Revamp (Dark/Dark Blaster) which kicks you far into ED and dwarfs anything throwing boosters on this purple set can accomplish.  I also took all 3 toggles from Leadership.  Because at this point outside buffs are the only thing significantly pushing this power's damage up. Cranking 15-20 boosters onto each of the purple sets on the build will have....meh effects.  Don't get me wrong, when I have stopped building insanely powerful alts and want to burn another ton of money on the one character I might do it.  Part of the reason I do not may even be the interface.  I find boosting and creating superior enhancers slightly boring, time consuming, and overall unfun.

 

 

This got me interested.  So I tinkered in mids.  for the raw power Blackstar (tier 9 Dark Blast)  the overall damage goes up just under 1% with all its enhancers sets at +5.  (4 values pre incarnate, exemplared, 615.5 to 634.1 at +5, with Alpha slot active 672.9 to 681.6 at +5.) Which I may actually do.  I have 3 Purple sets on the build.  But it is sort of a waste of Inf.  Because logically I know that team buffs is where the next step in the characters effectiveness is.  There are statistically zero times I leave a mob hanging on by 1 health.  That Blaster either rocks their world or they require....extreme measures.  

 

Looks at goal for today, crafting converting selling about 1000 merits worth of enhancement converters (3000 EC) to finance mad new Dark/Invul Brute build.  Hmmmm.  Yeah, Even on my main Blaster I am not going to take the time out to do that today.  Just not earth stopping good.

Edited March 20, 2020 by Snarky

[Caulderone]

Non-superior ATOs are already attuned.  You will want to use a catalyst on them at level 50 to turn them into the Superior version (which is attuned, too, but only slottable at L50).

 

All the sets have level ranges.  LotG is 25-50, Numina is 30-50.  Those should be attuned if you want to slot them while leveling or if you want to exemplar.

[PhoenixV117]

52 minutes ago, Caulderone said:

Non-superior ATOs are already attuned.  You will want to use a catalyst on them at level 50 to turn them into the Superior version (which is attuned, too, but only slottable at L50).

 

All the sets have level ranges.  LotG is 25-50, Numina is 30-50.  Those should be attuned if you want to slot them while leveling or if you want to exemplar.

So what named sets do I not want to attune ? I mean having set bonuses below level 20 is kinda pointless for the tiny content ammount there. 

[PhoenixV117]

3 minutes ago, PhoenixV117 said:

So what named sets do I not want to attune ? I mean having set bonuses below level 20 is kinda pointless for the tiny content ammount there. 

So I’ve lotg is 25-50 and I exemplar to 25 I’ll still have the set bonus, but from 22 and below I won’t ? Is that right, if that’s the case I’d rather +5 my lotg sets

[Caulderone]

21 minutes ago, PhoenixV117 said:

So what named sets do I not want to attune ? I mean having set bonuses below level 20 is kinda pointless for the tiny content ammount there. 

There is a lot of low level content available through Ouroboros, but you may not care about it.  Or, as you have 3 builds once you hit 50 incarnate levels, you could make specialized buidls.  Attune any set where you want to keep the bonuses when exemped.

16 minutes ago, PhoenixV117 said:

So I’ve lotg is 25-50 and I exemplar to 25 I’ll still have the set bonus, but from 22 and below I won’t ? Is that right, if that’s the case I’d rather +5 my lotg sets

Correct.

 

You can either attune for exemping or boost for max value at 50.

 

Now, you can buy things at specific levels and then boost them.  For example, my high level build is set to work from 33-50.  I buy level 36 IOs for any with multiple stats (example:  acc/dmg or end/defense) or not category A, and I boost them.  They will work down to level 33, and the boosted values from level 36 IOs is better than level 50 attuned.  Any that are single stat and category A (acc, dmg, rech, etc. that max at +42%), I take the attuned version.  I do this because of the exemplar rules, in particular rule #2 The Maximum Bonus Cap: 

https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Exemplar_Effects_on_Enhancements 

 

I'll give a specific example so that makes more sense:

I have Build Up 3 slotted with Adjusted Targeting (L21-50).

I have End/Rech and ToHit/Rech both at level 36 and +5 them.

I have the pure Recharge at level 50 attuned.

 

Edited March 20, 2020 by Caulderone

[Snarky]

1 hour ago, PhoenixV117 said:

So I’ve lotg is 25-50 and I exemplar to 25 I’ll still have the set bonus, but from 22 and below I won’t ? Is that right, if that’s the case I’d rather +5 my lotg sets

You have a slight misunderstanding of sets.  It is really old school CoH. A set like LotG is available 25-50.  Which means the first one you can get is level 25.  slottable at 22.  And it is stuck at those bonuses.  forever.  unless you exemplar down.  then the bonuses scale downward.  The set bonuses disappear below 22.  at level 50 you still have a level 25 bonus.  

 

Attuned allows the Enhancer to bounce around with you.  It goes to your level, as you level.  Still set bonuses disappear below the minimum level of the set -3, but overall much better deal

 

 

[PhoenixV117]

On 3/20/2020 at 5:07 PM, Snarky said:

You have a slight misunderstanding of sets.  It is really old school CoH. A set like LotG is available 25-50.  Which means the first one you can get is level 25.  slottable at 22.  And it is stuck at those bonuses.  forever.  unless you exemplar down.  then the bonuses scale downward.  The set bonuses disappear below 22.  at level 50 you still have a level 25 bonus.  

 

Attuned allows the Enhancer to bounce around with you.  It goes to your level, as you level.  Still set bonuses disappear below the minimum level of the set -3, but overall much better deal

 

 

I’m still pretty confused so I’ll attach a picture of an example of what I have slotted in my PB see if there’s anything you can see that’s wrong 

[Caulderone]

Let's use your Bright Nova Detonation, and go over various options on it.  Maybe a concrete example will help.

 

As you have it slotted with Level 50 Positron's Blast, the set bonuses will only work at level 47-50.  Assuming you have them slotted in order, you have the Damage/Range +5'd.  That gives you enhancement values of 47.7%A/100.07%D/47.7%E/26.5%R/19.92%Rng at level 50.

 

If you had those PB attuned instead, the set bonuses would work from level 17-50.  The enhancement value would be 47.7/99.08/47.7/26.5/15.94 at level 50.

 

If you got all 6 of the PB set at Level 33 and +5d them all (except the proc, no value in boosting it), the set bonuses would work from level 30-50.  The enhancement values would be 50.48/100.19/50.48/28.05/16.88 at level 50.

 

Which is best completely depends on your build goals, in particular to what levels do you want that build to be able to exemp down to.

 

Note:  I indicated the enhancement values at L50 because they will alter as you exemplar lower and lower.  In case you aren't familiar with that system, here is the wiki:

https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Exemplar_Effects_on_Enhancements

Edited March 21, 2020 by Caulderone

[Snarky]

I don't know peacebringers at all, but the enhancer setup itself is straightforward.  You have done nothing glaringly wrong. You boosted a LOTG 7.5% 5 levels?  how much net defense did that actually give you?  Other than that it looks okay.  I cant click on the enhancer and see which ones you boosted or set bonuses.

 

Keep in mind with Enhancers everything is built up from the old dual origin single origin store bought enhancers.  Go back a long time and think of how this game evolved.  I promise it will help.

 

Then they added Enhancer Sets.  Enhancer Sets boosted multiple things, many times with better overall percentages, and gave you global set bonuses.

 

Here is the thing.  Originally the Enhancer Sets were as set in stone as those single origin enhancer.  You buy a level 26 LOTG Def/End.  It will NEVER change value, unless you are on a team below its level, then it scales downward.  It never goes up.  You go 3 levels below its value you lose it as a piece for considering set bonuses.  it still works, just no longer gives set bonuses.

 

Then they added Purple Enhancers.  Only available at 50....but they kept their set bonuses when playing low level.  they still scaled downward, but those sweet set bonuses remained.

 

Then we got attuned (very new addition really, not counting SNAP hiatus) Those climb in value with you and keep set bonuses right down to the floor level of the entire set.

 

ATOs are available at level 10, are automatically attuned, and you can "purple" them at 50 for Superior versions.

 

But all the content, well almost all, is based on the old school SO game.  That is why when you start throwing sets on a level 17 and doing Synapse you feel like you are cruising.  Your character has bonuses the original designers KNEW were never going to be available.  Because in their world there was nothing that was on the drawing boards to create it.   

 

There is a slight uptick in overall complication in more modern arcs, but by and large the game is still balanced around SOs.  

 

Except Praetoria.  No one can tell what the Devs were thinking there.  Extremely hard low level content marketed to the newest players.  I still avaoid Goldside.  I soloed it a couple times on Brutes back on live and it does not call to me.  Politics, lies, more politics, more lies, and content that is nearly impossible depending on how many inspirations you have left in the tank.

 

I prefer Redside.  Just tell me we are robbing a bank or killing a bozo because....yeah, don't care, getting paid, getting a badge. 

Edited March 21, 2020 by Snarky

[Six-Six]

I have a suggestion that might help.

2 builds.

I usually have a levelling build which, if I really like the toon, I will swap out for purples and superiors. If not, the levelling IOs stay.

But on toons I really enjoy playing, I set build 1 to maximum performance at 50. This means most are 50+5 instead of attuned. This is the build I use for iTrials and Market Crash, ITF, etc.

Then I have build 2 which is optimised for exemplaring. So a power that I got at level 8 may have an attuned IO with 7-30 level limit. Yes the IO benefits will stop "improving" at level 31 or not level with you anymore. But I'd rather have an IO and/or set bonus that works when I level down, rather than an optimum IO/set that will stop working below a certain level. (that's what build 1 is for). Moreover, I pay attention to the set bonuses that the toon needs at that level, not in general.

Additionaly note. It sounds complicated but you really only have to ascertain 3 bands of levels. pre-20 (you hardly need any IO or set bonuses), 20-35 (this is the crucial bit), and 35+.

Hope that helps.
 

[xl8]

Old thread but I thought add this because it wasn't addressed...

If you boost purple sets do you lose the set bonuses when exemped?

[Psyonico]

No, Purples keep their set bonuses when exemped.

[TombTyrant]

I love when old threads like this get necroed because it lets me learn things that I missed while I was away.

[Doomguide2005]

Overall I think a lot of confusion is generated by the difference between talking about how the set bonuses behave over a range of character levels and how the enhancement values of the individual aspects (endred, damage, recharge, accuracy etc.) of the power work over a range of character levels.  Attunement is worrying about the set bonuses over a range of character levels while boosting is being concerned with the values of individual aspects (endred, damage, recharge etc.) of a power.  Keeping the set bonuses as you exemplar is generally much more important to the builds function than how much the individual enhancement values are effected as you exemplar down lower and lower.