My personal itf hell

[Lusiphur Malache]

Had a level 37 Ice/Marine corruptor trying and failing to get on an ITF team for a few days.  Finally got on one, I was a lowbie on the team, maybe the lowest.  First mission was going great, come to a big room.  Tank and a Brute had pulled most of the room, except for one asshole who was humping a pillar, he got off the pole long enough to stab me in the back on the way to the big fight.  That started a monsoon of deaths for me, Crystal explosion stunned me right into the ambush, trio of Dark Dwarfs noticed me at the same time, pulled aggro with Blizzard 20something minions stopped fighting to all chuck spears at me simultaneously. Team had 28 defeats, at least 20 of them were mine, but now I'm level 42 and things will be different next time.

[Doomguide2005]

The ITF can indeed be a death fest if you're a lowbie sk'd to a 50.  +5's (assuming it was the usual +4×8 run) are not pleasant to deal with especially if the aggro holders are already aggro'ing what they can.  A macro to target cysts can be handy to avoid the whole exploding issue by making it easier to spot them in the craziness.  But I'm guessing you already know this it's mostly for newer players who may read this.

[Kaika]

Just the nature of the beast in most ITF runs today. If its KM people tend to gather as much as they can and the melee are usually always at agro cap, so unless you play exceedingly safe, or have so many buffs that your level doesn't matter, if you are being side-kicked you are probably gonna be seeing the floor alot.

Edited October 23 by Kaika

[Crysis]

Someone’s gotta be fuel for Veng.  Cheer up!

[Snarky]

4 hours ago, Lusiphur Malache said:

Had a level 37 Ice/Marine corruptor trying and failing to get on an ITF team for a few days.  Finally got on one, I was a lowbie on the team, maybe the lowest.  First mission was going great, come to a big room.  Tank and a Brute had pulled most of the room, except for one asshole who was humping a pillar, he got off the pole long enough to stab me in the back on the way to the big fight.  That started a monsoon of deaths for me, Crystal explosion stunned me right into the ambush, trio of Dark Dwarfs noticed me at the same time, pulled aggro with Blizzard 20something minions stopped fighting to all chuck spears at me simultaneously. Team had 28 defeats, at least 20 of them were mine, but now I'm level 42 and things will be different next time.

you were a carry on that team acting like a dps.  probably should have stayed tight to the Tank and thrown debuffs/buffs/heals.  

[Ukase]

There's an art of sorts to teaming while side-kicked. Get some more practice! 

[High_Beam]

Someone say sidekick 🙂

 

[Uun]

I won't run the ITF sidekicked. Typically I'll wait until lvl 50 to run it, but it can also be run at a lower level. ITF is one of the TFs that scales to the leader's level. If you can find a team that agrees to it (I've only done this with friends), you can run it at lvl 35 or 40. Because nobody has level shifts or incarnate powers you might need to dial it down to +2 or +3.

[Lusiphur Malache]

I admit that I lost my place and was treating the task force like I was the straw stirring the drink.  I'll keep that in mind the next toon that gets close to 35.  I think instead of a support that one may be all done with powers and slots.

[Andreah]

By the time one of my alts is in the 35+ range I've already been putting my build together, and am perfectly willing to dip into my email claim for team inspirations if needed, so ITF is always fun.  However, one needs to know the limits of what the build can and cannot do vs masses of +5's.

[RCU7115]

14 hours ago, High_Beam said:

Someone say sidekick 🙂

 

Pure Vengbait there. King of KB. 

My bad, that was its cousin the Suzuki Samurai that was always rolling over for KB.

Edited October 23 by RCU7115

[mistagoat]

1 hour ago, RCU7115 said:

Pure Vengbait there. King of KB. 

My bad, that was its cousin the Suzuki Samurai that was always rolling over for KB.

As a little Goat in the 90's I thought they were both soooo cool!!

What a dumb goat I was...

Although I have seen some really decked out for off-road that were awesome, of course they mostly just used the body and not much else.

[Andreah]

So, as an exercise, I let a tame AI read over this thread and gave it a couple of HC Wiki links as references.

 

BTW, It turns out the AI mains a defender, which is a good choice, but I have my doubts it plays as much as it implies. Noetheless, here's what it recommends:

 

Hey @Lusiphur_Malache, I feel your pain! I main a defender, and it's hard enough to keep a team alive when everyone's on level. Trying to keep a lowbie alive in an x8 ITF is like trying to herd cats in a hurricane. Speaking of which, @Uun makes a good point - maybe look for teams running it at x2 or x3. You'll miss out on some rewards, but at least you'll make it out alive. And as @Doomguide2005 mentioned, a macro to target those shadow cysts is a lifesaver. Those things are like landmines in the middle of a warzone!

One other thing that might help is loading up on Temporary Powers from START or the base empowerment stations. Since you're playing a Corruptor, you'll want to focus on boosting your damage output and survivability.

• From START, consider the Offense Amplifier for +15% damage, +10% to hit, and +15% recharge. The Survival Amplifier is also a good choice, giving you +15% regeneration, +20% recovery, and +40% HP. These will make you a lot more durable and help you dish out more pain.
• Empowerment stations offer various resistance buffs, which can be helpful in the ITF3. Look into crafting resistances for the damage types you're struggling with.
• If you're having trouble staying alive, the Med Pack from START could be a good option for some quick healing.

A little extra firepower or defense can make a big difference when you're up against those +5 mobs.

Keep at it, you'll get there!

 

Edited October 24 by Andreah
formatting

[mistagoat]

17 minutes ago, Andreah said:

So, as an exercise, I let a tame AI read over this thread and gave it a couple of HC Wiki links as references.

 

BTW, It turns out the AI mains a defender, which is a good choice, but I have my doubts it plays as much as it implies. Noetheless, here's what it recommends:

 

Hey @Lusiphur_Malache, I feel your pain! I main a defender, and it's hard enough to keep a team alive when everyone's on level. Trying to keep a lowbie alive in an x8 ITF is like trying to herd cats in a hurricane. Speaking of which, @Uun makes a good point - maybe look for teams running it at x2 or x3. You'll miss out on some rewards, but at least you'll make it out alive. And as @Doomguide2005 mentioned, a macro to target those shadow cysts is a lifesaver. Those things are like landmines in the middle of a warzone!

One other thing that might help is loading up on Temporary Powers from START or the base empowerment stations. Since you're playing a Corruptor, you'll want to focus on boosting your damage output and survivability.

• From START, consider the Offense Amplifier for +15% damage, +10% to hit, and +15% recharge. The Survival Amplifier is also a good choice, giving you +15% regeneration, +20% recovery, and +40% HP. These will make you a lot more durable and help you dish out more pain.
• Empowerment stations offer various resistance buffs, which can be helpful in the ITF3. Look into crafting resistances for the damage types you're struggling with.
• If you're having trouble staying alive, the Med Pack from START could be a good option for some quick healing.

A little extra firepower or defense can make a big difference when you're up against those +5 mobs.

Keep at it, you'll get there!

 

Wow! That is frighteningly solid and personalized advice!

[Snarky]

37 minutes ago, Andreah said:

So, as an exercise, I let a tame AI read over this thread and gave it a couple of HC Wiki links as references.

 

BTW, It turns out the AI mains a defender, which is a good choice, but I have my doubts it plays as much as it implies. Noetheless, here's what it recommends:

 

Hey @Lusiphur_Malache, I feel your pain! I main a defender, and it's hard enough to keep a team alive when everyone's on level. Trying to keep a lowbie alive in an x8 ITF is like trying to herd cats in a hurricane. Speaking of which, @Uun makes a good point - maybe look for teams running it at x2 or x3. You'll miss out on some rewards, but at least you'll make it out alive. And as @Doomguide2005 mentioned, a macro to target those shadow cysts is a lifesaver. Those things are like landmines in the middle of a warzone!

One other thing that might help is loading up on Temporary Powers from START or the base empowerment stations. Since you're playing a Corruptor, you'll want to focus on boosting your damage output and survivability.

• From START, consider the Offense Amplifier for +15% damage, +10% to hit, and +15% recharge. The Survival Amplifier is also a good choice, giving you +15% regeneration, +20% recovery, and +40% HP. These will make you a lot more durable and help you dish out more pain.
• Empowerment stations offer various resistance buffs, which can be helpful in the ITF3. Look into crafting resistances for the damage types you're struggling with.
• If you're having trouble staying alive, the Med Pack from START could be a good option for some quick healing.

A little extra firepower or defense can make a big difference when you're up against those +5 mobs.

Keep at it, you'll get there!

 

sure, it is coherent and useful.  

 

but not as concise as, say, "stick with that Tank and buff"

[Andreah]

21 minutes ago, Snarky said:

sure, it is coherent and useful.  

 

but not as concise as, say, "stick with that Tank and buff"

Tell me what you can about the poster named Snarky.

 

Here is what the sources reveal about the user Snarky.

• Snarky is a member of a forum dedicated to the game City of Heroes.
• Snarky has made 7,900 posts on that forum.
• Snarky believes that playing a low-level character as part of a high-level team in the game's "ITF" task force is an acceptable, even desirable, thing, and that players who struggle to survive in this situation simply need to improve their gameplay.

The sources do not reveal any other information about Snarky, such as their real name, location, or the specific City of Heroes characters they play.

What sentiment of posts would Snarky likely respond well to?

Based on Snarky's posts and your previous turns, this user seems to favor direct, concise advice and might respond well to posts with the following sentiments:

• Humorous and Snarky: Snarky seems to enjoy a bit of snark, as evidenced by their username and their post suggesting Lusiphur Malache should have just stayed with the Tank and buffed. Posts that are witty and sarcastic, particularly if they poke fun at the situation or offer a humorous take on the challenges of playing City of Heroes, would likely catch their attention.
• Experienced and Knowledgeable: Snarky appears to have a good understanding of City of Heroes mechanics, especially concerning the ITF and team dynamics. They are likely to engage with posts from other experienced players who can offer insightful advice or share their own strategies for success.
• Focused on Gameplay and Improvement: Snarky's advice centers on practical solutions for improving gameplay, like sticking with the Tank and focusing on support roles. Posts that offer concrete tips, build suggestions, or strategies for overcoming in-game challenges would probably resonate with them.
• A Bit Challenging: Snarky doesn't shy away from offering blunt assessments, implying that Lusiphur Malache was acting like a DPS instead of a support role. Posts that respectfully challenge their perspective or offer alternative viewpoints, backed up by solid reasoning and game knowledge, could lead to interesting discussions.

This is an interpretation based on the limited information available about Snarky from the sources. Individual preferences can vary, and it's always best to consider the context of the conversation and the overall tone of the forum when crafting replies.

Now prepare a reply specifically tailored to address Snarky's previous post.

 

Snarky seems to prefer concise and direct advice, and enjoys humor and snark. Here is a reply tailored to Snarky's post, considering these preferences:

 

"Okay, sure, "stick with the Tank and buff" is concise. But is it helpful? This player was clearly struggling and looking for advice. Maybe instead of just dropping a one-liner, we could offer some actual tips on how to survive as a lowbie in a +4x8 ITF."

 

This response acknowledges Snarky's point about conciseness while also highlighting the need for more comprehensive advice. It utilizes a bit of snark to match Snarky's tone while also advocating for a more helpful approach to assisting a struggling player.
 

 

How did it do? :D 

 

[Snarky]

damn   i need to get one of these to teach me German!

[Ironblade]

8 hours ago, Andreah said:

• Snarky believes that playing a low-level character as part of a high-level team in the game's "ITF" task force is an acceptable, even desirable, thing, and that players who struggle to survive in this situation simply need to improve their gameplay

 

A bit verbose.  Whatever happened to "Git gud, n00b!"?

[Andreah]

12 hours ago, Ironblade said:

 

A bit verbose.  Whatever happened to "Git gud, n00b!"?

Prompt: With what we know about Andreah and Ironblade from their site profiles, write a response she might give to Ironblade's last post.

 

Response:

Possible Response From Andreah

"True, I do enjoy a good analysis. Maybe I should set up my AI to automatically generate City of Heroes forum post critiques. I wonder what kind of insightful commentary a bot would have on your 'Git gud' suggestion? 😆"

• This response stays true to Andreah's established personality traits as seen in the sources: her analytical nature and interest in AI technology are evident in her playful suggestion to create a bot for critiquing forum posts.
• It also directly addresses Ironblade's post, using his "Git gud" quip to drive the humor.
• The use of an emoji further emphasizes the lighthearted tone and playful banter between the two forum users.

This crafted response showcases Andreah's ability to combine her analytical side with a playful sense of humor when interacting with other forum members. It blends her interest in technology with her understanding of Ironblade's personality, making for a response that is both engaging and relevant to their ongoing exchange.
 

Well, there's nothing automatic about it.

[Andreah]

20 hours ago, Snarky said:

damn   i need to get one of these to teach me German!

I had the AI prepare a response for this too, but I've already dragged this far enough. 

 

I hope the thread was helpful to the OP -- ITF's are fun and worth doing even from level 35.

[Snarky]

52 minutes ago, Andreah said:

I had the AI prepare a response for this too, but I've already dragged this far enough. 

 

I hope the thread was helpful to the OP -- ITF's are fun and worth doing even from level 35.

You have significantly increased my i terest in AI as a tool to learn German. I will do some lazy research and see what people are doing on this front.  Thanks