Building a new character with SO's and other tips

[Diantane]

Whenever I start a new character such as a Sentinel, Scrapper, Brute or other alt with both offensive and defensive slotting, I choose to put three defense or resistance SO's long before I think about adding damage SO's to the offensive powers (I also add two end-redux SO's to each toggle (yes, right way). What good is offensive damage SO's if you're dead or out of endurance? I generally slot up the first defense and add up to three attacks before adding another defense, but I only have an accuracy enhancement in the attacks. I continually add four extra slots (5 total) to defense toggles as a young alt.

 

When leading a young team in mission such as the Hollows, I can easily tell that other characters like myself did the opposite when slotting. As they are have low health or die quickly. While I am still fighting without much of an issue.

 

Now one thing that I will tell the others in my team is if you are a ranged fighter, distance is your friend. If the enemy comes after you, back away from them as far as it takes. I see melee fighters keep attacking with low health. This is a very bad idea. They should back away (don't turn and run) when they are greater than 50% of their health. Then rest in a safe spot before continuing. If you wait too long, you'll be talking with the nurse before you know it.

 

So how do I know all this:

Started playing PC games in 1977 with the Apple II. My first MMO was Asherons Call (AC) in 1999. My only AC character that ever reached the max level after the new expansion of 275 did so with quests only (no grinding). Took me almost 5 years of playing nearly every day to get the over 33 million XP.

 

Many friends on AC wanted to quit the game as it was too hard. So I taught them about melee defense, shields, artificial intelligence and how to fight and stay alive to continue fighting.

 

[biostem]

No single approach to slotting will work for every character.  While end is certainly an issue for everybody, one thing I didn't see was slotting for ACC.  IMHO, being able to hit with your powers is more important than just about anything else.  Especially in the lower levels, trying to avoid "overflow damage" is important, and you may even want to detoggle some powers as situations change.  Somewhat related - an end redux in a click power may serve you better than double-slotting them into toggles.  If you have a way of funding your character, that dramatically changes the story - if you can afford a panacea, miracle, numina's, and/or performance shifter, you can basically eliminate the need for other sources of end for certain low-level characters.  Tackling this from a different perspective are "meta-powers";  For instance, if you have a defender on your team, and if your level/build permits, taking maneuvers and tactics can significantly improve the performance of you, your teammates, and any pets, (they're still great powers on other ATs, just with lower buff values).

Edited Monday at 11:59 PM by biostem

[Here be Dragons]

I do a fair amount of soloing my characters, usually setting difficulty to +0/x3* (include bosses) by level 4 or 5, for the added xp. This is regardless of chosen AT.

 

What works well for me is to grab 8 hours of the 3 Amplifier buffs from the START vendor. Slot the START Dam/Rech/%dmg IOs into attacks, though not in 4 second attacks because the saved time from +recharge is trivial. The quick recharge powers get a couple of Dam SOs. Endurance hungry AoEs get 1 end red SO.

 

I find that quickly killing mobs is a far superior defense, rather than adding a trivial few percent defense from extra slots in all defense powers.

 

At level 7 I will slot a Panacea +health/+end IO in Health, and a Kismet +to_hit IO if I have a defense power.

 

Run a DFB at around level 7 and grab the buff that you seem to need the most. Sometimes the Accuracy buff, or often the Recovery buff, very occasionally I will take the Defense buff for a powerset such as Super Reflexes.

 

 

*Side Note: Don't solo the last Posi 1 mission at more than x1, unless you feel very confident that you can handle multiple EB versions of your character with powers that you can't even yet access :/

[Seed22]

2 hours ago, Diantane said:

Whenever I start a new character such as a Sentinel, Scrapper, Brute or other alt with both offensive and defensive slotting, I choose to put three defense or resistance SO's long before I think about adding damage SO's to the offensive powers (I also add two end-redux SO's to each toggle (yes, right way). What good is offensive damage SO's if you're dead or out of endurance? I generally slot up the first defense and add up to three attacks before adding another defense, but I only have an accuracy enhancement in the attacks. I continually add four extra slots (5 total) to defense toggles as a young alt.

 

When leading a young team in mission such as the Hollows, I can easily tell that other characters like myself did the opposite when slotting. As they are have low health or die quickly. While I am still fighting without much of an issue.

 

Now one thing that I will tell the others in my team is if you are a ranged fighter, distance is your friend. If the enemy comes after you, back away from them as far as it takes. I see melee fighters keep attacking with low health. This is a very bad idea. They should back away (don't turn and run) when they are greater than 50% of their health. Then rest in a safe spot before continuing. If you wait too long, you'll be talking with the nurse before you know it.

 

So how do I know all this:

Started playing PC games in 1977 with the Apple II. My first MMO was Asherons Call (AC) in 1999. My only AC character that ever reached the max level after the new expansion of 275 did so with quests only (no grinding). Took me almost 5 years of playing nearly every day to get the over 33 million XP.

 

Many friends on AC wanted to quit the game as it was too hard. So I taught them about melee defense, shields, artificial intelligence and how to fight and stay alive to continue fighting.

 

Its post like these that are why I recommend folks only engage with the discord.

[Snarky]

3 hours ago, Diantane said:

Whenever I start a new character such as a Sentinel, Scrapper, Brute or other alt with both offensive and defensive slotting, I choose to put three defense or resistance SO's long before I think about adding damage SO's to the offensive powers (I also add two end-redux SO's to each toggle (yes, right way). What good is offensive damage SO's if you're dead or out of endurance? I generally slot up the first defense and add up to three attacks before adding another defense, but I only have an accuracy enhancement in the attacks. I continually add four extra slots (5 total) to defense toggles as a young alt.

 

When leading a young team in mission such as the Hollows, I can easily tell that other characters like myself did the opposite when slotting. As they are have low health or die quickly. While I am still fighting without much of an issue.

 

Now one thing that I will tell the others in my team is if you are a ranged fighter, distance is your friend. If the enemy comes after you, back away from them as far as it takes. I see melee fighters keep attacking with low health. This is a very bad idea. They should back away (don't turn and run) when they are greater than 50% of their health. Then rest in a safe spot before continuing. If you wait too long, you'll be talking with the nurse before you know it.

 

So how do I know all this:

Started playing PC games in 1977 with the Apple II. My first MMO was Asherons Call (AC) in 1999. My only AC character that ever reached the max level after the new expansion of 275 did so with quests only (no grinding). Took me almost 5 years of playing nearly every day to get the over 33 million XP.

 

Many friends on AC wanted to quit the game as it was too hard. So I taught them about melee defense, shields, artificial intelligence and how to fight and stay alive to continue fighting.

 

I do it differently.  As do some of the posters and a lot if the players.  Many of us have success 

 

this works for you. That is great.  What was the purpose of posting it?  Is it proposed as a guide?   

[Sanguinesun]

6 hours ago, Diantane said:

Whenever I start a new character such as a Sentinel, Scrapper, Brute or other alt with both offensive and defensive slotting, I choose to put three defense or resistance SO's long before I think about adding damage SO's to the offensive powers (I also add two end-redux SO's to each toggle (yes, right way). What good is offensive damage SO's if you're dead or out of endurance? I generally slot up the first defense and add up to three attacks before adding another defense, but I only have an accuracy enhancement in the attacks. I continually add four extra slots (5 total) to defense toggles as a young alt.

 

When leading a young team in mission such as the Hollows, I can easily tell that other characters like myself did the opposite when slotting. As they are have low health or die quickly. While I am still fighting without much of an issue.

 

Now one thing that I will tell the others in my team is if you are a ranged fighter, distance is your friend. If the enemy comes after you, back away from them as far as it takes. I see melee fighters keep attacking with low health. This is a very bad idea. They should back away (don't turn and run) when they are greater than 50% of their health. Then rest in a safe spot before continuing. If you wait too long, you'll be talking with the nurse before you know it.

 

So how do I know all this:

Started playing PC games in 1977 with the Apple II. My first MMO was Asherons Call (AC) in 1999. My only AC character that ever reached the max level after the new expansion of 275 did so with quests only (no grinding). Took me almost 5 years of playing nearly every day to get the over 33 million XP.

 

Many friends on AC wanted to quit the game as it was too hard. So I taught them about melee defense, shields, artificial intelligence and how to fight and stay alive to continue fighting.

 

 

User end issue coupled with bad advice and a sprinkle of pointless nostalgia vaunting for further logical fallacy needs.

 

Must be that time of the week again....

[Apogee]

8 hours ago, Diantane said:

Whenever I start a new character such as a Sentinel, Scrapper, Brute or other alt with both offensive and defensive slotting, I choose to put three defense or resistance SO's long before I think about adding damage SO's to the offensive powers (I also add two end-redux SO's to each toggle (yes, right way). What good is offensive damage SO's if you're dead or out of endurance? I generally slot up the first defense and add up to three attacks before adding another defense, but I only have an accuracy enhancement in the attacks. I continually add four extra slots (5 total) to defense toggles as a young alt.

 

When leading a young team in mission such as the Hollows, I can easily tell that other characters like myself did the opposite when slotting. As they are have low health or die quickly. While I am still fighting without much of an issue.

 

Now one thing that I will tell the others in my team is if you are a ranged fighter, distance is your friend. If the enemy comes after you, back away from them as far as it takes. I see melee fighters keep attacking with low health. This is a very bad idea. They should back away (don't turn and run) when they are greater than 50% of their health. Then rest in a safe spot before continuing. If you wait too long, you'll be talking with the nurse before you know it.

 

So how do I know all this:

Started playing PC games in 1977 with the Apple II. My first MMO was Asherons Call (AC) in 1999. My only AC character that ever reached the max level after the new expansion of 275 did so with quests only (no grinding). Took me almost 5 years of playing nearly every day to get the over 33 million XP.

 

Many friends on AC wanted to quit the game as it was too hard. So I taught them about melee defense, shields, artificial intelligence and how to fight and stay alive to continue fighting.

 

 

I do the exact opposite with great success and I know what I am doing because my first MMO was Ultima Online (and then Everquest) in 1998 (a year before you). 

 

I also played Pong on an Atari, which is, of course, directly correlated to City of Heroes gameplay (as everyone is well aware)

Edited Tuesday at 08:41 AM by Apogee
added more examples of my l33tn3ss

[MoonSheep]

8 hours ago, Seed22 said:

Its post like these that are why I recommend folks only engage with the discord.

 

speak for yourself, i live for these posts and the responses 🙏

[Maelwys]

49 minutes ago, MoonSheep said:

 

speak for yourself, i live for these posts and the responses 🙏

[Skyhawke]

Nobody else has said it so, I guess it's my turn. <Ahem> Wasn't Diantane leaving? Again? For the 8th time for realsies?

[Ghost]

1 hour ago, Skyhawke said:

Nobody else has said it so, I guess it's my turn. <Ahem> Wasn't Diantane leaving? Again? For the 8th time for realsies?

He did.

This is a different Diantane, who just happens to have a very similar play style.

[Skyhawke]

Two you say?

Edited Tuesday at 02:30 PM by Skyhawke

[Octogoat]

Thanks for the diansplain

[Sanguinesun]

2 hours ago, Skyhawke said:

Nobody else has said it so, I guess it's my turn. <Ahem> Wasn't Diantane leaving? Again? For the 8th time for realsies?

 

I've said it in multiple threads for a while now.   I think its pretty evident they were lying and just going to continue their Steam style clowning.

[Lunar Ronin]

13 hours ago, Seed22 said:

Its post like these that are why I recommend folks only engage with the discord.

 

Except that there is just as much misinformation on the Discord server.  "Rogues can't start TFs" is just one of many things that I have seen there.

[Uun]

16 hours ago, Diantane said:

I also add two end-redux SO's to each toggle

Your attacks use a lot more endurance than your toggles. Rather than slotting a 2nd end reduction in each toggle, slot 1 end reduction in each attack.

[Luminara]

You've been snogging temnix, haven't you.

[ZemX]

15 hours ago, Seed22 said:

Its post like these that are why I recommend folks only engage with the discord.

 

Right.  It's impossible for anyone to post bad or uninformed opinions on discord.  What an amazing technology!

[Without_Pause]

21 hours ago, Diantane said:

So how do I know all this:

Started playing PC games in 1977 with the Apple II. My first MMO was Asherons Call (AC) in 1999. My only AC character that ever reached the max level after the new expansion of 275 did so with quests only (no grinding). Took me almost 5 years of playing nearly every day to get the over 33 million XP.

 

Many friends on AC wanted to quit the game as it was too hard. So I taught them about melee defense, shields, artificial intelligence and how to fight and stay alive to continue fighting.

Playing other games means nil for knowing how slot in CoH. I played so much Diablo I get credited in the best known realistic user guide for the game. I played a ton of PoE. All of that knowledge is meaningless when it comes to slotting in CoH. Hell, my friend and I played so much FPS: Football I wrote a tool for it using JavaScript. 

 

For SOs, I do ST attacks as 1 Acc, 1 End, 3 Damage, and maybe one 1 Recharge. AOEs I do 2 Acc with skipping the recharge and doing the rest as a ST attack. Any toggles for mitigation are simply done 1 End Redu and three slotting for what it is meant for, see Res or Def. Same could be applied for debuff toggles. It isn't hard to figure out the rest. 

[Ghost]

Real players such as myself, don’t slot anything!

 

We don’t even care where those slots go, cause we not slotting them anyways!

[Nerio72]

24 minutes ago, Ghost said:

Real players such as myself, don’t slot anything!

 

We don’t even care where those slots go, cause we not slotting them anyways!

I 50 slotted Brawl with recharges...now it goes off before I click it.

[High_Beam]

This one time at slotting camp . . .

[Icono04]

19 hours ago, Uun said:

Your attacks use a lot more endurance than your toggles. Rather than slotting a 2nd end reduction in each toggle, slot 1 end reduction in each attack.

I used to do this as well, because it makes way more sense, mathematically as well as in actual in-game performance. But now that I have received the opposite advice from someone who played Apple II games in 1977, I will of course respec all my characters to comply with Diantane's instructions! In fact, I would like to introduce a new word: "dian-speccing", which is when we all change our builds to follow Dian's words of wisdom.

Edited Wednesday at 12:07 PM by Icono04
Added a missing word.

[Icono04]

Just now, Icono04 said:

In fact, I would like to introduce a new word

Full disclosure: I only came up with this because I was envious of @Octogoat's invention of the word "diansplaining".

[Skyhawke]

Could #diantane become the new #jranger?

 

EG:

 

Player 1: I made a new controller last night. I've never run one before, anyone got any advice on a build?

 

Player 2: #diantane