Add Three post-50 Enhancement Slots

[srmalloy]

On 11/14/2025 at 10:11 AM, lemming said:

Would three more slots deeply unbalance the game?  Probably no worse than anything else.

Well, then, sure... you get one extra enhancement slot each level when you ding 51, 52, and 53. Absolutely trivial for the HC staff to implement.     🤣

 

Then you just have to work on getting them to expand the level cap to 53.

[Arbegla]

On 11/14/2025 at 9:40 AM, Yomo Kimyata said:

Speaking of slots, have you found the secret slot machine in St. Martial yet?

 

Not to derail this thread too much, but I recently redid this arc via O-zone, and its rather fun. Plus its quick and good for the O-zone badges.

[Heatstroke]

I've been an advocate of this for YEARS AND YEARS !!!!

 

Absolutely should be implemented if at all possible !!!

[ThatGuyCDude]

I made a similar recommendation in the past as a 'capstone' bonus for reaching Level 50 (since the level is otherwise underwhelming with its three slots, I pitched five instead).  The suggestion was shouted down as a contributor to power creep, with 'extra set bonus' as the primary argument.  Incidentally, apparently the way the enhancement slots are coded makes it very difficult to add more: the devs can set existing powers to start with more enhancement slots but they can't really increase the number that are available--particularly because of how the respecification system is coded.

So they could do something like "Fitness inherents start with two slots" which would consequently save *some* players up to four enhancement slots for other purposes, but I don't think they can add additional assignable enhancement slots.  I will say that the 'respec to give your level 49 power extra slots' route and 'enhancements work as long as the power is active, regardless of when the slot is picked' mechanics are not exactly clear or well-communicated by the game, so additional in-game text about the matter might be helpful.  A mechanism where acquiring an Incarnate slot unlock also *adds* a power to your character with its own enhancement slots might also be possible (like learning Rest at Level 2), but the benefits of that would probably have to be generic like other inherent powers.

[biostem]

They could do a little tweak in the leveling scheme, to go from...

 

44 power

45 slots

46 slots

47 power

48 slots

49 power

50 slots

 

To...

 

44 power

45 slots

46 power

47 slots

48 power

49 slots

50 slots

[Ukase]

Having slept on this idea, I have more to say. 
I have teamed with a player who is ...persona-non-grata on HC. They made their own server. I was invited to team with them and a bunch of others several years ago now, and when I insta-50'd my character, I noticed my build was incomplete. I had three more slots available than I did with HC. 

So, intellectually, I know there's a way to do this. But, I don't think they will, and I'm not even sure they should. (or should not) 

I can't see around corners. I can look ahead, but seeing how a change like this might impact me and the game, and all of you - and the people that never look in the forums or the discord, who can really say how such a change would impact things? 

It would certainly be useful to most builds. Of course it would. But if every power came with 6 slots...we'd definitely have to make a lot of changes to the npcs to keep the game engaging - would we not? 
The game as it is allows easy mode. The default notoriety setting for this game is 0/0. I think it really is de-facto +0/1 player. And pretty much 99.9% of my characters can handle this with ease, all the way to 50. A few might need to use break frees, or the random luck or health insp. Yet, I know there are players, who for whatever reason struggle to get through missions solo. I can't even call them the vocal minority, but I do know they're in game. I've teamed with some of them. Aging, or really young, or just inexperienced. Some will figure things out, some never will. 

My concern is there isn't enough time or interest just yet to revamp npc difficulty around those extra 3 slots. Most folks think the game is too easy as it is. 3 more slots would just make things even easier. That's another few set bonuses we could get. That really can make quite a difference. Easier to perma-hasten or perma-dull pain, or anything else. 

So, while I love the idea of it in theory, in practice, I just don't think it's a good idea until they make all the npcs across the board a little harder to defeat.