Why no modes on Stalker Staff?

[CoeruleumBlue]

This is one fact that makes me think there might be some really weird hidden logic behind this game that isn't shared, but why no modes on stalker staff fighting? I made a couple of staff stalkers ages ago but haven't played either of them since I noticed there's only Perfection of Body, not Perfection of Body/Mind/Spirit, and Perfection of Body increases your defense on stalkers instead of giving you additional damage like it does on the classes that have modes. Why? 

[arcane]

Because all Stalkers get Build Up

[Psyonico]

14 minutes ago, arcane said:

Because all Stalkers get Build Up

This.  Non stalkers don't get build up.

 

Also, stalkers automatically get Form of the Body, which is the best form anyway.

[CoeruleumBlue]

On 11/23/2025 at 9:55 AM, Psyonico said:

This.  Non stalkers don't get build up.

 

Also, stalkers automatically get Form of the Body, which is the best form anyway.

 

Stalkers only get it to add +DEF though, not any more damage. The only thing I even like about Staff Fighting mechanics-wise is the changeable modes so this will probably confirm that I'm not going to play the staff stalkers I built before I saw that they had a different version, but it's nice knowing why they don't get it at least. I mean the staff looks cool if you pick the right staff but there are other sets that look cool so without any mechanics I like that much I probably won't want to use it on Stalkers, even if there's a reason they removed that. 

[Luminara]

On 11/23/2025 at 1:32 AM, CoeruleumBlue said:

Perfection of Body increases your defense

 

Guarded Spin's +Def is specifically part of Guarded Spin, it's granted even if you have no Perfection mode.

 

On 11/23/2025 at 1:32 AM, CoeruleumBlue said:

Perfection of Body increases your defense on stalkers instead of giving you additional damage like it does on the classes that have modes.

 

Body grants exactly the same bonus damage as the other two forms would.  The only difference is the damage type.

[Mezmera]

12 hours ago, CoeruleumBlue said:

 

Stalkers only get it to add +DEF though, not any more damage. The only thing I even like about Staff Fighting mechanics-wise is the changeable modes so this will probably confirm that I'm not going to play the staff stalkers I built before I saw that they had a different version, but it's nice knowing why they don't get it at least. I mean the staff looks cool if you pick the right staff but there are other sets that look cool so without any mechanics I like that much I probably won't want to use it on Stalkers, even if there's a reason they removed that. 

 

Staff Stalkers is the ultimate form of Staff in CoX.  

[ShardWarrior]

On 11/23/2025 at 1:32 AM, CoeruleumBlue said:

but why no modes on stalker staff fighting?

 

Because having BU is far better than the forms, at least in my opinion.  

[BrandX]

22 hours ago, CoeruleumBlue said:

 

Stalkers only get it to add +DEF though, not any more damage. The only thing I even like about Staff Fighting mechanics-wise is the changeable modes so this will probably confirm that I'm not going to play the staff stalkers I built before I saw that they had a different version, but it's nice knowing why they don't get it at least. I mean the staff looks cool if you pick the right staff but there are other sets that look cool so without any mechanics I like that much I probably won't want to use it on Stalkers, even if there's a reason they removed that. 

 

They get everything Form of the Body gives the other ATs.  So they build up stacks that give more damage and when they can use them with the powers that use those stacks for bonuses, the same as the other ATs.

[aethereal]

And despite all that, Staff is still a kinda meh set, even on Stalkers.

[CoeruleumBlue]

On 11/28/2025 at 10:22 PM, aethereal said:

And despite all that, Staff is still a kinda meh set, even on Stalkers.

 

I mean I think the main appeal is the three modes that let you switch damage types. That's why I use it on brutes only so far. Plus the +DEF is actually useful for them. Even if Form of the Body is supposedly the best form anyway if you can't change modes I might as well just pick Spines and get some toxic damage instead of smashing, plus there are 3 ranged attacks and nothing that gives a +DEF buff that's not very useful to squishy Stalkers. 

[biostem]

34 minutes ago, CoeruleumBlue said:

nothing that gives a +DEF buff that's not very useful to squishy Stalkers

More defense is even more useful on a squishier AT...

[Rudra]

30 minutes ago, CoeruleumBlue said:

 

I mean I think the main appeal is the three modes that let you switch damage types. That's why I use it on brutes only so far. Plus the +DEF is actually useful for them. Even if Form of the Body is supposedly the best form anyway if you can't change modes I might as well just pick Spines and get some toxic damage instead of smashing, plus there are 3 ranged attacks and nothing that gives a +DEF buff that's not very useful to squishy Stalkers. 

Some friendly advice: Play the game and see what the ATs and their power sets have and do before you decide to comment on them. Or at the very least, look them up beforehand. You can see what powers are in a set and what they do by visiting City of Data (available through a link on these forums or just go to: https://cod.uberguy.net/), looking at the Homecoming wiki (available through a link on these forums or just go to: https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Main_Page), or just perusing through the options in the game's character creator.

 

Staff Fighting on a Stalker does not have three ranged attacks. It has one: Serpent's Reach. It has one other power that can be considered a ranged attack, Placate, but I don't think anyone (except maybe you) counts Placate as an attack. So out of Mercurial Blow (ST melee), Precise Strike (ST melee), Guarded Spin (melee cone), Assassin's Staff (ST melee), Build Up (self buff), Eye of the Storm (PBAoE), and Sky Splitter (ST melee), which is the third ranged attack?

[CoeruleumBlue]

4 minutes ago, Rudra said:

Some friendly advice: Play the game and see what the ATs and their power sets have and do before you decide to comment on them. Or at the very least, look them up beforehand. You can see what powers are in a set and what they do by visiting City of Data (available through a link on these forums or just go to: https://cod.uberguy.net/), looking at the Homecoming wiki (available through a link on these forums or just go to: https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Main_Page), or just perusing through the options in the game's character creator.

 

Staff Fighting on a Stalker does not have three ranged attacks. It has one: Serpent's Reach. It has one other power that can be considered a ranged attack, Placate, but I don't think anyone (except maybe you) counts Placate as an attack. So out of Mercurial Blow (ST melee), Precise Strike (ST melee), Guarded Spin (melee cone), Assassin's Staff (ST melee), Build Up (self buff), Eye of the Storm (PBAoE), and Sky Splitter (ST melee), which is the third ranged attack?

 

Spines on a Stalker has three ranged attacks, not staff. That's why I was saying I'd rather pick Spines than Staff Fighting. 

[Rudra]

28 minutes ago, CoeruleumBlue said:

 

Spines on a Stalker has three ranged attacks, not staff. That's why I was saying I'd rather pick Spines than Staff Fighting. 

Then use it instead. No one is going to hold a gun to your head and demand you play every set in the game and be happy with them all.

[CoeruleumBlue]

30 minutes ago, Rudra said:

Then use it instead. No one is going to hold a gun to your head and demand you play every set in the game and be happy with them all.

 

I like Staff Fighting on other archetypes though, and that's because of the cool swap power. I just made a Staff/Bio Brute called Exaptation which has nine combinations of modes. I tend to think this would've been thematically better as a stalker because of the idea of the apex predator and all that, but the stalker staff doesn't have modes so I couldn't. If there's a real reason the stalker staff can't have modes then cool, I'll deal, but I'm still wondering why. 

[Rudra]

4 minutes ago, CoeruleumBlue said:

 

I like Staff Fighting on other archetypes though, and that's because of the cool swap power. I just made a Staff/Bio Brute called Exaptation which has nine combinations of modes. I tend to think this would've been thematically better as a stalker because of the idea of the apex predator and all that, but the stalker staff doesn't have modes so I couldn't. If there's a real reason the stalker staff can't have modes then cool, I'll deal, but I'm still wondering why. 

Others have already told you why.