Zemblanity

They're busy.

And unlike a not-so-distant past where the devs claimed the same without showing anything for it, this time they do have something big to show for. Freedom.

Nevertheless, they already allowed Arbiter Hawk to take a look at Kheldians, including a minor emergency patch in i21, as well as an unspoken wink that they're on top of things. The best we can do now is make them aware of our experiences, issues, playstyles and what exactly we'd like to see improved.

I hate it when "players" (meaning, usually, methuselah posters "speaking for the whole forum community" while blatantly ignoring the unspoken majority that doesn't even visit the forums) come up with the changes themselves and treat the devs as mere spectators. It usually involves unfair quid pro quo negotiations and false assumptions based on hunches and shoddy math, taking 10% from this power and giving 5% to that power, leaving the situation relatively unchanged while boosting specific playstyles and strategies. Things like "there's no need to worry about kb in Energy Blast because you can hover-blast" or "you can't change the FF/Thermal/Cold shields into AoEs because it would involve a significant increase in end/rech".

What I do like is when a competent, creative dev with access to a significant amount of datamining reports reads up on a large sample of feedback and suggestions, promotes a healthy discussion that includes a group of level-minded 7 year veteran players (like Grey Pilgrim or Arcanaville) and takes all that into account when implementing the changes said dev believes necessary.

And please, don't force us casual players to have to lobby and haggle for every little change. Giving suggestions is one thing, but demanding specific changes, or worse, putting an embargo on every idea because you don't like it... that's taking it too far.

Zenyth, I'm with you on Peacebringers (they need a full revamp, badly), but recent history has raised my confidence in this dev team to unprecedent levels. Freedom is very well done, as is First Ward, as was GR, and if they're investing in that type of thing, more power to them - even if it means rolling VEATs and brutes until they have a chance to look at Kheldians, poison, gravity, electric blast, weapon redraw, leading hostages to the exit, and all the other things that are long overdue for a revision...

Wizard, regardless of what happens, you at least deserve a thank you for all the work you've put in this. I'll do as you say, wait for issue 22 and hope good things come our way.

I've got a sharp-edged keyboard and I'm not afraid to use it! ::

And lore.

Sadly, the overly vocal minority (evil people, mostly, but still very influential) would oppose a real revamp of the kheldian ATs, even if the overall result ended up positive. Moreso with the upcoming changes to lightform allowing for perma capped resistances. We're looking at old Psychic Shockwave doms all over again - grindfest for 38 levels, after which you're all but invincible.

Pretty much this. It's like buying a nerf. I probably wouldn't lol, but I'd certainly give that poor sod a pat in the back. Peacebringers on SOs? Pass.

You're evil... I'd never shift out of it if White Dwarf had a jab-clone added to its repertoire...

There was so much win in your post that I almost quoted all of it, but at least this part deserves a round of applause

As to my vote for Weakest AT/Powersets, I say look no further than Elec/Devices. It's the definition of a bad combo, a damage-dealer AT limited to 2 weak ST attacks and 2 DoT AoEs. It's like being stuck in Nova form for 50 levels ^_^

I agree.

Now don't get me wrong, there are alot of great things coming with Freedom (the phasing technology sounds awesome!), but this little tidbit I read with no small amount of dread. Sure, it's nice to have a buff, but I'm beginning to fear this is it. It kinda reminds me of the token buff /EA had a few years back, which evidently was not enough since /EA is getting rebuffed in i21.

For me, the main issues weren't addressed - the forms still require way too many slots, they still lack a full attack chain without significant IO +recharge, the toggles still drop when you switch forms and human form still lacks mez protection until level 38, and even then it requires a significant influence investment to what will remain a subpar character.

I'm sure alot of ppl can easily find a way around these problems, but I can't, and overall, IMHO, a Peacebringer is still not worth playing over a VEAT/WS/[insert any other AT in the game] unless I'm doing it for roleplaying reasons.

P.S. I love the Kheldian backstory A "buff" to Peacebringers could also be something as simple as expanding their background in those future story arcs the devs are planning to make.

I still say we should just slot the forms themselves rather than the forms' powers individually, just like a mastermind slots his pets for acc/damage rather than the pets' powers individually. This would free up alot of slots, and hence room for improvement of the forms themselves, like adding a 3rd melee attack to dwarf, a 3rd ranged attack to nova and giving each form their own version of build-up/mire.

Also, why not make the human form shields passive, like the VEATs defense powers? The shields aren't all that powerful by themselves, and it'd solve (at least partially) the issue of toggle dropping when shifting back to human form. Just remove the +res slotting on the dwarf form power and it'll balance itself out (though nova form gains a bit of resistance it didn't use to have, but I'm ok with that).

True, and it would mean porting Warshades into the Rogue Isles, then giving them a decent story arc every five levels where they would further the Nictus cause, prevent the Fifth Column nazis from taking over the Council, possibly leading to Cimerora and taking Requiem's place as the Center's right hand. I would definitely love to see that