_eeek_

I'm going to respectfully disagree with some of the previous posters about "well-played controllers" not needing defenses. While I don't feel the need for it on any of my other trollers, I think fire/ is the exception.

I quit playing my fire/rad for quite some time because I was always getting mezzed. On my other trollers, not an issue, but with fire alone, it was (had the same issue on the fire/kin, too). Flashfire is wonderful, but it doesn't hit absolutely every mob in every spawn, every single time. When I could layer that with the AoE hold, that's fine, but that hold just isn't up fast enough to use often enough on a fast-moving team. So hot feet or choking cloud would annoy something somewhere, and I'd get held. Often enough that it just wasn't much fun to play.

First, I tried soft-capping the fire/kin with s/l defense, which was expensive and slightly gimpy. Then decided to try ranged cap on the fire/rad, and found (to my surprise) the ranged defense worked just as well, and has the added bonus that it isn't terribly expensive, or gimpy (I later respecced the fire/kin to ranged defense cap, too). It's a lot more fun to play now.

It's not terribly hard to do - most of the controller-ish set bonuses offer either a high recharge set option, or one with ranged defense. UnicyclePeon has a lovely build, and you can play around with Lockdown, BotZ, Numina, Stupify, Thunderstrikes (for fire cages as well as fire blast), and the controller ATO to your hearts content. Add Steadfast proc, weave, maneuvers and combat jumping, and you're pretty set.

Have been thinking about what to recommend, but realized I didn't understand your point of reference. What is the reason you like melee AT's more than other AT's?


1) you like playing in close proximity (more action, probably more aggressive playstyle)

2) you prefer an AT with armor (harder to kill)

3) have no clue, but I bet there's a 3rd reason people might prefer melee

Dug, I think the problem here is that you stated the original question as being about PLing, then later said that wasn't what you meant, you didn't understand what PLing was - and now the replies are why people don't like to PL. Well.. that's because it's how you worded the thing.

To refer to what I "think" is your original intent, sometimes, I've learned it's far less annoying to use Ouro. For example, after running a few DFB's, I've typically tried to get the contact for "rescue the mystic" for the spelunker badge. Which is a hassle, but even if I do get the contact, my first "mission" is a street hunt (which I don't much love anyway, much less at level 12). Then I have to do a defeat-all mission... in Atlas (you know, still level 12 here! Why didn't they put that mish in the building ol' Trevor is standing near?). Then another street hunt. Then I have to go talk to David Wincott. Then, apparently, there is a security guard in Perez who wants me to do a street hunt for HIM. ONLY THEN can I do the one mission I was looking for!

This isn't about skipping content for immediate gratification of rewards - with the exception of the Atlas mission, NONE of it is content - it's mind-numbing filler. So, yes - now I do the content I enjoy at that level and go back later and ouro the spellunker mission.

I can't think of any other instances where I've chased after the badge and ignored the content, though.

Is that answering the question you were asking?

I loved the writing, and the people who showed up in my missions gave me a couple laugh-out-loud moments. Witty and sometimes quite clever - well done!

I would add I didn't care for all the running around (heroside). Zoning at least once, and often twice between missions, then going to the furthest place in the zone at the end, that bogs down the pacing terribly and lessens the excitement of the chase.

Otherwise, great fun!

I recently respec'd into Taunt on my SS/Fire brute, and really love it. To the extent that now when I exemp down lower than the power pick, I'm really frustrated to find I don't have Taunt.

It's totally subjective feedback, I know, but with Taunt, I feel like I "own" whatever situation I'm in.

I don't know if I play storm the way it "should" be played. But I much prefer the way I do it, even if it might be unconventional, because my whole way of using /storm is to do no KB whatsoever, unless in a dire "it just hit the fan" situation. I just wanted to put that out there so you could take anything I say with a large grain of salt.

The KB in hurricane does NOT need to be the issue everyone talks about - it's radius is HUGE (25ft, iirc?), and extends well beyond the KB range. Where the visual edge of the power is, realize that it extends about twice as far as that, where it is also doing NO KB.
What I really dislike about the power is that when it's running, I can't see a thing! At the same time I am trying to see where anything is, my blue bar is going south. Grr! However, it's to-hit debuff is so good, it puts dark defenders in a deep shame spiral.
So, it is effective to use this when there are tough critters about, or just at the outset of the alpha, or wherever you want to debuff the bejeebers out of your enemies - so long as you're far enough back that the KB isn't messing with the mobs. After that, I personally shut it off, and enjoy my ability to see again.

LS is a great damage power, but I only bring it out for AV's. The KB can be painful for others, so I use LS sparingly. But I really would not want to be without it for higher level content, with its abundance of AV's, GM's and EB's. It's got nice damage, but the thing is, it continues to have nice damage, while you are off doing other things, like hopefully providing more nice damage.

I have Tornado slotted with the KB to KD proc, and can attest that is is, indeed, truly a wonderful, beautiful thing. It's effect is a bit like having another FR, and becomes a lovely control power, on top of what it already does. And again, it's providing damage, while you're busy providing still more damage with your blast attacks.

For your build, I'd suggest putting a Thunderstrike set in every ranged attack in your primary, as well as in LS. 4 Expedient Reinforcements in Tornado (to make room for the proc). Add a Steadfast proc and a GI in Steamy Mist. That, along with CJ, Manuevers, Weave, will put you close to the ranged soft-cap. Toss in a Gaussian's set somewhere, and/or Stupify, Lockdown, or whatever other sets you like with a ranged defense bonus, and you should be able to hit the cap. I seriously would not want to be below the soft-cap if I could possibly avoid it - WB/Storm is a pretty aggressive combination. Beyond the damage defense, almost all mezzes have a ranged component. Thus, if you have ranged defenses capped, you've pretty effectively capped your mezz defense, too.

Hope something in here helps. Happy storming!

I'll second the OP here.

Offering constructive criticism can be valuable - it gives the writers feedback, and opens up a conversation in which other players can also give feedback.

Vicious vitriol isn't helpful. It's depressing to read, and it creates controversy only for its own sake. It isn't about what is being said, it's about how it's being said.

It also creates an environment in which the criticisms are dismissed out of hand ("oh, look, it's that jerk again."), regardless of how valid the basic premise of the argument might be.

Say what you want, just don't be a ****** about it.

*weeps with joy*

I.... I will be able to see my FEET?

*sniff*

That's beautiful!

All you need is ranged defense, and that issue mostly goes away.

Or, go villainside (grr, why is it not available heroside?!) and get defense armor. That works, too.

There are walls that are too high for me to want to scale (electric blast, I'm lookin' at you!), so I reroll. There are some that are little walls, and worth some extra work to get over.

Water/storm is awesome. I'd find a way to make it work, but it's your call.

I just hate seeing threads like this. Every time one pops up, all the newer player pervs from all the other servers descend on Virtue and think it's okay to proposition female toons in Atlas.

I've been on Virtue exclusively for 6 years, and all I ever catch in RP conversation in the D are people in /em poses with thought bubbles telling me what I think about their characters, chit-chatting about the most boring drivel imaginable.

This isn't about RPers, it's about ERPers, who otherwise don't have anything to do with RP. It's also not about Virtue, they lurk on your servers, too! Please keep them there?

We already have catgirls, we don't need more trouble.

What about Fortunata Psi Tornado? Is it the same as the storm tornado (except needing accuracy)?

I've never used the power, since I dislike the KB effect.

I'm a big fan of TF's that give you a stupid hat. You can't go wrong with a TF that gives you exp., badges, merits AND a stupid hat!


(Someone once said my ITF-gained Roman helmet with the feathers going side-to-side looked like I had a push broom on my head. It's pure win, I tell you!)

I am really enjoying this thread, and all the thought-provoking comments. I thought it would be another "oh, this is HORRIBLE, you dirty devs!" followed by 37 million replies stating that the OP is jerk. Instead, it's an insightful conversation, with only a minimum of "you jerk" comments, all easily ignored.

I did want to add the comment that some of what I see the dev's doing (and I think it has to be deliberate) is to make some of the "phat lewtz" more accessible to more players. The fact that anyone can go out and buy purples, or other expensive sets, has devalued those sets, making them easier to buy on the market. In addition, they've added catalysts, so no one's saying "yay, I got a purple drop! Oh. Crap. It's a sleep." They've also added alignment merits. And not only can we get one of these every 2 days from tips, they're also the reward for SSA's. That makes ANY desirable IO, even the pvp ones, accessible to anyone with a VIP account. Sure, you still have to work for them. But no one (VIP) considers them unattainable any more, either.

That's huge. I've seen people suddenly start to try to attain these things, and really work for them, and become much more involved in the game.

The store-bought enhancements allow people who generally enjoy the game but really hate marketing, get more involved, too. The fact that store-bought IO's can be slotted early, and level up with the player, means they never, ever have to mess with crafting. Those folks no longer feel that their much-loved characters are gimped because they can't stand the in-game money aspect of the CoH.

The "pay-to-win" option of the game has always been available via RMT's. I know people who have bought influence, and I bet most people reading this have, too. The difference now is that people are buying it from the game, instead of from spammers, which is a good thing on a lot of different levels. There have always been easy ways out of stuff people don't want to do in-game. Before AE exploits, there was PLing, and bridging and a million "pad my team" tells.

My comments are not meant in any way as criticism to other posters, most especially the OP. I think there are very valid points being said. My intent is to point out that there is a non-exploitative side to things available in the market. There is a side to it that is very inclusive and positive.

Are there still people with more money than brains running around? Sure. But my personal experience is that I see more people I know enjoying the game more, because they can focus their interests on the parts of the game they like, and not feel that the game is meant for someone else, not them.