_dEOS_

Thanks a lot for that mini-guide

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Any other perceived problems with /ea stem from misuse, assuming that a brute is a 'redside tanker' instead of a single-target high-endurance killing machine.

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Let's just assume that another brute is on the team and you are competing for fury building because that's where the power of the SMASH! is.

I would agree that /EA (the only brute secondary that wasn't originally a tank primary transplant) would be good if it had *something else*. Obviously it doesn't.

Some of its powers are truly uninspired (auto +res) and didn't get a change since they were introduced.

IMHO, /EA wasn't proliferated because it needs some adjustments before. Hints seem to indicate that some are coming. There is hope.

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I don't think we need to get rid of the stealth. Just adding a powerful taunt function will give you be best of both worlds, in the same way /dark has it.

That set works fine conceptually and functionally for brutes and even tanks... No need to be in your opponents face until, well, you actually are RIGHT in you opponents face yes?


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Absolutely, and when you are in their face and you have started attacking, the stealth is of no use for the whole spawn. I might be remotely useful for other close spawns... but generally given the mess that is a villain team it's useless.

I know Dark has a similar stealth but it's more conceptual given that they have multiple auras to get mobs attention. I have yet to see some good argument that the stealth saved someone's bacon after they started aggroing.

Right now EA has no way to maintain aggro by itself and must essentially rely on the brute's primary to do so. Being personnally DM/EA, I certainly feel that I am not feeling my role of aggro magnet... Even on small teams. Role that other brutes that I have made have no problem holding. Me being stealthed (and that being part of my survival) means I am not aggroing until I have hit everything with my primary, thus delaying further my teammates contribution.

Compared to that my SS/ELA jumps in spawn and mobs never leave me.

Dark isn't stealthy... it looks like it is until brute gets into spawn.
EA for some reason is non-aggro all the way... and it's counter-productive.

Keep the stealth if you want but let us generate aggro by some aura.

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I think I finally realized part of the problem with EA.

it doesn't synergize with itself.

Basically it's like this. the stealth makes it perfect for single-target snipping. everything about the set is geared towards single target... from the stealth to the fact that it doesn't rely on hordes of mobs to increase it's survivability... I mean, it doesn't even have a taunt aura.


the problem comes from just one power: Energy Drain.


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I disagree. The stealth has to go. It's counter-intuitive for a brute. Every other brute has a look-at-me aura except EA. Brutes are not stalkers. They need (fury) and want aggro (taunt in their attacks).

Good guide.
It's lacking reference importable Mid's builds though

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Peterpeter,

thats a great market article. Love the graphs.

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Yes, good work.
Thanks a lot.

level 38 DM/EA here...

Main problem I have with /EA is that it's working in a very different way than other brutes:
- Stealthy
- No aura and thus difficulties to keep aggro
- Not really suited for playing semi-tank
- No secondary effect (just pure defense)

The only benefit I see is that it's damage-based defense can be enhanced by IO sets at a relatively cheap cost (unlike /SR).

<QR>

Amazing. Just for that, I can't wait for I12.

<QR>
Mine just reached level 26 and OSA.
Tried it twice before I had to log and failed to light it twice.
Great...

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Also, the graphic for this power is simply gorgeous. A wreath of flame that expands out from the point of impact. Sometimes, it's worth having just to enjoy the lovely explosion.

And no, I have no idea why an attack that displays a fire graphic is dealing Lethal and Smashing damage. I don't make the sharp, pointy sticks, I just put eyes out with them!


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Got Explosive Arrow this week-end during a TF. I was using it every spawns (against clocks). It should really implement something similar to what FF got: knockdown and knockback if I slot knockbacks.

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I love the idea of getting Merits from doing flashback missions as long as it isn't something as an insane amount needed for each piece.

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Any amount of hoop jumping to unlock costume pieces, weapons, or whatever is insane. People that have no interest in badge grinding, pvp, or market trolling shouldn't be forced into doing it just to gain access to content they can't get any other way. Too much of that in the game already.

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Who talks about market trolling ?
Just simple achievements to get some costume pieces.

I won't reveal my tell but it's giving several information to the receiver:
- politeness
- maturity
- what he is getting

Starting a tell with "Hello, ..." goes a long way.

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I don't mind getting tells asking to join the team (and since I'm usually running the group, it cuts down on the "can you add so and so" guff) -- what does vex me is when I see a blank "can I join you" without the AT/level included. Do I want to add Villainous-Villain? How do I know!

Nice guide. I didn't know you could do %t with the Search list, so you just made my life a lot easier.

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If you get a tell, you can generally guess the level of maturity the player has IRL Moreover that's better knowing you'll get someone proactive.

Very good read. Thanks for putting that together.

Very good post.

I think it's guide-level material.

Excellent guide. Thanks a lot.

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Vigilance truly lets the FFer be "always vigilant". Vigilance lets FFers be more than a buffbot, it allows them to attack freely, knowing that they will have the endurance that they need to turn the tide of the battle when things get rough.

That is the power of Vigilance.

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And this is why it's poor in terms of design as it is only really useful to FF (and maybe Sonic with Repulsion). FF is the only set that has two powers that are bad situation reactions.

I don't want to be overly negative but in most common situations and with most teams, if you have applied your bubbles, team wipes are a rare occurence. So as a support toon with reaction powers, you rarely get to use them and in solo situation they are overkill.

Moreover, Force Bubble is very hard to maximize teams effectiveness, especially in the later levels with all the open maps. Repulsion Field is even harder to use. Only truly useful use I have seen for Force Bubble is forcing Lord Recluse and all his summons into a corner to maximize AOE effectiveness.

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i subscribe to the idea that good inspiration use is one of the hallmarks of a good pvper.

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QFT, and I'd be willing to bet the vast majority of experienced PvPers would agree.


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Disclaimer: This rant is not directed specifically at you but rather to all the inanities I am reading in this thread.

And then ? Little kids having mastered rock/paper/scissor/atomic bomb. Are we supposed to be impressed ? Is this supposed to be appealing?

Majority of players don't set foot in PvP zones because:
- Jousting and CJ+SS makes combat futile if you can escape anytime. Base PvP where you have something to defend has much more potential to be interesting because there is no running away.
- Inspirations: Their effect basically annihilates most AT capabilities. Imbalancing, overpowering, take it as you want, it's just a balance mess. I am not impressed by someone ability to replenish their inventory with break frees.
- No point: There is no point in PvP at all. I had hopes for SC when it was in beta, it's now just like any PVP zone. Meaningless zone where young males express their desire to exist.

Coming from an hardcore FPS background, having played really fast-paced FPS like Doom or Quakeworld, having participated in international FPS competition, still playing nowadays FPS, I am not impressed. There is little skill involved in playing CoX PvP except for your ability to devote time to level some AT. After that it's just a matter of choosing the right build (that isn't rocket science), picking a target, jousting around it and escaping/hitting breakfree when danger bell rings. Voice chat isn't even required to be competitive... that shows the low level of coordination required.

Change needed: A goal to set a foot with my teammates in PvP zones to accomplish something. Capture the Flag, King of the Hill... Something that will concentrate presence of players into a specific area and give them incentive to remain in that area.

CTF: Player from team with flag is perma-suppressed, cannot be tp-ed and must be defended by teammates.

KotH: Teammates must stand in a finite area where they are travel-power suppressed and must defend it against opposition. Opposing forces entering the zone also are travel power suppressed.

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I've spent the last couple of days playing Dancing Hawk (my TA/A) pretty heavily. Early yesterday morning, I finally decided that I had enough influence, between what I'd saved from missions and a task force, and what I predicted from the sales of HOs and a Ragnarok +Damage recipe, to push ahead with my respec plan.


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Very interesting post. Thanks a lot.

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Thanks. I like the idea too. It provides a way to introduce new capabilities without disrupting those of us who are very happy with the current FF set.

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To be a bit more detailed:

Coming from a Bots/FF, I liked your idea setup because :
- I would not be forced into taking many powers that would be counter-productive for my bots (scattering mobs)
- I would be more active [even when solo] applying combos to others. I particularly like the bubble sequences, they would provide a new gameplay dimension: choosing the right combo buff by changing buff sequence.

A few concerns:
- I am not sure you can have combos that use toggles
- Repulsion Field->Force Bubble combo debuff would be quite tricky to use and probably detrimental to FF playstyle (keep mobs at range) unless the effect sticks to the mob (à la TA)

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Here's an idea I had to add debuffs and damage to FF without changing existing functionality: combos. Use combos, like those found in Dual Blades, to add abilities.

Here's a few examples: The X -> Y -> Z notation means use powers X, Y, and Z, within the combo time to get the bonus. If you don't do it within the combo time, the powers work as they currently do with no bonus.

Dispersion Bubble -> Personal Force Field
Creates a PBAoE effect the size of Dispersion Bubble. Everyone within this effect is enclosed inside a Personal Force Field. Duration is 15 seconds.

Repulsion Bomb -> Force Bolt -> Detention Field
All baddies within the AoE of Repulsion Bomb are affected by a -Defense Debuff. The baddie in Detention Field suffers -Regen and minor DoT.

Force Bolt -> Repulsion Bomb
Doubles Repulsion Bomb's chance to Stun. Adds 40% chance of moderate damage to all affected by Repulsion Bomb.

Repulsion Field -> Force Bubble
Applies -Resistance and -Recharge to all baddies hit by both powers.

Deflection Shield -> Insulation Shield
Gives +Regen to target similar in power to Spirit Tree. Does not stack with self or Insulation Shield combo bonus.

Insulation Shield -> Deflection Shield
Gives +Recharge, +Recovery to target about 1/2 the strength of Speed Boost. Does not stack with self or Deflection Shield combo bonus.

All powers would need to be used against the same target throughout the combo to get the bonus.

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I like the idea a lot !

However I am not sure the current tech allows for toggles to trigger combos. I am thinking in particular to your Dispersion->PFF combo.

Thanks for the "state of the game" post. It's very important to me.

I am really looking forward to what 2008 will bring to our beloved game.

I gave it some thought and applied some of your rules to my own characters. I especially remade one villain costume.

While the Heroes are far more forgivable on flashy costumes, villains are not. Keeping that sense of darkness/villainous with the right colors is difficult.

My wife and I met in a Quakeworld community back in 1999. We played Asheron's Call together for 3 years, she played DAoC alone while she was unemployed, we played a bit of AC2 together, we joined a team on Return to Castle Wolfenstein:ET together. We played some WoW together before our baby arrived and that our play session had to be drastically reduced. She just didn't feel attracted to CoH and so I have played alone for 33 months now. And somehow I am less happy than before gaming-wise, I need my game partner...

Reading this thread... I have taken the decision to get her involved again. Starting from scratch with a duo, involve her in the nice french community we have going on Freedom. She's an experienced player, she'll learn fast. Moreover I think that now that CoH has a what comes close to a loot system, she'll be definetly more interested.

Thank you for that thread.

Very interesting & inspiring guide.

It not only gave me new ideas but also pointed out to me some of my own costume design flaws or limitations.