Techbot Alpha

Originally Posted by Quinch

I'm sure that most of us agree that the nerf to custom enemies in Architect arcs was a necessary one - the ability to tailor your enemies' abilities for minimum risk and maximum reward bordered on game-breaking. But we can also agree that, following the nerf, the only way to receive rewards on par with regular mobs is to crank up their abilities to the point where the risk dwarfs the regular one, eventually leading toward discouraging the use of custom mobs altogether, as many AE players will be driven away from arcs with severely unfavorable risk/reward ratios.

Thus, I propose what I believe may be the best of both worlds - when creating a custom critter, present the option to use the attributes of an in-game mob, rather than picking out specific powers. For example, let's say you want to create a custom mob named "Chrono Agent". You design the costume and once you do, you are presented with an option to use the powers and abilities of any in-game mob. So instead of selecting specific powers, you decide to use a say, a Tsoo Red Ink Man as the template for Chrono Agent's abilities. Everything about the Ink Man is transplanted onto Chrono - hit points, powers, level range, the works.

To all practical purposes, someone fighting Chrono Agents would be fighting say, Red Ink Men, but with appearances and biographies determined by the arc creator. Thus, because mobs created by the devs are {supposedly} balanced in the risk/reward department, there would be no reason not to grant rewards corresponding to the custom critter's template mob.

What does everyone think? Did I miss anything obvious?

Originally Posted by Ironblade

No, but since it's pretty much a jerkwater planet, it's a good place to hide.

Originally Posted by Dispari

That brings up a valid question: Will MM personal attacks and/or the thug minion visuals be upgraded to match DP? They don't have to change effects, just graphics. Otherwise it'll be pretty lackluster after DP is released!

Originally Posted by Oathbound

I entirely agree...

/Rant

For one it needs the end cost of it's toggle reigned in.

Invulnerability has 3 toggles that use 0.26, 0.26 and 0.21 end/sec or 0.73total.

Shield has 4 toggles with costs of 0.21, 0.21, 0.21 and 0.16 end/sec for a total of 0.79 end/sec

Dark Armor has four toggles (And that's only counting the armors) that cost 0.21, 0.21, 0.21 and 0.26 for a total of 0.89 AND needs to run Acrobatics for KB protection piling an additional 0.33 end/sec for a grand total of 1.22 before you even consider adding the damage aura, Fear Aura or Stun Aura.

Dark Regen's end cost is also completely unreasonable. Yes sure it's a potentially massive heal but almost all of it's potential is going to be wasted anyhow. What does it matter that you can heal back 300% of your hitpoints when you ONLY HAVE 100%? If you only get 1/3rd of the power's benefit, why do you still have to pay for it as if you were getting the whole thing?

Now, I'm fine with Dark's end use being balanced soley around it's defensive toggles, with the auras having added costs on top of that, But IMO it should either be balanced to include an alotment for Acrobatics, OR have KB protection added in so that you dont need to add the extra end cost of Acrobatics anyway.

With regard to the auras, CoF really needs work Either get rid of that huge accuracy penalty, make the -tohit debuff autohit, or chop it's end cost down to 0.33end/sec. As is it's most often skipped and rarely worth it anyhow.

/Rant

Originally Posted by Westley

Bingo, Tony got it in one. Why can't everyone get this?

Originally Posted by BrandX

My first thought is...couldn't he just say he was RPing his character as being annoying?

Rude. Annoying. I don't think I'd agree to it being bannable, or even worth the GMs time, personally.

Originally Posted by Anti_Proton

...once defeated, you go to an Arachnos prison where you have to escape and fight you way out for no xp.

Originally Posted by Crimson_Tyr

Imagine if you would access to a tier 10 power for you toons primary power set, unlock-able at 45 or higher. Specific for power set and AT, so a stalker wouldn't have same tier 10 as a scrapper with broadswords.

Examples:
giving a katana stalker a heavy attack so sharp it ignores resistances

Originally Posted by Golden Girl

Originally Posted by Noyjitat

Dunno, I always liked the attitude Arbiter Sands has. He should be a villain side contact for something. I don't think I've seen him anywhere but hero side.

Originally Posted by KianaZero

Actually, if your Shaders are set to high, then the Arbiter costume isn't White/White.

The armor plating is slightly darker than white, and the undermesh/armor padding is the same darker white, but with an added layer of metallic shine. That same metallic shine that we can't use.

I should know, I spent a LOT of Inf trying to get the colors right on my Arbiter toon. I ended up making a Huntsman costume with the boots and shoulders near-white to make him a pseudo-Arbiter, like a high-rank Huntsman in the way Arbiter Daos is a high-rank Arbiter.

Now if your shader option is set to low, then yes the Arbiter suit IS white/white.

Originally Posted by BrandX

That was another thing I was okay with when they decided it was time to change EM. Have ET take a bigger chunk of health.

Would those with serious IO investment really notice it? No. But that's what IOs tend to do, cover power picks drawbacks/weaknesses.