Wile_E

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I'm probably the worst player to invite into your party if you intend on pulling enemies one at a time. Partly because of my area-oriented powerset combination, but because I'm very likely to fall asleep on the job.

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I may have caused some confusion by using the term "pulling" in a broader way than the OP. I view the tactical decision to pull (change the location of the battle by bringing enemies to me, rather than run to them) as independant of the number of enemies pulled. Once we decide that we need to change the location of a battle, there are a number of different methods to "pull", which will bring a smaller or larger proportion of the enemy group. Simply put, you don't just have to pull one.


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Which is exactly why I like to initiate combat with Ice Slick. I can do so from around a corner, entirely negating the alpha strike. And the enemies are sufficiently bunched together for AE and offensive toggle convenience.


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Ice slick is one of the (if not the) largest AOE powers in the game, so it suffers less from spread-out targets than most other AOE powers. Even so, there are many situations where ice slick is not big enough to capture all enemies in place. All AOE powers (particularly those with smaller areas) still benefit greatly from a more compact enemy group.

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I don't play CoH much but over on CoV, pulling is non-existent because it is never needed or efficient, barring VERY extraordinary circumstances (say lvl10 8 man team facing an AV with a bunch of reds around it. ah!).

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I disagree - pulling is very frequently the most efficient method of initiating attack. There is another reason for "pulling" which has not been directly discussed here - to place the mobs in a compact group, near a wall for other obstacle. There are many, many very good AOE based powers which either function much better if enemies are tightly grouped, or don't function at all if they are spread out. For example - soft controls or AOE debuffs (ice slick, earthquake, tar patch), defender debuff toggles (radiation infection, darkest night), tank taunt auras, and blaster AOE damage. All of these can have a huge effect on the speed with which enemies are dispatched, and the safety of doing so.

A good corner pull is usually the ideal way to set up these powers. Enemies will run up until they turn the corner, at which point they will stop and attack. One after another they will group-up nice and tight, right at the corner. As an added bonus, a good corner pull usually has a wall next to the enemies, to contain knockback (if properly directed).

To address the point of the OP, I think the reason why pulling is poorly done, if used at all, is that it's effectiveness is not as obvious to the soloer. Many people learn to play as soloers, and simply carry their solo tactics into the team environment (everbody pick someone and attack; when dead, pick another).