Xurbax

[ QUOTE ]
I'm just about to leave to catch a flight back to the West Coast...

Right now, Tanker changes have highest priority. The Design team tested some stuff last week while I was in Philly, and I'll personally test some more things this week. I'll post an update on this stuff on Friday.

We're still analyzing the numbers for Defenders & Controllers. We need to get a better picture of the impact of the mob hp/damage increase. If we make any changes, I can't say whether it'd be an Endurance decrease or a Damage increase or both.

[/ QUOTE ]

Has it dawned on you that this likely wouldn't be an issue if you had never bothered with the purple patch?

-- Xurbax

For all those who didn't like me suggesting zones that screw over fliers, leapers, and porters as badly as some zones do superspeeders ... and seemed to imply in their responses that my perrogative was one of self interest ... let me enlighten you:

1) I have 1 character of each AT.

2) I have (or had, in some cases) every travel power currently available in the game among those characters.

3) Given these facts, I expect the people who suggested I am 'whining' will enjoy the taste of their feet. I have no particular affinity for any travel power...

4) I still feel that if getting around in zones is going to be the way the developers encourage or discourage or advocate specific travel powers ... then it should be done for all travel powers. For this to be reasonable, the -same number- of zones that penalize superspeed should exist to penalize each travel power .... in a fashion that makes it take 3-4 times as long to get around in said zones as it does in a 'normal' zone using the penalized powers. (Notice this is relative to 'normal' travel speed of each travel power itself, not a relative comparison of speed between the powers).

5) I have long been an advocate of reduced END cost for TP (and heck, clean up its usability, it's clunky) as well as speed cap increases AND ACC penalty removal on flight; travel powers should be a matter of taste/style ... but because of these kinds of issues, travel powers end up being number crunching decisions among the min/max crowd (and with good reason). Resolution of these issues would, IMHO, offer more diversity among the travel powers we see people elect to take. (For example, I desperately wanted flight and team fly on my bubble defender, but FF defenders are END-challenged enough that flight/team fly just were NOT reasonable while actually using the large bubbles. Flight got dumped.)

6) I personally think that high grav zones that spork flight/leaping ... and/or high magnetics zones that spork teleportation would be every bit as interesting as huge pits in the ground or high walls that spork superspeed. I find it humourous that people suggest said pits in the ground and said high walls add flavour ... but when suggestions are made to add similar flavour that spork other travel powers, they find the flavour distasteful. Either it adds flavour or it doesn't. Frankly, if you think something that impedes mobility adds flavour, it should be true for each travel power... not just the travel power you didn't take or the one most people have (and let's face it, most comic book heroes are runners, folks).

7) It is worthy of note that the player base's absenteeism in zones where movement is problematic says volumes about how the bulk of the populace feels. While I happen to disagree with that, as I, too, like different zone experiences, I cannot argue the power of numbers, here. What it seems people enjoy most are zones they can get around in without much impediment; that's what the numbers via whoall to see zone usage suggest.

Despite the interesting nature of certain zones that cause movement problems, it really seems like a poor expenditure of dev time to develop zones like this if what the players' habits demonstrate is that they don't like or lean toward such zones, as an entity. If the bulk of the populace, by its habits, exhibits a tendency toward certain types of zones ... and away from others ... that pattern is worthy of note and the best use of dev time would seem to be the creation of content that leans in the direction people's habits and past usage suggest they like.

Personally, I think the creation of content that will see long, repeated use ... is the best use of dev time -- compared to the creation of zones that will see sporadic, ad-hoc use. If that means more hospitals, shops, ramps, whatever ... so be it. It just seems like such a waste to have 4 new zones come out in update 2 and next to no one using them. I do not want to see a repeat of this in future updates.

Despite my penchant for equal treatment of travel powers (i.e. let's see zones that penalize each movement type), I'm not self-interested enough to sit down and argue that it should be done just because I like it or it suits one or more of my characters. I'd really rather that each new zone see heavy population; I feel THAT is best for the game.

-- Xurbax

[ QUOTE ]
My word, these places are perpetual ghost towns. Its a shame really because they are such nice changes layout wise and the scale is fabulous (especially Faultline). The wierd angles and vertical contrast is really cool, unless youre a Super Speedster of course.

I swore that Faultline was supposed to be a trial zone, the place is a wasteland the villains should all move there cause I dont see any heroes there (3 at the most usually).

I'm on Pinnacle so I cant speak for other servers, but I remember when Boomtown used to be fairly packed with players. I go there now and I see tumbleweeds and can hear a pin drop lol.

I would love to see more than arrest xxx in Boomtown/Faultline. Its not like the Hollows or Perez Park where the places are packed with Heroes at any given time.

What could make these places more desirable to combat in? Badges, trails, unique villains?

[/ QUOTE ]

1) Hospitals -- perhaps just as run-down as the zones, so they only restore you to half health and half end; it's the run back from hospitals that ends teams quickly in such zones...

2) Shops -- underground black market or some kind of vigilante 'fence' (that lives on the seedier life of super herodom, but is a hero, nonetheless) that gives better sell value than the standard shop; place it somewhere friendly to those fighting in the zone, but a pain for those NOT in the zone, so that people don't come to the zone JUST to sell...

3) Slightly friendlier movement to speeders; let's face it, the zones that see the least action tend to be the least run-friendly zones.

4) Equal treatment of travel powers. Either make these zones friendly to all movement types or make equivalent high gravity or high magnetics zones that make getting around with flight, leaping, or teleport just as much of a pain/timesink as these zones are to runners. The former seems to be the best approach...


Personally,
I note there are now 8 zones (that I know of) that completely blow for runners: boomtown, faultline, Terra Volta, Rikti Crash Site (due to mob density and mob-level disparity of those clumps, not terrain), and the 4 SS zones.

Where are the 8 zones that hose up leaping? How about the 8 zones that hose teleport? What about the 8 that hose flight? Let's keep it square. By 'hose up' I mean take 4-5 times as long to get around as when using those powers in other, non-problem zones.

Personally, I think player-avoidance of zones where movement is a pain ... speaks volumes. Players don't seem to want to endure this annoyance. In reality, I don't think creation of more of this is a solution, but rather it'd compound the issue.

I'm forced to ask why dev time is wasted on content that sees little use (compared to the content players have shown, by zone occupance, they like)? Analysis of The Hollows, which has some limited terrain issues and poses fewer issues to runners than say, faultline -- but also has good flavour -- might be in order. Are the problematic terrain areas assidously avoided by players in The Hollows or do players actually range about in them in numbers (unlike faultline, usually)? The answer to that analysis should give the devs some further direction...

My 2 inf.

-- Xurbax

[ QUOTE ]
it used to be 20 seconds. I meant to change it to 60 seconds, but accidently made it like 600 or something. That made it 5 times better than the Defender Clear Mind power. Clear mind was 60 seononds, and it is now 90 seconds. Stimulant must not be as good as clear mind.

[/ QUOTE ]


Geko,
As one of your empathy defender L35 bumps in beta I long ago (on the beta forums) annnotated the large number of AoE disorients, sleeps, immobilizations, and holds in the game -- and the distinct lack of group/team status protects for them. That seemed to draw no attention or response from development. To me it seems a design flaw to have many ways of making people sit and stare at their monitors as their teams just sit there dying ... and no way to counter or protect from this for a whole group (without just becoming a status protect spammer of a single target status protect, which let's face it, is rather droll).

Recently I was made aware that Accelerated Metabolism has a very weak group/team protection to a large number of status effects -- but as far as I know it is the only group/team status protect that does, it's terribly weak, it cannot be enhanced up, and isn't that in the wrong line anyway? (i.e. shouldn't an empath be better at that sort of thing?)

Some might cite force fielders as having one, but dispersion field is not truly a group/team status protect; it's an area status protect. (A subtle but important distinction.) The protection is hefty, but we all know that many fights require moving outside the bubbles ... and your tankers who likely need to be ahead of the team, the ones who need the bubbles giving status protects most, are most-likely to be outside them.

Empaths call team healing the 'HP mini-game' for a reason; they spend their time targetting this or that player within the team display and delivering PBAoE heals, fortitude, targetted heals, and clear mind as needed. It'd help minimize the mind-numbing effects of the 'HP mini-game' immensly if clear mind were simply made PBAoE and its END-cost increased appropriately.

Part of what drives this sentiment about CM being bumped to a PBAoE is the painfully slow animations of it. Refreshing clear mind on someone in combat is, in fact, dangerous for those an empath is healing specifically because clear mind's animation leaves the empath 'momentarily rooted' -- can't move, can't deliver a heal, can't do much of anything except rotate in place until the slow animation completes. It's a lot like the 'must stand still for 5 seconds' problem anyone activating powers that use the phase shift animation have, and it's a problem if clear mind is to remain single-target.

With the increased number of status effects we're seeing ... and PvP coming ... group/team status protects seem necessary, as do longer durations on ALL single target status protects.

90 seconds on increase density, 02 boost, and stimulant do not seem out of line. Making clear mind 90 seconds (same as all the others) AND making it group/team affecting (much like leadership powers) or PBAoE seems reasonable, as group healing/support are supposed to be an empath's gig.

IMHO, 60 seconds is far too short for any of them (stimulant included, as stimulant already has next to no range and interruptibility as -severe- penalties, so why have it be shorter in duration, too); most battles go for more than 2 minutes, hence why 90 seconds seems reasonable, as it does leave room for risk.


Do you think you can do something about the animation times on Clear Mind? Would you please weigh making clear mind a PBAoE or a group/team status protect given the large number of AoE status effects with only 1 weak group/team status protect in the game (which isn't even in the healer's line!)?

-- Xurbax

[ QUOTE ]
Fellow heroes, disturbing information has come to light. Thanks to the hard work at the Federal Bureau of Super Powered Affairs and the Portal Corporation, we have discovered an odd energy signature throughout Paragon City. Researchers believe that this aetheric energy appears to be building towards a climax at some point in the near future. We believe that this will occur at some point over the next several days, but the authorities are not yet sure. All heroes should be on the look out for anything strange in the city. Be on guard; we have reason to believe that this bodes ill for our metropolis.

[/ QUOTE ]

Probably does bode ill. Bet that odd energy signature has a pile of nerfs in it...

-- Xurbax

SMART developers makes games to make money. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. CoH's success says it's not broken... Gets more broken with each volley of nerfs that force us down 'the vision's' approach, though...

I've seen a number of games wane due to forced visions. We'll see if Cryptic wants to make money or force visions...

-- Xurbax

I think it's clear now that Statesman doesn't understand what many players find fun. Thank you for clarifying that, Statesman.

More status effects? As if standing in one place watching yourself be defeated is 'fun'? Umm, yea.

Fight -more- mobs? Players already do that (herding) but Statesman talks out of one side of his mouth and says 'fight more mobs' while out of the other he indicates that herding (which those who do it actually enjoy) is something they need to address? Many players ARE fighting more mobs ... as many as they can herd and compact and stack. Herding takes some player skill. Stacking them does too. Good twitch factor there. My god! Players ACTUALLY ARE doing what you suggested, and liking it, and benefitting from it (heck, one of the few ways in which tankers are SUPER USEFUL) -- gotta nerf that, doesn't fit with the 'vision', right?

Fight tougher mobs? As some have pointed out, there's a hard cap at con +4. Damage and effects drop like a rock past con+5. Sure you can hit con+5, but it'll take a team quite a long time to kill con+5 (it was the purple patch's band-aid follow-up that did this, until it, you couldn't even hit con+4). It takes so long that it's not worth it. Faster and easier to go fry a bunch of con+2 to con+3's. The purple patch (and its follow-up band-aid) did that to the game. Rather than bigger, tougher fights of con +8 to con+10, now it's LOTS of smaller fights of con+1 to con+3. Better exp/time and risk/reward in that spot. Make it more difficult and it'll be vaporizing con-1 to con+1's unless exp for the harder fights is SERIOUSLY ramped up....

Do missions? Not sure what mission bonus exp is on Test right now, but let me say traversing 3 zones eats a PILE of time. That's time NOT earning EXP. Takes longer when grouped, too. Mission EXP needs to be ramped up enough to compensate for this downtime, becase a street-sweeping group of 2-4, has no downtime. 1 controller or defender and 1 blaster properly synergized can kill non-stop in a hazard zone or on the street.

Some say nerf AoE's? That solves nothing -- it's just more nerfing. Probably sounds appealing to Statesman though as it slows down leveling for both AoE users AND those teamed with them. Wouldn't be fun though. Fight that takes 10 seconds now would take a minute, perhaps? That's LESS exp/time folks. Less powers for you to experiment with. Less superheroism and more supergimpyness. A better approach is to BUFF SINGLE TARGET ATTACKS THAT PLAYERS HAVE, INSTEAD.

Grouping makes this game. Right now, grouping is pretty broken. Valari's been probably the most vocal on this thread about why and I feel he's right on target. Like him, I also feel Statesman and Cryptic 'don't get it anymore' ... or that perhaps 'the vision is getting in the way of fun'.

The replay value of this game is what makes quick leveling speed a GOOD THING. I have a level 50. I also have a level 48. Neither are FOTM builds, I just have a lot of time on my hands as of late. When the 48 hits 50, I'll roll up another character of a different AT and play that. But if Statesman wants to slow things down even more, cancelation may be a better and more entertaining option. Why roll another character if I'm going to grind again, even slower??? Grind's already slowed down far too much from release, as far as I'm concerned, which hurts reply value.

-- Xurbax

Geko wrote:
[ QUOTE ]
For those of you who were in Beta, you know I always do my best to listen to the community, as does the rest of the Cryptic team. As always, we are all listening and watching. Nothing is permanent in an MMP. New features will be added, and things will change. Not every change will make your Hero more powerful, but it is our goal to make it more fun. Those are not always the same things. It is not fun if it is not challenging (that is, easy is not always fun).

[/ QUOTE ]

The changes, I feel, are acceptable, especially if you're re-evaluating them and there's not a finality about them...

What I feel is unacceptable is the manner in which they are implemented. Your recent changes have left many customers in a position where their primary characters are substantially gimped. They wouldn't be if they could shift powers, slot layout, and/or enhancements around -- at no influence cost (which implies full-value sell-back, else it does cost) or time/effort cost to them -- but that's not been granted to them. This gives people one of 5 options (excluding combinations, thereof):

1. Tough, deal with it
2. Re-roll and re-level a character now that the dev changes have made what they were playing no longer fun to play
3. Grind through with the "gimped" version of their characters long enough to scrape up the influence necessary to change their enhancement loadouts or acquire slots to place into things that need them (that didn't prior to the dev changes)
4. Grumble a lot on the forums and do nothing
5. Grumble a lot on the forums and unsubscribe

None of these seems to be promising options for you to leave your customers. I've asked before and I must ask again: Why is it some of your customers are being punished for Cryptic/NCSoft's mistakes?

It is my firm opinion that:
<ul type="square">[*] It should not cost a character influence to adjust for one of your after-the-fact changes.[*] It should not cost a customer time/effort to adjust for one of your after-the-fact changes.[*] A means should be provided for the customer to right whatever s/he feels has negatively impacted his/her character at the time the dev-induced, after-the-fact change goes into the game (i.e. at login)[/list]
This would seem to be the path to keeping your customers happy. And yet, it's not done. The changes went in with no means provided for the customer to react short of the ones listed, earlier.

Does that seem fair to you? If so, why? If not, what is being done about it? And if it's going to cost the customer time/effort and/or his/her characters influence, how do you justify that (short of failure to provide a complete adjustment solution that allows both Cryptic to make adjustments and customers to adjust in response)?

I ask these things because many people put time, effort, and planning into their characters. When you shift something that breaks synergies they planned upon (using available information and their own testing) -- and fail to provide a means for people to adjust to your shift -- you are effectively rendering their time/effort pointless.

I look forward to your response...

-- Xurbax

P.S. I'm someone who agonizes for 2 hours over how to apportion 3 slots within my progression -- merely to try to achieve a desired effect (not necessarily a more powerful one, either). And let's just say that the Hasten change has my character very broken. It wouldn't be if I could alter slot layouts or alter enhancement loadout at no cost -- but I can't. I'm stuck with re-rolliing or 4-6 levels of grinding in this gimped state, minimum, to rectify the issue; and I certinaly do not have the 300k-400k influence it'd take to re-config all my enhancements. I personally have a problem with this state of affairs... I feel punished, for a mistake that certainly wasn't mine...

Foxbat_Defender:
There are MANY paths to go when enhancing. Some folks like smaller heals they throw a lot. Others prefer larger heals they throw less regularly. There's really no right/wrong here and you can try different approaches to see what suits you and the groups you tend to run with.

With my defender I fell into the former camp and I used Hasten from the Superspeed Pool to increase the frequency yet again. The reason for this was I felt it was less risky for the group if I kept the group topped off. While throwing larger heals less frequently is more END efficient, the downside is that you have to allow people to lose more health (so that your bigger, less-used heals don't end up 'overhealing' or wasting healing pts) ... and that imposes more risk to those you're with.


I placed -all- enhancement slots on odd levels into Healing Aura, Heal Other, and Absorb Pain to try to bring them to 6 slots as rapidly as possible -- with my focus being on Aura and Other, since Absorb Pain's already highly efficient. I ran the following up until Level 17:
Healing Aura: 3 generic END reduction, 2 generic recharge reduction, 1 generic +heal
Heal Other: 3 generic END reduction, 2 generic recharge reduction, 1 generic +heal
Absorb Pain: 1 generic recharge reduction, 4 generic +heal
Hasten: 1 generic recharge reduction

At 17 I added another slot to Absorb Pain to bring it to 6 and switched to DO enhancements. Knowing that Recovery Aura was coming at 18, my layout changed to the following:
Healing Aura: 2 DO END reduction, 2 DO recharge reduction, 2 DO +heal
Heal Other: 2 DO END reduction, 2 DO recharge reduction, 2 DO +heal
Absorb Pain: 1 DO recharge reduction, 5 DO +heal
Hasten: 1 DO recharge reduction

This is how my enhancments remained until it was time to switch up to SO enhancments. Layout stayed the same, just SO instead of DO.

NOTE: This is a highly END INEFFICIENT build. It sacrifices the ability to conserve end for the ability to heal often. As such, it's built to rely on Recovery Aura very heavily -- which I slotted with 6 recharge reduction enhancements as soon as I could.

I did not have Stamina and were I to do it again, it'd be in the build.

Interestingly, I DID take leadership -- the whole pool. It seems to be a popular choice among empaths who would prefer to sacrifice attacks in favour of adding more to the group. This has the side-effect of the empath drawing almost zero aggro, as the empath isn't attacking, but rather, providing heals and buffs.

Leadership will compound your END-woes if you take all 3 toggles from it -- even with 1 END reduction enhnacement in it. I personally would not take leadership again for one reason and one reason only: too many mezzes/roots/holds/stuns at the higher levels without a GROUP buff/clear to counter them (a game design flaw in my opinion) means your toggles will go down a lot. This annoyed me and so did burning time and watching the same cheesy leadership animation (for all 3) as I re-fired them.

Vengeance has other issues. Too situational IMHO -- AND it's a ranged power, not a toggle, so you had to have line of sight AND be within range of your fallen comrade to use it. Nice buff -- a la fortitude with a small heal ... but seems to last a bit longer. Just not enough and too many usage drawbacks for me to take it again.

NOTE: The above was only 1 way to go about things .... to each his/her own.

As a controller right now I have only 4 slots in Healing Aura and Heal Other ... and a measly 1 slot in Absorb Pain (which is all I'll ever have in AP on my controller). This is all I intend to put into them.

I draw more aggro now since I must attack -- and on my build, most of the aggro I draw is from AoE attacks, which is nasty, so I have to be more sparing about AP use. I heal for less than my defender and always will ... but I don't -need- to heal people as often or for as much, as CC keeps them from getting as badly damaged in the first place. Many fights with only me as both the controller and the healer I don't need to throw a heal at all...

Current controller layout for heals is as follows:
Healing Aura: 1xDO END reduction, 1xDO recharge reduction, 2xDO +heal
Healing Other: 1xDO END reduction, 1xDO recharge reduction, 2xDO +heal
Absorb Pain: 1xDO +heal
Hasten: 1xDO recharge reduction

Despite being far more END effieicient now (costs less END to prevent damage than to heal it back) I took Stamina at 20 and will pick up Recovery Aura at 28. This is somewhat redundant, but because I'm attacking the damage mitigation issue from both sides (preventing it in the first place as well as healing it after it's taken) I am shooting for the ability to spam heals out while I control. It's the heals that bleed me dry of END, not the control powers ... and circa 29 I am hoping to be able to heal as often as I could on my defender ... for less health per heal, of course ... while I control -- without emptying my endurance tank between Recovery Auras.

I look forward to others posting their builds and reasoning behind them...

-- Xurbax

[ QUOTE ]
While I like the post, I don't care for the implied disdain for people who do, in fact, choose ressurect. It does happen upon occasion that people die, and it is a tremendous timesaver to rez them there rather than wait for them to run back.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure what you're talking about. I -IMPLIED- nothing. I chose my words carefully and used only words that carried the meaning I intended. Anything more that you perceive you are reading into the post.

Some empaths have resurrect. Some do not. I pointed out -why- those who elect not to take it tend not to. That is all.

Too many times people who do not understand empaths EXPECT empaths to have resurrect. This is the reason the indication that some elect not to take it is present in the guide.

Given that you and others cannot seem to stick to the written word on the page ... and insist on seeking/finding/perceiving things I did not intend within it, perhaps I should have written nothing at all...

Frustrated with posts like the one I just quoted,
-- Xurbax

P.S. I like the constructive additions folks are making. I see no need to revise the guide. Instead, I feel the posts herein serve as the additions, much like the posts in the devs' bind FAQ in beta grew their own FAQ. Remember, the scope of what I wrote was 'working with empaths'. I defined at the 30,000 ft view for folks who -are not- empaths what empaths are and what being around them and working well with them does and doesn't tend to consist of. More granular focus is up to other authors to provide, as it is beyond the scope of what I was writing.

It's a matter of taste as to which powers you pick up if you sacrifice your Defender's secondary (offensive) powers for more group-oriented play.

In beta I had the entire Leadership pool. I really don't care much for it, though, because roots/stuns/mezzes shut down toggles -- and it's a pain to turn all 3 leadership powers back on. The END usage (for an already-END-constrained empath -- doesn't help matters).

My best advice is to try to pick up powers that provide you with some CC-like ability. Think of CC as just another means of 'healing' -- instead of adding to someone's health you're keeping things from subtracting from it. Amounts to the same effect, overall, but the latter tends to be more END-efficient (but draw more aggro).

If you are Emp/Dark, take a good hard look at Dark Pit...

If you want to slam out even more healing than you already do -- get the Medicine pool; don't waste time trying to add recharge to it, just enhance the snot out of Aid Other and Aid Self with +HEAL enh. The recharges on them are slow so they're occasional use things, but are quite nice...

-- Xurbax

CasKK:
My intent was not to talk down. Constructive criticism is appreciated. My use of the word 'empath' is the result of Geko's which quote I noted in my post. In terms of healing capability, there's miles of difference between an empath ... and someone who has healing powers outside of the empathy line; hence my differentiation.

As for fault, I never indicated fault or at least that was not my intent. I tried to point out what constitutes poor synergy with an empath. If you elect to read 'blame' into that, I suggest you re-read it -- I point out causes and effects...

All of this said, your criticism is appreciated. I look forward to whatever guide you elect to author based on your wealth of gaming, beta, and CoH experience. One cannot please all tastes. Nor can one be a perfect author. It's far easier to be a critic than it is to be the subject thereof.

May life bring you all that you deserve...

-- Xurbax

(Note: This is a slightly-tuned repost of my original post from Beta, which I preserved...)

WORKING WITH EMPATHS -- A DEFINITIVE GUIDE


WHAT THIS GUIDE ADDRESSES:
This guide addresses working with empaths who have taken a dedicated healer route by selecting all of the healing powers from the Empathy power set.


WHAT THIS GUIDE DOES NOT ADDRESS:
This guide does not address working with empaths who HAVE NOT selected all of the healing powers from the Empathy power set. It also does not address working with individuals who have healing powers but are not empaths.



WHAT IS AN EMPATH?
Empaths are team-oriented support characters within City of Heroes who possess gifts of healing. Empaths tend to focus almost exclusively on the preservation of the lives of those with whom they travel. Some may be defenders while others are controllers. While both varieties are found in Paragon City, neither is particularly common as a pure, dedicated healer.

Per Geko, "an Empathy Defender is the only true Healer in the game; followed by an Empthy Controller." (Link To Thread w/ Quote Source)


WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY HEALING TOOLS OF AN EMPATH?
Empaths have 3 heals in their primary or secondary power set with which to work. These are: <ul type="square">[*] Healing Aura - PBAoE heal affecting all nearby heroes. [*] Heal Other - Targetted, endurance-costly heal affecting a single hero. This power heals approximately 1.5 times as much as Healing Aura does. [*] Absorb Pain - Targetted, endurance-inexpensive heal affecting a single hero. This power heals approximately 2.5 times as much as Healing Aura does, costs the empath approximately 20% of his/her own health, and prevents the empath from being healed BY ANY MEANS for a period of time[/list]Some empaths may also have the following healing power from the Medicine pool:
<ul type="square">[*] Aid Other - Targetted, interruptible, slowly-animated, endurance-inexpensive heal affecting a single hero. This power heals approximately the same as Heal Other does and has a very long recharge time.[/list]

CAN ALL EMPATHS RESURRECT?
It depends on the empath. Some can while others can't. Whether an empath can or can't depends largely on whether s/he sees value in the Resurrect power. As of this writing, many empaths avoid the Resurrect power due to its long recharge time, high endurance cost, and single-target nature. Empaths who elect to forego Resurrect often do so in favour of a power that helps keep people standing (as opposed to cleaning up the mess afterward), as such a power will (hopefully) see more use and be more beneficial over-all.


WHAT ELSE CAN EMPATHS DO?
Again, it depends on the empath. Beyond the things already covered it truly is an individual taste. It's common for empaths to provide recovery and regeneration auras later in life. But just because the Empathy power set provides these options does not mean individual empaths will elect to take them...


WHAT ARE THE COMBAT CONCERNS OF AN EMPATH?
The primary concerns of an empath can be boiled down to 4 simple things. In order of importance they are: <ul type="square">[*]Team member awareness of this guide's contents [*]Endurance management [*]Line of sight to team members [*]Range to team members[/list]

WHY IS TEAM MEMBER AWARENESS OF THIS GUIDE SO IMPORTANT?
The relationship between an empath and the team with whom s/he travels is a symbiotic one. How a team behaves has more impact on the effectiveness of an empath at helping a team than any other variable. Empaths tend to spend the bulk of their combat time watching the team members, not the combat, itself. In purely human terms, this means MORE time is spent watching the team's health/endurance bars than is spent watching the combat, itself. This does not mean the empath is oblivious to where people are. Rather, when not watching the health/endurance bars the empath tends to be concerned with positioning him/herself optimally to heal as many people as possible at once using PBAoE heals, as this is the most efficient way s/he can help an entire group.

The following team member behaviours tend to make an empath less effective, overall:
1) Advancing far enough ahead of the team to be well-outside the PBAoE heal radius
2) Standing/hovering/flying far enough behind the group to be well-outside the PBAoE heal radius
3) Generating large amounts of aggro (usually by using AoE attacks on enemies that are not locked down by a controller) without the defenses necessary to soak the resulting incoming fire
4) Allowing impediments such as catwalks, walls, buildings, fences, etc to get between yourself and the empath
5) Failure to watch the empath's endurance bar just as s/he is watching team members' health/endurance bars
6) Allowing enemies to melee with or otherwise harm the empath

<ul type="square">[*]Items 1-3 force the empath to use endurance-costly, targetted heals to help those who are outside the PBAoE healing radius or drawing far too much aggro for their defenses. This translates to less endurance to help the group ... and quite possibly no endurance when an emergency arises. [*]Item 4 prevents the empath from healing those on the other side of impediments, entirely -- unless s/he shifts position from the group to help the person who was careless about his/her position. This may well translate to helping one person but failing to help the group -- which can be disastrous. [*]Item 5 should be self explanatory: No endurance for the empath means no healing for team members; team members who fail to pace the incoming fire they draw based on the empath's endurance may find themselves in trouble. [*]Item 6 should be self-explanatory: An empath fighting enemies off him/herself is an empath who is burning time and endurance on something other than caring for his/her team. It should also be noted that reduced health (due to incoming fire) for an empath means reduced Absorb Pain use for the group, as Absorb Pain harms the empath who uses it. This is the bread/butter BIG heal that empaths have -- the one that usually saves people's lives -- so keeping your empath healthy and mob-free may well be what saves you or another in your team, as it allows for more use of Absorb pain.[/list]WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT AN EMPATH'S ENDURANCE MANAGEMENT?
Quite simply, empaths burn their endurance (and usually their health) to keep team members alive. As a result, they must gauge who gets how much healing, and when -- all according to available endurance. If in the first 20-30 seconds of fighting the incoming fire is heavy, an empath may well use ALL of his/her endurance to keep the team alive. This will result in a period where little to no healing is possible by the empath. As noted above, team members need to pay attention to the empath's endurance and pace themselves accordingly. A good empath will alert a team when s/he is not capable of healing, but it is a tremendous help if the group pays attention, as well.


SHOULDN'T THE EMPATH BE WORRYING ABOUT LINE OF SIGHT AND RANGE?
Yes, of course s/he should be. But so should team members. Remember, it's a symbiotic relationship. The empath has up to 7 team members for which s/he must track not only health/endurance, but also location and obstacles. The empath's job is to place him/herself for optimal endurance use to keep as many of the group alive and well as possible. Other team members need to pay attention to the empath's positioning and work with the empath to help in this task, as it's easier for them to pay attention to themselves, their targets, and the empath than it is for the empath to pay attention to 7 team members' locations, all targets, and the health/endurance bars.


WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF POOR PLAYER-TO-EMPATH SYNERGY?
There are really only 3 signs that someone is not working synergistically with the empath in the group and that something needs to change:
<ul type="square">[*]The empath is constantly having to throw large, targetted heals to keep someone alive. This is usually the result of said someone drawing too much aggro for his/her defenses ... or being too far away to be included in the PBAoE heals the empath is using to top-off the rest of the group. [*]Someone isn't getting heals when s/he needs them, yet the empath in the team has the endurance to heal him/her. This is usally the result of obstructions between said someone and the empath, or said someone being out of the empath's targetted healing range. [*]Someone dies a lot despite the presence of an empath. This is usually the result of the 2 previously-mentioned issues being repeated over and over and the empath simply making a judgement call not to waste healing/endurance on said someone anymore, as it takes away from what the empath can do for others who are more group-oriented and less self-centered. (The basic premise being the empath is choosing to let said someone learn the hard way after all other options have failed.)[/list]WHERE AND HOW CAN I FIND AN EMPATH?
Broadcast that you're looking for an empath. Don't ask for a healer if what you really want is an empath; that's like asking for a doctor when you really want a heart surgeon. Know the difference and ask specifically for which you need; there are many who can heal but few who are dedicated to it like empaths are.

(Note: It may, just may, signal that you've read this guide, know the potential pitfalls, and are trying to do your best to avoid them, which might just mean something to an empath who hears your broadcast, as well...)

The distinction is subtle but important. Healing is an empath's focus; if you ask for one you're more likely to get someone who has as many enhancements as s/he can possibly slot into healing powers as is possible for his/her level ... as opposed to someone with 1 or 2 healing powers that are enhancement-neglected. This means stronger healing abilities when compared to garden-variety "healers".

Empaths tend to like to group, so finding one isn't difficult. However, as noted above, they're not exacly the most common template, so do not be surprised if you get no responses, as they do tend to be in high demand and, therefore, busy. Just keep trying.


HOW CAN I HELP AN EMPATH?
If you're looking to help an empath do his/her job better or more efficiently, most empaths tend to need: <ul type="square">[*]Endurance inspirations[*]Endurance reduction enhancements [*]Recharge reduction enhancments [*]Healing enhancements[/list]These are the most-needed things common to empaths. If you have one of these things and you're trying to decide between selling it to a shop or giving it to someone to help out, you might inquire if the empath traveling with you can use them, first, before asking others in your team. You never know, the inspirations and enhancements may well be the difference between a life saved or lost ... and it could well be your own!

-- Xurbax

P.S. Anyone is welcome to reprint this in its original form. I only ask that if you do I be given proper credit (I am Xurbax, of Synergy on the Freedom Server). I've already had a few requests via PM's so figured I should mention it, here.