Alvan

Nice hami, considering the date

(when's the next one?)

3xHold (now with added acc/mez goodness in two of them) Blaster reporting for Tera's team.

One thing that comes to mind:

Slot Guardian as follows:

Heal Heal Heal Recharge Recharge Recharge.

It's the next best thing to a dedicated thermal out there to keeping you alive.

Also I'd drop the immobs from the singularity - it's very single-minded and after it starts attacking an opponent it will get immobed and held and thrown around - he'll be controlled with just 2 x hold and the natural durations. Switch them for damage.

My very personal opinions (usually far from the right opinions):

1) 2 Accuracies, 3 damage, 1 other enha for all attacks is never a bad thing.

2) If you're planning on putting extra slots to your 1st power in medicine pool, take Aid Other. If you're not, take Stimulant. Stimulant works better with just one interrupt in it than Aid Other. Save power boost for healing yourself.

3) Lose stealth.

4) Get some sort of a hero builder, and visit http://www.nofuture.org.uk/cox/ to gain insight on how powers work.

Along with grammar and the ability of spelling words correctly. All which are ignored by the youth of today. So we're actually looking at a emoticon-free future.

[ QUOTE ]
its apparantly 60 seconds but if they attack then the stealth portion of cloak goes down and smoke on its own is nigh on useless in a duel. I want the bugged to hell smoke grenades of night widows which are seemingly -a billion perception points and allows you to fight in total anominity

[/ QUOTE ]

From City of Data

-90% PerceptionRadius to Target for 60 seconds if (target = critter)
Effect does not stack from same caster
-90% PerceptionRadius to Target for 20 seconds if (target = player)
Effect does not stack from same caster

Noxious Gas: (City of Data)

1000 Held to Target for 4 seconds (0% chance) if (target = critter)
(Human and target.HasTag?) [Ignores Enhancements & Buffs] [Non-resistable]

the 0% chance seems a bit odd.

[ QUOTE ]
smoke grenade + cloak seems to be pretty awesome and everyone should 6 slot web grenades

[/ QUOTE ]

Words of wisdom that need quoting

That said, I would probably take EMP in place of Taser there at 49. They both have a bit too short range for my tastes in regards to where I like my /dev to be in PvP. But the -1000% Regeneration in EMP makes it a better power in my books, even with the longer recharge times. On the other hand, if you're planning on using Taser a lot, then stick with it.

It depends what you are going up against...

Dominators will be easiest, as they have no form of +tohit power to bypass your defenses (Thorns excluded, who get Aim), but brutes, stalkers and corruptors come equipped with one (build up, rage or aim) most likely. Masterminds quite often take Tactics, which gives +tohit, as does their inherent power for their pets if I recall correctly. (can't be sure about that). A +tohit power means that +def won't be that all-powerful (but still worth something) as it evens out the odds of hitting some. But as you have no +res, only a couple of big damage hits can get quite devastating if they land.

In Warburg or Arena, you'll run into more problems as there are Blasters out there with 2 power-boosted to-hit powers who will be laughing at your defenses and sniping through them like they were hot air.

[ QUOTE ]
Did someone make an inspiring video of a Dominator showing how you defeat squishies without mezprotection along with some catchy songs?

[/ QUOTE ]

What is this about defeating squishies? The dominator's favorite pvp food is resistance-/regeneration-based scrappers/tankers.... (not defense-based ones, they are too damn hard to hit)

[ QUOTE ]
Already seen the Dominator-in-teh-PvP-boom on both US and EU boards but didn't suspect it could go this far, as in people actually leveling (or PLing) Dominators strictly for PvP

[/ QUOTE ]

_o/ Made mine the moment the big "dominators for the lose in pvp" -discussion began here, just to prove it wrong. That was on the 14th December (maybe the 15th). Omega Patient is now lv 35 and finally fit for Warburg - and the character has been made with only pvp in mind. Leveled up as fast as possible, but it has slowed down as I've been stuck in the pvp zones more and more each day

[ QUOTE ]
Then promptly..

[/ QUOTE ]

Missed writing an " " into the beginning line of my post. By conscious choice, as I didn't want to overemphasize my amusement to the whole "Pure Empathy" debate.

Apparently that didn't come off clear enough by just using words there. Thought the writing of absolute statements ("you are all wrong") and the near-religious wording when talking about Emp/Dark Offender would have been clue enough. Could have written it a bit more clearly, sure, but was tired after not sleeping for who knows how many hours.

so here's the emoticon:

.

Add and if you wish for added effect.

Regarding my two Emp/Dark characters - I have played with both of then quite equally. The Offender is my original main from the days when you could slot Moonbeam with 5 damages and an Accuracy and be happy with the damage you were dealing, while being safe with the highly-debuffslotted AoE attacks. When I imported her, I did dramatical switch from medium "some buffing, some damage dealing" to a totally "impure" empath, just to see if it could work and contribute in teams. (As I had already leveled my "Pure Empath" to equal level on the EU servers by the time I had the opportunity to import)

It could, and in fact I've been in situations where I've switched from my Pure Empath to my Offender, as the team was doing ok without the need of the extra buffage it provided. The offender build acts as a something of a debuffer/controller with mediocre-to-good (depending on enemy type) ability to pin down +level bosses (with knockdown/tohit-debuffing - Air Superiority is excellent for knockdown, and dark immobs don't prevent KB or KD) while the team works through the minions and lts if the rest of the team is more focused on AoEs or do generic debuffage if the team is more ST-based.

The reverse has also happened when playing the Offender and finding the team lacking in, for example, mez protection and/or needing that defense/tohit buff the Pure Empath provides. Having a Pure Empath never hurts a team - in fact, the most fun AV-dropping team I've been in was 5 empaths and a ma/regen scrapper. (but that's a story for another time). But sometimes, the team becomes more interesting when there is one more offensive character in the mix.

And as the two are the same level, it's usually a matter of "two secs, I'll switch" and the team gets what they need more. Both of them have their uses, and I guess they pretty much represent the ends of the spectrum of an Empathy/Dark defender - from as pure as one can get to as impure as possible. With some broad generalizations and assuming that the middle ground works as well as the ends, one could say that you can pretty much have whatever powers you want and if you like them, you can make your character contribute.

To summarize: Who cares what powers you have - if they work for you, they work for you. If you make a specialized character, you should in theory (if the game was balanced) end up in situations where your specialization isn't fully needed. So, pretty much I'm agreeing with you.

One thing bothers me about your reply though - Why does your comment about my primary-focused tanker (in a post about primary-focused defenders) sound so negative in the context you mention it? Especially with you saying comments like "I dont see nothing wrong with a pacifistic type of character. Its a nice option." and "People have a right to build a toon that conceptually suits them and no one has a right to judge it." earlier in the thread.

Then why on earth people don't jump at me when I'm right above them, firing web grenades at them?

Edit: From City of Data:

-50000% JumpHeight to Target for 15 seconds [Non-resistable]

[ QUOTE ]
It only does -fly -rech -spd. I would also suggest puting a range enhancement into Web Grenade so you can get rid of flying stalkers/brutes from a higher range. Two end redux in TD should do aswell.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, but it does -jump too, that's the beauty of it. You can get a brute stuck in a pool or any other area that would require him to jump 2' in the air if he doesn't have a teleport power

Web Grenade for win

Of course, but you said:

[ QUOTE ]
Thats not enough afaik

[/ QUOTE ]

And quoted me on Defender Disperion bubbles, thus all the protesting :P

[ QUOTE ]
People who go out don't play MMOs

[/ QUOTE ]

Happy Cake Day, Duckdee!

/ End threadjack.

You're all of course playing your Empaths all wrong.

The only true Empath path lies in the path of a Emp/Dark Offender.

---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder - (http://sherksilver.coldfront.net/index.php)
---------------------------------------------
Name: Lady Kat
Level: 50
Archetype: Defender
Primary: Empathy
Secondary: Dark Blast
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Healing Aura==> Rechg(1) Rechg(3) Rechg(3) Heal(5) Heal(5)
01) --> Dark Blast==> Acc(1) Acc(7) Dmg(7) Dmg(9) Dmg(9) EndRdx(11)
02) --> Gloom==> Acc(2) Acc(11) Dmg(13) Dmg(13) Dmg(15) EndRdx(15)
04) --> Moonbeam==> Acc(4) Dmg(17) Dmg(17) Dmg(19)
06) --> Air Superiority==> Acc(6) Acc(19) Dmg(21) Dmg(21) Dmg(23) EndRdx(23)
08) --> Swift==> Run(8)
10) --> Hurdle==> Jump(10)
12) --> Hasten==> Rechg(12) Rechg(25) Rechg(25)
14) --> Fly==> EndRdx(14) Fly(27) Fly(27) Fly(29)
16) --> Tenebrous Tentacles==> Acc(16) Acc(29) TH_DeBuf(31) TH_DeBuf(31) TH_DeBuf(31) EndRdx(33)
18) --> Recovery Aura==> Rechg(18) Rechg(33) Rechg(33) EndMod(34) EndMod(34)
20) --> Night Fall==> Acc(20) Acc(34) Dmg(36) Dmg(36) Dmg(36) EndRdx(37)
22) --> Stamina==> EndMod(22) EndMod(37) EndMod(37)
24) --> Assault==> EndRdx(24) EndRdx(39) EndRdx(39)
26) --> Regeneration Aura==> Rechg(26) Rechg(39) Rechg(40) Heal(40) Heal(40) Heal(42)
28) --> Torrent==> Acc(28) Acc(42) KB_Dist(42)
30) --> Tactics==> EndRdx(30) EndRdx(43) EndRdx(43) TH_Buf(43) TH_Buf(45)
32) --> Dark Pit==> Acc(32) Acc(45)
35) --> Life Drain==> Acc(35) Acc(45)
38) --> Blackstar==> Rechg(38) Rechg(46) Rechg(46) Dmg(46) Dmg(48) Dmg(48)
41) --> Oppressive Gloom==> Acc(41)
44) --> Dark Consumption==> Acc(44)
47) --> Soul Drain==> Acc(47) Rechg(48) Rechg(50) Rechg(50) TH_Buf(50)
49) --> Vengeance==> Heal(49)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> EndRdx(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
02) --> Rest==> Empty(2)
01) --> Vigilance==> Empty(1)
---------------------------------------------


This is a rough estimate (ignore the levels of the slots (tm)) of my other Emp/Dark, after I got the opportunity to import her from the US. My other one is a "Pure Empath" quite much like the one posted earlier. Both are at level 37 at the moment.

Guess which one is more fun to play.

Defender Dispersion Bubble:
-8.65 Stun to Target for 0.75 seconds [Non-resistable]
Effect does not stack from same caster

Controller Dispersion Bubble:
-10.38 Stun to Target for 0.75 seconds [Non-resistable]
Effect does not stack from same caster

edit2: So, to emphasize - mag 9 is enough to push through a Defender dispersion bubble, but not controller, as noted before.

edit: And yeah, Regen Scrappers are off the menu, they're worse than Granite tanks as they got both Resistance and Protection

edit3:

Mastermind Dispersion Bubble:
-5.19 Stun to Target for 0.75 seconds [Non-resistable]
Effect does not stack from same caster

Traps Force Field Generator Dispersion Bubble:
-6.92 Stun to Target for 0.75 seconds [Non-resistable]
Effect does not stack from same caster

You need Aim for increased damage as you won't be getting Build Up.

If you're going for a stalker killer build, take Tactics, Targetting Drone, Caltrops, Web Grenade and perhaps Cloaking Device.

Caltrops is autohit and will interrupt Assassin's Strikes if they manage to Placate you. Slot Web 'nade up a bit to drop their movement and recharge so you can kill them before they regenerate.

Don't take Health, Defiance will be a good, dear friend. Swift and Hurdle will help you with moving around stalkers.

Leaping is a great choise for travel power, as there are a lot of Impale and KB powers going round and you get immob resist from Combat Jumping, and KB resist from Acrobatics.

(sorry if I'm a bit incoherrent, haven't been sleeping lately)

[ QUOTE ]
*pokes team*

[/ QUOTE ]

Go team!

I'm using Nofutures values, if there are errors there, can't confirm or deny, going with blind faith.

Energy Transfer has 50% Mag 3 Disorient, Bonesmasher has 30% Mag 3 Disorient. The chance that either or both cause disorient (giving at least a mag 3 boost) is 0.5 + (0.5 * 0.3) = 0.65, 65%.

The probability of them giving a Mag 6 boost to the stun equation (by both causing disorient) is 0.5 * 0.3 = 0.15 = 15%

My math might be wrong, as I haven't slept all night, but at the moment, my logic looks very convincing to my eyes. How did you get the 18%?

Getting Stun has more to do with the fact that it takes a lot of disorient to get through the various stun resistances. And if I can put 3x disdur to a power without worrying about loss of damage, it means considerably more time for me to stack them..

The basic mathematics of EM/Dark's Disorients (powers are assumed to be autohit for easier calculations, real mileage is worse):
TF + Stun + Oppressive Gloom = 100% shot at a Mag 9 stun. Enough to drop a Defender's Dispersion Bubble/Sonic Dispersion.

Add to that BS and ET, which (if they hit) have combined 65% shot to increase that by a mag 3, which brings it to 12, enough to drop any non-regen scrapper's or brute's (non-godmode) stun resistance. Disoriented also is the Controller running Dispersion Bubble, and the blaster that's been Clear Minded by a Controller.

ET and BS have a grand total 15% (if they both hit) shot of bringing the mag to 15, which drops a non-godmode tank to Stunned, just like a Blaster that has been Clear Minded by a Defender.

And if push comes to shove, There is Soul Transfer, which is an 11 second Magnitude 30 stun, that, when stacked with Total Focus and Oppressive Gloom, brings down a Granite Tank running Rooted to stumbling fool with stars around his head.

Edit: damn your stealth editing

Of course you need other stuff, but it's a bit silly that there's a whole AT that is useless without one (non-tier-9) ability - a powerset I could tolerate, but an archtype.. To quote those less fortunate: "lol".

So, without actually getting into the "why" of things, what do you people think of the slots and powers for an Non-ASing stalker?

3xHold Blaster, Coldest War, reporting for duty

EDIT: yeah, save me a spot on the Number 1 blaster team, Tera

Because I'd like to believe there is potential for something else in the AT than just one attack.

I hate the idea that the whole damn AT is focused around one attack. I don't have a single stalker that's over level 10. And my highest scrapper is lv 18.

With those things in mind, I give you a PVP EM/Dark build without AS - any thoughts about the slotting/powers? Obviously this is a respec build.

---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder - (http://sherksilver.coldfront.net/index.php)
---------------------------------------------
Name: Epsilon Patient
Level: 50
Archetype: Stalker
Primary: Energy Melee
Secondary: Dark Armor
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Energy Punch==> Acc Acc Dmg Dmg Dmg
01) --> Hide==> DefBuf
02) --> Bone Smasher==> Acc Acc Dmg Dmg Dmg DisDur
04) --> Dark Embrace==> DmgRes DmgRes DmgRes EndRdx
06) --> Hasten==> Rechg Rechg Rechg
08) --> Build Up==> Rechg Rechg Rechg TH_Buf
10) --> Combat Jumping==> EndRdx
12) --> Placate==> Rechg Rechg Rechg
14) --> Super Jump==> EndRdx Jump Jump
16) --> Obsidian Shield==> DmgRes DmgRes DmgRes
18) --> Stun==> Acc Acc DisDur DisDur DisDur Rechg
20) --> Acrobatics==> EndRdx EndRdx
22) --> Swift==> Run Run Run
24) --> Hurdle==> Jump Jump Jump
26) --> Energy Transfer==> Acc Acc Dmg Dmg Dmg Rechg
28) --> Stamina==> EndMod EndMod EndMod
30) --> Super Speed==> EndRdx Run Run
32) --> Total Focus==> Acc Acc Dmg Dmg Dmg DisDur
35) --> Oppressive Gloom==> DisDur DisDur DisDur Acc Acc Acc
38) --> Dark Regeneration==> Acc Acc EndRdx EndRdx Rechg Rechg
41) --> Murky Cloud==> DmgRes DmgRes DmgRes EndRdx
44) --> Soul Transfer==> DisDur DisDur DisDur
47) --> Moonbeam==> Acc Acc Dmg Dmg Dmg Range
49) --> Shadow Dweller==> DefBuf
---------------------------------------------


Skipping all extra stealth because there will be always people with more perception (unless you're in a team and armed with Grant Invisibilities, at which point it gets funky anyways). Instead focusing on mobility.