B_L_Angel
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Posts
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Joined
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Quote:Anything can be killed by an unlucky combination of random rolls. I have no idea how you stop that from happening on any AT.Originally Posted by Arcanaville
You're just too awesome for this game. This game isn't designed or balanced around your skill level. You'll have to accept the fact that when this game is balanced, it will be balanced for a difficulty level vastly under the one you think is appropriate. Most players can't run on +4x8 on any archetype with any powersets. And its not just a question of lack of experience. I've been killed on my soft-capped SR in +4x8 Carnie missions in a single instant with no chance to react at all, just due to the fact that an unlucky set of random rolls means a group of +4 Master Illusionists can kill me in a single volley.
I don't know how you prevent that sort of thing from happening on blasters that are far squishier, but whatever it is, its something beyond my understanding of physics. -
Quote:Please turn that around. "There should be no AT that is more challenging than the easiest and anyone who seeks more challenge from the game is an elitist"Originally Posted by Kyriani
I am honestly baffled by the posts that talk about "blasters are for advanced players" and "Blaster should be left as they are so I can have an archetype that's harder to succeed with"
Easier, not better, done is done in this game.Quote:You know that song "Anything you can do I can do better!"? Yea... that's all the other archetypes singing to Blasters. Sure mid's will show you some nice numbers with a billion inf build and /mental manipulation but in actual game play ANY other archetype is going to have an easier time in whatever scenario you can come up with compared to a blaster specifically because they have more tools to work with.
Because blasters have those powersets they can have a toon that works the way the blaster wants it to. They don't have to do the hokey pokey like dominators. If you play a blaster you can build so you play well at range, melee or well at both.Quote:Blasters have ONE power set instead of TWO like everyone else... they have "A Damage Power Set". Sure it has twice as many powers as any one of the two power sets that the other AT's get, and sometimes it has a few odd picks that are pretty decent, but on the whole it's just different ways of dealing damage and frankly the game has evolved beyond just how big your dps epeen is.
I find that very enjoyable.
I run Carnie, and Malta missions at +4x8 on my blasters. Its far more involving and exciting than running the same on Tanks and Brutes.Quote:A giant epeen doesn't do much good if it doesn't have the stamina to perform :P And that's basically where Blasters are right now... waving around their big sticks and promptly getting deflated by mobs who poor Blasty just couldn't keep up with. Meanwhile Tanky, Trolly, Fendy, Domy, Scrappy, Bruty, Cory, Stalky, Masty, the Kheldy twins and the Recluse twins have all been popping viagra and going strong for years now. They may not have as big epeens but their performance is FAR more impressive than poor Blasty's. -
After the educational field trip to Paragon City's financial system the veats got a reward of going to Montague Castanella's new theme park "NIGHT WARD"
Here's Montague. It looks like getting the park to open has taken it out of him. Hope he gets some downtime.
Here we ran into a poor woman who had tried the makeover booth. Really you want to avoid a makeover done by carnies. Luckily I had some cold cream I was able to give her.
This ???? was running a guess your age/weight booth. He didn't get any of ours but somehow I feel like I lost ?
We were going to try the water slide here, but unfortunately there were water use restrictions in place due to the drought in the night ward. -
Well what to do with them is pretty obvious. Give them the damage they gave up most other things to get. That said they are the most flexible AT in the game. With a blaster you have the most choices on how you want to do things, and the means to achieve them.
I don't see the legitimacy of people saying the AT is hopeless when it can solo arch villains and giant monsters. The fact that blasters can't do that while on autopilot is part of their charm. Not everyone wants to play something where you can roll your face across the keyboard and still beat the enemies.
What concerns me more is what not to do with them.
1. What not to do, is make snipes the balancing point for sets that have them. I have never chosen a set because it had or didn't have a snipe, and I don't think anyone who did wants to be forced into taking snipes because they are now signature powers.
2. What not to do, take away anything from the flexibility of blasters. After looking at what was done to tankers, stalkers and dominators, I get the impression the devs fear flexibility.
3. What not to do, give the AT more goofy complicated mechanics. These things are fine in powersets where the people who like them can pick them and those that don't can stay away from them. We don't need a ring combo system for blasters. Part of the joy of the AT is that you can just blast. It is bad enough you have to use Build Up and Aim before you start blasting now. If a set does have that kind of mechanic it should be top tier in performance as compensation for the extra effort.
Blasters would be far better off left alone, if the "fix" is to give them one power they must use or some crazy system that got put in because someone fell in love with their own idea. -
Freebie Friday charging 80 points for the warwolf whistle ?
Just went to claim the freebie, but when you get to the checkout screen its trying to charge 80 points for it. -
This might be helpful to anyone having trouble with the new power.
First here is a simplified formula for the damage of the T4 Radial
Single Target damage to one decimal
Damage= Recharge*6.9+15.5
Expected Damage = Chance of * Damage
Damage =Ceiling((Recharge/10),1)*Damage
Below is a table summarizing the effects. The AoE damage lists are expected damage.
Code:Recharge Damage Chance Of Expectd Dps ST 10 ft AOE 15 foot 20 foot 25 foot 1 22.4 0.1 2.2 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.1 2 29.3 0.2 5.9 0.9 0.6 0.4 0.3 3 36.2 0.3 10.9 1.7 1.0 0.7 0.5 4 43.1 0.4 17.2 2.8 1.6 1.1 0.8 5 50.0 0.5 25.0 4.0 2.4 1.6 1.1 6 56.9 0.6 34.1 5.5 3.2 2.1 1.5 7 63.8 0.7 44.7 7.1 4.2 2.8 2.0 8 70.7 0.8 56.6 9.0 5.4 3.5 2.5 9 77.6 0.9 69.8 11.2 6.6 4.4 3.1 10 84.5 1.0 84.5 13.5 8.0 5.3 3.7 11 91.4 1.0 91.4 16.1 9.5 6.3 4.5 12 98.3 1.0 98.3 18.9 11.2 7.4 5.2 13 105.2 1.0 105.2 21.9 12.9 8.5 6.1 14 112.1 1.0 112.1 25.1 14.9 9.8 7.0 15 119.0 1.0 119.0 28.6 16.9 11.2 7.9 16 125.9 1.0 125.9 32.2 19.1 12.6 8.9 17 132.8 1.0 132.8 36.1 21.4 14.1 10.0 18 139.7 1.0 139.7 40.2 23.8 15.7 11.1 19 146.6 1.0 146.6 44.6 26.4 17.4 12.3 20 153.5 1.0 153.5 49.1 29.1 19.2 13.6
For the AoE attacks you need to modify the damage by the AoE factor and the probability of the hit by the same
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It's been fun times for the VEATS.
First we took a tour of Paragon City's major financial and corporate institutions.
Here you see us visiting Portal Corp, just after after we had a really instructive visit with Peregrine Island 1st National Bank and Trust.
After learning everything there was to know about finance in Paragon City, we decided to pay another visit to the Nerva Islands Botanical Gardens on Thorn Island. As always Veats are helpful courteous and kind, so we took time to help out a group of Steampunk fans that were looking for direction. Really great costumes but one guy just went over the top with his brass hair.
Next up we paid a visit to our friends from another planet. Illegal aliens or not, the Rikti sure know how to throw a party.
Veni, vidi, feria
We came we saw we had a roman holiday. Here are the Veats having fun in the old world. The people were great, the weather was wonderful, the food was spectacular but be careful of the roasted doormouse.
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Nicely done THB.
Good job all around. -
Just a heads up. This week the V.E.A.T.S. will be doing community outreach to the whole Rogue Isles community and will be having a course in basic finance for concerned citizens.
We will be visiting the follow institutions to further everyone's education
Atlas Park First Federal Bank
Kings Row Savings and Trust
Steel Canyon Home Loan
Skyway Civic Credit Union
Talos Island Consumer Credit Union
Independence Port Reserve Bank.
Brickstown Merchant's Trust Bank
If anyone has a bank in founders falls they would like to visit we can add that to the Itinerary.
As always the VEATS are generous and helpful people and would like to extend this service to all the citizens of the Rogue Isles. -
Quote:You are arguing about an example that was there to show how how easy it was to accomplish a goal, for as generic a blaster as possible.Originally Posted by Lucky666
So you take 4 melee powers and 6 slot them with makos then advocate that a blaster should stay at range to keep safest O.o.
Do you always like wasting powers and slots for the sake of set bonuses? I have a range soft cap blaster and I certainly didn't need 4 sets of makos to get there lol go waste more time though. -
Quote:Originally Posted by Flame_Strike
I don't dispute that Blasters can be built for defense and I also don't dispute that it can be done easily (and as you have shown it can be done for only a couple million influence). What I am arguing is that it is ridiculous to claim that it is no more difficult to soft cap a Blaster than it is for a Scrapper when you look at the whole picture.
You say that but so far you haven't given any examples. Would you care to try to softcap a /regen or a /fire build ?
Or if you like go through that thread of shield scrappers and see what it takes to get their end usage to the point where you can run their best attack chains indefinitely ? And fit in a self heal without losing any of their damage potential ? -
Quote:I could never call the man who bought my mid level rolls way back when and got me involved in playing the market a pig.Originally Posted by Fulmens
B_L_Angel:
I'm the guy who mentioned a factor of 20.
I'm a pig.
I'm dragging you down in the mud.
And I'm full of it.
But you are full of it.
That has zero relevance to where blasters are today and even less to the overall conversation. It just pushes the idea that blasters keel over at the sight of danger.Quote:... I'm being misquoted.
What I originally said was
"My invuln scrapper used to be TWENTY times tougher than my wife's blaster" -
Quote:So no hibernate from the cold epic ?Originally Posted by UberGuy
(.1/.1)* (.84/.25)* (24/14.7) = 5.5
(.1/.1)* (.84/.25)* (24/13.5) = 6.0
So for an SO'd build with Hasten and no other self-heals, the Scrapper is going to be able to stand around and ignore between 5.5 and 6.0 times as much incoming L/S damage as the Blaster, on average.
Definitely not 20, but certainly nothing to sneeze at. -
Quote:THB your Arch/ment really is a job well done. Its also the best argument I can see against all these people saying blasters get blown away by a stiff wind.Originally Posted by TwoHeadedBoy
You were implying that Blasters can't be best utilized playing in melee range, or as you put it, "like a Scrapper." My Blaster is a Scrapper and a half and no one is gonna tell me otherwise. Not even you BLA.
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Quote:http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showp...77&postcount=5Originally Posted by Flame_Strike
I don't see how that link helps your argument. It simply provides several builds at different price points and doesn't mention anything about difficulty or sacrifice to soft cap defense.
I'm not entirely sure what you mean here since that link mentions nothing of compromise.
This post in that thread talks about the tradeoffs.
That is only one way of doing things and it is meant as nothing more than an example showing how easy it can be.Quote:While I agree with this point, again I think you are missing the larger picture because if you are getting said ranged defense through this method...
...then you have just added 20 slots to powers that would invalidate your ranged defense should you try to use them. I'd call 20 wasted slots quite a compromise.
I keep providing examples and methods of how it can be done with very little pain.Quote:So one again, "it can be done" is not the same as "it's no more difficult."
If you show me an example of how you had to make difficult choices and sacrifices maybe I can show you how they can be avoided ? -
Quote:Originally Posted by TwoHeadedBoy
This is complete nonsense. My Blaster is as durable or more durable than the average Scrapper player, and playing him entirely in melee is a big part of that. Playing /Mental at range is gimping yourself if you have a high end build.
THB you are saying that your blaster which is just about the best blaster you can possibly play is as durable as an average scrapper.
I said " Don't go complaining that a blaster isn't as good a scrapper as a scrapper."
I don't see where we are in disagreement. -
Quote:Well I think its because I have been using ranged defense for my examples but the counter arguments are based on imaginary hypotheticals with no examples or numbers to back up the claims.Originally Posted by UberGuy
Yeah, the problem I am having with the assertions is that there are two that seem in conflict.
- I want to play a Blaster, because I get more capabilities out of it than playing a Scrapper (or presumably any melee damage dealer).
- I have the freedom to slot for ranged defense, because I have so many superfluous powers that I can slot for ranged defense (and then not use some of them because they're melee powers).
Well if they can't attack you on a vector doesn't that count as mitigation ?Quote:Moreover, we keep getting explanations about getting a Blaster to equivalent defense as something like a Shield character, but let's be clear - we're only talking about ranged defense. You aren't getting much AoE defense, nor much melee defense, though I understand that melee defense is less important if you consistently fight from range. (I do this with my own Blaster and support builds, so I do understand both its validity and its limitations.) Setting aside the layered mitigation melee sets often get, even the ones that focus on positional defense get defense to all three vectors, not just one. They certainly need their melee defense a lot more than a ranged blaster does, but they get a high baseline to all three just for using their secondary.
If you play at range melee attacks can't be used against and the only AoE attacks that can be used against you are targeted AoE, PBAoE is ruled out.
Quote:A factor of 20 sounds more like what happens if you soft cap both characters, and/or possibly cap the Invul's L/S resists.
Its always important to do the math.
Invuln Scrapper
S/L def =45%
S//L resistance = 75%
HP = 2400 hp ::from dull pain and accolades::
A blaster using the ice epic and softcapped
S/L def = 45 %
S/l Resistance = 16%
HP = 1609 from frostwork and accolades
the scrapper/blaster overall survivability = (def mitigation ratio)*(resistance mitigation ratio) * (hp ratio)
= (.1/.1)* (.84/.25)* (2400/1600) = 5.04
5 is still less than 20. -
Quote:Originally Posted by Tannim222
When your argument requires that a player neglect a majority of their character's secondary set because it boils down to "it's safer to stay at range", then there's a flaw in reasoning.
Blasters have melee attacks and while they can be built to stay at range, which is fine if that's your concept, they shouldn't all be required to operate that way in order to survive.
Am I reading you correctly ?
Are you saying that people who don't play their characters to their best potential should do as well as people who do ?
If you want to play a blaster like a scrapper, just play a scrapper. Don't go complaining that a blaster isn't as good a scrapper as a scrapper. -
- The scrapper works at melee the blaster can fight entirely from range
- Fighting entirely from range is mitigation. The vast majority of enemies have melee range attacks that they can't use if you are too far away
Quote:Would you care to make an argument to support your case or should anyone accept it just because you say so ?Originally Posted by StratoNexus
Range softcapped blaster compared to a scrapper softcapped to all three positions who also has significant other mitigation? You are trying to demonstrate that "its no harder to build a blaster for defense than it is a scrapper." But that is only true if you narrow your focus significantly AND exclude several scrapper secondaries.
Your original statement is odd and too broad. You have clarified it since then, but the original words and even the sentiment behind them should be altered, because they are, simply, wrong.
To give you some things to think about should you chose to.
- Blasters do not need all three positions they can fight entirely at range and prevent their enemies from getting in melee range.
- Range is mitigation against almost all the mobs in the game. You aren't going to take damage from the melee attacks they can't use.
- The scrapper and the blaster both have access to other forms of mitigation. Your position is far to one sided.
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Quote:http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=216944Originally Posted by Flame_Strike
The only Scrappers I've had to stretch to soft cap were resistance based and therefore benefited from any amount of defense due to the layered mitigation (and many of those sets have a self heal too). With other Scrapper secondaries, after adding sets like Kinetic Combat and Reactive Armor, I've never had to stretch too far to at least get s/l to 45%. And I can do that without having to take powers I only plan to use as mules, or having to spend billions so I can still have decent recharge/damage/accuracy/ect.
While I agree with your point that the extra slotting options on a Blaster can make it seem as easy/easier to soft cap, those slotting options are more costly on a Blaster. However, I am not saying that blasters should have it easier, I am only saying that while you can build for defense on a Blaster, it doesn't mean that it's just as easy as a it is for a Scrapper when you look at the various costs and benefits.
This was a really great thread by Fury Flechette that broke up shield scrappers by price and performance.
I have no trouble making range softcapped blaster builds with less compromise at each price point. -
Quote:Originally Posted by UberGuy
BL, when you say things that seem misinformed or misleading, being challenged on them is not "being dragged through the mud". When you make claims, people are going to respond if they seem really out of whack or out of place. It's completely normal. If people are rude about it, that's one thing, but just the act of challenging what you say isn't rude.You may consider having someone call you an idiot or a liar just fine. I don'tQuote:
Do you say that because you believe it, or because you think there is any chance at all anyone else will?
Now let me ask you something.
Quote:Stone, BP and I duoed just about all the blueside TFs and we did them with no temps and no deaths. When someone says that a scrapper is 20 time stronger than a blaster they are just full of it. The resistance caps on blasters and scrappers are the same and its no harder to build a blaster for defense than it is a scrapper. Quote:- All Blasters can select an epic defense shield that provides 15 points of defense, no scrappers can do that.
- The blaster ATO set provides twice the positional defense the scrapper set does.
- Blasters can slot high value positional defense sets into their attacks which they have many of.
- Blasters have a greater flexibility in what powers they need to take and which they can use as mules because they have so many redundant attacks
- Some blasters can slot the coercive persuasion set which provides 5% positional defense.
Quote:5 Sets of Thunderstrike = 18.75 def ranged
4 Sets of Mako's bite = 15% def ranged
Weave, hover, maneuvers = 11.7% all
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45.5 % def ranged
So let me ask you question what could I have said that I didn't to make it plainer I was speaking of defense and adding defense with IOs ? The initial statement plainly refers to survivability, resistance and defense as 3 different things. There are examples of how to do what I was talking about. Where could be more be given.
Now I noticed you were talking about survivability in your reply and it was the point of my initial statement how about a comparison ?
Invulnerability was claimed to be 20 times stronger than a blaster.
Invulnerability is strongest against smash lethal damage an SO only build with dull pain active and the fighting pool, combat jumping and maneuvers will have
S/L def =25%
S//L resistance = 70%
HP = 2400 hp ::from dull pain and accolades::
A blaster using the ice epic
S/L def = 28 %
S/l Resistance = 16%
HP = 1609 from frostwork and accolades
the scrapper/blaster overall survivability = (def mitigation ratio)*(resistance mitigation ratio) * (hp ratio)
= (.22/.25)* (.84/.30)* (2400/1600) = 3.69
3.7 is much less than 20
None of this takes into account status effects, or the fact the blaster can take a second heal and fight at range. -
Masterminds.
Ever since demons they have desperately needed an AI fix. -
Quote:On any scrapper primary that doesn't have a parry type power its usually much harder for me. The little extra def that scrappers get from the pools just doesn't make up for the greater flexibility in slotting you get with blasters.Originally Posted by Flame_Strike
I have six blasters and only one of them has both five ranged powers and four melee (unless you're suggesting I should be six slotting brawl). I understand that for most of these blasters I can probably take powers I don't need/won't use and then six slot them all so I can reach the soft cap to one position for only a few hundred million influence. But, that is the cost I was talking about. Yes, you can soft cap a blaster but it comes at a higher overall cost. I don't have to sacrifice nearly as much when I build on my scrappers. All I am saying is that "it can be done" and "it's just as easy" are not the same thing.
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Quote:5 Sets of Thunderstrike = 18.75 def rangedOriginally Posted by Flame_Strike
While I agree with your individual points I think that you might be missing the larger picture. While it is possible to build a blaster with soft-capped defense (I have several), it comes at a cost.
I agree that all blasters have access to an epic defense shield that provides 15 points of defense. However, it is very difficult/expensive, and in most cases, impossible to soft cap defense without it; and oftentimes still difficult/expensive with it. Also, I find it odd to compare Blasters and Scrappers in the first place.
4 Sets of Mako's bite = 15% def ranged
Weave, hover, maneuvers = 11.7% all
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45.5 % def ranged
::shrugs:: couple hundred million tops ? -
Quote:I'd suggest actually beginning and seeing what you can get.Originally Posted by StratoNexus
I mean... It's just that... I have some defense built blasters. But scrappers. I mean scrappers...
I don't know where to begin.
All the blasters I am currently playing have builds that softcap range, smash/lethal and usually energy.
Quote:Originally Posted by TwoHeadedBoy
The thing is that any defense a Blaster can get through set bonuses a Scrapper has the option of surpassing out of the box. Scrappers that don't have native high defense will have high resistance, and the same general options for building high defenses for layered mitigation. While I think there is a valid argument for /Mental Blasters having comparable survivability to a Fiery Aura Scrapper at the highest end only, I don't think it's even slightly reasonable to try to make a case that Blasters have the same survivability potential of Scrappers overall.
But that isn't what I said. I said "its no harder to build a blaster for defense than it is a scrapper." If anything its easier to add defense to a blaster with IOs than it is to a scrapper. The blaster has many more options.