ClawsandEffect

So...let's see if I'm getting this correct.

If you spend enough money on your toon skill doesn't matter anymore? That's what you said in so many words.

Sorry, I'm gonna have to call bull**** on that one. A good player on a mediocre build will defeat a bad player on a good build consistently.

I'll be honest here. My builds SUCK in terms of competetive PvP, I don't have bilions to throw around, and I doubt I'd be inclined to spend it on a PvP toon if I did. I have fun in the zones because I got good enough at playing my toons to work around my build disadvantages.

I guess my priorities differ as far as what I look for in PvP. Having fun is FAR more important to me than pwning all. If I'm killing everyone in sight and getting bored, I'm gonna go do something else. Winning every fight does not necessarily equal fun for me. I enjoy a good fight in which I lose more than I enjoy stomping someone into the ground in seconds flat.

Clearly the OP has never encountered me in a zone. I never run. Not even when it would be a smart thing to do.

If you attack me, I will fight back until one of us dies or YOU run. That's just how I am, I refuse to back down, even if it would be my most logical option.

I also refuse to use what I consider cheap or dishonorable tactics in PvP. Don't get me wrong, I don't whine when someone else uses them, but I won't use them myself. I prefer a "clean" kill. I won't attack while someone is fighting NPCs, and I won't TP Foe drone anyone. Sure, that puts me at a disadvantage, but I can walk away from the computer without feeling like a coward at least. Other people have no such compunction, and that's fine, but I have guidelines for my own personal play.

Personally, I feel that villainside isn't evil enough.

I'm roleplaying an evil character. Key word here is character. Do you ever hear an actor complaining because they're playing a bad guy? Very little difference. It's not ME doing these despicable things. I would never do any of that stuff in real life, because I'm a decent guy with solid morals and ethics. I have some truly evil characters created that don't feel very evil when I read the dialog and mission text.

I want REAL evil!! Not watered down, kid-friendly evil.

I also dislike that no matter what you do in the late game you become an Arachnos lapdog. There is no way most of my characters would conform and be someone else's goon like that. Sure, a couple would, but that's how they're written.

A body-jumping parasite/symbiote with fire related abilities. The body jumping is necessary because as it uses it's fire powers it literally burns up the host body.

The traps can come into play as it's method of trapping host bodies for the switch, as it is not a fast process and the new body must remain still for a while in order for it to go smoothly.

The Science origin can be explained as the parasite/symbiote was created in a lab for a different purpose and gained sentience accidentally.

I don't have any names for ya on this one though, Proffessor Jenkins would work for it I suppose. Proffessor Jenkins was the scientist who created the parasitic symbiote, and was as such the first body it inhabited. Lacking a name of it's own the parasite adopted the Proffessor's identity.

Soon (TM)

My wife and I have a pair or corruptors that are pacted. Fire/Kin and Dark/Kin (yes, the pair IS as nasty as it sounds)

We seldom play them simultaneously these days (mostly because we're down to one comp), instead we pair them up with others and level 3 or 4 toons at once.

It works nicely, and when we do feel like playing both at once we know there isn't going to be any level discrepancy.

Wow....just wow.

OP you're absolutely right. Bases are completely useless and sould be abolished from the game altogether. I mean, look at all that stuff that you can do so much easier elsewhere!





Had y'all goin' for a second didn't I?

Look for sets that will give you typed defense bonuses.

4 Eradication and 2 Scirocco's in Dragon's Tail will give you: 1.8% max end, 3.13% E/NE defense, +2.25% max HP (important for WP), and the Sirocco's will net you an extra 10% regen (also important for WP)

3 Aegis in Mind over Body will net you 3.13% Fire/Cold defense.

I'd add a couple more slots to HPT and put 2 Numina's and 3 Aegis on top of the Steadfast Res/Def.

I would take the Fighting pool on this character personally, and slot Boxing to be used. Tough and Weave will increase your survivability quite a bit (WP arguably gets the most benefit out of those two powers) I took Boxing early and replaced Thunder Kick with it.

You should focus on slotting for: Max HP, Regen, Typed Defense (all about equally important)

I have about 5 that I'm active with.

Currently I'm leveling a Fire/Regen scrapper, he gets most of my play time these days. Level 28 after about 2 weeks, 90% solo. (That's pretty good given my limited playtime these days)

My Fire/Fire is parked in RV with a PvP build set up, my Sonic/Devices is languishing.

I'm running about 4 lowbies concurrently, put a level or two on one, switch toons, put a level or two on that one, switch toons, etc.

Have the tank go in first and the stormie drop Freezing Rain a few seconds after he engages. That way, they are focused on the tank, but Freezing Rain will be mitigating what they are able to do. The scrapper should be directed to join the fight right about now (pretty much right as Freezing Rain hits). The stormie should have Snow Storm on something by now as well, hopefully something that will live long enough for it to be useful.

(I would be counting on the stormie to have some idea what she is doing in this case, she shouldn't need to be directed much)

This way, since the tank is a brand new player, he is getting a chance to learn what his AT should be doing in combat, keeping enemy attention away from his teammates. The scrapper should be getting the gist of her job as well, killing things before they can kill her or her teammates. I would also tell the scrapper to focus (literally) on LTs.

You didn't mention what powersets I was running, so we'll go with Sonic/Mental.

Immediately after the scrapper jumps in (possibly simultaneously) I hop in and fire Drain Psyche. Then hop out and fire Howl/Psychic Scream. Then turn my attention to any Shamans or Mages and use Shriek/Scream/Shout to bring them down.

Wash rinse repeat, with adjustments as necessary.

Should get through the mission with a minimum of fuss.

I'm planning on taking Permafrost at level 49 on my Ice/Electric tank. I need the level 50 slots elsewhere and figured a power that doesn't need any slots would be a good idea there. Gonna drop the Steadfast proc in it.

At that point in my build there's nothing else I really want or need, so it makes sense for me, your experience or build may differ.

DM/SR or Claws/SR would be your best bet for a speedster. (Claws has a weapon option that makes the claws almost disappear, it looks like you're throwing punches then)

Also, since it looks like you should have the 12 month vet badge, Sands of Mu is another Flurry/Shadow Maul type attack. All 3 chained together is amusing. The damage isn't that great, and Sands will miss quite a bit, but it's amusing to punch someone 24 times in about 7 seconds total.

KoA on a melee toon with no ranged attacks and no perception.

It REALLY sucks.

How does Ice synergize with Electric Melee? I tried Ice/Ice and rerolled almost immediately (couldn't stand the Frozen Fists animation, I don't like Barrage much either, unfortunately I have to deal with Slash because I'm not dropping it)

So far I like it, but it's a whole whopping level 3 right now.

I know that by going Electric instead of Ice I'm giving up some control, but is the extra AoE potential worth the trade, especially in the late game? If Ice Melee got Ice Sword Circle like Icey Assault I'd be all for it (I like that power for some reason, even if the damage IS crap)

On the build posted: No taunt aura until level 28, and no Taunt until 47? Your ability to hold agro will suck until 28 like that, which is a shame for an Ice tank. You'll be fine at level 50, but if you ever exemp you're going to have serious problems with agro management.

I'd go with 4 Kinetic Combats and a couple Crushing Impacts in the single target attacks, but that's just me (and they're more expensive than they really should be right now)

I'm planning on throwing 4 Eradications in Icicles and probably a couple generic EndReds. I know I only need 3 for the E/NE defense, but I want the HP bonus too. (Thunder Strike and Lightning Rod will get a similar treatment, but that doesn't really apply to the topic of Ice/Ice)

My Claws/Regen is okay against other melee, especially if they hold still long enough to get a few attacks off in a row.

Not much good against a ranged target, but I get a kill now and then.

Okay is about the best it gets though.

From what I understand, Fire/Regen seems to be one of the better PvP scrappers, but I haven't run one or fought one, so it's just hearsay.

Heh, that's pretty funny. I rolled a Fire/Regen for concept (his blood combusts on contact with air) not even realizing it's a FOTM for zone PvP.

I'm the mythical casual PvPer though, you'll only see me in the zones when I'm in the mood to be there.

My Rad/Sonic defender is kinda nasty, but he has some serious weaknesses (even a 1/4 seond mez with drop his debuff toggles) Can put together a passable build fairly cheap with it. Good 1v1 duelist, lousy zone PvP toon, as anyone with any brains will mez it on sight.

That's about all I got. I'll leave the rest of the advice to the pros.

*crowd on one side of a room*

GREAT TASTE!!!

*crowd on the other side of the room*

LESS FILLING!!!

GREAT TASTE!!!

LESS FILLING!!!

(repeats ad nauseum)

This is STILL going on? I stopped caring 3 days ago and you all are still yelling back and forth in an argument that will never be won by anyone...ever.

Pinkish-purple Talsorian claws would simulate Psylocke's psi-blades pretty well.

I'd pair it with Willpower for the Psi resistance.