Dechs Kaison

QR

/signed. I want this.

Bots are more durable, don't get mezzed, stay at range, don't deal a widely resisted damage type, and with the proper immobilization, can lay down much more AoE with multiple burn patches.

I just hit level 12 and HOLY CRAP I love being a stalker. Thanks a ton for this info everyone!

I've checked out the guides too; man have they helped. I would have never guessed that you could start an assassin strike without being hidden, but have it hit right after you return to hidden and still get the bonus damage. Wow.

I love being able to take out bosses before the team can tell what's happening. I even set up a macro to say "See this $target? Yeah, he's dead, he just doesn't know it yet." to let them know who I'm taking out.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. It seems my original ideas were pretty spot on with fire/kinetics for most damage.

I do find it funny that no one even mentioned energy. How does this set compare to ice/ or fire/? I know the knockback angers teams... but how does the damage compare? It's a very pretty set with regards to the effects.

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Threads like this perpetuate bad stereotypes.

I've PvP'd in this game actively for over two years now (didn't do it much for my first 3 years of play) and the majority of PvP'ers are just there to have a good time. Sure, you get the occassional talker, but most people are pretty good sports about things. This is a a case of the 'bad apple' spoiling the entire bunch. And of course, they're the ones who get attention.

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I'm actually assuming this moron wasn't a PvPer at all.

I'm sorry if I seem to have perpetuated a stereotype; this was not my intent. I disavow any responsibility for this stereotype and affirm that I have never made a disdainful remark towards the PvP crowd. I maintain no belief that PvPers are anything like the moron I encountered. Further, I did not mean to associate the regular PvP crowd with said moron. I hold a respect for the PvP community and their choice of gameplay. [/legalese]

I just thought it was a funny story to share.

Alright, I've come up with (what I think is) a really cool concept character.* I want him to be a corruptor, and I want him to be able to deal damage like nobody's business. I'd like to throw around a lot of AoE too. I'm not sure which powerset combination will give me the most damage, so I'm asking you guys.

I don't care about slinging knockback, AoE aggroing myself to debt. I just want to put out damage. Remember, it's a concept thing. If there's a set combo with a high constant damage output, and another with even higher, but only for a short time output, I'll go with the "even higher" option.

Primary: The only thing I can scratch off the list is sonic/. It won't work thematically. I'm thinking fire/, because I hear it sacrifices a secondary effect for more damage. I thought energy had some nice damage, too. My big concern here is high numbers, preferably AoE, that don't get resisted too often.

Secondary: My thoughts here are "If I end up buffing my team, so be it, but that wasn't the plan." I want to be able to buff the hell out of my damage, and if my teammates benefit, oh well. I'm leaning towards /kinetics because of the awesome fulcrum shifting, and siphon power to last until then. I've heard /pain actually has some self damage buffs, are they any good?

Alright, what am I overlooking? You guys know corruptors; I've never played one. Educate me.

*For anyone who's curious, he's going to be a stupid mutant named Abrakaboom who believes he has magical powers. He will have been created by my mastermind character with the intent of laying waste to his enemies, but the unfortunate lack of intelligence and overabundance of personality resulted in a "friendly, fun-loving beast that likes to blow stuff up with its magical powers." With no interest in following orders, the beast is more like a dog. You can throw the ball into the neighbor's yard, but you just have to hope the dog ruins the flowerbed on the way to fetch it.

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BTW, as for the original--yes, the guy was a MORON for how he reacted, but I do think that leaving the team once you got yours was a bit selfish, particularly if you were an effective killer. Yes, they could have gotten someone, no knowing how good that person would have been. If I join an invasion team, I usually stick out the whole invasion.

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I admit it was a little selfish, but I felt bad for the few people shouting in local "I need a team!" and everyone shouting back "Full up." I was on my corruptor the night before and couldn't get a team. Of course, he could do enough damage on his own to at least get some kill credit.

Perhaps to clarify, I should mention that I had already stayed for the majority of the invasion, and I didn't bolt as soon as I saw the "badge earned" message. The invasion was over very shortly after I had left the team anyway, not that this is any justification, because I had no way of knowing that.

[sarcasm]And we're villains. My character had things to do, who cares about anyone else? [/sarcasm]

Thanks for all the advice.

Although, I've got a few more questions now that I've had some time to play and have looked down the line at later powers.

Anyone know if Focus (claws) is worthwile? It looks like I could skip it if I plan to stay in close.

What about blinding powder?

I think smoke flash would be really great, but I'm not sure since I hear how buggy placate seems. Is this worth taking?

Before I get too far down the line, I'm considering re-rolling as a dual blades/ninjitsu. What are some advantages/drawbacks? Basically, what do I gain/lose by going to DB?

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*laughing*

First, I think you handled it spot-on. You tried to give the guy his due chance, and you just ended up dealing with a yutz. Very well-played on your part.

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Why, thank you! I just tried not to lose my head, and I think I lucked out that I was dealing with someone incompetent. Regardless, I won't turn down the compliment!

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Second, wait until you take a MM into Recluse's Victory and you're sitting in a pillbox that you control... and a scrapper comes charging up to you. Since you not only control YOUR minions but the turrets of the pillbox as well... things can get ugly.

(I play a lvl 50 bots/dark MM, and it's vastly entertaining to catch someone in Tar Patch within range of the turrets and then just go to town.)

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

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Oh, that does sound like loads of fun. I never really gave PvP more than a second thought, but after realizing what's possible with easy mode bot/traps... I may have to do this regularly!

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They'll probably come up with unique demons for the set.

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I hope so, but I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't...

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LOL

Yes PvP still favors one archetype over another and that is a good thing. In your case though the moron you were fighting seems to have had less intelligence than the AI.

LOL attack the masterminds pets oh yeah.

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In his defense, he did eventually start attacking me. In fact, he died swinging at me. While standing on caltrops. With two acid mortars, a force field generator, and a triage beacon next to him.

I've never done a stalker, and I haven't even done much of any melee AT (though I don't know if it would be relevant), so I have a few questions.

Are attacks while hidden auto-crit, or just much higher chance to crit?

In a large team, should I hit and run, hide, and hit again? Or should I assassin strike and then just scrap away and pray I survive? Any general tactics advice?

Thematically, I picked claws/ninjitsu. Is this a decent combination? What are must have powers? I'd like to go superspeed, but is CJ and acrobatics worth going for superjump instead? Is stamina necessary with this combo? Later on, what kind of set bonuses should I be trying for?

I've only played for a few levels, and I already appreciate stalkers a lot more. It's not easy being squishy AND attracting a lot of aggro.

So I originally posted this in the PWNZ forum, before I realized that very few people used it. I don't know why, it just seemed appropriate. This is more of a player interaction than a PvP thread anyway, and I feel like sharing.

It is a bit of a long read, though. You've been warned.

I'm logged on to my Bot/Traps mastermind, who is level 29. I was on a full pick up team for the Rikti Invasion Weekend, fighting off a wave and just trying to get the 2 more heavies I needed for the accolade. I noticed a bunch of people in local asking for a team, so when I got the heavies I needed, I said "I got what I came for, invite someone else who's interested."

As I'm flying away from the scene of the invasion, I get a tell from one of my teammates.

I'm not sure of this forum's rules, so I'm going to leave the character's name out.

[Tell] (Moron): I'm going to kick your selfish [censored]
[Tell] -->(Moron): Pardon?
[Tell] (Moron): you came to do what you had to do, then quit team
[Tell] -->(Moron): Plenty of other people needed a team.
[Tell] (Moron): where are you so I can pound you head in
[Tell] -->(Moron): I was handing off the opportunity.

At this point, I'm thinking it's some sort of RP (I'm playing on virtue), so I decide to play along. I mean, why else would someone ask where I was to "pound my head in"?

[Tell] -->(Moron): Find me by the market, [censored].
[Tell] (Moron): i'll do more than find you
[Tell] -->(Moron): Look, I don't see what the problem is. I helped the team as much as they helped me. I left to give room for someone else who needed the badges. You want to cause a problem? Let's.

A little window pops up telling me I've been challenged to an arena match. WTF is this? I've never done an arena match... what do I do? I guess I'm going to go to the arena.

[Tell] (Moron): I'm waiting for you in the arena.
[Tell] -->(Moron): (( Sorry, I have to find the nearest one. Not sure where it is. ))

Remember, I still think this is in character, so I'm trying to be polite about "getting my head pounded in." I'm already on my way to Port Oaks, because it's the only Arena I know of.

[Tell] (Moron): It's in PO, you punk.
[Tell] -->(Moron): Alright, how do I do this?
[Tell] (Moron): you come to the arena in PO
[Tell] -->(Moron): I'm here, i hit the kiosk, now what?
[Tell] (Moron): click the match i started

Yeah, I guess I'm an idiot, I can't figure out how to start the match. By now, though, I've figured out this guy is serious. I get that nervous feeling. I don't want to get my [censored] kicked, I've never done this before. This guy probably knows all the ins and outs of PvP. Sonofa... Well, I'm not backing out now. I'd rather lose than run.

I did notice that I could see my opponent's info. I'm up against a level 26 EM/INV brute. Crap, invincibility will be getting the buffs from all my pets...

Anyway, the match finally starts. It capped me at level 26, and it gives me time to summon my force field drone, robots and equip them. It's not letting me move... that must be normal. Then the "fight" message comes up. Ok, so now I can move.

I'm hitting tab as fast as I can so that I'll at least target the idiot before I get faceplanted.

Ok, I see him... He's not attacking. Woah, there he goes, damn superspeed. Still didn't attack me, just ran past. I start dropping my traps like mad and pray.

Alright, now he's swinging at my assbot. He can't damage it fast enough, the bots take him down to half health, and he runs away. We do this quite a few times, and I'm starting to realize that I should be able to win this. I'm either dealing with a nincompoop of epic proportions, or PvP is totally borked in favor of masterminds.

[Local] Dechs Kaison: HAHAHAHA
[Local] Dechs Kaison: MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA
[Local] Dechs Kaison: No wonder you didn't make it a RATED MATCH
[Local] Dechs Kaison: You gonna run away now?
[Local] Dechs Kaison: Alright. So I wait here all day
[Local] Dechs Kaison: Let me get this straight, you pick a fight, and now you're the coward?!

Damn, if only he wouldn't run away every time I'm about to ... Hey WAITAMINUTE... I have webnade! I put that on auto, and ten seconds later the match is over.

[Tell] (Moron): you're a pansy hiding behind your lil robots

I reply with "Excuse me, these are MY POWERS. Were you going to fight me using only brawl?"

I was already ignored before I got the chance to reply. Oh well, I got three badges out of it, so it wasn't a total loss.

I like the ideas I'm seeing, but I think it needs to stay away from sacrifice, and steer more towards risk.

Sacrificing pets for a bigger pet may be cool, but not the theme I was going for. That doesn't present risk to the summoner.

Sacrificing HP and regen, taking more damage, or hostile summons are risky. This is more the path I would like to pursue.

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Excuse me, /Rad was first in line.

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I can do that too, you know!

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The problem I see with this idea is the relative strength of the risky summoning. If the demon is too powerful you run the risk of being defeated by your own power. If the demon is not powerful enough then there is really no point to it turning hostile at all, and would make it a gimped power to boot.

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This is why I say it should be immensely powerful. I agree that if the risk isn't enough that you could be defeated by the power, then the risk is meaningless. Masterminds are one of the sturdiest AT's in the game thanks to bodyguard mode. Played right, it will be survivable; otherwise, bring wakies.

Think about the "god mode" powers with huge crashes. True enough that the power itself won't kill you, but if there are still mobs around when you crash, you're going to faceplant.

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AR/TA/Mace for ULTIMATE REDRAW ACTION

Yes, I'll be rolling one tyvm

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Beautiful. I'd love to see if you got past level 20 before giving up from frustration.

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It wouldn't be an issue until level 41...

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I don't know if you noticed... he paired ASSAULT RIFLE with TA. Not Archery. It's two weapons to redraw until 41. Then it's three!

I'm sure there's a ton of threads about this already. I'm also sure the devs have probably already decided what the powers will be, but if there's even a chance, I want to put my idea out there.

The level 18 power is something that is unique to each MM primary set, and adds a lot of flavor to the sets. As such, I believe it is important that the level 18 power contribute to the theme of demon summoning appropriately.

I feel that demon summoning should have a sense of danger to it. Demons aren't like robots or mindless zombies that do exactly as you command. They are not thugs working for you, loyal soldiers, or disciplined ninjas either. The level 18 power is the chance to bring out that sense of danger.

My first idea: Make it a temporary pet summon that is immensely powerful. Imagine IO'd brute or blaster type of raw destructive power. Now to balance the power and bring out the "danger," have the pet turn hostile at the end of its "lifespan." Instead of vanishing, it breaks free and turns on the summoner. Another option here is that the demon has a chance to summon as a hostile targeting the summoner. A third option is to have it always summon "rogue" and just kill anything it sees.

My second idea: Make it a buff (not unlike serum) which can be put on any henchman. This buff turns the pet into something unstoppably powerful, but incurs one of the three hostile options listed above.

Demon summoning isn't for kids, it's for people with a deathwish. Even if my ideas aren't good enough, or are too difficult to implement, Devs, please incorporate the "danger" in this set.

EDIT:

I guess I wasn't thinking about the team aspect of this, with regards to what would happen when the corruptor or dominator get plowed by accident and the MM gets a quick boot from the team.

The latest revision follows (inspiration from Memphis_Bill):

Idea one: Temporary summon as last time, but requires hefty sacrifice in the form of health, regen, and/or recovery. Option two is periodic damage while the pet is alive. Option three is a reverse bodyguard mode accompanied by a taunt aura: Pet draws additional aggro and you take some of the pets damage. Perhaps a crash like the god modes? Still very powerful, still very dangerous.

Idea two: Much like the first idea two. A powerful buff for a henchman with the same drawbacks outlined in the revised idea one.

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I imagine there will be a rise in supply of purples.

Level 50 farm-ish build (MM, Scrap, Defender, whatever...) sets his difficulty to 8 man spawns at -2 or -3 to his level. 47s can drop purples, and a 50 farmer can walk through them like Duke Nukem strolling through Sesame Street.

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I've seen nothing to suggest you can set to minus anything.

Also;Happy birthday Aura

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They said you could set the relative level for the spawns. I was assuming you can set it negative.

Either way, even 8 man spawns at +0 will go fast.

I'd be ok with melee. I just hope it's not the CoT demons...

What do you guys think the level 18 power is going to do?

The coolest thing I can think of is a temporary (but immensely powerful) pet that either turns on you at the end of its "life span" or has a chance to be hostile to you when summoned. Demon summoning needs to have that dangerous aspect to it.

I still think Bot/FF is unkillable, regardless of the number of bosses. I don't forsee it being able to solo very quickly, though.

Bot/traps is a different story. Still softcapped defense on all your bots, but plenty of tricks (-res, -regen, -speed, immobilize, +regen) to make the fighting go much faster.

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I hope we get Trogdor as our tier 3 demon. [/nerd]

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Burninating the country side!

TRRRROOOGGDDOORRRRR!!!!

I'm expecting it to be a fire-based set, especially since the info popped that we'll be getting /thermal. It makes for a very easy thematic pairing.

Perhaps negative energy in there too. Anyone else thinking Balrog?

EDIT: Fix'd spelling. Thanks Jay.

I imagine there will be a rise in supply of purples.

Level 50 farm-ish build (MM, Scrap, Defender, whatever...) sets his difficulty to 8 man spawns at -2 or -3 to his level. 47s can drop purples, and a 50 farmer can walk through them like Duke Nukem strolling through Sesame Street.

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AR/TA/Mace for ULTIMATE REDRAW ACTION

Yes, I'll be rolling one tyvm

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Beautiful. I'd love to see if you got past level 20 before giving up from frustration.

I'm going to lay my bets down that /thermal is meant to go with demon.

Expect fire based damage pets, with flares, fire blast, and fire ball intermingled.

Not sure what to expect for the 18 level power. Maybe short-lived imps?