Dispari

Can I have your stuff?

Actually MM pets getting hit count against the badge.

I've done it a couple times. Once our entire team used shivans, HVAS, and another random pet or two, while about half used nukes.

Other time we somehow got it entirely by accident as not a single person got hit by a mine for the entire fight. We did have 4 VEATs though.

Practically instant. In any case, requiring you to learn tactics and do something other than just stand there and push buttons. Tin is more your standard killing fare, assuming you aren't going for master of.

You can have both, you know. And while some incarnate boosts may be less impressive than others (my Dom's cardiac with +range was definitely a game changer, and she'll have +RES soon too; likewise my Brute now has perma DP and 3000 HP), the level shift is definitely worth the investment.

Some of the upcoming slots are pretty impressive though. In fact a couple of them are downright amazing.

Which is good. I'm actually wondering if level shifts won't stack, or if some will only apply to certain things. Guess we'll have to see what they do.

Specifically, as with any concept, the best way to start is basic and go outward. Cats and dogs are as basic as animals as you can get. And they appeal to and apply to the broadest number of players. If you're going to make a pack you want it to appeal to a large group. It would've been cool to have porcupine or lobster parts in the pack, but those don't appeal to as large of an audience. Ideally they needed to get the basics out of the way first, along with whatever tech hurdles they might have had.

They could've delayed the pack even longer. Set it back another couple months and add more animals. But no matter how many they add they still would have complaints that X wasn't in the pack. What, no squid heads? Geez, where are the stegosaurus tails? I can't believe there aren't any spider legs.

Maybe a future pack can be dragons and lizards. One thing at a time, though. I think starting where they did was a good foundation. They can build up from there.

I don't think any programmers would need to make a bear tail. Mostly just artists.

Actually, from the leak on the public test server it looked like some, if not all of the other levels of incarnate applied a level shift.

And from the arc, you fight yellow AVs. AVs are +5. It's more than just +1.

It's possible that level shifts don't stack even if you have multiple very rares, and you always stay +1. But the way they advertised it, it didn't really sound that way. Castle even mentioned that it won't just be players level shifted.

I'm more worried that high level incarnates will find things too easy and get bored than I am with casuals worrying they aren't strong enough. 99% of the game's content is balanced around non-incarnates (and even non-IOs). If we get to a point where we're +5 level shifted and there are only two missions in the entire game that pose even a small challenge, even at +4, that won't leave us with much to do.

My biggest hope is an inherent RES or HP buff so my squishier characters (or characters that rely purely on DEF) can take a couple more hits.

Dom or Blaster?

The correct answer is Dom.

My 3 favorite characters are a widow, Plant/Earth/Fire Dom, and DS/Pain/Cold MM.

You really ought to chill out, Tech. I didn't get a code either, and I want the pack. You seem like you're about to burst a blood vessel.

This actually reminds me of a friend who took concept a bit too far back in the day.

He played a Superman-style character. And he was opposed to doing basically everything standard in the game based on his Superman concept.

He was Invuln/SS Tanker. First, he didn't take any toggles. He said it wasn't right for someone's invulnerability to be something they can turn off and on. So he only took the autos. He six-slotted them all (back when that was something you could do) and just had the RES/DEF they provided. He also had six-slotted Health so he could regenerate from the damage he took.

Even though his mez protect was a toggle and in no danger of him taking it, he didn't want it anyway. He said Superman gets thrown and knocked around all the time, so he should too.

He didn't take Rage, nor slot any of his powers for accuracy. Superman isn't about always hitting, he said. He just swings super hard and it hurts when he does hit.

I also recall him having SS, fly, and I think SJ. So he could run faster than a speeding bullet and leap tall buildings, etc.

So there you have it. My friend, the no-toggles, no-accuracy Tanker. And he just loved it. Back in the day, I don't think anyone knew any better. But looking back at it now makes me laugh.

My personal picks with no context would be:

Tank or Brute: Brute
Defender or Corruptor: Corruptor
Tanker or Scrapper: Different roles, not a comparison
Brute or Scrapper: Scrapper unless we don't already have a Brute/Tanker
Defender or Controller: Controller
Blaster or Scrapper: Whichever one responds to /tell first

But that's not an all-encompassing answer. I don't dislike any of the ATs I didn't pick and I'd be glad to fill my team with them. I don't find them underpowered, I just tend to prefer to build my team in a certain way and I favor certain ATs. Ideally when I fill a team I'd be happy to just fill the entire thing with Corrs and VEATs. Maybe a Brute. Maybe.

The thing is, your comparisons pretty much compare ATs that do different things so there's no constant comparison between them, and which one you take will depend on the situation and the current team build.

Tank or Brute: One does more damage, one survives better. Which does your team need?
Defender or Corruptor: One does more damage, one buffs better. Which does your team need?
Tanker or Scrapper: Do you need a tank or a damage dealer?
Brute or Scrapper: Do you need a pseudotank or a damage dealer?
Defender or Controller: Buffs/damage, or mez/buffs?
Blaster or Scrapper: Pure damage (if your team can support them), or someone more self-contained?

When you compare a Scrapper to a Stalker, what do they do? They each deal damage, and try to not die. They don't manage aggro like a Brute or Tank. They don't mez or team buff (then again, Scrappers do get Shield). Their actions and roles are fairly comparable.

The problem arises because Stalkers are easier to kill, so they lose in the "try not to die" department. That would be okay if, like Blasters, they had super great damage advantages to go with it to justify being easier to kill. But they don't. They lose out on AoEs, and flat out do less damage unless on a large team and surrounded by allies. And even then it's only a small advantage. The burst damage they offer with AS and controlled crits isn't really needed or useful to a team. Teams look for AoE damage (which Stalkers fail at), and good ST DPS for AVs (which Stalkers are either less or only slightly more than Scrappers at). So they lose in the "deal damage" department too.

Scrapper vs Stalker is not some sort of Corruptor vs Defender situation. There are not pros and cons to consider and weigh based on what you feel your team needs. Stalkers are not weak in one aspect but strong in another. They are simply weak. They have only cons. They have no meaningful advantages over Scrappers.

So um, since the discussion is "Which would you take: Scrapper or Stalker," why would you go Stalker if they're worse? This argument seems to revolve around "The Stalker is only a little worse!" You're pretty much saying "Here is your choice: A Scrapper or someone who's only 10% less than a Scrapper. It's only 10%!"

Like if you offer me two sandwiches, one you took a bite out of, I'm not going to be swayed by the argument of "It's only a little less sandwich, come on!"

I could see the viewpoint that Stalkers are "enough," but the purpose of this thread is giving us the choice between Scrappers and Stalkers. "Stalker is only a little worse" doesn't answer the question of why you'd take a Stalker over a Scrapper.

EDIT: I had some time to kill while waiting on an LGTF to start. Blame the boredom.

Because the Scrapper can kill the mito faster, and won't die as easily (HP is one of the only factors when fighting Hamidon).

By having more HP and survival, more AoE potential, and better DPS on targets that actually matter (anyone can kill minions and lieutenants).

The trick is, I think, a little at a time. Nerfing sucks, so a slow creep until you get to the point where you feel good about it is probably better than large damage buff leaps. Last time Blaster damage mod changed it only went up the same 12.5%.