Dollhouse

My "strongest" in the survivability sense is Mirka, a WP/DB tanker with IO sets aimed at maxing her HP and regen rate. There's nothing like standing in front of an AV and saying, "That was your best shot? You're about to have a very bad day, pal."

Strongest in terms of soloing is Raven's Seeker, ironically a pure-concept tribute character. But she's also a purpled-out Ill/Kin with essentially perma-Phantom Army (unless she misses a couple Siphon Speeds in a row). She has a pretty decent list of solo AV takedowns. Only the new difficulty options have made missions anything beyond completely trivial for her.

Strongest in terms of what they can do for a team are my D3s (my specialty, and I have a lot of them).

Got to take on +4 and +5 Devouring Earth enemies last night with a Firetank + Earth/Storm 'Troller duo, both in the late 30's. SO much fun! Slow going at times, and I realize that I'm going to have to re-think slotting (need more +Acc/ToHitBuff...), but the challenge is wonderful.

Small yellow inspirations are broken and actually debuff Accuracy.

Have to admit, it sure seems that way sometimes, though!

Dollhouse wasn't my first CoH character, but she was my first 50...an old-school firetank, as it happens (odd, since I'm known as a bit of a Defender specialist). Seldom played any more, but I've rebuilt her a couple times, post-nerfs, and I still enjoy getting her out now and then.

I thought about changing the name after that damn TV show came out...but never got around to it.

No way I can remember all of them (125+ alts, and a bit of a Defender specialist...), but here are a few:

Spookie (D3, 50). My blueside main, despite not being my first 50. D3s are my specialty...
Festival (kin/psy, 50). My best "force multiplier" and favorite team PvP character, pre-i13.
The Merrie Widow (D4, 42). Very different build focus from Spookie...like Festival, built to be a team leader.
Glitch Kelsey (kin/elec, 45). "Sapper" build...so much fun!
Shadowpounce (D3, 36). Heavy debuff emphasis build. "Hey, we're hardly getting hit...what gives?"
Lt. Tisiphone Lidek (rad/sonic, 25). Oh, this one's going to be sick...!

...and many, many more...

Triumph is my primary server (although I have alts literally everywhere), and it really is wonderful. You can find like-minded players, regardless of your playstyle preferences (from min/maxers to PvPers to RP'ers). The population is relatively low, but it's not hard to find teams if your regular SG-mates aren't around. Was once nicknamed "the friendly server," and that's still accurate.

Um, of course it's also known as "the no pants server." YMMV...

I've also got a lot of friends on Pinnacle, another excellent server.

In all (semi-)seriousness, CoX has spoiled me for other MMOs in a number of areas. One of the most critical, to me, is the fluidity and natural feel of character movement. Every other MMO I've tried had, in comparison, a very jerky, twitchy sort of feel to it. Completely messes up my immersion (RP'er, you see...), and just generally looks craptastic.

In addition, CoX has one of the most responsive dev teams around. I don't always agree with what they do, but I've never felt as if they were disconnected from the player base.

I'm not a comics fan (haven't bought one in...well...in a very long time). For me to have been such a dedicated player of this game is obviously based on something other than a love for the genre. With the exception of Matrix Online (which had too many major issues), this is as close as it gets to the "MMO Noir" game I really want. Becasue I'm not a fan of the genre, other superhero games would only appeal if I thought they'd improve on both the gameplay and on the community. I'm not getting that impression...

Not even going to try to add them up w/o access to the game (I'm at work...and I have over 125 active alts), but I'm sure I have more Defenders than anything else. In roughly descending order, I also have a fair number of Scrappers and Stalkers, a good few Blasters, Tankers, VEATS, and 'Shades. Not so many Corruptors, Controllers, Dominators, Peacebringers, Brutes...and like one Mastermind (just don't like 'em...).

I think I have more D3s than many (if not most) entire ATs...

Excellent thread! I don't have an Ill/Rad, but I've been working on getting my Ill/Kin to perma-PA, and it's been interesting to see what solutions people have been using here. I've gt her PA downtime to about 5 seconds now, with a 10% global recharge reduction waiting in the wings for when I complete her Apocalypse set. Yeah, there are a lot of purples in her build...but she's my solo AV hunter, so I don't mind, really!

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Global Heroics? Psh. Themed SGs never last.

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So very true. Ish. True-like. True-esque.

I can't imagine a themed SG carrying on after five years...

This will henceforth appear in the dictionary under the definition of "win."

Tanked him with my WP/ a couple nights in a row (we weren't able to finish the first night for out-of-game reasons, so came back the next evening for Round Two!). Got dropped once the first night, more due to my cranio-rectal inversion than anything else. No defeats in the rematch. But I have to point out that the team had a terrific Emp and Kin, both of whom were ready with the green glowing goodness when it was needed.

Looking forward to trying it with either my namesake (old-school firetank rebuilt into something workable) or another one I've been leveling on a different server, with a different build idea. Might be seeing a whole lot of the floor, but it'll be fun trying!

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imo theres no quality pvp mmorpg's available right now which makes it tough.

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I'd have to agree...but that may well be because the term "quality PvP MMORPG" is a contradiction in terms. MMO combat systems are, virtually without exception, somewhat automated. You click on a target (or even just mash the Tab key) and start firing off attacks. You may have to move around a bit (or to be fair, a lot - if you're fighting someone good). The game engine does the rest. Compared to FPS PvP, it's pretty simple. Sure, you need skill. I got to be halfway decent at CoH PvP (for a filthy RP'er), but I recognized tha there were folks who were better at it. You just don't need the sort of skill you do in a system where you have to, well...aim. Where you have to actually spot and manually target enemies. Etc...

I'd like to see better PvP in this game. The "improvements" of i13 were anything but...and I never PvP any more. But I don't expect MMO PvP to be truly good.

I don't like the idea of killing it, as there are at least a few players who actually make use of it for its intended purpose(s). How about an opt-out? I never use in-game email, so I'd like to be able to turn it off, if only to not have to bother with deleting the spam to get rid of the distracting red text that accompanies new messages.

Of course, as has been pointed out, that might drive the RMT vermin back into spamming private tells...

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rank Ill/Storm and Ill/TA, and maybe Ill/Therm, all above Ill/Kin. (I've played Ill/Rad, Ill/Storm and Ill/TA all to 50, and have an Ill/Kin.)

Oh, and on that build? Skipping Spectral Wounds is a big mistake in my opinion. Blind at 1, SW should be taken at 2, Deceive at 4, and then start looking at your Kin powers. Siphon Power is nice to have, but can be skipped. Also, the 10% Pet Resistance IO from Expediant is wasted in Phantom Army since they don't take any damage. Tempered Readiness in Siphon Speed is a mistake -- Siphon Speed needs Accuracy and max Recharge. I see some other problems, too. I would skip Acrobatics to fit in more useful powers. Getting a -knockback IO would replace Acrobatics.

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Agree on all counts, above. In fact, my 50 Ill/Kin AV hunter doesn't have any knockback mitigation at all. If you're playing an Ill/ and you're getting targeted more than once in a blue moon, you're doing something wrong. Between Superior Invisibility and your pets, you shouldn't be the focus of aggro very often at all. KB is a minor inconvenience.

Definitely concur with loading Siphon Speed up with Accuracy and Recharge. I've tried to up the stacking overlap as much as possible (this character has a ton of sets which boost global recharge...she's 5 seconds from perma-PA, with one more purple set's 10% global recharge reduction in the works). Your DPS and survivability both depend on fast recharge.

Some of my best Triumph memories:

Being part of a single mission that involved five characters hitting the level cap. Remember that one, Cat?

The first All-Defenders, All Defender ATs (there were only 8 then) STF. We were wondering if it could be done at all (and more than a few forum posts assured us we were going to fail, bigtime). Of course, it was an absurd cakewalk...

My first MSTF run. As we neared the end, every time someone would get smashed into the orange zone on their health bar, I felt my heart pound and the blood drain from my face. When Recluse faceplanted and the mission completion graphic went up, I let out a pent-up breath, physically and emotionally drained. Immersion at its best...

Having the first wave of Carnies (our Carnival of Light SG) recognized for what they were at a train station in Steel. That was before the Jester costume pieces, and we were all doing our best to make Carnie costumes. Another player recognized us and got into the spirit of things, calling out in Local to "watch out for the Carnies!" Had a huge, stupid grin on my face.

Being told by some of the best PvP'ers in the game that "you're doing okay" in the old Arena League play. They were probably being generous, but it was a nice thing for this RP'er to hear. A pity PvP has become so awful...

And so many more...

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Assuming TWIXT approached an Ethics Board before starting the experiment (and they approved the experiment) and assuming he stayed within the limits of what he presented to said Ethics Board TWIXT did nothing unethical.

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Not necessarily. The Ethics board could be wrong. Their determination could have been flawed (and if it authorized non-consensual experimentation on individuals, some of whom were minors, then I think a very good case could be made that they were wrong, assuming they did in fact rule).

In any case, University authorities are very much involved in this matter, and at least one minor has come forward. This is going to get interesting...

LOL...going to be out of town for the entire thing. But that's okay: I'll be at Azkatraz, indulging a different flavor of geekery.