Doug_the_Scrub

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Thank you for addressing our concerns.

This response of yours raised a question of mine:[ QUOTE ]
Q. What’s happening to Rent?

A. Rent still exists, but it has been reduced dramatically. Rent is no longer charged by plot size, and is instead based on the number of utility items in the base.

These are the items that charge rent:
- Storage bins: 100 prestige per bin.
- Workbenches, and Enhancement terminals: 100 per tier
- Medical Items: 100 per item, excluding Basic Reclaimator

No rent is charged for basic utility items like Teleporters, Teleport beacons, Medical Reclaimator's, Basic Work Tables, and Invention work tables. Rent free bases of any size can still be built, with all the normal utilities available. In the future, we will be looking into improving how rent is charged as well.

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These changes represent an increase in rent for me, as I was able to fit things on the default, 0-rent plot size, and paying any rent is an increase.

I deliberately kept things small to avoid the rent, and villainside it's relatively easy to get all of the essentials without increasing plot size - since there are fewer zones, there are fewer teleporters needed, less power and control needed to power them, and storage just takes up space and not either control or power.

So, the question - are there any plans to continue to excuse the default plot size from rent, since your response seems to indicate that the desire was to reduce rent?

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QFT. I have a very small SG, in fact it is basically just me and my family. We have no need for more people, and frankly, we like it that way. Over many months we have worked up enough prestige to really work up to a rather nicely established base plot. We have telepads to most zones, energy and control enough for all of our items, and a decent, small, but decent workroom for our 6 or so enhancement bins. As we are not on all the time, it is not always feasible to get extra prestige, I would hate to see my base lose power because of added rent to my base plot.

I see this as a major change to the rules, and not fair for the small SGs who spent so much time on decking out a nice base plot base.

DtS

<QR>

Reptile... If his tongue was anymore in his cheek, it'd be pushing through to the other side...

Wow you both wrote a lot...

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Yeah. The actual game mechanics are a lot more complex than most of us know or want to know. For instance, I only just this week found out that XP gain is modified by team size. According to someone on the boards (I can't remember who it was but it was someone respected for CoX technical knowledge, I think), mobs you kill when you're on an 8-man team give you 2.5 times the XP they give when you encounter them solo.


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I actually think the XP gain on teams is more like XP(mob)/total team members * team modifier. For an 8 man team, that modifier is 2.5. So that means XP gain on an 8 man team for killing a mob that would be worth 100 xp solo is equal to 100/8 * 2.5 = 31.25. Thus it is much better for XP to have large teams. Although each mob killed gives less XP/kill, since it is split between the teammates, there are more mobs, they die faster, and the team XP multiplier is bigger. Not to mention the fact that bosses join mobs which are juicy, xp, inf and prestige wise.

Sorry to jump in like that, you were doing so well in the "not giving out misinformation department" wanted to help here too...

DtS

PS if I'm wrong about this, I'd like a clarification myself

Hey Superteamers,

I'm trying to do a ressurection of the TankMages Superteam. Check out my thread, here, and let me know what you think. Am/was I missing any good information about the idea?

Thanks,
DtS

Thanks for the link Tek. When I read that Fort had a 45 second duration, I was confused! I knew it was possible to keep fort on 2 people outta the box, but with those numbers I couldn't see how. 120 seconds seems more better to me.

One comment I'd like to make about the Fire/Fire combo. Due to the fact that your higher lvl /fire powers suck hard, it opens up the option to grab some pools that you might have normally skipped. Look at all of the skippable powers, Hot Feet, Fiery Aura, Flares, Rain of Fire, Blazing Bolt (optional true), Burn, and others, that leaves a lot of slots, and power choices available to the Blaster. The Pools can be delved into deeply to make up for or help out the things that you feel are lacking in your Fire/Fire.

Just a quick update on the Midnight Avengers’ Super-Team:
We have decided to form a Slow based team similar to DS stated above. The name of our group is probably going to be the Arctic Avengers. We have a 4 person team right now. Here’s the make-up:
1. Ice/Ice Tank
2. Ice/Storm Controller
3. Ice/Ice Blaster
4. Ice/Ice Blaster

As of last night, we had all reached lvl 8. I didn’t figure on updating this strand till we had reached our 20s. However, even at this low level, the group synergy is working like a charm! I run the tank of the team, and am responsible for taking the alpha. As such, I’ve had to focus on the defenses first. I’m not a quick killer. Frozen Armor is 4 slotted already. What I have found is that even with me plinking away with fists and ice sword, I don’t run the risk of death even against yellows and oranges. Here’s how a basic fight works:

I jump into the middle of the mobs. They all hit me with alpha, and then are slowed by chilling embrace. The ice storm follows me in with arctic air on, then drops snow storm on a mob then BoI that mob so we don’t kill it. At this point, the attack rate of the mobs is really low. Another added bonus of arctic air is that the baddies get confused on occasion, which makes them attack us even less. At this level we just plink them to death, hopefully when we hit 12 and 16 and the blasters get their ice storm and the stormy gets freezing rain, the speed will pick up.

For fun, we killed all of a group of hellions except for a chopper. I timed his attacks on me. It took a little over 30 seconds for him to attack me twice! We just sat there and looked at each other while his axe power recharged. My embrace taunt kept him from running, and all the aura slows just kept him from attacking. I wasn’t sure how well the soft hold of slow was going to work, but it sure looks like it’s going to be just fine.

What I would like to see happen at this point is for us to be able to pick up a Spines/ scrapper and an Ice/Kin or Ice/Storm controller. I wouldn’t complain about adding a kin/ or storm/ defender either. If you are interested in joining up, we play on Guardian in the evenings EST. My toon is Arctic-Knight. PM me here on the boards or look for me in game. It’s fun in the freezing cold!

I was just thinking about Detention Squad…

Two points that I felt should be addressed:

1. Immobilize will work for this team! Most ‘trollers decide to forgo the AoE immobilize powers (I have skipped these on 3 of my trollers, but I did take it for my fire/ troller to go with flashfire) since they are somewhat costly and do not keep baddies from attacking. However, in this team, immobilize will dramatically help. For example, there will be multiple types of rain/ice/snow storms going off during a fight. Most of these location AoEs cause fear/flight in mobs, this can stink for the ice blasters since they do not get ultimate effect from the blizzard/ice storm. With a group of mobs “immobed”… the ice will be allowed to rip through the groups.
2. Some people may feel that the blasters need more AoE damage output. Using the method stated above I don’t think this will necessarily be true. However, if a team feels like they could use more big damage punch, here are some suggestions. Most of the important slow powers associated with blasters are in the /ice secondary (these being chilling embrace and shiver (ice patch can’t hurt either)). If the team feels like they can get enough slow from the other attacks (and they’ll be right to think this) then that leaves all the primaries available to the /ice blasters. For synergy purposes, ice/ could be picked, but there’s no reason any of the primaries couldn’t be utilized. (Eng might be difficult however as it may knock mobs out of slow auras, but you get the idea.) The team could decide to go Fire/Ice blasters, and maybe even Ice/Fire tanks to go with a hot/cold theme.

Just some things to think about.

Below, I have written two possible Super-Team ideas. Both of these have been discussed before, and I have never used them in game. I am looking for people who'd be interested in creating one of these ideas on Guardian Server. I have 3 people from my SG interested, we're looking to fill out the rest of the group with solid players and play 1-2 nights/weekdays and a few hours weekends. PM or reply here if you want more infor or want in!

Possible Super Team Configurations

#1: Super-Team Alpha Strike (AS)

Alpha Strike (AS) uses extreme amounts of DoT as well as the ability to keep ALL team members at the damage cap to tear through missions, mobs and levels. Here is a good team make-up:

Team Memebers:
1. Fire/Kinetics controller
2. Fire/Kinetics controller
3. Fire/Fire Tank
4. Fire/Fire Tank
5. Fire/Fire Blaster
6. Kinetics/Dark Defender
7. Spines/Dark Scrapper
8. Spines/Dark Scrapper or Fire/Fire Blaster

Explanation:
Look at all the AoE DoT options in this group! With everything burning, nothing will stand for long! The other positive here is that the negatives of I5 and I6 nerfs for the fire tank are mitigated by the controllers. For example, now that burn causes Mobs to run, once they are gathered around the tanks, the trollers can shoot off their AoE Immobilizes, and they are stuck in the flames. Also, with 3 kineticists, endurance concerns will be a thing of the past. Speed boost enhanced for END Recharge only will keep that out of mind. Also, once transference becomes available, even sappers will have a hard time sucking out all END.

Strategies:
Most members should take Leadership pool over fitness and travel power. Why? With multiple tactics etc. running, the damage and accuracy of all will be super buffed. So how do we get around? Two or so of these characters will get tp self and other to taxi the team. Again, no fitness thanks to SB and Transference. Look at all the slots and power possibilities you just opened up!

General Attack strategy:
1. Tank(s) taunt and cause mobs to bunch
2. Controllers immob/mezz to lock down
3. Kinetics hit Fulcrum Shift
4. Tanks/Blasters drop burn patches
5. Tanks/Blasters/Scrappers hit AoEs at damage cap!
6. Mop up the leftovers

Negatives:
The major negative I can see from this configuration is that heals, when necessary, need to hit to work. In the higher game, this should be no problem! Remember, mezz should not be a concern since KIN have mezz mitigation.

#2: Super-Team Detention Squad (DS)

Detention Squad (DS) uses the same strategy that the annoying ninjas in Chimera’s world use. Slow, slow, slow and a little more slow is what this team is all (well mostly) about. Remember, every power in CoX that creates slow stacks with all other powers that slow! Take a look at the possible team make-up:

Team Members:
1. Ice/Storm Controller
2. Ice/Storm Controller
3. Ice/Ice Tank
4. Spines/Super-Reflexes Scrapper
5. Ice/Ice Blaster
6. Ice/Ice Blaster or Ice/Ice Tank
7. Warshade or Spines Scrapper
8. Storm/Dark Defender

Explanation:
Ok, almost everyone here has a slow aura or slow anchor power. Also, many attacks and/or AoEs will cause slow as well. Once the tank has jumped into the center of each group of Mobs, and the rest of the team opens up the slow powers, all baddies will be dropped to the 10% movement/attack basement. Talk about damage mitigation! Add to this the effects of the +Def of ice and SR as well as the leadership pool, and you’ll be rarely taking damage. At the same time, 3 Storm powered toons will mean 3 Freezing rains at once or 1-2 out permanently. You do the math, we’ll be harder to hit and they’ll be easier to hit. Once everyone’s buffed and the baddies are debuffed, in come the blasters/scrappers/Warshade to clean up the mess. It’ll be cold in Paragon tonight!

Strategies:
Again, most characters will not take a travel power. Instead, leadership takes the spots. However, since there is little in the way of +End, it might be beneficial to take Fitness. I do not think that it will be NECESSARY however, for a few reasons. #1: Since our damage will be buffed by both leadership and Freezing Rain(s) we might be able to squeeze 1-2 End Redux into our more End costly powers. #2: With the damage buffs and d.res debuffs, I think most things will die fast! This is something that we could discuss as a team and decide on after we start.

General Attack Strategy:
1. Tank(s) taunt and hit the baddies with slow aura.
2. Controllers/Blasters run into melee with slow auras up.
3. Controllers/Tanks/Blasters drop Ice patches.
4. Storms drop Freezing Rain, controllers drop snowstorm on a Mob.
5. Everyone AoEs baddies in the FR and patches.
6. Mop up the leftovers!

Negatives: Storm only has Single target heals. Hopefully they won’t be important, but in a fight gone bad, trollers and defenders might find themselves doing some switching between ‘mates.