GGG247

On my level 24 Electric/Energy Stalker, I have Havoc Punch, Jacobs Ladder, and Induction Chain (plus Assassination Shock, of course). There's that awkward little gap in there while you wait for your powers to recharge, but it's much better since I've gotten Induction Chain.

I considered taking Charged Brawl, but couldn't decide what I was willing to drop or postpone in order to fit it in. I've pushed my travel powers back already. Fortunately, /Energy is a pretty good secondary, so even when I'm just standing there, I don't get hit very often.

I've had good luck with JL and can hit two enemies fairly reliably. I just keep moving around and wait until I get a couple lined up just right. (Utilizing Breath of Fire on my WP/Fire Tanker gave me plenty of practice!). With the right positioning, I can use HP on a single target, JL two, and then IC 2 or 3 enemies. They go down pretty fast at that point. The trick is to keep moving around during the battle in order to maximize your damage. Enemy AI is slow to respond to constant movement by the player.

This "updated" Guide to Stalker Guides is very incomplete. There are several very good Guides that are completely left off the list. Please note that the list of Guides was updated in October of 2008 and had several current Guides listed that are not on this recent update (Dual Blades, Willpower, etc.).

I leveled up my most recent 50 (WP/Fire Tanker) primarily through the Hazard Zones that had story arcs in them (Hollows, Faultline, Striga, Croatoa, RWZ). Since then, I've kind of stayed away (except for Faultline, my favorite zone).

I wish Hazards like Perez Park, Boomtown, Eden, Crey's Folly, and Dark Astoria had their own story arc content to them so that people would have a reason to at least visit occasionally. Crey's at least has some missions set there, and are a good place to hunt Crey for all of those "Defeat xx Crey" missions that pop up.

I think a 4-Contact series of arcs about the attempted rebuilding of Boomtown would be a lot of fun. Due to it's location on the Paragon City map, maybe it could be caught in a tug of war between hero-side and villain-side. It's a cool map; there's just not a lot to do there.

As I remember it, Doms were the lowest of the "main 10" ATs. The lowest hero AT was Tankers, but they were still higher in population than the most popular villains (Brutes, I think).

I believe that Doms and Stalkers were both a good bit below the other 3 villain ATs, but this was just after the Stalker buffs, so I'm guessing they've picked up a decent amount since then.

This sounds good; Combat Jumping, it is then. Thanks everyone!

I have a new Elect/NRG Stalker who's leveling up at a nice clip. At 24, I couldn't decide between Repulse, Energy Protection, or CJ (to start on my travel power).

Are Repulse and NRG Prot. worth taking?

My DB/Nin is level 34 now and is a lot of fun to play. At 18, you're in that awkward stage where you're still fighting with END problems, lack of SOs, and limited enhancement slots. Stick with it, and you'll see some major improvements at around level 22 or so.

At 18, I'd taken Power Slice, Ablating Strike, Assassin Blade, and Vengeful Slice, all good powers that will be useful to you throughout your career.

I'd recommend you give it a few more levels, as no build performs up to expectations in the hgih teens.

I deleted my DB Tanker and DB Scrapper early, as the set just didn't seem to "fit" those ATs for me. I really like my DB/Nin Stalker, though. DB has a very graceful look to it, and it seems to gel with the "hidden in the shadows" aspect of Stalkers. The Assassin Blade amination, in particular, is very lithe and smooth-looking (and deadly!).

I've gotten some nice feedback from players on this mission, so I added a souvenier and a couple of additional tokens (Head of Household and Golden Power of Veto).

This mission takes about 15 minutes to play, but it's tough! I took my lvl 32 Bane through it this morning and had a rough time getting past the Boss's defenses.

Hopefully, you'll find it challenging but rewarding!

Ihad the same issue with my Crab. I got him to level 30 last year in a Super Team. When that ended, I tried soloing him and just got frustrated. I started my secondary build as a Bane a few days ago and really like it a lot. here's what I put together (he's 32 now).

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

[u]Click this DataLink to open the build![u]

Bwana Devil 2: Level 50 Natural Arachnos Soldier
Primary Power Set: Bane Spider Soldier
Secondary Power Set: Bane Spider Training
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Bash -- Acc(A), Dmg(3), Dmg(3), Dmg(5), EndRdx(9), RechRdx(46)
Level 1: Bane Spider Armor Upgrade -- ResDam(A), ResDam(5), ResDam(7)
Level 2: Combat Training: Defensive -- DefBuff(A), DefBuff(27), DefBuff(31)
Level 4: Combat Training: Offensive -- Acc(A), Acc(42), Acc(46)
Level 6: Build Up -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(7), RechRdx(9)
Level 8: Swift -- Run(A), Run(46)
Level 10: Tactical Training: Maneuvers -- DefBuff(A), DefBuff(11), DefBuff(11)
Level 12: Pulverize -- Acc(A), Dmg(13), Dmg(13), Dmg(17), EndRdx(25), RechRdx(43)
Level 14: Poisonous Ray -- Acc(A), Dmg(15), Dmg(15), Dmg(17), EndRdx(25), RechRdx(43)
Level 16: Health -- Heal(A), Heal(31), Heal(36)
Level 18: Shatter -- Acc(A), Dmg(19), Dmg(19), Dmg(23), EndRdx(23), RechRdx(40)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod(A), EndMod(21), EndMod(21)
Level 22: Mental Training -- Run(A)
Level 24: Cloaking Device -- DefBuff(A), EndRdx(36), DefBuff(42)
Level 26: Placate -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(27), RechRdx(29)
Level 28: Surveillance -- RechRdx(A), Acc(29), DefDeb(37), DefDeb(37), EndRdx(37), RechRdx(43)
Level 30: Tactical Training: Leadership -- EndRdx(A), ToHit(31), ToHit(34), ToHit(36)
Level 32: Crowd Control -- Acc(A), Dmg(33), Dmg(33), Dmg(33), RechRdx(34), EndRdx(34)
Level 35: Tactical Training: Assault -- EndRdx(A)
Level 38: Call Reinforcements -- Acc(A), Dmg(39), Dmg(39), Dmg(39), RechRdx(40), RechRdx(40)
Level 41: Hover -- Flight(A), Flight(42)
Level 44: Maneuvers -- EndRdx(A), DefBuff(45), DefBuff(45), DefBuff(45)
Level 47: Web Cocoon -- Acc(A), Hold(48), Hold(48), Slow(48), Hold(50), Slow(50)
Level 49: Fly -- Flight(A), Flight(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Conditioning
------------

Wow, that's looks terrible! And Lorenzo Lamas usually only does quality pictures, too.

I also like the Sands of MU / Shadow Maul combination on my Dark/ Scrapper. It makes him look like one angry son-of-a-gun!

You could probably skip Brimstone and Crystal Armors, and push Minerals back some. Definitely take Mudpots and 6-slot it. It'll do a LOT of your damage for you, plus it slows enemies and attracts more aggro.

I originally took TP as my primary travel power, but really hated it. I ended up taking SJ as my main travel power and took TP at 30 (just before Granite).

I solo a lot, so I slot up for damage more than you have, but if you're going to be a team Tanker (with Stone/Stone it makes a LOT of sense) then you're probably fine.

I slot Rooted 1 end, 3 heals and Earth's Embrace with 3 heal, 3 rechg. Also, an endred in Rock Armor wouldn't hurt.

You may want to move Stamina up to 20, but you'll be able to decide for yourself as you level up. I hope you enjoy this combination!

WP/Fire is my first Tanker to hit 50. I created him and several other WP alts when I11 came out, and this one just took off to 50 like no other. He's tough, he never had END issues, and he pumps out really nice damage. I have terrible alt-itis, but this character went from 1-50 with very few stops in between.

Plus, the background story and costume really fell into place very well. This has always made a HUGE difference for me when playing different characters.

I have several "all natural" characters:

AR/Devices and Archery/Devices Blasters
MA/SR and BS/Shield Scrappers
Mercenaries/Traps MM
TA/Archery Defender
DB/Nin Stalker

I try to keep their backgrounds and power choices as "realistic" as possible, within the confines of the game.

Like others have said, you need to slot your ST immobilze and ST hold for damage early on (2 acc, 3 dmg works well). Plus, take a damaging Pool power (I always take Air Superiority).

Here are some of my results:

Ill/FF - This alt leveled through the early game fairly quickly, thanks to Superior Invisibility and the FF powers keeping me safe. At 18, things really got rolling with my pet Tankers doing the heavy lifting.

Plant/TA- This is a good combination, as Seeds at lvl 8 makes soloing move a lot quicker. Plus, both Entangling Arrow and Ice Arrow set up containment, so you can fire either of those off, and then get full containment from Entangle, Strangler, and AS.

Fire/Thermal- This was more of an "up-close" Controller, as using Hot Feet (even with it's high END cost) really helps kill enemies quickly. /Thermal wasn't much help for soloing, but was a welcome addition for teams.

Gravity/Kinetics- I LOVE Propel! I find this power endlessly entertaining, and the damage is really nice, too. Grav Distortion, Propel, AS, and (I can't remember the other Grav power off-hand) are great for some efficient soloing. Plus, Siphon Power is a big help. This alt is lvl 24 now, and I'm starting to see some problems with lack of control, but there was little trouble leveling up at the early stages.

Earth/Storm- This was a tough alt to level up prior to 33. Fossilize, Stone Prison, and Air Superiority are your damage-dealers. /Storm powers help, but this was a slow go.

My Fire/Thermal, Plant/TA, and Gravity/Kinetics went from 1 to about 22 fairly evenly. In fact, I created these 3 alts at about the same time and wanted to level them all up together. After I got SOs (and Hot Feet), the Fire/Thermal really started to pull ahead. Plant/TA, thanks to some great controls, also pulled ahead of Grav/Kin about the same time.

The Ill/FF was my fastest soloer and, at level 38, is kind of stuck; not because of difficulty in playing, but because I've gotten a little bored with him. He's actually TOO safe and straight-forward. My Earth/Storm FINALLY made it past lvl 33 and is now a powerhouse. She takes on missions at the highest difficulty with ease and is a lot of fun to play, as there's such a variety of ways to play her.

Anyway, I hope this helps. You CAN solo with a Controller with a little patience. Once you get past the early levels, you'll definitely be rewarded for your effort.

My Earth/Storm is level 41 and is terrific. I love playing her, and you're right: Quicksand, Earthquake, and Freezing Rain are an awesome combo. There are times when I'm at a loss as to which of my many powers I want to use next.

However.......I still remember the pain of leveling up throught the teens and twenties. Trying to solo prior to lvl 33 (when Stoney is fully slotted) was terrible. How many times did I have to spam Fossilize/Stone Prison/Air Superiority (all slotted for max damage)? If not for a marathon 12 hour, 2 TF all-nighter on a great 8 man team, I don't think I would have made it through the 20s with this alt. Also, Double XP weekend got her through the 30s (with Tornado and LS as prizes).

I love my Earth/Storm now, but I don't think I want to start another one!

PoliceWoman, I'm glad you enjoyed my arc, "Why Do Bad Girls Like Bad Boys?". This was the first arc I came up with, and the one I've probably put the most effort into.

I agree that the number of clues and bits of evidence against Latin Lava is a little thin. I'll add at least a couple more and point them out.

I can't believe I've STILL got typo's! I must need some new glasses.

I'll replace the rifles being held by Carnies and give them a different emote. That does seem out of character for them.

The Carnies MUST have some kind of management positions in their organization that Helen can strive for. I mean, who promotes Carnies from Minion to Lt. to Boss? It's all very fine and well for a young woman, just out of finishing school, to take a job as a Carnie Juggler, but she doesn't want to do that job for her entire career!

Latin Lava was originally an EB but I brought him down to a Boss. I'm not sure why he still shows up as an EB ally, so I'll check into that and adjust it.

The souvenier is a good idea. Maybe a bottle of Latin Lava's home-brew aftershave or something!

Thanks again for the kind words about both my arcs that you reviewed. They're very much appreciated.

Arc #: 172411
Arc Name: Big Brother Deathmatch
Morality: Neutral
Levels: 1-54
Difficulty: Hard
Length: Short
Enemy Faction: Custom (Big Brother contestants, and hostess)
No EBs or AVs

Synopsis: I LOVE Big Brother! But spending a summer locked in a house with the idiots they cast? No thanks! Now, you have the chance to play the BB game the way it was meant to be played--Deathmatch style! Outwit your fellow house hamsters, blindside your mortal enemy, confuse an opponent into helping you "vote out" another. If you survive, you'll get the chance to appear at the Live Finale and be interviewed by the CHENBot (Cybernetic Humanoid Engineered by Nemesis roBot) herself!

This is a short arc, but pretty challenging to solo. I used the Midnighter's Club because it kind of looks like a house. Because it's small, not all of my 9 custom character "types" will show up each time to fight you. Big Brother fans will recognize many of the "types" that regularly appear on this show. For non-BB fans--what's the matter with you?!? It's the best show ever made! Start watching!

The mission has no EBs or AVs, just 3 Bosses (scaled down to Lts at low levels). I spent a LOT of time trying to fine tune the difficulty levels, as I wanted it to be hard, but still solo-able. I soloed this on a lvl 50 Tanker, lvl 15 Tanker, lvl 30 Blaster, and lvl 24 Controller, so it's possible, but you've got to take your time.

I hope you enjoy the mission and I welcome feedback on the arc.

PoliceWoman, thanks for your review of my arc "The Roots of Domestic Terror". You raised some very good points that I hadn't considered.

In Mission 1, the "prison" is actually supposed to be agovernmental "holding base" like Guantanamo, which is why a paramilitary group like Gregg's Guerillas (or Blackwater) is in charge of security there. I'll make that more clear in the write-up. I think I'll also take your suggestion to kill the terrorist on-screen rather than off. I wasn't sure if I could kill a "rescued" person in a mission.

Gregg's Guerillas is actually based on GI Joe (as you noted) and I wanted all branches of the service represented here. Their costumes are a little colorful, but I ended up liking this look better than an a standard uniform look. I thought it would differentiate the enemies a little. The Manfred Mann song ("There she was, just awalking down the street") I added as my one and only joke in the arc, as a tip-of-the-hat to "Stripes". How can you do a military arc without thinking of Stripes?

In Mission 2, I need to change the write up to show that "law enforcement" didn't lose the prisoner, and change the mission title so you don't think it's a Defeat All. I had the Steal Paintings thing because, if you're a villain about to blow up a building, wouldn't you ransack the place for any valuables as you're doing it? Plus it added a lilttle variety to the mission, I thought.

I actually like the fact that, although you accomplish the mission of planting the bombs, you still get yelled at from the contact because the building wasn't completely destroyed. I hate the idea that every contact gives you kisses and rainbows as "positive reinforcement" for doing something. This guy's an evil monster. Why would he congratulate you every time? I've had bosses in real life who respond like this when a project doesn't go right, even when "my part" of the task was done 100%.

Mission 3 is where things turn ugly. I agree that I should keep the tone evil for all 3 diplomat deaths. I seemed to be trying to "lighten" the mood, even when I didn't want to! I also like the idea of having a couple of ambushes, maybe by Longbow, once the killing starts. At that point, the authorities would naturally take over from any quasi-military group.

Thanks again for all your helpful feedback. I'll definitely make some changes and get it back out there for people to play!

Thanks for the review on my "Roots of Domestic Terror". I'm pretty happy with how this arc turned out, and I'm hoping to get some feedback on it to make it better. The over-powered enemies is something I'm having a tough time with on all my arcs. Dial them down a little, the missions get easy and boring, Dial them up a little and it's suddenly an ordeal. I was working on another arc tonight and, when testing, got my level 50 Tanker 2 shot by the Boss! That's going to need some work!

The violence in this arc is something that interested me the most, as I wanted to see if I could bring "TV violence" into CoH and not have it be too much. I used "24" as my guide (TV-14). It's interesting that, on my first run-through on this arc, I was a little disturbed by the violence myself. I realized that, had I flipped the arc around, and you were the hero trying to stop these events, no one would think twice about it. (I actually considered this as a companion arc at one point.) In fact, it would be no different than a typical newspaper mission. As you say, doing it this way is much more contriversial. I guess things we typically see on TV seem much more violent when incorporated into CoH, especially if there's not a hero to swoop in and save the day.

I remember the Developers got some grief when CoV came out for not making the game villainous enough. I now see the fine line they were treading, and why they went with the "you're working for bad guys and fighting other bad guys" instead of "go to town, beat some old ladies over the head, and steal their money" kind of thing.

Thanks again for the review, and I'm glad you enjoyed playing it. Again, I like the way this one turned out, so I'll definitely take your advice of the enemy powers.

ParagonWiki has a nice listing (with pictures) of all the maps available in Mission Architect. However, in practice, many of these maps aren't available (City02, for example). Are some of these maps unlockable? If so, how do I unlock them?

I've searched all over this site and ParagonWiki and can't find the answers anywhere.

Ah ha. Well, that does make sense (for gameplay) then.

Maybe they could house it in a bunker-looking building with armed gaurds and machine gun nests instead of the lovely office building complex they current have.

Faultline is my favorite zone, and it makes sense to have the AE building there, as they're in the rebuilding mode anyway (all those new apartments).

I don't understand why there's an AE building in RWZ, though. That makes absolutely no sense from a "Paragon City" perspective.

Are some of the outdoor maps unlockable? I've consulted Paragon Wiki and seen that there are a lot of nice outdoor maps, but in-game, I just can't find them (City02 being the one I really want for one of my arcs).