HaloInc

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Coolant leaking from the shattered pylons on its back, the Water Bot swung its arms around, trying to knock Agent down onto the ground so it could stomp on her. The flames having successfully overloaded the robot's heat sensors, it was effectively blind and so would have lots of trouble hitting her.


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As much as she wanted to and though it bought a smile to the fiery side of her soul AI knew it would take too long to melt down the outer armor of the Bot. AI focused on the flames surrounding her fist, until it sizzled in the air, white hot and too bright to look at, with a graceful quick movement she drove her fist into the main camera though the lens and into the body of the bot where she let the flames explode. The Bot hickup'd and almost goto the 'E' in Error when in collapsed to the floor. AI rode the bot to the ground giggling maniacially and pour flames into the Bots frame till the Outer Armor glowed from the heat.

She sat there on the glowing exoskelton of the Bot, basking in the warmth and fumes of the melted plastic, and rubber.

After a few minutes she hopped up and started skipping down the hall, once again singing her elfin tune.

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I just wanted to say Great guide ty

I do have a question i just wana make sure at lvl 28 i can have 6 Minions ( 3+2+1 ) total at the same time right ?

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You can have 6 pets at level 26. Level 26 is where you get access to your boss level pet, in addition to the other pets.

Minions are maxed 3 at level 18
Lt's are maxed at 2 at level 24
Boss (there can be only 1) level 26

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Thinking that the hot spot on the floor was the correct target, the Water Bot switched to its ice beams. A trio of canisters filled with luminous blue liquid popped out of its back and plumes of freezing water shot out of the rear of each elbow as the bot cleared whatever water was left in its arms. Several little strips of metal folded out onto the openings of its barrels and blue light started glowing from within. With the sound of shattering glass, a pair of ice beams shot out at the ground and coated it with a thick layer of ice. Watching the heat signature diappear, the robot thought it had destroyed its target.


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Agent Immolate placed her hands as if holding an invisible sword suddenly lept into the air. The patience she forced on the beast within was released, and she immediatle erupted in flames holding a giant fiery scimitar. The immense heat instantly cracked and vaporized the blue paint on the robots outter armor. Rising on the waves of heat AI floated above the robot and with a great swing of the scimitar severed the feed hoses on the canisters on the robot's back. The blue liquid snuffed her sword but the spraying liquid was seeping into the frame of the robot. Then circling to the right Agent blasted the robot with a gout of flame from her eyes, hopeing to blind its main camera.

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Twin giant jets of water gushed out of the hose arms and straight at the hero.

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Arrogantly or more likely stupidly AI made no attempt to dodge the twin turrets of water.

Though she braced herself and jets of flames erupted from her eyes in defiance, the blast struck her full in the chest knocking her down and back. Torrents of steam filled the hall for hundreds of feet obscuring the robots vision and heat sensors.

Crouching in the steam Agent opened her connection to the elemental plane of fire drawing in some liquid fire. Agent silently stepped out of her burn patch and crept toward the bot that was recalibrating its heat sensors to locate its target.


The bot locking in on the burn patch "Target reaquired!"

Rising from the steam just behind the bot now AI prepares to strike. . .

[Agent Immolate, in the maze]

Agent continued her lazy stroll through the maze. Humming an elfish tune to her self along the way.

She had reached several dead ends having to backtrack here and there she marked each dead end passage by burning a elven sigil into the wall <different elven sigil each time>.

Changing songs after a few minutes she thought she might be gaining a false sense of security, with a bat of an eyelash her flames intensified as waves of heat poured from her in every direction.

Up at the T intersection ahead was a single bot, it hovered at an odd angle showing some obvious signs of battle damage. AI continued walking at her slow deliberate pace.

At 50 feet what remained of the bots sensors kicked and it whirled to face her. It’s first burst from the mini turret was wildly off, it noticed this and used this data to correct its sites. The second burst racked across Agents chest, with no change to her pace she continued to advance.

It fired again, and again the bullets melting before they struck covering her armour in molten lead.

The bot sensed the threat from the waves of heat washing over it as AI closed the distance. It set itself in destruct-mode and whirled its servos to collide with the inbound target.

The massive explosion was deafening fire flooded down the corridor and split off to follow the T intersection. Walking though the smoke AI immerged on the other side, the spirit inside her raged against so unworthy of an opponent her flames grew brighter and hotter as she continued her song, and continued her stroll.

Agent Immolate listened to the Commanders speech without any visible emotion, at its end she begins walking to the nearest available lift.

On the way there out of the corner of her eye she catches site of Andraxus his eyes following her intently.

Rage, fury, anger and vengeances boil up inside of her seeking an outlet. Her skin burst into flames the temperature around her rising sharply in temperature. Jets of flames shoot out from her eyes momentarily shaped like hands of flame reaching for Andraxus’s neck.

Before they clear half the distance she pulls them back, and reigns in the flames.

The rules of this place prohibit this but more importantly Rax lead her here and judging from the robes on this mage he outranked Rax. The time will come soon enough to burn them all Thorns will pay Thorns will burn!!!

She improves her pace toward the lift her eyes not leaving Andraxus, flames from her eyes licking her golden bangs while white smoke pours from her lips.

The lift climbs up into the maze,

The maze spreads out before her yet she hasn’t moved from the lift.

30 seconds pass... 45 seconds... 2 minutes then finally slowly she gingerly steps off of the lift.

She chants a few words and her robes are replaced by highly ornate elven armour, she starts walking slowly to the only available hallway in front of her, flames simmer from her body.

Following the twist and turns she eventually comes to a T, she turns left and continues walking at a slow deliberate pace......

Deep inside of her a vengeful flame visualizes melting through the concrete and steel below her and incinerating the mage his screams echoing like music that makes her flames dance.

Smirking she walks on ….slow…patiently

OOC: waiting for other responses to chime in before lineing up at door. There maybe create a ruckuss(SP?) at that time

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Ok, Bodyguard has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with this. PvP is what is making those two /Forcefeild powers irrelevant. That is the way it is now, before Bodyguard is implemented, and that is the way it will be after Bodyguard is implemented. Nothing really changes does it?

So what does this have to do with Bodyguard at all? And why is is such a detriment to /Forcefeild? Are you even happy with /Forcefeild as it is now without Bodyguard? Because that seems to be the real issue your trying to take.

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BodyGuard adds to the present problem, but is not itself the core of the issue.

You are right as it is now Pets are ignored in PvP and the FF secondary has little to do except dispersion bubble.

This is a big part of the core issue. FF'ers have it worse than other MMs cause there is very little in the secondary be able to aid the MM in a fight.

BodyGuard compounds this (slightly) now that the MM is sharing damage with the pets, the secondary still doesnt have a way to aid the fight. THe MM takes damage the pets take damage, the MM will survive a little longer with the BG function, but still cant effectively use the secondary to repair damage (self or pets).

BodyGuard is to keep MM's alive longer this it will suceed at.

The core issue is that in PvP everyone targets the MM and ignores the pets.

However to actually see BG in play will make a world of difference. to see how it improves the survivabilty of the MM to make a counter offensive or will the MM still get ganked but last 2.2 seconds longer.

Until this is on test we are only argueing theory not actual application, and until we have actual results from testing the devs are not going to make any allowances or alterations.

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So Bodyguard provides a bonus to all MMs, but a somewhat smaller bonus to /FF MMs.

So does this leave /FF MMs gimped, or does it bring them in line with other MMs?

And I mean in a team environment, not solo-versus-the-Zone play.

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A somewhat smaller bonus especially in PvP where Heroes go after MMs directly.

Gimped maybe a strong word, but there is a disadvantage in PvP.

I'd say that the disadvantage of it would be lessened by a team, but that as always depends on the team.

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Bodyguard doesn't change the fact that our pets aren't being targeted, and for other MM secondaries that isn't so crippling. For FF secondary, having our pets not be targeted removes the primary purpose of our secondary from the PvP equation. While other secondaries are able to heal/attack/debuff, FF doesn't not have that option.


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Agreed, and well stated

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We simply want an implementation of bodyguard that doesn't continue to make key powers in the FF secondary entirely worthless.


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This would only happen if a separate to-hit check is made part of the bodyguard function, and if pet def and resist are applied to BG damage.

Yes this sounds good, but I have no idea logistically if this is possible/feasible or if it would overpower MM's against others in PvP.

However it isnt necessarily BG that is broken but the core issue being that there is no reason to take out pets first. Having Pets survive a MM fatality would be a huge boost to this problem, however raises its own issues. (Pet Travel etc)

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What good is it to buff your pets with +defense if the pets are NEVER going to be attacked? Nobody is arguing that our pets aren't going to being attacked. We KNOW the pets aren't going to be attacked. It is the fact that the pets won't be attacked that is the problem, because if the pets aren't attacked, we have the most important two powers in FF that become useless in PvP, because they can't be applied to ourselves.


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Agreed, see however above

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If we are getting defensive, it is because of the constant refusal of some posters to admit that there is a problem. I see post after post after post by people (usually the same people) saying "so what, deal with it." or "its your fault for choosing that secondary" or "pets aren't being attacked now, why should that change?" or any of many similar ignorant comments.

It is hard to have a discussion without being defensive when most of the people posting aren't willing to discuss, and only want to point fingers and accuse.


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I understand being passionate about a game we all play and love. It is just the defensiveness detracts from your argument making it more difficult for people to see the point you are trying to make.

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This isn't JUST about bodyguard, it is about the interaction of bodyguard WITH the FF secondary, and how it bypasses the purpose of the secondary. You seem to refuse to admit that powers in FF are being made worthless in PvP by the implementation of bodyguard. I am not arguing the fact that bodyguard will allow any MM, even FF secondaries, to live longer. I am trying to make the developers, and the rest of you, understand that bodyguard is making key powers in the FF set worthless in PvP situations. No other secondary is having important powers in the set completely negated.


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This is inaccurate.

Pre-BodyGuard which is currently. In PvP attackers who isolate the MM are ignoring the bubbles too. This is without the benefit of bodyguard keeping you alive just a little bit longer.

If they atttack the MM only dispersion bubble comes into play with or without bodyguard.

Only without bodyguard your minions survive all the way till you die, with bodyguard shared damage might takeout a minion or two before you die.

I do understand your point, your are getting too defensive and it is detracting from your arguements.

I am not championing the FF complaint I just understand what their complaint is, and tried to summarize it cause someone asked.

BTW I do have a FF MM, but I dont plan to PvP, so it doesnt bother me so much.

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Ok, I am having some trouble here trying to grasp the concept of why */Forcefeild supposively doesn't work with Bodyguard, especially in PvP. Given the */Forcefield is a mostly defensively based set to begin with, Bodyguard would only compound this defensive capacity, something that would be exceptionally valuable in a PvP enviroment where other players are smart enough to look for and directly target the Mastermind. Also, given the reduced accuracy against other player characters in PvP, I would wonder what it is that */Forcefield mastermind is afraid of at that point, given their ability to really compound their defensive capabilities.

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The problem with FF MM's is that the bodyguard function will by pass the defense of their bubbles. Any damage taken by the MM is shared to the pets without defense applied. FF has no heal to fix pets (Unless the dip into medicine, which wont help since they are interruptable). Since people ignore the pets in PvP and go directly for the MM, FF'ers are slightly gimped. Bodyguard may extend the life or a FF'er but other secondaries can do more proactively to compensate for pet damage where FF can not, all FF can do is bubble and the bodyguard damage bypasses that.

I didnt get it at first either. There is a legitmate problem, (maybe problem is too strong) powerset imbalance with the */FF and the bodyguard functionality.

FF is passive defense and bodyguard bypasses it

Agent Immolate (AI) bent closely to examine Podo's injured foot.

She reaches into her robes a pulled out a delicate looking ceramic jar. The jar wasnt extremely large but it certainly would have been noticable stuffed in her fitted robes.

She carefully applies ointment from the jar to the wounded area. It smells faintly of autumn and is cooling as it is rubbed into the skin. Her fingers however are quite warm to the touch as if she where feverish. Next she pulls from her robe some silken bandages and carefully wraps the foot.

Podo sits in amazement as she finishes. His foot feels cool and quite good. Jumping down from his stool he test his weight on it, and there is only a faint memory of any pain there once was.

AI collects her healing kit placing it back into her robes and smiles warmly.

She signals the bartender, and request some wines he never heard of then settles for a local red.

[I havent found a description of Goro yet can you thow up one]

[Other picking up on the fact he has a huge hammer]

AI glides over to where Podo is drinking, yet keeps a respecful distance away. As he catches her with his eye she bows deeply.

May I be of assistance warrior? I possess some minor healing magics.

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Staff lightly tapping the floor, Archmage Andraxus of the Circle of Thorns strode over to where the newest magical gladiator of the Coliseum was sulking. Free hand absently smoothing his long white beard, Andraxus tapped the other man's foot with his staff.

"Raxiurgiux is it?" Andraxus asked. "I have been told that you fled to the Coliseum in order to gain its protection...and that you are a member of my organization from another dimension. Tell me, rogue mage, how is it that you arrived here and what you will plan to do should whoever is hunting you down finds you?"

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Ah brother Andraxus. Aid me! I am hunted by a terrible creature! It has destroyed my coven and continues to pursue me! [His voice is deep and proud, yet he is visbily shaken]

I know not where it came from, I know not what wrong I have done! but... it... seeks the death of us all.

He reaches for his double shot of whisky with his burnt hand and downs it with a painful gulp.

Our brother Theirmizz said I should seek you that you may have means to aid me.


OOC: Exactly what do them ratings mean A-x

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BIC: "Hello there Agent Immolate," said a man over the intercom. "I see this is your first time in the Coliseum. Just have a seat at the table in front of you and answer some of the questions you see on the monitor. Also, if you could include an explanation for your unusual entrance, I'm sure Security would be very happy to have that."

The questions were standard fare, just like the ones from the earlier examinations.

"And if you have any trouble understanding our language, just let me know and I am avaliable to help."


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AI politely answers the questions and complies to the tests with courtesy mixed with curiosity.

In the end she takes the ID card and without looking at it places it inside her robes.

She walks into the bar lounge area to survey who is there.

<As the commander exits.>

[In perfect english with the exotic flair of a musical elfish accent]
“Thank you commander for your assistance, and in this world you may call me Agent Immolate.”

She turns swiftly and without acknowledgement to the Cyro Tanks glides <walks with grace, not the glide power> into the next room without hesitation. A faint fiery light reflected from her brilliant robes radiating from her skin.

[Registration Office]

AI takes the clipboard and offered pen in a slow graceful movement. Next to the appropriate ‘X’ she begins to scribe her name in elfish but an annoyed cough from the registrar and a new form later the document is signed. She hands back the clipboard/pen and says in beautiful fragrant elfish Aeonnoyna Illoyneiass.

<inaudible> Deep inside the essence of her being, another internal voice roars with crackling flames another name.

The registrar clerk looks over the form that is only seared brown slightly where she touched with delicate fingers and nods approval to The Commander.

AI turns sweetly to The Commander and bows politely in elfish manner. He gestures the way smart enough to have her in front followed closely by the two Cryo Tanks.

As she exits, the registrar clerk curses bitterly at his day as he tries to wipe the ink from the exploded pen from his hands he throws the papermate in the garbage, boiling ink seeping from it.

OOC: I am not fully familiar with the the other characters yet. I read the first few pages and the last few before posting. I will try to get caught up but it would be easier to pick up who is current at [The Bar]

Flames erupt from her eyes in contempt and annoyance, the smoke on her breathe blackens. The flames from her body grow and lick at the high cement ceiling. The ghostly shape of a giant flaming scimitar flickers briefly in hands then disappears. She concentrates against some internal struggle for a moment and the flames die down.

The smoke of her breathe turns to white again and only a faint wisp remains.

She mutters an incantation in elfish, and silken robes appear to covering her in scarlet vibrant orange and gold.

Her eyes are all black as coal but somewhere deep behind them flickers a hypnotic flame. Again she concentrates then speaks softly in a musical voice. “Your procedures then” a playful smile on her lips, that is inviting and yet eerie at once.

In the quiet of the registration office smoke begins to rise from the door knob as it slowly turns it glows faintly. The registrar looks up sniffing the air, when the doors slam open with a blast of heat like a furnace fills the room.

Standing in the doorway is a tall slender elven girl of immense beauty. She is clothed only in bright flames. Her straight golden hair flowing softly on tides or heat with the long elegant tips of her pointed ears escaping at the sides. Gouts of flames pour from her eyes and smoke drift past her full soft lips.

She has followed the Thorn Mage Raxiurgiux to the Coliseum. Chased from lair to lair with his followers dwindling he has sought refuge here. Where they can protect him, but that protect ends on the Coliseum floor.

Without saying a word she glides up to the desk and with a finger burns her sigal on the signup sheet, as the pages wither in her heat.

Once a long time ago (and a few dimensions over) she was a pacifist, docile and timid a priestess at the Elven Temple of the Elements those days have long since past. Now fury flame and Vengeance rule her days. Agent Immolate has arrived and she will burn any she needs to, to get at Raxiurgiux and arresting him is not in her plan.

She walks lightly and gracefully to the staging room door the floor sizzling and bubbling wherever her bare feet touched it.

(Think Fire/Fire/Fire Tank on steroids)

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Fair probably not, but PvP is more then telling pets to "Get EM!" and turning on PFF*.

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I am so tired of people implying that FF MMs just use an attack command and hide in PFF. Maybe some people do, but definately not all of us.

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Wasnt trying to imply that this was your playstyle/tactic.

I play mostly PvE and have limited experience in PvP

Whenever I have been in a PvP zone I havent seen a */FF MM outside of PFF

The points you made ARE valid. Yes FF maybe a weaker set in PvP. Knowing this why would you make a MM with FF if you intend to PvP?

There will ALWAYS be sets that are weaker than others in PvP and sets that are stronger in PvE. I dont think this will ever change.

Can thinks be more balanced?
Maybe

Are they going to change the way BodyGuard functions to compensate FF secondaries?

Doubtful

What BG will do for you is keep you alive longer so your pets can take a target down. That's what MM's do.

Yes Hero's will still probably ignore your minions to kill >U< but you will stay alive longer to try to kill them back. Maybe its not worth bubbleing minion level pets since they are A) not the target and B) BG will bypass it anyway. (I only bubble Lt pets and boss pet) and yes this does limit the use of your secondary. Fair probably not, but PvP is more then telling pets to "Get EM!" and turning on PFF*.

I believe the best solution is have pets linger post MM death [opps defeat]. Maybe 30 seconds of pet action in PvP maybe only 15-20 seconds in PvE. For fun give em Vengence when their MM dies. When the time lapses the pets die, no matter if you are rez'd or hit a awaken or not.


*Note: not trying to start a debate on the PFF nerf

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That is what I was hoping for. Give pets a chance to leap in front of any attack coming at us, effectively having the effect of the attacker being confused and hitting the wrong target. They fire, the pet suddenly becomes the target instead of the MM, and the pet takes the hit. Let it only be a percent chance based on how many pets are out (say 20% chance per pet). That will mean heroes will need to target pets BEFORE they can target the MM. Once the MM's pets are whittled down, then the MM can be destroyed....the more pets killed, the easier to target and kill the MM.

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This method still only works defensively. Against one hero the pets will focus on protecting you and counter attack that hero. Against multiple heroes the pets effectiveness would be near useless (for minion level pets) as they all tried to defend from different attackers.

You wont be able to use attack my target or a goto command becasue that breaks bodyguard defensive and follow. Which would make the bodyguard feature only useful for situation where you would need to run away from anyway.

Against 1 maybe 2 heros you can take the offensive and not need bodyguard. Against multiple heroes the pets will scatter and be murdered.

My biggest problem with bodyguard is tieing it to Defensive/follow. The limited pet AI will work against the MM. The best fix would be if pets lasted 60 seconds past the MM death, of course the hero would run away to the next fight cause there is no xp in pets but it does complicate the tactic take out the MM and the pets drop.

I do finally understand problem with FF secondardy and bodyguard, well posted.