Hit_and_Run

Appendix A: Stealth vs Perception Chart

Stealth vs Perception: The Numbers

Appendix B: Arcana’s Guide to Defense

Arcana’s Guide to Defense

Appendix C: COH Official Forum: Guide to Guides

COH Official Forum: Guide to Guides

Appendix D: Paragon Wiki: IO Sets page

Paragon Wiki: IO Sets

Appendix E: City of Data

City of Data

X. PvP : Player vs Player or You vs Me

Bloody Bay
To Enter Zone : Level 15
Effective Level within Zone : Level 25

Siren’s Call
To Enter Zone : Level 20
Effective Level within Zone : Level 35

Warburg
To Enter Zone : Level 30
Effective Level within Zone : Level 40

Recluse’s Victory
To Enter Zone : Level 40
Effective Level within Zone : Level 50

Each zone plays slightly different, but the overall effect for you as a Stalker is, you hide and can kill many with a good two shot combo. This means, whether or not you pick your Assassin's Strike power or not, you will be treated as though you do. People will see Stalker and assume you are going after them. And if you try to tell them, they are going to laugh and ask why you make a Stalker. I use Stealth a lot in this section, and by saying "Stealth", I'm referring to a supplemental power to your Hide power. This means, Stealth, Invisibility, Grant Invisibility, Combat Invisibility, or any other power or ability, which stacks with Hide to increase your stealth rating.

As an Energy Aura Stalker you have some advantages over other sets defensive wise. You have the best mez protection compared to any stalker and almost compared to any AT out there. You are protected from Teleportation, Knockback, Disorient, Hold, Sleep, Defense Debuff, and Immobilize. Only Confuse will easily hit you as will Fear status effects. Succubus' and some heroes possess this power, however because it isn't a PvE friend power (no xp for kills by the confused mobs) not very many heroes have it. But because of its badge value for heroes (villains confusing heroes to get Reformed badge), quite a few villains are going to have it. Fear status effects are most common in the dark powersets, just be aware, when under effect of fear, it will be possible you can't move, but your toggles won’t drop either. The other advantage you have in PvP is that several people have PBAoE powers that push you back and interupt your Assassin's Strike (hurricane and repel). This power allows you to walk right up to them like it wasn't there.

Your disorient effects are less likely to affect a player, as they will have break free's and extra status protections if they are on a team. So I would not count on these aspects to get you through a fight, but should you manage to overload their mez protection and stun them. Do not let up and take full advantage of it for as long as it lasts. Several pvp players have a bind that specifically uses any break free it can find in their inspiration inventory.

A. Bloody Bay

Bloody Bay is a low enough level to be a little fun, but unless you have mez protection, you will find yourself at the south end of a hold. Clear Mind is very present as a power in this zone and stacks, also there are going to be a few with Tactics, so if you don't have Stealth at this point, you are very likely to be spotted, plus several powersets, most of them Scrappers have a + Per power by lvl 25.

B. Siren's Call

A Stalker's nightmare zone if he is the only villain in it. Tactics is excessively present as well as Clear Mind. Most people in this zone will be likely to spot you if you don't have Stealth to combine with Hide. Most large-scale battles tend to occur near the villain base around the oilrig and the capsized ship or around the whole west area around the hero hospital. There is also a “Bounty” marker. It has a slight delay, but if you stay in one place too long, even with all the stealth in the world, you will be found.

C. Warburg

This zone is a haven for a Stalker. Most of the threats here are of serious consideration to any player. You will find oranges, reds and purples galore. Most large scale fighting occurs near the globe in the center and off the beach near the hero hospital ship. Because this zone allows heroes to attack heroes and more people have heroes that can enter this zone, they don't look for Stalkers nearly as much. The Web offers a great place to disappear and hide if you need to do anything. Stealth is a must here as you will be seen otherwise. And heroes are not your only threat, villains will see an easy target in you if they spot you.

D. Recluse's Victory

My favorite zone. And not for PvP. This zone isn’t a great PvP zone. While you might occasionally find a duel or two, and there have been “wars” in this zone. But it is mostly a farmer’s haven. Turrets offer the easiest, low-risk rewards. Heavies can also be picked up which offer some protection for non-pvp builds. Although, if you do plan to farm this zone, be aware, there are PvP’rs that make it a point to target you for it.

IX. PvE : Player vs Enemy or You vs the Computer

This is where you can really find the game dull and boring, the computer will rarely see you. Rikti Drones can break your hide, and so can certain ambushes, because these ambushes are specifically set to target you when they are spawned and only death will break that connection.

TP Foe, Recall Friend will really make you handy for many a fight, stealth past all the mobs, pull your friends to the boss, and whittle away his friends until you are ready to take him on.

Stealth increasing powers have no extra effect in PvE play. So if you don't have any plans to do any PvP it isn't necessary. If you are a badge hunter, than you need to consider at least temporarily getting stealth as it will make getting some badges easier.

Your Energy Drain power will be your most important friend depending on how you chose to slot your attacks and how many toggles you run


But the good part is, your ability to dish out damage means you can probably take out mobs in groups of 4 or less at +2 con with relative ease if you get a good attack pattern going.

My usual attack pattern:
1) Sneak into group and pick my first target, build-up and Assassin Strike
2) Placate target #2
3) Total Focus target #3 follow up with Bone Smasher if needed.
4) Energy Transfer #4
5) Use End Drain, then focus on remaining mobs, one at a time.

Stun is very useful in PvE combat vs minions and lieutenants. Boss and above are very resistant and Total Focus is much more likely to stun them. AV's are very unlikely to be stunned.

If you are with a team, your mob sizes will be larger, and aggro is much harder to control, even a brute with taunt can only draw aggro from 5 mobs maximum at a time. Their PBAoE effects are more likely to draw the aggro than having taunt will. Main thing to be aware of: When they draw aggro by entering into combat your placement could mean the difference between successful AS or interruption because of a flame thrower tossed in your general direction. In other words, do not stand in the front, go towards the rear of the mob group and look for your target there.

When teaming, while you excel in the damage department vs minions, lieutenants, and boss', that elite boss' and AV's/AH's are not going to have a major impact from one of your AS attacks. That doesn't mean don't use them, but you are not going to take that much life from them with it. AV's/AH's are usually so loaded on life that you may impact 5% with one AS. That doesn't mean don't use it, but solo'ing AV's/AH's will be impossible, and elite boss' will be difficult, but not impossible.

IX. Damage and Defense

High end damage is your strongest advantage, rely on that and you can take out mob groups of 6-8 even and plus one con very easily, but don’t neglect your defense. Energy Protection is just for Energy and Negative Energy damage. You will need your defensive powers to survive. And unless you plan to only run Overload and take off when it gets close to dropping, you will need to pick up your early defensive powers.

The Accolade: Demonic syncs very nicely with the defensive focus of Energy Aura.

Also be aware, no matter how much defense you pump, it only takes 3 large inspirations to make it seem like you don’t have any defense. And while a single radiation def debuff build isn’t likely to give you a lot of trouble, several can reduce your defenses effectively.

Here is a rough look at your defenses, but for a more complete understand of defense, I would recommend Arcana’s Guide to Defense. Found in Appendix B.

Values given are unslotted.

Hide (1)
* 5.625% Defense vs all but PSI
* 39.4% Defense vs AoE
* Reduced to 1.875% when hide broken.

Kinetic Shield (2)
* 16.5% Defense vs Lethal / Smash
* 2.625% Defense vs Energy
* 17.3% Resist vs Def. Debuff

Power Shield (4)
* 16.5% vs Cold / Energy / Fire
* 12.75% vs Neg. Energy
* 17.3% Resist vs Def. Debuff

Energy Protection (16)
* 7.5% Resist vs Energy
* 5.625% Resist vs Neg. Energy

Overload (38)
* 45% Defense vs all but PSI.
* 34.6% Resist vs Def. Debuff

Total Unslotted (without Overload):
* 22.1% Defense vs Lethal / Smashing / Fire / Cold
* 24.8% Defense vs Energy
* 18.4% Defense vs Neg. Energy
* 39.4% vs AoE

3 Slotted SO’s for Defense (without Overload):
* 34.5% Defense vs Lethal / Smashing / Cold / Fire
* 38.6% vs Energy
* 28.7% vs Neg. Energy
* 61.4% vs AoE

2 Slotted IO’s for Defense (without Overload):
* 33.1% Defense vs Lethal / Smashing / Cold / Fire
* 37.1% vs Energy
* 27.5% vs Neg. Energy
* 58.9% vs AoE

VIII. Health and Endurance

For the Energy Melee / Energy Aura Stalker endurance is rarely a consideration, your Energy Drain power recharges fast enough that one is able to refill endurance rather easily and it is an auto-hit, so if the mob is close enough, you are getting endurance. And the ability to get away and rest while hidden for those emergency situations isn’t a negative factor at all.

However you have no healing powers and have the health of a squishy. So unless you choose to roll a defensive heavy build, you will want to make sure you keep an eye on your health more so than average, as sometimes the boss mobs will surprise you with a heavy hit. Most AV’s will one or two shot you if you aren’t with a good team. So know when you need to back off, cause there will be times you have to, if you want to stay in the fight without a trip to the hospital or waiting for a rez from a teammate.

VII. Slotting

A. Basic Slotting

Slotting is as individual to each person as their costumes (usually). But there are some basic frameworks that will get you to level 50 relatively easy, depending on your choices.

Defense Powers:
* SO’s – 3 Defense / 2 End Redux
* IO’s (pre-level 25) – 2 Defense / 2 End Redux

Attack Powers:
* SO’s – 2 Accuracy / 3 Damage / 1 Other (Optional)
* IO’s – 2 Accuracy / 3 Damage / 1 Other (Optional)

Recharge Only Powers:
* SO’s – 3 Recharge
* IO’s – 2 Recharge

B. Examining Sets:

My Best Recommendation is to pick one or two Primary set bonuses you want and work ways to acquire them.

Now several sets can work well with Energy Melee. Crushing Impact and Mako’s Bite are two relatively nice sets, with nice bonuses and for Energy Aura, I can definitely say Luck of the Gambler is nice. Red Fortune isn’t a bad set either.

To add some details:

Defense Sets:

I've experimented with the following slotting ideas for the defense sets.

Six Slotting: Luck of the Gambler (All Six Slots)
Power Bonuses: Defense: 59.91% Endurance: 73.78% Recharge: 73.78%
Set Bonuses: +10% Regeneration / +13.6 (1.13%) Hitpoints / +9% Accuracy / +MezResist (Held) 2.75% / +3.13% PSI Resist
Enhancement Bonus: +7.5% Recharge Reduction

Six Slotting: Red Fortune (All Six Slots)
Power Bonuses: Defense: 57.52% Endurance: 97.49% Recharge: 73.78%
Set Bonuses: +MezResist (Immob) 2.2% / +1.26% Resist (Fire/Cold) / +2% Dmg Buff / +5% Recharge Reduction / +2.5% Defense (Ranged)

Six Slotting: Red Fortune (Five Slots) Luck of the Gambler (One Slot)
Power Bonuses: Defense: 57.52% Endurance: 73.78% Recharge: 73.78%
Set Bonuses: +MezResist (Immob) 2.2% / +1.26% Resist (Fire/Cold) / +2% Dmg Buff / +5% Recharge Reduction
Enhancement Bonus: +7.5% Recharge Reduction

Unless one is focusing on the Ranged Defense bonus, the sixth enhancement for Red Fortune (Endurance) is really a waste, so always consider replacing this one with something else useful to your build setup.

My preference for this is the Luck of the Gambler set. The overall percentages and set bonuses mesh well with my plans. I recommend taking a look at all the options and make the choice that best fits your plans.

Melee Damage Sets:

I examined both the Crushing Impact and Mako's Bite sets for the melee attacks.

Six Slotting: Crushing Impact (All Six Slots)
Power Bonuses: Accuracy: 68.9% Damage: 101.47% Endurance: 68.9% Recharge: 68.9%
Set Bonuses: +MezResist (Immob) 2.2% / +13.6 (1.13%) Hitpoints / +9% Accuracy / +5% Recharge Reduction / +2.5% Resist (PSI)

Six Slotting: Mako's Bite (All Six Slots)
Power Bonuses: Accuracy: 66.25% Damage: 93.64% Endurance: 66.25% Recharge: 66.25%
Set Bonuses: +MezResist (Immob) 3.3% / +18.1 (1.5%) Hitpoints / +3% Damage Buff / +MezResist (Held) 3.3% / +3.75% Defense (Ranged)
Enhancement Bonus: Chance of Damage (Lethal)

Between the two of these, I like the balance and mesh with Luck of the Gambler that Crushing Impact has. The Accuracy and Recharge mesh in particular.

Set Bonus Meshings:

Luck of the Gambler / Crushing Impact : Accuracy / Recharge Reduction / +Resist (PSI)
Luck of the Gambler / Mako's Bite : +Hitpoint Bonus / +MezResist (Held)
Red Fortune / Mako's Bite : +MezResist (Immob) / +Dmg Buff / +Defense (Ranged)
Red Fortune / Crushing Impact : None
Mako's Bite / Crushing Impact : +MezResist (Immob) / +Hitpoint Bonus
Red Fortune / Luck of the Gambler : Recharge Reduction

Set Bonus Cancellations:

Set Cancellations are where sets cancel out bonuses because they share the same numbers. So if one were to slot more than five of the sets combined, one would lose that particular bonus.

Luck of the Gambler / Crushing Impact : 1.13% Hitpoint Bonus
Luck of the Gambler / Mako's Bite : None
Red Fortune / Mako's Bite : None
Red Fortune / Crushing Impact : +MezResist (Immob) 2.2% / +5% Recharge Reduction
Mako's Bite / Crushing Impact : None
Red Fortune / Luck of the Gambler : None

Another item is, as stealth is the stalker’s best weapon, one should consider slotting a stealth enhancement. And my recommendation for slotting this particular enhancement is in one’s prestige powers or in sprint and run this toggle with one’s travel power of choice, thus leaving you more important options, such and end redux or speed or teleport range for your main travel powers and utilizing another slot more effectively.

VI. Patron Power Pools

A. Overview

Introduced in Issue 7, these power pools allow you to pick one patron for your Stalker, and once chosen it cannot be changed. This is to give you a rough idea as to what your choices are, and who you get them from. And with that, to get started on the Patron power pools one must visit Arbiter Rein in Grandville. You will be given your choices of Ghost Widow, Sirocco, Mako, or Black Scorpion for Patron choices. In order get the Patron powers unlocked you must go through the story arc that is specifically tied to the patron you choose. With the badge that determines your powers you will also get a respec so that you can change into your patron powers if you started the arc after getting to level 50, but this respec is available upon completion irregardless of when you complete it.

I will offer my view of the patrons, I find them to be very lacking in general, and while some of the powers/pets can be interesting, don’t feel that they really offer as much as advertised or in some cases, that the cost to get the one good power is not worth the reward of what the power offers to the energy melee/energy aura stalker.

B. The Patrons

Black Scorpion – Discover Black Scorpions shadowed past.

Power Set: Mace Mastery

Mace Blast – Your basic ranged low damage fast recharge attack that syncs well damage wise with the energy melee stalker. However, unless one is pulling targets with it, or combines it with their melee attack chain, you will probably rarely use this attack.

End Cost: 6.5
Animation Time: 2 seconds
Recharge Time: 6 seconds
Range: 60 feet

Effects: Knockback
Damage Type: Energy/Smashing

Mace Beam – Your sniper attack and yes, all sniper attacks work through hide to provide a critical, but it is nothing near what Assassin Strike offers.

End Cost: 17.94
Animation Time: 2 seconds
Interrupt Time: 6
Recharge Time: 24 seconds
Range: 150 feet

Effects: Knockback/Interuptible
Damage Type: Energy/Smashing

Web Cocoon – A hold power. It has nice secondary effects like -Fly, -Jump and a slow. The -Recharge isn’t bad either. And, as with any hold, it is best when stacked, but that doesn’t make this one useless, if it isn’t.

End Cost: 10.66
Animation Time: 2 seconds
Recharge Time: 32 seconds
Range: 60 feet

Effects: Single Target -Recharge, -Fly, -Jump, Slow

Summon Spiderlings – Summon 3 little spider pets. No stealth, no pet controls, and not totally useless, but your style of play will likely be adjusted if you choose to use these guys.

End Cost: 26
Animation Time: 3.03 seconds
Recharge Time: 900 seconds

Effects: Summon 3 Spiderlings (Enhancement Slots uncertain)
Damage Type: Energy/Smashing

Ghost Widow – Learn Ghost Widow’s darkest desires.

Power Set: Soul Mastery

Dark Blast – Your basic ranged low damage fast recharge attack that does negative energy damage versus the energy done with mace. However, unless one is pulling targets with it, or combines it with their melee attack chain, you will probably rarely use this attack.

End Cost: 6.5
Animation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 6 seconds
Range: 60 feet

Effects: Accuracy Debuff
Damage Type: Neg. Energy

Moonbeam – Again, your sniper attack.

End Cost: 17.94
Animation Time: 1.33 seconds
Interrupt Time: 6
Recharge Time: 24 seconds
Range: 150 feet

Effects: Accuracy Debuff/Interruptible
Damage Type: Neg. Energy

Soul Storm – A once non-resistable hold. Also does some damage over time.

End Cost: 10.66
Animation Time: 2.17 seconds
Recharge Time: 32 seconds
Range: 80 feet

Effects: Single Target Hold/DoT
Damage Type: Neg. Energy

Summon Widow – Night Widow pet, and this pet does have stealth, but is not controllable.

End Cost: 26
Animation Time: 3.2
Recharge Time: 900

Effects: Summon a Ghost Widow
Damage Type: Toxic/Lethal

Mako – Uncover Mako’s dangerous drive.

Power Set: Leviathan Mastery

Spirit Shark – The basic ranged attack, and like all Leviathan mastery powers, some really unique and kewl looking power effects.

End Cost: 6.5
Animation Time: 3 seconds
Recharge Time: 6 seconds
Range: 60 feet

Effects: DoT/Knockback
Damage Type: Lethal

Water Spout – A PBAoE power that summons a non-controllable, water spout pet which spins and causes one of several secondary effects with a small amount of damage.

End Cost: 26
Animation Time: 1.17 seconds
Recharge Time: 180 seconds
Duration: 30 seconds

Effects: Fear/Disorient/Knockback
Damage Type: Smashing

Spirit Shark Jaws – The leviathan version of a hold.

End Cost: 10.66
Animation Time: 1.87 seconds
Recharge Time: 32 seconds
Range: 80 feet

Effects: Single Target Hold/-Fly/DoT
Damage Type: Lethal

Summon Guardian - Captain Mako will show you how to summon a Coralax Guardian Sentinel to do your bidding. These creatures are composed of living coral made from the sea-goddess Merulina.

End Cost: 26
Animation Time: 3.2 seconds
Recharge Time: 900 seconds

Effects: Summon Coralax Guardian Warder
Damage Type: Lethal/Smash

Scirocco – Cast light upon Sirocco’s shocking secret.

Power Set: Mu Mastery

Mu Bolts – A ranged attack with a small amount of end drain.

End Cost: 6.5
Animation Time: 1.17 seconds
Recharge Time: 6 seconds
Range: 80 feet

Effects: End Drain
Damage Type: Energy

Zapp – A sniper with end drain.

End Cost: 17.94
Animation Time: 1.33 seconds
Recharge Time: 24 seconds

Effects: End Drain/Interruptible
Damage Type: Energy

Electric Shackles – A hold with end drain.

End Cost: 8.58
Animation Time: 2.17 seconds
Recharge Time: 32 seconds

Effects: Single Target Hold/End Drain
Damage Type: Energy

Summon Adept – Your very own Mu Pet. No stealth, no pet controls.

End Cost: 26
Animation Time: 1.17
Recharge Time: 900 seconds

Effects: Summons Mu Adept
Damage Type: Energy

IV. Other Power Pools

A. Overview

As with the travel power pool sets, the other power pools can work well with these powerset overall. Choosing power pools is more a choice of preference than of requirements. However some of these pools are almost the antithesis of what the Stalker concept is perceived as, which may be exactly what you want.

B. The Pools

Concealment – This pool is probably the most popular and most effective power pool choice for Stalkers. I say most effective, because this power pool is all about forms of stealth, and stacking stealth is a unique effect of Stalkers. So it is recommended one take advantage of this, since if you don’t people will see you and come after you with extreme prejudice. Stealth is the more common power to use with Hide, while Invisibility works a little better it has a downside in the fact that one cannot attack while using this power. And while waiting for invisibility to drop so you can attack, you might find yourself seen. Phase Shift is nice, but it does have 30 second duration factor. But that doesn’t mean that Phase Shift can’t be used effectively.

NOTE: Grant Invisibility is nice for beating +Per powers, however there is one factor on this power you should be aware of if being the recipient or if being the grantor of this buff. The power grants +stealth and a small +def. The +stealth bonus of this power only lasts until you attack and will only return if Grant Invisibility is re-cast upon you.

Fighting – The fighting power pool offers two attacks and two defenses. The attacks aren’t so big compared to yours, but boxing also offers disorient secondary effect which meshes with Energy Melee. Tough adds Smashing and Lethal resistance, but since you don’t have any resistance, the bonus has little effect on you and Weave meshes well with your existing defenses, but to get there, you go through powers you are not as likely to use.

Fitness – The fitness power pool can get you through the 20 to 28 range until you pick up Energy Drain. The swift power is a nice offset to the slow effect dropped on you by Stealth and Hurdle can add a nice little vertical capability to a super speeder. It all really is just a matter of what fits your concept and what might you need to get what you want.

Leadership – This power pool can boost your defense, to hit, or even damage, as well as that of your team. The nicest fact is that since Energy Aura doesn’t have any + Per powers, you can pick one up through Tactics.

Medicine – This power pool allows you to heal, mez protect, and rez your teammates. There’s even one for you to heal yourself. And while I wouldn’t discourage anyone who wanted to get this powerset if they so chose, you are a Stalker, you purpose is to do damage, not fix it.

Presence – Taunt in a four-powered nutshell. For an archetype conceived with hide in mind, why would you want attention. But, if it works for you, go for it.

IV. Travel Power Pools

A. Overview

The travel powers in general work well with these powersets. You primary consideration is going to be as a Stalker and how you want to function as one. The other powers within each of the travel powersets can influence your choices so take a good look at them when considering your travel power of choice.

B. The Pools

Flight – The flight power pool offers vertically focuses omni-directional movement with the ability to stop in the air. While flight can be hefty on the endurance cost, it can easily be managed through endurance reduction enhancements. This power allows you the best options and control in choosing your targets. There is also Air Superiority and Hover as very good options to go with choosing Flight or just using them on their own merit.

Leaping – This pool offers excellent vertical movement, but limited control in that you cannot stop in the air without at least hover from the flight pool. It has a low endurance cost and fast travel rate. The primary negative to this power is that one cannot use Assassin Strike as this has no stationary effect, however your other powers, such as Total Focus or Stun coupled with this power can potentially have nice effects. Combat Jumping provides a nice indoor travel power, with a slight defense buff to enhance your defensive capability, but the nicest bonus to this powerset is Acrobatics, which offers you more mez protection against Holds and Immobilizes in addition to your already potent Entropy Shield.

Teleport – Teleport offers an instant travel to desired location and can be very useful, however, its endurance consumption can be a serious drawback on its use. Recall Friend and Teleport Foe can be nice choices to accompany you as a Stalker. You are able to sneak past your enemies and teleport all your friends and surgically eliminate your target. Teleport Foe can be used to bring your enemies within reach if they don’t want to play nice with you.

Speed – Speed offers you the fastest in and out power for a relatively low endurance cost. However you have no access to vertically traveling opponents, without another power pool. Haste is a very useful power to go with these powerset choices. Faster attacks never hurt and might just keep you alive.

III. Energy Aura

A. Overview

The Energy Aura powerset is defense based overall. This means it’s a prevent you from getting hit versus a reduce the damage per hit effect. However you do get an Energy / Negative Energy protection power available at level 16, it is the only damage resist power within the powerset. This defensive powerset has one of the most effective mez protection powers and it contains a very effective endurance drain coupled with a endurance reduction power. Slotting in this powerset can vary widely depending on your goals and purpose.

B. The Powers

Hide (Level 1): This is your only power to start and a key concept power to playing a stalker. It does exactly what it says, it Hides you from your enemies, and in playing a stalker you have the single bonus of stacking stealth based powers. Hide and Stealth is the more popular combination out there, but not the only one. This power utilizes the Stalker inherent power, which increases your damage output for all of your damage powers, if you are in hidden status. And when used with Assassin Strike, your damage with it increases to almost 6x its base damage. This power also increases your Area of Effect defense and can be slotted for this.

End Cost: .13
Animation Time: .73 seconds
Recharge Time: 20 seconds

Kinetic Shield (Level 2): Your first defensive power. Defense against Energy, Lethal, and Smashing damage.

End Cost: .13
Animation Time: .73 seconds
Recharge Time: 4 seconds

Power Shield (Level 4): Fire, Cold, Energy, and Negative Energy defense.

End Cost: .13
Animation Time: 1.67 seconds
Recharge Time: 4 seconds

Entropy Shield (Level 10): This is your mez protection power. Protects against Knockback, Disorient, Hold, Sleep, Immobilize, Teleportation, and Defense Debuff.

End Cost: .13
Animation Time: .73 seconds
Recharge Time: 10 seconds

Energy Protection (Level 16): Natural resistance to energy and negative energy damage.

Repulse (Level 20): This power will push people away if they get too close to you. Endurance cost increases for each foe, knocked back.

End Cost: .39
Animation Time: 1.67 seconds
Recharge Time: 20 seconds

Energy Drain (Level 28): This is your endurance drain power. Each foe you drain endurance from, increases the endurance you receive. With this power alone you could eliminate Stamina from your build, however it arrives fairly late in the game, so you may want to start with Stamina until you get to level 28. With this power it is possible to have a Stamina-Less build, however that will affect your pre-Energy Drain RSK runs.

End Cost: 13
Animation Time: 2.37 seconds
Recharge Time: 60 seconds
Radius: 10 Feet

Conserve Power (Level 35): This power reduces the endurance cost of all of you powers.

End Cost: 7.8
Animation Time: 1.17 seconds
Recharge Time: 600 seconds
Duration: 90 seconds

Overload (Level 38): This power is a massive defense buff for you. However there is a price to pay. When the power wears off, you will be drained of all of your endurance and will not be able to recover endurance for a short period of time. However you can pop some blue inspirations after this power ends and have some endurance.

End Cost: 2.6
Animation Time: 3 seconds
Recharge Time: 1000 seconds
Duration: 180 seconds

II. Energy Melee

A. Overview

This attack powerset is very good for high damage yield. It also has a secondary disorient effect, which can be enhanced on several of the powers. There is no accuracy bonus within this attack powerset. Your damage split is Smashing and Energy with the greater effect on Smashing Damage with a couple of exceptions.

B. The Powers

Barrage (Level 1): The first of your two choices when creating an Energy Melee Stalker. In comparison with your other power choice at creation, you get a longer animation with a faster recharge, lower endurance cost, and a lower damage yield overall. This power does have a secondary disorient effect that can be enhanced.

End Cost: 3.54
Animation Time: 1.33 seconds
Recharge Time: 2 seconds

Energy Punch (Level 1): The second of your two choices at start. It yields a higher damage than Barrage and is a much faster attack, but yields a slower recharge. This power also has a secondary disorient effect that can be enhanced.

End Cost: 5.2
Animation Time: .57 seconds
Recharge Time: 4 seconds

Bone Smasher (Level 2) : A nice heavier attack. A moderate endurance cost, but a fairly long recharge time in comparison to your earlier attacks.

End Cost: 8.53
Animation Time: 1.5 seconds
Recharge Time: 8 seconds

Assassin’s Strike (Level 6): Now, keep in mind that this is a key power to the concept of the Stalker. It isn’t required and with Energy Melee you could make a non-AS Stalker and make it to level 50. It will significantly increase your instant damage output. And its greatest effect is while you are hidden. If you are not hidden your damage is significantly reduced, also note that this attack is interruptible and takes approximately 4 seconds to go off. Unlike other interruptible powers, you cannot enhance for interrupt reduction. It takes only slightly longer to recharge than it takes for you to become hidden again. When hidden Assassin’s Strike damage is very close to your damage cap. There is NO disorient secondary effect on Assassin’s Strike.

End Cost: 14.35
Animation Time: 4 seconds
Recharge Time: 15 seconds

Build Up (Level 8): This is your non-hide damage increase power. For a very short duration you will have an increased accuracy and damage (approximately 2-3 hits). This power does work with Assassin’s Strike, however since AS is so close to the damage cap when hidden, the effect of the bonus to damage on AS is not the maximum Build Up normally grants. But it can still be potent.

End Cost: 5.2
Animation Time: 1.17 seconds
Recharge Time: 90 seconds
Duration: 10 seconds

Placate (Level 12): Jedi Mind Trick. This power is an Instant Hide with a few drawbacks. It removes the aggro from a single target only and places you in hide. If that target had already started an attack against you it will go off and may break your hide (so no increased damage). But after that, he will not see you even if he broke your hide. This power has no other effect. This power does have some range to stop those blasters from attacking, however its duration is not very long, it fades before you re-enter hide. If you attack the placated mob after using this power, the placate effect is negated. The "hide status" of placate is 75% of normal "hide status". This mostly impacts PvP.

End Cost: 2.6
Animation Time: 1.5 seconds
Recharge Time: 60 seconds
Range: 50 feet

Stun (Level 18): This power is strictly for what it says; Stunning. This is a heavy disorient, extremely low damage power. If you want damage, this power is not for you. Barrage does about 3x the damage that stun does.

End Cost: 10.19
Animation Time: 1.8 seconds
Recharge Time: 20 seconds

Energy Transfer (Level 26): This power trades a little self-inflicted damage for a strong energy attack. This is one of the exceptions where your energy damage is greater than your smashing damage. This attack has does not have a secondary disorient effect.

End Cost: 10.19
Animation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 20 seconds

Total Focus (Level 32): The damage on this power is slightly less than Energy Transfer, however it has a dual disorient effect. In other words your target can be hit with two disorients in one power. This increases your chance of defeating the resistance of your target and disorienting them. This power will also reach the damage cap under hide alone. Used in combination with Build Up will not yield a greater damage, but will still increase your to hit factor. This is the other exception where your energy damage output is greater than your smashing damage.

End Cost: 18.51
Animation Time: 3.3 seconds
Recharge Time: 20 seconds

I. Introduction

This is a guide to give you an overview of all the powers in the Energy Melee and Energy Aura powersets and hopefully provide you with a good overview of your choices with these two powersets for your Stalker. Any numbers provided are obtained through City of Data.

Shopan’s Stalker Guide to Energy Melee / Energy Aura

Issue 9 : Version 3.00 (7/4/2007)

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

II. Energy Melee
A. Overview
B. The Powers

III. Energy Aura
A. Overview
B. The Powers

IV. Travel Power Pools
A. Overview
B. The Pools

V. Other Power Pools
A. Overview
B. The Pools

VI. Patron Power Pools
A. Overview
B. The Patrons


VII. Slotting
A. Basic Slotting
B. Invention Sets

VIII. Health and Endurance

IX. Damage and Defense

X. PvE
A. Solo
B. Duo
C. Large Teams

XI. PvP
A. Bloody Bay
B. Siren's Call
C. Warburg
D. Recluse's Victory

Appendix A: Stealth vs Perception Chart

Appendix B: Arcana’s Guide to Defense

Appendix C: COH Forum: Guide to Guides

Appendix D: Paragon Wiki: IO Sets Page

Appendix E: City of Data

[ QUOTE ]
Please use this thread to discuss the below announcement:


We wanted to let you know that we added two entries to the Patch Notes for the current live version:
<ul type="square">[*] Longbow and Arachnos Heavies used in Recluse's Victory can no longer be healed. [*] The combative inhabitants in a zone will move off the streets and to safer locations when a Rikti Invasion takes place. [/list]
Our apologies that these changes did not make it into the initial release notes.

[/ QUOTE ]

This does not surprise me. But as though the -def and -acc and regen nerf on the Heavy was already done and made the Heavies seriously easy to take down. I'll laugh at anyone who might consider using one in pvp, not that I didn't already. The only question is whether the echo of my laugh will surpass the lifespan of the heavy. Probably will.

[ QUOTE ]
This has achieved the opposite effect of what the Devs intended.

An active farming player using a Heavy to defeat Pillbox turrets and Longbow/Arachnos mobs for the XP/Infamy/Prestige rewards can now only hold on to their pet for a very limited amount of time.

At best, the Heavy will last for just under two pillboxes, or two dozen Longbow Wardens.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually the mobs are much easier in most cases, only approx 2 warden types are any real threat to the villain side heavy. As for turrets, this only means heavy is more aggro containment while the AT takes down the turret or a debuff at reduces the target turret to mush while the heavy takes down. Overall, won't likely impact my farming in RV on the whole. Players having heavies are the most often reason I don't farm RV. Since February-ish, its been Issue 9 and 10, and more badges etc to acquire and such. Although been farming RV regularly for infamy over prestige of late. This change won't change me much, in terms of my farming. It will make the heavy easier for pvp'rs to take away from me, but won't stop me on the whole.

Since all a farmer needs, is repetition and time.

[ QUOTE ]
If the active player is attacked by a PvPer, the change makes no difference to how the fight would ensue. If the PvPer is tough enough to survive a hit from an old-style Heavy then the same applies to a new non-healed Heavy. The only difference is how quickly the PvPer can destroy the Heavy before moving on to the owner.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed, in fact, I've considered going on a campaign to harass and destroy the heavy anyone with a heavy, just to get petitioned, after all its part of the pvp environment. But if I do it often enough with ease, they'll have to consider something, after all, take the fun out of the game for people and they will stop playing. Although without most of the original farmers that frequented the zone, it is likely to be empty on the whole, if the pvp'rs try to move in who're they gonna fight, I've spent enough time in the one on Guardian to know that they often only found us farmers to pick on. Those that haven't moved to Freedom, have found crickets for their pvp enjoyment.

[ QUOTE ]
A weak PvPer will get owned by a new Heavy just as easily as an old one, still detracting from the quality of PvP in the zone. The nerf does not address PvP concerns.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually just makes it easier to ignore the heavy. A weak player is now someone without defenses and in range of the heavy. I used to pop, Demonic, Overload and 3 Large Purples and maybe 1 out of 20 of the hero heavy's big attacks would hit and one-shot me, with just Overload it was an average of 1 out of 3 or 4 ish would get me. With the accuracy nerf, my odds went up with less defense. And now the heavy doesn't regen or heal and is easier to hit. Those heavies are now just serious jokes.

Player 1: "I'm gonna get a heavy."

Player 2: "What for?"

Player 1: "To help with the AV's?"

Player 2: "The heavies are a joke now, just get Shivans, Nukes, and the HVAS, at least it can be healed."

------------------------
On the other hand, since we know how much the Dev's love farming. Getting the heavy badge is much easier, first clear four pills of turrets and make sure that the pills are the ones closest to your sides heavy control points. Once the AV's spawn send your heavy in to die. Then go to the closest control point and get that heavy and send him in to die repeatedly. Since no regen, no healing, and a nice defense nerf that will help him to be mince-meat at the hands of the AV's. You'll get that third badge in no time. No need for another player, you can do it all by yourself.

[ QUOTE ]
In addition, a commercial AFK farmer who spends their days in the safety of their base now only need to check back every 25 minutes or so to replace their pet when it is destroyed.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can't say that I ever saw these AFK farmers, we had the commercial stone tanks/brutes on Guardian. They went stone to avoid being pvp'd to death by the rest of us. However, that didn't stop me from taking down their heavies, and now its even easier. I know that they weren't AFK, cause they would move from pill to pill, and it was funny to watch them speak broken english when they'd try to get you to stop or when fellow players would take all the heavies and they'd follow like puppy dogs, "GIVE ME BB" we assume they meant "Big Bot" at our best guess.

[ QUOTE ]
This has led to a shift of power in RV, in entirely the wrong direction.

In the past, the active players had the advantage when it came to grabbing Heavies. Real players were faster and wiser when it came to knowing where the Heavies would be and how to capture them quickly. We healed and buffed them more often, and knew how to approach a Pillbox to get the longest lifespan out of one of them.

Basically, if an AFK farmer's parked Heavy could be destroyed and then captured by a real player instead, it was game over for the AFK farmer. Unless a PvPer attacked the real player, the farmer probably have no opportunity to grab a Heavy for over an hour.

Now the opposite is true. Because AFK farmers only hunt patrolling NPCs, their Heavies last a LOT longer than ones being used as intended. Three commercial farmers can hold on to the Heavies for up to an hour without incident, and have a great chance to grab hold of one held by a real player since those are now being destroyed every 10 minutes or so.

Once the new patch was implemented, the first thing I did was visit RV to discover three players AFK in the villain base, controlling three Heavies parked at the usual East intersection. Eventually one of the Heavies died and I managed to capture its repalcement, but I could only hold on to it for a single Pillbox before it died and was stolen back by the AFK farmer.

Kinda ironic and depressing. I think a timer would even the odds, or maybe we can just cut the nonsense and the Devs could create a REAL level 50 PvP zone without the Pillboxes/Heavies/AVs to worry about.

If Issue 7 had featured TWO high-level PvP zones - RV and a more generic, no-frills zone similar to Siren's Call, then all this trouble with PvP-PvE conflict would never have emerged.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice testing, too bad you don't have more active people working to grief them and worse, people are actually buying the infamy / prestige, Pity those players that think the dev's don't actually want them to have anything.

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A NOTE TO THE DEV'S

On the whole, you've done nothing to change the situation. And once again, prove that you don't see things from our perspective. As Stateman said so long ago and I paraphrase, "we didn't expect players to have full Hami builds this fast." And that is but one of the many examples. He thinks we want an "I win" button. Some might, I don't want an I win button, and I don't believe that a majority of the players in the game do. I don't want it to take 10 years to get the last heal badge with Aid Other, and I do want "Equality" for villains and heroes. If the heroes get Focused Accuracy, then give me a Patron that does something similar. If they have 20 task forces, then I want 20 task forces, if they have 12 city &amp; hazard zones, than I want 12 city &amp; hazard zones. That is how I measure equality.

We go to test to find bugs. Have you thought of privately asking some of your more famous Farmers, such as Beef Cake. "Find us farms in this issue."

Now before people scream, but hey your on test to do that already.

Not really. We're on test to find bugs, and hopefully gain the badge which does not exist (and finding a farm while enough of an issue to warrant a patch, won't earn that badge, thus isn't worth reporting; typically). Bugs and Farming are two different things to us. One breaks the game for everyone. The second, while the Dev's don't like it, doesn't typically break the game until the Dev's try to change it.

---------------------------------------------

I just ran a test and got thru 1.5 pills before heavy died, finished off last two turrets without him and went and picked up a new heavy and continued. As long as not competing with other players and from Midnight - 4 AM Pacific, that rarely happens, not much really changed by the nerfs.

I've got several names that I've wanted that people have apparently made characters up to over the level 35 that originally name-changes were done by. And for as long as I've been on, never played them.

My only hope, is that Guardian gets ignored as far as the PvP'rs go. Which seems to be the general consensus.

[ QUOTE ]

Controllers will find themselves greatly desired in the final battle if the team wants to have any chance of winning.


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm a little concerned about the implication that Controllers are going to be required to succeed. My SG regularly rolls without a Controller, and I don't believe we have more than 1 Controller in our SG and he isn't able to get on all the time.

I was just recently told by someone that the Fusion Generator badge was going to be deleted.

They are reliable and state they got their post from CuppaJo. Their PM came two days after Positron's initial post here about it should be working.

I would like to have clarification on this if possible.

Mike Apolis Discussion

We've found this one in Grandville, been discussing it over in Vidiotmaps forum, I went and grabbed map location and screenie.

Must do again, yes it is fixed. Only need to do once.

According to the Prima Guide:

We should have Born in Battle accolade.

Yet it is not being awarded.

Hmmm, I know of a group that didn't get it, but it was clear that out of two groups fighting they didn't do 25% of the damage against him. I fought him with someone about Month ago so that they could get badge and they did, what timeframe did you do it, also what server, if you are on Guardian, holler, if I'm on (usually am and on hide) I'll be happy to try to assist.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

I agree with you here, Ewok. The feeling I've gotten is the only argument I get is some obscure reference to one already had and to be accused of something I didn't do. Then to be told I'm lying because I'm clearly ignoring their post of exactly when and where I said the rude item.


[/ QUOTE ]


[ QUOTE ]

"Just play the game. How difficult is that?"

That is a tone I and others find condescending.


[/ QUOTE ]


*plunk!*

*plunk!*

Anyone able and willing to debate the change without ignoring counter-points, or indulging in ad hominems or strawmen?

[/ QUOTE ]

------------------

[ QUOTE ]
H&amp;R, if simple civility cannot compell you to answer counterarguments or behave in a respectful manner, consider for a moment that your present behavior is not doing you any favors.

[/ QUOTE ]

---------------------

That would have been 3 posts into the I am rude statement you initially made (posted immediately above). Thus if you berate people long enough you'll eventually get them to say something you can actually use. But again, my point is not to be rude, but to say that all I do is play the game and I say there is no problem with earning prestige vs infamy. You say there is, but don't explain how it is hard other than to say you have to leave SG/VG mode.

I believe you are reading tone into my statements where none is, until after I was being attacked by you and that did color my attitude. So please stop the accusations, and continue with actual discussions.

[ QUOTE ]
No point arguing. You rebut every argument with the same argument, and when we rebut that, you use it again.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with you here, Ewok. The feeling I've gotten is the only argument I get is some obscure reference to one already had and to be accused of something I didn't do. Then to be told I'm lying because I'm clearly ignoring their post of exactly when and where I said the rude item.

The forums are clearly not polite and friendly, when you try to have a reasonable discussion to be called Elitist just because you post, by someone who doesn't know you and told you are lying and ignoring them, when you clearly aren't.

You know, I have a better idea.

You won't be able get the missions yourself per se, but you can join others that have those missions, I make/delete alts all the time for the lower levels and offer those missions.

My recommendation is tri-fold:
1) Join the Chat channel "Vidiotmaps.com"
2) goto www.vidiotmaps.com and goto the forums and add to bookmarks - you can also find a link to a badge tracking site that will help you identify what you have vs what you need.
3) goto http://www.nofuture.org.uk/cov/ and add to your bookmarks as well

Depending on your server there may be a channel specific to there that will put you in communications with others on your server specifically. I know that Guardian server has the "Guardian" channel. Also check NoFuture for which contact offers which mission and check with those in your Villain Group that might be on or getting those contacts with those missions.

Hope that helps you.

-------------------------------

P.S. Thanks Ewok.