JAXMAN

Bots/Dark would probably handle your play style. Bots stay at range which make them a bit easier to manage, and the Protector Bots will buff and heal the other bots. Dark will give you plenty to do and the -to hit will stack nicely with the +Def from the Protector Bots. It may get a bit boring but you can always up the difficulty to compensate.

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Having to draw the mace for Surveilance would suck for all the people out there using the Hybrid and huntsman builds.

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Bully for them. Only reason you'd use Hybrid or Huntsman is for AoE, and Surveillance is of little benefit to such builds anyway.

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Huntsman builds already have to deal with redraw on Build Up, more on Surveillance would just be rude.

While SR can do some amazing things DA is my choice for a secondary when teaming. The stun and/or fear to me feels like I'm contributing more than just damage.

With just SOs DA has a lot of survivability, but with how fast SR can hit the soft cap it can take a lot of work to push DA to the point it can do some of the crazier things.

This is what I leveled up with, but then again I stayed with the Wold powers after 24, I grabbed the Bane armor, cloaking device, and surveillance but otherwise i'm rocking the rifle at level 45 and going strong.

never felt weak or that I wasn't contributing.

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

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

Level 23 Natural Arachnos Soldier
Primary Power Set: Arachnos Soldier
Secondary Power Set: Training and Gadgets
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fitness

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Single Shot -- Acc-I(A), Dmg-I(5), Dmg-I(7), Dmg-I(19)
Level 1: Wolf Spider Armor -- ResDam-I(A)
Level 2: Burst -- Acc-I(A), EndRdx-I(3), RechRdx-I(3), Dmg-I(5), Dmg-I(7), Dmg-I(19)
Level 4: Combat Training: Defensive -- DefBuff-I(A)
Level 6: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(15)
Level 8: Heavy Burst -- Acc-I(A), EndRdx-I(9), RechRdx-I(9), Dmg-I(15), Dmg-I(17), Dmg-I(23)
Level 10: Tactical Training: Maneuvers -- EndRdx-I(A), DefBuff-I(11), DefBuff-I(11)
Level 12: Venom Grenade -- Acc-I(A), EndRdx-I(13), RechRdx-I(13), RechRdx-I(17), Dmg-I(23)
Level 14: Super Speed -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 16: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 18: Health -- Heal-I(A)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Mental Training -- Run-I(A)
Level 24: [Empty]
Level 26: [Empty]
Level 28: [Empty]
Level 30: [Empty]
Level 32: [Empty]
Level 35: [Empty]
Level 38: [Empty]
Level 41: [Empty]
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Conditioning
------------

Well the power selection order is a bit different but that's pretty close to what my Huntsman build looks like. I took Maneuvers from Leadership early instead of both armors for some extra defense while teaming. Haven't quite made up my mind between Wolfspider armor or Build Up; the redraw on Build Up kind of bothers me.

I can pump out quite a bit of AoE damage and do some debuffing all with pretty good Ranged and AoE defense, which will be soft capped by 50 with Melee in the 30s. This is probably the closest thing build I have to a "concept" build and it's very enjoyable.

I have found that I burn through endurance. I have the Performance Shifter Proc and a Numina Unique; I plan to add a Miracle when I get the merits.

It's not an alt I solo a lot with but I had teaming in mind when I finally got him past level 4.

The issue most players have with the limited time frame of the announcements is that they don't want to "lose" a respec. Players that have gotten attached to a particular alt for 4 years are down to buying a respec recipe, buying a respec, or waiting for a free respec from the Dev team. Players that know they are limited on options like to keep a free respec around in case they can afford a new super build or a power changes.

If you have a free respec banked and know another one is coming you can use your banked respec with confidence that if you are unsatisfied you can undo the changes in short order. With little notice of the grants a lot of players cannot make use of their banked respec and for the most part miss out on a free respec.

My understanding was the second grant was planned to in part make up for this scenario the first time. Now with another round of short notice some players will miss out on 2 respec's in a row. I think it's completely understandable that dedicated players feel slighted by this.

Of course if we could bank more than one free respec there wouldn't be an issue, bu that's a discussion for another thread.

I don't feel that using single target attacks to take out 2 of 6 enemies is reducing the alpha. I use shockwave to reduce the alpha, 6 enemies on their backs don't do much damage. With Follow Up, Focus, Slash, Air Sup, and Strike I have a constant single target attack chain. This chain does great DPS and can get you from 18 to 50 if you want to solo that way. Trade Swipe for Air Sup and not much changes.

Having the flexibility in Claws and Regen to be good without taking an abundance of powers is a hidden strength of the build. You do not have to only be single target or AoE based. I ignore my AoE atttacks 90% of the time when I solo, I could do without them completely. But when I team I love to have them. Part of the role of a scrapper is to do damage. AoE damage is king in PvE, the more the better. Use DP and IH if you get agro.

I can't see how you can consider Spin to barely damage foes; it does the same damage as Strike and more than Swipe, to as many foes as you can hit with it. Hitting 1 guy for 50 or 6 for 50 each, I know which I'd take. Add in the fact that Shockwave does the same damage again; in two attacks you can do more damage than hitting 6 guys with Strike and Swipe each. That is over simplified as you will use Follow Up, Slash and Focus as much as possible, but the AoE damage can really add up.

I used to not like Spin for the endurance cost, but Regen can handle that without much of an issue.

This is an old build, but it's ok. It is a respec build, so the slotting order is off, but the end result is right.

Exported from version 1.5C of CoH Planner
http://joechott.com/coh

Archetype: Scrapper
Primary Powers - Ranged : Claws
Secondary Powers - Support : Regeneration

01 : Fast Healing hel(01)
01 : Strike acc(01) dam(3) dam(13) dam(40)
02 : Slash acc(02) dam(3) dam(7) dam(15)
04 : Reconstruction recred(04) recred(5) recred(5) hel(9) hel(31) hel(46)
06 : Air Superiority acc(06) dam(7) dam(13) dam(31)
08 : Follow Up acc(08) acc(9) recred(34) recred(36) dam(40) dam(42)
10 : Dull Pain recred(10) recred(11) recred(11) hel(15) hel(31) hel(46)
12 : Quick Recovery endrec(12) endrec(27) endrec(27)
14 : Fly fltspd(14) fltspd(46) fltspd(50)
16 : Integration hel(16) hel(17) hel(17)
18 : Focus acc(18) dam(19) dam(19) dam(21) recred(25) endred(40)
20 : Spin acc(20) endred(21) dam(23) dam(23) dam(25) recred(37)
22 : Swift runspd(22) runspd(50) runspd(50)
24 : Health hel(24)
26 : Stamina endrec(26) endrec(29) endrec(29)
28 : Instant Healing recred(28) recred(36) recred(37) hel(48) hel(48) hel(48)
30 : Hasten recred(30) recred(36) recred(37)
32 : Shockwave acc(32) endred(33) recred(33) dam(33) dam(34) dam(34)
35 : Assault endred(35)
38 : Tactics endred(38) thtbuf(39) thtbuf(39) thtbuf(39)
41 : Petrifying Gaze acc(41) acc(42) hlddur(42) hlddur(43) recred(43) recred(43)
44 : Dark Blast acc(44) dam(45) dam(45) dam(45)
47 : Resilience damres(47)
49 : Super Speed endred(49)
-------------------------------------------

01 : Brawl Empty(01)
01 : Sprint Empty(01)
02 : Rest Empty(02)


*Edit - I should point out that there is plenty of room in my build for Eviscerate. You could even take that instead of Spin.

I managed to fit Spin in on my Regen and SR scrapper. When teaming, it lags behind only Shockwave for damage done for me. I think Evis and Spin are both situational powers, with Spin fillign the situation I face most often. In that case I leave Evis and Swipe out of my attack chain.

I the low levels with my Regen I used Strike, Follow Up, Slash, and Spin. QR helps with Spins endurance drain, and in my experience, helped me defeat groups of 3 or more mobs faster. My SR scrapper took Air Sup over Spin early for the damage mitigation.

I don't see anything wrong with taking Swipe and the other Claws attacks if you plan to respec out of one, but I usually do not plan to respec, but instead level with a build that will be good later and while exemping. Levels 1-20 go by fast, I'd rather not be as good as I could be then than have 2 powers (Swipe/Strike) that I tend not to use in the later levels.

Back to Spin though, it's a love it or hate it power. I really started to like it once I got Shockwave, and had 2 easy to use AoE attacks. Claw's attack are so fast, who has time to line up Evis to hit multiple guys? Even though I may disagree with a point or two, I liked the guide a lot.

and check

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I didn't make my point very clear there.

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A common hazzard of text based communication. People accuse me of being "nitpicky" or obsessed with semantics but the fact is without absolute clarity in text you will be misinterpeted and that wastes time and energy for everyone involved.

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well i was being sarcastic to an extent


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And make no mistake, in my mind the AV version will always be the "real" version and I won't feel I can claim I've fought that mob until I face the AV version. With the current system my 38 could at least invite a 50 and pummel the AV into submission (and amazingly, get XP if I kick the 50 after they enter the mission but before we finish the fight - talk about an exploit!) and feel I beat the AV even if I needed serious help to do it.


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When I need to do this I do not feel I beat the AV but simply dealt with the annoying mission. A good long hard Elite Boss fight is much more enjoyable and requires more skill IMO than having a buddy defeat the AV for me.

And I would assume if the devs change how AV spawn they spend some time and do it right. Avoid the issue where you can kick everyone off the team, go to the last floor, and reinvite for an Elite Boss battle. This type of thing is a problem now, how missions spawn and populate and has been in CoH for a long time. It used to be if a mission was too hard a team could have 1 or 2 people begin and then reinvite and complete it that way. Balance is a destionation that very well may never truely be achieved, it's the effort that counts and I think the devs are honeslty working in the right direction.

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If fighting AV's is the only reason you level up a character why is it a big deal to fight them on Invincible solo?

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Because I can't fight the standard spawns solo on Invincible. Nor do I feel I should be required to in order to face an AV.

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I didn't make my point very clear there. I do agree that fighting spawns on Invincible is hard to the point that is not worth the risk or time. I usually fight on rugged as I find it the most enjoyable setting on average. I was more trying to point out that if you want to fight an AV now or after the changes that will require a team, and if you have a team the Invincible spawns should be more than doable. It will be a pain to force an AV spawn in some cases, but overall I think that will be less annoying that the current system.

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I think the changes allow for more options in play style.

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If you go back to my first post in this thread I explicity stated I'm not asking for these changes to be repealed. I don't like them, but I respect the developer's right to make them. I simply see it as another in a line of decisions made that take the game away from its stated designs and I have never had a good experience with a game that does that.

All I've asked for is:

-Clear mission text so I know in advance what I need to do to ensure I ever see an Elite Boss when I really want to see an AV.
-A significant reward for AVs that is significant even if one is at the level cap
-A mechanism to prevent me from spending the time to gather the appropriate group to spawn an AV only to have someone drop mid-mission and thus prevent the AV from spawning when we reach the point where the team size is checked to determine if an AV spawns.

I don't think any of these requests are unreasonable, hard to program or contrary to the spirit of making the change in the first place.

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The only request I'm not so hot on is the last one. Only because I am assuming/hoping the AV spawn will set when the mission is begun not halfway through it. Overall I am not against any of the ideas presented. But, if the devs decide they want players to be surprised in missions by finding an elite boss/AV then they will be reluctant to make changes to the mission text. Not sure if that's good or bad. As far as rewards go, I could see adding better enhancement drops for AVs. Maybe not HO's that boost 2 attributes per enhancement but maybe one that is more than the current SO max of that type. 40%-45% instead of the 33%. Even with ED many players can see an improvement there and still want to 3 slot some power types.

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How is seeing an Archvillain with a full team *better* content than seeing the same character as an Elite Boss when you're solo or in a small, low difficulty group? I expect the difficulty of facing an Elite Boss solo is comparable to facing an Archvillain with the average team, especially the average team which is planning on facing an Archvillain.

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It's not about difficulty as much as it's about being able to play the game as it was designed on the level if difficulty it was designed for.

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The level of difficulty the game was designed for no longer exists. On Heoric bosses don't spawn and if you go up a level mission spawn with larger groups than at launch. There have been so many changes to the game referring the the original design is a pointless endeavor. If IH was a toggle, Smoke Grenade was overpowered, Containment was nowhere to be found, and Recharge times were returned then you could complain that you can't play the game as it was initially designed, but more balance changes are just that, more.

I think the spirit of the game has remined intact and the change to AV spawns represents that.

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I want to beat Archvillians. It's one of the only reasons I bother levelling up characters.

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If fighting AV's is the only reason you level up a character why is it a big deal to fight them on Invincible solo? AV's haven't been removed from the game. Currently are there any AV's you can have defeated solo that are spawning levels below you?

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I think some people are confused, with the idea that they won't see the character at all, but some other Elite Boss. I'm certain that that isn't the case.

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What I don't want is to get to the end of a mission, meet an Elite Boss, realize that I need to recruit a team and reset the mission to face that Elite Boss as an AV, the way I was originally meant to face it, which now means I earn nearly double the XP for that mission. That's a serious problem if I'm already outleveling my contacts.

So, I'm left with the choice of continuing and taking the "easy way out" or I'll have to keep redoing my missions.

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By the time AV's become common place it's a lot harder to out level contacts.

I for one have joined missions where the mission holder has encountered an AV and needed help defeating it. I would have liked the mission completion bonus but couldn't get it, and the experience for all the other mobs. Currently people have to log off thier characters in these missions because they cannot find a team to complete them, so they are already getting that awful double experience in a mission.

I for one haven't meet an elite boss that I would consdier the easy way out. I still find that I need a team for some, but the needs of those teams are less than AV teams. Ususally a duo or trio has an easy time with an elite boss, where as the same duo could not take on an AV and win.


I think the changes allow for more options in play style. I know some people will not like to raise their difficulty to face an AV. I would go so far as to say one of the few people I play with consistantly and likes to try to solo AV's and Monsters will not like the AV changes exactly as they are, but he will be able to adapt much easier than people current can to the way things are now.