James_Bonnell

Ask and ye shall receive, sort of... it's maybe a bit rough.

Trapsters!

Villain-side, all-traps-all-the-time! We accept only corruptors or masterminds, but any primary in those ATs is welcome - as long as your secondary is traps.

No website currently, and we have regular Sunday playtimes from about 6 pm EST - 10 pm EST. In just two sessions, most of us have hit 12.

Anyone with a free spot on Infinity - with a new or existing /traps character - is welcome.

Also - see all-traps SG thread in the Corruptor boards for more info.

[ QUOTE ]
As I said, I love this game, but let's not make more out of it than it is. It is entertainment.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, and... amateur sports are "just entertainment", too - but you can learn teamwork, cooperation, sacrifice, etc etc etc.

This is not to suggest that "I'm learning leadership skills" is by any stretch the reason to play COH, or any game...

... but rather that some aspects of "leadership" really are learnable by many, if they want to take on that responsibility, and leading a team in an MMO such as COH can give you a taste of that.


For instance...

What do leaders do? (Okay, in the business world, this is sometimes managers, but leaving that alone for a moment).

1) Have a plan (or vision). Know what you want to do - is it missions? A Task Force? etc. A good leader will have a plan, even just "get people and run radio/police scanner missions".

2) Recruit appropriate staff. If you know you're going to need a blaster (or an accountant)... go find one. If only the search function in the real world was so easy...

3) Communicate! Many, many applications
A) Letting the new recruit know what you're doing in general.
B) Making teammates aware of problems that need solving ("more agro", say).
C) Keeping people on task (sometimes useful, sometimes not).
etc.

4) Make decisions. It often doesn't matter to most players what they do, as long as you pick fairly quickly. Asking "does anyone mind... " can't really hurt, but often, it's best just to pick something and move on.

5) Know your team. What are their strengths and weaknesses? (i.e. what powers do they have)?

6) Manage personalities. Sometimes you have to know when to let someone go (i.e. kick off the team, or fire them), or get people to work better together, either in terms of powers or coordination.

7) Listen! If someone has a suggestion, they may know more than you ("This room sucks, I'd say pull"). Or maybe someone wants to do a particular task - if no one else cares, do that.

Etc.

It sounded a bit odd to me too, to think of a game like this involving anything remotely to do with "leadership skills", but really, there are certain things that overlap.

It did occur to me doing an MBA Leadership class, that a lot of the things we were discussing that defined "leadership" ... were in there, albeit on a small scale.

Mind you - in Coh, it IS only entertainment when all is said and done.

But an amateur sports team is only for fun, too, in theory...

In the business world, the stakes are obviously much higher.

But really... getting a team together, communicating a vision, keeping people motivated and on task, and deciding what to do next...

... those are all leadership skills.

Different stakes (much, much lower than almost anything "real world" like in business)... but similar tasks on a micro level.

Pretty much, yeah.

Yeah, hard to tell unless I set up a tab especially for "Healing Received" - since the damage from Quills/Death Shroud / attacks make it nearly impossible to see when "immobilized" comes across (it scrolls way too fast).

Which is why an animation would be helpful.

Yeah - I got a razzle dazzle chance for immobilize and tossed it into OG - but it hasn't seemed to do anything.

I really wish there'd be some animation that plays when a proc works.

Sure. They are each checked separately with each attack as I understand it.

They do "some extra". I'd have to check but it's a decent amount, noticeable (if you happen to have "Healing Received" in your text window).

It's probably about the same as they added to AR's Sniper Rifle with Targeting Drone running, which, IIRC, is about 70 damage. Something like that.

And I for one didn't give up accuracy to fit in more slots, but then I also run Focused Accuracy.

SQL Server Represent!

... it was funny in game one time when I came across a character named "Clustered Index". That's a SQL Server (and, okay, yech, Sybase) specific concept. Well, funny is relative. Recognizing it and that someone called their character that was funny. The name and the concept behind it aren't especially.

As a SQL Server DBA, I've always kind of wondered on a professional basis what database backend you use.

I have some idea of what kind of effort this kind of restore takes, although of course I don't know the specifics of what you have to do...

Might I suggest a spot of Database Mirroring?

It's probably some kind of trade secret though so I won't press any further.

I have a spine/dark currently at 47, which I am pushing to 50 (finally!)

I wanted to see what I could do if I: tried to maximize +regen and +recovery bonuses, got some +tohit and +damage in the mix, and, perhaps differently, added as many procs as I could find.

Here's what I came up with:

I went an entirely different way with my spine/dark:

I'll just list the Powers and IOs/SOs/HOs and bonuses as Mid's Hero Designer is reporting them.
This doesn't include an acc/dam/recharge/etc breakdown.


Be aware, the +tohit (very good) bonuses may be (or are) being converted to accuracy (not so good) on test at this

time.

This one might be called ("+regen/+recovery/+tohit/+proc").



Lunge: (4)
4 Mako's Bite (Acc/Dam, Dam/End, Damage/Recharge, Chance for Lethal Proc)
Bonuses: Immob -3.3%, +1.5% HP, +3% damage buff.

Dark Embrace (4):
2 Impervium Armor (Res/End, Res), 2 Aegis (Res/End, Res)
Bonuses: +2.5% Recovery, +5% Run Speed

Spine Burst (6):
4 Scirocco's Dervish (mix and match, but include Lethal proc) (PBAOE)
1 End Reduction IO,
1 Impeded Swiftness (chance for smashing proc) (slow)
(Chops end cost nearly in half)
Bonuses: +10% Regen, +3% Res (neg), +3% tohit (soon to be acc)

Death Shroud (6)
4 Scirocco's Dervish (mix and match, including Lethal Proc), 2 End reduction IOs (cuts end cost in half)
Bonuses: +10% Regen, +3% Res (neg), +3% tohit (soon to be acc)

Buildup (3 recharge SOs or IOs)

Impale (5)
4 Devastation (mix and match, including Chance to Hold), Trap of the Hunter (chance for lethal)
Bonuses: +12% Regen, +2.25 HP, +3% Damage Buff

Obsidian Shield (4)
2 - Steadfast Protection (Res & 3% +def, -KB)
2 - Impervium Armor (Res/end, res)
Bonus: +2.5% Recovery, +1.5% Recovery

Recall Friend (1 range)

Teleport (4)
2 - Time & Space Manipulation (range, end)
2 - Jaunt (range, end/range)
Bonuses: +8% Regen, +4% Regen

Swift (1 run)

Health (5)
2 Numina's (+recovery/+regen, Heal)
2 Miracle (+recovery, Heal)
1 Regenerative Tissue (+regen)

Bonuses: +12% Regen, +2.5% recovery (+20% regen, +15% recovery, +10% recovery, +25% regen)

Stamina: 3 end recovery (or, possibly, 2 IOs to save a slot)


Quills (5)
4 Scirocco's Dervish (mix and match, but include Lethal proc) (PBAOE)
1 Impeded Swiftness (chance for smashing proc)
Bonuses: +10% Regen, +3% Res (neg), +3% tohit (soon to be acc)

Dark Regen (5)
1 Acc IO
2 - Numina's Convalescence (Heal/End, end/recharge)
2 - Miracle (Heal/End, end/recharge)

Bonuses: +12% Regen, +2.5% recovery



Ripper (5)
4 - Scirocco's Dervish (include Lethal proc)
1 - Impeded Swiftness (smashing proc)
Bonuses: Bonuses: +10% Regen, +3% Res (neg), +3% tohit (soon to be acc)

Cloak of Darkness (5)
2 - Kismet (+Acc 6/3%, def/end)
2 - Gift of the Ancients (+runspeed, def/end)
1 - Luck of the Gambler +recharge

Bonuses: +1.5% recovery, +2% recovery

Hover (4)
2 Freebird (Fly, +Stealth)
1 Fly IO (Fly)
1 Luck of the Gambler +recharge

Bonus: +8% Regen (didn't use another Gambler b/c no more +10% will work)

Throw Spines (5)
5 Positron's Blast (including chance for energy damage proc)
Bonuses: +2.5% recovery, +1.58% res(fire,cold), +3% tohit(or acc), +6.25% recharge time

Murky Cloud (2)
2 - Aegis (res/end, resistance)

Bonus: +5% run speed


Oppressive Gloom (1) - no acc!
1 - Razzle Dazzle chance to immobilize

Focused Accuracy (3) (when feasible, have one now...)
3 cytoskeletons (end reduction/+ tohit)

Laser Beam Eyes (6)
4 - Devastation (acc/dam, dam/end, dam/rchg, chance of hold proc)
1 - Decimation (chance for buildup proc)
1 - Entropic Chaos (chance for self-heal)

Bonuses: +12% regen, +2.25% HP, +3% damage

CP 3
ST 1

(91)

Totals:
Lunge Bonuses: Immob -3.3%, +1.5% HP, +3% damage buff.
Dark Embrace Bonuses: +2.5% Recovery, +5% Run Speed
Spine Burst Bonuses: +10% Regen, +3% Res (neg), +3% tohit (soon to be acc)
Death Shroud Bonuses: +10% Regen, +3% Res (neg), +3% tohit (soon to be acc)
Impale Bonuses: +12% Regen, +2.25 HP, +3% Damage Buff
Obsidian Shield Bonuses: +2.5% Recovery, +1.5% Recovery
Teleport Bonuses: +8% Regen, +4% Regen
Health Bonuses: +12% Regen, +2.5% recovery (+20% regen, +10% recovery, +15% recovery, +25% regen)
Quills Bonuses: +10% Regen, +3% Res (neg), +3% tohit (soon to be acc)
Dark Regen Bonuses: +10% regen, +12% regen, +2.5% recovery
Ripper Bonuses: Bonuses: +10% Regen, +3% Res (neg), +3% tohit (soon to be acc)
Cloak of Darkness Bonuses: +1.5% recovery, +2% recovery
Hover Bonus: +8% Regen (didn't use another Gambler b/c no more +10% will work)
Throw Spines Bonuses: +2.5% recovery, +1.58% res(fire,cold), +3% tohit(or acc), +6.25% recharge time
Murky Cloud Bonus: +5% run speed
Laser Beam Eyes Bonuses: +12% regen, +2.25% HP, +3% damage


Totals:
Immob -3.3%
HP +6%
Recovery: 12.5% (5 * 2.5) + 3% (2 * 1.5) + 2% (1 * 2%), + 25% recovery (uniques) = +42.5% recovery
(and stamina, atlas medallion, and portal jockey for 110 end)
Damage buff +9%
Run speed +10%
Res (neg) +12%
Tohit (acc) +15% (5 * 3%)
Regen: +4%, +16% (+8% *2), +40% (10% * 4), +36% (12% * 3), +45% regen (uniques) = +151% regen
+ Health
Res (fire/cold) + 1.58%
Recharge time: +6%

Luck of the Gambler recharge *2 = +15% recharge (global)
Gift of the Ancients +7.5% run speed
Kismet +6% Accuracy

Total +Acc = +21% (PLUS focused accuracy!)
Total +dmg = 9%
Total +run = +17.5%
Total +recharge = 21%

Procs (here's where it gets very interesting indeed):
Lunge (mako's bite +lethal)
Spine Burst (impeded swiftness +smashing, scirocco's dervish +lethal)
Death Shroud (scirocco's dervish +lethal)
Impale (trap of the hunter +lethal, devastation chance to hold)
Quills (scirocco's dervish +lethal, impeded swiftness +smashing)
Ripper (scirocco's dervish +lethal, impeded swiftness +smashing)
Throw Spines (positron's blast +energy)
Oppressive gloom (razzle dazzle chance to immobilize)
Laser Beam Eyes (devastation chance to hold, Decimation chance to buildup, entropic chaos chance to heal)

So, I already do a variety of types of damage as a spines/dark:
lethal (most), negative (death shroud), energy (LBE)

I add: smashing, more energy, a couple of chances to hold, a buildup, a heal, and more lethal.


And it gets nearly 10% def while running CoD and Hover. Not that much, but not bad at all either.

So not only have I tried to maximize set bonuses, but also get every proc that I could.

IF such a build would be feasible, it would also take an extremely long time to put together.

The procs, though, could probably be acquired fairly easily I would think, over time.

I'm also not entirely sure that the Cloak of Darkness slotting is worthwhile, but it does get me at least one Kismet and one Luck of the Gambler. It should probably have a Karma also, but of course this build eats up the slots.

Heh. Well, for whatever reason, I was in a mood to make more toons... despite not having that much time to actually PLAY these days (full time job + doing an MBA).

I did, however, respec all my Infinity toons who had freespecs remaining over the past few days as well. Who knew that just swapping out Superspeed for Fly and grabbing Air Superiority would have made my Stalker more fun?

(Well, that, and doing the 32-sellback-and-buyback-to-get-35s).

I also tried Repel again after years without it, and it's better than I remembered (since the last time I used it was before ragdoll).

I even (heresy!) picked up Auto Turret again on my ar/dev, in the vain hope that he'll get to run STFs ... it would probably help against the repairmen... but if not, that's what the new freespec can fix later.


Now I just need 33 on that guy for a few end reducers and I'm golden... or a Miracle! (The +recovery one, specifically).

I'm glad that they gave us plenty of notice for the freespec this time.

Oh, and... "anniversary freespec" that just happens to coincide with the release of the issue? Suuuure it's not for the issue. (Still, as long as they GIVE it to us, I don't really care how they rationalize it as "not being with the issue").

4?

Amateur. (/jk).

I think I added 12. (But over the past couple days, got up too late today to do any more... and can't really think of any more I want right now anyway.)

Now whether I ever *play* any of them a significant amount of time is another issue...

Set IO slotting #13: Lots of Slots:
Luck of the Gambler def/end,
Luck of the Gambler +5% rch global;
Kismet def/end,
Kismet +6% tohit unique global;
Gift of the Ancients def/end,
Gift of the Ancients +7.5% runspeed global;
def: +43.5%
end: +72.4%
Set and Global bonuses
Regen: +10%
Recovery: +1.5%
Recovery: +2%
Recharge: +5%
tohit: +6%
Runspeed: +7.5%

If I can, I'm going to try this on my already HO'd out AR/DEV blaster. Just added 5 slots to Cloaking Device tonight. Attacks are pretty much all 6-slotted anyway, so why not?

Can't wait to get that, the Miracle +recovery, and the Numina's Convalescence +recovery/+regen into Health. Should be tremendous fun.

I'll have to check in-game, as I slotted one yesterday on test, but I don't remember the text of the IO as stating "Unique". Pretty sure that Numina's Convalescence (the +rec/+regen) one did, and Stealth IOs.

Doesn't mean it doesn't, either, just that I didn't notice it. Have to check in-game to make sure.

Finally won one, current record 1-3 on test.

I respec'd my kin def to my Update 9 live build (sans IOs, of course), including Maneuvers (! - for a -KB IO), Tactics, and Vengeance, and Repel (for the tower assault).

We had a near perfect team, I think:

stone tank
empath def
fire/? blaster
fire/storm controller
fire/kin controller
kin/dark
2 scrappers - think katana and spines but not sure.

Towers went down nicely fast - much faster than the one run I did previously.

Stone tank + emp is perfect for recluse, and did well against Aeon as well.

For the lieuts... what ended up working for us after a bad initial opening salvo was to have the tank keep 3 of them busy, while the rest of us whittled away at first Scirocco, then GW, then Scorp/Mako.

The last two went down very quickly.

Sci took a while, and so did GW, but we took out them, took out the flier, and then took maybe 10 minutes to put down the towers and LR.

Dedicated empath really helps with tanking, though, on this one.

We'll see if I do it much on live, now that I've beaten it once, I sure won't be interested in running it daily.

Maybe weekly. Maybe.

Those cutscenes get OLD, if no other reason.

Yep - you can do this kind of thing with a lot of +def powers.

Including, of all things, Maneuvers.

QR

I'm still 0-3 on attempts, twice on a kin def, once on a dark def.

We were stopped by the AVs in the final mission twice, and towers once.

I will say that the speed with which repairmen can rebuild a toasted tower (if they get repelled away from the tower currently being attacked) is frustrating.

We got one tower down, but then a singularity was stationed atop the tower we were working on... and it took like 10 seconds or something for the tower to be entirely rebuilt.

I can see my earth/storm's Volcanic Gasses playing a good role in the tower killing...

... and, kins and darks are fairly useless for healing tanks until the +def tower goes down on Lord Recluse. Even with Tactics and Vengeance.

Bring emps!

And stone tanks.

Invl and fire had a devil of a time with recluse without a dedicated empath.

Unique means one copy of a particular "unique IO" per character. Or, as you put it, "one Unique per set".

You are not, however (thankfully!) limited to only one Unique IO per character (that would suck). That is, you are allowed to slot both Numina's Convalescence and, say, a +Stealth IO (which are both classified as "unique") somewhere on your character.

I'm wondering if my ar/dev blaster's trip mines would be helpful for tower fights, specifically, if I'm not otherwise needed - play "goalkeeper" and just lay bunches of mines around each downed tower, and if I see a repair man... zip into the 60' range and BOOM!

Has anyone brought a /dev blaster on the STF yet? I was about to over the weekend, but swapped to my kin/dark, and we gave up on the TF when we were all kicked off the server, after toasting only Black Scorpion.

Hmm.

Looking on test, you can slot the 3-IO set that gives you end reduction, run speed, and +stealth, presumably, into Super Speed.

So can I actually get +stealth from the IO and add that to Super Speed's own version of +stealth? That would be full mobile invis for PVE, and not require picking up a Stealth power in addition. Which would rock for several toons. Actually, any toon that can take SS wouldn't strictly NEED Stealth then, for my purposes.

Or could have "real" invis even to Nemesis Snipers with SS, +stealth IO, and Stealth. Which would be awesome.

Or is that something they will squash? Or just a pipedream on my part?

Ah. Interesting.

The last time I looked at +stealth powers was a couple years ago.

Thanks for the clarification.

In practice, though, even if the effects are technically different, "they stack". In other words, SG + cloaking device + super speed = enough -per (or -per and +stealth, as preferred) to hide from a Nem Sniper or various flavors of Rikti Drones (if you can get close enough to throw SG, that is), last time I checked, which was also a while ago.

Or SG + Cloaking Device = "functional invisibility" to those mobs. It's just that SG is an active power, and must be used on the mobs first. Or so I've always thought of it.

QR -

Well, several years ago, I realized you could get Kin effects off the force-field generators in the Hydra Trial... I don't see why the oil slick (as a targetable "enemy") would be any different.

Shrug. It's still PVP, and I care just a smidge above zero about PVP.

If you care about it, by all means, weigh in on your concerns.

This is, however, the first I've heard about two +stealth factors. Last time I read anything about it, both stealth and superspeed reduced the range at which mobs could perceive you by -50 each (which, I suppose, might be +stealth... or -per, depending on your perspective). It's just that in PVE, they stack... in PVP, Super Speed effectively doesn't have any reduction in perception range, whatever you want to call it (+stealth or -per, if there's a signficant difference between those concepts).

Popping an Acc these days lets you see Stealthed mobs, IIRC, and through Night Widow's Smoke Grenades.

What are these two factors of which you speak?

In PVE you can stack Stealth with a -per power like Super Speed to get functional invisibility. I've done it for nigh on three years. I'm well aware that you can't stack two Stealth powers, thanks. And that -per has no effect in PVP.

Here's the thing - they could just swap out how +stealth IOs work for the way Superspeed works in PVP. There's nothing saying that it HAS to be "stackable stealth". Unless it does (I'm not a programmer, I'm a database guy).

PVP... shrug.

I got to Bloody Bay for shivans, and occsionally to PVP zones to do missions. And that's about it.


On the other hand, the objection is that it makes Stalkers less special? Or just that you need to do more work to see folks?

Eh. That's what IR goggles (and stacked Tactics) are for. Even folks in Bloody Bay can have Tactics.