Largo

Am I the only one who has found a renewed joy playing their tankers on test? With the new mission difficulty options, the ability to get all those spawns on single missions has made it fun for me to tank again. Of course, I never was one who asked others to pad a mission for me, now we don't have too. I think I'll be playing my tanks again, as they had really fallen out of favor with me recently. A pleasant and unexpected change to gaming I didn't expect from I16. Thanks to the developer who thought that one up. It's a winner.

All you have to do is remind him of your criticals. Thats double damage.

Doesn't your SS tank buddy use footstomp?

What is the name of this prestige badge? I have a villain that had well over 1 million prestige before AE even arrived and I'd like to see if I have it.

To the person who wanted educated on why to invite a stalker:

Im not trying to be snarky, but, how about fun as a reason? If the person playing the stalker is fun to have on the team, has fun playing his character, uses interesting tactics and strategy you don't always see, finds a way to use an underused power to full effect, helps you to complete your missions and stays around to help you complete multiple tasks, how is this not useful in a team? These are all just general attributes I would love to see everyone who plays this game have. It matters not really what archtype the player is, if he plays it well and has fun and lets you have fun, isn't that a good teammate?

How come I'm "popping and locking" everytime I teleport to the base or to the auction house?

To better describe this, it appears the activation is getting constantly interrupted and has to start over. Is this just something Im seeing or do others see this?

I play on Victory for the most part, but my slots are almost full so I started to branch onto Guardian. I have an ample base and many characters on Freedom, but I pretty much don't care about them, only going to them when my main servers are empty.

MA is getting new power animations, which will breathe even more life into it. The future looks great for MA players.

Heres how I soft capped.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Tom Anderson: Level 50 Technology Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Martial Arts
Secondary Power Set: Super Reflexes
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leadership
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Thunder Kick -- KntkC'bat-Knock%(A), KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(3), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(43)
Level 1: Focused Fighting -- DefBuff-I(A), DefBuff-I(13), RedFtn-Def(15), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(40)
Level 2: Storm Kick -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(5), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(17), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46), Mako-Dam%(46)
Level 4: Cobra Strike -- Stpfy-EndRdx/Stun(A), Acc-I(5), RechRdx-I(7), Stpfy-Acc/Rchg(7), Dsrnt-I(19)
Level 6: Combat Jumping -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(40), Zephyr-ResKB(43)
Level 8: Crane Kick -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), ExStrk-Dam%(9), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(9), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(11), KinCrsh-Rechg/EndRdx(17), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(46)
Level 10: Practiced Brawler -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(11)
Level 12: Focused Senses -- DefBuff-I(A), DefBuff-I(13), GftotA-Run+(15), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(40)
Level 14: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 16: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 18: Super Jump -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(43)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Quickness -- Run-I(A), Run-I(23)
Level 24: Focus Chi -- GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(A), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(25), GSFC-Build%(25), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(31), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(36), GSFC-ToHit(37)
Level 26: Dragon's Tail -- M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(27), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg(27), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(34), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(39), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(50)
Level 28: Dodge -- GftotA-Run+(A), DefBuff-I(29), DefBuff-I(29), DefBuff-I(45)
Level 30: Lucky -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), GftotA-Run+(31), LkGmblr-Def(31), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(42)
Level 32: Eagles Claw -- T'Death-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(A), T'Death-Acc/Dmg(33), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx(33), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg(33), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), T'Death-Dam%(37)
Level 35: Evasion -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), EndRdx-I(36), DefBuff-I(36), DefBuff-I(37)
Level 38: Agile -- Ksmt-ToHit+(A), DefBuff-I(39), DefBuff-I(39), GftotA-Run+(42)
Level 41: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(42)
Level 44: Warriors Challenge -- Zinger-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(A), Zinger-Taunt/Rng(45), Zinger-Dam%(45)
Level 47: Jump Kick -- FrcFbk-Dmg/KB(A), FrcFbk-Acc/KB(48), FrcFbk-Rchg/KB(48), FrcFbk-Rchg/EndRdx(48), FrcFbk-Dmg/EndRdx/KB(50), FrcFbk-Rechg%(50)
Level 49: Elude -- RechRdx-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Run-I(A), EndRdx-I(23), Clrty-RunSpd(34)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit

You'll want practiced brawler next, then start working your way to stamina.

Attack wise, I love Cobra Strike, but some dont. The only skippable attack is probably Crippling Axe Kick, and the only "maybe" skippable secondary power is Elude, but only if you intend on soft capping defense w/o it.

I have a soft capped MA/SR build, but I still took elude at 49.

Heres what I read:

"I ran ahead and I tanked this and then I ran ahead and I tanked that, and then I gathered these and I tanked them, and then I went on and I tanked this. Yes there were team deaths but they weren't my fault. I obviously never died. Then I saw Romi and I tanked him, then I was kicked, man was I suprised"

How about this next time?

"I am a team player. I help achieve team goals, in a way we agree on, so that we all have fun. I enjoy helping other players, rescue teammates in trouble, hate it when anyone dies. I was with a team leader that was much slower than I enjoy. But I still wanted him to have his fun, after all he did bother to put in the effort to make the team. Yes his team makeup wasnt optimal, he had no kin to help him overcome his speed deficit, but I was still happy to help him out. We achieved success by playing like a team even when everything wasnt as perfect as I liked it, and we all left the TF successfully, with a buncha merits, and I made a few new friends. "

if one of my thugs dies in battle? Or is that not allowed?

Its not that I NEED a secure version of the home page, its just the way I got used to getting to the server status page, when I was waiting for the servers to come back up, and reading the old forums. Actually I'd be happy if they could perhaps add an RSS info block right at the top that gives us server status. Put it right on top of Statesman's head. I wouldn't miss it

OK..thanks for the insight guys. I will try switching to aggressive after the majority is down, see if it hurts my survivability any. Thank you for the QRs.

How about a button at the top of the forum so that we can get to https://secure.cityofheroes.com/ quickly?

It also might be nice to add a link to the server status page as well.

It's not worth the slot anywhere by itself. It's good to use to get the 6th set bonus on a toon you're trying to soft cap defense. On an invul/ss, yes I'd put it in rage with the other 5 gaussians to get the defense bonuses from that set which are significant.

I have a Thugs/Storm MM that has achieved lvl 35. He's very fun to play. But something peculiar happens at times.

I keep them in Defending mode at all times, so we share incoming damage. Sometimes after I initiate aggro, place snowstorm on a mob, IceStorm has faded, they will leave one mob with just a sliver of health alive. I have to tell them to attack it. Why is this?

I use empty clips, actually have it slotted up, and along with my veteran attacks, I do contribute with damage when Im not choosing debuff targets, but its like, they want me to get the last shot in.

Also, I see they stop attacking if IceStorm will do enough damage to kill the mob. Is this to save end? Because End is never a problem for them anyway. How do I get them to keep attacking without telling them everytime? Is defense mode only important for the alpha strike? I'd think it would be advantageous to keep it on always, since I cannot heal myself. I don't want any attacks hitting me full force.

The links in your sig are broken. Need to fix.

This sounds like something I could test my old tanker with. Phrendon Largo has his level 50 IO'd build and a low end build for exemplaring. I think I could succeed in this with this character. I'll give it a try this evening.

I liked Hydrophidians review as well.

The reason I started this thread is because, I, like most other players who don't generally visit this AE forum section of the boards, don't get the skinny on where the really well written arcs are, and wade through a mass of really poor stuff.

This was an arc, that was as well written as I have ever come across, from a player or a dev, its characters were challenging and fun to defeat, and the author got me, with the reveal at the end. I had no clue. I never said I was the sharpest crayon in the box, but I know what I like. And I liked it. I thought others would too.

I don't take it as a personal assault that my character got tricked. Because my charater's not real; he just moves on, to wherever I take him.

When I as a CoX player like something, I am happy to give thank you to reward whoever it is that gave me that enjoyment. Sometimes its a really great team, with others and we really clicked, or a neat story, or perhaps a costume piece that looks great.

The author of this arc did not deserve to be lambasted like he was. That was just poor sport.

[ QUOTE ]
Why do they need patron arcs?

[/ QUOTE ]

So you can patronize them, silly Kat!

Calash has it in a nutshell:

you're not supposed to like who you team with villain side, just tolerate them long enough until you achieve your goals, then kiss them off.
Pish to you Brutus, I am done with thee, for now!!!

Dark/Dark defender.

Definately desired on most teams. And can solo to boot.

MMs are easily the most misunderstood AT in this game.

Until you play one at least into 30s you have no idea. And not PL'd to 30 either, the early game is needed to learn to control the pets.

How does a heavy KB MM co-exist with a brute? There has to be give and take. And some maturity. Trade off being the alpha collector, it doesnt have to be the brute, everytime. MM's that learn to hold back and learn to play clean up. Then the next group, they lead with a taunt to collect the alpha and the brute plays clean up. Thats how you steamroll.

If you are a brute thats only happy being the center of attention everytime, and need to footstomp in nice concentric circles - ALL THE TIME-then you need to learn how to play nicely with others.

You definately dont want to base the choice of a contact on what enhancements they sell. You never want to buy from them anyway. Why? They are way too expensive. Compare a contact "store", to a store that focuses solely on your origin, and then to drive the point home, see what it costs you to by the same enhancer at wentworths. You'll never buy anything from Ginger Yates again.

There was a time, like around Issue 2, that these stores were relevant, but that has long since passed.