Leo_G

I'm not going to bother trying to prove anything because the ones I'm suppose to prove it to will always divert the discussion in some way to force me to prove something I didn't even say in a ploy to disprove my opinion.

There's got to be a word or phrase for something like that...I really can't find one but I'm sure it exists. It's not 'strawman', I don't think...but I'm really not knowledgeable enough to figure out if it is or not...

By your response, I can tell no matter how many dozens of posts/threads I find would not quell your distaste for my opinions. Hell, that I even have to prove that there is short-sighted elitism in an MMO is proof enough that you'll never be satisfied.

No. While my time may not be that precious, it is finite and I have better things to do than to bother with any of the back-and-forth BS.

But just a simple point: Arcana said she stands up to rectify such misinformed/ill-opinionated players whenever she can, right? Hmm, so if such opinions on the worth of an AT or powerset or what-have-you "doesn't exist" (your words, by the way), then apparently Arcana is lying. She can't fix a problem that doesn't exist...

I'll state it again: People will find metrics to measure the viability of an AT/powerset/power/whatever, this is human nature. In a game, not excluding CoH, people will take those metrics and put a rating of 'worth' on these things, this is also natural. For some (often many), this rating of 'worth' will extend even further on the level of min/maxing or even putting labels on other things such as 'worth less' or 'worthless' and unless these things can surpass some sort of self-determined metric put about by the players, that's where they'll remain.

That the particular point of soloing AVs is so vehemently guarded in a way supports my point. That some ATs/combos can solo AVs while others cannot isn't what I'm talking about. It's that someone bringing up that as a point is shot down because "soloing AVs isn't what the game is balanced around", then requests a means to do the same and has balance as the argument to deny that.

If balance was of such importance, you all should be offering up your AV soloing toons as proof of *imbalance*.

Oh no no no no...no...hell no.

If there's anything I've learned it's that I'm not going to waste my time scouring the forums for posts/threads that state my argument only for you to make a half-*** counter basically saying "that's not good enough" or some other BS.

No. No no no. Maybe for someone else on their own behalf, I'd consider putting forth the effort...

If that were the case, I'd want another mechanic added that basically lets you continuously charge said interruptible powers at an added endurance cost.

So you activate some kind of "Charge up" toggle that indefinitely extends interrupt times then you activate these interrupt powers. After the initial interrupt, it starts eating your endurance. Either you deactivate the "Charge" and get the resulting effect or you run out of endurance, the toggle drops and you get the resulting amount of effect.

In terms of use, it would be limited. On teams, you'd have to actively coordinate (lol how much fun would it be on a team full of Traps, Devices, Snipers and Stalkers just chatting and coordinating and then *BOOM*) or the effect would be wasted.

Beyond the fact that the pack itself in question wasn't a bad pack (the only stigma that it garnered was that it either wasn't quite mutant theme in the general sense and that "Beast parts" were expressed to be coming in a pack...but only until much later did we find out it wasn't *this* pack), it's supporting the development team and expressing what you want with your dollar.

That people would spend $10 on one costume part should be enough to express this. I, for one, expressed that I was going to buy the pack but only after I had a use for any of the parts it had. When the wolf tail was announced, that was a part I instantly had a use for and found many uses for the other things too (from custom AE mobs to alternate costumes to theme weapons and stuff).

If you're going to stand by your scruples and not purchase something because of how it's delivered then more power...but don't deny the quality of the product. The pack was good. The costumes, the extra power and the various parts are well worth $10.

If a new pack had a bunch of stuff I thought looked bad paired with one part I wanted, I'd definitely hold off getting it but then you'd have to prove the new hypothetical pack is undesirable.

Hell, the fact that the Party Pack *did NOT* come with some part that you really desired should have shut you up. I probably won't be buying the party pack for a while until I have the extra money. Then I'll put out some cash if only to support the game.

You were the one that brought in the AT properties (i.e. Defender buffing, Tanker aggro, Controller mitigation) into the argument.

The *point* of the post is that *no* AT is meant to solo AVs. If some can and some can't isn't the issue. It's the expectations of the players at large that is the issue, that is when min/maxing determines overall worth.

Those aren't the only posters on the boards but it's not like those regulars are doing much to dispute the fallacy either.

PS: Oh, I don't either. But that won't stop this from being a metric to measure an ATs worth, i.e. a Stalker is a single target specialist so the metric to measure how potent they are is if they can or can't "be the best" in that situation?

I shouldn't have to defend any AT's worth but it keeps coming up via short-sighted posters on the boards. Why is 'solo big sack of HP' on the benchmark for any AT's capabilities? If anything, that's all up to the player willing to commit to such a boring arduous task than it is a premiere feature of an AT.

And yet "Solo AVs" isn't in the job description of *any* AT so the parallels you attempt to create aren't.

Placate flies in the face of that opinion. But then taunt can expand the one-dimensionality of a Scrapper or Brute....too bad the ST confront on Scrappers isn't that great and most Brutes/Scraps never take that power.

There are many a things you can do with Placate...even more than you could do with Taunt/Confront.

Beyond that, it's all in the playstyle, honestly. I've always talked about how being a Stalker (or similarly, a Blaster), you're not strapped to battle. Most of the times, no one's hinging on you to keep the foes attention. This frees you up to do many other things and take advantage of many other tactics.

There's a difference between roles and dimensions. Simplest example would be a Storm defender and a Force Field defender.

There are one-dimensional sets and multi-faceted sets just like their are AoE primaries and ST primaries.

But honestly, it's all in how you play that determines *how* multi-faceted a character can be.

Stalker Willpower can be pretty one-dimensional...but you can pick up Leadership, throw down Self-Destruct and be all suicidal so you can be vengeance bait only to self-rez with your own vengeance buff. Oh the times I relish when the team starts to wipe because then no one can interfere as I demolish everything. It's fun when you're trying to die.

I probably wouldn't do that on a Tanker and it's kind of weak-sauce on a Brute and Scrappers are all up in their own ego to consider such a tactic. Only those suicidal Blasters with Rise of the Phoenix would resort to such a thing...and it's great!

Man...I got to starting to talk about Stalker Dual Blades and now I'm playing her again (she's still super fun but super squishy...not sure why so many are in love with /Nin, honestly. I admit it feels less squishy than Regen...until you pump lots of recharge into it...maybe I'm a bit spoiled by my /Dark which has turned into a pretty sturdy character)...but now I'm starting to talk about my DM/WP stalker...at this rate, he'll be the next in my queue to play and I'll never get around to playing my Peacebringer, Doms and Tankers...

This is actually the point of my other posts. The game isn't balanced around soloing AVs.

...but then you've got people bragging and boasting about their builds soloing these things. Ultimately, you have the 'haves' (the ATs that can be built to do this) and the 'have nots' (the ATs that are excruciatingly difficult to build for this or impossible).

IMO, those raving about the game not being balanced around soloing AVs yet pocket their AV soloing Defenders and Brutes are as much in the right as those that think it shouldn't matter which AT you're using, you should be able to build to accomplish the same task.

I enjoy both, but what the 2nd one really lacks is variety. If I were to draw her, I'd probably add a long sword sheath to her back, maybe another shorter one on the back of her belt at a horizontal angle and probably a strap around one of the legs that had some kunai knives on the outer thigh.

I'd also opt for just knee guards with smaller shoes rather than the knee/shin guards+boots thing going on. But none of those options are available in the game so it ends up being rather bland.

Tried it. It doesn't really look good. To me, it looks more like she's just wearing tights. With the skin to contrast the tights, it actually looks more like mesh. Notice how difficult it is to see the mesh pattern on arms that size. Especially on the costume that doesn't show her midriff.

Now I'd definitely go with full gloves if it had some kind of tools/weapons tucked in them behind the forearm or something like that (with the fingers open as well), but again, no option like that available.

Technically, I was speaking about any AT that makes it a habit to overpower the game 'loudly'. I'm pretty sure there's lots of Stalkers, Tankers, Khelds, Blasters and the like soloing GMs and hard AVs out there but it seems those aren't the ones you hear about all the time.

But no, I wouldn't say the game would be better off without those other ATs but perhaps without those players.

You only thought you didn't want to buy the pack, that its parts were something you wouldn't use. But once you get it, you realize those parts are pretty good with some nice concept applications.

You just needed a nudge to truly see that.

The devs are doing you a favor.

When the Mutant pack came out, I got it for the wolf tail otherwise I would probably have waited until much later.

Hopped onto my Dual Blade Stalker two days ago and started redoing her costumes and flipped through the weapon customizations...man, I'm glad I bought that mutant pack.

Probably matters about as much as a Stalker having none of those and lesser in those regards than a Scrapper.

I guess it comes with the territory that Tankers or Stalkers aren't the 'beat chest' types, they just don't. But it doesn't make the others boasting about overpowering the game anymore right. It's probably a detriment to the health of the game, in fact.

Honestly, why do people feel inclined to blame *everything* else in the game and not their own inability/ignorance when something wrong happens?

Why come here complaining? As if it's the AT's fault you failed?

My advice to you is to think ahead next time.

-If it's an AV on a small team, you should have considered lowering your difficulty.

-Not every character type is made to fight AVs, melee oriented characters being one prime example.

-Johnny's Soul is a tad resistant to all damage types (how much, I can't recall) so going in fists a blazin' wasn't smart.

-You were Dark Armor. Energy damage (sonic attacks) are your Achilles heel.

-Your teammate, BS and Willpower, wouldn't have much to counter his sonic attacks (only energy defense, practically no energy resistance and Parry would only counter lethal or melee attacks...which apply to none of Johnny's attacks).

-Johnny can debuff you and buff himself.

-Johnny has a nuke.

As an EB, you could have used your burst damage to eliminate him somewhat quickly. As an AV, if you don't have debuffs, IOs or a large enough team, you'd have failed with any characters without those things. AVs weren't meant to solo. Don't go complaining it's Stalkers coming up short.

Here's a suggestion: shove that debuff in Repulsion Field.

Now you have a reason to use it and don't mess with something people like.

PS: If Force Bolt did reasonably good damage, people would use it more. Then you ask "Can you please stop knocking back every foe I target?" and get the answer "I'm blasting! GTFO!!"

Okay, just got home and played with stuff for a few minutes. I'm not married to the colors though, but I didn't want to go black and red.



#1 is more a copy of the previous costume but with smaller shorts instead of the longer ones and #2 shows more 'skin' by using a short belly-shirt with mesh underneath. Both use the 'black tights with light grey mesh' suggested by Sam which looks better, IMO.

It is a bit too dark, though. Might need to change the reaper mask color. What do you think?

PS: Just to clarify, she's not really a 'ninja magic' type...more a brawler (she's Dual Blades) so I think the other posted costume works good for that but do you think this one fits a 'fighter ninja' concept better?

The game? Or the movie?

When I say 'leg', I'm talking about non-bulky stuff (i.e. not tucked-in pants or the dome shorts). You can have skin-tight armor or chainmail under a pair of shorts (that's the shorts/skirts with skin option) which is what I'm talking about.

The only issue I'd run into is not having any kind of thigh holster/sheath or combat knife on the boot or *something* to spice up that lower portion. I'm guessing the shin guards might help though. When I get a chance to play with it, I'll post it but I'm not a super good costume editor

Honestly, it's up to you and your team who sets the pace. If you've got no Brutes or Tankers, then what? If you'd rather follow, then follow. If you'd rather lead then take initiative. I've done it. In fact, when there's multiple stalkers, it's a boon to coordinate. We know what mob we want to go to, which target each of us is picking, who's using BU, when the strike will occur. This all can be conveyed without type too.

Then there's the 'scouting'. Not particularly running several mobs ahead and finding the glowie, no. The simple act of "Elite Boss in this spawn" or "Spawn around this corner" or "3 bosses here" so people can actually gauge what they're about to get into because not everyone can see through every cluster of NPCs or are invisible to go look for themselves or know what to look for.

If you're actually working *with* the team, then your Tank might actually use your insight and follow you to the next group because 2 guys going to the next spawn is less confusing than one guy going one way and another guy going another which may cause hesitation of the rest of the team.

Of course, if you want to just *be* the team and go all Scrapper-lock and do whatever the hell you want, then you can play a Brute or Scrap or just soft-cap your Stalker and go blow up spawns with AoEs separate from your team.