ManySplinters

I have three high-level stalkers: an MA/Nin, a Claws/SR, and a DM/DA. Of the three, the DM/DA was by far the most durable while leveling up. She died far less often than the two with defense-based secondaries. The resist-based armors and Cloak of Fear kept the incoming damage at modest-enough levels so that she could heal up with Dark Regen when she really needed to. In the late game, especially with IO set bonuses, the defense sets do pull ahead, but the DM/DA is the one I chose to be my solo villainous MArc runner since she's the most versatile of the three overall.

That said, Keri, the DM/DA, definitely has a lot more trouble pulling off ASes with Placate mid-combat than the other two. She uses Placate far more often solo, to finish off the last mob in a spawn. On a team, she usually settles for a strong crit, or a multi-hit Shadow Maul (picked up in the 40s) when she's lucky. Fortunately her damage type is rarely resisted, and fear effects even less so. She makes an effective Stalkinator on larger teams. Touch plus Cloak, as well as the AS effect itself, makes even most bosses cower.

When it comes to raw damage I'd recommend non-defense sets more for attack primaries with AoEs, to get more mileage out of Placate. It's far easier to get a crit through Placate than an AS, so might as well make it lots of crits with Shockwave, Throw Spines, 1k Cuts etc. Note that Hide's bonus to AoE defense while hidden is high enough (soft-capped with just a single defense SO, in fact) that any stalker can use AS as an opener with little fear of being hit by splash damage on the way in.

Hope this helps.

Just wanted to say, my friend finally decided download a trial after I sent him a link to this video. He's since purchased the game and we're currently playing a stalker duo together (he likes being sneaky, and exploring). He looks forard to seeing the many locations you showcased in your movie!

Thank you for your extraordinary effort

While I have characters in mind who could work in either scenario, I'm going to throw my vote in for the Clinic, for several reasons.

The biggest issue with infrequent posts is interaction. It's frustrating waiting days for another contibutor's response to your character's dialogue or actions. The Clinic environment allows for far more controlled interactions between participants. The Aftermath scenario is far more chaotic and free form, better suited to more active posting.

As Eisregen noted, the Clinic environment is friendlier to lower power characters than Aftermath. I personally feel more comfortable with that. I prefer to have my characters develop their powers, rather than starting out powerful.

While both scenarios have great character development and story potential, the Clinic, again being a controlled environment, is better for limiting conflict and keeping the focus on the writing instead of the fighting. Remember, fights more than anything else drive up the post count, which is what we're trying to discourage.

So yeah, put me down for Clinic.

*Raises hand*

This would definitely fit my posting schedule as well as my personal inclinations better. Don't get me wrong, I love AH101, but it seems every other post I'm catching up on a bunch of stuff that happens while I'm away working sometimes crazy hours.

I'd love to have an outlet for some of the other characters I've come up with in-game too, expand the stories that the limited biography space won't let me tell. I'm hesitant to introduce another one in an existing thread though, not only because of my limited posting schedule, but because many are already overcrowded with characters.

Those of you who have been following Jodie's adventures will also know I often post big. Part of this is from catching up on things, but I also like detail, getting into a character's head and writing how they view the world. A slow-post thread would be better for that kind of approach.

So yeah, count me interested. Er, once I get back from my trip, anyway...

As for setting, I'd suggest something without frequent fighting, since fight sequences more than anything else drive up the post count in a thread. Maybe heroes and villains having to work together, shoring up defenses against a third faction, hostile and powerful, which everyone knows is coming...

Today is the one month real-time anniversary of Jodie Winters' enrollment in Montressor's Mercenary Academy within the "Anti-Hero 101" thread. Within the one day's worth of thread time, the thirteen-year-old Void Wielder has, among other things, and in roughly chronological order: flown out to the school, undergone a quickie orientation, faced her fears, met a Void Master, made new friends, gotten homesick about her old ones (several times), taken a written test, laughed 'til she cried, angsted hard, identified a noxious herb, stopped a tank, failed a test, cried again, been touched by an angel (sorta), pigged out, danced at a party, unpacked from her flight (finally), slept 'til morning, breakfasted, and at the last is now preparing for an assault on a Malta base.

All in all, I'd say it's been a full not-even-24 hours for little Jodie.

So at this point I thought I'd put myself out here and ask: how'm I doin'? As I mentioned in my first post, this is the first time I've ever participated in an open RP thread. There's undeniably been a bit of a learning curve. I admit I haven't adjusted well to the rapid posting schedule, much to my frustration, due to a fuller-than-full-time job which precludes even browsing the thread during the day (excepting the odd lunch break).

The complaint I expect most is that I often put up crazy monster-sized posts which people find unreadable. I hope not that's not the case. I try to make the style engaging despite the length. Still, I'm sure there are times it goes overboard. The one about Jodie getting ready for bed comes to mind. Way too much unnecessary detail in that post, looking back on it.

Another complaint I anticipate hearing is that Jodie is underpowered compared to the other students. This was partly deliberate, I wanted to give her room to grow and I thought it'd be interesting to bring in someone who wasn't as tough as the others. I may have gone a little overboard though.

Anyway, enough about what I think I'm going to receive criticism about. Time to actually receive criticism. Lemme have it. I can take it. What does not kill me makes me stronger, or something like that.

In all seriousness, I look forward to hearing what you have to say, and thanks in advance.

Here we see Stacy Legrange, native of the Triumph Shard, in her full superhero alter-ego regalia as La Fille du Feu. Note the simple yet stylish one-piece flame-retardant jumpsuit with matching boots, a design developed by her predecessor but touched-up by ICON (who else??).

Pose for the camera, Fire Girl!

When she's not on the streets fighting crime, Stacy works as an editor at the Paragon Times. Of course, they won't let her anywhere near the building anymore due to the nature of her superpowers, but she stays informed in whatever ways she can.

Hope that thing doesn't burn to cinders... again!

Note the addition of a cape, an homage to our beloved Hero One (lest we forget), and boy, does it ever look good on her!

Nothing says "the superheroine has arrived" like a cape!

Stacy not only delivers bad guys to the Zig faster than you can say "I need a hero!", our resident Fire Girl looks damn good while doing it!

Here she comes to save the daaaay!

The citizens of the Triumph Shard are all fortunate to have La Fille du Feu among them, as not only does she serve as a role-model for peace and justice everywhere, she delivers a strong fashion statement too!

Now for our next contestant...