Memphis_Bill

Same here.

If they were USEFUL sniper attack sets? Yes.

Frankly, I'd like to see some of the sniper sets moved to "Vendor only" and out of the pool (Calibrated Accuracy, for instance, which goes overboard on Acc and barely gives anything else) and see some new ones introduced.

How about "Leave it alone?" Do you get that? That IS my solution. You can already do things in-game to make it less tedious - like put the bubbles on "9" and "0" or set up binds to speed up buffing. (I tend to use the left and right arrows.)

I don't believe it needs a change. If it's a playstyle the OP doesn't like, then don't play those characters. I don't tend to like playing Scrappers, so I don't. I don't suggest wholesale changes to scrappers. Others don't like playing Stalkers, or Controllers or specific sets.

If I don't feel something needs a change, I'll say so. If I feel the proposed changes are *worse,* I'll say so. YOU don't get to tell me to say otherwise, sparky. The OP's job is to convince me, and all they've done is propose a system that would make gameplay, both mechanically and socially, WORSE in my opinion... and I play a LOT of buffers.

Or, as Aura said:
I don't *have* to "give an alternative" if I think the current situation is fine and doesn't need adjusting. If someone's using a hammer to pound in a nail and someone says "hey, use a screwdriver," all I have to say is "No, he's using the proper tool the right way," not "No, but he could try a pipe wrench."


First, if it's a non-problem, it doesn't need solving.

Second, the exchange was *directly related* to the suggestion and its impact on gameplay, it is not a derailment. Perhaps you need to work on your reading comprehension.

Here, let me give you the full thing.

Me:
Jordan:
Forbin:

Reading comprehension is a wonderful thing.

Because the proposed "solution" would make it worse?

If someone suggests "Hey, round tires don't make us stand out very well, it's just like everyone else. How about oblong ones! We can advertise it as a new and exciting ride!" ... well, someone had better point out the problems there. As opposed to, oh, "Well, someone doesn't think round tires are a non-problem, so why even respond?"

There are decided *issues* with the OP's suggestions. Trading one person's tedium to make everyone have to stand around and really watch being able to do little things like, oh, *attack,* sounds like one hell of a downgrade.

Did you bother to actually read the exchange?

Jordan asked, in response to something I said, "Are players really that uptight?" Forbin gave examples of behaviour in game that show, yes, they really are. And it doesn't take much browsing on the forum to run across others giving similar complaints, so it's not him making it up.

So, yes, actually, it DOES back his (and my) stance that, with a team's buffs being a constant drain on END, it will make the play experience for the buffer who wants to do more than "Stay back and don't do ANYTHING ELSE!" miserable.

(It was also misrepresented by Jordan, who asked if Forbin would kick the person. I doubt he would. I wouldn't. Others, however - definitely.)

Plus... name one other power that can be used alternately as a click and a toggle. There is none. Just ask a /regen what happened to IH. Therefore, no, I would not be able to play the way that I wish if these were implemented. It would be a wholesale change - and given how, for instance, my Earth/FF can get on END in a rough fight, one that would lead me to shelve characters I currently enjoy playing.

Because "collaborate" does not mean "everyone just agree, hold hands and sing Kumbaya." I see this as having issues both mechanically and potentially gameply (socially) - to "fix" a non-problem. In fact, the suggestion, IMO, makes playing a buffer *worse.* NOT bringing those up and keeping them visible is more of a disservice than doing so.

Currently:
- Few seconds to buff everyone. (Yes, it is only a few seconds.)
- Buffs persist regardless of buffer's END or HP.
- Buffs currently balanced around the reapplication (IE, if they were made longer, I'd expect the DEF/etc to be lowered and/or END raised, for example.)
- One time END cost per application - which means I can be free to attack, or run other toggles (Leadership, typically) or, in the case of Masterminds, resummon/rebuff pets (a very END intensive process) as needed.

Toggles:
- Same time to buff everyone, if that time isn't lengthened for balance.
- Buffs fall if caster runs out of END, either via fighting END draining enemies or attacking, resummoning pets, etc.
- Buffs *potentially* would fall if held. This may be done for balance.
- Buffs fall if caster dies.
- Buffs quite likely weakened to compensate for indefinite length.
- Higher END cost (running an additional 2-21 toggles, if not more - Sonic, for instance, having two shields and Clarity) for the character lowering the time to attack, the ability to run other helpful toggles (Leadership, Combat jumping, etc) and the desirability for the team to HAVE that character attacking or running those toggles.

Stacked duration:
- Currently, nothing in game does this. However, caster is tracked, as it prevents most buffs from being stacked - one FF defender can't re-bubble you and take you from zero to capped defense. It just resets duration.
- Allowing to *stack* duration would still, given prior dev stances and actions, likely result in the buffs being lowered, END cost being raised, cast time being lengthened or some other "balancing" penalty being applied.

[quote=Jordan Yen\
It's like you're saying I'm committing some grave sin by not buffing constantly. From the buffer's perspective, I would like the ability to have a buff stick.

And if I Nova, so be it. I get to play the game too, not just the melee types.[/quote]

No, from *your* perspective. And, believe it or not, you *don't* have to buff constantly. Don't try to play it off like that's all you do. I've a fair number of buffers myself. Few seconds to buff, then off I go.

And with your suggestion? If the Blaster nukes, they're out of END. Nobody else is affected. If YOU nuke? You've just dropped the team's defense, resistance, mez protection or whatever else you have on a toggle. Not what I would expect would make you all that popular on the team. Same with what happens if you fight and run out of END, or are hit by a sapper ("so stay by the door/stay back,") or Carnie death-drain, or Mu (also doing a -recov,) etc.

I'd say being told not to attack or getting kicked from the team for doing so (or nuking, etc.) and dropping those buffs as a result would have a *far* more negative impact on your gameplay than just buffing for a few seconds every few minutes.

Tell that to the masterminds I see with it, for instance. You don't like it, fine, don't take it then. "Nobody should," wrong.

... if the engine could deal with grappling, that is.

*nod* That was a year and a half fight to get Sonic's graphics changed.

So. You're playing force field. Do you want Deflection or Insulation shield running under those rules? After all, your whole reason for this is that you hate reapplying buffs - so now you have one buff constantly draining END, and another you have to reapply every four minutes. Of course, if you don't slot THOSE for END, you may end up having them drop when you finish.

And, of course, if you choose to do something like, oh, run another PBAOE buff (or two,) and/or attack - and END drain/Recovery debuffs aren't exactly uncommon, either (clockwork, mu, quite a bit in praetoria, carnies, freakshow) - it's not just bad for you, but for everyone you're the "toggle-buff" source for. (Doubly so if you're also, say, the source for a Dispersion Bubble, in FF's case.)

Prepare to be yelled at by teammates if you *dare* nuke, too.

Sorry, but no, I see absolutely no upside or improvement to this. It just doesn't take that long to rebuff, and those buffs work even if your character dies.

As mentioned, SOs are still what the game's balanced around. Even some of the characters I used to unlock the Alpha slot were SO'd out (or on their SO builds.)

As for inventions:

You don't *need* to do anything with them. However, even if you look no farther than common IOs (damage, acc, recharge, defense, etc.) they can be of benefit, since they don't expire (and from 35 on, are stronger than an even-level SO.) I tend to kit out with them at 15 and save the money I'd otherwise spend on DOs 'til I'm ready to jump up to the IOs (and use SOs in between.)

Using set IOs, you can do one of two things (or a combination of the two) -

1. Frankenslot. Using, say, Acc/Dam IOs from multiple Ranged damage sets (pay attention to the set type your powers can take!) you can squeeze (say) 6 slots worth of enhancement out of 5 slots.

2. Go for bonuses. Want a Blaster with some defense? Start looking for sets that provide it, and slot for it. (Note that you can't have more than 5 of the same bonus type-and-level - for instance, 3% Smashing/Lethal defense - active. Slot more and they'll be ignored... but more 1.85% will work.)

Wiki links:

IO scaling
IO set bonus - general info
Listings of IO sets by category/level/bonuses

/this.

Heck, won a PVP match vs a friend with one... very well placed kick, once. (Just happened to work out, but getting that last bit of damage like that made it just that much better.)

You want to shoot these? How are these magical?



Painful to get hit with, sure. Magical, not so much.

However, the reason WHY masterminds got that was that they're generally defenseless until they get their pets up and buffed. It was meant to reduce the frustrating setup time at the beginning of a mission (or resummoning) for masterminds. Every other AT could just get in and get going. Masterminds had to summon, then spend a minute buffing *each* pet twice, recover END and then, FINALLY, get going.

This is *not* true of any other AT. No, not even buffers.

Do you really, REALLY think the devs would let something like this get away with a "low END pull?" Even more so with "unlimited in-mission range?" You can't be serious.

Buffer gameplay with this? Buff everyone, stand at the door. (And quite likely be *ordered* to just stay at the door and "safe" while the rest of the team goes on with their new perma-buffs.) No freaking thanks.

Option 3 - Play AE arcs. Get tickets. For commons, run random rolls at the level/type of salvage you need. You'll probably get it, and plenty of other stuff to use and/or sell. Uncommon or rare, buy directly.

All of them.

/this, many times over. And it's not recent. He's been like that as long as I can recall.