Memphis_Bill

You mean besides inherent stamina?

Having gotten mine to 50 (and I *want* to incarnate her, just been working on other things,) inherent stamina probably hurts a bit on this because it gives you more to do/run on an already END-hungry character. Fire/Storm (any /storm, really) is one I won't hesitate to point to "Spend some market money" as advice - for the Performance shifter +END proc, as well as Miracle and/or Numina +Recovery uniques.

... if you were locking them down, how did the tank die? Especially on a controller - they tend to make their own secondary's heals irrelevant fast. (I say that as someone with an Ice/Emp, by the way, at 50.)

Have to say, as you get higher in levels, that balance between heal/buff/control (or damage) starts tilting way out of the way of "heal" in most instances.

Specifically, there is *a* cape with the Arachnos logo on it - before anyone asks. Not that you can pick a cape and stick the arachnos logo on it.

Only if you're a VEAT, in which case you have no choice.

As I recall, he stayed back out of the way.

Right. Because Founders Falls looks just like Talos which looks just like Dark Astoria which looks just like Skyway... oh, they don't?

And you "expect" Grandville - the seat of power for Recluse - to look like a trash heap? A trash heap with a metal bit sticking out the top? If *ANYWHERE* should be meticulously clean, it should be the "Seat of Power." Not only for looks (I mean, really, how powerful can someone be if they essentially let their own nest remain fouled?) but for security. (And building these *massive metal structures* on top of old buildings just looks... bluntly... *really stupid* and poorly planned out. One thing I do appreciate is the occasional bit of dialog from the Banes mentioning "I don't think the old buildings can handle all this." C'mon, a line soldier can see this but none of the upper levels can?)

You obviously didn't read what I was writing. Yes, the contacts are a bit different to each other. But you have the *exact same* ride-on-rails with the exact same contacts every single time.

Aside from the fact that I do...

It's obvious you didn't actually read this. Or pick up that it's also related to point 2 that you obviously didn't read.

Redside, I go through... mercy, oakes (same 3-4 contacts,) cap (same few contacts,) etc, etc, etc. Same people. Same depressing scenery every single time.

Blueside, I can go from Atlas (and unfortunately no longer galaxy come I21) to the Hollows, if I want... or king's row (two zones, again, that look totally different.) I can deal with the Lost, Clocks, etc over in Skyway and dip down into faultline, or I can go through Steel Canyon. Then on to Talos... or IP if I decide my character would deal more with the Family and Tsoo instead of Freaks and Warriors. Quick run into Croatoa, *if I want it,* or over into Striga to deal with the arcs there. You only finally get "funneled" somewhere in the 30s where you go to Bricks... though you can still finish up Croatoa, and then go to the RWZ, back to PI.

Far more flexibility in the paths I can take and the contacts I run.

Why? More zones, more contacts. Add more to redside and they start feeling crammed into whatever nook and cranny they can fit them to.

I'm supposed to be a supervillain. Hell, I'm a "Destined one."

What do I do? "Go beat them up. No, don't show any initiative. Just beat stuff up because you're told to." I should be proving myself worthy of this whole "Destined one" spiel - or proving I'm strong enough to do what I want *despite* trying to be railroaded into this schtik. Being "Brainless Thug 2983745762" is not the way to do that.

And unlike heroside, until recently there was very little writing that had you actually "win" villainside. You might get some minor power, but whatever you stole - went to someone else. You're pointed at someone to defeat, but not really for *your* benefit - that's more of a side benefit if anything. Or a goad. Heroside, you rescue someone - because they're heroic. And they stay rescued. Or bring you deeper into breaking up a plot. You stop the Circle from ripping the souls out of everyone in Founders Falls, for instance, or keep the Nictus from taking over world leaders. Villainside? Oh, you're told you robbed a bank. Somehow this bank only had about 100 inf or whatever the end-of-mission bonus is. Woohoo. Yeah, really feel like I'm making an impact there.

And look at... oh, the *entire VEAT* arc path. OK, at first you deal with your former cohorts who don't like you trying to get ahead. Fair enough. And you try to find out what's goign on, destiny wise... so you're fine to, what, level 15-20. Then you can tell the arcs got rushed, because, gee, 1-2 missions of going "You're a destined one!" "No you're not, just kidding!" "Oh, yeah you are!" to finally be told "Ha, ha, you're a dupe, Recluse is yanking your chain for laughs." Yeah... encouraging there. Oh, but you get to end with "Um, well, you survived, congrats, and I know this makes no sense if you didn't pick a patron. Now... um... go beat up statesman or something, for giving a really bad speech."

Perhaps you'd like to re-read my post next time before replying, as I made that fairly clear.
Yes. Have at least one of each AT - hero AND villain - to 50. Doms are one of my favourite ATs. Which is why I can make these gripes. See, unlike you and this post, I actually *do* pay attention to what's going on and *complain about it because it's not that good.* When I look at wanting to make a new Dom and consider redside... redside *itself* has put me off making the character more often than anything else, quite frankly. Because of everything I've mentioned. "God, not those *same* arcs again, oh look, 10 snakes. Fight 10 in the trash heap? Oh, look, Bocor/Heck/V/Radio again. Thank god they don't auto-start Wheeler any more, I can skip the 'We're both dupes' arc." *zzzzzzzz*
*snort* Oh please. Like redside doesn't have farms. I recall Television farms - not to mention Cap.

Other than Freedom... zero.

Reminds me of this, actually.

No, that's not an error. I'm giving the definition of "Epic" related to "Epic AT" provided by the developers. Plus:

epic [ep-ik]  
ep·ic   [ep-ik] Show IPA
adjective Also, ep·i·cal.
1. noting or pertaining to a long poetic composition, usually centered upon a hero, in which a series of great achievements or events is narrated in elevated style: Homer's Iliad is an epic poem.
2. resembling or suggesting such poetry: an epic novel on the founding of the country.
3. heroic; majestic; impressively great: the epic events of the war.
4. of unusually great size or extent: a crime wave of epic proportions.
noun
5. an epic poem.
6. epic poetry.
7. any composition resembling an epic.
8. something worthy to form the subject of an epic: The defense of the Alamo is an American epic.
9. ( initial capital letter ) Also called Old Ionic. the Greek dialect represented in the Iliad and the Odyssey, apparently Aeolic modified by Ionic.


World English Dictionary
epic (ˈɛpɪk)

— n
1. a long narrative poem recounting in elevated style the deeds of a legendary hero, esp one originating in oral folk tradition
2. the genre of epic poetry
3. any work of literature, film, etc, having heroic deeds for its subject matter or having other qualities associated with the epic: a Hollywood epic
4. an episode in the lives of men in which heroic deeds are performed or attempted: the epic of Scott's expedition to the South Pole

— adj
5. denoting, relating to, or characteristic of an epic or epics
6. of heroic or impressive proportions: an epic voyage

... so I'm not sure what definition *you* are looking at and saying I'm wrong. Seems their definition fits farily well in with this. Now, if I were saying something about Epic ATs having to be "godmode," which some (incorrectly) have said in the past, you'd have a point.

I won't even answer high budget - because I don't go there. *shrug* It's easier to answer when you have a bit of experience and know where you want to go with it. For instance, are you going to softcap defense, are you running a Dominator and want perma-dom, etc.

Knowing *nothing* else about a new player, yes, I'd be asking questions (specifically "What have you played before" and "What class/playstyle did you like?") but if I *can't* ask those:

Scrapper/Brute. Why? Attacks come sooner than for a Tank, and there's survivability. And while *I* like Fire and Dark armors, the lack of KB protection might be frustrating to some. SS/Fire (brute) is a fairly classic combo. Claws/* is going to feel quick no matter what (can't pair with shield.) And */shield is generally fun - brute side, or tank if you don't mind a bit of wait for attacks, it's a fun pairing with mace, IMHO.

If you're not looking for melee, I'd go Plant or Mind control (controller or dominator. Doms for damage, Controller for team utility.) My Plant/Thorn was a monster. My Mind/Fire dom cranked up difficulty at level 3 and never looked back. I play a fair bit of both. (Plus both get confuses, which can be more handy than you might think.)

No, that is not correct.
And we do not have a release date for Freedom. They'll announce it when they have one.

Re: DVD goodies - see the prior comment about Big Lots (or other overstock/outlet stores.) That's pretty much the only way to get it (or overpaying on ebay/amazon/etc. when they show up.)

You should be aware that even if you found one, you would at best get only get one of the four helmets. Pre-vet reward, you *cannot* get all four. The preorder codes don't stack. (I want to say that the code itself was on the receipt on mine, not part of the disk, but it's been long enough I don't recall.) Which helmet you got depended on where you got your preorder from.

Plus they're not colorable. (The "eye lights" are/might be, but that's it - so the female/Fortunata helm is stuck in a red and blue that's really hard to match. I know this one from experience.)

Rarer still is the non-attacking "healer" tank. I've only run into (IE, ended up on a team with) one. Once. For one mission. Talk about ineffective - was wondering after a bit why they weren't attacking anything.

Just said this somewhere else, but -

I *still* run characters to 50 on standard IOs.... or even SOs. Most of my characters don't get heavily IOd - if I feel like they need it, then I end up feeling there's something fundamentally wrong with that powerset combo.

I've run characters through Mender Ramiel's arc (fight Trapdoor, and three other EBs) to unlock the Alpha slot - on SOs/common IOs. Solo. Even on characters decried as "weak" such as Peacebringers. No issue.

I'm tempted at this point to go through just how many of my characters are barely/none, partially, heavily or fully SO'd - fully, I can think of... two? Maybe 3? of 26 or so 50s. (And even then we're not really talking purples and the like, but a lot of, say, Thunderstrike and such.)

Regardless, it sounds like you have much the same train of thought I do - I want to enjoy the character *first,* because if I don't, I won't feel like sinking the time and INF into IOing them out.

Edit: Minor caveats to the above.
1. There are some IOs I'll go after just for the sake of pure convenience on the cheap. Typically this is a Knockback protection/resist IO.
2. If you're looking into seriously PVPing, you'll probably want an IO build.

Yes, you will.

For comparison, I *don't* tend to IO-out most builds. (Yet I beat down Trapdoor on several alts, solo, with nothing but SOs or commons, at best a very few set IOs but not sets - my PBs and my Ice/Psy chewed through Trapdoor on SOs, and most of my characters end up "set light.") What you'll end up working with in trials will mostly be your Incarnate slots.

If you're *extremely* used to heavily IO'd builds, yes, you'll have to play differently - your blaster won't be defense-capped at all, etc. And that will be an adjustment. BUT, don't forget - the end game, other than iTrials (and MO-runs) really hasn't changed that much since all we had WERE SOs (with a scattering of HOs.) Changing the playstyle doesn't mean you'll have to be timid, just pay attention to who you're on and what they're capable of. Getting off a set-heavy build, you might be surprised to find/remember what the characters can do *without* them.

No, it's the design too. The lighting has nothing to do with the crap in the streets or the broken down roads, or the "Hey, be a thug, not a villain" contacts.

/this.

After all, *all* the ATs were designed when we had nothing but TO/DO/SOs. And all can solo on them. Some will just be much slower than others.

Which is why I put that end bit on there. I wasn't sure if, from how you said it, you thought there was an "Infinity" market vs a "Freedom" or "Pinnacle" market.

But it wouldn't have to be.

See, that's what I was going on with Clouded about, though I think I finally get where he's coming from. There's a difference between "I can't play" - which wasn't true for a chunk of that time - and "I can't play the character I'm concentrating on."

If it's a matter of just playing, well, yeah, you can. If it's an issue with "I don't have my SG/friends/whatever," I tend to suggest inviting them over and/or starting something like a superteam - you get a good group and can start a nucleus of something when that main server IS down. Plus, of course, you get to meet *more* people and maybe try stuff you don't want to do on that main character.

If we're looking at "I'm working on incarnates" - or Amy_Amps' "This *is* when that group plays there," it's different.

I *still* think branching out is a good idea, if nothing else to give yourself options. But I think I 'get' the other POV better than I did.

You can have up to 5. (This will be increased in I21.)

Slot 1: On character creation
Slot 2, 3, 4: When you hit 20, 30, 40 (see the tailors in Steel Canyon, Independance Port, Founder's Falls or, redside, Cap (2) and St martial.)
Slot 5: Halloween salvage. Turn in for another slot at any time. (Anna in Croatoa, heroside, and Granny... something, Nerva - right where the SG transporter drops you - villainside.) Salvage = Back Alley Brawler gloves, Hamidon costume, Statesman mask, Lord Recluse halloween mask. Usually around 200k each on the market, or just wait for the halloween event.