Revolver_Law

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and they dropped the ball with Kheldians

and they dropped the ball with the Purple Patch

and they dropped the ball with Epic Pools

and they dropped the ball with ED

and they dropped the ball with Patron Pools

Kettle ; Meet Pot

As for my personal opinion, the TEST server exists to check things out. We can try out each power individually, wait for others on the baords to post how each power works in practice and I'll make my decision.

I wont come and complain on the boards for a mistake I made demanding free months or demanding the devs shower me with respecs. I accept mistakes I make. We all do it. The test server is there to do our best to ensure we dont make a mistake.

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We all know of the Test Server, I've actually spent 4+ hours there today playing around with builds. Problem with the Test Server is that it only works for things that they plan to implement.

So what happens when sometime down the line they decide Mako's sets are too strong or they want to change how one of the powers work - whoever has Mako can't decide to pick another patron. The test server doesn't solve that.

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I love this game. I almost never complain. But this time I feel I need to.
Patron choice being permanent? Bad, but perhaps necessary.
Having to chose a patron? Very bad. I'm sorry, but my Mastermind is an evil genius with plans of world-domination and an ego the size of a galaxy. In-character, he would never, NEVER take a patron. From the sound of it, I'm going to have to break character. I want to play an archvillain who's trying to take over, not an apprentice of a bigger villain!

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You are not forced to do any of the Patron content.

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I don't RP much, as the whole "I don't want a patron, I want to be a badass on my own" doesn't really concern me - but your answer isn't much better.

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No matter how many powers are in the set, you're still locked in - that's the point. If you choose Scorpion then down the line you want to switch over to Ghost Widow you can't.

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Much like how you can't switch from fire control to ice control down the line. Gotcha.

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Something you know pick when you start said character, unlike when you get a villain to lvl40 only to now find out you whatever epic you choose you're locked into.

Definitely not the same.

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I can see what you're worried about. You don't want to commit to something in case it gets changed later on and you can't undo your choice.

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Bingo.

I won't even get into the PvP applications this has.

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It's not a freak out about a tiny bit of information. We can't change an epic pool - that's pretty major no matter how you slice it.

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We can't change a primary or a secondary, either. It looks like you're assuming these Patron Power Pools will be comparable to the CoH epic pools, i.e. a narrow and very limited set of choices. We don't know that. So far, we know next to nothing about them.

You're complaining about being locked into something that you don't even know what it is. Isn't that a little premature?

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No matter how many powers are in the set, you're still locked in - that's the point. If you choose Scorpion then down the line you want to switch over to Ghost Widow you can't. Based on the way this game operates, with changes to powers coming extremely often this is just bad design - whether you'd like to admit it or not.

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Sorry Taser, but being one of the biggest Dev fanboys around makes your opinion mean very little to me. Grats.

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Notice I said nothing about being pro or against perm patron powers.

I am against people panicking at the drop of a hate for attention like you are doing here.

You really dropped the ball on this one, Revolver. You have proven my point: that we're regressing. That, given a tiny bit of information, anyone on this forum will freak out as if it's the end of the world. And you did. Just like everyone flipping out about capes at level 20.

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It's not a freak out about a tiny bit of information. We can't change an epic pool - that's pretty major no matter how you slice it.

Comparing this to capes just shows you don't realize how big of deal this is. Unlocking capes at lvl20 is a minor inconvenience for some people, not being able to spec out of an epic pool is far more than that.

And btw, I've always thought you were a fanboy, which is why I usually don't even bother commenting on anything you have to say.

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Of course you don't - not really surprised.

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I said I'm reserving judgement, not that the Devs can have my babies.

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Like I said, I'm not surprised.

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Being locked into a pool is just like being locked in to powers in this case. Make any excuse you want, but they messed up on this one - that's not up for argument as far as I'm concerned.


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I must say, congrats on making this thread the whiniest, most argumentive thread since capes were announced as being unlocked at 20.

The people yelling at Awry because of grammer... the people freaking out about powers we don't even know about yet... the people like Revolver here screaming their heads off about their opinion and then stomping their feet when people disagree with their off-the-mark first reactions.

It's exactly like people flipping out about capes. Or flipping out at the thought of having to hit level 50 to unlock Kheldians.

You would think that some of the people in this thread would learn to have patience and see how things actually pan out instead of acting like a 3 year old at the drop of some preview info.

You would be wrong, though.

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Sorry Taser, but being one of the biggest Dev fanboys around makes your opinion mean very little to me. Grats.

I guess it's forbidden that someone actually disagree with something that's obviously based on bad design, bad foresight, and bad decision making.

I've got some nerve.

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Make any excuse you want, but they messed up on this one - that's not up for argument as far as I'm concerned.

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Sorry, I don't agree.

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Of course you don't - not really surprised.

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Hard numbers or not, we're permanently locked into power choices - that's not exceptable.

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I don't think so. We're permanently locked into POOL choices, not power choices. It's like being unable to change your primary and secondary, but able to change the powers within them. Of course, I could be wrong here.

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Being locked into a pool is just like being locked in to powers in this case. Make any excuse you want, but they messed up on this one - that's not up for argument as far as I'm concerned.

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Honestly Posi, it doesn't matter the reason - you guys dropped the ball on this one, plain and simple.

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I'm going to reserve judgement until I see how it plays. Giving the hard numbers sounds like a very good move.

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Hard numbers or not, we're permanently locked into power choices - that's not exceptable.

Especially since the game is leaning more and more towards PvP, villain patron powers are going to mean a lot in the new zone.

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Patron Powers are truly permanent. This powerset, once chosen, is as much a part of your character as your Name, Primary Powerset, Secondary Powerset, Body Type, and Origin.

There is currently no way for us to let you re-spec out of them and into a different one. This is because it is tied to specific content for that Patron.

Because of this, hard numbers are given, in-game, about the powers and what they do before you even choose which arc you wish to partake (and will most likely be available on the website as well).

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Honestly Posi, it doesn't matter the reason - you guys dropped the ball on this one, plain and simple.

Since they're permanent I feel the player base wouldn't be out of line to demand needed changes (when they arise) to be fixed immediately since we can't possibly switch to another pool. No waiting 3 months for it to be fixed.

Another question: Since villains can't respec out of a pool the way heroes can, shouldn't there be some kind of perk? Seems like villains are getting the shaft without much retribution.

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Begin to learn more in the first of two updates about Patron Arcs and Patron Powers here!

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Still a bad idea to create mass confusion only to make players wait another week for a possible answer.

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I'm confused.

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Thanks to that update everyone else is now.

Devs, can we get some clarification?

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...all we get out of this in terms of facts is that you talk to an Arbiter to start.

I say "meh."

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Have to agree here. If they're going to have news updates at least make them useful enough to answer questions, not just give us tons more.

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Scirocco's name is misspelled...

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So getting a Patron Pool involves doing an arc? What happens if I decide that I don't like that patron and want to respec into a different patron pool later?

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I thought I read in an interview that you can't change patrons after you've picked one.

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Positron has mentioned twice (in different interviews) that the Patron you choose is permanent.

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As long as permanent means, "Unchangeable through any means besides a respec" then I'm fine with it.

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Hell, I'd take one that mildly gives a [censored] about the AT.

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Well, _Castle_ meets that standard at least:

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RE: Fix the Blaster in the fewest possible moves
I like a number of the ideas you present. Many simply won't happen, for a variety of reasons, but some are quite doable. When I get out of my current mountain of work, I'll re-read this and try and implement some of it.

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Not just an acknowledgement that change needs to happen, but an announcement of an intent to actually implement some suggestions. That's more than Tankers and Defenders have gotten so far, and they're both clearly hurting as well (albeit, not as long).

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Until blaster issues are addressed most blasters are going to see a dev saying "I'll look into it later" and merely think "more of the same". We have heard the song and dance Pilcrow. I acknowledge that Castle has helped scrappers and stalkers a good deal however, when it comes to blasters I'll just wait and see. I am not holding my breathe.

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I'll have to echo Concern on this one. We've been told before about intent to fix Blaster secondaries and we've gotten nothing. Castle has done good things with some ATs, but as of right now it's just another in a long string of promises.

Nowadays I don't expect much at all.

Are we finally going to see some Blaster fixes after I7?

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energy aura has repulse and energy drain that are both aoes, that require a tohit or hit, breaking hide. I don't see how much different that is from lets say og or dark regen.

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From my experiences, Energy Drain is autohit.

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Look at every war in the history of this world... How many were "fair"?

Look at every sporting event in the history of this world. How many were "fair"?

That's right, damn near all of them.



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LOL

Sporting events are rigged all the time from college basketball, to boxing, to football to anything else that's bet on in Vegas.

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I'm honestly stunned that you've only been AS-killed once on your squishies without respeccing for PvP. What's your secret, if you don't mind me asking? Do you only play in teams that can boost your perception, as is commonly suggested? Do you only go into the zones to fight other players, constantly keeping your guard up against Stalkers? I find myself ASed constantly, even when I do my best to avoid it, whenever I play my squishier characters.

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A few things actually help me out in that area.

1. I play a Stalker and have been on teams with many of them, so I know firsthand what Stalkers are looking for and the ways they go about setting up an AS.

2. When teamed I usually pick out whose the biggest threat to Stalkers (Stormies, Earth Trollers) and I keep a fair distance away from them - not far enough where I won't reap their benefits though.

3. I play like a Stalker on every character I play. Instead of running around throwing attacks left and right.

4. Probably the most important thing: Don't let Stalkers know you can see them. Keep an eye on them, but give away that you know they're there.

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For the record, none of this affects me in real life, so no apology needed. Likewise, if the existance of Stalkers hurts you in some way in real life, then... Well, then the Developers owe you an apology... Good luck with that.


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I am working on _Castle_ giving him my suggestions on how to fix this. I like to think I am doing my part in making PVP a good experience for all

Edit: AS is not the only power I have problems with. My Telekinesis is nasty. I had a Stalker trapped in a corner last night, and I let him go. It just seemed unfair. I list Telekinesis as an "I Win" power, too. I use it, but I don't abuse it.

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You seem to think that anything that is good and works well is unfair. Using that, Clear Mind is unfair, Fly is unfair, Build-Up is unfair, having macros is unfair, attacking squishies is unfair, using inspirations is unfair, using anything other brawl, sprint and rest is unfair.

Gimme a break.

The only thing you've been doing over the past month is nerfherding every Stalker thread in sight. Stalkers are fine other than primary set balance which is another issue entirely.

To this day I've never once been one-shotted on anything I've brought to a PvP zone. I've died once to AS (3 EM Stalkers AS'ing my PB Dwarf). How about trying to buff your own personal performance in PvP instead of nerfing anything you don't find fair - which seems to be everything.

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I consider stacked trip mines, tp foe, 1-shot kill on someone that has no chance an "I Win" button. I consider Telekinesis trapping someone in a corner an "I Win" button, because they have no chance. Even though the TK user is vulnerable to attack. I consider Hide + Build Up + AS one-shot on a squishy an "I Win" button.

If you have never one-shot killed a squishie in PVP, then I will give you some credit. If you have, then you are just another Stalker trying to protect a broken ability in PVP

I don't blame you for protecting an ability you use, if you use it.

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You're very misinformed.

Hide+BU+AS is not an "I Win" button.

TK is hardly an "I Win" button.

TP Foe+Trip Mine is an "I Win" button not because of the burst damage, but because there aren't enough powers in the game that protect against TP Foe. As it is now, you need to be EA or have a Kin on your team willing to give out ID constantly.

What's this "you're just another Stalker"? As of right now I have a toon of every AT with the exception of Controller, Brute and MM. I've faced Stalkers on a Rad Defender, PB, Dev Blaster, Regen Scrapper, Stalker, and Fire Tank - and have died to AS once. Never been one-shotted on anything. My builds are not tailored for PvP either, I use what I have.

Have I 1-shotted a squishy before? Yep, sure have. However I also know from playing squishies myself, that there are plenty of ways to protect yourself from getting one-shotted that don't involved compromising your build. The problem is the majority of people don't like to think. They come to the forums and read "Whirldwind blocks AS!", "Stand in Hurricane and they can't get you!", etc. These players go do that and expect everything to be alright - well their opponents are thinking. Anybody who plays a non-EM Stalker thinks about what they are about to do a lot.

My Stalker is NB primary - worst set for Stalker PvP, yet I've picked apart 5-man teams of heroes one at a time with minimal deaths, because I think instead of going on the forums complaining that everybody can see me.

AS is not a broken ability, it's an ability that makes people constantly think about what they're doing and some people in this community don't like to think. It's that simple. So instead of thinking, they go on forums and try to get whatever is giving them trouble nerfs.

Personally, I can't stand Earth Controllers when I play a villian of any AT. I haven't exactly found a way around them consistantly - yet I don't come on the forums complaining that their broken or overpowered.

If you want to talk about things being overpowered:
Stalker EM is overpowered. TP Foe is overpowered. Ice Blast and Ice Armor may be overpowered.

What do they have in common? Too many advantages. I fail to see where Stalker AS has too many advantages. Breaking LOS instantly makes the attack fail. It's interruptable. Everybody and their mother can see a Stalker. If you get hit with one, there's just a smarter player on the other end.

Seems like everytime I PM a Dev about this, I get a different answer.

First it's: "We'll look into it".
Second: "Pretty busy with Blasters right now"
Third: "Haven't gotten to the Blaster stuff yet"


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At this rate, we'll be playing "City of Jem and the Holograms" before we get some fixes.

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For the record, none of this affects me in real life, so no apology needed. Likewise, if the existance of Stalkers hurts you in some way in real life, then... Well, then the Developers owe you an apology... Good luck with that.


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I am working on _Castle_ giving him my suggestions on how to fix this. I like to think I am doing my part in making PVP a good experience for all

Edit: AS is not the only power I have problems with. My Telekinesis is nasty. I had a Stalker trapped in a corner last night, and I let him go. It just seemed unfair. I list Telekinesis as an "I Win" power, too. I use it, but I don't abuse it.

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You seem to think that anything that is good and works well is unfair. Using that, Clear Mind is unfair, Fly is unfair, Build-Up is unfair, having macros is unfair, attacking squishies is unfair, using inspirations is unfair, using anything other brawl, sprint and rest is unfair.

Gimme a break.

The only thing you've been doing over the past month is nerfherding every Stalker thread in sight. Stalkers are fine other than primary set balance which is another issue entirely.

To this day I've never once been one-shotted on anything I've brought to a PvP zone. I've died once to AS (3 EM Stalkers AS'ing my PB Dwarf). How about trying to buff your own personal performance in PvP instead of nerfing anything you don't find fair - which seems to be everything.

We already know what's up, it's really just a case of Dev procedure:

1. Ignore complaints about weak Blaster sets
2. Continuing ignoring
3. After enough PMs, make a post claiming to have plans to fix some of the problems.
4. Return to Step 1.