Rosen_ice

Im pretty sure i didnt have a chance...but now i wont know for sure for so much longer!

Maybe it will be friday hehe

Guide on Archery / Devices

Archery / Devices –

There didn’t seem to be a good guide for this power-set, so its time to fix that!

Archery / Devices is one of the strongest power-sets, not in raw toe to toe power… but in potential and ability to change to your environment.

Good things: Low endurance, great accuracy, 2 sniper-level attacks, strongest re-usable AE in the game, corner shot abilities *more on this later*, +per from devices, stealth power, archery has low agro in terms of pulling monsters from groups (very stealthy power), in PVP archery is very stealthy (the enemy has a hard time telling where the attack came from to pinpoint you, keeping a low profile and letting you get away with more without making them target you).

Bad things: Long animation times, lethal is more commonly resisted, only one “build-up” ability

Archery uses mainly lethal damage, but with devices you can offset the instances where your arrows aren’t the best method. Being able to think ahead and “read” where your enemy will move is a key to being successful when relying on your devices side.

First, lets go over the nuts and bolts… then we can talk about tactics.

Archery-

Snap Shot:
Damage- Minor
Recharge- Very fast
Range- 80 ft

Great ability, the fastest attack in terms of animation time. With the new invention system, you can slot this (and its big brother, aimed shot) with a wide range of nice benefits to pluck off in the middle of a fight (I would recommend 2 entropy and 2 devastation, creating +22 percent regen for both aimed shot and snap shot).

Aimed Shot:
Damage- Moderate
Recharge- Fast
Range- 80 ft

The big brother of Snap shot. This one has a bit longer animation time, but packs more punch. Using snap shot then aimed shot then snap shot again (it will be recharged when you are ready to shoot it), will allow you for a very nice 3 shot combination with no downtime between shots. This is nice for damage or for rapid fire situations (taking out lots of low health enemies).

Fistful of Arrows:
Damage- Moderate
Recharge- Moderate
Range- 40 ft (40 degree cone)

This is a gem for young archers. The fairly fast recharge and large cone allows for some impressive damage early on. Later on I decided to drop it from my build (to take snap shot / aimed shot combo).. but if you have room, I would recommend this. Great follow-up shot to use right after you fire rain of arrows, will hit right as rain of arrows is landing for its damage (boosting the area damage burst by 1/3 rd)

Blazing Arrow:
Damage- High
Recharge- Moderate
Range- 80 ft

This is a very nice “power” attack. It’s a sniper level attack with a fire dot…. Its animation time is a little long (so need to use it on monsters that will be alive long enough). It’s a key power when bursting damage is important (great in pvp too >&lt

Aim:
Recharge: long

It’s the only buildup type power we have. Take it, slot it with 3 recharge… and use it before you do your area attacks (or for your blazing arrow / sniper shot to burst damage).

Explosive Arrow:
Damage: Moderate
Recharge: Long
Range: 80 ft (15 ft area damage around target)

This is a very nice power for the young archer. Its damage isnt “huge”, but it has added benefit of 30 percent knockback. Using Fistful of arrows and then explosive arrow allows for a 2 shot area combination (with aim) that can dish out some nice damage. It is also usable at caltropsed corners (use it on the first monster to show its face around the corner and fire… it will hit his friends still out of line of sight).

Ranged Shot:
Damage: Extreme
Recharge: Long
Range: 120 ft

This is another very nice power. Its our sniper attack and can be interrupted… but if you learn to use it wisely, its valuable. Its long range allows for pulling or for zapping running enemies (in pvp, shooting with blazing arrow and then starting a long animation ranged shot is a great combination, there is a delay before ranged shot hits…so starting with ranged shot and then using blazing arrow can burst the damage pretty close together also).

Stunning Shot:
Damage: Minor
Recharge: Slow
Range: 70 ft

This is a nice “control” attack (disorient). Though it has a long animation time and keeps you from doing damage… with new inventions, might be worth to take for the extra invention options. Its not my favorite, but I am more damage oriented (using this with taser will allow a double disorient …letting to stop bosses, very handy in some situations if you go that way).

Rain of Arrows:
Damage: Extreme
Recharge: Long
Range: 60 ft (area attack around 20 feet of target location)

Congratulations! You are a true archer with this attack! Capable of decimating large groups of monsters. Its fast recharge means (once slotted) you can use it for each fight as you move with a large group (meaning you will be the one doing the majority of the damage over the course of the mission). This attack also has a VERY nice ability in the fact that it doesn’t need line of sight to use (more on tactics of this later)… worth taking, you need this! If you don’t take it, you will make archers everywhere cry.


Devices


Web Grenate:
Range: 60 ft
Recharge: Fast

- Jump, - fly, - recharge, immobilize

Great for pvp, great for bringing down flyers. You are forced to take this, and comes in handy for immobilizing a monster that’s chasing you (or running). Nice to toss around for the –recharge against big monsters too (though the duration isnt the best)

Caltrops:
Damage: Minor (dot)
Range: 5-10 ft (20 ft area at target location)
Recharge: Long

VERY nice power. Its ability to stop entire groups of monsters in its tracks is perfect for keeping yourself safe. Any monsters that find themselves on caltrops will slowly run away (it has a slow component to it). The ways to use this are countless…you can caltrops under a friend who is getting beat up, under yourself, at a corner to stop a group from coming around or chasing… (And in PVP, great for stopping those stalkers assassin strike)

Taser:
Recharge: Moderate

Disorient melee attack. Not my favorite…but you might like it for its disorient (can be used with stunning shot for a stacked disorient that will work on bosses).

Targeting Drone:
Recharge: Moderate

+per, +acc… very nice power. With the natural accuracy bonus that archery gets, you will miss rarely once you have this (though, always nice to slot it with +to hit). The +per is handy and there is also a resistance to –acc powers used on you while you have this.

Smoke Grenade:
Recharge: Long

-per, - acc… nice ability if you have room for it. Can be used to sneak around troublesome monster groups or to get closer to drop a mine (I personally don’t use it, more damage oriented).

Cloaking Device:
Recharge: Long

Stealth ability without a slow component in it (so you can move full speed). Very nice ability for the sneaky archer. Stacked with superspeed or invention stealth will allow you to have an invisibility level stealth (so you can plant mines at the feet of unnoticing monsters)

Trip Mine:
Damage: Extreme
Recharge: Long
Range: Point Blank Area (20 ft)

This is the key power to offset the problem areas of archery. Its amazing when soloing and setting traps (and even in groups). You can use this midfight in a group by setting it in the middle of the fighting (while the tanker distracts them). If a monster runs over it too quickly, it can avoid the blast (same with pvp). If the monster is very close to the center of the blast, it takes extra damage. (Also note that in pvp the enemy cant see these, area damage can hurt them and they will explode after taking a large amount of damage… if you have mines planted and you die, the mines will all explode… most likely taking out whatever killed you if you were standing close, hehe)

Time Bomb:
Damage: Extreme
Recharge: Very Long
Range: Point Blank Area (15 ft)

This is more powerful then trip mine, but has a much longer recharge and is set to detonate 15 seconds after you plant it (making it VERY hard to plan and use. Could be used in pulling situations if you set traps for a delayed charge).

Auto Turret
Damage: Minor (dot)
Range: 60 ft
Recharge: Very Long

This is a nice power for certain situations. It can be used to take the alpha strike when attacking a group of monsters, or can be set up for long fights (like AV’s). Its fairly nice damage, but it has a huge endurance cost and a long activation time. I like to use it for even stronger trap ambushes and its nice that it will continue to fire even if you are held or sleeping (nice for a troublemaker stalker in pvp).

Note: It cant be moved, but once slotted it will be recharged by the time it poofs, with hasten you can have 2 at once.



Tactics!!

Ok, now that we got the basic abilities out of the way. Lets talk how to use them!

Basically, there are many many many different ways you can use the tools devices and archery gives you. This is why its my favorite set… it allows more flexible play and depends on thinking ahead. The better you can plan…the stronger and more dangerous you are.


Trap Setup-

Trap setup is key for a device user. The main issue is that monsters will normally be pulled in a line (so the first monster will run over your entire bomb setup, killing him but leaving his friends alive).

To avoid this, there are a few things you can do.

First: Pulling technique – you need to pull out of line of sight from the monsters (to do this, run and jump around a corner while activating your area attack… this will allow you to attack the group and pull without them attacking back and coming in a line). Once you have rain of arrows, you can use its ability to shoot without line of sight to pull groups very easily into your traps.

Second: Caltrops wall – to keep the group of monsters from simply running past your mines and hurting you. You can set up your caltrops right behind the mines you have set. This will stop the entire bunch right at your mines for maximum damage.

Third: Insurance – It is always a good idea to plan ahead, some bosses can slowly run past caltrops or fly over. This is why its nice to set another set of charges at the back end of the caltrops wall (so in a big fight, many are hurt in the initial blast…and any left are again hit later on when they work past the caltrops or the caltrops disappear). It is also a good idea to set a mine where you will be hiding (around the corner) in case something sneaks around on you.


Trap Setup – Scattered

This is a great way to set up traps in PVP. Setting them up in a minefield type pattern will reduce the chances that the enemy will simply run over them (not setting them off) and will let you have defenses in case more then 1 attacker comes.


Distance From Mines –

This is a key issue to be aware of. Mines will not explode if its setter is too far away. This can be used to your advantage by setting a minefield…and watching from a good distance. Once the group of enemies are on your minefield, you can go back into range and they will all explode at once (for pve and pvp).


PVP Burst –

Using aim and then rain of arrows (from around a corner is nice so they don’t notice you) on an enemy…then get into line of sight and use blazing arrow and a follow-up ranged shot will allow for some very nice burst damage.


Turret Pulling –

To do this, you need to stealth into turret range of the group of monsters. Set up several mines around the area where the turret will be and then set up the turret. It will start shooting right away and pull the monsters onto it (it has some nice defense and can survive abuse). Caltrops around the turret to keep them from meleeing it and as they charge, they will be hit by the mines.

This tactic is great for situations where you don’t have a safe corner to rain of arrows or caltrops pull to.


Teleport Skip-

Set the mines in front and in back of a caltrops wall… then pull the group into the first mines, teleport around to the back of the group and use your explosive arrow to send them over the caltrops and into the back mines.


Mid-combat mining-

This is great when lots are left and you have used up your rain of arrows. Just go into the middle of the fighting and plant your mines. Simple, yet I don’t see many blasters doing this (the damage is worth it).


Teleport / Hover –

This is just a little tip, with teleport and hover you will be able to teleport right into a big group and start planning your mines right away (instead of waiting for your teleport temporary hover to run out). Also allows for some quick movement sniper shots.

Heh i wish we could enter two...

Ivory Figurine: Second Chances

This ones my other one (i think i like it more then the last).

I think

1) Base accuracy, zero defense = 30-40% chance to hit
2) Max accuracy, zero defense = 90% chance to hit
3) Base accuracy, max defense = 10% chance to hit
4) Max accuracy, max defense = 30-40% chance to hit...

We all know that in the PVE game, people slot their powers with +ACC... so having it be 30 percent at base vs base isnt really a problem (because most people wont have that)

In PVP some people are becoming gods with super defense, but they need it because its their only way to survive. 30-40% makes them killable but still gives them a decent line of defense (keeping things balanced, without going crazy in any direction).

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
On the other hand, PvE environments are generally static, and not because they have to be, but because game designers claim they *must* be: that an evolving PvE environment creates all sorts of problems that would upset or unbalance the game. Can't have PvE players alterning the environment, because a constantly shifting backdrop to PvE would wreck PvE.

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't really know any developers who believe that. We look at games like Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, God of War or Shadow of the Colossus and the innovative use of terrain involved there and think "How can we get things such as that into our game?"

[/ QUOTE ]

Heres how...do it in missions... and overlap the results of the mission onto the normal game world.

They would be communal events that allow any level to participate.. breaking down the lines of “level” and making us all just heroes working towards the same goal of stopping evil.

How? Well, on the same line as the fire events in steel canyon.

In any city zone, a building could spawn a “master plan” event, and then start to cycle through stages (different stages depending on the players interaction). There would be many different types for each villain group (or as many as possible) to keep things fresh, and each would have many possible directions they could take during the event.

1) Example: Militia master plan (again, there should be different types that can happen, to keep people on their toes and keep them from doing the “same old” stuff) .. One building starts to spawn militia around the outside and a contact NPC appears. (these would be like giant monsters in that their attacks scale to whatever they attack, and vice versa…just without super HP or damage.. this would be a new type of “communal experience” PVE monster. Minion and lieutenant / boss type hardness, but scaling to anyone that cares to help out).

2) Players can then begin the story of the militia are actively taking over the building and need to be stopped. They are given a timed mission (the timer is set to the event stages, so someone could get a long timer or a very short one…depending on when they arrived). Such as going inside and finding out what they are planning (to begin).

Option 1: Heroes go inside and find out what they are planning, leading to the next mission to stop it (This would be another timed mission once the event goes to that stage, such as stopping waves of arriving militia troops from entering the building *in an instanced mission zone* or going inside and shutting down missiles)

Option 2: The heroes don’t make it in time and the building takes on a more sinister look as the militia advance. Outside stronger units spawn (maybe turrets). Then nearby the paragon police show up (a little way away, they start sending in NPCS to begin npc mini fights to make it seem active). This makes the event seem alive, like its really happening and the city is responding. ..any hero in the area helping in one way or another (each going inside in their own missions that are scaled to their difficulty).

NOTE: to add more community and sense of it actually happening. Have those inside the mission (and those in the area outside who have spoken to the contact) be notified each time the event advances with personalized (their name) messages.

Like “We need you back out here! Blue Hawk found the plans (the hero / group who completed the mission first) we need to stop their next move!”






Then it continues in that type of mini real time story arc. Stronger and stronger challenges getting thrown at the heroes. Ending in either the militia getting a launch point in the zone (they would start to spawn lots of communal NPCs to roam around, the zone would slowly spread into a war-zone, buildings being replaced *very slowly! This is an event that should last hours and hours… even days if no one fights the militia back. Each stage should give X amount of minimum time for players to experience it (so one person might zip to the end of a stage and find the clue, but the event wouldn’t advance for maybe 30 minutes if it was too quick. The npc would say they are analyzing the information or something)

The EXP should be rewarding enough to make it worth peoples times, everything scales to anyone who wants to try and help… so it should attract enough players to end the event sooner or later).

You could throw out some temp powers to use, disguises, an entire story arc meant to be done (as little or as much) by any hero in the game. They shouldn’t happen in every zone all the time, but there should be at least one going on for players to experience. (As one ends, another could be starting the beginning stages)

As the communal arc moves into more advanced stages, the game should start sending out npcs to more crowded areas to find heroes. (Such as an npc appearing under atlas, not spamming, just a different intractable mission NPC that would attract attention because its so out of place and different *people would notice a new mission npc if it just popped up somewhere with normal traffic*) At the most advanced stages (or towards the end of the event as the heroes are fighting) you could even have statesman or another icon hero pop up and start fighting (players would love that).

The key is to make enough different types to keep people interested.. and make them dynamic enough that the players really feel like they are doing something. Make the zone slowly change in response to how the players are doing and throw a bunch of different challenges at them (not just find X glowy… maybe a part where it spawns fast moving cars on the street and the heroes need to kill 10 of them to move to the next stage. Having people chase them down…)

None of them really strike me (other then the one already being used at the end). What kind of look are you going for?

Well...because you asked... *shameless plug*

Ivory Figurine Entry

Its too bad they didnt add anything new in terms of mmo gameplay ...graphics are nice, but mmo's are longerterm things (so they need more to keep players coming back)

Thats what i was saying...one of the major heroes (like war witch).

It would be really really neat if one reward was to have our featured character turned into one of the "major" heroes (like war witch). Maybe with a short show up in one of the official comics....and maybe even an NPC in game!

Ok.... attempted it again...replaced some things and added better text. Also tried a new filter (woo for free trials!) for the entire thing.

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Anyone have some suggestions? Do you like the filter more then before?

Thanks Its made in the comic creator program (the one for the contest, its a free trial download).

Hiya, i made my comic... but wanted some feedback on how to improve it before i try and submit it. I uploaded it to


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I dont have anything like photoshop, so really fancy things i cant really do ...

_Castle_.... a simple way to fix the escort NPC's and stealth power from slotting is....

When a travel power (passive only) is slotted with the set of IO's, instead of adding the stealth effect to the character...it creates a "temporary" power for the character that can be turned off or on, independent of the travel power. The extra stealth power is no cost (because its on a passive power)...but gives the player control over it.

This also gives you a chance to design and consider IO's for specifically passive and toggles.