Rubber_Dog

It's funny how I still think that if someone is on a PB or WS I assume that they are a veteran. I have to get with the times as that is no longer the case. You know you just "assume" they know what they are doing...anyway now I check the Vet badge of a PB or WS first thing so I can stay away from them if I don't see at least a little experience. Learn something new every day I guess.

Posted over there...thanks.

This might have been suggested previously....but it would be wonderful if we could just delete all of our e-mails when we log in. Clicking Delete 111 times like I just did is not "hard" to do but really I shouldn't have to. I am not going to bother with the Spam e-mail list because that does not work...I would just like to click Delete All one time and move on with my life. Is this important...No...but I still wish we could have it.

This might have been suggested previously....but it would be wonderful if we could just delete all of our e-mails when we log in. Clicking Delete 111 times like I just did is not "hard" to do but really I shouldn't have to. I am not going to bother with the Spam e-mail list because that does not work...I would just like to click Delete All one time and move on with my life. Is this important...No...but I still wish we could have it.

Just a general question on whether or not the CoX folks have commented on future support options for the Vista OS? I know they officially are advising they are not supporting it now but has there been any word on future support?

Thanks for your reply.

Soldier of Fortune - Assault Rifle/Traps Corruptor Guide

Soldier of Fortune – An Assault Rifle/Traps Corruptor Guide

OVERVIEW

What this combination of powersets can do:

1) Single Target Damage (Burst, Slug, Sniper Rifle)
2) AOE Damage (Buckshot, M30 Grenade, Flamethrower, Ignite, Full Auto, Trip Mine, Time Bomb)
3) Debuff (Beanbag, Web Grenade, Caltrops, Acid Mortar, Poison Trap, Seeker Drones)
4) Buff (Triage Beacon, Force Field Generator)

This guide is based on the concept that it is important for a player to recognize what their powersets are best suited to accomplish and then slotting and building to achieve that ideal.

I will not offer recommendations on slotting as that is really based on player style.

In the case of an AR/Traps Corruptor the strength of the combined powersets are best suited to cause AOE damage while Buffing and Debuffing actively and passively.

The strength of the AR/Traps combination is then reinforced by the fact that you also have three solid single target damage attacks including a sniper power.

There are many who will argue that Burst is not a “solid” attack and I will address those concerns later in the guide.

SOME OF THE NOT SO GOOD STUFF

It should be noted that the life of a Soldier of Fortune is not always rosy and there are several issues that exist with the AR/Trap combination. I will list some of those here:

1) Lethal Damage galore in these powers. Lethal is one of those powers that are resisted more and more as the game goes on and in the PvP environment as well. This is not a solid PvP choice so if you see a lot of that in your future another power set combination may be a better choice for you.

2) Unless you invest in Hasten and slot a bit for recharge some of the Traps powers will take a bit of time to recharge thus preventing their use in every battle. So if you want to have your powers up and ready to go all the time another power set combination may be better for you.

3) There is no direct heal and no direct shield power in this group so you will not be doing a lot of individual buffing which is a plus in my eyes but the potential exists that you will not be a highly visible team contributor if those teammates are not aware of the “small” things (read: passive power contributions). In other words the support powers you provide are not flashy and so if you want Green Flames shooting out of your…well…shooting out of anywhere…then another power set combination may be a better choice for you

4) The Traps set can be sort of like Castle Building in Real Time Strategy (RTS) games. The set can revolve around the idea that you can set up a safe haven from which to operate. You can set up your Beacon, Acid Mortar, Drop some Caltrops, Lay down the Poison trap, etc all in a defined area and prior to engaging the enemy if you wish…however this particular style of play while very effective solo can be much less effective on teams…the enemy is dying much more quickly and many of your teammates may be on the move so they may not be reaping any benefit whatsoever of your powers or moving in and out of their beneficial range. Playing the set like you are Castle Building is not a requirement but if that is the thing you like to do and you are the type of player who would become agitated that “EVERYONE IS NOT STAYING SAFE BY MY SIDE!!” then another power set combination may be a better choice for you.

ACTIVE and PASSIVE POWERS

One of the best things about the AR/Traps corruptor is the fact that you have both active and passive powers in the Traps set that can help the team. The Passive powers here are the Force Field Generator and the Triage Beacon. You set them up and they are doing their job…you don’t have to think about them at all…yet you are reaping their benefit.

A word about the Triage Beacon. This power is one that many people advise can be skipped in the Traps set and while I understand the rationale behind that thinking this power does have its benefits. When properly slotted the Triage Beacon is providing what is basically a Super-Health power (without the sleep resistance). Everyone who is within the rather wide range of this power will recover approximately 5% of their hit points every 2 seconds. There is no doubt that this power will not prevent the Alpha Strike death or the “too much Agro and I am a squishy death”…but there is no denying that recovery of 5% of my hit points every 2 seconds is, for lack of a better term, Good. Positioning of this power is very important and often this power should be put into use not at the very onset of the battle but once things are rolling…and the melee area is defined. The range of the Beacon is large enough that it can be placed at a strategic point between the Melee folks and the Ranged folks and both with benefit.

One might also consider Acid Mortar, Seeker Drones and Poison Trap as Passive powers (as well as Caltrops, Trip Mine and Time Bomb) but I do not because they do require a bit more thought due to placement, agro management and the like.

In my opinion those are hybrid active/passive powers.

Once you make your decision on where to lay them down then they can do their thing but in the meantime you have to think about the best place to put them into use.

Ok so you have your passive powers out and working you put some thought into where you want to lay the hybrid powers down and now it is time to go active…mmmm…blasting…. time to pull out the Gigantic Rifle of Death…which amazingly never needs reloading or cleaning and will disappear into umm your back apparently when not in use. The Assault Rifle powers details are available for review in the blaster forums so I will not rehash them here…except to say this…when you have a group of enemies that are either desperately trying to run out of the caltrops, puking their guts out from poison trap and/or stuck in place with the Web Grenade and you open up with Full Auto, Flamethrower, Ignite, and any of your single attack powers and then end it with a good dose of Buckshot…well it is very satisfying…

Regarding Buckshot and the M30 Grenade Launcher as has been said before you may not need both. I have Buckshot because I like the resulting position of the mobs better than what happens when M30 knocks them all over the place and to be honest I usually use it only as a Defensive get away from my castle power or when I have a good group lined up and they are close to death.

This brings us to Scourge, which is the reason I mentioned Burst earlier and why I don’t think that is a wasted power. If you have an enemy that is getting down a bit on health you have the perfect ender to his sad life…Burst…4 ticks of damage suddenly becomes 8 ticks with scourge and Viola…dead bad guy. The same can be said of Buckshot…after you have whittled down the health with your other more potent attack and suddenly you lay Buckshot into a group then you have actually dealt quite a bit of damage…plus most of them are going to be getting back up and therefore not shooting at you.

THE TRAPS POWERSET

A quick summary of some of the Traps set powers…no numbers here just some basic info about the power and its use from my experience.

Web Grenade - You have to take it…easy to forget you have it…great to take down flyers…situational power but very useful when needed…No Choice but to take it.

Caltrops - Ahhhh Sweet, Sweet Caltrops…how I love thee so…. Get ‘em. Slot ‘em… Love them.- Highly Recommended!

Triage Beacon - Some don’t like or need this power and I can see that but I like it so you make your own decision on it. – Up to you…I like it so I will say Recommended.

Acid Mortar – This power will Tank for you and increase the damage you do…’Nuff said…. Recommended.

Force Field Generator – A must have power…Mez protection…very noticeable difference in damage and how often Mez’d when this power goes down in the middle of a battle. Highly Recommended!

Poison Trap – Again a situation power…much more useful to me on an 8 man team with a lot of mobs than in a small team or solo setting…Can Save your Bacon if played correctly…useful…recommended…well maybe…my thoughts are it can be skipped or slotted for full use but not in between (I have it and use it). – Up to you.

Seeker Drones – Great power in a Team situation…Basically you are saving the Brute from taking the Alpha strike with this power…. Solo…I’m not so in love with it…draws agro, which I would rather do with a bullet to the noggin from my Sniper Rifle. Recommended.

Trip Mine – The better of the two bombs…my thoughts are you can do a lot of damage as is but if you really like doing damage…go for it. Up to you.

Time Bomb – Huh! Can I get that thing where I attach a bomb to some poor sod like a mastermind does instead…. not recommended.

RECOMMENDED POWER POOL CHOICES
There are many that are solid add on powers…. Medicine in case you want to add an active heal to your repertoire…Stealth and Grant Invisibility is a must so you can cloak your Force Field Generator and hide yourself so every Yo-Yo and his brother doesn’t shoot at you while you are placing bombs and other evil devices at their feet…Super Jump so you can get Acrobatics and avoid being knocked back out of the castle you have built….TP is good to move some of your items (Acid Mortar) around….Hasten will aid your recharge timers on some of the longer recharging items….your choice really but the utility of the sets in general allow for a wide range of choices….

BEST TEAMATES FOR THIS POWER SET COMBINATION

For Survivability: Thermal Corruptor or another Corruptor with an active heal
For Fun: Anyone with SB, AM or any other power that causes your power to cycle more quickly

SUMMARY

The Assault Rifle/Traps Corruptor is a solid power set combination. It is not flashy and may seem not very Super Villainy to some people so there are going to be those who just would simply not consider it. It is however a very satisfying set to play simply due to the utility you can offer to a team. You will not be getting the “Nice Heals” message in the team window but you will have a great time and if the team has another Corruptor on it with active heals the team will rock. When a Traps Corruptor is the only Corruptor on the team there can be issues but when another player has an active heal then you will be amazed at how smoothly things go…This is the power set that fills in all the small little niches that otherwise may cause issues…You need some control…Got that…You need some Healing…Got That…. You need some Mez Resistance…. Got that…. Oh you need some serious damage dealing…. Got that too.

Whatever you do have a good time doing it…

Uh Oh…. my phone is ringing…must be another request for this Soldier of Fortune to go out and do some damage…

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Positron can't take a leak without blowing up a city block.

Captain Mako

I love the new comic.....Is it dark? Yep Does it show the hero's less than attractive side? Yep but that is what makes it so memorable....I enjoyed the simple kid like quality of the first series but it was a bit "happy" for me....I guess I enjoy the darker more compelling storyline in this series so far...Other than the "Lvl 15 Scrapper looking for team!" from that last page of the prior series...can you remember how each of those comics ended and did you wonder what would happen in the next issue?

I am very concerned that we have established BotBS as the acronym for the Blood of the Black Stream....the Devs need to change the name of the AT to Blood of our Black Stream

This is a current thread on the controller board.

Current Controller Board Thread

For those of you who don't really want to jump on that thread it basically says...OP: Hey Im a low level controller and I feel like I'm not wanted and no one will team with me.
A lot of the responses: Don't worry...soon you will be Uber and then everyone will want you but then you will become too uber and no one will want to team with you and your crazy pets.

A previous post indicated that if graphics were added which visibly showed the Defensive/Debuff powers at work that would increase the perception of the contribution of the Defender. This is a great idea and I think it would go a long way towards making Defenders perceive themselves as more important.

Additionally the feeling of "not being needed" has a lot to do with the fact that Players as a whole appear to realize that Controllers can do the job of a defender in the later levels. So they hear this and automatically think they do not need a Defender if they have a Controller.

Controllers need some balancing overall so they are not Bruce Banner from Lvl 1-31 and The Hulk from Lvl 32 - 50. Once they balance the Controller AT then the natural process of making Defenders more valuable would follow. Same thing for Tanks...if they couldn't "hold" as many foes with their Taunt (and then kill them with overpowered Damage powers as they can now) then Controllers would be needed for their "Controller" powers (not their damaging powers).

Taking it down to the basics....Each AT should be the single best AT at their titled job....Tankers should be able to Tank but not damage effectively. Controllers should be able to control but not defend effectively, Defenders should be able to defend but not damage effectively, Scrappers should be able to Damage but not Tank effectively and Blasters should be able to complain that they are the forgotten AT errr I mean they should be able to do Ranged Damage but not (well Im not really sure if their secondarys can be defined) but I guess as was intended they should be able to do ranged damage but not control effectively.

So all ATs should be the best at their primary but unable to match the effectiveness in the realm of what their secondary brings as compared to the AT with that primary.

So for this specific instance....If controllers can't defend like defenders...problem solved

Go. Hunt. Kill Heroz.

18/21 Sub-Mariner was the man.....The Invaders rocked!

Using my Kinetics defender in Founders Falls last night I did not see any reduction in the amount of recovery...although I do have two endurance recovery slots in there. There was a huge jump in the amount of Drain from the bad guy though. I was draining even con Council down to zero endurance from a full bar.

As a side note/follow up question.....I do not have Siphon Speed...Are you seeing some signifcant improvement by using that power and do you have hasten as well.