Rylas

Well, I think we have differing opinions. While A-Merits can keep you from depending on the market, they don't have to. Originally, I thought I'd go the A-Merit route to get the PVP IO because I didn't think I'd see a PVP IO that quickly if I put in a bid (after all, you can get 30 A-Merits in 20 days with enough persistence). But now that I've got them, I'm wondering how long I'd really have to wait if I placed in the bid.

I know I could roll them all and go with what comes up. Granted, as long as the 150 rolls average 20 million in worth I'd make 3 billion from it. Of course, that's ignoring crafting fees. Or, I can sell the PVP IO and possibly make even more without waiting 30 days just to roll all my merits. But how long is the usual wait when going through the market? Because, you know, I want to have my cake and eat it, too.

P.S. I thought I saw it listed as 30 merits, but I could be wrong. But what's 5 more merits at this point?

Well, the wish-granter granted the wish. It's HOW the wish gets granted that you can RP. IO out your Elec/ tank with plenty of +HP and at least 30% S/L Def, and you will be invincible.

Oh no, I caught the conversation. The OP seemed to focus his whole argument for hyperinflation on Rare and Desirable market items, while ignoring the whole market. Then FourSpeed makes an argument on TO/DO/SO items, as well as common IOs and other desirable items that have gone down on the market. THEN, you come in talking about the absurdity of bringing up TO/DO/SO items while ignoring the fallacy of the OPs statement and the validity of FourSpeeds other points.

At this point, the only reasonable conclusion of your post and the accusatory tone it took would suggest that you support the OP's claim that inflation has indeed reach "hyper" proportions. Maybe I'm wrong, but you've done nothing to say otherwise and seem to be under the impression that FourSpeed has some kind of agenda to deceive others on the market in order to maintain some massive cover up.

While I get what you're saying, there aren't many times cars and large objects get thrown at you. While KB powers exist, there's always the fact that you can naturally be agile, thus, making it harder to knock you off your feet. Agility isn't a superpower.

I'd actually suggest getting 4 pts. of KB protection, for a more believable RP character. Yeah, you can stay on your feet, but when something with more mass than you comes your way and hits you, you're going to fall down.

So, inflation should only be determined off of the prices of very rare items? Not the market as a whole?

I'm not even anywhere near "expert knowledge" of the inner workings of the market, but really, if I can make it work for me, anyone can make it work. If you're hung up on the prices of purples and PVP IOs, then go out and farm for them through the methods available. It's really not that hard. Or, do you simply prefer the dig-your-heels-in-the-ground-and-pout method?

My DM/EA is soft capped to all but Psi as well. With the -to hit, he's even harder to hit. Honestly, it's very easy to soft cap EA without using up too many slot or sacrificing enhancement values. I can post the template that just shows what you need for defense, if you like.

Overall, he was a fun Brute to play.

Then read the responses in this thread. They've all given very good examples of how the inflation you're tunnel-visioning isn't across the board. You're just seeing it in sets that from the get-go, were meant to be hard to obtain. There's been some inflation, but nothing near "HYPER" inflation.

Let's relate this to the real world. If the price of Gold skyrockets, but everything else (say things like food, appliances, clothes) all stayed the same in price, then you couldn't say the economy as a whole has hyperinflated. To say that would be ignorant, no? So, apply that to CoH. Most things are the same price, Purples and PVP's are crazy expensive (to some people). The only logical conclusion is that said items have more demand than they used to (and there's more inf in the game to buy it with - which is literally what inflation is).

See, that's what I love about 7 years of experience. You guys know what we're thinking before we ask it.

Yes, we do have a lot of tossers around here.

Er... uh, question tossers!

What do you mean by casual player? To me, it's someone who doesn't have a lot of time to play games. Which means the market system ACTUALLY CATERS TO THEM in the example you gave. A casual player can play with the time they have available, and put bids up on the market when they log. It fits into their schedule quite well if they choose to use it accordingly.

You can get commons through tickets as well. Sure, it's random, but wait! What's this!? If you made space and did enough random rolls on common salvage, you could get the piece you need for sure! And then what!? Sell it for those astronomical prices you don't want to pay!? WIN!

The system works. You just refuse to let it work for you.

I just recently slotted out the Cardiac boost. Before it, I would need to use Consume once every three to four groups. So it had plenty of time to recharge. After it, I've hardly used it that much. I'd still prefer to have it though for end-drain situations. I know you're mainly demon farming in AE, but the build works with a lot of other groups for Purple farming. You'll want Consume if you want more variety to your farming.

I might try the Spiritual boost for the recharge. In which case, I'll need Consume more often.

Wow, this post has been up a while without a response. Maybe it's because so many people swear up and down about SS/Fire, who knows. SS/Fire is great, but I've been having waaaay too much fun with my Elec/Fire, and it's completely usable for farming.

If you're going to do AE fire-farming, then most anything you do will be fine since you're capped for the resist. Your build would do ok. But it's missing two key components. Consume (especially with the lack of end reduction you have) and Burn, which has been turned into a real demon with its latest buff (no more Fear!!). Take 'em.

Here's the build I have, which you may not consider "better" but the numbers are much stronger. While you seem to have gone for Melee and AoE, I've worked up S/L/E/N to 31.5% defense (still waiting to make my PVP Def IO), with better defense in other areas as well. And I've gained more recharge and +HP than you currently have. 55% Recharge to be exact. I'm melting away mobs at insane rates, and I still have a couple more LotG's to go. Once it's finished, it'll only be faster.

Not sure if you're aware of Fiery Embraces new buff, but it now increases all attacks equally, while also allowing you to get around ED caps (in a manner of speaking). Throwing out Energy and Fire damage all over the place reduces most mobs in seconds. I lead with BU+FE, Burn, Lightning Rod and clean up with Thunder Strike (if needed). The first group is done, and in the few seconds it takes to get another group around me, I can usually BU+Burn+LR again. With Hasten up, after the first two groups it's wash and repeat.

I know you said no purples, but the PVP IO is helpful (well, it will be when I get 30 A-Merits wrapped up). I don't even have it yet and I'm usually pretty safe in a +0 x8 setting.

Enough talk, here's the build.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.92
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Brohemeth: Level 50 Magic Brute
Primary Power Set: Electrical Melee
Secondary Power Set: Fiery Aura
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Concealment

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Havoc Punch -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(5), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(7), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42)
Level 1: Fire Shield -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(3), RctvArm-ResDam(3), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(5)
Level 2: Jacobs Ladder -- Erad-Dmg(A), Erad-Acc/Rchg(15), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(40), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), C'ngBlow-Dmg/EndRdx(46)
Level 4: Healing Flames -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(A), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(45), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(45), Dct'dW-Heal(46), Dct'dW-Rchg(46)
Level 6: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 8: Thunder Strike -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(9), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(9), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(11), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11)
Level 10: Build Up -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(40), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(43), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(43), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(45), GSFC-Build%(48)
Level 12: Boxing -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(13), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(13), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Zephyr-ResKB(A)
Level 16: Plasma Shield -- RctvArm-ResDam(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(17), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(17), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(19)
Level 18: Chain Induction -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(19), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(21), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(21), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34)
Level 20: Consume -- P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(39), P'Shift-Acc/Rchg(40), Efficacy-Acc/Rchg(48)
Level 22: Blazing Aura -- Erad-Dmg/Rchg(A), Erad-Acc/Rchg(23), Erad-Dmg(23), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(33), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(50)
Level 24: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(25), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(25), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(27), S'fstPrt-ResKB(48)
Level 26: Weave -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(27), LkGmblr-Def(29), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(29)
Level 28: Burn -- Erad-Dmg(A), Erad-Acc/Rchg(31), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(31), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(31), C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg(33)
Level 30: Taunt -- Mocking-Taunt(A), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg(37), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(37), Mocking-Acc/Rchg(37), Mocking-Taunt/Rng(39), Mocking-Rchg(39)
Level 32: Lightning Rod -- Erad-Dmg(A), Erad-Acc/Rchg(34), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(34), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(36), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(36)
Level 35: Fiery Embrace -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(42), RechRdx-I(43)
Level 38: Temperature Protection -- GA-3defTpProc(A)
Level 41: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(50), RechRdx-I(50)
Level 44: Grant Invisibility -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 47: Invisibility -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 49: Stealth -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 50: Cardiac Partial Core Revamp
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A)
------------
Set Bonus Totals:

• 5.5% DamageBuff(Smashing)
• 5.5% DamageBuff(Lethal)
• 5.5% DamageBuff(Fire)
• 5.5% DamageBuff(Cold)
• 5.5% DamageBuff(Energy)
• 5.5% DamageBuff(Negative)
• 5.5% DamageBuff(Toxic)
• 5.5% DamageBuff(Psionic)
• 23.5% Defense(Smashing)
• 23.5% Defense(Lethal)
• 10.38% Defense(Fire)
• 10.38% Defense(Cold)
• 23.5% Defense(Energy)
• 23.5% Defense(Negative)
• 6% Defense(Psionic)
• 16.63% Defense(Melee)
• 16.63% Defense(Ranged)
• 10.06% Defense(AoE)
• 9% Max End
• 18% Enhancement(Accuracy)
• 55% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
• 4% Enhancement(Heal)
• 10% FlySpeed
• 275.49 HP (18.38%) HitPoints
• 10% JumpHeight
• 10% JumpSpeed
• Knockback (Mag -8)
• Knockup (Mag -8)
• MezResist(Held) 2.75%
• MezResist(Immobilize) 11.55%
• MezResist(Sleep) 1.65%
• MezResist(Stun) 2.2%
• MezResist(Terrorized) 2.2%
• 4% (0.067 End/sec) Recovery
• 10% (0.626 HP/sec) Regeneration
• 1.26% Resistance(Fire)
• 1.26% Resistance(Cold)
• 10% RunSpeed

So WRONG it's sad. They should be going for the Earth Mastery set for more controllery fun-time goodness.

If it was easy, wouldn't you be more right than just "sometimes?"

LOL Rogues.

Just like I like my razors.

Seriously, though, if your idea of how to fix an expansion is so you can get your PL on, then you're going to have a tough time selling that one. LRN2TEAM.

Weird. I was logged in about 2 hours ago. Logged out and came back just now to an update. My friend who hasn't been on all day is logging in now without an update.

Well, no one's saying anything about the 81 month badge. Maybe because it's a very good Vet Reward. Maybe because no one wants it. Who knows?

There does remain the very real possibility that the devs can implement a good feature in a bad place. This is one I would accept as being arguable. YMMV, of course. But if enough people feel it would make a better booster item or have expressed it in suggestion forums before it became a vet reward (both in this case), then maybe there's something there for the Devs to consider.

Hey, some of us are at least trying to meet halfway. I'm sure coming up with new rewards is a real pain in the ***, so offer an alternative power that's just a shade less as beneficial.