Sermon

My setup :
I stack my tray with my click powers 1-5 on trays one, two, and three, accessed with 1-5, shift+1-5, and alt+1-5. Sometimes I have click powers spill over the 6 slot.

Generally,
1-5 is ST attacks (though 1 is sometimes a targeted heal)
shift + 1-5 are AOE attacks
alt + 1-5 are self-buff powers like buildup, self-heal, +end powers.

I always bind travel power to "f" key (sometimes hover/combatjumping to "e").

Toggles all sit at the edge of my trays as I don't need to click them very often.

Also, I often bind special single target buffs, like shields and speed boost.

I am very happy with i20, but I would prefer for the next issue not to advance the incarnate system except in giving us solo and team-sized options for unlocking said content without significant penalties (and additional 8+ raids if possible). Additionally, mid level content, powersets/proliferation, plus more power customization.

Really, I would be happy for the next several issues to be along this line. I have plenty of work ahead of me, and I am happy to put the time in, but I want to feel like i can take a step back and play my non 50s without feeling like my mains are getting left behind.

I expect we will get an announcement around the anniversary, detailing the direction of development over the coming months. That said, it would be reassuring for the devs to pop in and say that solo and small team incarnate advancement is on the way. If it isn't coming in the near future, the devs should seriously reconsider this. I don't care if incarnate content is supposed to be reserved for the big story, players should have reasonable access to the system (much more reasonable than the current implementation, even for the alpha slot) regardless of their level 50+ playstyle.

I wouldn't call it a speed run. A speed run is, perhaps, where you skip to the courtyard in Lambda, ignoring the streets and turrets.

The trials expect a certain pace, and accomplishing goals without going out of one's way to clear adds is not a speed run.

Personally, I can see the advantage of farming ixp, especially on a baf, but I have never done it personally. This is especially true if you have a team which would otherwise lose members between runs. Having to rebuild even 8 members can be a serious waste of time.

We could also use Praetoria, couldn't we?

I have had a purple on a trial. I think the reason drops are less is because there enemies are split across 2 or 3 full teams but the enemy count is much less than an ITF.

Honestly, I think the devs should just just close their eyes, ignore the consequences to their precious intentions, and make reward merits convertible into astral merits (20 to 1).

Also, allow Astral merits to be convertible into either a single shard or 4 threads.

There has been sufficient grumbling about players being required to run the two trials, and them alone, for new shinies that I expect there will be some sort of remedy in the not too distant future. Whether the remedy will be sufficient, who knows. I expect we will hear something about future plans around the time of the anniversary.

Also, as others have suggested, try building the teams yourselves. Put you and your friends in the same team, do your best as a unit, communicating and coordinated with eachother. A pocket of capable players working together would be a great advantage on a Lambda. Think of it like a rikti raid, where you are playing with a large amount of players, but only working with a select few of them.

Finally, don't get hung up on a successful completion. You get rewards during the trial, so just focus on your threads, astral merits, and ixp. Also, mix it up with the WST and tip missions. That can be a great way to make your new power feel worthwhile.

I am fairly close to having 4 rares in the new slots on my main already (I will get it once I have lore unlocked). Once I get there, I will start rotating in and out a few of my favorite alts. I know I may not get around to getting the newest incarnate slots on all of my alts, which is somewhat sad. Still, I will soon be rotating in a couple of my favorites. Hopefully, the devs will focus on filling out the experience for incarnates soon with new trials and new ways to improve themselves, rather than rushing ahead with new slots and new currencies.

I find this all very interesting, but it probably won't be known until the Devs chime in. There are too many factors for it to be tested by the players.

Quick question. Someone mentioned it being unrealistic that the well would give one access to an orbital cannon. My question is: Does the well always give power directly to incarnates? I assumed that the well could give out power in any number of ways, including causing a mad scientist to call you up saying "hey, I have this orbital laser cannon I don't need anymore (hehehe). Would you take it off my hands?"

Loading up trials tends to enjoy changing the league leader. Maybe it's a bug or just a kink in the system.

I am still having fun. Did an ITF and 4 trials last night. The only part which wearied me was forming the trials (I ran each league). I wish the devs would introduce a means of getting threads outside of the trials before i21 however (ie. threads dropping off of all 54s).

Just a comment (apparently a long one...).

I think the stagger-exit at the hospital is, in fact, to intended to penalize players for dying and not getting resurrected on the spot. The taking roughly 30 seconds to get back into the action can be an inconvenience, and one which can hurt a team. If there was no delay, most people could be back in the actions in 10 seconds or so, and there would be little point in coordinating a rez power.

Also, I personally find the teammate interactions to be the major value of these task forces. Having to work together in larger and smaller groups within the trials is a great time, and really are the make-or-break moments (as they should be!). There will always be bad players who don't (or don't want to) pay attention. Despite this, a team which is predominantly made of attentive players will do just fine.

These trials are only going to get easier with time as experience and player power increases. Personally, I really like the idea of having more similarly sized trials, dependent as much as possible on player interaction and moments of brief planning and proper execution of said planning. That said, I think there is always room for additional bash-them-in-the-head-until-they-stop-moving content a la the ITF.

To me, the only grind of these trials has been the ixp output from the BAF. That said, it's not like i could fully utilize the lore slot, so I am just being impatient. Also, I have been sticking exclusively to my main for these so far, which adds to the feel of grind a bit. Once I am +3 I will more fully enjoy my alts.

My only suggestions to ease the grind would be:
1) to increase the shard drop rate in trials, so that we can still work on the alpha in the trial setting.
and/or
2) to make all 54's drop threads, not just our buddies in the trial setting

Also, I love all of the slots I have tried so far (ie. not including lore), but perhaps especially my destiny pbaoe heal.

Was any new information to be had at this thing? I know I shouldn't expect much, as we are on the verge of i20, but I was just curious.

Does the new launcher do pre-download?

1) Extended power customization, including EATs, power and ancillary/patron pools, alternate models for some sets (mainly traps).

2) Brand new powerset for each AT (each year or two years at least).

3) Solo/casual incarnate content with incarnate drops/rewards (difficult arcs and repeatable missions). Alternatively, offer incarnate variations of some existing arcs, such as Dark Watcher, Mariah Jenkins, etc.

4) More enhancement sets. New 50 rare and very rare sets. Improve some terrible sets (like slow) and replace debt reduction modifiers with something moderately useful (influence gain perhaps).

5) Enhancement and respec simplification (QoL).

a) Allow us to upgrade all training/dual/single enhancements to our level for appropriate influence cost. Genericize names and icons for all origin enhancements. Perhaps also genericize set enhancement icons. (power icons are the perfect in how they convey information in a simple, attractive, and effective way. These should be a model for all MMOs imo)

b) Consumable recipe to un-slot a single power/enhancement without running through a whole respec process. Optional non-linear respec process similar to Mids.