SlyGuyMcFly

Yeah, you want to maximize DPE. Calculate DPE (Damage Per Endurance) numbers for all your attacks, using reasonable assumptions on the number of targets for AoEs. Then figure out the optimal chain using the attacks with the largest DPEs (the same you do using DPAs to figure optimal DPS chains) as often as possible. This is the chain that will give you the best amount of damage per endurance point spent. Which is another way of saying that it costs the least endurance per point of damage dealt.

Of course, that chain will assume a certain number of targets hit with your AoEs, so you'll actually need three or four chains, each optimal for a certain number of targets. And you'll have to switch on the fly as the number of targets decreases.

As for tricks to boost your actual DPS/EPS ratio (which is what DPE essentially is), look at ways to reduce end costs (Conserve Power) or boost you damage (Assault, Build Up).

Finally, there's ways to increase your end recovery, which means a reduction to your net end loss(up to now, I've talked only about your brute end loss). Stamina is the obvious choice here, but powers like Power Sink and Consume have the similar effects.

I think another key point for Tech origin is the question "Are my gadgets unique?" The tech used by the SoA are generic, in as much as they get mass-produced for Arachnos forces.

Similarly, the Iron Man suit is unique in that only Tony Stark has the know-how to make it. Batmans gadgets aren't unique in that way.

Reading this, I suspect that yours is a problem of perceptions and expectations. Partly, I suspect, due to the excellent solo play of a low-level blaster. But that ability never extends past level 25 or so.

Expecting all Blasters to be able to solo as well (or near so) as your average Scrapper is a mistake. There are, however, a good many powerset combinations that can match up to Scrapper in terms of speed and survivability at "normal" difficulty levels. Arch/Em hoverblasters and Ice/Elec blappers are two combinations I have personally experienced to a sufficiently high level as to be able to say that they can solo almost every bit as well as my DB/SR Scrapper. I'm sure other people can suggest others. I've heard excellent things of Sonic/EM, for instance.



And on to the original topic:

For me, it's Shout in Sonic Blast. I have no idea why, but every time I've rolled a Sonic toon I've got to the level I picked Shout and promptly abandoned the character. The sounds, the animation, the seemingly eternal root time... eurg. Not that I'm saying it's bad power. I have no idea as to how much it may or may not rock. All I know is I can't stand it.

Very true about the busy part. Between the Shields and Forge you're busy out of combat and Flashfire/Melt Armour/Fire Cages/Heals/APP Attacks keep you busy in combat. Very involved playstyle.

After a couple of days of markeering I'm inclined to agree. It is, overall better than the old one, and rather more intuitive. If they fix that handful very irritating "quirks", I dare say that it will be vastly superior to the old one in pretty much every way.

Maybe it's because the Well of Furies and Pandora's Box are from a Western culture?

This. It needs to be done yesterday.

This would win forever.

As would this.

And somebody mentioned having NPCs that fight each other ACTUALLY FIGHT EACH OTHER. That would be great too.

Don't really care about animated hair.

Same here. I think a FU-style attack would fit Dual Pistols very nicely, as from what I've seen, it looks like the claws or DB of the blasting world.

I'm pretty sure it isn't. Otherwise my Nin/Nin Stalker wouldn't have a much easier time fighting them over my SS/WP Brute. I've never looked at the combat spam to see if it has a hit check though. I'll go do that.

Edit: Ninja'd. But might as well confirm:

According to the wiki, Psychic Visage is the end drain power. So yeah, not autohit.