StratoNexus

I think it is important to keep in mind that not all the changes to blast sets are there particularly to buff blasters. Blasters may need improvement, so if a change also helps them, that is a point in its favor, but that isn't the sole reason changes to blast sets should or are happening.

The core of Sniper powers is to be situational. I very much like that the change keeps that flavor while also allowing the possibility of more consistent use. I am concerned that defenders and corruptors can make it perma-fast cast as easily as they can, since I think that detracts from the situational flavor, but I do not think it is a deal breaker.

The simplest change that, IMO, will make the "unfairness" concern fade, is if they make the fast-cast snipe's animations reasonable. That way adding snipes into your chain is an improvement, but not so large an improvement that it must be done or else you fall significantly behind. Also, the difference between perma-fast cast and occasional fast-cast becomes very small.

Hmmm. In a way, having Scourge kick in sooner, would be bringing some corruptor damage more to the front. While I like the simpler, and more predictable, idea of increasing the damage mod and lowering the scourge damage, there is merit in emphasizing scourge more, both decreasing its maximum performance but having it occur more often.

Not a bad idea at all.

Interestingly, I feel the opposite. I think corruptors should deal more damage normally, and possibly scourge shouldn't be quite so potent (I wouldn't change the frequency it activates, but rather lower the amount it scourges for).

We can still hope they fix Drain Psyche and maybe even fix things like WoC; wouldn't that be nice at a 15 foot radius?

It seems highly unlikely the end reduction in Energize will remain that high. I fully expect that value to drop to 60%, just like every other Conserve Power to Energize change has done. That is still very good, of course.

It is possible the value may end up lower than 60%, since the recharge is going to be lower than the standard 2 minutes of Energize.

I am pretty sure you simply restated exactly what Arcanaville said. I do not think she misrepresented your position at all. Perhaps you misread what she wrote?

This statement you made here:
is equivalent to:

I can't agree with that. There are far too many other possible variables for me to agree with that. You might as well just say, it is not OK to give some sets 4 AoEs, but leave others out of the mix. It is not OK to give most sets a single target hard mez, but leave others out of the mix.

No, your statement comes from good intent, but leads to a bad place, in my opinion.

Unless those other sets started well ahead and already have plenty of compensation. Ice and Sonic both have major compensation already and I don't think they need anything added. I am certainly not opposed to Shout's animation becoming less painfully long, nor do I oppose a buff to BFR, but I also do not think those changes are needed because snipes got improved (Shout changing is wise and I might call it a need, but barely and the need is irrespective of the snipe changes, BFR, I am fine with either way).

I don't consider RoA OP, I do think it is extremely good. I never suggested it should be removed, but I do think it is possible the devs could consider increasing its recharge, but I doubt it and I would not ask for it.

The lethal damage is a non-issue, IME. I do think Archery should have some more mitigation, especially now that its tier 3 no longer has a range advantage. I have long thought Fistful of Arrows should apply a to-hit debuff.

And I don't think Techbot gets it. I think he is as mistaken as you. Archery is a fabulous set from 1 to 50, I have played 2 of them and will likely make a third eventually. I have no fear that Energy blast is going to eclipse Archery and you shouldn't either. It is possible that Archery won't be as obviously and grossly better than Energy though, but I don't think that calls for buffs to Archery.

Hopefully Full Auto can get the 16 target cap, but since AR already has a great tier 9, it doesn't need a corresponding buff. Changing the "true" nukes is due to the fact that Full Auto and powers like it are already much better.

Indeed. That is what I mean when I said sometimes they use their judgement (I didn't mean to imply any negativity with the word arbitrary).

But thinking about, wouldn't it be nice if blaster nukes did, say, about 22.5% more damage than a full end bar would allow? As a bonus for blasters? That seems like a good thought for the special case that nukes are. Then they could just set the recharge to whatever is appropriate for that scale.

Indeed they do, 116.5* 1.25= 145.625.

It is still arbitrary to decide to tack 25% onto the recharge, and I am not sure I agree that 4.96 at 145 second recharge is unpalatable, but I also do not find 4 at 145 seconds to be unreasonably low (although it is feels near the bottom of the range I do find reasonable).

I don't think it follows the formula. Scale 4 damage with an area mod of 4.75 seems to be a 116.5 second recharge, unless I am mistaken.

When I plug 145 seconds and 4.75 into the damage formula I get:
(0.2*((RECH*0.8)+1.8)) / AREAMOD
(0.2*((145*0.8)+1.8)) / 4.75 = 4.96

So 4 seems like an arbitrary number they picked, rather than obeying a formula. I am not saying 4 is a wrong number, just that at these large recharges and radii, they sometimes use their judgement rather than blindly using the formula.

Rain of Arrows and Archery's only fear should be the possibility of a reduction in its power (likely by increasing its recharge). It is so strong, even with the proposed buff, it still far surpasses the other tier 9s. Rain of Arrows could have its recharge changed to 90 seconds or 2 minutes and Archery would still be competitive with the other sets (rather than clearly better than most).

Full Auto avergaes 2.9 (2.75 with a 10% chance for an additional 1)
RoA is 3 ticks of 1.2 for 3.6 total (it is actually 1.35, but uses the pet scale, so I adjusted it to blaster scale for ease of reference)
Overcharge is 3.5
HoB averages 3.3
Geyser is 3.5

I think a Rad/Fire ranger would be an exceedingly strong toon, especially with the upcoming blaster buffs. I wouldn't shelve the concept just because you can play Rad/Fire in melee as well. Heck, just go 2nd build, that way you can keep both concepts!

Indeed. I am trying to figure out where I stand. For me, I love scale 4 with 2:25 recharge and no crash. I often skip the nuke or take it just as a for fun power. This change makes them as useful as HoB and I love HoB. To be honest, I feel some WOAH when I think of Inferno back to a faster recharge, even if it deals a bit less damage (and with a bit of DoT, I bet Inferno will be really close to Lt killing).

OTOH, I think of those who like nukes now and I know many of them have frequently said they prefer the big boom. This might be a time for me to advocate for my preference though, since I think my preference is not just better for me, but better for the AT in general.

I like Boxing! Kick makes me giggle, but not necessarily in a good way.

While I am not one to tell others how to play, if you CoX the right way...

Nonsense. The game is dying and you speak of I28!!!!

Agreed.

Off the wall request time!
So when are we going to get our own movie/demo editor so we can more easily make CoH movies?

Is this like that resistance to resist debuff thing?

NO.

NO. NO. NO.

Never change something that drastically unless you must. Do I agree with the change to Challenge (and by change we should just call it the removal)? Yes. Do I think they should make big changes like this lightly? Never. And I trust they never will.

Heck, they could change Integration so it gave 30% resistance to all and had the same mez resistance it does now. Why not? It would be more powerful than the current power.

The nuke changes, as proposed, are treading on thin ice. I dislike the true nukes. I will much prefer the proposed version. But I think taking away a Lt. killer is dangerous territory.

Did you account for misses? When your blaster attack misses, you also do not get the Defiance buff. It is a small thing, but I figured I'd point it out in case.

Here is what I think.
Currently Build Up then Nova almost always kills Lts.
This new Nova will not kill Lts. after just Build Up. Of course you will have endurance so you can throw out Explosive Blast (although for Nrg this is problematic since you aren't likely to hit many enemies).

I don't know.
Old Nova. A small chance to deal 3 scale damage. A big chance to deal scale 4.5 damage. A small chance to deal scale 6 damage.
I am not seeing scale 4 as the appropriate damage.

They were also emphatic they weren't changing nukes in I24. I truly hope Drain Psyche gets adjusted, that would be fabulous.

Indeed. Can't wait to see the new Kings Row and whatever other zones are revamped for I24. Port Oaks? Perez? Boomtown?

He He. I was thinking to myself, so many good powers, how do I choose? How do I choose?