Ukaserex

TLDR: Never ugt with less than 5 clarions. League size is irrelevant, as long as you have the minimum. Never join any league led by someone you've never heard of, unless you're new to the server or the game.
Always send a petition, even if you think it won't do any good. The problem needs to be documented.

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Long version:

As someone who has led easily over 100 UGTs, I can tell you that there's not much to do when Desdemona gets stuck, other than to send a petition. Although it's been proven that Desdemona is not needed to win against the Avatar of Hamidon, she sure can help. I would suggest you just leave her - but when you do that, she's subject to ambushes - and if she dies, you fail.

Support has been typically very fast to respond. Once, we had a GM join our league and literally push her to the avatar room - where she did nothing - but at least she didn't get ambushed.

However, the thing to realize is that it's not that you "don't bring anything to the table" by bringing an unshifted toon. (and if I read your post correct, you were +1) It is that fewer shifts the league has, the longer it takes to kill stuff. The longer it takes to kill stuff - the greater the chance that folks in the league get clobbered.
UGT is the longest trial of all of them - by far. A weak league makes a 45 minute effort last over an hour, especially with numerous defeats against the AVs.
UGT is also probably done less than any other trial - by far. As a result, you have players who have less experience in that trial, increasing the risk of failure even more.
The best solution to all of the potential pitfalls of UGT is to simpy require folks be +1 or higher -and if you must have unshifted toons, don't have too many of them. Additionally, you are encouraged to have at least 4 tier 4 clarions - this way, all 4 can spam the clarion before the fight, and the protection needed (20 mag) will last until they are recharged. But, if someone dies, unless they use Return to Battle or have an Escape or get some love from a support toon, they're going to be confused - and things can go downhill in a hurry from there.
If you choose to lead UGT, I highly recommend using macros.

/macro 1 "say Hey folks, welcome to the UGT trial. If you thought you were joining a dfb, you're in the wrong place."
/macro 2 "say Please cut and paste this: /monitorattribute Confuse Protection, or go through combat attributes and monitor your confusion protection."

** Be prepared to explain how to cut and paste stuff from the chat box or help a league member go through combat attributes to monitor this.

/macro 3 "say First part is to kill a bunch of IDF until they unlock the doors. Be sure to use your map - we don't want anyone exiting the map by mistake."

/macro 4 "say 2 sets of 2 ambushes - protect Desdemona while she gets her groove on."

/macro 5 "say More idf to clobber - please keep spamming those clarion buffs. The Olympian Guards have a rough stun (reputed to be 60 mag).

etc.
If you send me a pm and ask for all of the macro's I have, I can send them to you. I have them in a notepad file, but there's no sense posting them if you're never going to use them.

New schedule for UGT:

Because @noyjitat is starting the msr on Friday's at 930pm Eastern, typically, we can expect UGT to form at 10:15pm Eastern time.


What: UGT - non-badge effort
When: Fridays, after the MSR, typically 10:15pm Eastern
Where: Dark Astoria
Who: VIP level 50+ players. (That means level 50 and up - but the higher the shifts, the easier and faster the run will be.)
Why: Because UGTs are rarely run.


Additionally, the Saturday 5pm time for MoUGT doesn't work. So, instead of after Sunday's MSR which forms up at 9:30pm Eastern, I will try MoUGT on Sundays BEFORE the msr, at 8pm Eastern.
I just checked LB, ad I didn't see any conflicts in the MotD. If there is one, let me know.

What: MoUGT - Badge effort
When: Sundays, before the MSR, 8pm Eastern
Where: Dark Astoria
Who: VIP level 50+1 and up players. (That means level 50+1 and up - the higher the shifts, the easier and faster the run will be.)
Why: Because MoUGTs are even more fun than non-MoUGTs because you get a random rare as well as the reward table (if your toon has never gotten the MoUGT badge before).

Well, that's something that would have never occurred to me - taunting by/from an MM. My only MM has only teamed once, on a tf, and has been unplayed at level 26 or 27 for about 90 days. The notion of getting taunt, of it even being available outside of a power pool choice is interesting to me. Thinking outside the box, I like it. Not enough to do it myself, mind you, but I like it.

As far as the pink patches go, there is a little timer that shows up in the trial info pane. At :03, I just sprint around until I see where they are, then resume the beat down. If we don't have a tank or a brute to taunt, I simply don't start the trial. But that's me, one of those stuck inside the box types.

Welcome back!

I am fairly certain I remember a tank lumbering around in granite form in various zones.

I would suggest you turn off hover. Have no travel powers on except sprint, at least until you get used to recognizing the light blue patch on the ground before the patch actually slams down from above. There is an auditory cue that warns you - and if you play with your sound off, you might be well-served to turn it on, at least for this part of the task force.

The reason I suggest no travel powers is the same reason we ask folks to only use sprint in Keyes - travel suppression. Reaction times vary - and some players, typically support toons, are so focused on lending support that they don't see/hear the warnings of the blue patch about to land on their head.
In short, attack and move. You have to stop to get the attack off -but other than that, just keep moving. That way, even if you are in a blue patch, you are only in it for 3 or 4 ticks - enough to hurt, but not enough to kill you.
Ignore the swords. The more you stop to damage them, the longer Battle Maiden is going to last. If Battle Maiden has left the map, focus on her Champions.

Stick and move. Stick and move. Most players will take damage from the patches here and there. A sword may get a nice shot in on you - but if you're almost always moving, you should be just fine.

I figured it would only be right to update the status of this question of mine. When the toon in question hit 49..I didn't really see any point in choosing any of the other powers available to me, so I went ahead and chose Absorb Pain. I was in the midst of my pursuit of portal jockey and didn't have much time, so I didn't even stop in my base to grab an IO to stick in there. I was solo, so I didn't even use it...but eventually, I got my PJ and then brought my tank up on my other account and set my tank up amongst some +4 mobs.

Well, I have to admit - this caster debuff of AP is really minimal; a LOT more minimal than I remember it being. My character from issue 4 days was level 12 or 16 when I got it ...and back then, when I used it, I went from full to maybe 1/3..yet now, it barely seems to tickle. In fact, I had to use it about 5 times before i even noticed my health going less than half.

With this in mind, although I can see why anyone would skip it, I can also see the other side of the coin - as to why some folks would take it lieu of heal other or in addition to it.

So, I learned something. I didn't particularly enjoy the lesson, but I did at least get something out of it.

I have two blasters that can help with this. One is ice/ice/mace, the other is fire/mm/mace.

I can also bring a fire/rad controller. Would like to bring the fire/mm, but I have the badge already; will bow out if someone needs my spot.

To answer your question, Dr. Roboto, there are several places to "stash" your cash.

1. As you saw in one of the posts above, you bid an amount on an IO that simply doesn't exist. As shown, a level 53 LotG 7.5% global recharge IO - it doesn't exist in game, so it's a "safe" place to hold your inf. Keep in mind, if you are going to be leaving the game or are uninclined to keep abreast of what's coming in the next issue, you could lose all that inf. They may come out with level 53 LotG 7.5% global recharge IOs, and then you'll have as many as you bid on, assuming your bid met or exceeded the seller's asking price.
2. In game e-mail. A lot of folks are cautious about this, because they fear that when new issues get published, strange things can happen. They are correct. Anything can happen. However, typically, a support ticket will fix whatever happened.
3. Let your alts work for you. All my characters over level 10 (except those on exalted in case I ever drop my sub) carry 1.5 billion. If I exhaust my 500 million inf e-mails by respec-ing or giving it away, I can just have one of my less often played toons e-mail more.
4. Lastly, you can just ask your in-game friends to hold it for you. I'm sure they'll give it back when you need it, lol.

As for me, I made the 100 Billion club last week. But, because of the way I distribute my inf across all my characters, it's a mite cumbersome to prove it.

I cannot answer the question with certainty - but I think I can provide a link to a tool (that's not a violation of EULA) that should help with those hard to find hostages and what-not.

http://www.futurama-madhouse.net/misc/blinkies/

I am puzzled.

A defender who chooses Empathy as a primary seems to be expected to predominantly use the primary and pitch in a bit here and there with the secondary. Fair enough, that's always been what I've thought.

However, with a controller who chooses Empathy as a secondary, the expectation seems to be the reverse.

I have seen some folks ridiculed in public channels for being a controller who focuses on the primary and only choosing certain powers from the secondary.

I can understand a melee toon wanting/expecting certain buffs. I know I quite like Adrenaline Boost, and Fortitude is ok for some of the more challenging mobs. The Recov and Regen Auras are also nice.

But, seriously expecting someone with emp secondary to get every secondary power? Is that the expectation?
Sometimes I don't get every primary power with my melee toons - choosing fight pool and leadership for maneuvers - yet, I've never had any support toons fuss at me for not getting one power over another.
(although, I don't think I've ever passed up fire shield or burn on any of my fiery armor toons.)

I've played an empath defender before to level 50+3 with t-4 in all and never had anyone take an issue for me leaving absorb pain out. Yet, I play my controller and it seems to be a different story.

I do know that with some powersets, there are powers that most folks who "know what they are doing" consider must haves, and that others are skippable.

I also know that some players think a blaster is crazy for going into melee (to use Drain Psyche, for example) when the AT is designed to be played at range. Me, I think Drain Psyche is awesome. I know that for a fire tank or */fire brute, the idea of skipping burn after issue 18 seems ludicrous to me.

Is a controller skipping Absorb Pain that much of a faux pas?

Drain Psyche is awesome on my fire/mm. The awesomeness is not so much for the HP regen, but just using it on one mob for recovery is pretty nice- particularly useful when fighting clocks, freaks, maltas or any of the other -end recovery npcs.

Still, when you jump into a mob of 8 or so npcs and use Pyschic Shockwave to disorient them, then Drain Psyche to boost your regen/recovery, you can pretty much have a blast using whatever your primary is.

Just a reminder, because of double xp weekend, there will be no scheduled UGT or MoUGT led by me.

Enjoy your double XP weekend!

What server are you on? I have a soft spot for ice/ice blasters. I can probably help.

Because the forums seem to like to log me out if I get too long winded, I'll be brief.


For The Really Hard Way badge:

Be tier 4 in all incarnate slots. No buts! If you don't have it, stay home.
Ultimates: Bring 3 plus however many times you typically die. If that new total is more than 6, find out why and try to put a stop to it. Do not rely on your league mates, you are an incarnate - get them in Ouros or from the AH. They're cheap either way.

Be sure you've done this trial on the character in question several times - all characters do not play the same way. Be practised.

Be familiar with the purple patch so you can understand why ultimates are NECESSARY, not just recommended. They effectively double your damage - and decrease the damage you take.

If you routinely suffer from lag, get it fixed. It's not fair to the other 23 players if "you can't move" because of lag. CoH support WILL work with you to get the problem resolved. If you need to upgrade, then upgrade. If you can't afford to, save your money until you can. But, seriously, if lag for you is so bad you can't move - don't tell the league this. If you're practised in this trial, you know it ahead of time. Log off and do something else. Your character standing there dead or doing nothing because of lag does noone any good.

In short, bring your A game. Play on the edge of your seat. If you're too shy of points to get precise imbuements - ask yourself if you really want this badge. Do you really want it? Or, do you just think it would be nice to have it?

Realize that some folks REALLY want this badge. It's what they think about when they log in and when they log off. No, that's not your fault - but is it your fault that they don't have it? Did you bring a character that wasn't tier 4 in all incarnate slots?
Did you die repeatedly because you didn't remember to use your ultimates?

These thought may or may not be mainstream. They are expressed to assist those who don't have the badge and WANT it. They want this badge. Not "They kinda want it" or "They sorta want it." They want the badge. They want this badge more than you want purples to drop from the sky.
I have gotten the badge already, twice. I dare say I have a clue about what's needed to get it.

Use -resist procs. They help a little bit.
Pop an ultimate, spawn lores, spam destinies. In that order. When the leader says (typically after the air has crackled).

Don't wait around for a rez. Your mother doesn't play here. (Unless you're @Steele Magnolia) Hit the hospital or rez yourself. Get that dps back on track. When the air is crackling - you only have to move to a spot where noone was before - you don't have to vacate the entire coliseum floor. Just move 30 feet away from where everyone was. Then reengage ASAP.

Bring a corruptor if you can, for that yummy scourgeness. But, again, be tier 4 in all slots, hybrid too.

I post this just in case some were unaware of how truly challenging this badge effort is in practice.

For those of you that are really hardcore, do a second build or respec and get leadership pool. I know on my ice blaster, I took off ice patch and shiver for Tactics and Assault. I even took out Bitter Freeze Ray and got Vengeance. I'm sure every AT has some mitigation attacks that have slow animations when better powers could be chosen.

Bring your A game. You have to want this badge. Not just kinda or sorta.
If you're not in this category - it doesn't mean your stupid or inadequate. You have different wants/needs/ideas of fun. Nothing wrong with that.
Just understand that more effort is required for this badge than what you're willing to contribute. Leave the league and let someone else in who wants the badge. Really wants it.

Again, these are just my thoughts after some chats with three folks who want this badge but don't have it. I have it. I'm only posting this so folks who don't might have a better idea of what's required.

If you have questions, ask.

Hello, my name is @ukase, and I'm a returning player. I have been returned for over two years now. I was gone for....maybe 40 months.

When I left, I had, I think 10 level 50s, plus a few that were close to it.

Cantankerous on Triumph (a tank, naturally)
Treacherous on Triumph
Perfidy on Triumph
Ukase Rex on Triumph
Confidence on Triumph (an empath)
Ukase Rex on Infinity
Ukase Rex on Liberty
Scipio on Liberty
Imperious Rex on Liberty
Galactic Kegger on Liberty (a warshade, which would benefit more from larger groups -big party, Galactic Kegger, get it?)

Some, I transferred and subsequently renamed - like Treachery.
If I'd lost the name Cantankerous on my tank, I would have probably done everything I could to get my money back for that month - and after meeting with inevitable disappointment at the outcome of that request, I'd have left and never come back.

The more characters you make, yeah, the harder cool names are to get.
When I tried to transfer my tank of Triumph, and found the hard way that the name was taken, yes, I was irked. I improvised and made up a new concept that I like better. Now his name is Zorba, on Champion.

I know it's irksome to be driving your car, and get an idea !*! Yeah! I'll name it Gumbo and make it a cajun cook who got caught up in some bad voodoo! And then you find the global name of the character Gumbo belongs to @Tr1alAcct3 -- well, yeah, that's a bummer.

And you try it on another server you like and that one is taken by
@xXSOLXx, well, you get the picture.
That's where you just go back to the drawing board.

Since I've returned, I've contributed a good bit in the market, and on the servers I play on. (I'd like to think so, anyway)
So, to the op, and anyone else that thinks old accounts need to be wiped out so you can have your cool name - think how you would feel. You come back - and even if you're not mad enough to rage quit over being generic'd, you've got to come up with a different name. All you folks that root for the name wipes - you would likely have a fit. (and rightly so)

I vote no. (heh, as if it were up to a vote. )

If I understand this badge correctly - to get it as a villain, I would need to help someone do a hero tip mission?

How would this be possible?