Vauluur

Meh, I don't have that much of an issue with the CC. I'd prefer to keep getting new costume parts every issue instead. I change my costume an averge of what seems like 8 times a day. I need MOAR!!!!

I have only one character that I've liked enough in the past 7 years to keep after he hit 50. I have no need for your extra character slots

...And here I came into this thread expecting to find discussion of the actual topic. My mistake I suppose.

I don't have access to Mids at the moment, but I'll share my initial thoughts.

Your Alpha choice should be Cardiac. Not necessarily because you have poor recovery, but because Agility doesn't give you much. If your positionals are 55% with Agility, then that's essentially the same thing as 45%. And they should be (I think) at least 45% without it. The possible exception to that is if you try to go for the incarnate softcap. IIRC, that would mean you'd have to get up to 69% which people have done fairly easily with /SR so it should be possible for you.

Your choice of Rebirth should more than cover your need for a heal. Rebirth Radial Epiphany is on a 2 minute timer, and the lowest regen value from it also happens to last 2 minutes. If you need any more healing than that you can just pop a green inspiration.

Your concern about the damage numbers will be erased because you are a Brute. Unless your attacks are horribly underslotted Fury will get those numbers high very quickly. The reason the numbers in Mids look so low is that it shows them with zero Fury and Brutes have a pretty low damage modifier. Therefore, without Fury Brutes don't deal much damage.

I am writing from an ipad atm, so no Mid's. However, I'll give a fairly standard /Regen rundown.

Firstly, you want a ton of recharge. You seem to have that part going pretty well for you.

Secondly, go redside temporarily to run a patron arc. You want Soul Mastery so that you can pick up Shadow Meld. The idea is to let you alternate between Shadow Meld and MoG as alpha eaters, using them just before you run into a spawn. Your other powers can keep you alive after that.

Thirdly, some spots in your build seem strangely slotted. Hasten, for example, is heavily overslotted. Those second two IOs barely give you anything. Surely there is a better place for those slots. Three recharge IOs in Hasten is acceptable on certain builds, four is always overkill.

Last thing I can think of right now is the Kinect Combat: Knockdown proc. Putting that in a few of your attacks couldn't hurt, since Fire/ has no mitigation to speak of.

I'm cross-listing this to get some extra eyes on the build. Follow the link to get to the original thread. I figured not everyone frequents the Scrapper boards and someone might have some ideas a Scrapper won't normally think of. http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=287384

I'm starting to get a good bit of extra influence lying around and with the PvP price crash things are looking more affordable. I already have a lot of the IOs in this build except for the most expensive pieces too, so that helps bring the price down. This build represents an hour and a half of me trying to balance concept with function, and I think I have a pretty good build here. However, not all of the goals I set out with have been met. So I figured I'd turn to the forums for aid.

Build Goals:

S/L/E/N Softcap - Not quite met. They sit at 44.4% here, but that doesn't bother me too much.

Major ST Firepower - Met, I believe. The purple damage procs and -res procs are at the front and back of my attack chain. I'm thinking the chain will be Hack --> Disembowel --> Headsplitter with a slight gap. However, iirc the gap is small enough that it is better to wait than to animate Slice.

Acceptable AoE Offense - Possibly met. The attacks are slotted the same way as on my current build I think and seem to do well enough. I through in judgement for the big groups and I'm fine.

Perma Hasten - Not even close. 19s off according to Mids, which is actually more in practice iirc. I mainly wanted this so that since I have to tolerate the graphic I could explain it in the bio. The gap is annoying, but not a deal breaker.

Perma Spiderlings - Also not really close. I can live without it, but if it could be done then that'd be great. Technically the idea is to always have pets out. I can probably always have them back up when I really want them though as it is I suppose.

Anyway, my Alpha slot is a Cardiac Core Paragon. Destiny is Rebirth Radial T3, almost T4. Judgment is T4 Vorpal Radial, which could help out if I get hit by a major defense debuff or something. I mainly have that for the high target cap though.

Make sure to turn accolades and Incarnates on.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.954
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Rorn: Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Broad Sword
Secondary Power Set: Invulnerability
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Teleportation
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Hack

• (A) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff
• (5) Hecatomb - Chance of Damage(Negative)
• (7) Hecatomb - Damage/Recharge
• (7) Hecatomb - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (9) Hecatomb - Accuracy/Recharge
• (9) Hecatomb - Damage/Endurance

Level 1: Resist Physical Damage

• (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
• (11) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)

Level 2: Slice

• (A) Eradication - Chance for Energy Damage
• (25) Eradication - Accuracy/Recharge
• (25) Eradication - Damage/Recharge
• (34) Cleaving Blow - Damage/Endurance
• (36) Cleaving Blow - Accuracy/Damage
• (36) Cleaving Blow - Damage/Recharge

Level 4: Dull Pain

• (A) Doctored Wounds - Recharge
• (42) Doctored Wounds - Heal
• (42) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance
• (43) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge
• (43) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance/Recharge

Level 6: Build Up

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO
• (23) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 8: Temp Invulnerability

• (A) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance
• (13) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Recharge
• (13) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
• (15) Reactive Armor - Resistance

Level 10: Hasten

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO
• (11) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 12: Boxing

• (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage
• (43) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
• (46) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
• (50) Kinetic Combat - Knockdown Bonus

Level 14: Tough

• (A) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance
• (15) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Recharge
• (17) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
• (17) Reactive Armor - Resistance

Level 16: Unyielding

• (A) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance
• (19) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Recharge
• (19) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
• (23) Reactive Armor - Resistance

Level 18: Whirling Sword

• (A) Eradication - Chance for Energy Damage
• (37) Eradication - Accuracy/Recharge
• (37) Eradication - Damage/Recharge
• (37) Cleaving Blow - Accuracy/Damage
• (40) Cleaving Blow - Damage/Endurance
• (42) Cleaving Blow - Damage/Recharge

Level 20: Weave

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
• (21) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
• (21) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance

Level 22: Combat Jumping

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
• (50) Winter's Gift - Slow Resistance (20%)

Level 24: Resist Energies

• (A) Resist Damage IO

Level 26: Disembowel

• (A) Superior Scrapper's Strike - Recharge/Critical Hit Bonus
• (27) Superior Scrapper's Strike - Accuracy/Damage
• (27) Superior Scrapper's Strike - Damage/Recharge
• (31) Scrapper's Strike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (31) Scrapper's Strike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• (31) Scrapper's Strike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge

Level 28: Invincibility

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
• (29) Luck of the Gambler - Defense

Level 30: Resist Elements

• (A) Resist Damage IO

Level 32: Head Splitter

• (A) Fury of the Gladiator - Chance for Res Debuff
• (33) Armageddon - Chance for Fire Damage
• (33) Armageddon - Damage/Recharge
• (33) Armageddon - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (34) Armageddon - Accuracy/Recharge
• (34) Armageddon - Damage/Endurance

Level 35: Tough Hide

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
• (36) Luck of the Gambler - Defense

Level 38: Mace Blast

• (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage
• (39) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance
• (39) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge
• (39) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (40) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (40) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge

Level 41: Web Cocoon

• (A) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Hold
• (48) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Recharge
• (48) Basilisk's Gaze - Recharge/Hold
• (48) Basilisk's Gaze - Endurance/Recharge/Hold

Level 44: Summon Spiderlings

• (A) Soulbound Allegiance - Chance for Build Up
• (45) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage
• (45) Expedient Reinforcement - Endurance/Damage/Recharge
• (45) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Recharge
• (46) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge

Level 47: Super Speed

• (A) Celerity - +Stealth

Level 49: Teleport

• (A) Range IO

Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve
Level 0: Portal Jockey
Level 0: Task Force Commander
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion
Level 50: Cardiac Core Paragon
------------
Level 2: Swift

• (A) Run Speed IO

Level 2: Health

• (A) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
• (3) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
• (3) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance

Level 2: Hurdle

• (A) Jumping IO

Level 2: Stamina

• (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
• (5) Performance Shifter - EndMod

Level 1: Brawl

• (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage
• (29) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
• (46) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
• (50) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge

Level 1: Critical Hit
Level 1: Sprint

• (A) Empty

Level 2: Rest

• (A) Empty

Level 4: Ninja Run

I am considering making a character tied to Hero 1 in his biography and costume. I really have always liked Hero 1 but have never been able to decide on the best tribute for him. After all, he seems to have had at least 3 powersets prior to his riktification (Energy Assault, Broadsword, Invulnerability) and 4 after (Energy Assault, Invulnerability, Regeneration, and Psychic Blast). My working idea for this tribute attempt is to have him be the mutant son of Hero 1 and Lady Jane, recently come of age and seeking to make a name for himself (unaware at first of his father's current state). This would allow some flexibility in terms of his powers because I could easily say he only inherited some of his father's abilities. I'm currently leaning towards an Energy/Energy Blaster since it would allow me to focus entirely on his energy attacks. Better yet, Energy/Energy/Force at least has the appearance of being similar to what Hero 1 was (without his sword, but that makes sense since Ms. Liberty still has it).

After that rather long introduction, I have several questions before I start into Mid's, broken into general categories below.

First, I think I remember reading that the optimal ST chain is Bolt-Blast-Burst. Is that correct, and approximately how much recharge do I need to get there? Can I do it without haste-hands?

Second, I'm thinking of using IO bonuses, Tough, Weave, Temp Invuln, Hover, and Aid Self to make the character a bit more survivable. Is that a valid plan, and is it better to slot for positional defense or typed for this character? Where might Force of Nature fall into that plan? The description on wiki says you lose health and endurance from the FoN crash, but City of Data says it's just Endurance. Which of those is true?

Third, what's the best route to take for AoE damage? Energy Torrent and Explosive Blast seem to be the only options for a long time, with Repulsion Bomb coming in for the highest levels. Is this generally enough for AoE? Considering that Nova and Judgement can be alternated at level 50 that seems like enough, but I'm not 100% sure. Should I invest in Spring Attack? Or would some temporary powers be enough?

Fourth, where do the melee attacks fit in? It seems that they aren't really necessary, but they look pretty cool so I'd like to find a way to use them occasionally. Is it viable to think that I could use them to blap while FoN is active, and be a hoverblaster while it isn't?

Fifth and finally, what are your thoughts on the character idea? Would it be better to try a different set or AT for this?

Thanks for indulging my many questions. It's been ages since I've put any significant effort into playing a Blaster, so I'm not used to building them. Most of my characters have been melee, meaning that I don't have to worry about ranged vs. melee attack chains and whether or not various things are worth it.

Dark Melee has the -ToHit, as others have mentioned.

Electric has knockdown and end drain.

Katana/Broadsword have DA/Parry.

Titan Weapons has Defensive Sweep.

Staff Fighting (when it comes) will be able to buff you in various ways.

Street Justice has some stuns and knockdown.

Really, any of those should work. If you were min/maxing the list would narrow slightly but you aren't. I'd actually suggest holding off for Staff if you can play something else for awhile. It seems like it will pair nicely with Regen.

I like having it be a Paragon Reward. I'd rather not have it just be available for purchase. There's enough trolling on here as it is, that is to say more than none.

I'd pay for that. Even the best of story arcs will get old with repetition, and this isn't the best. It's fun and all, but still. Way too long and I pretty much have to do it on every single character. +1 for this suggestion.

Yeah, definitely don't open them up. Still though, the arcs could use some love. The new arcs are all action packed and exciting with those cool interjection window things and people to talk to. Honestly though I think this suggestion could be applied to all of the older content and not just the EAT arcs. Maybe EATs first, since the arcs are a big part of the character, but everything eventually.

I initially took it for the set bonuses on my current build, but I have found that it's very useful for me. I typically find myself in an off-tank role on teams since I'm a Sword/Invuln/Leviathan and have stupid amounts of survivability. Invincibility + AoE damage handles most taunting, but every now and then something decides to ignore me and head after the squishies. That's when I bust out Confront.

Masterminds are arguably the most powerful AT in the game right now. Of course, high-end VEATs and Warshades might be slightly better. Regardless, the only thing that needs fixed in any way is the pet AI. Who knows how hard that would be or how long it would take? The AT that needs revamped is the Blaster, now that lolstalker isn't a thing.

This wouldn't be an epic AT. It would be a custom AT. Epic ATs have extremely limited set choices because they are story-driven. Custom ATs are a mess and you can look at that other superhero MMO Cryptic made for proof.

I don't think we need any new standard ATs. New EATs would be cool, but only in certain situations. I personally think VEATs aren't even that great because they aren't as unique and interesting story wise as HEATs. So any new EAT is going to have to be pretty awesome to draw me in.

Also, look before you post. There is a thread specifically for AT suggestions. And someone else suggested something similar to this a few days ago.

My instincts scream at me to say don't do either because you'll be disappointed. The resistance won't be enough to match what bots perform like with softcapped defense.

However, if you are intent on one of these two choices then I'd say Thermal. It does everything Sonic does, plus it heals and doesn't have as many useless powers for you (Disruption Field would do nothing but suck your endurance). Heat Exhaustion is far from a waste, it's a great debuff to much more than just regen. Also, you can never have too much -regen. It's very unlikely that outside of an iTrial you'll actually be with enough other people that have -regen for it to become useless. Even on trials it often seems to be in short supply. With Thermal, Repair becomes almost useless. It could have situational uses when a bot takes a huge hit or for restoring endurance to a bot at a critical moment.

I'd suggest going Demons or Beast Mastery for these sets though. Aesthetically I like Demons/Thermal and Beast/Sonic but really it'd probably work either way.

There's also a rumor floating around somewhere, only slightly supported by in game developments, that suggest origins may become more important again in the future.

It's only a rumor, but it would be nice to see some new origin specific contacts or something.

As far as why the respec won't ever happen, you already have the answer from a couple people now. Keep in mind that the current development team often runs into snippets left over from the early days (only a few of them were around back then IIRC) that they don't fully understand the effects of. Two quick examples: the aggro formula (aka it's never getting fixed because literally nobody understands how it works to begin with) and whatever it was that they broke in bases a little while back that made everyone's base defenses go haywire. It's nearly impossible to guess what might go wrong if they allowed you to change your origin.

As a workaround, I suggest using the events of story arcs in game as a springboard for ways you could write a short explanation in your bio. Pool powers and APPs could help give the effect you want. For example, say you have a natural character but you start thinking magic would suit him better. You could pick up Mu Mastery and say that learning the arts of the Mu made him appreciate and understand the magical arts.