mulletman

I'd go with /invul. While you can cap your defense with /shied and get great survivability, it will cost you a significant chunk of influence. /invuln is known for its superior survivability skills, and with the not-so-recent boost it got, it's definitely a viable secondary.

As far as primaries go, fire is always good for tons of damage, while dark is more of a utility set, not to say it doesn't have great damage too. Another thing to consider is that fire is both a great single target killer as well as having good AoE, while dark is pretty much solely a single target specialist.

My recommendation to you, should you still be unsure as to what primary to go with is to try them both to lvl 10 and go with which ever one you like more (or heck, do both!).

Well, DB is a middle/lower top end set for ST and AoE. With a fair bit of recharge, you can put out BF+Attack Vitals, your most realistically attainable most damaging attack string. Personally, I love the set for its later animations, so not only will you do damage, but you'll look good doing it.

As for /Elec, it's a midrange set as well focused around QoL stuff. You will be essentially immune to end drain, have limitless endurance (after level 35), have slow resists, + recharge, Psi resists, a damage toggle, and last but not least, a sweet heal that also gives regen and reduces end use (notice a theme?). All that cool stuff comes at a price though. Your actual defenses rely soley on resistance, which although higher than most, won't get you as far as a combination of something like resistance AND defense in a swarm of mobs. End drain also doesn't scale well, so if you want to fight a bunch of say +4's and are expecting to drain 'em dry, forget about it. Also, you awesome heal is on a two minute timer, which after some recharge bonuses will be coming up around 45-50 seconds. All this means is that you will fly through missions set for +2-3/+4, but if you are looking for something to go against +4+8, I don't think this is the set for you.

All in all, DB is a great set that looks flashy, and /Elec has some cool tools that you can utilize to avoid the more annoying aspects of CoH, but as far as "balls to the walls" durability, look elsewhere.

Awesome. Thanks a bunch for the info guys! Lots of food for thought.

Alright, thanks for the help on the recovery rate. But what about the end reduction in attacks? Is 50% good? Not enough?

When making builds for characters, my one of my biggest concerns is that they will be able to go essentially non-stop through a regular mission. Below I have a build that I have slotted with IO's, and I think I did alright as far as end is concerned.

Thanks for the tips. I was just concerned that I couldn't wade into a large group of enemies to make use of DB's aoe's and come out the other side smiling.

After the changes to Electric Armor and the fact that I think the armors look awesome (especially with the ability to change colors), I've decided to create a character using it. I was just wondering how survivable it is in a large group scenario. How does it fare against, say, +2/+4(or higher)? I'm going to be pairing it with Dual Blades, which has some solid mitigation available.

I appreciate any thoughts/comments/musings.

/Invuln.

Interesting. Definitely some food for thought. The more I think about it, I realize that the more clicks I use from my secondary the more redraw time I'm using, which is a slight annoyance. Maybe having a fire/forget secondary like /WP or /SR is the way to go. Does shockwave really upset RoTC? and just HOW easy is it to softcap a /SR? My funds will be limited to under 100 mil, most likely.

I've recently fallen in love with the claws powerset. The only thing is, I'm unsure of what secondary to go with. I'd like a secondary that isn't completely passive (ala nothin' but togglin' on and away you go), and is fairly survivable with limited IO investment. Ideas?

i hear ya. the computer in question is a family computer...it'll get upgraded when my dad tires of its performance. my college computer is much faster, and it's what i play on a majority of the time, but when i'm home i'd like to be able to play coh, hehe, so for now the slow pc will do.

Thanks for the tips. I think I'm going to go Earth/ because it's got a plethora of control as you guys have mentioned and I know Fire/ is a little lacking in outstanding control ability.

My brother and I are going to start two doms once I15 comes out, and I would like to build a dom that goes well with his. He's decided on a Fire/Fire, and I know I want to go /energy. I've been thinking about Mind/, but some of its biggest assets (aoe sleep/fear, st sleep) are going to be broken by his aoe nature. Are there any solid combos that go with /Energy that will mesh well with his Fire/Fire?

Captain thanks a lot! I rolled back to that driver and it now works...schweet. Thanks everyone for your feedback and help!

when i click the check box for safe mode i still get the black screen. i'll have to try using driver sweeper to help reinstall the old driver.

i made the changes you suggested, still no luck. i can't bring it up in safe mode either. here's a screen capture of what i'm talking about web page

as for rolling back to an old driver, i just tried, and there's no record of any older driver on this machine...which makes no sense, especially if i've updated to the latest one for that videocard.

i used TweakCoh to have the game start in Windowed mode...still the same old problem. The game will load, but I'm unable to see anything...just a black screen. Thank you all for the replies! I'm wondering if I should try rolling back to a previous display driver?

apologies. here's my CoH Helper Data, along with my HijackThis data. thanks to all, i appreciate this.

CoH Helper
---System information gathered by CoH Helper version 0.1.1.7---

DxDiag gathered at June 20, 2009 12:49 (-04:00)
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090206-1234)
System Manufacturer: NVIDIA
System Model: AWRDACPI
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Central Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) XP 2500+, MMX, 3DNow, ~1.8GHz
Memory: 992MB
.Net Memory Report: 573MB out of 991MB available
Page File: 2053MB (338MB currently in use)
C Drive: (Promise 1+0 Stripe/RAID0 SCSI Disk Device) 63292MB out of 99998MB (63%) free
F Drive: (Promise 1+0 Stripe/RAID0 SCSI Disk Device) 231882MB out of 376931MB (61%) free
D Drive: (TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-S162A) zero-size drive
E Drive: (SONY CD-ROM CDU5211) zero-size drive
Windows directory location: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DirectX Diag version: 5.03.2600.5512 (32-bit version)

Display Notes: No problems found.
Sound Notes: No problems found.
Input Notes: No problems found.

Monitor: Default Monitor
Monitor's Max Resolution: (blank)
Video Device Name: NVIDIA GeForce4 MX Integrated GPU
Manufacturer / Chip: NVIDIA / GeForce4 MX Integrated GPU
Video Memory: 32.0 MB
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.9371
Driver Date: 10/22/2006 12:22:00 PM
Driver Language: English

Sound Device Description: NVIDIA(R) nForce(TM) Audio
Driver File: nvapu.sys
Driver Version: 5.10.2917.0000
Driver Date: 12/5/2002 12:01:00 AM


WMI Information
Motherboard Manufacturer: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD
Motherboard Model: (empty)
Motherboard Product: MS-6570
Motherboard Version:
BIOS Manufacturer: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
BIOS Name: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
BIOS Version: Nvidia - 42302e31
BIOS Release: 20031107000000.000000+000

Registry Information for Current User
Resolution: 800x600
3D Resolution: 800x600 (Not using renderscale)
Full Screen: Yes
Maximized: No
Screen Position: 0, 0
Refresh Rate: 60Hz
Vertical Sync Enabled: Yes

Physics Quality: Medium
Maximum Particles: 10000
Max Particle Fill? 10.000
Physics Card Enabled: No

Anti-aliasing: None
Anisotropic Filtering: None
Texture LOD Bias: Crisp
Water Effects: High Quality
Bloom: 1.000 (turned on)
Depth of Field Enabled: Yes
Desaturation Effects (Sepia) Enabled: Yes
Shader Detail: Unknown (3)

World Texture Level: Medium
Character Texture Level: Very High
World Detail Level (Vis_Scale): 0.595
Entity Detail Level: 0.595
Shadows Enabled: Yes
Gamma Correction: 1.000
Geometry Buffers (VBOs) Enabled: No
Suppression of Extra Player FX Enabled: No
Suppression of FX When Camera Close Enabled: No
Close Suppression Range: 3.000
Show Advertisements: Yes

Audio Mode: Performance
3D Audio: No
FX Sound Volume: 1.000
Music Sound Volume: 0.600

Show Advanced Graphics Options: No
Overall Graphics Quality: 0.600
Reverse Mouse Buttons: No
Save Login Username: Yes
Transfer Rate: 156347 bytes/second
Current Game Version: 18.20090422.5T
Installation Directory: C:\Program Files\City of Heroes

Mod files in the Data directory
No modifications found

Hijack This:
Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 12:51:12 PM, on 6/20/2009
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18702)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\hpztsb0 5.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\sstray.exe
C:\Program Files\Sunbelt Software\VIPRE\SBAMTray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RUNDLL32.EXE
C:\Program Files\Messenger\MSMSGS.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\AIM6\aim6.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7DEBUG\MDM.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\pctspk.exe
C:\Program Files\Sunbelt Software\VIPRE\SBAMSvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\snmp.exe
C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Common\ViewpointService.exe
C:\Program Files\AIM6\aolsoftware.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://drudgereport.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Int ernet Settings,ProxyOverride = 127.0.0.1
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HPDJ Taskbar Utility] C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\hpztsb0 5.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nForce Tray Options] sstray.exe /r
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LiveMonitor] C:\Program Files\MSI\Live Update 2\LMonitor.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SBAMTray] C:\Program Files\Sunbelt Software\VIPRE\SBAMTray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\MSMSGS.EXE" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Aim6] "C:\Program Files\AIM6\aim6.exe" /d locale=en-US ee://aol/imApp
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {0CCA191D-13A6-4E29-B746-314DEE697D83} (Facebook Photo Uploader 5 Control) - http://upload.facebook.com/controls/...oUploader5.cab
O16 - DPF: {6E32070A-766D-4EE6-879C-DC1FA91D2FC3} (MUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/microsof...?1232926322875
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/ge...sh/swflash.cab
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: PCTEL Speaker Phone (Pctspk) - PCtel, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\pctspk.exe
O23 - Service: VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware (SBAMSvc) - Sunbelt Software - C:\Program Files\Sunbelt Software\VIPRE\SBAMSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Viewpoint Manager Service - Viewpoint Corporation - C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Common\ViewpointService.exe

--
End of file - 4694 bytes

ok...i completely obliterated my display drivers with driver sweeper, reinstalled them, then reinstalled the game. still same problem. i can hear the game, but there's no visuals. no loading screen of statesman and crew. no login screen. just black. music is going, i can hear the sound effects and everything, just can't see it. can't see the mouse either.

anyone else have any suggestions on how to fix this problem? I know the game runs with this hardware...after the reinstallation of the operating system is when the problem started. any help is much appreciated.

thanks i'll give that a try

I stopped playing coh after Issue 14, and afterwards my computer crashed. Now, I'm coming back to Coh, I reinstalled it, and I've downloaded the latest nvidia driver. I get to the login screen and my screen is black. The game is running, but the screen is black. Even the loading picture of statesman and his crew that normally displays is black. Any suggestions as to how I can fix this?

Are you sure you have the latest nvidia driver? If not, go to nvidia.com and download the latest one.

Wow. Just, wow. It looks like they've thrown together an issue with stuff that everyone's been craving for since launch. Customizable powers? Hell Yes! Roman costume parts? Two HellsYa! I've been wanting that stuff since launch. MORE Powersets? HELLSYEAH! This issue will be nothing short of fan-freaking-tastic.

Thanks for the guide, Frozen! I have a 50 blue side, but for my budding new villain, this has helped a lot. At lvl 6, he had over 60k just from buying salvage and selling it for profit at stores.