perwira

I appreciate all the comments so far.

As far as guides go, the Guide to Guides really only has one guide in Section X that actually goes over the mechanics of the respec process (by R_M dating back to I8: http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showt...370#post578370).

Since I already have a freespec and two respecs for the (45th level) character I intend to respec first, I'll go ahead and get my feet wet and give the freespec a go. If all goes to worst and I discover that I've messed it up after I've saved it, I have two more respecs to play with. I've been hoarding them just in case.

Instead of using (or buying) TO/DO/SO enhancements like I had done in the first few months of playing CoX, I now straight away start buying and crafting set IO recipes to frankenslot. For example, a set of three frankenslotted dual or triple aspect IO's (for example, acc/dam + acc/rech + dam/rech/end, possibly from different IO set names) is way better than three single aspect generic IO's (much less TO/DO/SO's), even at 15th level. The total percentages often come out to the equivalent of getting a 'free slot' or 'a free bonus' that you wouldn't otherwise have. And early level set bonuses, if any, are icing on the cake. Many of the recipes and salvage at the lower levels are dirt cheap and will hold their value at least several levels until upgrading them, which I usually do about every five levels. Done carefully, having enough inf to do this shouldn't be a problem.

Granted some folks like to zoom past the early levels anyway and don't consider IO's until about 22nd level and full sets well after that. But as I play quite a bit of solo and duo/trio with friends, the levels go a bit more slowly and there's actually time to take advantage of what set IO's can provide - even starting at character level 7. And I follow this IO-set enhancement only philosophy throughout the characters' careers as they rise in levels all the way up to 50. It gives even the lowest level characters an extra (and significantly noticeable) boost, although it does take time to do some research into what will fit into your build as you go and the time to acquire the recipes and salvage and then craft the set IO enhancements. Most players don't want go through the time and trouble of doing this until their builds flesh out during the later levels, typically at levels 22, 27, 32... and even waiting until 47 or 50.

Sure it costs a bit more, but generating inf isn't a problem for me (preferring to market it than farm it) and I enjoy taking the time to 'polish' my characters throughout their careers so that they can perform a few levels above their actual level, whatever level they might be.

I have one character with three respecs available. One was a freespec from I15's launch and two were earned afterwards. If I type /respec and do one, which one gets used first? I hope the freespec gets used first, so that I can acquire another freespec when I16 comes out without having to use the two earned respecs first. I already understand from this forum that you can only have one freespec per character. Does anyone know the order these are used up? Thanks in advance.

You know... over the weekend, I got to thinking.

For what it costs for one or two purples, I could completely non-purple IO-set out a second build for my character with a LotG or two thrown in.

I rolled an illusion/storm just a while ago earlier tonight, thinking it would make an interesting (and challenging) character to play. Then I see this timely thread, which I am reading with curious interest.

Offhand, I don't see why an ill/storm can't be a team player - rather, there are potentially a number of ill-advised ways to play an ill/storm that can be counterproductive for a team. In short, it looks like it takes some skill and practice in exercising selective storm powers judiciously and effectively.

I've had a lot of success with DM/SD.

I'm curious why you suggest DM/SR and FM/SD, but not DM/SD.

Playing a dark melee / shield scrapper, we're in a team of 6 on a mission to take out freaks in a fairly standard corridor and side rooms maps.

This particular map revisited, though, always rings the alarm bells in my head because teams always have a tendency to have trouble at one particular intersection. The hallway ahead bends ninety degrees to the left. There are two rooms both left and right just before the bend, and another room straight ahead at the bend - recipe for disaster if spawns are in each of the rooms and in the hallway bend on the left.

The team is moving quickly and the first target in view is in the room straight ahead and the impetuous tanker and a few others rush straight ahead with the team following just as I say, whoah, check the room on the left and right first before... oops, too late. All three rooms are spawned as well as the corridor around the corner on the left. Suddenly, we're inundated by four separate mobs of freakshow, one from the room on the left, one from the corridor ahead left, one from the room ahead, and one from the room on the right.

After a combat jump - soul drain - shadow maul - siphon life on the heels of two alphas on my scrapper's head, I see it's getting worse by the tenth of a second as it dawns on the team what is happening. Half the team is already glowing yellow to red in the health bars. Kinetic crash shield charge! Lucky critical! Freakshow go flying in every direction, those already damaged taken out. A split second respite for the team - but not enough even as the scrapper becomes the aggro magnet as more freakshow pour into the intersection. Team wipe is clearly imminent.

Scrapperlock sets in. If we're all gonna go down, the scrapper is gonna go down with them. Pop a round of inspirations like so much candy while a cycle of smites, mauls, air sups and siphon lifes go out in a rapid flurry, spinning around to face the next target. The freakshow are so dense it doesnt matter which direction the scrapper faces to get multiple targets on the mauls. The fight goes on into yet another round of soul drain, inspiration candy, and a "take this, you freaks!" ground-zero smackeroo shield charge. One glance at the team bar shows more than half of the team has dropped already, including the tanker. The only other one in halfway decent shape is our other scrapper - who no doubt is also in scrapperlock. Do or drop, never stop never stop never stop...

Then... silence.

Team bar shows two scrappers standing, one barely alive, mine at 2/3 with the blue bar at 1/3. Inspiration tray is all but empty except for 2 breakfrees and an unused wakie.

Then I finally survey the scene, viewing largest pile of freakshow I ever expect to see in one place, so dense the floor was hardly visible.