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seebs

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  1. seebs
    In nearly every case I can think of, this is going to lead to me adding flavor powers to toons that otherwise couldn't have them, or spending less time resting on toons where I went ahead and took the flavor powers anyway. I don't think it'll make a huge difference up at the top end -- the marginal effect is much lower there.

    Mostly it means more people will have recall friend, more demons MMs will have a whip attack they only occasionally use for RP purposes, and so on. I think this'll be just enough to break the tightness of a lot of 1-20 builds, since suddenly three "mandatory" picks went away.

    Three of your ten powers matters a lot more than three of twenty-four.
  2. seebs
    I see no RP problems with the market merge, and the devs did address the in-character questions it raises.
  3. seebs
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jose2390 View Post
    My scrapper has regular io's. I don't have enough money to buy the good ones. Most of my attacks don't have any Endurance reduction enhancements. Just Acc's and Dam's. I did slot my up health up to 3 slots. A pal of mine suggested that I buy Numina's colvusence for my health, but there way too expensive. I have the basic slotting in my shield powers. Help!!
    Read the Market & Inventions forum to learn more about how to get better IOs more cheaply, and how to have more money available. I mean, you don't have to, but I think you'd find it rewarding. You should be able to be rolling in money pretty easily.
  4. seebs
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Neogumbercules View Post
    Here's a tip to making enough money to slot your new characters quick and easy.

    If you can get to preatoria and you're a resistance member, go to Imperial Underground to the resistance base. There's a market interface down there, and a vendor like... 100 ft away. Bid 1500 or so (or less depending on the bidders/sellers ratio and current going rate) for level 35 common IO recipes. Run over to the vendor and sell them straight back for 7000 a piece. Note: some are worth more than others, but you'll always make a profit doing this.
    You can usually get level 45 common IO recipes for 150-200 (if you're a bit patient), and they vendor for 18-40k. And level 50s can occasionally be gotten for around 10-20k, and vendor for 40-115k...
  5. seebs
    The time it takes me to craft a bunch of endredux, damage, and accuracy when I make level 7 is pretty trivial.

    The time it saves me by the time I make level 12 is huge. So is the fact that I can keep going with those basic enhancements, because they're IOs and aren't degrading; I'm still getting 11.7% to everything. At 17, it's probably worth redoing with level 20s, and I tend to pick up a handful of 2/3 stat things and frankenslot. It's still cheap, and you know what? Three level 20 acc/dam/rech IOs are better than level 25 acc, dam, and rech SOs are even at level 22. And they don't get worse as you level.

    If you don't mind spending an hour here and there messing around with WW/BM, it's pretty much a good use of time. Alternatively, craft stacks of 'em on someone else and leave them in your base enhancement table.
  6. seebs
    IOs aren't very expensive if you buy the recipes and parts -- and I make a ton of money along the way, because I overcraft.

    Say I want two blood mandate acc/dam. I bid on four, I bid on the materials for four, I craft them, I use two, I sell two, and I am ahead on the deal in money. Oops, made a Kismet +6% accuracy I don't actually have a slot for? Might as well sell it for two and a half times what I spent on it...
  7. seebs
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Castle View Post
    Yes, they are enhanceable and you can add up to 5 additional slots to them, just like the current versions. The powers are all available either at level 1 or 2 (I forget at the moment) -- no waiting 'til 20 for Stamina.
    Have you considered pairing this change with a random feature where characters die without warning or explanation every ten minutes? I think that would split the forum community pretty evenly on whether the two changes, together, were an improvement or not.
  8. seebs
    I'm super happy with this.

    Unfun choice: I can either have enough powers or enough endurance to use the powers I would have taken but I couldn't.

    Fun choice: I have enough powers and endurance, and I get to decide what to slot or not to slot.

    Right now, builds for many ATs/combos are non-viable without Stamina -- it's viewed as a must-have power so much that people feel the need to mention when they think a build could conceivably be viable without Stamina. I've yet to hear of anything but /WP characters or MMs that is actually viable without Stamina. That's not fun, that's just a tax for a badly-balanced game design.

    If we replace that with not as many slots as we might want... okay, so we have to make choices about which powers to slot, and which to have be a little less awesome. So maybe the THREE EXTRA POWERS I CAN HAVE will not be enhanced, and will be less useful than they would be if I could six-slot them... So what? They're free powers. I'm getting them for no cost, in effect, because they're replacing stuff I used to be forced to take just to be functional.
  9. seebs
    If I had to choose between inherent but unslottable, and needing to give up three power choices, I'd probably be happier with unslottable. That said, slottable would be even better.
  10. seebs
    I'm pretty sure I can't get def capped at 32 anyway. I guess the question is, at 32, should I be frankenslotting or starting to try more for set bonuses?
  11. seebs
    It's gonna be a long time before I make 50. Right now, I'm mostly looking at trying to get a bit better recovery or a bit less endurance drain than I have in my existing build, which has three leadership toggles, no stamina, and I think at most 1% increased recovery. It's a little tight sometimes. If I can get a bit more recovery from set bonuses or special IOs, I should be fine, though -- it's not as though I'm hugely crippled by lack of blue, I just can't use all my powers every fight.
  12. seebs
    Maybe I am confused. I thought electrifying fences was an AoE immobilize...?
  13. seebs
    So, here we are a month later. My bots/traps MM just made 32. I've been poking around with things in Mids, and wanted to share my half-baked attempts at a build. I don't have a very clear idea of how the various set bonuses weigh against each other, and I'm not quite sure whether the amount of knockback protection I have is a good idea; I've heard people say that if you can't get 16, there's no point in going past 4, but I don't know whether that's true.

    At 31, close to this build but not actually on it, and without much in the way of the enhancements listed, I was doing okay, mostly. I definitely have room for improvement in some areas, but I'm hoping the level 32 upgrades provide some of that.

    The TP Foe/Recall powers are pretty much there as pure utility powers -- I fell in love with TP Foe on my DS/dark mastermind, and I love having it. Recall Friend has been a wonderfully convenient thing for me many times, even though it has marginal combat utility at best. I'm pretty committed to fly as my travel power, and I pretty much always hover while out smiting whoever someone will pay me to smite.

    Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.803
    http://www.cohplanner.com/

    Click this DataLink to open the build!

    LOVELACE-1: Level 50 Technology Mastermind
    Primary Power Set: Robotics
    Secondary Power Set: Traps
    Power Pool: Flight
    Power Pool: Leadership
    Power Pool: Medicine
    Power Pool: Teleportation
    Ancillary Pool: Mu Mastery

    Villain Profile:
    Level 1: Battle Drones -- BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(A), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg:50(3), EdctM'r-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:40(3), EdctM'r-PetDef:40(5), CmdPres-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:30(7), CmdPres-Acc/Dmg:30(7)
    Level 1: Web Grenade -- TotHntr-Acc/Rchg:50(A), TotHntr-Acc/Immob/Rchg:50(5), TotHntr-Acc/EndRdx:50(11), TotHntr-Dam%:50(15), TotHntr-EndRdx/Immob:50(39), TotHntr-Immob/Acc:50(43)
    Level 2: Caltrops -- Posi-Dam%:50(A), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(34), Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(39), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(39), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:50(43)
    Level 4: Triage Beacon -- Numna-Heal/EndRdx:50(A), Numna-EndRdx/Rchg:50(9), Numna-Heal/Rchg:50(9), Numna-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:50(21), Numna-Heal:50(23), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+:50(48)
    Level 6: Equip Robot -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
    Level 8: Hover -- Zephyr-ResKB:50(A)
    Level 10: Acid Mortar -- ShldBrk-DefDeb:30(A), ShldBrk-Acc/DefDeb:30(11), ShldBrk-Acc/Rchg:30(25), ShldBrk-DefDeb/EndRdx/Rchg:30(34), ShldBrk-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:30(40), ShldBrk-%Dam:30(46)
    Level 12: Protector Bots -- SvgnRt-PetResDam:40(A), CmdPres-Acc/Dmg:30(13), CmdPres-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:30(13), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:30(15), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx:50(17), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg:50(17)
    Level 14: Assault -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
    Level 16: Force Field Generator -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), Ksmt-ToHit+:30(25), GftotA-Def:30(31), Ksmt-Def/EndRdx:30(34), GftotA-Def/EndRdx:40(48)
    Level 18: Tactics -- GSFC-Build%:50(A), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx:50(19), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx:50(19), GSFC-ToHit:50(37)
    Level 20: Poison Trap -- BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:30(A), BasGaze-Acc/Hold:30(21), BasGaze-Acc/Rchg:30(40), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold:30(40), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:30(42), BasGaze-Slow%:30(46)
    Level 22: Aid Other -- Mrcl-Rcvry+:40(A), Mrcl-Heal/Rchg:40(23), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:40(33), Mrcl-EndRdx/Rchg:40(42), Mrcl-Heal:40(48)
    Level 24: Fly -- Zephyr-ResKB:50(A)
    Level 26: Assault Bot -- BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(A), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg:50(27), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx:50(27), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx:50(29), BldM'dt-Acc:50(29), BldM'dt-Dmg:50(31)
    Level 28: Seeker Drones -- Cloud-%Dam:30(A), Cloud-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:30(31), Cloud-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg:30(33)
    Level 30: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx:50(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:50(33), GftotA-Def/EndRdx:40(43), GftotA-Def:40(46)
    Level 32: Upgrade Robot -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
    Level 35: Trip Mine -- Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:50(36), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(36), Posi-Dmg/Rng:50(36), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(37), Posi-Dam%:50(37)
    Level 38: Recall Friend -- Zephyr-ResKB:50(A)
    Level 41: Charged Armor -- ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx:40(A), ImpArm-ResDam:40(42)
    Level 44: Electrifying Fences -- TotHntr-Acc/Immob/Rchg:50(A), TotHntr-Dam%:50(45), TotHntr-Acc/Rchg:50(45), TotHntr-EndRdx/Immob:50(45)
    Level 47: Electric Shackles -- BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:30(A), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:30(50), BasGaze-Acc/Rchg:30(50), BasGaze-Acc/Hold:30(50)
    Level 49: Teleport Foe -- Acc-I:50(A)
    ------------
    Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
    Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
    Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
    Level 1: Supremacy
    Level 6: Ninja Run



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  14. seebs

    Ambushes

    POST-ACTION

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ultimo_ View Post
    So, there I am, playing my Stalker, doing tip missions. In every one, there are ambush after ambush after ambush, all of whom ignore my Hide power, thereby cutting both offense and defense in half.

    I'd heard that there was a bug, or other problem with this, do I gather it wasn't fixed?
    It's not officially a bug, it's sort of a limitation of the game engine. In my experience levelling a stalker in Praetoria, the secret is mostly to keep an eye on the NPC dialog window, and be ready to take them separately. I was pretty happy with my strategy, which basically involved caltrops and a corner to break up the ambushes.
  15. seebs
    So, I have a DP/dev blaster, who's just made 10, and hasn't yet gotten the first attack. At any given point, there's always been something I wanted more. (Caltrops, targeting drone, the first part of my Stamina tax, swap ammo...)

    On some damage-dealing characters, I've found that the first attack was pretty skippable, in that by 15 or so you have enough recharge and enough other attacks and/or things to do that you really don't need it. Is that true for DP/dev blaster, or should I be taking that anyway?
  16. seebs
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Test_Rat View Post
    EDIT: As someone mentioned, what do you propose stalkers lose to get this new complex gimmick?
    Nothing, since the entire point of the gimmick is that they are underperforming right now. They clearly need a bit of a buff; the question is whether to just give them a straight buff, and preserve their relative weakness on teams, or try to find a way to preserve their play style while making them more useful to teams.
  17. seebs
    If your goal is to make money, your key goal is marketing, not killing.
  18. seebs
    On bots, I do in fact use triage beacon. Slotted up:
    1. It's actually pretty impressive healing.
    2. It gives cool set bonuses.

    I have Aid Other, rather than Repair, because I can use it a lot more often. It's not as though I'm doing much else; just hovering there watching the bots destroy things.
  19. seebs
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by beyeajus View Post
    Fluffy is perma right out of the box, actually.
    For Defender, yes. For MM, no.

    I don't know which variant Corruptors get, or whether theirs is yet another.
  20. seebs
    Defender, because perma-fluffy comes sooner. (Actually, do corruptors even get perma-fluffy without insane build effort?)
  21. seebs
    What about 1% chance to crit bonus, used up on any crit, for each successful attack by you OR your teammates?
  22. seebs

    So... Stalkers.

    POST-ACTION

    Maybe a better fix (though possibly much more technically challenging) would be to make AS interrupted only by damage, or to start the interruptible part 0.2 seconds after you start it -- long enough to get around the "I actually stopped moving but the server didn't know that" problem.
  23. seebs
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpittingTrashcan View Post
    If you take away Hide from a Stalker, you're not left with an invalidated character. The failure mode of Stalker is Scrapper.
    Except it's a really weak scrapper. With no AoE in most sets (and although there is one in Kin/, it's many levels outside Praetoria). And sub-par defense sets. And a lot less health. Compared to a scrapper of the same level, I have:

    * One less primary attack (because I took AS, and I can't use it to scrap)
    * One less defense (because I got Hide instead of one of the "real" defensive powers)
    * A single-target defense replacing one of my attacks, so I really have two fewer attacks, but at least I get a defense which is marginal at best against a group of more than about two enemies.
    * Massively reduced chance to crit when not hidden.

    Note that this is disproportionately noticeable at lower levels. Missing one out of eight defenses is a lot less significant than missing one out of four. Similarly, when I have a lot more recharge to go around, my attack chain will be less full of waiting around. But at 14-15 or so, if I actually took my primary abilities (AS, placate), I'm pretty thoroughly gimped.

    Basically, I have a total of 10 power picks at 16. Of those, at least two are invalidated if I can't use hide and I'm dealing with multiple hostiles; I'm getting very little from Hide and nothing from AS. On a large group of individually weak creatures, placate is pretty much totally wasted. My fitness pool powers are only marginally relevant at this point -- yes, they'll be great to have had later when I make 20 and get stamina, but right now hurdle and health are having only miniscule effects. So of my 10 powers, 5 are effectively irrelevant, leaving me with two attacks plus brawl and my origin power, and a couple of defenses.

    Quote:
    Like a ninja who has been discovered, your only recourse is to flip out and kill everyone.
    And if I outlevel them by about two levels, I probably can. But if I only outlevel them by one level or so, four weakened destroyers can kill me before I can kill two of them.

    I may be able to pull that fight off with a whole tray full of candy, mind.
  24. seebs
    Yes, for a regular pull. If they're all weakened minions, but they come quickly and in groups, placate is only suppressing a tiny amount of the incoming damage -- even though each individual attacker is wussy.
  25. seebs
    Placate isn't much good against 3+ creatures. And while I am /nin, I think my AoE pseudo-placate is a ways off yet.