slank

I have a strong suspicion that they're going to pattern the Dark Armor and Dark Melee Sets off of the existing Energy Melee and Energy Armor Sets. I think there are a lot of parallels between the two.

Dark Strike (Maybe a renamed Set?)

Shadow Punch --> Barrage
Smite --> Energy Punch
New Overhand Dark Attack to Replace Shadow Maul --> Bonesmasher
Assassin's Maul --> Assassin's Strike
Build Up will replace Soul Drain --> Build Up
Placate will replace Taunt --> Placate
Touch of Fear --> Stun
New Attack replaces Soul Drain slot (maybe Shadow Maul since Spines has a cone attack in this slot) --> Energy Transfer
Midnight Grasp will stay the same --> Total Focus

Dark Aura

Hide --> Replaces Death Shroud
Dark Embrace --> Kinetic Shield
Murky Cloud --> Power Shield
Obsidian Shield --> Entropy Shield
Dark Regen will probably get the boot for a passive RES or DEF power against Neg NRG and maybe PSI --> Energy Protection

Cloak of Fear will probably stay. Despite the fact that it's useless in it's current incarnation, it kinda parallels --> Repulse with it's high end cost and limited use (Take that with a grain of salt since I haven't used Repulse yet, ok?).

Dark Consumption --> Energy Drain.
For some reason, i really think they'll move DC to the armor side. Not only does it parallel EA but it frees a spot in the Melee side for another straightforward attack (which I think it will desperately need).

I think they will nix Oppressive Gloom and replace it with Cloak of Darkness --> Conserve Power. I think they will view stackable Stealth effects as worthy of a lvl 35 power. Don't ask why I think that, it's just the impression I get.

Soul Transfer will not be replaced. It has stuck around with every incarnation of Dark Armor and every released Issue. If they replace Soul Transfer, all one hundred Dark Armor scrappers will simultaneously cancel their accounts in protest. This includes me since I've got four toons with Dark Armor

Anyway. That's my totally useless prediction. $.02

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(edit: ugh. TRIPLE stacked stealth? Imagine the threads people are going to make on the pvp boards when this comes out.)

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Stealth and CoD are mutually exclusive. I was always under the impression that they don't stack as it is.

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I'm thinking Touch of Fear and Dark Consumption will both get the axe.

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I agree with pretty much everything you say except Touch of Fear getting the axe.

ToF fits nicely in the same mold as the stun powers in MA and EM. ToF like those powers is a non-damaging utility attack that mitigates damage. IMO it's a bit more powerful than the stun attacks since it's not as resisted but it might make up for DM's lack of attack choices.

Any idea when I7 is slated for release?

I completely agree. I constantly cycle Aim and Build Up so much I had to three slot them with Recharge Reduction Enhancements. I really can't imagine getting by without them.

I can't really say anything that hasn't been said better already.

Is Burn, as it stands on live, overpowered? Yes.

Is a reduction in damage reasonable? Yes.

Is the fear effect ridiculous when compared to other 'psychologically-intimidating' powers and concepts in the game like flying blasters, green radiation, and huge frickin' swords? Yes.

So I guess I've only got one question:

Any chance of a Dev response on the Dev Response thread? It's been a few weeks since the last obtuse drive-by Statesman posting.

First of all, this is a great guide. Good job!

Second, is there a way to approximate Suepr Speed using slots in stacked Swift, Quickness, and Sprint? I recently started a Super Reflexes scrapper who will probably be hungry for power slots later on and I'd like to make do without grabbing SS. Can this be done with minimal investment or is it better to just suck it up and get SS?