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"Investigate psychic disturbance" (leads to the Psy Clock King, who you MUST defeat-to-complete).
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In my opinion, this isn't good enough either, if there are related stories prior to it in the arc, unless each of those stories also says "(this is a story arc with multiple Bosses)" or "(this is a story arc with multiple bosses and an ArchVillain)". It stinks doing the first 5 of 6 missions only to discover that the 6th requires a team. Please let me NOT ride that train from the beginning. It would be nice if you could select a checkbox on each contact (or maybe it would be global for all contacts) saying "don't show me any group-only content" or "dont show me any group-only content, including solo stories that are part of arcs including group-only content). That way out of a contact's 15 missions or whatever, I can just see the 6 I can do without help instead of the full 15 I used to always be able to do with my other 20 alts.
Lewis
Random AT Generation!
"I remember... the Alamo." -- Pee-wee Herman
"Oh don't worry. I always leave things to the last moment." -- The Doctor
"Telescopes are time machines." -- Carl Sagan
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Ok, I still think it's obvious that States was responding to the issue: people's inability to solo a mission.
There are many missions you can complete solo withOUT defeating the bosses in the missions. If you can complete a mission solo, the mission is soloable.
Until HE says to the contrary, I'm remaining convinced that he meant that every mission that *requires* you to beat the boss *to finish the mission* mentions the presence of a boss.
IOW: The issue isn't undocumented bosses, because you don't need to beat those to be able to solo.
And, at this time, I believe all missions that require you to defeat a boss do list the presence of a boss, with one exception.
(That exception is, there are a certain number of missions that have hidden defeat-all conditions (which would include unlisted bosses), which is a major bug that I have been bugging, complaining about, and summoning GMs over repeatedly for (it seems like, at least) six months now.)
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The Devouring Earth save 16 lawyers mission contained about 16 bosses - 1 for each lawyer you save. No mention of unnamed bosses in the mission. In order to save the lawyer you have to kill the guys holding the lawyer. Attacking them aggros the bosses in their group. Therfor you can't complete the mission without killing the bosses in order to free the lawyer.
You try killing 16 red bosses even with a full team of 8.
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My question is: Does it mention anywhere in that mission description that I'm going up against a frigging Arch Villain and should bring a team?
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"Investigate psychic disturbance" (leads to the Psy Clock King, who you MUST defeat-to-complete).
I could be mistaken, but I think at least one of the Envoy missions doesn't mention Envoy's going to be there (but to their credit he isn't a mission requirement either).
The Madame of Mystery is mentioned, as is Countess Crey and Antimatter.
And heck I went into a Council mission last night with five (count em) five Fame Nems in a solo mission--no mention of *any* kind of nemesis being present came up in the mission text.
I think States was pretty clearly mistaken in thinking bosses are pointed out by the mission text, it is very frequent that they aren't...and some AV's aren't either.
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Actually States is mostly right about this. With the exception of the Clockwork King, the missions mention the boss (watch the contacts description carefully before you accept) by Name, which you hopefully recognize as a AV or it tells you to bring friends along for a tough fight ( ex. Envoy) or simultaneous blinking bombs. The only mish that didn't do that (at least pre U 3) is Clockwork King AV, which tells you neither his name nor to bring friends.
Personally what I do is leave 1 or 2 AV missions in my list and keep the other one(s) as box missions or kill X (name of offending foe), that way I always have something to do if I'm solo.
CoH exists because there's a little hero in all of us.
Ridolfo 50 DM DA.
& far too many alts
The sheer number of missions that turn into 'defeat all's (after the other objectives are completed) would tend to disprove that I'd say.
Personally, I think all of the AV missions should not require the defeat of the AV to complete (see the first two Envoy missions)--leaving the option to bypass these particular missions and go on to more content, or gather a team and whallop the AV, as the player prefers.
I also think that all missions/arcs that lead to badges should have an icon, or a bit of mission text, or something to indicate "don't skip this one". How many old folks missed Spelunker? I know I had to get Ex'd for it, all of my 'missed' content is between L5 and L15, when the levels are coming fast enough that there's actually too MUCH content.
The Accolade system would work out much better if instead of "Mission Badge X required", something more along the lines of "Any two of Mission Badges W, X, Y, or Z required".
Options are good, give the players as many options as possible and you'll have a happier playerbase.
Okay I've been playing witht his now since Issue 3 went live.
I'm still not very happy. The reason being the bosses and their extreme uberness. As a casual player I don't feel right logging in for an hour or so, spending 10-15 minutes finding a team, and then running the missions whether theirs or mine and then logging off after the mission. When I log in during my work week it is usually after 1am EST till 2-3am EST and finding a large group to do missions at that time is futile at best. Just yesterday I had a mission where I was able to clear the mission except the last boss and then waited 1/2 an hour till a higher level member of my SG could come in and take out the boss for me, which he did, thankfully. How's that fair to me or my SG? By making the game challenging for Scrappers and Tankers, you have crippled the play for Defenders, Controllers, and even Blasters. When a Blaster at level 30 has 692.6 hitpoints, and comes up against an even level boss with 2100 hit points there's a problem. Even with Build up and Aim my Blazing Bolt (The most effective attack a blaster can have at 30 doesn't even put a sizable dent in those 2100 hps. How is that right? My suggestion to the Devs, since I don't like to whine is as follows.
Make bosses scalable just like missions are. Solo bosses should be easier to kill than Bosses for groups of 5-8. Basically if someone enters a mission solo, make the boss 3 lvls below them. The Lt, and Minions can be +1 still those are not a problem. But if the mission is solo make the boss -3, that's simple and will help alot of us out.
I'd also make the bosses spawning on the streets rare. The reason behind this is as it is now you are allowing characters with the ability to solo bosses an easy avenue to gain large amounts of xp. The other day I saw a perfect example in Brickstown behind the tram. On top of the parking garage, there were not one but two crey protectors (Bosses) with victims in tow. It was a double spawn. a Scrapper or Tank could get in there and gobble up the XP easily and move on to other targets. How's that fair to those who can not solo these beings even on the street?
After a few days, one thing is clear to me: the bosses are hitting so hard that my L44 Emp is having problems keeping up and gets overwhelmed. This is with ONE Scrapper.
I was watching damage when I was sk'ing an SGmate, the aforementioned Scrapper. Taking on a boss that conned white to me, the damage was rather harsh. One hit, ONE hit gave the Scrapper more damage than I could heal. Two shots and he would've been down if not for hitting greens. I'm using Heal Other (little over 650) and Heal Aura (little over 370) one after the other just to keep up. I didn't dare stop to lay down a Tenebrous Tentacle or Night Fall or Dark Blast or Moonbeam to try and debuff. The one time I did, he died in one hit due to being too low and out of greens.
This is ridiculous. How can I play support, how can I do my job as a Defender when this is the case? Yes, I've been overwhelmed before, but that was when I was the sole Defender in a 4-5 man team, including myself. But I was able to handle it with good tactics and herding of the players. This was too much.
Boss difficulty is beyond soloing missions. It's impairing the effectiveness of Defenders and Controllers. Not all, granted, but a good majority.
I thought it was cool to go through a ton of small stories with good plots and fun fights. After two or three story arcs come up agenst an AV. Call the SG and say hey I found such'n'such AV and need help. It was cool and fun. Now it's like this. I get thru one mission in an arc and the next one I call my SG because I can get past the one boss that wasn't mentioned in the text just to continue the story. Not fun.
What if since you go through story arcs to get to AV and such the bosses became more difficult as you progressed in the story? That would make more since.
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Actually States is mostly right about this. With the exception of the Clockwork King, the missions mention the boss (watch the contacts description carefully before you accept) by Name, which you hopefully recognize as a AV or it tells you to bring friends along for a tough fight ( ex. Envoy) or simultaneous blinking bombs. The only mish that didn't do that (at least pre U 3) is Clockwork King AV, which tells you neither his name nor to bring friends.
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That's very incorrect. As I mentioned earlier, I've been specifically looking for missions that have bosses and AVs that don't mention them in any way in the initial description, the short description in your nav window, or the long description when you click on the little star next to the short description. I've been bugging them as I encounter them.
More than half of my missions have must-defeat bosses that I haven't been warned about. These include non-named bosses as well as (more rarely) named bosses. I've also gotten two missions with must-defeat AVs that have had no warning, not including the Psychic Clockwork King (three if you include the first Envoy mission, but he's not must-defeat in that one).
I had a similar experience last night defending my friend who's a katana scrapper. She does tremendous damage, critical hits, and all. But even with a bunch of blue conning Vahz all it took was me trying to send her a green - my eyes off the team counter for literally a split second, and both of us go down. There were only 4 guys, all of them hit by us at least once, and I'm exemplared down to 19 from 26. Sometimes it seems like none of my enhancements are working, at all, during exemplaring, is that true too?
My debt is nothing, it's not like the 40k that people talk about here, but that's because I now completely avoid situations which will afford me debt. I'd just like to GET to the next level so I can continue soloing my normal everyday missions-with-four-must-defeat-bosses-conning-orange in them.
Even with me UNexemplared, I was hardly able to keep up with the damage 2 or maybe 3 guys were doing. We did take down Dr Vahz but neither of us got anything from him because I'd sidekicked her just to get the deed done at all.
And what the heck is up with Dr Vahz now? He's a runner? Since when? 
Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed
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(three if you include the first Envoy mission, but he's not must-defeat in that one).
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Heh. It depends on where he's standing. I found him in front of the first portal the first time I got him.
Re-rolled and found him in front of the only entrance to the final cave.
Re-rolled and found him on the bridge that leads... well you get the idea.
Finally called a couple SG mates and we just spent the rest of the evening kicking his butt.
See? Now THAT I don't mind. I got an AV and after realizing that I couldn't solo the mission because of it, I called in the SG. I called in the SG on Terra, too. I don't MIND those. I expect those.
All I want is for the bosses to be the way they were 2 weeks ago, and the guys who don't think that's enough of a challenge to be able to up the slider on them to +2/+3. Sorry, but I get one blaster snipe in on a non-named boss standing next to a glowie and I'm chewing concrete.
PERIOD.
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I think if we all do this, the devs will get the message.
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No, they won't. I think Statesman's reply to that PM makes it clear that he simply will not admit he was wrong. Ever. Period.
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See? Now THAT I don't mind. I got an AV and after realizing that I couldn't solo the mission because of it, I called in the SG. I called in the SG on Terra, too. I don't MIND those. I expect those.
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Once in a while is fine. But when your post-40 mission path gets clogged with AV after AV, it becomes the same kind of problem the post-I3 boss is. You've been prevented from soloing your own missions at all.
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I think if we all do this, the devs will get the message.
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No, they won't. I think Statesman's reply to that PM makes it clear that he simply will not admit he was wrong. Ever. Period.
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But he has. He admitted error in the I2 difficulty increase. He admitted error in the initial regen changes.
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Anytime a Mission has a boss, the mission text SHOULD clearly identify that a boss will appear regardless of the team size entering it (bosses appear in spawns usually if there's 2 or more heroes on a mission map). /Bug it if the text isn't clear. We'll be improving this UI shortly so that there are icons that point out when a mission requires help and when it's solo-able.
So, folks, /bug it if the text isn't clear. 
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Okay, so I get a mission, briefing is along the lines of "The clockwork are trying to build a hooziwhatsis in the MacGuffin Building! Starguard Nova, go stop them!" Studying the briefing, I think, okay, no named bosses...enter the building, and the first room has a red Prince named "Gears". Oops!
Exactly how do I format the /bug report? Do I just write "/bug mission has named boss not mentioned in briefing?" Is that useful?
"Destiny's powerful hand has made the bed of my future, and it's up to me to lie in it. I am destined to be a superhero. To right wrongs, and to pound two-fisted justice into the hearts of evildoers everywhere." -- The Tick
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But he has. He admitted error in the I2 difficulty increase. He admitted error in the initial regen changes.
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<shrug> Apparently he found the taste of admitting his errors not to his likeing , since he seems to be having a real problem doing so this time.
Have you concidered changing tactics? I'm a Storm/Elec Def, and I've found that if I stand and trade punches, I'm fairly quickly put down, but if I fire, break LOS, rinse and repeat, I can put the boss down. I do have to use more Insp than before, but I'm having much more fun, and the game is much more interactive to me. I would think, as a Blaster, you would have miles of range on me. I would hope that you try a change, instead of wasting all the time you've spent so far to build up your Toon.
A bit off-topic, I think the changes in general were made to intentionally slow down progress a bit, and give all players more time to, well, play. Do we all recall how, for the last 2 months or so, all the level 50's were bored and had nothing to do?
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Earlier I did the two CoT missions that awards the Frontline badge. Nowhere does the text mention anything about bosses. The first mission was fine, no bosses.The second mission had, not one, but four bosses (death mages) and it was a defeat all mission.
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Here's something odd. I had done that mision a few times pre-issue 3. For myself and helping out friends. There were ALWAYS bosses (Death Mage fighting Alternate Orenbega Mage, or something like that).
When my Illusion Controller got that mission, I was doing this mission solo and wanted to see how tough it would be to solo Death Mages with my pets. However, my mission had zero bosses
Champion Heroes: The Wu Jen Adept(50)/Major Madcap(50)/Panther Ice(43)/Nightshadow Dragon(42)
Champion Villains: Freezing Night(49)/Tactical Widow(44)/Umbral Servant(38)/Mister Mechanical(33)
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Have you concidered changing tactics? I'm a Storm/Elec Def, and I've found that if I stand and trade punches, I'm fairly quickly put down, but if I fire, break LOS, rinse and repeat, I can put the boss down.
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Funny, breaking LOS doesn't keep the badguy from hitting me back on HIS alpha volley in response to my snipe.
Click snipe, jump behind that wall. Take 1000 in response damage. Admitedly, if I get lucky enough to get a knockdown, it'll work. I'll be running and kiting. Which is no big deal, but certainly not guaranteed I'll even have a chance to do it.
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A bit off-topic, I think the changes in general were made to intentionally slow down progress a bit, and give all players more time to, well, play. Do we all recall how, for the last 2 months or so, all the level 50's were bored and had nothing to do?
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I'm level 38. I'm taking my time and taking the scenic route. Even IF (big "IF" now) I make 50, I personally have a LOT of post 50 stuff to do. Like the Controller the scrapper and the new Keldian.
So I'm not going to be bored and complaining, and yet I'm being beset because there are those that have? Advancement was fine for the rest of us. Variety was there for the people who liked the game.
See, the facts are, the pre-issue 3 bosses were FINE. If they weren't well, heck that's what the SLIDER is for.
There are lots of us out there who are willing to come help, regardless of getting XP, just because it's fun to PLAY. I bought the game for the same reasons you did, but I have no problem, and even enjoy going back to the lower levels and helping, healing, and rezzing folks just because I get into the whole "hero thing". I causes a lot of tension amongst my local group, because some of them are powergamers, and proud of it, but I enjoy playing with them too. With all the changes from the beginning, and I've been here through all of them, I still enjoy getting out there, flying around, using the cool powers, watching the neat graphics, and forgetting about the fact that there is another power, or set of slots ???-XP away. When the game came out, and capped at 40, and one of our group zoomed to that level and was bored, it reinforced to me that my philosophy works for me, likewise with the later level 50 cap, and the new AT's. They'll be there, I'll get to them, I can wait.
Uhmm, last time I checked, Batman and Superman were both on teams.... And those teams, not to mention the entire DC universe, went up against each of those villains, and initially got stomped.. as teams.. against solo bosses.. and then eventually beat them, when they changed tactics. Not trying to be contrary, but if we're going to compare comic book analogies.....
I honestly think we're in basic agreement. You have done enough research to know that your snipe is no longer going to kill a boss, so don't lead with it. Use a different attack, probably several smaller, faster ones, to get the DoT up there. I know the timing is hard, but it can be done! Save that snipe for when the boss is weak, and use it as a finishing move, would be my recommendation. All of this is conjecture, because my defender is very team-based, and I don't have a lot of experience with Blasters, but I can solo.
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I honestly think we're in basic agreement. You have done enough research to know that your snipe is no longer going to kill a boss, so don't lead with it. Use a different attack, probably several smaller, faster ones, to get the DoT up there. I know the timing is hard, but it can be done! Save that snipe for when the boss is weak, and use it as a finishing move, would be my recommendation. All of this is conjecture, because my defender is very team-based, and I don't have a lot of experience with Blasters, but I can solo.
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The only problem with that is snipe is interuptable. If we don't lead off with it we will not be able to use it against a boss, because he will interupt it. We'll lose build up and aim which used to make the attack an effective lead off attack also.
On a few of my heroes, I love the boss changes. Absolutely hate it on others. While I agree that some AT's would consider a pre I3 even level boss fight a snooze fest, to other AT's it was already a headache. I firmly believe that the mission slider should determine the bosses status also. Set your mission to hardest level, bosses have the extra punch, etc, or keep it at lowest setting for normal boss levels. And street corner bosses should just be left alone, or if the coding is there, possibly have them react with mission slider also. (If they can do it with AV's, they can do it with bosses, IMO.)
All in all, the across the board increase in difficulty is a bad thing, even if I can still fight them and win with most of my characters... Casual players, and support classes are in a no win situation here...
edit* BTW, just for reference, upping boss level will NOT slow the progress of the player base that races to 50. In every MMO I have ever been involved with, the small percentage of people that hit level cap shortly after release are complete min/maxers, and seem to find every loophole, exploit, workaround in the game. This will not change that behavior, it will only slow the progress of those that have been, and are, playing the game for the sole purpose of playing, not "winning". The 5% or so, whatever the number is, of people that have already achieved 50 (some multiple times) will still find a way to outlevel the rest, and will still complain of boredom... Why punish everyone?
(And yes, I do have heroes that can still solo +3 and +4 bosses, (no level 50's though) so I'm not necessarily worried about my game play in particular, but I do feel for people that enjoy the support classes. And this has definately swayed me against ever working on my defender and controller, as I really like to solo most of the time, or play with one person at most..)
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Again, most of those I wager will be explained by the longstanding hidden-defeat-all condition bug. They need to get that fixed.
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So if anyone points out evidence that directly contradicts your assertions, you will brush it off by just assuming that it is the result of a bug? If the facts don't conform to the theory then they must be discarded, eh?
The facts are that there are missions in every story arc where you have to defeat a boss who is not mentioned or hinted at until you take the mission, and sometimes until you find him in the mission. This is counter to both Statesman and your assertions and is making the game much less fun for a large number of players.
Scorus
You folks had me really worried for a while, because I like to solo a lot with a defender myself. I do, admittedly, have what I think to be a pretty hardy and offensive kind of defender, but not min/maxed either by most counts (at least, given the building advice I often see kicking around the defender forums). I can still pretty reliably solo +2 level bosses that are kicking around, even when they are surrounded by a group of lieutenants and minions. The battles do take a LOT longer (I wouldn't look forward to trying the same thing with a blaster without a lot of hit-and-run), and often do involve using inspirations (some more, some less). I don't think I'm well above the average skill level of people playing this game, but maybe I'm underrating myself (or overrating them).
I would absolutely agree, however, that being one-shotted by anything is utterly demoralizing. What possible defense can be employed against something that wipes you out in one stroke? Only total avoidance. This is notfun, unless avoiding the villain is precisely the point (I have seem at most one or two missions where I was instructed to avoid fighting someone). Up hit points and defense. Even accuracy. But nerf one-shotting bad guys! Stop the notfun. Power to the people!
I've been /bugging each and every mission that has a must-kill boss in it that doesn't let me know there's a boss in the description (long or short). Basically, any mission where I need to clear a level of all villains and I encounter a boss.
I've been doing this for about three days. I'm at about a 60% bug rate. I'm even getting must-kill named bosses that aren't mentioned. I think if we all do this, the devs will get the message.
If not, perhaps we need to send a /bug report every time we encounter a must-kill boss, even if that means sending multiple /bug reports every mission.