May i just say this is the best thread ive read. It has the most intelligent and intelectual comments on it ive ever read and you guys have helped me understand the whole soloing and teaming thing better. I did start after I3, so i didnt know about all the additions from it. So tell me if this is a good idea. I go to a place with nice sized mobs around +2 or +3 my lvl maybe higher and send in my pets while im phase shifted (pets first) and let them do the work and not worry? does that sound like a good tactic or a bad one for soloing? i just hit 35 so 36 is kinda far away but maybe i could do something along those lines.
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So tell me if this is a good idea. I go to a place with nice sized mobs around +2 or +3 my lvl maybe higher and send in my pets while im phase shifted (pets first) and let them do the work and not worry? does that sound like a good tactic or a bad one for soloing? i just hit 35 so 36 is kinda far away but maybe i could do something along those lines.
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You can probably get by like this, but in general if you dont support your pets they are going to get beat up pretty badly and do things like chase mobs into nearby spawns and get wiped out.
It will be much more effective if you lead off with your control powers and generally keep the mobs helpless and in one place, then follow up with freezing rain to increase the damage the mobs take. This will allow your pets will dispatch them a lot more easily.
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I have to disagree here. My first to main characters were both ones that had a substantial weakness at soloing, either being squishy or not being a solid damage-dealer. Maybe our concept of "reasonable time" is different, but the time it takes for a Emp/Rad Defender to solo a mish......well, I haven't played her since before I3 and its boss correction, so maybe this is not accurate. Anyways, I was going to say that going through most of the mish was not a problem, it was the inordinate amount of time spent killing just the boss. Okay, so now there are less bosses in missions. But that's another balancing RL problem--I stopped playing her because she was so hard to solo, which is my preferred style of play. And because I am a "casual" player, I had not brought her back out since the I3 correction.
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As can be read above, I completely agree with you here. If you are "casual", should you not just be enjoying your character and the hour or so of relaxation it provides, not worring about your exp/min?
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I'm a casual gamer and xp/min usually isn't a big concern. I really like my defenders, but they're pretty tedious to solo. My mid-level kin/dark defender had a stale kill-all mission where the spawns were -2 and -1 to her and it took an inordinately long time. Not just because she took a long time to kill stuff, but because she had to pause between every fight to regain endurance. In terms of fun per minute it just doesn't make sense to solo her. If I want to solo, I grab one of my scraps.
Everyone has a different threshold though, and I think it's accurate to say every AT is soloable, although maybe not every build of every AT. Whether everyone would have fun soloing every AT is debatable and I think it's certainly true that the method of soloing has to be adjusted depending on the AT. It depends on how you define soloing I guess. If your definition is getting to level 50 without teaming, I see no reason any AT can't solo. If your definition is experiencing all the game content, I don't think any AT can solo.
Team play is a big part of the content in my opinion. If it's not content you enjoy, you shouldn't be forced to do it, but I don't think it's reasonable to complain that you can't do everything a team can do (I mean that as a general observation, I'm not implying that anyone specific is complaining). Teaming up adds a lot of variability to the game. If you're solo, the only variability you get is the villain type for the most part. On a team, a whole slew of new tactics become available depending on who's on the team and what powers they've got, and it (at least for me) is a completely different experience than the same mission with a different team.
Ok I agree that a defender or controller is hard to solo with but not impossible. Forgive me if I haven't read the whole thread of this post. First off for solo missions get stealth of some form early as possible. Alot of mission involve only finding a blinkie, rescueing a few hostages or taking out the Boss. For these missions I go right to the mission objectives. Heck I did one mission in under 1 min the other night. Sure I didn't get exp for killing all the minions but I did get the mission bonus. 1 min = several hundred or thousand exp points. Then when you get the defeat all missions that takes the time but heck all the missions you breezed thru is worth it. I have a Earth/Storm controller lvl 39, Gravity/Empath controller lvl 27 and a Bubble/Radiation Defender lvl 23. Sure I do team alot but now my lvl39 does alot of solo missions. The other 2 sometimes need help in big missions but whats wrong calling in a reinforcement once and awhile? Lots of heroes will help, I know I have and have been helped many a time. Take your time and read the mission objectives they can be simple. Of course for SOME reason they get a little off the mark above lvl 30 and some of the objectives are MISSING but we get by. Later all.
Try out these AE arcs: 58376, 121698 & 143827
Badges? Did someone say badges? Sign me up!
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When my real life friend complained about the difficulty of the mission by e-mail, he was told that he should have more people in the group or that he should talk to members of his supergroup to get help on the mission. He was also told that door missions need a minimum of 5 people now. This is the kind of attitude that led us to leave Everquest and if it continues we will leave City of Heroes.
Stop the missions with disarm x number of bombs simulataneously. This contradicts your published statements in the manual regarding being able to solo and is false advertising.
Stop tailoring the game toward uber supergroups and adrenalin-addicted teenagers. Remember us older adults who are casual players who do have a life.
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I don't know who told you that you need a minimum of 5 people for door missions, but they don't have any idea what they are talking about. I play probably 90% of the game solo, on all kinds of ATs, all kinds of powersets. The lower levels on all of them can be a real challenge, but they are doable. The only time I team is TFs and AVs, either my own or my SG mates. It is easier for me at this point, since my main is an INV/SS tank, but it wasn't easy at lower levels.
A couple of people on our SG duo constantly. They create the characters together, then take them through the entire game. They do most of the AVs with the 2 of them, and have done most of the TFs with just the 2. And they have done it with a couple of different sets of characters. (They do hate the Hollows, but they love Striga Island.)
You are an Ill controller, which means that from 32 on, you won't need teammates anymore, but you don't say what your teammates are. When you are taking on large numbers of mobs in missions, a tank is really useful. If you have one, then you may want to look at your tactics, and double check your difficulty settings.
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Actualy there are number of missions that require a certain number of people to complete them. Normally they say in the mission text now, but some of them still do not.
If you have played 90% of this game solo you would know this.
Your statement sounds more like you sat in a wolves mission too long or where on hydra killing teams alot, so you didnt actually play this game.
Also for your information an illusion controller could solo starting as low as they want
They dont need phantoms to be great, infact people who rely too much on pets die alot or sit around at level 50 and do nothing but hamidon raids, because they are too weak to do anything else.
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Wow, way not to read what was written. And to assume things about someone you don't know.
The original person was told by CS that door missions need a minimum of 5 people. Not one mission in particular, not the one they were on, door missions in general. You can read it in the quote right above this. BTW, there is even one mission that requires 8 people, Cavern of Transcendence, maybe you have heard of it.
As for the idea that I have spent too much time wolf herding or hydra farming, I have never done either. Haven't had any need to do either. Doing the story arcs and missions from my contacts, along with the various TFs, has been more than enough to keep me leveling. I do want to do the sewer trial, I am hoping it is as fun as Eden was. But farming hydras sounds boring.
And I know Ill controllers can solo before 32. Mine is level 12 and has teamed maybe twice. But they level very slowly when solo, at least at lower levels I have played, while they can level as quickly as anyone after they get their pets. I doubt the original poster will solo, it sounds like she is part of a good trio. But I was pointing out it was going to be easier at that time.
BTW, I didn't say I have played 90% of the game. Since I haven't played Striga or the Shard yet, I am not close to that figure. But I have soloed 90% of the time I have played.
Justice Blues, Tech/Tank, Inv/SS
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Fighting The Future Trilogy
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Team play is a big part of the content in my opinion. If it's not content you enjoy, you shouldn't be forced to do it, but I don't think it's reasonable to complain that you can't do everything a team can do (I mean that as a general observation, I'm not implying that anyone specific is complaining). Teaming up adds a lot of variability to the game. If you're solo, the only variability you get is the villain type for the most part. On a team, a whole slew of new tactics become available depending on who's on the team and what powers they've got, and it (at least for me) is a completely different experience than the same mission with a different team.
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Ain't *that* the truth. I've been working on my ice/ff controller lately, and have two friends of similar levels. I've done a mission involving Mr. Po twice now.
Once, I was teamed with two scrappers, and once it was solo. The tactical differences are definitely significant.
With the scrappers, my main task was to keep them bubbled, lay down the ice slick, and seek-and-lockdown the sorceror first, then any ink men, and once they were dispatched, attack whoever else was around that they weren't busy with. We cleared the whole mission - partly because we could, and partly because it was fun to do so. I did manage to get killed once, but that was mostly my own fault. Couldn't get a spirit locked down as it charged me, and it stunned me with the hand-clap, and then took me down with a couple other shots before I could do anything. The scrappers were occupied with their fights, with sorcerors and ink men stunning them, so they couldn't get to me in time.
When I was solo, I put on the personal force field, turned on sprint and combat jumping, popped a discipline, and raced to the end to face Po and just the mobs around him. Once I got that done, I went after the blinkies, trying to avoid fighting as much as possible, because it's just so darned slow with an ice/ff controller in the high teens.
Same exact mission, same exact level, very different experiences.
I'm running a L44 Emp/Rad Defender, and I've found, when soloing, that ice cubes have a better chance of unmelting in Hell than I do against an AV. Yet, a friend of mine playing a Ill/Rad controller who's 2 levels below me seems to do quite well. I don't mind teaming, but when I can't find a team, and have an AV mission to deal with, I'm basically screwed.
All Heroes may be equal, but some are more equal than others... 
[b]Victory Server[/b]
Atomedic (L50 Emp/Rad Defender)
White Serpent (L50 En/En Blaster)
Giant Grrl (L50 Inv/En Tanker)
Dirty Trixi (L50 Ice/Fire Dom)
For myself, I'm not bothered that teams get more exp, or are able to do things that can't be done solo, etc. What bothers me about this game, is that I cannot even attempt parts of the game solo. I really do not understand this. Please do not tell me that "this is an MMO". So freakin' what? Team if you want to. If that gives you more fun, go for it. But please please please don't limit my options because I prefer soloing. I want to be able to at least try every single mission, trial and TF solo. I really am at a loss to comprehend why some people are so against permitting that option.
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For myself, I'm not bothered that teams get more exp, or are able to do things that can't be done solo, etc. What bothers me about this game, is that I cannot even attempt parts of the game solo. I really do not understand this. Please do not tell me that "this is an MMO". So freakin' what? Team if you want to. If that gives you more fun, go for it. But please please please don't limit my options because I prefer soloing. I want to be able to at least try every single mission, trial and TF solo. I really am at a loss to comprehend why some people are so against permitting that option.
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Here here! And while they're at it, they should put a combat mode in chess games so I can defend a spot because I can hit the button faster. And puzzles to solve before unlocking the next Porche in GT4. And a boss in URT2 that is defeated by doing something mechanically similar to DDR.
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Sorry if it sounds like a flame, but you said you didn't want to hear the very thing which is the response to your complaint. That makes it hard to explain it to you when you refuse to hear it; maybe if it is painted it in a different color you'll see the point. You are on a Mulitplayer game and want all the options that go with playing a single-player game.
What I mean to say is exactly what you don't want to hear. Of coarse the capabilities of the coding team is not limited by the classification of the game. But the classification of the game does limit what should and should not be included. So because it is an MMO, there will be team-oriented, even restricted, events. This is not a non-connected game, it is meant, designed, and intended to be played with others. We can either accept and deal, or cancel our accounts and get a different game, it's up to the individual.
And by the by, I prefer soloing, belong to a SG and rarely team with them, and still get in TFs.
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Here here! And while they're at it, they should put a combat mode in chess games so I can defend a spot because I can hit the button faster. And puzzles to solve before unlocking the next Porche in GT4. And a boss in URT2 that is defeated by doing something mechanically similar to DDR.
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Sorry if it sounds like a flame, but you said you didn't want to hear the very thing which is the response to your complaint. That makes it hard to explain it to you when you refuse to hear it; maybe if it is painted it in a different color you'll see the point. You are on a Mulitplayer game and want all the options that go with playing a single-player game.
What I mean to say is exactly what you don't want to hear. Of coarse the capabilities of the coding team is not limited by the classification of the game. But the classification of the game does limit what should and should not be included. So because it is an MMO, there will be team-oriented, even restricted, events. This is not a non-connected game, it is meant, designed, and intended to be played with others. We can either accept and deal, or cancel our accounts and get a different game, it's up to the individual.
And by the by, I prefer soloing, belong to a SG and rarely team with them, and still get in TFs.
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Let me clarify. The reason I said that I don't want to hear that is because, for me, that's not a reason, it's an excuse. I don't see how saying it's an MMO equates to 'you must team'. If this is part of the 'definition' of MMO, then I challenge the definition or the reasoning. Why is it that MMO means mandated team-only stuff? Where is this written in stone? See, what I don't get is why they can't have the option for people to team for those that prefer it, but not make it mandatory? Is more options a bad thing? Perhaps the designers of MMOs in general are worried that certain classes will not be invited to team? If so, then I say the design is flawed.
You say our only options are to accept and deal or don't play. Why? Why can't we challenge this (IMO) stagnant idea and design a game that allows for both?
I have teamed before. I usually find it enjoyable. But I hate having to team for any reason. I just like to play at my pace, and not at a pace dictated by the group in general. I have, many times, played the game for 12 hours or more in a row. But, despite having 2000+ hours invested in the game, I've done exactly one TF. It was the Synapse one, and I found it too long. I can't imagine trying the Positron one unless I were to solo it. Oh wait, I'm not allowed to because of some arbitrary game restriction. Yes, I know, in theory, you and all your fellow teammates can do it for a few hours and then agree to meet again the next day or something. Sure. And, in theory, communism works. Most of my (ahem) 24 toons are in SGs, and I rarely team with them, except for the (sigh) mandatory team missions I get; simultaneous clickies, or AVs. Why are so many against the idea of permitting the solo-only option? Saying "It's an MMO" is not a reason, it's an excuse.
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I don't see how saying it's an MMO equates to 'you must team'. If this is part of the 'definition' of MMO, then I challenge the definition or the reasoning. Why is it that MMO means mandated team-only stuff? Where is this written in stone?
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Read my previous post. If a game doesnt include team only stuff then making it into an MMO is just a needless cost that makes it more expensive to play. In fact most people would agree that if a game doesnt include team activities it simply isnt an MMO, so by extension if you take all the team tasks and make them solo tasks the game is no longer an MMO.
There is a vast difference between saying you must team and you must team to explore this piece of content. As long you are not forced to do any of the team content you are not being told you must team full stop. The devs in this game have committed to not forcing you to do team content and give you considerable soloable content as well. In short they are simply not telling anyone you must team as you want us to believe.
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But I hate having to team for any reason.
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Then dont. If you dont want to team then dont do the content aimed at teams, no one is forcing you to.
But nobody is forcing you to team. You won't be able to do all the content, AV missions especially, but it is still an option. You will be able to do probably 95% of the missions, and can mostly avoid the ones with multiple glowies, except for the ones they haven't fixed the mission intro yet 
(And some of them you don't actually need to click simultaneously, despite what the mission requirements say.)
And if you really want to, for most of the missions you can clear out all but the glowies or AV, then broadcast for help to clear that. There are plenty of people willing to take a few minutes and help out in that situation. I do just because I enjoy fighting AVs. If that is too much teaming for you, then you are probably playing the wrong game.
Justice Blues, Tech/Tank, Inv/SS
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Fighting The Future Trilogy
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Swamper, I could not have said it better than Justice or Moridin. You don't have to team to play, it's just that there are certain content things that are team only.
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Why is it that MMO means mandated team-only stuff? Where is this written in stone?
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As Moridin pointed out, to not have team stuff is to contradict the "multiplayer" part of MMO. You don't play multiplayer Civ at the same time but playing simultaneous single-player games.
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Oh wait, I'm not allowed to because of some arbitrary game restriction. Yes, I know, in theory, you and all your fellow teammates can do it for a few hours and then agree to meet again the next day or something.
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Also, if you want to try a TF by yourself, you can ask for people to join up just so you can start it, then they can all quit. As long as you don't quit the TF, you can keep playing it by yourself.
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As Moridin pointed out, to not have team stuff is to contradict the "multiplayer" part of MMO.
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But this is my point! Why does multiplayer = team only and not team optional? Why? How is that better? Is that definition unchallengeable?
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Also, if you want to try a TF by yourself, you can ask for people to join up just so you can start it, then they can all quit. As long as you don't quit the TF, you can keep playing it by yourself.
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Except for a few builds, the AVs at the end of each TF (except Positron's) make soloing it impossible anyway. However, I have tried unsuccessfully three times to get teammates to help me start the first TF. Not one single response. /shrug
I have no problem with designing a mission to be done with a team in mind, or even making the mission very hard to complete without a team. But why is it mandatory? It just seems to me that this is an antiquated idea that some people feel is cast in stone. Why is this idea so unflexible? Why is the option to try it solo so wrong to some of you?
When are the flashback mission going to be available? Thats a great idea. Especially as I once had a chance to do the Save the Fortune Teller mission with my main character but passed it over because:
a. I had done it so much in Beta
b. I had grown to really dis-like the cave missions
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But this is my point! Why does multiplayer = team only and not team optional? Why? How is that better? Is that definition unchallengeable?
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Because multiplayer all by yourself is oxymoronic. If there is nothing for multiple players is isnt multiplayer by definition. Or perhaps you have some strange new definition for multiple.
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But this is my point! Why does multiplayer = team only and not team optional? Why? How is that better? Is that definition unchallengeable?
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Because multiplayer all by yourself is oxymoronic. If there is nothing for multiple players is isnt multiplayer by definition. Or perhaps you have some strange new definition for multiple.
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The 'multiple' part would still be there. If we solo a mission, or even a Task Force, there would still be other people playing in the same world. That's where the Multi-Player aspect comes in. We're all still playing in the same world. And those who want to team and socialize will do that no matter what content is soloable. However, those of us who mostly solo would get to do and see other aspects of the game. That's all. It wont trivialize anything, or anyone. Teams would still have people, because many soloers weren't teaming anyway. I just don't see the problem. The big hoo-ha with multi-player games is the social aspect anyway. Not the group combat. Besides, it's not like Hamidon would ever be soloable.
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But this is my point! Why does multiplayer = team only and not team optional? Why? How is that better? Is that definition unchallengeable?
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Because multiplayer all by yourself is oxymoronic. If there is nothing for multiple players is isnt multiplayer by definition. Or perhaps you have some strange new definition for multiple.
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The 'multiple' part would still be there. If we solo a mission, or even a Task Force, there would still be other people playing in the same world. That's where the Multi-Player aspect comes in. We're all still playing in the same world. And those who want to team and socialize will do that no matter what content is soloable. However, those of us who mostly solo would get to do and see other aspects of the game. That's all. It wont trivialize anything, or anyone. Teams would still have people, because many soloers weren't teaming anyway. I just don't see the problem. The big hoo-ha with multi-player games is the social aspect anyway. Not the group combat. Besides, it's not like Hamidon would ever be soloable.
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Very well said Jonah! Stars for you 
It often amazes me how people get hung up in that "multiple means no solo!" mentality. Just because a game is available online (i.e. a Massively Multiplayer Online game) does not mean that some people might not want to do things in that world on their own, perhaps occasionally teaming or just having the pleasure of knowing that it is a "living" world made up of other real players, even while they themselves are the lone wolf.
In a strange way, MMO's actually encourage the lone wolf/solo player in exactly that way! I am one of those people who only teams occasionally and it makes it more fun soloing knowing that there are Supergroups out there, etc. and that I'm "doin' my own thing" so to speak.
Anyway, to those fuddy duddies who think we can't ALL have our playstyle here, I suggest worrying less about what other people do and just focus on having fun YOUR way
Let's all just get alowng
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It often amazes me how people get hung up in that "multiple means no solo!" mentality. Just because a game is available online (i.e. a Massively Multiplayer Online game) does not mean that some people might not want to do things in that world on their own, perhaps occasionally teaming or just having the pleasure of knowing that it is a "living" world made up of other real players, even while they themselves are the lone wolf.
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I like having the option to solo. I think it's an important part of any MMO, because sometimes I just want to jump on and play - not futz around with building or finding a team. I do however think it's unreasonable to expect to solo ALL of the content in the game as a previous poster wanted to do. It's not a matter of the game being multiplayer or wanting to force some sort of play style on the rest of the world, it's just a matter of resources. The majority of the target market for MMOs is probably the folks that want to group up, so it makes sense that you develop content designed for the team players. If Cryptic had unlimited resources maybe they could figure out a way to make that content soloable without degrading the team experience, but with so many other cool things they're trying to get into the game, I don't think it makes a lot of sense to pursue it.
My supergroup did the sewer trials for the first time (as a group) last weekend. I'd never done it before and everyone I talked to made it sound impossible (especially since we didn't have a controller). Well, we whupped it on the first try and it was a thrill. Yeah it was hard and a lot of folks died a lot, but we did it! The reason we succeeded was because we worked together well as a team. I really don't see how you could make that "soloable" and still make it the same experience. Maybe it's not a good example because you can take the mission without a team, even if you can't finish it, but it was the first example of content designed for a team that popped into my head.
I believe there should be team only content and that players should not be forced to team to get to level 50. I can understand the desire to solo in an MMO. COH was my first experience with MMOs and when I first started playing I wasn't all that interested in teaming up. The "team only" content encouraged me to try teaming up with folks and showed me a whole dimension to the game I would have missed. I don't care whether folks solo all the time or not - everyone's idea of fun is different and you should play the way that maximizes your fun. I don't think it's fair however to begrudge me my team oriented content. Teaming really does add a lot to the game in my opinion, and I can't fault Cryptic for encouraging it with task force badges and such.
I can see both sides of the debate here. Yes, "multiplayer" implies there will be a certain amount of team-based content. But the area covered by content that's only available to teams should not overlap the area covered by content that feels essential.
I have a modest cadre of friends who play the game, and when they're online I will often team up with them, whether it's necessary or not (there is, after all, a big difference between team play and "team only"). When they're not around though, I will almost always solo.
For an analogy, take a look at going to the movies. It can definitely be a group experience. I've gone to more than a few movies with friends and enjoyed it. But when I'm in the mood for a movie and my friends aren't available, I go alone. And I will usually pick a seat that's fairly isolated. If I absolutely had to in order to watch a movie, I'd settle for a seat with other people around... but I'd be irritated if they turned out to be loud obnoxious bozos.
Similarly with CoH. I enjoy playing with my friends. When not playing them, I enjoy soloing. If I have to form a team to do something, I'll do so, but I'll get irritated if the only team I can scrap together turns out to be a bunch of obnoxious bozos. This has happened a couple times, because of course, there's no "bozo detector" in the game ( 
) and it's generally rendered things fruitless. A team of intelligent, cooperative players is fun. But if you find yourself saying "Morons. I've got morons on my team", it can be aggravating to the point of driving one away from even the solo aspects of the game, simply because acquiring mountains of debt can get frustrating.
But for the most part I'm all right with that. These are the risks you take, and the team-only content is generally something that can be ignored if it comes to that. I'm a badge addict, but if push comes to shove, I can skip the Sister Psyche Task Force badge if I somehow could never find a good team (which, fortunately, is not a likely occurrence.)
AVs? Could conceivably be solo'd... if nothing else, you could wait a while to do the mission after accepting, and level enough so they aren't a problem. And I have no problem with the notion of an AV at the default level being something that you need help on. It is, again, skippable as a rule, if it comes to that.
What bothers me is the Terra Volta Respec Trial. It's a team-only item, and I think even if you follow the "have them join and quit" technique, the difficulty factor in the reactor itself would make it unwinnable by a soloist. (Well, I suppose you could try the "level past it" technique... but considering you can't take missions, that'd be an unholy amount of hunting.) And yet, respeccing is almost a perfect example of something that should be available to everybody, regardless of teaming. It's a reward which is tailor-made for the individual. And it's also one that is almost a necessity after a certain point. Hardly anybody manages to make an optimal build right off the bat.
I could almost forgive the team-based nature of it though, if it weren't so difficult to arrange a team for it. Four people minimum, and the enemies spawn, it would appear, at 2 levels above the level of the highest member. Which means that unless you manage to make everybody the same level, whoever is on the short end of the stick is going to have a tremendously difficult time. (At least the first trial group; perhaps a level 34 can handle large groups of enemies that are 3+ levels above, I don't know. I do know that a typical level 24 or 25 cannot.)
I have tried roughly a half-dozen times in the past week to get a respec team together. Twice I could not get a team together at all. The other times, I was invited into a team, and the level range was enough to render it unwinnable. When Flashback gets here, it'll undoubtedly be much easier to form a workable team; get whoever you want, and have everybody Flashback to an appropriate level. But Flashback isn't here yet, and right now we're stuck trying to cope with disparate levels or trying to get a group of people of balanced archtypes of all the same level who all want to do the respec together at the same time. This is not a positive example of team-based content, and that's a very bad thing when the reward is something that most everybody will want, and which isn't available any other way.
Maybe my experience with Terra Volta is unique, but I can't help but wish that I could solo that at least. It doesn't bother me that I can't solo the Sister Psyche TF. It bothers me that I have to team for a respec, and team to such difficult restrictions.
(As for the Caverns of Trascendance... I do think it's overkill to require 8 people for a mission. But not having done that one yet [accidentally levelled past it with my main; haven't gotten there with my alts], I'll reserve judgment. And at least it isn't a "needful thing".)
I can certainly understand your frustration trying to build a team for the Respec trial. It can be difficult to put together a good team, for the reasons you state. A few options that come to mind:
Join a good SG, and then draw from among the membership to do the respec. Some SG's are fairly stringent in who they accept, striving to get good players who work well together. (Notice that I said "players", not characters.)
Read the forums for whichever server you're on, see if someone's trying to put together a team at a time that's good for you, at levels that are good for you.
Post on the forums for whichever server you're on, and try to create your own team that way. I've seen this method work for people quite often.
Scour the Find Member lists, sending polite tells to people who are of similar levels, asking them if they're interested in doing the respec trial. One of my best experiences doing this trial was when someone sent me a tell, asking if I was interested. I joined a team with two other tanks, a blaster, and a defender. We plowed through with only 3 deaths the whole time.
You don't *have* to do the respec trial as soon as you ding 24. In fact, I'd wait another 2-4 levels, unless you're just horribly unhappy with your build. You'll have another couple of powers to work with, as well as some more slots to enhance your powers. You might also improve your chances of finding people who are able to do the trial.
Some general respec trial advice: Keep the team to 6 or under, unless you can build the *perfect* team - and you'll find as many definitions of a perfect team as there are players in the game. Increasing team size bumps up the level of the spawns, the number of bosses, and the number of the other spawns, as well.
Keep all the damage dealers the same level. You're correct in how the respec trial spawns, level-wise. Controllers should also be the same level as the damage dealers, but can be one below. Your healer can be two levels below, as they'll be focusing their energies on their teammates. Anyone 3 levels below should be SK'd. Exemplars are OK, but be warned that if they or their anchor loses connection for *ANY* reason, you'll lose the exemplared character.
There are many team compositions and sizes that can succeed. A *lot* of how well you'll do will depend on the players far more than whatever characters they play.
Won't the change from 2 minute disciplines to 30 second break frees pretty much end high level soloing for any hero without a power that protects from mezzes?
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Won't the change from 2 minute disciplines to 30 second break frees pretty much end high level soloing for any hero without a power that protects from mezzes?
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No.
For starters, they're 60 seconds, not 30.
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I am sorry to tell you that the more I play CoH the less I like playing in groups. The game just doesn't seem to be built for large groups at least for my taste. The more I play however the more I find I love soloing this game. Partnering is also very cool because you can't have a "balanced" team (AoE blaster, healer, tank) in a 1 or 2 person team so you have to think instead.
I prefer strategy not just mindless punching. Once you get more than about 3 people on a team villian groups get so big that, in most cases, targetting specific mobs after the first one becomes pretty hopeless if you want to take them down fast enough. You just rely on AoEs both for damage and aggro with single target shooters just picking up who they can or trying to get bosses/leuts. There is no strategy involved in most fights it is straight bull in full force and whoever does the most damage wins.
On the other hand solo, partner or even 3 players can be completely different. You usually can't just overpower every group of mobs (unless soloing a overpowered build which is a completely different issue). So you have to split mobs, you have to pull - basically you have to use strategy instead of force. You have to use stealth and build up to get close enough to take out key mobs then run away so that you can come back and finish off the rest. You have to figure out inventive ways to use your powers that large groups just don't have the patience for. As far as I'm concerned this is FUN.
Obviously fun is different for different people I guess but for me nothing is more fun than coming up with and executing tactics that work and do things I couldn't do otherwise.
Fun for me is my Ice Controller pulling much too big a group then dashing around a corner and dropping a ice slick at the corner so that most of the mobs get around the corner quickly and we pick the ones who do. Fun is Soloing my Peacebringer and going in with Stealth on in human form hitting Haste and Build-up just as I reach melee range with a Vortex in a group of mobs, Radiant Strike to put him down, Pulsar to get group off me, Incandesent Strike to finish off Vortex (add Gleamming Blast if necessary) and possibly an extra RS if anyone in range then switch to Nova form set off 2 AoEs then quickly to dwarf form for a heal and to finish off the group.
Not fun is switching to Nova Form and cycling through my 4 blasts for 4 hours, occasionally switching to another form for a heal or for effects protection while I level weee. Sorry I am sure some people must enjoy playing like that, because a lot of people sure do it, but I for one just don't get it.
I want to be dynamic and I want the game to be dynamic. I want to have to think and plan and I want to be rewarded for it. I don't want to punch keys for 4,000 exp an hour.
Now I realize this isn't for everyone and I have met many people in game who can't handle it and would be better off if the game just had an auto attack key. They aren't there to think they just like to hit things I guess I don't know you would have to ask them. I have also met people who I have partnered with who have said that it was the most fun they have had in CoH, because it was crazy and exciting and damn fun.
When deciding about encouraging teaming and whether soloing is good for the game please consider this and try it out for yourselves. Take non traditional partners (i.e. not healer/tank scrapper) through missions. Try a pre 32 Controller/Defender or Controller/Blaster duo. These work very well once you figure out how, they are odd to play at first though and that is what makes them fun. Especially fun for the Defender when you push them up front and tell them they are the main damage dealer now. And before anyone points it out NO you won't level as fast as you would teamed with a Fire Tank or whatever but who gives a flying fig? Leveling is a goal the point of the game (any game) is to have fun.
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You can't please everyone, so lets concentrate on me.
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I have to disagree here. My first to main characters were both ones that had a substantial weakness at soloing, either being squishy or not being a solid damage-dealer. Maybe our concept of "reasonable time" is different, but the time it takes for a Emp/Rad Defender to solo a mish......
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I think the issue 3 changes make a difference. There are some sets out there that are just not going to have all kinds of trouble taking down a boss solo, but this is as it should be. In my opinion more sets should have this kind of trouble fighting a boss one on one. Preventing these bosses from spawning if you are solo does make things a lot easier for a number of sets as will the ability to cancel a mission.
What I was referring to, however was the time taken to complete a mission. There is no set in any AT that cant be built to complete a typical mission in 20-30 min and the largest maps in 45-60 min. This is well within the reach of a casual player. This doesnt mean everyone in those AT will have builds that can do this, it is certainly possible to have a build that simply cant, but there is no way to fully prevent this.
Sure a scrapper or blaster may do the mission in half the time, but again that is just the nature of the AT nor is it particularly unfair because anyone can opt to play one of these if they so choose. Also, since the overhead involved in visiting the contact and getting to the mission is the same for everyone the final advantage is smaller.