I DESPISE the idea of toggle droping in PVE on principle, but I'm just not a fan of it in PVP to begin with...
I can't remember. Can players knock off toggles of NPCs they fight in the game?
[ QUOTE ]
The "do away with toggle dropping" thing is just the fad of the day. There's a new one every week.
[/ QUOTE ]
Fad... heh. Toggle Dropping is the single biggest reason I (and I'd wager a guess at a whole lot of others as well) have stayed away from the Arena and the PvP zones since they were released. Well, that and Inspirations.
I love PvP, I play alot of FPS games. But until these 2 things happen, toggle dropping is either eliminated or reduced GREATLY, and Inspirations are eliminated or you're only allowed to use a max of 8 slots or something like that, I will hate PvP in THIS game.
My opinions.
[ QUOTE ]
He was designed to be as close to a Player Hero as we could make him.
[/ QUOTE ]
If I wanted to fight player heroes I'd participate in the "optional" PvP aspect of the game. Toggle dropping is stupid in PvP, and even more stupid in PvE.
Holy Crap, what a bunch of whiners. "Oh Bluto, we're afriad to go after him, he might drop our toggles! He does things that people do in PvP!". What kind of Villains are you? 
Seriously, it's not that bad. Yes, it makes you do things, differently, and think differently when going up against the big, bad B. But that's not a bad thing. It helps to keep things fresh. Way too many players simply using the same attack chain out of rote memory. Time to start THINKING like a Villain. PLOT! 
[ QUOTE ]
Holy Crap, what a bunch of whiners. "Oh Bluto, we're afriad to go after him, he might drop our toggles! He does things that people do in PvP!". What kind of Villains are you?
Seriously, it's not that bad. Yes, it makes you do things, differently, and think differently when going up against the big, bad B. But that's not a bad thing. It helps to keep things fresh. Way too many players simply using the same attack chain out of rote memory. Time to start THINKING like a Villain. PLOT!
[/ QUOTE ]
Oh come on. What strategy does this take? Please enlighten us. What strategy stops your toggles from dropping at range? What strategy keeps you from being mezzed through a Break Free? (Yeah, you read that right.). Ballista-1 is broken becasue he is radically more effective than any other Elite Boss for his level. No other Elite Boss requires the approach that he does. Go read my initial post in this thread about the meaning of a character's toggle powers in relation to his challenge rating at his level.
Ballista-1 can ba challenging without being like this. He is wildly out-of-range of other mobs of the same rating and he uses a mechanic that many of us despise in any context.
Blue
American Steele: 50 BS/Inv
Nightfall: 50 DDD
Sable Slayer: 50 DM/Rgn
Fortune's Shadow: 50 Dark/Psi
WinterStrike: 47 Ice/Dev
Quantum Well: 43 Inv/EM
Twilit Destiny: 43 MA/DA
Red
Shadowslip: 50 DDC
Final Rest: 50 MA/Rgn
Abyssal Frost: 50 Ice/Dark
Golden Ember: 50 SM/FA
I have to agree here. Ballista is way to hard for a normal elite boss. The toggle dropping needs to be eliminated. It's rather stupid that he can toggle drop you and you can't toggle drop him. Not to mention that no other PVE mob in the entire history of the game has had the ability to toggle drop other than normal status effect dropping. If you keep this in you need to post a warning on the contact text that warns you that he is not a normal challenge. And it might be better to make the mission not timed as well so that people have time to gather help when they realize what an overpowered PITA he is.
Castle,
I just went and tested buildup, or focus chi in this case.
It is only a +80% damage increase, not 100%. Was this another one of the many missed I6 MA changes. BTW this was on my lvl 50 MA scrapper.
[ QUOTE ]
that's not really what he meant.
a build up value of 100% is apparently a damage buff of 80%. scrappers and blasters get 125% of 80, or a 100% dmg buff.
[/ QUOTE ]
--------------------
2690
Level 50 is a journey, not a destination.
▲Scrapper Issues List - Going Rogue Edition▲
[ QUOTE ]
Castle,
I just went and tested buildup, or focus chi in this case.
It is only a +80% damage increase, not 100%. Was this another one of the many missed I6 MA changes. BTW this was on my lvl 50 MA scrapper.
[/ QUOTE ]
JadeBug, I can't replicate this. I tested my MA Scrapper as well as my Broadsword and Katana Scrappers, and Focus Chi / Build Up was +100% damage on otherwise unenhanced powers. I used Brawl and Boxing in my tests.
Blue
American Steele: 50 BS/Inv
Nightfall: 50 DDD
Sable Slayer: 50 DM/Rgn
Fortune's Shadow: 50 Dark/Psi
WinterStrike: 47 Ice/Dev
Quantum Well: 43 Inv/EM
Twilit Destiny: 43 MA/DA
Red
Shadowslip: 50 DDC
Final Rest: 50 MA/Rgn
Abyssal Frost: 50 Ice/Dark
Golden Ember: 50 SM/FA
[ QUOTE ]
How do you use Smoke Flash?
[/ QUOTE ]
Here is the description of the Power: "You throw a smoke bomb at your feet. The resulting flash of light and smoke can briefly distract your foes and Placate them so they can no longer find or target you. Combined with Hide, Smoke Flash is the perfect distraction to get out of a bad situation. Recharge: Very Long" What does that mean? It means that up to 10 foes in a radius around the caster may be placated. There is a To Hit check. The Placate on Smoke Flash does NOT give you Hidden Status, it is only a "Do not attack me" power. Like normal placate (and all other powers, really) if the target is already animating for an attack, it will finish that attack regardless of whether the Placate lands or not.
Smoke Flash is a "Get me outta here!" power, not a setup for another crit power.
[/ QUOTE ]
Is there a way the animation on this power can be sped up some? Alot of times we die because the power does not activate fast enough which allows for the mobs to get more shots off. If not can we at least have a way to make the mobs that have been placated be marked, even if it is for a few seconds. For the longest I thought the damn power was just not working. Maybe the animation could be similar to the confuse or placate visual on their head but a different color? Also how long is this smoke bomb placate suppose to last? Does this power suppress hide or travel powers? Also if I manage to get back into hide before this power effect finishes will they still have me on their aggro list?
Bump and Grind Bane/SoA
Kenja No Ishi Earth/Empathy Controller
Legendary Sannin Ninja/Pain Mastermind
Entoxicated Ninja/PSN Mastermind
Ninja Ryukenden Kat/WP Scrapper
Hellish Thoughts Fire/PSI Dominator
Thank You Devs for Merits!!!!
[ QUOTE ]
JadeBug, I can't replicate this. I tested my MA Scrapper as well as my Broadsword and Katana Scrappers, and Focus Chi / Build Up was +100% damage on otherwise unenhanced powers. I used Brawl and Boxing in my tests.
[/ QUOTE ]
yarr.
base value of Build Up is 80%
scrappers and blasters get a bonus of 25% on top of that. Everyone else gets the base value.
so.
Scrapper build up = 80 *1.25 = 100% buff
Blaster build up = 80 *1.25 = 100% buff
Everyone else 80% buff
--------------------
2687
Level 50 is a journey, not a destination.
▲Scrapper Issues List - Going Rogue Edition▲
Personally I enjoyed the challenge Ballista presented. Two of us duoed him (2 ss/inv brutes) and were surprised by the toggle drops. Almost instantly he became an actual threat and we both felt great after defeating him. The jetpack reward is a nice reward and is actually useful.
However, it seems I am in the minority. As a result, I might make the suggestion that his difficulty be tied to the mission slider (if it isn't already) and eliminate the timer on the mission. Ramp his effectiveness down (hp and/or TD) and then allow those players wishing a challenge be able to ramp him up.
This was the first elite boss I actually thought deserved that title in CoV and I personally hope that doesn't change... too much.
[ QUOTE ]
Also if I manage to get back into hide before this power effect finishes will they still have me on their aggro list?
[/ QUOTE ]
Based on how the current Placate mechanics work I think you should assume they will start hating you again even if you hide. (At least if you are solo - on a team they may go after someone else when they lose focus on you). Placate effects do not seem to make mobs forget about you - instead it seems to mark you off-limits as a valid "hate" target for a period of time.
I know that's not how placate has been described, but that's what practical experience shows.
Blue
American Steele: 50 BS/Inv
Nightfall: 50 DDD
Sable Slayer: 50 DM/Rgn
Fortune's Shadow: 50 Dark/Psi
WinterStrike: 47 Ice/Dev
Quantum Well: 43 Inv/EM
Twilit Destiny: 43 MA/DA
Red
Shadowslip: 50 DDC
Final Rest: 50 MA/Rgn
Abyssal Frost: 50 Ice/Dark
Golden Ember: 50 SM/FA
[ QUOTE ]
yarr.
base value of Build Up is 80%
scrappers and blasters get a bonus of 25% on top of that. Everyone else gets the base value.
so.
Scrapper build up = 80 *1.25 = 100% buff
Blaster build up = 80 *1.25 = 100% buff
Everyone else 80% buff
[/ QUOTE ]
SF, JB is saying he tested a Scrapper and got 80% bonus. I was saying I tested and got 100%.
Blue
American Steele: 50 BS/Inv
Nightfall: 50 DDD
Sable Slayer: 50 DM/Rgn
Fortune's Shadow: 50 Dark/Psi
WinterStrike: 47 Ice/Dev
Quantum Well: 43 Inv/EM
Twilit Destiny: 43 MA/DA
Red
Shadowslip: 50 DDC
Final Rest: 50 MA/Rgn
Abyssal Frost: 50 Ice/Dark
Golden Ember: 50 SM/FA
hmmm. he clearly made an error then.
--------------------
2686
Level 50 is a journey, not a destination.
▲Scrapper Issues List - Going Rogue Edition▲
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ballista is a Toggle Dropping *******!
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, he is. He was designed to be as close to a Player Hero as we could make him. How do you guys like the Toggle Drop on him? Is it too nasty or does it add a nice challenge?
[/ QUOTE ]
Since you asked . . .
I know you're the Stalker guy, but I've only fought him on my Mastermind (my Stalker just hit 10 last night. Give me some time), but here's my opinion.
I hate this guy.
I've fought about a half dozen Elite Bosses and helped out with a Hero, but I've never come across anyone who killed me faster or with more efficiency than this guy.
It didn't bother me so much that he dropped my toggles, it's that his accuracy seemed insanely high (running Darkest Night on him and Shadow Fall on myself, he should miss once in a while) and he only attacked me. Not my pets (even though I was doing zero damage to him), just me. Since I have about 4 HP and no resistances to any damage type, this made the fight impossible.
So he became the first thing in the game that I had zero possiblity of soloing. Add his insane AI to the rez bug in that mission (instead of going to the hospital, I rezzed where I fell) and it was impossible. So I called in some friends and cleared him out with no problems. Why? Because he attacked someone other than me for a few moments.
A tiny tweak to his AI (have him attack what's damaging him) and it would have been difficult, but possible. As he is currently working, I died about 10 times before I gave up.
Yes, I'm stubborn.
I'm all for adding difficulty, but a tiny tweak in his AI and he would have been challenging and fun instead of frustrating and impossible. I don't mind dying a few times taking down something that's really tough, but you have to give me some slight chance. I can change my tactics and try different approaches, but as long as this guy was only agroing to me and not my pets, I couldn't do anything but fall down a lot.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ballista is a Toggle Dropping *******!
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, he is. He was designed to be as close to a Player Hero as we could make him. How do you guys like the Toggle Drop on him? Is it too nasty or does it add a nice challenge?
[/ QUOTE ]
I simply could not defeat him solo. Had to call in some robotic assistance to keep him off his feet. This was on my Dark/Fire brute of equal level and base difficulty. I've never had this much problems with an elite boss before. With that said I did like him though. I just don't think he should be miles ahead of the others we have to fight prior to him. Either drop him down or bring the others up. Maybe something in the mission description saying bring friends along...
Kinda funny that Placate is described as "removing you from their hate list."
No offense, but in PvP, every time I Placate, I guarantee myself a spot on the top of that player's hate list...
- Ping (@iltat, @Pinghole)
Don't take it personally if you think I was mean to you. I'm an ******* to everyone.
It's a penguin thing. Pingu FTW.
[ QUOTE ]
This was the first elite boss I actually thought deserved that title in CoV and I personally hope that doesn't change... too much.
[/ QUOTE ]
Here's the thing. First, I don't think most of us here have a problem with him being hard. We have a problem with him being much, much harder (for a melee class, at least) than any other Elite Boss in the game. If he had more HP he would easily be as challenging as any AV/Hero I've faced, and I've faced a lot of them. That's a problem exactly because it's completely unexpected. The NPC ranking system system should mean something, at least loosely. Some people will say all Elite Bosses are too easy and should all be more like Ballista-1. I won't argue that one way or other but I will claim that the fact that he is so different is a problem.
Secondly, he can be made hard in other ways. What if he had a unique PBAoE Enervating Field or Radiation Infection? What if he used Force Bubble? Or Integration? Or (God help me for mentioning this) Instant Healing? Terrorize? There are a lot of powers out there we don't see on NPC foes that would be damn scary based on their HP and damage output, and based on our resistances to them (or lack there of). Instead, Ballista-1 nullifies us. We have no defense against it and he stacks it with high damage and mez effects... in a timed mission. I claim something there is broken.
Blue
American Steele: 50 BS/Inv
Nightfall: 50 DDD
Sable Slayer: 50 DM/Rgn
Fortune's Shadow: 50 Dark/Psi
WinterStrike: 47 Ice/Dev
Quantum Well: 43 Inv/EM
Twilit Destiny: 43 MA/DA
Red
Shadowslip: 50 DDC
Final Rest: 50 MA/Rgn
Abyssal Frost: 50 Ice/Dark
Golden Ember: 50 SM/FA
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ballista is a Toggle Dropping *******!
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, he is. He was designed to be as close to a Player Hero as we could make him. How do you guys like the Toggle Drop on him? Is it too nasty or does it add a nice challenge?
[/ QUOTE ]
I actually view it both ways. I think Ballista may drop toggles a bit too much, but by no means should it be removed from the game, PvE or PvP. It is a serious challange for a variety of toons, from my Brute to my Corruptor. Makes you think how you're going to deal with this serious threat, be it using a team, popping lucks or whatever it may be.
Coming from a face-planeted stone/stone brute on that arc. 
Took 3 tries, but we dropped him good. 1st time he just surprised us (didn't know what to expect). 2nd time we just screwed up. 3rd time he was toast. Can't drop toggles if he's on his back. Hehe.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ballista is a Toggle Dropping *******!
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, he is. He was designed to be as close to a Player Hero as we could make him. How do you guys like the Toggle Drop on him? Is it too nasty or does it add a nice challenge?
[/ QUOTE ]
I didn't run into Ballista on my Stalker in beta, but I did run into him with my Brute the other day.
Toggle dropping was an.....interesting effect.
As I don't PvP, I have heard about toggle dropping, but never really saw it on any of my toons.
Hello Ballista and welcome to toggle dropping.
Brute died 5 times.
The interesting thing, was that I hit the 'goto hospital', and rezzed on spot. Maybe I should have read the mission description a little closer, or I might have missed it in the description.
2nd time rez on spot was a little more confusing.
3rd time I waited for him to move away, so I could fire up my toggles. Nope, rezzed, and dropped.
Still, for someone that does not PvP and has no interest in it, I thought it was well placed in this situation.
I just thank the half-debt in missions,
Sometimes, I impress my boss. Sometimes, I impress myself. The rest of the time, I scare people. I can live with that.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ballista is a Toggle Dropping *******!
[/ QUOTE ]Yeah, he is. He was designed to be as close to a Player Hero as we could make him. How do you guys like the Toggle Drop on him? Is it too nasty or does it add a nice challenge?
[/ QUOTE ]
It put that contact on the avoid list, something my entire SG is recommended to bypass, and there that contact will stay until the toggle drop goes away.
If all toggles had a non-rooting animation time, maybe that'd be an entertaining add-on. Toggling a fire brute back up or forcing a stalker to sit there posing dramatically in the middle of a fight? Yeah, not so much really.
@Mindshadow
[ QUOTE ]
We have a problem with him being much, much harder (for a melee class, at least) than any other Elite Boss in the game.
[/ QUOTE ]
I agree with you. He is definately tougher than you're average elite boss.. and by a margin at that. I also agree that it is unfair to the player base to have an enemy that sits between two classifications (eb and av/hero) with a timer and no real warning about him. A change is needed there.
My personal preference is to eliminate the timer, fix the rez bug, add a more concise warning to the mission description, and align his difficulty (frequencey of TDs, HP, ACC) with the slider. This encounter presents a unique challenge in CoV and I would rather have him keep his powers/abilities if possible. Giving him different buffs/debuffs changes the experience and I guess I would rather not see that happen.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Stalkers are at a 100% value, while Blasters and Scrappers are at a 125% value. From your perspective, that really doesn't change things, but I wanted to be clear on what is going on.
[/ QUOTE ]
Is this for real? I have to go test this out. That's a pretty big change, and I knew nothing about it.
Edit: It's a big change to Scrappers and Blasters. Their Build Up used to be +100% damage.
[/ QUOTE ]
My guess is that Scrappers/Blasters are still at +100%, and that the base value is actually 80%.
80% * 125% = 100%