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Super Reflexes resistance to Defense Debuffs does not seem to be working.
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It should be. Looking at the data, there are three powers for Stalkers that add Resistance to Debuff. These all stack with one another, and increase in effectiveness as you go up in level, ranging from 18% at level 1 (if you could have all three powers at level 1) to 36.7% at level 40. At level 50, once that is open, it's about 42%.
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What I know is that when the powers began announcing in the description that the debuff resistance was in, I tested with super reflexes in CoH (not CoV) and at level 50, with all SR powers, and the debuff theoretically being better than 90%, it didn't seem to be working. Its a difficult thing to tell if its working, so I set up a test where I got a rularuu watcher to fire at me, and set up my defenses so that he was just on the edge of being able to tag me very infrequently. And yet, every time he did, it caused a cascade of hits after every successful hit. If my defense lowered him to the point where he could only hit every so often, and my debuff resistance was well above 90%, a successful hit shouldn't have done much at all, since most of the debuff would be resisted. Instead, I see the same exact behavior of cascade defense failure.
Its a much more difficult thing to test in CoV, so its entirely possible its working in CoV, but broken in CoH. But since the patch notes themselves seem to be silent on the issue, I'm assuming that if its broken on one side, its very likely to be broken on the other side.
This is one of those many things where because we can't *see* whats going on, if its broken (and many things have been broken in the past despite statements to the contrary) it can take players months or longer to amass enough information to prove it. Shouldn't there be a way to *unambiguously* tell if something is working or not, at least for the red names? Some sort of /debug 1 "show me the numbers" mode? Think enervating field.
[Guide to Defense] [Scrapper Secondaries Comparison] [Archetype Popularity Analysis]
In one little corner of the universe, there's nothing more irritating than a misfile...
(Please support the best webcomic about a cosmic universal realignment by impaired angelic interference resulting in identity crisis angst. Or I release the pigmy water thieves.)
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Smoke Flash is a "Get me outta here!" power, not a setup for another crit power.
[/ QUOTE ]Ok, so why does it have a (from what I hear) 4 second cast time? That's not something you can use when the chips are down.
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I couldn't agree more. I would suggest cutting the animation time in half at least for it be a true "Oh S***" power.
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It could be better, but my experience tells me that for stalkers, there is no such thing as an "oh sh*t" power anyway: almost everything we do has to be almost preventative in nature, not reactionary. If the villains turn to shoot at you, even if smoke flash had instantaneous activation time, if you didn't run and don't have a heal, you'd still be just as dead. Smoke flash normally doesn't prevent the villains from attacking, it prevents them from attacking *twice*. I've used it (on even level villains) to actually smoke a group, and if it hits them all, just stand there and rehide. Sometimes they stay unaggroed that long, sometimes not - better chances if I stand behind them.
More useful is to stand in the middle of three, AS one, and then *immediately* smoke flash. That "resets" aggro on them, allowing me to take a couple seconds to let things recharge, and then continue the fight.
It seems best useful in combination with blinding powder: blind some, smoke the others, and you end up with a high order probability that *nothing* is shooting at you in any significant fashion.
One more thing: in teams, smoke flash doesn't eliminate aggro, it just takes you off the aggro list, so if your timing is good, you can use it to in essence divert their aggro to mastermind pets or something. It isn't perfect, but smoke seems to be the perfect counter to the ridiculous level of aggro that AS is set to generate.
[Guide to Defense] [Scrapper Secondaries Comparison] [Archetype Popularity Analysis]
In one little corner of the universe, there's nothing more irritating than a misfile...
(Please support the best webcomic about a cosmic universal realignment by impaired angelic interference resulting in identity crisis angst. Or I release the pigmy water thieves.)
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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?
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It eliminated a challenge for me. A challenge would have been to go up against a tough Elite boss solo and stomp him. In a later arc, I fought that Golden Sphinx (or something) EM/INV tank hero and he was rough, but eventually I beat him after having died once. That was a fun and fair fight though.
Ballista was stupid, I simply couldn't win even with multiple inspirations. Ballistae wasn't like any player I knew. He seems to be a FF/Eng/Eng defender. Except he had level 50 tanker HP, and boss level resistances to mez. I fought him in my early 20 so I think it rather ridiculous that he either had an epic pool or three powersets.
So what I did is left the mission, invited three masterminds and a corrupter and watched the pets kill him. Greatly unsatisfying.
You know, I get the whole thing about wanting people to team. I realize that it increases the likelihood that someone will build relationships and stay in the game. But you guys have to realize that a well built team sucks all challenge out of the game. Even a crappy team can usually zerg most stuff.
When players could solo AVs, it was a memorable experience. Now an AV is just an annoying roadblock. Invite group, decimate AV, move on to next.
The City of Heroes Community is a special one and I will always look fondly on my times arguing, discussing and playing with you all. Thanks and thanks to the developers for a special experience.
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If you have a 10% DefBuff from a power and you put that enhancer in it, you do NOT get a 30% DefBuff (your 10 plus the enhancer's 20). You get a 14% DefBuff (your 10 plus 20% of that 10)
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10% plus 4% equals 14%, yes. But 4% is not 20% of 10%.
Castle,
I'm currently attempting to solo Agent Arthur Bell on the middle difficulty. I've failed three times with a full boat of inps each attempt.
I popped three purples, supposedly giving me 75% def + the 2% or so from Combat Jumping. He still doesn't miss me. His repel aura apparently drops my toggles. His punches drop my toggles. His ranged attack drops my toggles.
I just lowered myself back to easy mode for this timed mission in the hopes that I may then stand a chance.
I must ask, what made you think anyone would find this enjoyable? Most players I've spoken to on the subject find that toggle dropping in PvP was a mistake in the first place. Why spread that joy to PvE?
No, this is not fun. It's nothing but annoying. When I ran into Ballista, I let the mission fail because I couldn't find a dominator to come in and lock him down.
Nope... even on the LOWEST difficulty, with SIX lucks, he's still hitting me 90% of the time. Let me say this again... WITH 150% defense, this ORANGE boss is hitting me 90% of the time.
And you want to tell us that this combat system isn't broken?
No, Castle, this isn't fun. As a 35th level Brute, it should be POSSIBLE for me to solo an elite boss. It would be if not for the toggle dropping.
EDIT: Letting the mission fail. I will NOT be FORCED to team in a game that is supposedly still solo friendly.
Be well, people of CoH.
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Ballista is a Toggle Dropping *******!
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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?
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That in and of itself no I don't think so...BUT combined with with his single minded pursuit of me (my Mastermind) t the exclusion of all else if he could at all attack me; and that Force Bolt with the kick of a Missouri Mule, the range of a 6 slotted 50% Hamidon Enhanced Snipe, and a very high Accuracy; and having Tanker class defenses, just about (if not completely) puts him over the top, for a character at that level range.
My Robotic/Traps MM could not take him in Beta or in Live. I tried every trick I knew and even one I invented on the spot. Now that my MM reached level 31, I was finally able to defeat Ballista in a Nerva Archepilgo Contact mission. Although, I sort of doubt, it's the exact same Ballista one fights in the Sharkhead mission.
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Ballista is a Toggle Dropping *******!
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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?
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I will deliberately and consistently avoid any NPC enemies who have toggle-dropping capabilities. I got to deal with that during the Statesman's Strike event, and it was completely not fun. It's a cheap kludge in PVP and putting it in PVE is pure pettiness.
Not that I'm bitter.
Elsegame: Champions Online: @BellaStrega ||| Battle.net: Ashleigh#1834 ||| Bioware Social Network: BellaStrega ||| EA Origin: Bella_Strega ||| Steam: BellaStrega ||| The first Guild Wars: Kali Magdalene ||| The Secret World: BelleStarr (Arcadia)
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Ballista's toggle dropping should switch to ONLY be from Force Bolt and nothing else. I hate when people whine "Keep PvP out of PvE" on something like this. Take a challenge for once and move on.
Having TD from multiple attacks hurts. If it was only Force Bolt, it'd be more tolerable challenge but not too easy
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A boss with just force bolt can and will spam it on you, dropping all of your toggles in a matter of moments and shutting them off faster than you can turn them back on.
Seriously. I got to experience that during the beta ending event.
Elsegame: Champions Online: @BellaStrega ||| Battle.net: Ashleigh#1834 ||| Bioware Social Network: BellaStrega ||| EA Origin: Bella_Strega ||| Steam: BellaStrega ||| The first Guild Wars: Kali Magdalene ||| The Secret World: BelleStarr (Arcadia)
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The "do away with toggle dropping" thing is just the fad of the day. There's a new one every week. Someone will start a "Nerf X" thread and everyone will go "YEAH, NERF X!" and it'll go around for a while and usually die down pretty quickly, never to be heard from again.
This, too, will pass.
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Just keep thinking that. You're wrong, but if it makes you feel better, you're welcome to it.
Elsegame: Champions Online: @BellaStrega ||| Battle.net: Ashleigh#1834 ||| Bioware Social Network: BellaStrega ||| EA Origin: Bella_Strega ||| Steam: BellaStrega ||| The first Guild Wars: Kali Magdalene ||| The Secret World: BelleStarr (Arcadia)
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The "do away with toggle dropping" thing is just the fad of the day. There's a new one every week.
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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.
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It's not a fad. There's always been discontent about the concept, along with (usually) a grudging acceptance that with scrapper/tanker defenses being where they were that it helped balance things. So, after issue 5 comes and slashes defenses, and issue 6 comes and slashes defenses more, we still have toggle-dropping, and that discontent is boiling over.
Elsegame: Champions Online: @BellaStrega ||| Battle.net: Ashleigh#1834 ||| Bioware Social Network: BellaStrega ||| EA Origin: Bella_Strega ||| Steam: BellaStrega ||| The first Guild Wars: Kali Magdalene ||| The Secret World: BelleStarr (Arcadia)
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One more thing: in teams, smoke flash doesn't eliminate aggro, it just takes you off the aggro list, so if your timing is good, you can use it to in essence divert their aggro to mastermind pets or something.
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Once in a mission I drew the ire of an entirely unreasonable number of enemies. So I smoke-flashed them and they immediately ran over and killed the lower-level Brute on my team. Later the Brute asks what the power does and I say "It makes them kill you instead of me!"
Fighting him now.... You what would be fair? If I could drop his toggles when I finally managed to disorient him.
Seriously, not all the healing in the world could keep me alive, he drops my toggles and then 2 shots me with Dull Pain active.
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So, after issue 5 comes and slashes defenses, and issue 6 comes and slashes defenses more, we still have toggle-dropping, and that discontent is boiling over.
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Err, you've stopped typing that you're not bitter.... 
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It eliminated a challenge for me.
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They should just remove the toggle drops, and give him fulcrum shift with two+ minute recharge (twice the normal) in stead. Masterminds and teams can work around it some tactics if they recognize the power.
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Respec missions do seem to be directly opposed to those who need to run them (truly 'gimped' characters, like those people who didn't realize that you have a finite number of slots, and therefore, sunk the first dozen slots or so into sprint, brawl, and rest), but they need to be challenging.
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Can someone, anyone , please explain this statement? It simply doesn't parse to me.
First a long argument for why repec trials should be sunday strolls, with examples of some sunday strollers. And then a conclusion that runs totoally counter to this.
I am not attacking the poster here, I am simply wondering - why does the respec trial have to be hard? Can't we have other trials that are hard, events specifically for the people that enjoy tough challenges? And let the respec be for the sunday stroller.
Heck, make it free. Give a respec to thoe who FAIL the trial. In the hero trial, that would actually make more sense.
And yes, I have done the hero trial at level 26. It is doable. It is even fun. For a good team. The character that did it at level 26 didn't need it - she still has three stored respecs from trials, I used my free respec for ED and that was it. For her, it was easy, because she was well planned, well played, and in a good stable team. In short, the respec wasn't for her. It is for gimps. But for gimps, it is impossible.
I still can't see why this isn't obvious, to both players and devs. I guess it must be inherited from previous MoGs.
Edit: It is late, I am off-topic... Please don't respond to this. At least not here. Still, it is true. Another example that discontent doesn't die - it just simmers below the surface. Make people discontent enough and they quit. I did quit WoW. Nowhere near quitting CoH atm though. Still, things do add up.
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He was designed to be as close to a Player Hero as we could make him.
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I have issue with all the elite bosses/AVs/Heros designed this way - they dont have any of the disadvantages of heroes/villians and they ignore every ingame mechanic the players abilities have.
For instance, take a FF controller/defender... how does their health compare to an elite boss? How about damage output? How about power recharge speeds? Endurance use? Power selections?
In what way does this elite-boss compare to a player hero outside toggle dropping?
I'm sorry but there are NO elite-bosses, arch hero/villians designed this way that remotely compare to a hero or villian player, all of them are brutally overpowered because they ignore all player game mechanics.
I'd LOVE to see all elites/AVs/Heroes designed using player available ATs, powers and with the same effects players have, such as toggle dropping. I don't think we ever will though - they're far too easy to defeat.
Edit: Here's another prime example: The Sea Witch. A very well designed Hero, who totally ignores power recharge timers. Watch her turn hurricane on and off MORE THEN ONCE A SECOND for minutes at a time... be amazed at her constant spamming of lightning storm... marvel at her health - more then 5 times your own!
Personally I think Heros/AVs and elite bosses should have a signature power, rather then being able to ignore player and even mob rules for power use.
Well, the problem is that they have to be balanced against TEAMS of heroes/villains, not just the solo player. As soon as we see AV/Hs grouped up together, then it would make sense to tone their power down a bit.
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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?
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It's ridiculous. If I want to fight a hero in Pvp I'll do that. If he gets to drop toggles, then let me drop toggles when I fight him.
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Ballista is a Toggle Dropping *******!
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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?
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He is way too nasty. I entered the mission and immediately thought "this rocks! What an awesome concept/map", that is until I found HIM. He drops me out of the sky then 4 shots later I'm dead and can't exit to the hospital. Thank dog its a timed mission so I don't have to deal with more debt from this mini-AV.
NERF Ballista! - But then it won't matter as I've just failed his arc....
Anti-Radicle
on Infinity, where Might Makes Right
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Ballista is a Toggle Dropping *******!
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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?
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Last night I was fighting a lot of longbow and was constantly having my toggles dropped. Is this intended? Ballista was bad enough with the toggle drops but if this is something that even normal mobs is going to get the game fun level is going to plummet for me.
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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 ]
Last night I was fighting a lot of longbow and was constantly having my toggles dropped. Is this intended? Ballista was bad enough with the toggle drops but if this is something that even normal mobs is going to get the game fun level is going to plummet for me.
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Normally this only happens when you are stunned. Longbow do fire stun grenades. If you were fighting a lot of them so that their stuns overlap, or you were playing a character without mez protection, they could have been stunning you.
So far the only bad guys that have gotten through integration on my Stalker are Ballista-1 (duh) and four Tsoo Green Ink Men, who decided to all whirling hands on me at once.
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
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Normally this only happens when you are stunned. Longbow do fire stun grenades. If you were fighting a lot of them so that their stuns overlap, or you were playing a character without mez protection, they could have been stunning you.
So far the only bad guys that have gotten through integration on my Stalker are Ballista-1 (duh) and four Tsoo Green Ink Men, who decided to all whirling hands on me at once.
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I am actually a brute, got here via dev digest. Wasn't stunned nor did I run out of end. Was fighting and the poof all my toggles were dropped and health was dropping quick.
My personal experience was similar to Evil_Shadow's. I'm a Zombie/Poisons MM and I managed to take him out solo. Admittedly he got me once, but that was more from the fact that I aggroed two Nullifiers that were standing right by him. A few M30s later and my poor henchmen were so many chunks on the ground. I hopped off the tower and got wasted on the way down. On rezzing, Ballista had followed me down to the water, but not to my exact location so I had plenty of room to resummon my Zombies. The first horde died taking him down to half, but my second horde finished him off.
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Ballista is a Toggle Dropping *******!
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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?
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He's not a challenge. He is either:
A) Facing a solo player, who instantly becomes incapable of even injuring him due to his power set.
Or
B) Facing a 'team' of 2-3 players who proceed to completely trash him without even trying.
In both cases, there is no challenge.
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Yea, sometimes it can get confusing. For example:
A even level SO DefBuff Enhancer does NOT buff your Def by 20%. It increases your DefBuff power by 20%. If you have a 10% DefBuff from a power and you put that enhancer in it, you do NOT get a 30% DefBuff (your 10 plus the enhancer's 20). You get a 14% DefBuff (your 10 plus 20% of that 10).
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That's the part which seems really counter-intuitive to me. And if I understand correctly its the same way for defense buffs, accuracy, everything thats a percent.
The increase being discussed is applied to the percent of whatever the power itself provides, not to the actual power effect.
So if I have 50% defense and I get a SO that increases defense by 30%, me (being inane) would think that my defense is now 80%.
But my defense is now the original 50% plus (50% * 30%) or a new defense level of 65%. 65% is a lot less than 80%.
@ _Castle_ it would be really nice if somewhere on the enhancement screen it showed what the values people are actually concerned about (total adjusted power value) really are. Part of the mouse-over or anywhere.
Having enabled the mouse-over showing what the individual incremental improvement is, players who understand CoX math can figure this out by mousing over all the appropriate powers, but those of us who find the wording of the CoX math to be counter-intuitive or those players who dont read the forums a lot can be left with a very wrong impression.
<sob> Wont someone think of the casual gamer??