[ QUOTE ]
Maybe you can piece it together for me...because they only last 60 seconds. Last I checked, Hide+Stealth lasted all night long. You do the math.
[/ QUOTE ]
Don't bring up inspirations, if you don't want the same argument used against you.
[ QUOTE ]
Kind of hard to get held when you can't be seen isn't it?
[/ QUOTE ]
What kind of whacked-out, slack server do you play on? Almost everyone in PVP, on Freedom, can see you. ESPECIALLY true when they have control of SC (which is most of the time). One would think that as "efficient" as Stalkers are, the heroes wouldn't have control so often, eh?
[ QUOTE ]
Do you have the option of not engaging someone near mobs? Gee..I think you do.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yep... and it's difficult not to get pushed into groups of NPCs by Stormies, when they're all over the zone (referring to both Stormies and NPCs). Ever think that people go to HotSpots? Guess what! You have to be near NPCs to participate. If a stealthed group of heroes sneak up on you, it's hard to retreat.
So, while you make all these arguments against invisible Stalkers, take a minute to realize that there are also stealthed heroes about. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I have been ambushed by heroes running multiple group +stealth powers. Stealth only requires one power. All heroes can take it. Some heroes naturally have it in their builds, but you don't complain about them.
[ QUOTE ]
That's exactly right. And when the devs have noticed that it affects a LOT of people, they do something about it. Let's take a quick survey across the player community...not the stalker community, of who's for and against the current state of stalkers....
[/ QUOTE ]
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
ED? Any of the huge AT/PvP-wide changes made? Just as a 'LOT' of people wanted those changes, a 'LOT' of people disliked them, too. Stop saying you're right just because you're in the majority - or, at least, you think you are because you people are the most vocal about being uninformed and yelling about nerfing.
Being in the majority doesn't make you right. It just means your signal-noise ratio is higher.
Jeeze, aren't you guys tired of nerfs yet? Nerf regen, nerf stalkers, nerf energy melee, blah... you'd think you'd have had enough after i5 and i6, but apparently not. The problem is workable... you can stack perception through say tactics and be able to see any stalker. There are powers that grant perception too I believe.
When everyone is the same it's boring. Take away the stalker's hide, and he's just another scrapper melee class, that's quite fragile.
[ QUOTE ]
Don't bring up inspirations, if you don't want the same argument used against you.
[/ QUOTE ] Oh brother. This is why I stay out of stalker forums. Break-Frees can be used while you are being held. Insights and Lucks and Sturdies are of no use ot you while you are face-down.
You're doing the typical thing I see in the stalker forums. You argue inconsistent points and march out endless armies of strawmen. Someone refutes A and you switch to B. Someone refutes B and you argue C. Someone refutes C and you argue A again...even tho it was already shot down. It's pointless.
You haven't offered one valid counter to the fact that people don't enjoy the situation. Instead, you want to turn this into a balance discussion.
"Oh yeah...well, Stormies can push you around with Hurricane."
yeah...and they can also bee seen from outer space.
[ QUOTE ]
but I have been ambushed by heroes running multiple group +stealth powers
[/ QUOTE ] We already dealt with this haven't we? No one is complaining when a group takes them out. But typical to the stalker forums, we just go around in circles.
The situation as it currently stands isn't fun for the majority of people who want to PvP. Cryptic has to be blind not to see that they are losing money because of it. I have people in my SG who got their toons to 50 and were holding out for PvP. It came with stalkers and they quit.
I am playing this game at this point...for one reason: Base Raids. If stalkers totally cheese out base raids like they cheese out PvP zones...I'm gone. The people I play with regularly, will have one less reason to stick around.
It is totally within Cryptics power to offer the players a more enjoyable PvP experience.
I don't care if you think the situation is "fair." There are lot of games that are fair, but I'm not paying $15 a month to play them. This isn't fun.
I'm done here.
[ QUOTE ]
The problem is workable... you can stack perception through say tactics and be able to see any stalker. There are powers that grant perception too I believe.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yep. You know what else is nice about that? We'll be getting Recluse's Victory soon, as well, where a good deal of Scrappers and Tankers will have Focused Accuracy.
Tactics + Focused Accuracy would mean ___________ (I'm sure plenty can fill in the rest.
Could you imagine a Super Reflexer with Focused Senses, Tactics, and Focused Accuracy? What if they also had Clear Mind? What would happen?
[ QUOTE ]
I'm done here.
[/ QUOTE ]
We'll miss you.
Along with the 2 or 3 people who actually cancelled their subscriptions.
Also, jeez. Can you not read? If people don't enjoy the situation, TOUGH. People don't enjoy a lot of other situations. Blappers? Stormies? They're responsible for probably more ganking than we'll ever aspire to, but we aren't griping - most of us, at least. All you're doing is complaining about things making it 'not fun' for you and how they should be focusing everything on making the game more enjoyable for YOU at the expense of game balance. Selfish.
Get out of here already.
[ QUOTE ]
You haven't offered one valid counter to the fact that people don't enjoy the situation.
[/ QUOTE ]
People don't enjoy the situation because they are unprepared for PVP- PVP entails other players you can't see, EVERYBODY. KNOWS. THIS. Yet they come into the zone unprepared, wether they don't team, wether they don't have insps. wether they are just a crappy player. YOU refuse to address the fact that this game offers ALOT of stalker counters- IR Goggles, player builds with tactics, tactics that stack, clear mind, AoE powers. Then there is teaming. All of these things are availble to every player. But no, you just want to stand on your soapbox ignore everything and cry nerf because you refuse to adapt to the situation. You want to adapt the situation to fit you.
[ QUOTE ]
I'm done here.
[/ QUOTE ]
HAH!!! I wish that were true. See you in the next nerf stalker thread were you again will refuse to adapt.
"I'm not scared of anyone or anything Angie. Isn't that the way life should be?"
Jack Hawksmoor, The Authority.
The fact that I am well respected by the COH community for being a number cruncher and supplying information to help Tankers and Scrappers to know what their defensive/resistance based powers are does not mean I am not entitled to an opinion.
What would happen if Defenders were given Hide? Stalkers would get Tactics (except the sets with +percept). So, then the Defenders stack Stealth. Now, a Stalker without Tactics and yellow pills or team support could not even attack that Defender. Then, give that same defender Placate! Then, give that Defender AS! The Defender doesn't even have the defenses of a Stalker.
Now, give it all to a Controller!!! The Controller would fair a little better because of some control, but without the defenses of a Stalker, they wouldn't fair that well, I suspect.
If a Stalker misses with an AS and are exposed, they still have the equivalent defenses of a Scrapper. A Defender or a Controller would be a sitting duck. Yeah, if a FF Def. could get PFF off within 2 seconds and hope the intended target doesn't have acc insp. Oh, I forgot I gave them Placate, too. So, at least one won't be able to even target the Defender! And, Hide would probably kick back in. So, I was wrong. A Defender with just those three powers (and Stealth) and not even using their Defender powers would be one-shot killing everyone that doesn't have at least 700 hp.
Basic Scrapper Info in Issue 7 (draft)
Basic Tanker Info in Issue 7 (draft)
What exactly is the point of that post? What if I gave Scrappers tanker defences, or Blaster's containment? You can't exactly prove something is broken by giving a game mechanic to another class, espcially considering that defenders and controllers are ranged classes, not to mention they have plenty of things that make them good.
Like for example, a controller could hold you from hide, placate, then assassin strike + containment for the most ridculous number you've ever seen.
Hide is a mechanic that lets you kill people who aren't on their toes. Stalkers without hide are basically weak scrappers... yes they have scrapper defences, but they also have less hitpoints.
If you take away hide, you'll have to give scrappers something else, and you'll end up turning them into just another melee class.
The assassin class is present in every mmo, and is here to stay. Just because they dominate in one small limited instance, doesn't mean they are broken. I've seen stalkers in groups in pve... guess who hits the ground the most? Guess who would hit the ground the most once the hide mechanic is worked around through say stacked tactics or autohit auras or whatever?
Actually, I have no problem being attacked by an invisible foe. I get attacked, they are now visible and I can decide if I should stand and fight or run away.
I have no problem with someone being able to kill me with a killing blow, if I can see them coming and I can decide if I should stand and fight or run away.
I DO have a problem with an Invisible foe with a killing blow. And, if it did not kill me in one-shot, that same foe can prevent me from targeting them, though I would be crazy to stick around anyways. And, that same foe, even if didn't prevent me from targeting them has the defenses of a Scrapper. And, that same foe has 90% damage of a Blaster from their non-AS attack powers. See my point?
Basic Scrapper Info in Issue 7 (draft)
Basic Tanker Info in Issue 7 (draft)
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I don't think that's a realistic assumption, as blappers already prove
[/ QUOTE ] Except in my experience you're wrong.
[/ QUOTE ]
In my experience I'm not, but different strokes and all that. To be really clear, I'm not talking about scrubs - I'm talking about the guys who build high performance PvP builds and know what their weaknesses and strengths are and play to them.
I've beaten a scrapper with my corruptor 1v1 before, but that's no particular reflection on my skill or the relative power of our ATs - the scrapper was poorly built and played.
[ QUOTE ]
There are number of blasters in 'Burg that will gank anyone. But I can see them coming and my solo defenders can do any number of debuffs or statusing effects on them to either mitigate or completely incapacitate them.
[/ QUOTE ]
Then they pop a bf (or they had granted status protection from that teammate emp you never saw) and keep coming at you.
My experience with blappers has been they tend to seek out some kind of status protection before going out into the zone. I usually can't hold them with my dominator unless I stack multiple holds. Again though, this is against pros, not scrubs.
As long as we're talking about the 'burg - I've been AS'ed with my corruptor exactly once by an EM/* stalker and I survived it. This is with a */kinetics who is keeping very short duration buffs on an 8 man team full time.
When the stalker tried it again a few moments later, my repel interrupted his AS, I revealed him with fire rain, tagged him with fire blast to keep DoTs on him so he couldn't re-hide as quickly and them destroyed him with my teammates in a few seconds. This is with zero +percep.
For the most part we ignore stalkers in the 'Burg and just destroy them if they're dumb enough to uncloak where we can see them.
[ QUOTE ]
While Blappers/Blasters are extremely dangerous, there is an order of magnitude more enjoyment in being able to see them...BEFORE they attack and being able to attack them on sight. They can hunt, but they can't avoid being the hunted. Stalkers, as designed, get to have an asymmeterical benefit in that area.
[/ QUOTE ]
An inherent benefit can be (and often is, in my experience) countered easily. I'm not arguing that a competent stalker is hard to kill if you're not built to hunt them. However...
I went into Siren's with my empath for the first time last night because the heroes were all backed up into the hospital and I don't enjoy camping the spawn site. I teamed up with a blaster who had been struggling on his own and he destroyed the multiple stalkers waiting outside. They had absolutely no chance.
[ QUOTE ]
PvP 1v1 is never a fair fight. Some fights are less unfair than others. But inviso+AS'ing is not fun. That's all there is to it. It's a question of whether players find the experience enjoyable, not whether stalkers see themselves as balanced.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm not talking about balance. I'm saying that losing without a chance to win is not enjoyable. I'm saying that a player going into a PvP zone unprepared for what's there is going to lose without a chance to win.
Seeing the opponent has nothing to do with it. The opponent killing you quickly has nothing to do with it. The fact that a stalker did it has nothing to do with it!
[ QUOTE ]
Brutes...bring 'em on. Dominators, Masterminds, Corrupters...I'll fight those guys all day long, win or lose.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, I know. They're all fairly weak in solo PvP compared to the burst damage hero ATs. If I wanted to win a lot without much danger of losing, I'd build a scrapper and fight nothing but them all day long too. I guess that's supposed to be "fun."
[ QUOTE ]
Stalkers...sorry, the tactics avaialble to stalkers ruin PvP imo.
I'm not alone in this opinion.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'd agree that you're not alone in that opinion. I don't think I'm alone in thinking that it's an exaggeration at best, either.
[ QUOTE ]
The devs have to decide who's interests are in the best interest of the game. The devs need to look at the big picture with regards to how stalkers affect not only the hero side, but the villiain side as well.
[/ QUOTE ]
I think the Devs spent a large amount of time thinking about this, testing and looking at what other games have done with the assassin types before putting it in. Certainly the controversy is not a new thing.
I haven't seen anything to suggest that stalkers are somehow dramatically outperforming their balance expectations. There may be minor tweaks (such as the one shotting change) but I wouldn't count on anything that substantially changes the role of a stalker in PvP if I were you.
You post great info, very helpful. I'm sure a lot of people appreciate it like me, but......
Welcome to PvP buffy 
[ QUOTE ]
I DO have a problem with an Invisible foe with a killing blow.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well that's going away, problem solved.
[ QUOTE ]
And, if it did not kill me in one-shot, that same foe can prevent me from targeting them, though I would be crazy to stick around anyways.
[/ QUOTE ]
There is a power that is available to you that resists Placate. Placates recharge is pretty long. And, yes, as an UNSUPPORTED Defender you WOULD be crazy to stick around and duke it out with a Melee character. You see, a Defenders primary role is not to attack, but to provide buffs/debuffs/etc to support the team. Your attacks are Secondary... What makes you think that you SHOULD be able to go toe to toe with a Damage AT? You wouldnt fair very well against a Scrapper or Blaster either.
[ QUOTE ]
And, that same foe, even if didn't prevent me from targeting them has the defenses of a Scrapper. And, that same foe has 90% damage of a Blaster from their non-AS attack powers. See my point?
[/ QUOTE ]
Well, let's see... You left off the really low Hit Points... With a few exceptions, we have no range so are forced into Melee. Everyone likes to talk about how Stalkers have Scrapper defenses, when we all know how easy it is to get past +Def powers if you build for it.
Buffy, I dont begrudge you your opinion. I just feel that from a lot of the things you have been saying that in some respects you have formed your opinion based on partial information and emotions. That is just my opinion.
Wah Wah Wah...villains have one AT that can actually do damage even if it is an interruptible attack that there are no less than 10 direct counters to and many many pretty effective counters to. After my EM stalker and brute get 40, I may just level my /energy blaster up from 34 to 40 to get TF slotted and respec him to a blapper with stealth/invis, hover/fly and teleport and do the same thing I do with my stalkers except not have to use an interruptible attack to do it and actually be able to smoke brutes, scrappers, and maybe tanks due to the toggle drops+stuns of blaster /EM. Sure I can get mezzed, but I'll have BF's, my target will be stunned, and I will be killing and teleporting out of there. Blappers can do all the things people accuse stalkers of doing and some things stalkers can't do nearly as well.
Heroes just have blinders on with regards to their own ATs as all they see is a bunch of villains that are inferior to them...that they can beat down regularly...and then there's stalkers that are actually a challenge to deal with/build to defeat. I wish there was only 1 hero AT that I had to build against...but there's not. Many hero AT's can kill stalkers, and at least 3 of them (built for PvP) can 2-shot a stalker.
Four friends decide to check out Siren's Call. A MA/SR Scrapper, Fire/Dev Blaster, Dark/Rad Defender, and an Ice/Rad Controller. They stick togther and are checking out the zone. Bam, Defender is dead. "What was that?". A short time passes waiting for the Defender to get back from the Hospital. Bam, Controller is dead. "What the <bleep> was that?". Team leaves frustrated and angry.
Now, same team after some research, comes back after respeccing for PVP. All four now have Tactics and Assault. The Ice Controller now has Artic Air. Blaster circles overhead. Scrapper circles around Defender and Controller. Stalker approaches, Blaster sends out a warning shot, Stalker either goes and gets a team, or does not bother the fearsome-foursome.
Basic Scrapper Info in Issue 7 (draft)
Basic Tanker Info in Issue 7 (draft)
[ QUOTE ]
Four friends decide to check out Siren's Call. A MA/SR Scrapper, Fire/Dev Blaster, Dark/Rad Defender, and an Ice/Rad Controller. They stick togther and are checking out the zone. Bam, Defender is dead. "What was that?". A short time passes waiting for the Defender to get back from the Hospital. Bam, Controller is dead. "What the <bleep> was that?". Team leaves frustrated and angry.
Now, same team after some research, comes back after respeccing for PVP. All four now have Tactics and Assault. The Ice Controller now has Artic Air. Blaster circles overhead. Scrapper circles around Defender and Controller. Stalker approaches, Blaster sends out a warning shot, Stalker either goes and gets a team, or does not bother the fearsome-foursome.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm not sure what your point is Buffy... The first group will be at a major disadvantage, although you kinda left out the part where after the AS the three remaining Heroes CAN see and CAN target the Stalker. Stalker can only Placate one of them. But let's not worry about that.
You are also correct that after some research the same group will fair much better in PvP, and a solo Stalker very well might avoid them (although I probably wouldnt, I think it's fun to stalk a team and try to exploit a mistake that they might make)
Are you trying to say that this is unfair? Is it unfair that the unprepared team will struggle in PvP? How on earth would you change that? You do know that an unprepared team will struggle against any number of ATs when built for PvP and played by competant PvPers? That same group would have lost that Defender to a big bad scrapper too.
You of all people should know that there are Tanks rolled up and built very very badly by uninformed players every single hour of the day. These new Tankers struggle and many eventually give up the AT because they dont understand how Tanks work or in many many cases dont understand even how the Tank AT meshes with a team. Should the game be reworked to prevent this? How would possibly do that? You cant build PvP around the least common denominator... In PvE even, that poorly built Tank might get along ok for the first few levels, but difficulty starts ramping up as he/she levels and the poorly built Tank will eventually start hitting a wall, a point where he really struggles.
In PvP, like in the real world, ignorance is not a defense.
Your scenarios are not a Stalker problem. They are more a problem with the way game mechanic information is hidden from the player base.
What I wish the Devs would do is this... When you get sent to that first PvP Zone contact, about the time you hit 15, there should be an option to watch a video/read a primer on PvP. A five or ten minute tutorial might go a long way to educating people like your first group just a bit before they enter the zone. I dont see any reason why things like +/- perception shouldnt be explained to new PvPers. Also toggle dropping, and unresistable damage too. It should be explained that base Accuracy is different in the PvP zone. Etc. Also, PvP aspects of powers should be listed in Powers descriptions. A new PvPer shouldnt have to come to these forums to learn about toggle droppers etc. Why isnt that information made available in the game?
wasn't only Blasters, Defenders & Controllers that complain about that one shot deal?
PB,WS,Tank,Scrap don't have as bad a problem with it. so 4 outta the 7 hero ATs dont have a prob so whats wrong ?
besides it's an Assassin hit , not brawler hit.
You made my point for me. A team not built to handle a Stalker is at a disadvantage. If it had been four Tankers, all four would have survived. If it had been 4 Scrappers, they may have lost just one to a skilled Stalker.
Now, on the other hand, if it had been a Brute attacking, or a Corrupter, or MM or Dom, then things would have been different. The villian may have chosen not to attack the 4 alone and gotten help in the first place, for fear of reprisal.
The question is, did the Stalker fear he might die by taking out the Defender? What are the weaknessess? Visible. If he does a Placate on the Blaster (because of range), how long before Hide kicks in (legit. question)? Could the Controller hold him if the Controller quickly tabbed to target and did a Block of Ice? Obviously not, since the magnitude would be too low. Would the damage from Block of Ice prevent Hide from kicking in (legit. question)? Say, the Scrapper tabbed, targeted, jumped over and hit the Stalker at the same time as the Controller did. Was Hide interrupted and won't kick in? I want to know what danger the Stalker was in with Scenario #1. What challenge? If you were that Stalker, what actions do you take as the AS is hitting it's target (legit question)? Help me understand, please.
Basic Scrapper Info in Issue 7 (draft)
Basic Tanker Info in Issue 7 (draft)
[ QUOTE ]
Four friends decide to check out Siren's Call. A MA/SR Scrapper, Fire/Dev Blaster, Dark/Rad Defender, and an Ice/Rad Controller. They stick togther and are checking out the zone. Bam, Defender is dead. "What was that?". A short time passes waiting for the Defender to get back from the Hospital. Bam, Controller is dead. "What the <bleep> was that?". Team leaves frustrated and angry.
Now, same team after some research, comes back after respeccing for PVP. All four now have Tactics and Assault. The Ice Controller now has Artic Air. Blaster circles overhead. Scrapper circles around Defender and Controller. Stalker approaches, Blaster sends out a warning shot, Stalker either goes and gets a team, or does not bother the fearsome-foursome.
[/ QUOTE ]
A group of people got punked by a stalker, researched, adapted, and overcame. Sounds good to me. Sounds no different than
"A solo dm scrapper runs out and fights a boss. He takes lots of damage, and can't seem to dent him, and quickly runs out of endurance. He goes to the hospital soon after aggrivated.
After researching on the web, he discovers an effective way to build that suits him. He takes stamina, slots it up, puts end reducers in his attacks and armors, takes touch of fear, dark consumption, soul drain, and dark regeneration and goes back. First he gathers up 5 minions and attacks the boss without killing them. He quickly fears the boss with 2 applications, pausing only to fire off a dark regeneration to absorb the alpha. He then fires off soul drain and gets a huge boost to damage and lays into the boss. He quickly finishes off the boss, pausing only to occasionaly reapply the touch of fear. Now he is almost dead again from the minions. He then fires off dark regeneration again, then lays into the minions. By now he's almost out of endurance, so he fires up dark consumption, finishes them off, and is ready for the next group."
Same theme. He got beaten down due to ignorance, learned more about his character, adapted, and overcame the situation. I don't see any reason why these principles should work in pve and not pvp.
EDIT: In your example, you did in fact ignore the fact that as soon as the stalker ASed one teammate, the others would have been on him like white on rice. Even with one of them placated, he woulda gone down fast.
[ QUOTE ]
You post great info, very helpful. I'm sure a lot of people appreciate it like me, but......
Welcome to PvP buffy
[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks. I am secretly trying to get the Stalkers to reveal their weaknesses while I build the ultimate Stalker stalker... hehe
All I have learned so far is the ultimate Stalker stalker is a Stalker 
Basic Scrapper Info in Issue 7 (draft)
Basic Tanker Info in Issue 7 (draft)
[ QUOTE ]
The question is, did the Stalker fear he might die by taking out the Defender?
[/ QUOTE ]
Probably want afraid of the Defender, but there was most likely a little fear of the rest of the group. A Stalkers biggest advantage is the surprise factor, once the Defender is down the Stalker no longer has that advantage against the rest.
[ QUOTE ]
What are the weaknessess? Visible. If he does a Placate on the Blaster (because of range), how long before Hide kicks in (legit. question)?
[/ QUOTE ]
Hide kicks in 10 seconds after the last incident of the Stalker taking damage or attacking. Also, there is a power in the Leadership Pool, I believe it's Assault that grants resistance to Placate, thus shortening the effective duration of the Placate.
[ QUOTE ]
Could the Controller hold him if the Controller quickly tabbed to target and did a Block of Ice? Obviously not, since the magnitude would be too low.
[/ QUOTE ]
No, but it isnt hard for a controller to stack enough holds to break a Stalkers mez protection.
[ QUOTE ]
Would the damage from Block of Ice prevent Hide from kicking in (legit. question)?
[/ QUOTE ]
Block of Ice has a damage component as well as the hold component if I recall correctly, so yes, if the Block of Ice Attack lands it will reset the Stalkers timer to get back into hide.
[ QUOTE ]
Say, the Scrapper tabbed, targeted, jumped over and hit the Stalker at the same time as the Controller did. Was Hide interrupted and won't kick in?
[/ QUOTE ]
Any hit that has a damage component will reset the timer to get back into hide. Dont forget, also, that the Stalker CANNOT attack anyone if he is trying to get back into Hide status.
[ QUOTE ]
I want to know what danger the Stalker was in with Scenario #1. What challenge?
[/ QUOTE ]
That's really hard to quantify, since player skill levels etc are so variable. In your first example, you said that the team was sticking close together, and with a Scrapper/Blaster/Controller trio left after the Defender falls, I would suggest that the Stalker would be at a pretty serious risk, assuming the Heroes are paying attention. If they arent paying attention, it's hard for me to feel any pity for them.
[ QUOTE ]
If you were that Stalker, what actions do you take as the AS is hitting it's target (legit question)? Help me understand, please.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well, if it were me... After following the group for a bit, and determining that I want to try to cherry pick the defender out of the group (on a side note, I would probably prefer to eliminate the Controller first), when the moment is right and the Defender presents an opportunity (such as the group engages in a Hot Spot fight against the NPCs), I would hit BU, charge in, AS... As the AS animates, I would que Soaring Dragon for a follow up just in case (and after the change will require it). Once the AS fires, assuming that the blow lands, I follow up if needed. Then it is time to get the heck out of dodge! Once Hide is down, I am at serious risk. Without Hide the other three will down me quickly, if they are paying attention. Now keep in mind, a good Stalker is going to look for moments when the rest of the team is distracted, which is why HotSpot fights are so dangerous.
But in most cases, I would immediately flee. I rarely bother to toss a placate at another member of the team, the time can be better spent getting out of dodge. Even a second can be critical. I would be Super Leaping like mad, trying to break LoS as often as possible to hopefully prevent taking any hits, resetting my Hide timer.
Usually when I try to cherry pick a squishy out of a team like you describe, I either get lucky and manage to get back into hide, or one of the team gets a hit on me and prevents it. It really comes down to pursuit skills, and to some degree animation times. One of the reasons that Ice blasters are so nasty is that their animations are quick, so the Stalkers dont gain much ground during the Blasters animations. This is also one of the reasons we are seeing so many WhirlWinders now, attacks that dont root make chasing Stalkers down much much easier.
Well, my Ice Blaster has Whirlwind - I actually had a /respec from the Issue 6 change over. I had been playing WOW.
I decided to go with defense instead of offense, making sure I got Chilling Embrace (mistake), Stealth, Super Speed and Whirlwind instead of Build Up and Aim (I have them, but after level 30). So, I bounce around like a maniac in Stealth and SS until I see a battle going on and then Hover up above that battle (still Stealthed and SS running along with CE) and start pulling the trigger while continuously moving..... very stressful.
Needless to say, I haven't been killed, yet (liberal use of inspirations and continously leave the zone to refill them), but I haven't killed anyone... lol. I have a few assists.
I have teamed, but I have to continously move in Stealth and SuperSpeed all over breaking LOS continously, so it is hard to tell I am even part of a team. I haven't decided if this is fun or not, yet. I prefer my Controllers, so I can go and assist the NPCs. But, they aren't built for PVP and die continously to NPC and/or villians. One Stalker yesterday saved her from more debt, though I think her debt is capped.
Basic Scrapper Info in Issue 7 (draft)
Edit: so why am I not using Whirlwind? Well, I haven't needed it to keep alive (stressfully moving around continously, breaking LOS with buildings, fences, dumpsters and stuff). When an EM stuns me out of the sky, I pop 4 or 5 defense insp, then toggle on Whirlwind and spam my attacks until I think my inspirations are gonna run out, then I turn on Phase Shift and run out of the zone to get more inspirations.
Basic Tanker Info in Issue 7 (draft)
I'm curious what your Ice Blastes secondary set is? Also, I think perhaps your constant breaking of LoS is a little over the top. With my Stalker, I find that an erratic moving opponent is usually enough to prevent me lining up an AS.
If you'll let me know what you secondary set is, I'll offer up the things that you could be doing differently that would make my life much more difficult.
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I'm curious what your Ice Blasters secondary set is? Also, I think perhaps your constant breaking of LoS is a little over the top. With my Stalker, I find that an erratic moving opponent is usually enough to prevent me lining up an AS.
If you'll let me know what you secondary set is, I'll offer up the things that you could be doing differently that would make my life much more difficult.
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Chilling Embrace is from the Ice secondary, so its an Ice/Ice blaster under discussion.
I thought Chilling Embrace was an auto-hit, so am a little surprised that the auto spd and recharge doesn't interrupt the AS. Seems like everything up to and including a sneeze into a wet hanky interrupts mine.
If that doesnt work I guess Frozen Aura would work since its a Sleep but you need to be lvl 38 to take FA and.... it does have an accuracy check 
. If that's counted as an AoE check, then FA wont work very well against a Hidden Stalker.
Drop a lot of Ice Patches when / if you are not moving.
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Notice all those things are PvE-specific.
[/ QUOTE ] lol..even if that were some definitive truth, do you think PvP should be exempt from "fun?" I know..let's turn the tables. Let's make it so Stalker have no -perception in PvP. Now, only stalkers won't have fun. If you don't think there is a problem with an large segment of players not having fun, so long as some are, then this change should get no complaints from you...unless of course you are biased...
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A lot of crap also falls under 'not fun', y'know.
[/ QUOTE ] That's exactly right. And when the devs have noticed that it affects a LOT of people, they do something about it. Let's take a quick survey across the player community...not the stalker community, of who's for and against the current state of stalkers....