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Interesting about no travel power. I just started a Trick Arrow/Archery build and realized that NONE of my role models for the AT (from Hawkeye and Green Arrow right down to Robin Hood) has special means for transportation.
But is the game even playable unless you give in and pick up a means to get around?
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Well, Hawkeye has that flying motorcycle thing...
Of course, we don't have vehicles yet.
Tygara - 50 Claws/Regen/Power Scrapper, Virtue- Member of Kitties on the Prowl.
Shadeburn - Dark/Rad Defender, Virtue- Member of Catch 'Em Crew
Nature Boy' - Elec/Ice Blaster, Virtue - Member of Young Phalanx
Very helpful!!
Helpful, very helpful. Thought I'll share a quote I found in the latest Issue of Blue Beetle, #7
Green Arrow: "Blow it up" is your big tip for the rookie?
Black Canary: This from the guy who fights everything from robots to aliens by shooting them with tiny sticks.
Green Arrow: Very Fast sticks. Fast and pointy!
Blaster side here, Archery/Energy.
Wondering if you would recommend Hover/Fly (I wan't at least one toon to have fly, as I have always wanted wings.) or SJ/Acro for PvP. I know Acro and PvP have very good synergy, but I think its way overpushed to get it, as my troller does great without it. What do you guys think?
22 50's in Bio
@Siphonic
RIP PX, GMW, and the game that used to be fun.
Still playing for reasons unknown.
[ QUOTE ]
Interesting about no travel power. I just started a Trick Arrow/Archery build and realized that NONE of my role models for the AT (from Hawkeye and Green Arrow right down to Robin Hood) has special means for transportation.
But is the game even playable unless you give in and pick up a means to get around?
[/ QUOTE ]
Green Arrow used to have a rocket-powered "jet arrow" that attached to his bow with a string -- he'd fire it, the jet would ignite and tow him along as he held onto his bow. So he could fly, sorta. That was back in the Silver Age, when people accepted stuff like that without snorting milk out of their nose.
He also had an Arrowmobile and an Arrowplane in a shameless ripoff of Batman. So if they ever get around to introducing vehicles, you're set ....
34 heroes,
20 villains, Victory, Justice, Infinity, Virtue, Triumph, Exalted -- some more active than others
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Blaster side here, Archery/Energy.
Wondering if you would recommend Hover/Fly (I wan't at least one toon to have fly, as I have always wanted wings.) or SJ/Acro for PvP. I know Acro and PvP have very good synergy, but I think its way overpushed to get it, as my troller does great without it. What do you guys think?
[/ QUOTE ]
It's up to you. Hover/Fly is great for PvE (it's not Holds that you generally need to worry about, it's Disorients and Sleeps), CJ/SJ/Acro is good for PvP. It's going to depend on what you want, whichever you enjoy more.
Hover/Fly in PvP will give you the option of going for long range blasting from places where opponents may not expect to find you. CJ/SJ/Acro will give you more escape options if you do get caught.
Personally, I am and always have been a Hover/Fly player. I just like blasting from the air. Dancing Hawk being the obvious exception. 
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Helpful, very helpful. Thought I'll share a quote I found in the latest Issue of Blue Beetle, #7
Green Arrow: "Blow it up" is your big tip for the rookie?
Black Canary: This from the guy who fights everything from robots to aliens by shooting them with tiny sticks.
Green Arrow: Very Fast sticks. Fast and pointy!
[/ QUOTE ]
!
*dies happy*
Hey Luminara! Thanks for your guide.
I'm playing an Archery/Fire blaster (concept toon, I know the synergy between those two sets is non-existent) and its fun but frustrating. My Energy/Energy at the same level (15-16) has much higher damage, and survivability is higher due to better ways of dealing with aggro.
On a team, the others normally make up for his shortcomings. But solo or in a duo, I gain debt faster than I can pay it off!
Oh well. I do like the sharp pointy sticks. 
Meet Uriel the Pure.
Ok. Now I want to roll up an Archery defender again. Thank you. Argh. Can't escape the gravitational pull of the Lumiverse, must . . .. try . . . .
Indeed a great guide Luminara.
After reading it several times I have, however, found myself in a minor dilemma. I enjoy doing damage. As a result Blasters hold a favored position with me. Ah, an archery set for blasters awesome...now whats this I hear about lack of synergy with secondaries...oh no! Defenders, hmmmm, never tried on. Not real big on being thought of as a heal bot. Still worth a look though.
Ok, my question to the Luminus one. Obviously other oppinions are most appreciated as well. What is the comparison in damage output of the two arch types? Not the numbers I guess (just found some posts describing it), more seat of the pants feel (car/motorcycle enthusiast know what I am describing). And secondly, how bad is the redraw problem with blaster secondaries combined with archery? Again, seat of the pants feel will be helpfull.
So here are my thoughts: Magic orig, (got a back story already), either blaster-arch/dev or arch/en, or defender Trick/arch. Any thoughts on fun to play with big damage numbers.
Thanks
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I enjoy doing damage. As a result Blasters hold a favored position with me. Ah, an archery set for blasters awesome...now whats this I hear about lack of synergy with secondaries...oh no!
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It's the melee attacks. If you don't mind not being a blapper, or you blap intelligently (fire off your ranged attacks as opening salvos, then close to melee and restrict yourself to melee attacks), then a lack of synergy isn't really an issue.
Archery/Energy is a very nice high damage ranged blasting style. You get Build Up very early, you have the luxury of focusing on the Archery powers, and Aim solves any and all redraw problems (Aim instantly redraws the bow, so using it after Build Up, Boost Range, or Power Boost removes the redraw time).
Archery/Devices is extremely suitable, though it has a lower overall damage output at range due to the lack of Build Up. In trade, you get added control effects, and nearly all of the powers are set-ups, so you can use them before using Archery attacks and not have to deal with redraw. Drop Caltrops, plant a Trip Mine or three, then Web Grenade your chosen target and start firing arrows. And, of course, Taser stacks with Stunning Shot, so you have an option to deal with overly aggressive dates with bosses if you feel the need.
Archery/Ice is also relatively popular, due to the toggles and set-ups, which can be used in the same way /Devices powers are. Get your /Ice powers in place, then just fire away. Also gives you Build Up, for added damage.
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What is the comparison in damage output of the two arch types? Not the numbers I guess (just found some posts describing it), more seat of the pants feel (car/motorcycle enthusiast know what I am describing).
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There's really no comparison. The closest that you can get is Archery/Devices and TA/A, and even then, it's a very complex thing. TA/A can, at its absolute best and given sufficient time to set up, and when comparing only the use of single-target attacks, out-damage Archery/Devices. But that's after at least 41 levels and 2-5 times as long for getting the buffs and debuffs out to get the TA/A's damage up high enough to match or exceed the Archery/Devices blaster.
A TA/A can, certainly, deal out some very impressive damage. Once Oil Slick, Disruption, Acid, and Rain of Arrows are all available, a TA/A is definitely no slouch. But a blaster will always trump a TA/A in damage output simply because a blaster doesn't have to go through all the extra work to deal damage. Blasters can just do what they do best, crank out the pretty orange numbers, and move on to the next critter or spawn. TA/A doesn't do big numbers, TA/A does ludicrous amounts of small numbers that add up to big numbers.
I'd recommend Archery/Energy if you're thinking about a high damage ranged character, or Archery/Ice if you're expecting to be in melee range.
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And secondly, how bad is the redraw problem with blaster secondaries combined with archery?
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Totally dependant on play style. For a ranged Archery/Energy or Archery/Ice, there is no redraw problem. Aim solves it completely. For a blapper, using Archery for alphas and saving Aim for when you need/want to use Blazing in melee is suitable, but to be honest, Archery isn't meant for blapping and will never perform as well as other sets. It's a set designed for use at range.
Awesome, thanks for the response. That seems to fit what I have be leaning toward. Now all that is left is to try it out. (wish the clock would speed up, still at work)
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Did they change Flash Arrow? I took it and blasted a bunch of groups and I was able to tag away at a lone guy while the friends stood around blinded....worked more often than not.
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The problem isn't specifically with Flash Arrow, it's with the aggro system. Flash Arrow is a debuff, which generates aggro. Aggro is queued, then processed in order. Since Flash Arrow is typically going to be used first, before any other action, it's going to be first in the aggro queue.
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You like Poison Gas but don't like Flash... but my Poison Gas Arrow experiences today in a 6-8 man team showed that it generates tons of aggro itself. Maybe I should Glue them first? Maybe Glue then wait for tank to engage, then do poison gas? I was trying to use it to help mitigate alpha damage on our tank. Couple of times I took a pounding, ate cave floor once... am I using it poorly?
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Did they change Flash Arrow? I took it and blasted a bunch of groups and I was able to tag away at a lone guy while the friends stood around blinded....worked more often than not.
[/ QUOTE ]
The problem isn't specifically with Flash Arrow, it's with the aggro system. Flash Arrow is a debuff, which generates aggro. Aggro is queued, then processed in order. Since Flash Arrow is typically going to be used first, before any other action, it's going to be first in the aggro queue.
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You like Poison Gas but don't like Flash...
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I like PGA on teams, PvE, but I tossed it for soloing and don't even look at it when PvPing. I reached a point of saturation in power usage. If I spent time debuffing, my controls wore off before I was ready and I had to re-apply them or take the melee attacks. It was doing more harm, and resulting in more damage taken, than simply locking the critters down, using my -res debuffs, and blasting away. And post-40, PGA wasn't even worth bothering with. Spawns were flat on their backs from OSA, roasting and being cactusized with RoA, or standing there with stupid looks on their faces after EMP.
Early in the game, or when you're on a really mobile team, PGA is fine. It just gets less useful later in the game, when you're soloing, or on any team that gives your best TA powers time to recharge.
As for PvP, it's a waste of time. 50% chance to sleep, damage reduction equivilant to one yellow Damage SO. Feh.
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but my Poison Gas Arrow experiences today in a 6-8 man team showed that it generates tons of aggro itself.
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It's a debuff. Debuffs get aggro. If someone else has aggro, most of it will remain on that person, or people. But it's not Confuse/Deceive, and those are the only powers you can use that won't get aggro.
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Maybe I should Glue them first? Maybe Glue then wait for tank to engage, then do poison gas? I was trying to use it to help mitigate alpha damage on our tank. Couple of times I took a pounding, ate cave floor once... am I using it poorly?
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You shouldn't be opening combat for the team. That's the responsibility of the melee characters. All they have to do is take the hits for 3 seconds. If they can't survive for 3 seconds, they're either having build problems or the team is fighting critters too far above their capability. If they can survive for 3 seconds, you have all the time you need to get PGA out. Follow it up with Glue and you've got them dealing 30% less damage and attacking 25% less frequently, which gives the aggro magnets time to heal up, pop Respites, or even allow you to hit them with Aid Other if that's part of your build.
If you want to open, use OSA or EMP. But if you're opening with debuffs in an effort to spare your tank/scrapper, or your controller, expect a lot of pain and debt, and start looking for a better tank or scrapper. That's not what the first 7 powers in TA were designed for. Let someone else get the initial aggro, then debuff.
Thanks for the feedback. This was indeed a low level group and I had just leveled up and taken PGA. Our tank was a level lower and the mobs were a level higher than myself, lots of Lts and Bosses... our tank biffed once so I thought i'd try a hand at leadoff. It wasn't a huge problem as the group that knocked me flat ended up burning off the resulting debt as the last mob fell
I'm sure I'll respec out of PGA later on, but it's pretty fun at level 8.
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I'm sure I'll respec out of PGA later on, but it's pretty fun at level 8.
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Oh, I wouldn't go so far as to respec out of it. Again, at lower levels, it really makes a difference. After most of TA becomes available, its usage declines simply because there are better options. Why use PGA if the entire spawn is held, sometimes including bosses, by EMP, and will be completely incapable of responding for up to 1 minute (or more)? Why use PGA if the spawn is flopping around like fishies and struggling to get out of your burn patch after OSA goes up in flames?
Just alternating those two powers can carry most average teams through entire missions.
But then you get the really, insanely good teams, the ones who tear through +3 spawns in 15 seconds flat. Then PGA comes back into play, when you're alternating all of your powers in an effort to keep up. A raging team can make you REALLY sweat, trying to figure out what to do next when half of your power tray is still grayed out. That's when you start throwing PGA back out there. OSA on one spawn, EMP on the next, PGA and Glue on the third, Disruption and RoA on the next, etc.
It's just solo and the 28-40 levels that it's a bit bland because there are usually better options and teams are cruising along at deliberate paces. It's a good power in general, worth keeping. If Cryptic would add -regen to it like I keep telling them to (don't they know who i am? I'M THE *(!@$^&(@#^ ARCHERY CHEERLEADERTROLL!), it'd be a power that's useful at every level and in every fight.
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Blaster side here, Archery/Energy.
Wondering if you would recommend Hover/Fly (I wan't at least one toon to have fly, as I have always wanted wings.) or SJ/Acro for PvP. I know Acro and PvP have very good synergy, but I think its way overpushed to get it, as my troller does great without it. What do you guys think?
[/ QUOTE ]
It's up to you. Hover/Fly is great for PvE (it's not Holds that you generally need to worry about, it's Disorients and Sleeps), CJ/SJ/Acro is good for PvP. It's going to depend on what you want, whichever you enjoy more.
Hover/Fly in PvP will give you the option of going for long range blasting from places where opponents may not expect to find you. CJ/SJ/Acro will give you more escape options if you do get caught.
Personally, I am and always have been a Hover/Fly player. I just like blasting from the air. Dancing Hawk being the obvious exception.
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Well, reading your responses, I know that Archery's Range and Accuracy can be used very well and can give you immense power in PvP, So it sounds like being able to hit someone up high would be a great idea...and being a blaster, anyone with range will be able to kill me even if I do run >.< (unless I'm lucky). Think I'm gonna go with Fly, thanks so much for your help!
22 50's in Bio
@Siphonic
RIP PX, GMW, and the game that used to be fun.
Still playing for reasons unknown.
Wow, I don't really have anything to add, but - NICE GUIDE. I'm gonna go roll up a TA/A Defender now. Well done.
<QR>
Question: An Archery/Dev blaster using Targeting Drone and Tactics or a TA/A defender using Tactics...is it possible to skip Accuracy enhancers in total? I'd almost think so, since ToHit Buffs have so much more power than Accuracy, but I'd like an expert's opinion. On a Defender, Tactics is a +10% ToHit buff at base, unless I'm mistaken; slotted, that's about a 16-18%THB - enough to almost totally counteract most DEF buffs on its own. Combine with careful use of Aim for hard targets(DRONES), and I think you could end up ignoring ACC enhancers.
I'm very torn on my TA/A defender.. I know CJ/SJ/Acro gives me more escape options if caught, but if I take stealth, would hover/fly be a better choice?
As an Archery blaster, I find fly is a much better choice. Hover has been invaluable for mantaining range against opponents and for getting just the right positioning before opening up.
Doh. I chose Air Sup instead of Hover. I thought with AS and the entangle arrow I could constantly keep people away from me, if one missed I had the other as a backup.
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<QR>
Question: An Archery/Dev blaster using Targeting Drone and Tactics or a TA/A defender using Tactics...is it possible to skip Accuracy enhancers in total? I'd almost think so, since ToHit Buffs have so much more power than Accuracy, but I'd like an expert's opinion. On a Defender, Tactics is a +10% ToHit buff at base, unless I'm mistaken; slotted, that's about a 16-18%THB - enough to almost totally counteract most DEF buffs on its own. Combine with careful use of Aim for hard targets(DRONES), and I think you could end up ignoring ACC enhancers.
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Answer: Only if you plan on missing Defense based builds like SR/ICE/NRG/NINJITSU/FORCEFIELDS/ETC. but to be honest who knows, take ur toon on test and respec it to try it out. if you like the outcome then copy that build to live, but i would always have the acc.
Okay, I came up with a decent build - I think - in theory.. This is designed to be a mostly PvP character, so feel free to (constructively) criticize me! Any advice would be helpful..
---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
---------------------------------------------
Name: Taiya - test build
Level: 50
Archetype: Defender
Primary: Trick Arrow
Secondary: Archery
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Entangling Arrow==> Acc(1)
01) --> Snap Shot==> Empty(1)
02) --> Glue Arrow==> Rechg(2)Rechg(3)Rechg(3)Slow(7)Slow(7)Slow(9)
04) --> Aimed Shot==> Acc(4)Acc(5)Dmg(5)Rechg(11)Rechg(15)Rechg(19)
06) --> Hasten==> Rechg(6)Rechg(42)Rechg(43)
08) --> Ice Arrow==> Acc(8)Acc(9)Hold(11)Hold(13)Rechg(17)Rechg(23)
10) --> Combat Jumping==> EndRdx(10)
12) --> Acid Arrow==> DefDeBuf(12)DefDeBuf(13)DefDeBuf(15)Rechg(21)Rechg(25)Rechg(33)
14) --> Super Jump==> Jump(14)Empty(43)Jump(46)
16) --> Blazing Arrow==> Acc(16)Acc(17)Dmg(19)Dmg(21)Rechg(23)Rechg(25)
18) --> Super Speed==> Run(18)Run(43)Run(48)
20) --> Grant Invisibility==> EndRdx(20)
22) --> Acrobatics==> EndRdx(22)EndRdx(46)
24) --> Invisibility==> EndRdx(24)Rechg(42)
26) --> Oil Slick Arrow==> Dmg(26)Dmg(27)Dmg(27)Rechg(29)Rechg(29)Rechg(31)
28) --> Fistful of Arrows==> Acc(28)Acc(31)Dmg(31)Dmg(33)Rechg(33)Rechg(34)
30) --> Assault==> EndRdx(30)EndRdx(45)
32) --> EMP Arrow==> Acc(32)Acc(34)Hold(34)Rechg(36)Rechg(37)Rechg(37)
35) --> Stunning Shot==> Acc(35)Acc(36)DisDur(36)DisDur(37)Rechg(40)Rechg(42)
38) --> Rain of Arrows==> Acc(38)Acc(39)Dmg(39)Rechg(39)Rechg(40)Rechg(40)
41) --> Tactics==> EndRdx(41)EndRdx(46)
44) --> Disruption Arrow==> Rechg(44)Rechg(45)Rechg(45)
47) --> Power Build Up==> Rechg(47)Rechg(48)Rechg(48)
49) --> Aim==> TH_Buf(49)TH_Buf(50)TH_Buf(50)Rechg(50)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> Run(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Empty(1)
01) --> Vigilance==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Rechg(2)
---------------------------------------------
[ QUOTE ]
Did they change Flash Arrow? I took it and blasted a bunch of groups and I was able to tag away at a lone guy while the friends stood around blinded....worked more often than not.
[/ QUOTE ]
The problem isn't specifically with Flash Arrow, it's with the aggro system. Flash Arrow is a debuff, which generates aggro. Aggro is queued, then processed in order. Since Flash Arrow is typically going to be used first, before any other action, it's going to be first in the aggro queue.
Solo, this isn't really a big deal. You're taking 100% of the aggro anyway.
It's when you're on a team that the problem really manifests.
And this hasn't changed (to my knowledge), nor will it be likely to change. It's just "how it works", which is "working as intended".