Well slotting at lvl 8 really does nothing for the power, TO suck. Your not going to get good Def number till SO and that is at lvl 22. Till lvl 22 your pretty much a blaster with all melee attacks
Edit to add more: Nothing as change in the past 2 years to make Scrapper wearker. It just might be /SR. /SR doesn't do a lot a lower lvls and it is a late bloomer. When you get to the later lvls you will love /SR
"All right, they're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind us...they can't get away this time"- Chesty Puller US Marine Corps
Are you having this trouble in regular contact-generated missions, or Architect custom missions?
If we are to die, let us die like men. -- Patrick Cleburne
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The rule is that they must be loved. --Jayne Fynes-Clinton, Death of an Abandoned Dog
First off, you're using */SR which is a notoriously late blooming set.
Secondly, these powers are reducing your chance to be hit, but, because they're balanced around being slotted with SOs rather than TOs and DOs, you're seeing much less benefit from them. If you want to see how much less damage you're taking, check out your combat log with those toggles turned on and with those toggles turned off. There will be a noticeable reduction in your chance to be hit.
Thirdly, if you're coming from other games where the chance to be hit defaults to 95-100%, you're forgetting that, in CoX, enemies have a base chance to hit of 50% (modified by a number of other things, but an even con minion with no outside effects, is going to have a 50% chance to hit you). You shouldn't see a huge increase in the number of attacks hitting you because, rather than getting hit by 5 out of every 10 of the attacks aimed at you, you're being hit by only 3-4, which is much harder to notice, but still a substantial reduction.
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I realize that the official version is that with the advent of invention enhancements, enemies are not stronger, nor are archetypes weaker. However, since I've come back after a two year hiatus, it seems that this is not right. When I was playing before, I could solo up through level 12 or 15 with my Scrapper without dying more than maybe once or twice. It was challenging, but it was still relatively easy. Also, I could avoid slotting until reaching 12th at least.
Since returning, I've rolled a new Scrapper, and even at level 8, I'm finding pinks and yellows in all my missions, and they are hitting way more often than they should, in my opinion. I'm using an MA/SR Scrapper with Focused Fighting, Focused Senses and Combat Jumping. All three of these powers claim that they reduce your chances of being hit, and all three are slotted with Defense Buffs. And yet, it seems to me that my opponents are either not missing at all, or only missing every fourth or fifth time. Also, groups seem to be larger, even in Kings Row.
Am I missing something? I freely admit that I may need a better strategy, as it has been a couple years, but I'm surprised that even by level 8, I've needed to slot everything, and I've still died 4 times by this point. Can someone give me some advice?
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SR starts slow, and it is compounded by the fact that at your levels of defense the enemies will get lucky hot streaks several times a mission. Worse, the combination of FS and FF eat lots of end pre-Stamina. If you stick to it SR is great in the long run. It does start slow though.
Martial Arts is not only endurance hungry, but if you hit smashing resistance foes early (like trolls) it can be a real pain.
I suggest you do the following:
CoH now has the feature to right click inspirations in your bar and, if you have three of the same kind, change them to one of a different kind. This gives you the ability to constantly tweak you inspiration tray to get greens and blues. This will give ypu a constant trickle of green inspirations.
As much of a pain as it is, visit your contacts often to refill on inspirations.
Although you might respec out of it later, I suggest picking up Air Superiority from the Flight pool at level 6. You don't have redraw. Not only does this attack recharge fairly quickly to fill your attack chain, but the mitigation from the constant knockdown is really really good until your defenses mature later on.
Avoid any mission that involves Vahz.
One thing I find useful and go to Atlas and visit Architect Entertainment. When searching through the missions search on the keyword Hellions and look for some decent low level mission arcs. You can level to 10 pretty well and it's faster mostly because you have no travel time.
I tend to actually go with Focused Fighting and Agile instead of FS because the end usage is so bad and Agile is free. FS has better defense, but my defense is irrelevant when the detoggle sound from lack of endurance hits.
Moonlighter
50s include MA/SD, MA/SR, DP/Elec, Claw/Inv, Kat/Dark, Kat/Fire, Spine/Regen, Dark/SD
First Arc: Tequila Sunrise, #168563
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Are you having this trouble in regular contact-generated missions, or Architect custom missions?
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Good point, Architect custom missions can be a lot harder then the regular missions.
"All right, they're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind us...they can't get away this time"- Chesty Puller US Marine Corps
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Well slotting at lvl 8 really does nothing for the power, TO suck. Your not going to get good Def number till SO and that is at lvl 22. Till lvl 22 your pretty much a blaster with all melee attacks
Edit to add more: Nothing as change in the past 2 years to make Scrapper wearker. It just might be /SR. /SR doesn't do a lot a lower lvls and it is a late bloomer. When you get to the later lvls you will love /SR
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Actually with the inherit The ToHit bonus that low level characters get, slotting Accuracy into attacks is the best bang for your buck. If you have extra slots then throw end reduction into your attacks as well.
Moonlighter
50s include MA/SD, MA/SR, DP/Elec, Claw/Inv, Kat/Dark, Kat/Fire, Spine/Regen, Dark/SD
First Arc: Tequila Sunrise, #168563
[ QUOTE ]
I realize that the official version is that with the advent of invention enhancements, enemies are not stronger, nor are archetypes weaker. However, since I've come back after a two year hiatus, it seems that this is not right. When I was playing before, I could solo up through level 12 or 15 with my Scrapper without dying more than maybe once or twice. It was challenging, but it was still relatively easy. Also, I could avoid slotting until reaching 12th at least.
Since returning, I've rolled a new Scrapper, and even at level 8, I'm finding pinks and yellows in all my missions, and they are hitting way more often than they should, in my opinion. I'm using an MA/SR Scrapper with Focused Fighting, Focused Senses and Combat Jumping. All three of these powers claim that they reduce your chances of being hit, and all three are slotted with Defense Buffs. And yet, it seems to me that my opponents are either not missing at all, or only missing every fourth or fifth time. Also, groups seem to be larger, even in Kings Row.
Am I missing something? I freely admit that I may need a better strategy, as it has been a couple years, but I'm surprised that even by level 8, I've needed to slot everything, and I've still died 4 times by this point. Can someone give me some advice?
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I find just about any AT to suck pre-22. For AT's that have defense abilities as a secondary it's almost like you don't have those powers for the early levels. I recommend getting your attacks slotted to about 4-5, and then start working up your defenses. That way when you hit 22 you will have some slotting in your secondary, but your primary is still the priority. Stick with it, and group if you can. Scrappers (like anything else) get so much better when you can use real enhancements.
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Are you having this trouble in regular contact-generated missions, or Architect custom missions?
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Contact-generated. My thinking was to stick to those so I could get invention salvage drops and make some influence for higher levels. That way I could actually afford enhancements.
[ QUOTE ]
Well slotting at lvl 8 really does nothing for the power, TO suck. Your not going to get good Def number till SO and that is at lvl 22. Till lvl 22 your pretty much a blaster with all melee attacks
Edit to add more: Nothing as change in the past 2 years to make Scrapper wearker. It just might be /SR. /SR doesn't do a lot a lower lvls and it is a late bloomer. When you get to the later lvls you will love /SR
[/ QUOTE ]
DOs actually make a noticeable difference but its still not good....
Mostly repeating what's already been said.
Super Reflexes is a terrible secondary at low levels. Although I made it to ten without too much trouble on my Claws/SR, I was chain dying through the teens. It's annoying, but it gets better. A LOT better.
Generally-accepted wisdom is to pump up your attacks first, and defenses later. Low level defenses help so little that you're better off just trying to kill the enemy quicker in most cases.
"That's because Werner can't do maths." - BunnyAnomaly
"Four hours in, and I was no longer making mistakes, no longer detoggling. I was a machine." - Werner
Videos of Other Stupid Scrapper Tricks
[ QUOTE ]
CoH now has the feature to right click inspirations in your bar and, if you have three of the same kind, change them to one of a different kind. This gives you the ability to constantly tweak you inspiration tray to get greens and blues. This will give ypu a constant trickle of green inspirations.
As much of a pain as it is, visit your contacts often to refill on inspirations.
Although you might respec out of it later, I suggest picking up Air Superiority from the Flight pool at level 6. You don't have redraw. Not only does this attack recharge fairly quickly to fill your attack chain, but the mitigation from the constant knockdown is really really good until your defenses mature later on.
Avoid any mission that involves Vahz.
One thing I find useful and go to Atlas and visit Architect Entertainment. When searching through the missions search on the keyword Hellions and look for some decent low level mission arcs. You can level to 10 pretty well and it's faster mostly because you have no travel time.
[/ QUOTE ]
This actually brings up another question. Is it worthwhile to do AE missions at low levels? I've been avoiding them, figuring that I could use the influence from invention salvage to be able to afford DO's and SO's. Since AE missions don't drop those (just tickets), is it worth it to do them? Or should I just stick to contact-generated missions instead?
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I tend to actually go with Focused Fighting and Agile instead of FS because the end usage is so bad and Agile is free. FS has better defense, but my defense is irrelevant when the detoggle sound from lack of endurance hits.
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I shall give this a try, then, as well as focus more on attacks instead of defense. Thanks :0)
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Is it worthwhile to do AE missions at low levels?
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The mission architect has missions that are just as difficult as what you'd experience normally. However, when you run into custom enemies, overpopulous bosses and AVs, as well as "high level" missions that automatically side-kick you, then you'll be an an extreme disadvantage. Low level enemies are incredibly easy when compared to the rest of the game.
Except for spectral daemons on the teens. Whoever designed those needs to be shut in a microwave.
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Is it worthwhile to do AE missions at low levels?
[/ QUOTE ]
The mission architect has missions that are just as difficult as what you'd experience normally. However, when you run into custom enemies, overpopulous bosses and AVs, as well as "high level" missions that automatically side-kick you, then you'll be an an extreme disadvantage. Low level enemies are incredibly easy when compared to the rest of the game.
Except for spectral daemons on the teens. Whoever designed those needs to be shut in a microwave.
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Abominations in the teens also do way too much damage for their level. I avoid Vahzilok missions in the teens like the plague.
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Except for spectral daemons on the teens. Whoever designed those needs to be shut in a microwave.
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I think this to myself every time I play the Midnighters arc(usually worse)
[ QUOTE ]
I realize that the official version is that with the advent of invention enhancements, enemies are not stronger, nor are archetypes weaker. However, since I've come back after a two year hiatus, it seems that this is not right. When I was playing before, I could solo up through level 12 or 15 with my Scrapper without dying more than maybe once or twice. It was challenging, but it was still relatively easy. Also, I could avoid slotting until reaching 12th at least.
Since returning, I've rolled a new Scrapper, and even at level 8, I'm finding pinks and yellows in all my missions, and they are hitting way more often than they should, in my opinion. I'm using an MA/SR Scrapper with Focused Fighting, Focused Senses and Combat Jumping. All three of these powers claim that they reduce your chances of being hit, and all three are slotted with Defense Buffs. And yet, it seems to me that my opponents are either not missing at all, or only missing every fourth or fifth time. Also, groups seem to be larger, even in Kings Row.
Am I missing something? I freely admit that I may need a better strategy, as it has been a couple years, but I'm surprised that even by level 8, I've needed to slot everything, and I've still died 4 times by this point. Can someone give me some advice?
[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, the total opposite. It has gotten a lot easier. With Veteran attacks and Beginner's Luck. Early level should be a lot easier.
What's left is to normalize all Assassin Strikes and improve Stalker's old sets (Claw, MA and EM)! You don't need to bring back the missing PbAoE attack. You just need to make the existing ones better! For example, make Slice a WIDER and LONGER cone.
If you are trying to use the MA to level quickly I would find some missions that have defensively-oriented allies. You can get substantial healing and buffs from them. They leach a little experience, but it's almost like having a team even though you are solo.
I hated leveling up my MA/SR through the teens so much that when I did claws/SR a year later, I had a friend PL me from 12 to 22. 
Like other folks said, scrappers aren't weaker, /SR is just comes into it's power late. Once you hit 22 though, it gets pretty awesome.
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Except for spectral daemons on the teens. Whoever designed those needs to be shut in a microwave.
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Don't forget- it needs to be turned on, too.
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Except for spectral daemons on the teens. Whoever designed those needs to be shut in a microwave.
[/ QUOTE ]
Don't forget- it needs to be turned on, too.
[/ QUOTE ]
Better yet, we need three of them, so that there's an excuse to have the micorwave running all the time.
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Is it worthwhile to do AE missions at low levels?
[/ QUOTE ]
The mission architect has missions that are just as difficult as what you'd experience normally. However, when you run into custom enemies, overpopulous bosses and AVs, as well as "high level" missions that automatically side-kick you, then you'll be an an extreme disadvantage. Low level enemies are incredibly easy when compared to the rest of the game.
Except for spectral daemons on the teens. Whoever designed those needs to be shut in a microwave.
[/ QUOTE ]
Abominations in the teens also do way too much damage for their level. I avoid Vahzilok missions in the teens like the plague.
[/ QUOTE ]
donty ou miss the days of all vahzilok vomit/puke attacks being untyped dmg and unresistable/undefendable?
[ QUOTE ]
This actually brings up another question. Is it worthwhile to do AE missions at low levels? I've been avoiding them, figuring that I could use the influence from invention salvage to be able to afford DO's and SO's. Since AE missions don't drop those (just tickets), is it worth it to do them? Or should I just stick to contact-generated missions instead?
[/ QUOTE ]
First, if you are going to use the AE missions to level from 2 to 10 search on Hellions and do arcs that don't include custom groups. Many of these arcs say thay are intended for low level in the mission description. If the arcs have bosses those will downgrade to Lts. at Heroic difficulty. Even custom Lts. in that level range really can't do much with the chain knock down of Air Superiority.
Avoid any custom groups. If you run into something bigger for some reason (someone added an EB to the arc) then just leave the mission and look for another one. The missions themselves aren't faster; in fact without the mission XP reward they are actually less efficient. But the travel time savings is enormous.
Salvage is back down right now, but bronze recipe rolls in the 10-15 range often produce Steadfast Res/Def, Karma +ToHit, and various Knockdown protection IOS which sell for 5-10 million? One hit on those and the character is set for a long time. If you need salvage the common salvage random rolls are cheap, and you can always spend 540 tickets for a Pangean Soil for an easy million influence.
Moonlighter
50s include MA/SD, MA/SR, DP/Elec, Claw/Inv, Kat/Dark, Kat/Fire, Spine/Regen, Dark/SD
First Arc: Tequila Sunrise, #168563
Search for [LBMA] (LowBie). Avoid any that has custom groups.
Either that, or search for your favorite low level villain group.
It's funny how people don't check salvage prizes. The salvage that used to be the most expensive is now worth half as much as the salvage that was barely worth selling before. I recommend looking through the list of rare salvage and see which is worth the most at the time.
I realize that the official version is that with the advent of invention enhancements, enemies are not stronger, nor are archetypes weaker. However, since I've come back after a two year hiatus, it seems that this is not right. When I was playing before, I could solo up through level 12 or 15 with my Scrapper without dying more than maybe once or twice. It was challenging, but it was still relatively easy. Also, I could avoid slotting until reaching 12th at least.
Since returning, I've rolled a new Scrapper, and even at level 8, I'm finding pinks and yellows in all my missions, and they are hitting way more often than they should, in my opinion. I'm using an MA/SR Scrapper with Focused Fighting, Focused Senses and Combat Jumping. All three of these powers claim that they reduce your chances of being hit, and all three are slotted with Defense Buffs. And yet, it seems to me that my opponents are either not missing at all, or only missing every fourth or fifth time. Also, groups seem to be larger, even in Kings Row.
Am I missing something? I freely admit that I may need a better strategy, as it has been a couple years, but I'm surprised that even by level 8, I've needed to slot everything, and I've still died 4 times by this point. Can someone give me some advice?