Some quick ideas for Invulnerability tanks

I'd like to raise a few suggestions to mainly improve the non-smashing/lethal performance of Invulnerability, not by a giant leap but by a smidge . In themselves I think they are not so much a massive upheaval of the set, more a gentle rebalancing.

The first is to raise all the passive resists (Resist Physical Damage, Resist Elements and Resist Energy) from 7.5% to 10%. This value has a precedents as it is the value for stone skin, the passive lethal/smashing resist in Stone Armour. Also, increase the non-smashing/lethal resist in unyielding from 10% to 15%, and remove the defence penalty.

Finally, give Invincibility a Defence debuff resistance, maybe not as much as sets that rely entirely on defence as their armour but enough so that it can retain some function when affected by a debuff.

At the moment an Invulnerability tank with all the passives, Temporary Invulnerability and Invincibility (all slotted with 3 SO Resistance and Defence enhancements) would have:

Smashing/Lethal Resistance: 66%
Fire/Ice/Energy/Negative Energy Resistance: 27%
Defence Against All (except Psi): 13% (1 enemy), 34% (10 enemies)

These changes would mean:

Smashing/Lethal Resistance: 70%
Fire/Ice/Energy/Negative Energy Resistance: 40%
Defence Against All (except Psi): 18% (1 enemy), 39% (10 enemies)

So good/bad, what do you guys think?

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@Moondog
Union:
CoH: Moondog (WS); V-Rock (Tnk, semi-retired); Pole-Star (Bla); Demon Dog (Scr).
CoV: Midnight Gunner (Corr); Operative John Doe (Ban); Day-Star (Dom); Commissar Jaeger (MM).

Of course, the passive resists used to be much higher prior to issue 5. It's the Scrapper, Brute and the potential Stalker version on which they are laughable, and wouldn't be much better with your proposed 33% increase (5.625% -> 7.5%). I would prefer to see them gain the resistance increases when health is low code, similar to the SR passives.

Defence debuff resistance would get a big thumbs up from me, especially if it resisted the defence debuff in Unstoppable. I would assign it to Tough Hide.

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I really should do something about this signature.

There is a good thread about this on US forums. I'm up for any buffs to invuln because like the US people said, why pick invuln when you can just go WP for a smoother QoL?

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- @DSorrow - alts on Union and Freedom mostly -
Currently playing as Castigation on Freedom

My Katana/Inv Guide

Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either. -Einstein

Because Invul isn't quite up to scratch compared to basically every other set?

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That's an interesting idea, the idea of scaling resistances when health is low.

But how about scaling positional defence (to melee, ranged and AoE) in the passive resistance powers when health is low instead, in a counterpoint to the way the passive powers work in Super Reflexes (give scaling resistanceas health drops).

Say have a maximum 15% defence when health is 10% or less for each passive, so if all three are taken you would have capped melee, ranged and AoE defence (45%)at very low health, and the defence value would scale to this maximum in some way as you lose health (either a scale starting at 100% health or if this is too powerful, maybe from 50% health).

Now whilst it seems strange to suggest the positional defence route (it won't stack with invincibility) it provides defence to all attacks (including psi and those psi mez attacks)and you would not have to consider the variable level of invincibility defence depending on foes (would be equally good against an alpha strike from an AV that knocks you down to low health or a large group of minions doing the same).

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@Moondog
Union:
CoH: Moondog (WS); V-Rock (Tnk, semi-retired); Pole-Star (Bla); Demon Dog (Scr).
CoV: Midnight Gunner (Corr); Operative John Doe (Ban); Day-Star (Dom); Commissar Jaeger (MM).

[ QUOTE ]
That's an interesting idea, the idea of scaling resistances when health is low.

But how about scaling positional defence (to melee, ranged and AoE) in the passive resistance powers when health is low instead, in a counterpoint to the way the passive powers work in Super Reflexes (give scaling resistanceas health drops).

Say have a maximum 15% defence when health is 10% or less for each passive, so if all three are taken you would have capped melee, ranged and AoE defence (45%)at very low health, and the defence value would scale to this maximum in some way as you lose health (either a scale starting at 100% health or if this is too powerful, maybe from 50% health).

Now whilst it seems strange to suggest the positional defence route (it won't stack with invincibility) it provides defence to all attacks (including psi and those psi mez attacks)and you would not have to consider the variable level of invincibility defence depending on foes (would be equally good against an alpha strike from an AV that knocks you down to low health or a large group of minions doing the same).

[/ QUOTE ]
Except that positional defence quite often doesn't give any protection against psi attacks - because a lot of NPC psi attacks, and Mind Control powers on players, are only typed for psi and are not typed by position.

Why not just give the passives some damage-typed defence instead - not scaling, just enhanceable defence that also includes defence debuff resistance. I'm not sure how much - maybe a base of 5% S/L def on RPD, 5% F/C def on REl (Toxic def doesn't exist, of course) and 5% E/N def on REn, to go with the 7.5% res each of those already has. Then either increase Tough Hide's base def to 10% or give that power all of the defence debuff resistance in the set (instead of spreading it around the other passives) and possibly another sweetener like some slow resist. And Unyielding definitely needs to lose its def penalties.

That would make Invul still mainly an S/L set, but more of a hybrid def/res set (like WP is) against everything else, even without Invinc capped. And sure Invul would still outperform WP for holding aggro and S/L survival plus with an arguably more effective T9 power, but Invul would lack the huge regen and psi protection and extra status resists that WP has. And there would still be the difference between the passive HP boost in WP and the clicky Dull Pain in Invul. Lots of reasons for playing both.

Admittedly I've never played Invul that high on any AT, so take my suggestions with a pinch of salt if you want, but it has always been the perceived weakness on paper to non-S/L damage that has put me off persisting with Invul.

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