Dimension Shift is broken and stupid.

Ok, I only threw the stupid part in to get you to look. It's true though that this power is broken and working inconsistently. We're all familiar with the scenario in which a grav controller users dimension shift, but the mobs run around sans effects while the team ineffectually swings at them in confusion before realizing the enemy has been hit with an untouchable status. Why is that? Well, I asked this question once before and with the input from some other folks and some testing I believe I've pegged just how dimension shift works.

Dimension shift consists of several effects: a mag 3 intangible (which removes the enemies collision detection box), a mag 3 immobilize, the untouchable status, the only-affecting self status, and a 100% reduction in threat level. All of these have a base duration of 30 seconds and cannot be enhanced. Intangibility enhancements used in dim. shift only enhance the magnitude of the intangible effect. Additionally, the magnitude of both the intangible effect and immobilize are affected by level scaling. Both the intangible and immobilize must overcome an enemies protection to have an effect. On the other hand, the untouchable status and only-affecting self will always be in effect if dimension shift hits the target.

Here's a scenario to illustrate what this means: a grav controller hits an even level boss with an unenhanced Dimension Shift. The boss is affected by the the untouchable status and only-affecting self, but the immobilize and intangible are insufficient to overcome a boss' inherent protection. The boss is free to run away or after you and no visual effect is applied, but it cannot affect anything but itself. Only some of the effects are applied.

A new scenario: the grav controller uses dimension shift against a -1 boss. Due to level scaling the magnitude is treated as 3.3 for both of these. The boss is immobilized, its collision detection is removed, and the visual effect is applied. As always, the untouchable status and only-affecting self are effective. All the effects are applied.

Going in the opposite direction, dimension shift v. a +3 lieutenant will fail to apply the intangible and immobilize (a magnitude of 1.95 v. a lt.'s protection of 2). Pushing it further, the intangible/immobilize will fail against a +5 minion (a magnitude of .9 v. a minion's protection of 1). In both of these cases, the untouchable and only-affecting self status are still applied.

So what needs to be done to make dimension shift work more consistently? For starters the magnitude should be changed to be more inline with foe capture powers like sonic cage and detention field, which apply a 5.55 magnitude immobilize. This single change would, at the very least, make the visual effect more consistent with the effectiveness of the power. Secondly, the magnitude of Dimension Shift should not be affected by level, but its duration should be. This duration should also be enhanceable. This will make it behave more like all other mez powers; additionally, the base duration could be lowered. (Though I suspect that there is a technical issue involved in the fixed duration of these powers.)

I strongly encourage others to check out the other thread where I began my testing and test the results for themselves. I haven't yet received an independent confirmation of my tests.

http://coh.redtomax.com/data/powers/...imension_Shift

- Dimension Shift has no untouchable or only affecting self status. It has only intangible, immobilize and -threat.
- Level scaling affects mezz duration, not mezz magnitude.

I'm well aware of the information from redtomax's, Mids, and ingame. I wouldn't have started testing without checking all the sources available to me.

Here's a simple test you can do to see that the magnitude is indeed scaling. Get a power analyzer and use it on an enemy that's conning gray; hit them with Dimension Shift and watch their immobilize protection. That's what I did, and it at first misled me to believe that the the magnitude for the immobilize was 5.3. Try it on a higher level enemy and you'll see the magnitude is lowered. In the other thread, here, I first calculated when an enemy would be hit with the intangible effect and immobilized and then tested it to confirm it. It always fell in line with the hypothesis that the magnitude was scaling. This is out of line with all other mez affects which do not have scaling magnitudes, but as you said scaling durations.

When the enemies' hit boxes were removed I considered this the intangible status as its magnitude and behaviour fell in line with the immobilize. The removal of the collision detection and the translucent effect are not aligning with whether an enemy can be affected or affect others. This is what had led me to believe the data available is oversimplified and that intangible is a combination of hit box removal and two other known effects, Only-affecting self and Untouchable. However, only one portion of the Intangible status is being affected by level scaling or enhancement.

Well first, Dimension Shift is a Foe Intangibility, while Sonic Cage/Detention Field are Captures. They're similar, but with two differences:

Dimension Shift can be enhanced with Intangibility enhancements, while Sonic Cage/Detention Field cannot.

Dimension Shift applies Intangibility, Sonic Cage/Detention Field doesn't.

You can't really expect to get the higher Mag values of Sonic Cage/Detention Field along with with the ability to enhance them.

Sonic Cage/Detention Field can only enhance their effects with HOs, I think.

Also, Dimension Shift's duration is not enhanceable because attempting to "stack" it just ends up with you wasting the second application as your foe is still intangible. That is the whole reason why enhancements buff it's Mag and not it's duration. It gets a long (for most mezzes), static duration mezz effect and the ability to slot it to affect more powerful foes instead of a static Magnitude and shorter, but enhanceable duration. You're telling players that this aspect needs to change, even though it's there for their benefit.

Trickshooter's Characters | @Trickshooter @Brightside

Whether or not the intangibility magnitude scales with foe level, the immobilize magnitude should not. Further, Dimension Shift should not have an untouchable/only affecting self affect that effects the foe if they are unaffected by the intangbility. If the power is truly not working as intended, I suggest you PM Castle with the details of your testing. As already explained, the devs are unlikely to provide a magnitude increase to match Sonic Cage/Detention Field, or the ability to enhance duration, so don't expect much.

While I am a fan of Sonic Cage/Detention Field, I have not found a reason to take Dimension Shift in 5 years. I can only recall seeing it used once. Your diligence is to be commended, but I do not intend to respec into the power just to test your findings.

Enhancing intangiblity magnitude does nothing but alter what I can affect with the hit box removal and translucent effect. I placed the Kraken (the GM) on a map in the AE and hit it Dimension Shift. He's still quite visible and mobile, but I can dance around him for 30 seconds without fear because I can't affect him and he can't affect me. I just now did the same thing with a Mind/Sonic using Sonic Cage. While the cage hit the Kraken it was still able to attack and injure my character. Just from this example, it seems that something is very, very much wrong with Dimension Shift.

The only reason I suggest the higher magnitude is because the immobilize and visual effect seem to be tied to it, and they need to be there every time that Dimension Shift works. As it is working now, enhancing Dimension Shift only ensures that the translucent effect and removal of the collision detection box work on higher level enemies. It does not prevent them from attacking and harming others because this is happening without regard to the visual effects and immobilize every time Dimension Shift hits even against GM's as illustrated.