Returning player questions.

Welcome back!

Basic IOs have better numbers than SOs at L35+ and they never decay. But other than that you can treat them like SOs (max 3 of a kind in one power).

Bonuses from set IOs are global. So if you slot 4 xyz for +5% recharge that is +5% to all your powers and it is active all the time.

EDIT: If you want more indepth information I'd suggest reading this: http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Inventio...n_Enhancements

Close, but not quite accurate. It's actually 3 levels below the level of the enhancements, not 5.

And welcome back, Malagent!

yeah - the enhancement counts for set bonuses if someone of your combat level could slot it. Exception : Purples and PvP IOs, but that's it.

Close but again not the full story. There are three types of bonus. The SET BONUS itself, a PROC, and a GLOBAL bonus. All function slightly different.

A SET BONUS and a GLOBAL function as long as you are within 3 levels or above the level of the IO even if the power is grayed out. A PROC only functions while the power it is in is active. SET BONUSES you need two or more in the same power. GLOBAL BONUSES you only need the one.

If you have two pieces of the Numina's Convalescense set in the Epic power Physical Perfection you get a SET BONUS of 12% regeneration. Let's say the two pieces are both level 30. If you drop to level 30 the physical perfection power is lost because you took it at level 44 (we assume since that is the earliest it is possible), but you still get the 12% SET BONUS because you are the same level as the two IOs. If you drop to level 26 you lose the 12% because you are more than 3 levels below the level of the IO.

Let's say that they are level 50 and that you took physical perfection at level 44. If you drop to level 46, you still have Physical Perfection, but you lose the 12% SET BONUS because you are 3 levels below the level of the IO.

So far so good. Now, let's pretend that one of them is the numina's convalescense +Regen/+Recovery PROC. This gives you a bonus regeneration and recovery as long as the power is turned on. Even if the the IO is level 50 and you drop to 40, but still have the power active, this Unique PROC will still function. Though you'd lose the SET BONUS as described above. With a PROC all that matters is if the power is active. the level of the IO is irrelevant.

What if, instead of Numina's you had the Luck of the Gambler 7.5% recharge IO slotted into a level 44 power? This is a GLOBAL IO bonus. It looks just like Numina's. However it functions just like a SET BONUS. Let's say you put a level 30 Luck of the Gambler it into Maneuvers which you chose as your level 14 power. If you drop down to level 20 you still have maneuvers available and the Luck of the Gamber IO is in it. However you lose the GLOBAL recharge bonus because you are more than 3 levels below the IO.

This is why some high-level procs are more expensive than the low level ones, but a low level luck of the gambler is more expensive than a high level one. The stealth procs are a perfect example. Go ahead and stick a level 50 stealth proc into sprint. You can still use it at level 1. But don't put that level 50 Luck of the Gambler into your Stalker's Hide and expect to get the bonus when you flashback to the tutorial or run a level 1 AE mission.

It all gets very messy. Hell, I bet I made at least one mistake in there.

Close, but still not complete.

SCNR

You forgot to mention Purple Sets. Purple IO sets are very rare IOs that follow their own rules. The Set Bonuses of Purple Sets never shut off due to exemplaring more than three levels lower than the level of the IOs (which are level 50).

Correct, and you can slot a normal level 50 set IO when you are level 47, but you can't slot a Purple until you are 50.

And to make things even more confusing, while the set bonuses of Purples never turn off the enhancement value of the set is subject to being reduced by exemplaring, just like any other. So if you have a 98% damage bonus at level 50 and you exemplar down to 24, it would only be a 32% bonus. Even for a purple set.

Mids' Hero Designer