Speed Boost? Yes/No

Well the only times the run speed will be really noticeable with Speed Boost is if you're already using some other run speed power or Speed Boost has been slotted with run speed. If I don't have any run speed powers on, SB doesn't make me go too much faster. Then again I'm excellent at controlling my character at the speed cap, that's one of the reasons I enjoy playing my Kin so much, she's so fast.

IMO, in a team situation, SB is a must have power, but in no way shape or form it will gimp your build if you don't have it.

Just an FYI,
Speed Boost 3 slotted with EndMod IO's at level 50 will give a targetted player:
99.5% (1.66 End/sec) Recovery
In addition to the Speed, Recharge and Resistance to Debuffs on them.
According to the current Mids (Version 1.7 - 10/05/10)

For reference,
Radiations Accelerate Metabolism 3 slotted gives:
57.9% (1 End/sec) Recovery
In addition to the 20% DMG Buff, Debuff Resistance and Status Resistances.
According to the current Mids (Version 1.7 - 10/05/10)

I am glad I only solo. And even then I still take sb.

Lots of people have said they would consider skipping SB to be a silly idea, but shrug and play with the character anyway. Lots of people have said they'd play with the character, just make a mental note to not team with them again. Lots of other arguments in between as well.

So in the end, try to represent everything in black and white, act like you're a victim, have fun making it sound like everyone who's pro-SB is a brainless elitist. It doesn't really matter, because nobody's buying any of it ; and, yes, doing the above makes you the textbook definition of a troll.

When you group you should have speed boost imo. I most likely would group with you once, but then honestly think you were a selfish player and not group with you again. The game is about working with your group and helping them. Yes, I know a kin has other stuff to help, but if people don't like to buff then don't play buffing sets.

I also think all buffs should be one click and buff the entire group and not expire until that buffer leaves the team. It is ridiculous that buffs need to be constantly reapplied every few minutes. I quit my demons/thermal because I could not even handle to buff my own pets constantly. They need to do something to make buffing easier for people, but until they do then people need to just deal with it the way it is or quit playing those sets.

This reminds me of the tanker I grouped with for a task force and he did not have "Roots" and we all asked why he did not take it and he said it slowed him down to much and he was not going to take "Roots" or "Granite armor". It is needless to say he was mezzed or dead most of the task force and eventually quit our team. In the end we all play our toons the way we want and that is the way it should be, but you should still consider your group and expect them to be upset.

OP: No need to reduce this to a yes/no question. You've got options.

1) Take SB and spam it like a good little buffbot.
2) Take SB but don't use it.
3) Drop SB and focus on being a good Dark blaster.
4) Take SB on your second build for special teaming situations (like granite brutes).

Of these, the only choice that annoys me is 2. If you don't want to use Speed Boost, fine, so long as you're contributing to the team effort in your own way. I'm a firm believer that letting people do their own thing encourages them to do a damn good job at doing that one thing. Drop SB and take and slot Dark Pit instead, making minions insta-stunned each and every spawn? Great! Drop SB and take Vengeance on auto instead, making the team invincible as soon as any one team member bites it? Great! Drop SB and take Repel instead, shoving loose mobs back into your tentacle zone? Great!

Option 5. Take SB and use is between spawns, or when a blast isn't up and have zero issues keeping an entire team buffed at no cost to your own personal damage output.

The great thing about sb (and most other proactive buffs) is that it isn't a zero sum game. You don't have to use SB at the cost of using an attack or in-combat power. Ever.

That's why any good player will tell you that in a team you don't have to use SB, in the same way that you don't have to use anything and the team will likely still complete the task. If you do choose to use it you can do so in a way that won't negatively impact your personal damage output and will positively impact every other member on the team.

You don't have to take and use SB, but as a kin if you use the power properly there is absolutely nothing you can do with your time that contributes more to the team. You can still be a good player and a good team player without the power, but you are going to have a deficit to overcome. And quite frankly you are going to have to be a really really good player to bring more to the team w/o SB than a crappy player that just spams SB and nothing else. It may suck that that is the way it is, but that's just how game mechanics work.

Another "option" I've heard (though I don't know if anyone has the guts to actually do it)...

Slot SB for runspeed. So teammates who demand it better really, really want it bad.

Just my 2 inf...

My kin's took it to slot with endmod.
I tend to only use it characters that seem to be eating endurance,
As it helps them avoid toggle drops from ooe situations.

Why is people just repeating what other people have said....-.-

My first CoH love was a Kinetics Defender back in US beta. Every time I attempt to revive the love affair though, it comes to an abrupt end a few levels after procuring Speed Boost. I imagine spending the rest of my career as a buffbot and that's usually enough to stop playing until I forget the reasons why and start up another one. Speed Boost is awesome. It's overpowered. As a Kinetics Defender, you generally serve your team a lot better by acting as a buffbot, than to blast.

I really wish the devs would change how this power works. A simple "fix" would be to make it a PBAoE with longer recharge. The recharge and run/fly boost should be halved, but recovery kept at present levels. Perhaps adding a similar penalty in recharge and run/fly speed for the caster. Another "fix" would be to turn it into something resembling an AoE Siphon Power; an AoE slow/-recharge debuff (moderate), with a buff for allies centered around the caster. This would be more useful for Defenders than for Controllers, which would do a little to restore balance (Kinetics is a much superior set on Controllers).

Yeah, I know I'm dreaming.

Wry smile...well...if you team, yes, take it because to a lot of people faster is better.

However, don't give SB to to the team's clutz. Said clutz will smash into walls slowing the team down while they wait for him/her to catch up...true story

Lisa-Biggest clutz of all