Has this been addressed?

I've been searching, but having no luck. This is something that affects all ATs, though mostly the Controllers...

Why are mobs able to get off one shot as they're being held?

Is that how they now define "working as intended"?

What I mean: I can be completely invisible on my Fire/Storm Controller, hit Flashfire to disorient a group at range, but before the status effect hits, each enemy gets one free ranged hit on me.

I'm sure this has to have been addressed before. Help?

You become visible when you START casting Flashfire, not when the power actually hits the enemies.

Most powers (even ours) with an animation will take effect even if the caster dies/gets held before the animation completes.

What you are seeing is that in the split second you become visible due to executing an offensive power, the mobs are able to target and begin execution of a return attack....even if you can't perceive it on your client.

So the two combined means they seem to get a free attack off.

But, that's different than it used to be, isn't it?

I remember being able to psuedo-tank for a team when an AoE control was up, but now it seems I can die as soon as I hit the power in the one returning salvo.

If you're far enough away or use smoke to reduce your targets visibility range you can get Flashfire off fine. My Fire/Storm could open with Flashfire without reprecussions, as can my Fire/FF if I use Smoke first.

In short, in the time between when you fire an attack/mez and the effect actually takes effect, which is essentially the casting time of the power, the foe is allowed to fire back at you. This can result in a foe which has already been calculated as dead, due to damage taken, hitting you.

Since you can do exactly the same thing to them in return, I wouldn't exactly call it unfair. We just don't have the reaction time of a computer, and can't normally react to an unexpected attack within the duration of a typical cast time. There are plenty of times, though, where you will get an attack off just before you are mezzed or killed, and I'm sure no one would want to give that up.

I suspect the reason that you felt you could manage this in the past is that you were at a lower level. Either the foes had a lower chance of hitting you, and thus the counterfire usually missed, or the hit did such little damage that you disregarded it's effect. The game has always worked this way, since the day it was released, and in fact all MMOs that base their results on "to hit rolls" work this way.

I believe if a power misses an enemy, the enemy (and soon the whole spawn) becomes instantly aware of you. It's particularly noticeable with Flashfire because of its slow-ish cast time but happens with all powers that notify enemies. If the enemy begins to animate a retaliatory strike prior to the stun effect being applied, the stun does not stop it; the enemy will finish its attack animation and assume the "stunned" pose immediately after.

I guess it's just my perception that has changed. Bummer.

Thanks.

I kinda like it when they get off a parting shot. Reminds me of one of my favorite "Deep Thoughts":

"I bet for an Indian, shooting an old fat pioneer woman in the back with an arrow, and she fires her shotgun into the ground as she falls over, is like the top thing you can do. —Jack Handey"

I don't know if this works for multiple enemies, but I know that if you're behind a foe and hit him with a single target hold, if you get him, he can't shoot back. I think; there may be exceptions...