Punktastik guide to SB (sarcasm inherent)

SB is a much debated power. Awesome? Yes. A must have for a kin? Yes. But the much debated question: Are you a jerk for not using it? Let's delve in

Lowbies: Most lowbies have end issues. Most lowbies have recharge issues. If you find yourself on a low level team, yes, SB as much as you can, as steadily as you can. People will laud you. There will be much rejoicing.

Crappy high level teams: The end is less of an issue, but still, SB alot. Same rules apply.

Decent plow teams: I would say there's no reason not to. You're all together, it's easy to select one team member after another and do a round of SB's. If the toons aren't so tricked out that their speeding and cannonballing around, chances are they can use a bit more recharge. I'd say gaps in SB are easily acceptable, but still a good policy to keep up the buffs

Speedball: Here's where my rant starts. If you're on a superspeed, 30 minute ITF, and everyone is all over the map, chances are any one person won't be SB'd for more than 2-4 minutes of the whole mission. Once the team gathers up, like on the EB mob, or the computer, or at the last mission, SB becomes maintainable. But after someone made an asinine comment about me not doing my job because they hadn't gotten SB for the entire sybil mission, I decided not to touch my SB button at all. Turns out, a lack of SB does not cause fails. In fact, it doesn't even affect you much at all. A bunch of tricked out toons getting FS/SP pulled it off in 31 minutes without SB. Why? Because once you finish a toon and get em to the point where they can solo reliably on task forces, you don't have much in the way of end problems or a lack of recharge, unless you suck at building a toon.
So here's my strategy on these teams. I use my primary powers and throw out a bunch of fireballs and FS, doing damage and buffing damage all over. Screw SB, because you can't keep it up when everyone is scattered, and when everyone is soloing they clearly don't really need it. And then when the team is gathered, I'll throw one out to each member. And when someone says, "SB please," I'll go ahead and give em some extra, because what that says to me is, "Hey, I could use a bit more recharge to hit perma PA/Perma Dom/(insert other useful power here), not "I can solo cysts, but you're ruining this TF because my [Midnight Grasp] isn't charging fast enough, do your job." If a kin doesn't have [Increase Density], it doesn't necessarily mean they're a noob, they might have just built their kin for attack and needed the powerslot. Take that into account and let someone play THEIR toon how they want, especially if it's a firekin that's keeping themselves at damage cap and doing massive damage to entire mobs and is built for a little more attack then support. Enjoy the fact that you've got a 200% damage modifier and shut your mouth.

I really wish I had increase density so I could spam it on people who cry too much because they didn't build enough endurance reduction or recharge into their speed run toon. In fact, I may just find room for it.

man, butthurt much?

<---- Shrugs off most anything. Just not this time.

I actually like when someone asks. Alot of the time I'll specify at the beginning that they can ask (politely) for SB if it wears off.
I once brought up the fact that (just imagine for a second that it is real) in a real team fight, communication is one of the most important factors in a victory. I was told that I'm stupid, and it's up to the buffer to take care of all his own buffing or he sucks at it. Granted, some people are better than others at just knowing where their powers should be placed, but for others who aren't as good at playing buffers, (I will admittedly put myself in this group, but ya know what, deal with it, I'll play what I enjoy playing with and get better by doing so) there's nothing wrong with the team communicating and throwing out a reminder that their SB/Fort/AB is gone.
My scrapper has alot of recharge. He has a three attack chain, and is soft capped. If I really want to, I can kick back and watch a movie, and then <next target> <autofollow> <1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3> until dead. <next target> <autofollow> etc etc, until mob is dead. I don't even have to watch the screen. For a toon as incredibly low maintenance as that, ya know what? I can look at my own buffs, and give a friendly reminder to the defender that my buff is gone. And I won't feel the least bit like I'm inconvenienced by the fact that I made the high-maintenance support toon's life a little easier.
Look up "team" in the dictionary. I'm sure there's gonna be some form of the word "cooperation" in the definition.

Just to clarify, most "real" damage dealing characters make a laughing stock of the Fire/Kin character once they are hit with the +Recharge and +Damage he or she provides. A lot of Fire/Kins never come to understand this and try to act like the superstar they are on a solo farm. I can see why, on a team that's speedrunning so fast that its hard to keep people in Range, Speed Boost might drop. But in most general situations the teamed Fire/Kin's priorities should be support first and damage second--in particular keeping recharge and damage in top form on the people who actually specialize in high damage. +300% or more damage means a LOT more on a character with base damage values higher than the Controller's.

My policy tends to be, if you want to run off and solo the map, you don't get buffs, simply because I've died all too often trying to buff those people while they run around, not caring what agros anyone that attempts to help them. If you're with the team, and fight as a team, I'll do my best to buff you. And if the solo'er happens to be with the team, I might toss them something, but again I'm not going to try to follow them to offer any help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BackAlleyBrawler That...was a Herocon 09 exclusive easter egg. The powerset will not have doves associated with it. Namely because you guys would want to color tint the damn doves, or make them hawks/ravens/flying sharks/etc and that's just a headache I do...not...want...to deal with.

SB is an awesome team buff. SB is a pain to have to keep applying. However, it I want the team to do better, I signed up for the "pain" when I made a Kinetics character and joined a team.

I set up my SB binds on the keypad and run down the list whenever there is a break in the action. If somebody ran off when I happen to be able to apply the buffs, oh well -- I'm not going to chase them down except in rare circumstances. I'm a controller first and a buffer second, but buffing is an important part of the job.

I do my best, but have no problem being reminded as I don't play a Kin all that often. I only get bothered by somebody obnoxious. I have IR, but don't bother with it most of the time, unless I see a need. I don't make "rules" unless somebody is getting out of line. I do my best to skip anyone who has asked for no SB, but no promises.

And if they don't like the way I play my Kin, they can kick me . . . or I'll just leave. I'll find something else to do. And that's pretty much what I expect from others.

I dont even bother with it being in my build on my controllers anymore since it doesnt work on pets anymore for the recharge portion. When I did have it I forced it on everyone whether you want it or not. Not wanting to accept speed boost is the equivalent of you intentionally wanting to slow down xp for the rest of the team.

When I'm running one of my Kins I try and include Speed Boost in the queue as needed, though I'm not always perfect. This includes my Fire/Kin trying to spam it as often as "needed". I also tend to stay with the "pack" in those toons.

What does drive me nuts;

The instant they see the SB icon start to blink it's "SB plz!" Like they're addicted to it.

When you've just done a round of speed boost and someone who's not paying attention calls for SB plz! (Uhm, dude, you've already been SB'd).

A call for SB plz! from someone who's not with the group. (If you're nowhere near the main team, I'm not hunting your **** down!)

When there's more then one Kin on the team and they never SB me.

When I run my 50 kin/sonic on a team it goes like this:

1: Tank runs in
2: I run in and-
a:Transfusion (if needed)
b:Fulcrum Shift
c:Power Siphon (maybe)
d:Transference
e:back up and Howl (unless unneeded)
f:Speed Boost down the list (if it's time)

If you aren't in range at that point then where were you for Fulcrum Shift and Transference? Did you leave that fast, really?

If you miss SB you will wait until next time unless there's a really good reason.

I did this once with an alt build on mine for people who compalin about not getting SB.

1. 3 slot that bad boy with run speed and make sure to use it in cavern maps
2. ?
3. laugh when they complain
4. profit!