Been looking over the Alpha lists more and having a bit of indecision about what alphas to plan out (yes, I know you can switch them out. in the long run, might have multiples on each character once they have enough spare shards and crap for it, but in the short run, going to go for one each).
Trying to really decide which character will get which one. The thing is, most of the upgraded alphas have either totally useless powers or ones that only few characters can use and even then, only on a few powers.
So the question is, ignore the secondary power and go for the prime that you could use most, or do your best at picking an alpha that can use both portions of the uncommon leveled alpha?
Chief Hamster of the Fist of Justice / Shadows of Victory
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I saw that this morning. It looks like the issue was fixed in a recent patch, but we may not be getting I19 today. |
Originally Posted by VoodooCompany
I thought you mentioned respeccing, but hopefully you've kept up with the patch note discussions regarding Khelds and respecs (and from how I'm reading it, just overall issues with Khelds and powers overall). I was thinking of you.
Don't think there is an issue with incarnate slots however. |
Agua Man lvl 48 Water/Electric Blaster
"To die hating NCSoft for shutting down City of Heroes, that was Freedom."
I will probably alpha slot my scrapper first. My BS/Shield scrapper (Apparitioness) to me is my most well-rounded toon. She never runs out of end, she can tank pretty much anything with a few buffs and she hits as hard as a blaster.
The character of mine that probably needs it the most is my fire/storm controller (Enchantress). From what I understand there's a recovery buff and while this toon is potent on AoE and pet damage, she is an end hog thanks to her powers and high recharge.
Well, going to post a question, just for discussion's sake. I was chatting with a friend last night and got me thinking on why I quit DAoC. In short, it became a chore when Trials of Atlantis came out. Get those master levels became a huge deal. It practically ended my usefulness for RvR. I use to be able to log on and within minutes be out fighting punk Mids or LOLAlbs.
But then ToA came out and I couldn't last the opening seconds any group fight. I tried to get into the raids for the master levels, but RL was too busy for me.
And that is how I am seeing Incarnates. The opening arc will already be a pain to a few toons not set up to solo EB/AVs. Then getting the shards to craft to fill the slot. I am dreading to see what the next 9 slots will be. And if I don't, then those toons can't jump into new TFs and other goodies the devs are planning.
Eh, anyhow, just starting to look more chore like to me. The journey to 50 is what the game is about, but with hints of End Game coming, the journey doesn't look as fun any more.
Enough of me rambling. Got to get happy! 
Penny; kind of agree on some of your points. Mainly the problem requiring alpha slots to do the new task forces. At least it doesn't look like it's too hard to get a character outfitted w/ the basic alpha, though (but to get all characters slotted, ugh). At least by the time more alpha slots come out, most peoples favorite 50's will have a backlog of shards saved up.
As for the o-zone? Eh. Lot of arcs have eb/av's. Though I admit they aren't are "required" this one.
Chief Hamster of the Fist of Justice / Shadows of Victory
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Quote:
...... I see Penny in a whole new light |
Originally Posted by PennyPA
lots of acroynms and raid talk
And that is how I am seeing Incarnates. The opening arc will already be a pain to a few toons not set up to solo EB/AVs. Then getting the shards to craft to fill the slot. I am dreading to see what the next 9 slots will be. And if I don't, then those toons can't jump into new TFs and other goodies the devs are planning. Eh, anyhow, just starting to look more chore like to me. The journey to 50 is what the game is about, but with hints of End Game coming, the journey doesn't look as fun any more. Enough of me rambling. Got to get happy! |
I kind of know what she is talking about, but I never would have imagined this from her. Kind of mentioned it before, but I think starting with the alignment merits, and now Incarnate slots, they are focusing heavily on the end-game from now until X issue with the last of the new slots. I know it's steered me from creating alts; I've played 1 non-50 character to 50 since I18 came out with any amount of real time on it and have only dabbled in Preatoria. With I19, it'll force me to focus on a very select few 50s and probably no new alts whatsoever, with only a minor dabbling on baby characters I started and didn't do anything with.
I can't say that's good or bad, but I imagine if you're heavy into making "new stuff", it'll probably put a damper on it and make the whole ordeal arduous/must-be-complete instead of something to look forward to.
I just hope there are NO MORE #!@$@#$!%@#$%@# exploration badges after this.
I've already forgotten about most of you
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PENNY! |
Originally Posted by PennyPA
Eh, anyhow, just starting to look more chore like to me. The journey to 50 is what the game is about, but with hints of End Game coming, the journey doesn't look as fun any more.
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Where were you when I needed you in the Cosmic Power thread?!
Flux, get this woman luxury accommodations in Doomopolis immediately!
Welcome to the club!
Agua Man lvl 48 Water/Electric Blaster
"To die hating NCSoft for shutting down City of Heroes, that was Freedom."
Thoughts:
The main portions of the alphas are endurance (w/ range and resistance), damage (w/ immob and def debuff), accuracy (with hold and def buff), and recharge (with immob and heal). The problem is that most characters at 50, once IO'ed, generally are maxed out on accuracy and good on endurance. On top of that, few characters can use the secondary part, especially on the damage alphas.
So the question is; take your initial alpha with eyes on the upgraded version? Ignore the secondary portions and choose the base version you need most? Or try to choose one that you can on average use both portions?
Initial thoughts
inv/mace tanker: damage/doesn't matter
en/en blaster: damage/doesn't matter
fire/fire blaster: damage/doesn't matter
en/en blaster: damage/doesn't matter
pure human peacebringer: damage/def debuff
ma/regen scrapper: damage/doesn't matter
katana/inv scrapper: damage/doesn't matter
db/sr scrapper: damage/doesn't matter
bs/wp scrapper: damage/doesn't matter
claws/wp scrapper: damage/doesn't matter
storm/elec defender: end reduc/resistance
dark/dark defender: end reduc/resistance
fire/rad controller: end reduc/range
earth/ice controller: end reduc/resistance
grav/rad controller: end reduc/range
ill/ff controller: recharge/disorient
ice/ice blaster: damage/doesn't matter
grav/psi dominator: recharge/disorient
rad/rad corruptor: damage/def debuff
thermal/fire corruptor: end reduc/resistance
night widow: end reduc/resistance
storm/elec corruptor: end reduc/resistance
elec/elec brute: end reduc/resistance
axe/shield brute: end reduc/resistance
ss/elec brute: end reduc/resistance
Chief Hamster of the Fist of Justice / Shadows of Victory
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Rock, rock on Hamster.
Quote:
Penny is always welcome in Doomopolis and I have just the place for her.|
Originally Posted by Mental_Giant
PENNY!
Where were you when I needed you in the Cosmic Power thread?! Flux, get this woman luxury accommodations in Doomopolis immediately! Welcome to the club! |
Oh, yeah! (cues up Barry White on the stereo)
Mwahahaha!
As I have had other things occupying my time, I haven't kept up on all the information. Is it not possible to team up to open the Alpha slot? Or is that just an example people are using?
Also, as others have noted, this whole process seems fairly time intensive. Unlock the alpha, do X number of tfs/stuff to gather up garbage, craft garbage, then do uber tf. I have 33 (I think
) 50's and a couple more in the 40's I'm currently working on. I suspect it'll take me 1.5-2 weeks a toon to get to the point of being able to do the uber tf. I dunno how well that's gonna work out.Plus there is the whole deal of having to respec every toon....
Hell, I haven't even run alignment/morality missions on half of my toons.
Eh. I imagine that most of you, as did I, put more end-game content was desirable when you filled out that questionnaire way back in the day. I guess this comes in under, "Be careful what you wish for..".
Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.
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heh just now saw your post in general; I don't think I've been there more than twice in the past 2 months.|
Originally Posted by Mental_Giant
I saw that this morning. It looks like the issue was fixed in a recent patch, but we may not be getting I19 today.
|
You were on top of things. But I was thinking of you
I've already forgotten about most of you
Too many quotes to reply too.
Anyhow, not so much doom for the game, but just that the game is changing and not sure I can stay on the ride if it does. I will be like Voo (lol! words I did not think I would type today (or ever )) and not really starting any new projects. I will try to focus on a few toons to get the alpha slots. But I am going to miss the days of just doing what I feel like doing that evening. And in that I can't see the future slots being any easier to get (mobs/missions will be tougher). The arc for the alpha slot wasn't too bad, but i can't see that staying the same for later ones.
Gah, I am just at a lost of words for now trying to describe this. Doesn't feel good is all for me.
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Originally Posted by PennyPA
I will be like Voo
blah blah blah |
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Originally Posted by PennyPA
Gah, I am just at a lost of words for now trying to describe this. Doesn't feel good is all for me.
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I've already forgotten about most of you
I'll be doing my storm/dark defender and give him some more endurance or def. ^_^ That or i'll do my sonic/rad corr.
-X2-
@x2crunner and @x2crunner2
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There were fears from the start of IO's that CoH would become too loot central. There's also a big problem that Incarnate / alpha slots are creating, however. It's making a second player base.|
Originally Posted by _Flux_
Eh. I imagine that most of you, as did I, put more end-game content was desirable when you filled out that questionnaire way back in the day. I guess this comes in under, "Be careful what you wish for..".
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As I long have maintained, the devs biggest mistake was the creation of a second/separated player base with CoV. I18 did a lot to eliminate that but then added the barrier of gold side. Now with I19, we have another barrier to teaming being built; incarnates vs. everyone else.
__________________
Currently listening to Crowded House's Intriguer
Chief Hamster of the Fist of Justice / Shadows of Victory
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Rock, rock on Hamster.
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|
Originally Posted by Satanic_Hamster
There were fears from the start of IO's that CoH would become too loot central. There's also a big problem that Incarnate / alpha slots are creating, however. It's making a second player base.
As I long have maintained, the devs biggest mistake was the creation of a second/separated player base with CoV. I18 did a lot to eliminate that but then added the barrier of gold side. Now with I19, we have another barrier to teaming being built; incarnates vs. everyone else. |
Eh. There are certain aspects of the game that are already loot central.
As far as incarnates vs everyone else, I'm not sure how that's going to play out in normal PvE. I can see from what has been said, that the new SF/TF is definitely an "incarnate only" club. It reminds me of how the LRSF used to be. The villains I had at 50 were not part of the "approved list" for running that SF, so for more than 2 years after it debuted I never ran it.
Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.
And you know... I think they're making a mistake tying the individual alpha salvage to particular task forces. It encourages too much that people will just be running those particular task forces and ignoring the rest.
At the very least, as new alpha crap comes out, they'll time them to the Shard tf's... :0
_________________
Currently listening to Neil Finn's 7 Worlds Collide - Live At The St. James
Chief Hamster of the Fist of Justice / Shadows of Victory
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Rock, rock on Hamster.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Satanic_Hamster
As I long have maintained, the devs biggest mistake was the creation of a second/separated player base with CoV. I18 did a lot to eliminate that but then added the barrier of gold side. Now with I19, we have another barrier to teaming being built; incarnates vs. everyone else.
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Oh for frell's sake, people. It's two task forces that prefer an Alpha enhancement (enh in the alpha slot), not 7 new whole ZONES.
You have to run one story arc. Set it to -1/1 No AVs and bring some shivies if you're that concerned. Or team up. Not like we've never seen folks ask for assistance taking out an EB/AV in a story arc before.
The task force doesn't require the alpha slot enh. yes, you will be nerfed heavily, but I just bet you within a month or 3 there will be a team of folks that run the newer TFs without an Alpha enhancement and do just fine.
As for slotting the Alpha Slot, won't take that long. 3, maybe 4 nights? Run a LGTF, ITF, States, LRSF or buy a component with vanguard merits from the weekly ship raid.
As for the move to more of a 'grind' or 'hardcore' end game... really? We're going to base these Doom(tm) chants based on two task forces? We have NO idea what the future issues will bring. For all we know, i20 will have not only the rest of Alpha and the start of the 2nd slot, but also some other content that does not require/prefer the alpha slot. Until we do know, any chants of doom and whatnot are pointless and unneeded.
As for hamster's point about which alpha to take itself, it depends on how you slot. If you were going, for example, with a S/L def cap build, you may use some kinetic combats. Nice, decent, good S/L at 4 slots. Depending on the rest of your build, you may not have a 5th slot available for a damage IO, so this allows you to take the damage Alpha Enh and round out your attacks. Furthermore, considering an increasing percentage ignores ED as you go from common to very rare, even if your powers themselves are pushing the ED boundaries in terms of End, Rech, Acc, or Dam, even more that ignores ED can only HELP you. Easier to reach perma-hasten, more damage you can pound out, make damn sure you hit stuff (or you could switch Set IO pieces since you don't need that Acc piece as much), or, thinking for a Dark Armor scrapper... actually have endurance for once.
Long rant, point is: enough with the blasted doom. Time for that later.
@Death Conqueror
-Goal for 2011: Survive, stay alive, and continue to thrive.
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Hmm. I suspect the Devs are tying certain pieces of incarnate salvage to certain tasks because they fear the most merciless part of the game almost as much as we do: The RNG. For salvage that can't be traded or bought and will be that sought after, I know I don't want to "hope" for a good salvage drop. |
Originally Posted by Satanic_Hamster
And you know... I think they're making a mistake tying the individual alpha salvage to particular task forces. It encourages too much that people will just be running those particular task forces and ignoring the rest.
At the very least, as new alpha crap comes out, they'll time them to the |
And DC- I don't know what you look like but I've told the snipers of Doomopolis to just aim for the person wearing the most **cough** interesting **cough** costume.
Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.
My Badger, Operative Tessa, will be first in line to try all the new content since she's been on test running through it already. Many, many explorations badges and new accolades to acquire in Praetoria, Paragon City and the Rogue Isles. Then off to run multiple ITFs and LGTFs until she has her uncommon. during down times, or when i simply can't run another back to back to back TF I will revisit Praetoria and grab all the defeat badges and the ones for the zone events and then.. back to Day jobbing until the Winter Event and the next batch of badges she doesn't have ...... Y E T :-D
�We�re always the good guys. In D&D, we�re lawful good. In City of Heroes we�re the heroes. In Grand Theft Auto we pay the prostitutes promptly and never hit them with a bat.� � Leonard
�Those women are prostitutes? You said they were raising money for stem cell research!� � Sheldon
DC, for me, SHamster is closest to what I am thinking. I liked the flexibility in this game and starting to see change. I didn't need to be all decked out in purples or require stone tanks for every TF and so forth. Incarnated without any doubt will change that. Two TFs for now, but that is one slot so far. Nine more to go. I'll run the new arc and some TFs as time permits, but I only see me getting a couple of toons done by the holidays.
Anyhow, I liked that I could jump on any toon and just play to relax. Now that won't happen anymore.
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I guess I just don't see this....unless people REALLY feel like they HAVE to roid-out ALL their 50s? On top of respeccing every character they have?*|
Originally Posted by PennyPA
DC, for me, SHamster is closest to what I am thinking. I liked the flexibility in this game and starting to see change. I didn't need to be all decked out in purples or require stone tanks for every TF and so forth. Incarnated without any doubt will change that. Two TFs for now, but that is one slot so far. Nine more to go. I'll run the new arc and some TFs as time permits, but I only see me getting a couple of toons done by the holidays.
Anyhow, I liked that I could jump on any toon and just play to relax. Now that won't happen anymore. |
It may take a *little* longer to get shards doing the *regular* stuff that is still there, but it is doable (at least for I19, anything after this is anybody's guess). So if you feel like you have to roid-up everything you got, you really don't have to be pigeon-holed into just running the end-game TFs. Yes, it'd be faster, but it's not outside the realm of casual play.
And if you aren't interested in Incarnates and do want to still make new alts like there is no tomorrow, nothing has changed there.
And on top of all of that, you can still join a team doing the new TFs without doing the alpha slot; personally, a team shouldn't have more than 1 on the team like this, but with team buffs going and smart play, it really wouldn't be that much of a hindrance.
*Respecs suck, yes. But just because fitness went inherent (and hasten can't be far behind
), does not mean you have to respec every character you have. Personally, a lot of my characters are NOT going to be able to pick up any useful power (up to 3! My mains are already at the max of a lot of bonus stats even) to them if I go this route, and that's from the characters I still play actively. Time/effort versus payout is my main motivation.I might be alone in thinking I wish they had started this path a long time ago. I would have rather focused on select few characters with some actual point to running them at their peak then getting bored and waiting, making random alts that I can't possibly have time to play with any significance. /2 cents
I've already forgotten about most of you
Quote:
Look at it this way: if everyone is busy Alphaing out their 50s and running the new TFs, who's going to be left to team with in the sub-50 game? Will groups like Isolators have a place in the New World Order? Attica Attica!!
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Originally Posted by VoodooCompany
And if you aren't interested in Incarnates and do want to still make new alts like there is no tomorrow, nothing has changed there.
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Agua Man lvl 48 Water/Electric Blaster
"To die hating NCSoft for shutting down City of Heroes, that was Freedom."
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Originally Posted by Mental_Giant
Look at it this way: if everyone is busy Alphaing out their 50s and running the new TFs, who's going to be left to team with in the sub-50 game? Will groups like Isolators have a place in the New World Order? Attica Attica!!
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...it takes 4 hours to get your first tier two Alpha enhancement.
...you can't repeat the same TF for Incarnate components for 18 hours.
Yeah, I can see low levels getting under played...for a week. Then things will balance out...as they always do after new content.
SI Radio has many DJs and listeners whom hold City of Heroes close to their hearts. We will be supporting many efforts to keep CoH ALIVE!!
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Not going to speak for anyone else but me......but so what? It's not really my playstyle, hence the "I don't see a problem". I don't see this as a fundamental change to the way the game is played (ie IOs, ED, Troller changes, etc). At least not with I19. Almost everyone is going to be busy with the new shinies for some X amount of time, just like any other issue.|
Originally Posted by Mental_Giant
Look at it this way: if everyone is busy Alphaing out their 50s and running the new TFs, who's going to be left to team with in the sub-50 game? Will groups like Isolators have a place in the New World Order? Attica Attica!!
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But for a group like Isolators, who go the distance together, from the beginning.......I don't think it'll effect it at all?
I've already forgotten about most of you
.
Don't think there is an issue with incarnate slots however.
I've already forgotten about most of you