Winter event up on test.

I don't see the mission's current level of challenge to melee characters as a problem for at least a few reasons. The first is the one I alluded to earlier, and it ties directly to human nature: this mission could be the best thing since sliced bread adorned with my mom's homemade peach preserves (those are darn good preserves, believe me you), and most people wouldn't run it more than a handful of times over the event's course. That doesn't necessarily have to do with the mission's reward--or lack thereof--either. People just get tired of things pretty quickly.

But on the topic of rewards, there's my second reason I view any challenge disparity as a non-issue: the only thing gated behind this mission that can't be had any other way is a badge. As has been pointed out time and time again, badges aren't exactly high-value rewards. They may be highly sought after by some, but those same some will probably just throw together a team if it's needed.

The third reason I'm not at all worried about the [Crystallized] debuff is one that others have alluded to for me. This mission, the Vanguard Sword, Battle Maiden...the developers are looking at turning up the challenge on melee characters. That's probably for good reason: melee characters--except maybe Stalkers--and Masterminds had a reputation (deserved or not) for steamrolling missions before IOs were even added to the game. Maybe it's time we shared in the pain of our lower-HP, non-mez-protected friends.

It's all a conspiracy! No one wants this game to be fun! Raaaagh!


Honestly, I haven't run it yet. Probably will a couple times when it goes live. Looking forward to new stuff, variety's always nice, and offering a challenge is always good for those that want a challenge. Not like this is the only content we're forced to run. Just an optional mission that rewards one little badge. Kinda like in other games where an optional boss is tossed in that's super tough just for the sake of providing challenge to those that want it. No biggie.

Just tried this out myself on my Katana/SR Scrapper.

The Tuatha Hordes were a nice touch, but they barely made it past two groups of snowmen before they'd been chewed up and spat out. If you could reliably send them after the boss, they might provide good fodder, but their assigned routes don't seem to go anywhere near her if they DO get past the snowmen.

She definitely hits like a Mac Truck, and that aura of hers chewed through my defense AND my defense debuffs as though they weren't even there. I popped Elude, though, and she couldn't touch me. The debuffs couldn't get past -40% defense, which still left me at a good 70% - 80% defense to everything.

Without the tier 9, or a stack of purples, this would be all but impossble for a meleer, while with either of the above, it seemed kind of underwhelming. I have to wonder if this is the whole event, it seems to me that there should be more.

Still, with the Snappy mission available as well, it is a pretty decent event. I'm HOPING there's more since I don't think we've seen a formal announcement on this yet, but I won't be terribly broken up if not.

Played it with a SS/Inv brute. Didn't see what the fuss was about; I popped Unstoppable and a luck (just in case) and while I had to burn Dull Pain and a few green inspirations, nothing I consider unreasonable for an elite boss fight.

Mostly, I just wanted to know if Lady Winter's model means we might actually get the Sybil robes some day, and why can't *I* make a character that tall, huh huh?

Just redid this with my same MA/Regen scrapper but this time IO'ed out quite alot. Full sets everywhere though no purples. melee def at around 37%+recharge of +55 and a winters res vs slow. With this setup I was able to take her down solo without dying. I did have to use every power I had and one of my heals 2x.

The range was nice in that she did miss almost all of her sword attacks. The aoe slow still hit when she did the rain thing but the +55 helped mitigate that to only -80% or so on the second application of it.

Very tough fight for melees without a fair bit of defense.

My level 50 Dark/Dark Defender had no problems with Lady Winter going toe-to-toe with her (that's Melee range).

I hit the Defense Accolade and used three defense inspirations later on. I didn't even use any other insps than that, not even the usual 6 reds to do uber damage. I eventually whitled her down (D3s don't have big damage like a Melee-er does).

I found her easier than Snaptooth, for whom I always stay out of melee range if I want to live.

IMO, she doesn't need to be nerfed based on a level 50 fight. I'll try lower level toons, tho...

Tested this event twice.

First time I left I set the Tuatha to running around helping me clear out the winterlings. A few of them survived the assault, then I left them to take down Lady Winter. After a few inspirations and Demonic, I took her down without much trouble.

2nd time I cleared out the Winterlings without the help of the Tuatha, then set them to running around. I taunted Lady Winter into the Tuatha, and they killed her almost without any of my help, I just had to run in and perform the killing blow. No inspiration or temp power use.

A non-solo toon like a Defender or Controller could essentially use the Tuatha as their party, keeping them alive through clearing out the map and fighting Lady Winter.

The point here seems to be strategy rather than running in blindly.

Really wanted to see snow in paragon city this year. sigh...

Just wiped the floor with the ice lady using my Mind/Kin. Borr-iiing!

Not a big surprise since they seem to be intent on screwing over defense based characters nowdays with most of the new npcs having accuracy/to hit bonuses or extreme debuffs (don't even get me started on the imbalanced Rularuu eyeballs). Its even more punishing on a super reflexes character when your only type of mitigation is not getting hit.... No +hit points, no self heals, no resistance.

Always thought it to be stupid that SR would be punished in the same way. Debuffs and acc/to hit bonuses shouldn't affect super reflexes as much as it currently does. I know that if soft capped players are having trouble then the non softcapped must be going through absolute hell sometimes.

I don't think they're trying to "screw over" melee characters.... however, if they're trying to balance out Melee vs Ranged, they got it bass akwards.

Besides, this is the TEST server. There's a chance that there's, i dunno, a BUG, or ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT before it goes live. So everyone's "Whah my tank isn't invicible" feedback is valuable in trying to get a better baseline.

PS for melee characters: Temp powers, APP ranged attacks, hover (or a jetpack)... you have tools to defeat a foes such as this. Or, if you don't wana go that route, joust the witch. Or eat inspirations. Or bring a team. Don't whine that you don't have the capacity to do anything but hold still and push the same 3 buttons over and over. Try something DIFFERENT!

I mean, when was the last time you heard of a controller complaining about the PToD? You know, that EB/AV ability that makes a controller's entire aresenel useless? We've learned to live with it, so you can live with this!