Hate to Ask: Alpha Slot Guide

Originally Posted by Zombie Man

For a guide to all in Issue 19, please see: GUIDE: Issue 19 Beta

Official Web Site info on Incarnate System:

• Incarnate Overview
• Incarnate Alpha Slot Info
• Lore

The tl;dr Version of What To Do

1. Unlock your Alpha Slot by doing Mender Ramiel's (located in Ouroboros) arc. If you have trouble with EBs soloing, bring Shivans and a HVAS -- or even... other players! (Toons already on the Beta Server probably had their Slot automatically unlocked in I18... and therefore, can't do this arc.)

2. Slot your Alpha Slot with an Alpha Boost. Alpha Boosts are crafted in the Incarnate Window (power tray > powers > incarnate abilities).

a. Look at possible Boosts and determine which one you want. See the three Incarnate Components you'll need.

b. Do the TFs that will get you those three Incarnate Components (listed below in this post). By the time you do two of them, you'll probably get enough Shard drops to craft the third you need.

c. Craft and slot your Alpha Boost.

3. Now you can do the two new Incarnate TFs (Apex and Tin Mage) without suffering a -4 Level penalty. Doing so a few times will probably get you enough Shard drops to craft and slot the Uncommon Boost (Uncommon Boosts require crafting an Uncommon Component which can only come from crafting, it is not a drop or reward).

4. Respec or use your new Third Build to take advantage of your Alpha Boost and the new Inherent Fitness Pool.

5. Start feeling divine.

Incarnates

The Incarnate System is only available to those who purchase Going Rogue. There is a contact, Mender Ramiel in Orouboros, with more info on the Incarnate System and a means to unlock it.


I18 Patch Notes on the Alpha Slot

• The Alpha Incarnate Slot can now be accessed and Incarnate Abilities created to place in those slots. As part of Going Rogue, the Common and Uncommon Alpha Slot abilities are accessible.
• Incarnate Abilities are created using Incarnate Components, which are a new variety of special Salvage which cannot be traded but does not take up Invention Salvage inventory. Higher level Incarnate abilities not only require Components, but also lesser Incarnate Abilities to fuel their creation. There are no “recipes” to be gathered for Incarnate Abilities, they are all accessible from the Incarnate creation window.
• The Alpha Incarnate Slot can be unlocked by any level 50 character with the Going Rogue expansion as a reward available from the following activities / vendors: (this is changed in I19 to doing Ramiel's arc in order to unlock the slot)
  • Statesman Task Force / Lord Recluse Strike Force
  • Imperious Task Force
  • Lady Grey Task Force
  • Dr. Kahn Task Force / Barracuda Strike Force
  • Cathedral of Pain
  • Hamidon
  • Vanguard Merit Vendor
  • Reward Merit Vendor
• Alpha Incarnate Components can be earned from the above activities, with the exception of the Reward Merit Vendor, but only after the Alpha Slot is unlocked.
• In addition, Alpha Incarnate Subcomponents infrequently drop off of player defeats in PVP and almost all level 50+ foes.
• The Incarnate creation system includes conversions that allow you to turn Subcomponents into regular Components, as well as improve your existing Components into higher quality Components.
• Incarnate Abilities can be equipped and unequipped or swapped at any time from the Incarnate UI. There is a short cooldown on swaps, and you cannot swap out an Incarnate Ability that is still recharging

Known Issues from I18

• Boosts work while exemplared to at least Level 44 when they shouldn't work below 50 at all.
• Boosts should affect all builds, but you will have to zone after switching builds for the Boost to affect that build
• If you had a toon on GR Beta for I18, it was granted an automatic Alpha Slot. However, this means you won't be able to do Mender Ramiel's arc. Copy over a fresh toon.

I19 Release Notes

Systems

Incarnate System

• Your max level City of Heroes character can now unlock the beginnings of the Incarnate System via an Incarnate Introduction Story Arc, accessible from Mender Ramiel in Ouroboros. Following completion of this arc the Alpha Slot is unlocked for the character.
• You can further unleash the power of the Alpha Slot and its Incarnate Abilities by participating in the existing level 50 content:
  • PvP
  • Imperious Task Force (ITF)
  • Statesman's Task Force (STF)
  • Lord Recluse's Strike Force (LRSF)
  • Lady Grey Task Force (LGTF)
  • Reichsman Task Force / Strike Force
  • Hamidon
  • Cathedral of Pain
  • Earning Vanguard Merits

Task Forces (Incarnate-only)

• We have added two task forces for characters who are level 50. These TF's can only be attempted by characters who have unlocked their Alpha Incarnate ability, and should be tackled by characters who have slotted the Alpha slot with a power. Emperor Cole has perfected a debuff that affects characters who have no Alpha Abilities slotted. Characters without an Alpha Ability can still attempt the TF but it will be significantly more challenging.
  • Apex Task Force – see Apex in the Rikti War Zone to thwart an attempted invasion from Praetoria
  • Tin Mage Task Force – see Tin Mage Mark II in the Rikti War Zone to take the battle back into Praetoria

Missions

• Incarnate Alpha Slot Unlock (Going Rogue expansion required)
  • Missions for Heroes and Villains provide backstory to the System we're introducing in this issue and then expanding for Issue 20 (Levels 50+)

The Incarnate System will eventually give you 10 Incarnate Abilities. The first of these is the Alpha Slot in which you can slot Incarnate Boosts. A Boost can be thought of like a universal Enhancement that is applied to all powers in your build. Right now for Going Rogue, only the first slot, the Alpha Incarnate Slot is unlockable and some common and uncommon boosts are available for that slot.

First step is to unlock the Alpha Slot. For I19, it is only unlocked by doing Mender Ramiel's arc. (For I18 Beta, it was accomplished either as a reward for one of the tasks mentioned above, or for 75 Merits at a Merit Vendor or 300 Vanguard Merits at a Vanguard workbench in the RWZ.)

Once the Alpha Slot is unlocked, you'll need to get Incarnate Shard drops and Components to build the Incarnate Boost that goes into the Incarnate Slot.


For the Soloists:

Incarnate Shards drop from defeating foes that can drop level 50 Enhancements (level 47+), though Black Scorpion has said it should only be level 50+ that drop them.

(Drop rate is unknown. On the Family Farm set for x7, one or two Shards normally drop. There are no timer or map maximum gates to Shard drops. They're just rare drops and are subject to the randomizer and human perception of being 'lucky' or 'unlucky.')

Shards can be converted into *ANY* Component. So, e.g., you don't have to do the ITF to get the Nictus components for a particular Boost to slot in your Incarnate Slot -- that Nictus component can be crafted from Shards. You can convert Shards into whatever you need.

• It costs 4 Shards to create one of the six Common Components.

• It takes one of the Common Components plus 8 Shards to create one of the four Uncommon Components. Thus, each Uncommon Component costs 12 Shards.

• To create a Common Boost for a slot, it costs three Common Components (for a total cost of 12 Shards).

• To create an Uncommon Boost for a slot (dual aspect Boost), it costs
  • two Common Components;
  • one Uncommon Component; and,
  • one Common Boost

(the equivalent of 32 Shards).

The Common Component called Gr'ai Matter can be crafted for 150 Vanguard Merits. It's the only Common Component available at a Vanguard crafting table. This can help reduce the Shard-cost of the Cardiac Boost (Common) from 12 to 8 Shards; and the Uncommon Cardiac Boosts from 32 to 24 Shards.


For the Teams:

In addition to Shard drops (and it's possible for more than one team member to get a shard drop from the same foe), doing any of the special tasks mentioned above will give the opportunity to chose a Component reward. Also, if you're fighting level 50+ foes in those tasks, there's always the chance of Incarnate Shard drops.

The Special Tasks have their own Common Component associated with them. Task/Strike Forces give them out as a choosable reward table (along with Merits or a special Enhancement). There is an 18 hour cooldown on obtaining a specific component from the same Special Task.

• Essence of Incarnate: Statesman Task Force or Lord Recluse Strike Force
• Hero 1 DNA: Lady Grey Task Force
• Ancient Nictus Essence: Imperious Task Force
• Dimensional Keystone: The Reichsman Task/Strike Forces (Kahn for Heroes, Barracuda for Villains)
• Penumbra of Rularuu: Cathedral of Pain
• Gr'ai Matter: Bought with 150 Vanguard Merits (a Mothership Raid typically gives 100-300 Vanguard Merits)
• 4 Shards: Hamidon Raid

List of Boosts:

Cardiac (Common) - 33% EndRedux
Cardiac Radial (Uncommon) - 33% EndRedux / 20% Damage Resist
Cardiac Core (Uncommon) - 33% EndRedux / 20% Range

Musculature (Common) - 33% Damage
Musculature Radial (Uncommon) - 33% Damage / 33% Def Debuff
Musculature Core (Uncommon) - 33% Damage / 33% Immob

Nerve (Common) - 33% Acc
Nerve Radial(Uncommon) - 33% Acc / 20% Def
Nerve Core(Uncommon) - 33% Acc / 33% Hold

Spiritual (Common) - 33% Recharge
Spiritual Radial (Uncommon) - 33% Recharge / 33% Healing
Spiritual Core (Uncommon) - 33% Recharge / 33% Stun



A Portion of the Alpha Boosts bypasses ED:

1/6 of the Enhancements from Common Boosts is unaffected by ED.
1/3 of the Enhancements from Uncommon Boosts is unaffected by ED.

This is calculated by taking the portion that is affected by ED and adding it to the other Enhancements slotted in that power and then applying ED and then adding the unaffected portion to that total.


An Example =========

If you're already at the ED cap of diminishing returns (past 100% enhancement), any new enhancement is reduced to 15% effectiveness. So, that fifth SO, which is worth 33%, is now only worth 4.95% thanks to ED.

For the Common Alpha Boost 1/6 of the Alpha Enhancement ignores ED. So, if you were at the DR Cap -- where new enhancements are at 15% effectiveness -- the Alpha Enhancement adds (33% * 5/6 * 15%) + (33% * 1/6) = 4.125 + 5.5 = 9.625%.

For Uncommon Alpha Boosts, 1/3 of the Alpha is ignored by ED. So, at the ED cap, an Alpha IncO is worth (33% * 2/3 * 15%) + (33% * 1/3) = 1.65 + 11 = 12.65%

Another Example =========

A power has two Level 50 Damage IOs for a total of 84.8% pre-ED Damage Enhancement. Post-ED, it's 83.32 Damage Enhancement. How would a Musculature's Alpha Boost of 33% be calculated?

1. Determine how much of the Alpha Boost *is* affected by ED. For Common Boosts, 5/6 are affected. 5/6 of 33% is 27.5%.

2. Add all the Enhancements that are affected by ED: 84.8% (from the IOs) + 27.5% (Alpha) = 112.3%

3. Apply ED to the total Enhancements affected by ED. The breaking points of ED for Sched A are: 70-90% is reduced to 90% of its value; 90-100% is reduced to 70% of its value; and 100%+ is reduced to 15% of its value.

• The first 70% is at 100% value, giving 70% enhancement.
• From 70% to 90% (20% total) you get 90% of that value for an extra 18% entrancement.
• From 90% to 100% (10% total) you get 70% of that value for an extra 7% enhancement.
• From 100% onward, which is the 12.3% left over, you get 15% of that value for an extra 1.845% enhancement.
• Adding them up: 96.845% after ED.

4. Add in the part of the Alpha Boost *not affected* by ED. That would be 1/6 of the 33% Alpha Slot that bypasses ED (5.5%) added to the ED-affected subtotal of 96.845% for a grand total of 102.345%.

[Remember, unlike Enhancements and Alpha Boosts, 100% of Global Bonuses from IO Sets bypasses ED's diminishing returns.]

Where Do I Craft and Slot the Boosts?

On your Power Tray, click on Powers. On the top of the Powers Window, click on Incarnate Abilities. This will open the Slotting UI Window. [Note: In the first iteration of the Incarnate Window there was a button labeled "Maek Stuff" -- it was a place holder art to be changed. Players who experienced that made it into an inside joke about 'maeking stuff'.]

Also, /toggle incarnate opens and closes the crafting window.



Effects of Exemplaring?

The Boosts stop working when exemplaring somewhere between level 49 and 44, though, according to the Devs, they should not be working at all below 50.



Do they affect other things?

It should affect any power that's slottable with that type of enhancement, unless the effect is specifically unenhanceable. E.g., If you have a Boost that enhances Damage, it will affect powers that take a Damage enhancement. If the power does damage but does not take a Damage Enhancement, then that power will not benefit from the Damage buff of the Boost.



Will the Alpha Slot Boosts be able to slotted in the other Incarnate Slots when they become unlocked?:

No. Alpha Boost can only go into the Alpha Slot.



How does the Alpha Slot effect Builds?:

1. The Alpha Slot effects all your builds. There is no need to unlock and slot the Alpha Slot on each build... do it once for all builds.

2. The Alpha Slot unlocks a third build!

So, is the Incarnation Boosts just a few global enhancements?:

So far, we've only seen the Common and Uncommon Boosts for the first (Alpha) slot. A little leaked information (very subject to change) shows these possible Very Rare Boosts for the Alpha Slot:

Spiritual Radial Paragon - 33% Recharge / 33% Healing / 33% Stun / 33% Slow / 33% Jump / 20% ToHit / Level Shift
Spiritual Core Paragon - 45% Recharge / 33% Stun / Healing 33% / Level Shift

And the other Incarnate Abilities are different mechanically. Some provide extra damage to every attack, some debuffs, some pets, more Level Shifts, etc...

We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg... there are more slots and there will be brand new content available that unlocks those slots.



Wait... you can purchase these things? And why only some and not everything?

Since the Mother Ship Raid doesn't have a reward table, Vanguard Merits are used to purchase the Rikti Alpha Component (G'rai Matter). Nothing else related to the Incarnate System can be purchased with Vanguard Merits.



Does the Alpha Boost still work on a Master-of TF?

Yes. The "No Temp Powers" limitation on TFs does not shut down the Alpha Boost buff. No other TF/Flashback debuff affects the Alpha Ability except for "No Enhancements."



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