Quote:
If you are worried about efficiency in the system (and getting your slots filled ASAP), then you might consider it difficult. If you enjoy the game (imagine that possibility!) and just play Incarnate content, you will accumulate what you need, even if you don't understand at first. If you are content playing content and understanding the rewards system later, you will be fine and it will make more and more sense.|
Originally Posted by Sideline
Is the system hard to learn? How hard is it to create and then upgrade the powers for that slot? Are there any missions I should be doing regularly to gain shards? Should I focus on the task/strike force missions to gain rarer components? When should I try and unlock the other slots? Is this alot of questions? Am I being paranoid? How much wood COULD a wood chuck, chuck, if a wood chuck could chuck wood? |
If you are looking for the efficiency, I will let someone else explain that...
Global Name: Denver Nugget
Playing since i3 on 8 servers
Well, I do enjoy the game. Everything from the graphics to the unique physics engine. (I've played LoTRO before and when you kick an orc and he falls down with only his legs on the bridge and the rest hanging out in space you want to scream, "Fall dang you, fall.") Not to mention the quests and writting. I was just wondering if it was a hard system to learn. As a corrilary, by incarnate stuff, do you mean the new BAF or Lambada stuff, or really any level 50 content/ TF/ SF?
Quote:
Both actually. There are essentially three tiers to the Incarnate Content (at the moment)|
Originally Posted by Sideline
As a corrilary, by incarnate stuff, do you mean the new BAF or Lambada stuff, or really any level 50 content/ TF/ SF?
|
Tier 1 (Shards): The old level 50 content (ITF, LGTF, STF/LRSF, Khan/Barracuda, CoP, Mothership Raid, Hamidon) plus the Weekly Strike Target
Tier 1.5 (Shards + Threads): Apex and Tin Mage
Tier 2 (Threads + Incarnate XP): Lambda and BAF trials
Running the Tier 1 content will get you shards and shard-based components (you can actually get shards from any content but the content listed also gives components or extra shards). The only requirement is to have your Alpha Slot unlocked.
Running the Tier 1.5 content will give you a few shards and a few threads but it is a lot less efficient than either the T1 or T2 content so I wouldn't bother with it for now. It requires you to have a boost (of any rarity) slotted into your Alpha slot.
Running the Tier 2 content will give you threads and thread-based components as well as Incarnate XP to unlock the slots above Alpha. The only requirement is to be level 50.
Now what do I mean by Shards, Threads and Components?
Once you have unlocked a slot you need to place a boost in it. Boosts are manufactured from components. The exact components needed depends on the boost but the rarity of the components is the same for all boosts:
Tier 1 Boost: 3 Common Components
Tier 2 Boost: 1 Tier 1 Boost + 1 Uncommon Component + 2 Common Components
Tier 3 Boost: 1 Tier 2 Boost + 1 Rare Component + 2 Common Components
Tier 4 Boost: 2 Tier 3 Boosts + 1 Very Rare Component + 1 Uncommon Component + 1 Common Component
The Alpha Slot boosts can be made using either Shard based components or thread based components but the other four slots can only use thread based components.
Getting Shard Components:
Common Component: 4 Shards or run a specific TF (see below)
Uncommon Component: Crafted from Common Component + 8 Shards
Rare Component (Notice of the Well): Run the Weekly Strike Target (max 1 per week)
Very Rare Component (Favor of the Well): Crafted from 2 x Notice of the Well + 32 Shards
In addition the old level 50 tasks give a specific common component as an option instead of reward merits:
ITF: Ancient Nictus Fragment
LGTF: Hero 1 Blood Sample
STF/LRSF: Essence of the Incarnate
Khan/Barracuda: Dimensional Keystone
CoP: Penumbra of Ralaruu
Hamidon Raid: 4 Shards
In addition, 150 Vanguard Merits can be traded for a Grai'Matter (limit once every 18 hours).
Getting Thread Components:
Successfully completing the Lambda or BAF will give you an Empyrean Merit (one per day per trial) and a component, additionally you will earn threads and Astral Merits while doing it. The component is semi-random, the game selects a component rarity at random and you can choose any component from that rarity.
In addition you can craft components:
Common Component: 20 Threads
Uncommon Component: 60 Threads
Rare Component: 8 Astral Merits
Very Rare Component: 30 Astral Merits
You can also craft Rare/Very Rare components form Uncommon Components + Threads + Inf but this is not a particularly efficient method.
Finally Empyrean and Astral Merits can be exchanged for additional threads. Empyrean Merits yield 20 threads but you're probably better off saving them for Rare/Very Rare Components. Astral Merits yield 4 threads and currently that is their only function although according to the devs we will eventually be able to buy other things with them.
In terms of efficiency if you have a good team that can speed TFs the level 50 TFs probably the best way to get the Alpha Boost. If you don't then I'd say do the trials to get the components to make a Tier 2 Alpha Boost (and pick up some incarnate XP while you're at it) but run the WST and a couple of other TFs to get the Tier 3 Boost. Thread based Rare components are expensive so even if you get a lucky drop I'd save it for the other slots. Once you have a T3 Alpha leave it alone and start running Trials to get components for the other slots.
Getting a T3 in all five slots should be your first goal. The T3 requires about 25% of the effort of a T4 but is about 75% as effective. In particular for the Alpha, Lore and Destiny slots it provides a Level Shift which is a huge bonus so focus on those slots first. Judgment and Interface get smaller benefits from the higher tiers so consider leaving them with just a Tier 1 boost until you have Tier 3s in the other slots.
Wow....that was detailed yet concise, thorough yet easy to understand.
Thank you.
Last question, what is the Weekly Strike Target and how do I find out what it is each week?
Quote:
The Weekly Strike Target is a a Task Force that is designated each week. The first time you run it that week on a given character you will get double the reward merits and either a Notice of the Well (if you have your alpha slot unlocked) or 5 bars of experience (if you are less than level 50.|
Originally Posted by Sideline
Last question, what is the Weekly Strike Target and how do I find out what it is each week?
|
The devs announce the WSTs a few weeks in advance in this thread:
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=251519
It also gets put up on the frint page of the wiki:
http://wiki.cohtitan.com/wiki/Main_Page
Through many various reasons, I had to take a break from the game. I missed everything horribly though, so I am now back. To those who knew me from before (not sure how many read the forums) I am sorry for my absence sudden and unexplained as it was.
That being said, I do have a few questions regarding the new Incarnate system. I ran through the quests and unlocked my alpha slot last night on my brute (love that guy, love that AT). However instead of a tutorial on how to make the alpha powers I get a wall of text. I admidt I was expecting something like the schools when crafting enhancments first came out.
Is the system hard to learn? How hard is it to create and then upgrade the powers for that slot? Are there any missions I should be doing regularly to gain shards? Should I focus on the task/strike force missions to gain rarer components? When should I try and unlock the other slots? Is this alot of questions? Am I being paranoid? How much wood COULD a wood chuck, chuck, if a wood chuck could chuck wood?
Ok, those last few questions are really not important :P
And, on a completely unrelated note, anyone have need and or use for (red side) a db/wp brute (carefull, he seems nice but really has an arrogant side) or (blue side) a bane/wolf hybrid super soldier working to make up for his past mistakes.
Thanks in advance for your time and answers. As always, this server and the people on it rock.