Discussion: Issue 20: Incarnates Ascend is now live!
By
Angelxman81,
Posted on: 2011-06-28 11:06 in News, Events and Announcement Discussion
This is a very nice "mini-Issue" - some problems with the character copy tool meant I didn't get a chance to play-test the new Trial on Test server, so it'll be almost a totally new experience when I do it tonight 
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
I have to disagree entirely Golden Girl. There is almost nothing I like about this mini-issue. It's a grind cycle pure and simple. In order to get the Lore pets and pricy costume pieces we need to do the trials. The newest trial almost demands that you take Rebirth as a Destiny power which in turn costs more merits which you can only acquire by doing more trials. I absolutely hate the fact that Rebirth is so pivotal for this as it kind of turns a cold shoulder to anyone who decided to go another route. In any other instance I don't need a regen/HP power because I built my tank for defense and resistance. But for the Keyes trial I absolutely have to have it because those attributes don't account for squat against the Gamma Pulse that goes off every 30 seconds. Building up another Destiny tree for one trial? Yeah, no thanks.
In short, "Incarnates Ascend" is a poorly realized and shoddily executed Catch 22. Sorry Dev Team but it's only Day 1 and I really don't see this getting any better.
P.S. Actively boycotting the new trial. Perhaps you guys can look into another method of converting other rewards to E-merits.
Magus Prime- lev 50 kin/ elec defender
Meta-Human- lev 50 fire/ ss tank
Cabal Bravo- lev 50 merc/ ff master mind
Schwarzchild- lev 50 grav/ ff controller
Shanghai Storm- lev 50 ma/invinc scrapper
Nicodemus- lev 50 db/ regen scrapper
Dragonhyde- lev 50 wp/ sm tank
On The Pinnochle server!
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Hey, I've been Ascending for over 7 years now.
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Originally Posted by Avatea
So go on ahead and ascend to greatness!
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Ascendant
Now, more than ever, Paragon City needs heroes. Do your part to save it.
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And have you reached greatness yet? |
Originally Posted by Ascendant
Hey, I've been Ascending for over 7 years now.
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@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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The devs never design content around requiring a certain power/power set/AT - they haven't even designed Keyes to require +2 and +3 level shifts.
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Originally Posted by Magus_Prime
I absolutely hate the fact that Rebirth is so pivotal for this
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@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
I play fairly casually and after totalling up my merits acorss my three level 50s I have enough to buy most of the stuff I want. Very happy about that! 
I do wish that another set of Ascension boots would be added. The current ones are a little too "heavy" for my taste but I'm sure I'll figure out a way to make use of them. Something more appropriate for a fast, nimble character would be much appreciated, though.
Looking forward to trying out the new trial tonight with the great crew on Champion.
I too will be skipping Keys. It was not fun in open beta and the fact I got to drag an AV to all those
Keypads. Hmm not fun.
I found the trial engaging. Don't recall how many if any of my runs had someone with Rebirth - I know I didn't personally. Yes, it's different. And one or two of the obstacles is equal for everyone - except Masterminds who usually just get hosed, have an advantage or two and is even buffed in this issue (slightly).
Orc&Pie No.53230 There is an orc, and somehow, he got a pie. And you are hungry.
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Negaduck: I see you found the crumb. I knew you'd never notice the huge flag.
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And I'm not altogether too concerned with what they "meant" to do. The end product, either by design or unintentionally, makes Rebirth almost absolutely mandatory.
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Originally Posted by Golden Girl
The devs never design content around requiring a certain power/power set/AT - they haven't even designed Keyes to require +2 and +3 level shifts.
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Magus Prime- lev 50 kin/ elec defender
Meta-Human- lev 50 fire/ ss tank
Cabal Bravo- lev 50 merc/ ff master mind
Schwarzchild- lev 50 grav/ ff controller
Shanghai Storm- lev 50 ma/invinc scrapper
Nicodemus- lev 50 db/ regen scrapper
Dragonhyde- lev 50 wp/ sm tank
On The Pinnochle server!
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Speaking as a mastermind, here: I'm going to have to find out if it's possible to make the minimum contribution level in Keyes Island as a petless mastermind, since minions are actively detrimental to all but the first and last phases. If that doesn't work, I'll end up blowing my last couple of vet specs, probably, trying to find some way to make Group Fly work. Because if neither of those things, work, it seems like I'll have to give up on earning anything but threads out of that trial.|
Originally Posted by Rajani Isa
I found the trial engaging. Don't recall how many if any of my runs had someone with Rebirth - I know I didn't personally. Yes, it's different. And one or two of the obstacles is equal for everyone - except Masterminds who usually just get hosed, have an advantage or two and is even buffed in this issue (slightly).
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But single-target AoE buffing is no small QoL update! Same endurance cost, cast time, and recharge to buff 255 players and their pets that it used to cost me to buff one pet? Oh, and it also means (for my bot/ff/mace main) that Power Build Up + the two bubbles buffs everybody with the highest power shields, not just my 3 most important 'bots? Heck yeah! 1/6th the setup time per instance, 1/14th the setup time per phase of a raid? Granted, none of those things matter unless you're a */ff or */therm mastermind, but for those two powersets, it's life-altering.
And on top of that, they halved the endurance cost on the minion setup buffs, which is also a pretty big deal - it means I can replace minions without having to choose between dropping toggles or sucking down insps, or alternatively get an extra couple of slots back on my next respec. Maybe both, since I typically only slotted it for 2 endred, and this is equivalent to 3 free endreds in the power (compared to what we were used to).
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I don't think they made Rebirth mandatory, or even close to it. Very useful, yes; knowing Keyes Island was coming was why I built for it. But it's turned out to be at least as useful in the Lambda trial, too, and it's almost the only one that's useful on the Hamidon raid.|
Originally Posted by Magus_Prime
And I'm not altogether too concerned with what they "meant" to do. The end product, either by design or unintentionally, makes Rebirth almost absolutely mandatory.
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But I ran a Keyes Island raid with a team where nobody had it, and we still succeeded easily. Just don't wander very far from the AoE heal spam and you'll be fine; there are a LOT of people with AoE heals in City of Heroes.
What I do get the sense of, though, is that unless you're a stalker or an illusionist, Keyes Island was designed to ruthlessly and relentlessly punish soloists, freelancers, people who run off away from the group to do their own thing. If so, that doesn't bother me much; as a buffer/debuffer, stalker-itis is one of the banes of my existence.
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No. In pre-Beta we were successfully completing the KIR even before we had access to Incarnate powers past Alpha.|
Originally Posted by Magus_Prime
And I'm not altogether too concerned with what they "meant" to do. The end product, either by design or unintentionally, makes Rebirth almost absolutely mandatory.
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Granted, Rebirth is the best Incarnate tool in the box, but it's not required.
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Or y'know, everyone getting some green inspirations.
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Originally Posted by Magus_Prime
And I'm not altogether too concerned with what they "meant" to do. The end product, either by design or unintentionally, makes Rebirth almost absolutely mandatory.
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"I accidently killed Synapse, do we need to restart the mission?" - The Oldest One on Lord Recluses Strike Force
i too am not happy at all with the keyes trial or the badges related to keyes trial, but the other related rewards do at least give me more reason to run trials again
I've been away for some time so I have yet to try any of these trials and I also just never really messed around with the merit system (I have a few 50s but tend to make and play lower level characters a lot). To be honest the main thing that interested me in this issue is the costume auras. I understand they are merit rewards but can you only unlock them with a level 50?
Globals:
@Animorph
@Animorph 2
Also known as;
Maverick, Living Phantom, Role-Player, Live-Wyre, Eagle Eye, Toy-Man, Cartoon, Jetfire, Reflex, Mer-Man, Spartacus, Step, Reaver...
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Yes - the merits used to unlock them are special ones that only drop on the Incarnate Trials.
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Originally Posted by Animorph
I've been away for some time so I have yet to try any of these trials and I also just never really messed around with the merit system (I have a few 50s but tend to make and play lower level characters a lot). To be honest the main thing that interested me in this issue is the costume auras. I understand they are merit rewards but can you only unlock them with a level 50?
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@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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Hmm well that's disappointing but I understand they're trying to give a better "End Game" than what we previously had.
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Originally Posted by Golden Girl
Yes - the merits used to unlock them are special ones that only drop on the Incarnate Trials.
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Globals:
@Animorph
@Animorph 2
Also known as;
Maverick, Living Phantom, Role-Player, Live-Wyre, Eagle Eye, Toy-Man, Cartoon, Jetfire, Reflex, Mer-Man, Spartacus, Step, Reaver...
Yeah but once you unlock them they are unlocked account-wide. Do it once and then your alts that have auras unlocked can use them immediately.
My new Youtube Channel with CoH info
You might know me as FlintEastwood now on Freedom
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It's almost as if they thought that alts were very popular in the game.
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Originally Posted by JayboH
Yeah but once you unlock them they are unlocked account-wide. Do it once and then your alts that have auras unlocked can use them immediately.
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@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
Keyes Island just completed, and with a PUG. It was smooth as silk. Go Oldest One and everyone who kicked Anti-Matter around with her on Virtue today!
"I accidently killed Synapse, do we need to restart the mission?" - The Oldest One on Lord Recluses Strike Force
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Did you hate the Trial? It's important to hate it - it makes it more enjoyable.
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Originally Posted by Jake_Summers
Keyes Island just completed, and with a PUG. It was smooth as silk. Go Oldest One and everyone who kicked Anti-Matter around with her on Virtue today!
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@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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Fixed that for you.
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Originally Posted by Golden Girl
It's almost as if they thought that alts were encouraged in the game.
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My new Youtube Channel with CoH info
You might know me as FlintEastwood now on Freedom
Quote:
...more enjoyable than the reactions you try for after posting?
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Originally Posted by Golden Girl
Did you hate the Trial? It's important to hate it - it makes it more enjoyable.
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My new Youtube Channel with CoH info
You might know me as FlintEastwood now on Freedom
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Unfortunately they use the new clunky certifications to do this.
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Originally Posted by JayboH
Yeah but once you unlock them they are unlocked account-wide. Do it once and then your alts that have auras unlocked can use them immediately.
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Always remember, we were Heroes.
The wait is over, Issue 20: Incarnates Ascend is now live!
Head over to the Patch notes thread for a thorough read of all the goodness that this update brings into your hero/villain/Praetorian life! The brand new Keyes Island Incarnate Trial will pit high level characters against new challenging game systems and a signature Praetorian who won't capitulate so easily. And if you're more into fashion and aesthetics, start planning for those Rewards to spend your hard earned Astral and Empyrean Merits!
So go on ahead and ascend to greatness!
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