Icy Bastion...


Deus_Mortis

 

Posted

... rules the planet. This is what a T9 armor ability should be like.

Quick activation, no end crash, fast recharge (slotted and with sufficient global haste we are talking about @ 80 seconds before incarnate's are applied), and it does a bit of everything. When fully slotted the combination of +50 hp/sec regen, +55% resist (to all but psi), and 200% recovery makes this a kind of "mobile hibernate" IMO: you activate it and for about 30 seconds you are effectively indestructible. They should have named this the "I Win Button".

Ice all around has been a surprise, but I thought this new T9 was worth mentioning. I'm not sure this set will replace /nin as the top performer, but it has so far been a pleasant ride. I just kinda think it's funny that stalkers got this crazy awesome power and tankers (brutes too when it gets ported) will have to make due with hibernate. I know the reasoning behind it, but honestly this should be the default T9 for -all- ice armors, it's just that good.


 

Posted

I agree. In fact, /ice would be my new favorite if Hoarfrost weren't so freaking and utterly awful for a stalker. Seriously, turn it into a clone of kuji-in sha (still a heal and still gives toxic resistance) and the set would be practically perfect. Also, chilling embrace shouldn't actively keep you from reentering hide while around enemies...

But ya, the set is like "Hello, I'm kind of like /sr. Wait, no, I'm kind of like /electric. Wait, I think I'm like /regen."

This set will work great on scrappers once it is ported over, as they won't have problems with hoarfrost and will also get icicles.


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Posted

Nice to see others using ice armor for stalkers. I keep getting asked what I did to get ice on my stalker and how they can get it


 

Posted

So far I'm enjoying my Kin/Ice.

Currently level 19 and loving it, though I skipped Hoarfrost and I'm not sure about Chilling Embrace.

Can any of you tell me how important those powers are?


 

Posted

Hoarfrost is a heal on a very long timer. Probably the most skippable power in the set IMO.

Chilling Embrace is a nice power, but it will interfere with the use of Placate. It will also prevent you from going back into hidden state while it is affecting any enemy. If you tend to use Placate a lot, you might want to skip it. Otherwise it provides some nice mitigation.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Supernumiphone View Post
Hoarfrost is a heal on a very long timer. Probably the most skippable power in the set IMO.
I know the reason for this attidtude, but it still gives ~400HP, which will do quite a bit, especially when Icy Bastion is up. Yes, +HP powers are less useful on stalkers than other ATs, but it's still useful, and a HUGE heal if you get low on health.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pyro_Master_NA View Post
I know the reason for this attidtude, but it still gives ~400HP, which will do quite a bit, especially when Icy Bastion is up. Yes, +HP powers are less useful on stalkers than other ATs, but it's still useful, and a HUGE heal if you get low on health.
You can cap a stalker with Accolades and set bonuses.

Its why I skipped Overload on my stalker. (even though my build has room for it with no sacrafices)


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Posted

Yeah even if I don't build for +HPs, after getting the accolades and IOs I'm usually 50 HP or less from the cap. So yeah, it's a nice heal but on a loooong timer.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Supernumiphone View Post
Yeah even if I don't build for +HPs, after getting the accolades and IOs I'm usually 50 HP or less from the cap. So yeah, it's a nice heal but on a loooong timer.
What about for a player who doesn't bother with accolades? I never do, so I'm curious if (given that) it would be a good choice. It seems to me that with a high recharge build it would be pretty close to a permanent HP increase?


Make a man a fire and keep him warm for the day, SET a man on fire and keep him warm for the rest of his life.
Incarnates: K'lir(Fire/Dark Corr):Hot-House Flower(Plant/Fire Dom):Kinrad X(Kin/Rad Def):Itsy-Bitsy Spider(Crab):Two Ton Tony(Mace/WP Broot):Teeny Weeny Widow(Fortunata/Widow) : Zeroth Law (Ice/Fire Tank)

 

Posted

i have an ice armor tank atm but im partially considering rerolling him if they ever put ice armor out for brutes


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pyro_Master_NA View Post
I know the reason for this attidtude, but it still gives ~400HP, which will do quite a bit, especially when Icy Bastion is up. Yes, +HP powers are less useful on stalkers than other ATs, but it's still useful, and a HUGE heal if you get low on health.
Completely unslotted and with no IO bonuses or accolades it takes you well over the stalker cap, meaning at absolute base part of the power is wasted. That is bad design. If they wanted to lower the +HP so that it would almost barely reach the cap with accolades, then significantly lower the recharge (along with duration) so that it could be actually used as a heal too, that would fix it. As it is, I feel embarrassed for the devs that they would allow this to remain in the set as is.


The Inspiration Maker's Guide [i12] UPDATED with POPMENUS and Movement Binds!
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Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Microcosm View Post
Completely unslotted and with no IO bonuses or accolades it takes you well over the stalker cap, meaning at absolute base part of the power is wasted. That is bad design. If they wanted to lower the +HP so that it would almost barely reach the cap with accolades, then significantly lower the recharge (along with duration) so that it could be actually used as a heal too, that would fix it. As it is, I feel embarrassed for the devs that they would allow this to remain in the set as is.
i think the pitiful stalker max hp cap is the base of the problem since regen stalkers run into this problem too with dull pain


 

Posted

I love hoarfrost for the fact that it's more of an emergency button. If i'm getting low on HP i hit that and icy bastion and just enjoy the ride. My hoarfrost heals for around 951 so it can help when you in the redzone.


 

Posted

So I needn't worry about it until later on in the build. That's good to know.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Necrotech_Master View Post
i think the pitiful stalker max hp cap is the base of the problem since regen stalkers run into this problem too with dull pain
Yes, but I still hold out hope (though futile) that someday they will actually balance stalkers with the other melee ATs by giving them higher damage for their lower HP. If that dis happen, retooling of the +HP powers would be the way to go.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Icesphere View Post
I love hoarfrost for the fact that it's more of an emergency button. If i'm getting low on HP i hit that and icy bastion and just enjoy the ride. My hoarfrost heals for around 951 so it can help when you in the redzone.
Well, you would get better healing over time if it was retooled not to waste its effect, either by mimicking kuji-in sha or giving it lower +HP on a much shorter timer. The latter suggestion would still give you your big heal just more often.


The Inspiration Maker's Guide [i12] UPDATED with POPMENUS and Movement Binds!
A Flash in the Dark: The Electric/Ninjitsu Stalker [i23]
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Guide to the Katana~Ninja Blade/Electric [i23]

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Person34 View Post
... rules the planet. This is what a T9 armor ability should be like.

Quick activation, no end crash, fast recharge (slotted and with sufficient global haste we are talking about @ 80 seconds before incarnate's are applied), and it does a bit of everything. When fully slotted the combination of +50 hp/sec regen, +55% resist (to all but psi), and 200% recovery makes this a kind of "mobile hibernate" IMO: you activate it and for about 30 seconds you are effectively indestructible. They should have named this the "I Win Button".

Ice all around has been a surprise, but I thought this new T9 was worth mentioning. I'm not sure this set will replace /nin as the top performer, but it has so far been a pleasant ride. I just kinda think it's funny that stalkers got this crazy awesome power and tankers (brutes too when it gets ported) will have to make due with hibernate. I know the reasoning behind it, but honestly this should be the default T9 for -all- ice armors, it's just that good.

I fell in love with Ice Armor in beta. Glad to see others enjoying the ride too.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kinrad View Post
What about for a player who doesn't bother with accolades? I never do, so I'm curious if (given that) it would be a good choice. It seems to me that with a high recharge build it would be pretty close to a permanent HP increase?
It's not that hard to perma. If you don't have accolades or much in the way of +HPs from IOs, I could see you getting some real benefit from the power.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Supernumiphone View Post
It's not that hard to perma. If you don't have accolades or much in the way of +HPs from IOs, I could see you getting some real benefit from the power.
Shame that many +Rech bonuses have +HP bonuses on the way to them...

Or should the shame be that Stalker HP cap is so damn low?


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Posted

My Ice Tanker is jealous. I'd trade Hibernate for Icy Bastion in a heartbeat.


Winteriel Ice/Fire/Soul Tanker | @TBoxer Global | City of Heroes R.I.P. (2004-2012)

 

Posted

I just created a spines/ice stalker and am playing it off as 'ice spikes' through the ice armor. She is only level 5, but the character looks good.


Make a man a fire and keep him warm for the day, SET a man on fire and keep him warm for the rest of his life.
Incarnates: K'lir(Fire/Dark Corr):Hot-House Flower(Plant/Fire Dom):Kinrad X(Kin/Rad Def):Itsy-Bitsy Spider(Crab):Two Ton Tony(Mace/WP Broot):Teeny Weeny Widow(Fortunata/Widow) : Zeroth Law (Ice/Fire Tank)

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by TBoxer View Post
My Ice Tanker is jealous. I'd trade Hibernate for Icy Bastion in a heartbeat.
My stalker can has both, neener neener. At least you get icicles and can actually use hoarfrost.


The Inspiration Maker's Guide [i12] UPDATED with POPMENUS and Movement Binds!
A Flash in the Dark: The Electric/Ninjitsu Stalker [i23]
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Guide to the Katana~Ninja Blade/Electric [i23]

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kinrad View Post
I just created a spines/ice stalker and am playing it off as 'ice spikes' through the ice armor. She is only level 5, but the character looks good.
Yeah, I'm waiting for scrappers to get ice armor to do the same thing. I never thought that spines would ever look good, but the customization is nice. Ice spike melee ftw!

(now if they could only do something about the barbed swipe and impale animations.... )


@MuonNeutrino
Student, Gamer, Altaholic, and future Astronomer.

This is what it means to be a tank!

 

Posted

I was never much of a spines/ person. But I am kinda curious what your toon looks like.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Icesphere View Post
I was never much of a spines/ person. But I am kinda curious what your toon looks like.
I'm at work now, but I can snap a couple of screenies and post them later tonight.


Make a man a fire and keep him warm for the day, SET a man on fire and keep him warm for the rest of his life.
Incarnates: K'lir(Fire/Dark Corr):Hot-House Flower(Plant/Fire Dom):Kinrad X(Kin/Rad Def):Itsy-Bitsy Spider(Crab):Two Ton Tony(Mace/WP Broot):Teeny Weeny Widow(Fortunata/Widow) : Zeroth Law (Ice/Fire Tank)

 

Posted

If they would only let us color the green "toxic Trails" when you fire off some of the spines attacks The heavy FX of ice armor do help with this some though.

On a side note, Spine/ is big fun on the death from below trial with AS for the tough baddies and a critting spine burst at lvl 4 for the minions.