Well, first off, how did you unlock your Alpha slot? Did you run through the Ouroborus arc that unlocks them, or through the trials? The arc actually does a fairly good job of explaining them, but I'll try to give you the basics:
1) The Alpha slot - This functions as basically a global enhancement that helps any powers that would be affected by it. This can be crafted either from Shards (collected from fighting any enemies after you unlock you alpha slot) or from threads and incarnate components gathered in the Incarnate Trials. A portion of this global enhancement resists the effects of Enhancement Diversification, which would otherwise limit how effective these were a lot of the time.
2) Judgement - This is a powerful AoE attack that comes in several different varieties, from PBAoEs to chain attacks. To unlock this, you need to gain incarnate experience from one of the iTrials, and then you can craft the judgement powers from components collected therein.
3) Interface - The Interface slot adds a proc on to each of your attacks that does various things based on what type you have in the slot. To unlock this, you need to gain incarnate experience from one of the iTrials, and then you can craft the judgement powers from components collected therein.
4) Destiny - This slot gives you the ability to create a PBAoE buff to you and those around you when you click it. It can range from healing to defense to mez protection. To unlock this, you need to gain incarnate experience from one of the iTrials, and then you can craft the judgement powers from components collected therein.
5) Lore - This slot allows you to choose to summon various kinds of temporary "pets" that will help you and boost your offensive/defensive capabilities, depending on which type you choose. To unlock this, you need to gain incarnate experience from one of the iTrials, and then you can craft the judgement powers from components collected therein.
To see which components you need for any given slot's abilities, click on the "Powers" tab over your enhancement tray, and then on "Incarnate Abilities." This will bring up a window which should give you some additional details on the various effects of each slot.
Edit -> Here's a guide that goes into a bit more detail: http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=257011
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
Through the trial. I read all the messages, basically they say, it unlocks the alpha slot which buffs all your powers.
Ok, that's great. So where do I get this enhancement? I don't see it for sale on the AH or any vendor. I don't see an option to make it at the university. I haven't gotten a recipe for one yet (and it's been a decent chunk of time, maybe they are just rarer than I expected).
I will log back on and look under powers (clearly the logical place to craft an enhancement), thank you for the information. That guide is one of the things I read, it has piles of information but no process. What do I do to get this enhancement?
Also which should I make for my first one for an ice tanker? I am anxious to get this thing made since I am (apparently) worthless at level 50 without it.
If I sound frustrated it's because I am. I have been on 5 of these incarnate raids, and never found a single person who would explain anything (either regarding the raid or this alpha slot) other than I am worthless without it. Which would seem accurate since all that happens is I die 10x trying to stay with the group before I just give up and stay dead and watch tv till the raid ends, assuming the reward I get will eventually mean something.
Now that you are unlocked, it is fairly easy to pick and use an Alpha power. It will seem very complex at first, but you will quickly catch on. For Alpha powers, you can play ANYTHING in the game and get "incarnate shards". You get these shards by random drops from anything you kill in the game.
If you play any of the lvl 50 TFs, you not only can get these random drops, you get a "component" at the end of the TFs.
Shards can be used to make these components, or you can just get the right combo of these components to make your Alpha ability.
On your power tray, if you click powers, you will see a tab for Incarnate Abilities. If you click on the Create Tab, then the Alpha Tab, you can click to see any of the Alpha trees. The very bottom power is the one you will create first. By clicking on it, it will tell you which components you need. If you have Shards, you can go to Convert to create these components. (You will need 4 shards for each lower component, more as you get higher).
All Incarnate powers, including Alpha, can be created through threads and drops from the incarnate trials (like BAF, Keyes, etc). While you learn the system, focus just on Alpha (in my opinion). You will quickly catch on and be able to add the others.
The biggest confusion about Alpha slot probably is that you can use Shards from the "regular" game OR you can use incarnate components from the Incarnate Trials.
I know that sounds muddled, but jump in and it really does make sense fast.
Global Name: Denver Nugget
Playing since i3 on 8 servers
Yup, you'll need to craft the enhancement before you can put it in the slot that you've unlocked. Look at the window I mentioned, and you should quickly understand what you need to do. But if you have any additional questions, please feel free ask. Feel free to global friend me at @Aett Thorn, and if you catch me online, you can ask me any questions there, too.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
If you're looking for recommendations as to which powers you should equip in which slots, it really depends on the build you're using.
Alpha - My Ice/Ice/Soul, for example, is pretty toggle heavy so I went with Cardiac to lower my endurance consumption. I use it for general play so I never have to worry about endurance. The extra range for Taunt is also nice.
The newer Agility looks like it would be a nice addition, too.
Destiny - Rebirth Radial, IMO, is the best option. You can alternate it with Hoarfrost so you have two huge heals to use and then Hibernate to fall back on.
Judgement - Mainly use whatever you like. Void Radial's damage debuff does stack with CE's debuff, though.
Interface - Mainly to taste. You can go for Reactive to increase your damage or Paralytic to lower enemy damage (again stacking with CE).
Lore - To taste.
SG: Guadians of Paragon - VG: Paragon's Darkness
The Usual Suspects: Fimboolvetr (Icer Tank), Tsukiyomi (Mind/Psi/Ice Dom), Smiting Dragon (Dm/Sr Scrap), Widow Mortis (NW)
Up and Comers: Ameterasu (Km/Reg Scrap), Arrhymian (Elec/Nin Stalk), TDMKII (Bot/Traps MM)
Thank you all, I made an agility one. What a bizarre, nonsensical system.
You CONVERT 4 widgets into 3 different doodads, then CREATE one enhancement. Why one of those is called a conversion and one a creation is beyond me... Also, why not just set the price of the doodad at 12 widgets?
Why not just use the crafting system already in place?
Anyway, now that I can find those well hidden menus, I can piece together the system.
Thank you!
I am trying to read paragon wiki and the posts here, but honestly, none of these make any sense to me. They all seem to assume I know what the heck this incarnate system is.
I don't.
I am a 50 ice tanker, I have my alpha slot unlocked. I have run some things and gotten some incarnate related rewards which I have no idea what they are.
What should I be doing? People in game are incredibly unhelpful, and the articles in paragon might as well be written in a foreign language.