I am blaster hear me roar with debt too large to ignore
Fire, Ice or a Bullet just in Time
The Valkrie cry in exhaustion as I sow the seeds of death
I am blaster and the first one to Valhalla buys the beer.
Dance on my ice, sleep in permanent frost
Burn as I sing Oh Fortuna and fire rains from the sky
Fly as my soul's Energy send you sprawling
Run and you die tired.
A Glass cannon with a short fuse
My powder is dry and my match is lit
Keep the eulogy short as the Phoenix rises soon
The bringer of death and pain.
I blast, therefore, you die.
"Look, personally I just want a new issue to feature changes that don't cause a mass exodus of players..."
Issue 17: We Didn't Break Anything!
How to suck at CoX
Literally the Best Build Ever: Years in the Making
I like your Sig Necro. Not breaking anything would be good...
"Comics, you're not a Mastermind...you're an Overlord!"
Yeah I wrote that in the aftermath of I15 and I16 with their train bugs among other things, but the pattern still holds true. In this latest issue I've had my ENTIRE POWER TRAYS EMPTIED on multiple chars, which is more than a little inconvinient to see when you switch toons and have something you're needed to do. That and there have been too many issues to count where it's "one step forward, two steps back, also we break your god-damn knees"
But you know that's how it goes with a game engine this old, at least that's the devs' excuse.
"Look, personally I just want a new issue to feature changes that don't cause a mass exodus of players..."
Issue 17: We Didn't Break Anything!
How to suck at CoX
Literally the Best Build Ever: Years in the Making
Quote:
Had me going until this part.|
Originally Posted by Comicsluvr
But we still catch flack from time to time from some circles. Whats that? You dont like when I do Knockback? Im sorry Mister Uber DPS Purple Build, I guess your stats will suffer because you now have to walk 20 feet to hit your target.
|
Way too many times I have been in the midst of an AE power on a long timers only to have everything around me suddenly hurled to every point of the compass. Gee, my Soul Drain, Dark Consumption, Energy Drain, or heck, a PBAE blast was just wasted because some "I don't care about the other players in the group" blaster decided it would be fun to scatter everything.
Yes, Knockback is a survival tool when you're solo. In a group it may be beneficial in rare circumstances, but those times are far more rare than those times when it is detrimental.
Under construction
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Erratic
Had me going until this part.
Way too many times I have been in the midst of an AE power on a long timers only to have everything around me suddenly hurled to every point of the compass. Gee, my Soul Drain, Dark Consumption, Energy Drain, or heck, a PBAE blast was just wasted because some "I don't care about the other players in the group" blaster decided it would be fun to scatter everything. Yes, Knockback is a survival tool when you're solo. In a group it may be beneficial in rare circumstances, but those times are far more rare than those times when it is detrimental. |
As with all things, it depends on the circumstances. Yes, the Explosive Blast right in the middle of the spawn you have targeted with your various AoE powers can ruin a well-laid plan. It may not be that the Blaster doesn't care, they simply may not know any better.
Freedom has given the game a sudden influx of new players. Many of them are tooling around firing away and having a great time. But they might not know anything about tactics or working with a team. The next time a big KB attacks ruin your day send a tel to the player and let them know that there is a better way to do things.
"Comics, you're not a Mastermind...you're an Overlord!"
Quote:
Certainly the case, which is why if that happens I make mention of it and hope for better the next time around. I get that people are used to operating in certain ways from soloing which holdover to when they team and that Blasters, by dent of how they have to play when solo, tend to carry the knockback bug with them to the group.|
Originally Posted by Comicsluvr
As with all things, it depends on the circumstances. Yes, the Explosive Blast right in the middle of the spawn you have targeted with your various AoE powers can ruin a well-laid plan. It may not be that the Blaster doesn't care, they simply may not know any better.
|
My problem was strictly with the notion voiced in the OP that a blaster sholdn't even care about anyone else, which came off as pooh-poohing the complaints by others as some sort of desire on their part to stroke their e-peen in pursuit of higher DPS figures. I trust that wasn't the intent but more of a confident, do what is for the best of the group feel being shot for.
Under construction
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Comicsluvr
A team full of Blasters is like a playroom full of monkeys.
|
HAHAhahahahhehehehehehehehehehehh!!!!
Oh, god, SO TRUE. I love teams with lots of blasters, it's like a circus act with dynamite!
Quote:
Ignorance is only an excuse once. Soon enough anyone with a lick of skill and intelligence will try to get the Energy Blaster to stop that, although they may not be entirely polite about it, that's what happens when knockback aggravates some people. Either way there ARE idiots who ignore the sentiment of the team after being informed about their knockback, and keep it up anyways. I don't like those people.
|
Originally Posted by Comicsluvr
As with all things, it depends on the circumstances. Yes, the Explosive Blast right in the middle of the spawn you have targeted with your various AoE powers can ruin a well-laid plan. It may not be that the Blaster doesn't care, they simply may not know any better.
|
"Look, personally I just want a new issue to feature changes that don't cause a mass exodus of players..."
Issue 17: We Didn't Break Anything!
How to suck at CoX
Literally the Best Build Ever: Years in the Making
I am not made of Glass,nor iron or stone. Even steel is to soft to feel upon my blasters skin. No I am made of Impervium and as hard as they come, is no sin. No little cannon am I to be lead around, fired off then left stuck in the muddy ground. No I am the real Tank armored and armed with mighty big guns, now out of my way lest you slow down my fun. Flee as fast as you like as I take my toll. What is it that you do they ask. I blast because thats how I roll.
Quote:
I love how you assume its the other being ignorant. KB powers can bring an immense amount of helpt to a group. If a group scatters I just switch to hard hitting single target fire to gun them down in a blink. If you want to hit the big group first then be there first. People wrongly call it scrapperlock when its actually called WHo Is the better killer. dont expect others to hold back so you can get your perfect shot every time. That is no better a sense of team play then a leeroy.|
Originally Posted by NecroOmNomNomicon
Ignorance is only an excuse once. Soon enough anyone with a lick of skill and intelligence will try to get the Energy Blaster to stop that, although they may not be entirely polite about it, that's what happens when knockback aggravates some people. Either way there ARE idiots who ignore the sentiment of the team after being informed about their knockback, and keep it up anyways. I don't like those people.
|
Being a good team player is about you adapting to whoever you have along, not asking them to hold back so you can feel more special.
When I need a good dosed drain psyche I dont go hey guys wait till I get a juicy mob on me. I run in to the heart of the mob without thought hitting DP and then my mix of pbaoe and targeted aoe then pick off stragglers. Rarely does the rest of the team even have a chance to attack the mob.
My only question to the blaster scattering mobs is why didnt the first shot wipe at least half of them out?
And what about the tanks/scrappers/brutes/etc that have defenseive sets that benefit from being surrounded? Invuln or Willpower users (i have multiple of each of these) NEED to be surrounded or their defense/regen drops.. otherwise i agree Knockback when used correctly can be of immense benefit solo or in groups.. it's just the lack of HOW and WHEN to use it that's the issue
Server -=Victory=-
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by glasswalkerny
And what about the tanks/scrappers/brutes/etc that have defenseive sets that benefit from being surrounded? Invuln or Willpower users (i have multiple of each of these) NEED to be surrounded or their defense/regen drops.. otherwise i agree Knockback when used correctly can be of immense benefit solo or in groups.. it's just the lack of HOW and WHEN to use it that's the issue
|
I can agree with this to a degree. However not all Blasters do KB and many have actually managed to get the hang of using it to their advantage. For instance, if the mob surrounding the Tanker is suddenly knocked into a pile against the nearby wall, most of them are still in range for the Tank to get his Def/Regen buff. The mob is also down, making things safer for the team. I can agree that the Blaster needs to judge when to use his powers and when not to...but doesn't the rest of the team need to do the same?
Example: A team forms and the Tanker realizes that the Blaster is KB heavy and he has a Storm Controller as well. Now he can communicate his wishes to these two and ask them to not be KB heavy but shouldn't he also meet them half-way with regards to where he takes the fight in the room? Yes, the KB-dealers should be looking for walls and corners to capitalize on but would it hurt the Tanker to hug the wall a little to help them out? I don't think this is asking too much of both sides because BOTH of them need to be a little responsible for their own powers and how they affect the team.
Have you ever run on a team where the Kin couldn't get a good Fulcrum Shift because the team was spread out? Did he ask everyone to hang closer so everyone gained the benefit? The same goes for any power that needs the caster to be near the target or the team. I can't tell you how many times I lined up Twilight Grasp to heal a team mate and then he ran off and died. I tried and he didn't cooperate. I mentioned it in a tel and some of them got it...some of them didn't. I can only inform them of what I can do...if they won't meet me half way then that's on them.
Isn't it the same with Tanks (melee in general really) and KB? Sure, the Melee-er can't do his thing if the targets are scattered all over the place but then the KB dealer can't do HIS thing if everyone tells him not to. I think that until now the melee types have been complaining about KB without seeing the other side of the coin. I don't hear too many range characters complaining about KB because they aren't affected as much.
I simply thing that this isn't ALL on the KB-dealers. If the players who consider KB a major hindrance are willing to ask others not to use it then I think it's fair for the KB people to ask the others to try to work with them. It's what compromise is all about.
"Comics, you're not a Mastermind...you're an Overlord!"
Quote:
I do agree with this.|
Originally Posted by Comicsluvr
I simply thing that this isn't ALL on the KB-dealers. If the players who consider KB a major hindrance are willing to ask others not to use it then I think it's fair for the KB people to ask the others to try to work with them. It's what compromise is all about.
|
I've been playing Dominators recently and I do like the Energy Assault set. I do pick and choose my targets fairly carefully, and if, God forbid, I blow one target away from the tank, then you can bet your sweet behind I'm prepared to stay on him until he dies. If I do KB a target, I figure it is then my responsibility, not the tank's, tyvm, to see to it that said target is killed, and I figure everyone else pretty much plays this way, so why should the tank get SO peeved over some KB anyways? I see too many tanks *grumble* and then follow the KB'ed target. They need to know when to just let it go and trust in their teammates. Don't worry, be happy, I got this.
*shrug*
Been energy blasting since i3. I ran across a simple little rhyme at some point that seems to work at getting the tanks' panties unbunched- "If it's flying, it's dying." If I knock it back, it's going to be dead before the second bounce, or else I'm not doing my job :/
"A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head." Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates
MA Arcs: #12285, "Small Fears", #106553, "Trollbane", #12669, "How to Survive a Robot Uprising"
Quote:
That is what the complaints are over. Being in the middle of a group, using powers that are best suited to a group being near you and suddenly the group being scattered to every direction of the compass. |
Originally Posted by Demetrios Vasilikos
I love how you assume its the other being ignorant. KB powers can bring an immense amount of helpt to a group. If a group scatters I just switch to hard hitting single target fire to gun them down in a blink. If you want to hit the big group first then be there first.
|
And the dynamic doesn't just hurt people who are playing melee classes. I was playing the group healbot yesterday (I made the character to be healing focused so no complaints with that) and so long as the group stayed close two of my heals, one a toggle, the other used on demand, hit everyone in the group and there were no problems. As the group evolved over three hours we got in come people who were fond of knockback. Guess when it became considerably more of a challenge to keep everyone healed? When they were scattered chasing mobs that had been sent everywhere by knockback.
Quote:
| People wrongly call it scrapperlock when its actually called WHo Is the better killer. dont expect others to hold back so you can get your perfect shot every time. That is no better a sense of team play then a leeroy. |
Quote:
| Being a good team player is about you adapting to whoever you have along, not asking them to hold back so you can feel more special. |
I have been in group situations where knockback was (or would have been) useful. The other night where the group was two friends of mine and me on a stalker, a corruptor, and my blaster. In that group the stalker wasn't going to hold group aggro and the corruptor wasn't going to exercise enough control to keep everything locked down. In that situation knockback might have had some merit. As it was, having a hold, an area sleep, and a single target disorient worked well with the area slow and single target hold the corruptor had, but knockback certainly would have been a useful tool. I will also tell you, groups of such composition are, in my experience, the exception.
Generally the larger the group, the less likely it is you are short on people who hold a group on themselves and more likely you are to have people who deal in area damage (including other blasters).
Quote:
| My only question to the blaster scattering mobs is why didnt the first shot wipe at least half of them out? |
Under construction
Quote:
You don't have single target attacks? |
Originally Posted by Comicsluvr
Isn't it the same with Tanks (melee in general really) and KB? Sure, the Melee-er can't do his thing if the targets are scattered all over the place but then the KB dealer can't do HIS thing if everyone tells him not to.
|
I am pretty sure every blast set comes with them.
Heck, many blasts sets don't have knockback. Nobody is complaining about the Fire blaster doing his thing. If the mob dies before I can hit him on one of my melee classes, good. . .I'm down with that. But I'm telling you, if I have a spawn on my Super Strength/Energy Aura brute (who shrugs off spawns attacking him) and someone scatters the spawn all over. . .I'm assuming that is a message to me that they have the spawn under control and I'm moving on.
Quote:
| I simply thing that this isn't ALL on the KB-dealers. If the players who consider KB a major hindrance are willing to ask others not to use it then I think it's fair for the KB people to ask the others to try to work with them. It's what compromise is all about. |
Under construction
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by TeChameleon
"If it's flying, it's dying."
|
I play tanks. A LOT of tanks.
If I get a crazy knocker on a team, I'll roll with it for a while. If it gets to be TOO annoying, however, I'll just leave. On a good tanker, you're only slowing down to let the team keep up with you.
So, to escape the knockback, for a breather or something, I'll just play forward a few spawns. When the cataclysm catches up, that's my cue to move on.
Everybody wins! I get to clump them up, put them where they need to be, soak the alphas, and soften them up a bit, the knockers get nice, tightly clumped groups to blow to bitty pieces.
Quote:
As a career player of an Energy Blaster from day 1 to this very day, that is the number one battle I have had to fight when on teams. I am aware of the knockback and do my best to not un-mob a mob but when you remove the major KB powers then you are short changing that blaster, if you take EB and Energy Torrent out of the mix then the KB becomes manageable but they are big tools to remove. You have to develop a synergy with your team but just as important is that the team will also have to make some exceptions and perhaps, perish the thought, adjust their tactics as well. If I am the lone blaster on a melee heavy team, then yeah I will throttle back on the multi-target KBs. If I am on a more mixed team, I am gonna sweep. Know your team, know your teams powers, know your role and know how to make it work. Remember, knowing is half the battle.
|
Originally Posted by Erratic
Had me going until this part.
Way too many times I have been in the midst of an AE power on a long timers only to have everything around me suddenly hurled to every point of the compass. Gee, my Soul Drain, Dark Consumption, Energy Drain, or heck, a PBAE blast was just wasted because some "I don't care about the other players in the group" blaster decided it would be fun to scatter everything. Yes, Knockback is a survival tool when you're solo. In a group it may be beneficial in rare circumstances, but those times are far more rare than those times when it is detrimental. |
High Beam - 50 Blaster Energy/Ice - 1228 Badges
Munitions Mistress - 50 Mercs/Traps
Many Other 50's, Too Many Alts, All On Freedom
Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should!
So does every blaster thread have to turn into Knockback hate?
I LOVE Knockback and truely believe if you can't bother to learn how to adapt you are a lazy player. I tell every player to use their powers how they like. You know I recall it being rather cool watching the Hulk smash someone 100 yards or Thor laying the hammer down and the person zooming out of sight.
I see these threads and all it has become is the I win button over and over again.
Gather them - aoe to obliteration and NEXT. God forbid that some one pause in the middle of that and do something COOL.
Quote:
Just the ones that start off mocking others for complaining about it surely.|
Originally Posted by Infernus_Hades
So does every blaster thread have to turn into Knockback hate?
|
Quote:
| I LOVE Knockback and truely believe if you can't bother to learn how to adapt you are a lazy player. |
Quote:
| I tell every player to use their powers how they like. You know I recall it being rather cool watching the Hulk smash someone 100 yards or Thor laying the hammer down and the person zooming out of sight. |
I am not sure the pointing to comic books thing is meant to be serious argument or not. Nobody in comic books powers work based on the number of people around them and most comic book teams members square off one-on-one against villains.
Quote:
| Gather them - aoe to obliteration and NEXT. God forbid that some one pause in the middle of that and do something COOL. |
Under construction
Quote:
Not to be too terribly snarky or anything, but isn't that what the people telling players with lots of KB powers not to use them are doing? Just saying, "don't do that," and offering nothing themselves?|
Originally Posted by Erratic
Compromise doesn't mean you get what you want and everyone else gets nothing. What are you putting on the table?
|
Maybe ask the KB user to not use AoE KB powers unless they're above the group or they're knocking back into a wall or corner, and then where possible try and fight near walls and corners. You're both going out of your way to make the other's experience not suck. Sure it may not be quite as fun as just playing exactly the way you want with no regard to anything else, but at least you're not completely dragging down someone else's play-session.
Also, if you ask the KB user to do that and they make absolutely no effort and just AoE blast away, then they're just a dick who deserves to be one-starred and probably kicked from the team as soon as the mission's over. I mean, if someone else is being reasonable and the player refuses to meet them halfway then they're not really worth playing with or even worse they actively enjoy upsetting others.
Quote:
| Yeah, I too belive that knockback using blasters who can't learn to adapt to the group dynamic are lazy players. I would throw in selfish as well. |
MA Arcs: Yarmouth 1509 and 58812
Quote:
I'm putting everything into the trees and embedding them head first into the walls. In exchange, I'm offering some nice screenshot macros.
|
Originally Posted by Erratic
Compromise doesn't mean you get what you want and everyone else gets nothing. What are you putting on the table?
|
[Guide to Defense] [Scrapper Secondaries Comparison] [Archetype Popularity Analysis]
In one little corner of the universe, there's nothing more irritating than a misfile...
(Please support the best webcomic about a cosmic universal realignment by impaired angelic interference resulting in identity crisis angst. Or I release the pigmy water thieves.)
To watch someone run in and Nuke KbAoE a spawn first thing only to have spread mobs hardly dented, outside of cone range, outside of small aoes like debuffs, anchors knocked over the edge of some balcony..
You'd think that the blaster, after seeing this effect would then allow the team to do what they did as it was more efficient, whilst minimising inefficiency and use the nuke as finisher...
As a Tanker one can herd and pull down a wall length where possible before the blaster gets to the front, mobs spread along a wall can be kbed to the wall.
But when said Nuking Blaster is up a Tankers butt, like it was the safest place to be, ready with that nuke it just better to run in without the aura on.
As someone with several energy blasts and four stormies, there is good kb and there is "who let the four year old at the keyboard?" kb.
He will honor his words; he will definitely carry out his actions. What he promises he will fulfill. He does not care about his bodily self, putting his life and death aside to come forward for another's troubled besiegement. He does not boast about his ability, or shamelessly extol his own virtues. - Sima Qian.
Hi there. Yes, Im a Blaster. While you smugly chat with your friends about your soft-capped defenses Im over here honing my skills. While you brag about soloing on +4/x8 Im tuning my Powers, practicing for the day when youll need me. And if you want to move fast you will need me. You want safe? Play with Controllers or Defenders. You want secure? Play with Tankers and Scrappers. You want carnage? Play with Blasters.
We come in all shapes and sizes these days. Fire-wielders are always popular. Lots of flashy effects and mobs running about. Ice is sometimes maligned but its more like a toolbox than a hammer. Itll drive nails but it does so much more. We even have access to Radiation and Darkness now. Yep were all over the place these days.
Were a proud group but then the road has been tough at times. Back in the pre-ED days we ruled the world with unrestricted damage and mayhem. Then Ed sort of cut the legs from under us for a while. We were Defiant and we died in droves. But then the sky brightened and the Inventors began selling their wares and our Defiant nature became more defined and useful.
But we still catch flack from time to time from some circles. Whats that? You dont like when I do Knockback? Im sorry Mister Uber DPS Purple Build, I guess your stats will suffer because you now have to walk 20 feet to hit your target. Oh, by the way, while that guy is lying in a heap there in the corner, hes not shooting at you or me or our team mates. Think about that the next time I put the Ruin Mage into a wall and send him bouncing so he cant cast Tremor on all of us. No, my Ice Slick doesnt do any actual damage but then the Sapper sliding around on it isnt draining all of your Endurance either is he?
Are we still considered squishy? Sure we are. Do we have ways of dealing with it? We sure do. A team full of Blasters is like a playroom full of monkeys. Youre not sure what theyre gonna do but you can be sure itll be a fun show worth watching. Do we still like having others around? Of course we do. Like a good meal, theres always something to bring to the table. We love the Defenders who buff us, debuff the enemy and blast away in between. We love the tougher types who charge in and take the agro for us and line up the enemies all nice and pretty. We love the Controllers and Dominators who lock down the enemy and inflict all manner of grief on them.
And they all love us for putting the foes away faster than they could themselves. See, theres the great part about us we spread the love with our bountiful gifts of XP for everyone. Were not greedy theres always more to go around. Sure, two Tanks or Controllers could take out the whole room in total safety but how long would it take? Throw a Blaster into a team and watch the XP rate climb. Throw in more than one and it climbs really fast.
I will admit, some of us are a bit crazed. Some of the Blapper set just love mixing it up with the enemy. But they do damage and thats what were all about. If Blapping is their chosen role in life than theyve probably realized that there might not be someone there to buff them or tank for them or rez them after they faceplant. Theyre ok with it really. Like a good football lineman theyre used to taking hits and getting hurt. For them its part of their fun.
Like anything in life, Blasting requires some practice. You remember that guy that always laid down the AoE Immobilize just before the mob got to the Trip Mines? Or the gal that loved Gale so much she had to use it all the time? Yeah Blasters have our moments too. The guy who uses his heavy KB attack to blast the boss out of the huge area of death? The one who says I can pull one and promptly launches an LRM? Yeah thats us sometimes. But you have to make allowances for the new people and the ones that need a little education. Just like we gently remind Tanks how useful Taunt is, you have to be a little gentle when scolding a wayward Blaster about the productive uses of his Powers.
Blasters are very popular. Look around you and youll see proof of that. Not all of us are good but were working on it. Just like the Scrapper who dashes in screaming Heal me! or the Controller who draws ALL the aggro with his ill-timed AoE, we make mistakes. But when the chips are down and the enemy is tough, there is nobody more willing to step to the plate and put damage downrange than a Blaster.
I am a Blaster hear me roar then get out of the way.
"Comics, you're not a Mastermind...you're an Overlord!"