what boosts to your character's power do you use?

Everyone presumably trains powers and adds enhancements
surprisingly many people never bother with inspirations
what else do you use?

1. crafted powers - envenomed dagger is big vs AV's, stun grenades give everyone an AoE mezz, lots of other powers as well

2. Safeguard temporary powers just for doing them - sure there is flight, but there is also END increase and Health increase

3. Safeguard temporary powers for side missions

4. Day Job buffs - recharge buff, regen buff, etc

5. Temp power from patrolling PvP zones - stealth or phasing

6. Temp powers from regular missions - wedding ring, holy shotgun

7. DfB and DiB temporary buffs - through level 20 or 30

8. Kal SF has a buff up to 50, +Max HP, +Regen, +Dmg

9. Buying better inspirations and emailing to self

10. Special buffs SG's can get from their base

11. Accolades with buffs/powers

I pretty much don't use any of the list. When I get one I always think I should remember to get more, then I don't.

Some of everything, depending on the toon. On pretty much every toon I'll craft the first Envenomed Dagger recipe that drops during normal play, just in case I find myself in a situation where a team doesn't have much -regen. I also try to remember to go get the PvP zone stealth temps, those can be very handy while leveling, although it's a rare L50 build that doesn't already have stealth through IOs/Super Speed.

The most important thing, in my opinion, is to remember to use inspirations as you play. It amazes me sometimes how few inspirations I see on the team buff window during major fights. A little extra defense, resistance, accuracy, or damage can go a long way.

I use everything I can get my hands on, usually for character flavor. I flashback to get the Rune of Warding, Bow and Arrow, Holy Shotgun Shells, Vitalize, and frequently run Safeguards just for temporary powers. It helps the character transcend the limits imposed by the chosen archetype and flesh out abilities that would make sense on a concept.

Other people have alt-itis. Me? I have temppower-itis. I might as well have based Paladin off of Batman when it comes to temp powers.

Wait, people not using inspirations? IO'd and/or 50 I suppose, but I'd like to meet the guy who's gone through an entire Inspirationless playthrough 1-50.

I eat inspirations like candy. Yellows are basically useless after 22 but purples, blues, and greens are a godsend and reds and oranges are definitely nice to have.

I pick up the occasional temporary power, especially the recovery booster. The cooldown isn't so great, but between that, a few blues, and rest I can afford a little inefficiency in my builds while leveling.

That's about it, actually. I'll use other things like day job powers if I pick them up, but I find I don't really need them too much.

Wait, dugfromthearth posted? That never happens...

(I kid. Love ya, man. no, really. I have the T-shirt, the poster, the bedding, the life size pillow, the restraining order, everything! ) >.>


The answer to most of the list is "It depends." Some characters I'll use crafted powers on to get another attack in early, or just for the heck of it. (How to scare a team: Have the defender run in to hit something with the baseball bat.)

The safeguard/mayhem powers, I don't have all too often these days - I actually don't run the missions much these days. Same with accolades - I normally get them if I happen to finish what I need, as opposed to actually going out of my way to get them.

Day jobs... the only one I really go out of my way to make sure every character has is the ww/bm teleporter.

Temp powers from PVP patrols - Generally, yeah. They're fast and give stealth on characters that might not need them enough to actually invest in the Concealment pool. (Plus I'm usually seeing if a 15-20 has any issues vs the bunkers, so I tend to end up with a shivan while I'm there.)

Temp powers from missions/DIB/DFB/Kai - if I run them. *shrug* Not something I aim for.

SG buffs - sometimes.

Inspirations - Use often. And why not, they drop like crazy.

See my Guides and Tutorials

I'm really confused by people's answer to his inspiration question.

He didn't ask if we use inspirations. He asked if we buy better ones.

I use everything as it comes, but I don't go out of my way to get consumables, unless I'm stuck on a particular task and need the extra boost.

I read the thread title as "boots", and thought this was going to be some wacky costume part thread

Venom Dagger is about the only temp power I'll craft.

Use inspirations all the time (regular drop and super pack ones)

Day Job Buffs I'll use. In fact on my DB/WP I loved having Combat Shield for when -Def was getting out of hand.

Wedding Ring if I have it.

DFB/DIB buffs if I have them.

Kal SF if I have it, though to my knowledge, the buff lasts even at 50, but it's just really really small.

I've used the SG Buffs whenever I thought I needed to and I remember them.

Accolades...of course!

It's easier for me to make a list more along the lines of what I don't use/do:

I don't craft temp powers. Indeed, I hate the crafting system and largely avoid it altogether.

I only rarely craft IOs, and haven't bothered trying to fully plot-n-slot a character for set bonuses for a long time.

I don't go for Accolades.

I don't do certain story arcs with the goal of acquiring temporary powers.

I almost never buy inspirations, and I tend to hoard the ones I acquire naturally.

I generally don't take the Fighting pool. I find the toggles therein too costly (and the attack useless) to run on most characters, and if I had my druthers they would provide little-no bonus for Scrappers/Tanks/Brutes/Stalkers and more bonus for the squishier characters.

And unless something magical happens to cause the necessary components to rain from the sky, I doubt I'll ever get an Incarnate Tier 4 crafted. I find the processes involved for unlocking and crafting up to Tier 3 to be more than enough tedium.