Advice on paragon points that should be spent

Having just returned to VIP (and starting to jump back into the game), are there any paragon point items that people seriously recommend? I'd hate to just blow my 400 points I get with VIP on stupid stuff before realizing what things people would seriously recommend.

Ninja Run is pretty useful if you don't already have it.

What is Ninja Run? Is it a mission?

My vote is for the Team Transporter. Summons an Arachnos Flier/Longbow Chaser/Praetorian Chaser to take you and your team to the next mission. Only a 30 minute cooldown, a marked improvement over the Mac Pack solo teleporter.

I pretty much save all my points for new set purchases and occasional costume sets. But if you don't make lots of alts, that might not be too appealing.

I just looked at a wiki of the store's prices and realized that 400 points doesn't buy a whole lot.

Remember you get 400 points *each month*, so you can save up if you want.

I think the Super Packs are actually a pretty cool deal, especially if you can afford to by the bundles that give you a better price per-pack. Each one gives you 5 random items, such as reward merits, ATO enhancements, XP boosters, special Inspirations, and pieces from the Elemental Order costume set. You can easily end up with stuff that totals a point value well beyond what you put in. There's also a Super Pack #2 coming Soon (TM).

The primary things I use my points on are power sets and costumes

I tend to get every power set that doesn't come with VIP and I even bought Time Manipulation for my 2nd freemium account just because I think it's pretty amazing even on SO's

I recommend not getting caught up in the flash and glitter of the store. Take a hard look at what appeals to you and what's going to have lasting game play potential. For me that's power sets and costumes because they can both have an impact on my game play in repeatable ways.

Most power sets are cross AT so they open up more mix and match potential for new characters. Costumes are useable for all my characters and open up new options. In the future I'll be quick to plunk down points for the store bought power pools because those have the potential to affect EVERY character I currently have and don't require me to make a new character.

Like I said take a hard look at the market... what appeals to you but also look at how much you'll really get out of those things before you hit the purchase button. Don't be impulsive... be willing to save your points and you'll never spend more than your VIP sub. On the other hand... it's nice if there's enough in the store to at least make it tempting to buy more points. It means the market is doing its job to generate revenue for a game we all love

Things I would rate as well worth buying:

Ninja Run Power (500 pp): A nice basic travel power for all of your characters. Even at high level I use this inside missions for characters who have jump or flight for travel (aka all my characters).

Team Transport Power (700pp): This acts as a mission transporter except that your entire team can use it and the recharge is only 30 minutes. An awesome use of points both solo and teamed.


And my number one "buy these with your first month's stipend" recommendation:

Aura Unlock (160pp) and Back Slot Unlock (160pp): These allow you to add auras and/or capes to your characters at character creation. So you never have to worry about doing the cape/aura unlock missions again and can make your characters look correct at level one rather than level 20 or 30.

While the alternate travel powers are cool, they cost points and none of them is as functional as the pool travel powers: you can't jump as high or fly as fast. Some of them untoggle all your powers (Rocket Board and Flying Carpet), though Ninja Run does not.

But I still can't recommend Ninja Run. The stance is inappropriate for every one of my characters. If you can't spare a power choice in a build, you can get jet packs in-game for free in a whole bunch of ways--the easiest being to buy the recipe in the market and crafting it. There are several missions that grant it, and you can also just buy jetpacks in Grandville and FBZ from the special vendors.

Finally, since you can slot IOs such as +Stealth and Winter's Gift: resistance to slow in pool travel powers, I find that I always want to take a travel power so I can use those.

So, unless you have a character that you actually want to have skulking around and flipping with Ninja Run, or grunting and huffing on all fours with Beast Run, you might save your points for something else.

I use my points to buy stuff that I'll use permanently, like costume pieces, power sets, character slots, and so on.

The last thing to realize is that as a VIP you can download the Beta client. On Beta you can buy everything for zero points. Then you can try it out, and if you like it, you can buy it on live.

Rodion has it... Hit beta, try before you buy. Simple solution, fun to boot, knock yourself out.

getting the additional enhancer slots was the decision I will never regret. But I rebuild and respec a lot. 30 Enhancer Slots changed the game for me.

These are the powers I would consider.

I have many Min Max alts that use Ninja Run, or its alternate animation clone Beast Run, as their only travel power. Using one of these powers to skip a pool travel power and make up for having to take a dead power like Boxing or Gale can really help on a build. On a lot of Power set combos I find using NR to delay taking a travel power allows me to level up more easily by fitting in an extra attack or defense early.

I would rate Ninja Run as my number one choice if I had to pick only one.

While you can't slot NR or BR, combining them with level 50 run speeds in Swift and Sprint (NR and BR do stack with sprint) and a level 50 Jump in Hurdle, along with a few Run speed and/or Movement speed boosts in your IO sets will average around a 60 mph Run/Jump speed. 70 MPH is not too hard to get. On an alt built for max speed in Granite (30 MPH+), NR run speed is 82.5 MPH in regular armor. Combine NR with Steam Jump and the Jump Pack and you can be airborne for pretty much whole zones by re-jumping in mid-air constantly.

So I would add both Jump powers to the good to have list. Steam Jump is better.

I would never buy a Flight power though, as Raptor packs are so cheap. (Ok I bought Rocket Boaed cause it looked cool and was fast, and I don't have to run low levels to PI anymore, but that was frivilous and lazy.)

Our entire SG has Mystic Fortune. We always card the Teammate below and bottom gets top. Fast Fun Free buff.

Secondary Mutation is also fun. Unlike Mystic you buff youself. The first time you hit it in combat and get the very rare Rikti Monkey result will be quite memorable. Especially if you are the Tank and a team wipe results .

I use the Pocket D VIP teleport 9 out of 10 days.

Same on Mission Transporter, but Team Transport will work on you when alone and recharges so much faster, it is the better deal.

Least important is Self Destruction, In addition to being a fun desperation move, it can be a 'Teleport' power. Blow up - then rez in BASE. Restock, dump salvage, and use SG base TP's to head to next task, or the portal to go back to mission.

You might still be able to find old CoH boxed games that have some of the powers like Pocket D and Jump Pack out there in 3D, but I am not sure if adding them to your account still adds the powers, can anyone confirm?

ALL these powers have been on sale at one time or another, so be patient and wait for sales. Same for new power sets, etc. Wait if you can.

Jak