Absorb...should other sets get it?

Not quite a fully formed topic in my head..but just some ideas..

In i24, Blaster secs are getting absorb powers (leaving aside I still dont think they should) which sounds interesting, especially if its alters/changes existing powers. Now I am NOT saying Melee ATs need/want/deserve a 'buff'..but...

Should this mechanic be added, down the track, to other melee armour sets? Oh, and likewise, to some support sets?

Looking at BioArmour as a rough example, the set has 2 (I think, Im just going from mids, forgive me if I get anything wrong) absorb powers, the medium rech heal/regen/ab, and the long rech tier 9. Seems to be the general consenus is that the set does pretty good. I get that it is basically a trial run for the Absorb mechanic, so in a similar way to sual blades combo system, compared to StJ combos, I would assume they would get the mechanic 'not quite' right, and improve it in later instances.

So..I was thinking..would bio do ok with no absorb? Speaking as someone who has NOT played the set (always a great situation to speak on a topic..lol) I think it would. The tier 9 as a SoW clone, the Absorb medium power just being a heal/regen..and the set it still decent. Given that...and how blaster sets are getting it..again..do other sets deserve it?

I am not going to go into huge detailed reasons why the melee sets do or do not need it. Technically, nothing 'needs' it. To go on a tangent..the specs for Rad Armour that were listed, seem to me almost a copy of Elec, just with absorb thrown in. So..why not for current sets?

Theme-wise too (I dont just want it too seem like I am saying..omg new mechanic? give me more powwwer) I think a few sets could use it. When Burn of FA got buffed awhile back, I had a huge argument with people on Freedom, because I dared to suggest the set needed a lil more than just that. Take Consume for example..wouldnt that just be a perfect power to add some absorb? As you burn away your enemies matter, and add it too your own?
Other examples..what about Regen, and Reconstruction? You are healing your body, and actually strengthening it briefly, thickening skin, muscles etc, giving a bit of Absorb.
Elec Armour could also get it from power sink (much inferior to energy auras sink now it gives +def) as you convert energy into absorb.

Obviously the above sets are all resistance (I think res sets lag behind a bit in performance..another topic though) but you could easily make a case for some def sets getting it. What about Stone Armour and granite giving absorb, instead of just being, as it is now, a 'slap huge def and res into an otherwise average set, and call it good.'

Also, quite a few Support sets could use it. I Know Healing Ios are now heal/absorb, but I am assume it does NOT just magically add absorb to stuff? Anyway..things like ForceField, could totally use it, partly helping with teh issue of FF being def..and def..and..more def. Even sonic, which has the same issue, but with res (which isnt as good).

Other sets too..Therm and Cauterise..wounds sealing up, scar tissue adding absorb? How about..Emp and Absorb Pain (which a lot of people hate..silly emps). You take thier 'pain' and it damages you, but also renders you resistant to pain for awhile, providing absorb. So you still cant heal yourself, but you take less damage, IF you do get hit. Cant believe I am going to suggest improving Kinetics..but...one of the siphon powers (maybe siphon power, since its rendered basically useless by FS) getting a small Absorb as you drain power. Pain Dom could totally benefit from it as it seems to be one of teh least used (and wanted/needed?) sets..with very little mitigation too. Also small (crappy) ST heals like O2 boost and Alkaloid could use it.

As I said..just ideas I had. And I am really not just trying to get everything buffed. I am a big supporter of making the older sets shiny again as well as keeping up with new mechanics.

I actually think it'd suit Ice Armor best as far as melee defenses. I'd really like to see it added in to Force Fields for Controllers/Corruptors/Defenders.

Oh that iss a good one. I didnt think of Ice. But yeah, totally would fit, be like a self frostworks, but with Absorb.

I'd be fine with it as long as you find a way to bring blasters on par with other ATs.

Others are already getting everything blasters are getting in I24 and more.

You can't fix an AT by giving everyone else the same advantage!

I don't think most of the armor sets have any particularly compelling reason to get Absorb, certainly not just for the sake of having it. Absorption is just healing that gets used before you're hit instead of after, so if the answer to "should this set get extra healing?" is "no", it probably shouldn't get Absorb, either.
It's an interesting possibility for some other sets that are currently rather lackluster, like Force Field.

(Only one existing Blaster secondary is getting Absorb, btw, and it's getting it instead of the healing/regen effects that every other secondary is getting.)

I think regen getting some absorb sounds fantastic. Would def make it a bit better for tank use. Pretty sure my scrapper version would love it.

Force Fields could certainly do with an extra layer of mitigation.

There's nothing quite like devoting your entire primary to shielding your team, and having that completely undone by a single DE emanator or CoT quicksand in the 30s.
Adding some absorb to the shields would be thematic, and provide an extra buff against these situations. It also gives the set something to offer players who are soft-capped to defence on their own.

Some residual absorb from PFF would be an interesting addition too.

What's the difference between absorb and dull pain?

I agree Mike. As I said..I am 'trying' to avoid it being a 'new shiny, we all want it' type thing. But..it IS a new shiny. And seemingly an important of if some/more/all of the idea of Bioarmour..is based around absorb (likewise with Nature, to a degree).

In other words..for a support/melee set we have..Resist..Defence..Heal and Regen. These things are the framework. Absorb adds a 5th layer. Obviously not every set has or needs, or even should have all 4. So again, no reason ALL sets should get the 5th.

But like Mike just says..Regen with Absorb? makes sense as a theme, and would help. Regen has no def, very minimal res, so why not give it the 5th layer?

I know, I know..regen has Mog. But you have to think at a base performance for sets. Take fire armour..sure, soft cap it, Io it, pair it with ss and soul, and its wtfawesome. Take it, on its OWN, no IOs, no fighting (I think fighting should HELP a set out, not be an almost compulsory pick) and it is pretty squishy. Consume having some absorb..to a set with no def or regen? Why not? Extra layer.

Again though..I have NO practical experience with absorb from Test. So if people can chime in and say things like 'Oh no, some absorb here would be simply to good and require the set to be nerfed in other ways' that is very helpful. Like I said..it is an idea, more from a theme point than to make us all super dooper.

In general there are three sets I would add Absorb to: Force Field, Cold Domination and a few of the Cold/Ice Epic Pools (for some ATs).

For Force Field the set could really use a buff and Absorb seems a thematic way to buff it. The concern I have is where to add it? Adding it to Deflection Shield and/or Insulation Shield has major balance implications. A pulsing absorb in Dispersion Bubble would work well mechanically but people already use Dispersion Bubble so while it's a off to the set it's not really how I'd choose to buff it. What I probably would do is use the new tech we've seen in a few places allowing a power to work differently on allies and enemies and add an Absorb shield to Detention Field when it's used on an Ally.

For Cold Domination I'd change Frostwork to be about 50/50 MaxHP and Absorb. Frostwork suffers from being a bit to good, in a lot of cases it takes an ally to their HP cap and a lot of its power is wasted. Changing it partly to an absorb helps that.

Finally Blasters, Masterminds and Dominators all have Hoarfrost available in their Epic Pools. However due to their HP caps Domiantors and Blasters (especially Blasters) tend to hit the HP cap when using it. As such I'd probably decrease the Max HP the power provides and convert part of it into an Absorb shield to make it more useful to them. Masterminds I think are fine as is so I'd prefer to leave their version unchanged since for them it would be a bit of a nerf.

I think that the ally shields (Deflection and Insulation) are the perfect place to add some Absorb, and don't add any balance issues.

These powers should make a team pretty much indestructible, and already do much of the time. The player's given up solo peformance by taking a buff set, and given up offensive multipliers by taking Force Field. The defence should be rock solid.

The only time they don't work currently is because Defence, especially without DDR, is the most easily circumvented layer of defence in the game. Adding Absorb would fix that. In the absence of Defence debuffs or To Hit bonuses, the absorb wouldn't change much because the team are already protected to the hilt, and no-one's dying.

That is also an interesting idea Ult.

Giving FF absorb in force bub (as my example) would actually help the solo bubbler..which as you say Dr..is one of its main issues.

I'd be wary of adding personal protection for the bubbler into Force Bubble, D. It has the ability to draw a lot of aggro on to the user due to its large radius touching groups before the rest of the team.

If the FF-er isn't soft-capped to range, and the Absorb isn't too large, this could in some circumstances end up shortening your lifespan and dropping the keystone to the team.

Force Bubble currently has it uses, so we can't remove the large radius repel effect.


However, adding some Absorb to Repulsion Field could work. It has a tiny radius, and is generally used to either protect yourself of start juggling something dangerous in melee range.

It really really is..limited use. VERY. I have seen it used well in the Eden trial, to keep mobs away from the wall..and about..oh, less that FIVE other situations. Less than 5..in my time playing! It is a relic.

It seems like it would be somewhat thematically appropriate for /Regen. Looking at it as you heal so fast that part of the damage effectively didn't even happen.

I would be very wary of giving /Regen too MUCH Absorb, but putting a little bit in there could be a nice addition.

I would put it in Instant Healing.

You wouldn't have it all the time, but you wouldn't really NEED it all the time. Most Regen players I know save Instant Healing for when they are REALLY in trouble. Adding something to IH that reduces the damage taken would be very helpful when Regen starts getting its butt handed to it.

Okay, specifically I think the following main sets could use absorb:

Ice Armor/Cold Mastery/Ice Mastery/Chill Mastery: Probably have the +MaxHP on Hoarfrost be fully or partially converted into Absorb, doesn't change its slotting much if at all.

Stone Armor/Stone Mastery: Do the same with Earth's Embrace.

Cold Domination: Frostwork, same as above.

Force Field: I think this should become FF's new thing. Reduce the defense buffs by a fair amount and add AoT (Absorb over Time) to most of the defensive powers. And for Pete's sake, make Detention field a dang normal hold. If having unimpeded AoT would be too much, set a cap.

Please don't change Hoarfrost. I like being almost at the HP cap all the time.

Like I said, a cap could probably be set. Or it might just be flagged not to stack.