BlueBattler

I took Kadabra Kill but I had to use the 4 lucks/4 reds combo on my Mace/Fire armor Brute.

The thing that made him tricky was that as a Boss he's being guarded by a Boss Lost, so you wind up with two Boss Level Entities spamming holds on you ... not to mention the damage the Lost Bosses get with those swords of theirs.

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What difficulty level are you facing them on? And what kind of meleer?

I was doing an Unyielding Mission on my level 24 Mace/Fire Armor Brute and it was an exercise in frustration when I'd come across a Spectral Lord or the Demon Lord ... they'd floor my accuracy and then just kick my butt.

That's usually what happens for my melee toons when I face the Spec Lords. Depending on the toon I'm playing, they may or may not be able to kill me, but either way it's a long fight because I simply can't hit them unless I have plenty of yellows on hand.

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Spectral Lords can be fought solo by melee'ers. You need to use you most deadiest weapon: your brain. So why are Specrtal Lords to bad? Point Blank AoE ToHit debuff. Not the Point Blank part of the power description. Solution avoid point blank. Don't stand toe to (figurative) toe with a Spectral Lord. You got leg...use 'em! Joust the Spectral Lords. Sprint, Dash, Jump whatever and avoid their AoE. To quote Muhammad Ali - Float like a buttterfly, sting like a bee." When the AoE goes down, move in for the kill.

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Kind of hard to do that when they immobilize you.

(Don't have combat jumping and Fire Armor has no protection against immobilize until you get Burn which I also don't have
yet.)

(Though I do have TP so I can use that, but it's not quite as easy as just not being affected by the power.)

And I'm not saying that I CAN'T beat them. Just that it's not fun for me at the level I like to play. If it's not fun, I'm not going to do it.

I could find a way to safely hit my head with a hammer all day but that doesn't mean I'd want to do it just 'cause I could.

Yeah. I activated my Katana/Regen's second build and took MOG for RWZ.

My Fire/Regen with Focused Accuracy loved the timed RWZ missions.

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What difficulty level are you facing them on? And what kind of meleer?

[/ QUOTE ]Unyielding and below depending on level, and almost all powersets at one point or another. Spectral Daemon Lords can be slow and challenging, but there are various methods of handling them. i tend to use my superior mobility and the fact that their aura doesn't always take effect instantly to use hit and run tactics. i suppose if they were in every single spawn i would also start avoiding CoT missions, but i've never had that occur.

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The mission I was doing had at least two spawn of them in every room. The mob that finally made me just go ahead and use autocomplete had TWO of them in the same mob.

I remember fighting those guys on my Bots/Dark MM. I couldn't believe that my Assault Bot that could go toe to toe with most Elite Bosses was being pawned by a Lt.

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Spectral frustration or lack of can also depend highly on what your damage type is. I know my Katana/SR, though she can survive against them just fine, doesn't precisely go looking for them either. She feels the same way about Freakshow Tankers and Chief Soldiers, in that they'll take forever to chip down (and if the streakbreaker decides she's lived too long, things can quickly go south). She carries the Ghost Axe for use against Spectrals, but the others are just plain tedious.

The phrase is "More trouble than they're worth". Sure, some people see drawn-out fights as a challenge, but others are more interested in going ahead and defeating stuff.

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I love fighting Freakshow on my Katana/Regen. 8-)

But I fully agree with your assessment. "More trouble than its worth" is indeed a fine description. Some people find satisfaction in coming up with a winning strategy to get past something like that while others prefer to go do something else.

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Since I play a lot of melee toons, I simply avoid COT from the time the Spectral Lords appear up until the time they disappear for good (around 40 or so). It's a pity because there are some great stories that I like about the COT, but the stories aren't worth the aggravation of dealing with the Spectrals.

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It is a pity...I solo a lot and play a fair number of melee toons, mostly brutes...but some scrappers and stalkers as well. I never avoid COT. Dealing with Daemon Lords is just about knowing what your enemy can do and compensating. A single stun/hold/sleep of any kind cancels the aura they turn on. And even in the absence of those things...popping a yellow or 2 helps.

Of all the things one could run from in this game...Spectrals are a nice challenge...but that's just me I guess. A waste to not do story arcs you want to because you're afraid of ghosts

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See, I don't see "Popping enough yellows to get past that their to-hit debuff" as a challenge. I see it as a waste of my time.

I have a limited amount of time to play and I'm not going to waste it on something that I don't find fun.

What difficulty level are you facing them on? And what kind of meleer?

I was doing an Unyielding Mission on my level 24 Mace/Fire Armor Brute and it was an exercise in frustration when I'd come across a Spectral Lord or the Demon Lord ... they'd floor my accuracy and then just kick my butt.

That's usually what happens for my melee toons when I face the Spec Lords. Depending on the toon I'm playing, they may or may not be able to kill me, but either way it's a long fight because I simply can't hit them unless I have plenty of yellows on hand.

There are definitely enemies that I do not think can be soloed with every playerset combination.

Since I play a lot of melee toons, I simply avoid COT from the time the Spectral Lords appear up until the time they disappear for good (around 40 or so). It's a pity because there are some great stories that I like about the COT, but the stories aren't worth the aggravation of dealing with the Spectrals.

I'm not a fan of Malta either. They've toned down the Sappers a lot, but I think those stun grenades are way overpowered. I once had a toon get hit with one and the stun lasted longer than his breakfree!

My poor Empath/Psi Defender never could have soloed to 50, even on Heroic. I tried once of his missions in the upper 40s once. He did okay against the Council, but in an Arachnos mission-- it was that or Carnies-- he didn't have a prayer. The orange Night Widow he got-- because you can get enemies that are one level higher than you on Heroic, after all-- laughed at his attacks and was immune to the Control powers from the Mind Epic.

My Rad/Rad Defender, on the other hand, could solo at Unyielding so long as I was careful.

And anything that pretty much HAS to solo at Heroic to be playable I tend to not play. It takes too darn long to level in the upper levels to play Heroic.

About to hit 24 on my Mace/Fire Armor Brute.

He's definitely a lot of fun, especially now that I have SOs and Stamina.

But which of the following powers would be a good choice to take over the others?

Right now I have Bash, Jawbreaker, and Clobber. I like the amount of damage that Pulverize is supposed to do, but Blazing Aura would get me a whole another damge type I could be dealing ... and Whirling Mace has AOE going for it...

So what sounds best for a Brute that's doing a lot of soloing?

Personally, I'd love to have some way of cross-serving team.

I have lots of friends on different servers. It'd be nice for everyone to play their toon of choice and get them all together.

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I have a series of favorites. I don't know if I can say that I have a very favorite hero or villain, but here are some of my favorites:

1. Synapse. I didn't think that I would be able to write him well in my Mynx story, but once I got started I found that I really loved the guy. He's got a lot of heart, and I really love his relationships with Positron and Mynx.

2. Clockwork King. Maybe I didn't write a full novel about him (looks at Michelle) but I wrote at least two long novellas about him. He's one of two villains that I badly want to see redeemed in the game-- and there's something tragically human about this poor lonely, mad soul who's nothing more than a brain in a bottle with no hope of love or a normal life ...

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You've got two novellas, I've got one novel. I'm sure if we did a word count, we'd be about the same (TCoSR is ~85000 words).

Hmmmm... I'm thinking a specialized sort of NaNoWriMo come November... not just writing a 50k+ word novel, but writing a COH novel! Pick a character and go...

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

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I don't think that my CK stories would match that, most likely, but if I toss in Kat Scratched Fever I think I'd have a better shot of equaling your output (18 chapters about two characters I really didn't think that much about before I wrote the first chapter!)


Speak to me of this NaNaNoo thing ... ;-)

“Skulls don’t like strangers nosing around our territory,” the Bone Daddy says as he gestures for his buddies to surround me. “You a cop or a cape?”

“Neither.” There’s five of them, and one of me. Not exactly the best odds for an ex-Hero to face. I’m probably going to come out of this alive, but it’s going to hurt.

A lot.

“So what are you here for?” The Bone Daddy asks me. He’s smirking.

I manage to get my back to the wall. One less side to face an attack from. There’s a garbage can lid nearby, too. It won’t stop a bullet, but they’re going to play with me before they get serious about doing some damage to me. The longer I last, the better my chances are that some lowbie hero’ll show up and do the whole “Go. Hunt. Kill Skullz” thing.

“I’m looking for someone. He took something that doesn’t belong to him. I’m going to get it back.”

“No. You won’t. Bored now. Get ‘em boys. Earn your bones.”

The first guy walks towards me smacking a baseball bat in his free hand. He’s scrawny, dirty, and young, and probably isn’t even old enough to shave. His eyes are old, though.

They grow up fast in King’s Row.

I don’t have my powers, but there’s nothing wrong with my reflexes. Before he gets in range to play “Whackamole” I grab the garbage can lid and smash it into his face. I follow that up with a punch from my metal fist and as he goes down I grab the baseball bat from his stunned hands.

“Hero!” the Bone Daddy curses.

“Not anymore,” I mutter.

Bat-boy is down for the count. One of the others is toting a sledgehammer. The third has a hatchet. The last one has a pistol.

They look at me. They’re more cautious now, but they’ve got numbers on their side and they think that means something.

I grin at them as I feel the old familiar rush of adrenalin. It had been weeks since I had felt alive; only my near-death at the hands of the Circle of Thorns had been enough to wake me up. I’m not the man I was, but in this moment I can pretend.

If not for the Bone Daddy, I might actually win this thing.

I charge the kid with the pistol. His first shot goes wild; I know from experience how hard it can be to hit a moving target, especially one that’s coming at you with mayhem in his eyes. I knock the pistol out of his hand with the baseball bat and shove him into the arms of the guy with the hatchet.

Out of the corner of my eye I see the guy with the sledge winding up to hit me and manage to catch it with my steel hand. Momentum’s on my side and I use it to wrench the sledge out of his hands. I follow that through with the baseball bat to his chin, knocking him flat on his butt.

I throw the hammer at the Bone Daddy, but it’s a horrible toss and he dodges it easily.

“Not bad. You got some moves on you. Must be an ex-Hero or something. I’m impressed.” He began to fade into the shadows. “I’m going to have a lot more fun than I thought I would.”

I grip the bat. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

Something small and hot flashes across the edge of my vision and collides with the gathering shadow of the Bone Daddy. Two more blurs quickly follow it and smack into the Bone Daddy.

He doesn’t even have time to scream before he goes down.

Fire imps.

Fire imps with a greenish glow about them.

I drop the baseball bat in relief. “Moon! Moon Heat. Where are you?”

“Right here, Blue.”

And he’s there in a blur of speed. A well dressed man in a suit … with blue skin.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, Moon.”

“Same here, Blue. Haven’t seen you in ages. What’s going on?”

“I’m looking for someone.”

“You should be more careful. If I hadn’t been in the neighborhood …”

“Yeah. I know.” I hate the reminder. It hadn’t been that long ago when I could have taken every Skull in King’s Row on at the same time and not even worked up a sweat. Those days are gone; the sooner I accept that the better off I’ll be.

But it’s not easy. It’ll never be easy.

“You need a hand?’

“No thanks. This is something I have to do myself.”

“All right.”

His imps come up to me and pat my legs, singing the pants I’m wearing.

We’d always gotten along, his imps and I. Perhaps it was the connection of fire that we shared. Without thinking about, I reach down and scratch their heads. “Hey, guys. I missed you too.”

“Blue …”

“Yeah?” One of the imps raises his chin and I obligingly scratch there.

“You think your power is gone.”

“My arm’s gone. That’s where my power was.”

“I don’t think so.”

“It’s gone, Moon. I can’t feel it. Back in the hospital, they ran tests. I reached for it time and again, and it wasn’t there. I lost it.”

“Then how are you able to touch my imps without burning?”

I looked up at him in surprise.

“The power’s still there, Blue. I’m a Fire Controller. I can feel it in you. It’s … different. Not the same as it used to be, but it’s there. You’ve changed. It’s changed. You just have to find a way to call it back out.”

“Someone stole my power, Moon. They’re using it to kill. To destroy. I’m going to stop them, Moon.”

“Yes, I think you will.” Moon smiles that same reckless grin he gets right before he jumps in to tackle an AV like Black Swan singlehanded. “And when you do …”

I looked at him.

“When you do, you’ll have to take your power back.” He spread his arms and I felt the warm green glow of his power accelerating my metabolism. “Be safe, Blue. Call if you need me.”

“I will, Moon. Thanks.”

He snaps his fingers and his imps jump to his side. “C’mon, boys. It’s time we Ride!”

And with that, he speeds off into the night.

Been playing villains lately, and I have a few questions about Longbow.

Q: Are there any female Ballistas? I haven't seen any that I can recall.

Q: Are the Ballistas powers inherent or part of their uniforms? If they are inherent, why does every Ballista have the same powers?

Q: Are the Longbow Wardens mutants or given powers by Longbow?

So, I'm on my Mace/Fire Brute, Friday Blaze, doing the "destroy Boomtown restoration process" mish from Operative Wellman.

I climb up the building and Leonard the Welder shouts to his buddies, "It's Friday Blaze, run for your lives!"

But does Leonard run?

No sir! After warning his buddies he goes right back to work welding! By gosh he's not letting a building fall on HIS watch!

Gotta admire an NPC with such dedication to his task ...

I have a series of favorites. I don't know if I can say that I have a very favorite hero or villain, but here are some of my favorites:

1. Synapse. I didn't think that I would be able to write him well in my Mynx story, but once I got started I found that I really loved the guy. He's got a lot of heart, and I really love his relationships with Positron and Mynx.

2. Clockwork King. Maybe I didn't write a full novel about him (looks at Michelle) but I wrote at least two long novellas about him. He's one of two villains that I badly want to see redeemed in the game-- and there's something tragically human about this poor lonely, mad soul who's nothing more than a brain in a bottle with no hope of love or a normal life ...

Question: Are we ever going to learn anything about the Magic Enhancement Deities Joule and Grey? Are they male or female? Will we ever have contact with them in-game? (Or have we already? *eyes DJ Zero suspiciously*)

In the end, Ms. Liberty had sent her back to her world. Back to her home.

Back to hell.

She had gone willingly, of course. She did not belong in that world where Marcus Cole could love his granddaughter without it being a sick and twisted thing. She was never meant to live in a world where her mother lived.

The others were waiting for her when she returned.

Mayhem’s eyes were lit up with anticipation, expecting Tyrant to berate her for her failure to obtain any truly useful information from her foray into Statesman’s world. Her playthings Chimera and Malaise knelt at her side like the lapdogs they were.

Marauder covertly gave her a thumbs up while still keeping his face expressionless.

Neuron and Bobcat stood with their arms folded, Bobcat leaning against her lover’s side. For a fleeting moment, Domi envied Bobcat; she knew that the catwoman was a fool to think that Neuron cared for her, but she found herself wishing that she too could believe in that kind of folly about someone …

Anti-Matter … she could see nothing of Anti-Matter’s face, but his hands were clenched tightly to his side and he stared frequently at Tyrant as though in preparation for an attack.

He would die for me, Domi realized. He knows that he hasn’t a prayer against Tyrant but he would attack him in an instant if he thought that my life depended on it. Please don’t let him have to …

And she smiled bitterly to herself as she understood that her fear wasn’t for herself …

Perhaps Jessica was right after all …

Finally, there was Tyrant himself. He sat on his throne waiting for her. His face was impassive … she had seen him kill women and children with that exact same look on his face … or spare them. “Dominatrix. You have returned.”

“Yes, my Emperor.” She knelt to him, trying to see his eyes. Are you still there, Marcus Cole? Beyond the madness and the power, the passion and the fury … does something of Statesman live in you? Somewhere—somehow—does part of you actually love me?

“You have failed me, Dominatrix. The secrets of the Freedom Phalanx remain beyond my grasp. We are no closer to defeating Statesman than we were in the past. What do you have to say for yourself?”

“I am sorry, my lord.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes, my lord. I have failed you. No one can dispute that.” She felt suddenly very tired, exhausted down to her very bones. She just wanted an end to this—life or death no longer mattered, she just wanted it to be over. “I did my best, but my double saw through me. I was unable to get close enough to Statesman to discover what we needed. I am sorry.”

Tyrant raised his hand. It began to glow with power.

Mayhem licked her lips in anticipation.

Out of the corner of her eye, Domi saw Anti-Matter raise his hands, the sickly greenish glow forming around them even as Neuron was reaching forth to lay a restraining hand on his old friend’s shoulder.

Marauder looked at her and simply shrugged his shoulders eloquently.

Domi looked up, determined to look death—and her grandfather—in the eye as she met her last moment.

For a moment, those eyes—so like her own—stared into hers.

Then he lowered his hand. “Welcome home, granddaughter.” He raised her to her feet and embraced her. “Unlike some of my followers”—and he stared hard at Mayhem—“you do not seek to deny your faults or blame others for your defeats. Failure is not a crime; it is simply a delay in our inevitable victory. Our time will come, Dominatrix. And when Statesman lies shackled at my feet once more, you shall stand at my right side!”

“Thank you, my lord. I will not fail you again.”

“Indeed you shall not. Now come, we must talk. I have missed our … conversations.”

Domi sighed and squared her shoulders. “As always, my lord, I am here to serve you.”

“Indeed you are, Dominatrix. Indeed you are.” He took her hand and led her away from the others. “And afterwards … tell me of Statesman’s granddaughter. Tell me of Ms. Liberty.”

“Ms. Liberty?” She blinked her eyes in surprise.

“Yes. After all, Statesman took my grandchild away from me. Perhaps one day I shall return the favor …”

And in spite of what was to come, Domi found herself smiling. “Indeed, grandfather. I think you would find meeting Ms. Liberty to be most … instructive.”

This is my life. This is my world. I am not weak. I will not cry. No matter what happens to me, I will never cry. I am Dominatrix!

And no matter what changes may come, I always will be …

Hey, guys.

I asked this in the PVP forum but never got an answer, so I'll try my luck here.

I have a Mace/Fire Brute and a Fire Melee/WP Scrapper.

They share a family background and backstory, and as part of that backstory i need to know which one of them would likely to come out on top in a fight.

Assuming no fancy IOs (the Brute has a KB Protection IO), which would you say would be likely to win a fight?

My Brute is only 17, so I've not yet really begun to see what he can do, but given my experience with WP (the aforementioned Scrapper is 50 and so is my Elec Melee/Brute) I would be inclined to give it to the Scrapper ... but it works better for the backstory if the Brute can win.

So ... help me out here, guys.

Thanks for any answers.

Hey, guys. This isn't really a PVP question, per se, but I figured this would be the place that could probably give me the best answer.

I am developing a backstory for three of my toons that are related to each other: a Fire/Kin Controller, A Fire Melee/Scrapper, and my latest project, a Mace/Fire Armor Brute.

As part of the backstory, the Scrapper and Brute will wind up fighting after the Brute is 50.

What I don't know is ... who would likely be the winner in that battle?

Assume Generic IOs (the Brute has a KB Protection IO, but that's it). I did actually take Temperature Protection for the Brute (because I wanted a place to slot the Steadfast where I wouldn't accidentally delete it!)

Based on my own experience playing both sets (the Brute is only 16 so I haven't gotten to see what he'll be like with SOs yet), I tend to lean towards the Scrapper winning the fight.

Am I wrong in that? Can the Brute take the prize? (Which is what would work best for their story, but I want to figure out what might actually happen ... it's not like I can play both accounts at the same time well enough to get a legitimate answer!)

Thanks for any responses.

Oh well done ... you're making me feel bad for Praetorian Clamor now ...

Oh yeah.

I get that way.

Simon McCoy, my first Illusion/Kin Troller is probably my most favorite toon ever. I just love to play him.

“We’re not really that different, you know,” Domi told her double after Ms. Liberty activated the hard light hologram that would take her place as a Trainer while she took a short break.

“I’m nothing like you,” Liberty said in a flat tone of voice.

“Oh no? I saw the way you are with those young heroes. You look bright eyed and enthusiastic. Positively giddy.” Domi noted with amusement the angry look that her counterpart gave her. “We both know that’s not the real you. You’re like me. You show whatever face the world expects of you.”

“I am nothing like you, “ Liberty repeated. “You’re just an empty shell. Grandpa wants to save you, but there’s nothing to save is there … Domi?” She shook her head disgustedly. “You’re like a spoiled brat, playing with her toys. Have you ever done anything in your entire life?”

“I made Statesman cry.” Domi laughed.

She didn’t see the blow that knocked her down, but she wasn’t totally surprised by it, either. She laughed again and wiped the blood from her lips. “See what I mean? What do you think your little heroes would think of you now if they saw you sucker punching me like that?”

Liberty growled. “This is a waste of my time. Grandpa must be getting senile if he thinks that you’re worth the trouble.”

“Oh, Statesman and I have a very special relationship.” She laughed again, a cruel mocking sound. “He cares for me.”

“He pities you.”

“It bothers you, doesn’t it? The thought that Statesman might love me.”

“You’re disgusting. Grandpa would never love a creature like you.”

“Why do you insist on calling him that? Does he look like a grandfather to you? Physically, he’s a young, powerful man. Handsome, too. Surely you’ve noticed.”

“Shut up.”

“Or what? You’ll hit me again? I’m used to that.”

“I don’t understand you,” her double says again. “You have a chance here for something better. Grandpa is trying to help you. You can have a new life here. You can be safe from Tyrant—from what he does to you. Why are you acting like this?”

“Did you ever hear the story of the Scorpion and the frog?” Domi asked her. “The scorpion asked the frog to carry it over the river and the frog refused, thinking the scorpion would sting him. ‘Why would I do that?’ the scorpion asked. ‘I would drown.’ The frog agreed to take him over the river, but when they were halfway across, the scorpion stung the frog. Do you know why he did that?”

“’It’s my nature,’” her counterpart said softly. “Grandpa told me that story when I was a little girl and asked about Recluse.”

“I am what I am,” Domi said with a shrug.

“You’re a fool.”

Domi sighed. “Perhaps.” She looked at her doppelganger and smiled whimsically. “Does Statesman still touch you?”

“Touch--?”

“He doesn’t, does he? I bet he avoids being alone with you or spending much time in your company.”

Liberty said nothing.

“It’s because of me, you know. I’m his new little girl.” She reached out and took both of Liberty’s hands and looked her in the eyes.

It was like looking in a mirror. The hair was the same. The lips were the same. The eyes …

The eyes were the same shade of blue, but there was something in Liberty’s eyes that she never saw in her own when she saw her true reflection:

Love.

One glance in the eyes of Ms. Liberty told Domi that her counterpart had grown up cherished and protected, loved and happy. She had never known hunger or want. She had never lost faith in her mother.

Domi expected to feel disdain—hatred—contempt—for her double, but she did not. Instead, she felt … sad. “I’m the scorpion. I can’t be what he wants me to be. We both know that. If I stay, I’m going to kill him. It’s my nature.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

She whispered the answer as though to hide the answer—perhaps even from herself. “Because he is the only one who’s ever tried to help me.”

She let their hands drop.

Ms. Liberty sighed and squared her shoulders. “Come on. We’re going on patrol.”

“What? Why?”

“It’s my nature.” Liberty tossed her hair back. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe you can’t be saved. But that doesn’t mean I can’t try.” She smiled softly. “Grandpa expects me to.”

I hate her, Domi told herself. She has everything that should have been mine. She thinks she’s better than me. I’m going to kill her. I’m going to make her beg for her life just like my mother did.

She told herself that, but she knew that it was a lie.

You know, it's a good thing that Mal's not needing his medication right now...

I'm sorry for your loss.

Oh no. I knew there were two. It was why there were two I asked. 8-)