BrandX

I have one question...seeing as how the new VERY RARE IO sets allow you to keep the bonuses when your exemped/malfactored down, does this mean a fix to the others keeping the set bonuses too? Cuz really, Id like to keep those set bonuses.

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Also, the quote you referred to is across all AT/Powerset combinations. */Ice outperforms many other AT/Powerset combinations.

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Well, if I can assume that your data mining doesn't look at a single powerset, I can also make the statement that I think it should. If you want to balance your game you need to look at individual powersets and their strengths and weaknesses. I will also assume that your data mining doesn't cover damage per second for powersets, seeing as /Fire and /Super Strength will do double to quadruple damage of /Ice just because they have strong AoEs. There is strong evidence of this, anyone running hero stats can tell you. Assuming that your data mining doesn't look at individual powersets, I will also assume that it doesn't look at individual powers themselves. Ice melee's activations are horrible (as well are mace's and battle axe's). Ice melee also only has one power that does AoE damage, and its a small cone. Every other tanker seccondary has a damaging pbaoe attack, and most of them have more than one damaging AoE attack.

The very fact that Ice melee has little AoE damage means it does not perform as well as any other tanker seccondary. Every other secondary can deal damage better than Ice melee, against one target and against many. This is a fact. Whether or not your mined data can actually show the full potential of powersets or not, it is a fact. Ice melee has the lowest potential of all tanker secondaries, and in my ranking it is the third worst powerset in the game.

Tanker secondaries are not very well balanced at all. They're almost as bad as Blaster secondaries. You have Super Strength and Fire Melee, which both deal huge AoE damage. You have Energy Melee which has massive single target destruction, as well as a very powerful secondary effect. You have Stone Melee with very quick activations and really strong control. Warmace and Battle Axe lack behind these powersets because of their activation times, knockback, and the fact that they're drawn weapons. And then you have Ice Melee, which has lower single target damage than all of the above and the lowest AoE damage of any damage powerset in the game. Its control isn't as good as Stone Melee's, and its secondary effect doesn't come close to /Fire's or /Energy's. Did your data mining tell you all that? It should have because its all facts.

And for an example of how bad ice melee performs in the game here is the whole reason I decided to make this post in the first place:
Today I teamed with a Fire/Ice tanker. We were doing a Rikti mission with generators to kill. Of course the two scrappers were off killing all the generators spawning their mass of ambushes. The tanker was trying to kill groups, and he was doing it very slowly. Since he couldn't kill groups very fast (60+ seconds to kill a group with no bosses) and I couldn't help him because I kept getting stunned (I'm a blaster) and the empathy wasn't buffing anyone because she was dead (destroyed by multiple ambushes) I was forced to run. The tanker couldn't kill fast enough to aggro enemies off of me, and I couldn't kill at all without his protection. Later I quit the team because it was awful. This is an example of how /Ice's lack of performance caused me many deaths and frustrations.

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Let's be fair a bit here...while I agree /Ice needs work in the damage compartment, cuz it's control isn't all that.

However, it seems like you had a bad team. Sure, the ATs together would seem to work, but the teamwork looks like it was lacking.

Those scrappers should of been by the tank. And also, what was the tank doing? IP + Burn?

If I had a Fire/Ice (I don't...I have an Ice/Ice and a Fire/Fire), I'd have been laying down multiple ice patches, with burns on them, then moving to the next group (this is assuming I'm going for aggro management)...taunt thrown here and there (no taunt on my Ice/Ice tho my Fire/Fire does have it).

Now this is also assuming this was more than 17 enemies to begin with...which is past the aggro cap for a tank.

However, I do find multiple IP's help alot.

...

That being said...so I was doing some missions the other day on my Ice/Ice, with some AOE happy teammates...and I still got a couple of enemies slept with FA, before they were awaken 2 seconds later)

Tho really, I was only using it as an AOE taunt, and it has a cool graphic. Don't know if it actually generates aggro tho?

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Yeah lets hear it for reskinned invulnerability and claws. God forbid they do some extra work and put in something cool like shields.

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Yeah, let's add a set that you won't be able to use with any melee set that uses both hands, ya know, like all of em. I especially look forward to seeing people run around with a sword coming out from behind the shield, or claws poking through the middle.

I mean seriously, any attack which requires both hands together, either on a weapon or not, is gonna be restricted by the shield. It's for this reason and this reason alone that I believe shields will most likely never be added to the game. And if by some chance they do add them, they will only be exclusively paired with certain powersets. There is just no way to do this without redoing every single animation which uses both hands in melee, and that still doesn't address the 2 weapon issue.

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They've already said that in all likelyhood, Shields would be restricted to certain offense sets.

Personally, I welcome that, WHEN (and they will) they add the set. And I don't have any desire (nor would I likely ever roll one) for the set.

But come on...it makes a bit of sense.

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I believe Battle Axe and War Mace would be interesting candidates for power sets to be ported over to the Brute AT for a wider audience to enjoy this new feature.

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We tankers will give you Battle Axe and War Mace if you brutes give us Electric Melee and Energy Aura.

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We Brutes will be more than happy to give those powersets. Now we will gladly take delivery of our full powered (not watered down) /Regen.

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So Brutes are happy to give Tankers their cool toys, if they get a Scrappers cool toy? Sounds a bit unfair. :P

However that said, I've never seen why Brutes couldn't get /Regen. If they think it's to powerful in the hand of an AT with more HP...then adjust the percentage rate of heal to make it match scrappers at current rate. Seems fair to me.

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Hmm... nevermind about the customizable minions... guess you cant customize them (awesome as that would be)

As for all of the "I need Weapon A to make Character B, otherwise it wont look right for 35 levels", I actually agree. Stuff like powers, inventions, salvages, etc. Are great for getting at high levels. But costume parts are what makes the character who he (or she) is. The Vanguard claws look awesome, and I could totally base a Technology Claws Scrapper entirely off those claws. Running around with a Tech origin and costume while using normal claws would just look weird lol. The weapon appearance is simply for looks, and has no actual effect in combat, so I just think that they should be available to you from the start (I never quite understood why you had to pay so much to get a **** pair of rocket boots or special wings lol). This is just my humble opinion, so please dont hurl insults at my head. Please.

Anyway, sorry for long post, but customizable costume parts are just plain awesome. (Seriously though, those Vanguard claws are awesome, and I just think stuff like that should be available to anyone who wants to make a character with a certain theme).

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Or they can make it obtainable to the whole account, after one hero/villain on the account has bought it.

This is why I don't mind the costume recipes so much, I can get it at lvl 1 or 2 easily.

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If you have to wait till lvl 30-35 to get weapons like Vangaurd energy claw, or Rikti swords, or Daggers in Croatoa......that sucks. I understand wanting to make things unlockable and making us work for things....but if I have to play 35 of 50 levels just to get the costume peice/weapon my character in bases upon....well that is just lame.

PLEASE either make all weapons available at lvl 1 or at least make them sellable on the market.

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....No mention of that Witch Hat only obtainable after completing a TF?
Or earning costume pieces only by impressing a group (think Vanguard) enough that they give you access to their equipment?
So the idea is that your character uses a weapon until he defeats a villain and takes a "trophy" (think the base display items or the descriptions listed under the Souvenir section). We are getting several choices at start up as it is and the only thing you can do is complain that a few items will not be immediately available. To me the reasons for these things are perfectly justifiable in a roleplay sense.
The "I want! I want! I want!" syndrome needs to pass. Leave that to your 6-year-old kid sister. Realize getting more is better than getting nothing at all, and that earning it makes it that much nicer to have.

(edited for spelling)

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Lovely comment about the six year old whining. That was needed.

I think I have a very valid point. If I want to make a character based on those green vangaurd blades, I have to run around with claws for 35 levels first. That s kinda silly.

I am nt a fan of any costume pieces r weaons being locked up untill later levels. These things give no advantage in PvP or PvE, they are simply cosmetic ways to customize your character. People want to make unique,specificcharacter they have in their heads. Unlocking capes and auras is ne thing, not being able to make the character I want for 35 levels is another.

Even though I have 36 month vet rewards, I think it is a mistake to make costume pieces a vet reward also. I would be really pissed if I was new to this game and wanted to make a boxer, only to find out I would have to wait 3 years to do so.

As far as the witches hat.....bleh. Untill they put some hair with it.....I could care less. Although for someone who just wants to make a witch character from the get go, it sucks.

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Glad to see I'm not the only one who wants hair with the witches hat. I don't mind waiting to get the hat, but I REALLY want hair with it, and won't use it till it gets hair. :P

You know...I don't see why alot of people seem upset about a new "even rarer" IO set.

IO's are great, but you don't need em to kick-*** in the game. Regular SO's will do.

I have yet to run into a single person in the game who said, you have no IO sets, you suck, we can't/won't run with you.

And really, that's the only time this game will turn into a WoW clone. Right now...yeah, they're nice to have, done right they improve your performance even more so...but hardly needed.

I have just one question...or more like begging...

For those new skins of weapons...is it possible to have it so only one toon has to unlock it, for it to be assessible to all your other toons?

I ask this because, I'd love to actually start out a new hero with the skin I choose, rather than go 35 lvls (for say vanguard claws)...to get the right amount of merits, to get my concept right.

I REALLY HOPE this is the case...cuz if so, I might have to make ANOTHER Claws scrapper...and if those Rikti Swords look as cool as I think they will...OH YEAH!!! (Especially if I can Dual Wield them )

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Take back any complaints I had about the Blades before. This Weapon Customization has meh stoked

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And I take it back on the look of the screenshots. Now that we can change what they look like, who cares what those screenshots show.

I know when I read Dual Blades...I figured it would be daggers, like the Red Caps.

I know...I know...it's wrong to think it, but if we were to have Dual Swords, I would have really hoped for something more "must ignore physics/reality" type blades. Like you see in Final Fantasy

As for Willpower. I have no gripe about the glow. I only wish it was the psi armor I was hoping Willpower would be.

Oh well. Two new sets = greatness for scrappers/tankers, no matter what. Even if I don't play em. ANd if DB animations look cool, that might make up for the skins.

I'd just like to say, while I just got FA today...and see no use coming from it as a power itself, I at least have two reasons to like it...

1) The animation is just nice. I love it. No way would I want to replace it with ISC animation.

2) At least I'll get set bonuses out of it.

I didn't say it wasn't better...just saying it was a safe set.

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Can people PLEASE stop complaining? I wanna' see you go and make a pair of powersets that is going to please all of America, Europe, and Korea. Okay? Cryptic does a lot to make us happy, can't we be greatful? Stop complaining about making 'another blades powerset'. ITS ALREADY MADE!!! If you don't like it, don't play it! Roll a Defender or Controller, because if your sick of old Scrapper and Tanker powersets, these two play a lot differently! Please, stop the whining and make the best of the situation!

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But isn't that part of discussing the new powersets? Good or bad.

However, out of the two sets, with just screenshots, all one is going to beable to do is judge them by the looks.

That being said, Willpower shows 1 thing...it will have an orange glow. Will it fade to nothing after activation? That's all one can ask? On that subject, I personally don't care either way. None of the auras of the powers has ever bothered me.

Dual Blades, is a little easier to say "Yeah, I do or do not like the look of them"

I think everyone is happy to have new sets, whether it was sets they wanted or not.

Me, glad to have the new sets (even if it wasn't my top choice), so now I just wish the blades looked different.

Now if the skins look better on another AT than what looks to be scrappers, I'll feel sad. :P

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I don't particularly like the blades myself, as I wanted shorter swords much like everyone else seems to have wanted. But! There's a logic to this. Look at the blades themselves and the style of the handles and hand guards.

Ninjas have Katana. Now Pirates have Dual Blades. Ninja VS Pirate, go!

It's half a joke, but I honestly think there was some decision on the part of the devs to make them a Pirate friendly design.

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Dual Butterfly Swords would of made them pirate friendly.

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I think I can see where /Ice Melee is being seen as not the best/but not the worst.

Solo wise, while slow (maybe it's my build) to arrest, feels quite safe with just 1 RCH in Ice Patch.

However, I don't need Ice Patch to survive solo either. In some situations it does help tho.

And with 1 RCH and my other +recharge set bonuses, I can lay more than one IP down at a time with my Ice Tank when teaming.

Add in that I have a hold attack...Ice Melee is really safe set.

That being said, and I think it's been shown, Ice Melee's control just isn't worth the dmg loss.

Again, maybe it's my lack of Frost in the build. However, I have used it, and just wasn't impressed with it. Looked cool animation wise, but dmg wise...meh. :P Should I be respecing it in?

Already have it planned to take Frozen Aura...but I figure I need to try that power out too (less than a lvl away). Tho, while I'm here...does FA generate aggro? Cuz, I was thinking, the sleep might be worthless, but at least it's a PBAOE taunt attack.

Also, just from my experience on Victory Server, Ice Melee is pretty well known to be sad in the dmg department (I don't think it's just a forum thing). However, in game, it does seem to be looked at with smiles, when it comes to Ice Patch (even if it's not as great or 100% effective in keeping the 5 targets from attacking).

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Why not allow a sub dual blades category selection at creation for choosing sword types?

It would just change the look(skin) of the blades and not the function of them. Some of the sword skins are already in the game so it shouldn't be that difficult to do so I would imagine.

That way people could choose cutlasses, scimitars, etc.

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You know, I always thought this was a perfect way to allow power customization.

However, I don't know how easy it would be to implement. I'd figure it would take some work, but I also figure it would be the easiest way to give power customization.

I however, would keep it so no one could change their choice after they click ENTER CITY (or whatever after the ID Screen).

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People complaining that Controllers and Defenders need new powersets need to think that Scrappers and Tanks have been waiting longer than them for new powersets. All in due time. And Brutes/Stalkers are getting them just to widen the appeal, methinks.


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The problem with this is, Brutes and Stalkers have already gotten new powersets. In Issue 7, Brutes got Electric Melee & Electric Armor. Stalkers got Dark Melee and Dark Armor.

Scrappers and Tanks have gotten nothing since the start of the game, while two other melee ATs are now getting their second boost.

Doms have gotten nothing.

Corruptors have gotten nothing.

Edit - And yes, I realize it it somewhat simplistic comparatively to port over sets. But that should mean Tanks also get Energy Aura, Blasters get Traps, Controllers get Plant Control, etc. We don't however, see that happening. Villains can get Heroes powersets, but Heroes don't see any reciprocation.

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OK, I have to disagree on one thing. Blasters and Traps...Traps would be defenders. Traps is a buff/debuff set.

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So, really what we'll see is a new bunch of ENERGY/WILLPOWER Stalkers kicking people's butt in Sirens and in RV right? Great, figures and the Dev's will NERF Brutes and Ice Tanks! Wonderful, I pay for this? = <- This close to cancelling. Also, you would think that maybe we as paying customers might see a rise in level---like to 60 maybe! Whatever happened to the a 40, 50 base effect? At 20 you get CAPES, at 30 you get AURA's and from there nothing...ever? WHY? Am I smart enough to figure out what people "REALLY" want? So many questions and I don't care how long you've been on the Community: official forums, I have sat and paid and watched as most all of you have talked about these wants! WHAT HAPPENED, is my true question? Is anyone there? Is anyone really listening? HELLO...HELP ROBOTS have taken control of this world! I can't be the only true seeing one left, I can't be...can I? Confused in SoCal! I love this game, don't get me wrong, but I just expected more from this game...not less!

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While it's being given Stalkers too, what makes you think Willpower will be a better Stalker Secondary?

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Just like every other weapon available in this game, these 'dual blades' are ridiculously oversized and cartoonishly exaggerated.

They look like sabres or US Cavalry swords translated into a Zelda arcade game. And, of course, since the engine is so unadaptable, they can't even think of allowing customized blades.


Major thumbs-down rating from me.

Cal2



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When you say this...I can only think...you mean like how all weapons are oversized in comics?

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Scrappers have no 'signature' powersets.

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Then what's Broadsword?

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A slower, heavier hitting Katana.

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Incidentally, while we're on the topic... why haven't we seen any effort to transfer Electric sets to Heroes? The devs constantly cry "Balance!" and yet they leave this little discrepancy hanging out there...

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They're the only two powersets signature to Brutes. Electric Armor would also be weak as a Tanker set, and Electric Melee would give energy damage to Scrappers.

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Yeah, it would give Scrappers that elemental damage they've been wanting, and if I remember correctly...PvP wise, ELM is considered weak...and none of the ELM attacks have a BI higher than Headsplitter.

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I was really hoping for some shorter wider blades. Maybe some daggers, or shortsword type. Do we really need 2 long swords when there are already 2 in the game? I dont really see how these long slender blades fit with my concept of a tank or brute. If the dual blades are as they look in these screen shots for all ATs I would give them an F. Just for scrappers/stalkers maybe a C. But se la vi, its not my game I just play it. Just saying that this really dampens my excitement for I11. On the other hand I am very excited for Willpower armor.

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See, that's why Dual Butterfly Swords would of been better. Would of worked for any AT.

Your not the only one. :P I wasn't to excited about another set, but I had hopes for it...more for how they'd look than the set itself.

I feel a little dissappointed. Maybe that's because I just never thought of the swords to look like those tho. :P

Well, I think alot of the player reaction (on the forum) anyways, isn't that Dual Blades doesn't sound like a cool set...but it really seems to alot of people (could be true) that DB won out because it got the most votes because everyone did this...

#1 Yeah, this sounds cool
#2 Everything else doesn't interrest me, so I'll go with Dual Blades.

I know that's kinda how I went. #1 Psi Weapon (and when I say Psi Weapon I picture Psylocke, Cyblade, and RIFT Cyberknights :P ).

All the other choices were "meh" to me.

Electric Hammer? We have Electric Melee already, why add a hammer to it? To make Thor Clones?

Shield Offense? How many Shield users in comics (super hero not fantasy) actually use a shield for offense? Not many. And those that do, are usually inspired by Caps himself.

Energy Sword? We have Energy Melee (except for scrappers), and personally, I was worried it would be to much like a lightsabre. SW is cool...but this isn't SW.

The devs, I'm sure knew they'd get flak. I'm sure they realize some will be upset with another Lethal set.

Tho I don't know if I think your choices of Warhammer or Streetfighting is any more innovated. Especially sinse you seem to not like the idea of another Lethal set, when those two sets would be smashing.

Me...I'd just like to see another "elemental" set for scrappers myself....whether it be fire/ice/energy/electric/or something new.

...as for the Willpower set. The graphics don't bother me. But then, /Dark Armor doesn't bother me.

The glow looks cool. And I play with all my settings to the max. Don't know how people play it any differently. :P

However, Dual Blades. Honestly, disappoint. Graphic wise anyways. While I was hoping for different styles for every AT, I figured that wouldn't happen.

Wish the swords looked more like Butterfly Swords, than what I see in those screenshots. But I also figure it's to late to see them changed.

Doesn't mean the set will bad power wise, just wish the swords had a wider blade I guess.