Cognito

Personally Id get Sirens Song at level 18... you will suddenly find solo'ing on those hard-to-find team days ten times easier...

Force Commander has spelunker mission ready for his team on Thurdsay! Yay!

Oh I know regen is still "teh uber" or whatever, but I have been noticing a significant SR popularity increase since scaling defence was announced...

If theres one thing I hate in this game its the alarming frequency of certain sets: Empaths, Regens, Stone/Granites, Ice/Energy or Energy/Energy blasters... etc etc. About the only group of sets I can genuinely say have true variety are the 'troller ones...

Come on states, swing that nerfbat! harder! again, again!

Im gonna try and get Spelunker mission for next Thursday. Would be helpful If a couple of other Militia members get it too? Then we can get the blessed thing out of the way!

As a side note, would militia members mind putting in a breif resume of their bio in their ID just so I can refresh my memory whilst we play the game? Most have I know, but it kinda helps for all...

Great fun btw! Battleflag - I salute you!

[From penthouse suite of Skyway Canyon Casino Royale]

Personal Log of Force Commander:

Time to put down a record of proceedings so far. It seems the modified NBC suit developed in my previous work is doing a sterling job protecting me from excessive bio-energy generated by the rest of the Militia. I hope someday to gain enough control over my... alteration that I can stand to be in their company without my special... sensory capabilities... becoming overloaded.

Anyway, the Militia seems a rather disparate group of individuals. Some of them could even be... unstable... and I wonder if my predecessor, Astraphobia was not infact a more suitable choice to maintain stability in the group. Nevertheless, where he could manipulate emotional states, I can manipulate physical ones.

Yesterday, we were lead by a Mr. "Diamondskin", a rough texan fellow whose cognitive and imaginative abilities I should probably question, but whose primitive style of dynamic leadership nevertheless brought together the more rougue elements of team dynamics. Hmmm.. although I bear no particular love for the military I used to work with, I did find myself harkening for their crisp efficiency at time. Nevertheless, Mr. "Diamonskin" proved somewhat more charasmatic than my previous companions. To be frank, I liked him and enjoyed his company. His remarkably sturdy build (and molecular cohesiveness) is mirrored by his personality. Perhaps there is a non-Cartesian link between personality and mutant expression?... I may consider a paper on it...

Dragonfly is a martial artist of exceptional skill and speed. I have known such ostensibly "normal" human beings to develop such insight that they can utilize bio-energetics to perform "superhuman" feats and I sense Dragonfly may be such a remarkable person. A subtle "tweaking" of mine may of course help the process. It is her motives that remain remarkably mysterious, and perhaps dangerous. She of all the group appeared most likely to become villanous. I shall maintain vigilance of course.

There was a "Ley" creature - extraterrestrial - so possessing an energy signature well outside my experience. Whilst benign, his clumsy efforts at what might be termed "seduction" prompted some ammusement on my part and anger on Dragonfly's. Unhealthy I suppose. This "Ley" signature was able to replenish body and mind most wonderfully.

Blitz Arrow clearly is a mutant, but hides it well. I, for one, respect his wish to maintain this facade and shall not reveal it. Remarkable fellow. He certainly makes his "mark" when fighting. His bio-fields have an almost artistic, perfect symmetry to them - thats the closest I can get to describing my asbtract senses, anyway.

Finally, poor Mr. "Derek". A delightful fellow, of course, but he was actually unaware he was a mutant despite a superdense atomic structure and a skeletal system writhing with plasto-kinetic energy. Seemes rather upset at my "revelation". Took him out to the Casino after our recce. I hope to introduce him to the delights of West bank Merlot that I pray will suplant his love of that lowly alchoholic beverage "beer".

Personal Note: I begin to wonder whether My on alcohol consumption is getting out of hand... It seems to "block" my peculiar sensitivies... but what can I do? to constantly sense the ebb and flow of all energies around me... It is driving me mad! God help me I need some releif. The wine and women of last night helped, but I now I feel the flow and ebb again... invading my sensorium unbidden yet unstoppable.

Message off

Hey, you didnt answer the question! come on! own up!

Evil Evil thread... the OP should be shot...

Ok.. hands up who checks tanks build when they team with them.

Lets assume they have taunt aura... Hands up who feels that little bit more reassured when the tank has taunt?

(/em handup)

Come issue 7, SR is probably going to be FOTM.

Surely everyone has noticed the glut of Ice tanks and SR scrappers running around atlas? when they used to be rare as rocking horse manure?

Nothing to do with scaling defence, Im sure

It worth recalling that defence does get progressively more tasty at higher levels for the simple reason that non-damage effects get more common. Stuns, Mez, End drain, Slows, all become more common. Defence will stop attacks HITTING (and thus stop these effects). Resistance will do nothing at all, Regeneration just patches these up. A SR scrapper is always going to get mezz'd less, and end-drained less, and slowed less, simply because they get HIT less.

So who would you send in to fight a Malta Sapper in issue 7?

Other advantage of sonic secondary - sonic cage - why deal with three enemies when you can deal with two?

Same goes for FF of course, but these powers can basically mean you are never hit.

It all depends whether you want to play high damage low safety or low damage high safety, or I suppose a balance in between.

Personally (if there is a tank) I RI, LI, EF. RI is def the best openener. I follow this up with LI as the slow aspect can modestly help on preventing scatter (which is the last thing you want).

And personally, I think mutate is the best combat rez there is - and would want this over and above an empaths rez. The reason being that if someone has died the tide is definately turning against the team, and for the corpse to come back super-buff will help turn the tide back again.

Horses for courses. My major issue with /kin and /rad is that, although they certainly buff your damage up (although sonic siphon is pretty good for that too), there is no mez protection. Getting mezzed can be the one ouchy time of a soloing 'troller, as hit points are so low. Id guess /kin and /rad would be faster kills but higher risk?

You think? I find soloing with my Grav/Sonic spectacularly easy at level 28: 3 mobs

Hold #1
Lift, sonic siphon, propel on #2 (he flies away)
Hold #3
Another lift / immob on #2, finishes him off
Hold #1
Get to work on #3 (held throughout)
Get to work on #1 (held throughout)

THe only time im ever really attacked is by #3 whilst hold is recharging, or if I miss (and with 2 SO accuracy thats rather rare). COnsidering I have Sonic dispersion am Hardly held myself, and Ive got wormhole, dimension shift, and group hold for emergencies. Plus, never get into melee...

Hardly a problem soloing at all...

Thanks chaps. I may pesevere. Warshades look fractionally more interesting than Peacebringers I suppose.

If I had all the text from the missions etc Id still probably delete for two other toons tho!

Go with concept and fogret the rest. Nearly any combination will work. Although storm probably requires the most technical skill imho.

Personally my grav troller is /sonic. Mainly cos i like unusual builds. Two points on this combo: Sonic siphon is a good way to overcome the heavily resisted smash/lethal damage of propel. Sonic dispersion gives res vs holds.

My point is not to sell Grav/Sonic, but go with concept. Ive yet to see an unworkable combination with controllers, and infact unworkable combinations are pretty rare in any AT. Play what feels good.

MINISTRY CODED CONVERSATION WITH AGENT: FORCE COMMANDER

[In a hightop apartment, the man known only as Force Commander is in conversation with a old radio set, speaking in an electronic voice]

MINISTRY: Force Commander, you have come highly recommended by the EMA (European Mutagen Affairs) intelligence agency.

FC: [His voice a neutral blend of many european accents, although it has a certain Oxford academic twang]. Thanyou. I must remark that despite my previous agencies secretiveness, it is outdone by your own. It is somewhat disconcerting to only communicate by synthesised voice.

M: You should understand that even this level of communication is somewhat irregular by our standards.

FC: Understood, but disconcerting nevertheless. It is my job to investigate, and... penetrate any deceptions.

M: At the moment, we are involved in the group of super powered beings, called the "MILITIA". It is our intention that they become a powerful force for stability and justice. However... certain.. elements are unstable within the Militia. In fact, one members psychic ability has proven so unstable he has had to be temporarily withdrawn. This mutant, Astraphobia, should be replaced with a more... stable... superhero.

FC: I see. I can understand why you called me in.

M: Undoubtably. You have, I understand, a mutant ability to sense superpowered energies. This, combined with your outstanding scientific background in biogentics, is why the EMA intelligence agency recruited you.

FC: Correct. I have been involved in many investigations into illegal human experimentation and mutagenics. I have worked alongside special forces, and agents of unrivalled calibre. Sometimes advisory, sometimes in the field...

M: And now, I understand, you have become.. different...

FC: [Long pause]. I am sure you are already aware. On my last mission, the special forces team and myself were all exposed to a mutagenic radiation developed by a satellite company in switzerland. I had to use the experimental MIX [Mutagen Innoculation 10] compound. Whilst all others in my team died. I survived. It seems my limited mutant ability to sense and even at some level absorb energies, was boosted by the combination of MIX and the agent to which I was exposed.

M: It would seem suitable then, that you join the Militia, with your abilities.

FC: It would seem logical. I do yet not know the full extent of HOW I was... changed... but It is likely that I could end up a stabilising element.

M: Good. It is settled. And one more thing...

FC: Yes?

M: It has not passed our notice that whilst you may be seeking to understand the full nature of HOW you have been changed, you are also most... keen... to know... by WHO...

FC:....

M: We understand you are deeply opposed to manipulation of humankind in any form. We also understand that there have been several unauthorised burglaries of Crey Enteprises since you arrive. Whilst we do not presume to link your presence here, be mindful... tread carefully...

FC: ...[through gritted teeth].. understood...

M: And also note, that whilst you, to a degree, may be the watcher over the militia... [ominous tone] the watcher is also... watched....


[END TRANSMISSION]

Personal Communication from Astraphobia

Dear Militia,

I thank you all for your compainonship as I first entered Paragorn City. Unfortunately, it is your very freindliness and warmth that it my undoing. As you may have supsected, my mutant abilities are mysterious and often unfathonable to even me. I have spent most of my adult years seeking solitude and meditation, and this has afforded me significant control over my own emotional state and thus my abilities. However, the huge array of people and emotions in Paragorn city is... overwhelming... to say the least.

Therefore, I cannot regularly meet with you, at least for now. With time, and the huge experience that Paragorns emotional energies imbue me, I may. For now, I must flit from one life to another, so as not to become to unstabilised by either antipathy or sympathy to one individual. I hope to see you all from time to time and benefit from your wisdom.

I wish you all well. And remember, there is nothing to fear.. but fear itself!.

I tried various anchoring strategies levelling up to 50. A few words of (i hope) wisdom

1. Lvls 1-20 agony, lvs 21-30 intemittent pain, lvls 31-40 nice, lvls 41-50 you are god (debuffing all those nasty AV)

2. Good team (especially good tank) is a good painkiller during all of the above levels.

3. Ask the team who they would like you to anchor.

4. Set up 5 Macro's in a non-used tray that you can pull up that explain the whole anchor thing to the team.

5. Bad team that dosent listen - politely quit

6. My 2 influence? anchor the boss. Firstly, everyone knows who the boss is. Secondly, boss is the most dangerous and thus the most important to debuff - anyone debuffed is pretty harmless. That choice consistently proved the most usefull bar a few exceptions when the boss really needed to be taken down first. Again, team preference but that would always be my suggestion

7. An anecdote. Around level 22 I was (I had SO anyway). In an anchor dropping team who was of the "R u h340r or what?" mentality, particularly after a death or two and lots of red health bars. 5 man team. I told them all to back off, and explained I had NO defences at all. I dropped of EV, RI, and LR onto a mob, put on choking cloud, and jumped (alone) in the middle of a debuffed group occassionally spamming a heal whilst the enemies flailed away limply at me. Rest of the team watched. Rest of the team proceeded to avoid the anchor till last.

ie dont do it

Black Hole and Dimension shift are potentially the best powers in the game and certainly the best o sh** button there is (from a team persepective).

Its just they are also potentially the most frustrating button (when it hits everything) and the most useless (when it hits nothing)..

When they hit 50% you can effectively fight half the mob at a go... what power beats that?

I posted on other thread, but I will give a succinct answer here.

I find the trick to being a good tank is, in essence, you "free" the other team members. In other words, they stop worrying about their health and survival and get on with doing what they do best.

It is probably this reason why good tanks are so popular and hold a team together. They function so much better without defenders / trollers / blasters running around / fleeing because they are wrapped up in their own battles for survival.

Ironically, I suspect that by this mechanism - of freeing up other toons, tanks actually survive better. So getting that taunt power probably actually makes you "harder" in some perverted way

[ QUOTE ]

I do want to strike a good balance between solo/team play but I fear I will have a steep learning curve to get out of the mindset that a tanker is just a bigger slower scrapper. I suspect thats one reason I got so bored of my original Tank.


[/ QUOTE ]

Thats kind of the point methinks. If you play as a big, slow, scrapper, you arent probably much value to a team. They would prefer a fast, kill em quickly scrapper that you get with.... scrappers!

Basically, the trick with tanks is to hold as much aggro as you can (you can probably let scrappers take some hits mind) whilst not killing yourself. Ironically, if you soak up aggro well, you probably make yourself "tougher" in that you allow defenders to focus on healing you and blasters killing everything in sight without panicking and running off.

Tanks dont really come into there own until level 22, when they get SO and really can take an immense amount of punishment. Levels 1-11 whip fairly fast and you do play sort of scrappery, levels 12-21 are a kind of difficult period from my experience. You have dual origins so you are fairly tough, but you cant take the whole shebang. And, it is at this point that the squishies start to really need aggro management. Funnily enough, this period is when you will probably need most judgement about how much aggro to pick up.

Well that was long winded. What Im trying to say is that you have to get out of the "scrapper" mind set to be a good team tank. Its a mind set of courage and fortitude - your role is to free the other players from fear and let them get on with there own job. By all means you should contribute to the damage (and you can do a fair bit), but I find the best way to tank is to have that attitude - your job is to free up the other toons to do their job without panicking about their own safety.

[ QUOTE ]
If you get a tell saying "can you heal?", turn it down, even if you have gone for a so-called "pure" empath build.

It will only result in debt.

[/ QUOTE ]

That, imho, is the best rule you can ever have when playing with PuG.

Firstly, as others have said, Ice armour will end up you playing something similar to a white blob if you pick most of the powers! Fire and Invun are probably best to show of your armour, and definately avoid stone.

Fire is probably the best solo tank, as it is most damaging. If you are choosing weapons, axe is better than mace for solo, damaging type offender.

However, bear in mind that if you are choosing a solo freindly tank, you are (almost by definition) becoming less team viable. Dont be suprised that invites a low if you are a fire/axe tank without taunt. Personally, I wouldnt be to keen on inviting a tauntless fire/axe unless the team REALLY needed someone to take the alpha - you simply wont pull your weight in terms of aggro grabbing / defensive strength. As someone has said, a broadsword/invun scrapper is really what you should be playing. Tanks are solo-able for sure but shine in groups. Scrappers are built for solo.

Id consider taking a more "middle road" so that you can solo fairly comfortably but also reasonably pull your weight to a team. Taunt power is very helpful to teams (especially non - ice tanks). Invun/Axe might be more balanced in terms of solo/team. All my 2 influence of course.

Ultimately, theres no getting away from the fact that the more solo freindly you get, the less team freindly you get (and visa versa). I wouldnt (personally) go for the extremes of either, but you really have to work out what you want. A very solo-able tank isnt going to be first on the list for invites to teams when they have an Ice/Ice tank available, for instance.

Bah!

No tuesdays?

Is mondays gonna be the regular slot then

Oh well, its kinda out for me.

If anyone is interested in a regular Tuesday slot, speak up!