DarkMaster

I am actually fine with Swap Ammo to be honest...I mean sure, the secondary effects of the other Ammo Types could definitely be better, but I like the idea of them all the same. Once again, I think that the only things that really need changed to make DP a competative set are:


1.) Add DoT Fire Damage to Pistols (tier1 attack), equal to Dual Wield.
2.) Allow Piercing Rounds to KEEP it's -res even when using a "non-standard" ammo type.
4.) **Optional** Increase Piercing Rounds Cone by 15 degrees (for a total of 20 degrees, same as BroadSword's Head Splitter).
3.) And Either:

• Allow ES to cause Knock-Down even when using "non-standard" ammo...or
• Decrease ES's animation time, while still keeping it's same damage modifier.

I feel, that these changes would be enough without breaking the set and making it "too powerful" in any way. At the VERY least...it's a good place for the dev's to "start".

As bitter as DarknessEternal sounds, he is, to an extent, correct.


Unfortunately, Blaster damage simply does not scale well enough or pack the same kind of punch that it does in the pre-30 levels, back when you felt your Blaster was awesomeness. Several things factor into this such as: increased mob HP, increased mob resistances, increased mob mez attacks, increased mob ranking, increase in EB's/AV's, etc. All of these add up to the poor squishy Blaster, who is relying almost soley on his damage to survive, which he barely does and by the skin of his teeth.


Blasters have some mezz's, but for the most part lack the type or power level of mez to really have substantial effect in his survivability on a team and even sometimes solo. Mez's are too short in duration and too low in mag to be hugely useful in later game. Blaster have no way to deal with large mob spawns. Sure, they have AoE's and decent damage for those AoE's, but not all primary blast sets have "enough damage" in their AoE's to actually use them to level a mob spawn and survive. Instead, you fire off your two AoE's and then die between the first attack to the massive "alpha" that's coming your way, sometimes before the healer, or even you, can react and heal. The damage a Blaster deals is good, but just not good enough to be the "crutch" that it's suppose to be in order to keep us alive. Again, in early game, this works out pretty decently...but in late game it drastically changes.


Stalkers had a problem with dieing anytime they entered melee and fired off AS in the middle of a mob to take out a boss. Very few were able to actually survive outside of a tier9 or billions of dollars in IO's after a move like that...and they have an actual DEFENSE secondary. So, to help fix this, the dev's gave them Demoralize, a power which effectively provides an AoE fear AND to-hit debuff to almost any critter around the Stalker after he AS's. This one small change help Stalkers out in a great and amazing way, allowing them to actually live long enough to deal some tremendous, and team HELPING, damage. Something that they "too" had a hard time doing in late game. Well...Blasters are currently in the same boat, only we've been in that boat for several years now.


I think that to help fix Blasters in late game PvE, the dev's should either consider increasing our damage output drastically (maybe make Defiance more powerful a damage buff the higher in level we get? For as much as a 20-25% damage buff per attack?..), or somehow balancing in a defensive type of power. I'm not sure what they need, but it is in my opinion that they need something more than they currently have.


To truely and effectively play on a Blaster and really contribute major damage for the team, you'll almost need to bring two of these AT's with you: A really good taunting and hardy Tanker, and a really good Defender (preferably empathy) who focuses mostly on you. Between those two, you can definitely deliver some massive damage without having to worry too much about face-planting every 3 minutes in late game. Unfortunately...you're one of the only and few toons that must rely on TWO other AT's in order to perform your one role...that to me...isn't right.


Anyways...that aside. If you have played Dominators, and like the way they play, then I'd suggest sticking with them. Their damage is almost (or more) devastating than a Blaster's in that they have awesome controls which allow them to easily and effectively deal that damage. They even get good pets and full mez protection when in domination (plus a free blue-bar with every domination pop)....buuuuuut...if you must try Blasters, lol, then try Sonic/Energy. It is one of the most survivable Blasters out there due to it's control ability. PowerBoost + Sirens Song and then PowerBoost + Screech on your target is pretty darn nice mitigation on a spawn to be quite honest. The -res stacking from Sonic will also help you to debuff those meaty foes in late game, and soften them up for a relatively easy kill.


GL.

Would FM/SD really be better single target dps/dmg than FM/FA? I thought */FA's Fiery Embrace would have pulled it ahead of SD, but I haven't personally run the numbers, so I don't know.

I actually really enjoy my DP set being paired with Devices..

For what? PvE? PvP? Both?

Yes.

Is KM really good on Stalkers?

And I for one, don't believe that the dev's intended us to do an "ammo swap" dance every three seconds just to take advantage of the capability...and if they did, that's simply an example of an EXTREMELY poor design mechanism which they should have learned their lesson with from Dark Armor a very very very long time ago.


People, generally, do not like to be forced to play the "dancing game" like that just to make their powers somewhat effective and "comparable" to other Sets. The ONLY time this could possibly be acceptable is if the set you were forced to "dance" with would be just soooooo god awfully powerful that if you were able to run/use all powers/toggles at once that it would be borderline game-breaking if it didn't force you to dance between powers/toggles in order to utilize it's full potential. Being brokenly OP was not the case for Dark Armor, and so in light of QoL they changed the set. Well...Dual Pistols is and would be no where near OP if Piercing Rounds could keep it's -res effect even while using "non" standard ammo...so why make us power dance?!?


As far as I'm concerned...Dual Pistols is close to being the Blaster version of the "old" Dark Armor...only even weaker...

Seeing as how DP isn't a damage monster...I really think that at least "three" changes should be made to the DP set to make it a little better:


1.) Add the fire DoT to the tier1 pistol attack

2.) Either slightly reduce the animation time of Executioner's Shot or increase it's range to either 60 or 80 ft.

3.) Allow the -res from Piercing Rounds to work even when "not" using standard rounds.


If they did just these minor changes...I think the set would be pretty good...

Eh, that's too bad.


Build up it is then..

Yea, what about Electric Armor?


I know it's a "relatively" new port over to tankers, but from the resistance numbers and buffs that it's recieved, it looks like it'd be one heckuva powerful primary, especially once IO's were taken into account...not to derail this thread...but any experiences here with Elec Armor? Does it just look good on paper for a Tanker?

Really? That's it? Is that tiny portion at least "un-resisted" damage? Or no?


Hmm...so basically, Build-Up is definitely still the better choice for AR's Sniper Rifle if you want good damage?

What he said.


The only other thing is that the "to-hit-buff" from Power Siphon IS indeed activated when you first click Power Siphon, and you are not required to actually "hit" a target for the first to-hit buff. After that, additional "hit's" stack more.

Uhm....maybe Defenders and Corruptors are in "dire need" of AIM...simply because...they are DEFENDERS and CORRUPTORS and have access to a HUGE array of buffs/debuffs....which not only increase your chances of hitting your targets vastly, but also grant you AND your team greatly increased damage output and survivability....


that...is why Defenders and Corruptors can both get away with having more Blast Sets which do not contain...AIM. Blasters, on the otherhand...shouldn't leave home without it, and I feel that both DP and AR are somewhat handicapped thanks to their lack of Aim. I like the idea behind Swap ammo...but to lose Aim in order to get it? I dunno...

I did, and my constructive suggestion was: TRY AGAIN.


And I meant it.


Your suggestions, insight, and ideas are all crap, and half of them have been suggested in the past and shot down. In fact, much of what you say shows that you actually know very very little of pvp at all. Did you just recently step foot into a pvp zone or something? Like maybe a week ago? And now you feel entitled to give "how to fix pvp" suggestions? And shoot down those who think your suggestions are weak and wrong?


it is to LOL bud. I wish you the best of luck with this, but you'll soon come to realize, as we have, that the dev's don't listen to us here. In fact, they "split up" the boards in the fashion they did (splitting PvP boards from Archetype and other sections) so that they NEVER have to click the PvP Boards tab in the first place lol! Jk, but boy are we separated now, and I doubt they ever enter this section of the boards now. They just click the other tabs and never have to even SEE the PvP tab anymore! Haha, so sad, so sad.

LOL at you.


If you think that pvp somehow "doesn't" sell subscriptions, then you're more foolhearty than your entire spiel up there proves. For THIS game, no, fixing or "tinkering" with the pvp system may not do much to save the game. I already stated that. This game had it's chance to make pvp a hit about 4 years ago (or even upon release) but it decided not to for whatever foolish reasons. As far as that goes, this game has been in a nose dive for the dirt for awhile now, and there's no stopping it. However, games that are built with a "good" and "solid" pvp engine behind them, DO indeed sell subscriptions and stick around for years. There are certain First Person Shooters, for example, that I have been playing for well over 8 years now, simply thanks to how good the gameplay is in them, and I don't get anything out of them. No levels. No armor. No extra guns. No ranks. No fun l00t. The only thing those FPS's have done, is keep up with the times graphics wise through updates and yet, they are still very popular games to this day.


I believe that if a game (MMO) wants to be successful, they need to take the example given to them by just about EVERY First Person Shooter out there, and that is: Have a strong PvP 'centric' system, and have a good PvE 'supportive' story. Basically, give a great amount of attention to your PvP game, and make sure that your PvE-side supports and coincides very fluently with the PvP. Not only does this make people more willing to pvp, since storylines in pve make sense and merge with it, but it also makes the pvp alot more interesting, even on the "RP" level.


In the end, PvP does indeed sell, and PvE should support it, not the other way around.

Well said.


Both of you.


And that pretty much sums up EXACTLY what myself and MANY others have been trying in absolute VAIN to point out to the dev's over the last couple of years! As we've slowly but surely watched the dev's drive what could have been an absolutely GROUND BREAKING achievement in MMO PvP History....straight into the dirt...slowly...but surely...running blind into oncoming traffic, not heeding the warnings of wise, too foolish, gluttonous , or otherwise self serving and pompous to believe what us "low-life's" have been telling them for years now...."save your pvp...build upon it...the pvp this game has could be revolutionary...it is but a seedling that needs to be nursed...but it could blossom one day into a great oak.."


But alas....the cries and pleas were not heard...for over 4 years they were not heard...and now...we are left with the remnants of that aftermath. This game is on it's deathbed...and it may very well be too late to bring it back to life. Pitty, it had such great promise..


...gg dev's...

Uhm....wow.


No.

Just no.

Especially the Brute part.


And I'm not all too sure about your opening suggestions either...they don't sound like they'd do much more than bring even MORE imbalance to the current pvp system. And "buffing" Kheldians?!? Seriously? WS are a joke, but PB's are formidable, especially in zones, I don't see how on earth they could need any sort of "buffs" at this point. Research what you are asking, and really look at the "core" problem of pvp and try again. I don't think you're anywhere close to making it better, in fact, you'd make it much worse with those suggestions.


Try again.

My Night Widow doesn't use Elude at all in pvp and does just fine in most zone play and even arena duels....however....I did drop like over 2 Bill into his build too...lol...so that could have something to do with it also haha

Broadsword's AS is absolute garbage animation wise.


Whatever developer came up with that animation needs fired. It looks EXTREMELY weak and fairy-like....it's DEFINATELY NOT what I expected Broadsword's AS to look like...not by a LONG shot. It's horribly ugly...and I hope it's changed before live. I'd take just a duplicate of Ninja Blade's AS animation for a temporary fix even....it's that bad.


Also, Broadsword in general leaves very little to be desired...imho...at least in pvp...it's a pretty crappy set so far. HS, your best follow-up to AS, only has a 50% chance to deal double damage and trust me...it misses that critical PLENTY it seems. Disembowel is NO substitute either. Furthermore, when all of the BS powers were ported over...they got severly nerfed, it appears, as I was actually expecting a bit higher damage values when I did my "port-over" calculations before Closed Beta. The values we ended up getting...are MUCH more watered down than what I anticipated. The 50% chance to crit on HS is just the cherry on top...


Anyways...if you're a fan of the big ol' sword...Broadsword will be fine no matter what (concept wise) but personally...I was not impressed AT ALL.


And yea...pretty much no prolif's/updates/changes to our Patron Powers (only SoA's got a tweak...sorta...) ...yet for some reason...the dev's thought it'd be REALLY cute to give Scrappers MELT ARMOR as well as yet ANOTHER PASSIVE +Regen/+Recovery POWER! HAHA! OMG, seriously, could they prove their bias any more openly!?! In that they baby their Heroes and kick their Villaisn? Just take a quick gander at all the FUN NEW toys that Heroes recieved in their ALREADY POWERFUL (<---key word there) Epics!!!! But bah...that's a rant and a fight for a different thread and a different day....carry on....