Happy_Thoughts

[ QUOTE ]
The agro still comes! and if the FA is supposed to cause a -ACC on those affected by it, it must be miniscule as I still cycle through my pets at least twice per mission because of this perhaps apparent lack of a debuff.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, it is miniscule. I don't know what the debuff percentage is for Masterminds, but it's about 15% (again, that's about a 7.5% reduction in hits from an even-con minion under the to-hit system on live). The debuff of Poison Gas Arrow on a Mastermind is half that of Defenders (15% vs. 30%); if that same ratio holds true for Flash Arrow (and I don't know if it does, let me make that clear, this is just theory) then you're looking at about a 7.5% base debuff, or a 3.75% reduction in successful hits.

I'll happily be corrected on this number if anyone's done actual testing.

[ QUOTE ]
On a side note, how are the rest of you pulling numbers? HeroStats doesn't work on test (and even if it did, I still don't know how to read it to get an percentage numbers)

[/ QUOTE ]
How do we get the numbers? Through many hours of painstaking testing and manual recording of hundreds (sometimes thousands) of attacks, with and without debuffs applied.

Hours of tedious work that could be avoided by an in-game display of power values, but that's another issue altogether.

You're welcome.

[ QUOTE ]
Correct me if i'm wrong here anyone, but I'm running off of the impression that the ACC debuff number for flash arrow is 10% fully enhanced (3 SO), 8% in I7.

[/ QUOTE ]
Player testing (done by myself and others) indicates the base -accuracy debuff is about 15%.

To clarify, since different terminology is used by different people, and the to-hit formula is not as simple as it could be... that 15% makes an even-con minion 7.5% less likely to hit (under the current system on the live servers).

Lacking any developer confirmation of this number (HINT HINT) this is the best we have to go on.

[ QUOTE ]
Disruption arrow increases my attack damage by about 25% (will have to check proper numbers though on attacks)

[/ QUOTE ]
Disruption Arrow is unchanged; it's adding 20% on test just as it is on live.

At the risk of hijacking my own thread...

I understand that the purpose of this thread is to discuss the changes implemented on test; however, I fear it's the only place that suggestions for meaningful improvement of the set as a whole will be seen by the development team (since posts and PMs have yet to elicit any response).

So forgive me and indulge me. This is 9 months' worth of observation and feedback rolled into one post, and I feel it deserves to be seen.


The Problems with Trick Arrow (as a Defender set) as I see them.

Problem 1: Fewer debuffs are spread out across more powers. A Trick Arrow/ Defender has to spend a lot more time, using a lot more powers, to generate the same number of debuffs (or less) that other debuffing sets do.

Problem 2: Trick Arrow has low availability of many key powers.The set suffers from unprecedentedly-long recharge timers. Supposedly this was to prevent self-stacking. Having the powers not stack, or even cancel out previous applications when recast, would be a far better system than what we currently have if it meant we weren't forced to ration over 1/3 of our primary powers.
Note: this is pretty much resolved with the Issue 7 changes on the test server as of 5/2/06. Oil Slick still has a 3-minute base recharge, which is twice the recharge of Ice Control/Ice Slick. I can certainly see the concerns with an Ice/TA Controller having at least one of these always ready, but a 90- or 120-second recharge on the Defender version wouldn’t be completely out of line. EMP Arrow also has a long recharge, but this is balanced with all other Tier 9 Defender primary powers and is fine as-is).

Problem 3: The set as a whole is underbalanced. As a set that debuffs, and ONLY debuffs, it should do this job better than sets that debuff and ALSO heal, buff, and/or rez. Currently, it does not; it does the debuffing job worse than its debuffing brothers and sisters. This is due to missing debuffs (-regen, area -fly/-jump) and the fact that many its debuffs are inferior to those in debuff/buff/heal/rez sets. Trick Arrow Defenders do not need the buff/heal/rez options (and most who post on the subject don’t want them, myself included). However, since we lack those options and only have debuffs, we should have a clear advantage in the debuffing area to compensate.

Problem 4: Animation times are far too long. Typically, sets with weapon draw animations are given some sort of compensation (a little bit of accuracy, range, etc.). Whether or not any one of us feels that is enough, the fact is that it is there. Trick Arrow gets no such compensation. The animation times are horrendously long on most powers, and this applies even more to Trick Arrow/ Defenders who choose something other than /Archery.

Only when addressing Problems 1-4 can we then begin to address Problem 5.

Problem 5: Some individual powers are implemented in a makeshift, clunky manner.<ul type="square">[*]Entangling Arrow has a delay between when the arrow hits and when the immobilize lands.[*]Flash Arrow's to-hit check makes it very unreliable as a -perception power, and its -accuracy component is laughable; the power does two things poorly.
Note: As of the Issue 7 patch on the test server as of 5/1/06, Flash Arrow is now reliable as a –perception power. The –accuracy is still laughable, however.[*]Glue Arrow not only fails to prevent enemies from flying out of it, it also cannot be cast on a flying foe. A target that is already airborne cannot be affected by this power unless he's by another enemy that's on the ground.[*]Ice Arrow presumably has a slow component to it; this component was not only tuned way down before the set went live, it does not last any longer than the hold duration of the power, making it mostly useless.[*]Poison Gas Arrow has a chance to sleep opponents. This is largely useless, especially when things like an unlit Oil Slick will wake them right up (not to mention how useless an unreliable sleep is in most groups). Poison Trap at least has a hold effect, and it's a secondary power.[*]Acid Arrow has a to-hit check, presumably for the damage over time component, which makes it unreliable for the debuffs it's primarily used for.[*]Oil Slick Arrow has numerous points of failure in igniting it. First, the power has to be available (3-minute base recharge). Then, the Defender has to manually target it among the mob of enemies if he does not have an area-effect fire/energy power. Then, he has to use an attack on it; in the case of my TA/A, that means blowing my absolute best attack power on something that isn't an enemy. That power then has to hit; it often misses several times in a row. Lastly, the Oil Slick has to decide that it's using flammable oil; often this is not the case.
Note: The last point of failure in lighting Oil Slick is in the process of being resolved. The current fix on the test server as of 5/2/06 is faulty, but when resolved will mean one less point of failure.[*]Although all TA powers are fired from the same bow, they have varying ranges. You can be close enough to fire off one power, but not another. They should all be consistent in range since the delivery method is the same.[/list]That's seven out of the nine powers that are awkward or just plain buggy (sometimes both).

Ideally, fixing Problems 1-4 and consolidating effects on powers, and adding in new powers to fill in the empty spots, will alleviate many of the issues in Problem 5. But it's a LONG way to go to get there. However, the Trick Arrow/ Defender community would like to be included in the process. We love the set enough to want to see it be what it could be and what it should be.

Regards,
GP

And now, I discuss!

[ QUOTE ]
Oil Slick Arrow should no longer have the odd failure to ignite condition.

[/ QUOTE ]
It's no longer got the odd failure to ignite. Now it has a reliable failure to ignite. (on the Training Room server, as of 5/2/06)

Out of 20 Oil Slicks, attacking with Blazing Arrow (with two even-level SO accuracy enhancements):

Two (2) ignited
Eighteen (18) failed to light

Also, it's still possible to miss. I missed five individual Oil Slicks, and two of them were missed twice.

I would have tested more than 20, but this was fairly conclusive.

[ QUOTE ]
1. Added 0.1 Slow to Entangling Arrow. Included Run Speed cap reduction as per other slow powers.

[/ QUOTE ]
Not having a respec prevented me from testing this at this time.

[ QUOTE ]
2. Changed Flash Arrow to Auto Hit in PvE. In PvP, a tohit check is still required.

[/ QUOTE ]
This makes it reliable as a pseudo-stealth power, and improves the power to the level of Fire Control/Smoke (with a slight variance on the -accuracy due to AT modifier). So, thank you for that.

This power does need a noticeable -accuracy component, though. There are few and select circumstances in which -perception helps defend the team. The -accuracy on Flash Arrow should be its primary, and major, component.

[ QUOTE ]
3. Glue Arrow recharge time cut by 50% to 60 seconds.
4. Disruption Arrow recharge time cut by 50% to 60 seconds.

[/ QUOTE ]
I won't pretend that this solves the inherent problems inflicted upon Trick Arrow Defenders. I gladly state, however, that they are much needed and much welcomed changes.

Well, this is the space we've got so let's use it.

Since there's also no sticky for Archery, I'm including those changes as well (though they deserve their own thread).



The listed changes for Trick Arrow are as follows:
<ul type="square">[*]Oil Slick Arrow should no longer have the odd failure to ignite condition.[*]Current changes implemented to Defender, Controller and Mastermind Trick Arrow sets:
1. Added 0.1 Slow to Entangling Arrow. Included Run Speed cap reduction as per other slow powers.
2. Changed Flash Arrow to Auto Hit in PvE. In PvP, a tohit check is still required.
3. Glue Arrow recharge time cut by 50% to 60 seconds.
4. Disruption Arrow recharge time cut by 50% to 60 seconds.
5. Fixed Continuing FX for Entangling Arrow in PvP -- the FX would never show up on a player target. [*]Fixed a bug with Oil Slick -- it was erroneously showing a -SPD debuff on the caster.[*]Fixed some issues with Poison Gas Arrow (Mastermind, Defender and Controller). All versions will now choke the targets more often, will play the proper visual f/x and will affect the proper area. [*]Controller and Defender versions of Poison Gas arrow will be more effective now. The chance to Sleep a target has been increased, and the PvP aspect of the Controller version has been fixed (it was not working against players at all.)[/list]

The listed changes for Archery are as follows:
<ul type="square">[*]Rain of Arrows, Fistful of Arrows and Ranged Shot animations shortened. [*]Reduced Cast/Interrupt Time on Archery Ranged Shot [*]Corrected End cost for Archery Snap Shot, Aimed Shot, Fistful of Arrows and Blazing Arrow. The Snap Shot, Aimed Shot and Fistful of Arrows changes apply to Mastermind Ninja's powerset as well.[/list]

Test and discuss!

[ QUOTE ]
Trick Arrow is a fairly overlooked powerset, but learn how to play it and you can be pretty powerful. My TA/Archer can already take on spawns solo that would make many defenders think twice.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'll take the Pepsi Challenge with my Dark/ or Storm/ any day of the week. If I had a Rad/ of appropriate level, I'd include that set also (my only Rad character of SO levels is a controller, which is an unfair comparison).

If we're comparing the solo ability of TA/ against those "pure team builds" then it's not a relevant comparison.

Come on, prove that it's not against the rules for a dev to start a post on Trick Arrow.

Seriously, the changes look like a good start to getting the set on track, but we should have a place to post about the changes like all the others.

I asked this the first time this change was announced, but never saw an answer.

When facing a +6 enemy, will defense (and to-hit/accuracy debuffs) work at a similar level as they do now against a +6, or will they work at a similar level as they do now against a +1?

In other words, will there be a steep dropoff in effectiveness between a +5 and a +6, or will +6 be where a gradual decline in effectiveness begins?

And now for the post-locking question:

Trick Arrow has continued to perform sub-par as a Defender set for 8 months now. Is there light at the end of the tunnel, or is that just Flash Arrow reflecting off of the wall? More specifically, when is the set going to get some long-overdue love and attention?

Also, if/when you do get around to bringing the set up to Defender standards, please preclude the event with a Developer Response thread so that those of us who have been playing the set can provide constructive feedback and suggestions.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Entangling Arrow
Effects: Immobilize, -fly (long description mentions that it halts jumping as well)
Area: Single target
Duration: 5 seconds
Recharge: 19 seconds

[/ QUOTE ]
I think this needs to be corrected.

I don't know the exact values, but I know I can perma-Immob an even con with Entangling Arrow which has no Enhancements at all (it did have an Immob TO, but that went red at least 2 levels ago).

[/ QUOTE ]
Yep, I accidentally inverted the numbers on this one. The post is long past the point of being editable; when I'm given cause to make version 2 I'll correct this.

Blaster damage directly corresponds to usage of punctuation. Mystery solved!

I'm just confused as to why, under any set of circumstances, Flash Arrow has to perform any worse than it currently does.

Not that anyone will notice; it's the principle of the thing.

[ QUOTE ]
in trick arrow: Flash arrow needs to be a little bit better off the bat. I shouldn't hav eto stack two flashes to provide a singlifican miss chance.

[/ QUOTE ]
I assume you're partnered up with another TA user, because you cannot stack this power by yourself; subsequent applications overwrite previous ones.

[ QUOTE ]
Not putting the bow away when using other powers. Brawl is the only attack power in the game that allows you to not put your weapon away when attacking with it. Brawl also took more animation time by several multiples than any other power in the game. Doing something similar with every power which could be used in conjunction with Archery/Trick Arrow simply isn't feasible.

[/ QUOTE ]
The origin-specific temporary powers you get from levels 1 through 9 also do not cause weapon redraws (at least with bows and assault rifles, I haven't personally tested the others). Perhaps this happy accident could be reproduced?

Oh piffle, I forgot this one little request.

Could the damage numbers from Oil Slick be made to be orange rather than gray (to denote that it's your damage, rather than someone else's)? Pretty please? Yeah, I know it's minor, but orange numbers are just that much more satisfying psychologically.

[ QUOTE ]
1) Working on Oil Slick. I think I have the 'oil doesn't always light' bug fixed (hard to tell - it never failed on my box, but it was replicatable here.) I refered the 'wrong team in PvP zones' issue to programming.

[/ QUOTE ]
I assume you're saying that if this bug fix works, then any successful fire/energy attack on the oil slick will always light the slick? That would be great!

As already mentioned in this thread (and others), we'd really and truly appreciate it if the abnormal miss rate was looked into and addressed. It's not uncommon to miss the Oil Slick with Blazing Arrow for the entire duration that the Oil Slick is targetable. That's just frustrating!

Also, I am hoping against hope that these fixes don't constitute a clean bill of health on the TA set. We've been patiently awaiting a revisiting of the set for almost nine months (though not always pleasantly patient, I'm the first to admit). I'm eagerly looking forward to a new "Developer Response Thread" on the set, and hope that player input is considered this time. (Sorry if it sounds like I'm dumping on you, _Castle_, it's just that you're the ONLY developer to even mention Trick Arrow since early August of last year, and a lot of us are just plain antsy to get our favorite concept set in the same league as actual defender sets!)

We really do appreciate the time and effort you're putting in for the few of us who play TA.

Additional information regarding Oil Slick submitted by Bandeeto. He reports that _Castle_ provided this response about its defense debuff via PM:

[ QUOTE ]
_Castle_: It still has a -DEF component. It's 2.5% base, modified by the NPC AT table (which I can't really access at the moment)

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
When peopl like Goofy come an and attack me with completely bogus comparisions and faulty logic, when they constantly complain about the set and make assertions that I know aren't true, damn right I'm going to think they don't know how to play it, or they lack the requisite knowledge to make it effective.

[/ QUOTE ]
So far, I've not attacked you personally. But I'm going to do so now. Mieux, you're an obstinate troll.

Let's talk about assertions, shall we? You constantly say of TA that "The set is great." Yet, the only statements you put forth for this address the method of the debuffs—that they're clicks rather than toggles. Well, yes, that's true. And in all of your examples showing the "problems" that toggle sets have, you refer to teammates knocking enemies out of the debuffs, and how getting mezzed drops toggles. If your teammates who can't use their knockback powers productively, that does not indicate a problem with a toggle set. It's a problem with the players. You may as well say that since people run out of line of sight for heals, that's a problem with the Empathy set. As far as mezzing goes, if you get to have indiscriminate knockback users in your example, I get to have Clear Mind being kept up on me in mine, and the toggles don't drop.

Another favorite of mine is when you say that "Anyone who doesn't think the set is great has no skill at the game." Hey, marvelous logic! If you don't agree with me, you're no good at the game! News flash—the set is not great. It could be great, and it should be great. The fact is that there are exactly two debuffs that TA does better than other debuff sets: 1) -res, but only in a small area and by using two powers; 2) EMP arrow has an advantage over EMP due to its ability to be used at range. In every other case, the debuffs are done at least as well as TA or better by one of the other debuffing sets, and those debuffs are available more often in many cases. And just because it needs to be said, those other sets which do the debuff job better overall also have at least two of the following in each set: heal, buff, rez.

Add to this the actual amount of time spent applying debuffs, due to animation times (and possibly weapon draw times, especially if your secondary happens to be something other than Archery) and the predominance of single-effect powers, and TA falls further behind.

See, there's a little thing called "balance" which is not being achieved here.

You keep praising the effectiveness of Flash Arrow, and call into question the results of the tests conducted by others. Feel free to do your own tests and share the details and results with the rest of us. It's simply not as effective as you (and you alone) would have everyone believe it to be. I have been on teams where I've stopped using Flash Arrow, and there has been no noticeable difference in the amount of damage taken by the party or the downtime after fights (there was no downtime in either case). I realize that you believe that a power's effects don't have to be noticeable for the power to be "useful" in your definition, but that's pretty much the opposite of how normal people would see it.

Other miscellaneous things that need to be set straight.

I have never once said "TA sucks" as you have suggested. My stance from the start has been that TA, as a defender primary, is underbalanced. Everyone who has posted on these forums on the subject seems to have the same opinion, except for Mieux. Can everybody but one person be wrong? Don't bother responding to that, I know what the gist of your trite answer will be.

You also claimed that I didn't feel Glue Arrow would be balanced unless it was permanent. Nope, sorry, never said or implied that. What I did say was that a two-minute base recharge on a power that only slows was not balanced next to a 90-second base recharge on a power that slows and has other effects. This is where you'll bring up the point about Glue Arrow's debuff sticking to mobs after they leave the patch. And I'll point out that this is not relevant to the conversation, because it was not a factor in the recharge time at all. Quote from Positron when the change was made: "Glue Arrow: Reduced Duration of Glue Arrow from 45 seconds to 30 second and Increased Recharge time from 20 seconds to 120 seconds to prevent multiple stacking. Fixed Glue Arrow visual f/x." The only given reason for the insane recharge time was self-stacking. The dev team has shown that they have both the technology and the philosophy to address this issue by other means that don't involve unprecedented recharge times. If this were a technical impossibility, due to the nature of how Glue Arrow works, then a response in the "Dev Response Thread" would have been called for, since there were many suggestions to that effect when this change was announced. The complete and total lack of a response sent the message that they just didn't care to deal with it.

On that note, you also say I "insulted the devs" when I called the Glue Arrow self-stacking "fix" taking the cheap way out. This is humorous coming from the person who directly tells people they suck not only at playing a set, but at the entire game itself, and says this is not an attack, but rather an observation based on their posts. Okay, so I didn't attack you when I called you an obstinate troll. It was just an observation based on your posts. Glad we got that sorted out. Did I say the devs were so incompetent that they couldn't figure out a better way around the problem? Nope, I sure didn't, because that's not what I believe. What I believe is that they simply didn't put the time and effort into balancing a new set that it deserved.

Then there's the subject of the consolidated list of problems and suggestions I posted on the set; or the "rant" as you put it. That post was put together not just from my experiences with the set, but also from thoughts put forth by other Trick Arrow defenders at the time. When I addressed the Trick Arrow defender community at the time, nobody replied with "the set is great as it is, leave it alone." This was pre-ED, by the way. If you wish to think that a consolidated list of suggestions from the community is a "rant," then so be it. It certainly fits in with your presented logic.

I really hope the set gets the attention it deserves. If you're enjoying the set in the meantime, that's great for you. It does not, however, mean that the concerns of everyone else are invalid or unwarranted. The only reason I can see for you fighting against improvements to the set to get it balanced is that you want to be the rare/unique as a Trick Arrow defender. That, or you just like telling everyone they're "unskilled" for some reason. Neither is a valid argument for making the set enjoyable for everyone else.

[ QUOTE ]
If your criteria for a useful power is that you have to "notice" it, then we are on different wavelengths.

[/ QUOTE ]
This certainly explains things!

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
It shouldn't be too hard to test, though - just hit the FFG with a hold, and then with a confuse. If your teammates get the buff, it still buffs. If not, it doesn't.


[/ QUOTE ] I'm not sure why you think this would be dispositive. FF's and Eminators are immune to Confuse and Deceive every time I've seen this tried.

[/ QUOTE ]
Except that force field generators are in fact not immune to confuse.

I really suggest you either a) stop saying you have such a great grasp of all aspects of the game, or b) stop proving that you really don't. It just makes you look foolish.

Oh, and I already know what happens when you hold a force field generator that you've confused. But you wouldn't believe me in any case, so I'll just let you figure it out for yourself.

There's also the question of why, as a Radiation defender, you're allowing force field generators to be built so frequently that you have a strategy based around it. A lot of us unskilled folks prevent them from being built nearly every time.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
All this from a lvl 27 perspective? Really?

[/ QUOTE ] My TA is 27, I've a bunch of other toons that are much higher. More importantly, I have a strong fundamental understsanding of the game, the AI, the powers in other sets and AT's.

[/ QUOTE ]
How interesting, considering some other statements.

[ QUOTE ]
If you want to feel worthless in a fight, go fight a Monster with FF. Unless you can find a corner to FB him into...you are going to annoy others if you push it into other mobs or out of location AoE's.

[/ QUOTE ]
So, in addition to being apparently the only person who plays Trick Arrow well, you're also the only person who's able to apply knockback to Monsters. Fascinating.

[ QUOTE ]
Otherwise, RI can genearlly neutralize their +DEF bonus, while at the same time sticking close to the Engineer who generally engages in melee.

In addition, I'm slapping EF on it as well. So I'm getting three debuffs and losing one in exchange for an anchor that won't flee the scene.

[/ QUOTE ]
RI and EF provide four debuffs, not just three.

[ QUOTE ]
And lastly, if I have a controller on the group, RI on the FF Gen will allow the controller to reliably Hold the gen, which I believe stops the bubbles, but I haven't tested that.

[/ QUOTE ]
Then by all means go and test it. Being held does not stop NPC enemies from flying; I see no reason to assume that the force field generators will drop their disperson bubbles. I know for a fact that the graphics are still there when the generator is held. What, exactly, is the basis of your belief that holding a generator stops its force field?

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Okay, Choking Cloud has a long recharge timer...

[/ QUOTE ] Uh yeah Goofy...nevermind AM, Mutation, and &lt;can't remember the name of the Slow debuff atm&gt; aren't avaialble "every fight."

[/ QUOTE ]
That point was in reference to my statement that a radiation defender has the option of using his toggles every fight. Since you couldn't deny this (since it was obvious I was talking about RI and EF), you leapt on Choking Cloud for some reason.

This is something I find amusing, since you maintain that the 120- and 180-second recharge timers on Trick Arrow powers is adequate, yet a 90-second timer on Choking Cloud is "long."

Thanks for tangenting off of a tangent, we need more of that.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Right. One rad defender's experience must logically cancel out everyone else's. Just like Trick Arrow, right?


[/ QUOTE ] &lt;sigh&gt;....This highlights the facts that other sets have problems. Problems which you act like don't exist. As Jynne points, your reference other set's abilities is done in a vacuum. You pretend every other set has 100% effectivenss 100% of the time.

[/ QUOTE ]
And basing a statement off of one Radiation defender you met clearly takes everything into consideration. Well done!

Anchor-related problems can easily be avoided by a sound anchor-choosing strategy and group communication. In regards to knockback and the potential problems it causes with anchors, that's not so much a problem with the set as it is with the player causing the havoc.

Best case, the bread-and-butter toggle debuffs are active the entire fight, every fight. Worst case, the anchor gets killed early and there's an 8-second lapse in the debuff.

You've stated several times that knockback-users can render anchor-based debuffs ineffective. While this is true, it's not an issue with the set, but with the people you are playing with. It is possible to educate people about anchors. I've done it. There are some people who insist on playing in a disruptive fashion; again I say this is a problem that has nothing to do with the set. I don't stay in bad groups. If you do, then knock yourself out.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Actually, I can play it to the best of its boundaries. It's still grossly underbalanced as a defender primary.

[/ QUOTE ] That's your opinion and you're welcome to it. And everytime I post my opinion, you come and try to shoot it down. What makes it egregious is your inability to concede your own ignorance.

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh, this is grand!

When you spout such "opinions" as "If you are skilled in this game, you will find that TA is a great set once you get DO's,"
(implying, if not flat-out stating, that if you don't think TA is great, then you are unskilled) then, yes, you need to expect opposing opinions.

I particularly think this is funny, because you also say "TA is not the hardest set to play to its full extent. I'd put Storm and Kinetics as requiring more savvy...much more savvy." I play my Kinetics defender quite well, and have done amazing things with my stormie. I guess I'm both "unskilled" and "savvy" in The Book of Mieux! Go me!

You have personally told others that they suck at playing TA. These are people you do not know, and have never played with. And yet, you accuse others of making personal attacks on you for posting facts and opinions that you don't like. Oh, then you call other people ignorant, which I suppose isn't a personal attack in the Mieux Book of Logic. After all, you did claim that telling someone they suck isn't a personal attack.

But none of that is really relevant to the discussion, it's just feeding the troll that is Mieux.

If you want to believe that Trick Arrow is "great" then you will believe this. Everyone on the planet Sanity, however, acknowledges that it underperforms and needs help. But take heart! In the unlikely event that it does get some long-overdue love, you can always juggle slots around to maintain your current level of "greatness" and the rest of us will get to feel like actual Defenders. Everyone will be happy!

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
However, you do have the option of using those toggles every fight if you wish.

[/ QUOTE ] No I don't. The recharge on Choking Cloud is so long, it's almost worth slotting it.

[/ QUOTE ]
Okay, Choking Cloud has a long recharge timer. How long is that timer? 90 seconds.

Oh, damn, I'm sorry. I've introduced a fact, and I know you don't like those much at all.

So, if 90 seconds is long, what does that make 120 seconds? How about 180 seconds?

Now, the toggles which of course I was referring to (Radiation Infection and Enervating Field) have recharge times of under 10 seconds each. If those aren't available every fight, I want to join the group after you leave.

[ QUOTE ]
When I find a Rad defender that has respeced out of RI and EF because of issues with anchors, and you don't even acknowledge it...ONCE[/b], you don't care about truth. You don't care what anyone else's reality is if it doesn't support your biased claims.

[/ QUOTE ]
Right. One rad defender's experience must logically cancel out everyone else's. Just like Trick Arrow, right?

[ QUOTE ]
TA is a great set. You obviously can't play it very well.

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, I can play it to the best of its boundaries. It's still grossly underbalanced as a defender primary. Those of us who have played the set longer and to higher levels than you acknowledge that. The developers acknowledge that. But as long as Mieux can believe it's not, everyone else must be wrong. Gotcha.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yes, self-stacking was overpowered. However, rather than address the self-stackability, they took the cheap way out and introduced unprecedented recharge timers.

[/ QUOTE ] I think you're oversimplifying the problem. My understanding is that Location AoE's are pets. You can't stop pets from stacking.

[/ QUOTE ]
Really? Because, you know, they sure did so with the top-tier controller powers. What are those called again? Oh yeah. Pets.

Many buffs, too, are not self-stackable. Want two sets of bubbles? Then you need a second force-fielder. The point is, the technology exists to prevent powers from self-stacking.

Having glue arrow #2 cancel out glue arrow #1 would have been an acceptable solution. It was suggested many times in the dev response thread. It would have allowed a reasonable recharge rate to be applied while eliminating the self-stacking problem.

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The other factor is that the recharge times are generally set against the max recharge times. IOW, they have to consider Glue Arrow with Hasten, AM, Speed Boost, and Adrenaline Boost.

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I suppose that's why Glue Arrow has a longer recharge than a power like Tar Patch. You got me there.

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And the other factor is that you simply don't need DA or GA for EVERY fight, especially on small teams.

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The fact that you don't feel your debuffs are needed very often does not diminish the fact that they are not available very often.

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My Rad and Dark Defenders dont' use their toggles every fight. My Dark hardly at all, and even if I waste the time firing both Toggles on my Rad, chances are, once anchor is dead before the other is even set.

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However, you do have the option of using those toggles every fight if you wish.

If your anchors are dying immediately, I suggest this is not a flaw with the power design, but with group coordination.

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Following that, ED was introduced, causing the TA defender to spend inordinate amounts of time without the benefit of his debuffs.

[/ QUOTE ] Once you get into the higher levels, this isn't true.

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Well, dang, my character must be bugged. Because my Trick Arrow defender is higher than 26, and it's certainly true for me. Do your recharge timers magically scale down as you gain levels? Because mine sure don't.