Schismatrix

Quesadaaaaaaaaaa!

Are we sure that's not just an action figure? i mean, look at those knees, elbows, and feet. He's got to be an emaciated stick figure under that outfit.

i think it's time to start running that TF again.

Also, i once saw Virgil Tarikoss buying Pocky from one of the CaD street vendors. He didn't see me, but the furtive way he was doing it implies it's a guilty secret.

He also shows up at the coffee shop in downtown Port Oakes during their Wednesday open mic night.

*heh* i feel the same way about how "quantum leap" gets used. It's the smallest possible change in state or value with no possible values in between.
"This new computer is a quantum leap forward in processing power" is not used to mean that it's the smallest possible increase in processing power that can be made, but technically it should.

And you do. If you defeat X minions, Y Lt., and Z bosses in the same time period as a team of 8 you get the same number of chances at a shard as any member of the team would.

In regular teaming your chances of getting any other drop for the same number of defeats is lower than if you were solo.

My Widow running +1/x6 gets the same number of Incarnate shards as any member of a team of six moving at the same pace would, but i get far more recipe and salvage drops by soloing.

Edit: i'm not sure if you're attempting to obfuscate your argument by seemingly treating the whole team and and the individual players at different points as if they were interchangeable, but they're not. They're really not. The thing with shards is that you have the same chance for every defeat you participated in to get a shard regardless of how many other players are on the team. 1 defeat=1 chance to get a shard. (Modified by rank of course.)

Most of the power descriptions that are odds with powers that are WAI have been corrected to match the power. Not to mention that "after all it's used by a support class" seems like a... bizarre justification for not correcting a description.

All location-based continuing debuff patches are bugged like that. The first i encountered the issue was with a Glue Arrow discussion back when TA was far lower performing than it is now.

The issue is that the debuffs from the patch are supposed to persist on the mobs for 30 seconds after being hit with them. If the mob leaves the patch before the patch expires they will be debuffed for 30 seconds. If they're still inside the patch when the patch expires, whether they entered it 1 second ago or 30 seconds ago the debuff ends instantly. As i recall that was acknowledged as being bugged, but it was several years ago and i can't recall the last time it was seriously discussed or mentioned. It appears that it's both difficult to fix and a low priority issue. It took Oil Slick Arrow's ignition issues years before a reliable fix was found and it's a far more apparent and noticeable problem.

True, but i've known three people who actively wanted to be androgynous. i guess they weren't transitioning as such even though they were making efforts to acquire characteristics of the gender they weren't born with.

But yes, generally they want to be addressed by their preferred gender, but by the same token when hanging out with TG people it's possible to meet a fair number of people who you can't tell which is the source and which is the destination gender when you first see them, and neutral pronoun would make inquiring simpler.

And i still don't know how to pronounce it anyway.

More to the point, if they are in fact used in real life conversations how do you pronounce them?

i've been friends with at least half a dozen TS/TG people in transition, met probably at least five times that many, and none of them have ever used those words in speech or writing any time when i interacted with them. (As far as i can tell, since i have no idea how they're pronounced.) Which is odd since you'd think gender neutral pronouns would be ideal for people who are between genders or eschewing any sort of set gender identity.
Oh well, maybe someday.

Incidentally, i have to say that the OP is at least making the effort to live up to the expectations of their forum handle.

Also during. And they feel bad about it afterwards. Well, some of them.

It's been so long since the Taxibots were in demand in the Hollows that i expect that Warden (understandably) feels the statue of imitations has run out on that promise.

Oy gevalt?

(1) Elude: Is it really worth it as a power? It doesn't seem to offer much that we already lack other than DEF Debuff prot. I dropped it and haven't really missed it or it's crash.
My Night Widow skipped it completely and hasn't missed it. i've got enough recovery to not miss that aspect even before going Cardiac, and with my defense at about 50%+ even with Mind Link down defense debuffs are rarely an issue.

(2) Aid Self: With all that def, seem kind of like a heal would be a nice thing. I've never had this power on any character of mine. However, am considering it here.
The Medicine pool can be pretty handy. i personally skipped it in favor of carrying oranges and greens.

(3) Darkest Night: Does it make much difference once you are already capped?
It can, especially against enemies with higher tohit or accuracy values than normal. It also helps the rest of your team.

(4) Placate: Anyone think our crits are so good that we want to have them up more often?
Most of the commentary i've seen says that the DPS loss from Placate's animation time is not made up for in the critical hit damage unless you follow it with Spin or Eviscerate to crit on multiple targets.

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This is a Fort rebuild i'm considering for my Fortunata who just hit 50. A similar focus on Melee and AoE attacks as my Night Widow, but the controls will add a different flavor to her playstyle. (Edit: Also, Psychic Wail is badass.):
Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.91
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Ryonen Beta: Level 50 Natural Arachnos Widow
Primary Power Set: Fortunata Training
Secondary Power Set: Fortunata Teamwork
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Flight

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Poison Dart -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(3), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(5), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7)
Level 1: Combat Training: Defensive -- GftotA-Def(A), GftotA-Def/EndRdx(13)
Level 2: Strike -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(9), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(9), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11), Mako-Dam%(11)
Level 4: Tactical Training: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(13), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(15), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(15)
Level 6: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 8: Follow Up -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(17), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(17), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(19), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(19), Mako-Dam%(21)
Level 10: Psychic Scream -- Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(A), Posi-Dmg/Rng(21), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(23), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(23), Posi-Dam%(25)
Level 12: Spin -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(A), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg(25), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(27), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(27), Sciroc-Dam%(29)
Level 14: Indomitable Will -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A)
Level 16: Dominate -- Lock-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(A), Lock-%Hold(29), Lock-Acc/Hold(31), Lock-Acc/Rchg(31), Lock-Rchg/Hold(31), Lock-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(33)
Level 18: Tactical Training: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 20: Tactical Training: Leadership -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(33), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(33), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(34), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(34), GSFC-Build%(34)
Level 22: Foresight -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(36), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(36), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(36)
Level 24: Mind Link -- HO:Membr(A), HO:Membr(37), HO:Membr(37), LkGmblr-Rchg+(37)
Level 26: Combat Jumping -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(39), Zephyr-ResKB(39)
Level 28: Confuse -- Mlais-Acc/Rchg(A), Mlais-EndRdx/Conf(39), Mlais-Acc/EndRdx(40), Mlais-Conf/Rng(40), Mlais-Acc/Conf/Rchg(40), Mlais-Dam%(42)
Level 30: Psionic Tornado -- Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(42), Posi-Dmg/Rng(42), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43), Posi-Dam%(43)
Level 32: Psychic Wail -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(43), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(45), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(45), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45), Oblit-%Dam(46)
Level 35: Tactical Training: Vengeance -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 38: Mask Presence -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(46), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(46)
Level 41: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 44: Tough -- ImpArm-ResPsi(A), ImpArm-ResDam(48), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(50), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(50)
Level 47: Weave -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 49: Hover -- Flight-I(A), Flight-I(50)
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Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Conditioning
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Mrcl-Rcvry+(48)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(48)
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i may add some purple sets if i find some drops to build from, but generally i don't plan on purples in advance.

Large teams.

Seriously, that's it. (Halfway competent teammates should be considered a given.)

Yeesh, tell me about it. Where i am in Connecticut the cars are the slightly larger mounds out front.

Well, massive flooding tends to be even more devastating in areas where large floods are more of a once every few centuries sort of thing. The infrastructure doesn't generally incorporate flood response planning like in the areas where it's more common.

i just hope all the people caught in this have the best luck and help possible.

i think these first two have always been the biggest obstacles. Outside of the arena menus i can't recall anywhere in game that gives useful information about gladiators. Calling the information in the arena menu useful is being a little too generous anyway. The only reason i know anything about gladiators is because i looked for it on the forums when occasionally the "You have unlocked 5th Column Janitor" or some such would appear. None of the info available outside the arena menu gave any insight into what that was supposed to mean or how to use it.

When i did read up on Gladiators it sounded a lot like [Forum Error 666: Mentioning Other Video Games Forbidden], except you couldn't [Improve] your [Gladiator] into a [Fancier Named Gladiator] with more capabilities or do much of anything else with them except have a virtual pet fight to the death. The near total lack of useful information in game did at least as much to kill the Gladiator system as any association with PvP being a turn off for those who don't like PvP.

Honestly, it's different enough from regular PvP that it would probably appeal to a lot of players who usually don't PvP if there was any real information about it in game. Hell, the Monkey Fight Club would be a good place to have a contact provide info on having your pets fight in the arena if the Devs were really interested in promoting it at all. Maybe even a setup where Gladiator teams can fight in the monkey cage in Pocket D for all to watch. Or a mode in Architect where you can guide teams of Gladiators through AE missions.

It mostly just seems like a neat system that someone came up with that the Devs felt was interesting enough to add to the game, but not neat enough to put any resources into fleshing out or promoting.

How can you tell?
Are you referring to the posts that expressed confusion over what you were talking about, or the posts that responded to your post with levity?

Many of us make fun of FUD and DOOM posts, and tend to make posts refuting them. However, that doesn't mean that a post complaining about FUD and DOOM posts will be treated as a grim and somber matter that is all SRS BZNS....

They just don't want to have to pay their catering bills.

i'm actually tinkering with a melee Fort build now. Similar in some respects to my Night Widow, but with a number of differences, including Dominate, Confuse, and Psychic Wail.

It depends. We don't really know yet.
Level shift should work similar to GM code/sidekicking/exemplaring in that it has the game's combat tables treat you as if your combat level was one level higher than your character's level. We don't know if level shift will also affect the rewards tables yet. Only a Dev, or possibly someone in the closed beta, would know at this point.

Such as snipers?
Perhaps we have different definitions for what "in cold blood" means.

NCsoft if that helps at all...

Although i completely fail to see how that's relevant since the core game engine was the same regardless of who owned it.