Socorro

I find myself agreeing with DocBuzzard that 'fun' really shouldn't be used when comparing ATs and Builds. Apparently, many people in the past found 'man-builds' fun - that doesn't mean they're as effective as other builds are in best doing what this game entails: defeating enemies and completing missions. I'm not saying that fun doesn't matter, but it is entirely subjective. I don't play Masterminds, even though they can beat GMs, because they don't seem fun to me. But it's quite easy to see they're an extremely effective AT when it comes to what this game requires. I also don't find Tri-Form 'dancing' Khelds fun either *shrug*

Do Khelds defeat enemies and help complete missions (or help do so) as efficiently as other ATs, either solo or on teams? I don't really know, but that is something that could be quantified.

I've noted that a lot of those on the Khelds-aren't-Fail side of this debate play High End Warshades. What if PBs were the only Khelds? What would your argument on this thread be then?

Note: my main is a Human Only PB. I've never played a Warshade past lvl 14, but I hear over and over how Warshades are much better at high levels. So...flip it? If PBs were the only HEAT, are they 'Fail' then?

1) Will lvl 50 toons be upgradeable? And if so, how? Universal Enhancements? More Normal Slots to fill out powers?

2) End Game Content: will there be be things that 50's can do beyond repeating TFs, Raids, Flashbacks, and Repeatable Missions? (besides AE )

On the evolution side topic that's started, let's don't get bogged down in semantics.

Yes, there is Cooperation in Nature, but that doesn't mean it can't also be a part of Competition. The Genes of any organism strive to survive, yet there are not enough resources around for all of them to, thus competition. The Gene wants to survive and reproduce however it can, and doesn't give a Rat's Behind about the Genes of others. As Richard Dawkins says, they're pretty darn Selfish [sic].

Cooperation can be seen as another tool to aid the Gene in surviving. Gene Strategies: "Big Strong Muscles will help me survive and pass on MY Genetic Material, but so also does hanging out and working with these other Guys."

Analogy: A real Glory Hound Football Player wants to win the Heisman Trophy. What's the best strategy? Making oneself really strong and going it alone, or teaming up with a bunch of other really good players? The latter is the answer, but either way, there's competition involved. Which ever way the Gene goes, rest assured that ITS Goal is to Insure ITS Genetic material survives, even at the expense of the others.

Kinds stark, but that's Genes for ya. Fortunately, I don't believe Genes are the only guiding force out there, 'specially for us Humans. Nevertheless, those greedy little bahstads will do pretty much anything to survive, and they don't really care what our higher level hopes and dreams are, so be wary

My how Kheld threads can turn into Sh!tstorms.

My stance on Kheld design: it could have been better, especially shapeshifting. I agree with some that the Shapeshifting mechanics feels clunky (If they don't to you, fine, but they do to me). Losing access to so many powers when shifted, Slot Starvation, looking to Macros and Binds to make Shifting more smooth... Were I the boss I'd have sent the designer back to the design table.

The Shapeshifting is one of reasons that I, like BZB, prefer Human-only (I also don't like the way the forms look, but that's a whole 'nuther issue).

That said, my PB is, by far, my favorite and most played AT, and I've IOd and Accoladed her to the gills. Luckily, Khelds are diverse enough that I can find the template I want to play and leave off what I find unfun and/or badly designed.

I played a PB from 1 to 50 Human Only the whole way, then I purpled her out and got most of accolades. Most of my play was solo. So, either I'm a glutton for punishment or there's something about the AT I find appealing haha. Maybe a bit of both...

Nowadays, the AT just doesn't have the problems it used to have. The recent buffs, the 3-1 Insp trade making having a BF all the time pretty easy... It's just no longer the exercize in teethpulling many have groaned about over the years.

I'm not a member of the Kheld Fanboi club, though. There are improvements that could be made to make the AT more appealing and more desireable to have on teams. If there was just one thing that could be done that would make the most different, it'd be to flip the inherent.

Instead of the AT getting buffs when teamed with certain ATs, the inherent instead gives those ATs the exact same buff they currently give the Kheld. A PB's new Cosmic Balance: A Tanker teaming with a PB knows he will get a constant 20% damage buff; a Scrapper will get 10% more Resistance; a 'Troller will get a +1 bonus to her control mag... These buffs would instantly make Khelds more welcome on teams. The Kheld's base stats would have to be enhanced to account for the fact that they won't be getting buffed from teammates anymore; they would no longer reach the highs of teaming with 8, but they also wouldn't have the lows when soloing or on smaller teams. Balances out from the Kheld perspective and would make other ATs welcome khelds. Win/Win...

Well, everybody's speculating on what's canon and how difficult the form tech is... Nobody knows for certain how hard it'll be nor whether the Devs will forego Kheld Customization in the name of canon. My bet is it will happen (and if no customization of any kind is allowed for Khelds, I will be very, very, very dissappointed grrr) so how 'bout some more thoughts/hopes on what form of customization we'd like to see?

Since I prefer Human Only, I didn't give much thought into Form Customization, but here's how I'd like to see that happen (trying to keep to things that are at least remotely possible):

I think 'Nova' and 'Dwarf' should remain the alt forms (that really is Canon) but maybe different kinds of Nova/Dwarf. You have your Legacy (current forms) and maybe two alternates.

For Nova, 1) perhaps a sleeker, edgier Nova, maybe with membranous wings in place of the tentacles and 2) a blocky, thicker Nova, with fewer, thicker tentacles, perhaps ending in hooks.

For Dwarf, 1) a leaner armored form, w. Claws appearing more Blade-like, and 2) a Spiky Dwarf form, maybe with a tail like a Stegosaurus.

All of these, or course, colourable as you see fit.

The option to have a non-Nova/Dwarf form might be valid. Is it Canon that the two templates are the only races Khelds ever mass-bonded with? We're talking millenia here...
A form that's sorta between the blasterish Nova and tankish Dwarf could be interesting, but then we're getting into new powers/sets territory, and beyond customization.

And I do hope they do something custom cool with the Secondary Tier-9s look, least for PBs.

Well, I'm gonna resurrect this thread instead of starting a new one... I know there are similiar ones, but very few Kheld specific. I was told 'Not so fast when I first put this thread out there, but now we have I16 and some ideas of the possibilities, so...onward

I think mosts of us are assuming (hoping) that Khelds will get the Customization treatment. So, assuming the Devs haven't already baked all Khelds possibilities up, and just waiting for release, maybe we can 'influence' them to offer customizations we prefer

So, again, specifically, what customization options do you want for Khelds?

For me (speaking for PBs mostly):
1) The obvious; changing Power color. I do think that Peacebringers should be limited to the Bright pallete and Warshades the Dark one, however.

2) Alt. Animations. I want the Alt Superstrength Footstomp Groundstrike animation for PB's Solarflare and the Alt. Martial Arts Tier 9 Eagle's Claw Animation for Incadescent Strike (or something similiarly cool). An Alt, animation for Radiant Strike would be nice, but it's decent as is.

3) The Human Shields: I just don't love the Bubbles (esp. Quantum Shield's luminous eggbeater): a way to minimize the FX, or color them so they're not so obvious would be welcome.

4) Lightform: I have Photon seekers; I'm tired of looking like one. As we know, Khelds eventually can form energy templates of their host's forms. Well, why can't Lightform be of the same translucent appearance as Dwarf and Nova, but be your Human Form's shape? The rationale is the Kheldian is starting to take on the Human Template like it did Dwarf and Nova long ago. Or something similiar. I just hate losing my humanoid shape and turning into a ball of light.

5) the Forms: Tough one here. The forms are so entrenched in the Lore. However, I don't see why color changes (limited by Bright and Dark palettes) would be so bad.

Speak now, folks, give the Devs some ideas

Funny. Aside, I do want Palin's 'Updo' hairstyle added to CoH as an option - heck, call it 'Palin'

I typically play on Virtue, and I haven't noted a lesser headcount (either when looking for teammembers via search, see the crowds in Wents, etc..). The only thing I have noticed is the server bulbs when logging in. For months, both Virtue and Freedom servers were at least yellow during prime playing times. Post=I16, they're often green, just like the rest of the servers.

So, at least for two servers, this does seem to indicate possible lower populations. Even so, as others say, I've yet to see a noticeable decrease in team invites, etc.

Villainside, the only ATs I *strongly* think need to undergo a Name Change when switching is Corruptors and Dominators. These are the most 'ebil' sounding names and a Hero using them is just weird. Masterminds are close, but doable. Brute and Stalker doesn't sound any more evil than Scrapper does.

SoA are interesting, but we seem them as Widows and Soldiers, which remains basically neutral. Maybe they could become Longbow (but what to do about those backpacks then...). Nah, Longbow should be it's own Epic AT to balance the SoAs.

Heroside, Peacebringers probably should undergo a name change. 'Stormbringer' is copyrighted, isn't it? Warshades should be called Nictus, since that's already in game. Defenders seem sorta heroic, but really you're 'defending' your teamates mostly - bad guys can do that.