Socorro

I agree that the prices of Purple IOs is outrageous, but on the other hand, what's the big deal? It's not real money.

It's in this hyper-inflated game economy that I'm attempting to purple out my first toon. I've routinely had to purchase recipes in 100-200 mil range. I now have 22 Purples in my toon. This is in about 3 months play time...

Crazy? A Waste of time and resources? Grinding and Farming? Well, no. I simply enjoy playing this toon ( A Human Only PB ) so it never feels grindy. And I really don't have anything else to spend the Inf on. And it hasn't been that hard either. I just play... Normal ol' regular missions and TFs. No farms. And of course, I buy and sell at the market to make the real money, but that usually only involves a few minutes per play session.

Patience, children - that still is a virtue

I tried soloing it on a Human Only PB. Did pretty well, made it to the Spider without undue trouble, but my 'Zero Resistance to Psi Damage' made the Jade Spider unconquerable. I could get it down to 2/3 Health but eventually I'd just lose the war of attrition. Maybe I'll try it again someday using that behind-the-wall trick Noobbusterdamz suggested

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Glinting eye takes the achilles heel proc too.

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The big difference is in cast time and recharge. Gleaming Bolt is 1.5s recharge base, 1s cast time, while Glinting Eye is 4s recharge base and 1.67s cast, so Gleaming Bolt is easier to weave in with your main attacks.

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I've found this to be true too. As a filler I like it better... Plus I like the baseball throw animation and the look of the bolt (that wild energy look). Glinting Eye is the only PB attack that looks 'clean' (straight, precise lazers) compared to all the fuzzy wild energy look of the rest of the PB attacks.

*Stomps around sandbox*

Khelds are better cuz I say so! Nyaaahhh :P

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...Hmm, so you want to toss in leadership pool as well. Well SoAs can choose to double stack those as well and for higher base buff values than kheldians.

Kheldians do just fine on teams but it's silly to claim they are better than SoAs on teams. That's like saying brutes are better on teams than corruptors...

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Well, yes, SoA's can double up their team buffage using Leadership. Do alot of them do that? And what are they giving up to do so? 5 or 6 slots devoted to team buffage (adding together SoA toggles and leadership toggles) is indeed nice, but you are trading off something else to get those leadership toggles...

I'm saying that a Kheld effectively *isn't* trading off anything to get Leadership toggles, since they get two extra slots more that other AT's to use at they see fit, because they have inate Travel powers they don't have to waste slots on. And while their Leadership buffage isn't as strong as an SoA's, the Kheld is bringing more to the table personally because she's getting buffed out the wazoo from her team.

Finally, I'm not really saying Khelds equal SoA on teams, but I am suggesting it could be a lot closer if more Khelds took leadership. That doesn't happen that much, though, because of Form Detoggling and because there's so many other powers that Khelds want. My Human PB, however, is buffing her teams constantly thru Leadership.

*sing* I16...I can paint with all the colors...of the wind...

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You seem to forget that SoAs boost the entire team's damage, tohit, and defense.

Let's assume it's just 1 Bane and 7 blasters and another separate team of 1 WS and 7 blasters.

1 bane provides 15% dmg, 15.6% Tohit, and 15.6% Def to the entire team. 8 people benefit so that's 120% dmg, tohit, and def being distributed. Since it's 3 different buffs it's 360% total benefit.

1 WS on a team of 8 blasters gets 20% dmg buff per blaster. that's 7 times 20% which is 140%.

Sorry but SoAs are superior in teams than Kheldians here.

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the following pretty much only applies to Human Only Khelds - Form Khelds can't keep toggles running...

What a lot of people fail to realize it that even though Khelds get the same amount of power slots as other ATs, they get travel powers for free. That's 2 extra slots they can use for more powers that other ATs have to used just to get around.

So, I've taken one of those slots and got Assault from Leadership. Not only does my team buff me, but I also buff them, using one of the extra slots they don't have. I almost used my extra 'free slot' to get Maneuvers, but wanted a Kheld power more (we got sooooo many cool ones)

Khelds (Human) can be team buffers if they choose to be (via Leadership) and it doesn't cost us any extra that it does your SoA.

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Obviously shields are a huge part of HO gameplay, and I've never liked the bubbles, maybe that's why I still prefer TriForming to such a degree that I can't bring myself to dedicate playtime as an HO Kheldian

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That's funny - I strongly dislike the Bubbles too (the Auras are alright), but I love HO so I put up with them. Come I16, if we can color individual powers, my Shields will receive the Coloring that most makes them Look-like-they-ain't-there

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Its a 'feature' for the female characters only that they can't sit with legs up on benches or arms over the backs of chairs >.< The emotes are distinct for male/huge characters

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Indeed, we can't have pervs staring up our skirts now can we

Soloing, I play my Human PB with the same mindset I do my Scrapper (I have gotten into PB lock before). I don't play like a blapper (darting in and out of melee). My Resistance and Heals are enough that I can stay in Melee constantly. The only reason I don't always is I occasionally like to fire off my Ranged AoEs, but with some reds and buildup, if I get enough foes in the effect area, it certainly helps take down large mobs. I don't remember the last time I pulled. I just charge in there...

I'll even self-herd...

On large cave rooms, with 3 or 4 mobs and a boss in it, I'll herd the room toward the boss, then switch to Lightform. I'll spam Solar Flare, Scatter, and Detonation, throwing in the occasional IS on the boss, until all minions are dead. Then I'll finish the boss if he's not already gone, and finish the Lts at leisure. If there's no boss I won't even go light form, but the tactic is the same.

On teams, I vary a bit depending on team makeup. If the teams has lots of tanks and defenders powering my damage, I will very much play like a Blapper, staying at range to get foes within my beefed up AoEs, but darting in to land an IS on a boss or a quick Solar Flare for more AoE. On teams with lots of Scrappers/Blasters, I've had my Resistance capped and then I'll take Alphas and help squishies out. That one of the cool things about an Human PB, the Team makeup can really mold you into exactly the role that's needed, kinda like using forms (without the forms haha).

And it's all fun...

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IMO, changing play styles so radically (via respecs) so late in a build is almost akin to being able to switch another toon's AT at level 40 or so, something I've heard most people say is not a good idea because "then you won't know how to play it".

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In my opinion, it allows you to re-learn and get re-acquainted with your "new" character... new fun from an old toon is always good in my book. Now if only I could get myself to actually follow-up on my opinion and actually use my 2nd build on my PB/WS characters for Human-only...

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Maybe, but I think what I said has some merit. I built a strong Tri-Form for my duel build (per guides I've read anyway), and I simply cannot use it the way you and many others describe doing things (constant shapeshifting, binds, etcs.) with your tri-forms.

Certainly I could learn, but why bother? My Human form is so good at 50 there's no need. But this much is true - trying to play a fully slotted Tri-Form in a late build is literally like having a Scrapper that you respecced into a Blaster. It's completely different. The only success I've had is when I've been on large teams, as you've said, and more or less just stayed in Nova, blasting away. I imagine going from Tri-Form to Human Only is comparable...

There's a thread someone started recently about being able to respec into another AT. For the most part, that thread was viciously shot down. I guess I don't see how some of Khelds respecs, with the resulting major change in gameplay, is so radically different.

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The grav geysers are pretty difficult to use, but the jetpacks should keep non-flyers from having to start over, and over, and over.... I think a good tweak would be that if you fall and hit bottom you don't 'port back to base - rather you land on the closest Island that has a geyser (Ouro style)

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Blech! Let's not make it completely a training wheel zone. If you have a jetpack and miss your target, just click the jetpack and fly to your target and continue on your way.

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You're right. The shards have such a lively population already. No need to change anything...

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No, they'll never have a /duel command in this game, ever, because the playerbase is very strongly anti-PVP besides a minority, and because it has massive griefing potential. We have arenas for that.

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Well, I'm *not* a PvPer by any means. I've gone into the PvP zones a few times, fought a bit, got ganked a bit, but PvE is my thing...

However, I fail to see how one zone (Shadow Shard) allowing a /duel command would be problematic. It's the kind of zone where I see Co-OP needed ("hey' we're surrounded by these chtuloid aliens - let's join forces!"), but on the other hand it's also a lawless frontier, not under the jurisdiction of any Earthly power, so I'd think fighting ('dueling') would be more common, just like in the Old West...

Finally, You could always ignore challenges, and even have an option to not even get prompted, then it's no different than normal play. Sure you can have someone nagging you on in the chat box to duel with them, but I've had that happen with the Arena too. That's what ignore is for...

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...And yeah, I know, it's way more flexible if I take other forms even if I don't plan to use them at 50, but I'm more concerned with the journey than the destination. I just couldn't tell from early experiments what this was going to look like later on, unlike say an energy blaster, which (for me at least) felt like level 50 was a logical extension of what she could do at level 1.

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Good a reason as any. I leveled a PB 1-50 Human all the way for the same reasons. Maybe it's not as efficient, but it's not all that bad either...

IMO, changing play styles so radically (via respecs) so late in a build is almost akin to being able to switch another toon's AT at level 40 or so, something I've heard most people say is not a good idea because "then you won't know how to play it".

The Shadow Shard is beautful and has soooooo much potential. It's sad to see it so barren all the time... If they could just add a few more arcs, and maybe GMs showing up on occasion, maybe even Rularuu himself...

I think it'd be a great Co-OP zone too, and perhaps a great place to experiment with consensual PvP (to fight someone, you challenge them - they have to accept (via prompt))... You know, this is the barren place, away from public eyes, that Heroes and Villains go to settle things reaaaaall old school, dual style.

The grav geysers are pretty difficult to use, but the jetpacks should keep non-flyers from having to start over, and over, and over.... I think a good tweak would be that if you fall and hit bottom you don't 'port back to base - rather you land on the closest Island that has a geyser (Ouro style)

At level 50, my PB's Human Form is simply more effective than her Alt. Tri-Form build, and of course it's much easier to play.

As many have pointed out, however, it's sometimes not ease of play that draws people to Kheldians, but the challenge of shapeshifting at the right times, etc. Not for me (I prefer the Blappery/Tankery maxed out Human Form), but I can empathize with them.

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Most of these posts are kind of hypocritical.

Your mostly upset that players are now making the game easy on themselves by leveling up quickly in AE.

It's hypocritical because the real reason your upset is because you want to make the game easier by inviting players on your task force team that know what they're doing instead of just teaching someone how to play and informing them.

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Normally, I don't care how people spend their time playing the game I love, provided what they're doing isn't detrimental to the game itself. I don't know what percent of players use the AE for all or most of their leveling, but if it's over 50%, then I don't see that as healthy for the game.

This isn't a cry of 'Doooooom'. I'm generally optimistic about CoH's future. Nevertheless, I don't see most players staying in one zone for their entire career being good for the game. It's likely I'm wrong (and I hope so), but it's like watching a good friend of yours smoke too much - you worry a bit...

The whole premise was wacked from the beginning...

AE Buildings should never have been about 'Entertainment'. Rather, they should have been seen as some sort of global mission control.

AE Missions should never have been thought of as simulations and that Teleport column should never have existed (except perhaps as a zoning tool, similiar to Ouro). The contacts for AE missions should actually be in zones, and you have to travel to them to start the mission. And you should enter the instances via doors, etc, in zones corresponding to the level of the missions.

This would have resolved *everything* while leaving what's good about MA (the creating of custom missions) intact.

Mostest Favoretest: Malta - they have it all, including that one-of-a-kind-pain-in-the-(_!_), Sappers! And their concept is cool too. I can imagine, in a world filled with Demigods, sympathizing with a group of 'normal' humans who want to protect us from them. If Malta wasn't so misguided and cruelly utilitarian in how they perform their mission, they'd be Good Guys...

I don't really have any that I despise, but Cimeroran's make me scratch my head a bit. Storywise, Cimerorans are just normal humans with technology a bit above the Stone Age, yet they give my lvl 50s (who have taken down Kronos Titans and invaded Alient Motherships) a hard time...I don't quite get it. I pretend that Cimerora is really an 'Olympus'-like dimension and that all Cimerorans are really demi-gods (like Marvel's Asgardians) and their weapons are magic, etc. That's the only way I can wrap my head around it.

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I'm glad to hear it. I was following this thread with as close to rapt attention as I could.

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The only *tiny* issue I have is the Proc from Mako's in IS. In Incadescent Strike (slower recharge, slow animation) it doesn't get the oppurtunity to go off that often, and when it does, it's kinda like adding a nickel to a dollar (ie., not that much extra considering the attack). I even thought about putting in a 'hold' IO in it's place, inspired by Lord Xenite.

Still, that 3.75 Ranged Defense (from having 6 Mako's) is hard to give up - I'll just leave things be for a while...

Well, after much consideration, I re-slotted *All* of Hecatomb in Radiant Strike - and the results have been pleasing. If the Proc goes off it'll one-shot a minion and get most of a Lts Health (also will if I precede it with Build Up, and I can often get in two RS's before BuildUp expires). And that's soloing. On teams, with Cosmic Balance...well you guys know the math.

Inc. Strike now is 6-slotted with the Mako's that were in RS, and it's still a Devastating Attack. No regrets so far, and if I do, I still have two more freespecs

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You consider slotting RS with the proc and slotting IS with the other 5?

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Well I only have 5 Heca's at the moment, but that is an idea for when I get the 6th. Have to decide if the 5% Toxic resist is worth giving up, along with the 3.75% Range defense from the set in RS right now.... Hmmmm

The 'classic' Dr. Doom is primarily a tech-based Armored dude, yet I've seen him fire Eldritch Blasts and perform otherwordly summonings...

Spawn is a resurrected revenant imbued with the powers of hell, but I've seen him use guns and *gasp* a Rocket Launcher...

I see your point. My MA/SR scrapper does all these beautiful kicks and then when someone runs she blasts them with lasers from her eyes...wtf!

Even so, that extra power might differ from theme, but it can be what gives someone an edge. It's certainly not without precedent

No worries - they're already slotted. Just wondering about 're-slotting' when I to a respec

Not what I heard, but what I asked...

In my newb days, I thought Kheldians were a kind of 'Add On' to an existing AT that you'd gotten to 50. I thought it was 'the way' to play a character beyond 50.

Like, once you're ding 50, these 'Exalted Aliens' considered you worthy enough to imbue you with more power, but in the process you get turned into one of them. So, I'm seeing these flying tentacled grotesque monstrosities flying around Atlas and I'm thinking, "If that's what my toon will look like when I hit 50, forget it!"

So, essentially, I strike up a conversation with 'one of them', basically asking about all of the above. Once I was corrected, I'm like "Aaaahhhhhh... ", and then I wanted one.

Looking back, I imagine what that kheld player must have been thinking and I applaud them for their patience (though I imagine them chuckling and loling at their PC)