Stern_Verdict

I never really liked Flight for Blasters. Partly because I hate having to waste slots on travel powers when I can put them into something more useful and partly because every time you get stunned/slept/held you drop out of the air.

Teleportation is another power that requires slots to be good, and all of the other powers in the set are pretty useless, so I've never taken that on any of my Blasters.

I used to really love the Speed pool for Hasten and Super Speed. The stealth component of Super Speed is very useful, and the recharge bonus of Hasten is great for getting those long-recharge powers (like Trip Mines, Conserve Power, etc) to come back sooner.

Lately, though, I've really been loving the Leaping pool. I find that Super Jump is, by far, the best travel power since you move plenty fast yet you also have great vertical movement for clearing obstacles. Plus, I've really fallen in love with Acrobatics. I found that my Blasters were dying a lot in their 30's and 40's due to being knocked down and pummelled before they could regain their feet. Acrobatics solves that problem nicely (yes, I know I could get the same effect with an IO, but I usually don't have the 30 million influence in my 30's to buy one.)

Another interesting possibility might be turning it into an AoE version of Web Grenade.

I'd pick up the power in a second if it were like that.

I play almost exclusively solo, so I have a bit of experience with this.

From what I've seen, to make a really good solo blaster (assuming you plan on mostly doing missions) you want three things (in the following order):

(1) A primary with a high-damage single-target attack (other than snipes)

(2) At least one (and preferably two) holds in your primary/secondary combination. (Having two holds is extremely useful for taking out bosses.)

(3) A little-resisted damage type

Electric has #2 and #3, but not #1, which makes it less than ideal for soloing.

Ice, on the other hand, does have that high-damage attack. Plus it has two holds in the primary, which means that you don't have to pick a secondary with a hold (or wait until you unlock the epic power pools) in order to get your second hold. Unfortunately, Ice does smashing as well as cold damage, but I haven't noticed that as too much of a decrement. Another big plus that Ice has is that every attack slows your opponents' recharge and run speed, which does a lot to help keep your squishy self alive.

As far as secondary goes, /Ice is good because it has the best Blaster immobolize, as well as Ice Patch and Shiver which are great control tools. /Energy is another excellent choice, though, since Power Boost lets you extend the length of your holds and you get some fantastic melee attacks (Total Focus, etc) that let you deal out some amazing damage numbers. I suppose I'd say that /Ice is more defense oriented while /Energy is more offense oriented.

Another interesting possibility (and one that I'm trying out myself currently) is Fire/Ice. Fire does the best damage of any Blaster primary while /Ice gives you the controls that let you live to actually use that damage.

My Fire/Ice is only up to level 24, but he has, so far, been the best Blaster I've ever played--which says a lot.

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I liked the good old days, when 'high level' meant you stopped seeing the old guys forever. None of this "level 53 council and CoT forever" bullchunks. There weren't any easy fights any more. If you got to 50, you got there fighting in the big leagues.

... I'm alone in this, aren't I?

On topic, there have been a few tweaks upward to just about every badguy group. CoT got nervas, Council replaced 5th, Rikti got gunswords... the Malta Group has finally gotten equipment upgrades. Bring them, say I.

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Can't you just go to the Shadow Shard and fight Rularuu to get your kicks?

Seriously, though, I pretty much avoid Malta missions like the plague already. Looks like I will continue to do so.

I have travel powers on all of my characters. I don't always pick one up right at 14, though--sometimes I putz around with the jump pack from the bank mission until 20 or so.

Most of my builds need slots more than powers, so I can't see myself investing slots in hurdle/swift/combat jumping when I can just get super jump, drop 1 SO in it and move along as fast as I could ever want.

Here's another vote for Willpower or Regen.

I have a MA/Dark Scrapper which I rolled up thinking I could stack the disorient from Cobra Strike with the disorient from Oppressive Gloom, but I never play him because he sucks end as if he had his own personal Malta Sapper following him around at all times.

I am also experiencing this issue on Protector.

It was happening last night and it's continuing to occur this morning.

Luckily I have plenty of guys on other servers to play.

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If I wanted the kill some time by not getting any xp or influence I'll try your arc. Again, if you use custom characters xp and influence is only a 10th of what real mission will bring.


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It is ?
So if I go into an arc with a 50, instead of 2006 inf for an even con minion, I will get 200 or 201 ?
An custom Lt is worth only 688 inf, and a custom boss 6888 inf ?

That really does not tie with my own running of arcs through to yesterday.

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Yeah, I don't know what he's talking about, either.

I was runnning MA arcs after the patch and noticed no difference in the XP I was getting there vs normal missions (well, other than the lack of the patrol XP bonus, but I think that it's always been that way).

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...y'know, all the original poster asked for was some patch notes. Just saying.

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Come on, you know that everything is really about farming.

Farming is behind the decline of CoH.

Farming is behind the Greenhouse Effect.

Farming is behind the economic crisis.


Farming is so ubiquitous that Nemesis plots seem like an endangered species in comparison.

Unless...

<.<

>.>

Farming is a Nemesis plot!

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No.

I see the Mission Architect as an alternative to running the same missions over and over and over. If we don't get XP, then there's absolutely no reason to do MA missions until you're level 50.

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I agree.

MA Arcs should *definitely* give XP, and full XP, at that.

How's this?

---System information gathered by CoH Helper version 0.1.1.7---

DxDiag gathered at May 1, 2009 18:33 (-04:00)
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090206-1234)
System Manufacturer: Sony Corporation
System Model: VGC-RC210G
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Central Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.00GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 2046MB
.Net Memory Report: 1546MB out of 2046MB available
Page File: 3449MB (488MB currently in use)
C Drive: (Volume 0) 204113MB out of 305242MB (66%) free
D Drive: (PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-110D) zero-size drive
E Drive: (SONY DVD-ROM DDU1615) zero-size drive
Windows directory location: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DirectX Diag version: 5.03.2600.5512 (32-bit version)

Display Notes: No problems found.
Sound Notes: No problems found.

No problems found.

No problems found.

No problems found.

No problems found.
Input Notes: No problems found.

Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor's Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Video Device Name: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT
Manufacturer / Chip: NVIDIA / GeForce 7600 GT
Video Memory: 256.0 MB
Driver Version: 6.14.0011.7813
Driver Date: 9/17/2008 11:55:00 PM
Driver Language: English

Sound Device Description: MOTU UltraLite #1: Main Outs
Driver File: mfwawave.sys
Driver Version: 3.06.0007.0003
Driver Date: 8/23/2006 4:18:08 PM

Sound Device Description: SigmaTel Audio
Driver File: sthda.sys
Driver Version: 5.10.4717.0000
Driver Date: 9/9/2005 9:15:32 PM

Sound Device Description: MOTU UltraLite #1: Phones
Driver File: mfwawave.sys
Driver Version: 3.06.0007.0003
Driver Date: 8/23/2006 4:18:08 PM

Sound Device Description: MOTU UltraLite #1: Analog
Driver File: mfwawave.sys
Driver Version: 3.06.0007.0003
Driver Date: 8/23/2006 4:18:08 PM

Sound Device Description: MOTU UltraLite #1: SPDIF
Driver File: mfwawave.sys
Driver Version: 3.06.0007.0003
Driver Date: 8/23/2006 4:18:08 PM


WMI Information
Motherboard Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Motherboard Model: (empty)
Motherboard Product: PRAGUE
Motherboard Version: AAD12395-206
BIOS Manufacturer: Intel Corp.
BIOS Name: Default System BIOS
BIOS Version: INTEL - 60
BIOS Release: 20051215000000.000000+000

Registry Information for Current User
Resolution: 1440x900
3D Resolution: 1440x900 (Not using renderscale)
Full Screen: Yes
Maximized: No
Screen Position: 0, 0
Refresh Rate: 60Hz
Vertical Sync Enabled: Yes

Physics Quality: Medium
Maximum Particles: 50000
Max Particle Fill? 10.000
Physics Card Enabled: No

Anti-aliasing: 2x
Anisotropic Filtering: 4x
Texture LOD Bias: Smooth
Water Effects: High Quality
Bloom: 1.000 (turned off)
Depth of Field Enabled: No
Desaturation Effects (Sepia) Enabled: Yes
Shader Detail: High

World Texture Level: Very High
Character Texture Level: Very High
World Detail Level (Vis_Scale): 2.000
Entity Detail Level: 1.506
Shadows Enabled: Yes
Gamma Correction: 0.702
Geometry Buffers (VBOs) Enabled: Yes
Suppression of Extra Player FX Enabled: No
Suppression of FX When Camera Close Enabled: Yes
Close Suppression Range: 3.000
Show Advertisements: Yes

Audio Mode: Performance
3D Audio: No
FX Sound Volume: 0.221
Music Sound Volume: 0.000

Show Advanced Graphics Options: Yes
Overall Graphics Quality: 0.600
Reverse Mouse Buttons: No
Save Login Username: Yes
Transfer Rate: 333709 bytes/second
Current Game Version: 18.20090324.20T2
Installation Directory: C:\Program Files\City of Heroes

Mod files in the Data directory
No modifications found

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Would I be able to achieve that just by upgrading my graphics card or do I need a whole new PC?

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In order to answer this, we would need some information about your motherboard (for sure) and power supply (would be helpful). Can you advise the exact make and model of the computer (assuming it's not custom-built)?

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Sure--it's a Sony Vaio VGC-RC210G. I believe the power supply is 400 watts.

I'm currently running a Pentium D 930 (3.0 Ghz) with 2 gig of RAM and a Nvidia GeForce 7600GT graphics card.

I'm currently getting about 20-30 fps in CoH outside of missions, and much worse than that (sometimes down into the single digits!) in CoV.

I'd like to upgrade my setup so that I can get no less than 30 fps most, if not all, of the time (assuming that's possible).

Would I be able to achieve that just by upgrading my graphics card or do I need a whole new PC?

If it's just the graphics card, what would you recommend? I'd be willing to spend about $500 or so.

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Guess MA did one thing, it sure does show the average person how difficult it is to make a custom group thats fun for more than one group type

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Balancing custom critters wouldn't be nearly so difficult if we could assign them powers individually (which the Devs can do with their custom mobs).

I don't have an issue with people "testing the limits" of the system.

I *do* have a problem when those people get indignant when you suggest that maybe, just maybe, the Devs didn't intend for people to level from 1 to 50 in less than a day and, perhaps, techniques which allow such levelling are destined to be nerfed.

They're like those people who put money in Swiss bank accounts to evade taxes and then get pissed off when the US government negotiates with Switzerland to get their account information handed over.

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Is the Circle of Thorns map with the demon-summoning portals available?

I'd really like to use that one in an arc...

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yes, yes it is

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Could you please provide the name of it?

Is the Circle of Thorns map with the demon-summoning portals available?

I'd really like to use that one in an arc...

Do people here have no reading comprehension skills, or what? The dude said DO NOT NOMINATE YOUR OWN ARCS!:

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I would like to hear about good arcs that you have played and rated well that are NOT YOURS. I know everyone is sure their arc is the Next Great American Novel, but I'd like to hear from an unbiased third party, please!

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Sheez, you would think a bunch of people that love to write could, you know, read better.

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Patrol XP isn't double. It's 1.5x.

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Regardless, I'd still rather get that than normal XP in MA.

The main problem I see with MA is that Patrol XP apparently doesn't work with MA missions. Even with the added convenience of never leaving the MA, I'd still rather be getting double XP from radio missions or even normal story arcs.

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I am working on a new arc, just started it really, and I am working on the description of one of the contacts. When I click the "save and continue" button, I get this message:

"Save Failed. Custom Character was not valid. Invalid description. HTML Tags were detected in the character description."

Here is the text of the description:
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"Cameron Pierce is an experienced cop, but he is new to the PPD. He recently left the area of upstate New York where he was a 10 year veteran of the Organized Crime Task Force. Rumor has it that he was granted a transfer in order to protect him from vengeful elements from one of the gangs that he investigated. As usual, Cameron is refusing to comment on the circumstances surrounding his move.

He is tough, sarcastic and experienced. While they may not like his attitude, the brass finds it difficult to complain about his results."

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I have tried re-writing it at least 6 times, I can see no area where I have included anything objectionable, or anything related to HTML tags. Any help offered is appreciated.

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I had the same problem. I took out the places where I hit <ENTER> to get a new line in the text box and that seemed to fix the problem.

If you plan on teaming a lot, skip Devices. Many of its powers (Trip Mine, Time Bomb, Gun Drone) are not very good for teaming.

Solo, it's slightly different, but if you wanted a Blaster that solos safely, I'd still suggest /Ice over Devices.

Great guide! Well-written and easy to follow.

Don't know why anyone else hasn't responded yet--maybe that says something about War Mace's popularity.


I don't have any experience with War Mace, but this guide has got me curious to try it out.


One thing that I disagree with, though, is your slotting for Clobber. For pretty much any single target disorient, I recommend slotting it with three Disorient Duration SOs. Not necessarily ASAP, but at some point. I find that when you disorient someone, you usually want them to stay that way for a good long time.

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Well, */Gad... er... */Dev is essentially Blasters' */Regen. An issue ain't an issue without a */Dev nerf.

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Yep, /Dev is just like /Regen...except that /Regen is still the best Scrapper Secondary even after all of the nerfs.

I wish that the same could be said for /Dev...

I seem to recall that, when I first started playing, if you were slept by an enemy, all of your powers would instantly recharge.


Does anyone else remember this?