Ultra_Violence

Check the Warshade Guide it has warshade binds that are easily converted to peacebringer binds I will try and remember to bring mine to work with me tomorrow and add them here.

BTW for dealing with Yellow Voids in groups solo I can take them out pretty much every time in Human form Stealth + Essence Boost + Sprint + Shining Shield (only 1 slot but better than nothing) + Haste and a couple inspirations. Hit Build-Up just before you get to Void then Rad Strike, then Incan Strike then Gleaming Blast if needed. By then Rad Strike is usually back up if anything missed. A Pulsar can be used anywhere after 1st RS to get the other mobs off you. Once Vortex is down if hurt run for it, otherwise if mobs still stunned use RS if it is up then switch to Nova fire off your 2 AoEs then switch to Dwarf form as you have to be hurt by now.

The nice thing about attacking in Human form is that if you get hit (and with stealth you won't necessarily get hit before you can hit him) you are already in human form which is a lot less confusing than being knocked into human form from Nova or whatever. Every time that happens to me I end up getting killed by hitting the wrong key trying to bring up the human power tray.

Only time Votexes are still a problem is when they are pair with "jerk" mobs like bosses, healers or mezzers (or worse all of the above) which can make life truely miserable. Only answer I have found for them for the most part is lots of Luck inspirations and take out all healers first.

Also I have noted that the Wedding Band says "+ Resist to ALL" which says to me "Void use only". Although all temporary defensive powers are a big help in the "Human Rush" attack above.

I am sorry to tell you that the more I play CoH the less I like playing in groups. The game just doesn't seem to be built for large groups at least for my taste. The more I play however the more I find I love soloing this game. Partnering is also very cool because you can't have a "balanced" team (AoE blaster, healer, tank) in a 1 or 2 person team so you have to think instead.

I prefer strategy not just mindless punching. Once you get more than about 3 people on a team villian groups get so big that, in most cases, targetting specific mobs after the first one becomes pretty hopeless if you want to take them down fast enough. You just rely on AoEs both for damage and aggro with single target shooters just picking up who they can or trying to get bosses/leuts. There is no strategy involved in most fights it is straight bull in full force and whoever does the most damage wins.

On the other hand solo, partner or even 3 players can be completely different. You usually can't just overpower every group of mobs (unless soloing a overpowered build which is a completely different issue). So you have to split mobs, you have to pull - basically you have to use strategy instead of force. You have to use stealth and build up to get close enough to take out key mobs then run away so that you can come back and finish off the rest. You have to figure out inventive ways to use your powers that large groups just don't have the patience for. As far as I'm concerned this is FUN.

Obviously fun is different for different people I guess but for me nothing is more fun than coming up with and executing tactics that work and do things I couldn't do otherwise.

Fun for me is my Ice Controller pulling much too big a group then dashing around a corner and dropping a ice slick at the corner so that most of the mobs get around the corner quickly and we pick the ones who do. Fun is Soloing my Peacebringer and going in with Stealth on in human form hitting Haste and Build-up just as I reach melee range with a Vortex in a group of mobs, Radiant Strike to put him down, Pulsar to get group off me, Incandesent Strike to finish off Vortex (add Gleamming Blast if necessary) and possibly an extra RS if anyone in range then switch to Nova form set off 2 AoEs then quickly to dwarf form for a heal and to finish off the group.

Not fun is switching to Nova Form and cycling through my 4 blasts for 4 hours, occasionally switching to another form for a heal or for effects protection while I level weee. Sorry I am sure some people must enjoy playing like that, because a lot of people sure do it, but I for one just don't get it.

I want to be dynamic and I want the game to be dynamic. I want to have to think and plan and I want to be rewarded for it. I don't want to punch keys for 4,000 exp an hour.

Now I realize this isn't for everyone and I have met many people in game who can't handle it and would be better off if the game just had an auto attack key. They aren't there to think they just like to hit things I guess I don't know you would have to ask them. I have also met people who I have partnered with who have said that it was the most fun they have had in CoH, because it was crazy and exciting and damn fun.

When deciding about encouraging teaming and whether soloing is good for the game please consider this and try it out for yourselves. Take non traditional partners (i.e. not healer/tank scrapper) through missions. Try a pre 32 Controller/Defender or Controller/Blaster duo. These work very well once you figure out how, they are odd to play at first though and that is what makes them fun. Especially fun for the Defender when you push them up front and tell them they are the main damage dealer now. And before anyone points it out NO you won't level as fast as you would teamed with a Fire Tank or whatever but who gives a flying fig? Leveling is a goal the point of the game (any game) is to have fun.

Great guide and a big help but I am finding Stealth at a early level to be a big help especially solo. It not only lets me spot Voids but get close enough to Build Up/Radiant Strike before they can shoot back, plus more Defense is always a good thing lol.

Top Cow ads say this is a 3 issue limited series. Is there really only 3 more issues?

Boy you reeeallly want us to do those missions don't you?

If you are going to encourage missions that much you really need to look at a complete revamp of some of the hazard zones like Faultline/Boomtown. These areas look great but just aren't used at all. If the 2 or 3 Faultline missions were removed, I wonder how long it would take before anyone noticed that Faultline zone was offline? The only thing Boomtown is good for is Troll Bosses (yes it is better than the Hollows). These areas need to be rethought.

One strong suggestion: Pull the existing missions out of one of them and it level 45 non-hazard zone. PI is way too over crowded and nobody wants to go to Zulu with me lol. Make a Carnie area.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Still confused about one point: if (for example) you've got a three person team, each person on the team is 400' away from each other person, and person X defeats a bad guy -- does person X get "solo XP" or XP for being on a 3 person team?



[/ QUOTE ]

He'd get XP with the 3 person team multiplier...BUT that XP would still be divided appropriately between each teammate. The others, however, wouldn't receive their shares.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have to agree that this makes no sense. If no one else helps or is in range you should get solo exp. Exp multiplier and divider should be based on the number participating. What happened to Risk = Reward? Now if someone on a team solos a group meant for 3 he gets less experience than if he defeated a smaller group while not on a team?

If players and buffs that effected the whole team regardless of range maybe it would make sense but as it is if no one else is in range then odds are no one else helped.

Only 2 situations I can think of that you could be worried about: 1) Someone would take say a 3 person team out 2 higher level + 1 lower level and 1 high level camps out 400' away other high level holds whole group and does a AOE that doesn't quite kill the mobs then the first one ports him away and the low level person kills them gettting full solo exp. I would say let them. If people feel the need to cheat so badly they will go to this much trouble they will figure something out regardless. The change as it stands punishes people but provides no benefit.

2) Team of 8 near wipes except for 1 person they all go to hospital except that 1 guy who cleans up what is left getting full exp. I don't see the problem there either. Teammates are unlikely to die and go to hospital just to help each other out exp wise. Plus last man standing getting a reward for it doesn't seem all bad.

I also disagree with the decision to make mission maps work differently. One of the benefits before was that people who went AFK at beginning of mission and never came back, wouldn't get experience. I assume this was done because of the decision to penalize players for not staying within 300' of each other.

I have always hunted in Talos too. If they ever do another event like Halloween, it is great because the sun never comes up, you can get your badge very quickly if you have SS or SJ and all keep circling the area.

As far as eminators go well it depends on your AT whether you need to hunt them or not. Controllers or anyone who can alpha blast them may not see many eminators on mission because they prevent them from ever spawning.

Warrior bosses are a pain because it is very seldom you will see more than a few up at one time. Sorcerers on the other hand spawn like rats.

Am I the only one to notice the "Super" freaks (song) aka Freakshow?

Also my favorite is the billboard making fun of the RL electronic's store "The Good Guys". Sign says "The Bad Guys. Direct from back of truck to you prices." That one cracked me up.

Yes Fearsome Stare is now so powerful I wonder if I need Petrifying Glare. 2 Stares can fear most Bosses and it refreshes very quickly even "out of the box" (without additional slotting). Only disadvantage over hold is that mob can shoot back if attacked and that mob has an attack power up. There 2 ways to deal with this:

1) Slotting a To-Hit Debuff or 2 and running Darkest Night means they won't hit anything anyway.
2) Queue up attacks so you hit mob(s) which a number of attacks in a row, before their attack can refresh again. Example: Snipe then 2 fast animation attacks will usually only allow mob to shoot back once.

Besides the Cone of Effect the other advantage that FS has is that it doesn't require a lot of slots. Since PG only effects one mob, most 6 slot it with accuracy, refreshes and durations. But FS with a To-Hit and an Accuracy does just fine, saving a lot of slots or becoming even more powerful if slotted. All for about the same cost as PG.

The biggest problem with DM is which powers NOT to take. Power sets like this are great fun but frustrating because you can't fit everything into 1 build. My Dark/Rad Defender only uses 2 power pools (Jump and Fitness) and still can't get all the powers I want LOL.

[ QUOTE ]
nothing at the moment is set in stone.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not set in Stone? Why are Earth Controllers getting preferential treatment?

This a new damage type? I don't have any resistances for that on my invulerability tanker so he is useless now.

I love the Giant TV screen idea. A hundred people all standing around watching someone else fight. Good place to call my contacts from, the ambush squads will never reach me through the crowds LOL. People not realizing they are being attacked until they see the "Go to Hospital" box in front of the big TV. It becomes a secondary sort of Arena, how many spectators can YOU kill?

Honestly the only way I can see it working is if you give spectators their own zone which doesn't allow chat outside the zone and for GM events they should probably also cut off access during a match so people aren't zoning out, sending tells and zoning back in. Face it even if GMs monitor the messages people are receiving and kick them out for cheating someone will just send a message to the other team to get them kicked.

This way you a safe place to watch from, people to talk to (those in the observer zone) and don't interfere with the match in progress.

Instead of cameras just allow people to view the action from the point of view of any of the players in the match and to change their selection as the match proceeds.

That or a limited number of "spy cams" that are controlled by whomever (chosen randomly from those in zone?) and everyone else can toggle between them. That way you can control camera in small "friendly" matches but the area won't become choked with them in a major event.

Also remember if you make cameras someone will try and use them to grief players, by blocking their vision/path at important times.

Just the Free patch updates would have been enough in my book to set them apart. While I might not agree that each Issue is as big as an expansion pack in another game 3 issues is more than an expansion and not having to cough up another $50 sets a high standard for other MORPs to try and match.

I just couldn't conceive of Sony ever doing that unless the entire industry changed. But games like CoH with free updates and Matrix Online with it's continuing storyline (not to discount CoH's stories but CoH doesn't revolve around a single story) are setting the bar high for other developers. It will be interesting to see if companies like Sony and Blizzard will try and respond or if they just try and ignore them and hope fans don't notice.

What happens if there is an "Event" being hosted and lots of people want to observe? I can see the arena now with a 100 observers, so cramed with cameras the contestants have trouble targeting each other and don't have a hope of destroying all the cameras before new ones arrive.

LF Nova Blaster to Clear Cameras. PST

LOL Hopefully there will be a hard limit to the number of observers.

Good to hear. My Controller has 4 more powers than fit in 2 trays so I have to keep deciding on which powers I will only have binds for or not ever use. I worked hard for that stupid freeze pistol only to find I have nowhere to put it.

Actually I noticed last weekend that almost all the servers were yellow for the first time in a while.

[ QUOTE ]
Am I the only one who sees possible problems with the magnetism line of controllers?

There is ONE hero in all of comics that has claws similar to the claws set in CoH. Therefore there can arguably be a copyright violation there. I see the same problem with a magnetism set for conrollers. I mean... there are other options for controllers... nature control - make grass and what not entangle and ensnare your enemies. body control - specialize in posessing the bodies (but not the minds) of your enemies.... etc.

I guess I don't see a need to delve into the dangerous waters that are magneto.

Zeus - god of magnetism

[/ QUOTE ]

There are many magnatism based superheros/villians (best example? Magneto's daughter Lorna who has the same powers but is a hero (usually lol). Just because one is more popular than the others doesn't give them exclusive rights to it.

Wolverines claws are much more unique than magnatism but then they don't even have a build in the game for his defense... 100% immune to smashing damage (unbreakable bones) but vulernable to lethal damage (cutting weapons). So you can't really make a clone of him in game either. Sad part is Marvel would could do with checking out CoH for some original heros as opposed to the clone of him they just released LOL.

[ QUOTE ]
You keep trying to make the game harder and harder to please the snot-nosed teenagers who constantly want more and more of an adrenaline rush and in the process you ruin the game for the adult casual players who are trying to escape the frustration of their daily lives.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't know if I should be insulted or not. As a 45 year old who has no trouble with the new bosses I don't like the snot-nose comment but don't mind being see as younger. lol

As was pointed out, your aren't even effected by the changes toi bosses yet. Better learn some strategy quick.

[ QUOTE ]
I brought up the issue of allowing the game mechanic of respec to be solo accessible. Every response so far has cited the need for certain content to remain Team oriented. This I do not deny. Do others see the distinction between content and game mechanics? Can you have plenty of Team-oriented content and yet allow all players (Team-oriented, solo, and everything between) have access to all game mechanics?

I'm interested in hearing some rationale why soloers should not have access to this game mechanic. Anyone?

Bushpig.

[/ QUOTE ]

Main reason I can see that respec can't be done solo is that it trivializes it. If any AT can solo it, then by definition it will be a very easy for many of them. Look at current content, many are complaining they can't handle the new bosses solo but others have no trouble at all. There is no way to make a mission challenging to everyone but still be possible for any AT solo, unless you make it a different mission for every build.

By making it a team event it forces you to put in extra effort to do it and it is much easier to balance since you can assume certain things about a team that you can't about a solo payer. For example that there will be someone there to either hold mobs and/or absorb their damage and someone there who does a lot of damage. A solo Blaster can't do the former and a solo Controller/Tanker can't do the later.

What I am more curious about is if hard boiled means no bosses on mission, is that replacing the rollback of boss HPs? If so that won't help Respec groups that get buried in high HP bosses.

[ QUOTE ]
I haven't read the entirety of this thread so I'm gonna ask a question that may have already been asked.

When changes go live, will the bosses remain at i2 strength (if you want to call it strength) or go up to i3 strength if you have your difficulty slider cranked up? If everything is gonna remain at i2 levels, I'm really, really gonna miss challenging battles.

[/ QUOTE ]

Statesman said something about having another solution to the problem. I assume that is what the "rollback" is waiting for.

I'm with you though, for the builds I have played I prefer the I3 bosses and boss experience.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Getting into a team in the Hollows is easy, though -- chances are you'll get plenty of blind invites, and if you're LFT, you can expect a team in short order.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm a big fan of pick ups. But at the Hollows, you are playing with a new character (even if you're an experienced player) and often dealing with players who are new to their hero concepts.

In my opinion, that makes the Hollows one of the WORST places to do pickup teams...

[/ QUOTE ]

Big problem in Hollows is new players who don't know how to run past mobs without getting aggro. I sat and watched 2 teammates die 3 times trying to run to mission at far side of zone. Now remember they respawn in the Atlas hospital so 3 deaths takes like 20+ minutes. I finally had to level and get group invis. Never going back without it.

[ QUOTE ]
"If it should be banned, so should the #2 pencil, the Lego block, modeling clay, and anything else that gives form to ideas. In Marvel's view of the world, if people play online games with super heroes, they may play only with licensed Marvel characters, and imagination be damned."

[/ QUOTE ]

The term Super hero is a licensed copyright of Marvel and DC entertainment. You will no doubt be hearing from their lawyers.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Where do they break down? My 37 Ice/FF Controller regularly does red and purple bosses. I can even do them without the use of a single inspiration although that makes the fight a lot longer. One example: last night I soloed a 40 Death Mage + 40 Guide. Fight was never in question. With proper slotting I can hold boss, do damage, summon pets and keep my toggles up indefinitely.

[/ QUOTE ]

I did open my statement with "in broad terms". But more specifically, do you have any powers besides Stamina for End reduction/recvovery? Have you slotted your powers for end reduction contrary to common practice?

This game allows for tremendous variation. Between powersets, power choices, number of slots and what you put in slots, two heros can perform radically differently. I'm not so foolish as to think my analysis covered every hero.

But in this very thread are other controllers describing running out of end before they could kill the boss. I've seen it happen to my controller buddies, too.

Maybe you've got a nicely optimized combination. And certainly Controllers are something of a weak discussion point on this, since it can be argued they aren't supposed to be able to solo at all (a concept even the devs seem to have rejected since they're looking at "petless" power sets).

But I don't think you can come along and say "ooh, ooh, I don't fit your pattern" and say that invalidates it. If a lot more controllers / blasters / defenders come in and say that they have no problem soloing bosses without the exception builds I mentioned then I'll admit my observations were in error. So far, most of this thread seems to back me up. My experience with Tankers may to be skewed - the ones I know had endurance issues soloing a boss, but posters here seem to counter that.

[/ QUOTE ]

The only END recovery I have is Stamina (since it is the only one there is for an Ice/FF controller). I have 1 End Reduce on Assault and 1 End Reduce on Tactics + 5 To Hit buffs. 1 END reduction on Dispersion Field (my only defensive power). No END reductions on anything else.

How do I not run out of END? It is called thinking instead of just bashing keys. Once boss is held I turn off all defensive powers, leave leadership powers up at all times, use only 2 attacks (Block of Ice and Air Superiority) and start monitoring END. If it gets below 20% or below 50% if pet summon is close to refilling, I stop using Air Superiority. By just holding mob (BoI also does some damage) and letting pets damage it I regain END at a fair pace. Once it is up high enough I start using AS again. This will work for anyone with pets.

Below 32 you can do the same thing but it definitely takes longer and you will need CoBs if boss has a high regen rate since you can't afford to ever stop attacking with everything. Even then there will always be some bosses you can't take by yourself because of the way things shake out (i.e. boss has high psionic resist and your attacks are psionic). So once in a while you have to call for help. This has never been a problem for me the times I've needed it.

If you are going to make sweeping statements that Controllers can't solo a boss then expect people to disagree with you. I can't help if others don't use the best tactics when fighting and can count on one hand the number of people I've met who have the slightest clue how to split groups of mobs up. If charging straight in doesn't work then the mobs are too hard.

If nothing else, again high regen bosses excepted, you can always run away, hit rest and go back in, plus there are always inspirations. Bosses should be hard and should push you to the limit if you are going one-on-one with them.

As I said before I don't know how you fix it for Blasters since they by definition have almost no defense and can't stand toe to toe with bosses the way other AT's are capable of - in various ways. But lowering Boss HPs doesn't seem the right answer to me because that same Boss has to fight other ATs and groups.

Also if you read the boards you will see many posts by Blasters saying that if they can't take a mob down in 2 or 3 shots they are dead. When I said being able to take a boss down in 2 shots is ridiculous I meant just that. Boss fights should be drawn out affairs. But again Blasters aren't suited for long fights.

Even though I mainly solo I have no problem with some content being group only. It is still a lot more solo content than I have seen elsewhere. When I run into an AV or particular boss I can't take I go find help. If I hear others asking for help I help them (with bosses, deactivate multiple items at same time missions or if they are having trouble finding a teammate). Seems like a good system to me. Be good to other players and they will be there for you. Sort of like...role playing.

One option to all of the Perma whatever issues is to just make the powers unstackable. In other words you can't fire off Unstoppable/Rage/whatever else until the last one has run out and you have suffered the End of Power effects. Then you can design the End of Power effects to be whatever you think is appropriate without worrying about them only effecting some people.

Stun/0 End is a very harsh penalty for any power especially for Melees. But that doesn't mean that they can't be forced to learn how to time it if that is the decision.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I've never promised either.

I've gotten them down on a wish list which we dip into whenever we're looking at "quality of life" issues to add to an expansion.

[/ QUOTE ]

Now that is a list I would love to see. As an aside - I think it would be fun if the Devs posted.... say the top ten and let players vote on what ones they wanted to see. Might be interesting if the devs are planning on adding two, let the players vote on one and then pick one themselves. *shrug* might be fun at least

[/ QUOTE ]

That would be cool if it wasn't too much trouble. Obviously the voting would have to take place at the kiosks (not on boards where any troll can get in LOL). This would actually make an interesting (annual?) event. Election Day!

Doesn't mean Devs have to put everything they can think of on the list just the ideas they are currently throwing around. i.e. not appropriate for major changes but even getting to vote on minor things is fun and gives players a sense of ownership.

Look what they did with the OC (on TV). They sent out a bunch of tapes to people telling them they wanted their opinions on the show so they could make it better. This was after they had already filmed the whole season. They threw out the replies and all the people thought they had input. Wait... thats not what I wanted to suggest...