Wicked_Wendy

Well first of all there is nothing that says swift and hurdle have to stay automatic powers... Not every inherent is or we'd all be in rest constantly and every time brawl recharged we be slapping someone in the face. While Health and Stamina would obviously remain auto powers they could easily change the others so you had to toggle them on for use.

Secondly I decided to just check and see how much faster SWIFT makes me move. On a character that I have the fitness poll and chose swift with 1 enhancement (to increase flight speed) ...

Base run speed is 14.32 MPH
Swift added ...5.37 MPH

as a comparison..

Prestige power Quick adds ...18.16 MPH ( Vet reward power)
Ninja Run adds...21.46 MPH (Add on pack)

Okay swift does increase run speed by about 40% even with the only enhancement I have in place designed to increase my flight speed but honestly I have the fitness pool on every character I own and that 5 + MPH difference seems natural to me and when you consider the others more than double my run speed a 5 mile an hour boost really doesn't seem that annoying.

The change from a pool power to inherent is something a lot of players, myself included, have been begging to get for years and I am more than happy to see it finally taking place. Any new character I create after this takes place will get three almost bonus powers between level 15 and 20 compared to what I used to get years ago and by adding a couple slots of enhancement to Stamina will actually be able to use them without having to rest between every other mob. When I first saw the announcement I did a very quick draft on how this could improve one of my characters. I used my ILL/EMP since she was my very first 50 level. With the change she can have Clear Mind and Fortitude by level 20 along with her Phantom Army. Those were powers that usually had to wait until the 20s to even be considered while I was working my way through the fitness pool so I had enough END to use the powers I already had more effectively and not spend a small fortune on Catch a Breaths.

Granted the change may mean a few powers take longer getting added enhancements, since most people don't mega slot swift or health, but scrappers and blasters can add to their attack chain faster, tankers can increase defense quicker and actually use the toggle powers, controllers with have more buffs/debuffs and so on. Ever since this was announced I have seen multiple threads and it seems like there are almost as many players crying DOOOOOOOM as there are players happy that some one finally listened to us and made the change. Stamina at level 2 is not a curse from the depths of Hades .. its a blessing for the Devs. Stop analyzing and enjoy. :-D

In the early game I have to pick Circle of Thorns... Ruin Mages that are either crushing you inside a wall of rock or bouncing you off the floor, Life mages that explode in your face when you get their health bar low, Spectral Demons sapping your strength and resisting damage and when all else fails... run off and hide then come back and attack after you've starting on another mob. In the later game (above around 30 level) they get a lot easier but then most of the mission you find them in ar in those god awful cave bases of their's that are filled with twists, turns and hidden spots.

Later game I'd go with Malta.... Gunslingers that can freeze you while they blast away at you not to mention porting away and coming back and Sappers that leave you standing there with absolutely no end. OPs officers tasers can leave anyone without stun protection helpless and those dang gun turrents can be harder to blow up than the engineer that summmoned it. The Hercules and Zeus Titans just add to the mayhem with chocking attacks and long range missles.

Runners up...

Early game definately Vahz.. No one has enough toxic protection for these things early game and the I have witnessed the Embalmed suicide bombings cause more than one team wipe. Add in the Morticians sneaking around rezzing and the holds, immob, etc that the bosses have and they can be a real pain.

Later game Knives of Artemus for sure... the Lieutenants and bosses see through just about all forms of stealth and I don't know anyone that LIKES caltrops.

Well let's see..

First off I completely agree that Citadel could use work to make it more entertaining. And that one had a face lift a while back.. it used to be you got to those three defeat all missions toward the end and ran to IP to a cave just under the bridge and NEVER left. Three straight missions in the exact same spot and they even used the exact same map inside. Only difference was the type of soldiers the Council had manning it.

I'd love to see Synapse reworked for the same reason. Okay i get it we battle Clockwork but three missions in a row defeating all the CW in the sub station followed by a quick patrol and then ANOTHER defeat all mission? Can we AT the very least change one or two of thsoe to Defeat the leader? Generally I can't wait to head to Boomtown cause it signals and end to the defeat alls and also lets you know your close to the end. NOW I do love the mission that spawns Babbage .. don't take that out since getting to battle a GM is fun.. to me anyway LOL

I have said it before here DO something with the Shadow Shard. I was tired of battling the Rikti and the same collection of villains a long time ago and decided to hit the shard and run a few story arcs there since I knew they had a whole different set of villains. Boy was Isuprised when I discovered not one contact, aside from the TFs, actually had one. Its all just a collection of side missions with no story line at all. Its a very unique and interesting zone visually and the villians are unique as well.. Can we please add some story lines that correspond to the Canon plot for the whole zone? General Hammond is in charge but at times I felt like someone had slipped Daniel Jackson's brain into his head .. if we weren't rescuing missing soldiers we were hunting for artifacts.

I also agree with what little there is in Cimerora. I saw so much potential for the zone and I envisioned something along the lines of the revamped RWZ with 3-4 contacts giving missions out all the way from 35-50. Add some contacts and start with an arc at 35 focused mainly on the Cimerorian traitors, at 40 an arc concerning 5th Column and the Nictus. at 45 .. why not add something concerning the Midnighter's Club? We HAVE to enter the zone through there but once we arrive we never hear from them again? The TF and the zone are a travel back in time if the Club's not involved at all in the zone why isn't the portal in Ouroborus? A lot of potential that could be tapped JUST like the Shard.

The Midnighter's club itself.. Mercedes Shelton's arc are not bad but that's all we get? This could easily be another 35-50 level zone. Different contacts could send us out to battle everything from Banished Pantheon, Circle of Thorns and Tsoo (all with magical backgrounds) and as we know the club was a big part of winning the war against the Rikti. Why not a few missions revolving around the Rikti mages? At least on COV we can run some missions against them from Darrin Wade and even steal artifacts from the club itself but hero side they just sort of threw up a few buildings Gave us an arc to get in and then Mercedes at level 20 and said OKAY we're done.

Welcome to Virtue and we hope you enjoy your stay with us. I moved here from Infinity a few years ago and love the people here so I'm sure you'll be happy with your decision.

If you have already visited Pocket D and have not had your shot yet I suggest a trip to your Doctor for testing and treatment.. and then insist on getting all available shots!

Definately join all the global channels Emberly posted they will make finding teams/friends very easy ... and then you too can engage in all the stimulating conversation (Sacrastic humor is encouraged but leave the knock-knock jokes alone LOL).

Invest in a supply of catnip and maybe a rubber mouse or two. you will find these come in very handy when dealing with Catgirls.

Oh and if you send me a PM I can explain the proper technique for using the Marshmellow Fluff.

To enhance your gaming experience I strongly suggest listing to Cape radio while playing. The DJs rock and they do take requests. [Did I say that right Shecky? And can I please have the keys to my base back now? /e giggles]

:-D Seriously welcome and I know you will have fun here.. We are all crazy but its that fun kind of crazy people love. Meet you later on top of City Hall and we can drop water balloons on the people getting ready for the latest Costume Contest.

Well I haven't really farmed with her but I have a 48 level DS/DM/Soul that I Duo with (my partner is exactly the same AT/powersets) and we have yet to find anything that can stand up to 14 minions and all that debuff/hold/immob. Your minions add in more holds, defense buffs and heals so it basically a set that can deal with just about anything. Really the only challenge we encounter is Malta with all their Stuns etc and I carry 5 Tier 3 Breakfrees to eliminate that problem as well.

Now put together a farm team with a good Brute for damage and aggro control, an SoA or two to increase everyone's defense and whatever else you like and you should chew through any mission with ease. :-D

I've never deleted a 50 level.. too much time, effort and energy invested and I do still pull them out and run TFs, etc with friends.. "What do you need? Oh I have two of those I'll switch and BRB"

I did do a bit of soul searching and deleted a few characters in the 40s recently to clear spots for arrival of Going Rogue next week .. and even THAT was painful but like you mentioned they were sitting a 40, 41 or whatever and because I had other characters I liked more all they were really doing was sitting in one day job location after another collecting badges and accolades. /e sniffs I miss them but will enjoy the new characters I create in Praetoria more. LOL

It's really not a huge issue and like the OP I have found myself standing in front of the City Rep in Atlas scratching my head as I tried to work on getting an aura only to be offered a cape mission.. While I was standing there with the cape I earned at 20 billowing behind me. I do like the new cape mission better and run it on every character at 20 even ones I have no desire have wear a cape (doesn't fit the character's concept or hairstyle .. in case you were wondering LOL).

Now to defend the OP's potion a bit. Okay so they came up with a "new" cape mission that's fine but if I already earned a cape why am I "forced" to earn one again just to get at the Aura missions? Let's look at this from another perspective. They changed the Positron Task Force and now it requires doing 2 shorter TFs in order to get the badge needed for the Task Force Commander accolade. I have numerous characters that have that accolade, as do countless other players, and most got it prior to the change by running the "OLD" Posi TF. Would the reaction to the OP's question be the same if we were talking about a decision the Dev's made that stripped all of us of TF Commander until we went back and ran Posi 1 and Posi 2 since.. "We have a new Task Force that covers that now and you haven't done it" ????

Yeah it only takes 15 or 20 minutes to do the cape mission but it seems a little silly to be standing there, with my cape on, and have the City Rep telling me to do it again because the old way doesn't count anymore.

Yes after close to 5 years I have even gotten to the point where I find myself thinking "Oh this is THAT map they just turned it around backwards to make it LOOK different". I have even gotten to the point where I know exactly where the spawns are on most of the outdoor maps. I think that's why new zones are always so popular. When they redid Faultline everyone rushed to get there and do the new content and see the revamped zone. Same thing when the revamped the RWZ and created Cimerora. Even if many of the maps were the same at least it was SOMETHING new. LOL

/SIGNED ... SIGNED ... SIGNED (Have I said it enough times yet? LOL)

I favor the NPC idea that would allow us to place these anywhere in the base. My thinking is a perfect spot for them would be at the entrance to accomodate quick access to any SG member that arrives at base... this would also eliminate "travel time" for SG members belonging to an SG with a 24 by 24 plot. Allowing them to wander around the room assigned sounds like fun and is much more realistic than standing immobile in on spot. Letting them wander the entire base could be frustrating for members trying to track down the NPC... "Okay now where did that TRAINER go?"

I can defiantely see the following being offered

Trainer .. one single NPC that can be placed anywhere in base This requires no new coding since a 49 level can train to 50 in Atlas Park/Mercy or in Peregrine/Grandville. The mechanics are the same

Wentworth/Black Market Rep .. again one single NPC and no recoding to accomplish. They could be placed anywhere but I think I'd put mine in the same room I have my Personal Vault/IO Crafting table to make it simple and easy for members to craft and sell.

Tailor ... Once again a single NPC that could be set up in any room in base and function exactly the same way as their counterparts outside the base.

Storekeeper.. This could be a bit more involved since it's not feasible to have one NPC trying to sell everything from 5 level training origin to 50 level single origin enhancements but they could easily add a computer that works like the ticket vendors in AE. A member acccesses the PC, similar to shopping for enhancements on Ebay, and simple uses a pull down menu to select between TOs, DOs, or SOs then uses a slider to access the ones applicable to their level.

Fateweavers/Field reps.. would be nice but not nearly as important as some of the ones listed above. Still anything they can do to make the base more valuable to members is a plus and with many players now having base teleporters could make changiung difficulty much quicker than traveling half way across a zone to reach one.

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Decorative NPCs

Been suggested many times before, including by me LOL Add the following as options to give the base a more lived in look and make it seem more like a powerful organization with a dedicated staff to assist in battling crime or committing act or pure evil.

Doctors/Nurses for the Medlab/Infimary

Scientists/Lab Technicians for Workshops

Computer Technicians for Control Rooms

Engineers (in protective coveralls) for Generator rooms

Security Guards or Secretary for the base entrance (with a little coding these could even be programed to greet members as they arrive at base) "Welcome back (charater's name) it's good to see you again."

Teleport Technicains obviously for TP chambers... AKA our own version of Mr. Scott. "One to beam to Port Oakes!" lol

These could be stand alone NPCs or even attached to items like computer desks, lab equipment, ect so it looks and feels like the the base is operational!

SIGNED SIGNED SIGNED.. LOL figured I'd add a few more votes if it helps make thius happen

I love a good GM battle so ANY new one on either Red or Blue side would be welcomed. :-D

Now until Castle can find a way to make GMS bigger.. and as mentioned compared to the TALLEST super hero we can create they are all Giants... how about this option to make things more interesting.

During the 5th Anniversary the Devs programed a Zone attack by a wide variety oif GMs and AVs which definately required more than one team of 8 to combat. It was a lot of fun and gave players the chance to pick up a lot of badges for defeats without the need to run from zone to zone waiting on individual GMs to spawn. For anyone that doesn't recall at some point the attack would begin and suddenly Adamastor, Kraken, Jurrasik, Eochia, Jack in Irons, the Winter Lord, the Kronos Titan, Babbage along with Lord Recluse, Ghost Widow, Sirrocco, and Black Scorpion would appear and teams of players would attack to defend the likes of Atlas Park, Port Oakes, etc.. of course on Red Side the villains were replaced with Statesman, Back Alley Brawler, Manticore and so on. The mechanics are already in place since they OBVIOUSLY did it once already so turn it into another type of invasion just like the Rikti or Zombies. I'm sure with a little coding they could even alternate it so one invasion could be strictly GMs and the next all AVs.

Now lets pick a spawn point so some poor hapless 1 level arriving in Atlas, Galaxy or Mercy doesn't arrive and find themselves staring a 5 or 6 Giant Monsters or half a dozen Avs but don't hide them away in some remote corner of Nerva or IP so it takes 20 minutes just to find them either.

I'm not sure what to use to trigger the invasions.. We know that the Rikti attack after a successful LGTF and Zombie supposedly occur 20% of the time after someone turns in Halloween Salvage on either Red or blue side. Options are sort of limited but I'd like to see the event spawn for both but having one occur a certain percentage of the time after a successful ITF seems odd.. Okay we defeated an ancient Roman traitor how exactly does that spawn 6 GMs in St. Martial and Brickstown? Maybe a little reverse logic would work... A team of villains successfully completes the LRSF with all of the signature heroes defeated and in Hospital recovering Lord Recluse uses the lack of defense to launch an attack on Steel Canyon? Heroes complete a succesful STF and Statesman and the gang rush to the Rogue Isles to attack while the Arachnos forces are in chaos? Then just vary it so one time it launches AVs and then next GMs or keep it just like that anniversary event and have a combination of both.

Okay its not a 60 foot tall Radioactive Lizard that breaths fire but it's something until they figure out the way to make the Lizard work LOL

There are 1000's of different opinions on slotting at your, or any other, level and none of them is necessarily wrong depending on what you want to do with your character. Unless you want to constantly solo and battle at say +4 X 8 IOs really are not a requirement at any level. The Devs have stated on numerous occasions that the game is designed to be played successfully with nothing more than SOs.

Here is what I do...

Lower level 1-20

I never bother with Training Origins at all ... Very little increase and unless you are a very casual player (a few hours a week or only on weekends) you can zip through these far too fast to waste even the small amount of INF required to slot them.

10, 15 and 20 level IO do offer uncreased power over the Dual origins you can slot starting at 12 so I will use those when I acquire the recipe and salvage required. By that I mean they drop during missions NOT that i run to WW and start buying them. Again at these levels if you play often enough you won't need them for long anyway so I refuse to spend a lot of INF on them. Dual Origins work just fine at these levels in slots I don't luck into a recipe for during normal play.

Level 22-36

I run with nothing but Single origins. As stated yes they degrade and eventually expire but a 25 level SO provides significantly more power that a 25 level IO so WHY spent INF on something that makes me weaker?


37 and beyond

Now is when I start to seriously start IOing my character. A 40 IO is slightly stronger than a 50 level SO. If you want to start soon 35 levels are only a bit less powerful than 35 level SOs and of course they don't degrade. 45 and 50 levels far outshine their SO counterparts so I will slot 40s, 45 and 50 until every slot has an IO and then GRADUALLY replace the lower level IO with higher levels until every slot has a 50. So at some point with say a 47 level character I may have a 40 level Damage IO in one slot, a 45 level Damage in a second and a 50 in a third along with a 45 or 50 level accuracy.


Now ask yourself "What do I want to do with this character?" There are players out there that like to solo GMS, attack Rikti Pylons by themselves and/or run solo missions at +4 X8. If any or all of this applies to you them start doing the math and Frankenslot those expensive IO sets and start farming for Purples. If, on the other hand, your perfectly happy running on teams and soloing at +0 X1 or depending on the characters even +1 0r +2 X1 simple basic generic IOs along with a well thought out build will be more than adequate.. so why spend 100s or Millions on something you don't really need? My 50 level SoA crab is a perfect illustration of this. Every slot has a 50 level IO and not a single set bonus to be found but all my attacks have 3 Damage IOs, 1 Accuracy and then depending on what they require 1 Recharge IO (for the ones that recover slower) or 1 End Reduction IO for the ones that use a LOT of end. My pets have damage, accuracy and recharge enhancements in place and I can ALWAYS have at least 1 set of them out through any mission adding to my damage output. Not a single Purple IO in sight I sold every one that's dropped which is why even after slotting with nothing but 50 level IOs and crafting enough so that she has now memorized every recipe for 45 and 50s she still has over 250 million in Infamy. On an ITF she is LETHAL pouring damage out at anything in range and she has defense that some Tankers/Brutes would envy... plus many of those defenses help her team mates.

So decide what you want from your character and build accordingly. If you want to attack Jurrasik solo I strongly encourage you to use another slotting strategy but if you just enjoy teaming and playing "normally? (what ever that is" my way will work just fine. Good luck and have fun :-D