Winterminal
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Posts
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Joined
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Quote:The way Arcanaville presented Crane Kick was actually the cross between Power Thrust and every other T1 immobilization save for Web Grenade (no damage there) and Ring of Fire (which of course has extra fire damage). The 1 DS matches Subdual, ChilBlain, Penumbral Grasp, and Electric Fence, while the 6s recharge is consistent with Power Thrust and, probably as you say, to compensate for the extra damage potential of the set later in its career. Also, with recharge being what it is, that attack could quickly become available every 3 seconds, and make it a decent part of an attack chain.Originally Posted by StratoNexus
Did you penalize Crane Kick's damage on purpose due to the 2 extra effects? I've never understood why Power Thrust's damage is so low. I know they did the same thing to Repulsing Torrent, but then reverted that power back to its calculated DS.
I'm just inferring based on number observations, though. -
I have it as well. Got it way back when they said most people should have them back.
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Electric-Knight, you're right. My definition of a "blapper" is skewed, simply because I take the words at their base meaning. I refer to a "Blaster" the same way that Han Solo refers to his weapon of choice: it is something that shoots other things. So any punching being done by my own or any other Blaster characters immediately gets classified as "blapping" in my head, even if the character may not be a "blapper" by the extreme definition. I acknowledge that it is the wrong use of the term according to the generally accepted definition, so I apologize for any lack of clarity in my previous posts, haha. (I can still remember rolling my first blaster, also my first character, and thinking, "What's with the melee abilities? Why would I punch something when I could just shoot it?")
Quote:Once again, Arcanaville takes what I've been trying to say in mile-long posts, and says it better in four sentences. *sighOriginally Posted by Arcanaville
To be precise, because this conflates a lot of things into the same wording:
1. Blasters by intent are intended to fight in melee range at least some of the time.
2. Blasters by design are not very good at it in most cases.
3. Blasters by observational datamining appear extremely bad at it in most cases.
4. Blasters by dev acknowledgement do not consistently have the tools to survive in melee range effectively, without levels of skill considered very high relative to the average player.
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And THAT, my friends, is why I hover-blastQuote:Originally Posted by Fulmens
Exemped down, L34 blaster, no accolades, 941 HP.
Tank Swiper slashes you for 548.7 points of lethal damage!
So only 60% of my hit points. Clearly I got thrown off by the 220 point sawblade and the 220 point grenade.
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Quote:I can only speak for myself here: calling blasters a melee archetype has really become the only thing I disagree with you on. As you say later in that post, they have melee abilities mixed with other stuff. So I would think of them as a ranged archetype with melee capabilities, rather than a melee archetype itself. As we've established numerous times in this thread and in others, it is a grey definition. But for me at least, I am left scratching my head when I see Blasters being called a melee archetype when their secondary is called "Support" by the game (whatever that means), when it does not come up in the "Melee Damage" category, and when the archetype is perfectly functional while ignoring the melee attacks (whereas a Scrapper would not be).Originally Posted by StratoNexus
Sigh. What about when almost all evidence supports the assertion? Do not confuse being a melee AT with being an armored AT. Blasters are a melee AT that lacks armor. They are not solely a melee AT. They generally should not live in melee all the time, but that doesn't mean they are not a melee AT. I have already put forth much evidence in this thread of their melee nature, I am certainly not simply stating the fact without also backing it up. Vitally keep in mind, the primary point I am making is that blaster secondaries share enough power types in common with brute primaries that any new melee attack set design should include blaster secondaries.
Quote:Originally Posted by StratoNexus
...(I am not opposed to some elements of those sets being in a few blaster secondary powers, Drain Psyche, Chilling Embrace, Ice Patch, Burn, etc. nor am I opposed to maybe adding a little armor or some more buff/debuff, but not at the expense of the melee attacks, rather in addition to). I am certainly not going to suggest a secondary set design for blasters that goes well outside of the current rules until the devs change those rules.I do not think anyone is calling for a Blaster secondary completely devoid of melee options. At the least, I am not. But since their secondary category is currently called "Support" rather than "Melee," I think there should be an even balance of powers in those sets for "blappers" as well as exclusively ranged players.Quote:Originally Posted by Electric-Knight
While I am certainly not opposed to throwing in one or two ranged mez or some otherwise helpful benefiting power into new Blaster secondaries, I don't think a heavy melee attack focus for a Martial Arts secondary is an odd thing to offer.
My biggest problem with Darkness Manipulation was the absence of the traditional Build Up. To a player like me, who prefers to stay at range, Fire Manipulation does not have much, but I can at least use Build Up to make sure my ranged attacks count. With Darkness Manipulation, yes, there is the T1 standard immobilization, but that's really it! Sure, there's Dark Pit, but with a base accuracy of .8, and a brief stun that only works on minions, it is an abysmal power for any archetype to use. With nearly every other secondary, the performance of one of my ranged-only blasters has been comparable to a blapper with the same power set line up. Maybe not completely on par (I'm not that big of a number junkie), but nothing too noticeable. There is a huge difference in the performance of my ranged Dark/Darkness and that of a Dark/Darkness blapper, and that disparity is the crux of my argument.
Again, Blaster secondaries have a grey definition since they tend to be a mixed bag of attacks (both ranged and melee), mez, self-buffs, and minor foe debuffs, hence why they are called something as ambiguous as "Support." As long as the category is called "Support" and not "Melee," I wish to continue to see mixed bag power sets. Or, if they release a set (like Darkness) that leans heavily to one side of the spectrum, that they also release a set soon after that leans to the other side of the spectrum.
So in the case of Martial Arts, while I would prefer a mixed bag power set, there are obviously those of us blaster-enthusiasts who would prefer to have a set heavy in melee for Martial Arts. You all are probably right since a Martial Arts set should be, well, chock-full of kicking and punching! But if a set like that is released, I am sure players like myself would like to see a different set that carried more utility for the ranged players.
If the Devs take a look at Blasters and decide that their secondary category should be called "Melee," (as was the original intent according to that article posted up-thread) then I will shut up, drop my argument, and adapt my playing style. Until that hypothetical time, I am just looking for an even spread of powers for all styles of play. -
Quote:I actually did not find your response to be rude, nor malicious. Simply pointed and assertive, and the civility is well-received.Originally Posted by StratoNexus
I am not trying to be rude, but I don't have time to figure out how to be more diplomatic (which means I am being rude, but not with malice).
While the final page may list the Blaster as being "Primary - Ranged, Secondary - Melee," I want to cite a quote from page 2 of the diary:Quote:Originally Posted by StratoNexus
Original AT design thought process from 2003. It looks like this may soon be lost to us, my original link to rpgvault is dead.
Here is a good quote from that article to sum up the intent.
"The Tanker, Scrapper and Blaster were good in combat - but they needed the help of Defenders and Controllers to allow them to survive."- "...we decided to break down the combinations into a primary and a secondary role. In particular, we found that melee heroes came in two particular flavors - the big, strong type that could absorb enormous amounts of damage, and the master fighter type. So, we created two combinations, one where Defense was primary, the other where Melee was primary."
Your chosen quote of summation suggests that, at the beginning, this game was designed with the assumption that players would be teaming for the majority of the time. Having known IOs for my entire playing career, I do not know what it was like back then, but from what I have heard and read, that statement holds true. (i.e. If a Blaster was going to get up close, his/her best bet was to have either a Tanker there holding the attention, or a Controller/Defender there to make him/her stronger or the enemies weaker.)
But the game has evolved since then, in so many ways. I do not need to go into those, you are obviously observant and you know what they are.
Taken straight from ParagonWiki's page on Secondary Power Sets which, if memory serves, is pretty much the description you'll find in the character creator: "The Secondary Power Set of an Archetype is designed to support and complement the Primary Power Set." So no, they are not just as much a primary focus for the AT, at least not according to the definition given to them by the Devs. But really, that's just me picking on syntax, so feel free to ignore thatQuote:Originally Posted by StratoNexus
As far as primary and secondary are concerned, I used the tanker as my example hoping people would realize on their own that that line of reasoning would be fruitless, but alas, it did not help. Secondary powersets are just as much a primary focus for the AT, they just come later. Scrappers have to take and frequently (almost always) utilize their secondary to function best. Every AT does. EVERY AT DOES, INCLUDING BLASTERS.
I agree with what you are saying: according to that article, the Scrapper is a "hand-to-hand specialist." A scrapper's function is high damage at close range, and will function best as a damage dealer provided it can survive long enough to deal the damage. The only way it will survive is by taking and using its secondary power set. I think it is safe to say we are on the same page there.
If the above is true, then according to that article a Blaster "does tons of damage" as its role, ranged or melee, and will fulfill that role best by taking and using both its primary ranged attacks and secondary melee attacks. Like the Scrapper, in order to function best as a damage dealer, the Blaster needs to survive long enough to deal the damage. But unlike the Scrapper, the Blaster is left with next to nothing in terms of defense, and inherently low hit points. Considering that NPC melee attacks are stronger (and usually more plentiful) than NPC ranged attacks, it is only logical that the best way for a Blaster to survive is to use ranged combat the majority of the time. In other words, a Blaster will most likely function best as a damage dealer while using ranged attacks, because they will survive longer.
Which, once again, brings me back to how Blasters are defined. The inherent traits of the AT do not mesh with what is apparently their role. Normally, I'd cite that article as too old to be relevant to today's game, but look at our most recent secondary! Unlike other secondary power sets, that set has nearly no useful tools for a Blaster who would like to survive at range, not even the standard Build Up. (For most other sets, you can say, "Well, yes, I am going to miss out on those powers, but at least I have Build Up!")
I'll say it again: I am all for a bare-fist secondary power set for Blasters. But if Blasters are going to continue getting sets that encourage close range play (as opposed to just responding to it), they need some better inherent tools to deal with it. Otherwise, I would rather have secondary power sets that better "support and compliment" the ranged primary sets. -
Quote:This makes more sense to me. Although there would be a difference in price since, as they have made known, it is never as easy as "copy and paste" with powers. Even in using an existing power with the same animation, numbers have to be tweaked, and some times secondary effects as well. The price may well have doubled to get a StJ bundle that included a Blaster and Dominator secondary.Originally Posted by Rigel_Kent
On the other hand, had that string of new cash shop melee set after new cash shop melee set we just had, been designed to be more portable to other ATs, and included blaster and dominator secondaries in the purchase, perhaps they would've sold more of the melee sets for relatively little development time? I can't speak for everyone, but I know that if StJ had been bundled with a blaster and dominator secondary version, I would've bought it. But it wasn't. So I didn't. Too bad.
Something to think about, I hope, as the devs put the finishing touches on that shiny new psi blades set. Not sure I'm willing to part with 800 paragon points for yet another melee set for archetypes I don't like to play, but bundle a blaster and dom version, and the deal becomes much sweeter.
And unfortunately, since we already have Mental Manipulation and Psionic Assault, I would not hold your breath on the Psychic Melee powers becoming available to Blasters and Dominators. The Devs seem to prefer to want every power set to do something unique from any other power set in a particular category. Personally, I would rather have three unique looking power sets (i.e. way different animations/graphics) and have them all have the same secondary effect. I understand the Devs' point of view, I just dislike it. -
Quote:Since you summarized your post, I'll respond to the summary.Originally Posted by StratoNexus
WTL;DR - StratoNexus likes blasters and is off his rocker. The fact the blasters are a melee AT means they should be included in melee powerset design. (yes, they are not just a melee AT, they also have range attacks, but tankers are not just a melee AT, they also have armor powers).
You raise some good points in your post, but I have to take issue with the part I have highlighted. Blasters are not a melee AT. They have melee capabilities, just like the Dominator has melee capabilities, but Blasters are not under the "melee" umbrella (nor is the Dominator for that matter). If you note, both of those archetypes have their melee abilities in their secondary power sets. A Blaster's primary function is ranged damage, as represented by the Blaster's primary power sets.
Basically, the placement of primary and secondary power sets within a certain archetype is not arbitrary. Their primary power sets represent the archetype's primary function, while the secondary power set is meant to give the archetype a three-dimensional functionality, so that they are not one-trick ponies. To use your example: the Tanker. The Tanker's primary function is durability and aggro management, but to have left them with just that would have made for a rather boring playing experience, especially solo, and since they would most likely be in close range anyway, melee damage was a logical choice for a secondary power set.
As I have described above, the original design for Blasters was to have them be ranged damage kings with some melee abilities to pull out when enemies got too close. In simple terms, blasting from range was to be their function. The design of the second version of Defiance supports this, since Blasters are allowed to use their tier 1 and 2 blasts, as well as their tier 1 power from their secondary (which are designed to keep enemies at a distance). When you combine Defiance's design with the Blaster's lack of access to decent armor powers prior to level 35, it should be clear that this is not an archetype designed to survive for long periods of time in close range combat. That privilege is reserved for actual melee archetypes.Quote:Originally Posted by StratoNexus
I am curious what this means. What do you believe their original playstyle was intended to be? What different style of play do you believe newer powersets (and a player base) are encouraging? (If this was the blapper thing that you thought was a more recent phenomenon, than you already anwered my questions, feel free to ignore them and I will conclude it was the blapper thing
)
Yet, the last two Blaster secondaries to have been released have come with powers that are most effective when used against a large group of enemies. Large groups of enemies usually exist at the beginning of a fight, and therefore it serves the Blaster most to jump into melee distance first. Thus, the Blaster has been receiving tools that encourage close combat, rather than tools to deal with close combat when the situation arises. While I have no way of knowing the Devs' reasoning behind this design, I can infer that data-mining has shown that many Blasters enjoy getting up close and personal, since the Devs have made 2 power sets with better tools for that style of play.
Which brings me back to the why the Devs need to figure out exactly what they want the Blaster to be. The archetype's inherent traits (Defiance, low hit points, etc.) are designed with ranged damage in mind as the primary function. But, as I said, the last two secondary power sets have encouraged close range play. So the Blaster needs redefining. If ranged damage is to remain its primary function, then future secondaries need to be designed to support (the word currently used to describe Blaster secondary sets) ranged damage. If the Blaster is to evolve into, as you suggest, a hybrid ranged-melee damage archetype, then the inherent traits of the archetype need to be modified to fit that play style. Because right now, the Blaster is not doing either of those roles as well as it should be. -
Ah, then forgive me on that note of blapper origins. My history with the game begins just before i10, so I have always seen the term and just made my own inferences about how and when it came about. Thanks for the correction.
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Quote:This is true. The power itself is sort of negligible, as is Darkness's Dark Pit (with its terrible accuracy and low magnitude), but I had to include all the powers for a realistic comparison and that seemed like the most apt way to describe the power with game terms.Originally Posted by StratoNexus
Calling WoC a damage aura is a misnomer. It is an aura. And it does have a damage value attached to hitting. But the value is so small and the tick rate so slow, it doesn't actually function as a damage aura and the amount and strength of attacks confused enemies may is also negligible. It is more like a low defense shield, occasionally stopping an attack from heading your way.
Blaster secondary power sets are only used by Blasters, while Brute primary power sets are used by four archetypes total (with slight variations). It makes sense for them to spend time and money developing power sets that are going to reach and/or are desired by the widest demographic of players. Masterminds have been in a similar boat for a while because their primaries are unique to them.Quote:Originally Posted by StratoNexus
While not a terrible layout, it always annoys me when people start combining multiple melee attack sets into one blaster secondary. As if somehow blasters do not deserve an MA secondary and a StJ secondary. This happened when Kinetic Melee first came out as well. Every melee attack set should be turned into a Manipulation set. EVERY ONE.
There is no reason why brutes should have 16 primary powers but blasters only have 7 secondaries.
Let me be clear: I want more blaster secondaries more than any other new power set. Radiation Manipulation, a Natural power set like we are discussing, Water Manipulation (to accompany Water Blast once it is released), etc., I want them all. But I understand why there have been so few sets to date. I wish it were not the case, but I get it.
The real problem is that the original design of Blasters has been skewed. The reason the melee abilities in Blaster secondaries do a ton of damage is because the Blaster was intended to stay at distance and if something got close enough before it died, a blaster could put it down fast (or at least incapacitate it). Somewhere along the line (most likely with IOs and the soft-cap becoming available even for squishier ATs), many players saw no point to primarily staying at range when they could go in close and use their stronger melee attacks while also surviving relatively well. Thus the "blapper" was born.
Combine that with Mental Manipulation and, to a greater extent, Darkness Manipulation being designed with "blappers" in mind, and we are left with an archetype that is still inherently designed with its original play style in mind, but with newer power sets (and a player base) that encourages a different style of play. The Devs should reexamine their definition of Blasters before they do anything else for us. If they want to continue along the original path, the design skeleton of future secondary sets needs to be reconsidered. If they would rather encourage an archetype that varies between ranged and melee combat, then the inherent design of Blasters needs to be redone to allow it to do that well, without needing too much extra help from IOs, pool powers, etc. Personally, I would prefer the former, but a working archetype should be top priority. -
If memory serves, the last time a Dev was asked about future blaster secondaries, they said Energy Manipulation (and Devices, to a point) was more of an anomaly, and future sets would be closer in structure to Mental Manipulation. Looking at Darkness, we definitely see that trend:
Mental:- 1 ST Immobilization
- 1 Build Up
- 2 Melee attacks (1 soft control)
- 1 Ranged damage cone
- 1 Hard Control
- 1 PBAoE damage aura
- 1 PBAoE Attack
- 1 PBAoE self-buff (with foe debuff component)
- 1 ST Immobilization
- 3 Melee attacks (1 soft control)
- 1 Hard Control
- 1 PBAoE damage aura
- 2 PBAoE self-buffs (with damage component)
- 1 Targeted AoE hard control (low mag)
Trust me, I would LOVE for them to scrap that mentality for the sake of a Natural secondary using MA/StJ attacks, but realistically, it will be a lot different from what we've presented. Based on the skeleton above, here's what I believe would be a more likely line up for the power set:
1. Crane Kick (lower dmg, but keeping the high KB mag)
2. Heavy Blow (removing chance for KD)
3. Caltrops
4. *A ranged hard control, no damage, ability. Some kind of choking smoke?*
5. Combat Readiness/Focus Chi
6. Smoke Flash (PBAoE Foe -To Hit, -Perception, low mag Confuse)
7. Spinning Strike
8. Adrenaline Surge (Click, +SPD, +Jump, +Recovery, 15-20 second duration, 2 minute recharge)
9. Eagle's Claw or Crushing Uppercut, with Disorient -
I am sorry I missed the raid last night! A BIG thank you goes out to @Billy Mailman and @Demoness Sharina for stepping up for the Talsorian Guard and leading the raid. I am told it was a difficult task, but it seems like everyone ended up having a good time getting their xp/merits. I intend to be back at the reigns this coming week (May 20th). See you all in the game!
OP: updated. -
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Burnout happens. Take a week or two away from the game (and I mean don't even open the program) and you may refine exactly what it is about the game that you like doing, because that's what you'll miss most. Then you can come back and do that.
Though, I DO have to echo others here about bringing the old stuff in the game up to the level of the a new. A structure is only as strong as its foundation. -
Shall we take bets on which Dev or Community Team member will be the Egg Man?
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Quote:Dang it, Duneman! It is too early for me to be taking a drink!Originally Posted by Duneman
It was a slap in the face to me as a 7 year VIP customer that has dumped alot of money into the game to get a free item I have no use for.
Yes im just venting!
Thanks, Paragon, for the XP booster! I have a couple characters approaching the 40s, so I am sure one of them will make good use of this. -
Thanks E-K. What you said is true, and my post expresses my opinion rather than fact (should of put that in there).
I tend to use those T1 immobilizations to stop approaching enemies. The problem I found with Web Grenade was that by the time it had finished animating, the enemy was in melee range, or darn close to it. Combine that with the redraw of the bow (which would be the same case with the Assault Rifle) and I was left wondering if I would not have been better off just continuing to shoot the enemy. After testing that theory, I found I was pretty much correct.
But hey, you are required to take it anyway. I strongly suggest seeing how it works for you, GrantAnderson. -
Quote:This.Originally Posted by Necrotech_Master
yay for free stuff lol
that is all, i dont care what it is, free is free
Hell, even if it is a random number generator and someone ends up with a power set one week while I end up with a 1 hour xp booster, that would still be okay with me. There is literally NOTHING to lose from clicking whatever the little "Claim Freebie" button looks like. We can only gain something from this. -
I have done this all ready to a point (because I'm a blaster-holic), so allow me to give my reviews! (I'll try to keep them concise)
Ice/Ice/Cold - My first character ever, still my main. The 20s were a tough ride, but then again, I started him just before i10, so a lot of things have been improved since then. Use and abuse Chilblain and your Freeze Rays. The combo is a control machine, and only gets better as you progress. (With the right amount of recharge, you can hold EBs indefinitely by the upper levels, and Bosses are cake.) Your strength is ST damage. I STRONGLY suggest relying on your ranged attacks (as opposed to blapping). Besides, the -SPD that comes with all of your attacks combined with your control powers enables you to kill most of your enemies before they even get to melee range (again, this increases as you level). Cold Mastery is a great cherry on top giving you added defense and one of my favorite panic buttons in the game (Hibernate). Also, I found Flash Freeze to be a joy while solo (Sleep the whole mob, for over a minute when slotted, then freeze the one you want to kill. Rinse, repeat.)
Elec^3 - I went the blaster route on this because I dislike blapping, but this combo is great for close combat (Short Circuit is a great PBAoE, and the punches are quite potent). Successfully sapping enemies won't come until late game, when you've had a chance to slot things up, but it can be very fun once you do. You'll end up with three holds (two ranged, one melee) so your control options increase as you level up, which is nice. Voltaic Sentinel, despite its shortcomings, is still useful so you should keep it active. This was my second blaster to 50 and while it was fun (and is more so now) I found it a bit tougher than my ice/ice/cold mainly because of the lack of an effective secondary effect until late game. But again, I blasted almost exclusively, hopping in and out for Short Circuit, so if you blap you may find it a bit more enjoyable.
Energy/Energy/Force - People can decry knockback all they want, but this was a very survivable blaster post level 18. You get your ST attack chain by level 6, which puts you ahead of the game since most other blasters have to wait another 12 levels. Both your AoE attacks are very effective, both as openers and mid-combat. Power Push will be a life saver, as can be Power Thrust from your secondary. Again, I skipped most of the melee powers of /Energy because (a) I was knocking them out of melee distance frequently and (b) this guy was a hover-blaster, so they couldn't reach me most of the time anyway. With quick recharge times, fast animations, and beneficial click-powers from your secondary, this can be a very effective combo. Then you get a couple great resistance powers from Force Mastery (Temp Invulnerability and Force of Nature) not to mention Personal Force Field as a fantastic panic button.
-Archery/Devices/Munitions - I chose archery over AR, so my experience with my primary was probably different than an AR user's. Devices is the ultimate front-loading power set, and also allows for easy mission stealthing (Cloaking Device + a Smoke Grenade or two, and you have almost full invisibility). Caltrops and Trip Mine are very fun set-ups for before you initially attack a mob, and Targeting Drone's added accuracy is a boon to any blaster. However, I found Web Grenade and Time Bomb completely skippable, with Gun Drone being just nice for a damage boost against a particularly hard target/mob. Munitions brought some nice utility though. Body Armor, while not as potent as other armors, can still provide a little extra toughness. Surveillance is GREAT. And LRM Rocket is just pure fun. All in all, I had fun with this character as a ghost, skipping straight to mission objectives, front-loading that final mob, and wiping them out quick, but as a soloist, it will probably be slow-going for you.
Fire/Fire/Flame - Big. Orange. Numbers. And not much else. By the 30s, this guy was an AoE machine, and literally burned through enemies, which was good, because that's really all he could do. Because of the lack of control, I found blapping to be hazardous to this guy's health (which was fine because, as I said, I prefer ranged play). Not that the melee attacks were bad (in fact, they were quite good) but in melee distance I found myself dying slightly faster than my enemies. I recommend taking and slotting Consume. Since all you can do is attackattackattack, I burned through my blue bar faster than some of my other characters, so Consume really helped in longer battles. Flame really brings some welcome balance, giving you a hold, some much-needed RES, and one of the COOLEST self-rez powers in the game. Definitely had a lot of fun with this character, but it kept me on my toes.
Dark/Dark/Soul - A work in progress, and a tough one at that. You would think, what with them both being Dark, that there would be synergy between the two power sets. But no! Dark Blast's strength is keeping your enemies away (A huge-cone knockback power, a cone immobilization, and a ST hold), while Darkness Manipulation is nearly entirely based on close combat (7/9 powers, and Dark Pit, your ranged AoE stun, is crap and should be skipped). Frankly, if you want to run this combo, the primary alone makes it very survivable, adding a self-heal to the "get back and stay back" arsenal I already listed, not to mention the -ToHit your are hammering your enemies with. I recommend slotting up your primary powers early, and waiting to use your secondary powers until later, when you can lay down the hurt after pissing them off with Soul Drain and/or Dark Consumption. Then /Soul gives you yet more powers for killing your enemies at a distance. Basically, my strategy with this combo so far (upper 30s) has been to rely almost exclusively on my primary, and only use /Darkness while teamed, and I have found it to be very effective. -
Quote:Originally Posted by Golden Girl
Just do what I do - when I'm not flaunting my VIP status in Atlas Park and mocking the financial situation of freebies, I'm usually teaming, where in the unlikely event of me not being given the star, even when I loudly demand it, I make sure that everyone knows that I'm still in charge anyway, and my multi-tasking skills means that while I'm telling my team how to play, I'm also able to tell people in /Help how to play properly too.Quote:Originally Posted by dugfromthearth
that doesn't work for me. My character's don't have large breastsQuote:Originally Posted by Golden Girl
Bust size has got nothing to do with it - I was giving an example of awful behavior
I make jokes, but not at other people's expense. I try to help out anyone who has fallen to get back up. And if someone looks lost, I'll send a tell asking if they need any help. Along with whatever else other people have said. -
Quote:Hmm, I think it depends on RNG. I've had missions all the way in the SE corner from Julius, CoT missions in their little alcove thingy from Talshak, and Flux missions anywhere from the Gulch to 20 feet from the guy himself.Originally Posted by dugfromthearth
One thing I noted was that you don't. You don't go to the far side of the Hollows in the hills, or south by the other entrance. I'm not sure if the floating rocks and stuff are still there but you never go there. Now you go to the abandoned buildings, then a tiny bit into the gulch and red river.
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Quote:One is real world currency, the other is game currency. When someone with a large amount of dispensable cash can buy things that will make their character noticeably better than someone without, that's when "pay to win" become a tangible problem. Granted, this isn't quite "pay-to-win" because players are capable of getting Purple IO sets via in-game means, and both the in-game versions and Paragon Market versions are only usable by level 50 characters.Originally Posted by Razai
It's funny how loosely people use the term "pay-to-win" when it comes to Purple IO sets on the market, when you are doing the exact same thing with WW and BM in-game... I dont get the referrence...
However, Purple IO sets are difficult to come by in-game. Whether you are waiting for random drops, accumulating Hero/Villain/Empyrean Merits, or actively playing Wentworths/the Black Market (marketeering), it will take some time and effort. But if a player with more disposable income is so inclined, they can make a one-click purchase and have their Purple IO sets. So "pay-to-win" isn't entirely accurate. "Pay-to-be-better-a-lot-sooner-than-others" is more on target, and that is a dangerous line to toe.
Frankly, until they cross that line, I am not bothered by it. And as Doc Roswell said, if it means they are taking more time on the actually new items, I am fine seeing more weeks like this. Hell, at the very least, it means I get to save my stipend pointes :P -
First, I believe you're looking for the word "damning" unless you sought to make a play on words since you are referencing the Hollows and the Red River Dam has such a prominent part to play in that story line.
Second, I have to completely disagree with you. I happen to love the Hollows precisely because of the variety of missions. I'm not just going door-to-door, and all the missions aren't in one little corner of the zone. You get to see nearly that entire zone through those arcs, and for an older zone, the design/topography is pretty damn cool. (Granted, it got a lot "cooler" once travel was more easily accessible.)
I also think there is a very real and easily understood storyline there, from David Wincott up through Talshak.
Like Peon said, to each his own. -
I see the complaints. Constant chatter of any kind can be annoying, provided of course that you are not involved and/or do not wish to be involved.
That said, if what Zwillinger says is true, and the initial announcement is made over the global admin channel while all other following chat is confined to the zone-specific admin channel, then I cannot understand asking them to do anything more. I can only speak for myself, but Pinnacle had Zwillinger show up with about 10 "Nemesis" GMs a couple nights ago, and his ridiculous in-character chatter was quite amusing given the combination. The other 20 or so people in the league thought the same.
To each his/her own, I suppose. But again, if what Zwillinger said is indeed the case, then there's really nothing left to be said/done then to do what I do when an event in which I have no interest spawns in the zone I am currently in: move to a different zone temporarily. -
I have to be an echo here.
You pretty much answered your own question by pointing out how differently a mission went for a Dominator vs. a Stalker. And that's the idea. Every AT is supposed to play differently than the others, so it is impossible to find a "right" and "wrong" way when comparing two different ATs.
Now, if you were herding with a Regen Stalker, ignoring Hide, then I might say you were "doing it wrong." -
Last night was by far my worst night yet for connection problems. Though it was probably my own fault since I was trying to keep up with chat channels... oops! Oh well, it happens. Thanks to all who came out! It was a very smooth run other than that, with nearly a full league. Thanks for continuing to show up!
This week, May 13th, I will most likely be unable to lead the raid. (My younger brother is graduating college, woo!) Another member of the Guard will be there to take the reigns! -
First, kudos to both SuperOz and Forbin agreeing to disagree. I honestly think that's the first time I have seen two individual forum members anywhere actually do that, without getting a last word in or anything of the sort. Then again, you both have been reasonable everywhere else here, so I am not surprised.
Quote:I completely agree. It has been my main beef with the Incarnate System's AT homogenization since day 1 of its existence. I know that a mentality like that is reminiscent of the "holy trinity" days of MMORPGs, and that many now find that to be archaic. But that sort of thing is intrinsic to most superhero universes.Originally Posted by SuperOz
Me, I just want some feeling of that cinematic experience. I'll freely admit I want game balance to be put aside in favor of story, but for no other reason that I feel doing that not only breaks from the notions that all tasks are able to be done by all characters equally (and I'm not arguing this be universally true; just for these particular circumstances) but allows individuals to shine in an otherwise collective 'lump' of experience.
It's selfish but also human to want to be recognised individually for your efforts. I don't think it'd be wrong at all to have moments for Scrappers/Tanks/Brutes/Controllers/Blasters et al to show off. After all, a lot of the story of this game is about you being the hero, not 'you all'. But in a 'you all' gathering, I think it'd be great to highlight just what makes your AT and powerset special, and let other people see it too.
To relate to the topic: it would only be awesome for a brief time if The Avengers team consisted of six Hulks, then we would get over the uber-smashing that was going on, and want to see something else. As written, watching the Hulk do his smashing thing and then seeing the deadly precision and finesse utilized by Hawkeye provides us with a dynamic switch that keeps our interest far longer. The game could use more situations that called for that (and do more to make individual ATs shine at what they are meant to do, and not step on the toes of others).