Messages

[2 of them]

During tonight's Keyes Island iTrial, I was trying to assist with "medical" duties for people who were getting Disintegrated.

Redlynne has her Valiance PBAoE aura (+118.4% Regeneration to Allies), but that is nowhere NEAR enough to help people survive the 40% then 80% Max Health hit at the end of Disintegration.

So I was trying to use Health Imbuement inspirations to help top up people so they could survive.
Imagine my surprise when I burn 2 of them while standing right next to a league mate (not a teammate) who is Disintegrating ... and their Health bar doesn't move ... at all.

The only logical conclusion that I can draw is that -> TEAM <- Inspirations are coded to (only) affect TEAMmates ... while anyone in your league, but NOT on your TEAM, is just ... um ... the game simply doesn't "like them" enough (on your behalf). 

Am I the only one who thinks that this is ... sub-optimal? 



I'm thinking that the simplest solution would be to edit the parameter in the database that defines who who can be affected by Team Inspirations (within the 20ft PBAoE when used).

Instead of only affecting -> TEAM <- ... change it to affect Allies, so the Team Inspirations can affect league members as well as NPCs (who are not civilians, because nothing affects civilians).

[Familiarity Breeds Contempt]

so, If I'm understanding this correctly, you cannot for example use a name of an already existing power but give it different abilities for this specific set?

There's the issue of name confusion, yes ... but I was talking about a different point.

Every Tanker Secondary powerset has a "Taunt" power.
Most of them are even named "Taunt" explicitly, while some use different more flavorful power names.

The "Taunt" power is somewhat AT defining, so the specifics of the power are simply copied over into every Tanker Secondary. The same thing happens with Placate powers for Stalkers.

When you have multiple powersets that have "the same power" in them (such as Taunt or Placate), the details don't really change for the different powersets of that AT.



So far so good?



Now think about the T1 attack power for say ... Defender Secondaries.
Yes, they all have different names ... but are they all copy/paste repeats of the exact same power?
No they're not.
Would it be a good idea to make them all "same-y same-y" as T1 powers in terms of their game mechanics, attributes, details, etc. ... such that if "you've seen one, you've seen them all" ...?

The point that I'm driving at here is the age old maxim of Familiarity Breeds Contempt when you've got powers that are just copy/paste jobs between 2+ powersets, even if the power names change.



One of the things that makes CoH so "flavorful" and meaningful to play is that the various powersets for ATs are NOT copy/paste jobs. It's actually relatively rare to encounter 2 powers in different powersets that "work" exactly the same (game mechanically as well as user facing stuff like animations and FX).

Martial Arts and Kinetic Melee are broadly similar ... yet they're distinctly different from each other.

Broadsword and Katana, as well as Axe and Mace, might have strong similarities in terms of how their powersets are structured and how they "work" ... but they still have important differences that make them PLAY differently, so they aren't just copy/paste reskins of each other.



It's okay to look at other powersets to find something CLOSE to what you want to do, since that gives you the benefit of precedent to work with and baseline against.

What's NOT okay is to look at other powersets, copy/paste and file off the serial numbers and expect people to not recognize what you've done. EXACT duplication of powers creates perception problems, because it means that those (now) "shared" powers become less UNIQUE and SIGNATURE to the powerset(s) they appear in.

Yes, every Controller Primary gets a single target Hold and an AoE Hold ... but are those powers EXACTLY the same for all Controller Primaries?
After the "normalization" of the AoE Holds @ Level 18 done by Cryptic Studios (when the Containment mechanic got introduced) ... the AoE Holds of Controllers became something they all had in common. But the single target Holds have some interesting and unique differences to them across all of the Controller Primaries.

Likewise, most Controller Primaries have an AoE Immobilize ... but some don't (Illusion and Mind Control come to mind).

Both Illusion and Mind Control have a single target Confuse power, but the details of their respective versions are not an exact copy/paste job, so there are differences between them, which then gives each powerset their own uniquely flavorful spin on the way "their" version of Confuse works in actual gameplay.



This is why I say that you shouldn't just be lifting powers (whole cloth, unmodified) and doing a copy/paste ala carte job with them into a proposed new powerset. Any kind of really obvious duplication like that "cheapens" the original power and the copy of it (even if you change the power names).

perhaps move speed powers should have pvp alternates which give considerably less speed

Now THAT is a recommendation that can potentially be implemented.

Travel power suppression was implemented by Cryptic/Paragon Studios to prevent "jousting" as a PvP strategy (the CoH equivalent to "bunny hopping" in PvP in other games).

It was a kludge then and it's a kludge now (still).

The foundational problem is that City of Heroes is fundamentally a PvE game, with only a vanishingly small minority of players engaged in PvP (despite plenty of game infrastructure having been built and dedicated to the purpose, starting with the oversized and essentially EMPTY Arena buildings). All attempts to "nudge" City of Heroes away from being a good PvE game into being a "fair" PvP game have foundered upon the fact that Player's are CRAFTY and CLEVER, able to leverage ANY advantage they are given in extraordinary (and unforeseen) ways.



One of the basic mismatches is that "games ought to be FAIR" in which opponents are (supposed to) have "equal opportunities of winning" ... such that the only deciding factor in combat ought to be Player Skill.

Of course, we all know that is NOT the case for how "fights to the death" work.
It might be how "fighting for sport" works, but not how "fights to the death" work.

SPORT fighting can have all kinds of RULES imposed on it to try and create a "level playing field" for the contest to take place.

DEATH fighting is all about MAXIMIZING ADVANTAGES such that your opponent cannot effectively fight back, rendering them PREY for the taking.



In medieval times, it was the armored knight on horseback with a lance who could kill any footman with a cavalry charge that was a Big Threat military strategy.
Counter? Massed longbow archery protected by pikemen for the "we hurt you, but you can't hurt us" response.

In WWI aviation, there was the entirely conventional strategy of Attacking Out Of The Sun, because if your opponent couldn't SEE you (until it was too late) the element of surprise and first strike would often win the day.
Counter? Massed formations of planes who would be able to cover each other in which some would survive the first strike from surprise.

In the past decade, in combat against non-state actors, the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) became something of a preferred tactic and strategy for surprise attacks.
Counter? Improved sensors, armor and training to be prepared for ambush.



So this cycle of Measure vs Countermeasure is hardly something new in the history of mankind.

Extending it into the realm of PvP with superpowers, there are going to be matchups where things get "decidedly unfair" in terms of tactics and strategies.

• Teleport Foe onto piles of Trip Mines being a classic (functionally a YOINK! onto a group of IEDs).
• Jousting via excessive speed being another.
• Hover Sniping thanks to extreme Range enhancement has been a favorite in PvE before it became a useful strategy in PvP.
• Mez vs Squishies being something that predates PvP, since it is a major threat in PvE already.
• "Juggling" via repeated Knock* powers that preclude opponents taking actions is another favorite.

My point being that PvP is fundamentally and foundationally UNFAIR to those who participate in it. Trying to make PvP "fair" for everyone and anyone who engages in it is something of a Mug's Game.

So far, the only successful way to "balance" PvP games has been to essentially "lock" Players into a set of predefined classes of combatant (like how Team Fortress 2 or PUBG does it), rather than the BYOB (Bring Your Own Beer Build) method of allowing Players to bring their PvE characters into PvP and EXPECTING everything to "balance" the same way that they do in PvE (where Players mow down hundreds, if not thousands, of Foes between individual defeats).

The "demands" of PvP are NOT the same as the "demands" of PvE ... so of course any system that starts on a foundation of PvE will tend to founder when it needs to cater to the demands of PvP "fairness" in outcomes.

Gets worse when you realize that in PvP, NO ONE wants to engage in a "fair fight" ... because in PvP the motivation is to make the fights as UNFAIR AS POSSIBLE in order to extract an advantage over your opposition that they will find hard to counter.

[healing set bonuses]

The enhancements on Dull Pain are level 50.

Huh.

Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance @ 50 = 26.5%
Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge @ 50 = 26.5%
Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance/Recharge @ 50 = 21.2%

26.5 + 26.5 + 21.2 = 74.2 (pre-ED) ... 73.78 (post-ED) Heal enhancement

Dull Pain = 20 + 20*1.7378 = +54.756% Max Health

1874.1 * 0.54756 = +1026.182196 Max Health from Dull Pain



At this point I'm kind of curious why you would stop at 3-slotting Dull Pain and be using the Doctored Wounds set for this. The healing set bonuses for 3-slots of Doctored Wounds don't seem that impressive to me ... but then again, a proper analysis of that point depends upon a more fulsome context of the rest of your build plan/strategy and what your budget for acquisitions of slots can afford.

I still think that your smartest play would be 6-slot Preventative Medicine in Dull Pain, but if you need the slots elsewhere (always a possibility) and/or your budget for acquisitions can't quite stretch to being able to afford obtaining all 6 enhancements for Preventative Medicine ... Doctored Wounds makes for a decent low budget alternative.

Speaking just for myself, of course ... the 6-slot global bonuses of Preventive Medicine and Reactive Defenses (basically identical) are REALLY hard to pass up. I like putting 6-slot Preventive Medicine into a self-only heal power, with the maximal fallback option being Health if nothing else is suitable in a build plan ... and I like putting 6-slot Reactive Defenses into Leadership: Maneuvers. The combined yield from 6-slotting both sets is:

• 3.75% S/L Resist, 6.25% Mez Resist
• 3.75% Max Health
• 6% F/C Resist, 10% Mez Resist
• 7.5% Endurance Reduction
• 17.5% Recharge Reduction

That's mighty tasty as far as I'm concerned, and a combination that is just really hard to pass up in my own build plans.

Your mileage may vary, of course.

FYI, Dull Pain is 3 slotted with Dr'd Wounds, Heal/End, Heal/Rech, Heal/End/Rech.

Now you tell me.

And what, pray tell, are the levels on the enhancements themselves that you've slotted?

[Tanker AT Max Health]

My max health goes from 2148 to 3174 when I use Dull Pain (~48%). Did you factor this when calculating my survival?

How could I?
You didn't provide that information in your first post. See for yourself.

I just started tanking UG, and I did see my [Invul] tank suddenly die to one of the WW's (luckily Just as the WW also died...), but I'm not sure why; I should have checked the combat log. Having said that, Mids shows my build to have 2148 max HP and 86.43 Energy resist. Does it make sense that LFA would one shot me (so to speak)?

I don't see any reference to use of Dull Pain or how much Health it yields for you in your build.

So, now with information about how much Health you have with Dull Pain active, I can update my calculations.

Tanker AT Max Health = 3534
3534 * 0.3 = 1060.2

My understanding is that War Walkers calculate as Level 56 Foes, making them +3 vs Incarnate 50(+3). Due to Purple Patch modifiers, this increases the amount of damage delivered per DoT tick by +33% @ +3.
1060.2 * 1.33 = 1410.066 Energy damage per tick, 5x over 4s

@ 86.43% (minimum) Energy Resistance * 0.65 Resistance Reduction due to Purple Patch @ -3 = 56.1795% (normalized) Energy Resistance to Lethal Force Authorized
1410.066 * (1-0.561795) = 617.89797153 Energy damage taken per tick, 5x over 4s

617.89797153 * 5 = 3089.48985765 total Energy damage taken over 4 seconds

Your build Max Health: 3174 with Dull Pain
Absorb: 0 (not including Tanker ATO procs)
Regeneration: not specified (presumably lower than +500% total)

With a Regeneration below +500%, you can only "count" on getting in 1 Regeneration tick for 1/20th of your Max Health. Therefore, anticipated margin of survival (not including Dull Pain or Tanker ATO procs) would be:

3174 + 0*5 + 158.7*1 = 3332.7 Max Health available to withstand Lethal Force Authorized hit

3332.7 - 3089.48985765 = +243.21014235 Health (12.97743676% of Base Health for Tanker AT) remaining margin of survival after being hit by Lethal Force Authorized (assuming no additional damage from other sources being taken concurrently)



So if you're taking zero damage from other sources, you should be able to survive getting hit by Lethal Force Authorized ... so long as you've got Dull Pain up.

However, if you ARE taking damage from other sources in addition to Lethal Force Authorized you've got relatively little margin remaining to work with (243.2 Health before faceplant, which isn't all that much in the grand scheme of things). Hits from the mobs accompanying a War Walker could easily stack up enough damage to exceed that margin of survival, if enough of them can hit you (and Invulnerability is not Super Reflexes, so the "philosophy" of protection schemes are quite different).

If you're getting +48% Max Health out of Dull Pain, that leads me to conclude that you've probably got a single common Heal IO @ Level 50 = 42.4% enhancement slotted into Dull Pain and nothing more:

• 20 + 20*1.424 = +48.48% Max Health = 1874.1 * 0.4848 = +908.56368 Max Health

If you were to increase that to a pair of common Heal IOs @ Level 50, you'd be getting 83.32% enhancement after factoring in ED penalties.

• 20 + 20*1.8332 = +56.664% Max Health = 1874.1 * 0.56664 = +1061.940024 Max Health

If you went even further and +5 boosted those 2 common Heal IOs to be @ Level 50+5, you'd be getting 95.9% enhancement after factoring in ED penalties.

• 20 + 20*1.959 = +59.18% Max Health = 1874.1 * 0.5918 = +1109.09238 Max Health

If I were in your place, I'd be looking for some way to either 3-6-slot Dull Pain with a Healing Set of some variety.

3 and 4 slot choices would probably involve Numina's Convalescence.
Obvious 5 slot choices would be Regenerative Tissue or Doctored Wounds.
But the real prize would be 6-slotting Preventative Medicine into Dull Pain, with the objective of making Dull Pain perma (including multi-stacking, if you've got enough global recharge in your build).

Just a thought.

[Tanker AT Max Health]

Having said that, Mids shows my build to have 2148 max HP and 86.43 Energy resist. Does it make sense that LFA would one shot me (so to speak)?

Let's run the numbers! 



Tanker AT Max Health = 3534
3534 * 0.3 = 1060.2

My understanding is that War Walkers calculate as Level 56 Foes, making them +3 vs Incarnate 50(+3). Due to Purple Patch modifiers, this increases the amount of damage delivered per DoT tick by +33% @ +3.
1060.2 * 1.33 = 1410.066 Energy damage per tick, 5x over 4s

@ 86.43% (minimum) Energy Resistance * 0.65 Resistance Reduction due to Purple Patch @ -3 = 56.1795% (normalized) Energy Resistance to Lethal Force Authorized
1410.066 * (1-0.561795) = 617.89797153 Energy damage taken per tick, 5x over 4s

617.89797153 * 5 = 3089.48985765 total Energy damage taken over 4 seconds



Your build Max Health: 2148 (presumably changed by Dull Pain?)
Absorb: 0 (not including Tanker ATO procs)
Regeneration: not specified (presumably lower than +500% total)

With a Regeneration below +500%, you can only "count" on getting in 1 Regeneration tick for 1/20th of your Max Health. Therefore, anticipated margin of survival (not including Dull Pain or Tanker ATO procs) would be:

2148 + 0*5 + 107.4*1 = 2255.4 Max Health available to withstand Lethal Force Authorized hit

2255.4 - 3089.48985765 = -834.08985765 Health shortfall in survival = Faceplant in 3 seconds (with 1 second of DoT remaining)

Does it make sense that LFA would one shot me (so to speak)?

If I'm correct with my analysis (hence why I "show my work" to encourage peer review) ... it absolutely makes sense that LFA would one shot you.

Potential counter-measures you could use would be:

• WAIT to activate Dull Pain until AFTER the DoT ticks of LFA start. This lets you use the heal of Dull Pain to help offset the damage incoming from LFA.
• Be READY to use Green Inspiration(s) to heal the damage taken from LFA while the DoTs are damaging you.
• Respec to add Gadgetry: Force Barrier (and slot it for heal+recharge!) to give you a +Absorb that will "close the gap" on your survival deficit when active.
• Respec to add more +Max Health from powers and/or set bonuses into your build strategy.
• Respec to add more +Regeneration from powers and/or set bonuses into your build strategy. Martial Prowess for Tankers will allow you to increase your Max Health AND Regeneration by taking Battle Hardened and Valiance.
• Respec to add the Unbreakable Guard: +7.5% Max HP set IO somewhere in your build. This single slot will add +140.56 Health to your build all by itself (as a Tanker).

To be honest, though, I think that slotting up Dull Pain would probably be your best play. Dull Pain by itself will add +40% Max Health for 120s to you, before enhancement. Slotting in +100% Heal enhancement into Dull Pain would increase that to +60% Max Health.

1874.1 * 0.6 = +1124.46 Max Health

2148 + 1124.46 = 3272.46 (92.59932088% of Tanker AT Max Health limit of 3534)

3272.46 - 3089.48985765 = +182.97014235 Health remaining margin of survival after being hit by Lethal Force Authorized (assuming no additional damage from other sources being taken concurrently)



Your BEST opportunity for success at surviving Lethal Force Authorized, given the scant details you've provided, would be to combine Dull Pain with Gadgetry: Force Barrier to REALLY layer on the protection ... while keeping Heal Inspirations in reserve (and being ready to use them within the 4 second window of taking damage!) for "if in doubt, break glass" type edge cases that might possibly occur.

Ideally speaking, you want as much "margin" as you can get on your odds to survive taking Lethal Force Authorized. I'm thinking some combination of the above recommendations will help you to close that gap relatively effectively. However, bringing all the parts and pieces together in a manner advantageous to you would require a holistic examination of your complete build strategy. Hopefully, with the tools I've provided and demonstrated above, you should be able to make the necessary calculations on your own to determine what the margin of survival for your build strategy actually IS (positive you live, negative you fall in battle) and what modifications you might like to make in Mids' that would be needed for you to shift those odds more in your favor.

[Gauntlet]

Level 1: Gauntlet
Level 1: Brawl

• (A) Hamidon Origin: Nucleolus Exposure (Accuracy/Damage)

Level 1: Prestige Power Slide

• (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50

Level 1: Sprint

• (A) Celerity - +Stealth: Level 15

Level 1: Prestige Power Surge

• (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50+5

Level 1: Prestige Power Dash

• (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50

Level 1: Prestige Power Quick

• (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50

Level 1: Prestige Power Rush

• (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50

Level 2: Rest

• (A) Inexhaustability - Out of Combat +Hit Points/Endurance: Attuned

Level 2: Swift

• (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50+5

Level 2: Hurdle

• (A) Jumping IO: Level 50+5

Level 2: Health (Heal: 71.35%) {Regeneration: 68.54%}

• (A) Numina's Convalescence - Endurance/Heal/Absorb: Level 31+5
  
• (8 ) Numina's Convalescence - Heal: Level 31+5
  
• (16) Numina's Convalescence - 10% Recovery and 20% Regeneration: Level 30

Level 2: Stamina (Endurance Mod: 100.508375%) {Recovery: 50.12709375%}

• (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End (1.5 PPM): Level 21
  
  • 1.5 * 10 / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 40,000))) = 25%
• (12) Performance Shifter - EndMod: Level 27+5
  
• (22) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Accuracy: Level 27+5

Level 4: Ninja Run or Beast Run

Level 50: Alpha Agility Radial Paragon
Level 50: Judgement Ion Radial Final Judgement
Level 50: Interface Reactive Radial Flawless Interface
Level 50: Lore Robotic Drones Core Superior Ally
Level 50: Destiny Rebirth Radial Epiphany
Level 50: Hybrid Assault Radial Embodiment
Level 50: Genesis Socket Radial Flawless (+10 Max Endurance, +10% Max Health)

Freedom Phalanx Reserve / High Pain Threshold: +10% Max Health
Portal Jockey / Born In Battle: +5 Max Endurance, +5% Max Health
Received the Atlas Medallion / Marshal: +5 Max Endurance
Task Force Commander / Invader: +5% Max Health


Set Bonuses (to verify The Law of Fives is not being violated)

2.5% Damage (Shield Wall: 5)
3% Damage (Overwhelming Force: 3)
4% Damage (Superior Might of the Tanker: 2)
= +9.5%

3% Defense All (Steadfast Protection: 1)
3% Defense All (Gladiator's Armor: 1)
= +6%

5% Defense Melee, 2.5% Defense S/L (Superior Gauntleted Fist: 5)

1.25% Defense Ranged, 2.5% Defense E/N (Overwhelming Force: 5)
1.5625% Defense Ranged, 3.125% Defense E/N (Eradication: 3)
= +2.8125%

3.125% Defense AoE, 1.5625% Defense F/C (Eradication: 6)

3.75% Endurance Discount (Preventive Medicine: 5)
3.75% Endurance Discount (Reactive Defenses: 5)
= +7.5%

1.8% Max Endurance (Gift of the Ancients: 4)
1.8% Max Endurance (Gift of the Ancients: 4)
1.8% Max Endurance (Eradication: 2)
3.6% Max Endurance (Superior Gauntleted Fist: 2)
3.6% Max Endurance (Superior Vampire's Bite: 4)
= +12.6%

1.5% Max Health (Overwhelming Force: 4)
1.5% Max Health (Panacea: 4)
1.875% Max Health (Preventive Medicine: 3)
1.875% Max Health (Reactive Defenses: 3)
1.875% Max Health (Numina's Convalescence: 3)
1.875% Max Health (Numina's Convalescence: 3)
1.875% Max Health (Performance Shifter: 3)
2.25% Max Health (Shield Wall: 3)
2.25% Max Health (Shield Wall: 3)
2.25% Max Health (Shield Wall: 3)
2.25% Max Health (Eradication: 4)
2.25% Max Health (Eradication: 4)
3% Max Health (Superior Might of the Tanker: 3)
3% Max Health (Superior Vampire's Bite: 3)
7.5% Max Health (Unbreakable Guard: 1)
= +37.125%

7.5% Movement (Gift of the Ancients: 1)
7.5% Movement (Gift of the Ancients: 1)
7.5% Movement (Gift of the Ancients: 1)
7.5% Movement (Performance Shifter: 2)
= +30%

7.5% Recharge (Panacea: 5)
7.5% Recharge (Luck of the Gambler: 1)
7.5% Recharge (Luck of the Gambler: 1)
8.75% Recharge (Preventive Medicine: 6)
8.75% Recharge (Reactive Defenses: 6)
10% Recharge (Superior Might of the Tanker: 4)
10% Recharge (Superior Vampire's Bite: 6)
= +60%

2% Recovery (Gift of the Ancients: 2)
2% Recovery (Gift of the Ancients: 2)
2.5% Recovery (Panacea: 2)
10% Recovery (Numina's Convalescence: 1)
= +16.5%

10% Regeneration (Shield Wall: 2)
10% Regeneration (Shield Wall: 2)
10% Regeneration (Shield Wall: 2)
10% Regeneration (Shield Wall: 2)
10% Regeneration (Panacea: 3)
12% Regeneration (Overwhelming Force: 2)
12% Regeneration (Eradication: 5)
12% Regeneration (Numina's Convalescence: 2)
12% Regeneration (Numina's Convalescence: 2)
16% Regeneration (Superior Gauntleted Fist: 5)
16% Regeneration (Superior Vampire's Bite: 5)
20% Regeneration (Numina's Convalescence: 1)
= +150%

3% (to 13%) Resistance All (Reactive Defenses: 1)
5% Resistance All (Shield Wall: 1)
= +8% (to 18%)

1.5% Resistance S/L, 2.5% Resistance Mez (Reactive Defenses: 2)
2.25% Resistance S/L, 3.75% Resistance Mez (Preventive Medicine: 2)
6% Resistance S/L, 10% Resistance Mez (Superior Might of the Tanker: 6)
6% Resistance S/L, 10% Resistance Mez (Superior Gauntleted Fist: 6)
= +15.75% S/L

1.5% Resistance E/N, 2.5% Resistance Mez (Titanium Coating: 2)
3.75% Resistance E/N, 6.25% Resistance Mez (Gift of the Ancients: 5)
3.75% Resistance E/N, 6.25% Resistance Mez (Gift of the Ancients: 5)
4.5% Resistance E/N, 7.5% Resistance Mez (Shield Wall: 4)
4.5% Resistance E/N, 7.5% Resistance Mez (Shield Wall: 4)
4.5% Resistance E/N, 7.5% Resistance Mez (Shield Wall: 4)
4.5% Resistance E/N, 7.5% Resistance Mez (Shield Wall: 4)
6% Resistance E/N, 10% Resistance Mez (Superior Gauntleted Fist: 3)
6% Resistance E/N, 10% Resistance Mez (Superior Vampire's Bite: 2)
= +39% E/N

2.25% Resistance F/C, 3.75% Resistance Mez (Gift of the Ancients: 3)
2.25% Resistance F/C, 3.75% Resistance Mez (Gift of the Ancients: 3)
3% Resistance F/C, 5% Resistance Mez (Preventive Medicine: 4)
3% Resistance F/C, 5% Resistance Mez (Reactive Defenses: 4)
6% Resistance F/C, 10% Resistance Mez (Superior Gauntleted Fist: 6)
= +16.5% F/C

6% Resistance T/P, 10% Resistance Mez (Superior Might of the Tanker: 5)

= +128.75% Mez


Combat Relevant Stats, pulled from in-game on a completed build:

• Base
  
  • Max Absorb Points: 295.92
    
  • Max Hit Points: 3405.14
    
  • Max Endurance: 137.26
    
  • Regeneration Rate: 2.46% (83.88 hp/sec)
    
  • Recovery Rate: 2.78%/sec (3.81 end/sec)
    
  • Endurance Consumption: 1.31%/sec (1.82 end/sec) ... Stealth: on, Hover: off ... 1.42%/sec (1.98 end/sec) with Stealth: on and Hover: on
    
  • ToHit Bonus: 83.54%
    
  • Damage Bonus: 30%
    
  • Healing Bonus: 0%
    
  • Recharge Time Bonus: 80%
    
  • Endurance Discount: 6.97%

• Damage Resistance
  
  • Smashing Resistance: 23.75%
    
  • Lethal Resistance: 23.75%
    
  • Fire Resistance: 24.50%
    
  • Cold Resistance: 24.50%
    
  • Energy Resistance: 47%
    
  • Negative Energy Resistance: 47%
    
  • Psionic Resistance: 14%
    
  • Toxic Resistance: 14%

• Defense (in combat, Stealth: yes, Hover: no, Blitz: no)
  
  • Ranged Defense: 64.37%
    
  • Melee Defense: 66.12%
    
  • AoE Defense: 64.69%
    
  • Smashing Defense: 18.97%
    
  • Lethal Defense: 18.97%
    
  • Fire Defense: 18.03%
    
  • Cold Defense: 18.03%
    
  • Energy Defense: 22.09%
    
  • Negative Energy Defense: 22.09%
    
  • Psionic Defense: 16.47%

• Debuff Resistance
  
  • Regeneration Resistance: 0%
    
  • Recovery Resitance: 0%
    
  • ToHit Resitance: 0%
    
  • Recharge Time Resistance: 40%
    
  • Defense Resistance: 95%

• Status Effect Protection
  
  • Hold: 13
    
  • Immobilize: 13
    
  • Stun: 13
    
  • Sleep: 13
    
  • Knockback: 10
    
  • Confuse: 16.6
    
  • Terrorize: 0
    
  • Repel: 0
    
  • Attract: 0
    
  • Teleport Protection: 0-200%

• Status Effect Resistance
  
  • Hold Resistance: 43.72% duration
    
  • Immobilize Resistance: 43.72% duration
    
  • Stun Resistance: 43.72% duration
    
  • Sleep Resistance: 32.85% duration
    
  • Confuse: 36.88% duration
    
  • Terrorize: 36.88% duration
    
  • Placate Resistance: 70.23% duration
    
  • Taunt Resistance: 70.23% duration

1/20th of 3405.14 Max Health every 12 seconds = 170.257 Regeneration tick every 12 seconds (base)
12 / (1+6.0196745) = 1.70948097 seconds per Regeneration tick
170.257 / 1.70948097 = 99.595727 Health / second

1/15th of 137.26 Max Endurance every 4 seconds = 9.15066667 Recovery tick every 4 seconds (base)
4 / (1+0.66627094) = 2.40056998 seconds per Recovery tick
9.15066667 / 2.40056998 = 3.81187249 Endurance / second


{Updated} Surviving a War Walker's Lethal Force Authorized as a Main Tank theory crafting:

Tanker AT Max Health = 3534
3534 * 0.3 = 1060.2

My understanding is that War Walkers calculate as Level 56 Foes, making them +3 vs Incarnate 50(+3). Due to Purple Patch modifiers, this increases the amount of damage delivered per DoT tick by +33% @ +3.
1060.2 * 1.33 = 1410.066 Energy damage per tick, 5x over 4s

@ 47% (minimum) Energy Resistance * 0.65 Resistance Reduction due to Purple Patch @ -3 = 30.55% (normalized) Energy Resistance to Lethal Force Authorized
1410.066 * (1-0.3055) = 979.290837 Energy damage taken per tick, 5x over 4s

979.290837 * 5 = 4896.454185 total Energy damage taken over 4 seconds

Build Max Health: 3405.14 (96.35370685% of Tanker AT Max Health)
Practiced Brawler: +295.92 Absorb every 0.5s
Regeneration ticks: +170.257 Health every 1.70948097s

3405.14 + 295.92*5 + 170.257*2 = 5225.254 Health available to withstand Lethal Force Authorized assuming 5 ticks of Practiced Brawler +Absorb against 5 ticks of Energy damage

Health Margin: 5225.254 - 4896.454185 = +328.799815 Health remaining (17.54441145% of Tanker AT base Health of 1874.1) after being hit by Lethal Force Authorized

This means that it's possible to "lose" ONE of the Practiced Brawler Absorb ticks to some other source of damage and still (just barely!) survive:

3405.14 + 295.92*4 + 170.257*2 = 4929.334 Health available to withstand Lethal Force Authorized assuming 4 ticks of Practiced Brawler +Absorb against 5 ticks of Energy damage

Health Margin: 4929.334 - 4896.454185 = +32.879815 Heath remaining (1.75443226% of Tanker AT base Health of 1874.1) after being hit by Lethal Force Authorized

Healing Inspirations
Respite: +25% Health
Dramatic Improvement: +33% Health
Resurgence: +50% Health
Health Imbuement: +25% Health to Teammates within 20ft
Health Imbuement: +33% Health to Teammates within 20ft

ANY Health Inspiration can be used while taking damage from Lethal Force Authorized to add "survival margin" if also taking damage from additional Foes accompanying the War Walkers.

My thought is to use Health Inspirations while pulling War Walkers into position as the main tank, when melee attacks (and thus, Tanker ATO procs) are not available to buttress your margin for survival against Lethal Force Authorized (after the damage ticks start draining your green bar). 1 Health Inspiration (any) per hit from Lethal Force Authorized should be sufficient to ensure a decent margin of survival.

However, once the War Walkers are in position and the league has been summoned for the beatdown, melee attacks with intent to proc Tanker ATOs will add greatly to the margin for survival against Lethal Force Authorized ... by adding +Resistance (all) and +Absorb procs for additional protection. So in practice, the Healing Inspirations should only be needed during the pull phase(s), mainly for safety, but not so much during the beatdown phase(s).

As a main tanker, my personal preference for a repeating attack rotation in melee range with the intent to grab and sustain aggro of a (high priority) single target is:

• Warrior's Provocation (Taunt)
• Throwing Dagger (Regeneration debuff)
• Storm Kick (Bruising debuff, +Defense buff and Superior Might of the Tanker +Resistance proc)
• Cobra Strike (Superior Gauntleted Fist +Absorb proc)

• Repeat

Warning: This build is NOT CHEAP (5x PvP sets, for starters, plus all those Enhancement Boosters!) on the budget, so anyone who wants to replicate it for themselves ... be prepared to SPEND lots of resources acquiring all the parts and pieces ... but in the end, it's all worth it!

Additionally, for anyone looking at this and thinking it would be possible to do this on a Praetorian who stays Goldside and never becomes a Hero or a Villain, I've got some bad news for you. Any "forever gold" Praetorian Incarnate is going to be missing out on Accolades which are only available to Heroes and Villains, which add +20% Max Health ... which translates into -374.82 Max Health. Considering that the 5 ticks of Practiced Brawler +Absorb against 5 ticks of Energy damage from Lethal Force Authorized had only a +365.44275025 Health margin of survival, subtracting -374.82 from that would once again have the build (as a Praetorian Incarnate) falling agonizingly short of being able to withstand Lethal Force Authorized without needing to resort to use of Inspirations. Therefore, my recommendation to anyone who wants to use this build for main tanking in the Underground iTrial had better be Blueside or Redside with the requisite Accolades in order to get the Complete Package™ outlined in this posting.



As for how it feels to play this newly restructured for Rebirth Issue 6 NO GET HITSU!! build ...

[Level 50]

Level 50 Natural Tanker
Primary Power Set {8}: Super Reflexes
Secondary Power Set {6}: Martial Arts
Power Pool {1}: Teleportation
Power Pool {3}: Leadership
Power Pool {1}: Concealment
Power Pool {1}: Flight
Epic Power Pool {4}: Martial Prowess

Hero Profile


Level 1: Focused Fighting (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 47.39125%, R: 69.84375%) (Defense: 71.748675%) {Defense Melee: 31.77350488}

• (A) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance: Level 27+5
  
• (21) Shield Wall - Defense/Recharge: Level 27+5
  
• (23) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
  
• (23) Shield Wall - Defense: Level 27+5
  
  
  Level 1: Thunder Kick (A: 66.25%, D: 89.925%, E: 66.25%, R: 78.05%)
  
  • (A) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage: Attuned
    
  • (13) Overwhelming Force - Endurance/Recharge: Attuned
    
  • (13) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Attuned
    
  • (15) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Attuned
    
  • (15) Overwhelming Force - Damage/20% Chance of Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown: Attuned
    
  • (50) Hetacomb - Chance of 107.1 Negative Energy damage (4.5 PPM): Level 50
    
    • 4.5 * ((3 / ( 1 + 78.05 / 100 )) + 0.83) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 40,000))) = 18.86189975%
  • Hybrid Assault Radial Embodiment (6.0 PPM)
    
    • 6.0 * ((3 / ( 1 + 78.05 / 100 )) + 0.83) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 40,000))) = 25.14919966%
  
  Level 2: Storm Kick (A: 81.5344%, D: 101.36645%, E: 49.689%, R: 123.52575%)
  
  • (A) Superior Might of the Tanker - Accuracy/Damage: Attuned
    
  • (3) Superior Might of the Tanker - Damage/Recharge: Attuned
    
  • (3) Superior Might of the Tanker - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Attuned
    
  • (7) Superior Might of the Tanker - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Attuned
    
  • (9) Superior Might of the Tanker - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Attuned
    
  • (11) Superior Might of the Tanker - Recharge/Chance of +6.7% Resistance for 10.25s (6.0 PPM): Attuned
    
    • 6.0 * ((6 / ( 1 + 123.52575 / 100 )) + 0.83) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 40,000))) = 35.14254499%
  • Hybrid Assault Radial Embodiment (6.0 PPM)
    
    • 6.0 * ((6 / ( 1 + 123.52575 / 100 )) + 0.83) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 40,000))) = 35.14254499%
  
  Level 4: Cobra Strike (A: 81.5344%, D: 101.36645%, E: 49.689%, R: 123.52575%)
  
  • (A) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Accuracy/Damage: Attuned
    
  • (5) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Damage/Recharge: Attuned
    
  • (5) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Attuned
    
  • (7) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Attuned
    
  • (9) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Attuned
    
  • (11) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Recharge/Chance for +15% Max Health Absorb for 20s (3.0 PPM): Attuned
    
    • 3.0 * ((10 / ( 1 + 123.52575 / 100 )) + 1.67) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 40,000))) = 30.71878749%
  • Hybrid Assault Radial Embodiment (6.0 PPM)
    
    • 6.0 * ((10 / ( 1 + 123.52575 / 100 )) + 1.67) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 40,000))) = 61.43757498%
  
  Level 6: Practiced Brawler (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 73.348%, R: 105.248%) (Heal: 97.37675) {Absorb: 295.92301374}
  
  • (A) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb: Level 20
    
  • (17) Preventive Medicine - Heal: Level 27+5
    
  • (17) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance: Level 27+5
    
  • (19) Preventive Medicine - Recharge/Endurance: Level 27
    
  • (19) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (21) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
  
  Level 8: Focused Senses (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 47.39125%, R: 80.39125%) (Defense: 74.1158625%) {Defense Ranged: 32.21143456}
  
  • (A) Gift of the Ancients - Defense/Endurance: Level 27+5
    
  • (25) Gift of the Ancients - Defense/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (25) Gift of the Ancients - Defense/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (27) Gift of the Ancients - Defense: Level 27+5
    
  • (27) Gift of the Ancients - Defense/Increased Movement Speed: Level 27+5
  
  Level 10: Warrior's Provocation (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 0%, R: 33%) (Taunt: 53%) {Mag 4 Taunt for 62.73s}
  
  • (A) Taunt IO: Level 50+5
  
  Level 12: Evasion (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 47.39125%, R: 80.39125%) (Defense: 74.1158625%) {Defense AoE: 32.21143456}
  
  • (A) Gift of the Ancients - Defense/Endurance: Level 27+5
    
  • (29) Gift of the Ancients - Defense/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (29) Gift of the Ancients - Defense/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (31) Gift of the Ancients - Defense: Level 27+5
    
  • (31) Gift of the Ancients - Defense/Increased Movement Speed: Level 27+5
  
  Level 14: Dodge (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 47.39125%, R: 69.84375%) (Defense: 71.748675%, Resistance: 4.375%) {Defense Melee: 12.88115062}
  
  • (A) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance: Level 27+5
    
  • (31) Shield Wall - Defense/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (33) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (33) Shield Wall - Defense: Level 27+5
    
  • (33) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/3% Defense: Level 10
    
  • (34) Gladiator's Armor - 20% chance of +100% Resistance Teleport for 10.25s/3% Defense: Level 10
  
  Level 16: Agile  (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 47.39125%, R: 69.84375%) (Defense: 71.748675%, Resistance: 21.125%) {Defense Ranged: 12.88115062}
  
  • (A) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance: Level 27+5
    
  • (34) Shield Wall - Defense/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (34) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (37) Shield Wall - Defense: Level 27+5
    
  • (46) Titanium Coating - Resistance: Level 27+5
    
  • (48) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Endurance: Level 27+5
  
  Level 18: Lucky  (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 47.39125%, R: 69.84375%) (Defense: 71.748675%) {Defense AoE: 12.88115062, Max Health: +140.5575}
  
  • (A) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance: Level 27+5
    
  • (40) Shield Wall - Defense/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (42) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (43) Shield Wall - Defense: Level 27+5
    
  • (43) Shield Wall - 20% chance of +100% Resistance Teleport for 10.25s/5% Resistance All: Level 25
    
  • (43) Unbreakable Guard - +7.5% Max Health: Level 20
  
  Level 20: Blink (A: 26.5%, D: 26.5%, E: 26.5%, R: 33%) (Defense: 20%) {Defense: 6.96%}
  Warning: This power can teleport you to the "wrong side" of world geometry when Foes are clipping through walls.
  
  • (A) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50+5
    
  • Hybrid Assault Radial Embodiment (6.0 PPM)
    
    • 6.0 * ((4 / ( 1 + 33 / 100 )) + 1) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 40,000))) = 40.07518797%
  
  Level 22: Maneuvers  (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 57.3%, R: 90.3%)  (Defense: 70.0473%) {Defense: +3.87}
  
  • (A) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage: Level 20
    
  • (45) Reactive Defenses - Defense: Level 22+5
    
  • (45) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance: Level 22+5
    
  • (45) Reactive Defenses - Endurance/RechargeTime: Level 22
    
  • (46) Reactive Defenses - Defense/RechargeTime: Level 22+5
    
  • (46) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance/RechargeTime: Level 22+5
  
  Level 24: Tactics (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 36.663%, R: 33%) (ToHit: 22%) (ToHit Buff: +8.54)
  
  • (A) Hamidon Origin: Cytoskeleton Exposure++ (+Defense/+ToHit/Endurance Reduction)
  
  Level 26: Quickness (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 0%, R: 0%) (Fly: 33%, Heal: 53%, Run: 33%) {Fly: 18.15%, Regeneration: 107.1%, Run: 46.55%}
  
  • (A) Heal IO: Level 50+5
  
  Level 28: Assault (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 53%, R: 33%) (Damage: +10.5%)
  
  • (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50+5
  
  Level 30: Stealth (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 0%, R: 0%) (Defense: +32%) {Defense All: +3.3 (+3.3 out of combat)}
  
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 25
  
  Level 32: Hover (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 0%, R: 0%) (Defense: +32%, Fly: 33%) {Defense All: +3.3, Fly: 66.5%}
  
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 25
  
  Level 35: Dragon's Tail (A: 65.82125%, D: 96.1919375%, E: 18.43%, R: 117.4725%)
  
  • (A) Eradication - Damage: Level 27+5
    
  • (36) Eradication - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (36) Eradication - Damage/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (36) Eradication - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (37) Eradication - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (37) Eradication - Chance of Energy damage (3.5 PPM): Level 27+5
    
    • 3.5 * ((14 / ( 1 + 117.4725 / 100 )) + 1.5) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 8 * (11 * 360 + 540) / 40,000))) = 27.64336762% per $Target
  
  Level 38: Eagle's Claw (A: 96.3974%, D: 101.36645%, E: 81.5344%, R: 104.4902%)
  
  • (A) Superior Vampire's Bite - Accuracy/Damage: Attuned
    
  • (39) Superior Vampire's Bite - Damage/Endurance: Attuned
    
  • (39) Superior Vampire's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Attuned
    
  • (39) Superior Vampire's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Attuned
    
  • (40) Superior Vampire's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Attuned
    
  • (40) Superior Vampire's Bite - Recharge/Chance to Heal (5.0 PPM): Attuned
    
    • 5.0 * ((12 / ( 1 + 104.4902 / 100 )) + 2.53) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 40,000))) = 69.985432%
  
  Level 41: Battle Hardened (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 0%, R: 0%) (Endurance Modification: 33%, Heal: 94.3%) {Max Endurance: +4.655, Max Health: +273.10808}
  
  • (A) Numina's Convalescence - Healing/Absorb/Endurance: Level 31+5
    
  • (42) Numina's Convalescence - Healing/Absorb/Recharge: Level 31+5
    
  • (42) Numina's Convalescence - Healing/Absorb: Level 31+5
  
  Level 44: Art of War (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 0%, R: 0%)
  
  Level 47: Valiance (A: 0%, D: 0%, E: 47.39125%, R: 80.39125%) (Heal: 97.37675%) {Regeneration (Self): 157.9014%, Regeneration (Allies): 118.42605%}
  Note: Panacea procs can grant +HP and +END to all affected $Targets, rather than being coded as Self (caster) only, making it an excellent choice for AoE Heal effects (including those generated by pseudopets).
  
  • (A) Panacea - Chance for +HP and +End (3.0 PPM): Level 10
    
    • 3.0 * 10 / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 30 * (11 * 360 + 540) / 40,000))) = 14.159% per $Target
  • (48) Panacea - Heal/Endurance: Level 27+5
    
  • (48) Panacea - Heal/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (50) Panacea - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
    
  • (50) Panacea - Heal: Level 27+5
  
  Level 49: Throwing Dagger (A: 26.5%, D: 26.5%, E: 26.5%, R: 33%)
  
  • (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50+5
    
  • Hybrid Assault Radial Embodiment (6.0 PPM)
    
    • 6.0 * ((10 / ( 1 + 33 / 100 )) + 1.00) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 40,000))) = 85.18796992%

[Lethal Force Authorized]

Apparently, I was wrong with my computations.

Actually, even more wrong than THAT.

What I've been able to determine via experimental means (via faceplanting when I was sure I wouldn't by a decent margin) is that Lethal Force Authorized is even more MEAN than I'd thought it could be.

Generically speaking ...



{Updated} Surviving a War Walker's Lethal Force Authorized as a Main Tank theory crafting:

Tanker AT Max Health = 3534
3534 * 0.3 = 1060.2

My understanding is that War Walkers calculate as Level 56 Foes, making them +3 vs Incarnate 50(+3). Due to Purple Patch modifiers, this increases the amount of damage delivered per DoT tick by +33% @ +3.
1060.2 * 1.33 = 1410.066 Energy damage per tick, 5x over 4s dealt to Tankers



For anyone keeping score at home:

1410.066 * 5 / 3534 = 1.995

In other words, the raw base damage output of Lethal Force Authorized is 199.5% of ANY ARCHETYPE'S Max Health dealt over 4 seconds, when you normalize the yield. It really is Lethal Force Authorized ... because it is deliberately scaled to do 2x Max Health to everyone it hits (and the way it hits bypasses Defense protection, so Defense can't and won't save you).

Additionally, the quantity of damage being delivered is so high that I don't even think the Regeneration powerset can natively withstand getting hit by Lethal Force Authorized. You would basically need to have enough Regeneration to reach 5% of Max Health per second(!), which starts getting into the +1100% Regeneration (and higher) realm, while ALSO being as close to the Max Health cap for your Archetype as you can get. And as is always the case with Regeneration as a protection scheme ... More Is Better™ ... when it comes time to calculate the odds of survival, especially if you're taking more hits from additional Foes than JUST the Lethal Force Authorized damage input.



So if you need to withstand 199.5% of the Max Health for your Archetype in order to survive being hit by Lethal Force Authorized ... what are your options?

• Get as close to Max Health as is practical for your build strategy
• Maximize your Energy Resistance as much as practical for your build strategy
• Include a +Absorb(self) power, and/or reliable +Absorb proc(s), in your build strategy
• Scrape together as much +Regeneration as is practical for your build strategy
• Use Inspirations (Resistance prior to being hit, Heal once the damage starts biting into you)

Building for Max Health "makes sense" given the context, but what about Energy Resistance? How much Energy Resistance "is enough" for you to survive being hit by Lethal Force Authorized?

And it's at this point that the Purple Patch modifiers start to bite again in the other direction. Against something that is +3 to you, your Resistances normalize as being 0.65x their effectiveness against incoming attacks from +3 Foes.

This means that an 80% Energy Resistance against +0 Foes will "normalize" as being (effectively) a 52% Energy Resistance against a +3 War Walker hitting you with Lethal Force Authorized.

80 * 0.65 = 52

And again, for anyone playing along with the home game, that's barely enough (by itself) to survive being hit by Lethal Force Authorized (assuming you're "undamaged" when the LFA damage starts).

199.5% of Max Health * (1-0.52) = 95.76% of Max Health for your Archetype



There are additional mitigating factors that you can count in your favor, such as 1/20th of Max Health Regeneration ticks (however quickly those happen). At between +500% and +800% Regeneration (total), you'll be receiving Regeneration ticks every 2.0-1.3 seconds, which is good enough for 2-3 Regeneration ticks during the 4s duration of Lethal Force Authorized incoming DoT ticks. Assuming 2 Regeneration ticks, for +500% (or more) Regeneration (total), is the equivalent to having +10% additional Max Health on top of your existing (actual) Max Health.

+Absorb shielding, particularly that applied via quick (0.5 second) activation toggle powers is especially valuable, because such +Absorb shielding can "take the edge off" each of the 5x Energy damage ticks of Lethal Force Authorized, which can then be "traded" for lower Energy Resistance and/or reduced pressure on Max Health (up to a point). Slower +Absorb powers, such as Sorcery: Spirit Ward and Gadgetry: Force Barrier can certainly help in adding to the "margin of survival" ... as well as +Absorb procs (Tanker Gauntleted Fist ATO and Hold Entomb, for example) can also be beneficial.

Point is that you're going to need a confluence of "high" Health (closer to Max for your AT is better), "high" Energy Resistance, "plentiful" Absorb and/or "high" Regeneration factors in order to be able to successfully take the brunt of a Lethal Force Authorized hit, as a Main Tank, and survive.



Unfortunately, as Kismet has pointed out (and I've been able to experimentally confirm), it's possible for 2 Taunters to be close enough to each other (within 30ft) such that when Lethal Force Authorized gets used, it hits them both ... and because they're close enough to each other, the 30ft radius of AoE surrounding each Taunter overlaps, meaning that both Taunters get a DOUBLE DOSE of Lethal Force Authorized when it's used.

So now instead of trying to withstand 199.5% of your AT's Max Health in (raw) Energy damage over 4 seconds ... now you need to be able to withstand a double dose ... so try to survive being hit for 399% of your AT's Max Health (good luck!).



In a LOT of ways, the best "protection" (scheme) against Lethal Force Authorized is to have high Energy Resistance (80%+). If you can't obtain Energy Resistances that high, you're going to need to invest in +Absorb powers and/or procs, along with +Max Health options (many of which will include +Regeneration when looking at invention set bonuses).

There are multiple ways to "balance the equation" of survival (in your favor) against Lethal Force Authorized, so this isn't a challenge/hurdle that has ONE AND ONLY ONE solution to it. However, depending on the details of your build strategy and choices of powersets, it may become something of a "close run thing" with little margin for error or additional incoming damage from other sources concurrently when being hit by Lethal Force Authorized.



Ranged attackers SHOULD NOT have to worry about Lethal Force Authorized, as a matter of practicality.

So long as ranged attackers stay more than 30ft+ distant from the aggro magnet, ranged attackers will not need to worry about being Targeted or being hit by any special attacks from War Walkers.

Ideally speaking, only melee attackers should be "at risk" of being within 30ft of the aggro magnet (because, melee range attacks), and if you DO get Targeted (check your buff bar!), the simplest way to survive without getting hit by Lethal Force Authorized is to simply make a temporary retreat (in many cases, 10-15ft will often times suffice). Melee are only vulnerable if they get too close to (being within 30ft of) the aggro magnet.

[Resistance to Mez works]

I was thinking of a power called "Heavy Mass", initially it was slated to be (+resistance to: Knockback, Hold, Immobilize, Attract, Repel, Teleport, -speed(fly, run, jump), res debuff(speed, recovery, regen, defense)) but no mez resist!

Since this is intended to be a melee (Tanker) set of powers, I can tell you right now ... if you design a melee powerset with NO Mag Protection in it, no one will play it.

Even with Max Resistance to Mez, the way that Resistance to Mez works is like endurance reduction or recharge reduction.

Base Duration / (1 + Mez Resistance/100) = Mez Duration in gameplay

So a 100% Mez Resistance merely cuts the duration by 1/2 ... it does not cut the duration to zero.
In order to be protected from Mez, you need to have a power that offers -Mag to Mez in its effects.

I'm with you on most of it until we hit the -regen on it.

Spacetime curvature yields time dilation was the idea.
Also, you can't have a direct port of another power in the game (except for a cosmetic name change) without "cheapening" both the original AND the knock-off power. Ideally you want each powerset to have its own "unique spin" on powers, to prevent powersets from becoming interchangeable.

I love the Gravity Whip idea

one thing though:

'If the Foe is "too close" (under 10ft) then it does major damage and a big Knockback (think Force Field: Repulsion Bolt of mag 11+ type knockback).'


not sure if want. as a tank the last thing you want is to knock targets out of melee range

Under most nominal circumstances, no.
This is the basic reason why I have no love for Crane Kick in the Martial Arts powerset, for example. It does significant knockback (randomly), which is counterproductive in a melee range context.

However, on a powerset that can "pull AND push" things get a bit different. If you organize the powers in such a way as to effectively use knock(about) as something of a soft control, things can get interesting.

An alternative to a knockBACK would be to do a knockUP instead, if the $Target(s) are "too close" ... creating a sort of "astrophyical jet out the pole(s)" type of appearance (a bit like Whirlwind, in that respect).

[Scrapperlock]

Are you listening red? ^^

Of course.

Granted, cone attacks are "not everyone's cup of tea" because they're rather sensitive to tactical positioning. But that just raises the bar on Player Skill required to employ cones usefully, which I don't necessarily see as being that detrimental. In my case, I feel gratified when I'm able to catch all the $Targets I wanted to within my cone attacks.

It only made me dislike cone attacks more. Long activation times and mediocre damage.

Depends on the powers and the build, of course.
Most AoE attacks will do less (raw) damage than a single target attack will, but like the saying goes ... they make it up in volume. So AoE attacks do "more damage" in parallel, but less damage "sequentially" against single targets.

Which is more valuable to you depends on your playstyle and the opposition you want to optimize for.

MMs are time-inefficient in my eyes now.

Depends on your expectations and the engagement strategies you make use of. There are multiple paths to the same objective, with some being better than others at achieving desired outcomes.

Speaking from my own experience, I've found that Tankerminding in Bodyguard Mode is massively advantaged if as a Mastermind I've taken personal attacks (1 single target and 1 AoE being my personal preference, minimum, if global recharge is high enough). By opening engagements with a personal attack from long range, I draw aggro onto myself and any ranged response from my $Target(s) will prompt my MM Pets to retaliate without an Attack command, sustaining Bodyguard Mode. So I've got the aggro to start with, damage that hits me gets divided out amongst the Pets (Bodyguard Mode) and all the Pets focus fire ranged attack in retribution onto whoever attacked me first.

This prevents my MM Pets from rushing into melee (where they'll take the most damage and pull the most aggro) while forcing Foes to advance to my position, during which time my MM Pets continue to cycle ranged attacks. In a lot of situations, a Minion Foe will get defeated just in time to faceplant right in front of my MM, without a single melee attack being thrown (in either direction). All of this happens in just a few scant seconds (with Ninjas), consumes remarkably little endurance from my MM personally, and really brings to bear the advantages of "Many Against One" in being able to focus fire from 6 MM Pets + 1 MM using personal attacks to achieve really quick results ... which of course can be repeated with remarkably little effort.

To put it simply, a Mastermind "played like a brute and damage dealer" might not be quite as successful as a Mastermind who is played a bit more tactically. Rush in and punch stuff (in a Rage) isn't exactly the Way of the Mastermind, so a different mentality is needed in order to exploit the MM AT's strengths while minimizing its weaknesses. If all you want is "hit stuff until they fall down" in your gameplay, then Mastermind probably isn't the best for you. If you're highly prone to Scrapperlock (and those of us who are know who we are!) then Mastermind probably isn't for you.

Playing a Mastermind well is more of a "herding cats" type of experience that requires you to "know your enemy and know yourself" in order to win (almost) every battle. It's not about dropping ACME anvils onto everything in every situation or circumstance ... so you need a lot more situational awareness than is necessary for most Scrapperlock mentalities.

Hope that helps.

I tried the archetype warshade and after that did not bother with the peacebringer. Wayyy too many buttons to press and situational stuff. also difficult to comprehend what does what. not relaxing at all.

Kheldians are COMPLICATED.
Almost as complicated as Masterminds, since Kheldians have different Forms (or "modes" or "stances") of gameplay that they can optimize for.

Needless to say, the Tri-form Kheldian is THE most complicated, while also being the most versatile.

In a lot of ways, if you can handle playing a Kheldian, particularly a Tri-former, you should be able to handle a Mastermind. Both require a LOT of keybind file help to be able to manage and control "all the stuff you can do" in a logical manner in order to be able to exert SOME (pre-fab) control over all the stuff you can do.

I personally would NOT want to play a Kheldian without a well organized set of keybind files that load to control different attacks in different Forms, precisely because of the issue you cite ... too many buttons to keep track of.



For what it's worth, I honestly think that the Warshade is the "more complex" of the two Kheldians because the Warshade feels somewhat "necromantic" in actual gameplay. A LOT of what makes a Warshade powerful has to do with CORPSES (Mires, Stygian Circle, Unchain Essence, Dark Extraction, Eclipse, etc.) which makes Warshades partially dependent on their opposition to reach their maximum potential.

By contrast, Peacebringers are more "self contained/self reliant" in that they don't "need" Foes (dead and alive) to augment their powers. So Peacebringers don't have the same kind of "situational dependency" that Warshades have, making their performance more "even" and predictable in actual gameplay, which often makes them simpler when compared to the more complex situational stuff that Warshade can (and should) get up to with their powers.

Peacebringers "reach IN" for their power and strength.
Warshades "reach OUT" to steal a measure of their power and strength.

This makes Peacebringers feel more even keeled to play, while Warshades are more of a roller coaster (higher highs, but also lower lows) which takes more getting used to managing and controlling as a Player. For this reason, I would recommend anyone new to Kheldians to start with a Peacebringer before branching out into a Warshade, rather than taking the reverse path.

I see, so you can't add them, the game isn't built to allow that.

Correct.

When you have multiple status effects of the same type, they "layer" on top of each other (in parallel) rather than "chain" together (sequentially).

The boolean condition of whether the status effect "does anything" is determined by the total mag ... the "thickness" of the layers, if you will. This is why 2x stacking is useful in order to generate sufficient mag "depth" to affect $Targets. Mag 2 will only affect Minions, but Mag 2+2 affects Minions, LTs and Bosses, for example.

Each effect runs for its duration independently.
Some powers have stacking limits (limit 1 or limit 4 or limit 8 being the most common), where reapplying the effect overwrites the previous application, discarding any remaining duration of the first application in favor of a "refresh" from the second application. This is often times annotated in the descriptions of powers as being Does Not Stack From Same Caster (or words to that effect).

In other words, you can't think about this problem in terms of simple addition (like you were doing), instead the proper frame is something more akin to TETRIS (kinda sorta, but the analogy is decidedly imperfect).

what we could do is leave taunt alone, and put in a separate +Attract -speed -rech -fly -jump -range - def power. which really wasn't the goal, but would be more standard.

Taunt is the -Range power. It is pretty unique in that respect, for all Tanker and Brute+Scrapper Taunts ... to "force" Foes to reposition themselves closer to the caster of the Taunt. Taunt in primary/secondary powersets will include -Range, while the Presence Pool: Provoke power for taunting does not.

To be honest with you, I think you would probably be better off (conceptually) starting with Ice Armor as a foundational basis/starting point and then modifying Ice Armor: Chilling Embrace such that all of the Slow effects of Ice into being more of a -Speed (fly, jump, run) and -Range debuff. Add +Attract but lose the -Recharge effect. Exchange the -Damage effect for a -Regeneration effect on all affected Foes. The real challenge though would be working out some way to run the Endurance Cost that doesn't "bankrupt" the blue bar too reliably ... one way would be to impose a Max 10 Targets limit on it, along with a limited PBAoE radius.

That gives you a "pull them in so they can't get out" type of PBAoE Aura.

If you want to get EXTRA fancy, could set up the power such that it has "overlapping bands" of effect that add up as Foes get drawn in closer.

20ft radius = 25% effect
16ft radius = 25% effect
12ft radius = 25% effect
8ft radius = 25% effect
You then let all of those effects stack with each other concurrently. So what you wind up with is:
20ft radius: 25% effect
16ft radius: 25+25 = 50% effect
12ft radius: 25+25+25 = 75% effect
8ft radius: 25+25+25+25 = 100% effect

This would then let you do things like setting up each range band as being "equivalent to mag 1" in status effect terms (for purposes of illustration), such that Minions are affected (mag 1+1=2) at 16ft radius ... Lieutenants are affected (mag 1+1+1=3) at 12 ft radius ... and Bosses are only affected (mag 1+1+1+1=4) at 8ft radius. So you get a sort of "layered wedding cake" type of effect behavior out of the power (at the expense of 4x the server computation overhead, which might be a deal breaker, but this is just Blue Sky™ wishful thinking at this point).



Continuing that idea, you can exchange Ice Armor: Icicles for something more akin to a Warshade's Orbiting Death power ... except that instead of doing a (single) PBAoE damage effect like Orbiting Death does, set it up as a PBAoE that does Grant Power to up to Max 5 Targets which causes affected Foes to generate an 8ft PBAoE of damage around themselves for a single damage pulse. So Gravity Armor: Tidal Disruption toggle turns into a power that does more PBAoE damage the more Foes you have around you (up to 5), since they're each generating their own damage aura around themselves while in your "orbit" and close enough to be affected.

Way the power behaves is that the more Foes cluster around you, the more damage they deal to each other as your gravity power "tears them apart" and sends bits of debris swirling around, which become "impactors" under your control that slam into your Foes. Basically, they start "breaking up" under the tidal effects of your gravity power and even rocks and pebbles from the ground turn into "death by a thousand cuts" type missiles that deal harm to your Foes ... such that the more Foes around you, the more debris being generated, the more damage they take from being "trapped" in orbit around you, getting "shredded" by the gravitic tidal forces.



Other ideas that come to mind for a Gravity Melee powerset would be something akin to a Gravity Whip power.

If the Foe is "distant" (more than 20ft) then it rapidly pulls them towards the caster. This is a "move them" rather than a "move you" type of power.

If the Foe is "close" (10-20ft) then it does minor damage and a Knockdown.

If the Foe is "too close" (under 10ft) then it does major damage and a big Knockback (think Force Field: Repulsion Bolt of mag 11+ type knockback).

This then sets up the opportunity for a "pull/push" type of behavior that can "juggle" the positioning of a Foe. From far away, it pulls them in, and from close up it pushes them away.

A really wild alternative for this kind of a Gravity Whip power would be to not make it a single target, but a 30º 40ft Cone attack. Reason why a Cone would be especially good is because Cones can be enhanced for Range (meaning the 40ft base radius can go up!). Additionally, it's also possible to use the "Hop & Pop" move with Cone attacks by melee oriented ATs, such that you jump up vertically so as to "aim" the Cone DOWN below you at your selected $Target. With enough height on the jump for the "Hop & Pop" you can catch multiple Foes clustered around your position on the ground using a Cone that is cast while up in the air during your jump. That way, if you don't want to make a big Knockback against a single Foe with Gravity Whip, you can just jump UP above 10ft from your $Target and get the minor damage+knockdown effect instead on a larger number of Foes that were herded up around your position on the ground.

I learned the "Hop & Pop" move while playing Ice/Ice on a Tanker so as to turn Frost (a 10ft 90º Cone, Max 10 Targets) into something of a "poor man's PBAoE" attack against all the Foes that clustered up around me. Adding Range enhancement to extend that range to ~16ft 90º Cone did wonders for increasing the number of Foes I could hit with Frost when doing the "Hop & Pop" move (no need for Combat Jumping). Was remarkably effective at dealing damage and stacking Slows onto stuff, keeping them "trapped" in close against my Ice/Ice Tanker (where all the damage and debuffing was happening).

then it could stack both magnitude and duration

Except that's NOT HOW IT WORKS ... as I just finished explaining and demonstrating to you.

Q: If you have a 12s duration and a 15 second duration remaining ... how much duration do you have remaining?
A: 15 seconds remain (the highest value) ... NOT 27 seconds (the combined value).

Until you understand this point, you are going to continue to reach the wrong conclusions with confidence.