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Messages - Redlynne

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31
Mastermind / [v2.2] Ninja/Time Contrankermind Supremacy
« on: April 02, 2023, 12:27:34 am »
Needless to say, there have been ... some changes (informed by actual gameplay here on Rebirth) ... that have prompted me to make yet another revision relative to the previous build which you can find HERE.





You can have three guesses as to who's going to win.
The first two don't count.




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This Villain build was built using Mids Reborn 3.4.7 (Rebirth Issue 29, Volume: 1 - DBVersion 2023.2.302
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Technology Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Ninjas
Secondary Power Set: Time Manipulation
Power Pool: Gadgetry
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Concealment

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Call Genin
  • (A) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage: Level 27
  • (3) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 27
  • (3) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27
  • (5) Overwhelming Force - Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown: Level 27
  • (7) Call to Arms - Defense Bonus Aura for Pets: Level 10
  • (50) Soulbound Allegiance - Chance for Build Up: Level 50
Level 1: Time Crawl
  • (A) Impeded Swiftness - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 27+5
  • (7) Impeded Swiftness - Chance of Damage(Smashing): Level 10
  • (17) Pacing of the Turtle - Chance of -Recharge: Level 20
Level 2: Snap Shot
  • (A) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage: Level 27
  • (5) Decimation - Damage/Endurance: Level 27
  • (9) Decimation - Damage/Recharge: Level 27
  • (25) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 27
  • (25) Decimation - Chance of Build Up: Level 25
Level 4: Temporal Mending
  • (A) Regenerative Tissue - +Regeneration: Level 10
  • (42) Regenerative Tissue - Heal/Endurance: Level 27
  • (43) Regenerative Tissue - Endurance/Recharge: Level 27
  • (43) Regenerative Tissue - Heal/Recharge: Level 27
  • (43) Regenerative Tissue - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27
Level 6: Train Ninjas
  • (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 8: Aimed Shot
  • (A) Apocalypse - Damage: Level 50
  • (9) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  • (11) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
  • (19) Apocalypse - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  • (19) Apocalypse - Chance of Damage(Negative): Level 50
Level 10: Fistful of Arrows
  • (A) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
  • (11) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff: Level 20
  • (11) Detonation - Damage/Endurance/Range: Level 50+5
  • (34) Hamidon Origin: Centriole Exposure (Accuracy/Range)
  • (34) Hamidon Origin: Centriole Exposure (Accuracy/Range)
Level 12: Call Jounin
  • (A) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
  • (13) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
  • (13) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  • (15) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Recharge/Pet +AoE Defense Aura: Level 50
  • (15) Superior Witchcraft - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
  • (17) Superior Witchcraft - Chance for Res Debuff: Level 50
Level 14: Time's Juncture
  • (A) Superior Witchcraft - Universal Debuff: Level 50
  • (40) Superior Witchcraft - Accuracy/ Universal Debuff: Level 50
  • (40) Superior Witchcraft - Universal Debuff/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
  • (40) Superior Witchcraft - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
Level 16: Distortion Field
  • (A) Superior Winter Storm - Recharge/Chance for Cold Damage: Level 50
  • (34) Superior Winter Storm - Accuracy/Slow: Level 50
  • (37) Superior Winter Storm - Damage/Slow: Level 50
  • (42) Superior Winter Storm - Accuracy/Damage/Slow: Level 50
  • (42) Superior Winter Storm - Damage/Endurance/Slow: Level 50
Level 18: Jetpack
  • (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points): Level 10
Level 20: Time Stop
  • (A) Lockdown - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold: Level 31+5
  • (21) Lockdown - Chance for +2 Mag Hold: Level 30
  • (21) Ghost Widow's Embrace - Chance of Damage(Psionic): Level 20
  • (23) Neuronic Shutdown - Chance of Damage(Psionic): Level 10
  • (23) Gladiator's Net - Chance of Damage(Lethal): Level 10
  • (50) Unbreakable Constraint - Chance for Smashing Damage: Level 50
Level 22: Maneuvers
  • (A) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage: Level 20
  • (46) Reactive Defenses - Defense: Level 22
  • (48) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance: Level 22
  • (48) Reactive Defenses - Endurance/RechargeTime: Level 22
  • (48) Reactive Defenses - Defense/RechargeTime: Level 22
  • (50) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance/RechargeTime: Level 22
Level 24: Tactics
  • (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50+5
Level 26: Oni
  • (A) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
  • (27) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 50
  • (27) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  • (29) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Endurance/Pet +Resist +Regen: Level 50
  • (29) Edict of the Master - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 27
  • (31) Edict of the Master - Defense Bonus: Level 15
Level 28: Farsight
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 25
  • (31) Luck of the Gambler - Defense: Level 27
  • (33) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance: Level 27
  • (33) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27
Level 30: Hasten
  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
  • (31) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 32: Kuji In Zen
  • (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 35: Slowed Response
  • (A) Shield Breaker - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
  • (36) Shield Breaker - Chance for Lethal Damage: Level 10
  • (36) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 31+5
  • (36) Analyze Weakness - Chance for +ToHit: Level 30
  • (37) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff: Level 10
  • (37) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Negative Damage: Level 21
Level 38: Chrono Shift
  • (A) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Recharge: Level 27+5
  • (39) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge: Level 27+5
  • (39) Regenerative Tissue - Heal/Recharge: Level 27+5
  • (39) Regenerative Tissue - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
Level 41: Temporal Selection
  • (A) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb: Level 20
  • (45) Preventive Medicine - Heal: Level 27
  • (45) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance: Level 27
  • (45) Preventive Medicine - Endurance/RechargeTime: Level 27
  • (46) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime: Level 27
  • (46) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance: Level 27
Level 44: Assault
  • (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50+5
Level 47: Stealth
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 25
Level 49: Grant Invisibility
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 25
Level 1: Supremacy
Level 1: Brawl
  • (A) Hamidon Origin: Nucleolus Exposure (Acc/Dam)
Level 1: Sprint
  • (A) Celerity - +Stealth: Level 15
Level 2: Rest
  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 2: Swift
  • (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50+5
Level 2: Hurdle
  • (A) Jumping IO: Level 50+5
Level 2: Health
  • (A) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance: Level 10
  • (9) Miracle - +Recovery: Level 20
  • (17) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery: Level 30
Level 2: Stamina
  • (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End: Level 21
  • (13) Performance Shifter - EndMod: Level 27
  • (23) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Accuracy: Level 27
Level 1: Disintegrating
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge
  • (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50+5
Level 50: Intuition Radial Paragon
Level 50: Ion Radial Final Judgement
Level 50: Cognitive Core Flawless Interface
Level 50: Robotic Drones Core Superior Ally
Level 50: Clarion Radial Epiphany
Level 50: Control Core Embodiment
Level 50: Born In Battle
Level 50: High Pain Threshold
Level 50: Invader
Level 50: Marshal
Level 1: Genin
Level 12: Jounin
Level 26: Oni
Level 18: Turbo Boost
------------
------------
Set Bonus Totals:
  • 22% DamageBuff(Smashing)
  • 22% DamageBuff(Lethal)
  • 22% DamageBuff(Fire)
  • 22% DamageBuff(Cold)
  • 22% DamageBuff(Energy)
  • 22% DamageBuff(Negative)
  • 22% DamageBuff(Toxic)
  • 22% DamageBuff(Psionic)
  • 10% Defense
  • 2.5% Defense(Smashing)
  • 2.5% Defense(Lethal)
  • 5% Defense(Energy)
  • 5% Defense(Negative)
  • 5% Defense(Melee)
  • 2.5% Defense(Ranged)
  • 15% Defense(AoE)
  • 3.6% Max End
  • +101.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
  • +4% Enhancement(Heal)
  • 7.5% Enhancement(Max EnduranceDiscount)
  • +4% Enhancement(JumpHeight)
  • +4% Enhancement(SpeedFlying)
  • +4% Enhancement(SpeedRunning)
  • +39% Enhancement(Accuracy)
  • +4% Enhancement(SpeedJumping)
  • 33% SpeedFlying
  • GrantPower Preventive Medicine (10% chance when PreventiveMedicine, if Scourge)
  • 135.5 HP (16.88%) HitPoints
  • 33% JumpHeight
  • 33% SpeedJumping
  • Knockback (Mag -4)
  • Knockup (Mag -4)
  • 21.25% MezResist(Confused)
  • 21.25% MezResist(Held)
  • 21.25% MezResist(Immobilized)
  • 21.25% MezResist(Sleep)
  • 21.25% MezResist(Stunned)
  • 21.25% MezResist(Terrorized)
  • 6.5% (0.11 End/sec) Recovery
  • 198% (6.62 HP/sec) Regeneration
  • 23.25% Resistance(Smashing)
  • 23.25% Resistance(Lethal)
  • 24% Resistance(Fire)
  • 24% Resistance(Cold)
  • 19.5% Resistance(Energy)
  • 19.5% Resistance(Negative)
  • 18% Resistance(Toxic)
  • 18% Resistance(Psionic)
  • 33% SpeedRunning
------------
Set Bonuses:
Overwhelming Force
(Call Genin)
  •   12% (0.4 HP/sec) Regeneration
  •   3% DamageBuff(All)
  •   12.05 HP (1.5%) HitPoints
Call to Arms
(Call Genin)
  •   5% Defense
Impeded Swiftness
(Time Crawl)
  •   1.5% Resistance(Smashing,Lethal), 2.5% Status Resistance
Decimation
(Snap Shot)
  •   1.5% Resistance(Energy,Negative), 2.5% Status Resistance
  •   9.04 HP (1.13%) HitPoints
  •   2.25% Max End
  •   +6.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
Regenerative Tissue
(Temporal Mending)
  •   6% Movement Speed
  •   12.05 HP (1.5%) HitPoints
  •   +4% Enhancement(Heal)
  •   +5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
Apocalypse
(Aimed Shot)
  •   16% (0.54 HP/sec) Regeneration
  •   24.1 HP (3%) HitPoints
  •   4% DamageBuff(All)
  •   +10% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
Annihilation
(Fistful of Arrows)
  •   1.35% Max End
Superior Command of the Mastermind
(Call Jounin)
  •   4% DamageBuff(All)
  •   24.1 HP (3%) HitPoints
  •   +10% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
  •   15% Defense(AoE)
Superior Witchcraft
(Call Jounin)
  •   4% DamageBuff(All)
Superior Witchcraft
(Time's Juncture)
  •   4% DamageBuff(All)
  •   5% Defense(Energy,Negative), 2.5% Defense(Ranged)
  •   +10% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
Superior Winter Storm
(Distortion Field)
  •   4% (0.07 End/sec) Recovery
  •   +4% Enhancement(Slow)
  •   +15% Enhancement(Accuracy)
  •   +10% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
Blessing of the Zephyr
(Jetpack)
  •   Knockback Protection (Mag 4)
Lockdown
(Time Stop)
  •   3% DamageBuff(All)
Reactive Defenses
(Maneuvers)
  •   1.5% Resistance(Smashing,Lethal), 2.5% Status Resistance
  •   15.06 HP (1.88%) HitPoints
  •   3% Resistance(Fire,Cold), 5% Status Resistance
  •   3.75% Enhancement(EnduranceDiscount)
  •   +8.75% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
  •   3% Resistance(All)
Superior Mark of Supremacy
(Oni)
  •   +10% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
  •   +15% Enhancement(Accuracy)
  •   5% Defense(Melee), 2.5% Defense(Lethal), 2.5% Defense(Smashing)
  •   15% Resistance(All), 150% (5.02 HP/sec) Regeneration
Edict of the Master
(Oni)
  •   6% Movement Speed
  •   5% Defense
Luck of the Gambler
(Farsight)
  •   10% (0.33 HP/sec) Regeneration
  •   9.04 HP (1.13%) HitPoints
  •   +9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
  •   +7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
Shield Breaker
(Slowed Response)
  •   2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery
Analyze Weakness
(Slowed Response)
  •   10% (0.33 HP/sec) Regeneration
Performance Shifter
(Chrono Shift)
  •   7.5% Movement Speed
Regenerative Tissue
(Chrono Shift)
  •   6% Movement Speed
Preventive Medicine
(Temporal Selection)
  •   2.25% Resistance(Smashing,Lethal), 3.75% Status Resistance
  •   15.06 HP (1.88%) HitPoints
  •   3% Resistance(Fire,Cold), 5% Status Resistance
  •   3.75% Enhancement(EnduranceDiscount)
  •   +8.75% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
  •   GrantPower Preventive Medicine (10% chance when PreventiveMedicine), GrantPower Preventive Medicine
Luck of the Gambler
(Stealth)
  •   +7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
Luck of the Gambler
(Grant Invisibility)
  •   +7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
Performance Shifter
(Stamina)
  •   7.5% Movement Speed
  •   15.06 HP (1.88%) HitPoints

Proc chances:
Time Crawl: Impeded Swiftness (3.5 PPM), Pacing of the Turtle (3.5 PPM)
  • 3.5 * ((15 / ( 1 + 0 / 100 )) + 1.6) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 96.83%)
Snap Shot: Decimation (1.0 PPM)
  • 1.0 * ((2 / ( 1 + 37.91 / 100 )) + 1) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 6.5% (Pre-clamp: 4.08%)
Aimed Shot: Entropic Chaos (3.0 PPM) or Apocalypse (4.5 PPM)
  • 3.0 * ((4 / ( 1 + 37.91 / 100 )) + 1) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 19.50%
  • 4.5 * ((4 / ( 1 + 59.62 / 100 )) + 1) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 26.29%
Fistful of Arrows: Annihilation (3.0 PPM)
  • 3.0 * ((8 / ( 1 + 18.43 / 100 )) + 1.17) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 40 * (11 * 30 + 540) / 30,000))) = 21.19% per $Target
Call Jounin: Superior Witchcraft (6 PPM)
  • Basic: Gambler's Cut (-DEF, 3s recharge)
  • Basic: Sting of the Wasp (-DEF, 5s recharge)
  • Basic: Caltrops (Slow, 30s recharge)
  • Train: Soaring Dragon (-DEF, Knockback, 9s recharge)
  • Zen: Golden Dragonfly (-DEF, Knockup, 12s recharge)
  • Zen: Blinding Powder (-To-hit, 120s recharge)
Distortion Field: Superior Winter Storm (4.5 PPM)
  • 4.5 x 10 / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 20 * (11 * 360 + 540) / 30,000))) = 23.08% per $Target
Time Stop: Lockdown (2.5 PPM), Ghost Widow's Embrace (3.5 PPM), Neuronic Shutdown (3.5 PPM), Gladiator's Net (3.5 PPM), Unbreakable Contstraint (4.5 PPM)
  • 2.5 * ((16 / ( 1 + 19.25 / 100 )) + 2.17) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 64.95%
  • 3.5 * ((16 / ( 1 + 19.25 / 100 )) + 2.17) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 90.93%)
  • 4.5 * ((16 / ( 1 + 19.25 / 100 )) + 2.17) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 116.91%)
Slowed Response: Shield Breaker (3.5 PPM),  Analyze Weakness (2.0 PPM), Achilles' Heel (3.5 PPM), Touch of Lady Grey (3.5 PPM)
  • 2.0 * ((90 / ( 1 + 43.06 / 100 )) + 2.27) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 25 * (11 * 360 + 540) / 30,000))) = 56.99% per $Target
  • 3.5 * ((90 / ( 1 + 43.06 / 100 )) + 2.27) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 25 * (11 * 360 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 99.73%)
per $Target

32
General / Re: Old City of Heroes Freebies and Lottery Pics
« on: April 01, 2023, 11:32:13 pm »
Quote from: Agent Canada on March 31, 2023, 05:26:24 pm
I drew up the Warshade's human form as a gift for my girlfriend shortly afterwards.


An even more hilarious punchline would have been to include the Dwarf Form posed like a "jealous boyfriend" who wants you to stop staring at the (human?) hottie. Could have put the Dwarf form a little further back and partially out of frame on the right to give you that "hey, who you lookin' at punk!?" vibe, with the implication that if you don't stop staring, the Dwarf is going to march on up into Yo Face and let the meathooks do the conversatin'.

33
General / Re: Old City of Heroes Freebies and Lottery Pics
« on: March 31, 2023, 05:19:22 pm »
Fabulous drawing of fist fighting a Rikti ... with a Kheldian in Nova Form blasting away magnificently in the background!

+1

34
Mastermind / Re: [v2.1] Ninja/Time Tankermind Supremacy
« on: March 29, 2023, 03:31:02 pm »
So as I've been playing my Ninja/Time Mastermind (Ku no Ichi) intermittently for past couple of months, grinding away doing Repeatable Missions in Night Ward (so I don't have to go to Primal Earth and can remain a Praetorian) a few things that were not previously clear to me have finally started coming together now that I can actually play the build rather than just theorycrafting about it.

The big one is that without the Primal Earth Accolades for Born In Battle, High Pain Threshold, Invader and Marshal boosting up +Max HP and +Max END, the endurance budget of my build was occasionally running low, so I've modified the slotting in Tactics and Assault to better assist with endurance management over longer engagements of uninterrupted combat. This was especially driven home to me when I would team up with Praetorian alts leveling in Nova Praetoria/Imperial City/Neutropolis and finding that I couldn't sustain a steamroller rush indefinitely.

Another factor, which has come as quite a surprise to me is just how much a of difference taking the personal attacks (Snap Shot, Aimed Shot, Fistful of Arrows) has made to my Tankerminding playstyle. By initiating combat from a distance, all of the Ninjas around me will retaliate using their ranged attacks (Shurikens, Poison Dart, etc.) ... and only AFTER they run out of ranged attacks to launch at hostiles do they attempt to close range to melee. This is one of those "Well DUH!" things that is really difficult to quantify properly in just how much of a difference it makes.

Without use of the Ninja Primary personal attacks, a Ninja/Time Mastermind who is Tankerminding has only Time Crawl (Ranged Single Target), Time's Juncture (a PBAoE aura), Distortion Field (Location AoE), Time Stop (Ranged Single Target) and Slowed Response (Target AoE) with which to attract attention away from the Ninjas. Time Crawl is excellent(!) for "neutralizing" higher ranking foes (Lieutenants, Bosses, Elite Bosses, etc.) essentially taking them out of the fight once they've exhausted their initial volley of attacks, but it isn't Crowd Control (at best it is Single Target Suppression). Time Stop is a POWERFUL Hold and a devastating proc monster(!), but I employ Time Stop as being more akin to a "short range snipe" attack that also happens to Hold. Time's Juncture can draw aggro, but by itself it isn't going to maintain aggro on your Mastermind ... and the same is true of Distortion Field and Slowed Response. The AoE debuffs can pull aggro, but it is unwise to rely on them to sustain aggro on your Mastermind if you're not dealing any other damage yourself.

But with the use of Snap Shot, Aimed Shot and Fistful of Arrows, it becomes easy enough for the Mastermind to retain aggro well enough to make Tankerminding relatively simple. Initiate combat with your Mastermind from a distance, drawing all initial aggro onto yourself, causing all incoming damage to be shared out by Bodyguard Mode to your Ninjas around you (prompting them to retaliate) while at range. While leveling up (when slotting is scarce and enhancement values are meager), being able to pull aggro from a distance onto yourself winds up being incredibly valuable. The Genin alone, especially once you've got three of them by Level 18, are capable of machinegunning down rapid firing Shuriken volleys fast enough, combined with your own Snap Shot/Aimed Shot rapid fire cycling, to make most single Minions expire before getting into melee range of your Mastermind. You just pull groups apart and mow them down, preferably using your Many attackers to their One aggressor.

Once you get to Level 38-39 and Chrono Shift can be slotted up in combination with Hasten, the recharge times on Distortion Field and Slowed Response drop down to under 30 seconds, meaning that you can use these AoE powers as opening alpha strikes against spawn groups. Interestingly enough, the sequencing in the use of these two powers DOES make a difference.

If you open with Slowed Response, affected $Targets will not have their movement speed debuffed, so they can start to bumrush you at full speed. The radius of Distortion Field is only 20 ft, which Foes can run past in less time than it takes to cast the Distortion Field itself (making it easy to "miss" them by misplacing the Location AoE). After the first few times of making this mistake, I simply reversed the order of operations to cast Distortion Field first with Slowed Response second (followed by Time Crawl and Time Stop).

When slotted with (Superior) Winter Storm like I have in my current build, this turns Distortion Field into a pretty devastating "trap" that Foes cannot escape from quickly (Walk speed for Allies is faster!). Slowed Response does both damage and resistance debuffing (90% chance to proc) in addition to the Defense debuffing and +To-hit proc buffing, making it much easier to hit with Time Crawl and Time Stop. Slap on a Time Crawl and Time Stop follow up and the combination of damage procs across all four powers will have most Lieutenants already defeated or on the verge of defeat. Bosses are slightly tougher, but far less of a threat when they've been debuffed that much and have a Mag 4-6 Hold stacked onto them (depending on if Lockdown procs or not), with the possibility of Distortion Field possibly proccing for even more Hold Mag on top. Of course, most Foes will respond to being attacked like that, with an attack that will trigger the Ninjas to retaliate, which starts getting very one sided VERY quickly (we take lots of turns while my opposition ... doesn't get more than one turn).



So Time Manipulation offers multiple overlapping layers of synergies that compensate and cover up the inherent weaknesses of Ninjas. Your Ninja Pets will output a LOT of damage very quickly, but they have to stay alive in order to deal that damage. The best way to keep your Ninjas alive is to keep aggro away from them, meaning Tankerminding, so no one single Ninja is taking the full brunt of incoming damage in isolation. Temporal Mending, as an AoE Heal plus Heal over Time makes it MUCH easier to recover from incidental amounts of damage taken while Tankerminding so as to initiate every encounter with your Ninjas at full health (although if they've taken too much damage, just dismiss and resummon/re-upgrade them if that will "heal" them up faster).

I'm also finding that because I've switched over into an "alpha from range" opening strategy, rather than a "walk up and get noticed in melee" opening strategy, that my Ninjas are far sturdier and take way less damage than the alternative of just walking up and letting the melee mayhem commence. I'm able to "pick my battles" more effectively and have far less to worry about with regards to my Ninjas running off to aggro entire rooms (which still happens, but it's nowhere near as frequent as the "step up to aggro in melee" required by having no ranged attacks). Another curious side effect is that because Genin are reasonably well supplied with Shuriken attack powers, they need to make repeated volleys of attacks from range before they run into melee, so by opening from range they're functionally standoff attackers until they run low on Shurikens to throw (which recharge fairly quickly, but not as fast as they can throw). Meanwhile it's the Jounin who fire off their ONE Poison Dart attack (negating their Hide ability) who then run in first to attack in melee. So from an alpha strike initiated by ME standpoint, the Genin and Oni tend to stay clustered around me providing fire support, while the Jounin rush forward to start sword fighting.

Time Manipulation takes Foes "out of the fight" through both Crowd Control and Debuffing (lots and lots of debuffing!) in ways that help keep my Ninjas "leashed" so they don't run off chasing after everyt-SQUIRREL!!! ... hing that gets close to them. It's a very subtle "flow of battle" thing that makes Ninjas botha lot easier to control while also making them far more deadly and dangerous as attackers. The whole mindset of using Time Manipulation to force your Foes to "Skip A Turn" repeatedly(!) while your Ninjas "mop up" around you makes for a very compelling style of gameplay as a Mastermind. There's a kind of "what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine too" feeling to the way the combination plays ... and with all of the attack options my build offers (both Ninja Primary and Time Manipulation Secondary) as a Player you always have options that will "keep you in the fight" participating in the action, rather than just sitting back and passively watching it happen around you.

And it all starts with taking (and using!) the personal attacks from your Primary powerset. Without those personal attacks giving you a reason (as a Mastermind) to "get in the fight" (even at a distance), you tend to drift away from a playstyle of being a Participant to one in which your Mastermind is merely an Observer (and buff/debuff bot) supporting the Pets. It's not something that will yield easily to spreadsheet analysis in a vacuum, but it IS something that can make a tremendous difference in how enjoyable you find the Mastermind and the Tankermind playstyle when engaging more actively and immersively while in game.



Oh and one last thing to mention.

Time Stop has a 70ft base range instead of the more typical 80ft range, which can sometimes be annoying. However, Distortion Field ALSO has a 70ft base range, and as a Location AoE it will give you "Teleport Rings" showing you where you can put it before you cast. So if you ever want to know whether or not a $Target is within range of Time Stop (or if you need to move closer), simply cue up Distortion Field and make sure that the placement rings can reach the $Target you want to Time Stop. Makes for a convenient "range finder" combo if you're ever wondering how to judge distances accurately.

35
Live Bug Reporting / Re: Ninjas' Smoke Flash not working on all Henchmen
« on: March 19, 2023, 10:43:35 am »
I strongly suspect that Ninjas were the second Mastermind Primary that the Cryptic Studios devs worked on (with Mercenaries being the first) ... mainly because Ninjas and Mercenaries contain a lot of "mistakes" in judgement about the usefulness of powers (and how they "mix" to generate overall performance) that were not replicated in other Primaries (looking at you, Gang War). Smoke Flash and Serum are simply the two most glaring examples of this "abandoned mentality" when it comes to Level 18 powers.

The way I see it is that the biggest and worst problem with Smoke Flash (and Serum for that matter) is that it requires the Player to switch $Target to a Pet ... activate the Level 18 power on that ONE PET ... activate the Level 18 power (at ridiculously enormous expense to Endurance!) ... before you can go back to doing whatever it was you were doing, prior to this action. The fundamental flaw is that both Smoke Flash and Serum are coded as being Single Target Ranged powers that require targeting of a Pet in order to activate them.

Serum at least has the saving grace that it buffs the Pet it is cast upon, so it's pretty much guaranteed to "do something" when used.

Smoke Flash, by contrast, is a complete dog's breakfast of an implementation that does a Grant Power: Placate debuff to a (20ft?) PBAoE around the $Target Pet. This means that it cannot be effectively used in a proactive manner before the Ninja Pet enters melee range. The Ninja Pet (singular) needs to be within 20ft of whatever they are using the Smoke Flash "against" in order for it to have a useful effect, adding an additional complication to the tactical positioning of how and when to use it.

Even writing up a keybind that enables Target of My Target functionality won't save you when it comes to proper use of Smoke Flash ... because that only works one of your Ninja Pets has aggro, which is obviously not guaranteed when in a Team-2+ situation, let alone when the actively working a Tankermind condition in which the Mastermind wants to keep and hold aggro to reduce damage taken by the Pets.



A FAR SUPERIOR implementation of Smoke Flash (and Serum too!) would have been to rig the powers up as a 60ft (Supremacy radius) PBAoE around the caster that requires no target. When cast, ALL of "Own Pet (Alive)" within the radius are affected simultaneously by Smoke Flash (or Serum) so these powers become collective "Pet Team" powers, rather than just single $Target Own Pet (Alive) powers that force you to pick "who do you like best right now" during chaotic combat conditions and contexts (especially in Team and League play).

Idea being that with Serum, ALL of your Mercenaries within Supremacy range get injected with the Serum effect simultaneously. No need to drop your $Target in order to "pick your favorite" to give the Serum buff to. Just stay within 60ft Supremacy (and Leadership toggles!) range of your own Mercenaries and they'll get the buff ... each.

With Smoke Flash, it would be largely the same thing ... but because Smoke Flash operates through a Grant Power mechanism, all of your Ninjas would Placate debuff any Foes within 20ft around them ... which in and of itself is potentially problematic. It means that if the Ninja Pet(s) are attacking from standoff range (with Shurikens or other Ranged attacks or whatever) they could be "too far" for the Placate debuff to take any useful effect. That is because Placate is ... really weird ... in how it works (as I've found out first hand while doing Keyes iTrials with my Tanker Redlynne, since some of the Anti-Matter Clockworks use it). Placate is basically an "anti-Taunt" in that it means you canNOT be targeted (so $Target drops), unlike Taunt is means that ONLY YOU can be targeted (so $Target shifts and locks).

Smoke Flash thus becomes this sort of Rube Goldberg contraption of a power ... in which it only "works" when cast upon your own Ninja Pet (Alive) who is within 20ft of what they need to be Placating when the Smoke Flash goes off, meaning you only want to use it on Ninja Pets who are functionally within melee range and already engaging. Even worse, the Smoke Flash "Hide for automatic Crits" effect only sustains so long as the Ninja Pet (who cast the Placate effect) isn't hit or takes any damage ... so it's a "Fragile Hide" kind of deal. This means that if the Smoke Flashed Ninja Pet is standing in a fire patch (taking DoT damage) or if their Mastermind is Tankerminding and sharing damage through Bodyguard Mode, the "Fragile Hide" effect will get canceled early.

In other words, in order to make ACTUAL USE of Smoke Flash, neither the buffed Ninja Pet NOR the Mastermind can take any damage ... and the only thing protecting either from taking any damage is the Placate effect ... which has only a 20ft radius and is quite useless when used preemptively before combat starts (with no Foes in range to be Placated). As soon as the Ninja Pet gets attacked by anything that WASN'T Placated, or takes damage from Bodyguard Mode damage sharing, the Smoke Flash "Fragile Hide" effect ends prematurely (the Stealth buff that foils perception and therefore targeting stops).

It's kind of hopelessly convoluted and messy, the way that Smoke Flash was encoded to work.
Worse, Bodyguard Mode for damage sharing via Tankerminding was developed and introduced AFTER Smoke Flash was designed and implemented, meaning that Smoke Flash was not conceptualized with the notion of Tankerminding even being possible. So Tankerminding as a strategy indirectly nerfs Smoke Flash yet again because of the Rube Goldberg way that Smoke Flash was originally coded (no doubt by a Dev running solo tests, rather than in group play with lots of AoE splash being thrown around everywhere by hordes of Foes).

As is, Smoke Flash displays its TRUE full power effectiveness in such a vanishingly small and narrow range of tightly controlled conditions as to barely be possible "in the lab" ... let alone out in the wilds of actual gameplay experience. Smoke Flash is SO OVERTUNED into its absurd niche role as originally envisioned that most of its potential winds up WASTED very nearly 100% of the time. The "stop to pick and choose" factor alone makes for a high hurdle to get over, but then when you add in the fact that it's basically operating as a "Build Up On Demand For ONE Pet" which represents a super-minority fraction of a Mastermind's total damage output (basically 1/6th of 2/3rds) and you're looking at a roughly +11.11% overall damage increase in a "Build Up EXCUSE" type of power, rather than any kind of +50%/+80% type of "REAL Build Up" power like other Archetypes get.



The best thing that could happen to Smoke Flash (and Serum, for that matter!) would be to alter the power(s) such that they become 60ft PBAoE that affect both My Pets (Alive) and ALSO THE CASTER.

Serum for Mercenaries would affect ALL of your own Mercenary Pets (Alive) within your Supremacy aura radius, and YOUR MASTERMIND as well(!) ... so you ALL benefit, as a "Mastermind Team Group" from use of Serum simultaneously.

Smoke Flash for Ninjas would affect ALL of your own Ninja Pets (Alive) within your Supremacy aura radius, and YOUR MASTERMIND as well(!) ... so you ALL benefit, as a "Mastermind Team Group" from use of Smoke Flash simultaneously. Only other modifications that would be necessary/highly desirable game mechanically would be to increase the Placate radius of the Grant Power effect from 20ft to 60ft along with removing the "stealth radius breaks when damage taken" condition. I would also recommend rewriting the tooltip for the power to better spell out HOW the power works than the garbage obfuscation that explains next to nothing about how Smoke Flash ACTUALLY WORKS so Players can stop "using it incorrectly" based on misunderstanding what it is supposed to do and HOW it is supposed to do what it does.



Do all THAT for Ninjas and Mercenaries and these two Primaries will see a resurgence in popularity among Those Who Know™ ...

36
Player Help/Guides / Re: Main Tanking vs Lethal Force Authorized
« on: March 03, 2023, 01:42:03 am »
Quote from: Redlynne on March 01, 2023, 04:31:34 pm
  • 30% of (current) Max HP of $Targets, subject to con level modifiers (x1.33 for being +3 to the PC) ... which means that characters with lower Max HP take less damage than higher Max HP characters with otherwise identical specs (think Dull Pain in an On vs Off state).

Looks like this might be the answer (or at least, closer to the answer).

According to Kewpie Gusto who was main tanking Underground Trial tonight, they had 2748 Max HP, 90% Energy Resistance (so 10% of the damage "leaks through" to be taken) and were taking 117-127 damage per tick from Lethal Force Authorized doing 30% of Max HP in Energy damage per tick.

2748 * 0.3 * 0.1 * 1.44 = 118.7
2748 * 0.3 * 0.1 * 1.55 = 127.8

1.44 is the damage multiplier for +4 con differential (in the mob's favor).
1.55 is the damage multiplier for +5 con differential (in the mob's favor).

The best fit that I have then from this anecdotal reporting is that Lethal Force Authorized needs to be assumed as using a damage formula that amounts to this:

PC's Max HP (not their cap) * 30% * (100-Energy Resistance%)/100 * Con Level multiplier of 1.55 = Damage per DoT tick (4 ticks over 4 seconds)



This then provides me with a rough estimation of a "minimum damage" floor that needs to be survived (in theorycrafting). It also means that in some very important respects, +Absorb is superior to +Max HP for defending against Lethal Force Authorized. That would be because as Max HP goes up, so too does the amount of damage delivered by Lethal Force Authorized (because the attack deals 120% of Max HP before factoring in Energy Resist and Con Level differential multipliers).

This broadly matches the results I was seeing during tonight's Underground Trial.
It also tells me that my RI5 build for Redlynne falls 776 points short of (undamaged) Max HP plus Practiced Brawler Absorb. Powers such as Elude and Force Barrier can certainly fill in that potential deficit in ability to "soak" incoming damage from Lethal Force Authorized.

37
Tanker / Re: [RI5] SR/MA Tanker = NO GET HITSU!!
« on: March 02, 2023, 02:50:51 pm »
Notes on Super Reflexes (and the slotting thereof)

OBVIOUSLY something has shifted (extremely radically!) with the release of RI5.

My previous RI4 era SR/MA build did not include Elude(!) and I was using the Sorcery Pool to reach for Rune of Protection (as a slot mule for Resistance set procs). Later, I attempted an alternative using Hover+Stealth in lieu of the Resistance set procs (+3% Defense each) ... which worked, but wasn't entirely satisfying for me as a work around solution.

RI5 "shifted" enough of the fundamentals underpinning things that some pretty massive reorganization needed to take place. Being able to slot Resistance set IOs into Dodge, Agile and Lucky directly completely removed the need to even worry about the Sorcery Pool ... opening up the possibility of taking Gadgetry instead in order to reach for Force Barrier (a second +Absorb power to alternate with Elude).



The problem was, I didn't have enough slots to go around after making changes to the new RI5 paradigm. Ranged Defense was falling short of 59% baseline (not by much, but it irked me all the same) and I was having trouble finding places to put the Heal procs (that need to be in active powers to actually proc). Throwing away the Medicine Pool let me reclaim 2 slots, but I "needed" those slots elsewhere for a "well rounded" overall build strategy. Health and Stamina both lost 2 slots each in the reshuffle, which put a big dent into my Regeneration (down about -80% from RI4!), Max HP (also down slightly from RI4). Even my global damage buff and recharge buffs fell slightly relative to the RI4 build plan ... but being able to slot up both Elude and Force Barrier for RAPID recharge and HUGE +Absorb made all the difference, as did being able to slot Resistance Set IOs into Dodge, Agile and Lucky.

Practiced Brawler with 6-slot Numina's Convalescence (for the huge +3.75% Ranged Defense!) is what unlocked the puzzle since it meant I could get a lot more +Absorb every 10s than previously in RI4, while simultaneously taking the pressure off needing to overslot (and boost) Focused Senses and Agile (and Maneuvers into the bargain!) in order to have a "standing around idle" Ranged Defense of over 59% at Level 50(+1), when it is needed.

Lucky CAN BE 4-slotted with yet another Luck of the Gambler set, but I chose not to in order to build additional margin against net endurance budget issues (when consistently using Dragon's Tail) and also to provide additional "blue buffer" against the Avatar of Hamidon's Cripple attack as well as other endurance draining attacks (looking at YOU, Malta Sappers). The only attack power that "suffers" for missing the extra +9% global accuracy is Energy Gauntlet, since all the Martial Arts attacks are over 100% accuracy against +3 Foes (and Energy Gauntlet is 88-89% accurate against +3 Foes). Given a choice between a little more regeneration (not enough to notice, really), a little more Max HP (also not enough to notice really) and a smidgen more global accuracy ... I figured that a little diversification into more Max END, Recovery and Fire/Cold Resistance would ultimately wind up being the smarter play.

Just to test that proposition, I tried out a Lucky: Luck of the Gambler setup on the Target Dummies in RWZ, going full out on the attack cycle to test the endurance budget.

EC . TK . SK . CAK . DT . (repeat)

I was noticing that my Endurance was slowly draining away ... slower than it had been under the RI4 build (which was less friendly to the endurance budget), but still net negative. I didn't test my way to detoggle, but I had the definite feeling of being "on the clock" until running out of endurance and detoggling while using Dragon's Tail in the attack rotation.

Then I used unslotters to pull enhancements out of Lucky and Vengeance so as to put the Luck of the Gambler proc into Vengeanceand a 4-slot of Gift of the Ancients into Lucky as seen in the build post above. Redoing the full out attack cycle test on the endurance budget, I was still net negative ... but the balance was so close to break even that I would need to be attacking for MINUTES without pause before it would become a problem. The shift over to Gift of the Ancients was actually making enough of a difference that I could easily envision going flat out on attack rotations (including Dragon's Tail) and not risk drawing down my Endurance too low before Elude would recharge and could "solve" the net recovery deficit quite easily. That ... shift ... in the "max attack chain" endurance budget gave me sufficient peace of mind to choose the Gift of the Ancients option as the better "longer term" solution for the build overall as a whole.



Elude is also somewhat interesting (now that it doesn't "crash" when its duration ends) because it "solves" multiple edge case problems while also having some utility. In addition to being a big +Absorb (6-slotted with Preventive Medicine) it's also a "Run speed" power for fast(er) travel (Swift+Hurdle+Ninja Run+Sprint equivalent is my "run around town" go to). Although Elude does add a little bit of jump height, it's not enough to really notice when traveling. The Recovery buff however makes Elude a really serious countermove against Endurance Drains.

With a fast recharge yielding a theoretical uptime around ~50% ... Elude stops being a "clutch" power that you only want to use when desperate and turns into a "use it when recharged" kind of power (except in the minutes before a big boss fight where you know you'll need to have it recharged). Having Elude as a "backup Absorb" when Force Barrier is recharging, however, CAN BE that "clutch" move you need. During last night's Underground Trial where I was Main Tanking the three Extinction War Walkers again, I needed to use Elude during a "gap" in uptime by Force Barrier to stay alive against Lethal Force Authorized, so having redundant "massive" +Absorb powers (on the order of Dull Pain scaling) there was absolutely Debt Saving.

Tankitty Tank Tank TANK!






Notes on Martial Arts

From the beginning, I wanted Might of the Tanker 6-slotted into Thunder Kick ... and Gauntleted Fist 6-slotted into Storm Kick.
Why?
Bread 'n' Butter.

From Level 2+ the bread 'n' butter of the attack chain side of things rests on a foundation of Thunder Kick and Storm Kick. Once you can get these two Powers slotted up with their ATOs, it's just GRAVY. Using Thunder Kick twice as often as Storm Kick (usually in a TK/SK/TK/pause rotation) yields plenty of opportunities to proc both the +Resistance (stacks up to 3x) and +Absorb, making you very sturdy despite your lack of Powers and Slots.

At low levels (Exemplar 1-22), this minimalist attack chain needs to be augmented with Inherent and Temp Powers ... Brawl, Throwing Knives, Nemesis Staff, Ghost Slaying Axe ... you know the drill. Nice thing is, being able to get a combined +27% Accuracy from 4-slot Luck of the Gamblers makes a difference not only to the slotting of Martial Arts Powers, but also your Inherent and Temp Powers that you use for attacks! It's so NICE to not have to worry about MISS!ing half the time with Powers you can't slot Enhancements into!

And just as an aside, I find the Ghost Slaying Axe to be more useful than the Sands of Mu in a lot of cases due to the automatic double damage to ghosts/spirits/undead/etc. that the Ghost Slaying Axe delivers. Makes quite a difference when taking on the Circle of Thorns and the Banished Pantheon, let me tell you!

It's also a rather LONG CLIMB from Level 2 (Storm Kick) all the way up to Level 28 (Crippling Axe Kick) ... and you need to get all the way up to Level 33 to finish slotting CAK, but by the time you do, it's all starting to come together.


Dropping the Medicine Pool and shifting slots around into new configurations, along with the NEED for more Energy Resistance (in order to survive getting hit by Lethal Force Authorized meant that Crippling Axe Kick wound up with a 6-slot Superior Vampire's Bite ... which just so happens to have a Heal proc in it. Net result ... no need to waste animation time on Aid Self anymore(!), just let Crippling Axe Kick procs top up any losses that aren't regenerating fast enough. Just keep attacking to heal yourself!

Focus Chi with 6-slot Gaussian's Fire Control is simply MONSTROUS. I've run the calculations and for 5 seconds, Focus Chi (with a proc) will put my build very close to the Tanker Damage Buff cap.

TK/SK/CAK = 101.37% Damage buffed
Focus Chi = +80% Damage buff (10 seconds)
Gaussian's proc = +80% Damage buff (5 seconds)
Global set bonuses = +8.5% Damage buff
Assault = 10.5% Damage buff

100 (base) + 101.37 + 80 + 80 + 8.5 + 10.5 = 380.37%

The Tanker cap on Damage is 400%.
Even without Support Hybrid buffing, I'm still getting within ~20% of the Damage buff cap for Tankers when using Focus Chi (for the first 5 seconds). I like to make that "opening salvo" following use of Focus Chi COUNT, because it's my turn to open the can marked "This Side Towards Enemy" (or words to that effect). And because Focus Chi recharges so fast (31.88s with a 10s duration) it too can be "used routinely" without needing to worry about "saving for later, just in case" when fighting. So long as you need to dish out more than 4 attacks in a row, wind 'er up and let 'er rip!

With close to 30% uptime, there's precious few reasons to NOT be using Focus Chi when recharged ...



Eagle's Claw is now the "control" power of the build, since it can reliably Mag 3 Stun for 7.8s, with a chance for bonus Mag 2 Stun of 8s on proc. Thunder Kick also has a 10% proc chance for a Mag 2 Stun to stack with Eagle's Claw ... while Crippling Axe Kick provides the Immobilize and -Fly/Run/Jump debuffing and Dragon's Tail delivers Knockdowns. Eagle's Claw also delivers an automatic +33% Damage buff for 3s after 2.5s (which is a little wonky) but can be easily worked around simply by doing:

EC > TK > SK > CAK > DT ... repeat

I've tested it on the Target Dummies in RWZ and so long as you cue attacks before they animate, you can get the +33% Damage buff relatively reliably on BOTH CAK AND DT before repeating the cycle. Makes for a tasty little multiplier when outnumbered. Timing is TIGHT on this, however, so you really need to practice doing this to get the muscle memory down before trying to use it consistently when soloing or in team/league play.

38
Tanker / Re: [RI5] SR/MA Tanker = NO GET HITSU!!
« on: March 02, 2023, 01:20:37 pm »
Okay, with the build details and Mids Reborn data chunk dealt with ... let's dig into the details and specifics of all the synergies and "stuff" going on in this build (and yes, a lot of this won't make as much sense if you aren't looking at Mids for the fiddly bits).

Yes, this is where the WALL OF TEXT CRITS YOU!!! warning becomes relevant again (as usual) for my build posts.
You have been warned (again).






Notes on choice of Levels for Enhancements to be slotted in:

So what's up with picking enhancements that all seem to be either Level 22, 27 or 31 ... except for procs, common IOs and of course, HOs?

In a word ... EXEMPLAR.
Or to put it into two words, a desire to make the build Exemplar Friendly.

The first time I tried to create a build plan after Issue 9: Inventions released, I did what most people probably did at the time ... I used all Level 50 sets and common IOs for my build (MAXIMUM POWAH!!!).


Imagine my surprise when practically my entire build plan fell apart(!) any time I had to Exemplar down to Levels 1-46 because all my set bonuses had a lower bound cutoff of Level 47 (because the enhancements were all Level 50).

That rather ... rude awakening ... had be dive back into Mids and try to find a "sweet spot" of going as low as possible on the Enhancement Levels without dropping below the throughput performance of SOs (spoiler alert: Level 26 is the parity point between IOs and SOs).

Later, the Flashback System was introduced and it had very clearly defined Level Range Bands built into it for replay of old content. For the purposes of wanting to slot Enhancements into a Mids build, the most relevant Flashback Level breakpoints then became Levels 19, 24 and 29 ... because SOs "began" at Level 25 (and could be slotted as early as Level 22). Furthermore, some Invention Sets had minimum Level ranges of 25-50 or even 30-50, so some flexibility in this area was called for.

The system which I eventually settled upon, and which you will see represented in pretty much all of my build posts, is that the Enhancements themselves (with only some exceptions) will typically fall into either being:
  • Level Minimum For The Set: This is usually done for any procs (or proc-like) IOs, so as to maximize their ease of slotting and flexibility if ever unslotted for use in other builds (where "mobility" of Enhancements can become an issue)
  • Level 22: Some powers are so "underwhelming" in their default buff throughput that "downgrading" an Invention Set's IOs from Level 27 down to Level 22 yields an acceptably small reduction in overall throughput for the power being enhanced. This is most often true of a power such as Leadership: Maneuvers where the "demotion" of a full 6-slot of enhancements will yield a reduction of ~0.15% Defense(All) in throughput differential (an acceptable reduction in the overall context of a build). The advantage of making this choice, despite the loss in enhancement power is that the global set bonuses offered by the slotted Invention Set are available over a wider range of Exemplar Levels ... in this case all the way down into the Level 19 Limit Flashbacks as well as the Level 20 Task Force and Strike Force options.
  • Level 27: This is going to be the Enhancement Level assigned to "most" Enhancements slotted into a build, because these Enhancements are still "operable" and generating their global set bonuses when Exemplared down to Level 24 for that range of Flashback content, in addition to the Level 25 Task Force and Strike Force options.
  • Level 31: This Enhancement Level choice is an outcome of the fact that some Invention Sets are limited to Levels 30-50, so the option to select a Level 27 version of that set is not available. The choice of Level 31 instead of Level 32 (as might otherwise be expected) is largely a function of the fact that the Moonfire Task Force exists ... and having global set bonuses "not get switched off" while running that Task Force is enough of a consideration to warrant the use Level 31 instead of Level 32 for Invention Sets limited to the 30-50 range (such as, most prominently, Numina's Convalescence). Yes, this is less of an issue for Villains (who can't participate in the Moonfire Task Force), but is a consideration for Heroes, Vigilantes and Rogues ... so on the whole I figure it makes for a Best Practices standard, even when dealing with intentionally Villain Only builds (just in case).
  • Level 50: Anything that doesn't offer a set bonus (and isn't a proc of some sort) automatically gets slotted as a Level 50 Enhancement. Without any set bonuses to worry about, there's no advantage to "slotting low" on these Enhancements.
  • (+2) HOs: Despite everything the Invention System brought in terms of slotting options, there are yet still some combinations of enhancement that produce the best results when using HOs. Accuracy/Damage, Accuracy/Mez(All), Damage/Mez(All), Damage/Range, along with other possibilities in the Endurance/Movement as well as some multi-Buff and multi-Debuff combinations ... HOs still offer the highest "enhancement density" value per slot in some notable contexts. Also, just like TOs, DOs and SOs, you can combine HO enhancements to raise their effective Level above 50. Until I can test exactly how "far" you can go with combining HOs, I'm presuming the limit is still going to be a maximum of +2 Levels (requiring a minimum of 3x HO per slot so combined, assuming no failures to combine).
So why those numbers?
Well, because ...

19+3 = 22
24+3 = 27
28+3 = 31

Since parity of enhancement "strength" lies at Level 26 for IOs, slotting set IOs for set bonuses in the range of Levels 22, 27 and 31 (aside from procs) then represents the "sweet spot" that can be found between Low and High for the broadest possible range of Exemplar Levels that yield consistently reliable performance from global set bonuses.






Notes on Defense Softcapping:

Attentive readers of this thread will no doubt have noticed that the "baseline" Defense vs Melee/Ranged/AoE are all well in excess of 45% in this build ... and there's a reason for that. It's because some Foes get a +To-hit and/or Accuracy bonus (most notably in Incarnate Trials) in addition to having a buffer margin against Defense Debuffing by more "ordinary" adversaries (in large numbers!).

The real "secret sauce" of this build as far as Defense goes is that Storm Kick (when it hits...) adds +10% Defense to All but Toxic and Psionic (and Untyped, of course) Damage Positions and Damage Types. That means that with a single hit from Storm Kick, this build (when complete and at Levels 24-50 for all set bonuses) can be sitting pretty at +64.X% Defense vs Melee/Ranged/AoE and still be softcapped against Incarnate Trial Foes with "room to spare" for Defense Debuffing.

That said, there are (of course) some "Kryptonite" counters to this protection scheme ... the most dangerous of which (in my experience) is the Devouring Earth Quartz summoned by Lieutenants along with multiple stacks of Vengeance caused by defeating Nemesis Lieutenants. Both enable large quantities of Foes to "shift the balance in their favor" against the Defensive Softcap, effectively "nullifying" the protection offered by Super Reflexes.

Another "Kryptonite" counter to Super Reflexes is the Mind Control powerset, with psionic attacks that have a a Damage Type (psionic) but not a Damage Position (because there is nothing "physical-ish" to defend against, it's "all in your head"). Mesmerize can't stack its Sleep MAG, due to how the power also does damage, but Dominate can be stacked against Super Reflexes, overcoming the protection of Practiced Brawler. Others include (of course) Ghost Widow's MAG 100 Hold power and other outliers ... such as (Raid) Hamidon's deliberately Untyped Damage which cannot be Defended against (Resist, sure, Regenerated out of, sure, Defense ... not so much).

At its core, a Defense based protection scheme (especially when soft capped) is extremely powerful against adversaries ranked as Elite Boss and below. Against Hero/AV and the Monster/Giant Monster class of opposition, Defense alone isn't going be enough to keep you alive, you will need ... MORE ... than just a pure Defense strategy. In Incarnate Trials, particularly the Underground Trial, there are threats such as Lethal Force Authorized used by Extinction War Walkers (3 of them) which can easily overwhelm this build's (nominal) Max HP and Energy Resistance in the absence of +Absorb (now provided by Elude and Force Barrier!) to be able to "soak" the incoming damage from this devastating attack. The Avatar of Hamidon's Cripple attack will inflict a -100% Recovery Debuff in addition to "damaging" Endurance by -10 per second for 15 seconds (which is usually enough to completely drain to detoggle a facetanker), but which this build can now counter using either Elude and/or Victory Rush in order to "power through" getting hit by Cripple.






Notes on backstopping Defense Protection schemes:

As anyone with experience playing Willpower will tell you, softcapped Defense is fine and all ... but without "something else" to back it up, you'll still wind up faceplanting when your opposition rolls double boxcars on you. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, you've got next to no reaction time to do anything about it ... so it comes as a shock to both you and your team when you Drop For Debt.

The typical "answer" to this problem is to reach for Resistances and/or Regeneration and/or Absorb.
Resistances make the incoming damage "hurt less" when taken, letting you "soak more" incoming damage.
Regeneration makes the incoming damage "hurt less" by making the damage taken "evaporate" faster.
Absorb makes the incoming damage "hurt less" by effectively giving you a "deeper pool" of health that needs to be burned through before you drop for Debt.

The difference is that Resistances are Typed (S/L/F/C/E/N/Tox/Psi) while Regeneration "responds against everything" (given time to do so) and Absorb also "works against everything" too.

My understanding is that most Players instinctively reach for Resistances FIRST as their primary means to shore up the weak points of Super Reflexes, with Fighting: Tough being the long standing "go to" option for doing this. However, I personally have never been a "fan" of the Fighting Pool, viewing the need to pick up Boxing or Kick as a prerequisite for Tough (with the option of Weave) as being more trouble than it's worth. RI5 has also introduced alternatives to Weave in Acrobatics (Leaping), Aerobatics (Flight) and even Blink+Blink Blitz (Teleport) as additional sources of useful +Defense aside from Hover, Combat Jumping and Stealth.

Paragon Studios eventually revamped Super Reflexes such that the three Passive Powers (Dodge, Agile, Lucky) offered scaling Resistances as HP went down, to partially mitigate against the fact that Super Reflexes, as a Powerset, was "too pure" to have any Resistances built into it at all from game launch. On a Tanker, this means a 0-20% scaling Resistance(All) for each of the three Passive Powers (for a combined 0-60%).

Tack on the scaling resistances proc from the Reactive Defenses set along with the up to 3x stack of +Resist(All) from the Might of the Tanker ATO proc (+5% normal, +6.7% superior) and you're looking at a LOT of potential resistance available without needing to resort to selection of an actual Resistance Power.

Still, a Resistance Power that can slot Resistance sets is highly desirable, since there are Resistance set procs that can add 2x +3% Defense(All) along with the Unbreakable Guard: +Max HP proc ... and now Dodge, Agile and Lucky can all slot these procs natively in RI5.

But the way I figure things, given my past as a MA/SR Scrapper on Virtue, is that Resistances are "nice to have" but Regeneration is NEEDED ... and Absorb covers the edge cases.

The scaling resistances offered by Dodge/Agile/Lucky combined with the Reactive Defenses proc and Might of the Tanker proc (stacking) can yield "plenty" of resistance when the chips are down and it is desperately needed ... but the rest of the time, what I (personally) would consider more valuable than Typed Resistance is ... Regeneration. I have found through combat experience that with sufficient Regeneration and strong Defenses, resorting to the Medicine Pool for Aid Self is no longer necessary (and Field Medic does not work out as well as I had hoped in terms of synergies).

With FAST recharge on Force Barrier (47.32s on a 30s duration) and Elude (176.9s on a 90s duration) when factoring in T4 Agility Radial Alpha slotting for heaping helpings of +Absorb when you really need it to survive "Way Too Big" hits ... and/or give yourself some extra margin against edge cases ... so long as you don't overcommit on long animations at inopportune moments, this build will give you everything you need to survive against MOST opposition (including Incarnates).

And yes ... since I don't have (or need) Hasten in my build, I can put T4 Rebirth Radial Destiny on autofire and have a "permanent" bonus to my Regeneration with close to 100% uptime (it's REALLY NICE!) I don't even miss removing the Medicine Pool from my build plans and strategies.






Notes on why Maneuvers is a better choice than Weave

Back in the days (now over a decade ago), there was something of a fierce debate over the merits of Weave vs Maneuvers when it came to the Super Reflexes powerset in the Scrapper forum of the original CoH boards. The way I eventually came to appreciate the differences basically came down to this:

Weave is the Selfish Choice.
Maneuvers is the Altruistic Choice.

To oversimplify things, 1x Weave = 2x Maneuvers for a soloist.
That's just a function of the basic buff level offered by the respective powers.
It's not exactly that, but it's close enough for our purposes of conversation.

That basically meant that if all you cared about was ... yourself ... then Weave was the superior choice for you, as a soloist.
But if you cared about group play ... Maneuvers was the superior choice, and you were only "losing out" relative to Weave when soloing.

The best way that I can illustrate this is with a Team-8 comparison.
Let's say that you've joined a Team-8 and your character has Weave and no one else does. What does that do in the team context?
  • 1x Weave
  • Nothing
  • Nothing
  • Nothing
  • Nothing
  • Nothing
  • Nothing
  • Nothing
Okay ... so what happens if two of you have Weave on that Team-8?
Well ...
  • 1x Weave
  • 1x Weave
  • Nothing
  • Nothing
  • Nothing
  • Nothing
  • Nothing
  • Nothing
Well ... DUH ... tell us something we don't already know! (I hear you cry)
Alright ... compare and contrast the above, with what happens with Maneuvers instead if you're the only one on the Team-8 with Maneuvers.
  • 1x Maneuvers = x0.5 Weave
  • Nothing = x0.5 Weave
  • Nothing = x0.5 Weave
  • Nothing = x0.5 Weave
  • Nothing = x0.5 Weave
  • Nothing = x0.5 Weave
  • Nothing = x0.5 Weave
  • Nothing = x0.5 Weave
And now look at what happens when two characters on the Team-8 have Maneuvers ...
  • 1x Maneuvers = x1 Weave
  • 1x Maneuvers = x1 Weave
  • Nothing = x1 Weave
  • Nothing = x1 Weave
  • Nothing = x1 Weave
  • Nothing = x1 Weave
  • Nothing = x1 Weave
  • Nothing = x1 Weave
I don't think I can stress the difference in value any more clearly than this.

The Fighting Pool (and Weave specifically) as an alternative to Leadership (and Maneuvers) is a choice between selfishness and altruism.

If you take Weave from the Fighting Pool ... you're the ONLY ONE who benefits.
If you're a soloist who never joins a group ... that works just fine (for you).
When the only one you care about is yourself, the selfish choice is (clearly!) the superior option.

But as soon as you start adding teammates into the calculus ... that all changes.
When YOU yourself have Maneuvers ... all you need is ONE TEAMMATE who also has Maneuvers to give everyone on your team the equivalent of the Weave power (and if more than one teammate has Maneuvers, you're ALL doing better than picking Weave).

To extend the comparison to its logical conclusion, compare and contrast THIS:
  • 1x Weave
  • 1x Weave
  • 1x Weave
  • 1x Weave
  • 1x Weave
  • 1x Weave
  • 1x Weave
  • 1x Weave
With THIS:
  • 1x Maneuvers = x4 Weave
  • 1x Maneuvers = x4 Weave
  • 1x Maneuvers = x4 Weave
  • 1x Maneuvers = x4 Weave
  • 1x Maneuvers = x4 Weave
  • 1x Maneuvers = x4 Weave
  • 1x Maneuvers = x4 Weave
  • 1x Maneuvers = x4 Weave
Now, you tell me.
Which team would you rather be on among the above choices?

When it comes time to making Power Picks, it's important to think about more than just yourself and how your build affects YOU when you play. You also want to be thinking about what your character brings to a Team when you join a group, beyond just your DPS and Mez potential (and so on and so forth). Leadership is the only Pool that makes entire teams BETTER just by having you around ... and the Fighting Pool doesn't do that (or at least, not in the same way or even to the same degree, usually).

The Fighting Pool is a SELF multiplier set of Powers.
The Leadership Pool is a TEAM multiplier set of Powers.

There's a reason why I'm always trying to find room in every build I make in Mids for all three Leadership toggles in my build plans. That's because I would rather be counted among those who contribute to the success of my fellow Players, rather than merely looking out for #1 and leaving everyone else to fend for themselves.

Yes, Weave "looks better" on paper (or in Mids) when all you care about are your own numbers ... and for a very long time, Tough was the ONLY Pool Power available to Super Reflexes that offered access to a Resistance Power that could slot Resistance sets ... making this choice a very difficult one for many builders, but that is no longer the limiting factor choice anymore ... not on Rebirth.



This same mentality informed my choice of Hybrid Slot.

Assault is the SELF multiplier option.
Support is the TEAM/LEAGUE multiplier option.

Consequently, I never have to worry about "is this the right time to activate my T4 Support Radial Hybrid?" because the answer to that question is ALWAYS YES (except, perhaps, in the minutes before a big boss battle). Toggle on Support whenever it is recharged while clearing trash, since it multiplies the damage output of the entire Team/League (within the 80ft PBAoE). Stacked with Assault (Tanker), you're adding between 10.5-18.5% extra damage to everyone nearby to you, which can quickly add up to being a lot more added damage than you would ever be able to deliver yourself (even when averaging out the on/off of Support damage buffing relative to the "always on" Assault passive damage buffing).


39
Tanker / [RI5] SR/MA Tanker = NO GET HITSU!!
« on: March 02, 2023, 12:38:00 pm »
This time around, I think I'll start with the build first ... WALL OF TEXT CRITS YOU!!! after, because ... reasons ...


This post shows where the build is intended to finish at by Level 50 with the Incarnate slots (now) filled in.
Alpha: T4 Agility Radial
Judgement: T4 Ion Radial
Interface: T4 Gravitic Radial (although this can be almost anything you want)
Lore: T4 Robotic Drones Core
Destiny: T4 Rebirth Radial
Hybrid: T4 Support Radial

Note that with respect to Enhancement Boosters, only 82 Boosters have been strategically spent on this build (as noted below) in order to "plus ultra!" a select few powers where such modifiers can have the greatest impact.





In-game Combat Attributes reporting (because Mids Reborn doesn't calculate this correctly):
  • 435.06% Regeneration of 2649.47 Max HP = 132.4735 HP every 2.76s = 48.03 HP/s
  • Practiced Brawler +Absorb = +294.85
  • Force Barrier = +1187.42 (+1482.28 total w/ Practiced Brawler)
  • Elude = +1464.19  (+1759.05 total w/ Practiced Brawler)

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This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.4.7.5 DBVersion 2023.2.302
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!



Level 50 Natural Tanker
Primary Power Set: Super Reflexes
Secondary Power Set: Martial Arts
Power Pool: Gadgetry
Power Pool: Leadership

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Focused Fighting
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance: Level 27
  • (13) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27
  • (15) Luck of the Gambler - Defense: Level 27
  • (19) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 25
Level 1: Thunder Kick
  • (A) Superior Might of the Tanker - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
  • (3) Superior Might of the Tanker - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  • (5) Superior Might of the Tanker - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  • (7) Superior Might of the Tanker - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
  • (9) Superior Might of the Tanker - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
  • (11) Superior Might of the Tanker - Recharge/Chance for +Res(All): Level 50
Level 2: Storm Kick
  • (A) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
  • (3) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Damage/RechargeTime: Level 50
  • (5) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime: Level 50
  • (7) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime: Level 50
  • (9) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime: Level 50
  • (11) Superior Gauntleted Fist - RechargeTime/+Absorb: Level 50
Level 4: Jetpack
  • (A) Flight Speed IO: Level 50+5
Level 6: Practiced Brawler
  • (A) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery: Level 30
  • (34) Numina's Convalesence - Heal/Endurance: Level 31+5
  • (37) Numina's Convalesence - Endurance/Recharge: Level 31
  • (40) Numina's Convalesence - Heal/Recharge: Level 31
  • (42) Numina's Convalesence - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 31
  • (42) Numina's Convalesence - Heal: Level 31+5
Level 8: Focused Senses
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance: Level 27
  • (13) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27
  • (17) Luck of the Gambler - Defense: Level 27
  • (19) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 25
Level 10: Warrior's Provocation
  • (A) Taunt Duration IO: Level 50+5
Level 12: Evasion
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance: Level 27
  • (15) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27
  • (17) Luck of the Gambler - Defense: Level 27
  • (21) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 25
Level 14: Dodge
  • (A) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All): Level 10
  • (21) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance: Level 27
  • (23) Shield Wall - Defense/Recharge: Level 27
  • (23) Shield Wall - Defense: Level 27
Level 16: Agile
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 25
  • (50) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%: Level 10
  • (50) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All): Level 10
Level 18: Lucky
  • (A) Gift of the Ancients - Run Speed, Fly Speed, Jump Speed +10.5%: Level 15
  • (25) Gift of the Ancients - Defense: Level 27
  • (25) Gift of the Ancients - Defense/Endurance: Level 27
  • (27) Gift of the Ancients - Defense/Recharge: Level 27
Level 20: Focus Chi
  • (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up: Level 21
  • (46) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff: Level 22
  • (48) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge: Level 22
  • (48) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance: Level 22
  • (48) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Recharge/Endurance: Level 22
  • (50) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance: Level 22
Level 22: Maneuvers
  • (A) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage: Level 20
  • (42) Reactive Defenses - Defense: Level 22
  • (43) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance: Level 22
  • (43) Reactive Defenses - Endurance/RechargeTime: Level 22
  • (43) Reactive Defenses - Defense/RechargeTime: Level 22
  • (45) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance/RechargeTime: Level 22
Level 24: Tactics
  • (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance: Level 50
Level 26: Quickness
  • (A) Healing IO: Level 50+5
  • (27) Healing IO: Level 50+2
Level 28: Crippling Axe Kick
  • (A) Superior Vampire's Bite - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
  • (29) Superior Vampire's Bite - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  • (29) Superior Vampire's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  • (31) Superior Vampire's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
  • (31) Superior Vampire's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  • (31) Superior Vampire's Bite - Recharge/Chance to Heal: Level 50
Level 30: Assault
  • (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 32: Elude
  • (A) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb: Level 20
  • (33) Preventive Medicine - Heal: Level 27
  • (33) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance: Level 27
  • (33) Preventive Medicine - Endurance/RechargeTime: Level 27+5
  • (34) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime: Level 27+5
  • (34) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance: Level 27+5
Level 35: Dragon's Tail
  • (A) Eradication - Damage: Level 27+5
  • (36) Eradication - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 27
  • (36) Eradication - Damage/Recharge: Level 27
  • (36) Eradication - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 27
  • (37) Eradication - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
  • (37) Eradication - Chance for Energy Damage: Level 10
Level 38: Eagles Claw
  • (A) Pounding Slugfest - Accuracy/Damage: Level 27
  • (39) Pounding Slugfest - Damage/Endurance: Level 27
  • (39) Pounding Slugfest - Damage/Recharge: Level 27
  • (39) Pounding Slugfest - Disorient Bonus: Level 27
  • (40) Hamidon Origin: Endoplasm Exposure (+2 Acc/Mez)
  • (40) Hamidon Origin: Peroxisome Exposure (+2 Dam/Mez)
Level 41: Energy Gauntlet
  • (A) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50+5
Level 44: Force Barrier
  • (A) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance: Level 31
  • (45) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge: Level 31+5
  • (45) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 31
  • (46) Doctored Wounds - Heal: Level 31
  • (46) Doctored Wounds - Recharge: Level 31+5
Level 47: Vengeance
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed: Level 25
Level 49: Victory Rush
  • (A) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50
Level 1: Gauntlet
Level 1: Brawl
  • (A) Hamidon Origin: Nucleolus Exposure (Acc/Dam)
Level 1: Sprint
  • (A) Celerity - +Stealth: Level 15
Level 2: Rest
  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 2: Swift
  • (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50+5
Level 2: Hurdle
  • (A) Jumping IO: Level 50+5
Level 2: Health
  • (A) Regenerative Tissue - +Regeneration: Level 10
  • (9) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance: Level 10
  • (17) Miracle - +Recovery: Level 20
Level 2: Stamina
  • (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End: Level 21
  • (13) Performance Shifter - EndMod: Level 27
  • (23) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50+5
Level 1: Disintegrating
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge
  • (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50+5
Level 50: Agility Radial Paragon
Level 50: Ion Radial Final Judgement
Level 50: Gravitic Radial Flawless Interface
Level 50: Robotic Drones Core Superior Ally
Level 50: Rebirth Radial Epiphany
Level 50: Support Radial Embodiment
Level 50: Freedom Phalanx Reserve
Level 50: Portal Jockey
Level 50: Task Force Commander
Level 50: The Atlas Medallion
Level 4: Turbo Boost
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Set Bonus Totals:
(click to show/hide)
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Set Bonuses:
(click to show/hide)
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Proc chances: (w/ Agility Radial Paragon Alpha)

Thunder Kick: Superior Might of the Tanker (5.0 PPM, stacks up to 3x)
  • 5 * ((3 / ( 1 + 122.03 / 100 )) + 0.83) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 18.18%
Storm Kick: Superior Gauntleted Fist (3.0 PPM)
  • 3.0 * ((6 / ( 1 + 122.03 / 100 )) + 0.83) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 17.77%
Focus Chi: Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control (1.0 PPM)
  • 1.0 * ((90 / ( 1 + 82.35 / 100 )) + 1.17) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 84.21%
Crippling Axe Kick: Superior Vampire's Bite (5 PPM)
  • 5 * ((11 / ( 1 + 95.49 / 100 )) + 1.6) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 60.22%
Dragon's Tail: Eradication (3.5 PPM)
  • 3.5 * ((14 / ( 1 + 99.56 / 100 )) + 1.5) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 8 * (11 * 360 + 540) / 30,000))) = 26.14% per $Target
Eagles Claw: Pounding Slugfest (2.5 PPM)
  • 2.5 * ((12 / ( 1 + 44.06 / 100 )) + 2.53) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 45.25%
Health: Panacea (3.0 PPM heal, 3.0 PPM endurance, checked independently of each other)
  • 3.0 x 10 / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 00 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 50% (every 10s)
Stamina: Performance Shifter (1.5 PPM)
  • 1.5 x 10 / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 00 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 25% (every 10s)

40
Player Help/Guides / Re: Main Tanking vs Lethal Force Authorized
« on: March 01, 2023, 04:31:34 pm »
City of Data v2.0 (for Homecoming): Lethal Force Authorized (link)
Quote
  • PvP or PvE 100% chance
    • 30% max health Energy damage (all affected targets) every 1.0s for 4.1s (100% chance)
    • if !target.VillainName>RoguesGallery_Desdemona_Underground && (target>enttype eq 'player')


Hmmm ... there are two ways to interpret this information, with important implications for how it all works under the hood.
  • 30% of (current) Max HP of $Targets, subject to con level modifiers (x1.33 for being +3 to the PC) ... which means that characters with lower Max HP take less damage than higher Max HP characters with otherwise identical specs (think Dull Pain in an On vs Off state).
  • 30% of Max HP for your character's Archetype and ignoring the con modifier (so no x1.33 damage for being +3) ... regardless of what your character's current Max HP is when the attack hits (so you take the same damage regardless of whether Dull Pain is On or Off).
I'm starting to think that the way that Lethal Force Authorized might be structured to work on the game mechanical back end as option 2, rather than as option 1.

Option 1 allows for some "peculiar edge cases" in which it is more advantageous to LIMIT the +Max HP gain in a build so as to take less damage from Lethal Force Authorized in absolute terms, thereby handing an "escape" mechanism to low HP builds.

Option 2, however, becomes more of a "pure survival check" where no matter what, having more HP is ALWAYS beneficial (as one would expect).

Option 1 allows use of +Absorb stacking on low Max HP values to be much more effective (less incoming damage means that identical +Absorb values are proportionally more effective mitigation).

Option 2, by contrast, yields a "no free lunch" scenario where no matter what you need to be able to withstand incoming damage on the order of 120% of your Archetype's hard cap for Max HP (which for a Tanker is 3534x1.2=4240.8 before Energy Resistance). Basic idea here being that the closer your character is to the Max HP cap for your Archetype, the less Energy Resistance you'll need in order to be able to survive taking a hit from Lethal Force Authorized (low current HP will need more resistance and/or absorb to prevent a faceplant).

I'm starting to think that Option 2 is probably how this is implemented, but I can't be sure. I'd need to tease some info out of the Combat Tab log of damage taken in order to be sure (one way or the other), and fights with the Extinction War Walkers are "decidedly noisy" combat events (with attacks and damage scrolling rapidly!). Still, might see if I can try to pull that data out the next time I participate in an Underground Trial.

Part of my anecdotal evidence line of thinking is that my RI4 build for Redlynne ought to have been able to withstand taking Lethal Force Authorized hits without needing to use inspirations for added energy resistance ... but I still got faceplanted a few times (which was both annoying and embarrassing, as a Main Tank). Consequently, I'm exploring options for how to "close this gap" with my RI5 (re)build for Redlynne as a SR/MA Tanker, which is proving to be quite the challenging edge case. I think I've got it, but testing will be required to prove the concept.



One of the side effects of undertaking this rebuild effort is trying to work out ways in which the Avatar of Hamidon's Cripple attack can be effectively mitigated/countered (aside from League support from Kinetics and Nature). I'm honestly thinking that Victory Rush (of all things) cast on a defeated Elite Boss (of which there are PLENTY in the Underground Trial!) ought to boost Recovery enough to at least break even while under Cripple (-10 END per second for 15 seconds AND -100% Recovery for 15 seconds). Additionally, the Recovery boost from Elude will ALSO work, creating an opportunity for either alternating (on long drawn out facetanking slugfests) or doubling up (if needed).

41
Live Bug Reporting / Valentine Tip
« on: February 27, 2023, 11:22:25 pm »
I had a Valentine Tip from Mandy Lebeaux which needed to be delivered to Synapse ... however the Skyway tram did not have a marker for either station indicating that the Skyway zone was a destination for any pending mission.

In stark contrast, Valentine Tips to be delivered to Diabolique (in First Ward via TUNNEL) and Positron (via Steel Canyon tram) were both deliverable and both showed that there were missions pending in First Ward and Steel Canyon before being completed.

I suspect that the bug with Synapse probably has to do with a Character ID mismatch between the Synapse standing post in Skyway and the previous version of Synapse that was in use when the Valentine Tip mission was originally written (I think I remember Synapse getting moved to his current location in Skyway at some point). Either that or there's a typo in the character ID that ought to be pointing to Synapse in Skyway coded into the Valentine Tip.

More of a nuisance than a crisis, really ... but I haven't dismissed the Valentine Tip mission on Redlynne so if a Dev needs to pull records to validate this bug (end to end) then that's where you can find the necessary Character Data to replicate the issue.

42
General Suggestions and Feedback / New Mids Reborn version?
« on: February 26, 2023, 09:48:54 pm »
When would it be reasonable to expect an updated version of Mids Reborn to become available?

43
Tanker / Re: SR/MA = NO GET HITSU!!
« on: February 20, 2023, 11:52:11 pm »
Well, finally got to try out the RI4 rebuild tonight against Lethal Force Authorized and ... still got faceplanted ... even though I had 24.5% Energy Resistance.

Something just isn't adding up here.

If the Lethal Force Authorized attack is doing 4x 30% Max HP over 4s in Energy damage ... and if I've got 24.5% Energy Resistances ... that ought to yield a throughput of 120*(1-0.245)=90.6% of Max HP in Energy damage.

Except, that only applies for damage taken from +0 Foes.
A +3 Levels Foe (such as a 54 vs 50+1) does 1.33x as much damage.
So 120*1.33*(1-0.245)=120.5% of Max HP in Energy damage.
Grrr ...

For simplicity ... 120*1.33=159.6 ... so to give myself a tiny sliver of margin here, let's call it 160.

To knock down 160% of Max HP into the range of "merely" 100% of Max HP then requires 37.5% Energy Resistance (minimum).
120*1.33*(1-0.375)=99.75

The +Absorb from Practiced Brawler is running at ~9.7% of Max HP per 10 seconds.

What this then tells me is that in order to survive a Lethal Force Authorized attack, a minimum floor of ~38-40% Energy Resistance is needed (with more always being better) ... which I can now manage using my new build when consuming a single T2 Resist Inspiration (+15%).

Previously, I was needing to use 2x T2 Resist Inspirations (+30%) to stack onto the original baseline of having only 14% Energy Resistance in order to have enough safety margin (in excess of 40% Energy Resist), so in that respect the new build is certainly less inspiration consumption inefficient.

So although it was disappointing tonight to get faceplanted (again!) by Lethal Force Authorized ... twice ... that experience has now given me enough information to try and work out what is happening (and why). It also tells me that hoping to make up the shortfall in Energy Resist through Damage debuffing via Interface slotting is almost certainly a losing battle. After all, if the damage debuffing was working "at full power" (as opposed to being nerfed) then I wouldn't have been taking defeats from Lethal Force Authorized when not using inspirations. However, since I was getting one shot by Lethal Force Authorized anyway, even with 3-4x 5% Damage debuffing stacks from Interface procs ... that indicates to me that T4 Paralytic Interface is inadequate to the task I was asking it to do in the context of wanting to be protected from Lethal Force Authorized. It's likely that there are other factors at play "nerfing" the value of Damage debuff effect on the Extinction War Walkers, diluting the debuff's effectiveness beyond what can be usefully stacked by a soloist against such Foes.

May need to look into use of a T4 Degenerative Core Interface option next ...

44
Tanker / Re: SR/MA = NO GET HITSU!!
« on: February 18, 2023, 11:33:13 am »
Well, just loaded up the PTS and did a respec on Redlynne to test out the RI5 rebuild with Fly+Air Superiority+Aerobatics. The results look VERY PROMISING indeed!

Was able to validate that just standing around with toggles on (not doing anything) while standing on the ground, Def vs Melee/Range/AoE are all 59%+ thanks to Aerobatics, even when standing on the ground.

Elude recharges in less than 3 minutes from Click to Recharge Complete.

Running speed with Ninja Run+Prestige Power Surge+Elude+Agility Radial Paragon tops out at ~107mph.
Fly speed with no flight enhancement (other than Agility Radial Paragon) tops out at ~101mph.

Thunder Kick > Storm Kick > Air Superiority is an infinitely repeatable attack chain all on its own with Incarnate Powers active.
Eagle's Claw > Thunder Kick > Storm Kick > Air Superiority has a very brief pause when repeated for Eagle's Claw to finish cooling down.
Eagle's Claw > Thunder Kick > Storm Kick > Air Superiority > Dragon's Tail will actually add the +33% Damage buff (to base damage only) for BOTH Air Superiority AND Dragon's Tail before the buff brom Eagle's Claw expires, making for a really sweet Single+PBAoE $Target attack chain. However, this sequence of powers, when repeated indefinitely is slightly net Endurance balance negative ... which is easily overcome by alternating use of Conserve Power and Elude.

Did some KnockUP testing on Fake Nemesis out in Firebase Zulu and Air Superiority was keeping them "supressed" from taking further actions (via Knock juggling) no problem.

All in all, the RI5 rebuild is looking incredibly SOLID at this point, since I won't need to use the Hover+Stealth workaround to get enough Defense stacked up to reach 59%+ combat performance for Incarnate Trial content.

45
Tanker / Re: SR/MA = NO GET HITSU!!
« on: February 17, 2023, 10:42:07 am »
Always fun taking the "Live and Learn" approach to things.

Only realized after careful scrutiny that Kismet: +Accuracy is another one of those 120s duration after power is used type of enhancements, so slotting it into Vengeance @ 49 is remarkably wasteful ... because Vengeance can be used so rarely/chaotically, so I unslotted it.

Then I tried Gift of the Ancients: +Run as one of the few remaining procs that I could perhaps make use of ... and was underwhelmed even further. The +7.5% Run Speed global of this enhancement was adding ... +1.07mph ... to my run speed. It basically felt like a rounding error in terms of difference in performance. What makes this enhancement particularly galling is that it's limited to Run Speed ONLY(!) ... not all movement speeds, just run speed ... and it's +7.5% of your BASE run speed, not +7.5% of your MAX run speed, nor does it raise the run speed cap (or anything else that might be considered "useful").

Finally, I just accepted the inevitable and decided to reslot with Rectified Reticle: +Perception for a lack of any superior alternatives. I mean, I could potentially slot a Heal/Recharge (50) into Vengeance, reducing its recharge time by about -20s ... but that hardly seems worth the effort due to the fact that Vengeance can only be cast on teammates who have been defeated (which hopefully isn't going to be happening so often that there's someone conveniently faceplanting every 120-150s for you to target with Vengeance). Combined with Focus Senses and Tactics, slotting Rectified Reticle: +Perception increases my Perception Radius to 1100ft, offering a substantial buffer margin against -Perception debuffing.


The other thing that I've figured out is that ... Hover is lousy for /Follow (it tends to stop short of melee range) and Stealth slows down run+jump speeds while it is toggled on (flight speed is unaffected), which is NOT being reported correctly in Mids Reborn. The run+jump speed debuff is only -5.01mph (a -35% loss from base) but it's still enough to be felt.

The "final solution" would therefore appear to be swapping out:
In favor of the following once RI5 goes Live:
  • Fly (1-slotted for movement) replaces Hover
  • Air Superiority (6-slotted with Superior Vampire's Bite) replaces Crippling Axe Kick(!)
  • Aerobatics (enabling Group Fly and slotted with Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Recharge Speed) replaces Stealth (and Hover) and is just left toggled ON at all times as a source of +6.6% Def(All) in order to reach 59%+ Def(Melee/Range/AoE) full time
  • Reslot Vengeance with Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Recharge Speed to maintain overall global recharge
However, making such a change would also enable a reshuffle of which powers need to be taken when, because Crippling Axe Kick is not available until Level 26, while Air Superiority is available as early as Level 4.

I'm thinking that the progression of power picks would swap Focus Chi (20) for Air Superiority (20) and Crippling Axe Kick (28) for Focus Chi (28). Such a rearrangement would enable use of the Level 20 power (Air Superiority in RI5) during Level 15 Exemplar STFs, which would be a game changer in that bracket of game content. Air Superiority's reliable KnockUP (not down, UP!) has some really wonderful single target crowd control synergies built into it, especially when you can use it "fast enough to juggle" an opponent into a condition of perma-knock, preventing them from taking actions (this is especially useful against Fake Nemesis and Paragon Protectors to prevent them from extending fight durations).



So it looks like I'm going to be looking forward to the RI5 Freespec after all ...

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