Recent posts

#51

Controller / Re: Controller, sustained Whir...

Last post by thilenium - Dec 26, 2024, 10:50 AM

looked the the builds that kismet provided and at the other posts, and other other posts on other forums and finally got to...

... test the wind/psi dom. a few minutes later i suffered from an acute attack of the wtf-is-thisis. Endurance-wise it does about the same as my first build, only that the recovery is now more stable and not linked to an incarnate power. the mobs i can do without crashing my endu is around 4-5, as before. With incarnate abilities and accolades i can increase the number, sure. but i do not see an increase to 10 mobs. And that was my goal.

also:
let's say THAT i actually got sustained cc on 10 mobs: there would not be much endurance left to do anything else. i run in, keep the mobs on the ground and wait until the party has dealt with them, then on to the next enemy group. Sounds kind of boring. If i used it just for difficult enemies, that are low in number, it might work. but then i also would not have to jump through all these hoops to have maximum sustained recovery.

Conclusion:
- even in success i would not actually play this build

[Mind Control: Telekinesis]

#52

Controller / Re: Controller, sustained Whir...

Last post by Redlynne - Dec 25, 2024, 08:16 PM

Mind Control: Telekinesis has a 10ft radius and a Max Targets limit of 5 (due to excessive NERFing by Cryptic Studios Devs, which was never corrected). In order to make "good" use of Telekinesis, you basically ALWAYS have to use terrain to "trap" Foes (up to 5) in a corner (somewhere) in order to keep them clustered (and thus, held).

Telekinesis + Enflame would seem to be a relatively (endurance) cost effective way of dealing a lot of damage to a pile of Foes caught up together by Telekinesis ... a 1-2 combo, if you will ... assuming sufficient time to "spring the trap" (Telekinesis, repel into a corner) and then "burn the patch" (Enflame) to enable maximum pain for minimum endurance cost.

For builds that are already taking Mystic Flight in order to obtain 3D flying + teleportation in a single power pick, it's only 2 more power picks to get to Enflame. The downside, though, is that you REALLY NEED to be enhancing Enflame (+4 to +5 slots, minimum) in order to get the most out of your investment into Enflame ... which depending on the details of the rest of the build, could be something of a heavy lift, requiring tradeoffs elsewhere

And ... I think I just talked myself into modifying my Mind Control/Trick Arrow/Primal Forces Mastery Controller build in order to use Sorcery: Enflame, rather than Primal Forces: Energy Torrent as the way to HARM clusters of Foes.

The tradeoff though is that I'll have to drop the Leadership pool (Assault + Tactics) in order to do it, and I'll need to drop Energy Torrent (+4 slots) for Temp Invulnerability (+0 slots) in order to be able to squeeze Enflame (+4 slots) into the build instead. Although, ironically, this would mean that the Overwhelming Force KB>KD proc would transfer into Enflame, which could have all kinds of interesting knock on effects ... so this bears thinking on a bit more deeply in the context of my own build plans.

Losing Assault + Tactics (even if they're both One Slot Wonders™) is a bit steep of a price to pay, but in the context of a Mind Control/Trick Arrow build, it might be worth it if exchanged for Enflame on a Controller. Particularly since Mind Control is such a single target damage type of powerset ... although Trick Arrow does help make up for that deficiency in various subtle and stacking ways. Still, being able to load up on recharge for a (nearly) perma Enflame power is rather tempting. Must spend more time weighing the analysis of alternatives.

[City of Data v1.0]

#53

Controller / Re: Controller, sustained Whir...

Last post by Redlynne - Dec 25, 2024, 04:23 PM

Per @brw316:
Enflame should have a chance to proc on cast and every 3 seconds following that. However, because it spawns pseudopets, each pet spawned is limited by the AOE radius (7) and its 5 target max. This is offset by the 0.5 seconds tick rate on the pets and the fact that a new one is spawned every 3 seconds.

I can verify that with the City of Data v1.0 from the Internet Archive.

• Summon Level 50 Enflame (PL_StaticObject) at Target for 5s
• Summon Level 50 Enflame (PL_StaticObject) at Target for 5s (after 3 second delay)
• Summon Level 50 Enflame (PL_StaticObject) at Target for 5s (after 6 second delay)
• Summon Level 50 Enflame (PL_StaticObject) at Target for 5s (after 9 second delay)
• Summon Level 50 Enflame (PL_StaticObject) at Target for 5s (after 12 second delay)
• Summon Level 50 Enflame (PL_StaticObject) at Target for 5s (after 15 second delay)

Damage amounts per DoT tick by Archetypes can be obtained from City of Data v2.0 for Homecoming (LINK).

Recharge time on the Click is 90s.
Maximum duration on the DoTs is 20s (5+15=20) after completing the casting animation.

In other words, there's no way to make Enflame perma (when solo) ... since that would require 90/20= +350% combined total recharge flowing through Enflame from all sources (enhancements, buff powers, global set bonuses, etc.) ... which isn't exactly easy to obtain while soloing. However, "getting close" with extremely high global recharge and intentional slotting for recharge in the Enflame power can help to significantly close the gap, enough so that Enflame becomes "nearly perma" in a very useful way.

The tricky part is that if you read the Detailed Power Info in-game when choosing to level up, you'll see that Enflame includes a Mag 50 Fear for 5s effects, which will naturally cause Foes to run AWAY FROM the damage patch pseudopets that can harm them ... so you'll really want some means of a consistent immobilize and/or hold effect to prevent runners (no big deal for Controllers/Dominators, but not as easy for other Archetypes). Presumably a sufficiently "strong" Slow Movement effect can also help, by debuffing running speed, so the Fear effect behaves a LOT like what Caltrops does, along with Oil Slick ... however, since the burn patches are so small (7ft radius), mobility really does need to be reduced to zero (preferably) in order to maximize the damage throughput from Enflame.



Hmmmm ... this suggests an alternative possibility for extreme synergy ...

each pet spawned is limited by the AOE radius (7) and its 5 target max.

Mind Control: Telekinesis has a 10ft radius and a Max Targets limit of 5 (due to excessive NERFing by Cryptic Studios Devs, which was never corrected). In order to make "good" use of Telekinesis, you basically ALWAYS have to use terrain to "trap" Foes (up to 5) in a corner (somewhere) in order to keep them clustered (and thus, held).

Telekinesis + Enflame would seem to be a relatively (endurance) cost effective way of dealing a lot of damage to a pile of Foes caught up together by Telekinesis ... a 1-2 combo, if you will ... assuming sufficient time to "spring the trap" (Telekinesis, repel into a corner) and then "burn the patch" (Enflame) to enable maximum pain for minimum endurance cost.

In most steamroller situations, that kind of setup to herd & burn isn't going to be available ... but it would be while soloing, and would remain an option in a number of other edge cases where herd & burn (into corners) tactics are rewarded.

For builds that are already taking Mystic Flight in order to obtain 3D flying + teleportation in a single power pick, it's only 2 more power picks to get to Enflame. The downside, though, is that you REALLY NEED to be enhancing Enflame (+4 to +5 slots, minimum) in order to get the most out of your investment into Enflame ... which depending on the details of the rest of the build, could be something of a heavy lift, requiring tradeoffs elsewhere in order to make the "gimmick" of Telekinesis+Enflame practical (or other AoE Immobilize/Hold+Knockback "herding" into a corner a rational choice to be exploited by Enflame).

#54

Controller / Re: Controller, sustained Whir...

Last post by EDekar - Dec 25, 2024, 01:37 PM

Just wanted to add a little bit to this with regards to Enflame (and its superior version, Radiation Melee -> Irradiated Ground).

Per @brw316:
Enflame should have a chance to proc on cast and every 3 seconds following that. However, because it spawns pseudopets, each pet spawned is limited by the AOE radius (7) and its 5 target max. This is offset by the 0.5 seconds tick rate on the pets and the fact that a new one is spawned every 3 seconds.

This is mostly gobbledygook to me, but those of you who understand the base mathematics and mechanics better may be able to make more sense of this.

Now, my two cents: in practice, both powers are pretty silly as proc vessels and proc much, -much- more frequently than one should reasonably expect.  Irradiated Ground, in particular, is absolutely nutty (shame I don't like Radiation Melee).  This being the case, if your build is lacking damage you can definitely kick it up a notch through taking Enflame, with the obvious cost being that it needs slots for the procs.

#55

General Suggestions and Feedback / Re: Keyes Island Reactor Trial...

Last post by FarmTank - Dec 24, 2024, 01:15 PM

This is just as a first impression response before we had time to think about it and discuss.  My first thought is that we do have more trials to implement for future slots.  I would hold the preference for another trial higher up the tree that "rhymes" with this one instead.  That one could implement similar mechanics but be the intentionally harder version.

[Keyes Island Reactor Trial]

#56

General Suggestions and Feedback / Keyes Island Reactor Trial (re...

Last post by Redlynne - Dec 24, 2024, 09:04 AM

Keyes Island Reactor Trial

• An Astral Merit will be awarded immediately after stabilizing each reactor.

Originally, the Keyes Island Reactor Trial was harder. As a result, few players would attempt it, opting for running Behavioral Adjustment Facility Trial and Lambda Sector Trial over and over instead. It was changed to entice players to attempt the Trial more often. Originally, the Trial had the following:

• Phases 1, 2, and 3 required all ten Containment System Terminals to be neutralized rather than just six

What If ...

What if there was a "duplicate" Keyes Island Reactor Trial made available.
Call the currently implemented version "easy" and the newly added duplicate version "hard" (or the functional equivalents) to help identify which is which.

The "easy" version makes no changes to the current implementation (aside from changing the name in the LFG window).

The "hard" version implements the following changes relative to the "easy" version:

• 1 Astral Merit is awarded after completing the first two Reactors. 2 Astral Merits are awarded for completing the third Reactor.
• 1 Astral Merit is awarded upon successful completion of the Trial.
• Phases 1, 2, and 3 require all 10 Containment System Terminals to be neutralized rather than just 6.
• Disintegrate, as used by Anti-Matter, deals more damage with each tick, with the final tick doing 90% of a player's health rather than 80% as it is currently.

The "net yield" for running the "hard" version would be increased Incarnate Experience gain (as a result of needing to defeat more Foes to clear each Reactor), along with an additional +2 Astral Merits for clearing the entire "hard" version Keyes Island Trial.



Question:
How difficult/complex/hoary would it be for Dev Staff to implement a parallel "slightly harder" Keyes Island Trial with the above modifications on Rebirth?



Rationale:
When originally released, the Keyes Island Trial was deemed to be "too hard" by Players, so the completion requirements were lowered. However, when the trial was originally released was during Issue 20.5 Incarnates Ascend, when only the Alpha, Interface, Judgement, Lore and Destiny slots were open, placing a lower upper limit on individual PC performances. However, with Hybrid and Genesis slots open on Rebirth, PCs now have even greater power than was available to them during Issue 20.5, which has shifted the "balance of power" in the direction of making the Keyes Island Reactor "somewhat easy" to complete (within 15-20 minutes, typically now) at relatively low(er) risk to individual participants due to increased Incarnate Power available to most (daily) repeating PCs.

Therefore, a "nudge" in the difficulty level of the Trial back towards its original parameters as released in Issue 20.5 would seem warranted, in order to "rebalance" the challenge for increased Incarnate power levels available by Rebirth Issue 6+.

No need for a "remove and replace" with a higher difficulty level (unless there is a community campaign to do so, indicating widespread support) of the Keyes Island Trial if there can be 2 versions available concurrently (pick one) and that the Diminishing Returns on Empyrean Merits applies to both versions (to prevent double running for an unintended increase in Empyrean Merit yields on a daily basis).



Opinions from Staff?

[they]

#57

Tanker / Re: Martial Prowess for Tanker...

Last post by Redlynne - Dec 24, 2024, 12:16 AM

my selfish side is going to come out and ask, "Why would you do that, especially as a tanker?".

Because it makes me someone that everyone else wants to be around.

• 60ft radius Maneuvers aura
• 60ft radius Assault aura
• 60ft radius Tactics aura
• 30ft radius Valiance aura (with Panacea proc)

Just by BEING THERE, I make everyone else around me BETTER at what they can do.

I typically slap the Panacea proc in a "Health" slot at level 10.  The +HP/+END helps out a ton at the low end levels (if I am updating an older level 50 since it is a PVP set you can slap it in Health at 50 and it will continue to work at level 10).

If you put it in Valiance a power that you can at best get at level 44 (I think) then once you drop down in levels to do TFs or other things that can gain you merits you lose the proc because you lose access to the power.

The Panacea proc does help when Exemplared down pretty far, but when exemplared down to Level 29-, my SR/MA/MP Tanker build gets limited to only 3 attacks (Thunder Kick, Storm Kick, Cobra Strike), so tremendous amounts of Recovery aren't exactly as much of a priority as might be the case in other builds ... particularly after being fully built out @ Level 50.

Ultimately this comes down to a question of share vs selfish (as you point out).

• If you keep the Panacea proc exclusively for yourself, you'll NEVER share it with others, because you'll have it slotted in Health (which is self only).
• If you slot Panacea into Valiance, you'll be able to "share" it with others, but only down to -5 Levels below when you chose the power (or -3 Levels below the enhancement levels themselves, whichever comes first as you Exemplar down).

As you can see in my SR/MA/MP Tanker build, I take Valiance @ Level 47 (the last level it's possible to get 4+ slots into a power), so I have Valiance and the Panacea proc @ Exemplar Levels 42-50 ... which is sufficient for me and my playstyle (even when Exemplared to 41-).

So the matrix of potentials basically comes down to this (in my own build):

• Panacea proc in Health ... Self: Yes, Allies: No ... Levels 7-50
• Panacea proc in Valiance ... Self: No, Allies: No ... Levels 7-41
• Panacea proc in Valiance ... Self: Yes, Allies: Yes ... Levels 42-50

On balance, and in the context of the wider build plan ... I consider that a worthwhile tradeoff (and it IS a tradeoff). If you design your build plan "right" you won't "need" the Panacea procs in Health to keep your green and blue bars filled when Exemplared to Levels 7-41, you'll have enough Endurance Reduction (and set bonuses) working for you while Exemplared such that Panacea procs become "nice to have" for yourself, rather than an absolute necessity (preccccccioussssssssss...) of the make or break variety in order to remain viable. Needless to say, there are a variety of strategies you can use which will make the Panacea proc in Health a less than 1st priority.



Let me give you an example, by way of an analysis of alternatives.

A while back, I liked doing this slotting for Health:

• Regenerative Tissue - +25% Regeneration: Level 10
• Miracle - +15% Recovery: Level 20
• Numina's Convalescence - +10% Recovery, +20% Regeneration: Level 30

Since the base (unenhanced) regeneration of Health is +40%, this slotting yielded:

• Regeneration: 40+25+20 = +85%
• Recovery: 15+10 = +25%

But when I was doing the rebuild for Redlynne, I realized there was a better way to slot Health:

• Miracle - +15% Recovery: Level 20
• Numina's Convalescence - Heal: Level 31+5
• Numina's Convalescence - +10% Recovery, +20% Regeneration: Level 30

The Level 31+5 Heal yields +35.2% enhancement @ Level 31 ... and a +5 booster increases that amount by x1.25 (boosters are a x1.05 enhancement values per +1).

• 35.2*1.25 = 44%

The (base) regeneration of 40% in Health is therefore enhanced to become:

• 40*1.44 = +57.6%

Add the effect of the Numina's Convalescence proc and you're up to:

• 57.6+20 = +77.6%

But now, you've got a 2 slot set bonus from Numina's Convalescence to add to the mix, which yields an additional 12%. So with the update to the slotting, the yield is:

• Regeneration: 40*1.44+20+12 = +89.6%
• Recovery: 15+10 = +25%

So +4.6% more Regeneration than using the Regenerative Tissue proc in Health, while losing none of the +Recovery bonus. So a very small differential in terms of direct slotting ... except ... that because I didn't put the Regenerative Tissue proc into Health, I can now slot it elsewhere, which would then yield 89.6+25 = +114.6% Regeneration relative to putting the proc into Health.



So for builds which lack an AoE Heal power (of any variety), putting the Panacea proc into Health makes a lot of sense ... but for builds that HAVE an AoE Heal power, the calculus of relative worth shifts a bit and other alternatives may wind up being preferable.

Your mileage may vary, of course.

[SR/MA/MP]

#58

Tanker / Re: Tanker, hard spots in all ...

Last post by Redlynne - Dec 23, 2024, 08:51 PM

During the "MoM" Trial I do have to pick up some extra resist enhancers for when I'm pulling Penny and getting her set up.

Hmmm ... that's curious.
I've had to (main) tank MoM with my new SR/MA/MP build on Redlynne already, and I'm only running 14% Resistance vs Psi ... and Psionic IS the intended "weak point" for Super Reflexes ... but I've never felt seriously threatened by anything during MoM except (stacked) pink puddles and Suffer In Silence (when people don't move away from the dogpile).

I'm not even afraid of Penny. I think that the (DEEP) stack of Regeneration I've been able to amass is an adequate solution, since anything that can't one shot me stands a very low chance of being able to make me faceplant ... and Penny just doesn't attack that quickly. So even when I take hits from Penny ... or Tilman ... almost +700% Regeneration (before including Destiny: Rebirth for even more Regeneration into the mix) means that damage taken has a hard time "sticking" in a way that can whittle me down. It's one of the reasons why I reached for as many +Regeneration set bonuses as I could get, along with as much +Regeneration enhancement from powers as I could possibly stack.

Same applies to the Toxic damage of UG, although (fortunately) most of those attacks are Positional (melee/ranged/aoe) so Super Reflexes works against those (most of the time).

I think all tanks can be viable, well except for my Willpower/MA tank, that one dies more than my others when I have MT trials with it.

The "handicap" for Willpower is that it "needs to be surrounded" to get the most out of it. Willpower is strongest when its the underdog/outnumbered, rather than when the situation is 1v1. A lot like Hybrid: Melee, really. Since Willpower is trying to do Defense, Resistance AND Regeneration (all at the same time), it often times winds up in a situation of "pick 2 out of 3" for how to build it ... and even then, it often times can't quite bridge the gap to the "needed" power levels that other choices of powerset can build towards.

So Willpower is a real challenge to try and get a really good BALANCE on.
It can be done, but there are often times going to be compromises involved.

#59

Tanker / Re: Martial Prowess for Tanker...

Last post by Atom Bomb - Dec 23, 2024, 08:25 PM

That is good information about the Panacea Proc Valiance working on everyone in a 30ft range of you, however my selfish side is going to come out and ask, "Why would you do that, especially as a tanker?".

I typically slap the Panacea proc in a "Health" slot at level 10.  The +HP/+END helps out a ton at the low end levels (if I am updating an older level 50 since it is a PVP set you can slap it in Health at 50 and it will continue to work at level 10).

If you put it in Valiance a power that you can at best get at level 44 (I think) then once you drop down in levels to do TFs or other things that can gain you merits you lose the proc because you lose access to the power.

Now if you are playing a character you never drop down in levels on then I guess that is a good place to drop it, but from my own personal stand point I don't see the benefit of dropping it in a level 44 power.

#60

Tanker / Re: Tanker, hard spots in all ...

Last post by Atom Bomb - Dec 23, 2024, 07:58 PM

So with 4 powers with +5 slots each, you're already over 40% Resistance Energy, which would not be bad for a Dark Armor build. You could then use additional set bonuses from other powers to increase that amount even higher ... and that's before including (Superior) Might of the Tanker procs for +Resistance into the mix.

Currently my Dark Armor/Dark Melee tank is sitting at 75% Energy Resist (when Superior Might of the Tanker procs it jumps to 80%), and again that is good enough to be MT at trials with (I've done it with him before).  I have unfortunately put him on the back burner and do not play him often because I just find Dark Melee to be....clunky.  I'm not a fan of it.  I know it has some very good debuffs, but again, I just don't like it.

I think all tanks can be viable, well except for my Willpower/MA tank, that one dies more than my others when I have MT trials with it.