States on Blasters

[Tarberetta]

This one's for you Sally!

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=Blaster&Number=2729013&bodyprev=#Post2729013

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=Blaster&Number=2731446&bodyprev=#Post2731446

[Jade_Dragon]

There's a post already on the first link in the Blaster forum here. The second one is a nice clarification. None of this, "Scrappers are supposed to be Boss killers" or any of that, just "The Blaster's role is ranged damage". Just as the Scrapper's is melee damage.

The question then becomes, what does ranged damage bring us that melee damage does not? It seems that from what Statesman is assuming, less risk. Blasters are, according to him, safer, because they stay at range. The facts simply disagree with his assumptions.

Hopefully, he'll be able to clarify that. Making the Blaster safer is, I think, what this is all about.

[Sable Phoenix]

Well well. We're being noticed, finally.

This may be a good thing. Way back in the olden days, scrappers got noticed this way, and they subsequently got buffed into the premier archetype in the game (of course it could be argued that there wasn't really anything wrong with them in the first place that a few specific changes to the powersets themselves, rather than the AT as a whole, wouldn't have fixed -- adding criticals did nothing to make scrappers more effective overall, it's just flavor -- but that's moot now).

But it's been too long with no action, and until we get past the words and see results, I'm not getting my hopes up.

[Malibu Sally]

I believe we still have to wait in line behind controllers as far as Dev attention goes. So, if anything, there is at least 6 months before any real analysis of blasters begins. Until then, for the post level 40 game, we will still not have any clear role and what role on teams we can make for ourselves will be filled better by other AT's. :|

[Magna Harrier]

Yeah... post-40 blasterdom is where you really hope that you made some good friends beforehand, or that you're endearing enough to make some new ones who will like you as a person. It's a bit easier of us ice balsters, as a high DPS rate means we're still SOMEWHAT useful against AV's, especially if, like I did, you repseced out of almost ALL your secondaries and have superman-esque levels of pool and epic powers devoted to keeping you alive. And I STILL had to work my butt off to edge out the scrappers.

[BannedUser01]

how can you not know your role. geez. i got that way back in issue 1.

[Maveric]

I disagree 100% with statesmen's idea that it's merely a "perception" that the melee attacks of a blaster are not as usefull as range support powers.

-Mav

God, I pray they don't make the pistol powerset under the Blaster Archetype.

[Jade_Dragon]

I think there were two statements Statesman was trying to make, there. One was that he doesn't intend to remove ALL melee attacks from the Secondaries, which I agree with. Clearly, Energy is successful with melee attacks, so there is no reason Fire, Ice or Electricity -- IF they choose to go that route with that particular Power Set -- can't be just as successful. It's just a matter of analyzing what is successful about Energy and applying it to Fire, et al.

His second point, however, is that he feels it is a "perception" that the elemental Secondaries are weaker than Energy and Devices. This is what worries me. Clearly it is not a "perception", players are able to respec their builds, and so if they choose not to take a Power, there is a good chance they did so because they have experience with it. If we assume that the datamining shows that most Blasters don't take Secondary Powers, particularly the elemental ones, then Statesman is being stubborn to ignore this data, and attribute it to ignorance or misinformation.

Also, I will agree that melee attacks are not as USEFUL as ranged attacks. However, there's a difference between being AS USEFUL and just being useful. Melee attacks may not be necessary, but neither is Confront for a Scrapper, or Aim for a Defender. The problem is not that there ARE melee attacks in a Blaster Secondary, but that they mesh badly with the other Powers in the set. (They work fine in Energy, mainly because of the way they work well with the other Energy Secondaries)

[Sable Phoenix]

"Working fine" in the energy secondary is debatable; typically blasters will take only two melee attacks, Power Push because you are required to, and Total Focus because the stun is so high it even stuns bosses in one hit. The rest of the powerset is successful because it's loaded with self-buffs. In fact, I could go so far as to say its successful because of one power and one power alone: Power Boost. This power can easily be made permanent, and when it does it will not only double the duration of all your attacks' secondary effects (including holds for Ice or endurance drain for Electricity), thus making blasting overall far safer for you, but, and this is the key, it will double all self-buffs as well, including defense buffs. This works for anything with a defense buff, such as Hasten, Stealth, etc. With Power Boost a blaster can reach the archetype's defense cap without too much effort.

Power Boost is what allows the blaster with the energy secondary to use those melee attacks with (relative) safety.

With that being said, the fact still remains that the Energy Manipulation set is a relatively successful secondary. The reason for this is NOT because of its attacks (the majority of which remain unused) but because of its buffs. This is important to note. The buffs render an Energy Manipulation blaster about as un-squishy as it is possible to make a blaster (which is still too squishy).

[Libertyman]

With Power Boost a blaster can reach the archetype's defense cap without too much effort.


Does that include tough and weeve?

[Darknesse]

There is no defense cap. There is a resistance cap, however.

[Malibu Sally]

how can you not know your role. geez. i got that way back in issue 1.

Hi Gary! Nice to see you again. Too bad about getting yourself banned. If I find any sympathy, I'll be sure to not waste it on you. Toodles! :sally:

[Jade_Dragon]

With that being said, the fact still remains that the Energy Manipulation set is a relatively successful secondary. The reason for this is NOT because of its attacks (the majority of which remain unused) but because of its buffs. This is important to note. The buffs render an Energy Manipulation blaster about as un-squishy as it is possible to make a blaster (which is still too squishy).

An interesting point. Basically, Devices has defense, in the form of Cloaking Device and Smoke Grenade. I assumed Energy has no defense, however, it does have the ability to double what defenses you do get, from the Pool. So it also includes defense.

Energy is more of a close range Power Set, however, unlike Devices, which is almost exclusively ranged. Energy doesn't even have an immobilize. Every one of its disorients (which are also effected by Power Boost) require you to be in melee, but they also protect you in melee. Defense or no defense, I don't think an Energy Blaster would be able to survive in melee without disorient. So Power Boost, melee attacks and disorient all work together.

[The Widowed]

There is no defense cap. There is a resistance cap, however.
I thought Defense capped at 95% or something similar.

[Libertyman]

I thought Defense capped at 95% or something similar.


Every Villian has a minmum 5% tohit so the most you can get on a villian is 95% but not all villians have the same bse to hit numbers

[Vendel]

Every Villian has a minmum 5% tohit so the most you can get on a villian is 95% but not all villians have the same bse to hit numbers

Not hitting them isn't the problem....its resistance.

[Jade_Dragon]

Defense is not capped, to hit is. So while you might say that you don't have a Defense cap, you might also say that you have a Defense cap that depends on the level of your foe. If your foe is an even level Minion, for instance, your Defense cap is 45%. If he is a +3 Boss, then your Defense cap might be (this is just a wild guess) 90%. If he is a +5 Elite Boss with a Defense debuff or high Accuracy (again a wild guess) your Defense cap could be 150%.

The devs say that Defense isn't capped, but I prefer to think of it as Defense varies in effectiveness depending on the foe. Resistance, on the other hand, effects all foes equally.

[Akamaz]

with the Energy Manipulation, don't forget concserve power as well...

[The Widowed]

Not hitting them isn't the problem....its resistance.
I like to think of Super Reflexes (and Defense in general) as a 100% damage resistance which occasionally drops to zero. ;)

[D'Arkaine]

Is anyone else a little concerned over Dev Love to blasters? I have played other ATs but none past 21 yet. So my only real exprience is with a blaster. But it seems every time the devs show some love to an AT, things don't always get better.

I do hope for the best. I know i would love to not be bitch-slapped by every mob in the 40+ game. Although there is this one nurse in the Peregrine Hospital that I think I'm wearing down...

[Libertyman]

Well its not like they can do anymore damage to my energy / Fire who has been teh gimp since day one

[The Widowed]

Is anyone else a little concerned over Dev Love to blasters? I have played other ATs but none past 21 yet. So my only real exprience is with a blaster. But it seems every time the devs show some love to an AT, things don't always get better.

I do hope for the best. I know i would love to not be bitch-slapped by every mob in the 40+ game. Although there is this one nurse in the Peregrine Hospital that I think I'm wearing down...
But Vindicator's awesome. I made a game card of him, therefore he must be awesome.... :cry: