New efforts!

[Tubbius]

You can also read the archived version of the official forums (well, MOST of it, a month or two before the shut-down) by following the instructions here:

http://www.cohtitan.com/forum/index.php/topic,9924.msg143460.html#msg143460

Someone archived the majority of the old forums?  :O  I hope I can find a few particular posts of mine. . . .

[chuckv3]

Waiting for you chuckv3 :) Lots of builds waiting for critique in the build section :)

I'm not as prolific or experienced as most of these guys. My only 50s were a energy/energy blaster, warshade, fire/fire tanker, then a lot of 30-something and 40-something varieties of everything else. I generally just followed the advice and builds posted in the archetype guides in the forums, which is why I was suggesting that to you.

[pinballdave]

Certain combinations, there specific themes and builds most would regard as 'best'. I believe some rather familiar powersets could be slotted in many different ways, for example - the radiation emission/radiation blast defender. There is the ever-popular solo-emphasis build. Some people tried to duplicate empaths. I did say try. Some tried to make boss killers. By the way, I personally think rad/rad should go for perma-hasten.

I like reading the different builds as well to see new tricks. Man, I miss that blockbuster KB>KD IO proc enhancement.

[Arcana]

Certain combinations, there specific themes and builds most would regard as 'best'.

The stock answer on the official forums to the question "which build/powerset/archetype is 'best'" was: best at what?

Not because there was a best at anything, but mostly so we all were in sync about what specific thing we were about to argue about.

I mean, there were a few "bests" but only in a marginal sense.  Best mannequin-assassin: Sonic/Electric blaster.  Best single target knock-things-into-trees: FF/Energy.  Best dont-actually-have-to-shoot-anything build: Mind/Earth.

[Tubbius]

From the old City of Heroes forums:

12-19-2010.

Waddle the Penguin and Pistola hit 50 that night, Waddle hitting it about 3 hours before Pistola.  I posted about it on 12-20 on the Justice forums.

Trying to find when Tubbius himself hit 50.  :)

[ICKool]

The stock answer on the official forums to the question "which build/powerset/archetype is 'best'" was: best at what?

CoH was such a standout among mmorpg's (or straight rpg's). The combat roles had distinct flavors (that felt and played very differently), but were still viable in most situations. Other games I've played, there ends up being one or two 'best' (aka viable) well-known builds/gear-sets for each class--or even role.

[pinballdave]

The stock answer on the official forums to the question "which build/powerset/archetype is 'best'" was: best at what?

Not because there was a best at anything, but mostly so we all were in sync about what specific thing we were about to argue about.

I mean, there were a few "bests" but only in a marginal sense.  Best mannequin-assassin: Sonic/Electric blaster.  Best single target knock-things-into-trees: FF/Energy.  Best dont-actually-have-to-shoot-anything build: Mind/Earth.

I should sharpen my pencil. I was referring to how many viable ways you could select powers and slot a specific primary/secondary and be viable. I remember the cold vs. storm discussions, and the cold vs. FF discussions. For instance I knew some players that didn't get hasten to go with accelerated metabolism because it 'killed their end'. I knew some players that swore off EM Pulse. I don't believe either proposition was ruinous to their build even when I cannot figure how I would build a Rad without Hasten and EM Pulse. Of course the end discussions were prior to inherent Fitness.

The alternate build option was a real godsend.

[chuckv3]

The alternate build option was a real godsend.

And definitely an under-utilized feature! In my experience, 95% of people I ran across didn't even know it existed. Even fewer knew that you could actually unlock a third build.

[Aggelakis]

I loved the alt builds. Agge had "solo" (no powers that didn't effect her, almost entirely attacks), "team" (all the ally powers plus a handful of attacks, with most of her slots in the buffs/heals), and "balance" (most of the ally powers, more attacks, slots spread out more evenly between attack/support).

I also used alt builds to work on IO builds for my non-mains. Build 1 would have SOs and generic IOs, maybe a couple key set pieces (like KB protection). Build 2 would be where I started slotting for bonuses and enhancement value.

[chuckv3]

I loved the alt builds. Agge had "solo" (no powers that didn't effect her, almost entirely attacks), "team" (all the ally powers plus a handful of attacks, with most of her slots in the buffs/heals), and "balance" (most of the ally powers, more attacks, slots spread out more evenly between attack/support).

I tended to put secondary builds on some tankers and defenders, in both cases to have a "team" versus "solo" build. I think the other ATs usually didn't need them (a slight adjustment to play style was enough of a change).

I never actually used a third build on anything that I can remember.

[Aggelakis]

Empathy makes really good use out of three builds. Having that "pure empath" build is a godsend in Incarnate content that's cranked to max with teammates that don't have all their incarnate junk yet. (but it's not really pure empath because I took and slotted things like Stun Shot and Total Focus- because stunning bosses for ridiculous durations is totally support- and Rain of Arrows because because.)

[chuckv3]

Empathy makes really good use out of three builds. Having that "pure empath" build is a godsend in Incarnate content that's cranked to max with teammates that don't have all their incarnate junk yet. (but it's not really pure empath because I took and slotted things like Stun Shot and Total Focus- because stunning bosses for ridiculous durations is totally support- and Rain of Arrows because because.)

I had an Emp/Psi and an Emp/Energy, but never took either into incarnate trials. I feel they both deserve some love if the game returns, so hopefully I'll get a chance to find out what you mean!

[pinballdave]

And definitely an under-utilized feature! In my experience, 95% of people I ran across didn't even know it existed. Even fewer knew that you could actually unlock a third build.

My gut feeling the 3 builds would be solo, team, PVP

[chuckv3]

My gut feeling the 3 builds would be solo, team, PVP

Depends on the AT, and what you use it for (wasn't that a trite answer?!?).

For instance, my Invuln/SS had one build capped for S/L defense & resistance, with the alt build set up for broad-spectrum defense (25%-ish) mid-level resistance (invln's 3 resist passives 3-slotted) with higher regen. I would always start with the S/L build, and if it wasn't working I'd try the other. Usually one or the other worked. She had no "solo" build because I never had a problem finding a PUG team while playing her.

[Sinistar]

My gut feeling the 3 builds would be solo, team, PVP

OR: L50 super charged PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWER build,  with build 3 and L35 slotted build and build 2 an L25 slotted build for when needing to exemp down to certain levels without badly crippling the character. :)

[chuckv3]

OR: L50 super charged PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWER build,  with build 3 and L35 slotted build and build 2 an L25 slotted build for when needing to exemp down to certain levels without badly crippling the character. :)

Brilliant! I never even considered having a built meant for exemping!

[Sinistar]

Brilliant! I never even considered having a built meant for exemping!

Thanks :)  After ish 13 kind of soured PVP for me and the started adding weekly TF for incarnate components I decided to change my alt builds.

Still kept build #1 though for LEVEL 50 PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWER builds though.

Also kept my personal base small so I could then say "itty bitty living space" ;)

[Abraxus]

I saw that one coming!

[Arcana]

I should sharpen my pencil. I was referring to how many viable ways you could select powers and slot a specific primary/secondary and be viable.

If by "viable" you mean literally, as in reasonably functional in standard content at standard difficulty, it was hard *not* to be viable.  A random number generator would probably make a standard difficulty-viable build more than 80% of the time.

But if by "viable" you really mean "reasonably optimized to do at least one useful thing" I think some powerset combinations presented more options than others.  Ill/Rad, for example, had lots of small variations but not a lot of big ones.  I'd say the biggest variations revolved around whether one took or didn't take Spectral Terror, EMP, and Deceive.  The core build tended to be similar in goals.  Energy/Electric blasters had a number of different ways they could go: Fire/Fire not so much.  As an archetype blasters covered a lot of ground, but on the other hand that ground often had only one or a few ways to get there.  AR/Mental is really good with a gigaton of recharge, otherwise its relatively pedestrian.  Energy Manipulation has all kinds of potential to go in different directions, Fire Manipulation less so.  Dominators have more options than Brutes.  Masterminds a little more than Tankers.  Controllers probably have the highest diversity footprint as a class.  Stalkers probably the least.  But even with stalkers, there was always more than one way to do it.

[LaughingAlex]

I had an Emp/Psi and an Emp/Energy, but never took either into incarnate trials. I feel they both deserve some love if the game returns, so hopefully I'll get a chance to find out what you mean!

I agree with you about empathy.  I'd happily trade the damage or to-hit buff for it to be AoE team wide.  It just couldn't compete with time manipulations farsight.

Edit: Or pain domination's world of pain with an IO'd corruptor for that matter.