CoH I9
May 3, 2007
I9 on City of Heroes went live is Tuesday, May 1st. I have to admit at this point it’s a bit of a snoozer for me and a bit irritating at the same time. Since I already have a full compliment of heroes (at various levels) I will benefit very little initially from this issue. I think anyone bringing up a new toon will benefit more than the established ones. I guess we’ll how things are going in a few months, but right now I9 seems like a major yawn to me. What I’d really like to see is some new power sets for the Tanker AT. At four primary powers Tankers are clearly the “red headed stepchildren” of the CoX uninverse.
Okay, how can I not comment on this? I understand that you’re disappointed that tankers didn’t get new powersets. Yeah, that was a major oversight..AGAIN. But, the invention system actually works best for people who have both higher AND lower heroes. The higher level characters are likely to have access to the rare recipes and components, and they have the ability to craft enhancements at higher levels that low toons don’t. And the low toons can really benefit from the gifts from the higher toons, especially as far a slotting strategy is concerned. Also, there’s now finally storage in Pocket D for all those Hami-O’s you’ve been needing a place for. How cool is that? Let me guess: you’re peeved at what it will actually take to get that KB protection you’ve been wanting, huh? It’s going to take a high level to get that for you, just consider that.
Plus, there’s always that free respec! And new emotes! How can you not like that at least a little bit?
Okay, I stand corrected…No Hami-o storage…foo. I still think it will become more and more fun as new and interesting things pop up though!
Actually when you really think about it the argument for not giving Fire Tanks Knockback Protection was that it would “unbalance the AT” and make them too powerful. Now prior to Enhancement Diversification that “may have been true” but a few things still exist which makes that argument weak. Now post ED more than ever.
Fire Tanks cap on all resistance (except psi, cold and a few others) at 46.8% that’s it unless you go outside your Power Sets to Pool Powers that’s all you get. Compare this to the 67.6% that Invulnerable Tanks get or 50% out of the box that Granite Armor gives Stone Tanks. As you can see Fire Tanks stack up woefully as a “Tank” when compared to these other sets.
This was done for a reason; Fire Tanks have lower defense and no Knockback Protection because they can “drop opponents faster”. Which was true prior to ED. With ED came one of the biggest nerfs ever in CoH. The power Burn was given a “fear” component that forced the targets out of the Burn Patch, the recharge time was lengthened and the damage lowered. This in essence destroyed the theory behind the Fire Tank. With Burn now scaring the goons out of the Burn Patch Fire Tanks could no longer inflict the damage necessary to mitigate damage coming in. In other words they could no longer put the goons down faster than they were being hit.
Now what really cheeses me off is that the initial concept of “No Knockback Protection” is no longer valid and what you have left is a lower defense Tank with decreased damage try to fulfill a role designed for a different Powers configuration/concept. Until now….With Invention Origins Fire Tanks can now get a level 4 magnitude Knockback Protection (all other Tanks are level 10, what that means I have no idea, probably a rating vs stacking of effects). W T F??!!!! WAIT!! I thought that Knockback Protection would unbalance the AT, but here it is available!!???!!
Sooo….how is it possible that Knockback Protection would unbalance the AT if they can get the very ability that would cause the imbalance? Sorry, not buying it. Bottom line, Fire Tanks don’t really drop opponents faster, they have lower defenses and now through some absurd justification can have Knockback Protect through Enhancements. What a load!
The Devs need to get it together and fix this AT.
1) Give Fire Tanks what every other Tanker Set has, Knockback Protection. They can no longer justify them not having it inherently if allowing it in another manner.
2) Fix Burn, with the reduced damage and “fear” component, it’s just not a very useful offensive power any longer. If nothing else remove the “fear” it’s counter to the Tanker class anyways. Tanks are supposed to hold aggro, not frighten goons away.
3) Raise there Resistance already. At 46.8% Resistance max it’s amazing they don’t dirt nap more than they already do. Since the base is 30% raise it to 38% – 40%.
Since Fire Tanks are pure resistance it means they get hit the all the time compared to Invulns or Ice or even Stone Tanks. Give ‘em the grit to take it.
I know…I read this when you posted it on the CoH Boards. Didn’t figure your opinion would change any.