Power Pool Question

[Panamah]

I read over the manual last night and it looks almost like if you want the fourth ability in a power pool set, you have to pick the prior 3? Am I reading that correctly?

I was really hoping to make my Mutant Spine Scrapper into a roguish type of character, but it looks like I might be forced to choose between stealthy things or travel things.

Argh!

[Ruccus]

No, the first two powers open up at level 6, then the third opens up at fourteen if you have one of the first two powers. Then at level 20 the last opens up if you have two of the first three powers.

[Panamah]

Ok, so it seems like you either have to be pretty specialized or you will be limited to one of the first two across several categories. Hmmm... That makes it hard! Fun, but hard to decide.

[Pratell]

I don't think it's so bad, usually the 4th ability is pretty good and the others are worthwhile. Especially with fitness ;)

[Meddik]

Well, some of the 4th pool powers are good. But Leadership and the Travel powers kinda suck at it.

[Pratell]

Yeah I suppose leadership is the exception, though Group Fly isn't bad (never used Tele Group).

On a side note, has anyone taken Assault and found it pretty worthwhile? I probably won't slot it much (1 max, maybe) so is it still helpful? Since I rebuilt my character and traded Build Up for Targetting Drone, I was looking for an alternate solution. I suppose it's either Assualt or Cloaking Device =p

[Panamah]

Ok, I really was interested in the Stealth powers, for RP reasons for my Scrapper. But really, is there any need for stealth in this game? And it seems like the defensive bonus it gives is a bit weak.

Next I was looking at the Speed series. Flurry and Hastening looked interesting. Any thoughts?

And finally, Teleport caught my eye. Especially "Teleport Foe", seemed like it might be a useful skill for a scrapper wtih no long range attack to break up a big group of baddies.

Whatcha think?

[ShadowCross]

check the travel powers topic for discussion on teleport foe

[Sabatini Scratch]

I think stealth is pretty nice from what I've seen. Provides a defensive bonus, and you'll really love the stealth aspect if you ever need to take a run through Perez Park woods to get to a mission. :)

Don't have it myself, but I'll probably take it on one of my alts if it fits my concept.

[Axterix]

Ok, I really was interested in the Stealth powers, for RP reasons for my Scrapper. But really, is there any need for stealth in this game? And it seems like the defensive bonus it gives is a bit weak.

Sure, stealth has lots of uses. For my blaster, it lets me run around the city without getting shot at in passing. And I can scout. As a scrapper, it is nice as it lets you close on mobs without them nailing you, a big issue with scrappers.

I also use it for the bonus to defense, 7.5% lowering of their hit chance. That takes most even con minions from 50% to 42.5%, unenhanced. If I were to fully enhance it with 6 SO defense, that'd modification would go up to 16.5%. Obviously, has the greatest impact on things that have a lower chance to hit already, but even so, not a bad adjustment. If you are a super reflexes scrapper though, not as much reason to take it for that.

Next I was looking at the Speed series. Flurry and Hastening looked interesting. Any thoughts?

Hasten is sweet, drops the re-use time on abilities to 2/3rds of what it is. Fully enhanced with 6 SO recharge, it'll recharge in 2 minutes, 40 seconds. The effect lasts 2 minutes, so 40 seconds without it. Lets you use build up more, as well as attacks you have less of, say, if you only have one AE attack, with hasten, you get a lot more use out of it. If you go for it, I'd advise having some form of endurance regen (either from the scrapper regen secondary or stamina from fitness) as well as slotting it out pretty heavily to gain maximum benefit from it.

[Ruccus]

Yes, stealth is good, especially with super jump. Super jump's movement rate isn't reduced by stealth, and I never get aggroed with stealth/superjump.

Just yesterday the lemon-scented Teannin invited me into a group that had an evil mob break to try, so the mission could get finished. I get there to find everything red or worse for me at level 16 (and nobody to sidekick me), but I was feeling cocky from taking a purple down earlier that day so I figured if I stayed close to the tank I'd be fine. Needless to say most of the group ended up face down on the floor (myself included, though I took one of those Tsoo bastards with me!) and after regrouping I suggested that I try to bypass the group and try to find the computer.

I stealth/superjumped right between four mobs who didn't aggro on me, then searched the rooms above and found the computer - mission completed (so I rewarded myself by buying a box of butter tarts when I went shopping - mmmm, good!).

[Yalum]

I've done the same thing without stealth though. Even in missions the chase range is very small (until you do damage or otherwise really tick them off), unless you can't survive even one round of range combat it's usually safe to just bolt past a particularly nasty section.

I've even had cases where the boss rooted me, like clockworks with tesla cage, but by the time the attack caught up with me and I hit the ground, I was already far enough away that they had forgotten me.

[Pratell]

One bad thing about Fly i've found, is getting stunned mid flight :P