flavor-of-the-month
Latest
Behind the Mask: Practical indestructibility
It's not very commonplace to showcase a single build on Behind the Mask. In fact, aside from the Archetypes, I've never directly addressed any of the millions of build options in Champions Online. However, one build in particular has garnered a lot of attention lately. It's infamous for its incredible survivability, and many people consider it the benchmark of all builds. The main permutation of the build is Invul/dodge, but the core idea is using layered defenses to ramp up survivability to ridiculous levels. This week, we'll cover what Invul/dodge is, how it works, and some popular variants. We'll also discuss its limitations and counters. While Invul/dodge is probably the most situationally durable build in the game, it has its weaknesses. Some players might delude you into thinking that Invul/dodge is good at everything, but that couldn't be further from the truth.
Behind the Mask: Heroes vs. heroes
Although I've referenced it a little bit here and there, I've directly avoided talking about PvP in Champions Online. It's a controversial topic -- probably moreso in CO than in most other MMOs. In Champions, there is a massive difference between a hero who is focused on PvP and one who is not. Characters who are well-optimized PvE machines tend to perform acceptably (especially in certain types of PvP). However, if a hero isn't as optimized, he or she tends to get steamrolled by the flavors of the month. Because most CO players are more casual players (in the sense that they don't plan builds and tend to pick powers that are "fun" or "cool"), they often get quite upset when they are defeated by an optimized PvP build. Most players I know tend to assume that the FoTM builds are unbeatable and that the only way to beat them is to join them. Experienced PvPers know that this just isn't the case. It is true that an optimized PvP build is a necessity, but the actual optimization can take on many forms. There are dozens of effective "win buttons" in Champions' PvP out of a couple hundred powers. Out of dozens of possible kill methods, picking one and supplementing it with logical choices and personal flavor is a snap.
Behind the Mask: Those good old (PvP) days
Well, the holidays were a bit tight on my time, so for those of you who did send me messages regarding our hoped-for Andrith (and maybe Mandragalore) runs were probably a little disappointed that we couldn't find the time to run them last week. I'm still trying to get a run going before the end of the holiday event (on the 4th), so if you're interested in the boss-kissing perk, let me know! This week, I'm going to reminisce about the development of Champions Online, but with a twist -- I'll be talking about only the PvP changes and the changes that indirectly affected PvP. Why, you may ask? CO has evolved quite a bit, and sometimes we don't realize the problems that existed (and were fixed) when we complain about what's currently in the game.
The Daily Grind: Does popularity influence your play decisions?
Popularity can be an odd beast. For a fairly long stretch in World of Warcraft, there was one creature that could always be found in droves, no matter the time or place: the night elf hunter. While hunters are no longer the most popular class in the game, there's still no shortage of veterans who will look at you with suspicion if you have one. They became synonymous with inexperience and overplayed characters -- and as a combination of one of the most popular races with the most popular class at the time, it was all but inevitable. From Guild Wars to EVE Online, there are always certain things with seemingly endless popularity. Some players will flock to the flavor of the month, either because they believe it's overpowered, or due to the assumption that everyone else can't be wrong. On the flip side, some people make it their practice to find the least popular combination of abilities and play that, just to be unique. So where do you fall? Have you ever made your choice of character based on what was (or wasn't) popular at the time? If so, do you try to go with the flow or against it?
Encrypted Text: Art of the peel
Every Wednesday, Chase Christian of Encrypted Text invites you to enter the world of shadows, as we explore the secrets and mechanics of the Rogue class. This week, we'll be talking about one of the most important things a Rogue can do that's not called 'DPS'.In WoW, we don't get to decide much about our characters. A few pre-built faces and skin tone are about as deep as the customization options run. Gear is typically released in discrete tiers, and you'll find that most Rogues use mostly the same leather sets. Talents are similarly stale: there are rarely true choices in our trees. Choosing one talent over another either cuts your damage or cuts your usefulness, and for most Rogues the decision is easy.Most people assume one Rogue is as good as another. Take two arbitrary Rogues, Gankenstein and Istabbedu. They're both undead Rogues: their chins are falling off. They're both sporting full Season 2 gear with a few PvE epics sprinkled in. And they both traded in their Slicers for Shankers & Shivs this patch; all aboard the Mutilate train. So what separates these two from each other, and from the other 9,000 Rogues on any given server?
The Daily Grind: Do you dislike playing an "overpowered" class?
In the never-ending cycle of patching, class-tweaking, and talent overhauls, most classes in any given game get their time in the spotlight as the flavor of the month. There has always been a certain sub-culture of lemmings within any given player base who flock to the most powerful classes simply because they represent the path of least resistance to the end-game. While these bandwagon riders are usually acknowledged for what they are, its difficult sorting out who is playing for power and who is playing for more sincere motives.At the same time, it's ostensibly a lot more fun behind at the top of this never-ending cycle than the bottom, so shouldn't players enjoy their moment in the sun, no matter how temporary? And so we ask you, dear Massively readers: Are the benefits of kicking butt in PvP or getting that coveted raid spot worth the cost of being lumped in with the power-hungry lemmings?
