cdr wrote on Dec 11
th, 2013 at 11:52am:
and here we go again

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A few comments about epics and recent forum threads.
Often I read several forum threads and see some themes and also see issues that are somewhat related across several threads.
Recently I have seen some threads mentioning multiclassing, monks, and AC... as well as a variety of comments about Epic Elites and building toons to be adequate in EE.
So I have a few comments to make.
Multiclassing is part of 3.0/3.5 D&D and DDO.
In theory you give up something to gain something else.
I think many players think they see advantages and do not see disadvantages of certain multiclass or pure build choices.....for years now actually... because they continue to view this game through DPS goggles or flavor of the mod goggles.
However, I do see some build choices as being disproportionately beneficial..... for now.
These things seem to get nerfed eventually, so I am not really worried.
The one that does currently bother me is the 10K stars archer builds. Which are better than any other bow archer build.
(I am also bothered that Artificers are so superior to bow users, but I do not see any way to fix that one.)
10K stars should NEVER have worked with bows IMO. I do not know what the devs were thinking when they made that change.
The real problem with it though is that it sorta stacks with Manyshot, because you can use them both at different times.
Seems to me just make them not usable in succession and you fix that blunder.
I would even support beefing up 10K stars to partially suppress the cries of the Monchers. But a Monk should not be superior to other archer builds.
Next topic.
AC and EEs.
Ok, personally, I think AC works.
The problem I have with AC and EEs is that when I do get hit, it only takes 2-3 hits to kill my characters.
And those with twice my HP die almost as fast. (4-6 hits is not much different from 2-3)
Now, many people discovered that things like Dodge percentage help more than AC in EEs.
This has brought back the robe wearers.
Easy fix here IMO.
Give more PRR to armor. A lot more!
I do feel that at level 18+ randomly generate armor lacks behind quiet a bit.
And the only named armors that make a difference have high minimum levels... so there is a significant gap of time when players have inadequate AC for the level of dungeons they should be doing.
But again, I think simply giving more PRR to armor will help this a lot.
Epic Destinies....specifically Shiradi. And maybe Furry.
I like Shiradi a lot. It is one of my favorite destinies so far.
But I do not see it as overpowered.
Of course, I don't see any "EPIC" powers as overpowered.
Beef up the mobs... this is suppose to be "epic" you know.
Careful though. We deserve to be able to use are superpowers.
I have made several comments in the that epic dungeons need hordes of minions for us to slaughter, as well as more powerful mini-bosses that are tricks do not work on.....
Or simply have the monsters use the same tricks we do....
Back to Shiradi.
While I do really like Shiradi for archers and nukers, my own toons have not seen super powerful DPS out of Shiradi.
For my Wizard, I prefer Magister for the DCs by far.
EEs are difficult for DC casters, but no more so than Amrath when it first came out by comparison IMO.
Level drain, debuff, and use spells with will saves against melee types, and fort saves against caster types and DC casting still works.
Furry.
People keep mentioning Furry and Manyshot.
Tried it. Yeah.. it did better DPs than anything else I have tried yet.
Still not super powerful IMO.
And I still prefer Shiradi
Other destinies.
People rave about EIN and Blitz.
Personally, I can't get the tier 5 stuff to trigger hardly at all.
How can something OP if you can't ever get it to work?
OK, apparently there is a way to charge EIN ahead of time.
Me personally... seems to take too long and too many things uncharge it for me to gain much use out of it.
and again... this IS "EPIC" ya know.....
So if others get it to work often for them... great!
Of course.. the fact that EIN and Blitz "DO" work.... kinda nullifies the argument that Shiradi and Furry-shot are OP.
Maybe just looks at some of the less popular destinies and think about tweaking them.
Out of time and thoughts right now.. maybe I will add more later.