[MP-Ryan]

Livestream was today.  Many threads on BSN, but here's the rundown:

-Awakened Collector is an Ultra-Rare Adept with some interesting new biotics (Dark Sphere, Seeker Swarm)
-Geth Juggernaut is a Rare Soldier, immune to all sync-kills, and capable of sync-killing certain enemies in its own right (Phantoms, notably).  Very slow movement, cannot run, cannot take cover, cannot dodge.
-Talon Mercenary is a Rare Engineer.  Whole bunch of grenade-type powers, melee is an Omni-Crossbow.
-Krogan Warlod is a Rare Sentinel with a massive Hammer that is linked to one biotic power and one tech power.  Oh, and he has health regen.  Similar mobility penalties to the Juggernaut, but can run.
-Infiltration unit is like EDI, Rare Infiltrator.  TC-like powers with motherfing SHOTGUN damage boost (Claymore is getting nerfed after this, plus there's now ULM Shotgun materials apparently).  Defensive Matrix is among her powers.
-Turian Cabal is a female Rare Vanguard.  No Biotic Charge, but features 3 new powers (one is similar to BC but with AOE effect and requires no lock.  Character is built around stackable poison damage, and has extremely high manueverability (greates in the game according to a couple devs).

I must have the Cabal Vanguard immediately.  A high-mobility, high-damage character that doesn't rely on BC obtaining a lock?  That sounds like a high-risk, high-reward Vanguard that's actually fun to play off-host, instead of my relatively boring Krogan and Batarian.

Oh yeah, and Shotgun ULM.  The Claymore is so getting nerfed.

There are also other gear items, several new (UR) weapons, but honestly, who cares, the characters are what I'm after...

[BloodEagle]

Where is my purple sun!? 

[Beskargam]

I havent played in awhile due to uni, but this might make jump back in for awhile. too bad it takes forever to unlock things

[SpardaSon21]

Who's still playing this on PC?  I'd like to play some games with you guys after I finish reinstalling.

Skype's been the preferred method of voice chat for this game, although I don't think we ever actually made any sort of calling group for it so I have no idea who bothers anymore.

[The E]

I'll be getting a few rounds in once my pc is completed. This weekend, in other words.

[phatosealpha]

Well, if you're going to jump back in, should do it shortly.  They're giving out a free pack with a guaranteed kit unlock for one of the new characters.

Been playing a bit ever since A:CM was such a disappointment.....gotta say, I'm not thrilled with the direction it's taken.  There's obviously been significant power creep, plus the weird unlock system means that people who have played longer always have better stuff. 

[MatthTheGeek]

I'm ok that players who have played longer get better stuff. After all, it's not a competitive, player vs player game.

[Beskargam]

sigh i no haz this for pc. power clases offer an easy way in for new players though

[MP-Ryan]

I have it and you are on my friends list, Sparda... though we use in-game voice or TeamSpeak in my little group of regulars.

I have 1.3 million in credits saved up for this.  Between that and the gift pack, I will cry and possilb yuninstall the game if I don't get the Cabal Vanguard unlocked as soon as I have this installed.

[phatosealpha]

I've heard that sentiment before from a fair number of people.  Can't agree with it though - that argument would basically remove any need for balance at all.

That said, I'm not totally opposed to any power gain over time mechanic, just think that ME3 has gone overboard.  Ultra-rare weapons are innately better then common ones to begin with, and the level-up-your-guns mechanic further pushes that advantage.  Combine it with the "Collectible Trading Card Game, except you can't trade" motif they use for upgrades, and you're looking at a damn long time before you're gonna be of use to anyone.

Power classes aren't as bad off, but the starting ones aren't great, and the vast number of kits mean the chances of getting a good class unlocked has gone down steadily since launch.




MP-Ryan, you gonna uninstall all the other DLC before spending your packs then reinstall it?

[MP-Ryan]

No; aside from URs, I have my manifest maxed.  No point uninstalling the other DLCs.

I'll be first to admit that I hate the store mechanic, but I'm not opposed to it taking longer to unlock the most powerful items.  The inherent randomness without a fixed drop rate in the current store is the problem.  I also refuse to spend cash to support it.

That said, while the game has been overwhelmingly balanced to favour weapon classes on the higher difficulties, there are a few powers classes that nearly negate the need for weapons entirely.

The Human Vanguard (Novaguard) is one of the best characters in the game - it is nigh-invincible (on-host) on Bronze and Silver, very survivable on Gold, and pretty decent on Platinum.  And it's a baseline character, available to all players from the moment they open multiplayer.  The Human Sentinel is also a beast on Bronze and Silver, and available from the get-go.  And once you get into the unlockable classes, there are several other characters that basically can get by on powers alone.  The N7 Fury is amazing on every difficulty; the Demolisher got nerfed but is still excellent; the Turian Sentinel and Paladian can survive with powers alone; while most of the Infiltrators rely on weapons damage, the Huntress doesn't need it, and at least 2 other Vanguards can be effective with base weapons too - the Slayer (specced for PD) and the Asari (specced for lift grenades).

All of that doesn't negate the store being crap, though.  I thought the store should have been modelled this way:

-All packs are available when you first start MP.  When your commons max, recruit packs are locked, and all drops are guaranteed uncommon or higher in all other packs.
-When uncommons max, Veteran packs are locked out and all drops are guaranteed Rare or higher for weapons/characters/gear while consumables can still drop uncommons.
-When rares max, Spectre packs lock out.  All subsequent packs (PSP, RP, AP) have a 50% chance to drop a single UR.  All other items will be uncommon or higher (including level 4 ammo).

The broken part of the store at present really begins after Rare cards max - once you've done that, the UR drop rate is so low and there's almost no incentive to continue playing if all you're interested in is maxing everything.  I still enjoy the game, so I tend to save up and then buy a whole bunch at once in the hopes of seeing Talon and Scorpion upgrades (as I don't care much about the other URs).

EDIT:  Also, once you get a Hurricane to unlock in a weekend event, there is no other weapon you truly need for any power-based class.

[Beskargam]

got the krogan warlord. the hammer swinging dude. quite a bit of fun to play as. Electrical hammer seems to be more useful overall, compared to biotic hammer, which does more damage, but can only hit one target. Also it seems to not affect banshees half the time(biotic hammer that is, electric hammer works fine)? anybody else notice that? Also using the hammer in regards to units with insta-kills is tricky. seems just stay away from banshees (duh), or let someone else distract if you're going to hammer away. You cannot take cover, which can be extremely frustrating at times. but oh the regeneration! so handy! so useful! combined with general tankyness means he is a massive meat shield. Think I found my new favorite class right there.

[MP-Ryan]

I've got at least level 1 of all the new stuff unlocked, except the URs.  Instead I got a harrier 5 and Indra 4 in my massive spend-spree.  Would have liked a Lancer, but meh.

Anyway, haven't touched any of the new characters except the Cabal, who I'm still trying to figure out.  She's pretty awesome in general, and offers a lot of build variety.  The teleports are not so reliable off-host, though, and her minute shield restoration does not work well against certain enemies (Phantoms suck).

Anyway, I have all the rest unlocked but I'll let BSN settle on the optimum builds while I help figure out the Cabal.

[phatosealpha]

Got the Cabal in the free pack.  Didn't care for her at all, but I never even like normal Vanguards.  Pick up Gethzilla in a later pack, but I don't have the weapons to make him good.

Ah well, back to the Paladin.  Just wish there weren't so many Sexbots around now competing for freezes.

[MatthTheGeek]

Unlocked everything already. I had 2.6 millions creds ready to spend when the DLC came out. I'm at the point where the only thing left to unlock are ultra-rares, a couple silver gear I don't have yet because they drop quite rarely in premium specters, and the N7 Mastery banner (the one where you need 60 promotions, I am at 43).

Am up for HLP games this week-end ! Ready to help people farm gold to unlock what they haven't unlocked yet. Favourite build so far is sexbot infi with reegar. I love infis, and with the magic Repair Matrix you just don't need medigel ever again.

[MP-Ryan]

Unlocked everything already. I had 2.6 millions creds ready to spend when the DLC came out. I'm at the point where the only thing left to unlock are ultra-rares, a couple silver gear I don't have yet because they drop quite rarely in premium specters, and the N7 Mastery banner (the one where you need 60 promotions, I am at 43).

Am up for HLP games this week-end ! Ready to help people farm gold to unlock what they haven't unlocked yet. Favourite build so far is sexbot infi with reegar. I love infis, and with the magic Repair Matrix you just don't need medigel ever again.

That is so getting nerfed   Enjoy it while you can =)

Anyway, I'll be around for a few hours here and there.  Hit me up if you see me online.  I haven't maxed all the new rares quite yet, but I'm getting closer.  Just need to unlock the new URs (come on Lancer...)

Anyway, I'm going to keep practicing with my Cabal.  She certainly turns Collectors Silver into EZ Mode, but that wa sonly during my test games.  She's harder on Gold and Platinum, and I'll probably end up going back to some of my old-standbys when I get tired of her.

[phatosealpha]

Well, I hadn't played much since a little after launch, but I've been having a good time.  Decide to give the old human engineer a whirl, expecting to suck.  Instead ended up on top of the scoreboard.  Admittedly, silver random matches ain't exactly high-level play, but still.

Really feels like in an effort to balance the techies with the LoLBioticExposions of launch, they vastly overcompensated.  Biotics can only explode once every other power, while techies can rotate explosions so that every power after the first is an explosion.  Plus, the best Biotic explosion powers are all dodgeable, while many of the good tech powers can't miss.  Heck, snap freeze can hit them through walls with no chance of missing.  It's practically criminal vs. warp/throw, where 1/4 of all casts miss and there's nothing you can do about it.

[Beskargam]

shh fire explosions are da best. Agree though, I hadn't played an engineer in forever, and I was astounded at how much better they seem than I remember. I agree now with the afore mentioned people about power creep. I feel like part of that though is just that it takes a while to both acquire good guns and then level them up because of the stupid store

I had a lot of fun today using the avenger, phaeston, and vindicator and schooling teamates by more at least a 10000+ score margin. on silver, because they dont do **** on gold

[Fury]

Really feels like in an effort to balance the techies with the LoLBioticExposions of launch, they vastly overcompensated.  Biotics can only explode once every other power, while techies can rotate explosions so that every power after the first is an explosion.  Plus, the best Biotic explosion powers are all dodgeable, while many of the good tech powers can't miss.  Heck, snap freeze can hit them through walls with no chance of missing.  It's practically criminal vs. warp/throw, where 1/4 of all casts miss and there's nothing you can do about it.

The problem isn't so much that but the layering system of priming and detonation that ME3 uses. Let's take a detonator, Throw is good example here because it can detonate anything. Let's say you have a Brute as target which has been impacted with following powers: Snap Freeze, Dark Channel and Incendiary ammo. Now you use your Throw and it hits. What is detonated? Incendiary ammo. All primers are detonated in the opposite order. Whatever was applied last is detonated first. In this example, if you want to detonate Dark Channel, you'd have to use Throw twice. If you want to go extra mile and detonate Snap Freeze too, use Throw three times.

The problem comes when you have detonated Incendiary ammo and someone else applies a new tech or ammo primer on target, let's say Brute is now impacted with Incinerate. Incinerate detonates Snap Freeze and applies its primer. Your next Throw would detonate Incinerate instead of Dark Channel. And so it happens. But the Brute is also under weapons fire. You now use your Throw for third time to get Dark Channel detonated, but you now detonate Incendiary ammo again. Well, the Brute is probably dead now anyway but you never got that biotic explosion off.

If you end up in a pug that has tech kits and use ammo that applies an effect, you have a lot of trouble detonating your biotics which sucks because your biotics would be doing a lot more damage. People, including me have begged Bioware to change the detonation system to throw biotics a bone. But Bioware has kept silent on the issue. Because of this, I've found that if you want to play a biotic bomber, N7 Fury and Asari Valkyrie are probably the best thanks to annihilation field. Their playstyle is risky though.

[Beskargam]

just played as the n7 fury. utterly destroyed everything. and I dont think i used the class to a tenth of its potential. wow.