Rapier has been enjoying (mostly) playing a Willpower tank and we’ve been slotting him up with some nice IO sets along the way. However, we’ve noticed that the ‘uber’ power, Strength of Will, does not accept “Recharge” enhancements and so is not affected by the +5% recharge bonus from Crushing Impacts, the power ‘Hasten’ not any ‘Speed Boost’ buffs. The recharge time of the power is 5 minutes and that’s unchangeable.

This seems unfair given that Unstoppable is similar and can be slotted with recharges. Anybody know the reason behind this?

It was a test case IIRC to see if they could do it. In theory it's got a shorter recharge than the other top tier powers of their kind... so can be used more often. It wasn't just willpower that got hit with this, although I can't recall off the top of my head which other sets have it, but anything new (at least newer than willpower) I'd expect to find the same thing going on.

I vaguely recall some mumblings that if the tech worked (which it clearly does) they may adjust the other equivalent powers (such as Unstoppable) to behave in a similar way.

That sounds about right Ebon. Shield Defense's One with the Shield is the same. Having said that, Rapier seems extremely hardy as he is.

Well it's poo with a capital P!

Tier 9 Powers accepting recharge buffs:
Electric Armour - Power Surge - 1000 secs recharge - HP & End loss when it wears off.
Energy Aura - Overload - 1000 secs recharge - Only End loss when it wears off.
Invulnerability - Unstoppable - 1000 secs recharge - HP & End loss when it wears off.
Super Reflexes - Elude - 1000 recharge - Only End loss when it wears off.

Tier 9 Powers with fixed recharge:
Shield Defence - One with the Shield - 360 secs recharge - Only End loss when it wears off.
Willpower - Strength of Will - 300 secs recharge - Only End loss when it wears off.

Betty, even with my Invulnerable tanker's full IO build and with 3 time reduc IOs on Unstoppable, I was able to bring its recharge time from 1000 to 350 seconds. I guess Willpower's Strength of Will is the fastest tier 9 power among others. Plus SoW is safer than Unstoppable since there's no HP loss when it wears off.

Now that explains it. I didn't check the recharge times of the other tier 9's
Thanks Blastor.

I'm still trying out some Tanks at the moment. My Granite is so boring to play. The trouble is i think i am just not cut out to be a tank

You should have more faith Betty. We haven't had a truly crazy balance change since Statesman was still in charge!

Yep. Granite only comes semi-alive with an Sber on it's tail. Mind you, Granite on my brute is good fun. I only drop into granite mode when all else fails - and as Mess says, "Granite is the ultimate God mode" as you can toggle into it and out of it every 4 seconds (from memory). And once in it nothing (bar Carnivals) are going to touch you.

So you could respec a bit to concentrate on your other non-granite shields or try another tank? LIke you I've tried a few and the most entertaining for me so far is elec/elec - which can seriously end debuff a boss in just a few seconds - for an added bonus. Although Rapier's willpower tank also looks great to me.

X

Add inventions and even carnival will have trouble denting you

Of course in the words of Yoda granite not a tank make.

If you want a serous granite tank you need to invest heavily in IOs that will boost your recharge speed (ovusly) but more important ones that will boost your regeneration and max HP as its the fact that using rooted in conjunction with health and earths embrace you can recover lots of HP relitvly quickly normally quicker than damage can be done to you.

You can of course go the other root and treat granit as a emergency button and instead use your other armours in conjunction with lots of other Def boosts (IOs, weave, etc) which works as a good mini tank type build also excellent for brutes as you don't suffer the damage penalty

I do tend to rely on Granite as i find i can't withstand the damage with my other armours on, probably because i haven't slotted it up right.
He does need a respec. I'll have to sit and plan it.



hehe yes i know... but with the other half always moaning about 'nerfs' or 'hidden nerfs' or 'enemy buffs' etc you get paranoid!

You'll "have to sit and plan it"? That's one of my fav occupations. Reminds me how much I miss doing the old respec missions. It was always one of CoH best TF's. I wish they had more like it. And so exciting to actually save the reactor AND get your respec!

PS I just checked by Stone Brute build. With him I've maxed out Hasten and Earth's Embrace (to bring that back pretty fast and I don't have any other defence armor! But he does have Darkest Night epic - which does a very similar job. I.E. not much help!