GameAmp: One Year Veteran Rewards

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Roboknee

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One Year Veteran Rewards

Last night marked my one year anniversary of playing City of Heroes.

*pauses for applause* ;)

Thanks to the veteran rewards program I've got the choice of either the Sands of Mu of the Ghost Slaying Axe for each of my characters. I did a little digging on the site and haven't seen much in the way of discussion about these powers and wondered what people's thoughts on them were?

05/13/08 10:41

RonJ73

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RE: One Year Veteran Rewards

I would say most people probably pick the Sands of Mu. It's a very short Cone attack, exactly the same as Shadow Maul from Dark Melee. The Ghost Axe is handy, but generally only against CoT ghosts and Croatoa ghosts. IMO, Sands is superior.

You'll find yourself rarely using either of them in the late game, as you'll have plenty of other attacks that are more useful on most of your characters. They are outstanding in the early game, though.

City of Heroes/Villains
Onion - L50 - Katana/Super Reflexes/Body Mastery Scrapper
Scotch Bonnet Girl - L50 - Fire Aura/Fire Melee/Pyre Mastery Tanker
RonJ73 - L50 - Stone/Energy Aura Brute
Aurora Australis - L50 - Willpower/Energy Melee Tanker

05/13/08 11:17

RonJ73

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RE: One Year Veteran Rewards

Oh and silly me. CONGRATS ON YOUR 1 YEAR!!!

05/13/08 11:18

Phedre_D

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Credibility: 26 pts

RE: One Year Veteran Rewards

Gratz on your awards! Both powers are really convenient for the first 10 levels. Since you don't have many attack powers yet they can really help you out. But the problem is that you can't put any slots in them, and they eat up quite a bit of endurance. So as you level up they become relatively weaker. Somewhere around level 20 I stop using them all together.

I prefer Sands of Mu over the Axe. The axe animation takes a bit longer especially if you are already wielding another weapon. And it feels like it is less effective, but that is probably just a feeling. Or maybe it is related to the opponents resistance. Sands of mu is series of punches doing dark damage (I think), and the axe is a single swing of physical damage.

Neither powers are really going to make or break your build so I would actually pick on each toon the power that fits the best with that toon.

Edit: Oops, Ron already said most of the important stuff. Stupid work phone calls make me respond way too late.

***THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED***

***FEELS KINDA NAKED WITHOUT A SIGGIE***

05/13/08 11:20

Warron Peace

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RE: One Year Veteran Rewards

Congrats!

My advice: If you already have alot of attacks, take the Axe. Alot of enemies that the axe is good against generally resist the heck out of S/L damage, so having it as back up can be a huge bonus. If you are a controller or defender, and don't have many actual attacks that do real damage, then take Sands. It'll be a nice addition to your attack chain.

So, if you need the attack, take sands. If you don't, take the axe and use it when its appropriate.

W.P.

my current project: Spine/Will farmer, Quillpower, on Virtue.

05/13/08 11:34

Roboknee

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RE: One Year Veteran Rewards

Thanks, both of you. I've already rated your posts!

Anyways, I already see what you mean about not needing them at higher levels. The toon I'm working on now, my Level 34 DB/WP Brute, has all her primary attacks except taunt. Attack Vitals and Sweep meld seemlessly right now. At low levels an extra attack will definitely help and I think Sands will help out more than the axe.

P.S. I totally get the work phone call thing. Happens to me all the time.

Virtue: Atomic Arrower (Lvl 50 Arch/Dev Blaster)
Foxy Roxy Brown (Lvl 50 DB/WP Brute)
Sakura Starburst (Lvl 24 Peacebringer)
Dr. Joseph Mallory (Lvl 28 Ice Storm Controller)
Arbitor Agony (Lvl 8 Wolf Spider)

Liberty: Omega Pulse (Lvl 42 Kin/Elec Defender)
Solarflare (Lvl 33 Fire/Thermal Corrupter)

Protector: Wyld Kat (Lvl 30 Claws/Regen Scrapper)

Everything Else: Too Many Alts

05/13/08 11:34

Roboknee

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RE: One Year Veteran Rewards

Thanks Warron. I was thinking along those lines but wasn't thinking specifically about using it with a controller. I've got a low-level Ice controller and using sands on a taget that's held sounds like a heck of a fun time. :D

05/13/08 11:38

LordXenophon

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RE: One Year Veteran Rewards

QUOTE

The Ghost Axe is handy, but generally only against CoT ghosts and Croatoa ghosts.

You're forgetting the bad guys the original temp power was made for - the Banished Pantheon. You get your bonus against all of their zombies. You can also use it against Tsoo Ancestor Spirits, the ghosts from the ghost ship, Adamastor, CoT Daemons (not just their ghosts), and any other kind of true undead or demon. The only undead you CAN'T get your bonus against are the zombies of the Vahzilok, which is because they are cybernetic zombies, rather than true undead. I believe you also get the bonus against Council Vampyri; I don't remember having seen "innefective" on my screen after hitting one with the axe, although that may be because the devs forgot that we might think Vampyri are undead.

You will find plenty of good uses for that axe from levels 5-50, though I agree that you will use it less and less as you gain levels. I personally like hitting powerful CoT demons with it after someone has buffed the bejezuz out of me and taking that demon down in one his with a controller.

Another advantage of the axe becomes apparent when you are fighting the Sky Raiders. The portable force field generators they use give more ranged defense than melee defense. This means that it is easier to hit the generator with a melee attack than a ranged attack. If you are a blaster or defender with no melee attacks except Brawl, that axe gives you another chance to hit the generator. Ranged defense wards off cone attacks and other targeted AoE's, including Sands of Mu.

This doesn't mean I actually prefer the axe over Sands of Mu. I just wanted to make sure these advantages are not ignored. The two attacks are about equally good, so I usually choose based on the character concept - axe for natural types and undead hunters, Sands for dark defenders and sorcerers, etc. The last toon I made has Sands of Mu, Flurry and Shadow Maul. He's an AoE scrapper. Most of my catgirls have Sands of Mu just because it looks like something a cat would do.

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05/13/08 14:09

Roboknee

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RE: One Year Veteran Rewards

Whoa, I think I'm still a little dizzy from all that info. :P

Damn good information LordXenophon. I dug around Paragonwiki and everything you say matches up with the information I saw there, except it seems like Vampyri are not effected by the Axe.

With everybodies help, I think most of my higher level toons will be taking the Axe since it will help out more against those pesky CoT spirits I'm running into more and more often.

05/13/08 14:57

Warron Peace

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RE: One Year Veteran Rewards

QUOTE

I believe you also get the bonus against Council Vampyri;

Council Vamps are scientifically made, like Vahzilok Zombies. As such, they aren't considered true undead, and don't give the bonus. The "Ineffective" message only shows against Vahzilok because they are lower level enemies. It's to help players who haven't gotten to high levels with the axe to know that it isn't giving the bonus. Personally, they should have put the message in across the boards. Anyway, the devs assume that if you get to a higher level and are reading the content, then you'll know who it will and won't affect.

Another thing: The ghost axe doesn't give a bonus against behemoths from CoT. They aren't undead, they are demons. The spectral demons are actually ghosts, and they get the bonus.

W.P.

my current project: Spine/Will farmer, Quillpower, on Virtue.

05/13/08 15:48

PanzerEXE

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RE: One Year Veteran Rewards

I personally took the Sands of Mu, and I take it on all of my characters unless the Axe fits the concept better.

Why? Well, My main is level 34 right now, and I STILL use the Sands. He's a controller, and pre-APPs I only have 2 attacks, including Sands. At 34, unslotted, I can kill a blue minion in one hit, take a white minion to 1/4 health in one hit, and a yellow to 1/2.

Basically, it's useful if you're a tanker/controller/defender who never really took many attacks.

And, it doesn't have a draw animation. A definite plus in my book.

Freedom

James Iscariot- Level 35 Illusion/Storm Controller
Arbiter Darkwind- Level 33 Thugs/Dark Mastermind [R.I.P.]
Jerimoth- Level 33 Super Strength/WillPower Brute

Pinnacle
Darkwind Mk II Thugs/Dark Mastermind [Member of the Devastators]

05/13/08 16:51

Splitbarb

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RE: One Year Veteran Rewards

Well, with my SS/WP brute, I chose Sands and am loving it. I know this is the heroes website, but this advice will help anyone with SS. I am level 46 and still use Sands. When Rage wears out and you deal almost no damage, just use Sands. It isn't affected by the damage debuff, so if you hit with it, you do normal damage. I'm not sure if this would also work with the Axe, but Sands seems as if it would work better (does more damage).

Toons on Freedom:
Splitbarb--50 Scrapper
Steamroller--50 Brute
Dezmo--36 Defender
Doctor Umbrage--32 Blaster
Electronium--28 Blaster
Soulgiver--21 Scrapper
Neolix--20 Warshade
Azalon--20 Arachnos Widow

And a couple lowbies

05/13/08 22:41

White Hot Flash

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RE: One Year Veteran Rewards

Sands of Mu + Shadow Maul = double punchy goodness for a Dark Scrapper (when they land, of course...it's a whole lot of arms flailing wildly if they miss)

I too take the sands mostly, unless concept demands otherwise, although there's a few times I wish I had the axe.

Currently playing:

Champion Server:
White Hot Flash lvl 50 Energy/Elec/Force Blaster (woo hoo!)
Kid White Flash lvl 39 Elec/Energy Blaster
Unspoken Threat lvl 47 Ninja/DM/Soul Mastermind
White Hot Knight lvl 44 Peacebringer
Ghost of BlueBeard lvl 32 Dark/Dark Scrapper
Mini Fridge 3000 lvl 33 Ice/Ice Blaster
Grim Watchman lvl 15 Warshade
Triumph Server:
Schwarzen Knight lvl 45 BS/Regen/Dark Scrapper (part of Alliance)
This-Guy lvl 11 Fire/Energy Blaster
Protector Server:
Daemon-seed lvl 36 Plant/Thorn Dominator
Major Discord lvl 15 AR/Traps Corruptor
Bossman Bot lvl 13 Thugs/FF Mastermind

05/14/08 19:02

Nasazi Peace

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Joined: 02/18/2007
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RE: One Year Veteran Rewards

...Congrats on a year...i prefer the ax...well ebcause its pretty...and yeah. my main is a claws regen...but unfotunately i took sands without knowing that i wouldnt really need it..heheh..now i tend to stick with the ax...but sands is good..meep..um...yeah..*wanders off to find pretty things*

Gaia online....love my avatar? come play with me =D

above is Warron peace...really thats how he is =D

05/14/08 22:21

Solarix

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Joined: 08/13/2006
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RE: One Year Veteran Rewards

I usually take sands of mu only because it will always kill a lvl 1 minion, even right out of the box. i get to paragon, and choose sands and i can off one (or two, and sometimes three) minions in one shot. very helpful. however, the axe has a much faster recharge and doesn't have the flailing hands animation. just some things to consider.

My DeviantART
City of Heroes
Global Name: @Lethal Dose
Virtue
Lady Arya - lvl 50!! D3 defender(main)
Luna Moonlink - lvl 27 Peacebringer
Ethereal Phoenix - lvling Fire/Kin Controller
Aurelei - lvl 28 Warshade
Amazing Alice - lvl 21 Dark/WP Scrapper
SpecOps Wink - lvl 36 claws/regen scrapper
Imamu - lvl 24 sonic/ice blaster
Phoenix Android - lvling Psy/Fire Blaster
SpecOps Psion - lvling Psy/Mental Blaster
SpecOps Aether - lvling Dark/Energy Tanker
Arya Android - lvl 21 Robots/Dark Mastermind
and various others...
Freedom
La Psypathe - lvl 34 FF/Psy Defender
True Psight - lvl 28 illusions/empathy controller
Tru Element - lvling Ice/Thermal Controller

Plus, I play Guild Wars.

05/15/08 09:17

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