Aftermath of Double XP Weekend, Etc

Let's see if I miss anything:

Alastrina Sylvanie (WP/SS tank)-- 43-45
Jez Cavell (DB/WP scrapper)-- 44-45
Ellianne Sylvanie (Gravity/Kinetics controller)-- 23-30
Karma Noir (SoA)-- 17-25

Not bad. I ran a PuG with Vagz's Warshade, Derick Darklight, and Keen's Li Hwan, a storm/electric defender while I played Elli on Saturday for several hours. We kept the team up with at least six people, usually with eight. A few hours of running a PuG (AKA "herding cats," or "leading the kindergarten field trip) will wear you down. Later in the evening, Vagz and I duoed Elli and Derick, both for the break from PuGing, and for a chance to try out all the nifty new powers we earned. Wormhole is just fun. It's really the whole reason I wanted to try the Gravity Control set, and so far it's living up to my expectations.

TF Sunday was spent with the VEATs. Aside from the crashes, mapserves, and long load times, things went well. I'm still impressed with the VEATs, especially after playing over a hundred levels of Khelds (Warshade [Aurora Noir] to 34- deleted. Warshade [Obsydian Fyre] to 43- deleted. Peacebringer to 27 [Skylar Blaze] - deleted). Vagz (Sounds of Silence-Night Widow), Keen (Operative Lee- Crab Spider) and I (Karma Noir- Bane Spider) all got to level 25 and got to respec into our respective branches at 24. I am excited to continue to play and try out the other new powers, even after I was reluctant to start the VEATs.

Other than double XP weekend, I've been spending a lot time on my tank. Yes, I only have one. I spent 3 years too concerned about the difficulty to ever play a tank past the first ten levels. But, you know what? It's not that hard. It's... well, it's pretty easy. Why didn't someone tell me sooner? And, no, the ease of play is not a delusion on my part. I'm not blindly blundering about. Well, unless comments like "This is easy now that we have a good tank," or just "Good tanking!" from PuGs mean absolutely nothing. No, PuGs aren't exactly think-tanks, but I still think it says something. That, and automatically being handed the star after a mission or two. I've lead more teams as a tank than I have in my previous three years all put together. The only tough part of tanking is other people. Mostly, blasters. What is it with crazy blasters? I mean, really.

Lorelei Laughlin(level 50 Illusion/Radiation controller) got yet another respec. This is her third since she hit 50. And I HATE respecing. The more powers, the bigger pain it is to do. Note my incomprehensible and convoluted respec notes below. Contrary to expected beliefs, the spot is not a coffee stain, but an odd fold and reflection in the paper.



Xylia Thorn (Plant/Radiation Controller) has still been stuck at 43. Now that I've gone through all the nifty new plant powers, I'm bored with her. I'll probably get her to 50 someday, but I'm no longer in a rush. I started an Ice/Kinetics controller, to feed my amusement with controllers and still attempt to keep the need for obnoxious buffing at a minimum. It makes me absolutely insane when some other clueless controller throws an immobilize down on top of Ice Slick. And phrases like, "You know, every time someone immobilizes mobs on an Ice Slick, god kills a kitten," only works for one or two groups before they forget and start button mashing again, even with a longer explanation on why both of those things are bad.