Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="mneme" data-source="post: 5596245" data-attributes="member: 59248">@Hershel: Frankly, critiquing charop because a handbook isn't updated is missing the point.  The handbooks are philanthropic -- if you think you can do better than the person maintaining one, start your own.The idea that "every build has expertise (well, duh--though it's not true; lazy builds don't), focus, and some other damage buff, so Charop tunnels on damage" seems deeply wrong.First, not every build has all three.  Most level -30- builds have all three, of course, but that's level 30, where you have 16-17 feats to play with.  And yes, all builds (that aren't lazy) have expertise, but that's a no-brainer.  Unless you assume you're overlevelled and hitting on a 2 (or even a 5) without expertise, (in which case, why are you bothering with charop?), nearly every thing every character does is helped by expertise.  You have attack powers, they do cool things...when they hit.  So making them hit more will improve your effectiveness no matter -what- your role.But it's trivial to find builds that pick up weapon focus at, say, level 20, when it's a +2 and soon to be a +3 to damage, which isn't awful when you're running out of feats to take.But if you actually look at the ratings of powers -- or, for that matter, what builds are focused on, oddly enough you don't find that damage is focused on, except for strikers (and controllers, because controllers are almost always secondary strikers, and defenders who focus on punishment, because without damage they can't do their job).  The focus of charop is being the best at whatever you choose to be best at.I mean, lets look at the feats in some sample guides, picking arbitrarily (whichever way is most work, that is):Ardent: (only looking at heroic here in the interests of my time)   Gold: Expertise (well, yes), Improved Defenses (but you can wait until paragon), Wind of Sympathy   Sky Blue: Weapon proficiency (for a polearm and reach, not damage), armor proficiency, hafted defense, superior will, deft eruption, mark of healing, martyr's surge, outraged vengence (huh; first damage thing here).   Also, all damage feats?  Are black.  Seems damage isn't the ardent's job.   So the charop ardent?  Is focused on defense, buffing, and healing.Artificer: focus/frostcheese is dark blue.  Arcane Familiar is sky blue.  I guess Githzerai Blademaster is sky blue, though, but that's a +3 damage (and more) feat at level 1.Bards: Priorities listed: accuracy, healing/buffing/enabling, debuffing/control, initiative, defenses, power recovery, MID reduction.  Huh, it's almost as if damage isn't even on the list.            Gold: Advantage of Cunning, Extended Precience,  Superior Implement Training (accurate), Expertise, Battle Intutiion, Versitile Master, Imperious Mastery, Glasya's Charming Words.            Sky Blue: Bard of All Trades, Improved Magestic Word, Moonbow Dedicate, White Lotus Riposte,...Ok, maybe leaders aren't the best example, as they don't care about damage.  How about defenders?Battlemind:   Notes: noted that they aren't good at damage and shouldn't focus on it.   Gold: Blurred Speed, Harrying Step, Strength Through Challenge, Melee Training, Expertise, Polearm Gamble, Scent of Blood, Vistani Foresight   Weapon Focus is: Sky Blue.Fighters: Weapon Focus is sky blue (well, duh; fighters need to be able to damage stuff).Paladins: Gold: Mighty Challenge (yes, damage, but not really, because it's divine challenge damage), Expertise, Battlewise, Improved defenses (hello, defender), Improved initiative, superior will.                 Weapon Focus is: Dark Blue.Huh.  It's almost as if charop doesn't care about damage as much as Hershel thinks it does.  Nah, can't be.</blockquote>

Verification