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Author: BigChill
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2 Comments
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Necessity of Pool Powers
When teaming a conversation arose about the Pool Power Stamina and we debated over it for a while. The question was 'do I really need it?' The group went all around the issue and came up with two answers but the general idea was that it should be taken. But this got me thinking, are Pool Powers really necessary?
I realized that they are not required, but optional. Sure when you get down to it all the given Primary, Secondary and Epic powers won't fill the whole list so Pool Powers need to be taken. However there is no 'required' Epic or Pool Power that needs to be taken. Each and every Pool Power has its advantages and disadvantages like any other Epic, Primary or Secondary power. But you really aren't 'required' to take any specific one.
Let's simplify this to the argument over Stamina. It boosts the Endurance recovery of your character, allowing you to make more actions more frequently because you have more End available. The generally accepted short answer is 'yes you should take this'. The complicated, long answer is 'no, you don't really need this'.
First off, the generally accepted short answer is based on the fact that everyone could use more End. This is argued especially for those using a list of toggle powers and other high End consuming powers. It cuts downtime that is needed between fights, or occasionally during a fight, because you've run low or out of End and need to recover before continuing. With Stamina, and especially with it slotted, it allows for End to recharge considerably faster.
The complicated, long no is that there are powersets that do not need additional Endurance recovery, and if you just go at it slow and easy, you won't exactly need Stamina. To start is the actual endurance recovery. Additional recovery doesn't increase the max available Endurance, so for powersets that drain the max fast, it really doesn't matter. I know this is a double-edged argument; powersets using a lot of toggles will like Stamina because the added recovery will counter the high End drain over time, for characters with Nova attacks; it just doesn't matter, you're completely drained of Endurance no matter what. Sure, it's a blaster's best attack, and quicker recovery afterwards could help the team. Or it could be argued that the Nova cleaned most of the board, the team could just finish up and wait. This can also apply to other high damage Archetypes that use a lot of Endurance for their attacks. Stamina could help in huge, long fights, but it doesn't matter if those attacks finish the fight from a max Endurance bar, just wait before starting another. That big fight comes back though; Stamina could help, but with a good team does it really matter? In some decent team I've seen, the fight is over almost as quick as it starts.
The other side of the complicated argument is the powersets. Scrappers with Dark Melee, Regeneration, Blaster with Electricity, Tanks with Fire or Ice Armor, Controllers and Defenders with Kinetics to name some, really don't need Stamina at all. If certain Endurance draining powers are slotted properly, End is never an issue. Take my tank, Big Chill, as an example. He's set up as a conscranker, able to pin a mob and scrap the main baddie, while tanking what's dished out, while Energy Absorption is capable of draining a full Endurance bar form 4 or 5 opponents. If I were to reslot that for Endurance modification over Defense buff, I could regain End from even a very few opponents, and enough to run my armors and attacks quite comfortably.
That dives into the heart of the problem with Stamina and every other Pool Power, patience. Seriously, it is entirely possible to deal with nearly any problem by just slugging it out, and wait till the endurance recharges. But like so many others, I personally don't have the patience to wait, so mix in Stamina, dive in, let loose and think about it later.
But there's the argument. Power Pools really aren't required, but considering it preferred would better fit them. That goes for every Pool Power available, even travel powers. Yep, you could just jog to where you're going. But it really does boil down to patience, preference, and overall design. Some things just absolutely need it, some obviously don't. Some could use the advantages they offer, for others it doesn't matter. Or, you're just like me and nearly everyone else; we just don't have the patience to go without it.
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