Champions Guide Power Guide: Healer

The guys over at TenTonHammer are at it again and have posted a guide on how to create a healer in Champions Online. The double edge sword of Champion's open framework is that you can get frustrated when you try to create the perfect character.

Snip:

Creating a build for Champions Online can be difficult with the insane number of choices a player has. Fortunately for you, your friends at Ten Ton Hammer are here to provide a quick guide for a healer (or ranged support if you’re fancy!) build to help you bring blessed relief to your allies and vengeance upon thy foes!

When and How to Pick your Powers

Part 1: Character Creation

Champions Online (CO) is a classless system like Ultima Online (UO) -- this means when you first join Champions you aren't asked if you want to be a Tank, a Healer, Crowd Controller or DPSer. You simply create your character and then choose any powers you want. You could choose almost all healing, all DPS, all defensive, etc... so the potential to "gimp" your character is there. In UO people would gimp their characters on purpose -- making a mule alt that would just mine minerals and make clothes. In CO that isn't an option -- CO is an action MMO that allows your one character to fill multiple roles.

When you go into the Character creator recall that CO was first a pen and paper RPG like D&D. People would spend hours or even days designing their pen and paper characters. The reason they did this was because of the freedom of their imagination they needed to focus their character. Before you start creating your character you need to do a bit of research. The openess is the beauty of Champions -- because you start with Power Armor doesn't mean you have to stay, you could do Power Armor and Martial Arts or Power Armor, Martials and Gadgets, etc... The combinations are endless. However, because of this openess there are consquences for your choices -- mostly on how effective of a player you will be.

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Crime Computer 2.0!! (aka: Missed Quest Checklist)

Worried about missing quests and running into that often mentioned but arguably mythical XP Gap in Champions Online?

Well thanks to CO Forum contributor LordDamax, you now have access to a handy online tool, The Crime Computer 2.0!!, that will very efficiently spit out a list of quests that you have not completed.  No download required, no special programs or platform needed. 

Currently you can hide missions you can no longer complete (Crisis, Tutorial, out leveled Help a Citizen) or are over your level.

To get your customized list, just follow these easy instructions:

1. Get the link to your public character page from the official Champions Online Forums (you must login)
   

   Instructions on getting your link:
   Go to http://www.champions-online.com/char.../my_characters(you may need to log in to the Champions Site), after you do you'll see a list of your characters. Right click his portrait and select "Copy Link" or "Copy Shortcut" (depending on your browser).  It should look similar to: http://www.champions-online.com/character_profiles/XXXXXXX/view

2. Go to the Crime Computer 2.0!! website.
3. Paste the link from step 1 into the space provided on the website.
4. Check your options and hit the "Submit Query" button.

An example of the output can be seen below (taken from the mighty Dozenz):

How to handle NPC attacks in Champions Online

Cryptic Studios recently released a manual for Champions Online. The manual is full of great tidbits that will help you conquer Champions. One of the more interesting gameplay mechanics in Champions is how the NPC enemies have a "tell" while they charge up their attack. Each "cue" gives you a hint about what type of attack is coming your way. If you take the time to learn the different attacks you can use this information to adjust your tactics and defeat NPCs faster and easier than before. Click on the images to see a larger picture.

BAM!

Single Target Attack. This is a big single target attack. If you have aggro you will be getting hit by the NPC. The best idea is to block or activate defensive passives. Circling will not help during this type of attack, he will just turn and hit you.

BOOM!

Point Blank AoE Attack. The Boom represents a powerful, but short ranged AoE attack that is centered around the NPC. This means once you see that the NPC is starting to channel a "BOOM", simply back up several feet so that you are out of range.

Click Here to see the rest of the attacks

Champions Leveling Progress Flow

Leveling chart -- shows what you get per level.

Also don't forget about our Champions Online Podcast Episode 1.

Statistics

• Strength
  • Increases Knockback strength for all knockback attacks. -- 1 Str = 1% Knockback strength
  • Increases resistance to Knockback. -- 1 Str = 1% Knockback resistance
  • Increases ability to break from tangible holds.
  • Increases melee damage (excluding Ego Blades). The damage bonus caps at 20%. At level 40, it requires 95 Strength to reach this cap.
  • Increases the weight that can be lifted by "Pickup and Throw" ability.
• Dexterity
  • Increases critical strike chance. -- There is a soft cap of 20% chance for a critical.
  • Increases effectiveness of stealth powers.
• Constitution
  • Increases Health. -- 1 Con = 10
• Intellect
  • Reduces Energy costs. -- There is a softcap of 50% Energy reduction.
  • Reduces cooldown times. -- Power recharge bonus = INT*0.0015
  • Increases Pet damage.
  • Increases stealth detection.
• Ego
  • Increases critical strike damage. -- Critical Severity has a softcap of 80%
  • Increases ability to break from intangible holds.
  • Ego does NOT universally improve the strength or duration of holds. Confirmed by a developer here.
• Presence
  • Increases threat in Defensive role. -- Percent Threat Gain = PRE/10
  • Decreases threat in Balanced, Offensive and Support roles. -- Percent Threat Reduction = PRE/5 in Balanced Role
  • Increases Pet health.
  • Increases Targeted Heals
• Recovery
  • Increases Energy Equilibrium. -- Equilibrium = Base Eq + (REC * 0.71)
  • Increases the percentage of your Total Energy gained when using Energy Building attacks, requiring fewer attacks to reach full Energy.
  • Increases Energy gained from effects other than Energy Building attacks as well.
• Endurance
  • Increases maximum Energy. -- 1 END = 1 Energy
  • Increases the numerical amount of Energy gained by Energy Building attacks, but you still take the same number of hits to fill your Energy.

You will choose 2 super stats at Levels 5 and 13. These two stats will be granted a bonus every level (at level 40 you get +80 to each super stat). These two stats also provide a bonus to damage for ALL powers. If I chose DEX and CON and had 100 of each, I would do just as much base damage (with the same powers) as someone else who chose EGO and END with 100 in each. The key is deciding which Innate bonuses (See above) and Power bonuses are important to you and then choosing your two super stats based on how you want your character to perform

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