I'm not sure how many people are aware of this, but I'm going to put a nice little bit of information here that I know some people are clueless about. I'm guessing a few people will get their knickers in a twist about it, but that's life. Did you know that it is completely possible, and happens too, that people can play their role in an alert without even 1 artifact? True story! I returned after 3 years, with a Rage tank, water healer, and electric healer. My augments are all 120+. My SPs are well over 200 (284 is my lowest). My tactical mods are all up to par. I've been healing and tanking (except for breaks) since early 2014. The problem people face, for example in the metal 2 alert, is they don't know the mechanics of the alert. Example: if you stand in the dark water pools while fighting the drowned, it's going to do damage. I've successfully healed this alert since January, with maybe 3 deaths from the group (total since healing them). Today, a particular 2 players, who I'll refrain from naming, were standing in the pools, taking damage, while the healer (me) was taking damage from all the adds (as most dps don't seem to pay attention to the healers safety until they die). The team had to wipe. Even the controller told them to stay out of the pools (with a little more explicit language lol). One guy tries to blame the healer, because the artifacts are all 40-79. He got kicked, we got in a player that knows how to play, and finished successfully with no more deaths/wipes. Anyway, moral of the situation here, is that it is possible to complete things without having max artifacts, or any for that matter. So if you see someone with low artifacts, try to imagine that it's possible that they are working on getting their stuff up to snuff. No need to get knickers in a twist over sometime trying to level their equipment. Especially if you are unsure how the mechanics of a situation work. Just by 2 cents.
I think the thing about the artifacts is that you are an exception, most players who still have really low artifacts by now tend to be either newer or not as "well versed" in playing the game, considering how easy the first few breakthrough for the artifacts are. Which causes them to be targeted on when people see the group failing (especially if they are at end game levels), as most times that's the case because you can see it in the way they play. Of course I understand there are those who just think it's all about the artifacts, and I'm not trying to say it is because I know that's not true as you've shown. Artifacts or not, if the player doesn't know how to play then yeah they're going to fail. Good to see that the others seemed to share your view in that situation, and that you weren't dealt a bad hand of being kicked just because of the artifacts. Unfortunately as a controller no matter how good my artifacts are I still need to rely on the rest of the team being decent enough, I can't just keep everyone alive since I'm not a healer, or can't keep myself and others alive since I'm not a tank. Although I do my best to know what I'm doing and stay alive (I should get some tips from Ryazan... ). All I can really do is make sure the whole mission is at least 20% easier, but if they're still incapable then it's a flop.
Bad artifacts signify noob, they don’t make one. All normal content can be beaten with the bare minimum of everything if the player is competent.
^^^ Exactly! I remember running raids where we would have to alternate through chat, when we were going to drop supply drops, so everyone could top up on power, or spare themselves a cola (on cool down) to get their hp topped. I see people just dropping it to drop it a lot lol. Coordination through chat was practically required to be successful (blocking for special attacks, knowing what and when to stun, power fills, etc). It honestly seems as though most of the population doesn't even know how to properly play their role (even dps's as sad as that seems).
I think most dps drop those supply drops because it also gives a damage boost, but I lowkey love when they do that, because I can top up on my own power since nobody really thinks about the controller's power I drop mine mostly when there's no healer and I'm struggling for health. Sometimes to give health to others too. Or power if someone out there is really draining mine.
OP, based on your claim that you have 120+ augments, I believe you have gotten artifacts and augments mixed up.
The alert can be completed with all DPS and no healer if people play the mechanics correctly and utilize the survivability tools available to them. So it can definitely be completed WITH a healer that has low artifacts. I'll be the first to admit I often (but not always) play lazier when there's a good and/or high stat healer in the alert group. I also tend to play lazier in reg raids vs elite raids. But when a challenging scenario is presented, whether I pursued it via joining an elite raid group or it fell in my lap like blind queuing in to an all DPS alert, I'll bring my A game which means properly playing the mechanics and equally prioritizing my survivability with my primary role function.
Artifacts are equipped on the main screen, with gear. Augments are equipped on the tab to the right of the upgrade artifacts screen. Right?
Okay not to nit pik ……….well actually lets nit pik. You are aware that at present an augment can be "leveled" to 257 aren't you? So let's look at Place Rage's statement once more shall we> No at no point is anything like 120 SP or CR 120 or anything else so I fail to see a thing wrong with the statement. Heck the word "level" is never even mentioned so that 120 could refer to anything at all.. Since let's see Combat Rating? hey CR can get be over 290 these days. Skill points? that gets into the 400+ range. Augments? Last I checked you could get your augment to level 200 and...……. Augment? as mention I have my main with augment at 257 with a little note that says "Maximum Rank Achieved" To the OP … on my main I am currently at CR 287. My SP is sitting at 263 My artifacts are at 165. 161, and 160 and as mentioned my augment are 257. Gee let's Gee not one of those totals is the highest possible and yet even of missions with team mate in the Cr 190+ range I some how manage to be at or near the top of the scoreboard. And amazingly I do silly things like stop firing at stuff to click on objectives that need to be clicked to complete a battle. Stop and click on a fallen team mate to get them back into the battle. OH yeah and then unless its still recharging I'll use my supply drop to help them get power and health.. I know a pile of Scoreboard chasers that wouldn't be caught dead with a supply drop ..that slot is for another attack . As stated... no one has to be at the max to do well just KNOW how to play the game. OMG I was in Chaos Gotham earlier and joined a team to take on Lord Shoggg. DLC has been out how long now? and STILL had over half them team attacking the deamon and not letting it get into the circles first. Lot of players out there that just do not get mechanics at all.
I've said it for years: Gear, Skill Points, Mods/Augments, Artifacts ... all of these things can go a long way to help cover up poor play. But nothing guarantees success more than knowing the mechanics of the instance.
To be specific, my characters are: Rage: CR289, 287SP, 4 lower augments are 190-248 the metal augments are (a joke and a half, level 2 maybe). Gemini at 19, soul cloak at 80, and omegahedron around 70. Water: cr287, same SP, 4 lower are 180-240, metals are same. Soul cloak 101, Gemini 79, and omegahedron 60ish. Electricity: cr288, same SP, lower are 100-200, metal are same, no cloak yet, Gemini 19, demon fang 59. I got a lot of stuff to catch up on, but, I know my roles well enough to survive, and usually in top 3 on dps with water and electric. I generally tank on rage in raids, dps everywhere else.
