Can we please stop this Boss blocking business...

I've gone from blocking to being in the middle of landing a punch and the boss is able to successfully block break me during that punch. I haven't noticed the same forgiving counter window on bosses though.

Exactly, and if a block happens between the time that you hit the combo and the time the attack happens to the enemy (happens often enough for me to post here) there's nothing you can do about it.

From what I've seen they actually show things longer than their windows. If I see them blocking when I'm doing plague for instance, if I do it slowly I can usually land it at the end while they're still in block but no longer actually "blocking". It's a little funky.

But Funky and Consistent is fine to me /shrug.

Never had to pay attention to the mechanics...they tend to melt down pretty fast anyway...I'm more curious about Kyle. What's so important thing he's doing, that he keeps us waiting on Mogo, and doesn't even bother to speak up for minutes? Checking the DCUO forums?

Johnny Blowtorch is also very good at ignoring 90 plus percent of the Block Breaks in the T5 Iconic Solo's. (Note: you have to do a Hard Block Break of Hold Triangle - the Quick Triangle taps usually gets - Ignored - completely)

Since allot of people have problems with these 'Questionable, at best, Combat (PVP) Type of Mechanics" - Outside of the PVP world - These Combat Mechanics in PVE should limited to the Iconic Anomalies Solo's only where they can be clearly read and dealt with on a one to one basis.

Besides, there is enough mayhem (with lag and rendering which are Anti game play Combat Mechanics of a sort) going on to keep the average individual busy!

This is my experience. Nothing is more frustrating than having an enemy throw up a block just as you are starting a melee finisher animation. It is one thing if you are fighting a real-live person. They are anticipating your moves and countering you correctly. It is another thing if you are fighting the enemy AI and everything is random. You can't anticipate what the enemy AI is going to do. I've seen the same enemy go into a block animation several times in a row. Also, if I try to block right before an enemy does a melee finisher, I usually won't counter them.

One other problem I have with the counter system is that it is hard to see the enemy's current status sometimes. Even when I have outlines one, it can be difficult to see the status of certain enemies. I hate trying to melee when I'm playing with multiple dps or a Quantum/Fire/Electric dps. The enemy is enveloped in constant FX and it obscures theirs animations. Also, there are some enemies where it is sometimes difficult to tell if they are blocking. The Avatar of Sin in Trigon's Prison is a good example. If you don't have the camera zoomed out when he starts to fly around, you won't see his blocking animation. It doesn't help that he likes to block a lot. The shield-using Greater Envy Demons in Knightsdome are about as bad. They like to block a lot and their block animation looks very similar to the neutral shield stance.

Agreed, Feels like l'm facing some noob in PvP that's Clipping Block with Block and then Clipping everything else with block.

I could understand them blocking every now and then but its almost like they are just blocking non stop and then will do their best move and then go right back into blocking nonstop. Avatar of sin is a perfect example. Fight starts off as him lunging at you and then going right into block everytime.

The fact that this was even a problem to begin with is a major oversight Jens. Sure, people who understand the mechanics dealt with this nuisance. But others, well, they start threads like this....

Just want to note, this is an issue of the 3 tap rule not applying to NPC. Plus the impossible to decipher (but I don't want changed) difference between them doing a 4 tap hold, or a 5 tap.

I wouldn't want a 5 tap to be blockable, I like that option in PVP, it's good as is IMO. It's the Neutral option a lot of the time. You tap tap tap get to the end and either Hold, BB, or just do the last tap. You get to read your opponent and have an out if you can't read them. There's a reason I don't get the 5 tap 1h or 2h skills, they'd make that last tap blockable... no thanks.

IMO they just need to add the 3 tap rule to NPCs, so I can block the 3 taps and get a counter. If they don't want to do that for whatever reason (it may be too easy to block them), then re-evaluate how they do tap sequences so that they don't match the pre combo sequences so well. Limit it to 3 taps instead of the full tap rotations?

Hot topic for a lot of folks. The thing i don't like is that the NPCs/sub Bosses/Bosses are working at computer speed. they need to have their combat and counter mechanics slowed down to human speed. they also need to have an error factor injected into their scripts. Humans make mistakes. the NPCs et.al. need to make the same mistakes on occasion. Of late when I'm in combat with these entities it feels like I'm fighting a hacker using super fast macros. I will say this I for one cannot go into block come out of block and do either a quick combo or cast a power and back into block at anywhere near the speed the NPC's et. al. can.

just my 2 cents worth

Thank you for addressing this. This is such a pain. Also I hope you include sidekicks and backup in this category.

Lets not ignore the obvious problem here, we are dealing with PVP style mechanics in PVE instances. If you look at Wave or Nexxus, they contain fight mechanics that are interesting and must be handled in a certain manner. For instance the Warrior (Wave) throws out a huge ball of death that needs to be avoided at all costs, things like this give a PVE instance a unique feel....and that dude doesnt need to block to be scary. When I am fighting Hal Jordan in A&B it feels like I am fighting an overgeared hardlight DPS, not to mention the fail crystal mechanic....it is boring and unengaging. Hal Jordan is a Green Lantern, have him do Green Lantern stuff like missile barrages, rain down comets, or something. These new instances do not have a PVE feel at all, it's just 3 excessively long, unimaginative PVP encounters. Now the rock boss in Assault and Battery, thats a cool fight (thumbs up) just wish the rest of the raid showed the same type of imagination.

Blocking in general is extremely infuriating for a DPS trying to melee. Especially when they block, you get countered, they start attacking again but then go back into block practically right away and you are on your butt AGAIN. This happened to me three times in a row during a boss today so i said &%^$ it and just ranged it.

Just do away with "immunities". They are clearly developed in the NPC's favor because they last for 986098769876598 seconds compared to the 2 seconds they last for players. Even if players have a "damage reduction" while "immune" it doesn't matter because 99% of the time it will be the NPC's glowing blue. Not the players.

Probably already stated but their blocking is hard to counter...because u can not see the blue flashing effects with the lag and tons of animation . Basically, Npc having pvp moves makes the game annoying because unlike pvp players they are programmed not reacting to visuals. So in PVE when effects and lag affect being able to see and react the Npc is fine. Again the pvp mechanic should have stayed in pvp....or at least just make blocking a damage reduction not an immunity or kick back and power loss. I will acknowledge we have been complaining for literally years now on this. They promised a a fix...which led to worse Npc disparity....so clearly we have to live with the tediousness or leave the game. I do take umbrage with players saying we just want to slash and grab with no skill and that we lack understanding of the mechanics. We can still beat these things it is the disparity and annoyance that I post for change!

Bosses actually become immune to the same repeated counter mechanics because otherwise they would get stun locked and completely ruined. It's basically the same as players being immune to the same control effect after two applications in a short duration.

There is no other way to combat this problem, imho. Removing this immunity to counter mechanics from bosses would break the game, as they would be in a constant state of being countered, unable to muster a single attack.

This right here - too many people "gumming up the works" as my Dad used to say, causing problems - That' is why these mechanics work best on a ONE to ONE basis or, very limited basis - Iconic Anomalies is the best place for Combat Mechanics where interference is limited.

My only issue with the bosses blocking and such is that it seems the mechanics are far more inconsistent in the bosses favor. Enough so that when the do get block broken, I get a little "Hey! it worked!" moment.

I would lump this in as another issue with making it such a quick and easy process to get to end game. I got there fairly fast, but I do a lot of reading of tutorials and such, even with that I still have areas where I need to know more. This can really make pug groups a cluster ****.

Those Greater Envy Demons could be considered Turtles in another life, with all the blocking they do

I have noticed a sort of "window of vulnerability" Say for example if Sinestro Blocks in A&B, you have 1-2 secs to counter otherwise he will finish his whole 5secs of block/lunge/BB. If you have good timing you can counter nearly everything. My first A&B run our tank had Sinestro's number and was countering nearly everything. Sinestro spent the whole fight on his back. It can be done but there is a certain element of timing/luck that goes into it.