Official Powerleveling Thread

[Mimi]

Our Code of Conduct prohibits students at Saint Joe’s from engaging in “purposeful or intentional exploitation of bugs or rule mechanics to gain unfair amounts of experience or prestige”—a fancy way of saying a common phrase used throughout the CoX communities: powerleveling (or PL). However, many people define this common vocabulary word very differently, and so, here is a brief explanation of specific examples of both prohibited and permitted behavior on this sensitive, widely debated issue.

First off, why does SJS prohibit powerleveling? Three main reasons: to start with, promises of PL often attract certain types of players who would add little or nothing to the community (and to that end, allowing PL would in turn need its’ own set of rules about how much, how often, how long someone had to be in the group, etc). Secondly, as a group interested and focused upon roleplaying and storytelling, it is less interesting to see a character skip the journey to simply arrive at the destination: many of the issues which confront the characters of SJS have a lot to do with the development of their powers and about learning their place in the world. Finally, PL can be seen as a violation of the EULA of CoX (*see below). Not everyone sees it this way, but rather than enter the debate, it was decided when Saint Joseph School was founded that powerleveling was close enough to a violation of the spirit of the EULA that we would prohibit it (though obviously, that was not the only consideration).

Now, to the meat of the matter: what is powerleveling? And, sometimes more importantly, what isn’t powerleveling? In its most basic form, PL is when someone else earns experience for you. This can take a few forms, which are detailed here.

Bridging is powerleveling. Bridging is an exploitation of the sidekicking system. It requires a high-level character (typically level 50) with dangerous missions to run, but is capable of running them solo. Another character, 4 levels below the high level, is “the bridge,” and sidekicks up a low level toon to become 5 levels below the mission-holder (5 levels is the largest level spread allowed to earn experience). The high-level mission holder solos the mission, leaving the lowbie and the bridge typically at the mission door. The lowbie and the bridge will earn experience, while doing nothing. This is powerleveling and not allowed. Period.

The mission bonus bug is powerleveling. There is a system by which a number of low-level toons, without the use of a bridge, can enter and collect the mission bonus on a high-level toon’s mission, while not getting any experience-per-kill. This is still PL and is not allowed. The developers have sometimes called this a ‘bug’ in the mission engine which may or may not be corrected.

Sidekicking is not powerleveling if the sidekick contributes. The sidekick system is in place to allow characters to team more effectively. It was not designed to be a crutch or a method to gain experience without working for it. Simply using the sidekicking system is certainly not PL. However, care should be given that the sidekick can contribute. If the sidekick spends the entire mission on the ground because he/she is not high enough level to handle the knockback of Nemesis troopers, then perhaps another story arc—with different villains—would be more enjoyable and appropriate. It is impossible to tell sometimes if the sidekick will be able to actively contribute before the mission begins. However, if you find that you (or your sidekick) cannot handle the mission, think about changing tactics after the mission is over (see ‘You’ll know if you are powerleveling’, below).

Badging is not powerleveling, even if it grants an Accolade. This decision was finally reached only recently by the Student Council and Student Government of SJS. Though it was debated for some time, it was ultimately decided that badging either was or was not PL, it could not be both. Since we support the idea of badge tours, it was decided that helping low-level characters get badges was not powerleveling, even if those badges are part of the Atlas Medallion, Freedom Phalanx Reserve, or other Accolade (which may grant powers, HP, or Endurance). While no one is required to help a low-level student hunt for badges, it is not PL and not prohibited.

You’ll know if you are powerleveling. This is just a fact. You cannot PL by accident, or at least not the second time. If you run a mission and realize halfway through that you cannot contribute to the team because the enemies are far beyond your capacity, you’ll notice. If you gain half a level without fighting a bad guy, you’ll notice. If you are asked to stand at a mission door to bridge a level 8 character, you’ll notice. And after you notice, we ask that you do not do it again. Find a different team. Fight different bad guys who challenge everyone on your team, instead of just some people. Just pay attention, and if you realize that you are gaining experience (or helping someone else gain experience) unfairly or without risk, then pick a different way to team and work together.

*Item 7 of the EULA reads, in part, “You agree not to use any hardware or software, including but not limited to third party tools, or any other method of support which may in any way influence or advantage your use of the Service which is not authorized by NC Interactive, including but not limited to the use of ‘bots’ and/or any other method by which the Service may be played automatically without human input.” Since powerleveling in its most common form requires the character do nothing while others earn experience for them, it can be seen as playing the game without human input.

[Firetastic]

I like it! looky good to me.not to vauge not so detailed we are reading for hours.
One question there is a term used buy pl'ers but it has some advantages for the gammer." Anchor" you may already know what this job is but for those whop dont. An anchor is some one who joins the team long enough for some one to go into and quickly run around the mission setting the spawns to that team size. after which the anchor is free to leave. Somtimes the anchor will get influ for this ,the anchor never goes in the mission just street hunts or what ever out side the mission till the mission is set. How do we feel about this?

[Glowing Vigilance]

Okay, I have one single question.

As a person who has played Tanks and Scrappers, I know full well that those classes can handle themselves against Reds and Purples from their level with the ease and grace of a ballerina with delierium. My question is concerning the side kick system. I know it was outlined but still, when I think about it, sure they get hits in here and there but the overall amount of XP from taking out Purples, hell even just Lt.s which spawn one higher color than minions is a massive slope of XP change.

I've PLed in the past, not that you all are going to kick me for past transgressions that my own guilty conscious hasn't already done in the first place. Still, the thought crossed my mind about it.

[Cronology]

Ritiki portals at level 35+ in invincable mishes will drop about 3000+ exp communications officers drop aorund 3000 exp (normal mishes will uauly drop only 600+ per kill 1000+ for Lt's) if anyone has ever had Angus McQueen contact knows that he gives outdoor ritiki mishes, and on Invincable setting I was getting more exp valuse per kill per mish than i was on X2 exp weekend. Remebering correctly, Not exploting any bugs or any sort of exploit. the mish valuse was about 7 bars of exp. This is how Cron single handedly (solo) made it from 35-40

In a sutation like that would you call it powerleveling? because in a situation agian with anchors i could take a tank around a high level and up an invincbles spawn to 2-3+ man team setting, yet no ones in the mish but the tank just soaking up exp and prestiage or influence. What kind of issue does that bring up?

[Stasis Kiss]

this is a case of common sense and Mimi's last point in the proposed wording of the CoC amendment.

So you've found an arc or missions or certain enemies that yield higher than average xp - and you go nuts for awhile. personally i love running warburg missions because blowing up spiders makes me giddy. they (used to) yield really nice xp bonuses however and yeah, i knew it.

it's not a huge deal in my eyes, its NOT powerleveling unless you MAKE it powerleveling by inviting somebody to bridge for your buddy's alt. you wanna run those sweet missions solo because it'll get you your next power a little faster? amen, brother! have at 'er, hopefully you'll learn to use line of sight properly when half the floor comes gunning for you.

yeah, a tanker or scrapper can blow through a lot of missions at high settings and do awesome - so what? if that's your entire focus, why are you even in St Josephs? if you find a teammate where that is their entire focus, maybe you should see if you can hit the tub or D afterwards or hell, go sit on a rooftop somewhere and trade war stories about how your character survived something similiar in their past and what they learned from it.

good lord, there's nothing wrong with playing the game and there's certainly nothing wrong with leveling. i think the point is that it's not the only thing we're here for.

[Mimi]

Let me try to answer these few questions real quick.

Anchoring. I think that's fine. I don't do it, myself, but all anchoring does is make spawns larger. As long as people defeat those spawns honestly, I don't think this is a big deal. Personally, I'd rather not have people accept Influence and stuff for being an anchor, but again, unless you are anchoring for a bridge PL team, it's not a big deal.

Tanks and Scrappers and Purples. Well, they do what they do best. I certainly know that sometimes, running with other 50s, Mimi feels superfluous to the team if there are three Scrappers, a Tank, and a Kinetic tearing across the landscape. I sometimes feel like I may as well not even be there. But again, sometimes 8-man teams feel like that. Again, I think if you start feeling wierd, you can move on. But just because my Sonic Defender cannot tackle the same level spawns at the same rate as a Tank, well, that's just the game "working as intended."

High-XP Mobs. Did you defeat it? Well, then go right on defeating it. While I myself am not a fan of mission-farming, I also know that there are missions out there with rewards that are far better than normal. However, as long as you are playing the missions honestly, I see no problem with it.

[Mana Cannon]

I have a question. in past teams I was another emp (I like emps Im good at them heehee ) I was invited to a PL because of that face and where as I wasnt sked to a bridge I was asked to follow the kiler and heal him/her. Being an emp thats what I do no mater what. Being sked to the highest lvl player on the team fighting here and there and healing and buff is that also consitered a PL?

[Mighty Electron]

Wow, I never realized how complicated an issue PL could be!

[Misericorde]

Mana: Short answer, no...not really. You're contributing.

[Mana Cannon]

Mana: Short answer, no...not really. You're contributing.

Ah ok thanks (I did it once as Mana but I worked my tin plated keaster off and I didnt know it was a PL untill I noticed that the others werent fighting after that I quit the team)