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<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]<br />
<br />
== Overview ==<br />
Past the System Requirements, as well as Homecoming Launcher installation steps, there are additional hardware considerations for playing Homecoming: City of Heroes on a modern system.<br />
<br />
These aren't required to play City of Heroes. Hardware suggestions here are meant to improve the experience past getting the game to simply work.<br />
<br />
== Graphics (overall game performance) ==<br />
City of Heroes (the game) requires Graphics. Most systems with entry-level or video-centric graphics performance will be able to play the game, but will have a hard time taking advantage of high frame rates or Ultra Mode features.<br />
<br />
=== Type ===<br />
As a generality:<br />
<br />
'''Integrated Graphics > Discrete Graphics > Desktop Graphics Card'''<br />
<br />
'''Integrated Graphics''' is becoming more frequent in computers due mostly to the desktop-to-laptop shift in the consumer market. Fewer and fewer households are regarding space for the computer as an appliance, over simply using a laptop instead. There are also desktop models with Integrated Graphics for the following reasons:<br />
*Cost effective.<br />
*Small Form Factor device where installing a full graphics card is not an option.<br />
*Low voltage system where discrete graphics would draw too much heat and power.<br />
The downside of Integrated Graphics is the RAM of the system is 'borrowed' for graphics processing. You can see this partitioned off in Windows when you open the Settings app, System, click on About, then in RAM, you'll see two values. The Actual RAM in the system, and how much is actually available to apps because of Integrated Graphics.<br />
<br />
'''Discrete Graphics''' are laptop and limited desktop systems with a permanent graphics processor embedded in the motherboard. This differs from Integrated Graphics in two key ways:<br />
*The processor is not handling the graphics processing, instead, it handles the results only.<br />
*Discrete Graphics comes with its own RAM embedded, so system RAM isn't needed at all.<br />
The downside of Discrete Graphics is the embedded part of the deal. You cannot upgrade, change or repair Discrete Graphics from most systems without either a motherboard swap (which is most of the time expensive enough to just start over with a new system), or a really difficult procedure called "BGA re-balling" that isn't advised for non-engineering types. (YouTube has 100's of videos on the topic.)<br />
<br />
'''Desktop Graphics Cards''' are peripheral cards that are made to plug into a PCI-Express slot to process graphics for a computer system. Same upsides as Discrete Graphics, except the card itself is removable to enable upgrades in the future.<br />
*Modern Graphics Cards come with power requirements that may also add to costs. If a card needs an 800 watt Power Supply Unit (PSU) and your system has a 400 watt one, the PSU also has to be changed with the graphics card. (This is more involved as PSUs have several wires to remove before it can be uninstalled.)<br />
*A small number of systems are low-profile, or have internal space and power supply considerations before attempting to place a graphics card inside. Mini-ITX or SFF (Small Form Factor) systems that contain PCI-Express slots may need additional considerations.<br />
<br />
===Laptop Graphics===<br />
As straight-forward as possible, here's what to know about each offering:<br />
<br />
;Intel<br />
:''Use Xe Graphics.'' Older integrated graphics such as Iris Pro, Iris, GMA and older HD Graphics sets will have a more difficult time with gameplay. ("Iris Xe" and Xe are synonymous more or less, the rename only took Iris off without any major change to it.) For Xe Graphics, lean on increasing framerate over using Ultra Mode features.<br />
<br />
;NVidia<br />
:NVidia is out of the integrated market for graphics. <br />
<br />
Intel had a brief partnership in 2020 to include them as a laptop partner, but has since changed tack and developed their own GPU line. Any regular or gaming laptop advertising NVidia graphics is a discrete chip, not integrated.<br />
<br />
;AMD<br />
:''Ryzen Processors'' with a processor number ending in G have integrated graphics that are varying in strength depending on the processor. All of them can handle playing in 1080 High Definition with up to 60 FPS (with occasional decreases depending on various factors.) Same as Intel Xe systems, for more consistent framerates, consider turning Ultra Mode features down.<br />
<br />
Integrated graphics will be difficult to compare. Usually, if you want better performance, speed bumps are done for higher numbered processors over lower ones:<br />
*Intel graphics on a Core 3 will be lower performance than a Core 5 or Core 7 system.<br />
*AMD graphics on a Ryzen 3 will be lower performance than a Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 system.<br />
The release date is unreliable: both manufacturers sell parts for new laptops with older chipsets present. You'd have to check the CPU release date as well; newer models will outperform older ones generally.<br />
<br />
'''Discrete Graphics''' or dedicated graphics laptops will have a specific GPU chip inside meant to perform similar to a video card in a desktop computer. Intel's Discrete Graphic line is called Arc. For Arc systems, aim for laptops with 500 or 700 model chipsets over 300. (Arc 330 will perform basically the same as Xe Graphics.) ''NVidia Geforce'' and ''AMD Radeon'' Laptops will have various versions and numbering.<br />
<br />
=== Graphic Card Model ===<br />
The digit to pay the most attention to is the tens digit (NVidia) or the hundreds digit (AMD), which will put the laptop graphics in various classes:<br />
*9 - Maximum Performance - Most expensive, uses the most electricity. (Examples: GeForce 4090, Radeon RX 7900.)<br />
*7/8 - High Performance - Expensive, with cheaper models weighing more.<br />
*6 - Enthusiast Performance - Less costly, most models are lighter weight and more similar to "ultrabooks" (light weight, fewer ports, thinner in size) than gaming laptops. (Examples: GeForce 3060, Radeon RX 6600.)<br />
*Any Gaming Laptop with a 5 in the tens/hundreds digit is the bare minimum for a Discrete Gaming laptop, with anything 4 and below intended for business use. (Prioritizing multiple monitor output and video playback over gaming usage.)<br />
<br />
Any numbers ahead of the tens/hundreds digit will indicate release date: newer ones will usually always be higher numbered (unless the prior generation ran out of numbers and was a 8000 or a 9000. Both NVidia and AMD have done this, so they rearrange letters and names around every decade or so. But the above advice holds true for both manufacturers today.)<br />
<br />
Most laptops will obscure this information in marketing materials and store placement. You may need to dig online to find models and specs that match and bring them to the retailer to ask informed questions.<br />
<br />
The same applies to Graphics Cards for Desktop systems, but trading AC/Battery requirements for Power Supply Unit specs (minimum wattage class, amount of watts available on +12V rail, PCI-E Power Connector with sufficient pin-out, etc.)<br />
<br />
'''Workstation Graphics Cards:'''There will be odd models which will break this expectation: Radeon Pro and Quadro graphics are laptops intended for workstation use and will have mixed performance playing City of Heroes. (It may work, but it may not be well-performing enough to consider regular use.) Certain expensive models of workstation cards will have ridiculous amounts of RAM and processing cores, and yet won't even get past HC Launcher to start the game because there's no OpenGL support in hardware.<br />
<br />
=== OpenGL Support vs. OpenGL ES vs. Vulkan ===<br />
'''City of Heroes is an OpenGL 2.0 and 3.0 title.''' The original game engine was OpenGL 2.0, where Ultra Mode forward used OpenGL 3.0 features that were mostly backward compatible.<br />
<br />
Graphic Cards with OpenGL compatibility should be compared on compatibility on older OpenGL titles over OpenGL ES, Vulkan, and other newer standards that will not necessarily translate to improved performance.<br />
<br />
This is important to pay attention to, as it proves that spending lots of money DOES NOT necessarily result in better outcomes with City of Heroes gameplay. It can seem counterintuitive but newer cards do not necessitate increased performance in every circumstance. (Buying the most expensive NVidia GeForce 4090 does not guarantee Ultra Mode with all sliders at max in 4K with 100+ FPS.)<br />
<br />
== Monitors ==<br />
City of Heroes will play on any monitor available today with a few considerations.<br />
<br />
=== Resolution (determines maximum visible details) ===<br />
Resolutions are expressed in numbers (1920x1080), with options for the following: <br />
* Borderless: The game is rendered as a Windowed client but without borders or OS "chrome" on the top, filling the entire screen. Otherwise, the game runs in the same resolution as the Operating System desktop.<br />
* Windowed: The game operates in a Window that can resize. The UI will adjust down if the window is reduced, but not the other way if enlarged. Rearranging the UI will be needed when increasing the size.<br />
* Fullscreen (only available on Windows clients) - use a fullscreen mode even if it overrides the Desktop Resolution. Fullscreen works best on single-monitor systems, as the mouse is 'trapped' in the window until you Alt-Tab out. Also, leaving the client when the resolution doesn't match the desktop will make Windows redraw the desktop.<br />
<br />
The client was made in a time where CRTs were the primary method of display and LEDs were few and far between. Despite this, City of Heroes has no issue with any display resolution up to and including 4K, with a few caveats. <br />
<br />
*4K and beyond (8K, ultrawide resolutions, etc.) in fullscreen mode will have quirks with Base Editing. The easiest fix is going to Windowed mode and reducing the viewport, or dialling down the resolution to 2K (2560x1440 or less) instead.<br />
*Borderless Windowed is recommended over fullscreen to retain task switching, multitasking, and streaming capabilities over running fullscreen and watching your displays reset on every Alt-Tab (or on mouseover and click on a 2nd monitor window.)<br />
<br />
'''Resolution is dimension, not physical size.''' It is important to remember that resolution and screen size are not married: you can have a 4K display at 10" just as easily as a 1080 FHD display at 32". But a 4K display at 24" (smaller, but impossibly clear) will cost a bit less than a 4K display at 32" (big and a touch blurry if DPI isn't terribly high). Simply because there's lower power requirements and less physical materials involved. It isn't a gradient, but a bell curve. Get smaller than 16", and 4K displays will creep back up in price (esp. portable USB Monitors and small displays, because that's an LCD Panel that is being deprived of a good laptop to go with it.)<br />
<br />
=== Refresh Rate (determines maximum frame rate) ===<br />
'''Remember: Your refresh rate should be twice the desired frame rate of gameplay.'''<br />
<br />
For example: <br />
*If you want consistent 30FPS, you'll need to use a 60Hz display. (This isn't all that hard. They're everywhere. 98% of Televisions sold today can do this, too.)<br />
*A 144Hz display will be able to permit up to 72fps of gameplay (which covers 60FPS with some headroom left).<br />
*And a 240Hz display will support 120FPS gameplay (''up to 120''... it very well could be less).<br />
<br />
When shopping for monitors, remember two things:<br />
*Easier fix: Replacing a cord with a new higher throughput for $30 may be easier than you think.<br />
**Read your Monitor user manual or go to the manufacturer website and find the support area for info; if it states high refresh rates are only available using DisplayPort or USB-C connection, using another cable instead (or using an adapter) will not deliver the desired results. <br />
**DisplayPort and HDMI also have versions. If you are unable to realize higher performance, 90% of the time, it can be just your 6-year old HDMI or DisplayPort cord that has nothing wrong with it. (Older cords have lower bandwidth available, even if they're still functional.)<br />
*Harder fix: Watch for Bottlenecks. <br />
**If the graphics card or integrated graphics has 4K but it is only available at 30Hz, you have to replace the Graphics Card to change that outcome for 4K. This is the more expensive outcome in a world where card prices are increasing to the higher end of $1K.<br />
**If your monitor only does 4K at 30Hz, the monitor would have to be replaced to change that outcome. This is a less expensive outcome than a graphic card replacement, but still not cheap. If you are after a high end monitor (32" 4K 240Hz), this can cost more than a Graphic Card which may make little sense for City of Heroes (vs. a genuine need for another use case.)<br />
<br />
Non-issues: <br />
#Most graphics cards have a high-refresh rate feature (GSync, FreeSync, etc.) that doesn't really matter anymore. MOST gaming monitors sold today have a "AMD Freesync" feature, whether they're gaming monitors or not. Even if your card is NVidia, just turn AMD Freesync on for the display. It will most likely work even if you're on Intel or NVidia.<br />
#None of this will 'break your screen' as in the past. If your card doesn't support a desired mode, the LCD will just show "Out of Range" until your OS cycles back to a prior resolution/refresh combo. If it doesn't, that's what Safe Mode/Recovery is for.<br />
<br />
==== Future Advances & ShowFPS Limitations ====<br />
To repeat the statement in "resolution" above: due to the age of the graphics engine, City of Heroes is unlikely to recognize displays capable of higher than 240Hz as that was the technical limit of CRTs back in the 2000s. (Future displays with even higher refresh rates will likely not exceed 120FPS in the game engine.)<br />
<br />
The [[Showfps_(Slash_Command)|ShowFPS]] command shows a maximum frame rate that is estimated based on current performance factors, so values well above your hardware spec are possible in the client even if they are not realized with your hardware setup. <br />
<br />
''Just because ShowFPS says 300FPS+ doesn't mean you are ACTUALLY seeing it. It just means the client thinks you are capable of that frame rate at that certain moment based on resources it has available to render graphics.''<br />
<br />
=== Shopping Chart ===<br />
Combining Refresh Rate with Resolution, there is a matrix of expected pricing --<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; width: 66%; height: 250px;"<br />
|+ Monitor Pricing vs. Features Expected<br/>''(Screen Size is NOT shown, WILL affect price, and may vary.)''<br />
|-<br />
! Monitors !! FHD <br/>(1940x1080) !! QHD <br/>(2560x1440) !! 4K <br/>(3840x2160)<br />
|- style="text-align: center;"<br />
| 60Hz <br/>Refresh || Cheap || $ || $$<br />
|- style="text-align: center;"<br />
| 144Hz <br/>Refresh || $ || $$ || $$$$<br />
|- style="text-align: center;"<br />
| 240Hz <br/>Refresh || $$ || $$$ || Ridiculous<br />
|}<br />
<br />
(The $ doesn't mean anything, just a ratio of cost. Most displays put 4K and High Refresh at a premium.)<br />
<br />
The above chart also impacts laptop sales: higher quality screens will only add to the sticker price of a laptop. Very few offerings allow a choice of display, so downgrading to a 60Hz or lower resolution screen isn't an option without considering a physically different model.<br />
<br />
== Hard Drive (impacts loading times between zones) ==<br />
While most laptops are phasing out platter hard drives (magnetic disks), there are still pitfalls to be aware of.<br />
<br />
=== Type ===<br />
*eMMC - Slowest. eMMC are essentially flash chips embedded into a motherboard or daughterboard module. These will be used in laptops where cost and weight are a factor, and will perform roughly the same as a platter-based drive.<br />
*SATA - Fair. SATA only M.2s are in use on cheaper models and will be limited by the SATA bus. These are considered more usable for gaming than eMMC, but will have similar write speeds to USB drives.<br />
*NVMe - Fastest. NVMe drives also exist in M.2 form, but use the PCI Express bus instead of SATA. These come in a variety of speeds, but the cheapest can easily outperform SATA.<br />
<br />
Most laptops sold will indicate what hard drive type is present on the box sticker. If it doesn't, ask.<br />
<br />
=== Theoretical Speeds vs. Actual ===<br />
*eMMC - Tops out at around 250Mbps, but are limited in write capacity and cannot handle multiple streams of data.<br />
*SATA - SATA III tops out at 600Mbps.<br />
*NVMe - Using PCIe 4.0, up to 4000Mbps. (Mac users with Apple Silicon are essentially in the same class as NVMe drives.)<br />
<br />
In the real world, speeds will vary. eMMC will edge on the slow side, but SATA will be the only choice to improve older laptops and desktops without NVMe support. And NVMe has the same issue as RAM -- budget NVMe drives that cost less than their higher performing counterparts often from the same manufacturer.<br />
<br />
== Memory (client performance, multi-client) ==<br />
Concerning quantity alone (memory speed is dictated by the Motherboard in use), the minimum requirements are 2GB for Windows systems before Windows 7 (especially 32-bit) and 4GB for most 64-bit computers sold today. While more memory will impact game client performance on raids, base building, and overall performance, the biggest "Pro" in adding memory is multi-client use:<br />
<br />
*4GB - Recommended for single-client play.<br />
*8GB - Recommended for dual-client play.<br />
*16GB - Recommended for triple-client play (and the limit of the Homecoming: COH Terms of Service.)<br />
<br />
Systems with over 16GB exceed these recommendations, but also excel in supporting other apps while playing the game. (Audio/video playback, resource-intensive web browsing, etc.)<br />
<br />
== Network Interface (decreases lag, improves reaction times) ==<br />
=== Wi-Fi ===<br />
Formerly the domain of the laptop, Wi-Fi being present in desktops opens up household placement of systems without running labor intensive wiring to each location.<br />
==== Network Version ====<br />
*802.11g (what would be Wi-Fi 3) - No longer advised. Speed limitations and range make this impractical for most households with more than 10 devices present using Wi-Fi.<br />
*Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) - Theoretical 600Mbps. Uses MIMO. On the way out.<br />
*Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) - Theoretical 3.5Gbps. Uses MU-MIMO. Most networks in homes today use Wi-Fi 5.<br />
*Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) - Theoretical 9.6Gbps. Uses OFDMA. Currently on store shelves everywhere.<br />
<br />
The most important thing to remember is matching the Wi-Fi type to devices:<br />
Wi-Fi devices can be OLDER than a router (Wi-Fi 4/5 devices on a Wi-Fi 6 router) but may slow down throughput for newer devices that can use the higher speed (a Wi-Fi 6 device on that same router will not be as fast as when those devices are upgraded or removed from the network.)<br />
<br />
Wi-Fi devices can be NEWER than a router (Wi-Fi 6 devices on a Wi-Fi 5 router) but will not realize speed increases until the router is upgraded. This is irregardless of other devices being Wi-Fi 5 or 6 compatible, however Wi-Fi 4 devices can degrade performance for either of them.<br />
<br />
The most affordable way to troubleshoot speed issues with multiple devices is disabling Wi-Fi on every device and turning them back on one at a time until the culprit is found. If an older device makes performance drop elsewhere, it may be time to upgrade it with a Wi-Fi adapter that is faster (if possible) or to let it go.<br />
<br />
==== Wireless Network Type ====<br />
Conventional Wi-Fi Network - Router and multiple end-user devices.<br />
*Pros: Simple, best for an apartment or single user with multiple devices in a confined area. Affordable.<br />
*Cons: Multi-room/multi-floor performance may be weak, outside use has a sharp drop off. Maximum number of devices possible is shy of 20-30 total.<br />
For Mobile Broadband, Hotspots, and tethering from your phone, this is usually your only choice.<br />
<br />
Mesh Wi-Fi Network - Router, multiple "mesh" devices, end user devices.<br />
*Pros: Best for a multiple bedroom apartment, multi-floor household, or for a large family with frequent guests. Can manage up to 100 devices.<br />
*Cons: Price, some have monthly fees, upgrades and outages become more difficult to troubleshoot. Stability is not speed - mesh networks do not speed up an otherwise slow connection, such as DSL (which usually comes with a Wi-Fi device from the telco) or Mobile Broadband (assuming you can work out how to get the data into a router first).<br />
<br />
Notes:<br />
#These have nothing to do with Wi-Fi Version. Mesh Networking kits have been in existence since 802.11g in one form or another.<br />
#Wi-Fi Repeaters are not Mesh devices. Repeaters extend a signal reach but they do not boost it in any way.<br />
#Yes, network pros see Conventional and Mesh as the same network type, Infrastructure networks. For home users, "a single router near the plugs" and "mesh kit" are visibly different setups. (And the counterpart to Infrastructure networks, Ad-Hoc networks, are impractical for gaming.)<br />
<br />
Cellular Hotspot. Requires a phone or hotspot device (resembles a puck or small pocket battery pack with a screen.)<br />
*Pros: Works anywhere there is a mobile signal. Hotspots can accommodate multiple devices, and have their own battery input/power source so they can work independently of the user device.<br />
*Cons: Works only where there is a mobile signal. If a phone has no service in a particular spot, the hotspot will have the same luck in the exact same location. Expensive compared to home internet, usually has a cap of usage that cannot be exceeded without overage fees, speed drops, or disconnection.<br />
<br />
(and for completion sake...)<br />
<br />
=== Wired Network ===<br />
Router, most home Internet gateways accommodate 4-6 devices, permitting wired switches to add more.<br />
*Pros: Most Stable. Ethernet wire is copper and can run anywhere a cord can go. Radio issues such as Microwaves, appliances and radio devices are less of an issue.<br />
*Cons: Must do a cable run to the device. Susceptible to physical damage, not an option for rental properties that forbid tenant cabling work for semi-permanent placement or in-wall installation to cover it up.<br />
<br />
The other case being a mixed medium network: using a Wired Network for devices close to the gateway (for example, if it is in the living room, a switch to connect the TV, any home server, game consoles, etc.) and plugging in a Wi-Fi Router to cover wireless networking (such as a 2nd router with DHCP and NAT turned off just to send Wi-Fi radio out) or a Mesh Wi-Fi Router with Mesh Devices in each room is also doable.<br />
<br />
== Keyboards & Mice (affect input and reaction) ==<br />
Additional features such as key switch types, key caps, percentage sizing of keys, switches and controls attached, mouse size, tracking type, weight and weights included, etc. affect physical traits which have more to do with the user and less to do with the client itself, so that will be left to a reader's preferences.<br />
<br />
MOST PLAYERS WILL BE FINE with conventional keyboards and mice, as MMO games are far less twitch-reaction dependent as FPS or action title counterparts. But for PvP players, folks who run raids, and other high demand users new to gaming equipment, here's a primer.<br />
<br />
=== Keyboard Features to look for ===<br />
'''Key Rollover.''' [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_rollover Key Rollover] is how keyboards handle more than a few keypresses at a time for typography. In gaming, n-Key Rollover is desired (a keyboard accepts unlimited multiple key presses at once, up to all of them, and displays them in press sequence in real time.) However, most keyboards available commercially only implement Multi-Key Rollover, which 'zones' keypresses together to isolate several zones of keys as able to be independently struck at once with no issues, with key-ghosting or key-jamming occuring when these zones are overused. (In a three-key event where a fourth keypress that didn't happen is read, it's called ghosting. If only two of the keys are read and one is dropped, it's called jamming.)<br />
<br />
'''Polling Rate.''' The polling rate is how frequently a keyboard reports activity to the computer. The higher the rate, the more frequent the report is made. <br />
* 800Hz - 8ms (common with most consumer keyboards)<br />
* 1000Hz - 1ms<br />
* 8000Hz - .125ms<br />
<br />
Higher polling rates won't necessarily impact a user's WPM scores in any meaningful way, but it will permit faster reaction times.<br />
<br />
'''Connection Type.''' Wireless is attractive for modern desktops looking to reduce clutter, but greatly impacts polling rate capability. Wired keyboards are always going to have better polling rates and connectivity uptime. (This also affects mice as well.)<br />
<br />
=== Mouse Features to look for ===<br />
'''Sensory Medium.''' Mice will either use optical or laser tracking. Optical is a sensor resembling a low-light camera placed at the bottom facing a mousing surface to track movement changes. Laser uses a laser diode to send a beam to the surface and read surface refraction to report movement.<br />
*Optical mice are lower cost and have a lower DPI detection radius than a laser mouse. They require a mouse pad or mousing surface to operate effectively on, with glass and highly reflective surfaces being unusable.<br />
*Laser mice are higher cost, have a higher DPI detection radius (up to five times more sensitivity), and can work on any surface including glass.<br />
<br />
The type used may be preferential. Professionals have sought both: optical mice are preferred for someone who has broader movements, whereas laser mice are desired for users who moved a mouse smaller but more precisely while gaming. Laser mice have been known to lose sync and drop broad movements as a 'pickup' reset when used too roughly, and optical mice have a lower DPI which may cause a laser mouse user to feel like having to drag and reset position more often in critical moments.<br />
<br />
(Trackballs are no different. Modern Trackballs use optical or laser sensing of the ball movement. That's all to discuss unfortunately because "Gaming Trackballs" have yet to take off in demand.)<br />
<br />
'''DPI.''' This is the amount of sensitivity a mouse offers in detecting movement with the sensor. Lower DPI devices may be harder to move for someone who is used to high sensitivity mice, where high DPI devices may move too fast for users who aren't use to smaller movements. DPI also affects energy use: turning up the DPI on an optical mouse uses more energy for a wireless mouse from battery over using a lower setting.<br />
<br />
'''Wired vs. Wireless.''' Specific to mice, laser gaming mice tend to be wireless over wired, where as optical mice tend to be wired over wireless. While there are wireless optical mice that are close to or exceeding the polling rates of a wired optical mouse in the same class, another factor of wireless vs. wired is weight (battery weight on a wireless mouse cannot be mitigated for someone who prefers a lighter device; wired may be the better option.)<br />
<br />
'''Side keys, programmability.''' MMO Gaming mice generally all have extra thumb-actuated keys on the side for a player to use in place of pressing keys with the left hand for movement or basic attacks. For those mice, support software is critical to expose the additional key inputs, which is generally not detected on plug-and-play install by Windows. (A mouse driver or support app is required to expose the extra keys to the game to be programmed.) Historically, City of Heroes has support built-in for the Razer Naga line of mice, although any mouse that takes key bindings and emulates a USB HID device should be fine.</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Accessory_Hardware_Guide&diff=319173Accessory Hardware Guide2024-03-19T02:06:53Z<p>Uninventive: /* Resolution (determines maximum visible details) */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]<br />
<br />
== Overview ==<br />
Past the System Requirements, as well as Homecoming Launcher installation steps, there are additional hardware considerations for playing Homecoming: City of Heroes on a modern system.<br />
<br />
These aren't required to play City of Heroes. Hardware suggestions here are meant to improve the experience past getting the game to simply work.<br />
<br />
== Graphics (overall game performance) ==<br />
City of Heroes (the game) requires Graphics. Most systems with entry-level or video-centric graphics performance will be able to play the game, but will have a hard time taking advantage of high frame rates or Ultra Mode features.<br />
<br />
=== Type ===<br />
As a generality:<br />
<br />
'''Integrated Graphics > Discrete Graphics > Desktop Graphics Card'''<br />
<br />
'''Integrated Graphics''' is becoming more frequent in computers due mostly to the desktop-to-laptop shift in the consumer market. Fewer and fewer households are regarding space for the computer as an appliance, over simply using a laptop instead. There are also desktop models with Integrated Graphics for the following reasons:<br />
*Cost effective.<br />
*Small Form Factor device where installing a full graphics card is not an option.<br />
*Low voltage system where discrete graphics would draw too much heat and power.<br />
The downside of Integrated Graphics is the RAM of the system is 'borrowed' for graphics processing. You can see this partitioned off in Windows when you open the Settings app, System, click on About, then in RAM, you'll see two values. The Actual RAM in the system, and how much is actually available to apps because of Integrated Graphics.<br />
<br />
'''Discrete Graphics''' are laptop and limited desktop systems with a permanent graphics processor embedded in the motherboard. This differs from Integrated Graphics in two key ways:<br />
*The processor is not handling the graphics processing, instead, it handles the results only.<br />
*Discrete Graphics comes with its own RAM embedded, so system RAM isn't needed at all.<br />
The downside of Discrete Graphics is the embedded part of the deal. You cannot upgrade, change or repair Discrete Graphics from most systems without either a motherboard swap (which is most of the time expensive enough to just start over with a new system), or a really difficult procedure called "BGA re-balling" that isn't advised for non-engineering types. (YouTube has 100's of videos on the topic.)<br />
<br />
'''Desktop Graphics Cards''' are peripheral cards that are made to plug into a PCI-Express slot to process graphics for a computer system. Same upsides as Discrete Graphics, except the card itself is removable to enable upgrades in the future.<br />
*Modern Graphics Cards come with power requirements that may also add to costs. If a card needs an 800 watt Power Supply Unit (PSU) and your system has a 400 watt one, the PSU also has to be changed with the graphics card. (This is more involved as PSUs have several wires to remove before it can be uninstalled.)<br />
*A small number of systems are low-profile, or have internal space and power supply considerations before attempting to place a graphics card inside. Mini-ITX or SFF (Small Form Factor) systems that contain PCI-Express slots may need additional considerations.<br />
<br />
===Laptop Graphics===<br />
As straight-forward as possible, here's what to know about each offering:<br />
<br />
;Intel<br />
:''Use Xe Graphics.'' Older integrated graphics such as Iris Pro, Iris, GMA and older HD Graphics sets will have a more difficult time with gameplay. ("Iris Xe" and Xe are synonymous more or less, the rename only took Iris off without any major change to it.) For Xe Graphics, lean on increasing framerate over using Ultra Mode features.<br />
<br />
;NVidia<br />
:NVidia is out of the integrated market for graphics. <br />
<br />
Intel had a brief partnership in 2020 to include them as a laptop partner, but has since changed tack and developed their own GPU line. Any regular or gaming laptop advertising NVidia graphics is a discrete chip, not integrated.<br />
<br />
;AMD<br />
:''Ryzen Processors'' with a processor number ending in G have integrated graphics that are varying in strength depending on the processor. All of them can handle playing in 1080 High Definition with up to 60 FPS (with occasional decreases depending on various factors.) Same as Intel Xe systems, for more consistent framerates, consider turning Ultra Mode features down.<br />
<br />
Integrated graphics will be difficult to compare. Usually, if you want better performance, speed bumps are done for higher numbered processors over lower ones:<br />
*Intel graphics on a Core 3 will be lower performance than a Core 5 or Core 7 system.<br />
*AMD graphics on a Ryzen 3 will be lower performance than a Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 system.<br />
The release date is unreliable: both manufacturers sell parts for new laptops with older chipsets present. You'd have to check the CPU release date as well; newer models will outperform older ones generally.<br />
<br />
'''Discrete Graphics''' or dedicated graphics laptops will have a specific GPU chip inside meant to perform similar to a video card in a desktop computer. Intel's Discrete Graphic line is called Arc. For Arc systems, aim for laptops with 500 or 700 model chipsets over 300. (Arc 330 will perform basically the same as Xe Graphics.) ''NVidia Geforce'' and ''AMD Radeon'' Laptops will have various versions and numbering.<br />
<br />
=== Graphic Card Model ===<br />
The digit to pay the most attention to is the tens digit (NVidia) or the hundreds digit (AMD), which will put the laptop graphics in various classes:<br />
*9 - Maximum Performance - Most expensive, uses the most electricity. (Examples: GeForce 4090, Radeon RX 7900.)<br />
*7/8 - High Performance - Expensive, with cheaper models weighing more.<br />
*6 - Enthusiast Performance - Less costly, most models are lighter weight and more similar to "ultrabooks" (light weight, fewer ports, thinner in size) than gaming laptops. (Examples: GeForce 3060, Radeon RX 6600.)<br />
*Any Gaming Laptop with a 5 in the tens/hundreds digit is the bare minimum for a Discrete Gaming laptop, with anything 4 and below intended for business use. (Prioritizing multiple monitor output and video playback over gaming usage.)<br />
<br />
Any numbers ahead of the tens/hundreds digit will indicate release date: newer ones will usually always be higher numbered (unless the prior generation ran out of numbers and was a 8000 or a 9000. Both NVidia and AMD have done this, so they rearrange letters and names around every decade or so. But the above advice holds true for both manufacturers today.)<br />
<br />
Most laptops will obscure this information in marketing materials and store placement. You may need to dig online to find models and specs that match and bring them to the retailer to ask informed questions.<br />
<br />
The same applies to Graphics Cards for Desktop systems, but trading AC/Battery requirements for Power Supply Unit specs (minimum wattage class, amount of watts available on +12V rail, PCI-E Power Connector with sufficient pin-out, etc.)<br />
<br />
'''Workstation Graphics Cards:'''There will be odd models which will break this expectation: Radeon Pro and Quadro graphics are laptops intended for workstation use and will have mixed performance playing City of Heroes. (It may work, but it may not be well-performing enough to consider regular use.) Certain expensive models of workstation cards will have ridiculous amounts of RAM and processing cores, and yet won't even get past HC Launcher to start the game because there's no OpenGL support in hardware.<br />
<br />
=== OpenGL Support vs. OpenGL ES vs. Vulkan ===<br />
'''City of Heroes is an OpenGL 2.0 and 3.0 title.''' The original game engine was OpenGL 2.0, where Ultra Mode forward used OpenGL 3.0 features that were mostly backward compatible.<br />
<br />
Graphic Cards with OpenGL compatibility should be compared on compatibility on older OpenGL titles over OpenGL ES, Vulkan, and other newer standards that will not necessarily translate to improved performance.<br />
<br />
This is important to pay attention to, as it proves that spending lots of money DOES NOT necessarily result in better outcomes with City of Heroes gameplay. It can seem counterintuitive but newer cards do not necessitate increased performance in every circumstance. (Buying the most expensive NVidia GeForce 4090 does not guarantee Ultra Mode with all sliders at max in 4K with 100+ FPS.)<br />
<br />
== Monitors ==<br />
City of Heroes will play on any monitor available today with a few considerations.<br />
<br />
=== Resolution (determines maximum visible details) ===<br />
Resolutions are expressed in numbers (1920x1080), with options for the following: <br />
* Borderless: The game is rendered as a Windowed client but without borders or OS "chrome" on the top, filling the entire screen. Otherwise, the game runs in the same resolution as the Operating System desktop.<br />
* Windowed: The game operates in a Window that can resize. The UI will adjust down if the window is reduced, but not the other way if enlarged. Rearranging the UI will be needed when increasing the size.<br />
* Fullscreen (only available on Windows clients) - use a fullscreen mode even if it overrides the Desktop Resolution. Fullscreen works best on single-monitor systems, as the mouse is 'trapped' in the window until you Alt-Tab out. Also, leaving the client when the resolution doesn't match the desktop will make Windows redraw the desktop.<br />
<br />
The client was made in a time where CRTs were the primary method of display and LEDs were few and far between. Despite this, City of Heroes has no issue with any display resolution up to and including 4K, with a few caveats. <br />
<br />
*4K and beyond (8K, ultrawide resolutions, etc.) in fullscreen mode will have quirks with Base Editing. The easiest fix is going to Windowed mode and reducing the viewport, or dialling down the resolution to 2K (2560x1440 or less) instead.<br />
*Borderless Windowed is recommended over fullscreen to retain task switching, multitasking, and streaming capabilities over running fullscreen and watching your displays reset on every Alt-Tab (or on mouseover and click on a 2nd monitor window.)<br />
<br />
'''Resolution is dimensions, not physical size.''' It is important to remember that resolution and screen size are not married: you can have a 4K display at 10" just as easily as a 1080 FHD display at 32". But a 4K display at 24" (smaller, but impossibly clear) will cost a bit less than a 4K display at 32" (big and a touch blurry if DPI isn't terribly high). Simply because there's lower power requirements and less physical materials involved. It isn't a gradient, but a bell curve. Get smaller than 16", and 4K displays will creep back up in price (esp. portable USB Monitors and small displays, because that's an LCD Panel that is being deprived of a good laptop to go with it.)<br />
<br />
=== Refresh Rate (determines maximum frame rate) ===<br />
'''Remember: Your refresh rate should be twice the desired frame rate of gameplay.'''<br />
<br />
For example: <br />
*If you want consistent 30FPS, you'll need to use a 60Hz display. (This isn't all that hard. They're everywhere. 98% of Televisions sold today can do this, too.)<br />
*A 144Hz display will be able to permit up to 72fps of gameplay (which covers 60FPS with some headroom left).<br />
*And a 240Hz display will support 120FPS gameplay (''up to 120''... it very well could be less).<br />
<br />
When shopping for monitors, remember two things:<br />
*Easier fix: Replacing a cord with a new higher throughput for $30 may be easier than you think.<br />
**Read your Monitor user manual or go to the manufacturer website and find the support area for info; if it states high refresh rates are only available using DisplayPort or USB-C connection, using another cable instead (or using an adapter) will not deliver the desired results. <br />
**DisplayPort and HDMI also have versions. If you are unable to realize higher performance, 90% of the time, it can be just your 6-year old HDMI or DisplayPort cord that has nothing wrong with it. (Older cords have lower bandwidth available, even if they're still functional.)<br />
*Harder fix: Watch for Bottlenecks. <br />
**If the graphics card or integrated graphics has 4K but it is only available at 30Hz, you have to replace the Graphics Card to change that outcome for 4K. This is the more expensive outcome in a world where card prices are increasing to the higher end of $1K.<br />
**If your monitor only does 4K at 30Hz, the monitor would have to be replaced to change that outcome. This is a less expensive outcome than a graphic card replacement, but still not cheap. If you are after a high end monitor (32" 4K 240Hz), this can cost more than a Graphic Card which may make little sense for City of Heroes (vs. a genuine need for another use case.)<br />
<br />
Non-issues: <br />
#Most graphics cards have a high-refresh rate feature (GSync, FreeSync, etc.) that doesn't really matter anymore. MOST gaming monitors sold today have a "AMD Freesync" feature, whether they're gaming monitors or not. Even if your card is NVidia, just turn AMD Freesync on for the display. It will most likely work even if you're on Intel or NVidia.<br />
#None of this will 'break your screen' as in the past. If your card doesn't support a desired mode, the LCD will just show "Out of Range" until your OS cycles back to a prior resolution/refresh combo. If it doesn't, that's what Safe Mode/Recovery is for.<br />
<br />
==== Future Advances & ShowFPS Limitations ====<br />
To repeat the statement in "resolution" above: due to the age of the graphics engine, City of Heroes is unlikely to recognize displays capable of higher than 240Hz as that was the technical limit of CRTs back in the 2000s. (Future displays with even higher refresh rates will likely not exceed 120FPS in the game engine.)<br />
<br />
The [[Showfps_(Slash_Command)|ShowFPS]] command shows a maximum frame rate that is estimated based on current performance factors, so values well above your hardware spec are possible in the client even if they are not realized with your hardware setup. <br />
<br />
''Just because ShowFPS says 300FPS+ doesn't mean you are ACTUALLY seeing it. It just means the client thinks you are capable of that frame rate at that certain moment based on resources it has available to render graphics.''<br />
<br />
=== Shopping Chart ===<br />
Combining Refresh Rate with Resolution, there is a matrix of expected pricing --<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; width: 66%; height: 250px;"<br />
|+ Monitor Pricing vs. Features Expected<br/>''(Screen Size is NOT shown, WILL affect price, and may vary.)''<br />
|-<br />
! Monitors !! FHD <br/>(1940x1080) !! QHD <br/>(2560x1440) !! 4K <br/>(3840x2160)<br />
|- style="text-align: center;"<br />
| 60Hz <br/>Refresh || Cheap || $ || $$<br />
|- style="text-align: center;"<br />
| 144Hz <br/>Refresh || $ || $$ || $$$$<br />
|- style="text-align: center;"<br />
| 240Hz <br/>Refresh || $$ || $$$ || Ridiculous<br />
|}<br />
<br />
(The $ doesn't mean anything, just a ratio of cost. Most displays put 4K and High Refresh at a premium.)<br />
<br />
The above chart also impacts laptop sales: higher quality screens will only add to the sticker price of a laptop. Very few offerings allow a choice of display, so downgrading to a 60Hz or lower resolution screen isn't an option without considering a physically different model.<br />
<br />
== Hard Drive (impacts loading times between zones) ==<br />
While most laptops are phasing out platter hard drives (magnetic disks), there are still pitfalls to be aware of.<br />
<br />
=== Type ===<br />
*eMMC - Slowest. eMMC are essentially flash chips embedded into a motherboard or daughterboard module. These will be used in laptops where cost and weight are a factor, and will perform roughly the same as a platter-based drive.<br />
*SATA - Fair. SATA only M.2s are in use on cheaper models and will be limited by the SATA bus. These are considered more usable for gaming than eMMC, but will have similar write speeds to USB drives.<br />
*NVMe - Fastest. NVMe drives also exist in M.2 form, but use the PCI Express bus instead of SATA. These come in a variety of speeds, but the cheapest can easily outperform SATA.<br />
<br />
Most laptops sold will indicate what hard drive type is present on the box sticker. If it doesn't, ask.<br />
<br />
=== Theoretical Speeds vs. Actual ===<br />
*eMMC - Tops out at around 250Mbps, but are limited in write capacity and cannot handle multiple streams of data.<br />
*SATA - SATA III tops out at 600Mbps.<br />
*NVMe - Using PCIe 4.0, up to 4000Mbps. (Mac users with Apple Silicon are essentially in the same class as NVMe drives.)<br />
<br />
In the real world, speeds will vary. eMMC will edge on the slow side, but SATA will be the only choice to improve older laptops and desktops without NVMe support. And NVMe has the same issue as RAM -- budget NVMe drives that cost less than their higher performing counterparts often from the same manufacturer.<br />
<br />
== Memory (client performance, multi-client) ==<br />
Concerning quantity alone (memory speed is dictated by the Motherboard in use), the minimum requirements are 2GB for Windows systems before Windows 7 (especially 32-bit) and 4GB for most 64-bit computers sold today. While more memory will impact game client performance on raids, base building, and overall performance, the biggest "Pro" in adding memory is multi-client use:<br />
<br />
*4GB - Recommended for single-client play.<br />
*8GB - Recommended for dual-client play.<br />
*16GB - Recommended for triple-client play (and the limit of the Homecoming: COH Terms of Service.)<br />
<br />
Systems with over 16GB exceed these recommendations, but also excel in supporting other apps while playing the game. (Audio/video playback, resource-intensive web browsing, etc.)<br />
<br />
== Network Interface (decreases lag, improves reaction times) ==<br />
=== Wi-Fi ===<br />
Formerly the domain of the laptop, Wi-Fi being present in desktops opens up household placement of systems without running labor intensive wiring to each location.<br />
==== Network Version ====<br />
*802.11g (what would be Wi-Fi 3) - No longer advised. Speed limitations and range make this impractical for most households with more than 10 devices present using Wi-Fi.<br />
*Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) - Theoretical 600Mbps. Uses MIMO. On the way out.<br />
*Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) - Theoretical 3.5Gbps. Uses MU-MIMO. Most networks in homes today use Wi-Fi 5.<br />
*Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) - Theoretical 9.6Gbps. Uses OFDMA. Currently on store shelves everywhere.<br />
<br />
The most important thing to remember is matching the Wi-Fi type to devices:<br />
Wi-Fi devices can be OLDER than a router (Wi-Fi 4/5 devices on a Wi-Fi 6 router) but may slow down throughput for newer devices that can use the higher speed (a Wi-Fi 6 device on that same router will not be as fast as when those devices are upgraded or removed from the network.)<br />
<br />
Wi-Fi devices can be NEWER than a router (Wi-Fi 6 devices on a Wi-Fi 5 router) but will not realize speed increases until the router is upgraded. This is irregardless of other devices being Wi-Fi 5 or 6 compatible, however Wi-Fi 4 devices can degrade performance for either of them.<br />
<br />
The most affordable way to troubleshoot speed issues with multiple devices is disabling Wi-Fi on every device and turning them back on one at a time until the culprit is found. If an older device makes performance drop elsewhere, it may be time to upgrade it with a Wi-Fi adapter that is faster (if possible) or to let it go.<br />
<br />
==== Wireless Network Type ====<br />
Conventional Wi-Fi Network - Router and multiple end-user devices.<br />
*Pros: Simple, best for an apartment or single user with multiple devices in a confined area. Affordable.<br />
*Cons: Multi-room/multi-floor performance may be weak, outside use has a sharp drop off. Maximum number of devices possible is shy of 20-30 total.<br />
For Mobile Broadband, Hotspots, and tethering from your phone, this is usually your only choice.<br />
<br />
Mesh Wi-Fi Network - Router, multiple "mesh" devices, end user devices.<br />
*Pros: Best for a multiple bedroom apartment, multi-floor household, or for a large family with frequent guests. Can manage up to 100 devices.<br />
*Cons: Price, some have monthly fees, upgrades and outages become more difficult to troubleshoot. Stability is not speed - mesh networks do not speed up an otherwise slow connection, such as DSL (which usually comes with a Wi-Fi device from the telco) or Mobile Broadband (assuming you can work out how to get the data into a router first).<br />
<br />
Notes:<br />
#These have nothing to do with Wi-Fi Version. Mesh Networking kits have been in existence since 802.11g in one form or another.<br />
#Wi-Fi Repeaters are not Mesh devices. Repeaters extend a signal reach but they do not boost it in any way.<br />
#Yes, network pros see Conventional and Mesh as the same network type, Infrastructure networks. For home users, "a single router near the plugs" and "mesh kit" are visibly different setups. (And the counterpart to Infrastructure networks, Ad-Hoc networks, are impractical for gaming.)<br />
<br />
Cellular Hotspot. Requires a phone or hotspot device (resembles a puck or small pocket battery pack with a screen.)<br />
*Pros: Works anywhere there is a mobile signal. Hotspots can accommodate multiple devices, and have their own battery input/power source so they can work independently of the user device.<br />
*Cons: Works only where there is a mobile signal. If a phone has no service in a particular spot, the hotspot will have the same luck in the exact same location. Expensive compared to home internet, usually has a cap of usage that cannot be exceeded without overage fees, speed drops, or disconnection.<br />
<br />
(and for completion sake...)<br />
<br />
=== Wired Network ===<br />
Router, most home Internet gateways accommodate 4-6 devices, permitting wired switches to add more.<br />
*Pros: Most Stable. Ethernet wire is copper and can run anywhere a cord can go. Radio issues such as Microwaves, appliances and radio devices are less of an issue.<br />
*Cons: Must do a cable run to the device. Susceptible to physical damage, not an option for rental properties that forbid tenant cabling work for semi-permanent placement or in-wall installation to cover it up.<br />
<br />
The other case being a mixed medium network: using a Wired Network for devices close to the gateway (for example, if it is in the living room, a switch to connect the TV, any home server, game consoles, etc.) and plugging in a Wi-Fi Router to cover wireless networking (such as a 2nd router with DHCP and NAT turned off just to send Wi-Fi radio out) or a Mesh Wi-Fi Router with Mesh Devices in each room is also doable.<br />
<br />
== Keyboards & Mice (affect input and reaction) ==<br />
Additional features such as key switch types, key caps, percentage sizing of keys, switches and controls attached, mouse size, tracking type, weight and weights included, etc. affect physical traits which have more to do with the user and less to do with the client itself, so that will be left to a reader's preferences.<br />
<br />
MOST PLAYERS WILL BE FINE with conventional keyboards and mice, as MMO games are far less twitch-reaction dependent as FPS or action title counterparts. But for PvP players, folks who run raids, and other high demand users new to gaming equipment, here's a primer.<br />
<br />
=== Keyboard Features to look for ===<br />
'''Key Rollover.''' [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_rollover Key Rollover] is how keyboards handle more than a few keypresses at a time for typography. In gaming, n-Key Rollover is desired (a keyboard accepts unlimited multiple key presses at once, up to all of them, and displays them in press sequence in real time.) However, most keyboards available commercially only implement Multi-Key Rollover, which 'zones' keypresses together to isolate several zones of keys as able to be independently struck at once with no issues, with key-ghosting or key-jamming occuring when these zones are overused. (In a three-key event where a fourth keypress that didn't happen is read, it's called ghosting. If only two of the keys are read and one is dropped, it's called jamming.)<br />
<br />
'''Polling Rate.''' The polling rate is how frequently a keyboard reports activity to the computer. The higher the rate, the more frequent the report is made. <br />
* 800Hz - 8ms (common with most consumer keyboards)<br />
* 1000Hz - 1ms<br />
* 8000Hz - .125ms<br />
<br />
Higher polling rates won't necessarily impact a user's WPM scores in any meaningful way, but it will permit faster reaction times.<br />
<br />
'''Connection Type.''' Wireless is attractive for modern desktops looking to reduce clutter, but greatly impacts polling rate capability. Wired keyboards are always going to have better polling rates and connectivity uptime. (This also affects mice as well.)<br />
<br />
=== Mouse Features to look for ===<br />
'''Sensory Medium.''' Mice will either use optical or laser tracking. Optical is a sensor resembling a low-light camera placed at the bottom facing a mousing surface to track movement changes. Laser uses a laser diode to send a beam to the surface and read surface refraction to report movement.<br />
*Optical mice are lower cost and have a lower DPI detection radius than a laser mouse. They require a mouse pad or mousing surface to operate effectively on, with glass and highly reflective surfaces being unusable.<br />
*Laser mice are higher cost, have a higher DPI detection radius (up to five times more sensitivity), and can work on any surface including glass.<br />
<br />
The type used may be preferential. Professionals have sought both: optical mice are preferred for someone who has broader movements, whereas laser mice are desired for users who moved a mouse smaller but more precisely while gaming. Laser mice have been known to lose sync and drop broad movements as a 'pickup' reset when used too roughly, and optical mice have a lower DPI which may cause a laser mouse user to feel like having to drag and reset position more often in critical moments.<br />
<br />
(Trackballs are no different. Modern Trackballs use optical or laser sensing of the ball movement. That's all to discuss unfortunately because "Gaming Trackballs" have yet to take off in demand.)<br />
<br />
'''DPI.''' This is the amount of sensitivity a mouse offers in detecting movement with the sensor. Lower DPI devices may be harder to move for someone who is used to high sensitivity mice, where high DPI devices may move too fast for users who aren't use to smaller movements. DPI also affects energy use: turning up the DPI on an optical mouse uses more energy for a wireless mouse from battery over using a lower setting.<br />
<br />
'''Wired vs. Wireless.''' Specific to mice, laser gaming mice tend to be wireless over wired, where as optical mice tend to be wired over wireless. While there are wireless optical mice that are close to or exceeding the polling rates of a wired optical mouse in the same class, another factor of wireless vs. wired is weight (battery weight on a wireless mouse cannot be mitigated for someone who prefers a lighter device; wired may be the better option.)<br />
<br />
'''Side keys, programmability.''' MMO Gaming mice generally all have extra thumb-actuated keys on the side for a player to use in place of pressing keys with the left hand for movement or basic attacks. For those mice, support software is critical to expose the additional key inputs, which is generally not detected on plug-and-play install by Windows. (A mouse driver or support app is required to expose the extra keys to the game to be programmed.) Historically, City of Heroes has support built-in for the Razer Naga line of mice, although any mouse that takes key bindings and emulates a USB HID device should be fine.</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Accessory_Hardware_Guide&diff=319172Accessory Hardware Guide2024-03-19T02:06:07Z<p>Uninventive: /* Resolution (determines maximum visible details) */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]<br />
<br />
== Overview ==<br />
Past the System Requirements, as well as Homecoming Launcher installation steps, there are additional hardware considerations for playing Homecoming: City of Heroes on a modern system.<br />
<br />
These aren't required to play City of Heroes. Hardware suggestions here are meant to improve the experience past getting the game to simply work.<br />
<br />
== Graphics (overall game performance) ==<br />
City of Heroes (the game) requires Graphics. Most systems with entry-level or video-centric graphics performance will be able to play the game, but will have a hard time taking advantage of high frame rates or Ultra Mode features.<br />
<br />
=== Type ===<br />
As a generality:<br />
<br />
'''Integrated Graphics > Discrete Graphics > Desktop Graphics Card'''<br />
<br />
'''Integrated Graphics''' is becoming more frequent in computers due mostly to the desktop-to-laptop shift in the consumer market. Fewer and fewer households are regarding space for the computer as an appliance, over simply using a laptop instead. There are also desktop models with Integrated Graphics for the following reasons:<br />
*Cost effective.<br />
*Small Form Factor device where installing a full graphics card is not an option.<br />
*Low voltage system where discrete graphics would draw too much heat and power.<br />
The downside of Integrated Graphics is the RAM of the system is 'borrowed' for graphics processing. You can see this partitioned off in Windows when you open the Settings app, System, click on About, then in RAM, you'll see two values. The Actual RAM in the system, and how much is actually available to apps because of Integrated Graphics.<br />
<br />
'''Discrete Graphics''' are laptop and limited desktop systems with a permanent graphics processor embedded in the motherboard. This differs from Integrated Graphics in two key ways:<br />
*The processor is not handling the graphics processing, instead, it handles the results only.<br />
*Discrete Graphics comes with its own RAM embedded, so system RAM isn't needed at all.<br />
The downside of Discrete Graphics is the embedded part of the deal. You cannot upgrade, change or repair Discrete Graphics from most systems without either a motherboard swap (which is most of the time expensive enough to just start over with a new system), or a really difficult procedure called "BGA re-balling" that isn't advised for non-engineering types. (YouTube has 100's of videos on the topic.)<br />
<br />
'''Desktop Graphics Cards''' are peripheral cards that are made to plug into a PCI-Express slot to process graphics for a computer system. Same upsides as Discrete Graphics, except the card itself is removable to enable upgrades in the future.<br />
*Modern Graphics Cards come with power requirements that may also add to costs. If a card needs an 800 watt Power Supply Unit (PSU) and your system has a 400 watt one, the PSU also has to be changed with the graphics card. (This is more involved as PSUs have several wires to remove before it can be uninstalled.)<br />
*A small number of systems are low-profile, or have internal space and power supply considerations before attempting to place a graphics card inside. Mini-ITX or SFF (Small Form Factor) systems that contain PCI-Express slots may need additional considerations.<br />
<br />
===Laptop Graphics===<br />
As straight-forward as possible, here's what to know about each offering:<br />
<br />
;Intel<br />
:''Use Xe Graphics.'' Older integrated graphics such as Iris Pro, Iris, GMA and older HD Graphics sets will have a more difficult time with gameplay. ("Iris Xe" and Xe are synonymous more or less, the rename only took Iris off without any major change to it.) For Xe Graphics, lean on increasing framerate over using Ultra Mode features.<br />
<br />
;NVidia<br />
:NVidia is out of the integrated market for graphics. <br />
<br />
Intel had a brief partnership in 2020 to include them as a laptop partner, but has since changed tack and developed their own GPU line. Any regular or gaming laptop advertising NVidia graphics is a discrete chip, not integrated.<br />
<br />
;AMD<br />
:''Ryzen Processors'' with a processor number ending in G have integrated graphics that are varying in strength depending on the processor. All of them can handle playing in 1080 High Definition with up to 60 FPS (with occasional decreases depending on various factors.) Same as Intel Xe systems, for more consistent framerates, consider turning Ultra Mode features down.<br />
<br />
Integrated graphics will be difficult to compare. Usually, if you want better performance, speed bumps are done for higher numbered processors over lower ones:<br />
*Intel graphics on a Core 3 will be lower performance than a Core 5 or Core 7 system.<br />
*AMD graphics on a Ryzen 3 will be lower performance than a Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 system.<br />
The release date is unreliable: both manufacturers sell parts for new laptops with older chipsets present. You'd have to check the CPU release date as well; newer models will outperform older ones generally.<br />
<br />
'''Discrete Graphics''' or dedicated graphics laptops will have a specific GPU chip inside meant to perform similar to a video card in a desktop computer. Intel's Discrete Graphic line is called Arc. For Arc systems, aim for laptops with 500 or 700 model chipsets over 300. (Arc 330 will perform basically the same as Xe Graphics.) ''NVidia Geforce'' and ''AMD Radeon'' Laptops will have various versions and numbering.<br />
<br />
=== Graphic Card Model ===<br />
The digit to pay the most attention to is the tens digit (NVidia) or the hundreds digit (AMD), which will put the laptop graphics in various classes:<br />
*9 - Maximum Performance - Most expensive, uses the most electricity. (Examples: GeForce 4090, Radeon RX 7900.)<br />
*7/8 - High Performance - Expensive, with cheaper models weighing more.<br />
*6 - Enthusiast Performance - Less costly, most models are lighter weight and more similar to "ultrabooks" (light weight, fewer ports, thinner in size) than gaming laptops. (Examples: GeForce 3060, Radeon RX 6600.)<br />
*Any Gaming Laptop with a 5 in the tens/hundreds digit is the bare minimum for a Discrete Gaming laptop, with anything 4 and below intended for business use. (Prioritizing multiple monitor output and video playback over gaming usage.)<br />
<br />
Any numbers ahead of the tens/hundreds digit will indicate release date: newer ones will usually always be higher numbered (unless the prior generation ran out of numbers and was a 8000 or a 9000. Both NVidia and AMD have done this, so they rearrange letters and names around every decade or so. But the above advice holds true for both manufacturers today.)<br />
<br />
Most laptops will obscure this information in marketing materials and store placement. You may need to dig online to find models and specs that match and bring them to the retailer to ask informed questions.<br />
<br />
The same applies to Graphics Cards for Desktop systems, but trading AC/Battery requirements for Power Supply Unit specs (minimum wattage class, amount of watts available on +12V rail, PCI-E Power Connector with sufficient pin-out, etc.)<br />
<br />
'''Workstation Graphics Cards:'''There will be odd models which will break this expectation: Radeon Pro and Quadro graphics are laptops intended for workstation use and will have mixed performance playing City of Heroes. (It may work, but it may not be well-performing enough to consider regular use.) Certain expensive models of workstation cards will have ridiculous amounts of RAM and processing cores, and yet won't even get past HC Launcher to start the game because there's no OpenGL support in hardware.<br />
<br />
=== OpenGL Support vs. OpenGL ES vs. Vulkan ===<br />
'''City of Heroes is an OpenGL 2.0 and 3.0 title.''' The original game engine was OpenGL 2.0, where Ultra Mode forward used OpenGL 3.0 features that were mostly backward compatible.<br />
<br />
Graphic Cards with OpenGL compatibility should be compared on compatibility on older OpenGL titles over OpenGL ES, Vulkan, and other newer standards that will not necessarily translate to improved performance.<br />
<br />
This is important to pay attention to, as it proves that spending lots of money DOES NOT necessarily result in better outcomes with City of Heroes gameplay. It can seem counterintuitive but newer cards do not necessitate increased performance in every circumstance. (Buying the most expensive NVidia GeForce 4090 does not guarantee Ultra Mode with all sliders at max in 4K with 100+ FPS.)<br />
<br />
== Monitors ==<br />
City of Heroes will play on any monitor available today with a few considerations.<br />
<br />
=== Resolution (determines maximum visible details) ===<br />
Resolutions are expressed in numbers (1920x1080), with options for the following: <br />
* Borderless: The game is rendered as a Windowed client but without borders or OS "chrome" on the top, filling the entire screen. Otherwise, the game runs in the same resolution as the Operating System desktop.<br />
* Windowed: The game operates in a Window that can resize. The UI will adjust down if the window is reduced, but not the other way if enlarged. Rearranging the UI will be needed when increasing the size.<br />
* Fullscreen (only available on Windows clients) - use a fullscreen mode even if it overrides the Desktop Resolution. Fullscreen works best on single-monitor systems, as the mouse is 'trapped' in the window until you Alt-Tab out. Also, leaving the client when the resolution doesn't match the desktop will make Windows redraw the desktop.<br />
<br />
The client was made in a time where CRTs were the primary method of display and LEDs were few and far between. Despite this, City of Heroes has no issue with any display resolution up to and including 4K, with a few caveats. <br />
<br />
*4K and beyond (8K, ultrawide resolutions, etc.) in fullscreen mode will have quirks with Base Editing. The easiest fix is going to Windowed mode and reducing the viewport, or dialling down the resolution to 2K (2560x1440 or less) instead.<br />
*Borderless Windowed is recommended over fullscreen to retain task switching, multitasking, and streaming capabilities over running fullscreen and watching your displays reset on every Alt-Tab (or on mouseover and click on a 2nd monitor window.)<br />
<br />
Also important to remember that resolution and screen size are not married: you can have a 4K display at 10" just as easily as a 1080 FHD display at 32". But a 4K display at 24" (smaller, but impossibly clear) will cost a bit less than a 4K display at 32" (big and a touch blurry if DPI isn't terribly high). Simply because there's lower power requirements and less physical materials involved. It isn't a gradient, but a bell curve. Get smaller than 16", and 4K displays will creep back up in price (esp. portable USB Monitors and small displays, because that's an LCD Panel that is being deprived of a good laptop to go with it.)<br />
<br />
=== Refresh Rate (determines maximum frame rate) ===<br />
'''Remember: Your refresh rate should be twice the desired frame rate of gameplay.'''<br />
<br />
For example: <br />
*If you want consistent 30FPS, you'll need to use a 60Hz display. (This isn't all that hard. They're everywhere. 98% of Televisions sold today can do this, too.)<br />
*A 144Hz display will be able to permit up to 72fps of gameplay (which covers 60FPS with some headroom left).<br />
*And a 240Hz display will support 120FPS gameplay (''up to 120''... it very well could be less).<br />
<br />
When shopping for monitors, remember two things:<br />
*Easier fix: Replacing a cord with a new higher throughput for $30 may be easier than you think.<br />
**Read your Monitor user manual or go to the manufacturer website and find the support area for info; if it states high refresh rates are only available using DisplayPort or USB-C connection, using another cable instead (or using an adapter) will not deliver the desired results. <br />
**DisplayPort and HDMI also have versions. If you are unable to realize higher performance, 90% of the time, it can be just your 6-year old HDMI or DisplayPort cord that has nothing wrong with it. (Older cords have lower bandwidth available, even if they're still functional.)<br />
*Harder fix: Watch for Bottlenecks. <br />
**If the graphics card or integrated graphics has 4K but it is only available at 30Hz, you have to replace the Graphics Card to change that outcome for 4K. This is the more expensive outcome in a world where card prices are increasing to the higher end of $1K.<br />
**If your monitor only does 4K at 30Hz, the monitor would have to be replaced to change that outcome. This is a less expensive outcome than a graphic card replacement, but still not cheap. If you are after a high end monitor (32" 4K 240Hz), this can cost more than a Graphic Card which may make little sense for City of Heroes (vs. a genuine need for another use case.)<br />
<br />
Non-issues: <br />
#Most graphics cards have a high-refresh rate feature (GSync, FreeSync, etc.) that doesn't really matter anymore. MOST gaming monitors sold today have a "AMD Freesync" feature, whether they're gaming monitors or not. Even if your card is NVidia, just turn AMD Freesync on for the display. It will most likely work even if you're on Intel or NVidia.<br />
#None of this will 'break your screen' as in the past. If your card doesn't support a desired mode, the LCD will just show "Out of Range" until your OS cycles back to a prior resolution/refresh combo. If it doesn't, that's what Safe Mode/Recovery is for.<br />
<br />
==== Future Advances & ShowFPS Limitations ====<br />
To repeat the statement in "resolution" above: due to the age of the graphics engine, City of Heroes is unlikely to recognize displays capable of higher than 240Hz as that was the technical limit of CRTs back in the 2000s. (Future displays with even higher refresh rates will likely not exceed 120FPS in the game engine.)<br />
<br />
The [[Showfps_(Slash_Command)|ShowFPS]] command shows a maximum frame rate that is estimated based on current performance factors, so values well above your hardware spec are possible in the client even if they are not realized with your hardware setup. <br />
<br />
''Just because ShowFPS says 300FPS+ doesn't mean you are ACTUALLY seeing it. It just means the client thinks you are capable of that frame rate at that certain moment based on resources it has available to render graphics.''<br />
<br />
=== Shopping Chart ===<br />
Combining Refresh Rate with Resolution, there is a matrix of expected pricing --<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; width: 66%; height: 250px;"<br />
|+ Monitor Pricing vs. Features Expected<br/>''(Screen Size is NOT shown, WILL affect price, and may vary.)''<br />
|-<br />
! Monitors !! FHD <br/>(1940x1080) !! QHD <br/>(2560x1440) !! 4K <br/>(3840x2160)<br />
|- style="text-align: center;"<br />
| 60Hz <br/>Refresh || Cheap || $ || $$<br />
|- style="text-align: center;"<br />
| 144Hz <br/>Refresh || $ || $$ || $$$$<br />
|- style="text-align: center;"<br />
| 240Hz <br/>Refresh || $$ || $$$ || Ridiculous<br />
|}<br />
<br />
(The $ doesn't mean anything, just a ratio of cost. Most displays put 4K and High Refresh at a premium.)<br />
<br />
The above chart also impacts laptop sales: higher quality screens will only add to the sticker price of a laptop. Very few offerings allow a choice of display, so downgrading to a 60Hz or lower resolution screen isn't an option without considering a physically different model.<br />
<br />
== Hard Drive (impacts loading times between zones) ==<br />
While most laptops are phasing out platter hard drives (magnetic disks), there are still pitfalls to be aware of.<br />
<br />
=== Type ===<br />
*eMMC - Slowest. eMMC are essentially flash chips embedded into a motherboard or daughterboard module. These will be used in laptops where cost and weight are a factor, and will perform roughly the same as a platter-based drive.<br />
*SATA - Fair. SATA only M.2s are in use on cheaper models and will be limited by the SATA bus. These are considered more usable for gaming than eMMC, but will have similar write speeds to USB drives.<br />
*NVMe - Fastest. NVMe drives also exist in M.2 form, but use the PCI Express bus instead of SATA. These come in a variety of speeds, but the cheapest can easily outperform SATA.<br />
<br />
Most laptops sold will indicate what hard drive type is present on the box sticker. If it doesn't, ask.<br />
<br />
=== Theoretical Speeds vs. Actual ===<br />
*eMMC - Tops out at around 250Mbps, but are limited in write capacity and cannot handle multiple streams of data.<br />
*SATA - SATA III tops out at 600Mbps.<br />
*NVMe - Using PCIe 4.0, up to 4000Mbps. (Mac users with Apple Silicon are essentially in the same class as NVMe drives.)<br />
<br />
In the real world, speeds will vary. eMMC will edge on the slow side, but SATA will be the only choice to improve older laptops and desktops without NVMe support. And NVMe has the same issue as RAM -- budget NVMe drives that cost less than their higher performing counterparts often from the same manufacturer.<br />
<br />
== Memory (client performance, multi-client) ==<br />
Concerning quantity alone (memory speed is dictated by the Motherboard in use), the minimum requirements are 2GB for Windows systems before Windows 7 (especially 32-bit) and 4GB for most 64-bit computers sold today. While more memory will impact game client performance on raids, base building, and overall performance, the biggest "Pro" in adding memory is multi-client use:<br />
<br />
*4GB - Recommended for single-client play.<br />
*8GB - Recommended for dual-client play.<br />
*16GB - Recommended for triple-client play (and the limit of the Homecoming: COH Terms of Service.)<br />
<br />
Systems with over 16GB exceed these recommendations, but also excel in supporting other apps while playing the game. (Audio/video playback, resource-intensive web browsing, etc.)<br />
<br />
== Network Interface (decreases lag, improves reaction times) ==<br />
=== Wi-Fi ===<br />
Formerly the domain of the laptop, Wi-Fi being present in desktops opens up household placement of systems without running labor intensive wiring to each location.<br />
==== Network Version ====<br />
*802.11g (what would be Wi-Fi 3) - No longer advised. Speed limitations and range make this impractical for most households with more than 10 devices present using Wi-Fi.<br />
*Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) - Theoretical 600Mbps. Uses MIMO. On the way out.<br />
*Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) - Theoretical 3.5Gbps. Uses MU-MIMO. Most networks in homes today use Wi-Fi 5.<br />
*Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) - Theoretical 9.6Gbps. Uses OFDMA. Currently on store shelves everywhere.<br />
<br />
The most important thing to remember is matching the Wi-Fi type to devices:<br />
Wi-Fi devices can be OLDER than a router (Wi-Fi 4/5 devices on a Wi-Fi 6 router) but may slow down throughput for newer devices that can use the higher speed (a Wi-Fi 6 device on that same router will not be as fast as when those devices are upgraded or removed from the network.)<br />
<br />
Wi-Fi devices can be NEWER than a router (Wi-Fi 6 devices on a Wi-Fi 5 router) but will not realize speed increases until the router is upgraded. This is irregardless of other devices being Wi-Fi 5 or 6 compatible, however Wi-Fi 4 devices can degrade performance for either of them.<br />
<br />
The most affordable way to troubleshoot speed issues with multiple devices is disabling Wi-Fi on every device and turning them back on one at a time until the culprit is found. If an older device makes performance drop elsewhere, it may be time to upgrade it with a Wi-Fi adapter that is faster (if possible) or to let it go.<br />
<br />
==== Wireless Network Type ====<br />
Conventional Wi-Fi Network - Router and multiple end-user devices.<br />
*Pros: Simple, best for an apartment or single user with multiple devices in a confined area. Affordable.<br />
*Cons: Multi-room/multi-floor performance may be weak, outside use has a sharp drop off. Maximum number of devices possible is shy of 20-30 total.<br />
For Mobile Broadband, Hotspots, and tethering from your phone, this is usually your only choice.<br />
<br />
Mesh Wi-Fi Network - Router, multiple "mesh" devices, end user devices.<br />
*Pros: Best for a multiple bedroom apartment, multi-floor household, or for a large family with frequent guests. Can manage up to 100 devices.<br />
*Cons: Price, some have monthly fees, upgrades and outages become more difficult to troubleshoot. Stability is not speed - mesh networks do not speed up an otherwise slow connection, such as DSL (which usually comes with a Wi-Fi device from the telco) or Mobile Broadband (assuming you can work out how to get the data into a router first).<br />
<br />
Notes:<br />
#These have nothing to do with Wi-Fi Version. Mesh Networking kits have been in existence since 802.11g in one form or another.<br />
#Wi-Fi Repeaters are not Mesh devices. Repeaters extend a signal reach but they do not boost it in any way.<br />
#Yes, network pros see Conventional and Mesh as the same network type, Infrastructure networks. For home users, "a single router near the plugs" and "mesh kit" are visibly different setups. (And the counterpart to Infrastructure networks, Ad-Hoc networks, are impractical for gaming.)<br />
<br />
Cellular Hotspot. Requires a phone or hotspot device (resembles a puck or small pocket battery pack with a screen.)<br />
*Pros: Works anywhere there is a mobile signal. Hotspots can accommodate multiple devices, and have their own battery input/power source so they can work independently of the user device.<br />
*Cons: Works only where there is a mobile signal. If a phone has no service in a particular spot, the hotspot will have the same luck in the exact same location. Expensive compared to home internet, usually has a cap of usage that cannot be exceeded without overage fees, speed drops, or disconnection.<br />
<br />
(and for completion sake...)<br />
<br />
=== Wired Network ===<br />
Router, most home Internet gateways accommodate 4-6 devices, permitting wired switches to add more.<br />
*Pros: Most Stable. Ethernet wire is copper and can run anywhere a cord can go. Radio issues such as Microwaves, appliances and radio devices are less of an issue.<br />
*Cons: Must do a cable run to the device. Susceptible to physical damage, not an option for rental properties that forbid tenant cabling work for semi-permanent placement or in-wall installation to cover it up.<br />
<br />
The other case being a mixed medium network: using a Wired Network for devices close to the gateway (for example, if it is in the living room, a switch to connect the TV, any home server, game consoles, etc.) and plugging in a Wi-Fi Router to cover wireless networking (such as a 2nd router with DHCP and NAT turned off just to send Wi-Fi radio out) or a Mesh Wi-Fi Router with Mesh Devices in each room is also doable.<br />
<br />
== Keyboards & Mice (affect input and reaction) ==<br />
Additional features such as key switch types, key caps, percentage sizing of keys, switches and controls attached, mouse size, tracking type, weight and weights included, etc. affect physical traits which have more to do with the user and less to do with the client itself, so that will be left to a reader's preferences.<br />
<br />
MOST PLAYERS WILL BE FINE with conventional keyboards and mice, as MMO games are far less twitch-reaction dependent as FPS or action title counterparts. But for PvP players, folks who run raids, and other high demand users new to gaming equipment, here's a primer.<br />
<br />
=== Keyboard Features to look for ===<br />
'''Key Rollover.''' [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_rollover Key Rollover] is how keyboards handle more than a few keypresses at a time for typography. In gaming, n-Key Rollover is desired (a keyboard accepts unlimited multiple key presses at once, up to all of them, and displays them in press sequence in real time.) However, most keyboards available commercially only implement Multi-Key Rollover, which 'zones' keypresses together to isolate several zones of keys as able to be independently struck at once with no issues, with key-ghosting or key-jamming occuring when these zones are overused. (In a three-key event where a fourth keypress that didn't happen is read, it's called ghosting. If only two of the keys are read and one is dropped, it's called jamming.)<br />
<br />
'''Polling Rate.''' The polling rate is how frequently a keyboard reports activity to the computer. The higher the rate, the more frequent the report is made. <br />
* 800Hz - 8ms (common with most consumer keyboards)<br />
* 1000Hz - 1ms<br />
* 8000Hz - .125ms<br />
<br />
Higher polling rates won't necessarily impact a user's WPM scores in any meaningful way, but it will permit faster reaction times.<br />
<br />
'''Connection Type.''' Wireless is attractive for modern desktops looking to reduce clutter, but greatly impacts polling rate capability. Wired keyboards are always going to have better polling rates and connectivity uptime. (This also affects mice as well.)<br />
<br />
=== Mouse Features to look for ===<br />
'''Sensory Medium.''' Mice will either use optical or laser tracking. Optical is a sensor resembling a low-light camera placed at the bottom facing a mousing surface to track movement changes. Laser uses a laser diode to send a beam to the surface and read surface refraction to report movement.<br />
*Optical mice are lower cost and have a lower DPI detection radius than a laser mouse. They require a mouse pad or mousing surface to operate effectively on, with glass and highly reflective surfaces being unusable.<br />
*Laser mice are higher cost, have a higher DPI detection radius (up to five times more sensitivity), and can work on any surface including glass.<br />
<br />
The type used may be preferential. Professionals have sought both: optical mice are preferred for someone who has broader movements, whereas laser mice are desired for users who moved a mouse smaller but more precisely while gaming. Laser mice have been known to lose sync and drop broad movements as a 'pickup' reset when used too roughly, and optical mice have a lower DPI which may cause a laser mouse user to feel like having to drag and reset position more often in critical moments.<br />
<br />
(Trackballs are no different. Modern Trackballs use optical or laser sensing of the ball movement. That's all to discuss unfortunately because "Gaming Trackballs" have yet to take off in demand.)<br />
<br />
'''DPI.''' This is the amount of sensitivity a mouse offers in detecting movement with the sensor. Lower DPI devices may be harder to move for someone who is used to high sensitivity mice, where high DPI devices may move too fast for users who aren't use to smaller movements. DPI also affects energy use: turning up the DPI on an optical mouse uses more energy for a wireless mouse from battery over using a lower setting.<br />
<br />
'''Wired vs. Wireless.''' Specific to mice, laser gaming mice tend to be wireless over wired, where as optical mice tend to be wired over wireless. While there are wireless optical mice that are close to or exceeding the polling rates of a wired optical mouse in the same class, another factor of wireless vs. wired is weight (battery weight on a wireless mouse cannot be mitigated for someone who prefers a lighter device; wired may be the better option.)<br />
<br />
'''Side keys, programmability.''' MMO Gaming mice generally all have extra thumb-actuated keys on the side for a player to use in place of pressing keys with the left hand for movement or basic attacks. For those mice, support software is critical to expose the additional key inputs, which is generally not detected on plug-and-play install by Windows. (A mouse driver or support app is required to expose the extra keys to the game to be programmed.) Historically, City of Heroes has support built-in for the Razer Naga line of mice, although any mouse that takes key bindings and emulates a USB HID device should be fine.</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Accessory_Hardware_Guide&diff=319171Accessory Hardware Guide2024-03-19T02:03:18Z<p>Uninventive: /* Shopping Chart */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]<br />
<br />
== Overview ==<br />
Past the System Requirements, as well as Homecoming Launcher installation steps, there are additional hardware considerations for playing Homecoming: City of Heroes on a modern system.<br />
<br />
These aren't required to play City of Heroes. Hardware suggestions here are meant to improve the experience past getting the game to simply work.<br />
<br />
== Graphics (overall game performance) ==<br />
City of Heroes (the game) requires Graphics. Most systems with entry-level or video-centric graphics performance will be able to play the game, but will have a hard time taking advantage of high frame rates or Ultra Mode features.<br />
<br />
=== Type ===<br />
As a generality:<br />
<br />
'''Integrated Graphics > Discrete Graphics > Desktop Graphics Card'''<br />
<br />
'''Integrated Graphics''' is becoming more frequent in computers due mostly to the desktop-to-laptop shift in the consumer market. Fewer and fewer households are regarding space for the computer as an appliance, over simply using a laptop instead. There are also desktop models with Integrated Graphics for the following reasons:<br />
*Cost effective.<br />
*Small Form Factor device where installing a full graphics card is not an option.<br />
*Low voltage system where discrete graphics would draw too much heat and power.<br />
The downside of Integrated Graphics is the RAM of the system is 'borrowed' for graphics processing. You can see this partitioned off in Windows when you open the Settings app, System, click on About, then in RAM, you'll see two values. The Actual RAM in the system, and how much is actually available to apps because of Integrated Graphics.<br />
<br />
'''Discrete Graphics''' are laptop and limited desktop systems with a permanent graphics processor embedded in the motherboard. This differs from Integrated Graphics in two key ways:<br />
*The processor is not handling the graphics processing, instead, it handles the results only.<br />
*Discrete Graphics comes with its own RAM embedded, so system RAM isn't needed at all.<br />
The downside of Discrete Graphics is the embedded part of the deal. You cannot upgrade, change or repair Discrete Graphics from most systems without either a motherboard swap (which is most of the time expensive enough to just start over with a new system), or a really difficult procedure called "BGA re-balling" that isn't advised for non-engineering types. (YouTube has 100's of videos on the topic.)<br />
<br />
'''Desktop Graphics Cards''' are peripheral cards that are made to plug into a PCI-Express slot to process graphics for a computer system. Same upsides as Discrete Graphics, except the card itself is removable to enable upgrades in the future.<br />
*Modern Graphics Cards come with power requirements that may also add to costs. If a card needs an 800 watt Power Supply Unit (PSU) and your system has a 400 watt one, the PSU also has to be changed with the graphics card. (This is more involved as PSUs have several wires to remove before it can be uninstalled.)<br />
*A small number of systems are low-profile, or have internal space and power supply considerations before attempting to place a graphics card inside. Mini-ITX or SFF (Small Form Factor) systems that contain PCI-Express slots may need additional considerations.<br />
<br />
===Laptop Graphics===<br />
As straight-forward as possible, here's what to know about each offering:<br />
<br />
;Intel<br />
:''Use Xe Graphics.'' Older integrated graphics such as Iris Pro, Iris, GMA and older HD Graphics sets will have a more difficult time with gameplay. ("Iris Xe" and Xe are synonymous more or less, the rename only took Iris off without any major change to it.) For Xe Graphics, lean on increasing framerate over using Ultra Mode features.<br />
<br />
;NVidia<br />
:NVidia is out of the integrated market for graphics. <br />
<br />
Intel had a brief partnership in 2020 to include them as a laptop partner, but has since changed tack and developed their own GPU line. Any regular or gaming laptop advertising NVidia graphics is a discrete chip, not integrated.<br />
<br />
;AMD<br />
:''Ryzen Processors'' with a processor number ending in G have integrated graphics that are varying in strength depending on the processor. All of them can handle playing in 1080 High Definition with up to 60 FPS (with occasional decreases depending on various factors.) Same as Intel Xe systems, for more consistent framerates, consider turning Ultra Mode features down.<br />
<br />
Integrated graphics will be difficult to compare. Usually, if you want better performance, speed bumps are done for higher numbered processors over lower ones:<br />
*Intel graphics on a Core 3 will be lower performance than a Core 5 or Core 7 system.<br />
*AMD graphics on a Ryzen 3 will be lower performance than a Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 system.<br />
The release date is unreliable: both manufacturers sell parts for new laptops with older chipsets present. You'd have to check the CPU release date as well; newer models will outperform older ones generally.<br />
<br />
'''Discrete Graphics''' or dedicated graphics laptops will have a specific GPU chip inside meant to perform similar to a video card in a desktop computer. Intel's Discrete Graphic line is called Arc. For Arc systems, aim for laptops with 500 or 700 model chipsets over 300. (Arc 330 will perform basically the same as Xe Graphics.) ''NVidia Geforce'' and ''AMD Radeon'' Laptops will have various versions and numbering.<br />
<br />
=== Graphic Card Model ===<br />
The digit to pay the most attention to is the tens digit (NVidia) or the hundreds digit (AMD), which will put the laptop graphics in various classes:<br />
*9 - Maximum Performance - Most expensive, uses the most electricity. (Examples: GeForce 4090, Radeon RX 7900.)<br />
*7/8 - High Performance - Expensive, with cheaper models weighing more.<br />
*6 - Enthusiast Performance - Less costly, most models are lighter weight and more similar to "ultrabooks" (light weight, fewer ports, thinner in size) than gaming laptops. (Examples: GeForce 3060, Radeon RX 6600.)<br />
*Any Gaming Laptop with a 5 in the tens/hundreds digit is the bare minimum for a Discrete Gaming laptop, with anything 4 and below intended for business use. (Prioritizing multiple monitor output and video playback over gaming usage.)<br />
<br />
Any numbers ahead of the tens/hundreds digit will indicate release date: newer ones will usually always be higher numbered (unless the prior generation ran out of numbers and was a 8000 or a 9000. Both NVidia and AMD have done this, so they rearrange letters and names around every decade or so. But the above advice holds true for both manufacturers today.)<br />
<br />
Most laptops will obscure this information in marketing materials and store placement. You may need to dig online to find models and specs that match and bring them to the retailer to ask informed questions.<br />
<br />
The same applies to Graphics Cards for Desktop systems, but trading AC/Battery requirements for Power Supply Unit specs (minimum wattage class, amount of watts available on +12V rail, PCI-E Power Connector with sufficient pin-out, etc.)<br />
<br />
'''Workstation Graphics Cards:'''There will be odd models which will break this expectation: Radeon Pro and Quadro graphics are laptops intended for workstation use and will have mixed performance playing City of Heroes. (It may work, but it may not be well-performing enough to consider regular use.) Certain expensive models of workstation cards will have ridiculous amounts of RAM and processing cores, and yet won't even get past HC Launcher to start the game because there's no OpenGL support in hardware.<br />
<br />
=== OpenGL Support vs. OpenGL ES vs. Vulkan ===<br />
'''City of Heroes is an OpenGL 2.0 and 3.0 title.''' The original game engine was OpenGL 2.0, where Ultra Mode forward used OpenGL 3.0 features that were mostly backward compatible.<br />
<br />
Graphic Cards with OpenGL compatibility should be compared on compatibility on older OpenGL titles over OpenGL ES, Vulkan, and other newer standards that will not necessarily translate to improved performance.<br />
<br />
This is important to pay attention to, as it proves that spending lots of money DOES NOT necessarily result in better outcomes with City of Heroes gameplay. It can seem counterintuitive but newer cards do not necessitate increased performance in every circumstance. (Buying the most expensive NVidia GeForce 4090 does not guarantee Ultra Mode with all sliders at max in 4K with 100+ FPS.)<br />
<br />
== Monitors ==<br />
City of Heroes will play on any monitor available today with a few considerations.<br />
<br />
=== Resolution (determines maximum visible details) ===<br />
Resolutions are expressed in numbers (1920x1080), with options for the following: <br />
* Borderless: The game is rendered as a Windowed client but without borders or OS "chrome" on the top, filling the entire screen. Otherwise, the game runs in the same resolution as the Operating System desktop.<br />
* Windowed: The game operates in a Window that can resize. The UI will adjust down if the window is reduced, but not the other way if enlarged. Rearranging the UI will be needed when increasing the size.<br />
* Fullscreen (only available on Windows clients) - use a fullscreen mode even if it overrides the Desktop Resolution. Fullscreen works best on single-monitor systems, as the mouse is 'trapped' in the window until you Alt-Tab out. Also, leaving the client when the resolution doesn't match the desktop will make Windows redraw the desktop.<br />
<br />
The client was made in a time where CRTs were the primary method of display and LEDs were few and far between. Despite this, City of Heroes has no issue with any display resolution up to and including 4K, with a few caveats. <br />
<br />
*4K and beyond (8K, ultrawide resolutions, etc.) in fullscreen mode will have quirks with Base Editing. The easiest fix is going to Windowed mode and reducing the viewport, or dialling down the resolution to 2K (2560x1440 or less) instead.<br />
*Borderless Windowed is recommended over fullscreen to retain task switching, multitasking, and streaming capabilities over running fullscreen and watching your displays reset on every Alt-Tab (or on mouseover and click on a 2nd monitor window.)<br />
<br />
Also important to remember that resolution and screen size are not married: you can have a 4K display at 10" just as easily as a 1080 FHD display at 32". But a 4K display at 24" (smaller, but impossibly clear) will cost a bit less than a 4K display at 32" (big and a touch blurry if DPI isn't terribly high). Simply because there's lower power requirements and less physical materials involved.<br />
<br />
=== Refresh Rate (determines maximum frame rate) ===<br />
'''Remember: Your refresh rate should be twice the desired frame rate of gameplay.'''<br />
<br />
For example: <br />
*If you want consistent 30FPS, you'll need to use a 60Hz display. (This isn't all that hard. They're everywhere. 98% of Televisions sold today can do this, too.)<br />
*A 144Hz display will be able to permit up to 72fps of gameplay (which covers 60FPS with some headroom left).<br />
*And a 240Hz display will support 120FPS gameplay (''up to 120''... it very well could be less).<br />
<br />
When shopping for monitors, remember two things:<br />
*Easier fix: Replacing a cord with a new higher throughput for $30 may be easier than you think.<br />
**Read your Monitor user manual or go to the manufacturer website and find the support area for info; if it states high refresh rates are only available using DisplayPort or USB-C connection, using another cable instead (or using an adapter) will not deliver the desired results. <br />
**DisplayPort and HDMI also have versions. If you are unable to realize higher performance, 90% of the time, it can be just your 6-year old HDMI or DisplayPort cord that has nothing wrong with it. (Older cords have lower bandwidth available, even if they're still functional.)<br />
*Harder fix: Watch for Bottlenecks. <br />
**If the graphics card or integrated graphics has 4K but it is only available at 30Hz, you have to replace the Graphics Card to change that outcome for 4K. This is the more expensive outcome in a world where card prices are increasing to the higher end of $1K.<br />
**If your monitor only does 4K at 30Hz, the monitor would have to be replaced to change that outcome. This is a less expensive outcome than a graphic card replacement, but still not cheap. If you are after a high end monitor (32" 4K 240Hz), this can cost more than a Graphic Card which may make little sense for City of Heroes (vs. a genuine need for another use case.)<br />
<br />
Non-issues: <br />
#Most graphics cards have a high-refresh rate feature (GSync, FreeSync, etc.) that doesn't really matter anymore. MOST gaming monitors sold today have a "AMD Freesync" feature, whether they're gaming monitors or not. Even if your card is NVidia, just turn AMD Freesync on for the display. It will most likely work even if you're on Intel or NVidia.<br />
#None of this will 'break your screen' as in the past. If your card doesn't support a desired mode, the LCD will just show "Out of Range" until your OS cycles back to a prior resolution/refresh combo. If it doesn't, that's what Safe Mode/Recovery is for.<br />
<br />
==== Future Advances & ShowFPS Limitations ====<br />
To repeat the statement in "resolution" above: due to the age of the graphics engine, City of Heroes is unlikely to recognize displays capable of higher than 240Hz as that was the technical limit of CRTs back in the 2000s. (Future displays with even higher refresh rates will likely not exceed 120FPS in the game engine.)<br />
<br />
The [[Showfps_(Slash_Command)|ShowFPS]] command shows a maximum frame rate that is estimated based on current performance factors, so values well above your hardware spec are possible in the client even if they are not realized with your hardware setup. <br />
<br />
''Just because ShowFPS says 300FPS+ doesn't mean you are ACTUALLY seeing it. It just means the client thinks you are capable of that frame rate at that certain moment based on resources it has available to render graphics.''<br />
<br />
=== Shopping Chart ===<br />
Combining Refresh Rate with Resolution, there is a matrix of expected pricing --<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; width: 66%; height: 250px;"<br />
|+ Monitor Pricing vs. Features Expected<br/>''(Screen Size is NOT shown, WILL affect price, and may vary.)''<br />
|-<br />
! Monitors !! FHD <br/>(1940x1080) !! QHD <br/>(2560x1440) !! 4K <br/>(3840x2160)<br />
|- style="text-align: center;"<br />
| 60Hz <br/>Refresh || Cheap || $ || $$<br />
|- style="text-align: center;"<br />
| 144Hz <br/>Refresh || $ || $$ || $$$$<br />
|- style="text-align: center;"<br />
| 240Hz <br/>Refresh || $$ || $$$ || Ridiculous<br />
|}<br />
<br />
(The $ doesn't mean anything, just a ratio of cost. Most displays put 4K and High Refresh at a premium.)<br />
<br />
The above chart also impacts laptop sales: higher quality screens will only add to the sticker price of a laptop. Very few offerings allow a choice of display, so downgrading to a 60Hz or lower resolution screen isn't an option without considering a physically different model.<br />
<br />
== Hard Drive (impacts loading times between zones) ==<br />
While most laptops are phasing out platter hard drives (magnetic disks), there are still pitfalls to be aware of.<br />
<br />
=== Type ===<br />
*eMMC - Slowest. eMMC are essentially flash chips embedded into a motherboard or daughterboard module. These will be used in laptops where cost and weight are a factor, and will perform roughly the same as a platter-based drive.<br />
*SATA - Fair. SATA only M.2s are in use on cheaper models and will be limited by the SATA bus. These are considered more usable for gaming than eMMC, but will have similar write speeds to USB drives.<br />
*NVMe - Fastest. NVMe drives also exist in M.2 form, but use the PCI Express bus instead of SATA. These come in a variety of speeds, but the cheapest can easily outperform SATA.<br />
<br />
Most laptops sold will indicate what hard drive type is present on the box sticker. If it doesn't, ask.<br />
<br />
=== Theoretical Speeds vs. Actual ===<br />
*eMMC - Tops out at around 250Mbps, but are limited in write capacity and cannot handle multiple streams of data.<br />
*SATA - SATA III tops out at 600Mbps.<br />
*NVMe - Using PCIe 4.0, up to 4000Mbps. (Mac users with Apple Silicon are essentially in the same class as NVMe drives.)<br />
<br />
In the real world, speeds will vary. eMMC will edge on the slow side, but SATA will be the only choice to improve older laptops and desktops without NVMe support. And NVMe has the same issue as RAM -- budget NVMe drives that cost less than their higher performing counterparts often from the same manufacturer.<br />
<br />
== Memory (client performance, multi-client) ==<br />
Concerning quantity alone (memory speed is dictated by the Motherboard in use), the minimum requirements are 2GB for Windows systems before Windows 7 (especially 32-bit) and 4GB for most 64-bit computers sold today. While more memory will impact game client performance on raids, base building, and overall performance, the biggest "Pro" in adding memory is multi-client use:<br />
<br />
*4GB - Recommended for single-client play.<br />
*8GB - Recommended for dual-client play.<br />
*16GB - Recommended for triple-client play (and the limit of the Homecoming: COH Terms of Service.)<br />
<br />
Systems with over 16GB exceed these recommendations, but also excel in supporting other apps while playing the game. (Audio/video playback, resource-intensive web browsing, etc.)<br />
<br />
== Network Interface (decreases lag, improves reaction times) ==<br />
=== Wi-Fi ===<br />
Formerly the domain of the laptop, Wi-Fi being present in desktops opens up household placement of systems without running labor intensive wiring to each location.<br />
==== Network Version ====<br />
*802.11g (what would be Wi-Fi 3) - No longer advised. Speed limitations and range make this impractical for most households with more than 10 devices present using Wi-Fi.<br />
*Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) - Theoretical 600Mbps. Uses MIMO. On the way out.<br />
*Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) - Theoretical 3.5Gbps. Uses MU-MIMO. Most networks in homes today use Wi-Fi 5.<br />
*Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) - Theoretical 9.6Gbps. Uses OFDMA. Currently on store shelves everywhere.<br />
<br />
The most important thing to remember is matching the Wi-Fi type to devices:<br />
Wi-Fi devices can be OLDER than a router (Wi-Fi 4/5 devices on a Wi-Fi 6 router) but may slow down throughput for newer devices that can use the higher speed (a Wi-Fi 6 device on that same router will not be as fast as when those devices are upgraded or removed from the network.)<br />
<br />
Wi-Fi devices can be NEWER than a router (Wi-Fi 6 devices on a Wi-Fi 5 router) but will not realize speed increases until the router is upgraded. This is irregardless of other devices being Wi-Fi 5 or 6 compatible, however Wi-Fi 4 devices can degrade performance for either of them.<br />
<br />
The most affordable way to troubleshoot speed issues with multiple devices is disabling Wi-Fi on every device and turning them back on one at a time until the culprit is found. If an older device makes performance drop elsewhere, it may be time to upgrade it with a Wi-Fi adapter that is faster (if possible) or to let it go.<br />
<br />
==== Wireless Network Type ====<br />
Conventional Wi-Fi Network - Router and multiple end-user devices.<br />
*Pros: Simple, best for an apartment or single user with multiple devices in a confined area. Affordable.<br />
*Cons: Multi-room/multi-floor performance may be weak, outside use has a sharp drop off. Maximum number of devices possible is shy of 20-30 total.<br />
For Mobile Broadband, Hotspots, and tethering from your phone, this is usually your only choice.<br />
<br />
Mesh Wi-Fi Network - Router, multiple "mesh" devices, end user devices.<br />
*Pros: Best for a multiple bedroom apartment, multi-floor household, or for a large family with frequent guests. Can manage up to 100 devices.<br />
*Cons: Price, some have monthly fees, upgrades and outages become more difficult to troubleshoot. Stability is not speed - mesh networks do not speed up an otherwise slow connection, such as DSL (which usually comes with a Wi-Fi device from the telco) or Mobile Broadband (assuming you can work out how to get the data into a router first).<br />
<br />
Notes:<br />
#These have nothing to do with Wi-Fi Version. Mesh Networking kits have been in existence since 802.11g in one form or another.<br />
#Wi-Fi Repeaters are not Mesh devices. Repeaters extend a signal reach but they do not boost it in any way.<br />
#Yes, network pros see Conventional and Mesh as the same network type, Infrastructure networks. For home users, "a single router near the plugs" and "mesh kit" are visibly different setups. (And the counterpart to Infrastructure networks, Ad-Hoc networks, are impractical for gaming.)<br />
<br />
Cellular Hotspot. Requires a phone or hotspot device (resembles a puck or small pocket battery pack with a screen.)<br />
*Pros: Works anywhere there is a mobile signal. Hotspots can accommodate multiple devices, and have their own battery input/power source so they can work independently of the user device.<br />
*Cons: Works only where there is a mobile signal. If a phone has no service in a particular spot, the hotspot will have the same luck in the exact same location. Expensive compared to home internet, usually has a cap of usage that cannot be exceeded without overage fees, speed drops, or disconnection.<br />
<br />
(and for completion sake...)<br />
<br />
=== Wired Network ===<br />
Router, most home Internet gateways accommodate 4-6 devices, permitting wired switches to add more.<br />
*Pros: Most Stable. Ethernet wire is copper and can run anywhere a cord can go. Radio issues such as Microwaves, appliances and radio devices are less of an issue.<br />
*Cons: Must do a cable run to the device. Susceptible to physical damage, not an option for rental properties that forbid tenant cabling work for semi-permanent placement or in-wall installation to cover it up.<br />
<br />
The other case being a mixed medium network: using a Wired Network for devices close to the gateway (for example, if it is in the living room, a switch to connect the TV, any home server, game consoles, etc.) and plugging in a Wi-Fi Router to cover wireless networking (such as a 2nd router with DHCP and NAT turned off just to send Wi-Fi radio out) or a Mesh Wi-Fi Router with Mesh Devices in each room is also doable.<br />
<br />
== Keyboards & Mice (affect input and reaction) ==<br />
Additional features such as key switch types, key caps, percentage sizing of keys, switches and controls attached, mouse size, tracking type, weight and weights included, etc. affect physical traits which have more to do with the user and less to do with the client itself, so that will be left to a reader's preferences.<br />
<br />
MOST PLAYERS WILL BE FINE with conventional keyboards and mice, as MMO games are far less twitch-reaction dependent as FPS or action title counterparts. But for PvP players, folks who run raids, and other high demand users new to gaming equipment, here's a primer.<br />
<br />
=== Keyboard Features to look for ===<br />
'''Key Rollover.''' [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_rollover Key Rollover] is how keyboards handle more than a few keypresses at a time for typography. In gaming, n-Key Rollover is desired (a keyboard accepts unlimited multiple key presses at once, up to all of them, and displays them in press sequence in real time.) However, most keyboards available commercially only implement Multi-Key Rollover, which 'zones' keypresses together to isolate several zones of keys as able to be independently struck at once with no issues, with key-ghosting or key-jamming occuring when these zones are overused. (In a three-key event where a fourth keypress that didn't happen is read, it's called ghosting. If only two of the keys are read and one is dropped, it's called jamming.)<br />
<br />
'''Polling Rate.''' The polling rate is how frequently a keyboard reports activity to the computer. The higher the rate, the more frequent the report is made. <br />
* 800Hz - 8ms (common with most consumer keyboards)<br />
* 1000Hz - 1ms<br />
* 8000Hz - .125ms<br />
<br />
Higher polling rates won't necessarily impact a user's WPM scores in any meaningful way, but it will permit faster reaction times.<br />
<br />
'''Connection Type.''' Wireless is attractive for modern desktops looking to reduce clutter, but greatly impacts polling rate capability. Wired keyboards are always going to have better polling rates and connectivity uptime. (This also affects mice as well.)<br />
<br />
=== Mouse Features to look for ===<br />
'''Sensory Medium.''' Mice will either use optical or laser tracking. Optical is a sensor resembling a low-light camera placed at the bottom facing a mousing surface to track movement changes. Laser uses a laser diode to send a beam to the surface and read surface refraction to report movement.<br />
*Optical mice are lower cost and have a lower DPI detection radius than a laser mouse. They require a mouse pad or mousing surface to operate effectively on, with glass and highly reflective surfaces being unusable.<br />
*Laser mice are higher cost, have a higher DPI detection radius (up to five times more sensitivity), and can work on any surface including glass.<br />
<br />
The type used may be preferential. Professionals have sought both: optical mice are preferred for someone who has broader movements, whereas laser mice are desired for users who moved a mouse smaller but more precisely while gaming. Laser mice have been known to lose sync and drop broad movements as a 'pickup' reset when used too roughly, and optical mice have a lower DPI which may cause a laser mouse user to feel like having to drag and reset position more often in critical moments.<br />
<br />
(Trackballs are no different. Modern Trackballs use optical or laser sensing of the ball movement. That's all to discuss unfortunately because "Gaming Trackballs" have yet to take off in demand.)<br />
<br />
'''DPI.''' This is the amount of sensitivity a mouse offers in detecting movement with the sensor. Lower DPI devices may be harder to move for someone who is used to high sensitivity mice, where high DPI devices may move too fast for users who aren't use to smaller movements. DPI also affects energy use: turning up the DPI on an optical mouse uses more energy for a wireless mouse from battery over using a lower setting.<br />
<br />
'''Wired vs. Wireless.''' Specific to mice, laser gaming mice tend to be wireless over wired, where as optical mice tend to be wired over wireless. While there are wireless optical mice that are close to or exceeding the polling rates of a wired optical mouse in the same class, another factor of wireless vs. wired is weight (battery weight on a wireless mouse cannot be mitigated for someone who prefers a lighter device; wired may be the better option.)<br />
<br />
'''Side keys, programmability.''' MMO Gaming mice generally all have extra thumb-actuated keys on the side for a player to use in place of pressing keys with the left hand for movement or basic attacks. For those mice, support software is critical to expose the additional key inputs, which is generally not detected on plug-and-play install by Windows. (A mouse driver or support app is required to expose the extra keys to the game to be programmed.) Historically, City of Heroes has support built-in for the Razer Naga line of mice, although any mouse that takes key bindings and emulates a USB HID device should be fine.</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319170Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T01:54:29Z<p>Uninventive: /* Mitigating Mistakes */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Intent ==<br />
This is meant as an overview of [[Incarnate System]] 'economics' (although trading components across players is blocked) for players new to the end game to begin forming a plan of how they want to proceed. It is not exhaustive; nor does it try to do the job of the Wiki describing Incarnate Powers, power choices, or what 2/3rds of Enhancement Diversity really means; all of that is better explained elsewhere.<br />
<br />
This is a bit more simplistic... the very act of buying Incarnate Abilities themselves through Component Crafting.<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe. (You may elect to do this for awarded Incarnate Salvage that you no longer need, i.e.: after completing Alpha Slot Tier IV, then earning an [[Essence of the Incarnate Component|Essence of The Incarnate]] after a task force only to have broken it down to a shard to eventually become threads later.)<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard(er) Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br/><br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
If it helps to think of it that way, each Very Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator) is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll 'nesting doll'] of threads:<br />
* One Very Rare Thread Component at 200 million INF, made up of:<br />
** Four Rare Components at 960 Threads + 50 million INF, made up of:<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 260 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
Looking at the totals above, one may think why they would bother with threads at all with such high totals, except for one detail: the drop rate for Incarnate Threads is considerably higher than Incarnate Shards. In the same time a player might be close to 20 Threads, they may see one shard appear in their inventory if they're lucky.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.) Another gentle reminder that types of salvage (Shard-based vs. Threads-based) cannot mix in a single recipe: be sure to carefully pick an Alpha Slot recipe of Thread Salvage and stick to it.<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
With 46 Empyrean Merits per Incarnate Slot used only on Tier III/IV X 6 Slots = 276 Total Empyrean Merits out of 400 in the [[Veteran Levels]] program. The remaining 124 left could become:<br />
*2,480 Threads (along with the 960 the first 11 Veteran Levels offers up) could be used on Tier I and II development.<br />
*2 Transcendent Merits (50 Empyrean Merits Each) to send to a new toon on the same account to kickstart their endgame once they reach Level 50.<br />
*Or they could be simply banked. (Incarnate Salvage doesn't have a capacity limit like Invention Salvage.)<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
*Empyrean Merits work best on Tier III/IV Salvage purchases. They're not burning a hole in your pocket; save them. It's far easier to earn shards and threads than Empyrean Merits.<br />
*Doing missions for Reward Tables can also speed up progress, especially less common iTrials.<br />
*Be careful of what you buy: follow a plan, and double check the salvage and the recipe on occasion to ensure it is needed. <br />
*Respecs do not affect Incarnate Ability choices, therefore players should study the Incarnate [[Incarnate System#Slot Details|Slot Abilities]]. And ask questions concerning abilities you don't recognize so there's less of a chance of buyer's remorse.<br />
*Threads and Shards can work if nothing else is available, but the higher the Tier gets, the harder the crafting work becomes.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319169Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T01:53:08Z<p>Uninventive: /* Cumulative Total */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Intent ==<br />
This is meant as an overview of [[Incarnate System]] 'economics' (although trading components across players is blocked) for players new to the end game to begin forming a plan of how they want to proceed. It is not exhaustive; nor does it try to do the job of the Wiki describing Incarnate Powers, power choices, or what 2/3rds of Enhancement Diversity really means; all of that is better explained elsewhere.<br />
<br />
This is a bit more simplistic... the very act of buying Incarnate Abilities themselves through Component Crafting.<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe. (You may elect to do this for awarded Incarnate Salvage that you no longer need, i.e.: after completing Alpha Slot Tier IV, then earning an [[Essence of the Incarnate Component|Essence of The Incarnate]] after a task force only to have broken it down to a shard to eventually become threads later.)<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard(er) Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br/><br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
If it helps to think of it that way, each Very Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator) is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll 'nesting doll'] of threads:<br />
* One Very Rare Thread Component at 200 million INF, made up of:<br />
** Four Rare Components at 960 Threads + 50 million INF, made up of:<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 260 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
Looking at the totals above, one may think why they would bother with threads at all with such high totals, except for one detail: the drop rate for Incarnate Threads is considerably higher than Incarnate Shards. In the same time a player might be close to 20 Threads, they may see one shard appear in their inventory if they're lucky.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.) Another gentle reminder that types of salvage (Shard-based vs. Threads-based) cannot mix in a single recipe: be sure to carefully pick an Alpha Slot recipe of Thread Salvage and stick to it.<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
With 46 Empyrean Merits per Incarnate Slot used only on Tier III/IV X 6 Slots = 276 Total Empyrean Merits out of 400 in the [[Veteran Levels]] program. The remaining 124 left could become:<br />
*2,480 Threads (along with the 960 the first 11 Veteran Levels offers up) could be used on Tier I and II development.<br />
*2 Transcendent Merits (50 Empyrean Merits Each) to send to a new toon on the same account to kickstart their endgame once they reach Level 50.<br />
*Or they could be simply banked. (Incarnate Salvage doesn't have a capacity limit like Invention Salvage.)<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
*Empyrean Merits work best on Tier III/IV Salvage purchases. They're not burning a hole in your pocket; save them. It's far easier to earn shards and threads than Empyrean Merits.<br />
*Doing missions for Reward Tables can also speed up progress, especially less common iTrials.<br />
*Be careful of what you buy: follow a plan, and double check the salvage and the recipe on occasion to ensure it is needed. <br />
*Respecs do not affect Incarnate Ability choices, therefore players should study the Incarnate [[Incarnate System#Slot Details|Slot Abilities]]. And ask questions concerning abilities you don't recognize so there's less of a chance of buyer's remorse.<br />
*Threads and Shards can work if nothing else is available, but the higher the Tier gets, the harder the crafting work becomes.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319168Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T01:43:03Z<p>Uninventive: /* Cumulative Totals */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Intent ==<br />
This is meant as an overview of [[Incarnate System]] 'economics' (although trading components across players is blocked) for players new to the end game to begin forming a plan of how they want to proceed. It is not exhaustive; nor does it try to do the job of the Wiki describing Incarnate Powers, power choices, or what 2/3rds of Enhancement Diversity really means; all of that is better explained elsewhere.<br />
<br />
This is a bit more simplistic... the very act of buying Incarnate Abilities themselves through Component Crafting.<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe. (You may elect to do this for awarded Incarnate Salvage that you no longer need, i.e.: after completing Alpha Slot Tier IV, then earning an [[Essence of the Incarnate Component|Essence of The Incarnate]] after a task force only to have broken it down to a shard to eventually become threads later.)<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard(er) Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br/><br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
If it helps to think of it that way, each Very Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator) is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll 'nesting doll'] of threads:<br />
* One Very Rare Thread Component at 200 million INF, made up of:<br />
** Four Rare Components at 960 Threads + 50 million INF, made up of:<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 260 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
Looking at the totals above, one may think why they would bother with threads at all with such high totals, except for one detail: the drop rate for Incarnate Threads is considerably higher than Incarnate Shards. In the same time a player might be close to 20 Threads, they may see one shard appear in their inventory if they're lucky.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.) Another gentle reminder that types of salvage (Shard-based vs. Threads-based) cannot mix in a single recipe: be sure to carefully pick an Alpha Slot recipe of Thread Salvage and stick to it.<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
*Empyrean Merits work best on Tier III/IV Salvage purchases. They're not burning a hole in your pocket; save them. It's far easier to earn shards and threads than Empyrean Merits.<br />
*Doing missions for Reward Tables can also speed up progress, especially less common iTrials.<br />
*Be careful of what you buy: follow a plan, and double check the salvage and the recipe on occasion to ensure it is needed. <br />
*Respecs do not affect Incarnate Ability choices, therefore players should study the Incarnate [[Incarnate System#Slot Details|Slot Abilities]]. And ask questions concerning abilities you don't recognize so there's less of a chance of buyer's remorse.<br />
*Threads and Shards can work if nothing else is available, but the higher the Tier gets, the harder the crafting work becomes.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319167Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T01:41:17Z<p>Uninventive: /* Conclusion */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Intent ==<br />
This is meant as an overview of [[Incarnate System]] 'economics' (although trading components across players is blocked) for players new to the end game to begin forming a plan of how they want to proceed. It is not exhaustive; nor does it try to do the job of the Wiki describing Incarnate Powers, power choices, or what 2/3rds of Enhancement Diversity really means; all of that is better explained elsewhere.<br />
<br />
This is a bit more simplistic... the very act of buying Incarnate Abilities themselves through Component Crafting.<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe. (You may elect to do this for awarded Incarnate Salvage that you no longer need, i.e.: after completing Alpha Slot Tier IV, then earning an [[Essence of the Incarnate Component|Essence of The Incarnate]] after a task force only to have broken it down to a shard to eventually become threads later.)<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard(er) Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br/><br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
If it helps to think of it that way, each Very Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator) is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll 'nesting doll'] of threads:<br />
* One Very Rare Thread Component at 200 million INF, made up of:<br />
** Four Rare Components at 960 Threads + 50 million INF, made up of:<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 260 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.) Another gentle reminder that types of salvage (Shard-based vs. Threads-based) cannot mix in a single recipe: be sure to carefully pick an Alpha Slot recipe of Thread Salvage and stick to it.<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
*Empyrean Merits work best on Tier III/IV Salvage purchases. They're not burning a hole in your pocket; save them. It's far easier to earn shards and threads than Empyrean Merits.<br />
*Doing missions for Reward Tables can also speed up progress, especially less common iTrials.<br />
*Be careful of what you buy: follow a plan, and double check the salvage and the recipe on occasion to ensure it is needed. <br />
*Respecs do not affect Incarnate Ability choices, therefore players should study the Incarnate [[Incarnate System#Slot Details|Slot Abilities]]. And ask questions concerning abilities you don't recognize so there's less of a chance of buyer's remorse.<br />
*Threads and Shards can work if nothing else is available, but the higher the Tier gets, the harder the crafting work becomes.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319166Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T01:40:29Z<p>Uninventive: /* Conclusion */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Intent ==<br />
This is meant as an overview of [[Incarnate System]] 'economics' (although trading components across players is blocked) for players new to the end game to begin forming a plan of how they want to proceed. It is not exhaustive; nor does it try to do the job of the Wiki describing Incarnate Powers, power choices, or what 2/3rds of Enhancement Diversity really means; all of that is better explained elsewhere.<br />
<br />
This is a bit more simplistic... the very act of buying Incarnate Abilities themselves through Component Crafting.<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe. (You may elect to do this for awarded Incarnate Salvage that you no longer need, i.e.: after completing Alpha Slot Tier IV, then earning an [[Essence of the Incarnate Component|Essence of The Incarnate]] after a task force only to have broken it down to a shard to eventually become threads later.)<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard(er) Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br/><br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
If it helps to think of it that way, each Very Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator) is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll 'nesting doll'] of threads:<br />
* One Very Rare Thread Component at 200 million INF, made up of:<br />
** Four Rare Components at 960 Threads + 50 million INF, made up of:<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 260 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.) Another gentle reminder that types of salvage (Shard-based vs. Threads-based) cannot mix in a single recipe: be sure to carefully pick an Alpha Slot recipe of Thread Salvage and stick to it.<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
*Empyrean Merits work best on Tier III/IV Salvage purchases.<br />
*Doing missions for Reward Tables can also speed up progress, especially less common iTrials.<br />
*Be careful of what you buy: follow a plan, and double check the salvage and the recipe on occasion to ensure it is needed. <br />
*Respecs do not affect Incarnate Ability choices, therefore players should study the Incarnate [[Incarnate System#Slot Details|Slot Abilities]]. And ask questions concerning abilities you don't recognize so there's less of a chance of buyer's remorse.<br />
*Threads and Shards can work if nothing else is available, but the higher the Tier gets, the harder the crafting work becomes.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319165Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T00:51:38Z<p>Uninventive: /* Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Intent ==<br />
This is meant as an overview of [[Incarnate System]] 'economics' (although trading components across players is blocked) for players new to the end game to begin forming a plan of how they want to proceed. It is not exhaustive; nor does it try to do the job of the Wiki describing Incarnate Powers, power choices, or what 2/3rds of Enhancement Diversity really means; all of that is better explained elsewhere.<br />
<br />
This is a bit more simplistic... the very act of buying Incarnate Abilities themselves through Component Crafting.<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe. (You may elect to do this for awarded Incarnate Salvage that you no longer need, i.e.: after completing Alpha Slot Tier IV, then earning an [[Essence of the Incarnate Component|Essence of The Incarnate]] after a task force only to have broken it down to a shard to eventually become threads later.)<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard(er) Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br/><br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
If it helps to think of it that way, each Very Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator) is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll 'nesting doll'] of threads:<br />
* One Very Rare Thread Component at 200 million INF, made up of:<br />
** Four Rare Components at 960 Threads + 50 million INF, made up of:<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 260 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.) Another gentle reminder that types of salvage (Shard-based vs. Threads-based) cannot mix in a single recipe: be sure to carefully pick an Alpha Slot recipe of Thread Salvage and stick to it.<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319164Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T00:44:16Z<p>Uninventive: /* Caveats */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Intent ==<br />
This is meant as an overview of [[Incarnate System]] 'economics' (although trading components across players is blocked) for players new to the end game to begin forming a plan of how they want to proceed. It is not exhaustive; nor does it try to do the job of the Wiki describing Incarnate Powers, power choices, or what 2/3rds of Enhancement Diversity really means; all of that is better explained elsewhere.<br />
<br />
This is a bit more simplistic... the very act of buying Incarnate Abilities themselves through Component Crafting.<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard(er) Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br/><br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
If it helps to think of it that way, each Very Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator) is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll 'nesting doll'] of threads:<br />
* One Very Rare Thread Component at 200 million INF, made up of:<br />
** Four Rare Components at 960 Threads + 50 million INF, made up of:<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 260 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.) Another gentle reminder that types of salvage (Shard-based vs. Threads-based) cannot mix in a single recipe: be sure to carefully pick an Alpha Slot recipe of Thread Salvage and stick to it.<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319163Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T00:39:38Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 4 */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard(er) Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br/><br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
If it helps to think of it that way, each Very Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator) is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll 'nesting doll'] of threads:<br />
* One Very Rare Thread Component at 200 million INF, made up of:<br />
** Four Rare Components at 960 Threads + 50 million INF, made up of:<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 260 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.) Another gentle reminder that types of salvage (Shard-based vs. Threads-based) cannot mix in a single recipe: be sure to carefully pick an Alpha Slot recipe of Thread Salvage and stick to it.<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319162Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T00:38:26Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 4 */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard(er) Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br/><br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Thread Component is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll 'nesting doll'] of threads:<br />
* One Very Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator) at 200 million INF, made up of:<br />
** Four Rare Components at 960 Threads + 50 million INF, made up of:<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 260 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.) Another gentle reminder that types of salvage (Shard-based vs. Threads-based) cannot mix in a single recipe: be sure to carefully pick an Alpha Slot recipe of Thread Salvage and stick to it.<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319161Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T00:37:28Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 4 */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard(er) Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br/><br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Very Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator) at 200 million INF, made up of:<br />
** Four Rare Components at 960 Threads + 50 million INF, made up of:<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 260 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.) Another gentle reminder that types of salvage (Shard-based vs. Threads-based) cannot mix in a single recipe: be sure to carefully pick an Alpha Slot recipe of Thread Salvage and stick to it.<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319160Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T00:37:04Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 4 */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard(er) Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br/><br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Very Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator) at 200 million INF, made up of:<br />
** Four Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF, made up of:<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 260 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.) Another gentle reminder that types of salvage (Shard-based vs. Threads-based) cannot mix in a single recipe: be sure to carefully pick an Alpha Slot recipe of Thread Salvage and stick to it.<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319159Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T00:32:50Z<p>Uninventive: /* Use Empyrean Merits */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard(er) Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br/><br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.) Another gentle reminder that types of salvage (Shard-based vs. Threads-based) cannot mix in a single recipe: be sure to carefully pick an Alpha Slot recipe of Thread Salvage and stick to it.<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319158Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T00:31:01Z<p>Uninventive: /* The Hard Way */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard(er) Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br/><br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319157Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T00:30:16Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 4 */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br/><br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319156Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T00:23:50Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 3 */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Tier 3 powers are when Level Shifts (Alpha Slots) and Incarnate Shifts (Lore/Destiny Slots) start to apply, and it shows. Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319155Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T00:19:27Z<p>Uninventive: /* Salvage Tables */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are a few places for Incarnate Salvage Tables, or Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319154Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T00:18:55Z<p>Uninventive: /* Salvage Tables */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.). For Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial, only the first two tables are available to players.<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319153Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-19T00:17:52Z<p>Uninventive: /* Salvage Tables */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop. Details in [[Incarnate Component]].<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
*Completing all six arcs of the [[Dark Astoria]] zone (a.k.a.: the Death Incarnate expansion, arcs from "The Burden of The Past" through "The Choice of Hope - Part 2") has a chance for a Incarnate Salvage table of any variety.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319152Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T23:59:05Z<p>Uninventive: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
<br />
== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Game_Streaming&diff=319151Game Streaming2024-03-18T23:58:47Z<p>Uninventive: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{PlayerGuide}}<br />
{{TOCright}}<br />
[[Category: Player Guides]]<br />
== Game Streaming ==<br />
Another way to play City of Heroes in the same building/house/office is to use a game streaming setup. <br />
<br />
For most mobile devices, this works best with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse versus using a controller or trying to use a touchscreen with the Click to Run option enabled. (Mouse support is broadly available since Android 9 and iOS/iPadOS 14.)<br />
<br />
===Basics===<br />
In Game Streaming, you'll involve two devices:<br />
*The Host system, containing the installation of Homecoming: City of Heroes, your game streaming app installed in Host Mode, and your hardware graphic card.<br />
*The Client system, which has the Game Streaming app installed. For the client to stream your game you will need to leave your gaming PC powered on during play, and the keyboard/mouse will be accessible to a bystander while streaming. <br />
<br />
The Host system may need to be kept updated to the latest software for both the Game Streaming app as well as the video card driver. If your client doesn't connect, make sure these updates are installed first before you try again.<br />
<br />
===Methods===<br />
Commercial services like GeForce Now, Stadia, and Luna are not going to work, as developer support is required before use. Homecoming will not work on those services. <br />
<br />
However, you can use the following on your own: Parsec, Kainy, Steam Link, and Rainway. <br />
<br />
Most have h264/h265 support as the basis of operation, which can be used by a wide swath of devices. Browser-based play is usually limited to Google Chrome, as streaming video support is not as broadly implemented on Firefox, Safari, or other browsers. (Steam Link doesn't directly support City of Heroes use, the client will need to use a trick to gain access to Windows desktop to start the game manually.)<br />
<br />
Software Game Streaming apps may be able to take advantage of hardware encoding in certain circumstances, however, they will rely more upon the strength of your network.<br />
<br />
==== Not Advised ====<br />
Low-Bandwidth optimized Remote Desktop apps such as Mac Screen Sharing/VNC, Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection/RDP, LogMeIn, TeamViewer, etc. All of these were designed to cut down on bandwidth use and will suffer high latency and low frame rates incapable of game play.<br />
<br />
=== Video Considerations ===<br />
As a concept: your computer is the bottleneck of the session. Game streaming is going to deliver video playback AT that same resolution and framerate or lower. You cannot use Game Streaming to get performance out of your machine it isn't capable of in the first place. (If you're using a GeForce 1060, it's not going to have the framerate and performance of a 1090.)<br />
<br />
Likewise, you need to consider the following:<br />
*Resolution:<br />
**4K or higher - reduce playback resolution to 2K (2560x1440) or lower.<br />
**2K - for 60fps, a Gigabit Home Network is required. 40Mbps is needed for 60 frames per second (FPS).<br />
**1080/1440 - you can operate at 60fps with 20-30Mbps of bandwidth.<br />
**720 - you can operate at 60fps with 10Mbps.<br />
*Framerate:<br />
**For all the bandwidth values above, cut in half when using 30FPS. (2K at 20Mbps, 1080/1440 at 10-15MBps, 720 at 5MBps.)<br />
**If your gameplay gets jittery, disconnects, or halts, turning your framerate down is quickest way to stabilize the connection, however if you need to get below 30fps, turning your resolution down may also be necessary.<br />
<br />
Game Streaming may not be viable for your network if your video is turned down to 720/30fps and you are still having trouble playing.<br />
<br />
=== Network Considerations ===<br />
Your house network must be capable of at least 5-10MBps of free bandwidth internally PER SESSION to permit game streaming in the same house (2 people streaming? At least 20Mbps available). This is NOT your Internet Speed, but your internal network speed between network hardware and computers. <br />
* Wi-Fi: using Wi-Fi 5/6 is recommended (802.11 AC or AX), and the use of Wi-Fi Mesh equipment with a node plugged into every room you wish to stream from instead of using a single router (unless your house is very small). A strong signal is needed to maintain 60fps video at any size. (Most online video and TVs are 30fps.)<br />
* Ethernet: your NIC card, port on a laptop, and router must be at least 1Gbps. 100Mb Network hardware in a house with multiple devices may not have sufficient headroom for Game Streaming use.<br />
* Use of 4K video will be extremely difficult at any capacity. It is strongly recommended to use a 2K resolution or lower while streaming.<br />
<br />
As a generality, your home network is only as fast as your slowest device. If you cannot stream well, the following may help: <br />
*replacing any switching or routing devices that can't exceed 100Mb, <br />
*replacing 10/100 only NICs, <br />
*switching older laptops and appliances to Ethernet or disabling their network connection,<br />
*replacing old cabling (use CAT-5E or CAT-6),<br />
*finally, any Wi-Fi devices at 802.11b/g/n should also be removed if they can't be upgraded.<br />
<br />
==== Playing remotely away from home ====<br />
For play outside of your house your upload speed (not download) must exceed the actual bandwidth used to stream the game in your house. If it does not, game play will be jittery or fail to stream out. (Your download speed only matters to the client device outside your house.) To solve this, you'll need to turn your host resolution and frame rate lower until your upstream bandwidth is low enough for stable play. <br />
<br />
While some services like Parsec can negotiate a connection outside of your home network, for zero-account software apps you may also need to configure your uplink device or router to allow traffic outside, which is a security precaution.<br />
<br />
=== Methods No Longer Available ===<br />
As of 2023, both NVidia and AMD have discontinued their hardware-based game streaming support. NVidia has dropped GameStream from their GeForce Experience client, and AMD Link support has been removed from the Adrenalin Software Suite. While both cards retain hardware video encoding features, they're only used in video products going forward (Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, etc.)<br />
<br />
As a result, Moonlight has been deemed End-Of-Life, and the developer has turned their work over to [https://app.lizardbyte.dev/Sunshine/?lng=en Sunlight] server to develop a software-based solution instead.</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319150Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T23:57:59Z<p>Uninventive: /* Incarnate Convert Window */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Abilities: Convert Window Notes ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319149Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T23:53:55Z<p>Uninventive: /* Mitigating Mistakes */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== Mitigating Mistakes ==<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319148Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T23:53:40Z<p>Uninventive: /* Use Empyrean Merits */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
;Resist the urge to use Empyrean Merits for extra Threads.<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319147Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T23:52:07Z<p>Uninventive: /* The Hard Way */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard Way ==<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319146Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T23:51:55Z<p>Uninventive: /* Incarnate Convert Window */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
== The Hard Way ==<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319145Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T23:51:38Z<p>Uninventive: /* Incarnate Convert Window */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
== The Hard Way ==<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319144Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T23:50:37Z<p>Uninventive: /* Cumulative Total */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319143Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T23:50:23Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 4 */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Cumulative Total =====<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Empyrean Merits + Incarnate Threads<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Emp. Merits !! Threads Used<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 1 x2 || || 120 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 2 x2 || || 200 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 3 x2 || 16 Emp.Mts. || 80 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Tier 4 || 30 Emp.Mts. || 40 Threads<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 46 Emp.Mts. || 440 Threads<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319142Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T23:47:03Z<p>Uninventive: /* Cumulative Totals */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| style="width: 100%;"<br />
|-<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
| style="width: 40%;" |<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: auto;"<br />
|+ Incarnate Threads (Any Slot)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Threads Spent !! INF Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 120 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 200 Threads || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2 || 560 Threads || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 1,000 Threads || 200 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total || 1,880 Threads || 250 mil INF<br />
|}<br />
{| style="width: 56%; margin: auto;"<br />
|-<br />
|Both tables ignore power choices: especially Tier II and higher, there are enough recipes listed for any valid combination of powers assuming Tier III left and right side choices are honored.<br />
|}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319141Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T23:26:23Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 4 */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
=== Cumulative Totals ===<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|+ Incarnate Shards (Alpha Slot Only)<br />
|-<br />
! Tier Level !! Shards Spent !! INF/Tokens Spent<br />
|-<br />
| Tier I x2 || 24 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier II x2 || 40 Shards || <br />
|-<br />
| Tier III x2<br/>(Crafting) || 96 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Tier IV || 242 Shards || 25 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Total<br/>(Crafting) || 498 Shards || 50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Using NOTW x3 || -386 Shards || -50 mil INF<br />
|-<br />
| Adjusted Total || 112 Shards || 0 INF<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319140Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T23:11:07Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 4 */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
So Going Back Through Tier 1-3 a 2nd Time:<br/><br />
88 Shards on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting<br/><br />
OR<br />
440 Threads and 25 Million INF on top of the prior Tier 1-3 crafting.<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319139Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T23:07:46Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 3 */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Plus: 2 Common Shard Salvage Components for the Incarnate Recipe itself apart from the above. (8 Shards.)<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 56 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319138Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T22:57:48Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 2 */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 20 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 88 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319137Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T22:45:29Z<p>Uninventive: /* Incarnate Convert Window */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier power is required to be crafted to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 16 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 88 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319136Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T22:44:35Z<p>Uninventive: /* Incarnate Convert Window */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead (unlike the Respec system in-game where experimentation is welcome), as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving of mistakes.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier is required to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 16 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 88 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319135Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T22:43:38Z<p>Uninventive: /* Incarnate Convert Window */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a casual player to lose track during day-to-day progress. This means it is very easy to create the wrong component by accident if one does not pay attention. Most players will need to plan ahead as unlike the Powerset and Respec concepts, as the Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier is required to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 16 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 88 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319134Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T22:42:33Z<p>Uninventive: /* Incarnate Convert Window */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a player to lose track during day-to-day progress and create the wrong component by accident if they do not pay attention. This is on purpose, and most players will need to plan ahead as unlike the Powerset and Respec concepts, Incarnate System is a lot less forgiving.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier is required to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 16 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 88 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319133Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T22:40:24Z<p>Uninventive: /* Incarnate Convert Window */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a player to lose track during day-to-day progress and create the wrong component by accident if they do not pay attention. This is by design, and players need to prepare for it to happen.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier is required to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 16 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 88 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319132Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T22:39:24Z<p>Uninventive: /* Incarnate Convert Window */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip='''This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole.'''<br/>It is designed for a player to lose track during day-to-day progress and create the wrong component by accident if they do not pay attention, which results in delaying progress further.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier is required to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 16 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 88 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319131Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T22:38:20Z<p>Uninventive: /* Incarnate Convert Window */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
<br />
It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
{{gametip|tip=This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole: it is designed for a player to lose track during day-to-day progress and create the wrong component by accident if they do not pay attention, which results in delaying progress further.}}<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier is required to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 16 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 88 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319130Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T22:35:48Z<p>Uninventive: /* Caveats */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate System.<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
**This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole: it is designed for a player to lose track during day-to-day progress and create the wrong component by accident if they do not pay attention, which results in delaying progress further. <br />
**It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier is required to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 16 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 88 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319129Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T22:35:29Z<p>Uninventive: /* Caveats */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate progression:<br />
{{hidden|Click to Read|bg1=grey|<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
**This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole: it is designed for a player to lose track during day-to-day progress and create the wrong component by accident if they do not pay attention, which results in delaying progress further. <br />
**It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier is required to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 16 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 88 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319128Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T18:13:37Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 4 */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate progression:<br />
<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
**This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole: it is designed for a player to lose track during day-to-day progress and create the wrong component by accident if they do not pay attention, which results in delaying progress further. <br />
**It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier is required to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 16 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 88 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the Tier III counterpart above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319127Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T18:12:25Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 4 */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate progression:<br />
<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
**This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole: it is designed for a player to lose track during day-to-day progress and create the wrong component by accident if they do not pay attention, which results in delaying progress further. <br />
**It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier is required to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 16 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 88 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. (See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319126Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T18:11:50Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 4 */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate progression:<br />
<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
**This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole: it is designed for a player to lose track during day-to-day progress and create the wrong component by accident if they do not pay attention, which results in delaying progress further. <br />
**It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier is required to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 16 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 88 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. (Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. See the picture to the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
<br />
Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
<br />
== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventivehttps://homecoming.wiki/w/index.php?title=Incarnate_Progression_Strategies&diff=319125Incarnate Progression Strategies2024-03-18T18:11:33Z<p>Uninventive: /* Tier 4 */</p>
<hr />
<div>== Caveats ==<br />
This is written for Homecoming: City of Heroes Issue 27, which has the following differences from the Live Incarnate progression:<br />
<br />
*[[Alpha Slot]] unlocking is no longer required. Incarnate XP starts accruing the moment you turn Level 50. (Trapdoor can still be fought by heading to [[Ouroboros]] and doing the Mender Ramiel arc, but it isn't required any longer.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Shard|Incarnate Shards]], while still issued, have been de-emphasized in favor of [[Incarnate Thread|Incarnate Threads]].<br />
**Shards still drop, but only apply to Alpha Slot abilities and purchasing Incarnate salvage to craft Alpha Slot Powers only.<br />
**[[Astral Merits]] are present in [[Incarnate Trials]] as rewards, as well as SSA Arcs as a once a week reward.<br />
**[[Notice of the Well]] is still offered for WST rewards. Apart from being one of three pieces of salvage to craft a T3 Alpha power, it can also be rolled over into 40 Incarnate Threads, and is the only way to make [[Favor of the Well Component|Favor of The Well]] (32 Shards + 2 Notice of The Well tokens) to craft a T4 Alpha power (or also to convert to 100 Threads: see Convert > Incarnate Shard > Upgrade).<br />
**All slots have recipes that use Incarnate Thread components, including Alpha, which has alternate Incarnate Thread recipes beneath the Incarnate Shard recipes in the same listings.<br />
**It is also possible to convert Incarnate Shards to Threads, but involves spending 1,000,000 INF per day to make 10 Shards into 10 Threads, or wasting Shards at a ratio of 2:1 (10 Shards can make 5 Threads, any time, fee-free.)<br />
*[[Incarnate Experience|Incarnate XP]] still needs to be collected to unlock slots, which now occurs with normal gameplay for a Level 50 character. Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP unlocks the first five slots, Alpha, Interface, Destiny, Judgement and Lore. Advanced Psychic Incarnate XP then begins to accrue to unlock Hybrid, which always unlocks last. XP Boosting, Patrol XP and server events are ignored: Incarnate XP awards separately from regular XP.<br />
*Incarnate Trials are still available, but are no longer the only way to progress characters through Incarnate XP/development.<br />
**Any Level 50 eligible content drops Incarnate Shards and Threads.<br />
**The [[Veteran Level|Veteran Levels]] system awards Incarnate Threads, Empyrean Merits, and other tokens for gameplay past Level 50 for 99 "Veteran Levels" worth of progress. At Level 100, the rewards stop and players need to seek other avenues for Incarnate progress.<br />
**[[Hamidon Raid|Hamidon Raids]] now award 4 Empyrean Merits once per 16 hours on completion.<br />
*[[Empyrean Merits]] are the primary reward currency for Incarnate Recipes past Tier 1 and Tier 2.<br />
**Tier 3 powers require one piece of Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
**Tier 4 powers require one piece of Very Rare Incarnate Thread made salvage, costing 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
*The Entire Incarnate Salvage system (with one key exception below) is character-bound. Salvage, shards, threads, and tokens such as Notice/Favor of the Well are bound to a character, cannot be traded, and cannot be emailed to others or yourself.<br />
**EXCEPTION: If a character finishes their Incarnate progress and has excess Empyrean Merits, 50 at a time can be converted to a [[Transcendent Merit]] at any Merit Vendor and emailed to a character on the same account to use instead.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, here's an explanation of how the Incarnate Powers "tech trees" work in-game.<br />
<br />
== Incarnate Convert Window ==<br />
[[File:CreateWindow.png|thumb|right|The Incarnate system is designed to push players to make costly mistakes, such as purchasing a T1 power when a T4 is already slotted. Doesn't harm a build, but it wastes resources.]]<br />
Keep in mind the following:<br />
*Incarnate Shards and Incarnate Shard Salvage ONLY applies for the Alpha Slot. Once Alpha Tier IV is unlocked, remaining Astral Merits and Incarnate Shards are best used for Thread Conversion.<br />
*Salvage Types CANNOT be mixed. Incarnate Shard Salvage CANNOT be used for Incarnate Thread Recipes and vice versa.<br />
*Once Salvage has been crafted, unused Salvage can be converted back into Incarnate Shards (1 per Breakdown) or Incarnate Threads (varies on rarity) to use elsewhere, but at a loss. It is important to craft only what you need to complete a recipe.<br />
**This is a major caution about the entire Incarnate System as a whole: it is designed for a player to lose track during day-to-day progress and create the wrong component by accident if they do not pay attention, which results in delaying progress further. <br />
**It may help to take notes or map out a plan. It is a lot of information to track.<br />
<br />
Costs are NOT Cumulative except when mentioned at the end: each Tier is required to reach the next higher one, but salvage and currencies start from 0 each time.<br />
<br />
Regardless of which recipe you choose to purchase (Power or Recipe Components), the costs per tier is always the same.<br />
=== Tier 1 ===<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 12 shards total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 2 ===<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage (this will recur for the remaining Tiers as well),<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Shard OR Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
Alpha Slot: 16 Shards for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 3 ===<br />
Alpha and other slots diverge broadly here:<br/><br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two Pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage, plus a Notice of The Well:<br />
*If crafted, a Notice costs 12,500,000 INF, 40 Incarnate Shards, and requires crafting one each of the following Uncommon Salvage (each component also costing 8 shards each + 1 Common Salvage Piece at 4 shards resulting in 12 shards for each single item and altogether 48 shards for all four bought at once):<br />
**Drop of the Well<br />
**Incarnate Infused Nictus<br />
**Infinite Tessellation<br />
**Vanguard DNA Metamatrix<br />
*Or, what most players do: earn one for free at Level 50 by completing a Weekly Strike Target.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Thread Recipes start to get harder, too, as well:<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage, made with:<br />
*25 million Influence<br />
*100 Incarnate Threads<br />
*And one each of the Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage Items (at 60 Threads per piece at 240 Threads for all four at once:)<br />
**Cytolitic Infusion<br />
**Dimensional Pocket<br />
**Gluon Pocket<br />
**Worn Spellbook<br />
<br />
'''Totals:'''<br/><br />
Alpha Slot: Crafted -- 12.5 mil INF, 88 Shards... or Earned Notice -- 8 Shards and 1 Notice of The Well.<br/><br />
Other Slots including Alpha: 25 mil INF, 340 Threads.<br />
<br />
=== Tier 4 ===<br />
[[File:TierIIIreadyforIV.png|right|thumb|Whatever your feelings on Demon Lore Pets may be, this character is ready for Tier 4.]]<br />
For Tier 4, there's two pieces of bad news.<br />
<br />
1. You cannot progress to Tier 4 on any Slot without repeating the prior crafting path from Tier 1 through Tier 3 all over again, this time crafting the other half of the tree. (Two opposite Tier 3 powers are required to be consumed to produce Tier 4. See the picture on the right: it doesn't matter which two are purchase as long as one is on the left and the other is on the right.)<br />
<br />
2. This is where the simplicity of methods inverts itself: the Alpha Recipe is the simpler one to understand than any Threads Recipe:<br />
<br />
'''Alpha Slot Only'''<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Shard Salvage plus a Favor of the Well:<br />
*32 Incarnate Shards<br />
*2 Notice of The Wells<br />
<br />
Favor of the Wells CANNOT be earned in-game, they must be crafted.<br />
<br />
'''Other Slots Including Alpha'''<br/><br />
Like the above, another layer of complexity:<br/><br />
Two pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One Very Rare Incarnate Salvage Component.<br />
<br />
Each Very Rare Threads Salvage Component requires:<br />
*100 million INF<br />
*One each of the Rare Thread Component Salvage items:<br />
**Ancient Texts<br />
**Exotic Isotope<br />
**Semi-Conscious Energy<br />
**Superconductive Membrane<br />
<br />
Each Rare Thread Component is a nesting doll of threads:<br />
* One Rare Thread Component (Forbidden Technique, Living Relic, Self Evolving Alloy OR Thaumic Resonator)<br />
** Four Very Rare Components at 960 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
*** Four Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage items at 240 Threads + 100 million INF<br />
**** Four Common Incarnate Thread Salvage items for each one of the above at 60 threads each.<br />
<br />
== A Better Way... ==<br />
=== Salvage Tables ===<br />
There are two places for Incarnate Salvage Tables:<br />
*Incarnate Arcs and Task Forces which offer Incarnate Salvage as a reward drop.<br />
*Incarnate Trials, which offer a full range of reward drops:<br />
**All Trials will offer drops of Common or Uncommon Salvage at the very least for any player who stays from start to finish (or if the Trial is completed; failed trials do not get reward tables.)<br />
**Trials apart from Behavioral Adjustment Facility and Lambda Sector Trial have a higher chance to drop Rare and Very Rare tables in addition to Common or Uncommon Salvage.<br />
**Underground Trial completion is longer than the rest, therefore the Common/Uncommon Reward Table does not apply, guaranteeing a Rare or Very Rare reward table at the end.<br />
<br />
Salvage gained this way skips past crafting requirements dramatically, allowing players to complete Incarnate Crafting faster.<br />
<br />
=== Use Empyrean Merits ===<br />
[[File:Salvage EmpyreanMerit.png|right]]<br />
Empyrean Merits can speed up Tier 3 and Tier 4 Salvage Crafting with a simpler cost:<br />
*8 Empyrean Merits to craft one Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
*30 Empyrean Merits to craft one Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage item.<br />
<br />
Empyrean Merits only work on Incarnate Thread recipes and cannot be traded or used to craft Notice of The Well/Favor of The Well tokens. (Although both tokens can be converted directly into Threads.)<br />
<br />
It is strongly advised not to use Empyrean Merits to breakdown into Threads from the Veteran Levels rewards for the following reasons:<br />
*Playing regular Level 50 content will earn threads.<br />
*Shards can be broken down into Threads (1:1 for 1,000,000 INF every 24 hours, 10 each. Or 2:1 for free anytime, or 10 Shards to 5 Threads each.) Unneeded Incarnate Shard salvage can be broken down into Shards for the same conversion as well.<br />
*Astral Merits can be converted to 4 Threads per merit as well.<br />
<br />
There should be enough Empyrean Merits in Veteran Levels 1-100 to attain Tier 4 in all six slots at least ONCE, with some left over in case of mistakes. The remainder have more value as Transcendent Merit use for other characters on your account if you do not wish to unlock any more Incarnate powers (for example; multiple builds with different Incarnate abilities for each build).<br />
<br />
==== Adjusted Thread/Merits Overview ====<br />
[[File:EmpyreanMeritConvert.png|thumb|right|Knowing how hard it is to craft (or earn a drop of) Tier 4 Incarnate Salvage, this should be a sigh of relief.]]<br />
===== Tier 1 =====<br />
'''To Craft:''' <br/><br />
Three specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
60 Threads total for one Tier 1 power choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 2 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
One specific piece of Uncommon Incarnate Thread Salvage for a total of three items.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:''' <br/><br />
100 Threads for one Tier 2 Power Choice.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 3 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
8 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 8 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Tier 4 =====<br />
'''To Craft:'''<br/><br />
Two specific pieces of Common Incarnate Thread Salvage,<br/><br />
AND<br/><br />
30 Empyrean Merits to purchase a Very Rare Incarnate Thread Salvage component.<br />
<br />
'''Cost:'''<br/><br />
40 Threads and 30 Empyrean Merits.<br />
<br />
===== Mitigating Mistakes =====<br />
;Take advantage of Sidegrades.<br />
This feature allows you to 'reroll' a salvage piece to a different one in the same level in case of a mistake made. This can be faster than waiting to earn/re-create missing salvage. Losing threads is less of a setback than losing merits, or waiting even longer to use the salvage for a different power/path.<br />
<br />
;Breakdowns on the other hand should be a last-resort.<br />
If the salvage made can be used elsewhere in your Incarnate Slot plan, waiting to spend it is always better than breaking it down to component threads/shards at a loss. Remember: Incarnate components have unlimited storage - you cannot run out of room with Incarnate Salvage crafted or earned.<br />
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Breaking down Incarnate Shard salvage when your Alpha Slot is finished is acceptable when you have no plans to unlock other Alpha Slot abilities.<br />
<br />
;There is no Undo.<br />
Other than those two methods, salvage cannot ever be brought back to pre-crafting components. And any Incarnate Powers crafted are permanent (unless the power is consumed in Tier-to-Tier progress.)<br />
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== Conclusion ==<br />
Which begs the question: which method(s) would you prefer to use for Incarnate Progress?<br />
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[[Category:Player Guides]]</div>Uninventive