BlissKnight

Originally Posted by Eiko-chan

"Soft-capped" refers to getting your defenses - usually positional (Melee, Ranged, AoE), but with some sets you shoot for damage type defenses - to 45%, the effective cap for defense (as to-hit cannot drop below 5% and mob base to-hit is 50%).

Some other folks have done a lot of number crunching to prove why this is such a big deal (for instance, 40% is good. 45% is twice as good), but the basics you need to know is that before you tackle really weird things like soloing AVs, you'll want to hit that softcap first.

Originally Posted by Neogumbercules

Try to get yourself soft-capped, take the taunt from presence and aid self. Set your dudes (slotted with as many achielles as you can fit). Stand away and taunt, using aid-self as you need it. Bodyguard mode is probably a good idea.

Some fights might prove impossible, like Ms. Liberty. I beat her with my mercs/dark but she was -2 to me, and the fight still took FOREVER.

Originally Posted by SonicBang

then once again mercs get short end of the stick

Originally Posted by Prof_Backfire

I've a feeling your AV soloing success will be greatly affected by how whether the AV in question is vulnerable to Force Bolt.

Originally Posted by Silverado

This guy is really making it too difficult to help him :-/

Originally Posted by Eiko-chan

BlissKnight, you might try grabbing Mid's Hero Designer (available here) and throw your build in that. It has a simple way to export a build for boards, which would allow others to put your build in the designer and see all the numbers, which allows them to better aid you with your build.

Originally Posted by perwira

I've successfully defeated an AV with a bot/traps MM with carefully chosen powers and IO sets/procs specifically for the purpose. I haven't played either merc's or ff's with an MM so it's difficult for me to judge whether you can succeed.

At first glance, it seems that your build isn't geared towards fighting an AV. You've skipped patron powers that provide you protection as well as the potential ability to hold, disorient and/or further debuff the AV. I would be skipping powers like swift and group fly in favor of one of the patron power sets. And if damage is an issue, why skip assault if you've chosen the leadership pool and vengeance doesn't apply to your henchman?

Tactically, you need to carefully plan the fight. It helps to read up on any major enemy in Paragon Wiki you intend to face to find out what their primary powers and special abilities are. I.e., is the AV primarily range, melee, mixed, and/or a mezzer? You should know the map, who the supporting minions are, if there are any ambushes to be expected, and so on. In your case, delivering sufficient damage (and perhaps damage mitigation) seems to be an issue and I'd look again at your IO sets to see if you've emphasized your build in the right direction. Without IO set information, it's difficult to comment any further.

Also your planned tactics will determine what inspirations you bring into the battle. By and large, inspirations are not for the MM but for the henchmen. Large inspirations thrown into your largest henchman can make him survivable for much longer and deliver much more damage.

Having said all this, it is quite possible to have a build (even slotted fully with IO sets) that is impossible to defeat certain AV's. Depending on the AV, this build may be one of them.

Originally Posted by Bookkeeper_Jay

Ok, you've encountered run-of-the-mill Hero status bosses. Yes, some enemies marked as Hero are actually Bosses. S/L means smashing/lethal. Oh, and I meant BABs as a full fledged Hero.

Originally Posted by Bookkeeper_Jay

Ok, ok, ok, you most likely "may" be able to solo any AVs without a good amount of S/L resistance, healing components, or tier 9s that do not crash (I'm looking at you, Statesman). Still, you will be hard pressed to do it without getting slightly bored or frustrated, but ehy, that's what the AV soloing game is all about. I could see you talking down AVs with 20% S/L, but otherwise I am doubtful Mercs/FF will be able to take down any decent AVs/Heroes (and if you think heroes are easier then go fight BABs).

My advice? Start out soloing someone like Indigo. She's relatively easy enough to defeat.

Originally Posted by Jibikao

There are different AVs out there and some are easier to kill than another. I can't imagine Merc/FF beating a decent AV/Hero. You don't even have AH proc which can increase your output even more. Defense is nice but AV/Hero has a better chance of hitting you and your pets and any hit will probably kill them.


The key to solo an AV is with taunt and bodyguard because it is much easier to manage your health with BG than trying to babysit your pets.

Even if your /FF lasts for a long time, I don't know if Merc has the dps to out-damage regen.

Originally Posted by MsMisery

This build is only to give you an idea how to beef up your def and res to survive AV fights. alot of survival on /ff mm's is in tactics .. without trying to discourage /ff I have one of each mm and they are all 47 to 50 except for the /ff which was pretty much abandoned at 40. better luck with yours.

Originally Posted by Prof_Backfire

...really? You'd better tell that to the several AVs I've soloed.

They weren't at 50 mind you but still.

Basic advice: Ditch Serum, it's useless, at either Swift or Hurdle, you really shouldn't need both. See if there's any Patron pools that can help you.

Originally Posted by Bookkeeper_Jay

It won't happen. You're FF and have nothing in the line of Regen debuffing or Resistance cutting (Achillies aside). Factor in Merc damage and you've got yourself an impossible fight.

Seriously, Merc/FF will not be soloing (temps aside) any AVs.