Cyclone_Jack

Thanks for the feedback! As far as overall damage output, I'm not overly concerned as that's not my primary objective (if I were a Scrapper that would be a different story). I want to hold aggro and stay alive so my team can destroy everything without worry of retaliation.

It took a little while to get everything in place, but here is what I was able to come up with. Let me know if you think something is over/under slotted and if I am focusing too much on the set bonuses that it detracts from other areas that could be benefited. I wanted to make sure I got high SLEN Def, and kept the relative cost of the slots low (no purples or pvps).

I do have a question though. In CJ, I have a Zephyr -KB and a Def IO. I could have gone with another Zephyr for the bonus, but the Def IO gave the same increase to SLEN instead of just the EN. Either way I go, it's only 0.6% Def, bringing my SLEN Def to 44.9%. Do you think it would be better to drop the Def IO and drop my SLEN down to 44.3% and slot it with the WG 20% Res Slows IO instead?

Thanks again!

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.91
http://www.cohplanner.com/

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Cryxalis: Level 50 Mutation Tanker
Primary Power Set: Dark Armor
Secondary Power Set: Dual Blades
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Earth Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Dark Embrace -- S'fstPrt-ResKB(A), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(3), ImpArm-ResDam(3), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(25), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(25), ImpArm-ResPsi(33)
Level 1: Nimble Slash -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(13), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(15), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(17)
Level 2: Power Slice -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(15), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(17), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19)
Level 4: Murky Cloud -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(5), RctvArm-ResDam(5), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(23)
Level 6: Ablating Strike -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(7), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(7), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(23)
Level 8: Dark Regeneration -- Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(A), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(9), Nictus-Acc/Heal(9), Theft-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(11), Theft-Heal/Rchg(11), Theft-+End%(13)
Level 10: Obsidian Shield -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(33), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(34), RctvArm-ResDam(39)
Level 12: Cloak of Darkness -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(19), LkGmblr-Def(21), LkGmblr-Rchg+(21)
Level 14: Taunt -- Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(A), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg(43), Mocking-Taunt/Rng(45), Mocking-Acc/Rchg(48)
Level 16: Death Shroud -- Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(A), Erad-Dmg(27), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(29), Erad-Acc/Rchg(29), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(31), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(31)
Level 18: Typhoon's Edge -- Erad-Dmg(A), Erad-Acc/Rchg(36), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37)
Level 20: Blinding Feint -- P'ngS'Fest-Acc/Dmg(A), P'ngS'Fest-Dmg/EndRdx(37), P'ngS'Fest-Dmg/Rchg(37)
Level 22: Boxing -- P'ngS'Fest-Acc/Dmg(A), P'ngS'Fest-Dmg/EndRdx(31), P'ngS'Fest-Dmg/Rchg(33)
Level 24: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(34), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(43), RctvArm-ResDam(48)
Level 26: Oppressive Gloom -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 28: Vengeful Slice -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(40), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(40), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42)
Level 30: Weave -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(34), LkGmblr-Def(39), LkGmblr-Rchg+(46)
Level 32: Combat Jumping -- Zephyr-ResKB(A), DefBuff-I(48)
Level 35: Sweeping Strike -- Erad-Dmg(A), Erad-Acc/Rchg(42), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43)
Level 38: One Thousand Cuts -- Erad-Dmg(A), Erad-Acc/Rchg(39), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(50), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(50)
Level 41: Salt Crystals -- LgcRps-Acc/EndRdx(A), LgcRps-Acc/Sleep/Rchg(45), LgcRps-EndRdx/Sleep(45), LgcRps-Acc/Rchg(46)
Level 44: Quick Sand -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 47: Fossilize -- BasGaze-Acc/Hold(A), BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(50)
Level 49: Soul Transfer -- RechRdx-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Gauntlet
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(36)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(27)
------------
Set Bonus Totals:

• 26.13% Defense(Smashing)
• 26.13% Defense(Lethal)
• 3% Defense(Fire)
• 3% Defense(Cold)
• 26.13% Defense(Energy)
• 26.13% Defense(Negative)
• 4.875% Defense(Psionic)
• 14.56% Defense(Melee)
• 14.56% Defense(Ranged)
• 3% Defense(AoE)
• 11.25% Max End
• 15% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
• 27% Enhancement(Accuracy)
• 4% Enhancement(Sleep)
• 358.42 HP (19.13%) HitPoints
• Knockback (Mag -8)
• Knockup (Mag -8)
• MezResist(Held) 2.75%
• MezResist(Immobilize) 14.3%
• 4% (0.067 End/sec) Recovery
• 66% (5.164 HP/sec) Regeneration
• 3% Resistance(Psionic)

I recently dusted off an old Ice/Ice Tanker, gotta love the Winter Event, and it got me thinking of rolling up a new Tanker. I came up with DA/DB because it looked like it would be quite different from the Ice/Ice experience. DA is more resist-based and DB plays unlike any other set, with the combos. I do have a few questions though...

Will DA and DB contain enough mitigation? DA seems fairly solid, especially if you add in some +Def bonuses. DB 'looks' to have some decent mitigation as well, but reading a set and playing a set can turn out to be a bit different than one thought.

Without going into a builder, this appears to be heavy on slots. Is this going to be as tight as I think? Are there any DB attacks that I should stray away from heavy slotting?

For the Ancillary I was looking at Earth, since it looks to have a number of AoEs, which should prove useful for holding aggro. Solid choice?

LOL! Don't worry Diggis, I always leave an enemy or two for the Scrapper. However, I've been known to kill steal while Headsplitter is going off. Scappers *really* hate that.

I'm not a heavy freqenter of this section of the boards, but I have found some incredible tips in here that have allowed me to really have fun in the Base Editor.

While I do not think that bases are obsolete, I think they are heading in that direction. With certain QoL issues recently added to the game, it makes bases just a little less useful. Right now, a base is basically a customizable storage bin that allows access to the CoP. There is quite a bit of functionality that it could have that is not there, and there has been very little advancement in the entire engine with the exception of stacking and collision removal (which really has opened up some amazing possibilities) .

I think that there are two reasons that the Devs do not wish to spend time on the editor. One, they don't want to mess anything up, which is quite understandable. If they broke stacking, and thus destroyed thousands of SG bases in one fell swoop, well, ED would have a new friend. The other is that they are missing a huge amount of potential that can be had. There are a number of things that could be tied to SGs and their Bases beyond storage bins and zone teleporters. However, this ties back into number one, getting someone into the system and updating it without breaking everything.

I would swap Shiver with Chilblain on slots and put Enfeebled Op there for similar bonuses. Just drop an Acc or Rech in Shiver. You could even save up for the 5/6 of Grav Anchor set for Chilblain since it's reasonably priced on the AH (you don't really need the chance for Mag2 hold). As awesome as Shiver is, and it is awesome, Chilblain sees much more use in a standard play session (from my experience).

Wow. Never thoguht I would see this day.

As long as you listen to your heart and give it your all, you'll be happy wherever you go. For what its worth, good luck wherever you go and have a prosperous and eventful life. You've been a fun person to interact with on the forums and you will truly be missed.

Until next time...

Both. Shiver before either Rain, if possible, will keep most enemies within the AoE for the duration. While Ice Storm and Blizzard have slows in them, they cannot compare to that of Shiver.

As for the melee attacks, they aren't 'terrible' but they aren't that great either. TBH, the only time I could imagine taking them, for me, is to slot for some +Def IO Set Bonuses.

Chilblain is the bomb. Take it, use it, slot it, love it.
Ice Patch is great, and only really needs the 1 slot for Recharge.
Shiver is awesome and can stack with itself, just try to not slot Range in it.

Chilling Embrace can be useful on a team with a Brute or Tank, since it lowers the damage output of affected enemies by 14%. As long as the enemies you are facing are not AoE heavy, you can step behind them and just blast away in melee range. And no, even here, your ranged attacks are better than your melee attacks, in general.

While I am one of the few people that actually like Frozen Aura, I will admit that it is a highly situational power and does not mesh well with certain Primary builds that are AoE heavy (though it meshes perfectly with Sonic). Is it a comperable Tier 9? Probably not. Also, the purple IO Set for Sleeps are fairly cheap and has some very sexy bonuses.

I like good players that like a good challenge and don't get all flustered if something goes wrong.

However, one thing I love seeing is the rare Mastermind that is built to run in first and absorb the alpha strike, and doesn't have a tantrum when their minions die.

For me, many of those older guides are still useful. Sure some of the numbers may be off, but the concept behind the powersets are still the same. An Ice Blaster today still plays like an Ice Blaster from Issue 4, with the only real changes being Defiance and BFR animation time. Slotting is also, for the most part, still the same for non-L50 characters. Acc/Dam/Dam/Dam/End/Rech is still a good slotting for an attack while leveling, even using basic IOs.

However, once IOs hit people were able to build to their personal preferences and get a variety of set bonuses. This made making a guide quite difficult, as the writer would need to go into all sorts of details with any number of set bonuses. For me, this was the primary reason I never updated my Ice/Ice guide. SOs and HOs were fairly straightforward. IO Sets and Bonuses contained too many variables. Now we have Purple sets, PvP sets and Alpha Slots. By the time someone is able to make a full guide on all of this, the Rare Alpha Slots would become available and possibly even the next Incarnate Slot, requiring even more work on the guide.

So, while the guides may be dated, the basics of the powersets, builds and slotting are still quite relevant for characters who are leveling. It's when you hit L50 and start looking at Rares, Purples, PvP Sets and Incarnate Slotting that things get crazy. However, if you are L50 and still need a guide on how to play the class, well...

The concept is sounds, but the implimentation would need to be greatly modified. I think to start, this could work if you linked some of the characters on your own account together. That is Hero A can appear in Villain B's missions and vice versa. From here, open it up to characters on your Friends list and then open it to the Global Friends list.

At the same time, it would be nice to flag some characters as Allies as well, and have them show up in certain mssions as well. I think something like this could add to things like the Eden Trial where you actually rescue one of your own characters.

I'd also like to see what Positron's 'Nemesis' concept could add to the game.

Pros:
Hight ST Damage
Good AoE Damage
High Mitigation

Cons:
High End Use
2 of the 3 AoEs are Rains

The End Use issue may not be that bad anymore with inherent fitness. Before, getting BIB @18 could be a huge impact on your end bar until Stamina @20 and SOs @L22. Having Stamina @L2 could make the early game for Ice/Ice much more bearable.

The reason I bring up the Rains is that enemies can flee the rains unless locked down. Shiver really helps here, as do your holds and immobilize. You can also drop Ice Patch, pull a group into it and then drop Ice Storm on top of them. If you choose to go villain and back again then you can get Wide Area Grenade which makes Ice Storm and Blizzard go to 11. (Maybe we can talk Castle into giving Cold APP Frostbite)

Where Ice/Ice shines though is in single target damage and in damage mitigation, making solo play rather easy. Shiver and Ice Patch do wonders and Chilblain is used from Level 1 to Level 50 and is exceptional against AVs. Three Holds (and 4 through APPs) lets you eliminate many of the nastier enemies in a battle fairly quickly. Hold the Death BP before they can summon more minions, hold the Sorcerer before they TP away or use Hurricane, hold the Brutes before they activate their AoE Build Up, etc. Ice Patch is great for corner pulls, dropping under a Tanker, or just dropping at yout feet and backing up two steps 'just in case'. Shiver will bring an entire group to a crawl and can self stack fairly easily, brining everything to the -Recharge cap (never underestimate the power of -Recharge).

I had a lot of fun during the 1st run, and I enjoyed participating, but I will say that it seemed to me that not many people have fought Lanaru the Mad. There were a few things that stood out to me.

1) I saw a number of people standing in the Rains. Lanaru has Freezing Rain, Ice Storm and Blizzard, all of which have a -Recharge debuff (and Blizzard has a minor -ToHit to it), which would have lowered the total amount of damage output available.

2) I saw too many ranged characters that were too close to him. I was at the edge of Hurricane, so it was easy to see who was too close and being hit with the -ToHit debuff. Also, any summoned pets that got too close would have also been debuffed by Hurricane's -ToHit, making them less than useful.

3) As has been pointed out, it took too long to switch from the AV to the Factory Cubes, which in turn, caused it to take too long to defeat the summoned enemies.

4) There didn't seem to be enough -Regen, at least from what I could tell. I could be wrong here though, with everything going on it was hard to tell what all powers were affecting Lanaru. I really wish the Devs would add the buffs/debuffs to the Target window, at least the debuffs (let's get Pohsyb on this!).

Also, just as an FYI, Lanaru also has Thunderclap and Snow Storm, so keep that in mind for future runs. I didn't see a Disorient that often, unless it was when we were fighting the Rularuu from the Factory Cubes. As for Snow Storm, just keep an eye out for the graphical effect and move away from the group when you get it.

Overall though, I wouldn't call it a terrible run, I would consider it more of a learning experience. Personally, I had a blast, even though we didn't win. I just love fighting Rularuu and Lanaru is my favorite AV in the game. For those of you who think he is too difficult, just be glad he doesn't move! lol

If you have an open spot, or someone is unable to make it, let me know. Ice/Ice Blaster

@Cyclone Jack

Like Oxen and Boxen, it would would be Oroboroxen, obviously.