Deacon_NA

A few months ago I created a "Target" (the store) budget build for my DM/SD. I'm very happy with his performance, happy with his defense, with recharge, damage and survivability in general. However, he has one very real weakness - in a long-ish fight the blue bar goes down, down, down, absent +rec buffs on a team.

I use this guy for A-merit farming and for that, he gets an A+. I don't have intentions of using him for "big game" - AVs/GM/Pylons, so I don't need a total net gain of endurance for infinite fighting, I just want to last longer. Let's take the ITF for example, in the Rommy fight I will need to chew a blue or 2 (or 3 or 5).

Just to state it, I open up with Soul Drain, then Shield Charge, Fireball (right away that's 38 end) then commence the st attack chain on bosses.

I think the easy answer would be to take Dark Consumption. The problem is, I really like existing powers and I don't see anything I would want to sacrifice. I could give up Touch of Fear, but it really is effective and quick recharging if I'm fighting someone I really want to minimize the threat of. I like my Fire epic powers and due to DM's lack of AOE I feel I need Fireball.


Here is the current state (including Alpha):

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.942
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Macallan: Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Dark Melee
Secondary Power Set: Shield Defense
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Teleportation
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Blaze Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Smite -- T'Death-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(A), T'Death-Dam%(3), T'Death-Acc/Dmg(3), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx(5), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg(7)
Level 1: Deflection -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(7), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(9), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(9)
Level 2: Battle Agility -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(11), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(11), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(13)
Level 4: True Grit -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), Numna-Heal(15), Numna-Heal/Rchg(17), Numna-Heal/EndRdx(17)
Level 6: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(19)
Level 8: Siphon Life -- Heal-I(A), HO:Nucle(19), Nictus-Acc/Heal(21), Nictus-Heal/HP/Regen/Rchg(21), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(23), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(23)
Level 10: Active Defense -- HO:Membr(A)
Level 12: Touch of Fear -- SipInsght-ToHitDeb(A), SipInsght-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(13), SipInsght-%ToHit(15), SipInsght-Acc/ToHitDeb(25), SipInsght-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(25), SipInsght-Acc/Rchg(27)
Level 14: Super Speed -- Run-I(A)
Level 16: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 18: Recall Friend -- Winter-ResSlow(A)
Level 20: Phalanx Fighting -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 22: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 24: Against All Odds -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 26: Soul Drain -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-%Dam(27), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(29), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(34), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(34)
Level 28: Grant Cover -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 30: Tough -- Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Aegis-EndRdx/Rchg(33), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg(33), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(36), Aegis-ResDam(37)
Level 32: Midnight Grasp -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dam%(34), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(39), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(39), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(40)
Level 35: Shield Charge -- Oblit-Acc/Rchg(A), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(36), Oblit-%Dam(37), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), Oblit-Dmg(42)
Level 38: Weave -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(40), RedFtn-EndRdx(40), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(43), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(43), RedFtn-Def(45)
Level 41: Char -- Lock-Acc/Hold(A), Lock-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(42), Lock-%Hold(42), Lock-Acc/Rchg(43), Lock-Rchg/Hold(45), Lock-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(46)
Level 44: Fire Blast -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(45), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(46), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(48)
Level 47: Fire Ball -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(48), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(50), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(50), Posi-Dam%(50)
Level 49: One with the Shield -- ResDam-I(A)
Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve
Level 0: Portal Jockey
Level 0: Task Force Commander
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion
Level 50: Spiritual Radial Paragon
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Mrcl-Rcvry+(31), RgnTis-Regen+(31)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(31), P'Shift-End%(33)

Yes.

Yes.

Just to show I'm not just a "hater", I do think Sonic offers some interesting tricks, in no small parts due to Dispersion. I think my Sonic/ Defender is my toughest squishie due to high resists and (almost) soft-capped range defense, not to mention mez protection.

I feel like I have to make a /Sonic MM, just to be a completist, I have a 50 Sonic for the other 3 ATs, lord knows why. In my head, I think I'd go for tankerminding and build up s/l Defense, probably content to get to the 33% number. Demons does sound better than Thugs for this since they provide their own heals. Heck, I'm sure I'll make a Demon/Sonic too. I actually do think that would be pretty dang solid, I'm just wary of "OP"

Let me begin picking nits - Sonic Dispersion is listed in the OP with 2 different values. I would expect the actual MM value to be the 16% ish number, not the 22.5%, since 16 is the troller ED capped value.

Many people say of Sonic "why roll Sonic when there's Thermal?" and I think this is a good case in point.

26.145 + 22.5 + 10 + 20 (pet ios) = 78.645. I confess I haven't checked when any of MM pets get the Dmg Resists capped, so I'm not sure if it's 75 or 90. If I had to bet, I'd bet on 75. If it is 75, then Thermal caps them too. If it's 90, then the question becomes, is 90% resists for pets better than 78% resists with heals to back them up? I wouldn't even begin to get into that without knowing the actual caps.

A point about Sonic Siphon, just to say it, it's a single target debuff that doesn't stack.

I'm going to assume the -res numbers are correct, though I have my suspicions as well. I suspect the -40% comes from an assumption of the Corruption attack stacking. So this best case number is a single target best case. So taking out the Sonic debuffs, you have 88.75%. A diligent Therm, with good recharge, can keep Forge up on all his pets. For simplicity I'm going to assume that to be the case.

In this "best case" for Sonic, the pet damage will be (1 + .95) * (1+ 1.3375) = 4.56. The "best case" for Thermal is (1 + .95 + .3) * (1 + 0.8875) = 4.25. But wait, there's more, when Melt Armor is up, that's another 30% resist, taking Thermal to 4.92. Additionally the +DMG buff from Forge is not subject to the purple patch so the Thermal will look even better as mob level rises.

I'm really not trying to poop on anyone's parade and I'm not trying to temper anyone's enthusiasm. However, I don't expect this combo to be OP and if it is, you can meet or exceed that same performance today.

Solo, I only summon them if I have a defeat all mission. I'm an "objectives only" soloer and they just don't add value. If I find myself in a bit of a jam, I'll summon them as much to disperse aggro as anything.

On teams, I summon and, to paraphrase Ivan Drago from Rocky IV - "if they die, they die".

Having said all that, I don't think I'd ever skip them.

It's funny, I think I've seen, on every forum, someone decrying their favorite ATs inevitable obsolescence.

To the OP I'd say you're highly under-rating your character. My only 50 + 3 incarnate is a Traps/DP and she's perhaps my favorite to play. I know she adds something to every team.

As to your question on your role on teams, with Traps you get to define that yourself. Personally, I probably play similarly to some tactics already discussed above - Seekers, drop one or 2 of the stationary debuff pets, start shooting. I do believe Traps requires a higher situational awareness than other sets though. Keep in mind, if your team is demolishing reguarl mobs spawn-to-spawn, it's not that you're "under-performing" for that, it's that it just doesn't matter, substituting a Traps/DP for something will do what, reduce spawn kill time from 8 seconds to 7? I don't think so. Where you'll shine is the harder scenarios.

As for ammo types, there are 3 questions I ask, in order:

1. Does the team need additional mitigation? If so, then Chemical Rounds.
2. Are holds required? This is basically on for Mending Mitos on LGTF, then use Chemical.
3. Everything else? Fire away, with incendiary.

I would like to ask the other DP users when they find cryo ammo to be appropriate in actual gameplay. I haven't found a use for it yet.

Anyway, OP I hope you can find your Traps inspiration. It's probably my favorite because it's a "thinking" set, at least as much of one as you get in this game.

I think the backlash for "forced inclusivity" is that once the shiny wears off is that forming is going to be laborious. It's going to suck when 8 highly capable characters on say, Pinnacle want are ready to go but they have to spend lord knows how much more time to get the min size.

I won't even get into how unappealing "forced inclusivity" is. I'm all for encouraging it (like with the buffs for an open league), but forced? I don't think that's going to work long-term.

If people are duoing these trials, as has been documented in this thread, then "you must have this many players" is disproven. Fact, not opinion.

Perhaps a compromise may be to make this a warning, but not stop the trial.

This is what I like, in order. Please note this is not a ranking based on effectiveness, but, "what I like" to play.

1) Traps
2) Cold
3) Thermal (soon*)
4) Trick Arrow
5) Kinetics
6) Dark Miasma
7) Radiation Emission
8) Sonic
9) Storm
10) FF
11) Empathy

This is not necessarily the same order I'd put the same powersets for a MM or Troller, though it would probably be the same for a Corr.

A Thugs/Traps does not take a back seat to Bots/Traps for "strongest MM".

I'll review in Mids later, when I get to a computer with it. Enzyme HOs are very nice in Enforcers because of the +Def for their Maneuvers and the +ToHit for their Tactics. The -Def is probably enhanced too, via an HO bug. Thugs Maneuvers, by the way, provide more def than those bot bubbles that supposedly make them stronger. Maneuvers also applies to all pets, unlike the bot bubbles for which the Prot Bots can only get 1 bubble instead of 2. Thugs Maneuvers (enhanced), the 2 +Def pet IOs and FFG will soft cap all of your pets.

I dig it, it's like a "What the...?" tv show.

As far as voice-over stars, The Stranger was...... John Barrowman! Very cool.

Very impressive. If you had bet me beforehand you could solo an AV without your pets with an emp/rad, I would put all my inf on the table.