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(Originally posted in the Dominator Forums... now here I guess!)
The Blood Red Rose guide to Nastiness
OR...
Another Plant Control/Thorny Assault Guide
When I first decided to make a Dominator, I wanted to make one that would cope in both PvE & PvP. Geographically (I live in Japan & cant always find teams), it was necessary for me to make a toon that was able to comfortably solo. In addition, I like a toon that looks good and plants/thorns is great on the eye candy!!!
So
if youre interested in making a Plant Control/Thorny Assault Dominator thats a special fluid blend of aggression & subjugation this just might suit you.
In our quest to make a Dominator thats heavily using melee & close proximity attacks, first lets explore the power sets of Plants & Thorny Assault (note on accuracy most of my powers are slotted single accuracy SOs, & Ive found that to be effective).
Plant Control
Entangle
A waste for you, you dont want things able to hit you. And given this is a single target immobilize, you dont need/want it.
Strangler
Your bread & butter. One of the 3 defining powers of this set, and you get it immediately. A single target hold that has DoT damage. Get it, love it.
Roots
an AoE immobilize. For pretty much the same reasons as Entangle, avoid this.
Spore Burst
Not a bad power per se, useful in quite a few situations, but just doesnt fit nor do you need it.
Seeds of Confusion
Another of the defining powers of the set. Perhaps the most useful too. Youll use this power in your general attack MO.
Spirit Tree
As with Spore Burst, quite useful. But given your fluid, dynamic playstyle, itll cramp your style as its an immobile power.
Vines
Perhaps the least of the powers that you will take, but invaluable in two ways. Firstly to build up mag to get a hold on a boss when your Domination bar isnt fully up
Secondly, as an OH HELL power to lock down some fiends.
Carrion Creepers
The coolest looking of your defining powers. Very useful: they slow, they knockdown, they take alpha strikes for you. They even follow you around for a lil while!
Fly Trap
Your pet. Whilst I wouldnt regard it as a defining power, it is very, very cool looking. And helps you on your merry, villainous way with immobilizers, and damage.
Thorny Assault
(Its important to note that all Thorny Assault is Def.)
Thorny Darts
Useful starting power. Nice range, youll keep the damage relatively low so you can use this as a pulling power.
Skewer
My favourite TA power. Quick animation, nice damage
but is melee. You have to get in & get dirty.
Fling Thorns
Quite good, and part of your initial attack sequence. Its a useful power to hit a group of your enemies, and thus make sure you get exp for them when theyre confused.
Impale
Simply put, a great power. It is fly, -jump, -def, -speed
so abuse that sucker. Has good range, good for knocking pesky heroes outta the sky. But beware: longish animation time.
Aim
A boost to accuracy & damage. Vital to your dominance - use it to get an Impale in, that important hold, or that vital confuse.
Thorn Burst
AoE, moderate damage. Not a bad power at all, but with this toon, I want an aggressive single-target high damage attack. Simply not enough room.
Thorntrops
A useful slow & DoT - & especially useful if youre pulling groups, but with all the control available to your primary, you dont really need this.
Ripper
Great
Animation times a lil long (as with Impale), but the damage is good, and its a knock-down. Again, a melee power - but has a cone (very small, most I've ever hit is 3!).
Thorn Barrage
Awesome. Knockback, big DoT damage.
Power Choices by level (& suggested slotting)
Level 1 Strangler (acc x2/hold x2/recharge)
Level 1 Thorny Darts (acc/dmg)
Level 2 Skewer (acc/dmg x3/def debuff)
Level 4 Fling Thorns (acc/dmg x3)
Level 6 Swift [runspd] (Could take Hurdle instead
)
Level 8 Seeds of Confusion (acc x2/ Confuse Duration x2/ recharge x2)
Level 10 Impale [acc/dmg x3/slow]
Level 12 Hover [end red] (Travel power is really a matter of personal choice, I prefer Fly due to the nature of The Rogue Isles)
Level 14 Fly [end red x2/flight spd x3]
Level 16 Health [heal x3]
Level 18 Vines (recharge/ acc x2)
Level 20 Stamina [end mod x3] (not essential, but will make life a HEAP easier)
Level 22 Stealth [end red] (key necessary for the basic premise of the attack cycle)
Level 24 Aim [recharge]
Level 26 Carrion Creepers (acc/recharge x3/ slow x1)
Level 28 Boxing (no slots, keep for getting Domination up)
Level 30 Tough [dmg res x3] (helps when those holds just dont take!)
Level 32 Fly Trap (dmg x3/ acc x1/ def debuff x2)
Level 35 Ripper [acc/dmg x3/ def debuff]
Level 38 Thorn Barrage [acc/ dmg x3]
On Power Pools
Given I went for a more Battle-hardened/PvP oriented build, I took Tough from the Fighting Pool, but arguments could be made for taking the Medicine pool as well taking Aid Other & Aid Self (really helps with team-play & keeping your pet alive!)
Plan of attack (at mid-higher level)
Well look at two different modes of attack, all in all, both fairly simple.
Firstly, attacking groups. A smaller group, stealth in & target the rear-most mob in there. Hit em with Seeds of Confusion, then Fling Thorns. Throw Strangler on any loose mob. Destroy at leisure. For when youre a higher level, and feel like tackling a larger group (especially one with a boss in there) throw Creepers in first the rest of the cycles the same.
Secondly, attacking a boss. Domination needs to be built up first, so throw your single target hold on a mob, prefer one conning yellow, and beat up on it with low damage, fast recharge attacks dom bar should be up n ready in no time at all. Wipe out evil beasty, then go and get nasty on that Boss-type creature!
PvP notes: You might want to experiment with an extra slot of accuracy here for PvP this is a KEY PvP power: its your only bring-flier-down-to-earth power. If you feel you want to go that way, steal a slot from your plant. Hell be just as rabid without it!
On other options: If youre building a more team-oriented toon, opt for Spirit Tree, Roots & Spore Burst all very good powers, but more for team-play than solo dominance!
Well, thats about all on this, if I've helped one person, it's worth it
Hope to see you DOMINATING in game!
note: TY to Constant_Motion for suggestions...
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OMG! awsome build! made me want to make a plant/thorn dom
great job! 10 cool points
