GGG247

I had the opportunity to test Swing on the CO open beta this week and really liked it. I was swinging through the wilds of the frozen Canadian landscape. I just assumed that, although my character couldn't fly, his magic rope COULD, and he was just hanging on to the bottom end of it.

Secondary builds are expensive (twice the SOs or IOs), but can be very handy in some cases. I have an Ice/Axe Tanker with a solo build and a team build, and this makes leveling much easier for this particular character. Also, I recently created a Bane build as my alternate to my Crab SoA. As it turns out, I like my Bane MUCH better than my Crab, so I'm playing my second build almost exclusively.

My other characters forego secondary builds, though.

Villain-side, I usually wait until I can conveniently fit my travel power in, relying on temp powers in the meantime. On my Bane, I'm not taking Hover and Fly until 47 and 49. Usually, my villains get their travel powers in the high 20's, low 30's.

Hero-side, I usually take my travel power at 14-16 because I hate worrying about running out of my temp powers early, with all that zone-to-zone traveling we have to do.

Yes, it's EXTREMELY slow today. In fact, it's too slow for me to continue browsing through while at work. I need to be able to quickly scroll down/click out whenever I hear someone walking by. I'd better get some actual work done today.

My WP/Fire Tanker is one of my favorite characters, and I took him to lvl 50 pretty easily. I took all 9 /Fire powers, though, and I haven't regretted it. This is a truly offense-focused combo. Greater Fire Sword is a really big source of burst damage (unlike the DoT on Incinerate). GFS animates fast and can really put the hurt on any enemy. It moves the game along nicely. I originally put off taking this power until 41, but wish I'd gotten at 38 when it was available. It improved my game that much.

Breath of Fire is, I realize, not very popular, but I really got a lot of use out of it. I typically leap into the middle of a big spawn, hit Build Up, then Combustion, Fire Sword Circle, then leap out of the spawn and blast them with BoF. It takes some manuevering, but it works. You're right that this is a situational power, though, so it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Anyway, thanks for the Guide. Hopefully, it will let other players know what a nice combination WP/Fire is for Tankers.

I recently purchased the SuperScience pack in order to change the body type/size of existing alts. I only used this on 2 alts (changing from Giant to "normal" Male). This made a really big difference in my enjoyment of those 2 characters, as their new size now better reflects their background/costume/powers.

I think I'll view Power Customization the same way. On the majority of my alts, I'll be perfectly happy with the default options and not even think twice about altering colors. However, on a few characters, this option may make all the difference in a character becoming a "favorite" vs. one I may consider deleting.

Thanks to the Developers for coming up with this feature. It's a great idea that most of us will appreciate and use on at least a semi-regular basis. I'm glad to see that, 5 years in, we're not only getting new features added to this game, but some really incredible and fun new ways of playing. Great job!

It looks like my Guide "PvE Guide to Claws/Dark Scrapping (GGG247)" has the wrong tag on the above update. That tag takes you to someone else's Guide. Mine is located at http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=120216

Illusion/FF is so safe you'll almost fall asleep.

Seriously, it's a good combination, and very powerful; I just kind of got tired of it around level 38 and haven't managed to get back into since. It's a great combo for early leveling when soloing, as you get some really nice powers early.

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showf...=2#Post9241852

I recently updated my Guide for MA/SR Scrappers.

**********UPDATE TO MY SR/MA GUIDE************

Since I wrote this Guide 2 years ago, I managed to play a lot of different alts and utilize the IO system much more. I've recently gone back to this alt and made some improvements to the build, based on what I've learned on other characters.

POWERS: My Guide notes that I chose not to take Crippling Axe Kick on this alt, but I would probably take it on my next MA character. I did this (MA/Regen) and really liked the power a lot (despite the truly ridiculous looking animation--soon to change!).

I also elected to take Maneuvers from the Leadership Pool (more on this later). In order to fit these in, I dropped my Epic Power Pool of Conserve Power (never used it) and Laser Beam Eyes (fun, but not as powerful as CAK).

INVENTIONS: I'd been adding IOs to my build over time for the set bonuses, so I already had some decent sets slotted into Refuge E (several Crushing Impacts, some Mako's, etc.). I also got lucky with a Regenerative Tissue +regen unique as a drop during a mission. I hadn't spent huge amount of influence on this alt at all, is my point, and what I HAD spent, I'd done over a period of time.

My original goal with Refuge E was to focus on set bonuese for +Regen, +Recovery, and +Accuracy. I hate missing when I fight, and I REALLY hated staring at the blue bar continually in the early days of this character's development. My original build mostly succeeded in this, and I 've been very happy with the results. Any changes I recently made had to not mess these results up.

I've been playing a Bane a lot in the past few weeks, and maximizing Defense is a key element in the success of these SoA's. I decided that I'd like to adjust the IO slotting in Refuge E so that he could also benefit from +Defense.

With that in mind, I spent some influence at Wentworth's. I purchased a full set of Touch of Death for CAK (expensive, plus the salvage for it is REALLY expensive!), a full set of Gaussian's Sychronized Fire Control for Focused Chi (also expensive!), a full set of Multi-Strike for Dragon's Tail (cheap, and easy to get), and 4 Red Fortune's for Maneuvers (not too bad).

I elected to take Maneuvers at 49 for Refuge E just because of the +Defense of the power. Originally, I took Cobra Strike at 49 and was planning on adding 3 Blessing of the Zephyr to Fly, but those were WAY too expensive for my budget. I got the same +Defense by taking Maneuvers (plus, I didn't really use Cobra Strike anyway).

Below is the build that I now have on Refuge E (except for one Gaussian IO, which I'm currently bidding on but haven't yet gotten).

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

[u]Click this DataLink to open the build![u]

Refuge E: Level 50 Natural Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Martial Arts
Secondary Power Set: Super Reflexes
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Medicine
Power Pool: Leadership

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Thunder Kick -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:39(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:39(3), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg:39(5), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:39(15), Rope-Acc/Rchg:39(42), Rope-Acc/Stun:39(42)
Level 1: Focused Fighting -- S'dpty-Def/EndRdx:39(A), S'dpty-Def:39(11), DefBuff(17), DefBuff(31)
Level 2: Storm Kick -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:39(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:39(3), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg:39(5), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:39(13), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:39(42), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:39(43)
Level 4: Agile -- DefBuff(A), DefBuff(11), DefBuff(40)
Level 6: Air Superiority -- P'ngS'Fest-Acc/Dmg:30(A), P'ngS'Fest-Dmg/Rchg:30(7), Mako-Acc/Dmg:39(7), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx:39(15)
Level 8: Crane Kick -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:39(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:39(9), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg:39(9), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:39(13), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:39(17), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:39(40)
Level 10: Practiced Brawler -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(25)
Level 12: Hurdle -- Jump(A)
Level 14: Fly -- Frbd-Fly:39(A), Frbd-EndRdx:39(46)
Level 16: Health -- RgnTis-Regen+:30(A), Heal(37), Heal(46)
Level 18: Crippling Axe Kick -- T'Death-Acc/Dmg:39(A), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx:39(19), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg:39(19), T'Death-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:39(23), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:39(31), T'Death-Dam%:39(40)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod(A), EndMod(21), EndMod(21)
Level 22: Focused Senses -- S'dpty-Def/EndRdx:39(A), S'dpty-Def:39(23), DefBuff(25), DefBuff(31)
Level 24: Quickness -- Run(A)
Level 26: Dragon's Tail -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg:39(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx:39(27), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg:39(27), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx:39(29), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:39(29), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:39(39)
Level 28: Focus Chi -- GSFC-ToHit:39(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg:39(37), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx:39(43), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx:39(43), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx:39(46), GSFC-Build%:39(48)
Level 30: Dodge -- DefBuff(A), DefBuff(34), DefBuff(34)
Level 32: Eagles Claw -- Mako-Acc/Dmg:39(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx:39(33), Mako-Dmg/Rchg:39(33), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:39(33), Rope-Acc/EndRdx:39(34), Rope-Acc/Stun:39(37)
Level 35: Evasion -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx:39(A), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg:39(36), DefBuff(36), DefBuff(36)
Level 38: Elude -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(39), RechRdx(39)
Level 41: Aid Other -- Heal(A)
Level 44: Aid Self -- Heal(A), Heal(45), IntRdx(45), Heal(45)
Level 47: Lucky -- DefBuff(A), DefBuff(48), DefBuff(48)
Level 49: Maneuvers -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:39(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg:39(50), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:39(50), RedFtn-Def:39(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit


With the changes that I made, I managed to boost my Defense up from approximately 31% each to Melee, Aoe, and Range to the following: 42.73% to Melee, 38.85% to AoE, and 37.14% to Range. This means that. when going toe-to-toe (Melee) against a villain, I'm now getting hit 8% of the time instead of 19%!

I hope this Guide has been helpful to you, and that my additions here give you some ideas for improving your own build. I realize that this is not a maximized build, but it's something I've put together over time that seems to suit my needs pretty well.

I took my Crab to level 30 and really enjoyed him (on teams). Playing solo, he just ticked off a LOT of dangerous enemies all at the same time, who then did their best to send me to the hospital. I used my Dual Build to try out a Bane and haven't looked back. My Bane is loads of fun and can really put the hurt on some foes. I'm concentrating now on boosting Def as much as possible, and enjoying it thoroughly!

Mercs/Traps

Adventure Team Joe is leader of his own squad of evil GI Joes who fight with military precision. They're tough, are a nostalgic character concept, and are a lot of fun.

I've recently taken Energy Drain on my lvl 29 Electric/Energy Stalker and plan on 6-slotting it. Since it gives 25% END and only 3% Health for each enemy in range, does it make sense to slot for more health, or is that kind of a waste of slots? How much of a boost over 3% can I expect for health with extra slots?

My original plan was 3 rechg, 3 endmod, but I'm open to any suggestions.

In honor of the return of Big Brother tonight (8:00 EDT), I've reposted my arc "Big Brother Deathmatch". This arc is a lot of fun and is challenging for the soloist (easier for teams). Hopefully, fans of the show will recognize some of the "types" of BB Houseguests that pop up in the mission.

Enjoy!

Oh, I also solo'ed this mission with my new Plant/Thorny Dom (lvl 6), so it's a good short mission for newbies as well-challenging but not impossible.

Thanks for the reminder, Phosphorescency. I've edited my Guide to include all the debuff information.


8/04/09 Update: For the Double XP Weekend, I took Phosphorescency's advice and replaced Hurricane with Thunderclap. This was a great move, as I was able to get a LOT of use out of the combination of Stalagmites/Thunderclap on the huge groups that my team and I were facing all weekend long. Minions, Lts, and even some Bosses were getting stunned, allowing the team to do some great damage. I'm definitely going to keep this combination!

What I like about Stone Cages in the early levels is its ability to stop an entire group of foes cold. I frequently would use this as an escape hatch. When a battle started to turn badly, I would hit Stone Cages and have my alt run away, either ducking around a corner or escaping completely. She ran away a LOT in those days!

I really like your idea of replacing Hurricane with O2 Boost. I may give that a try, as I rarely pull out Hurricane anymore, and Stoney DOES bite off more than he can chew from time to time.

I've posted a Guide for leveling up an Earth/Storm Controller.

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=140663

(Updated for the new vBulletin Forum site)

Level 1 – Stone Prison at 1 was probably a mistake (Fossilize makes much more sense). I recommend reversing these two in order, although, if you go through the tutorial, it probably won’t matter.

Level 4 – As noted, Stone Cages was my choice here primarily because, at the early levels, you need a way to stop enemies (and run away). You won’t have the damage capabilities at this point to kill all before they rush up to you and start pounding. It’s much better to take some damage at range than a LOT of damage up close.

Level 6- QS was my first real “controller” power, and the slows really helped keep enemies bunched up. Also, once they’re hit with QS, mobs spend a surprising amount of time trying to run out of the stuff, leaving them less time to shoot at you.

Level 8 – AS, as noted, is the third attack power (after Fossilize and Stone Prison). Solo, you’re really going to need this. If you want to eventually take the Fighting Pool, you may want to substitute Boxing. However, the knockdown of AS is great damage mitigation.

Level 12 – I don’t know of any Earth/ Controllers who don’t take Stalagmites at 12. This is a great power for teams and for solo. At first, the poor accuracy and long recharge times makes Stalagmites seem like a loser, but once it’s slotted (minimum 4 slots), it’s a jewel in the set.

Level 14 – I took Fly at 14 (back in 2006) because I simply got tired of running around everywhere. Now that temporary travel powers are available, I recommend pushing Fly back to the 20’s. If I were building this alt today, I would switch Fly with Steamy Mist.

Level 16 – Freezing Rain will make a huge change in your game immediately. The ability to keep all your enemies flopping around and easier to hit is invaluable. Three recharges is all you need to pull this power out every fight.

Level 22 – I took Earthquake at 22, even though I wanted it at 18. However, I really needed Stamina at 20, so I picked my powers this way. Feel free to move these powers around as needed. EQ at 18 would help out a lot.

Level 24 - I pushed this fine power back to 24 just because I didn’t feel I needed it earlier.

Level 30 – Hurricane was picked at 30 as my “extra” power. I did quite well without it, although it does come in handy. I’ve found that Hurricane is much more critical on my Storm/ Defender than here.

Level 32 – Take Stoney here. That is all.

Level 35 – I’d heard some negative comments about Tornado, but took it anyway at 35. I’m really glad that I did, as the Stone Cages -- Tornado -- Lightning Storm combination is devastating on any mob, from AV’s on down.

Level 41 – I took Fissure, as noted, and eventually used it more for stuns than for damage. This caught me by surprise, but I’m happy with the results.

Level 49 – I’m planning on taking Assault here, but that’s really just a place-holder. I’m not quite sure what I’d like to take here, so I’m leaving my options open.


Solo Strategies

Levels 1-10: Because of your limited damage abilities, you’ll need to get creative with the existing environment. Most enemies at these levels consist of 3 minions or 1 lt. and 1 minion. If fighting 3 minions, Fossilize one, lay down QS, and use Stone Prison and AS on him. The other 2 will alternate shooting at you and trying to run. Once minion 1 is dead, move to minion 2. If #2 and #3 start to get too close, use Stone Cages. If health gets low, duck around a corner and/or retreat. Remember, you WILL take a lot of damage.

Levels 10-20: Now you’ve got some more tools at your disposal. While you’re still relying on Fossilize—Stone Prison—AS for all of your damage, you now have more controls to mitigate incoming damage. Start with Stalagmites (for stuns) or Freezing Rain (for popcorn jumping) to keep the mobs from attacking you. If you managed to get Earthquake in by 20, add this, too. Reapply as needed. A standard attack may be Stalagmites—QS—attack chain—Freezing Rain (once Stalag wears off) –attack chain. During the next battle, substitute earthquake for Stalagmites (Stalag and EQ won’t be up every battle).

Levels 20-31: This is tough. The enemies are meaner and smarter, and you’re still relying on your same old attack chain. During this period, you really need to rely on “tricks” (controls) to keep you alive. If there’s any time in the game that you really really really need a team on an Earth/Storm Controller, it’s this one. Otherwise, just keep doing the strategies from levels 10-20. Now, you have Volcanic Gasses to help (use sparingly, though, due to the long recharge). You may want to move Hurricane up a little as well and use it to minimize incoming damage.

Level 32 – Once you have Stoney, things get much easier. Un-slotted, he’s mainly going to act as a Tanker for you, which is fine. His damage, even un-slotted, may still top yours, plus he’s really a tough guy.

Levels 32+ - Once Stoney is slotted up and Tornado and Lightning Storm are just around the corner, you can boost up your difficulty slider as high as you like and really go to town. With all the ways to fight, you may find yourself staring at your power trays, unsure of which method you like to unleash next.

Invention Sets

I’ve hesitated in adding this section to the Guide, as there are so many possible variations for slotting a character, that any recommendation could be met with, “Yes, but how about…”. Below are my slotting choices. My goals were as following:

a. High regeneration rate
b. High recovery rate
c. Cheap sets (I’m broke much of the time)

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

[u]Click this DataLink to open the build![u]

Tiffani St. Onge: Level 50 Mutation Controller
Primary Power Set: Earth Control
Secondary Power Set: Storm Summoning
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Ancillary Pool: Stone Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Stone Prison -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg:39(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx:39(3), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:39(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:39(7), Ruin-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:39(40)
Level 1: Gale -- Acc-I:40(A)
Level 2: Fossilize -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg:39(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx:39(3), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg:39(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:39(7), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:39(11)
Level 4: Stone Cages -- Acc-I:40(A), EndRdx-I:40(9), Acc-I:40(15)
Level 6: Quicksand -- RechRdx-I:40(A), RechRdx-I:40(15)
Level 8: Air Superiority -- Acc(A), Acc(9), Dmg(11), Dmg(27), Dmg(31)
Level 10: Swift -- Run-I:40(A)
Level 12: Stalagmites -- Rope-Acc/Rchg:39(A), Rope-EndRdx/Stun:39(13), Rope-Stun/Rng:39(13), Rope-Acc/Stun/Rchg:39(19), Stpfy-Acc/Rchg:39(19), Stpfy-Stun/Rng:39(23)
Level 14: Fly -- Flight-I:40(A)
Level 16: Freezing Rain -- RechRdx-I:40(A), RechRdx-I:40(17), RechRdx-I:40(17)
Level 18: Health -- Heal(A), Heal(29), Heal(40)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I:40(A), EndMod-I:40(21), EndMod-I:40(21)
Level 22: Earthquake -- RechRdx-I:40(A), RechRdx-I:40(23), RechRdx-I:40(25)
Level 24: Snow Storm -- EndRdx-I:40(A), EndRdx-I:40(25)
Level 26: Volcanic Gasses -- EoCur-Acc/Rchg:39(A), EoCur-Acc/Hold/Rchg:39(27), G'Wdw-Acc/Rchg:39(31), G'Wdw-Acc/Hold/Rchg:39(31), Lock-Acc/Rchg:39(34), Lock-Rchg/Hold:39(37)
Level 28: Steamy Mist -- RctvArm-EndRdx:39(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx:39(29), TtmC'tng-ResDam:39(34), TtmC'tng-EndRdx:39(34)
Level 30: Hurricane -- EndRdx(A), ToHitDeb(37), ToHitDeb(46)
Level 32: Animate Stone -- BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx:39(A), BldM'dt-Dmg:39(33), BldM'dt-Acc:39(33), BriL'shp-Acc/Dmg:39(33), BriL'shp-Dmg:39(37)
Level 35: Tornado -- BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx:39(A), BldM'dt-Dmg:39(36), BriL'shp-Dmg/EndRdx:39(36), BriL'shp-Dmg:39(36)
Level 38: Lightning Storm -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg:39(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx:39(39), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg:39(39), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:39(39), RechRdx-I:40(40), RechRdx-I:40(43)
Level 41: Fissure -- Rope-Stun/Rng:39(A), Rope-Acc/Stun:39(42), Stpfy-Stun/Rng:39(42), Stpfy-Acc/Stun/Rchg:39(42), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg:39(43), Det'tn-Dmg/Rng:39(43)
Level 44: Seismic Smash -- Acc(A), Dmg(45), Dmg(45), Dmg(45), EndRdx(46), RechRdx(46)
Level 47: Earth's Embrace -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(48), Heal(48), Heal(48), Heal(50), RechRdx(50)
Level 49: Hover -- Flight(A), DefBuff(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Containment

As you can see, my IO’s aren’t complete, with AS, Seismic Smash, and Earth’s Embrace still undecided. Over time, I suspect that these choices will change as new sets come out, I get more cash to spend, and/or someone points out how stupid I was to slot a certain power a certain way. Any or all of these things could happen!


Conclusion

I didn’t expect this Guide to run as long as it has, but I hope that it helps anyone out there who’s considering starting an Earth/Storm Controller. As for truth-in-advertising, I do solo a lot, but I’ve teamed (mainly PUGs) a lot on this particular character. Mainly it’s because she’s so incredibly powerful on teams. I teamed maybe 75% of the way through 1-17, and soloed from 17-21. At 22, I got on a PUG and we ended up in a 12 hour marathon session of two TFs (7:00 pm to 7:00 am). By the end, Tiffani was 28. I then soloed her to 31 and basically got stuck on the Montague Castellana arc. She just wasn’t powerful enough to get through all the Rikti (or more than likely, I just wasn’t good enough to GET her through). Fortunately, Double XP weekend came along, and, with some good teams, I ended the weekend with Tiffani at 38. I raised her difficulty level to 4 and never looked back!

As I noted in the introduction, I’ve had this character in one form or another since 2002, so I never considered deleting her. Hopefully, your next alt will be as fun to play as mine has, and that you’ll really enjoy the fun that can be had with a well-built Earth/Storm Controller.

The Build

Below is the build that I’ve put together over time. Tiffani St. Onge is currently at level 44, so anything past that is my planned build. This is my “as-leveled” build, so I don’t anticipate making any wholesale changes. As noted above, I built her to be able to team or solo effectively.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

[u]Click this DataLink to open the build![u]

Tiffani St. Onge: Level 50 Mutation Controller
Primary Power Set: Earth Control
Secondary Power Set: Storm Summoning
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Ancillary Pool: Stone Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Stone Prison -- Acc(A), Dmg(3), Dmg(5), Dmg(7), Acc(40)
Level 1: Gale -- Acc(A)
Level 2: Fossilize -- Acc(A), Dmg(3), Dmg(5), Dmg(7), Acc(11)
Level 4: Stone Cages -- Acc(A), EndRdx(9), Acc(15)
Level 6: Quicksand -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(15)
Level 8: Air Superiority -- Acc(A), Acc(9), Dmg(11), Dmg(27), Dmg(31)
Level 10: Swift -- Run(A)
Level 12: Stalagmites -- Acc(A), Acc(13), RechRdx(13), Dsrnt(19), Dsrnt(19), RechRdx(23)
Level 14: Fly -- Flight(A)
Level 16: Freezing Rain -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(17), RechRdx(17)
Level 18: Health -- Heal(A), Heal(29), Heal(40)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod(A), EndMod(21), EndMod(21)
Level 22: Earthquake -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(23), RechRdx(25)
Level 24: Snow Storm -- EndRdx(A), EndRdx(25)
Level 26: Volcanic Gasses -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(27), Acc(31), Hold(31), RechRdx(34), Acc(37)
Level 28: Steamy Mist -- EndRdx(A), EndRdx(29), ResDam(34), ResDam(34)
Level 30: Hurricane -- EndRdx(A), ToHitDeb(37), ToHitDeb(46)
Level 32: Animate Stone -- Acc(A), Dmg(33), Dmg(33), Dmg(33), RechRdx(37)
Level 35: Tornado -- Dmg(A), Dmg(36), Dmg(36), EndRdx(36)
Level 38: Lightning Storm -- Dmg(A), Dmg(39), Dmg(39), Acc(39), RechRdx(40), RechRdx(43)
Level 41: Fissure -- Acc(A), Acc(42), Dmg(42), Dmg(42), Dmg(43), EndRdx(43)
Level 44: Seismic Smash -- Acc(A), Dmg(45), Dmg(45), Dmg(45), EndRdx(46), RechRdx(46)
Level 47: Earth's Embrace -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(48), Heal(48), Heal(48), Heal(50), RechRdx(50)
Level 49: Hover -- Flight(A), DefBuff(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Containment

Power Pools

Earth/Storm is a pretty tight build, so it may be tough to fit a lot of extra powers into it. However, here are some recommendations:

Flight
In my opinion, you’ll definitely want to take this pool, if only for Air Superiority. As noted, Controllers are light on damage, and Earth/Storms are even lighter than normal. In the early going, you’ll find yourself constantly hitting Fossilize—Stone Prison—Air Superiority as you ONLY source of making mobs dead. In teams, this won’t be a problem, but solo, you’ll really have no choice. AS is almost required. Plus, I like Fly as my travel power anyway.

Leaping/Teleport/Super Speed
Any of these travel powers are fine to use, depending on personal preferences. No matter which you choose, still take Air Superiority, though! Many players consider Hasten from the Super Speed Pool a necessity. It’s never been my preference, but I won’t argue that it can be very useful.

Concealment
Since you have Steamy Mist available, you should probably skip this Pool unless you just want to be completely invisible. Otherwise, it’s not needed.

Fighting
Boxing and/or Kick could be used instead of AS as your “third” attack power. Tough and Weave, though, aren’t as useful on a Controller as they are on a Scrapper or Tanker.

Medicine
I would have liked to have fit this Pool into my build, but I just couldn’t make it work. Medicine is a terrific Pool, though, so get it if you can.

Leadership
Another great Pool for a Controller. Assault and Tactics (for increased damage and to-hit) are the winners for Earth/Storm.

Presence
I think this would be a bad idea, as attracting extra agro while you’re busy casting Earthquake, Freezing Rain, Quicksand, Tornado, and Volcanic Gasses from around the corner probably doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Fitness
Earth/Storm is an endurance-heavy combination, and I think Stamina is really helpful. I always take Swift and Health, as well. Take them, slot them, and carry on.


Ancillary Pools

I can only talk about Stone Mastery, which is the Pool that I took. I took it for theme, of course, and I’m extremely happy with the powers so far.

Fissure

Available: Level 41
Accuracy: 1.00
Damage: 0.90
Endurance: 12.7

Fissure is a really good AoE power that, when you slam your foot into the ground, you do moderate damage to nearby mobs. The key is that this power also has a 50% chance for KD and a 50% chance for a mag 2 stun. Although I originally slot this power for damage, once I got IO’s, I slotted for some damage, but primarily stuns. At this point in the game, I found that an additional stun power to go along with Stalagmites was preferable (maybe I should have taken Thunder Clap!).

Recommended Slotting: 2 acc, 3 dmg, 1 rechg (or slot for stuns instead)

Hurl Boulder

Available: Level 41
Accuracy: 1.00
Damage: 1.64
Endurance: 11.7

Hurl Boulder is a nice ranged damage power that does single-target damage. I considered taking this power but didn’t have the enhancement slots left over to really do it justice. Fissure does AoE damage, and Seismic Smash does better single target damage, so Hurl Boulder is the power I had to sacrifice.

Recommended Slotting: 2 acc, 3 dmg

Seismic Smash

Available: Level 44 (after either Fissure or Hurl Boulder)
Accuracy: 1.20
Damage: 2.60
Endurance: 18.5

Seismic Smash is a true heavy-hitter and will make your little light damage/heavy control Controller feel like a Scrapper. Recharge is a problem at 28 seconds, but you’ve got enough controls to play with to keep you occupied while this power recharges. It feels great to get in there and “show” Stoney just how to administer a true beating to a mob. Even if you don’t “need” the extra damage at this point, take it anyway. It’s fun!

Recommended Slotting: 1 acc, 3 dmg, 1 endred, 1 rechg

Rock Armor

Available: Level 44 (after either Fissure or Hurl Boulder)
Accuracy: -
Damage: 0
Endurance: 0.16/s (toggle)

Rock Armor provides 14.4% defense to Smashing and Lethal damage, as well as resistance to Toxic attacks. This could be a useful power, but I elected to skip it for the dumbest reason imaginable: I don’t want it to interfere with my costume! Plus, if Tiffani made it this far without any armor, I guess she can last a few more levels without it.

Recommended Slotting: 1 endred, 3 defbuf

Earth’s Embrace

Available: level 47 (must have 2 other Stone Mastery powers)
Accuracy: -
Damage: 0
Endurance: 13.0

I couldn’t fit the Medicine Pool in, but I can take Earth’s Embrace at least. When clicked on, this power serves as a decent heal, PLUS it increases your maximum hit points and gives some resistance to Toxic. I have this power on my Stone/Stone Tanker, so I’m looking forward to getting it on Tiffani.

Recommended Slotting: 3 rechg, 3 heal

Storm Summoning

Gale

Available: Level 1
Accuracy: 0.90
Damage: 0.10
Endurance: 7.8

Gale is the power that you’re forced to take at level 1. It’s not a great power by any means, but it does help you to shove someone away from you in a tough fight. Do NOT slot this up for damage! I generally just leave the basic slot in it and move on.

Recommended Slotting: 1 acc

O2 Boost

Available: Level 2
Accuracy: 1.00
Damage: 0
Endurance: 13.0

O2 Boost can be useful on teams, as it provides a decent heal to an ally (not yourself). It also “cures” an ally who’s been stunned or put to sleep, and increases perception as well. If you can fit this into your build, feel free to do so. I really like this power on my Storm/Electric Defender, but I wasn’t able to fit it into this build.

Recommended Slotting: 3 heal, 1 endred

Snow Storm

Available: Level 4
Accuracy: auto
Damage: 0
Endurance: 0.52/s (toggle)

Snow Storm is a toggle power that, when attached to an anchor enemy, severely slows that enemy and any of his nearby friends until the toggle is clicked off, or the anchor is dead. Any enemy affected by Snow Storm has his run and jump speeds slowed by 62%. In addition, their recharge is also slowed 62%! Any flying foes caught by Snow Storm are brought to the ground, too. In a tough battle, placing Snow Storm on the main enemy is a great way to minimize incoming damage (Plus, it seems to make enemies run around a lot, trying to get out of the storm. If they’re running, they’re not shooting!) Against EB’s and AV’s, the recharge slowdown can really make a difference.

That said, the endurance cost of this power is quite high, especially early-on in the game. I found that Snow Storm was a better fit for the mid 20’s, after Stamina and some other control powers had been slotted.

Recommended Slotting: 2 endred

Steamy Mist

Available: Level 10
Accuracy: auto
Damage: 0
Endurance: 0.26/s (toggle)

This is your team stealth power, and it’s a great one to have. With Steamy Mist turned on, you and your team are harder to spot by enemies. In addition, it provides you with 3.75% defense against all types, and 15% resistance against Fire, Cold, and Energy. It also provides protection from Confuse powers to you and your teammates. Not bad!

I took this power in my 20’s on Tiffani, but if I had it to do over again, I would have postponed Fly and taken Steamy Mist at 14 instead . When leveling Tiffani up, there were no temp travel powers in the game yet, and I got tired of making her run everywhere! Fortunately, that’s no longer a problem.

Recommended Slotting: 2 endred, 2 damres

Freezing Rain

Available: Level 16
Accuracy: 2.00 (almost auto)
Damage: minimal
Endurance: 18.2

Freezing Rain is maybe the best power in the /Storm set. You can cast it from out-of-sight, and it’s basically a big ice patch that makes foes flop around (much like Earthquake). They also take some cold damage for the 15 seconds the power is active. Here’s what really makes this power a must-have: It slows enemies, reduces their defenses AND resistances by 30%, causes them to try to run away rather than stand and shoot at you, and, with recharges, it can be up every battle! This is another great way to start a battle (along with Stalagmites and Earthquake). In fact, I generally use Freezing Rain every battle, along with either EQ or Stalagmites. In long battles, you can even apply this a second time!

Sometimes, in a team situation, your group may try “pushing the envelope” a little by taking on tougher and tougher opponents. Applying Freezing Rain to a high level enemy will suddenly allow you and your friends to actually start hitting these enemies, thanks to their lowered defenses and resistances. Take this power at 16.

Be careful with Stone Cages and Freezing Rain (or Earthquake), however. You don’t want to cast this power, getting everyone to flop around, and them immediately cast Stone Cages, too (it happens to all of us). Stone Cages will negate the flopping around part and instead allow the enemy to stand there, shooting at you.

Recommended Slotting: 3 rechg

Hurricane

Available: level 20
Accuracy: 1.00
Damage: 0
Endurance: 0.16/s (toggle)

Hurricane is that irritating power that Tsoo Sorcerers use to toss you around. Now, you can be the irritating pest! Hurricane is actually a very useful power that repels attackers and, most importantly, drops their to-hit ability by 30% for 10 seconds. I’m sure most people reading this have seen players use Hurricane very effectively (push enemies into a corner, floor their accuracy, and allow the team to finish off the evil-doer) and very in-effectively (run through a room repelling everything, attracting agro, and causing a team-wipe). Like Stone Cages, Hurricane requires practice to get right. I prefer to use this power as my panic button, turning it on only when the team is in real trouble and a last desperate attempt to save some friends is called for. Solo, it can be extremely useful in shoving enemies out of my way and “touching” them to floor their to-hit ability. My main problem with Hurricane is that I get really tired of that constant sound!

Recommended Slotting: 1 endred, 2 tohit debuf

Thunderclap

Available: Level 28
Accuracy: 0.80
Damage: 0
Endurance: 10.4

Thunderclap is a mag 2 stun power (15.8 seconds) that can only affect minions. However, it is an AoE power, so it can affect several minions at the same time. Due to the low accuracy, low recharge, and mag 2 stun, I decided not to get this power. I’m looking forward to taking it on my Storm/ Defender, though. Many players like this power, since when coupled with Stalagmites, you can keep the majority of foes (including Bosses) in a battle staggering around for quite awhile. Plus, Thunderclap and Lightning Storm really do bring to mind a real “storm” series of attacks.

Recommended Slotting: 2 acc, 2 stun (maybe 2 rechg if you have the space)

Tornado

Available: Level 35
Accuracy: 1.00
Damage: ?? (supposedly minor, but it looks good to me)
Endurance: 20.8

Tornado is a pseudo-pet that you call to a location (can be from out-of-sight) that attacks and flings enemies into the air. It’s the flinging that causes some players to have a problem with it, as you don’t want to go chasing after dangerous mobs when they’re surrounded by their friends. With Earth/Storm, however, this problem is negated. Stone Cages—Tornado makes a terrific combination, as your enemies will be immobilized while this Tornado runs up to them and flings orange numbers into the air instead of mobs. Tornado also Fears enemies and stuns them while doing this damage; plus, Defense is debuffed by 15%. This is a great power, especially when up against an Elite Boss or AV. Animate Stone, Tornado, and Lightning Storm will keep any enemy busy (and off you) while you concentrate on your other powers.

Recommended Slotting: 3 dmg, 1 endred (maybe rechg if you have the slots)

Lightning Storm

Available: level 38
Accuracy: 2.00 (almost auto)
Damage: ?? (“high”)
Endurance: 31.2

Lightning Storm is a power that you call above your head that will attack whatever mobs are nearby somewhat randomly. Since it lasts for a full minute and the recharge is 90 seconds, you can have multiple Lightning Storms up if you slot for it. This is yet another great pwer for putting the hurt on mobs. The somewhat random nature of which enemy it will attack hurts it a little, but in cases where it’s you vs. an EB or AV, you’ll be happy to have it. There's also a 30% chance of loss of END recovery (4 sec.) after each successful strike.

Recommended Slotting: 3 dmg, 1 acc, 2 rechg

Leveling Up an Earth/Storm Controller
by GGG247

Earth/Storm Controllers have some of the best controls in the game, but getting a character started can be a chore, as the player will be sacrificing damage ability in the early-going for those controls. A team-oriented Earth/Storm can be incredibly effective from Day One, but what about those times when the player can’t find/doesn’t want a team? This Guide details my experiences with Tiffani St. Onge, my (currently level 44) Earth/Storm Controller on her long and challenging journey through City of Heroes.

Tiffani was created in late 2002 as my main alt in The Sims Online. After that game dried up, I ported her over to CoH as an Earth/Storm Controller, my first attempt at playing a Controller. One thing I found immediately was that Earth/Storm, when part of a team, contributes heavily, even in the early levels. I recommend teaming up your Earth/Storm characters as much as possible, especially prior to level 33 (before Animate Stone is fully slotted). The build I’ll cover was built for either team play or going solo. First, let’s cover the basic powers:

NOTE: These numbers come directly from Red Tomax’s City of Data, an invaluable resource for all things related to powers in CoH/CoV.

Earth Control

Fossilize

Available: Level 1
Accuracy: 1.20
Damage: 1.00
Endurance Cost: 8.5

Fossilize is your single target hold and will serve as one of your most important powers you’ll take on an Earth/Storm character. Controllers, by their very nature, are light on damage and heavy on controls. Fossilize can serve both goals, as it does decent damage as well as takes an enemy out of the fight. For a character that will need to solo at least occasionally, I recommend slotting Fossilize up for damage rather than hold. You’ll find that otherwise, your alt will be woefully inadequate in making it through the game without a team. On the plus side, even un-slotted for hold, Fossilize will still hold an enemy (mag 3) for 15 seconds at level 1, with an additional 20% chance of mag 1 hold. Fossilize also debuffs Defense by 20%, making further attacks on the enemy much easier.

Recommended Slotting: 2 acc, 3 dmg

Stone Prison

Available: Level 1
Accuracy: 1.20
Damage: 1.00
Endurance Cost: 7.8

Stone Prison is your single target immobilization, and also puts out a respectable amount of damage. Immobilization powers can be tricky, as an immobilized enemy can still shoot at you from range. On a team, Stone Prison is only somewhat useful. However, when solo, this is your second attack power. Definitely take this for the damage ability it possesses. In addition, this power will still give you a mag 3 immobilize, with a 20% chance of an additional mag 1. Also remember that both Stone Prison and Fossilize set up Containment, so hitting a foe with one will lead to double damage from the other.

Stone Prison debuffs Defense by 20%, too, making further attacks more likely to hit.

Recommended Slotting: 2 acc, 3 dmg

Stone Cages

Available: Level 2
Accuracy: 0.90
Damage: 0.30
Endurance: 15.6

Stone Cages is your AoE immobilization power, and it can be a dangerous power when used incorrectly. As noted with Stone Prison above, by immobilizing an enemy, it simply makes them mad (at you) and causes them to attack you at range. As a Controller with little-to-no defenses/resistances, this can cause frequent trips to the hospital. As an AoE power, Stone Cages immobilizes an entire group at once, making it even more potentially dangerous. In addition, using this power can negate the knock-down abilities of some of your later powers (Freezing Rain, Earthquake), so judicious use of Stone Cage is required. In other words, Stone Cages is one of the most mis-used powers in the Earth/Storm arsenal (Hurricane being the other). This is a power that needs practice to use correctly.

That said, I recommend taking this power early on, as there are times when you just need to keep the enemy off of you. In the early levels (prior to level 20-22), you’ll typically be confronted by a group of either 3 minions or 1 lt. and 1 minion. You won’t have the ability to deal with these enemies quickly at that stage, and their natural tendency is to fire on you and then close-in for some melee attacks. Unless you plan to Hover constantly, you’ll need some way to keep them away from you. Stone Cages is an excellent way of doing this. Later in the game, you’ll see that Stone Cages-Tornado-Lightning Storm can be a devastating combination as well. You can also count on all enemies seeing a 20% decrease in their Defense for a time while under the influence of Stone Cages.

Recommended Slotting: 2 acc, 1 endred (it’s an END hog)

Quicksand

Available: Level 6
Accuracy: auto
Damage: 0
Endurance: 7.8

Quicksand is a targeted AoE, which means you can drop this large patch of slowdown on a group of enemies from out-of-sight. In addition, Defense is debuffed by a whopping 25% for all enemies within the patch! This power has a fast recharge (30 seconds, unslotted) and lasts for 45 seconds, so you can have a couple of these going at once, if you get caught by two separate groups at once. QS is one of your most valuable tools, and will probably be used in almost every fight you engage in. The slow power causes enemies to try and run out of the patch, which means they’ll take fewer shots at you (enemies don’t like sticky feet, it seems).

Recommended Slotting: 2 rechg

Salt Crystals

Available: Level 8
Accuracy: 1.00
Damage: 0
Endurance: 15.6

Salt Crystals is your PBAoE sleep power. When used, you can put an entire group to sleep (mag 3, 12.5 seconds at level 1). They’ll only awaken when attacked. This could be a useful power, but I’ve never been able to fit it into my builds. With a 90 second recharge, it won’t be up each battle. Couple that with the range of only 30 feet (very close for a Controller!), a high endurance cost (same as Stone Cages). My Sonic/ Blaster has access to Siren’s Song, which does the same job much better. You’ll find that there are many other powers for an Earth/Storm that are more useful. I know some players are taking a second look at this power, but I don’t recommend it. (NOTE: Salt Crystals also debuffs Defense by 20%).

Recommended Slotting: as many acc, endred, and ranges as possible, if you take it

Stalagmites

Available: Level 12
Accuracy: 0.80
Damage: 0.25
Endurance: 10.4

Stalagmites is a key power for Earth Controllers, as it’s a powerful AoE stun that can take control of any battle. By slamming your foot into the ground, enemies are dazed and wander aimlessly (mag 3) for 10+ seconds un-slotted. This is a great way to start a battle, alternating with Earthquake (the recharge won’t allow it to be up every battle). You’ll want to slot this up as soon as possible (accuracies first!). The only problem with this power is that you’ll need to run in kind of close to the bad guys in order to set it off. While stunned, enemies will also have their Defense debuffed by 20%.

Recommended Slotting: 2 acc, 2 rechg, 2 stun

Earthquake

Available: Level 18
Accuracy: 1.00
Damage: 0
Endurance: 10.4

This is your other method for starting a battle (like Stalagmites). The advantage to Earthquake is that you can set it under the enemies’ feet from out-of-sight. Earthquake will make enemies flop around like popcorn kernels, which is a sight that never gets old. Occasionally, they’ll get to their feet and shoot at you, so it’s definitely not an I-WIN button, but this will really curtail their ability to damage you. While they're flopping, enemies will also have both their To-Hit and Defense debuffed by 10% each..

Recommended Slotting: 3 rechg

Volcanic Gasses

Available: Level 26
Accuracy: 1.00
Damage: 0
Endurance: 18.20

VG is one of the best AoE holds in the game, and is one of my favorite powers. You can set this power out from out-of-sight, making it a really safe way to start a tough battle. A large green cloud covers the ground, and periodic geysers of green steam shoot up. These geysers cause enemies to stand there choking and unable to move or fight back (mag 3, so minions and lts.). The entire effect lasts for a minute, with geysers popping up every 10 seconds. This isn’t an auto hold power, so be sure to slot for accuracies. Due to the 4 minute recharge time, this is a power that I usually keep in reserve. When fighting bosses or other tough opponents (like Fortunatas) who may be less likely to succumb to my other Earth powers, I pull out VG. This power is the great equalizer. Against Elite Bosses, I’ll tend to throw in everything I have, and a dose of Quicksand, Volcanic Gasses, and Fossilize can put even these enemies under my control. Take this power as soon as you can.

Recommended Slotting: 2 acc, 3 rechg, 1 hold

Animate Stone

Available: Level 32
Accuracy: 1.00
Damage: I don’t know, but a LOT!
Endurance: 20.80

Stoney is the power you’ve been waiting for, for 32 tough levels. He’s your best friend. Summon him at the beginning of each mission, and he’ll stay with you until the end (unless he somehow gets killed, but your control powers won’t allow THAT to happen!). Stoney is basically a big rock who follows you around and fights anyone who looks like an enemy. I understand that the AI controlling Stoney has been improved recently (just before I got him). I find that he works great. He has a variety of attacks, including Hurl Boulder, Seismic Smash, and Stone Fist. He really packs a wallop. Once I got Stoney, I was able to solo with no problem whatsoever. In fact, I went from struggling at Difficulty Level 1 to sailing through at Difficulty Level 4 due to taking this power.

Recommended Slotting: 1 acc, 3 dmg, 1 rechg

Favorite (low end): Skulls, Hellions, Trolls
Favorite (mid-level): Warriors (They really need their own story arcs!)
Favorite (high end): Carnival of Shadows (Carnie girls are hot!)

Least Favorite: CoT (anything in Orenbega), Vahzilok (lousy puke monsters), Malta Sappers, Crey PPs

Absolute Least Favorite: Anthing in AE missions with Electric sapping. I built my WP/Fire Tanker from 1-50 to be as tough as possible in this game. Then I take him into an AE mission and some /Elect Blaster or /Elect Brute drains his blue bar dry. All his shields shut down and he's as harmless as a kitten. ;(

Based on what you're looking for, I'd go with either a Claws/SR or Claws/WP Scrapper. Claws is fast-attacking, low endurance, and does nice damage. It's amazing how fast you can move up in levels. It's easy to get the hang of, and you'll find yourself constantly "pushing the envelope", seeing how much more you can actually take on.

Give it a try for a couple of hours and see what you think.

I found the similar problem with my Fire/Thermal Controller, in that, with a team, I spend a LOT of time just tending to the others and not getting to use my Fire/ powers much. I agree with the above person who said that taking Ring of Fire makes good sense. It does respectable damage for a Controller.

I have a Plant/TA that plays well, with the /TA powers useful both on teams and solo. /Storm is likewise very good in both situations without taking up 100% of your time on teams. Give these two secondaries a try and see if they mesh with your playstyle a little better.