Grimlek

I find the fighting pool very helpful in adding to survivability. So, while I wouldn't slot or use Boxing, taking Boxing-> Tough-> Weave could be another way to go.

Already saved the name Electromotance on Infinity (Elec/Kin). Thinking science origin, but I still need a backstory. I am very excited about electricity control, to say the least.

We had a situation running the cycle in IP last night where we covered all spawns points a couple of times and found nothing, only to hear someone say..."Hey, there are some pumpkins over here and one ghost..."

We couldn't believe we missed that, but after the ghost was killed Eochai respawned.

Might even be something like that.

The higher of two

I could "almost" solo most AVs with Perma PA Ill/Storm before the LS nerf. Some I would fight for 20 minutes and they would run off and heal since I didn't have an immobilize. Once or twice I took them down.

I could never put a dent in a GM by myself. Luckily, they couldn't dent me either.

After the recharge pet changes, I stripped down that toon to common IOs and started outfitting my Illusion/Rad

I'm not real big on 02 Boost myself, having used it on my Illusion/Storm sparingly. I wouldn't skip it, but I don't take it as a priority. Same with Hurricane. I like using it for the tricks, but this is such a tight build, I take it later.

This thread actually inspired me to roll a magic origin Earth/Storm/Fire because it sounds like a blast. Very nice conceptually and powerful as well.

I like to take AS while leveling and I took both AS and Jump Kick on my Earth/Thermal on my soloing build.

I will use something like this to level:

01 => Gale ==> Empty(1)
01 => Fossilize ==> Empty(1)
02 => Stone Prison ==> Empty(2)
04 => Snow Storm ==> Empty(4)
06 => Air Superiority ==> Empty(6)
08 => Quicksand ==> Empty(8)
10 => Hasten ==> Empty(10)
12 => Stalagmites ==> Empty(12)
14 => Super Speed ==> Empty(14)
16 => Freezing Rain ==> Empty(16)
18 => Earthquake ==> Empty(18)
20 => Hurdle ==> Empty(20)
22 => Health ==> Empty(22)
24 => Stamina ==> Empty(24)
26 => Volcanic Gasses ==> Empty(26)
28 => Thunder Clap ==> Empty(28)
30 => Steamy Mist ==> Empty(30)
32 => Animate Stone ==> Empty(32)
35 => Tornado ==> Empty(35)
38 => Lightning Storm ==> Empty(38)

I will probably respec into something like this:

01 => Gale ==> Empty(1)
01 => Fossilize ==> Empty(1)
02 => Stone Cages ==> Empty(2)
04 => Snow Storm ==> Empty(4)
06 => Quicksand ==> Empty(6)
08 => Hasten ==> Empty(8)
10 => Hurdle ==> Empty(10)
12 => Stalagmites ==> Empty(12)
14 => Super Speed ==> Empty(14)
16 => Freezing Rain ==> Empty(16)
18 => Earthquake ==> Empty(18)
20 => Health ==> Empty(20)
22 => Stamina ==> Empty(22)
24 => Steamy Mist ==> Empty(24)
26 => Volcanic Gasses ==> Empty(26)
28 => Thunder Clap ==> Empty(28)
30 => O2 Boost ==> Empty(30)
32 => Animate Stone ==> Empty(32)
35 => Tornado ==> Empty(35)
38 => Lightning Storm ==> Empty(38)
41 => Fire Ball ==> Empty(41)
44 => Fire Shield ==> Empty(44)
47 => Consume ==> Empty(47)
49 => Hurricane ==> Empty(49)

I sounds like you're on the right track, Biospark. Update this thread if you can, and let me know how it's going

Well said, Carnifax. Excellent post, and so true

Gravity/Radiation and Gravity/Storm are both great combinations. Anything that can fill in Gravity's control gaps until it matures will be good. As Tired Angel points out there are some nice differences in playstyle with Gravity/Storm.

I'm a big fan of Gravity/Trick Arrow personally.

There aren't too many around, and both your primary and secondary have good single target control while you wait for the better powers. Once you get Wormhole, Oil Slick Arrow, and both ranged AoE holds slotted up you'll see why.

Fire/Storm/Earth and Earth/Storm/Fire would be beasts.

Most AoE damage? The Fire controller

I would still consider making the Earth/Storm though, as they are both late blooming, but very powerful combinations.

I haven't played enough of /Cold yet to get to the debuffs in that set.

I play both several Illusion controllers and several tankers/scrappers and while I can understand being annoyed by rampant knockback, that is rarely the case. Especially Illusion/Radiation...you only have the Phantasm to worry about in that case.

Plus, I keep auto-follow bound to the tilde <`> key. Tab, Tilde, then through my attack chain, dead...Tab, Tilde, then through my attack chain...never worry about chasing knockback again. Granted, I don't always auto-follow my target while playing a Tank so I'm sure to stay with the group, but it's easy to work around.

I had asked a similar question as well, concerning my new favorite scrapper (MA/WP) here:
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=189341

I have since discarded the build I was using there and created a built using some of the principles Sarrate mentioned earlier.

Kinetic Combat is fairly expensive, but I have lower bids on some now that might be filled in the time I level from 24-50. I generally frankslot the last two slots to fully enhance the powers.

I've personally decided to maximize smashing/lethal defense, regeneration and recovery as I can.

I would be interested in hearing what thoughts others have on Soloing AVs or other high end content, and how to build Willpower for those encounters as well.

I generally play my Fire/Rad in the way Local_Man suggests, but have Team Teleport in my second build for when my wife's Fire/Rad is with me.

The HF/CC combo is our bread and butter, and although we use Flashfire occasionally, it's not really needed. If anything, they're not level 50 yet because we play characters that are more challenging most of the time. We teleport in and by the time Cages fires off (to keep them in range and set containment), almost everything is held and dying.

You might consider a second build to see which way yields better results.

Edit: Keep in mind that both Hotfeet and CC are very slot hungry, so YMMV. I wouldn't consider giving them less then 6 slots each in most cases.

I did my Ill/Rad powers bright white/white for his primary (Magician) costume. Click Hover, then macro that turns on Superior Invis and changes to costume #2 (floating Spectre) and his powers go dark purple.

Thinking about using the other costume slots for other "Illusions". Maybe green powers with lizard setup, red powers / fire demon, etc... all switched with /cce <slot> <emote> commands.

So yeah, I love the changes.

The ability to use a bind or macro that activates a power and changes the costume at the same time opens a lot of possibilities.

As far as I can tell, these changes were meant to simply move the farms out of Atlas Park. Also, for the most part it seems to have worked. As others have mentioned, it's actually easier to farm now and you can still farm the AE. It's just not exploitable in the same ways as before.

Farming regular content, police scanners, and maybe AE in RWZ (thank you devs) makes more sense now. This makes for a healthier game overall and an Atlas Park that is more geared towards letting new players learn how to play the game.

I love the fact that I can choose between running radios on my fire controllers spawned +0/x6-8 or my scrappers spawned +2/x4...or whatever I think I can handle at the time.

All of the customization and quality of life improvements only now have me wanting new content even more, which is the next logical step. Everyone here is waiting eagerly for GR (and the Coming Storm...?). Some high-end raid level encounters, task forces, story arcs spread around several new zones will make a big difference, and hopefully GR will only be the start of new content. It would be great if we could have more content added on a pretty regular basis now that the dev team has grown.