Heraclea

I put off Impale most likely because other things seemed to have a higher priority until then. If and when I respec I probably will move it up.

I did plan on putting a Taunt button into RttC as one of my level 50 slots.

Caltrops - didn't think of it, but it does sound useful. I mean ultimately to tailor this scrapper for light tanking, and that sounds like a good way to add even more AoE and control.

My Spines/Willpower scrapper is probably my fastest levelling character ever. Rolled May 23; in mid June she is level 48. I had avoided Spines before, mostly on account of the aesthetic issue; but there's something winsome about a character that just wades into the mobs and stands there; she lives and they die.

At any rate, I am about to pick a final power. I'd prefer to pick something that doesn't eat a lot of slots to be useful, b/c I plan to put the 50 slots elsewhere.

Candidates I'm considering include:

<ul type="square">[*]Hasten. But I don't find myself missing it, or lacking something to do.[*]Petrifying Gaze. Situational but highly useful.[*]Provoke or Confront. This is a fairly good light tanking scrapper.[*]Assault? or even Maneuvers? The character probably could sustain them, and they would make her more team friendly.[*]Something even further from the beaten path? Stealth - lol?[/list]
Except for a fair number of sub-50 plain IO enhancements, her build looks mostly like this:

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

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

Level 48 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Spines
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Lunge -- Acc-I(A), Acc-I(3), Dmg-I(3), Dmg-I(15), Dmg-I(37), EndRdx-I(46)
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(5), Heal-I(9), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(42), ResDam-I(46), ResDam-I(46)
Level 2: Spine Burst -- Acc-I(A), Acc-I(5), Dmg-I(15), Dmg-I(25), Dmg-I(42), RechRdx-I(42)
Level 4: Fast Healing -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(7), Heal-I(7)
Level 6: Air Superiority -- Acc-I(A), Dmg-I(9), Dmg-I(13)
Level 8: Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(11), RechRdx-I(11), ToHit-I(40)
Level 10: Indomitable Will -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(13)
Level 12: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 14: Fly -- Flight-I(A)
Level 16: Rise to the Challenge -- EndRdx-I(A), Heal-I(17), Heal-I(17), Heal-I(40), DarkWD-Slow%(40)
Level 18: Health -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(19), Heal-I(19)
Level 20: Quick Recovery -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(23), EndMod-I(23)
Level 24: Mind Over Body -- ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(25), ImpArm-ResDam/Rchg(34), ResDam-I(43)
Level 26: Ripper -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(27), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(27), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(29), Acc-I(31), RechRdx-I(31)
Level 28: Quills -- Acc-I(A), Dmg-I(29), Dmg-I(39), Dmg-I(39), EndRdx-I(39)
Level 30: Heightened Senses -- EndRdx-I(A), DefBuff-I(31), DefBuff-I(43), DefBuff-I(43)
Level 32: Throw Spines -- Acc-I(A), Acc-I(33), Dmg-I(33), Dmg-I(33), Dmg-I(34), RechRdx-I(34)
Level 35: Impale -- Dev'n-Acc/Dmg(A), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36), Dev'n-Dmg/EndRdx(36), Dmg-I(37), Acc-I(37)
Level 38: Strength of Will -- Aegis-Psi/Status(A)
Level 41: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 44: Tough -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(45), ResDam-I(45), ResDam-I(45)
Level 47: Weave -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(48), DefBuff-I(48), DefBuff-I(48)
Level 49: [Empty]
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit

In terms of power selection, the main difference I'd make between a Brute and a Tanker is that the tanker should take Shadow Maul and skip Smite, while the Brute might benefit from doing it the other way. Tankers do not need faster attacks for faster Fury.

Again, Dark Melee gives you a number of options that are relatively off the beaten path for slotting. I slotted Trap of the Hunter plus two generic damage on both my brute and tanker: that's an easy way to get a big accuracy bonus and a big hit point bonus for very little influence. My brute has Glimpse of the Abyss in Touch of Fear; the tanker, four Dark Watcher's Despair plus a generic Accuracy. I put the Chance for Recharge Slow in RttC on the tanker, though.

This is the tanker build I am using. It focuses on milking what you can from the cheap stuff so you can save your merits for the expensive stuff:

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

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

Melaena: Level 50 Magic Tanker
Primary Power Set: Willpower
Secondary Power Set: Dark Melee
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Earth Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(3), Heal-I(7), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(33)
Level 1: Shadow Punch -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(7), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(17), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(25), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43), Zinger-Dam%(43)
Level 2: Fast Healing -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(3), Heal-I(5)
Level 4: Shadow Maul -- Oblit-Acc/Rchg(A), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(17), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(27), Oblit-Dmg(42), Zinger-Dam%(43)
Level 6: Indomitable Will -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 8: Rise to the Challenge -- Mrcl-Heal(A), Numna-Heal/EndRdx(9), Numna-Heal(9), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx(11), DarkWD-Slow%(15), Taunt-I(15)
Level 10: Air Superiority -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(11), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(46), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 12: Quick Recovery -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(13), EndMod-I(13)
Level 14: Fly -- Flight-I(A)
Level 16: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 18: Health -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(19), Heal-I(19)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Mind Over Body -- ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(23), ImpArm-ResDam(23), ImpArm-ResDam/Rchg(31)
Level 24: Taunt -- Mocking-Taunt(A), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(25)
Level 26: Siphon Life -- Numna-Heal(A), Numna-Heal/Rchg(27), Mrcl-Heal(34), Mrcl-Heal/Rchg(34), Acc-I(37), Acc-I(37)
Level 28: Soul Drain -- AdjTgt-ToHit(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(29), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(29), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(33), AdjTgt-Rchg(34), Acc-I(40)
Level 30: Heightened Senses -- GftotA-Def/EndRdx(A), GftotA-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(31), GftotA-Def(31), GftotA-Run+(33)
Level 32: Strength of Will -- ImpArm-ResPsi(A)
Level 35: Touch of Fear -- DarkWD-ToHitDeb/Rchg(A), DarkWD-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(36), DarkWD-Rchg/EndRdx(36), DarkWD-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(36), Acc-I(37), Acc-I(48)
Level 38: Midnight Grasp -- TotHntr-Acc/Rchg(A), TotHntr-Acc/EndRdx(39), TotHntr-Acc/Immob/Rchg(39), TotHntr-Dam%(39), Dmg-I(40), Dmg-I(40)
Level 41: Boxing -- Rope-Acc/Rchg(A), Rope-Acc/EndRdx(42)
Level 44: Tough -- TtmC'tng-ResDam(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(45), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(45), EndRdx-I(45)
Level 47: Weave -- GftotA-Def/EndRdx(A), GftotA-Def(48), GftotA-EndRdx/Rchg(48)
Level 49: Salt Crystals -- CSndmn-Acc/Rchg(A), CSndmn-Acc/Sleep/Rchg(50), CSndmn-Acc/EndRdx(50), CSndmn-EndRdx/Sleep(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Gauntlet

My Brute guide has some information that may be applicable, and is focused on getting value out of less expensive enhancements, because DM takes a lot of things that are seldom slotted for.

Generally, you should go for HP, regen, and recharge first.

[ QUOTE ]
I hate this type of chained objective if it's not done the right way. Not because it's a terrible thing overall but because it kills my immersion. I've been through a room or hallway before and there was nothing there. Then I kidnap somebody and suddenly I notice a huge obelisk or tech doodad sitting in the middle of the floor.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've used this to make pseudo-ambushes. The glowies are there from the beginning; the boss spawns when you hit the glowie.

On one, I made the glowie take no time: click and you immediately are told that your presence has been detected. Another, I used a map that could hold one glowie, and put an aggressive hostage as an objective as well. If you just pick up the hostage and go to the glowie next, the boss is certain to spawn between you and the exit, which can put the hostage in danger.

My Dark tanker is Dark/Ice, just hit 40. I like that combination, but the character is made for pure team support. I do not attempt to solo with that one at all.

Spines has some mitigation in the form of movement slow and -recharge, doesn't it? My Spines scrapper is /Willpower, and that seems to be a good combination, especially since Quills eats up a great deal of endurance.

I took both full Fitness (incl. Stamina) and Fighting up to Weave on my WP/DM brute. Together with a travel power (Air Sup / Fly) those are the only pool powers I did take.

You want Stamina because the longer a brute can keep going, the more damage she is going to do.

Tough and Weave do wonders at taking the edge off of large alpha strikes, which is Willpower's chief weakness.

Is it a fairly short arc? My one-mission arc about philosophers is easily my most played. Probably some players think that if it has such a strange premise, it can only be a disguised farm.

I don't believe RttC even accepts slots for accuracy; it is auto-hit for anything short of an AV. Taunt can be slotted for accuracy, but is auto-hit in PvE, so there's no point. You definitely want to get as much regeneration out of RttC as you can.

On one of my 50 WP tankers, I have it six slotted: two straight taunts, the other four slots frankenslotted (Miracle/Numina) for heal and heal/endurance.

The postmodernists there were mostly to provide some kind of characterization for the Politically Correct faction.

IRL I am a shyster. What else was I going to do with an undergrad degree in philosophy?

Ice is definitely the lowest damage tanker secondary. On the other hand, if you're worried about your aggro holding ability, it definitely helps.

My only higher level /Ice tanker is Dark/Ice. I have not yet taken the tier 9; a sleep AoE seems almost counterproductive with Dark. That tanker is my purest team tanker, and does not even try to solo; she is essentially a mobile traffic hazard, built for pure control. I may pick up the sleep at some point; she is currently 38.

I always take Air Sup and Fly on any melee character unless there's a strong reason not to. (The only recent character that has not is a Dark Melee/Super Reflex scrapper, who took Combat Jumping to stack on a bit of defense.)

Air Superiority does so many useful things I really miss it when I play a character that doesn't have it. It stops runners. It takes care of flying Freaks, Malta, and other nuisances. It takes any single mob out of the fight for several seconds, and as such adds valuable mitigation, at least solo or in small teams.

Congrats to all the winners!

Are these going to be posted to read anywhere?

[ QUOTE ]
What makes me nervous about Ice and Invuln are the holes in their defense. Specifically toxic. I’ve seen a number of Posi TF’s fall apart because the first few missions have Vahz in them and the INV tanks just can’t take the alpha from an 8 man spawn.

[/ QUOTE ]

No tanker - none - is going to have the ability to last long against a full team spawn of Vahzilok at level 15. (Oddly, the easiest tanker to work in there might be Fire.)

Posi is something you do because either you want to get to level 15 in the course of an evening; or because you are after Task Force Commander. Or you just want a lot of merits, or maybe the badge. But nobody runs Posi for fun. A tanker built to handle Posi well would be both difficult and pointless to make.

All of those you mentioned as being of interest to you are quite solid in any combination you choose. I started out Inv/SS 4 years ago and that character is mostly finished, but I still grind from time to time to get her stuff to improve with.

If you're used to tanking in WoW you will have a lot more fun here. And a lot less "challenge"; which really means less "tedious choreography, boredom, frustration, and blame". Here, unless they're running on invincible, an endgame tanker can get into nothing, literally nothing, they can't solo. And a well built tanker needs nobody to control mobs or heal themselves. Any 8 characters can run any mission and almost any task force at a reasonable pace, without a tanker or a "healer". Join pick up groups. You won't have to wait around for the right combination before you can do anything.

Of the two secondaries you mentioned as being of interest -

Super Strength - the name alone brings them in; what else are you going to play in a comic book game? One of the better AoE sets, but the good AoE doesn't come into play until level 38, which is fairly late in your career. Consistent damage and a little bit of control, mostly knockdown, some hold.

Dark Melee - the single most utility in any secondary. All sorts of control, including unusual stuff like fear. Almost every attack has a to-hit debuff attached, which makes it ideal for mixing with defense based primaries. And all of those primaries are defense based to some extent - Ice Armor and Shield, especially.

Any combination of any of those sets is quite playable. Shield (and Fire) are to some extent our Fury spec, though.

Which is the best tanker often depends on who you have on your team. If you're lucky enough to have a Sonic or FF defender you team with regularly, any of them are going to be adequate.

Willpower is quite tough and is the most inviting to level, but some tanking experience is probably best if you want hold aggro, since you can't rely on an aura full time, especially on a knockback heavy team. Shields are almost as much fun, and adequate for everything up through the LGTF, but not top drawer for toughness. Ice is a good set with drawbacks, not counting aesthetics; but frankly I'd be reluctant to take on Lord Recluse with it. It's easier to add defense to a resistance set than it is to add resistance to a defense set.

Invulnerability is probably the best choice generally. If you add Tough and Weave, and take RPD, you are capped for smashing and lethal resistance, of very close to capped, which is a good place to be.

I'd pair it with a secondary that doesn't require you to take every attack. You might consider:

- Super Strength (single best AoE, very late though),
- Dark Melee (best to make any tanker tougher, with a self-healing attack, lots of different kinds of control)
- Mace (two good AoEs, one so-so; no longer an underperforming set)

It really is hard to go wrong with a secondary pick for Invulnerability, but Energy Melee (very slow; animations take too long to use in combat) and maybe Dual Blades (very demanding b/c of combo requirements) probably are the bottom tier choices.

If you're talking about set bonuses, I'd prioritize hit point bonuses. That plays into your regen strength, while enabling you to survive even bigger alpha strikes, whihc +regen alone won't help you with.

I don't recommend Willpower/Energy Melee at all.

Energy Melee tankers are essentially a closed set now; the Tier I attack you are forced to take now has a recharge of six seconds. That's close to intolerable when you don't have many other attacks to use. The set is extremely inefficient until you get the level 35 and 38 attacks. You will struggle to put together a fluid attack chain; you will be sucking wind because your lower tier attacks do so little.

The stun in the set creates issues for Willpower in a team situation.

Finally, the set suffers from horrible animation lag. This is a bigger problem for sets that rely on self-heals; but there will be stretches of several seconds when inspirations, Strength of Will, and other powers are simply unavailable to you while you watch the too long animations play.

Stay as far away from Energy Melee as you can. A set that's had what happened to Energy Melee done to it probably ought to be simply removed from the list of options when you create a new character.

My first complain about the legs in game is that they are too long, which tends to make characters look very 1992. I always set leg length sliders to minimum, regardless of which physique settings and size I use, except on Huge Male characters, of which I have but few.

But its true - the options are all on upper body. There need mostly to be a few leg details - kneepads, scabbards, pouches. A lot of effort seems to have gone into making silly puffy legs that I never see in game - the Oriental pants styles come to mind - but the only ways to get detail on legs is with tights patterns that use them.

If you spend most of your time tanking for big teams in Granite, they don't repay the investment in powers or slots.

If you solo, all you really need is Rooted, Mud Pots, maybe Stone Armor, and occasionally Earth's Embrace.

It's between those two extremes that they might come in handy. But they are hardly must haves, and Stone has enough drawbacks without adding more rather boring armors instead of more attacks or just things you took for amusement's sake.

I have tanked STF on a Willpower tanker, several times.

Probably not my first tank of choice - I'd go with Invuln over WP for that specific TF - but WP's so much easier to level and play. So long as it isn't a Master run, just have fun with it. The STF is not a test of tanker skill or primary durability; it's a test of how much recharge your pocket healer has.

Thanks!

FWIW, the original Jerk Hacking thread is still live on the Justice forum.

Title: Jerk Hackers!
Arc ID: 162482
Creator’s Global Name: Heraclea
Mission Count: 3
Notes – Don't let them go to the Americans!

I know for a fact that I have played and rated "Trademark Infringement" and "Death to Disco", though it was a couple weeks ago at least.

Willpower is a great set. Dual Blades is a good set.

I like Islay scotch. I like Fernet Branca. Putting Willpower and Dual Blades together is like mixing the two together. Willpower is incomplete without eight of the nine powers, and so is Dual Blades. They go better for sets with more optional powers on the other side, like say Martial Arts, or Fire Armor.

Best mitigation in a tanker secondary, IMO, is in Dark Melee: mob fear and immobilize, self heal, +endurance, and a superior Build Up variant that's also an AoE.

And I actually like it as an AoE set. With enough recharge, Soul Drain is back in less than a minute, even without Hasten. Since what you usually want AoEs for is your own alpha attacks, and Soul Drain is the obvious beginning point of your attack chain anyways, that and the (difficult to use) Shadow Maul are all that you really will need.