Jacinto

3 hours to d/l on...roughly 250kb/s DSL, less than 10 to apply.

After reviewing this thread in its entirety, and being educated on the matter of the accuracy calculation, (Thanks much btw) I can safely say I strongly doubt Accuracy was nerfed at all, or even high level characters would miss at least 5 times in a row on same-level minions, with IOs/SOs.

That said, it's still really FREAKIN' annoying to have to play with teams who whine about the difficulty being to low at +0, then being wiped because running at +2 really DOES make a difference in tohit chances.

I'm a beginner base architect and I'm just wanting some insight as to what a base really NEEDS to be functional. It looks now like I'm trying to do too much with too little all the time when I see such massive, elaborately decorated, and defended bases all around. I don't plan on putting defenses in (especially not right now, seeing as Base Raids aren't working, unless I'm wrong) I just want something that my SG/VG ladies and gents can enjoy, so I'm looking for some insight here from more experienced base builders.

Before Demon Summoning was released I never really had an issue with making my robots behave, stay with me and bask in my buffs while they lay waste to anything within a good 200 feet. Ever since then though, ALL of them have taken to launching straight into melee range, nearly dying, and pulling the group just down the hall with a stray laser. Something certainly changed in the AI from one point to another because until Demon Summoning came out I could easily run +1/*6 (still IO'ing, don't judge me, unnecessarily high priced markets) and now due to the lack of self-control I'm having to cut back to +0/*4 because I can't trust my bots to stay with me long enough for me to buff or heal them (Dark Miasma, Leadership)

I wish I had seen your guide on the Dark/Dark brute sooner. -_-

ok while we're on the topic of Electric Doms, are there any powers in Electric Assault that might be skippable? I'm still playing around with the idea of not taking most of the ranged attacks, skipping them for other things.

I've been playing an Elec/Elec Dom recently and I'm having a lot of fun with it, but I've noticed I hardly ever use Jolting Chain, maybe it's just my play style in which I don't find it useful, I just wanted some opinions on the power: do other players use it and find it useful in the set or do they throw it to the curb, never to be heard from again?

Certainly a bad Brute build I'm experiencing right now is Dark Melee/Dark Armor, it doesn't seem to hit as hard as I'd like and there's no KB protect (barely any at all with Acrobatics, if there's a better solution for that I'd like to know) and all sorts of End related problems.

This explains the retardedness oozing out of my Bots/Dark MM. I noticed a change in behavior when Demons first became available (to GR pre-payers, that is) and now I know why. I've noticed that even the Protector Bots (who have no melee whatsoever) will even dash into the melee frenzy and get summarily demolished because they're the squishiest of the bunch. (Less defense on each Protector because all of the other robots get Force Shield*2, where they only get *1 each.) Personally, while I know it probably won't happen, I would like to see two different behavior AI code sets; one for melee and one for ranged, assuming the game engine will allow it.

I've tried MMs in PvP before and honestly haven't had much luck, especially after stuff like dimishing returns and other PvP power balancing shenanigans got implemented. MMs are better suited to smaller arena duels anymore, because open-area hit-and-runs or being teleported too far away from the pets (which can be, oddly, just around a corner or behind a wall not two feet away.) is too likely. Your best bet as an MM is to force your enemy to come to you after you've prepared the area with traps and the like (the Traps set in particular might just be handy) and have your commands easily available with the push of a button, because an AoE toggle debuff can be directed on yourself, and all of your pets would get affected unless you're intelligent enough to have them stay away and quick enough to keep them away from you. Any AoE powers at all can seriously derail your plans, as unless you have a high defense against them (force field, dark miasma) you AND your pets get hit, and any pets that are in bodyguard mode get hit for extra because they take some of the damage off of you. All of this, I've discovered through my many PvP defeats as an MM.

I do agree with the issue concerning Protector Bots and their tendency to run into melee range, it makes no sense at all.

Nevermind now, I've been told a workaround that seems to be functioning at the proper speeds so far. We'll find out later if it really worked

Huzzah, it works...so far! I'mma let this run overnight (DSL is slow 'round here, gonna take about 4 hours) thanks mate, for the workaround.

I've followed the instructions as to how to get onto the test server to the letter, but the updater for it is incredibly slow (5-20k/sec) where the live server updater runs at 150-170k/sec...am I missing something somewhere?

Just so you know, I'm running a HP Pavillion, Vista 64bit, AMD Phenom 9150e quad core, NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE nForce 430, with 4GB RAM.

Not once have I been uninvited to a team for being an MM, and my pets have always been welcome to attack, defend, and other shenanigans of thier own will. (As long as I'm smart enough to not cause a total-party-wipe, which is truly rare) The one issue I've ever had is my AssBot's massive KB, yes he does damage, but those missiles tend to annoy me as well as everyone else, especially Tankers and Brutes.

I really think that teams need to understand that we MMs only really contribute fully to the team when our pets are out and attacking, or at least defending the other players. To that end, I'd like to see a "follow and defend target" command. I know it sounds strange, but think for a moment how a MM could help with that.

I'd go for the powerset change idea, even if we had to pay for it. I once rerolled the same Hero three times because I didn't like the powersets I chose.

The Marker Drone is brilliant, and I'm not so sure about Gun Drone unless it was different than the Blaster version because the Blaster version isn't as great as it could be.

Ok I see what you're sayin' there. So just forget the Trap Domination idea and keep the Device Control. But, I do wanna make an edit. Instead of...

3rd tier (level 2), from the Munitions Mastery pool, Sleep Grenade. "Ranged (Targeted AoE) Minor Damage (Smash), Foe: Sleep"
4th tier (level 6), from Devices, Smoke Grenade. "Ranged (Target Area of Effect), Foe -Perception, -Accuracy"

Change to...

3rd tier (level 2) from Devices, Smoke Grenade. "Ranged (Target Area of Effect), Foe -Perception, -Accuracy"
4th tier (level 6), from the Arachnos Soldier primary set, Wide Area Web Grenade. "Ranged (Targeted AoE), Foe: Immobilize -Recharge -Fly"

and then

7th tier (level 18) from the Munitions Mastery pool, Sleep Grenade. "Ranged (Targeted AoE) Minor Damage (Smash), Foe: Sleep"

but I do know we still need an 8th tier, and the 9th tier needs to be a summon.

Traps Domination because it goes along with the theme of Devices vs Traps like Empathy vs Pain Dom. Two very similar sets with different powers appropriate to the Hero vs Villain idea.

and I agree that the 9th tier powers should be some sort of spawn, but what that spawn should have/look like is beyond me.

I'm not sure if anyone's mentioned this before...but I decided to put this out anyways.

I came up with this crazy idea, and while it may be dreadfully bad, it may still have some merit. I'm sure many players here are familiar with the Blaster /Devices set and the Munitions Mastery pool...and I was thinking that, with powers pulled from the aforementioned set and pool, a Devices Control powerset could be made (with some tweaking and maybe a new power or two) for Controllers. On the Villain side, I'm thinking of using the Corruptor /Traps and the Mace Mastery pool to make a Traps Domination (again, with tweaking) for Dominators.

Here's what I'm thinking for the Devices Control...
1st tier power (level 1), Web Grenade from the Devices set. "Ranged, Foe Immobilize, -Recharge, -Fly"
2nd tier (level 1), from the Munitions Mastery pool, Cryo Freeze Ray. "Ranged Minor Damage(Cold), Foe: Hold"
3rd tier (level 2), from the Munitions Mastery pool, Sleep Grenade. "Ranged (Targeted AoE) Minor Damage (Smash), Foe: Sleep"
4th tier (level 6), from Devices, Smoke Grenade. "Ranged (Target Area of Effect), Foe -Perception, -Accuracy"
5th tier (level 8), Team Cloaking Generator, this is actually from Illusion Control, Group Invisibility, with the continuing devices theme to it. "Point Blank Area of Effect, Team Stealth, +Defense(All)"
6th Tier (level 12), Stun Grenade, I don't think this is actually in any player-character powerset, but I could be wrong. "Ranged (Targeted AoE) Minor Damage (Lethal/Smash), Foe: Disorient"
7th Tier (level 18), 8th Tier (level 26), and 9th Tier (level 32)...I have yet to figure out.

Here's what I have for the Traps Domination

1st Tier (level 1) Web Grenade from the Traps set. "Ranged, Foe Immobilize, -Recharge, -Fly"
2nd Tier (level 1) Web Cocoon from Mace Mastery. "Ranged, Foe: Slow/Hold -Recharge -Fly"
3rd Tier (level 2) I have a hard time deciding between several powers so I'm open to suggestion.
4th Tier (level 6) Force Field Generator from the Traps set. "Place Drone: Point Blank Area of Effect Team: +Defense +Resistance (Hold, Immobilize, Disorient)"
5th Tier (level 8) Web Envelope from the Mace Mastery pool. "Ranged (Targeted Area of Effect), Foe: Immobilize -Recharge -Fly"
6th Tier and onward I've run out of ideas.

With all of this said, I need suggestions, thoughts, and comments if people would kindly give their input both positive and negative.

Thanks guys and sorry about putting it in the wrong spot.

I'm not entirely sure if this is the best place to put this, and I'm not sure if anyone's mentioned this before...but I decided to put this out anyways.

I came up with this crazy idea, and while it may be dreadfully bad, it may still have some merit. I'm sure many players here are familiar with the Blaster /Devices set and the Munitions Mastery pools...and I was thinking that, with powers pulled from the aforementioned set and pool, a Devices Control powerset could be made (with some tweaking and maybe a new power or two) for Controllers. On the Villain side, I'm thinking of using the Corruptor /Traps and the Mace Mastery pool to make a Traps Domination (again, with tweaking) for Dominators.