I hit 50 last night on my Sonic/Radiation Emission Corrutor, and seeing as how there's still no guide available for this combination I decided to write my own guide because I enjoyed the character.
No one is perfect and I'm certain my Sonic/Rad setup isn't, but I understand why I got what I got and I will demonstrate to you how it performs for me.
Does Sonic Blast and Radiation Emission work well together?
Works well indeed
Sonic/Rad means you are a debuffing machine with a decent group heal and decent damage, teams will love you.
Sonic Blast
I remember playing CoH pre-Issue 5 and wondering why there wasn't a sound-based archetype. I think sound has the potential to be a devastating weapon, and one of my favorite characters is
Shriek from Batman Beyond.
This set is mostly single target, but has one of the best secondary effects: -resistance. In other words, each time your attack hits a foe, that foe will become less resistant to all types of attacks, which means that you will be hitting harder after each hit and so will your team.
<ul type="square"> 1.
Shriek
You let forth a quick Shriek, damaging your target and weakening his Damage Resistance. Damage: Minor Recharge: Fast
Endurance Cost: 6.188
Activation Time: 1.333
Recharge: 3 seconds
Range: 70ft
Brawl Index: 2.78 energy
Debuff: -Resistance (13%)
Slotting Options: Accuracy, Damage, Endurance Cost Reduction, Range Increase, Recharge Reduction
Comments and Advice:
I would highly suggest picking this power up, but I would suggest getting it at level two because Scream's higher damage will allow you to level up quicker in the early levels.
Fast attack rate, decent damage, I see no reason why not to pick this power up. Based on my HeroStats data, this attack outputs the third highest damage total per hour for me, behind only Dreadful Wail and Howl.
Because of its fast attack quick, I'd suggest slotting an end reduction into it.
Recommended Slotting: 1 accuracy, 3 damage, 1 end reduction
2.
Scream
Your Scream can cause serious damage to a target, while weakening his resistance to further damage. Damage: Moderate(DoT), Recharge: Slow
Endurance Cost: 6.864
Activation Time: 1.67
Recharge: 6 seconds
Range: 70ft
Brawl Index: 8 ticks of 0.5556 energy damage, total 4.4448 energy
Debuff: -Resistance (13%)
Slotting Options: Accuracy, Damage, Endurance Cost Reduction, Range Increase, Recharge Reduction
Comments and Advice:
Great finisher, nice damage. According to HeroStats, Scream outputs the fourth most damage per hour, about half as much damage output as Shriek, I believe this is due to the longer recharge rate.
Because of its low end cost/damage ratio, I'd suggest not slotting endurance reduction, and instead slot it with recharge reduction.
Recommended Slotting: 1 accuracy, 3 damage, 2 recharge reduction
3.
Howl
A short range, but powerful sonic attack. Damage: High, Recharge: Slow
Endurance Cost: 10.4
Activation Time: 2.33
Recharge: 10 seconds
Range: 60ft
Brawl Index: 2.23 energy damage per foe in the cone range
Debuff: -Resistance (13%)
Slotting Options: Accuracy, Damage, Endurance Cost Reduction, Range Increase, Recharge Reduction
Comments and Advice:
First of all the in-game description for this power is very inaccurate. Since when is a 60ft attack considered "short range"? The only thing they got right in the description was that it is a powerful attack. Indeed, according to HeroStats this power dishes out the most damage per hour.
I absolutely love this power and I wish I could be given more than the six slots. After debuffing a group of foes, make sure to use Howl as your first attack to lower the resistance from as many foes as possible so that your team can kill them even quicker. Scourge can hit multiple targets, making this an excellent finisher when most of the baddies are low in health.
This power costs alot of endurance so I'd definitely suggest slotting an endurance redux.
Recommended Slotting: 1 accuracy, 3 damage, 1 recharge reduction, 1 endurance reduction
4.
Shockwave
You can call forth a tremendous Shockwave that can knock down foes and deal some Smashing damage in a wide cone area. Damage: Minor, Recharge: Moderate
Endurance Cost: 11.856
Activation Time: 2.17
Recharge: 8 seconds
Range: 60ft
Brawl Index: 0.4892 energy damage, 0.4 smashing damage. Total 0.8892 per foe
Status: Knockback
Slotting Options: Accuracy, Damage, Endurance Cost Reduction, Knockback Distance, Recharge Reduction
Comments and Advice:
Ridiculous endurance cost, ridiculously low damage, and worst it does knockback which is the most annoying effect when teaming. Stay away from this power at all costs.
If you insist in taking this power, I'd suggest slotting two endurance reductions.
Recommended Slotting: 1 accuracy, 2 endurance reduction
5.
Shout
You blast your foe with a tremendous Shout, damaging him and reducing his Damage Resistance. Damage: High, Recharge: Moderate
Endurance Cost: 11.856
Activation Time: 2.67
Recharge: 10 seconds
Range: 20ft
Brawl Index: 5.89 energy damage
Debuff: -resistance (13%)
Slotting Options: Accuracy, Damage, Endurance Cost Reduction, Range Increase, Recharge Reduction
Comments and Advice:
High end cost but high damage. I'm not a fan of this power but I still recommend taking it because its high damage is nice when you really need it. The only times I use it is when fighting Heroes, and when foes escape the Brute's attention.
Even though the endurance cost is high, I didn't bother putting any endurance reduction because I rarely ever use this power.
Recommended Slotting: 1 accuracy, 3 damage
6.
Amplify
Greatly increases the Accuracy of your attacks for a few seconds. Slightly increases damage. Recharge: Long.
Endurance Cost: 5.2
Activation Time: 1.2
Duration: 10 seconds
Recharge: 90 seconds
Effect: +accuracy 42.5%, +damage 42.5%
Slotting Options: Endurance Cost Reduction, Recharge Reduction, To-Hit buff
Comments and Advice:
Use this power and for ten seconds you'll have a nice boost of accuracy and damage, sweet.
You want this up as often as possible so definitely put in three recharge reductions. According to Herostats, with 3 recharge, plus AM and Hasten this power recharges for me in about 37 seconds.
Recommended Slotting: 1 To-Hit, 3 recharge
7.
Siren's Song
You send forth a subsonic pulse which causes your foes to fall unconscious and take some damage. Damage: Minor, Recharge: Long (Mag 3)
Endurance Cost: 15.6
Activation Time: 2
Recharge: 20 seconds
Range: 60ft
Duration: 30 seconds
Brawl Index: 1.39 energy damage
Status: Sleep
Debuff: -resistance (13%)
Slotting Options: Accuracy, Damage, Endurance Cost Reduction, Range Increase, Recharge Reduction, Sleep Duration
Comments and Advice:
I did not pick this power because I feel that EMP Pulse is far superior.
High end cost, but nice duration. If you insist in taking this power, I suggest slotting three sleeps to take advantage of its long base duration, and one or two endurance reduction.
Recommended Slotting: 1 accuracy, 3 sleep, 1-2 endurance reduction
8.
Screech
By bursting forth with this hypersonic Screech, you can disorient a target. Damage: Minor, Recharge: Slow (Mag 3)
Endurance Cost: 10.192
Activation Time: 1.5
Recharge: 20 seconds
Range: 60ft
Brawl Index: 0.56 energy damage
Status: Disorient
Debuff: -resistance (13%)
Slotting Options: Accuracy, Damage, Endurance Cost Reduction, Disorient Duration, Range Increase, Recharge Reduction
Comments and Advice:
I picked this up but I am unsure whether or not it's worth it. I'm very dissapointed that it does not work on bosses. On very rare occasions when the foes are a bit challenging, I first debuff them with Radiation Infection, hold a boss with Soul Storm, and then use Screech on a Lieutenant. I rarely ever use this, for example according to HeroStats, in a one hour and 15 minute long session I used Screech only 14 times.
Recommended Slotting: 1 accuracy, 2 disorient
9.
Dreadful Wail
Your Dreadful Wail is so strong that most foes will be defeated by being subjected to it. Dreadful Wail deals massive damage to all nearby foes, although the damage does vary. Activating this power leaves you drained of Endurance, and unable to recover Endurance for a while. Damage: Extreme, Recharge: Very Long (Mag 3)
Endurance Cost: 20.8
Activation Time: 1.97
Recharge: 360 seconds
Range: 30ft
Brawl Index: total 12.501 energy damage
Status: Disorient
Debuff: -resistance (13%)
Slotting Options: Accuracy, Damage, Endurance Cost Reduction, Disorient Duration, Range Increase, Recharge Reduction
Comments and Advice:
Decent damage, however it just doesn't feel as powerful as Nova was for my Energy Blaster, and therefore I don't use this power very often. The secondary effect is an aoe disorient, which is nice because it gives you a chance to escape in case you don't manage to kill all the mobs, however the disorient doesn't last long so be quick.
Whereas I frequently used Nova as my opener, I use Dreadful Wail as a rare finisher when the mood arises.
Recommended Slotting: 3 damage, 3 recharge
[/list]
Radiation Emission
Great aoe buffs, decent group heal, one of the most powerful aoe holds in the game, what more can you ask for?
<ul type="square"> 1.
Radiant Aura
You can use radiant aura to heal some of your wounds and the wounds of your group. This power has a small radius so your allies need to be near you if they wish to be affected.
Endurance Cost : 13
Activation Time: 2.03
Recharge: 8 seconds
Range: PBAoE 25ft radius
Buff: Heal
Slotting Options: Endurance Reduction, Healing, Recharge Reduction
Comments and Advice:
You are forced to take this but you won't mind
Decent group heal, a definite life saver.
Recommended Slotting: 3 Healing, 2 Recharge Reduction, 1 Endurance Reduction
2.
Radiation Infection
Infects a targeted foe with deadly radiation. All foes the target comes in contact with will also become infected. The Radiation Infection will last as long as the Hero can keep the power toggled on or when the original infected targeted dies. Infected foes have severely reduced accuracy and defense.
Endurance Cost : 0.286
Activation Time: 3.1
Recharge: 8 seconds
Range: 70ft
Debuff: -Defense, -Accuracy (22.5%)
Slotting Options: Endurance Reduction, Defense Debuff, Range Increase, Recharge Reduction, To-Hit Debuff
Comments and Advice:
Makes it easier to hit them while at the same time making it harder for them to hit you. Sweet. The only thing I hate about it is the ridiculously long 3 second activation time, but the positives far outweigh this negative.
Recommended Slotting: 3 To-Hit Debuff, 2 Defense Debuff, 1 Endurance Reduction
3.
Accelerate Metabolism
Activating this power emits radiation that increases the running speed, attack speed, Endurance Recovery and Damage potential of all nearby allies. Affected Heroes Metabolism is increased so much that they become resistant to effects such as Sleep, Hold, Disorient and Immobilization. The heroes are not protected from such effects, they just ware off faster.
Endurance Cost : 15.6
Activation Time: 2
Recharge: 420 seconds
Duration: 120 seconds
Buff (Self and Allies) : +Damage (25%), +Recovery (16%), +Recharge (20%), +resistance to sleep, hold, disorient, immobilization, and endurance drain, +speed boost to fly and run (6.3%)
Slotting Options: Endurance Reduction, Endurance Modification, Recharge Reduction, Run Speed
Comments and Advice:
One of the best buffs in the game, expect to be kicked out of teams if you refuse to take this power. Increases damage output and overall efficiency of the team, nice.
Recommended Slotting: 3 Recharge, 3 Endurance Modification
4.
Enervating Field
While active, the Villain emits irradiation to a targeted foe. The radiation slowly damages, and decreases the damage potential of the target and all foes near the target, as long as the Villain keeps the power active.
Endurance Cost : 0.572
Activation Time: 1.5
Recharge: 8 seconds
Range: 70ft, aoe 15ft
Debuff: -Damage, -Resistance (22.5%)
Slotting Options: Endurance Reduction, Range Increase, Recharge Reduction
Comments and Advice:
Decreases your foes' damage and resistance which means the entire team will be able to hit them harder. Combine this with Howl to increase your team's damage potential.
This uses a lot of endurance so I'd recommend 2-3 endurance redux.
Recommended Slotting: 3 Endurance Reduction
5.
Mutation
Revives and Mutates a fallen Hero into a killing machine. The Mutated Hero has increased Damage, Accuracy, Endurance Recovery and Attack Rate. However, the entire experience is very taxing on the Mutated Hero, and he will soon be weakened, Disoriented, and reduced to minimal Hit Points. All effects of the Mutation will eventually wear off.
Endurance Cost : 26
Activation Time: 3.2
Recharge: 180 seconds
Range: 15ft
Duration: 90 seconds
Buff: Rez (Ally)
Slotting Options: Endurance Reduction, Recharge Reduction, Range Increase, Endurance Modification
Comments and Advice:
I didn't pick this up, it's a purely situational power and I would rather keep my teammates alive than having to rez them.
If debt rate is higher than XP rate, that's a huge sign that the difficulty is too high for the team. That's what Fortunata and Fateweaver are for, lower your difficulty to increase your XP rate by reducing deaths, reducing downtime, reducing stress and headaches, and at the same time increasing the happiness level of the team.
Recommended Slotting: 1 Recharge Reduction
6.
Lingering Radiation
Emits Lingering Radiation that reduces attack rate and movement speed of all foes near the target.
Endurance Cost : 15.6
Activation Time: 1.5
Recharge: 90 seconds
Range: 80ft, 25ft radius
Duration: 30 seconds
Debuff: Slow (Foe), -Recharge, -Speed (Foe)
Slotting Options: Accuracy, Endurance Reduction, Recharge Reduction, Range Increase, Slow
Comments and Advice:
Reduces your foes' damage rate and speed, nice.
Recommended Slotting: 1 Accuracy, 2 Recharge Reduction, 1 Endurance Reduction
7.
Choking Cloud
While active, the Hero generates toxic radioactive gas around himself. Any nearby foes may be overcome by the gas, leaving them choking and helpless. Not all foes are affected at the same time and some foes may shake off the effects while previously unaffected foes succumb to the fumes.
Endurance Cost : 4.16
Activation Time: 2.03
Recharge: 90 seconds
Range: PBAoE 15ft
Status: Hold
Slotting Options: Endurance Reduction, Recharge Reduction, Hold Duration
Comments and Advice:
Do yourself a favor and don't pick this power. For it to work, you have to be very close to your foes, and the endurance cost is ridiculously high. I doubt it is even capable of holding bosses.
If you insist on taking this power, I'd suggest three endurance redux.
Recommended Slotting: 3 Hold Duration, 3 Endurance Reduction
8.
Fallout
After a Hero falls in battle, the defender can activate this power on the fallen teammate to deal massive damage to any foes near his body.
Endurance Cost : 20.8
Activation Time: 3.2
Recharge: 300 seconds
Range: 40ft
Brawl Index: 17.0833 Energy Damage
Slotting Options: Accuracy, Damage, Defense Debuff, Endurance Reduction, Recharge Reduction, Range Increase, To-Hit Debuff
Comments and Advice:
The damage is nice, but like mutation it is highly situational and requires a dead teammate. I hate powers that require dead teammates, so I did not bother picking this up.
Recommended Slotting: 1 Accuracy, 3 Damage
9.
EM Pulse
Unleashes a massive pulse of Electromagnetic energy in a massive area that incapacitates all foes. However, this uses a lot of the Hero's Endurance, and leaves him slightly Disoriented and unable to recover any Endurance for a while.
Endurance Cost : 20.8
Activation Time: 2.93
Recharge: 300 seconds
Range: PBAoE 60ft
Duration: 30 seconds
Brawl Index: 3.6448 Energy Damage (against Robots only)
Debuff: Hold, -Endurance, -Recovery, -Regeneration
Debuff Self: -Recovery (20 seconds)
Slotting Options: Accuracy, Endurance Reduction, Hold Duration, Recharge Reduction, Endurance Modification
Comments and Advice:
I love this power. What I do is I first debuff with Radiation Infection, hit Amplify, then run to center of the huge amount of mobs and use EM Pulse and see all of them held long enough for your team to kill them all.
Recommended Slotting: 1 Accuracy, 3 Hold, 2 Recharge Reduction[/list]
Pool Powers
I'd highly suggest taking Hasten and Stamina. Everything else is up to you. Here's what I personally think of each pool:
<ul type="square">
Concealment
Eh, do you want to be a wannabe Stalker, or a Corruptor?
Fighting
Hah
Fitness
You will want Stamina , and you will want it three slotted. For the other three choices I went with Swift and Health, but none of these three choices really make much of a difference so it's up to you.
Flight
I've always loved Fly so I took it at level 49 for purely enjoyment reasons, but it's up to you. I wouldn't take this as your main travel power, it's very slow.
Leadership
I didn't venture into this pool, but many like it, especially Tactics. I wouldn't recommend Maneuvers, the defense buff it provides is pathetic in my opinion. Keep in mind that the Leadership pool eats up a lot of endurance, which means you won't be able to use your Sonic attacks as much as you can if you were to skip this pool.
Leaping
Fun travel power, and the second fastest.
Medicine
Hah
Presence
If you want to be a wannabe Brute (and die many times while everyone laughs at you and kick you out of teams) you can take this.
Speed
You will want Hasten so that you can use AM as frequently as possible. Slot three recharge reductions. As for Super Speed, I hated it and would never pick it up again, but I guess this is personal opinion.
Teleportation
Recall Friend decreases downtime. Teleport is clearly the fastest travel power, the last time I checked at level 47 slotted with three range increases, I was able to travel one mile in about 30 seconds, which is about 116mph.[/list]
Patron Pool Power
I've only tried the Ghost Widow patron so far so I'll only comment on this one.
<ul type="square">
Soul Drain
Either this is the worst power in the game or I have no idea how to use it properly. Has an incredibly high endurance cost of 19.5, most of the time the buff fails, recharge rate is 240 seconds, and the damage output is so small you won't notice it.
Dark Embrace
This shield provides 20.625% resistance to Lethal and Smash, and 11.25% resistance to Negative Energy and Toxic. I guess I should have taken this instead of Soul Drain, however it seems to me that this shield is purely situational, and lacks resistance to the common Energy, Fire, and Cold damage types.
Soul Storm
You will love this, period. I think this is probably the best single target hold in the game. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised when you try it against certain foes
I'd suggest slotting it 1 accuracy, 3 duration, two recharge.
Summon Mistress
She can sleep foes. I'd suggest slotting it 1 accuracy, 3 recharge, 2 damage or 2 sleep.[/list]
Here's my build:
---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder - (
http://sherksilver.coldfront.net/index.php)
---------------------------------------------
Name: Khrone
Level: 50
Archetype: Corruptor
Primary: Sonic Blast
Secondary: Radiation Emission
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Scream==> Acc(1) Dmg(3) Dmg(3) Dmg(5) Rechg(5) Rechg(7)
01) --> Radiant Aura==> Heal(1) Heal(7) Heal(9) Rechg(9) Rechg(11) EndRdx(11)
02) --> Shriek==> Acc(2) Dmg(13) Dmg(13) Dmg(15) EndRdx(15)
04) --> Accelerate Metabolism==> Rechg(4) Rechg(17) Rechg(17) EndMod(19) EndMod(19) EndMod(21)
06) --> Radiation Infection==> TH_DeBuf(6) TH_DeBuf(21) TH_DeBuf(23) DefDeBuf(23) DefDeBuf(25) EndRdx(25)
08) --> Shout==> Acc(8) Dmg(27) Dmg(27) Dmg(29)
10) --> Hasten==> Rechg(10) Rechg(29) Rechg(31)
12) --> Recall Friend==> Rechg(12)
14) --> Teleport==> Range(14) Range(31) Range(31)
16) --> Swift==> Run(16)
18) --> Health==> Heal(18)
20) --> Stamina==> EndMod(20) EndMod(33) EndMod(33)
22) --> Lingering Radiation==> Acc(22) Rechg(33) Rechg(34) EndRdx(34)
24) --> Enervating Field==> EndRdx(24) EndRdx(34) EndRdx(36)
26) --> Howl==> Acc(26) Dmg(36) Dmg(36) Dmg(37) Rechg(37) EndRdx(37)
28) --> Screech==> Acc(28) DisDur(39) DisDur(39)
30) --> Hover==> EndRdx(30)
32) --> Dreadful Wail==> Dmg(32) Dmg(40) Dmg(40) Rechg(40) Rechg(42) Rechg(42)
35) --> Amplify==> TH_Buf(35) Rechg(42) Rechg(43) Rechg(43)
38) --> EM Pulse==> Acc(38) Hold(39) Hold(43) Hold(45) Rechg(45) Rechg(45)
41) --> Soul Drain==> Acc(41)
44) --> Soul Storm==> Acc(44) Hold(46) Hold(46) Hold(46) Rechg(48)
47) --> Summon Mistress==> Acc(47) Rechg(48) Rechg(48) Rechg(50) Dmg(50) Dmg(50)
49) --> Fly==> Fly(49)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> Empty(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Empty(1)
01) --> Scourge==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Empty(2)
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I hope you enjoyed reading my guide, and most importantly I hope it helps you understand the Sonic/Rad combo. Feel free to suggest any improvements or provide any feedback.
