Master Zaprobo

I need Caleb myself so I'll certainly join you (and I'm sure anyone in the right level range from ARAD who're about would fancy a blast too!)

Back in beta there was a nasty issue with AS aggroing multiple spawns due to some reason or other. I suspect that the icon is actually a debuff of some kind for mobs out of sight - possible some kind of -Percep so only the mobs around you can ID you.

Actual - set all bots to save my posterior, then aggro the mobs yourself

All your henchmen turn and fire, but continue to provide Bodyguard coverage.

No loss of firepower, and no loss of defense!

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Thanks, I'm going to need it! And thanks again for the tips. I'll probably put up a planned build once Hero Planner updates itself for Thugs, and who knows, maybe I'll be the first of many.

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Have a look at the "Mastermind Ironman Challenge" Stateside - they're doing pet-less MM's playing solo only!

I'd concurr though would probably go for 2x Acc, 1x End, 3x Dam and then Stamina as well. Endurance offset can be handled by CaB's - offsetting accuracy by Insights is alot messier.

A panic button may well be very handy! I can imagine a few situations where it might be needed. "Is that Infernal I see over there? Oh cra..."

I'd also pick Superspeed as a travel pool - to save on an extra slot for Hasten. You'll need it for building a decent attack chain with your Primary.

Good luck!

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I never knew bodyguard activated automatically

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It doesn't.

It is automatically on when your henches are in Defensive/Follow. It is off otherwise. Defensive/Aggressive/Passive will never change unless you issue a command that does so.

Attack My Target will change to Follow when there are no more targets (Aggressive), or no targets attacking the henchman/you (Defensive) or if their chosen target is dead (Passive)

Follow will remain as Follow, but henchmen will stop following to attack (Defensive or Aggressive).

Stay will remain as Stay, but henchmen will attack according to their Defensive or Aggressive stance.

Goto will remain as Goto, but henchmen will attack according to their Defensive or Aggressive stance.

So, if a henchman is in Defensive/Follow they will remain in Defensive Follow (reacting to threats) until you issue a command.

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The bodyguard feature is fun, but serious dangerous.

I was doing 1 mayhem mission where i got a claw/SR scrapper-like hero (even lvl, orange to me), the first slash she gave me wooshed my 1st and 2nd tier pets straight to nearly 0, after that she did the aoe claw-attack and only my big bot was left in battle blinking red hp-bar.

I think only dark has serious use of this feature, since they are the only 1 able to do a aoe heal. Maybe in teaming with a rad/fire/kin corrupter it might be more safe, but i think twice before putting them in defence mode

vs normal mobs (lts, maybe bosses) its a awsome feature, but vs EB/AV or anything else 'strong', its serious dangerous to use.

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But under circumstances of non-Bodyguard the first strike would probably have taken you out. With Bodyguard you were still standing (albeit low on henches!)

It's a very useful ability - only the dodgy pet AI spoils it somewhat.

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I think I'll go for Thugs/Dark then. And I presume the best course of action would be to have the Pets out, and simply on Defend/Non-Attack mode?

Also, with some Thugs Pets giving Leadership skills, such as increased defense, would it be a good idea to take the Leadership power-pool in order to increase those buffs?

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Pets should be out on Defensive/Follow. They'll act as additional DoT.

Thugs Leadership won't affect yourself and the Leadership pool itself will only affect your own damage to a smaller degree - not a good investment just for Blasting (good if you're going a full MM-hench route)

Slot up your attacks, then the secondaries. Don't bother with the L18 Hench Support (Gang War won't increase your damage) and forget the upgrades - they don't add any abilities that boost hench hitpoints.

Personally I think yer mad But good luck!

To play an effective Blastermind, you need to take the summons but simply do not slot them. They are (in effect) your shields once I7 is introduced.

As such, you need an uninterruptable heal to keep their hitpoints up so they can continue to soak damage. Either Dark or Poison.

You also need some debuffs as you'll be doing lethal damage which is well resisted. Dark, Trick Arrow, Traps or Poison I believe fit the bill.

Some control would be nice, to reduce the aggro. All secondaries fit the bill here.

I reckon what you'll be looking at is a Thugs/Dark or Thugs/Poison for your concept.

Ninja - melee offense. Some late control with the Oni.
Robotics - ranged offense. Some healing and defense with Prot Bots.
Neromancy - melee offense. Some control with the Lich and Spirit.
Merc - ranged offense. Some control with the Spec Ops and healing/status prot with Medic.
Thugs - ranged offense. Some buffs (defense, damage, accuracy) with the Enforcers.

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But...leadership doesn't stack after I7 AFAIK.

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Not seen any notes on that... link?

As I'm passing through the forum... three slotting is only really effective if you constantly stay "in the green" with enhancements. Four slotting is actually viable if you allow your hancies to drop down to white or yellow.

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so the tier 2 get leadership powers? that's awesome if you get it yourself too!

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Only for your Thugs - Enforcer Leadership only affects Thugs. Not other henchmen, yourself or other players AFAIK.

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Somebody got to 32? Nice.

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Actually, someone got to 40 Stateside

And since we now have Thugs....

Thugs/Punks
Pistol, Brawl
ET: Dual Wield
UE: Empty Clips

Arsonist
+Res Lethal, Fire
Molotov Cocktails, Brawl
ET: Spit Fire
UE: Fire Bomb

Enforcers
+Res Lethal
Burst, Heavy Burst, Maneuvers, Brawl
ET: Tactics (and guns change from SMG to Uzi)
UE: Blast Clip, Assault, Dual Uzi's

Bruisers
+Res (Lethal, Smashing, Fire, Cold, Confuse, Fear, Placate), Fury
Jab, Punch
ET: Haymaker, Handclap
UE: Knockout Blow, Hurl, Footstomp

Thugs
Pistol, Brawl
ET: Dual Wield
UE: Empty Clips

Arsonist
+Res Lethal, Fire
Molotov Cocktails, Brawl
ET: Spit Fire
UE: Fire Bomb

Enforcers
+Res Lethal
Burst, Heavy Burst, Maneuvers, Brawl
ET: Tactics (and guns change from SMG to Uzi)
UE: Blast Clip, Assault, Dual Uzi's

Bruisers
+Res (Lethal, Smashing, Fire, Cold, Confuse, Fear, Placate), Fury
Jab, Punch
ET: Haymaker, Handclap
UE: Knockout Blow, Hurl, Footstomp

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All I know is that the enforcers have leadership, and depending on how much of an effect it makes I might skip out leadership powers and go for something like medicine or stealth. Anyone got info on the gang war?

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It sounds (and I'm going to make a Thugs MM for testing purposes soon) that Thugs will gain proportionately more from the Leadership pool than any other MM and hence it may be even more preferential for a MM to use Leadership rather than another pool.

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For that range, i read somewhere it was 250yrd they auto-tp to use, but dont pin me down on it

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170-yards. Flat. But if you're running and they're running it may well feel like more

So with out-the-box unenhanced Teleport, your henches will reappear with you every two hops.

Group Teleport is not any good as the henches do not get the few seconds hover that players do (leastways not consistantly).

I recommend you read the "Synergystic Travel" section of my Modern Mastermind Guide (link in my sig, version two in progress )

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What's the new Force Field Colour? Is it nice?

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Evil purple! Actually quite nice, same as the new Evil Invuln

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PFF nerf FTW!!!!
I do wonder if you set them attacking, then pop PFF if theys till continue attack?

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More than likely - probably works on the same Held and Slept code that just makes the henches continue with their last order.

Compiled from varying posts from players Stateside...

Features
- Henchmen are no longer controllable while Personal Forcefield is active
- Forcefields from Robotics and Forcefields have had a colour change
- The recharge on the final upgrade is such that you can probably afford to switch out a single Rchg Rdx for an End Rdx
- Henchmen reportedly have a taunt attack now
- Henchmen in melee will continue to use all thier attacks - melee and ranged (e.g. bot Smash and Full Auto)
- Mercs have had Brawl added to their powers

Bugs
- Medics and Protector Bots do not appear to be healing
- Henchmen still have a bug in Def/Fol where they will run off as in response to something else (even when solo)
- Possible issue with elevators and henchmen getting stuck even more

Just thought I'd compile a quick public list since I'm US Forum Trawling.

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• Mastermind Bodyguards – a new defensive feature

• Setting to Bodyguard - You can set any Mastermind pet to Bodyguard by selecting the Defensive Stance and the Follow Orders. Your pets must be within Supremacy range for this function to work.

• Damage Mitigation - When set to Bodyguard mode, the Mastermind and his pets share damage from any attack that the Mastermind takes damage from. Each pet takes one “Share” of the damage, and the Mastermind himself takes 2 “Shares”. This is in addition to any damage that the pets themselves might incur from Area attacks.

• Example: If a Mastermind has 3 pets set to Def/Fol, and he gets hit with a 100 point attack, each pet will take 20 points of damage, and he himself will take 40 points. (total of 100 points of damage).

• Example2: If a Mastermind has 3 pets set to Def/Fol, and he gets hit with an Area Effect attack for 10 points of damage, then each pet will take 2 points of damage, and he himself will take 4 points. Pets that were also in the Area of Effect will take an additional 10 points each.

• Mastermind Poison Poison Gas Trap has been improved. Now, in addition to the instant sleep attack, the gas will linger up to 30 seconds and give a chance of holding any enemies in the area of effect.

• Decreased the recharge time for Mastermind Minion Henchmen summon powers.

• Increased the recharge time for Mastermind Boss Henchmen summon powers.

• Dramatically decreased the recharge time for Mastermind Second Tier Upgrade powers.

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Source: Now Testing in the Training Room - 5/01/06 (US)

Foolish idiots at Arachnos! They've started senidng me their damn mutants and mages. We're trying to conduct science, not herd a bunch of misfits!

Still, I had to find a home for them...

(( All ARAD members, have a look in our forums, we have a sister villain-group now for our non-Tech alts ))

Dpn't worry - we all have changes of clothes - armoured suits, and so forth

You do get a short period of time to redress the range between you and your lackey before your henchman fall over.

And as others have siad it is to ensure your henchmen are the correct level for your current combat level. No controlling L40 Assautl Bots while only L28