Mesmer

You probably don't need Conserve Power as Energy Absorbtion is supposed to be quite effective.

Here's what I'm working towards, more of a zone PVP/Fun build, that's why i don't have the Energy Mastery Epic.

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Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
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Name: Cryo Kid
Level: 50
Archetype: Tanker
Primary: Ice Armor
Secondary: Energy Melee
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01) --> Frozen Armor ==> DefBuf| DefBuf| DefBuf| EndRdx
01) --> Barrage ==> Acc| Acc
02) --> Hoarfrost ==> Heal| Heal| Heal| Rechg| Rechg| Rechg
04) --> Bone Smasher ==> Acc| Acc| Dmg| Dmg| Dmg| Rechg
06) --> Chilling Embrace ==> EndRdx| EndRdx| Slow| Slow
08) --> Wet Ice ==> EndRdx
10) --> Hasten ==> Rechg| Rechg| Rechg
12) --> Hurdle ==> Jump| Jump| Jump
14) --> Super Speed ==> Run| EndRdx
16) --> Taunt ==> Rechg| Rechg| Rechg| Taunt| Acc| Acc
18) --> Swift ==> Run
20) --> Stamina ==> EndMod| EndMod| EndMod
22) --> Combat Jumping ==> Jump| Jump
24) --> Permafrost ==> DmgRes
26) --> Glacial Armor ==> DefBuf| DefBuf| DefBuf| EndRdx
28) --> Energy Absorbtion ==> Rechg| Rechg| Rechg| EndMod| EndMod| EndMod
30) --> Build Up ==> Rechg| Rechg| Rechg| TH_Buf
32) --> Hibernate ==> Rechg| Rechg| Rechg| Heal| Heal| EndMod
35) --> Energy Transfer ==> Acc| Acc| Dmg| Dmg| Dmg| Rechg
38) --> Total Focus ==> Acc| Acc| Dmg| Dmg| Dmg| Rechg
41) --> Chilblain ==> Acc| Acc| Acc| Rechg
44) --> Ice Blast ==> Acc| Acc| Dmg| Dmg| Dmg| Rechg
47) --> Health ==> Heal| Heal| Heal
49) --> Super Jump ==> Jump| EndRdx
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01) --> Sprint ==> Empty
01) --> Brawl ==> Empty
02) --> Rest ==> Empty
01) --> Gauntlet ==> Empty
01) --> Power Quick ==> Empty
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I might go 2 jump in SJ and 2 acc 2 recharge in Chilblain for spamming purposes. I need to experiment with those before deciding. Only about lv 10 now though

also, change the color setup of your Hero Builder export as I don't wish to strain my eyes trying to read the slotting on your build.

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But if I may be honest...I don't think there will be lot of change if a pure pvp related SG as PD joins..thats gonna be a slaughter for all other teams>.>

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We haven't PVP'd seriously for at least a month. We suck now, honest. Easy targets

I think i'll get a sketched version of Mesmer then. Maybe one of Grasshopper Boy, because he just looks cool . Do you think it's possible to get a sketched inked and coloured when you feel like it?

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We have got team 2, its the paragon deffenders (led by Xanthus)

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Led by Xanthus?

Oh man, that means ramming speed! :<

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I've got one foot in the escape pod already

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and to mesmer, although it isnt working as anyone with common sense would expect, i think the interrupt thing is WAI :/

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I think you're right, but that won't stop me from complaining about it until it get's changed

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IntRed reduces the time neded to be stationary so much that you can snipe at range and be in melee range by the time the snipe goes off was the original point i believe,

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You're right. It feels a bit weird though that you're able to move while an attack is still in the middle of activation. I doubt this is working as intended.

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although personally I would expect the interruptable powers to act more like you suggest they are, coding issue i presume :s

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Meh, i don't see this as much of an issue coding wise. It shouldn't be too hard to fix. Just have the power use 2 animation cycles, one for the interrupt phase and one for the firing phase. As the animation on the interrupt phase is very very simple(probably not more than 2-3 frames of animation looped over), they should easily be able to set the duration of it in the code and then have the duration be shortened by slotting. There are much more complex problems in the game than this.

The thing I don't understand though, is why they haven't done this yet. I'm guessing it has to do with the power of Snipes pre ED, but seeing that Snipes can't one shot anything anymore now, I don't see why they can't get a bit of a boost this way. It would improve some of the more underpowered sets as well and it would also require heavily specialized slotting, so they would never be too uber.

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Fortunately the game (dispite people protesting when one build is played well) is pretty well balanced and there is ALWAYS an antithesis available, its just a case of finding it.

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Everyone should remember this, before they start screaming for nerfs.

As for people thinking that 4 stalkers can win against 2 blasters and an Empath..... I'd say it's possible, but it's more likely the blasters will win. Why? Simply because the Blasters and Empath are forced to team up while people playing Stalkers generally try to solo everything. The only time I've ever seen Stalkers use a coordinated team effort was when me and my SG where playing them. Guess what happened there...

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Don't know about other sets but the energy snipe's 'firing' anim (i.e. at the end of the interrupt time) is very very short - so much so that i think if i can get an Acc/Dam HO in place of my acc enhancer and drop a 3rd interupt reducer into it then my snipe wil actually be my lowest rooting time ranged attack - i just have to wait a bit till it goes off...

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Thing is though, right now the interrupts do not shorten the aiming animation at all, so in this case you could clearly see the advantage if it did. You'd be sniping much quicker, with certain slotting.

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On the Knockback thing, i've been messing around with slotting 3xKB in power thrust to try and see if KB distance IS KB magnitude and therefore you can overcome resistance with enough enhancers (and a bit of vanguard and power boost) - seemed to be knocking back a lot of people with it in pvp today who weren't getting KBed by my (non KB enhanced) blasts. Don't know if they were all /nin stalkers and /fire brutes but it was definitely noticeable - normally against stalkers and brutes i forget about KB altogether.

Could be worth a more scientific look

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You'd be surprised how many people forget or don't even have their mez protection in zones like Siren's. They usually underestimate it's usefulness until they get held/knockedback a million times in the PVP zones.

I'd prefer it if they would just have interrupts actually shorten the animation times of the snipes, in the same way that you can shorten interruptable powers in WoW. Then it might even be usable in an attack chain. Slotting for interrupt doesn't really help much if the animation still roots you for 3-5 seconds, but if you could shorten the charging/aiming animation of the snipe by slotting for it, it would actually be a lot more useful.

sounds good, thanks

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Empath on his own = poor.

2 Blasters on their own vs 4 Stalkers = Quite poor.

2 Blaster + 1 Empath vs 4+ Stalkers = Win.

Balancing is completely borked.

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Not really. My experience is that villains, especially the ones playing Stalkers, do not use team coordination. So it's not a case of 3 vs 4+, it's more of a case of 4+ times 3 vs 1's.

interesting. How does slotting Endmods affect it? Does is increase both the drain on mobs and +endurance returned? What would you say is the best slotting in respect to end cost/end recovery ratio, ignoring defense slotting. Would it make any sense to slot for end reduction in this case?

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Nin Stalkers and Fire Brutes however still go flying it seems.

Just seems i was in an SC populated by Nin stalkers last night.

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Yeah, but their mez protection doesn't cover knockback/knockdown. Unless they get acrobatics. I don't think it's possible to hit through that either though. As far as I know knockdown doesn't have a mag level so I don't think there is such a thing like higher, or lower level of knockdown protection.

It would be awesome though. That would make FF more useful

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However they have a ranged knockback that will eat any KB resistance you can muster...

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?? Powerpush now hits through mez protection?? When did this happen, and why can't Force Bolt do the same thing?

How good is the +recovery on Energy Absorbtion anyways? Does it make Stamina optional?

I've always been tempted to do this as well. Thing is, I can't really decide on what type of art to pick. I always really like the sketch look, but then again I also like the full color thing. With the sketches though, i could get multiple characters drawn maybe.

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Well... depends what they wanted to be uber at. Ice has always been king of aggro and battlefield control. He's not as tough, but teamed with an attentive Empath, even in I4 could turn tricks that'd make an Inv. Tanker cry.

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I'd say they were always though, with 2 self heals and reasonable defense(which has only decreased from what it once was).

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[...] 5) Teleport foe doesn't need line of sight and seems to totally ignore SRs defense. [...]

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[...] 5) it does and it doesn't [...]

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Must be a PvP-specific change, because I have no problems TP Foeing from around corners and what not in PvE.

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You need to be able to see a target first to target them though . That would mean you were in LOS. You don't need to be in constant LOS though. Basically it's better not to be seen at all.

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What have I learned about PvP

1) Unless you are a spines regen scrapper you are [censored] and will die
2) Hide is worthless as every body can see through it
3) SR is useless and as you get hit all the time and don't get a heal so you're just gonna die.
4) The 'improvements' to hospitals in PvP zones now mean that most of the action now takes place while waiting for your rest to recharge.
5) Teleport foe doesn't need line of sight and seems to totally ignore SRs defense.
6) Heroes are spawn point lhamas just waiting for someone to pop their head over the wall so they can gank em.

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1) I don't have a spines/regen and i don't think i'm [censored]... also i don't die very much. I'll give you that Spines/Regen are relatively easy to PVP with compared to other builds. Stalkers are easy to play as well though.
2) Depending too much on hide will be the death of you. Depending on any power too much is not recommended as there will always be a counter to that power. In this case heroes have found a counter to hide, as many have in Siren's.
3) SR is not useless, it has excellent mez protection, improved recharge on powers, slow protection, decent defense and a fantastic lv 38 power. You'll be laughing at people when running Elude. The problem is that your defense toggles alone will not be enough to protect you in PVP. You'll need to make creative use of your movement and stealth powers as well.
4) Yeah, it's a bit crappy. Although now, the hospital might be a good area to gather your forces for an all out assault.
5) it does and it doesn't
6) So are villains. Everyone can do that.

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Tried it, its rubbish and won't be rushing back.

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You tried, but you haven't learned much. You need to play more to learn more and get better. Don't go into a zone and expect to kick [censored] the first time. Most people there will have much more experience than you.

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On the stealth point, I don't see where I could fit stealth into my build, SR pretty much demands you take every power, my primary is claws of which I have strike, slash and focus together with AS (note no placate or buildup below 30 as it is), when you add a travel power and fitness then there is no room for stealth.

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SR does not demand you take every power, especially in PVP. My SR stalker only has Hide, Focused Senses(ranged defense), Practiced Brawler(mez protection) and quickness before lv 30. With that build I can easily fit in both Stealth and Combat Jumping, which are both handy in PVP and I can easily solo and team in PVE as well. Fast movement and use of stealth(combo of hide+stealth and placate), will benefit you more in PVP than defense toggles as not being seen is always better defense than the max 30% of toggles and passives combined.

Also, always get Build up and Placate as soon as possible. Both are must haves for Stalkers in PVE and PVP.

Frostbreath used to be good, but ED killed it.

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I'd drop mental blast, sure it's decent damage, but with that animation time, especially in PvP, I don't think it's worth it.

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It's not. It's not even worth it in PVE as the people on your team will have killed everything before you get one blast off. It's silly really. I don't see why they couldn't just fix that entire set. Or give us TK blast in the epic instead. At least that one is fast animation.

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Oh another thing. Is it just me, or did they change the repel of forcebubble? In i7 I can hit with ripper through forcebubble by running really fast., I had no chance in i6.

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We'll run some tests tomorrow.

If this is true btw, I find it utter [censored]. Force Bubble does not have any acc debuffs like Storm, so the range on the repel is the only advantage we have.

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Suprised there is so much bashing of /Elec, when teamed with Ice primary.

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No i think they're bashing Elec Primary and Ice secondary. Ice/Elec is a very good combo, no question about it.

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Energy the default choice? Why? Power Boost - increase slow effects of ice primary? Why? SJ ignores them.

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True, SJ will give you movement when slowed, but SJ does not protect you from the -recharge effect. Ice powers will affect your "tempo" in PVP. Your powers will recharge slower, meaning you won't be attacking as fast, or healing as fast etc... . Combining this with Powerboost is a powerful combo. You'll need Speedboost from a Kinetic to properly protect you from slows.

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Boost Range? Ice is a relatively short range primary, lacking snipe. If your going with Energy or Elec 2ndary, you'd be more than likely hovering around melee range anyway.

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I don't understand why people say that Ice is short range. Because it doesn't have a snipe? Screw that. Bitter Ice blast has at least double the range of Blaze or any other blaster heavy hitter(Shout, Power Burst), except for snipes, and it's not interruptable with superfast animation. Combo that with Boost range and you'll be hitting it from very far away indeed. I'd say that if you take in the basic attack chain of all blaster attacks, excluding snipes(because with the slow animation they aren't really part of a chain) Ice actually hits from farthest away. Bitter Ice blast is the only Blaster heavy hitter that can hit far away enough to actually be able to fight a Stormie or Bubbler with a proper attack chain.

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Energy/Elec are on par with each other. */Energy is a default choice because its 'uber'. Not sure many are actually putting thought into it these days though.

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It depends a lot on how you want to play really. Both have their benefits. So far I've mostly been playing /nrg secondary because of my playstyle, but Electric can work at least just as well. I'd say Fire/Elec could be a very nasty combo, because with the Elec secondary, you give it some mezzing power and you get better End recovery than with Nrg secondary, which comes in handy with the heavy end drain of Fire attacks. You don't get boost range though .

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good luck getting me on caltrops as soon as you hit me with that webnade i will be running for the hills with ss, and your little webgranade wont counter my ss.

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uh yes it will, it has built in slow, meaning you won't be moving nearly as fast. Great opportunity for a TP Foe when needed(straight onto caltrops), or just some Ice blasts to increase the slowing effect and do damage. In any case you won't be moving as fast as usual, so it will be easy to catch you, especially in the zones as you won't be able to jump over even the smallest of obstacles.