Miyabi

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TOGGLE MAN

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lol...cool...I remember that vaguely...

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...level 49...

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GAH!

I am...humbled before you...

Fire/Kin for Overall damage performance

Ice/Kin for the I Win button (FS+SP+BU+Blizzard)

I agree with the customizability, it's very nice in the set. And yes, you can build a very nice toon from it. But like others have said, the set falls flat against anything not energy-based. Castle himself mentioned Fiery's issue of having to take Fighting and Leaping just to close the holes. I'm not saying to remove ElA's Achilles' heel, but deciding on what said heel is can be a different issue altogether.

Is its weakness Smashing and Lethal damage? Or is it the lack of a heal or health benefits of any sort? Maybe even the reliance on Grounded or going fully Leaping?

Like you said, anyone can take Aid Self. Even if a heal was added to Power Sink, I'd STILL take Aid Self. Why? I believe Electric Armor's weakness is it's resistances. So, instead of overstating said weakness, I propose enhancing EA and ElA's specialization: Effect.

The sets' effects are Drains/Utility and Evasion/Utility. Stone and Invuln are kings of alpha. Willpower is the steamroller. Dark's utilities work because it has A LOT of them to function together. I'm holding to the thought that ElA and EA should be somewhat like Ele/Ele or Ele/EM Blasters, in that, instead of relying purely on damage (Or in a Brute's case, Damage/Survivability), the two sets would rely on Effects to mitigate.

Moving Conserve Power to Mu Mastery and adding in Power Boost (We shouldn't do Power Build Up, because that gives a 80% damage,+10% ToHit buff, which switches EA and ElA to damage sets instead of utility...), would still be an optionally passable power, and wouldn't change the basic function of the set. Granted, it IS a very tempting power, but so are most of the powers in the set.

I wouldn't want anyone to HAVE to take every power in the set. In the end, most sets don't have to. I am drawing a blank as to what sets sort of force you to, besides maybe Super Reflexes...

Perhaps just replacing Conserve Power with Power Boost would be enough to really bring ElA and EA in line. It's still sort of odd that a Defense based set, which can pull off an interruptible self heal very easily, gains a self heal in its endurance tool...while the resist set gets nothing.

Something someone else addressed was how painful the 1-36 grind can be. I can't really think of anything that wouldn't unbalance the set at low levels. You basically suffer for over half your career to get decent, then to live in Power Surge for the rest of it.

Hey, at least Power Surge recharges quickly

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I'm surprised to say the least for people asking ElA to be buffed, but I guess it is the consequence of having a generally easier resist/def/regen based set (WP) available and largely adopted.

In my experience, ElA does what it is supposed to do very well, and does it similarly to other old school resistance sets, without requiring you to take the whole secondary tree. ElA Provides you with good resistance, increased recharge and infinite blue bar, all the while leaving you a HUGE selection of powers that you an take to complament what you find lacking.

If you find ElA lacking in survivability, you can easily stack 30% positional defense to it using the available power slots and slotting. Top that with Darkest Night and you have yourself a living breathing terror that is extremely survivable, never runs out of endurance.

If every set has a self heal/hp boost end recovery and awesome survivability, then come power customization, we have essentially the same sets with different visuals in al the colors of the rainbow.

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I was internally debating whether or not to reply, but I feel it should be discussed openly between you and I, as to make what myself and others feel is a glaring issue with the set more...open-ended? It's a good set.

I posted...somewhere (Can't remember where, lol)...that a set should be able to support itself with just SOs, as IOs can 'fix' nearly any set. It's painful, expensive, time consuming, and not everyone will have access to the IOs they want/need. The developers have also stated that they try to keep things centered around SOs for various reasons. So we'll stick to the SOs only mentality.

As to your post: Infinite endurance and faster recharge, yes. Good resistances? Only in Energy. Granted, a LOT of the damage in the game is energy (Just about everything that FREEMS is energy typed). The set, like Fiery Aura and Dark Armor, is forced to take the Fighting pool to bring it's Smash/Lethal resists to bearable levels. S/L enemies tear through ElA like paper (I'm thinking Freakshow primarily, but there are others...)

Like you said, we now have Willpower to compare/balance sets against. Originally, that place was taken by Invulnerability (And Stone, for the extremists aiming for the top), as sets that sort of did a little bit of everything. Except, Invuln doesn't DO regen really, just Dull Pain (Which acts as a ghetto self heal).

Dark Armor: Dark Regen
Electric Armor: None
Energy Aura: Minor Self Heal in Energy Drain
Fiery Aura: Healing Flames(!!!)
Invuln: Dull Pain
Shield: True Grit
Stone: Earth's Embrace, Rooted
Super Reflexes: None
Willpower: High Pain Tolerance, Fast Healing, Rise to the Challenge

Every set except Electric Armor and Super Reflexes has a means of buffing and/or recovering health. SR doesn't really need one, between easily soft-capped defenses and scaling resists. Taking Aid Self is an enormous asset to the set however, as they have an easy time hitting that key to recover health. Electric Armor is a resist set. Your chance to avoid being hit is reliant on Combat Jumping/Hover/Weave/Manuevers(lol)/Darkest Night, which means easily interrupted Aid Self. Even with two Interrupt Reductions, two or more dots applied will make it horribly difficult to use Aid Self to keep yourself alive. And not everyone wants to take Soul Mastery, as sexy as Ghosty is.

Another point you addressed is how many powers you can skip if you opt out of them. Lightning field, Grounded, Lightning Reflexes, Conserve Power, and (I pity who skip it) Power Surge, are all passable if your pools/primary are too demanding. In my eyes, that many skippable powers is a terrible, terrible thing. An armor set should only have two, MAYBE three skippable powers. Power Sink trumps Conserve Power utterly, not to mention it's forcing CP out of the Patron Pools (Energy Aura is also guilty), and is causing a bit of concern for proliferation, as Scrappers and Tankers both have access to it through their APPs.

At the very least, Power Sink should get Energy Drain's minor heal, forcing ElA into combat to acquire targets/victims to heal off. I've said it several times, but Conserve Power needs a quick punt into Mu Mastery. In its place?

I don't know.

Ever since they announced proliferation and tacked ElA into the list, I've been mulling it over. Energy Aura and Electric Armor are like cousins; similar but different, one being Defense and the other, Resists. I'm going to hold to the thought that Energy Aura needs its Energy Drain heal buffed from 3% to 5%, and that Power Sink should get the same treatment (PSink remains autohit). As to what to replace Conserve Power with, I had an epiphany while watering my plants...

Power Boost.

It's an optional power; if you want to build into effects like drains, you can, and Power Boost can help. It requires minimal slotting to be effective. It's THEMATIC to both sets, AND it's a great power without being painfully borken.

k I'm done, sorry

Edit: I am aware of PBoost's effects on Energy Aura's defenses. All I've got to say to that is...finally...

EditEdit: On the Dominator 120s recharge. Not the Blaster 60s recharge...lol...

I tried to build a Dark Control set from what we already have, but it's painfully Fear based. Dark Assault would be a cinch though, and Dark Manipulation, like you said.

The only pet I could think of for Dark Control was the Pantheon Masks, perhaps with the Lanaruu elemental graphics. So you'd create four small shadows, each with two attacks, so even if one dies you still have decent damage at range. The set would be heavily control, minimal damage, with pets and possibly a Soul Extraction type ability at 18 to supplement damage.

-EDIT-

Dark Control

1) Horror - Single-target Fear/Immobilize/Moderate Damage
1) Terror - Single-target Hold/Moderate Damage
2) Wave of Horror - Targetted AoE Immobilize/ToHit Debuff/Minor Damage (Tenebrous Tentacles' graphics)
6) Panic - Single-target Confuse (Confuse+Smoke Effect on target's head for graphics)
8) Nightmare - Targetted AoE Sleep/ToHit Debuff
12) Dread - Location AoE Fear/ToHit Debuff (No Line of Sight required, translucent Tar Patch graphics)
18) Doppelganger - Summons temporary pet based on fallen enemy (See Mastermind Soul Extraction, translucent copy of enemy, doesn't work on Elite Bosses/Archvillains/Heroes)
26) Gaze into the Abyss - Single Target Fear/Immobilize/Hold/Stun/Sleep/Confuse/ToHit Debuff
32) Dusk Essences - Summons what is effectively the Banished Pantheon Masks, each with an additional ranged attack per their type (Gloom, Subdue, Power Burst, Irradiate). Uses Lanaruu elemental graphics.


Dark Assault

1) Dark Blast
2) Smite
4) Nightfall
10) Gloom
16) Power Boost
20) Dark Consumption
28) Siphon Life
35) Moonbeam
38) Midnight Grasp

Hey now, I take Grant Cover on my Shields. Makes an excellent mule <3

Actually, Deathsurge's Thunder Stomp or whatever it is he does, might work on both sets as a low damage, control-style attack. Although I would still prefer an actual form of Health Recovery or +Defense for them...

Thank you. You rock.

I'll suggest AR/Traps

Why? Web Nade + Ignite, and is easily thematic.

I don't have the numbers in front of me, but isn't 90 Fury equivalent to crit damage? Someone with better numbers/memory than me is needed...

Ah, forgot about that

I lost my wager

I'm wagering said aura does not function as well as previously indicated, Billz?

1) Pull Conserve Power from Electric Armor and Energy Aura entirely
2) Add Conserve Power to Mu Mastery
3) Fill hole in both sets with a concrete, non-Elmer's glue power
4) Proliferate and hand out respecs

Which raises the question; what can you put in CP's place that won't horribly overpower the set?

The problem is that IOs and power set combinations shouldn't be part of the equation as to whether or not a set and/or powers can stand on their own. IOs can make anything good (I just made my Energy Melee/Electric Armor Brute 'good', but had to spend 400m infamy just to pull it off).

Sets/powers should be able to function well with just SOs. IOs are meant to be extra, expensive, delicious frosting to be added in at the player's leisure.

When you slot your Coralax with SOs, what happens? No longer quite as good as previously indicated, yes? Handy to have an extra meat shield though, as flimsy a shield it may be.

Basically, imagine a world without IOs (Terrifying). Does said set/power still hold up? How does it hold up when comparing to other sets' functionality? Never forget the give and take system when comparing, as sets make sacrifices to gain in other areas.

Underperforming Sets, in my opinion, from each Archetype:

Blaster - Assault Rifle, Psychic Blast, Electrical Blast, Devices
Controller - Gravity Control, Sonic Resonance
Defender - Sonic Resonance
Scrapper - Fiery Aura
Tanker - Fiery Aura
Brute - Electric Armor, Energy Aura, Fiery Aura
Corrupter - Assault Rifle, Sonic Resonance, Traps
Dominator - Gravity Control
Mastermind - None
Stalker - Electric Armor

Most just need tweaking. In armor set cases, some need entirely new powers (I'm looking at you, Conserve Power). With power proliferation looming, certain sets should take precedence. I hold to the thought that ALL of the original sets should be re-examined, just in case. A quick glance could do wonders for many...

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It is time to start thinking about a brand new Control Set such as Electric, Energy, Rad, Dark, Devices.


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Oddly enough, I spent an hour one night compiling a list of different electrical mezzes and effects, even dipped into some mob attacks.

Existing powers:

Electric Fence - ST Immo
Electrifying Fences - AoE Immo
Electric Shackles - ST Hold/-End/Recovery
Shocking Bolt - ST Hold
Lightning Field - PBAoE Toggle
Lightning Clap - PBAoE Disorient/KB
Power Sink - PBAoE End Drain/-Recovery
Shocking Grasp - Melee Damage/Hold/End Drain/-Recovery
Static Discharge - Cone Moderate Damage/-End
Short Circuit - PBAoE End Drain/-Recovery
Tesla Cage - ST Hold/-End/-Recovery

EM Pulse - PBAoE Nuke, Foe Disorient/-Regen/-End/Special Vs Bots

A quickly cobbled together Electric Control set (Although this is geared more towards Dominators):

1) Electric Fence - Single-target Immobilize/Moderate Damage/-Rec
1) Electric Shackles - Single-target Hold/Moderate Damage/-Rec
2) Electrifying Fences - AoE Immobilize/Minor Damage/-Rec
6) Short Circuit - PBAoE End Drain/-Recovery
8) Lightning Field - PBAoE Toggle -End
12) EM Pulse - PBAoE NON-NUKE version Disorient/-Regen/-End/-Rec/SpecialVsBots (Toned down to match non-nuke status)
18) Lightning Clap - PBAoE Disorient/Knockback
26) Thunder Stomp - PBAoE Knockdown/Disorient/-End (See: Deathsurge)
32) Summon Surge (Deathsurge/Cap Gremlin Hybrid: Charged Bolts, Lightning Bolt, Charged Brawl, Havoc Punch, Thunderstrike, Electric Explosion -End PBAoE/Moderate Damage on death)

So basically, their pet would be a tiny, agitated Deathsurge.

Thank you.

I honestly can't think of a reply...at least this might mean more people whining alongside us.

...wait...Broadsword STALKERS? /em boggle

Well, I've always considered Grounded+SJ=bad, as the moment you jump, you lose every bit of effect Grounded had. I went SS instead, so I wouldn't have to use another pool selection. With the recent buff (I should say alteration, not buff...) to Barrage, I decided to play around with it. My chain is EPunch>Barrage, once I hit 50% Fury, I add Bone Smasher. 70%+ I start throwing out the two big hitters. Having another melee attack lets me slot another nice melee IO set into it, as well as building fury like a madwoman. All up to you.

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

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

Schnell Bullet: Level 50 Science Brute
Primary Power Set: Energy Melee
Secondary Power Set: Electric Armor
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Medicine
Ancillary Pool: Mu Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Barrage -- (A)(3)(5)(7)(11)(13)
Level 1: Charged Armor -- (A)(15)(17)(34)(37)(40)
Level 2: Bone Smasher -- (A)(3)(5)(7)(11)(13)
Level 4: Conductive Shield -- (A)(15)(17)(37)(40)(40)
Level 6: Swift -- (A)
Level 8: Hasten -- (A)(9)(9)
Level 10: Static Shield -- (A)
Level 12: Boxing -- (A)
Level 14: Super Speed -- (A)
Level 16: Health -- (A)(29)
Level 18: Total Focus -- (A)(19)(19)(23)(23)(29)
Level 20: Stamina -- (A)(21)(21)
Level 22: Stimulant -- (A)
Level 24: Aid Self -- (A)(25)(25)(27)(27)
Level 26: Grounded -- (A)
Level 28: Build Up -- (A)(46)(46)
Level 30: Tough -- (A)(31)(31)(31)(43)(50)
Level 32: Energy Transfer -- (A)(33)(33)(33)(34)(34)
Level 35: Power Sink -- (A)(36)(36)(36)(37)
Level 38: Power Surge -- (A)(39)(39)(39)
Level 41: Mu Lightning -- (A)(42)(42)(42)(43)(43)
Level 44: Electrifying Fences -- (A)(45)(45)(45)(46)
Level 47: Lightning Field -- (A)(48)(48)(48)(50)(50)
Level 49: Lightning Reflexes -- (A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- (A)
Level 1: Sprint -- (A)
Level 2: Rest -- (A)
Level 1: Fury
------------
[u]Set Bonus Totals:[u]<ul type="square">[*]18.5% DamageBuff(Smashing)[*]18.5% DamageBuff(Lethal)[*]18.5% DamageBuff(Fire)[*]18.5% DamageBuff(Cold)[*]18.5% DamageBuff(Energy)[*]18.5% DamageBuff(Negative)[*]18.5% DamageBuff(Toxic)[*]18.5% DamageBuff(Psionic)[*]14.3% Defense(Smashing)[*]14.3% Defense(Lethal)[*]6.13% Defense(Fire)[*]6.13% Defense(Cold)[*]3% Defense(Energy)[*]3% Defense(Negative)[*]3% Defense(Psionic)[*]25.5% Defense(Melee)[*]3% Defense(Ranged)[*]4.56% Defense(AoE)[*]20% Enhancement(RechargeTime)[*]6% Enhancement(Heal)[*]15% Enhancement(Accuracy)[*]10% FlySpeed[*]241.8 HP (16.1%) HitPoints[*]10% JumpHeight[*]10% JumpSpeed[*]MezResist(Held) 13.8%[*]MezResist(Immobilize) 11%[*]MezResist(Sleep) 6.6%[*]MezResist(Stun) 6.6%[*]6.5% (0.11 End/sec) Recovery[*]28% (1.75 HP/sec) Regeneration[*]2.52% Resistance(Fire)[*]2.52% Resistance(Cold)[*]15% RunSpeed[*]2.5% XPDebtProtection[/list]
I decided to try out the drain build, and I'm impressed. With our innate recharge and end mitigation, shutting down entire mobs is cake. I also ended up taking the power I never thought I would (Lightning Field). Drain is, of course, worthless against AVs, but that's where Energy Melee shines anyways.

I consider Conserve Power a good power, just not on Ela or Energy armor. Power Sink / Energy Drain are insane tools, and with Hasten+Lightning Reflexes, our Power Sink is up, what, every twenty seconds? You stop using PSink as an endurance tool and use it more as a PBAoE endurance attack. It's Short Circuit with the added bonus of recharging you.

I'd pick up Hasten, and consider dropping Weave, unless you build heavily into Defense with IOs (My melee defense is currently 23% without Weave or SJ, from IOs alone). Leaping has always seemed counter-productive to Grounded to me.

Don't forget to switch to Swift instead of Hurdle if you go with Hasten/SS instead.

Edit: Forgot to mention Aid Self. Yes, you'll want it. Muchly. Respec into it and try it out, you won't regret it.

EditEdit: Ewwww, that was an older build. Switched to the one I'm currently building into.

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Given that electric tanks are coming in I16...

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Source please?

And yes, dropping the set into Tanks raises an entirely new barrel of simians.

1) Take two Conserve Powers
2) Run both (With slight overlap?)
3) ???? (We'll assume, spam them butt-good)
4) Profit!

I can count the number of times I've actually seen the Surge EMP burst have any effect on one hand, and that's in years of having my Brute (And living in Surge end-game!)

I don't know about storing energy, it seems like too drastic of a change away from CP. Also, even if you had the money to do so, would you really perma-CP? Is it even really worth it, when IOs take care of just about all end problems?

I'd put money on Castle shaking his head in exasperation every time he looked at Fire, Electric, and Energy armors...such good ideas, executed so...so...

The thing is, there's a fine balance between balancing and fixing. Said fine line is easily crossed, overshot, and completely bypassed with simple suggestions. How much is too much, etc.

I believe he was just pointing out the fact that CP has one of the most ridiculous recharges available to Brutes. I haven't personally tried to get the numbers, but a minute and a half duration effect with a 600s base recharge is...disturbing...

My suggestion(s):

Lightning Reflexes: +5% Defense (All). Of course, you lose this bonus when you leave the ground. It makes sense that moving faster = harder to hit, yes?

Conserve Power: Ugh. Would rather lose it then use it. IF it were to be dropped for, say, Short Circuit? Might be overkill, but that still doesn't remedy the "end drain scales down per enemy level above you" problem. Pulling it from the two sets it's in would allow it to become a Patron power...

Power Sink: Adding a 5% per target heal to this would be good. It wouldn't be on par with Fire's heal, which is burly button, but it definitely adds to the set.

Just my thoughts...

Edit: I can has numbers? Made two builds, both Ele/Ela, trying for good recharge. The first was a standard build which pulled ~142 recharge with hasten, and that could bring Conserve Power up every 175s. The second was a lulz build with 192.5% recharge, which brought CP up every 150s.

So you CAN get it down pretty low but...is it really worth slotting everything to hell for recharge?

Fiery Aura is in the same boat as Electric Armor; no means of avoiding stacked effects as you're guaranteed to be hit. Whereas Fire gets an awesome self heal and a mediocre endurance tool, Ela gets NO heal at all, a useless t7 (Useless when you hit 35), and an incredible endurance tool (Aforementioned level 35).

As it stands:

Electric Armor: Lose CP. It's worthless (Oh no, what ever shall I do to get from 28 to 35? I'd better take CP with it's horrible recharge instead of Stamina and slotting for endredux). Break the cottage rule and hand out freespecs. Or give Powersink the Energy Drain effect at 5% per target.

Energy Aura: Still under-performs. Increase heal amount, say, from 3% to 5%. That might help a bit.

Fiery Aura: See my post in the Tanker section under "Fiery Aura". Increase damage somehow to make up for all the glaring holes in the set.

Every other set functions fine. Invuln and Stone are the kings of alpha. Shield is the nifty mitigation set. Willpower is Regen for Brutes. Dark has it's tools, and SR is das uber dodgy.

QR

Electrical Blast - Make End Drain work for non */Ele and */Energy
Psi Blast (Blaster)
Gravity Control
Sonic Res (Needs some tweaks to make it more attractive)
Katana (Under performing compared to every other Scrap set)
Fiery Aura (Tank/Brute, Scrapper version is fine, see huge Fiery Aura thread in Tanker forum)
Electric Armor (CP is worthless when you hit 35-36, if you're having ANY endurance issues on Electric Armor then you're doing it wrong)
Energy Aura (Dunno, it's still...weird...)
Energy Melee (So...so slow...and pathetic on teams)

Yeah, it's pretty sad what they've done to the game over the years

My beta Brute was Ele/Ela, got to 35, rerolled EM/Ela for high ST power.

Big, big mistake.

She use to be decent in PVP, like you said, with everyone and their grandma flinging energy everywhere. Now? Pffft.

Stalker Armor Sets
Dark: Fun toys, not a PVP set
EA: Better than it was, slightly above mediocre
Nin: Good set, built for Stalkers
Regen: Good set for going toe to toe
SR: Good set
Willpower: Meh, above average, but not as good as SR/Nin/Regen

Actually, ELA Brutes in RWZ can steamroll. Lulz @ energy damage.

Of course, that's until they pull those Rikti batliffs out &gt;_&lt;

But yes, ELA Stalker is horrible. Brute less so, just...very specialized...