Oedipus_Tex

IMO how Dim Shift and similar powers SHOULD work is summon a pet that works like Oil Slick Arrow. The pet would have an AoE intangibility toggle that autohits any enemies nearby, 1 second duration, pulse every 0.2 seconds, non-self stacking. Killing the pet would cancel the toggle and lo and behold, you have solved the major issue with this power and several similar ones. It even improves the power somewhat because then you could use Gravity's knockback and teleport much more intelligently to throw enemies you're not wanting to deal with into your "pulsing intangibility patch" until you are ready to cancel it and deal with them. (It would not work with Domination but no biggie since Domination currently doesn't work on Dim Shift anyway.)

EXTRA: If you want to make the power just funny and cool, you could give it a 20 foot radius intangible, and 25 foot knockback. Result: Anything that you put inside it gets intanged and is unaffected by the KB, anything that tries to walk up to it gets KBed unless some force (your own knockback or a teleport) throws it in there beyond the "wall of force."

EDIT 2: Although what I would really want even more is just a power that teleports everything in a 25ft radius to a center point. (And, unrelated, the "flip you in the air" hold animation for Gravity's holds.)

"Taxpayer" on Virtue.

While not the most anti-team character ever, a runner up goes to the Earth/Storm Controller I encountered tonight who possessed two unique powers so beloved to him that he was loathe to use anything else:

Gale off of Ice Slick
Spammed cages on top of Ice Slick

All of which might have been forgiveable. Had there not been THREE Ice Controller/Doms on the team.

[I should note he was but 1 of 4 different Earth Controllers/Doms encountered within a 5 hour period who had cage addiction. Seek help when your illicit habits lead to wanton death and teammates getting creamed by PPD.]

I agree with most of what has been said so far.

I have a 50 Mind/Cold troller. Here is a sort-of version of his current build for reference.


Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.92
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
11-21-10 Cold Reader NO STAM2: Level 50 Natural Controller
Primary Power Set: Mind Control
Secondary Power Set: Cold Domination
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Primal Forces Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Levitate -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx:50(3), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(5), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg:50(15), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(21), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(31)
Level 1: Infrigidate -- Acc-I:50(A)
Level 2: Dominate -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx:50(3), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg:50(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(11), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(11), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(13)
Level 4: Ice Shield -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A)
Level 6: Confuse -- CoPers-Conf/EndRdx:50(A), CoPers-Conf/Rchg:50(7), CoPers-Acc/Conf/Rchg:50(7), CoPers-Conf:50(9), CoPers-Conf%:50(13), CoPers-Acc/Rchg:50(15)
Level 8: Mass Hypnosis -- FtnHyp-Sleep/EndRdx:50(A), FtnHyp-Plct%:50(9), FtnHyp-Acc/Rchg:50(17), FtnHyp-Sleep/Rchg:50(29), FtnHyp-Acc/Sleep/Rchg:50(33)
Level 10: Glacial Shield -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A)
Level 12: Hasten -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(17)
Level 14: Super Speed -- Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx:50(A), Zephyr-ResKB:50(46)
Level 16: Boxing -- Stpfy-Acc/Rchg:50(A), Stpfy-EndRdx/Stun:50(40), Stpfy-Acc/EndRdx:50(48), Stpfy-Stun/Rng:50(48), Stpfy-Acc/Stun/Rchg:50(48), Stpfy-KB%:50(50)
Level 18: Total Domination -- UbrkCons-Hold:50(A), UbrkCons-Hold/Rchg:50(19), UbrkCons-Acc/Hold/Rchg:50(19), UbrkCons-Acc/Rchg:50(23), UbrkCons-EndRdx/Hold:50(25)
Level 20: Arctic Fog -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:50(A), RedFtn-Def:50(21), RedFtn-EndRdx:50(23), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg:50(25), RedFtn-Def/Rchg:50(36), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:50(37)
Level 22: Tough -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:30(A)
Level 24: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), DefBuff-I:50(50)
Level 26: Terrify -- Ragnrk-Dmg/Rchg:50(A), Ragnrk-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(27), Ragnrk-Acc/Rchg:50(27), Ragnrk-Dmg/EndRdx:50(29), Ragnrk-Knock%:50(31)
Level 28: Benumb -- Acc-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(31), RechRdx-I:50(39)
Level 30: Weave -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:50(A), RedFtn-Def:50(36), RedFtn-Def/Rchg:50(37), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:50(39), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg:50(40), RedFtn-EndRdx:50(43)
Level 32: Mass Confusion -- Mlais-Acc/Rchg:50(A), Mlais-EndRdx/Conf:50(33), Mlais-Acc/EndRdx:50(33), Mlais-Conf/Rng:50(34), Mlais-Acc/Conf/Rchg:50(34), RechRdx(34)
Level 35: Sleet -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(36), Achilles-ResDeb%:20(37)
Level 38: Heat Loss -- P'Shift-EndMod/Acc/Rchg:50(A), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc/Rchg:50(39), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg:50(40)
Level 41: Power Blast -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx:50(42), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg:50(42), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(42), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(43), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(43)
Level 44: Energy Torrent -- Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Posi-Dam%:50(45), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(45), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(45), Posi-Dmg/Rng:50(46), FrcFbk-Rechg%:50(46)
Level 47: Power Boost -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 49: Temp Invulnerability -- ResDam-I:50(A), ResDam-I:50(50)
Level 50: Spiritual Radial Boost
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Clrty-Stlth:50(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Containment
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- Empty(A)

I would vote against Sonic. The endurance cost will be a major frustration. It definitely was for my Fire/Sonic character. You can fix that at 50, but that's a long time to wait just to be able to function semi-normally.

Cold and Therm both have their pluses and minuses. I find having a self heal is very useful to an Ice, because you're often playing mini-tank (or at least tank-accessory), and the heal can make you a lot more survivable. But IMO Cold IOs better than Thermal. Cold used to have another major advantage in endurance use, but by the time you make this perma you could now have slotted an endurance alpha if you need it, so no big deal.

As a point of confession, I have both Ice/Rad and Ice/Therm at 50 and semi IOed. I like the Rad's build better. Thermal and Sonic have always been challenging for me to IO in general.

This seriously makes me wonder if you can't use RotP with a queued nuke and have it go off after you become invulnerable. The targetting system works kind of strangely and applies certain bonuses at weird times... for example, if you're a Mind Controller and you sleep a group, and then fire two AoEs queued together, they BOTH get Containment even though the first shot wakes up the group.

[EDIT: Disregard. Of course it goes off because Untouchable is not Only Effects Self. :P]

Looking at Whirlwind's stats, it's not useless. It's not a power everyone would want, but it's basically identical to Repulsion Field with a slightly more expensive endurance cost. Basic advantages:

1) There is no combat speed suppresion for using it. You can turn it on and Super Speed through enemies without it slowing you.

2) It's autohit.

Really, the power's best use is as a jousting ability. Turn it on, prep an attack, run and jump at the boss. There is a 100% chance you will knock it back (unless it has kb protection), which is actually better than the attack you're using have a 100% chance to proc knockback, because it can't miss. Enemies generally are not smart enough to queue attacks ahead of time, so this gets this almost every time.

If you just stand around with it on all the time, yeah it sucks, but so does Repulsion Field.

I think you could make an argument for an set being the "most" versatile just by re-weighting what one considers a typical or relevant encounter to contain. "Can solo AVs," for example, makes a claim about the revelance of such an activity. In fact, since soloing AVs is a completely avoidable situation, I'm not sure it's all that relavant. It can be, but doesn't need to be.

With this knowledge you could basically argue that any set is the "most versatile" by just playing with the weight of the categories, or even inventing or deleting whole categories. Fire Control is the most versatile because its powerful mezzes combine with high damage, and damage is what is ultimately important anyway. Ice Control is the most versatile because its abilities tend to ignore boss level protection, and you can pick up damage from anywhere. Plant Control is the most versatile because it can switch hit between farms and regular content and rule both. And on and on. Essentially what we're measuring as "versatility" is at least 50% a guess at what typical game activities are relevant. What one person considers impressive and diverse another may find very one note. This is actually exactly how I feel about Illusion Control. I see why people like it, but "diverse" is a real stretch for me to accept, even if I see why people say that.

I picked /Fire as part of a revamp of my existing Ice/Thermal Controller. Only level 22 right now but no complaints so far. Ice is a bit low on hard control so I will have to live to see whether I end up face planting a lot... guessing not once IOs get involved.

Thought about it for a while. If I was forced to put my money down on something specific, I would say the most versatile [EDIT: specifically from a "team support can-opener" perspective] I can come up with is Earth/Thermal/Psi. This character would have the following:

-Defense (too much to measure)
-Resistance
AoE Immob
Easy containment (because of above immob)
-Fly
Pulsing AoE hold, 60 second duration
Targeted ally heal
PBAoE ally/self heal
-Recharge (from the Psi attacks, stackable in AoE to about the cap of -75% after 2 casts of Psi Nado)
Mezz protection (from Indom Will)
Knockdown patch (which ignores hit rolls and boss level protection)
-ToHit from said knockdown patch
AoE stun
AoE knockup (from Psi Tornado)
Resistance shields
Team mezz protection
Ally rezz (and nuke if you so wish)
Extremely resistant, buffable, healable, taunting pet
+ToHit for up to 4 allies at a time
+Damage for up to 4 allies at a time
-Damage to single target
-Recovery and Endurance drain to single target (probably neglible)
-Regen
AoE sleep (LOL)
Slow patch with auto hit -Defense
Single target hold with high priority animation (important for notifying you/team the hold is in effect)
Mixed damage sources (smash/psi)

All of this said, as great as Earth Control is, it lacks Confusion, aggroless mezzes, PBAoE "travel auras," the magic of Phantom Army or Creepers, and a fast casting hard hold. I have every Control set except Gravity at at least level 40, and can honestly say when playing any of them, I miss the other one's tricks, because they all bring something the others don't.

This is a really challenging question that unfortunately probably doesn't have an answer, even if it sparks some interesting debate. Mainly because a measure of versatility implies that you can measure which categories of things have the most weight. For example, are -ToHit and +Defense one category or two? Is "survivability" a category? Is "able to make teammates survivable while you yourself really aren't" a category? Is "aggroless mezz" a special category separate from mezz? What about "stealth" versus "unsupressable stealth?" Is a "fast recharging cone confuse that ignores Psi defense" different from a "long recharging aggroless radial confuse that ignores positional defense?"

What makes this more complicated is that sometimes the ability to do something combines in a way that makes a power more situational. For example, Hurricane. It's a massive -ToHit debuff mixed with Repel. Do we count these together as a "unique ability to repel things while hard to hit" or is it the ability to affect "-ToHit" and "Repel" individually? Does the fact that no other set has a power with similar characteristics mean it gets more weight?

Other considerations are uniqueness. Cold Domination can do a number of things, but is almost alone in being able to debuff secondary effects. Is this ability one point for uniqueness, or one point for each individual thing it debuffs?

There are also some categories where matters of degree have input into the tally. Ice Control can "do damage" but not generally a whole lot. I happen to think my Ice/Rad troller is extremely versatile, as long as the versatility we're talking about are buffs, debuffs, and control options. Throw a Fire Controller on a team with him and likely at least one of those options goes away (since Ice Slick is Fire Control-ese for "cages here plz tks.")

Even trickier, a set good at several things can sometimes still be shut down by actual circumstances. Fire Controllers are completely neutered by Sonic Dispersion because that power happens to have protection against the only 3 mezzes Fire has. But while creatures with big bubbles are common in the early to mid game, they almost completely disappear later on. And a Fire Controller who wants to could avoid such creatures pretty effectively anyway.

Having teamed with countless number of Ill/Rads over the years, my general opinion is that they are great soloists and mostly unremarkable teammates who I don't really trust to turn the tide. IF you happen to be fighting a very specific kind of end boss they are not bad to have around, but IMO Illusion Control is versatile in the way that Masterminds are. They are very self reliant and have some buffs for the team but I would never count on them for serious crowd control.

Part of this opinion is colored by the sheer popularity of the set; I suspect a lot of very inexperienced people use it because they hear it is "the best Controller combo." If I had, say, Local Man on my team I'd expect better performance. I also deeply suspect most Ill/Rad (and Ill/Cold) characters come to the table with a "solo mindset" anyway, and generally aren't concerned with how they blend with the rest of the team. Some time ago someone wrote that in their opinion they'd rather take Defenders than Corruptors for sort of the same reason; the mentality of people playing that AT tends to be more team focused even if the hard coded powers aren't necessarily that different.

Call me crazy, but I like the war walls. I like being able to clearly see the edges of the zone. The "not-really-visible-until-you-smash-into-them" outdoor instances where you can see areas but not get to them drive me crazy. Especially when the area is not square shaped. Not to mention the, uh, "fun" of super speeding around a map and seeing "Warning: You are about--" [Loading Screen]

I have a partly done Ice/Storm build. Even with Cardiacs, it sucks down endurance faster than I'd like. But, just because you have a toggle doesn't mean you should run it 24/7. I like having armor toggles on my Ice characters for when its useful (teaming, mainly) and to be able to turn some them off solo. The resistance based toggles are usually the first ones I turn off.

This build is expensive and trades a lot of proc damage for survivability, but I'd consider it more a "team build." I did this quickly, so there are probably a lot of optimizations that could still be done. Anyway, it has just about capped Ranged defense, perma Hasten, and a 5 second gap on Indom Will (closeable if the recharge proc in Psi Tornado fires enough).

P.S. I know the Arctic Air slotting is unorthodox. But I've recently converted my opinion. The extra defense is worth the cost of the endurance, because anything that lets you mix it up with enemies more readily increases your inspiration drops. YMMV.


Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.92
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
ice storm: Level 50 Magic Controller
Primary Power Set: Ice Control
Secondary Power Set: Storm Summoning
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Psionic Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Block of Ice -- BasGaze-Acc/Hold:30(A), BasGaze-Acc/Rchg:30(21), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold:30(46), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:30(50)
Level 1: Gale -- Acc-I:50(A)
Level 2: Chilblain -- Decim-Acc/Dmg:40(A), Decim-Dmg/EndRdx:40(5), Decim-Dmg/Rchg:40(5), Decim-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:40(17), Decim-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:40(43)
Level 4: Frostbite -- GravAnch-Immob/EndRdx:50(A), GravAnch-Hold%:50(19), GravAnch-Acc/Rchg:50(19), GravAnch-Immob:50(40), GravAnch-Acc/Immob/Rchg:50(43)
Level 6: Arctic Air -- CoPers-Conf%:50(A), CoPers-Conf:50(7), CoPers-Conf/Rchg:50(7), CoPers-Acc/Conf/Rchg:50(15), CoPers-Conf/EndRdx:50(21), CoPers-Acc/Rchg:50(43)
Level 8: Hasten -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(9), RechRdx-I:50(9)
Level 10: Steamy Mist -- RedFtn-Def/Rchg:50(A), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:50(11), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:50(11), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg:50(13), RedFtn-EndRdx:50(13), RedFtn-Def:50(15)
Level 12: Ice Slick -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 14: Super Speed -- Zephyr-ResKB:50(A)
Level 16: Freezing Rain -- RechRdx-I:50(A), LdyGrey-DefDeb/EndRdx:50(17)
Level 18: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A)
Level 20: Boxing -- Acc-I:50(A)
Level 22: Hurricane -- DarkWD-ToHitDeb:50(A), DarkWD-Rchg/EndRdx:50(23), DarkWD-ToHitDeb/EndRdx:50(23), DarkWD-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx:50(25)
Level 24: Tough -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:30(A), GA-3defTpProc:50(25)
Level 26: Glacier -- UbrkCons-Hold/Rchg:50(A), UbrkCons-Acc/Hold/Rchg:50(27), UbrkCons-Acc/Rchg:50(27), UbrkCons-EndRdx/Hold:50(29), UbrkCons-Hold:50(29)
Level 28: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:50(36)
Level 30: Weave -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), RedFtn-Def:50(31), RedFtn-EndRdx:50(31), RedFtn-Def/Rchg:50(31), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg:50(34), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:50(36)
Level 32: Jack Frost -- ExRmnt-Acc/Rchg:50(A), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg:50(33), ExRmnt-Dmg/EndRdx:50(33), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(33), ExRmnt-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg:50(34), ExRmnt-+Res(Pets):50(34)
Level 35: Tornado -- ExRmnt-Dmg/EndRdx:50(A), ExRmnt-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg:50(36), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(37), ExRmnt-Acc/Rchg:50(37)
Level 38: Lightning Storm -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx:50(39), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg:50(39), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(39), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(40), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(40)
Level 41: Indomitable Will -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(42), RechRdx-I:50(42), RechRdx-I:50(42)
Level 44: Mental Blast -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx:50(45), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg:50(45), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(45), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(46), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(46)
Level 47: Psionic Tornado -- Ragnrk-Dmg/Rchg:50(A), Ragnrk-Dmg/EndRdx:50(48), Ragnrk-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(48), Ragnrk-Acc/Rchg:50(48), Ragnrk-Dmg:50(50), FrcFbk-Rechg%:50(50)
Level 49: Mind Over Body -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx:50(A)
Level 50: Cardiac Core Boost
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Containment
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+:40(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+:50(37)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I:50(A), P'Shift-End%:50(3), P'Shift-EndMod:50(3)

I have an Ice/Rad who I played to 50. Anemic damage is a pretty good description of the path to 50. As I was leveling him up, I actually had to resort to doing sewer teams as a level 30-something a few times just because soloing was so slow. The pet does good damage but is very fragile, and Ice Control combines high endurance cost with slow-ish kill speed, causing endurance costs to snowball (heh).

Ice/Rad (and Ice Control as a whole) has a strange power arc. It is incredibly powerful from about level 10 to 25. But as enemies with mezzes show up with greater and greater frequency as you level up, it becomes increasingly more difficult to use Arctic Air. The worst is the hellish stretch from 30-41, where you have to watch other Controllers rule the battlefield while you're just hoping nothing has a mezz and/or no teammate will use cages. If you take Indomitable Will at 41 (pretty much a required power unless you are Force Field or Sonic Res) life gets better. How much better depends on how close to perma you can make the power.

All of this said, recent changes to the game have fixed some longstanding issues for Ice Control. Central to these are inherent Stamina and the additional of Cardiac incarnate slots. This allows you to slot more optimally and to take a few extra attack/armor powers.

Now that he's 50, IOed, and Cardiac'ed, my Ice/Rad is pretty much my favorite character. In fact, the character is practically a Tank. I am the first one in to every battle. And I am currently soloing the Maria arc at +0x8. I did die recently to a pack of level 51 Carnies--I'm still not exactly sure how they got me--but essentially I can charge in against anything and expect to survive. I've tried Malta, Arachnos, Rikti, Circle of Thorns, the various Praetorian groups, Council (lol), and others. I have died a few times, but mainly from things like last night, where I grabbed a glowie next to some Mother Mayhem chics with Indom Will down and they promptly mezzed me to death. None of it is exactly easy, but it is thrilling. And my teammates refer to me sometimes as "the controller tank" which I think is funny, because its how I play: run slightly ahead of them, getting everything flopping and debuffed, so they can charge in after me and blow them away.

Anyway, I have traditionally been a bit skeptical of Ice Control as a late game build. Not so much anymore. It's not for everyone, but I have a lot of fun with it.

One specific tip I will give you on soloing Ice/Rad that took a while for me to figure out: once you get your AoE attack, whenever possible, try to fight with Arctic Air up and nothing else. I use Frostbite to keep enemies out of melee range from me, and then hit them with my AoE. The confusion from AA mixed with no additional mezzes will make them knock the crackerjacks out of each other. Works best after you get the Contagious Confusion proc. But to do this you have to get to a point where you can survive being in melee like that. I did it by building for capped Ranged defense.

Here are a few screenshots of recent action:


Lady Gray Task Force. I've run it now about 5 times with this character. Rikti simply cannot touch me. Probably one of the easiest groups for this character to handle. (The hardest tend to be Nemesis because of their confusion protection.)




Seeing if I could survive an AE "ambush farm." (I did, but could only kill with bosses turned off). This one was advertised as "fire damage only" which I actually have no resistance against. On the earliest attempts, I was using Choking Cloud and occasionally Glacier. It was through expermintation I discovered I could survive with just AA, and do a lot more damage due to confused guys hitting each other.




Another ambush farm. I was trying to see how many enemies can be engaged at a time given Ice's general disregard for target caps. Answer is probably around 20-30. Moving around a little to change which 16 enemies get prioritized by AA (it appears to select them from the center) seems to slightly increase the confusion numbers.



Versus Archanos. This group surprised me when I came up the stairs. If I remember right, when I first hit Glacier, I was falling slightly off the ledge and it didn't activate. Had to swallow a bunch of inspirations to survive, but in the end, they went down.




Mothership Raid.




BattleMaiden's minions. So, so, so easy.

There is a set of circumstances where Ice Control can do a LOT of AoE damage. I'm not sure if it's up to Fire Control levels but it's extremely impressive. Someone recently posted that she is back in love with her Ice/Storm, and I believe it. I know this thread was on a different subject, so I don't want to break away from that; just responding to the comment about set damage. As for the technique for getting Ice Control's damage up, I'm not quite ready to post about it as I'm still looking into the technique, but I will say that Cardiac slotting has turned my Ice trollers around in a lot of ways and opened up slotting options that were previously heavily discouraged.

I'm more concerned about what will happen to the existing lvl 50 Task Forces and missions. I've been doing the ITF and LGTF on my +1, and unfortunately what was previously pretty easy is now so simple that it's kind of boring. The other TFs have exemp mechanics to protect them somewhat from power inflation. I'm curious about what day to day will be like once becoming full on incarnate, since you obviously can't run raids all the time.

I am a soft-core min maxer. I like unusual combos of less popular sets that are still pretty good, but I can't deal with something that's very frustrating. I started off with a list of the combos I thought were potentially good or interesting and ended up listing everything. So I revised to combos that I would probably prefer not to work with.

Keep in mind that these are just my preferences. I'm not saying you couldn't roll up one of these combos and make a great character, just that they aren't something that appeals to me. Extracting from the list, the specific combos I tend to avoid are:

Mind/Sonic (no pet to hang debuff ring)
Fire/Sonic (endurance issues [note: can be settled at 50 with alpha slots])
Ice/Sonic (endurance issues [note: can be settled at 50 with alpha slots])
Electric/Storm (knockback breaks chain mechs and patches, rain breaks sleep)
Electric/Cold (passable, but rain breaks sleep, would prefer different primary)