Ok, I've seen so little information on the Sonic Resonance set, and what is there is largely out of date, so I'm going to try and do this up right.
I'm posting this in the Corrupter side of things 'cause that's what I'm running, but he's not very big as yet, so my actual experience with this buff set won't be all encompassing. However I've been around long enough to have a good idea how things work. I'm sure some higher level players will happen upon this guide and tell me I'm wrong on one or more points, and that's cool, 'cause the point of this guide is to get some better and more up to date info out there for the newer players. We need more /Sonic Corrupters. 8)
In large part this will be a gathering of data from multiple sources and putting it in one place. Thanks to everyone that has posted in the Defender, Controller and Corrupter forums in discussions on the Sonic Resonance set, in a way you all contributed to this guide. Most of the numbers and stats have been cribbed from City of Data, so if something looks wrong double check with them, though I also pulled numbers from Mid's Hero/Villain Designer. I'm also not going to talk about primaries here, this guide is just for /Sonic Corrupters, Defenders/Controllers will have similar experience just with better numbers, so check CoD for the right stats.
One other thing before we get started here, Sonic Resonance doesn't have a lot to offer it's user directly, no heals, and a single buff that works on the caster, so you will be either spending a lot of time on teams or working /very/ hard not to rack up debt soloing. Most of my advice will revolve around the teaming option, since that's how I'm dealing with this particular deficiency.
And so, without further delay, on with the show.
Sonic Siphon
Effect: -Resist(All)
Type: Single Target Ranged Debuff
Range: 80 ft.
Recharge: 16 Sec
End Cost: 8.53
Duration: 30 Sec
Notes: First power, ya gotta take it. A -22.5% Res Debuff on a single target, but it doesn't stack with itself. Good for hitting bosses at the beginning of a fight, but depending on your team the fight might be over before you get a chance to use it again.
Recommended Slotting: 2xAcc, and 1 or 2 Recharge depending how often you want this to come up. Personally I only put 1 Rech in and it seems to work for me.
Sonic Barrier
Effect: +Res(Lethal, Smash, Toxic)
Type: Single Target Ranged Buff
Range: 80 ft.
Recharge: 2 Sec
End Cost: 7.8
Duration: 2 Min
Notes: Your first shield power. Teaming? Take it, slot it, get used to it. +15%(Base) Res buff against Lethal, Smashing and Toxic. One of two non-patron shields to give protection against Toxic damage and while not seen a lot in the early game, it'll be quite useful in the higher levels where Toxic damage is quite common.
Recommended Slotting: 3xRes Dam, maybe 1 End Rdx if you feel you need it, but I usually don't bother.
Sonic Haven
Effect: +Res(Fire, Cold, Energy, Neg. Energy)
Type: Single Target Ranged Buff
Range: 80 ft.
Recharge: 2 Sec
End Cost: 7.8
Duration: 2 Min
Notes: Shield power number two. As with the other, if your teaming take it and get used to it. Here's the rest of your resistances for the team, +15%(Base) resistance against Fire, Cold, Energy and Negative Energy. Though the total resistances with both /Sonic shields doesn't match up for the Fire Resistance granted by a /Thermal's shields, you get twice the Cold resist and Toxic resist, so I think it's a fair trade off. Besides, there are enough /Thermals out there already. 8)
Recommended Slotting: Same as Sonic Barrier.
Sonic Cage
Effect: Foe Capture
Type: Single Target Immobilize/Only Affects Self/Untouchable
Range: 80 ft.
Recharge: 60 Sec
End Cost: 12.48
Duration: 30 Sec(15 Sec against Players)
NoteS: Seen frequently in /Sonics that PvP, this power Immobilizes a foe and prevents them from attacking, or anyone from attacking them. The target can use self buffs/heals though, very similar to the Gravity Dom power Dimension Shift. Can be used to take a single target out of the fight for 30 Seconds, but you also cannot attack that target until the timer has run out, so this might annoy teammates on a faster moving team. In PvE, I find this type of power to be situational at best, and not a great panic button since it only affects a single target. If you're going to skip a power in the set, this would be the first one. PvPing? Take that Pocket Emp out of the fight for a bit, or that Blaster that's just buffed up with BU+Aim. In PvP it has a multitude of uses, so in that situation it's something to consider.
Recommended Slotting: 2xAcc for PvP or PvE. You shouldn't need much more for PvE if you plan to take it, for PvP 1-2 Recharge and/or 1-2 Range would be useful.
Disruption Field
Effect: -Res(All)
Type: Ally Centered AoE Debuff Toggle
Range: 70 ft.(To the Ally target)
Radius: 15 ft.(Around the Ally target)
Max Target Affect: 16
Recharge: 8 Sec
End Cost: 0.52/sec
Notes: Slap this on the team Brute and make them do more damage, it'll make them happy. This is a rather high end use power, so watch your end bar.
Recommended Slotting: 1-2 End Rdx
Sonic Dispersion
Effect: +Res(All damage but Psi, Hold, Immobilize, Disorient)
Type: Self-centered AoE Buff Toggle
Radius: 25 ft.
Recharge: 15 Sec
End Cost: 0.26/sec
Notes: The only self affecting power you get, and the power that will make you a squishy teammate's best friend. +11.25%(Base) Resistance to all types of damage except Psionic, plus Mag 6.92 Hold, Immobilize and Disorient resistance. This means that most critters in PvE will need to hit you at least twice to overcome those resistances. In PvP, unless your teammates have further resistances, a second application of those effects will overcome this shield. It's not a substitute for Acrobatics, but for those squishies that don't take it, this will be a welcome buff.
Recommended Slotting: 3xEnd Rdx, and 3xRes Damage
Sonic Repulsion
Effect: Foe Knockback
Type: Ally Centered AoE Knockback Toggle
Range: 70 ft.(To the target ally)
Radius: 10 ft.(Around the target ally)
Max Target Affect: 16
Recharge: 8 Sec
End Cost: 0.52/sec + 1/foe affected
Notes: This power is nearly identical in effect to the /Kinetic Repel. End cost for this power is killer, since you've got the usual cost to run it, plus every foe that gets knocked back costs you an extra point of end. If you're not careful you could find yourself out of end in a hurry. This is another power I find rather situational, and somewhat of a panic button to save a teammate when they are surrounded. I don't plan on taking it, but YMMV.
Recommended Slotting: 2-3xEnd Rdx
Clarity
Effect: +Res(Disorient, Hold, Sleep, Immobilize, Fear, Confuse,) +Perception
Type: Single Target Ranged Buff
Range: 70 ft.
Recharge: 4 Sec
End Cost: 5.2
Duration: 90 Sec
Notes: This is the buff you've been waiting for. Much like Clear Mind for Empaths Heroside, this power will free/protect your allies against nearly every status effect there is. It also increases your resistance to -perception powers like smoke grenade, and increases your ability to see invisible targets. Get it, and your teammates will love you. The Mag of all resistances is 10.38, sleep resistance is +173%. This power alone makes the set almost as desireable as a /Kinetic for Speed Boost.
Recommended Slotting: At the base cost/recharge, you can put what ever you want in the original slot and you'd be fine. Personally I would put a Recharge in that slot so I'm not waiting around too long while casting it out on the whole team.
Liquefy:
Effect: Foe Knockdown, Hold, -Acc, -Def, -Recharge, -Jump, -Fly
Type: Location based AoE
Range: 60 ft.
Recharge: 5 Min
End Cost: 23.4
Duration: 30 Sec.
Notes: And now the heavy hitter, supposedly. Drop this power under a spawn, or in their path to your team. The data on this power is a little sketchy but I'll pass on what's available. A chance to knock down every target in the power's range, a brief hold when they first get hit plus the debuffs. The debuffs seem to be auto-hit, as is the knockdown. The hold, and damage require an accuracy check, though if someone has more reliable info let me know and I'll update this guide. The numbers on this power are pretty good, -25% to-hit, -25% Def, -20% Recharge base. While not uber-high for a Tier 9 debuff, there's a lot of effects going on, and most of them enhanceable.
Recommended Slotting: 2-3xRech Rdx, anything else is up to you depending on what you'd like to slot for. I recommend either -def or -to hit or a mix of those.
Just for completeness sake, let's add up the buff/debuff numbers...
Buffs:
Sonic Barrier+
Sonic Haven+
Sonic Dispersion+
Clarity
----------------
+26.25(Base)/+41.3(Enhanced) Resistance to Lethal, Smashing, Toxic, Fire, Cold, Energy, and Neg Energy.
+17.3 Mag protection against Hold, Stun/Disorient, Immobilize**
+10.38 Mag Protection against Sleep, Confuse, Terrorize/Fear**
+173% Resistance to Sleep Duration
+86.5% Resistance against -Perception
+0.865 Perception radius
DeBuffs:
Sonic Siphon+
Disruption Field+
Liquify
-----------------
-45% Resistance to Smashing, Lethal, Fire, Cold, Energy, Neg. Energy, Toxic and Psionic.
-25%(Base)/-40.5%(Practical Max) Defense to Smashing, Lethal, Fire, Cold, Energy, Neg. Energy, Toxic and Psionic.
-25%(Base)/-39%(Practical Max) ToHit
-20% Recharge
-Fly
-Jump
**NOTE: As a frame of reference, the average Mag of a Controllers Control power against a player is 4, and Critter numbers are likely lower than that. This means that with the maximum protection available from a single /Sonic, an opponent would have to hit a teammate 5-6 times with a Hold, Stun/Disorient, or Immobilize power to affect you, or 3-4 times with a Sleep, Confuse, or Fear power.
So that's my take on /Sonic for Corrupters. Corrections and additions are more than welcome.
EDITTED: Fixed the notes for Disruption Field, as of I9 this power does not generate aggro anymore. Also fixed slotting and effects reference in Liquify.
