Pattern Walker
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Posts
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Joined
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Badaxe, I don't know if your server is similar, but on Victory and Pinnacle people don't seem to join the queue, instead forming leagues via the badge channels or by hanging out in Pocket D and joining a league that got started in a badge channel. You might also check out your server here on the forums and see if people are planning trial runs.
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Nelm, I apologize if this information is more basic than you need.
The reason that you see so many builds that use Mace Mastery's Scorpion Shield is that many players use Scorpion Shield's defense-based shield to build high-level defenses. Defense-based shields offer a way to avoid getting mezzed (such as being held or stunned) for builds that otherwise lack mezz protection (like most corruptors, defenders, controllers, and masterminds). Getting held or stunned can be the most frustrating aspect of playing a support character, and defenses can help prevent that from happening. Resistance-based shields, like Charged Armor, don't directly offer protection from mezzes.
This is because defense-based shields and resistance-based shields work differently. Defenses prevent you from getting hit in the first place. Resistances prevent you from being hurt as much when you do get hit. If you're concerned about getting mezzed, you want to avoid getting hit at all. If an enemy's attack contains a hold component, a resistance-based shield does not protect you from being held. A defense-based shield might keep you from being hit with the attack and therefore prevent you from getting held.
Most of the patron/epic power pools offer resistance-based shields. The exceptions are, IIRC, Mace Mastery, Ice Mastery, and Earth Mastery. The latter two aren't available to corruptors or defenders, unfortunately, so Mace Mastery is often the power pool of choice for those two archetypes.
For characters that have mezz protection (some support powersets like Sonic Resonance, Force Fields, and Traps offer mezz protection to the person using them), deciding between resistances and defenses can be less important.
If you typically team with folks who can provide mezz protection (or defenses) to you, then deciding between resistances and defenses might be less important also.
There are likely good discussions about defenses versus resistances, and what the softcap means, and so on, but I can't direct you at the moment. -
On ranged corruptors I often take hover. It's nice to be able to hover-blast from relative safety. Hover is also faster than it used to be, so it's not so slow to get around within missions using it.
Now that we have inherent fitness, I will often take hover and combat jumping on my high-level characters that I'm building for defense. You can certainly run both at the same time. That provides (an admittedly small amount of) defense and immobilize protection with minimal endurance cost.
(Suspicious_Pkg, I think Nelm meant a Fire/Kin corruptor, not controller, given the forum we're in. No Hotfeet worries if that's the case.) -
You can do the Technician Naylor arc necessary to unlock the Rularuu bow in Ouroboros. Go to the crystal and select arcs ranging from 35-39. The arc is called either (can't remember which name it uses in Ouroboros) "Last Stand on Mole Point Bravo" or "Bravo for the Shadow Shard".
Paragon Wiki also has a couple of other ways villains can unlock that weapon (http://wiki.cohtitan.com/wiki/Unlockable_Weapons).
Good luck! -
Desmodos: I've opted not to choose a travel power because with a Jump IO in Hurdle I'm doing about 60mph with Ninja Run. I'm pretty much taking travel powers only when conceptually necessary nowadays. Thanks for the build. I've been away for a day and am now at work, so I'll try to take a look at it later today. I'm especially interested in the Hamis you used.
In general, is it better (or easier or cheaper) to build for positional defense or typed (meaning primarily S/L)? I suspect it's easier to build for S/L (though *really* pricey with the Kinetic Combats), as it means you can focus on one type rather than 3 positions. Or do people build primarily for melee defense on scrappers?
Is it reasonable to drop Thunder Kick? I'm not sure what the best attack chain is going to be for this guy given that I'm not going to have *fantastic* recharge. It might be necessary to keep it for the Kinetic Combat, I guess.
I appreciate the information, I'm primarily a corruptor player.
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My Ice Blast/Cold Domination/Mace Mastery Corruptor. I feel truly powerful when playing this character. I control the battlefield with slows, holds and knockdowns, bring the pain with really wonderful damage, and can neuter bosses with a click.
There's a reason he's my main.
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Okay, this is my current planned build for my brand-new 50 Martial Arts/Dark Armor scrapper. He's been a lot of fun to play (especially once I got the Theft of Essence proc for Dark Regeneration and the Miracle and Numina uniques), but I have little experience in actually building decent scrappers. In particular, this build seems okay (~38% S/L defense, 31% E/N defense), but I suspect it's very expensive for what it actually accomplishes. In particular, it'll be a long time before I could afford all those Kinetic Combats and I only have 2 of the Stun purples so far. In addition, the accuracy is really low on most of the attacks (part of the reason I want the purple set). Is there a better way to go about building additional survivability on this guy? Should I focus on melee defense instead? My plan is to go Cardiac for the end reduction but more so for the Resistance enhancement.
One advantage of this planned build is that I can substitute generic IOs for the Kinetic Combats until I get them. I'd like to keep Soul Transfer whatever I do--even if I die much less often, it's just such a fun power. I'd really appreciate some help on this. Thanks!
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.92
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Ophidian Coil: Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Martial Arts
Secondary Power Set: Dark Armor
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Concealment
Ancillary Pool: Body Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Thunder Kick -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(31), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(43), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(43)
Level 1: Dark Embrace -- ResDam-I:50(A), ResDam-I:50(13), ResDam-I:50(15), EndRdx-I:50(15)
Level 2: Storm Kick -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), Mako-Acc/Dmg:50(7), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(40), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(42), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(42)
Level 4: Cobra Strike -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(39), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(39), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(39), Mako-Acc/Dmg:50(40)
Level 6: Murky Cloud -- ResDam-I:50(A), ResDam-I:50(21), ResDam-I:50(23), EndRdx-I:50(23)
Level 8: Death Shroud -- C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:40(A), C'ngBlow-Dmg/EndRdx:40(9), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg:40(9), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:30(11), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:30(11), Erad-Acc/Rchg:30(13)
Level 10: Obsidian Shield -- ResDam-I:50(A), ResDam-I:50(45), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx:50(50)
Level 12: Kick -- Empty(A)
Level 14: Tough -- ResDam-I:50(A), ResDam-I:50(25), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx:50(25), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:10(46)
Level 16: Dark Regeneration -- Theft-+End%:10(A), Theft-Heal:30(17), Theft-Heal/Rchg:30(17), Theft-Acc/Heal:30(19), Theft-Acc/EndRdx/Heal:30(19), Theft-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:30(21)
Level 18: Crippling Axe Kick -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(31), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(33), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(33), Mako-Acc/Dmg:50(33), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:50(34)
Level 20: Cloak of Darkness -- DefBuff-I:50(A), DefBuff-I:50(34), DefBuff-I:50(34), EndRdx-I:50(36)
Level 22: Weave -- DefBuff-I:50(A), DefBuff-I:50(46), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:50(46)
Level 24: Combat Jumping -- DefBuff-I:50(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+:25(42), Krma-ResKB:10(45)
Level 26: Dragon's Tail -- C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:40(A), C'ngBlow-Dmg/EndRdx:40(27), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg:40(27), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:30(29), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:30(29), Erad-Acc/Rchg:30(31)
Level 28: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:25(A)
Level 30: Focus Chi -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 32: Eagles Claw -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(36), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(36), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(37), Mako-Acc/Dmg:50(37), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:50(37)
Level 35: Oppressive Gloom -- Amaze-Stun:50(A), Amaze-EndRdx/Stun:50(40), Amaze-Stun/Rchg:50(48), Amaze-Acc/Stun/Rchg:50(48), Amaze-Acc/Rchg:50(50)
Level 38: Soul Transfer -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 41: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 44: Physical Perfection -- EndMod-I:50(A), EndMod-I:50(45)
Level 47: Laser Beam Eyes -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg:30(A), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:30(48), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx:30(50)
Level 49: Grant Invisibility -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:25(A)
Level 50: Cardiac Partial Core Revamp
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Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Clrty-Stlth:15(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Heal-I:50(A), Heal-I:50(5), Mrcl-Rcvry+:20(5), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+:30(7)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I:50(A), EndMod-I:50(3), EndMod-I:50(3), P'Shift-End%:21(43)
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And here I was going to come here and say that I love Doc Buzzsaw for the funny and Aaron Walker for the sad, but you all have already done it for me!
City of Heroes has a lot of wonderful writing. It's not all great, but enough of it is that I really enjoy reading mission content. -
I prefer to play in the Rogue Isles. I prefer the villain ATs (though that's not the problem it had been once). I know I'm in a small minority on this, but I also prefer the way the Rogue Isles look. Each island is intriguing to me. Many places are grungy, but some are gleaming (Aeon City in Cap au Diable and the casinos in St. Martial, for example), and some are scary to me to this day (Grandville!), and all are interesting. And, given the chance, some of them are really pretty. I remember being spellbound by moonrise over Mercy when I got a new computer and was able to up my graphics. In addition, the similarities of the islands (for example, how they are often overcast) give a sense that they are a real place geographically.
As someone who creates a narrative about my characters and their lives as I play them, the Rogue Isles offer really wonderful opportunities for me to create interesting people who live in a very difficult place. Not all of my "villains" are villains, but they are all residents of the Etoile Islands. Some are patriotic, some merely want to survive, some are terrible people, some are heroes in their own eyes, but they all feel like they are a part of this coherent and seemingly real place. -
Most of my characters (hero or villain) end up using a Patron Power Pool. My Blasters, in particular, often use Mace Mastery for Scorpion Shield. Given what's available, when I really start working on Dominators, I'm sure I'll looking at Ice Mastery. Energy Mastery can be pretty wonderful on an especially endurance-hungry Brute.
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Redlynne, this is great information to see, and I would have missed it were it not for the new replies. Any chance you might get this placed as a guide? The information about build and tactics for Ninjas/Trick Arrow is invaluable, and worthwhile for all MM players.
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I worked on a new build, just moved a few slots around and looked at the sets. I kept Leviathan Mastery and the pet +Defense and +Resist globals. I ended up with 34.5% defense to ranged, and 34.8% defense to AoE (and 30% to Fire/Cold and 26.7% to Energy/Negative!). Not fantastic, but not bad and much better than I had. I also have over 40% resistance to smashing, lethal, and cold so I'm hoping layered defenses will make a difference. My global recharge bonus is only 28.8%, but I'm not sure how to improve that without losing out elsewhere. I'd like to put in Hasten for Noxious Gas, I would have drop Combat Jumping to do it, but I dunno where I'd get additional slots for it.
Any thoughts on increasing recharge (and/or adding Hasten) without losing defense or gimping my build? Money's not really an issue (except for PVP recipes, which are probably beyond what I can manage). This guy is my villain merit farmer, he's been contributing to my other characters until now.
(I typically slot sets at less than 50 so I have more freedom in exemping down and keeping set bonuses.)
Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.92
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Doctor Protean current: Level 50 Science Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Thugs
Secondary Power Set: Poison
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Presence
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Leviathan Mastery
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Call Thugs -- BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg:35(A), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx:35(3), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx:35(3), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:35(5), BldM'dt-Acc:35(5), EdctM'r-PetDef:30(7)
Level 1: Alkaloid -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx:37(A), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg:40(7), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg:37(9), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:37(9), Dct'dW-Heal:37(11)
Level 2: Envenom -- ShldBrk-Acc/DefDeb:30(A), ShldBrk-Acc/Rchg:30(11), ShldBrk-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:30(17), ShldBrk-DefDeb:30(23), Achilles-ResDeb%:10(25), UndDef-DefDeb/Rchg/EndRdx:50(25)
Level 4: Weaken -- Cloud-ToHitDeb:30(A), Cloud-Acc/ToHitDeb:30(31), Cloud-Acc/Rchg:30(31), Cloud-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg:30(33), Cloud-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:30(33), Cloud-%Dam:25(33)
Level 6: Equip Thugs -- EndRdx-I:45(A)
Level 8: Maneuvers -- DefBuff-I:50(A), DefBuff-I:50(46), S'dpty-Def/EndRdx:40(48)
Level 10: Neurotoxic Breath -- P'ngTtl-Acc/Slow:38(A), P'ngTtl-Dmg/Slow:38(34), P'ngTtl-Acc/EndRdx:38(34), P'ngTtl-Rng/Slow:39(34), P'ngTtl-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow:38(36), P'ngTtl--Rchg%:35(36)
Level 12: Call Enforcer -- BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg:50(A), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(13), BldM'dt-Dmg:50(13), DefBuff-I:50(15), DefBuff-I:50(15), DefBuff-I:50(17)
Level 14: Provoke -- Zinger-Taunt:27(A), Zinger-Taunt/Rchg:28(39), Zinger-Taunt/Rchg/Rng:27(39), Zinger-Acc/Rchg:27(40)
Level 16: Elixir of Life -- RechRdx-I:30(A)
Level 18: Gang War -- ExRmnt-Acc/Rchg:38(A), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg:38(19), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:38(19), ExRmnt-+Res(Pets):38(21), C'Arms-+Def(Pets):30(21), SvgnRt-PetResDam:32(23)
Level 20: Tactics -- GSFC-ToHit:32(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg:32(45), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx:32(48), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx:32(50), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx:32(50), GSFC-Build%:32(50)
Level 22: Boxing -- EndRdx-I:30(A)
Level 24: Tough -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:10(A)
Level 26: Call Bruiser -- BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg:38(A), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx:38(27), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx:38(27), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:38(29), BldM'dt-Acc:38(29), BldM'dt-Dmg:38(31)
Level 28: Paralytic Poison -- Lock-Acc/Hold:35(A), Lock-Acc/Rchg:35(36), Lock-Rchg/Hold:35(37), Lock-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:35(37), Lock-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:35(37), Lock-%Hold:35(39)
Level 30: Weave -- DefBuff-I:50(A), DefBuff-I:50(43), S'dpty-Def/EndRdx:40(48)
Level 32: Upgrade Equipment -- EndRdx-I:45(A)
Level 35: Antidote -- RechRdx-I:40(A)
Level 38: Noxious Gas -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(40)
Level 41: Bile Spray -- Posi-Acc/Dmg:38(A), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:38(42), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:38(42), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:38(42), Posi-Dmg/Rng:38(43)
Level 44: Shark Skin -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx:40(A), RctvArm-ResDam:40(45), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg:40(45)
Level 47: Combat Jumping -- DefBuff-I:50(A)
Level 49: Assault -- EndRdx-I:45(A)
Level 50: Cardiac Boost
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Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Supremacy
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Heal-I:25(A), Heal-I:25(40), Heal-I:30(43)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I:30(A), EndMod-I:30(46), EndMod-I:30(46)
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Thanks for all the feedback, everyone. I do think that being out of bodyguard on teams is part of the problem I'm facing, and I have made up some macros that allow me to put some of the pets on attack while leaving the others on bodyguard.
I do think I'll work on increasing my own defenses, likely versus ranged and AoE. Given some of the restrictions I have (keeping Bile Spray, keeping the pet +defense and +resist uniques), I'll likely not be able to softcap either one, but anything more would probably be helpful.
I think you might have misunderstood, plainguy, Poison Trap was one of the powers I didn't want. I wasn't sure if you had included it as a set mule until I saw your last sentence. -
I love playing my Thugs/Poison mastermind... solo. He's a lot of fun, I have lots to do, and his concept is fun for me. With all the new incarnate content, I'm finding that I want to team him in order to get shards and components on the WST. The problem is that he dies all the time on teams. I know some of it is pet management problems on my end. I tend to leave pets in bodyguard when I solo, but have to put them on the attack on teams, so I become the squishiest thing in the world. I'm working on that issue separately. I know /Poison will never be the ideal teaming MM with its single target focus, but I'd like to enjoy him on teams more.
In the meantime, I'd like to work on his build so I'm not dying all the time. I've not spent a lot of money on him, though I do have all four of the pet defense/resistance bonus enhancements. My pets are at 40.66% defense to all, and pretty sturdy, though more defense would always be welcome. I have this guy built so he can be upgraded for recharge, thinking that more uptime on Noxious Gas would be useful. He has the Cardiac boost because of the nightmare of end usage on /Poison. I've left an open slot in Health to place a Numina or Miracle unique, though if I stick with Cardiac I won't need it. I'd really like to keep Leviathan Mastery for Bile Spray for conceptual reasons. I'd like to have all the Poison powers except Poison Trap and maybe Antidote.
So here are my questions:
1) How can I make him more survivable? My pets do okay on teams, I'm the one dying all the time. Since I want to keep Leviathan Mastery, should I be going for Ranged and AoE Defense?
2) Should I go a route different than Cardiac for his alpha? Musculature provides a nice set of debuff enhancement, Nerve gives the defense bonus which might make my pets and me more sturdy.
Help with this build would be greatly appreciated. Here's my current build (data chunk at the end):
Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.92
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Doctor Protean current: Level 50 Science Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Thugs
Secondary Power Set: Poison
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Presence
Power Pool: Concealment
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Leviathan Mastery
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Call Thugs- (A) Accuracy IO: Level 35
- (3) Accuracy IO: Level 30
- (3) Damage Increase IO: Level 30
- (5) Damage Increase IO: Level 30
- (5) Damage Increase IO: Level 30
- (7) Edict of the Master - Defense Bonus: Level 30
- (A) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance: Level 37
- (7) Doctored Wounds - Endurance/Recharge: Level 40
- (9) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge: Level 37
- (9) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 37
- (11) Doctored Wounds - Heal: Level 37
- (A) Accuracy IO: Level 25
- (11) Accuracy IO: Level 30
- (17) Defense Debuff IO: Level 35
- (23) Defense Debuff IO: Level 35
- (25) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50
- (25) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
- (A) Cloud Senses - ToHit Debuff: Level 30
- (31) Cloud Senses - Accuracy/ToHitDebuff: Level 30
- (31) Cloud Senses - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 30
- (33) Cloud Senses - ToHit Debuff/Endurance/Recharge: Level 30
- (33) Cloud Senses - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 30
- (33) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 25
- (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 45
- (A) Defense Buff IO: Level 35
- (46) Defense Buff
- (48) Defense Buff
- (48) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 45
- (A) Tempered Readiness - Accuracy/Slow: Level 38
- (34) Tempered Readiness - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 38
- (34) Tempered Readiness - Range/Slow: Level 38
- (34) Tempered Readiness - Endurance/Recharge/Slow: Level 39
- (36) Tempered Readiness - Accuracy/Damage/Slow: Level 38
- (36) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 35
- (A) Blood Mandate - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
- (13) Blood Mandate - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (13) Sovereign Right - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
- (15) Defense Buff
- (15) Defense Buff IO: Level 50
- (17) Defense Buff IO: Level 50
- (A) Perfect Zinger - Taunt: Level 27
- (39) Perfect Zinger - Taunt/Recharge: Level 28
- (39) Perfect Zinger - Taunt/Recharge/Range: Level 27
- (40) Perfect Zinger - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 27
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 30
- (A) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 38
- (19) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage: Level 38
- (19) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 38
- (21) Expedient Reinforcement - Resist Bonus Aura for Pets: Level 38
- (21) Call to Arms - Defense Bonus Aura for Pets: Level 30
- (23) Sovereign Right - Resistance Bonus: Level 32
- (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff: Level 32
- (48) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Recharge: Level 32
- (50) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge: Level 32
- (50) Adjusted Targeting - Endurance/Recharge: Level 32
- (50) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance: Level 32
- (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 30
- (A) Endurance Reduction
- (A) Accuracy IO: Level 30
- (27) Accuracy IO: Level 30
- (27) Damage Increase IO: Level 35
- (29) Damage Increase IO: Level 30
- (29) Damage Increase IO: Level 30
- (31) Blood Mandate - Accuracy/Damage: Level 39
- (A) Accuracy IO: Level 25
- (36) Accuracy IO: Level 25
- (37) Hold Duration IO: Level 30
- (37) Hold Duration IO: Level 35
- (37) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 25
- (39) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 35
- (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 45
- (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 45
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 40
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 35
- (40) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 40
- (A) Accuracy IO: Level 25
- (42) Accuracy IO: Level 25
- (42) Damage Increase IO: Level 30
- (42) Air Burst - Damage/Endurance: Level 47
- (43) Detonation - Damage/Endurance: Level 44
- (A) Resist Damage IO: Level 45
- (45) Resist Damage IO: Level 45
- (45) Resist Damage IO: Level 45
- (45) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 35
- (A) Empty
- (A) Empty
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Level 1: Brawl- (A) Empty
- (A) Empty
Level 2: Rest- (A) Empty
Level 2: Swift- (A) Empty
- (A) Healing IO: Level 25
- (40) Healing IO: Level 25
- (43) Healing IO: Level 30
- (43) Empty
- (A) Empty
- (A) Endurance Modification IO: Level 30
- (46) Endurance Modification IO: Level 30
- (46) Endurance Modification IO: Level 30
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Wow! Just wow!
This looks like a smaller version of the floating city Armada from China Mieville's The Scar.
I can't wait! -
I just recently got (on Victory) two names I just typed in for giggles, never dreaming they'd be available:
Sport
Mindlink
I'm very happy with my luck on these. -
Objective Feedback: The droning sound from the Devices power Cloaking Device does not fade out after activation.
Subjective Feedback: It would be really nice if it would fade out after activation the way that Arctic Fog does. It's kind of wearing for the sound to be on all the time. -
Masterminds - /Sonic Resonance
Corruptors - Psi Blast/Poison
Dominators - /Dark Assault
Brutes - Broadsword/ and Martial Arts/
Stalkers - Ice/Ice
Blasters - /Dark Manipulation
Scrappers - Ice/Ice
Controllers - Dunno, but they need another secondary option
Defenders - Dunno
Tankers - Broadsword/
Blasters and Dominators should probably be given priority for new secondaries, and using Dark would mean not needing to reinvent the wheel.
I'd love to see a new Blaster secondary that was Martial Arts or Trick Arrow based (though Martial Arts might be more flexible in use with primaries other than Archery/).
In my heart of hearts, I really want /Poison for Corruptors, and Ice/Ice for Stalkers and Scrappers. -
Victory is still available for the moment.
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I have a Dark Blast/Sonic Resonance Corruptor in his mid 40s. This is pretty much the reverse of a Sonic/Dark Defender. I've primarily soloed on him, and Dark Blast is what allows me to do so. With Sonic Res having just 4 solo-usable powers (Sonic Siphon, Sonic Cage, Sonic Dispersion, and Liquefy), Dark Blast provides the extra mitigation that I need. Dark Blast provides tohit debuffs (especially nice in the cone attacks) that really make a difference. Dark Blast also offers a nice (though weak) self-heal in your third blast. Torrent has a useful knockback, and finally, as mentioned above, Dark Pit offers a minion stun. I've not taken those last 2 powers and still been able solo.
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Quote:Soul Mastery is appealing, but I initially chose Mu wanting the -KB (the only patron immobilize with -KB). I now lean toward Leviathan because I really really want Bile Spray. The rest I'd gladly give up if I could just have Bile Spray.Originally Posted by Candlestick
Im curious why Crabs don't go Soul rather then Mu or Leviathan. Gloom is the best ST attack, which helps out Crabs fairly lackluster ST damage. all of the animations are fast, and Tentacles has only 5 degree smaller arc then School.
Dark Obliteration is certainly one of the lowest for damage, but it also has the fastest attack speed, and the -tohit synergizes well with Crabs defense.
Soul Mastery has much that I'd like, for all the reasons you list. However, even though Tentacles has a 5 degree smaller arc, it's also got a 10' shorter range, making it a much smaller cone. -
Quote:No, sorry for the confusion. Frag Grenade recharges more quickly than Venom Grenade, it's just that both Frag Grenade and Electrifying Fences have a very small 10' radius. I don't typically hit enough opponents to make it worth the end cost to use both just to stop the 50% chance of KB. I tend to just use Frag Grenade and accept the knockback on those few critters I hit.Originally Posted by Smoothjedi
I also was trying to find a way to put frag grenade in my build as well, hence the interest in fences. It is on a much smaller cooldown, like half, than the patron attacks, so I was hoping I could really add some dps to my build. Are you saying it doesn't come up that often?
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I've never heard of this particular problem. I love my Crab Spider, he was my second 50 and was the whole reason I got my first 50. My Huntsman is now at level 45.
They're both a lot of fun and I wouldn't part with either one. -
The animations are fast in Mu Mastery, but the damage feels anemic. I believe that low damage feeling is mostly perceptual as Ball Lightning and Electrifying Fences are DoT. I took Mu Mastery for Electrifying Fences' -KB. I wanted to provide some way to cut into Frag Grenade's knockback, but it turns out I rarely use it that way. Part of the problem with Electrifying Fences as an immobilize and a -KB tool is the very small radius. The Mu pet is pretty cool.
I've been looking at the same problem from the other way around. I really want to switch to Leviathan Mastery in order to have Bile Spray, but I'm not sure how I feel about School of Sharks as my immobilize.
How good is Bile Spray, especially following Venom Grenade? How is the pet? -
I want to go back to something that VileTerror said back on message 142. Vile wrote about having villains that reflected a vast array of motives and drives. I want to echo that. I want each of my characters, hero or villain, to be who they are. And, importantly, many of my "villains" do not see themselves as villains.
I have villains (and heroes) who do what they do because they believe it is the best alternative available to them. Pattern Widow, when a little boy, was rescued from a burning school by a Night Widow. He always wanted to be "heroic" like that Night Widow when he grew up, and was thrilled when Arachnos started accepting males into the Widows. He believes Arachnos to be flawed but better than the alternative (chaos or an Imperial American occupation). It's important to keep in mind that he's not a hero by Paragon standards. He's willing to do things that most Paragonians would find repellent in order to preserve the social order. But Pattern Widow doesn't view himself as evil. He views himself as good (and he's not alone in this, there are those in the Rogue Isles who would agree with his assessment of himself).
I have villains who are amoral, don't feel bound by social constraints, and who follow any destructive whim. But Pattern Widow does not fall into that category.
Because this really strongly reflects how I feel, let me quote VileTerror:
"Some are sadistic. Some are masochistic. Some are misguided. Some are trapped (for now. Thank for almight Devs for Going Rogue!) Some choose to be where they are. Some are simpletons. Some are grand schemers. Some are just thugs for hire. Some are selfish. some are selfless. Some don't even have a concept of "self." Some are amoral. Some have their own morality. Some are even immoral. Some see themselves for what they are. Some don't."
Vile's words here reflect not only my villains, but also my heroes. My characters don't live in a black-and-white world. They live in a complex world with different kinds of freedom of action and movement available to each of them depending on history, geography, age, race, class, gender, and sexuality. Some I admire, others I don't. But they are each individuals.
I never understood why folks don't like Hardcase, for example. Not everyone in the Rogue Isles is itching to destroy. I want content that offers possibility to all kinds of characters. I want a range of contacts with different motives and opportunities. The gameplay experience is richer for it.
(And just how is it that someone who does not even play villains feels free to jump into a thread labeled "(Villains only) How evil do YOU want to be, really?" and ends up making almost 20% of the posts in this topic? This had been a useful, interesting, productive discussion for quite a number of posts for a long time. Let's please focus on the productive parts of this discussion.)