Phoebe_Ponderas

For some reason I was under the impression you had to make 5 of the same alignment choices to get this badge, not sure where that idea came from, but oh well. Anyway, I have made 3 choices so far (all loyalist) and am now level 19. No more contacts that I can use of course. Have I basically made sure I can no longer get this badge in any way?

We plan on stacking four of the same, mostly because it always seems to mesh better than having four different things.

And we did consider fire/kin but it's a late bloomer and my room mate is new to the game, he wants to see doom fast. I know the thugs pick up at 6 and then begin to steamroll at 12. Arachnos I'm not sure but I've seen them do horrifying things.

My brother, room mate, fiance, and I are trying to decide what would be the most crazy thing we could do. We've gone over a few ideas so far, some of them are pretty evil.

4 Arachnos bringing in 24 stacking leadership buffs total would be amusing

4 Thug/X masterminds bringing in all sorts of stacking leadership buffs from the thugs plus our own leaderships, not to mention if we did 4 thermals or 4 bubbles, tons and tons of resistance or defense. Maybe 4 sonics? So many possibilities.

4 Radiation toons? 4 Empaths? Endless options.

It would take a while, but 4 SS toons could do the foot stomp boogaloo. Not as nasty as stacking buffs/debuffs of course but hilarious to watch I bet.

So what about you? Can you think of any quad-groups that would be absolutely steamroll?

Driving myself a little bonkers trying to figure out what I want to do at this point. So far this is what I've managed to play through trying to pick. All of the following were paired with Willpower (my favorite set ^_^)

Choice A: I got a Kinetic Melee character up to ~23, got into the SO's, was having a good time in general other than the fact that I found Burst rather lacking in the AoE department. I mostly wanted KM because of the -dmg effect it had on my target. Worked very well for a "wind" magic using character since KM does look a bit like swirling wind. The entire set just didn't seem...right? I don't know how to explain it, I felt like I could do more. I understand the set is not perfect for brutes, but it was still adequate. Not the best, but it didn't seem bad, just lacking. I really wish this set just didn't feel so off, it's fun to look at.

Choice B: I jumped on the band wagon and tried Street Justice, got her to 22 fairly quickly, and wow was I unsure what to think. I love the single target DPS, it was wonderful, but it's AoE capability was even worse than KM. I didn't read Spinning Strike well enough and realized it wasn't a PBAoE but a small targeted one based on my target. Considering I enjoy running +8/+3 (or is it +7/+4? It's the one that gives you more mobs rather than stronger mobs, I forget which) I tend to get surrounded so the AoE was to useless to make it worth it.

Choice C: I tried Stone Melee, got to 22 again, finally gave up just because I thought the set was ugly. Strong yes, and fault was tons of fun, but I just couldn't stand looking at it.

Choice D: Tried fire melee, realized I lost one of the AoE's when moving from tank to brute, said meh, left the set alone. I was never really all that fond of the fire set anyway, just adding more DPS with no other benefits has always been questionable to me.

So yea, that's been my path so far, and now I'm not sure where to go from here. I hear lots of good things about Super Strength but having to wait all the way until Tier 9 for your AoE? Granted it's a great looking AoE no question. From what I understand you can cancel the defense debuff of rage crashing once you can double stack it so that's not a big deal (2 level 50 IO's and a few LotG, which I have sitting on a bank mule, so not so bad there). I suppose I would be almost forced into hasten, at least if I want to be able to easily stack rage at a lower level (hasten + 2 recharge DOs = barely double rage).

SS is also the last power set that I can see that has a good PBAoE effect. I may have overlooked one but that seems to be it.

So how does SS perform? I'll still be using Willpower of course. I can see it would most likely pick up at 32 with foot stomp, but how slow going is it up until then? Any advice at this point is appreciated, even if it's not quite directed at SS/WP. I'm just having a serious block as far as what I want to play.

Also, since it may impact it, I am generally grouped with my fiance who will be running a Cold/Sonic defender.

Not much else I can think to add here, just wondering if it's possible. I understand the holy grail of SS is getting double rage to avoid the worst part of the crash (unless they changed this) but that's doable with a couple level 50 recharge IO's and 4 LotG which aren't nearly as expensive now thanks to hero merits.

Not saying hasten / foot stomp isn't a lot of fun to mess with but I've never been very fond of juggling both the hasten and rage toggles.

[edit] Wish I could edit the title, oy

She's doing Cold/Beam Rifle defender for the moment, so far she loves it. Granted we are level 3 so that could change but she loves playing with the gun.

Yes, I do hear that SS/FA is insane, but I really do prefer /WP. I suppose it spoiled me a bit but I like basically ignoring the fact that status effects exist. The only things (at least as of level 35) that ever bother me are huge swarms of CoT ghosts and this one group of Tsoo who stacked something like 10 siphons on me at once.

Is cold really the best to stack with Willpower? Just how good will cold remain in the long run? I seem to remember reading that eventually their buffs become not as useful due to IO set bonuses. Could be wrong though.

Thanks for the idea, I'll relay it to her with any other ideas that pop up (assuming more do pop up :P).

Been about a year I think since the last time I played this game, finally get to come back and mess around some more. Something about this game just keeps bringing us back I suppose. Anyway...

My fiance wants to run a duo with me (tiny bit harder with lack of that lovely perma-grouping system, hope that comes back soon) and was considering an Ice/Time controller. I'm going to be using a Kinetic/WP brute. Yea, I know, Kinetic/* brutes are not ideal for min/maxers, but it works for now. I suppose in theory I could take Super Strength instead but I dislike having to babysit rage and it's crashes, and the -damage in kinetics still makes it even harder for things to kill me.

Since she doesn't have VIP though she asked me to come here and ask you how effective /Time would be. It's got some regen, and all sorts of ways to slow people down and make them not hit me as often so I regen even better with RttC. She was also considering empathy just for the massive regen and fortitude buffs, wouldn't so much need the recovery buff although every little bit helps. She would really play any support set, she just wants something to mesh with willpower.

Any opinions?

Well thanks for the money guide certainly, I'm surprised the price on those things hasn't floored with information like that around but they still go for ~150m on Virtue. Not that I'll be stealthing through the missions without SS (still don't like SS) but at least I'll have the missions to do.

Still, I don't know if I want defense. You can laugh all you like but I prefer my stats to always work vs sometimes work, even if that sometimes is 80% of the time.

For the moment I'm just trying to get ideas on my power choices now that they've been modified a bit, not worry about my IOs :P

The main reason I avoid going into very heavy defense slotting is it tends to be expensive, everybody loves to heavy defense slot (it is effective after all). I find if I tend to aim for health/regen and resistance I can still survive a very long time and it costs a fraction of the price. I'm not all that rich, only sitting on ~150m so I can't even come close to affording some of the high end sets yet.

Choosing between flight/SJ for some reason is driving me batty. I know I can purchase temp flight so it makes the power seem like a waste to take. On the other hand having temp flight run out on me when I'm in the middle of some zones (that one with all the floating islands in 'space' comes to mind, forget what its called, weird place) could be really obnoxious. They only last what, 30 minutes? Or can you buy a better one? It would free up a power slot if I took SJ though since I wouldn't need hover or air superiority. Could take taunt then in theory, dunno. Maybe maneuvers instead.

Anyway, small update for the time being. Maneuvers is in the same spot taunt would go if I want with that instead.

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.93
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Darcrai: Level 48 Technology Brute
Primary Power Set: Super Strength
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Punch -- Empty(A)
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Haymaker -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Mind Over Body -- Empty(A)
Level 6: Fast Healing -- Empty(A)
Level 8: Knockout Blow -- Empty(A)
Level 10: Indomitable Will -- Empty(A)
Level 12: Combat Jumping -- Empty(A)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Winter-ResSlow(A)
Level 16: Rise to the Challenge -- Empty(A)
Level 18: Rage -- Empty(A)
Level 20: Quick Recovery -- Empty(A)
Level 22: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 24: Tough -- Empty(A)
Level 26: Weave -- Empty(A)
Level 28: Heightened Senses -- Empty(A)
Level 30: Hasten -- Empty(A)
Level 32: Foot Stomp -- Empty(A)
Level 35: Maneuvers -- Empty(A)
Level 38: Strength of Will -- Empty(A)
Level 41: Gloom -- Empty(A)
Level 44: Darkest Night -- Empty(A)
Level 47: Dark Obliteration -- Empty(A)
Level 49: Resurgence -- Empty(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- Empty(A)

For the most part I'm not so sure if I'm going to be aiming for a recharge build, I may go for more health/regen instead. In the long run I have no idea on that front, I don't normally worry about serious IO gathering until 50 (other than basic IOs which I start using instead of SOs). I may end up somewhat recharge focused, I may not, I'm not sure yet.

I am a bit worried about taking Soul Mastery instead of Energy Mastery though, I tend to like the extra endurance and recovery buffer. Granted Focused Accuracy isn't needed for the most part in a SS build (and tends to eat about 80% after slotting of the buffer when it's on)

Where do you actually buy a raptor pack anyway o.0

About the only issue with that is that I really, really don't like Super Speed ^^; Flight is my preferred method of travel, especially after slotting it with some speed enhancements. I know you can buy raptor packs but they are slow compared to real fly.

So other than the fact I despise SS there's no real issues with the power choices?

I do not plan to team all that often other than some badge hunting, and even if I do end up teaming more often than planned I'm not taking a travel power I dislike just because everybody else seems to have it. Important powers sure, I can find room, but travel powers...nah. I'll fly or SJ, taking two travel powers seems like a monumental waste to me.

Just as a note, I am only looking at power selection at this moment, not actual slotting. I just want to make sure I'm not shooting myself in the foot or anything. Later on I'll work out actual slotting but for the time being I just want to make sure I'm not going to regret anything here in the short run.

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.93
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Darcrai: Level 48 Technology Brute
Primary Power Set: Super Strength
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Punch -- Empty(A)
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Haymaker -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Mind Over Body -- Empty(A)
Level 6: Fast Healing -- Empty(A)
Level 8: Knockout Blow -- Empty(A)
Level 10: Indomitable Will -- Empty(A)
Level 12: Air Superiority -- Empty(A)
Level 14: Fly -- Empty(A)
Level 16: Rise to the Challenge -- Empty(A)
Level 18: Rage -- Empty(A)
Level 20: Quick Recovery -- Empty(A)
Level 22: Combat Jumping -- Empty(A)
Level 24: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 26: Tough -- Empty(A)
Level 28: Heightened Senses -- Empty(A)
Level 30: Hasten -- Empty(A)
Level 32: Foot Stomp -- Empty(A)
Level 35: Weave -- Empty(A)
Level 38: Strength of Will -- Empty(A)
Level 41: Gloom -- Empty(A)
Level 44: Darkest Night -- Empty(A)
Level 47: Dark Obliteration -- Empty(A)
Level 49: Resurgence -- Empty(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- Empty(A)

My girlfriend wants to run a level-pact group with me and she already knows she wants to play a Dark/Thermal corruptor. My question is what's a good melee toon to run along as her meat shield? I'm already making a SS/WP Brute as my solo toon so I don't really want to repeat either of those two power sets.

I know I want a brute, tank, or scrapper, just unsure which.

I know I want a resistance based set since her buffs will make me that much nastier, plus her dark attacks will make them hit me even less. Maybe invulnerability? I am kinda fond of that one.

Completely unsure what offense set to run for the moment. Maybe Dark Melee?

Any recommendations?

Thanks for all the ideas. I ended up making a SS/WP brute. Thing is it ended up in a duo with my girlfriend so now I'm back to being stuck for my solo toon (gah T_T). Lots of ideas in this thread though, am going to have to mess with some of them.

Mostly just curious, it seems useful for the time being (jab brawl jab brawl is kinda funny) but I have no idea if it's going to stay useful in the long run.

So far I'm enjoying Kinetic Melee, but I do think something that synergizes better with /WP may be in my near future. I must say though the set is very, very nice to look at. Could easily work as "air" melee for people who have been wanting air powersets if you color it right.

At the moment my brute appears to be in a perma-duo with my fiance, not sure which powerset will work best for it, I just know I'm keeping my Willpower :P

Also did not know you could change SS's animations, they don't look nearly so clunky now...maybe I will try it out.

Been away from the game for a little over a year, finally come back, finally figured out what I want to solo with...and still lost for my primary. I've been browsing the forums and see a whole lot of builds but I have no idea what I want for this one.

I've seen stone recommended a lot but I kinda think stone is ugly (although I could more than likely get over this one). I've also seen super strength as being suggested a lot for willpower but being reliant on hasten drives me bonkers, I don't want to build a super fast recharge build to try and keep hasten and rage perma-up, I would much rather focus my IO's on pumping my regen as high as it will go. I know how nasty SS can be but it drives me up the wall having to deal with two different sets of crashes.

I already plan to have a WP/Fire tank to duo with my girlfriend (although I still don't know if fire or SS is technically better AoE) so having a Fire/WP brute would be kinda end up boring me.

I dunno, after a year away from the game trying to re-learn all this is making me dizzy :P Any ideas?

[edit] And no, I'm not looking for a farmer build, just a brute who can pretty much solo and survive, well...anything.

[edit2] Wish there was a delete button after your post has been there for a while. I didn't even know we had a new powerset to play with, so... Kinetic/WP it is! Thanks if you took the time to read this ~_^

Ok, very good to know, thanks.

Actually, one more silly question.

If your in a supergroup and you switch sides, do you just get kicked out?

Now if only I could figure out which primary I liked the best. I would say Broadsword but sadly brutes can't use it, and I really want the extra survivability from Brute. I could always try that stone melee out I suppose.

It's not a 100% given, Invulnerability is also a possibility. I've never really been sure which of those two is harder to kill, both are incredibly tasty. I just know I'm definitely going with something hard to kill for my solo toon.

Leaning a bit more towards Brute over Scrapper after digging around in Mids for a while, I like the extra cushion more than I like the extra damage. May give a look at that stone melee, never really liked it since I thought it was kinda ugly but I may give it a shot.

Will more than likely take WP/Fire or WP/SS for my group tank to get in the AoE goodness, but that's a whole different story.