PolarMama

Wow what a great weekend. I had way too much fun... put off my homework ALL WEEKEND... I wanna thank all the Devs, and the whole City of * team for keeping the servers running smooth. One time, I couldn't get on Freedom (Sat. afternoon) but I just played another one for like twenty minutes and got on.

Nice job team.

Wow. Just Wow.
Faved and 5-starred.

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Great Guide. Sometimes herding up Nemesis hurts due to their AoE's.


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Been there, done that, and all I have to say is OUCH!

I dont try to aggro more than 6 or 7 nemesis unless they are white, maybe yellow minions.

Also, corner pulling or "herding" Neuron robots is fairly dangerous. They deal immense damage and their end drain for electrical attacks can detoggle my shields.

Like any AT, tankers have to know there limits.

Has anyone read this? Does anyone have any comments?

This is just plain great information. Thank you, Buffy!

One thing more.

Lately I have been noticing that SS seems to eat up more END than it used to. I was just standing aroungd the other day running only SS and SJ, and my END bar was dropping maybe 10%, then filling up, then dropping 10%, then filling up again.

This had not happened befor the most recent patch that I can remember.

A bug, maybe?

So heres the build for Polar Mama, my favorite toon!

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Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
---------------------------------------------
Name: Polar Mama
Level: 50
Archetype: Tanker
Primary: Ice Armor
Secondary: Energy Melee
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Frozen Armor==> DefBuf(1)EndRdx(3)DefBuf(3)EndRdx(11)DefBuf(11)EndRdx(17)
01) --> Barrage==> EndRdx(1)
02) --> Hoarfrost==> Rechg(2)Heal(5)Rechg(5)Heal(13)Rechg(15)Heal(15)
04) --> Chilling Embrace==> EndRdx(4)EndRdx(7)Taunt(7)Slow(34)Taunt(46)Slow(48)
06) --> Hurdle==> Jump(6)
08) --> Wet Ice==> EndRdx(8)EndRdx(9)EndRdx(9)
10) --> Combat Jumping==> Jump(10)
12) --> Bone Smasher==> EndRdx(12)Acc(13)Dmg(50)
14) --> Super Jump==> Jump(14)
16) --> Health==> Heal(16)Heal(17)Heal(23)
18) --> Glacial Armor==> EndRdx(18)DefBuf(19)EndRdx(19)DefBuf(39)EndRdx(39)DefBuf(39)
20) --> Stamina==> EndMod(20)EndMod(21)EndMod(21)
22) --> Whirling Hands==> Dmg(22)Acc(23)EndRdx(29)Rechg(31)Dmg(31)
24) --> Hasten==> Rechg(24)Rechg(25)Rechg(25)
26) --> Energy Absorbtion==> EndMod(26)Rechg(27)Rechg(27)EndMod(31)DefBuf(34)DefBuf(36)
28) --> Build Up==> TH_Buf(28)Rechg(29)Rechg(33)TH_Buf(34)Rechg(37)TH_Buf(37)
30) --> Super Speed==> Run(30)
32) --> Hibernate==> Rechg(32)Rechg(33)Rechg(33)Heal(37)Heal(48)
35) --> Energy Transfer==> Acc(35)Dmg(36)Dmg(36)Rechg(40)Dmg(43)EndRdx(46)
38) --> Total Focus==> Acc(38)EndRdx(40)EndRdx(40)Rechg(43)Dmg(46)Dmg(48)
41) --> Focused Accuracy==> TH_Buf(41)EndRdx(42)EndRdx(42)EndRdx(42)TH_Buf(43)
44) --> Taunt==> Taunt(44)Rechg(45)Taunt(45)Rechg(45)
47) --> Stun==> Acc(47)DisDur(50)EndRdx(50)
49) --> Air Superiority==> Acc(49)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> EndRdx(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
01) --> Gauntlet==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Rechg(2)
---------------------------------------------


Shes only lvl 44 ATM, and her build wont look like this till after the respec and six more levels, but all the movement and defensive powers are already there. All I am missing is Bone Smasher and Stun (I may add these in last after all they are mostly for extra damage and Mez).

I will say that unless I am on a REALLY GOOD team (people on my SG or friends I know and trust) I dont try to take on anything above +3's, and solo +1s with confidence. Death means nothing to me in PvE (my motto: Debt is good! Builds Character!), but I do try to avoid it as I am also very competitive.

I would say to anyone who has enjoyed tanking before or who think that they might that the career of an Ice/EM is filled with fun and excitement!

The word on carnies: I have tnaked up to +2 carnies, and only had my toggles dropped once when I ran headlong into two Master Ilussionists and a Ring Mistress in a large mob.

I was shocked the first time I fought the Malta, and a Sapper got me and wiped out my END. I am much more careful around Malta now.

I will post my build later tonight.

Thank you so much for this post.

I just needed to say that my first toon ever was a kinetics defender, and IMO kin/ or /kin is by a small margin the most helpful defender set, followed by FF, followed by Empathy and Rad. This is from the perspective of someone who plays an ice/EM tanker most of the time.

My latest toon is an Empath defender, and I have already experienced the "RuHelor" attitude. The heals in empathy and the buffs are certainly powerful, but one CANNOT keep fort on all team memebrs all the time. It doesn't last long enuf or recharge fast enough.

Especcialy in the Hollows, I seem to often team with people who play like the cannot be defeated. They charge into +3's and expect ME to save them with my "awesome healz." THis is the attitude at work. If I see this happen a few times, its "gtg team, SG callin" or maybe "u guys suck, cya!" and the quit button for me.

SO yeah, thanx for the post. Too bad most of those noobs in the Hollows never read the boards anyway.

Thank so much for the guide, but I have a BIG question.

I have heard that in some powers, slotting Hami can increase or decrease a function (such as to-hit buff, defense, etc.) that is not even a function of the power it is slotted in.

Is there any truth to this? If so what powers fit with what Hami-O's?

Well I have a lvl 26 Ill/storm controller and she is absolutely my favorite toon.

Right now I am mostly busy getting my TAnker to 50, but I will be play8ing my Troller contastantly after I accomplish that.

I never read any guides on the ill/storm troller, so I have never been depressed about this toon. The addition of Storm to Illusion gives Maiden-Brazil gretaer powers of control, debuff, and slows.

My friends on freedom love to team with Brazil, but I sometimes solo +1 mobs (a little slowly and very carefully)

Where Brazil really shines is on teams though, as a buffer(steamy mist), healer(machine-gun O2 boost), debuffer(ice storm), tanker(good ole PA), and hold-troller(flash and spectral terror).

I love playing this toon. I never got my kin defender beyond 20 (boooooring), but hey, thats me!

THanks very much for the fix, glycerine!

I really didn't know where else to post this, I wanted to make sure that Sherk saw it though.

Under the Tankers secondary in version 1.7.6.0, which I believe is the latest version,

Taunt is available at level 4

Maybe you don't ever play a tanker, but Taunt is not a lvl 4 power. It is a level 10 power (the fourth down in the secondary). It may seem like nitpicking, but WHEN I get my powers as well as what powers I have is important in all my builds.

I am sure that Sherk will correct this as soon as he possibly can.

Just so you know, I am very grateful for the builder. It has been extremely helpful. Thank you SherkSilver for all your hard work in bringing it to us!

WEEEEE!!!!

Shameless Bump!
This guide deserves it!

Hey there! My Ice/EM tank just hit 41 two nights ago. I use her most often has a true tankroller, taking and hold mass amounts of aggro while slowing and draining endurance. My build (oddly, i guess) does not include the Medicine Pool. I have my five favorite attacks: ET, TF, WH, Air Superiority, and (only because I have to) Barrage. I am finding so many powers I want in EM as I read the boards, I cant get them all!

I have all the Toggles in Ice Armor (I think) except Icycles (sp?). I usually run WI, GA, and FA all the time. When I am in a team I run CE to hold aggro. I also have Taunt, but I will prolly respec out of that later. I use hastem as much as possible, and SS is almost always toggled on. I also have CJ and SJ for vertical ability. I have the fitness pool (swift-health-stamina). Essentially I play a very fast herding tank with high defense and mezz resist.

Its strange but I find EA works really, really well for me. That extra 2% + 1/2 per critter somehow makes me take a lot less dammage, and I find that EA, then Hoarfrost (after I go below 1/2 HP), then Hasten, then EA again can make me VERY hard to kill even while herding +3's!

One thing I love is that EA stacks with itself. I am not sure exatly how the bonus is applied, but it feels additive (that is, +7 percent or so for the 1st EA, over and above my toggle armors, and 7% above that with the second EA) meaning that my defense against everything except Psi is somewhere in the neighboorhood of 44% (i think)

Course my numbers could be totally wrong, I don't really worry too much about that stuff.

And I don't know how non-ice tanks feel about Hibernate, but I freakin love it. If I pay attention, I am now nigh-unkillable!

Anyway I like your thread, thanx!

SO, is anyone going to update this guide for post-ED? Perma-haste no longer exists, and slotting is a bit more complex than it used to be. I dont know dookie about claws/regen, but I just started one and I'd like some advice.

I forgot to mention the other great advantage of herding; done properly, only the herder is at risk of dying. Use it, and your squishy may never have to faceplant again.

This is intended as a guide to those tanks and their teams who want to use herding tactics to increase the efficiency of their play.

For those who don't know, herding is a tactic used by tankers (and some rare scrappers) for collecting large groups of bad guys in a small area.

It works like this:

1. The "herder" walks up to a corner and says something like "Herding to here". This is a signal for all other team members to get out of the line of sight of ALL enemies. If u cant see them, they probably can't see you is the best rule of thumb.

2. The tanker, or other herder, takes off. In most cases the herder will want an empathy healer to follow him AT A DISTANCE, using heal other. To be most effective, the herder will need:
(a) Some kind of AoE melee taunt, like Mud Pots or Cilling Embrace.
(b) The Taunt power from the tanker secondary or scrapper primary
(c) Strong defenses: a good herd aggroes at least 20 enemies.
The herder moves from mob to mob, brushing up against as many enemies as possible with his AoE taunt. It's best to move FAST, as this gives the mobs less chance to hit you.

3. The Herder returns to his/her corner, taunting bosses as she/he runs for cover. The healer keeps an eye on the herders health bar, spamming Heal Other or just othewise making sure the herder doesn't faceplant. However, AND THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, the healer must get AND STAY out of the range of the taunted groups, so as not too aggro them him/herself and quickly become hamburger.

4. The healer gets back out of the mob's line of sight, and the tank/scrapper herding goes to their corner. The group will start to stack.

5. Once there is a sizable stack (at least 10) the trollers, blasters, and scrappers unleash their fury. First AoE holds, then AoE damage, then the scrappers clean up the stragglers. Sometimes, the herder will indicate the time is ripe by saying "NOW!" or "Ready!"

6. Retack: everyone gets out of the line of sight again, and the herder may need to re-aggro some of the mobs, again taunting any bosses that may be left. They stack up again. Rinse and repeat!

As far as this player knows, this is the most efficient and effective way to clean out whole rooms full of baddies. It does NOT always work perfectly. Oftentimes in caves there is not a good corner to stack the mobs on. Sometimes pillars are used to stack them up. There are variations on the same theme though. The important thing is that noone but the herder draw aggro until the beatdown ciommmences.

I hope that this is helpful. Please post any comments, critiques or additions, as I am certainly open to improving my play!