PrincessDarkstar
-
Posts
1698 -
Joined
-
You are definately right about the slots in QR. I ended up with 2 'spare' so tagged them there for the 5% recahrge, but they are probably better off going for endrdx in some of the toggles, and I think I actually will have end problems without doing so
The % stats on Obliteration annoys the life out of me, its a great set for bonus', but a crappy set for powers you actually want to use.
As for damage resistance in HPT I will see if I can free up some slots, but I doubt it, and I will look into the order of powers, though I think my scrapper took Heightened Senses late and didn't regret it too much. -
I can tell you that DB does have enough damage, even with just the Blinding Feint > Attack Vitals chain, but DB/SR can get perma-hasten and get the Blinding Feint > Ablating Strike > Sweeping Strike combo which is the best DPS chain for DB. And with room for the -res procs can easily solo heroes.
-
Does SS even have enough single target DPS to beat a hero? Its potent at AoE but not so much at single target as far as I know.
I think DM/WP is a great comob for heroes, you just need to work some more recharge in to get your attack chain improved.
I can't remember what the best attack chain is, or what you need for it, but if you head over to the scrapper section and do a search on attack chains you will find what you need. -
I don't think capped defence is quite as important as Cyber_naut says, although it is still very important. But on a WP you have other tricks up your sleeve (HP/Regen) and the heal from Siphon Life adds to that as well meaning you can get away with less.
My DB/WP scrapper for example has ~40% to all types but psi and can solo a few AV's, and stand in front of others pretty much all day even though he can't necessarily do the DPS needed for them.
I would think a DM/WP brute could get away with 30-35% defence due to the higher HP and Siphon Life. -
Taking advice from several places I have come up with the following build, any comments?
Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.601
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Rare Breed: Level 50 Magic Brute
Primary Power Set: War Mace
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Pulverize -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(3), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(3), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(5), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(5)
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- Numna-Heal:50(A), Numna-Heal/EndRdx:50(7), Numna-Heal/Rchg:50(7), Mrcl-Rcvry+:40(9), Mrcl-Heal:40(9)
Level 2: Jawbreaker -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(11), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(11), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(13), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(13)
Level 4: Fast Healing -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+:50(A), Numna-Heal:50(15), Numna-Heal/EndRdx:50(15), RgnTis-Regen+:30(17), Heal-I:50(17)
Level 6: Mind Over Body -- RctvArm-ResDam:40(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx:40(19), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg:40(19), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:40(45)
Level 8: Clobber -- C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:50(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg:50(21), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:50(21), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(23), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(23), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(25)
Level 10: Indomitable Will -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), Ksmt-ToHit+:30(46)
Level 12: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), LkGmblr-Def:50(45), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx:50(45)
Level 14: Hurdle -- Jump-I:50(A)
Level 16: Rise to the Challenge -- Numna-Heal:50(A), Numna-Heal/EndRdx:50(25), Heal-I:50(27)
Level 18: Whirling Mace -- Oblit-Dmg:50(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg:50(29), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg:50(29), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(31), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(31), Oblit-%Dam:50(46)
Level 20: Quick Recovery -- Efficacy-EndMod:50(A), Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg:50(31), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc:50(33), Efficacy-EndMod/EndRdx:50(33), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc/Rchg:50(46), Efficacy-Acc/Rchg:50(48)
Level 22: Health -- Numna-Heal:50(A), Numna-Heal/EndRdx:50(33), Numna-Heal/Rchg:50(34)
Level 24: Hasten -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(34), RechRdx-I:50(34)
Level 26: Shatter -- Oblit-Dmg:50(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg:50(27), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg:50(36), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(36), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(36), Oblit-%Dam:50(37)
Level 28: Super Jump -- ULeap-Jump:50(A)
Level 30: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod:50(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg:50(37), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc:50(37), P'Shift-End%:50(39)
Level 32: Crowd Control -- Oblit-Dmg:50(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg:50(39), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg:50(39), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(40), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(40), Oblit-%Dam:50(50)
Level 35: Build Up -- GSFC-ToHit:50(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg:50(40), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx:50(42), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx:50(43), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx:50(43), GSFC-Build%:50(43)
Level 38: Strength of Will -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:30(A)
Level 41: Heightened Senses -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), LkGmblr-Def:50(42), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx:50(42)
Level 44: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 47: Tough -- Aegis-ResDam:50(A), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx:50(48), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:50(48)
Level 49: Weave -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), LkGmblr-Def:50(50), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx:50(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I:50(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Run-I:50(A)
Level 2: Rest -- IntRdx-I:50(A)
Level 1: Fury
Code:| Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| |MxDz;1401;695;1390;HEX;| |78DAA593594F534114C7E776B1D0DED2224BA1EC65AD854BAB3EB8249A209260680| |234885163732D23D434A5B9ADDB9B1F00F7449F7C73FD0AFA49DCE3E750ACE79CFF| |D0C4676FD2FFAF73E63FE79CB973277F77D156EAFE596545CE55DC7ABDB8E0DD6AE| |860DEDD2E97C2EBAEA747173CADB7424AA96E992AE675456B67D3F58A79B7A41308| |2EEA1BBA5AA770B952A9EDDED15EE77275477BBADA700EFED8ABBBBB156745BBB57| |2751B83A572A3AAEBF5B00C0A35AA1335F1ED9D06B906CFD7CA25071556F4EDB2DB| |D871AB54B6DED0DEBD3E6A294DBF8CA5CCD30CA855424AF9D6807541A000DC24E4D| |427765AC6BE6171E8D01A5010B45D204CABB665C1AC65DC64B7903D8CB46114B191| |DD46F62FA47E93DD7F51F275A048078AC4CF1086547C42EC9F4983B0FB832929787| |8181841F93181431A4217C1902B4BBBAF0365416F09D812F469C157D27664B7DA7B| |A4FCDCBEE2F2BD942C82195F0433B3DD401CEF820C5118547446B27D238D5996AC8| |9614F7DD853129BC9D2A0D334D9F9CBC7A1C1DFC0BE60F80FD014CC293FE33BF9BB| |5029D8B507C303C1E863E009EC0F05F38F0421EAAFC76CA007CD8CA299319C628A0| |C09634864A4BFB17F90A3C97ED36D3FBA4DA2DB71743B8E6EC7D1ED04BA4D50DA01| |AC52033E9969A3D09039C3A1A7303F039E0BA65E088E9267C4141C41C129149C42C| |169149C46C11C0ACE59FC756155EA150CAF05E93782236F8177C07BC14FF24F9A36| |2713F2C5FDA0C18C79213338F2348E3C8D23B7681F19B326D3A447F929E29825CE7| |131CD678163820019B2C69045CE1C72E6907330D0BA9B4A25E5BDAF045AF74FD137| |C0A1D540EB8E296B40424BE2E2FBD6FCAFE7837D50AD7D2D4CFF0A246A836593879| |7582EB35CE1D855966B2C4596E647FBA0FDD8096EE824CB2996D32C7B6C0A454822| |2C364B94A58325C61267E962E96549B2BC6469FE05E52DF605| |-------------------------------------------------------------------|
-
Yeah currently I have gone for all the attacks, and I plan on speccing out of Bash at 22. I will probably then follow my level 50 build (Without the IO's) all the way up and start slotting properly at 47.
My only concern is that my DB/WP scrapper has massive survivability due to ~40% defences and in order to squeeze in some recharge to this build I am only at ~30% defence, so if I can get away with less recharge I probably will. -
Hi Brutes,
My previous attempts at SMASH! were failures and each and every time I ended up going back to scrappers, but I am determined to make this one work.
So WM/WP is my brute of choice at the moment and I am looking for some build advice.
I know /WP very well, having a DB/WP scrapper, but I don't know Warmace all that well.
What kind of recharge do I need to get the best out of it?
If the answer is "Not much" then I can probably just use my DB/WP scrappers build since the powers in DB and WP interchange nicely, but that hasn't got Hasten and it looks like I will be needing that to string AoE's together? -
Yeah I heard that, then I read somewhere it isn't considered an exploit any longer, oitherwise I wouldn't do it.
If it changes then there is always a shield toon to respec them into. But make hay while the sun shines and all that
-
In my planned build for my Bots/Traps I had my Protector Bots slotted as follows:
Nucleolus Exposure
Nucleolus Exposure
Nucleolus Exposure
Enzyme Exposure
Enzyme Exposure
Enzyme Exposure
This gives a total of (After ED):
Accuracy: 94.63
Damage: 94.63
Defence: 61.99
EndRdx: 94.63
ToHit: 54.00
Today however I slotted my first HO into them and noticed that the in game combat stats show Seeker Drones as part of the Upgrade Robot power, instead of part of the Protector Bot power.
Can anyone confirm that the Protector Bots' Seeker Drones will actually benefit from the ToHit I am slotting into them?
I think this is still the best slotting anyway, since the Enzymes give 33% Defence whereas level 50 IO's only give 25.5%, but it would be nice to know as I can save slotting them up for last and use the funds elsewhere first. -
I haven't read all of this thread since I am all burnt out from reading the whol BoTZ nerf thread, but what they need to do is:
A - assign proper merit values to each IO based on how useful they actually are, not what group they are in.
B - change respecs to give that number of merits when you sell an IO.
C - give global storage at 10 per character slot, so people can store more IO's than before, but only to a certain limit. And while they are at it global salvage and inf too.
If a crappy IO that nobody wants is only worth 5 merits then no amount of bronze roll farming is going to get you great rewards, but those who actually need to respec out of the useful IO's will still get good value.
The whole idea of "All of pool X is equally valable" which the merit system is based on was a bad idea all along, and is even worse now. -
While I find it hard to believe that you can do more damage than even a T1 pet does that mean you don't bother with the T2/T3 pets?
Cos provoke/challenge will rip aggro straight off those, no amount of attacking will. -
There is no way in the world a MM single target attack can draw aggro off your pets, but taunt can and thats why you use it.
If you only need to get the initial aggro (IE: Take the alpha) then you don't need taunt, this may be because your pets are tough or you have debuff or whatever.
Some builds buff up the MM and thus the less damage the pets take the better, as is the case of my Bots/FF, if I took attacks instead of challenge/provoke there is no way I could hover up in the air and keep all the AoE's away from my bots for the entire fight.
Quote:Are you really saying that your MM does more damage than your pets? Because that is the only way your attacks will ever draw aggro away from the pets.Originally Posted by _Klaw_
If you do more damage though you can hold the attention of the higher con foe. -
Immob the nemesis into your burn patches and their veng doesn't stop you killing them. Getting them all immob'd is the trick though, because one or two stragglers venged up will cut right through your defence.
-
Even grav wardens own my bots/traps so you aren't alone, but I think it is more to do with the way gravity seems to ignore your bodyguard mode rather than it being an EB you were fighting.
-
Assault Bot + Upgrade Robot
-
I agree that traps arent the most active secondary. But I find that if you open with seeker drones (To take the alpha) then drop either PGT or Acid Mortar that is enough for one spawn. Use the remaining power for the next spawn.
To keep myself busy I took a patron immob and use that + caltrops while I wait for everything to die. But coming from a bots/ff I don't mind the slightly lazy style of play.
Traps is active at the start of a fight, but unless it is a ong fight there isn't much to do once all the traps are out. Not that much more is needed after that point since everything dies
-
I haven't played /Pain but with all that self healing I would think getting about 30% ranged defence and going for as much recharge as possible may be a slightly better plan. The ranged defence means that a lot of stuff misses you, and the last 15% defence is usually so hard to get you can probably fit in 40-50% global recharge instead (Guessing the numbers by the way).
-
I understand the reason for running into melee is due to them running out of ranged attacks, so the next attack they try and queue is a melee attack. By the time they get into melee range however the ranged attack is back again and they shoot the enemy in the face (Or die to a footstomp).
I would have expected the recharge 'fix' to address the issue but either the above is wrong (And I am sure it was dev confirmed at some point) or the bots don't quite have full attack chains on standard recharge. -
I originally took Web Envelope on my Bots/FF and it upped my killing speed by about 50% I would say, but then I took Electric Fences and my killing speed went up bya bout 200%.
I know the area is smaller (Which is annoying) but bots do an awful lot of -kb and the burn patches are not very big. Keeping those mobs in the burn patches increases DPS dramatically.
Also I am glad it is electric fences that has the -kb because I would hate to have to pull my mace out every time, bloody annoying. -
Quote:No.Originally Posted by xhris
Now, if they changed it to an AoE, i'd be happy if they dropped the full-heal part for faster recharge.
The good thing about Repair is that it is a 100% heal, anything less and you just turned it into Aid Other. And AoE is useless since not all pets get hit at the same time or stay close enough together.
All I care about is having that big heal to make sure my Assault Bot stays upright, the others can die for all I care. Leave it alone. -
Quote:I always make room for Repair for thatOriginally Posted by Jade_Dragon
You really shouldn't slot more than 1 Heal, for reasons mentioned earlier. I do slot the 1, so when my Assault Bot gets healed, he gets HEALED.
-
Quote:I think of all the things this is what needs highlighting most, since it is the hardest thing to find out yourself.Originally Posted by Psylenz
I recommend against slotting for heal since the protector bots will wait longer to heal a minion until it takes more damage so that the heal is fully used. You have the chance for quicker deaths of minions with more heal than less.
Basically if your ProtBots heal for 500, and a Drone has 1000 health (Made up numbers) then they will heal a Drone when he is on 50% health, which is good.
If you enhance that heal to 900 they will wait until your Drone is on 10% health before healing, meaning one stray AoE will kill the Drone and waste the heal. Not a good thing.
Aside from that make sure you have at least 2 Defence IO's in (Or equivalent) and Acc/Dam the rest. -
Assuming the Enzyme thingy is allowed how does the following look? (Note: Borrowed heavily from the Sinthix build on the other thread)
Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.601
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Kaye Boom: Level 50 Technology Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Robotics
Secondary Power Set: Traps
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Concealment
Ancillary Pool: Mu Mastery
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Battle Drones -- HO:Nucle(A), HO:Nucle(3), HO:Nucle(3), ExStrk-Dam%:20(5), EdctM'r-PetDef:40(5), SvgnRt-PetResDam:50(7)
Level 1: Web Grenade -- Enf'dOp-Acc/Rchg:50(A), Enf'dOp-EndRdx/Immob:50(7), Enf'dOp-Acc/EndRdx:50(9), Enf'dOp-Immob/Rng:50(9), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob/Rchg:50(11), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob:50(11)
Level 2: Caltrops -- Erad-%Dam:30(A), Oblit-%Dam:50(21), Posi-Dam%:50(25), Armgdn-Dam%:50(34)
Level 4: Triage Beacon -- Numna-Heal/Rchg:50(A), Numna-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:50(25), H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:40(33), H'zdH-Heal/Rchg:40(33)
Level 6: Equip Robot -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 8: Hurdle -- Jump-I:50(A)
Level 10: Acid Mortar -- HO:Lyso(A), RechRdx-I:50(19), RechRdx-I:50(21), HO:Lyso(33), Achilles-ResDeb%:20(34)
Level 12: Protector Bots -- HO:Nucle(A), HO:Nucle(13), HO:Nucle(13), HO:Enzym(15), HO:Enzym(15), HO:Enzym(17)
Level 14: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A)
Level 16: Force Field Generator -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), LkGmblr-Def:50(17), DefBuff-I:50(19)
Level 18: Super Jump -- Zephyr-Travel:50(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx:50(34), Zephyr-ResKB:50(36)
Level 20: Poison Trap -- Lock-Acc/Hold:50(A), Lock-Acc/Rchg:50(23), Lock-Rchg/Hold:50(31), Lock-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:50(36), Lock-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:50(36), Lock-%Hold:50(50)
Level 22: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+:50(A), Mrcl-Rcvry+:40(23)
Level 24: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod:50(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg:50(37), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc:50(37), P'Shift-End%:50(37)
Level 26: Assault Bot -- HO:Nucle(A), HO:Nucle(27), HO:Nucle(27), ExStrk-Dam%:20(29), S'bndAl-Build%:50(29)
Level 28: Seeker Drones -- HO:Lyso(A), HO:Lyso(39), HO:Lyso(39), RechRdx-I:50(43), RechRdx-I:50(50)
Level 30: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx:50(31), GftotA-Def:40(31), GftotA-Def/EndRdx:40(50)
Level 32: Upgrade Robot -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 35: Trip Mine -- Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:50(39), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(40), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(40), Posi-Dam%:50(40)
Level 38: Tactics -- GSFC-ToHit:50(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg:50(42), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx:50(42), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx:50(42), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx:50(43), GSFC-Build%:50(43)
Level 41: Charged Armor -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:30(A), ImpArm-ResDam:40(45), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx:40(45)
Level 44: Electrifying Fences -- GravAnch-Immob/Rchg:50(A), GravAnch-Acc/Immob/Rchg:50(45), GravAnch-Acc/Rchg:50(46), GravAnch-Immob/EndRdx:50(46), GravAnch-Hold%:50(46)
Level 47: Stealth -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx:50(48), GftotA-Def:40(48), GftotA-Def/EndRdx:40(48)
Level 49: Repair -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I:50(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Clrty-Stlth:50(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 1: Supremacy
Code:Depending on the damage I am thinking about swapping Repair for Detonate, or maybe even Assault or Provoke - what are the thoughts on that?| Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| |MxDz;1439;727;1454;HEX;| |78DAA594494F535114C7EFEB4029B4B4A5B440A1D02243192C74A538C4086A82D20| |46851A34652E0012F69FB9ABE62AC231FC08582C3CA9DE35A8D0671E06BA85FC08D| |3B9C36F50CB769D3AD4DFAFFBD7BEE39F70C6F885F3DE11062E39850DC93E994612| |CC4534641CD67B4EC7243525D5ACBEA697DB5683F932AAAA1095DCFD88410818ACF| |42623D93D1B3D1397D512F684B86AF6A6B627D65259ACCA77286672ABBA6E6D56C2| |15ABE70CCE87A3A7A4A2B6455C3E0C5B49ACA69D9555779B1ACE68D352DE7A1F554| |F68A66688B5A5A2B14032773DA52B42A517C5D565D6C83EA06E1BF6D15F257B28A2| |3008B59986A68299A84F00ACB77580E88BA3D404C142D5581771534D5DD23D46F32| |B6080DF7190F08D7204AE128B3F2038E0D8A1661C69DB677746CF8A809711DFCCC0| |AFB991314DA9624842614AC22749CB003E5730725610DD3097530781B870A5B844C| |37E0343B7B59ECE3D89410CDC3B4D5C208496B78975AFD086736CAE61AE5141C356| |C3AC02165BA25FD90DF29F33B7D54F34D30BBD86472B1C9DD4268EEA2F4AD10E3E1| |7C26CF179A40F82B61DF37C22D0B96C50579F7C8E4FF49E8FAC57EBF197F08B1BF0| |41B1CEBE3BC8AEF2C25F49FA6B9D5C34EAB9C6FEB2639F76E311E321E113EC320DA| |E5E4DA65E3811A76F2E3D1394911B7A1D20E19D131CE1EFD351CE2A1C7181EA8252| |86B09F274BADC8C7A2A366621EC422DDDF25E77F3BDDE80643D3259CF2B32F5BF26| |0CBC61BC65F0C3E5854C7D9CC9DAF784CA1D7CCA78C6784E187AC17849D881E7332| |2EF5E048716142311AA68A497F0011C866515C3B314333247D89F602419F3042754| |1195EF4094FB1DE57E47B9DF51EEF713F43B26FB1DE35175565E3AF8B89069BADA6| |4A7043395974C281C18AF78FDD76F1B3E817CB67DB601AE1220621EE51C2ECFA35C| |40B988B64B28975116504AEF1DE52A5C07B1A0719443288751EEA0930DDFBB46140| |78A13A509C585E246F1A2F85102288F514AFF00FC65F8A1| |-------------------------------------------------------------------|
-
I have definately noticed an increase in this recently (not sure if it is since the last patch or not) and it is starting to really annoy me.
Even using summon teammates only makes the bots appear next to me before they run off again, usually through walls or underground!?
Sometimes they would come back, sometimes one or two would come back, sometimes nothing, but I would say this happened on 80% of the lifts/doors. Add to that the fact that having pets stay with you all the time is annoying (Fire/Kins in Ouro) I wish they would just revert back to when pets didn't follow you out of missions.
Failing that give us a 'pets tp here now and reset AI' button. Please
Oh and while you are at it give us a 'stand there and fire and do not move under any circumstances' command too
-
Quote:I can't see a Crab Spider getting anywhere close to the AoE of some MM's, or the survivability. Or the single target damage for that matter.Originally Posted by Bronze Knight
All that said You want to melt spawns? You want to do +1 (8) solo? You want pets? Roll a SOA go Crab Spider. AOE, Pets and Survivability.
Bots/Traps is my fave, nothing beats the sight of an Incendiary Missile burning up an immob'd group of pretty much anything, and Acid Mortar just makes it all the sweeter.