Psylenz
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Posts
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Joined
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Most of the slotting looks ok. This is not a build I would want to exemp down with. You appear to be missing any of the special pet bonus enhancements from edict of the master or sovereign right. I love me some howling twilight, too. As well as the teammate/ally rez, it has a big AoE slow, a large AoE stun, and regeneration debuff in an autohit style.
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I don't have a lot to quibble with. Four slotting combat jump on first glance makes me wince but I see what you did. There is a place you can squeeze out a lot of effectivity, IMHO. If you could 4 or even 5 slot Cloud Senses in Dark Servant, you will absolutely floor tohit of foes in PbAoE range of the Dark Servant. Dark Servant has had his AI tweaked, he likes to run in now more than he did before.
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The first time I ran it, I was on a brute and I chose Numina. She did get Fortitude in place before she ran off and aggroed a side group while I was fighting the EB at the end. She doesn't solo team-sized spawns well. The second time I ran it, I was on a support character and I took Synapse. I was approaching the final conflict and performed my triple Lich summons while Synapse jumped in and face-planted ingloriously - not even on the EB group yet. My third attempt was on another mastermind, so I chose BABs. He seemed to thrive with the forcefield shields and is my ally of choice with my buffers now. I have also worked out an approach to the EB at the end to avoid silly side aggro during the final combat.
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Unbounded Leap +stealth fits in the leaping power, and the sprints. I like it. It doesn't go in hurdle. I like to put stealth in a power I can toggle off.
I am a big fan of the achilles' heel proc as well. -
Hello forumites. Within SSA2.1, I think I can ask... oh what the heck SPOILER ALERTS!!
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Which Freedom Phalanx member do you choose to ally with, and what is your general success? -
Quote:The mission plays a lot better, even solo, when you don't disconnect in the middle of the episode and all the pointers get wonky.Originally Posted by Psylenz
I like the foes, the content, the levels. I did not like the arduously and capriciously contrived use of a zone door for a mission door, like a train station entrance except no listed options for destinations. First, I was knocked out of the game by zoning, then we fought in Fort Trident which was weird because I was dorking around waiting for the team leader to talk to the contact when we were ambushed. The whole flow was contemptuously pancakingly inept. -
Overall I think you have a good build using IO bonuses to help your recharge and effectiveness. I would point out a couple things you might consider as additional points of interest. You _could_ slot for more recharge in some areas without hurting your effectiveness such as temporal mending and time juncture. You also did not take fighting or any epic shield which would help your mastermind especially with the nasty alpha strikes.
Hami-Ohs, if you can afford/get them really are the best fit for an upper level demon summoner. -
It was back in the day, but I have been on a 7 hour Synapse. I guess we were hella stubborn.
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Quote:LOL scrappers should be SAPPERSOriginally Posted by Psylenz
I could be cobbling up memories of other -resistance powers. I think that the 14.9 base duration in screech applies to the 20% -resistance as well. It's very effective as a single target stun, and if I recall the duration on the -resistance, makes it very useful in stripping the resistances of hard targets.
If you are fighting particularly nasty minions or lieutenants like scrappers or voids, the mag 3 stun is screech is highly useful. -
I could be cobbling up memories of other -resistance powers. I think that the 14.9 base duration in screech applies to the 20% -resistance as well. It's very effective as a single target stun, and if I recall the duration on the -resistance, makes it very useful in stripping the resistances of hard targets.
If you are fighting particularly nasty minions or lieutenants like scrappers or voids, the mag 3 stun is screech is highly useful. -
@OP
The attack pattern is working for you. In many situations especially with dark, certain opening work better than others. Some groups you can stun, others you can fear, and in some groups you want to lead off with gale because it interrupts the foes in their alpha attack activation. The -tohit in fearsome is always good even if they resist the fear component. With experience and keeping an open mind, your attack cycle will match the foes that you attack. -
Quote:Lightning storm does NOT suck. You can have 2, almost 3 up at a time on a high recharge build. They aren't "I Win" pets, but they do good damage, and do knock back most often single target which if you are fighting under the storm as a mastermind can be very good.Originally Posted by SuperFerret
Lightning Storm sucks?
For what it's worth, I enjoy the Storm set much more than Dark, and that's really what's most important.
On teams, so many non-storms cry that lightning storm(s) scatter foes too much. In a fight with a large group of foes, and the emphasis is to keep the foes together, pop on your flight pack or hover and place lightning storm higher to the battle, this makes the knock back more of a knock down. Also, too much scatter? Good stormies do NOT want to push foes out of the freezing rain, debuff, kill zone.
Lightning storm is impregnable to being defeated. Lightning storm does not get mezzed and will keep blasting even if the stormy is mezzed. The repeated lightning strikes do not cost additional endurance. Lightning storm will alert you to ambushes, to runners that return. I cannot imagine a serious storm summoner is not taking lightning storm. -
Storms have great -tohit, -resistance, -def, but to increase the amount of freezing rain patches and lightning storms, recharge bonuses are very welcome. As a stormy mastermind, ranged and AoE defense is also very useful.
I haven't played mercs in quite some time, but they are ranged, and won't interrupt the constant movement in the middle of the fray by the stormy. Others have noted that achille's heal procs in the mercs brings improved results. -
This is my level 50 Rad/Dark. I haven't purpled him out yet or incarnated him - warts and all. It's not terribly expensive. I used mostly what dropped. In short, there are cheap IOs out there that are effective, adding small but noticeable bonuses. Your blasts could really use the tempests and ruins to cover accuracy damage and endurance for more of all aspects without breaking the bank.
I do like the powers you have taken. Obviously you get 3 more when you swap out the inherent fitness. Stamina may be slotted earlier than level 21. Choking cloud is such a good power for keeping foes in PbAoE range in a continual hold. It is the end hog of all the end piggies in CoH.
By the way, somewhere in the past the end cost of Enervating Field no longer warrants 3 full endurance reduction modifiers. The numbers for the cost and balance against recovery can be found using the Mids hero planner.
Good luck!
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.956
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Terrabyte: Level 50 Natural Defender
Primary Power Set: Radiation Emission
Secondary Power Set: Dark Blast
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Teleportation
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Power Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Radiant Aura -- H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx(A), H'zdH-Heal/Rchg(3), H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(3), H'zdH-Heal(5), H'zdH-EndRdx/Rchg(5)
Level 1: Dark Blast -- Acc-I(A), Dmg-I(7), Entrpc-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Entrpc-Acc/Dmg(9), Acc-I(9)
Level 2: Accelerate Metabolism -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(11), RechRdx-I(11), EndMod-I(13), EndMod-I(13)
Level 4: Gloom -- Acc-I(A), Mael'Fry-Dmg/EndRdx(15), Mael'Fry-Dmg/Rchg(15), Mael'Fry-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(17), Decim-Acc/Dmg(17)
Level 6: Radiation Infection -- DampS-ToHitDeb(A), DampS-ToHitDeb/Rchg(19), DampS-ToHitDeb/Rchg/EndRdx(19), DampS-Rchg/EndRdx(21), DampS-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(21)
Level 8: Super Speed -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 10: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(23), RechRdx-I(23)
Level 12: Lingering Radiation -- Acc-I(A), Acc-I(25), TmpRdns-Acc/Slow(25)
Level 14: Dark Pit -- Rope-Acc/Stun(A), Rope-Acc/Rchg(27)
Level 16: Tenebrous Tentacles -- Acc-I(A), Acc-I(27), Dmg-I(29), Dmg-I(29), Enf'dOp-EndRdx/Immob(31)
Level 18: Recall Friend -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 20: Mutation -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 22: Choking Cloud -- EndRdx-I(A), NrncSD-Acc/EndRdx(31), Lock-%Hold(31), NrncSD-Dam%(33), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(33), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold(33)
Level 24: Enervating Field -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(34)
Level 26: Night Fall -- Acc-I(A), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx(34), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg(34), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36), Det'tn-Dmg/Rng(36)
Level 28: Fallout -- Dmg-I(A), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36), Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(37), AirB'st-Dmg/Rchg(37)
Level 30: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(37)
Level 32: EM Pulse -- NrncSD-Acc/EndRdx(A), NrncSD-Acc/Hold/Rchg(39), NrncSD-Acc/Rchg(39), RechRdx-I(39), RechRdx-I(40), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(40)
Level 35: Tactics -- AdjTgt-ToHit(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(40), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(42), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(42), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx(42)
Level 38: Blackstar -- Acc-I(A), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg(43), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(43), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(45)
Level 41: Power Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(45), AdjTgt-ToHit(45), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx(46), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 44: Temp Invulnerability -- Aegis-Psi/Status(A), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(46), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(48), ImpArm-ResPsi(48)
Level 47: Conserve Power -- EndRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(48), RechRdx-I(50)
Level 49: Vengeance -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Heal-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(50), EndMod-I(50)
Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Vigilance
Level 4: Ninja Run
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This is my level up build, current build on my level 36 Time/Rad. To survive the 50+ content, fitting in fighting or leadership would be a goal.
Time Juncture, Temporal Selection, Distortion Field, Farsight, Slowed Response, and Chronoshift are indispensable. I would say Hasten in as well. This is a build you want a lot of TIME (
) to get your big buffs up as soon as possible.
I believe hover is essential due to the contours, geometry, and inclines to keep in line of sight.
I took teleport for combat, to jump and get the debuffs going on the foes, not just slide in.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.956
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Yotta Byte: Level 49 Natural Defender
Primary Power Set: Time Manipulation
Secondary Power Set: Radiation Blast
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Teleportation
Ancillary Pool: Power Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Temporal Mending -- EndRdx-I(A), Heal(3), Heal-I(3), Heal-I(5)
Level 1: Neutrino Bolt -- Acc-I(A), Dmg(5)
Level 2: Time's Juncture -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(7), ToHitDeb-I(7), DampS-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(9), ToHitDeb-I(9)
Level 4: Irradiate -- Acc-I(A), EndRdx-I(11), Dmg-I(11), Dmg-I(13)
Level 6: Temporal Selection -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(13), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(15), Heal-I(15)
Level 8: Distortion Field -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(17), Slow-I(17), Lock-%Hold(19)
Level 10: Time Crawl -- Acc-I(A), Acc-I(19)
Level 12: Time Stop -- Acc(A), Acc-I(21), RechRdx-I(21), BasGaze-Acc/Hold(23)
Level 14: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx(23), RechRdx-I(25)
Level 16: X-Ray Beam -- Acc-I(A)
Level 18: Farsight -- RedFtn-Def/Rchg(A), RechRdx-I(25), RechRdx-I(27), DefBuff-I(27), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(29), RedFtn-Def(29)
Level 20: Hover -- Flight(A)
Level 22: Aim -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 24: Teleport -- Range(A)
Level 26: Slowed Response -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(31), AnWeak-DefDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(31), Acc-I(31)
Level 28: Cosmic Burst -- Acc-I(A), Mael'Fry-Acc/Dmg(33), Dmg-I(33), Dmg-I(33)
Level 30: Recall Friend -- IntRdx-I(A)
Level 32: Chrono Shift -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(34), Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg(34), Efficacy-EndMod(34)
Level 35: Power Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(36)
Level 38: [Empty]
Level 41: [Empty]
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
Level 1: Brawl -- Dmg(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Jump(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Swift -- Run(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump(A)
Level 2: Health -- Heal-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(36), EndMod-I(36)
Level 38: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A)
Level 38: Vigilance
Level 38: Ninja Run
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I like the foes, the content, the levels. I did not like the arduously and capriciously contrived use of a zone door for a mission door, like a train station entrance except no listed options for destinations. First, I was knocked out of the game by zoning, then we fought in Fort Trident which was weird because I was dorking around waiting for the team leader to talk to the contact when we were ambushed. The whole flow was contemptuously pancakingly inept.
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Quote:It's difficult to assess the mastermind sets until you get to at least level 24. The thugs tier 2 enforcers have leadership that greatly beefs up their survivability.Originally Posted by dmurray
Guys thanks for all that but I have a question (actually sent in a ticket about this): I got used to using the thugs up to level 10. When I put them to defensive stance and then tell them to attack something, they kill it and anything else attacking them/me (which is what I think they're supposed to do). But with bots they switch from defensive to agressive and stay in agressive stance when I tell them to attack and end running off and constantly fighting.
I tried demons just now and the same thing happened but only for a moment. They switch to agressive for about 5 seconds then back to defensive which is fine since usually it takes more than five seconds to kill everything.
So is it a bug with the bots?
Anyway, so far I didn't really like the thugs (admittedly I only did play to level 10). They seemed far too weak in terms of being able to be kept alive. I went with dark as a secondary power but I dunno, it just seemed like one of them was always around 1/3 health (with me spamming the level 1 heal and using inspiration healing on them). The bots seem stronger (although I'm only level 4) and do pack a bit of a punch, too. But the problem I mentioned above is really putting me off them.
What are demons and zombies like? I know people say demons/thugs/robots are tied for top three (more or less) but what makes demons good? Is it just the variety of damage types they can put out.
Is necromancy actually good in endgame stuff since I am fond of soloing stuff but I'm somewhat worried that necromancy might not be good. I just sort of picture the zombies as well... zombies (slow and sluggish). Or are they actually good in melee and can hold their own compared to bots or thugs?
And why do people say Commandos are bad?
Oh and I went FF with the bots; I'm enjoying it so far. Wil lthe first level ability still hold up at endgame? (it just knocks people down but it's pretty useful)
In the case of the necros, the zombies don't get their self heal until the second upgrade at level 32! Certain secondaries can really assist the zombies' toughness. Thermal, Sonic(!), and storm synergize well. Again, late blooming, the grave knights are VERY fearsome melee attack pets when upgraded twice.
Demons are tough, they heal themselves, they have a resistance shield. The demons have multiple damage types: fire, cold, lethal, range, melee, AoE. The apparent weakness of demons is they burn a LOT of endurance. Slotting for all their needs tends to have a the player make compromises in maxed out damage or accuracy. The Demon Prince is solid, tends to play more like an ice dominator at times, but when the Demon Prince gets the second upgrade - he is a MONSTER, a BEAST. When the ice sword comes out, he kicks butt and takes names.
Force bolt is a good power. It's not the "I win" button, but it is useful. When you get repulsion bomb, you will have a decent fill chain for your mastermind. If you have the veteran staves or even build some cheap temp powers like plasmatic taser, you will have some tricks to keep involved in the action. Stun grenades is another temp power worth having in the utility belt. -
It looks pretty nice, not overboard on purples for purples sake. I seem to be overlooking missing in your build the sovereign right +resistance pet buff. (I would put it in Hell on Earth I Guess.) I also like the Steadfast Protection +def/+resist, but with your resistance set bonuses, I am not sure where you would fit this in, probably shadow fall.
It looks like you traded by deferring some extra heal from the tier two pets for more damage. i can't fault the logic since you utiliized more of the Pacing of the Turtles in Demon Prince. I think it should work.
The Dark set itself is a high recharge build. I also like recharge for the hell on earth. It's that useful. -
Awesome is as awesome does.
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Bots/Traps is a juggernaut! Very safe, very formidable damage.
Bots/FF is undoutedly the safest, and it is probably the biggest snore.
Bots are good against lethal damage, so the gun wielders in the early levels are pretty well outmatched by laser fire from the robots. Robots bubble themselves starting with the 2nd tier pet at level 12. Another feature is their knockback in their attacks. This can be frustrating, but with experience you can actually focus the knockback push foes into walls and obstacles. The benefit of this is the AoE incendiery missiles that light patches of robotic death on the ground.
Bots/Traps is sturdy and straightforward in application. It will not let you down. -
In my opinion, Devs hate masterminds more.
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@Sonic Remedy, your post makes this thread sticky worthy.
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Empathy/* can help a team. Heal other, heal aura, and absorb pain are three powers that heal of the nine primary powers. Using fortitude, recovery aura, regen aura, and adrenaline boost will decrease the need to feel like your only purpose is to heal.
Second, I noticed you said you like dark blast for tohit debuff. Please whatever secondary you have, USE it. There have been too many cases where 9 secondary powers are available and the empath took only the default blast. In short, YES! dark blast goes well with an empath. There are some decent AoEs and a strong candidate for defender secondary power of all powers - tenebrous tentacles, damage + cone immobilize + tohit debuff for the win! -
Eight year veteran, totally at a loss regarding crafted Heal enhancements with the new added feature of absorption to the properties. I missed a memo somewhere.
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In addition to the AoE slow and -recharge, Snow Storm has a few other features that are important, if not obvious. Snow Storm is -fly. It seems more and more groups ignore -fly, but it can add utility to your bunching/grouping with gale > freezing rain > hurricane to maximize the number of foes in the kill zone. Snow Storm also possesses a very nice feature: AoE interrupt. This affects embalmed vahzilok, self-destructing CoT mages, sky raider engineers (unable to launch FFG), Rikti communication officers. I am sure I left out others.
Another consideration, Snow Storm can be placed certain foe spawns, such as DE emanators. The advantage to this, as opposed to say a Council warwolf, is that the anchor is stationary
On a controller I can see why another soft control would be redundant in some builds. I really like all the features of Snow Storm. Level 26 seems like a reasonable place to take it if you aren't going for the tier 8 primary power.