SBeaudway

Welcome back! Glad you're back safe. Some of us old timers are still on Pinnacle. I even moved nearly all my old Protector villains to Pinn.

Oh and better get drinkin'!

Personally, I love dual masterminds (or more) teams. For a dedicated duo, I'd suggest two Thugs. The enforcer leadership powers apply to all Thugs you team with. All the Thugs can be at ~40% defense by level 24. The enforcer's leadership powers do not affect the two MMs though. I'd then pair a secondary with team mez protection such as /Traps or /Force Field and then something that has a heal (lots of options). I am in a duo of Thugs/Traps and Thugs/Pain and it's awesome at level 18.

I had the same issue today as the OP. The endless minor MM bugs are annoying.

I would point out that containment was not "given" to controllers as a buff. It was a trade-off in return for a nerf of controls to approximately 1/4th their original value. This also came with the nerf to controller multi-pets. The Devs stated goals were less lockdown, and more damage for soloability thoughout 1-50 and not just post pets. At the time most controllers, or the ones I played with, viewed this deal as a nerf to the AT. With time we got used to it and now most controllers leverage containment just like brutes leverage fury. Or any other AT maximizes their inherent.

I'm all for considering dumping containment in exchange for a return of my pets and controls. But since we're all taking about one very specific powerset combination when we talk about how controllers do "too much damage", I think we can probably think of some other solution that doesn't neuter what little damage an ice controller might do with containment.

Assuming, of course, that combination is any more broken than any of a number of other broken combinations. This game is rife with completely over the top combinations that trivialize content. That's oddly it's charm and makes it unique compared to other MMOs. Hopefully the Incarnate system and new end game content will challenge us all.

For cheapest, I'd say a Fire/Kinetics Controller. You can farm effectively with just SOs. And a smash/lethal defense soft capped build is still relatively cheap if you go with IOs. Farm builds aren't typically ideal for "all around playing" though. They are optimized to do one thing well.

I have a Fire/Shield/Blaze. No endurance issues, but I do have both the Miracle and Numina +end recovey IOs and Fire Sword Circle has 5 Scirrocos + 1 end red to keep the end cost under control. It's also defense soft capped. It really is a good all around scrapper.

I prefer Fire/Rad. Good controller damage solo, great control/buffs/debuffs/heals for teaming. Ill/Rad is better for AVs, but for everything else, I prefer Fire/Rad for its containment and better AOE hard control. But there are many great combos. If soloing is important, I'd only stay away from Earth and Ice. Earth is ok if you have 2-3 Veteran attacks to make use of its -defense.

You can pretty cheaply do a soft capped build too. Even the +3% defense IO isn't that expensive. Since you're doing +defense, you don't use any purple recipes. A high recharge build costs more. Capped defenses is mez protection in its own way too. One -Knockback IO is a must though no matter what. But to each their own.

I would suggest slotting for at least some acc/dam/end unless you never plan on exemplaring down. Doing a Posi TF with an all proc Hot Feet is not so hot. I have 2 procs in hot feet and can still get decent acc, good end and max damage. I use 4 Sciroccos and 2 Armageddons.

I'll echo Local Man. Grav/Storm has great synergy as he spelled out and looks awesome. (semi) controlled chaos in a good way!

I think Robert is multiboxing. /FF is a multiboxer's dream as it takes very little effort. Or so I have heard.... /Cold is certainly more powerful if you're going to drive the character. Esp. vs single hard targets.

Thanks for the info. guys. I did a bit of testing with the proc in bonfire and it did exactly what you said.

Fire/Rad/Psi controller. Lots of options, lost to do, great in any team and at any level.

Honorable mentions:
Gravity/Storm/Ice controller - Great fun, great sfx, lots of (controllable) chaos
fire/shield/fire scrapper - very survivable, very offensive, great sfx
robot/any/any mastermind - I love the lasers! ...and fire, and everything else... I have /FF, /Dark and /Storm)
Illusion/Empath controller - great dual role of buffs/heals and control. The "stalker" of the control/heal/buff sets. Great sfx from illusion....hmmm... I sense a theme.....

Does anyone know how the Force Feedback: Chance for +Recharge proc works in bonfire? Does it roll to proc every 10 seconds or every time bonfire pulses? Does it work even if the target in not affected by knockback (such as AVs)? Does it roll to hit or is it autohit like bonfire. Any help is appreciated.

I use 5 Touch of the Nictus: heal, heal/rech, acc/heal, acc/end/heal, acc/end/rech.

I get: 69% acc, 42% end, 97% heal, 47% rech

Set bonuses are: +1.88% hit points, +9% acc, +5% heal, +2.25% max end

Electric Melee/Shield Defense/Blaze Mastery Scrapper has a lot of AOEs. I don't think it's the best soloist and it gets many of the AOEs late in the build though.

Gravity/Storm is the most FUN controller I have played. Others are more effective, but handled correctly, it's capable, very fun and a sfx lightshow.

I do agree DM/Shield will be more survivable, but I have a Fire/Shield who has soft-capped defenses but is not an expensive build. I had no problem "tanking" on the ITF with normal team support.

I suppose I just never considered playing a controller as a single target attack chain machine, no matter how good it might be. I am too busy in a fight spreading controls around and using my secondary to chain attacks vs one target until it's dead.

The problem is, if you dump containment or lower the damage component on the mezes, then a controller isn't going to solo anything. Even with those some controllers are far less than steller in that regard.

I'd like to see a buff to defenders that is not damage (as the last buff when solo/small teams seems to be good) but amplifies their support role and differentiates it more from a controller and makes it a bit more compelling/ It'd be more interesting. I have no ideas though...