SBeaudway

Gravity/Storm controller or Storm/Electric Defender. Thematic, great SFX, fun powers, good synergy but not FOTM.

Anything really. It's an easy game and Scrappers don't need help. I'd suggest staying away from knockback heavy powers (unless you are good at using it with precision). A Tanker would be redundant (don't need the aggro control) and I'd pick a second scrapper over a blaster if you wanted more damage (for the mez protection/damage mitigation). Most synergy would be with a Defender or Controller depending on the playstyle your friend prefers. Rad/Sonic is a very good option.

I like having healing powers in the party. But it falls into the class of "I like various helpful powers" in the party. The one class of power truly needed is damage to defeat the foes. Every other class of power is very useful but not specifically needed. And there are various ways to achieve the effect of team "damage mitigation". Be it tanking, debuffing, mezzing, healing, etc...

With three Fire/X controllers, I'd go with 1 Fire/Kin, 1 Fire/Rad and 1 Fire/FF. Everyone runs maneuvers and you'll get some good defense plus some mez protection. One speed boost plus one fulcrum shift is really enough...

Fire/Storm/Stone or Fire/Storm/Ice come to mind. Fire Control and Storm go together well and both the Stone epic and Ice epic eventually have a longish recharge healing option (which Storm does not). A Fire/Storm will have enough damage to solo. Hotfeet early, then the Imps, then Tornado/Lightning Storm later.

All controller teams are great! I thing they are better than any other team of all of one AT. I routinely play on all or controller heavy teams with usually defenders rounding out the team. Of course we'll let other ATs tag-a-long too.

I like this.
47.7% ACC
96.1% DAM
79.7% END RED

10% Regen
3.13% Negative Resist
9% Accuracy
4% Recovery
2 Damage procs

Level 8: Hot Feet
(A) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage
(13) Armageddon - Chance for Fire Damage
(21) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Endurance
(23) Scirocco's Dervish - Chance of Damage(Lethal)
(23) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
(25) Armageddon - Damage/Endurance

Well Fire/Rad is my favorite controller. Good in every situation. For heavy soloing, I'd also agree that Gravity, Illusion and Mind are all very good paired with /Rad. Each has very good early single target attack chains. Mind's sleep power is a great opener for soloing with single target attacks. Gravity's Wormhole is a good control & pull. And Illusion has Phantom Army as a quasi tank. I prefer Fire for overall utility and better AOE damage with Hotfeet. If you are set on choking cloud, then I think Fire is the way to go. It synergizes better with it than the other controllers. I think you'd be happy with any of them though.

Fire/Rad is still my favorite Hero in CoH. It's a great combination for any situation. Concerning your build I'd make a few comments. Two end reductions in enervating field is enough. Hot feet is a core power, I'd not skip it. If I only had Cinders or EM Pulse, esp with minimal slotting, I'd take EM Pulse. It has a longer duration and better accuracy. I use lingering rad as a AV debuff (1 acc/2 recharge). You have too many +2% end rec set bonuses, so two of the gift of ancients sets could go. If you take choking cloud, it's worth 6 slots and frankenslotting for max hold, high end reduction and good accuracy. I have soft capped smash/lethal defense on my fire/kin and I like it, but my fire/rad has the psi epic for the mez protection. Here's my (very expensive) build. Well, I'm 2 IOs shy in mind over body. I'm sure you'll like fire/rad if you like controllers. It's good at all levels IMHO.

With the right, and expensive, build I could see an all proc Hotfeet. But for us mere mortals I'd propose probably 2 procs and a mix of 4 IOs to max damage, and get decent end reduction and accuracy. Especially if you even plan to exemplar down. Losing all, or many of your +accuracy and +recovery set bonuses (plus possibly fulcrum shift and transfusion) will pretty much make hotfeet useless. Frankly a "normally" slotted hotfeet is sufficient to solo farm +2/x8 easily.

Earth/Kin will be great with fulcrum shift and any aoe epic attack power (fissure/fireball/psi tornado). It's a late blooming build but should be very nice. Until then, use those veteran attacks if you have them. The -defense debuff in earth really makes them viable. Illusion is good for soloing small, tough spawns but lacks much aoe damage. Plant is overall a good soloer. I still prefer fire control for it's overall utility.

For soloing I'd lean towards a corruptor. Blasters don't have enough damage mitigation/healing/debuffing for the harder foes. A defender would work too, but I'd rather have the attacks as my primary and scourge. I think DP/Traps would be interesting. You'd get some mez protection with it. I'd certainly prefer that over a DP/Devices Blaster even with the lower damage output. DP/Dark would be effective. Any/Dark is.

45% smash/lethal defense
23% smash.lethal resistance
+200 hit points

This. The extra defense is a better return. Plus the foes do use melee (smash/lethal) attacks, including a stun, that the ranged defense won't protect against. I don't even have the +HP power and don't miss it, esp. with the Kinetic heal.

I would take Spectral Terror on any Illusionist. It's a great power that doesn't need a lot of slots. Plus it looks awesome!

Well, here's the build I use. It's reasonably versatile but is designed for the Battle maiden map. I do that at +1 or +2/x8 solo. Inertial reduction could be replaced to suit your tastes. It's also not too costly.

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I have a soft capped to Smash/Lethal build I use for the Battle Maiden map. It uses no purples and is fairly affordable. It does require Rock Armor (I don't like the look either). I can post it if you are interested.

I have a soft capped to Smash/Lethal build I use for the Battle Maiden map. It uses no purples and is fairly affordable. It does require Rock Armor (I don't like the look either). I can post it if you are interested.

I'll also 2nd or 3rd Bot/Dark. Lots of powers to keep you busy. Good controls and debuffs. Good solo or teamed. Very safe and tar patch helps on damage. It was my first Villain to 50.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
FREEBIRD!

Note: Set aside ten minutes to watch this

[/ QUOTE ]

So that's the short version?

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radio edit

[ QUOTE ]
When I was younger, we used to play Champions at my friend's dorm. We'd play for hours and hours. Then at the wee hours, we'd head for home. But not before going to Dunkin Donuts and talk about the game for a few hours afterward. Possibly making new characters or trying to make some villain or hero from a book or movie.

Sleep is for the dead, or was at that age...

[/ QUOTE ]

For us it was always Eat n' Park (a Pennsylvania diner chain)... memories...

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[ QUOTE ]


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QFT

[/ QUOTE ]

I still don't think Taunt is a must have. I wasn't sure I was going to take any Epic powers post 41, so I had the free spot for taunt. It's not a bad suggestion for 1st time Tankers to take Taunt. Try before you buy and all. I didn't, but it's still not bad advice.

I am largely planning on taking Taunt for AVs. Although, I have not had problems holding their aggro in Faultline missions without it. I would take Taunt (or at least a ranged attack) on a Stone/ due to the limited mobility.

Here is my Ice/SS Tanker built to 41. I take Taunt at 41. I have 2 taunting auras and enough mobility that I have not had the need for taunt yet. I think Taunt is a good power, but delayable. Plus I don't do a lot of PUGs. I tend to play with long time CoH players, limiting my need to cover their buts.

+---------------------------------------------
+ Built with SuckerPunch's Online Planner
+ http://www.cohplanner.com
+---------------------------------------------
Name: Punk Rocker
Level: 44
Archetype: Tanker
Primary: Ice Armor
Secondary: Super Strength
+---------------------------------------------
01 => Jab ==> Acc(1),EndCost(5)
01 => Frozen Armor ==> DefBuff(1),DefBuff(3),DefBuff(3)
02 => Hoarfrost ==> Rech(2),Rech(5),Rech(7)
04 => Haymaker ==> Acc(4),Dam(7),Dam(9),Dam(9),EndCost(11),Rech(11)
06 => Air Superiority ==> Acc(6),Dam(13),Dam(13),Dam(17),EndCost(17),Rech(31)
08 => Wet Ice ==> EndCost(8)
10 => Chilling Embrace ==> EndCost(10)
12 => Swift ==> Flight(12)
14 => Fly ==> Flight(14),Flight(15),Flight(15)
16 => Health ==> Heal(16)
18 => Glacial Armor ==> DefBuff(18),DefBuff(19),DefBuff(19)
20 => Stamina ==> EndMod(20),EndMod(21),EndMod(21)
22 => Knockout Blow ==> Acc(22),Dam(23),Dam(23),Dam(27),EndCost(31),Rech(31)
24 => Icicles ==> Acc(24),Dam(25),Dam(25),Dam(31),EndCost(31),EndCost(34)
26 => Energy Absorption ==> Rech(26),Rech(27),Rech(34),EndMod(34),EndMod(37),EndMod(40)
28 => Rage ==> Rech(28),Rech(29),Rech(29),ToHitBuff(33),ToHitBuff(33),ToHitBuff(33)
30 => Aid Other ==> Interrupt(30)
32 => Hibernate ==> Rech(32)
35 => Aid Self ==> Heal(35),Heal(36),Heal(36),Interrupt(36),Interrupt(37),Rech(37)
38 => Foot Stomp ==> Acc(38),Dam(39),Dam(39),Dam(39),EndCost(40),Rech(40)
41 => Taunt ==> Taunt(41)
+---------------------------------------------
01 => Sprint ==> Empty(1)
01 => Brawl ==> Empty(1)
02 => Rest ==> Empty(1)