Solarius_NA

Lately I've been listening to the Harry Potter books on tape while I work. I'm currently listening to the 7th, and there's a passage that reads:

"Neville ran away back toward the castle, looking feverishly for more bodies."

Sounds like Neville Longbottom is...a closet Warshade?

When clustering enemies for AoE's, generally higher knockback is not considered "superior". Just a thought.

I've been wanting to make these blasters since Day 1, so I certainly hope that they get put into the game eventually.

Yeah, Dechs, I had a WS stalled out at 20 just a little while ago. I'm a consummate altoholic, but I finally got fed up and said, "I want one character at level 50! At least one!" As a point of reference, I've been playing since I2 and have no character higher than level 38. I've never even seen an Ancillary Pool. Heh. So I chose Dr. Arcanem, my 'Shade, as my first to 50, figuring he can tank, blast, control, summon pets, and stealth--all at the same time. And I have to say, the first time I did a fully saturated Mire + Gravity Well to kill a minion + Unchain Essence, my jaw dropped. The spawn just evaporated. All thanks to your wonderful guide!

To the OP: as you may remember from Dechs' guide, flexibility and willingness to adapt are some of the Warshade's greatest strengths. You need to be ready to shift forms as the situation demands, hold or kill troublesome mezzers or buffers, keep your mires up, and keep an eye on your health so you can plan for Stygian Circle. I can tell you right now that binds help IMMENSELY. As a tri-form 'Shade, not every power you take can get slotted up, and many of them (particularly without access to Ancillary or Patron pools) will be used only as mules for uniques. Figure out which powers you can remove from your tray altogether. Figure out which powers you use most often, and group them so that they're easy to reach. Create binds that both shapeshift you and select the tray with form-appropriate powers. Create binds that turn on travel powers and stealth, and ones that turn them off again. The more binds you have, the less cluttered your trays are going to look, and the more you can focus on eating souls. Moist and delicious.

Dream team? Sounds more like the FREEM TEAM!

No, but in all seriousness, 8 of ANY ranged/support toon is epic. I could see an AR/NRG superteam being crazy, but I imagine it would only really open up once you got Flamethrower—Buckshot and M30 aren't really enough AoE damage to make heads turn. I almost think AR/Dev would be more powerful, since you could create huge Caltrops/Ignite fields and plant trip mines around the edge to blow them back in if they started to run.

A BS/Shield scrapper's Headsplitter combined with BU and a fully saturated Against All Odds can do some pretty insane damage. Blasters will likely always hold the title "Kings of Damage," though.

Gents,

I just reached the 1 billion influence mark for the first time, which is rather a big deal for someone as chronically impoverished as I am. I got there mostly through flipping stacks of rare salvage for profits of roughly 5 million per stack of 10. Eight stacks, sold twice a day, got me to where I am now. However, I am looking for new challenges. Prices on rare salvage have hit, nearly uniformly, the 3.5 million to 4 million range, and my footing has been thrown off. Is there a logical "next step" after learning the basic ins and outs of the market? Turning recipes into enhancements seems illogical, given the absurd demand for the "heavy hitters" of the rare pools. Do I expand into flipping some of the cheaper purple recipes, like Confuse, Sleep, or Stun? You don't necessarily have to tell me how to do it--I'm just looking for a general nudge in the right direction for making a more reliable profit using fewer market slots.

Thanks!

I've been trying to figure out how to slot my Kin/Nin Stalker, and though I hear a lot of people refer to 'Proctrops,' I don't know which ones make it really good. Ragnarok Chance for Knockdown? Tons of damage procs?

Music Man reference? "RAGTIME! Shameless music, that'll drag your son, your daughter down into the arms of a jungle animal instinct. MASSTERIA!"

Well, it's kind of an interesting question. On the one hand, there's no doubt that Electric Assault can only enhance the draining effects of Elec Control, especially for harder, single targets. On the other hand, Electric Assault is one of the only Dom secondaries that I feel underperforms--barely any AoE damage at all, no useful tools like Power Boost, and a fairly crappy pet instead of a Tier 9 blast (Come on, devs. No one likes VS! Screw the cottage rule and give us a heavy damage, quick DoT lightning blast!).

And in the opposite corner is Energy Assault, one of the kings of ST damage. Take the best parts of Energy Melee and Energy Blast (combined with the GOD-LIKE Power Push) and you get one hell of a set. Unfortunately, even though the set itself performs well, the knockback will be a problem. Five of your nine attacks knock enemies back, and Elec Control HATES knockback. It makes it difficult for your chains to connect without switching targets. It catapults enemies out of range of your endurance drain toggle and your Static Field.

So, how do you leverage your powers to solve this problem? Simple. Electric Fence. Yes, you heard me. Even though Dominators rarely take their ST immobilize, it would be eminently worth it in this case. It slaps your enemy with a -100 Mag KB resistance, so you can blast away and never worry about knocking him around. You can even it for damage, if you like--it doesn't make a bad attack power. Or use it as a relatively cheap Purple Set holder.

Overall, my vote goes for Elec/Energy. Elec/ doesn't really need any help to be an effective soft controlling/draining set, and since there's such a simple solution to the one strike against /Energy, choose the better set. One final note: Power Boost can be used right before a fight to help with your Conductive Aura. Enemies' endurance will disappear so fast you'll wonder if it was ever there at all.

Also: welcome to the forums! We're nice people here.

I've always wanted to see a power with an effect similar to a black hole. Location click power, with an untargetable pet that draws a circle around itself. Anything trying to get toward the outside of the circle gets repelled toward the epicenter, and anything that actually REACHES the outside suffers knockback—again, toward the center of the location. Toss in a Mag 2 stun, and you're golden.

I love it. And I could actually see all three branches getting played. Bio tankers would choose it for the extra recharge on their controls (to mitigate more damage), Chem tankers would choose it for the -Regen (to take on AVs, I can only assume), and Radio tankers would take it just to deal some more damage. As for suggestions, I would combine Cesspool and Localized Infection to be a PBAoE clone of Caltrops. If it's going to remain at Tier 8, up the damage considerably. If Toxic Emission scales depending on the number of enemies around the Tank, then definitely move that to Tier 7, on par with Invincibility. I would make the Tier 2 either a small +Def/+DefDebuffRes toggle, or an auto power based on which branch you took. Radio could get a slightly-nerfed Quickness clone; Chem could get a 5% Damage and To-Hit buff; Bio could get a slightly-nerfed Fast Healing clone.

Overall, great work! I've been wanting an armor like this since I first started playing back in I2!

Kinetic Combats (though freakishly expensive) will boost your S/L defense like crazy, and any PBAoE attacks you have that do damage can be six-slotted with three Multi-Strikes and three Eradications for a hefty, hefty E/N defense boost. Those are the best suggestions I have, apart from the usual "Pick up Weave and either Hover or CJ." The good thing about Elec/ is that you really do have a lot of soft controls. I would definitely grab Synaptic Overload. Anything waking out of Static Field's sleep should be beating on his comrades, not on you.

Elec/Psi/Ice Doms can be absolute beasts (well, what Dom can't, really?). I'd recommend you give that combo a shot. Unlimited end and health, wildly varied controls, and good ST and AoE attacks make it a fun Dom to play.

No problem. Your feedback isn't "hostile," per se, it just outlines differences between our playstyles. I DO mostly solo, and as such, I'm the only thing mobs are focusing on (making Jolting Chain more useful). I do prefer to have a travel power. I do not like the targeted AoE holds that Trollers and Doms get much, but I haven't played the new TFs, where I might need to lock down more than I already can. As for the Leadership debate, again, that's a matter of personal preference. (I'm not suggesting you six-slot Tactics with Gaussian's--some characters have the slots to burn and need the defense boost. This would not be one of those characters.)

As for areas where I misrepresented things about your build, I blame that on the fact that it was veeeery late at night when I did the analysis. You do have perma-dom and perma-hasten, and try as hard as you might, Hoarfrost wouldn't always be up even if you took it. You were also correct about Spiritual Radial being better than Musculature Radial. That was my sleep-starved mind trying to cram as many bonuses into one Alpha, even if they were for already-good, underutilized powers.

Ultimately, of course, your character is your own. I hope some of the suggestions work out for you!

Though you are correct in thinking that this build has some awesome aspects, there are definitely some easy improvements. I'll post a few general thoughts on the build, followed by another build that I made based on yours.

1. No power in the Leadership pool--or Combat Jumping--should receive a slot (unless you're six-slotting Tactics with Gaussian's for the tasty defense bonuses). You're a Dom. You have better powers to be enhancing.
2. When you do have substantial +Def powers, make sure to slot them with 4 Luck of the Gamblers. Though I assume you were frankenslotting to achieve maximum End Rdx, trust me--it's not worth your time. One thing this power combo has in spades is endurance. Four LotGs give a nice +Regen bonus, +HP, and a bonus to accuracy. What's not to love?
3. There is no reason why Drain Psyche should not receive six slots. It is THE set-defining power of Psionic Assault. With so many worthwhile aspects to enhance, why not give it all you can?
4. While softcapping S/L defense is nice, you don't need it, particularly when you're sacrificing perma-hasten and perma-domination to get it. Think about the layers of mez that you have: Static Field keeps everything asleep; Conductive Aura destroys an entire mob's endurance within seconds; Psychic Shockwave absolutely floors their recharge; Sleet trips them up constantly; Synaptic Overload can confuse everything if you slot it correctly, and Jolting Chain can act as a ghetto mass-hold. On top of this, you're already regenerating more damage than a Regen scrapper can with Drain Psyche. If you're doing it right, you should be only dimly aware that enemies are trying to attack you. Any damage that gets through all those layers and 30% defense is gravy.
5. That said, I'd drop TK Thrust and Paralyzing Blast. At the kind of performance levels we're discussing, nothing should be getting close to you unless you will it so (thus obviating TK Thrust). As for Paralyzing Blast, well, the downsides simply outweigh the benefits. You're a control god without it, and its stats are just too low to utilize it efficiently without heavy slotting that you can't afford. Pass.
6. Gremlins benefit greatly from the Soulbound Allegiance proc. Their attacks recharge quickly, and each one can fire the proc.
7. Make sure to consider Jolting Chain, particularly with Devastation: Chance to Hold. It can become a quasi-hold/soft-control power that recharges in two seconds flat. Who doesn't want that?
8. No travel power? Wha...? While that's okay in a vacuum, everybody's going to want one eventually. Throw a +Stealth proc in Sprint, and you can stealth missions to make life even easier for yourself. As if you needed it.
9. You'll want at least one of the two higher-tier single-target blasts to round out your attack chain in the lower levels. Take your pick between Mental Blast and Subdue; I chose Mental Blast for difficult bosses.
10. Conductive Aura is fine with the default End Mod slot. It'll drain everything in reach, but the bonuses it gives to you (compared to Drain Psyche) are negligible. Since it drains plenty quickly even without the enhancement, it's fine with no additional slotting.
11. Spiritual Radial is kind of a waste. Yes, you get more recharge, but at Perma-hasten levels, that's overkill that won't get you very far. The extra heal only boosts CA and DP; CA doesn't need it, and DP is already slotted for it. I would recommend Musculature Radial Paragon instead. You have tons of -End effects that you haven't slotted for (but are beneficial nonetheless); you have some Immobilization (Chain Fences) and Defense Debuff (Sleet) powers; Super Speed gets boosted, and more damage is never a bad thing.
12. If you still find yourself having survivability troubles, you could conceivably drop Ice Storm for Hoarfrost, five-slotted with Doctored Wounds. You lose 2.5% global recharge and gain a permanent +30% HP in exchange. I can't say I'd recommend it, though--Ice Storm is a terrific attack power, particularly at these kinds of recharges.

*Whew*!

Now for the build!

http://www.cohplanner.com/mids/downl...6BF73F0723DDA0

Stone/WP Brutes are quite popular, as are Fire/Traps Corrs, MA/Invuln Scrappers, and...heck, probably AR/Therm Corrs.

My favorite combo was Thugs/TA, whom I set up as a tiny little satyr with lots of cred in the neighborhood and a mission from Pan, the ancient Greek god of nature, to restore people's respect for the wild.

Is Ice Storm capable of the same "Super Scourge" for which Rain of Fire is so renowned? If so, do you find that the lower damage in Ice Storm (I'm assuming, right?) is compensated for by the larger slow effect?

Allow me to cast my ostrakon for /Storm. Learn to love nooks and crannies where you can cram enemies with precision Hurricaning.

I'm playing an Electric/Storm Controller right now, and...well, Jolting Chain is pretty epic when slotted for knockback. Each leap in the chain knocks guys back at the angle at which it hit, so you get about 20 different guys flying in totally contradictory directions. Plus, Hurricane + Tornado + Gale = <3

One night, whilst walking through a dark, foreboding alley, a man with a gun jumps out from behind you and puts the weapon up against your head. He demands to know what Secondary Powerset you would pair with Invulnerability in an MMO called City of Heroes if you were forced to play a Tanker. He warns you that he had an allergic reaction to ice as a child that traumatized him and causes him to destroy all water represented in a solid. Blood makes him squeamish, so bladed and blunt weapons are out. Finally, his mother and beloved cocker spaniel died in a freak bricklaying accident; if you choose Stone, he'll pistol-whip you to death (remember, blood makes him squeamish!).

If you choose Dark Melee hoping to make him run away in fear, turn to Post 2.
If you choose Energy Melee and beat him to death with pink pom-poms, turn to Post 3.
If you choose Electric Melee and turn him into the proverbial fork-in-electrical-outlet, turn to Post 4.
If you choose Fiery Melee and make him the newest dish on the KFC menu, turn to Post 5.
If you choose Super Strength and tie him into a double-bowline knot, turn to Post 6.
If you choose Kinetic Melee and give him a fatal chi-focusing, turn to Post 7.


(All joking aside, what would you choose, and why?)

Thanks! This is exactly the kind of information I wanted. Most helpful.

So, a question for you fine folks on the Controller forum: I just rolled an Earth/Thermal controller—named "Al Khamsin" after the fierce desert winds that blow in the Sahara—and have no idea what I should focus my build on. I'm primarily interested in strong, strong control capabilities and the ability to turn my Golem into a wrecking machine. I understand Forge and the shields will help it do just that.

That being said, which set bonuses should I aim for? Is it useful and/or possible to softcap, say, AoE and Ranged defense? Should I go for +Recharge to make the heavy hitters, Volcanic Gasses and Stalagmites, hit more often? +Damage?

Also, if there are any people experienced with this combo, how did you find yourself playing in various level ranges? Which powers are really essential to the Earth/Therm, which are icing on the cake, and which are easily skippable? How do you take care of goon-slaying business?

Thanks in advance for the help?