StormyDarkness

Scorpion Shield + IOs = smashing/lethal softcap for my builds.

Do I actually have either of my kins fully tricked out? No, but Mace Mastery for Scorpion Shield or Psychic Mastery for Mass Hypnosis are great tools to get your kin soloing rather effectively. Electric or Mu Mastery is another option due to Short Circuit + Power Sink.

As for Short Circuit, split its function (imo). Have it with some Efficiency Adapter (3 slot for Acc/End Mod/Recharge focus) and Eradication (3 slot for Damage/Recharge/Accuracy focus) which will give you some nice set bonuses and help increase your effectiveness with the power.

I went with 5 slotting Siphon Insight and the damage proc from Clouded Senses. If it goes across everything, clouded sense should effect pretty much everything but the hold. If not, then it'll effect the AoE tentacles and heal, which still isn't bad. Same goes for the bonus to To-hit debuff from Siphon. It's a Tankish build Dark/Elec Defender, but I've not noticed fluffy's endurance drop like a ton of bricks. Granted, I also don't play him that often...

I actually have a Cold/DP Defender.

Cold Bullets will be very redundant, especially if you take Snow Storm. You can hit recharge and slow caps with Sleet and Snow Storm easily as you will be doing -132.5% slow and -112.5% Recharge. That's when cap is -90% slow and -75% for recharge. You're already over and beyond the cap, so it'll help keep bosses and the like a cap as well.

That leaves you with your fire bullets and toxic rounds (assuming you're going to be swapping). Fire will give you more damage, naturally. Toxic will stack with Benumb, as already stated, but that's against one enemy. Toxic is a nice compliment for your Ice Shields as not only will your team have decent defenses, but will be hurt less when they are. Also, you'll be attacking the enemy, which means they are also dying.

Basically for me and my Cold/DP, if the team is have zero survivability issues, I switch to Fire Ammo except for EB/AV fights (and even then, depending on how well the team is doing). The damage debuff is nice on toxic, but if they aren't getting hurt and when they are, it's not noticeable anyhow, why not deal a bit of extra damage yourself and contribute more to the team since the damage debuff on that team wasn't needed. Monitor your team and make adjustments if need be (between Fire/Toxic Ammo).

As for Standard Ammo, meh. Knockback can be nice in certain situations, but overall you'll get more bang for your buck with Fire or Toxic, depending on what your team is needing more of.

I don't see myself healing too much on my Empath, as I do buffing and blasting. As for Psychic Blast, sure the ST stuff is nice, and Psychic Scream is real nice, but Psionic Tornado can do the soft cc with knock up, damage, +recharge, and if you put the forced Feedback proc into it, it can buff you too!

Indeed, defense based stalkers with Electric Melee is win. I got a IO'd Elec/SR stalker and love her. With an occasional Aid Self, I can solo +2/x8 pick your enemy group (except Carnies or Rularuu, which I refuse). SR might be something to consider on the SO side since you may be able to get more defense out of it compared to Ninjitsu. Downside, you don't have the self heal or fun ninja tools.

Tactic advice: BU -> LR -> TS -> CI -> Placate -> TS, once enemy numbers start to go down, placate and AS, but BU + LR = win and generally unless you only got 1-2 enemies left, use it. Mine's down to less than 30 seconds with Hasten active and on +2/x8, I usually use it around 2-4 times, but that's still tons faster than any other Stalker I know on a harder difficulty than most stalkers will do without just stealthing to the end.

There's a good reason my Stalker takes Aid Self. Once I get 1-2 good hits and am about half health, I use it. I don't typically have too much problem with getting one shotted, but then again, the scaling defense does squat for you if that happens anyhow. Yeah it might take up 2 power slots to get it, but it's something that a defense oriented character needs anyhow imo. With fitness being inherit now, you got three slots open to choose powers.

Then again, this is coming from the person who went without an epic to get Aid Self on a Stalker who can solo +2/x8 quickly for a stalker (best speed/safety of my current characters) and may die only 2-3 times (if that) for an entire map of spawns. So yeah...

Hmm... this thread makes me want to retry Traps with a new concept.

I agree on the fortitude comment, and if you did use it for a bit of teaming, Fortitude is generally more helpful than Rez anyhow. Prevent death instead of make up for it afterwards. Just toss em a wakie if they die.

The problem with OG from the perspective I think they'll be going is that they'll be hoverblasting. OG needs to be close to the enemies, hoverblasting tactic says stay as far as you can away from them.

As for my personal suggestions, I'd try to place a KB protect in there at least once, if not more than once. I'd say for 3.5% smash/lethal resistance loss, place steadfast 3% def and KB protection. Even while hovering you can be knockbacked, sometimes even to the ground. This'll also open up a new slot from where it was in Dark Embrace.

That's all I got in the short time before I have to go to work.

Ones I know off-hand:

Stormy Darkness -> Storm/Dark Defender: Spiritual Core Paragon. Dark Pit Stuns, Life Drain/O2 Heals, and increased recharge on all my long recharge storms.

Eldritch Green -> Dark/Elec Defender: Muscular Radial Paragon. Umm... Endurance Mod increases for sapping, to-hit debuffs from Dark Miasma increase, and more damage which is what makes him a pain to solo (even though he has 2-3 pets as a defender >.>)

Herald of Victory -> Archery/Sonic Corruptor: Cardiac Radial Paragon. Better Endurance maintance, more resistance, and gives good reason to use his cage power, or at least take it.

It's really just people's lack of considering offense and use the fact that it's called defender for a reason to not use their secondary that bugs me.

Also, controls are a secondary effect to me, even if it only does 9 damage.

>.>

The power of Defenders have never been lost on me, but I've always disagreed with the non-blasting Defenders. The major problem I have is when people say because Defenders have the word "defend" in it, that means they should stand back and do nothing but buff their allies. Let me give some real life examples of why I disagree with this analysis.

In warfare, both of old (knights to present day), to protect their cause they not only showed their standing up for people under their watch, but to attack as well. Town watches and even police look over their populace to ensure that there are no threats, and if threats arise, they attack in order to drive their attackers away or neutralize that threat from their town. To be even more up to date, part of the reason that American troops are in Afghanistan is because we are defending our country by attacking.

Defenders goals are to protect the people first and stop the bad guys secondly and usually using the latter to accomplish the former. That same principle applies to police, who are here to protect and serve. Do they have SWAT and such to take out bad people with various tools? Yes, it's rather offensive tactics, but it protects people while still attacking those who are directly opposed to it (watch Cops and see them tackle a suspect to handcuff 'em). That's like a Radiation Blast Defender using Cosmic Burst on em. They can still move around a bit, but overall they are rather hampered from doing any more harm.

Defenders in CoH are similar, their main goal is to protect and serve their teammates and in raids fellow heroes. However, sometimes in order to ensure that their main goal is achieved to the maximum potential, aggressive tactics must be put in place in order to hamper the targets and help achieve the overall goal, which is to stop the bad guys. The blasts are there to help achieve both of these goals from both the damage aspect along with the secondary effect of the powers. Energy Blast -> several seconds of 100% mitigation, Radiation Blast -> easier to take down the person threatening the teammate, Psychic Blast -> Controls and Recharge debuffing to make the hostile actions reduced, etc.

The damage for a defender being the only a factor of what the power does makes little logic. A worth of a power is determined by the damage and secondary effect of it. This is also part of the reason why I can see the devs being very slow on bringing us Fire Blast, the secondary effect of it is extra damage, but defenders do less damage so their blasts do even less versus having the extra secondary effect, or at least at par depending the set. Fire Blast would be the only set that actually has no equal or greater component in its blasts. Not that I don't want Thermal on Defenders (in fact I think I'd love it), but fire blast would be rather upsetting to the populace as it wouldn't be even as equal as Corruptors in any way, shape, or form.

Defenders defend. How to maximize their ability to defend is utilizing all their available tools. Blasts are a viable tool to help the team achieve their goals via extra damage and secondary effects within them. Just because the Defender defends, doesn't mean he has to just stand there and do nothing but use buffs with dead time between buffs/debuffs. A blaster is cycling through all their primary and secondary, why can't a defender?

Choice 1:

Frigid Vigilante



His boots are the magic pack's baron boots. The main part of the boots being the same color as the jacket with the fold on the top being a little lighter brown.

Choice 2:

Stormy Darkness




He's looks like he's 14 and he's slowly mutating into a demon. Other than that, I don't think there's anything else that the pictures don't say, though PM me if there is any questions.

The best option for me is to play a different character. I *always* feel more helpful on other defender/controllers than my Emp/Psi 95% of the time. I know how to play her well (in my opinion) with her being mostly SOs, but I've yet to feel a real draw or need to make a real effort on her any more. I'd rather play any of my other Defender/Controller/Corruptors first.

That MoLGTF on my Empath was really boring... I just Fortituded and spammed Psionic Tornado and Psychic Scream. Who needs healing when everyone's perfectly fine. Absorb Pain is good to either take almost dead characters to full or mostly dead tankers to not mostly dead. That's about all I've seen for use of it, but then again since I prefer to blast away, AP is nice because I can hold off on the heals in order to blast longer.

As for auto healing? Only in really laggy times where having it on auto A) helps when I'm lagging so much I can't do anything myself, yet am still being useful with a heal going on or B) Healing myself for one reason or the other. Then again, I enjoy psychic screaming 1 or 2 mobs ahead of the team and run the mobs into the tanker as my Empath. Who needs conventional? I sure don't.

I'd highly suggest you consider putting a stealth proc into sprint (or any prestige sprints) and use that as a toggle for stealth. That'll give you another slot to manipulate. Other things I'd suggest would be putting LotG 7.5 recharge into each +def power. For your weave build, that's 1 power (Hover), but your other build you didn't even put one.

For both builds, I'd also suggest trying to find a spot for one slot on Ball Lightning (6.25% recharge) and Hurricane (5% recharge). Also, as a personal thing for me, you can sacrifice 30 HP and give O2 Numina Heal and Heal/End, giving you 12% regen set bonus. Aim the same, unhasten going from 43 second recharge to 47 second recharge for a 2% damage bonus with Adjusted Targeting.

As for Boxing, I say either just an accuracy or an accuracy/damage or accuracy/stun if you really wanted would suffice. You just don't want to be missing with a power that's mostly useless anyhow. Assuming you actually *want* to slot it.

For your non-weave build, I'd suggest maybe dropping CJ for a 3 slotted with Eradication Short Circuit. That'd drop you to 43.5% ranged defense though, but would give you another sapping tool to use with Power Sink.

I was hoping to get some feedback on my "i19" build so I can start getting ahead of the game as far as getting enhancements are concerned. I'm focusing this character (as many different ways as it could go) on damage and debuff as top priority while intentionally not doing a Corruptor. Self sufficiency is something I tend to prize myself on, which is why I have 22-25% positional defense without really focusing on it. Also, I don't really want to purple out any of my builds, which is why I only have Fortunata's Hypnosis (it's just that inexpensive to me).

If anyone sees any major issues let me know. As far as the "i19" portion, that's why rest and sprint are two slotted. One will be for stamina and one will be for health. Performance shifter proc + end mod and miracle and numina uniques.


Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.81
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Arrow of Theta i19: Level 50 Natural Defender
Primary Power Set: Trick Arrow
Secondary Power Set: Ice Blast
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Power Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Flash Arrow -- Cloud-ToHitDeb(A), Cloud-Acc/ToHitDeb(36), Cloud-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(37), Cloud-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(37)
Level 1: Ice Bolt -- Dev'n-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(3), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg(3), Dev'n-Hold%(5)
Level 2: Glue Arrow -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 4: Ice Blast -- Dev'n-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), Dev'n-Hold%(7), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7)
Level 6: Boxing -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A)
Level 8: Poison Gas Arrow -- FtnHyp-Sleep/Rchg(A), FtnHyp-Acc/Sleep/Rchg(9), FtnHyp-Acc/Rchg(9), FtnHyp-Sleep/EndRdx(11), FtnHyp-Plct%(11)
Level 10: Aim -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(13), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(13), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(15), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(15), GSFC-Build%(17)
Level 12: Acid Arrow -- AnWeak-Acc/Rchg(A), AnWeak-DefDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(17), AnWeak-Acc/Rchg/EndRdx(19), AnWeak-Acc/DefDeb(19), Achilles-ResDeb%(25)
Level 14: Tough -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), S'fstPrt-ResKB(37)
Level 16: Freeze Ray -- BasGaze-Acc/Rchg(A), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold(25), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(31), BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(31)
Level 18: Disruption Arrow -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 20: Ice Storm -- Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(21), Posi-Acc/Dmg(21), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(23), Posi-Dam%(23)
Level 22: Weave -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(40), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(40), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(42), RedFtn-Def(42), RedFtn-EndRdx(43)
Level 24: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(34), RechRdx-I(34)
Level 26: Oil Slick Arrow -- Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(27), Posi-Acc/Dmg(27), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(29), Posi-Dam%(29)
Level 28: Bitter Ice Blast -- Dev'n-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg(36)
Level 30: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(31)
Level 32: EMP Arrow -- BasGaze-Acc/Rchg(A), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold(33), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(33), BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(33)
Level 35: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(43), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(43), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(46), RedFtn-Def(46), RedFtn-EndRdx(50)
Level 38: Blizzard -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(39), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(39), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(39), Posi-Dmg/Rng(40)
Level 41: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(42)
Level 44: Power Build Up -- AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(45), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(45), AdjTgt-Rchg(45), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx(46)
Level 47: Temp Invulnerability -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(48), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(48), RctvArm-ResDam(48)
Level 49: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
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Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A), Empty(50)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A), Empty(50)
Level 1: Vigilance
Level 4: Ninja Run