Synaesthetix

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Spines regen, best overall without a doubt. Tough as nails to kill and good damage cause they can bring all reds.

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Regen is still vulnerable to Fear and Confuse.

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Well I'm trying to make a point but most people are happy with CM to stack because it either doesnt really effect or is favourable to them.

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Because apparently I don't have any problems with heroes being CMd when playing my Robots/Dark MM, and in fact heroes being immune to Fear, Holds, Disorient and having +Perception to see through Shadow Fall actually makes it easier for me to beat them, right?

At least I still have my mighty Acc debuffs, which aren't at all thwarted by Fortitude and probably Tactics.

If all else fails, I can count on the awesome single-target damage of my Robots to deliver the coup-de-grace, and not have to worry about any silly AoE damage being easily healed back inbetween cups of tea.

It's obviously true that Empaths don't cause any problems for any ATs other than Dominators and Stalkers, mang - you just ignore those hataz on your path to true enlightenment.

Or maybe, just maybe, people are happy for CM to stack because the alternative just wouldn't be acceptable?

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Empaths cant CM themselves..

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... but they can use BFs (easily replenished at your local friendly contact). Having teamed with and against Bilharzia frequently, I can report that Empaths were more an annoying obstacle than a complete blockade to his kill ratio, even if they were fully unmezzed and mobile (again, this was before nearly all the big Domination buffs).

My point is that Dominators aren't nullfied simply by the presence of one (or even multiple) Empaths - by the same token, neither are Stalkers, nor any other villain AT.

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Most PvP fights are frantic rushing around and MMs just can't do that.

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In fairness, frantic rushing around can only occur if you let yourself be drawn into it. I always try to PvP in the way best suited to my character, or if that's not possible, the style that most hinders/least benefits my opponent.

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I fought Syn's MM in the Arena (as my sonic defender) and didn't even come close to beating him. I'm sure a fort'd scrapper could two or three shot a MM (if bodyguard wasn't up).

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Matter of fact, my MM chews through most Scrappers and Tanks, even when outnumbered; the most trouble I have comes against fighting certain 'troller and defenders. PvP MMing is not about always being in Bodyguard mode, but about being in Bodyguard at the right time. Then again, of all the MMs I've PvP'd against since the changes came into effect, I'd say that <10% were capable of using Bodyguard - make of that what you will.

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My Energy Brute can be taken down by anyone with Aim and a high damage attack...

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As can my SR Scrapper, the sound fx of Aim (and Build Up to a lesser extent) are a hint to get the hell out of range.

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I remember in my early dom days thinking "I'l just keep stacking holds" and bilharzia telling me to get back because they had an empath.

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But he still managed to get kills against teams with Empaths in, he just cursed more and altered his tactics.

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Btw. just last night I was teamed with a brute friend on my thermal. Even buffed and laying on heals, a solo scrapper made short work of the brute. In that 2 on 1 situation we should have at least got close to a stalemate.

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Hopefully, the Fury changes on Test should rectify Brutes' PvP-ability; however, Brutes are not regen-killers. Did you have access to Heat Exhaustion and Melt Armor?

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Aye, and pets have no KB protection (unless you go /FF?) Gale or M30 grenade scatters them all over and its goodnight bodyguard mode.

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I've never had a single application of Gale, M30 Grenade or similar AoE KB powers knock all henchmen out of Bodyguard range. Also, Stormies and AR Blasters/Corrs are the last thing I'm concerned about fighting when playing my MM.

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MMs still need help for pvp. Bodyguard mode is a trap not a blessing, all it does is reduce the odds of a mastermid getting killed in the first blast. In return it seriously reduces the combat effectiveness of their pets.

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Bodyguard is an extremely powerful tool when used correctly - switching in and out of Bodyguard is integral to MM success in high-level PvP. The only 'help for pvp' I see that would really benefit MMs in PvP is for an increase in pet movement speed; anything else would make them overpowered in balanced teams as buffed, shielded, and supported MMs can be almost unstoppable.

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Unless the zone is empty masterminds are nothing more than slightly mobile weapon emplacements, or ambush hunters. And in a fully dynamic pvp battle they come out last.

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Having fought successfully against some of the best PvPers on the English servers in "fully dynamic pvp battle" in MM-unfavourable arena conditions, I have to strike this as another case of 'assertion does not accurately reflect personal experience'.

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I personally cant think of an ultimate team of villains that the EU test servers pvp'ers couldn't deal with. Infact I go as far as to say that the best team of villains would struggle against a semi decent team of heroes.

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I say you're not thinking hard enough, then.

Maybe that's a bit uncharitable on my part; in theory, I think it's quite conceivable that a 'good' villain team could compete against a 'good' hero team. When Filth/Bilharzia was still around (god rest his retired account), LoUD - even as the smallest of small VGs - could hold its own in any zonal PVP. This was back when Dominators were unheard of in PvP, even in PvE, and way before any of the recent buffs; I used to support him on my (non-FF) MM back before Bodyguard was even coded. Hell, even in his absence, the League can still more than hold their own - in RV most recently our 4-man team (1 MM, 1 Corr, 1 Brute, 1 Stalker) destroyed a 5-man hero team (3 'PFF' Blasters [2 /En, 1 /Elec], 1 Troller, 1 Scrapper) even though not all our VG PvPs to any real degree, and those of us who do are rusty as hell. I wasn't keeping score, but neither I as an MM, nor Aphotica/Cel as a Corruptor died once in the 45 minutes in the zone. The potential is definitely there, it seems more an issue that - for whatever reason - there is a dearth of players behind the villain ATs to make it work. I find that most MMs, a year after launch, still completely and utterly suck in both PvE and PvP - on both Union and Defiant; Dominators are getting better, but I've still to see one played as well as Bilharzia.

Sure, there are niggles that need to be ironed out in code, as highlighted earlier by Extremus, amongst others. Thaw needs its anti-mez capabilities bringing in line with CM and Clarity. I'd leave the +Per off it though, personally, and instead give a huge +Per Boost to Forge in the same set; thematically it make more sense, villains need fewer +Per powers in the whole than hero teams do, and it adds a little flavour to the set as opposed to generifying everything to the same standard. At long last, it appears that Fury has been fixed, making Brutes more viable (in general) for anything other than squishie-tagging, although buffed Brutes can be quite sick already.

Edit: Oh yeah, one more thing - the other problem with villain teams in PvP is the perennial favourite, that of Tactics (the skill, as opposed to the power-choice ). Villains do not play like heroes; in the same vein, trying to PvP like heroes will get you nowhere fast.

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As Max guessed they fixed it, it has 0,9s activation time now on Test. Yay! Now to find the slots for it...

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Drop the snipe.

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You don't need time bomb, does anyone here who is /dev use timebomb?

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I still use it for the odd giggle in PvP, more for my own amusement than anything else. It takes a certain level of skill to be able to TeleBomb people, and I like to keep my eye in, even though it's 90% useless.

If I had my way, these are the changes I would make (original existing text is blue, my alterations are red):

Devices

Web Grenade
Upon impact, the Web Grenade expels a strong, tenuous, and very sticky substance that can Immobilize most targets. This non-lethal device deals no damage and does not prevent targets from attacking, although their attack rate is Slowed. The Web can bring down flying entities and halts jumping.
Recharge: Fast
Available at level: 1
Changes: NONE, well-balanced as is.

Caltrops
You toss a handful of Caltrops at a targeted location and spread the tiny metal spikes over a large area. Any villains that pass over the Caltrops will be forced to move at a slower rate. They will also take some trivial Lethal damage over time.
Damage: Minor (DoT), Recharge: Slow
Available at level: 2
Changes: NONE, well-balanced as is.

Taser Dart
The Taser Dart is a basically an airborne stun-gun. This small device releases a high-voltage, low-amperage electrical charge that can Disorient most opponents with minimal damage at range.
Damage: Minor, Recharge: Slow
Available at level: 4
Changes: Turns Taser from melee to range - there is NOTHING in the Devices secondary that makes it effective in melee, let's face facts. If you're going to have a "different" secondary, you might as well make it really different. Also change the animation to the tech origin temp power animation.

Targeting Drone
When this small device is activated, the small Targeting Drone hovers around your head and emits targeting laser sights. The lasers can dramatically improve your Accuracy and Damage and increase your Perception, allowing you to better see stealthy foes. Targeting Drone also grants you resistance to powers that DeBuff your Accuracy. This is a toggle power and must be activated and deactivated manually. Like all toggle powers, while active, the Targeting Drone drains Endurance.
Recharge: Slow
Available at level: 10
Changes: TD had half its functionality (the ability to slot more damage in your primary) massively reduced without recompense after ED. In order to make up for the loss of Build Up, I suggest a +35-50% DAM boost whenever TD is activated - allowing for better damage over time, as opposed to better burst damage.

Tear Gas
The Tear Gas envelops all those in the affected area in a cloud of acrid smoke. Most villains will not be able to see past normal melee range, although some may have better perception. If the villains are attacked, they will be alerted to your presence, but will suffer a penalty to Accuracy. Additionally, some foes may be rendered unable to act for a short period of time.
Recharge: Slow
Available at level: 16
Changes: Increased Acc debuff, as it isn't stackable by the same player; Increased range, mobs at high levels have far more range than the Player Character; Additional 50% chance to disorient/hold minions (Mag1) for 10 seconds. Basically, make this power worth taking again.

Cloaking Device
The Cloaking Device allows you to use an LCD body coating, becoming invisible. While Cloaked you cannot be seen at even very close range. If you attack while Cloaked, you will be discovered. Even if discovered, you are hard to see and have a bonus to Defense. Unlike some stealth powers, the Cloaking Device has no movement penalty.
Recharge: Slow
Available at level: 20
Changes: Change CD from Stealth to Invis, basically turning it into Sup Invis for Devices. Increase Endurance Cost appropriately.

Trip Mine
You can place a Trip Mine on the ground. Any villains that pass near the Trip Mine will cause it to explode, severely damaging all nearby foes and sending them flying. The Trip Mine is almost impossible to detect, but it is fragile and may be set off by an enemy's explosion. Even if destroyed, the Trip Mine will detonate.
Damage: Superior, Recharge: Slow
Available at level: 28
Changes: NONE, well-balanced as is.

Plasma Drones
You create two high explosive Seeker Drones. These Seeker Drones will follow you until they detect an enemy and then they will zero in on targets and detonate in a small shower of burning plasma on impact. This plasma eats through armor causing damage over time, and the concussion can weaken foes. Affected targets will have reduced damage, accuracy and perception and may even be disoriented for a short while. You can only have two drones at any one time. They can be destroyed by your foes.
Damage: Superior (Minor DoT), Recharge: Long
Available at level: 35
Changes: Goodbye LameBomb, hello Photon Seekers+Seeker Drones. This helps make the transition from Devices as a plodding setup set, to a dynamic set in keeping with the rest of the game - the setup time on Trip Mines is acceptable, Time Bomb is far too fiddly to fit in well with any standard team. Devices needs some more damage on the move plx tyvm.

Hover Turret
You can create a mobile gun emplacement. The Hover Turret has an extremely fast fire rate and is equipped with a customized tracking system. Once locked on, the Turret will continue to unload a volley of lead into the target until it is destroyed or is out of range. The Turret is armored, but can be destroyed.
Damage: Moderate, Recharge: Very Long
Available at level: 38
Changes: One, a stationary object that cannot be moved by the player is of little-to-no use in CoX - make the Turret mobile, much like Voltaic Sentinel in Elec/. Two, player-based Auto Turrets are nowhere near as resiliant as they need to be, so a DamRes buff would be greatly appreciated.

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Almost everyone was overpowered before ED, even AR/Dev blasters. AR/Dev happened to be much less overpowered than everyone else :/

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I wouldn't say that - the last room in the Eden trial was an AR/Dev wonderland, with a decent herd and Full Auto (6-slotted for damage, naturally) available almost on demand; when you got bored of that, Trip Mines could be randomly dispensed for comic effect. Enough nostalgia.

I haven't had Auto Turret in Syn's build for a long time; when I did have it, TPing the AT was one of the main uses I found for it. It'll be interesting to see where they go with the Devices set now - if it goes anywhere at all.

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I'm also not that interested in resistance that has no lethal/smash component. It's that I have to worry about, as Tough on my Firetank proved to me.

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That's great, but you're no Tank - you're a Corruptor, and Energy/Psi damage is a surprisingly common damage type in CoV: Arachnos, Longbow, Carnies, CoT, and many AVs will have you hankering after every scrap of En/Neg/Psi res you can muster.

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All Claws powers good (though not a fan of Follow Up), the endreds are useful, but your toggles will drain more of your endurance than your attacks will.

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Claws is all about the Follow Up.

Spin is easily forgettable, even if the animation is cool, and I've never missed Swipe - although it's much improved since the Claws changes.

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i think he had body gaurd on perma

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Not perma, but I'm glad I played/fudged well enough to make it look that way.

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i think you can stack thaw from thermal rad too.

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Worth noting, Thaw doesn't give as comprehensive mez protection as Clear Mind (no Fear, Confuse).

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I'd also want a 20 minute Server Based Team Rumble as well to end this feud and determine which Server was the most successful at producing villain players.

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Not sure how relevant this is, but I know a number of Defiant-based players created villains on Union - technically, they're Union villains, but from Defiant players, if you get my meaning.

As I said, I'm not sure how relevant this is as I'm not sure how many of those players are still with us - but I thought I'd throw it up for consideration.


Edit: Additionally, I sadly won't be able to make that date (or any day that weekend, as it goes) - pity, as I'd have liked to do my bit for Onion. Que sera sera.

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Count me in!!!

Blasters unite!!!

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it will be open to everyone so long as they are playing a Villain Character.

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Jum, you dweeb.

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not make the mistake that you can spend forever in the midst of battle like a tanker.

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I wouldn't say that, my Claws/SR has outlasted many a Tanker (especially against high-end AVs). It's true to say that you shouldn't presume you can spend forever in battle... but it's certainly possible.

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Or shall i get both?

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Answer this question: Do you like being an unstoppable asskicking dervish?

Plus, (slotted) Health works really well with Regen, so it's not as if you have 'useless' powers to take in order to get it.

Oh god, and to think I almost missed this.

Bye Aisla, thanks for being a 5-star member of the community.

Another day, another brother.

It'll be that much more empty without you LP, although I'm pretty sure that Aero is raring to jump into your coveted "Master of Ceremonies" position, and I'm sure you'll wish him all the best in that. Not sure if I can be bothered to keep levelling my Ill/Sonic now tbh, but I won't delete him just in case you come back.

Good luck with the degree, you dirty splitter.

o/

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Stone/Stone is good for PvE (especially if you've a Kin) simply because of Granite Armour. It's a bit squishy at times leading to Granite, but Granite itself is the saving grace of the set, along with Earth's Embrace and to a lesser degree, Rooted. But you will move veeeery slowly.

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Rooted is the mutt's nuts, I've run my Stone/Stone on Ruthless/Relentless from 16 onwards using just Rooted and Health for most missions, with the def shields only being turned on in emergencies and in large teams - and that's including EBs. Sure, Granite is arguably the jewel of /Stone (less useful for a Stone Brute in everyday situations due to the -Dam component) but it's very far from being the "saving grace".

But you will have to get used to moving very slowly until you have 3 SOs in Swift, and even TPing in battle. You will learn to hate maps with uneven floors, and anyone with the ability to jump. (That said, I have Rooted bound to the 4th button on my mouse, and you get a feel for switching it on and off between mobs after no time.)

Just a note: I would sign up, but my work-schedule precludes me from doing so. It was only with a little wiggling that I was able to show up for Squished (a one-night-only event); trying to arrange times with 9 other people (as happened with S4) proves to be nothing but an exercise in frustration.

I wish you well, though.

You won't take Fly Trap, but you will take the Guardian? I know it can fly but it's not that much more mobile, given you're an SJer. Given the fact it's available less often, and not slotted for anything other than acc/recharge, I can only presume it's there to occasionally supplement healing. Is that the best use of your power/enhancement slot(s)?

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This attack should never miss, and after that nothing should miss, evah! For the /SR Scrappers out there, 2 Impales like this will make the day

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Do debuffs from the same player stack? Also, SR has an amount of DefDebuff resistance, which increases with level - this tactic might work fine in Sirens, but not so much in WB/RV/Arena. (As soon as Elude is activated, in fact, you might as well kiss any defdebuffs goodbye.) It will be useful against Bubblers, anyone using a Def-based Epic shield, and against teams using Defbuffs though.

Personally, I'd say that if you're going with no pets, stick with no pets; if you were going to choose a pet, I'd always advise the primary over the patron - for less slotting, you can get much better return, and it's more readily available in case of death (its or yours). I'd also think about slotting Aim with some To Hit Buffs, but that's personal preference. Thorntrops I'd go 2 Rechg/1 Slow, but again that's personal preference. Also, seeing as you're not a "Sapper" build, I'd think about slotting Power Sink 3 Rechg/2 Endmod/1 EndRdx to make it more readily available at low endurance. In all, mainly just niggles.

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Blue Freezer and Max won in the end, with myself and Ashura in 2nd place

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And Aphotica and myself slipped nicely into 3rd, meaning that: hero/villain pair > hero/hero > villain/villain - at least, this time round.

Was good fun, and I have a better understanding of how MMs work in the arena - good job all.

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could this be working , copyied it from another thread ???
to activate 2 shields with 1 click ?

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I think that would work, but it still requires you to select the person you want to buff - the benefit of the numpad binds is that you don't have to waste time selecting people on screen.

It's probably possible to combine the two, but it'd be a bit complicated.

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its not working , when im in a team i just use my fire attacks when i press 1 , and if i remove my attack from tray 1 on space 1 nothing is happening ,

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The number doesn't correspond to the numbers in your power tray - it's the number on your numpad, to the right of your keyboard.

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Has anyone had a go at arena on test since the Halloween patch?

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I've not noticed anything massively untoward since the last patch on Test, all seems to be functioning as well as it ever is. Guess we'll find out tomorrow if there are any bugs.