The_Static_Man

My main uses for the base are now primarily for getting to hami raids (i can go directly to Eden from atlas park or the like) and for crafting. Since i'll often spend an hour in atlas tracking back and fourth from WW and a crafting table, crafting tables in the base does improve convenience. Also, being the chief designer, it's my big sandbox.

The problem with bases nowadays is that there are now just as easy (or even easier) alternatives to all base services that exist outside the base. The only service that is unique to the base are the empowerment stations. Back before i10 or whenever the base salvage was phased out i used those empowerment stations like there was no tomorrow, purely because we had a single storage rack dedicated to components, which we would craft after doing a few "SG Farms" gathering prestige and salvage. The components made crafting dead easy because we didn't need to hit the market to buy a specific salvage item. hence, before a mission, on my i would stop into the base, go to my salvage rack stocked up to 999 components, grab a handfull and buff up before taking a teleporter. Now if i want a specific buff, i need to sift through stacks upon stacks of salvage, find the one i need before i can craft it.

I believe things like making the medical reclaimers more feisable along with the empowerment stations and teleporters could be sorted out. That would make a notable impact on how bases are viewed in terms of their usefulness. Being able to run base raids would be even better but i'm sure we're all aware that the devs have enough on their plate at the moment.

Group fly does work well, just provide that your flyspeed isn't quicker than your henchmen. Henchmen flyspeed is inherently quicker than ours (32mph compared to 24mph for us) so even with the likes of swift enhanced with flyspeed, your henchmen should be able to catch up. the slower your flyspeed the better. they may tend to lag behind, that is due to the server lag and whatnot, and there's not alot you can do about that unfortunately.

I don't really have much of a problem with the AI, but commands are fairly wish-wash. There's no huge need to change the AI of all the enemies in the game because to me, it's more or less ok. Ranged-oriented enemies still have hard-hitting melees and can still take just about as much as a melee-oriented attacker.

The problem with pets is that the difference between ranged and melee is far greater than your regular mob. Masterminds are also about tactical planning, the problem is, we try that, but the command system would require you to write out twenty macros to be effective, or it's just not possible. I can order a pet to be aggressive and hold his current location but when I do, that's not what happens, he either runs off into melee after throwing a few ranged attacks or just does n't take an interest in the enemies.

My suggestion would be to pay more attention to cleaning up the command system, make it more robust, make pets do what they're told and allow you to issue orders to other pets like your Force Field generator or Dark Servant if possible. That would make Masterminds so much more versatile and would increase the possibilities that can be done with them, as opposed to just making the game easier.

Hey guys, I've spent some time tinkering around for my build i want to get onto my Demon/Traps, thought i might throw it up here and see what you guys think.

I do plan to tankermind on her, i would like to get some more resistances and sort of wondering if it is better to drop ice and take up Field Mastery or even heat (for the AoE, although it might be rendered not so important once we get the Judgement slot). Just would like to gauage what epic i should look towards.

Thanks!

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.91
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Celestial Surge: Level 50 Natural Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Demon Summoning
Secondary Power Set: Traps
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Presence
Ancillary Pool: Chill Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Summon Demonlings -- EdctM'r-Acc/Dmg(A), EdctM'r-Dmg/EndRdx(3), EdctM'r-Dmg(3), S'bndAl-Dmg/Rchg(5), ImpSwft-Dam%(5), S'bndAl-Acc/Rchg(7)
Level 1: Web Grenade -- GravAnch-Hold%(A), GravAnch-Immob/Rchg(7), GravAnch-Acc/Immob/Rchg(9), GravAnch-Acc/Rchg(9)
Level 2: Caltrops -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 4: Triage Beacon -- Numna-Heal/Rchg(A), Mrcl-EndRdx/Rchg(11), Numna-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(13), Numna-Heal(13), Mrcl-Heal/Rchg(15), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(15)
Level 6: Enchant Demon -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 8: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(11)
Level 10: Acid Mortar -- Achilles-ResDeb%(A), RechRdx-I(25), Posi-Dam%(34), LdyGrey-%Dam(34), ShldBrk-%Dam(36)
Level 12: Summon Demons -- S'bndAl-Dmg(A), S'bndAl-Build%(29), S'bndAl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), S'bndAl-Dmg/EndRdx(31), Dct'dW-Heal(31), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(31)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-ResKB(27)
Level 16: Force Field Generator -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(17), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(17), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(19)
Level 18: Hell on Earth -- ExRmnt-+Res(Pets)(A), C'Arms-+Def(Pets)(19), EdctM'r-PetDef(21), SvgnRt-PetResDam(21)
Level 20: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(23), RechRdx-I(25)
Level 22: Poison Trap -- Lock-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(A), Lock-%Hold(23), Lock-Acc/Rchg(27), Lock-Rchg/Hold(33), Lock-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(33), Lock-Acc/Hold(42)
Level 24: Super Speed -- Clrty-Stlth(A), Clrty-RunSpd(33)
Level 26: Summon Demon Prince -- BldM'dt-Acc(A), BldM'dt-Dmg(37), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx(39), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(39), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg(39), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx(40)
Level 28: Seeker Drones -- SipInsght-ToHitDeb(A), SipInsght-Acc/ToHitDeb(34), SipInsght-Acc/Rchg(37), SipInsght-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(37), SipInsght-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(40), SipInsght-%ToHit(40)
Level 30: Crack Whip -- Posi-Dmg/Rchg(A), Posi-Acc/Dmg(42), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(42), Posi-Dam%(43), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43)
Level 32: Abyssal Empowerment -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 35: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Def(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+(36), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(36)
Level 38: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 41: Tactics -- GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(A), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(45), GSFC-ToHit(46)
Level 44: Ice Blast -- Apoc-Dam%(A), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg(45), Dev'n-Dmg/Rchg(45), Dev'n-Dmg/EndRdx(46)
Level 47: Frozen Armor -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(48), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(48), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(48)
Level 49: Provoke -- Zinger-Dam%(A), Zinger-Taunt(50), Zinger-Acc/Rchg(50), Zinger-Taunt/Rchg(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Supremacy
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Flight-I(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(43), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(46)

What Syntax42 said is pretty much on the money. Invuln and Willpower are pretty much the best sets in terms of cheapness. Sets like SR and Regen tend to be a little underwhelming since they essentially "pack all their eggs in one basket" and only have 1 form of mitigation. Invuln will leave you vulnerable to psionic damage until you can get some set bonuses in, however, pretty much all other damage you will handle pretty well even without big investment.

Willpower can't quite take as much as invuln but it has no real weakness, it's the jack of all trades and therefore any form of investment just adds to strong points rather than trying to cover a weakpoint.

That has pretty much been the case since CoH first begun. When Masterminds where introduced their AI was more or less just ported over from regular pet and mob AI. The issues of ranged-oriented mobs loving to get up close and personal has pretty much been a problem since all time.

ahh right, yeah now i've checked the combat attributes and shields are still showing their regular unenhanced values.

Unfortunatly, looks are that and that alone and something you may just have to live with. As for comparison between thugs and bots, Bots will last much longer thanks to the protector bots so they're probably your ideal choice. Thugs on the other hand tend to be a little more squishy and require a little more attention, but the extra risk is rewarded for the much higher damage they produce, particularly in the AoE depeartment.

Since your new i would recommend bots.

I second Zaprobo. I've ran both Tin Mage and Apex on my mastermind and i hardly ever lost pets, even during battle maiden. Most well formed TFs will have more than enough bufff/debuff to go mitigate any incoming damage to the pets, and your own secondaries also contribute to this. Sure i might occasionally lose 1 or two, but i would never see all my pets get taken out in one sweep.

I think if you're pets are having trouble staying alive then the team might have a few issue with aggro management.

Scrappers and Brutes are very similar in performance and strategy. It would be safe to say that an elec/elec brute build would be quite suitable for a Scrapper, or at least it'll give you a good reference to go by.

Leadership buffs may not be great on their own, but they are probably the best powers to take if you have a few power slots free, especially for a mastermind. Also, now that fitness is inherient, many people are now replacing fitness with leadership, so get on a team and you're likely to be teamed with a couple of other people with leadership, that is when the power pool really begins to shine.

If you're mainly the soloing type you're not going to notice a dramatic change. If you team alot (which you'll probably do alot lategame) then it definitely has it's uses.

i am in agreeance with adeon here. you won't see much of a buff until you have a rare or ultra rare slotted, which is impossible at the moment. I went with cardiac(endurance) for my demons/traps, that made quite a big difference for me. I also suppose your boost choice might also affect what secondary effects the uncommon grants.

I tried a tactic by putting my pets in stay mode right before i aggroed a group. They still give bodyguard if they're in defensive. But even ordering them to stay, either aggressive or defensive, they'll still throw a few ranged before charging into melee. I would definitely like to see the stay order cleaned up a bit so you can at least force your pets to hold their ground and not charge into melee.

Cleaning up the AI would be even better however i could live with just keeping pets in Stay

I have a Demon/traps MM, after a few procs, pet auras and sets slotted she can pretty much do it all. I've soloed AVs and GMs with her, and also regularly run her on +0x8 shard & drops runs

I got 3 lvl 40 damage IOs on my Tier II demons, yet looking in the enhancement window and the real numbers, the benefit they're gaining from it is only ~65% where it should be up in the 90% range...

That doesn't mind me too much since damage enhancements are also increasing their damage resistance on both the ember shield and their regular resistances.

It can really be anything, the next couple of slots could be unlocked using shards, or another storyarc. It could even be earning a series of badges, i doubt that it's just going to be a ton of contacts in Ouro unlocking each slot by the end of it all.

Golden stuff lol

If i put a chance for damage proc in acid mortar, will each time the acid mortar fires a shell, the proc fires off for every foe hit?


thanks

hardly ever use aggressive and aggressive mode would probably at most only make the demons chase after a fleeing foe, not just run off to an entirely different mob for no reason.

Just on a side note, how exactly does the buildup proc work? my build is pretty tight as it is as far as pets are concerned since i went full blow with all the Resist and Def auras from the pet set and rech pet IO sets so going with that proc will mean dropping one of the probably.

The calm before the storm would indicate that soon there's gonna be some supermassive bug that makes pets completely ignore any commands and instantly find the closest group of unaggroed mobs to kill themselves in..

Man i'm loving masterminmds now.. :/

Not sure if it's just me but i've noticed that even despite my ridiculous microing, demon pets just do not follow orders. Ok they attack, but soon after that they will sprint off, forgetting all about what they were supposed to be doing, then when i call them back, they stand there for a good 10 seconds before finally making their way back. Only to do it again as soon as they see another enemy.

It's really been putting me off my Mastermind, because i seemignly can't even run missions on +2 x3 without pets running off and killing themselves even if all i ever do is repeatedly press my follow macro.

Anyone else been having similar problems? I never had these problems with my Thugs.

nevermind, it's back up