Vermain

Drain Psyche is a straight Regen boost, though, while Power Boost requires you to have Aid Self to actually get some use out of it. I think an actual straight self-heal would be quite powerful for a Dominator.

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I dont know to me Electric Armor looks like Fire Armor without Healing Flames.

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This is one of the big problems with Elec: it basically is Fiery Aura with no heal and more Energy resist than Fire resist. Its big advantage is the unlimited endurance, but most smart tanks can manage well enough without Power Sink, so that leaves it with... not a whole lot. You can softcap S/L on it, sure, but you have no Defense resist, so getting whacked by a sword or shot by a gun a few times is going to ruin all the hard work that you did IOing.

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Ok, but what is stopping you now from clicking "next" or using the search function to find other arcs? I don't get this.

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Absolutely nothing, but a lot of people tend to look at the front page first before going and doing anything else. It's why the Dev's Choice arcs all had 999+ votes in the first little while of the MA being released (especially the ones at the top like the Johnny Sonata arc), whereas the rest of them had to spend that time struggling up from page 300 to get even close.

The only real differences other than what's been mentioned that pop out are ancillary pools. Brutes get a few more options, such as Darkest Night from Soul Mastery, which is a pretty killer teaming power if you can afford the endurance cost.

Kinetic Combat isn't too bad, at least villain-side. Most pieces are running in the 3-5 million range, and it would probably cost you less per set if you're willing to swallow the enhancement loss and grab the knockdown proc (which costs a piddling amount).

Night Widows are pretty crazy. Great offense and the ability to couple it with softcapped Defense. Plus you get to do cool spins and wear a giant piece of lipstick on your head.

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I know it's subjective, but I think it's more interesting visually, and just more satisfying somehow.

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I have to agree. I've got a Katan/Willpower Scrapper and while it is a bit like being indestructible (barring a few things like Rularuu Overseers), I also started up a Dual Blades/Electric Armor Brute because DB is such a fun set to play. It's got a visual aesthetic that makes it a blast to watch, and when all there really is to do in this game is watch your guy beat up stuff, I think that's key to getting the most enjoyment that you can out of it.

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Mind Link isn't something that would have thought should be perma'd but I'll definately take a look at it.

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VEATs are a bit deceptive when you first start them because they look an awful lot like Scrappers or Blasters, but their main advantage is that they can do nutty damage while, at the same time, acting as extremely effective force multipliers to their team. Being able to get most people on your team halfway to softcapped permanently, as well as providing +30% constant damage, while also pumping out great DPS, is part of the benefit of playing a Widow.

I'd say Willpower is one of those sets that requires very careful slotting and a good player behind the wheel to do well. I think one of the best tanks I've ever run with was Willpower (granted, he was a Brute, though still nearly invincible thanks to some good IO slotting and careful play).

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Not getting snooty, but if this is the case then wouldn't if have been more beneficial for you to not offer feedback?

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If a Widow expert wants to pop in and post a different build then that's fine. I just noticed that he ended up missing a lot of key powers like Foresight and took some poor powers like Tough and CT:O. I'd say my build's fairly generic and doesn't really miss anything important.

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Glinting eye takes the achilles heel proc too.

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The big difference is in cast time and recharge. Gleaming Bolt is 1.5s recharge base, 1s cast time, while Glinting Eye is 4s recharge base and 1.67s cast, so Gleaming Bolt is easier to weave in with your main attacks.

I'm really no Widow expert, but I'd probably go with something more like this:

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

[u]Click this DataLink to open the build![u]

Level 50 Natural Arachnos Widow
Primary Power Set: Night Widow Training
Secondary Power Set: Widow Teamwork
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Medicine
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Leaping

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Swipe <ul type="square">[*] (A) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage[*] (36) Crushing Impact - Damage/Endurance[*] (36) Crushing Impact - Damage/Recharge[*] (36) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge[*] (37) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance[*] (48) Touch of Death - Chance of Damage(Negative)[/list]Level 1: Combat Training: Defensive <ul type="square">[*] (A) Defense Buff IO[*] (3) Defense Buff IO[*] (3) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed[*] (50) Kismet - Accuracy +6%[/list]Level 2: Strike <ul type="square">[*] (A) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage[*] (33) Crushing Impact - Damage/Endurance[*] (34) Crushing Impact - Damage/Recharge[*] (34) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge[*] (34) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance[*] (45) Touch of Death - Chance of Damage(Negative)[/list]Level 4: Tactical Training: Maneuvers <ul type="square">[*] (A) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance[*] (5) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge[*] (5) Red Fortune - Endurance/Recharge[*] (7) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge[*] (7) Red Fortune - Defense[*] (9) Red Fortune - Endurance[/list]Level 6: Swift <ul type="square">[*] (A) Run Speed IO[/list]Level 8: Follow Up <ul type="square">[*] (A) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage[*] (9) Crushing Impact - Damage/Endurance[*] (11) Crushing Impact - Damage/Recharge[*] (11) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge[*] (13) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance[*] (13) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up[/list]Level 10: Indomitable Will <ul type="square">[*] (A) Endurance Reduction IO[*] (15) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%[/list]Level 12: Lunge <ul type="square">[*] (A) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage[*] (15) Mako's Bite - Damage/Endurance[*] (17) Mako's Bite - Damage/Recharge[*] (17) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge[*] (19) Mako's Bite - Chance of Damage(Lethal)[*] (19) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge[/list]Level 14: Health <ul type="square">[*] (A) Numina's Convalescence - Heal[*] (21) Miracle - +Recovery[*] (21) Regenerative Tissue - +Regeneration[*] (50) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery[/list]Level 16: Spin <ul type="square">[*] (A) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage[*] (45) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Endurance[*] (46) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Recharge[*] (46) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Recharge[*] (46) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance[*] (48) Scirocco's Dervish - Chance of Damage(Lethal)[/list]Level 18: Tactical Training: Assault <ul type="square">[*] (A) Endurance Reduction IO[/list]Level 20: Tactical Training: Leadership <ul type="square">[*] (A) Endurance Reduction IO[/list]Level 22: Foresight <ul type="square">[*] (A) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance[*] (23) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge[*] (23) Red Fortune - Endurance/Recharge[*] (25) Red Fortune - Endurance[*] (25) Red Fortune - Defense[*] (27) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed[/list]Level 24: Mask Presence <ul type="square">[*] (A) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance[*] (27) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge[*] (29) Red Fortune - Defense[*] (29) Red Fortune - Endurance[*] (31) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge[*] (33) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed[/list]Level 26: Mental Training <ul type="square">[*] (A) Run Speed IO[/list]Level 28: Mind Link <ul type="square">[*] (A) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge[*] (31) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge[*] (31) Gift of the Ancients - Defense/Recharge[*] (33) Serendipity - Defense/Recharge[*] (48) Kismet - Defense/Recharge[/list]Level 30: Slash <ul type="square">[*] (A) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage[*] (37) Mako's Bite - Damage/Endurance[*] (37) Mako's Bite - Damage/Recharge[*] (39) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge[*] (39) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge[*] (39) Mako's Bite - Chance of Damage(Lethal)[/list]Level 32: Eviscerate <ul type="square">[*] (A) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage[*] (40) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Endurance[*] (40) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Recharge[*] (40) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Recharge[*] (42) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance[*] (42) Scirocco's Dervish - Chance of Damage(Lethal)[/list]Level 35: Aid Other <ul type="square">[*] (A) Healing IO[/list]Level 38: Aid Self <ul type="square">[*] (A) Healing IO[*] (42) Healing IO[*] (43) Healing IO[*] (43) Interrupt Reduction IO[/list]Level 41: Stamina <ul type="square">[*] (A) Endurance Modification IO[*] (43) Performance Shifter - EndMod[*] (45) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End[/list]Level 44: Assault <ul type="square">[*] (A) Endurance Reduction IO[*] (50) Endurance Reduction IO[/list]Level 47: Combat Jumping <ul type="square">[*] (A) Defense Buff IO[/list]Level 49: Super Jump <ul type="square">[*] (A) Jumping IO[/list]------------
Level 1: Brawl <ul type="square">[*] (A) Touch of Death - Chance of Damage(Negative)[/list]Level 1: Sprint <ul type="square">[*] (A) Celerity - +Stealth[/list]Level 2: Rest <ul type="square">[*] (A) Recharge Reduction IO[/list]Level 1: Conditioning
------------

This'll give you a constant +30% damage boost (as well as to your team), essentially perma-Mind Link (.2s where you won't have it!!!!), and soft-capped Defense as a result. Alone, you're giving your team a 23.6% Defense boost to everything, which is pretty big. It's probably not optimally slotted because I am horrible at that, but that should do you pretty well regardless.

I think I'd actually take Gleaming Bolt over Glinting Eye if I were to make a Kheldian Scrapper-type, solely because it provides an excellent place to slap Achilles' Heel -Res, Analyze Weakness +ToHit, and Decimation's BuildUp in.

I hope this isn't too dumb of a question, but would a similar idea work with a Willpower build? I've messed around in Mids and it certainly seems doable, although I haven't seen any guides of that nature floating around.

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What numbers are we looking at... ?

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Upper-right corner. Defense numbers. Remember that this is an Invincibility Tanker that you're seeing these numbers on.

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I really would like to know the mag of her hold because it has to be in the 20s or more becaus she even held my Sheild/Energy Tank with my mez protection overlapped.

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It's Mag 100, I'm pretty sure. You basically need to be chain-chugging BFs or have someone stacking Enforced Morale or equivalents on you to overcome it.

I've been doing some testing today with the custom powerset thing in the MA, but it seems as though the AI is borked for the custom mobs I've been testing with. I have one boss that's Fiery Melee/Pain Domination that never uses any of their Pain Domination powers, and an Earth Control/Regeneration boss that never uses Moment of Glory, no matter his HP. Has anyone else noticed this at all?

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Wanna bet?

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The price has taken a huge nosedive, at least villain-side for me. All of the normal white salvage (barring Luck Charms) was going for its average of around 250-500.

I believe it's Pool B (mission drops), so you'd have to do Silver rolls to get one.

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That's it, then surely you haven't brought your MM on some of the real game challenges. Go on take him on the Impervious TF see how much of a cake walk that is speeding threw with your army of guys, even with your nullify pain

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That's going for a specific TF, though, and I still see TF teams being formed at a decent rate. Anything other than TFs, however, are basically the same thing as the MA farms except with different scenery and (typically) more diverse enemies.

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DOnt get me wrong i love farming but i also love teaming... teaming is dead

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The only difference I tend to notice between most farms and most public group missions is enemy type and scenery. The actual teaming process is the same - people try to get the most efficient group possible to blow through all of the content in as short a time as possible in order to maximize rewards and minimize losses. In a way, I actually tend to find farms more fun than your average public team, especially on characters like my Bots/Pain Mastermind, because normal missions are so horribly easy that I can just turn Nullify Pain on auto and occasionally tab back in to make sure I'm still with the group. Farms - especially with less-than-optimal groups - are the only ones that end up providing any sort of challenge.

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Has anyone at least seen an explanation of why are these animations removed?!

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The only one I can think of is that people are using them for farms, and, since Tech Scan had a fairly lengthy animation time, people could kill them before the animation ended. Or something.

To give the naked truth, just about every AE team I've seen so far has been running farms (or really horrible arcs). I'd stick with something soloable.

Widows, as far as I can figure, are psychically-sensitive children (usually female) that Arachnos takes and indoctrinates at a young age, nurturing their psychic potential. The ones that show only moderate amounts of psychic ability usually end up becoming Night Widows (assassins and saboteurs), while the ones with great psychic ability end up becoming Fortunatas (who are aiding Lord Recluse in trying to see into the future).

Just a question in general about Defense: I noticed in Mids that it states that the 7.63% Defense from Mask Presence gets suppressed during combat. Does one need to build to compensate for this for Widows to reach peak survivability, or am I misreading it?