Vysires

Since your working on defense, one thing I thought would be worth a change, if you drop stunning shot, and most of the APP powers, then pick up boxing, tough and weave instead, put steadfast in tough, slot up Weave, and put Razzle Dazzle into boxing instead of stunning shot, you gain a bit more recharge from another LotG and your about 6.5% closer to def cap.

Edit: Didn't see your question about Fire vs Archery. They are both good. Fire gets it's AE damage earlier, but AR has Rain of Arrows, which is really nice. I like both sets, either would work. Really depends on what you want the character to be like, well that and if your willing to wait til 33-34 for Rain of Arrows.

They all work ok. IMO Archery is the best, but AR and DP have some useful powers. I think Archery is the best because it has quick attacks, and Rain of Arrows is great. However AR has Full Auto and Ignite. All three of those go well with Dark because of Tar patch. The only perks DP has is that it has some interesting slotting options, but most of it's powers have longer animations. But it's pretty nifty thematically.

For AR vs Archery, Rain of Arrows is better then Full auto, because it does more damage, and is ground targeted rather then a cone, so you can fire around corners and stuff like that. But Ignite plus Tar patch would be nice, though Ignite is kinda small. So AR has 3 powerful AEs in Ignite, Flamethrower and Full auto, but they are all longer cast times, 4s for Ignite and Full Auto, and 2.33 for Flamethrower. AR also has a somewhat lacking single target chain. For Archery, besides RoA, the other AE is lower damage, but quicker, both Archery AEs are super fast casting for an AE, 1.17 for Fistful of Arrows, and 1 for Explosive Arrow. Archery also has a full single target attack chain, and blazing arrow is a really nice tier 3, almost as fast as Blaze or BIB and comes earlier, plus it's full 80' range, when many other tier 3s are 40 or 50.

So I personally would order the 3 as Archery, then AR, then DP. But just depends on what you want.

Besides all this, the main thing I like about Corrupters over Defenders is that they get Fire Blast. If Fire Blast ever gets migrated over to Defenders, then I might try some.

Also, one thing to be aware of, not sure if it was mentioned previously, some of the Corrupter debuff powers get the same value as Defenders. Not many, but some, specifically pseudo-pet debuffs like tar patch and freezing rain. So for Dark and Storm, I think Corrupters pull ahead.

With the new H/V merits, it's actually fairly easy to get LotG +recharge IOs. 4 days of tip missions as a Hero or Villain and you get a LoTG or Numinas or Mircale recipe. Because of this, it's actually fairly easy to get a permadom build at lower levels. My plant/thorn has had perma-dom since lvl 34. Most Dom's can perma fairly easily. I won't say super cheap, but not billions definitely. Part of this is because of the market merger, lots of stuff available to Doms that wasn't before, just due to supply.

Now, I have to say, while 68% global is enough to achieve permadom, if you have actually played it, you will find it's really easy to loose. Slight delay in firing hasten, get hit by any kind of slow and you loose it. So I would recommend getting a bit more global recharge built up if possible. Assault is nice, and obviously you can do whatever you want, but maneuvers would take a lotg.

Also Fire breath is really really good. It's the best AE in the /fire set. I would say drop roots and pick up Fire Breath, it will take the same Positron's blast you had planned to slot in roots, and you will get a lot more out of it. Just take Incinerate at 2, and Fire Breath at 4.

I do agree with the spirit of your thread OP, lots of people seem to think that permadom is for 50's and billionaires only, so it's good to get the info out. Sorry if you weren't looking for advice.

Stupefy is another good set for Boxing, 5 gets 6.25 recharge, and 6 gives 3.13% ranged def. I find it very useful on my def based characters. Very few sets give both recharge and defense. Also good is Razzle Dazzle which gives 2.5% to Melee and AoE with 6 slots.

Shockwave is very different from Repulsing Torrent. Shockwave is a 30' 90 degree cone, that does 67 base damage at level 50. It has a 100% change of a 1.45 knockback. So while it's knockback, it's not a lot, and it's 100% and it's a huge cone.

Repulsing Torrent is a 45% cone that does 50 base damage, and it has an 80% chance of a 6.23 knockback. So it's not going hit everyone, and those it does it, it's going to knock really far back. RT is junk IMO. Maybe amusing to knock mobs off of tall buildings, but not worth much otherwise.

Chain fences isn't great, and not required really early, but if you are planning on doing any sapping, it's your second best tool after conductive aura. It has a big area, and drains 10% end unslotted. I would eventually pick it up and 6 slot with efficiency adapters for the 5% recharge bonus. Thats if your plan on sapping as a control. If not, then it's a possible skip.

Grant cover is generally skipable in /SD. In KM you want the first 3 attacks, the ranged attack isn't great, so it can wait til later if you like. As was said, you can also skip repulsing torrent and confront. You need stamina and weave, I like hasten a lot, it gives more uptime for power siphon, so that would be useful.

So for leveling, get the first 3 attacks, then a couple of the defenses, then power siphon, then start gettting stamina prereqs and mabye hasten. Get Burst at 18 and stamina at 20.

Hm, I just did a quick build showing what I would take, and it doesn't really look like hasten fits in very well, mabye at 38 instead of combat jumping. Here is what I would likely do for a leveling build. I didn't bother with slots, but streetlight's suggestions are good for slotting, though I often hold off at 5 slots on attacks, generally you can get pretty good enchancements with 5 slots and you tend to need them for other things. I come back later and add a 6th slot if I need it somewhere.


Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.803
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 37 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Kinetic Melee
Secondary Power Set: Shield Defense
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Quick Strike -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Deflection -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Body Blow -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Smashing Blow -- Empty(A)
Level 6: Battle Agility -- Empty(A)
Level 8: Power Siphon -- Empty(A)
Level 10: Active Defense -- Empty(A)
Level 12: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 14: Health -- Empty(A)
Level 16: Against All Odds -- Empty(A)
Level 18: Burst -- Empty(A)
Level 20: Stamina -- Empty(A)
Level 22: Phalanx Fighting -- Empty(A)
Level 24: True Grit -- Empty(A)
Level 26: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 28: Tough -- Empty(A)
Level 30: Weave -- Empty(A)
Level 32: Concentrated Strike -- Empty(A)
Level 35: Shield Charge -- Empty(A)
Level 38: Combat Jumping -- Empty(A)
Level 41: [Empty]
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit
Level 4: Ninja Run

I can't comment on the droids but I have an iphone and I like it a lot. I don't generally watch movies, but it has finally gotten some ebook readers and I find that useful. I also use it all the time for gps and mapping and finding stores or restaurants. Also very nice for looking up movie times if I'm out with friends and we decide we might want to go to a movie. Some of the games are pretty fun. It also works as an Ipod, so I don't have to carry that separately either. All in all, none of those things independently is enough to buy one and pay for service, but the convenience of having all that in an item I'm going to have to carry around anyways makes it definitely worth it and something I quite like.

What level do you have to be to roll on the 30-34 range of random rare recipes? I have a 31 I was thinking of rolling on, but she doesn't appear to be able to purchase the 30-34 range. Do you have to be higher then the range to roll on it?

edit: Not quite sure what was going on, I checked a character I had who was 32, and she could do up to 35-39 range, so I went back to the 31, and the 30-34 range is showing up now.

For a level 50 build, Spore Burst is an easy 10% recharge. The purple sleep set is generally inexpensive. I don't really know if it's possible to cap ranged and get permadom, if it is, it would be hideously expensive.

With hero/villian Merits, LotGs are not too hard to get now. And they are an easy source of recharge. I often find that in the late 20's doms are short on slots, but not always on power choices. So on a lot of my builds, I tent to pick up combat jumping, or hover or stealth and put LotGs in them. The concealment pool is very nice for this, all of the power in it except phase shift will take LotGs. For example if you drop combustion and consume, and get 2 LotG mules, that will put your build up to 71% global recharge, which is barely enough for perma I think. Honestly the way I get permadom early for my doms is taking a bunch of LotG mule powers. My plant/thorns character has 4 of them right now, she should be perma by level 34. Well, mabye 36, I might have gotten a bit off in my slotting, but don't want to burn a respec right now.

For other changes, I love confuse, and eventually you will want 5 slots, but it doesn't really need that until 50, for the purple confuse set. Before then, I would move the slots over to say flares, you get the same 6.25% recharge, and decimation gives some other nice bonuses. Decimation can be kind of hard to get ahold of I admit, I'm still trying to get a few pieces for my plant/thorns dom. But IO bonuses aside, i would rather have a funtional flares attack then a way over enhanced confuse.

I'm curious if anyone knows how the Call of the Sandman Heal to Self proc would work in static field. Would it proc on you or the pet? Would it work on cast, or every 10 seconds. Maybe have a chance to proc on you when you cast, and on the pet afterwords?

I would say for a regen, you are better off getting say 30% def, and making sure you have good recharge and healing.

Some ideas, LotGs are a easy way to get recharge, and the concealment pool is an easy way to get powers that take them. I don't know what you might like to drop, but a lot of my dom builds take at least a couple concealment powers, because it frees up slots for other thing.

One other thing, an extra slot in earthquake so you can slot an Achilles Heel -res proc would be good.

But just like the widow power Mind Link, it does take defense and to-hit buff, which have recharge in them. Infact the to-hit buff recipes have pure recharge IOs. So you could get a couple recharge there.

I don't think Kin will beat out DM/SD on single target, assuming peak condidtions, however the advantage to Kin is that Power siphon is much easier to cap out then soul drain, so kin will tend to get a better overall buff then DM. On the flip side, I think DM can build a better single target attack chain then Kin. So how much Power Siphon is better is likely countered by DMs better attacks. However Kin has an actual AE attack, unlike DM. So it's a tradeoff I think.

I think a Kin/SD will play very well though, even if it's not the single target damage king.

It's an interesting build. Like you said, fire off Shadow Meld, run in, body blow, smashing blow, body blow, concentrated strike gives 4x PS buffs, then shield charge.

I have to say though, I would find having to spend 3 seconds casting shadow meld every 23 seconds would get really annoying really fast. Plus even with the damage buffs, shield charge isn't going to kill everything. Power Siphon is nice, but it's only really a bit better then buildup for short term. The advantage of Power siphon is that it lasts longer then Buildup. But this build is all about quick finishes, which isn't working to Kin's strength.

Yes, it's got a ton of recharge, but ultimately your giving up too much. I think the build Santorican posted would be much more playable. I personally might build a tiny bit different, but all in all, I think Shadow meld is not really that useful on Def based characters, and only slightly useful on non def characters. it's too short, and takes too long to cast to really be all that. It will be a nice alpa breaker for regen and willpower builds. Otherwise I would skip it.

I just wanted to make a comment. On my defense based builds, I often don't bother to cap AoE defense. If I get some that is fine, but I don't spend slots on it. So I generally end up with about 36-38% def vs AoE. That is fine with me. There just isn't that much really dangerous AoE in the game. So I'm not willing to burn slots for that.

With that in mind, Fury's builds are great guidlines, but I generally don't stick too close because he spends a lot of slotting to get AoE capped that I think is a waste. This free's up some power choices and slots a bit. It's something to keep in mind for your builds. If you want capped def to all 3 positions, that is fine. But allowing AoE to drop down a bit works as well. My ELM/SD scrapped isn't capped vs AoE and he does just great.

As far as Blaze vs Mu, It's thematic to me. I like to take the hold in the EPP because just 4 slots gets 7.5% recharge from basilisks gaze, and it also gives 1.25% def to ranged. It's pretty nice for 4 slots. So the difference for Mu vs Blaze is power order. Getting the AoE earlier is nice, but not sure it's worth having to go villain to get Mu and back or however that works.

One thing to be aware of, Elec/ has a ground targeted control in the sleep field and a PBAE aura, plus the immob does not give -kb like some other sets, so you might have some issues with knocking things out of your fields and auras with /energy. Other then that, I think energy is a great secondary now.

I got this on my huntsman. I was SKed down to run a Cavern of Transcendence trial and while we waited, someone killed some hollows mobs, and I got a tip. I tried later on some lower level mobs when I wasn't SKed and didn't get anything. So I think it's tied in the the SK system somehow.

I have an Illusion/Rad controller who has a fair number of IO sets slotted. I had 80% global recharge before GR and Issue 18. Now I'm showing 73.75% global recharge. I have four 6.25% recharge bonuses slotted, but I only appear to be getting 3 of them. I noticed this the first time I logged in the character after GR released. I have tried relogging, and I tried switching over to her 2nd build and back again. No luck, still showing 73.75%.

I bugged this in game, and didn't get much help. I was directed the the article about the rule of 5, then when I pointed out that I only had four 6.25 bonuses, I was basically told that they didn't know, and it would be a good one to bring to the Devs, but then my ticket was closed. Is there some other route I should be taking?

Has anyone else been having issues with their IO set bonuses?

I like Mez on Mind Doms because it's an ok damaging attack and is a really good control out of the box. Lasts forever, and will sleep bosses in one go I believe. Haven't check recently. Mass hypnosis is nice, but has a fairly long recharge and is kinda short for a sleep. With slotting it's good, but not super great when you first get it. Total domination is a great AE hold, for AE holds, but it also suffers the issues they have, long recharge and low duration.

What you choose depends on you. Mez is great for soloing, it's a another reliable control and takes no real slotting. It can be slotted as an attack, and I like it for that with most doms, but /energy has a good ranged attack chain early. So that isn't needed.

Levitate is nice, because it works on most bosses right away, it's good damage and it's pretty quick.

Mass hypnosis if slotted up, is nice for solo because it's your best AE control for a while. It's fast enough it lasts for a while, and can be made perma with slotting, if you want to bother.

Total Domination is lackluster without good slotting and lots of global recharge. It's better on teams then Mass Hypnosis, because sleeps just get broken. It's won't be up all the time, but it is useful, especially if you save it for when Domination is up.

One question I have for your proposed build, do you really need power boost at 16? I know it's nice and all, but you could push it off til later, and fit both the controls in earlier.


One last comment, I don't know what or how many IOs you plan to use, but that makes a difference also. Total Domination can fit a Basilisk's gaze, 4 of those is 7.5% more recharge, they are kind of expensive right now, due to the merger, but it's something to think about. Otherwise, both the sleeps can get a 6.25% recharge bonus, but takes 5 slots, but also a cheaper set, though sometimes also hard to get ahold of. For example, Mass Hypnosis with 5 lvl 30 call of the sandman slotted, everything except the proc, will end up being just a bit under perma at about 31s recharge, and 29s duration. A bit more global recharge would push that up.

Oh, just looked at your build again, you don't have Power Push. You need that, it's really good now on /energy Doms. It's fast animating, good damage, big knockback attack. Knockback can be annoying sometimes, but it's still worth it. It's basically the same DPA as Bone smasher, but recharges more quickly, and it's ranged and has a big knockback. If you don't want to drop bone smasher, then I would swap levitate, power push is better in almost every way, except the knockback is a bit more annoying then knockup.

I am looking at some high end builds for my plant/thorn Dominator and I was curious if it was possible to have 2 Carrion Creepers summoned. With my planned endgame build, I have sufficient global recharge that that Carrion Creepers recharges in much less then the 120 seconds it lasts. I have gotten curious if it's possible to summon 2 of them. I wouldn't have 2 for very long, 25 seconds or so, but I was curious what would happen.