kinaki

To the OP, I feel the same way regarding AE. And I'm tired of hearing the "let us play the way we want" argument. It's a community-based game (ie., MMO) - if 80% of said community is in Atlas or Cap, the game is pretty lackluster for anyone going against the grain.

A game based on how many 50's someone can PL in a week is a far cry from what the game used to be. I've been playing off and on since issue 2 and this is the first time I doubt I'll be returning should I take a break.

If something has added protection against holds, it will usually not have the same added protection against, say, confuse. Luckily, you're plant/ ...so you can toss out seeds to protect yourself as your hold recharges.

But then again, holds recharge fast and you should have no problem in surviving in the meantime with just 2xRI - hell, you wouldn't even need the hold if not for containment.

Optimally, you want 3 membranes in AD.

Yeah, I can definitely see what you mean by the early 20's being a rough patch. I guess it can't hurt to push SJ back some; I just didn't think Gang War looked all that promising with a base recharge of 10 minutes - more of an "oh crap!" power.

Did you take O2 boost on your bots/storm? Or did you rely on repair? I've been spamming the bajeezus out of O2 Boost to keep my thugs alive and, while it can only get better due to enforcer buffs and hurricane, it still seems a paltry heal for henchmen that get a little too much attention.

No comments ?

Tip: Either 4 slot Deflection with LoTG or add a ribo/resist IO... stick the steadfast def IO in OWtS (it works even if exemplared below the power's level).

Tip: Remove the LotG def IO from CJ (which I can only assume you're sticking there for the regen bonus, and give the slot to Health. Remove the Numina Heal/End IO from health and stick a Miracle +recovery and Miracle +heal in your now two free slots. Use Numina heal, heal/end, heal/rech IO's in true grit. You gain more health this way. More health = more regen.

Pointed fact 1: With little active defense slotting and no grant cover, your defense debuff resistance has a lot of room for improvement.

I have yet to take an MM to 50 so I'm hoping this will be the one... I'm familiar with Storm but am a complete noob when it comes to thugs - does the below IO build have any glaring faults?

Is O2 boost enough to keep henchmen alive in latter levels? I'd love to replace O2 boost and perhaps acrobatics with aid other & aid self, but don't see a way to do so (since dropping O2 boost would force me into merely choosing another pre-level 6 power).

I was trying to go for rng def, recovery, and regen (in that order). With 41% rng def, 307% regen, and 193% recovery, I'm reasonably happy. The main concession I had to make was not having an additional slot in Gang War for the second +resistance IO.

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

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

Level 50 Magic Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Thugs
Secondary Power Set: Storm Summoning
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Mu Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Call Thugs -- BldM'dt-Acc(A), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg(3), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx(3), BldM'dt-Dmg(5), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx(5), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(7)
Level 1: Gale -- Acc-I(A)
Level 2: O2 Boost -- Mrcl-Heal(A), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx(11)
Level 4: Dual Wield -- Apoc-Dam%(A), Apoc-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Apoc-Dmg/Rchg(9), Apoc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), Apoc-Acc/Rchg(43)
Level 6: Equip Thugs -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 8: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 10: Combat Jumping -- Zephyr-ResKB(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(11), LkGmblr-Rchg+(29)
Level 12: Call Enforcer -- BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg(A), BldM'dt-Dmg(13), HO:Cyto(13), HO:Cyto(15), HO:Nucle(15), Achilles-ResDeb%(17)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Zephyr-ResKB(A), Zephyr-Travel(17)
Level 16: Freezing Rain -- AnWeak-DefDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(A), LdyGrey-Rchg/EndRdx(43), LdyGrey-DefDeb/Rchg/EndRdx(46), LdyGrey-DefDeb/Rchg(50)
Level 18: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Mrcl-Rcvry+(19), Mrcl-Heal(19), Numna-Heal(21), RgnTis-Regen+(31)
Level 20: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(21), EndMod-I(46)
Level 22: Hurricane -- HO:Enzym(A), HO:Enzym(23), HO:Enzym(23)
Level 24: Steamy Mist -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+(25), GftotA-Def/EndRdx(25), GftotA-Def(39), HO:Ribo(39), HO:Ribo(40)
Level 26: Call Bruiser -- BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg(A), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx(27), BldM'dt-Acc(27), BldM'dt-Dmg(33), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx(33), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(33)
Level 28: Gang War -- C'Arms-+Def(Pets)(A), EdctM'r-PetDef(29), S'bndAl-Acc/Rchg(31), S'bndAl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(31)
Level 30: Maneuvers -- RedFtn-Def/Rchg(A), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(34), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(34), RedFtn-Def(34), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(37), RedFtn-EndRdx(39)
Level 32: Upgrade Equipment -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 35: Tornado -- ExRmnt-Acc/Rchg(A), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg(36), ExRmnt-Dmg/EndRdx(36), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), ExRmnt-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(37), ExRmnt-+Res(Pets)(37)
Level 38: Lightning Storm -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40), Thundr-Acc/Dmg(40), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(42), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(42), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42)
Level 41: Charged Armor -- HO:Ribo(A), HO:Ribo(43)
Level 44: Electrifying Fences -- GravAnch-Immob(A), GravAnch-Immob/EndRdx(45), GravAnch-Immob/Rchg(45), GravAnch-Acc/Immob/Rchg(45), GravAnch-Acc/Rchg(46)
Level 47: Tactics -- GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(48), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(48), GSFC-Build%(48), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(50), GSFC-ToHit(50)
Level 49: Acrobatics -- EndRdx-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Supremacy
------------
[u]Set Bonus Totals:[u]<ul type="square">[*]11.5% DamageBuff(Smashing)[*]11.5% DamageBuff(Lethal)[*]11.5% DamageBuff(Fire)[*]11.5% DamageBuff(Cold)[*]11.5% DamageBuff(Energy)[*]11.5% DamageBuff(Negative)[*]11.5% DamageBuff(Toxic)[*]11.5% DamageBuff(Psionic)[*]10% Defense[*]4.25% Defense(Smashing)[*]4.25% Defense(Lethal)[*]11.8% Defense(Fire)[*]11.8% Defense(Cold)[*]17.7% Defense(Energy)[*]17.7% Defense(Negative)[*]3% Defense(Psionic)[*]5.5% Defense(Melee)[*]28.6% Defense(Ranged)[*]14.9% Defense(AoE)[*]22% Enhancement(Accuracy)[*]46.3% Enhancement(RechargeTime)[*]14% FlySpeed[*]51.2 HP (6.38%) HitPoints[*]14% JumpHeight[*]14% JumpSpeed[*]Knockback (Mag -8)[*]Knockup (Mag -8)[*]MezResist(Confused) 2.5%[*]MezResist(Held) 2.5%[*]MezResist(Immobilize) 4.7%[*]MezResist(Sleep) 2.5%[*]MezResist(Stun) 5.8%[*]MezResist(Terrorized) 2.5%[*]22.5% (0.38 End/sec) Recovery[*]54% (1.81 HP/sec) Regeneration[*]10% Resistance(Smashing)[*]10% Resistance(Lethal)[*]13.8% Resistance(Fire)[*]13.8% Resistance(Cold)[*]10% Resistance(Energy)[*]10% Resistance(Negative)[*]10% Resistance(Toxic)[*]10% Resistance(Psionic)[*]14% RunSpeed[/list]


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Erm, keep the account with the characters you still play and/or enjoy more.

Shatter is not entirely an ST attack - it's a narrow cone; I would not skip it. With some global recharge, bash is the attack you can easily respec out of later on.

If you still need to skip a power after that, it comes down Jawbreaker and Whirling Mace (imo). Jawbreaker is knockup, which can be handy mitigation. Whirling mace is your standard low damage 10 radius attack with 20ish% chance of mag2 stun.

My Mace/Shield skipped bash and whirling mace; nonetheless, I've considered respeccing back into WM. Either way you go, you have great AoE potential in shatter + crowd control alone.

Regarding your choice to stay away from additional toggles in the fighting pool, I would get weave no matter what. It's not entirely easy to get melee/range/AoE def all past 45%(soft cap) on a shield brute, even moreso if you don't take weave.

Strike out on both counts =/. Alright, thanks!

It's that time again - time to try getting an MM to 50 and not quitting on him before then.

I was just wondering on a couple things:
-Do Soulbound Allegiance IOs still affect the recharge of pet powers?
Do pets inherit IO set bonuses like they would an inspiration's buff (or was this nerfed with the infamous Castle patch that nerfed LS)?

One's resist-based, one's defense-based... it's a comparison of apples and oranges.

If this is your first CoV character, it can be assumed you don't have much influence redside. Shield needs a lot of IO love to get soft-capped. Whether that's expensive or not, depends on what you want out of the set.

25 radius DN, 25 radius Tar Patch, 70 range cone fear, pet that debuffs and heals. Not to veer this topic off track, but ,,,"pretty undesirable set"???? DARK?? Uhm... yeah, ok....

[ QUOTE ]
Sonic, FF, and Dark seem to be all incredibly rare on defenders it seems these days. I think the reason is because all three of those sets are too specialized which makes them unfavorable compared to variety sets like Cold, Empathy, and Rad when teams start stacking support. Kin doesn't suffer this because it's on the opposite end of the spectrum where Offensive buffs can function as a defense by killing faster.


[/ QUOTE ]

Say what?! Granted, I haven't played blueside in a while, but how does Dark Miasma even begin to be described as "rare" and specialized? The only thing it doesn't bring to the table is defense debuffing.

First, soft cap is 45%

Secondly, you don't need to absolutely have soft capped ranged defense with a set like storm...

Third, my god, you're gimping half your AoE dmg.

Fourth, Blood Mandate in Tornado.

Fifth, if you're going for ranged defense, why exactly don't you have zephyr sets in CJ and SS?

Sixth, stealth pool?? Is this for pvp exclusively? Most ranged AT's will have access to an Aim variant, negating any def bonuses you've accrued.

I'd prefer something more superhero-ee and less sword-and-sorcery-ee, if you know what I mean.

...besides, spears are lame, if you must go medieval on their [censored], use a halberd.

Yep.... those snafu moments are great. You're on a razor's edge in teams, finessing the mobs into repel/kb oblivion. But one misjudged cone or one slip of hurrcane and everyone ends up looking at you. KB is both very rewarding and very unforgiving...

Powers do not auto-activate if you have something unattackable selected (like, say, the Auction House broker....).

The only way you'll get -kb paired with tornado, redside, is to roll an MM.

Wonder if you can work on healing badges this way

By your own account, you have access to Mids' - why not plug these powers in and see for yourself? Mids' is up to date on the powers you're curious about.

Not new.

If a mob misses many times in a row, the game throws you a curve ball to mix things up. You can read about it in Arcanaville's defense post, where-ever it may be these days.

very nice!

...must... get... my.... sonic/dark to 50 ! ...before they patch this :P

Think I'm going to go the route of smurphy's advice and take it, but respec out of it later on. I'm planning for 80-90% recharge in this sonic/dark build, so it will likely get in the way later on.

Thanks for the different ideas, guys; seems there's varying schools of thought

My spines/dark did fine in there... mostly fine, those wisps hurt (dark has low energy resistance).