Hi guys and dolls
I've been playing an Illusion / Kinetics controller to level 43 now and I thought I would share it's build and reasons for it for your pleasure. It is a solo build, bare that in mind when you read it.
I solo mainly because of computer constraints and very slow zoning and loading! I would prefer to team up more regularly, however I don't like to make people waiting for me to finally show up!
so i made my main (Silver Sorcerer) a solo build. Like most of you i've gone through e few respecs and i would like to respec once more to my ultimate build. I don't do numbers, i get a feel of how a powers works and more importantly how it works for me. Feel free to have a different opinion of course. There is no prefect build IMHO.
Even though I've got Silver Sorcerer to lvl 43 mostly by soloing, I've found that I had to team up from time to time in order to finish a mission! And i've noticed that soloing in the level 40ties is quite difficult with all those AV's.
all th slotting is based on SO's (Single origin)
Ok let's start!
Illusion
In this set there are a few must haves, a few which can be useful and one power you'll be discarding and that's:
group Invisibility: This is a solo build and you'll get Superior invisibilty forget it. Even it is nice for the occasional team-up to have it. Never used it don't need it.
the must have's:
at level one you get two choices Spectral wounds and Blind.
Blind is your single target hold (with a small chance of holding a second villain). Take it, you're a controller, you need it to set of containment (duoble damage when held remember) plus it is a good hold. take it at lvel one or at least level two and six slot it. 0ne accuracy slot will suffice, two or three damage slots (you're soloing remember you need all the xp you can get)and two to three hold slots. It does depend on your game play of course. You'll be using Blind all through your career slot it with six ASAP and love it.
Spectral wounds should be your second if you haven't taken it first. It's you main damage power and it's a high damage with a fast recharge. There's a catch however, if your victim stays alive to long a base heal will take place. Spectral wounds is an illusionary wounds after all. But combined with Blind it will do serious damage. one or two accuracy slots three damage maybe a recharge but that's about it.
At level eight you can get superior ivisibilty, IMHO get it at level eight. It will make the Hollows fun because you won't be dying three or four times getting to a mission pre travel. I usually switch it on when i'm outside a mission and quite often also within one too. You'll be seen if you attack, but you get a minor defense bonus as well. Hey i'm easy to kill I'll take any defense I can get. Superior invisibilty has no movemnet penalty, however you'll be seen if you attack, when you clisk on a glowy or when you're under an ambush. it's in those cases superior Invisibilty isn't that superior. Oh and before i forget watch out for rikti drones (and the similar council drones) they will be able to see you SI or not. Some snipers can as well. For the most part love SI no aggro is fun! one two or three endurance reduction slots and three defence IF you can spare the slots.
At level eighteen you can get Phantom Army (PA), again take it, six slot ASAP. This is the one that'll save your life. three of those six slot should be recharge, one accuracy slot and two damage slots. (initially I had them sixslotted with six DO recharge) It will be up almost every battle. PA is control, damage and diversion in one. PA does have a taunt effect so villains will fight them first, they are indestructable and all three on one minion will kill that minion very quickly even without the damage slot filled. Nine out times times i start with PA and then with any other attack i can think of. Love the power. the damage is like spectral wounds, take that into account.
At level 32 you get Phantasm. Well you're an controller here is your main pet. six slot ASAP one accuracy at least and three damage the rest is up to you. Phantasm can create another PA like phantasm. Phantasm is your fourth damage dealer. His energy based powers do moderate damage and have knockback, which is both a plus and a min. A plus it will get the villains away from when you're getting hurt, a minus because you'll be wanting to use transfusion and transference both are anchor based. Phantasm can fly and does benefit from your buffs and debuffs!
There are three powers of the illusion set i haven't mentioned. Deceive, Spectral Terror and flash. The reason is simple they have their uses and the first two mentioned are pretty cool powers, but they are highly situational IMHO. After i got phanstasm I hardly used Terror anymore and respected out of it. Deveive i got at a later level. it does have it's uses especially in a minion/boss combo. Deceive the minion and it will help you defeat the boss. But Deceive can also be used on buffing and debuffing enemies they'll then do the buffing and debuffing for you! I intend to respec into terror again it's just such a cool controlling move.
Flash, ah flash. Some love it some hate it. Like all AOE holds it has a long recharge time (way to long IMHO) and it's base accuracy has a minus, plus the hold is way too short. I do have it on my build, but didn't have it initially. You'll need to six slot it though to be functional. two accuracy slots, two hold slots and two recharge slots. ( i have on accuracy and three recharge). get those three power whenever you want. That's entirely up to you.
Kinetics
there are few you must have, a few which can be useful and one total dud.
Repel, don't take it. It's fun true, but for your other powers useless and its an endurance drain. I did have it lost it miwth my first respec. What does it do? it repels all baddies coming into melee range. It is fun to watch. and can have it's uses if you can manage to repel them into a corner and keep them there. But the endurance drain, ouch. don't touch or get it at level 49 for fun. seriously don't get it.
the must haves
at level one you get transfusion, four to five slots, one or two accuracy and three heals. I find the recharge sufficient, but you could add another slot for recharge, i rather use that slot for something else. I think transfusion is one of the best heals in the game. It has also one downside it needs to hit an up and about villain to heal every ally and yourself in a radius.
at level two you can get siphon power, I got it at level four. Love it, an accuracy and a recharge slot will suffice most of your career. Add more to your liking if you can spare the slots. it boosts your damage output and of your allies too.
Siphon Speed
What does it do? it siphon speed of an enemy and tranfers it to you for about half a minute. The enemy is slowed. It can be used as an alternative travel power, but it needs an accuracy check or two. If you do go down that route make sure you alwys siphon power of a minion of a much lower level than yourself. ( I tried, but it's not perfect)
Use it however for the slow bonus. It SLOWS your enemy even it's just for a short while. THAT has saved a fair few times. If you can spare them three to four slots two accuracy and one or two slows.
Speed boost
it speeds up the speed, recharge time and endurance of any ally. it doesn't need an accuracy check it wil always hit. it has a fast recharge. I'm a solo why do i need this? speed boost phantasm! lovely. But you do have to team up. Some will love speed boost some will hate it. When i team-up I always tell that they need to ask for SB. I'm an controller not a defender and some want it and some don't. Let them ask you and Sb them for the duration of the team. Tankers usually love them, Peacebringers an Warshades too the other AT's will have a personal opinion. Let them ask you if they need SB.
Transference you can get at level 35, get it, slot it up with five or six slots, one or two accuracy slots, two endurance modification slots and two recharges. Maybe a range slot. It's up to you. works like transfusion, but instead of a heal you and your allies endurance is recharged.
the final must havel is Fulcrum shift. Works simislar as siphon power, but works on enitire groups. That's a amyor damage buff for you and the occasional team. You do need to be close to the group for it to work though. get it al level 38 amd love it. If you team-up your teammates will love it too!
I haven't mentioned two powers of this set and those are Increase density and Inertial reduction. The first is a buff for allies only it slows down the allies for while, but you get a resistance buff to smashing and lethal and holds etc. I have only used it once on an ally, but sevral tiems on Phantasm. I intend to respec out of it and get Terror back. I just don't use it enough forget i have it really.
The latter is an ability to give you and your allies a jumping power. lasts about a minute, but by then it is also recharged (especially if you use one recharge slot), so you can use it as an alternative travel power, I did have it, respected out of it. I do have a travelpower i prefer, so not really necessary.
pool power
I have use of a total of six poolpowers
Fitness
Swift
heal
stamina
Flight
air superiority
and fly
and hasten.
You need swift and heal to get to stamina, you need it really even with transference three slot stamina, one slot heal (always nice) and yes i've sixslotted swift three speed slots and three fly speed slots! ( I can hear the GASPS an OMG from you all)
hasten three times recharge, all the long recharge power are usually because of it. really need it solo.
the travel power is a personal choice. I prefer flying and air superiority is a nice attack power. flying may not be the fastest way around, but you can get anywhere without too much trouble, again sixslotted it to be the most effective three endurance reduction and three flyspeeds
the rest I didn't feel suited my build at all!
Ancillary pools
I took Ice mastery more as concept than anything else. I like Ice blast as another damage dealer, will get Hibernate and Ice storm at 44 and 47 and I still haven't figured out what i'll take at 49. We'll see!
Well that's it!
Hope you can have some use out of this build.
