ottercubdc

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Also, I have steered clear of including hard numbers, as they are not my specialty. If you’d like that kind of info, please look to Lady Mage's excellent guide for specifics.

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I made it perfectly clear that this isn't a #'s guide. LadyM's guide will give you lots of info, and the hero planners out there should help you factor in modifications from Hasten and so forth.

My purpose with this guide was to focus on power selection, slotting, and tactics. So it's only "thin" in the sense that it isn't providing what you personally are looking for.

I need help because I'm not numerically inclined...

For those where you gave 2 percentages (e.g. Force Bolt for Defenders) - what does the 1st vs. the 2nd # mean?

Oh Posi - you're such a tease! Seriously, I can hardly wait for the next step you'll be taking us in our journey.

Happy Anniversary to all!!!

Hey folks - I know it's the Rodney Dangerfield powerset, but doesn't anyone have an I6 guide to /Mace?

Thanks for this guide - any chance you can update it to I6?

I wanted to add a note here (which I will incorporate in a future revision):

There is something to be said for stacking disorients, which can make Screech an attractive choice. Recently I was on a team with some high-level /Sonic Defenders who had taken Oppressive Gloom from the Dark Mastery pool. They were able to play a bit aggressive in melee range, because of the PBAoE disorient effect. And when a boss or tough lieutenant was near, a Screech kept him disoriented as well.

If you can handle the drunken wandering around (perhaps after a Controller has hit an AoE immobilize), it's a worthwhile combo to have.

* Supergroup Name: Bubblelicious

* Website: Repeat Offenders Forum

* Leaders: Tesla Shield and Grape Sphere

* Preferred Method of contact: Forum PM, ingame tell to @OtterCub, or join the global channel Repeat Offenders.

* Guild Description: Everyone in the Supergroup is a bubble or ring protector - Defenders with FF or Sonic as a primary, or Controllers with either of those as a secondary. We team with other defender-themed SGs including the Pinball Wizards, Perfect Storms and Apostles of RO, so be ready to dish out the damage.

For more information, just send me a PM in this forum.

WOW is this a great guide. For someone who has just entered the fabulous world of Dominatordom, this is invaluable. Your post is funny, insightful, and detailed.

With my limited experience at level 12, I can say that you're right on for everything about Ice/Ice.

* Supergroup Name:
The Apostles of RO

* Website (if any):
Repeat Offenders forums

* Leader or Recruiting Officers:
Rev Brimstone and Ash Wednesday

* Preferred Method of contact: (ingame email, regular email, Forum PM, SG website, this forum, etc. Be specific)
Ingame email, or PM me on these forums. You can also send us a shout-out on our global chat channel - Repeat Offenders.

* Guild Description:
The Apostles were created as a means to support the Repeat Offender coalition in CoH (Pinball Wizards, Perfect Storms, and Bubblelicious).

* Requirements:
This SG has 3 main purposes. First, to provide a home to any Defenders interested in the RO experience that don't fall into the membership requirements for the other SGs. Second, as a place for current RO members to try out non-Defender alts to participate in RO teams. Third, for any non-RO folks that don't play Defenders but want to join in the fun!

* Supergroup Name:
The Sonic All-Stars

* Website (if any):
The Sonic All-Stars

* Leader or Recruiting Officers:
SonicPrime is our leader

* Preferred Method of contact: (ingame email, regular email, Forum PM, SG website, this forum, etc. Be specific)
Ingame email - you may be asked to team with the SG before being invited. (You can also PM me for more information on these forums.)

* Guild Description:
Using the power of team defense and properly applied offense will drive the forces of villainy from this City of Heroes.

* Requirements:
# Defender or Blaster Arch Type. Originally we only allowed defenders, but we were being too selective that we only had 7 regular members.
# Sonic as a primary or secondary power. For defenders, we would like a mix of primary powers.
# Wear uniform while with other Super Group members.
# Leadership/Tactics by level 38. Earlier is better. Remember you must have Maneuvers or Assault before you can pick Tactics.
# Be prepared for FAST missions. We move through missions very quickly, and you'll want to be running Sprint the whole time.

Thanks for the kind comments.

I appreciate the info on PBU, Avonlea - not having selected it, I forgot that crucial aspect to the power! That will definitely be edited in the next version of this guide. Thanks again for that.

(And of course you now have me wanting to try that pool on the test server...)

Just hit 50 and started a WS last night. This guide was a quick and helpful introduction. Thank you!

Thanks!

Indeed, I think your secondary has a great bearing on positioning, which I should comment on in a future update. The shorter range for Shout in particular makes close-up blasting commonplace.

But for the gunshy types, you can easily stay near the back. Just add additional range enhancement to Howl and Siren's Song, and skip Shout altogether.

(Oh, and I did ding 50 tonight y'all. Woot!)

Thank you!

Gloves of doom, indeed. Even better - the Nemesis staff. Oh how I miss that piece of wonder!

Thank you, and that's a good point to mention. For Sonic/ Blasters or other /Sonic Defenders, there may be room and value for powers that I've not recommended here. A Dark/Sonic, for example, could benefit from stacking the disorient component in Howling Twilight with Screech.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The life of an Empath is a tough one. One the one hand, you have to deal with the idiots out there that still think “Defender = h3al0r.” Then there will be those Defenders who resent all Empaths because of that mentality exists. But if you’re patient and pick your teams right, you’ll find the sweet spot where people appreciate everything you bring to the table. It’s one thing to hear someone say, “Nice heals.” But it’s far better to take out a mass of Carnies with your nuke and hear, “Wow.”

Sonics is a truly great secondary, and I think the best new powerset in the game. It’s not complicated, the results are good, and you know you’re always adding a debuff to the mix. You just might need to turn down your speakers…

I just hope you enjoy playing this combination as much as I have. All feedback is welcome and appreciated. I will be attempting to keep this guide revised as new game updates are released. Also feel free to PM me with questions, or let me know if you want to see any of these techniques in action.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Since this is in some ways a celebration of my character reaching level 50, I wanted to take a brief moment to do a little Oscar acceptance speech. A lot of folks have helped me on the long journey, and I want to thank them publicly.

First and foremost, thanks to my wonderful SG, The Sonic All-Stars. They were constant and loyal companions every weekend from my 30’s to the end. Thanks to SonicPrime (our fearless leader), Tynee Bubbles (my constant companion), Wailing Spirit ([censored] extraordinaire), Hunter Orion (the strong and silent type), Sonic Boy Toy (my fierce protector) and Energizer-Bunni (the SB goddess). You were the best buddies an “old lady” could have.

Next I must thank all my friends in the Repeat Offenders coalition who helped me along the way. You gave me such pride in being a Defender, and I treasure every chance I get to play alongside you. So a big shout-out to Akari Hayasa, Monkey in all her forms, Ilr, El Six, Tormentoso, Satans Spawn, Dawn’s Veil, Teklord and many others that I will probably neglect to mention. Here’s to many more days of wowing the masses with all that we can accomplish when we stand together!

Also a quick note of thanks to a few gals who helped me through a rough patch in my late 20’s. Boo-boo1, Stormsrage and Shadi’ were my frequent teammates, and showed me that there are great players out there who appreciate everything a Defender can do.

And finally I’d like to thank the legends of the forums who have imparted so much knowledge to me, particularly LadyMage and Frost. If there is even one nugget of good common sense in this guide, it was because you helped me find it.

TECHNIQUES

What follows are a few helpful tips and techniques I have found in playing this build. There isn’t much synergy between your two powersets, but knowing what to use when is important. Of course YMMV, particularly based on the enemies you’re facing, if you’re low on endurance, etc.

1. Leading the Alpha Strike

This isn’t too common, but perhaps you’re the highest level in your group, you’re teaming with all Defenders, etc. So how do you prep for the big one?

First, be clear that you’re going to nuke, and examine timing. If you’re with a Kineticist, you should nuke immediately after a Fulcrum Shift (and make sure you buffed that person with Fortitude first). Also make sure you have Leadership (and any other buff) toggles up, and popped at least 1 yellow pill and several red ones. And of course have a couple blue pills on the ready. If the enemies you’re facing are your level or lower, it can be safer to lead off with Siren’s Song, and then move in for the nuke.

Dive into the fray, and nuke – don’t hesitate, or your face could hit the floor. (Stealth or Invisibility can really make this safer.) Immediately jump back out, pop those blue pills, and heal any damage to your teammates. Help your team pick off any stragglers with Shriek and Scream. And finally, turn back on your toggles when the dust settles or once everything is under control.


2. Assisting the Alpha Strike

In most cases you will instead be supporting someone else who’s leading the charge – a Blaster nuke, for example. How do you prep for this?

First make sure that the one leading the charge has Fortitude, Clear Mind and Adrenalin Boost. If it’s two people, I tend to Fort & CM one, and AB and CM the other.

If it is a Blaster or Defender nuke, then save AB for that character after the nuke happens, so he/she will recover endurance quickly after the “dead period.”

Almost simultaneous with the strike, fire off Howl. Then immediately move into a defense mode if needed – heal damage, Fort the person that doesn’t have it, toss out CM if anyone is held, etc. If everything appears under control, use your Shriek and Scream to knock off the stragglers.

3. Basic Teaming

In an average team situation, follow a basic priority schedule. First and foremost – buff. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Secondly, mitigate or heal damage as required. On a good team you’ll generally spend very little time doing this. Lastly, blast as much as is reasonable, contributing damage, but also debuffing the enemy.

Pre-battle, you’ll want to toss out AB, Fort and CM as needed, especially in guidelines 1 & 2 above. But in general, focus on buffing the most vulnerable member of your team first. Common candidates include a lowbie who is SK’d up, a Controller (who often lacks protection proportional to the aggro they generate), or a Tank that’s vulnerable to the type of damage you’re facing.

In the midst of the fray, watch your team’s health out of the corner of your eye. (I like the team window to be under the target window in the upper left.) If one target is taking damage, use Heal Other. But if not, start with a Healing Aura, and then follow up with HO on anyone still hurt. Generally I prefer to follow HO with Fortitude or AB if it’s available, and possibly CM. And as mentioned above, throw out AB for a nuke-dealer.

When not involved in the above situations (and between, of course), blast away! Howl is your best lead-off, to debuff a large # of enemies at once. Use Shout at short range for the bigger targets. Shriek and Scream can be used at a distance and to pick off stragglers. Shockwave is best in corners or as an “Oh crap!” maneuver. And use Siren’s Song liberally – it does contribute a bit of damage, and any enemy slept is not harming your team. Also a very important note on debuff stacking – all Sonic blasts that have the –RES debuff to stack. However, the stacking only comes when different powers are used. An example:

Howl-Shriek-Scream – consecutive debuffs stack

Scream-Scream-Shriek – the first two will not stack, but Shriek will stack on the previous

The other big decision to make is your RA’s – Recovery Aura and Regeneration Aura. Some players prefer to use them pre-battle. Others advocate waiting until mid-battle, when endurance is waning. And still others say you should save it for post-battle quick recovery. My preference is to just watch my team’s endurance. When it’s clear that the majority are at less than ½ a blue bar, it’s a good time. Assuming things are generally under control, call out your intention (a macro like “RA in 5 seconds” is helpful). Make sure you’re in a position in the middle of several team members (most will instinctually gather to you), and use both auras in immediate succession. If you’re on a team with another Empath, make sure you’re staggering your auras, so you keep the team covered as much as possible. (It takes 3 Empaths for perma-coverage.) Also try and stagger with other recovery powers like Accelerate Metabolism.

(You’ll notice my focus is on Recovery Aura. Regeneration Aura is something less noticeable to team members, and the timing isn’t always as crucial. But if the whole team is in the orange and you have it available, that’s a good time to use it, in between a couple Healing Auras.)

4. Faceplants

Although we may hate to admit it, team members will go down in a fight even with you there. Accidents happen, patrols come strolling by, etc. So what to do next?

First, take stock of the situation. If the only team members standing are you and a Blaster, you’d probably better run for it. Get as far away as possible, and start TPing corpses to you. Resurrect anyone who has a rez power first. You could wait around for your Rez to come back, but more likely you’ll start handing out Awakens or encouraging others to use them. Once you get to a point where only one man is down, target him and cast Vengeance. Then get him up, and get moving! Use that buff for all its worth.

If you only have two team members down, then you’ll want to just deal with it right then and there. Again, rez the one with a rez power first, or the one most likely to help the current battle situation. Cast Vengeance on the other. If they can’t be rezzed right away, TP them close to you, or alternatively off to a safe location so they can Awaken.

When it’s just a single team member, TP the corpse into the midst of your group, and cast Vengeance (so the whole team gets the buff). Rez and buff that team member, then move on.


5. Positioning

An Empath can be a bit flexible with position in a battle, but a few things should be kept in mind.

Generally a good position is “midfield” – easily in LOS for both the front line (Tanks and Scrappers) and the back line (Blasters and Controllers). This gives you the flexibility to use your Healing Aura on either group by moving a bit. You’ll also need to be somewhat closer because of Howl. And use your current position as a way to decide what blast to use. If you’re in close to heal some Scrappers, then it’s a good time to let loose a Shout.

Another possibility is hovering above the fray. This is especially effective when facing enemies who use ground-based slow powers like Caltrops and Quicksand. Again, your best position when flying above will still be in mid-range.

If you’re in a situation where you just need to focus your buffing and healing on one team member (e.g. the aggro team in a Hamidon raid), then you will be able to stay at a farther distance.

For those who choose Shockwave, your chosen position may sometimes be on the opposite side of the melee – knocking back stragglers into the Tank or other major AoE.

6. Pool and epic powers

Empaths are usually only running a couple toggles (Leadership buffs). With one slot of Endurance Reduction in each, you’ll probably be OK. But for long travel or recovery periods, shut them off. Protective toggles like Combat Jumping or Tough and Weave also fall in this category. And a note about Sprint – you’d be surprised what an endurance drain it can be when you’re not paying attention. Keep it off unless you’re on a team where recovery buffs are plentiful.

For your epic shield, keep it on for the duration of a mission if it provides protection against the damage your facing (which means you should know your enemy). So if you’re up against a bunch of CoT Behemoths (who use Fire damage), that Dark Embrace isn’t going to help much (but it’s a must when you’re facing Spectral Demons).

If you have an epic endurance recovery power, use it for when Recovery Aura is not available. Two of them (Dark Consumption and Power Sink) generate some aggro, so make sure the situation is in control first. It can also be a post-nuke strategy, although you’ll need to pop at least one blue pill to activate it.

Hasten should be set as your auto-fire power if you have it. You can certainly time it to be used only after you’ve used your RA powers, but I think that can be too much to think about. In a post-I6 world, Hasten’s buff is more like an occasional perk.

Should you choose to have Grant Invisibility, think of it as any other preventative buff. (Although there are certainly situations where you’re using it strictly for the –Perception aspect.)

POOL POWERS

This is a brief discussion of the various power pools, and my thoughts on their viability with an Empathy/Sonic build. Most of these I would say are going to be based on your personal preference, play style, and character concept. As you’ll see below, there are a few powers that I think are must-haves. Beyond that, the choice is up to you.

I’m sure if you’re reading this guide you’re familiar by now with when you can select these powers, but just in case… You can select your first pool power at level 6. You can take the third power in a set only if you have one of the first two, and you can pick that up at level 14. You can take the last power in a set only if you have any two of the first three powers, and you can pick that up at level 22. Ultimately you can select powers from up to four different pools.

Lastly, let me add that you will need to select a travel power just to get around street maps at a decent rate of speed. So plan on taking at least one of the following pools – Flight, Leaping, Speed, or Teleportation.

Concealment:

This is a pool that can have a couple different uses. If you need to sneak into places or situations, take Stealth. You could also take Grant Invisibility as yet another buff for your teammates (but watch out, it’s got a high endurance cost). I’d say to skip Invisibility – if you want that, take Stealth + Super Speed. Phase Shift is very situational, and was nerfed recently – skip it.

Fighting:

I just don’t see this pool as necessary for Empaths. The marginal benefit you get from Tough and Weave doesn’t justify having to take a small melee attack first, ultimately using up three power slots in an already full build.

Fitness:

To Stamina or not – the eternal question. I have been able to survive without it for 50 levels, and only felt the pinch post-I6 when soloing. But keep in mind that I also team regularly with Empaths and Kineticists, and use an ancillary power for further endurance recovery. So let me try a few blanket recommendations:

If you want the Psychic Mastery pool, you need Stamina. If you regularly team without other players who can boost endurance, you need Stamina. If you can’t slot Endurance Reduction in a few of your blast powers, you need Stamina. Otherwise, you can try skipping it, but use the test server to see if you should add it in a respec.

Flight:

Fly is the slowest power, but it’s also the safest. If you’re content with the fact that you’ll always be the last one to arrive at a mission, then it’s no big deal. Personally I chose Fly out of concept, and just kept it. Most of my SG are leapers, so I’m the designated person to deal with flying baddies. If you go with it, 3-slots for Flight Speed + 1 Endurance Reduction slot will be best.

For the first power, I had Hover but will be swapping it out for Air Superiority. I know there are some that like Hover for combat situations, but I’m not one of them.

Group Fly is something that can be useful, but tends to be best late in the game for Hamidon raids or traversing the Shadow Shard. If you want it, save it for level 47 or 49.

Leadership:

I’m a firm believer that this is a must-have pool for Empaths. BUT…it can be very tough to fit in both this pool and the Fitness line. If you have the room, go for it!

The first power you choose is marginal either way. You can pick a small damage boost with Assault or a small defense bonus with Maneuvers. Either way, don’t waste more than the default slot for Endurance Reduction. (You could slot Defense in Maneuvers, but the base value is so low, enhancements add almost nothing.)

After that, you must take Tactics! Everyone will love having this buff to help them reach towards that Accuracy cap. Slot it 1 Endurance Reduction, 3 ToHit.

And finally Vengeance – one of my favorite powers. “But why would an Empath take a power that requires a dead teammate? If you need to use this, U R th3 suxx0r h3alor!” Whatever – let’s face it, someone is going to hit the pavement. It could be a mob on patrol, it might be an AV that you didn’t see around the corner, or you perhaps you just have a dumb teammate. When someone gets 1 or 2-shotted, you will swoop in to rez them. But just before you do, fire off Vengeance. Suddenly the tide of battle turns in your favor! This is a potent buff to Defense, Accuracy and Damage, with a small AoE Heal as well. Slot this power with 3 Defense, and add other slots (Heal and/or ToHit) if you have room.

Leaping:

Super Jump is faster than Fly, but you run the risk of leaping onto a mob of purple bad guys. So if you go this route, travel carefully! 2 or 3 slots for Jump are all you need.

Don’t bother with Jump Kick – it’s a long animation melee attack. If you go this line, take Combat Jumping, and fill the default slot with Defense.

As the final power, you can grab Acrobatics which helps prevent knockback and immobilization. Neither of those is deadly to you, but if you’re on your back or out of range, it can be hard to keep your team alive.

Medicine:

This pool is a waste for Empaths, as you have a duplicate (and uninterruptible) version of each of these powers in your primary set.

Presence:

Quite simply, this pool isn’t really of value at all to you. These powers are mimics of a Tanker’s taunt powers or a Dark hero’s fear powers. Goading enemies into attacking your squishy self is generally not a good idea.

Speed:

First of all there is an execellent power choice here for an Empath – Hasten. Hasten will allow you to fire off some of your vital click powers more often, as well as attack powers. If you can find room for this power, slot it with 3 Recharge Rate enhancements as soon as you can. This isn’t the must-have it was before ED, but it’s certainly a good idea.

Flurry is another melee attack power, so…moving on.

Super Speed is a fast travel power, and can serve you pretty well for quite awhile, although you may find some zones hard to traverse, particularly Skyway City and Terra Volta. (But paired with Stealth, you get virtual invisibility, which is nice.)

Whirlwind isn’t really worth it for you – it drains endurance like crazy, and you tend to be out of melee range anyway.

Teleportation:

First there is Recall Friend, which is always valued on a team, but is a must-have for an Empath. You’ll want it particularly to TP a fallen comrade out of battle to rez him, or perhaps into the middle of your group so you can use Vengeance and then Resurrect.

Teleport Foe is actually a great power, but I think it isn’t really a match for this build. It can be used as a pulling technique, which is valid for Sonics which has no snipe power. It’s also a very common power to use in PvP situations.

Teleport is ultimately the fastest travel power – but it’s tricky to master. If you do take it, I highly recommend adding Hover, which makes the travel safe. Team Teleport is a power I have never seen used, presumably because of the endurance drain on the user.

ANCILLARY POOLS

At level 41 you can begin adding powers from one of these “epic” pools. You should certainly go with one of them. My suggestions are below:

Dark Mastery:

This was the pool I ultimately chose for my build, mostly out of character concept. But it has two very good powers. Dark Consumption is a PBAoE attack that fills your endurance bar – it should be 6-slotted with 3 Recharge, 1 Accuracy and 2 Endurance Modification. And of course you should take Dark Embrace as your shield (which offers moderate resistance to Smashing, Lethal, Negative and Toxic damage). Oppressive Gloom is a PBAoE toggle that disorients (I didn’t have room for it), while Soul Drain increases your Accuracy and Damage (not necessary if you have the Leadership pool).

Electric Mastery:

Electric Fence is an underwhelming single-target immobilize. Thunder Strike is a high-damage melee attack which causes knockback and disorient (fun to watch). Charged Armor is the shield, which offers moderate resistance to Smashing, Lethal and Energy damage. Power Sink is the must-have – it’s a PBAoE endurance drain.

Power Mastery:

Conserve Power is a must – it reduces the endurance you use for a short time. Power Buildup can be skipped for the same reasons I think you can skip Amplify. The shield is Temporary Invulnerability – although it only resists Smashing and Lethal damage, it has a much higher resistance percentage. Total Focus is an extreme melee attack that causes knockback and disorient.

Psychic Mastery:

Dominate is a great single-target hold power – excellent if you want to try every role in a Hamidon raid! Mass Hypnosis is pointless for you, as it’s a duplicate of Siren’s Song, but with no damage. Mind Over Body is probably the most popular shield for Defenders, because it offers not just resistance to Smashing and Lethal damage, but also Psionic. Telekinesis is a tricky power to master – it holds an enemy and then turns them into a repel toy.

SECONDARY POWERS – Sonic Attacks

Shriek (Level 1): This power is a quick blast of smashing energy that can debuff the target’s resistance to damage. The damge is minor.

Recommended enhancements: As with most blast powers that you use often, you want 1 Accuracy, and then fill in 3 Damage slots. You can add a slot of Recharge or Endurance Reduction if desired.

Commentary: You have to take this power, and it’s not too shabby (heck, be glad it’s not Mental Blast). The damage is indeed minor, but what I like about this power is that it’s fast, and has excellent range. Sonics is the one blast set with no snipe power, and it’s party because Shriek and Scream already have better-than-average distance. Perfect for picking off that runner with a sliver of health.

Scream (Level 2): This is a moderate damage blast that does quick damage over time, and debuffs damage resistance.

Recommended enhancements: Same as for Shriek.

Commentary: This is a power you could skip if you wanted to, but I think it makes a fine part of your attack chain. I’m also a fan of having 3 attacks as soon as you can, and if you skipped this you’d wait awhile. The DoT is very fast (unlike fire powers, for example), and if you lead with another blast, you’ll get more bang for your buck here because of the debuff. As mentioned above, it has very good range. So I like having both Shriek and Scream – very handy for that minion that insists on hanging out on telephone wires.

Howl (Level 4): A moderate damage cone attack that debuffs damage resistance for all in its wake.

Recommended enhancements: You’ll want the standard 1-3 slotting for Accuracy-Damage. But add a slot for Range – the set range is a bit short, and just that little boost will make your life a lot easier. A slot of End Reduction is good (this is more costly), while Recharge will keep it available more often (HOs are a real blessing here).

Commentary: This is without question my favorite power in the set. The radius of the cone is very good, and with a Range enhancer you’ll be able to keep your distance. This is an excellent opening attack, as the whole group is now debuffed for your team. If there is a must-have power for Sonics, this is it. Fill the Damage slots in Howl first, then move onto Scream, and finally Shriek.

Shockwave (Level 10): This is similar to Gale – it’s an AoE cone that causes knockback, and minor damage. It does NOT debuff resistance.

Recommended enhancements: If you take this, consider going for 2 slots of Accuracy. It’s easy to miss some enemies in the cone if you don’t. The Damage is minor, and not necessarily worth enhancing – use those slots elsewhere first.

Commentary: Knockback doesn’t really fit in with this build, so I recommend skipping this power. You’ve got plenty of other attack choices, and knockback is a contentious issue on teams. But it can be used effectively. I have a couple SG members who use it carefully in almost every fight to good effect. Not my personal choice, but you might like it.

Shout (Level 16): A short-range attack that does superior damage and debuffs resistance to damage.

Recommended enhancements: 1-3 for Accuracy-Damage. The range is so short, that Range enhancements can help a lot. And this has a hefty cost, so a slot of Endurance Reduction is a must.

Commentary: I have a real love-hate relationship with Shout. One the one hand, it’s the big damage power but isn’t a snipe, so that’s good. But you have to be quite close to use it, and that’s bad for a squishie. My recommendation is try this out and then decide - it’s not for everyone. I’m a bit of a daredevil, so I’m willing to get some face time with a CoT Behemoth just to shout in his face. But because Defender damage isn’t that substantial, even “superior” damage isn’t all that great. I have it for now, but will likely be dropping it in favor of Air Superiority.

Amplify (Level 20): Amplify is just like Aim in the other sets - granting you a huge boost to your accuracy, and slightly increasing your damage output. It has a very short duration.

Recommended enhancements: 3 slots of Recharge, and extra slots for ToHit if you have room.

Commentary: A standard tool for any Blaster, this is unlikely to find its way into the build of most Defenders. If you’ve got the room, it’s absolutely a worthwhile power to have for your attacks. Personally I just couldn’t fit it in – I usually team with several people who run Tactics, and the small damage boost didn’t seem worth it.

Siren’s Song (Level 28): This is a cone Sleep power. Slept enemies will be effectively held, unless they are hit with damage or a debuff. This deals minor energy damage as well.

Recommended enhancements: This is pretty good right out of the box. Put Accuracy in the default slot, and maybe a second one if you aren’t running Tactics. I added a slot for Sleep duration to make sure they stay out of commission long enough for a getaway. The damage is small, and not really worth enhancing unless you have slots to burn.

Commentary: This is a great power. I know there are a lot of folks out there who think that AoE Sleep powers in higher levels are a waste, as most players also have AoE attacks. First of all – if even a couple minions get hit by this but missed by another player’s attack, it takes them out of the battle and that’s a good thing.

Secondly, this is the vital must-have power for when you’re solo. An Empath simply can’t take on a group larger than maybe 3 white minions on his/her own. So sing them to sleep, and then pick them off one at a time. I generally will reposition so I can still use Howl on the baddie I’m currently attacking.

Finally, remember that this does cause a little damage, too. So think of it as your second AoE attack power, with slept enemies being an added bonus.

Screech (Level 35): A single-target disorient attack that deals minor smashing/energy damage.

Recommended enhancements: 1 Accuracy, and at least 1 Disorient duration.

Commentary: For me, this is the one lousy power in the set. It would be one thing if you had this available at level 4, but to have a single-target disorient this late in the game is pointless. Other heroes can do disorients better (like D3’s and Stormies). It does have a magnitude 3 disorient, however. I say skip this power. (Someone who needs less powers in their primary like a Force Field Defender might have better use for this.)

Dreadful Wail (Level 38): The nuke – an extreme smashing/energy PBAoE attack. Anyone left standing after the power goes off will be disoriented. This drains you of all endurance, and will shut down all your toggled powers.

Recommended enhancements: 1 Accuracy, 3 Damage, 2 Recharge. If you find you use this less often, swap a Recharge with a Disorient. This is a good place to use Hamidon enhancements so you can just enhance everything.

Commentary: An Empath using a nuke is certainly a touchy subject. But I will tell you that I’m in favor of taking this power. Yes, it’s situational. But when you use it, it can make a huge difference to your team.

The key to having a nuke is knowing when to use it. You do not pull this out when wading into a group of 3 minions – wait until you’re in a good-sized group of 8 or more. Also pay attention to what your team is doing – it would be a pity to use this just before your Kinetics teammate fires off Fulcrum Shift. Also watch your team’s health – if they’re mostly in the orange, you’re taking an ill-advised risk by nuking. (Although it can be used as a “polish off the leftovers maneuver.”)

Another key point is inspirations. I NEVER use this power unless I have a couple blues in my inventory. (I also try to pop some yellow and red beforehand.) You want to be back in the game immediately, ready to buff/heal a teammate if needed. And by all means, get your butt out of the middle of the fray! As soon as you see that your team is in shape, you can turn your toggles back on. I also tend to use RA before nuking, so that as soon as the recovery period returns, I’ll get my endurance back quickly. (The one exception is teaming with Kineticists – if they time Transference just right, you can potentially gain back all your endurance, and even avoid toggles dropping.)

And don’t forget the power of multiple nukes – even against a group that’s +3 or 4, two or three nukes used in succession should wipe out everything.

So in summary, I think a nuke is a power that an Empath should use, but with great caution. I’ve considered dropping it from my build numerous times, but then I’m in a mission where it makes all the difference (like speeding up things in a timed outdoor mission), and I resolve to keep it. Maybe this isn’t for you, but personally I enjoy it.

PRIMARY POWERS – Empathy

Healing Aura (Level 1): HA is a PBAoE heal, and is one of your standard healing powers. It has the added benefit of healing yourself, which is helpful just about all the time. Hit by a sniper while flying through Founder’s Falls? No problem, just fire off your aura. The one thing to remember is that the amount of this heal is only about half that of Heal Other – you will need both powers. There are times where your situation may require “spam healing” (e.g. battling Devouring Earth fungi). In that case just set this power to auto-fire, so you can forget about it and focus on buffing and blasting.

Recommended enhancements:[/i] First step is to slot this with 3 Heals. After that, add 1-2 slots of Endurance Reduction as needed – it’s a bit costly. Slot at least 1 Recharge, and it will be up at a good rate – 2 is even better (helpful for spam situations).

Heal Other (Level 1): This is your other standard healing power – a single-target heal for allies. There is only one other power like this which is a guaranteed heal (O2 Boost being the other). As mentioned above, the magnitude of HP restored is twice that of your aura. There are a few situations that might require you putting this on auto-fire, particularly if you’re teamed with the aggro Tank in a Hamidon raid.

Recommended enhancements: Same slotting as with Healing Aura, although I recommend you stick with just 1 Recharge here until you’ve got slots to burn.

Commentary: At level 1, you have the choice between these two powers. And I think the choice is simple – pick Aura first. It will help keep you alive in the early levels, and I believe in being mostly selfish until you hit level 10 – take things that help yourself first. But you won’t want to delay on taking Heal Other – it should be taken no later than level 6.

Absorb Pain (Level 2): This power allows you to heal a substantial number of HP for an ally – three times that for Heal Other. But this strong heal has a cost – you take damage and can not be healed by most means for a short time. (Natural and buffed regeneration will help, however.)

Recommended enhancements: 3 slots of Heal enhancements is enough. This isn’t likely a power you want to use as often, and the endurance cost is negligible.

Commentary: This is the only power that I ended up not taking in my final build (but I will respec into it later). It feels very situational to me, and by the time I would want to use it, the team is headed to a full faceplant anyway. Don’t get me wrong – if I had room, I’d have taken it, as the reward outweighs the risk. But I just had other powers I wanted more fervently. I’ve since decided that I could move some things around to make room. So if you have the room, definitely take it. If you tend to not team with other Defenders, it could become a must-have.

Resurrect (Level 6): Quite simply, this power fully revives a fallen teammate. As soon as the teammate accepts the resurrection request, they can begin using their powers.

Recommended enhancements: Fill the default slot with Recharge, and that’s it. If you need more recharge in this power, your team’s problem is more likely tactical.

Commentary: Rez is the power you resort to when things take an unexpected turn – keep it in your back pocket, don’t rely on it for constant use. Unfortunately this power has no added benefit like Mutation does for Radiation Defenders, but it is a guaranteed rez, which is good. I don’t recommend taking this power right away – get some blasts and pool powers first, and perhaps take this in your teens or 20s. The exception is if you plan to run a taskforce, in which case you’ll need to have this power available.

Clear Mind (Level 8): This is a status effect negation/resistance power. It grants an ally some protection from Sleep, Disorient, Hold and Immobilization effects.

Recommended enhancements: Again, just one slot for Recharge, and even that isn’t really necessary. You might consider Range instead, as it’s about 10 feet shorter in range than the rest of your buffs.

Commentary: This would be a wonderful power – if it didn’t take so long to use. The current animation time is 4 seconds, and the power only lasts a short time. So if you’re on a full team, by the time you’ve used CM on everyone, you’d have to start all over again. So I suggest only using it in 2 situations – to either use as pre-battle protection for a team member or two who is most vulnerable to a status attack (like the Tank or a Controller), and/or to use it as a release from a hold or stun. Even that is a bit dangerous – you’re now locked in for 4 seconds that you can’t do anything else. Sadly it’s a power you need to have, so live with the drawbacks while you send a PM to the developers!

Also, this power comes far too soon in the lineup – you will rarely encounter enemies using status attacks until you’re in your late teens. I recommend not taking this until after level 20. And remember that a healing power will break a Sleep effect, so you can provide release with your early powers. (If every team member carries at least 1 Break Free at all times, you can easily make it to your 20’s without Clear Mind.)

Fortitude (Level 12): This is a strong single-target ally buff. The beneficiary receives a boost to defense, accuracy and damage. The duration should last through a full battle.

Recommended enhancements: This is the first power that you really must take immediately and then six-slot. Start with 3 Defense slots – since ED, we all need as much Defense as we can get. Use the other 3 slots for Recharge – once you have SOs you will be able to keep 3 team members buffed at once. You could put a slot for ToHit in there somewhere, but ultimately I switched it out (it’s pretty much redundant with Tactics running).

Commentary: This is what I think of as the hidden jewel in the set. I think there are far too many players out there who don’t know how good it is to have a purple glow around your head. Use this power often, particularly as a pre-battle buff for the team member in the most danger, or whom you want to make the biggest alpha strike. There are long debates in the forums about whom you “Fort” first and why. For myself, I tend to hit Tanks first, then it goes to the team members whom I see tend to take the most damage, which is often Controllers with AoE powers. And if it’s available, I always follow up Heal Other with Fortitude. If he got hurt, repair the damage and then prevent it from happening again! With time you’ll see who is in the most danger on the team, and thus needs to be fortified first.

Recovery Aura (Level 18): A PBAoE power that greatly enhances the endurance recovery for yourself and anyone around you.

Recommended enhancements: Start with 3 slots for Recharge, and you want those in place immediately (so add the 2 slots at level 19). If you have extra slots you can add some for Endurance Modification, but I generally find that the base recovery rate is just fine, particularly once people have SOs.

Commentary: The crown jewel of the set, and one of the most requested buffs in the whole game. Everyone has endurance issues, so this is essential. Sadly the recharge rate was cut in I6, while the duration was reduced. So even with SOs you’ll only be able to get this up about every third battle. Thus it’s no longer the silver bullet; teaming with others who have recovery powers will help smooth things out. (2 Empaths on one team can generally keep RA up enough to prevent any endurance issues, 3 can make it perma.)

For the times you solo, this power is essential.

Regeneration Aura (Level 26): A PBAoE power that grants you and those around you the ability to regenerate HP at up to five times the usual rate.

Recommended enhancements: Again, start with 3 slots of Recharge. But if you can also fill it with 3 slots of Heal, you’ll see much stronger results.

Commentary: This is the unsung hero of the set. If your teammates are regenerating HP at a good rate, you’ll spend less time handing out heals, which means you can spend more time on buffing and blasting. For ease of use, just fire this off right after you hit Recovery Aura. This is a power you could hold off taking for a few levels if needed, but you’ll want it in your early 30s. I waited, and in retrospect wish I’d taken it right away.

This has the same problem of long recharge, short duration that RA does. So get those additional slots of Recharge in place right away. It is also essential for soloing.

Adrenalin Boost (Level 26): Arguably the most powerful buff in the game. The targeted ally will see a dramatic increase in endurance recovery, HP regeneration and the recharge rate for their powers.

Recommended enhancements: Three slots for Recharge first. If you have slots to spare, you can add in some Heal or Endurance Modification.

Commentary: It doesn’t take a genius to realize how powerful this one is. But with its long recharge you won’t be able to use it as often. So keep an eye on when it’s available so you can use it right away.

Who to use this on? You’ll have to keep an eye on your team’s makeup and progress to decide. Personally I tend to use it mostly on Scrappers and Blasters. They want to attack often and quickly at a small cost, and AB is the secret. I especially use it for Blasters who have just used a nuke. That will put them back in the fray much more quickly. But remember that this can also be a pseudo-heal due to the regeneration boost.

PREFACE

I wrote this guide based on my experiences with my main character, Growlin' Granny on the Freedom server. It was a wild and crazy journey to level 50 (which I will ding tonight) as a member of two different SGs, and frequently teaming with a few more. I thought I knew all there was to know for awhile, and then all that changed in my mid 40s.

Please note that because this is based on my main character, so YMMV. Please take any notes contained herein as suggestions, not imperatives. I have had other experiences with Empathy, which helped me make some mistakes that I learned from. And I’m in an all /Sonic SG, so my experience with that powerset is substantial. You’ll see below why my preference has been this build. I can tell you that I’ve used every one of the primary and secondary Defender sets at one time or another with varying degrees of success. I won’t say that this is my favorite AT, bar none – I frequently find new excitement with different characters. But I found that this was a build that I settled into like a favorite chair.

Also, I have steered clear of including hard numbers, as they are not my specialty. If you’d like that kind of info, please look to Lady Mage's excellent guide for specifics.

Lastly I’ll point out that this guide is currently compliant through I6. I will strive to keep it updated as changes come in future issues.


CAVEAT

First of all I must make it clear that I’m extremely opinionated. In particular, I’m loathe to hear the word “healer.” I do not think Empathy is a healer AT – it’s a buff set with heals, and you have a secondary set of blasts that I think you should use judiciously. If you want to hear about playing a “pure Empath,” please don’t read any further, as I will probably disappoint you.


OVERVIEW

Empathy is the only Defender set that does not debuff enemies in any way. It is strictly a set designed to enhance the performance of your team, and to repair damage in battle. Within this set we have one of the most sought after buffs, as well as some underappreciated gems. Also unique to Empathy is that there really is no “bad” power. If I had room I’d take every power – I ultimately only skipped one (which I will later be putting in with a respec). But I’ve tried them all and they are indeed good (although there are shortcomings, which I’ll discuss later).

The big challenges for Empaths are balancing your various roles (prevention, release, heal, blast), keeping your eyes both on the action and on your teammates. Endurance is an issue (as it is with every set), but we’re lucky to have some powers to help ourselves with that. But the big challenge remains dealing with people who want an Empath around so that they can play in an irresponsible manner. Avoid those players at all costs.

Sonic Attacks is one of the newest Defender secondaries, and it’s full of potential. You get solid attacks in every variety (small, DoT, cone, nuke) as well as a few control powers. The great advantage of Sonic powers is that your damage increases with each blast, as you wear down the damage resistance of your enemies. You may not be the real damage dealer on your team, but every hit you land helps your team take down the other side faster. The other benefit to Sonics is that it’s a combined Energy/Smashing damage set. So although Smashing damage is resisted well in upper levels, the Energy damage is often not.

A challenge for Sonics is that I think there are powers that just aren’t worth it, which will be discussed below. Also you can not slot for the debuff as you can with other sets like Dark Blast (-ToHit) or Radiation Blast (-Defense).

As for the two sets complementing each other – well, they don’t. Empathy really has no relation to its secondary, unlike most of the Defender primaries. But I feel that choosing Sonic allows you some real ease in the times that you’re out there solo.

Just entered the world of Fire blasting, and this guide, although outdated, is still enormously helpful.

Hollows missions can be very difficult to handle if you're level 5 or 6. Grab some team members to help - you'll be much happier. Teams are plentiful in the Hollows.

This is soooo very helpful. Thank you for putting it together.

Great, simple introductory guide. Thanks for laying this out so neatly!

My Brute? He likes to SMASH!