streetlight

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  1. If I was building an Inv/* purely for survivability, I'd look to defense (S/L/E/N), then Regen, and finally Recharge. You'll hardcap your HP just from Dull Pain, Accolades, and whatever set bonuses come to you through the rest of the build. Regen, coupled with capped HP, gives you a very nice backup plan for what little damage sneaks past your defense and remains after your resists. Recharge will help keep Dull Pain up and your heavy hitting attacks cycling faster.

    I made my Inv/SS to handle Psi damage, for some reason or another (I didn't really know what I was doing then). Impervium Armor and Crushing Impact sets were the basis of the build. It works pretty well overall. It works amazing well compared to a non-Psi Inv/* build when you're facing Psi-heavy opponents. It just doesn't work as well as defense-focused builds do when it comes to everything else. And there is a LOT of "everything else" in this game.

    As long as he's facing S/L damage and has a few opponents around him, he's still effectively invincible. I can walk away, take a phone call, grab a drink, and come back to a full health bar. Take him out of that comfort zone, though, either with fewer opponents or non-S/L damage and survivability is a lot less assured. It's still really good, but he's faceplanted enough that I know better options are out there.

    So I'm working toward an S/L/E/N softcapped build (1 opponent) that will end up MUCH more expensive than the previous build, but also a lot more capable. It trades HP & Regen for Recharge, which does hurt his survivability a little, but Dull Pain and Accolades put him a little over the HP cap anway. The additional recharge should cycle his big hitters more often, too.
  2. Two schools of thought on BS/Regen survival: defense and recharge. The school of defense says get as much defense (S/L for certain, E/N after that) as you can. The school of recharge says that with enough recharge, you don't have to worry so much about defense.

    Almost everyone builds for defense. It's easy, it's common, and it works for every AT out there. It's a lower-risk strategy, but it'll cost you on a Regen, because you don't have much defense to work with and you'll lose out on recharge that helps everything your powerset wants to do. Parry can substitute to some degree, but non-lethal and non-melee go through you like a bad burrito.

    I say build for recharge. Not only will your attacks come up faster, giving you a better attack chain and mitigation-through-death, but your click heals and defenses will come up faster too. Go for perma-Hasten and that will give you perma-Dull Pain and a crazy quick-recharging Reconstruction.

    On top of that, you get MoG and you can get this down to 50 seconds or less of downtime. That allows you to run in and eat an alpha strike, plus 1-5 rounds of attacks after that. You take NO damage while that's running. If you're willing to put in the effort, take a trip redside so you can get Shadow Meld from the Soul Mastery pool. Shadow Meld isn't MoG, but it is 30%+ defense to everything (including Psi) when slotted and it'll come up much faster than MoG (less than 20 seconds downtime). Stack a Parry on that and you can softcap Lethal & Melee - all without a "defense" build.

    You won't have that perfect MoG defense against every incoming attack. You won't have Shadow Meld's defense against every incoming attack. However, you'll be able to face the worst incoming damage from any spawn and take somewhere between nothing and insignificant damage while you and your team whittle down their numbers to something that your regeneration and click heals can handle easily.

    This isn't a "go away and make a sandwich" sort of character, but you made a Regen and that means you get a more active style of play. You'll die sometimes. You'll fall into scrapperlock and click Headsplitter when you should've clicked Dull Pain and you'll howl in futility while the attack slowly animates and your enemies put you down. That's okay - part of the charm of the powersets, really - but it isn't for everyone.

    Finally, recharge isn't cheap, but neither is defense. If you're committing to a top level build, there are going to be costs. If you're not ready to commit like that, then you're in a rough spot with a BS/Reg. I would recommend a steady diet of purple insps while you decide what to do. It's what my BS/Reg is doing while I buy his recharge build.
  3. Energy/Energy/Force Blaster?
    Rad/Energy/Force Blaster?

    SS/Energy/Mace Brute?
    SS/Energy/Mu Brute?

    FF/Energy/Power Defender?
  4. Here is what I would likely do, given your basic plan: Click this DataLink to open the build!

    One of the things I notice is that you use Impervium Armor sets for Psi defense. However, all of your positional defenses are higher than your Psi typed defense. There is at least one rare non-positional Psi attack (Fearsome Stare), but everything else falls under the positions, making those set bonuses moot. You could shuffle things around a bit by getting out of the Impervium sets, maybe going for 2pc Aegis bonuses to get your base run speed up a little.

    Granite doesn't cost much endurance to run, so my preferred slotting there is usually 3pcs of LotG (7.5, def, def/end) and 3pcs of Aegis (res, res/end, res/rchg). It'd cost you 0.71% defense and 0.09% resist, but it'd softcap your F/C by default and give you another 5% run speed, 16.87hp and 10% regen. You'd still have S/L softcapped, too.

    I like to 6-slot Earth's Embrace with 3pcs each of Numina's and Miracle. This gives the big +HP bonuses of both sets, a little recovery boost, and a little regen boost. Use the Heal/End, Heal/Rchg, and End/Rchg IOs from each set. The extra HP here pays off with about +3hp/sec in regen.

    For something with likely no real impact, swap out the Mako's in Brawl for a common Damage IO. You've got accuracy in the build already, with a lot of it immune from exemplaring, so you may as well get the most out of it. For a little more boost, if a bit more randomness, put in a damage proc instead.
  5. streetlight

    Defence

    I think there was a definite swing toward self-competence with three things: villain ATs, farming & IO sets for softcapped defenses. However, this self-competence has come at the cost of team-awareness in some cases. Players who get used to always having aggro and surviving it develop a different mindset from players who aren't used to having to deal with aggro.

    I've learned that you can tell pretty quickly whether you have weak aggro management on a team. I look for three things: Taunt, Willpower, and farm builds. If I see a "tanking" AT character (Tanker or Brute) without Taunt, I see a player that probably isn't concerned with aggro outside of what they generate. Willpower's weak taunt aura means it's easy for other characters to strip off aggro. Farm builds aren't used to handling competition for aggro. If you're the only one on a map, 100% of the aggro comes to you on an angry silver platter.

    You're not doomed if any of these three show up on your team. You're not even doomed if your team's only tanking AT is a Taunt-less WP/SS farmer. You just need to know that aggro management will likely be very loose and squishies will need to make the choice between running or dying from time to time. If you're looking to avoid making that choice, switch to something less squishy until the team gets better aggro management. Maybe grab your own tanking AT so the other squishies can breathe a sigh of relief.

    CoH is a rarity in MMOs, because no role is absolutely necessary. The "trinity" is still very effective, but it's far from necessary. IOs have given traditionally aggro-averse ATs the ability to handle themselves, boosted by pool powers and the more independent villain ATs. That said, new endgame content appears to be reinforcing the traditional roles a bit more, so maybe we'll see a shift there.
  6. Out of curiosity, is anything really +4 anymore once you're level-shifted?

    As is, it looks like a great build to me. If you wanted to fit in the Kismet and a little more accuracy, I've got an option here: Click this DataLink to open the build!. All I did was rework Physical Perfection to free up a couple slots and I don't know if that's necessary.
  7. streetlight

    How good is WP?

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Deathstroke33 View Post
    Looking to create a tank, and I've never used WP before. Just wondering how good it is as a whole. I'd like to be a team useful tank that can soak up damage and hold aggro. WP seems to fill this bill, but I'm open to other suggestions as well.
    Assuming an IO build with survivability in mind...

    Survivability - Groups: Crazy good. Top three easy with no glaring weaknesses. Great for all content.

    Survivability - AVs: Still really good. You lose a lot of regen when dropping from 10 to 1 opponent, but you maintain great survivability compared to peers and there are still no glaring weaknesses.

    Aggro: Weak. Every tank has taunt and punchvoke, so it has something to work with, but the taunt aura is just terrible and that can (and does) cause problems. In large groups, it's really easy to strip aggro from a WP and the WP will have to work to maintain it or hope the teammates can handle whatever they pull off. AOE-heavy secondaries will be very helpful.

    Endurance: Crazy good. Quick Recovery isn't seen on any other Tanking primary and you don't need to spend any time clicking anything other than your attacks. It's good enough that you can ignore Cardiac and use Spiritual, getting more recharge and even more hp/healing/regen.
  8. Throwing in my 0.02...

    When playing my (admittedly lower level) Fire/Fire, I feel like a Scrapper with really good aggro management. To put it another way, Fire/Fire seems to be the last Tanker on the Tanker-to-Scrapper continuum. Damage is high, protections are low and mitigation is absent compared to Tanking peers. That's not a bad thing, because the damage is really, really good. It's just a tradeoff. With that tradeoff in mind, know your limits and work within them. If you're weak to something, then look for help from the team.

    Another thought: what's slightly less-survivable in today's content may become noticeably less-survivable in tomorrow's. If to-hit numbers continue to edge upward in endgame content, a lot of softcap builds won't really be softcapped for that content. -ToHit and +Def will become increasingly valuable in those circumstances, as will mitigation. There may come a time when players have to say "my character isn't really fit for this" and choose some other build or AT for specific content.
  9. streetlight

    FF/DP viable?

    I have an FF/DP at 50 and just love it. He's weak in single-target damage, but has rapid-cycling AOEs that increase his DPS dramatically in groups. Great fun in raids and teaming, not so much soloing. The build misses Aim, but works out nicely anyway.

    Even on teams stacked with defense-focused L50 builds, if there are any defense debuffs, non-S/L attacks or enemy +ToHit then FF/* helps. Tacking on that extra bit of defense staves off cascading defense failures for builds without adequate DDR. It also provides some mez protection for those ATs without it. The difference in consistency of performance is noticeable.

    No, FF/* won't appreciably help a three-position-softcapped */SR Scrapper or Brute in all but the rarest circumstances, but it'll gap-fill for a Fire/Kin or Ill/Rad quite nicely, not to mention anyone else that doesn't have softcapped defenses across the board.
  10. I've got a KM/SD levelled to 50, though I only have a budget build on it at the moment. Whether in game or looking at Mids, there is ample synergy between the two sets. The attacks appear balanced against other sets, without any consideration for the impact of Power Siphon.

    The first three attacks animate quickly and recharge quickly, which means they tend to have lower base damage than faster-animating or slower-recharging equivalents. Compared to similar powers, though, the numbers are dead on. Compare QS to Shadow Punch or BB to Sting of the Wasp, for instance.

    Two things are a little limited within the set: CS's recharge and PS's recharge. Other T9 single-target attacks recharge in 12s-15s, but CS starts at 20s. It hits a bit harder and can instantly refresh PS, but that's a big jump that keeps it from being a regular contributor in your attack chain. PS recharges in 120s, compared to traditional Build Up powers recharging in 90s. That another 33% wait time, but it does last twice as long, so there is a bit of give-and-take there.
  11. For me, Dark Armor builds are a little like fixer-upper homes in nice neighborhoods. They have a huge upside, but require investment and time to realize that upside.

    You'll have to figure out how to deal with the absurd endurance costs of the set, for instance (ToE +End & Cardiac Alpha are a good start). You'll want to shell out the influence or merits for the expensive +Defense IO sets and +Defense Uniques, somehow without skimping on recharge. Don't forget the -KB IOs, either. Slotting can get tight, so it'll require a good eye for bargains and occasionally compromising in other areas to maximize survivability.

    If you're okay with all of that, then you can create a character with really impressive survivability. You'll have resists, defenses and healing working together in a way that few other sets can claim. You won't be as great against S/L as an Invuln, but you'll be above average to good against everything and you'll have a few tricks that others don't (end drain resist, psi resist, etc.).
  12. Ran through Mids and here is what I've got...

    1. When I look at hp/sec figures, I get a different number for the 4xDWD setup's regen rate than Socorro listed earlier. I see 68.87 hp/sec, which means a difference of 2.82 hp/sec that progresses steadily upward to 6.93 hp/sec when facing 10 opponents. This looks more like what I would expect to see.

    2. At the (admittedly wholly-arbitrary) 100dps per opponent figure the Regen build will take somewhere between 0.2dps and 0.4dps more damage per opponent than the ToHit build, depending on the damage type (S/L is 0.2). Once you get over the RttC cap of ten, there is no difference between the two in incoming dps. Note that the Regen build doesn't continue to widen this gap very effectively, though it does maintain an advantage (thoughts on that next).

    3. The Spiritual Alpha slotting helps make up for some of the missing heal slotting, to some degree. Moving from Partial Radial Revamp to Core Paragon will help the Regen build, because it will allow for greater enhancement over ED restrictions. However, in the meantime, the Partial Radial Revamp means less of an impact.

    4. This is a low-HP build (2367hp) that focuses heavily on recharge. HPT isn't slotted at all for +HP, for instance. I think most of us are used to HP-heavy WP/* builds, so we may've expected stronger results. With a low-HP build, the impact of +Regen is minimized. The more HP you have to work with, the bigger the benefit of +Regen.

    EDIT: And I thought I was talking WP/SS Tanker for most of this, which is what the OP was working on, but Socorro's on a Brute. That doesn't change the numbers in this post, but it does make it impossible to get to the hit point levels I was expecting to see.
  13. I just can't get over the difference that T3 Cardiac made for my Inv/SS. The resists in the set aren't really built to take advantage of Cardiac (hardcapped or so low that you don't get much more), but endurance was such a terrible bottleneck on my build that I can't imagine losing Cardiac slotting now. I can stack Rage and run Hasten without any worries about the effects of a crash and that helps everything else hit harder and more often. The additional 3.3% or so non-S/L resist is just gravy.

    Spiritual would be the next best choice for me, after Cardiac. Recharge is always welcome: Invuln likes it for Dull Pain, SS likes it for pretty much everything. Dull Pain also benefits from the healing bump, so there is some nice synergy.

    Musculature might be okay, but Tanker damage is kind of low to begin with. You get maybe another 20dmg from Footstomp and 50dmg from Knockout Blow, which might be enough to knock off those few remaining slivers. It has absolutely no other synergy for an Inv/SS.

    Nerve is interesting and will get more interesting if enemy to-hit numbers rise above 50%. Accuracy will help hit opponents, though an Inv/SS probably doesn't worry about that with Rage stacked. Defense is great and more of it is better (again, especially if enemy to-hit numbers rise). I'd probably look to run Nerve Radial Paragon: another 33% accuracy is plenty with Rage stacked and you get a little bump to Taunt, too. If enemy defense numbers rise, then this would be even more useful.
  14. Quote:
    Originally Posted by RiggsMcClane View Post
    What goes well with Kinetic Melee for tanks? I was thinking DA/KM. Like to hear a few opinions on my options.
    I like Elec/KM for a lot of reasons. Energize and Power Sink help manage the high endurance usage of quick-animating sets like KM, plus you're resistant to endurance drains and recovery debuffs. Lightning Reflexes helps you achieve better attack chains and resists Slow, to help you keep them going. It's a resistance set, so you can slot for defense and get a great mix of protections.

    Ice/KM is also very nice. It's a defense set, so it'll be easier and cheaper to softcap, but it's typed so you may end up with a few gaps. You have a lot of Slow resistance to keep the attack chains going. Energy Absorption is great for boosting defense and regaining endurance. It is arguably the best at aggro management (I still say Shield, but that doesn't mean Ice isn't great). Not so big on resists, but it has a damage debuff component in Chilling Embrace that helps everyone on your team and it stacks nicely with KM's damage debuffs. Oh, and you get a great heal and +HP power in Hoarfrost.

    Shield/KM is another. Again, it's a defense set, but it's positional, which makes it super easy to softcap. You also get a good resistance base to work from and auto +HP. You get +damage from AAO and your opponents take a -damage debuff, which helps maintain aggro and take the edge off of those attacks that do slip through. Grant Cover provides a nice team buff and Phalanx Fighting is sure to help maintain survivability if the base to-hit numbers rise on some high-end enemies (as expected). And, the biggy, you get Shield Charge, which helps supplement Burst for AOE damage.

    You can't go wrong with any of these, but if you made me choose, I'd probably pick Shield/KM. You get an easy softcap, resists, and buffs/debuffs all in one place. Shield Charge and an extra 19% total hit points are hard to ignore, too. The concern here would be endurance. If you don't plan on going Cardiac, then slot heavily for endurance and/or pick up Energy Mastery to help keep you going.
  15. Quote:
    Originally Posted by Socorro View Post
    Feel free to show me my error, but the final numbers are less than stellar, or so it seems.
    Something definitely looks off there. Put up the build and we'll try to find the issue.
  16. Quote:
    Originally Posted by Socorro View Post
    Again, I have room to fit 2 Numina's there for + 68.9% heal. You're losing miniscule amounts of healing and you're gaining effective defense. Defense vs Heal - I thought that debate was long settled (btw, already got maneuvers and weave).
    What you're missing, and everyone else is saying, is that you're giving up another 25%+ in enhancement to regen for a miniscule -ToHit bump over RttC's base levels. That 25% healing enhancement is more important to a WP than another 0.6% -ToHit. Four-slot the Numina's and two-slot your DWD for the best of both worlds.

    To put it in numbers...

    4-slotted DWD: 57.52% enhancement for an additional 2.0132% -ToHit
    2-slotted DWD: 41.29% enhancement for an additional 1.44515% -ToHit

    Difference = 0.56805% -ToHit

    4-slotted Numina: 97.49% enhancement for an additional 121.86% +Regen (single-target)
    2-slotted Numina: 68.90% enhancement for an additional 86.13% +Regen (single-target)

    Difference = 35.73% Regen

    4-slotted Numina: 97.49% enhancement for an additional 341.22% +Regen (ten targets)
    2-slotted Numina: 68.90% enhancement for an additional 241.15% +Regen (ten targets)

    Difference = 100.07% Regen
    I'd have a hard time arguing that 0.57% -ToHit is worth 35.73% Regen, let alone 100.07% regen, and that's without throwing in +HP figures to get hp/sec healing.

    The only time it might make any sense, and there is only one time, is if you absolutely need that 0.57% -ToHit the to-hit clamp in the attack calculation. With so many other ways to cap your defenses, why bother losing Regen (the foundation of WP's survivability) for that measly 0.57%?

    Do you really ever absolutely need it? Maybe. If you force the opponent exactly to the 5% clamp with it and your opponent deals 100dps, then you can expect to take a whopping 5dps. If you come up exactly that crucial 0.57% shy, then you take... 5.57dps or 0.57dps more. Staggering.

    I can shift the perception of that by saying you take 11.4% more damage or even a whopping 111.4% of the damage that the other build takes, which sounds like a lot, but you're not taking a whole lot of damage in the first place. 11.4% more of not a whole lot is still, unsurprisingly, not a whole lot.

    So we know the difference in damage taken, but what's the difference in regen? Taking all other powers and potential set bonuses out of the equation (which only hurts the Regen argument), looking only at RttC and 4xNumina/2xDWD (Regen) vs. 4xDWD/2xNumina (ToHit), you get...
    Regen: 32.26hp/sec
    ToHit: 28.86hp/sec
    Difference: 3.4hp/sec
    So the Regen build takes less net damage, without factoring in goodies like HPT or +HP set bonuses, in the worst possible example where that 0.57% of ToHit debuff is at its most meaningful. Add in more targets and the difference in regen rates grows. Add in HPT and +HP set bonuses and it gets even bigger.
  17. Quote:
    Originally Posted by Breth View Post
    I now have two sets i know nothing about. Can i have a little advice please to warn me about what to expect and what to build for? Soft capped positional defense i guess. Are they end hungry? Do i go for recharge? Do i need to get some Resist in there? Without a taunt aura, do i need taunt?
    Endurance: Like all fast-attacking sets, Claws can put a hurt on Endurance. However, it has pretty good cones that can cut down on the total number of attacks that you make in any fight. Just be sure to slot your attacks for Acc & End early on (let Fury handle the damage buffs).

    Defense: The number one priority is to softcap positional defense and DDR (don't neglect your auto defense powers). It'll all be very easy with a Claws/SR.

    Recharge: Defense is the priority here, but then I would start to look at Recharge. SR gets Quickness for an instant free 20% global recharge bump, so you're already ahead of the game there. The first priority for recharge is the power itself, then on to the global bonuses (if you've only got 60% recharge in the power, you need 30%+ in global recharge to make up for it, so better to cap recharge in the power and pay for less global if you can). I love putting LotG sets in the toggles, at the very least, so that helps with global recharge. Some builds prefer Red Fortunes for 5% global recharge each and ranged defense, but they require more slots.

    Hit Points: I like to slot for +HP to help keep survivability high. This'll also help when the opponents get on a lucky streak or just happen to slip a heavy hitter through. Frankenslotting attacks is one of the easier ways to do this, plus you get great Acc/Dam/End/Rchg in the process.

    Resist: If you're taking Weave to softcap (and most builds do), then take Tough along the way for a nice little bump in S/L survivability. Other than that, I wouldn't worry about it. Tough will accept the Steadfast Protection 3% Unique, as well as something like Aegis for AOE defense (3- or 5-slotted), both of which will help you reach your softcap goals.

    Taunt: Evasion has a Mag4 Taunt aura (Brutes only). Enjoy!
  18. Quote:
    Originally Posted by Socorro View Post
    A WP Character is gonna have pretty good healing already. Yeah, you can choose to beef Healing/Regen up a bit more, but I feel that if you have a choice between extra healing and more Defense (or its rough equavalent, -ToHit), you go with Defense. Overall, it's best to have layered defenses (Defense, Resist, and Regen), but when you have to choose, go with Defense. Just my feelings on the matter...

    So, 4 Dark Watchers for that little extra (maybe even a full increment, which matters near softcap). Plus, that 5% recharge comes in handy if you skimped on Crushing Impacts because you went with Kinetic Combats instead.
    Like I said above, the difference between 4-slotted DWD and 2-slotted DWD is less than 0.6%. A WP/* Tanker shouldn't have much trouble getting capped S/L/E/N/F/C defenses and crazy high HP & Regen. I've included the block for a build that does both here: Click this DataLink to open the build!

    You can ditch the Gladiator's 3%, thanks to RttC, or keep it if you want more defense from things that are outside RttC's radius. Accuracy may seem low, but perma-Rage cures that and you can tap FA if you need more.

    If you keep the Glad 3% and are comfortable with what RttC brings to the table, you could drop Maneuvers and pick up something like Laser Beam Eyes (3-slotted with Devastations for 42.17 HP & 12% regen) or Super Leap (for more mobility) with the slots from Maneuvers headed elsewhere (maybe to RttC for two-slotted DWD). LBE is a nice ranged debuff that is pure energy damage, useful when facing S/L-capped opponents.

    Now, if you aren't WP/SS, things get a bit more complicated. The extra accuracy of Rage really helps mask for the accuracy-weak slotting in the build. You might want to buff up Focused Accuracy (as well as actually use the power) and/or add Tactics. If you're comfortable losing regen, you could drop all those Pounding Slugfests for a more robust pair of IOs (e.g. Mako's triple & quad).

    Quote:
    Again, I don't worry about Taunt on a WP toon. It's not WP's theme. If Taunting was really a priority for me, I'd go with a Set that simply taunted better.
    Ah... the old Scrapper in disguise Tanker! It doesn't take much to stack some Taunt and make RttC a little more grippy, but to each their own.
  19. streetlight

    solo stf

    Just crazy that this kind of stuff can be done! Keep pushing the limits, Kahlan
  20. If you're going the -ToHit route, my recommendation would be to four-slot Numina's and two-slot DWD. If you're alpha-slotting Spiritual, then you can drop down to three-slotted Numina's and two-slotted DWD, possibly with a Taunt IO in there to help with aggro management.

    Numina's bring a big +hp bonus to the table, plus some more regen (and a healing bonus if you four-slot, but I'm not sure how that works for WP's powers). They also allow you to keep the regen high for RttC, which will keep you alive longer in those big groups.

    The DWD set looks wonderful with 4pc slotting. You get +hp, +recov and +recharge. All good stuff! However, you really need to look at what you give up and what the set brings you outside of its bonuses.

    Two-slotting DWD can get you within 0.6% of four-slotting DWD for total to-hit debuff. It also gets you within 0.2% of two-slotting Common ToHit Debuff IOs. You lose 2.5% recovery and 5% global recharge compared to four-slotting, but that's not much loss in the grand scheme of things. Two-slotting keeps the +hp around, which is the foundation of WP/* survivability.

    But global recharge is king, right? Well, only if you've got enough recharge in your attacks in the first place. For example, a WP/* Tanker's gets more out of slotting 3pcs of Crushing Impact paired with 3pcs of Mako's in their single-target attacks than they do with four 5% global recharge bonuses and 60% recharge from slotting. Again, you're grabbing up +hp, but you're also getting recharge (single-power, but recharge nonetheless) and keeping your endurance costs down (much further down that a 2.5% recovery bonus).

    Spiritual Alpha slotting will give you even more recharge, above and beyond ED caps, plus more regen and HP. Tough to beat that for a WP/* Tanker. It'll also free up that fourth slot of Numina's (again, not sure if that 6% heal bonus hit HPT or any of the set's +regen).
  21. Rain of Arrows wins for me, hands down - damage is great, you have Aim in the set to boost damage, and it's not a PBAOE so you're not as much at risk. It doesn't have to stop there, though. Pick up */Dev and you get Time Bomb & Trip Mine. Then pick up Munitions Mastery and grab LRM. Oh my...
  22. Quote:
    Originally Posted by Leo_G View Post
    Because, I'm not blind. Look at Super Strength. It has *ONE* AoE...but it is heralded as being one of the best melee AoE sets.

    Why is SS so revered for it's AoE? because it's not the *number* of AoEs you have, but the *quality* of your AoEs. That is, whatever AoEs stalkers get, they can pump them up thanks to always having BU and being able to, on command, do 2x damage on half or more of their targets.
    Footstomp is a pretty high quality AOE, but the biggest part of Super Strength's appeal is Rage. Stacking up massive, longlasting damage buffs has a bigger impact than anything else in the set.

    Outside of that, it really is the number of AOEs or, more accurately, the number of AOEs you can throw over a given period of time. SS only has one and you can get its recharge down nicely, but ATs with SS have pool options for more AOEs. That's why you see SS/Fire/Mu and SS/Fire/Fire Brutes among the most popular farmers. Those additional AOEs, coupled with double-stacked Rage, makes a big difference in the time spent on each mob.

    Footstomp is nice, sure, but it's not really the showstopper in the SS set.
  23. The */Elec secondary lends itself to Blapper gameplay, which is kind of like a race to see who runs out of health first. If you don't want to blap, then it's probably not that good of a secondary to choose. In that case, I'd probably also avoid */Fire. The other sets all offer something to keep a pure-ranged character happy.

    If you really want to build a sapper-type character, I recommend Elec/Kin, Elec/Rad, or Elec/Therm Controllers or Elec/Elec or Elec/Psi Doms.
  24. I think you might've popped in on an earlier Will/SS thread where Ruff Tuff n Buff posted a build. I've tweaked it a little and included it below. It's softcapped to S/L/E/N/F/C, with over 3300hp and up to 1300% regen with capped RTTC. You'd need to keep taunt going and punchvoke like a madman to keep aggro on a large spawn, but it should survive just about anything.

    Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.92
    http://www.cohplanner.com/

    Click this DataLink to open the build!

    Ruff Tuff n Buff: Level 50 Science Tanker
    Primary Power Set: Willpower
    Secondary Power Set: Super Strength
    Power Pool: Leaping
    Power Pool: Fighting
    Power Pool: Leadership
    Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery

    Hero Profile:
    Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/EndRdx(A), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(3), S'fstPrt-ResKB(3), Mrcl-Rcvry+(48), Mrcl-Heal(50), Heal-I(50)
    Level 1: Jab -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(5), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(5), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7), P'ngS'Fest-Acc/Dmg(7), P'ngS'Fest-Dmg/Rchg(9)
    Level 2: Punch -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(9), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(11), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11), P'ngS'Fest-Acc/Dmg(13), P'ngS'Fest-Dmg/Rchg(13)
    Level 4: Haymaker -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(19), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(19), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(21), P'ngS'Fest-Acc/Dmg(21), P'ngS'Fest-Dmg/Rchg(23)
    Level 6: Mind Over Body -- Aegis-ResDam(A), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(23), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg(25)
    Level 8: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(50)
    Level 10: Fast Healing -- Numna-Heal(A), Numna-Heal/Rchg(25), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(27)
    Level 12: Quick Recovery -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(27), P'Shift-End%(29)
    Level 14: Super Jump -- Winter-ResSlow(A)
    Level 16: Rise to the Challenge -- Numna-Heal(A), Numna-Heal/EndRdx(29), Numna-Heal/Rchg(31)
    Level 18: Indomitable Will -- LkGmblr-Def(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(31), LkGmblr-Rchg+(31)
    Level 20: Knockout Blow -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(33), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(33), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33), P'ngS'Fest-Acc/Dmg(34), P'ngS'Fest-Dmg/Rchg(34)
    Level 22: Heightened Senses -- LkGmblr-Def(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(34), LkGmblr-Rchg+(36)
    Level 24: Taunt -- Mocking-Taunt(A), Mocking-Rchg(36), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg(36), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(37)
    Level 26: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
    Level 28: Rage -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(37), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(37), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(39), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(39), GSFC-Build%(39)
    Level 30: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(40), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(40), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(40)
    Level 32: Weave -- LkGmblr-Def(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(42), LkGmblr-Rchg+(42)
    Level 35: Hurl -- Dev'n-Acc/Dmg(A), Dev'n-Dmg/Rchg(42), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43), Volly-Acc/Dmg(43), Volly-Dmg/Rchg(45)
    Level 38: Foot Stomp -- Erad-Acc/Rchg(A), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(45), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(45), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(46), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
    Level 41: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Def(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(48), LkGmblr-Rchg+(48)
    Level 44: Focused Accuracy -- Rec'dRet-Pcptn(A)
    Level 47: Strength of Will -- GA-3defTpProc(A)
    Level 49: Physical Perfection -- P'Shift-End%(A)
    Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve
    Level 0: Portal Jockey
    Level 0: The Atlas Medallion
    Level 0: Task Force Commander
    Level 50: Spiritual Radial Boost
    ------------
    Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
    Level 1: Sprint -- EndRdx-I(A)
    Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
    Level 1: Gauntlet
    Level 4: Ninja Run
    Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
    Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
    Level 2: Health -- Numna-Heal(A), Numna-Heal/Rchg(15), RgnTis-Regen+(15)
    Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(17), P'Shift-End%(17)
  25. Took all of the advice into consideration and came up with the following build, which is now active. VP loved the build and had a great time with it this past weekend.

    Thank you very much for your help, Ispahan, Doomguide and Local_Man.

    Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.92
    http://www.cohplanner.com/

    Click this DataLink to open the build!

    Mega Pixie: Level 50 Magic Controller
    Primary Power Set: Plant Control
    Secondary Power Set: Empathy
    Power Pool: Flight
    Power Pool: Speed
    Power Pool: Teleportation
    Ancillary Pool: Psionic Mastery

    Hero Profile:
    Level 1: Strangler -- Decim-Acc/Dmg(A), Decim-Dmg/EndRdx(15), Decim-Dmg/Rchg(17), Decim-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(17), Decim-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(19)
    Level 1: Healing Aura -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(A), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(3), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(3), Dct'dW-Heal(5), Dct'dW-Rchg(13)
    Level 2: Roots -- HO:Nucle(A), HO:Nucle(9), RechRdx-I(11), RechRdx-I(13), Posi-Dam%(15), TotHntr-Dam%(45)
    Level 4: Heal Other -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(A), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(5), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(7), Dct'dW-Heal(7), Dct'dW-Rchg(36)
    Level 6: Hover -- Ksmt-ToHit+(A), Krma-ResKB(9), LkGmblr-Rchg+(23)
    Level 8: Seeds of Confusion -- Mlais-Acc/Rchg(A), Mlais-EndRdx/Conf(25), Mlais-Acc/EndRdx(25), Mlais-Conf/Rng(27), Mlais-Acc/Conf/Rchg(27), Mlais-Dam%(31)
    Level 10: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(11), RechRdx-I(19)
    Level 12: Recall Friend -- EndRdx-I(A)
    Level 14: Fly -- EndRdx-I(A)
    Level 16: Clear Mind -- EndRdx-I(A)
    Level 18: Vines -- BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(A), G'Wdw-Dam%(21), Lock-%Hold(23), BasGaze-Acc/Rchg(37), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold(37), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(39)
    Level 20: Fortitude -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(A), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(21), LkGmblr-Rchg+(31), LkGmblr-EndRdx/Rchg(50)
    Level 22: Resurrect -- EndRdx-I(A)
    Level 24: Spore Burst -- CSndmn-EndRdx/Sleep(A), CSndmn-Heal%(40), CSndmn-Acc/EndRdx(42), CSndmn-Sleep/Rng(39), CSndmn-Acc/Sleep/Rchg(40)
    Level 26: Carrion Creepers -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(45), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(45), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(46), Posi-Dam%(46), RechRdx-I(46)
    Level 28: Recovery Aura -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(29), Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg(29)
    Level 30: Absorb Pain -- Heal-I(A)
    Level 32: Fly Trap -- ExRmnt-Acc/Rchg(A), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg(33), ExRmnt-Dmg/EndRdx(33), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), ExRmnt-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(34), ExRmnt-+Res(Pets)(34)
    Level 35: Regeneration Aura -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(36), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(36)
    Level 38: Adrenalin Boost -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(A), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(39), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(40), Dct'dW-Rchg(42), Dct'dW-Heal(42)
    Level 41: Mental Blast -- Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), Decim-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), Decim-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(43), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(48)
    Level 44: Indomitable Will -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(48), RechRdx-I(50)
    Level 47: Mind Over Body -- ResDam-I(A), ResDam-I(48)
    Level 49: World of Confusion -- HO:Endo(A), HO:Endo(50)
    Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve
    Level 0: Portal Jockey
    Level 0: Task Force Commander
    Level 0: The Atlas Medallion
    Level 50: Spiritual Core Paragon
    ------------
    Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
    Level 1: Sprint -- Run-I(A)
    Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
    Level 1: Containment
    Level 4: Ninja Run
    Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
    Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
    Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(31)
    Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(34), EndMod-I(37)