The Compleat Defender Ancillary Pools

I think this is worth noting, because I took this power based on what I thought would be a minor HP loss and it turned out to be a major one:

I don't know what Oppressive Gloom's base self -HP cost is at 50, but at lvl 41, it's 13 dmg per mob, not 3.

I'm an emp who liked the idea of a localized disorient area around me in a tight spot, but obviously the health costs of this are insanely high. With 7 mobs around me, I'll be dead in about 20 secs (without factoring in my own regeneration rate).

So be aware of that if you're picking this power. I figured I could run it for half a minute or so with RA and Regen Aura cast and they would offset each other, but that's not the case. This power is dangerous for an emp ... it might be downright lethal for someone else without a self heal.

I think it's also worth noting that at lvl 41, I couldn't disorient a lvl 6 ltnt in the Hollows within 5 ticks of the power, which leads me to believe it won't have any effect by itself on anything higher than a minion.

/em kicks himself for not taking dark consumption, power build up, or explosive blast ....

*bump* This is a great thread :-D

What's the animation of Thunder Strike?

I know, I'm lame and vain. But I might pick it up eventually if it's got one of the cooler animations. My Rad/Rad Def is meant to be kind of a tank mage, so finally having a powerful melee attack would be cool, plus he's always in the middle of a pack of bad guys anyway.

It's almost exactly the same as Total Focus, you jump up with both hands, then crash down on your opponent. Sometimes the AoE kicks off and there's a little expanding-bubble type explosion. It's pretty cool. Slow. But cool.

Not that I have to focus on it at this point, but which of the ancillary pools do you think would best fit with a Storm/Rad Defender?

I'm pretty much a pure offender at this point - refuse to even take O2 so far in favor of other powers. With that in mind, I was considering the Power pool. I figured that Power Buildup and Total Focus sound like great powers for an offender.

Thoughts anyone?

Can I assume Siphon Power (or Fulcrum Shift) + Power Build Up will NOT increase the damage buff to you or your teammates (and thus conversely, not increase the Damage Debuff to the enemy)?

Does Transfusion have a cap on it's healing ability? Whatever a level 50 can heal for with 6 ++SOs can be increased with Power Build up? What about with 6 Golgis?

I've already forgotten about most of you

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A minor correction: The recharge time on Dark Mastery/Dark Consumption is 6 minutes, not 2.

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minor ?!?

according to several who have taken it, it seems quite bad..

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showf...Number=3050172

quote out of that thread:

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Just got Dark Consumption and was shocked to learn that it has twice the recharge time of the Scrapper version. This makes this power virtually worthless.

I mean, a 6 minute recharge on an endurance gain power? It has the same recharge as Blackstar! I mean, I can't even use it every 5rd or 6th fight.

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please comment

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A minor correction: The recharge time on Dark Mastery/Dark Consumption is 6 minutes, not 2.

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minor ?!?

according to several who have taken it, it seems quite bad..

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showf...Number=3050172

quote out of that thread:

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Just got Dark Consumption and was shocked to learn that it has twice the recharge time of the Scrapper version. This makes this power virtually worthless.

I mean, a 6 minute recharge on an endurance gain power? It has the same recharge as Blackstar! I mean, I can't even use it every 5rd or 6th fight.

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please comment

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Yes, please do. I don't know how anyone can possibly mistake a 2 minute recharge with a 6 minute one.

I've also heard reports that the Endurance drain on TI is less than .39/sec but closer to about .25/sec also due it's less protective nature (vs. other damage types).

In addition, the armors, are all the resistance numbers the same for every damage type? I.e. Does Charged Armor provide 30% to Smash/Lethal and Energy or does Energy have a different resistance number? The same goes for Dark Embrace and Mind over Body. Just curious, really.

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A minor correction: The recharge time on Dark Mastery/Dark Consumption is 6 minutes, not 2.

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minor ?!?

according to several who have taken it, it seems quite bad..

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showf...Number=3050172

quote out of that thread:

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Just got Dark Consumption and was shocked to learn that it has twice the recharge time of the Scrapper version. This makes this power virtually worthless.

I mean, a 6 minute recharge on an endurance gain power? It has the same recharge as Blackstar! I mean, I can't even use it every 5rd or 6th fight.

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please comment

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Yes, please do. I don't know how anyone can possibly mistake a 2 minute recharge with a 6 minute one.

I've also heard reports that the Endurance drain on TI is less than .39/sec but closer to about .25/sec also due it's less protective nature (vs. other damage types).

In addition, the armors, are all the resistance numbers the same for every damage type? I.e. Does Charged Armor provide 30% to Smash/Lethal and Energy or does Energy have a different resistance number? The same goes for Dark Embrace and Mind over Body. Just curious, really.

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Don't worry. The defender version of of Dark Embrace still gives more +res than the scrapper version, which is ridiculous.

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Soul Drain

This power ROCKS! It's not quite a self Fulcrum Shift, but it's close, and provides an accuracy buff. This has great synergy with... everything, and works wonders with Choking Cloud. With Hasten + AM, 4 SO Rech will allow it to come up just about as fast as Aim with 1 SO Rech - sufficient to use at the beginning of most every fight.

Endurance Cost: 23
Base Damage at 50: 30.58 + 5% crit chance (double damage)
Base Damage Increase per mob: 12.5%
Base Acc Increase per mob: 12.5%
Duration: 30s
Recharge Timer: 90s
Activation Time: 3s
Brawl Index: 2.3509
Recommend Slotting: 4 Rech

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Confused. He says it has a 90 second recharge, yet, if I Perma-Hasten+AM + 4 rechage, it brings it down to Aim + 1 Recharge SO? Aim has a 90 second recharge as well, which make no sense in light of his previous statement.

Base Recharge, should be then, 120 seconds, not 90. Perma-hasten + AM +4 SOs on a 120 second recharge brings it to every 36 seconds as compared to an Aim with Perhma-hasten+AM+ 1 SO which is up every 38.

So...which is right? I just extrapolated from his written info, which I take is more correct than the number he put down. So, could some confirm the BASE recharge on Soul Drain? Is it every 120 seconds? 240? 90? Thanks.

Just curious what EPP other Dark/Darks were going with. I don't see myself going with Psychic and I am already taking Power with my Rad/Psy. I only want Dark Embrace and Soul Drain out of the Dark set. So I am wondering if Electric would be the best? Any thoughts or experience out there?

if you only take 3 pools can you get 2 APPs. Does power build up effect fulcrum shift or siphon speed?

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if you only take 3 pools can you get 2 APPs. Does power build up effect fulcrum shift or siphon speed?

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No, you can only choose one epic pool. Power Build Up boosts the same things as Power Boost. Below is the list, which I snagged from one of Pulsewave's guides. As you can see, it doesnt look like it has any effect on Fulcrum Shift or Siphon Speed.

Effect: +100% to the following effects:

Disorient Duration
Sleep Duration
Confuse Duration
Fear Duration
Immobilize Duration
Hold Duration
Knockback (KnockUp) distance
Repel stregth
Run speed
Fly speed
Defense Buffs
Heal
Accuracy Buffs
Endurance Drain

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In addition, the armors, are all the resistance numbers the same for every damage type? I.e. Does Charged Armor provide 30% to Smash/Lethal and Energy or does Energy have a different resistance number? The same goes for Dark Embrace and Mind over Body. Just curious, really.

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Charged armor is 27.5% smash/lethal resist, 20% energy resist (base).

HOWEVER!

It has one of the worst animations for a power I've seen. It's like having strobe lights placed all over my body. And I can't get rid of the effect.

If you plan to use it to distract people in pvp? Anyone with "supress extra player fx" on won't see it. So it just serves to annoy you. Grand, eh?

This power graphic alone makes me want a different ancillary pool.

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Thanks dodger.

I tested Thunderstrike last night:

it's mostly smash damage (lame), the extra AoE damage (which seemed to happen 100% of the time) I am not sure of (it doesn't say).

It does knockback to your primary target *everytime*. Targets within 5 feet or so are knocked back about 90% of the time.

the disorient is very VERY short, maybe 5 seconds total. it happened maybe 10-20% of the time.

I'll test it more tonight (KB vs boss, etc)

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As far as I know with thunderstrike.....the portion that reports as smash damgae is actually energy! the portion that reports as energy (the AoE) is actually smashing!
Very very silly.....

Scratch that last post......I could've sworn it used to be that way, but it isn't now. The reporting as smash is correct.

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Conserve Power

A great way to save on car insurance. I mean endo costs. Cuts them all in half. Can be up about 3/5 of the time.

Endurance Cost: 11
Effect: 50% reduction in all endurance costs
Duration: 90s
Recharge Timer: 10m
Activation Time: 3s
Recommended Slotting: 6 Rech
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Power Build Up

Two Neato Keen powers in one! Build Up and Power Boost for one low price. Can be up about 1/4 of the time,

Endurance Cost: 15
Base Dam Bonus: 80%
Base Effect: +150% effect to all secondary effects and heals
Duration: 15s
Recharge Timer: 4m
Activation Time: 3s
Recommended Slotting: 6 Rech
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Temporary Invulnerability

The standard Tanker power. A direct clone. A standard Ancillary Pool armor which provides resistance to smashing, and lethal (the two most common damage types).

Endurance Cost: .39 Endo/sec
Base Dam Reduction: 30%
Duration: Toggle
Recharge Timer: 2s
Activation Time: 3s
Recommended Slotting: 1 EndRdx, 5 DamRes or 6 DamRes
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Total Focus

A great attack, Total Focus does Extreme damage and stuns pretty much whatever you use it on.

Endurance Cost: 34
Base Damage at 50: 33.94 Smashing + 86.9 Energy
Base Disorient Duration: 15s
Duration: Instantaneous
Recharge Timer: 40s
Activation Time: 4s
Brawl Index: 2.6092s + 6.6806e
Recommend Slotting: 1 Acc, 5 Dam or 1 Acc, 4 Dam, 1 Disorient or 1 Acc, 3 Dam, 1 Rech, 1 Disorient
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What would you recommend slotting with ED?

I don't really like the Power pool at all - and all of this information is out of date since the Global Defense changes and ED... In general, simply slot what you want to slot, but no more of three of anything. The trick of slotting is balancing what effects you want to have. For Total Focus I'd probably slot 1 acc, 3dam, 2rech, like most attacks post-ED, and 3 rech each in PBU and conserve Power, as well as 3damRes, 1 endRdx in Temp invuln.