Ice/Rad Controller Guide to PvP v1.0


Briarpatch

 

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This is a guide to give information on an Ice Control Primary, Radiation Emission Secondary, Controller. I’ve actually had my Ice/Rad controller since November but recently (as of a month or so, approx) saw at around lvl40 or 42 how sickening/good she can be in The Arena/PvP. As of this writing, she is 47 but I have a build planned out to 50. Below, I will first show her build up to 50 as I see it so far. At 47, the only remaining power I’m missing is Intimidate and some slots but everything else is true to her. Now, I wont break down level by level exactly how it was done as I cant remember how I did that since its been quite awhile But I will break it down power by power afterwards.

Here is the build I plan to have at 50:

Winter Nuke: A Level 50 Controller
Primary Power Set: Ice Control
Secondary Power Set: Radiation Emission
Power Pool Set: Speed
Power Pool Set: Fitness
Power Pool Set: Leadership
Power Pool Set: Presence
Ancillery Pool Set: Psionic Mastery


Hero Profile
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Level 1: Prestige Quickness Run
Level 1: Block of Ice Hold,Hold,Hold,Acc(
Level 1: Radiant Aura Heal,Heal,Heal,Heal,RechRdx,RechRdx
Level 1: Brawl Acc
Level 1: Sprint Run
Level 2: Radiation Infection ToHitDeb,ToHitDeb,ToHitDeb,ToHitDeb,ToHitDeb,EndRd x
Level 2: Rest RechRdx
Level 4: Accelerate Metabolism RechRdx,RechRdx,RechRdx,RechRdx,RecInc,RecInc
Level 6: Hasten RechRdx,RechRdx,RechRdx,RechRdx,RechRdx,RechRdx
Level 8: Hurdle Jump
Level 10: Enervating Field EndRdx,EndRdx,EndRdx
Level 12: Ice Slick RechRdx,RechRdx
Level 14: Super Speed Run,Run
Level 16: Health Heal
Level 18: Arctic Air EndRdx,EndRdx
Level 20: Stamina RecInc,RecInc,RecInc,RecInc,RecInc,RecInc
Level 22: Lingering Radiation Acc,EndRdx
Level 24: Assault EndRdx
Level 26: Glacier Hold,Hold,Hold,Hold,Hold,Acc
Level 28: Tactics ToHit,ToHit,ToHit,ToHit,ToHit,EndRdx
Level 30: Shiver Acc
Level 32: Jack Frost Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,RechRdx,RechRdx,RechRdx
Level 35: Choking Cloud EndRdx,EndRdx,Hold,Hold
Level 38: EM Pulse Hold,Hold,Hold,Hold,Acc,Acc
Level 41: Indomitable Will RechRdx,RechRdx,RechRdx,RechRdx,RechRdx,RechRdx
Level 44: Mind Over Body ResDam,ResDam,ResDam,ResDam,ResDam,ResDam
Level 47: Challenge Taunt
Level 49: Intimidate Fear


For your viewing pleasure, I removed the levels shown in which I got the enhancement slots as I just slotted how I felt in the planner. I would provide a complete breakdown but that would spoil some of the thought put into a toon IF you ever decided to try what I have done.

Now, if you want to stick around and see my complete breakdown of each power and why I choose it/like it for PvP, feel free to do so. If not, you can reply below to critique or question certain things. I’ll reply when I can.

Block of Ice: Single Target Hold - Well, this power is a given for everyone. You’ll be using this quite often in PvP or PvE. I did 3 hold and 1 acc mainly because I don’t need to 6 slot it or put 2 accs as my Tactics makes up for at least one.
Radiant Aura: Self AoE Heal: Another power that’s a given.. I did 4 heal and 2 recharge because I want it to comeback a little bit faster for those times where I need to heal ASAP.
Radiation Infection: Targeted Foe PBAoE Toggle: This power is one your gonna use a lot also. It debuffs their accuracy and defense. I slotted mainly tohit debuffs because you don’t need to lessen their defense. Lower their chance of hitting you./
Accelerate Metabolism: Self AoE - This power is one your gonna want to perma if you like. 4 rechg and 2 end recovery and it can be perma with a few seconds of overlap. Use it as much as possible!
Hasten: Self Recharge Reduction - If you don’t know what Hasten is, stop playing CoH. No need to explain this power
Hurdle: - Self Leap Increase - You can either choose Hurdle or Swift. Its up to you. Both have their advantage. I just like higher jumping more.
Enervating Field: Targeted Foe PBAoE Toggle - Another power your gonna use A LOT. Debuffs dmg resistance and dmg output. Use it as often as you want./
Ice Slick: Targeted Ground AoE(?) - This power knocksdown enemies all the time. 2 slotted for rchg is fine but you can get away with 1. I just like having 2 perma basically. Helps a lot in PvP as needed.
Super Speed: Run a lot faster. Is there anything else needed to be said?
Health: Always on Heal - You can choose this or swift. Its up to you in all honesty. No preference needed.
Arctic Air: Self PBAoE Toggle - Has a small confuse chance while providing -stealth -slow and -rchg but slows your run speed a little. This can be very helpful in PvP because its always on unless toggled off but it doesn’t take long to recharge with Hasten.
Stamina: Always on endurance recovery - Nothing needs to be said. 6 slot it.
Lingering Radiation: Targeted AoE - This is the power you love and others hate. Has a huge -slow and -rchg attached to it. I put one accuracy and 1 end reduction because it basically is perma with just hasten alone. I expect down the road its recharge will either be increased or the AoE portion of it will be taken out. Its very very sick in PvP. Use it all you can
Assault Toggle Dmg Buff - You can pickup either Assault or Maneuvers. I just go with Assault since I don’t have the room to slot up Maneuvers. Don’t expect to run this all the time in PvP because of the end use that can be saved for elsewhere
Glacier: AoE Hold - Use this when deemed appropriate. It takes a decent chunk of your end away. But it can be very useful if used properly.
Tactics:Toggle Team Acc Buff - This is gonna be your best friend. Slot it with 5 tohitbuff and 1 end reduction and your team or just you will love it. Lets you take an acc out of all your slots if you want to.
Shiver: Cone -slow -rchg - This is something you may use here and there. I usually use it in conjunction with Lingering Radiation and watch as they hit the cap for slow. Not an all the time use power but it can be very good if used properly.
Jack Frost: Your pet - Take this. This is one of them must haves as you probably know. I did 3 dmg and 3 rchg redux since I have tactics to boost accuracy of Jack. Plus, I like having 2-3 perma. Once you start getting that 2nd or 3rd Jack out, it becomes menacing to the opponent.
Choking Cloud: Self AoE Toggle Hold - This is another power you wont use all the time due to its big end usage and long animation time. But when used properly, it can make a big difference since it provides another hold to stack if needed.
EM Pulse: AoE Hold -end -regen - This is another power that is awesome in PvE and can be in PvP, depending. it’s a great AoE Hold with some -end and -regen but usually, for -regen Lingering Radiation will do a good enough job on it. So use it wisely as it will drain a decent portion of your end for a bit.
Indomitable Will: Click status protection to Hold Disorient Stun and Fear even though description doesn’t say Fear and +def to Psi - 6 slot it for recharge. With Hasten it can be perma but BE CAREFUL! You don’t get much time to re-click before it drops and well, if you have a hold or anything on ya, it can mean life or death
Mind over Body: - Toggle Resist to Smash/Lethal/Psi - 6 slot for resistance. If your hurting on end, do 5 resist and 1 end redux. This is another power your gonna want to 6 slot because well, reducing damage by quite a bit makes a huge difference as a Controller in The Arena. Lets you stand toe to toe with a lot more Tanks and Scrappers
Challenge: Click Foe Taunt - Nothing to say. it’s the first step to your final power. It might have a use in the Arena, as a Controller I don’t know
Intimidate: Click Foe Fear - Now, I plan to take this at 49 because the single target fear aspect helps for Tanks and Scrappers for the biggest chunk. Because if you Fear them, they are stuck in place and you can apply any debuff as needed or holds and if possible, keep spamming Fear. But if not, the debuffs will be enough to at least let you do something. Granted, one break free can break fear but at least you can use it in the meantime if they forget for the first few seconds.
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Now for the next part, a little explanation of how I usually do matches just in case you need any hints.

At start of a match, I will usually turn on MoB, hit IW, Spawn a Jack Frost, turn on Tactics then Arctic Air. Typically, I get enough time to hit all of them but if for some reason I cant, I will leave either Tactics or AA off until I get time to do so. Then proceed to either throw Efield or Rad Infect first. Sometimes I go RI first since I like to reduce the acc with enough time to get Efield going. Then proceed to spam Lingering Rad as soon as it comes up usually. Then from there, while slowed majorly and possibly up to my second Jack Frost, spam my holds as my endurance allows. Also, throw Shiver here and there if you like and endurance usage is fine.

Now granted, this setup I typically go with doesn’t always involve a win. But usually makes them hurt enough. Also, posting up how I use my toon in PvP isn’t gonna hurt me. Granted, big woop that everyone will know how I use my controller but in all honesty, a lot of people probably do similar to what I do if they had at least a /rad controller or defender.

I hope this guide helps you decide on a possible PvP toon or if you have an existing Ice/Rad, show how easy it can be to make it a menace in PvP. Any questions or comments, feel free to say here. This will be modified overtime as power changes occur or if I need to respec for one reason or another.


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No comments?


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Lack of vertical movement and knock back protection can be problematic in the arena.

In a team type setting or free for all your toggle debuffs are much less effective in providing you protection so you will need to be spamming that heal from time to time and you can't do that sitting on your bum.

Acrobatics is an expensive addition to the set in terms of both endurance and power slots, but if you ever PvP against an energy blaster, electrical melee blaster, claw scrapper, or another ice or earth controller it'll save your hide.

Chilblain is a must for dropping people with fly and also preventing more durable targets from hopping away (they can't run due to speed reduction but they sure can hop fast).

Relying on pets as your soul source of damage in PvP will bite you in the bum. Mental blast from the psi pool is a fairly decent single target attack, and some of the toughest opponents in the arena (Invuln and granite armor tanks) have no resist to it. In lieu of grabbing mental blast you can slot up chilblain for damage.

If you're PvP only at this point they you should consider ditching glacier. AoE holds aren't going to save you and you need the slots for your new attack. EMP, on the other hand, is worth keeping and will work nicely as your AoE hold in addition to debuffing everyones regen rate in a square mile. It's a keeper.

While tactics are handy for spotting invisible heroes, you have arctic air running which is in fact a stealth debuffer. You can drop the leadership pool to gain both acrobatics and a decent means of vertical movement.

As for RI slotting, I'd go with all acc debuffs. Against the SO enhancer crowd you will notice a substantial decrease in their ability do hit, but people with lots of Hami-Os will still punch right through it (at least until you get Hami-Os as well).

I haven't used CC in the arena yet. I'm kind of afraid of the amount of end drain it would cause with all the other toggles that you have running. Not to mention that the inability to slot it with accuracy means that anyone with a moderate defense is not going to be hit by it.

That's all I have for you, YMMV.


 

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LOVED IT! +)


 

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I know full on my build is far from 'uber awesomeness' but for what its done so far, I cant complain very much.

Granted, Knockback is a pain along with immobilizes but I dont expect to win every fight in the first place. Lack of vert movement and ability to knock down fliers is painful sometimes but I still have I think 2 or 3 respecs on her (minus the free one I used to get her to how she is).

Glacier can be overkill/not needed in PvP and I have considered either A) Dropping it or B) Reducing the amount of slots in it.

I do rely on jack for damage since its my only source. Granted, I can get some dmg/rngs really fast and have that out of the way Even though AA has a -stealth, It hasnt hurt me. Tactics is there so I dont have to slot as heavily accs or whatnot. And also, this build looks SO but mine has quite a few Hami's. I just wanted to stay 'real world' for the sake of the guide to everyone as a SUGGESTION

But thanks for the feedback. I'm still learning how to play her very effectively in PvP and so far it works but as you said, kinda, there are a few kinks I can work out. Its just a matter of more testing when I can actually PvP (god darn arena termina crash bug!!!!!)


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On my Ice/Rad i took Chillblain, its really good and has a -fly.
Choaking Cloud is probably a waste of endurance for you. The powerpools i chose was
Fitness
Speed: Hasten, SS
Teleportation: TP foe
Flight: hover
Psi master:Mental balst, IW, MoB

I also have huge end problems in matches, so my Shivers, LR,EF are all 2 slotted with END redux.


 

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Thanks for the ideas so far. My build to 50 did have some PvE mixings (Glacier, Choking Cloud) since I solo'd alot of my time in the Crash Site. But I may drop them both in lieu of better offerings. Maybe drop fear also, dont know yet. Depends on what i can fit in


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Is there an update to this guide?


 

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Does glacier and choking cloud build each others hold mag enough to actually make choking cloud not suck?