Working on an illusion emp these days. Is Phase Shift worth getting even if any concealment is redundant with Illusion? Also, any giant advantages to running a Defender instead of a Controller?
Plus, I totally missed the mark on AP. I always figured it was bad because the only times I noticed it being used was when an emp was almost dead. That probably means bad emp though, not bad power.
Thank you for edumacating this hero newb... or n00b, if you prefer.
I'm actually debating this right now myself. I'm trying to figure out if I should pick up TP instead of Phase Shift and save myself a power I won't use. As for AP, no worries, its a power tool and as such you can cut your toes if you aren't careful but it will let you do things that you otherwise couldn't.
Thorizdin
Lords of the Dead
Old School Legends
This thread has a deathless quality. Perhaps it is animated by the (absent) spirit of Lab-sensei.
Allow me to respond in summary with the benefit of a little more zone and arena PVP Empath experience than I had 5 months ago.
- We really have to get into saying "zone PVP" and "arena PVP", the differences are dramatic
- AP, CJ, SJ, Fitness: all essential
- Fly: frequent death against experienced opposition, both for yourself and teammates
- TP, Leadership: while useful, do not make the cut
- Vigilance: the less time spent discussing this the better
- Phase Shift: a maddening power, while useful far from reliable, my love for Stealth is far greater
- Sitting duck vs Stalker: allow me to quote Lab again:
[ QUOTE ]
Run like a madman. Dont ever stop moving. Ever
[/ QUOTE ]
YMMV, different weird things happen in the zones.
[ QUOTE ]
If you do not have Leadership, especially Tactics, then you are a sitting duck for whatever Stalkers happen to be running around. And there is NO guarantee that your teammates will be paying enough attention to catch the Stalker that *they* can see and *YOU* cannot. Or, for that matter, the invisible Scrapper or Blaster doing their best imitation of a Stalker.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah it probably sucks to have sub-par teammates who can't keep you alive.
[ QUOTE ]
Not to mention that Tactics offers some resistance to Confuse and Fear powers, and Assault offers some resistance to Taunt and Placate. All of which are relatively common powers in PVP. And most of which are not well-resisted powers in general. Vengeance is entirely nasty for turning the tide of battle as well.
[/ QUOTE ]
Everything that leadership provides, another empath can provide more reliably.
[ QUOTE ]
I strongly disagree that Absorb Pain is useful in PVP.
[/ QUOTE ]
I like looking at AP as taking one for the team. If you just healed a teammate to full and whoever you're fighting has to switch to targeting you in order to take advantaget of AP's penalty, now your entire team can take out who is attacking you. AP is the main reason empath defenders take Phase Shift for PvP.
[ QUOTE ]
I still prefer Fly for my Empath in PVP, and I do play her as almost pure support in PVP. It's not the fastest power out there, certainly, but it's good for keeping out of the range of non-fliers while still being *in* range to support the team. If you want, add in slotted Hurdle and Swift for the times you get grounded and you'll find that you can move pretty darned fast on the ground as well.
[/ QUOTE ]
Fly is the slowest and easiest travel power to simply shut off in the game. As such it will continue to suck in PvP more than any other option. If your opinion of fly is based on zone PvP on Virtue, I pity you.
GJ with the PvE build posted in a thread all about PvP empaths.
Currently roleplaying, badgehunting, and laughing at the PvPers of CoX. lol, PvP.
Truedusk - Human Rogue
Asborb Pain is a miracle power, that has saved my butt so many times, I can't imagine a good PVP emp not taking it.
My ice tanker doesn't have resistance *per say*, so when I get hit, I get hit hard.
In PVP an emp doesn't need leadership, because the people they are buffing are their eyes and ears. When I play my tanker I will slaughter anyone coming near the emp. I will taunt, attack and go crazy. If I keep them alive, they will keep me alive.
When he made this guide, he was saying, after hard work and many hours this is what works best for me. you don't have to agree, but if you are looking for advice here is a start.
I would love to have him on my team anytime.
good to see people are still getting use out of this 
-- Currently Playing --
Dexter Labrynth (SS/FA Brute)
Former member of Tribute and Victory Reborn
w00 w00 Lab's back.
[ QUOTE ]
good to see people are still getting use out of this
[/ QUOTE ]
Just curious, you never posted anything about WW after the rooting nerf. Would you still keep in in the build for the occasional player without KB protection? Or would you take Total Focus instead?
[ QUOTE ]
If you do not have Leadership, especially Tactics, then you are a sitting duck for whatever Stalkers happen to be running around. And there is NO guarantee that your teammates will be paying enough attention to catch the Stalker that *they* can see and *YOU* cannot. Or, for that matter, the invisible Scrapper or Blaster doing their best imitation of a Stalker.
[/ QUOTE ]
It is a great deal harder to hit a leaper than a flier. If you leap, and they fly, you can target them, hit follow, and attack; you will connect. Circle-hopping melee toons are much more difficult to deal with.
Even semi unpredictable motion is an infallible defense against assassination. You can still be hit, but with CJ, SS, Acrobatics, and self-heal/regen aura, plus phase shift, it's going to be tough to actually KILL you.
Always meant to update this after the WW nerf, but never got around to it. Yeah.. dont use it. I might eventually update this guide, but it will be awhile before I can as I am kind of a year behind everyone else :P
-- Currently Playing --
Dexter Labrynth (SS/FA Brute)
Former member of Tribute and Victory Reborn
I have always heard great things about this guide, and it was, indeed a good read. There have been a number of changes since the original build. I will see if I can make a mock build based off of Lab's original.
EDIT: Okay, here is a quick write up. Not trying to threadjack or whatever like that other guy. Just my newer version of the OP's build. There're a ton of extra slots, so feel free to move them around as you feel necesary. 
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.21
http://www.honourableunited.org.uk/mhd.php
Level 50 Science Defender
Primary Power Set: Empathy
Secondary Power Set: Dark Blast
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Concealment
Ancillary Pool: Power Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Healing Aura -- Dct'dW-Heal:39(A), Dct'dW-Rchg:39(3), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:39(3), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx:39(5), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg:39(5), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg:39(7)
Level 1: Dark Blast -- Decim-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:39(A), Decim-Acc/Dmg:39(7), Decim-Dmg/EndRdx:39(9), Decim-Dmg/Rchg:39(9), Decim-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:39(11)
Level 2: Heal Other -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx:39(A), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg:39(11), Dct'dW-Rchg:39(13), Dct'dW-Heal:39(13), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:39(15), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg:39(15)
Level 4: Absorb Pain -- Dct'dW-Heal:39(A), Dct'dW-Rchg:39(17), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx:39(17), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg:39(19), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg:39(19), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:39(21)
Level 6: Hasten -- RechRdx-I:40(A), RechRdx-I:40(21), RechRdx-I:40(23)
Level 8: Clear Mind -- Range-I:40(A), Range-I:40(27), Range-I:40(34)
Level 10: Hurdle -- Jump-I:40(A)
Level 12: Fortitude -- HO:Membr(A), HO:Membr(23), HO:Membr(25), LkGmblr-Rchg+:39(43)
Level 14: Super Speed -- HO:Micro(A), HO:Micro(27), HO:Micro(46)
Level 16: Health -- Mrcl-Heal:40(A), Mrcl-Rcvry+:39(40)
Level 18: Recovery Aura -- EndMod-I:40(A), EndMod-I:40(36), EndRdx-I:40(36), RechRdx-I:40(37), RechRdx-I:40(37), RechRdx-I:40(37)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I:40(A), EndMod-I:40(40), EndMod-I:40(40)
Level 22: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:40(A), ULeap-Stlth:39(46)
Level 24: Super Jump -- HO:Micro(A), HO:Micro(25), HO:Micro(43)
Level 26: Acrobatics -- EndRdx-I:40(A), EndRdx-I:40(45)
Level 28: Regeneration Aura -- Dct'dW-Rchg:39(A), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx:39(29), Dct'dW-Heal:39(29), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg:39(31), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg:39(31), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:39(31)
Level 30: Stealth -- EndRdx-I:40(A), EndRdx-I:40(42), LkGmblr-Rchg+:39(43)
Level 32: Adrenalin Boost -- Dct'dW-Rchg:39(A), Dct'dW-Heal:39(33), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx:39(33), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg:39(33), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg:39(34), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:39(34)
Level 35: Grant Invisibility -- EndRdx-I:40(A), EndRdx-I:40(36), LkGmblr-Rchg+:39(46)
Level 38: Phase Shift -- RechRdx-I:40(A), RechRdx-I:40(39), RechRdx-I:40(39), EndRdx-I:40(39)
Level 41: Power Build Up -- HO:Membr(A), HO:Membr(42), HO:Membr(42)
Level 44: Temp Invulnerability -- HO:Ribo(A), HO:Ribo(45), HO:Ribo(45)
Level 47: Total Focus -- KntkC'bat-Knock%:30(A), KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:30(48), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(48), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(48), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(50)
Level 49: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I:40(A), RechRdx-I:40(50), RechRdx-I:40(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Vigilance
<font class="small">Code:[/color]<hr /><pre>| Copy & Paste this data chunk into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build |
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|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
</pre><hr />
I will definately be updating this guide sometime soon. Cant get an ideal look at the above build till I get home, but there are a few things I can tell I would do differently.
-- Currently Playing --
Dexter Labrynth (SS/FA Brute)
Former member of Tribute and Victory Reborn
after reading the guide i almost want to roll an emp...
Bump.
What a Legend.
Shenanigans
LotD - JaL - POWT/SMD - SoCo - AJs
'tector PvP, chyeah!
Not taking the best heal in the game isn't a good path way to success. Learning to deal with the consequences of AP is.
Thorizdin
Lords of the Dead
Old School Legends