Blastblaze's Guide to the Dark/Dark Corruptor
By
Adumbrate,
Posted on: 2006-05-21 19:44 in Player Guides
Nice job. The one addition I have is
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Moonbeam-
Snipes are always the topic of debate. I love them, and others hate them. In most cases, getting a snipe is a matter of opinion. This isnt, in my opinion, a replacement for either of the other ST attacks, as some will say.
Recommendation: Its a snipe. If you normally like snipes, take it. If you dont, why is this any different?
Slotting: 3 DAM/1 ACC/ Possible 1-2 IntRed if you have the slots
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The acc defuff of all the dark attacks makes using the snipe much easier since the likelyhood of you getting hit/interupted goes down dramatically. Accordingly, it is much easier for Darks to use theri snipe power. I use mine all the time, even in the middle of fights.
Wouldn't Darkest Night be the biggest snipe support power in the set?
My comments.
Dark Pit "can" be useful. But only if you 5-6 slot it. 6 slot preferably. If you can't afford that, then you're better off without it. It's like handful of similar powers, if you don't slot them, they're useless. It's on my list of lowest build priorities.
I'm not sure if you mentioned it explicitly, but Howling Twilight has some nice offensive uses due to it's disorient. Howling Twilight is really an attack power, and the ressurection component is just a bonus. In fact, I'd say just realign your thinking to use Howling Twilight offensively before you consider wasting slots on Dark Pit. If you like the results from HT and want to nail bosses too, THEN and only then consider adding in Dark Pit.
You're not a healer, but you "can" be.
Good overview, mirrors some of my own early experiences with the DDC. She's only level 12 at the moment, but I have a good deal of experience on the other side with my dark/dark defender (lvl 39). Playstyle they are nearly identical, since I take the offender route with my DDD, of course.
I've never liked Dark Pit. Even heavily slotted it seems there are way better tools, and way better uses for those slots, available elsewhere. YMMV I guess.
While my DDD relies heavily on Moonbeam, I'm going to skip it with my DDC, replacing it with Gloom. Why? Scourge. I'd rather have small-to-moderate amounts of damage available more often to take better advantage of Scourge.
Overall, a very accurate and very helpful guide. And this is from someone who, as a general rule, doesn't read guides.
I would give a bit of special mention to the potency of Torrent with regard to control from a soloist's perspective. I never took the power with my 3-D, and really didn't give it much of a second thought. With CoV, I decided to get experimental.
I was inspired by the side-effects of Howling Twilight, which seems (on the surface) to be virtually useless to a soloist since they can't resurrect themselves with the power. However, remembering that it *also* has a target-based AoE disorient effect, I've found it wildly successful for helping tie down a group of minions or LTs surrounding a major boss (elites, say) while I focus on the ringleader.
I lose my focus. My point being that, on a lark, I took Torrent to play with, and found it fantastic for keeping opponents off their feet and out of my face.
My typical attack chain (presuming I exclude, say, Tar Patch due to earlier use) reads as follows:
Open with Moonbeam, Gloom, and Dark Blast. Click each power in the chain while the previous power is activating, to ensure a constant chain. By the time these first three links of the chain are finished, a single target or group will probably have reached me, and in the case of a group will have clumped up a bit in the process.
TT and Nightfall in succession. Gets them locked down and shotgunned with darkness.
Torrent to push them back out, and to lay them out when I get them there. Also to put pesky flying opponents like Longbow Eagles on their backs.
At this point, I can optionally trigger Tar Patch (if it's come back up, or there are a LOT of opponents).
And then the cycle becomes rinse and repeat. The first three links in the chain have probably recycled, and the target is too busy struggling to get to his feet to interrupt Moonbeam again.
Bear in mind, my personal experience involves having *no* Damage Enhancements in any power; they're all slotted as high as I can get them at my level, equally mixed between Accuracy Debuffs and Accuracy Enhancements. My philosophy is that if a target can't see me, they can't hit me. That said, yes it does take me a bit of time to kill a target, but I've got a nearly-infinite attack chain to shackle them to, and I feel reasonably safe taking my time to do it.
Anyway, that's my thinking on the matter. Your results, and tastes, may vary. Regardless, your thoughts on the overall subject are quite good.
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My comments.
Dark Pit "can" be useful. But only if you 5-6 slot it. 6 slot preferably. If you can't afford that, then you're better off without it. It's like handful of similar powers, if you don't slot them, they're useless. It's on my list of lowest build priorities.
I'm not sure if you mentioned it explicitly, but Howling Twilight has some nice offensive uses due to it's disorient. Howling Twilight is really an attack power, and the ressurection component is just a bonus. In fact, I'd say just realign your thinking to use Howling Twilight offensively before you consider wasting slots on Dark Pit. If you like the results from HT and want to nail bosses too, THEN and only then consider adding in Dark Pit.
You're not a healer, but you "can" be.
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It is good to use as an offensive power but it takes like 25 endurance!! If your going to be hurling it around as an offensive power, slot it for some end red.
Nice guide, btw. Short and straight to the point. I have a dark/dark corruptor up to level 8 now and I notice in the black star nuke description it says that it "severely reduces foes accuracy." I wonder how big of an accuracy debuff it would be. Can anyone put up some numbers to the acc debuff of black star?
Nice! I've been looking for a good Villian to create. My highest so far is an 18 Thug MM. You have inspired me. I am making one tonight.
very helpfull. i didnt even know what stamnia did, and i hated having to rest every 3 seconds after busting heads. I took a break from playing for the summer, and now with all thsi new info, i cant wait to get back into it. Lord infamy will reign supreme!
Do you think you could update this guide for I7? Knowing you it'll be with Ghost Widow's PPP
also, just fyi, torrent is useful as a set up for moonbeam. it seems that the time it takes a target to get up is exactly the time needed to fire off a moonbeam, making it a useful attack in close quarters.
Groups of minions falling? When was this guide made and WHAT has happened to Dark Blast since then?
I can barely kill a minion alone, it takes many, many attacks. Did Dark Blast get a drop in damage... As in about a 90% drop?
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Groups of minions falling? When was this guide made and WHAT has happened to Dark Blast since then?
I can barely kill a minion alone, it takes many, many attacks. Did Dark Blast get a drop in damage... As in about a 90% drop?
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Uh... then you're doing something wrong.
Seriously, nothing's really changed for Dark. I have a DDC @29 currently. Dark Blast and Gloom are only 4 slotted and I have zero issues with minions. (Slotted with 4 Ruins... which is 30 some % accuracy and 80 some % damage with a dash of end redux and recycle.) 2 Glooms and 2 Dark Blasts or 3 Dark Blast and a Gloom drops most minions, IF I'm not using Tar Patch.
Groups of minions are defeated by using TT and Nightfall. (Along with Tar Patch for the damage boost and FS to pre-lock down.) DDC's seriously melt minions into the darkest depths of hell.
While I'm here, I have to note, Nightfall should be slotted to increase range. Range enhances the arc of a cone as well as it's depth, and range increases are quite noticeable on NF. I highly suggest getting as much range into it as possible (after damage and the obligatory accuracy.)
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Groups of minions falling? When was this guide made and WHAT has happened to Dark Blast since then?
I can barely kill a minion alone, it takes many, many attacks. Did Dark Blast get a drop in damage... As in about a 90% drop?
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I, too, have no idea what you're playing, but it's not a DDC. Mine's 30 now, with minimal set IO's (mostly common IO 25-30). Solo I do quite well, but on a team she rocks.
The Dark/Dark Corruptor
The Dark/Dark Corruptor (henceforth referred to as the DDC) is a powerful villain. This is not due to amazing damage, which it doesnt have. Youre getting a lot of control and safety. Therein lies the biggest advantage. You have accuracy debuffs on almost every power, as well as an AoE slow, potent cone fear, and enemy targeted accuracy/damage debuff.
The purpose of this guide is to tell you what the DDC is and isnt, as well as give you an overview of all the powers and the tricks that they can be used for. Lastly, Ill show you my build and give you a quick summary of some of my strategies and play style.
As a DDC, control and debuffs are priority. Sure, you have that nifty (and very potent) PBAoE heal, as well as Shadow Fall, which is one of the few powers in the game with Psionic resistance. That is not to mention the only AoE resurrect in the game. But your bread and butter includes powers such as Tenebrous Tentacles, Tar Patch, Darkest Night and Fearsome Stare. Hell, you even get a pet.
You will not, as a DDC, awe people with damage on most occasions. You lack the power to take out big enemies, such as bosses with pure button mashing, though debuffs can turn them into helpless dartboards. However, large groups of minions will fall with ease to the combination of TT, FS, TP and Night Fall. You are not a healer. You have a very powerful heal, but it doesnt always hit and has a small area of effect. You have that AoE resurrect, but it requires an enemy, just as Twilight Grasp does.
In conclusion, you trade damage for a high rate of survivability and some nifty controls that other Corruptors wont be getting. Not only that, you get to fling dark power around. How thematically awesome is that?
Power Overview
Here, Ill try to give you an idea of what powers do and whether or not they are worth taking.
Terms:
ST Single Target
AoE Area of Effect
TAoE Targeted Area of Effect
PBAoE Point Blank Area of Effect
DOT Damage Over Time
Dark Blast
The Dark primary is not very damage heavy. It lacks aim and the ability to build any semblance of an ST attack chain. Not only that, much of the damage is DOT.
Dark Blast-
Dark Blast is the first ST attack youll receive, and youre going to want it before long. It is an excellent scourging tool, some nice single target damage that doesnt cost too much, and quick recharging.
Recommendation: Take it early, slot it soon, love it lots.
Slotting: 3 DAM/1 ACC
Gloom-
Gloom is some hefty damage. Unfortunately, its DOT. All the same, it is a power worth having.
Recommendation: Take it at level one. Just do it.
Slotting: 3 DAM/1 ACC
Moonbeam-
Snipes are always the topic of debate. I love them, and others hate them. In most cases, getting a snipe is a matter of opinion. This isnt, in my opinion, a replacement for either of the other ST attacks, as some will say.
Recommendation: Its a snipe. If you normally like snipes, take it. If you dont, why is this any different?
Slotting: 3 DAM/1 ACC/ Possible 1-2 IntRed if you have the slots
Dark Pit-
I hate this power. I despise it with every fiber of my being. You will not get an unbiased description of this from me, no matter what. Avoid it like the plague. Run!
Now that I got that out of my system, lets talk about Dark Pit. Dark Pit is an AoE disorient that lasts less that 10 seconds, has an innate accuracy penalty, and only works on minions. Now do you see why I hate it so?
Recommendation: Hide your babies, and run for your sanity. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
Slotting: If you must, 2-3 ACC/2-3 Disorient
Tenebrous Tentacles-
Tenebrous Tentacles will be part of what makes you into the aforementioned large-minion-group-killer. The cone is very wide, but quite shallow. The damage is about equal to one Dark Blast, but against an entire group, and DOT. Its immobilize will snare minions and lieutenants, and be recharged before it wears off. It also bears mentioning that this power is your only power that does any damage type other than negative energy. Its first tic is smashing damage.
Recommendation: This is a very nifty control power, and its hand for dispatching minions. Get it.
Slotting: 3 DAM/1ACC/1 Range
Night Fall-
Night Fall is another part of your minion killing ability. With TT, NF, and Tar Patch, youll be dispatching groups of minions with ease. IT, also, does about the same damage as a single Dark Blast, but to multiple targets in a long, but narrow, cone.
Recommendation: Get it at 12, and enjoy.
Slotting: 3 DAM/1 ACC
Torrent-
Let me begin by saying that Torrent does little damage. If you get it, it will be for its hefty knockback component, which translates into control. I dont like the power personally, but many swear by it.
Recommendation: If you find yourself in need of a power that can push folks around, get it. I dont like it. You might.
Slotting: 1 ACC
Life Drain-
Life Drain is a good idea gone badly. It deals about the same damage as Dark Blast, but with a much heftier endurance cost and a small heal. If DM wasnt your secondary, a self heal would be handy. As it stands, Life Drain has a heal that does little good without slotting and is highly redundant.
Recommendation: If you go with a secondary without a self heal or just feel like having another, pick it up. Be warned: it will need slots.
Slotting: 3 Heal/1 ACC
Blackstar-
Some people dislike Blackstar. I dont understand them. Coming from a Blaster mentality, which I have, nukes are fun. Sure, the endurance fallout is unfortunate, and counter productive to DMs toggle debuffs. But, lets face it; Blackstar is pure, unadulterated fun. There are some fun combos that Ill go into later, but for now, suffice to say, I am addicted to the nuke.
Recommendation: Some like nukes, others dont. I fall into the former category, so I say go for it. If you think a power slot is better spent elsewhere, feel free to try it out.
Slotting: 3 DAM/3 RECRED (It has an inherent ACC bonus in the area of +40%.)
Dark Miasma
Dark Miasma meshes excellently with Dark Blast, as well as providing some awesome powers.
Twilight Grasp-
The upside is that this is an awesome PBAoE heal. The downside is that it requires a to-hit check. You drain a small amount of endurance from an enemy and transfer it in the form of HP to yourself and any allies near you. It also debuffs the damage, accuracy, and regeneration rate of the enemy you hit.
Recommendation: You have to get it at level 1. Its required. Id take it even if it werent.
Slotting: 1-2 ACC/3 Heal
Tar Patch-
This is a TAoE slow that also debuffs enemy resistance. This has the effect of making your attacks hit harder. As I said earlier, if you toss out TP, then TT baddies into place, you can rip them to shreds with NF.
Recommendation: Get it. Just do it. Trust me.
Slotting: 3 recharges make this baby permanent. If you want to add a slow enhancement or two, be my guest.
Darkest Night-
This is a toggled TAoE debuff to enemy accuracy and damage. They hit less often, for less damage. The downside is that the enemy you anchor it on will inevitably die first. Either way, this power is amazing, though you find yourself saving it for bosses and higher later on.
Recommendation: The endurance cost is huge. I saved it until after I had Stamina, because I had endurance problems as is. If youre determined to get it sooner, do so, but know that it will drain your endurance quickly.
Slotting: 3 To-hit Debuffs/1-2 ENDRED
Howling Twilight-
This is a PBAoE resurrect. Unfortunately, you need an enemy to use it, and, if everyone dies far apart, youll need to pick and choose or TP them together. Luckily, it doesnt require a to-hit check. Also, it serves as a small disorient, and, coupled with Dark Pit (Arg!), can stun bosses.
Recommendation: You have more important powers to take, but Id recommend getting it eventually.
Slotting: 1 RECRED
Shadow Fall-
Shadow Fall is a toggle PBAoE stealth power that also grants resistance to Psionic, energy, and negative energy damage. Very handy. It also has a small defense bonus, but thats hardly worth mentioning.
Recommendation: I saved this for after Stamina, as well, and I would recommend that you do the same.
Slotting: 3 Resistance/1-2 ENDRED
Fearsome Stare-
Fearsome Stare is a fear power with a huge cone. It used to suck. Then, fear got good. As it stands, this causes enemies to stop and cower in place, unless attacked, in which case they have the chance to attack back once or run. Now, you may say that this is counter productive to the Dark primarys DOT cones. Wrong! It debuffs accuracy hugely. With this, TT, and NF, youre going to find yourself getting hit drastically less. It works on almost all minions and lieutenants, and even some bosses, with a single application.
Recommendation: You know how I keep saving powers for after Stamina? Not this one. It comes at 20, the same level as Stamina, and I will wholeheartedly say to get it then.
Slotting: 2 ACC/2 Fear Duration/2 RECRED.
Petrifying Gaze-
PetGaze used to be a whole lot better than it is now. Currently, it holds minions and lieutenants for about 8 seconds. Now, it isnt all bad, and with some slots, it is actually quite good. Its true value lies in the ability to stack it with Dark Servants PetGaze, allowing you to lock down bosses.
Recommendation: Im partial to this power. I rather like it, despite its shortcomings. That said, I would say that you should try it, with slots, before knocking it.
Slotting: 1-2 ACC/2 HoldDur/2 RECRED
Black Hole-
Black Hole is the sole dud of the DM power set. It is a TAoE that makes enemies intangible for a while. Honestly, it might make a good panic button. Thats about it.
Recommendation: If you take this power, I have failed you.
Slotting: I dont know if any amount if slots can make this power good.
Dark Servant-
Dark Servant makes you special. You get a pet. This pet will be your constant companion. It deals little damage, but thats not what its for. Its for debuffing and the occasional heal. DS has 5 powers: Twilight Grasp, a toned down Tenebrous Tentacles, Petrifying Gaze, a single target version of Darkest Night, and a PBAoE aura that debuffs accuracy amazingly. The only true down sides are that he has to be re-summoned every four minutes and suffers from a major case of stupidity.
Recommendation: I really, really like Dark Servant. Its definitely worth waiting until 38. Get it then.
Slotting: There are many, many opinions about the slotting of DS. I fall into the category of those that slot for all-around goodness: 1 ACC/2 Heal/3 To-hit debuff. Others would say slot for one aspect: Either heals or debuffs. The last group would say that hes useful enough at the default slot. Its true, but slotting makes him even better. I would like to make sire you know one thing, though: Slotting for damage isnt worth it.
Travel Powers
Disclaimer: Travel power is always a matter of what you like best.
Flight- I took flight for concept reasons, and coolness. It bears mentioning that Group Fly works with Dark Servant.
Teleportation- Recall friend allows you to move DS into positions that hell be useful in, as well as allowing you to gather for a group rez. Team Teleport also works with DS.
Speed- People swear by Hasten. I, personally, havent needed it and dont want it. Its ugly, and the glows of SS and Hasten dont fit my concept.
Leaping- Leaping has some great powers, but not many of them are useful for the DDC. Sure, CJ and Acrobatics offer the only mezpro youll get, but that doesnt justify breaking concept in my opinion.
Pools
Fitness- Fitness makes life as a DDC much easier. Get it for stamina, and 3 slot that power. ASAP. Otherwise, youll have major endurance usage issues.
Fighting- You most likely will not be entering melee, and you have endurance problems enough without tough or weave.
Medicine- Medicine is a good pool, but redundant with TG and HT.
Presence- The only usefulness I can see in this pool is stacking fears.
Concealment- You already have Shadow Fall. If you want full invisibility and intangibility, go ahead and get this, though.
Leadership- As I said before, you have endurance problems aplenty without adding more.
Useful Combos and Unorthodox Usage
Tar Patch + Tenebrous Tentacles + Night Fall + Blackstar-
This combo garuntees that any minions and a good number of lieutenants in the AoE of Blackstar are not long for this world.
Tar Patch + Tenebrous Tentacles + Night Fall + Fearsome Stare-
This has been mentioned vaguely before, but Ill go into detail here. What you want is to fear a group of minions/lieutenants, and then drop TP. Afterwards, use TT and go to town with Night Fall. This will completely obliterate anyone unfortunate enough to be in your way. Rinse and repeat.
Darkest Night as a herding tool-
Herding isnt dead. This can safely be used on several groups of even cons at once. The best thing to do is to fly towards the back of the map, activate DN, and drag affected groups. Use Tar Patch to bottleneck them at a door or around a corner somewhere. Then, go to town with the above combo, or, better yet, Blackstar.
Note: This requires practice, and doesnt work on all enemies.
Dark Pit + Howling Twilight-
If you absolutely must take Dark Pit, it can be used with Howling Twilight to disorient groups of enemies, including bosses.
Recall Friend + Dark Servant
Recall friend can be used to teleport DS around, allowing him to take alpha strikes for you. Pretty straightforward.
My Build
This build probably wont work for everyone, but I find that I can use it to great effect. Ignore slot levels, as this is a respec build.
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Exported from Ver: 1.7.5.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
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Name:
Level: 41
Archetype: Corruptor
Primary: Dark Blast
Secondary: Dark Miasma
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01) --> Gloom==> Dmg(1)Dmg(3)Dmg(3)Acc(11)
01) --> Twilight Grasp==> Acc(1)Heal(9)Heal(9)Heal(11)
02) --> Dark Blast==> Dmg(2)Dmg(5)Dmg(5)Acc(13)
04) --> Tar Patch==> Rechg(4)Rechg(7)Rechg(7)
06) --> Moonbeam==> Dmg(6)Dmg(13)Dmg(15)Acc(15)
08) --> Tenebrous Tentacles==> Dmg(8)Dmg(17)Dmg(17)Acc(19)Range(19)
10) --> Hover==> EndRdx(10)
12) --> Night Fall==> Dmg(12)Dmg(21)Dmg(21)Acc(23)
14) --> Fly==> EndRdx(14)
16) --> Swift==> Run(16)
18) --> Health==> Heal(18)
20) --> Fearsome Stare==> Acc(20)Acc(23)Rechg(25)Rechg(25)Fear(27)Fear(27)
22) --> Stamina==> EndMod(22)EndMod(29)EndMod(29)
24) --> Darkest Night==> EndRdx(24)TH_DeBuf(31)TH_DeBuf(31)TH_DeBuf(31)
26) --> Shadow Fall==> EndRdx(26)DmgRes(33)DmgRes(33)DmgRes(33)
28) --> Petrifying Gaze==> Acc(28)Acc(36)Hold(37)Hold(37)Rechg(37)Rechg(40)
30) --> Howling Twilight==> Rechg(30)
32) --> Blackstar==> Dmg(32)Dmg(34)Dmg(34)Rechg(34)Rechg(36)Rechg(36)
35) --> Recall Friend==> Rechg(35)
38) --> Dark Servant==> Acc(38)Heal(39)Heal(39)TH_DeBuf(39)TH_DeBuf(40)TH_DeBuf(40)
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01) --> Power Slide==> Empty(1)
01) --> Sprint==> Empty(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Empty(1)
01) --> Scourge==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Empty(2)
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