Haustrum's Guide to Ninja/Trick Arrow

Rusty_Razor · 07-10-2006 09:12 PM

Hopefully this'll help some of my fellow Ninja/Trick Arrow Masterminds out there.

I've posted my slotting preferences as well. Feel free to add any alternatives you think may be helpful.
Some of my primary powers/slotting are because of my secondary choices. - I go over the synergy a little bit during the breakdown of Trick Arrow so that those wanting just Ninja info can read just the primary power part.

First the MM personal attacks.
I passed on all of them. Masterminds rely on their pets for damage; as such they do not need a wide variety of attacks. You have a nifty little inherent now if you find yourself needing to pull. With trick arrow I am constantly debuffing, so I have no time for attacking anyway.

Now for the pets
All ninja have an inherent resist to Confuse and Taunt, as well as a run speed increase.
Genin - Your tier one pet, at 7% base defense they are squishy and don't do overly impressive damage. They do make nice bodyguards and have a decent chance to disorient. They start with the ability to use a Thunder Kick and Shuriken.
My slots - 1 Accuracy, 3 Damage, 2 Disorient Duration

Jounin - Your tier two pet, with 14% defense and more hit points, they last a bit longer than Genin. They have very nice damage and excellent 'soft control' powers. This soft control comes in the form of Caltrops (Slow and Fear), Soaring Dragon (Knockup), Golden Dragonfly (Knockdown) and Blinding Powder (Confuse and Sleep). They start with Sting of the Wasp, Gambler's Cut and Caltrops.
My slots - 1 Accuracy, 3 Damage, 2 Slow

Oni - Your tier three pet, also with 14% defense as well as 14% resist to Lethal, Smash and Fire and even more hit points than the Jounin. Often a major disappointment to Ninja Masterminds, the Oni is ugly as sin and does only average damage. The Oni's true beauty comes in his ability to control. He has Ring of Fire (Immobilize), Char (Hold) and Rain of Fire (Fear). His Fire Blast and Breath are not to be scoffed at with 3 damage SOs, but still the Jounin are the main damage dealers. He starts with Super leap, Fire Sword Slash and Fire Blast.
My slots - 1 Accuracy, 3 Damage, 2 Holds

Smoke Flash
This allows you to select any one of your ninjas and make him placate all the enemies around him and be hidden for 10 seconds. This allows all attacks for 10 seconds to critical (do double damage). Slap 2 recharge reductions on here and you can keep it on someone all the time. With Trick Arrow as a secondary, I am kept pretty busy debuffing, so I don't miss having this too much.

And finally, Upgrades!!
These powers can be put on each henchman you summon. (Sorry, no go on temporary pets and other people's pets, pets from missions, etc.) It will last until your pet dies, you dismiss him or you zone.
Train Ninjas - At level 6 the Mastermind gets the first power that makes him/her start to shine, for Ninja Masters that is Train Ninja.
Genin get a cool quiver added to their costume, and the ability to use Snap Shot and Thunder Kick.
Jounin get a second sword, making an X on their backs, as well as Soaring Dragon, Poison Dart, Placate and Super Leap.
Oni gets fiery effects on his arms and Fire Sword Hack, Ring of Fire and Fire Breath.

Kuji In Zen - The much anticipated final power in the set comes at 32. This gives your henchmen even more, cooler costumes and some pretty sweet powers.
Genin get a headband, cooler belt and a fanny pack on their left hip. They also get Aimed Shot, Crane Kick and Super Leap.
Jounin get about the same costume changes as the Genin, little different style on the headband and belt and also some armored shoulder pads. They get Golden Dragonfly, Blinding Powder, and Hide.
Oni gets some evil look added to his shoulder pads, and a fire effect on his eyes. He also gets his Char and Rain of Fire.

Now for the Trick Arrow secondary

Vastly under appreciated by most people as a defender set, this is actually very useful and I think powerful, especially for a mastermind.

Entangling Arrow
Single target immobilize and -fly. Lasts 60 secs. The -fly has occasional use, immobilize is rather worthless with the other (AoE) options you have for keeping enemies away.
My slots - 1 Accuracy

Flash Arrow
Targeted AoE, 35-foot radius, -accuracy, -visibility. Lasts 60 secs. Does NOT agro. The -accuracy is quite nice and stacks beautifully with your ninjas' innate defense. The -visibility allows you to sneak past some enemies.
My slots - 1 Accuracy, 3 To Hit DeBuff

Glue Arrow
Targeted AoE, 15-foot radius, -recharge, -speed. Lasts 30 secs. This power by itself makes life a lot easier, keeps enemies away and slows their attack rate.
My slots - 3 Recharge Reduction, 3 Slow

Ice Arrow
Single target hold. Lasts 15 secs, almost 30 with 3 hold enhancements. Combined with the Oni's hold you can lock down a boss.
My slots - 1 Accuracy, 3 Hold Duration

Poison Gas Arrow
Targeted AoE, 20-foot radius, -damage, minor sleep. Lasts 20 secs. It reduces the damage enemies can deal and has a small chance to make them stand in place choking, got to love it.
My slots - 3 Recharge Reduction

Acid Arrow
Targeted AoE, 8-foot radius, -defense, -resist. Lasts 20 secs. Very small radius perfect for use on a boss or higher.
My slots - 1 Accuracy, 3 Defense DeBuff

Disruption Arrow
Ground Targeted AoE, 20-foot radius, -resist. Lasts 30 secs. Same amount of resist debuff as Acid Arrow, but no defense debuff. It makes up for that with a larger radius and longer duration.
My slots - 1 Accuracy, 3 Defense DeBuff

Oil Slick Arrow
Targeted AoE, 20-foot radius, -speed, minor knockback. Lasts 60 secs. This is what it's all about - combined with Glue Arrow and the Jounin's caltrops nothing will be moving anywhere. Add to that a knockback minor enough to work as a knockdown against even level enemies and the fact that it can be lit to cause nice damage to anyone one in it and you have devastation. On the downside, pets will run away from an ignited oil slick as if it was damaging them, and into nearby groups.
My slots - 3 recharge Reduction, 3 Slow

EMP Arrow
Don't have this one, compared to the rest of the set it looks kinda bleh.

I also have found that Aid Other helps quite a bit.
The 3 toggles from the leadership pool stack nicely with the pet powers and trick arrow.

Luminara · 07-11-2006 08:25 AM

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Flash Arrow
The -accuracy is quite nice

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3.75% for masterminds.

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Glue Arrow
Lasts 30 secs, almost 60 secs with 3 slow enhancements.

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30 seconds. Slow enhancements increase slow effect, not duration.

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Oil Slick Arrow
Lasts 60 secs, almost 120 secs with 3 slow enhancements.

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30 seconds. Slow enhancements increase slow effect, not duration.

tony_42 · 12-18-2006 01:57 AM

Ouch, whip it good Luminara.

She's right though. Don't want confused ideas getting out to readers. Otherwise, good job on the guide. Nice touch by adding how the clothing of the ninjas change. Bravo.

Hero_of_Paragon · 12-23-2006 09:29 PM

I do have one problem, though. At the moment, my Genin started with Super Leap, I'm level 10 at the moment. So I don't know what's up with that, or if they just jump higher than normal and that's given the Super Leap icon.

Psychkid- lvl 32 Emp/Psy Defender.

"Hey, being a Healer is hard! I have to bust my [censored] to make sure my teammates aren't busting theirs!" ~Psychkid

Sobek_NA · 12-23-2006 10:16 PM

See, its Super Leap, not Super Jump. Its all vertical movement, almost no horizontal. Only players get Super Jump.

Rusty_Razor · 01-11-2007 11:19 PM

Thanks for the corrections, Luminara.

I've been mostly playing heroes lately, but I may dust off my MM and update this a bit.
I'll need to get him the last 10 levels and try out the various PPPs on test and add my thoughts on them.

Rusty_Razor · 01-12-2007 09:06 AM

It appears that a change went in at some point (Issue 8?) and the Genin and Jounin now have Super Leap from the beginning, rather than requiring an upgrade to receive it.

Yay stealth buffs!