Sings Guide to Potent Mixed Teaming

[u]Sing’s Guide to Potent Mixed Teaming:[u]


[u]Forward:[u]


This guide is meant to further the knowledge base of the CoX PvP community, and outlines some extremely potent mixed team options between heroes and villains. These teams are essentially only viable in the arena, however, and take into account SHW (super heavy weight - lvls 47-50) PvP there.

These teams are, in my mind, geared towards other mixed teams, and taking on as much from both sides as possible, but some may seem very strong against one usual team setup, or very weak against another.

The first several are all teams of 8, but some smaller or larger groupings included later on. Villain and hero teams have great potential, Heroes don't lack so much at all, but villains can improve things further, and throw in some scary debuffs, more dmg or just unique attributes that add up a lot.

Mixed teams are the next step in CoX PvP, and something all serious PvPers should aspire to compete in. Why bring just the power of an ice/em blaster that your team already has, when you could hop on an ice/rad with the power to scourge, mark targets more easily, debuff and reliably self-heal?

The squads below may not seem very powerful in some cases, but they all have enormous potential, and explanations as to why are provided. These teams are just a handful of the many others out there, and in the end; anything can be viable if you set your mind to it. These teams, however, are a real step forward in the evolution of high-end, successful PvP.

[u]The Teams:[u]


Optimized Team of 8:

1 Emp Defender
1 Sonic/Thermal/Mako Cor
2 Rad/Psy/Power Defs
1 Ice/Kin/? Cor or 1 Ice/Cold/? Cor
1 Fire/EM/Cold Blast
1 Kin/Sonic/? Def
1 Sonic/Sonic/Psychic Def

Well this grouping is highly debatable, but I feel like it has a lot of potential. Emp and Therm provide enough heals, and with Thermal you get two very lovely debuffs, sonic primary for anything extra, and Forge is available for 2 people guaranteed, and should be 4 with 2 SBs and AMs. The emp may be the only super +endurance giver at first glance, but again, 2 SBs and 2 AMs helps a lot. Sonic and Thermal = shields that only psy will penetrate, and if you replaced the kin cor with Cold, you make enemy blasters cry.

I really like having 2 rads here, defender rad has obvious bonuses, psy does too, and against another mixed team, you want dual psy dmg. For the corrupters, having Ice to blast with is important, since BiB's extra 10 feet pays off with no Boost Range. You can work with 1 kin, since the sonic provides 30 sec cage and TK, not to mention the team's buffs, and cold being able to Frostwork plenty of people, and Thermal+Cold debuffs on one target = nastiness. The sole kin could also get AB, or perhaps Thaw +res to slow, and a kindly Cold cor tagging them with Arctic Fog will work out.

Fire/EM is peachy, easier to use Fire on Blaster, since they'll have Boost Range, and a real AoE hitter will pay off. You also have other GREAT AoEs, just in notable Melt Armor, Sleet, Heat Loss, and Rad debuffs. Also consider, that this blaster will definately have two AMs, a(n) SB, Forge, Fortitude, Sonic and Thermal shields, and potentially a Frostwork & Cold shields, or another SB and then AB. Forge+Fort are very nice when you look at the combined, perma [u]70%[u]ish +dmg, which should be on BOTH rads, and another person - making even more suped up psy blasts too.

The /? Epics are up for grabs too, might want the kin/sonic to have TK, might rather have -jump with the cold or kin corrupter, or might prefer +res.

This team still has a lot that someone could say is changable, such as having 2 rad defs, when you could bring in a ton of other options, or even having a thermal over an emp, or even bothering with a kin corrupter, when defender has advantages. Still, it's spelled out clearly how strong this team is, and remember that Corrupter dmg is nothing to laugh at, Scourge will have a giant impact on spike dmg, and it makes going with 1 blaster a lot easier.

[u]Note[u] - Defender Fort = +31.25% dmg, Forge = +40% dmg, Forge has more +tohit, but Defenders can PBU (Power Build-Up, Defender Power Mastery lvl 47 Epic power) theirs, and get big +def too. But still, consider thermal shields and debuffs.


Domination Destruction:

2 Emp Defs
1 Mind/Ice/Scirroco Dom
1 Fire/Fire/Mako Dom
1 Rad/Psy/Power Def
1 Mind/Sonic/? Cont or 1 Sonic/Sonic/Psy Def
1 Kin/Sonic/? Def
1 Ice/Cold/? Cor

So, with the whole stacking mez concept in mind, looking at Dominators, who, with Domination, can burn someone out of BFs lickety split, why not give them a go? With an SB, 2 ABs and an AM on their backs, it seems like Domination would be up an awful lot. Having 2 TKs, a 30 sec cage, amazing Frostwork, and 2 emps+sonic buffs also ups survivability.

This team is really oriented around the Doms. They rack up Domination points, until they can start mez spiking (i.e. overwhelming mez resistance in a short period of time) someone. The Mind cont could help in that regard, but Sonic def might bring better things. Once something is held, it won't be a matter of dealing very much dmg by the Doms, since they've got 2 /psy defs and possibly 2 /sonic defs right there, and rad debuffs. Or, with 3 doms, the dmg should be enough.

The fire/fire dom works out nicely, it might seem like having another Mind/Ice or an Ice/Psy or almost anything could be better, but in a smaller map, the imps will add up big time; plus, Fiery Embrace+Domination+any of this person's attacks = big big dmg. They also have access to Smoke, and Blazing Bolt for ranged kills is nice. Could be replaced fine enough by another Dom build though.

Having 3 doms over 2 is a big question, the rad/psy adds a lot, and psy dmg is very big in mixed teams, and while /psy dom is ok for it, a rad def does seem to bring plenty more. With 3 Doms though, you do see a greater likelihood that one will survive. Then again, another kin means better chances for double dom, and potentially more dmg if /psy or even /sonic.

The big reason for considering /Cold though, is Frostwork on a Dom is a big big improvement, not to mention that [u]Benumb will damn any mez protection[u]. There's also more dmg here, and Scourge should fit right in on a badly dmged enemy being thrashed on by Doms with Domination and buffs.

I'm still kind of wary of this one myself. I like the idea of 2+ doms though, and 2 emps and a kin, and cold does seem like good support. This one could be a total wash, but I like the safety net the Doms are provided with, and Domination = double magnitude, double duration, +dmg, super mez protection; and then at least 1 dom has Power Boost.

That means that, instead of having 4 conts spamming on one person, and losing some higher buff/debuff numbers, you can get 2 Doms to blow through everyone's mez protection in a snap. The real hitch is with Escapes, or just too much dmg eliminating the Doms, or one being caged, or too many enemy debuffs. So lots against it, but another key key thing here is [u]Double Domination[u]. That's what you want, and while single Dom is excellent, Double Dom means 2 Dom mezzes should bust through a single CM, with big dmg, and so much mez protection for these Doms, repel doesn't matter with 1 Domination up either.

Also consider that two emps = 60% +dmg and PB Fort still has niceness attached to it. Terrify, possibly Fire Breath, Fire Cages, possibly Hot Feet, Sleet, Rad debuffs and nuke potential from defenders also adds up for good AoE.


Blasters of Nevermore:

2 Emp Defs
2 Fire/EM/Cold Blasters
1 Rad/Psy/Power Def
1 Sonic/Thermal/Mako Cor
1 Kin/Sonic/Psychic Def
1 Ice/Cold/? Cor

Now this one I just love, maybe because I can see so much fun in being the buffed up blaster, and how many kills could be racked up, and how comparable these dmg buffs are +100%, so [u]equal to 4 small reds ALL THE TIME[u] , or maybe because it just meshes.

The name hints at what the focal point of this team is, and it really is in the blasters. They'll be receiving 2 Forts, a Forge, and a(n) AM a piece, meaning really great dmg. The SB and AM, plus someone getting AB for sure also equates to nice +recharge. Then you have survivability, which Frostwork skyrockets, plus Thermal and Cold shields, and 2 Emp and a Thermal healing right there.

Then we bring debuffs into the picture. You've got a kin siphoning things and slapping on -15 to 45% resistance with Sonic Blasts; a rad bringing -40% resistances, LR, big -tohit and -def. The cold is laughing with huge slows, -defense, -50% dmg and status effects, and an attainable -70% resistance on enemies. The thermal just wants to step in and make someone cringe with Heat Exhaustion and Melt Armor, not to mention a sonic blast here or there for 15 to 45% or even more -resistance.

So, your blasters *could* be attacking with: +100% dmg, jumbo +recharge, no chance of dying, and shooting something with an easygoing (15+40+30+22.5+15) [u]-122.5 % resistance[u]. Under more ideal conditions, the -resistance can jump up (40+30+30) to [u]-222.5%[u]. So, you're looking at a dead target, and then you have Scourge available from the nice Ice cor that's able to follow and kill with ease, since Cold buffs last so long, not to mention the Psy blasts and sonic dmg itself.

With 2 fire blasters alone, this team obviously has amazing AoE potential. They can also do a mini snipe surprise with Blazing Bolts and Psionic Lance. Gathering potential for a super ghetto turtle is also here, with 4 autohit AoE heals, and so much ranged potential – not to mention Arctic Fog (good +res to all elemental dmg).

There are vulnerabilities though, in enemy caging, too much TK, or eliminating this team's kin. Still, you have great great +res to Sm/lethal, Ice, Fire and Energy dmg with corrupter shields; Frostwork's +hp acts as the [u]best resistance in the GAME[u] and your kin has TK to hit at least one person with. This TK is up more often, and easy to keep going, since lone kin = AB go-getter.

This team is able to shelve out incredible dmg and debuffs, and can crack a turtle in a lot of ways, as well as regroup exceptionally well. Imagine rushing the other team who is rad debuffed, Sleeted and Melt Armored, with their emps HEd and Benumbed, and using: Inferno X2, Psychic Wail and Dreadful Wail X2, then being Heat Lossed/Transferenced back up to full, all the while in AoE +res to elemental dmg, and surviving any incoming hits.

Or, if things get rough, you can regroup, spam heals, and pick someone venturing within oh, 175-200 feet, and Snipe them dead.
This is a team that can definately focus fire and withstand incoming dmg.


Stalktastic:

2 Ill/Emp/Power Defs
2 Mind/Kin/? Conts
2 Spine/SR/Mu Stalks
1 EM/Regen/Black Scorp Stalk
1 Fire/Dev/Cold Blast or 1 EM/Ninjitsu/Black Scorp Stalk

I like the name of this one, and I think it fits together very nicely too. With defense based stalkers, more defense can add up, especially if you've got two PBed Forts and GIs on top of SR. Should note that two illusionists equates to possibly having Group Invis X2 AND Grant Invis X2. That means that your stalkers are running around Stealth Capped, and the Emps themselves have even less reason to attack anything, and are pretty much stealthed to the max too.

-Jump ftw when someone wants an AS, and fire blaster means the target is going down for sure, plus you get AoE potential there, and another dmg type. This could be replacable enough by another EM stalk though, who might add up a lot more, but -jump is still very meaningful - coordinated ASes anyone?

Two spiners also means you can coordinate Impales. Too bad only 40ft range now, but that can be upped with dmg/rngs, and Quickness = faster Placate AND two surefire Impales in one BU activation. It also means your target is probably dead, since Impales hit at awkward times, and the fire blaster can also fit in here, using Blazing Bolt. The other stalks also fit in even better, since Zapp or Mace Blast as snipes can range murder something.

EM Stalk(s) = burst dmg like few others, Black Scorp pool means that when unhidden, you can at least -jump something. Regen for (at least 1) EM means better survivability for them, and I like having 2 SRs since Quickness helps their Spines out more, and the +def stacking, plus the Regen could always take Taunt, and that throws many off, and [u]Taunt+Placate = freaky results[u]. If you switched the blaster for an EM/Ninj, things look peachy, and while Ninjitsu's heal can be called unnecessary with 2 emps, I think extra psy +res, though small, could add up, and +def here is not too bad, not to mention Smoke Flash and Caltrops possibilities.

Mind/Kins = stalkers on crack, Placate is up very very VERY often, and then the stalks can get ABs too! Double TK here, and they can ghetto mez spike someone, as well as coordinate drains nicely.

The emps mean obvious survivability jump, double Forts on stalkers are gross, and then they might be able to take PA or another illusion power to add a little something more. SI shines a lot in this team too, and Group Invis would add a ton.

This team has loads of -perception, the stalkers are living like kings/queens and doing a lot of damage as they please. I think Smoke Grenade+Placate+Stalker stealth/invis and Ninj Smoke Flash stacks well too, and -jump would add up, and Cloaking Device as a freebie helps the blaster's own invis rush, but again, easily changable with another stalk.

You could divide into two killing sections just fine, or let 1 EM stalk run wild, while the others kill off people. Lots and lots of potential here.

The No-Emp Attempt:

1 Thug/Poison/? MM
1 Merc/Poison/? MM
1 Sonic/Sonic/Psychic Def
1 Kin/Sonic/Power Def
1 Ice/Kin/? Cor
1 Sonic/Thermal/Mako Cor or 1 Rad/Psy/Power Def
1 Fire/EM/Cold Blaster
1 Ice/Cold/? Cor

So, you think it's unwise, do you? Think it's a bad move, huh? Well, let's give it a go and take the idea into consideration. Since Day 1 of the arena, up until a few months of I4, emps were looked at as a waste of space, unnecessary, unneeded and unwanted.

Aside from the latter, the same is still true today, despite how advanced PvP is. An emp is a huge boon for a team (well, a good one is), but in many ways, they act as a handicap. If your emp is poor at evading – you’re may be deprived of heals and buffs, and getting KOs tacked against your team all the while. If your emp(s) get(s) caged, then what you’ve grown accustomed to all this time has your survivability taking a huge dive.

Having someone purely dedicated to buffing/healing can also be a take away, and Corrupters on the whole are a prime example of this, as they make the best of things, able to buff, debuff AND deal good dmg at once, as well as possibly being able to heal. The emp is just buffing and healing (though you could say that improves overall team performance, corrupter debuffs can do far more sometimes).

This team seems a bit wonky, but the eyecatcher is dual Poison MMs.

[u]Note:[u] Enevenom = Bases of -30% resistance, -22.5% defense, -regen, RESPONDS LESS TO HEALING. And, it lasts [u]30 seconds[u], animating in 1.3ish secs too.
Weaken = Bases of -22.5% dmg of all sorts, -11.25% tohit, -secondary effects, which is a big reason people fall in love with Benumb, which has the same -special component. Activates in about 2 secs, and lasts half a minute once again.

Now, with 2 Poison MMs, with SBs, you can effectively stack huge debuffs for 30 secs across 4 people. Now, if you hit the enemy's emp with 2 of each, and then hit the target they're trying to heal with 2 of each (or just Envenom), you'll see a HUGE drop in healing, what might've been a 400+pt heal will definately go down to 200, or more likely 100something heal. This makes killing things way easier. This is also excluding Benumb, which when used will further cripple an empath’s healing.

Survivability might look doubtable, but this team can pull off gather survival tactics just fine, and Frostwork+Cold shields+Thermal shields+IDs+Thermal heals+Antidotes+Sonic shields+Alkaloid heals = probably good survivability too, especially since the MMs might as well be indestructable with Bodyguard. All the different builds make figuring out who to take out a good question, though the Sonic looks like best bet, Frostwork alone will save so many here, that they can do with just an Alkaloid patch up.

You are also able to cage an enemy, have a TK ready, and you think 2 Poison -specials are nice? Imagine stacking Weaken X2, Benumb AND Heat Exhaustion. Suddenly, that target is not only having super crappy buffs or debuffs or WHATEVER, but their dmg has been debuffed... watch this now... to [u]-150% damage[u] for 30 secs. Oh, and those nice SBs mean you can do this to *more than one target*.

The -res really adds up with Poison in the mix too, and Noxious Gas as a debuff is stellar, if their henches can melee with someone. Tp Foe also looks viable here, just to port someone into the MM mass. Mercs pay off with Spec Ops' -jump, Thugs have lots of great benefits you can all guess at; Gang War being a huge target confounder as one of them.

[u]Note:[u] Antidote from Poison lasts 90 seconds, gives good status protection, *and* has a base 7.5% +res to cold dmg. Thaw from Thermal also has this same resistance. It doesn't stack from the same caster, but 3 slots amp each individual buff to about 15% +res to Cold, now with three of those on you; you have (15+15+15) 45% resistance to cold - all aside from Cold shields, Thermal shields AND Sonic shields.

Lots of status protection here too. Fire/EM makes killing easier, plenty of Scourging people on this team as well. Having a rad could make getting kills a lot easier, and grouping up to AoE heal as a rad is still easy as pie, you just lose HE, essentially longer lasting debuffs, some +res (which, with Cold and Sonic shields, you don't *really* need) and autohit ranged heal.

You have mega -resistance here too, more than the -222.5% of Blasters of Nevermore, since Envenom X 2 adds up to 45% -res, while EF is just 40% -res.

Definately something interesting to try out, and the Poison MMs really spice things up.


Terror of the Indoor:

1 Necro/Poison/? MM
1 Merc/FF/? MM
1 Ice/Elec/Cold Blast
1 Mind/Emp/? Cont or 1 Ill/Emp/Primal Cont
1 Fire/Kin/? Cor
1 Earth/Storm/? Def or 1 Ice/Cold/? Cor (Both Optional)

This team is, as the name hints at, desgined for an indoor map. Now, you might say that not bringing an Ice cont with AA, a melee AT, or a Fire cont with Imps and Hot Feet is a mistake, among other things, but looking at the above, it looks pretty dandy as is, and you can include the Storm or Cold for 6 people, or stick to 5.

The MMs bring their obvious advantages, Mercs = no need for devices or traps (as tempting as they are). FF indoors hurts, +def will likely add up more on a smaller team, especially with more –tohit; and you get Detention Field. Necro fits indoors since there's nice melee there, and Noxious Gas paired with them works better than with Mercs. Poison's many benefits are covered in the No-Emp Attempt.

Elec for a blaster really works in this smaller team, and indoors Boost Range may not get as much mileage, so Ice fits for the blast there anyway, and you have an emp and mezzes available, though not incredibly needed, so ditching EM stuns, CP and Power Boost not a huge loss, for more Elec dmg, and a notable factor often forgotten – the sleeps encoded in some of the melee abilities too. A stun may not bust through an ID, but a sleep will.

Mind/Emp provides mezzes if fittable, and a single TK can do more than a PA, Spec Terror and Phant combined. But then again, SI and those same summons can make Illusion look better to some. You want a kin, so there's one, and Fire makes for fine blasting and more AoE power.

You could then add the Earth/Storm cont to flesh things out, or go with more dmg as Ice/Cold. Storm/Psy/Power was also considerable, but I think MM dmg is underrated, especially indoors. Frostwork would allow the team a lot more ease with things though, Sleet rocks, Snowstorm pays off indoors, and you can gather nicely with Arctic Fog too. Additionally, Heat Loss may work out better in an enclosed space.

This team looks pretty strong indoors, a small team like this is very much up for debate, and I can think of many counters to it, with just a cage+TK eliminating a lot of aspects, but if you took this into the office map, you'd have a massively hampered opposition, while maintaining impeccable dmg, removing individuals as you please (via Detention Field and/or TK – or stacked Poison+Cold debuffs), and having good support. This team also makes targeting your players a real pain.

Lots you could add or change, small teams almost want to make me throw in a Dom or way more conts, just because mezzes can add up a lot in a smaller grouping, but this does great with mezzes in Mercs' Spec Ops, Necro Lich, Poison's Paralytic Poison, and of course in /Elec and Mind or Illusion (and Earth if you add it).


Fame and Fortune:

1 Mind/Kin/Primal Cont
1 Ice/Rad/Mako Cor

Self-explanatory. And a long time ago I had planned a duo with these names. Anyway, you could say that fighting another pair that has cage+TK, this team would be in trouble, but having a TK of their own and ID changes things up. Has great dmg, debuffs, good buffs, and the Ice cor having SB means they can cycle a ton of attacks, and Scourge that much more easily.

Rad provides the obvious, obvious benefits, and the Mind cont can also confuse enemy villain (or hero) pets. Terrify, TK and Rad Debuffs isn't so much AoE, but this is really for fighting another duo. Mako PPP means any ice blasts are hitting for less, and Black Scorp seems fine enough, but -jump not so needed, especially with multiple slow sources here (SS, LR, Ice blasts), and +def not being so great in the small sense of things.

The old ill/emp + ice/em blaster combo might work out fine against this teaming, however, the blaster could be TKed away just fine, while the emp is slowed to the floor and taking big damage. Debateable again, but a skilled enough duo could pull this off exceptionally well, and also not be viewed as such a(n) ‘FoTM’.

Optomized Team of 12:

2 Emp Defenders
2 Rad/Psy/Power Defs
2 Fire/EM/Cold Blasters
2 Ice/Cold/? Cors
1 Ice/Kin/? Cor
1 Mind/Kin/Primal Cont
1 Sonic/Sonic/Psychic Def
1 Sonic/Thermal/Mako Cor

So, you've got the basics for the prime hero team, in 2 emp/blast/kin, with a sonic and rad. Toss in another rad for larger numbers, and then look to the exceptional powersets that are Cold and Thermal. With a Thermal you improve the survivability of the group a good bit, and in a 12v12 Heat Exhaustion on the right target can pay off a lot. It also means teams can be completely balanced, with the sonic on one team, thermal on the other.

The big big, really big thing here though is the Colds. Above, Frostwork is emphasized as being a wonder of +HP, dull pain goodness. With 2 Colds and the SBs and AMs, you're looking at Frostwork for possibly each team of 6. That means your group has an extremely high survivability. Combine that with Cold shields, Arctic Fog, Thermal shields, Sonic shields, IDs, Therm, Rad and Emp heals, Emp/Cold +def, and then all the nice debuffs here, and you have even better odds.

Damage wise you have more than enough to do what you want, and Cold adds up again, with 2 Benumbs paying off, Infrigidate being nasty, and Sleet and Heat Loss being useful if enemies group up. Fire/EMs, Rad/Psys, Sonic/Sonic and Mind/Kin for obvious reasons, and you get nice AoE in there, more debuffs, 2 TKs and a cage. Then having an ice/kin cor on your side provides another Scourger, and free dmg. The Ice/Colds should have np attacking too, and gathering with this team is made easier with dual Arctic Fogs, 5 AoE autohit heals, and Sonic Dispersion.

This would be a very tough team to take out, there could be some worry in having your sonic targetted more often than not, or same with Thermal, or blasters being caged/taunted, but you can also stack Frostworks (though a single one, slotted, should cap virtually everyone anyway) and should blasters be caged/delayed, you have 3 Ice Corrupters, 2 Rad/Psys, a /Sonic defender and not to mention a Sonic cor that may be blasting away too.

Big -res as mentioned elsewhere, you're looking at more -150% dmg potential if things get stacked at once, lots of -recovery and slows for enemies, and everything is just great all round.

[u]Note:[u] All of the /? Epics provide option for team to choose best possible option, elec +res might be important in one instance, a snipe invaluable in another, or maybe more -jump would be very good to have.

All of the villains that go with nice PPPs and take the pets are also getting things that can add enrmously indoors, some can heal, some do -jump, some have psy dmg, some have mezzes, a lot can't be mezzed, plenty knocked back. Some have +perception, some are pretty much useless.

They can be very helpful, whether just to make an enemy Tab through something more, to keep someone's PA herd busy, or to add useful effects/dmg to the team.

great guide, but the optimized 12 v 12 is in error. It isn't currently possible to make a mixed team of heroes and villians greater than 8 v 8. The only way beyond this is a supergroup match, and there are no supergroups that can contain both heroes and villians.

Sad, but seemingly true. However, it isn't unlikely that villains and heroes are someday meant to team more proficiently. While it is less likely that an improvement to the arena will be made in regards to the simplistic add-on of larger than 8v8 non-supergroup matches, the possibility of either side 'reforming' or 'turning' could mean the powersets outlined are available to either/both sides, thus solving the problem and adding more content for whoever sought it.

The concepts behind the optomized 12v12 team are also meant to improve readers' analytical skills around identifying the stronger, weaker and balanced points of such a team - whether it'd be faced anytime soon or not.

*Fun fact: Hero and Villain supergroups can Coalition.