Mogura's Guide to Illusion/Kinetics Control
By
AbunaiFux0rboi,
Posted on: 2007-04-17 12:59 in Player Guides
Powers
[u]Illusion Control[u]
Spectral Wounds: Power Level 1
Activation: 2.0
Endurance: 37.5
Recharge: 6.0
Range: 80'
Brawl Index (Psionic): 4.5556
In-game Description: Spectral Wounds convinces the target that he has taken severe damage. The illusion is so convincing that the victim can fall from the Spectral Wounds. However, the damage is not real, and if the victim survives long enough, the illusion will fade and some of the wounds will heal.
Evaluation: This is your bread-and-butter "Arresting Blow". It works at a range, and does not establish Containment. In a way, it is very similar to a Corruptor's Scourge Inherent. It does its best work when the victim's Hit Points are already low. This is because some of the damage (but not all of the damage) dealt by Spectral Wounds is healed back over time. This power is a nightmare when combined with Containment and Siphon Power or Fulcrum Shift. Spectral wounds will cause its target and those around the target to aggro. Its recharge is slightly slower than you would expect for a first-tier power. This power is pretty much a must-have.
Recommended Slotting: You should six slots Spectral Wounds, if possible. Use two slots for Accuracy, three slots for Damage, and one slot for Recharge.
Blind: Power Level 1
Activation: 1.8
Endurance: 12.5
Duration: 15.0
Recharge: 9.0
Range: 80'
Brawl Index (Psionic): 2.7778
In-game Description: Painfully Blinds a single targeted foe so severely that he is rendered helpless. Blind is so bright that additional foes may also be blinded, though they will not take any damage, and attacking them will free them from the effects.
Evaluation: Blind is your single-target Hold. It also has a very narrow cone, causing foes in the cone to Sleep rather than be Held. Its damage is fairly average, but its hold duration is more than adequate. Stacking Blinds on a Minion or Lieutenant will usually Perma Hold them. Stacking Blinds on a Boss or Elite Boss will eventually build up enough magnitude to hold them briefly. Blind is up quite frequently, for a Hold power. If it is successful in Holding its target, Blind almost never draws aggro from those around the target. This makes it a nice power to open with before charging into a group. It is also useful for an opening before using Siphon Power or Siphon Speed. As one of only two sources of Containment, Blind is almost definitely a must-have.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend also six-slotting Blind, if possible. Use two slots for Accuracy, two slots for Damage, and two slots for Hold Duration.
Deceive: Power Level 2
Activation: 6.0
Endurance: 12.5
Duration: 30.0
Recharge: 8.0
Range: 80'
In-game Description: You can Deceive an enemy into believing his friends are not who they appear to be. If successful, the enemy will ignore you and attack his own allies. If you Deceive someone before they have noticed you, your presence will continue to be masked. You will not receive any Experience Points for foes defeated by a Deceived enemy.
Evaluation: This power's In-game Description leaves a lot to be desired. First of all, Deceive does not aggro an enemy, even if it is not successful in Deceiving them. Secondly, you do, in fact, gain Experience Points for foes defeated by a Deceived enemy provided that you damage them before they are defeated! This power works very well in combination with Blind to ensure that you gain Experience Points for foes defeated by Deceived opponents. Thirdly, Deceived opponents (particularly Bosses) will sometimes aggro onto you once the effect wears off. This power is a lot of fun, but using it can take up a lot of time. Bosses require 2 to 4 applications to be Deceived, and sometimes more - depending on level difference. Good strategies include Deceiving the Vahzilok Enbalmed, Sky Raider Force Field Generators, and Malta Sappers. Deceive is not necessarily a required power but, nevertheless, it is very useful.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend four-slotting Deceive, if possible. Use two slots for Recharge and two slots for Confuse Duration.
Flash: Power Level 6
Activation: 3.0
Endurance: 22.5
Duration: 20.0
Recharge: 120.0
Range: PBAoE, 12-155' Radius (Estimated)
In-game Description: Generates a brilliant flash of light around you that blinds nearby foes. Flashed foes are rendered helpless and unable to defend themselves.
Evaluation: Flash is a bit of a paradox. It is available quite early (level six), but it doesn't really blossom until later in your career. Early on, you may find it frustrating to try to use Flash. This is because Flash isn't terribly accurate until it is heavily slotted. And since it is a PBAoE, it requires you to be "up in the cut" for maximum effect. Obviously, this places you in somewhat of a bind, since it's likely (at early levels) to miss a substantial portion of your enemies. In later levels, however, this power blossoms into a fantastic Hold. Combined with Superior Invisibility, it is extremely effective at locking down large groups. My advice is to take this power early, but use it sparingly until it has at least two Dual Origin Accuracy Enhancements slotted. Also, it's a good idea not to use this power unless you are covered by either Grant Invisibility (from a teammate), Group Invisibility or Superior Invisibility. Once you reach level 38, you should pretty much always follow up Flash with Fulcrum Shift. Despite its shortcomings early-on, this power is a must-have as it is the only other method you will have at your disposal to reliably establish Containment.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend six-slotting Flash, if possible. Use three slots for Accuracy, two slots for Recharge, and one slot for Hold Duration.
Superior Invisibility: Power Level 8
Activation: 1.0
Endurance: 1.42 per second
Recharge: 15.0
In-game Description: You can bend light around yourself to become completely invisible. While this power is active, you are all but impossible to detect, and have a very high Defense bonus. Superior Invisibility is the only toggle invisibility power that allows you to attack while it is active, although you will lose some of your Defense bonus if you do so. Superior Invisibility cannot be used with any other self affecting Concealment type power.
Evaluation: Superior Invisibility is a great option for stealth. It provides a very good Defense bonus, making you fairly hard to hit after activating the power and prior to attacking. This power is very useful for setting up a good Flash or Fulcrum Shift. It is not, however, necessary. Rather, it is a very nice luxury.
Recommended Slotting: This power is a tricky one for slotting recommendations. One slot with an Endurance Reduction Enhancement is sufficient. However, when slotted with three Defense Enhancements, the bonus is really quite amazing. Though its Endurance cost is not excessive, slotting additional Endurance Reduction Enhancements could be useful in a toggle-heavy build (involving, for example, Leadership).
Group Invisibility: Power Level 12
Activation: 2.0
Endurance: 15.0
Duration: 120.0
Recharge: 240.0
In-game Description: Makes you and all teammates around you Invisible. While Invisible, you and your teammates are almost impossible to detect. Even if discovered, Group Invisibility grants a bonus to your Defense. Group Invisibility has no movement penalty.
Evaluation: Group Invisibility is great for teams. It is also controversial because most Tankers are under the (completely mistaken) impression that being Invisible interferes with their ability to hold aggro. This is based completely upon misinformation. The fact is that once a teammate attacks, the +stealth component of this power is suppressed. This means that as soon as a Tanker either gets within range of a foe with a Taunt Aura (whichever the Tanker has; Invincibility, Blazing Aura, Chilling Embrace, or Mud Pots), Taunts a group of foes, or attacks he becomes completely visible to those opponents. Aggro is not interrupted, but the Tanker does in fact gain a bonus to Defense from this power. Of course, try to tell that to a Tanker. Because of this myth, you will inevitably encounter whole teams who don't want Group Invisibility. Sad, but true. Group Invisibility is sometimes considered superior to Superior Invisibility because it cannot be Toggle Dropped.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend three-slotting Group Invisibility, if possible. Use Recharge Enhancements in all three slots. Combined with siphon speed and Hasten, you can remain Invisible permanently with Group Invisibility.
Phantom Army: Power Level 18
Activation: 3.0
Endurance: 37.5
Duration: 60.0
Recharge: 240.0
Range: 80.0
In-game Description: You can fabricate 3 Phantom heroes around a targeted foe. These Phantoms are not real, and are indestructible. Their attacks are similar to Spectral Wounds. Though they deal damage, it is illusory and will heal if the victim survives long enough. Phantoms are short lived and cannot be buffed or healed.
Evaluation: Phantom Army rocks! Though they cannot be buffed, and do not inherit buffs, their damage output can be pretty impressive. Also, they draw aggro like crazy. A good strategy is to wait to summon them until just before you and your team charge a big group. Place the reticle right in the middle of the group and charge as you watch the fun begin! They cannot be destroyed, but they also only last a minute. Another good strategy is to summon the Phantom Army to an area near you, use Superior Invisibility or Group Invisibility, and move to the other side of the group you want them to attack. This gives the added advantage of having the group face away from you, effectively giving you their backs. Though this power is awesome, it is not necessary (especially in later levels). There are plenty of good Illusion/Kinetics builds that include no true pets.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend six-slotting Phantom Army, if possible. Use two slots for Accuracy, one slot for Damage, and three slots for Recharge.
Spectral Terror: Power Level 26
Activation: 3.0
Endurance: 24.0
Duration: 30.0
Recharge: 45.0
Range: 60'
In-game Description: You can create an illusion of unspeakable Terror. The manifestation is so horrible that it causes most foes to tremble helplessly in terror. The Spectral Terror may also Terrify individual foes, causing them to run away in panic.
Evaluation: Spectral Terror is good for locking down large groups. It allows some of them to run away, however. The runaways often stop when they get out of range of the Spectral Terror, reverting to the Fear state. Spectral Terror does not establish Containment, even though you will probably wish it did. Still, this is a great power that helps to mitigate large amounts of damage. It's not completely necessary, but it's certainly not worthless.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend leaving only one slot in Spectral Terror, and placing a Fear Enhancement in that slot.
Phantasm: Power Level 32
Activation: 2.0
Endurance: 37.5
Recharge: 240.0
Range: 60'
In-game Description: You can construct a powerful entity composed of pure light. Although made of light, the Phantasm is tangible and has powerful Energy attacks. The Phantasm can also fly and summon duplicates of itself. The duplicates are intangible, and cannot be harmed. The duplicates' attacks deal illusory damage similar to that dealt by Spectral Wounds. Only the original Phantasm can be healed and buffed.
Evaluation: Phantasm is the cause of one of the big debacles facing Illusion/Kinetics Controllers. As with any /kin, you need to be in melee range to effectively use most Kinetics powers. Meanwhile, the Phantasm deals massive amounts of Knockback. Phantasms are pretty heavy on Damage and, because they can summon Decoys, they are also fairly self-sufficient. These points don't cancel out their seemingly inconvenient Knockback, however. That is up to you! One way to do this is to summon the Phantasm on the opposite side of a group from you, so that they will blast the mobs toward you. Another tactic that you can use is to actively box groups in with a combination of the Phantom Army and Phantasm. If you use some strategy, you can overcome the seemingly inconvenient Knockback, using it as the damage mitigation it is intended to be. This power is the pinnacle of Illusion Control, but it is not necessary for a solid build. In fact, some builds thrive on their lack of pets.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend five-slotting Phantasm, if possible. Use two slots for Accuracy and three slots for Damage.
My Guide to Illusion/Kinetics Control.
CoH_Player_101: It's okay. Your choice in avatars makes up for a world of indiscretion.
[u]Kinetics[u]
Transfusion: Power Level 1
Activation: 1.0
Endurance: 7.5
Recharge: 8.0
Range: 60'
In-game Description: Transfusion drains an enemy of some Endurance and transfers that energy, in the form of Hit Points, to all allies near the affected foe. You can use Transfusion to heal yourself as well as your allies.
Evaluation: Transfusion is arguably one of the most powerful healing powers in the game. With proper slotting at level 50, it can heal 411 (or even more, theoretically) Hit Points per application. Transfusion will undoubtedly be the source of your survivability. This power works best, obviously, if you are up in the cut. The one drawback it has is that it requires a fair amount of coordination with teammates (especially ranged teammates such as Blasters and Non-Kinetic Controllers or Defenders). Explain to your teammates that as they take damage, they should target and move close to a foe. Then consistently target through wounded teammates when applying Transfusion. This power is required, since it is the only choice available at level one.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend six-slotting Transfusion, if possible. Use three slots for Accuracy, and three slots for Healing.
Siphon Power: Power Level 2
Activation: 2.0
Endurance: 15.0
Duration: 15.0
Recharge: 20.0
Range: 80'
In-game Description: You can Siphon the Power from a targeted foe, reducing his damage potential. The power is transferred back to you, increasing your own damage potential and that of all nearby allies.
Evaluation: Siphon Power can be used to amplify your Damage output. This can be very beneficial when combined with Containment. At learly levels, Siphon Power can help make each fight a bit shorter. It can also be used to effectively debuff the Damage of Bosses and Elite Bosses. Though it's very helpful early on, Siphon Power pales in comparison to Fulcrum Shift. It can therefore be dropped at later levels with little effect, provided you don't plan on being an Exemplar below level 38.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend three-slotting Siphon Power, if possible. Use all three slots for Accuracy Enhancements.
Repel: Power Level 4
Activation: 1.0
Endurance: 1.25 per second
Recharge: 20.0
In-game Description: Repel creates a zone of kinetic energy that violently repels nearby foes. Each villain that is repelled costs additional Endurance.
Evaluation: Repel is by no means a necessary power from the Kinetics set. It is very useful for mitigating damage from a single superior foe. A good tactic for doing this is to force the victim into a corner, repeatedly knocking the foe up and back. It is also useful in PVP for preventing Assassin Strikes. Overall, however, it is a highly situational power that tends to counteract the benefits of the rest of the Kinetics set. Take it if you plan to PVP, or if you like the idea of being able to knock a Boss down pretty regularly. Otherwise, skip it for something more useful.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend three-slotting Repel, if possible. Use two slots for Endurance Reduction and one slot for Knockback.
Siphon Speed: Power Level 10
Activation: 5.0
Endurance: 11.5
Duration: 30.0
Recharge: 60.0
Range: 80'
In-game Description: You can Siphon the speed from a targeted foe, Slowing his movement and attack rate while speeding your own.
Evaluation: Siphon Speed is a great power with many practical uses. It can be used in lieu of a travel power (and you can get it much earlier, too). It is also very useful for speeding up the recharge of your own powers. Properly slotted and coupled with Hasten, Siphon Speed can be stacked up to three times. It is possible that it could be stacked once more, but only under some pretty specific conditions (such as an all Kinetics team). Siphon Speed is also very useful for slowing foes who think they might try to run away. This is a pretty hard Kinetics Power to pass up.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend six slotting Siphon Speed, if possible. Use three slots for Accuracy and three slots for Recharge.
Increase Density: Power Level 16
Activation: 2.0
Endurance: 12.0
Duration: 60.0
Recharge: 3.0
Range: 70'
In-game Description: Increases an ally's mass, freeing him from any Disorient, Immobilization, or Hold effects and leaving him resistant to such effects for a while. Increase Density also protects the target from Knockback, Repel and enemy Teleportation, as well as Smashing and Energy damage. Because the target grows more dense, his movement speed is Slowed. Although the Damage Resistance and slowing effect will not stack with multiple applications, the rest of the effects of Increase Density will. You cannot use this power on yourself.
Evaluation: Increase Density is an invaluable tool for helping your teammates remain unmezzed in combat. Its Slow component is relatively minimal, making it a non-nuisance. Increase Density does not protect versus Disorient, Sleep, or Stun. Though it isn't absolutely necessary, Increase Density is a very useful power and you should seriously consider adding it to your repertoire.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend leaving only one slot in Increase Density and using it to place a Damage Resistance Enhancement.
Speed Boost: Power Level 20
Activation: 1.0
Endurance: 11.0
Duration: 60.0
Recharge 2.0
Range: 50'
In-game Description: You can hasten a single targeted ally. The target's movement speed, attack rate, and Endurance recovery are all greatly increased. You cannot use this power on yourself.
Evaluation: Aside from the constant "SB Plz" requests you'll get from teammates, this is one of the best powers in the game. Of course, there will also be those who request "No SB Plz." Their reasons usually include lower-performance computer hardware and lack of control. This dichotomy of requests can get confusing. You should definitely focus more on your role as an Illusion/Kinetics Controller than on keeping track of SB's. The biggest exceptions to this rule are Stone Tankers and allies who are rendered Slow by an enemy. This is another Kinetics power that is very hard to pass up.
Recommended Slotting: This is another tricky power to recommend a slotting plan. It is absolutely sufficient with one Endurance Modification Enhancement slotted. However, with three Endurance Modification Enhancements slotted, your teammates will be hard pressed to run out of Endurance. Also, slotting three Run Speed Enhancements can result in Teammates who hit the Speed cap.
Inertial Reduction: Power Level 28
Activation: 2.0
Endurance: 34.0
Duration: 60.0
Recharge 60.0
In-game Description: You can reduce your Inertia, along with that of all nearby allies. The affected heroes can then jump incredible distances for a while.
Evaluation: Inertial Reduction is a great alternative to a vertical travel power. It also conveys an incredible amount of control over movement in the air. Also, it causes Fly to lose its "drifting" effect, giving Heroes who Fly exquisite control as well.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend two-slotting Inertial Reduction. Use one slot for Jumping and one slot for Recharge.
Transference: Power Level 35
Activation: 3.0
Endurance: 4.0
Recharge: 30.0
Range: 60'
In-game Description: Transference drains an enemy of some of his Endurance and transfers that Endurance to all allies near the affected foe. You can use Transference to recover Endurance for yourself as well as your allies.
Evaluation: Make no mistake about it, this is one of the best powers in the game. It can be used to recharge Blasters' and Defenders' Endurance after they use their "nuke" powers. It can be used to recharge Tanker and Scrapper Endurance after their various tier 9 Defense powers crash. It can be used to skip Stamina. The caveat is that, like Transfusion, to get its benefits you must be up in the cut. It can also be tricky to coordinate with your teammates. You have to explain to them that when they nuke or crash, you'll target through them to activate Transference on the adversary of their choice. You also have to explain that they need to be in melee range of that foe. If you can communicate these conditions to your teammates, Transference can drastically turn the tide of combat in your favor.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend six-slotting Transference. Use three slots for Accuracy and three slots for Endurance Modification.
Fulcrum Shift: Power Level 38
Activation: 2.0
Endurance: 22.5
Duration: 30.0
Recharge 60.0
Range: 60'
In-game Description: Fulcrum Shift drains the power of a targeted foe and all foes nearby, transferring it to all adjacent allies, the caster, and those near the caster. Affected foes will deal less damage, while your affected allies will deal more. The more foes that are affected, the more power your allies receive. Fulcrum Shift can dramatically turn the tide of a melee battle.
Evaluation: I'd rather not say just how powerful Fulcrum Shift is. Suffice it to say that once you have it, you will feel extremely comfortable risking your hide mob after mob at close range. Fulcrum Shift is another power that requires that you be up in the cut to get its full effects. However, using this power on even a medium-sized group can put you well into the Damage cap. Combined with Containment, Fulcrum Shift is one of the most amazing powers that a Controller can have. Its synergy with Flash is very impressive, since in order to execute Flash correctly, you have to position yourself in an ideal spot for a Fulcrum Shift: up in the cut. You'll find yourself using it as often as possible, using Siphon Speed and possibly Hasten to get it up quicker. It's nearly unfathomable to skip this power.
Recommended Slotting: I recommend six-slotting Fulcrum Shift. Use three slots for Accuracy and three slots for Recharge.
My Guide to Illusion/Kinetics Control.
CoH_Player_101: It's okay. Your choice in avatars makes up for a world of indiscretion.
Appendix 1: Power Pools
Concealment
As an Illusion/Kinetics Controller it is almost completely unthinkable that you'd need Concealment.
Fighting
Fighting is a good choice for an Illusion/Kinetics Controller. It has two melee attacks; Boxing and Kick. Both attacks provide decent Damage under Containment. For an Illusion Controller, Boxing is an excellent choice from the Fighting pool because it has a chance to Disorient your foe, which provides you with another method of establishing Containment. The Fighting Pool also provides some personal Damage mitigation in the form of Tough and Weave.
Fitness
Fitness is a good pool, overall, to consider. Swift and Hurdle synergize well with Siphon Speed and Inertial Reduction. Health can add substantially to survivability at melee ranges. Though it's not specifically required, Stamina is very nice to have because Illusion/Kinetics Controllers will find themselves casting Endurance-gobbling pets fairly frequently. At higher levels, Stamina becomes less of a requirement because of the benefits of Transference.
Flight
Flight is an absolutely wonderful Pool for Illusion/Kinetics Controllers to take. Hover adds some degree of knockback protection (you flip over quickly instead of being knocked back and having to stand back up). Hover can also be faster than running (unbuffed) when combined with Siphon Speed, making it a viable way to move around during missions. Air Superiority provides remarkable Damage as well as a level of soft control. Like any other Pool attack, Air Superiority gains a bonus from Containment. Fly also benefits from Siphon Speed, though reaching the Flight speed cap is fairly easy to do. Group Fly can pose problems, especially when taking Siphon Speed and Speed Boost into consideration. You'll have to take care to keep your teammates within range if you take Group Fly.
Leadership
Like all Controllers, Illusion/Kinetics Controllers and their nearby allies benefit a good deal from Leadership buffs. Maneuvers can help with your survivability in melee, especially when combined with Superior Invisibility or Group Invisibility. Assault can be overkill in later levels, since Fulcrum Shift puts the entire melee crew at the Damage cap so readily. At lower levels, though, Assault can synergize respectably with Siphon Power. Tactics is a good idea if you're taking Leadership, because it ensures that you and your crew will hit more often, ramping up your Damage per second even further. Vengeance is one of those powers that's really hard to justify, because using it means that somebody on your team has failed to stay alive. Still, the Defense buff it provides can be very beneficial to you when you're up in the cut.
Leaping
If you really like jumping incredibly long distances, take this Pool in conjunction with Inertial Reduction! Jump Kick is an underwhelming attack considering its slow animation, but it provides a chance for soft control as well as respectable damage under Containment. Combat Jumping, when combined with Siphon Speed, can provide you with a bit of vertical clearance. Combat Jumping is pretty impressive under the effects of Inertial Reduction, though. Super Jump is absolutely insane when combined with Inertial Reduction, getting you easily to the Jump cap. Acrobatics can be a tremendous benefit as an Illusion/Kinetics Controller, because you are at greater risk to suffer from Knockback and Holds.
Medicine
As I've already stated, Illusion/Kinetics Controllers are not really a support build. However, to add some support to your own personal build, Medicine can be a good choice. Take this pool if you would also take it on a Scrapper.
Presence
I've joked around quite a bit about taking this Pool on my own Illusion/Kinetics Controller. Challenge could possibly save a teammate's tail in a bind. Provoke could arguably be used to help gather more foes together for a truly mind-boggling Fulcrum Shift, though it's a dangerous gamble considering that you are still, fundamentally, squishy. Intimidate could feasibly be used to save your own hide if you've aggro'd a Boss and your Spectral Terror is not available. Invoke Panic could possibly be used as an alternative to Spectral Terror, or to further enhance the Magnitude of its effects. Overall, however, this Pool seems just a bit too risky for a squishy Hero to risk. Maybe when I get enough Veteran Respec's I'll give it a shot, since there's no real reason to fear Debt at level 50 anyway. If and when I try it, I'll post an update!
Speed
Oh yeah, you want to take this Pool. Flurry is often considered lack-luster because of its animation time, but for an Illusion/Kinetics Controller, it's a great choice. It does very respectable damage under Containment, as well as providing a chance to establish Containment when your Holds are unavailable. Hasten combines incredibly well with all of your powers, especially Siphon Speed. Super Speed synergizes amazingly with both Siphon Speed and Inertial Reduction, givinging you a truly awesome travel speed. Consider Whirlwind only as an alternative to Repel, since it costs slightly less Endurance.
Teleportation
This can be a very, very handy Power Pool to take at early levels. Recall Friend combined with Superior Invisibility makes your team a shoe-in for a well-planned Cavern of Transcendence Trial. The same combo can also be used to bypass nasty mobs in missions, since at early levels almost no enemies can see through Superior Invisibility. Teleport Foe could potentially be used to forcibly position a minion in order to heal a wounded teammate, though you'd want to Hold the minion immediately after teleportation. Teleport itself is arguably the "fastest travel power" especially if it is heavily slotted. Team Teleport could be used to carry your melee crew into the cut with you as you perform the patented "Flash, Fulcrum Shift" combo. In all likelihood, though, you'll respec out of Teleport at level 24, after successfully breezing through the CoT Trial.
My Guide to Illusion/Kinetics Control.
CoH_Player_101: It's okay. Your choice in avatars makes up for a world of indiscretion.
Appendix 2: Ancillary Power Pools
Stone Mastery
For the Damage-minded Illusion/Kinetics Controller, Stone Mastery is a pretty viable choice. Hurl Boulder can do incredibly massive amounts of Damage under Containment. Fissure can do a fairly impressive deal of AoE damage, can knock foes back, and even Disorient them, providing a welcome additional method of establishing Containment. Use Fissure to blast a mob toward a corner, or even toward another mob for bigger Fulcrum Shifts! Rock Armor is a pretty generic Armor that will protect you from some Smashing and Lethal Damage. The caveat for this is that by the time you have Rock Armor, you're far more likely to see Psionic or Toxic Damage. Earth's Embrace is a fantastic power for a squishy Controller with a melee fixation, granting them extra Hit Points, providing a self-heal, and bestowing some Resistance to Toxic Damage.
Fire Mastery
Fire Mastery is a great choice if you're looking for more damage. Unlike Stone Mastery's attacks, Fire Mastery's Fire Blast and Fire Ball deal Fire Damage, which is resisted somewhat less by mobs. Fire Blast is a pretty quick attack with quick Recharge that also does Damage over Time. Fire Ball deals an impressive amount of AoE Damage followed by AoE Damage over Time. It's noteworthy that Damage over Time combines very well with Containment. Fire Shield grants Resistance to Smashing, Lethal, and Fire Damage. This can be nice, since it provides an extra Elemental Resistance. Consume might be overkill if you already have Transference, but the boost in Endurance may be well worth the power choice if you didn't take Stamina. Consume's Damage is fairly negligible unless combined with both Containment and Fulcrum Shift.
Ice Mastery
Ice Mastery is an interesting choice for Illusion/Kinetics Controllers. Ice Blast synergizes with Siphon Speed, dramatically slowing targets who are affected by both powers. It also deals respectable damage under Containment. Hibernate is a very handy power for those instances when you find yourself in way over your head. However, it has the drawback of leaving the rest of your teammates hanging. Frozen Armor provides the most resistances of all the Ancillary Armors. It provides resistance to Smashing, Lethal, Cold, and minimal resistance to Fire Damage, making it a fairly attractive armor. Ice Storm can synergize well with Spectral Terror, though using it while you're up in the cut can be somewhat undwieldy due to its "click, place reticle, then click again" activation. Nevertheless, its Damage output under Containment is pretty impressive.
Primal Forces
I won't lie to you, this is my favorite Ancillary Power Pool. Power Blast does a good deal of Energy Damage, especially under Containment. Conserve Power is very useful in situations when you find yourself fighting Arachnos, since it helps compensate for their Endurance draining Electrical attacks. Temporary Invulnerability is another generic armor, providing Resistance only to Smashing and Lethal Damage. Power Boost, however, has impressive effects on almost every power in the Illusion/Kinetics set. It's very nearly an "I win" button.
Psionic Mastery
Primal Forces is my favorite Ancillary Power Pool, but Psionic Mastery may be the most beneficial of all. Though Mental Blast has a slow animation, and its Damage is somewhat unimpressive (even under Containment), this Ancillary Power Pool gets much better from there. Indomitable will, which is a Click power, provides Resistance to Sleep, Disorient, and Hold effects as well as Defense against Psionic attacks. This power is almost too good to be true, especially in late level content where Psionic Damage and AoE Holds are so prevalent. Mind Over Body, which is a Toggle armor, goes even further; granting you resistance to Smashing, Lethal, and Psionic Damage. With both Indomitable Will and Mind Over Body active, you will be a very valuable asset to any high-level team. Psionic Tornado also has a long animation time, and though its Damage type is Psionic, it seems to do less damage than one would expect from a tier 4 Ancillary Pool Power. This is probably to balance the Psionic Mastery Pool in the form of a trade-off between Damage and Protection.
My Guide to Illusion/Kinetics Control.
CoH_Player_101: It's okay. Your choice in avatars makes up for a world of indiscretion.
Appendix 3: Life Up in the Cut
This (final) Appendix is meant to help you understand the mentality of the Illusion/Kinetics Controller and the "Melee Controller" playstyle.
Perhaps you've heard of Scrappers electing for builds that help them function more like Controllers. Illusion/Kinetics is kind of the opposite. Controllers are expected to stay in the middle or back of the team's formation. They are expected to buff, debuff, and heal. Controllers are typically expected to manage crowds from afar, giving both melee Heroes and ranged Heroes easier, more docile targets. Illusion/Kinetics Controllers shatter that stereotype.
First of all, consider Kinetics' only healing power: Transfusion. In order to use it, you have to practically stand toe-to-toe with an opponent. That's a spot that would make other types of Controllers run for cover, but it's where you gain back your Hit Points! The risky behavior of getting up in the cut is built into Kinetics from level one.
Then, look at the only AoE method Illusion Controllers have for Holding foes (and establishing AoE Containment). It's Flash, and it's activated at Point Blank range. You run up in the cut, you activate Flash, and you pray that it hits most of them, because the ones it doesn't hit are coming after you! This power opens up to us at level six, and further reinforces the concept of Illusion Controllers being in the most risky situations possible.
Illusion Controllers get a reprieve at level eight. That's when Superior Invisibility opens up! Suddenly it's much less risky for an Illusion Controller to run right into the middle of a big group. This power further cements your place on the front lines.
To take advantage of this maddening melee proximity, many Illusion/Kinetics Controllers (myself included) pick a Pool Power melee attack early on. My preferred choice in the early game is Air Superiority, for its quick animation and excellent soft control. Your mileage may vary, since Flurry or Boxing can help you set up more Containment. It's a good idea to slot these melee attacks fairly heavily, since you're going to want the mobs to drop fast (you are still a squishy, after all)!
Some Illusion/Kinetics Controllers view pets as a drawback. They can scatter mobs and mess up several of the Kinetics powers. Nevertheless, careful pet placement and good strategic movement can minimize the negative impact of pets, while maximizing your overall Damage output. If you skip pets, you can add some extra heavy attacks, or perhaps some type of status protection or armor. If you take on the challenge of your pets, however, you can ramp up your Damage output to a prodigious effect.
As your levels progress, more and more powers will encourage you to be up in the cut. There will be a few that seem to contradict the trend (such as Repel), but most of them actually encourage the risky behavior. When you finally get to level 38 and take Fulcrum Shift, your place in the ranks of your team becomes utterly apparent. Being up in the cut when Fulcrum Shift goes off can be a totally game-altering experience. When it happens, it may totally change the way you view Controllers!
My Guide to Illusion/Kinetics Control.
CoH_Player_101: It's okay. Your choice in avatars makes up for a world of indiscretion.
Great guide, even tho my own 50 ill/kin has different slots and perhaps a different playstyle (tho i've been an alt-a-holic lately so i haven't played him much lately. My only suggestion and/or comment: 3 Acc enahcers in any power is OVERKILL, esp. in: Spectral Wounds, Blind, and Transfusion. Why? Spec and Trans each get an inherent +10% Acc to them (and currently I only have 1 Acc in each) and Blind +20% (again 1 Acc). I know, everyone's reasoning is "I want to make sure I don't miss!" but honestly, those 3 extra slots could be put to good use elsewhere (and be change to recharge redux) and considering how fast your powers will recharge and how quick you'll be killing post-38, you'll hardly notice the difference. Also, even with Fulcrum, I will still never get rid of Siphon Power, simply because it's great for that extra debuff on a boss/buff to everyone else. Anywho awesome guide and comments, and good luck to anyone who wants to try one of the most popular trolelr builds around (but isn't anything with kinetics in it?)!
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(only if its got hot men)
Thanks for the comments and lauds, Abunal!
I kept Siphon Poer, too! It's possible to drop it at higher levels and not notice much of a difference, but I really like having the single-target option. Also, the reason I suggest 3 slots in Transfusion is to help overcome nonsensical Defense like Rikti Advanced Drones, or Nemesis with Vengeance kicking. Against the standard Minion, one slot would be fine. There have been several times when I've come into a room full of nothing but Drones, and having the extra Accuracy was a godesnd!
My Guide to Illusion/Kinetics Control.
CoH_Player_101: It's okay. Your choice in avatars makes up for a world of indiscretion.
I love it! It has changed the way i will look at my upcoming ill/kin controller. I hate using support characters, but love controllers, so this is absolutely perftect!
Wanted to comment a few mistakes you have made within the Illusion side of the guide.
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It also has a very narrow cone, causing foes in the cone to Sleep rather than be Held.
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It actually has a miniture Pseudo-pet spawn at the point where the Hold hits a target. Anything within a radius of around 1-2' becomes blinded (read: put to sleep). You'll notice that it doesn't function as a cone since the radius it effects does not increase based upon distance as cones do, plus you may have noticed if you have Hasten on then occasionally you'll see the Hasten effect appear for a moment on the held target and then quickly fall to the floor. This is the pseudo-pet you're seeing spawn.
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It provides a very good Defense bonus, making you fairly hard to hit after activating the power and prior to attacking.
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The defence bonus isn't that impressive, around 8% at best. It's certainly better than you'll get from normal Stealth powers but not by much. It used to be much much higher, but that was prior to you being able to attack while SI was active. It did used to be simply a superior form of the normal Invisibility power which made it only possible to effect yourself. Back then it did have a nice high bonus.
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This is based completely upon misinformation. The fact is that once a teammate attacks, the +stealth component of this power is suppressed.
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Incorrect. GI doesn't supress and it seems to be an oversight by the devs as Castles has been known to comment that he thought it did. But it doesn't at all. You can test this by activating GI and then running over to a group of enemies and hitting them. Then run into a seperate spawn and you'll find you can fight in the middle of the 2nd spawn completely undetected. If it surpressed at all, the 2nd group of enemies would attack. But you'll find that they don't.
Since tankers are intended to draw aggro by design, making the m invisible is not wise. The games AI keys aggro and ques targets based on a few factors. These are distance to target, amount of damage caused to 'me' by enemies, visibility of target and AT threat multiplier. Now if you take your typical defender, their threat value is lower than that of a tanker. The AI is designed to choose a tanker as a target over the other ATs should all of the other values be equal.
To make it clear:
Hero A is 80' away, 100% visible, caused 99hp of damage and has a threat multiplier of 1. (defender)
Hero B is 80' away, 100% visible, caused 99hp of damage and has a threat multiplier of 2. (tanker)
This means the AI will attack the tanker because it is the greatest threat as the other values are the same.
Now visibility comes into play here as targets who are stealthed grow less appealing based upon distance. You'll often find that if you're running away then the AI will chase a stealthed or invisible target for less length of time compared to a fully visible one. This suggests that the AI is programmed to remove an enemy from the aggro list when they exceed a certain range when invisible. Because group AI adds everyone on your team to their aggro list you'll find that distant invisible members of your team and then removed from that aggro list compared to nearer ones. In a hypothetical situation the invisible tanker may move so far away that it looses all aggro so the NPCs choose a nearer target to themselves. That is when problems start.
To maximise effectiveness the tanker should NEVER recieve the GI buff as he'll draw more aggro since he's clearly visible compared to the other stealthed targets, combined with his threat multiplier and the other factors things will go much smoother.
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Though this power is awesome, it is not necessary (especially in later levels). There are plenty of good Illusion/Kinetics builds that include no true pets.
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As you stated, PA is fantastic at holding and drawing aggro. It's role is damage mitigation, the preventing of damage towards players. The role of Flash is also damage mitigation. PA however is available more often and lasts for longer than Flash and as such is essential for best crowd control. The only weakness at later levels is that Nemesis soldiers are resistant to their autotaunt effects and thus have a habit of breaking away from them to attack other targets.
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Recommended Slotting: I recommend three-slotting Repel, if possible. Use two slots for Endurance Reduction and one slot for Knockback.
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Oh. be advised. Like all 'cost upon effect' knockback or knockup powers the endurance reduction enhancements only effect the running cost of the power and not the cost per effect. It's annoying I know that the true drain from the power is due to it being used compared to simply running it and it not effecting anything.
It is certainly one of the more costly of toggles to run however it's estimated to be around what the new Flight endurance drain is at 0.8ish per second. This does mean however that it can be run quite comfortably when idle or not in contact with enemies, especially if you have stamina. Trying to maintain it during a fight as you bounce enemies is another matter however. Whirlwind has the same problem however at least with Repel you have the ability to replenish your endurance with another power.
Thanks for all the info Tal_N. My experience with Blind (2 years worth...not just a little) has often led me to wonder why it sometimes didn't behave like a true "cone". This is a good explanation as to why.
Regarding GI and Tankers, I've been using it on teams for over a year and a half. Anecdotally, I can tell you that a GI buffed Tanker has no more trouble holding aggro than one who avoids it. He does, however, lack the element of surprise that the rest of the team has. This has often lead to the non-GI buffed Tankers getting attacked by AoE alphas before they engaged, while they were still in the ranks of the team. For this reason, I've experienced more team wipes with a visible Tanker, than with an invisible one. Also, if the +stealth effect does not drop when a GI buffed player attacks, how exactly do enemies who have not been damaged aggro to that player? There appears to be some paradox in the statement that it has been overlooked, when compared with mob behavior.
Still...I apreciate the comments, thanks!
My Guide to Illusion/Kinetics Control.
CoH_Player_101: It's okay. Your choice in avatars makes up for a world of indiscretion.
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Illusion/Kinetics Controllers are often misunderstood, if not underestimated. On paper they have a lot of shortcomings. Illusion Control has arguably the least methods for establishing Containment of any Controller Primary. Kinetics requires melee range for most of its benefits to pay off, but Illusion is heavy on knockback. This can make the melee range of Kinetics difficult to maintain.
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Just a fyi, illusion isnt heavy on knockback at all. Phantasm is the only "power" with kb. This is where the misunderstanding of the two sets combined comes from. Kinetics requires melee, phantasm does kb. Everyone automatically assumes since the pet does kb, kinetics doesn't synergize with the set. Which is completely false IMO 
It's not completely false. It is harder to buff the Phantasm than any other controller pet, because the Phantasm is a ranged pet who pushes enemies away and Kinetics requires melee range.
As a result, Kinetics synergizes better with every other pet.
transfusion is the only power one would need to use on phantasm and have him in melee range for. FS can be used from a distance as can SP. He never runs out of end so transference is out the window. I must be in the severe minority category when it comes to healing my phantasm as its hardly ever a problem with me.
Most of the time you dont need to heal your Phantasm as a speed boosted one can pretty much kill most stuff (or place enuff decoys) before health becomes a concern. Besides, even though knockback can sometimes be annoying, it is another great way of 'soft' control. Maybe ill slot mine back up with knockback enhancer, muahaha!
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(only if its got hot men)
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how exactly do enemies who have not been damaged aggro to that player? There appears to be some paradox in the statement that it has been overlooked, when compared with mob behavior.
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You may have noticed quite easily that pulling is a great way to seperate two closely linked spawns. Indeed pulling in itself is exactly how you can see the way the AI notices a target and adds it to the list. When you have a spawn of enemies when you hit just one of them the nearby 'allies' of that NPC will often aggro as well. Kinda like "Hey! Who hit my buddy!". This is how the AI is designed, there is a group mentality within a spawn, when you aggro one there is a chance that all will aggro even if you didn't harm them.
In a team the AI will 'notice' your whole team when even one of them hurts a member of their group. This is how healers end up being hurt and it's even more relevent when the aggro cap (16 enemies max per player) was added since a huge herd fest from a tanker will result in the extra NPCs choosing another target, even if they haven't 'seen' them yet. This behavior has been discussed with the devs in the past a long time ago.
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For this reason, I've experienced more team wipes with a visible Tanker, than with an invisible one.
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The reason for this is in my explaination, those factors which weigh in plus the fact that the AI removes enemies from the group aggro list if they move too far away while visible. You can test this theory in a very simple way. Have a tanker herd attempt a long herd while under the influence of GI compared to when they're perfectly visible. Now under normal circumstances you can pull enemies from room to room to room up until a certain point when they're too far from their spawn. At which point they'll quickly lose interest.
That point of losing interest will be increased when GI is applied and the tanker will have a harder time maintaining the attention of enemies as a result without using taunt or punchvoke. Now imagine this in a prolonged battle with a team spread out quite thinly (something a good tanker shouldn't allow to happen) and you'll find that while invisible the tanker won't have as many enemies aggroing to him compared to when visible.
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transfusion is the only power one would need to use on phantasm and have him in melee range for. FS can be used from a distance as can SP. He never runs out of end so transference is out the window. I must be in the severe minority category when it comes to healing my phantasm as its hardly ever a problem with me.
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FS can be used from a distance...to a MUCH lesser effect. Don't even try to claim that using FS from a distance is as good as using it in melee range.
Also remember that the length of time someone has been playing doesn't mean you know everything. Up until a short time before my guide was released I had no idea that GI+SI combined allow you to attack enemies within a single spawn without them aggroing to you. But only if you broke LoS before the NPC you were fighting dropped to the floor.
Oddly enough if you do stay in LoS then the whole spawn will then behave as normal. This odd occourance seems to be relating to some kind of bug within the AI sort of like when you're doing a perfect pull of a single target where the single NPC will aggro but the rest do not. Clearly some odd code exists where SI and GI combined makes your Stealth value so high that it is like you were so far away that the AI ignores you.
Why they then attack when their buddy dies I have no idea. However they DO add you to their aggro list, that much is clear however they choose not to attack. If you use Decieve on the NPCs and then defeat the one your fighting then when Decieve wears off they are oblivious to the fact that their buddy is lying on the floor. The way Decieve works is to clear the aggro list in the mind of the NPC by replacing it with other NPCs who they see. You'll also notice in this odd glitch that enemies who don't attack you within the spawn will often turn to face you, so they know you're there but consider you an invalid target to attack.
Something so specific never occoured to me in the year that I've had an Illus/Storm controller so it goes to show that the length of time you play these characters has no bearing on how much you know. It's the attention to detail and the analysing which defines if you truely understand what is happening 'under the hood'.
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transfusion is the only power one would need to use on phantasm and have him in melee range for. FS can be used from a distance as can SP. He never runs out of end so transference is out the window. I must be in the severe minority category when it comes to healing my phantasm as its hardly ever a problem with me.
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FS can be used from a distance...to a MUCH lesser effect. Don't even try to claim that using FS from a distance is as good as using it in melee range.
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well then its a good thing i never claimed it was just as good in the first place 
Lets look at some pointers:
-If your solo, speed boosting phanty is quite good on its own as he puts out some respectable dps. While hitting him with FS is good, its not required as you have enough damage and mitigation already from yourself/PA/phanty altogether. So its a choice as to whether you want to FS yourself in melee or try and get him FS'd in melee as well which isnt that hard either.
-If your on a team where a melee oriented FS is whats looked for, Phanty isnt used often anyway so theres no worry for kb. Its rare he's even summoned when on a decent team to begin with.
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Something so specific never occoured to me in the year that I've had an Illus/Storm controller so it goes to show that the length of time you play these characters has no bearing on how much you know. It's the attention to detail and the analysing which defines if you truely understand what is happening 'under the hood'.
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QFT, as demonstrated by the point you made about Blind's insta-pet. I had no idea that's how it worked, to be honest. But it makes perfect sense, now.
Still, I tend to believe that my analysis of the GI issue is perfectly valid. I've paid very close attention to how combat goes with a GI'd Tanker and with a visible one. Aggro seems consistent, because when the Tanker Taunts, gets within range of the Aggro Aura, or attacks, he has priority as a Tanker regardless of whether or not he shares the GI penalty to aggro with the rest of the team. To me, whether or not enemies you haven't even engaged can see you is the whole point. Having a fully GI'd team means you almost never have to worry about unexpected and unintentional aggro, unless the Tanker gets within range with his Taunt Aura, in which case he has technically "engaged."
Knowing what's going on under the hood is not always the same as knowing what is best for team survival. My time spent in CoH has shown that repeatedly. It is my firm opinion, as reflected in this Guide, that Tankers are no less capable of performing their role as an aggro sink with Group Invisibility than they are without it. Knowing exactly how aggro is cued up isn't going to change that gameplay observation. From my extensive experience, teams are safer when the full team has the element of surprise associated with Group Invisibility.
My Guide to Illusion/Kinetics Control.
CoH_Player_101: It's okay. Your choice in avatars makes up for a world of indiscretion.
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transfusion is the only power one would need to use on phantasm and have him in melee range for. FS can be used from a distance as can SP. He never runs out of end so transference is out the window. I must be in the severe minority category when it comes to healing my phantasm as its hardly ever a problem with me.
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FS can be used from a distance...to a MUCH lesser effect. Don't even try to claim that using FS from a distance is as good as using it in melee range.
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well then its a good thing i never claimed it was just as good in the first place
Lets look at some pointers:
-If your solo, speed boosting phanty is quite good on its own as he puts out some respectable dps. While hitting him with FS is good, its not required as you have enough damage and mitigation already from yourself/PA/phanty altogether. So its a choice as to whether you want to FS yourself in melee or try and get him FS'd in melee as well which isnt that hard either.
-If your on a team where a melee oriented FS is whats looked for, Phanty isnt used often anyway so theres no worry for kb. Its rare he's even summoned when on a decent team to begin with.
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This is very true. But also remember that you can dismiss and resummon the Phantasm pretty much at will, with Illusion/Kinetics. Your Siphon Speed pretty much assures that. With that in mind, there's nothing wrong with placing the Phantasm exactly where you need him to be to ensure a good Fulcrum Shift buff. What I mean is, try to place him in spots where he can blast mobs into walls and obstacles. Then you can pull off your FS with the Phantasm in range while the mobs are messing their shorts.
My Guide to Illusion/Kinetics Control.
CoH_Player_101: It's okay. Your choice in avatars makes up for a world of indiscretion.
QFT mogura. I've been promoting the usefulness and synergy of these sets for awhile now, thats exactly how I use my phantasm 
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well then its a good thing i never claimed it was just as good in the first place
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You can NOT claim that Illusion and Kinetics have a good synergy, then claim that FS doesn't need to be in melee, and then try and claim you were not hinting that the synergy existed regardless of melee vs. range for FS.
The point is that Kinetics synergizes the worst with Illusion. If you still call the Illusion and Kinetics as "good synergy", then you have created a definition for good which is worthless.
Poor - Average - Good - Top
is a much better scale than
Good - Top
The fact that you can, through effort, apply a one time use of Fulcrum Shift, does not mean they are synergistic. THIS method destroys what Synergy actually means.
Either way, it is not completely false to claim that Illusion and Kinetics have synergy issues.
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Either way, it is not completely false to claim that Illusion and Kinetics have synergy issues.
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The overwhelming majority of these powers synergize well. Illusion/Kinetics is about overwhelming sneak attacks. It is about high degrees of burst Damage, and leveling mobs quickly. Using the Phantasm power selectively and strategically, rather than dragging it around behind you mindlessly, is one example of the playstyle I'm trying to guide players to use. It is true that under certain playstyles, Illusion/Kinetics does not synergize as ideally as, say, Fire/Kinetics. But the point of this guide is to help people understand the playstyle that will help them get the most out of these two powersets.
When you play to your powers' strengths rather than focusing on their weaknesses, the game can be a lot of fun. You can do well even when the preconception is that the powers you're using don't go very well together.
My Guide to Illusion/Kinetics Control.
CoH_Player_101: It's okay. Your choice in avatars makes up for a world of indiscretion.
Foreword
Illusion/Kinetics Controllers are often misunderstood, if not underestimated. On paper they have a lot of shortcomings. Illusion Control has arguably the least methods for establishing Containment of any Controller Primary. Kinetics requires melee range for most of its benefits to pay off, but Illusion is heavy on knockback. This can make the melee range of Kinetics difficult to maintain. In spite of all this, Illusion/Kinetics Controllers have what it takes to be among the best-performing Controllers in the game. The purpose of this Guide is to help you understand how to achieve this level of performance from the Illusion/Kinetics build.
The numbers presented in this Guide are taken from CoH Planner 1.5C by Joe Chott. Their validity is probably suspect, though they are still valid for reference. If you have more current values, please feel free to post them.
Introduction
In order to really play an effective Illusion/Kinetics Controller, it's necessary to forget everything that you know about Controllers. This build is really fundamentally different than nearly any other Controller build because it is almost universally not a support build. As an Ill/Kin, your place in the ranks of a team is in melee. This is a hard concept for many players to grasp, and many teammates will tend to object as well. When confronted about the unconventional playstyle, it's up to you to explain to the team that Ill/Kins almost always fare best up in front. This Guide should help acquaint you with the Powers and Playstyle associated with the Illusion/Kinetics Controller.
There are three concepts that are essential for you to understand before reading this Guide. The first concept is Containment, which is the Inherent Power possessed by all Controllers that allows them to deal double damage to victims who are Disoriented, Held, Immobilized, or Sleeping. The second concept that you should understand is aggro. Aggro is the state that one or more opponents enter when targeting you (specifically) or a teammate (more generally) for the purpose of attacking. The final concept that you should understand is "up in the cut." This is a euphemism for being deep into melee, often in the very center of a large group. Being up in the cut is critical for some of the nicer powers in the Illusion/Kinetics build to have their fullest effect.
In many ways, Illusion/Kinetics Controllers are like the proverbial Glass Tiger. Throughout their development they are repeatedly egged on to enter melee. Many wind up electing to just stay up front, taking on a sort of hybrid role, part Controller, part Scrapper. It can be a very dangerous place up there, but with the Powers at your disposal, you should be able to hang in there just fine.
My Guide to Illusion/Kinetics Control.
CoH_Player_101: It's okay. Your choice in avatars makes up for a world of indiscretion.