II. Flaws with my calculations.
No survey is perfect, but a good survey will inform you of what its weaknesses are so you can judge its merits.
Weakness #1
I used City Game Tracker to calculate my statistics. Participation in City Game Tracker is voluntary, and there's no guarantee that it's representative of the CoH/CoV population as a whole. I am assuming that it's probably not.
It's unlikely that anyone's heard of City Game Tracker unless they read the forums. Therefore, City Game Tracker probably reflects the preferences of forum-readers (allegedly 10% of the CoH/CoV population) instead of the general population.
I am assuming that my statistics accurately reflect the habits of the forum readers. It is possible that the TA/Arch defenders flock to the site, and Fire/Dev blasters shun it, but I have no reason to expect that to be true. It's my expectation that people use City Game Tracker equally, regardless of AT or powersets.
Weakness #2
City Game Tracker has bugs. Heroes and villains are listed as having powersets that they couldn't possibly have (i.e. tankers with Luminous Blast). This means my numbers can't be completely accurate. However, this seems to happen with a rather small number of the recorded heroes & villains, so I don't think it greatly altered my stats.
Weakness #3
I could determine the number of people using the DM/DA powersets, but given the way the stats are displayed, there was no way to determine how many were DM/DA brutes vs. DM/DA scrappers vs. DM/DA stalkers. Therefore, some powerset combos couldn't be accurately calculated.
Based on my general observations, none of the scrapper combos came close to making the least common 20 heroside, and none of the brute combos came close to making the least common 10 villainside. I am rather certain that none of the stalkers made the least common 10 villainside, but I can't be certain. Furthermore, I believe one or two combos may have come close.
Weakness #4
I didn't list the least common by AT, just the least common in general. Because of the #2 problem, I couldn't determine the least common powerset combos for three ATs. This led to my decision to just go with the overall numbers.
Weakness #5
Very small numbers tend not to be statistically accurate. My total numbers (42,090 heroside, 23,929 villainside) were more than large enough to get a good sampling, but by the time I got to the least common powersets, I was dealing with numbers less than 20, and frequently in the single digits. It's certain that every combo on my lists is extremely rare. It's likely that their exact position on the list is somewhat inaccurate. It's almost guaranteed that the average level is quite inaccurate.
Weakness #6
Heroes and villains may not be active. Fire/Dev blasters were an Issue 1 FotM. It's possible that 75% of the Fire/Dev blasters listed have been permanently retired, and there's no way to tell.
Weakness #7
My lists are going to be wildly inaccurate within a week of this guide being posted. If you're reading this guide, you're interested in playing uncommon powerset combos. That means you're about to go out and create a hero or villain off this list.
As soon as a bunch of you do this, these combos will no longer be the least common. You've seen what happened to the Ice/Mace tankers. They're not even in the least common 50.
III. Common isn't terribly common.
In order for my numbers to mean something, I need to provide something to compare them to. We all know what some of the common powersets are, but we don't quite realize how infrequently we see them.
Powerset combos that share a common theme (i.e. Fire/Fire) are always common. Did you think your TA/Arch defender was uncommon? You're wrong. TA/Arch defenders are more common than Emp/Sonic or Emp/Arch or Emp/Energy or Emp/Elec or Emp/Dark or Emp/Rad or even Emp/Psy.
But this leads to another interesting issue. The average level of TA/Arch defenders is 13, while the average level of Emp/Dark defenders is 27. This means Emp/Dark defenders are a lot more common at high level. Powerset combos that are considered "elite" tend to have the highest average levels, led by Fire/Kin controllers heroside (avg lvl 35) and Dark/Kin corruptors villainside (avg lvl 28). I considered making lists of the lowest average level powerset combos as part of this guide, but decided against it, since most of those combos already made my list.
The average level is 19 in CoH and 16 in CoV.
When calculating how common the powersets were, I compared heroes to the total number of heroes, and villains to the total number of villains.
In CoV, the most popular powerset combo is Elec/Elec brutes, with 2.6% of the population (1 in 38). However, since the average level is 13, this means they're stacked slightly toward the lower levels.
To give you a comparison at high levels, Robot/FF masterminds are 1.8% of the CoV population (1 in 56), and have an average level of 22.
CoH gets a little quirky, since all peacebringers are Lum/Lum (4.8%) and all warshades are Umb/Umb (3.8%).
If we overlook those, the most common combo is Energy/Energy blasters with 1.8% of the population (1 in 56), and have an average level of 24.
This illustrates why anectdotal evidence is useless in determining what's uncommon. When 1 in 56 is "very common", almost every combination is going to seem uncommon.
The least common 10 in CoV range from 1 in 2,000 to 1 in 4,000.
The least common 20 in CoH range from 1 in 2,000 to 1 in 40,000.
(This is why the CoH list is twice as long as the CoV list. They both had a nice breaking point around 1 in 2,000.)
As I said earlier, Ice/Mace tankers didn't come close. They represent 0.12% of the CoH population (1 in 833) and have an average level of 14. I suspect a lot were made for the novelty of being the "least common".
IV. Least common 10 in CoV.
1) Energy/Sonic corruptor: 0.025%, avg level 16
2) Energy/Traps corruptor: 0.029%, avg level 24
3) Dark/Sonic corruptor: 0.033%, avg level 6
4) AR/Sonic corruptor: 0.041%, avg level 9
5) Rad/Trap corruptor: 0.042%, avg level 14
6) Fire/Traps corruptor: 0.042%, avg level 15
7) Ice/Traps corruptor: 0.046%, avg level 16
8) Rad/Sonic corruptor: 0.05%, avg level 12
9) Dark/Trap corruptor: 0.05%, avg level 21
10) Sonic/Trap corruptor: 0.054%, avg level 18
V. Least common 20 in CoH.
1) TA/Energy defender: 0.0024%, avg level 2
2) TA/Rad defender: 0.0024%, avg level 10
3) TA/Elec defender: 0.0071%, avg level 18
4) TA/Sonic defender: 0.014%, avg level 7
5) Sonic/Energy defender: 0.014%, avg level 10
6) TA/Dark defender: 0.017%, avg level 9
7) Sonic/Arch defender: 0.019%, avg level 11
8) Dark/Energy defender: 0.019%, avg level 18
9) Ice/TA controller: 0.021%, avg level 9
10) Sonic/Elec defender: 0.021%, avg level 11
11) Sonic/Rad defender: 0.021%, avg level 15
12) Sonic/Dark defender: 0.024%, avg level 5
13) Fire/Sonic controller: 0.026%, avg level 9
14) TA/Psy defender: 0.026%, avg level 16
15) Dark/Arch defender: 0.029%, avg level 17
16) FF/Sonic defender: 0.029%, avg level 18
17) FF/Arch defender: 0.036%, avg level 14
18) Grav/TA controller: 0.038%, avg level 15
19) Fire/TA controller: 0.043%, avg level 18
20) AR/Ice blaster: 0.045%, avg level 23
VI. Why three ATs ruled the lists.
Defenders have 8 primaries, 7secondaries, 56 possible combinations
Corruptors have 7 primaries, 7 secondaries, 49 possible combinations
Controllers have 6 primaries, 7 secondaries, 42 possible combinations
Brutes have 6 primaries, 7 secondaries, 36 possible combinations
Blasters have 7 primaries, 5 secondaries, 35 possible combinations
Stalkers have 6 primaries, 5 secondaries, 30 possible combinations
Tankers have 4 primaries, 7 secondaries, 28 possible combinations
Dominators have 5 primaries, 5 secondaries, 25 possible combinations
Masterminds have 5 primaries, 5 secondaries, 25 possible combinations
Scrappers have 6 primaries, 4 secondaries, 24 possible combinations
Peacebringers have 1 primary, 1 secondary, 1 possible combination
Warshades have 1 primary, 1 secondary, 1 possible combination
More than anything else, the number of powerset permutations available to an AT affect how rare the combinations will be. Given this, perhaps the biggest surprise of the list was having a blaster combo make the top 20.
Let's get some diversity into this City.
I LOVE THIS GUIDE!
I know, I know... those of you who saw my CGT least/most popular posts aren't surprised.
I actually made a TA/Rad defender named the Atomic Amazon. She's an Amazon zombie brought back to life via the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl.
Time to make a Dark/Sonic corruptor. Frankly, that's a combo with great synergy.
Also, everyone should take a gander at Repentant's Entirely Serious Guide to AR/Ice. Good stuff!
Thanks for the data! 
[ QUOTE ]
Weakness #4
I didn't list the least common by AT, just the least common in general. Because of the #2 problem, I couldn't determine the least common powerset combos for three ATs. This led to my decision to just go with the overall numbers.
[/ QUOTE ]
hm....if it's not a lot of hassle, I would like the lists for the least common by AT, except for the 3 ATs.
i have a rad/sonic corr and it's great fun!
Liberty
My 50s:
Hero: Armor Assassin (scrapper), Cross Dresser (scrapper), Surly Seaman (blaster), Defensive End (Tank), Rad Rhino (Cont)
Villain: Beast Infection (Corr), Sweet Zombie Jesus (MM), Milk Weasel (Stalker), Orgullo (MM), Agent Eris (Crab)
[ QUOTE ]
hm....if it's not a lot of hassle, I would like the lists for the least common by AT, except for the 3 ATs.
[/ QUOTE ]
This information was generated April 18, 2007
CoV
Energy/Sonic corruptor, 0.025%, avg lvl 16
Fire/Thorn dominator, 0.082%, avg lvl 13
Necro/TA mastermind, 0.099%, avg lvl 11
CoH
TA/Energy defender, 0.0023%, avg lvl 2
Ice/TA controller, 0.021%, avg lvl 10
AR/Ice blaster, 0.045%, avg lvl 23
Invuln/Ice tanker, 0.062%, avg lvl 19
For the three overlapping ATs, these are contenders for the least common powerset combo:
Elec/Fire brute, 0.078%, avg lvl 14
Spines/Invuln scrapper, 0.17%, avg lvl 28
MA/Energy stalker, 0.091%, avg lvl 17
These were identified from the powersets that were unique to the AT.
Ooops.
NM!
Thanks for the stats!
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
hm....if it's not a lot of hassle, I would like the lists for the least common by AT, except for the 3 ATs.
[/ QUOTE ]
This information was generated April 18, 2007
CoV
Energy/Sonic corruptor, 0.025%, avg lvl 16
Fire/Thorn dominator, 0.082%, avg lvl 13
Necro/TA mastermind, 0.099%, avg lvl 11
CoH
TA/Energy defender, 0.0023%, avg lvl 2
Ice/TA controller, 0.021%, avg lvl 10
AR/Ice blaster, 0.045%, avg lvl 23
Invuln/Ice tanker, 0.062%, avg lvl 19
For the three overlapping ATs, these are contenders for the least common powerset combo:
Elec/Fire brute, 0.078%, avg lvl 14
Spines/Invuln scrapper, 0.17%, avg lvl 28
MA/Energy stalker, 0.091%, avg lvl 17
These were identified from the powersets that were unique to the AT.
[/ QUOTE ]
Wow, my only lvl 50 villain is Fire/Thorn Dominator! hehe Now I feel special.
What's left is to normalize all Assassin Strikes and improve Stalker's old sets (Claw, MA and EM)! You don't need to bring back the missing PbAoE attack. You just need to make the existing ones better! For example, make Slice a WIDER and LONGER cone.
[ QUOTE ]
For the three overlapping ATs, these are contenders for the least common powerset combo:
Elec/Fire brute, 0.078%, avg lvl 14
Spines/Invuln scrapper, 0.17%, avg lvl 28
MA/Energy stalker, 0.091%, avg lvl 17
These were identified from the powersets that were unique to the AT.
[/ QUOTE ]
Spines/Invul!!! Wow, didn't see that one coming
I have a level 17 spine/invul and i love it, not to mention ive seen quite a few
Do you have access to the most popular builds too?
I mean, I think all have certain expectations, but I'm curious if they're valid.
nice guide. The "real" moral of it for the time being is that sonic, traps, and TA are rare.
"Hi, my name is Ail. I make people sick."
A partial selection from my 50's on Freedom: Ail = Ice/Traps, Luck = Street Justice/Super Reflexes Stalker, Mist = Bane, Pixy = Trick Arrow/Archery, Pure = Gravity/Energy, Smoke = Fire/Fire Dominator
I am actually fairly surprised that MM /TA didn't make the list. Maybe it might have if it was up to 20, dunno though. I figured its mainly Nin/TA out there, just curious where Thug/TA, Merc/TA, and Robots/TA ranks up there percentile wise.
EDIT:
Nevermind, just clicked the link and thats cool found it myself. XD
Damage Proc Mini-FAQ
Just noticed Damage Proc Mini-FAQ wasn't working with new forums, it's been updated.
My Sonic/Electric is #10 on CoH list... is that a good or bad thing? >.< j/k
The only ones that really surprise me are FF/Sonic Defender, Fire/TA Controller, and AR/Ice Blaster.
Hey, I was curious. What are the anamolies in the City Tracking? Defenders using "Energy Manipulation" as a secondary? Unknown Archetypes? Are these just statistical error, or are then actual in game bugs (somehow allowing a mutation in the power scheme.
I seem to recall the tales of a MasterMind who somehow ended up in Atlas park, and was able to act as a hero, though he was made on the villain side. This the kind of thing we're talking bout here?
Hehe you can end up as a villain hero side ( robotics/ff sg mate has done it 3 times now i believe and not once did he have a choice ) but the game resets you pretty fast back to villain side one time he said he almost got to a badge in CoH and that would have made him one happy badge hunter lol!!!
Some of those numbers are quite interesting, and some suprise me. Others however do not but hey thats the nature of a poll type survey which this becomes, it tends to solidify previous ideas rather then form and new conclusions, its merely the nature of the beast.
Vixens of Violence:
-------------------------
Psionic Scion - LvL 50 - Mind / Psi / Mu Dom ( Perma w/ 77.5% global currently )
Current Project: Isabella il Veleno
I am an Alt-o-holic =)
I love my L50 FF/Sonic, he's becoming my favorite toon for Hami and Pylon raids, and the STF.
DestineeFable's Guide to an MSTF run (fixed!)
My latest AE madness
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
For the three overlapping ATs, these are contenders for the least common powerset combo:
Elec/Fire brute, 0.078%, avg lvl 14
Spines/Invuln scrapper, 0.17%, avg lvl 28
MA/Energy stalker, 0.091%, avg lvl 17
These were identified from the powersets that were unique to the AT.
[/ QUOTE ]
Spines/Invul!!! Wow, didn't see that one coming
I have a level 17 spine/invul and i love it, not to mention ive seen quite a few
[/ QUOTE ]
I was a bit surprised at that too. My cousin has a level 50 Spines/Inv.
But great job on the lists, some interesting builds for me to try =P
But notice that Spines/Invuln comes in at 0.17%, or 1 out of 600, which is 3 to 60 times more common than the really rare combinations.
I'd love to see the full compiled dataset for this, or even better, a new version which includes DB & Will.
that would be interesting....bet DB/WP is FotM most common because of the unique system.
I have a TA/Sonic defender and I get "what an odd combo" everytime I play her
It's a good point about Trick Arrow / Archery. While it may not be as common as other Defender primaries, Trick Arrow with a different secondary is probably even rarer just due to a: it being thematically a little weird and b: people wanting all their abilities to use the same weapon if they're going to use a weapon at all.
"I'm sorry. That data is SuPer-Admin Restricted Desktop Access password-protected."
"What!? This is madness!"
"No, this is SPARDA."
[ QUOTE ]
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[ QUOTE ]
For the three overlapping ATs, these are contenders for the least common powerset combo:
Elec/Fire brute, 0.078%, avg lvl 14
Spines/Invuln scrapper, 0.17%, avg lvl 28
MA/Energy stalker, 0.091%, avg lvl 17
These were identified from the powersets that were unique to the AT.
[/ QUOTE ]
Spines/Invul!!! Wow, didn't see that one coming
I have a level 17 spine/invul and i love it, not to mention ive seen quite a few
[/ QUOTE ]
I was a bit surprised at that too. My cousin has a level 50 Spines/Inv.
But great job on the lists, some interesting builds for me to try =P
[/ QUOTE ]
i don't see why it's not more common. my spines/invuln is halfway to lvl 40 & the synergy (imo) b/w the two is lovely.
most recent 50 - psy/mm blaster
The calculations for this guide were made April 10, 2007.
I. Purpose of this guide.
II. Flaws with my calculations.
III. Common isn't terribly common.
IV. Least common 10 in CoV.
V. Least common 20 in CoH.
VI. Why three ATs ruled the lists.
I. Purpose of this guide.
Every few weeks, someone starts a thread asking what the least common powerset combination is, usually with the intention of creating a hero/villain with that combo. Someone always chimes in that Ice/Mace tankers are the least common. Several people name powersets that they have only seen once or twice. Then a lot of people start listing the "least common" sets that their heroes/villains use, and how they've never see another one at their level.
Not only does this guide give a list of the least common powerset combos, but it also explains how this was determined. I wanted to elaborate on how the determination was made, since a hundred people will probably rush out and make their own "least common" hero/villain ... and then it won't be the least common anymore.
Your Ice/Mace tanker isn't the least common combo. It's not even the least common tanker. Six tanker combos are less common than Ice/Mace, and no tankers made it into the list of the 20 least common combos heroside.
Prepare to be surprised.