What is THAT? A Fire Control/Trick Arrow Guide
By
AddamsFamily,
Posted on: 2007-04-22 16:07 in Player Guides
if they fix the Oil Slick/Pets issue this powerset combo will be incredibly powerful.
Illusions/TA is also good
Wavicle, Energy/Energy Blaster, dinged 50 in Issue 4, summer of 2005.
@Wavicle, mostly on the Justice server.
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5 - Lack of Effect in Hamidon Raids
The perception (or lack thereof since most people won't be familiar with the combo) of our usefulness in a raid is, like the redraw and lack of a heal, something you'll just need to deal with. We TAs would love to be regarded higher but what most people are looking for (Ill, Emp, Kin), we're not.
[/ QUOTE ]
Somebody on test came up with a good reason to invite Trick Arrow types on raids. Oil Slick can be targetted by a Dark/Dark Defender using Howling Twilight. No need to teleport downed team-mates near an opponent. Just tp them to someplace safe and drop an Oil Slick.
If Brevity is the Soul of Wit, Why are You Reading This?
yeah, if oil slick ever got fixed we might see a new FoTM
Fire/TA is a great Trickster. Thanks for writing the guide!!!
Night Fyre's Guide to the Fire Control/Trick Arrow Controller
Background
About 6 months ago I was playing a character on my wife's account that was Fire Control/Empathy. She had started the character a while ago and had gotten her to level 22. It's at that time that she seemed to lose interest in the character, but I was curious about Fire Imps so decided to level her to 32 (plus I hoped that getting to Imps may get my wife interested again).
I wasn't a big fan of the combo, so once I got to 32 and saw how much fun the Imps could be I figured I'd make a Fire Control/something for myself. I'm a big guy on concept though and things like Fire/Rad or Fire/Kin I just couldn't get my mind around. I then came up with a concept that I liked so I headed to the boards to look up a guide on Fire/Trick Arrow but couldn't find any. There are several great guides on the sets separately though, and those I'll link to below, but not a Fire/TA. This guide I hope will remedy that.
First, Links to Other Guides
Foxmaiden's Fire Control Guide
Laughing Last Trick Arrow Guide
Because the above guides give so much useful info on the powers, Ill not be repeating most of that here. What Id like to concentrate on instead, is why I think Fire Control/Trick Arrow is an underappreciated combo and to go over several goods and bads of playing one.
Why Fire/TA Works
I've become a big fan of this combo, but I run the only Fire/TA Controller Ive ever seen in game (Triumph server) at the time of this writing. There must be reasons for this, and I'll go into what I think those are a little later on. For now I want to focus on the good points of Fire/TA.
Stackability, a Concept
One of, if not the bigest thing about Fire/TA is stackability. You have a lot of powers between the 2 sets that do the same thing, or something very similar to other powers. As a Controller you will often want to stack effects on Lut's and Bosses. In most cases this involves firing-off a power, waiting for it to recharge, and firing-it-off again. With the Fire/TA this is usually not necessary. See below.
1 - 2 Immobilizes, Ring of Fire (Damage, -Fly) and Entangling Arrow (-Fly)
OK, I know that a lot of people don't see the importance of immobilize powers. But with Fire/TA you can immobilize Bosses at level 1 (yes 1) . Now hopefully youre not seeing too many bosses at that point, but think about it's usefulness in the coming levels. If youre a Hollows person, at L5 you want to keep those Troll and Outcast Bosses as far away from you as possible. If it's not Bosses, think about all the Lut's that are better kept at range. The other benefit is of course the ability to quickly setup containment. Instead of using Char for containment for RoF, you can use Entangling Arrow for containment for RoF and use Char to hold/damage someone else. Each power also has -Fly on it. Very handy for pulling Outcasts, Sky Raiders, Freakshow, etc, out of the sky, as well as for PvP.
2 - 2 Single Target Holds (Char, Ice Arrow)
How could having 2 Single Target holds ever be bad? Hold 2 Luts at once or hold a Boss in a couple of seconds. You can get Char at L1, and Ice Arrow at L10. 'Nuff said.
3 - 2 Stealth/Accuracy Debuff Powers (Smoke, Flash Arrow)
I didn't take both Smoke and Flash Arrow myself for concept reasons, but ultimately they both give you Stealth AND an Accuracy Debuff for the baddies (with both powers slotted with SOs you'll be getting somewhere around a 15% Accuracy debuff on the baddies). The Stealth will help you get close enough for the Imps to jump in.
4 - 2 -Resist Powers (Acid Arrow and Disruption Arrow)
Acid Arrow has a great Defense debuff (25%ish), and both of these powers offer a nice Resistance debuff (20ish% for Acid Arrow and 15ish% for Disruption Arrow), and they stack. That's around a 40% resistance debuff for the Imps to exploit. Tasty.
Other Reasons for Using Fire/TA
So stackability is great, but let's not forget that once you hit 32 a lot of your focus shifts to using the Imps as your main source of damage. So how does Fire/TA work for that?
1 - Powers that help Imps stay alive (Flash Fire, Poison Gas Arrow, Glue Arrow)
Does the awesomeness of Flash Fire even need to be brought-up? A ranged AoE Disorient with a good recharge rate that, coupled with Fire Cages, creates a nice roasting area for the Imps to exploit? How could it be bad. It can't.
Some people like to put-down Poison Gas Arrow, but with you and your Imps being as squishy as you/they are, a 25% damage debuff (30% for defenders) on the baddies is very welcome. Coupled with the Recharge reduction of Glue Arrow, they are not only attacking for less damage but attacking less frequently as well. Glue Arrow will also drive people nuts in PvP.
2 - Powers that help Imps kill quicker
As mentioned above, Acid Arrow and Disruption for more hits for more damage.
3 - No Inherent Toggles other than Hot Feet
That's right, no toggles from your Primary or Secondary UNLESS you take Hot Feet. My Controller didn't since he's a range Controller, but I did take Stealth from the Concealment pool.
4 - EMP Arrow
What an awesome oh boy the crap is hitting the fan tool. Fire this bad-boy off and stuff just stops moving. Great for a reset of the battlefield if you get in trouble. Careful though as it stops you from gaining any endurance for a while. With virtually no toggles to run though this wont be as big a deal as it would for some combos.
Potential Problems
Of course most combos have some problems. I mentioned earlier in this guide that I play the only Fire/TA I've ever seen in game. That's doesn't mean I'm the only one out there of course, but it does tell me that we're very rare. Why would this be? Some possibilities are listed here. Please carefully consider each one as they all can have a big impact on your playing experience.
1 - No Heal
Now this may not seem like a problem to you except for the fact that Imps can be so squishy, but it can definitely be a problem when trying to get a PuG. SOOOOOOO many people insist that a Defender or Controller have a heal that if you get a /tell asking what your powersets are, you can miss out on a lot of invites. This is an unfortunate state that we can do nothing about except prove people wrong when we do join teams.
2 - Agro
Fire/TA can draw massive agro since most of your powers are AoE (Flash Fire, Fire Cages, Smoke, Flash Arrow, Glue Arrow, Acid Arrow, Poison Gas Arrow, Disruption Arrow, Cinders, Bonfire, Oil Slick). Here are some tricks for avoiding agro:
- When in a team, dont worry about starting the fight with anything except Smoke and/or Flash Arrow. Let the Tanker go in and grab the agro, then drop your debuffy goodness.
- When using your debuffs be extremely careful about their placement. If you target a baddie too close to another group you can very easily pull that group to your team and cause a wipe. On large teams with high difficulty, so many baddies can be on a map that the chances of this go through the roof. Knowing where to place the debuff is often the difference between a good TA and a bad one. This holds true for powers in the Primary as well, like Fire Cages.
3 - Redraw
Some people hate hate hate the redraw of any weapon set, and TA is no exception to that. Every time you throw Char or Ring of Fire your bow will go away. Then when you want to toss another Ice Arrow, it adds a second to the animation which is already several seconds. There's nothing you can do about it. Get used to it. The Fire powers are too good to not use when they're up.
4 - The Oil Slick Bug
If Oil Slick ignites it freaks pets out. They run out of it then can become immobile for a time. Very bad bug when running Imps, which youll want to do solo post 32. In teams not as big of an issue unless youre teamed with other pet-users.
5 - Lack of Effect in Hamidon Raids
The perception (or lack thereof since most people won't be familiar with the combo) of our usefulness in a raid is, like the redraw and lack of a heal, something you'll just need to deal with. We TAs would love to be regarded higher but what most people are looking for (Ill, Emp, Kin), we're not.
6 - The Learning Curve
It's not an ego thing... it really isn't... it's just true... TA is a hard set to play. Since many people try it because of a concept then abandon it after a few levels, it's tough to get a handle on the set. Couple that with Fire Control which is regarded by many skilled players as a set that's very easy to play badly (no, you don't have to fire-off Fire Cages every time it's recharged ;P), that makes for a combo that can cause a great many team wipes. You need patience and precision.
Playing the Fire/TA
Remembering several general guidelines can help you both have fun and be an effective Fire/TA for both Solo play and teaming.
1 - Arrow first
In order to minimize the impact of redraw on your play, try to use your TA powers first. Your primary spots for this are the Ice Arrow/Char combo, and the Entangling Arrow/RoF combo (or a mix of them ie: Ice Arrow/RoF). Another option is if you drop a Smoke or Flash Arrow on a mob and then drag your Imps into them. Once the Imps engage, drop Poison Gas --> Glue Arrow --> Acid Arrow --> Fire Cages.
The major exception to this rule is to open with Flash Fire --> Fire Cages ( a classic approach). Once that's down you whip out the bow for the Acid Arrow --> Poison Gas --> Glue Arrow combo since the majority of the baddies will be locked in place anyway.
2 - Patience
The Fire/TA is not for the impatient. It's a combo of 2 sets that a lot of players don't really understand. Most people who are serious about Trick Arrow acknowledge that it has a pretty big learning curve compared to other sets. Take your time, pick your spots.
3 - Don't start a fight with Glue Arrow (solo)
Glue Arrow is an amazing power. It will also get you killed A LOT if improperly used. The only times you should open with Glue Arrow s if youre confident that you can survive the Alpha from the baddies, because it will be headed your way. I dont recommend this however. I say start with Smoke and/or Flash Arrow, followed by Poison Gas Arrow then Glue Arrow. The baddies will be quite debuffed for accuracy and damage, or possibly even asleep. And then slowed. This is of course, again, if you're not using Flash Fire --> Fire Cages to start.
4 - Smoke Smoke Smoke
This could also be called Flash Arrow Flash Arrow Flash Arrow or Smoke Flash Arrow. The main idea here is that some Stealth and -Accuracy on the baddies is NEVER bad, especially once you get to Imps. Anything that creates a little more surprise for you is a good thing. Some people avoid these powers. I say grab at least one of them if not both. Note though that neither Smoke or Flash Arrow stack with themselves (ie: 2 Smokes does not increase the Accuracy debuff), but as previously mentioned they do stack with each other.
5 - Imps
Engaging with Imps is pretty straight forward. Smoke --> FlashFire --> Fire Cages --> Draw in Imps --> Acid Arrow --> Poison Gas Arrow --> Glue Arrow --> Hold Hold Hold. The tricky part is if you're taking on a group of baddies that is quite close to another. If that's the case, be sure to Smoke or Flash Arrow the other group and draw your Imps close enough to only attack the baddies closest to you. They are of course, friggin-crazy little buggers so you really need to keep an eye on them and that second group. Having 2 Single Target Holds will be a big help to you, but do not be afraid to run if it gets ugly.
-IMPORTANT- Imps recharge fairly quickly. If one or all of them die, you can just re-summon them. Don't defend them to the point where you take debt. If you die, they die anyway too. Run --> Re-summon --> Return --> Rip stuff up.
The Build I Use and Why
As I mentioned way back at the beginning of this guide, Im a real stickler for concept. Because my Fire/TA is Magic origin I really tried to avoid taking any tech arrows. I didnt have any powers I wanted at 38 so gave-in and took EMP Arrow (it really is too good as an oh crap anyway). As explained earlier though, Disruption Arrow is awesome too and for most chars youll want to take it unless youre like me.
This is my Build through 40. I stopped there because I always figure that APPs are such a matter of preference that breaking down my selection wouldnt be really helpful. Just as an FYI though, Ill be going with Fire.
+---------------------------------------------
+ Built with SuckerPunch's Online Planner
+ http://www.cohplanner.com
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Name: N/A
Level: 41
Archetype: Controller
Primary: Fire Control
Secondary: Trick Arrow
+---------------------------------------------
01 => Entangling Arrow ==> Acc(1)
01 => Char ==> Acc(1),Acc(3),Rech(3),Rech(5),Hold(5),Hold(7)
02 => Ring of Fire ==> Acc(2),Dam(15),Dam(23),Dam(25),EndCost(31)
04 => Glue Arrow ==> Rech(4),Slow(25),Range(34)
06 => Fire Cages ==> Acc(6),Acc(7),EndCost(9),EndCost(9)
08 => Hover ==> Flight(8),Flight(40),Flight(40)
10 => Ice Arrow ==> Acc(10),Acc(11),Rech(11),Rech(13),Rech(13),Hold(15)
12 => Swift ==> Flight(12)
14 => Fly ==> Flight(14),Flight(27),Flight(27)
16 => Flashfire ==> Acc(16),Acc(17),Rech(17),Rech(19),Rech(19),DisDur(21)
18 => Health ==> Heal(18)
20 => Stamina ==> EndMod(20),EndMod(21),EndMod(23)
22 => Acid Arrow ==> Acc(22),Rech(31),Range(34)
24 => Stealth ==> EndCost(24)
26 => Poison Gas Arrow ==> Rech(26),Range(31)
28 => Hasten ==> Rech(28),Rech(29),Rech(29)
30 => Smoke ==> Rech(30)
32 => Fire Imps ==> Acc(32),Dam(33),Dam(33),Dam(33),Acc(34),Acc(36)
35 => Oil Slick Arrow ==> Rech(35),Rech(37),Rech(37),Dam(37),Dam(39),Dam(39)
38 => EMP Arrow ==> Rech(38), Rech(39), Rech(40)
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01 => Sprint ==> Empty(1)
01 => Brawl ==> Empty(1)
02 => Rest ==> Empty(1)
Well, thats the end. Thanks to everyone for reading. If there are any mistakes in here please let me know and Ill correct them ASAP.