Issue 9 Ice/Ice Tank guide, by Tundara


Tundara

 

Posted

Tundara’s Guide to the Invention based Ice/Ice Tank, Version 1.3

Preface:

Greetings and welcome to this; the final version of my Ice/Ice guide for an IO orientated tank. Frozen Aura has been utterly dropped, and in a stark departure from normal Ice/Ice builds, so has Greater Ice Sword. As per discussions about how to ‘fix’ Ice Melee, it has been deemed as counter productive to use. If at some point Ice Melee sees any changes, namely a reduction to Greater Ice Sword animation time, or increase to its damage, plus a damage component added to Frozen Aura, this build will see a drastic overhaul and will in it’s current form be obsolete. But that is the way of things.

((Note: As of 04/30/2007 Castle has mentioned that the issue with the animation of Greater Ice Sword will be passed on to the animators. No guarantees that any changes will be made though.))

If you notice errors or omissions anywhere, please let me know and I’ll try to update the guide to correct the mistake. As a quick side-note, I’ve only included the Enhancement Values of the set inventions, not the commons. This is to give you an idea of where the powers with sets stand in comparison to standard Single Origin or Hamidon Origin enhancements.

The Base Build:

For the purposes of this guide I present to you the base build the Inventions are built around and into. Think of it as the skeleton for the Inventions. They are the muscles of the build. Again, take into consideration this is a Respec build for a level 40+ Ice/Ice tank, though it could be possible to play this build from level 1.

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Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder - (http://sherksilver.coldfront.net/index.php)
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Name: Skeleton Build
Level: 50
Archetype: Tanker
Primary: Ice Armor
Secondary: Ice Melee
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01) --> Hoarfrost==> Empty(1) Empty(3) Empty(13) Empty(15) Empty(23) Empty(23)
01) --> Frozen Fists==> Empty(1) Empty(3) Empty(13) Empty(15) Empty(40) Empty(40)
02) --> Chilling Embrace==> Empty(2) Empty(37) Empty(50)
04) --> Frost==> Empty(4) Empty(5) Empty(5) Empty(25) Empty(25) Empty(40)
06) --> Air Superiority==> Empty(6) Empty(7) Empty(7) Empty(11) Empty(43) Empty(46)
08) --> Frozen Armor==> Empty(8) Empty(9) Empty(9) Empty(11)
10) --> Swift==> Empty(10)
12) --> Wet Ice==> Empty(12)
14) --> Fly==> Empty(14)
16) --> Health==> Empty(16) Empty(17) Empty(17) Empty(37) Empty(37)
18) --> Glacial Armor==> Empty(18) Empty(19) Empty(19) Empty(21)
20) --> Stamina==> Empty(20) Empty(21)
22) --> Ice Patch==> Empty(22)
24) --> Ice Sword==> Empty(24) Empty(31) Empty(31) Empty(31) Empty(34) Empty(34)
26) --> Energy Absorption==> Empty(26) Empty(27) Empty(27) Empty(36) Empty(36) Empty(36)
28) --> Freezing Touch==> Empty(28) Empty(29) Empty(29) Empty(33) Empty(33) Empty(34)
30) --> Permafrost==> Empty(30)
32) --> Hibernate==> Empty(32) Empty(33)
35) --> Build Up==> Empty(35)
38) --> Icicles==> Empty(38) Empty(39) Empty(39) Empty(39)
41) --> Ranged Epic A==> Empty(41) Empty(42) Empty(42) Empty(42) Empty(43) Empty(43)
44) --> Ranged Epic B==> Empty(44) Empty(45) Empty(45) Empty(45) Empty(46) Empty(46)
47) --> Target AoE Epic==> Empty(47) Empty(48) Empty(48) Empty(48) Empty(50) Empty(50)
49) --> Taunt==> Empty(49)
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01) --> Sprint==> Empty(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Empty(1)
01) --> Gauntlet==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Empty(2)
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Build Walkthrough:

**Defensive Powers:**

With the Defence portion of the build I focused on what I could get with the least amount of sacrifice. The first thing some people will notice is that I do not have the fighting pool in this build. I have always found the sacrifices in powers and slots to be greater than the benefit of Weave and Tough. Weave is a great power, no mistake, but you have to drop attacks or utility to get them. This will leave a build hole in offence. The amount of defence this build has is more then sufficient for anything you’d ever want to do. In the event of confronting an enemy with particularly high amounts of To Hit or Accuracy you should have at least one buffer/debuffer to increase your own survivability. The game is designed around this principle and no amount of griping can change that. Depending on the number of mobs around you your defence ranges from (roughly) 34.5 – 40%.

Without Accolades this build should be hitting the Maximum HP cap with Hoarfrost up. If you have Accolades, then you will hit the Max HP cap. This is (roughly) 3200 Hit Points. The purpose then of the large amount of +Max HP in the build is so that outside of Hoarfrost you have a greater amount of life to power all the +Regeneration.


Hoarfrost: The tradition thinking of Hoarfrost was as a tool to increase your HP for a short time and in doing so, increase your regeneration rate. This idea has been simply expanded by using set bonuses.

Inventions: Numina’s: Heal, Heal/End, Rech/End, Miracle: Heal, Rech/End, Heal/Rech/End.

Enhancement Bonus: 99 Heal, 91.1 End, 91.1 Recharge.

Set Bonuses: +2.5% Recovery, +1.88% Max HP (x2), +12% Regeneration


Chilling Embrace : It is well known that CE is the best agro aura in the game bar none. Chilling Embrace offer you some choice in what you want. It is also where the needed slots will be coming from depending on what mastery you want. The best thing about CE is that it can be made into a second damage aura to compliment Icicles.

Inventions: Common End Rdx, Pace of the Turtle: Chance for Recharge Reduction, Impeded Swiftness: Chance for Smashing.

No Set Bonuses.


Swift Swift, I rather like this power. Not much else to say. You can put what you wan here, either a +Run or +Fly. Another choice is one of the +Stealth Inventions. Since it is a passive the stealth will be always active. However, this also means the stealth visual effect will always be on.

No Set Bonuses.


Frozen Armour and Glacial Armour : Your defence toggles. Since you’ll be running them always in battle you’re going to be getting some nice effects out of them. You might notice that your +Def bonus to the powers is a little lower then before. Don’t worry though. Energy Absorption will make up the difference, and then some. Also, there are some rather beefy set bonuses in these two powers. Also, while both powers are on you’ll be giving yourself a +15% recharge speed bonus. Not to shabby.

Inventions: Luck of the Gambler: Def/End, Def, Def/End/Rech, +Recharge Speed.

Enhancement Bonus: 54.2 Def, 47.7 End, 21.2 Recharge.

Set Bonuses: +10% Regeneration, +1.13% Max HP, +3.13% Acc.


Wet Ice Meh, it’s Wet Ice, not much to say or do. Put an End Reduction in it and call it a day.

No Set Bonuses.


Health : Health is the single most important and powerful passive in City of Heroes now, bar none. Expect a nerf to Health or the inventions that can be put in it, they are that good. Health is a monster, a diva, and is simply incredible. Off the top of my head I can’t remember the exact bonus to Regeneration Health will be giving you, but it is insane.

Inventions: Numina’s Convalescence: Heal, Heal/End, +Recover/+Regeneration (Unique), Miracle: Heal, +Recovery.

Enhancement Bonus: 96 Heal.

Set Bonuses: +12% Regeneration, +1.88% Max HP, +2.5% Recovery.


Stamina : Sorry Stamina, but your day in the sun is over. 2 End Modifications here and move along.

No Set Bonuses.


Ice Patch : Used to be 2 Recharge Reductions were used in Ice Patch, now you just need one. Moving on.

No Set Bonuses.


Energy Absorption : Once upon a time Energy Absorption was used for mostly endurance recovery. Some people slotted it for that little extra defence, but it was a less common to do so and opinion was divided on the issue. With inventions the debate can probably be put to rest. Energy Absorption is for Defence. It is also for Accuracy and Recharge speed. Rubbing your eyes to see if that is a typo? Nope, you read right. Energy Absorption is for Accuracy and Recharge Speed as much as Endurance Recovery and Defence.

Inventions: Luck of the Gambler: Def/Rech, End/Rech, Def/End/Rech, +Recharge Speed, Kismet: +Accuracy (Unique), Def/Rech.

Enhancement Bonus: 40.8 Def, 47.7 End, 94.4 Rech

Set Bonuses: +10% Regeneration, +1.13% Max HP, +3.13 Acc, +1.5% Recovery


Hibernate : The panic button of the build. As a general rule it will recharge faster than you will need to use it. Slotting Miracle in Hibernate gives a small amount of +Recovery, and more HP. You’ll also be able to re-enter the fight faster.

Inventions: Miracle: End/Rech, Heal/Rech

Enhancement Bonus: 26.5 Heal, 26.5 End, 53 Rech.

Set Bonuses. +2.5 Recovery.


Permafrost: An often underestimated power, Permafrost has always found a special place in my heart and builds. Good without any additional slots, Permafrost has gotten a lot better with inventions. The cold resistance is superfluous, the fire resistance minimal, but the –slow resistance is handy, especially against caltrops. Furthermore Permafrost can use the +3% Defence All proc. For an Ice tank that 3% is nothing to sneeze at.

Inventions: Steadfast Protection: Res/+Defence

Enhancement Bonus: +3% Defence All

No Set Bonuses.


**Attack Powers:**

Ice Melee is the weakest tank set for damage, that is a well known fact. As mentioned earlier Greater Ice Sword is actually a hinderence to DPM. The idea behind the slotting used is to use as many fast activating powers as quickly as possible. This is in order to get as many activations of your Procs as possible. Every single target mellee attack has two different Procs slotted. The reason behind this is that on it’s own Ice Melee probably has the worst single target damage. Each melee attack will have two 20% chances of a little extra damage shoring up this hole as much as possible. It might not be particularly ‘fun’ though.


Frozen Fists, Air Sup and Ice Sword : These three powers comprise the bulk of your attack power, and once slotted, have some interesting abilities. An odd state of affairs if compared to other secondary sets, but there you have it. They do good damage on their own, but also have a chance each attack of doing a little extra Lethal and Negative Energy damage. Compared to standard HO slotting the powers are individually weaker in enhancement bonuses, but this is more then made up by the set bonuses.

Inventions: Mako’s Bite: Acc/Dam, Dam/Rech, Acc/Dam/End/Rech, Chance for Lethal. Touch of Death: Acc/Dam/End, Chance for Negative Energy.

Enhancement Bonus: 64.3 Acc, 90.8 Dam, 37.8 End Reduction, 45 Recharge

Set Bonuses: 2.75% Resistance to Immob, 3.3 % Resistance to Immob, +1.5% Max HP, +3% Damage


Frost Good old Frost. This power can take some skill to get the most out of it. Still, it is probably your best attack excepting your Mastery. Frost is also one of the few powers that will be taking a complete set.

Inventions: Positron’s Blast: Acc/Dam, Dam/End, Dam/Rech, Dam/Range, Acc/Dam/End, Chance for Energy Damage.

Enhancement Bonus: 47.7 Acc, 99.1 Dam, 26.5 End, 26.5 Rech, 15.9 Range.

Set Bonuses: +2.5% Recovery, +1.58% Fire/Cold Res, +3.13% Acc, +6.25% Recharge, +3.12% Toxic Res.


Build-Up : Recharge Invention. Yes, no other slots, =O_O=. Why? Well, look at the set bonuses from other powers, as well as some of the other Inventions. Hitting things is not a problem. As for having the damage buff up more often, well, we have the +recharge for that, plus, the slots are needed elsewhere to get all those bonuses.

No Set Bonuses.

Frozen Touch : Frozen Touch is slotted the same as your other Melee attacks. However, as a special consideration considering that it is a hold, you can swap out the Touch of Deaths for a Ghost Widow’s Chance of Psionic Damage and a Crushing Impact Acc/Dam. This will slightly increase the Acc and Dam of Frozen touch but will drop the 2.75% immob resistance set bonus, which isn’t much of a loss.

Inventions: Mako’s Bite: Acc/Dam, Dam/Rech, Acc/Dam/End/Rech, Chance for Lethal. Touch of Death: Acc/Dam/End, Chance for Negative Energy.

Enhancement Bonus: 64.3 Acc, 90.8 Dam, 37.8 End Reduction, 45 Recharge

Set Bonuses: 2.75% Resistance to Immob, 3.3 % Resistance to Immob, +1.5% Max HP, +3% Damage


Icicles : The enhancement bonuses for Icicles is less then what a standard HO or SO build will typically have, but they don’t have the set bonuses. The Lethal damage proc is also very helpful and makes killing mobs a lot faster.

Inventions: Scirocco’s Dervish: Acc/Dam, Dam/End, Acc/Dam/End, Chance for Lethal.

Enhancement Bonus: 47.7 Acc, 74.2 Dam, 47.7 End.

Set Bonuses: +10% Regeneration, +3.13% Negative Energy Resistance, +3.13% Acc.


Taunt : The last power of the build is in part a personal choice of mine, as well as adding some versatility to the games final two events for a level 50. I speak of course of the STF and Hamidon Raids. Taunt is better for both then relying on the agro auras because of the amount of Arch-villains and Monsters.

No Set Bonuses.


**Ancillary Masteries:**

The Ancillary Masteries are where we’ll be getting our only big hitting powers from, and in the grand scheme, they are not that big. But, we can also get a good deal of interesting set bonuses. Some people like to use Focused Acc and the Energy Mastery, but I don’t feel it is that necessary. This portion of the guide is designed to be able to be applies to any of the other three masteries.


Ranged Epics : Unless you take Energy mastery, the first two APP powers you pick should be ranged. Being ranged is very important as it lets the build fill in a couple weak spots, and specialize against a specific damage type. Damage is also the prime factor over the powers secondary effects. Immobilizes and Holds are common in the APPs, but this is more like a nice fringe benefit. Once slotted you should be very strong against opponents that use Energy type attacks, as well as able to fight a little longer thanks to the recovery bonus.

Inventions: Entropic Chaos: Acc/Dam, Chance to Heal Self. Thunderstrike: Acc/Dam, Acc/Dam/Rech, Acc/Dam/End, Dam/End/Rech.

Set Bonuses: +10% Regeneration, +2% Recovery, + 2.5% Energy Defence, +2.5% Acc.

Epic Target AoE : Sadly, there is a minor downside to the Target AoE, and that is a set bonus. In this case it is the +3.13% Acc bonus, but it would be the 6th Acc bonus of that amount, and after 5 identical bonuses they no longer stack. Don’t let this dissuade you however, in the scheme of things, it is rather minor.

Inventions: Positron’s Blast: Acc/Dam, Dam/End, Dam/Rech, Dam/Range, Acc/Dam/End, Chance for Energy Damage.

Set Bonuses: +2.5% Recovery, +1.58% Fire/Cold Res, +3.13% Acc, +6.25% Recharge, +3.12% Toxic Res.


TOTAL SET BONUSES

Regeneration: +112% (not including the Procs in Health)
Recovery: 18% (not including the Procs in Health)
Max HP: +14.65%
Accuracy: + 17.52 (not including Proc in Energy Absorption)
Damage: +12%
Recharge: +12.5% (not including Proc in Energy Absorption)
Immob duration reduction: 24.75%
Energy Defence: +5%
Fire/Cold Res: 3.16%
Neg Energy Res: 3.13%
Toxic Res: 6.26%