Share the Pain - A MM guide for Pain Domination
By
Contrarian,
Posted on: 2009-03-03 08:26 in Player Guides
Interesting guide. I took a sabbatical from the game for a bit and as yet have not rolled a PD Mastermind.
I may have to try it out now.
On Painbringer slotting: Ditch the EndMod and replace with Heal.
By the time PB is available, almost every character will have their End problems under control. If they don't the massive 800% base boost to recovery will be more than sufficient. (Perspective: SB is only +50% and it is enough for just about everything).
Enhancing the 500% regen up to 1000% (Instant Healing levels) will be a faaaaaar better invenstment, especially if you cast it on a pet where the survivability is more important than the recovery (Very few pets will burn through an entire end bar even without recovery boost).
Just my 2 cents, though. Otherwise a very nice guide. Good work.
On Suppress Pain, looking at the numbers and effects I'm reminded of Triage Beacon from /Traps. The main differences:
1. Mobility: SP moves with you, TB doesn't
2. Range: TB has a 40' range, but everyone must stay close, so no good on moving fights. SP has a 15' range. Not very large at all.
3. Healing: TB = 150% base, ~300% slotted, is noticeable on AV fights. SP = 200% base, ~400% slotted and I would assume even more noticeable on AV fights due to that extra 100% healing.
Of course, you'll be affecting fewer targets and you have to remain close unlike with TB where you can drop it and get out of the way. I still don't think it's a requirement, but what else are you going to take? An attack? Pff. 
If you can get End Mod to go over +1000% you can use it on blasters/corrupters with nukes--it lets them recover immediately after the nuke during the -1000% recovery period. They still crash but immediately start filling that bar again. That's pretty much the only reason I'd consider End Mod in Pain Bringer.
Pinnacle
Glowworm * Brrr * Lilinoe
Protector
Kid Trance * Ms. Impala * Red Helen
Virtue
Pooka Pete
I quite like Suppress Pain:
The heal effect isn't fabulous, but it's about 40ish% as strong as Nullify Pain.
The bubble isn't huge (36% the area of NP)
Multiply those two and you get it healing maybe 16% as much as Nullify Pain.
But that's not the whole story:
* As it's a regen boost I think higher Hit Point ATs (i.e. EVERYONE else) will benefit from it more, with Brutes getting probably 80% of NP out of it.
* If you can position your pets and the team can stick together the bubble's not a *bad* size.
* It's a Toggle, so it leaves you unrooted and free to chase the pets, heal, or shoot things (yep, I'm one of *those* MM players - I have to shoot things or I get bored).
* The self-regen boost is mostly unmolested by the Share Pain debuff, which only cancels the base regen.
* End usage is so low it's practically free, no reason to turn it off.
One of the best things about Suppress Pain is that it's a toggle that accepts +Recovery Procs from the the Miracle and Numina's sets. And if you are willing to spend the Inf even the Panacea Proc. With just a Miracle and Numina's Proc you can easily design a Staminaless MM build freeing up lots of power slots. With all the free powers slots I was able to s/l def soft cap and take an epic Resistance shield putting me close to Res Cap.
With the /pain 2ndary a tankermind approach works very well. Any dmg you take is distributed amongst your pets and between suppress pain and hitting Nullify Pain every once and while all the dmg just melts away. Soul Mastery is a great Epic in tandem with /pain as the Oppressive Gloom stuns many critters and keeps aggro from the rest focused onto you instead of your pets. Normally, the self-inflicted dmg from oppressive gloom is an issue but between bodyguard mode and suppress pain you won't even take dmg. (one exception is around much lower lvl critters where their low level in relation to you causes a massive dmg increase...)
But even the regen you get from Suppress Pain is very impressive. With HP bonuses and regen bonuses I was able to hit 20hp/sec Regen. Now to someone who has played brutes, tanks or stalkers that doesnt sound like much but you have to remember that in bodyguard mode with 5 pets you take 2/6ths of the dmg with your pets each taking 1/6th. So to get an idea of the relative effectiveness of Suppress Pain in BG mode that 20hp/s regen would be roughly equal to 60hp/s on a melee type toon...
Pain is easily one of the most survivable MMs sets I've played. It's main weakness I would say comes out when trying to solo AVs or GMs, since /pain doesn't have impressive debuffs you often just dont have the dmg you need...
[u]Sharing the Pain A Masterminds Guide to Pain Domination[u]
by Lipe82
Pain Domination (a.k.a /pain, pain dom., PD)is an original power set introduced on Issue 13. It has a sadistic theme on its concept, as characters learn to enjoy the pain inflicted on themselves (represented in-game as negative statuses) and manipulate it on their favor (as buffs and heals). A versatile support toolkit with an useful power for every situation your team gets into.
As Masterminds control their own team of henchmen, in their hands Pain Domination isnt only a great support kit for group missions and Strike Forces its also great for solo runs. And gets better: due to the Bodyguard mechanics of MMs, the self-inflicted pain damage/statuses are barely noticeable. The set has some self +DMG components also. MMs rarely use attacks of their own, but if they do it they still get to enjoy a damage boost on it.
Notice that this guide assumes familiarity with the Bodyguard mode for Masterminds and was designed from their perspective; most tactics here might not apply for other ATs that use Pain Domination as a Power Set.
[u]::Pain Domination General Overview[u]
Versatility Instead of focusing heavily on an aspect of survival (Like Force Fields Defense, Empathys Healing), Pain Domination has an interesting assortment of multi-functional powers, and most of them are great. You have a group heal, 2 kinds of targeted heal, a Mez-breaker, a +Regen PBAoE, buffs for allies, debuffs for enemies, and an ally resurrection. It really has a lot of what is needed for your group or your henchmen. It just does a lot of cool different things.
Active Secondary This is where play-style comes in to decide if PD is a good secondary for you. Some Masterminds get bored as they set up their buffs then sit and wait till their pets are done with the fight. Pain Domination is nothing like that, as you have to keep watching your allies to heal them, use a needed mez-breaker or buffs, debuff the right enemy, and so on. Pain Domination is a very active set requiring fast wits and management during every fight. No toggle-and-go here.
Frontline Support This set was designed for better results if you stay close to the main melee zone (or at least can hop in and out of it as needed), because many effects of this set are a PBAoE. Again, for a MM this isnt problem or risky, since that means youll stay on Bodyguard range, and makes easier to apply other PBAoE toggles such as Assault. Its just a difference for those used to the healer staying distant from the big fight scene.
The Mitigation Issue This is probably the biggest drawback of this set, thankfully, because its easy to come around this with little practice. The set provides NO Resistance or Defense. You have great healing, but whenever your target gets hit, it WILL hurt and thats specially true with the squishy ATs or Henchmen. That means you want your allies fully healed at all times, or you risk losing them if the next hit takes more damage than you can out-heal. You have plenty of healing tools to get on top of this.
The Stamina Question The set isnt specially Endurance hungry when well slotted, and as a MM you dont use much Endurance for attacks to begin with. For late levels, though, you want to be able to spam your heals. My advice is to get Stamina. If you have many toggles running (Sprint, Combat Jump, Assault, Maneuvers, Tactics, etc) or like using self powers (Primary or Pool Attacks, Hasten, etc), get it on your 20s. Otherwise you can delay it to somewhere after getting your Tier3 Henchmen (mid-30s). Regardless, for endgame content youll need it. Running out of Endurance for a set based on active powers pretty much nullifies the set altogether.
Carry Inspirations Now this is a fact for any supportive-role character, and even more so considering Pain Domination focus a team and not yourself. Your self-heal is very limited, however good control of henchman makes for that. But you have no means to get free from Mezzes, Holds, Stun and the like which will keep you from healing, turning you into a dead weight. Make sure you have some Break Free inspirations or these powers can severely cripple your performance past level 20 or so.
::[u]The Powers[u]
Nullify Pain
PBAoE Small Heal, Moderate Recharge (8s)
Enhancement Suggestion: 2-3 Heal, 0-2 Recharge, 1-2 End. Reduction
Avaliable: Lv 1
A first and mandatory power that rocks, healing you and every ally nearby. Its heal isnt a lot and its your only power to self-heal. But, since you have minions to take the heavier damage for you instead, this power fits as a glove for MMs. Its better used when the team is under AoE damage, or to heal split bodyguard damage on all henchmen with 1 click, or to heal that little bit without overdoing or wasting Endurance. Make sure you either get near your team or move them near to you when you use this.
This power is ridiculously great for Tankermind taunt an enemy with all minions on Bodyguard mode; the enemy hits you, damage is split between you and your henchmen, pop Nullify Pain and everyones good again. For that you want to slot 3 heals, recharge and endurance.
Soothe
Ally Moderate Heal, Fast Recharge (4s)
Enhancement Suggestion: 2-3 End. Reduction, 2-3 Heal, 0-1 Recharge
Avaliable: Lv 2
Your default healing power, which youll use throughout all your carrier. 2 Endurance Reduction enhancements are needed because its fairly Endurance hungry, a 3rd End. Red. Will have small returns however and is better filled with healing power. Its pretty fast on itself so 1 recharge should be all you need, if any (after all, you got 2 other healing powers). You cant use this power on yourself.
Share Pain
Ally Strong Heal, Slow Recharge (15s), Self + DMG (18%), minor Damage to self
Enhancement Suggestion: 2-3 Recharge, 2-3 Heals
Avaliable: Lv 4
A heavy heal (you cant use on yourself) that youll learn to [u]love[u]. It heals for a good amount of HitPoints, using nearly no endurance (0,5 per use). As youre sharing the pain it frenzies you adding 18% to your own damage (not your henchmen, your own attacks). As a tradeback, it inflicts you some damage (roughly 18% of your HP) as cost, and you are unable to heal yourself for about 15 seconds (not even from inspirations) after using it.
Now check this out: the self-inflicted damage gets split if you use it on Bodyguard mode. Therefore, this is nearly a godamn cost-free heavy heal for Masterminds if you have your minions on bodyguard mode before using it. Im not sure developers considered Bodyguard mode when they made this power.
Only problem here is if YOU are being heavily attacked when using it, because it will keep you from being healed (as in, if youre tanking and use this heal on someone, youre pretty much dead), or if you spam it so much that you eventually kill yourself... But honestly, you have other healing powers so you dont need to rely only on this, and as a Mastermind you wont be under heavy fire normally.
Conduit of Pain
Ally Rez, Self +DMG , +ToHit, +Recovery, +Recharge, Long Recharge (3m)
Enhancement Suggestion: 1 Endurance Reduction
Avaliable: Lv 10
Resurrects a fallen ally (not henchmen), AND buffs you with 22% dmg, 15% chance to hit, 175% endurance recovery, and 400% health regen for 1 minute, after which youll be weakened for 30 seconds.
Usually, a mastermind wont make a lot of use for these awesome self buffs, then again you shouldnt notice the weakened state affecting your performance as well, so it comes down to a Rez with tricks. This power is great for players that group a lot (since MMs arent easy to kill), but you can fit it on your build later. Only a strictly solo player should skip this power.
Also to note, this power has a very short range. Its useful for the mastermind to have Combat Jump activated so you can leap to your fallen comrade, revive him and jump away of the danger zone right away.
Enforced Morale
Ally break-free, +Perception, +Recharge, +Speed, Fast Recharge (4s)
Duration: 90s
Enhancement Suggestion: 0-1 Recharge Reduction, 0-1 Endurance Reduction
Avaliable: Lv 16
This power is great for MMs that seek to shine in groups, as it will free your teammates of nearly all stop effects such as stun, sleep, fear, etc. You can pop this power on targets before they get affected by such effects and theyll be protected for the duration of the power.
It has built-in bonuses also as noted above, but these buffs are fairly unnoticeable except for the +65% Perception (interesting for PvP or blind-happy mobs). Cant use it on yourself.
Recommended for those focusing on team-support role, at whichever level you can fit it into your build; if you prefer to solo or focus on other MM routines, you may skip this power.
Suppress Pain
Toggle, PBAoE +Regen
Enhancement Suggestion: 1-3 Heal
Avaliable: Lv 20
An aura that doubles the rate of your HP Regeneration (unslotted it gets over three times HP/Second if slotted properly) for you and your allies. The range isnt very big so you want to keep potential targets near you.
This power has a pretty low Endurance cost (0,2 per second), but its effects arent that much noticeable, except when applied on players who also focus +Regen as a part of their builds. It works better if stacked with Painbringer (last power on set). You can either skip this power altogether, or get it later, as around the 20s nobody really has a lot of +Regen buff to make this a noticeable buff.
World of Pain
PBAoE Buff, +DMG, +ToHit, +Resistance(all damage), Long recharge (4m)
Duration: 90s
Enhancement Suggestion: 0-2 ToHit Buff, 2-3 Recharge Reduction, 1-3 Resist Dmg
Avaliable: Lv 28
Amazing group buff with pretty decent values out of the box (12% extra damage, 11% Reduction from ALL kinds of damage and +7,5% ToHit) and they get even better when slotted properly. You should slot into whatever you feel that your henchmen or team is lacking, and fit in Recharge Reduction to keep it up as many times as possible.
Every Mastermind should get this, at least at later levels, as its damage resist properties will boost your Bodyguard mode even more, reason why 1 ResistDmg is mandatory, 2 optimal, and 3 if you have slots. Make sure henchman and teammates are around you when you pop it.
Anguishing Cry
PBAoE, Foe Resist Defense, Long Recharge (2m)
Duration: 30s
Enhancement Suggestion: 2 Acc, 2 Recharge, 0-1 Defense Debuff, 1-2 End Reduction
Avaliable: Lv 35
Another impressive power from this set, it reduces the enemies resistance AND defense against ALL types of damage by 22%. The area of effect of this power expands from your position, so for optimal use of this power you should have your enemies clustered and or taunted, get as close as possible to them, and use it. Its safer to switch to bodyguard mode when doing this, as youll take less returning fire if any, and because henchmen might lure their enemies near to you.
Notice that this power requires a ToHit check, so you want it slotted with +Acc enhancements as a priority.
Painbringer
Ally Buff, +DMG, +Regen, +Recovery, Long Recharge (5m)
Duration: 90s
Enhancement Suggestion: 3 Recharges (mandatory!), 1-3 End. Modification
Avaliable: Lv 38
Last Power on the set, gives some Damage bonus to your chosen target, while also pumping its Endurance Recovery and HP Regeneration. Lets see how this works.
The extra Damage is a bit more than the effect of a medium Red Inspiration, so it might not look so impressive at first. The Regeneration bonus unslotted is more than double the Suppress Pain value. As I said before, Regeneration isnt much of a lifesaver, but if you have both powers you can stack it for 7 times the normal HP/Second ratio (9 if slotted) of your target. Finally, with 3 Endurance Modification IO, the targets Endurance recovery skyrockets over 1500% (yes, 15 times the original End recovery rate).
The optimal usage of this power should be on a boss fight, on whoever is going to tank it, or on the highest damage dealer around, or on your Tier3 Henchmen (which will fit either or both the previous conditions).
Your build shouldnt be so tight that you need to skip this power, but if you run with a fixed group and have a Kinetics on it, that wouldnt hurt you much. However, if you join random groups a lot, or if youre attempting to solo bosses, this power becomes pretty much mandatory.
[u]::Last Comments[u]
Pain Domination is pretty interesting for Masterminds regardless of Primary. On the first levels, keeping squishy minions (as ninjas) healed with this might be annoying, but perfectly possible, and as you get more henchmen it stops being a concern at all specially as you slot Heals/Recharge on your Nullify Pain.
Any comments, critiques, suggestions are all very welcome and I ask you to do so, I'd like to hear how actually helpful this guide can be.
Regardless it was taken in consideration a good amount of data (and personal play style) involved on the usage of the set. Hope you can make the best use of it!
[b]©Lipe82, March 2009.
This guide was made based on Issue 13 with aid of Mids Villain Designer and well, beer.
- Dual Blades Stalker Guide
- Mastermind guide to Pain Domination