Hi Tenacious T!
I will try to help as best i can:
1st: Why no gloom? I <3 Gloom, it is awesome, smart and sexy! It fires fast, and does lots-o-damage, and has a cool flying-skull-is-coming-to-kill-you animation!
In my opinion, you should never slot Dark Blast attacks as anything other than attacks (i.e. Acc/Dam/end/rech to taste). To-hit debuff enhancements are schedule b, like resist enhancers. Tenebrous Tenatacles has ~9% to-hit debuff, fully slotted thats gets to ~14%. However, it stacks, why not just shoot twice and get ~18% to-hit debuff and also do more damage?
Fearsome Stare is your opener, you use it first, and then go into your attack chain (Dont forget tarpatch!). The only reason to not open with FS is if you are pulling with DN or opening with Howling Twilight. Remember that FS has a to-hit debuff that is equal to Darkest Night's, and also that it can critical fear for an extra 1 mag to catch that boss sometimes.
Blackstar is up to you, I like it and have it but use it rarely.
Dark Servent (Fluffy) dosent really get as much from recharge as he did just a few short weeks ago...<sniffles>
Anyway, slot him for to-hit debuff first, then hold or heal depending on what you want from him, and throw an acc in too. It helps.
I am on the fence about hasten, one of my 50's has it, the other does not... It is really up to you, but remember that SS and Shadowfall = invisibility in PvE play.
Recall is useful for throwing fluffy into a mob so he debuffs maximally, and for porting the scrapper who never dies on the pile of blasters in the corner to make that aoe rezz more fun.
I like leadership on any defender, but on my darks, i dont use manuevers because im so overkill on the to-hit buff on anything that isnt an AV or 6 levels over me that 5% defense isnt really that useful to me. I perfer assault, but im an offender at heart.
Anyway, I hope some of this is useful and/or helpful.
IF you find yourself on Liberty, look me up, I'm happy to help new Dark's to a greater appreciation of the awesome power of the netherworld!
Penguin of Death 50 Ice/Cold/Scorp Corr
Kittyklysm 50 Fire/Fire/Flame Blaster
Shattered Illusions 50 Illusion/Storm/Ice Controller
Wicked Vixen 50 Warshade
Mystic Vixen 50 Fire/Cold/Dark Corr
A lot of the cool kids are slotting def buffs into Shadowfall. If you poke the numbers for a bit, recognize that -ToHit and +def stack, and throw in the +def unique from the resistance set, you'll realize that you can reach completely silly levels of safety relying on Fearsome Stare, Fluffy, blasts, and small amounts of defense that quickly add up.
Which means you won't have to use Darkest Night for most fights. Which leaves you with more end and more time for punching mobs in the face.
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I know that I won't be a blaster. Do I want to put Acc Debuff in things like Dark Blast/Tentacles/Nightfall?
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Honestly, I don't advise this. It's just not that great an effect over and above what it does normally when stacked with itself and all your other toHit debuffs. If you absolutely don't want to slot these powers as attacks then I'd recommend instead focusing on recharge and maybe end reduction so that you can spam them faster to stack their inherent debuffs higher.
I'm most comfortable advising that you treat them as attacks. It's not like doing full damage with them is a bad thing. On that note, Gloom is your best single-target attack. If you ever imagine that you might be solo, having all four of Dark Blast, Goom, TT and Night Fall and slott them as attacks is going to be your most comfortable offensive arrangement. Dark/Dark does solo well among Defenders, IMO.
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How do you use Fearsome Stare nowadays? If I'm going to use other cone powers & Darkest Night, is it best to include it toward the end of an attack chain?
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Putting FS at the end of the attack chain denies you its primary benefits. It causes foes to only attack in retaliation to being attacked, but it causes them to do so at a lower rate than normal. (They don't attack back every time they're attacked.) It's a decent toHit debuf, meaning they're more likely to miss when they do attack. Finally, it allows foes to be left for later, as a foe that isn't molested won't attack at all. Sometimes they will flee, however, if low on health or otherwise debuffed, depending on the particular foe's AI.
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Is Blackstar worth it now that you can use it in conjunction with something like Dark Consumption?
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You won't be able to trigger DC, because you'll be out of end. You can always pop a blue to get enough end to use it. I'm not a fan of nukes on Defenders in general, even though I play "offenders". I don't like being sapped of end, since it stops me from doing anything else. However, if you think you can use something like DC to meaningfully counter the sap, or you just really want to debuff the bejesus out of stuff in a big PBAoE, Blackstar doesn't suck. Just don't forget that it doesn't just drain your end, it also applies a massive -recovery debuff for a short time.
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What's the recommended slotting for Dark Servant now? I'm assuming +Rech is a big one.
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Dark Servant is "perma" with no recharge slotting, and recent global pet changes mean his own powers cannot benefit from any recharge buffs. The only reason to slot him for recharge is if he dies (or you zone) before the normal expiry. His most potent ability is his toHit debuff. I second the recommendation to slot him for toHit first, and either hold or heal, as your preference. It tend to slot him for mez, as I don't usually rely on him being in range to heal me. His AI has been changed recently and he is more prone to run into melee. This is a mixed blessing, as he is now better about debuffing foes, but also somewhat more prone to bite off more than he can chew.
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Do I want hasten? Do I want Recall? I'm not sure about extra power pools. I think Tactics would be handy, but I'm not sure.
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I am a huge fan of Hasten, but it's not required. Dark Miasma is made very much more effective with more recharge, since a lot of its main powers are clicks and not toggles. Getting those clicks back faster is always better.
I also have Tactics. The Leadership pool's benefits are strongest in the hands of a Defender. Dark Blast has no "Aim" or similar power to boost toHit, so Tactics is a manageable substitute. Either Maneuvers or Assault are reasonable to take as prerequisites. Maneuvers' +def indirectly stacks well with your many sources of -toHit, but Assault can be run with no investment in slots.
I don't have Recall, but there are times it would be nice to have for positioning Fluffy or getting a defeated ally in place for a rez. I think it's a good choice for a Dark Miasmist, even though I don't use it.
I do recommend the fitness pool for Stamina. Even though Defenders get an inherant that makes their endurance costs lower if teammates are harmed, the way I usually play Dark Miasma on a team is proactive and essentially mitigates the benefit of my own inherent by preventing lots of potential damage to my team.
Blue
American Steele: 50 BS/Inv
Nightfall: 50 DDD
Sable Slayer: 50 DM/Rgn
Fortune's Shadow: 50 Dark/Psi
WinterStrike: 47 Ice/Dev
Quantum Well: 43 Inv/EM
Twilit Destiny: 43 MA/DA
Red
Shadowslip: 50 DDC
Final Rest: 50 MA/Rgn
Abyssal Frost: 50 Ice/Dark
Golden Ember: 50 SM/FA
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I do know that I don't want to use Gloom and I probably won't use Moonbeam either. I want to go the debuffer route
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Gloom is a great power, and so is Moonbeam. Dark being what it is, it's perfectly safe to use moonbeam mid combat. One of my builds has moonbeam and both have gloom.
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1) I know that I won't be a blaster. Do I want to put Acc Debuff in things like Dark Blast/Tentacles/Nightfall?
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Although you're not a blaster or blaster level damage, you still have blasterish powers and should be treated as such. You may come to realize once you've cast all your alpha busters and any toggles running that you have nothing to cast except for attacks. That's where your cones, dark blast, gloom and moonbeam come into play. Like it was said above me, slot these for damage or recharge, not -to-hit. I put a positron's blast-chance for energy damage in each of the target aoe's and love it. I know you might not have the influence for those but it's worth noting.
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2) How do you use Fearsome Stare nowadays? If I'm going to use other cone powers & Darkest Night, is it best to include it toward the end of an attack chain?
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I open with this, using Darkest Night if I want to pull more mobs to the group or on a tough mob. I also slot Fearsome Stare for -to-hit, not fear. My tactic is to open with FS, lay down a tar patch on the highest concentration of mobs then line up cones for Tentacles and Nightfall.
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3) Is Blackstar worth it now that you can use it in conjunction with something like Dark Consumption?
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Blackstar is fun but optional. I have it in one of my builds but don't use it often, mainly if I feel like using it because I want to see the animation, not out of need. But you can use this as a closer, or after a group rez to buy team members more time to get their toggles running.
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4) What's the recommended slotting for Dark Servant now? I'm assuming +Rech is a big one.
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Again, I slotted for -to-hit, it's fluffy's biggest asset. With the new pet AI, he'll charge into melee, or you can summon him into melee.
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5) Do I want hasten? Do I want Recall? I'm not sure about extra power pools. I think Tactics would be handy, but I'm not sure.
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Hasten is nice. Yep, SS and shadowfall = invis. I have both Assault and Tactics team build (but no hasten, ;p). However, now you're running into several toggles, which can be a problem if you don't slot for end reduction AND/or IO bonuses for +max endurance.
One thing I would like to add about Recall Friend is although I don't have it in either of my current builds, it is a nice tool when you want to rez everyone at once on those disaster pulls and you're the only one left standing. It's a bit of a novelty and sure if and when that happens and you raise everyone back from the dead and shower you with praises but complain about how ridiculously overpowered Dark Miasma is, you'll find yourself becoming a taxi for the lazy bums. The reason I don't have it currently is because I hardly experience an event I foresee which will require me to rez everyone in the group. Usually it's 2 or 3 squishies who are next to each other at the feet of a steam punk boss.
Thank you all very much for the replies! It seems like you're all saying very similar things, and after thinking about it, I came up with this:
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/
[u]Click this DataLink to open the build![u]
Shadowed Sentinel 2: Level 40 Mutation Defender
Primary Power Set: Dark Miasma
Secondary Power Set: Dark Blast
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Teleportation
Power Pool: Leadership
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- Acc(A), Acc(3), Heal(3), Heal(5), Heal(23), EndRdx(37)
Level 1: Dark Blast -- Acc(A), Acc(7), Dmg(11), Dmg(11), Dmg(31)
Level 2: Darkest Night -- ToHitDeb(A), ToHitDeb(17), ToHitDeb(17), EndRdx(39)
Level 4: Gloom -- Acc(A), Acc(5), Dmg(7), Dmg(19), Dmg(33), EndRdx(37)
Level 6: Swift -- Run(A)
Level 8: Tar Patch -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(9), RechRdx(9)
Level 10: Shadow Fall -- ResDam(A), ResDam(21), ResDam(21), EndRdx(39)
Level 12: Fearsome Stare -- ToHitDeb(A), ToHitDeb(13), ToHitDeb(13), Acc(36), Acc(36), RechRdx(36)
Level 14: Hasten -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(15), RechRdx(15)
Level 16: Howling Twilight -- RechRdx(A), EndRdx(40)
Level 18: Tenebrous Tentacles -- Acc(A), Acc(19), EndRdx(37)
Level 20: Night Fall -- Acc(A), Acc(23), Dmg(27), Dmg(27), Dmg(34), EndRdx(34)
Level 22: Health -- Heal(A)
Level 24: Stamina -- EndMod(A), EndMod(25), EndMod(25)
Level 26: Petrifying Gaze -- Acc(A), Acc(29), Hold(29), Hold(31), Hold(31), RechRdx(39)
Level 28: Super Speed -- Run(A)
Level 30: Recall Friend -- Range(A)
Level 32: Dark Servant -- ToHitDeb(A), ToHitDeb(33), ToHitDeb(33), EndRdx(34), EndRdx(40)
Level 35: Assault -- EndRdx(A)
Level 38: Tactics -- EndRdx(A), ToHit(40)
Level 41: [Empty]
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Run(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx(A)
Level 1: Vigilance
Looking better?
I'd like to go against the grain with one of the points from above.
There isn't anything bad about slotting tohit debuff in any of your single target blasts. I think you had it exactly right with the "I'm not a blaster" mentality, but of course, I prefer a de-fender to an offender. It's more endurance efficient to stick to dark blast and gloom when you get down to 1 or 2 enemies, especially if you ever run around solo, so why not toss some debuff action in there? And the tohit debuff that you can pile on using them in TT, Nightfall, and Blackstar is quite awesome. Now, don't get me wrong. Later on, when you've got the slots for it, sure! Pop all the red in there that you'd like. 
Couple things about the build. In my opinion, two slots for accuracy in your attacks is an overkill. Something else could go there... perhaps some ummm, dare I say, tohit debuff?
Hasten? Love it. Leadership pool? I don't care for it.
The end reduction in Gloom probably isn't necessary. You won't be tossing it enough to give you endurance problems, and you've got stam anyway.
If you slot your Servant a little different, it will probably free up some slots for ya. Give him some +hold and +immob on top of that -tohit and you can slot your own PG and TT in a different manner that may prove useful. That's just a preference thing I think though. I depend on my fluffy to help me lock stuff down, others may not. *shrug*
You're more than likely going to want a Fear enhancement in FS. With just the one recharge and no +fear, it will probably break on you. I roll with (2) +fear, (1) acc, (2) +rech, (1) tohit debuff.
That's all I got. Have fun.
Thank you for the feedback, Relikk . I appreciate it. You've definitely given me some interesting things to think about. I'm not exactly sure if I want to be more of an asset to a team or if I want to try to solo. I mostly play blasters so it might be more fun to try to be more defender than offender for once.
Greetings, Defenders! My very first character going all the way back to CoH Open Beta was a Dark/Dark Defender. I played him for about 2 years, got him up to 34, and lost interest. I'm thinking about coming back to him, but I realize how little I know about how to play him!
My previous build was an outdated hodgepodge of SOs that isn't even worth mentioning. I do know that I don't want to use Gloom and I probably won't use Moonbeam either. I want to go the debuffer route, and I don't think I'll be able to afford any IO sets any time soon. Here's some initial questions:
1) I know that I won't be a blaster. Do I want to put Acc Debuff in things like Dark Blast/Tentacles/Nightfall?
2) How do you use Fearsome Stare nowadays? If I'm going to use other cone powers & Darkest Night, is it best to include it toward the end of an attack chain?
3) Is Blackstar worth it now that you can use it in conjunction with something like Dark Consumption?
4) What's the recommended slotting for Dark Servant now? I'm assuming +Rech is a big one.
5) Do I want hasten? Do I want Recall? I'm not sure about extra power pools. I think Tactics would be handy, but I'm not sure.
Thanks very much for your help! Any advice, even minor thoughts, are greatly appreciated.
EDIT: Here's something quick & dirty I came up with. I have no idea if this is heading in a decent direction or not.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/
[u]Click this DataLink to open the build![u]
Shadowed Sentinel: Level 34 Mutation Defender
Primary Power Set: Dark Miasma
Secondary Power Set: Dark Blast
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leadership
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- Acc(A), Acc(3), Heal(3), Heal(5)
Level 1: Dark Blast -- Acc(A), Acc(5), ToHitDeb(9), ToHitDeb(9)
Level 2: Darkest Night -- ToHitDeb(A), ToHitDeb(7), ToHitDeb(7), EndRdx(11)
Level 4: Tar Patch -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(15), RechRdx(17)
Level 6: Hover -- Flight(A), Flight(25), Flight(25)
Level 8: Howling Twilight -- RechRdx(A)
Level 10: Shadow Fall -- EndRdx(A), ResDam(11), ResDam(34), ResDam(34)
Level 12: Fearsome Stare -- Acc(A), Acc(13), Fear(13), Fear(15), Fear(31), RechRdx(34)
Level 14: Fly -- Flight(A)
Level 16: Tenebrous Tentacles -- Acc(A), Acc(17), Immob(29), Immob(29)
Level 18: Petrifying Gaze -- Acc(A), Acc(19), Hold(19), Hold(23)
Level 20: Night Fall -- Acc(A), Acc(21), Dmg(21), Dmg(23), Dmg(31), EndRdx(31)
Level 22: Swift -- Flight(A)
Level 24: Health -- Heal(A)
Level 26: Stamina -- EndMod(A), EndMod(27), EndMod(27)
Level 28: Maneuvers -- DefBuff(A)
Level 30: Tactics -- ToHit(A)
Level 32: Dark Servant -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(33), RechRdx(33), EndRdx(33)
Level 35: [Empty]
Level 38: [Empty]
Level 41: [Empty]
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx(A)
Level 1: Vigilance