Masterminds tanking multiple Hero/Archvillains

I have been informed that Masterminds are capable of Tanking, or holding aggro, on multiple Heroes and/or Archvillains at the same time. Outside buffs are fine. Inspirations are great.

I want to see a Mastermind controlling the aggro of 2 or more Heroes/Archvillains. I want to see teammates in the area not being attacked. I want to see the Mastermind maintain that aggro long enough that the teammates can defeat the Heroes/AVs. I'd really like this shown in a Lord Recluse Strike Force situation.

I don't want to see a Brute or another melee toon come in and take the Heroes aggro. I don't want to see Dominators hold/sleep the AVs. I want to see the MASTERMIND hold/contain/control/maintain the aggro.

I'd really like to know how this works so I can do it myself.

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TO do this obviously you have to position your pets just so, and then you have to be sure you are well prepared resistance wise and buff wise, but yes, it is VERY possible to do this.

So long as you keep the pets out of AoE range, have mez protection buffs, aaaand a well slotted Provoke then you can indeed tank multiple AVs/Heroes.

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Do you have to spam a go to commend? Will the Pets hold position for a long period of time on their own?

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[ QUOTE ]
Do you have to spam a go to commend? Will the Pets hold position for a long period of time on their own?

[/ QUOTE ]


Ac tually the pets DO defy the go to command randomly. Yes you will have to keep an eye on them quite a bit, because otherwise one may run up and get AoE'd to hell and back.

It's vital you watch them, because each counts as about 10% resistance.

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Possible? Yes, though it's not easy and would get tedious. I could do it on my Bots / Traps by immobilizing both AVs with Web Grenades and alternating Challenge between them to keep them taunted. It would be a ton of clicking or tabbing though... immobilizing both near each other and using Provoke would be a bit easier.

As far as the damage goes, with 40% ranged defense and Bodyguard plus Triage Beacon, Aid Self, and Aid Other I doubt it would be a big deal. However, some AVs or Heroes can be real problems... Silver Mantis and her super-Caltrops that interrupt my heals, for instance. But as long as neither target has any odd tricks like autohit attacks, huge area ranged AoEs, or auto-interrupt patches and neither has extra immobilize protection I think it would be possible on my current build and I know it would be possible with fully softcapped ranged defense and some more +HP bonuses. Doing it with no inspirations would require a new build though... I have to use blues on AVs since I'm not running Stamina or any real +recovery.

(My Bots / Traps is only about a 50 to 100 million inf build... no purples, no uniques other than the pet auras, and mostly midrange sets. And he can already solo a fair number of AVs, much less just tank them. He doesn't even have all the +HP and +END accolades yet.)

With an extreme build, it might be possible to hold aggro on three AVs or Heroes if you can get a Brute or someone to bunch them up for you or use geometry to do so. The patron AoE immobilize plus Web Grenade should keep them still, and well slotted Provoke will keep them aggroed as long as they're next to each other... but that's a lot of incoming damage so you'd want all the accolades, massive defense, +HP and +regen, and probably some global recharge.

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Cascade, level 50 Blaster (NRG/NRG since before it was cool)
Mechmeister, level 50 Bots / Traps MM
FAR too many non-50 alts to name

[u]Arcs[u]
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Masterminds are a lot better at absorbing damage than they are at holding aggro. Provoke is really the main tool for that, but you've got to withstand the damage, not your pets, so it's all about Bodyguard and staying on top of the situation.

That being said, while a foe is taunted, your attacks will draw even more aggro, so that's at least one good use for those low damage attacks. I'm not sure a Tankermind could keep a Brute from stealing the aggro from him, but if he had a long period of time to build it up, maybe. (Unless the Brute used his own Taunt power)

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I've tanked and defeated multiple Heroes from the Mender Silos SF before. Best way to go is /Traps for the AoE debuffs, and /Mace so you have Scorpion Shield, Power Boost and Web Envelope, and of course Provoke. When I tried this I had Soft-capped S/L Defense, BG mode and Triage Beacon for my defenses(yes, no Aid Self ). I've respec'd out of that build since, but more than possible. Holding aggro from Brutes might not be possible since they deal more damage, have Punch-voke, and have Aggro auras, along with how the aggro system works not being in favor of Masterminds.

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