Alternatively, you can skip the shields altogether if you don't want to be a buffbot and get the rez. That's what I did and I don't regret it. However, you WILL have endurance problems if you're acting as the teams main healer and controller, *especially* if you're using the rez so keep that in mind.
I am also thinking ahead to buffing the crap out of Poo-Man 
I would consider a build that skips Thermal and Plasma Shield to be a bit on the fringe. I'm not saying it can't be done, but I think Thermal's best feature is the ability to have both heals and shields. The heals go a *lot* further when the team is taking 20% less damage. Thermal lacks the big bubbles of Sonic and FF and the +Recovery of Empathy, making up for it by offering both shields and heals in one package. Neither the shield or heal alone is all that great, but together they are quite powerful. Your mileage may vary, however.
The reason I advise skipping the rez instead is that it is the single most endurance heavy power available to a Controller (it costs a staggering 49.5 endurance and has a base 300 second recharge). The "nuke" aspect of the power is kind of neat, but rarely practical, and almost never worth 1/2 your endurance. Empaths simply seem to do rezz better; which is fine, because there are a lot of other great powers available to a Thermal.
[ QUOTE ]
Alternatively, you can skip the shields altogether if you don't want to be a buffbot and get the rez. That's what I did and I don't regret it. However, you WILL have endurance problems if you're acting as the teams main healer and controller, *especially* if you're using the rez so keep that in mind.
[/ QUOTE ]
If you don't want to take the shields, then don't take thermal or just solo or pick a non-buffing AT. Roll an /emp if you just want to heal.
Truth is everything in thermal is good and worthy of taking. Only power I would think skipping as an option is the rez (or put off til 49 like I did) given that with inspiration combining rezz's aren't near as important as they used to be. They are helpful on high level TFs and raids, thus why I took it at 49. Thermal builds are tight, but that's because they are so good.
@Mental Maden @Maden Mental
"....you are now tackle free for life."-ShoNuff
QR
Here's the thing about Ice/Storm--you don't have to use all your powers, all the time. In fact, you really shouldn't. You pick & choose which combos are best for the situation at hand.
Need a leadoff? Ice Slick + Freezing Rain, both cast around a corner for zero return fire. Wanna do damage? AA, Frostbite, Tornado, Lt Storm. Got a corner? Add Hurricane. Wanna debuff? Hurricane (in a circle, or corner) and FR, Shiver, Snow Storm, whatever. Wanna stun bosses? Thunderclap & Tornado. Wanna slow things into oblivion? Um... pretty much, everything works for that. Need a lockdown? You still have Glacier. Wanna defend an area, keep things away from squishies? Hurricane, FR, AA, Gale, Lt Storm. Positioning? Hurricane & Gale. AV fight? Tornado, FR, Lt Storm. You even have O2 boost for spot heal/buffs.
Early on in your life, you'll use Ice Slick a lot, and you'll love it to pieces. At 50, I hardly touch the power, but it's still good to have around for taking the alpha around corners and such (which is to say, not taking the alpha at all). Ice/Storm is a bit of a challenge to play well, but once you get the hang of it, it's an incredibly powerful combo, *does* have synergy, and loads of fun. I've often said before that my Ice/Storm was the most fun I've had taking a controller to 50, and I still stand by that.
Nothing wrong w/the other combos in the OP's list either. Grav/Storm can do some interesting things w/Wormhold & Hurricane for positioning or WH & Thunderclap for stacked stuns and whatnot. Fire/Storm is a damage beast too, maybe rivaling Fire/Kin.
An Offensive Guide to Ice Melee
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Alternatively, you can skip the shields altogether if you don't want to be a buffbot and get the rez. That's what I did and I don't regret it. However, you WILL have endurance problems if you're acting as the teams main healer and controller, *especially* if you're using the rez so keep that in mind.
[/ QUOTE ]
If you don't want to take the shields, then don't take thermal or just solo or pick a non-buffing AT. Roll an /emp if you just want to heal.
Truth is everything in thermal is good and worthy of taking. Only power I would think skipping as an option is the rez (or put off til 49 like I did) given that with inspiration combining rezz's aren't near as important as they used to be. They are helpful on high level TFs and raids, thus why I took it at 49. Thermal builds are tight, but that's because they are so good.
[/ QUOTE ]
terrible idea to skip the rez...playing with mental you need it as quickly as possible cause she dies moar then ANYBODY!..lulz
<_<
>_>
*runs*
Actually, looking at Earth/Therm/Earth has me really interested.
I am also considering Earth/Rad/Earth.
How does a /Rad or /Therm do in pvp? With Therm the pet would be a beast and you have two really good debuffs. With Rad you also have good debuffs but the pet wouldn't be quite as powerful.
Scratch that last question. I team the majority of the team, but at heart I am selfish...and /Rad >>> /Therm in my mind for that (evn though flaming Poo-Man sounded exciting 
).
I appreciate all the replies. I have decided against Fire primary. I am really having trouble deciding between Grav and Ice though. I would choose Ice hands down...but I am afraid I will HATE JF. I really like the Singy though.
[ QUOTE ]
If you don't want to take the shields, then don't take thermal or just solo or pick a non-buffing AT. Roll an /emp if you just want to heal.
[/ QUOTE ]
But the heals in empath aren't as cool looking as thermals!
[ QUOTE ]
Scratch that last question. I team the majority of the team, but at heart I am selfish...and /Rad >>> /Therm in my mind for that (evn though flaming Poo-Man sounded exciting ).
I appreciate all the replies. I have decided against Fire primary. I am really having trouble deciding between Grav and Ice though. I would choose Ice hands down...but I am afraid I will HATE JF. I really like the Singy though.
[/ QUOTE ]
No reason at all to hate Jack Frost. He is a nice, fairly well behaved pet. He uses his hold frequently. He usually throws a snowball, then runs into melee with his Ice sword. He does good damage. He doesn't die all that often. I find he often will defeat foes while I'm not looking.
Personally, I prefer Ice over Grav. I have found the low levels on a Grav controller to be frustrating. It has a real lack of AoE control, and the one cool low level power, Propel, is a constant source of frustration on teams -- since teammates usually kill off the target before the animation ends. Still, some folks seem to love the Gravity set.
But for Ice, you get an effective AoE control at 12 with Ice Slick, and effective AoE control with Arctic Air. Yes, the damage is low, but if you are on teams, that doesn't matter as much.
LOCAL MAN! The most famous hero of all. There are more newspaper stories about me than anyone else. "Local Man wins Medal of Honor." "Local Man opens Animal Shelter." "Local Man Charged with..." (Um, forget about that one.)
Guide Links: Earth/Rad Guide, Illusion/Rad Guide, Electric Control
I've rolled about half of the all possible controller combinations and my ice/storm is still my favorite.
You are right that the AoE immobilizes cancel some of the goodness of ice slick but I don't look at it that way. I see that "lack of synergy" as a way to vary my strategy from mob to mob. It keeps the game very interesting.
She's lvl 45 now and I started her long before AE so I played through a lot of scenarios. In the early days (pre 30) ice slick and freezing rain were a great combo.
In a lot of the AE mishes, the pace is a lot faster. Sometimes I'll use a combination of Frostbite, Freezing Rain, Lightening Storm and hurricane to keep everyone bunched. Other times I may go retro and use the ice slick, freezing rain, hurricane combo.
The thing about ice slick is that it still works for enemies you may miss with your AoE imm/holds. After a while, your accuracy will be pretty high and your holds will work better but it's always good to have an ice slick underneath for those missed.
My recharges are fast enough where I can throw an ice slick, circle around to fire off a lightening storm, return to the other side and get another LS up before the ice is gone.
Ice/Storm gives you so many possibilities. It's not so much a lack of synergy, it's versatility of abilities. I love it!
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If you don't want to take the shields, then don't take thermal or just solo or pick a non-buffing AT. Roll an /emp if you just want to heal.
[/ QUOTE ]
But the heals in empath aren't as cool looking as thermals!
[/ QUOTE ]
this, and damn if it isn't an overall nifty looking set
No
Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo
I think you underestimate our fools, sir.
Why /duel is a bad idea
My stormie is grav/storm. I don't find the lack of -kb a problem because the tornado follows me around. I just go stand by the foes one by one and they get the life sucked out of them pdq. While this is happening I hold one and singy holds the other. I find the character to be pretty fun, with good damage along the way all of the way from the lowest levels. She does less damage than my illusion, plant, and fire controllers, but she shares honors with my illusion for being the most fun. It is the most fun after tornado though. My private little windstorm is fun to bounce around a mission.
I am thinking of doing what you said above without Stone Cages and take Stone Prison instead.
Basically strategy would be use Quicksand+(Stalagmites and/or Earthquake and/or Volcanic Gases).
This will be my first controller not Storm or Rad (either of which is a used to maintain the soft control of Illusion). I am hoping Earth by itself has enough "control" without needing a secondary or APP to glue it together (I am taking Ice APP...character is supposed to use all three elemental types).
For solo will use Stone Prison + Fossilize + Ice Blast + Stoney while everything else is bouncing around.