Making of an "Action Boy"

Extor_Prime · 07-10-2009 07:20 AM

I already have a fully pimped-out Ill/Rad and a fully pimped out En/En blaster, so I know what it's like to be a god and a glass cannon.

For some reason, I've been itching to create a character that is a bit more directly involved in a fight. Maybe because every so often I feel as if my decoys and Phantasm are doing my job for me.

Now here's my problem.

It's got to be a hero.

I don't really dig melee-heavy characters, so scrappers and tankers are out. I want to avoid a pet-heavy AT as well.

Lastly, I want a character that will eventually be AWESOME at something (money isn't an object at this point). Either awesome at beating up large crowds, or cracking hard targets alone.

Would PB or WS fit the bill? Or should I try a Defender perhaps?

DoktorMechaniker · 07-10-2009 07:40 AM

Go for WS. Especially if you can do the IO business, it'll be disgusting the amount of awesome you can pump out.

@Mechaniker
Official Old Angry German Guy of CoV.
My Characters: http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=247787

Winterminal · 07-10-2009 07:53 AM

Well, "directly involved in a fight" screams melee, but it sounds like you want to avoid Tankers, Scrappers, and even "Blappers." As for the Kheldians, well... Peacebringers have some kick-butt melee moves (and that's NOT including Dwarf form). I would skip the Peacebringer if you don't like to brawl.

As for Warshades, it is possible to build a human-only or 2-form (human and Nova) character, since most Umbral Blast moves are ranged, and you can be quite deadly at later levels. But beating up large crowds or cracking hard targets alone? I'd say not until the end of your career, and with a very carefully thought-out build.

You can try a Defender, but I would say your best bet is probably Kin(or Storm)/Sonic. If you plan to do what you are talking about, you will need the a debuffing set, and Sonic blast comes with the handy -DEF debuffs with each attack, not to mention a very effective AoE sleep that makes soloing much more tolerable. But again, you are a defender, so things will be slow-going for a little while due to the lower damage output.

Personally I think you are making things harder for yourself by avoiding melee characters, since many of those powersets can be quite fun. But those are my suggestions.

@Winter. Because I'm Winter. Period.

I am a blaster first, and an alt-oholic second.

LordXenite · 07-10-2009 08:49 AM

Both a TriFormPB or a TriFormShade, can be quite inexpensive and yet offer fun gameplay aspects in all three forms allowing you to do some AoE carnage and have a go at hard targets. If INF is no object, just sprinkle purples all around and you'd be laughing maniacally with every AoE executed.

I believe that a Kheldian Gold Standard should be based on SO's, and for anything above that... there's Platinum!

Save Ms. Liberty (#5349) � Augmenting Peacebringers � The Umbra Illuminati

AkuTenshiiZero · 07-10-2009 12:28 PM

I have found /Storm to be very good for being in the action while avoiding melee combat. It may just be my playstyle, but I'm always running around in the enemy ranks causing all manner of chaos.

The off-beat space pirate...Capt. Stormrider (50+3 Elec/Storm Science Corruptor)
The mysterious Djinn...Emerald Dervish (50+1 DB/DA Magic Stalker)
The psychotic inventor...Dollmaster (50 Bot/FF Tech Mastermind)

Virtue Forever.

DrMike2000 · 07-10-2009 05:50 PM

If you're looking at Defenders, Sonic Blast pretty much trumps eveything due to the stacking -Res. The AoEs arent spectacular, but with the -res in Howl dont do as little damage as they first appear to.

May I suggest Dark/Sonic?
Its a great combination of safety from your primary and surprisingly good offence once you've built up some -Res on a hard target.
You'll have superb crowd control between your debuffs (which have a much larger radius than Rad's), your Dark Servants debuffs, Fearsome Stare and Sirens' Song, so fighting off 20 enemies and surviving isnt a problem either.

You have one pet, but he does hardly any damage, hes very much a support system rather than a glory-hog like Illusion pets.

Leo_G · 07-10-2009 08:55 PM

[ QUOTE ]
May I suggest Dark/Sonic?

[/ QUOTE ]

QFT.

You tank. You control. You kill.

Schismatrix · 07-11-2009 07:36 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
May I suggest Dark/Sonic?

[/ QUOTE ]

QFT.

You tank. You control. You kill.

[/ QUOTE ]
i've become rather fond of my Dark/Ice Defender. Who also tanks, controls and kills.

Dr. Todt's theme.
i make stuff...

filcher · 07-14-2009 12:25 PM

Human-only PB. I took 1 to 50 and it plays like a blapper but with damage resistance and a self heal. You can shore up some of your mez issues w/IO's and by having a couple of controllers on your team, oh and carry BF's.

FallenValkyrja · 07-14-2009 12:58 PM

I recently started a TriForm WS and I have been having so much that I have leveled her to Level 23 in no time at all. Once you have your binds in place and practice some different tactics, you will rock the map.