I recently respecced Sugar into ED, so I can make a few comments on the empathy side..
I'm not sure you need those end reductions on Healing Aura & Heal Other, I went for 3 heal/3 recharge on each and I don't have an end problem.
I've never slotted Absorb pain, one heal in there has always seemed enough to me, but then I avoid using it if I can, and treat it as a safety net.
You have 6 recharges on recovery aura - try 3 recharges/3 end mods - you'll be amazed how fast your end recharges after a RA cast, and you're not gaining much recharge time with those last 3 rechargers. I use AB with this slotting too - I use it really to catch someone who was missed by the RA, or someone who really eats the end to get them to the next RA cast.
I've only 3-slotted hasten, yes it's slower than I'd like, but I have better places for those slots, again, the benefit from the 3 extra rechargers is pretty paltry.
I have regen aura 3 heal/3 recharge, again, I don't think you need the end reduction... I run 3 leadership toggles (which do have end-reduction) and the only time I regularly run low on end is when I fly (so maybe add an end reducer there instead...)
I also have an end reducer in each of my 3 attacks
hope this helps 
It helps immensly, I noted that my most useful buff RA only came up once every 2 to 3 fights when I initially played him and that trying to run perma hasten threw my timing completly out this was immensly dishartening.
I like AP as you state a safety net for when my other heals are down or if the team tank is taking a pounding, the extra boost that the heal gives can completely heal my target allowing me to concentrate on the rest of my team.
If you say that a 3 / 3 ratio helps I'll try it and see, where would you suggest slotting the spare slots from hasten?
I'm not sure what's best for you to do with those 3 slots that are going to waste (imo of course*) in hasten, but I have all the empathy powers with 6 slots (apart from AP,CM & Rez - which have one each) and 3 attacks all with 6 slots.
I'm not sure how much blasting you do, but mental blast looks like a good candidate for a little loving to me.
I'll look through my scribbled notes later so I can post the order I took my powers in my respec, and the slotting I'm using (hero planner, what's that? 
)
*(you may well find that the tiny bit of extra recharge those 3 slots give to hasten is more use to you)
here's Sugar Rush's current build reconstructed from the notes I made as I respecced:
-------------------------------------------
Exported from version 1.5C of CoH Planner
http://joechott.com/coh
Archetype: Defender
Primary Powers - Ranged : Empathy
Secondary Powers - Support : Energy Blast
-------------------------------------------
01: Power Bolt ---------- acc(01) recred(15) endred(39) dam(40) dam(42) dam(42)
01: Healing Aura ---------- hel(01) hel(3) hel(3) recred(7) recred(7) recred(11)
02: Heal Other ---------- hel(02) hel(5) hel(5) recred(9) recred(9) recred(11)
04: Absorb Pain ---------- recred(04)
06: Resurrect ---------- recred(06)
08: Power Blast ---------- acc(08) recred(15) endred(39) dam(40) dam(40) dam(42)
10: Clear Mind ---------- recred(10)
12: Hasten ---------- recred(12) recred(13) recred(13)
14: Super Speed ---------- runspd(14) runspd(48)
16: Fortitude ---------- recred(16) recred(17) recred(17) thtbuf(23) thtbuf(31) thtbuf(31)
18: Recovery Aura ---------- recred(18) recred(19) recred(19) endrec(21) endrec(21) endrec(23)
20: Hurdle ---------- jmp(20)
22: Health ---------- hel(22)
24: Stamina ---------- endrec(24) endrec(25) endrec(25)
26: Regeneration Aura ---------- recred(26) recred(27) recred(27) hel(29) hel(29) hel(31)
28: Sniper Blast ---------- acc(28) recred(34) endred(37) dam(37) dam(37) dam(39)
30: Maneuvers ---------- endred(30) endred(36) endred(36) defbuf(43) defbuf(43) defbuf(48)
32: Adrenalin Boost ---------- recred(32) recred(33) recred(33) endrec(33) endrec(34) endrec(34)
35: Tactics ---------- endred(35) endred(36) endred(43) thtbuf(45) thtbuf(45) thtbuf(48)
38: Hover ---------- fltspd(38)
41: Power Buildup ---------- recred(41) recred(45) recred(46)
44: Aim ---------- recred(44) recred(46) recred(46)
47: Fly ---------- fltspd(47)
49: Assault ---------- endred(49)
-------------------------------------------
01: Brawl acc(01)
01: Sprint runspd(01)
02: Rest recred(02)
-------------------------------------------
..all empathy powers 6 slotted apart from AP, Rez & CM
3 Blasts, 6 slotted, supported by 3 slotted aim & power buildup
leadership pool, fitness pool, superspeed & flight (originally taken a fair bit earlier)
Before this respec I had 4 blasts and no Assault (the respec before that I did have Assault, so I already knew its not up to much), I dropped the fourth attack as I found I just didn't have time for four - I just ended up not using one; since I find I can snipe more often than not during a fight - and it has great damage - that's the one I kept. I didn't have superspeed slotted previously either but I seem to have a lot of spare slots, so what the heck.
I haven't placed my final 3 slots here as I'm not sure what I'm doing with them yet... I'm thinking I might slot my travel powers just for fun, but I may slot AP a little too
I've just done my ED build with my main who is lvl 50 illusion/empath controller which has involved some radical changes, and I have yet to properly test. Here are some of the findings and thoughts I used when doing my ED build.
1. I agree with 1 of the above comments, and I always put a energy reduction in fly.
2. Do you want to PvP, arena or turn villain? When doing missions in Warburg with my Dark Dwarf some of the arachnos minions would turn invisible and I could not see them to attack. I respeced in tactics from leadership to my main to deal with this issue. This also helps with stealthed opponents in PvP or arena.
2. Before ED several empaths went without fitness as they could cycle RA and regen quick enough to do wthout it. Although more difficult since ED it can still be done this way. This gives you 3 more powers to choose, but will force you to limit your energy usage.
3. Since making more use of the leadership pool I have respeced in vengance, in my experience one of the most under used and under rated powers in the game. Hopefully nobody in the team will die but if it happens it is, in my opinion, the best power to stop anybody else from dying and those total wipeouts! Now that all those tankers and scrappers are complaining about all their face plants make use of their corpse and keep the rest of the team alive. Should be really useful in PvP, including base raids.
4. If you are keeping RA (which I recommend) and the fitness power, do you find you need conserve power, or would you be better with another power such as one from the leadership pool?
5. Also pleased to see you have fortitude, again another under estimated power until you have been on the receiving end. I have been in a number of teams were the empath has fortitude but uses it infrequently. If used on the main aggro holder its a great way to help keep them and so you alive.
In conclusion, I have probably raised more questions for you than I have given answers, but in designing my characters I now consider whether I will also be using them for PvP and be able to handle this well or specialise in PvE.
It did help quite a lot after spending much time on test and the planner this is the finalised build I have settled on, I think....
---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.7.0.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder - (http://home.comcast.net/~SherkSilver/index.html)
---------------------------------------------
Name: Triage
Level: 50
Archetype: Defender
Primary: Empathy
Secondary: Psychic Blast
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Healing Aura==> Heal(1) Heal(3) Heal(3) Rechg(5) Rechg(5) EndRdx(7)
01) --> Mental Blast==> Acc(1)
02) --> Heal Other==> Heal(2) Heal(7) Heal(9) Rechg(9) Rechg(11) EndRdx(11)
04) --> Absorb Pain==> Heal(4) Heal(17) Heal(17)
06) --> Resurrect==> Rechg(6)
08) --> Hover==> DefBuf(8)
10) --> Hasten==> Rechg(10) Rechg(13) Rechg(13)
12) --> Swift==> Run(12)
14) --> Fly==> Fly(14) Fly(15) Fly(15)
16) --> Health==> Heal(16)
18) --> Recovery Aura==> Rechg(18) Rechg(19) Rechg(19) EndMod(21) EndMod(21) EndMod(23)
20) --> Stamina==> EndMod(20) EndMod(23) EndMod(25)
22) --> Clear Mind==> Rechg(22)
24) --> Will Domination==> Acc(24) Acc(25) Dmg(27) Dmg(27) Dmg(29) Rechg(29)
26) --> Assault==> EndRdx(26)
28) --> Tactics==> EndRdx(28) TH_Buf(36) TH_Buf(36) TH_Buf(46)
30) --> Fortitude==> Rechg(30) Rechg(31) Rechg(31) DefBuf(31) DefBuf(34) TH_Buf(36)
32) --> Adrenalin Boost==> Rechg(32) Rechg(33) Rechg(33) EndMod(33) EndMod(34) EndMod(34)
35) --> Telekinetic Blast==> Acc(35) Acc(37) Dmg(37) Dmg(37) Dmg(39) Rechg(39)
38) --> Regeneration Aura==> Rechg(38) Rechg(39) Rechg(40) Heal(40) Heal(40) Heal(42)
41) --> Vengeance==> DefBuf(41) DefBuf(42) Heal(42) Heal(43) TH_Buf(43) TH_Buf(43)
44) --> Dominate==> Acc(44) Acc(45) Hold(45) Hold(45) Hold(46) Rechg(46)
47) --> Mind Over Body==> DmgRes(47) DmgRes(48) DmgRes(48) EndRdx(48) EndRdx(50)
49) --> Group Fly==> Fly(49) Fly(50) Fly(50)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> Jump(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
01) --> Vigilance==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> EndMod(2)
---------------------------------------------
The heals are pretty straight forward I should be able to maintain a decentregeneration rate on this and AP is slotted mainly to cap a Tanks health out ASAP or as an emergancy heal, Recovery Aura taken as soon as possible It may not regenerate as fast but you can practically hear the blue bars go Woooooossh as it activates.
I have tried to slot in an attack and CM pre 25 so I am useful in Bloody Bay and likewise Tactics pre 30 to help in Sirens Call, with the balence of my primary power set and an attack upto 38 and Warburg.
I am a little worried I lack firepower as I now only have 2 useable attacks and they are sub par at best, it used to take me a complete attack chain of TK blast WD and Psy scream to kill a white minion I think it will take me about 4 chains with my current attacks so I may be forced to rely upon the firepower of others and feel like a leech... If thats the case I'll slot out some damage and put in more secondary effects and time reducers to give me a modicum of control.
The final part of my build post 38 is something of an experiment for me I re-specced out my power epic and put in Psy as I don't believe I will need the End recovery and that the control Psy gives is better, this combined with Vengance for AV smacking (although I'm usually the one getting one shotted) is still a bit neboulous but looks good on paper.
Thanks for the help guys and I'll let you know how I fare.
[ QUOTE ]
You have 6 recharges on recovery aura - try 3 recharges/3 end mods - you'll be amazed how fast your end recharges after a RA cast, and you're not gaining much recharge time with those last 3 rechargers. I use AB with this slotting too - I use it really to catch someone who was missed by the RA, or someone who really eats the end to get them to the next RA cast.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm still thinking on my rebuild for Eir, and this is one of the issues I've been thinking about. She doesn't have Stamina, and relies on RA and Conserve Power - those few extra seconds could mean a lot in a tough fight, and I'm thinking I'll keep them both six-slotted with recharges. Obviously, that might be quite different if you aren't relying on those powers to keep you up and running.
When I was considering putting end mods in RA and AB though, it occurred to me that I've only once seen someone eat through so much endurance that one application of RA was not enough to pretty much keep their bar full whilst fighting - and that was a Dark/Dark Scrapper in I4. I do question how useful those end mods are for any build, as a result. Sure, it means you can get yourself (and your team) from empty to full very quickly, but after that, is it really much use?
Pleased you found some of my thoughts/problems helpful. Since ED and PvP it has become much more of a balancing act as to which areas your toon is strong and weak in.
My main point though is to say you are not leaching if you reduce your attacks, as you will uselly be asked to a team for your defense powers, if they want damage they will usually invite a scrapper or blaster. Reducing your attacks does hit on your ability to solo, so it is useful to decide if you want to play in teams or be able to solo.
Don't forget the team is leaching of your defensive abilities as much as you of their abilities.
[ QUOTE ]
I do question how useful those end mods are for any build, as a result. Sure, it means you can get yourself (and your team) from empty to full very quickly, but after that, is it really much use?
[/ QUOTE ]
As much use as I5 6 slotted recharge RA? No.
As much use as I6 6 slotted recharge RA? Debateable.
The casting time between RAs is now very long (3 or 6 recharges, not much difference), under I5 I could cast RA as a 'go forth and don't worry about your endurance' power. It's still that power to an extent, but has shifted a fair way to a 'time for an endurance top up' power, cast quite often mid battle to keep everyone going to the end (battles seem to go on much longer now). It can get a tank struggling on fumes back to full endurance within a few seconds. I assume it continues to recharge End faster for the life of the RA effect, meaning (hopefully) by the time RA wears off the effect will be that their end bar is still almost, if not actually, full.
I preferred it the old way, but it does still work this way. AB seems to recharge faster though.
Regarding slotting AP, I'm rapidly coming around to the idea that it should be slotted. Having been the only healer in a team containing 5 tanks last night - in a mission full of Carnies (soo many lvl 53 bosses) I really felt the effect of I6 on my healing powers.
Spamming HA, HO and AP was making very little difference when a tank got into real trouble - I could only get about a third of their health back before they were hit again, and when 2, 3, 4 of them were getting pounded into the ground (not to mention the 2 squishies) the result was inevitable - wipeout (twice in fact; I didn't finish as it was way past by bedtime on my second hospital visit, but there were lots more wipeouts waiting in there).
The only reason I died (3 times! In the same mission!) is because I was using AP too much; I guess if it healed more I wouldn't have to use it so often. 
might be worth tryin on the test server first. I thought my build was ok but now find I can't take down an even level DE boss solo.
I chose Moonbeam as my main blast but even with a couple of interupt reducers I find that if I have a swarm on me it is almost impossible to fire it off, same with Storm Shamans and Ice rain. It is always enough to interrupt the snipe.
I agree with Paragon Girl - Defenders (mainly)are a support AT and are invited onto teams as such. I dropped a couple of blasts to take the leadership pool this time. I am not 100% convinced this was a good idea but certainly Tactics appears to be worth running(2xAcc, 1xEndRed)I am just not sure it was worth losing the 2 blasts for.
I'm the usual end hog playing with Sugar and on a big team I can quite easily end out mid fight, every fight. I just have so many powers firing plus a few toggles and clicks I'd put a /DA scrapper to shame.
It's even worse in cov, I have a grav/psi dominator, he eats end for dinner with a sideorder of end. I have been asked what the F are you doing with all that end? 
I put Triage through his paces last night taking out several AV's (Sk'ed) and soloing for a short time this is what I found.
I have to admit that speccing out attacks was painful, I am absolutely unable to solo anything now, it took me 3/4 of an hour to clear a small CoT grey mission with green bosses and a white minion takes me three to four cycles of ALL of my attacks, that includes brawl and Psy blast. I do however feel more useful in a team with the extra duties of healing and buffing so this may not be much of an issue, I think I might play around with taking a damage out of an attack and slottong a secondary effect such a sleep or knockback. This problem may not be so apparent with other secondary power sets that have a clear focus i.e. the cone attacks from Dark add considerably more control and the -Res seems a better option from Sonic.
The use of RA now feels totally situational, where as previously I would buff before every fight now it seems to pay more to use it mid fight when I can see everyone is running low, I think that 3 slotting for reduction only is very feasable but I have to admit to liking the psychological factor of everyones blue bar rocketing up and my team seemed to notice the effect a lot more too.
Endurance issues, well I didn't actually have any in a team, at all, ever... Solo I did rely on RA but only in prolonged fights. So I have my Stamina 3 slotted I think I could get away with stamina 2 slotted or even 1 slotted possibly with an End reduct in Fly if I was feeling daring.
I found myself using Regeneration Aura alomst everytime is was up the extra boost it gives is considerable in taking the pressure off my healing, topping up the stray minor damage inflicted. AP has now like Sugar said become my tank healer, one application of Heal other will heal 1/3rd of a bar at most and if the tank is taking a pounding this simply is not enough AP even base slotted will take the tank to roughly half, two or three slotted it heals nearly all damage which if the tank has all the aggro means that the team stays standing that much longer.
I'm overall glad I re-specced in Leadership it's noticeable when multiple team members have it, the only thing I did not use was Vengance, thankfully. So I may eventually respec it out and slot Manuvers even at its much lower level.
Overall I'm please with the build it seems to operate well and still be fun to play, I do less damage but my attack cycle faster and even soloing I rarely felt seriously hard pressed admitedly I was picking and choosing my targets hunting around PI.
[ QUOTE ]
It did help quite a lot after spending much time on test and the planner this is the finalised build I have settled on, I think....
---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.7.0.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder - (http://home.comcast.net/~SherkSilver/index.html)
---------------------------------------------
Name: Triage
Level: 50
Archetype: Defender
Primary: Empathy
Secondary: Psychic Blast
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Healing Aura==> Heal(1) Heal(3) Heal(3) Rechg(5) Rechg(5) EndRdx(7)
01) --> Mental Blast==> Acc(1)
02) --> Heal Other==> Heal(2) Heal(7) Heal(9) Rechg(9) Rechg(11) EndRdx(11)
04) --> Absorb Pain==> Heal(4) Heal(17) Heal(17)
06) --> Resurrect==> Rechg(6)
08) --> Hover==> DefBuf(8)
10) --> Hasten==> Rechg(10) Rechg(13) Rechg(13)
12) --> Swift==> Run(12)
14) --> Fly==> Fly(14) Fly(15) Fly(15)
16) --> Health==> Heal(16)
18) --> Recovery Aura==> Rechg(18) Rechg(19) Rechg(19) EndMod(21) EndMod(21) EndMod(23)
20) --> Stamina==> EndMod(20) EndMod(23) EndMod(25)
22) --> Clear Mind==> Rechg(22)
24) --> Will Domination==> Acc(24) Acc(25) Dmg(27) Dmg(27) Dmg(29) Rechg(29)
26) --> Assault==> EndRdx(26)
28) --> Tactics==> EndRdx(28) TH_Buf(36) TH_Buf(36) TH_Buf(46)
30) --> Fortitude==> Rechg(30) Rechg(31) Rechg(31) DefBuf(31) DefBuf(34) TH_Buf(36)
32) --> Adrenalin Boost==> Rechg(32) Rechg(33) Rechg(33) EndMod(33) EndMod(34) EndMod(34)
35) --> Telekinetic Blast==> Acc(35) Acc(37) Dmg(37) Dmg(37) Dmg(39) Rechg(39)
38) --> Regeneration Aura==> Rechg(38) Rechg(39) Rechg(40) Heal(40) Heal(40) Heal(42)
41) --> Vengeance==> DefBuf(41) DefBuf(42) Heal(42) Heal(43) TH_Buf(43) TH_Buf(43)
44) --> Dominate==> Acc(44) Acc(45) Hold(45) Hold(45) Hold(46) Rechg(46)
47) --> Mind Over Body==> DmgRes(47) DmgRes(48) DmgRes(48) EndRdx(48) EndRdx(50)
49) --> Group Fly==> Fly(49) Fly(50) Fly(50)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> Jump(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
01) --> Vigilance==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> EndMod(2)
---------------------------------------------
[/ QUOTE ]
While I know you've gone with this build, heres my 2p worth (my empath is a psi too)
The defence buff in hover is pretty much a waste as a single slot power - I'd swap it with a fly speed and then you can (very slowly) hover around the battle with it on almost all the time.
I don't like slotting travel powers, maybe you do but I'd have taken 2 slots from Fly and put them into my Health.
Clear Mind with a recharge reducer? The animation is so short as it is that its up the moment its done, so I'd swap it with an endurance reduction.
I'm a fan of knockback so I'd have TK Blast setup for that at the expense of damage.
While I know your in your early 40's I'd have tried to make the build friendly if I needed to exemp or do a low level TF but maybe thats of no interest to you now
Other than that, looks good!
I did set the build up to exemp pretty well it works ok in PvP zones as I have taken the powers I really need as soon as I can and slotted them up asap, I spent some time in the Hollows and Striga over the weekend and it felt pretty good even at those levels.
I rarely use hover anyway so the slot really doesn't matter I think I may drop an End Red in and key a bind so that I can swap from fly easily, I think I will keep fly slotted as it is generally so sloooooow that and being able to out run other fliers in PvP is very useful.
I don't really see the point in slotting Health as Heal Aura and Regen Aura can usually cover my own needs, if anything its being 1 or 2 shotted that kills me not much that Health can help with.
Overall the only thing I feel the need for is some measure of control / damage so slotting knockback may help but I really hate doing it to the scrappers and tankers on the team so I try not to use it unless pressed. Unfortunately Psi doesn't give much in the way of either so I'll stick with what I have.
[ QUOTE ]
Clear Mind with a recharge reducer? The animation is so short as it is that its up the moment its done, so I'd swap it with an endurance reduction.
[/ QUOTE ]
This was always my thinking, as well... until after I respecced the other day, and played through some missions. When Hasten isn't running, the recharge on Clear Mind is longer than the animation - that was never really the case when I had perma-Hasten. I was actually finding I was waiting for the power to recharge, rather than just waiting for that annoying animation to get done. I may well switch to a recharge enhancement myself, now I've seen that.
Ok I've finally bit the bullet and sorted out a respec for my main character Triage, I'd like everyones opinion on his new look.
---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.6.8.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder - (http://home.comcast.net/~SherkSilver/index.html)
---------------------------------------------
Name: Triage
Level: 50
Archetype: Defender
Primary: Empathy
Secondary: Psychic Blast
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Healing Aura==> Heal(1) Heal(3) Heal(3) Rechg(5) Rechg(5) EndRdx(7)
01) --> Mental Blast==> Acc(1)
02) --> Heal Other==> Heal(2) Heal(7) Heal(9) Rechg(9) Rechg(11) EndRdx(11)
04) --> Absorb Pain==> Heal(4) Heal(43) Heal(46)
06) --> Resurrect==> Rechg(6)
08) --> Recall Friend==> IntRdx(8)
10) --> Hasten==> Fly(10) Rechg(13) Rechg(13) Rechg(17) Rechg(17) Rechg(19)
12) --> Hover==> Empty(12) Fly(46)
14) --> Fly==> Fly(14) Fly(15) Fly(15)
16) --> Hurdle==> Jump(16)
18) --> Recovery Aura==> Rechg(18) Rechg(19) Rechg(21) Rechg(21) Rechg(23) Rechg(23)
20) --> Health==> Heal(20)
22) --> Stamina==> EndRec(22) EndRec(25) EndRec(25)
24) --> Clear Mind==> Rechg(24)
26) --> Telekinetic Blast==> Acc(26) Acc(27) Dmg(27) Dmg(29) Dmg(29) Rechg(31)
28) --> Fortitude==> Rechg(28) Rechg(31) Rechg(31) DefBuf(34) DefBuf(36) TH_Buf(36)
30) --> Will Domination==> Acc(30) Acc(39) Dmg(39) Dmg(39) Dmg(40) Rechg(40)
32) --> Adrenalin Boost==> Rechg(32) Rechg(33) Rechg(33) EndRec(33) Heal(34) Heal(34)
35) --> Regeneration Aura==> Rechg(35) Rechg(36) Dmg(37) Heal(37)Heal(37)
38) --> Subdue==> Acc(38) Acc(40)Dmg(42) Dmg(42) Rechg(42)
41) --> Conserve Power==> Rechg(41) Rechg(43) Rechg(43)
44) --> Temp Invulnerability==> DmgRes(44) DmgRes(45) DmgRes(45) EndRdx(45) EndRdx(46)
47) --> Total Focus==> Acc(47) Acc(48) Dmg(48) Dmg(48) Dmg(50) Rechg(50)
49) --> Group Fly==> Fly(49) EndRdx(50)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> Run(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
01) --> Vigilance==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> EndRec(2)
---------------------------------------------
I'm currently level 43 and I believe that my two most potent wepons are my RA and its turn around time, therefore both RA and Hasten are six slotted to squeeze every possible second from the recharge time, the rest of the build is fairly straight forward my main buffs are all six slotted as are my heals hopefuly the 4 attacks I have should cycle faster and be more effective in combat now.
Any thoughts?