Energy seems better to me for an empathy defender than radiation.
Radiation : 2 powers only worth taking :
- Irradiate : huge defdebuff (about 35 % with 3 slots in it)
- Cosmic burst : high damage and mag 3 or 4 disorient.
Anything else is useless, because the defdebuffs are way too small (aroud 5% for each other power, you're not a BS scrapper, aren't you) or too little damage (because of ED). Maybe the cone could be interesting because it's a cone and because the KB occurs around 25 % in PvE, maybe 50 % in PvP.
Energy is not at all a lot better but the KB secondary effect overall seems more intersting to me and more likely to appear than the mediocre debuffs of radiation. Moreover it has better damage.
But still they are far away from dark and psi secondaries for an empathy guy. And last point, don't compare the novae, they are totally useless for an empathy defender.
Just a thopught - consider electric. I have a rad/electric defender. Little point in radiation 2ndary I thought, cos' enemies defence will be pretty low anyway. Grabbed electric.
The advantage? Electricity is relatively poorly resisted like energy and rad. You may be aware that electricity has now had a minor buff - it not only drains END from the target (which can be very useful as a control - those teleporting Tsoo sorceres are less of pain now), but also means you can let loose your attacks without worrying to much about them draiing your END to much (and leaving you huffing and puffing when you should be healing). To me, this latter ability is the attractive one: As a defender, we have to be cautious about END drain and let loose 2ndary attacks carefully
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Electricity is relatively poorly resisted like energy and rad.
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You realise all three do energy damage right?
Er... yeah... Maybe i wasnt clear... I was just saying that when it comes to resistance, electricity is no worse off than rad or "energy" attacks.
Anyway, as defenders, the secondary effects are boosted in comparison to blasters, as i understand, so it is on this principle thats its prob best to decide on secondary. I hated knockback (as a rad defender, last thing i want is to spread em), and radiation defence debuff didnt seem to attractive when I could already lower enemies defence to the point of 90% hit rate with my primary set.
If you like playing a close quaters defender, Short Circuit from electricity is a killer - I have one with NO slotted end modifiers (just got it) and it seems to drain over 50% of even level minions end on one shot. Recharge isnt to long, so in about 15 secs, all minions are at 0 end.
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Anyway, as defenders, the secondary effects are boosted in comparison to blasters, as i understand, so it is on this principle thats its prob best to decide on secondary. I hated knockback (as a rad defender, last thing i want is to spread em), and radiation defence debuff didnt seem to attractive when I could already lower enemies defence to the point of 90% hit rate with my primary set.
[/ QUOTE ]Yes, but you we're a rad/, he is emp/, so those reasons for not taking /rad or /NRG aren't really valid in this particular case.
Absolutely true!
Personally i'd take radation 1st, electricity 2nd, energy 3rd, but it depends on style of play. If planning on doing a LOT of attacking, electricity best as you wont be sucking wind
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If you like playing a close quaters defender, Short Circuit from electricity is a killer - I have one with NO slotted end modifiers (just got it) and it seems to drain over 50% of even level minions end on one shot. Recharge isnt to long, so in about 15 secs, all minions are at 0 end.
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Yeah, that's a great power for an empath. I have that and combined with other attacks, I can drain pretty much all the endurance of a mob, which makes healing alot easier 
Would agree with others about Electricity. An excellent support secondary, the end drain is incredibly useful. Certainly when coupled with power sink, you'll drain most of the end off everything (bar AV's/GM's of course, damn them! 
) Though that is very late in the game!
My only disappointment was with ball lightning, which didn't seem to drain much end even when slotted with SO's.
One downside with Elec is its the hardest secondary I've played to solo with, however as you're an Emapth that shouldn't be a problem!
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And last point, don't compare the novae, they are totally useless for an empathy defender.
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Totally useless? Why?
Well, i've got 2 defenders, one with Emp/NRG and one with Kin/Rad, and they both rule! Rad secondary isn't so hot, I've only got Atomic blast, neutron bomb and irradiate(which is fab, 2x Dam, 2x def debuff and 2x recharge). I find atomic blast is wonderful when combined with Fulcrum shift and irradiate so I buff myself, debuff them then blast, and I pretty much kill all of them. irradiate is also good cos it can do useful damage per tick.
Defiant 50's
Many and varied!
@Miss Chief
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And last point, don't compare the novae, they are totally useless for an empathy defender.
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Totally useless? Why?
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Because I've got a no fun vision of empathy defenders, I'm from the old school and I consider that you should be able anytime to save your team's life. And if you use your nova, going ooe all a sudden and it misses so everyone is slowly dying, where is your blue bar, to make your job ? 
It's a really fun power but it doesn't fit very well to my concept of empathy "keep on buffing, always ready to help my teammmate, the less aggro possible on me".
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And last point, don't compare the novae, they are totally useless for an empathy defender.
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Totally useless? Why?
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Because I've got a no fun vision of empathy defenders, I'm from the old school and I consider that you should be able anytime to save your team's life. And if you use your nova, going ooe all a sudden and it misses so everyone is slowly dying, where is your blue bar, to make your job ?
[/ QUOTE ]That's what inspirations are for.
Hey thanks for the great info guys! This really helps me understand more about these two secondaries with empathy. Electricity? sounds pretty good too but i already have an electric blaster and i want to try something new. Thanks for telling me about it's advantages too though.
Both energy and radiation sound cool/useful at this point, so hopefully there will be no regrets either way i go... which is a win - win situation. If anyone else has some more opinions please go on ahead, as i still have plenty of time to decide which secondary i am using, as im waiting to use my defender with a group of my friends who can't play heroes just yet (maybe about 2 weeks until they can). So yeah - thanks for the info so far guys and any more would be excellent!
Just my personal experience here.
While Irradiate (Rad Blast) has an incredible debuff attached, it will get you a lot of agro (PBAoE), not too fun for an empath.
The plus side of Radiation is that most blasts have an automatic accuracy bonus (and secondary -res), cheap end cost, quick reload times (blast a bit and still get the next heal / buff off in time) and let's not forget the Goodness that is Cosmic Burst! Keeping a boss chain disoriented is Big Fun.
Neutrino Bolt, Cosmic Burst and Proton Volley have served my Emp/Rad very well through 37 levels.
You might consider swapping the snipe for the cone, but there's that aggro problem again. Still, I'd take the cone, or even Neutron Bomb over the end 'Nova' grade power.
Can't say anything about Energy, but Rad can be very good for an Empath.
Whatever you do - never roll a Rad / Energy...
Ooh look at all those nice clustered, herded goons, all basking in radation and next to impotent.
Bam... energy blast.... knockback...
Oh.
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And last point, don't compare the novae, they are totally useless for an empathy defender.
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Totally useless? Why?
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Because I've got a no fun vision of empathy defenders, I'm from the old school and I consider that you should be able anytime to save your team's life. And if you use your nova, going ooe all a sudden and it misses so everyone is slowly dying, where is your blue bar, to make your job ?
It's a really fun power but it doesn't fit very well to my concept of empathy "keep on buffing, always ready to help my teammmate, the less aggro possible on me".
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Well... surely a really great empath defender who keeps on buffing can afford to lose their endurance for a little while because their team has been so well buffed up to that point that 30 seconds isn't going to make all that much difference... plus, like someone said - that's what blue inspirations are for.
Empaths play for the team about 95% of the time... I think it's good to let them have a little 5% explosion where they can go wooooo! Any team that can't handle that is just being selfish 
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The plus side of Radiation is that most blasts have an automatic accuracy bonus (and secondary -res),
[/ QUOTE ]Rad has -def, sonic -res.
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The plus side of Radiation is that most blasts have an automatic accuracy bonus (and secondary -res),
[/ QUOTE ]Rad has -def, sonic -res.
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Ahh! Of course you're right.
They have secondary -defence. Easier to hit the effected villans for a short period.
I stand corrected. Thanks for catching that.
Capt only has 4 powers taken in Radiation Blast. Neutrino Bolt, Irradiate, Cosmic Burst and Atomic Blast.
With Radiation secondary you have the sometimes overlooked power of Cosmic Burst. With extreme damage and a high percentage of disorientate, a must for PvP Rad 2ndry users.
Although most possibly not the most powerful blast out of the defender secondaries it provides a surprisingly quick recharge rate. Coupled with the debuffs (10% -def for most blasts apart from Nuetrino Bolt, Proton Volley and Cosmic Burst) means ur attacks get stronger and stronger.
Still unsure about Atomic Blast. May respec it out in next free respec. However can see its effectiveness with Kinetic's Fulcrum Shift.
@Captain Solaris
Guild of Extreme Heroes "Strength is in Unity"
i had atomic blast until ED hit. it was great. had dark epic too....
RA, soul drain, atomic blast, dark consumption
if you killed em all, you dont need endurance for healing, if you didnt, dark consumption would get it back fully for you.
then they fixed novas so you couldnt use RA to get that first bit of end back which you need to consume em all 
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then they fixed novas so you couldnt use RA to get that first bit of end back which you need to consume em all
[/ QUOTE ]That's what you use CaB's for
Thanks dudes for your advice, suggestions and info. I have made my choice now and couldn't be happier.
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If you like playing a close quaters defender, Short Circuit from electricity is a killer - I have one with NO slotted end modifiers (just got it) and it seems to drain over 50% of even level minions end on one shot. Recharge isnt to long, so in about 15 secs, all minions are at 0 end.
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Yeah, that's a great power for an empath. I have that and combined with other attacks, I can drain pretty much all the endurance of a mob, which makes healing alot easier
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I have Short Circuit on my Kin/elec. I find with 3 slots of end mods it drains approximnately 75-85% of enemies endurance, this drops off with higher levels. You then have 10-15 seconds to survive the enemies attacks until they are all drained and helpless. So unless you have a good tank absorbing aggro it can be really risky thing to do. Pre ED six slotted it was capable of completely taking out entire spawns and meant that you could almost tank if you absorbed the alpha strike.
The electricty secondary has another great power, Tesla Cage. An extra hold REALLY helps as it allows you to help the controllers of the team hold bosses/AVs/Giant Monster/Hamidon.
@Unthing ... Mostly on Union.
I have an emp/NRG defender - Flat Line and I couldn't be happier with him. REcently I have started playing him again and had to relearn the art of defending a team. Lost a couple but thats what happens when they aggro two or 3 mobs, split up and run all over the place.
To help me out, I originally resisted taking more than 2 offensive powers, wanting to concentrate as much as possible on my healing abilities and additional powers, so I only had the offense to use as a defense if necessary.
As I lost my playing partner this week, I have been forced into a respec and I picked up two more offensive powers, one of which is sniper blast.
Add that to a fellow emp/ele defenders Zapp and that's a boss down to a one hit wonder to any tank in the team.
I enjoy the energy powers as Im now able to solo missions with a few more offensive powers.
Looking back now, I'd have liked to have had the chance at electric, time will tell, I like playing defenders and if anyone ever needs a empath who stands in the middle of a combat and throws buffs and heals out and don't care then gimme a shout on Defiant server.
global is @Thuggernaut and at the moment I am level 23.
Mark
The other day i created two visually identical robot defenders. I plan to use them with teams almost all the time.
I chose both of their primaries as empathy. The secondary for one is energy blasts and the other has radiation blasts.
I just can't decide which one to use! Both are cool powers and suit a robot. Radiation looks good with empathy too.
So for me it all comes down to effectiveness. Both versions of my defender are level 4 so i only know a little about the energy and radiation secondaries. Here is what i already know:
- Energy has knockback vs Radiation with defense debuffs
- Energy does more damage vs Radiation recharges faster
Could you guys enlighten me as to other pros (and cons) about the Enrg and Rad secondaries? I would like to know what people think of powers farther down the track that you get at later levels. Opinions on which is better and why would be great too. IF you want, you can say which seems better with a robot guy too.