An empath is good for the heals and the buffs or you could go for a rad/rad for the heals, buffs and debuffs.
I have an empath/psi - the attacks take time to activate and so at the lower levels you spend most of your time using your primary, the later levels is where having psi comes in useful due to it's unresistable effects.
The 3 best support builds for PvP are sonic, emp and kin. The secondary doesnt matter much.
A Paragon Defender
Have to disagree about the secondry, you get a chance to specialise or diversify depending on what you pick. Elec has some great end draining powers you can use to weaken the mobs, and dark has some good Acc debuffs and an immobalising power. Cant say much about the others as i havent tried them.
My MA IDs:
Fiend Space: 211464
night was talking about support pvp builds so i wud agree that secondary doesnt matter that much, dont no about sonic but with empathy and kinetics in support roles (as kinetics can be used as an attacking role as well) there is so much to do u really dont have time to attack
Sonic : Debuff + resitance, very complimentary with Kinetics as -res and +dam do the same thing in different way to give uber damage. The big shield also provides mez protection.
Empathy : Heal + Buff. Both are done reasonably well be Kinetics so they is quite a bit of overlap. The main advantage is that the Heals from empathy are targettable and you have nice powers like Fortitude.
FF : Bubbles + Knockback. Shields provide + status protection compliment Kinetics. Knockback doesn't.
Rad : Toggle debuffs can keep the kins safe. Generally a good choice. Provides a nice buff in AM.
Dark : Various debuffs + mez effects make this a good choice too. Adds resistance and stealth too.
Storm : Various debuffs + Knockback. Knockback doesn't mesh too well with Kinetics. Adds resistance and stealth too.
So IMO the ones that are best for a team with 2 kinetics would be Sonic, Rad and Dark.
@Unthing ... Mostly on Union.
[ QUOTE ]
night was talking about support pvp builds so i wud agree that secondary doesnt matter that much, dont no about sonic but with empathy and kinetics in support roles (as kinetics can be used as an attacking role as well) there is so much to do u really dont have time to attack
[/ QUOTE ]
Sonics add more mez protection than emps. They also have nice res debuff and buffs. Plus sonic cage (which can remove that ill tempered ice/nrg blaster or really annoying stormy)
A Paragon Defender
Oh forgot to add Illu/emps are prolly better than emps.
A Paragon Defender
Whatever you do, just don't roll an empath 
I'd say an Empath was good support for a kinetic-heavy team, as the heals and end replenisment could hit Blasters, and non-meleers.
I'd also say the FF or Sonic are very good sets to look into, as with Kinetics on board you're probably finding you've squishies in the thick of the fighting a lot of the time - to protect them would be a pleasant plan, and I'd say Res was more useful to them than Def - with that in mind, I'd go for Sonics. Personal choice.
DON'T eat muffins while I'm developing you.
Pants! Turkey Magnates! A man in a box! Rogue AI! Come one, come all, to arc ID 10107 - It's [i]'Not as long as some other arcs'[/i]!
[ QUOTE ]
I'd say an Empath was good support for a kinetic-heavy team, as the heals and end replenisment could hit Blasters, and non-meleers.
[/ QUOTE ]
The melee half of the team is already covered with a good healing blanket, end is not an issue as the kins can provide 2xspeed boost, so the only thing left for an emp to do is heals for the ranged people and the buffs of Fortitude, AB and Regen Aura. Not much for an empath to do IMO.
@Unthing ... Mostly on Union.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
night was talking about support pvp builds so i wud agree that secondary doesnt matter that much, dont no about sonic but with empathy and kinetics in support roles (as kinetics can be used as an attacking role as well) there is so much to do u really dont have time to attack
[/ QUOTE ]
Sonics add more mez protection than emps. They also have nice res debuff and buffs. Plus sonic cage (which can remove that ill tempered ice/nrg blaster or really annoying stormy)
[/ QUOTE ]
OMG THANKYOU! i havent got sonic cage yet but now you made see a really good reason to get it!
He will honor his words; he will definitely carry out his actions. What he promises he will fulfill. He does not care about his bodily self, putting his life and death aside to come forward for another's troubled besiegement. He does not boast about his ability, or shamelessly extol his own virtues. - Sima Qian.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'd say an Empath was good support for a kinetic-heavy team, as the heals and end replenisment could hit Blasters, and non-meleers.
[/ QUOTE ]
The melee half of the team is already covered with a good healing blanket, end is not an issue as the kins can provide 2xspeed boost, so the only thing left for an emp to do is heals for the ranged people and the buffs of Fortitude, AB and Regen Aura. Not much for an empath to do IMO.
[/ QUOTE ]
I did a tf with my empath with two kin defenders and i had loads to do thankyou very much!
FAI i believe all defenders are equal just some are better in some circumstances than others.
He will honor his words; he will definitely carry out his actions. What he promises he will fulfill. He does not care about his bodily self, putting his life and death aside to come forward for another's troubled besiegement. He does not boast about his ability, or shamelessly extol his own virtues. - Sima Qian.
For my 2 influence
Empaths are GREAT... on bad teams
However,
On good teams, I would personally prefer, in order RAD, DARK, STORM/FF/SONIC, and TA.
If you are going to team regularly with a team who are skilled, nothing beats RAD, or the others. You simply wont need heals. Only fair, since RAD is pretty weak in an unskilled anchor-dropping, unclustering team. So it really depends on the regularity and skill of your team.
And before all empaths sound off, i know you buff, its just that you MAINLY heal. Other sets buff and debuff better and you know it
So empaths are great on bad teams and all the other defenders are good on good teams...right got it.
However I think your generalisation is completely false but we'd have to agree to disagree. As a empath defender i mainly buff i prefer teams that work together that has a tanker that herds tight as spread groups can lead to blocked/out of range/no chance of saving team mates because there is too much to handle at once for an empath. But with every AT doing their job properly any defender should be adequate.
He will honor his words; he will definitely carry out his actions. What he promises he will fulfill. He does not care about his bodily self, putting his life and death aside to come forward for another's troubled besiegement. He does not boast about his ability, or shamelessly extol his own virtues. - Sima Qian.
I am wanting to make a defender for team play we already have 2 kenetics and i was wondering what to get?