What is Spectral Terror all about?

I think I might need a little help here...

I've got an ill/storm troller, but I just cant find the love that every1 else seems to have for Spectral Terror. I really like little Speccy, I do, but I just cant find a use for him. Ive got him slotted with 2 fear durations, but I find that I harldy ever use him, what with PA and Phanty (really inventive names, huh? )

The only times I ever pull him out of the bag is if my PA hasn't recharged, but with 3 rech SOs and hasten, downtime is next to nowt - I can use them every mob (or so)... Phanty blasts his little heart out, God bless 'im, and with flash / thunderclap the mobs stay locked down more often than not, so where does he come in?

The fear effect doesn't seem to last very long, but would another enhancement make that much of a difference? And the fact that fear doesn't set up containment (tho I think it should), why is there so much love for the indistinct blob with arms?

If anyone can explain why Spectral terror is so good, Ill give them a shiney nickel

Editors note: The "shiny nickel" offer is for illustrative purposes only. Any attempt to claim on said offer will result in a bombardment of rotten fruit. Thank you for your time.

Basically because it's one of the few AoE controls illusion controllers get.

The fear duration actually lasts for quite some time....especially with 2 fear durations in it but the fear gets "broken" if the affected mobs are attacked.....they will then fire one shot typically and then cower in fear again.

...and yes...illusion lacks in the containment department compared to other sets.

The thing about Spectral Terror is that is keeps casting. Its an AOE Fear followed by Single Target ones being cast from the screechy thing. So its great for "fire and forget". Dump at over an area and it'll keep fearing targets randomly within its range. It also recharges quickly for repositioning, only one can exist at a time but the "old" fear effect will still be on its previous targets.

Basically its like sleep in that if you attack them they break out and do one attack back. After that they go back into Fear and won't attack unless hit again. I think theres a small -acc effect too.

The bad thing about it is it doesn't trigger Containment. But its great for just plonking down to soft-control an area while you do something else.

well, like others said, you gotta adapt to how fear works for it to be great. If you put it down, then proceed to smack em with AoEs.. that aint the best way to use it.

Also, in addition to what's been said above, its also great for when you have to run. Run away, then cast it in a doorway, everybody following you will be stopped dead in their tracks by lil timmy.

It's also a very nice power in PVP

Thanx for the replies guys.

I think my main problem is the PA and Phanty. The PA are just angry, and will hit anything, whereas Phanty has a reliance on energy torrent which is blinkin annoyin (it seems like the second I drop freezing rain he hits energy torrent and pushes them all off it). Its probably just the others that are getting in the way.

Although, some1 said that as soon as they're hit it breaks fear - I take it freezing rain will do that. So, dont use him with freezing rain, or PA or Phanty? The poor sod'll never get out of his box

Thanx for the replies anyway. Ive also got a question about the use of storm with illusion - is hurricane worth getting for a purely PvE troller? The resaon Im asking is that the combination of freezing rain and flash / clap holds pretty much everyone, and I use gale if they ever get too close. I think that dropping Speccy or lightning storm (when I get it) above me should sort out the ones gale misses, and given that Id need to drop it to go onto the freezing patch to clap / flash, is it as useful for an illusion controller as it would be for a defender?

That said, I would totally pick it up for PvP.

Also, Little Timmy?

Try this set up:

0 - spectral terror
0 - freezing rain
0 0 0 - mob

0 - you

Phanty, gale and hurricane can all be used to push the mobs into the freezing rain, with spectral terror fearing them as they try to escape...

As a stormie, you have loads of additional control, so spectral terror isn't as great as it is for us ill/other stuff, but fear is extremely effective, especially for dealing with ambushes. Well worth the power pick.

And definitely get hurricane, whether for debuffing their accuracy, or pushing them into corners for your aoe control to keep them locked down ready for AOE mass arrestage.

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... question about the use of storm with illusion - is hurricane worth getting for a purely PvE troller? The resaon Im asking is that the combination of freezing rain and flash / clap holds pretty much everyone...

Also, Little Timmy?

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Hurricane is wonky at the moment, the pushback is way too much. i7 they seem to have doubled it without warning. So rather than "brush the edges of it against mobs to debuff" its now "mobs miles away get pushed back, aggroed and attack with no accuracy debuff". Squish.

It will be worth it if they reverse this. Otherwise its too likely to get you killed or annoy the rest of your team.

And yes, little Timmy is a genius name

See, what I generally do is just drop freezing rain right onto the mob, 'cos I find the defense debuff negates the -acc on the aoe holds and so I tend to tie everyone down pretty much straight away.

So with that, Phanty, and the dark/regen I usually team with (and of course blind and the odd confusion), my health is never even near yellow. I did have hurricane, but I 'specced it out. That said I have got a power to pick at 35, and I don't know what to go for. The powers that are left are hurricane, tornado, group invis, steamy mist (but ive got superior invis and IIRC it doesn't stack), and snow storm. I know a lot of people really like snow storm, but the pets dont pay attention to anchors, and neither do a lot of players. And the -recharge element isnt enhanceable, is it? But is it more use against AVs?

We do great against everything, if anything, better since I specced out snow storm and hurricane (but in saying that I finally got stamina, so down time doesnt even come up anymore), but what would make it better?

I just read the post u made on another thread, and wanted to ask if it was bad, so thanx for reading my mind

Ah, see now I've got powerset envy - my poor ill/emp is always crying out for more control... seems like you don't have that problem

I'd still take hurricane, because it is a fun power, and looks damn good too, and more options can only be a good thing. Can be useful against AVs too, although snowstorm is also awesome. Mmm. Tornado is fun too. Might have to steal my wife's stormie for a bit and have a play, is tremendous fun.

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I just read the post u made on another thread, and wanted to ask if it was bad, so thanx for reading my mind

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I've been [censored] about it all day

I'd take it anyway but beware, its now basically useless on outside missions where the spawns are closely packed.

Real pain. I was having so much fun doing PAs, Snowstorm, Freezing Rain and then TPing to the other side of them with Hurricane on and dropping Thunderstorm, catching them in between and pushing them back onto the FR & Spectral Terror.

Did it during the week, hidden spawn around the corner gets some of the pushback thanks to the extra range. I get lots of aggro & die because I'm too slow (or lag hits) to get Hibernate up.

Cap, u hit the nail square on the head - Ive got more control than I know what to do with (hence the OP).

Tornado looks fun but messy. It seems like the kinda power which would happily aggro not just the room Im in, but the whole bloody building (and maybe even the mobs outside).

And Carnifax, my take on the hurricane situation is that I think its become really PvP friendly (I know that the second I walk into a PvP zone about 10 people come and stand inside my swirls), and maybe a bit too powerful in PvE. Its the whole PvE / PvP balancing thing that the devs seem so keen on but cant bloody well get right.

But hey, thats just my 2 inf, as you forumites say