Grav/Sonic build advice

I built myself a grav/sonic controller today to have a play, and my word, she's suddenly level 10, just through soloing around Galaxy City and King's Row.

So far, here's my build:

1) Crush (single target immob) -damage and containment setup
1) Sonic Siphon (targetted foe -res) - used on lieuts and bosses, mainly
2) Lift (single target knockup) - damage
4) Gravity Distortion (single target hold) - hold and containment setup
6) Propel (single target knockback) - DAMAGE
8) Swift (auto run speed increase) - faster
10) Hover (flight) - floatier

My word, does Propel rock my socks. Usually when I get another attack power it hurts my endurance use, but on getting propel it actually helped, simply because I could one-two a minion with crush and propel. Swift and Hover are just prequisites, though I hate running slowly between mobs, so swift was my choice there. Eventually I plan to 3-slot hover and use that to get around - after all, my character controls gravity

I'm looking at the following upto 38:

12) Dimension shift (targetted aoe intangible) - for ONO moments
14) Flight (duh...) - travel power of choice for framerate purposes
16) Health (auto +regen) - Stamina steppingstone
18) Gravity Distortion Field (Aoe Hold) - lockdown-o-rama
20) Stamina (auto +recovery) yay, I can solo properly now without stopping
22) Sonic Dispersion (pbaoe status effect protection) no being held for me...
24) Sonic Barrier (ally +res to stuff) - for use with singularity and anyone I team with
26) Wormhole (foe teleport and disorient and KB) - effectively another AoE hold
28) Crushing Field (targeted aoe immob) - for use with wormhole
30) Sonic Haven (ally +res to other stuff) - for use with singularity and anyone I team with
32) SINGULARITY (yay) - yay
35) Disruption field (targeted ally aoe -res) - my only 'hmmm...' power, could get stealth instead... will this be worth using with singularity, or will he just chuck everyone away before they get -res-ed?
38) Liquefy (targeted aoe knockdown and -res and damage and hold and -acc and -def) - because it looks pretty woo.

Comments? Criticisms? Particularly on the 35 choice. Obviously, this is built to solo, but has some team utility too Reckon I'll have enough slots to spread about happily? Last question, is there an aura that looks remotely like the gravity hold fx? I'd like to use it in conjunction with hover

Your build looks pretty good.

a few things:

I would advice against Dimension Shift. It will more be an annoyance than helpful...if you want to pick up a cage go for Sonic Cage instead.

Disruption Field is a very nice power but won't really work with your Sing because of it's repel but if teaming with a scrapper or tank it's very good! Be prepared to take a lot of aggro because of it though...and it's pretty end heavy.

Liquefy: Must admit I've only seen a defender use this and....it's utter pants! The knockdown is neglible at best. Maybe it's better for controllers?

Other than that it looks good.


(I'm sure Okton will jump at this thread at some point )

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(I'm sure Okton will jump at this thread at some point )

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You called?

First of all, this is really not a build to solo... trust me... Although the -res of some of the sonic powers is nice, you really need a team to make it shine because of the shields, the ally-based PbAoE -res debuff and Clarity (Clear Mind, but better!). On the grav side, Propel is nice for the first 30 or so levels (or for when you really can't find a team), after that, the animation is so long, it becomes much less useful. I would start with all 3 attacks (Crush, Lift and Propel) and then drop one later on. Try to take the shields earlier: 25% +res is very nice to have on your team-mates (with an extra 20% if they stay within your Sonic Dispersion). Disruption Field is quite nice with a tank/scrapper, and probably gives you more utility than stealth. Clarity is a much more useful power (too bad it comes so late). Liquefy is my least favourite tier 9 power of all the sets I've played (well, up there with Frozen Aura) and even less useful for a controller than a defender from what I've seen. I wouldn't really take either phase power tbh unless you plan to PvP (in which case "teh Cage" is better).

Anyway, hope some of this helps. At least you can tell yourself that you're definitely NOT playing a FoTM combo. And my best advice: team with another sonic .

So your advice is basically "find a team and don't solo"?
I appreciate the advice, but I was really going for a more solo-able build. If this one won't work, how could I improve it for soloability?

I picked dimension shift for when I get a little too over my head and I need to run awaaaaay without too much return fire - I anticipate using it more like an anti-phase-shift where they go intangible rather than me

In terms of disruption field, what I was hoping was that singy could tag the mobs with the debuff *before* it flings them away, but if it's end heavy, it's probably not worth the bother. Any recommendations for something to fill that gap instead?

Shame about Liquefy ;(

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I appreciate the advice, but I was really going for a more solo-able build. If this one won't work, how could I improve it for soloability?

[/ QUOTE ]Pick another secondary.

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So your advice is basically "find a team and don't solo"?
I appreciate the advice, but I was really going for a more solo-able build. If this one won't work, how could I improve it for soloability?

I picked dimension shift for when I get a little too over my head and I need to run awaaaaay without too much return fire - I anticipate using it more like an anti-phase-shift where they go intangible rather than me

In terms of disruption field, what I was hoping was that singy could tag the mobs with the debuff *before* it flings them away, but if it's end heavy, it's probably not worth the bother. Any recommendations for something to fill that gap instead?

Shame about Liquefy ;(

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Grav is easy to solo in low levels regardless of your secondary because of the early single-target attacks. Unfortunately, as you move up levels, some of the best sonic powers require team-mates. Disruption Field is certainly end-heavy (although 3 slots for EndRdx are all it needs), but the main problem is that the combo with Sing won't work because of its inherent repel (as Archy said). This doesn't mean you can't solo at all, just that it will be very slow (I respecced 3 times when levelling, and never found a build which allowed for "easy" soloing after the 20s). Sing helps a bit but the single target -res debuff doesn't stack with itself and is not of much help if you're facing a group of 3-4 enemies (remember you don't get an AoE attack until epics). You can always pick up extra attacks like Air Superiority, but my advice is:

- if you want to play grav/sonic, try to team as much as possible and don't sacrifice some of the best sonic powers (shields, Disruption Field, Clarity) in order to try to get a "solo build".
- if you want to solo, I would really suggest taking another secondary like MaX said (rad being the obvious choice, kin/storm very good if you're willing to be more patient, TA not bad too).

Fairy nuff, cheers for the advice Okton

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I appreciate the advice, but I was really going for a more solo-able build. If this one won't work, how could I improve it for soloability?

[/ QUOTE ]Pick another secondary.

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Constructive as ever.

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I appreciate the advice, but I was really going for a more solo-able build. If this one won't work, how could I improve it for soloability?

[/ QUOTE ]Pick another secondary.

[/ QUOTE ]

Constructive as ever.

[/ QUOTE ]Just the truth, nothing more

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Just the truth, nothing more

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That could be your motto!

Grav/TA is good fun, I've been playing one for the last few weeks. Lots more soloable than Sonics I reckon, a pure ranged controller.

Anyway, for Grav I don't think you really need all of Crush, Lift, Grav Distort & Propel. I found 3 of them was enough to keep me busy mostly and I think later in the game one of the four you have might become obsolete (lift or propel most likely). I took Propel cos it looks cool and the Contained damage is excellent.

Dimension Shift I avoided like the plague. Might be Ok solo but you should be fine Wormholing or GDFing em really. In teams its really, really annoying (and people never seem to spot the "Unaffected" messages).

Sonics I can't help with but a lot of its powers need teamies and as people are saying your pet won't be able to use the friendly debuff aura very well.

Thanks Carnifax, that's helpful - as she's only level 10, I might be tempted to make her /ta instead for soloing purposes. What are the really good / really rubbish TA powers?

Personally, I found soloing with my Grav/Sonic pretty easy (level 32 for some time now.. might dust him of soon).

Very safe anyway, lots of single target control, dimension shift for pear shaped moments, and repel for singularity making me pretty much immune to melee.

As for sonic?. Well, powers such as disruption field are great on a tank, but useless solo.

However, you will have...

a) Mez resistance (which only forcefielders can claim), which is probably a 'trollers nightmare (get mezzed and its goodbye - hit points are so low).

b) -res in the first sonic power. Which is actually very useful.

Couple b) with Propel and I can whack off 2/3 of a minions health in one hit (with containment). Throw in a lift and a crush, and that normally enough to finish of a minion.

Grav / Sonic is not the fastest (Nothing like a kin/fire), but it is not the slowest (Earth/Force Field for instance). It is, however, a good single target damager, and gives you personal safety in sonic dispersion field.

Again, only level 32, but I really have no complaints soloing on medium level. I could ratch it up a bit but will probably wait till sing is properly slotted. At medium level now, I dont think I have ever died soloing.

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I appreciate the advice, but I was really going for a more solo-able build. If this one won't work, how could I improve it for soloability?

[/ QUOTE ]Pick another secondary.

[/ QUOTE ]

Constructive as ever.

[/ QUOTE ]Just the truth, nothing more

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The funny thing is, that build would be fine for soloing...

Added damage from sonic siphon, and decent self mez protection from all but sleep effects. The added damage output on teams is also not to be sniffed at...

A solo /Sonic would probably benefit more from an Illusion than a Grav primary though, since you can anchor Sonic Disruption on your own Phantom Army and not pull aggro from them.

Grav's Singularity would tend to fling the mobs away outside the 15 feet effect radius... I suppose you could stand directly beside ol' Singy with SD anchored on him and ranged attack mobs when they get close to him... would be much slower going though.

I'd suggest trying to fit Aid Self in though, have found it very handy when soloing my level 49 Sonic/Elec defender and combined with your bubbs ('rings'?) Aid other can save a team.

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Thanks Carnifax, that's helpful - as she's only level 10, I might be tempted to make her /ta instead for soloing purposes. What are the really good / really rubbish TA powers?

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Did my usual of picking the brains of the folks here before creating him. Thread here