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Just don't pick Trick Arrow. It's more team glue to augment an already functional team, than a sole protector of the needy.
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You can actually play to not need external healing with a trick archer.
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.
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Hmmm. I kind of see what you mean now with the +5 thing. One thing is certain at +5, in my opinion. A team that in't optimised for +5 will almost certainly lead to numerous faceplants.
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Or a horrible slog, which is as bad in my opinion.
When I first played CoH I ran in a team with a Stone Tanker, lots of Scrappers, a Kinetic, and my Fire/Fire Blaster. No tohit check or defence debuff, but it was a regular team and we were used to playing together. We could do +5s, but it felt like a grind. +4s were fun, only really a risk for me and the Defender at that stage of the game, and not a massive risk for us with a tanker we were used to, but anything more felt like hard work because we didn't have anything to buff our tohit.
I have rarely if ever played in a pick up team I'd be comfortable facing off against +5s with. Had a nice team this evening, mostly an SG team, but we also had a kinetic with us who was pretty decent and had tactics, a lot of the spawns we were facing were +5 to 3 out of 5 of us in the team, we had a couple of deaths, one self inflicted (mine, I really do forget how big the radius on arctic air is at times) and two which were just the unavoidable result of running our missions hard, but we could hit, we were doing OK damage and it went quite quickly because of the team mix. Overall three deaths in three missions wasn't too bad really, we'd probably have had less if we'd all been sober, but you can't have everything.
I don't build to fight +5s though, when I find myself in a team that can do it, it's enjoyable, I love fast, but personally all my builds are geared towards +4.
I'm having second thoughts about my original suggestion.
If you're trying to create a toon that will basically make sure that...
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Assuming there would be *one* defender in a group, and my team is facing the toughest parts of the game (Trials, Task Forces, Archvillains, fighting against +5's), which AT is going to provide the best chance of survival and success for me and my team?
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Which AT? I wouldn't say a defender first to be honest, probably a controller of some sort or a tanker. (I know you may have meant which powersets), but this got me thinking... defenders - no matter what it may have said in the original game package - have a part to play but this is not exclusive to them in protecting the team. Other ATs do it just as well.
Making sure teams survive that would otherwise be wiped out by the efforts of a single toon, I view as unfair; why should, you, I or anyone else put in more effort for the same xp? Taking resonpsiblity for a PuG team fighting +5s as a defender could be strenous 
An empath on a poor team could do this with lots of hard work - but I'd say a controller or a tanker could do it easier. And most importantly for me, by putting in the same effort that everyone else is, no more no less 
If someone said to me they want me to join one of their TFs, Trials or whatever - and bring one of my toons along with the intention of making the team safer - I'd probably bring my Earth/Storm controller - she doesn't have a heal, didn't bother with 02 Boost - but brings with its powers considerable safety to the rest of the team.
Does it *have* to be a defender?
Something to consider.
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I'm not a powerleveller, or lazy... but I need some advice....
I want to roll up a defender, and I want to roll up a GOOD one.
Assuming there would be *one* defender in a group, and my team is facing the toughest parts of the game (Trials, Task Forces, Archvillains, fighting against +5's), which AT is going to provide the best chance of survival and success for me and my team?
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The OP is certainly talking about a Defender, although I agree that to 'provide the best chance of survival and success for me and my team' it doesn't have to be a Defender.
The key aspect here is the +5 bit. To be honest +5 mobs will happen only very rarely and even then it will be the OP's choice to be -5 as there will probably be someone on the team to mentor him.
If I am running a PuG team I would only take on a player who was -5 to the mobs if they could be mentored. If the player then refuses to take SK I am reasonable about it but explain that it's a straight choice... Take SK or leave the team.
I know that there are a few powersets that can handle +5 mobs - given the right circumstances - but on a PuG it's generally accepted that you should accept SK if it's possible. That way you can concentrate on contributing to the team.
The OP has stated that they are not a powerleveller or lazy, so the above isn't directed at them. It's just an observation on the +5 thing.
What I would say the OP is that, although I don't know how much experience you have with CoH, you will have a far more enjoyable time avoiding +5 mobs.
Roll up any of the Defender sets discussed in your thread and go looking for +2/+3 mobs. You'll be mega effective for your team, the missions will zip along and you'll also have a lot of fun doing it as well 
Good luck
Proud member of FOXBASE ALPHA and coalition associates.
Hero 50's - 25
Villain 50's - 1
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I'm not a powerleveller, or lazy... but I need some advice....
I want to roll up a defender, and I want to roll up a GOOD one.
Assuming there would be *one* defender in a group, and my team is facing the toughest parts of the game (Trials, Task Forces, Archvillains, fighting against +5's), which AT is going to provide the best chance of survival and success for me and my team?
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The OP is certainly talking about a Defender, although I agree that to 'provide the best chance of survival and success for me and my team' it doesn't have to be a Defender.
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The issue as you point out in your post is the level of the mobs he may be facing - up to +5s, which in my eyes means a versatile toon. To be honest most, if not all of the defender sets can provide effective team support when playing up to +2s.
Its when you start going further into the unsked realms of +5s that it may be an idea to consider other ATs to provide the same level of security. As, mentioned, in my experience, both tanker and controllers in many cases are more effective if playing at that stretched difficulty level.
Some of this is out of personal preference, but my view is for example powers such as earthquake, iceslick etc tagged on to a controller secondary such as FF, Emp, Rad - offers that much more when against +5s as they don't require an accuracy check. The mobs just bounce up and down 
Incidently, I was recently in a PuG team against +5s playing a fire/kin and used bonfire (What the hell I thought, it +5s!) - much to my surprise the mobs bounced up and down instead of knocked back unable to hit anyone - just 1 recharge in that power and it turned out to be the teams strongest.
Which is why I asked whether it *had* to be a defender given the objectives set out by the OP.
I think what I was trying to say last night but drunkenly failed to do, because I got side tracked, is that there is no single character that can make a team capable of taking on +5 mobs, it requires several people in the team to be good players, and noone to be a particularly bad player, in addition to a reasonable mix of sets (you probably want both a buff and a debuff Defender Primary/Controller Secondary and someone running tactics helps).
On the subject of "You only fight +5s if you decline an SK", this actually isn't the case. If you have a two level split in the team and you run the missions of the highest level person in the team on invincible you will get +5s to the lowest level people in the team, and no SK available.
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As for the -Regen from the Rad set (Lingering Radiation) it's probably the best way to slow AV Regeneration. It does have an Acc check though and at +5 even 2 Acc SO's may not be enough.
Transfusion, from the Kinetic set, also has a high -Regen aspect but also with the Accuracy check of course.
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According to the Nofuture database, Lingering Rad for defenders does -100% regen for 30 secs while Transfusion does -50% for 20 secs. Transfusion has a 20% acc bonus. At the moment, the troller version of Lingering Rad apparently has a decimal error and does an outrageous -500% regen (compared to -50% for Transfusion).
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Without wanting to derail this thread too much, does anyone know what happens to the Transfusion figure of 50% when you reapply it within 20 seconds of the first application?
[/ QUOTE ]It's not tagged as [This effect does not stack from the same caster], so I'd assume it stacks.
[ QUOTE ]
On the subject of "You only fight +5s if you decline an SK", this actually isn't the case. If you have a two level split in the team and you run the missions of the highest level person in the team on invincible you will get +5s to the lowest level people in the team, and no SK available.
[/ QUOTE ]However, in such a situation, is it really the smartest possible thing to do the highest persons missions on invincible?
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As for the -Regen from the Rad set (Lingering Radiation) it's probably the best way to slow AV Regeneration. It does have an Acc check though and at +5 even 2 Acc SO's may not be enough.
Transfusion, from the Kinetic set, also has a high -Regen aspect but also with the Accuracy check of course.
[/ QUOTE ]
According to the Nofuture database, Lingering Rad for defenders does -100% regen for 30 secs while Transfusion does -50% for 20 secs. Transfusion has a 20% acc bonus. At the moment, the troller version of Lingering Rad apparently has a decimal error and does an outrageous -500% regen (compared to -50% for Transfusion).
[/ QUOTE ]
Without wanting to derail this thread too much, does anyone know what happens to the Transfusion figure of 50% when you reapply it within 20 seconds of the first application?
[/ QUOTE ]It's not tagged as [This effect does not stack from the same caster], so I'd assume it stacks.
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It stacks...any kin who regularly has done AVs will tell you this.
SingStar:
"Extremists LOVE to fish to get us annoyed so we break the forum rules."
CRACK68:
"The origin of life wasn't planned either, should all life be declared a bug and wiped out?"
Lionsbane:
"You know me.Ever the realist"
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On the subject of "You only fight +5s if you decline an SK", this actually isn't the case. If you have a two level split in the team and you run the missions of the highest level person in the team on invincible you will get +5s to the lowest level people in the team, and no SK available.
[/ QUOTE ]However, in such a situation, is it really the smartest possible thing to do the highest persons missions on invincible?
[/ QUOTE ]
If it's a pick up group who's never teamed together, no, if you know the people in the team and have the power sets to do it, yes, why not?
If you have consistantly played with the same people for a long time, regularly, use teamspeak, and have a reasonable mix of ATs, the game is extremely easy post-SOs. If there's no risk at all, it's just no fun in my opinion.
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As for the -Regen from the Rad set (Lingering Radiation) it's probably the best way to slow AV Regeneration. It does have an Acc check though and at +5 even 2 Acc SO's may not be enough.
Transfusion, from the Kinetic set, also has a high -Regen aspect but also with the Accuracy check of course.
[/ QUOTE ]
According to the Nofuture database, Lingering Rad for defenders does -100% regen for 30 secs while Transfusion does -50% for 20 secs. Transfusion has a 20% acc bonus. At the moment, the troller version of Lingering Rad apparently has a decimal error and does an outrageous -500% regen (compared to -50% for Transfusion).
[/ QUOTE ]
Without wanting to derail this thread too much, does anyone know what happens to the Transfusion figure of 50% when you reapply it within 20 seconds of the first application?
[/ QUOTE ]It's not tagged as [This effect does not stack from the same caster], so I'd assume it stacks.
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It stacks...any kin who regularly has done AVs will tell you this.
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I stand corrected then. Since I've only used the controller versions, Transfusion still feels a lot less powerful in terms of -regen than Lingering Rad, even if it's stacking.
CoX 50s: <ill/rad> <ice/ice> <fire/kin> <grav/sonic> <ice/storm> <earth/kin> <kin/elec> <cold/psy> <thugs/dark> <fire/dark> <dark/elec> <night widow> <EM/ninj> <mind/icy>
If you intend going for a powerset requiring a to-hit check I'd certainly recommend a minimum of 2 accuracies in your powers that you need to hit - heals, buffs, debuffs probably 3 for dark. Tactics would also be useful especially if you can get multiple team members with it.
I find on my DD Corrupter TG is starting to drop in reliability at about +5 and unreliable at +7 (2 Acc TG +3 To-Hits in Tactics), petrifying gaze and flufy's attacks are also still reasonable.
With my Kin Defender Transfusion is still reliable at +7 with 2 accs and up to +10 /+11 with aim and buildup running. but the rest of my buffs/debuffs and attacks tail off severely beyond +5.
Personally I'd suggest a /Emp or /Kin 'troller or dark defender with 3 Accs and Tactics ( and well slotted Howling twighlight and wakies to get up after you have rezzed the rest of the team and faceplanted from the aggro)
I suspect if you are all running at -5 to the mobs you are going to find it very slow leveling (yes its possible to all be -5 - consider posi TF on invincible with a lvl 10 team if you are trully suicidal)
Good luck on the Debt badges though
Mind of Gaia lvl 50 Defiant's first Mind/Storm 'troller.
Deadly Doc 50 Dark/Dark Corr
and lots more on Pinnacle,Union and Defiant
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As for the -Regen from the Rad set (Lingering Radiation) it's probably the best way to slow AV Regeneration. It does have an Acc check though and at +5 even 2 Acc SO's may not be enough.
Transfusion, from the Kinetic set, also has a high -Regen aspect but also with the Accuracy check of course.
[/ QUOTE ]
According to the Nofuture database, Lingering Rad for defenders does -100% regen for 30 secs while Transfusion does -50% for 20 secs. Transfusion has a 20% acc bonus. At the moment, the troller version of Lingering Rad apparently has a decimal error and does an outrageous -500% regen (compared to -50% for Transfusion).
[/ QUOTE ]
Without wanting to derail this thread too much, does anyone know what happens to the Transfusion figure of 50% when you reapply it within 20 seconds of the first application?
[/ QUOTE ]It's not tagged as [This effect does not stack from the same caster], so I'd assume it stacks.
[/ QUOTE ]
It stacks...any kin who regularly has done AVs will tell you this.
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I stand corrected then. Since I've only used the controller versions, Transfusion still feels a lot less powerful in terms of -regen than Lingering Rad, even if it's stacking.
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Oh...it is.
I'm not much of a numbers man tbh but I know how powers work from experience.
You can spam away transfusion at an AV for a few minutes without denting the regen...and woop...suddenly the AV goes down in a matter of seconds
LR is far superior since you can tell the effect instantly (more so as its bugged atm).
SingStar:
"Extremists LOVE to fish to get us annoyed so we break the forum rules."
CRACK68:
"The origin of life wasn't planned either, should all life be declared a bug and wiped out?"
Lionsbane:
"You know me.Ever the realist"
I thought lingering radiation was declared to be bugged in the way that its more effective -regen than its supposed to be?
Well clearly the controller version is (see numbers above).
CoX 50s: <ill/rad> <ice/ice> <fire/kin> <grav/sonic> <ice/storm> <earth/kin> <kin/elec> <cold/psy> <thugs/dark> <fire/dark> <dark/elec> <night widow> <EM/ninj> <mind/icy>
Loving all your responses guys, and if I could, I'd quote every one of them for truth.
Here's how this all started; I've failed the first respec trial *several* times. I join a group, we breeze through it, and then we hit that door just inside the terra volta reactor. I've got this far without a single faceplant on a team more than once.
And then the +5's and 6's turn up.....
I can't help feeling that there has to be something out there... that can make this possible, and be around for teams when the next unusually tricky bit turns up.
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As for the -Regen from the Rad set (Lingering Radiation) it's probably the best way to slow AV Regeneration. It does have an Acc check though and at +5 even 2 Acc SO's may not be enough.
Transfusion, from the Kinetic set, also has a high -Regen aspect but also with the Accuracy check of course.
[/ QUOTE ]
According to the Nofuture database, Lingering Rad for defenders does -100% regen for 30 secs while Transfusion does -50% for 20 secs. Transfusion has a 20% acc bonus. At the moment, the troller version of Lingering Rad apparently has a decimal error and does an outrageous -500% regen (compared to -50% for Transfusion).
[/ QUOTE ]
Without wanting to derail this thread too much, does anyone know what happens to the Transfusion figure of 50% when you reapply it within 20 seconds of the first application?
[/ QUOTE ]It's not tagged as [This effect does not stack from the same caster], so I'd assume it stacks.
[/ QUOTE ]
It stacks...any kin who regularly has done AVs will tell you this.
[/ QUOTE ]
I stand corrected then. Since I've only used the controller versions, Transfusion still feels a lot less powerful in terms of -regen than Lingering Rad, even if it's stacking.
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Oh...it is.
I'm not much of a numbers man tbh but I know how powers work from experience.
You can spam away transfusion at an AV for a few minutes without denting the regen...and woop...suddenly the AV goes down in a matter of seconds
LR is far superior since you can tell the effect instantly (more so as its bugged atm).
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I'm well accustomed to fighting AV's with my Ill/Kin Controller. He is 49 and has plenty of AV's under his belt and also holds the Dimensional Warder badge.
The way you describe it - that 'suddenly the AV goes down in a matter of seconds' just isn't what happens with the Controller Kinetic power.
The effect is noticeable but gradual. There is no sudden drop - which is why I enquired about the stacking effect
Bear in mind I'm only talking about the Controller Kinetic power here.
Proud member of FOXBASE ALPHA and coalition associates.
Hero 50's - 25
Villain 50's - 1
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Loving all your responses guys, and if I could, I'd quote every one of them for truth.
Here's how this all started; I've failed the first respec trial *several* times. I join a group, we breeze through it, and then we hit that door just inside the terra volta reactor. I've got this far without a single faceplant on a team more than once.
And then the +5's and 6's turn up.....
I can't help feeling that there has to be something out there... that can make this possible, and be around for teams when the next unusually tricky bit turns up.
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Ah. Makes much more sense now. Read this and you shoulld be ok. Linky
Proud member of FOXBASE ALPHA and coalition associates.
Hero 50's - 25
Villain 50's - 1
Oh I see. Just get a couple of levels then the respec will be easy enough. Pretty much anyone, no matter how good, would fail against those odds.
While I'm here I may as well put my 2 bits in. Go Rad/sonic or rad/psy. Rad primary has such awesome utility, strong debuffs to both increase your survivability and damage, an awesome buff, an awesome hold for the OMGWEGONNADIE situations, a good heal. The wide variety in the types of power make this a fun set to play. The debuffs really come into their own when fighting mobs higher level than you.
IN MEMORIUM OF GAYBABY
CRUELY TAKEN FROM THIS WORLD WHILE SO YOUNG
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Loving all your responses guys, and if I could, I'd quote every one of them for truth.
Here's how this all started; I've failed the first respec trial *several* times. I join a group, we breeze through it, and then we hit that door just inside the terra volta reactor. I've got this far without a single faceplant on a team more than once.
And then the +5's and 6's turn up.....
I can't help feeling that there has to be something out there... that can make this possible, and be around for teams when the next unusually tricky bit turns up.
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As others above me have stated already:
Respec Trials should be done with a very narrow level band and at most one person (preferably) should be more than 1 level below the highest level character.
What's needed isn't a specific character or build, but rather knowledge of how the Respec Trials work (read the guide Cobra_Man linked).
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On the subject of "You only fight +5s if you decline an SK", this actually isn't the case. If you have a two level split in the team and you run the missions of the highest level person in the team on invincible you will get +5s to the lowest level people in the team, and no SK available.
[/ QUOTE ]However, in such a situation, is it really the smartest possible thing to do the highest persons missions on invincible?
[/ QUOTE ]
If it's a pick up group who's never teamed together, no, if you know the people in the team and have the power sets to do it, yes, why not?
If you have consistantly played with the same people for a long time, regularly, use teamspeak, and have a reasonable mix of ATs, the game is extremely easy post-SOs. If there's no risk at all, it's just no fun in my opinion.
[/ QUOTE ]However, the huge decrease in power efectiviness when figthing stuff that's +4 or more means that fights tend to just take long times, while they're still easy, and IMO that's even more boring. YMMV, of course.
Yep, I'm with MaX on this.
Theres so many teams recently who insist on playing vs +4s or more. Over the weekend I've had a few PuGs where the leader was -3/-4 to the mobs and he was the highest level on the team. Its just not fun for me playing like that. To top it off we died multiple times (5 faceplants in my case) and they started discussing how to abuse the PvP missions by spawning a mission for one toon and then doing it with the 8 man so they can "get uber XP".
If they dropped the difficulty right down (1st, 2nd or 3rd setting) its far more enjoyable and seems like much less of an actual grind.
It probably won't stack if it's from the same caster.
CoX 50s: <ill/rad> <ice/ice> <fire/kin> <grav/sonic> <ice/storm> <earth/kin> <kin/elec> <cold/psy> <thugs/dark> <fire/dark> <dark/elec> <night widow> <EM/ninj> <mind/icy>