Making a bot/FF MM, any advice oh wise ones?

I have been looking into al the CoV archetypes for ages now and have gotten 2 to lvl 36-37 before inevitably deleting them due to my suckiness, but now I am very experienced and have decided to roll a bot/FF MM since I got my laptop and spending time with my parents while playing on my laptop will be easier. OK to the point I may need help and guidance from the wise ones *coughs * MZ *coughs*.

- Do I need fitness?

- Do I need leadership?

- Do I need medicine?

- Should I get repair instead of medicine?

- How should I manage my bots ? (eg. stances, attackin etc.)

- Any macros that would help?

Hope I get some responses soon, thanks.

I have a Bots/Dark Miasma MM. My advice to you is do NOT take any of the attacks because at higher levels they suck. It my opinion I would take Aid Other over Repair due to Repair's HUGE recharge. If you slot Aid Other with two Heal SOs and one Rechrage it is awesome. Heals one Bot to 3/4 health. Since I am Dark Miasma I dont have any advice about FF. Leadership is good. It replaces the attacks you shouldn't take. Since your Force Fields will be providing defense I would suggest taking Assault and Tactics. I have the Fitness Pools and they help with managing my toggles. Hope I helped.

- Do I need fitness?
Only if you don't slot for EndRdx or take a lot of extra toggles you want to run all the time (I run Assault, Tactics, Dispersion, Scorpion Shield, and Hover. More than that).

- Do I need leadership?
No, but I recommend it in general for a bare minimum of the Perception increase.

- Do I need medicine?
No, but it is nice for a frequent heal.

- Should I get repair instead of medicine?
Why instead of? I have both and each have their place (Repair is not interruptible and has a better range that Aid Other)

- How should I manage my bots ? (eg. stances, attackin etc.)
To be honest, 80% of the time I use around three commands...

Defensive stance with the Follow command (to activate Bodyguard)
Attack My Target command (to direct attacks)
Passive stance (to move around with bots out so they don't aggro anything)

Its only certain circumstance that I start to get fancy. Use my Modern Mastermind Control set and you have all the flexibility you ever need (I also have two binds on my mouse, one for Attack and one for Defensive/Follow)

- Any macros that would help?
Lots! But just create them as you need them. I tried setting up a full suite before I began my MM, but found most of them useless later down the line.

Macro up the things you do in gameplay, not what others do!

Thanks for teh advice so far, I picked up the attack just to speed up lvling, gonna use my veteran respec later on when I feel my bots can take care of things. Probably won't take leadership I always felt it's overrated and I'm not a hardcore pvper I think I'll eventually pick up fitness (I always do :P)

By the way MZ I was thinking about wanting to join your supergroup, I could really use some good advice and teaming and I'd help anyway I can my global handle is @Ops and my MM is on defiant. Hope you get back to me soon.

- Do I need fitness?

I don't have stamina on my Bots/FF and she runs ok.
That's with Assault, Tactics and Dispersion Bubble running.
I slotted 2 EndReds in Assault and Tactics and 3 in Dispersion Bubble.

- Do I need leadership?

You can do fine without it, but Tactics can be very useful, especially for the +Perception.

- Do I need medicine?

It does help..

- Should I get repair instead of medicine?

Go for medicine first then get repair later if you think you need it and have the space.

I have built up my plan build for my bot/FF MM and want some good criticism please, I will probably have madesome mistakes I always do on another character and I made this build in like 10 minutes.

---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder - (http://sherksilver.coldfront.net/index.php)
---------------------------------------------
Name: Dak Dak
Level: 50
Archetype: Mastermind
Primary: Robotics
Secondary: Force Field
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Battle Drones==> Dmg(1) Dmg(3) Dmg(3) Acc(5) Acc(5) Acc(7)
01) --> Force Bolt==> Acc(1) Acc(37)
02) --> Deflection Shield==> DefBuf(2) DefBuf(7) DefBuf(9)
04) --> Insulation Shield==> DefBuf(4) DefBuf(9) DefBuf(23)
06) --> Equip Robot==> Rechg(6)
08) --> Hover==> EndRdx(8) Fly(46)
10) --> Aid Other==> Heal(10) Heal(11) Heal(11) Rechg(23)
12) --> Protector Bots==> Dmg(12) Dmg(13) Dmg(13) Acc(15) Acc(15) Acc(17)
14) --> Fly==> EndRdx(14) EndRdx(34) Fly(37) Fly(40)
16) --> Personal Force Field==> Rechg(16) Rechg(17) Rechg(21) Empty(34)
18) --> Aid Self==> Heal(18) Heal(19) Heal(19) Rechg(33)
20) --> Dispersion Bubble==> EndRdx(20) EndRdx(21) EndRdx(29) DefBuf(33) DefBuf(34) DefBuf(36)
22) --> Swift==> Run(22) Fly(40) Fly(43)
24) --> Repair==> Rechg(24) Rechg(25) Rechg(25)
26) --> Assault Bot==> Dmg(26) Dmg(27) Dmg(27) Acc(29) Acc(31) Acc(33)
28) --> Health==> Heal(28) Heal(39) Heal(40)
30) --> Stamina==> EndMod(30) EndMod(31) EndMod(31)
32) --> Upgrade Robot==> Rechg(32)
35) --> Group Fly==> EndRdx(35) EndRdx(36) EndRdx(36) Fly(37)
38) --> Force Bubble==> EndRdx(38) EndRdx(39) EndRdx(39)
41) --> Scorpion Shield==> EndRdx(41) EndRdx(42) EndRdx(42) DmgRes(42) DefBuf(43) DefBuf(43)
44) --> Web Envelope==> Acc(44) Acc(45) Acc(45) Immob(45) Immob(46) Rechg(46)
47) --> Web Cocoon==> Acc(47) Acc(48) Hold(48) Hold(48) Rechg(50)
49) --> Hasten==> Rechg(49) Rechg(50) Rechg(50)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> Empty(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Empty(1)
01) --> Supremacy==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Empty(2)
---------------------------------------------

Please forgive the empty slot in PFF I put that in by mistake.

Looks good.
A few things:

Consider moving those EndRdx from Fly to Deflection and Insulation shields.
You will be using those powers a lot, especially if you team up.
I have them both linked to the g key so I can quickly bubble a target by tapping g twice, saves time.

You have too many accuracies in the Protector and Assault bots, 2 in each should be more than enough.
For the Protector bots you might want to put a few DefBufs in there, the bubbles they put out do give a significant defense increase.
Before level 32; 2x Acc, 2x Dmg and 2x DefBufs would be good.
When they get the last upgrade at 32 they will start using a lot of endurance so you might want to put an EndRed in there then.

Upgrade Robot could do with another Recharge or two.

EndRdx in Hover?

For when I'm hovering while my bots are in combat, for when I'm bubbling everyone (especially in teams) I'll need the end. Oh, and running black scorpion armor and dispersion bubble.

I might slot assault bot with 3 dmg, 2 acc and 1 knockback in the end a I like knockback especially when facing elite bosses. But I agree with your slotting on protectors. Although I had a few slots left over during teh late level gets hard to decide where to put them.

For comparison, here is my current planned respec build (for when I hit L47 and need to sell all my Enhancements to fund the purchase of 50's)...

---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder - (http://sherksilver.coldfront.net/index.php)
---------------------------------------------
Name: Master Zaprobo
Level: 50
Archetype: Mastermind
Primary: Robotics
Secondary: Force Field
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Battle Drones==> Acc(1) Acc(3) Acc(3) Dmg(5) Dmg(5) Dmg(7)
01) --> Force Bolt==> Acc(1) Acc(7)
02) --> Pulse Rifle Burst==> Acc(2) Acc(11) EndRdx(17) Dmg(40) Dmg(40) Dmg(43)
04) --> Insulation Shield==> DefBuf(4) DefBuf(9) DefBuf(9)
06) --> Equip Robot==> Rechg(6) EndRdx(11)
08) --> Hover==> Fly(8) Fly(13) Fly(13)
10) --> Deflection Shield==> DefBuf(10) DefBuf(15) DefBuf(15)
12) --> Protector Bots==> Acc(12) EndRdx(19) DefBuf(19) Dmg(21) Dmg(21) Dmg(23)
14) --> Fly==> EndRdx(14) Fly(17) Fly(42)
16) --> Assault==> EndRdx(16) EndRdx(46)
18) --> Aid Other==> Heal(18) Heal(23) Heal(25) Rechg(25) Rechg(27) Rechg(27)
20) --> Dispersion Bubble==> EndRdx(20) EndRdx(29)
22) --> Tactics==> EndRdx(22) EndRdx(29) TH_Buf(31) TH_Buf(31) TH_Buf(43)
24) --> Group Fly==> EndRdx(24) EndRdx(31)
26) --> Assault Bot==> Acc(26) Acc(33) Dmg(33) Dmg(33) Dmg(34)
28) --> Repair==> Rechg(28) Rechg(34) Rechg(34)
30) --> Personal Force Field==> DefBuf(30) DefBuf(36) DefBuf(36) Rechg(36) Rechg(37) Rechg(37)
32) --> Upgrade Robot==> Rechg(32) EndRdx(37) EndRdx(39)
35) --> Detention Field==> Acc(35) Acc(39)
38) --> Force Bubble==> EndRdx(38) EndRdx(39) EndRdx(40)
41) --> Scorpion Shield==> EndRdx(41) DefBuf(42) DefBuf(42) DefBuf(43)
44) --> Aid Self==> Rechg(44) Rechg(45) Heal(45) Heal(45) Heal(46) IntRdx(46)
47) --> Web Envelope==> Acc(47) Acc(48) Rechg(48) Rechg(48)
49) --> Web Cocoon==> Acc(49) Acc(50) Rechg(50) Rechg(50)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> Run(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
01) --> Supremacy==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Rechg(2)
---------------------------------------------

Perhaps a slot for knockback for the assault bot, knockback can really help...

Perhaps a slot for endurance reduction in hover since you'll be running alot of toggles without fitness.

Why an attack? at high levels attacks for mastermidns are pants, only get you aggro, the only reason to get atacks for masterminds is speeding up leveling in the early levels.


Apart form that it looks pretty good.

Perhaps a slot for knockback for the assault bot, knockback can really help...
I don't want mobs knocked out of the burn patches from the Incendiary Missiles if I can at all help it

Perhaps a slot for endurance reduction in hover since you'll be running alot of toggles without fitness.
Hover has absolutely minimal endurance use - slotting it isn't at all efficient. Even with the toggles I regularly run I still gain endurance.

Why an attack? at high levels attacks for mastermidns are pants, only get you aggro, the only reason to get atacks for masterminds is speeding up leveling in the early levels.
Part-concept, part the fact I still actively use my attack even at L46. Handy for finishing off a lone mob, while your bots switch to a larger group to make better use of their AoE. Hell, I even use my Ghost Slaying Axe Vet Reward

Pulse Rifle Burst slotted 1x Acc 3x Dmg is suprisingly effective all the way through the game and its knockback effect is handy for a bit of crowd control.

If you're impatient like me then Stamina can be handy for speedy setting up especially if ambushed on entering a mission. Just throw up Force Bubble summon your army and equip them as you go. Also it means you don't get left behind by the rest of the team. Swift is handy too if you go down the hover route as it provides a good boost to your flight speed making it only marginally slower than sprint.

The +perception from Tactics is almost essential for dealing with stealth units all through the mid to late game. The accuracy bonus is also useful for keeping your Drones in the game once they drop to -2 level.

Aid Other is handy and more versatile than Repair (but that's just my opinion). It's not as potent as Repair but it does have the advantage of being useable on teammates which can be handy in keeping that useful Corruptor or Dominator on her feet.

Hi,
I finally started playing my Bots/FF Mastermind more often, I hit level 14 last night and still have a respec available... This thread is very useful and interesting, however there is one thing on which I'm particularly dubious, and that is: should I place Heal enhancements on my protector bots, or shouldn't I? Are heal enhanc. any useful, or should I go with something different?

I am particularly interested in the pets summon powers slotting, so any opinion on the matter would be much appreciated. Thanks a lot

Personal attacks can be used for pulling, finishing off a player or NPC, and generally add to the damage output. Aggro is what you have bodyguard mode for. I disagree with the notion that the personal attack is useless, at the very least.

I have had many uses for my personal attacks, at the highest level. It all come down to how busy you are with your secondary stuff. IMHO. :-P

---

[ QUOTE ]
This thread is very useful and interesting, however there is one thing on which I'm particularly dubious, and that is: should I place Heal enhancements on my protector bots, or shouldn't I? Are heal enhanc. any useful, or should I go with something different?

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't personally, slot up Aid Other or Repair instead. The Prot-Bot heal is on a fairly long timer and you have no control on which bot they use it.
DefBuf would be handier IMO.

[ QUOTE ]
I am particularly interested in the pets summon powers slotting, so any opinion on the matter would be much appreciated. Thanks a lot

[/ QUOTE ]

I would slot bots as follows:
Tier 1: 3xAcc and 3xDmg.
Prot-Bots: 2xAdd, 2xDmg and 2xDef.
At 32 I would replace a Dmg with an EndRedx as they do use a lot of end at that point.
The force bubbles they use do give a good defense bonus and are worth slotting. It's 7.5% def unslotted IIRC.
Assault bot: 2xAcc and 3xDmg.

-Any Macros that would help?
Sandolphan's Mastermind Numaric Keypad Pet Controls

That is all

(Ok they're not actually Macros... but they really do help)