Spot of help for the newbie?

Hallo folks!

Currently I'm playing a L24 MA/WP scrapper, but I'm honestly finding the single-target gameplay horribly annoying and simply not very fun, so I am currently looking at starting a controller.

However, as I have no clue whatsoever about controllers (nor about scrappers really, but that's another topic), being new to the game and all (just bought it yesterday after trying the trial), I would love it if you guys and girls could make some suggestions as to what I should go with as far as origin and builds go.

What I'm after is basically a PvE-machine. PvP doesn't really appeal to me, but CC and damage-dealing does. So those two are the most important aspects, however some backup healing would be nice to have (possibly eventually?) for whenever I'm teaming with some friends. Also, flying would be neat if it can be baked in without causing too much a stir to the build, though it is not necessary.

I've read through a lot of the posts here, but to be frank, I don't always understand the reasoning behind them or the enhancement slotting validity/purpose. A small explanation concerning the build would therefore also be appreciated, so that I know why I'm doing what I'm doing

Looking forward to any possible replies you might have! Cheers in advance.

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I would probably suggest playing Illusion/Radiation first. It's fairly newbie friendly and also great fun to play.

The powers are fairly straightforward and it works well with fly (my ill/rad is the only toon I have with fly).

It isnt the most damaging combo there is but has a very consistent damageoutput over all 50 levels.

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I've read through a lot of the posts here, but to be frank, I don't always understand the reasoning behind them or the enhancement slotting validity/purpose. A small explanation concerning the build would therefore also be appreciated, so that I know why I'm doing what I'm doing

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Too many things to put in one post here I guess. If you have an specifics I'm sure myself and others will be happy to help.

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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"

Yeah, Ill/Rad is a great combo, it even looks good when Archy is playing it, so it's got to be REALLY good

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[ QUOTE ]
I would probably suggest playing Illusion/Radiation first. It's fairly newbie friendly and also great fun to play.

The powers are fairly straightforward and it works well with fly (my ill/rad is the only toon I have with fly).

It isnt the most damaging combo there is but has a very consistent damageoutput over all 50 levels.

[ QUOTE ]
I've read through a lot of the posts here, but to be frank, I don't always understand the reasoning behind them or the enhancement slotting validity/purpose. A small explanation concerning the build would therefore also be appreciated, so that I know why I'm doing what I'm doing

[/ QUOTE ]

Too many things to put in one post here I guess. If you have an specifics I'm sure myself and others will be happy to help.

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Ah, thank you, I will most definitely check it out.

Any recommendations for origin though? I hear that magic is so over-used the prices for inventions and such are through the roof? Does origin really matter that much?

Also, I understand that it's a good idea to enhance any damage powers with the full 6 slots, but are there any reasons whatsoever to also enhance things like healing and, if so, should that be done before or after one slots the damage powers fully?

Anyway, thank you for your reply

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i'm loving my Ilu/storm, though the sound of wind blowing, is now stuck on a loop in my head :P

Ilu was a bit meh, till 18 but now it's great fun droping my freazing rain and calling my phantom army straight into a large group. Realy cant wait to get my real pet

Controlers realy are a nice ranged class, we dont do huge numbers, but if a mob is held we sudenly do alot more damage and we come in so many fun combos with flash effects...

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[ QUOTE ]

Any recommendations for origin though? I hear that magic is so over-used the prices for inventions and such are through the roof? Does origin really matter that much?

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Origin basically has no impact on gameplay apart from maybe if you have a concept, and the type of enhancements you can use (if youre using DOs and SOs) or *shudders* RPs.

The "magic" I think you've heard about is that all mobs have a chance to drop invention salvage. Some only drop tech invention salvage, some magic invention salvage and some both types. This salvage is needed to craft IOs. Main reason why magic salvage tends to be more expensive than tech is that techdropping mobs are much more common than magic so the supply is bigger.

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Also, I understand that it's a good idea to enhance any damage powers with the full 6 slots, but are there any reasons whatsoever to also enhance things like healing and, if so, should that be done before or after one slots the damage powers fully?

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Well...depends on a lot of things. Do you solo a lot? You planning on being a damagedealer or support orientated player or possibly both? And if so what do you wanna concentrate on first? It also very much depends on the power if its worth slotting or not.

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Yeah, Ill/Rad is a great combo, it even looks good when Archy is playing it, so it's got to be REALLY good

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Shush you!

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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"

[ QUOTE ]
i'm loving my Ilu/storm, though the sound of wind blowing, is now stuck on a loop in my head :P

Ilu was a bit meh, till 18 but now it's great fun droping my freazing rain and calling my phantom army straight into a large group. Realy cant wait to get my real pet

Controlers realy are a nice ranged class, we dont do huge numbers, but if a mob is held we sudenly do alot more damage and we come in so many fun combos with flash effects...

[/ QUOTE ]

Illusion/Storm was my first controller too. Bit messy but very effective. I've heard people say "It's a bit tricky, not really suitable for first-timers" but I don't believe that really. Once you learn not to Gale every mob away from the tank you're good.

In terms of an easy-to-get-in-to close combat controller with a bit of healing I'd pick Fire/Rad though. Huge AOE damage in Hot Feet and Fire Cages from the off, a great, early AOE mez in Flashfire and defensive debuffs (Radiation Infection makes things miss you more often), heals and buffs (Accelerated Metabolism) in the Rad secondary.

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Id go ill/rad or ill/storm
Illusion is great fun enabling a lot more than pure lockdown...semi tanking with your phantom army, a pet blaster, a group fear, 2 invis the only problem with it is that your teens are rather boring!!
Raditaion is a good secondary and will make you a great debuffer, you also get a rez and a great buff with accelerated metabolisim.
Storm is also a lot of fun is one of the most entertaining sets in the game a ill/storm would be more of a chaos troller with debuffs, a tornado, slows.

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Yeah, Ill/Rad is a great combo, it even looks good when Archy or DB are playing it, so it's got to be REALLY good

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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>

Origin does matter but to a very minor degree. I now rarely roll anything other than Magic, Mutant or Natural because I prefer the Black Wand over the Nemesis staff. OK so you need 3 years subscription time to get them but I do plan for it

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"Well, they found my diary today.
They were appropriately appalled
at the discovery of the eight victims
They're now putting it all together.
Women wrapped in silk
with one leg missing
Eight legs, one body, silk,
spider, brilliant!"

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Yeah, Ill/Rad is a great combo, it even looks good when Archy or DB are playing it, so it's got to be REALLY good

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[/ QUOTE ]

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have to agree ill /rad is great , after trying most controller types my ill rad cognitive dissident is still my favourite toon

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Agreed that ill/rad is probably best to start out with. Once you've got more experience under your belt, fire's a better choice for pure damage, though a little trickier to play right - the only other issue is Fire controllers (especially Fire/Kin) are a little "flavour-of-the-monthy", so prepare to be flamed for it (aha-ha, see what I did there?)

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"Hard pressed on my right. My centre is yielding. Impossible to manoeuvre. Situation excellent. I am attacking." - General Ferdinand Foch

Some of the origin temp powers seem to set up containment better than others. I think only natural doesn't have some mild mez built in.

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[ QUOTE ]
Some of the origin temp powers seem to set up containment better than others. I think only natural doesn't have some mild mez built in.

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This made me chuckle

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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"

[ QUOTE ]
Some of the origin temp powers seem to set up containment better than others. I think only natural doesn't have some mild mez built in.

[/ QUOTE ]
And hitting your first power twice (once for containment and mez, second time for damage and mez) will probably work out better damage per end.

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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Some of the origin temp powers seem to set up containment better than others. I think only natural doesn't have some mild mez built in.

[/ QUOTE ]
And hitting your first power twice (once for containment and mez, second time for damage and mez) will probably work out better damage per end.

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And if your ST mezzez aren't up? Or you're still only level one? I can get double damage off a weak power or a stronger power what would you suggest I do?

Personally I only ever pick mutation or technology as I like those two the most, but if you want a reason to pick different origins the above is as good a reason as any.

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Hi,

My recommendations for an AoE damage Controller would be a Fire/Rad or Fire/Kin. Contrary to what others have said I wouldn't go with ill/Rad, apart from the pets all of the damage is ST and it can feel a bit like damage via proxy.
Other alts worth a look at are */Fire Tanks especially Ice/Fire they will give you crowd control(albeit through a different method)and good AoE damage.
Spines Scrappers do good AoE damage but CC is limited beyond the slows in Spines.
Whatever you choose have fun.

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L50s: Tanks: Cryofission - Ice/EM - Dr Celsius - Fire/Ice - Saint George - SD/SS | Controllers: Psichosis - Ill/Kin - Major Chaos - Ill/Stm | Scrappers - Neutron Crusader - DM/SR

Currently Levelling: Angelic Blade - BS/WP Scrapper | Seeds of Destruction - Plant/Kin Controller

I'd pick either a fire/rad, fire/rad or a fire/rad all are good

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Only other key points about Origins...
1. It gives you a single (out of 5, permanent) temporary power.
2. It affects which Titles you can get later in the game:
'The'/'' from character creation is a given.
The level 15 list is also generic, however the level 25 list is origin specific!
http://cityofheroes.wikia.com/wiki/Title

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I have a fire/kin troller I made 18 months back and got her to 50 recently. She is the only troller I have enjoyed - mainly cos I think imps are great to watch rampaging through a mob!

I also have a fire/fire tank though and she is awesome for crowd control - well... not so much control as destruction

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Golden-Phoenix - Lvl 50 Fire/Fire Tank
Oodja Nikabolokov - Lvl 50 SS/WP Brute
Baby-Phoenix - Lvl 50 Peacebringer
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could Chuck Norris?

Ill/Rad troller or Earth/Storm troller are my favs,both awesome fun to lvl although Ill/Rad is more friendly in the earlier lvls.
Earth/Storm is very hard to solo prior to 32 and your pooman pet,after that it's damage city with tornado and lightning storm.
My 50 Ill/Rad is my fav though,got phantom army down to 5 secs recharge now only another 200mill to perma lol

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I have an Ill/Kin, and he is just great to watch and play. BUT I think there is better synergy to be had with and Ill/Rad, and far more depth than the bog standard 2 dimensional Fire/Kin or Fire/Rad.

Ill/Rad is your classic all-round power house for sure.

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@Boy Wonder

Quantum Flash - Ill/Kin Controller
Leader of the Legion of Heroes

Illusion/Radiation for messy Aoe,... or Earth/Storm (my personal favourite) fantastic GFX/animations and stoney is of course an total 'Control Monster'. Both make cave missions an absolute joy.

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?/Radiation Controller, Radiation/? Defender and ?/Radiation Corruptor Teammate Rez Power Combo:

Fallout (Radiation) - Post-Defeat: PBAoE, Extreme DMG(Energy), Foe -ACC, -DEF, -DMG, -Res(All)

Vengeance (Leadership) - Ranged (Targeted AoE), Teammates +DMG, +ACC, +DEF(All), Res(Effects)

Mutation (Radiation) - Close, Ally Rez, Special

(The special effect of Mutation is a short term +DMG +ACC +Recov +Rech -XPDebt 20 sec,
followed by -DMG -ACC etc. prior to it wearing off.)


Whilst using:
Superior Invisibility (Illusion Controller Primary) / Stealth (Stealth)
And possibly:
Recall Friend (Teleport) after Fallout but prior to Mutation
Which both help prevent you getting killed whilst rezing teammates.


Notes:
1. This Radiation info also excludes the extra team +DMG +ACC +DEF from the rest of Radiation's team toggles and AoE's.
2. Power effect info borrowed from Mids Hero/Villain Designer - Version 1.3, Issue 11 Database.

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