Guide to Willpower/Super Strength

Guide to Willpower and Super Strength

Good morning, heroes.
I hear you were after some information on the Willpower and Super Strength powersets for tankers. You were? Then you've come to the right place.
I’m a mutant. I know a lot of you out there aren’t, and that’s fine. Your origin has no impact on the actual powers you are able to pick up.

My slotting recommendations will be what to slot for. The first thing to slot (first priority) will be first, and lowering priority after that.

A note on style:
Power name
Available level
Exactly what it does
Specific numbers
Description of power, as per game or Mids description
~My own synopsis and explanations
What your slotting priorities whould be
When to get the power

Willpower

Hey, look! I can actually see what my character looks like!

High Pain Threshold
Level 1
Auto: Self +Res (All), +MaxHealth
Resist: 7.5%
+MaxHealth: 20%
Description: You have a greater tolerance to pain than others. You are also slightly resistant to all types of damage. This power is always on and costs no endurance.
~This is a good power to have, though I didn’t get it til much later in my build. A little bit of extra resist to everything, including psi, and some extra hit points, as well. At 50, you gain 187 extra hp, base. Not too bad, but starting out, MoB is much better for you.
Slotting: Res/heal
Recommended level: Whenever you can fit it in.

Mind Over Body
Level 1
Toggle: Self +Res(Smash, Lethal, Psionics)
End/sec: 0.21
Resist: 22.5%
Recharge: Fast (2s)
Description: When you toggle on this power, you empower your Mind Over Body to become highly resistant to Smashing, Lethal, and Psionic damage.
~This is the power I started with. Yeah, it’s a toggle, but it gives you three times the resist value of HPT. The end cost is very good considering what it does, and end use is not an issue with Willpower.
Slotting: Res, End Redux
Recommended level: 1

Fast Healing
Level 2
Auto: Self +Regeneration
Regen: 75%
Description: You heal Hit Points at a faster rate than normal. This power is always on.
~This power can make you more of a Regen tank. However, you are not reading this to be a regen tank. You are reading this to be a willpower tank. If you have room in your build for this power, then great. Pick it up, and slot it for Heal. Otherwise, skip it. I don’t die enough for me to question if this is a good choice for me.
Slotting: Heal
Recommended level: not. Otherwise, whenever you have room for it.

Indomitable Will
Level 6
Toggle: Self Res(Disorient, Hold, Immobilize, Sleep, Fear, Confuse, Repel, Knockback). DEF(Psionics)
End/sec: 0.21
Defense: 10%
Recharge: Fast (4s)
Description: When you toggle on this power, it grants protection from Sleep, Disorient, Fear, Immobilize, Confusions, Repel, Knockback and Hold effects. Indomitable Will also grants a moderate defense to Psionic based attacks.
~Your basic mez resist power. Again, it has a very low end cost, and it’s a psi defense power! I shouldn’t even have to tell you to pick this up as soon as possible.
Slotting: End/Def
Recommended level: Well, since you can’t get it at level 1, get instead as soon as it becomes available, at level 6.

Rise to the Challenge
Level 8
Toggle: Self +Regen, Foe –ACC
End/sec: 0.21
Regen: (1 enemy) 26% (10 enemies) 251%
ToHit: -3.5% (Tgt)
Recharge: Slow (10s)
Description: The more the odds are against you, the more determined you become. When surrounded by foes, your ability to regenerate health increases greatly. Additionally, your resolve and the look in your eye is enough to leave most foes shaken, so their attacks are less accurate. The first foe you engage in melee grants the highest regeneration bonus, and up to 10 foes can contribute to this effect.
~Ah, your taunt aura. It’s a good one, as auras go, except for the duration… more on that after. The more foes around you, the higher your regen goes. Also, foe accuracy drops a little, which is like a second layer of defense for you.
In regards to the actual taunt part of the aura… it’s pretty lackluster. The duration is dismal at 1.25 seconds. Therefore, a taunt duration is a must. Willpower is the ONLY tanker set (apart from Shields) that I say that Taunt (the power) is a must if you want to do your job as a tanker, as RttC just isn’t good enough to hold agro all the time.
Slotting: Heal, Taunt, End Redux
Recommended level: 8

Quick Recovery
Level 12
Auto: Self +Recovery
Recovery: 30%
Description: You recover Endurance at a faster rate than normal. This power is always on.
~Get this power. I don’t need to say anything else… If it’s a toss-up for you between QR and Stamina, get QR. The base end recovery is higher (30% as opposed to 25% for Stamina)
Slotting: End Mod
Recommended level: 12

Heightened Senses
Level 18
Toggle: Self +DEF(Smash, Lethal, Fire, Cold, Energy, Negative Energy), +Per
End/sec: 0.21
Defense: 3.3% / 13%
Perception: 60%
Res-Def: 60%
Recharge: Fast (2s)
Description: You become more aware of your environment and its hazards while this power is activated. This will increase your Defense versus environmental damage as lone as it is active. Your Heightened Senses also allow you to perceive stealthy foes and resist Defense Debuffs.
~Good power to have, though I didn’t get this power until much later. However, given room, it should be taken as soon as possible; that being said, if something else is more important to get sooner, then by all means, take this later on. Just make sure you get it eventually.
A note on the two values for defense: Smashing/Lethal defense is only 3.3%, while the exotic defense is 13%. You’ll be relying on your resistance more for smash/lethal, and your defense for the exotic damages.
Slotting: Def, End Redux
Recommended level: As soon as you have room for it.

Resurgence
Level 26
Self Rez, Special
Heal: 80%
Recovery: 200%
End (Self): 50%
DmgBuff: 28%
ToHit: 21%
Recharge: Very Long (300s)
Description: Should you fall in battle, you can Revive yourself from the brink of death. You will revive with most of your hit points, and half your endurance and be protected from XP Debt for 90 seconds. Additionally, for 90 seconds, your damage and chance to hit will be improved, then for another 45 seconds, your damage and chance to hit will be diminished.
~In my own humble opinion, if you are dieing enough for you to use an entire power slot on a self rez, then you are doing something very wrong. That’s why Awakens were invented. Skip this power, unless you are hell-bent on getting a self-rez.
Slotting: Recharge, should you get this power.
Recommended level: I don’t.

Strength of Will
Level 32
Self, +Res(Disorient, Sleep, Hold, Immobilize, Repel, Knockback, All DMG), +Recovery
End Cost: 2.6
Duration: 120s
Recharge: Very Long (300s unenhancable)
Res: 25% / 12.5%
Recovery: 30%
Mez prot: 21.6
Description: When you activate this power, you not only become extremely resistant to most damage, but also to Disorient, Immobilization, Hold, Knockback, Repel, and Sleep effects. Strength of Will costs little endurance to activate and increases your recovery for its duration, but when it wears off, you are left exhausted and substantially drained of endurance. Note that Strength of Will is unaffected by attack rate changes.
~Your panic button. I often use this right before jumping in front of an Arch Villain, so I can absorb the alpha strike. Your resists will cap out (or should, anyway), and your recovery spikes, around 5.5%/sec, once slotted. When SoW crashes (after the 120s duration), you will lose 50 end. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. So watch for the blinking icon, and get ready to crash. You cannot enhance the recharge of this power; however, if you are slowed, or have your recharge dropped on you, those effects do not change the 5-minute recharge of this power, which is nice.
Slotting: Res/End Mod
Recommended level: 32

So there we have it. A basic rundown of Willpower as a whole. The extra recovery of QR definitely helps any secondary, but especially Stone Melee and Super Strength. You may not have the resists of Invulnerability, or the defense of Ice Armour or Stone Armour, or even the regeneration of a regen scrapper. But you can tank pretty much anything the game throws out there at you. Because I have.


Super Strength

The best SMASH! other than Stone Melee.

Jab
Level 1
Melee, Minor DMG(Smash), Minor Disorient
End Cost: 3.54
Stun: 2
Dmg: 30.3 Smash
Recharge: Very Fast (2)
Description: A quick jab that deals minor damage, but has a chance of Disorienting the target, especially if coupled with other attacks.
~This is a not-bad attack chain filler. For a long time, I had this power on auto, and it just fired off whenever. If I could respec out of it, I would, but it’s mandatory.
Slotting: Dmg, Acc
Recommended level: Mandatory at level 1

Punch
Level 2
Melee, Moderate DMG(Smash), Knockback
End Cost: 5.2
KB: 0.67
Dmg: 44.5 Smash
Recharge: Fast (4s)
Description: Your Super Strength Punch can deal a moderate amount of damage, but most of all can knock your opponent his feet, unable to attack again until he stands up.
~This is a very nice attack. I heartily approve. I would get this at level 1 if I could. However, that is sadly not possible, so we make do. A good attack in your attack chain, this has a good chance to knock your target down.
Slotting: Dmg, Acc
Recommended level: 2

Haymaker
Level 4
Melee, High DMG(Smash), Knockback
End Cost: 8.53
KB: 0.67
Dmg: 73 Smash
Recharge: Moderate (8s)
Description: A slow but devastating attack, the Haymaker has a great chance of knocking your opponent down.
~Awesomesauce. This is one of my favorite attacks in Super Strength. A staple til 50 and beyond. Fast animating, and a great chance for knockdown. Definitely a must-get.
Slotting: Dmg, Acc
Recommended level: 4

Taunt
Level 10
Ranged (Targeted AoE), Foe Taunt
Taunt: 41s
Range: -75%
Recharge: Slow (10s)
Description: Taunts a foe, and some nearby foes, to attack you. Useful for pulling villains off an ally who finds themselves in over their heads. Taunted foes tend to ignore other Heroes and focus on you for quite a while, so use this power cautiously. An accuracy check is required to Taunt enemy players, but is not needed against critter targets.
~Standard Taunt power. I recommend this more for Willpower or Shield tanks than any other, due to the crap-tastic taunt ability in the taunt auras. This is your tanking tool. Throw insults at the spawn. Tell them their mother was an infected weasel. Or something. Doesn’t matter. In PvE, accuracy is not required. Otherwise (PvP only) you will need to boost the accuracy of this power.
Slotting: Taunt, Recharge, Range
Recommended level: This is up for debate. In my old build, I didn’t get this power until 30, but in the current build I have it at 10. Whenever you feel you need to get it.

Hand Clap
Level 16
PBAoE, Foe Disorient, Knockback
End Cost: 13
KB: 5.19
Stun: 2
Recharge: Slow (30s)
Description: You clap your hands together with such force that you create a deafening shockwave. This shockwave can knock back nearby foes, and they have a chance to become Disoriented due to the chock to the inner ear. Hand Clap deals no damage.
~I hate this power. The only reason I have it here is for information’s sake. No self-respecting Willpower tank should ever get Hand Clap. Reson 1: the knockback. It fires mobs right out of your taunt aura. Reason two: It also fires them out of your regen range, so they are now no longer helping your regen. Reason 3: It takes them sometimes a long time to get back into range, if they ever do.
Do not pick up this power.
Slotting: Don’t. Fine… Stun, End Redux
Recommended level: No. Not at all.

Knockout Blow
Level 20
Melee, Extreme DMG(Smash), Foe Hold
End Cost: 18.5
Knockup: 7.79
Hold: 3
Dmg: 158.4 Smash
Recharge: Slow (25s)
Description: You perform a Knockout Blow on your opponent. This punch does extreme damage, and has a great chance of holding your target.
~Yes. Very much yes. This power is tied with Total Focus and Seismic Smash for highest-damaging single-target power. It’s that good. Long windup, then POW! Sends your helpless mob to the freaking moon. Okay, maybe not, but still. Don’t bother slotting for the hold; it’s just icing on the Pain Cake.
Slotting: Dmg, Acc
Recommended level: 20

Rage
Level 28
Self +DMG, +To-hit, Delayed Self (Weaken, Special)
End Cost: 5.2
ToHit: 20%
DamBuff: 80%
Duration: 120s
Recharge: Very Long (240s)
Description: A Rage comes over you, sending you into a beserker fury. While Raging, your damage and chance to hit is dramatically increased. However, when your rage subsides, your are left with reduced Defense, Dreained of some of your endurance, and your attacks are substantially weakened.
~Like Buildup and Aim on steroids, that last two minutes. Giant damage buff, and enough of a to-hit buff that you really don’t need accuracy in your powers. Once Rage wears off, you lose 15 end, have a –20% defense debuff, and your damage goes into the toilet. –9990% damage. Not quite self-only, but you aren’t doing a whole lot of damage. KO Blow does 12 damage at this point. It used to give you a Self-Only status for a little while, but the almighty devs have changed that. The debuff lasts for only 10 seconds.
Once you get Rage, your damage will really start to shine. Not quite double damage, but pretty close.
Slotting: Recharge, ToHit
Recommended level: 28

Hurl
Level 35
Ranged, High DMG(Smash), Knockback, -Fly
End Cost: 9.36
Fly: -160%
KB: 7.79
Dmg: 73 Smash
Recharge: Moderate (8s)
Description: You are able to tear up a chunk of ground beneath your feet and Hurl it at an enemy. This attack deals moderate damage, and can knock foes back and even drop them out of the air if they are flying.
~This is a rather nice ranged attack, and it looks so darn cool! Rip up a chunk of concrete and whip it at some poor schmuk. Most effective when facing flying enemies, who fly up, as if to say, ‘can’t get me now, Melee Tank!’ cause then you say, “Stop flying.’, throw a piece of whatever at them, have them fall down, and you can beat them to a pulp again. Wonderful stuff.
I got rid of this power, because there is a rooting factor. I like a bit more mobility, so I went with ranged powers in the Epics. Still, this is a very effective ranged power.
Slotting: Dmg, Acc, KB
Recommended level: 35, or whenever you feel you need a ranged power.

Foot Stomp
Level 38
PBAoE Melee, Moderate DMG(Smash), Knockback
End Cost: 18.5
KB: 0.67
Dmg: 63.2 Smash
Recharge: Slow (20s)
Description: Using your superior leg strength, you can Stomp your foot to the ground, quaking the earth itself. This is a localized attack against everything in melee range.
~Footstomp. You’ve been waiting 37 levels for this. I started counting (not even kidding… I was in the sewers and said ’35 levels til footstomp!’) at level 3. Good ol’ stomp to the ground, everything goes up, and back down again. Rinse, lather, repeat. Not much more to be said.
A warning about slotting: Do not slot KB into this power; that will turn it from knock down to knock back. This is bad. Once you get Foot Stomp, go to a mob who is a few levels lower than yourself and Foot Stomp them. See how far they go? That’s what slotting for KB does to this power.
Slotting: Dmg, Acc (do not slot KB)
Recommended level: 38. Flat. No later.

There we are. A quick rundown of Super Strength. Very SMASH!-y, quite enjoyable. My only 50 is this exact tank.

Pools
Fitness: Stamina is your friend, though you can postpone it until a bit later, as you have QR.
Travel power: I am personally into Fly, as it also gives you that nice move known as Air Superiority. Very nice. Fly is the slowest travel, but it’s a ‘set-and-forget’ travel. Speed is also very good for getting into a spawn and knocking them all down. Leaping is a solid choice, and it even fits the super-strong theme, as well. Teleport is a strong contender, as it gets you right to the middle, where you can do the most hate-grabbing.
Concealment: Don’t bother. You’re a tank. Why wouldn’t you want to be seen?
Presence: You have access to taunt. Which is better.
Medicine: Up to you. The regen you get is good enough for me.
Fighting: Definitely. Tough ups your resists just that much. If you have room, get Weave as well, as it adds that little bit to your survivability.
Leadership: Get this for flavour. Vengeance is not a good choice; if someone else is dead, you aren’t doing your job.

Epic Pools
I’ve only had personal experience with Pyre and Energy.
Pyre: Has a solid hold, a single-target ranged attack and a target AoE in Fireball. If it’s mass hate-grabbing you’re after, Fireball is all yours. Melt Armour is, I’ve heard quite good at debuffing, but tanks are there to debuff health, and make sure no one else’s gets that way.
Energy: I only every got Conserve Power and Laser Beam Eyes from Energy Mastery. LBE is a very nice ranged attack that has a small –def component to it. If you slot the –res proc in it, that adds a bit extra kick to your attacks. Conserve Power is very nice, as it basically cuts your end consumption in half. Very slick.
Earth: A few nice powers in here; Quicksand and Staligmites. A slow patch with –def and a targeted AoE stun. Both quite effective.
Cold: The only ones I’d be interested in would be Shiver, Ice Blast (for the ranged aspect) and Ice Storm. The storm would add that extra bit of damage, and you can prevent them from running away with Foot Stomp.



Other than that, that's all they wrote. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and I will do my best to answer them.

Question: What is your intent for posting the guide here? Are you looking for feedback or are you just posting it here before the guide section? I ask because there are a few things in the guide I don't agree with at all, but I won't elaborate unless you're looking for critiques.

Yeah. You already know that I'm going to tell you that Mind over Body and Heightened Senses can be postponed. WP/SS is a special case, because KO Blow opens up at 20. So that combo is an exception to my usual "get Stamina at level 20 like everybody else" advice. On my most recent WP/SS, I took MoB at 22 as usual, but no Stamina until 26. (24 was Taunt, BTW). Heightened Senses I took at 30, as usual.

It remains the case that MoB's endurance drain does more damage than the pre-SO resistance it offers saves you from. If you take it, don't leave it on. HPT, Health, and RttC will see you through anyways, and they are indifferent to damage type and position. So why take a toggle you aren't running?

<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison

Also, list Quick Recovery as: "Required at level 12 unless you are insane."

Early end recovery is a primary draw for the set.

I'm hoping this is for feedback, because right now, this isn't so much as a guide, but a diary of 'how I played my WP/SS tanker.' There's a lot of potentially... questionable advice in there as it is.