The electric cage is the Lockdown hold. As I understand it, it doesn't actually raise the mag of the existing hold, it just applies its own 2-mag hold, which happens to have the Tesla Cage graphic. If the enemy ends up held and the Lockdown hold is applied to them, that graphic plays.
Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.
Quote:
The name of the Lockdown proc really really bugs me it implies that the porc is a lot better than it is. The duration of the hold proc is very short and unenhanceable so most of the time it's of marginal benefit. If it wasn't for the awesome set bonuses in Lockdown I wouldn't use it |
Originally Posted by Kelenar
The electric cage is the Lockdown hold. As I understand it, it doesn't actually raise the mag of the existing hold, it just applies its own 2-mag hold, which happens to have the Tesla Cage graphic. If the enemy ends up held and the Lockdown hold is applied to them, that graphic plays.
|
. Although I must confess in an AoE hold like EMP Arrow it is very pretty when several enemies get effected by it at the same time.
I had a feeling it was the 2 Mag thingie. A little annoying to have my Rad/Rad firing off Telsa Cages but, hey, at least I know it's working, huh?
Adeon_Hawkwood implies that it's not "all that" aside from beefing up the set bonuses. Is there a better Hold set (or single IO) I should keep my eye on? I've only come to really appreciate Choking Cloud within the last ten levels or so. Surprised I didn't "discover" it sooner for how useful it is, especially when soloing.
Quote:
Note: This first section doesn't really apply to Choking Cloud but does apply to EM Pulse.|
Originally Posted by Jophiel
I had a feeling it was the 2 Mag thingie. A little annoying to have my Rad/Rad firing off Telsa Cages but, hey, at least I know it's working, huh?
Adeon_Hawkwood implies that it's not "all that" aside from beefing up the set bonuses. Is there a better set (or single IO) I should keep my eye on? I've only come to really appreciate Choking Cloud within the last ten levels or so. Surprised I didn't "discover" it sooner for how useful it is, especially when soloing. |
Overall Lockdown is an excellent set for a Defender if you can six slot it because it provides large bonuses to both AoE and Ranged Defense so if you're planning to six-slot a power you'd be hard pressed to do better short of 5-slotting Unbreakable Constraint for the Recharge bonus. Basalisk's Gaze is also a decent Hold set for four slotting since it has both defense and recharge (although much less than the first two) but the fact that it caps at level 30 means the recipes are in very short supply (it's popular among high-end scrappers). The reason I don't like the proc in Lockdown is that most hold powers only need the help against a boss and 15% is to low to be useful often enough to make me think it's worth it.
However since choking cloud is a toggle you probably don't want to six-slot it with Lockdown. If you look at the Hold sets you'll notice that they're very heavy on recharge and accuracy both of which are almost useless to Choking Cloud (although a little bit of recharge is handy if you need to retoggle in a hurry) as well as being very light on Endurance Reduction which it needs. Overall you've got a pretty decent slotting in Choking Cloud (ignoring the fact that you somehow seven-slotted it
). However the four-slotted Lockdown isn't really doing much for you. The beauty of the Lockdown set lies in it's 1st, 5th and 6th set bonuses the 3rd (hold duration) and 4th (hold resistance) probably aren't doing much for you unless you've got a very strange build. The proc is slightly more useful in Chocking Cloud than most holds since it's hold is neither automatic nor mag2 but on the other hand CC pulses twice as often as the Lockdown Proc will so overall you're probably not getting much mileage out of it. Here are two quick options I came up with for franken slotting CC depending on your budget and requirements, mix and match to suit your tastes:Cheap Option (soft cap End Redux and Hold, some recharge, a proc for damage):
Essence of Curare: End/Hold
Ghost Widow's Embrace: End/Hold
Ghost Widow's Embrace: Chance for Psionic Damage (optional)
Lockdown: End/Rech/Hold
Lockdown: Acc/End/Rech/Hold
Paralytic: Endurance/Hold (optional, you'll be at about 90% instead of the soft cap without this, Neuronic Shutdown and Basilisk's Gaze have equivalent IOs but the Paralytic is probably cheaper)
Expensive Option (almost soft cap, End Redux and hold, some recharge, 2 procs for damage):
Ghost Widow's Embrace: End/Hold
Ghost Widow's Embrace: Chance for Psionic Damage
Lockdown: End/Rech/Hold
Lockdown: Acc/End/Rech/Hold
Unbreakable Constraint: Hold/Endurance
Unbreakable Constraint: Chance for Smashing Damage
Hopefully that gives you some ideas.
Heh... I think I may not have the Lockdown (End/Rechg) in there. I only have the three in the set, I think. Which explains why I was wracking my brain to figure out my 4th Lockdown slot 
Thanks for the advice!
I very much notice the lockdown proc, of course mostly when debuff-herding large groups. When you have the max targets near you the stacking is very noticable and favourable.
I currently use this frankenslotting; with this setup, even changing a proc to straight end cost reduction would only net 0,03 end/sec cost reduction. Not focusing on set bonuses since I prefer using the power as a PBAoE damage aura with control thrown in there. I like the idea of Choking cloud causing brain hemorrage, so I have psi damage instead of the Unbreakable constraint smashing damage, just for fun.
Unbreakable constraint: End/Hold
Essence of Curare: End/Hold
Ghost Widow's Embrace: End/Hold
Ghost Widow's Embrace: Chance for Psi damage
Neuronic Shutdown: Chance for Psi damage
Lockdown: Chance for Mag 2 hold
That also leaves me with the option of five-slotting EMP with the rest of Unbreakable Constraint, giving me smaller mileage out of the damage proc there but a very nice recharge for EMP as well as leaving the 10% recharge bonus available.
As long as I'm soliciting advice, I'm thinking about respecing and changing some stuff around. I'm at work and don't have a Mids thingie but here's a quick and dirty list and a few of my thoughts.
Rad Emission: Radiant Aura, Rad. Infection, Acc. Metabolism, Enervating Field, Mutation, Lingering Radiation, Choking Cloud
Rad Blast: Neutrino Bolt, X-Ray Beam, Irradiate, Aim, Cosmic Burst, Neutron Bomb, Atomic Blast
Flight: Hover, Flight
Speed: Hasten
Fitness: Swift, Health, Stamina
Psychic Mastery: Dominate
I didn't take...
Fallout: I tend to solo and, when grouped, try not to have anyone die 
EM Pulse: Seemed limited in scope. Went with Atomic Blast
Electron Haze: Not sure. Limited scope maybe? I think I went with Proton Volley when the choice came up.
Proton Volley: Spec'd out of it. Didn't use it much post lvl 30ish with Cosmic Burst as my heavy hitter. Long activation time as a snipe.
I'm not thrilled with...
Aim: I tend not to use it, honestly. When I do use it, I don't see a significant difference except very situationally (AVs, GMs, etc)
Atomic Blast: Very situational. In groups, the damage doesn't seem worth losing all my endurance, debuff toggles, ability to heal the group, etc.
Neutron Bomb: Even with three DMG IOs, it's not very impressive except for looks. Long activation time.
My own solo playstyle is probably more "hands on" than most defenders (although maybe everyone plays Rads that way). I debuff a target, use Choking Cloud/Cosmic Burst/Dominate to help with the adds and get into melee range to use Sands of Mu plus my blast powers. Sands of Mu is pretty effective when they're debuffed and rivals Cosmic Blast for damage. With Hasten/AM I can keep up a stream of respectable (to me) damage and don't typically get into a lot of trouble aside from stunners who knock my toggles down and leave me staggering and beaten
I'm looking at you, Malta...
Anyway, any thoughts? Am I underestimating some great powers or anything? My powers are slotted in probably the obvious ways -- Dmg/Acc in blasts, Recharge/End. Mod in AM, End Red/Debuffs in the debuffs, etc. I don't have details for those off the top of my head but am keeping this general anyway.
EMP is probably the best hold in the game - some argue EMP arrow is better since it can be fired from range, but its area is smaller. Huge area, long-lasting hold and can "crit" an extra mag allowing you to have chance to hold bosses. Notice that it's only -Recovery, no -Endurance, so you won't empty your blue bar the way Atomic blast does. That's the only thing that struck me at first - will take a closer look later.
That's helpful all ready. I was under the assumption that EMP was largely a "robot version" of Atomic Blast.
Quote:
It's more an 'EVERYBODY SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN' button. I think it lasts the better part of a minute with 3 hold SOs and Power Build Up. It is glorious.
|
Originally Posted by Jophiel
That's helpful all ready. I was under the assumption that EMP was largely a "robot version" of Atomic Blast.
|
Having Vengeance and Fallout slotted for recharge means never having to say you're sorry.
Your power choices seem pretty ok aside from skipping EMP. Here are some quick thoughts:
Electron Haze is very good damage, but the animation is very slow. It's also a cone which require repositioning from the PBAoE-place a radiation defender thrives in. On top of that issue it has unreliable knockback, you never know who of your targets will fly out of the debuff cloud - so skipping that is a good idea.
Fallout has fun-factor, but very low utility.
Mutation has just at little utility, i.e. you need a dead target, and doesn't even have a fun-factor! However, it can come in handy at times - if you like it, keep it.
Solo, sniping doesn't happen much for my toggle defenders, since I rather unleash the clouds of death than notify every mezzer around that you want their attention soon. Good idea to lose that too.
Atomic blast, do you use it much? It's a toggle-dropper which can get you killed, and defender nukes are weak. For control aspect, EMP is way, way better.
Aim is a decent damage buff for ten seconds, I'd suggest keeping it and using it when the toggles have been started for a hard first burst of AoE from Irradiate and Neutron bomb into your debuff-herd. It also helps Choking cloud hit - and since that only has base acc, any help it gets it great. Radiation infection usually does the aiming for me with it. Also, Aim -> EMP/Choking cloud pretty much means shutting down 16 enemies, including bosses.
This is just my opinion, of course. I know Radiation emission way better than Radiation blast, but I have played both extensively.
Well, I know what I'm replacing Atomic Blast with
Quote:
Hehe, yeah. That's what it does pretty much. I wouldn't know if stuff is held for that long, they rarely last... |
Originally Posted by Kelenar
It's more an 'EVERYBODY SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN' button. I think it lasts the better part of a minute with 3 hold SOs and Power Build Up. It is glorious.
|
Quote:
That's pretty much how I view EMP Arrow on my Trick Arrow Defender. I call it my coffee break button |
Originally Posted by Kelenar
It's more an 'EVERYBODY SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN' button. I think it lasts the better part of a minute with 3 hold SOs and Power Build Up. It is glorious.
|
Agreeing with the general suggestion of Aim/BU -> EMP with CC running.
I find the Blast-nuke on Rad Defs to be debatable. In a team, my debuffs are usually more potent than my nuke (and so stopping them is silly), and the end/recovery hit is painful when I'm playing solo.
I like the Leadership set for Rad Defs, and usually pick up Vengeance. Fallout is fun, but Veng is much stronger.
fallout+vengeance is a nice combo but the animation time is very long. handy in some situation but i'd like to use it more ^^
In big teams I tend to play as a 'blasdebuffer', using my blast to debuff instead of losing my time trying to set my anchors ... lingering radiation and then i jump in melee with CC, irradiate and neutron bomb.
i have to admit, it's certainly not the best way to play a rad defender but you won't get mad at blasters and scrappers that kill your anchors every seconds
I also took leadership but that's for conceptual reasons, my rad defender is supposed to be the 'team leader' ^^
Just as a follow up, I spec'd out of Atomic Blast and Neutron Bomb. Like I said, NB just never moved me with its long activation time and moderate (at best) damage. Except for killing monkeys in Crey's -- it was good for that
Replaced them with EM Pulse and Leadership: Assault. Played with my enhancements, noticed I could start conserving slots as my old 30/35 IOs became 40/45s and spent too much influence on inventions and salvage. Well, "too much" for my own pocketbook. I'm sure the millions I dropped was small change to many of you.
Went to bed before I could EMP anyone but I'm feeling good about what I've done and thank you all for your input. Not that you should stop giving input, of course.
I'm playing a Rad/Rad defender (currently lvl 43) and I've noticed "held" opponents near me are displaying an electric cage graphic complete with sound effect. I think this is happening to opponents affected by my Choking Cloud but can't be sure. My CC is slotted with two End Red. IOs, one Enhance Hold IO and four Lockdown IO's (+2 Mag, Hold, Hold/End & End/Rechg I think).
I have no "electric" powers. Took Dominate from the Lvl 41 Pool Powers.
I think it started up after slotting the Mag +2 enhancement but I was fighting Malta at the time and didn't know at first if it was them or me. Then I noticed it against Crey while hunting Paragon Protectors last night and thought "Now that ain't right."
This a known thing or is it just me? Not game breaking at all, although I little annoying and perplexing.