I never got my own fire / ice dom very high... capped somewhere around 18... that was more due to getting tired of repeating the same villain content over... and over... and over... and over... and getting bored out of my skull with the lackluster writing, unimaginative missions, and the sheer number of times I read a newspaper.
From a control aspect, I'm more familiar with fire on the controller side, having a 48 fire / TA. From a practical standpoint, Imp's, at least on hero-side are good at taking aggro... took good... if I'm honest. I've got a macro that shouts "I summon forth the powers of Supid! Idiot! and Leeroy Jenkins! when I summon forth my imps.
The good news is that on Ice Assault you do get Frost Breath, which will help a lot in giving your imps time to attack enemies and bring them down.
Quote:
Erm, earth has stalagmites, which is functionally identical to flashfires. It's an AoE disorient with almost exactly identical stats, powerboostable just like flashfire. It just also has earthquake on *top* of that.|
Originally Posted by kybarsfang
So, that leaves Earth and Fire for me. I love Stony, but the big fast-recharging control power is a KD, which can still allow attacks and can't be Power Boosted. Fire has a much better fast-recharging AOE mez, a disorient, which CAN be Power Boosted, IIRC. However, I dunno how well the Imps are at taking aggro off of me. I imagine they're good for damage, though.
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If you're worried about staying safe in melee, earth would probably be at least a decent choice. Power boosted stalagmites lasts for a good while, long enough to eliminate at least a few opponents, and while earthquake doesn't stop *all* attacks, it lasts quite a long time, and also carries a 10% tohit debuff to boot.
On top of that, stoney even taunts stuff with his melee attacks. I'm not sure if he'd maintain aggro on as many separate mobs as the spastic fire-monkeys, but he's a heck of a lot more likely to survive.
I'm not *sure* exactly how well it'd work in melee; my earth controller tends to hang back, and I haven't leveled an earth dom. But it seems to me that it would work at least passably well.
@MuonNeutrino
Student, Gamer, Altaholic, and future Astronomer.
This is what it means to be a tank!
It is sort of an argument of extremes. Given the choice, I'd take Earth any day, and that's from someone with well over 100 levels of Fire Control characters.
And don't be too down on /Icy. My Plant/Icy was terrific fun and I too love ISC and pretty much all the Ice swords. It's also not too bad with damage, but you will have to maintain a constant stream of attacks to do that damage. The one big caveat (and another reason for avoiding Fire Control and Hot Feet specifically) is that the set drains your endurance incredibly.
You're right, I forgot all about Stalagmites. Earth it is, then!
I'm definitely not down on /Ice, I've just seen a lot of critical comments regarding it as of late. I'm hoping I can help change opinions of it, but first I gotta see how much my fanboy mentality matches reality.
Here's a quick build I made, tailored to my individual tastes. It doesn't have capped defenses, but 25% S/L isn't too bad, plus I have some minor resists and Hibernate to help me out. The build is permadom and 8 seconds away from permahasten if I can slot in an Apocalypse, Ragnarok, and Armageddon
Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.601
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Level 50 Magic Dominator
Primary Power Set: Earth Control
Secondary Power Set: Icy Assault
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Ancillary Pool: Leviathan Mastery
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Fossilize -- BasGaze-Acc/Hold:30(A), BasGaze-Acc/Rchg:30(3), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:30(3), BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:30(5)
Level 1: Ice Bolt -- Entrpc-Acc/Dmg:35(A), Entrpc-Dmg/EndRdx:35(5), Entrpc-Dmg/Rchg:35(7), Entrpc-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(7), Entrpc-Heal%:35(9)
Level 2: Ice Sword -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(9), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(11), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(11)
Level 4: Ice Sword Circle -- Oblit-Dmg:50(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg:50(13), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg:50(13), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(15), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(15), Oblit-%Dam:50(17)
Level 6: Stone Cages -- Enf'dOp-Acc/Rchg:50(A), Enf'dOp-EndRdx/Immob:50(17), Enf'dOp-Acc/EndRdx:50(19), Enf'dOp-Immob/Rng:50(19), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob/Rchg:50(21), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob:50(21)
Level 8: Hasten -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(23), RechRdx-I:50(23)
Level 10: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Def:50(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(48)
Level 12: Stalagmites -- Stpfy-Acc/Rchg:50(A), Stpfy-EndRdx/Stun:50(25), Stpfy-Acc/EndRdx:50(25), Stpfy-Stun/Rng:50(27), Stpfy-Acc/Stun/Rchg:50(27)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Jump-I:50(A)
Level 16: Hurdle -- Jump-I:50(A)
Level 18: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+:50(A)
Level 20: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod:50(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg:50(29), P'Shift-End%:50(29), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc:50(48)
Level 22: Earthquake -- DarkWD-ToHitDeb/Rchg:50(A), DarkWD-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx:50(31), DarkWD-Rchg/EndRdx:50(31), DarkWD-ToHitDeb/EndRdx:50(31), Achilles-ResDeb%:20(33)
Level 24: Power Boost -- EndRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(33)
Level 26: Frost Breath -- Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:50(33), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(34), Posi-Dmg/Rng:50(34), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(34)
Level 28: Volcanic Gasses -- BasGaze-Acc/Hold:30(A), BasGaze-Acc/Rchg:30(36), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:30(36), BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:30(36)
Level 30: Chilling Embrace -- TmpRdns-Acc/Slow:50(A), TmpRdns-Dmg/Slow:50(37), TmpRdns-Acc/EndRdx:50(37), TmpRdns-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow:50(37), TmpRdns-Acc/Dmg/Slow:50(39)
Level 32: Animate Stone -- ExRmnt-Acc/Rchg:50(A), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg:50(39), ExRmnt-Dmg/EndRdx:50(39), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(40), ExRmnt-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg:50(40), ExRmnt-+Res(Pets):50(40)
Level 35: Ice Slash -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(42), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(42), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(42)
Level 38: Stone Prison -- Enf'dOp-Acc/Rchg:50(A), Enf'dOp-EndRdx/Immob:50(43), Enf'dOp-Acc/EndRdx:50(43), Enf'dOp-Immob/Rng:50(43), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob/Rchg:50(45), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob:50(45)
Level 41: Water Spout -- Achilles-ResDeb%:20(A), LdyGrey-DefDeb/Rchg:50(50), LdyGrey-DefDeb/Rchg/EndRdx:50(50), LdyGrey-DefDeb/EndRdx:50(50)
Level 44: Shark Skin -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx:40(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg:40(45), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:40(46), RctvArm-ResDam:40(46), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:30(46), Aegis-Psi/Status:50(48)
Level 47: Hibernate -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 49: Acrobatics -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Domination
No stone cages dude. They are the worst aoe for damage, guzzel endurance, and they cancel out knock down which will void your earth quake. Quick sand is a MUCH better choice. Has more -defense, doesn't stop knockdown, keeps enemies just as immobilized as cages and is very endurance cheap.
The devs just added stone cages you earth control as a cruel joke on whoever takes them. I believe this. It's a horrible power for earth controllers. It's like going "I'll give them a power that randomly holds enemies for 4 seconds (which is how long it takes for an enemy to fall down and get back up) which is very rarely resisted.... then I'll give them a power which cancels that out for a hand full of smashing damage and see how many times they die before they throw up their hands in frustration! Mwa ha ha ha ha!"
Also drop stone prison (for the same reasons as cages) and Acrobatics (you don't need mez protection your domination mode gives you mez protection and when things are mezzed, they can't mezz back anyway) I'd take aid other and aid self instead. Aid self is an excellent power for doms and has saved mine many times. You can easily escape from a fight to use it or throw down a mezz and use it while your enemies are incapacitated.
If you drop the super jump set all together and go with haste and super speed you can take a second cone attack from leviathan to go with the frost breath you already have. The two cones with ice sword circle you'll have some sweet aoe damage.
"The bird of Hermes is my name. Eating my wings to make me tame." -The Ripley Scroll
Check out my Deviant Art: http://darkauthor81.deviantart.com/
Looking at the build you posted I have to wonder why no iceblast or BiB?
Why stone cages and stone prison instead of quicksand?
I also say nay to chilling embrace.
You should squeeze in about another 10% global rech. A single long power activation at the wrong time and your domination will drop with how you have it now.
Powerboost earthquake whenever possible.
Thanks for the advice, Mid_Boss, but if I take it, the changes are so big that my character stops becoming my character and starts becoming your character. Also, I took the immobilizes for the set bonuses, and Stone Cages is to keep disoriented mobs clumped together for Ice Sword Circle and Frost Breath. I like the advice regarding Bile Spray, though; I was thinking of taking it but I'm not big on the animation.
Frosticus, I plan on spamming and Power Boosting Stalagmites instead of Earthquake (which IIRC is a pet and can't be boosted in the first place,) and I figure with the other controls I'll be using, each with their own -DEF component, I won't need to waste time casting Quicksand. Also, I didn't take Ice Blast or BiB and did take Chilling Embrace because I plan on mainly being in melee range a lot with this build.
Thank you both, however. As I continue to level, if I'm not satisfied with my decisions I may end of trying out some pieces of the advice given. 
Nothing stops you from using ranged attacks while in melee. I'd take BiB at least. It's a big hitter that one and it shouldn't be skipped.
Edit: Just noticed this is quite an old topic. Oh well..
@False Fiction - Virtue / Defiant
Current projects - [Glaciologist - Ill/Cold Troller] [Cloudshaper - Storm/Dark Def] [Harald Wartooth - Elec/Psi Domi]
From testimonies given by people on the boards, /Ice is one of the worst secondaries for a Dom. It lacks "oomph", it's a weak set, etc. However, I don't care, and for one reason and one reason alone: Ice Sword Circle. Oh my gosh, do I love Ice Sword Circle. Some may scoff, but whatever. This power is extremely pretty and I <3 it very very much. As a result, I want to make an /Ice Dom. However, I'm having trouble deciding on a primary.
One of the first primaries I thought of was Mind. It's got a lot of great controls and confuse, but it doesn't have a pet, and if I'm going to be in melee a lot, I'd like something there with me. Ice/ is kinda meh to me, and I'm not touching Plant, only because that flytrap creeps me out. For serious, that thing is the stuff nightmares are made of.
So, that leaves Earth and Fire for me. I love Stony, but the big fast-recharging control power is a KD, which can still allow attacks and can't be Power Boosted. Fire has a much better fast-recharging AOE mez, a disorient, which CAN be Power Boosted, IIRC. However, I dunno how well the Imps are at taking aggro off of me. I imagine they're good for damage, though.
I think I'm leaning toward Fire for the disorient, but I'm not 100% sure yet. Anyone have any thoughts on the combo or tips/tricks for playing /Ice?