Bots/FF Build

Hey everyone, i am leveling a bots/ff mastermind. I really don't have much experience building a mastermind in mids, and i think i'm failing hard.

Does anyone mind possibly throwing a build up here for me to check out and maybe possibly use if i like it? I'm going for budget and effectiveness.

Thanks! Ill keep trying my Mids to see what I can do, but I would like to compare to a professional mastermind build.

-Demon

P.S. Assault Bots Swarm Missile "Burn patch" thing has a mag 50 Fear...so a Targeted AoE Immobilize from epics is preferred over Cone. =)

The most important thing with Bots/FF is defense, defense, defense. That's your signature power, you might as well run with it. Slot for defense early, slot for it often.

In particular, don't overlook the fact that your protector bots cast force fields. Not only do they protect you, but they cast DOUBLE force fields on the battle drones and the all-important assault bot. I'd put at least two level 50 IO defense enhancers in there as soon as you hit level 47. I'd almost recommend three, but you don't want to totally gimp other things like accuracy and damage.

With all that defense, it makes sense to round out your overall damage mitigation strategy with a little healing. Soft capped defenses can reduce the damage your minions take down to a trickle, but if you can soak up that trickle they aren't just tough, they're INVINCIBLE!

Your protector bots can heal, but they only have six precious enhancemnt slots that can be better spent on other things. Repair is good, but takes a while to recharge even when slotted for attack speed. The real key to healing your bots is "aid other" from the medicine pool. Six slot it with three healing and three attack speed, giving you a decently powerful single-target heal you can fire off every five seconds. With both aid other and repair you're a much better healer than your protector bots were ever going to be, and it gives you something to do during combat that ACTUALLY has a real strategic value.

After defense and healing, the third priority is offense. The basics pretty easy to get right, and pretty hard to improve on. As with all masterminds, get your minions and minion-upgrading powers at the first level they become available, and then six-slot your minions as soon as possible. When in doubt, fill those slots with accuracy and damage. The first tier especially needs accuracy because they are fighting at two levels lower than you.

The only special trick to getting more damage out of a robot/ff lies in trapping enemies in the burn patches created by a fully upgraded assault bot. Force bubble, force bolt, and all the assorted knockback your minions dish out are good for this purpose when you have a corner to knock enemies into, but they are useless on wide open terrain or hallways without sharp corners.

The only power you can get that reliably nails enemies down in a burn patch no matter what the terrain is electric fences from the mu mastery patron pool. I wish it had longer range and a wider radius, but it's the ONLY hold power you can get that holds up to all the knockback your minions will be dishing out. (except detention feild, but that makes the target invulnerable, which rather defeats the purpose)

Photon grenade doesn't immobilize enemies, but it does have a chance to stun, which means your enemies might wander around in a burn patch for a little longer than if they had their wits about them. Your protector bots have their own attack that does exactly the same thing, but a little more never hurts. Of all your personal attack powers, this is the one most worth getting (which isn't saying a lot, but there you are.)

The only other thing I recommend is stamina from the fitness pool. This lets you summon, equip, and buff new minions in the middle of a tough battle.

i made this for mine. its not cheap but softcappes you (and all your henchies exceapt the protbots):

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I used to have the Web Envelope and recently respecced into Electric Fences and it is definately worth it. Electric Fences is the only immob you can get with any amount of -kb and the damage increase by holding groups in those burn patches is INCREDIBLE!

When I have Web Envelope I used it for the -fly (I tankermind from Hover) but I took Air Superiority and much prefer my new build.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aggelakis PrincessDarkstar: "RAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHH SOMEONE IS *WRONG* ON THE INTERNET!"

It's worth noting that if you pick electric fences as your main immobilizing power, you can still get a minor web grenade power with the Web Weaver Accolade Badge. It's only single target, and you need to periodically replenish the charges, but it will knock down fliers.