Stone/Ice I'm making for RP now I need help
By
Call Me Awesome,
Posted on: 2009-11-12 17:54 in Tankers
Quote:
I'll have to leave the /ice part to others but having played two stone tanks to 50 here's my take on the set:|
Originally Posted by Swift_Winds
I am making a stone/ice tank. It is an RP character so I'm not gonna be able to change out the powersets. I would like some advice on powers, slotting, and in the end IO sets.
My understanding of stone/ is pre ED and I have never made a /ice tank. Thanks for anything you can give me. |
Rock Armor should be your level 1 pick, it's S/L defense which applies to the vast majority of damage you'll take. It offers more than twice the base protection of Stone Skin... which you will also want, but it can delay a bit. Basic slotting should be 3 defense, 1 endurance. For IO's I like the Gift of the Ancients set, 4 of them does nicely here.
Earth's Embrace is your classic dull pain power that boosts your HP and heals you. It's going to be highly valuable to you in the early game and still useful occasionally after you get Granite. Slotting is 3 recharge/3 heal or 5 of the Doctored Wounds set.
Rooted is your status protection and a regeneration buff coupled with a massive runspeed debuff and -jump. You WILL NOT be able to jump over anything while this power is on and you'll move veeerrrrryyyy slooooooly. Base slotting would be 3 heal, possibly an endurance reduction. For IO sets anything you may want to use or you can simply frankenslot heal/endurance IO's from a few of the lower demand heal sets for cheap basic enhancement in only 3 slots.
Mud Pots is the PBAOE taunt aura, damage aura and a slow. While it's a vital power to have it's also rather endurance heavy so you may want to delay it until after Stamina. Slotting can be tricky, you want to enhance accuracy, damage, endurance and, ideally, slow. I generally frankenslot it with Multi-Strike and various slow sets for ED capped damage and ~40% accuracy/slow/endurance.
Stone Skin is S/L resistance in a passive power... it's well worth having but it's less useful than the above powers. I generally slide it in around 22-24. Slotting is one damage resist in the base slot. For IO's I'd toss the Steadfast Resistance 3% defense unique into that base slot.
Granite Armor is your "Nothing can hurt me" power, you absolutely want this at 32. With Stone Skin it will cap your S/L resistance at 90% and your E/N/F/C resistance will hit 78%. Additionally it provides ~30% defense to all but Psi. Drawbacks of course are reduced runspeed, recharge & damage. It also prevents jumping like Rooted. Slotting is 3 damage resist/3 defense. For IO's there's so many possibilities but don't shortchange yourself in resistance or defense... both of those should be enhanced to 95%. I recommend slotting resistance first, then defense.
Personally I never found any need at all for Crystal or Brimstone armor... they're highly skippable. For one, Rock gives S/L defense which does apply to most E/N/F/C attacks. Since those damage types are rare, and your level 1 armor already covers most attacks of that type these armors get dropped into file 13.
This is a good thing as it opens up your build for more valuable powers.Minerals is useful, but only in a very few situations. It's a sizeable amount of defense to Psionic, but Psi is extremely rare. In PvE I come up with about a dozen or so missions where Psi predominates, all of them in the 40-50 range. Is it worth taking for those few missions? Your call, but personally I tend to think no. If you DO want it level 41 is about the right time to get it.
I HIGHLY recommend Teleport for your travel power, I know it's a pain in the butt but it's also the only way to have combat mobility with Rooted or Granite running. Yes, a Kinetic will solve the problem... until you have to get over a curb.
Swift from the Fitness pool is very useful as well in compensating for the -run in Rooted or Granite, I recommend 3 slotting it with runspeed.
Hasten will counteract the -recharge in Granite while it's active so it's also very useful. Typical slotting is 3 recharge.
Beyond that my experience is that Taunt is near-mandatory... you're, um, mobility challenged so a ranged attention-getter is very useful. I also suggest picking up several attacks, this helps you to still have a full chain while in Granite. One of my Stone tankers found room to add Hover to the build, it made zone travel with TP much easier as you no longer had to worry about falling out of the sky.
Good luck with your tanker, Stone isn't for everyone but if you can deal with the drawbacks it makes the most durable character in the game. Even on an SO build it's nearly unkillable.
COH has just been murdered by NCSoft. http://www.change.org/petitions/ncso...city-of-heroes
Quote:
Ditto for the most part. Since I do spend alot of time outside of Granite, I did pick up Minerals and very late in the build have Brimestone and Crystal. The later two are really only there for set mules, but may disappear when I do the next respec/build as I keep changing my mind. Can't help you with Ice Melee either.
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Originally Posted by Call Me Awesome
I'll have to leave the /ice part to others but having played two stone tanks to 50 here's my take on the set:
Rock Armor should be your level 1 pick, it's S/L defense which applies to the vast majority of damage you'll take. It offers more than twice the base protection of Stone Skin... which you will also want, but it can delay a bit. Basic slotting should be 3 defense, 1 endurance. For IO's I like the Gift of the Ancients set, 4 of them does nicely here. Earth's Embrace is your classic dull pain power that boosts your HP and heals you. It's going to be highly valuable to you in the early game and still useful occasionally after you get Granite. Slotting is 3 recharge/3 heal or 5 of the Doctored Wounds set. Rooted is your status protection and a regeneration buff coupled with a massive runspeed debuff and -jump. You WILL NOT be able to jump over anything while this power is on and you'll move veeerrrrryyyy slooooooly. Base slotting would be 3 heal, possibly an endurance reduction. For IO sets anything you may want to use or you can simply frankenslot heal/endurance IO's from a few of the lower demand heal sets for cheap basic enhancement in only 3 slots. Mud Pots is the PBAOE taunt aura, damage aura and a slow. While it's a vital power to have it's also rather endurance heavy so you may want to delay it until after Stamina. Slotting can be tricky, you want to enhance accuracy, damage, endurance and, ideally, slow. I generally frankenslot it with Multi-Strike and various slow sets for ED capped damage and ~40% accuracy/slow/endurance. Stone Skin is S/L resistance in a passive power... it's well worth having but it's less useful than the above powers. I generally slide it in around 22-24. Slotting is one damage resist in the base slot. For IO's I'd toss the Steadfast Resistance 3% defense unique into that base slot. Granite Armor is your "Nothing can hurt me" power, you absolutely want this at 32. With Stone Skin it will cap your S/L resistance at 90% and your E/N/F/C resistance will hit 78%. Additionally it provides ~30% defense to all but Psi. Drawbacks of course are reduced runspeed, recharge & damage. It also prevents jumping like Rooted. Slotting is 3 damage resist/3 defense. For IO's there's so many possibilities but don't shortchange yourself in resistance or defense... both of those should be enhanced to 95%. I recommend slotting resistance first, then defense. Personally I never found any need at all for Crystal or Brimstone armor... they're highly skippable. For one, Rock gives S/L defense which does apply to most E/N/F/C attacks. Since those damage types are rare, and your level 1 armor already covers most attacks of that type these armors get dropped into file 13. This is a good thing as it opens up your build for more valuable powers.Minerals is useful, but only in a very few situations. It's a sizeable amount of defense to Psionic, but Psi is extremely rare. In PvE I come up with about a dozen or so missions where Psi predominates, all of them in the 40-50 range. Is it worth taking for those few missions? Your call, but personally I tend to think no. If you DO want it level 41 is about the right time to get it. I HIGHLY recommend Teleport for your travel power, I know it's a pain in the butt but it's also the only way to have combat mobility with Rooted or Granite running. Yes, a Kinetic will solve the problem... until you have to get over a curb. Swift from the Fitness pool is very useful as well in compensating for the -run in Rooted or Granite, I recommend 3 slotting it with runspeed. Hasten will counteract the -recharge in Granite while it's active so it's also very useful. Typical slotting is 3 recharge. Beyond that my experience is that Taunt is near-mandatory... you're, um, mobility challenged so a ranged attention-getter is very useful. I also suggest picking up several attacks, this helps you to still have a full chain while in Granite. One of my Stone tankers found room to add Hover to the build, it made zone travel with TP much easier as you no longer had to worry about falling out of the sky. Good luck with your tanker, Stone isn't for everyone but if you can deal with the drawbacks it makes the most durable character in the game. Even on an SO build it's nearly unkillable. |
Throwing darts at the board to see if something sticks.....
Come show your resolve and fight my brute!
Tanks: Gauntlet, the streak breaker and you!
Quote:
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Originally Posted by PapaSlade
Rangle's right....this is fun.
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See sig for Ice Melee. FWIW, I play Stone/Ice so that guide was written w/those experience in mind (though it applies to all).
Stone advice seems more or less solid. Consider Crystal pre-Granite, but respec out of it. I'll tell you Rooted + Ice Patch will do you more good than all your other non-Granite armors combined. If you run low on end pre-Granite and need to detoggle a bit, turn off Rock & Crystal and just sit in Rooted & IP and you'll go a long way.
An Offensive Guide to Ice Melee
Quote:
I'm only at level 22 or so, but I must say: THIS. I took Stone Skin at level 1 (thinking passive > toggle power), but it was definitely a mistake. I died a lot until I finally picked up Rock Armor somewhere in the teens - it makes a very noticeable difference.|
Originally Posted by Call Me Awesome
Rock Armor should be your level 1 pick, it's S/L defense which applies to the vast majority of damage you'll take. It offers more than twice the base protection of Stone Skin... which you will also want, but it can delay a bit.
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Call Me Awesome
Mud Pots is the PBAOE taunt aura, damage aura and a slow. While it's a vital power to have it's also rather endurance heavy so you may want to delay it until after Stamina.
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The other thing I might point out is to tinker with /bind. I'm still trying to figure out the ideal mapping, but I think Rooted, Teleport, and Taunt in particular are good to have handy - I've got rooted on my numpad0 and taunt on my numpadenter for easy access without taking up my prime attack slots on the number keys.
(I haven't taken Teleport yet - I read up on recommendations only after taking super speed, so... we'll see. So far, I'm able to toggle Rooted and/or "pull" with Taunt easily enough to get by. I expect to respec into Teleport about the time I get Granite...)
I'm new-ish. Again.
@Kahzi. Pinnacle, mostly.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Fulmens
The plural of anecdote is not data.
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Forgot to add, your 18, 20 & 22 power picks are very tricky. I say this, cuz a lot of ppl advise you to delay Pots til after Stamina because of its end drain. Problem for a Stone/Ice is that 20 is when Ice Patch becomes available. What I did was
18 Pots
20 Ice Patch
22 Stamina
So there was a bit of suffering for 4 levels, but I found that I couldn't get good aggro w/o Pots, but Ice Patch just couldn't wait. You could wait til 22 or 24 for Pots, but that's a long time to go w/o your aggro aura (far, far better than Taunt, which I don't usually even recommend, but would for a Stony).
An Offensive Guide to Ice Melee
Never really too big into ice as melee except in Fire/Ice combos but, Ice patch would make a great addition to your build and if you choose earth mastery that always is great too because of quick sand.
In my experience with stone, I suggest you get these powers and really that's it.
Stone tanker build
-stone armor-
Stone skin
Earth's Embrace
Mud pots
rooted
granite armor
-Fighting-
boxing
tough
weave
With that for your defenses and resist you will be a god lol now there's one power I didn't mention that you can get with this power set: Rock Armor people say it adds more but I don't think you honestly need it.
Here's a build I'm working on for a stone stone. Ignore the stone melee powers, I'm still working on this FYI.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.601
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
God mode: Level 50 Science Tanker
Primary Power Set: Stone Armor
Secondary Power Set: Stone Melee
Power Pool: Teleportation
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Earth Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Stone Skin -- ResDam-I(A), ResDam-I(3), ResDam-I(3)
Level 1: Stone Fist -- Hectmb-Dmg(A), Hectmb-Dmg/Rchg(5), Hectmb-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), Hectmb-Acc/Rchg(27), Hectmb-Dmg/EndRdx(31), Hectmb-Dam%(43)
Level 2: Earth's Embrace -- ResDam-I(A), EndRdx-I(5), ResDam-I(7), EndRdx-I(25), ResDam-I(46)
Level 4: Heavy Mallet -- C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(7), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(25), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(27), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(31), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(45)
Level 6: Mud Pots -- EndRdx-I(A), Slow-I(9), Slow-I(11), Dmg-I(29), EndRdx-I(31)
Level 8: Teleport Foe -- Range-I(A)
Level 10: Taunt -- Zinger-Taunt(A), Zinger-Taunt/Rchg(11), Zinger-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(45), Zinger-Taunt/Rng(46)
Level 12: Rooted -- Panac-Heal(A), Panac-EndRdx/Rchg(13), Panac-Heal/Rchg(13), Panac-Heal/EndRedux/Rchg(43), Panac-Heal/EndRedux(43)
Level 14: Teleport -- TSM'n-EndRdx(A), TSM'n-Rng(15), TSM'n-Stlth(15), EndRdx-I(50)
Level 16: Swift -- Run-I(A), Run-I(17), Run-I(17)
Level 18: Health -- Panac-Heal/+End(A), Panac-Heal(19), Panac-Heal/Rchg(19)
Level 20: Fault -- EndRdx-I(A), Dsrnt-I(21), KBDist-I(21), Acc-I(50)
Level 22: Stamina -- Efficacy-EndMod/EndRdx(A), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc(23), Efficacy-EndMod(23)
Level 24: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 26: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 28: Tough -- ResDam-I(A), EndRdx-I(29), ResDam-I(34), EndRdx-I(36), ResDam-I(42)
Level 30: Weave -- DefBuff-I(A), EndRdx-I(33), DefBuff-I(33), EndRdx-I(36), DefBuff-I(42)
Level 32: Granite Armor -- ResDam-I(A), EndRdx-I(33), ResDam-I(34), EndRdx-I(34), ResDam-I(37), EndRdx-I(37)
Level 35: Tremor -- EndRdx-I(A), KBDist-I(36), Taunt-I(37), Dmg-I(40), EndRdx-I(40), Acc-I(46)
Level 38: Seismic Smash -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(39), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(39), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(39), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45)
Level 41: Build Up -- ToHit-I(A), ToHit-I(42)
Level 44: Stone Prison -- Immob-I(A)
Level 47: Quick Sand -- TmpRdns-Acc/Dmg/Slow(A), TmpRdns-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(48), TmpRdns-Rng/Slow(48), TmpRdns-Acc/EndRdx(48), TmpRdns-Acc/Slow(50)
Level 49: Tactics -- ToHit-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Gauntlet
Pinnacle - The Drunk Server!
MAIN: Desi Boy> Level 51 Fire/Fire Tank
Super Group: C.O.R.E.
Tanking since 05'
Vigilante
MAIN: Desi Boy> Level 51 Fire/Fire Tank
Super Group: C.O.R.E.
Tanking since 05'
Vigilante
My build is great for surviving except for the lower levels so I would take everyone elses advice on Rock Armor. Once you hit 40 I think its good to say you can respec out of it.
Pinnacle - The Drunk Server!
MAIN: Desi Boy> Level 51 Fire/Fire Tank
Super Group: C.O.R.E.
Tanking since 05'
Vigilante
MAIN: Desi Boy> Level 51 Fire/Fire Tank
Super Group: C.O.R.E.
Tanking since 05'
Vigilante
Quote:
You should never spec out of Rock, unless you're in Granite 24/7, which frankly is a boring & inefficient way to play Stone. W/Rock + Minerals, my Stony's at S/L/Psi def cap, which let's me stay out of Granite an awful lot of the time allowing me to do a hell of a lot more damage.|
Originally Posted by Desitre
My build is great for surviving except for the lower levels so I would take everyone elses advice on Rock Armor. Once you hit 40 I think its good to say you can respec out of it.
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Since the OP specified Stone/Ice for RP reasons, I wasn't even going to comment on your build, but... well, it's pretty bizarre. Please try not to take offense at any of this, and I'm sure this build can survive a lot out there, cuz that's what Granite does, but it's really poorly built.
Why do you not have your armors IOed? You're using IOs elsewhere including some very expensive ones. If this were a pure SO, Granite-only build, I'd still say you're overslotting Granite for end redux. You have Tough (5-slotted at that) for what reason? Stone Skin w/1 slot caps your S/L resists. Same for Weave--you're so far over the softcap, you're just wasting end. Your psi def is negligible w/o your accolade temps (I was wondering how the heck you got it that high) and Weave won't help much in that regard. And what's w/the Stealth IO in TP? And resists in EE, no recharge? Assault/Tactics? Leadership & Fighting pools can be valuable to Stone tanks, but not used like this.
An Offensive Guide to Ice Melee
Thanks for the advise from everyone. The Ice Melee guide was really solid.
I will let you all know later how it goes.
Virtue
Hero's -Active
50's Nikias Antaeus Sir Winter
Others Alleyne Lariat
Inactive - Swift Winds
Villians -Active
50's Anthony Goodnight (multiple versions)
Others: Officer Sharpe, Ember Thorne
I think its a pity you couldn't be Ice Armour/Stone Melee.
Energy drain would provide all the endurance required to go mental on the smashing stuff with massive hammers.
Would look really cool with a crystal style customization. I found that if you pick a really dark colour for ice armour its not costume obscuring at all.
Quote:
I'm currently working on something that hasn't really been done before, also I just wanted him to look at the powers not the slots or anything like that. |
Originally Posted by dave_p
You should never spec out of Rock, unless you're in Granite 24/7, which frankly is a boring & inefficient way to play Stone. W/Rock + Minerals, my Stony's at S/L/Psi def cap, which let's me stay out of Granite an awful lot of the time allowing me to do a hell of a lot more damage.
Since the OP specified Stone/Ice for RP reasons, I wasn't even going to comment on your build, but... well, it's pretty bizarre. Please try not to take offense at any of this, and I'm sure this build can survive a lot out there, cuz that's what Granite does, but it's really poorly built. Why do you not have your armors IOed? You're using IOs elsewhere including some very expensive ones. If this were a pure SO, Granite-only build, I'd still say you're overslotting Granite for end redux. You have Tough (5-slotted at that) for what reason? Stone Skin w/1 slot caps your S/L resists. Same for Weave--you're so far over the softcap, you're just wasting end. Your psi def is negligible w/o your accolade temps (I was wondering how the heck you got it that high) and Weave won't help much in that regard. And what's w/the Stealth IO in TP? And resists in EE, no recharge? Assault/Tactics? Leadership & Fighting pools can be valuable to Stone tanks, but not used like this. |
I would say more but that's not for this thread.
Pinnacle - The Drunk Server!
MAIN: Desi Boy> Level 51 Fire/Fire Tank
Super Group: C.O.R.E.
Tanking since 05'
Vigilante
MAIN: Desi Boy> Level 51 Fire/Fire Tank
Super Group: C.O.R.E.
Tanking since 05'
Vigilante
I am making a stone/ice tank. It is an RP character so I'm not gonna be able to change out the powersets. I would like some advice on powers, slotting, and in the end IO sets.
My understanding of stone/ is pre ED and I have never made a /ice tank.
Thanks for anything you can give me.
Virtue
Hero's -Active
50's Nikias Antaeus Sir Winter
Others Alleyne Lariat
Inactive - Swift Winds
Villians -Active
50's Anthony Goodnight (multiple versions)
Others: Officer Sharpe, Ember Thorne