How fun are Plant/Storm Controllers?

In my seemingly never ending quest to find an AT thats fun for me and effective (and actually take to 50) i've recently heared of the Plant/Storm combo for AoE good times (makes me smile). I usually play on the Red side but even with my Fire/Storm AoE focused Corr I feel something is just lacking. Control maybe?

Anyhow, I was hoping to hear from those who have played this combo set to completion eg: made it to at least 38 where they were able to get all the powers that make the AT effective, and hear their opinions.

Thanks!

I find it incredibly fun. You can play it control-heavy, using Strangler and Vines to lock everything down at the start of your attack, or you can play it the way I do: Seeds of Confusion to direct everyone's attention away from me, Roots to keep them in roughly the same place, then fire off Carrion Creepers, Lightning Storm, and Tornado for damage. It's great if you like being surrounded with barely-controlled chaos.

Incidentally, my plant/storm controller is the only non-scrapper I've gone into scrapperlock on. Being methodical may be more survivable, but a headlong charge through a series of packed x6 spawns sure is fun :-)

<3 Thank you

I am working on one now...He is only lvl 22 and I already love him.

At lvl 22 I already can...

1.) Stealth with impunity (Steamy Mist + Super Speed)
2.) Deal with large groups of mobs relatively quickly and safely. (Seeds of Confusion, Roots and Freezing Rain) [Side note: Confusion does not slow down your leveling. It actually speeds it up considerably]
3.) Neuter bosses (Snow Storm + Gale [to keep them off of me], while stacking my hold)


There are a couple of drawbacks to leveling this flavor of controller though.

1.) Your single target damage is crappy at this level...Grab your Sands of Mu or Undead-Slaying Axe and cherish it deeply.

2.) Also, you will throw a party when you hit 21 and get stamina three-socketed.

3.) When things go south (like they do occasionaly) you are particularly vulnerable, since you do not have a self-heal available.

Well, good luck and I hope you give this a try...it is a real fun combo of sets to play.

There are some downsides to the combo . . . it is very dependant upon the Seeds+Roots combo for AoE damage -- not fast, but it works. Freezing Rain adds Defense and Resistance Debuff to increase your damage. However, if you don't get in JUST the right position to catch as many of the foes as possible with Seeds, you might be in trouble while waiting for Seeds to recharge.

But here is where your secondary kicks in, even before Tornado and Lightning Storm. Hurricane can keep any melee foes away and debuff their ToHit. Snow Storm can slow and drop the recharge of ranged foes. And Freezing Rain can act as a Slip-n-fall and keep-away zone. And even lowly Gale can be a "get out of my face" power.

When you finally get to 32, your pet, known as "Twoey" after the Plant in "Little Shop of Horrors," will add some much needed damage. Then come Tornado and Lightning Storm to add more.

You'll want to 6-slot Roots and Seeds early -- Roots needs 2 Acc, 3 Dam and 1 EndRdx. Seeds needs Acc, Confuse, Recharge and a little Range -- you can Frankenslot from the Confuse sets since those IOs are cheap.

I like mine a fair bit, and am slowly grasping towards 38 for that storm cloud.

I'm happily taking on spawns for 6 on my own, using vines to stop them firing back, roots and freezing rain for a bit of AOE damage and the -res off rain, slap on the carrion creepers, then tornado and strangler (slotted for damage) and the pet to pick off what the creepers leave behind.

only problem is getting hit with the occasional alpha and dropping faster than a tonne of bricks.

In teams i get a few instances of kicking out so much aoe that i pull aggro, but that same aoe damage, and the rather pathetic heal, make you a good support for a tank later on.

Plant/storm has ruined me for any other controller powersets. It's just too good. I always have that one more trick up my sleeve to pull my butt out of the fire.

And this AT includes two of the powers I consider the most visually awesome.
Carrion Creepers everywhere,
and the Lightning storm.

I love watching them both.
.

im gonna have to agree with this whole disscussion plant/storm is FREAKING AWESOME! it is undoubtedly my favorite powerset
tip: team with a blaster you can relax on an atta mission with that pairup

Barrel of monkeys fun.

What everyone said about /storm. [Though I don't know plant/ first hand.]

The hilariousness of Lightning Storm cannot be underestimated in an extended battle. You need to back up though, so you can see the carnage.

Maybe I should re-up and actually lvl up Photokinesis

My little plant/storm is up to 33 now and it just keeps getting better. I am pretty much rolling over missions set to +0/+5 already with my only IO's being some frankenslotting in my holds and confusion. Carrion Creepers is up over half the time, my flytrap is doing nice damage and has AoE's of her own to use and if I happen to pull an extra mob Hurricane and Snow Storm help keep me safe til I can get everyone under control. I am really looking forward to Tornado and Lightning Storm. I have noticed how end heavy it can get already so I will probably go with the fire epic pool for Consume and Fireball and try to slot for recharge and some ranged defense. This guy is gonna be a beast when I get to 50 with him and throw a few IO sets into his build.

The only real downside to Plant/Storm is the heavy endurance issue. Despite slotting for endurance and going for + recovery in sets, you can still burn through your blue bar pretty fast. That said, it is incredibly powerful and a lot of fun. The only real issues I've had with it are a relatively slow kill speed on the last Lt or Boss standing, and the endurance issues in tough fights.

During your mid-30s the kill speed issue goes away, and you can have endurance under control around then as well if you work at it.

My second 50 ever, and still haven't found many other combos that come close to being as fun. Equal parts control and chaos - not too much of either - keeps you on the edge of your seat. And your Venus Fly Trap is just a trip. Fun lighting up the battlefield with screaming vines, lightning clouds, roots and tornadoes everywhere, then cheering her on as she runs in to chomp guys struggling to get away. Very giggleworthy.

Spoiled me not only for other controllers, but most other powerset combinations and special effects. Have a ball.