Storm Summoning Question...

How does the set handle for taking on GMs and AVs?

Now, I've never found a Stormie to be the way to go on a full team, as the only buffer/debuffer...but maybe, I've just teamed with the wrong ones (it really doesn't seem like a popular set) so,maybe they just weren't using it, to the best of it's abilities?

I know on my first Dark Miasma/ I didn't know about HT's massive regen debuff, so I was missing out on a major part of Dark Miasma, when on teams, when up against targets that would need that debuff.

Seeing as how Storm doesn't appear to have any -regen, and it's -resist is 35%, how is it when going up against such targets?

Storm has no -regen (easily the biggest factor when fighting AV's/GM's) I can't see a storm defender putting out the dps, even paired with sonic to be able to solo any real AV's GM's without outside assistance.

On a team, just freezing rain, lightning tornado and blast away, hurricane them in to a corner if a corner is available.

Storm does bring some damage with Tornado and Lightning Storm when they're both (or multiple of them) stuck on an AV. And Freezing Rain's -res will help.

In the long long ago, before IOs, my mid 30s level sonic was on a team fighting that evil wench Diabolique as an AV. We weren't getting wiped so much as we just didn't bring enough to put her down. So, I switched to my level 50 main Storm/Radiation. It wasn't lightning quick but we steadily wore her down and arrested her. The reasons I believe is that my stormy had decent -resistance, a ton of slow, and a ton of -defense with Mr. Twisty bouncing her on his knee when she wasn't scampering all over the friggin outdoor zone after hitting siphon speed (?)

Before the change to recharge in LS, the set was able to provide enough dps to really offset a lack of regen. In fact, not long before that change, a troller posted some really spectacular numbers.


The set is fine for a decent team, mind you. When talking AVs in this game, the only reason people flock for something with -regen is to do it as quickly as possible. Unless you have a really odd team combination, you're not going to simply stalemate or anything of the sort.

I can chirp in on a Storm/ Defender, because one of my many Defenders is a Storm/Elec.

I think its the Storm/ players your teaming with.I have no problems on this build, and I do dole out some rather good damage on this build with its blasts.I also can take the Alpha on teams if we cant find a Tanker, because of the Endurance I drain after making the mob flop onto there butts with Freezing Rain, and ancoring a Snow Storm on a Boss before getting into the mobs range of ranged attacks.

Sometimes, I elect a Scrapper if we cant find a Tanker if the mobs are +3 or higher on the difficulty scale, because with my Debuffs, the Scrapper can take the Alpha if theres no Tank.

For me personally, I have yet to try taking down a AV or GM with her yet, but I will try in the future.From how I can handle mobs, and Bosses, I dont dout that I can widdle down a AV with her.

Having no -regen isnt much of a issue, mainly because with my build, you can easly fire off a ST chain, with the Snipe on a Big Bad, thanks mainly in part to the -end ability I carry with mine, and the proper use of Hurricane.

At level 25, I tend to do around 180 Damage on a Snipe, and 100 on Lighting Bolt, and 55 on Charged Bolt, after I use Freezing Rain.I have no douts that even without the -regen, Lightning Storm, the 3 shot ST attack chain I just mentioned, Aim, Voltiac Sentinal, and Thunder Strike from the Epic Pool.Ill have no issues once I drain the AV, or GM's Endurance, and keep it in Freezing Rain while running Hurricane, While I Zap all the fluid from its body like a bug landing on a Bug Zapper.

I will agree that Sonic will be a good mix with Storm, if your looking for more damage, however, the main reason why my Storm Defender is so successful at using the Storm set, is largy due to the Endurance I sap from her enemies.If I had made her with a diffrent Secondary, I prolly would have deleted her by now, because jumping into a mob and using 2-4 AoEs that drop the mobs Endurance to 0, (depending on what your fighting and the difficult level), just makes a great mix with Storm.

The few Storm Defenders iv seen use there powers like they are going out of style, and really dont contain much, and all to often use the KB of Storm like they just cant stop them selves from pushing the buttons.

Most people dont get the idea of how to play a Defender, so id say its those players making it look bad.

Almost forgot, Hurricane adds a Huge -toHit debuff if anything even tries to get near you, or you get near them.So tanking a AV should be easly possible.

A well built Storm Defender on a team should be fine taking on AVs and GMs. My Storm/Psi can output enough damage to solo even con AVs (and has), and is limited only in his defensive capabilities (since hurrican's debuff is so severely resisted by AVs you have to build for IO defense bonuses). So with a team, things are a piece of cake.

Some thoughts:
against AVs the 85% resistance makes Hurricane almost useless, so don't even think about trying to tank AVs Fire_Minded, it will end badly.

A high recharge storm defender can stack three freezing rains for 105% resistance debuff, which is quite significant.

Tornado is autohit, which makes for nice damage against enemies that pop high defense panic powers when their health gets low. (damage with a defense debuff to supplement it and get 1.5 out with some recharge)

Lightning Storm, although not the insane damage that it used to be, is still helpful. (and get 2 or more out with some recharge)

A storm defender should be sufficient to overcome the regen of most AVs in the game (I've never been on team that needed another defender to take one down with the exception of AVs that require special tactics such as the STF). Against a GM, a Storm Defender may not be sufficient to overcome the - regen depending on the damage output of the rest of the team. As with any powerset the skill of the player and the build will also have an impact. Unfortunately, I believe that it is easier to play a bad storm defender than it is with most power sets.

people put a lot of emphasis on -regen, when -resist is just as effective against an AV/GM

I've been on GM teams where the only significant form of debuff was a sonic blaster. Yes, a Storm defender can put out at least the same numbers as a blaster. If you are really concerned about it, though, I'd consider going Storm/Sonic to ensure lots of -resist.

In an AV fight, storm summoners become damage dealers. If you consider them to be extremely long DoTs instead of pets, I believe that tornado has the best DPA in the game and lightning storm has the second highest damage per use. Any well built storm summoner should be able to duo most AVs without complications.

I enjoy my /storm controllers. Having the -KB in the AOE immob is a big help to team friendliness.

for the defender variety, most* AVs/GMs are naturally resistant to KB so just go to town with the tornado and LS.


*like almost all, its VERY rare to have a vulnerable one.