Dark is easier, Thermal is probably more powerful.
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In short this is true.|
Originally Posted by Weatherby Goode
Dark is easier, Thermal is probably more powerful.
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Thermal is very clicky, and can get to be on the bothersome side with all the buff and shield refreshing. That said, it is very powerful, buffs outshine heals at low levels, and you get some respite from your healing at level 32 when the ember demon get his AoE heal. I slot the 2nd tier with ~60% heal enhancement.
I haven't played /dark with demons, yet, give my altitis time I probably will. /Dark gets the big tohit debuffs early and has a good AoE heal, -damage early, but it never gets -defense. /Thermal gets two big single target debuffs in heat exhaustion and melt armor, but they come in the mid/late 30s. The thermal shields are very nice on teams coupled with the thermal heals. The thermal mastermind can find himself to be very busy.
Considering all this, having your twilight grasp, dark servant's twilight grasp, and the ember demon's heals, the dark secondary would make you a juggernaught after level 38.
Triumphant Defenders Forever
Psylenz FF/Psi, ArticQuark Storm/Rad, Symon BarSisyphus Bots/psn, Max VanSydow Thugs/Dk, Cyclone Symon Bots/stm, Blue Loki Ice/Cd, Widow 46526
HelinCarnate:OMG it is so terrible. I have the option to take 3 more powers but no additional slots. Boo F'ing hoo.
Dark is far stronger for aoe packs. They're about equal when managing and killing AV's
Fluffy provides alot of support but Heat Exhaustion is applying the -500% regen nearly full time compared to Twilight Grasp.
Dark handles nasty mob types better also. Malta, Carnies and high end LongBow can be neutralized with Fear Cone and Holding key targets. Tar patch is great for herding. Etc.
If you're planning to not play this for serious AV killing, with a mix of Group and Solo play I recommend dark.
ANd if you're making it for AV killing, go Bot/traps.
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Dark's howling twilight has a good sized chunk of -regen, too. It's also very true that thermal doesn't have the crowd control that dark does either. Thermal has the heat shield buffs which aren't shabby especially stacked with the ember demon's 10% resistance aura.
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Originally Posted by lareit the evil
Dark is far stronger for aoe packs. They're about equal when managing and killing AV's
Fluffy provides alot of support but Heat Exhaustion is applying the -500% regen nearly full time compared to Twilight Grasp. Dark handles nasty mob types better also. Malta, Carnies and high end LongBow can be neutralized with Fear Cone and Holding key targets. Tar patch is great for herding. Etc. If you're planning to not play this for serious AV killing, with a mix of Group and Solo play I recommend dark. ANd if you're making it for AV killing, go Bot/traps. |
Triumphant Defenders Forever
Psylenz FF/Psi, ArticQuark Storm/Rad, Symon BarSisyphus Bots/psn, Max VanSydow Thugs/Dk, Cyclone Symon Bots/stm, Blue Loki Ice/Cd, Widow 46526
HelinCarnate:OMG it is so terrible. I have the option to take 3 more powers but no additional slots. Boo F'ing hoo.
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Originally Posted by Psylenz
Dark's howling twilight has a good sized chunk of -regen, too. It's also very true that thermal doesn't have the crowd control that dark does either. Thermal has the heat shield buffs which aren't shabby especially stacked with the ember demon's 10% resistance aura.
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Oh I know, and love, Howling Twilights Regen is quite hefty.
It's on a 3 min cooldown and the regen duration is only 30 seconds.
Compared to Exhaust's 40 second duration and 2 min cooldown.
Both give -500% regen.
So if my goal is to solo missions set for a group, i'm best off with /dark?
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Either will work. Dark matures MUCH earlier.
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Originally Posted by talzyon
So if my goal is to solo missions set for a group, i'm best off with /dark?
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The Porcelain God - DarkKinetics Corruptor
Meat Juice - DarkDarkSoul Brute
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Melt Armor is AoE, isn't it?
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Originally Posted by Psylenz
In short this is true.
Thermal gets two big single target debuffs in heat exhaustion and melt armor, but they come in the mid/late 30s. The thermal shields are very nice on teams coupled with the thermal heals. The thermal mastermind can find himself to be very busy. |
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whoa, Melt Armor IS very much a targetted AoE debuff. Mea culpa.
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Originally Posted by SevereCalamity
Melt Armor is AoE, isn't it?
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Triumphant Defenders Forever
Psylenz FF/Psi, ArticQuark Storm/Rad, Symon BarSisyphus Bots/psn, Max VanSydow Thugs/Dk, Cyclone Symon Bots/stm, Blue Loki Ice/Cd, Widow 46526
HelinCarnate:OMG it is so terrible. I have the option to take 3 more powers but no additional slots. Boo F'ing hoo.
I'm casting my vote for /thermal with the demons. I have three main reasons for this.
1. More survivable with the fire shields and a FAR AND AWAY superior heal. The radius of the dark heal is a source of extreme annoyance for me. Its just pitiful in my opinion. The thermal heal has a huge radius and comes up quicker. In BG mode your demons are going to be spread out in an area that is much wider than the dark heal can handle. You'll find yourself running close to the demon that needs healed in order to get that guy in the radius. Other than the extremely small heal radius of dark, its an outstanding set though.
2. The two end set debuffs are bada$$!
3. Forge is f'in sweet! Forge + hasten = lots of smiling demons hitting very hard
I have run both to 50 and /dark is more powerful and survivable than /thermal. AoE -dam, to hit debuffs, and control are far better than the +resists and more reliable heals therm has to offer. Melt armor is weaker -res than tar patch and can't be stacked from the same source like tar patch. Against AVs, /dark has more -dmg, -res and -regen if you consider all of the sources available (TG, HT, and the servants heal).
Due to MM pets low health, getting hit less is more effective than +res.
Level 50s: to many to remember at this point
The only problem I have with dark is that in bodyguard mode, you're going to get hit with mez effects. When that happens, darkest night goes bye bye and so do you and your pets. In the early game this isn't an issue, later on it's annoying. Also, thermal has decent av debuffing too, but is a small concern since many people don't solo avs anyway.
I personally like darks control and debuffs, but as a mastermind, getting mezzed will get your pets killed fast since they like to congregate in melee. Thermal gives the demons an independant feel, which I feel is more appropriate for their playstyle compared to bots or thugs.
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What he said.
--side note. For some reason, I won't play a powerset combo that can't solo AV's. I guess that is the bar that any acceptable toon of mine must hurdle, lest they become deleted and forgotten.
Speaking of, Demo/Therm is definately a combo that can, (and does in my case) solo AV's.--
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I don't buy this. A /therm will get mezzed more than a /dark because the -to hit will lower the chance of getting hit and a mezzed /therm can't heal so the pets will die just as fast, not to mention that even if mezzed your enemies can still have the -to hit from fearsome stare on them and whatever control you got out there. |
Originally Posted by SevereCalamity
The only problem I have with dark is that in bodyguard mode, you're going to get hit with mez effects. When that happens, darkest night goes bye bye and so do you and your pets. In the early game this isn't an issue, later on it's annoying. Also, thermal has decent av debuffing too, but is a small concern since many people don't solo avs anyway.
I personally like darks control and debuffs, but as a mastermind, getting mezzed will get your pets killed fast since they like to congregate in melee. Thermal gives the demons an independant feel, which I feel is more appropriate for their playstyle compared to bots or thugs. |
I have played 3 /dark MMs to 50 and Mezz was less of an issue when compared to my /therms.
Level 50s: to many to remember at this point
I was wondering which secondary will carry a DS MM father and allow for easier solo play with the ability to take down the toughest of targets.
I want to choose from either dark miasma or thermal....but don't really know from experience which is best for my pets and I.
Thanks
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Energy Anomoly 23 lvl Energy/Energy Blaster