Earth Assault questions.

Hi there, I'm currently releveling Diamond Dragonfly as an Earth/Earth Dominator and really struggling to settle on a build for him.

Earth Assault is a great set and I'm having a blast. It seems to get the most out of hanging around in melee though, which is different from what I'm used to for a Dom.

So considering this, I have been worried that I will have to crank up his defence a lot to make him more survivable. Yet I know most Doms go for recharge so they can get Perma Domination. So I am a bit torn, does anyone have much experience with this set? Thanks.

P.S One drawback is I'm not a huge fan of hasten, and so Perma Domination seems unlikely..

Not with Earth Assault itself, but I can say that you can build a dominator for defence. Scorpion Shield, the patron armour, and a handful of set bonuses can very easily get you at, or almost at, the soft-cap for smashing/lethal, which will do a LOT to keep you alive. Until then, well, you do have that primary that can keep you alive.

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Yeah, while a Dominator isn't traditionally what you would call the tough, brawny type, the ability to hold down your foes is in itself a form of damage mitigation.

I do have a Dom I like to think of as tough (he's a dragon) but he would probably be TOO tough if he was able to just shrug off damage and control people like that. I settle for just a couple of shields. For one thing, I can turn them on during Domination and say the effect makes him tougher as well. (Plus, you get mez protection with Domination, which is another defensive ability. I won't keep you from taking damage, but it'll keep you from being unable to retailiate to damage, which is somewhat mitigation)

One thing that is easily overlooked is that earthquake has an enhanceable 10% tohit debuff, which could be very useful if you've already got some defense from scorpion shield or whatnot. It's got a nice long duration and can be up pretty often with some investment. Stacking 10-15% or so tohit debuff could definitely improve survivability if it's layered on top of 30%ish defense.

Side note, I only recently noticed dominators' melee damage mods outdo all other archetypes except scrappers. Earth assault being melee heavy is not a bad thing.

If you're going for defence, put in your bids for the kinetic combat sets ASAP. Those are hard to find, and the black market moves slowly. Bidding ahead is in your best interests, and that set gives very good smashing/lethal defence @ 4 slots. As an /earth dom, you'll have a fair number of power that can take the set.

Also: Earth/ benefits less from domination than other sets, so it's actually a popular defensive build choice.

Thanks guys, some great ideas coming in

Funny because I don't usually have a problem making a build, but on this character i was completely stuck. Earth Control is a great asset, and I regularly team with a Mercs/Pain MM, yet even still im finding going toe to toe with mobs is still quite painful. Still, I haven't got SO's yet and they make a huge difference.

Early on in your career you don't have the option to stack up a ton of defense either, I'm not sure what your point is there.

here's a quick build for you, only slotted what needed to be slotted for the build purposes, using only one set of Kinetic Combat, bunch of cheap sets, Weave, CJ and Scorpion Shield, you can get 46% S/L defense and your build won't suffer for it.


Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.707
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Magic Dominator
Primary Power Set: Earth Control
Secondary Power Set: Earth Assault
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Fossilize -- Empty(A), Empty(11), Empty(11), Empty(13), Empty(13)
Level 1: Stone Spears -- Empty(A), Empty(15), Empty(15), Empty(17)
Level 2: Stone Mallet -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(3), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(3), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), Empty(48)
Level 4: Tremor -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(5), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(7), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9), Oblit-%Dam(9)
Level 6: Stone Cages -- Enf'dOp-Acc/Rchg(A), Enf'dOp-EndRdx/Immob(17), Enf'dOp-Acc/EndRdx(19), Enf'dOp-Immob/Rng(19), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob/Rchg(25), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob(27)
Level 8: Quicksand -- CtlSpd-Acc/Slow(A), CtlSpd-Acc/EndRdx(27), CtlSpd-Rng/Slow(46), CtlSpd-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(46)
Level 10: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 12: Combat Jumping -- Empty(A)
Level 14: Health -- Empty(A)
Level 16: Stalagmites -- RzDz-Acc/Rchg(A), RzDz-EndRdx/Stun(31), RzDz-Acc/EndRdx(31), RzDz-Stun/Rng(33), RzDz-Acc/Stun/Rchg(33)
Level 18: Super Jump -- Empty(A)
Level 20: Stamina -- Empty(A), Empty(21), Empty(21)
Level 22: Heavy Mallet -- S'ngH'mkr-Acc/Dmg(A), S'ngH'mkr-Dmg/EndRdx(23), S'ngH'mkr-Dmg/Rchg(23), S'ngH'mkr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(25), Empty(50)
Level 24: Earthquake -- Empty(A), Empty(33), Empty(34)
Level 26: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 28: Seismic Smash -- Empty(A), Empty(29), Empty(29), Empty(31), Empty(42)
Level 30: Tough -- Empty(A), Empty(36), Empty(36)
Level 32: Animate Stone -- SvgnRt-Acc/Dmg(A), SvgnRt-Dmg/EndRdx(37), SvgnRt-Acc/EndRdx(37), SvgnRt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37), SvgnRt-Acc(39), SvgnRt-PetResDam(46)
Level 35: Weave -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(39), RedFtn-EndRdx(39), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(40), RedFtn-Def(48)
Level 38: Fissure -- Empty(A), Empty(40), Empty(40), Empty(42), Empty(42)
Level 41: Scorpion Shield -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(43), RedFtn-EndRdx(43), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(43), RedFtn-Def(45)
Level 44: Volcanic Gasses -- Empty(A), Empty(45), Empty(45)
Level 47: Hurl Boulder -- Empty(A), Empty(48), Empty(50), Empty(50)
Level 49: Power Boost -- Empty(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- S'ngH'mkr-Acc/Dmg(A), S'ngH'mkr-Dmg/EndRdx(34), S'ngH'mkr-Dmg/Rchg(34), S'ngH'mkr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Domination
Level 1: Ninja Run
------------
Set Bonus Totals:

• 7% DamageBuff(Smashing)
• 7% DamageBuff(Lethal)
• 7% DamageBuff(Fire)
• 7% DamageBuff(Cold)
• 7% DamageBuff(Energy)
• 7% DamageBuff(Negative)
• 7% DamageBuff(Toxic)
• 7% DamageBuff(Psionic)
• 17.5% Defense(Smashing)
• 17.5% Defense(Lethal)
• 18.1% Defense(Melee)
• 2% Enhancement(JumpSpeed)
• 2% Enhancement(FlySpeed)
• 2% Enhancement(JumpHeight)
• 2% Enhancement(Stun)
• 3% Enhancement(Immobilize)
• 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
• 18.8% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
• 2% Enhancement(RunSpeed)
• 53.4 HP (5.25%) HitPoints
• MezResist(Confused) 2.75%
• MezResist(Held) 2.75%
• MezResist(Immobilize) 12.7%
• MezResist(Sleep) 2.75%
• MezResist(Stun) 4.95%
• 2% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery
• 10% Resistance(Smashing)
• 10% Resistance(Lethal)
• 12.5% Resistance(Fire)
• 12.5% Resistance(Cold)
• 10% Resistance(Energy)
• 11.9% Resistance(Negative)
• 10% Resistance(Toxic)
• 10% Resistance(Psionic)

Honestly, you don't need to invest in much, besides recharge, if you go Earth/Earth. Recharge, like you've mentioned, helps to perma dom. It also helps ALL of your powers to recharge much faster as well, therefore providing you with tons of survivability.

You have 3, huge AoE control powers: Stalagmites, Earthquake and Volcanic Gasses. With enough recharge, you can easily perma Earthquake and Stalagmites will be up and ready before you know it. Volcanic Gasses has a longer recharge, but it also lasts forever and will keep on reapplying itself while it's active.

Your secondary offers tremor, a PBAoE Knockdown, which is great for damage mitigation and is up often enough if you have enough recharge...the same applies for Fissure.

There is so much synergy with Earth/Earth that you should be invincible.

Power Boost + Stalagmites? Yea, they're pretty much stunned forever.
Power Boost + Volcanic Gasses? Everything is held, forever, including Bosses since Volcanic Gasses reapplies itself and stacks on itself.
Power Boost + Stalagmites + Fissure will ensure that you stun Bosses as well.
Make sure you DON'T Power Boost + Earthquake, unless of course you want mobs flying in every direction for the hell of it.

Edit: Would also like to add that Fossilize + Seismic Smash will hold a boss. It's also a very powerful hold for PvP as well.

Combat Jumping + Medicine Pool (Self Heal) with a few interrupt reductions actualy work very well for Doms and make you very team friendly.

Big thing with Doms is to be very selective with the various imobilizes, they are huge aggro magnets since they do a little bit of damage too!

I personally would aim for perma dom before upping defense. High recharge on stalagmites backed by domination is a tremendous survivability boost. I'd argue easily as high as s/l softcap. Once you hit 80% or so global rech, then up the s/l def to end up with an insanely powerful toon.

If I had to choose between perma dom and s/l softcap as a singular build direction it would be perma dom in almost every scenario. The two together though, is astounding.

Here's what you do in melee range with /earth assault.