New MM build Bots/FF or??

Hi all. Could i please get some help with this. I think I like the synergy of bots and ff as well as the concept but is there another secondary which would work better from a synergy perspective? Thanks

If you want bots but are open to another secondary any of the following works well:

/traps
/storm
/ff
/trick arrow
/dark

bots/ff is easy mode later on. You can just force bubble things, take aggro and the bots do the rest.

Any of the other secondaries above are a bit more active. Each fun in their own right.

So go with what you want, you can't go wrong.

I have not looked at what defenses Force Field Generator from Traps gives the pets, when combined with their bubble.

As Fitz said, with Force Field you can pretty much buff all the bots to have defense cap buffs. That makes them pretty tough.. Sort of.. Well at least tougher then some other secondary sets..

The TOUGH thing about Robot/FF, which I happen to have a 50.. Is it is very boring at times.. Your pretty much making sure the bubbles are on the top 3 pets and then healing them as needed, usually through Aid Other and Repair.

I am sort of partial to Traps atm.. But if your going to use IOs in your build, then Traps is the only set where you could do a mission without the pets.. Because you would be at defense cap with it. So if something goes bad or a team just asks you not to get the pets out due to some aggro issues. You can do much more with Traps.

With Force Field you will just be bubbling up everyone assuming your pets were not out.

Further Masterminds at not the Arch Type that has many attacks. Unless your Traps persay. You are more managing your pets and keeping them or trying to keep them alive and of course yourself as well.

I am positive if you look down the page or even the 2nd page you will see several builds for many of the Mastermind Arch types. Pull them up in Mids Hero builder and look at them and inspect the defenses and such..

I would go with Traps, Dark or Thermal. In that order.. Again personal choice.

Storm is great.. But not to sound like an elitist, if you do not know how to control Hurricane and other powers from storm. Then I would suggest not getting it.. Many of the powers are not group friendly and just recently I was with a Demon Storm that was kicked from a team because he insisted on running around with Hurricane on.. I ran with a all storm SG years back.. We learned a lot leveling up the storm toons. With Hurricane you can hold mobs in a corner without a doubt. I always give leeway and props to anyone who is in a group with me and I see them running a good storm toon.. Its a very hated and misunderstood set by many.. And abused by many also.. So if I see someone using Hurricane to good use, I like to give the player credit for it.. Hopefully others will see it and remember..

Trick arrow seems cool, but I just do not think it has what other sets have going for it atm..

/traps

I have a L37 Bots/FF and as others have said it gets boring fast but even at L37 with nothing but basic IOs I can solo 0(5) missions very well. However they are a snooz fest. I go in buff pets move to first group drop repulsion bomb and then go afk for 2-3 min come back move to next group drop repulsion bomb.... repeat adnasum.

My first vill 50 was a Thugs/FF. Soon after hitting 50, I made a Merc/Traps. Traps actually made me angry that I chose FF. FFG provides more Def for you than Dispersion bubble.

No, a trapper can't create as much def for the minions as a bubbler, but the upside (sorry for throwing in a sports metaphor) for traps is so much higher. The bubbler can "walk through missions", true. However if that mission has a hero/AV at the end, it's the trapper that can say "let's do this".

Bottom line, what FF offers (safety from Def and use of kb), Traps offers too (no kb), just not quite as much. The other bag of goodies in Traps (-Dmg, -Regen, +Regen, Slows, Immob and a kaboom) make it incomparable to FF.

Although it may sound like it, I'm no FF hater, in fact this Thugs/FF is one of my "signature" characters (I should put him in my sig I guess). Bots/FF will be powerful and you'll do your missions with no issues whatsoever. Your question though, is "which would work better from a synergy perspective?" and I'm tempted to say "all of the others". But seriously, the easy answer(s) to that is Traps and Dark.

I created a MM /traps for my first MM ever. I have to admit that the MM is definitely one of my faovrite sets now (i've 17 level 50s, and this is the funnest one yet). it's not really a breeze, but it is if you know what you're doing. I run +0/5 missions, im at lvl40 with no sets and i've yet to be overwhelmed by anything (EBs or big mobs). It's a very strong set to compliment the primary. I highly recommend it

Thanks for all the great input. You know, I considered /traps when rolling my MM up but for some reason decided /FF had better synergy; but, after reviewing the info you have provided and the power sets I think /traps or /dark would be a better way to go since I too am finding out its sort of boring. Back to the drawing board.

I agree with the previous posters about /FF, /traps, /dark, and /storm. Bots/dark is extremely formidable.

I would put in a word or two about other less selected combinations. My first villain to level 50 was a Bots/poison. I went with the science theme: robotics and chemistry. Bots and Thugs work well with poison for different reasons. Early on, bots which are rather resistant to lethal attacks, kinda laugh off gun-toting foes. My poison mastermind fires of his single target debuffs, and only stacking envenom works on harder targets for the -regen, but it's very effective and very active. Of course I took repair in the build. This mastermind always had his single target hold on quick recharge.

The second path less chosen I would submit is Bots/TA. I won't kid you. The first 15-20 levels are much more challenging than the other Robot/ secondary combinations. Dark takes off so early it isn't funny. When the more effective debuffs are available in the 20s, it starts to pick up. When you get the level 32 AoE robot light show coupled with the ranged AoE debuffs from TA you are GOLDEN and as effective as any mastermind set. Glue Arrow was made for our burn patching Assault Bot. Toss acid arrow and disruption arrow in there and I think you get the picture of mass destruction. With this build I took Aid Other and Aid Self early for survival. One of the only bids I would insist on the medicine pool.