I don't have a ton of time so I'll try and make my opinions succinct. I might pop in later with numbers if no one else does.
First thing that sticks out to me is not taking Fire Blast for Flares. I've actually done the opposite on every Fire Blast character I've ever made, and while you could take Flares at low levels to flesh out your attack chain, I still would prioritize Fire Blast over Flares almost all the time. I also highly encourage you to take Blaze when it becomes available to you. It's always been a crucial part of my ST attack chain as Fire. I actually drop Flares (if I even take it) by the time I get Blaze.
Share Pain is a really neat power because it grants you a damage buff along with the powerful, quick activating heal. IMO it's one of the powers that gives Pain its unique playstyle, so I would recommend taking it when you get the chance. If you use it make sure you're not standing in the middle of the mob, though. I'd drop Soothing Aura for it, actually. When I played around with Soothing Aura, the power of the heal vs the end drain wasn't really worth it to me.
Other thing I'd like to suggest is that you get yourself out of this "healer" mindset. Pain has heals, of course, but it's so much more than a set that heals people. If you're going to spend most of your time watching the green bars, you'll get bored really quickly if you team up with VEATs and/or a Force Fielder. Someone who just heals is of limited use in the long run of this game, IMO.
Snipes and nukes are a playstyle thing in my experience. Not many PUGs will let a ranged character pull these days (in my experience) so its usefulness in that area is diminished somewhat. Nukes are fun, but I prefer to stray away from them if I'm running a character with toggles.
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Originally Posted by MacOberon
Share Pain:
Skipped.Enforced Morale: Skipped. |
I have a Fire/Dark corr and a Dar/Pain corr, so I'll comment just a bit. These two above seem the most questionable to me. My Fire/Dark really skipped quite a lot of Fire early on to get all the goodness in /Dark Miasma, and /Pain seems similar.
Share Pain is a BIG single target heal. It also costs next to NO endurance (0.15 End I think). Sure it's often not needed, but it's a nice back-up, and sometimes you do need it. Plus the "kick in the groin" isn't that bad. You just have to watch yourself for 15 seconds. And it's 15 seconds of +Damage. Weeee.
Enforced Morale is stackable mez protection plus 5% global recharge. That's huge. Squishies on your team will love this stacked on them, and some tanks too. How do you slot it? One EndRedux (or one Recharge) and you're good.
One thing you should consider is using your second build as a solo build. That's what I did with my Dark/Pain. The solo build is the one where I skipped Enforced Morale and one of the two single target heals, etc. and got more personal attacks. (Four attacks at level 45 doesn't work for solo play.) So if you really want to have more flexibility, consider using your second build for solo/small team vs. large team builds. It's good to have both a damage heavy and a support heavy build available.
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The 5% recharge part doesn't stack, but it also gives a Perception buff which is handy sometimes.
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Originally Posted by gameboy1234
Enforced Morale is stackable mez protection plus 5% global recharge. That's huge. Squishies on your team will love this stacked on them, and some tanks too. How do you slot it? One EndRedux (or one Recharge) and you're good.
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Culex's resistance guide
Unless they changed it (which may have happened, I haven't played Pain in months), the +recharge is stackable on Enforced Morale, but only if the target is already below 20% global recharge. It also doesn't provide any +movement if the target has Swift/Hurdle levels of +movement (which means when Fitness goes inherent you may as well ignore that part of the description).
Which means it doesn't provide any recharge benefit to someone using an IO build, that has Hasten running, has Quickness or Lightning Reflexes, that has been hit with Accelerate Metabolism... pretty much someone hit by any +recharge in the game that's not an individual IO set bonus.
The +perception and mez protection do stack, though.
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Originally Posted by PleaseRecycle
it has gone from unconscionable to downright appalling that we have no way of measuring our characters' wetness.
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Originally Posted by Brillig
It's hard to beat the entertainment value of Whackjob Wednesdays.
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I had no idea that Enforced Morale had a +recharge component...
*looks at own 38 /pain corr*
*wince*
I'm not sure how to calculate global recharge but I'm guessing this could be a serious, significant boost to lowbie teams or doing Malefactored teams (such as for SFs, etc) where your global recharge might be lower. I was already taking this power for the anti-mez, but this is a great reason to keep it pasted on everyone.
"...his madness keeps him sane.": My Profile on VirtueVerse
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Also, As with the posters above: Flares isn't bad as a low-level choice to keep your attack chain running at low levels, but it usually does not make the cut when once you get to higher levels. At the point you want to respec (or use another build), drop it for Fire Blast. It doesn't recharge that much slower and you can always slot it (franken or use multi-aspect IOs) for additoinal recharge.
Blaze is a pillar of the set. Yes, you will really want, and yes, you will want it to have more range - and you can slot it for more range! I have mine slotted for some additional range. It won't ever reach as far as your main blasts, but you can give yourself a little wiggle room.
Blazing Bolt is playstyle dependant and sort of situational. It's great for solo, and good for pulling if you want to do that. With some interrupt reduction you can actually put it in as a out-of-chain damage dealer. Your playstyle might not go for it, but if you plan to go solo here or there, think about it.
Inferno: Dude, you're way, way over reacting to the nuke crash. I'm not sure what your pools or defense numbers look like, but here's a basic combo for you: Red Insp (+dmg) + Aim, [run in to mob], Anguishing Cry (-resist) + Inferno. MASSIVE DEATHENING. Pop a blue when finished and let your team wipe up the stragglers. If you don't have a blue available, just don't do it. Some playstyles really play up constant use of the nuke if you can mitigate the crash (conserve power, power sink, transfusion, blue insps) or have reasonable defense available.
Remember, your PRIMARY is FIRE blast - it's the highest damaging Corr set. You are meant to deal damage. Don't shrink from it. Your heals are secondary; they're important but secondary. Not to mention that the lions share of your powers AREN'T Heals - they are buffs and debuffs. You're not a healer. You're Fire and support. Don't cut yourself short.
"...his madness keeps him sane.": My Profile on VirtueVerse
Can You WIN the Internet? MA Arc #85544
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Task Force Mutternacht #349522 <-- 1st AE Challenge
First of all, thanks for the advice, particularly on Share Pain and Enforced Morale. I completely failed to notice for example that Shared pain actually BUFFS.
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Y'all are way too concerned about what I'm "missing" and "giving up", and "sacrificing". I'm not giving up anything; this type of build does exactly what I want it to do: provide powerful support, while having the capacity to burn down a warehouse in the meantime for ***** and giggles. Honestly, I've done controllers and defenders and all that, but never have I had a "healer" (support is a better word) that provided me with such delightful entertainment.
My main objective is to have fun, and be useful in a team - not to squeeze numbers and "be all I can be" by unwillingly following unwritten rules about what a corruptor should be doing. So far, every team I've been in contact with has been extremely pleased to have me, as that quickly eliminates one large problem - a lack of support. Not only that, but I'm certainly not useless or restricted by a support mentality; as you all are so eager to point out my primary is fire, and trust me - I make plenty of use of it. Even in the roughest fights, I usually manage to carpet-bomb the enemy to the stone age with aoe, as well as assist some point damage on tougher nuts. Could I do more damage? Of course, but I would never be able to keep a team safe, in the way that I do now. Don't forget, it's a team effort: without me, the rest of the team's dps would suffer badly, when they had to interrupt their effective dps, to mass-spam ineffective, badly slotted heals, while running around and hiding like headless chickens.
One thing that just doesn't happen, at least around my level, is someone saying "Oh gosh, we have too much support!" Simple fact is - there is no villain AT with heal/support as the primary. Just about everyone I meet that has the potential to heal, says "I'm not a healer" and hopes someone else is willing to deal with it. They are all slotting themselves for high dps while leveling! At the end of the day, someone still has to keep people alive - even if that means a heavy focus on a secondary power set. Heck, I'm becoming popular... I'm getting tells from people the moment I log on, hoping I'll join their team.
Being fairly new to the game, I'm not entirely sure where I end up at 50. I don't much care either; if I'm unhappy, I'll respec. In the long run, everything I consider important will be there I'm sure, as I get a skill and two slots every two levels. I'm pretty sure there will be a lot of powers in both Pain and Fire that will end up maxed out, just like on your average corruptor. The biggest difference is probably my view on what my role in a team is - and thus the order in which I get skills, my priority in getting them slotted - and to a much lesser degree a choice of what skills to actually pick and end up with at level 50. In some cases though, there are points where my opinions may be a bit unorthodox - like hesitating when it comes to picking an attack skill that requires me to run around when I have options that gives me a kind of "fire and forget" option. Often I just knock out what ever is currently in the tank's sights. Assist, yay!
Of course, with a difference in mindset, comes a different play style. Where as your dps corruptor would be highly concerned about the all-important "attack chain", and probably curses every time he needs to interrupt it for a heal - it's not a big concern of mine. I'm more concerned with what damage I can deal quickly and easily, between the heals that I have taken it upon myself to provide. If my attack chain is less than perfect when healing isn't required at all for a while - so what? If we don't even need healing, pumping out maximum dps is hardly going to be a big concern. See where I'm going?
Don't worry, I have two builds. Wouldn't be much point in using both builds for top dps, would it? Makes sense to me, to focus on the secondary set in one build so you can use the char for something OTHER than what your other build does, don't you think? Honestly, what do you all do with your secondary builds?
Mac
Nobody here said "don't consider yourself a support character" and nobody told you to stop playing your character how you want. Remember, you're the one who posted here asking for advice 
I was only trying to offer another point of view. I'm sorry if my post came off as preachy, because that wasn't my intent.
My Fire/Pain Corruptor is not a "DPS" corruptor, it's just that: a Fire/Pain Corruptor. He blasts, he heals, he buffs. He casts Share Pain on targets will full health just to get the damage buff. My point was that you *can* place focus on your DPS and play support *at the same time*.
Granted, I think I failed to consider your current level when I said the things I said. At your level, the value of a straight up "healer" is increased greatly because most tanks aren't sitting on a metric asston of Defense (although that can occur even at this level with the right party members). While I understand you're not concerned with this right now, something to keep in mind is that the value of your heals will decrease somewhat as you go up in levels. That's the point where your other abilities (and I'm including your attacks in this) will start to shine more.
Also just to point out, Defenders can now play on Redside, so technically there is someone who has support as their primary 
Heheh. No worries.
Yeah, you can always start yourself in Pretoria and all but... ew? Defender? I have yet to see one over on the isles. It just feels so... heroic. 
Mm, I guess things change with level. Once in a while, you get a team with FFs, Miasma, and more. I tend to burn a lot more at those times, and suppport far less. As people level up, they start putting points into their secondaries. Coincidently, I expect I'll be putting more points into my primary at that time, so it should all work out well. I'm slowly unlocking my buffing skills as well around this level, which is something I'm very much looking forward to.
I probably should have started my OP with "hi, I'm making a secondary levelling build, support focused" and avoided some things. Oh well. We live, we learn. And yes, this is definitely something adapted to my level - taking into consideration that most teams are PUGs composed of whatever ATs is available at the time.
Sorry if my post came off a bit over the top as well. That'll tech me to make posts after midnight. ^_^
Mac
People will tell you what they think because you asked for advice!
You'll find pretty quickly that you won't be considered a healer and that instead you're a buffer. You're just getting around the level where Brutes can kind of tank/take the damage (SOs are available) and shortly afterwards healing becomes significantly less desired. Not saying Pain Dom is bad, just the emphasis really moves away from the slow reactive healing and more onto making your team be more awesome and just not need it 
I know when I see a level 30+ team asking for healers, I avoid it like the plague.
Just figured I'd post an update on my progress. Up to level 33 now, and this is by far my most loved char, both for RP reasons and for the powers. I'm beginning to feel the decrease in healing needed now. Much of the time, my little auto-aura is enough to keep a team steamrolling down the halls. I don't mind; that just means more free time to rain down fire and brimstone on the enemy, right? Scourgy goodness! Weee!
Pain Domination is interesting, in that three big (de)buffs are dead last in the order of powers you get access to. Now that I can begin shifting from spammy healing to more refined operations, I'm just reaching the point were I'm getting access to more buffs. Shared Pain, Enforced Morale and World of Pain are the ones I have access to so far, and I'm making as much use of it as I can.
Enforced Morale is a bit of a strange one though, as it has stacking mezz protection, but keeping it stacked on an entire team would completely absorb all my time, due to the single target operation, and the low duration. Just stacking it on 2-3 targets is a waste of time. As it is now, I tend to drop one on whoever is low on endurance (and since the regen doesn't stack, I don't stack either). Of course, I also use it whenever I see anyone being affected by any kind of mezz - as it quickly releases them.
Here's a big important question though: Is there any way I can easily detect when a team mate is being affected by a mezz? With sleep, confuse, yada yada, 60 icons per team mate in the list, and a million moving targets, allies and effects on screen, I find that I often don't notice until someone says something, ie "[Team]MrX: Sleep!".
Does the game have addons? Do addons work for a mac? I'd love one that clearly marks a team mate that needs a hit of Enforced Morale.
Mac
While i have yet to discover a way to actually tell if a teammate is mez, i did create a macro that pretty much said via team 'If your mez'ed say 'ZZZ' and i'll fix you!' And i usually keep the anti-mez on ATs i know have no inherent mez protection (like fellow corruptors, some dominators, and masterminds, but not the pets, as its a waste of time) Blasters, defenders, and controllers are also in that mix, as well as Peacebringers, and warshades, but i'm sure even now some of those are hard to find V side.
Darned. Thanks. It's atl east good to know I'm not the only one with the problem.
Mac
Get to know the enemies. It doesn't take long fighting them to know which ones mez and which ones don't. When you're up against something like longbow, you need not be overly concerned with using mez protection powers on team mates. But if you are fighting something like Lost and aberants are everywhere.... your mez protection may just be more vital to the team than your heals or damage.
Share Pain -
Extremely useful at low levels since you can spend more time blasting (WITH BUFF!) and less time healing the tank. Also, Low level + soothe = end burning.
I find that I never had to use sooth with nullify pain 6 slotted and soothe 2 slotted with heals and 1 rech (It heals for a ton)
Conduit of Pain -
... ok...ok ...I SAID OK! I admit it...I let people die sometimes just so I can get conduit buff x.x dont hate! The buff is absetively awesome!
Painbringer -
I get this with 2 end/rech and 2 heal/rech and 1 heal enhancement. Tank taking a beating? use it to keep him full!
Blaster wanna nuke? Use this to keep him full!
Inferno -
As someone said World of pain + Red + aim = What will you heal? everythings dead o.o
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I totally agree. Take for instance, my Rad/Elec defender. In fact, I can think of nothing more heroic than irradiating my foes until they are as weak and feeble as if they were 93 years old and starving, then repeatedly electrocuting them - or alternatively, blowing up my comrades' dead bodies in a tiny thermonuclear holocaust - until said enemies fall over in a smoking, glowing heap.|
Originally Posted by MacOberon
Heheh. No worries.
Yeah, you can always start yourself in Pretoria and all but... ew? Defender? I have yet to see one over on the isles. It just feels so... heroic. |
Arc #6015 - Coming Unglued
"A good n00b-sauce is based on a good n00b-roux." - The Masque
I have had really bad experiences on sf's and Mo runs lately so I am going to be making a pure healer like I did with my emp. I will be taking stealth plus ss and standing in the background keeping people going. Of course if the fights are going well and I'm not doing anything I'll break out of stealth. I am looking forward to i19 so I can take leadership.
I really enjoy my fire/pain, too. I can easily tell when I am making a difference between the heals, buffs, debuffs, and screaming of the crispy minions.
I love [Share Pain], but with the aggro /fire brings sometimes it can get dicey in that 15 seconds. Living on the edge can be fun, but don't use it willy-nilly. Keep a finger on the pulse of aggro distribution when you do use it.
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Originally Posted by MacOberon
Enforced Morale is a bit of a strange one though, as it has stacking mezz protection, but keeping it stacked on an entire team would completely absorb all my time, due to the single target operation, and the low duration. Just stacking it on 2-3 targets is a waste of time. As it is now, I tend to drop one on whoever is low on endurance (and since the regen doesn't stack, I don't stack either). Of course, I also use it whenever I see anyone being affected by any kind of mezz - as it quickly releases them.
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Originally Posted by Adelie
Get to know the enemies. It doesn't take long fighting them to know which ones mez and which ones don't. When you're up against something like longbow, you need not be overly concerned with using mez protection powers on team mates. But if you are fighting something like Lost and aberants are everywhere.... your mez protection may just be more vital to the team than your heals or damage.
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Other corrs or defs prioritized highest, and I work it out from there.
City of Heroes was my first MMO, & my favorite computer game.
R.I.P.
Chyll - Bydand - Violynce - Enyrgos - Rylle - Nephryte - Solyd - Fettyr - Hyposhock - Styrling - Beryllos - Rosyc
Horryd - Myriam - Dysquiet - Ghyr
Vanysh - Eldrytch
Inflyct - Mysron - Orphyn - Dysmay - Reapyr - - Wyldeman - Hydeous
I have started an Ice/Pain corr and I'm enjoying the synergy so far. Its great on teams (for obvious reasons), but I'm also really enjoying it solo (much to my surprise). I hold a boss, share pain off of my buff vet pet and rail into him. I also will use share pain frequently solo to fight even when things are not held. I sometimes let it get dangerous and I love it. Kind of reminds me a little bit of defiance 1.0 for blasters. I think I was the only fan of that style of blaster play.
One question for Ice corrs - does the rain of ice and blizzard get increased damage with buffs? If I hit a +dmg power and then rain of ice or blizzard does it make a difference? If not that seems a major advantage to sonic (also good control) over ice. But I hate sonic's sounds after a while, gives me a headache :/
I used to have an ice-empath controller. Most of the time, I was so focused on my team's health bars, that any control I could actually get out would be far between, and not always very effective.
Also keep in mind, I'm still only 22 here. Advice on level 50 purple IOs... not here.
Pain Domination:Fire Blast:That's the rundown of little old me. If you see any major "WTH is he doing!?"s in there, let me know! Any kind of general advice is super-appreciated, as I then can apply the advice as a starting point, and make up my own mind on how to build it.Now, I'm a Witch Corruptor. L22. (Hello my name is Atkins, and I'm a switcher!) I play with fire, burn things down, and I can heal a bit to boot! (What? I'm main healer again? Okiday.) It's not that I mind healing. I like it! And this is where I realised the beauty of Fire-Pain. I don't need much control over the field of battle. I just need 2 seconds of freedom, to lay down aim followed by a devastating carpet-bombing of fire, and go back to healing. Most of the time, I can even just use the tank's target as ground zero. No clicky! And it works great!
Que the respec:
Ok, since I always heal, let's focus on healing - and keep the fire as a fun, area oriented, but highly effective backup. Works very well! But uh... what am I going for NEXT?
I'd like to work as the primary healer, as this is what I always end up doing anyway. But, I got endurance to waste much of the time - and I want to use it to burn. AOE is nice, but some point damage for a tough boss never hurts either.
So my ideas on the attack part:
Flare+Blast Chain: Fast, ranged, almost chaining - a combo that will add significant damage, and I can even squeeze a heal into the rotation. Not a bad idea.
Ball+Rain+Breath Alpha: This will wreak absolute havoc on the enemy and should probably be used with exceptional care. Fun though. So much fun. I can hear Beavis chanting "Fire! Fire!" already. Aggro magnet.
The low down:
So, here's what I got so far, and some plans for the future. I'll just pop it all out here for y'all to see. I could use suggestions. Nothing too specific though. I like to do things myself, and to figure things out.
Noteworthy Pool Powers:
Mac