Which Versatile Defender?

Powerset suggestions for my first Defender?

Requirements
- Must able to solo, as well as Defs can.
While I prefer teaming, I play for short blocks in the day, so end up solo much of the time.

- Should be versatile.
A variety of approaches for fights is great.

- Should rely on ranged powers
I do better out of melee distance.

- Should feel 'complete' relatively early.
Since this is my first Defender, I don't want to wait until 32 to get a feel for it.


This description of Dark/Dark sounds great:

Dark Miasma isn't weak in any sense of the word. You've got a fat AoE heal that also debuffs, a toggle that does a hefty -tohit and -damage, a monster fear cone that also does massive -tohit, and a big ol' -resistance patch. That's all before level 16, mind. Later on, you get a pet with a killer -tohit aura that also heals and spams other useful things, which allows you to really focus on the fun bits.

Storm is fun, it has good debuffs and knockback is not as big a deal as forum complainers make it out to be. Those who like it, like it a lot.

Consider Traps too, it's a killer set that pairs super well with lots of things. Don't listen to the fools that think traps is all about setting up and then hoping you can entice something into your mess; it's only as slow as you make it and plays very well with fast teams and soloing. Plus, hey, mez protection, -def, -dam, -resist, -tohit, what's not to like?

If I had to recommend you a set for your first fender, I would say try dark or traps. Rad is great but you knew that already One last thing: Assault Rifle is a ton of fun on fenders, plenty of AoE and everyone wants to be a gun-toting badass! My own traps/AR solos on x8, has since the early 30s and gives no **** about any drama the mobs think they got.

edit: read you this, Silas prefers ruptors but it's still applicable to fenders and is a GREAT guide to support in general.

For primaries, I would recommend Dark or Traps. Dark is a bit more liked on teams, but Traps is certainly no slouch. Both have incredibly powerful debuffs that make them good for soloing as well as teaming.

For secondary, I recommend Sonic. The stacking -res really increases the damage to a respectable level for a defender.

Rad/sonic, Rad/rad, Rad/Dark are all good suggestions. Rad is NOT a slow starter. It is a bit more toggle heavy, but it definitely allows for versatile approaches to varied foes. With I19 and inherent fitness, its popularity should grow even more.

Dark sounds like the perfect fit for what you're asking. You could say that it "blooms" early, but in fact it's a set with very strong powers throughout all 32 levels. While I'm fond of my Dark/Dark Defender, the damage is indeed on the lower end of the spectrum.

For a solid pairing with Dark, Sonic is a strong choice (as always). Archery and Ice are also stand outs because of their AoE abilities that will capitalize on that wide -res debuff of Tar Patch. Rain of Arrows/Explosive Arrow and Ice Storm/Blizzard are deadly if you're quick on the draw and can nail all the targets caught in your patch.

Storm is a strong set in general, and really getting a feel for it can teach you a lot about positioning and the ways to take advantage of knockback. Teaming can be frustrating though, since you'll be asked to pull back with some of your key powers. You can try to explain your side of it, but you may still have a hard time.

Traps is also nice for the mentioned reasons. Teleport Foe is a very fun ability to combine with all your traps, and is a neat way to melt troublesome targets quickly. Trick Arrow is similar to Traps. The main difference for solo play is that instead of drawing your enemies into your "trap zone", you're basically firing your traps at the enemies and trying to make sure they stay in range of them.

I'd also suggest Rad because I know it's very strong, but my personal experience with it is limited.

Based on your stated criteria, Traps/Sonic is my recommendation. You will have basically everything you need by level 20-ish, with a few extra powers showing up later on. Everyone skips Time Bomb and the Sonic Nuke is totally up to you. Lots of good control. Ability to sleep enemies and set up traps under them too.

My suggestion would be for:
Dark/Dark
Storm/Dark
Kin/Sonic
in that order. I've never felt that my D4 was weak and she is one of my best solo-ers.

I wouldn't go /dark as a soloist. It's lack of a 3rd ST attack is annoying. Don't come complaining when you get asked to solo something like BP, or CoT either. /ice and /sonic are my two picks for soloing.

I'd second the dark/sonic, as long as you can cope with the sound effects - once you slot the heal for accuracy it's a pretty versatile and tough build

Sounds like you want an early bloom solo set. Take your pick of Storm, Dark, Traps, or Rad since those are the only sets that bloom early (pre-20) on for soloing purposes. Cold, Kin, and TA bloom solo starting at 28, though some would say 32 for Kin though.

Blast sets, sonic is hands down the best for ST damage. Ice is your best bet for control (freeze ray rocks) and AoE damage.

My vote is Rad/Sonic. It blooms early and stays powerful. Additionally, it has many ways it can be built, making it quite versatile. Full out team support? Full out offense? Lots of mezzes to be thrown about? Pick your build. Or, better yet, mix and match!

If you don't mind a long read (and one that needs a little updating for I18), check out my sig guide. [/shamelessselfpromotion]

If you solo most of the time and want survival plus utility, the top sets are Dark, Traps and Rad. Cold is up there, too, but it hasn't got as much survival as the others, so for a soloist it isn't the best choice.

As for secondaries, Sonic, Archery, Rad and Ice are my favourites.

I'd suggest Kinetic/Energy. Good amounts of damage, and your secondary can still help to keep you alive.

Once again, the CoH Forum is packed with good suggestions. Thank you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbo_Ski Sounds like you want an early bloom solo set.

Yes, well said. If that means

Quote:

Storm, Dark, Traps, or Rad since those are the only sets that bloom early (pre-20) on for soloing purposes

If that's so, and if Sonic as a primary is off the list, I can narrow it down to Dark, Traps, or Rad. Storm sounds fun, but I think it's better suited to a more experienced player. Rad is new to me as a primary and Traps is new altogether, both pluses. I've played Dark on an MM, but then again, I sure enjoyed it and never took him past his 20s (I just found a Dominator a better match for me). Now Dark is again tempting here.


For any of those, I'll probably pair with /Sonic, especially given Kelenar's observation about Rad:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelenar Rad/ is one of my favorite sets, but by itself, I find it a little subpar for soloing with no really reliable way to avoid getting mezzed... and when a lot of your defenses are in toggles, that hurts. If you go Rad/Sonic for Siren's Song, that weakness goes away and you have a delicious wrecking ball of a Defender.

Any thoughts on how Dark/Sonic, Traps/Sonic, and Rad/Sonic would play differently?

Traps / Dark is good.

The -ToHit from Dark and Drones stacks with Force Field Generator.

Tentacles will nail mobs in place for Caltrops.

Caltrops can take a couple damage procs -- I wouldn't underestimate the extra damage from a drop that can be stacked.

If you go Drones > Acid Mortar > Tentacles > Caltrops > (Gas Trap if you want to get into melee) > Nightfall, you have one of the deadliest, safest AoE combos a defender can get. The downside is that the combo is relatively weak against hard, single targets.