City of Heroes: Live Forum Archive

Cold/Storm Controller Needs Damage

Comicsluvr

By Comicsluvr,
Posted on: 2010-12-14 14:24 in Controllers

 

Posted

I have a Cold/Storm Controller at 50 but I made almost all of it teamed with the usual Tanks and Blasters. I was not worried about doing damage because they took care of it. Now here I am trying to defeat Trapdoor solo and he Regens faster than I can hurt him. I'm slowly building sets but I'm not dedicated to anything on the build yet so she's kind of a blank canvass with SOs and IOs.

Where should I be looking for damage from these powersets? I can lock down the battlefield well enough but single-target damage I just don't have. Help!

"Comics, you're not a Mastermind...you're an Overlord!"

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Comicsluvr View Post
I have a Cold/Storm Controller at 50 but I made almost all of it teamed with the usual Tanks and Blasters. I was not worried about doing damage because they took care of it. Now here I am trying to defeat Trapdoor solo and he Regens faster than I can hurt him. I'm slowly building sets but I'm not dedicated to anything on the build yet so she's kind of a blank canvass with SOs and IOs.

Where should I be looking for damage from these powersets? I can lock down the battlefield well enough but single-target damage I just don't have. Help!
For what it's worth, this is my Ice/Storm's current build (AFAIK; I can't log into the game right now to double-check every detail):

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.90
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Natural Controller
Primary Power Set: Ice Control
Secondary Power Set: Storm Summoning
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Psionic Mastery

Code:
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She's not what I'd call a high-damage build; I conceded that that wasn't a feasible goal for this character long ago. However, her single-target DPS under the right circumstances is pretty darn good. Basically (and as I'm sure you know) those favorable circumstances require that you're facing a singular target so that your pets will reliably focus on it.

The build is only a for-instance to give you some ideas. If you don't want to go crazy with set bonuses then that's fine; the main thing is that you slot your single-target attacks as attacks, preferably with a proc or two. Cast Freezing Rain, Lightning Storm, and Tornado on Trapdoor as often as you can. Sic Jack on him.

If he spawns clones, then kill them as fast as you can. If all else fails, you can (or could, last I tried) Gale him into the lava below his platform. That lava offsets an awful lot of +regen.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Iggy_Kamakaze View Post
Nice build

 

Posted

Trapdoor isn't too hard if you can pull him around the corner into the hallway before his entry room. Immobilize and single target hold him repeatedly, debuff him, use your APP blasts, lightning storm and tornado. He should melt pretty easily.

@Mental Maden @Maden Mental
"....you are now tackle free for life."-ShoNuff

 

Posted

Ice Control is arguably the lowest damage controller primary. You don't have many sources of damage. Mine can solo . . . slowly, but not unbearably slowly. Here is how he can do it:

Chilblain slotted as a damage power.
Block of Ice slotted with a combination of Hami-Os -- Acc/Mez, Acc/Dam, Dam/Mez, Dam/Mez, 2 common Recharge IOs.
Air Superiority slotted for damage.
Jack Frost slotted up for damage.
Tornado slotted for max Damage and Recharge
Lightning Storm slotted for max Damage and Recharge
Ice Blast from the Ice APP set
Frost Breath from the Ice APP set

Damage procs in several powers like Frostbite, Freezing Rain, and the Contagious Confusion proc in Arctic Air.

My Ice/Storm is not fully IOed out, but he has a number of sets and a fair sprinkling of Frankenslotting.

LOCAL MAN! The most famous hero of all. There are more newspaper stories about me than anyone else. "Local Man wins Medal of Honor." "Local Man opens Animal Shelter." "Local Man Charged with..." (Um, forget about that one.)
Guide Links: Earth/Rad Guide, Illusion/Rad Guide, Electric Control

 

Posted

Chillblain slotted as an attack will help you a lot. Make sure you slot some damage in your single target hold and single target blast as well, and you should do ok if you Benumb him at every opportunity. What may be getting you down are the clones he spawns, who buff his regen. I have read that you can no longer pull him into the hallway as easily so that can be a barrier. Lots of -Recharge might slow down his clone rate; I'm not sure, but hit him with all of that you've got anyway to slow his blasts.

 

Posted

As Tex said, it's been made more difficult to pull him away from the clones that boost his regen. However, you are still capable of knocking him from the platform and immobilizing him in the lava. This will negate a good deal of his regeneration. It's also very well worth it to invest in the temporary power Envenomed Dagger to further halt his regeneration. Doing these two things should slow his health regeneration to the point where damage from storm can finish the job.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Comicsluvr View Post
I have a Cold/Storm Controller at 50 but I made almost all of it teamed with the usual Tanks and Blasters. I was not worried about doing damage because they took care of it. Now here I am trying to defeat Trapdoor solo and he Regens faster than I can hurt him. I'm slowly building sets but I'm not dedicated to anything on the build yet so she's kind of a blank canvass with SOs and IOs.

Where should I be looking for damage from these powersets? I can lock down the battlefield well enough but single-target damage I just don't have. Help!
Like LM said, multiple damage procs are your friend. It took me awhile to work them into my builds for PvP; procs get the job done on Ice/ and Earth/ trollers too.

"Forum PvP doesn't give drops. Just so all of you who participated in this thread are aware." -Mod08-
"when a stalker goes blue side, assassination strike should be renamed "bunny hugs", and a rainbow should fly out" -Harbinger-

 

Posted

Hmmm, we pulled him into the hallway pretty easily Monday night.

@Mental Maden @Maden Mental
"....you are now tackle free for life."-ShoNuff

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Oedipus_Tex View Post
Chillblain slotted as an attack will help you a lot. Make sure you slot some damage in your single target hold and single target blast as well, and you should do ok if you Benumb him at every opportunity. What may be getting you down are the clones he spawns, who buff his regen. I have read that you can no longer pull him into the hallway as easily so that can be a barrier. Lots of -Recharge might slow down his clone rate; I'm not sure, but hit him with all of that you've got anyway to slow his blasts.
Just to clarify, the OP misstated his powersets. He must be Ice Control/Storm . . . so he does not have Benumb. He can use Snow Storm to drop Recharge, but the best strategy is to use Hurricane to knock Trapdoor into the lava. It is pretty easy to do if you have any kind of knockback powers -- and even the Nemesis Staff works.

Obviously, if you plan to knock the guy back, you DON'T want to use Chilblain or Frostbite, since both have -knockback for 12 or 15 seconds.

LOCAL MAN! The most famous hero of all. There are more newspaper stories about me than anyone else. "Local Man wins Medal of Honor." "Local Man opens Animal Shelter." "Local Man Charged with..." (Um, forget about that one.)
Guide Links: Earth/Rad Guide, Illusion/Rad Guide, Electric Control

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Comicsluvr View Post
Where should I be looking for damage from these powersets? I can lock down the battlefield well enough but single-target damage I just don't have. Help!
I've now soloed Trapdoor 6 or 7 times with different characters and only my claws/regen had an easier time of it than my Ice/Storm. Now, I'm heavily purpled so that didn't hurt but the basic tactic was:

Spam holds, make sure tornadoes and Lightning storms are always cast as soon as they appear. Debuff with hurricane. Hit him with Ice Storm (from my APP).

It's really important to whack his clones as soon as he creates them as they power his regen. As soon as they pop up I hold them and but a tornado on them.

Zaphod's just this guy, you know.

 

Posted

Thanks gang. I think beating him down quickly will be the key. I'm used to wearing someone down but as has been said the more clones he gets the better his Regen so I need to put him down fast.

"Comics, you're not a Mastermind...you're an Overlord!"

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Comicsluvr View Post
Thanks gang. I think beating him down quickly will be the key. I'm used to wearing someone down but as has been said the more clones he gets the better his Regen so I need to put him down fast.
Use Hurricane and/or Gale to knock him into the Lava, and his regen is no longer a problem. I've beaten him that way about 3 times. Even the Lollipop of Doom (Nemesis staff) works for this, but it takes better aim.

LOCAL MAN! The most famous hero of all. There are more newspaper stories about me than anyone else. "Local Man wins Medal of Honor." "Local Man opens Animal Shelter." "Local Man Charged with..." (Um, forget about that one.)
Guide Links: Earth/Rad Guide, Illusion/Rad Guide, Electric Control

 

Posted

My main character is an Ice/Storm/Ice controller with which I pretty much solo all content. I heard all the talk about Trapdoor before facing him and was expecting a nightmare encounter. I was surprised to find that he was fairly easy to manage. I'll note up front that I don't have Hurricane on my build and Gale has long since been tossed off my power trays. I also did not use the lava melt tactic or a hallway pull. I stood toe-to-toe with him and, I think, I popped one green in the entire encounter.

My tactics for this particular one were:
- Your first attack him causes him to summon a bifrucation. Make it Block of Ice (BoI) to get the first hold application on him. Don't rely on an overpower to happen or, if you're like me and have the Devastation Chance to Hold slotted, to have that fire off. If it does, awesome, but don't rely on it.
- His bifrucations are fairly week in comparison, so even though he has one out continue on Trapdoor for a minute. Lay down Freezing Rain, Snow Storm, Chilblain and Frostbite, Lightning Storm and Tornado. Jack should have been out already so he's likely already engaged Trapdoor.
- BoI him again to get him held.
- Turn focus to one or two bifrucations he has out by now. For me, a single BoI, Chilblain and Ice Blast put each of them down for the count.
- Turn focus back to Trapdoor and wail on him with everything you have, being sure to keep BoI applied on him. He did break though the hold and immob several times, but having Snow Storm on him and laying down and Ice Slick made him do the running man and not focus so much on attacking me or Jack.
- Take out his bifrucations at this point as they spawn. With all your pets out, even turning away for a little bit to deal with them you will still be way outdamaging his regen.
- Win.

Trapdoor wasn't a pushover, but he wasn't a terrible encounter either. It also wasn't a single button mash fest. While I would have called it simple to complete, I did have to use every single power in my arsenal to get it done. I also will admit that I have a decent amount of +Recharge in my build so that definitely help with quickly dispatching his bifrucations.

Hope this helps some!

Main Character: Ice/Storm/Ice Controller (Justice, 1340 badges)

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Local_Man View Post
Use Hurricane and/or Gale to knock him into the Lava, and his regen is no longer a problem. I've beaten him that way about 3 times. Even the Lollipop of Doom (Nemesis staff) works for this, but it takes better aim.
Note after yesterdays patch and new(ish) strategies for Trapdoor:

After I read the patch notes I took my Illusion/Cold/Ice. Note: benumb


To test his pullability I pulled him all the way to the end of the hallway just below the drop from the previous level. His regen stayed full on. So it doesn't mean he won't pull, it means you can't pull him out of the range of his buffs. Loading him up with my debuffs (note: benumb.....and all the other stuff cold has to offer) and unloading my attacks and pets we had a stalemate. Couldn't get past his regen.

So I pulled him into the lava. Same as above: stalemate. Couldn't get past his regen even with lava damage and benumb. I could get him back to about 75% health then he'd regen back to full.

I finally had to take down his bifurcations while the pets kept him busy and he went down like a chump once the last one was gone.

***Side-side note: with a team I didn't really see any issues with Trapdoor, but solo on a troller it was significantly difficult to take him down even with significant -regen before his bifurcations went down.

@Mental Maden @Maden Mental
"....you are now tackle free for life."-ShoNuff

 

Posted

For the longest time I took the /Psi mastery for IW but recently specced out of it for /Ice. The difference has been dramatic, both single target and AoE. While the odd mez gets though the overall damage increase makes the character much more effective.

 

Posted

I think my problem is that I was set up for AoE, not single target. Since I'm not drowning in IO Sets I'm going to make an alternate build for single target. I was able to beat him on my Nrg/Elec Blaster but my Fire/Fire Blaster had the same problem and for the same reason. The Fire Blaster was an AoE beast accustomed to working with at least one teammate so his ST damage was a bit lacking.

Again, thanks for all the help and advice.

"Comics, you're not a Mastermind...you're an Overlord!"

 

Posted

My wife has an Ice/Storm toon and I was hoping to piggy-back on this thread to see if the following is a good build:

She is sitting at 45.6% S/L Defense, which I believe is the soft cap and a really, really nice 132.5 recharge.

She doesn't, however, have Shiver, Hurricane or Thunderclap and I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing.

Suggestions?

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.91
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Science Controller
Primary Power Set: Ice Control
Secondary Power Set: Storm Summoning
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Ice Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Block of Ice

  • (A) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Hold
  • (9) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (9) Basilisk's Gaze - Recharge/Hold
  • (11) Basilisk's Gaze - Endurance/Recharge/Hold
Level 1: Gale
  • (A) Accuracy IO
Level 2: Frostbite
  • (A) Gravitational Anchor - Immobilize
  • (5) Gravitational Anchor - Immobilize/Recharge
  • (5) Gravitational Anchor - Accuracy/Immobilize/Recharge
  • (7) Gravitational Anchor - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (7) Gravitational Anchor - Immobilize/Endurance
Level 4: O2 Boost
  • (A) Doctored Wounds - Endurance/Recharge
  • (15) Doctored Wounds - Heal
  • (15) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge
  • (37) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
  • (37) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance
Level 6: Arctic Air
  • (A) Coercive Persuasion - Confused/Endurance
  • (11) Coercive Persuasion - Contagious Confusion
Level 8: Boxing
  • (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage
  • (40) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
  • (40) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
  • (42) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
Level 10: Hasten
  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (42) Recharge Reduction IO
Level 12: Combat Jumping
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  • (13) Karma - Knockback Protection
  • (13) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
Level 14: Super Jump
  • (A) Unbounded Leap - Jumping
Level 16: Freezing Rain
  • (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
  • (17) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
  • (17) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
  • (36) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range
  • (37) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
Level 18: Steamy Mist
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  • (19) Red Fortune - Defense
  • (19) Red Fortune - Endurance
  • (21) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
  • (21) Red Fortune - Endurance/Recharge
  • (46) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
Level 20: Ice Slick
  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO
Level 22: Tough
  • (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
  • (23) Steadfast Protection - Knockback Protection
  • (23) Aegis - Psionic/Status Resistance
Level 24: Maneuvers
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  • (25) Red Fortune - Defense
  • (25) Red Fortune - Endurance
  • (27) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
  • (27) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
  • (29) Red Fortune - Endurance/Recharge
Level 26: Glacier
  • (A) Unbreakable Constraint - Hold
  • (29) Unbreakable Constraint - Hold/Recharge
  • (34) Unbreakable Constraint - Accuracy/Hold/Recharge
  • (36) Unbreakable Constraint - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (36) Unbreakable Constraint - Endurance/Hold
Level 28: Snow Storm
  • (A) Endurance Reduction IO
Level 30: Weave
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  • (31) Red Fortune - Defense
  • (31) Red Fortune - Endurance
  • (31) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
  • (33) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
  • (33) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge
Level 32: Jack Frost
  • (A) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (33) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage
  • (34) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  • (34) Expedient Reinforcement - Endurance/Damage/Recharge
Level 35: Tornado
  • (A) Absolute Amazement - Stun
  • (42) Absolute Amazement - Stun/Recharge
  • (43) Absolute Amazement - Accuracy/Stun/Recharge
  • (43) Absolute Amazement - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (43) Absolute Amazement - Endurance/Stun
Level 38: Lightning Storm
  • (A) Apocalypse - Damage
  • (39) Apocalypse - Damage/Recharge
  • (39) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  • (39) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (40) Apocalypse - Damage/Endurance
Level 41: Ice Blast
  • (A) Entropic Chaos - Chance of Heal Self
Level 44: Frozen Armor
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  • (45) Red Fortune - Defense
  • (45) Red Fortune - Endurance
  • (45) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
  • (46) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
  • (46) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge
Level 47: Ice Storm
  • (A) Ragnarok - Damage
  • (48) Ragnarok - Damage/Recharge
  • (48) Ragnarok - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  • (48) Ragnarok - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (50) Ragnarok - Damage/Endurance
Level 49: Frost Breath
  • (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
  • (50) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
  • (50) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range
------------
Level 1: Brawl
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Sprint
  • (A) Empty
Level 2: Rest
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Containment
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift
  • (A) Empty
Level 2: Hurdle
  • (A) Empty
Level 2: Health
  • (A) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
  • (3) Miracle - +Recovery
Level 2: Stamina
  • (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
  • (3) Performance Shifter - EndMod
------------
Set Bonus Totals:
  • 15% DamageBuff(Smashing)
  • 15% DamageBuff(Lethal)
  • 15% DamageBuff(Fire)
  • 15% DamageBuff(Cold)
  • 15% DamageBuff(Energy)
  • 15% DamageBuff(Negative)
  • 15% DamageBuff(Toxic)
  • 15% DamageBuff(Psionic)
  • 6.75% Defense(Smashing)
  • 6.75% Defense(Lethal)
  • 3% Defense(Fire)
  • 3% Defense(Cold)
  • 5.5% Defense(Energy)
  • 5.5% Defense(Negative)
  • 3% Defense(Psionic)
  • 4.875% Defense(Melee)
  • 4.25% Defense(Ranged)
  • 3% Defense(AoE)
  • 69% Enhancement(Accuracy)
  • 4% Enhancement(Heal)
  • 132.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
  • 5% FlySpeed
  • 45.78 HP (4.502%) HitPoints
  • 5% JumpHeight
  • 5% JumpSpeed
  • Knockback (Mag -8)
  • Knockup (Mag -8)
  • MezResist(Confused) 2.5%
  • MezResist(Held) 2.5%
  • MezResist(Immobilize) 14.05%
  • MezResist(Sleep) 2.5%
  • MezResist(Stun) 2.5%
  • MezResist(Terrorized) 4.7%
  • 28.5% (0.476 End/sec) Recovery
  • 26% (1.104 HP/sec) Regeneration
  • 19.53% Resistance(Fire)
  • 19.53% Resistance(Cold)
  • 3% Resistance(Psionic)
  • 5% RunSpeed

Ignorance dies from exposure to truth.
I am the hunter of ignorance.
I am the truth.
- The Seeker