Thugs/Traps AV and hard content build suggestions?

Good for you! Thugs/Traps is a solid and capable build, quite adept at soloing AVs. It was my main for about 2 years, til I played it to death and got sick of it. So you're off to a good start, but then you said something rather silly:

Setting your hopes a *bit* too high here. Ten Thugs/Traps players will give you 10 different opinions based on their personal experience and playstyles, however minute the differences may be. I used the powers you chose to make a Positionally Defense-capped toon, with over 1000 HP and 68.9% Smashing/Lethal resistance, as well as a not-too-shabby 55% global recharge bonus. Only difference is, I didn't have enough slots left over to put into both Medicine powers and Stamina/Health, so 1 of them had to go.

So I took out Tactics (you don't need it), Aid Other and Aid Self, moved the slots to Health/Stamina, and gave you Combat Jumping/Super Jump for some extra Defense and a travel power, as well as Acrobatics for some KB protection (just a suggestion, as critters KBing you can get annoying on /Traps). Which means if you were to use this build you'd probably need to run around with an inspiration tray full of greens and some break frees.

Also, your pets should be soft-capped...let's see, 15.4% from FFG...3.76% from Maneuvers...both Pet Defense Aura IOs at 5% each...a little over 8% from each Enforcer at lvl 50...should put the pets at about 45%, all by your lonesome. Anything your friend provides will be gravy. Might want to set up a bind that uses the numpad to toss green inspirations to your pets, since you'll be lacking any targeted healing.


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

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Natural Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Thugs
Secondary Power Set: Traps
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Presence
Ancillary Pool: Field Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Call Thugs -- SvgnRt-Acc/Dmg(A), SvgnRt-Dmg/EndRdx(3), SvgnRt-Acc/EndRdx(3), SvgnRt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(5), SvgnRt-Acc(5), SvgnRt-PetResDam(7)
Level 1: Web Grenade -- Enf'dOp-Acc/Rchg(A), Enf'dOp-EndRdx/Immob(34), Enf'dOp-Acc/EndRdx(37), Enf'dOp-Immob/Rng(39), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob/Rchg(40), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob(40)
Level 2: Caltrops -- ImpSwft-Dam%(A), Posi-Dam%(31), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(50)
Level 4: Triage Beacon -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(A), Dct'dW-Rchg(7), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(25), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(25), Dct'dW-Heal(31)
Level 6: Equip Thugs -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 8: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(9), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(9)
Level 10: Acid Mortar -- ShldBrk-DefDeb(A), ShldBrk-Acc/DefDeb(11), ShldBrk-Acc/Rchg(11), ShldBrk-DefDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(19), ShldBrk-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(21), ShldBrk-%Dam(21)
Level 12: Call Enforcer -- BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg(A), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx(13), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx(13), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(15), BldM'dt-Acc(15), BldM'dt-Dmg(17)
Level 14: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 16: Force Field Generator -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def(17), LkGmblr-Rchg+(19)
Level 18: Gang War -- ExRmnt-+Res(Pets)(A), C'Arms-+Def(Pets)(23), EdctM'r-PetDef(23)
Level 20: Poison Trap -- Lock-Acc/Hold(A), Lock-Acc/Rchg(40), Lock-Rchg/Hold(43), Lock-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(43), Lock-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(46), Lock-%Hold(50)
Level 22: Super Jump -- EndRdx-I(A), Jump-I(50)
Level 24: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 26: Call Bruiser -- BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg(A), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx(27), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx(27), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(29), BldM'dt-Acc(29), BldM'dt-Dmg(31)
Level 28: Seeker Drones -- Cloud-ToHitDeb(A), Cloud-Acc/ToHitDeb(33), Cloud-Acc/Rchg(33), Cloud-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(33), Cloud-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(34), Cloud-%Dam(34)
Level 30: Tough -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam(45), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 32: Upgrade Equipment -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 35: Trip Mine -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(36), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(36), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37), Oblit-%Dam(37)
Level 38: Weave -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+(39), LkGmblr-Def(39)
Level 41: Provoke -- Zinger-Taunt(A), Zinger-Dam%(42), Zinger-Acc/Rchg(42), Zinger-Taunt/Rng(42), Acc-I(43)
Level 44: Temp Invulnerability -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam(45), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(45), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(46)
Level 47: Acrobatics -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 49: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Supremacy
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Mrcl-Rcvry+(48)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(48), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(48)
------------
Set Bonus Totals:

• 6% DamageBuff(Smashing)
• 6% DamageBuff(Lethal)
• 6% DamageBuff(Fire)
• 6% DamageBuff(Cold)
• 6% DamageBuff(Energy)
• 6% DamageBuff(Negative)
• 6% DamageBuff(Toxic)
• 6% DamageBuff(Psionic)
• 10% Defense
• 12.06% Defense(Smashing)
• 12.06% Defense(Lethal)
• 13% Defense(Fire)
• 13% Defense(Cold)
• 10.5% Defense(Energy)
• 10.5% Defense(Negative)
• 3% Defense(Psionic)
• 17.38% Defense(Melee)
• 18% Defense(Ranged)
• 17.38% Defense(AoE)
• 2.25% Max End
• 2.5% Enhancement(Held)
• 20% Enhancement(Accuracy)
• 55% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
• 3% Enhancement(Immobilize)
• 4% Enhancement(Heal)
• 10% FlySpeed
• 66.26 HP (8.252%) HitPoints
• 10% JumpHeight
• 10% JumpSpeed
• MezResist(Confused) 7.75%
• MezResist(Held) 9.95%
• MezResist(Immobilize) 5%
• MezResist(Sleep) 12.15%
• MezResist(Stun) 13.25%
• MezResist(Terrorized) 9.95%
• 8% (0.134 End/sec) Recovery
• 40% (1.341 HP/sec) Regeneration
• 20% Resistance(Smashing)
• 20% Resistance(Lethal)
• 21.26% Resistance(Fire)
• 21.26% Resistance(Cold)
• 20% Resistance(Energy)
• 21.88% Resistance(Negative)
• 20% Resistance(Toxic)
• 20% Resistance(Psionic)
• 10% RunSpeed

*Edit* Ok, if you want Aid Self, you can drop Combat Jumping/Super Jump/Acrobatics for Aid Other/Aid Self/Something Else, take the slots from Health, Stamina and Super Jump, move them to Aid Self and put in 5x Doctored Wounds. You'll lose your KB protection and about 2.5% recharge, and you won't be soft-capped defense without your buddy, but you'll still be pretty close. You'll almost certainly have to go Cardiac as your Alpha Slot.

As always, YMMV.

Gaheris