City of Heroes: Live Forum Archive

Tasty tasty words

Arcanaville

By Arcanaville,
Posted on: 2011-01-02 11:57 in Defenders

 

Posted

So... my husband and I were build planning (Regen scrapper with excellent defense). He commented on an Arcanaville comment from several issues back regarding creating a 2nd secondary using IOs. He then had the audacity to tell me that if my main had a different secondary she could solo an AV.

He says they were tasty tasty words. LOL.

Siberian Spring - Cold/Rad defender... no temps, no inspirations.



Build:

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Siberian Spring-50 (Cold/Rad, Rad/Ice, Ice/Rad, Sh/Ice) - KGB SS8
Chernozem-50 (Ice/MM, Emp/Ice, MA/Regen) - KGB SS8
Wila-50 (Dark/Arch) - KGB SS8
Also: Krassivy Mechtayu-50 (Ill/Rad) - KGB SS8; Ms. Hypatia-50 (Dark/Regen)

 

Posted

I hadn't realized how amazingly powerful Benumb is...

She kept Nightstar stunned for all but a few seconds... through the PToD.

Comrade Smersh, KGB Special Section 8 50 Inv/Fire, Fire/Rad, BS/WP, SD/SS, AR/EM
Other 50s: Plant/Thorn, Bots/Traps, DB/SR, MA/Regen, Rad/Dark - All on Virtue.

-Don't just rebel, build a better world, comrade!

 

Posted

my new project is a cold/rad. So are you using the rad blast with stun and total focus to stack stuns? And does boxing help with this? I'm not sure what PToD stands for.

I always loved having a cold def on my team (mostly scrap) but since ive been the cold def i've really started noticing how awesome cold is.

I do'nt use mids so can't open ur build. Do you care to post the detailed view or whatever. My guy is only up to 44 but pretty soon ill start throwing some IOs in him. Prob no purp/pvps but I got some money to spend on him. I'm slotting benumb with 3 recharge and 2 acc.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by theheat View Post
my new project is a cold/rad. So are you using the rad blast with stun and total focus to stack stuns? And does boxing help with this? I'm not sure what PToD stands for.

I always loved having a cold def on my team (mostly scrap) but since ive been the cold def i've really started noticing how awesome cold is.

I do'nt use mids so can't open ur build. Do you care to post the detailed view or whatever. My guy is only up to 44 but pretty soon ill start throwing some IOs in him. Prob no purp/pvps but I got some money to spend on him. I'm slotting benumb with 3 recharge and 2 acc.
My primary attack chain was Neutrino Bolt, Cosmic Burst (stun), Total Focus (stun, slotted for stun), Neutrino Bolt, repeat... throwing in Power Boosted Sleet, Heat Loss, and Benumb whenever they were up.

My build uses Kick to get Tough & Weave, but Boxing wouldn't be a bad filler.

PToD means Purple Triangles of Doom... or Freem for Arch-Villians (massive resistances to holds, stuns, confuse, terrorize, knock up, knock back, and repel)

Detailed view: (Also... Alpha slot is equipped with Spiritual Radial Boost - 33% recharge & 33% heal... and working on crafting the Core Boost which swaps heal for stun)

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

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Siberian Spring: Level 50 Science Defender
Primary Power Set: Cold Domination
Secondary Power Set: Radiation Blast
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Power Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Infrigidate
  • (A) Tempered Readiness - Accuracy/Slow
Level 1: Neutrino Bolt
  • (A) Apocalypse - Chance of Damage(Negative)
  • (3) Devastation - Chance of Hold
  • (7) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Negative Damage
Level 2: Ice Shield
  • (A) Red Fortune - Defense
  • (3) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
  • (5) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge
  • (5) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
  • (7) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
Level 4: Irradiate
  • (A) Shield Breaker - Accuracy/Defense Debuff
  • (9) Shield Breaker - Chance for Lethal Damage
  • (9) Shield Breaker - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
  • (11) Shield Breaker - Accuracy/Recharge
Level 6: Glacial Shield
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
  • (13) Steadfast Protection - Knockback Protection
  • (15) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  • (15) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
Level 8: Hover
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  • (17) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  • (17) Blessing of the Zephyr - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range
  • (19) Blessing of the Zephyr - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range/Endurance
  • (19) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points)
Level 10: Snow Storm
  • (A) Tempered Readiness - Endurance/Recharge/Slow
Level 12: Arctic Fog
  • (A) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
  • (13) Red Fortune - Endurance
  • (21) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge
  • (21) Red Fortune - Endurance/Recharge
  • (23) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
  • (23) Red Fortune - Defense
Level 14: Fly
  • (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points)
  • (25) Blessing of the Zephyr - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range
Level 16: Electron Haze
  • (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
  • (31) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
  • (31) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
  • (31) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range
  • (33) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
Level 18: Benumb
  • (A) Accuracy IO
  • (27) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (29) Recharge Reduction IO
Level 20: Hasten
  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (25) Recharge Reduction IO
Level 22: Maneuvers
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  • (34) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  • (37) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
Level 24: Kick
  • (A) Pounding Slugfest - Disorient Bonus
Level 26: Sleet
  • (A) Shield Breaker - Chance for Lethal Damage
  • (33) Shield Breaker - Accuracy/Defense Debuff
  • (33) Shield Breaker - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (34) Shield Breaker - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
Level 28: Cosmic Burst
  • (A) Apocalypse - Damage
  • (29) Apocalypse - Damage/Endurance
  • (34) Apocalypse - Damage/Recharge
  • (36) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  • (36) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Recharge
Level 30: Tough
  • (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
Level 32: Heat Loss
  • (A) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod
  • (37) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Recharge
  • (37) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Endurance
  • (39) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge
  • (39) Efficacy Adaptor - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (39) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Accuracy
Level 35: Neutron Bomb
  • (A) Ragnarok - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (36) Ragnarok - Damage
  • (40) Ragnarok - Chance for Knockdown
  • (40) Ragnarok - Damage/Endurance
  • (40) Ragnarok - Damage/Recharge
Level 38: Atomic Blast
  • (A) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage
  • (42) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (43) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  • (43) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge
  • (43) Obliteration - Damage
Level 41: Power Build Up
  • (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff
  • (42) Adjusted Targeting - Recharge
  • (42) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance
  • (45) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Recharge
  • (45) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge
Level 44: Temp Invulnerability
  • (A) Impervious Skin - Resistance/Endurance
  • (45) Impervious Skin - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
  • (46) Impervious Skin - Resistance/Recharge
  • (46) Impervious Skin - Endurance/Recharge
  • (46) Impervious Skin - Status Resistance
Level 47: Total Focus
  • (A) Absolute Amazement - Stun
  • (48) Absolute Amazement - Stun/Recharge
  • (48) Absolute Amazement - Accuracy/Stun/Recharge
  • (48) Absolute Amazement - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (50) Absolute Amazement - Endurance/Stun
Level 49: Weave
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  • (50) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  • (50) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
------------
Level 1: Brawl
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Sprint
  • (A) Run Speed IO
Level 2: Rest
  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO
Level 1: Vigilance
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift
  • (A) Run Speed IO
Level 2: Hurdle
  • (A) Jumping IO
Level 2: Health
  • (A) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
  • (11) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
Level 2: Stamina
  • (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
  • (27) Endurance Modification IO
------------
Set Bonus Totals:
  • 15.5% DamageBuff(Smashing)
  • 15.5% DamageBuff(Lethal)
  • 15.5% DamageBuff(Fire)
  • 15.5% DamageBuff(Cold)
  • 15.5% DamageBuff(Energy)
  • 15.5% DamageBuff(Negative)
  • 15.5% DamageBuff(Toxic)
  • 15.5% DamageBuff(Psionic)
  • 3% Defense(Smashing)
  • 3% Defense(Lethal)
  • 6.438% Defense(Fire)
  • 6.438% Defense(Cold)
  • 5.5% Defense(Energy)
  • 5.5% Defense(Negative)
  • 3% Defense(Psionic)
  • 3% Defense(Melee)
  • 8% Defense(Ranged)
  • 9.875% Defense(AoE)
  • 98.75% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
  • 57% Enhancement(Accuracy)
  • 91.56 HP (9.003%) HitPoints
  • Knockback (Mag -12)
  • Knockup (Mag -12)
  • MezResist(Confused) 12.5%
  • MezResist(Held) 12.5%
  • MezResist(Immobilize) 16.9%
  • MezResist(Sleep) 14.7%
  • MezResist(Stun) 14.7%
  • MezResist(Terrorized) 12.5%
  • 17% (0.284 End/sec) Recovery
  • 78% (3.312 HP/sec) Regeneration
  • 9.135% Resistance(Fire)
  • 9.135% Resistance(Cold)
  • 1.26% Resistance(Energy)
  • 1.26% Resistance(Negative)
  • 2% XPDebtProtection

Siberian Spring-50 (Cold/Rad, Rad/Ice, Ice/Rad, Sh/Ice) - KGB SS8
Chernozem-50 (Ice/MM, Emp/Ice, MA/Regen) - KGB SS8
Wila-50 (Dark/Arch) - KGB SS8
Also: Krassivy Mechtayu-50 (Ill/Rad) - KGB SS8; Ms. Hypatia-50 (Dark/Regen)

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Smersh View Post
I hadn't realized how amazingly powerful Benumb is...

She kept Nightstar stunned for all but a few seconds... through the PToD.
Benumb > PToD?!?! Does it prevent them from activating it, or suppress it completely? In other words, if PToD is on and you activate Benumb, will it turn off the PToD?

After reading this, I really want to get my Cold/Sonic AV killer leveled ASAP.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Syntax42 View Post
Benumb > PToD?!?! Does it prevent them from activating it, or suppress it completely? In other words, if PToD is on and you activate Benumb, will it turn off the PToD?

After reading this, I really want to get my Cold/Sonic AV killer leveled ASAP.
Near as I can figure, PBU+Benumb+the ability to stack about Mag 18 of stuns>PToD.

Comrade Smersh, KGB Special Section 8 50 Inv/Fire, Fire/Rad, BS/WP, SD/SS, AR/EM
Other 50s: Plant/Thorn, Bots/Traps, DB/SR, MA/Regen, Rad/Dark - All on Virtue.

-Don't just rebel, build a better world, comrade!

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Syntax42 View Post
Benumb > PToD?!?! Does it prevent them from activating it, or suppress it completely? In other words, if PToD is on and you activate Benumb, will it turn off the PToD?

After reading this, I really want to get my Cold/Sonic AV killer leveled ASAP.
I started with PBU Benumb/Snow Storm then CB & TF... the only time she was unstunned was when she stumbled off the roof into another spawn and I had to take them out. She got off two shots before I restunned her... I honestly didn't notice if the PToD were up at that point.

Siberian Spring-50 (Cold/Rad, Rad/Ice, Ice/Rad, Sh/Ice) - KGB SS8
Chernozem-50 (Ice/MM, Emp/Ice, MA/Regen) - KGB SS8
Wila-50 (Dark/Arch) - KGB SS8
Also: Krassivy Mechtayu-50 (Ill/Rad) - KGB SS8; Ms. Hypatia-50 (Dark/Regen)

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Smersh View Post
Near as I can figure, PBU+Benumb+the ability to stack about Mag 18 of stuns>PToD.
Sounds like it suppresses the amount of status protection they get from PToD. City of Data's Benumb information seems to suggest it suppresses 74.5% of status protections.

53 * (1 - 74.5) = 13.515

That makes sense now. I should be able to keep an AV perma-stunned with my build. I won't have PBU, but I will be able to stack 15-18 mag of stuns from my attack chain.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Syntax42 View Post
Sounds like it suppresses the amount of status protection they get from PToD. City of Data's Benumb information seems to suggest it suppresses 74.5% of status protections.

53 * (1 - 74.5) = 13.515

That makes sense now. I should be able to keep an AV perma-stunned with my build. I won't have PBU, but I will be able to stack 15-18 mag of stuns from my attack chain.
Now I am wondering which way the -special works in Benumb. My previous understanding was that Benumb, functioning similar to mastermind's poison power 'weaken', applied a debuff on the amount/mag of mezz directed at your defender from the foe under the effect of benumb.

Triumphant Defenders Forever
Psylenz FF/Psi, ArticQuark Storm/Rad, Symon BarSisyphus Bots/psn, Max VanSydow Thugs/Dk, Cyclone Symon Bots/stm, Blue Loki Ice/Cd, Widow 46526
HelinCarnate:OMG it is so terrible. I have the option to take 3 more powers but no additional slots. Boo F'ing hoo.

 

Posted

We just tested with a Mark III Power Analyzer... apparently Nightstar's PToD does not include Immobilize, Stun, Sleep, or Teleport protections. Benumb does not appear to nerf status protection.

So I got lucky picking this AV. :P

And clearly, I need to attempt soloing a different AV.

Siberian Spring-50 (Cold/Rad, Rad/Ice, Ice/Rad, Sh/Ice) - KGB SS8
Chernozem-50 (Ice/MM, Emp/Ice, MA/Regen) - KGB SS8
Wila-50 (Dark/Arch) - KGB SS8
Also: Krassivy Mechtayu-50 (Ill/Rad) - KGB SS8; Ms. Hypatia-50 (Dark/Regen)

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Psylenz View Post
Now I am wondering which way the -special works in Benumb. My previous understanding was that Benumb, functioning similar to mastermind's poison power 'weaken', applied a debuff on the amount/mag of mezz directed at your defender from the foe under the effect of benumb.
It weakens mez strength of the target. That means all powers that the target uses that apply mez effects are reduced. That includes the mez powers they shoot at you, and the mez protection powers they "shoot" at themselves.

(The mez in) Mez attacks is duration-based: strength (aka enhancements) makes their duration longer. So benumb does the opposite: it makes those mez durations shorter. Mez protection powers are (tend to be) mag-based: strength (in theory) makes them have higher or lower mag. So Benumb reduces the magnitude of mez protection powers.

Because we can't slot mez protection powers for mez, and usually can't debuff enemy mez strength, we usually don't know or notice what strength does to mez protection. But Benumb knows (Weaken does the same thing).

Having said that, most mez protection effects in purple triangles are tagged to ignore strength - i.e. to be undebuffable. So Benumb cannot debuff the mez protection in purple triangles in the general case.

[Guide to Defense] [Scrapper Secondaries Comparison] [Archetype Popularity Analysis]

In one little corner of the universe, there's nothing more irritating than a misfile...
(Please support the best webcomic about a cosmic universal realignment by impaired angelic interference resulting in identity crisis angst. Or I release the pigmy water thieves.)

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Arcanaville View Post
It weakens mez strength of the target. That means all powers that the target uses that apply mez effects are reduced. That includes the mez powers they shoot at you, and the mez protection powers they "shoot" at themselves.

(The mez in) Mez attacks is duration-based: strength (aka enhancements) makes their duration longer. So benumb does the opposite: it makes those mez durations shorter. Mez protection powers are (tend to be) mag-based: strength (in theory) makes them have higher or lower mag. So Benumb reduces the magnitude of mez protection powers.

Because we can't slot mez protection powers for mez, and usually can't debuff enemy mez strength, we usually don't know or notice what strength does to mez protection. But Benumb knows (Weaken does the same thing).

Having said that, most mez protection effects in purple triangles are tagged to ignore strength - i.e. to be undebuffable. So Benumb cannot debuff the mez protection in purple triangles in the general case.
Yes... the bug is that Nightstar has no stun protection in her PToD.

Comrade Smersh, KGB Special Section 8 50 Inv/Fire, Fire/Rad, BS/WP, SD/SS, AR/EM
Other 50s: Plant/Thorn, Bots/Traps, DB/SR, MA/Regen, Rad/Dark - All on Virtue.

-Don't just rebel, build a better world, comrade!

 

Posted

This discussion in no way diminishes my appreciation for benumb in taking down the hardest targets. It DOES inspire me to work my /poison masterminds into more frequent play of my alts.

Triumphant Defenders Forever
Psylenz FF/Psi, ArticQuark Storm/Rad, Symon BarSisyphus Bots/psn, Max VanSydow Thugs/Dk, Cyclone Symon Bots/stm, Blue Loki Ice/Cd, Widow 46526
HelinCarnate:OMG it is so terrible. I have the option to take 3 more powers but no additional slots. Boo F'ing hoo.

 

Posted

I finally got my Cold/Sonic Defender to 50 and into a build. I tested Benumb on a Cyclops in Mission Architect with a Power Analyzer to get an idea of how it works. If Benumb wasn't on the Cyclops before he activated Unstoppable, he got 70% resistance bonus from it. If I had Benumb on befor the power activation, he only got 7% resistance bonus. That explains why Benumb doesn't affect PToD; we can't put Benumb on AVs before they "activate" PToD.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Syntax42 View Post
I finally got my Cold/Sonic Defender to 50 and into a build. I tested Benumb on a Cyclops in Mission Architect with a Power Analyzer to get an idea of how it works. If Benumb wasn't on the Cyclops before he activated Unstoppable, he got 70% resistance bonus from it. If I had Benumb on befor the power activation, he only got 7% resistance bonus. That explains why Benumb doesn't affect PToD; we can't put Benumb on AVs before they "activate" PToD.
Actually, I suspect its for the reason Arcanaville said, the PToD mezz protect is flagged as unbuffable/undebuffable, the Cyclops mezz protect is not. Not having that flag is more typical for bosses and even Elite Bosses (natural elite bosses, downgraded AVs still have the PToDs, to the frustration of many controllers and dominators). "Natural" mezz protection doesn't seem to be debuffable with Benumb, by the way, you can see that by testing with the Power Analyzer on a Fake Nemesis boss when it has Dispersion Bubble up. Its Fear protect, which it has all the time, is not reduced in Magnitude, its Hold protection which only comes with the Disp Bubble does have its Magnitude reduced. You don't have to put Benumb on before the Disp Bubble either, as a note.