I liked ice better, for the slows and the ST hold, arrows very long cast time for the crashless nuke was a bit of a turn off. not great for aoe, though.
Ice Storm and Blizzard are at blaster levels as well. Even if redraw is rather small, it still kind of bugs me. I would lean towards Ice overall, but that might also be in part because way back in the day when I use to play the Marvel RPG, I had a Darkforce and Ice based character.
Letting it rip with ice storm, blizzard on a tar patch with the target AoE attacks at blaster modifiers is greatly gratifying. The nature of the DoT means you can refill your end bar with an epic +end power before the boss/lieuts all die!
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.
Dark/Ice is nice because of all the holds. It's a pretty safe combo. Also takes advantage of what I imagine are better hold durations on defenders vs corruptors. I'd expect this to be a really powerful defender that anyone would be glad to have on a team. I like Ice's AoE better than Archery's. Dark + Ice looks fantastic and gives you loads of control. This would be my pick. Mine's a corruptor instead, only because I already have a dark/sonic defender.
I'd probably save the archery for a corruptor, though I'm sure a dark/archery defender would work well too, especially if you take the dark epic and Oppressive Gloom, which stacks with the archery stun and Howling Twilight. In fact, if you have OG running, you'd be able to do some pretty cool things to ambushes: stun them, stun them again, maybe drop Tar Patch, then eliminate them with Rain of Arrows. Dark has enough control that you can get good use out of a low-control secondary. This is second choice for me, but sounds fun enough that I'm tempted to try it myself.
Virtue
Angel Witch II - Chord of Souls - Storm Witch II - Princess of the Dawn - Standing Horse - Witch of Xymox
Silent Scream - Shadow Witch II - Liquid Serenade - Nebulous Dawn - Ghost Witch II -Xiberia
Angel Witch II - Chord of Souls - Storm Witch II - Princess of the Dawn - Standing Horse - Witch of Xymox
Silent Scream - Shadow Witch II - Liquid Serenade - Nebulous Dawn - Ghost Witch II -Xiberia
From a pure performance standpoint, ice is better. If both sets look equally fun to you, go with ice.
Hi,
Been playing the game about five months now and really loving it. Never played a defender before, as I like my toons to be able to solo when I want to, and also do decent damage. But I've been looking over Mids and suddenly Defenders seem to fit that build more than I thought they did.
I have three corruptors (all Fire/ ) that I love, but as I started to look at Defender damage (solo) it looked very similar to Corruptor. But the resistances they got were outrageously higher and their defense was even better also.
(snipped out a bunch of extraneous yack yack) What I'm really looking for is a non Fire toon that can do pretty decent damage, especially AOE, as well as be pretty darn safe. Be able to solo about two thirds of the time, team the other third. Not looking to solo take down AVs, GMs, etc.
I decided to go with Dark Miasma as my primary as I already have enough stormies (I love the set) and DM looks like it would keep me very safe. But what to pair it with? I want ranged aoe, and ice and archery seemed to both fit that.
Ice seems to give even more mitigation, one of the least resisted damage types in the game (?). and quite a powerful nuke.
Archery's big seller for me is a penalty free nuke available very very often.
I think I'm leaning toward Ice, but have concepts for both of them, has anyone played both sets and really liked one more than the other?
Here are my potential builds: Both are soft capped ranged def and have decent (ie not quite perma Hasten) recharge.
Here is the Dark/Ice
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.93
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Blue Wizard: Level 50 Magic Defender
Primary Power Set: Dark Miasma
Secondary Power Set: Ice Blast
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Leviathan Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- Nictus-Heal(A), Nictus-Acc/Heal(3), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(3)
Level 1: Ice Bolt -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(5), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(7)
Level 2: Ice Blast -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(9), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(9), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(50), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 4: Frost Breath -- Posi-Dmg/Rng(A), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(11), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(13), Posi-Dam%(13), ImpSwft-Dam%(15)
Level 6: Tar Patch -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 8: Darkest Night -- HO:Enzym(A), HO:Enzym(21)
Level 10: Shadow Fall -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), Ksmt-ToHit+(15), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(17), S'fstPrt-ResKB(17), HO:Enzym(19), HO:Enzym(19)
Level 12: Fearsome Stare -- Cloud-ToHitDeb(A), Cloud-Acc/ToHitDeb(21), Cloud-Acc/Rchg(23), Cloud-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(23), Cloud-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(25), Cloud-%Dam(25)
Level 14: Howling Twilight -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(29)
Level 16: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(27), RechRdx-I(27)
Level 18: Aim -- Rec'dRet-Pcptn(A)
Level 20: Ice Storm -- Posi-Dmg/Rng(A), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(29), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(31), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(31), Posi-Dam%(31), ImpSwft-Dam%(33)
Level 22: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 24: Tough -- ResDam-I(A), ResDam-I(33), HO:Ribo(46)
Level 26: Weave -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), HO:Enzym(33), HO:Enzym(45)
Level 28: Bitter Ice Blast -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(34), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(34), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(48), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 30: Hover -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), HO:Enzym(36)
Level 32: Dark Servant -- Cloud-ToHitDeb(A), Cloud-Acc/ToHitDeb(36), Cloud-Acc/Rchg(36), Cloud-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(37), Cloud-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(37), Cloud-%Dam(37)
Level 35: Bitter Freeze Ray -- BasGaze-Acc/Hold(A), BasGaze-Acc/Rchg(46), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold(46), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(48)
Level 38: Blizzard -- Ragnrk-Dmg(A), Ragnrk-Dmg/Rchg(39), Ragnrk-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), Ragnrk-Acc/Rchg(40), Ragnrk-Dmg/EndRdx(40), Posi-Dam%(42)
Level 41: School of Sharks -- Posi-Dmg/Rng(A), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(42), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(42), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Posi-Dam%(43), TotHntr-Dam%(43)
Level 44: Shark Skin -- ResDam-I(A), ResDam-I(45), HO:Ribo(45)
Level 47: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), HO:Enzym(48)
Level 49: Hibernate -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 50: Cardiac Core Paragon
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Clrty-Stlth(A)
Level 1: Vigilance
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(39)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(39)
Here is the Dark/Archery
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.93
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Black Feather: Level 50 Magic Defender
Primary Power Set: Dark Miasma
Secondary Power Set: Archery
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Dark Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- Nictus-Heal(A), Nictus-Acc/Heal(37), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(37)
Level 1: Snap Shot -- Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Thundr-Acc/Dmg(3), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(3), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(5), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7)
Level 2: Aimed Shot -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(9), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(9), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(11)
Level 4: Fistful of Arrows -- Posi-Dmg/Rng(A), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(13), Posi-Acc/Dmg(13), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(15), Posi-Dam%(15), Range-I(39)
Level 6: Tar Patch -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 8: Shadow Fall -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(17), S'fstPrt-ResKB(17), Ksmt-ToHit+(19), HO:Enzym(19), HO:Enzym(21)
Level 10: Blazing Arrow -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(21), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(23), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(23), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(25), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(25)
Level 12: Fearsome Stare -- Cloud-ToHitDeb(A), Cloud-Acc/ToHitDeb(27), Cloud-Acc/Rchg(27), Cloud-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(29), Cloud-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(29), Cloud-%Dam(31)
Level 14: Darkest Night -- DarkWD-ToHitDeb(A), DarkWD-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(31), DarkWD-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(31), DarkWD-Rchg/EndRdx(33)
Level 16: Howling Twilight -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(34)
Level 18: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(33), RechRdx-I(33)
Level 20: Explosive Arrow -- Posi-Dmg/Rchg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(34), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(34), Posi-Acc/Dmg(36), Posi-Dam%(36), ExStrk-Dam%(36)
Level 22: Aim -- Rec'dRet-Pcptn(A)
Level 24: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), HO:Enzym(37)
Level 26: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), HO:Enzym(39)
Level 28: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 30: Tough -- ResDam-I(A), ResDam-I(40), HO:Ribo(40)
Level 32: Dark Servant -- Cloud-ToHitDeb(A), Cloud-Acc/ToHitDeb(42), Cloud-Acc/Rchg(42), Cloud-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Cloud-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(43), Cloud-%Dam(43)
Level 35: Weave -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), HO:Enzym(43), HO:Enzym(45)
Level 38: Rain of Arrows -- Posi-Dmg/Rchg(A), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45), Posi-Acc/Dmg(45), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(46), Posi-Dam%(46)
Level 41: Oppressive Gloom -- Acc-I(A)
Level 44: Dark Embrace -- ResDam-I(A), ResDam-I(46), HO:Ribo(48)
Level 47: Soul Drain -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(48), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(48), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(50), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50), Oblit-%Dam(50)
Level 49: Soul Transfer -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 50: Cardiac Core Paragon
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Clrty-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Vigilance
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(39)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(40)