Some Questions about ILL/Storm

I've recently been blasting through the levels on my Illusion/Storm controller, and having a blast, both solo and on Teams. My main (team oriented) build has a definite direction in mind, and I know for the most part what I'm doing, when to cut loose, and how not to ruin your team's day.

But, I'm left with some questions.

Tornado : I've heard of people using this as a source of damage. However, I begin to think that those people must be using it as an AOE power, with -Knockback controls like Fire and Stone cages, where I could see it's DOT being a much bigger contributor than it is for me, as it pushes a boss into the wall slowly ticking away at his HP. I take it I shouldn't be slotting this up as a damage work horse in this build?

Waterspout : This is a power I've never seen in action. It's apparently wildly popular, which puzzles me since Tornado, its closest analogue, is maligned and derided. If I'm taking this power to have "Yet another version of tornado's particular 'brand' of control contribution", will I be satisfied with what I got?

Spectral Terror : How does the Terrorize aura on this work? The 20 foot radius one that keeps most things in place. Does it pulse frequently? How frequently? Or does it just fire once when the power is first summoned?

Thank you very much for your time, and have a good day.

Hey, actually, I had read your guide, looking for the answer to the spectral terror question. It appears I missed it on my first pass, caught it this time though.

Pulsing every 6 seconds means it'll fire at the 42 second mark, so duration slotting will mean it gets to go "past permanent" by a fair bit, which will be nice.

Thanks.

I've actually come up with a new question, and figured I'd recycle my thread, since I already have one:

Procs and Thunderstorm. Namely, The "Chance for 100% +Recharge", and "Chance for Buildup" procs that can be slotted in it. Does it benefit itself with these when it casts it's thunderbolt power, or is it only a benefit to me when -I- cast the Thunderstorm?

Yeah I was hoping that the Pet would buff itself periodically, Rapid Firing for a brief time. But if the power is flagged "Unaffected by recharge" then that's right out.

I think I'm going to go with Devastation Chance to Hold in it, since I've got a 5-slot frankenslot schema that nets me 77 acc, 94 dam, 94 Recharge. I was VERY pleased to find out that I can summon multiple concurrent storms. The temptation to go crazy nuts on recharge with IO's is slowly growing.

Everything Local said.

Tornado is hated by teams except where it doesn't mess the situation up. Throwing it out there on an AV, like Rom in ITF, will help mess up the attacking troops and might make some small damage on Rom. I throw down a bonfire under him for the same reason.

Spec Terror:
You can perma this and it's great. Wait until the tank aggroes a donut on himself and throw this over him. This can also be used as mitigation in a hallway, etc, for yourself and the other ranged squishies.

Proc only in the rain, and I personally feel that's a bit of a waste of a slot.

The only "bad" powers are both claps. They don't work. If you want a good lightning look, change costumes and pick that emote. Does about the same thing, wastes time and looks cool.

I found that my ill/storm had to hold back on teams once I was around 43 or so, so I stopped playing her. She was a chaos machine but the key saviour when things went bad. I've stood in a thin hall running everything I had when everyone else had faceplanted. Ill/storm, imo, is a situational AT. Too bad I really like playing it.

Illusion/Storm can be played as a team-friendly character . . . but it has to be done carefully and thoughtfully. Only use the knockback powers in limited situations. Focus most on PA and Freezing Rain, using Steamy for team stealth, using Lightning Storm for damage but positioned where it is likely to knock foes into a wall, using O2 Boost for some touch healing and de-stunning and End Drain protection, Flash and/or Thunderclap for some AoE Mitigation, Hurricane for careful positioning around the edges and ToHitDebuffing, etc. It is helpful to have played with a BAD stormie sometime so you know what NOT to do.

Thunderclap is skippable, but not a terrible power. It recharges quickly enough that it can be slotted to be perma. Since it only stuns minions (Mag 2), it can be used to stack with other AoE Stuns or to weed out groups . . . one strategy I have used with a good tank is to let the tank run in to grab aggro, then I hit Thunderclap. He then moves to the side taking the Lieuts and Bosses for the scrappers to wipe out while I and an AoE teammate or two wipe out the minions.

On the other hand, Flash will hold Minions and Lieutenants and have a 20% chance to get bosses. And one Blind will then hold a boss who was not held. It just recharges much more slowly. Personally, I like to have either Flash or Thunderclap.