Ice/TA Build

I dislike posting builds for a toon I haven't even started, but trying to slot ice/ta is an odd thing.

I'm a hoverer in this, but had to take Glacier for the stack w EMP. This build has no damage [sans Jack] and buckets of control. I'd definitely want one of these on my team if I was a scrap or blaster.

So, all these powers I've just slotted two recharge reductions in...that seems atypical.

For your consideration and thanks in advance:

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I have three Ice Control characters at 50: 1 Dominator and 2 Controllers. IMO Ice Control is a capable if not quite perfect set. I feel it leans a bit more heavily on the APPs, IOs, and incarnate abilities than some other Control sets do. On the other hand, it offers some unique features and gameplay experiences not duplicated by other sets in the game.

I should say at the beginning that I have a bias; I would not play an Ice character without Arctic Air. I also don't feel that Ice Control makes for a good hover-troller (although you can and should hover above the action at times with AA running). The key, IMO, is being smart about when to use what power, and when the best move is to cast nothing (particularly at lower levels to preserve endurance: remember that running a powerful toggle and being able to move around is sometimes better than casting just because you can). You must also overcome the urge to classify your character as "pure ranged" or "pure melee" and take advantage of what each set has to offer. Ice/TA has a bit of both.

I consider defense, mezz protection, and mobility (via Combat Jumping) more imperative for Ice Controllers than many other sets. Ranged defense backed by s/l resistance, specifically, has served me well. The Cardiac alpha slot helps with endurance, and adds even more resistance. It also adds free Range enhancement to Ice Slick, which turns out to make that particular power much easier to employ in sneak-attacks, particular since it packs a -Run Speed debuff that keeps enemies from coming after you when it hits.

IMO the thing to remember is you are not a "melee" character so much as a "close-ranged" one. You want enemies close enough to keep them busy but far enough away that they can't swat you with their heavy hitters. This also plays into a key feature of Ice Control, -Recharge. -Recharge does nothing unless the enemy attacks something. So you want them swinging at each other so that the debuff carries further, which means you want that confusion hitting. But, solo, it also means staying away from their melee attacks, forcing them to lean as much as possible on their ranged powers. They have fewer of those, and any situation where an enemy has fewer powers benefits -Recharge.

Here is a sample build that demonstrates how I might start building this sort of character. The build shoots for high Ranged defense (very close to capped or capped when Flash Arrow is deployed), perma-Hasten, and mezz protection. I know you said you didn't care about damage, but this character would do very respectable AoE damage. One particularly dirty trick: Glacier followed by your debuffs followed by Frostbite (the AoE immobilize) followed by Ice Slick just before the mobs wake up. Result: they still can't move, but fall anyway, and Psi Nado can now fling them on their butts too.

Note that a bug in Mids is preventing me from slotting the 6th Confusion peice in AA. That proc, Contagious Confusion, is worth its weight and gold and should under any circumstances be your first purchase on reaching level 50.

[EDIT: PS this is a late game build, not a leveling one. On first play through I would skip the Fighting pool and take Shiver, Ice Arrow, and one other power, then respec into this at around level 44 when you get your first blast.]

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.941
http://www.cohplanner.com/
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Level 50 Magic Controller
Primary Power Set: Ice Control
Secondary Power Set: Trick Arrow
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Psionic Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Block of Ice -- BasGaze-Acc/Hold(A), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold(3), BasGaze-Acc/Rchg(3), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(17)
Level 1: Entangling Arrow -- Range-I(A)
Level 2: Frostbite -- GravAnch-Immob/Rchg(A), GravAnch-Acc/Immob/Rchg(25), GravAnch-Acc/Rchg(29), GravAnch-Immob/EndRdx(40), GravAnch-Hold%(40)
Level 4: Chilblain -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(5), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(11), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(13), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(13)
Level 6: Arctic Air -- CoPers-Conf(A), CoPers-Conf/EndRdx(7), CoPers-Conf/Rchg(7), CoPers-Acc/Conf/Rchg(9), CoPers-Acc/Rchg(9), Empty(11)
Level 8: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(15), RechRdx-I(15)
Level 10: Boxing -- Stpfy-Acc/Rchg(A), Stpfy-EndRdx/Stun(31), Stpfy-KB%(43), Stpfy-Acc/EndRdx(46), Stpfy-Stun/Rng(50), Stpfy-Acc/Stun/Rchg(50)
Level 12: Ice Slick -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 14: Super Speed -- Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(A), Zephyr-ResKB(19)
Level 16: Tough -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A)
Level 18: Poison Gas Arrow -- FtnHyp-Sleep/Rchg(A), FtnHyp-Plct%(19), FtnHyp-Sleep/EndRdx(21), FtnHyp-Acc/Sleep/Rchg(21), FtnHyp-Acc/Rchg(40)
Level 20: Acid Arrow -- Acc-I(A)
Level 22: Flash Arrow -- Cloud-ToHitDeb(A), Cloud-Acc/ToHitDeb(23), Cloud-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(23), Cloud-Acc/Rchg(25)
Level 24: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 26: Glacier -- UbrkCons-EndRdx/Hold(A), UbrkCons-Hold/Rchg(27), UbrkCons-Hold(27), UbrkCons-Acc/Hold/Rchg(29), UbrkCons-Acc/Rchg(37)
Level 28: Disruption Arrow -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 30: Weave -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def(31), RedFtn-EndRdx(31), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(34), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(37), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(43)
Level 32: Jack Frost -- ExRmnt-Acc/Rchg(A), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg(33), ExRmnt-Dmg/EndRdx(33), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), ExRmnt-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(34), ExRmnt-+Res(Pets)(34)
Level 35: Oil Slick Arrow -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(36), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(36), Posi-Dam%(37), RechRdx-I(43)
Level 38: EMP Arrow -- BasGaze-Acc/Hold(A), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold(39), BasGaze-Acc/Rchg(39), BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(39)
Level 41: Indomitable Will -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), RechRdx-I(42), RechRdx-I(42), RechRdx-I(42)
Level 44: Mental Blast -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(45), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(46), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(46)
Level 47: Psionic Tornado -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(48), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(48), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(48), Posi-Dam%(50)
Level 49: Mind Over Body -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(A)
Level 50: Cardiac Core Paragon
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Containment
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(17)

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BTW I filmed an entire mission of my Ice/Fire Dom to sort of demonstrate some aspects of my approach. It's not very exciting stuff but it may be helpful to observe. I tried filming something with an Ice Controller but the video kept crashing the display driver.

The character is fighting on +0x5 with bosses on. A Controller would probably do better at +0x8 with bosses off. The great thing about AA though is whether you do x8 or x1 AA is always with you and there is never a spawn too small to "waste it" on. You may be able to see more clearly what I mean about playing up close but not in "melee" (watch me quickly take a step backward or use an immob when the mobs get too close, and take it between the eyes a couple of times when I lose control, mainly of War Wolves).

Full Mission: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9kQIr6QEaA

Short versus Longbow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDRgwvxBRBI

I'll make sure to watch those and look at your build. Right now it's too late for me.

I run AA on my ice tank and it gets a lot of attention. The reason I'm planning to hover, besides always playing on teams, is that I want to stay away from those wanting to give me their attention.

My only other two controllers are ill/storm, stalled in the 40s, and a new 50 Fire/rad. Both have been ground based, mainly because they have to be. Looking at Ice/ I don't have to touch the ground, I can hover like my blasters, but I do have to touch down for Glacier.

I've got plenty of time to think about it. I can't start the toon until I think up a name. And I tend to play under 30 by ear, then respec.

Actually Tankers do not get AA.. it is a power unique to Ice Control. It is also probably one of the best powers in the game, even it shows up in a set that is not generally regarded as among the best. If Tankers could get it though they'd be all over it.

You can swap Combat Jumping out for Hover and maintain more or less the same bonuses. I have to admit I'm not the hugest fan of Hover though. It's an ok place to slot LotG and some defense, but so is Combat Jumping. CJ gives you immobilize protection, where Hover can be replaced with a Jet Pack. It's not that the ability to fly itself isn't useful (it is) but that Hover specifically is so easily replaced, especially at high levels where endurance matters much less. CJ meanwhile grants you the ability to stay at range... even when using your jet pack.

If Hover is more of a concept thing though you could still go with it, although I question how often you would use it. I mean, I do see Ice characters playing exclusively from range a bit of the time, but I'm somewhat skeptical of their actual control output. Shiver is a power more or less analgous to Quicksand or Glue Arrow. It is not a primary control power. If you truly do want to use slows in this way, one option is to roll an /Ice Blaster or a Storm or Cold Defender/Corruptor (for Snow Storm). Those builds can indeed be played from range mostly successfully. With Ice Control it's an uphill battle.

I was thinking Chilling Embrace that I have on my Tank. AA is a reason to stay on the ground. IMO the ground is for scrappers and tanks, and my controllers which need to be there, though arguably ill/ doesn't need to.

The hover isn't for concept, it's what I do. I think it a great power, fast enough at higher levels, I slot the stealth in and I'm ranged exclusively. I think my practice at it has made it my way of doing things. I will go on foot in blue caves. I also run CJ while hovering or flying. It slightly changes the flying dynamic, or feels that way. Plus, as you mentioned that's where I get my immob protection.

That's a good build. I'm concerned about the end usage and lack of slots for health. But I could swap out some of the sets, for frankenslotting. Being permahasten isn't that big a deal as it usually takes me 8 or so seconds to stop attacking so it can fire.

Re: forced to be in range by AT. I'm also planning on rolling a storm/DP defender (I've never kept a defender into the 20s) and it'll basically be a buffing melee with guns. If it wasn't for the first 20 levels, I'd do one of the villain ATs.