What is the general strategy for dominators?

Im getting into making my first real dom (first to get above level 10 anyway). Im not even sure specifically what Im asking here. Doms seem to do a little of everything (controls, ranged, melee, debuffing), is it better to slot everything a little or pick a specialty and focus on it?

I read somewhere here that I need ~125% recharge for permadom, how exactly does attacking/teaming effect domination recharge?

I tend to play melee characters, even when Im a blaster My dom is plant/psi, so any guidance given (I dont want a build, just general concepts) would be awesome.

Well, different Doms lend themselves to different playstyles. For example, my Mind/Fire I play as a pure ranged character. So no PBAoE for me.

I view getting enough recharge for PermaDom to be a great long term goal, but you're certainly not gimped without it. But is it worth it? Oh yes! I just love being mezproof and able to hold bosses with a single hold.

Regarding attacking/teaming, you build the Domination meter via attacks. So using lots of fast recharging attacks early builds Domination fast. There is a bonus for each team member so that on a big team you can build domination shockingly fast, usually after the first spawn or two of a mission.

I can say that in general the strategy is:

Mez the group. Single-Mez the really dangerous individuals. AoE the group. Refresh Mez. AoE the group. Refresh Mez.

And sprinkle in single-target as needed.

But the exact specifics do vary based on your powersets.

For example, on my Plant/Ice I open with either Seeds (aoe confuse), Creepers (aoe knock and "taunt" since the creepers draw aggro), or Vines (aoe hold). Then I jump in and hit Ice sword circle, and roots (aoe immob but I have chance for hold slotted), then jump out and single-target hold whomever is still attacking me, followed with frostbreath, roots and another single-target hold. Pretty much whatever I just held is the last thing alive at this point. If there's still a group my confuse is recharged.

On my fire/fire I always open with the aoe stun. Then aoe immobilize (will have chance to hold slotted soon), and then I go into a cycle of single-target hold, blaze, single-target hold, fire blast, repeat. If I'm facing too many bosses I have chance to hold in flares and lockdown in my char so char-flares-char-flares is pretty much a guaranteed hold even against an elite boss. I can toss in my aoe hold as an emergency as needed. Sometimes, against really dangerous bosses or resistant ones (cimeroans) I'll single-target hold-aoe-hold-singletarget hold. then start my damaging attacks once he's locked down.

Now, I don't go like most doms. I have no one with permadomination and no one with significant defense. I live or die based on my mezzes alone. and 90% of the time I forget to use domination at all. I've gone two missions in a row without ever turning on domination. That's just plain bad form so don't do it =)

I play just about all my dominators like i do blappers (melee blasters) just with control powers.

Mez the group, or a single hard target, then proceed to smash their faces in with melee/ranged attacks.

Good info for me also since I´m in the same situation as the OP.

I guess mids is also a bit off since when I´m working on my build I it says that I´ve topped off my +recharge at about 80%

I heartily recommend this link. While YMMV and one may disagree with some of what's said in it (I know I do) it's still one of the most comprehensive ressources on Dominators we currently have.

thanx....will read over that.

I threw together a build just to see what you would have. The first 10 levels are harder for a dominator to solo with. The strategy I use on lowbie levels, still works for higher levels with really hard targets.

The first option is and always will be seeds of confusion. It eats the alpha strike and involves most targets. The hard targets will still come after without domination, so kite him back around a corner. Pop back around the corner to hit roots and/or vines to keep the pack off you while you deal with mr. big. Chain your single target attacks/holds on that one. Seeds > roots > vines should deal nicely with the chaff. If you can manage to psychic scream mr. big and the pack it's good. The corner will keep immobilized but not held/not confused targets from hitting you.

If you are confident in your boss killing skills, you can take the spawn in place, but the single target hold, single target damage attacks are best used against the hardest targets.

Go. HUNT. KILL SKULS.

If you play in melee a lot, building for S/L defense in addition to permadom will help. As far as epic pools go, I'll always suggest Ice or Fire Mastery. Ice Mastery will help you get to the S/L softcap if you decide to go that route, along with having access to Sleet. And of course Fire Mastery for Fireball and Rain of Fire.

On my Fire/Earth, my tactic was simple. Build for Perma Dom, and rely on mass lockdown (holds/stuns) and keep them that way, while I beat them up.

Hmmm Im still a noob to Mids, but this is what Im looking at in an "affordable" build. Its not perfect, but I think it will do what I want it to. Eventually I would like to purple an immob, hold, and confuse. I will be going reactive incarnate to help with damage.

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Ok.. it's not a perfect analogy, but play style wise I think of a dominator as kind of like a Jedi.... i throw control powers at things that are out of reach while I work around the room with my melee attacks.