Ice/Cold vs. Ice/Rad

I just wanted to get some opinions on these two combos. Although I've been playing for five years, I've not taken any of these sets to high levels, nor do I have much experience with Corruptors. A couple of things to take into account:

I mostly solo; when I do team, it's usually either duoing with a friend, or a full TF team
I won't be taking Hasten, unless the graphic effect gets reworked (ie, removed entirely or flagged as customizable)

Pre-IOs, Cold is harder to solo alone because it doesn't get tohit debuffs (instead it gets ally +Def shields). It's not like Rad, where you toggle on radiation infection and immediately enter safemode.

Rad is less dependent on recharge. AM and lingering radiation can both be made permanent with relatively little recharge and AM itself gives you recharge. Cold really needs high rech to minimize downtimes on benumb, heatloss and sleet.

So on that basis I'd recommend rad over cold.

They're both very capable sets and either combination will do fine.

Here's a few thoughts, based on my own xp.

Radiation:
(+) Pretty straight forward and easy to use.
(+) You'll have all your keypowers by L20.
(+) AM is a beauty and is available at L4. Good recharge, damage and endrec buff.
(+) Since two of your main debuffs are toggles, Hasten won't be missed *much*.
(+) Your -regen power has shorter recharge than the Cold equivalent. Plus, you'll have AM to help. Also, rad's -regen power is AoE.
(+) Decent PbAoE heal.
(+) I find them easy to IO up. Having AM is a blessing since it makes it easy to perma both AM and Hasten. That covers the +recharge bit. Then you can focus on other handy bonuses such as +def, +dmg, +hp, +endrec.

(+/-) Some might say it's a good thing not having to shield other players. With the recent changes to shields/sb, I wouldn't say this is a valid point anymore.

(-) Toggle dependent. You'll often see your anchor get killed before whole mess is cleaned up. Yes, you can recast it quickly but it's still counter productive.
(-) Not as great for steamrolling because of the toggles. Mind you, I'm comparing the sets. By no means I'm saying /rad isn't good - it really is.


Cold - I should leave this part to someone more experienced with it, but still I'll share my thoughts.

(+) Arguably, the best debuffing set with some team goods. I tend to disagree, but it is very good nevertheless.
(+) You can achieve massive -resistance numbers (60%!) from the combo Sleet+Heat Loss. However, due to HL high recharge, your main AoE debuffer will be Sleet.
(+) Easy to floor a single enemy's defense with Infrigidate + Sleet.
(+) Shields + Arctic Fog. Are good defensive powers. Good mix of +res and +def. Along with stealth, ofc.
(+) Since your debuffs are click powers (except for Snow Storm), Cold could be best for speedy teams. Target your enemy(ies), click the debuffs and kill stuff.
(+) Cold is often considered more team friendly. Mainly because of shields and Heat Loss. Those two powers are indeed very handy.

(-) Hasten really helps this set to shine since the debuffs are click powers, so every little +rech would help. However, I'm by no means saying it's critical to have it. It's just very handy. Cold is perfectly good without it. Plus, IOs and Incarnates can help out with the recharge anyway.
(-) Cold is a tricky set to IO up. Not that it is hard. After playing it to 50, you'll come to realize how great +recharge is and it might be hard to think of any other main bonuses other than +rech. Imo +rech is the way to go on a cold toon.
(-) A lot of your debuffs (Infrigidate, Benumb and Heat Loss) are click powers with accuracy check. Granted, if you use Sleet before any of those, it should make things easier to hit. I'm just saying there is the possibility of missing.
(-) Sleet and Heat Loss are only available at L35 and L38. This makes /Rad a more friendly option for the ride to the late levels.

Given that you mostly solo, Rad is definitely the way to go. In the endgame and with IOs, Cold is in many ways the stronger set.

But it takes longer and much more investment to get there. Rad is a solid set from level 1 right through 50. Rad is a better set for soloing too.

Its already been covered, but I'll just chime in my vote for /Rad as well.

While cold may be arguably the most powerful debuff set, Rad is very solo friendly.

Here are some of my reasons, which haven't been brought up yet.

• You have a PBAoE that also heals you. Its puny in the grande scheme of things, but its yours and its better than not having a self heal.
• Rad does nearly all of its important work in 2 toggles and 1 fast cast debuff, this gives you more time to shoot stuff.
• Unlike Cold, you benefit from your own buff (AM) (EDIT: although cold does benefit from Heat Loss)
  
• Fallout allows you to derive enjoyment from a terrible PUG or player for the times when you do team.
  

Cool, thanks guys. I was leaning towards /Rad anyway, but all this just cements that sentiment.

I don't think the most of the guy's giving you pro-/rad advice have really played /cold much.

I have both an ice/rad and a fire/cold corruptor.

My fire/cold corruptor is far superior imo. Part of that is fire being better than ice in pretty much most every aspect that matters, but ice pairs extremely well with /cold too.

For soloing once you get sleet at 35 for /cold it rapidly surpasses /rad in solo power even on so's. Once you get fully io'd heatloss can be nearly perma and keep you near the end recovery cap. Trust me, heatloss used against just 1 target from range is superior to AM. If you get into melee range you'll get at least a double stack giving you massive end recovery.

Heatloss is a star power for the set both from it's end recovery and its debilitating -resist and -recharge.

Benumb neuters bosses. All their special effects are reduced by 55% if I remember right and it reduces their damage by 50% as well. It also cuts their regen by -500% just like rad's lingering rad. rad's -regen power has a shorter recharge, but /cold has superior -resist and can keep it's -regen nearly perma on a full io build. You slap both benumb and heatloss on an eb or av and watch them cry.

Sleet is THE solo power. It reduces resists by 30%, reduces defense and knocks mobs down. You drop and sleet+ice storm and melt the enemies. Sleet+aim+ice storm+blizzard=nuke rain heaven.

The shields are fantastic and can be made UBER if you take a patron/app power pool with power boost.

The +hp frostworks is fantastic on tanks and brutes.

Your arctic fog is a nice stealth power and provides some decent resists and defense.

A couple of things to keep in mind when solo'ing is that:

A. /Cold is stronger 1v1 vs an EB/AV than /rad. Look at the debuff numbers and the amount of debuffs. /Cold wins.

B. /Rad is far more difficult to solo against groups of enemies especially large groups because mobs tend to wander out of your anchor's rad infection -tohit radius. Even as ice/.

I'm not trying to imply that /rad is not a great set because it is. But, comparing /rad to /cold both when teamed and solo I have to give /cold the nod. It has no setup time for it's debuffs and transitions faster. It's end recovery power is FAR stronger and will often uber buff multiple team mates near mobs. It's shields are always very beneficial.

The only thing I would say /rad truly does better in a team setting is having an aoe heal, a weak aoe heal, but even then I consider that countered with /cold's shields. Almost everyone will have a small amount of defense anywhere from 2-5% running combat jumping, or weave, or an aura of some sort. Stacking 15% defense on top of that is very helpful.

Now that you have been more accurately informed you'll have an easier time deciding which you would rather play.

Having played the **** out of both sets all over the AT range, rad is better for soloing and cold is better at the top end on teams. Both are awesome and if you didn't solo I would say flip a coin, but because you mostly solo I say go rad.

Geez, I must have touched a nerve huh?

I come back days later to see some butthurt people.

Too funny.

Nope, my butt feels fine. You're just wrong, is all. No shame in that.

I've played Ice/Cold Rad/Rad and Cold/Sonic (the last two being defenders) to 50. I agree with most of the posters here, for mostly solo Rad, but on a team (even a small one) Cold >>>>> Rad, especially late game.

Couple nitpicks:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delerious ... The shields are fantastic and can be made UBER if you take a patron/app power pool with power boost. ... The +hp frostworks is fantastic on tanks and brutes. ... A. /Cold is stronger 1v1 vs an EB/AV than /rad. Look at the debuff numbers and the amount of debuffs. /Cold wins. ... B. /Rad is far more difficult to solo against groups of enemies especially large groups because mobs tend to wander out of your anchor's rad infection -tohit radius. Even as ice/. ...

The Cold shields have a resist component, and therefore power boost has no effect on them.

The +hp of frostworks is uber on melee sets that don't have +HP powers, those that do will usually be at or near the cap (especially late game). For them, frostworks is mostly useless.

/Cold is stronger against AV's if you have a high end IO build with softcapped defense and (near) perma benumb and heat loss. Otherwise Cold's extra high -res is infrequent and will squish unlike Rad with -tohit and a heal.

Ice has 2 holds and ice storm while rad has an excellent slow. Keeping mobs debuffed with rad is fairly easy, especially if you exploit the AI's stupidity (i.e. hover over your anchor while attacking, etc).

If you're going to solo UP TO 50, I'd go definitely go /rad. If you're going to get the toon lvl'd to 35+ before you really dig into it, I would go /cold. /Cold is just so powerful late game and with IOs, and considering you won't be taking Hasten, you could probably fit Aid Self in there pretty easily and make it an even better solo'er.

Sleet + Ice Storm + Heat Loss + Blizzard can't be replicated by rad, and it's rather beautiful.

all I had to read was that he wasn't taking hasten and the choice became obvious.

Roll a Ice/Rad. */Cold's most important stat to stack is +recharge, so hasten is kind of a must.

It looks like it's already been settled, but I'll throw in a "play whatever the heck you want" given that it's Ice Blast - you can solo with bosses at +*/x1 just (ab)using Freeze Ray. If you want to go Sonic Blast, you can solo whatever with Siren's Song.

Not that it matters but my first 50 was an Ice/Rad, my first hero 50 was a Cold/Ice Defender, and I also have level 50 Dark/Cold and Sonic/Cold Corruptors who had little trouble soloing/duoing their way up despite the late tier on Sleet. All were fun, but I took Hasten on all but the Dark/Cold and with just SOs Rad is going to be easier to deal with. I still recommend it on everybody, though - Hasten really shortens the recharge on AM, and having both is much nicer than just one or the other.

Of course, if you want to be silly about it, once i21 hits Dominators will be able to get Sleet at the same level that Corruptors and Controllers get it and you can pick whichever primary/secondary you want for safer soloing via hard control.

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Originally Posted by Brillig It's hard to beat the entertainment value of Whackjob Wednesdays.

I actually prefered Cold Domination solo, more than Radiation Emission.

Yeah, Radiation Emission has the -tohit, but you have to keep everyone in it.

I much prefered having Artic Fog and Sleet, but then that's very late game.