Earth/Therm - solo AV's and GM's?

Can an Earth/Thermal Controller solo AV's and GM's? If so, what are the key components to do so? Build for defense? Lots of Purples for +recharge? any particular powers need to be slotted in any particular way? Any of the epics better than the others?

I've been on this game for over 7 years now and haven't seriously considered taking on an AV or GM until now. I have an Earth/Thermal that is about to hit 50 and would like to build it to do just that...if possible.

2 days, 68 views...nothing

so, is it the Earth primary that can't do it?

is it the Thermal secondary that can't do it?

is it the combination of the 2 that can't do it?

is it that nobody else has tried? am i to be a pioneer with this?

This is definitely doable in the wake of Lore pets. In certain very specific situations I'd actually give Thermal higher marks than Cold or Radiation because it can possibly keep the Lore pet alive longer and directly boost its attack strength.

[Note that some people don't count Lore pets as having "soloed" but IMO this is kind of a silly distinction, since they don't count any other incarnate powers against you.]

Lore pets should definitely make it a walk in the park, but even without it, I think Earth/Therm stands a chance against a fair amount of AVs.

Pooman has fairly decent resistances coupled with thermal shields. Assuming shields are slotted up and CoD numbers are correct: 64% smashing, 74% lethal, 90% (100%?) fire, 72% cold, 84% energy/negative, 90% (100%?) psi. Throw in the two pet resistance IOs, which are 5% each I believe, and you're looking at great resistances, especially considering you've got heals to patch it up.

Pooman also taunts, which means if you fight a lone AV without ambushes, he will keep their attention all the time, leaving you at leisure to pursue maximum damage output and recharge with the rest of your build.

The most important tool, as with any controller that isn't mind or ill, is the often-neglected ST immobilize, as AVs don't have a high resistance to immobilizes it lets you enable Containment all the time and actually deals as much damage as a standard blast (i.e. epic) while recharging much faster. The downside with Earth is that both the ST immobilize and the hold have a ~2s animation, so DPS isn't stellar ; but, again, you've got Pooman to help out, and you've got solid -res and -regen debuffs.

Against an AV without resistances or healing powers, you essentially have to deal ~30 DPS to make progress at all as your -regen is perma (technically even less than that if you have a level shift). Not too hard to attain.

interesting. I do have both +res procs. I was thinking of going with the fire epic. good choice for this? currently at 47 and some change. don't have incarnate stuff...yet.

So this is what I've come up with. Nothing is written in stone (no pun intended). I have pretty much every IO in this build ready to slot when I hit 50. Since I'm not quite sure what exactly i need, this build has some defense, and some recharge, and some potential damage. Stoney should be maxed out in resistance to everything but smashing (i think he'll be sitting at 83% smashing resistance).

Anything that could be done better???

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.952
http://www.cohplanner.com/

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Level 50 Magic Controller
Primary Power Set: Earth Control
Secondary Power Set: Thermal Radiation
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Fire Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Fossilize -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(48)
Level 1: Warmth -- Mrcl-Heal(A), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx(15), Mrcl-Heal/Rchg(17)
Level 2: Stone Cages -- GravAnch-Immob/Rchg(A), GravAnch-Acc/Immob/Rchg(3), GravAnch-Acc/Rchg(5), GravAnch-Immob/EndRdx(9), GravAnch-Hold%(48), Posi-Dam%(50)
Level 4: Thermal Shield -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam(11), TtmC'tng-ResDam/Rchg(46)
Level 6: Quicksand -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(7), ImpSwft-Dam%(7)
Level 8: Hover -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), Krma-ResKB(46)
Level 10: Plasma Shield -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam(11), TtmC'tng-ResDam/Rchg(29)
Level 12: Stalagmites -- Amaze-Stun(A), Amaze-Stun/Rchg(13), Amaze-Acc/Stun/Rchg(13), Amaze-Acc/Rchg(29), Amaze-EndRdx/Stun(46), Posi-Dam%(50)
Level 14: Cauterize -- Mrcl-Heal(A), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx(15), Mrcl-Heal/Rchg(17)
Level 16: Fly -- Flight-I(A)
Level 18: Earthquake -- DarkWD-ToHitDeb/Rchg(A), DarkWD-Rchg/EndRdx(19), DarkWD-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(19), DarkWD-ToHitDeb(23)
Level 20: Thaw -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 22: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def(23), LkGmblr-Rchg+(25), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(40)
Level 24: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 26: Volcanic Gasses -- UbrkCons-Hold/Rchg(A), UbrkCons-Acc/Hold/Rchg(27), UbrkCons-Acc/Rchg(27), UbrkCons-EndRdx/Hold(31), UbrkCons-Dam%(31), Lock-%Hold(31)
Level 28: Forge -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 30: Tactics -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(34), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(36), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(37), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(37), GSFC-Build%(37)
Level 32: Animate Stone -- S'bndAl-Dmg(A), S'bndAl-Dmg/EndRdx(33), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg(33), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx(33), SvgnRt-PetResDam(34), ExRmnt-+Res(Pets)(34)
Level 35: Heat Exhaustion -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(40)
Level 38: Melt Armor -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(39), Achilles-ResDeb%(39), LdyGrey-%Dam(39), ShldBrk-%Dam(40)
Level 41: Fire Blast -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(42), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(42), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43)
Level 44: Fire Shield -- Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Aegis-ResDam(45), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(45)
Level 47: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(48)
Level 49: Vengeance -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve
Level 0: Task Force Commander
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion
Level 0: Portal Jockey
------------
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- RgnTis-Regen+(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(45), Mrcl-Rcvry+(50)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(21), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(21), P'Shift-Acc/Rchg(25), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(36), P'Shift-End%(36)
Level 1: Brawl -- Mako-Dam%(A)
Level 1: Containment
Level 1: Sprint -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run

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A couple of quick points:

The Flightspeed in Fly does nothing. Since I-18, Fly is at flightspeed cap. It would be better to slot an EndRdx. Or you might consider a Zephyr -knockback if you don't feel you need the EndRdx. That will let you take the Karma -knockback out of Hover and use that slot somewhere else.

Replace the Regen Tissue Proc in Health with a Numina's Heal. Between the set bonus and the enhancment in the power itself, you actually get more Regen from the Numina's Heal.

I'm at work so I can't look at the numbers but a few things stuck out. So forgive me if I can't tell exactly how accurate your powers are. I can look at it more when I get home.

First is I'd fit the achilles' heel -res proc in earthquake or something that has more chances to proc so it'll fire often. Second thing is no accuracy in your debuff powers, Melt Armor and Heat Exhaustion are powers you want to hit everytime. In mids go to config then effects and math and set the tohit to 38 so you'll see how accurate your attacks will be against an AV but be sure to disable the gaussian's proc first. Since -def powers are 85% resisted by AV's, +acc and tohit are the way to go. I'd shoot for about 200% acc with the base tohit at 75 so you'll have 90-100% with base tohit at 38. Third is you won't be able to spam melt armor those damage procs are largely wasted.

AVs have the same innate defense as other mobs. If you want to fight +4 AVs, you need to put your base tohit at 48 (not 38, unless you're not levelshifted), but for level 51 AVs (assuming you're levelshifted), 75 will do, and level 50 will need even less than that.