City of Heroes: Live Forum Archive

So why is Plant/Storm so awesome?

Broken_Wings

By Broken_Wings,
Posted on: 2011-11-22 23:59 in Controllers

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tater Todd View Post
I think Poison is a bad example...Alkaloid just...it sucks. I have no issue with 02 Boost now because you can take powers like hasten so early. I never use 02 or gale for the record because I am selfish :P.
You'll get no argument from me - Alkaloid DOES suck, but then I tend to think that poison as a whole does. But it does set the precedent of a T1 that only target teammates, and even with the proliferation that wasn't changed.

 

Posted

Thank you very much for answering, Egos!

Re: the SSA - can each story arc be repeated for Incarnate salvage? I think once a week if I recall?

I guess I don't fully understand how the Incarnate purchasing system works (but that's a topic for another thread. )

If anybody has a good (easy to follow!) link to understand it, I'd appreciate that. (Think "Incarnates for Dummies" )

Thanks again!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Egos_Shadow View Post
Grinding through trials is the fastest way, but you can somewhat slowly unlock the slots by buying Incarnate XP and bumping up Incarnate Shards. The Signature Story Arcs also give Incarnate salvage as rewards - doing each one once and picking the Threads option will (once all 7 are out there) give you 70 Threads, enough to build the first level of Destiny:Ageless (with 10 threads left over!).

Lambda Sector, Minds of Mayhem, the Underground and the Keyes Reactor all give Incarnate XP towards Destiny, so you can get a fair portion of the way there just doing each of them once (assuming that you're on a server that runs a variety of trials and doesn't just grind BAF/Lambda).

You can't beat grinding Lambda for efficiency if you want to unlock Destiny as quickly as possible though.

Satan trembles when he sees...
the weakest saint on his knees.
<----- Click there to learn how you can help!

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Soundtrack View Post
Thank you very much for answering, Egos!

Re: the SSA - can each story arc be repeated for Incarnate salvage? I think once a week if I recall?

I guess I don't fully understand how the Incarnate purchasing system works (but that's a topic for another thread. )

If anybody has a good (easy to follow!) link to understand it, I'd appreciate that. (Think "Incarnates for Dummies" )

Thanks again!
You get the reward the first time you do each one (so, eventually, seven "1st time" rewards) and then the repeatable one 1/week.

Sadly I don't have a really good Incarnate guide I've used. I just beat my head against it until I woke up with a lot of abilities crafted. It's mostly like IOs, but with more levels. You get generic components which you craft into specific components, which you then craft into powers. These generic components are either Shards (for the Alpha ability) or Threads (for everything higher). With enough generic components (and occasionally inf) you can build anything eventually.

@Mindshadow

 

Posted

Thank you for the explanation, Egos. I appreciate it.

Satan trembles when he sees...
the weakest saint on his knees.
<----- Click there to learn how you can help!

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by False_Fiction View Post
3) Tornado does benefit from containment. So, by all means spam your AoE immob along with it
Probably too late for this to have much of an impact, but in case someone is reading through, Tornado does not benefit from containment. The advice to spam the AoE immobilize is because it prevents Tornado from knocking enemies away thereby increasing its damage output, not because Tornado deals double damage from containment. (All those numbers you're seeing are really because Tornado ticks every .5 seconds, not because you're seeing double damage)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kioshi View Post
Is it better on Tornado? Never had the power. I don't think I need more than 2 achilles (I have another in FR), so I may move if it's better than on FlyTrap (she has the cone thorns attack so I thought she'd be better for the proc).
I have no experience with FlyTrap, and so can't comment on how effective it will be in that power, I can tell you thought that in Tornado the proc will have a chance to fire three times. Once when the power is summoned, once at the 10 second mark, and once at the 20 second mark and will make a check on all enemies within 7 feet of Tornado. (Of course Tornado has the added advantage that you can have more than one out at once). So my guess is that it's better than flytrap, but if flytrap spams that cone more than once every 10 seconds, it might actually be better.

Draggynn on Virtue: lvl 50 Storm/Psi, 1389 badges
Draggynn's Guide to Storm Summoning(Gale-Tornado, updated 6/25/2011)
Avatar by Wassy full reference here

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Draggynn View Post
I have no experience with FlyTrap, and so can't comment on how effective it will be in that power, I can tell you thought that in Tornado the proc will have a chance to fire three times. Once when the power is summoned, once at the 10 second mark, and once at the 20 second mark and will make a check on all enemies within 7 feet of Tornado. (Of course Tornado has the added advantage that you can have more than one out at once). So my guess is that it's better than flytrap, but if flytrap spams that cone more than once every 10 seconds, it might actually be better.
Thanks for the info!

I don't know how much they improved Fly Trap's AI (all i know is that they did) because I deleted my Dom and at the time she sucked, my troller still didn't make it to 32 (lazy I know).

Anyway Fly Trap has 4 powers:

1) Entangle, the Plant St immob, doesn't matter for the proc because it's the only power that doesn't apply a defdebuff, plus it has a 16 sec recharge;

2) ST ranged thorn (like the tier 1 from thorny assault), applies -def, recharges in 3 secs;

3) The thorns cone, recharges in 12 seconds, -def, 10 target cap;

4) Bite, melee -def attack that also does -def.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kioshi View Post
Thanks for the info!

I don't know how much they improved Fly Trap's AI (all i know is that they did) because I deleted my Dom and at the time she sucked, my troller still didn't make it to 32 (lazy I know).

Anyway Fly Trap has 4 powers:

1) Entangle, the Plant St immob, doesn't matter for the proc because it's the only power that doesn't apply a defdebuff, plus it has a 16 sec recharge;

2) ST ranged thorn (like the tier 1 from thorny assault), applies -def, recharges in 3 secs;

3) The thorns cone, recharges in 12 seconds, -def, 10 target cap;

4) Bite, melee -def attack that also does -def.
Fly Trap is awesome now, he's one of the most tactical pets out as of late. He will sit back and do his thing but if you're in danger he will get all up in the mobs face lol. He even takes alphas now and can hold aggro long enough for you to run away or get your bearings so you can help him out.

Keep in mind he's No Animate Stone or Singy but he still lasts longer than Glass Jaw Jack Frost :P


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kioshi View Post
Thanks for the info!

I don't know how much they improved Fly Trap's AI (all i know is that they did) because I deleted my Dom and at the time she sucked, my troller still didn't make it to 32 (lazy I know).

Anyway Fly Trap has 4 powers:

1) Entangle, the Plant St immob, doesn't matter for the proc because it's the only power that doesn't apply a defdebuff, plus it has a 16 sec recharge;

2) ST ranged thorn (like the tier 1 from thorny assault), applies -def, recharges in 3 secs;

3) The thorns cone, recharges in 12 seconds, -def, 10 target cap;

4) Bite, melee -def attack that also does -def.
Which would suggest the proc will be better in Fly Trap against a single hard target, but likely better in Tornado against a group.

Draggynn on Virtue: lvl 50 Storm/Psi, 1389 badges
Draggynn's Guide to Storm Summoning(Gale-Tornado, updated 6/25/2011)
Avatar by Wassy full reference here

 

Posted

Since we're on slotting and such, what's the general opinion on Carrion Creepers and non-damage procs? I'm kinda curious about how well it goes with a Grav. Anchor's chance for hold (thouhg that one may be more useful in Roots) or a Force Feedback's Chance for + Recharge?

 

Posted

Maybe someone has shot this down but I'm wondering if it would be worth having a Force Feedback proc in Gale.

Can anyone think of why this would be a bad idea? I'm not looking for damage but I bet the thing procs every to evry other use.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Netphenix5 View Post
Since we're on slotting and such, what's the general opinion on Carrion Creepers and non-damage procs? I'm kinda curious about how well it goes with a Grav. Anchor's chance for hold (thouhg that one may be more useful in Roots) or a Force Feedback's Chance for + Recharge?
I not that familiar with slotting Gravity Anchor in creepers but I believe I was told that you are better off slotting for dmg procs. Hopefully someone can swoop in to answer your question. I wouldn't bother with slotting FF because the proc would not benefit you, it would just benefit the Invisible pet...which doesn't respond to + recharge anyway.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Udun01 View Post
Maybe someone has shot this down but I'm wondering if it would be worth having a Force Feedback proc in Gale.

Can anyone think of why this would be a bad idea? I'm not looking for damage but I bet the thing procs every to evry other use.
Oh God no, It only has a 10% chance to fire anyway so that means you would have to use Gale...A LOT. If you love kb, and you can handle scattering the mobs everywhere, if you liked getting kicked from teams, and risk getting taken out by a angry mobs, go for it...but if I see you on my team I will have to hurt you lol. Use FF + Recharge on other powers like Elec Control's Jolting chain.


 

Posted

Gale is more like a panic button to buy yourself more time teams are not going to like it much.

Currently Playing:
Rage King - SS/Regen Brute (50+3)
Soulfire Darkness - Dark/Fire Tank (50+2)
Deaths Final Embrace - Kat/Dark Brute (50+3)
ULTIMATE REGEN GUIDE I22

 

Posted

The +rech proc works quite nicely on Hurricane if you actually use it. I wouldn't use it on Gale.

@False Fiction - Virtue / Defiant

Current projects - [Glaciologist - Ill/Cold Troller] [Cloudshaper - Storm/Dark Def] [Harald Wartooth - Elec/Psi Domi]

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Netphenix5 View Post
Since we're on slotting and such, what's the general opinion on Carrion Creepers and non-damage procs? I'm kinda curious about how well it goes with a Grav. Anchor's chance for hold (thouhg that one may be more useful in Roots) or a Force Feedback's Chance for + Recharge?
I don't think the FF proc will work since it's a pet. It doesn't work in shield charge and lightning rod for example.

The Grav Anchor might not be a very good idea because CC doesn't do immob in all powers, while most of its powers do slow, that's my guess on why people prefer to slot the impeded swiftness proc instead of the trap of the hunter one. So while it will trigger, it probably won't be as much as if the grav anchor were a slow/damage IO set proc.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Udun01 View Post
Maybe someone has shot this down but I'm wondering if it would be worth having a Force Feedback proc in Gale.

Can anyone think of why this would be a bad idea? I'm not looking for damage but I bet the thing procs every to evry other use.
The thing is, this combo is very busy and you'll find yourself using Gale just to see if the proc goes off, because it's a power you barely need to use unlike say, footstomp. If you use it while the mobs are immobed so you won't make your team mad, it's still mostly to see if the proc goes off since Gale does pitiful damage (less than half of a Tanker's damage aura tick).

 

Posted

Ivee had a lvl 10 plant/storm idling for 3 years - now this thread - i am psyched - could someone give an idea of a leveling build or would it be similar to the plant/rad guide from eina? thanks

 

Posted

So which Epic would you recommend Stone or Leviathan? Waterspout + Tornado sounds impressive on damage, But Earths Embrace + 40% hp seems so much more survivable. BTW does waterspout get containment bonus?

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by King Krimson View Post
Ivee had a lvl 10 plant/storm idling for 3 years - now this thread - i am psyched - could someone give an idea of a leveling build or would it be similar to the plant/rad guide from eina? thanks
I posted a SO build here - well it uses one -kb IO but those are cheap.

BUT - My plant/storm is 28 (have been having too much fun, vacation, parties and in spare time incarnating my lolStalker) and I didn't stick to that plan - I didn't pick the leadership toggles yet because the combo is very end heavy (and mine has a miracle unique).

It's very nice to see you can make a build with 34% s/l def on SOs (I used Ice Mastery, could've used Earth) but I don't think I'll be using the leadership toggles often till I IO her, unless I'm teaming and have buffs. An alternative could be the Medicine Pool which I'm considering for leveling mine. You'd still have 30% or so def without Maneuvers after Ice Armor or the Earth version.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spike_Tyson View Post
So which Epic would you recommend Stone or Leviathan? Waterspout + Tornado sounds impressive on damage, But Earths Embrace + 40% hp seems so much more survivable. BTW does waterspout get containment bonus?
I don't think Spout gets containment.

Spout is awesome, though. Leviathan all the way if those are your two choices. I mean, +40% hp sounds cool and all, but as a Plant/Storm I can't help but think that if things are able to attack you heavily as opposed to flailing around helplessly in a stew of all kinds of summoned nonsense then things have already gone horribly wrong and +40% hp will not be enough.

@Mindshadow

 

Posted

I debated the same thing, but I ended up going Psionic for the mez protection.

The Only Token Black Guy

Quote:
Originally Posted by Murdok View Post
Your mom's real name is Castle.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Egos_Shadow View Post
I don't think Spout gets containment.

Spout is awesome, though. Leviathan all the way if those are your two choices. I mean, +40% hp sounds cool and all, but as a Plant/Storm I can't help but think that if things are able to attack you heavily as opposed to flailing around helplessly in a stew of all kinds of summoned nonsense then things have already gone horribly wrong and +40% hp will not be enough.
Well after slotted its 80%hp, AND with +rech it stacks so u can get it to 160% hp, also earth has a nice shield and a +kb aoe dmg attack. But the waterspout does have nice base Dmg, So im torn on the decision, would any other epic pool be a better choice?

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spike_Tyson View Post
Well after slotted its 80%hp, AND with +rech it stacks so u can get it to 160% hp, also earth has a nice shield and a +kb aoe dmg attack. But the waterspout does have nice base Dmg, So im torn on the decision, would any other epic pool be a better choice?
Ice is worth considering. Plant/Storm is a little bit weak on single target damage, so fast-recharging Ice Blast helps there. There are TWO AoE damage choices, Frost Breath and Ice Storm, a S/L Defense shield that is far less ugly than Earth, and Hibernate, a wonderful panic button/emergency Heal/emergency Recovery power. Hibernate has saved my tail a bunch of times. Also, Ice fits in thematically with the storm side of Plant/Storm. I have the Ice APP on several of my */Storm characters.

Fire is nice damage and Fireball and Fire Blast are great. Rise of the Phoenix is the only self-rez available to Controllers. However, Fire Shield and Consume are somewhat mediocre.

LOCAL MAN! The most famous hero of all. There are more newspaper stories about me than anyone else. "Local Man wins Medal of Honor." "Local Man opens Animal Shelter." "Local Man Charged with..." (Um, forget about that one.)
Guide Links: Earth/Rad Guide, Illusion/Rad Guide, Electric Control

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Local_Man View Post
Ice is worth considering. Plant/Storm is a little bit weak on single target damage, so fast-recharging Ice Blast helps there. There are TWO AoE damage choices, Frost Breath and Ice Storm, a S/L Defense shield that is far less ugly than Earth, and Hibernate, a wonderful panic button/emergency Heal/emergency Recovery power. Hibernate has saved my tail a bunch of times. Also, Ice fits in thematically with the storm side of Plant/Storm. I have the Ice APP on several of my */Storm characters.

Fire is nice damage and Fireball and Fire Blast are great. Rise of the Phoenix is the only self-rez available to Controllers. However, Fire Shield and Consume are somewhat mediocre.
That was my thinking when planning the build as well. Ice Storm w/ Freezing Rain and Roots is great, Ice Blast helps in the ST department, and since you have so many pseudopets, you can use Hibernate without feeling you're slacking on a team unlike an Ice Tanker who loses aggro with the power.

I was thinking about Earth for Seismic Smash because it's awesome but the armor is too ugly, I have it on my fire/kin (well and of course my stone brute).

Fire looks good for more damage but Consume has nuke-level recharge (360s iirc? I'm on Mac OS now) and my mind/emp has psy mastery, meaning she has a resist shield and I don't find it makes much difference on a controller, unless maybe if she had Tough.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kioshi View Post
That was my thinking when planning the build as well. Ice Storm w/ Freezing Rain and Roots is great, Ice Blast helps in the ST department, and since you have so many pseudopets, you can use Hibernate without feeling you're slacking on a team unlike an Ice Tanker who loses aggro with the power.

I was thinking about Earth for Seismic Smash because it's awesome but the armor is too ugly, I have it on my fire/kin (well and of course my stone brute).

Fire looks good for more damage but Consume has nuke-level recharge (360s iirc? I'm on Mac OS now) and my mind/emp has psy mastery, meaning she has a resist shield and I don't find it makes much difference on a controller, unless maybe if she had Tough.
The biggest problems I have with Earth are (a) Hurl Boulder is too slow to use as a single target blast. Other sets have fairly fast single target blasts, so if you want a ranged blast, Earth isn't a good choice. (b) It is a melee-focused APP. Great for melee Controllers like a */Kin or Fire/* or Ice/*, but not as good for a ranged build. Fissure is very short range, but recharges quickly. Seismic Smash is great, but it is a melee attack and the recharge is too long for it to be in an attack chain. (c) The damage type is smashing, which is highly resisted. (d) The armor is very ugly.

I often choose Earth on my melee-oriented characters like my Ice/Storm and my Plant/Kin and Fire/Kin. But Plant/Storm doesn't have to be in melee . . . you can be, but I actually consider it to be a "short range" controller.

Because the Seeds Cone is so important to a Plant/Storm, the Frost Breath cone is worth considering. It recharges much faster than Ice Storm, and the damage is up front instead of DoT. (I must admit one reason I like it is because I often run Tip missions solo to earn Hero Merits. If I'm out of tips, Frost Breath is great for wiping out a group of low level foes to get tips.)

LOCAL MAN! The most famous hero of all. There are more newspaper stories about me than anyone else. "Local Man wins Medal of Honor." "Local Man opens Animal Shelter." "Local Man Charged with..." (Um, forget about that one.)
Guide Links: Earth/Rad Guide, Illusion/Rad Guide, Electric Control

 

Posted

Well leveling her has been slow but steady (c'mon what's up with having to craft commons and uncommons and a rare you won't use to get a damn t4? Been busy Incarnating my Stalker and I hate this t4 stuff!).

And wow the combo is a monster at 30. Ok not omg damage yet, but I've been having too much fun with hurricane - and because kins are plentiful on Virtue, often I'm playing like a high-recharge non-end worries build.

But someone ingame with a lot of Storm experience advised me to go for Hover (I got CJ) because it can give you greater control for herdicaning since you have vertical mobility, I'm considering that.

Also, Snow Storm... I'm really not sold on that power, doesn't seem to help me even when I decide to eat the alpha (which I usually do even on a Blaster), unlike Darkest Night on my corr. I like slow powers like Shiver but unless you say AVs are really affected by the -rech, I don't see much use for it on a Plant/Storm build since it eats a ton of end.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kioshi View Post
Well leveling her has been slow but steady (c'mon what's up with having to craft commons and uncommons and a rare you won't use to get a damn t4? Been busy Incarnating my Stalker and I hate this t4 stuff!).

And wow the combo is a monster at 30. Ok not omg damage yet, but I've been having too much fun with hurricane - and because kins are plentiful on Virtue, often I'm playing like a high-recharge non-end worries build.

But someone ingame with a lot of Storm experience advised me to go for Hover (I got CJ) because it can give you greater control for herdicaning since you have vertical mobility, I'm considering that.

Also, Snow Storm... I'm really not sold on that power, doesn't seem to help me even when I decide to eat the alpha (which I usually do even on a Blaster), unlike Darkest Night on my corr. I like slow powers like Shiver but unless you say AVs are really affected by the -rech, I don't see much use for it on a Plant/Storm build since it eats a ton of end.
Personally, I like Super Speed on my Stormies. Super Speed + Steamy Mist = Full invisibility. Plus SS is great for quick positioning. With SS, I can run around groups of foes with Hurricane on, gathering them up into tighter groups. It is easy and quick to adjust to movement changes. Super Speed lets me run in fast and invisible to get in just the right position to fire off Seeds or Lightning Storm.

As for Snow Storm, I like to keep it, but it is definitely a situational power. I use it tons on an ITF, where other forms of control are mostly worthless. It is great on a Katie Hannon TF to knock all of those bloody witches out of the air. I often throw it on AVs and other tough targets . . . mostly to affect the lower level foes in the area with its Slow and -Regen. It only has a fairly small effect on AV itself, but has a big effect on the other foes in the area.

LOCAL MAN! The most famous hero of all. There are more newspaper stories about me than anyone else. "Local Man wins Medal of Honor." "Local Man opens Animal Shelter." "Local Man Charged with..." (Um, forget about that one.)
Guide Links: Earth/Rad Guide, Illusion/Rad Guide, Electric Control