Help! I have everything but, you know, the most important part...

Here's an unusual request... but I'm not really sure where else to take it. (If this would be better off in another forum, please tell me where.)

Okay, first, meet Mr. Smilez:



Bright and happy looking fellow, isn't he? It's too bad I don't actually play him, no matter how many times I reroll him.

Here's the thing... I like his look. I am continually surprised that I got this name. But... I have never figured out what AT and powers to use with him. Or rather, the most appropriate power sets are on the sole AT I've never been able to play for long.

You see, Mr. Smilez here is actually one of four characters I wanted to make in this game, before I actually got City of Heroes. I was immediately disappointed that two of those characters simply could not be made when I first started playing (Although, with Issue 22 bringing Darkness Control, and Staff Melee coming soon after, there is a glimmer of hope for them.) A third character was easy to make, and sits stalled at level 43.

Mr. Smilez, back when first conceived in a Pen and Paper Superhero RPG, is a sorcerer who specializes in Illusions and probability manipulation. And therein lies my problem.

Illusion Control is exactly what he is supposed to be about... but I can't play Controllers for love nor money. I get frustrated and abandon them EVERY time around the early teens, as I find their kill speed too slow, even on Illusion Control. (I mostly solo, as I suck at building teams, and actually want to experience game content, not just farm, which seems to be what most teams want to do when I do join them.)

So does anyone have a suggestion on an alternative to an Illusion Control Controller, which would be appropriate for this character? Because unless the suddenly announce that Illusion Control is being ported to Dominators, I'm not going to be able to use that primary.

Thanks for any suggestions!

I can feel ya. I've got a character I've made and rerolled like 6 six times because I just can't figure out how best to represent him in game. One of the characters I've been using Story wise for years I finally found a good way to build him in game by using Street Justice paired with Fiery Aura. I colored the Fiery aura pink/purple to make it look more like psychic energy.

As for Mr Smiles... I can feel ya on the trouble with trollies. I share the same frustration. You should have seen my SG mates when I actually got one past level 8.

Have you considered a Mastermind? I know it's not as spot on as Illusion control but I think story wise you can make it work. Demon summoning perhaps. He's casting illusions on his targets that make them believe they are being attacked by daemons and the like. Use Time Manipulation to represent his manipulation of probabilities.

The right controller build can be a total wrecking ball (team or no team) but you do need to unlock their pets first.
Illusion will be about the fastest (level 18 whereas most it's 32) and with Spectral Wounds, Sands of Mu and the two staffs there is enough high damage right from the get go for me (YMMV if you don't have the vet rewards).
If that's isn't fast enough for you, not sure what to tell ya cept keep trying to find a good team at least until you unlock pets. Honestly from the early teens until 18 is only a few hours on a full team fighting above their level. Try asking on your servers badge channel.

One --> Artz Giveaway <-- To Rule Them ALL!

I will settle this. ORANGE FTW! - Ex Libris

CR is absolutely right, once you get your pets, Illusion control is a blast. My Illusionist, Chance, is an Illusion/Kin too, as i had the same worry as you that he'd be low on dmg, so Kin boosts that nicely. His earlier on powers are not to be sniffed at tho, not high dmg but incredibly versatile. I was on a posi1 with a team once and we just kept wiping over and over on the shadows of us at the end, people were saying, 'it's impossible, i'm quitting, blah blah'. I said, 'right, gimme 10 minutes, i can solo this, and slowly but surely i managed to defeat the lot of them with my deceives, confuses, invis, spec wounds, etc... was a proud moment but also made me go, wow, this AT is really quite good, and all at the reduced posi level of 10!

Not trying to blow my own trumpet here, just saying you should stick with it mate, at least till you get pets, see how it works out then, i love my Illu/kin tho...

And here he is to say, 'Top 'o' the mornin' t'yer'.

Something with a giant hammer might be a good AT

Perhaps try a mind/psy dominator? Lots of mental manipulation coupled with some great damage from your secondary.

some people just can't or won't play certain ATs. one of the guys in my SG absolutely refuses to play Scrappers. I have a very difficult time playing anything other then melee class toons.

I had a terrible time with controllers. It took me forever to figure out that their strength lies without. It's not what the controller can do but what they can do for the team. Until you start getting pets and high power holds. You also have to be willing to let damage go and embrace the idea that my enemy will not move from the point he spawned on till he is dead, as far as slotting goes.

that's my 2inf.