An Incarnate Iron Eagle: Ayburn: Invuln/Fire tank
By
Ineffable_Bob,
Posted on: 2012-06-07 14:02 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
By
Ineffable_Bob,
Posted on: 2012-06-07 14:02 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
The Iron Eagles supergroup is the home of hardcore City of Heroes players, where any defeat at level 10 or higher requires the character to leave the SG. This is a bit of background on the one Eagle (so far) to reach Incarnate status with all available slots unlocked (and survive). I hope this is interesting reading and perhaps encourages those who find idea of hardcore intriguing to check out the Eagles! We play every Thursday night at 8 PM US Eastern time, on Justice, and everyone who would like to join is welcome.
Back in the early days of City of Heroes, I was an altaholic. (This has not changed.) Back then I played mostly on Freedom, and I quickly filled up all my available character slots. You couldn't buy more slots back then, so to indulge my character-creation habit, I ventured out to servers where I didn't play often. One such character was Ayburn, an Invuln/Fire tank created because I wanted to use the word "pyrokinesis" in a bio, and I'd already used different backgrounds for my Fire/Fire tank, Fire blaster, etc. Most of these characters never made it to double digit security levels before I went back to my main server or created yet another alt.
Fast forward 6+ years, to early 2011. I've migrated around to Guardian, Liberty, and finally settled on Victory. There are alts who haven't been played for 5+ years in the dusty corners of Infinty, Pinnacle, and Justice. I've gone through several cycles where my interest in the game has declined then rebuilt, and I'm on the "decline" side. Then, I ran across the Iron Eagles thread on the forums, and that perked up my interest a bit. Adding a bit more risk to the game, that sounded like fun.
I showed up for a couple of the team nights, and soon I was hooked. Running hardcore adds excitement to the game that I haven't felt for a long time. Sure, sometimes you get unlucky, but for the most part good teamwork and smart play keeps heroes safe. It also brings some under-used powers, tactics, and team play styles to the forefront. Snipes and taunts are really good in a hardcore team, helping to pull dangerous mobs apart. Good team buffs are critical. Slow and steady progress is better than high-risk, high-reward slugfests.
Still, when it only takes one mistake to fall, you go through quite a few characters. I've lost easily a dozen Eagles in the last year or so. I enjoyed the hardcore play enough that I started running my Eagles outside of team night, doing missions with teams from Justice United and Justice For All. Several of those years-old characters on Justice joined the Eagles, and all but one have fallen in battle. Ayburn remains.
Last November, Ayburn made security level 50. Her alpha slot followed quickly. A month of so later, after many BAF runs, she had unlocked the next two slots. Then Lore and Destiny. And finally, just this past weekend, Hybrid.
As far as I know, Ayburn is the only 50+3 hardcore character out there. (Not sure if you've ever died? Check your badge progress on debt badges. Ayburn has no debt badges, and doesn't even have a debt badge progress bar.) She's able to solo DA missions at +4/x8, although I usually run +2/x8 since progress is a lot faster and less risky in case of a lag spike. She's not able to solo AVs, but I have yet to meet an Elite Boss that gives me any serious trouble. She tanks BAF, Lambda, and TPN regularly. The other iTrials are a bit too random for my taste, since all have areas that are effectively insta-death if you get unlucky, but I may yet decide to give them a try.
Here's Ayburn's current build. It's easily the most expensive of all my characters, because I want all the advantages I can get for her. Between hero merits to buy recipes and converters to get pvp/purples that I need, it's a lot easier to build this today than it would have been even a year ago.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.957
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Ayburn-PLAN: Level 50 Natural Tanker
Primary Power Set: Invulnerability
Secondary Power Set: Fiery Melee
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Pyre Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Temp Invulnerability -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(3), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(3), RctvArm-ResDam(5), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(5)
Level 1: Scorch -- SMotTanker-Dmg/Rchg(A), SMotTanker-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), SMotTanker-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7), SMotTanker-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9), SMotTanker-Rchg/Res%(40)
Level 2: Fire Sword -- Hectmb-Dmg/Rchg(A), Hectmb-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), Hectmb-Acc/Rchg(11), Hectmb-Dmg/EndRdx(11), Hectmb-Dam%(13)
Level 4: Dull Pain -- Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(A), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(13), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(15), Dct'dW-Heal(15), Dct'dW-Rchg(17)
Level 6: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(17)
Level 8: Unyielding -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(19), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(19), RctvArm-ResDam(21)
Level 10: Taunt -- Mocking-Taunt(A), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg(21), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(23), Mocking-Acc/Rchg(23), Mocking-Taunt/Rng(25), Mocking-Rchg(25)
Level 12: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(A), LkGmblr-Def(27), LkGmblr-Rchg+(27)
Level 14: Combustion -- Armgdn-Dmg/Rchg(A), Armgdn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), Armgdn-Acc/Rchg(29), Armgdn-Dmg/EndRdx(31), Armgdn-Dam%(31)
Level 16: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 18: Invincibility -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(31), LkGmblr-Def(33), LkGmblr-Rchg+(33), GSFC-Build%(33)
Level 20: Build Up -- AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(A), AdjTgt-Rchg(34), RechRdx-I(34)
Level 22: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(34), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(36), RctvArm-ResDam(36)
Level 24: Weave -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(36), LkGmblr-Def(37), LkGmblr-Rchg+(37)
Level 26: Tough Hide -- LkGmblr-Def(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+(37)
Level 28: Fire Sword Circle -- Erad-Dmg(A), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(39), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(39), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40)
Level 30: Resist Energies -- GA-3defTpProc(A)
Level 32: Resist Physical Damage -- Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Aegis-ResDam(40), Aegis-Psi/Status(42)
Level 35: Incinerate -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(42), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(42), KntkC'bat-Knock%(43)
Level 38: Resist Elements -- ImpArm-ResPsi(A)
Level 41: Char -- BasGaze-Acc/Hold(A), BasGaze-Acc/Rchg(43), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold(43), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(45)
Level 44: Melt Armor -- ShldBrk-Acc/Rchg(A), ShldBrk-DefDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(45), ShldBrk-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(45), ShldBrk-%Dam(46)
Level 47: Fire Ball -- Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(48), Posi-Dmg/Rng(50), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(50), Posi-Dam%(50)
Level 49: Super Speed -- Winter-ResSlow(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(46)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(46), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(48), P'Shift-End%(48)
Level 1: Gauntlet
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 50: Agility Partial Core Revamp
Level 50: Pyronic Partial Radial Judgement
Level 50: Diamagnetic Radial Interface
Level 50: Phantom Partial Radial Improved Ally
Level 50: Barrier Partial Core Invocation
------------
Skip
My Char. List and Market Transactions
HeroStats Developer
Legion of Valor
Iron Eagles