Generally Patron Pets perform well enough to make them worth it. It depends on a variety of factors, most notably what you'd have to give up to get it. My complaint about them is usually that they are fragile, but you are an Empath so that shouldn't be as much of a problem. I'd carefully consider which pet you want though. City of Data contains a listing for each.
Fortunata:
http://tomax.cohtitan.com/data/power...unata_Mistress
Coralax:
http://tomax.cohtitan.com/data/power...rs_Red_Corolax
Arachnobot:
http://tomax.cohtitan.com/data/power...obot_Disrupter
Adept:
http://tomax.cohtitan.com/data/power...owers_Mu_Adept
@Rorn ---- Blue Baron ---- Guardian
While a patron pet, full slotted, would be nice with emp buffs..if you are solo..its still gonna be slow, painful and not fun. Archery is crappy damage on a fender, and emp has no debuffs at all. For such an ally focused set..I cant help asking...WHY are you even trying to solo?
I know some people like to solo, or just when not many people are around..but I seriously cant imagine soloing on my emp.
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Normally I don't solo with my emp... I leveled her almost exclusively through grouping. But now I'm lvl 50 with her... and I am loathe to do trials ad nauseum. So I've been plunking away at the DA arcs with a few trials mixed in to try and advance her incarnate abilities... mainly though I'd like to complete all the DA arcs on her for the initial reward for completing each arc and 2 emps from Gabriel for doing all the arcs... after that I'd probably just do group content exclusively. I just play at odd times and I feel bad about bugging someone else to "do the work" for me to finish those arcs. I prefer to be self sufficient though I understand that's not exactly Empathy's strong point.|
Originally Posted by MisterD
While a patron pet, full slotted, would be nice with emp buffs..if you are solo..its still gonna be slow, painful and not fun. Archery is crappy damage on a fender, and emp has no debuffs at all. For such an ally focused set..I cant help asking...WHY are you even trying to solo?
I know some people like to solo, or just when not many people are around..but I seriously cant imagine soloing on my emp. |
I figured the pet and my ability to buff it (perma 30% defense, 50% +dmg, 1000% regen, more to-hit than you can shake a stick at) on top of my own damage and my ability to heal the pet and myself would speed things up a bit. Conceptually I'd want to go with either Soul Mastery or Mu Mastery but even looking at the numbers on red tomax it's hard to tell just which would perform the best for me.
Jem - Ill/Rad Controller Lv 50+3 Nic - Mind/Psi Dominator Lv 50+3 Lady Liberation - Invuln/SS Tanker Lv 50+1 Invicitx - Demon/Pain Mastermind Lv 50+1 Celeste - Emp/Arch Defender Lv 50+1 Nightsilver - DB/WP Scrapper Lv 34 Dusk Howl - StJ/Regen Brute Lv 32 Kyriani - Time/Energy Defender Lv 41Psifire - FF/Psi Defender Lv 50
Star Lighter - LB/LA Peacebringer Lv 30
I'd go with Soul Mastery in that case. My experiences with the Mu Adept make me strongly oppose its use 
@Rorn ---- Blue Baron ---- Guardian
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I'll likely take your advice... but if you don't mind sharing, I'd love to know what exactly turns you off from the Mu Adept.
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Originally Posted by Vauluur
I'd go with Soul Mastery in that case. My experiences with the Mu Adept make me strongly oppose its use
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Jem - Ill/Rad Controller Lv 50+3 Nic - Mind/Psi Dominator Lv 50+3 Lady Liberation - Invuln/SS Tanker Lv 50+1 Invicitx - Demon/Pain Mastermind Lv 50+1 Celeste - Emp/Arch Defender Lv 50+1 Nightsilver - DB/WP Scrapper Lv 34 Dusk Howl - StJ/Regen Brute Lv 32 Kyriani - Time/Energy Defender Lv 41Psifire - FF/Psi Defender Lv 50
Star Lighter - LB/LA Peacebringer Lv 30
The Mu Adept deals energy damage that is highly resisted by many end game groups. It also seems to have long pauses between attacks and greatly enjoys flying into nearby groups to fire off an EMP, which typically results in it's not long after because the default duration of that hold is fairly short and it usually does that when you're already fighting a group. It's kind of like playing with somebody who thinks their Blaster with no enhancements can run into the middle of a spawn and kill them by cycling their first two attacks.
@Rorn ---- Blue Baron ---- Guardian
Yeah I would also say that the Fortunata is probably the best bet for an Emp/Arch with the Disruptor being my second choice. The Disruptor has much better AoE damage but as an Archery character you have reasonably decent AoE already so having the Fortunata along to help with bosses and such would seem like a better choice.
One other thing to consider though is that taking the Disruptor does mean that you can get Scorpion Shield which may appeal to you.
Thank you all for the input! It was most helpful!
Jem - Ill/Rad Controller Lv 50+3 Nic - Mind/Psi Dominator Lv 50+3 Lady Liberation - Invuln/SS Tanker Lv 50+1 Invicitx - Demon/Pain Mastermind Lv 50+1 Celeste - Emp/Arch Defender Lv 50+1 Nightsilver - DB/WP Scrapper Lv 34 Dusk Howl - StJ/Regen Brute Lv 32 Kyriani - Time/Energy Defender Lv 41Psifire - FF/Psi Defender Lv 50
Star Lighter - LB/LA Peacebringer Lv 30
I'd also have to ask - *are you using your second build?*
Most of my emps (and thermal/FF/Sonic/etc.) have a Team build (full/near full primary, decent but not full secondary, plus buffs) and a Solo build (Full secondary, leadership where needed, etc.) It does make a difference.
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Yes I do have and use a 2nd build... it still feels so much weaker offensively, less safe and generally slower than any of my other characters. I mean even on a mind/ff controller I feel stronger offensively and safer. Empathy just doesn't do much to support me when alone. It has only 3 powers that benefit me -- Healing Aura, Regeneration Aura and Recovery Aura. The last two obviously on a long recharge and neither really doing anything to improve my offensive capability. |
Originally Posted by Memphis_Bill
I'd also have to ask - *are you using your second build?*
Most of my emps (and thermal/FF/Sonic/etc.) have a Team build (full/near full primary, decent but not full secondary, plus buffs) and a Solo build (Full secondary, leadership where needed, etc.) It does make a difference. |
It's really my own fault for pairing Empathy with Archery I guess. It has no inherent debuffing either way you look at it. At least with a permanent pet I could have a buffable source of damage beyond my own and make use of more of my primary without a team.
I'm honestly tempted to reroll as a pain corruptor with a better blast set so I can have that supportive healing/buffing feel but with stronger offense, some debuffage and more powers that actually benefit me when I'm solo.
Jem - Ill/Rad Controller Lv 50+3 Nic - Mind/Psi Dominator Lv 50+3 Lady Liberation - Invuln/SS Tanker Lv 50+1 Invicitx - Demon/Pain Mastermind Lv 50+1 Celeste - Emp/Arch Defender Lv 50+1 Nightsilver - DB/WP Scrapper Lv 34 Dusk Howl - StJ/Regen Brute Lv 32 Kyriani - Time/Energy Defender Lv 41Psifire - FF/Psi Defender Lv 50
Star Lighter - LB/LA Peacebringer Lv 30
The fortunata has the best damage type and the best damage will help you significantly considering all your own damage is heavily resisted lethal damage. Also they are pretty awesome for AVs since most don't resist psionic.
I have an empathy/archery defender who is great for grouping but I feel like soloing with her is painful and slow.
I was considering adding in a patron pet (the fortunata from soul mastery) with enough recharge to perma it to bolster her damage output and possibly diffuse some aggro. Since Empathy has so few tools that benefit myself directly I thought having a perma pet might be the way to go since I could buff it.
Would this tactic be worthwhile? How well do patron pets perform? (I've never used one before). Any thoughts/opinions/experiences are welcome!
Jem - Ill/Rad Controller Lv 50+3 Nic - Mind/Psi Dominator Lv 50+3 Lady Liberation - Invuln/SS Tanker Lv 50+1 Invicitx - Demon/Pain Mastermind Lv 50+1 Celeste - Emp/Arch Defender Lv 50+1 Nightsilver - DB/WP Scrapper Lv 34 Dusk Howl - StJ/Regen Brute Lv 32 Kyriani - Time/Energy Defender Lv 41Psifire - FF/Psi Defender Lv 50
Star Lighter - LB/LA Peacebringer Lv 30