Hover or not to hover

My willpower/SS tank is about to hit level 50 (one more bar to go!) I have hover with only one def buff in it. I'm thinking about adding two more slots to increase the defense. Also, how good is hover? Is it a overall good defensive power? Btw, thanks guys for answering my other questions on my other posts!

It's nice for a bit of extra defense if you like flying in combat. I generally prefer combat jumping + super speed for travel, but on toons that have to fly, I'll use Hover for the extra defense. I only 3 slot it if I really have nothing better to do with the slots though.

Hover is a nice bit of extra defense, but usually not worth slotting for defense, other than maybe a LotG global. On occasion I've been 1% or less from the softcap and put a couple extra slots in Hover to get there.

If you're going to use it for combat, though, it IS worth slotting for flight speed.

Ahh, ok. Not really worth slotting huh? Only that much defense?

If you use gerneric lvl 50 IOs, you're already brushing up against the ED cap with two slots. If you have no place else useful to place a slot, and put a 3rd in hover, then put a flight speed in there for a little extra mobility in combat.

Hover is a great utilitarian power so you can... you know... fly. Or just hover.

On just about every toon, I get Hover and SuperSpeed. Hover gets a LotG+Recharge or whatever Defensive Procs to mule. SuperSpeed gets an IO+Stealth. Then augment them with Steam Jump and the Jump Pack (each sold separately).

This allows me to:

• Speed stealth any mission that's stealthable.
• Hover (with very little End cost, unlike Fly)
• Fly at Flyspeed cap (using the two jump packs to augment Hover's flyspeed -- each alone will do that, and alternating them makes it near perma)
• SuperJump at jump speed caps (using the the two jump packs to augment SuperSpeed)
• SuperSpeed (as a travel power, and if you want to use it during battle, you'll need to put some EndRedux in it or boost Endurance other ways with IOs).

I just noticed that the first post was asking specifically about a WP/SS Tanker.

For that character specifically, Hover is terrible, because you can't use Foot Stomp while flying. If you want the defense bonus, use Combat Jumping instead.

What OV_ohms said; Foot Stomp needs the ground to work.

I don't suggest *slotting* Hover as a means of seriously increasing your defense. Typically I will throw a Luck of the Gambler: Global Recharge, and that's it. The gains it gets from defense slotting are so minuscule that they are usually hardly worth it. That having been said; when building for defense every little bit helps. Hover's natural 1.88 defense, enhanced with a LoTG: Global Recharge to a value of 2.22% defense *is* worth it if you are seriously chasing a soft-cap build.

I *do* consider Hover a viable form of combat maneuvering, however. I wouldn't personally add slots to increase it's movement; You gain maybe 4 MPH from the first slot and not much more for consecutive slotting. At 24 MPH, it's fast enough, I feel.

It's nice for melee characters to get above the combat in order to more efficiently use PBAOE's as well as just generally moving around. Especially nice on mastermind heavy teams as you can much more easily maneuver through the thousands of ****ing pets all over the place.

It's similarly nice for ranged characters, especially things like energy blasters who can use the altitude to change the angle of their knock-back so that it does not scatter enemies nearly as far. Purely ranged characters also gain an advantage in that enemies will only be able to use ranged attacks against them, which are generally weaker than melee. Hover let's you really take advantage of a ranged defense IO build too.

Still, what Hover CAN'T do is use Foot Stomp, so it's not really an option for you. If you're more concerned about building defense, you have both Maneuvers from the Leadership Pool, and Weave from the Fighting pool that you should focus on first. Maneuvers doesn't have as much defense bonus as Weave, but it applies to your entire team and it is also tier 1, meaning you don't have to take perquisite powers to get to it.

Also consider the single target melee IO set, Kinetic Combat. Yes, it maxes out at level 35, but its' set bonuses are worth using. At four pieces of Kinetic Combat you get 3.75% defense to your Smashing/Lethal defense. S/L Defense is good as most melee attacks as well as quite a few ranged attacks have smashing/lethal components to them, which you will be able to dodge. If you stack this set bonus five times you will have 18.75% S/L defense, which means you only need 26.25% S/L Defense to reach the soft-cap for S/L Defense.

For your PbAOE attacks (like Foot Stomp) you should consider 6 slots of the Obliteration set which nets you another 3.75% S/L defense, as well as 5% global recharge, 9% accuracy, 3% damage buff, and a lethal proc. It's a pretty damn good set even if you aren't building for S/L defense.

Finally, because I'm so nice, here is a slightly outdated Mids build of my SS/Willpower Brute you can use for an example of how to build your Tanker. Don't follow this 100% as you are, after all, a Tanker, but do give it a look at. In particular don't get rid of Jab; you'll want it for the Bruising effect.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.96
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Aey'ri: Level 50 Magic Brute
Primary Power Set: Super Strength
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Punch -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(3), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(7), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), HO:Nucle(34), Zinger-Dam%(39)
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- Panac-Heal(A), Panac-Heal/+End(19), Panac-Heal/EndRedux(23), Panac-Heal/Rchg(40), Panac-Heal/EndRedux/Rchg(40)
Level 2: Haymaker -- SBrutesF-Acc/Dmg(A), SBrutesF-Dmg/Rchg(3), SBrutesF-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), SBrutesF-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11), SBrutesF-Rech/Fury(31), Zinger-Dam%(39)
Level 4: Boxing -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(5), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(5), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), HO:Nucle(31), Mako-Dam%(39)
Level 6: Super Jump -- HO:Micro(A)
Level 8: Knockout Blow -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(9), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(9), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11), Hectmb-Dmg/Rchg(25), Hectmb-Dam%(37)
Level 10: Indomitable Will -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 12: Fast Healing -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A)
Level 14: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 16: Rise to the Challenge -- Panac-Heal(A), Panac-Heal/EndRedux(17), Panac-Heal/Rchg(17), Panac-Heal/EndRedux/Rchg(40), Panac-EndRdx/Rchg(43)
Level 18: Rage -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(19)
Level 20: Quick Recovery -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Mind Over Body -- HO:Ribo(A), HO:Ribo(23)
Level 24: Tough -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), HO:Ribo(25)
Level 26: Weave -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), HO:Enzym(27), HO:Enzym(27)
Level 28: Heightened Senses -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), HO:Enzym(29), HO:Enzym(29)
Level 30: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(31)
Level 32: Foot Stomp -- Oblit-Acc/Rchg(A), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(33), Oblit-Dmg(34), Oblit-%Dam(34)
Level 35: Gloom -- Apoc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(A), Apoc-Acc/Rchg(36), Apoc-Dmg/Rchg(36), Apoc-Dmg/EndRdx(36), Apoc-Dmg(37), Apoc-Dam%(37)
Level 38: Strength of Will -- GA-3defTpProc(A)
Level 41: Dark Obliteration -- Ragnrk-Acc/Rchg(A), Ragnrk-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Ragnrk-Dmg/Rchg(42), Ragnrk-Dmg(42), Ragnrk-Dmg/EndRdx(43)
Level 44: Soul Tentacles -- Enf'dOp-Acc/Rchg(A), Enf'dOp-EndRdx/Immob(45), Enf'dOp-Acc/EndRdx(45), Enf'dOp-Immob/Rng(45), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob/Rchg(46), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob(46)
Level 47: Darkest Night -- DarkWD-ToHitDeb(A), DarkWD-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(48), DarkWD-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(48), DarkWD-Rchg/EndRdx(48)
Level 49: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), HO:Enzym(50), HO:Enzym(50)
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(15), EndMod-I(15)
Level 1: Brawl -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(43), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(50)
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fury
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 50: Reactive Radial Flawless Interface
------------

As others have said Hover is not really a power I would slot lots of DEF enhancements into to get bigger DEF numbers. The main kind of "defense" Hover provides is positional - it keeps you out of the reach of an enemy's melee attacks which is great for any range-oriented alt.

I never take Hover on a melee character. If you want that little bit of extra defense, Combat Jumping is much better. Combat Jumping gives you that little bit of extra defense without having to be slowly floating in the air; instead you get more maneuverability to hop around the battlefield and the defense for a very, very low endurance cost.

Hover is nice for a ranged-only character to stay out of melee while fighting. Other than that, I don't take it.

I just want to counter-argue everyone saying to never slot hover for defense: if you fly, and you're trying to softcap your defense, and you're within 1% or 2% of the cap, and your other defensive powers are already maxed, then by all means slot hover for extra defense.

People forget that 1% defense is a very big thing when you're close to the cap.

Generally speaking, if my character needs to fly, I'll probably pick up Weave, Manuevers, Fly/Hover, and Hasten. I like taking hasten nearly every time, but you can run Combat Jumping and Hover/Weave/Manuevers all at once if you want. ^_^

Having played a lot of Hovering characters, and also a lot of Combat Jumping characters, I feel confident in saying that, empirically, all of the advantages you just named are very minor and/or rarely relevant (except the immob protection, but many characters have that already). And when flight is desirable, jetpacks are passable for combat movement, but not nearly as good as Hover.

I'm not saying Hover is better, nor even that it's as good as CJ. But it's certainly not far worse.

I'm with Hopeling on this, and I say that as someone who was converted to the super speed/combat jumping combo a long, long time ago. But sometimes you want to fly, and hover is not the slow, useless power people make it out to be.

If everyone did everything the same way all the time... the world would be a boring place.

I just wanted to point out the possibility of taking both Combat Jumping and Hover.

Seriously, Combat Jumping is such an inexpensive toggle I have a hard time rationalizing NOT taking it.

I have a tank with hover, and really love it. Gives you a great perspective on the room - what aggro you have, and more importantly, what you don't have. Also, you're above all the fx of everyone's powers, which helps visibility enormously.

On scrappers, it's a lot easier to position yourself, especially if you have a lot of cones. It's not good for everything, but on some melee sets, it can be really good. Also, there are a few powersets that can't use hover (and still use key powers) - SS is one of them.