Mind Control Primary
Mesmerize and Levitate - you don't NEED both of these powers but you HAVE to take one of these powers. No choice there. Both are good single target damage though as a dom you have gobs of single target damage all ready. Both recharge in 6 seconds. Mesmerize does the same damage as Dark Blast. Levitate does more.
Dark Blast animates slightly faster than both and Mesmerize animates slightly faster than Levitate.
Mesmerize and Levitate both recharge in 6 seconds, Dark Blast in 4.
Mesmerize and Dark Blast have the same endurance costs. Levitate costs more.
My personal choice here is Mesmerize. It is range 100 rather than 80, it does pure psi damage rather than pure smashing like Levitate, and even if you slot it for damage (which is how you should slot it) it applies sleep with a duration FAR longer than its recharge, which makes it as good as a hold while solo.
Dominate - this is your single target hold. Take it, slot it for hold, love it. 'Nough said.
Confuse - as Dominate. This is one of your primary single target controls. If you slot the purple set here including the proc it becomes a mini-AoE confuse. If your secondary has a power boost type power in it you can (as a perma dom) use this in combination with Mass Confusion to perma-confuse non-confuse resistant AVs even through PToD. This power will not notify the spawn.
Mass Hypnosis - A ranged AoE sleep that does not notify the spawn. Useful as an Alpha breaker and for stopping adds. This is an every spawn control for a Perma Dom.
Telekinesis - a single"ish" target hold that pushes mobs away from the dom. It has its uses but IMO not needed at all by a perma dom.
Total Domination - a ranged AoE hold that is useable every other spawn by a perma dom. Take and slot for Hold.
Terrorize - Cone fear that does as much damage as Night Fall but in an arc that is more than 4 times wider while having the same range. An every spawn control AND damage power. Definitely one to take. (Again slot for damage rather than fear duration)
Mass confusion - the Jewel of mind control. This is an every other spawn control that is awesome solo with a secondary power set that provides a power boost power in the set. This power does not notify the spawn.
Dark Assault has no particular synergy with Mind Control and, if you are going to rely on the mobs damaging themselves due to your confuse powers, some potential anti-synergy with the -to hit in the dark powers.
Powers follow the standard "Dom formula" of a PBAoE and a Cone which means that only one or the other are going to be truly useful unless you play a dervish that constantly leaps in and out of melee to maximize your AoE damage.
The -to hit in Night Fall can be double stacked by a perma dom which means that hitting the defense soft cap isn't needed which allows you to focus more on other things.
Gather shadows increases both your secondary effects AND your damage making it particularly effective for a Mind dom.
The other thing of note is that the tier 3 ranged power, Life Drain hits foes hard AND heals you which is unique in the dom assault sets.
All in all the 2 sets together are quite powerful and fun to play though, as with all non-thorny assault sets rather lacking in AoE damage. I recommend either Fire Epic for Fire Ball and Rain of Fire or Ice for Sleet and Ice Storm.
-Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein.
-I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. - Galileo Galilei
-When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty. - Thomas Jefferson
Heyas, I am building one of my rare Doms. I have permadom'd a few Grav/Nrg in the past. Deleted them, did it again. Ya, anyways.
So, I am not real familiar with Mind, and completely unfamiliar with Dark. It appears that my twin build goals of Perma levels of Recharge and high ranged defense are attainable, at least on paper.
Does anyone have some insight into the strengths of MInd Control and Dark Assault, any synergies, any go to powers, etc?