Cognito

This is part of a wider problem I have.

PvP Builds are, by and large, deadweight for a dedicated PvE team.

The problem is that PvP builds need xp to level up, and often end up "piggybacking" on a PvE team who are nice enough to allow deadweight (at the expence of their own risk and xp gain).

Thermal is not a MM secondary.

I take your point that both TA and Traps have -regen, but not at particularly effective doses from a "Take down an AV" point of veiw.EMP arrow recharges far to slowly, and Poison Trap is by no means up all the time and the prospect of placing one at the feet of an AV (after the first one) is scary.

I maintain that /Poison is the only really effective AV -regen set of MM secondaries.

Interestin' Combo.

I would suggest putting disruption feild in asap. To my one of the glory powers of Sonic (doesnt look great but really adds up) - at least if you have the company of a good tank on your travels.

Clarity I would put in earlier... By the 40s when mez effects start flying around all the time this is a VERY welcome power (for example, by this level, an empathy defender is mainly valued for their equivilant, clear mind).

One rather "out of the box" thinking...

You have telekenesis.
A freindly toon gets your sonic repulsion feild.

Could you do a funky "horns of the ram" pinning manuever between you if you were both well trained?

Interesting Conundrum!

Primary:

Id avoid Thugs (Bruisers handclap) and Robots for knockback reasons unless your dominators are committed to AoE immobilise (which they should be with a fire brute)

Not a whole lot in it for primary otherwise. I would go with concept. Considering 2 dominators I would consider a damage heavy, but squishy type of mastermind pet like ninja's or thugs (but bruisers handclap would be a problem)

THe Secondary is arguably more important. Again, I think the two things your team "needs" [i.e. doesnt need but may be areas of weakness] are 1. More damage (2 dominators in team of 5 would suggest need more) and 2. THe ability to take down an AV with -regen.

That being the case the obvious canditates are:

Trick Archery: Will up your damage a lot with two -resistance debuffs and Oil Slick Arrow (available lvl 35). Add in Glue arrow to keep things in your brutes burn patch - its quite nice. TA is a team set, more than a solo set.

Poison: More of a solo set, so wont normally shine. You are unlikely to need the heal, rez, or antidote powers (Your thermal corruptor has those), so on first glance seems a weak choice. However, it does have the advantage of being about the best set around to take down Arch Villians, which is the major gap in your team.


Anyway hope that helps.

Glad to see the immortal debate and thread continues.

More circular arguments please.

Blasts I would like to see:

Plasma: Energy/Fire mixed, DoT, with "splash" AoE on all attacks.

Light: Energy, -perception/accuracy secondary.

Throwing: Shuriken, Genades, Poison darts, Rocks, Knives, Bolas, Javelins, The kitchen sink, you name it - you can throw it.

Just done the STF for the first time (Successfully!). Aoen was hard but I can see 8 scrappers .. managing... at least.

Ghost Widow?... We nearly gave up. And that was with a rad defender, a tank, an empath, and 5 scrapper/blasters. Not optimal, but even with Shivans out we only just managed to take her down... after a hugely long fight. If it wasnt for repeated deaths and the use of Vengance, Mutate and Fallout (for massive extra debuff) I dont know we would have done it.

Im not sure 8 scrappers could have mathematically done it all? [Unless using up Warburg nukes].

credit for trying tho.

Im not so sure Sonic is end heavy (my blaster has it pretty easy)

Rad, on the other hand...

Huff puff puff

My veiw is that its not a solo set. However, EA and Repel can be very nice in teams (I havent played Stalker EA but I have played these two powers). Ive never beleived in heals at all unless you PvP. Which I dont - I couldnt face the shame of hitch hiking expereince from a PvE group with a PvP build.

Im not sure its helpful saying a set is the worst. No set is bad, its just they are bad in certain circumstances.

Energy Armour may be weak on defence, but it has repel which can be excellent damage mitigation and the best mechanisms for maintaining high endurance. It has TP resistance and Repel resistance IIRC which are both very rare.

Have you actually played an Energy secondary on a stalker to high level to comment on how bad it is?

Well done everybody. Finished in just a shade over 2 1/2 hours, 3 deaths, and a smooth ride from start to finish. A good run by most peoples standards.

Thanks to all for helping out / joining. I always feel a particular thanks to the unsung bubbler who probably was a keypin to the smooth ride (as we were 7 squishies).

Id guess a tank would be best, but otherwise a Fire/Kin would speed things along and help with the AV!. Im bringing my Grav/Rad controller so we should have enough -regen debuff to bring him down, but the more the better!

Ok looks like 3 so far. Fingers crossed we can get some more.

Bad %ages aside, in a large group any leadership buff is good and will allow me to feel more confident about being a teamer.

I was contemplating oa comprimise of just getting assault. At the very least, its a bonus to AS damage, which cant be sniffed at.

Whoops, I meant midday!

Debbuffing is my favourite too.

Mind you, at high levels (35+) when AoE holds and stuns start to fly around all over the place, nothing makes me happier than a sonic or FF defender (or troller).

AoE Mez resistance?

What where they thinking!

[ QUOTE ]
The staying alive part is my #1 goal really.
Shields are also pritty passive in their use; which allows me to focus on using powers to attack and control.
I wont be healing people or buffing that often which is how i like it; heh.

[/ QUOTE ]

I prefer teaming with people who say "Keeping the team alive is my #1 goal" personally.

With your motto you may aswell stay at the back of the group in a PFF, do some fun emotes and hope nobody notices your conspicious lack of efficacy.

Im missing the run of "Marvellous" Task Forces that used to run on Sat 12pm. Great fun had by all.

In this spirit, I wonder if anyone would be interested in Sister Psyche TF 12pm on Saturday 2nd.

lvl 20-25, 5 people needed, takes about 3 hours (less on good team), lots of amusing sonic freakshow, and a rare recipe drop at the end

Be nice to carry on the fun tradition.

[ QUOTE ]
There is something wrong with a toon that can't even touch opponents that are annhihilated by my masterminds, destroyed by my brutes, eaten alive by my dominators and obliterated by my corruptors.

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Thats the Challenge really. To pull weight in a team.

Thanks for the warning about claws. I guess that lethal damage is a bit of a pain. I was of the understanding, however, that from DPS point of veiw claws was actually pretty decent. Granted, that means playing more of a scrapper stalker than a stalker stalker, but I guess that was my thinking anyway (being a team stalker) - and I guess the damage from AS is identical to every other AS (although different damage type).

I was wondering if creative things could be done with KB between the Claws primary and the Repel feild - I.e. get enemies pinned down, protect squishies, etc. I guess mobility would be of the essence here?

So with that point, and Maels timely reminder that you really dont want to miss health in the days of IO, I guess stamina is on the cards.

Katana dosent particularly do it for me - less AoE than claws, and the +def buff is useful to only you, whilst Knockabouts are usefull (hopefully) to team. Bear in mind this is a team stalker so I will be getting support from various sources.

All food for thought, I have to say. Dark / Energy is again looking good... but blowed If i have a concept!

Well, as regards to AoE damage claws has the edge, but Im not quite so adamant when it comes to stalkers.

Bear in mind I have no intentino of PvP with this stalker at all. If I wanted to PvP I would choose Energy/(not dark or energy). Dont get me started on PvP'ers hitchhiking xp from PvE'rs..

Claws/Energy or Claws/Ninj seems to be the choice now.

Mael, what do you think of Claws / energy? Could I go stamina less? I was thinking of taking hasten and teleport as pool powers (hasten with conserve power always nice). Claws is end llight and energy has plenty of end mitigation tools (might make teleportation a bit unpleasant tho...)

Any expereince or thoughts? and could I fit in assault / tactics (end problems may show here?) was wondering if the unusual triad of TP foe/Recall freind/Team telport could be used (Canone use team TP as a travel power?)

THanks for feedback folks. Yes, the obvious /dark stalker I ruled out cos ive done it on my scrapper... although it is almost certainly the team secondary of choice.

/Regen is almost certainly the worst choice from a team perspective, as you say (flat damage mitigation etc)

/Ninjitsu is certainly worth a look at. The one good team stalkert I team with is a /Ninjitsu and blinding powder looks v team freindly. So I guess im faced with a /NInj or /Energy secondary.

As to primary. I hadnt really considered dark melee but I can understand the logic in terms of offering control to the team. Im still struck by the fact that it is all single target effects, but worth considering.

Energy is a very powerful "spike" damage, like Mael says. Tempting, and has good stun potential. Question is, should a stalker play to ST scrapping or throw in some melee?

Im still tempted by claws - with two AoE attacks (more than anything but spines). Also gives a form of "control" with knockback which can, if used correctly, be team freindly.


So, thinking about synergy of the big contenders...

Energy / Energy: Nothing in particular
Energy / Ninjitsu: Self heal counters ET hit point drain. I deleted a lev 31 stalker with this combo a few months ago and not sure I would want to repeat the combo.
Dark / Energy: Looks good synergy. Defence debuffs plus defence set. Self heal in Dark.
Dark / Ninjitsu: Similar to Dark / Energy
Claws / Energy: Quite possibly able to go stamina - free (both end light), Knockbacks from both Claws and Energy (could I be creative with this?)
Claws / Ninjistu: Nothing much I can see.


THoughts on this please, and also any general advice on how to be a good team PvE scrapper.

After playing CoV for a while now, I think I have to face up to the greatest challenge there is in the game...

Making a stalker who can pull his weight in a team.

...

Id appreciate some advice on this. My current opinion is that nearly 99% of stalkers are just dead weight on a team. Less valuable than every other AT. And dont get me started on PvP hitch hikers or "I do the AS, you take the risk and do the work" hit and runners who refuse to do anything that puts them in danger.

SO I'd appreciate advice on how to make a good team stalker. Both build an play wise. It seems extremely hard.

Provisional thoughts

1. Spines, being the obvious choice, is out. I have a spines stalker and want to choose another set.
2. Claws seems to be the next best attack, with at least some AoE.
3. Dark armour, being the obvious secondary, is out. My spines scrapper is the uber-teamer Spines/Dark.
4. Energy seems to be the next best choice, with a few AoE effects like repel and energy drain. Ninjistu might be the other option I guess?
5. Recall Freind is a must, I would thought. No point in stealthing a mission unless your freinds can too.
6. PvE only, so no need for concealment pool?

I was thinking of a claws/energy stalker, moves by teleport. Does creative things with knockback to protect the team. Heavy end drain effects to protect the team. Possibly throw in a leadership. Do I need stamina (Claws end light, Energy armour some ways of mitigating end drain).

Any suggestions and advice appreciated.

Well, make yourself a toon that can pull its weight in a team.

That would be a defender. Or a tank. Or a controller. Or a blaster.

[ QUOTE ]

- Hasten is always handy.

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Never found it particularly helpful on my rad defender. The holy trinity of EF, RI, and LR gain nothing or little from hasten. Choking cloud gains nothing. Accel Metabolism is up a bit more, which is good. If you are relying on healing from level 22 onwards something is terribly wrong anyway (I barely need this power at all), and if you need mutate up more often, again, this isnt a good sign. EMP is an "Oh s..." power and gains little from increased recharge.

Totally skippable power if you ask me, since Rad works mainly on toggles.


My advice:

1. Team with a tank who knows how to use Rad debuffs and cluster them.
2. Rad fenders come into there own with more experienced teams at later levels.
3. Create a macro "Anchor is $target" and mercillessly beat into your team that the anchor must die last.
4. RI, EF, LR.
5. RI, EF, LR.
6. RI, EF, LR
7. Do I make myself clear as to the holy trinity of the rad set?

[ QUOTE ]
get aid self. There is noo way you can amass a worthwhile amount of defence even by stacking all the defence giving pool powers.

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Still inefficient use of powers/slots for a blaster. Only worth it for solo'ists and PvPers. A team blaster will get fair more bang for his buck from damage damage damage.

Mind you, aid self is better than eking out the very low defence bonus from CJ/Weave/Manuevers.

Blasters are glass cannons really. Its very hard to play them otherwise. The only effective way to bolster up your personal defence is probably to take ice secondary (or ice primary come to that) and use its control/slow options to reduce incoming damage. Or use the stuns/holds of your other sets (all except fire have them, but ice/cold has the most).