Crysys

Beam/Traps at 39 now. Insanely safe solo build, still highly effective on teams. When teamed, you just have to remember to grab SS and a Celerity +Stealth so you can buzz into the spawn and drop a few toebombs before the rest of the team starts wailing on things. Or, if you are lazy, just hang back and pew pew zzzzzt pew.

Check out all the missions posted today in AE. Page after Page of new rezz-free fire farms.

I'm very disappointed in the inconsistent statements you've made about level pacting and the VIP head start.

The VIP Head Start period, based on your posting of activities, lasts until this Friday, Sep 23.

You explicitly told us that Level Pacting, while going away, would be available through the VIP Head Start period.

Then today, I get a patch, log in and discover you've disabled the feature PRIOR to the end of the VIP Head Start period and WITHOUT WARNING that you were doing so. Even a simple "Hey, Level Pacting ends tomorrow!" would have been nice.

Why did you do this?

I didn't pay much attention to BR during Beta so I'm really not comprehending what secondary would be the most synergistic.

I'd prefer to play it on a Corr over a Blaster, however.

Bots/Time MM is just begging to be a themed Terminator type of build.

I'm on Live on a Macbook Air as I type this, running 10.6.8. Everything appears to be working as intended. Been in marketplace, made purchases, bought more points, went back to game, logged out/back in, everything is fine.

Only three issues I've noted:

1) Marketplace accepted my purchase for more points, gave me credit for it, but then forced me to a "security validation" screen after the transaction. And it wouldn't accept my input (typical security info...mothers maiden, fathers middle, captcha). I tried it twice and even though I know I'm typing info in correctly, it won't accept my validation in the in-game marketplace screen. I logged out of the game and back in...had marketplace access again and made purchases with points. No issues thereafter. Weird.

2) Graphics in Atlas (mainly) and a few other zones suffering from serious "pop in" redraw that wasn't there yesterday before the update. I don't know if my graphics settings have been whacked or not. Tweaking them now to try and improve that but its pretty awful looking right now.

3) Usual tailor bugs of it not recognizing some of my existing costume items...says they are "invalid." Makes me a little askeered of losing stuff so I've not went into tailor yet to try and adjust anything.

Rocket board is cool by the way...but I'm disappointed its like the sexy "Walk" emote and basically turns off all your powers during use. Its a travel power...but just that...only traveling allowed. You can do some aerial tricks on it though

I think I'll be making Time in a number of flavors....

Ill/Time Controller - Can make the PA's "echos" of past/future soldiers
DP/Time Corrupter - Bullet time baby!
Ice/Time Corrupter - Doesn't thematically match, but that combo just seems brutal
Robots/Time MM - Just thematically seems to fit well

I hope I don't end up disappointed in the Time Manip set....

I'm playing one right now on the VIP server, just hit lvl 7 (sorry, no AE farms) on a sewer team. Too soon to say but I do enjoy the fast-firing Ice attacks to offset the animations of the Time powers.

^^ ShadowMeld is like a mini-MOG. High recharge /Regen scrappers often alternate between MOG and Shadowmeld. I often solo AV's with MOG > Smeld > Smeld >MOG chain, throwing in parry as needed to cover downtimes. Works fantastic.

I don't think the OP was "butthurt" (whatever that means); I think this was meant to be yet another "AE Farmers Suck" kind of thread. He even mentioned in the OP first post that he no longer feared retaliatory 1-stars since he no longer had any top-rated arcs left.

Unfortunately, looking at the timing of this thread and the "Can I cry now" one, I'm pretty sure the net result of this thread was to get a bunch of his peers 1-starred.

I ended up going with almost the same build as posted by Psylenz, with the only change being I 4-slotted Ice (w/Basilisk), 2-slotted Tough (Steadfast -Knockback and +DEF) and 3-slotted Hasten (just wanted that wee bit extra recharge). I lost 3% Resistance only 2-slotting Tough, but I'm getting knocked around a bunch and like having the Mag 4 Knockback protection in the build.

I still have to work my way through a few levels for full slotting but this seems like a great improvement to my own survivability and perhaps that of my pets as well.

I do have all 4 pet Aura's slotted into Hell on Earth. Since I can't slot the Hami-O's yet in Demons, I just did some frankenslotting until 47.

I am very appreciative to everyone's help. Thanks for the playstyle tips as well. I'm going to try the "splitting" approach and see if that gets my pets more life and utility.

@Plainguy:
I couldn't get the test server to work (I play on a Mac and we Mac players have all kinds of issues right now), but I've saved your build to try when I can get over there. If this doesn't meet my needs, going psuedo-tankermind as you've indicated may be a really radical playstyle improvement. Thanks!

Now THAT is a wild build to consider!

You are right, of course. There's nothing in TA that allows you a base to build off of for +DEF or +RES. But as this thread is showing, you also can go a lot of different directions with the set as well.

I think you are right..I should try this out on Test and see how it plays. That's a very different build than what I'm accustomed to but I like the sound of OG and how it works. From how I understand it, sounds like the playstyle I used for my DP/MM blaster with World of Confusion running.

Thanks again!

Hmmm, that's a really intriguing build you gave me. Big difference taking Weave in the mix...I like how that works out. I lose a little bit of Ranged DEF but gain it back in Smash/Lethal and Energy, which is a really nice tradeoff. Everything is within a small purple of softcapping...that's very nice! I could also swap in a Steadfast +3 DEF global into Tough in place of the Psi resist you've indicated and gain a little bit more DEF back if I wanted. I've several of those lying around in storage right now.

I also like how I'm not losing my damage from OSA with your build. Putting Turtles in there just makes me shudder. Yeah, Crack Whip is now virtually nothing but it wasn't much to begin with so meh.

Re: Bodyguard, etc.

I typically open with Glue, followed by Ice arrow on my most dangerous foe. My demons stay in BG mode/Supermacy range until I start laying down the debuffs (Acid, Disruption, OSA if its up, etc.). Once debuffs are up, I'll start calling targets for them or if the spawn is small enough just let them choose who they want. I keep an eye on the Supremacy icon and haven't yet seen it flicker off during battles.

My duo partner alternates between a scrapper and blaster. Neither is obviously good at holding aggro. On teams I can do better if we have a real tank or a controller as the critters aren't just focused on me.

Pre-IO's, I have slotted Hell on Earth with 2 Rchg/2Dmg/2ACC and usually cast it on the Prince.

It could be that I am almost always ALWAYS fighting +4's. That's just the teams we've been rolling with so that could be a tough love kind of thing?

Re: Self-Stacking

I've used Luminara's guide for my TA power selections. This is what she/he said:

Entangling Arrow - Can stack the Immobilize effect
Flash Arrow - Doesn't stack with itself
Glue Arrow - Doesn't stack with itself; the slow WILL stack with Oil Slick's Slow, however.
Ice Arrow - Does stack with itself
Acid Arrow - Doesn't stack with itself, but its good enough to want to apply to several different targets in the group you are attacking.
Poison Gas Arrow - Doesn't stack with itself
Disruption Arrow - I've read posts saying it does and it doesn't...unsure?
Oil Slick Arrow - Doesn't stack, but obviously I want this up as much as possible
EMP Arrow - Not sure, but if I could have it every spawn, yeah..gimme gimme

It's been some years since I played the game regularly (Issue 7 maybe?) And I know that TA has been "tweaked" since then so please correct me if I'm wrong.

But I did note that your new builds' Recharge and my own are close (32% for mine, 40% for yours, pre-Hasten). Clearly, if I could get Flash Arrow, PGA, Acid Arrow and Disruption Arrow to stack with themselves, that would be some seriously mean debuffing! I'd have to really change the build quite a bit to achieve that kind of recharge, but I'd certainly give +RCHGE greater weighting in my decisions right now than I would +DEF for myself if what you say is true.

Regardless...thanks a ton! I'm really liking how this looks and most of the IO's I already have are re-usable. Still a pretty cheap build and I'm fine losing the Medicine pool..wasn't doing much good anyways.

First off: LOL @ "Baywatch Mode" That actually gives me an idea for an alternative costume since this was mainly a theme character anyways. You are right....totally fits!

Building for DEF is incredibly difficult on a Demon/TA. Even doing all I could with sets, I couldn't break 40% for Ranged. And I did feel pretty lousy about losing so much damage on OSA by slotting it with Pacing of the Turtle instead. The best defense is dead mobs and that just felt wrong to me.

I don't really need +RCHGE all that much since so few of my /TA powers stack anyways, and my END recovery is fine as-is with the uniques. +TOHIT/+ACC and +DMG bonuses are out there, but there are only a few set bonuses that offer any +RES. I could go with the blue-side Fire epic and try and fit in Fireball for some more damage I suppose, taking Fire shield along with it for the +RES.

Re: Flash Arrow

I have it in the build and I do use it for the -Visibility (stealth) component when mobs are too close together. But I've read in several posts that the -TOHIT for MM's isn't worth even slotting....you just can't do much with it beyond the native unresistable debuff (which I think is like 6.75% -TOHIT right?). Also, I've fallen victim to the aggro "bug" thing from FA many times. Because of how aggro works in the game, if I drop the FA on a mob before they are aggro'd, then as soon as they DO receive any damage, I'm the first target on the aggro list and the alpha is directed at me. When one of my brain-dead henchmen decides to run off and attack that other group (which happens) I find myself getting nailed. I've been told this is just how the aggro "hit list" works and its working ast intended.

Let me try an alternative approach per your suggestions and I'll see where it leads and post the revised build.

Thanks for the feedback...definitely food for thought.

I,ve got a DP/Rad corrupter at 41 now. I also have a 50 DP/MM blaster. I enjoy the corrupter more as the Rad debuffs, heal and AM make him far more useful on teams and more survivable solo as well.

The damage from DP isnt spectacular, but lots of AOE and decent ST shots as well. Your Tier 9 recharges very fast, especially on a /Rad running AM. And I personally love the animation. Make a caped toon for lots of extra visual flair.

Just make sure your secondary enhances your damage.....that's DPs biggest shortcoming. /Rad and /Kin both work well.

You can't invoke it on a dead henchman, I get that part.

But if you invoke it on a dead teammate, does the +DEF bonus apply TO henchies?

I'm currently at level 45 and am facing two big issues:

1) My Demons die all the time. We routinely run teams at +4/x8 and even when keeping them on Defensive BG mode all the time, they just get wasted. Either that or we just make up the spectators and stay at range. That's no fun. I'm spamming every debuff I have....Oil Slick, Glue Arrow, Acid and Disruption Arrow, EMP arrow when its up. But once I send in the boys, they die quickly, leaving me defenseless and then I die quickly.

2) I've got 4 lvl 50's fully Tier 4'd out with all Incarnate powers so I know what lies ahead of me for end-game iTrial grinding. I'm not sure I want to T4 out this MM...its certainly not my best performing toon, and I'm doubtful investing billions in IO's is going to make it THAT good. However, I think adding some defense to myself and throwing in Tactics is going to help me handle the IO trials at 50+1 until I can at least get level shifts to get me to 50+3. Especially for Lam's where I'm likely to go petless during the lab/warehouse phase anyways.

3) Generally speaking, I'm striving for good Ranged defense. This build seems like it would work, but not really sure I'm doing it right. Typically, I prefer high ranged since I'm never at melee range anyways (I hover and twang twang twang my debuffs).

4) I'm not a purple fan on toons that aren't min/max'ed and this one is more themed than a min/max. But it is part of a duo and I do see myself playing it long after lvl 50 so investing a billion or so isn't out of the question. I just don't want to go overboard on sticking lipstick on a pig here.

Can you give me some ideas on ways to improve either my ranged defense or, better yet, my pet defenses? I'm even ok losing some personal defense if it keeps my pets alive longer so if I need to drop some slots from one power to shift it over to another that's fine. I'm also not married to the Medicine pool as I've taken it here but am not slotting it. I've only been using it to heal up between fights, but even that's a rare occurrence since my pets aren't surviving in the first place. I did throw in the 2 Pet aura's and hope that plus Maneuvers will help some but that still pretty low.

Oh and does Vengeance work FOR my henchmen as well? I know I can't use it ON a dead henchman, but had hoped it would give them the +DEF bonus when invoked on a dead teammate.

Thanks in advance:

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.942
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Level 50 Magic Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Demon Summoning
Secondary Power Set: Trick Arrow
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Medicine
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Villain Profile:
------------
Level 1: Summon Demonlings BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg:50(A), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx:50(3), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx:50(3), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(7), BldM'dt-Acc:50(7), BldM'dt-Dmg:50(11)
Level 1: Entangling Arrow P'ngTtl-Acc/Slow:50(A), P'ngTtl-Dmg/Slow:50(5), P'ngTtl-Acc/EndRdx:50(5), P'ngTtl-Rng/Slow:50(13), P'ngTtl-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow:50(34), P'ngTtl--Rchg%:50(46)
Level 2: Flash Arrow Acc-I:50(A)
Level 4: Glue Arrow P'ngTtl-Acc/Slow:50(A), P'ngTtl-Dmg/Slow:50(9), P'ngTtl-Acc/EndRdx:50(9), P'ngTtl-Rng/Slow:50(13), P'ngTtl-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow:50(43), P'ngTtl--Rchg%:50(45)
Level 6: Enchant Demon EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 8: Hasten RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(15), RechRdx-I:50(34)
Level 10: Crack Whip Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:50(15), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(17), Posi-Dmg/Rng:50(17), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(33)
Level 12: Hover LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), Ksmt-ToHit+:30(37)
Level 14: Fly Zephyr-Travel:50(A)
Level 16: Summon Demons BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg:50(A), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx:50(19), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx:50(19), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(23), BldM'dt-Acc:50(31), BldM'dt-Dmg:50(33)
Level 18: Ice Arrow Lock-Acc/Hold:50(A), Lock-Acc/Rchg:50(21), Lock-Rchg/Hold:50(45), Lock-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:50(45), Lock-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:50(46), Lock-%Hold:50(23)
Level 20: Hell on Earth RechRdx-I:50(A), EdctM'r-PetDef:40(21), C'Arms-+Def(Pets):30(33)
Level 22: Acid Arrow Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:50(25), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(25), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(40), Posi-Dmg/Rng:50(43)
Level 24: Aid Other Heal-I:50(A)
Level 26: Summon Demon Prince BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg:50(A), BldM'dt-Dmg/EndRdx:50(27), BldM'dt-Acc/EndRdx:50(27), BldM'dt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(29), BldM'dt-Acc:50(29), BldM'dt-Dmg:50(31)
Level 28: Aid Self Heal-I:50(A)
Level 30: Disruption Arrow EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 32: Abyssal Empowerment RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 35: Oil Slick Arrow P'ngTtl-Acc/Slow:50(A), P'ngTtl-Dmg/Slow:50(36), P'ngTtl-Acc/EndRdx:50(36), P'ngTtl-Rng/Slow:50(36), P'ngTtl-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow:50(37), P'ngTtl--Rchg%:50(37)
Level 38: EMP Arrow Lock-Acc/Hold:50(A), Lock-Acc/Rchg:50(39), Lock-Rchg/Hold:50(39), Lock-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:50(39), Lock-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:50(40), Lock-%Hold:50(40)
Level 41: Scorpion Shield RedFtn-EndRdx:50(A), RedFtn-Def:50(42), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx:50(42), RedFtn-Def/Rchg:50(42), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg:50(43)
Level 44: Maneuvers LkGmblr-Def:50(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx:50(46), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg:50(50)
Level 47: Tactics GSFC-ToHit:50(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg:50(48), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx:50(48), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx:50(48), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx:50(50), GSFC-Build%:50(50)
Level 49: Vengeance LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint Empty(A)
Level 1: Supremacy
Level 2: Rest Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift Empty(A)
Level 2: Health Mrcl-Rcvry+:40(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+:50(31)
Level 2: Hurdle Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina P'Shift-End%:50(A), EndMod-I:50(11), EndMod-I:50(34)
------------
Set Bonus Totals:
10.5% DamageBuff(Smashing)
10.5% DamageBuff(Lethal)
10.5% DamageBuff(Fire)
10.5% DamageBuff(Cold)
10.5% DamageBuff(Energy)
10.5% DamageBuff(Negative)
10.5% DamageBuff(Toxic)
10.5% DamageBuff(Psionic)
10% Defense
1.25% Defense(Smashing)
1.25% Defense(Lethal)
15% Defense(Fire)
15% Defense(Cold)
15.3% Defense(Energy)
15.3% Defense(Negative)
2.5% Defense(Melee)
30.6% Defense(Ranged)
21.6% Defense(AoE)
5% Enhancement(Held)
7.5% Enhancement(JumpHeight)
45% Enhancement(Accuracy)
7.5% Enhancement(RunSpeed)
32.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
7.5% Enhancement(FlySpeed)
7.5% Enhancement(JumpSpeed)
5% FlySpeed
24.1 HP (3%) HitPoints
5% JumpHeight
5% JumpSpeed
MezResist(Held) 12.7%
MezResist(Immobilize) 2.2%
MezResist(Sleep) 8.25%
MezResist(Stun) 4.95%
12% (0.2 End/sec) Recovery
10% (0.33 HP/sec) Regeneration
4.41% Resistance(Fire)
4.41% Resistance(Cold)
5% RunSpeed








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There have been many suggestions already offered. I say just eliminate the rankings. God knows enough other features in this game are already broken. Surely it can't take much to "disable" rankings right now.