Jade_Dragon

All attacks in the game are rated on a scale value that equalizes them against their End cost and recharge time. So, for instance, Power Slice from Dual Blades has the exact same stats (for the most part) whether it is on a Tanker, Scrapper, Brute or Stalker. It will recharge in the same time, cost the same End, animate in the same time, and do the same "scale" amount of damage.

When the damage is applied to the foe, though, the AT's modifiers come into play. So a Tanker does less damage than a Scrapper because he has a 0.8 modifier and the Scrapper has a 1.125 modifier. The Tanker will do 0.8/1.125 = 71.11% of the damage the Scrapper will do with the exact same attack. This keeps the damage ratio between the ATs constant no matter what the differences in their attacks are. (And while the modifier could be considered a percent, like 65% for a Defender, that's only relevant compared TO something else. So a Defender does 0.65/1.125 = 57.78% the damage of a Blaster)

Here's a listing of the modifiers:

Blaster = 1.125 Ranged / 1.0 Melee
Scrapper = 1.125 Melee (the same for Ranged since their ranged attacks just count as Melee)
Tanker = 0.8 Melee (again same for Ranged)
Defender = 0.65 Ranged / 0.55 Melee
Controller = 0.55 Ranged and Melee (Containment really increases this, though)

Dominator = 1.05 Melee / 0.95 Ranged
Stalker = 1.0 Melee
Brute = 0.75 Melee (Fury can raise this higher than a Scrapper though)
Corruptor = 0.75 Ranged and Melee
Mastermind = 0.55 Ranged and Melee (they have so few attacks their damage is reduced even more - but their Henchmen deal damage independent of this)

Corruptors, Defenders, Controllers and Masterminds usually have some power in their Buff/Debuff set that allows them to increase damage. This can get a Corruptor's damage close to 0.9, or a Defender's to 0.85. Note that when you're talking about these base modifiers, though, any special powers the AT has to increase his damage usually isn't counted. This can make the gap between the damage dealers and the "weaker" classes smaller than it appears.

Blasters and Dominators also usually have special melee attacks that do more damage than the Scrapper/Tanker/Brute versions, but take longer to recharge. Doms can have slightly better/slower ranged attacks, as well. (Their Snipes, for instance, do about the same damage as a Blaster despite the 0.95/1.125 difference, but they recharge slower to compensate)

My Mind/Fire is my highest level Dom (my Grav/Elec right behind him) and while I can certainly see where Fire picked up some problems from the revamp, I avoid them because I pretty much don't use those powers. I never used Flares despite being stuck with it, and don't have Consumption. And he's always been my fastest leveller, even though it seems like he does die more often than everyone else.

The new damage has certainly helped my survival, so I'm not unhappy. I'm going through the 40-50's myself, but hey, I'm in no hurry, I have only two currently that I actually pushed to 50. I'm an altoholic, so I switch around and take the levels as they come.

This sounds so much like me.

I find that most teams like to steamroller, but I am extremely, almost excessively methodical. I like to say that I have to clear every single speck of grey off of the mission map, no matter how many times I have to go back down the same corridor. It's probably crazy, but that's my mindset. (And I have to admit the "Reveal" Vet reward has helped my sanity. )

I do have a few groups that I know that prefer to take their time, though. A lot of it is "uber" Enhancements and builds, most of my friends actually couldn't steamroller a mission like that. Sometimes we do, but even then it's with a certain amount of caution. We don't mind waiting for someone to catch up, take a Rest, or handle something offline.

Another likely issue is that you may be playing with groups much higher level than you are. With the new Super Sidekicking system that's all so automatic you may not even notice. If you're level 10 in a level 30 team, though, while you can contribute, you'll run out of breath while they're all still going. You can either just let the team go on ahead without you, or leave the team and try to set up one closer to your level.

I'll also add that at the really high levels, especially with IOs, the difference between sets tends to average out. While Bots is much better for Tankerminding than Thugs overall, at the high levels their offense and defense become much closer to equal. Likewise, the differences between Traps and FF balances out. (Particularly if you use IOs to bring your damage up)

But all of this is probably irrelevant to the thread topic. I'd go with what fits concept, if you have one.

Bots/FF is the thematic match for the Primary since the Dispersion Bubble stacks with the Protector Bots' bubbles, and you can bubble your bots as well. This is the combination which is typically used for the "Tankermind", since you can easily cap Defense on your Bots, and I think yourself as well. You lack offensive punch, but most Tankerminds aren't worried about damage anyway. The knockback also meshes well with the knockback from your Bots.

Bots/Traps is also a good thematic combination because of the Force Field Generator, and the tech/robotic aspect of the other traps. You lack the individual bubbles, but make up for it with Acid Mortar, which will help you do more damage (I slot it to recharge as fast as possible, since it's not mobile) and Detonator, which is just awesome. This isn't really a great combo for Tankerminding, though, more supporting from the rear as your Bots fight. Still, most traps can be laid without being interrupted, so you don't have to be stealthy about it if you don't want to.

I understand Bots/Dark is a good combo as well. I've played them separately, but not together, but I would guess the -Acc stacked with the bubbles makes for good defense. Plus, there is the ability to heal yourself, as well as the Dark Servant. This is probably a good Tankermind combo, although it lacks the status protection of the Dispersion Bubble/Force Field. I've found that being held isn't usually a problem, though, as it means my henchmen aren't. Or if one of them is held, I'm not.

Bots/Storm is probably good, as previously suggested, because of the knockback compatibility, like FF. The chaos and disruption caused to the foes is very helpful solo, but I would think it's not the best thing for holding aggro. (Although it may be able to draw it) If you're willing to go that route for crowd control, though, and your teammates don't mind, it can be effective, and your damage is probably pretty good too.

The rest I don't think I would bother with. Trick Arrow doesn't seem thematically compatible, I would call it more low tech, and Pain Domination I can't really tell you about as I have never tried it. Poison and Thermal are okay, but I don't think they play to the Bots' strengths. Poison is too single target oriented, and Thermal's shields are Resistance, not Defense, so they won't stack. (Although Def and Res combined can be quite effective)

If you don't know what I mean by "Tankermind", let me know, but I'm assuming you've been reading this forum. If you're coming from a Tanker you may want to use that strategy, but you might also want to explore playing more like a Defender/Controller and letting your henchmen play the meatshield. Just try both and see which you like.

Back in the day I would always set my Difficulty to at least Tenacious at level 10. I felt that if a character could not at least take on a Boss solo, that it was a bad build and I either worked on the build or abandoned the Power Set. I never got that far, though, even my FF/Rad Defender was able to get through the Bosses with a combination of Detention Field and Snipe and Retreat tactics. Nowadays (at 50 and pretty nicely IOed out) he solos at +2/x1 or +1/x2 levels easily.

I honestly stay away from most of the possibilities of the new system, just trying to set to something like the settings of the old system. Guess I'm just comfortable with it. It is really nice to be able to lower difficulty to -1/whatever to overcome tough EBs though.

I will agree with Ad Astra. Masterminds are NOT an AT to jump into cold. They can be a lot of fun when played right, but they are their own animal, and totally different from any other AT in the game. And you really do need to take a lot of time setting up keybinds to maximize your control.

It's not that MMs can't be an AT you introduce yourself to the game with, but it's not really the best choice. I'd definately try out the Brute. But don't abandon your MM, you can probably get through the early levels with just basic Corruptor/Defender strategies, without having to get in too deep.

The problem most players on this forum have with Sniper attacks is that they build for sustained DPS, maximizing the damage they do against AVs and in teams. In that regard a Sniper is a horrible attack, because its damage over the time taken to cast it makes it weaker than normal attacks, not stronger. On the other hand, I find Sniper attacks useful because I tend to go from spawn to spawn taking "down time", instead of just steamrollering through them. For me, I just consider the time taken to fire off the first Sniper in a volley to be part of the down time.

I do primarily solo, though. In a team, I often find a foe dying before I can get off a Sniper blast. And the Corruptor isn't really suited for Sniper attacks because, as je_saist pointed out, it is built for BOOSTING its damage with debuffs before it strikes. Debuffing the foe loses the element of surprise, and means you will be shot at while the Sniper is charging. Whereas a Stalker, with a higher damage scale to start with, will do more damage "cold", with his first shot.

I still use Sniper attacks in combat. The technique is primarily to incapacitate or otherwise render yourself protected from counterattack while charging the attack. Force Field is actually good for this on my Defender since with good slotting on my Defense I can make the odds very high that no shot will hit and interrupt me. Likewise, a Dominator or a Corruptor with a hold can lock down the foe and be assured of taking no damage during the cast time. Redside is actually a little lacking when it comes to Sniper attacks as neither Corruptors, Stalkers nor Dominators can truly use them in their best possible circumstances. Snipers are really best suited for Blasters, who can get off that full power first shot.

In short, while most people don't like Sniper attacks, they have their uses. But they are very situational, and you can almost always benefit from picking some other attack first.

I'll also add that since the Dominator revamp, their Snipes do a lot more damage (about as much as a Blaster, although on a longer recharge timer) and Snipes by their nature are extremely End efficient. If all ATs end up getting the Doms' Sniper boost, they might become more useful overall. I would also like to see the interrupt time reduced to the same two seconds as an Assassin Strike.

And I have no earthly idea what the devs were thinking with Calibrated Accuracy.

Both Tankers and Corruptors are notoriously low damage, not as bad as Defenders, but close. If you want a very soloable class redside, go for either a Brute or a Mastermind. While the MM will have tougher going through the 20s, they are capable of great damage once you hit 32. (Especially Bots or Thugs) Stalkers can also be good for soloing, although it depends a lot on whether you enjoy that type of stealthy play.

Don't forget, though, that when Going Rogue comes out, you will be able to bring the blue side ATs over to redside. You seem to be unique, someone who actually likes redside. (I do too, actually... ) A Scrapper or Blaster would be able to deal way more damage than a Tanker or Corruptor, and maybe even be more soloable as well. (The Scrapper definately would be, the Blaster would depend on your playing style)

Honestly, I would just try as many ATs as you can. That's what this game is best at, letting you create lots of alts. And don't worry about elemental powers, just come up with a concept that fits. You may find that a Controller or Dominator fits what you are looking for. (Both can do LOTS of damage in the right hands) It all depends on what works well for you.

I have a Blaster hero that will be going redside because he was the first attempt I made at a villain back before CoV came out. He has been a Corruptor, Brute and Dominator as well, but I will probably play the Blaster version just to get him into the 30s or so.

As someone else has previously mentioned, I also want to take a Warshade to the "dark side". I expect there will be a lot of that.

I will be taking a Mastermind to the hero side. And there will be a lot of characters I leave in the "grey area". The ones I find most intriguing, though, are the ATs that really don't have a counterpart on the other side.

In general, 1/2 of the Defense from stealth powers suppresses. So it goes from 3.75% to 1.88%.

This varies by AT, though. A Tanker would get more Defense from a stealth power since his Defense modifier is higher. The idea that it is halved is pretty consistent, though.

One big exception is Stalker AoE Defense, which drops from 37.5% to 3.75% with Hide. This seems to be an inherent attribute of the Stalker. (It protects them from "splash damage" aimed at the tank while they set up their Assassin Strike)

ATs all run about the same from about 1-10, gradually differentiating until it becomes more obvious at 20. From 22 on, after you get SO's, the innate differences are exaggerated until they become the most important factor, depending on how you have slotted Enhancements.

For instance, a Brute won't seem that much weaker than a Tanker in the early levels, when you have only a few defense toggles, don't have them slotted, and don't have the Endurance to run them anyway. Post 25, with Stamina fully slotted, and lots of Enhancements in your attacks, the Tanker can become almost unkillable. Then you really begin to see the difference. Even three slotting his attacks, though, the Tanker won't do as much damage as the Brute, because the base on which his damage Enhancements are built are just that much lower.

Fortunately, you also tend to become more balanced in other ways. Blasters get some defenses when they get up to really high levels, and with your Tier 9 Defense, both Tankers and Brutes can stop worrying about defense and just start plastering foes. And with most Defenders, you should be able to get some damage boosting powers that in the high levels will make Blasters look at you and turn green.

So while it depends a lot of build, the weak spot for many ATs is the late teens and early 20s, when they've just started to get SOs, but don't quite have enough to make it worth it. That's when the Defender will really feel like he's plinking away at the foes with a slingshot, and the Blaster will feel like if a foe sneezes on him hard it's a trip to the hospital.