Pans_Folley

Yes, but then there is a timer or indicator showing that these pets and summons are still with you. CC tents to be hidden from view until you get in close. I use seeds in every instance, but if CC takes off on me, and I didn't know it was still hanging around, it could be a problem later in game. I'm thinking more about the timer now than I am breaking stealth. I've been managing steamy mist rather well with my vet pet, and now I'm turning toward the timer or indicator showing CC (or the lack of one).

I wish there was some kind of timer or indicator for it. I started on a new mob this morning thinking my creeper had long expired. To my happy suprise it popped up one last time. In this case it was a good thing, but what about the next time?

OK, I'm now using my Carrion Creeper and I just found out that while it is with me, I loose my stealth from Steamy Mist. Is this intended or is there a bug out? If it's intended, why do they not let me know I have that pet even if it's timed? I'd like to know if I still have it following me before I go walking up and get hit.... lol.

1) I use this rule of thumb if I want to go with making IO's for my toons. I will make level 15, 30, and 45. I'll sell all the extra salvage once I've made what I needed for that teir. I sell all the set items that I don't need except for the procs. Those are always useful either to you or an sg member / friend. Once I'm at 50, I can start working on my purples.

(One side note - If I've already worked out a build or have taken one from the boards, I may start crafting some of the set items I need as I get them in drops just to save from having to buy them again later.)

2) It really depends on the group.

Here is the build I'm working with. Hope it helps!

( I don't slot sets while I'm playing with builds )

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Stone Storm: Level 50 Magic Controller
Primary Power Set: Earth Control
Secondary Power Set: Storm Summoning
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Ancillary Pool: Stone Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Fossilize -- Acc-I(A), Dmg-I(3), Dmg-I(3), Dmg-I(7), RechRdx-I(9), Hold-I(15)
Level 1: Gale -- Acc-I(A)
Level 2: Stone Cages -- Acc-I(A), Dmg-I(5), Dmg-I(9), Dmg-I(11), RechRdx-I(37)
Level 4: Snow Storm -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(5)
Level 6: Quicksand -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(7), Slow-I(11)
Level 8: Combat Jumping -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 10: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 12: Stalagmites -- Acc-I(A), Dmg-I(13), Dmg-I(13), Dmg-I(34), RechRdx-I(37), Dsrnt-I(40)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Jump-I(A), Jump-I(15)
Level 16: Freezing Rain -- Acc-I(A), RechRdx-I(17), RechRdx-I(17), DefDeb-I(19), DefDeb-I(19), DefDeb-I(25)
Level 18: Health -- Heal-I(A)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Steamy Mist -- EndRdx-I(A), DefBuff-I(23), DefBuff-I(23), DefBuff-I(46)
Level 24: Earthquake -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(25), RechRdx-I(27), DefDeb-I(31), DefDeb-I(46)
Level 26: Acrobatics -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(27)
Level 28: Volcanic Gasses -- Acc-I(A), RechRdx-I(29), RechRdx-I(29), Hold-I(43), Hold-I(46)
Level 30: Stone Prison -- Acc-I(A), RechRdx-I(31), Dmg-I(31)
Level 32: Animate Stone -- Acc-I(A), Dmg-I(33), Dmg-I(33), Dmg-I(33), Dsrnt-I(34), Dsrnt-I(34)
Level 35: Tornado -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(36), DefDeb-I(36), Dmg-I(36), Dmg-I(37)
Level 38: Lightning Storm -- Acc-I(A), Dmg-I(39), Dmg-I(39), Dmg-I(39), RechRdx-I(40), RechRdx-I(40)
Level 41: Fissure -- Acc-I(A), Dmg-I(42), Dmg-I(42), Dmg-I(42), RechRdx-I(43), Dsrnt-I(43)
Level 44: Rock Armor -- EndRdx-I(A), DefBuff-I(45), DefBuff-I(45), DefBuff-I(45)
Level 47: Earth's Embrace -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(48), RechRdx-I(48), Heal-I(48), Heal-I(50)
Level 49: O2 Boost -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(50), Heal-I(50)
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Level 1: Brawl -- Dmg-I(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Containment

I took Entangle, Roots, Strangler, Seeds of Confusion, Vines and at Level 22, I'm doing serious damage - Quick!

Seeds is my opener using Steamy Mist as my Stealth in. I'll let them bunch in some before hitting Roots so they're all nice and close. If I get a miss, that one his hit with Entangle. I'll then cycle through Strangler & Entangle on Boss / Luit taking them down first, applying Roots as it recharges. I have two recharge Lvl 15 I/O in Seeds and two Lvl 15 Acc I/O and I can apply it twice to the same mob if need be. It's very easy to have it ready for every mob group. If I do get a miss on one of the baddies, it's easy to apply a single Strangler on them to quiet them down while I finish working on the boss. It's like slicing through butter with a hot knife. The mobs just drop away.

I only take O2 at the end of my build. I use it for pet heal only. You'll never see me trying to heal a party when I can do much more with my control powers. I've leveled Ice / Storm and I'm now playing Plant / Storm and Earth / Storm. I've even rolled a Fire / Storm but havn't put much time into him in about 2 months. # / Storm is powerful and O2 is nothing more than a cheap Break Free for the team. That's it.

I love storm. I've already leveled one 50 and I'm working on another with storm. There are a few powers I take just because they're so awsome in my book.

First: I do take Snow Storm. The negative speed and fly works well for my play style. Even if I miss a lockdown on a mob, they can't run up to me before something is recharged for me to use on them.

Second: I take O2 Boost. I use it as a quick heal for my pet. (Grav pet can not be healed, so it's up to you on this one.) It also keeps them from being held or stopped in their tracks.

Third: I like Steamy Mist. I like the stealth in it and the bit of defense it can provide is a nice little bonus. It let's you get in range for a few of your close ranged hits as well as bringing in your pet so they start to do stuff.

Forth: I take Freezing Rain. The debuff is fantastic as well as providing some knockdown to keep them from taking aim at you. Slap a couple of recharges in there and you can debuff mob after mob with ease.

Fifth: I take Tornado. The damage is nice, and the extra debuff is sweet too. I've been able to turn the tide a few times on an AV Mission using Tornado and Freezing Rain to weaken their defenses and resistances.

Lastly: Lightning Storm is a serious must for me. The extra damage this puppy can dish out is worth the endurance it costs. Put in an extra recharge and you can keep the gray cloud perm, kicking out the damage and bringing foes down around you.

Skipped Powers: Gale - Hurricane - Thunder Clap

I can't find it in my heart to use Hurricane. I know the power is awsome at reducing accuracy and you can pin mobs against corners and stuff, but I've never liked it. I've run in a few times thinking mobs were locked in place only to find that the timer was over and I send the mobs in all directions.

Thunder Clap is a nice stun power, but there again, the animation and soft hold it provides just doesn't do it for me. I can get better use out of my holds and Lightning Storm in my experiences.

Gale - Why do I say it's skippable when you have to take this power. I say it simply because after about level 5 or 6 you've picked up enough powers that this power can be removed from your bar without ever missing it. I did try to max it out once in one of the free respecs, but even with additional accuracy, damage and knockback, it still didn't tickle my fancy. Others will make it work for them, I just don't. Not my cup of tea.

Hope it helps!

It'll take some getting used to, but over all, I'm impressed.

I was watching like a Hawk to see when they would pop back up. I've missed them very much! !

Looks Cool Too !

Sweet! I Missed Ya ! ! !

I'm running Sonic / Ice. Good Damage, extra holds / sleeps and lots of slows. Res debuff helps out for faster take down too.

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Your characters will be fine. All of those are stored server-side.

The only things that you will lose are any costumes you have saved, screenshots you have taken, or bind files that you have made for yourself.

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Oh and don't forget the update that has to re-download and install. That puppy can take some time on a slow connection.

I really like the Trick Arrow Idea. I have Storm and my only worry is the fact that Mind has sleeps that can be broken with about 3 of storms powers. Tornado, Lightning Storm, Freezing Rain. All very good and important powers and all with AoE damage. Trick Arrow has holds with no damage allowing you to pick off the sleepers one by one if you wanted and the debuffs are real good with the ability to keep sleeping mobs sleeping. Just my two cents.

Hibernate is a good heal and full protection while doing it. The recharge is very long even after it's slotted, but I like it. Cold Armor is a nice defense against Smash/Lethal. Resist cold is ok too, but not that important in my opinion. I havn't run into a whole lot of Ice tossers to worry about it. Other then the recharge of Ice Storm, the power is worth it. The minus to recharge will do good against those that can't resist it. The cold damage is worth it alone since most of the high levels have some resistance to the lethel damage produced. Keep the baddies locked when using it or they will scatter. I skipped the other two powers, Ice Blast and Frost Breath. I didn't need the extra range and I already had Ice Control to use a lot of extra slowing with. My secondary is Storm so I had a lot of extra hit power and debuffs to really mop up the mobs. TA has some nice control and debuffs that will work well if you take the Ice APP.

I am in the process of re-rolling my plant / rad. I'm at 23 and just not finding it working for my solo play style. I've leveled an Ice/Storm controller and found the secondary very helpful when both teaming and solo. I'm looking toward Trick Arrow as a new secondary for plant. I like the extra control it offers and with the damage provided in Plant, I'm thinking I can get away with it's debuffs and extra perks.

I've been using these new tricks and it seems to be getting easier. I have been using my Air Superiority for the beat down, but I've also been using the Nemesis Staff to a greater success. The reduced defense in Rad Inf is making a big difference. Seeds is coming back up faster with an additional recharge in it too, so even if they come running back, I can get them to start hitting a different target or just sit there while I finish them off.

Oh, speaking of Seeds. I'm starting to hit the Raiders. I'm letting the engineers make their shield drones before casting confuse. Yeah!!! I get bubbles. This is so awsome!

Thanks again All !

I don't have a Mind yet.

(Mind Controller you funny bunnies!)

So I'll have to play with that. It sounds like fun!

My level 50 Ice / Storm / Fire just rips through mobs. Ice Slick, Freezing Rain, Lightning Storm, Glacier. Is one good way to wipe out a group or you can go Frostbite, Freezing Rain, Tornado, Lightning Storm and Thunder Clap can be tossed in just for extra measure if they keep trying to hit you while they are dropping like flies. I've tried Hurricane for the debuffs but if you don't get a nice hold with Frostbite you could break up the group when you really want them all in nice and close. I'm still using common I/O's for the most part. I only have a couple of sets started in my slots so I can only think it's going to get better as I slot them out. Lockdown in Block of Ice is already showing some promise with just a couple in there now.

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OK with /Rad, you will want Radiation Infection with some defense debuff in it, then Nemesis Staff them before you apply the hold. That will knock them to the ground. Then you can hold them and root them. If you hold them in the air, then you have no way to knock down; at that point you're screwed.

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Oh Yeah, I found out the hard way on that. I kicked myself for that one.

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Or you can find something nearby who is on the ground ( thorncaster or something ) and roots them, the aoe will catch the spirit. If you have Hasten, AM, and RI the Nemesis Staff approach will be your best bet - giving you good recharge for the staff, and good defense debuff to hit with.

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I have both hasten and AM. It does help alot with the recharge rate.

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Eventually Carrion Creepers will be knocking them down for you so you won't have to worry much about it.

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As soon as they become available at 26, I have them planned for. That's going to be party time for me!!!

Thanks for the help ! I'll work more with Nemesis Staff on those bad boys. I know I'll be facing them for quite a few more levels.

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It can be frustrating. There are times when an enemy definitely should not be considered off the ground but appears to be anyway. Other than applying a -fly power, my usual solution is to scan for another target that appears grounded and target it for roots. Truth be told, I use roots so early and so often in a fight that it hasn't been much of an issue for me.

Quick question...while ghosts can be difficult to immobilize, they generally aren't difficult to hold unless they've applied significant tohit debuffs on you. This suggests to me that you aren't using seeds of confusion to start the fight. Is that correct?

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No, I do use seeds of confusion, roots, rad infection (rad 2ndary) entangle / strangler.

The problem is, even when confused, CoT ghost will become invisible and take off. Very much like the Tsoo Spirits do. If I have more than one running, when they come back, they're mad as all get out. If seeds or strangler isn't ready yet, it takes one roots and one entangle to get one immob. I just hope that I can get a good hit on the other. I have one accuracy in roots, strangler, and entangle. I have 2 accuracy in seeds. I can usually recover the situation, but it still makes it harder when they're tagged in flight even when they're not looking like it.

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I'd just like to find out why I hae ben getting more lag then usual.-

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I know MINE has been from the Svenhard's and Rock Stars.....

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?

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Svenhard's Swedish Pastrys and Rock Star drinks.... lag.... heavy / slow......

Never mind. It was much funnier in my head.

I know I'm not to listen to those voices in there....

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I'd just like to find out why I hae ben getting more lag then usual.-

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I know MINE has been from the Svenhard's and Rock Stars.....

Something Looks Promising.

I just tried logging in for fun and found that there is now a download available. It is applying as I am typing. We'll see what suprises they have instore for us.