Psylenz
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Posts
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Delaying stamina is also a viable option. Many masterminds don't _have_ to have stamina until they are deeper into their builds.
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Quote:It seems to me the cold demonling has fewer ranged attacks as he persistently runs into melee with the other melee minded cousins. Also, I don't force the demonlings or demons into melee, they just all congregate after expending their first round of ranges attacks. On my thermal mastermind, I don't mind this. I have a Demons/poison that I have to play much more cautiously solo, but when I am on with my level partner DS/DM we all gather for glorious twilight grasp damage mitigation along with double ember shields and ember heals.Originally Posted by SevereCalamity
The problem with demon summoning, aside from the obvious general mm AI bugs, is that 2 of the demons are melee oriented (prince, and gargoyle), 3 are ranged (the demonlings), and the ember demon is better suited for ranged combat, but is better served in melee because of its AoE resistance buff and heal. If you stick the 3 T1 pets in melee, then their cone attacks aren't going to be hitting near as many targets as from range.
While I agree with Psylenz that demons are more suited for the "melee killing field" strategy, its an awful waste of their cone attacks and like most T1 pets, they go down a lot in melee. If they're going to be in melee, they should lose the cone attacks and give them PBAoEs or even ranged AoEs like fireball, which would still be useful in melee.
Maybe I'm expecting the set to perform as well as my defense softcapped bots/traps MM with taunt, where I can clear +2/X8 spawns solo quickly and efficiently without problems. I know not all power sets are created equal, but I feel like the set is trying to do too many things at once to be really successful. I'm waiting to see how the AI performs after they fix these stupid bugs before I make up my mind for sure. -
Quote:By the by, I DON'T play the melee killing field tactic on my Bots/* MMs. I position my bots just beyond their range from foes in stay/defensive, then my mastermind attacks/debuffs/aggroes the foes and the bots roll in shooting their range attacks. I especially like this for the battle drones pseudo snipe attacks (longer range blasts). I also try to position so my Bots knock foes back into walls and such and NOT into adjoining spawns. Knockback is your friend especially on a Bots/storm!Originally Posted by JoeKent
That would be awesome if the little guys didn't decided on their own that the current mob is boring and rush off to agg the next group or three. My bots tend to do this.
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This is a topic we need to get a good thread and sticky it, same as how to slot steamy mist, freezing rain, and protector bots for the masterminds.
My favorite slotting for dark servant is six slots of dampened spirits for the recharge, end reduction, and the massive tohit debuff enhancing. Almost all of the dark servant's actions involve a tohit debuff, and I like to maximize that aspect especially for the CHILL OF THE NIGHT point blank AoE around fluffy. Dark Servant heal is nice and it hits for a big heal in a large AoE right out of the box, but you can't control how often or when Dark Servant heals. The dark servant hold is nice, and you can stack it with your own holds, but you can't direct the dark servant to target the foe you want him to hold. -
This is how I would level up a Bots/traps. This prioritizes the minion summons and makes sure that acid mortar and forcefield generator are timely. I do chafe a bit taking poison trap at level 30 so late. Someone will have my head for it. I kept your order for level 35+ save I would take charged armor when available to further strengthen your mastermind's defenses.
Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.703
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Bot-trap: Level 48 Technology Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Robotics
Secondary Power Set: Traps
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Mu Mastery
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Battle Drones -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Web Grenade -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Caltrops -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Triage Beacon -- Empty(A)
Level 6: Equip Robot -- Empty(A)
Level 8: Maneuvers -- Empty(A)
Level 10: Acid Mortar -- Empty(A)
Level 12: Protector Bots -- Empty(A)
Level 14: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 16: Force Field Generator -- Empty(A)
Level 18: Health -- Empty(A)
Level 20: Stamina -- Empty(A)
Level 22: Hasten -- Empty(A)
Level 24: Super Speed -- Empty(A)
Level 26: Assault Bot -- Empty(A)
Level 28: Seeker Drones -- Empty(A)
Level 30: Poison Trap -- Empty(A)
Level 32: Upgrade Robot -- Empty(A)
Level 35: Trip Mine -- Empty(A)
Level 38: Tactics -- Empty(A)
Level 41: Charged Armor -- Empty(A)
Level 44: Detonator -- Empty(A)
Level 47: Vengeance -- Empty(A)
Level 49: Static Discharge -- Empty(A)
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Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Supremacy
Level 6: Ninja Run -
I have a question: is this a level up build or are you respeccing into this? I say this because I would never delay acid mortar or the forcefield generator. With the mayhem temp travel powers: raptor pack, jump pack. I would push travel back rather than these two trap staples. I would value seeker drones higher than recall friend in my trapping experience.
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m3lon, are you including dark servant? He has a nice hold, too.
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I was never a fan of radial kb powers unless I were tank and could grap the aggro right back, like my shield tank. I am a big fan of an AoE hold that can also mule damage procs. I really like choking cloud, but I know it isn't for everybody.
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Hmmm, what level is your DS/DM MM? I have a DS/thermal MM, and I very much like when everyone gets together in melee to fight because the ember demon shield covers everybody, the hellfire gargoyle aura covers the foes, and the Demon Prince slow aura affects the killing field. When I hit the thermal heal aura it covers all the pets usually, and I can spot heal the pets that need more healing with cauterize. This is all after the level 32 upgrade I should mention. My fire demonling usually likes to lag back and throw fire balls.
If you are level 32+ I would suggest embracing the melee killing field strategy. You probably have shadowfall, darkest night, tar patch, and the other dark miasma goodies to mitigate incoming damage. Your twilight grasp should hit most of your pets in this mode, too. The safest place to be is as close to your darkest night anchor as anywhere else. When you get your dark servant, more tohit debuff goodness will multiply and synergize. -
OP, there are so many things better than kick/tough/weave
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Quote:Cream pie and seltzer waterOriginally Posted by Madam_Enigma
True, true enough. *grins* It's too bad Positron is afraid of clowns. If he wasn't, we could have Clown Summoning masterminds with the Cream Pie debuff set.
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Quote:whoa, Melt Armor IS very much a targetted AoE debuff. Mea culpa.Originally Posted by SevereCalamity
Melt Armor is AoE, isn't it?
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Quote:You realize there is a lot of -resistance in freezing rain? Yes, I have had success with Storm/DP. I like the AoE chem rounds adding to the stormy chaos.Originally Posted by Umbral
Rad/DP would have some massive synergy in stacking -res: stacking 3 Chem Ammo attacks on top of Enervating Field generates 62.5% -dam (and you can stack substantially more than that on hard targets) which is like giving yourself that same amount of resistance (albeit reduced by things like the purple patch and enemy resistance).
I don't see much synergy with Storm/DP though. The primary advantages of DP are more damage and -dam via their respective ammunitions. Storm/DP wouldn't be a bad setup, but it wouldn't have any particular synergy (and might actually work at odds of you want to close to melee to use HoB). -
If I am at the market for less than a minute to check to see if something bought/sold, I don't do anything; I'm just passing through. If I spend more than a minute, I send the demons/pets as far from me as I can target. I don't like to hear the wailing myself.
I also turn off steamy mist, arctic fog, shadow fall, superspeed, dispersion bubble, sonic dispersion, etc at the market. -
As long as the little bubbles are in place, I think the Forcefield defender is an excellent candidate for nuking with the sonic nuke being one of the best.
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mea cupla, I missed the unslotted part in your first post.
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I can appreciate having soft caps defense on a mastermind. It's tough to swallow only one slot in forge, heat loss, and melt armor.
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This is how my Demon Summoning/Thermal is currently slotted. I hope to land some juicy Luck of the Gamblers and other Procs for Manuevers. I will probably put six slots in Melt Armor. My patron I am not sure about, since I have resist shields. The Mu patron looks appealing.
Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.703
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
SAA: Level 37 Magic Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Demon Summoning
Secondary Power Set: Thermal Radiation
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leadership
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Summon Demonlings -- Acc-I(A), Acc-I(3), Dmg-I(3), Dmg-I(5), BriL'shp-Dmg/EndRdx(5), BriL'shp-Acc/EndRdx(25)
Level 1: Warmth -- H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx(A), H'zdH-Heal/Rchg(9), H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(11), H'zdH-Heal(34)
Level 2: Fire Shield -- ResDam-I(A), ResDam-I(7), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(7)
Level 4: Lash -- Acc(A)
Level 6: Enchant Demon -- EndRdx(A), EndRdx(23)
Level 8: Cauterize -- H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx(A), H'zdH-Heal/Rchg(9), H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(25), H'zdH-Heal(34)
Level 10: Plasma Shield -- ResDam-I(A), ResDam-I(11), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(17)
Level 12: Summon Demons -- Acc-I(A), BriL'shp-Acc/EndRdx(13), Dmg-I(13), Dmg-I(15), Heal-I(15), H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx(17)
Level 14: Hurdle -- Jump(A)
Level 16: Health -- Heal(A)
Level 18: Hell on Earth -- Dmg(A), Dmg(19), RechRdx(19), ToHit(23)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod(A), EndMod(21), EndMod(21)
Level 22: Crack Whip -- Acc(A)
Level 24: Thaw -- ResDam(A)
Level 26: Summon Demon Prince -- EdctM'r-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(A), Dmg(27), P'ngTtl-Acc/Slow(27), P'ngTtl-Dmg/Slow(29), P'ngTtl-Acc/EndRdx(29), P'ngTtl-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(31)
Level 28: Forge -- RechRdx(A), AdjTgt-ToHit(31), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(33), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx(33), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(34), RechRdx(37)
Level 30: Maneuvers -- Ksmt-ToHit+(A), Ksmt-Def/EndRdx(31), DefBuff(37), DefBuff(37)
Level 32: Abyssal Empowerment -- EndRdx(A), EndRdx(33)
Level 35: Heat Exhaustion -- Acc(A), Acc(36), RechRdx(36), RechRdx(36)
Level 38: Melt Armor -- Acc(A)
Level 41: [Empty]
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
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Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Jump(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Supremacy
Level 6: Ninja Run -
Quote:Fault? like the gravity/empathy controller that recast/tp'd Singularity in the middle of the melee group around the tank, exploding the AoE of doom? That was the one I referred to as tool empath. Fault? like the tank that would try to grab multiple spawns on a 7 man team and taunt them to himself in numbers beyond the aggro cap?Originally Posted by New Dawn
I think Psylenz lost it here anyway along with needing another defender in the team. If there was no other defender in the team then what then? Psylenz would still have to support the team and survive. I think there is some misdirection as to who is as fault. A number of people could be at fault.
It wasn't just the cold defender faceplanting. On one occasion, I was so frustrated with the 'support' the tank was getting, 50% health and dropping with ice shields, that I dropped sleet, popped a red, and hit the sonic nuke just to decrease the attack rate on the tank. These were nemesis, so the ice shields weren't a perfect solution in themselves.Quote:Besides, being within 20' (Transfusion's radius) of an enemy critter isn't really "melee" if you're a cold defender, the critter is movement floored, and takes a full ten seconds to move 20'. More likely the the cold defender was faceplanting not because of his position but because he was the only one without ice shields. Not having SB would have helped him stay in that sweet spot just within Transfusion's radius.
This is what made me snap with the pompous comment, his precious continuity.Quote:[Team] Idiot Kinetic: if someone breaks the chain it breaks the continuity of buffing. -
Quote:There's the rub. I confronted him about the lack of transfusion and offered for him to skip my SB turn, and he replies that would mess up his buff cycles. He says he can't find me but yet he knows I am in melee. And for the record, if you were the only team mate without an ice shield where would YOU go to get a heal with a kinetic on the team?Originally Posted by Rigel_Kent
Problem isolated.
I have no problem skipping people in the buff order. Sure, it takes a little more concentration, but you learn quickly. First, because not everyone on a team needs Increase Density, Clear Mind, O2 Boost, or what have you. Second, because it's unrealistic to expect your teammates to remain in line of sight and 60' of you at all times. Third, and most importantly, because you have to skip yourself. -
Let me preface this by saying I am not opposed to letting people play the way they want or am I down on any particular AT or defender.
I was playing my Cold/sonic.
[Team] Me: dont sb me if you arent going to use transfusion
[Team] Idiot Kinetic: you're kidding right?
[Team] Idiot Kinetic: thx
[Team] Me: not at all
[Team] Me: you havent used it one god damn time
[Team] Idiot Kinetic: i'm layering 12 buffs on moving targets every 30 sec
[Team] Idiot Kinetic: you run into melee and die in 10 sec
[Team] Idiot Kinetic: and i'm supposed to find you
[Team] Idiot Kinetic: can't buff around corners or out of LOS
[Team] Idiot Kinetic: i'm working top to bottom
[Team] Idiot Kinetic: if someone breaks the chain it breaks the continuity of buffing
[Team] Claws scrapper: what are you doing to our bottoms?!?!? ;P
[Team] Me: youre a pompous ***
[Team] Tool Controller: exposed bottoms??
[Team] Idiot Kinetic: lol
[Team] Idiot Kinetic: Psylenz, you amaze me
I will submit to the stern rebukes of the community, and reply to my point of view after you all have your fun. -
Quote:What I try to do with my Kin/dp is to fire off a series of buffs/debuffs followed up by a volley of pistol attacks. The redraw is only more bothersome if you mix them up too much. It does makes sense: siphon, siphon, transfuse, transference, FS, then blast blast blast.Originally Posted by Garent
Kinetics has a lot of click powers that need to be used often, so you'll be redrawing the pistols pretty often. If that's not an issue for you though, it's the best combo in the game when it comes to damage debuffing.
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Quote:That is truly insane.Originally Posted by Katie V
What is it with people and healers? We had the perfect STF team: two illusion/rad controllers, two kinetics defenders, a stone tank, a blaster and a scrapper. The team disbanded because the leader couldn't find a healer.
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I agree. I have a Dark/Ice stalled in the 40s on Virtue. It's a true powerhouse.
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Siphon power: dmg +25%, what's not to like?