Smurphy

I think you have a great chance. Insipiration use will be more important than the shivans. I think either one of you would have a great chance at soloing it.

I have never heard of that happening before either. I'm sorry that was your first experience in City of Heroes.

I believe the command...

/window_resetall

resets all the windows to the default. Hopefully that's the standard default with all the basic default windows showing. So the method you would use is press "c" or possibly "enter" to display the chat box. Then type the command --- /windowresetall (the underscore isn't needed) into the chat line and press enter.

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Ok, so I liked the dual dark/ice defender idea because of the ability to easily hold bosses. Would dual ice/* blasters be better for this, since they can do the same thing at level 8 and also kill faster?

If I were to go the blaster route, what would be a good secondary to pair with it?

Thanks in advance.

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The defender gets many other dark powers that further add to survivability. A blaster gets more butt-kicking. Pretty much all the blaster secondaries are the same concept of "I hit stuff". Try going one Blaster one Defender. You can always use the same toon in another duo using sidekicks/exemplar.

I'm keeping things intentionally simple. It will take two holds to succesfully hold a boss. This means that with a little bit of recharge and hold duration a single one of you could Hold a boss with Freeze Ray alone. Just fire it every time it's recharged. Two of you firing your Freeze Rays on a Boss will easily and quickly hold a boss. Just remember to keep applying it. With two of you neither of you will have to remember to press the hold all the time. Further, you can get "Petrifying Gaze" a hold from the Dark set as well. I don't think it is really necessary nor wanted. Freeze Ray recharges that fast.

Early on you'll be both able to use your Ice Blasts and Twilight Grasp and easily be able to defeat everything. I suggest mixing in using Tar Patch and Darkest Night just to practice. Eventually these two will be super super important. However, you might not notice the difference early and the Ice Blasts will simply kick booty.

I threw together a basic build below. Personally, I don't care too much about travel powers. The temporary flight packs from banks are good enough. I threw in Hover/Fly as placeholders. Feel free to change those to other travel powers. Hasten is helpful but you will do more than fine without it so don't feel pressed into Super Speed. If you really like travel powers and want them early push "Frost Breath" back. I put it in because attacks are fun. Slide up Darkest Night/Tar Patch and push Hurdle/Health back. You will be able to get any travel power you want by level 14 if you so choose.

Hero Profile:
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Level 1: Twilight Grasp Acc(A), Acc(7), Heal(7), Heal(19)
Level 1: Ice Bolt EndRdx(A), EndRdx(3), Acc(5), Dmg(11), Dmg(15)
Level 2: Ice Blast EndRdx(A), EndRdx(3), Acc(5), Dmg(11), Dmg(15)
Level 4: Frost Breath EndRdx(A), Acc(9), Dmg(9)
Level 6: Tar Patch RechRdx(A)
Level 8: Darkest Night EndRdx(A)
Level 10: Hurdle Empty(A)
Level 12: Fearsome Stare Acc(A), RechRdx(13), Acc(13)
Level 14: Health Empty(A)
Level 16: Freeze Ray Acc(A), Acc(17), EndRdx(17), RechRdx(19)
Level 18: Hover Empty(A)
Level 20: Stamina EndMod(A), EndMod(21), EndMod(21)
Level 22: Ice Storm EndRdx(A), Acc(23), Dmg(23)
Level 24: Shadow Fall Empty(A)
Level 26: Fly Empty(A)
Level 28: Bitter Ice Blast Empty(A)

I put in slots that you should start using. The endurance reduction is intended to be pre-Stamina slotting. Once you get Stamina you probably will be able to take a lot of that Endurance Reduction out.

I suggest not taking Black Hole nor Bitter Freeze Ray. I don't think either will be useful to you. Petrifying Gaze is take-able but I doubt you will want it. Taking it makes you hold machines.

Aim, Howling Twilight, Hasten and Combat Jumping are all powers you probably want. It's just a matter of personal preference on those.

Dark Servant and Blizzard are pretty much definite choices.

Try the slotting like I proposed until you get Stamina. Then slot to your own style.

Most of the combos being suggested now are the "get their good powers early" combos. They are also mostly easy to play. IOs and a fancy build won't be needed for any of these to be effective but kicking machines.

The most important thing to consider pre-level 20 is your endurance. Slot your attacks (not toggles) first. Slot endurance reduction enhancements (light blue) in these attacks. Your blue bars will last much longer with this slotting.

Sorry heroside

Try Broadsword/Katana Regen Scrapper with a Cold or Forcefield Defender or Controller. The buffs on the scrapper will make him super survivable. Regen gets its self-heal and endurance powers early. Combined with the buffs of the shields and controls or attacks from the second character and the scrapper can flip out and go super crazy right from the start. Katana and Broadsword both get an attack at level 8 that adds lots of melee/lethal defense as well for even more survivability. Plus its a big sword. So it hurts people.

Two Dark/Ice Defenders. These guys will be relatively complicated but super powerful and controller-ish.

Dark has Tar Patch, Darkest Night and Twilight Grasp early. From two of you these three will make you incredibly survivable. Enemies will be slowed, weak, and have trouble hitting you. Ice attacks do great single target damage, have a slow component and at level 16 you both get Freeze ray.

Eventually you can have debuffs of many kinds, fears, holds and other powers along with machine-gun like Ice blasts.

Dark might be too complicated for your son but pairing a Dark with a melee character can be great too

Altoholicism is the way to go I'm going to focus on combos that get powerful early. Emp/Sonic is crazy after you start filling out powers. But before level 12 it really doesn't have much of anything. Save Emp/Sonic for later

Two Dominators - anything that sounds cool to you guys. Dominators are "hold and touch". With two of you on Dominators you'll be able to control/hold every enemy you come across. Throw 'em in the air, hold them, immoblize them, confuse them, anything you can do to keep them from shooting you.

Melee + Buffer. I'm going to make gross generalizations here. I suggest for the meleer you take a weapon set. Weapon sets tend to have lots of big "smash" powers early. Dark melee doesn't have the feel of big smash but it actually is incredibly effective at single targets. Weapon sets feel to me like they are hitting people. Secondary wise depends on lots and lots of things. My main general suggestion is to avoid damage auras until after stamina.

Buffer wise I suggest going with something like Thermal, Sonic, Cold or Force Field. These sets all get "shield" powers early. Put shields on your teammate and then shoot the bad guys. The meleer should be super survivable and be so very early.

One thing you might want to do is try the Masterminds, or perhaps one Mastermind again. Possibly mix and match with a Corruptor or Dominator.

Play the Mastermind like a melee character. Take a few melee attacks. Air Superiority and Jump Kick (it's been changed) from Power Pools are great attack powers. Keep your Mastermind pets in "Bodyguard mode". Defensive and Follow is Bodyguard. In BG mode your pets will share some of the damage you take AND they will attack if you or one of them are fired upon. So... keep them in BG mode and flip out and go crazy. Run at the bad guys with your Mastermind and use your attacks. Take maybe one or two from the Primary and Jump Kick and/or Air Superiority.

Mixing the Mastermind with a Dominator who can control the tough enemies or a corruptor who can provide buffs can be really effective and fun. Both the Cor and the Dom do lots of damage too. Now you can get the fire power and easiness of a Mastermind while having action

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Three endurance redusctions in your Invulnerable toggles is overkill, you only need one per toggle. What is killing you is Tough and Acrobatics. You have no endurance reduction in those at all and they use almost twice as much endurance as your Invulnerable toggles.

Also, Combat jumping has a very low endurance use, but I'd put one in there anyways. Just remove the one you have in Super Jump...there is no reason to waste a slot by putting an endurance redux in super jump.

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There is no reason to waste a slot putting an endurance reduction in Combat Jumping either. Putting this End Red enhancement in any attack power would be vastly superior.

Pretty much everything can work and everything can be a superpowerful duo. However, I think it is more about finding a duo that is fun for you two. I've got lots of experience doing crazy duos with people. I have two brothers that play and have played for a long time. I've also introduced several of my good friends to the game and one of them had virtually no gaming experience. If you don't mind I'd love to ask you lots and lots of questions and help you make a duo that is fun for you and your son. Fitting your personal styles is the most important thing

Emp/Sonic and I'm sure all the other suggestions are really powerful and really fun to some people. However, they might not fit you.

How old is your son? Do you and/or your son prefer complicated to play characters or things that are more simple and direct? What duos have you tried and what did you dislike/like about them?

If you think talking more directly might be easier feel free to send me a tell in game /t @Smurphy, Hello -- or send me a PM here I'm more than happy to ask/answer questions on these boards.

Slot your attacks before slotting anything else. Slot your attacks with endurance reductions before anything else. Turn off Mud Pots as often as possible.

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it startes with recovery bonus's..if your running a stone tank..you dont need anything else but recov,recharge and +damage and some speed

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It does NOT start with recovery bonuses. These bonuses are relatively insignificant compared to the awesome power of slotting commonly used click powers (meaning attacks) with endurance reduction.

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The Performance Shifter +End is REALLY useful, slot one in Stamina and another in AM!

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Don't slot one in Accelerate Metabolism. The proc has a chance to fire every time to you cast Accelerate Metabolism.

Further, if your character has endurance issues slotting multi-aspect IOs with Endurance Reduction in your attacks will be vastly superior to Performance Shifter in Stamina, Numina and Miracle in Health or any recovery bonus you can think of slotting. For example: Try slotting Damage/Endurance instead of just damage, or Accuracy/Endurance instead of just accuracy. etc. etc.

I'd be impressed with 10 minutes on a Defender.

I took Tough, Weave, Vengeance and a Patron Shield instead of Patron Powers. I think my Corruptor is survivable

All you've got to do is commit crazy acts of insanity and survive them. A teammate will do the same. They'll die. Then you get Vengeance

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City of Heroes is a game. The purpose of a game is to have fun. If you are not having fun change what you are doing.

City of Heroes is about you. Be greedy. Think about yourself first. There is absolutely no one in the world, not the developers, not your best friend, not your siblings and not even your mom, who knows when you are having fun as much as you do. You are best suited to the task of making sure you have fun. You. You you you you you.

I feel absolutely no guilt nor shame when I leave a team with no warning. I honestly feel no anger, hostility nor resentment when someone leaves one of my teams without warning. Please leave my team if you are not having fun. I'm fairly disgusted when others feel otherwise.

I understand no one is perfect and you can't know everything before hand. I understand things will change. But do your best to communicate what you expect from teammates and what you intend to bring to teams. Eliminate as much "un-fun-itude" as possible before it occurs. Stop "un-fun-itude" as soon as possible.

(I should add that when I'm on a Task Force and not having fun I'll ask to leave. If I'm requested to stay because I am considered crucial to the team's success I will stay. Though, if I no longer am crucial I will leave. I have left TFs before they're fully complete after all the "hard parts" were defeated.)

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The core issue that is being sidestepped is merely one of common courtesy. I don't care if you wanna leave halfway through a mission...just say so...that way, the team isnt held up deciding whether to wait for you to come back (maybe he dc'd) or to fill your spot.

TF's tho, I have a different take on, but again, it's a matter of courtesy. If you don't plan of finishing the TF, don't join. Simple. Yes, RL can interfere with TF's....simply say that you are leaving due to circumstances. That's all.

The attitude that other people don't matter if they interfere with your happiness and enjoyment of the game....not gonna psychoanalyze, but it's just plain rude.

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I am rude. I do speak my mind. I'll answer questions honestly. Most often I do say "I'm going to leave the team." Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I get asked "Why?". "I'm not having fun on this team."

I rarely join PuGs because most often pick up teams stand around talking about things they think they "need". If a pug stood around RPing or discussing some interesting topic that be cool. I'd be ok with standing around doing that. Instead, they are discussing how we "need this" or "need that" and "we won't start until we have this" or "that many players". Or let's wait around for him to sell, train, go to wentworth's, buy SOs and comb his hair. Why bother? He can join us in the middle. He can join us next mission. I think every single one of those needs is stupid, wrong and misguided. I think the only thing we need to do is enter the mission and start shooting stuff.

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The core issue that is being sidestepped is merely one of common courtesy. I don't care if you wanna leave halfway through a mission...just say so...that way, the team isnt held up deciding whether to wait for you to come back (maybe he dc'd) or to fill your spot.

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Decide what? What's there to talk about or figure out? You can look in the log and verify that a player has "quit the team" as opposed to disconnect. I can join another team. I can find other players. You can join another team. You can find another player. I can find more bad guys to shoot. I can do another mission. You can find more bad guys to shoot. You can do another mission.

There's no "one and done" in City of Heroes. There's always more bad guys to shoot. There's ways to do every mission again.

Go shoot the bad guys. Don't wait for me or waste time thinking about me.

I like your name.

Bigger explosions.

Why not? Could you explain your reasoning? I want people to have fun. I am against people not having fun. I don't want to force un-fun on others. How do your views conflict with my views?

City of Heroes is a game. The purpose of a game is to have fun. If you are not having fun change what you are doing.

City of Heroes is about you. Be greedy. Think about yourself first. There is absolutely no one in the world, not the developers, not your best friend, not your siblings and not even your mom, who knows when you are having fun as much as you do. You are best suited to the task of making sure you have fun. You. You you you you you.

I feel absolutely no guilt nor shame when I leave a team with no warning. I honestly feel no anger, hostility nor resentment when someone leaves one of my teams without warning. Please leave my team if you are not having fun. I'm fairly disgusted when others feel otherwise.

I understand no one is perfect and you can't know everything before hand. I understand things will change. But do your best to communicate what you expect from teammates and what you intend to bring to teams. Eliminate as much "un-fun-itude" as possible before it occurs. Stop "un-fun-itude" as soon as possible.

(I should add that when I'm on a Task Force and not having fun I'll ask to leave. If I'm requested to stay because I am considered crucial to the team's success I will stay. Though, if I no longer am crucial I will leave. I have left TFs before they're fully complete after all the "hard parts" were defeated.)

I often ask a lot of questions if I'm joining a team. I have a quirky playstyle and often don't exactly mesh well with many teams. I don't have fun and they don't have fun when it's a bad match. My series of questions don't exactly go like that

I respect that he's trying to make sure his personal preferred play style coincides with the team. I don't exactly agree with his preferred play style being fun and I certainly don't think his preferred style "efficient" nor "good".

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2. Use the Market to transfer influence by having one character buy a cheap item placed on the Market by your other character for a lot of influence. It's a bit tricky to do and if you screw it up and someone else sells you the same item you put up yourself, then you've transferred all your influence to them instead of you.

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Heh. Indeed. I was the lucky receiver of a nice fortune just recently on one of my toons because of someone's botched Inf transfer. I asked for like only... 50 Inf for the enhancement, but I wound up with a hundred thousand times that. Oh well. At least that character's financial future is secure.

Sorry to whoever lost it to me, though.

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That doesn't prove they were attempting an influence transfer. They could have simply looked at the history of the past 5-10 sales and bid what they felt would get them an instant sale.

Not everyone wants to sit in the market and place bids in 5 inf increments.

Furthermore I routinely have people paying me millions of times more than my sales price at the market because I sell everything for 1 influence.

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It was a Level 6 enhancement. Who in their right mind would pay 5 million Inf for a Level 6 enhancement if it wasn't a botched Inf transfer?

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Someone trying to donate money randomly.

I'm sorry for your loss. I don't understand. Do you know specifically why each of those people left? Did you ever attempt to get new players?

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Our guild

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Normally they are referred to as Super Groups or Villain Groups.

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Then came the start of the nerfs to ae and skills players had spent years to build up.

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Are these two things related? How did the AE nerfs affect you? How did the "skills" nerf affect you? Which nerfs are you specifically talking about?

You may be able to find trustworthy people who can assist in helping you transfer from redside to blueside, vice versa, and even across servers. Often there is at least some fee involved. Usually checking in the target server forum is the way to go. It is best to be very clear on which server and side you have, which server and side you want, and how much you are looking to do.

Fire/Dark may be more ideal for you because Fire/Dark gets most of its super damage tools very early. Tar Patch and Rain of Fire both can be online quickly.

Fire/Kinetics really doesn't head into the stratosphere of damage until after Fulcrum Shift. Siphon Power just doesn't compare.

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Experienced, good, inventive, or crazy players (take your pick) can go beyond these roles with impunity. The most important things any AT brings to the team is that they contribute towards the enemies' defeat, and that they do not contribute to the defeat of the team.

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..and even the second part can be ignored and still a team can reap great success.

Make friends. Run things with friends. Help friends out. Ask friends for help.

Talk in global channels. Learn things from new people. Steal their knowledges.

Try crazy ideas. Make big explosions. Do silly outrageous things.