plainguy

I think the OP has somewhat a lack of understanding of the game mechanics. Because if he did then he would understand the tankermind concept from reading the sticky and about the -ToHit Debuff of Dark.

Telling someone that Robot FF is the safest alone is not enough because a poorly slotted Robot FF is going to suck as well.

I find this type of thread similar to what is the best farming brute threads.

If you learn how the math works behind the game then you can figure out what the best is in every AT and not just Masterminds. You will know what the safest is in every AT and which is the weakest or at least, the least acceptable to you.

Having a Defense cap Traps toon in every AT and a petless DS Traps mastermind that can solo 4/8 I have to disagree with Dz131. Traps is one of the best well rounded sets ever produced in this game. Yes Time set is good but to gain maximum benefit from Time you still have to spam 1 power every 119 seconds to be afford max benefit in the Time set. You do not need to do anything of the sort with Traps.

Further I would like to see any secondary from the Mastermind set or many other AT secondaries that can solo 2/8 at a minimum with just using secondary alone. I know I can with just using Traps. No other set can boast that. Again seeing that I have a DS Traps I have proven exactly what I have stated. Further as always, I would gladly show anyone otherwise of a solo traps performance.

But if the OP understood the game mechanics then he could answer and validate all these questions and statements.

The info given was great but no one even asked if he knew what he was reading.

Well it is nice to know the Taunt aura works. I am wondering if it can be a replacement for Provoke or at least I was considering Melee to stack with Provoke to a more solid attempt at keeping all aggro on me instead of the pets.

Was wondering the same thing. I would like Assault for my Robot Traps but if my pets don't get the damage buff whats the point. I would then consider Support as well.

One super pet with multiple themes..

The Tier pets are incorporated into it, so in essence each new pet would be upgrade and the pet would change in physical appearance. Or go on the cheap and the Pet doesn't change appearance wise and just gets new powers.

Honestly the 2nd route would make it more viable because as with any new mastermind pet set they look to make 3 new models. So instead of making 3 new models for 1 set, they can make 3 new super pet models.


Frankenstein monster theme.
Giant Robot theme.
Biomorph theme - like living organism, human like mob that has living tissue in the shape of weapons or whatever.
Ancient Demon theme - Basically like demon summoning just its one larger pet.
Human sidekick theme - For all intent and purposes its just like having another player with you. Instead of dying he ports out and ports back in when summoned.

Traps is Traps is Traps..

Traps is pretty much the same across all ATs. Your pretty much picking up all the powers from Traps except Time Bomb for the most part. Maybe I should be saying you can pick up everything but Time Bomb.

The great thing about Traps is allows you to be defense capped for all Arch Types that can us it. If your not defense capped your doing something wrong.

Overall each Mastermind Traps character is going to looks the same excluding Patron power pools and maybe 1 or 2 other powers. Nutshell you can obtain and should be able to obtain defense cap before having to pick up your patron powers or epic powers. Those should be free choices to flesh out your character. If you MUST use patron powers to get defense capped your doing something wrong.

As far as Corruptors go I don't know what to tell you. I responded to a thread a while back. Would guess it's a few pages back by now but if you do a search for my name in Corruptors forum it will be there. I had to look back at it myself to repost a link in yet another thread. But in that thread I posted up about 5 defense capped Traps builds.

Demons are a mix of Range and Melee. But regardless Traps is a solid set to use for ANYTHING. You can definitely solo 4/8 with it pre incarnate.

LOL

You lucky SOB.

Your out so many months and then come back and get paid. Its as if you never left the market.

Look I get THB is a way over the top with things. I agree his builds are excessive in the sense if your doing 49 dps he considers that bad if he can get 52 dps out of an attack.

BUT

Regardless of what he is saying He did hit the mark with Reppu. She posted a cropped image showing a build failing to show the most important parts. She skirts the issue and fails to post a new pic. I mean really how hard is it to post a new pic ? You did it the first time. The button is right on top to add a picture. So it not like you have to learn HTML or something.

Dech offered to be an impartial test subject and she never agreed, I don't even think she even acknowledged his offer.

Again I have no stake in this crazy thread beyond calling Reppu out on this.
I do think she back peddled after doing all this napkin math.

Post a pic.. Take the challenge. But don't refute THB and refuse to do either because it really shows you were just talking out of your backside.

I mean honestly what is the WORST that can happen.. Absolutely nothing. Dech gets 2 useless level 50 toons. You loose the challenge which has no reward or punishment. So THB comes back and says he spanked you.. And ?? What ego bruised ? People find out who you are in RL and send you hate mail and weight watchers coupons ?

The only way you look bad is if you really do not have what your saying. Which to me after after being called out the first time about the pic I would post a proper image just to shut the guy up. Heck I would pay a Chinese farmer to PL and buy INF on a toon just to make my point. But that's just me.

Again yes I do agree THB is grinding against his screen while simultaneously looking in a mirror and giving himself high fives as was previously mentioned. I would also image he does his best imitation of buffalo bill from silence of the lambs looking into a mirror to wild horses playing in the background in the basement of his moms house.

BUT... BUT..

When you drive through all this craziness he called out Reppu and she failed to accept the challenge. I don't care what excuse she gives. She dodged his challenge and made more excuses about the image instead of posting a new proper and correct image. Dech was going to bear witness and as forum posters go Dech is honest and trustful person. I certainly would take his word on the accounts. Plus he can post screen shots. And on top he clearly made it apparent that he neither hates or likes these 2 people so he has no vested interest in seeing either succeed over the other. Honestly you could have 7 players there as long as they have some sort of invis or stealth not to interfere with the process. Someone could record it even.

Again so many options are available. But posting a proper pic of the build would be a really good and simple start.

Nutshell

I don't think Reppu can do anything she mentioned. I don't think she has this toon slotted the way she posted. I don't think she has a billion INF Scrapper. I don't think she has the mastermind she post a build about. I think its all forum epeen and internet bravado.

I would imagine some sort of reply from Reppu along the lines of I'm not gonna do it because post or just a complete ignore of the thread or attack me but still ignore the challenge.

I know this has been mentioned numerous times in various thread. I even know they have one on another forum related to this.

My honest gripe with this whole issue is many great ideas have come across these forums related to this. The power customization thread has tons of great ideas from 2 years ago. But very little of it comes across.

Personally I would love to see an alternate to Traps and Devices, maybe make it some Mystical or Magical theme, instead of trip mines some arcane rune that explodes. Gun drone in the shape of some Base raid device. Have AR be Dual pistol like, instead of full auto have 2 guns out stretched spraying bullets as an example. fireballs from Staves or wands. Fireball in the shape of a fiery phoenix.

For a still paying veteran player who has done pretty much everything and has about 15 level 50s all incarnated and capped out in one shape or fashion. About the only thing left is playing dress up or making themed characters. Unfortunately I have about 4 or 5 Traps toons, I have a Device toon, I have a Stormer or two and the list goes on. I even picked up the new sets hoping I might get into them. But I'm bored. I get more excitement out about creating a good themed toon that is capped then leveling the toon. Oddly enough the one toon that keeps my attention as well is a petless DS Traps, but even that toon can solo 4/8. But again because of its uniqueness it is what keeps me entertained.

At this time I play my toons that I have and slowly level up a staff stalker, Titan weapon scrapper, claw scrapper, a Time Grav and finally a Necro Poison. But I end up gravitating back to my 50s but the only thing that bores me about them is the looks. I enjoy playing them. I just wish they could look different power wise.

I know my point is somewhere in there and I hope I am making it. I know some players can have 7 years on and just have 2 toons. Unfortunately I had a bunch of alts I played and they just leveled up one day. Once one of my toons hit 50 they just started snowballing in one after another.

At this point I think I am making toons just to make them and to occupy my time. I'm not bored with the costumes but more of what the powers sets look like I guess.

I hope that some day we can see more then just mixing power gestures from one AT to another. Again I know this stuff does not happen over night. I would just like one expansion just to be a big customization update.

Not siding with anyone but I do agree somethings in Market should be a bit more clear.

Maybe a video of the power being activated and used. EG panther stealth power. Maybe larger images of the items EG when barbarian set came out. Granted some of this stuff can be seen in costume creator now, but there was a time you could not. But regardless images and video in this day and age are really not hard thing to add to websites. If you can take my credit card number you should be able to upload a video or at least a larger image for me to review.
Sometimes I get the impression they are almost embarrassed by what they are selling that even they don't want to promote it that much.

Piss people off on the forums when I mention my Petless DS Trap MM. ... Always seems to stir up a fight. Reality every time play a toon I start to gravitate toward petless MM more and more for the challenge. I have so many toons that can solo 4/8 even in DA its boring. I even have a AR Device that solos 4/8 in DA but I do 3/8 for the speed factor of it. I have no Trip mines in the build btw. Basic Range Cap hover blaster. Have 16 seconds recharge on Full Auto.

But Petless DS Traps has defeated a Pylon and fought some Hero which is equivalent AV correct ?. Just don't recall the AV it was on +1 setting I think. Have screen shots. I figured I should document some of this stuff in case I get called out on it. Even it can solo 4/8. Admittedly not as fast as the rest but its pretty cool to me do things with such a gimpy toon.

Number 2 awesome thing I did because I didn't know better.

When incarnates first came out I fought both Heroes at the same time in that Rikti mission solo on 4/8. The only reason I did is because I just never took the time to read the other 2 settings on the mission settings contact. I was so pissed afterwards because I made a comment in Atlas about how my other toons were not gonna be able to do it solo against 2 AVs / Heroes and someone said to me about disabling no AVs and bosses. I almost tossed my computer out the window. End result since that contact came out and those settings came out it took me until the incarnates to know about them. I need to stop skimming through stuff sometimes ..

I remember a while back there were some threads regarding this. Some interesting builds. Not at home or have mids atm. Figure it would give you something to compare to.

Here is the link http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=268020

Cloaking Device - Would be nice to have a critical hit component for the first attack done while cloaked. Maybe add a Terror component as well similar to Stalkers A.S. attack. Cloaking Device having unsuppressed defenses would make it unique and a bit more worth while taking. If it is not for the defenses a stealth IO pretty much does the same with super speed active. This I can confirm since I have that combo on all my toons.

Time Bomb - Green circle around Icon denotes bomb is ready to use. A second click on the icon triggers the bomb.

Trip Mine - Less interrupt-able. Blasters with low defenses are pretty much stuck to placing this bomb at the start of fights only. Trying to place one in melee range is or can be disastrous, especially against AVs..

Gun Drone - As the Op mentioned. Similar mechanics to Time Bomb. Once click activates the Gun Drone. Second click on Icon places green circle and makes it stationary old school. More damage for sacrifice of mobility. Maybe make it where once changed you cannot change it back. Again depending on what is needed to balance out the conversions from mobile to stationary.

I would like to see Device have the options to have different powers based on what you picked from the power set. So the more you pick from it the more different options you get to change. Again following the whole Ying and Yang rule of taking from one area improves another and so forth.

So for example picking up Caltrops and Taser would allow for the option at another level to convert Caltrops to Stunning Caltrops.

Or picking up powers would combine into something a bit more unique. EG Cloaking Device and Trip mine would give some sort of team buff. Maybe a +to Hit because of some upper hand.

Of course the combo idea of giving buffs has zero effect on older players as it does not hinder or limit them. The ability to change your powers is an OPTION so again it allows older players to keep what they have and not be affected by the updates.

Or make Device the first set with an A and B option. Choices A are the original and B is the newer / modified choice.

I am not saying that all these powers need to be changed at once. I would say pick a direction and insert the powers in one at a time if needed, over a period of time. So they could start with Gun Drone or Combo mobile / stationary Gun Drone choice. You pick what you want and you can mix and match old and new.

Have you ever played a Storm toon ?

Regardless of what some might say, there is a learning curve with Storm and trying to figure out / experiment with the powers in a team environment can be bad for you. Unfortunately one of the best powers for YOU solo is one of the worst powers for a team, especially in today's game because everyone can just steam roll stuff. Of course the power I am talking about is Hurricane.

As many will jump in and explain Hurricane is good for holding mobs in corners or against some other object and has a good debuff but take skill to use. Trying to herd mobs into corners can be tough or having players understand that herding mobs into corners and you holding them there is good. You need to practice so you know how much not to push the mobs so they don't spin out.

Also Lighting Storm a bit higher then ground height will make it a Knock Down and not a Knock Back.

Personally build wise I went Range Defense cap and middle road AOE and Melee and allowed the debuff from Hurricane to cap those 2 out. I also went with as much recharge as I could and picked up Burnout so that I can drop down doubles of all the storm powers for big fights or big pulls. The recharge actually allows me to have up 3 Lighting Storms when burnout is used for 30 seconds I think (build is on the forums and being lazy to open up my VM see the MIDs build).

Mine is a Storm Sonic as well.

Once capped out what I learned is I go in and drop Snow Storm on the boss and then run back a few rooms. He then drags along all the mobs. Once they start coming I pop a purple to give me a bit of a boost defense wise and then start dropping LS and FR on the mobs. The issue I do find is I hit the Mob cap so I can pull more mobs then will aggro on me sometimes. End result can solo 4/8 with him.