Plant/Thorns Build


Lady_Dee

 

Posted

(Please note all views and opinions are based on my game play and no way is this a PVP build or near a PVP build. Please feel free to add in any input you agree or disagree with since everyone’s gaming style and opinions are different. Also know this is a guide with no number crunching at all)


So you’re thinking of rolling a Plant/Thorn Dominator before you role this build read this guide or anyone else’s guide. It will save you headaches in the long run.


Pros-

If you’re a vet player like me you’ll view plant dominator as a breath of fresh air. We went a long time seeing the same holds such as ice, fire etc. With plant one pro it is different above the rest and you get the ability at level 32 to have a Fly Trap as a pet. Plant domination has good controls making nice to lock down on enemies and when your Domination is going deceiving or holding a boss or E.B. really helps. There are numerous powers in this set that makes it fun such as Fly Trap and Carrion Creepers. Any Illusion controller could tell you deceiving the enemy is fun and the same thing applies for Plant. Nothing is more fun then deceiving that Malta Sapper and watching him drain his buddies end or watching a Ruin Mage get knocked over and over again by his own Earthquake.


Cons-

These are my cons of the plant control set and one of them is patience. Plant takes a lot of patience to solo. You can most certainly solo with this build but I have learned sliding that slider up on anything beyond Vicious and your going to be seeing a lot of the hospital. If you’re the type who’s in a group most of the time you really don’t need to worry about the whole patience part. However if you don’t have Domination up when fighting that boss when you are solo it’s going to be very rough for you. Further more when you solo with a Plant controller you don’t get pets like Masterminds do right off or have a lot of damage output like Brutes. You hold the enemy throw thorns and repeat thus making it rather frustrating for sum that first roll a Plant Controller.

The other down side Plant control could become boring as you get to 40th level reason being is that a Dominator isn’t as favored in groups as Corruptor, Mastermind, Brute or even a Stalker. Masterminds come with pets, holds and debuffs and same for a Corruptor but they have shields and heals. Brute output of damage with a Stalker makes a Dominator sort of useless to sum groups. Don’t get me wrong people find that Dominators are useful but if they can find a Corruptor first you’re pretty much out in left field. If you can over look these Cons and ignore the boredom and patience you’ll like Plant Control.



Plant Primary:


1.) Entangle- Is a signal Target hold meaning it grounds a signal enemy with roots around there feet making them unable to move but still can attack you.


Skip This Power!


Seriously this power is pretty much useless and as you continue to climb in levels it will become more useless.


2.) Strangle-This is a signal target hold that wraps an enemy in vines making them unable to move and attack you at all.


Take This Power!


This power is a must to have and is your bread and butter of the bunch. It’s also very useful when you’re starting on in the game and continues to do so through the rest of your levels. It’s nice to have this in your attack pattern by holding an enemy with strangle then wail on him or her. This hold is crucial to a Plant/Thorn player and it works wonderful on bosses and E.Bs when you have Domination up and going.


Slots-Accuracy, Hold, Hold, Hold, Recharge.



3.) Roots- Is like Entangle except it can hold multiple foes instead of a signal foe. They can still attack you but cannot move.


Skip This Power!


Roots is one of those powers that any Plant Dominator can most certainly skip. Later when you get vines this makes Roots useless to have, Further more your Fly Trap comes with Roots allowing you to free up a power spot of something else that’s more beneficial to your player.



4.) Spore Burst- An AOE sleep affect that targets multiple foes but will awaken when attacked.


Skip This Power!


I am probably one of those people who hate sleep powers in this game. Granted it’s nice of the DEVS to incorporate sleep powers in a hero/villain game but when it comes down to it there rather useless. First off when you in a group using sleep powers is rather dumb because everyone rushes in and beats the crap out of everything waking the baddies up. When you’re solo having people sleep on you contradicts your hold powers since they do damage. Then you gain access to Carrion Creepers which has knock back makes this power even more worth not taking. Yes, take a sleep power then get a pet with knock back, its fantastic-for N0obs =P!




5.) Seeds of Confusion- A cone power that deceives multiple enemies in to fighting each other instead of you!


Take This Power!


Ok so if you’re a Plant Dominator and skipped this power do me a favor k? Turn off your game, walk over to your wall and bang your head on it repeating after me “I am a moron and should go back to playing Pong.” Repeat this as many times as you think you need too before you realize you need this power. Seeds are not only a life saver but super fun to use. Adding Aim+Seeds+Domination=Nasty Combination on a group or E.B. It’s fun watching that Sapper drain a Gunslinger’s end, or a Death Mage debuffing all his friends or even seeing that Rikiti Guardian give you AM or bubbles or both!


Slots-Accuracy, Confuse, Confuse, Confuse, Recharge



6.) Spirit Tree- To put it in lay man’s terms this is like the “Tree of Life” Devouring Earth Herders drop down. However you cannot teleport this tree to a different location like Herders can, once the tree is place it stays where it is untill it's time is up then you can summon another one.

Your Call!


This is a power that people will disagree on taking. I feel as though it can be a good asset if you’re in dire need of healing or want an extra buff for you or anyone’s pets. So I am told the healing % isn’t all that great on this power however if you have a chance to take something with healing I for one would.


Slots- Recharge, Recharge, Heal, Heal, Heal (or 1 recharge yer call)



7.) Vines- is like Strangle but is an AOE hold and can grab multiple foes instead of one.

Take This Power!


People will say this power is useless and I really want to whack them on the back of the head. Look at this way Strangle and Vines is similar to Blind and Flash in the Illusion set. Strangle is the signal target hold just as Blind is and Vines is the AOE hold like Flash. So if you choose to skip Vines in a round about way your saying Flash for Illusion controllers is useless too.

The only down fall is Vines seems to take too long to recharge but it does help instead of trying to hold group with you signal target Strangle. I usually pop up Vines and then target those that got missed by it and use Strangle. Some will say "Whats the point of Vines if you have Confuse?" First thing is you don’t get full bonus if a Confuse enemy kills someone and secondly a confuse party tends to run off and then comes back unconfused and can take you off guard hitting you or going back to there spot. So if you walk off and he or she comes back and it’s a “Defeat All” mission it could pose to be a pain back tracking through that 3 elevator lab mission to find them. I usually hit them with Seeds, wait a minute then pop up vines and repeat for the next group.



Slots-Accuracy, Hold, Hold, Hold, Recharge, Recharge



8.) Carrion Creepers- Basically this is a patch of vines that seems to be well a patch of vines. Then out pop a handful of long vines and start knocking enimies over. They do minimal damage but have a good chance of keeping the enemy flopping over and over again. They also will follow you for sometime before dissipating.



If you skip this power you will be getting many, many, many, many, many tells with the question “Why the hell didn’t you take Carrion Creepers?” For good reason Carrion Creepers is you first damage pet who will contribute greatly to taking down enemies especially E.B.s and bosses. You don’t know how much fun it is seeing that E.B. get smacked on there butt over and over again until you see C.C. in action. Plus they make this weird monster noise too which is kind of well weird.

Slots-Accuracy-Damage, Damage, Damage, Recharge, Knock back (for fun)



9.) Fly Trap- A plant with anger issues, legs and a taste for flesh. He follows you around, can be healed, buffed and teleported to your location. He can fling poison thorns, bite and even immobilize with Roots.

Take This Power!!


The fly trap is your second pet he is your friend, you may not want to hug him but you’ll love him. This is little guy zips around biting enemies behinds, holding them down with Roots and flinging thorns at him. The only down side too the Fly Trap is you cannot name him and cannot control him. He’s just a renegade with flies buzzing around him.


Slots- Accuracy, Damage, Damage, Damage, Recharge, Immobilize



Thorny Assault (Secondary)


1.) Thorny Darts- You fling a small handful of thorns at your enemies dealing toxic damage and can reduce the target’s defenses.


Take This Power!


This is one of you first damage dealing powers aside from brawl. Nothing too much to say about this power other then it does moderate damage and is useful in your attack pattern.

Slots-Accuracy, Damage, Damage, Damage, End Reducer



2.) Skewer-A signal thorn comes out of your arm
allowing you too shove it in the enemy. Deals poison Damage and the additional toxic damage can weaken you foes defenses.

Take This Power!


Skewer deals moderate damage and is really nice too have in your attack pattern. Hitting them with Strangle the sticking it too them is fun because they deserve it.

Slots-Accuracy, Damage, Damage, Damage, End Reducer



3.) Fling Thorns-A Cone power that hurls a handful of thorns in front of you striking multiple enemies. It deals poison damage which can reduce a targets defense.


Take This Power!

Nice range, moderate damage good too have in your attack pattern. Your Fly Trap comes with this power too.

Slots-Accuracy, Damage, Damage, Damage, End Reducer



4.) Impale- You can hurl a cluster of darts at your enemy. Any enemies hit by this cannot run, jump, fly or even move there completely immobilized for a short duration. These thorns deal a lot of toxic damage when they hit.[/b]


Take This Power!


Impale is another nice damage power to have in your line of attack. It deals moderate damage and it’s nice to drop foes to the ground. It works great on those Longbow Chasers, Juicer Freaks, Air Thorn Casters and a lot more.


Slots-Accuracy, Damage, Damage, Damage, End Reducer



5.) Aim-Increases you chances to hit for a few moments and slightly increases your damage output.

Take This Power!


Aim works great with Seeds of Confusion allowing you to get a “Strike” more times then a “Gutter.” Hitting Aim then Seeds every time before engaging in a group makes things all the better and less inspiration accuracies you have to carry around. Plus as I said above hitting Aim+Seeds+Domination=equals devastation =).


[/b]Slots- Recharge, To-Hit-Buff[/b]



6.) Thorn Burst-You can explode a lot of thorns in a short distance striking all foes around you.

Skip This Power!!!


For thing the Prima Guide tells you that a Dominator job is too keep the enemy away from you. Funny considering this power you need to be close to the enemy and having any extra enemies added makes this power more of a headache. The animation on top of it is just too long for my taste. Basically it looks like your character is trying very hard to let this fart out and instead out comes thorns.



7.) Thorntrops- Is basically Caltrops with a different name. You throw a handful of thorns on the ground causing the enemies to be slowed when they step on them and take damage.

Take This Power!

I love these little guys. Nothing is better then holding them with Vines, throwing down a handful of Thorntrops. If Vines drops Thorntrops is there as a backup. It keeps enemies from running, great for throwing down in doorways and if you get in those “Oh Crap” moments you can throw these down to keep the enemy from catching up with you. There great to have on hand for E.B.s bosses and even some monsters.

Slots-Recharge, Enhance Slow Movement (Damage if you so choose)



8.) Ripper- Is basically like Eviscerate for scrappers, Blood Widow baddies use a similar attack. This is a cone attack done in a back flip doing massive damage to the foe you’re fighting and or around him or her.


Take This Power!!


This power does a lot of damage and it’s great to use when there immobilized. Nice power to add to your chain of attack pattern. If you however get too many enemies around you better off trying to hold them first them use this or if some one has arggo. Remember the key to a Plant/Dom is trying to keep the enemy held and or away from you so if the enemy isn’t held when you use the power could be a good chance for them to use there high attack power. Course you could just say “This lime chick is off her rocker” and use it when you want too. Good for Bosses and E.B.s you need all the damage you got for them =)


Slots-Accuracy, Damage, Damage, Damage, End Reducer



9.) Thorn Barrage- You can shoot thorns out so fast that it has a chance to knock the baddie(s) on their butts. This attack maybe short range but its devastating and deals toxic damage reducing your target’s defenses.


Take This Power!

[i]Not too much to say about this power it deals a good amount of damage sending your foes on there butts even if there held.[i]

Slots-Accuracy, Damage, Damage, Damage, End Reducer




Pool Powers-


Leaping

Flight

Teleportation

Super Speed


Out of these pools I took Flight for my Dominator. Hover is a good way for me to give out holds and sum damage while not taking too much of it. When I solo I don’t use hover as much as I would in a group. It’s entirely up to you which travel pool set would be most beneficial for you and your play style. I did take Teleport Friend because I have the Medicine set and to help my friend(s) even my pet get too me if need be. Hasten isn’t necessary in my opinion for Plant/Thorns but its not going to hurt.


Concealment-

I don’t have this set at all with my dominator. I personally saw no room or reason to even bother with getting this set for her. Plus Poor Phase Shift and that crazy nerf =(.


Fitness-

No need seriously. I had this set and respected out of it when Issue 7 hit. Reason being I really wanted the medicine set and just added in a few end reducers in my attack powers. I don’t really run out of end if I am in a super heavy fight I might drop in end but that’s rare and even if do a few blues fix that issue.


Medicine-

This is only pool power I can really stress too you to make room for. It has saved my butt numerous times when I ran out of heals. I am trying hard to fit in my MM build. I cannot express to you enough how happy I am dumping the Fitness set and getting this instead. Plus its nice being able to heal your friends and your crazy Fly Trap.


Fighting–

Never took this set saw no need plus I heard the % rates for Dominators are really pathetic. Sides my job is keep that enemy away from me, if I need this set then I guess I shouldn’t play a Plant Dominator.


Leadership-

I did start out by getting this set and dropped it. For on thing I felt as though it wasn’t doing too much for me since I solo most of the time and use AIM when I can. I choose to take a defense power in one of the E.P.P. sets and for me it works out great.


Epic Pool Sets-


Personally I don’t know which one is the best set for a Plant/Dominator since I choose Ghost Widow out of all them. The other sets just didn’t seem to fit my character and her back round. So this is where you need to figure out which one fits your character, play style and build.



And there you have it folks my build for a Plant/Thorn Dominator. Take Care and good hunting