Hmm. Well poison is a very strong debuffing set. Especially with defender mods. It is good for 8 man teams, task force, trial, and endgame content. The healing the set provides is plenty to patch up teams to keep them going when there may otherwise be no healing.
Envenom and Weaken are central to what makes the set so great. Theses powers were originally designed as single target debuffs and the aoe splash debuff should be considered extra. For regular spawns always target the boss, sometimes if a Lt. is in the middle of the pack that can work better because of the splash, but where the powers shine is for archvillains.
The debuffs poison offers is stronger than any other set - Between Envenom, Weaken, and Noxious Gas on a single target that is:
-65% resistance (85% with achilles proc, 105% with fury of glad or annihilation procs)
-about 60% tohit debuff
-18.75% dmg debuff
-50% defense debuff (or more)
-50% regen debuff, but also packs a healing debuff making it more effective against things like CoT Behemoths, War Walkers, Freakshow tank smashers and more!
-Reverse power boost effect on the enemy weakening their heals further, any endurance drains they have, CC, debuffs, etc.
Now sure there are other sets with stronger -regen but when dps is as high as it is for endgame content these days, -resistance is the #1 debuff. The biggest competition poison faces as a debuffer is sleet.
Neurotoxic Breath has an enormous recharge debuff along with the slow and chance to hold making it one of the most potent slows in the game, hence the shorter duration. Between some of the other powers having some utility and skippable/choice powers allows you to dip more into pools and epics. Having so much power in 3 abilities for poison is an amazing benefit. Lastly poison trap is a proc monster and being a trap is not an issue here, you should be running in with super speed to get in with venomous gas anyways, the trap is uninterruptable and is a 1 second cast.
Before level 50 the set is still a support set and should be played carefully. The set does just fine on teams without IOs. With them, you can be very tanky.
The build I have here hits 45% ranged defense and 22.9% ranged/aoe defense with 75% S/L resistance, 23% fire/cold, 12 nrg, and 36 neg. 181.25% global recharge hits perma hasten with two +5 recharge IOs. Also just shy of perma soul drain.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.962
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Level 50 Magic Defender
Primary Power Set: Poison
Secondary Power Set: Radiation Blast
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Dark Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Alkaloid -- NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx(A), NmnCnv-EndRdx/Rchg(5), NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(21), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(21), NmnCnv-Heal(23), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(23)
Level 1: Neutrino Bolt -- SprVglAss-Rchg/+Absorb(A), SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg(3), SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(3), Apc-Dam%(5)
Level 2: Envenom -- Acc-I(A)
Level 4: Weaken -- CldSns-ToHitDeb(A), CldSns-Acc/Rchg(11), CldSns-Acc/ToHitDeb(13), CldSns-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(13), CldSns-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(39), CldSns-%Dam(40)
Level 6: Irradiate -- Arm-Dmg/Rchg(A), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), Arm-Acc/Rchg(7), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(9), Arm-Dam%(9), FuroftheG-ResDeb%(15)
Level 8: Elixir of Life -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A)
Level 10: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(11)
Level 12: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), RedFrt-Def(25), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(37), RedFrt-EndRdx(37), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(40), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(40)
Level 14: Super Speed -- BlsoftheZ-Travel/EndRdx(A), BlsoftheZ-ResKB(15)
Level 16: Proton Volley -- StnoftheM-Acc/Dmg(A), StnoftheM-Dmg/EndRdx(17), StnoftheM-Acc/ActRdx/Rng(17), StnoftheM-Dam%(19), StnoftheM-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19)
Level 18: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(43), Rct-ResDam%(43)
Level 20: Electron Haze -- Empty(A)
Level 22: Boxing -- Stp-Acc/Rchg(A), Stp-EndRdx/Stun(25), Stp-Acc/EndRdx(48), Stp-Stun/Rng(48), Stp-Acc/Stun/Rchg(50), Stp-KB%(50)
Level 24: Tough -- HO:Ribo(A)
Level 26: Poison Trap -- UnbCns-Dam%(A), NrnSht-Dam%(27), GhsWdwEmb-Dam%(27), Lck-%Hold(31), ScrDrv-Dam%(34), Obl-%Dam(34)
Level 28: Cosmic Burst -- SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg(A), SprDfnBst-Dmg/Rchg(29), SprDfnBst-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(29), SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(31), SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31), SprDfnBst-Rchg/Heal%(34)
Level 30: Weave -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), RedFrt-Def(43), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(46), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(46), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(46), RedFrt-EndRdx(48)
Level 32: Venomous Gas -- DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb(A), DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(33), DarWtcDsp-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(33), DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb/Rchg(33), AchHee-ResDeb%(42)
Level 35: Oppressive Gloom -- Stp-Acc/Rchg(A), Stp-EndRdx/Stun(36), Stp-Acc/EndRdx(36), Stp-Stun/Rng(36), Stp-Acc/Stun/Rchg(37), Stp-KB%(50)
Level 38: Atomic Blast -- SprVglAss-Dmg/Rchg(A), SprVglAss-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39), SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 41: Dark Embrace -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(42), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(42), UnbGrd-Max HP%(45)
Level 44: Soul Drain -- SprAvl-Rchg/KDProc(A), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(45)
Level 47: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 49: Vengeance -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Vigilance
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrc-Rcvry+(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod(A)
Level 0: Portal Jockey
Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve
Level 0: Task Force Commander
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion
Level 50: Vigor Core Paragon
------------
------------
Set Bonus Totals:
