HoundsTooth

Light Form boosts resistance while in Dwarf and Nova. You just can’t activate Light Form while in Dwarf or Nova. I would keep Dwarf even after getting Light Form. It gives you another heal which can be activated quickly. Dwarf form has higher HP than human form, so you can switch into it if you get in over head; pop a few inspirations, heal up, then get back to your higher damage forms. The crash from Light form isn’t a big deal. You know exactly when it’s going to happen. You have three healing powers to offset the HP crash. To mitigate the endurance crash, you can activate Reform Essence, use an inspiration, or switch to one of your forms that have higher endurance recovery.

Why is Water Blast is a bad set? It has excellent AoE damage and decent single target damage. The set has a lot of soft control. All the attacks have added effects (knockdown, slow, defense debuffs, heals), so it's straightforward to slot procs.

The posts so far are well intentioned, but seem too technical for a beginner. I turned my Water/SR into a proc build, and I had a hard time learning the basics. All the guides and advice were so technical and detailed that I had a hard time grasping the main idea. Forum post were full of math for optimizing proc builds, but I didn’t understand how to make any proc build let alone optimize one. A proc build is simple: throw as many procs into your damage powers as possible. Usually, this means you’ll sacrifice set bonuses because you’ll slot damage procs instead of filling out sets to 5 or 6 slots for good bonuses. The chance for a power to proc is decreased by slotting recharge enhancements. The chance to proc is unaffected by global recharge and Hasten. So you’ll want to get enough global recharge into your build to have an smooth attack chain without enhancing recharge in the individual powers. You’ll want to choose a secondary that is sturdy without too many +def IO bonuses. You won’t be able to chase defense bonuses because you’ll need the bonuses for recharge more. (That's why people use Defenders and Tankers as proc monsters. They get high base +def on their toggles) SR is a good choice because you can softcap with minimal defensive bonuses. You’ll want to choose a primary that has a lot of secondary effects so you can slot procs from a variety of IO sets. Water is good because you can get procs from slow, heal, stun, and defense rebuff sets.

I ended up making a Demons/Dark MM after reading the responses in this thread and elsewhere in the forums. Thanks everyone and wish me luck!

I have played all the ATs except MMs and VEATs. I want to make my first MM, but I’m struggling to pick the right primary and secondary. I don’t PL my characters, so I’d like something that is a relatively smooth ride to 50. At the very least, I want something that does require Incarnates and purple sets to perform well. I spend about half my time soloing, so I need a solo-friendly primary and secondary. I don’t care about team support or tanking; I want to build this as a survivable damage dealer. I’d love to eventually solo difficult content like Dark Astoria and be able to do general content at +4/x8 once my build is set. I’m thinking of either Thugs or Demons paired with Dark or Time. I lean towards Time over Dark because it seems simpler to play, and I could focus on my pets. I’m open to other suggestions though.

Can you share the data / raw input you're giving to the algorithm? I'm guessing it's a set of 3-dimensional coordinates for badges and plaques in each zone. I'd like to play around with a few implementations.

Don’t underestimate the ranged single target attack. I like chaining Hold -> Fire Blast for some decent single target damage with containment. For illusion, you get Hold -> Spectral Wounds -> Fire Blast. The resistance armor is nice on my Fire/Dark controller since I can softcap with Fade, pool powers, and set bonuses. EDIT: You might have ignored Fire Blast because Gravity already has a single target attack chain. I stand by my comment in general, but it’s not important for a Gravity controller.

I don’t have any Thermal or Cold characters. Are fresh level 1 toons allowed?

I want to try PvP, especially 1v1 or small teams in the arena, but barriers to entry are too high. It seems like you need a really optimized build. I’m a casual player and I have a hard enough time affording purple/PvP/winter IO’s. I don’t want to invest the time into farming or playing the market to afford a good build when I might not even like PvP. If there was an active PvP community on the test server, I would join.

I'm not interested in the meta game. As long as my toons can run the content I want to run, I don't care if someone can do it better. My Scrappers can take on most of the game, so I don't care if raw numbers put Brutes ahead of Scrappers. I don't like maintaining Fury. I like that I can put down CoH to take the dog out or talk with my fiancé, then jump right back in. Scrappers give me that, Brutes don't.

I would never drop dwarf. I’ve seen builds here that do go without it, so I may be in the minority. Dwarf Form has so much utility. At some point, you’ll get slowed enough that Light Form drops before it’s recharged. You can wait out that time safely in Dwarf Form. Dwarf gives you another heal that can be activated quickly. Dwarf let’s you wait out status effects that get through Light Form. I use the taunt in Dwarf Form all the time. You can herd mobs into corners to maximize your AoEs, and you can taunt runners back to you. This was definitely not the point of your post, but I thought I’d give my two cents.

Does Reactive Defenses’ Scaling Resist give +resistance at full health? The Homecoming wiki says it doesn’t. I could get some free resistance in some of my builds if some of the +res is always active.

Great guide! Thank you for the hard work. Thanks to your last guide, I played through the high level hero content and had a blast. Do you have a recommended AT and/or power set combination to solo most of this content? I think you’d want something that gets a good attack chain early and has good sustain. I was thinking a /WP Brute.

I could use some help with my triform PB build. I like the utility of having all three forms available. I'd prefer not to drop White Dwarf Flare. I don't know if it's optimal but I like having 3 PBAoE attacks. My usual strategy is to hit Inner Light then Dawn Strike -> Solar Flare -> White Dwarf Flare then either cycle through Nova AoEs or start my human form chain. In my current build my human form attack chain is Istrike -> Radiant Strike -> Gleaming Blast with Glinting Eye thrown in when I have time. I throw in Photon Seekers when they're up. My goals for the build are in decreasing importance: Perma Lightform and perma Hasten (or close enough to be essentially perma) Good Psi resist. I don't like playing a resistance based set with a total hole to Psi. I don't have to hit the 85% resistance cap, but I want a good base. Able to exemp down reasonably. I want nova and dwarf attacks to be slotted up enough to be usable. Optimal attack chains aren't necessary. Put in as much defense as I can after (1)-(3) are taken care of. I've tried to use the "G**d Damn PB" build as a base. I can't make this build much more expensive. I can't afford purple sets or lots of PvP IOs. I could probably get one purple set; I'm thinking Hecatomb in Istrike. I already have the ATOs and catalysts. Hero Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.7.2.10 https://github.com/Crytilis/mids-reborn-hero-designer Level 50 Natural Peacebringer Primary Power Set: Luminous Blast Secondary Power Set: Luminous Aura Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Leaping Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Leadership Hero Profile: ------------ Level 1: Glinting Eye (A) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage (5) Decimation - Damage/Endurance (5) Decimation - Damage/Recharge (7) Decimation - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge (7) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (33) Decimation - Chance of Build Up Level 1: Incandescence (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3% (3) Impervium Armor - Psionic Resistance (9) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All) (19) Aegis - Psionic/Status Resistance Level 2: Shining Shield (A) Impervium Armor - Psionic Resistance Level 4: Essence Boost (A) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance (11) Doctored Wounds - Endurance/Recharge (13) Doctored Wounds - Recharge (15) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge (15) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance/Recharge (29) Doctored Wounds - Heal Level 6: Bright Nova (A) Rectified Reticle - Increased Perception (31) Rectified Reticle - To Hit Buff Level 8: Radiant Strike (A) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage (11) Crushing Impact - Damage/Endurance (21) Crushing Impact - Damage/Recharge (23) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (37) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (40) Crushing Impact - Damage/Endurance/Recharge Level 10: Hasten (A) Recharge Reduction IO (33) Recharge Reduction IO Level 12: Inner Light (A) Empty Level 14: Combat Jumping (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed (50) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All) (50) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage Level 16: Kick (A) Force Feedback - Chance for +Recharge Level 18: Incandescent Strike (A) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage (34) Crushing Impact - Damage/Endurance (34) Crushing Impact - Damage/Recharge (34) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (43) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (46) Crushing Impact - Damage/Endurance/Recharge Level 20: White Dwarf (A) Impervium Armor - Psionic Resistance (31) Impervium Armor - Resistance Level 22: Reform Essence (A) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance (29) Doctored Wounds - Endurance/Recharge (43) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime Level 24: Conserve Energy (A) Recharge Reduction IO Level 26: Solar Flare (A) Superior Essence Transfer - Accuracy/Damage (36) Superior Essence Transfer - Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime (36) Superior Essence Transfer - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime (37) Sudden Acceleration - Knockback to Knockdown (42) Multi-Strike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge Level 28: Quantum Acceleration (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 30: Tough (A) Impervium Armor - Psionic Resistance Level 32: Dawn Strike (A) Superior Essence Transfer - Damage/RechargeTime (39) Superior Essence Transfer - Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime (39) Superior Essence Transfer - RechargeTime/Global Heal (39) Multi-Strike - Accuracy/Damage (40) Sudden Acceleration - Knockback to Knockdown Level 35: Photon Seekers (A) Expedient Reinforcement - Endurance/Damage/Recharge (42) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage (48) Sudden Acceleration - Knockback to Knockdown Level 38: Light Form (A) Aegis - Resistance/Recharge (42) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Recharge (45) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Recharge (48) Impervium Armor - Psionic Resistance Level 41: Restore Essence (A) Recharge Reduction IO Level 44: Weave (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 47: Thermal Shield (A) Impervium Armor - Psionic Resistance Level 49: Maneuvers (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 1: Brawl (A) Empty Level 1: Cosmic Balance Level 1: Energy Flight (A) Endurance Reduction IO Level 1: Prestige Power Dash (A) Empty Level 1: Prestige Power Slide (A) Empty Level 1: Prestige Power Quick (A) Empty Level 1: Prestige Power Rush (A) Empty Level 1: Prestige Power Surge (A) Empty Level 1: Sprint (A) Celerity - +Stealth Level 2: Rest (A) Empty Level 4: Ninja Run Level 10: Combat Flight (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 2: Swift (A) Run Speed IO Level 2: Health (A) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery (3) Miracle - +Recovery (33) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance Level 2: Hurdle (A) Jumping IO Level 2: Stamina (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End (43) Performance Shifter - EndMod Level 6: Bright Nova Blast (A) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage (23) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (31) Decimation - Damage/Recharge Level 6: Bright Nova Bolt (A) Accuracy IO Level 6: Bright Nova Detonation (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage (9) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance (13) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge (17) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range (17) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy) (19) Sudden Acceleration - Knockback to Knockdown Level 6: Bright Nova Scatter (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage (21) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance (25) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge (27) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range (27) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (48) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy) Level 20: White Dwarf Antagonize (A) Taunt Duration IO Level 20: White Dwarf Flare (A) Obliteration - Damage (25) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge (36) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge (45) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (45) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge (50) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage Level 20: White Dwarf Smite (A) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance (40) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage (46) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge (46) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge Level 20: White Dwarf Step (A) Range IO Level 20: White Dwarf Strike (A) Force Feedback - Chance for +Recharge Level 20: White Dwarf Sublimation (A) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge (37) Doctored Wounds - Heal Level 50: Diamagnetic Partial Core Conversion Level 50: Ageless Partial Radial Invocation Level 50: Assault Core Embodiment Level 50: Musculature Radial Paragon ------------ ------------ ------------ Set Bonus Totals: 3% DamageBuff(Smashing) 3% DamageBuff(Lethal) 3% DamageBuff(Fire) 3% DamageBuff(Cold) 3% DamageBuff(Energy) 3% DamageBuff(Negative) 3% DamageBuff(Toxic) 3% DamageBuff(Psionic) 12.56% Defense(Melee) 13.5% Defense(Smashing) 13.5% Defense(Lethal) 6% Defense(Fire) 6% Defense(Cold) 6% Defense(Energy) 6% Defense(Negative) 6% Defense(Psionic) 6% Defense(Ranged) 6% Defense(AoE) 2.25% Max End 41% Enhancement(Accuracy) 96.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime) 4% Enhancement(Heal) 7.5% SpeedFlying 128.5 HP (12%) HitPoints 7.5% JumpHeight 7.5% SpeedJumping MezResist(Confused) 70% MezResist(Held) 70% MezResist(Immobilized) 70% MezResist(Sleep) 70% MezResist(Stunned) 70% MezResist(Terrorized) 70% MezResist(Teleport) 100% (20% chance) 20% PerceptionRadius 7.5% (0.13 End/sec) Recovery 17.75% Resistance(Smashing) 17.75% Resistance(Lethal) 15.5% Resistance(Fire) 15.5% Resistance(Cold) 12.5% Resistance(Energy) 12.5% Resistance(Negative) 28.25% Resistance(Toxic) 63.25% Resistance(Psionic) 7.5% SpeedRunning http://www.cohplanner.com/mids/download.php?uc=1737&c=765&a=1530&f=HEX&dc=78DA6D94CB4F135114C6CF4C678029451EA52DCF424BB12F288CCADAA8C40714A892B8C502033441685A6ADCBA70E9C6C4A0A27B576E7CFF37262E0D8F048D46C1F174BE031D53276D7E33DF3DE7CC77EEDC7B67EE4FFA5E5F7B7091948E2BEBF972792167E597ACC5526163D52A35CEE6B72AA5FC3A55AF46FE0FBB4717E65656AC8D72E19E95C956EE1636362BE585CB5C632BF64FD4A4551775898B9237B7B9B99E992F5AD6B2CFB9CD5AF922A7B4380F570BAB6B5BFCD47A32B46C95CA6B852275B18D09FEFFD2492E5BA76D465C23EDA9F019D8F05CB8030EBE0077ABB98A93EBA110DFF46BA4261567ACE99C87C8D4A8634271B8A74B28D9A448CC3E6B1EE4EB9E69C479B3A02F079E9911CE827D73E011E7C2BAADE82F5522BF46E11DF058C73457EB36DE21D4CD839D8BCCA846C12530B60C3D6E81514E34E04931D255CDA04121CF10354B0FCD365F14E4E81644AB2D013833A7D1B97908AA1CD38A186A7DA83A9AD240D42E0EDBC561441C4616854B604A1C8E8AC34376E197CEFD3293E104F88DC70218530332A37D32A3A9AFF0F39D6342D245288D9A1AFBE986A6755FD71C6D685A9805635FC06405399FF945BD52A7577AF770AFFDD26BBF78D3B9F680D41EB8811A67A78433C22239AB272EEF68E09CA8F4113DC49C250FC03189F9C97D0CCBEA1B36F1FE641A1C7924B1E2E107C726C46BE2A467F69A16AF69F17FC07119D13292DBCE71E3923B2E717DDAE9AEE15F7525841DA59A6ADB09F76844BE625DC6789D62D629E7EB940B754AD6AD18E83BA7B9769B1365B4F15E8362CFF3A821A38674B4EBE50CE95C1985E7FD9AA62AB711A74E61560623584D7BEEBC04F20E6A9AA26CC351EA316868A7FB56D5B7F1D58372AE84E5BCF1D66248EF41CDE69AA6EB6FA035BD057DEFC0B6F7C28F6087AC14DF7F723B25B74B727B24B7E7033826353AB5D3DD467E135AA0A6E9FEDFE8ABEB081C3A0647FE086DD024CC57B096EBF1DFC41914CF81A3B784F360C8FDEE94F8756B729A746BAE1341CECB989C939F78C094EFFEC475FF2A5ABDD79DFBAC4BFF0B6C44026F

Can you post text or a screenshot of the PB builds? I use a Mac, and Mids doesn't work on the latest operating system