Warlawk

This is a video game forum, please keep your false dichotomy polls, polarizing commentary and general condescending attitude in the cesspool that is social media.

A Heal IO would improve the heal the pets cast but would not improve regeneration at all because there's nothing in Kuji-In Sha that provides regeneration so nothing to be enhanced.

EDIT: Just so it's clear, I parked him in the middle of some enemies and watched his heal go off then the attributes window immediately reflected the proc.

I appreciate the detailed feedback, I don't know Ninjas well as I only have one and it's not a character that I play a lot. I did use a couple of personal attacks in that build and noticed no difference in performance when I don't use it. For something like a pylon test I'm sure it matters but for standard play I didn't find the investment worthwhile. Most of the rest of the suggestions seem like they are primarily oriented toward a different playstyle rather than being objectively better/worse. Changing the heal slotting is an easy swap since the build is past permahasten anyways. As for what I'm doing with all that Rech, using my powers more often. Having Tar Patch, Howling Twilight and Fearsome Stare up more often provides more survivability in my experience than building for mediocre defense when Bodyguard and CC is going to be what saves you in most cases. Excellent information though and it's always good to have other viewpoints! Since they reworked the pet sets and made it so you could slot those sort of things into pet upgrades now, they changed the way they apply. In this case it applies as if that proc was slotted into the 45 sec CD heal that the henchmen get from the upgrade so the proc has the appropriate chance to trigger on the casting pet each time it uses its heal. Is it a great thing and high value? Probably not, but WTF else are you going to put in that upgrade power? I really do appreciate the responses though. Great to have this as a resource if I do get a ninja itch at some point in the future.

Anything constructive to offer? Specific complaints? Suggestions on things to change? I'm always happy to learn about sets I don't know well but I need something more specific than "it's a pos" to do so. As for the +End proc I could see the use during leveling, but in general I don't find my MMs to be thirsty enough for that to be really required. EDIT: As an example, I forgot Smoke Flash for some reason which is actually good now. Swapping out Electrifying Fences for Smoke Flash with two +5 Rech in it would be step 1 and also gives 3 slots to spread around.

I doubt this is a combo I would run as I already have multiple /dark characters and Ninjas is not really my cup of tea as a primary. If I did run it, this is how I would do it (Yeah, I'm a +rech whore, come at me!). Villain Mastermind Build plan made with Mids' Reborn v3.6.6 rev. 3 ────────────────────────────── Primary powerset: NinjasSecondary powerset: Dark MiasmaPool powerset (#1): FlightPool powerset (#2): LeadershipPool powerset (#3): SpeedPool powerset (#4): ConcealmentAncillary powerset: Mu Mastery ────────────────────────────── Powers taken: Level 1: Call Genin A: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Accuracy/Damage15: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge15: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge17: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Recharge/Pet +AoE Defense Aura17: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Damage/Endurance34: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Endurance/Pet +Resist +Regen Level 1: Twilight Grasp A: Panacea: Heal/Endurance9: Panacea: Endurance/Recharge11: Panacea: Heal/Recharge11: Panacea: Heal/Endurance/Recharge13: Panacea: Heal13: Invention: Accuracy Level 2: Tar Patch A: Ice Mistral's Torment: Endurance/Slow5: Ice Mistral's Torment: Damage/Recharge7: Ice Mistral's Torment: Chance for Cold Damage7: Ice Mistral's Torment: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance9: Ice Mistral's Torment: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge46: Pacing of the Turtle: Endurance/Recharge/Slow Level 4: Darkest Night A: Cloud Senses: ToHit Debuff43: Cloud Senses: ToHit Debuff/Endurance/Recharge45: Cloud Senses: Chance for Negative Energy Damage45: Cloud Senses: Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge45: Dark Watcher's Despair: To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance Level 6: Train Ninjas A: Shield Wall: +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All) Level 8: Hover A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 10: Howling Twilight A: Absolute Amazement: Stun48: Absolute Amazement: Stun/Recharge48: Absolute Amazement: Stun/Recharge/Accuracy48: Absolute Amazement: Recharge/Accuracy50: Absolute Amazement: Stun/Endurance Level 12: Call Jounin A: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Accuracy/Damage36: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance43: Blood Mandate: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance46: Sovereign Right: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance50: Sovereign Right: Resistance Bonus50: Call to Arms: Defense Bonus Aura for Pets Level 14: Fly A: Winter's Gift: Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range/Endurance46: Winter's Gift: Slow Resistance (20%) Level 16: Shadow Fall A: Reactive Defenses: Defense/Endurance37: Reactive Defenses: Defense37: Reactive Defenses: Defense/Endurance/RechargeTime37: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance39: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance/Endurance39: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime Level 18: Maneuvers A: Reactive Defenses: Defense19: Reactive Defenses: Defense/Endurance19: Reactive Defenses: Endurance/RechargeTime21: Reactive Defenses: Defense/RechargeTime21: Reactive Defenses: Defense/Endurance/RechargeTime34: Reactive Defenses: Scaling Resist Damage Level 20: Fearsome Stare A: Cloud Senses: Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge39: Cloud Senses: Chance for Negative Energy Damage40: Cloud Senses: Accuracy/Recharge40: Cloud Senses: ToHit Debuff/Endurance/Recharge40: Siphon Insight: Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge Level 22: Oni A: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Damage23: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Accuracy/Endurance23: Edict of the Master: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance25: Edict of the Master: Defense Bonus25: Expedient Reinforcement: Accuracy/Damage27: Expedient Reinforcement: Resist Bonus Aura for Pets Level 24: Tactics A: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff27: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Recharge29: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge33: Adjusted Targeting: Endurance/Recharge34: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Endurance Level 26: Kuji In Zen A: Regenerative Tissue: +Regeneration Level 28: Hasten A: Invention: Recharge Reduction29: Invention: Recharge Reduction Level 30: Dark Servant A: Cloud Senses: Accuracy/ToHitDebuff31: Cloud Senses: Accuracy/Recharge31: Cloud Senses: Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge31: Cloud Senses: Chance for Negative Energy Damage33: Touch of the Nictus: Accuracy/Endurance/Healing/Absorb33: Touch of the Nictus: Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge Level 32: Evasive Maneuvers A: Blessing of the Zephyr: Knockback Reduction (4 points) Level 35: Charged Armor A: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance36: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance/Endurance36: Unbreakable Guard: +Max HP Level 38: Vengeance A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 41: Electrifying Fences A: Gravitational Anchor: Chance for Hold42: Gravitational Anchor: Immobilize/Recharge42: Gravitational Anchor: Recharge/Accuracy42: Gravitational Anchor: Immobilize/Recharge/Accuracy43: Gravitational Anchor: Immobilize/Endurance Level 44: Stealth A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 47: Grant Invisibility A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 49: Infiltration A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed ────────────────────────────── Inherents: Level 1: Brawl (Empty) Level 1: Sprint (Empty) Level 1: Supremacy Level 2: Rest (Empty) Level 1: Swift (Empty) Level 1: Health A: Panacea: +Hit Points/Endurance3: Miracle: +Recovery3: Numina's Convalesence: +Regeneration/+Recovery Level 1: Hurdle (Empty) Level 1: Stamina A: Performance Shifter: EndMod5: Performance Shifter: Chance for +End Level 1: Genin Level 12: Jounin Level 14: Afterburner Level 22: Oni Mastermind (Ninjas - Dark Miasma).mbd

Ah, no need to post the full build then. That's the sacrifice in building that makes it possible. Giving up a damage alpha is a pretty big deal. It's a perfectly valid choice of course, but also a significant opportunity cost.

If you're willing to share it I would be curious to see what kind of sacrifices had to be made to get perma SE.

This is what I whipped up for someone. It's got all the aura IOs (except taunt/placate, which is whatever), permahasten, solid defenses a procced out AOE knockdown attack and all pets pushed to diminishing returns for Acc/Dam with a KD converter in the Assbot. Battle drones doesn't have full end redux but Energizing Circuit will cover that ezpz. Villain Mastermind Build plan made with Mids' Reborn v3.6.6 rev. 3 ────────────────────────────── Primary powerset: RoboticsSecondary powerset: Electrical AffinityPool powerset (#1): FlightPool powerset (#2): SpeedPool powerset (#3): LeadershipPool powerset (#4): ConcealmentAncillary powerset: Mace Mastery ────────────────────────────── Powers taken: Level 1: Battle Drones A: Edict of the Master: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance9: Edict of the Master: Defense Bonus11: Expedient Reinforcement: Resist Bonus Aura for Pets11: Call to Arms: Defense Bonus Aura for Pets13: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Accuracy/Damage13: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance Level 1: Rejuvenating Circuit A: Panacea: Heal/Endurance5: Panacea: Endurance/Recharge7: Panacea: Heal/Recharge7: Panacea: Heal/Endurance/Recharge9: Panacea: Heal Level 2: Pulse Rifle Burst A: Thunderstrike: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance46: Apocalypse: Chance of Damage(Negative)46: Gladiator's Javelin: Damage/Endurance/Recharge48: Explosive Strike: Chance for Smashing Damage48: Force Feedback: Chance for +Recharge48: Sudden Acceleration: Knockback to Knockdown Level 4: Hover A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed46: Shield Wall: +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All) Level 6: Equip Robot A: Steadfast Protection: Resistance/+Def 3%15: Steadfast Protection: Knockback Protection50: Steadfast Protection: Resistance/Endurance50: Gladiator's Armor: TP Protection +3% Def (All) Level 8: Fly A: Winter's Gift: Slow Resistance (20%) Level 10: Energizing Circuit A: Synapse's Shock: EndMod15: Synapse's Shock: Damage/Rechage37: Synapse's Shock: EndMod/Recharge37: Synapse's Shock: Damage/Recharge/Accuracy39: Synapse's Shock: Damage/Accuracy/Endurance40: Synapse's Shock: EndMod/Increased Run Speed Level 12: Protector Bots A: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Accuracy/Damage40: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge40: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge43: Superior Command of the Mastermind: Recharge/Pet +AoE Defense Aura43: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Damage/Endurance45: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Endurance/Pet +Resist +Regen Level 14: Evasive Maneuvers A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed50: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance Level 16: Faraday Cage A: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance17: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance/Endurance17: Unbreakable Guard: Endurance/RechargeTime19: Unbreakable Guard: RechargeTime/Resistance45: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime45: Unbreakable Guard: +Max HP Level 18: Hasten A: Invention: Recharge Reduction19: Invention: Recharge Reduction Level 20: Empowering Circuit A: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff21: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Recharge21: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge36: Adjusted Targeting: Endurance/Recharge37: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Endurance Level 22: Assault Bot A: Sovereign Right: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance23: Sovereign Right: Resistance Bonus23: Blood Mandate: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance34: Overwhelming Force: Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown36: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Accuracy/Endurance36: Superior Mark of Supremacy: Damage Level 24: Maneuvers A: Reactive Defenses: Defense25: Reactive Defenses: Defense/Endurance25: Reactive Defenses: Endurance/RechargeTime27: Reactive Defenses: Defense/RechargeTime27: Reactive Defenses: Defense/Endurance/RechargeTime34: Reactive Defenses: Scaling Resist Damage Level 26: Upgrade Robot A: Regenerative Tissue: +Regeneration Level 28: Insulating Circuit A: Preventive Medicine: Heal29: Preventive Medicine: Heal/Endurance29: Preventive Medicine: Endurance/RechargeTime31: Preventive Medicine: Heal/RechargeTime31: Preventive Medicine: Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance31: Preventive Medicine: Chance for +Absorb Level 30: Assault A: Invention: Endurance Reduction Level 32: Tactics A: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff33: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Recharge33: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge33: Adjusted Targeting: Endurance/Recharge34: Adjusted Targeting: To Hit Buff/Endurance Level 35: Amp Up A: Invention: Recharge Reduction Level 38: Scorpion Shield A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed39: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance39: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Endurance/Recharge Level 41: Web Envelope A: Gravitational Anchor: Chance for Hold42: Gravitational Anchor: Immobilize/Recharge42: Gravitational Anchor: Immobilize/Recharge/Accuracy42: Gravitational Anchor: Recharge/Accuracy43: Gravitational Anchor: Immobilize/Endurance Level 44: Power Boost A: Invention: Endurance Reduction Level 47: Vengeance A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 49: Stealth A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed ────────────────────────────── Inherents: Level 1: Supremacy Level 1: Brawl (Empty) Level 1: Sprint (Empty) Level 2: Rest (Empty) Level 1: Swift (Empty) Level 1: Hurdle (Empty) Level 1: Health A: Panacea: +Hit Points/Endurance3: Numina's Convalesence: +Regeneration/+Recovery3: Miracle: +Recovery Level 1: Stamina A: Performance Shifter: EndMod5: Performance Shifter: Chance for +End Level 8: Afterburner Level 1: Battle Drone Level 12: Protector Bot Level 22: Assault Bot

Necro Elec is a great combo and very Frankenstein thematic. I like the way the short CD on both the shield and the damage buff line up so that you can Soul Extraction and them pop them both to be sure the extracted specters stick around and do plenty of damage. Since all the henchies except the lich are melee you can get some good value out of the resist zone and lich has some CC that can actually benefit from Amp Up. I have one at 50 and it was great fun. Nec/Time is strong as well. /Cold is always a fantastic set, the built in heals on the pets help fill that hole.

The only one I know of is the powexec_location me command which is specific to powers and does not work with general reticle targeting.

powexec_location me is a specific command that is different from powexec. I believe that goto would need a new command such as goto_location to be able to use that syntax, as far as I am aware there is no way to make your command work with the current pet commands in the game. I believe the closest you can get right now is the Follow command (numpad 8 with these binds) or just using the reticle to click the location.

I don't know about the most powerful, but (power boosted) Farsight is at least in the running in my mind.

You should be able to use the /releasepets command to force all your pets to despawn and then be able to resummon them as normal. This generally works even in situations where you cannot directly dismiss or TPTarget that pet. That said, I wouldn't be surprised to hear there was an issue that caused it to bug and not work in specific circumstances.

Your defense and resistances are applied to the incoming damage, any damage you take is then divided up per the rules for bodyguard damage sharing and applied to your pets. The pets do not get to apply their own defense or resistances in addition to yours. Personally, I don't tend to build heavily for defenses on my MMs so I tend to try and stay in bodyguard mode. With specific sets (my Ninja/Time for instance) that are defensive in nature I will often use the goto command to have my pets take the alpha vs certain enemy factions though. So the answer is... it depends and different circumstances will have different answers!

So after playing a bit more I really have to give some love to Mercs, the performance is good and it just feels good to play. I would love some customization options to change the aesthetic but play/performance wise they really hit it out of the park. Necro is excellent as well, perhaps even better than mercs from a performance perspective but the 5/6 melee nature of the set still holds it back a little bit for me. Updated: Demons Mercs Thugs, Necro Ninjas, Bots . .. ... .... ..... Beast Mastery.

Disclaimer, I am a casual player and far from an expert on controllers. I recently rebuilt my ill/rad troller to try out some new things. I primarily use this character to solo Adamastor for easy merits and sometimes take it for a spin through incarnate content when I feel the need. Previously I had used /Mace epic pool for the poison ray to get extra -res and switched it up to Levi for Water Spout to get some extra AoE when doing regular content. This doesn't seem to have increased my speed soloing Adamastor at all (takes roughly 2:20 to solo) and has improved clearing in regular content. Teleport target and teleport are just kind of there because I wanted to take them, they could be switched out for whatever you want as flex power picks. Hero Controller Build plan made with Mids' Reborn v3.6.6 rev. 3 ────────────────────────────── Primary powerset: Illusion ControlSecondary powerset: Radiation EmissionPool powerset (#1): FlightPool powerset (#2): SpeedPool powerset (#3): TeleportationPool powerset (#4): FightingEpic powerset: Leviathan Mastery ────────────────────────────── Powers taken: Level 1: Blind A: Thunderstrike: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance11: Apocalypse: Chance of Damage(Negative)11: Gladiator's Javelin: Chance of Damage(Toxic)13: Neuronic Shutdown: Chance of Damage(Psionic)13: Unbreakable Constraint: Chance for Smashing Damage15: Gladiator's Net: Chance of Damage(Lethal) Level 1: Radiant Aura A: Preventive Medicine: Heal5: Preventive Medicine: Heal/Endurance7: Preventive Medicine: Endurance/RechargeTime7: Preventive Medicine: Heal/RechargeTime9: Preventive Medicine: Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance9: Preventive Medicine: Chance for +Absorb Level 2: Radiation Infection A: Dark Watcher's Despair: To Hit Debuff34: Dark Watcher's Despair: To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance48: Dark Watcher's Despair: Recharge/Endurance48: Dark Watcher's Despair: To Hit Debuff/Endurance Level 4: Accelerate Metabolism A: Synapse's Shock: EndMod/Increased Run Speed15: Synapse's Shock: Damage/Rechage17: Synapse's Shock: EndMod/Recharge17: Synapse's Shock: Damage/Recharge/Accuracy40: Synapse's Shock: Damage/Accuracy/Endurance Level 6: Flash A: Superior Will of the Controller: Accuracy/Control Duration42: Superior Will of the Controller: Control Duration/Recharge42: Superior Will of the Controller: Endurance/Recharge43: Superior Will of the Controller: Accuracy/Control Duration/Endurance43: Superior Will of the Controller: Accuracy/Control Duration/Endurance/Recharge Level 8: Superior Invisibility A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 10: Enervating Field A: Invention: Endurance Reduction Level 12: Hover A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed50: Shield Wall: +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)50: Reactive Defenses: Scaling Resist Damage Level 14: Fly A: Winter's Gift: Slow Resistance (20%) Level 16: Evasive Maneuvers A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 18: Phantom Army A: Soulbound Allegiance: Damage/Recharge/Accuracy19: Call to Arms: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge19: Expedient Reinforcement: Accuracy/Recharge21: Expedient Reinforcement: Endurance/Damage/Recharge21: Expedient Reinforcement: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge23: Soulbound Allegiance: Chance for Build Up Level 20: Lingering Radiation A: Ice Mistral's Torment: Endurance/Slow23: Ice Mistral's Torment: Damage/Recharge25: Ice Mistral's Torment: Chance for Cold Damage25: Ice Mistral's Torment: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance27: Ice Mistral's Torment: Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge Level 22: Spectral Terror A: Cloud Senses: Accuracy/ToHitDebuff33: Cloud Senses: Accuracy/Recharge33: Cloud Senses: Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge33: Cloud Senses: Chance for Negative Energy Damage Level 24: Choking Cloud A: Basilisk's Gaze: Accuracy/Hold39: Basilisk's Gaze: Accuracy/Recharge39: Basilisk's Gaze: Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold39: Basilisk's Gaze: Endurance/Recharge/Hold Level 26: Phantasm A: Call to Arms: Accuracy/Recharge27: Call to Arms: Accuracy/Damage29: Call to Arms: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge31: Call to Arms: Endurance/Damage/Recharge31: Expedient Reinforcement: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge31: Expedient Reinforcement: Endurance/Damage/Recharge Level 28: Hasten A: Invention: Recharge Reduction29: Invention: Recharge Reduction Level 30: Group Invisibility A: Luck of the Gambler: Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 32: EM Pulse A: Unbreakable Constraint: Hold34: Unbreakable Constraint: Hold/Recharge34: Unbreakable Constraint: Hold/Recharge/Accuracy37: Unbreakable Constraint: Recharge/Accuracy40: Unbreakable Constraint: Hold/Endurance Level 35: Water Spout A: Ragnarok: Damage36: Ragnarok: Chance for Knockdown36: Ragnarok: Damage/Recharge/Accuracy36: Ragnarok: Recharge/Accuracy37: Ragnarok: Damage/Endurance37: Bombardment: Accuracy/Recharge/Endurance Level 38: Hibernate A: Panacea: Heal/Endurance40: Panacea: Endurance/Recharge43: Panacea: Heal/Recharge46: Panacea: Heal/Endurance/Recharge48: Panacea: Heal Level 41: Shark Skin A: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance42: Unbreakable Guard: Resistance/Endurance50: Unbreakable Guard: +Max HP Level 44: Summon Coralax A: Call to Arms: Accuracy/Recharge45: Call to Arms: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge45: Call to Arms: Accuracy/Damage45: Expedient Reinforcement: Accuracy/Recharge46: Expedient Reinforcement: Accuracy/Damage/Recharge46: Expedient Reinforcement: Endurance/Damage/Recharge Level 47: Teleport Target A: Blessing of the Zephyr: Knockback Reduction (4 points) Level 49: Teleport A: Jaunt: Endurance/Range ────────────────────────────── Inherents: Level 1: Containment Level 1: Brawl (Empty) Level 1: Sprint (Empty) Level 2: Rest (Empty) Level 1: Swift (Empty) Level 1: Hurdle (Empty) Level 1: Health A: Panacea: +Hit Points/Endurance3: Miracle: +Recovery3: Numina's Convalesence: +Regeneration/+Recovery Level 1: Stamina A: Performance Shifter: EndMod5: Performance Shifter: Chance for +End Level 14: Afterburner Controller (Illusion Control - Radiation Emission).mbd

With maneuvers and both pet defense procs your ninjas should sit around 25/25/28 for R/M/A defense. Choosing something that will either push them up toward the defense cap, or layer some resistances with those defenses along with having healing is going to be the best bet IMO. Time is not a "healing set" but does have exceptional heals as well as great defense. Nature has strong resists in addition to some nice +damage and endurance management along with serious heals. Those would be my top contenders. Power boosted Farsight puts ninjas at 46/46/50 for defenses. Figured I would test it since I was logged into my Ninja/Time as I was writing this post.

I've not done any extensive or scientific testing by any mean, but my impressions from casually playing... Necro feels top shelf now. Fun to play, engaging and the performance seems excellent. Necro/Elec, fresh character leveled to 50 yesterday, no incarnates yet. Mercs feels much better than it used to be, but I would still place it mid range on performance. Still outclassed by Thugs, Demons and Necro. Mercs/Time Level 40. Bots feels nerfed. I don't even specifically mean the -regen getting split up and moved to personal attacks, just in general the performance feels worse than it used to be for solo mission play. I haven't respecced as I don't need the maintenance drone on a bots/time at level 50. I haven't really played my Ninjas/Time since the rework at all. I did a new build for it and it's on my short list, I just haven't gotten to it yet. Just rough ratings based on how they feel to play I would put Demons Thugs, Necro Mercs, Ninjas, Bots . .. ... .... ..... Beast Mastery.

As a counterpoint, with high resists backing a Ground Patch heal, a cone heal and a huge absorb shield I don't think that investing in the regen is getting much value out of those slots. That will really come down to personal preference, but it's not a clear cut case of great value.

I like these sets (reworked BA is a beast!) but using a 1 handed weapon with nothing in the offhand is just... lackluster at best. I've only been able to bring myself to play these sets with the Shield Defense set since it just looks goofy otherwise. I would love to see some upscaled models that use two handed animations, there's also an option of using the Dual Blades animations and letting these weapons be dual wielded. These changes would be purely cosmetic and have no impact on the powers themselves of course. Additionally is it going to actually hurt anything to open up weapon appearances across sets? Does it really matter if your power set is BA but you're swinging a sword instead of an axe? At this point in CoX's lifespan I think restricting weapon models just to preserve visual identity of a set is a bit outdated. As someone who actively dislikes the look of axes and is indifferent to maces, this change would open up those sets a lot for me to enjoy playing.

Ah, I had forgotten how quickly the subject of farming draws out the trolls and how quickly they try to sidestep and justify their behavior when called out on in. My thanks to those of you who provided on topic responses, as for the others... well, taters gonna tate.

I spent most of a month reacquainting myself with the game, thanks for the condescending attitude implicating that my way of playing is inferior to your own though. And yes, I do enjoy farming. Not that it needs to be justified by any means, but I have chronic vertigo which makes standard content difficult to play during a flareup. Farming is (was in the past) a productive way to spend some time in game. When I was playing a lot I would generally PL a character up to ~30 (because I don't enjoy playing the low levels with half an attack chain and no meaningful defenses) and then IO it out and have fun taking it to 50. I strictly solo, so I'm FAR from one of the "game begins at 50" crowd. Maybe it just came across wrong with text not conveying intent well, but preaching from your high horse against other people's preferred playstyles just makes you come across as an ass.

I can assure you without a shred of doubt that is not the case. If you click the link in my sig about farming you can see the guide I maintained before my haitus. Using the bloody rainbow asteroid farm dedicated farming brutes could push out 2-2.3 mil inf per minute and that absolutely is not the case any more. Thank you, I'll be sure to take a look! I appreciate all the other responses and attempts to help, to be clear I am looking for suggestions of non-ae missions to try farming and compare to the current ae farming income. Is there anything outside AE that would a decent fire farm outside of the Infernal portal mission?

With all of the changes in the time I was gone, raw inf income seems to be about 40% of what it was a few years ago, I haven't done the math specifically but it's a huge nerf not even accounting for any clear speed nerfs. Didn't want to end up on a rant about the nerfs, wanted to keep more focused on finding the best solutions to the current environment.