Erratic1

Played around some more and arrived at two other versions making tradeoffs on ranged defense and recovery. Of the two I think I like the higher ranged defense one: This Villain build was built using Mids Reborn 3.4.7 https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn Click this DataLink to open the build! Street Druid: Level 50 Magic Dominator Primary Power Set: Plant Control Secondary Power Set: Savage Assault Power Pool: Concealment Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Speed Ancillary Pool: Psionic Mastery Villain Profile: Level 1: Strangler -- BslGaz-Acc/Hold(A), BslGaz-Acc/Rchg(3), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(3), BslGaz-Slow%(5) Level 1: Maiming Slash -- Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg(A), Mk'Bit-Dmg/EndRdx(5), Mk'Bit-Dmg/Rchg(7), Mk'Bit-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(7), Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9), Mk'Bit-Dam%(9) Level 2: Roots -- SprAscoft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear(A), SprAscoft-Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/Rchg(11), SprAscoft-EndRdx/Rchg(13), SprAscoft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx(13), SprAscoft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx/Rchg(15), SprAscoft-Rchg/+Dmg%(15) Level 4: Vicious Slash -- Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg(A), Mk'Bit-Dmg/EndRdx(17), Mk'Bit-Dmg/Rchg(17), Mk'Bit-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Mk'Bit-Dam%(21) Level 6: Infiltration -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A) Level 8: Seeds of Confusion -- CrcPrs-Conf(A), CrcPrs-Conf/Rchg(21), CrcPrs-Acc/Conf/Rchg(23), CrcPrs-Acc/Rchg(23), CrcPrs-Conf/EndRdx(25), CrcPrs-Conf%(25) Level 10: Unkindness -- IceMisTrmt-Dam/Rech(A), IceMisTrmt-Dam/Slow(27), IceMisTrmt-Acc/Dam/End(27), IceMisTrmt-Acc/Dam/End/Rech(29), IceMisTrmt-+ColdDmg(29) Level 12: Boxing -- Empty(A) Level 14: Tough -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A) Level 16: Spot Prey -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 18: Vines -- BslGaz-Acc/Hold(A), BslGaz-Acc/Rchg(31), BslGaz-Rchg/Hold(31), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(31) Level 20: Rending Flurry -- Obl-Dmg(A), Obl-Acc/Rchg(33), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(33), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34) Level 22: Carrion Creepers -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(34), PstBls-Dmg/Rchg(34), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(36), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36) Level 24: Blood Craze -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(36), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(37), Prv-Heal/Rchg(37), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(37), Prv-Absorb%(39) Level 26: Fly Trap -- ExpRnf-Acc/Rchg(A), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg(39), ExpRnf-Dmg/EndRdx(39), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), ExpRnf-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(40), ExpRnf-+Res(Pets)(40) Level 28: Call Hawk -- Apc-Dmg(A), Apc-Dmg/Rchg(42), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Apc-Acc/Rchg(42), Apc-Dam%(43) Level 30: Feral Charge -- CrsImp-Acc/Dmg(A), CrsImp-Dmg/EndRdx(43), CrsImp-Dmg/Rchg(43), CrsImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(45), CrsImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45) Level 32: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(45) Level 35: Link Minds -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(46), Rct-Def/Rchg(46) Level 38: Mind Over Body -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A) Level 41: World of Confusion -- MlsIll-Acc/Rchg(A), MlsIll-EndRdx/Conf(46), MlsIll-Acc/EndRdx(48), MlsIll-Conf/Rng(48), MlsIll-Acc/Conf/Rchg(48), MlsIll-Dam%(50) Level 44: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(50) Level 47: Psionic Tornado -- Ann-Acc/Dmg(A), Ann-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(50) Level 49: Stealth -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A) Level 1: Domination Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A) Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A) Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A) Level 1: Swift -- Empty(A) Level 1: Hurdle -- Empty(A) Level 1: Health -- Mrc-Rcvry+(A) Level 1: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-End%(11) Level 1: Blood Frenzy ------------ Keeping Psionic Tornado at this point is purely about theme. A druid has to have his tornado. Double confusion powers seems a bit wasteful but Coercive Persuasion and Malaise's Illusion both give +Recharge and +Range Defense as their 5/6 slot bonuses. Just as a matter of efficiency it seems like a bad thing to pass up.

Three of us exploring different approaches is a good thing, no?

Energy Melee can lay out a nice ST hurting but tradeoff...its not exactly god's gift to AoE damage dealing. If you had a powerset with Energy Melee' ST and Radiation Melee's AoE...why would you use anything else? Really, I think it is the animation speed coming into play. Radiation Melee hits hard when it gets there but it is not a bam-bam-bam set but instead a WHAM.... ...WHAM... ...WHAM... set.

It is a cute idea, but think I am more attached to Energy Torrent. 🙂

Yep. And Timber Wolf has super strength...so brute. 😁

While it is infrequent at best to find anything child unfriendly in General, Help, or LFG on Torchbearer, I would still recommend muting those channels to achieve the OP's goals. But I have absolutely no memory of anything so coarse as OF solicitations in any of those channels on Torch.

Welcome to Torchbearer! While you are planning a family play group, if you ever need more people to help out there are plenty of us willing to do so. So feel free to yell.

The risk is when you are fighting few foes. If you are dealing with an EB or AV, Energy Drain is not going to get you much. I am hoping the plan to use Energy Torrent and Foot Stomp deals with trash. OTOH, even losing 20% Defense the character as presented would still have nearly 30% in S/L/F/C/E. So its not like you become a complete victim either way. Guess if worst comes to worst there is always popping puples.

From what I am led to believe, everything is better on some other AT than brutes unless you are pairing Super Strength with Energy Aura.

Will probably just live with the resistances she has. Took the EM/Rad for a spin and its silly how much control you have with Energy Torrent/Cross Punch both with Feedback. Outside of crowds, the donger would be one-shots but that would be a danger regardless. Will either test server it or just build it as is (she is level 39 now I think).

I have an Energy Melee/Radiation Armor Brute (one step ahead of this one in terms of being worked on) who makes relatively obscene use of Energy Torrent and Cross Punch both slotted with Force Feedback to keep foes off their feet for reasoanble chunks of time who gets by decently with much lower global recharge. Perhaps if I move the Force Feedback in Cross Punch to Energy Torrent (since it is guaranteed on more things anyway), then between the 5 second recharge on Foot Stomp and 4 second recharge on Energy Torrent, she will be okay in many situations. Even if they are not dealing damage they are still reducing attacks from things in melee. That leaves foes which do not get knocked down and those operating at range and so not getting knocked down. Honestly I would feel better with a bit more Resistance but getting it....

Thanks. I usually try to toggle off things which are not broadly true (Hasten when not perma, Force Feedback, etc.) but missed Stealth. That throw a real wrench in things. Slotted the attacks less for the slows than for the +Global Recharge. Indomintable Will was taken from worry about Mez, but I guess 123% Global Recharge brings one to perma-Dom and so Indomintable Will is not useful/necessary? Infiltration was the travel power. 😛 Thanks for the build. It keeps the powers I really want except Infiltration*. If you don't mind my asking, but how viable is the notion of being capped at Range to be able to apply controls then once things are sufficiently locked down leaping into melee range? *Its a theme thing. He's a (admittedly urban) druid, so good at moving about the terrain unseen.

Yeah. That is going to be a bit of an issue.

The Badger may not like being called a Wolverine clone: @Ultimo, Fury is less going berserk than getting increasingly mad. Rage is more going berserk. Like above, Claws for Wolverine. Street Justice for the Badger.

Apropos of nothing, I check some of my 50's names across servers: Created 1/15/2021 : Used on one other server Created 1/29/2021: Used on three other servers Created 8/6/2021: Used on three other servers Created 11/27/2021: Used on no other servers Created 10/17/2021: Used on three other servers Created 11/10/2019: Used on three other servers Created 2/26/2021: Used on two other servers (wow...figured it would be use more than the previous one) Created 10/13/2021: Used on two other servers Created 4/24/2019: Used on all servers Most common server to see name open on: Indominatble Least common server to see name open on: Excalibur and Excelsior differ by one, going to call that a tie. Will also mention that with the exception of the last character, all the characters had been logged in within the last 60 days, most in the last 30 days. Though to be fair, theese were my page one characters (except the last). there are older 50s with far greater last login ages. Hmmm...let me check them.... 408 days offline: Used on no other servers 693 days offline: Used on no other servers 420 days offline: Used on all servers

Have you considered just going full homage?

You have no way of determining how much PLing there would be. People might very well strip their 50s, save the resources, then make and PL new characters. Stripping the resources from old one you are forced to delete in fact makes it easier to get the new 50 up and going. And you've incentivized stripping because in order to have the new character and old one had to be deleted and you might as well get something out of it.

See second bullet point. It cannot be taken but there could be two Face Puncher Emeritus running around. Look at DC and the Flash character. Just how many are there?

It is almost a shame there is no, "Retired" setting we can give characters which would: Flag them as Emeritus and give make an, "Emeritus" title available. Track ownership to the player by some unique value. Release the original name back to the pool for use (since the character now tracks to the player invisibly). Make it so they can only be logged in and played while they have rest xp (no point in being retired if you are not retired). So, @FrequentAltMaker levels her character Face Puncher to 50, retires the character, and thereafter can display Emeritus in her title and play the character infrequently. @NedNewbie decides to make a character named Face Puncher and delights to find the name available. At some point he might even retire the character.

Guess I will have to build it and test it...

But Brutes start with a lower base and scalar.

I thought Brute damage cap was lowered to keep them beneath a certain other AT?

I keep thinking I am making my final brute. I had thought that with the Energy Melee/Radiation Armor brute I got to 50 a week or so ago. But I was compelled (goaded) into making another one following a discussion elsewhere. So, I have violated two expectations: a new brute and retreading ground from Live (as I had an SS/Energy brute there). But I know more about building characters than I did on Live and IO sets are much easier to come by. Probably did not help I was perusing the Tanker forums where it was once again claimed Tankers are the superior farmers. Can we Brutes have nothing? Fine. I will play something no other melee AT can be, Super Strength/Energy Aura. She has been a lot of fun up through level 39. Give a girl Energy Drain and Energize and she'll go all night. And that before even considering slotting IO sets. Now about the Rage Crash.... Like a lot of others, I really hate it. HATE IT! Received wisdom is the more recharge you have the more often you are in a crash situation and I have seen advice about only wanting enough recharge to have Rage available when it runs out. I can really understand the motivation driving that conclusion. But it only goes so far. Say you have Rage recharging every 130 seconds. You pop it, enjoy +80% damage and +20% To-Hit for 120 second, drop to no damage for 10 seconds, then are able to repeat. This is what some would call optimal. Now, say you instead have Rage recharging every 110 seconds. You pop it, enjoy +80% damage and +20% To-Hit for 110 second, * pop Rage again, enjoy +160% damage and +40% To-Hit for 10 seconds, drop to no damage for 10 seconds, then rebound to +80% damage and +20% To-Hit for 90 seconds, pop Rage again to boost to +160% damage and +40% To-Hit for 10 seconds and the cycle repeats from the * above. In the first scenario you are dealing no damage for 10 seconds out of every 130 seconds. In the second, once you are in the repeat phase, you are looking at 10 seconds out of every 120 second dealing no damage. But you have 10 seconds of dealing +160% damage too. Average the two together and...well, you're dealing +80% damage across those two periods. Yes, you experience a period of dealing no damage, but your overall damage is like you did not have a down period. At Rage recharging every 60 seconds you will be experiencing no damage every 60 seconds for 10 seconds, but you will have +160% damage and +40% To-Hit for the rest of the time. I decided to lean into Recharge figuring double Rage might be entertaining enough to make the no damage periods tolerable. What follows is my tentative plan. Yeah, it would be nice to have 20% more S/L resistance. But Rage cycling is the goal, perma-Hasten necessary, and so packing on global recharge a requirement. Let me know of any improvements you can think of.

I had read that when I first read the thread and then when I came back because of the most recent post I had fogotten that stipulation. Thanks!

If Bio is getting mentioned for its +30% to damage, why is double stacked Rage not on the table with its 160%?