Machariel

I'm not reading 11 (edit: and now 12, got'em) pages of this, but I think that at least changing the character's name from "[whoever's GF]" to "Lt. Page" is both widely acknowledged to be a good idea and probably takes the least effort on the part of the developers.

I don't see a problem. I can't see it being any better than, say, Gravity on Doms :P

A few thoughts right off the bat: 1) You really want a knockback-to-knockdown IO in Bonfire. 2) You have a lot of single target attacks and probably don't need all of them. Meanwhile, you've skipped Fire Ball? 3) You have a lot of recharge, which is good for Permadom, but you don't have a lot of defenses. I would recommend you either build for Smashing/Lethal defense or Melee or Ranged defense (whichever fits your playstyle better). Yes, when spamming hard controls everywhere you don't get hit much, but it's nice leeway. 4) You can probably go for a different Alpha slot. You have so much global recharge that the recharge on all of your regular powers is very fast. Spiritual doesn't affect Domination directly, so all it's really doing is taking 10 seconds off of Hasten (from 124 sec to 114). But, 4 seconds of downtime is fine. I also recommend spending a few merits or some inf on some enhancement boosters and boosting both recharge IOs in Hasten to 50+5 - doing this will get hasten recharging in 120.1, which sounds perfect to me. I played around with it for a while, swapped some powers/slots/and sets around, and without adding any more purples got this, which still has permadom and about as much recharge, but is a small purple away from the defense softcap for Smashing, Lethal, and Melee:

I think that if teams want to increase the aggro cap, they should increase the "effective" number of enemies that can be engaged at one time, by bringing along archetypes that can pull aggro off of the main tanker and free the tank up to go aggro other groups if desired. Tanker gets aggro --> Controllers & Dominators apply controls --> aggro drops off Tanker --> Tanker is free to work on the next mob since the previous mob is now nicely grouped and mezzed :)

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.962 http://www.cohplanner.com/ Click this DataLink to open the build! Blightfire (Live): Level 50 Mutation Dominator Primary Power Set: Plant Control Secondary Power Set: Fiery Assault Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Leaping Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Leadership Ancillary Pool: Fire Mastery Villain Profile: Level 1: Strangler (A) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Hold (45) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Recharge (45) Basilisk's Gaze - Recharge/Hold (45) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold Level 1: Flares (A) Empty Level 2: Incinerate (A) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage (46) Crushing Impact - Damage/Endurance (46) Crushing Impact - Damage/Recharge (46) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (50) Crushing Impact - Damage/Endurance/Recharge Level 4: Fire Breath (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage (5) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance (25) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge (43) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range (43) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy) Level 6: Roots (A) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Recharge (7) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Endurance (7) Enfeebled Operation - Immobilize/Range (23) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Immobilize (25) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Immobilize/Recharge Level 8: Seeds of Confusion (A) Malaise's Illusions - Accuracy/Recharge (9) Malaise's Illusions - Endurance/Confused (9) Malaise's Illusions - Accuracy/Endurance (17) Malaise's Illusions - Confused/Range (21) Malaise's Illusions - Accuracy/Confused/Recharge (23) Malaise's Illusions - Chance of Damage(Psionic) Level 10: Fire Blast (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage (11) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance (11) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge (13) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (15) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (15) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge Level 12: Hasten (A) Recharge Reduction IO (13) Recharge Reduction IO Level 14: Super Speed (A) Run Speed IO Level 16: Embrace of Fire (A) Recharge Reduction IO (17) Recharge Reduction IO Level 18: Vines (A) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Hold (19) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Recharge (19) Basilisk's Gaze - Recharge/Hold (21) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold Level 20: Combat Jumping (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed Level 22: Kick (A) Empty Level 24: Maneuvers (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed Level 26: Carrion Creepers (A) Kinetic Crash - Damage/Knockback (27) Kinetic Crash - Accuracy/Knockback (27) Kinetic Crash - Recharge/Knockback (37) Kinetic Crash - Recharge/Endurance (37) Kinetic Crash - Damage/Endurance/Knockback (40) Kinetic Crash - Accuracy/Damage/Knockback Level 28: Consume (A) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod (29) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Recharge (29) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge (31) Efficacy Adaptor - Accuracy/Recharge (31) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Accuracy (34) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Endurance Level 30: Tough (A) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All) (31) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3% Level 32: Weave (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed (33) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance (33) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge (33) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge (34) Red Fortune - Defense (34) Red Fortune - Endurance Level 35: Rain of Fire (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage (36) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance (36) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge (36) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range (37) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance Level 38: Blaze (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage (39) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance (39) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge (39) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (40) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (40) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge Level 41: Fire Ball (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage (42) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance (42) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge (42) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range (43) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy) Level 44: Rise of the Phoenix (A) Recharge Reduction IO Level 47: Tactics (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff (48) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge (48) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance (48) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Recharge/Endurance (50) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance (50) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up Level 49: Vengeance (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed Level 1: Brawl (A) Empty Level 1: Domination 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) Empty Level 2: Rest (A) Empty Level 4: Ninja Run Level 2: Swift (A) Empty Level 2: Health (A) Miracle - +Recovery (3) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery Level 2: Hurdle (A) Empty Level 2: Stamina (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End (3) Performance Shifter - EndMod (5) Endurance Modification IO ------------ This is my current build on Excelsior, recreating my main character from Live. Pros: Perma-Domination, almost perma-Hasten, 1 small Luck inspiration away from softcapped Ranged defense. LOTS of AoE damage. Pretty good single target damage I think. Lots of uptime on Embrace of Fire. Also has room for a self-rez. Endurance goes fast, but she gets to refill endurance every 75 and 53 seconds (Domination and Consume, respectively). It's also not that expensive I think - It's not CHEAP, but at least a lot of the sets are Uncommon. Cons: Doesn't bring much to AV/GM killing other than DPS - no interesting secondary effects from the attacks and Strangler is one of the slower-casting holds. But, I don't know how you would build Plant/Fire to solo GMs and AVs. Some people (tankers) can find mass AoE confuse to be annoying, but if they're a competent tanker then you can just spam AoE damage anyway. Incarnate Powers: I run Intuition Radial Paragon since it does my 3 favorite things: Damage, Range (nuts with Seeds of Confusion, good with Fire Breath), and control duration. Reactive Interface, Pyronic Judgement for theme, Ageless Epiphany for a 3rd way to refill Endurance (you can definitely use it). There's things I'd like to change already - I'd like to fit in more procs (damage or the Decimation Build Up proc), I'd like to replace Incinerate with Blazing Bolt so that I have an all-ranged attack chain, I'd like to get maybe a few purples into the set or something to not spend 5 slots on 3.75% rech (Roots) or 6 slots on 5% rech (Consume), etc. There's also some things I'm not sure about, like if I should slot Flares instead of Fire Blast or lose Fire Breath completely as it's a pretty slow attack, but I don't mind having it. With more expensive sets (purples) you could free up the slots in Consume and Tactics to other powers and also use more useful enhancement in Carrion Creepers - but this build works pretty well as it is. If I really wanted to I could maybe even drop a few attack powers for some of the other powers in Plant Control, which I've skipped because a) I don't think they're very useful and b) I haven't really used them since they didn't fit with this character's theme originally back on live. I'd say you can absolutely skip Spore Burst because Seeds of Confusion does everything it does, but better. I guess Fly Trap is probably OK. If you take Spirit Tree you can get its recharge down pretty fast, but I still think the average team moves too fast to be useful and in a protracted fight I hope you have supports on your team that can buff better than the Dominator. As for fire, Combustion sucks. I think the rest of the powers are at least okay. Embrace of Fire is fantastic and you should use it as soon as it's up. Edit: The attack chain if I don't need to spam holds is Blaze/Fire Blast/Incinerate (maybe Blaze/Flares/Incinerate is more DPS because Blast has kind of a long cast time?). If I do need to spam holds (and as a bonus, stay safer) it's just Blaze/Fire Blast/Strangler.

Now that the market will freely hand out Attuned IOs, I don't see any reason to build a character with anything else - every time you can afford a single attuned IO, why not purchase and slot it?

I have a lot less time to play now than I did 7 years ago when the game was live and I have been really enjoying the lower prices on the market. As someone who doesn't typically have a dedicated farming setup, it's really nice to be able to say, do a mothership raid or an ITF or something and come out with enough infamy + merits + salvage to buy another few crafted IOs.

Fantastic guide, can't wait to get started on this.

Thank you!

I did. It helps that she's okay at farming (Plant/Fire/Fire Dominator) as that will help fund all the other builds I wanted to try out over the last 7 years.

As the subject says :) Thanks in advance!

Those are all great but Barrier Reef has got to be my favorite. Awesome concept and costume - I guess recolored Earth Control for the coral?

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.962 http://www.cohplanner.com/ Click this DataLink to open the build! Glimmershred: Level 50 Magic Stalker Primary Power Set: Psionic Melee Secondary Power Set: Ninjitsu Power Pool: Leaping Power Pool: Concealment Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Fighting Villain Profile: Level 1: Psi Blade -- TchofDth-Acc/Dmg(A), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx(3), TchofDth-Dmg/Rchg(3), TchofDth-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(5), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), TchofDth-Dam%(7) Level 1: Hide -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A) Level 2: Telekinetic Blow -- Hct-Dam%(A), Hct-Dmg/Rchg(7), Hct-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), Hct-Acc/Rchg(9), Hct-Dmg/EndRdx(11) Level 4: Danger Sense -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), RedFrt-Def(15), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(15), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(17), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(17), RedFrt-EndRdx(19) Level 6: Assassin's Psi Blade -- SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), SprStlGl-Dmg/Rchg(19), SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(21), SprStlGl-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(21), SprStlGl-Rchg/Hide%(23) Level 8: Ninja Reflexes -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), RedFrt-Def(23), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(25), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(25), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(27), RedFrt-EndRdx(27) Level 10: Combat Jumping -- Krm-Def/EndRdx(A), Krm-ResKB(29) Level 12: Super Jump -- BlsoftheZ-ResKB(A), BlsoftheZ-Travel/EndRdx(29), BlsoftheZ-Travel(31) Level 14: Concentration -- GssSynFr--ToHit(A), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg(31), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(31), GssSynFr--Rchg/EndRdx(37), GssSynFr--ToHit/EndRdx(50), GssSynFr--Build%(50) Level 16: Kuji-In Rin -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 18: Placate -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 20: Kuji-In Sha -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), Pnc-Heal/EndRedux(33), Pnc-EndRdx/Rchg(33), Pnc-Heal/Rchg(33), Pnc-Heal/EndRedux/Rchg(34) Level 22: Stealth -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A) Level 24: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(34) Level 26: Greater Psi Blade -- SprAssMar-Acc/Dmg(A), SprAssMar-Dmg/Rchg(34), SprAssMar-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), SprAssMar-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36), SprAssMar-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36), SprAssMar-Rchg/Rchg Build Up(37) Level 28: Smoke Flash -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 30: Boxing -- Acc(A) Level 32: Mass Levitate -- Arm-Dmg/Rchg(A), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), Arm-Acc/Rchg(39), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(39), Arm-Dam%(39) Level 35: Blinding Powder -- CrcPrs-Conf%(A), CrcPrs-Conf/EndRdx(40), CrcPrs-Conf/Rchg(40), CrcPrs-Acc/Conf/Rchg(40), CrcPrs-Acc/Rchg(42), CrcPrs-Conf(42) Level 38: Tough -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(42), StdPrt-ResDam/EndRdx(43), StdPrt-ResKB(43) Level 41: Weave -- LucoftheG-Rchg+(A), RedFrt-Def(43), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(45), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(45), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(45), RedFrt-EndRdx(46) Level 44: Kuji-In Retsu -- Rct-Def(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx(46), Rct-EndRdx/Rchg(46), Rct-Def/Rchg(48), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(48), Rct-ResDam%(48) Level 47: Invisibility -- EndRdx-I(A) Level 49: Misdirection -- Acc-I(A), RechRdx-I(50) Level 1: Assassination 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 2: Rest -- Empty(A) Level 4: Ninja Run Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A) Level 2: Health -- NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Mrc-Rcvry+(11) Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A) Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(13), PrfShf-EndMod/Acc(13) ------------ I felt like regen was probably the least important so I moved some slots around for Red Fortune sets, which in addition to giving you more defense out of your powers also gets you some 5% recharge bonuses. This build has a little better defense and a lot more recharge - Hasten actually recharges faster here, with 2 recharge IOs, than in the original build which had 3. I'm not sure if the proc in Greater Psi Blade will recharge Concentration (since it's not literally "Build Up"), but I hope it does, because then you get extra use out of the build up proc that's in concentration. It's not my call, but do you really need THREE placate powers? Even if you don't want any of the "flashy" powers from the Mastery pools, those are still slots that could be used on Leadership (more defense) or something like Body Mastery which gives you 2 autopowers that help your endurance (one just gives you max endurance and one gives you +regen/recovery) - which means you could take slots out of Health/Stamina, which means you could have more slots elsewhere, etc.

I think having absolutely no reward for donating is quite appropriate, because - quite apparently - donating is its own reward! Gotta train that Super Speed and try to be faster for next month ;-)

Blightfire & First Impressions from The Codex SG.