Talionis

Maybe a dumb question but can you add additional costume slots easily to the code? If you could then a good solution would be to just give more costume slots to everyone or at least masterminds.

I will second Dark/Stone was an awesome toon. It controls and Tanks. I survived things others couldn’t, but it hits a special synergy. I would also suggest that some of the combo attacks such as dual blades grant a little more strategy and fun allowing you to play to the correct combo at the correct time.

Hurricane is one of those funny powers that sometimes should be toggled on and off. It’s hard to use well in a group but with immobilize we can use it to group and reduce the alpha then toggle it off.

I feel like you can do similar things with Poison/Dual Pistols. Swap Ammo and you can get similar -resistance with more PBAoE.

You can side swap and heroes can become villains. So you could do a Defender.

Mercs are best at range. I saw a build in here that was interesting with Forceshield and it would use Mass Fly to keep the Mets at range from most enemy.

Poison/Dual Pistols. It’s a melee build that is fun to play has damage and some of the strongest debuff in the game.

I haven’t tried boost range with PSI, but I’d be more curious with boost range on Dark Blast, especially for cones and Cone immobile. Pair it with either Leviathan or Soul and you can add two more cones each has a second immobilizing cone and a ranged hold. With cones more range equals more Area of Effect and specifically with immobilizing cones stacking you should be able to immobilize many outside of enemy range to attack you. You have at least two holds to pick up stragglers. Work on ranged defense but you may not need it.

I actually think you are fine with Kinetic/Beasts. It’s a strong combination. You’ll want to be close with the combination so Boxing or Kick can work fine to attack between using your powers. Just don’t forget to use your Kinetic powers. Also some harder targets you may want to stay back. Fighting pool has worthwhile defensive abilities a Kinetic will want. Another trick is not to load up on melee attack powers. Most of the pool powers recharge quickly so use your support powers between punches. Last when you get higher levels you may find some of the ancillary pools have melee attacks. They do better damage. Once you get Transferance you should not have endurance issues. Most Masterminds have endurance issues but Kinetics can get around that issue. You’ll never be a Brute, punching with most of your actions, but if you don’t go crazy Beast/Kinetics can play very similarly to what you are requesting.

Trick Arrow/Dark/Leviathan Defender it uses cones but if you slot some of them for range you can apply cone after cone. Two of the cones have immobile effects. Oil Slick Arrow is a nasty AoE.

I think it’s a damage issue. Other sets buff your damage output or reduce enemy damage resistance. With neither type of power you don’t get a force multiplier and combat takes longer. Also most of the used to be unique ability at high level defense is achievable with enhancements instead of powers and teams will have decent defense already.

I disagree. Everything is playable in PvE. Just temper your expectations. This is the type of build that is NOT easy mode. The synergies are late coming and it will lend itself to slower play and or needing help from others. It also could take a lot of IOS to make it playable at higher levels. But if you want to play this just don’t turn up the levels.

Storm. It adds damage which I find is Bots weakness.

Stone/Dark. Double Stuns means tons of mitigation. With the right IOS in the life gain you’ll also recharge endurance and it will be the most fun you have ever had.

What ancillaries or patrons work well? Seems like a lot of good options. Maybe you need the status from Psionic to make it work?

I think the issue may be more with Sonic than Masterminds. Sonic has endurance issues in every primary and it’s generally considered weak as well. Mastermind endurance issues are not a bug. It’s a trade off for cast and forget damage. But some of the individual sets do have issues and Sonic’s already bad endurance issues are exacerbated by Masterminds endurance issues.

It depends on your Secondary and what playstyle. They are poor powers that round out many builds but they aren’t necessary for a Mastermind. Even if you are playing a Tankermind you might find other sets. I think I can say I’ve never made a build where I never considered the Fighting pool. So you at least consider it each time. But they aren’t as necessary as Stamina but they are close to as good as Haste.

I think Ninja/Forcefield is viable, not sure it Is fun. Ninja is the highest single target damage I think so it has the best damage to offset the loss of any Secondary ability to increase damage. Obviously Forceshield allows you to max Defense of the Ninjas. Force shield has some additional control that works well with Ninjas poor survivability with its stuns and banishment power. Forcefield isn’t sexy or winning races. Also the extra Defense is usually unnecessary on teams. But if you were going to solo with ninjas I think it might be the best option to let you defeat most content.

This should be a very solid combo. You won’t kill things quickly as FF has no damage buff powers and generally Masterminds gain force multiplier powers that increase damage or reduce resistances. Defensively you may have overkill near maxing Defense and putting out significant to hit debuff. Your minions have self heals and status protection. You get a self heal. Take all Necromancy powers but the attacks. The only attack you want is Life Drain for some self healing. Here is the go to for Force Shields. Force Shield it’s also good at positioning so don’t forget that

Trick Arrow needs a boost mostly I think to something Defensive not necessarily Defense, though I think I would boost - to hit from Flash Arrow. But it’s easy to forget Trick Arrow has playable Control powers that Hold Sleep Knock Down and Slow. Which is why Trick Arrow I see as only viable on Control lite controllers who are ant to stack Control powers. It’s sad that low mag makes Trick Arrow Control’s too weak for Masterminds, Defenders, and Corrupers.

I totally agree. There should have been a way to just debuff and still have similar results to the other sets with buffs. I’ve always thought this could’ve been balanced out without significant power reworks if the numbers/percentages were fixed.

Trick Arrow provides very little help keeping Ninjas alive. Ninjas need more help being kept alive than any other primary

I think it’s Ninja Trick Arrow. Mercenaries got slightly better with the new AI adjustment and is a little easier to keep at range. Ninja has high damage but almost no mitigation. Ninja can only really be effective with Time as a secondary and once it has power boost. That combination does provide enough protection. Force field can keep ninjas alive but doesn’t help Ninjas do more damage and you’ll still need a heal from a pool. Trick Arrow is a debuff only set. Trick Arrow has some decent control powers and as such really can shine as a Controller secondary but on its own with out A Controller primary it doesn’t have enough Control to be good mitigation. Masterminds need to be able to protect their minions or they won’t be able to survive any of the tougher material. The only reason that Ninja Trick Arrow is more popular than Necro Trick Arrow and Demon Trick Arrow is for theme and redraw. MechanicallyNinja Trick Arrow is a bad combination on top of probably being the worst of both the primaries and secondaries.

It’s very good. Kinetics doesn’t have much defense built into its power set and Darks minus to hit is welcome. But it does create some difficulties in positioning for all the cone attacks in dark, but once you have a feel for moving it’s a very strong combination.

If you want noncontrollers that play like controllers, my Dark/Stone Tank was an absolute beast with a ridiculous heal. It can stack disorient and nothing attacks. It can control an area in amazing ways .