Doomguide2005

Solid conceptually, thematic and definitely worth exploring. How would you handle Siren's Song? A DoT effect on a sleep is obviously problematic. I assume it would just be added as an effect to individual powers as appropriate rather than the set as a whole.

Nope that's part of Nerf /Friday ... although maybe we can nerf Friday by allowing any day to Nerf/Regen 😁

Short answer ... for the same reason 'you' aren't. Long(er) answer will have to wait as real life calls.

As for Empathy in the end game and Incarnate content I think in part it is related to the predominately single target ally focused nature of the set. Only Healing Aura, Recovery Aura and Regeneration Aura can effect multiple allies. Quite arguably only Regeneration Aura is significant in this content. You combine that with the fact that pretty much no single character is truly vital (whether dead or godly buffed) to team/league success then no matter how potent a single target buff is it is rendered relatively insignificant you render Empathy less significant as a result. That said multiple Empaths operating together especially /Sonic's GM-style ... well look out they are going to leverage those single target buffs. A full team of Incarnates will be well beyond the I-cap defensively (+90%ish), at the hard cap for damage (+400%), at the -resist floor (-300%) against single target(s) of choice and things heavily -resist in general --> you can take a crack at what that means for crashless nukes going off every spawn. Likely approaching the recharge cap in powers, at the AT resist caps and at the hard cap for regeneration (+2000%), absurd quantities of +recovery etc., etc.. There's a reason such a grouping is called a Superteam.

An AT whose primary is focused on buffing allies and/or debuffing foes paired with a blast secondary with debuffs. Owing to AT modifiers those buff and debuffs are typically the strongest in the game. When found in groups approach with extreme caution until friendliness is determined as teams composed of only defenders are among the strongest team compositions in the game owing to the force multiplication of said buffs and debuffs.

While @Nemuand I obviously don't agree with the conclusion @Peacemoon I do understand where you're coming from. Thanks. Seems like it's a combo of Clarion, everyone having capped defense (no hit no mez), the addition of the Sorcery pool, the ease in defeating mobs, and dilution when the mezzed target is one of 16+ (or basically from the team view point almost no one is really missed by being non-functional for a brief bit (even if it seems like an eternity to that player) leading to its devaluation overall.

Depends on your build. Posting it would be a good next step.

Probably but because my computers dead I can't currently check it out. I know Numinas, Miracle and the Regenerative Tissue work(ed) that way (and more than a few others). They were what were called Proc 120's. They had a 100% chance to fire when the power was used and granted their buff for 120 seconds thereafter. Auto powers work well because they renew themselves and constantly trigger the procs. Far as I know that hasn't changed but the Absorb proc is newer. I'm guessing someone like @Bopperwould know for sure how it/they function nowadays.

Looks very solid. Be interested in learning how much or if you dont miss CM. Just going to point out a trivial change to think about. The Numina's +recovery/+regen will only fire off when you use HO. Consider swapping around the sets used in HO and HA ... like I said trivial especially if you never solo or always have a pet to HO.

The other option for +Recovery besides (or in addition to) the recovery serum is Geas of the Kind Ones. I'd often use it in combo with Archmage to survive the Elude crash "back in the day". Use Geas just before the crash, then Archmage to cover myself while I brought my toggles back up even mid-fight.

O.o. Totally unrelated to the help Sonic but I wouldn't call HA even remotely among Empathy's best buffs. And Recovery Aura is rather level dependent in utility overall --> post 40 into endgame not so much. Adrenaline Boost, Fortitude and Regeneration Aura are what I'd consider the strongest buffs and only Regen Aura buffs the user. But enough thread derail Empathy's end game issues are well discussed elsewhere. Sonic Resonance problems on the other hand while acknowledged do lack discussion compared to Empathy.

Well it sort of is already particularly radio missions, step out, reset, etc.. Or run AE. Or avoid arcs using those maps ... . Those probably aren't how you envision "choosing" but. As was said up thread, no harm in asking, but there's way more important things to be worked on than reskinning cave maps to my mind.

Then we can get two birds at once. /Regen is only available on Friday!

I'd agree Tactics definitely marginalizes CM for the purpose of perception. The only thing it provides at that point is freedom of movement ... they don't need to stay in range of the Tactics user to benefit. Guess I'm not following the line of thought that a squishy on a large team somehow has less need of the mez protection than one on a smaller team? It's every bit as frustrating to get mezzed for the player regardless of team size, never mind the lost contribution to the team from the mezzed character. Are 50+ teams truly that packed with nothing but mez protected melee ATs that CM/Clarity aren't needed?

While I sympathize with the annoyance factor the thing is it's a yes/no power by and large. Yes I have CM so my squishy gets to continue to contribute to the fight or no I'm mezzed and contribute close to nothing for the duration. There's a reason Clarion is a popular choice.

What Linea said. Incarnates in a league someone's likely to have Clarion. But in DA arcs or a level 50 team it's more iffy. Then even some melee sets have, not often mentioned (because it's rare to run into), mez holes. My Claws/SR has been Terrorized for example. Or allowing folks not to have to break los vs Rommy's mag 20 stun when he rezzes. Then you get into other benefits such as CM's +perception helpful when Arachnos start throwing out "Blind" effects particularly if there's no Tactics around. And of course to benefit they have to be in range. Bottom line CM is still often beneficial enough to warrant taking especially considering it's a base slot good to go power.

But I love my Spanky's Special Sauce ... it so hard to get in the Isles.

Not entirely sure but thinking @Coyoteis trying to break their sarcasm meter. 🤪 I do see one thing that's most definitely missing though (goes back to triple check) you are missing --> Clear Mind Quick fix, drop Resurrect replace with Clear Mind. And I'd prefer Tactics over Maneuvers personally or both if you must.

Ouch ... Or you ran a version aimed at your particular overall weakness in that ATs mitigation

Yes, ... and no. Depends on which one you're running. I think. When I was running these with @Linea I got the definite impression they ran through the different 801 missions to test different things about a given build testing (various forms/combos of mitigation)against both spike damage and sustained damage. It's also quite possible I misunderstood them.

Conclusion: Bill knows Claws/SR 😁

Yep don't skip Freezing Rain. And procs don't work well in it either. Also don't bother enhancing the damage most of those damage tics you see in game, all those 1's, are rounded up from the actual. First and foremost it's about the recharge to enable getting it out vs every mob and with it the debuffs particularly the -resist. The other thing you want to ensure is that you can hit your foe. Going heavy on procs can frequently mean the power is light on slotted enhancement for accuracy. If you don't hit you won't do any damage proc or otherwise. Unfortunately I can't currently access or use Mids', my only internet is by phone. Adding a Kismet +6% would help. Global +accuracy via sets is another way to get your final to hit up while heavy into procs. How much all of Earth's defense debuff will help depends a lot on what you typically fight ... the Purple Patch can hurt vs up level. It's a good example of the importance of getting Freezing Rain out for every mob. Stacking FR and QS is a great way to help ensure the following powers do hit (and further the defdebuffs)

Can't check my HC level 50's atm, but my very first 50 on Live was about 750 hours though granted I was in no particular hurry. In comparison my first level 50 Green Machine (Emp/Rad/Dark) took about 250 hours and that was definitely fast at the time.

Maybe it's just because my only internet is via phone or ???, but the link doesn't work for me @Psyonico But yes find the Repeat Offenders website. Green Machine was one of their SG's on Freedom. It now has a home on Everlasting as Psy said. There's also a group of folks who play defenders also on Everlasting but its defenders rather than specifically Empathy. Contact @Psylenz0511 There's a thread in the Defender forums with more details. Doomguide aka Reyna, Rianna etc..

Can't get in game or Mids' but try Dynamic mode (iirc) to place slots more freely, independent of level. My own build priorities are for recharge, then more recharge and then some more. Mitigation is a combination of keeping Regen Aura to minimal cooldown (+regeneration), teammates, inspires and damage resistance. I didn't worry about defense at all unless it was intended to be a solo oriented build. These days I might try a little less recharge in exchange for some defense on a team build particularly when/if running on small teams (<5). HO, HA - So I'd be using Preventative Medicine 6 slotted in either HO or HA then using either Panacea or Doctored Wounds in the other 5 slotted. Resurrect - usually skipped but if not I'd go with an Endred. It's not a cheap power for end usage and if only one teammates down the Vigilance buff isn't going to help much and invariably it'll seem like RA just wore off. If more than one is down ... well the team is not likely to wait for Rez to recharge (they'll make wakies, use temp powers, self rez powers etc). I'd generally save it for some one critical. Clear Mind - *shrug* base slot whatever. See above posts about use though. Fortitude - anywhere from 3 to 6 slots wide variety of options of IOs or HOs. 3 Membranes and a LotG recharge global gives a lot for the slots. Recovery Aura - 2 rech boosted or 3 slotted > rech, endmod/rech x2. I generally try to keep the recharge of this and Regen Aura within a few seconds of each other but that's a QoL thing. When ones recharged so is the other, position and fire them off together. No keeping track of both of them. RegenAura - 5 slot Panacea or Doctored Wounds. Adrenaline Boost - generally 5 slot Panacea or Doctored Wounds. I'll usually still add a 6th slot for Endmod/recharge but with crashless Nukes being a thing it really isn't needed the base +recovery should more than do 99.99% of the time. I'd love to see Assault earlier in the build particularly on Sonic Blast ... Assault is solid but with Sonic Blast you're effectively giving everyone even more +damage owing to the to the -resistance of your blasts.