Arbegla

Its based on AT modifiers now, and brute's AT modifier for buffs is pretty low. So it's probably a nerf on a brute. On a defender however, its probably a HUGE buff.

Simply speaking, if you don't attack anything (and they wouldn't normally detect invis) you will remain completely invisible due to Stealth having the same effects has old Invis. but now, if you are hit, you get Stealth's effects (still kinda stealthy, and higher defense values)

White Shadow.

So, here is the normal amount of perception (which counters Stealth) that mobs have: https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Stealth_and_Perception some things to also consider, is some mobs flat out ignore Stealth (any radius, even Stalker's hide) so it might not be a bug, it might just be a misunderstanding of how stealth (the buff) and perception work together.

Thank you everyone for your insight. Its good to know how different people use provoke, and that it really isn't required to tankermind at all. I think having the additional mitigation of Spirit Ward, especially now with its toggle aspect, will help keep my pets alive. I also really appreciate the knowledge share on how taunt and aggro works, which explains how I can 'maintain' threat, even without using Provoke, by just spamming my attacks.

((500-(500*.75))/8) = 15.625 damage per part, which you take 2 parts. so 31.25. The 500 damage is reduced by your resistance first, then divided by bodyguard mode. Its not a straight 75% reduction in damage, it just divides any damage you take into N+2 parts, where N is the number of pets you have, and you take 2 parts. So the formula is something like ((Damage - (damage * (resistance as a percent)) / (N+2) = Damage per part. Multiply by 2 to get the damage you take. Same 500 point hit with 75% resistance: 1 pet: 1 + 2 = 3, so per part damage is 41.67, You take 83.33 damage 2 pets: 2 + 2 = 4, so per part damage is 31.25, You take 62.5 damage 3 pets: 3 + 2 = 5, so per part damage is 25, you take 50 damage 4 pets: 4 + 2 = 6, so per part damage is 20.83, you take 41.67 damage 5 pets: 5 + 2 = 7, so per part damage is 17.86, you take 35.71 damage 6 pets: 6 + 2 = 8, so per part damage is 15.625, you take 31.25 damage.

Bodyguard mode is just a straight division. Its not actually +resistance, though is it affected by your resistance before the division. The math that is quoted there is actually wrong, as a 1,000 points of damage S/L hit would first be reduced to 700 (due to the 30% resistance the Mastermind has) then divided again, into N+2 parts, where N is the number of pets you have. You, as the Mastermind takes 2 parts, and each pet takes 1 part. So, that 1000 damage hit, gets reduced to 175 damage to you, 87.5 damage to each of your pets. Effectively giving you 91.25% resistance. It gets really nice when you have 50% or higher resistance, as the initial hit is reduced by your resistance first. So that same 1000 point hit, is reduced to 500, then split by bodyguard mode, (each part doing 62.5 damage) so you take 125 damage, and each pet takes 62.5 damage. Giving you an effective resistance value of 93.75% resistance. Also if your affected by -resistance, bodyguard mode still works, so if you have say -30% resistance, and that same 1000 damage attack lands, you take 325 damage, and each pet takes 162.5 damage. Bodyguard mode is still providing you with 75% resistance (even though you're technically at -30% resistance on your attribute list) The pet resistance isn't factored in, but any absorb shields would soak the damage first. So if you put absorb on your pets, and then take a hit that triggers bodyguard mode, the bodyguard mode damage the pets take is subtracted from the absorb shield.

Being a Lore purists, I can actually justify the fact that the Patrons would introduce you to each other. They couldn't defeat you, but maybe a different patron can.

I meant in the overall aspect of how you hold threat, and aggro. I looked it up on the wiki, and it told me this: https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Taunt_(Status_Effect) Basically, the absolute best I could do as a Mastermind, would be to run in melee, hit Provoke, then hit an AoE (like Electrifying Fences) but as I won't have very many actual attacks (/traps, things aren't really attacks so much as just more summons) it really doesn't seem useful at all for me. And as threat generation is based on proximity anyways, if I'm in melee range of the AV/GM, and able to keep them immobilized, my pets should be fine regardless.

Huh, 5 targets max, and a base 4.2 second duration. The numbers on that really isn't that great. Now, for the aggro formula, what exactly does 400% Taunt do?

@Bopper Can you do some analyzes on how the Panacea Proc interacts in Triage Beacon (and other similar powers like Spirit Tree). Based on my current testing, the Panacea proc has a chance to proc, independently, for each 'target' affected by the Regeneration Aura, and that chance to proc continues at a normal toggle rate (every 10 seconds or so) but with the recharge time of Triage Beacon, you have a really high proc chance. I've noticed that Triage Beacon with Panacea will also proc healing on my pets (and other players) within the aura, even though I'm not sure that is how it is supposed to work. Any chance you can confirm, or at least dive deeper into what is actually going on?

I've only played with Spirit Ward a bit on test, not on live, as I prefer the fire and forget nature of the toggle over a power I constantly have to click (its a /traps anyways, lots of fire and forget powers) But its basically an upfront absorb shield that pulses, so you can slap it on something and if the incoming damage isn't that bad, the shield stays up. I imagine it'll make Triage Beacon that much better too, as the Absorb shield will take the damage, while your normal hit points are regenerating. With the +hp/+end panacea proc in Triage Beacon, I bet it'll be really nice at keeping the pets alive.

Well, the build I currently run, has Provoke 4 slotted with Perfect Zinger, for some Tox/Psi resist, regeneration, and 5% recharge. If I were to take Spirit Ward, I'd 6 slot it, and put the full Preventative Medicine set in it (the Absorb proc is currently in health in my build, but it wont actually matter where it is) so I just need to swap 1 slot around, giving up 1.5% recovery from a different set, but gaining 3.75% endurance discount on the entire build, plus far more common Lethal/Smash/Fire/Cold resistance, and some max HP (to offset the reduction in regeneration) plus 8.75% recharge. I could also use Spirit Ward as a way to save squishy characters, instead of just my pets, so that could help when we don't have a proper tank. Plus I think with the upfront absorb granted by Spirit Ward, you can 'bounce' the toggle around and absorb multiple people with enough recharge. I guess I do lose the Psi damage proc, in technically an AoE, but there isn't much DPS to be gained from Provoke...

What about against really hard targets, like AVs/GMs and the like? I'll be honest, the last time I went without Provoke, was on Live with SOs.. and I swapped to Provoke because the bots were really squishy, but with the auras now, the pets are much more durable. I'll also have a perma-hasten build, and I think Spirit Ward will help keep the pets alive more then provoke will keep aggro off them. Would you agree?

So, the wheels in my head have been turning.. and just how useful is Provoke in the grand scheme of tankerminding? I know the idea is to have you take all the damage, and abuse bodyguard mode, but if you're already running into groups first, or locking them down quickly with other things, does provoke really benefit the overall build much? I'm talking fast paced Mastermind builds, speed groups, things like that. I've been looking over my bot/traps build, and I could swap Provoke for Spirit Ward (and its amazing absorb shield toggle that is on test) which will give my bots a pretty decent buffer if they pull aggro, or mobs get out of my control. It will also allow me to save my pets so Triage Beacon can work its magic, or the Protector bots can get a heal off. But it prevents me from actually having a Taunt.. And I'm not sure if that matters much in the grand scheme of things. Even against AVs/GMs, Provoke Taunt doesn't always force things to focus on me, and my pets will be incarnate softcapped for defense, plus double stacked Triage Beacon for almost Instant Healing level of regeneration. Add in the resistance auras, and the bots can take a hit or two, without me having to really think twice about it. How do the aggro tables work? If my pets die, does their aggro fall onto me? Or does it just go away? I ask, because a good tactic might be to just let my pets do their thing, then the aggro table will eventually land on me (which my pets dying, and me refreshing them) and then I don't really need taunt anyways, I just need my pets to wipe and for me to refresh them. Any hard thinkers out there want to weigh in on what would be more value overall? Provoke, or Spirit Ward?

Its not, but it does exist. The suggestion made it seem like there wasn't any indication of the crash. The blinky dot also works for powers like Hasten, AM, Domination, etc.

This should be what you want.

Oh goodness, this was made before inherent fitness was a thing 😞

Hey everyone, I've been mulling around making a /traps guide, but I've come to realize that I generally play it much differently than most people. (source, Forums posts, and in game comments) Because of that, I wanted to know how do ya'll play /traps? Any AT really, though my main is a bot/traps MM. I even looked over the Weekely discussion about /traps, and how there was a consensus that Seeker Drones was really underwhelming. Any thoughts or comments are welcome.

Actually, the power does start 'blinking' within 5 or 10 seconds of its duration about to drop off. Its hard to notice, but if you're paying attention, it is there already.

I've always wanted to Resistance Rifle on my robotics MM. I would love to have more customization options.

While I can't comment much on the ice/ portion of the build, I wanted to just give some advice about the /traps. The thing about Seeker Drones is that they are most useful when you summon them as an alpha soaker. They are pretty durable, and then enemies will target them first. So you summon them right in the middle of a group, they take the first hit, and then debuff said group. It works great when you don't have a tank/brute/scrapper/etc to take the first hit, and their debuffs last a decent amount of time. Their debuffs also stack, because there are two of them, so while the numbers might not seem like much, against a single target you're getting double the values.

While the sets themselves don't affect the pets, there are plenty of things you can slot in them to help you out. Frankenslotting (using Tri/Quads) can give you ED capped values for enhancements in your pets without using a lot of slots.

I'll have to say my Bots/traps is my most fun MM. I play Traps as a very aggressive in your face kinda way, which makes things very fun as I'm constantly doing something, and the bots are sturdy enough to handle their own. I've been releveling it up H side, and I really love how the power progression is working out. Every new power adds another layer to the play style, so things work out really really nicely.

But you do know who to poke. 😁