Timeshadow

So, I've had a character concept in mind for a quite a while that I'm finally getting around to making. After trying several ATs and powerset combos, I've settled on a DP/Nin/Mind Sentinel. I did quite a bit of reading and came up with the build below. This is my first time really messing around with things like proccing out attacks instead of just going for set bonuses so I'd like to get some opinions from those with more experience. A few things to consider: The build's currently sitting at 82.5% Global Recharge. Not nothing but also not as much as I usually go for on other toons. Is that enough? Pistols and Suppressive Fire are both proc heavy by my standards. I understand that's a good thing since Sentinel base damage is a little lackluster but have I gone too far at the expense of boosting the powers' inherent damage and recharge? After a certain level (45ish) I really ran out of ideas for how to make best use of all the available slots. Could I rearrange the late-build placement to get more impactful effects? I should probably note that this isn't intended for min/max. I'm a pretty casual player so I tend to minimize use of the big ticket items like purples and ATOs. Soloing AVs and running up pylon times is cool but I'm just not interested in blowing the influence/merits necessary to do that kinda stuff. That being said, I appreciate any feedback you guys can offer. This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.2.17 https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn Click this DataLink to open the build! Deveraux: Level 50 Mutation Sentinel Primary Power Set: Dual Pistols Secondary Power Set: Ninjitsu Power Pool: Flight Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Speed Ancillary Pool: Psionic Mastery Hero Profile: Level 1: Pistols -- Thn-Acc/Dmg(A), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(3), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(3), TchofLadG-%Dam(31), ShlBrk-%Dam(39), AchHee-ResDeb%(42) Level 1: Ninja Reflexes -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), RedFrt-Def(11), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(36), Rct-ResDam%(48) Level 2: Empty Clips -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(5), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(5), PstBls-Dmg/Rchg(9), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(9), AchHee-ResDeb%(39) Level 4: Danger Sense -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), RedFrt-Def(11), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(36), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(48) Level 6: Suppressive Fire -- Thn-Acc/Dmg(A), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(7), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(7), NrnSht-Dam%(17), GhsWdwEmb-Dam%(25) Level 8: Swap Ammo Level 10: Kuji-In Rin -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 12: Bullet Rain -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(13), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(13), PstBls-Dmg/Rchg(15), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(15), FrcFdb-Rechg%(39) Level 14: Fly -- WntGif-ResSlow(A) Level 16: Shinobi-Iri -- Clr-Stlth(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(17), RedFrt-Def(36), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(46) Level 18: Executioner's Shot -- Dcm-Acc/Dmg(A), Dcm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(19), Dcm-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Dcm-Dmg/EndRdx(23), Dcm-Dmg/Rchg(23), IceMisTrmt-+ColdDmg(40) Level 20: Kuji-In Sha -- Prv-Absorb%(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg(25), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(31), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(34), Prv-Heal(37), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(37) Level 22: Kick -- Empty(A) Level 24: Tough -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), UnbGrd-Max HP%(48) Level 26: Piercing Rounds -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(27), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(27), PstBls-Dmg/Rchg(29), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(29), Ann-ResDeb%(40) Level 28: Bo Ryaku -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A) Level 30: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), RedFrt-Def(31), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(37) Level 32: Hail of Bullets -- Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(A), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33), Obl-Acc/Rchg(33), Obl-Dmg(33), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(34), FrcFdb-Rechg%(34) Level 35: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(40), RechRdx-I(46) Level 38: Kuji-In Retsu -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), RechRdx-I(50), RechRdx-I(50) Level 41: Mind Probe -- TchofDth-Acc/Dmg(A), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx(42), TchofDth-Dmg/Rchg(42), TchofDth-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43), TchofDth-Dam%(43) Level 44: Dominate -- Dcm-Acc/Dmg(A), Dcm-Dmg/EndRdx(45), Dcm-Dmg/Rchg(45), Dcm-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(45), Dcm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(46) Level 47: Mass Hypnosis -- FrtHyp-Acc/Rchg(A), FrtHyp-Acc/Sleep/Rchg(50) Level 49: Link Minds -- RctRtc-Pcptn(A) Level 1: Opportunity Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A) Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A) Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A) Level 1: Swift -- Run-I(A) Level 1: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A) Level 1: Health -- Mrc-Rcvry+(A) Level 1: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), EndMod-I(21), EndMod-I(21) Level 8: Chemical Ammunition Level 8: Cryo Ammunition Level 8: Incendiary Ammunition Level 14: Afterburner ------------

Long story short, I'm building a shapeshifter who transforms into mobs from different enemy groups and I'm looking for more alternate "forms." The character is a Mind/MA Dom so there are a few criteria: The NPCs use MA or psychic powers A reasonable approximation of the NPC's look can be made in the costume creator (Screenshots are welcome if you're feeling creative) No Knives of Artemis, Longbow, Crey, or Tsoo (Nothing against these groups. I've just already got costumes for them) I'd like to have as many "forms" as possible so I'm really hoping the community can help me out on this. Cheers, gang 😁

I see what you mean but every player had access to the Concealment pool anyway so it's not like the panther power was doing something gamebreaking. It even turned off all your other toggles so you couldn't stack it with something like Super Speed or a +Stealth IO. If you stood too close to mobs they'd open fire on you regardless.

Essentially, they were permanent versions of the powers we get for Trick-or-Treating. They were toggles that swapped your character model with a specific enemy NPC. Most of them came from contests or special rewards for attending IRL events but a few of them were available for purchase on the Paragon Market for a limited time. Perfect thing if you wanted to do a shapeshifter concept or just for RP purposes.

Yes, this is exactly what I meant. Some Paragon Market powers were removed or altered in the transition to P2W and I'm just wondering if anyone knows why.

@Glacier Peak I think you misunderstood. I know the Panther transformation is available. What I was saying is that it's different from the original version available on live. In the live version, transforming let you access a form exclusive power (Panther Stealth or something like that). The P2W version still turns you into a big cat and gives you the associated movement speed bonuses, but the stealth power has disappeared. It just no longer exists for reasons that, as far as I'm aware, have never been explained. It's not the only P2W power that's vanished in the transition from live to Homecoming.

No, this isn't a thread about some mysterious bug so hang onto your "wrong sub-forum" replies. I saw you warming up the keyboard 😜 I'm curious about some stuff that was available on the Paragon Market in the live version of the game but didn't make it over to the P2W vendor. Or, if they did come through, were altered in some way. I'm talking about things like the Panther shapeshift (It used to grant a unique stealth power but now it doesn't), the various model replacement powers (Gone altogether), etc. None of these were game breaking. They were just neat little things that let us be more creative with our toons. Other than the Devs just not feeling like it, does anybody know why some of the old Paragon Market items aren't available and if there are any plans to bring them back?

I've been running a DB/Stone project recently (Currently level 44). I've found Attack Vitals is my go to combo for single target damage and Sweep is my choice for AoE. In between the requesite starters I use Blinding Feint to keep the damage and toHit buff rolling. That's probably as intended but I enjoy how seamless it feels as opposed to having me dash around the keyboard, trying to hit the right buttons at the right time. There's probably a more optimal way to run the set but I rarely care about going for absolute max DPS.

I'll try it but I don't think that's the issue. When I mouse over the icon to look at the preview window it's just white. There's no display like you'd normally get with a program that's running in a minimized window.

UPDATE: I'm currently level 48 and am in the process of getting my IOs together. With Performance Shifter procs and EndMods in Stamina and Crystal Armor my blue bar's looking ok. I've got Martial Arts as my primary so using Eagle Claw in my attack chain was a bit rough but now that it's fully slotted with Touch of Death I don't have any issues pulling it off in succession. I still wasn't super happy with the overall End usage so I went ahead and picked up Energy Mastery but I haven't had a chance to test it properly yet. On Mud Pots specifically, I'm starting to understand the benefits. Eventually I'll be using it for the Brute ATO but for now I've got it slotted with a set of Obliteration and the damage is respectable. Not mind blowing obviously but it saves me having to use an extra attack or two to finish off Minions, which is actually kinda nice. All in all, this toon's extremely fun to play. The animations are flashy, the damage is respectable, and survivability's already quite good despite the build being unfinished. I find myself drawn to it even when I log in intending to run something else. That might just be the whole drive to hit 50 but we'll see.

So I recently started having an issue where Mids will go through the splash screen and the icon will appear in my task bar but the window never actually shows up on my desktop. There's no error message, no nothing. I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling everything already. Still no luck. Any other program I run, including CoH, works just fine. I'm using the latest version installed via Camel on a Windows 10 OS. Any ideas as to what's going on and how to fix it?

While I've got the lords of SMASH here debating, let me ask another question. I've noticed Stone can be pretty heavy on End. The extra Recovery in Crystal Armor is nice but I'm wondering if I should still be eyeing Energy Mastery for my Ancillary pool. Having a second Stamina is great but I'd like to take something else for thematic reasons.

I see. Mud Pots doesn't feel very End efficient at all but I'm not fully slotted yet so that might work itself out over time. Since procs are a non-starter, would you recommend a regular PBAoE IO set?

So I'm a lurker here on the Brute forums but I love the AT. IMO, they manage to strike the perfect balance between Scrapper and Tank. I also love Stone Armor, especially after the revamp. The Homecoming team did what Paragon Studios never got around to, making Granite a power that's nice to have instead of something that forces you to build around it. All that being said, I'm struggling to find a justification for Mud Pots outside of a simple aggro tool. My understanding is that damage auras are actually an important part of a Brute's DPS output but Mud Pots just seems like a really slow and insignificant DoT. Am I getting this all wrong? Do I need to proc it out to see the DPS benefits? Veteran Brutes, help me out here please.

As @Honorbridge said, Human form's use differs between PB and WS. PB Human form is about buffs (Inner Light and Light Form specifically) and mostly ST damage. You should be shifting in and out to keep your +Dmg and +Res up while also using its attacks as a regular part of your chain, especially against hard targets. The AoE provided by Solar Flare, Dawn Strike, and Photon Seekers (If you take them) can also be incredibly useful. Lastly, PB Human offers one of your two self-heals so it pulls double duty where survivability is concerned. Similarly, Warshades rely on Human form for the buffs that let them be as amazing as they are. Sunless Mire and Eclipse are absolutely mandatory so you should always be shifting to Human to keep them up. It also brings a good amount of CC alongside some utility with its teleportation powers and the borderline OP Stygian Circle. Overall, Human is definitely a key component of a TriForm build. PBs end up seeing it on screen more often because of the attacks their version offers but both flavors of Kheld depend on it to be effective.

You want to get Nova as soon as it becomes available at level 6. In the early game, most enemies don't have hard hitting ranged attacks so the ability to float above their heads and rain bolts of light is the optimal way to engage them. Frankly, Nova is always going to be your primary source of ranged damage in a TriForm build. You don't need any of the Human ranged attacks but I recommend picking up Gleaming Bolt (It's fast Recharge makes it a great mule for the Achilles' Heel -Resist proc) and Glinting Eye (This works in Nova and fills out the form's attack chain). All the others are rendered unnecessary by their Nova copies. As @Omega Force noted, the only Human powers that can be used in form are Glinting Eye (Nova) and Gleaming Bolt (Dwarf). Playing a TriForm build is about weaving between all three forms to get the maximum efficacy from each one. Generally speaking, you should avoid sitting in any one form for long periods unless something about the situation calls for that (i.e. You've got mezz effects on you and need the protection Dwarf offers). In the same way Nova trivializes the Human blasts, Dwarf makes the shields largely irrelevant. Its inherent Resistance is pretty high (Something like 50% unenhanced) and it can easily reach up to 65% or 70% with basic +Resist IOs. In addition to that, it comes with built-in mezz protection. You get a mezz on you, you activate Dwarf and smash stuff until that mezz wears off. In regard to Dwarf form's powers, it gets more than just attacks. You've got two single-target melee attacks, a PBAoE (White Dwarf Flare), a self-heal, Taunt, and a teleport. As I mentioned earlier, you can also use Gleaming Bolt while in Dwarf. It doesn't do much damage on its own but slotting it with the aforementioned Achilles' Heel proc allows you to cut a chunk out of enemies' Resistance, therefore enabling Dwarf to do a bit more damage. Again, @Omega Force has it right. Human is the melee specialist (Best suited for hitting hard targets like Bosses), Nova does ranged DPS (Primarily good at taking out softer targets with AoEs), and Dwarf is for tanking/mezz protection. I'd reiterate though that playing a TriForm build effectively requires you to be using all three in concert with each other. For example, let's say you're about to engage a new spawn. You wanna be in Human form first so you can buff your damage with Inner Light. Once that's done, you could do something like this: 1) Stay in Human, use a PBAoE (Solar Flare, Dawn Strike, or Photon Seekers) to open with damage and knock everything around 2) Leap back out while shifting to Nova and blasting from range 3) Go into Dwarf to absorb some incoming damage, maybe pop a heal, and/or knock everything down with White Dwarf Flare 4) See what's still alive and choose how to proceed Notice how each step uses a different form for a different purpose but they all end up synergizing to handle the spawn? That's the ideal TriForm methodology. Obviously, things differ depending on the kind of enemies you're up against and whatever teammates you have. You may want to be using Dwarf more frequently if you're running with several squishies, essentially functioning as a main tank. If you've got a good number of sturdy melee ATs around, you could get in close and mix it up alongside them in Human form or sit back and blast in Nova. It all depends on the situation. Hope that helps. You can check out the guide in my signature for an overview of how a TriForm PB develops through the levels. Hope to see you slinging the light in-game. If you ever run across a PB named Sunsquall, that'll be me 😁

Speaking as a dedicated TriForm player, the incarnate powers that really matter are Alpha, Interface, and Destiny. The others are largely matters of personal preference. Here's what I'd recommend: Alpha: Musculature or Spiritual depending on how much +Recharge you already have in your build. Interface: Not sure why this popped into my head but...Degenerative/Reactive or bust. Destiny: Barrier or Clarion depending on what you feel you need. The Def/Res boost you get from Barrier can significantly increase your survivability but the mezz protection from Clarion allows you to be more flexible since you don't have to worry about being forced into White Dwarf while it's active.

Again, thanks to everybody for their feedback. I decided to keep rolling with Mud Pots for a while and I'm starting to warm up to it. Still not really seeing the benefits of it aggro wise but the chip damage is quite nice. My Brute's 50 now and I've got everything I want in terms of powers so I'll probably grab Taunt for the 49 pick. It may not be necessary for the AT but it's still something I prefer to have for those moments when I need to off-tank, which I find myself doing a decent bit (Probably a /Stone thing).

Thanks for your feedback, guys. After playing with Mud Pots for a while (Currently lvl 45), I gotta say...I don't like it 😅 Maybe I'm doing something wrong but it just seems like it doesn't really do much. The damage ticks are slow and since it's a passive effect I don't have the ability to redirect aggro on demand when I need to. On top of that, it's pretty heavy on End usage despite having a decent amount of Recovery in my build. I've yet to try running it now that I've got Physical Perfection slotted up but so far I think I'd rather have Taunt.

In practice? Nothing. As @expeditor mentioned, forms have a Recovery bonus to offset their End cost so slotting them for EndRed or EndMod isn't really worth doing. Personally, I always slot Nova with a Rectified Reticle: +Perception. Makes fighting Arachnos and the occasional KoA a lot easier.

So I've recently rolled a Savage/Stone Brute that I really enjoy. Problem is, I can't fit both Taunt and Mud Pots in my build without dropping something else that I really want. If I was going for something optimal I'd just get both but as it stands I need to choose. I never really got into Brutes back on live but I remember there was some debate about whether Taunt was worth taking. Some argued that you needed it to effectively tank for teams but others leaned into the DPS side of the AT and argued it was a waste. So I come to you, the Sultans of SMASH, for an answer. Should I forget about Taunt in favor of Mud Pots, drop the pots for Taunt, or can I split the difference and just slot the aura for taunt instead?

@Xiddo You don't need me for that. Back on live, Dechs Kaison wrote the definitive guide to Warshades. It's dated now, of course, but it still holds up. I give you, The MFing Warshade! I might do a Warshades guide in the future since several things have changed (I'm currently in the middle of another CoX project that I hope to be finishing soon). The core gameplay is the same though. Buff yourself by draining enemies, do damage, repeat. Let me know if you have any questions 😁

@Dahkness Khelds were never really intended for new players. I think I mentioned somewhere in my guide that both they and SoAs were originally gated behind the level cap. IMO, that was a good thing. Admittedly, the Devs seem to have understood that Kheld mechanics were perhaps a bit much for their player base and didn't go the same route with VEATs. Outside of my personal opinion, it's pretty common across MMORPGs that shapeshifting classes (And hybrid classes in general) are more complex and require more effort than specialized ones to play well. You can perform decently in "easy mode" but getting something impressive out of a hybrid means understanding how they work, the multitude of abilities at their disposal, and when you should be using what. They're not necessarily intended to be something you can pick up and play well without investing some time. All that being said, @PhoenixV117 I'm never going to oppose buffs as long as they're not overpowered. Having toggles persist through forms probably would be though. Off the top of my head, the only toggles I can think of that you'd even be running are the shields and stuff from pools. In either case, if you're taking the forms then you should be shifting from one to another pretty often (Not as often as a Warshade but still). I can't really think of a scenario where you'd be in Human form long enough for toggles to really matter.

@Xiddo Glad it helped you out. Go forth and sling the light, my friend! 😁 @Ohsirus With respect, I disagree. While it's true that Warshades have a higher performance ceiling, they also have a lower floor. You can be sailing along just fine as long as you've got fuel for all the buffs but if something goes wrong or that fuel runs out, there isn't much you can do about it. You've gone from dark demigod to meh shadowboi through no real fault of your own. If that works for some people, great, but I prefer the stability of a PB. I like knowing that when I need something it's gonna be there regardless of the circumstances. But that's just my opinion. One of the great things about CoX is the game was designed to let you play whatever makes you happy. Unless you're really into min-max, just about anything works.

Never felt any need for them, TBH. Once you've got access to Dwarf, mezz is pretty trivial unless you're slow to recognize it's on you and don't shift in time. Black Dwarf in particular can be a solid offensive tool when slotted properly. That being said, Warshades have to shift a lot more frequently than PBs so I can see why you'd want it. As others have said, the P2W temp power is probably your best bet if you're going TriForm. You won't be able to keep Acrobatics toggled on for long before you need to shift forms again. Human-only is a different story, of course.