VashNKnives

In addition to fortitude being an AoE and adding some other empathy-like effect, Clearmind (also Enforced Morale from pain) needs to be Team/pet AoE. I like the concept of my empath MM but there are too many individual buffs. I'm ok... sort of... kind of... with the empath not able to get the buff-other buffs like clearmind, AB, and fort but at least make the short duration ones AoE.

I like this if for no other reason to make the self revive better than the pay to win version, but I would also make it clickable prior to defeat to give some T9 vibes maybe at reduced benefits with the rez automatic if defeated (like I guess that pool power) and then enraged, aka like Ra's al Ghul

This is definitely a thing and I believe in a previous build I tried tough/weave, but even leveraging geode as a recovery tool it was rough when I also wanted to run snowstorm. Further, I really wanted more options for incarnates since you can swap those around. So... I dropped the fighting pool this time and I still rarely use geode or geas of the kind ones to get blue bar - Mu parties anyone?.... I am also too stubborn to drop snowstorm or admit that I have too many attacks🙂

It is one of my favorites at vet level 39 currently. I don't really feel the need to heavily add resists b/c of barrier core, but I could see wanting some more debuff resist and maybe a bit more defense to push it closer to the Inc soft cap for energy and S/L even with barrier. Remember you have tohit debuffs in Storm that help so hitting exactly the soft caps would be a bit overkill since you'll have layered protection and not be expected to tank for anything big. This build has done a master of hard mode TF and strolls through the +4x8 Peregrine and DA missions. The only thing I wish they would change is whatever triggers the Geode to de-toggle early. Here is my build if you want to use it as a start:

A leadership type toggle accolade with non-stacking mini assault, manuevers, and tactics that depletes and needs to be "recharged" by leading more would be my type of reward for this. Charged up to 3 hours or something - after depletion it just greys out. Badge unlocked not by hard mode (use already exising team badges and a lore related badge) because accessibility. Thematic and interesting possibilities for minmaxing.

I agree with the intent of the suggestion. Leaders should be rewarded for the time and energy that it takes to make this game more than champions online - queue, do the thing, leave, and do it again ad nauseum. How a reward could be provided would take consideration. The person who clicks the button to start the TF/SF probably sat there a while spamming chat. A person who formed and maintained a league did even more. No reward will equal time spent waiting in vain for a shadow shard tf but it will ease the sting that you spent an hour stressing instead of just doing something else or soloing it at -1x1. Once the proper metric is determined then throw those hardworking folks a bone. Why not pass out those prismatics or a grant higher drop chance for valuable somethings.... a captain's bounty for all the risk ventured. (Time & Annoyance & Stress)

I like the Positron treatment in the who will die steel canyon Jager mission where we save atlas. Posi just stops fighting if he takes too much damage and keeps following you around damage immune. It is as if the npc is falling back and staying out of your way the rest of the mission. Would even be aligned to giving the npc a way rejoin the fight once their health recovers and a time penalty elapses.

I never played DS but for bots/EA the secret sauce was bind all buffs to target pet 0 and be prepared to constantly spam the EA buffs, bind faraday to quickly reposition all the time, and make liberal use of the MM attacks to force a body guard response while keeping the pets nearby in the cage. I would pull aggro as the IO'd "tank" for the bots then keep them buffed as I toggled between bodyguard and directed fire. The EA set feels busy, but for bots it was manageable.

Also Sentinels do get a shorter recharge on Thunderous Blast and the inherent single-target debuff Vulnerability, which isn't huge but is something: Vulnerability debuffs endurance resistance: There is also another recent thread on this: here

I too really want a hand toss alternate animation for all the grenades. It is hard for me to justify all these different types of things loaded in one gun.

This is my current E3 sentinel build on live. Since you share your builds on the forums I thought you may appreciate some reciprocation, even if you may disagree with the slotting and powers. I would encourage you to experiment on the beta server. Things like sapped enemies scattering can annoy some folks, which is why originally I took chain fences, but then I found I rarely used it and liked to move anyway. Also, tactics is super important when facing +3s in PI radios. One last thing about the Sentinel AT is that Sapping works well with the inherent - vulnerability - since when sapping you'll want to focus on those particularly annoying bosses and keep them drained (minions and LTs will be dry due to your AoE):

I know you are in the defender forum but would recommend checking out an e3 Sentinel because sapping can require a bit of extra protection till fully sapped... not that a defender would be bad at it, but for large spawns solo I have found Sentinel sapping to be easy and satisfying. Full disclosure, I spent a good chunk of time recently testing various defender and Sentinel builds with sapping as one option. I just found that my old E3 Sentinel still was much safer especially solo +4x8 w/boss arachnos and other peregrine radio missions. The testing didn't focus on e3 defender vs Sentinel sapping though (AT modifiers would definitely be in favor of defender sapping), and I will still probably level my e3 defender b/c it's fun also.

I didn't know about the cell proc lockouts when multiple storm users team probably b/c I rarely team with other storm users... seems like a technical issue more than a policy. Did anyone give a reason? I agree they should fix, reduce, or remove this limitation. Also I realize the chain mechanics mean chain lightning can fail to propagate, but 5% doing nothing has got to be a bug. May need a check added to the code to give it a small something else extra either when that happens or just additive to make up for that behavior. A chance to proc a mag 3 stun just on the target would be nice and have synergy with the electric mastery stun but not be broken since it is on an AoE with the usage costs associated.

There are things I would like tweaked about how storm cell works, but the set as a whole is fun and effective when I compare it to all the others in actual +4x8 no AV solo content. This is just subjective, non-structured and small sample size comparisons based on personal experiences with all the sets at level cap. I feel that people don't factor in the survivability boost the set provides via debuffs and knock down. I just went through a master of Apex and master of Aeon with very little issue and as one of the only dps-ish types as a Sentinel. The single target chain is hail, cloud, lightning, sometimes proc'd hold or sometimes proc'd melee on a balanced offense-defense build. The AoE from the build basically chains the cone and chain lightning while throwing out cat5 and ion judgement whenever. The way you play it is to ignore all but bosses and trickie targets because everything else just dies from the storm procs and any AoE you decide is end efficient to throw out. If I have minion stragglers it usually is a 1-shot or at most 2 for lvl 54 on a Sentinel. On my blaster minions are just 1-shot. On the corruptor I took the new ice pet and it brings significant single target dps while I buff/debuff between blasts. Still, the same goal solo is to just focus on the hard targets b/c everything else just melts or is too debuffed/soft controlled to do anything worth my attention. I will probably make a defender next to have one storm blast for each blast AT. Thinking about weird things to try to keep it different such as using the end drain from the lightning or going more melee range with some more contol pbaoes... Depends on what I can come up with in Mids and how it plays on test server.

I love storm blast (three lvl 53s), but I would like it also if storm cell's duration refreshed for as long as you keep attacking with other storm powers within the cell. That change alone would make the set more end efficient, increase sustained dps, and remove the anxiety for lack of a better word of always watching for the special ring around the icon. I basically summon it every battle but it becomes tedious to keep an eye on it during longer fights.

I like /dark a lot with a few key IOs such as putting the +end acc heal enh in the heal. Also, going against popular opinion, I take all the weird toggles - stealth, fear and stun. My only concern for a brute would be fury generation with the control toggles. However, if you don't find you like the combo, I realized that a staff/elect would have a nice vibe - the shields aesthetically look good to me, has the damage aura, power sync, and (optional) T9 entity form. Though, flying with sorcery pool may mean sometimes forgoing the kb protection of grounded if that still requires being close to the ground to work.

I like /dark for a sorcerer defense set but I guess it depends on faction... maybe also bio or rad. But if going stalker, then I am not sure I would go resistance based set unless planning to spend a bunch on heavily IOing it - which is normal for me at this point. I have a staff/ice stalker that I love and recommend you check the difference in attacks, I think having assassin's staff and build-up was a good add for staff, but I am not a staff expert

Storm/nin/cold blaster took my top spot since storm blast came out and only got better with age :) I look for a relaxing stride. I find that Storm blaster so relaxing to play solo +4×8, but if asked this in the past, some other signature characters would have been my signature at the time: Blaster: beam/en; arrow/fire Scrapper: mace/dark Stalker: staff/ice Sentinel: electric ×3 Def: Water/ta; traps/en; storm/dark; Mm: bots/ea troller: ill/dark Dom: fire×3 Many, many others... and even more from back during Live, but also many I should probably reclaim IOs from at this point.

Agreed, narrow cones on melee are a real buzz kill when you end up hitting like a quarter or less of a spawn. I don't see too many people taking the cone judgement attacks (vorpal? and cryonic?) over the others. I have done it for theme but it isn't cool always knowing that you are underperforming just because of aesthetics.

Aggressive. I/Os, combining inspirations, teleporters, reduced impact in failure... basically more fun in most instances because I like mowing down hundreds of mobs, but also I have had less epic team encounters because of how OP some of us make our characters for normal content. I remember several old school battles where we were on pick-up teams in normal content barely surviving or where someone leverages their powers to save from team wipes. Those seem fewer and further apart these days.

Has anyone considered adding cryo rounds or something to the gun drone pet? It seems weird having a pure gun on a control set. Would be cool if it rotated ammo on its own kind of randomly like a mini dual pistol swap ammo.

Exactly what I am suggesting as a hopefully feasible idea for an update to the game. I am very happy with the Homecoming devs' work on this game. They really have shown great care and talent. I hope this is something that they will consider as it almost feels the ancillary pools are incomplete with all the primary and secondary proliferation and new sets.

I spend a lot of time on my characters (build planning and then playing them), and theme always tops my priorities. It would be awesome if we had some additional proliferation of thematic blast powers to melee epic pools and vice versa. It takes something away from the build having to select generic powers because I can't justify the themes available. Also, I wouldn't expect any new animations, just less powerful versions of the existing primary/secondary thematic sets for other ATs to achieve as a ancillary pool pick.

The implications of damage typing is one reason I have enjoyed this game for so long. The strategic considerations this creates do provide positive feedback to those who are in the know as a small reward for digging a bit deeper in to the game mechanics. That said, if you find that you primarily like certain task forces and enemy groups, then I would consider damage resistances, defenses, and special powers of those groups. I play mostly for concept but have abandoned characters that felt too grindy or poor at what they are designed to do. And sometimes the game changes and you just have to keep in mind that it is an MMO with some very gracious and thoughtful developers. The shock and horror I felt testing my almost 50 invulnerability/street justice/dark tank as a fully I/O'd and incarnated juggernaut against the new harder mode of the Imperious Task Force on the test server... I paused that project for now.

I think it would be awesome if all buff-other powers got the same treatment that powers like stimulant received. It may be confusing to new players but playing a sonic resonance character or similar team buffer always feels a bit restrictive compared to sets that give you more tools to solo if you want. That doesn't mean that sets like sonic resonance would receive the full use of their team buffs, but they would have a use for the power picks solo.