Burnt Umber

Oh, if anyone needs some inf. for a build for this weekend, send me a line in game and I'll send a sum along.

I'll bring Nox Atrissima

I'll try to bring Super-Radiance - Kin.Energy Defender.

Ah, okay! Thanks for clarifying.

I'd like to bring Kataigis - Elec./Storm Controller. But could you please clarify on what "Be your original self" means here?

I'll bring Umbrifer - Dark/Elec. Brute.

I'll bring my Crab Spider Veneficio in his my Night Widow Nox Atrissima in her native Arachnos Costume (does that work for the theme?).

I'll try to be there next week (on time maybe?) with Caelum - Elec./Eng. Blaster.

At the risk of being a bit brazen, I believe that article - a player's guide - is mistaken. I can't recall having Bodyguard working without my henchmen following me; I also don't recall the actual Developers describing it as working that way, with the Patch Notes themselves saying that henchmen have to be in Defensive Follow.

Although I understand the OP's frustrations, I'm not a fan of the suggestion because it would mean that pets would not be summoned in Bodyguard mode. The reason they summon to the default stance of Defensive Follow is for them to be in Bodyguard mode; it has been that way since Bodyguard mode was introduced. The OP's suggestion would mean that the MM is more squishy when (re-)summoning pets rather than more protected.

Looking at the build, it seems like you are frequently breaking your sets to frakenslot more expensive sets into the mix or over-/underslotting things with expensive uniques. I think that might be contributing to your "muddied" feel. Some of that might be fixed by taking more essential powers sooner, and reallocating slots from passives to you active powers. For example, you take aim early on and 4-slot it with Gaussian's, but leave the more important TT: Maneuvers until the 40s - even though it's a core power to your defense - and underslot it. I'm not sure I fix your problem and it certainly isn't perfect, but here's a revised version of yours: Crab 2024 revised.mbd

I slot Dark Servant with two To-Hit Debuff IOs and three Acc./Mez. HOs. I feel that maximizes what the pet generally does with the heal being a nice bonus.

I'll try to bring Nuntius - Sym./Thermal Controller. If you need to do that "arc," I may be able to do it on an alt. sometime after Theme Team on of these days when we do one of the shorter TF.

I could definitely log in with another alt. afterwards. I'd also be up for doing any of the Spring Fling missions people might want to do before the event ends (soon?).

So, besides Venom Grenade, Wide Area Web Grenade and Frag Grenade are great power picks, and the immobilize will certainly help keep your foes at range. Your +25% range goal would lend itself to the cone damage powers Heavy Burst and Suppression; dipping into Leviathan also gives the Bile Spray and Arctic Breath cones, with the latter giving more -Resist on top of Venom. Although it will perhaps compete for slots for Bombardment, the Artillery ranged AoE Damage sets will give more range to your powers and give lots of Ranged defense. On that note, ranged defense is relatively easy to come by for Crabs, I think. The Tactical Training: Defensive passive gives unenhanced 7.5% ranged (bumped up to 12.5% with enhancements). 6-slotting your native Manuevers as well as Leadership's with Red Fortune will provide some ranged defense; 6-slotting Lightning Strike in your couple of single target ranged attacks also will provide some ranged defense; and 6-slotting Blood Mandate into whatever pets you get gives a good amount of ranged and AoE defense. Your resists are middling natively, but that can be upped a bit depending on your slotting. Serum (the Dull Pain like power) can become permanent without heavy investment into recharge, and I like slotting it with Preventative Medicine. I'd temper my expectations for Omega Maneuver (the quasi-nuke): it does poor damage and has somewhat poor range so it may end up a dropped power, but your mileage may very. Unfortunately, you are remembering the way that Banes get capes from their backpacks. Crabs get the gnarly arms instead. Additionally, you didn't mention it, but be sure to slot the SoA ATO enhancement for global toxic damage somewhere in your build. It procs frequently enough to be really helpful.