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When I wanted a Controller that didn't look like it was really controlling (my opinion, YMMV) as much as it was sowing chaos, I went with Mind/Poison. I went all-in on %damage from procs to beef up the damage output. The Poison debuffs are a help against AVs and GMs. With Mind, it is less obvious (from the graphics) what is happening with enemies (compared to any over Controllers) and you don't have to have anything that looks like a pet chasing you around.

You can always try to motivate players to full-kit out their second and third builds. Outside of VEATs (every one), HEATs (multi-form/single-form), Masterminds (standard vs. petless/one-big pet) and builds for specific 50+ content (Attuned? BAH! Boosters FTW!) I have trouble motivating myself to do such a thing.

"Canonically" per a Forbes (?, Money?) listicle. I've seen it attributed to Time, but I'm relatively certain it was a magazine focused on finance.

For me: Gaussian's is in the category of "should be worth more than it is valued at in the /AH", along with Thunderstrike. It doesn't mean I have a swarm of unsold ones, just that for a variety of reasons it isn't a set that is ever in demand. One of the reasons may be that the To Hit piece cons yellow (uncommon), but it is a rare. I personally like the 6-set bonuses it gives, and in most click powers (Aim, Build Up, Chronos, etc.) the slotted recharge from the (attuned) set doesn't move the %BuildUp proc chances below 90%. I can completely understand skimping on slots in such powers (going with just the %proc and a Recharge), but on most of my builds the performance from randomly distributing those slots isn't improved as much as I miss hitting enemies (ehem, Moment of Glory Paragon Protectors).

I use the +Absorb proc strictly so that I don't have to watch my Health bar.

To find those IO Enhancements you need, be sure to visit the auction house: Wentworths, Black Market or /AH in any non-PVP zone.

I tend not to think about using Taunt on Hamidon as much as I think about using Taunt on Lord Recluse.

I have never tried Titan Weapons on an AT, primarily because I didn't want to bother with (not having) momentum. I have tried War Mace, which (while leveling) I found to be very clunky and slow... but once slotted with global Recharge works a lot smoother. I can imagine how at low levels a Bio/TW tank can feel: you don't really have the slots to make the Bio feel like it is doing much for you (DNA Siphon will be key) and the attacks are probably very clunky.

Advice when leveling up (and you don't lean into enhancement set bonuses) Keep in mind that the Tanker Taunt is an auto-hit power... so if you are always teaming and taunting, accuracy in the attacks isn't as important. For attacks (while leveling) I always start with an accuracy (the CoT ToHit Debuffs can be brutal), followed by Endurance reduction, then other effects. Advanced advice: If your primary has a Defense power that will always be on (Auto or Toggle) consider adding the Kismet +Accuracy (really ToHit) enhancement to it. This is a piece that starts working at very low level, and will boost your "final ToHit" chances in all powers as long as the power is on. Many of the enhancement sets that go into attack powers (and will be ones that most players gravitate towards) will include accuracy enhancements. Attuned versions of these are all I need. Many sets (particularly Very Rare/Purple) also offer global accuracy bonuses for including multiple pieces, so for players that chose to emphasize something other than Accuracy when slotting they don't suffer too much.

Thanks for the kind words. I focused on MaxEnd because: IIRC, there already is a cap on Recovery Players 'spend' the blue bar (i.e. Endurance) via powers of choice, Health is spent by (random) circumstance. Health "expenses" (i.e. the green bar) can already be "managed" via power choices in the VEAT (or bonuses, like everybody else) I see chasing Recovery and Regeneration (at least for low HP AT) as a sort of 'case of diminishing returns'. YMMV on this point, but for my $0.02 after a certain point on many builds MOAR Recovery is not noticeable.

TL;DR The VEAT inherent is weak sauce, considering that everybody gets the Fitness Pool. Many AT can make this complaint: When I was leveling up my VEATs, and while running HOT against large spawn sizes, Endurance was the largest source of grief for me.. and as with many characters it really only gets better with Enhancement set bonuses and Accolades... just as with everybody else. Would it be the end of the world if the VEAT got a straight +MaxEnd inherent instead of +Regen/+Recovery? Such a thing wouldn't make them "obviously better at ____" than any other AT.

Not a Stalker, but I tried the revamped Spring Attack on a Scrapper... "meh" is an overstatement.

The connection between Superadine (and the Trolls) and other dimensions was always something I wanted to learn more about. The Trolls aren't the most imaginative group, so I have long hoped that there was more to their story. I have lived with the disappointment that it was probably nothing more than "drugs are coming from another dimension", which sort of plays out in a Maria Jenkin's mission (again involving Brickstown).

I appreciate @Greycat typing up the long history lesson from the Live Name Release, because I did not have the stamina to do it. It is not incorrect that the Live name release policy had almost no impact.

TL;DR Force Mastery strikes me as a reasonable pool for slotting Global pieces with a relatively small investment in slots. I use Force Mastery on my Dark/Temp Blaster, which I primarily play at ranged. Dark is already debuffing enemy ToHit, so MOAR Defense comes from MOAR (primary) Offense. Personal Force Field is essentially a mule for a LotG and Shield Wall. I'll use it on speed TFs to dash through enemy spawns. Temporary Invulnerability (my level 49 pick) is essentially another mule (Aegis Psi/Status resistance) but it essentially doubles my S/L Resistance when used. I've used Repulsion Bomb, it's fine with a -Res piece, but it is never a bread-and-butter attack for me. I like the set bonus options it offers. I've never used Repulsion Field; I may be biased because of trying similar powers on Live. I certainly could use it in my play style, but I don't really like set bonuses compared to what I can get from different power picks. Force of Nature reminds me too much of the Tanker Invulnerability primary T9 to want to bother with.

I don't know what the motivation was for changing the range of Fast Snipes (PVP?) but it definitely hurt my non-Blapper playstyle. Full disclosure, it also hurt my Stalker/Scrapper playstyle, as my melee characters with Patron snipes can't target those stubborn/cowardly enemies that won't come to me!

I think it was issue 27 page 2. IIRC The Fast Snipe range was normalized to 80 feet (100 feet for Psi?), whereas before I think it was 150 feet. As we all know, it doesn't take much for AI critters to run away. Personally: I miss the ability to draw a distant spawn to our fighting force as well. On Dark, this really bugs me, as my Umbral Torrent is slotted to have a range of 104 feet!

As soon as I am tempted to think that "names should be released": I imagine that the name was released, but somebody else wanted it more than I did and got it before me.

One of the deepest personal mysteries involves the current iteration of Fast Snipes: Do I burn a slot just to increase Range? I hate that the range of these was cut. I suppose I wasn't vocal enough when everyone was crying about the potential loss of %proc, but the Range lost is much more severe. It probably bothers me more on my Dark Blaster because of the DoT and Debuffing that makes enemies scatter to the four winds...

Have "clowny" send a global tell, right-click to invite.

Temporal (and /Time) secondaries are only "easy" for me in this way: I generally don't bother using the attacks until the mobs get to me. I definitely don't Blapper with my Dark/Temp. Here is my build, with a different take than above: Dark Temp Blaster: Level 50 Magic Blaster Primary Power Set: Dark Blast Secondary Power Set: Temporal Manipulation Power Pool: Sorcery Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Leadership Ancillary Pool: Force Mastery Hero Profile: Level 1: Gloom -- SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg:50(A), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(3), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(3), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(5), SprDfnBrr-Rchg/+Status Protect:50(5), SprDfnBrr-Dmg/Rchg:50(42) Level 1: Time Wall -- HO:Endo(A) Level 2: Umbral Torrent -- HO:Centri(A), HO:Nucle(37), CldSns-%Dam:30(46), PstBls-Dam%:50(48), JvlVll-Dam%:50(48), OvrFrc-Dam/KB:50(46) Level 4: Mystic Flight -- BlsoftheZ-ResKB:50(A) Level 6: Time Stop -- GldNet-Acc/Hold:30(A), GldNet-Acc/Rchg:30(7), GldNet-Rchg/Hold:30(7), GldNet-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:50(9), GldNet-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:50(40), GldNet-Dam%:50(43) Level 8: Moonbeam -- StnoftheM-Acc/Dmg:50(A), StnoftheM-Dmg/EndRdx:50(9), StnoftheM-Dmg/ActRdx/Rchg:50(11), StnoftheM-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(13), StnoftheM-Dam%:50(13), GldJvl-Dam%:30(39) Level 10: Chronos -- GssSynFr--ToHit:50(A), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg:50(11), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx:50(15), GssSynFr--Rchg/EndRdx:50(43), GssSynFr--ToHit/EndRdx:50(43), GssSynFr--Build%:50(45) Level 12: Arcane Bolt -- Apc-Dmg:50(A), Apc-Dmg/Rchg:50(15), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(40), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx:50(40), Apc-Dam%:50(42) Level 14: Kick -- FrcFdb-Rechg%:50(A) Level 16: End of Time -- SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg:50(A), SprBlsWrt-Dmg/Rchg:50(17), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(17), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(19), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(19), SprBlsWrt-Rchg/Dmg%:50(27) Level 18: Tough -- UnbGrd-Max HP%:30(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx:30(42) Level 20: Temporal Healing -- Prv-Heal:50(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx:50(21), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg:50(21), Prv-Heal/Rchg:50(23), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx:50(23), Prv-Absorb%:50(25) Level 22: Weave -- Rct-Def:50(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx:50(25), Rct-EndRdx/Rchg:50(27), Rct-Def/Rchg:50(34), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:50(36), Rct-ResDam%:50(36) Level 24: Hasten -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(45) Level 26: Life Drain -- TchoftheN-Heal:50(A), TchoftheN-Acc/Heal:50(29), TchoftheN-%Dam:50(29), GldJvl-Acc/Dmg:50(31), GldJvl-Dam%:30(31), CldSns-%Dam:30(31) Level 28: Future Pain -- Hct-Dmg:50(A), Hct-Dmg/Rchg:50(37), Hct-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(37), Hct-Dmg/EndRdx:50(39), Hct-Dam%:50(39) Level 30: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Rchg+:50(A), Ksm-ToHit+:30(46) Level 32: Blackstar -- Arm-Dmg:50(A), Arm-Dmg/Rchg:50(33), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(33), Arm-Acc/Rchg:50(33), Arm-Dam%:50(34), Erd-%Dam:30(34) Level 35: Personal Force Field -- LucoftheG-Rchg+:50(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP:50(36) Level 38: Time Lord -- GldArm-3defTpProc:50(A) Level 41: Rune of Protection -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+:30(A) Level 44: Tenebrous Tentacles -- Ann-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Ann-Dmg/Rchg:50(45), Ann-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(48), Ann-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(50), Ann-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(50), Ann-ResDeb%:50(50) Level 47: Aim -- RechRdx-I:50(A) Level 49: Temp Invulnerability -- Ags-Psi/Status:50(A) Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A) Level 1: Defiance Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A) Level 1: Sprint -- UnbLea-Stlth:50(A) Level 2: Rest -- IntRdx-I:50(A) Level 4: Ninja Run Level 2: Swift -- Run-I:50(A) Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End:50(A) Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I:50(A) Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%:50(A) ------------ EDIT: Key features (for me) Chronos is on auto-fire, it fires every 22-ish seconds with a 90% chance of the extra %Build Up The level 44 power (in this build, Tenebrous Tentacles) is a toss-up. I used to have Repulsion Bomb. As is, the build has "too many attacks" but I liked the set bonus as well as some %-Res. Time Wall is primarily to trigger other effects from the secondary. If I could get a %-Res piece in it, I would slot this differently. I want as much +ToHit as possible to boost damage from (Fast) Moonbeam. This is why the Kismet piece is in Maneuvers.

My response is specific to the level 6, level 32 powers. The currently available Hami-Os would be wasted in such powers.

Here is a subtle point about Hami-Os (all AT, all powers) Even if they can be slotted into a power, it doesn't mean that "all" enhancement aspects of the HO will work in the power. You can tell if a "part" of an HO will work if you can slot a common IO into the power. If the power doesn't take certain common enhancements, those portions of an HO will do nothing. This is subtly different than for Enhancement Sets. Some enhancement sets will include attribute enhancements for which you cannot slot a common IO... the enhancement from such sets WILL contribute to enhancing the power. My suspicion is that the HO you are specifically looking at are only boosting the Endurance cost, and nothing else.

As I wrote: the Maximum Targets (5, I don't think this has changed), the relatively short duration (base 14 secs as opposed to base 40 secs for Tanks?) as well as the need to actually HIT with Provoke, I don't think it is nearly as useful (across all content) as simply generating AoE Threat through other means. As a comparison: I have several different AT that leverage the Presence pool. I have two characters (with Provoke) that I run in a LOT of high-level team content. The nature of these teams makes it such that we commonly split up, so some (non-Melee) players end up taking aggro from large groups that they can't exactly handle (think: elements of Imperious TF or on Market Crash maps) and so I will deploy my Scrapper or Widow or Bane to help them out. The Threat level for Stalkers is higher than MMs, the threat level from VEATs is the same as MMS. When I take Provoke, I almost always 6-slot it with Mocking Beratement. My experience is that it is extremely difficult to get an entire spawn (from a x8 team) off of an even level teammate who has the aggro by just using Provoke. If I actually want to get the entire spawn off of a teammate, I have to juggle damage and debuffing to help them out. If you think this is simply anecdotal, I have a more pure anecdote... those same characters have been able to peel single-target aggro from Brutes as well as from a couple of (poorly played, poorly constructed) Tankers... so I am aware of how Provoke can be used, I just think that its most of its values is inherently limited to a relatively small number of circumstances (*1). Even ignoring the role that Debuffs (and DoT) play in generating threat, debuffing opponents is almost certainly going to speed up enemy defeat times (by the henchmen). I am not unaware that I am making the opposite of my typical conclusion in threads with the quest "Do Tankers need Taunt?" (TL:DR, my answer is "Yes"), but my answer is different (primarily) because Taunt is different than Provoke. (*1) The most obvious (to me) circumstance where the Mastermind absolutely wants to (and has a chance at) generating more threat than the henchmen is when facing single, hard targets that have no more than four nearby allies (who won't be otherwise quickly defeated/controlled). If you are facing large spawn sizes, there is likely to be more stray aggro generated by Henchmen AoE than you could hope to "manage" with Provoke alone. If you are facing small spawn sizes, turn the henchmen loose! Of course I haven't played all MM primary/secondary, so if your MM has no alternate mechanism of generating threat then by all means go with Provoke. I certainly think that if you are going Tankermind it is much more important to pick up Tough and Weave from the Fighting pool.