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My bots trying to take down the last couple rando mobs:

/agree. My main Fortunata takes a different approach than @Gulbasaur, but the advice is the same. I sacrifice single-target damage for AoE and control, so I can end up in longer fights with fewer opponents. My AoE attack chain is roughly: Psychic Wail -> Ball Lightning (-Res) -> Psychic Scream -> Static Discharge - the faster Single-target attacks are filling in the gaps: Dominate, Subdue, Telekinetic Burst, Mu Lightning. My 'Control Chain' is used to either relieve pressure or just because I want the fight to go faster: - Aura of Confusion (a PBAoE that turns enemies against each other) - Invoke Panic (A PBAoE fear from the Presence pool) - Provoke (A targeted AoE from the Presence pool, used just to try to speed up fights) - Confuse (A single-target slotted with Contagious Confusion, only used rarely most days... good for Magnitude confuse on bosses after the PBAoE) - Intimidate (single-target necessary pick from the Presence pool. It occasionally gets used in very low-level content) Notice no Total Domination. With all this to choose from, my build doesn't include Hasten. One of the things I like about Fortunatas is that because of the ease of hitting capped (Positional) defenses from just the secondary, and the ability to construct solid attack chains from just the primary, there is a LOT of design space to play with in Power pools. I won't try to sell anyone on the Presence pool, except to say that Invoke Panic and Unrelenting are great on Defense-capped builds. I will note that my positional defenses are 51.6% Melee, 47.9% Ranged, 41.7% AoE (without Mind Link, without Winter IOs, without the Fighting pool)... the control and healing contributes to my toon's survival. This toon also went into the Mu Mastery pool (for more AoE and a different type of Damage) , but the damage from those attacks is quite soft. I wouldn't recommend those attacks over Spin or Lunge for raw damage. Here is some advice for your specific build: Flight: Slot a Winter's Gift Slow Resistance in there (or a BoZephyr knockback reduction) just because. Aim: If you are including this in your build, I encourage you to try to find a way to 6-slot it with the Gaussian's ToHit buff set. Steal slots from wherever you can... with your recharge it should be available quite frequently (< 30seconds) and it will greatly increase your damage.

Interesting, my memory is different. I certainly remember all the PVP griping about Stun (not so much the power Stun, but players getting Stunned)... if there is one thing players hate, it is being 'controlled'. While I never really went for PvP, staggering players were a nice change of pace from the original stunned enemy behavior; frequently a stunned enemy would stagger-dash away at Mach 2... not great for street fighting. I kept Stun on me /EM Tank for a good long time (for sentimental reasons), but as a single-target attack it is such a niche power that even I respec-ed out of it. I don't mind the secondary Stun effect of Energy Melee at all... it's all the flavor I want. In contrast, I find Street Justice's extra effects are unnecessarily complicated. In terms of re-imagining the Energy Melee set (as opposed to simply adjusting animations and 'damage per animation') I find Stun to be the outlier. My preference is to not replace it with any sort of AoE (assuming EM becomes the premier single-target melee set), but otherwise I'm open to straightforward suggestions. My guess is that many other folks are also skipping Stun, so another ST-attack is probably not warranted. An aura seems like an odd choice, which is why I suggested something else like an Endurance discount or recovery mechanism.

This is correct based on my observations: I've started getting Purple drops at 47 (you can craft them, you just can't slot them), and PVP recipes come at very low levels... I assume they drop over their entire range, but l'm pretty sure the lowest one I had was at level 11.

start with something like: /bind E "powexec_name aim$$bind_load_file <drive>:\\<directory>\part_2.txt" ..and have two text files (in the appropriate directory) part_2.txt E "powexec_name build_up$$bind_load_file <drive>:\\<directory>\part_1.txt" part_1.txt E "powexec_name aim$$bind_load_file <drive>:\\<directory>\part_2.txt"

The Shield Wall can be boosted and still work at all levels (down to 7). If LotG is boosted (rather than attuned) it will not work over the entire level range.

With the assumption that the semi-casual player is playing an AT that takes an armor set... I'd recommend Invulnerability because it is easy to slot and reinforces the core game concepts of typed damage resistance, endurance management, and (self-)healing. Semi-casual players can work with Invulnerability without having to worry about the Fighting pool, and can explore other options in their build. The player can eventually use this primary's powers to also learn about the role of Defense. It also doesn't have gimmicks.

VEATs have a natural point (the level 24 respec) which mandates you to 'try out' certain powers before you can choose the final path. Obviously you won't have all your slots, and cannot slot lvl 50 sets, but it is still a good chance to explore your powers. One comment about slotting (in general): When going after ATO set bonuses, I usually slot the ATOs in as fast a recharge power as possible (typically earlier in the build) because the longer recharge powers (typically later in the build) are better suited for procs. Widows are End-hungry: a player will likely not have toggles running at low levels, unless they choose not to make (as many) attacks.

Thanks for this thread. I have only reviewed the Tanker template. My current (base)-Invulnerability Build goes in a different direction (plugging the Psi hole, at least for Resistance.) and chasing slightly different set bonuses. I also wanted more slots outside the Primary, so power-for-power (primaries) I'm generally investing fewer slots. I do have 1 (minor) piece of advice for the Tank build for folks who keep attuned versions of the non-PVP pieces in the powers: Wherever a power includes a PVP Shield Wall (Global Resist) and a LotG: Defense, the LotG (Defense) can be replace with a PVP Shield Wall Defense (+5 boosted) for a little bit more defense, and no change in the 2-piece Regeneration bonus by switching from LotG to Shield Wall. In the posted build this is Invincibility at lvl 18. I was also surprised that the Unbreakable Guard (+Max HP global) wasn't included for the Tank baseline. (Did I miss it?) I feel like it could be dropped into Temp Invulnerability with no noticeable negative effect on S/L resistances. The only other comments I have are really just a matter of taste: I think you have Dull Pain chosen at level 6. Good choice, but if you are going to keep it in the template I would go ahead a drop the Preventive Medicine (+Absorb) piece in it just to remind Tankers that they can get the Absorb shield under certain circumstances. Mileage varies: I find I rarely use Dull Pain even though I have it 6-slotted with the Preventive Medicine set. As part of the Homecoming "page 4" patches, Leadership Pool: Maneuvers should be granting a 3.5% Defense buff for Tanks (Equivalent to Defenders). It would be my preference for the Tanker template to replace Combat Jumping with Maneuvers, only because the Tanker AT can share that nice Defense Buff from Leadership with teammates. YMMV.

It's obvious we are talking past each other. Knockdown is a perfectly good soft-control to use in other powers, such as cones or PBAoE... or an all-time favorite: pets. Many Very Rare (Purple) sets' 6th bonus is a resist bonus, after a large (10%) 5th-piece Global Recharge bonus... I don't think twice about using the 6th potential slot for an off-set piece like the %Knockdown. I use the Overwhelming Force set while leveling up, but to be honest I don't think the 6th set bonus (4 Mag Knockback protection) is worth using all 6 pieces of the set. My toons almost all use a Blessing of the Zephyr (4 Mag Knockback protection) as soon as they get a travel power... if I had to wait to have 6-slots in a power to get KB protection I feel like my leveling build would be... peculiar. In my experience: Bonfire is one of those powers that is best Franken-slotted; it is very proc-friendly.

I occasionally find myself longing for a 'time travel' mission in which your hero participates in the conversion of Indigo. (She is a former KoA, right?)

I don't have experience with Body Mastery on Stalkers, but I have used Energy Mastery on a Tanker which is similar. These are good sets for addressing Endurance issue (obviously) but the ranged attack is nothing spectacular (again, my experience is with a Tanker). As a single-target attack, I can't say that I ever really noticed the -Def effect (again, as a Tanker where I try to rotate targets for aggro management) The recharge time is very fast, so Laser Beam Eyes is not a good choice for Frankenslotting with procs. Laser Beam Eyes is a good choice to slot a full ranged attack set for extra defenses. Body Mastery (for Stalkers) appears to be superior to the Tanker Energy Mastery if it has two Auto powers ... they appear to be excellent options to add procs.

Just popping in from the future... all these changes were implemented and there is still no one playing Goldside.

Ah, that is very possible (and what the log shows "Mook" and "Mook Hitman"). During the actual attack I only had one target (per my view) but I must have run past a position (with the power clicked) where two were able to be targeted simultaneously. This was during a low-level mission with very few targets (and very few attacks).

Can anyone explain what happened in this case? I was in a low-level mission using Sands of Mu (prestige power), where part of the attack missed, but then part of the attack was recorded as a hit. My previous attack had been a Hit (with a 95% chance to Hit).

What? Overwhelming Force is Universal Damage and goes in any power that takes damage enhancements.

On my (not 'optimized') Inv Tank, Psi has the second highest value (after Smashing/Lethal). Defense is a different story.

There is no wrong way in City of Heroes!

The Overwhelming Force KB->KD is unique (although it also enhances Damage), so the Sudden Acceleration (Bonfire accepts Knockback sets like Sudden Acceleration) is my recommendation. Save the OF unique for powers that don't otherwise accept KB->KD.

I run a Bots/Traps MM, also using powers & attacks (primary, secondary, patron) to contribute -Res (and control, via knockdown). This is the only one of my post level-50 toons for which I have to take breathers (or macro inspirations into blues!) in order to keep up the pace. If I want to be much more passive (and let the bots & traps do the work) the blue bar would be fine, but it would be far less effective to defeat enemies.

Energy Melee simply needs to be the premier single-target attack set. NO GIMMICKS! Unless we decide to replace Stun with something else completely (like a valuable toggle, think Conserve Power from the Energy Mastery Epic pool). In many ways it was Stun that caused the Nerf, because of its effect in PVP.

Invulnerability saw many tweaks since launch, including the (blessed) change from Unyielding Stance to Unyielding. Many respecs were gladly spent that day to drop the Teleport pool. I find it to be an extremely efficient Tanker primary. My Inv Tanker has 30 slots invested in the primary powers (*1) 6 of those slots are in Dull Pain, which IMO is a much better "oh ####" power than Unstoppable. Edit: (*1) 30 Slots across 8 powers.

Ah Basilisk's Gaze, my old friend! I see the 'Last 5' display bug in plenty of places, but this is the single place where it 'bugs' me more than any other. This is not a niche where I typically work, but the 2, 3 & 4-piece bonuses are so good that these should always fetch 2M+, no matter what the bug (or cheapskates) say!!

I have a Fire/Psi/Psi build, I haven't played the Mind primary but I can write what I did with the secondary: I only skipped Mind Probe and Subdue. My build was to try to be Permadom and PermaHasten without relying on Force Feedback, so I chased Global Recharge in a lot of places that could be considered overkill and reflects in some power slottings. My builds are proc-sloppy, i.e. recharge times are not to maximize proc chances because I am chasing set bonuses. I tend to include damage procs just to mix up the damage types. As a Mind/Psi I am sure you understand why. T1: Psionic Dart: single-slotted with HO Nucleolus. I needed the slots elsewhere! T2: Mind Probe: I skipped the melee because this toon is more AoE, and with the controls I didn't want to have to run from mob to mob to make an attack (that only does 1 type of damage) T3: TK Thrust: 5-slotted with Hecatomb. My compromise to get a Melee power, and slot it with a Very Rare recipe set. T4: Mental Blast: 4-slotted withe Gladiator's Javelin. T5: Psychic Scream: 6-slots 5xRagnarok, Positron %Energy. T6: Drain Psyche: 6xPreventive Medicine. I *love* the 5 and 6-slot bonuses from this set, but alternate slotting can get you different effects. T7: Subdue: My build is not focused on single-target attacks, so I skipped it. T8: Psionic Lance: 6-slots, 5xApocalypse, Gladiator's Javelin %Toxic T9: Psychic Shockwave: 6-slots 5xObliteration, Armageddon %Fire My toon has minimal Defenses and Resistances The following powers were taken purely as IO mules, the pursuit of Recharge set bonuses didn't leave much room for anything else: Tough: Steadfast Protection +3% Defense, Unbreakable Guard +MaxHP Weave: LotG +Recharge, Reactive Defense Scaling Resists, Shield Wall +5% Resists Maneuvers: LotG +Recharge Mind over Body: Gladiator's Armor +3% Defense Indomitable Will: LotG +Recharge Link Minds has 2 slots: LotG +Recharge and Adjusted Targeting Recharge. It's perma +% Defense if I want it. I usually only use it when teaming (or if Pets are going to get squished). Hasten is 2-slotted with 50+5 IOs. Mystic Flight is 'muling' BoZephyr Knockback Reduction, but I almost always take a form of Flight as a travel power. As I wrote, I can't speak to the Mind Primary. My Fire primary took 7 of 9 powers; they are mostly 5-slotted.

Kick is my default choice when going the ____ -> Tough -> Weave route, and I have always dropped the +Recharge IO in it. However: I've only ever used Kick to fill an attack chain while leveling. I will admit to being 'tricked' by it's +Recharge when using MIDS... often enough times that I've considered never taking it again!