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Thanks for the reminder! ... and the trip down memory lane. For my Robotics/Traps build, I vaguely remember trying to leverage Seeker Drones to hold the globals from Edict of the Master and/or Sovereign Right, but my choice of mule powers (and lack of free slots) made that choice a bit of a wash. I also remember being somewhat annoyed that the Seeker Drones could not take Recharge Intensive Pet pieces!

The only part of the game that feels (to me, YMMV) more like a 'time sink' (as opposed to immersion) are those day 0 contact arcs that require back-and-forth travel between a couple of open-world contacts. I do still roll my eyes on the Day 0 arcs that require jumping from zone-to-zone many missions in a row, but that became less of an issue once travel powers became available at level 4 and certainly not a problem with veteran/prestige travel options.

The only time I worry about keeping henchmen alive is at very low levels, with a small number of henchmen. If I am really worried, I take Aid Other (and eventually respec out of it)... think level 10 street sweeping of Perez Park. Otherwise, the henchmen are there to take damage (via bodyguard, or alpha strikes <- not really recommended, see advice above from @Nemu ) and to provide damage. The latter is more important IMO. If the MM is drawing most of the aggro, or has set up some pets/pseudopets to help, the henchmen should be fine... provided they aren't grabbing aggro. The best way for MMs to keep aggro is IMO via AoE attacks and AoE debuffs, Against single hard targets, ST attacks/debuffs are fine. I don't recommend Provoke, because the target cap is smaller than most AoE attacks, and it also requires a ToHit check.

I've had this happen to me, but only when I waited to long and the targeted corpse was de-rezzing.

The SG base buff "Increase Attack Speed" is also available! Disclaimer: I typically achieve perma-dom with just set bonuses; no Hasten, no FF %+Recharge. Minimally, I try to work in the Winter's Gift unique for slow resist. As I am pulling so much Global Recharge from set bonuses, there often aren't a lot of opportunities to also get Slow Resistance. IIRC the next 'easiest' is to 2-slot Superior Winter's sets, but because the powers that can take those sets also provide more global recharge with 4 or 5-slots via other sets, I usually don't have a best place for those. I suppose if an attack is franken-slotted with %damage, 2 of the slots in that power could be a Winter's set.

Some drive-by comments. Even though Dull Pain is not necessary for most content, I typically end up taking it early (because of options-at-levels) and slotting it either with Panacea or Preventive Maintenance. For the content I need it, I want it available as often as possible. either one of the Resist _____ powers can be delayed IMO. Personally: I'd never take a Tank without Taunt. When I have a melee toon with some sort of 'aggro aura' I prefer to take Combat Teleport to compliment it. IMO: Every Tanker should have at least one Power Transfer %Heal somewhere. Because of Tanker base HP, the return on HP is greater than the Panacea global. Use both! I also would not sleep on more regeneration (for a Tanker) from 2x Numina (the global, and Heal) in Health. (I'll post a build that doesn't have 2xNumina, but has fast-charging Dull Pain) Hasten is something of a wash IMO. I do tend to take it (at high levels) on Invulnerability Tankers (mostly) to further improve the Dull Pain times in certain content. If it is taking an extra slot, I'd put the Kismet +ToHit in an auto-power like Tough Hide. There is no reason to use an extra slot and dump in a late-level toggle power, if Tough Hide isn't already 6-slotted. Invulnerability has a LOT of powers that can well-leverage Hami-Os. Some set bonuses are worth chasing, others not so much. My own 'baseline' Invulnerability slotting is below. I've left in some other powers that contribute to 'surviving' for my Invuln Tank.

A triple-box MM *is* going to have a LOT of plates spinning to be worrying about choosing appropriate targets for robotic's laser attacks. I've talked with duo-boxers (2xMMs), they tell me trying to focus with the Robotics is too much trouble. I know one who tried it, and went back to mostly playing 2xNecro. The triple-box MMs I watch (who are too busy to talk!) are pretty much just zerging whichever giant monsters they see. My solo Robotics can do that... it takes more time, but it goes faster with (most) allies.(*1) One of the three MMs should be /Marine... because /Marine is a huge force multiplier. Which primaries somewhat depends on the content. If the plan is x8 all the time, I'd go with Robotics for one or two of them, because AoE, resistances and self-heals (with the Maintenance Drone). If difficulty gets turned up (+3), it will be slower going modulo AoE debuffs. /Marine will help, as would /Time. The other one (or two) should probably just be something that can swarm in melee. I have no real preference but Necro is good at zerging. (*1) Robotics is, by itself, something of a 'triple threat': It has debuffs (player controlled, via attacks), resistances and healing (relatively automatically). The secondary can boost each of these... but again, it will be busy. The advantage of 'bots for a multi-boxer (as I see it) is that the Robotic Henchmen are almost 100% ranged attackers, so they are very good at being positioned and providing areas control and/or focusing fire. If the player can handle that while multi-boxing 3 MMs... maybe one of the other three should be a Blaster or Corruptor! The issue I see multi-box MMs having (open world, although this would apply to some instanced content too) is when something like a Giant Monster can make multiple AoE attacks, semi rapid-fire that triggers a cascade of henchmen defeats... this is almost certainly why I see MMulti-boxers avoid solo Eochai and Lusca. Eochai's Pumpkin Patch will tear through a group of henchmen PDQ; Lusca, even with just the ink attacks and cones from a single tentacle can be a problem... multiple tentacles will make life harder for a MMulti-boxer than something like a solo Jack in Irons or Jurassik. The only other GM I've observed MMulti-boxers have trouble with is the Arachnos Flier, but that's more because they can prevent it from landing and allow it to regenerate to 100% with the shields up, not because there is anything inherently tough about the flier.

Keep in mind that -Regen is (now) only from the MM primary attacks. Robotics (prior to this change, the henchmen did -Regen) made it relatively easy to AFK things like Giant Monsters... this is no longer the case. Robotics is perfectly capable of soloing giant monsters (without Lores... or Allies) but it is *busy*. It may be too busy to count on the -Regen for a triple-box. Bots will be perfectly fine for the AoE of course.

For moi: Almost all of the time the 'best' place for a Gaussian's %Build Up is in an actual "Build Up" (or "Aim") power, as those tend to have 90 second base recharge times, so the %proc rate will be at/near the 90% ceiling even with a full set of Gaussian's (or simply more recharge) slotted in it. There is a small corner case for (a) high-DPS characters that will be (b) surrounded by a lot of pets or allies to add the Gaussian's proc to a leadership toggle, as the more friendlies affected by the toggle the larger the chance for %Build Up. The only AT I would make this blanket recommendation for are Crabberminds, as they have a good damage scale and are likely to be nearby things to trigger the proc (and can trivially get a toggle to do this). I think it is a waste on Masterminds because of their very poor damage scales, even if they could have it trigger frequently. The (proc) effects of %Build Up are short, only 10 seconds IIRC. Of course you also have to HIT with whatever attacks would happen in that time. As for putting a %Build Up in an attack, I'd just use a %damage proc instead. The Proc rates will be 3.5 (or 4.5) better for %damage, and the damage will be applied directly to something you have already targeted and hit. AFAIK: The +Critical strikes isn't a blanket +50%, it only increases the chance of the existing Critical strike by 50% of the inherent value. So 2% would go to 3%, not 52%.

I don't mind the critter AI that makes them flee... but it is rather common to have a single critter (including minions!) run enormous distances for a long period of time... which I can almost tolerate, except that this happens on 'defeat all' and on certain maps there is no guarantee that they'll make it back to their spawn location in a time frame shorter than the cooling of the Earth's core. The two 'changes' I'd like to see (although I don't know how to implement either): #1 An enemy which has 'run' ought to have a second (delayed?) timer that has them 'run' back to their spawn location, rather than the leisurely stroll they often take. #2 Flying enemies should have travel suppression, or some other mechanic, that keeps them from rocketing great distances. For an open-world example of just how far fliers can get, and sometimes become 'lost': The Grim Vale event demonstrates that the Cabal can (a) end up just about anywhere, even when NOT pursuing players (b) is a contributing factor as to why there is an asymmetry in outcomes favoring team pumpkin when no players are involved... since the witches will scatter wide making it easier for team punpkin's AoEs to wipe out team irons.

Here is my general impression on self-heals for ATs with 'armor' sets (melee, Sentinels): #1 By the time you need a self-heal, it is probably too late to make a difference. If a player thinks they are going to need self-healing, there are two pieces that absolutely should be added to the build first. The Preventive Medicine %Absorb and the Reactive Defenses %Scaling Damage Resistance. Those uniques will kick in once a character starts taking damage, and will generally buy a player more time to consider the next step. #2 There is an opportunity cost for pursuing a self-heal just to have a self-heal. The best "power pool self-heals" IMO are those in power pools that include powers that will be both useful and likely to be used. My clear favorite is Force of Will: it has a solid travel power (that requires no extra slots) and a nice debuff (that also requires no extra slots). The single-target ranged attack is IMO meh, but the AoE cone is also excellent. Experimentation isn't bad, but I don't like the travel power. Presence probably offers the most useful of the 'self heals', as it doubles as a damage boost and self-rez, but the choices to unlock it are mediocre (at best). I have used the Medicine pool, but pretty much only for very limited periods of time (e.g. low-level Masterminds running xN content) or as a mule for the %Absorb piece. It's quite a miserable choice otherwise IMO. As for Epics? We're somewhat at the mercy of the ATs. The ATs with access to Rise of the Phoenix have it best IMO. It's not a self-heal, but for as often as I've seen self-heals choke/not prevent defeat it may as well be one.

Just a short comment on Parry. I'd slot the Kismet +ToHit piece (possibly along with 5x Scrapper Strike) here before using the power as a mule for LotG Def/+Recharge. The LotG isn't a bad choice, and the Kismet could go into something like Combat Jumping at an early level, but so could LotG! You need to make at least one Parry attack every 2 minutes to get the Kismet bonus. My personal preference for Scrappers is to have 3 primary attacks for content like Positron TFs (i.e. before level 15) and getting the extra ToHit is almost always valuable. If a player is exclusively focused on an attack chain (at all levels) without Parry, obviously the Kismet piece won't be a good choice. Short comments on Soul Mastery. This is an easy choice of epic/patron pool for me. I use it often (but not exclusively) Moonbeam is an easy choice of ranged attack. It offers an off-brand damage type to most Scrapper offense. If saves me the trouble of moving to engage something otherwise out-of-range. Since it is a choice in the 30s, it has a wide range of enhancement set choices with an equally wide range of potential set bonuses. I always 5-slot it, sometimes 6. Shadow Meld is a fine addition to Scrappers that don't have a focus on Defense. I tend not to rely on it, its just a bonus. Also, it can mule the LotG piece! (among others) I find it doesn't need more than 2 slots to work for me.

Keep in mind... And that Nova Form is available really early, giving Kheldians access to more ranged attacks at a level sooner than any other AT (originally, before prestige attacks)... and that Knockback is a mitigation for the terrible defenses of Nova Form. Nova Form makes Kheldians OP, but only for a very limited level range of content, and those are levels that many players breeze right past! @Jason0162 point is a good one. On the days of Live, Kheldians were really quite good using the non-human forms at the levels those forms are available... since Live (on HC) players can get access to their higher tier powers earlier in the build (all ATs) so it isn't like a Dwarf form with all its tricks at level 20 is going to seem all that impressive when a Tanker/Brute/Scrapper isn't going to have to wait much longer (in terms of levels) to get an even more impressive choice of powers. I find it disappointing, but the price Kheldians pay for getting a suite of powers with one form pick is that those powers never get any better, except with slots.

Every time I've ever had an issue doing a respec inside a SG base it was because I had some sort of other window (e.g. base storage) open when I tried the respec. I'm convinced that the advice to "leave the base" is ultimately just removing the temptation/opportunity to have such other windows open.

Writing only for myself (and definitely not @Nemu ) players can pursue whatever set bonuses they want. I don't think players who pursue +3.75% S/L bonuses are getting it 'wrong', as it is clear they want those bonuses. My personal opinion is that putting 2+ more slots into a power (that may or may not be used, except as a mule) is often a poor return-on-investment for 'surviving' or quality-of-life considerations. The Defense/Resistance discussion is complicated, in my perception, often these types of builds look like (to me) they are not just from the days of Live, but from the days of Live when folks still hadn't completely embraced Enhancement Diversification. It is also very hard to have a conversation about "surviving" content because there is such a wide variety of it at all levels. Folks can look at a my build suggestions and point out what they see as inefficient or poorly considered, and they do! That isn't going to stop me from boosting Damage pieces in a 5-or-6-slotted Purple set just to get the tiniest more DPA, or continue to pursue/achieve perma-Domination without Hasten, or argue against folks recommending single-target %damage attacks on Masterminds with a full suite of Henchmen, or whatever.

If you are using a "DPS TOOL", I am having trouble imagining that it is more valuable to be using it in the open world instead of on an instanced map. I also am having trouble believing that this is such a big deal (i.e. THE DATA IS SO IMPORTANT) that rando buffs from teh open world are more impor5tant than going through the temp powers list to make sure only the powers you want tested apply. Is the DPS TOOLS data vitally important at the Atlas Park Levels? Back Alley Brawler is also available in Atlas Park of course.

This takeaway confuses me, was the message received that it should be easier to get more resistance and defense bonuses for less effort?

I don't nit-pick posted builds' defense/resistance slotting, but I silently shake my head in disbelief at 5-slotting Luck of the Gambler, which is common enough (in posts) that I've seen some builds that make that choice more than once in the same build. I find this to be somewhat shocking on Tankers/Brutes that do that instead of adding one (or more!) Power Transfer %Heal to the build. It also seems weird (to me) that a build that adds extra slots to get one (or more) +3.75 S/L resistance bonus could usually get more Toxic/Psi (or Slow) resistance instead by making alternate choices with those slots. While I never chased uber-values of S/L resistance on any character, the original argument for doing this was IMO made significantly weaker when homecoming changed the way damage types/defenses worked.

From my own recollection, when using a second build on a VEAT (at or above level 24) is that the first time you work the build (which is NOT a respec) you start without having access to the different career paths until you get to level 24, at which point the game forces you to respec that build. It is annoying, but I've never had an issue with it. If for some reason you cannot do the (on the second build) respec, I suggest filling up your power picks and slots all the way to level 50 (on the new build) and then try the respec. This is a common mistake that I have made.

I haven't found /Traps to be a particularly slow secondary, at least not with level 50 build values of global recharge. My power choices are somewhat minimal: Caltrops is a reliable %damage power on cast, but not as a patch. Acid Mortar has an excellent range; I have the %-Res in it because that same piece is peppered in other attacks and when kept up is a reliable force multiplier FFG is a no-brainer. More HP for a MM is nice, but I prefered the straight-up +Defense boost. Poison Trap is a reliable %proc power, but it is too slow to cast IMO to add more %damage to it. I skip: Web Grenade (since the change to allowable starting secondary choices), as a single-target immobilize I find it to be too niche. Triage Beacon is also somewhat niche use. I find it useful when leveling up (for lower level content that is "turned up", or any "stand in place and fight" content) but not very useful over all because of base recharge time. Seeker Drones are cute, but pretty unreliable IMO. Trip Mine is a power I always skip. Primarily: I don't have slots for it! I dislike the need to drop them in place. It isn't a bad power at all, I just think it reinforces a slower-style of play even though its recharge time is very reasonable. I'm comfortable taking my "softcap defense" MM into melee contact, yet I still would worry about the interrupt/ Detonator is by all accounts, since the rework, a pretty good potential source of extra damage for MMs. I haven't used it for reasons. I'm pretty active with my MMs yet I don't think I have the mental bandwidth to keep an eye on the timer, and the henchmen, to select the most appropriate one to "detonate". My preferred enemies seem to fall into two categories: ones that I don't need the extra AoE to defeat, and ones that I'd probably prefer to have the henchmen lobbing damage at (and/or providing Bodyguard support).

For low level content (e.g. Positron TF), I find that it often isn't necessary to toggle on auras... and if they do help (Dark Embrace with Toxic damage, Murky Cloud for Energy) just have them slotted for Endurance reduction and slow down making your attacks while otherwise 'being a tank'. If you have any Inf, it isn't that costly to buy 8 hours of a Survival Amplifier at low levels.

There are powers that do take both Defense and Resistance pieces, and since Energy Aura powers offer Defense Debuff Resistance, I thought there was a good chance that the "low effort" suggestion was wrong. I agree with @Frosticus that Psi Meelee is more appealing (to me) on a Stalker; I think it leverages the Stalker ATO better than the Scrapper ATOs too. Energy Aura on Stalkers may be slightly less (build) efficient as I believe (because of Hide) it ends up swapping a Resistance auto power for a (IMO, meh) low magnitude, short duration Stun toggle. There are a few other slight differences, but nothing that couldn't be accounted for.

Psi-Melee is more-or-less slotting of sets, with the possible exception of Mass Levitate, which I usually franken-slot with %damage and some boosted Accuracy/Damage/Endurance, If you aren't reaching into a power pool for another AoE attack to use %damage in, I suppose Psi Blade Sweep could do this, but it has a small area of effect and an 8-second base recharge time so it is "bad for %procs". The animation times for Psi-Melee aren't (AFAIK) really conducive to the Critical Strike's proc... I'd include it but it would probably just be used as a rather complete set. I'm not a huge fan of Energy Aura on Scrappers(*1). It is a good set, but my experience is that solo against +Nx8 at end game it can fold fast. This could be the driver taking it through a lot of different content, but it is my experience. It is a layered set, and you will need to take each power. I suppose Energy Drain could be skipped, but it helps mitigate the use of other powers. The secondary will be a mix of Franken-slotting with sets. Note: AFAIK, None of the powers take both Resistance and Defense pieces.For me, this means slipping in useful globals where possible. I like the LotG global for +Recharge, so I've slotted 3xLotG for the +MaxHP bonus. I would recommend trying to work in some sort of self-heal (or self-Rez)... you will end up using Overload, and there will be times when you get overwhelmed if you turn things up. (*1) I find it works great on Sentinels, because Sentinels can start a combat from range. It would probably work just fine on Brutes, because of the larger base HP.

Only rarely have I ever seen the person starting the Nemesis version get into trouble. The MM kamikaze I was referring to was from a character asked to stand in the back, and it happened AFTER the talker had already returned to the back of the map. As noted above, pulling small groups is not a problem.