Psylenz0511

I would go mace with most Robots masterminds since the defense stacks with the protector bot shield.

Zero actual dps output ... for the solo kinetic. Meanwhile the blaster, scrapper, and brute, etc, benefit from each +dmg from siphon power and -dmg on the target of the siphon. Red inspirations have no effect on teammates. Red inspirations do not debuff damage potential of the siphon target.

There is a lot of talk in the City of Heroes forums about 2 ranges: melee and ranged. I am confident there are THREE ranges: melee (where you can get punches or PbAoE'd by a spawn, ranged where they have to target you and shoot, blast, ranged damage ability to hit you, and the THIRD range is what I refer to as KINETIC RANGE, where you are not able to be hit by the target's melee or PbAoE attacks but you STILL can benefit from Transfusion (which is a big AoE) siphon power, or Fulcum Shift. I am aware there are some PbAoE that extend farther than others, but by and large, a character can be in kinetic range and not be affected by PbAoE melee attacks. In playing on all defender teams, for example, the Forcefielder, Time, Sonic, Electrical Affinity, et al can hang out behind the kinetic in KINETIC RANGE and all parties are protected by Transfusion, Dispersion bubbles of both varieties, Time Juncture, and Faraday Cage. (Of course every defender that can run leadership should pick up maneuvers and easily hit the defense soft-cap. ) Kinetics are capable of determining the safe range out of melee but still be in heal range of Transfusion. My point is squishies, blasters, corrupters, defenders, controllers, sentinel's don't have to be 30 feet away from a spawn to be safe outside melee range. Suck it up and hug your kinetic!

water blast is a good secondary for most defender primaries, the big + to water is the secondary effect of water blast is -def making your kinetic abilities able to hit more often, and you can slot achille's heel in your water aoes for more -resist.

On my thermal defender, I went with a water blast secondary. Most of the abilities in water have a -def component, so I proc'd some of the powers with achille's heel and force feedback +recharge for more -def, -resist, faster recharge on my long cooldown thermal debuffs.

My suggestion is to go energy. With the new proc builds, it will save on slotting recharge and make hitting permahasten easier. More recharge more hasten, more fortitude, more auras, faster heals. Of course you will need to invest in KB>KD invention origin and Force Feedback +recharge procs in your energy blast to complete the team focused build. Kudos for blasting on your empath. It will help your team no matter which secondary you choose. Energy blast for a better team build is my vote

Indeed storm has damage pets HOWEVER, the debuffs in Storm generally outweigh any potential for increased damage by corruptors and scourge by increasing the effects of slows ,-tohit, -def, stuns, and -resist. Storm is always better on defenders.

I have been informed by in-game friends that the sonic and forcefield cages no longer are able to shut down lord recluse's towers; that is all. Another 'fix' that breaks legacy strategy techniques.

i really think that repulsion bomb is a keeper. It is ranged AoE with knock DOWN to the targets. It's a soft control I really hate to skip. I would try to fit in leadership powers manuvers, tactics, and vengeance come to mind with the fighting pool to protect the squisiest character on a 8 man team with a FF defender -- YOU.

Boss fights I lead off with flash arrow and then immediately the EM Pulse arrow because it has a burst -regen that is so tasty. Glue arrow is good when there are lots of minions. Stacking slow debuffs is not the same but almost as good as an AoE hold. edit: Oh wait, did the recent Trick Arrow update take -regen out of EM Pulse arrow? I defer to the TA masters.

I like the corollary theorem, the principle of 3. Each team is super deadly with 3 defenders on it.

@Psylenz here. my cousin and I were members of the Buff Me BUFF ME supergroup on Guardian back in the summer of 2004. This SG died when 90% of the players bailed to start playing a NEW MMO called World of Warcraft. Shortly thereafter in the fall of 2004, Kleine Teufel and I formed the Triumphant Defenders on Triumph (convenient that way). Since Homecoming brough us back, I have played some on Torchbearer, some on Excelsior but mostly on Everlasting, and the Everlasting Defenders are a thing now. I wouldn't try to compete directly with the RO crew, but I wouldn't mind a coalition POWER TO THE COALIES! Our global channel is "Buffed Up" See you in the CITY!!

This is a great tale, but I have to ask, you do run Forcefield Generator, too, right?

I meant endurance reduction cost, not endurance modification for endurance drain. I was referring to the literal drain on the endurance of the defender from running steamy, snow, and hurricane. I am modifying my post

I have two mains: Storm/water and Force Field / sonic defenders. These are about polar opposites of each other on the buff/debuff spectrum. I love my Storm /water much more than the Storm/Rad I had on live. It just fits togther so well between the primary and secondary sets. First, I would point out there are leveling builds and there are end-game incarnate builds. Through this post I will point out mostly the leveling build. You have already got to the level 22s, that was the hard part. Make sure you use fresh SOs at the minimum and I strongly suggest investing in level 25 generic crafted (non-set) invention origin enhancements at level 22. Slot for endurance cost reduction (not endmod for true drain) before defense/resist damage in steamy mist, slot for endurance reduction before -tohit in hurricane, slot for endurance reduction at minimum in snow storm. After that basis of endurance slotting to be safe, add the other enhancements for the effects. You will thank me ... eventually. The second point of emphasis in my leveling stormy's build is +recharge. I want more lightning storms,, more tornadoes and most importantly -- freezing rain on demand for each group of foes. You will probably slot recharge reduction in freezing rain, lightning storm, tornado, and in hasten. That's the start; you also should consider as a high priority getting the Force Feedback recharge 'proc' in your abilities that can enhance knock back. And thus, this is why I think Gale is invaluable. Coupled with the recharge proc, you most likely want knockback to knockDOWN 'proc's in the usual abilities with knockback: Gale, Tornado, Lightning Storm for AoE knockdown of groups of foes. Hurricane KB>KD is a bit more optional since the actual knockback effect is separate from the constant repel of the 'cane, but mowing down groups of foes with knockdown by gale + 'cane is satisfying and effective crowd control. The fourth feature to emphasize in water blast is the abilities you can slot for -defense (defense debuff) can be slotted with the Achille's Heel -resistance proc. This adds -resistance to your defenseless foes making them even easier to drop by you and your teams. Personally I slotted -resistance procs in whirlpool and steam spray. Both are AoE attacks and can proc on multiple targets. I also recommend the option of taking the target AoE -resist proc, but having both in whirlpool and steam spray is mostly redundant with the freezing rain on demand. My last recommendations are: slot some range in steam spray to lengthen the AoE cone effect. You can put damage proc's in your AoE damage for extra kick. Take snowstorm for interrupting all kinds of kamikaze foes, summoning foes (i.e. sky raider engineers) and to ground flying foes such as sky skiffs. Slow foes are almost held foes with snow and freezing rain applied. In your custom colors make hurricane nearly invisible so you don't block melee players view. Snow storm shouldn't be a white out condition for the same reason. However, I do make tornado very gaudy so my teammates know when they are getting the big damage/debuff assist from this pet. I took hover so I could place lightning storm higher above the foes to rain lightning down on my enemies and out of melee los blocking positions. I only skip the second water blast with the goofy windup slower animation. Because of endurance trouble, I avoided taking leadership, but this may be taken later after getting endurance and optimal slotting in your other abilities. Get out there and storm it up!!

With enough recharge, you can cast an acid mortar every spawn as quickly as you can cast darkest night, howling twilight, or twilight grasp. You can cast seeker drones BEFORE each spawn, and have poison trap available for longer boss fights. Will you need caltrops every fight? Probably not. Traps has a single target immobilize that is resisted less than holds to help slow/immobilize annoying running bosses. Time, electric affinity have Heals over Time, or Absorbs you can cast before fights to help mitigate damage before the fights, along with the shields and bubbles other sets have that you may be more familiar with in forcefields, sonic, thermal, cold, pain(?), and empathy fortitude. Technically, you have the pet in defender electric affinity; you do not have to have team mates to solo with. Poison was changed so you don't have to have an ally for venomous gases. To me it sounds you would be happy with Traps or Poison. Force Field Generator and acid mortar with a good prep of seeker drones are good enough for my trapper to start every fight. Good luck!! Remember, Traps has the most consistent supply of -regen in boss fights over the duration of the fight with the poison trap, although for a short burst EM Pulse, EM Pulse Arrow and Howling Twilight have greater burst -regen. Traps is a boss killer!

My first villain when CoV came out the gate was a Bots/poison. Man, it was rough in the old days, when equip and upgrade were applied singly to the minions on a long cool down. The pets didn't zone in the mission with you and door ambushes were common in CoV content. The build is definitely a big game hunter when its all summoned and upgraded. 😄

That Terra Volta Trial I was on is locked in limbo, heroes waiting for the servers to come back and resume the good fight just outside the Reactor building.

It appears to me the devs have updated us through various means. It's going to take several hours. As noted in other forum threads, for a volunteer groups of admins, Homecoming has experienced amazing percentage of availability from the beginning. I appreciate all the good work of the Homecoming team.

It's hard to say which is the best. For support on a group, level 45-50, just pre-incarnate, I would say that forcefield brings capped defense, mez protection and endurance drain protection ( I am looking at you, carnies and sappers). Everybody likes kinetics too if they even go to Null the Gull to tone down the run speed factor. Personally I think water blast and sonic blast are hard to beat for secondaries, ymmv, for grouping, but for sheer proc recharge buffs to the defender: /energy with the KB>KD and the Force Feedback +recharge makes a very strong case for MORE fortitude, MORE storms, MORE heat loss, MORE defender goodness 😉 I saw it in a signaure, what this team needs is MORE defenders.

What can a mastermind do in the final taskforce mission against the flying teleporting twin AVs in a s*** storm of airstrikes?

Ice blast is a good set. I paired it with Storm and Cold Domination. Ice is a bit clicky. I don't think EA would do too well with ice blast. Three points about ice: good dps, good slows, and nice holds. I would pick ONE of these to level with and then respec at level 50 for the late game. Note with Ice Storm and Blizzard, you can cast around corners or from different levels without establishing line of sight. It's a cool trick for safe dps. Also note that you can proc damage for slows or holds. When you are leveling, slows can be a very handy tool for mitigation.

I recently did the Ouroboros Positron TF in all its glory warts and all, and I have to say, that task force is annoying as hell. Go see Azuria, go back to Positron, and then go to a different zone for a door mission, so much ridiculous running around. Sister Psyche doesn't have that. It does feature different zones, but I didn't feel like a ping pong ball being bounced around between contacts.

Back in the day when there was no ATT, few Recall Friends, no Ouroboros, I remember being on a Synapse that took 6+ hours. Mapserve errors back in the early days meant you were booted from the TF. Positron and Synapse were all easily over 3 hours.

WST or not, its still great xp, merits and FUN