kelly Rocket

A higher number of total slots so that you have less powers that end up unslotted would be neat. More than six slots in any single power would be silly.

But drones are awesome. There should be a powerset that's just all drones.

If you're after the AoE immob specifically, and don't have a real need for Power Boost, I'd actually suggest Mu, Leviathan, or Soul rather than Mace. All of those have AoE immobilize powers with a faster cast time and no redraw. Web Envelope is nice, but it's SO slow to cast it's a bit painful.

90%, same as all other non-player mobs.

They do. The game doesn't let you slot Knockback sets (Which Sudden Acceleration is one) in a pet that doesn't do knockback. Protector bots don't have a lot, but they do have a heavy burst attack that will knock back. They don't do it often, but since Bots' damage is extremely dependent on keeping the enemy in place so they take the full burn damage from Incendiary Swarm Missiles, I want to neutralize even that little bit.

I don't feel inflation is any sort of concern. Considering that prices are VASTLY, EXPONENTIALLY cheaper for everything now than they were back on live. Getting a Panacea unique would have run you billions in the old days, not the mere 10-20 million it runs you now. And that's with a smaller population which should theoretically be causing higher prices. So the existing controls are doing their job, and everything is fine IMO.

It will certainly matter if you intend to ever exemp down below level 30, where you can no longer use Overgrowth. Also Panacea is a proc, not a global, so it continues functioning at any level (Since Health is inherent). It's also a PvP set, so it functions like a Purple for exemping, which means that even if it were a global it would continue working even at level 1.

If you're going to drop one of the uniques from Health, I'd drop Numina before dropping Panacea. Panacea is significantly better.

Yes. Once you unlock the pools, they're unlocked forever. And doing any one of the patron arcs actually unlocks all of the patron pools.

I'd absolutely never be able to manage using that many thumb buttons. Especially in that layout. I'd be constantly clicking buttons when I didn't even mean to, because I'm a fingertip mouse user, which means I'm constantly placing pressure on the side of the mouse to grip it. What I found worked for me is this cheap mouse from China: https://www.amazon.com/Programmable-Buttons-AFUNTA-double-speed-adjustment/dp/B016ZF77OA It's not perfect... You have to assign keystrokes to at least four of those thumb buttons, can't just be counted as extra mouse buttons. But it works. The layout gives me a place to grip the mouse with my thumb without hitting a button, and the radial layout of the buttons makes it simple to memorize a directional "throw" of sorts, instead of a grid layout. It's similar to the old Razer Naga Hex, but they don't make that anymore, and the newer Hex v2 has 7 buttons which seems very awkward to me. If you're used to a very light mouse, you won't like it however. It's a bit hefty even with all the weights removed from it. But I'm used to an old Razer Mamba, which had a lithium ion battery in it, so I like the weight.

2.6.0.1 still isn't saving some options when shut down. I specifically know it's not saving the state of the "Use Alternate Colors For Villains" checkbox in the main options page. The villain red theme makes my eyes bleed, please fix.

Bots do have two attacks (From the Assault Bot, of course, basically everything good comes from that one pet) that inflict -regen. I believe they do a total of -500% regen, which is nothing to sneeze at. It's half of what /Traps or /Rad can do, and those are well known AV/GM soloing sets. I have a Bots/Time, and I've soloed some AVs, GMs, and TFs with him. I've soloed Babbage, and soloed the Psionic Clockwork King in a level 45ish mission arc. I've soloed the Numina Task Force, including taking down Jurrasik. I don't really recommend doing that, that fight was an absolute pain in the ass and I only had enough damage to beat him by using Kick, Sands of Mu, and the Blackwand in addition to the pets. In my experience, if you can manage to stack immobs and immobilize an AV or GM, you should have no problem. If you can't, it's going to be a giant pain, because they run around like headless chickens and that keeps the (Very slow running) bots from doing their full DPS, and introduces gaps in the Assault Bot's chain (Due to running to get into range) that mean you lose coverage on your -regen.

Here's the set breakdown for that build: Set Bonuses: Superior Command of the Mastermind (Battle Drones) 4% DamageBuff(All) 24.1 HP (3%) HitPoints 10% Enhancement(RechargeTime) 15% Defense(AoE) Call to Arms (Battle Drones) 5% Defense Preventive Medicine (Temporal Mending) 2.25% Resistance(Smashing,Lethal), MezResist(Immobilized) 3.75%, MezResist(Held) 3.75%, MezResist(Stunned) 3.75%, MezResist(Sleep) 3.75%, MezResist(Terrorized) 3.75%, MezResist(Confused) 3.75% 15.06 HP (1.88%) HitPoints 3% Resistance(Fire,Cold), MezResist(Immobilized) 5%, MezResist(Held) 5%, MezResist(Stunned) 5%, MezResist(Sleep) 5%, MezResist(Terrorized) 5%, MezResist(Confused) 5% 3.75% Enhancement(EnduranceDiscount) 8.75% Enhancement(RechargeTime) GrantPower Preventive Medicine (10% chance, if Scourge), GrantPower Preventive Medicine (if Scourge) Dark Watcher's Despair (Time's Juncture) 12.05 HP (1.5%) HitPoints 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery 5% Enhancement(RechargeTime) Luck of the Gambler (Maneuvers) 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime) Red Fortune (Maneuvers) 1.5% Resistance(Smashing,Lethal), MezResist(Immobilized) 2.5%, MezResist(Held) 2.5%, MezResist(Stunned) 2.5%, MezResist(Sleep) 2.5%, MezResist(Terrorized) 2.5%, MezResist(Confused) 2.5% 1.5% Resistance(Fire,Cold), MezResist(Immobilized) 2.5%, MezResist(Held) 2.5%, MezResist(Stunned) 2.5%, MezResist(Sleep) 2.5%, MezResist(Terrorized) 2.5%, MezResist(Confused) 2.5% 2% DamageBuff(All) 5% Enhancement(RechargeTime) Expedient Reinforcement (Protector Bots) 1.5% Resistance(Energy,Negative), MezResist(Immobilized) 2.5%, MezResist(Held) 2.5%, MezResist(Stunned) 2.5%, MezResist(Sleep) 2.5%, MezResist(Terrorized) 2.5%, MezResist(Confused) 2.5% 10% Resistance(All) Edict of the Master (Protector Bots) 5% Defense Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control (Tactics) 7.5% SpeedJumping, 7.5% JumpHeight, 7.5% SpeedFlying, 7.5% SpeedRunning 15.06 HP (1.88%) HitPoints 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery 2.5% DamageBuff(All) 2.5% Defense(Melee), 1.25% Defense(Lethal), 1.25% Defense(Smashing), 2.5% Defense(Ranged), 1.25% Defense(Energy), 1.25% Defense(Negative), 2.5% Defense(AoE), 1.25% Defense(Fire), 1.25% Defense(Cold) Basilisk's Gaze (Distortion Field) 2.5% Defense(Energy,Negative), 1.25% Defense(Ranged) 2% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime) Steadfast Protection (Tough) 3% Defense(Melee), 3% Defense(AoE), 3% Defense(Ranged), 3% Defense(Smashing), 3% Defense(Lethal), 3% Defense(Fire), 3% Defense(Cold), 3% Defense(Energy), 3% Defense(Negative), 3% Defense(Psionic) Gladiator's Armor (Tough) 3% Defense(Melee), 3% Defense(AoE), 3% Defense(Ranged), 3% Defense(Smashing), 3% Defense(Lethal), 3% Defense(Fire), 3% Defense(Cold), 3% Defense(Energy), 3% Defense(Negative), 3% Defense(Psionic) Unbreakable Constraint (Time Stop) 4% (0.07 End/sec) Recovery 6% Resistance(Fire,Cold), MezResist(Immobilized) 10%, MezResist(Held) 10%, MezResist(Stunned) 10%, MezResist(Sleep) 10%, MezResist(Terrorized) 10%, MezResist(Confused) 10% 15% Enhancement(Accuracy) 10% Enhancement(RechargeTime) Luck of the Gambler (Weave) 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime) Red Fortune (Weave) 1.5% Resistance(Smashing,Lethal), MezResist(Immobilized) 2.5%, MezResist(Held) 2.5%, MezResist(Stunned) 2.5%, MezResist(Sleep) 2.5%, MezResist(Terrorized) 2.5%, MezResist(Confused) 2.5% 1.5% Resistance(Fire,Cold), MezResist(Immobilized) 2.5%, MezResist(Held) 2.5%, MezResist(Stunned) 2.5%, MezResist(Sleep) 2.5%, MezResist(Terrorized) 2.5%, MezResist(Confused) 2.5% 2% DamageBuff(All) 5% Enhancement(RechargeTime) Superior Mark of Supremacy (Assault Bot) 10% Enhancement(RechargeTime) 15% Enhancement(Accuracy) 15% Resistance(All), 150% (5.02 HP/sec) Regeneration Sovereign Right (Assault Bot) 10% Resistance(All) Reactive Defenses (Farsight) 1.5% Resistance(Smashing,Lethal), MezResist(Immobilized) 2.5%, MezResist(Held) 2.5%, MezResist(Stunned) 2.5%, MezResist(Sleep) 2.5%, MezResist(Terrorized) 2.5%, MezResist(Confused) 2.5% 15.06 HP (1.88%) HitPoints 3% Resistance(Fire,Cold), MezResist(Immobilized) 5%, MezResist(Held) 5%, MezResist(Stunned) 5%, MezResist(Sleep) 5%, MezResist(Terrorized) 5%, MezResist(Confused) 5% 3.75% Enhancement(EnduranceDiscount) 8.75% Enhancement(RechargeTime) 0% Resistance(All) Luck of the Gambler (Combat Jumping) 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime) Shield Wall (Combat Jumping) 5% Resistance(Lethal), 5% Resistance(Smashing), 5% Resistance(Fire), 5% Resistance(Cold), 5% Resistance(Energy), 5% Resistance(Negative), 5% Resistance(Psionic), 5% Resistance(Toxic) Gravitational Anchor (Web Envelope) 4% (0.07 End/sec) Recovery 6% Resistance(Fire,Cold), MezResist(Immobilized) 10%, MezResist(Held) 10%, MezResist(Stunned) 10%, MezResist(Sleep) 10%, MezResist(Terrorized) 10%, MezResist(Confused) 10% 15% Enhancement(Accuracy) 10% Enhancement(RechargeTime) Luck of the Gambler (Scorpion Shield) 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime) Luck of the Gambler (Vengeance) 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)

Sorry, I can't import that build from the data block. I have Pine's 2.6.0.1, but it says it's an invalid format. Here's my Bots/Time build for reference though. It's soft-capped as well (At least with a shield from one of the Protector Bots): Hero Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.6.0.1 https://github.com/ImaginaryDevelopment/imaginary-hero-designer Click this DataLink to open the build! Level 50 Magic Mastermind Primary Power Set: Robotics Secondary Power Set: Time Manipulation Power Pool: Leadership Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Leaping Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery Hero Profile: Level 1: Battle Drones -- SprCmmoft-Acc/Dmg(A), SprCmmoft-Dmg/EndRdx(3), SprCmmoft-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(3), SprCmmoft-Rchg/PetAoEDef(5), CaltoArm-+Def(Pets)(5), SuddAcc--KB/+KD(7) Level 1: Time Crawl -- Acc-I(A) Level 2: Temporal Mending -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(11), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(23), Prv-Heal/Rchg(23), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(25), Prv-Absorb%(25) Level 4: Time's Juncture -- DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb(A), DarWtcDsp-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(7), DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(9), DarWtcDsp-Slow%(9), PcnoftheT--Rchg%(11) Level 6: Equip Robot -- EndRdx-I(A) Level 8: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(31), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(34), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(36), RedFrt-Def(36), RedFrt-EndRdx(36) Level 10: Kick -- Acc-I(A) Level 12: Protector Bots -- ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg(A), ExpRnf-+Res(Pets)(13), DefBuff-I(13), DefBuff-I(15), EdcoftheM-PetDef(15), SuddAcc--KB/+KD(17) Level 14: Tactics -- GssSynFr--ToHit(A), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg(46), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(46), GssSynFr--Rchg/EndRdx(48), GssSynFr--ToHit/EndRdx(48), GssSynFr--Build%(48) Level 16: Distortion Field -- BslGaz-Rchg/Hold(A), BslGaz-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(17), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(19), BslGaz-Slow%(19), PcnoftheT--Rchg%(21), Lck-%Hold(21) Level 18: Tough -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), GldArm-3defTpProc(43) Level 20: Time Stop -- UnbCns-Hold(A), UnbCns-Hold/Rchg(42), UnbCns-Acc/Hold/Rchg(42), UnbCns-Acc/Rchg(43), UnbCns-EndRdx/Hold(43) Level 22: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(37), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(37), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(37), RedFrt-Def(40), RedFrt-EndRdx(42) Level 24: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 26: Assault Bot -- SprMarofS-Dmg(A), SprMarofS-Dmg/EndRdx(27), SprMarofS-EndRdx/+Resist/+Regen(27), SvrRgh-PetResDam(29), SlbAll-Build%(29), SuddAcc--KB/+KD(31) Level 28: Farsight -- Rct-Def(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx(33), Rct-EndRdx/Rchg(33), Rct-Def/Rchg(33), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(34), Rct-ResDam%(34) Level 30: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(31) Level 32: Upgrade Robot -- EndRdx-I(A) Level 35: Web Envelope -- GrvAnc-Acc/Immob/Rchg(A), GrvAnc-Acc/Rchg(45), GrvAnc-Immob/Rchg(45), GrvAnc-Immob/EndRdx(45), GrvAnc-Hold%(46) Level 38: Chrono Shift -- Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(A), Pnc-Heal/EndRedux/Rchg(39), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(39), DctWnd-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(39), EndMod-I(40), EndMod-I(40) Level 41: Slowed Response -- AchHee-ResDeb%(A) Level 44: Scorpion Shield -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A) Level 47: Power Boost -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 49: Vengeance -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A) Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A) 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 -- Empty(A) Level 1: Supremacy Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A) Level 4: Ninja Run Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A) Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), Mrc-Rcvry+(50), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(50) Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A) Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(50) ------------ | Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| |MxDz;1455;674;1348;HEX;| |78DA6594CB6F125114C6EFC0A5B5140A08481F140A421F54B1A87B13FB325A4C2DD| |4C4558330A593F04AA1892EFD5F7C6E5CB8D0A61A63138DF11FB06D7C2576D3AA7D| |F8DAB8C1E39CAF0533934C7E99EFDC73EE773F6648DE18B33D9CBC754E28CED142A| |65A9D4B66AA3575B1A89572966426AF65C5BFAB95EEEE46652EB5542C964BF199F2| |F5724DCB56434DA5F34BF3F3F1B45654695249AB2C153235AD5C128EE972B9109F5| |2333975B1BAA055ECFAF384965FA869A5BC557F4A555435673B585821DD3F5ED1B2| |F1A6E9C94C5685C59B9D642A4AF78A45E0AA5BC44BB31009294CAFC0D74CF906FC6| |C12A2578A964D2984478A35EF612F9D50E86BD64953304FD9E23EEB36F3D817F02B| |B3F31BB8C3DCA05EB3DE5C97E6C7265D6B59661E59019F32AD8F149DCFC8BF051E2| |C21F6E0A2C45B798EA5D5CBEB025666A89D79DC0E76800EA6897ADB30AF0D677A4E| |1BB4E34CEDFBBCBFED1718E0351D07DC260E48E144466E9A678717FB6DEE397907B| |CCB3C750FBC0F3E60BEA33C1CD8D7F196B377AE318FAE831B4C0FF2F0FCE15E33ED| |EBE27D15974FD1D7C44E73CEEF69AE9BE74AF718AF1F1A072798B149F00253D23C2| |FCEE145A611641A41A611643A804C879069987A7DDC2B7CC39CD30BCAB40B67EB4A| |4B5DEB9E05AF31FDBF79AD7F943D043659FF40FE7BE0A56797CFD4B707EE83DF99A| |11FE04FBC7BE4A517B9F41EBC1B97B8B64A9E82F8ED8378979E50298CACC233ECE3| |440ABC02A6F17BCE323F91BF28FC45F18EF707C134EFD97F1959F589FFF8917A07E| |1617095E6B9A558A6D66168C3F0BC6B13220E2D8E4C3D74B611682358E7974DDF68| |9D2E1133282306256150CE1894B30665CAA0241B4A7D5A1EFE330845AFB639E97B4| |775C74A55A5B9BAD7504C4A88D34B5C54F4AF2B71152918BAF61B8AA220D304F817| |BC65F0E9| |-------------------------------------------------------------------|

Use Fearsome Stare BEFORE Darkest Night, and it helps a LOT.

Set bonuses do not affect pets.

He's just too embarrassed to show his face after my Bots/Time soloed him in Boomtown.

DO NOT SKIP WILD GROWTH. Slotted, it's a 17-18% Resist (All). And you do want to slot it for resist. It's fully half of your mitigation kit as a /Nature user (The other half being Spore Cloud). Entangling aura also helps a little later, but those two are your main mitigation kit.

The Hero Designer has support for making two different sets mutually exclusive though, hence why it won't let you use the regular and superior versions of many ATOs. So they just need to add those flags into the database for the rest of such sets.

Thanks, good to know. The wiki was very unclear on this. It sort of implied that, but I wasn't sure.

Yeah, it's not saving *any* of the settings.

Yes, and I posted the build in your thread too. But I created the character before that thread was a thing 😉

Anyone happen to know? Curious because I have a Time/Dual Pistols Defender, and Dual Pistols has quite a bit of -Damage debuff on it when using Chemical Ammo, and I'm wondering how commonly mobs actually resist that. Tried to find it on the wiki, but it was very unclear.

Bots is the best AoE. Just bar none. Yeah, it's all the Assault Bot, and only two of his attacks (Three if you count the Flamethrower), but one of those attacks is just SO ridiculously potent that it leaves all other MM primaries in the dust for AoE damage. That attack is his Incendiary Swarm Missiles. The Minion and LT Bots do actually have some AoE as well, but they're cones or small AoEs. They do still add to your AoE, and if you can corner pull, it gets insane. If you can partner with a Grav controller or Dom it starts heading into actual OP nonsense territory, and quite possibly out-damages a good Brute even. This is because Wormhole will gather a spawn into a very tiny space for you. You and your controller partner then immobilize the spawn (You DID take an APP/PPP with an AoE immob right? If you're Bots/ this is pretty much mandatory), and the bots will burn that spawn to the ground in an incredibly short amount of time. You see, what happens when your Big Bot fires Incendiary Missiles, is that the he targets one enemy to fire it at, and it will affect all enemies within 20 feet of that target, setting them on fire and doing 8 ticks of 3.82 damage to each of them (If you're at level 50). This is 30.56 damage each, nothing serious really. However, it also creates a burn patch under each of these targets. The burn patch inflicts 26 ticks of 3.34 damage over 20 seconds. This is 86.84 damage, which still may not seem that incredible. Until you realize that each of these burn patches are wider than one mob. Any overlap stacks. So if two mobs are close enough together, they each take 173.68 damage instead. Now Wormhole is a targeted, ranged AoE ability, as is the Incendiary Missile Swarm. This means the target cap for both abilities is 16. Assuming that your Grav partner manages a perfect pull with it, you have packed 16 mobs into a very tiny space. Small enough that the burn patches should ALL overlap. This means that if you can immobilize the spawn, every single mob in that spawn will take 86.84 * 16 damage, in addition to the flat 30.56 damage they each take. This is 1389.44 + 30.56, or, oddly enough, exactly 1400 damage per mob. PER MOB. And that's not counting the Minion Bots cone lasers, or the Protector Bots' grenades. There's simply not any other MM primary that can compete with that kind of AoE damage. Bots suffers against a single target though, unless that big single target keeps summoning more minions to fuel the burn patches. If you're looking to farm with a Mastermind, I recommend Bots/Time/Mace, as this will soft cap all of your Bots, and allow you to run +4/x8 farms. With my Bots/Time I can pull in about 300k inf per minute solo, on wide open maps, because the soft-capped bots can handle 3-4 spawns at once if I have to. That's not as good as a Fire Farm specialized Brute can do, but it's not bad. If I had a partner who could throw Wormhole and help immob spawns, I'm certain I could double that, and that IS Fire Farm Brute territory.

Well it's weird, as I play mostly Masterminds, Brutes, and Controller/Defenders. Leaning more towards Masterminds than anything else. And I've literally never, not even once, been denied a team for being a Mastermind. I've even been greeted more than once when joining a team with "Oh thank GOD, a Mastermind!", on a team that needed more Support, or more damage, or both. Really there's very little reason to dislike Masterminds on your team, as they bring support, damage, and some tanking abilities. Admittedly some people build them badly, because they're focused on soloing, but you won't see those guys teaming a lot.