ninja surprise

Yep, looks like WP is paper-tough at endgame without Incarnates. Maybe with them too, I'll find out soon. It was just fine on a Moonfire though.

I made a Titan Weapons/Willpower, hoping all the sources of endurance and healing would let me WHAM things non-stop. But I'm finally 50, attuned my winters and ATOs, went to Cim to get veng on the nakie-boys, and can't clear a +0x8 spawn without dying. Even worse when I accidentally got the Arachnos mission, those Mu dudes tore me up. I can get Melee/Smashing def capped, just over 40% E/N/F/C, but all my resists are below 50% and Regen doesn't go very high. Can Willpower be tough or should I re-roll Invuln and carry lots of blues?

My dream is real, I'm happy.

Similarly, I wanted to recreate a toon I had on live: Staff/SR Scrapper, but go a little tougher, so I made it as an Invulnerable/Staff Tank. I PL'd into the 20's, got through a Yin, then went to do missions in Talos. It took so friggin long to defeat anything that I gave up, deleted it, and re-rolled as a Brute. Somehow, even though it isn't capped on resists or defense (except S/L resist) it still manages to survive most everything and looks great doing it. On Live my favorite Brute was SS/Electric. Mainly for concept, but it was lots of fun; tough and lots of damage. I'd given up on Brutes because if I wanted damage I'd go Scrapper, toughness and AoE in the Tank. But playing my Staff/Invuln again, I'm thinking I should give Brutes another go. And definitely re-roll my Savage/Fire Tank as Brute. Except the Tanker ATOs are so good!

I think Fault is excellent: ranged AoE stun instead of the PBAoE Hand Claps on Super Strength and Electric Melee. Getting free bonus damage is nice. It isn't hard to use at all, you just pick your target and click the attack. I 5-slot the purple stun set plus a KB-KD IO. My pipe dream wish list change for it would be to change the knockback to knock-up so I don't have to blow a KB-KD IO on it every time. On one hand, I'd prefer the Scrapper and Stalker versions did more damage and less soft control than the Tank and Brute versions. (i.e. full crit damage on Seismic Smash instead of double-hold magnitude) On the other, I'm OK with each set having a specialty with give-and-take, instead of every set doing same damage with different graphics. I really like Hurl Boulder's 80' range and it's tremendously satisfying to see a runner and take your time pulling a boulder out of the earth, hurling it, and watching it follow the critter across the map until it inevitably hits and defeats them. Plus it knocks pesky flyers out of the air.

@Bopper Is it feasable to swap out Hurl Boulder with a faster-animating attack from the new Stone Blast set? Maybe Meteor? 😮

I'm pretty sure you'll wind up with Titan/Stone for a total change of pace from the speed of Claws, and use the humongous stone blade thing for theme.

I confirmed on Live that Fault and Hurl Boulder don't work if you're Hovering, so no change there. I made a Stone/Bio Scrapper and love it so much I might stay on Test until it hits Live. So much fun! I'd prefer Seismic Smash did straight double damage on Crit instead of the increased Hold. I'd rather just defeat something than hold it and hit it again. But I'm still a happy camper. I went through all my half-built Stoners on live and stripped 'em bare so I'm ready for the issue to make my newest alt.

I still always say "It's OK guys I got 'm" if I get the kill shot. Also I recall recently some GM hunt, the organizer posted in LFG who got the kill shot as a way of announcing the GM was down.

Another point for OP on the Resist vs Defense: Resistance builds are more expensive than Defense. Defense is cheap to softcap, with SR not even needing set bonuses to soft-cap. Resist: you're going to be shelling out hundreds of millions to get all the Winters, Tanker sets, uniques, and other hot sets to get 'em capped.

How much recharge do you need for perma-Swipe?

These are some sweet builds! I'm going to try out the Bonfire build, just because I get really bored if I don't have more to do than just the two Bird attacks.

nvm answered my own question.

This is roughly what I run with. It's a load of fun. You can swap out Leadership for the Fighting Pool if preferred. Move Gaussians into Build Up, etc. This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.0.5.6 https://github.com/Reborn-Team/MidsReborn Click this DataLink to open the build! Level 50 Magic Tanker Primary Power Set: Shield Defense Secondary Power Set: Stone Melee Power Pool: Sorcery Power Pool: Leaping Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Leadership Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery Hero Profile: Ground Combat Level 1: Deflection -- Rct-Def(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx(3), Rct-EndRdx/Rchg(3), Rct-Def/Rchg(5), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(5), Rct-ResDam%(7) Level 1: Stone Fist -- Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg(A), Mk'Bit-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Mk'Bit-Dmg/Rchg(9), Mk'Bit-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(11), Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), Mk'Bit-Dam%(13) Level 2: Stone Mallet -- TchofDth-Acc/Dmg(A), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx(15), TchofDth-Dmg/Rchg(15), TchofDth-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(17), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(17), TchofDth-Dam%(19) Level 4: Heavy Mallet -- SprGntFis-Acc/Dmg(A), SprGntFis-Dmg/Rchg(19), SprGntFis-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(25), SprGntFis-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), SprGntFis-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), SprGntFis-Rchg/+Absorb(34) Level 6: Battle Agility -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(37), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(40), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(42), LucoftheG-EndRdx/Rchg(42), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(42) Level 8: True Grit -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), GldArm-3defTpProc(9) Level 10: Active Defense -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(11) Level 12: Against All Odds -- Taunt-I(A) Level 14: Phalanx Fighting -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A) Level 16: Taunt -- PrfZng-Dam%(A), PrfZng-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(48) Level 18: Grant Cover -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A) Level 20: Fault -- AbsAmz-ToHitDeb%(A), AbsAmz-EndRdx/Stun(21), AbsAmz-Stun/Rchg(21), AbsAmz-Acc/Stun/Rchg(23), AbsAmz-Acc/Rchg(23), FrcFdb-Rechg%(25) Level 22: Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 24: Mystic Flight -- WntGif-ResSlow(A) Level 26: Shield Charge -- Arm-Dmg(A), Arm-Dmg/Rchg(27), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(27), Arm-Acc/Rchg(29), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(29), Arm-Dam%(31) Level 28: Tremor -- Erd-Dmg(A), Erd-Acc/Rchg(31), Erd-Dmg/Rchg(31), Erd-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Erd-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33), Erd-%Dam(33) Level 30: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A) Level 32: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(43) Level 35: Hurl Boulder -- SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg(A), SprWntBit-Dmg/Rchg(36), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), SprWntBit-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(37), SprWntBit-Rchg/SlowProc(37) Level 38: Seismic Smash -- SprMghoft-Acc/Dmg(A), SprMghoft-Dmg/Rchg(39), SprMghoft-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(39), SprMghoft-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39), SprMghoft-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40), SprMghoft-Rchg/Res%(40) Level 41: Focused Accuracy -- EndRdx-I(A) Level 44: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(45), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(45), RedFrt-EndRdx/Rchg(46), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(46), RedFrt-Def(46) Level 47: Tactics -- GssSynFr--ToHit(A), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg(45), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(48), GssSynFr--Rchg/EndRdx(48), GssSynFr--ToHit/EndRdx(50), GssSynFr--Build%(50) Level 49: Physical Perfection -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(50) Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A) Level 1: Gauntlet Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A) Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A) Level 1: Swift -- Empty(A) Level 1: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), Prv-Absorb%(43) Level 1: Hurdle -- Empty(A) Level 1: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(43) ------------

Excellent write-up! Should x-post over on Guides.

Yep, exactly. I think the combos are easier or more flexible on DB though. Some people just do a high-recharge Attack Vitals chain but I like using all the attacks for more variety. I set up my trays so I can line up the attack buttons for each of the three-attack-combos. It's flashy and dynamic.

I'd put Titan Weapons above Staff. Titan has 3 cones and 1 PBAoE. I love Staff on a scrapper but hate it on a tank. I'd rather do Dual Blades for the same amount of AoE, or Spines or Rad Melee for another damage aura. Rad Melee can do lots of AoE with a proc'd up Irradiated Ground.

I made the same suggestion almost a year ago, and server population has increased and the problem worsened since then.

Is it just me or does this sound like a new poo control powerset with control over constipation and diarrhea...

Mud Pots would be cool and thematically justifiable: The extreme heat you emit boils the very ground around you, causing damage to nearby enemies.

Ah that's why it escaped my critical eye. It's been a long time since I played Fire Manipulation. Maybe because of the pulsing aura causing headaches last time I played it.

Looks pretty cool! My one nitpick is "Cutting Field" sounds like an AoE but is single target. Maybe "Cutting Barrier"? With good sound effects it would be a fun set to play. It looks so complex though it has little chance of being developed.

Super cool idea, but not possible with how the maps were created.

Is there an AT that can get both Blazing Aura and Hot Feet? I couldn't think of one.

The phrase you'd use here is "the players have a mind of their own and play how they want to play. They might not follow the tanker blindly if they can handle aggro on their own or if the tank ran off on his own without paying any attention to where the team was going." Nope. Someone wants to go blast or punch a critter on their own, more power to them. There aren't "healers" in CoH. Woah woah woah, you say you fake-tanked with *non-tank* classes? You're just as bad as those mind-of-their-own players!!! If you are the team lead you can state your rules of "everyone follow me, nobody solo" and kick anyone who fails to comply. Good luck with that though, I think you'll wind up on a lot of ignore lists. Everyone's a hero, most builds can solo x8 spawns. Pay attention to where your team goes and play along. This is the way.