Nyghtmaire

I’ll throw some more support for a DarkX3 tank - tons of survivability and the endurance issues are easily managed with slotting and other IO goodies and absent incarnates. I do run OG along with a KD proc in Death Shroud to buy time to let the resistance have some breathing room. Just a shadow even at least. Not mentioned above, classic Necro/Dark/Soul - now with more power after the recent mastermind changes. Also have a stalker and blaster, both of whom I adore. The stalker is nigh unkillable between mostly capped resists (other than energy), S/L/M softcap, stacked fears between CoF and Touch of Fear, and Dark Regeneration. The blaster is fun but ain’t winning no “best” award. Still leveling the controller, sentinel, and the corrupter (this one is really a re-roll from live), so too early to say anything other than “fun”. However the sentinel is mechanically the weakest of the bunch. Overall, I’m drawn to the control tools available in the various dark sets, as well as the many ways there are to build each AT. All a little different and all (except maybe the sentinel - still trying to wrap my head around this guy) super solid. Regarding defense, leaning towards it being another layer of survivability. Having the initial cushion before any cascade certainly helps, along with the -ToHit debuffs. Doubly so with Darkest Night adding an additional layer (along with a -damage component which dovetails nicely with resistance). Certainly not something to chase at the expense of all else, but there are so many IO tools and options it’s almost hard NOT to stack a reasonable amount of defense. Dark characters have many layers of defensive complexity and as many should be utilized. Use all the tools!

Actually, this is usually a safe bet on this end. I call it “multi-tasking”.

Alright - rather than a respec, just up and deleted a level 43 and melted for parts last night. Demon/Pain MM. Saved the costumes and bio though for rerolling into a more enjoyable pairing. Everything about it was a slog, no matter the level range or content. Disliked it so much I’m tempted to make the same character today just to delete it again. Never had this experience before. And I really like playing with builds. Almost as much as playing the game. But this time,…

It was great meeting everyone last night at TT. Kindest and most welcoming evening experience on CoH ever (which is saying a lot as that’s how I describe this game to people generally compared to other games). It’s also the first time I enabled screen shake. 8 tanks + lots of bouncing mobs = metal! Thanks to everyone from Steerdozer for the eye-opening experience.

Yes indeed! https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=set_bonus.set_bonus.slow_resist_3

Um… uh … oh! I kinda love this. RP the Bots as stenographers or recording devices.

Appreciate everything in this thread. My misunderstanding came from the live forums (to which I plead ignorance of game mechanics during that time period). Left with the erroneous impression @ClawsandEffect (p.s. always liked Live Forums avatar) describes above- Dark being the worst set in the game. Clearly missed the more in-depth discussion there and internalized the wrong take-away (DS to end heavy to run with armors, too much unwanted aggro …). Thanks again.

Very cool! Love the idea. The revamped FF really a hidden gem (along with Necro which was always beautiful). I’ve been pondering a new Necro; your post pushed me over the decision line. Did you decide to take you MM attacks? And if so, slotting them or leaving with base a lot merely to trigger the ghosts?

I’ve been futzing around with “Action Hero Sidekick” - mercs/traps summoning only T3. Character is basically a scrawny kid trying to keep up with the 80s era action movie soldier of fortune with too many guns. Traps is suitably self-contained and functional. And with stealth, can do a lot solo. But it’s slow. Sloooooow!

I've grown to like it most when exemplered or running through large groups. Rarely does anything to stuff that really matters - AVs and whatnot. Lots of opportunities for it to trigger. I like bonfire (and lean on it a bunch for my necro/sonic), but Theme is King for this character for me. It was my first on Live, first 50 on Live, and first one made on Homecoming. Since the revamp, the primary is much more beefy so the mitigation @evetsleep referenced is that much more pronounced. I will say that, overall, I'm less and less enthused about this build but I haven't really been able to settle on a new direction. Building a Musculature Radial T4 and about to drop the holds + raise recharge for more Soul Extraction uptime + more defensive padding towards a more useful breakpoint + get a procced-out Soul Tentacles back in the build . The half measures towards slow resistance doesn't really do much - either don't need it or it is too little to matter. That's the thought at least.

Every character is always a work in progress, especially as I learn more and more about the game. Plus, any character that makes it to the 30s usually means it’s one I *like* … for whatever reason. Teens and 20s are the levels of imminent deletion. 🔪🔪🔪

@SeraphimKensaiia correct. For what it’s worth, here is my last-saved build from January. However, it remains a work in progress and I’m not happy with its functioning. I hope it gives you some ideas. Hopefully, the link works at least. I can already tell there are some errors in the export. * Zombies (tier 1) is missing the Expedient Reinforcement Acc/Dam ** Grave Knights (tier 2) is missing Superior Mark of Supremacy Acc/Dam and Acc/Dam/End pieces *** Lich is missing a Hami-O (Acc/Mez), and Superior Mark of Supremacy End/+resists and the straight Damage piece I don't see it displaying Incarnates. This build runs Alpha: Intuition radial (damage, holds, range, -tohit). I swap between Clarion and Barrier depending on whichever enemy I'm fighting. With Barrier, this can take down a Rikti Pylon in 73 seconds. This Villain build was built using Mids Reborn 3.4.7 https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn Click this DataLink to open the build! Level 50 Magic Mastermind Primary Power Set: Necromancy Secondary Power Set: Dark Miasma Power Pool: Sorcery Power Pool: Leaping Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Leadership Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery Villain Profile: Level 1: Zombie Horde Hamidon Origin:Nucleolus Exposure (3) Overwhelming Force - Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown (5) Sovereign Right - Accuracy/Damage (5) Expedient Reinforcement - Resist Bonus Aura for Pets (7) Sovereign Right - Resistance Bonus Level 1: Twilight Grasp (A) Touch of the Nictus - Accuracy/Healing/Absorb (7) Touch of the Nictus - Accuracy/Endurance/Healing/Absorb (9) Touch of the Nictus - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge (15) Theft of Essence - Chance for +Endurance Level 2: Gloom (A) Gladiator's Javelin - Chance of Damage(Toxic) (13) Gladiator's Javelin - Accuracy/Damage (13) Cloud Senses - Chance for Negative Energy Damage (15) Cloud Senses - Accuracy/ToHitDebuff Level 4: Tar Patch (A) Recharge Reduction IO Level 6: Enchant Undead (A) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance (17) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance (17) Unbreakable Guard - RechargeTime/Resistance Level 8: Darkest Night (A) Dark Watcher's Despair - Recharge/Endurance (19) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance (19) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Endurance (21) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff Level 10: Dark Blast (A) Superior Winter's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (11) Superior Winter's Bite - Damage/Endurance/Accuracy/RechargeTime (21) Superior Winter's Bite - Accuracy/Damage Level 12: Grave Knight Hamidon Origin:Nucleolus Exposure (25) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff (27) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Negative Damage (27) Shield Breaker - Chance for Lethal Damage Level 14: Mystic Flight (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points) (29) Winter's Gift - Slow Resistance (20%) Level 16: Shadow Fall (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed (29) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3% (31) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All) (31) Reactive Defenses - Defense (31) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance (33) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage Level 18: Soul Extraction (A) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Recharge/Pet +AoE Defense Aura (33) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge (33) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (34) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Damage/Endurance/Recharge (34) Soulbound Allegiance - Chance for Build Up (34) Edict of the Master - Defense Bonus Level 20: Fearsome Stare (A) Cloud Senses - Accuracy/ToHitDebuff (36) Cloud Senses - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge (36) Cloud Senses - Accuracy/Recharge (36) Cloud Senses - ToHit Debuff/Endurance/Recharge Level 22: Lich Hamidon Origin:Nucleolus Exposure (39) Cloud Senses - Chance for Negative Energy Damage Level 24: Combat Jumping (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed (46) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All) Level 26: Dark Empowerment (A) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance (39) Panacea - Heal Level 28: Hasten (A) Recharge Reduction IO (40) Recharge Reduction IO Level 30: Maneuvers (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed (40) Red Fortune - Defense (42) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance Level 32: Dark Servant (A) Cloud Senses - ToHit Debuff (42) Cloud Senses - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge (42) Cloud Senses - Chance for Negative Energy Damage (43) Cloud Senses - Accuracy/Recharge (43) Cloud Senses - Accuracy/ToHitDebuff (43) Cloud Senses - ToHit Debuff/Endurance/Recharge Level 35: Dark Embrace (A) Unbreakable Guard - +Max HP (45) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance (45) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance (45) Unbreakable Guard - RechargeTime/Resistance Level 38: Howling Twilight (A) Superior Frozen Blast - Recharge/Chance for Immobilize (39) Superior Frozen Blast - Damage/Endurance/Accuracy/RechargeTime (40) Tempered Readiness - Endurance/Recharge/Slow Level 41: Oppressive Gloom (A) Accuracy IO Level 44: Soul Storm (A) Apocalypse - Chance of Damage(Negative) (46) Unbreakable Constraint - Chance for Smashing Damage (46) Gladiator's Javelin - Chance of Damage(Toxic) (48) Gladiator's Javelin - Accuracy/Damage (48) Ghost Widow's Embrace - Accuracy/Endurance (48) Ghost Widow's Embrace - Chance of Damage(Psionic) Level 47: Petrifying Gaze (A) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Hold (50) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold (50) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Recharge (50) Basilisk's Gaze - Endurance/Recharge/Hold Level 49: Tactics Hamidon Origin:Cytoskeleton Exposure Level 1: Supremacy Level 1: Brawl | Copy & Paste this data into Mids Reborn : Hero Designer to view the build | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| |MxDz;1804;782;1564;HEX;| |78DA6594C94F137114C7BF339DB294B2D652A065AB6C2DA580899E8C12C1834A0D0| |605C418322905AB74492B89FC1B7AF03F5044D49B014F2E894B22378D1CBCB8EB41| |2011623C8D8F79F30BBF0E4D26FDCC7BDF79DBBCDFC46E0CB9D7DE0E0F40A91A9CD| |3F3F9A9989EBF9EC8A592E969674C9F4DC61DA05F315D813DCFD4E87C2A954947CF| |26E2B94C4A4FC717FC92F3C4FCCC4C7448CF5D9B8A25F57C4A877B2493998B8E667| |2F1446E816F86137A36999E75B1279B484C570AFB742297BF92CC064E6693F1A89C| |33333F6755B75047F574D3B5E884FC33E8764B05FA35A8384A06CD41F0C9615A346| |CC1826DD61461872D1734FA57F6C2D0035E8725A96528818FA10235048D1AEE39E5| |67E821051196B81112F05335B515F8CA3046991C522638CC3E48BB44E19C9247756| |29BA3546147C05F86718A522CD75B8C556EA9062B029E301CC06386BB94A0544E50| |8A25CDF4B8B0AC59DA458665D296495A67995939796A31C15027065C876794C0A3A| |1016B9CA901453CA25BED40B93422A51C1F5912809F5BB948D12AE54C95F02A96C4| |A798519A7088B54DD810B0C9D0823F0C0FA8E0EABDD76138ABF146485E0B78C9D08| |A570206550B7ED1439D1A26A91A8F3C588F787107F143C03701DF191E526EAFBC84| |5EB32B73589F59D286F36C69C3119E5A9B185F87D8915A3A643E29B7E21393E8C11| |92EF81165AA9725F568654F075A188214C52F4BFCBC60A5E814504D924679111A45| |A24E543084E062B84C6537CBBD35E30B971B1203098906C262326131B4B018D1532| |A2E28CF35887F5C6F446C79446C79446CF9EEA2B54BB9D576AC6A56B72B9A55F07D| |AE73CB0D74C9E7AA8BB6D0F43CA760DDF28275A35FB5C67A4A8075707BC5C1EDC55| |5C58214C3254A18953B88E21DF7D68F7501EF057C60F0D0A4FBE4AAFA7078F7AD03| |31DB17C70868855F32D3681818DE6F7770D5235AE1F7876ECC277EBB0A43D3D5C3A| |3D8D8EFE962CFA6CD43785A314F4409C6AC09EF97DC56ADCFC74D86DDF4C6BA8758| |EEEC45D066B863571C0B17F6681C2743996C1808171E3143F3D9629C73D90CE376C| |384DD306937FC07D11BEE10| |-------------------------------------------------------------------|

Individual powers? Not exactly sure what you mean. Here is a database of power effects. https://cod.uberguy.net/html/index.html If you’re referring to invention procs, you can find those on the same site. Here is a quick/dirty list. https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Enhancement_Sets

This has been a pretty inspiring thread. Good luck on the run!

Another thing that helps is turning off screen shake. I’ve been DC’d when I forgot to do that.

Damn, didn’t think I’d find a new name in this thread.

I would have thought those would be the ones *left* behind…

Lean into mismatched socks. It’s the only way to close the portal.

On my /Dark Corruptor, I limit to one debuff at most when in a team before blasting, trusting in Scourge to make it all worthwhile. Usually stop right at the end to Twilight Grasp if anyone has taken some damage. Then off with the murderball. Unless the fan gets covered in excrement, cuz that’s go-time on the debuffs. And let’s be real - Howling Twilight is a debuff first that happens to rez, not the other way around.

Seconding @tidge’s suggestion regarding Speed of Sound/Jaunt. Mix in some TP macros or binds for using Jaunt (along with the excellent passive run speed slotting suggestions from @MonteCarla) should do the trick. Add in KD (via power selection or judicious proccing) would also add to “surprise” of fighting a speedster.

Stealthing missions FTW! This will be life changing for you. Nothing more frightening than a life draining vampire appearing behind you out of the shadows.

Fearsome Stare is my preferred opener! Becomes a numbers game - most mobs will be feared. Any that are missed will be far fewer than max spawn size, further reduced by middling range defense. And since no attacks on them until you’re ready, they’re not firing back. Once all the debuffs are applied, FS to clump then attack. Dark Pit + OG is sweet, but it suffers from needing everyone in close range. FS tends to pull everyone into a line rather than pile (enough to be a pain at least). In the scenario, most of the group will be out of OG range.

You might want to fearsome stare first from a distance outside of stealth radius, tar patch your kill zone, then move into melee to Fold space. For nastier groups, Darkest Night (and after fearsome stare) before Fold Space for additional layers of -ToHit. But that time, once all the mobs all around you, their ToHit has been floored. Then you can murder all the declawed kittens with all the time in the world.

Waterboys “Whole of the Moon” (piano demo)

Bushmills until the heat death of the universe.