I wanted this 7 years ago lol

[Snarky]

So.  I am mainly a Brute player.  But always.  In the back of my mind. I think. I could be great on a ranged character.  Then I 50 one or incarnate one and always end up back on a Brute

 

Back on Live for this ranged dream I wanted a truly ranged character with a secondary that did something besides be a second primary and did not try to drag you into melee

 

when homecoming launched I leveled about two dozen Sentinels from 5s to about 30th. Then back to Brutes

 

Now my Brute main is mostly complete.  I think back 7 years.  Ranged, I want Ice.  It is not perfect but it gets a solid B+/A- for my goals. Secondary.   I have not run an Ice/Invul?  I go thru all the old toons.   Nope.  Hmmm

 

7 years ago I would have killed for a fully ranged character with any version of Invul as a Secondary. Build goals are simple to start. Softcap Ranged Def as a priority. Invul has def debuff resist and mez protection. Ice is fully ranged.  Stealth invisibility hover mystic flight which gives a ghetto teleport past things that can see invisible.   

 

Leveled to 23 today after I realized I needed one.  Going Rogue so stopped every few levels to get bank badge and fix enhancers.  Used PI teams after DFB was unprofitable.  Will be running task forces this week unless I find a lot of PI teams.  I like TF for leveling.  Get to know the character and earn merits

 

See you in the city.  

[Siderous]

Sentinels are my most made alts, however only have one at 50.  He's good but still feels like something is missing, Rad/Rad, but still fun.  I play my defender and dominator mostly.  Still looking for the right combo for a sent too.  

 

My latest is Sho Gun, dual pistol/ ninjutsu.   Like that he doesn't need a travel power has stealth and has active abilities.   Tyng it together with ninja tools to complete the theme.

 

I have never mad a ice blast anything, maybe I will make another alt ice/rad, because rad as a secondary I really like.

 

Glad you are having fun and have found your Sentinel. 

[DocRadio]

I always played blasters.

 

So when the chance came to play a fire themed blaster with status protection shields and heals came along? I jumped on it. Vet Level 45 Fire/Fire/Flame Sent with incarnate toys to boot. He's my main. Currently leveling all kinds of alts too... but no brute. Tinkering with a DM/INV brute a little. I think It has potential.

[Bill Z Bubba]

"All squishy ATs suck."

 

This was my mantra for 8 years of playing CoH before the snap. Even though my 2nd character ever was an emp/nrg defender and I leveled both Khels to 50 before they ever got remotely fixed. Hell, the mantra was probably BECAUSE of those last three characters.

 

Now I have a fire/time blaster that I'm actually a little freaked out to complete because she's so damned awesome already. I've got a fire/nin Sent at 50 and IOed out. I've got an AR/Invul Sent on her way up.

 

Times change.

[Display Name]

Here is an Ice Blast/Regen Sentinel designed by @cyvert.  She is nearly unstoppable!  However, her damage is pretty low.  I used Incarnate powers to increase damage output and it helped.

 

Hero Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.6.0.7
https://github.com/ImaginaryDevelopment/imaginary-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Magic Sentinel
Primary Power Set: Ice Blast
Secondary Power Set: Regeneration
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Psionic Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Ice Blast -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fast Healing -- NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx(A), NmnCnv-Heal(33), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(33), NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(33)
Level 2: Reconstruction -- NmnCnv-Heal(A), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx(21), NmnCnv-EndRdx/Rchg(27), NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(31), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(31)
Level 4: Quick Recovery -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(5), EndMod-I(5)
Level 6: Frost Breath -- Ann-ResDeb%(A), Ann-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7), Ann-Dmg/Rchg(7), Ann-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), Ann-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(9), PstBls-Dam%(21)
Level 8: Kick -- Empty(A)
Level 10: Instant Regeneration -- NmnCnv-Heal(A), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx(11), NmnCnv-EndRdx/Rchg(11), NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(13), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(13)
Level 12: Ice Storm -- Ann-ResDeb%(A), Ann-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15), Ann-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(17), Ann-Dmg/Rchg(17), Ann-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(19), SprFrzBls-Rchg/ImmobProc(19)
Level 14: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(15)
Level 16: Dismiss Pain -- Prv-Absorb%(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(45), Prv-Heal/Rchg(46), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(46), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(46), Prv-Heal(48)
Level 18: Bitter Ice Blast -- SprWntBit-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(A), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), SprWntBit-Dmg/Rchg(43), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg(45)
Level 20: Integration -- NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(A), NmnCnv-Heal(40), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(40), NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(40), NmnCnv-EndRdx/Rchg(42), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx(42)
Level 22: Tough -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(23), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(23), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(25)
Level 24: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(25), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(27)
Level 26: Bitter Freeze Ray -- Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Apc-Dmg/Rchg(37), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), Apc-Dmg(37), Apc-Dam%(39), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 28: Resilience -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(29), UnbGrd-Max HP%(29), ImpSki-Status(31)
Level 30: Super Jump -- Empty(A)
Level 32: Blizzard -- SprSntWar-Rchg/+Absorb(A), SprSntWar-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), SprSntWar-Acc/Dmg(34), SprSntWar-Dmg/Rchg(34), SprSntWar-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), SprSntWar-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36)
Level 35: Second Wind -- NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(A), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(36)
Level 38: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(39)
Level 41: Moment of Glory -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(42)
Level 44: Mass Hypnosis -- CaloftheS-Acc/Sleep/Rchg(A), CaloftheS-Heal%(45)
Level 47: Psychic Shockwave -- Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(48), Arm-Dam%(50)
Level 49: Aim -- GssSynFr--Build%(A), RechRdx-I(50)
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 -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run 
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- RgnTss-Regen+(A), Mrc-Rcvry+(48), Pnc-Heal/+End(50)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), PrfShf-End%(3), PrfShf-EndMod(3)
Level 1: Opportunity 
------------

 

| Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer to view the build |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|MxDz;1426;654;1308;HEX;|
|78DA65944B6F125114C7EF0C8308054A4B29604B1FD416283080BA5513AD1A6B491|
|0DA9AB821845E1143065258E8D2AFE0C6BD2BABC68D2EF41B68E2F33354EBB3EA42|
|A335563CCCF98B4426905FEE79FEEFB977267B79C179F7D4D5A342711FAF959ACD6|
|2411AADAA216BD66CA9522D8BCE63A37FF0AFBD982F1915B9A69F2ECBE231CA6885|
|BA9E0579411A4DA9E765451A72BDD4AAD60DE1CAD5EB35FD64B57291822A4E73B52|
|44B0D5A38CC45A121E59A089E6854CB7AB754AE592D66A9B85CBF12A0EEB3F4DF89|
|083C6DFAD123F2D1AEC522CE2A42643431B5022E8305668162158ED514C48C20675|
|F9E3981D809E42E538E857354CB75D5B469D7C02961F227A9B2728CD5FAC662DAF6|
|6C819BCCBDAFC0D7CC91079CABDA78B69D1DD9CC1DAD50473B54DAA1D201950EA87|
|442A5132A7749C100140C40811B0A3CE8E881926128197EA8991CA5F62ECE555C3E|
|AEE73EC331ABA465107507B7D996F8C84C7E00DF83EF98A9B7CCDFA46908FB18BAC|
|3BDE66F81B7C10D66E226F31CF5F3A29F7795B544308308F61AC1DE6398450CB3B1|
|D03E7CB809BEAFAC61F407F88D19F8CED428D68F53F563CF010F6E8297D926FD416|
|809A6F9C4F727411D4C30E732E00D3ED57B3121C6A065EC00F71CF753DD107187D7|
|13215EFB494B08372064DE0041539844E7C9973C99E917E013F02973E619F89C799|
|F3A87719A614C6A06930BDBF82DEAF866E3AC740E3C1F35DB9ABE286C3170936AC6|
|E18B3FE25A89C7CC2DF2E998A4DEE629A4769999C3CC5F34C934F2D31BF0A1F6B8F|
|6FF1B3DDF6749F759327D96837D96437D96A55E4B92FBE7B4EE3741286694DDD37D|
|E3DBDB0EF22ABDDECFFF2CAA72844F30B5488CD09EA6F9643FF5657DE9CDC25743C|
|5D744C5D7E452ACE3B79A7DFF00497AF220|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

[oldskool]

Sentinel is the AT that I never knew I wanted. 

My first character ever was an Invul/EM Tanker followed by an AR/DEV Blaster.  I scrapped both and made a Dark/Dark Scrapper and then a Dark/Dark Defender.  When CoV came out I went with a Necro/Dark MM and never looked back.  Then when Willpower was released I made an SS/WP Brute, a Sonic/Sonic Corruptor and finally a Huntsman build SOA.  I dabbled in Widow but that Huntsman was a character that I played almost as much as my Brute.  So I guess that VEATS were a basis for the ranged attack + defensive power combo that attracted me to the Sentinel. 

I tried Dual Pistols multiple times but never really found anything that clicked for me due to redraw.  With the Sentinel it was finally time to try out some weapon sets with less active secondaries to give these power sets some play. 

After trying out Dual Pistols with Regen and Willpower I finally settled into Nin as a secondary.  I played that almost exclusively to 50 on HC.  That character has its Incarnates and IOs all done.  I still brush the dust off and play it because its a fun character.  After tinkering with other power combos, I finally settled into Beam/Bio Armor and Water Blast/Dark Armor as the only other Sentinels I actively care about. 

I've been slowly revisiting old power pairs that I played a long time ago, but most of them have become new takes on those characters.  I have 2 characters that are the same in name only but their power combos now are more in line with what I wished they were when the game went live.  One of those concepts dabbled as a Sentinel.

[Siderous]

My DP/Nin that I started is actually working out real nice.  He's 37 so far and I've put some money into him, 5 LoTGs, performance shifter and healing procs and I put two procs each in two of the single target powers with no in power recharge with three spotted thunderstrike.  Performing quit well, liking a lot more than my Rad/Rad while he was leveling.  Keeping fingers crossed that he stays this way once I approach 50 and beyond.

[oldskool]

14 hours ago, Siderous said:

My DP/Nin that I started is actually working out real nice.  He's 37 so far and I've put some money into him, 5 LoTGs, performance shifter and healing procs and I put two procs each in two of the single target powers with no in power recharge with three spotted thunderstrike.  Performing quit well, liking a lot more than my Rad/Rad while he was leveling.  Keeping fingers crossed that he stays this way once I approach 50 and beyond.

It should only get better when you can add the purple set procs and Incarnates.  I run 3x Thunderstrikes all +5 in Pistols, Executioner's Shot, and Suppressive Fire.  Each of those also have 3 procs.  Two of those are utility (Decimation's Build-Up, and Achilles' Heel).  With Hasten I have enough recharge to just use those 3 attacks.  The lack of Aim does make it struggle on burst so you won't get super amazing Pylon times (if you cared), but you can still get enough DPS for a 5-6 minute drop on that kind of testing.  

I'm happy with it. 

[Outrider_01]

Sentinels a bit of a cop out for range, but that is a bit of my old school thought from blasters  I want to play sents, but just can't find the combo I want.  Will have to look at them again at them, but will power sounds a bit of an weird combo because I didn't play it much while I got a bit of a close range vibe from it.

 

Funn secondary for a blaster is /Martial Combat, playing with water but considering ice primaries.  Martial combat has a stupidly funny first punch like power thrust, but it travels so slow and rag dolls across walls or objects; even better out side its like skeet shooting as they fly away slowly.  I laugh every time.

[DocRadio]

My Homecoming Fire/Fire/Flame Sent is vet level 50. He's a hoot to play.

[Bill Z Bubba]

Now have both fire/nin and fire/bio sents I 50. I apparently like fire blast a lot.

[Razia]

On 11/26/2019 at 2:32 AM, DocRadio said:

I always played blasters.

 

So when the chance came to play a fire themed blaster with status protection shields and heals came along? I jumped on it. Vet Level 45 Fire/Fire/Flame Sent with incarnate toys to boot. He's my main. Currently leveling all kinds of alts too... but no brute. Tinkering with a DM/INV brute a little. I think It has potential.

How was the transition from Blasters to Sentinels for you? Did you miss the damage? Because I started a Beam/EA and it feels like my Corruptors are doing more damage.

[Rathulfr]

40 minutes ago, Razia said:

How was the transition from Blasters to Sentinels for you? Did you miss the damage? Because I started a Beam/EA and it feels like my Corruptors are doing more damage.

When I came home, the first thing I did was recreate my Energy² Blaster main from retail, which I played from I2 until sunset.  While I was leveling him up, my altitis kicked in and I thought I'd try out this new Sentinel thing.  I was in love!  That Energy/WP Sentinel rocketed to 50+3 T4, and I enjoyed almost every minute of the ascent.  This was the feeling I had wanted from my Blaster since I2, but could never get, because the Blaster constantly got mezzed or routinely faceplanted.  The Sentinel was almost indestructible, and felt powerful.

 

I played around with about a dozen different Sentinel builds, just try out all the variations that appealed to me.  Fire/Regen is the one that had the best bang for the buck, but my heart wasn't fully into the concept.

 

So I must admit that I did miss the damage, especially at end-game where the durability of the Sentinel is less important.  It takes forever to kill things defeat enemies, and on teams I was outgunned by just about everyone else besides dedicated tanks and healers.

 

So I went back to playing a Blaster, Energy/Temporal this time.  The difference in damage output was starkly obvious (of course, given the higher base damage modifier, natch), and the built-in sustain toggle (Temporal Healing) made a world of difference, too.  Eventually, with the right sets equipped, it's almost as durable as the Sentinel: there's still a gap there in mez vulnerability, but there's enough defense to keep that from being terminal.  I settled back into the Blasters camp.  I returned to my abandoned E² Blaster and figured out how to use its sustain power (/powexec_auto Energize, which is markedly different from retail).

 

But even so, I still like the Sentinels: I just wish they would do a smidge more DPS.  I understand they can't buff them too much, or else they'd be OP mage-tanks.  I understand that there needs to be a tradeoff on less damage for more defense.  But right now, the delta is too great, so my Sentinels collect dust while I play my Blasters.  The good news is that they might buff Sentinel damage in the near future.  Captain Powerhouse has indicated he plans to replace their Inherent with something else entirely, which might help, too. 

 

Until then, my Sentinels stand watch over my character selection screen, instead of the streets of Paragon City.

 

Edited January 15, 2020 by Rathulfr

[Razia]

Thanks for your explaination.

12 minutes ago, Rathulfr said:

When I came home, the first thing I did was recreate my Energy² Blaster main from retail, which I played from I2 until sunset.  While I was leveling him up, my altitis kicked in and I thought I'd try out this new Sentinel thing.  I was in love!  That Energy/WP Sentinel rocketed to 50+3 T4, and I enjoyed almost every minute of the ascent.  This was the feeling I had wanted from my Blaster since I2, but could never get, because the Blaster constantly got mezzed or routinely faceplanted.  The Sentinel was almost indestructible, and felt powerful.

 

I played around with about a dozen different Sentinel builds, just try out all the variations that appealed to me.  Fire/Regen is the one that had the best bang for the buck, but my heart wasn't fully into the concept.

 

So I must admit that I did miss the damage, especially at end-game where the durability of the Sentinel is less important.  It takes forever to kill things defeat enemies, and on teams I was outgunned by just about everyone else besides dedicated tanks and healers.

 

So I went back to playing a Blaster, Energy/Temporal this time.  The difference in damage output was starkly obvious (of course, given the higher base damage modifier, natch), and the built-in sustain toggle (Temporal Healing) made a world of difference, too.  Eventually, with the right sets equipped, it's almost as durable as the Sentinel: there's still a gap there in mez vulnerability, but there's enough defense to keep that from being terminal.  I settled back into the Blasters camp.  I returned to my abandoned E² Blaster and figured out how to use its sustain power (/powexec_auto Energize).

 

But even so, I still like the Sentinels: I just wish they would do a smidge more DPS.  I understand they can't buff them too much, or else they'd be OP mage-tanks.  I understand that there needs to be a tradeoff on less damage for more defense.  But right now, the delta is too great, so my Sentinels collect dust while I play my Blasters.  The good news is that they might buff Sentinel damage in the near future.  Captain Powerhouse has indicated he plans to replace their Inherent with something else entirely, which might help, too.  But until then, my Sentinels stand watch over my character selection screen, instead of the streets of Paragon City.

 

Thank you for your explaination,. I really appreciate this. I am a bit "traumatized" (j/k) with nerfed damage as I rolled an AR/DEV at release and boy got that set trashed (they buffed it later though) when ED hit. There was a time when all my Defenders with their debuffs did more damage.

 

I am undecided if I should roll a Fire Sentinel or just stick to the Beam/EA. I like Beam and EA is very sturdy, but damage feels like it is less than Defenders do.

[Rathulfr]

3 hours ago, Razia said:

but damage feels like it is less than Defenders do

 

That's because is it is, at higher levels.  Defenders start off with a lower base damage modifier than Sentinels, but once their debuffs kick in, and they get slotted with damage procs, Defenders will melt faces.  A friend of mine builds Defenders that do more damage than Blasters, and of course they destroy AVs (where debuffs matter more than sheer DPS).  A well-built Defender with a skilled player at the keyboard is a force of nature with which one does not reckon lightly.

 

I just can't stand leveling Defenders -- it's far too tedious for my ADHD. 😄

 

Edited January 15, 2020 by Rathulfr
First sentence struck after being skooled by my betters. ;-)

[oldskool]

1 hour ago, Rathulfr said:

 

That's because is it is, at higher levels.  Defenders start off with a lower base damage modifier than Sentinels, but once their debuffs kick in, and they get slotted with damage procs, Defenders will melt faces.  A friend of mine builds Defenders that do more damage than Blasters, and of course they destroy AVs (where debuffs matter more than sheer DPS).  A well-built Defender with a skilled player at the keyboard is a force of nature with which one does not reckon lightly.

 

I just can't stand leveling Defenders -- it's far too tedious for my ADHD. 😄

 

Just for others that browse, the highlighted is an exception and not the norm.  This coming from someone that actively plays a proc heavy damage oriented Defender.

[Razia]

Yeah if we talk Time/Sonic, the Defender might do more Damage, especially solo.

[Rathulfr]

49 minutes ago, oldskool said:

Just for others that browse, the highlighted is an exception and not the norm.  This coming from someone that actively plays a proc heavy damage oriented Defender.

I always defer to the wisdom of @oldskool, especially in regards in Sentinels, because he's one of the few who has actually taken the time and made the effort to thoroughly play them and is honest and fair about their strengths and weaknesses.  He's contributed heavily to the Sentinel forums, and I respect his numerous posts on the subject (and others).  And I definitely admit to knowing little about Defenders, because I just don't like playing them.

[drbuzzard]

I don't know about less than defenders. I did specifically make a procced out defender to try and see if I could do better. While it is possibly better on single target, it's not even close when it comes to AOEs. As I view AOE damage as king (and given how rewards work in this game, I'm correct), I'd rather have a sentinel.

[oldskool]

17 hours ago, drbuzzard said:

I don't know about less than defenders. I did specifically make a procced out defender to try and see if I could do better. While it is possibly better on single target, it's not even close when it comes to AOEs. As I view AOE damage as king (and given how rewards work in this game, I'm correct), I'd rather have a sentinel.

I've had the opposite experience, but I also choose set pairs that would create more AoE damage on purpose. 

I've played the following sets across ATs:

Dual Pistols - Sentinel, Corruptor, Defender
 

Archery - Sentinel, Blaster, Defender, Corruptor

Archery is hands down superior at AoE on everything other than the Sentinel.  The Sentinel just has no answer to a 14 second Rain of Arrows which is possible on everything else.  Sentinels can potentially get lucky Force Feedback procs in Explosive Arrow... BUT so can the other ATs.  Blaster Tactical Arrow also offers more recharge in Upshot which gives me something like 200% global recharge.  My Defender build turned out far better than the Corruptor I was working on.  This is both due to higher debuff values and better buff values in powers like Weave/Maneuvers.  The Trick Arrow/Archery Defender has ample build room to covert other powers from 0 damage into micro-nukes outside of the Oil Slick cool down.  I've made my Blaster build as like a Frankenstein's Monster build from what I have learned from the other ATs.  My Blaster gets pretty good defense, I don't think I hit 45% completely, but also includes a procced Ice Arrow as a rotational attack along with procs in other things like Glue Arrow and Electric Net Arrow.  It's performance should blow away the other ATs on damage while having just enough defense to not be complete glass canon it is a work in progress though.  If I didn't build my Blaster the way I did, then I would still consider Sentinel Archery on single-targets.  Sentinel Archery is quite good though lethal resistance muffles that performance.

Dual Pistols is unique on the support ATs because they can get Soul Drain from either Soul or Dark Mastery.  That effectively adds Aim/Build-Up back to Dual Pistols where it didn't exist otherwise.  If you play a support set with access to AoE resistance debuffing with saturated Soul Drain, then the AoE damage potential spikes pretty high.  It is also pretty conditional.  The Sentinel at least has a lower cooldown on Hail of Bullets but both my Defender/Corruptor can maintain a damage buff from Soul Drain between spawns.  So while those ATs may not have their T9 active they do have damage boosted Bullet Rains/Empty Clips on top of being able to slap the next spawn with a resistance debuff field (Dark Miasma, Tar Pit is up quite often with my recharge).  If I played Time Manipulation with Dual Pistols the AoE disparity would be pretty big there too. 

I've played a procced up Radiation Emission/Radiation Blast Defender but I have no analog to a Sentinel.  That one runs very similar to my Dark Miasma though the combination has pretty ridiculous levels of defense debuffing and to hit debuffing (-44%!). 

For other proc silliness, the Controller is also in a realm of tank-mage.  Controllers get some dumping on in groups since controls kinda suck in some groups, but that's why I converted support powers into more explosions.  My Gravity/Time and Dark/Dark Controllers are proc whores that also soft-cap their own defenses.  They aren't as ridiculous on Pylon time tests as other damage dealers but they do far more damage than they should be allowed to do.  I also run a Plant/Nature build but that is less about procs and is my own true support character.  Though Plant doesn't need a lot of help because it is F'ing amazing on its own, and Nature is equally wonderful in its own right. 

So that's a lot of extra chatter which kinda looks like it derails the topic.  In order to get back on point, let me just say this.  I used to always play melee or support on the old servers.  The Sentinel has gotten me to completely rethink everything and appreciate the build process in a way I never thought of previously.  The Sentinels I have made have been absolute blasts to play, and I still enjoy them greatly.  My Sentinels can't hope to touch the damage of the Stalkers or Scrappers I have in single-target, but absolutely miss my Sentinel AoE when playing them.  My two Scrappers are Dual Blades/Dark Armor, and Spines/Bio Armor.  Both of those have damage auras and AoE options but it still pales in comparison to dumping a T9 AoE every 25 seconds.  The only melee character I play right now that I regret NOTHING on is Dark Armor/Titan Weapons tanker because holy shit... that shouldn't be as effective as it is. 

So yeah, the Sentinel is an AT I never new I needed in my life because it has completely changed my perspective on the game.  I don't enjoy it because it is the best at any one thing.  I enjoy it because it is a consistent performer in a wide variety of categories across all levels of play.  I don't find that level of consistency much outside of the melee ATs or Masterminds (currently playing 2 of down from 6! ...lol).

Edit:  Damn, I have a lot of time spent in my characters.  At one point I had a lot more, because why not?  Now I limit myself to about 20 characters 3 of which are Sentinels.  In 2020, the Sentinel is probably the only AT that I will devote more characters too, but that won't be until I finish a couple builds.  I've taken a break so I need to farm up cash to polish off my Blaster, and a few others.  Once that is done I will probably explore 2 or more new Sentinel sets I haven't really gotten in to yet.  Despite the ATs short comings I still really like it. 

Edited January 16, 2020 by oldskool

[drbuzzard]

I haven't gotten around to my archery and dual pistol reviews in the collaborative thread, but I can say neither will be favorable. Archery losing the 60 second recharge that Rain of Arrows gets basically made me lose any interest in the set whatsoever on my sentinel. Dual Pistol has a blow average nuke for damage, and generally seems to be lots more flash than substance when you look at the numbers (and it certainly feels that way playing it). While I have not done AR or energy, of the sets I have played, archery and DP will never get another play through on a sentinel by me, while I'd consider pretty much every other one.

My defender/sentinel comparison was :

Defender- traps/radiation

Sentinel- radiation/invulnerability.

 

The traps defender does great support work, and debuffs fairly well. They are also fairly durable, with lots of positional defense which they to a large extent share with a team. They also have status protection which I hate doing without. However the rad nuke is actually a bit gimped on everything but sentinels (likely because it has a hold), and didn't want to do the PBAOE route on this one since it was a bit softer than I like for mixing it up in close quarters. If I want to do AOE damage on him I set up a trip mine ambush, and then do pretty solid damage. It's just not really a good team option since it is slow. It is a pretty good build on BAFs I'll say since you have time to mine up the prisoner paths and can just leave a massive pile of mines on Nightstar.

 

The Sentinel is a reaper. Invulnerability is far more durable than I expected, though truly only crazy durable against lethal and smashing. I have that one set up with stacking PBAOEs on rapid recharge and I can just dive into groups with impunity laying down atomic blast, irradiate, and psychic shockwave in rapid succession until everything is laid waste. There might be a bit of clean up left on bosses, but it's not much. Oddly enough that one is my only procced out sentinel with damage procs in cosmic bolt and proton stream instead of my normal sets.

Edited January 16, 2020 by drbuzzard

[oldskool]

2 hours ago, drbuzzard said:

While I have not done AR or energy

 

Given what you've said about your preferences, I really doubt you'd like either of them. 

I'm REALLY forgiving when it comes to powersets (Dual Pistols is fun, its functional for what I want it to do, but it isn't a top tier set) and even I don't care much for Assault Rifle.  Energy Blast on Sentinels is weak by itself, but it does have proc options that can make it a little better.  You never seem too fond of procs and both of those sets really do want them in order to raise their performance from dumpster fire to just burnt dumpster.  ;)

[drbuzzard]

While I do have 2 proc builds (1 sent, 1 def), I prefer not to rely on them since they limit the ability to get set bonuses together. I'm pretty sure you're right about energy and AR. I almost made an AR build out of nostalgia (my first CoH character was AR/Dev), but numbers won out. I had an energy blast build once back on live, but that was a case of going all in for knockback as it was a storm/energy defender.

Edited January 16, 2020 by drbuzzard

[Ukase]

My main was and remains an ice/ice blaster. Well,..my badge toon was and is an ice/ice blaster. I don't really have a main anymore, because almost all of my characters do well. Some certainly are more impressive (to me) than others. 

A spines/fire brute named Fritter that can afk-farm at +4/8, but can also do ANY other content. Soft-capped defense, and just a smidge shy of capped s/l resist, but gets there if the hp gets too low because of the Reactive Defenses proc. 

Blister is my fire/rad Sentinel, and my first 50 on Homecoming. She was and is fun to play, but if not teamed, the damage just isn't that impressive. Resist capped at 75%, soft capped for melee defense, but I can get my blasters to soft cap defense with about 30-40% resist and they dish out so much more damage. 
I don't know Sentinels, but it is beyond me why their damage isn't on par with a scrappers. Same armors, so why not? It just doesn't make sense to me. Because they're ranged? So what? 

[drbuzzard]

1 hour ago, Ukase said:

I don't know Sentinels, but it is beyond me why their damage isn't on par with a scrappers. Same armors, so why not? It just doesn't make sense to me. Because they're ranged? So what? 

 

Captain Powerhouse has stated that sentinels will get revised and the goal is damage on the order of scrappers. I'm holding out for this hope. I do agree that they are a bit lacking in damage.

 

And actually their armors are slightly weaker (in direct numerical comparison, though modifications to the sets makes comparison more complicated).