Take all comers builds

[vibal]

Really loving being back in Paragon. I immediately re-rolled my old ill/rad and got up to 50. I've got the build about 2/3 filled out and starting to get to silly levels. It's a lot like sliding into an old sweatshirt - feels great, but I'm wondering if there's another build that might be worth looking at. The draw for ill/rad for me was that it's pretty agnostic to content. It plays well (if a bit slowly) solo regardless of mission/mob type. Teams are also usually okay with a rad on board, and SI/Deceive means I can pretty much nab mission objectives in a TF.

 

Curious what other people are using as a fallback anytime/anywhere toon? Badging/oro arcs/tfs/gms etc.

[roleki]

Oddly enough, my weakest overall toons are my Fire/Rad farmers... taking them off the farm is a humbling experience.  

 

I'm bringing this up because so far, of the 15-odd 50s I've rolled up since coming back, the farmers are the only two that I don't feel confident taking anywhere and everywhere.  Say what you will about Incarnate Abilities and power creep, but they really do make it easy to patch glaring holes in a given build or AT.

 

That said, I do have some /favorites/ to just log in and do whatever with... my Fire/FF controller and my En/En blaster being the current go-to's.

 

[Yomo Kimyata]

From the tankiest of tanky tanks to the supportiest of supporty support, there is nothing you can play that will be unable to solo.  Maybe you have to choose EBs over AVs; maybe you play +1/x5 rather than +4/x8.  It's all good.

[quixoteprog]

While it is true that if you chew through enough inspirations just about anything can solo just about anything. And once you get tweaked out with set bonuses and incarnate powers you can forego the inspirations in many cases.

 

But if you are looking to solo most any content with the least issues/insp. consumption then that would be the guys with access to both damage mitigation and protection from status effects. Which would be Scrapper/Tank/Brutes who are all more than capable. Once you get to a certain point all the content in City of DPS is about doing enough damage before you get taken down. With Scrappers and Brutes you do more damage with a bit less mitigation and with tanks you get more damage mitigation and do less damage, but it kind of evens out as far as survivability.

 

The main thing is protection against status effects, where Ill/Rad is about the only controller that gets anything like that, in the form of Phantom Army and the decoy Phantasm summons.

[vibal]

20 minutes ago, quixoteprog said:

The main thing is protection against status effects, where Ill/Rad is about the only controller that gets anything like that, in the form of Phantom Army and the decoy Phantasm summons.

This is a bit what I was getting at. Ill/rad benefits from the force multiplication of being a support class, but still carries well solo.

 

I played a few brutes on live (/invul, /dark) on live, and there were always a few mob groups *cough* longbow that would make me sigh. I've tried getting into a fire/dark corr but they still have to eat the bulk of the alpha solo. That probably get quite a bit easier with set slotting.

 

Maybe the force multiplication is a bit less relevant with the easier pathing to incarnates. I may take another peek at the newer brute sets /rad or /bio.

[MTeague]

My Mind/Kin was a very reliable (if slow at first) leveller.  

 

Status effects were rarely an issue; I locked down anyone who could Hold/Stun me before they could use those powers. (One reason I really liked Teleknesis levelling up... an extra auto-hit hold, plus the single target hold, pretty much wallops even a boss, before they could lock me down.  for the crowds, I had a non-aggroing single target Confuse that I could use at sufficient range they didn't even see me use it, and I had an AE and single target sleep.  It was not hard to methodically work my way through them until none remained.  Tedious yes, but not hard.

 

The picture changed SIGNIFICANTLY as he levelled up enough to use the Lockdown Chance for +2 Mag Hold and slotted that in both his AE hold (damn near guaranteed to proc) and his single target hold (it's not a unique proc), and of course as he got Fulcrum Shift added to his toolkit, suddenly his damage SPIKED.

 

Regular status protection is still very sweet, don't get me wrong. But there's more than one way to work around it.

 

[jubakumbi]

IME, my Elec-x3 Dom can handle pretty much anything.

Mezzed and drained, enemies just fall over...arrested.

She was still a little squishy if she did not get the jump on things before IOs and even now, a bad roll can take here out, but not often.

[Rapunzel]

I play by mood. 

 

But is can usually make myself useful and welcomed with my dark/dark def, plant/kin troll, or fire/time Corr. Dark plays as smoothly as it ever has, people who don't love Fulcrum Shift go to the bad place, and... well... Fire Time is just a bag of good tricks for all occasions.

 

The corruptor has branched out to have controller and blaster variants, so it's Fire Time! whenever anyone wants.

[HelenCarnate]

If I feel like blowing stuff up I'll bring my Fire/Atomic blaster.  Unless there is psy and/or dark damage I have no issues.  But honestly that is due more to IO sets and Mace mastery than the AT.

 

If I feel like debuffing I'll bring my Rad/Sonic defender.  AVs/GMs melt with one of these around.

 

If I want to play on a full team and keep everyone safe then I'll go with my Fire/Dark controller.  I got Fade perma so those that hang around me (which is always in the middle of mobs) will get around a 23% defense boost plus bonfire with kb to kd turns mobs into popcorn so the rest of the team can kill everything safely.  It does kill very slowly but it can be very tanky as well with capped defense (not counting additional -to hit debuffs) and s/l/c resists and decent resists to everything else except toxic. 

Edited December 4, 2019 by HelenCarnate

[modest]

1 hour ago, HelenCarnate said:

If I feel like blowing stuff up I'll bring my Fire/Atomic blaster.

If I feel like debuffing I'll bring my Rad/Sonic defender.  AVs/GMs melt with one of these around.

It's like I'm looking into a mirror.

 

I also main a Rad/Sonic Defender, and second a Fire/Atomic blaster.

 

@vibal My latest project is a storm/dark defender, and I recommend it to you based on your enjoyment of Illusion controllers. I posted the build here. The play style is somewhat similar.

[Machariel]

My comfort pick for general content is a Plant/Fire Dominator.  This is not because it's a do-anything build, but probably just because I've been playing it for so long and it solos really well.  Seeds of Confusion is at its best, I think, on low-mid level TFs where mobs live long enough that turning them on each other en masse makes a big impact.

 

If a curse befalls me and I can't play that and I have to pick a new main character, I'd probably settle on either my melee Widow or my hunts(wo)man Spider.  Both are very flexible, have good damage, and support the team with control or debuff respectively.

[HelenCarnate]

1 hour ago, modest said:

It's like I'm looking into a mirror.

 

I also main a Rad/Sonic Defender, and second a Fire/Atomic blaster.

 

@vibal My latest project is a storm/dark defender, and I recommend it to you based on your enjoyment of Illusion controllers. I posted the build here. The play style is somewhat similar.

Well I guess I found my next project.

[DeepRootz]

3 hours ago, HelenCarnate said:

If I feel like blowing stuff up I'll bring my Fire/Atomic blaster.  Unless there is psy and/or dark damage I have no issues.  But honestly that is due more to IO sets and Mace mastery than the AT.

 

If I feel like debuffing I'll bring my Rad/Sonic defender.  AVs/GMs melt with one of these around.

 

If I want to play on a full team and keep everyone safe then I'll go with my Fire/Dark controller.  I got Fade perma so those that hang around me (which is always in the middle of mobs) will get around a 23% defense boost plus bonfire with kb to kd turns mobs into popcorn so the rest of the team can kill everything safely.  It does kill very slowly but it can be very tanky as well with capped defense (not counting additional -to hit debuffs) and s/l/c resists and decent resists to everything else except toxic. 

Fire/dark is the most fun I've had taking a controller to 50.  It actually makes a decent farmer too.  The build I'm working on is a bit costly, but it really can do everything.

[Heraclea]

Got to recommend a scrapper, tanker, or brute here. 

 

You will want an attack set that has both solid single target damage, isn't subject to the ups and downs of being only smashing and lethal,  and has decent AoE, preferably PBAoE, but any unfussy and wide-sweeping attack set will work.  Spines, electric, fire, kinetics, and radiation all work well for this.

 

You will want a defense set that doesn't need a lot of micromanagement, offers reasonable survivability. broad spectrum debuff resistance, and most importantly, some kind of endurance recovery power.  This last is especially important if you choose the Brute path.  Bio, Electric, and Radiation are good choices; so is Willpower if you aren't choosing the tanker (or tanking brute) path. 

 

Whether you choose a scrapper, brute, or tanker is a question for your preferred playstyle.  I play many tankers because avoiding frustration is goal one for me, so I'm willing to put up with the slightly slower kill pace.  My next favorite is the scrapper; you don't have to do anything to max your damage potential besides show up.   Brutes add a further thing to fuss over, which is why I don't prefer them. 

 

Stalkers can also get there, but I tend to think of them as story and tip specialists rather than murder machines.  The stalker's strength is the ability to complete missions very quickly by beelining to the stated objectives.  They work best on a narrow range of content, and probably do better on redside missions than heroside.   The oldest hero content is full of tiresome defeat alls that do not play to their strength.  The most recent content is plagued with vague and uninformative maps and constantly moving goalposts.  They also tend to work better when fully levelled. 

[Display Name]

11 hours ago, quixoteprog said:

But if you are looking to solo most any content with the least issues/insp. consumption then that would be the guys with access to both damage mitigation and protection from status effects. Which would be Scrapper/Tank/Brutes who are all more than capable.

 

Heh...  My Spines/Fiery Aura Brute farming build from HelenCarnate can play the field pretty well!  Except for Knockback...

 

But my Build #2 by Cyvert can field pretty well!

 

Spoiler

Villain 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 Brute
Primary Power Set: Spines
Secondary Power Set: Fiery Aura
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Lunge -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Fire Shield -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(3), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(3), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(5)
Level 2: Spine Burst -- SprBrtFur-Rech/Fury(A), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), SprBrtFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), SprBrtFur-Dmg/Rchg(9), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg(9)
Level 4: Blazing Aura -- Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), Obl-%Dam(11), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(11), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(13), Obl-Acc/Rchg(13), Obl-Dmg(15)
Level 6: Healing Flames -- Prv-Absorb%(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(15), Prv-Heal(17), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(17), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(19), Prv-Heal/Rchg(19)
Level 8: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(21), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(21), BlsoftheZ-ResKB(50)
Level 10: Super Jump -- Empty(A)
Level 12: Temperature Protection -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A), UnbGrd-Max HP%(23), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(23), StdPrt-ResKB(50)
Level 14: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 16: Tough -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(25), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(25), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(27)
Level 18: Quills -- Obl-%Dam(A), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(27), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(29), Obl-Acc/Rchg(31), Obl-Dmg(31)
Level 20: Plasma Shield -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(31), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(33), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(33)
Level 22: Consume -- RechRdx-I(A), PrfShf-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(50)
Level 24: Weave -- Rct-ResDam%(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(33), Rct-Def/Rchg(34), Rct-EndRdx/Rchg(34), Rct-Def/EndRdx(34), Rct-Def(36)
Level 26: Ripper -- Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), Obl-%Dam(36), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(37), Obl-Acc/Rchg(37), Obl-Dmg(37)
Level 28: Burn -- Arm-Dam%(A), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(39), Arm-Dmg(39), Arm-Dmg/Rchg(39), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), FuroftheG-ResDeb%(40)
Level 30: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(40)
Level 32: Throw Spines -- SprUnrFur-Rchg/+Regen/+End(A), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), SprUnrFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), SprUnrFur-Dmg/Rchg(43), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg(43)
Level 35: Maneuvers -- Krm-ResKB(A), Krm-Def/EndRdx(43), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(45), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(45)
Level 38: Tactics -- GssSynFr--ToHit/EndRdx(A), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(45)
Level 41: Fiery Embrace -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(46)
Level 44: Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 47: Superior Conditioning -- EndMod-I(A)
Level 49: Physical Perfection -- EndMod-I(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: Fury 
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run 
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrc-Rcvry+(A), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(46), NmnCnv-Heal(46), RgnTss-Regen+(48)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod/Acc(48), PrfShf-EndMod(48)
------------

 

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[Coyote]

Some excellent all around NON-MELEE builds (because melee is generally suited for TAC soloing) are:

Illusion/Storm

Dark Miasma/Sonic Defender (Corruptor version also works but you get the good powers sooner this way)

Fire/Dark Controller

Mind/Fire, Dark/Fire, Plant/Fire Dominator

Storm/Dark Defender (same comment for Corruptor version)

[TyrantMikey]

I have three toons that I play.

 

For sheer soloing power, it's got to be my WP/SS tank. He can slog his way through anything. Granted, the damage output is meh, but DAYUM he feels like a Hero™.

 

My Earth/Storm is more of a team player, especially since they fixed the issue with Stone Cages. 

 

For world-ending annihilation, it's the Fire/Fire Blaster. 🙂 You simply can't beat raining down death, destruction and mayhem from above while all the enemies run around with their hair literally on fire.

[Broken_Prey]

My badger on live was a BS/SR scrapper,  I stopped playing him on liive for the most part because I loved /SD more. I started to play him again but then the game shut down. On HC I re-rolled him as a Staff/SR, because I never played staff and it can't be paired with /sd. 

 

My favorite/fallback is my DM/SD scrapper. I starting to badge with him and solo tfs. 

 

I haven't found a non melee fall back yet but in live it was my dark/ice and did remake the toon but it's still level 1. 

[Gulbasaur]

Fortunata, hands down. It's pretty fun solo, can tank AVs and task forces and can carry low level teams if I'm running brainless tip missions in Atlas Park with a gang of lowbies.

 

It's the perfect intersection of control, sustain and DPS.

 

Next would probably be my stalker. With the two ATOs, stalkers really do become S-tier. When being able to hit a boss for over a thousand damage twice in a row  routine everything feels a bit easy.

 

[vibal]

Some great ideas. A plant/ dom is definitely a consideration. Stealth, seeds, creepers is such a gnarly combo. Fort is something i should look at as well. I've only really played crabs. I haven't given storm much thought since way back when KB was verboten.

 

I ended up rolling a rad/rad brute which might fit the bill. It's got capped s/l res as well as melee softcap defense. I could've softcapped to s/l def which may be stronger, but I'll tinker if needed. 

[Omega-202]

I would recommend VEATs or one of the solid Corruptor combos (Fire+Time, Kin or Dark).  

 

Any of those will be able to solo anything the game can throw at you and also be a huge benefit to any and all teams.  I am partial to Crabspiders personally.  Walking buff beacon, near MM level pets, nearly unkillable, near Blaster level AoE damage and a constant -20% resist debuff on enemies from Venom Grenade.  Basically the second best at everything the game has to offer in one package.