Need Expert Advice to Build a Mind/Energy Dominator

[Kalem]

Hello there.  I am a newish player (played live over a decade ago) to this game.  I played a controller in my past life but would like to try a Dominator.  I am intrigued by the "super" control that domination can provide and would like to rely on my secondary power to kill things instead of pets.

 

As I scooted around this board, I decided that a Mind Control/Energy Assault Dominator would check off all the boxes.   So I went to mids.  Then pines.  Then Mids reborn.  Then discovered that Mids Reborn could be renamed Frustration Created.  Every time I did one thing, I erased or 'redded" out something else.  Then the enhancements got into the game.  Suffice it to say that punching your monitor does not make Mids Reborn operate any more efficiently.  I needed help.  So here I am, hoping someone can assist me in putting together an endgame build that makes sense of all those silly purple/orange/yellow enhancement names--what do you mean I can't put entropic chaos there?!?

 

My build idea is simple--or perhaps I am--hover to stay out of melee range--add fly for transport--most of the Mind powers (no levitate--I am not a gravity controller) and just the ranged energy assault powers (as befits a guy who wants to stay out of melee range).  For defense--Leadership--manuvers+tactics with a dollop of fighting--kick, tough,weave and as an epic Mu mastery--i like the name--for power sink and ball lightning (though I must admit Fire mastery look very tempting also--rise of the phoenix might be useful with the amount I usually die).

 

If anyone can help out, I would really, really appreciate it--as would my monitor, which is tired of getting beaten up. 

 

Thanks.

[Mezmera]

Well I've got a few Mind doms, the best character I've created just so happens to be Mind/Energy.  I can give you my build but I play it balls to the wall so no flying and I go with Soul Mastery instead of Mu.  If you think you'll be able to play it aggressively you will have great fun I promise!

[Kalem]

That would be great, Mezmera.  Was I totally off-base thinking Dominators should be played as blasters?  I can see how the control primary would allow you to use melee abilities, but I assumed the lower defense base would make them more fragile then scrappers.  I don't mind being aggressive, as failure in CoX is just an excuse to kil...I mean "arrest" more wrongdoers. 

 

Thanks for the help.

[Mezmera]

Well I'll get you a build with better defenses than a SR scrapper.  While in domination your controls especially AoE allow you to "tank" more aggro than a tank.  It all depends how you play your blasters most of mine run in with their pbaoe nukes and snipe whatever is left.  With the mechanics of how Total Focus is you are severely limiting your potential by not using that and then Whirling Hands right after.  I drop an AoE control onto a mob, run in and use Soul Drain, then Total Focus some poor unfortunate next to me then use Whirling Hands, anything left you can finish with Snipe and Power Burst.

 

I don't use mids but here's the build: 

 

Mind: 

Mesmerize - (1) 50+5 Apocalypse dmg IO

Dominate - (6) Superior Ascendancy of the Dominator

Confuse - (6) Coercive Persuasion

Total Domination - (5) Unbreakable Constraint w/dmg proc (don't use the "hold" one), (1) minor dmg proc

Mass Confusion - (6) Malaise

 

Energy: 

Power Blast - (1) 50+5 dmg IO

Power Up - (1) 50+5 Recharge IO

Whirling Hands - (6) Obliteration

Total Focus - (6) Mako's Bite

Power Burst - (5) Apocalypse w/proc (don't use the "damage" one)

Snipe - (5) Sting of Manticore (don't use Acc/Int/Range one)

 

Soul: 

Shield - (5) Gladiator's Armor w/+def unique

Soul Drain - (5) Armageddon w/proc (don't use "dmg/end" one)

Fortunata - (3) Soul-bound Allegiance (mostly damage some recharge and acc) 

Dark Consumption - (1) 50+5 End Mod/Recharge/Accuracy IO

 

Health - (2) Miracle & Numina +recovery

Stamina - (1) Performance Shifter +end, (2) 50+5 End Mod IOs

 

Speed: 

Hasten - (2) 50+5 Recharge IO

 

Force of Will: 

Mighty Leap - (1) 50+5 Leaping IO

Debuff - (1) Achilles Heel -resistance IO

Unleash Potential - (4) Shield Wall w/+resist unique (aim for defense/recharge), (1) LotG +recharge IO

 

Fighting: 

Punch - (1) 50+5 dmg IO

Tough - (4) Unbreakable Guard w/+hp unique, (1) Steadfast +defense unique

Weave - (2) LotG Defense and +recharge IOs

 

Leadership: 

Maneuvers - (1) LotG +recharge IO

Tactics - (6) Gaussian's

 

Be sure to use Power Up right before you use Unleash Potential, it'll get you 10% more defense.  I've play tested this as best I can, solo you'll run a bit hot on endurance so I dropped Vengeance for Dark Consumption for when your endurance powers are far from replenishing.  I've also +5 most of the powers I get later in my build or purple sets and attune some that I may want to use at lower levels like 30.  

 

As for Incarnate powers I go with: 

Alpha - Agility (Recharge, End Mod, Defense)  helps shore up any recharge or defense holes

Lore - Carnies w/Seneschal

Destiny - Barrier Core, use this while Unleash Potential is down, by the time its best effect wears off Unleash is recharged

Judgement - Void -Damage

Interface - Diamagnetic Core -tohit/regen

Hybrid - Assault Double Hit

 

 

Edited December 18, 2019 by Mezmera

[Kalem]

 

Wow.  Thanks Mezmera. 

 

As you can tell I don't use mids either.  Or at least not very well.

 

My dude is up to 18 but I will be shifting to this build as I o up in levels.

 

Thanks again.

[mbre2006]

Curious to see what that build look like in mids

[Mezmera]

No worries!  Typically I play around with the various controls and attacks up to say level 30 and then respec when I can start building the likes of this one.  Early on I take bone smasher and some other blast just to give myself something fun to play until this one blooms with all those nasty attacks late.  

 

You should be getting 50-60+ positional defenses AND 50+ damage typed defenses.  SR scrappers only get positional defenses they can get to these numbers whereas some other defense type like Energy Aura you'll only get the damage typed defenses to these numbers.  So you are getting the best of both on top of what you can do with your controls in domination. 

 

Like I said the only real shortcoming was always my endurance consumption but since I team all the time it's never really an issue but having since solo'd a bit to see how it does on the hardest of content I had to swap out Vengeance for Dark Consumption.  The lack of having endurance to affect mobs after while was adding up so having Dark Consumption there to use when you see Domination being far from recharged really has helped. 

[MoonSheep]

Late to the party, but signed in for the first time to counter a lot of the truly awful advice on this Dominator forum from people who seem to only play brutes/scrappers and nothing else

 

If you're building a dominator for defense, you're wasting your time and should stick to playing Brutes. The beauty of a dominator is its ability to lock down mobs, especially when you've achieved permadom. A mezzed enemy deals no damage. My main is a mind/fire dom, as it was back on live, easily solo's taskforces, story arcs, trials etc. Build a dom for +rech and +acc so you can use your powers to their best. If you're dying often, you need to click your mez powers once in a while

 

The generic advice spouted of "bUiLd fOr SoFt CaP" is poor advice from people who don't understand Dom's and don't know how to play anything other than a melee fighter

Edited December 19, 2019 by MoonSheep

[Mezmera]

50 minutes ago, MoonSheep said:

Late to the party, but signed in for the first time to counter a lot of the truly awful advice on this Dominator forum from people who seem to only play brutes/scrappers and nothing else

 

If you're building a dominator for defense, you're wasting your time and should stick to playing Brutes. The beauty of a dominator is its ability to lock down mobs, especially when you've achieved permadom. A mezzed enemy deals no damage. My main is a mind/fire dom, as it was back on live, easily solo's taskforces, story arcs, trials etc. Build a dom for +rech and +acc so you can use your powers to their best. If you're dying often, you need to click your mez powers once in a while

 

The generic advice spouted of "bUiLd fOr SoFt CaP" is poor advice from people who don't understand Dom's and don't know how to play anything other than a melee fighter

Gee what a small box you're painting yourself into.  So we should just build for recharge and that is it?  You act like these sets aren't building for accuracy and recharge as you're building for defense as well.  The first goal is recharge for permadom, then my ambitions go further like for defense, and along the way this build picks up tons of +dmg, +accuracy, +hp, +resistance, +defense and a lot of other bonuses.  Do you even know what Soul Drain does?  Imagine having your very own fulcrum shift but it also greatly increases your tohit (there's your accuracy).  What happens to your squishy little build when there's enemies impervious to your controls like in an ITF or incarnate content?  How sad to have to chase for a corner.  

 

My very first villain the day villains came out on live was a Mind/Energy dominator, I've been doing bruteless RSF's since before IOs and level shifts.  I'd be careful with your generalization.  I've got 1 of almost every AT so that I can see how things are from playing from that perspective.  But if you'd like to know the value of my time would equate more to playing "Dominators and nothing else".  In all honesty if a brute could come and do what I do with my dom I would be very impressed.  

 

Tell you what I'll extend you the same invite another dom player who sounded a lot like you do to come duo with my dom, lets see who can handle that hard incarnate stuff better.  I could tank the alpha aggro whereas someone with your limited build would need to hit that hibernate with a quickness.  Come show me how its done, lets see if that blaster with a mez shield of yours can out dps, control, survive better than my dom.  

Edited December 19, 2019 by Mezmera

[Kalem]

I not exactly sure if you are making a generic statement or telling me to ignore the build Mezmera provided and do something else.

 

If it is the former, I highly recommend the thread on Grav/Energy initiated by Snarky about 10-15 threads down.

 

If it is the latter then please feel free to provide an alternative build, using the same power-sets.  If I recall the last comment on the grav/energy thread, it is possible to do both so why not.  If your position is different then  please set out what I should be looking at.  As I do not play scrappers or brutes but have extensively played controllers and defenders in days by gone, I am interested in seeing an endgame build that you would recommend.

 

 

[Coyote]

1 hour ago, MoonSheep said:

My main is a mind/fire dom

 

That explains the advice. A Mind specializes in controlling mobs without aggro, so they don't need defense as much as more control.

Other doms may have to absorb alpha strikes more often even when putting out controls, and higher Defense will make it easier to control without having to pause to heal up. Ice, Earth, Fire, for example, may have knockdown patches, but when Stuns aren't available or when adds appear, damage will come in. Slowing down the rate of incoming damage from uncontrolled mobs is a big benefit... most Controllers can't go around assuming that they will be able to control all spawns.

 

Also, just as a note... anyone saying that they can control everything should run through the First Ward/Night Ward content. You get enough ambushes that are targeted specifically on you, that the usual Mind Control plan of "I initiate every combat" just doesn't work. When playing in arcs that have lots of ambushes, you do need some solid personal defenses to survive incoming attacks before you can mez them.

[Mezmera]

39 minutes ago, Coyote said:

Also, just as a note... anyone saying that they can control everything should run through the First Ward/Night Ward content. You get enough ambushes that are targeted specifically on you, that the usual Mind Control plan of "I initiate every combat" just doesn't work. When playing in arcs that have lots of ambushes, you do need some solid personal defenses to survive incoming attacks before you can mez them.

This

[oedipus_tex]

I agree about the Night Ward content. It is significantly more difficult than many other types of missions and can make big problems for squishy characters who rely on getting the drop on enemies.

[MoonSheep]

20 hours ago, Mezmera said:

Gee what a small box you're painting yourself into.  So we should just build for recharge and that is it?  You act like these sets aren't building for accuracy and recharge as you're building for defense as well.  The first goal is recharge for permadom, then my ambitions go further like for defense, and along the way this build picks up tons of +dmg, +accuracy, +hp, +resistance, +defense and a lot of other bonuses.  Do you even know what Soul Drain does?  Imagine having your very own fulcrum shift but it also greatly increases your tohit (there's your accuracy).  What happens to your squishy little build when there's enemies impervious to your controls like in an ITF or incarnate content?  How sad to have to chase for a corner.  

 

My very first villain the day villains came out on live was a Mind/Energy dominator, I've been doing bruteless RSF's since before IOs and level shifts.  I'd be careful with your generalization.  I've got 1 of almost every AT so that I can see how things are from playing from that perspective.  But if you'd like to know the value of my time would equate more to playing "Dominators and nothing else".  In all honesty if a brute could come and do what I do with my dom I would be very impressed.  

 

Tell you what I'll extend you the same invite another dom player who sounded a lot like you do to come duo with my dom, lets see who can handle that hard incarnate stuff better.  I could tank the alpha aggro whereas someone with your limited build would need to hit that hibernate with a quickness.  Come show me how its done, lets see if that blaster with a mez shield of yours can out dps, control, survive better than my dom.  

Edit: Have amended the below post sightly as it was rather unnecessarily flippant!

 

When/why do you need to tank? Whacking a few mezzes before jumping into a mob after the first brute/tank/scrapper should suffice - or perhaps you solo most of the time?

 

My views, whilst perhaps dialed up to 11 on the intensity scale, aim to provide an alternate viewpoint and stop people painting themselves into what I see as the 'small box' of trying to build every AT into a bad version of a tank. Build for perma dom and then have some fun with various procs for a laugh and enjoy the playstyle. If you get into trouble, pop a medium purple insp or two

 

I think the vocal minority which tells every player their character needs weave and softcapped defense stifles creativity and gives people the wrong impression that such builds are required

Edited December 20, 2019 by MoonSheep

[Mezmera]

7 hours ago, MoonSheep said:

Edit: Have amended the below post sightly as it was rather unnecessarily flippant!

 

When/why do you need to tank? Whacking a few mezzes before jumping into a mob after the first brute/tank/scrapper should suffice - or perhaps you solo most of the time?

 

My views, whilst perhaps dialed up to 11 on the intensity scale, aim to provide an alternate viewpoint and stop people painting themselves into what I see as the 'small box' of trying to build every AT into a bad version of a tank. Build for perma dom and then have some fun with various procs for a laugh and enjoy the playstyle. If you get into trouble, pop a medium purple insp or two

 

I think the vocal minority which tells every player their character needs weave and softcapped defense stifles creativity and gives people the wrong impression that such builds are required

First you make it seem like soloing is a badge of honor now you're assuming I only solo?  I'm saying why wait for a tank or any melee for that matter to take aggro when this build can handle that itself without requiring having a tank in the team.  If you'd like a comparison in strike force terms I lead the charge into the 8 heroes at the end of LRSF on this dom, I take the focus of all of that aggro and survive it well so then I have more dps to offer than a tank or brute, debuffing along with great control.  

 

Your suggestion is to offer more of the same of what you can already do well on a dom to squeeze out 10% more recharge.  My assertion is that you can do that AS WELL AS tanking, blasting and anything else your team needs you to do.  How is this not the definition of variety?  

 

I quite enjoy my character it's the apex of what I could create on this game.  If I'd like to drive my Ferrari as fast as I can why should I be told I can't when I've been doing such?  I don't NEED to pop a purple insp or two, which allows me to carry other things like reds, oranges and greens.  It's always the Mind/Fire doms who say you MUST play a certain way.  It's like you're telling me to be a spoon and I'm telling you there is no spoon.  

 

Again, I'm on Excelsior, come play some incarnate +4x8 content with me, I'll tank for you.

[Chelsea Rorec]

I have an Elec/Elec on the go and it's hilarious.

I built it to have perma dom aswell as 75% S/L resists and capped range def.

Why ?

Because i can.

And it's funny.

But mainly because i can 😀

[mbre2006]

On 12/19/2019 at 4:06 PM, Mezmera said:

 

Tell you what I'll extend you the same invite another dom player who sounded a lot like you do to come duo with my dom, lets see who can handle that hard incarnate stuff better.  I could tank the alpha aggro whereas someone with your limited build would need to hit that hibernate with a quickness.  Come show me how its done, lets see if that blaster with a mez shield of yours can out dps, control, survive better than my dom. 

I mean to be honest you died three times less than I did when we played together. And while I popped hibernate you were crushing through insps. Nothing wrong with using insps but my gameplay relies on using powers. And that's only because of an old habit from being a duelist back on live.

 

But to throw my two cents into the argument. All my doms have 135% recharge. But what I have been doing lately is redoing the builds to include more resists and aiming towards the HP cap. But if you want to go defense then that's fine too. Everyone plays differently, I myself prefer my targets be mezz'd for like 'ever. But there is nothing wrong investing in extra insurance coming from building up for def or resist. 

Edited December 22, 2019 by mbre2006

[Mezmera]

4 hours ago, mbre2006 said:

I mean to be honest you died three times less than I did when we played together. And while I popped hibernate you were crushing through insps. Nothing wrong with using insps but my gameplay relies on using powers. And that's only because of an old habit from being a duelist back on live.

 

But to throw my two cents into the argument. All my doms have 135% recharge. But what I have been doing lately is redoing the builds to include more resists and aiming towards the HP cap. But if you want to go defense then that's fine too. Everyone plays differently, I myself prefer my targets be mezz'd for like 'ever. But there is nothing wrong investing in extra insurance coming from building up for def or resist. 

Firstly I never solo with my time, second no I wasnt crushing through insps I do have defenses I was using, you'd die as soon as you tried to alpha if they didnt kill you in your hiber because *gasp* they were resistant to mezzes since it was incarnate content, thirdly it motivated me to deal with the shortcoming I knew I had in endurance issues seeing how when I did happen to get in trouble it was due to being out of endurance to affect the enemies so out with vengeance and in with end drain.  

 

So I guess thank you for perfecting my build...    

 

You're welcome to come along too, seeing how I well outperformed your dom the first time it should be simple as pie with my issue fixed.  

Edited December 22, 2019 by Mezmera

[mbre2006]

12 hours ago, Mezmera said:

Firstly I never solo with my time, second no I wasnt crushing through insps I do have defenses I was using, you'd die as soon as you tried to alpha if they didnt kill you in your hiber because *gasp* they were resistant to mezzes since it was incarnate content, thirdly it motivated me to deal with the shortcoming I knew I had in endurance issues seeing how when I did happen to get in trouble it was due to being out of endurance to affect the enemies so out with vengeance and in with end drain.  

 

So I guess thank you for perfecting my build...    

 

You're welcome to come along too, seeing how I well outperformed your dom the first time it should be simple as pie with my issue fixed.  

Naw, you were crushing through them. You seem to take defense in me saying that when I said there was nothing wrong with using insps. But hey in mah feelinz, right?

Again you died three times less than me. I would hardly call that out performing me.

It was never my goal to perfect your build as you're being defensive about it. Starting to see why now you want your doms defense heavy. Matches something. My build had flaws in it too hence why I am reworking my build. As you mentioned the incarnates have pretty good resistance towards mezz so I'm adjusting to compensate for that.

I don't mind coming along again. I would say I enjoyed our time together, but you seem rather upset so I'll pass. 

[MoonSheep]

On 12/20/2019 at 9:35 PM, Mezmera said:

First you make it seem like soloing is a badge of honor now you're assuming I only solo?  I'm saying why wait for a tank or any melee for that matter to take aggro when this build can handle that itself without requiring having a tank in the team.  If you'd like a comparison in strike force terms I lead the charge into the 8 heroes at the end of LRSF on this dom, I take the focus of all of that aggro and survive it well so then I have more dps to offer than a tank or brute, debuffing along with great control.  

 

Your suggestion is to offer more of the same of what you can already do well on a dom to squeeze out 10% more recharge.  My assertion is that you can do that AS WELL AS tanking, blasting and anything else your team needs you to do.  How is this not the definition of variety?  

 

I quite enjoy my character it's the apex of what I could create on this game.  If I'd like to drive my Ferrari as fast as I can why should I be told I can't when I've been doing such?  I don't NEED to pop a purple insp or two, which allows me to carry other things like reds, oranges and greens.  It's always the Mind/Fire doms who say you MUST play a certain way.  It's like you're telling me to be a spoon and I'm telling you there is no spoon.  

 

Again, I'm on Excelsior, come play some incarnate +4x8 content with me, I'll tank for you.

 

Why not just play a tank? Everything you describe in your posts is around survival, tanking, taking alpha etc..

 

Playing a dom is a very different playstyle to being a brute/tank - being stealthy, confusing/mezzing the right foe to benefit the team, saving the day for someone in trouble etc

 

[Mezmera]

2 hours ago, mbre2006 said:

Naw, you were crushing through them. You seem to take defense in me saying that when I said there was nothing wrong with using insps. But hey in mah feelinz, right?

Again you died three times less than me. I would hardly call that out performing me.

It was never my goal to perfect your build as you're being defensive about it. Starting to see why now you want your doms defense heavy. Matches something. My build had flaws in it too hence why I am reworking my build. As you mentioned the incarnates have pretty good resistance towards mezz so I'm adjusting to compensate for that.

I don't mind coming along again. I would say I enjoyed our time together, but you seem rather upset so I'll pass. 

By the way you make it sound like I was running to the vendor after every mish.  I used insps yes like normal I did use blues when I got them but other than that nothing to say I was "crushing" them.  I don't take offense at all, I was taking the alpha on almost every mob and the ones where I let you do it you died or had to hiber so that should tell you something about building for defenses but I don't get why you insinuate you shouldn't in your earlier post in this thread is all.   

[Mezmera]

1 hour ago, MoonSheep said:

 

Why not just play a tank? Everything you describe in your posts is around survival, tanking, taking alpha etc..

 

Playing a dom is a very different playstyle to being a brute/tank - being stealthy, confusing/mezzing the right foe to benefit the team, saving the day for someone in trouble etc

 

I have a tank for occasions where I want to play a mind numbing easy to survive character.  Built right a dom has so much more potential.  If you're aggressive with your controls you have double the aggro control capability to a tank and can contribute blaster-ish damage so why not build in defenses since you easily can without taking away from your potential?

[mbre2006]

19 minutes ago, Mezmera said:

By the way you make it sound like I was running to the vendor after every mish.  I used insps yes like normal I did use blues when I got them but other than that nothing to say I was "crushing" them.  I don't take offense at all, I was taking the alpha on almost every mob and the ones where I let you do it you died or had to hiber so that should tell you something about building for defenses but I don't get why you insinuate you shouldn't in your earlier post in this thread is all.   

I never attempted to take alpha and as soon as you jumped in I threw my holds on the mobs while you were in the middle. 

And I'm not sure what you mean, "but I don't get why you insinuate you shouldn't in your earlier post in this thread is all.  " this thread only has one page and this is my third post. I think you're confusing this thread for another.

Edited December 22, 2019 by mbre2006

[Mezmera]

17 hours ago, mbre2006 said:

But to throw my two cents into the argument. All my doms have 135% recharge. But what I have been doing lately is redoing the builds to include more resists and aiming towards the HP cap. But if you want to go defense then that's fine too. Everyone plays differently, I myself prefer my targets be mezz'd for like 'ever. But there is nothing wrong investing in extra insurance coming from building up for def or resist. 

There is SOME insinuation that maybe not building defense into your build might not be optimal.  You make it a bit murky with what you say at the end.  My contention this whole thread is that you can build for everything just about and it behooves you to do so at the cost of say 20-30% recharge that is just overkill.   

[mbre2006]

4 hours ago, Mezmera said:

There is SOME insinuation that maybe not building defense into your build might not be optimal.  You make it a bit murky with what you say at the end.  My contention this whole thread is that you can build for everything just about and it behooves you to do so at the cost of say 20-30% recharge that is just overkill.   

If that's how you see it.