Bots/Traps as a AV/GM killer???

[The_Warpact]

I heard something about this awhile back, is it true?

Is there a build floating around?

What about Incarnate, power pools, etc?

[Kommon]

Bots/Traps can kill AVs and GMs with Single Origin Enhancements.  Killing an archvillain is no different than killing a boss, except you are dealing with ten times the hit points and maybe more damage from the mob.  Bots/Traps gives you several tools to mitigate and lessen damage dealt to you and your henchmen, and both Bots and Traps have massive amounts of regeneration debuffs, which allow you to take your time while killing the AB/GM meat bags, as they will not be able to regen any hit points during the fight.  You really don't need anything special like taking down AVs/GMs with that combo, but a good build makes it faceroll-on-keyboard easy to do so.

[TheSpiritFox]

This is my Bots/Traps and yeah...it's a goddamn monster. 

 

This is pre-incarnates btw. I design my builds as much as I can not to have holes and then add incarnates, and bots/traps is absolutely one of those builds that you can get away with this with. I soloed psychic clockwork king (took a few tries) with this build and that fucker doesn't stay in one place. I could easily solo ITF on +0 and very painfully solo it on +4 with this build with full incarnates. Throw T4 barrier up and you and your bots are pretty close to immortal for 30 seconds and hard to kill for the remaining 90s.  Hasten isn't perma but it's not terribly far off, and you could definitely adjust sets to give it even more recharge. Burnout tbh is a pick I chose to let me stack triage beacons, caltrops, and acid mortars in a pinch. Easily replaceable with like a LOTG mule or whatever else. 

 

Yeah it's as good as you've heard. Light on single target damage at times, honestly if you get the prestige ranged attacks they help everywhere but iTrials for knocking bosses down a bit. But with proper pet management you pretty solidly melt things and the real benefit is that you do it in almost complete safety. Mez protection, bodyguard, tank pets, decent defense and resistance for you, aid pool to keep your pets alive, and some fairly nuts debuffs in some areas particularly regen. 

 

For incarnates? Musculature is the MM alpha, we get more out of it than most anything else. Support is the MM hybrid for the same reason. If you build to not need the endurance from ageless you genuinely do not need the recharge. The defense debuff resistance one can help but is mostly unnecessary. Barrier core though...yeah. It's kinda an actual "I win" button. Pick your interface, pick your judgment, pick your lore. With reactive interface, ion judgment, and the longbow lore this build can destroy most normal content and solo DA arcs at +4x8. 

 

Villain Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.6.0.5
https://github.com/ImaginaryDevelopment/imaginary-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Science Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Robotics
Secondary Power Set: Traps
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Medicine
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Mu Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Battle Drones -- CaltoArm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(A), CaltoArm-Dmg/EndRdx(3), CaltoArm-Acc/Dmg(3), CaltoArm-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(5), CaltoArm-+Def(Pets)(5), SuddAcc--KB/+KD(7)
Level 1: Web Grenade -- Acc-I(A)
Level 2: Caltrops -- ImpSwf-Dam%(A), Ann-ResDeb%(7), PstBls-Dam%(9), JvlVll-Acc/Dmg/End/Rech(9), Rgn-Knock%(11), Slow-I(11)
Level 4: Triage Beacon -- Prv-Absorb%(A), Prv-Heal(13), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(13), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(15), Prv-Heal/Rchg(15), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(17)
Level 6: Equip Robot -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 8: Super Jump -- BlsoftheZ-ResKB(A), BlsoftheZ-Travel(17)
Level 10: Acid Mortar -- TchofLadG-%Dam(A), TchofLadG-DefDeb(19), TchofLadG-DefDeb/Rchg(19), TchofLadG-DefDeb/Rchg/EndRdx(21), TchofLadG-Rchg/EndRdx(21), TchofLadG-DefDeb/EndRdx(23)
Level 12: Protector Bots -- SprCmmoft-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), SprCmmoft-Acc/Dmg(23), SprCmmoft-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(25), SprCmmoft-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(25), DefBuff-I(27), DefBuff-I(27)
Level 14: Aid Other -- Pnc-Heal(A), Pnc-Heal/+End(34), Pnc-Heal/EndRedux/Rchg(50), Pnc-Heal/Rchg(50), Pnc-EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 16: Force Field Generator -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), DefBuff-I(29), DefBuff-I(29), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(31)
Level 18: Aid Self -- Heal-I(A)
Level 20: Field Medic -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 22: Poison Trap -- UnbCns-Dam%(A), UnbCns-Hold(31), UnbCns-Hold/Rchg(31), UnbCns-Acc/Hold/Rchg(33), UnbCns-Acc/Rchg(33), UnbCns-EndRdx/Hold(33)
Level 24: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(34), RechRdx-I(40)
Level 26: Assault Bot -- SprMarofS-EndRdx/+Resist/+Regen(A), SprMarofS-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40), SprMarofS-Dmg(42), SprMarofS-Acc/Dmg(42), SprMarofS-Acc/EndRdx(43), SuddAcc--KB/+KD(43)
Level 28: Seeker Drones -- CldSns-%Dam(A), CldSns-ToHitDeb(43), CldSns-Acc/ToHitDeb(46), CldSns-Acc/Rchg(48), CldSns-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(48), CldSns-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(48)
Level 30: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(37), LucoftheG-Def(37)
Level 32: Upgrade Robot -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 35: Charged Armor -- Ags-Psi/Status(A), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx(37), Ags-ResDam/Rchg(39), Ags-ResDam(39), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 38: Tactics -- AdjTrg-ToHit/EndRdx(A), AdjTrg-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(40)
Level 41: Super Speed -- Clr-Stlth(A), Clr-RunSpd(42)
Level 44: Electrifying Fences -- GrvAnc-Hold%(A), GrvAnc-Immob(45), GrvAnc-Immob/Rchg(45), GrvAnc-Acc/Immob/Rchg(45), GrvAnc-Acc/Rchg(46), GrvAnc-Immob/EndRdx(46)
Level 47: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 49: Burnout -- RechRdx-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: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Supremacy 
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run 
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrc-Rcvry+(A), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(36)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(34), PrfShf-EndMod/Acc(36), PrfShf-EndMod/Rchg(36)
------------

Edited December 24, 2019 by TheSpiritFox

[Xandyr]

Am I overlooking it, or are you not using both of the pet IOs that give your pets +Defense?

[The_Warpact]

Tried my hand at making my own build, based on my tactics. Any thoughts?

 

http://www.cohplanner.com/mids/download.php?uc=1456&c=660&a=1320&f=HEX&dc=78DA6594594F13511886CFB4534B5B2A2DA574A3B21404A98E1DE05A14B71B9A10A9A057642C0526693B4D97C4BAC67FA0A0F15788CBA5214A5D2EFC157A890B8A0A895ED5CFF9DEA44D66D2E699BEE7DBDE33679ABE7EAE73F3E2BD6921F9CEE6B54A6529AD55AAB972412F2EBB33B9EC5AD1C81BAB75BB10C2B9A8954B5AB6EAA4FB682B6A69BE56281845E59271CDA8EAD94AB06D69A6B6B2A264CA5AA922DC73869157E64BB9DCB2DFBC4D6B45BD54CB6B55DD287699CA6C4E5BCE952B6B7AC96BFEBEA0AFAE55F5E26AF47C49CF2A6D65D3354C590FD32C23F47DE910B89A0E71CA26842A0B799A79E8347886D93BC30C7FB09BACCB6DB9F725531B7D00AE338F6D800FC147CC1B942B21577AC2DAF826F8147CC63CFE1C7CC11CA28DB49BC94DC99E143C33B8457ED85253380659BB49BD9CE8E5DCE1D93B3E835F98EEAFE03766E72EF316E5BA90EB92488BCBE2840DB483325375800DDAA7802C5ED1201EE47A3232D7BDCC3CBC002E327D57C0ABCC280DEC850FAFCA3E6ED35217FB7674F9782FBAFD6037B32700F6307B83CCD7348B1FF5FCD8AB3B542F807A816DEE3BDC00DF308FBE05DF81EF997E9A2FC8B9B6207A84D1338AD9248A09A167A84997B0931241C7480AD12AB36F029C640E4CE1244DF093B84B8D63C88D39591BEC005DA09B99F030873B99DBE43E8E2711DF63F7477E82BFC0DFCC817DF080382A8B06E5F6C3453F4E944C3E86E07E086E13709FC06E7453CC08C78811E405481B8336062D465A92EB4BC98F38E99F985B34BEC2F1B2B2CF5E4E1E807FC0BF4C352499A72F42F5529837851E7DAD37953EFF9FC4B845495914D5A24C5A94298B326B51D22DA539D77AEF8564AEBA7CF4366375D74DAB52FBEA8F76658177E5BB256AAFA5D8A475FE97B26D808F99FF00218EED0B

[TheSpiritFox]

5 hours ago, Xandyr said:

Am I overlooking it, or are you not using both of the pet IOs that give your pets +Defense?

I don't use them all. Slip in a resist to help bot survivability. With /traps and maneuvers and the protector bot shields the bots are past soft capped. If I were going to fit them in they would replace the sudden accelerations, and I feel like bots kinda need those tbh. They go from blasting everything everywhere all the time to mostly knocking stuff down, which is worth the survivability tradeoff and more than worth the team aggravation tradeoff. Makes farming easier too. You can focus your immobilizes on stacking bosses and keeping them in burn patches, which is what I find keeps bots rolling fastest overall. 

 

With incarnates you don't need the extra defense from them. Support core and barrier rotating and stuff at level 50 has a hard time killing your team esp with aid pool helping. At lower levels it goes how exemplaring goes, you have your levels you're more powerful than others. 

Edited December 25, 2019 by TheSpiritFox

[Xandyr]

5 hours ago, TheSpiritFox said:

I don't use them all. Slip in a resist to help bot survivability. With /traps and maneuvers and the protector bot shields the bots are past soft capped. If I were going to fit them in they would replace the sudden accelerations, and I feel like bots kinda need those tbh. They go from blasting everything everywhere all the time to mostly knocking stuff down, which is worth the survivability tradeoff and more than worth the team aggravation tradeoff. Makes farming easier too. You can focus your immobilizes on stacking bosses and keeping them in burn patches, which is what I find keeps bots rolling fastest overall. 

 

With incarnates you don't need the extra defense from them. Support core and barrier rotating and stuff at level 50 has a hard time killing your team esp with aid pool helping. At lower levels it goes how exemplaring goes, you have your levels you're more powerful than others. 

Touche. Didnt think about the shields from the Protector Bots.

 I'm in the process of building my own, and was thinking about taking the Force of Will(?) pool...mainly for Weaken. Have you any experience with it? I'm thinking the extra -defense/-resist would be pretty handy.

[TheSpiritFox]

15 hours ago, Xandyr said:

Touche. Didnt think about the shields from the Protector Bots.

 I'm in the process of building my own, and was thinking about taking the Force of Will(?) pool...mainly for Weaken. Have you any experience with it? I'm thinking the extra -defense/-resist would be pretty handy.

I haven't tried force of will. If I were going to replace a power pool it would be aid pool in my build. I feel like I get a ton of mileage out of aid pool tbh. It is the difference often between my assault and protector bots staying alive and not. One thing with bots/traps that does suck, is that the protector bot bubbles are still single target. So things that die have to be rebubbled in combat and that takes a second, cascade failure with bots/traps can start and hit a point of inevitability that forces you to retreat or gets you killed. Aid pool has been the best way, especially at high levels or against AVs, to counter this. With a set with a more active heal I wouldn't take it. Bots/time doesn't need aid pool at all. Bots/traps though, you actually have the time to take advantage of and use the aid pool. Teams are often pleasantly surprised to find out the heal bot is the mastermind who's also throwing out nuts buffs, debuffs, and damage. 

Edited December 25, 2019 by TheSpiritFox

[Dr Causality]

@Xandyr  &  @TheSpiritFox

 

I've been experimenting with Force of Will on both a /Storm MM and /Fire Controller I'm leveling.     Weaken with an Achilles made a more noticeable difference on the Controller who had trouble whittling away at bosses and EB's at lower levels.   Alternating the large down times of Unleash Potential with Victory Rush did a lot to fix pre-50 Recovery issues on those End heavy sets.  Unleash Potential is also great as a preemptive in those situations where you see you will double pull.   But for the Defense portion it's not up quite enough to be dependable.  To give you a feel for the uptime, Sorcery's 'Rune of Protection' is up 50% longer at the same 600s base recharge...  

 

The Stomp KD in Mighty Leap is "Meh":     High Recharge, no damage and can't slot for FF procs.   Basically, why bother.   Making it worse it pops up that extra temporary power tray like Sorcery's Fly does. 

 

But to my surprise the standout power is:            Wall of Force.     

 

I may respec out of it at 50 but it's been amazing during leveling.    It does almost no damage so isn't even worth slotting for Dmg.   But it has a 90' arc, with a short range.  Together that makes for okay PPM chances if you avoid any recharge enhancement.   But with a Range enhancement it easily hits entire spawns, even when they close in on you.  I keep meaning to go over my combat logs to figure out what the target cap is, but I can say it's big enough that even though FF has only a 16.5% chance per critter to proc, on full spawns it procs very reliably.    My guess is it's a target cap of 10, which means against a full spawn, FF would have about an 83% chance of proccing of at least one of the ten.

 

The standard 3.5 PPM dmg procs are much better at 29%.    With 3 x dmg procs, 1 x FF. 1 x Range, and  1 x ACC/DMG/END it started doing very respectable damage (... for a Controller or MM.)   But definitely needs End slotting if you're going to spam it.    

 

Probably not worthwhile on AT's that have good inherent dmg.  But pretty sure it will be a leveling build mainstay for me on MM's and Controllers going forward.