Illusion/Rad Seems Weak for Pet Damage (Build Advice Pls)

[Moirior]

So I've slotted my Illusion/Rad Controller decently but it just seems weak as far as pet damage, am I missing something? I don't have Incarnate yet since I just hit max level with it but I thought it would perform better with decent/good IO sets but that doesn't seem to be the case. Am I missing something or is Illusion pets bugged? Or do Incarnates really make a world of difference? Or I slotted wrong..Not sure

 

 

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Illusion-Radiation Guide: Level 50 Mutation Controller
Primary Power Set: Illusion Control
Secondary Power Set: Radiation Emission
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Teleportation
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Fire Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Blind -- SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear:50(A), SprWiloft-Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/Rchg:50(3), SprWiloft-EndRdx/Rchg:50(15), SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx:50(29), SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx/Rchg:50(31), SprWiloft-Rchg/Dmg%:50(36)
Level 1: Radiant Aura -- DctWnd-Heal/EndRdx:50(A), DctWnd-Heal/Rchg:50(9), DctWnd-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:50(17), DctWnd-Heal:50(27), DctWnd-Rchg:50(40)
Level 2: Spectral Wounds -- Apc-Dmg:50(A), Apc-Dmg/Rchg:50(3), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(5), Apc-Acc/Rchg:50(5), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx:50(29)
Level 4: Deceive -- CrcPrs-Conf/Rchg:50(A), CrcPrs-Acc/Conf/Rchg:50(15), CrcPrs-Acc/Rchg:50(27), CrcPrs-Conf/EndRdx:50(31), CrcPrs-Conf%:50(40)
Level 6: Accelerate Metabolism -- EffAdp-EndMod:50(A), EffAdp-EndMod/Rchg:50(7), EffAdp-EndMod/Acc/Rchg:50(7), EffAdp-Acc/Rchg:50(34), EffAdp-EndMod/Acc:50(34), EffAdp-EndMod/EndRdx:50(50)
Level 8: Superior Invisibility -- LucoftheG-Rchg+:50(A), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx:50(9), RedFrt-EndRdx/Rchg:50(13), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:50(34), RedFrt-Def:50(37), RedFrt-EndRdx:50(43)
Level 10: Radiation Infection -- DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb:50(A), DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb/Rchg:50(11), DarWtcDsp-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx:50(25), DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb/EndRdx:50(36)
Level 12: Hover -- LucoftheG-Rchg+:50(A)
Level 14: Fly -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 16: Hasten -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(17)
Level 18: Phantom Army -- ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg:50(A), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(19), ExpRnf-Acc/Rchg:50(19), ExpRnf-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg:50(21), SlbAll-Dmg/Rchg:50(21), SlbAll-Build%:50(23)
Level 20: Enervating Field -- EndRdx-I:50(A), EndRdx-I:50(23)
Level 22: Lingering Radiation -- Acc-I:50(A)
Level 24: Flash -- BslGaz-Acc/Hold:30(A), BslGaz-Acc/Rchg:30(25), BslGaz-Rchg/Hold:30(31), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:30(36), EssofCrr-Acc/Hold/Rchg:50(37)
Level 26: Spectral Terror -- GlmoftheA-Acc/Rchg:30(A), GlmoftheA-EndRdx/Fear:30(37), GlmoftheA-Fear/Rng:30(40), GlmoftheA-Acc/Fear/Rchg:30(50), GlmoftheA-Acc/EndRdx:30(50)
Level 28: Recall Friend -- BlsoftheZ-ResKB:50(A)
Level 30: Mutation -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 32: Phantasm -- ExpRnf-Acc/Rchg:50(A), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg:50(33), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(33), ExpRnf-Dmg/EndRdx:50(33), HO:Nucle(46)
Level 35: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Rchg+:50(A)
Level 38: EM Pulse -- BslGaz-Acc/Hold:30(A), BslGaz-Acc/Rchg:30(39), BslGaz-Rchg/Hold:30(39), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold:30(39)
Level 41: Fire Blast -- Dcm-Acc/Dmg:40(A), Dcm-Dmg/EndRdx:40(42), Dcm-Dmg/Rchg:40(42), Dcm-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:40(42), Dcm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:40(43), Dvs-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(43)
Level 44: Fire Ball -- Rgn-Dmg:50(A), Rgn-Dmg/Rchg:50(45), Rgn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(45), Rgn-Acc/Rchg:50(45), Rgn-Knock%:50(46)
Level 47: Fire Shield -- ResDam-I:50(A)
Level 49: Group Invisibility -- LucoftheG-Rchg+:50(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I:50(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Run-I:50(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 1: Containment
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I:50(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I:50(A)
Level 2: Health -- NmnCnv-Heal:50(A), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+:50(46), Mrc-Rcvry+:40(48), Mrc-Heal:40(48)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod:50(A), PrfShf-EndMod/Rchg:50(11), PrfShf-EndMod/Acc:50(13), PrfShf-End%:50(48)
Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A)
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Edited March 17, 2020 by Moirior

[Blackfeather]

The way I see it, the main draw of Phantom Army is not the damage that it brings to the table, but its damage mitigation - perma-Phantom Army is essentially like carrying three Tankers in your pocket, keeping your character relatively safe from harm. Certainly, there are ways of increasing their damage via resistance debuffs and Soulbound Allegiance, but there are definitely more damaging options out there.

 

However, Illusion Control/Radiation Emission is a solid combination, and it's quite capable of doing things such as soloing Archvillains to my knowledge. How much damage were you expecting, and what kinds of troubles are you having at the moment?

[Moirior]

2 hours ago, Blackfeather said:

The way I see it, the main draw of Phantom Army is not the damage that it brings to the table, but its damage mitigation - perma-Phantom Army is essentially like carrying three Tankers in your pocket, keeping your character relatively safe from harm. Certainly, there are ways of increasing their damage via resistance debuffs and Soulbound Allegiance, but there are definitely more damaging options out there.

 

However, Illusion Control/Radiation Emission is a solid combination, and it's quite capable of doing things such as soloing Archvillains to my knowledge. How much damage were you expecting, and what kinds of troubles are you having at the moment?

I do not see how in my current build Ill/Rad could ever solo an AV, Part of that being as I put in the bug report about the Phantasm always goes into melee to shoot and dies right away and the other part being I just don't see the damage output being high at all. To give an example I fought a lvl 54 purple boss mob and it took forever to kill that one mob, I mean it seemed like 5 minutes, just seemed not impressive at all. Now I will say what i'm kind of trying to achieve may not be possible, to be more specific I played Illusion/Forcefield in retail prior to issue 5 coming out (Thats when I quit) and we had 3-5 Phantom army and I think 2 Phantasm's, I could solo farm max missions like tanks would to PL people. My lil Illusion/FF was powerful as heck and Yes I solo'd Av's. I guess I'm trying to see if it's possible to come close to how OP I was before I quit, and it doesn't seem so. Or I'm not doing it right.

[Nightmarer 2]

Your phantasm should not die if the enemies are busy with your PA. Just took a quick glance at your build, can't really see why would you use fire shield 1 slotted but hey ho. Lingering radiation is underslotted and you need procs, tons of dmg procs everywhere... except in pets or pseudo pets.

[NEW DAWN]

+Regen, +End rec are bonuses I don't see you needing, I would avoid those type of bonuses which will likely mean you add resistance or something else, 4 slotting stamina, I just wouldn't, your end rec should be good without 4 slots. You have your heart set on more dam, clearly go for +dam, I would slot in build up procs, so you add to your damage with all the free slots you save from avoiding +regen and +end rec. Possibly get Assault.

[Moirior]

12 hours ago, Nightmarer said:

Your phantasm should not die if the enemies are busy with your PA. Just took a quick glance at your build, can't really see why would you use fire shield 1 slotted but hey ho. Lingering radiation is underslotted and you need procs, tons of dmg procs everywhere... except in pets or pseudo pets.

Well I don't see how to change anything much and still maintain Perma Phantom Army, Basically my PA is down to a 58 second cooldown most of the time, I think they last for 60 secs and my goal was to have at least 2 seconds to resummon them or more. Oh and the phantasm dies all the time, even with PA out. It was mentioned by other people also in the bug report section months ago.

Edited March 18, 2020 by Moirior

[quixoteprog]

1 hour ago, Moirior said:

Well I don't see how to change anything much and still maintain Perma Phantom Army, Basically my PA is down to a 58 second cooldown most of the time, I think they last for 60 secs and my goal was to have at least 2 seconds to resummon them or more. Oh and the phantasm dies all the time, even with PA out. It was mentioned by other people also in the bug report section months ago.

They screwed up the AI for Phantasm a long time back, and all controller pets as well, IIRC. In spite of having NO MELEE ATTACKS Phantasm will run into melee range after maybe one or two shots and often get smoked. If he doesn't draw agro, which is rare if PA is out, he will get hit by some AoEs or something. Or, just go down 2 seconds after PA disappears.

 

This is fine for the Gravity Control pet, Singularity. Even though it has not melee attacks either that thing is almost indestructible and has a repulsion field that will throw mobs that close to melee range around like rag dolls. But Phantasm has nothing but energy blasts knock down for damage mitigation.

 

They made changes to MM pets a while back to solve this issue for some of the MM pets that were too anxious to run up and slug stuff instead of standing back and shooting, but did not change the controller pets AI at all as far as I know. That is a fix that really needs to be moved way up the priority list, if you ask me. Which nobody has. It should at LEAST be above adding a new power set. But that's just my opinion.

[quixoteprog]

Also, from a build perspective.

 

Flash, I would drop. I took it, but almost never use it, It can be handy in rare situations where I get in trouble, but they are rare. Such oh crap moments also, usually, involve a boss mob of some sort, which Flash will not hold in one shot by itself. There are plenty of things that would be better. EM Pulse for instance, which you have. So, duplication.

 

Fire Shield, I would drop this. If you are doing it right PA will be taking all the hits and you will rarely need to mitigate damage to yourself. If you could put this on Phantasm it would be fine, since he usually needs more protection than you. I took Rise of the Phoenix, just because it was handy.

 

Group invisibility, I would drop as well. It does offer another slot to mule a LotG. But if you drop this, Flash and Fire Shield. can take, punch, tough and Weave, which does that and offers more defense, I think? You have teleport, so maybe take Teleport Foe? It is handy to pull one mob over, blind him and then beat him down while the rest are running up. Also, TP foe does not require line of sight, so you can do it from around a corner.

 

In general, I have found that more damage powers >> defensive powers >> damage resistance powers. You have low health so resisting damage is not as important as avoiding it which is not as important as dealing more damage.

 

 

[Zepp]

I wouldn't drop GI, making sure you hit Phantasm with it before battle reduces its threat level.