[v3.0.1] Gravity/Time/Primal ... Wibbly-Wobbly Timey Wimey

[Redlynne]

It's certainly an option, and dropping Crush entirely in favor of Crushing Field would give you 5 slots to play with for Crushing Field, so not at all a bad tradeoff if it suits your preferences.

[VV]

On 4/2/2020 at 10:04 PM, Nayeh said:

Question about Power Boost though. Does it increase the magnitude of wormhole to transport high level enemies? I suppose the same question applies to Dominators.

I have researched this long and hard, and have not yet found a way to increase the mag of Wormhole's Teleport.

[VV]

So, a couple questions. Does Energy Font do much damage? Seems like a lot of work to get it going reliably. Or, at least a lot of writing.

 

Second, do you really run with teams that regularly allow you to set up with Wormhole? In my experience, crossing the distance with running is almost always faster than casting Wormhole. 

[Redlynne]

10 hours ago, VV said:

I have researched this long and hard, and have not yet found a way to increase the mag of Wormhole's Teleport.

That's because there ARE NO powers or effects that will allow the increase of Teleport MAG.

10 hours ago, VV said:

So, a couple questions. Does Energy Font do much damage? Seems like a lot of work to get it going reliably. Or, at least a lot of writing.

In my case I'd be using it more as part of a Ghetto Hold combining Stun and Immobilize effects.  I would consider the damage produced by Energy Font to be more of a "bonus" factor than a prime reason to add the proc with an emphasis on trying to maximize the damage output from it.  If you want to maximize the damage produced by Energy Font you'll want to either rig up Crushing Field in a way that can yield quick procs so as to have more than one Energy Font out at a time (thus multiplying damage output) and/or have powers like Assault running to boost their damage production via buff aura ... preferably both.

10 hours ago, VV said:

Second, do you really run with teams that regularly allow you to set up with Wormhole? In my experience, crossing the distance with running is almost always faster than casting Wormhole. 

My Gravity/Time Controller is still Level 19, because I've got 9 alts to "feed" and nowhere near enough time to play them all in ... and because I'm enjoying a leisurely leveling process of Do All The Things™ in each level bracket before advancing on to the next block of content.  To date, I haven't teamed yet with the character and it's been all solo ... but then again, I haven't reached Level 26 yet and don't have Wormhole yet (on this character).

 

That said, Wormhole is going to be yet another one of those powers that completely depends upon Player Skill™ to determine the value and usefuleness you'll get out of it.  There are different basic strategies you can use with it and all are completely dependent upon situation, circumstances and team dynamics.  When you're in a team, one thing which you CAN do is use Wormhole to pull the NEXT GROUP into Kill Zone that the current group is being herded into and defeated in.  So you can use Wormhole as a "scoop" that picks up piles before the rest of the team gets to them so as to keep the rest of the team occupied where they already are (in a $Target rich environment, which will tend to make them happy).  You can also use Wormhole proactively on the dogpile that is currently being engaged as not only a "collector" but also as an AoE Stun "attack" for herding.  Follow up with either Crushing Field or Dimension Shift and you've got a Stun+Immobilize effect going on that equates to a Ghetto Hold without needing to rely on Gravity Distortion Field as your actual AoE Hold.  The important thing here is that Wormhole, Crushing Field and Dimension Shift all recharge relatively quickly ... which means that you don't necessarily need to "save" your Gravity Distortion Field for "emergencies" or even "Oh %*#&!" moments, making it easier to use both options more routinely and regularly for mass lockdowns.

 

So in that respect, it's kind of like a knife.

Whether you cut yourself or something/someone else with it kind of depends on How You Use It ... and there are plenty of "right" ways, and plenty of "wrong" ways, to use the tool.

 

Wormhole is a TOOL power.

What you get out of it really does depend on what you put into it ... and when ... and where ... and how often ... and why ... and where you send them.  Getting the "most" out of that capability and functionality is on YOU the Player to figure out for yourself, and that's where Player Skill enters the equation and takes over the possibilities.

 

Hope that makes sense.

[VV]

Yeah, I know how to use Wormhole. I've been maining a Grav/ controller for years. That wasn't my question. In your original post, you mention opening with WH quite a lot. So, I was curious if you had determined a way to use that in practice commonly. But, I see that this is all speculative, so I guess not.

[Redlynne]

Well, if that's the way you want to frame the question, the only way to show you would be to SHOW YOU.  From a build planner standpoint, the capability to do so is THERE inside the build parameters.  Whether or not you can use it effectively as a Player is something that it is the responsibility of the Player to figure out and determine for themselves (hence, Player Skill being mentioned).  After that, it's just a matter of getting "familiar" with the tool at hand in order to learn how to use it most effectively/efficiently.

[longdayinrehab]

Hi Redlynne,

 

Long time reader, first time replier. Do you think the Storm secondary could provide an interesting interaction with DS? Specifically, after slotting KB>KD IOs in some of the key damage powers, would it be possible to DS ghetto-hold some folks in a bubble of tornadoes, freezing rain, and lightning storm craziness?

 

Admittedly, I've never played a /storm, but if this idea would work, I have so many visions of contained storm-chaos... like a snow globe of nature's fury.

[Uun]

2 hours ago, longdayinrehab said:

Hi Redlynne,

 

Long time reader, first time replier. Do you think the Storm secondary could provide an interesting interaction with DS? Specifically, after slotting KB>KD IOs in some of the key damage powers, would it be possible to DS ghetto-hold some folks in a bubble of tornadoes, freezing rain, and lightning storm craziness?

 

Admittedly, I've never played a /storm, but if this idea would work, I have so many visions of contained storm-chaos... like a snow globe of nature's fury.

I do this all the time with my Grav/Storm. It works well, but DS only lasts 20 seconds so you want to hit them with CF during this time so they don't run off. You need to summon the lightning storm, etc. from within the bubble.

[longdayinrehab]

4 hours ago, Uun said:

I do this all the time with my Grav/Storm. It works well, but DS only lasts 20 seconds so you want to hit them with CF during this time so they don't run off. You need to summon the lightning storm, etc. from within the bubble.

Awesome, thank you for the info. Guess I know what my next alt will be!

[Fatal Tech]

Redlynne, I really appreciate your well thought out build and explanations of how best to operate. I'm newly back to the game as of a few weeks and ready to move onto toon number 2.  Gravity was the troller I always wanted back on Live but could never seem to finish.  Your build has me ready to tackle it again.

 

Question:  It seems this is a relatively affordable build to produce.  I'm not great with Mids or the numbers part of the game, so I rely on the experts, but do you actively avoid heavy Purple usage or is this just the most optimized way to go?  Would upgrading to Purple sets anywhere improve things in any way?

[Vulpoid]

How do you feel about Sudden Acceleration KB->KD in Singularity?
Worth the slot?

[srmalloy]

On 7/3/2020 at 8:00 PM, VV said:

In your original post, you mention opening with WH quite a lot. So, I was curious if you had determined a way to use that in practice commonly.

It's a nice tool to pull with, since it doesn't aggro any mobs it misses (or nearby spawns, and deposits stunned mobs for cleanup. I do have to warn you about an odd quirk if you use Wormhole with "up:max" for the destination when you're outdoors -- sometimes mobs launched this way forget that they should fall back to the ground afterwards, and remain standing in midair where Wormhole dropped them. I have yet to explore the limits of using it with "cam:max" to fling mobs off of buildings, or "back:max" to yank mobs out of a spawn and deliver them back where the rest of your team is waiting to crush them, though.

[Agorazium]

On 4/6/2021 at 8:40 AM, Vulpoid said:

How do you feel about Sudden Acceleration KB->KD in Singularity?
Worth the slot?

With the KD proc you can also spawn Singy directly in the middle of a group to knock them all down and soak the alpha and immediate aggro. Definitely worth it IMO.

[BazookaTwo]

On 4/7/2021 at 12:13 PM, srmalloy said:

It's a nice tool to pull with, since it doesn't aggro any mobs it misses (or nearby spawns, and deposits stunned mobs for cleanup. I do have to warn you about an odd quirk if you use Wormhole with "up:max" for the destination when you're outdoors -- sometimes mobs launched this way forget that they should fall back to the ground afterwards, and remain standing in midair where Wormhole dropped them. I have yet to explore the limits of using it with "cam:max" to fling mobs off of buildings, or "back:max" to yank mobs out of a spawn and deliver them back where the rest of your team is waiting to crush them, though.

you have some binds or macros for that? 

[BazookaTwo]

So I farmed up one of these (Newtonian LTD on Reunion), and just did Lady Gray TF. A lot of fun. I'm not fully kitted out yet but I'm getting there! 

Any thought's on incarnate power picks? 

[srmalloy]

1 hour ago, BazookaTwo said:

you have some binds or macros for that? 

The ones I've kept are:

/macro Here "powexeclocation 0:10 Wormhole"

/macro Zoom "powexeclocation up:Max Wormhole"

/macro Boom "powexeclocation cam:max Wormhole"

/macro Pull "powexeclocation back:max Wormhole"

 

The first one yanks all or part of a spawn to a position right in front of you; the second puts them straight up over you, where they fall (or don't, depending) all around you. The third tosses them wherever you have your camera facing, and the last one yanks them well behind you, so you can move out in front of your group and yank mobs back to them for destruction.

 

With the new parameter that's been added, though, I want to see how well 'cursor' works:

 

/macro Hurl "powexeclocation cursor:max Wormhole"

[BazookaTwo]

On 4/29/2021 at 4:31 PM, srmalloy said:

The ones I've kept are:

/macro Here "powexeclocation 0:10 Wormhole"

/macro Zoom "powexeclocation up:Max Wormhole"

/macro Boom "powexeclocation cam:max Wormhole"

/macro Pull "powexeclocation back:max Wormhole"

 

The first one yanks all or part of a spawn to a position right in front of you; the second puts them straight up over you, where they fall (or don't, depending) all around you. The third tosses them wherever you have your camera facing, and the last one yanks them well behind you, so you can move out in front of your group and yank mobs back to them for destruction.

 

With the new parameter that's been added, though, I want to see how well 'cursor' works:

 

/macro Hurl "powexeclocation cursor:max Wormhole"

 Hurl totally works to put the mob far away from you

 

 

Edited May 1, 2021 by BazookaTwo

[srmalloy]

2 hours ago, BazookaTwo said:

 Hurl totally works to put the mob far away from you

It does have the limitation of needing to be slotted in a tray where you have a key command to trigger it; slotting it in a tray where you have to use a mouse click defeats the purpose.

[Bionic_Flea]

I didn't come across this thread until I had already designed my own build and tested it out on the Test Server using all the Freebies available. 

 

I decided to make a Gravity controller with Sorcery, to take advantage of the new changes to both Singularity and Sorcery pool, and further decided that Time was a powerful and thematic partner.  Thus was born: PHYSIC FLEA!  Master of Space and Time!

 

While my build is very different from Redlynne's, I really like the way it played so I will keep it.  I did steal one thing from your build -- I switched out a +5 generic recharge with a +5 Efficiency Adaptor end/recharge in Chrono Shift.  While I lose out on a bit of recharge, it is still perma-chrono and gain a decent amount of recovery to help fuel Spirit Ward and Enflame.

 

Standard approach for me was to Wormhole against a wall close to Singy, Crushing Field to keep them in place, Enflame a boss in group, propel or hold other bosses, cackle maniacally.  Singy with both pet resist procs, Spirit Ward, and his new attract/repel combo is an awesome tank buddie.

 

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.0.4.7
https://github.com/Reborn-Team/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Physic Flea: Level 50 Magic Controller
Primary Power Set: Gravity Control
Secondary Power Set: Time Manipulation
Power Pool: Sorcery
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Lift -- Dvs-Acc/Dmg(A), Dvs-Dmg/EndRdx(37), Dvs-Dmg/Rchg(37), Dvs-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), Dvs-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40), Dvs-Hold%(40)
Level 1: Time Crawl -- PcnoftheT-Acc/EndRdx(A)
Level 2: Gravity Distortion -- GldJvl-Acc/Dmg(A), GldJvl-Acc/Dmg/End/Rech(40), NrnSht-Dam%(42), GhsWdwEmb-Dam%(42), GldNet-Dam%(43), GldJvl-Dam%(43)
Level 4: Temporal Mending -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(5), Prv-Absorb%(5), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(7)
Level 6: Propel -- Apc-Dmg(A), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), Apc-Acc/Rchg(15), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(31), Apc-Dam%(31), GldJvl-Dam%(34)
Level 8: Mystic Flight -- BlsoftheZ-Travel/EndRdx(A), BlsoftheZ-ResKB(9), Frb-Stlth(9)
Level 10: Crushing Field -- SprFrzBls-Acc/Dmg(A), SprFrzBls-Dmg/EndRdx(11), SprFrzBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), SprFrzBls-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(13), SprFrzBls-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(13), SprFrzBls-Rchg/ImmobProc(15)
Level 12: Kick -- Empty(A)
Level 14: Arcane Bolt -- SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg(A), SprWntBit-Dmg/Rchg(34), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(34), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), SprWntBit-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(36), FrcFdb-Rechg%(36)
Level 16: Tough -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), GldArm-3defTpProc(17), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx(17), Ags-ResDam(19), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(19)
Level 18: Gravity Distortion Field -- GhsWdwEmb-Acc/EndRdx(A), NrnSht-Dam%(23), Lck-%Hold(27), GhsWdwEmb-Dam%(46), GldNet-Dam%(46), UnbCns-Dam%(46)
Level 20: Weave -- ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(A), Rct-ResDam%(21), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(21), Rct-Def/EndRdx(23)
Level 22: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(45)
Level 24: Rune of Protection -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(25), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(25), UnbGrd-Max HP%(27)
Level 26: Wormhole -- SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear(A), SprWiloft-Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/Rchg(48), SprWiloft-EndRdx/Rchg(48), SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx(48), SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx/Rchg(50), SprWiloft-Rchg/Dmg%(50)
Level 28: Farsight -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(29), LucoftheG-Def(29), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(31)
Level 30: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(50)
Level 32: Singularity -- SvrRgh-Acc/Dmg(A), SvrRgh-Dmg/EndRdx(33), SvrRgh-Acc/EndRdx(33), SvrRgh-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(33), SvrRgh-PetResDam(43), ExpRnf-+Res(Pets)(45)
Level 35: Scorpion Shield -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(42), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(45)
Level 38: Chrono Shift -- Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg(39), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(39), EffAdp-EndMod/Rchg(39)
Level 41: Spirit Ward -- DctWnd-Heal/EndRdx(A)
Level 44: Temporal Selection -- DctWnd-Heal/EndRdx(A)
Level 47: Enflame -- Rgn-Dmg/EndRdx(A)
Level 49: Tactics -- HO:Cyto(A)
Level 1: Containment
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Swift -- Flight-I(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(3)
Level 2: Stamina -- PwrTrns-+Heal(A), PwrTrns-EndMod(3)
Level 50: Intuition Radial Paragon
Level 50: Ion Radial Final Judgement
Level 50: Control Core Embodiment
Level 50: Reactive Radial Flawless Interface
Level 50: Clarion Radial Epiphany
Level 50: Freedom Phalanx Reserve
Level 50: Portal Jockey
Level 50: Task Force Commander
Level 50: The Atlas Medallion
------------

 

 

[High_Beam]

I love this guide and totally plan on integrating it into my character when I am actually up to that level and able to do the whole special enhancements.  The question I have and I cannot seem to find anything in the forums is weather there is an example of a leveling build that doesn't leverage all of this.  Or at least general slotting advice for those two powers (I know its often subjective but a framework is nice to have).

[Bionic_Flea]

I tend to buy attuned enhancements for most of my build and slot them as soon as I can.  That way the build levels as I do and I get the benefits of all the set bonuses on the way up.  I sometimes use purples in the final build that I slot at 50, but still use some other attuned set on the way up.  The sacrifice is that I then can't boost those attuned enhancements, but I tend not to use boosters too much beyond generic IOs, like +5 recharge in Hasten or +5 endurance reduction in Assault.

 

 

[Uun]

52 minutes ago, Bionic_Flea said:

I tend to buy attuned enhancements for most of my build and slot them as soon as I can.  That way the build levels as I do and I get the benefits of all the set bonuses on the way up.  I sometimes use purples in the final build that I slot at 50, but still use some other attuned set on the way up.  The sacrifice is that I then can't boost those attuned enhancements, but I tend not to use boosters too much beyond generic IOs, like +5 recharge in Hasten or +5 endurance reduction in Assault.

I do this as well, although I often hold off on slotting attuned sets until level 27 (upper tier attuned sets often can't be slotted below that level). Alternatively, I may slot a lower tier set and then unslot it when I hit 27 (removed IOs get converted and sold).

[Sykar]

Having fiddled around with my lvl 40 Grav/Time troller, I am wondering how Temp Inv stacks up against Time Junction. I only have 2 respecs left atm and do not want to waste too many more. I do not like Time Junction much considering that it is a toggle with really poor range. After getting destroyed by Calvin Scott in the last mission of that quest chain thrice I ponder if Temp. Invul would have made an actual difference though out of anger just completed the mission by now via quest giver instead because I grew tired of that nonsense. All in all I am not at all impressed with Time Junction. If it were at least targetable on an enemy or somesuch but the range is like 2 meters. Almost melee.

[Uun]

3 hours ago, Sykar said:

Having fiddled around with my lvl 40 Grav/Time troller, I am wondering how Temp Inv stacks up against Time Junction. I only have 2 respecs left atm and do not want to waste too many more. I do not like Time Junction much considering that it is a toggle with really poor range. After getting destroyed by Calvin Scott in the last mission of that quest chain thrice I ponder if Temp. Invul would have made an actual difference though out of anger just completed the mission by now via quest giver instead because I grew tired of that nonsense. All in all I am not at all impressed with Time Junction. If it were at least targetable on an enemy or somesuch but the range is like 2 meters. Almost melee.

I assume you're talking about Provost Marchand's arc. That last mission is a pain to solo for most ATs. Time's Juncture is a PBAOE -dmg/-tohit/-speed. The radius is 25 feet, not 2 meters. Calvin Scott is an AV downgraded to EB and heavily resists -tohit. Temp Inv is a S/L res armor. Calvin Scott's attacks are Energy/Lethal, so Temp Inv will reduce damage taken from the lethal damage. Doubt it would have kept you alive. Do you have Farsight? 

[Sykar]

Yeah that is the arc. Went smooth until that final fight. Yeah I got Farsight though with it up I get my defenses to about 11% not all that much. Did not seem to make that much of a difference. I could barely even get anything out. Those mines he lays hurt like hell and the Singy is down in maybe 10-15 seconds. Sure 2 meters was a it of a hyperbole but it is a fairly short range. Foot is about 1/3 of a meter so 25/3=6 meters. Still pretty close range, too close to comfort for me.