Gravity/Time ... Propelling The Future, NOW™

[Scientist]

Time Crawl has been super handy to augment the other Time powers that affect enemies if I need that boost but I don't slot it and put just an Accuracy/Slow in there boosted to +5 and that has been enough. What is really handy is if they are in a Distortion Field then that becomes a hold, if I used Time Stop it increases the magnitude. Slowed Response? Bigger debuff. And I've noticed you can apply that out of order to get the boost. You don't need to lead with Time Crawl.

 

 

Would a Hami-O Acc/Mezz increase the duration of Time Crawl at all?  It isn't really a standard mezz. 

[Maslow]

Does this solo ok? At at levels? I'm up to 29, not following a build, and well soloing doesn't work. If this is better for learning the combo or leveling, I might spec into it.

[Redlynne]

Does this solo ok? At at levels? I'm up to 29, not following a build, and well soloing doesn't work. If this is better for learning the combo or leveling, I might spec into it.

 

According to the testimonials I've received from other people who have decided to play it, it works pretty darn well.  Once you add Singularity into the mix, and learn how to "combat teleport" using Mystic Flight in order to drag your Singularity into combat with stuff so your Singularity is tanking for you, it ought to begin to get rather ... unfair ... and that's before pulling off Wormhole shenanigans.  By the time you're getting into the late 20s/early 30s is when the build really starts to "open up" and get REALLY powerful, because it's at that point that you begin getting 3 slots per slot level, instead of just 2 (and you start getting "more" slot levels than you had before).  You'll move from playing 2D chess to 3D chess, and by the time you're reaching towards Incarnate it'll be more like 4D chess.

[DoctorBorris]

This seems to lack aoe. What combos are used in grouts to deal with trash.  Do you have any combos for controllers that don't AOE as well?

[Grumblings]

Loving this build, thanks for posting it. What did you do for Incarnates?

[Kyubei]

Hey,

 

New(ish) player here and I have a couple of questions about this build that I hope you could answer:

 

1. Why do you not take any of the Ancillary power pools?

 

2. Why do you take Spirit Ward? Do you use it on Singularity?

 

3. Can you briefly describe how a typical encounter would look like? What are your opening powers..?

 

Ty.

[Redlynne]

1. Why do you not take any of the Ancillary power pools?

 

Lack of slots for powers picked at Levels 41+ and putting a higher priority on powers other than the APPs.

You'll notice that every power chosen from 41+ "needs" to be a One Slot Wonder™ simply because by then I've run out of slots.  Most APPs, to make them worth the effort, need at least some slots dedicated to them and this build is already tight enough as is on slots which have been dedicated elsewhere.

 

 

 

2. Why do you take Spirit Ward? Do you use it on Singularity?

 

To use on Singularity or on any other aggro magnet.

What some people know but not everyone does is that Singularity cannot be Healed.  Healing (like Aid Other, for example) simply doesn't work on Singularity.  But you can boost Regeneration on Singularity, so Temporal Selection from */Time works, and "ablative health" from Absorb (presumably) works, because neither of these effects is "healing" Singularity (game mechanically) speaking with an instant green bar refill.  However, the combination of Temporal Selection AND Spirit Ward on Singularity, either alternating or simulcast, can significantly enhance Singularity's durability as an aggro magnet.

 

 

 

3. Can you briefly describe how a typical encounter would look like? What are your opening powers..?

 

 

It kind of depends on the level you're at and the situation you're confronted with.

Basic idea though is to neutralize your adversaries and then pound them into submission (just like always).

 

Some tricks that you can use are:

• If you've got a Singularity out already, activate Sprint for partial Stealth, activate Mystic Flight for access to the "combat teleport" of Translocation and then teleport yourself to the other side of a pile of hostiles (far enough away from them so they won't aggro you upon arrival).  Singularity will "follow" you to your new location, blundering into the pile and take aggro+alpha for you.  This then leaves you free to do ... whatever ... to the mess that Singularity makes of them.  Alternatively, if Singularity is recharged, you can just summon a new Singularity right where you want it to make a mess of a dogpile of aggro you don't feel like taking the alpha strike from yourself.  Buff Singularity with Temporal Selection and/or Spirit Ward as needed.
  
• Wormhole into the corner/ceiling is always fun.  Follow up with Crushing Field (slotted with 5 Overwhelming Force) to bring out the Energy Font to achieve Stun+Immobilize=Ghetto Hold.
  
• Combine Time's Juncture and Distortion Field via positioning.  Use Gravity Distortion+Time Stop to Hold targets of Boss level on up.  Use Crushing Field (with 5 slot Overwhelming Force) to prevent $Targets from "leaving" the Distortion Field+Time's Juncture zone of denial.  Break out the buckets and mops as needed.

You get the idea.

[Kyubei]

Thank you for the response. Very helpful.

[Redlynne]

We make every pretense of competency around here ... ^_~

[Doc Ranger]

I started a Grav/Time because of this thread and it's at 36 now and it really is very effective. Mobs are frozen and your teammates are safe from harm. Good fun...thanks.

[Redlynne]

 

 

 

 

[Kyubei]

Any tips on how to deal with endurance issues? I seem to be doing fine in teams but when I'm solo I seem to run out of endurance rather quickly, even if I don't have all off the leadership powers active.

[Redlynne]

Crushing Field is a huge endurance sink, even with slotting.  Try not to spam it every time it's recharged.  The duration on the Immobilize is pretty decent so you don't need to be recasting it all the time.  That was my biggest lesson to learn while playing Gravity back on Virtue.  Just because a power is recharged doesn't mean I had to use it (right now!).  I kept wondering the same thing, why is my endurance drained to nearly zero after EVERY fight?  Then I stopped using Crushing Field every time it was recharged and a huge chunk of my endurance deficit problems just evaporated.

[Maldroth]

Any tips on how to deal with endurance issues? I seem to be doing fine in teams but when I'm solo I seem to run out of endurance rather quickly, even if I don't have all off the leadership powers active.

 

The advise of Crushing Field is solid but I didn't take it in my build. Having one Endurance enhancement helps a ton in your frequently cast powers and once you have Chrono Shift  things swing in the other direction and I was able to only have two slots in Stamina with IOs.

[ThrillMill]

Any tips on how to deal with endurance issues? I seem to be doing fine in teams but when I'm solo I seem to run out of endurance rather quickly, even if I don't have all off the leadership powers active.

 

The advise of Crushing Field is solid but I didn't take it in my build. Having one Endurance enhancement helps a ton in your frequently cast powers and once you have Chrono Shift  things swing in the other direction and I was able to only have two slots in Stamina with IOs.

 

First, thank you for the Gravity Info, Red. It's proven very helpful to me on my own journey with the set. I've been using your slotting for Gravity Distortion 2 Devs/2 Lockdowns/2 Hamis. It's fantastic and I recommend everyone slot their STH's with something similar.

 

Now, as it concerns crushing Field... You're absolutely correct that it's an end hog. That being said, I've been able to spam it with regularity by 3 slotting Stamina +end proc/endmod/endmod AND 3 slotting Health with Miracle/Numina/Pancea. It's my personal belief that character lacks AoE damage and I want to spam the 2 procs I've got in there (Font and Gravity Anchors hold).

[Heretk]

Thanks Red for this post and your many others on builds!

 

You mention in the OP that Time is a good way to balance the drawbacks of Grav. I am a total noob when it comes to Controllers ... what are the strengths of Grav?

[Redlynne]

Thanks Red for this post and your many others on builds!

 

 

You mention in the OP that Time is a good way to balance the drawbacks of Grav. I am a total noob when it comes to Controllers ... what are the strengths of Grav?

 

Gravity is more of a "blastery" set than a "controllery" one, in the sense that Gravity has a remarkably limited collection of powers to apply lockdown or even AoE on piles of $Targets.  Look at the powers of Gravity Control.

 

City of Data ... Gravity Control

• Crush ... single target Immobilize
  
• Lift ... single target Knockup
  
• Gravity Distortion ... single target Hold
  
• Propel ... single target Knockback
  
• Crushing Field ... target AoE Immobilize
  
• Dimension Shift ... location AoE Intangible + Stun
  
• Gravity Distortion Field ... target AoE Hold
  
• Wormhole ... target AoE Teleport Foe + Knockback + Stun
  
• Singularity ... summoned Pet (crush, gravity distortion, lift, repel)

You've got 2 Immobilizes (single target and target AoE), 2 Holds (single target and target AoE), 2 Knocks (up and back) ... plus an Intangible, a Foe Teleport/Stun and a Pet.

 

Notice what's missing in that combination ... ways to shut down $Targets attacking you and your team.  Gravity is somewhat lockdown-lite, compared to other Controller primaries.

Now there's some pretty decent soft control in Knockup/back but it doesn't "last" like a Hold or a Sleep does.  Immobilizes keep $Targets from closing to melee range, but do remarkably little to stop ranged attacks (surprise, I know).

 

So to contrast, when I play my Mind Controller, I'm playing City of Statues the whole way when soloing.  I lock down piles of 3 and just beat them down in Containment.  And if it's more than 3, I Confuse them and divide and conquer.

But when playing my Gravity Controller, I'm almost constantly being attacked because I haven't got enough lockdown to go around.  So I have to BLAST my $Targets down with a weaker lockdown while getting attacked the entire time.

 

But with Time Manipulation, there's +Defense for me (and mine) and -ToHit for them combined with -Recharge helping to shut down my $Targets in a way that helps provide the necessary mitigation to incoming damage that Gravity alone isn't going to be preventing all that well.  It's that complementary factor from Time that helps Gravity be a lot better at achieving lockdown status.

 

Crushing Field + Distortion Field + Time's Juncture + Farsight = AoE shutdown (if not outright lockdown) ... and the recharge on this combination is faster than the recharge on Gravity Distortion Field, meaning that having this "ghetto hold" combo dramatically improves the control "power" of Gravity, and you can still use Lift and Propel to smack $Targets around with Impact in combination with Gravity Distortion.  Add Energy Font for summoning Stun Aura pet(s) and you've got a winner for area denial and shutdown (if not outright lockdown, close enough to make little difference).

 

That's how I think the two sets complement each other beautifully, and I haven't even mentioned stacking repeat casting of (Time Crawl + Time Stop) and Gravity Distortion along with Singularity also casting Gravity Distortion so as to stack enough Hold MAG to pierce PToD and Hold Archvillains.

[Olthoi986]

Can you clarify why you are opting for Set IOs at level 27? Is there something about being able to exemplar down to level 24 that is significant? Otherwise, you could take your Decimation down to level 25, right? Alternatively, would it be worth investing in Attuned sets so the top end bonuses are higher?

[Dahle]

Can you clarify why you are opting for Set IOs at level 27? Is there something about being able to exemplar down to level 24 that is significant? Otherwise, you could take your Decimation down to level 25, right? Alternatively, would it be worth investing in Attuned sets so the top end bonuses are higher?

 

I also don't understand the reasoning for using the lower level IOs, you lose effectiveness at higher levels that either Attuned of max leveled IOs offer.  I was under the impression when the game was shutdown that no matter what level the enhancement, when you exemplar, the effectiveness was diminished on a smooth curve.  I had to search for it but this explained it for me: https://cityofheroes.fandom.com/wiki/Exemplar_Effects_on_Enhancements.

 

And level 32 was the real breakpoint when exemplaring because that is where, no matter what, your enhancements didn't change.

[Olthoi986]

 

I also don't understand the reasoning for using the lower level IOs, you lose effectiveness at higher levels that either Attuned of max leveled IOs offer.  I was under the impression when the game was shutdown that no matter what level the enhancement, when you exemplar, the effectiveness was diminished on a smooth curve.  I had to search for it but this explained it for me: https://cityofheroes.fandom.com/wiki/Exemplar_Effects_on_Enhancements.

 

And level 32 was the real breakpoint when exemplaring because that is where, no matter what, your enhancements didn't change.

 

Check out https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Exemplar_Effects_on_Enhancements#Set_bonuses and https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Enhancement_Set_Bonuses#Set_Bonuses_and_Exemplaring for behavior specific to the set bonuses. My highest is only level 30, so I'm not too familiar with how sets work yet, but I gather you're correct about the individual enhancement bonus scaling to any exemplar level. Apparently the set bonuses will not work 4 below the level of the IO, so if the set bonus is important you, you need to use low level set IOs. But then end up with lower individual enhancement bonuses.

[Dahle]

 

I also don't understand the reasoning for using the lower level IOs, you lose effectiveness at higher levels that either Attuned of max leveled IOs offer.  I was under the impression when the game was shutdown that no matter what level the enhancement, when you exemplar, the effectiveness was diminished on a smooth curve.  I had to search for it but this explained it for me: https://cityofheroes.fandom.com/wiki/Exemplar_Effects_on_Enhancements.

 

And level 32 was the real breakpoint when exemplaring because that is where, no matter what, your enhancements didn't change.

 

Check out https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Exemplar_Effects_on_Enhancements#Set_bonuses and https://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Enhancement_Set_Bonuses#Set_Bonuses_and_Exemplaring for behavior specific to the set bonuses. My highest is only level 30, so I'm not too familiar with how sets work yet, but I gather you're correct about the individual enhancement bonus scaling to any exemplar level. Apparently the set bonuses will not work 4 below the level of the IO, so if the set bonus is important you, you need to use low level set IOs. But then end up with lower individual enhancement bonuses.

 

Interesting.  Isn't that an argument for people who plan to exemplar a lot to utilize attuned enhancements on anything by PvP and Purples?

[Redlynne]

Can you clarify why you are opting for Set IOs at level 27? Is there something about being able to exemplar down to level 24 that is significant? Otherwise, you could take your Decimation down to level 25, right? Alternatively, would it be worth investing in Attuned sets so the top end bonuses are higher?

 

Interesting.  Isn't that an argument for people who plan to exemplar a lot to utilize attuned enhancements on anything by PvP and Purples?

 

I am Ye Olde Skool when it comes to build planning.  Attunement of enhancements didn't exist in Issues 1-23.  This meant that the best compromise balance point for Set IOs was, in most cases, at either Level 27 (for Exemplar Level 24 content due to Flashback level brackets) or at Level 31 (for Exemplar Level 28 for the Moonfire Task Force).  With attunement it's less of an imperative, but I still write up my builds "the old way" for people who aren't rich enough to be able to afford attunements for every Set IO they've got yet.

[Dahle]

Can you clarify why you are opting for Set IOs at level 27? Is there something about being able to exemplar down to level 24 that is significant? Otherwise, you could take your Decimation down to level 25, right? Alternatively, would it be worth investing in Attuned sets so the top end bonuses are higher?

 

Interesting.  Isn't that an argument for people who plan to exemplar a lot to utilize attuned enhancements on anything by PvP and Purples?

 

I am Ye Olde Skool when it comes to build planning.  Attunement of enhancements didn't exist in Issues 1-23.  This meant that the best compromise balance point for Set IOs was, in most cases, at either Level 27 (for Exemplar Level 24 content due to Flashback level brackets) or at Level 31 (for Exemplar Level 28 for the Moonfire Task Force).  With attunement it's less of an imperative, but I still write up my builds "the old way" for people who aren't rich enough to be able to afford attunements for every Set IO they've got yet.

 

Yeah, I am adapting now to the attuned enhancements and everything.  I think I need will leave my current as is, all level 50+5s because I hate exemplaring him.  But my Plant/Rad is super fun at all levels so i'll need to take the IO stuff into deeper consideration.

[Olthoi986]

So I've been treating my Gravity/Time Controller as my main as I dive into CoH for the first time since 2004. I've been referencing this build a lot as I level and start to look into slotting sets and learning about sets in general. I have a few general questions for you on the direction you went with this build.

 

Do you feel it is "squishy" with the relatively low defenses, or can a Controller get by below the soft-cap due to the nature of their abilities? Is this something that can be resolved by moving into the more expensive tier of sets? If you were to focus on some defenses, would ranged defense make the most sense?

 

Since almost all damage comes from Lift, Propel, and Singularity, would it be worthwhile to slot damage procs where possible? I find that between Distortion Field and the two holds, I can lock down a medium-sized group really well but then it's fairly tedious picking off targets one by one.

 

Thanks for the guide!

[Redlynne]

Do you feel it is "squishy" with the relatively low defenses, or can a Controller get by below the soft-cap due to the nature of their abilities? Is this something that can be resolved by moving into the more expensive tier of sets? If you were to focus on some defenses, would ranged defense make the most sense?

 

How combat "flows" will vary greatly between solo and group play.  In group play, so long as you aren't going out of your way to draw aggro upon yourself, you can get by just fine with low Defense values by relying on your hard/soft controls to "neutralize" your opposition while the aggro magnets hold attention.  Note that the combination of -ToHit debuffing from Time's Juncture and +Defense buffing from Farsight will often push you towards the defensive softcap, so if you find yourself taking too many hits, often the solution is to either move in closer to bring Time's Juncture to bear, or to "throw" your Singularity at your $Targets in order to give time someone (something?) else to unload their ... displeasure ... into.  And when in doubt ... Wormhole.

 

And yes, Ranged Defense makes a lot of sense, but so does Melee and AoE.  Personally, I prefer to take the balanced approach to the question, since my first (and signature?) protection scheme was Super Reflexes back in Issue 2.

 

Since almost all damage comes from Lift, Propel, and Singularity, would it be worthwhile to slot damage procs where possible? I find that between Distortion Field and the two holds, I can lock down a medium-sized group really well but then it's fairly tedious picking off targets one by one.

 

Despite appearances, most Controller primaries are not going to be ideal places for finding AoE damage output.  Some are better than others at it, but none of them are really spectacular at it.  Gravity, like Mind, is one of the more single target focused powersets.  It's just the nature of the beast.

 

As for damage procs ... it's really up to you whether or not you think they'll be a big help to you.  It's too much of a judgement call for me to Tell You™ either a yes or a no answer to that question, since HOW you play your Controller might be radically different from how I do, even with the exact same powers and build (to say nothing of costume design!).  Best I can suggest is that you experiment and decide for yourself if the return on investment yields a superior option for your playstyle.