The AT Just Doesn't Have IT

[Hexquisite]

I recently made my twelfth attempt at a Controller ( Illusion/Time; base character concept was a dreamwalker who could manifest dreams into reality; not the most original, I know, but I also don't care. It sounded fun in concept to both play and RP) and once again found myself, utterly and completely, bored senseless. As I was with other eleven Controllers I've attempted since I found Homecoming, and with however-many-I-honestly-can't-remember I rolled back on live. It's the same every time, no matter what combination of powers I choose, or clever character backstory or concept I come up with. 

 

I'd had similar issues with Defenders and Corrupters, but after a few serious tries, have managed to make them work for me with a solid character concept, and had fun playing them. But nothing I do seems to make Controllers interesting, or even fun. I know many people enjoy them, and I love that they do, but I'm at the point where I don't understand why. 

 

So the only conclusion I've come to is that the archetype simply doesn't gel with me and how I like to play.

 

But this isn't about getting me to like Controllers, or finding out why other people like them. This post is because this thought process got me wondering if anyone else has had this experience with any ATs. And I don't mean 'my first attempt at Tankers/Dominators/Sentinels/whatever was a bust, but then I found an awesome build and now I love it.' I mean even with the strongest build, the best combination of powers, the best character concept, the best groups, after several attempts you still couldn't get into it.

 

So, anyone else? Is there an AT that simply doesn't do it for you? And if so, have you figured out why? 

 

And most importantly, have any amusing anecdotes of your efforts?

[ImpousVileTerror]

Controllers were my favourite Archetype before City of Villains.  Masterminds now hold that position.

Scrappers are to me what Controllers are to you, though.  Whenever I play one, I just find myself asking . . . -why-?!   Tankers, Brutes, and Stalkers are all so much more enjoyable.  They all have so much more identity and purpose than a Scrapper does!  

Sorry @MunkiLord.  I most certainly do -not- want to be a Scrapper.

[Darkneblade]

Almost all melee AT's....

They don't have immobilize usually and I have very lazy playstyle, so they don't get along together. Teleporters are worst...

I rather play controller and tickling them to death instead of whacking them into running.

[Greycat]

AT as a whole? No.

 

The closest I've come is back when I was *trying* to like my bots/FF mastermind and - as I keep putting it - it nearely bored me away from the entire AT. Tried a thugs/poison and loved it. So, for me it's just some powersets or powerset combos.

 

But, eh. Nothing wrong with things just not "clicking."

[Coyotedancer]

I'm in that boat with Warshades…

I've tried human-only. I've tried bi-forms. I tried a tri-form "MFing Warshade" with what was, I was assured, a kick-ass build. 

 

I hated every one of them. 

 

It's not that I dislike the form-shifting or the Kheldian-thing in general. I've had bi-form and human-only PBs and enjoyed them all. 

No... It's just that I apparently can't get along with 'Shades. <_<

 

 

Edited June 12, 2020 by Coyotedancer

[0th Power]

Masterminds

 

why would I want to go around buffing npcs?

[Hexquisite]

27 minutes ago, Darkneblade said:

Almost all melee AT's....

They don't have immobilize usually and I have very lazy playstyle, so they don't get along together. Teleporters are worst...

I rather play controller and tickling them to death instead of whacking them into running.

Opposite for me. Melee is where I'm happiest. There was a time when I couldn't get into any AT's that didn't offer me close combat opportunities. That has, fortunately, changed, and I've found ways to have fun with ranged and support, but I'm still a melee girl at heart.

 

Maybe that's why I can't get into Controllers. . . everything they do (the 'tickling') just feels like waiting for the mobs to die, rather than having an active hand in putting them down.

[GastlyGibus]

Peacebringers and Warshades.

No matter how hard I try or what kind of concept I go for, I can never stick with them for long. They both feel like AT's that are trying to do everything but aren't capable of doing anything as well as other AT's. I know some will disagree and say I'm wrong, but that's just my personal experience. I never know what to do with them and they always just feel so underwhelming to me.

[Heatstroke]

46 minutes ago, Hexquisite said:

 

 

So, anyone else? Is there an AT that simply doesn't do it for you? And if so, have you figured out why? 

 

 

Mostly scrappers.. find them boring.. Ive deleted almost every scrapper I have ever made.. only one has ever survived.. 

[Rathulfr]

58 minutes ago, Darkneblade said:

Almost all melee AT's....

They don't have immobilize usually and I have very lazy playstyle, so they don't get along together. Teleporters are worst...

I rather play controller and tickling them to death instead of whacking them into running.

 

Same with me.  I just loathe chasing down targets.  It's just more satisfying to blast everything until it's defeated.  But I also get frustrated with Defenders, Controllers, and Sentinels: they take forever to defeat targets.  I do like tanking sometimes, because then I'm concentrating on taunting and managing aggro, instead of DPS.  But aside from that, I prefer ranged-only DPS.

 

Edited June 12, 2020 by Rathulfr

[Redlynne]

1 hour ago, Hexquisite said:

I know many people enjoy them, and I love that they do, but I'm at the point where I don't understand why.

When soloing, played right, a Controller "defeats" the mobs they encounter BEFORE the fight starts, rather than after.  Once lockdown is established, it's simply a matter of debuffing HP until XP/INF get released.  Control heavy gameplay relies heavily upon the notion of neutralizing your opponents before you faceplant them, resulting in a (preferred) City of Statues style of gameplay that by design isn't that dynamic ... instead it's all about "winning" from the start and then just mopping up.  If you're trading blows as a Controller, you're losing.  You are not a Scrapper ... you're a Controller.  You CONSTRAIN (or control, if you prefer) what your opponents are ALLOWED to do.  Prevent them from taking actions while you continue to take actions (lockdown) and you win.  That way, the risk is at the start of the fights (kind of like with Regeneration) ... rather than at the end of them.  Your opening move determines how the entire battle progresses ... and whether your $Targets even get a "turn" to act against you at all.

[Oubliette_Red]

Tanks.

 

I'm used to playing Controllers/Corruptors/Defenders dishing out buffs to my teammates and debuffet on the enemies. And it's not melee in general, I've had Dual Blade and Pistol characters and well as Stalkers that I've enjoyed. Tanks just don't suit my chosen form of playstyle.

 

Edited June 13, 2020 by Oubliette_Red

[Nafsmar]

26 minutes ago, Redlynne said:

When soloing, played right, a Controller "defeats" the mobs they encounter BEFORE the fight starts, rather than after.  Once lockdown is established, it's simply a matter of debuffing HP until XP/INF get released.  Control heavy gameplay relies heavily upon the notion of neutralizing your opponents before you faceplant them, resulting in a (preferred) City of Statues style of gameplay that by design isn't that dynamic ... instead it's all about "winning" from the start and then just mopping up.  If you're trading blows as a Controller, you're losing.  You are not a Scrapper ... you're a Controller.  You CONSTRAIN (or control, if you prefer) what your opponents are ALLOWED to do.  Prevent them from taking actions while you continue to take actions (lockdown) and you win.  That way, the risk is at the start of the fights (kind of like with Regeneration) ... rather than at the end of them.  Your opening move determines how the entire battle progresses ... and whether your $Targets even get a "turn" to act against you at all.

Very well said. I have the same issue with most other ATs because I just love my Ice blaster he controls and does great damage. I abhor chasing targets down to finish them off when I could just shoot them down quickly. I honestly could not get into defenders and controllers due to low damage compared to blasters. However all that being said I gained a lot of respect for controllers when I created my Ill/Rad troller that I use in the SBB. Rad debuffs the AVs supremely and my pets(this includes my 3 teammates) destroy them easily. By far my favorite SBB toon. I am currently working on a kin/fire Defender to go the other route and be a great buffer. She is almost SBB ready. 

[Yomo Kimyata]

Dominators.  I have a love/hate relationship with them.  Either they are so mind-bendingly easy and seamless to play that I wonder why I would bother to get perma-dom, or they are so clunky and obstreperous that I don't want to go through the bother of getting them to perma-dom.

 

I'm also not a fan of the EATs, both of the H and V variety, but I haven't tried either since Live.

[ImpousVileTerror]

Why, @0th Power?

Because they do what you tell them to do, unlike any other NPCs.

Hell!  Sometimes even better than some players.

[Communistpenguin]

Masterminds. I want to like them, I even have a Merc/pain with a good solid concept... Its just soooo boring, Same with Bots/rad, I want to like it, but its just not active enough for me. Mind you, My main, and the character I learned the game on back on live, is a storm/elec. So i like alot going on, and I like Jack of all trades characters.

[ImpousVileTerror]

I suppose I'm just an RTS player at heart.   I find there's ALWAYS something to do as a Mastermind to either optimize my Henchpet deployment or provide support with my own Powers.  I have a whole slough of custom keybinds for manoeuvring and cycling Henchpets.  

Same reason I like(d) Controllers:  It was all about having oversight of the entire battlefield; choosing targets carefully and activating the best solution for the moment-to-moment problems which presented themselves.

[TheOtherTed]

Another for Masterminds.  I tried three different types when I bought CoV, and... eh.  The third one (Ninjas, I think) I got to 6th level, looked at my pocket posse after a fight, and thought... eh.  I realized I'd rather play a character than manage a bunch of 'em.  Logged out, deleted all MMs, and haven't looked back.

 

I've never played epic archetypes (Kheldians or Arachnos), and I have no desire to do so.  Not a fan of "do everything" classes, and for Kheldians especially I didn't like the idea that some abilities were only available in specific, costume-destroying forms.

 

Loved Controllers, though.  Still do.  I enjoy Dominators as well, but somehow all my Dominators end up getting remade as Controllers.

[Coyote]

Scrappers, for me. It feels like scrapperlocking is shutting off my brain, and if I'm going to do that I'm going to go all the way and just run a /FF MM and just point "kill that guy, over there. Then fetch me a beer."
BTW, that works better with Mercs and other human henchmen (and Robots)... Demons deliberately shake the beer, and you don't want to know what the undead do.

[0th Power]

1 hour ago, ImpousVileTerror said:

Why, @0th Power?

Because they do what you tell them to do, unlike any other NPCs.

Hell!  Sometimes even better than some players.

Just not my cup of tea.  I’ve made lots of masterminds that never get past level 10ish

[DrInfernus]

I’ve found joy in all ATs except two: 

 

Masterminds: I want to play the game. I don’t just want to manage AI bots while they play it. So so dull. 
 

Scrappers: They just bore me with their wholly unsophisticated playstyle. There’s no skill to scrapping that I’ve ever been able to identify so it’s tough to gain any real pride from it. Just a whole AT completely devoid of any finesse. 

[cranebump]

PB/WS and MMS.(I wish I could create a playable character just using the Whip powers though). I also don’t play any buffers where you have to monitor and target individuals (shields, kins). Lazy playstyle, I guess.

[Omega-202]

While I love the concepts, I feel like half of the ATs in the game are just straight outclassed and make me feel this way.

 

Scrappers - Outside of TW, I feel like every setup is better as either a Brute or Stalker.  

 

Sentinels - Objectively beaten at their job of tanky-ranged damage by VEATs. 

 

Controllers - Control is not very useful in the endgame meta and damage is king.  Support is better provided by Defenders and Corruptors.

 

Warshades, Peacebringers and Masterminds - Just undertuned and in need of help.

 

I think Tanks, Brutes, Stalkers, Blasters, VEATs, Corruptors and Defenders all have solid slots and Dominators can keep up, but the rest are jist don't have "it" in my eyes.

[Heraclea]

Started a couple defenders.  Never found one that interested me.

 

Now, the controller I found I like best is a plants/poison.  One simple thing distinguishes this one from the others I tried.  Very few powers are aimed at teammates or allies.  There;s a spot heal, a pseudopet heal, and an anti-mez buff and that's it.    Almost all the powers are aimed at enemies.  As a healer you're going to suck.  

 

That said, my comfort zone is tankers, brutes, and scrappers.  Mez protection makes a character that much pleasanter to play.   

Edited June 13, 2020 by Heraclea
sp

[MunkiLord]

10 hours ago, ImpousVileTerror said:

Controllers were my favourite Archetype before City of Villains.  Masterminds now hold that position.

Scrappers are to me what Controllers are to you, though.  Whenever I play one, I just find myself asking . . . -why-?!   Tankers, Brutes, and Stalkers are all so much more enjoyable.  They all have so much more identity and purpose than a Scrapper does!  

Sorry @MunkiLord.  I most certainly do -not- want to be a Scrapper.

BLASPHEMY! It's well established and I have given proof, everyone wants to be a Scrapper. I don't just make this stuff up, it's science.