What pairs best with Storm Summoning?

[Damoklese]

Any class and combo.. what do you feel is the best set to go with storm summoning?

 

Things to consider:

 

1) Theme.   Sure you may have a lot of mechanical synergy with assault rifle.. but a storm summoner that shoots people with an assault rifle?  Just not very strong thematically.

 

2) Knockback.  Its a thing with SS.  You can slot them with KBtoKD, or maybe pair with a set that can hold things still.  Or perhaps you just kill everything fast enough that it doesnt matter how far and wide they are being flung.  Perhaps you feel that the best combo doesnt care about knockback and is a beast played solo where it doesnt matter.  All of these are viable suggestions when talking about the best storm combo.

 

3) Ancillary/Patron pools.  Maybe they make a difference in the best choice.

 

 

So the reason im asking is because I have tried to make a storm summoner since the game was live.  I have never managed to even get one to the point that I got to play with Tornado.  I have to remedy this.  I MUST have a level 50 storm summoner.  That being said..ive been poring over all of my class options with SS and cant decide which route I should go.  Please help me figure this out! 😄

[Blastit]

Plant Control is fairly classic. You can combine it with the earth APP for a superdruid or incarnation of nature style. Earth Control works for a more disaster/force of nature-oriented character. Ice Blast is a direct extension of the weather theme and gives you both good single-target damage as well as some holds and extra slows. There's also powers called "Ice Storm" and "Blizzard" so that's another thematic match.

[Peacemoon]

There are two ways you can play Storm Summoning (which is an amazing set):

 

EMBRACE THE CHAOS!

 

or 

 

Mitigate the chaos

 

Both are mighty fine choices but it depends what is fun for you. Arguably mitigating the chaos will be most welcomely received on most standard teams, but embracing the chaos can be more fun, especially solo and in small teams with people you know.

 

So to mitigate the chaos you are really looking at a Controller, particularly one with an AoE immobilise that gives knockback protection to mobs. It helps keep them all nicely packed together.m and means lightning storm, Gale, tornado etc, won’t scatter them. 

Arguably the best for this, both gameplay wise and thematically is Earth Control. Earth brings so much hard lockdown and it’s low damage is boosted a lot by Storm’s high damage. 
Mobs will be pinned down and battered with storms until they are defeated.

Fire, Ice and Plant are other alternatives. 

 

I have an Earth/Storm alt I keep meaning to get to, and I find it very fun. As for APP you can go any direction you like, but I changed my Earth powers to molten and picked up the fire APP. Earth, Fire and Storm... 

 

To embrace the chaos you are looking at Defenders, Corruptors and Masterminds, or something like Illusion Control.

With this style rather than locking things down as a form of defence, you are looking to knock things down or away so that mobs can’t do much against you, and pummel them with much higher damage from your blasts or pets.
 

I think Defenders tend to work better than Corruptors because their a Storm set is quite superior in buff/debuff numbers and damage. Thematically you could pair with electric, fire or cold blast? If you went for a more technology theme then rifles and pistols definitely could work.

Illusion control works nicely because you are doubling up on chaos, you have pets that can tank which helps mitigate the lack of lockdown, and both sets really love recharge so you can focus on that to get perma phantom army and 3+ lightning storms out. 
 

There’s a lot more that could be said but I think that’s a pretty good overview of the two main directions you can go!
Also I just listed the main combos that came to my head. Others can work for sure. My main on live was Mind/Storm and there was fun, but probably not the best.

 

One HC extra - with knockback to knockdown enhancements it is possible to mitigate the the chaos to some extent on a Defender, but it will cost you a bit (in terms of slots). But can be a decent middle road I guess?

Edited June 20, 2020 by Peacemoon

[Blastit]

You don't need a technological theme to use rifles, bows or pistols. A mutant with storm summoning powers brainwashed and armed by a shady corporate-government group as a special agent and who broke free is one of the easier ways for storm/AR to make sense. Besides, this is Paragon City, if you want a space gun or electro-zapp gauntlets you can pick some up somewhere. You just need to go fishing for a guy who knows a guy.

[Peacemoon]

9 minutes ago, Blastit said:

You don't need a technological theme to use rifles, bows or pistols. A mutant with storm summoning powers brainwashed and armed by a shady corporate-government group as a special agent and who broke free is one of the easier ways for storm/AR to make sense. Besides, this is Paragon City, if you want a space gun or electro-zapp gauntlets you can pick some up somewhere. You just need to go fishing for a guy who knows a guy.

I just meant technology theme as a shorthand for a different, perhaps more gritty or grounded concept. Didn’t mean they’d have to be technology origin, but of course a portable weather control gadget would be neat!

 

Just don’t like people to think you have to go for the obvious sets.. although the OP I think did seem to suggest they wanted something more easily fitted together.

[Gulbasaur]

Water blast is an excellent pairing - lots of opportunities for +recharge proc, self-heal which you can proc to recharge endurance and very good synergy between freezing rain and whirlpool.

 

The defender version has strong synergy at very low levels.

 

[pyrocumulus]

1 hour ago, Blastit said:

this is Paragon City, if you want a space gun or electro-zapp gauntlets you can pick some up somewhere. You just need to go fishing for a guy who knows a guy.

My Grav/Storm/Mace controller, Vendor Trash, is a mad inventor who roots through heroes' discarded trinkets he finds lying around Paragon City and and slaps them together into a jury rigged battle suit. Conceptually, you can make just about anything work, and it's fun to devise a costume and backstory for two sets that don't seem thematically matched.

 

1 hour ago, Peacemoon said:

Arguably the best for this, both gameplay wise and thematically is Earth Control. Earth brings so much hard lockdown and it’s low damage is boosted a lot by Storm’s high damage. 
Mobs will be pinned down and battered with storms until they are defeated.

Fire, Ice and Plant are other alternatives. 

 

Grav/Storm is very fun and synergistic, allowing for very effective soft mitigation through stun and knockdown and clever power placement (Create a corner of doom with Lightning Storm, Wormhole mobs into it, Thunder Clap bosses, hold them there with Hurricane or Gale, and Propel them to death.)

 

For a Defender/Corruptor, I like Ice, Water, or Fire for stacking rains.

 

Storm is also one of the most damaging Mastermind secondaries, with probably the most synergistic combo being Thugs (keep your T1/2 pets safe in your Hurricane, have the Arsonist throw his molotovs onto things knocked down on Freezing Rain, and stacking the +def of Steamy Mist with the Enforcers' Leadership and the -tohit of Hurricane. The Bruiser's handclaps and footstomps add to all the knockdown). Be an Outcasts gang boss, a leader of a storm cult, or a Longbow Warden turned vigilante leader.

Edited June 20, 2020 by pyrocumulus

[Riverdusk]

One I've always liked is storm/dark defender or dark/storm corrupter.  I feel they have tremendous synergy.  

Dark blast helps solve two of what can be annoyances of storm, things getting scattered and the lack of a self heal.  Dark's aoe immobilize doesn't prevent knockback, but I've found it still helps in keeping things together, and that way you can be selective in what you want to have knockback and what you don't with the IO's.  I've found tentacles definitely help in "hurdicanning" things up for your tornado and lightning storm.

 

Dark blast is also a bit on the lighter side relatively on damage and storm is great at making it a much harder hitting character.  

 

Both sets also have stuns that you can stack together if you want to go a more controllery route.

 

As to theme, what's more classic than a dark and stormy night? 🙂

Edited June 20, 2020 by Riverdusk

[JnEricsonx]

Just keep in mind Storm can be end heavy.  

[Greycat]

8 minutes ago, JnEricsonx said:

Just keep in mind Storm can be end heavy.  

Heh. Yeah. My fire/storm 'troller on live almost forgot what that blue bar was for a long time.

 

[Evdoxia]

54 minutes ago, Greycat said:

Heh. Yeah. My fire/storm 'troller on live almost forgot what that blue bar was for a long time.

 

That explains it. I was hoping it was because I'm lvl 20 and not enhanced yet. X_X I  lusted after fire storms on live so had to try on HC.

[SwitchFade]

50+ earth/storm controller here...

 

Amazing combo.

[Drazah Krad]

Gravity/storm/ice is my Primary.

 

he solos decently well, on teams I have lots of options of tactics. Wormhole, immobilize then lay down the three Major AoE to melt mobs. I run Solo farms on AE at +4/8 all the time with mostly casual built hero as there Is too much damage mitigation.
 

the only grievances I have is gravity immobilize doesn’t add -KB to enemies, and I have no self heal.
 

 

[MTeague]

Another vote for Defennder here. 

 

I have a Storm/Sonic at lvl 38.  He's fun solo, he's fun on teams.  He drops enemy resistance like an anvil dropped from an airplane.

 

Regarding KB-to-KD's 

• Gale:  2 slotted, KB-to-KD and Acc.  It's hilarious watching 16 nemesis or malta or  carnies simultaneously flop down on their butts in place.  And it buys a couple seconds where NONE of them are attacking at all, which teams will always put to good use.
• Tornado:  4 slotted, 3 procs and a KB-to-KD.  it's Too Damn Awesome when it just stayed on a cluster of targets and continues to dot the heck out of them without hurling anyone aside.
• Hurricane:   4 slotted, 3 to-hit debuff pieces and KB-to-KD. This one I sometimes second-guess. (second guess the KB-to-KD, not the power selection).  I still have to be mindful of the Repel effect when teaming, and it's not that often I see it knock things down.  But it's still a GIANT to-hit debuff, which is like giving your team a giant Defense buff.
• Lightning Storm:  I do NOT have one in this.  I thought about it.  But I want the six slot bonus of a set instead.  Instead, I'm just careful where I summon the storm.  If it's a TALL room or an outdoor map, I'll fly up a bit and summon Lighting Storm above the pack.  the bolts zot almost directly downward resulting in VERY little horizontal motion from the target.  Basically makes it a knockback.  On an indoor map, I'll only summon lightning storm if I can place it so things get zapped back into a corner. 

At 38, he has basically no more END issues at all.  Though he does have a few END procs.  The 20's were rough on the endurance-curve.  Don't delay getting your Panacea/Miracle/Perf Shifter.

 

He's Storm/Sonic because he was Storm/Sonic back in the old days, and the name demands it ("Thundercrow".... also his name on live).

 

If I had it to do over again though I might have gone with Storm/Electric/Electric.  Especially now that there are sets like Synapse's Shock and Power Transfer with Acc/Dmg/EndMod.  Used to be slotting for EndMod REQUIRED you to sacrifice damage output, but now...?  Could be quite fun, esp with the Defenders higher sapping power.

 

Edited June 20, 2020 by MTeague

[MTeague]

8 minutes ago, Drazah Krad said:

the only grievances I have is gravity immobilize doesn’t add -KB to enemies, and I have no self heal.

Entropic Chaos, Panacea, Power Transfer.  It's not exactly Aid Self, but they'll just happen as you use other powers, and if you8're a controller, hopefully you're locking things down in relatively short order.

[CaptainLupis]

28 minutes ago, MTeague said:

Another vote for Defennder here. 

 

I have a Storm/Sonic at lvl 38.  He's fun solo, he's fun on teams.  He drops enemy resistance like an anvil dropped from an airplane.

 

Regarding KB-to-KD's 

• Gale:  2 slotted, KB-to-KD and Acc.  It's hilarious watching 16 nemesis or malta or  carnies simultaneously flop down on their butts in place.  And it buys a couple seconds where NONE of them are attacking at all, which teams will always put to good use.
• Tornado:  4 slotted, 3 procs and a KB-to-KD.  it's Too Damn Awesome when it just stayed on a cluster of targets and continues to dot the heck out of them without hurling anyone aside.
• Hurricane:   4 slotted, 3 to-hit debuff pieces and KB-to-KD. This one I sometimes second-guess. (second guess the KB-to-KD, not the power selection).  I still have to be mindful of the Repel effect when teaming, and it's not that often I see it knock things down.  But it's still a GIANT to-hit debuff, which is like giving your team a giant Defense buff.
• Lightning Storm:  I do NOT have one in this.  I thought about it.  But I want the six slot bonus of a set instead.  Instead, I'm just careful where I summon the storm.  If it's a TALL room or an outdoor map, I'll fly up a bit and summon Lighting Storm above the pack.  the bolts zot almost directly downward resulting in VERY little horizontal motion from the target.  Basically makes it a knockback.  On an indoor map, I'll only summon lightning storm if I can place it so things get zapped back into a corner. 

At 38, he has basically no more END issues at all.  Though he does have a few END procs.  The 20's were rough on the endurance-curve.  Don't delay getting your Panacea/Miracle/Perf Shifter.

 

He's Storm/Sonic because he was Storm/Sonic back in the old days, and the name demands it ("Thundercrow".... also his name on live).

 

If I had it to do over again though I might have gone with Storm/Electric/Electric.  Especially now that there are sets like Synapse's Shock and Power Transfer with Acc/Dmg/EndMod.  Used to be slotting for EndMod REQUIRED you to sacrifice damage output, but now...?  Could be quite fun, esp with the Defenders higher sapping power.

 

No force feedback chance for +rech in gale?

[Seigmoraig]

I like Storm best on a Controller.

What happens with the Tornado is that it wanders around and chases enemies and enemies try to run away from it resulting in a lot playing tag and not a lot of damage. Secondly with Lightning Storm since it is in a static location the enemies that are running away from your Tornado with get out of range of it.

 

I am currently running it as an Earth/Storm controller and it is really fun to play. Both sets pair well together because both sets have a ton of knockdown (with KB>KD of course) and as a Controller you can keep the enemies immobilized in place to get maximum uptime on your Tornado.

Earth has Earthquake which spams knockdowns on everything in the zone and you add on top to that Gale and the Tornadoes and all the enemies are doing is belly flopping in place.
I chose Psionic Mastery as my EPP to get the second Tornado which also serves as an attack power I can spam since it has a really low CD and Indomitable Will is helpful to get out of CC.

 

Here is the build

 

Hero Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.6.0.7
https://github.com/ImaginaryDevelopment/imaginary-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Technology Controller
Primary Power Set: Earth Control
Secondary Power Set: Storm Summoning
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Flight
Ancillary Pool: Psionic Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Fossilize -- GhsWdwEmb-Dam%(A), GldNet-Dam%(3), UnbCns-Dam%(5), NrnSht-Dam%(5), GldJvl-Dam%(7), HO:Nucle(45)
Level 1: Gale -- SuddAcc--KB/+KD(A), FrcFdb-Rechg%(3)
Level 2: Stone Cages -- SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear(A), SprWiloft-Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/Rchg(7), SprWiloft-EndRdx/Rchg(9), SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx(9), SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx/Rchg(11), SprWiloft-Rchg/Dmg%(11)
Level 4: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(13)
Level 6: Quicksand -- PcnoftheT--Rchg%(A), PcnoftheT-Acc/Slow(13), PcnoftheT-Dmg/Slow(15), PcnoftheT-Acc/EndRdx(15), PcnoftheT-Rng/Slow(17), PcnoftheT-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(17)
Level 8: Kick -- Empty(A)
Level 10: Steamy Mist -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), Rct-ResDam%(29), UnbGrd-EndRdx/Rchg(29), UnbGrd-ResDam(31), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(31), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(31)
Level 12: Super Speed -- BlsoftheZ-ResKB(A)
Level 14: Tough -- UnbGrd-Max HP%(A), StdPrt-ResKB(25), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(33), UnbGrd-EndRdx/Rchg(33), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(43), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(43)
Level 16: Freezing Rain -- AchHee-ResDeb%(A)
Level 18: Earthquake -- DmpSpr-ToHitDeb(A), DmpSpr-ToHitDeb/Rchg(19), DmpSpr-ToHitDeb/Rchg/EndRdx(19), DmpSpr-Rchg/EndRdx(21), DmpSpr-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(21), FrcFdb-Rechg%(23)
Level 20: Hurricane -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 22: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(45)
Level 24: Hover -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(33)
Level 26: Volcanic Gasses -- UnbCns-Acc/Rchg(A)
Level 28: Tactics -- GssSynFr--ToHit(A), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg(40), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(48), GssSynFr--Rchg/EndRdx(48), GssSynFr--ToHit/EndRdx(25), GssSynFr--Build%(50)
Level 30: O2 Boost -- Heal-I(A)
Level 32: Animate Stone -- BldMnd-Acc/Dmg(A), BldMnd-Dmg/EndRdx(45), BldMnd-Acc/EndRdx(46), BldMnd-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(46), BldMnd-Acc(46), BldMnd-Dmg(50)
Level 35: Tornado -- SlbAll-Dmg/Rchg(A), SlbAll-Dmg/EndRdx(36), SlbAll-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), SlbAll-Acc/Rchg(36), SuddAcc--KB/+KD(37), FrcFdb-Rechg%(37)
Level 38: Lightning Storm -- SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg(A), SprWntBit-Dmg/Rchg(39), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(39), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(39), SprWntBit-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(40), FrcFdb-Rechg%(40)
Level 41: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(42)
Level 44: Indomitable Will -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 47: Mind Over Body -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(27), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(27), UnbGrd-EndRdx/Rchg(48), GldArm-3defTpProc(50)
Level 49: Psionic Tornado -- OvrFrc-Dam/KB(A), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg(37), OvrFrc-End/Rech(34), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg/End(34), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg/End/Rech(34), FrcFdb-Rechg%(23)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Containment
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 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(42), Mrc-Rcvry+(42)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(43)
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion
Level 50: Ageless Invocation
Level 50: Support Partial Radial Graft
Level 50: Spiritual Partial Core Revamp
------------

 

 

Edited June 20, 2020 by Seigmoraig

[EmmySky]

As if I dont have enough stormies already y'all flung a craving on me and I now have a baby grav/storm troller named Chaos Unlimited.

 

I gotta stop reading the forums lol

[jacehan]

13 hours ago, Peacemoon said:

I have an Earth/Storm alt I keep meaning to get to, and I find it very fun. As for APP you can go any direction you like, but I changed my Earth powers to molten and picked up the fire APP. Earth, Fire and Storm...

 Earth, Wind, and Fire was right there! Now that's a theme. I already have a Storm, but if we get Wind Control that's what I'm gonna do.

[MTeague]

2 hours ago, CaptainLupis said:

No force feedback chance for +rech in gale?

I don't often do crazy-high recharge builds. I know, I know, I'm a heretic.   (My Dom's are an exception to this)

But I have a workable attack chain without it, and powers like Freezing Rain / Tornado / Lightning Storm are coming back fast enough already, I'm content.

Edited June 21, 2020 by MTeague

[BrandX]

Elec/Storm/Ice Troller here.  I don't keep Hurricane on all the time, I use it when I feel I can keep them locked down with it.  Awesome on Posi 1 City Hall.  🙂  Go in draining end and forcing them back is nice!

 

 

 

 

[Dazl]

Gravity / Storm is great for a controller. Wormhole them into singularity, with freezing rain, tornado, and lighting storm melts mobs like butter.

 

For a defender I would recommend Storm / Dark. Dark gives you a self heal, which storm lacks and immobilize to help keep them locked down.

[Lazarillo]

I have two /Storm characters, and I think they're both pretty awesome.  Number one is a Demons/Storm Mastermind where the combo works surprisingly well thematically as just a general "sorcerer" feel, and absolutely rips enemy mobs to shreds.  It's pretty melt-tastic.  Number two is an Earth/Storm Controller, and that combo is lockdown, lockdown, lockdown.  "When you've gotta CC so hard you mez your teammates' graphics cards too", I like to say.  Definitely more of a support build than the MM, but on a team, it makes pretty much every encounter into little more than a speedbump.

[Techwright]

I'm loving my storm/illusion controller.   He's practically a Swiss Army Knife: some ability to address every situation, and he tears through enemies.  Now that may not seem thematic at first, but since I play him as a mutant with remarkable mental powers, I see both powersets as projections of his mental abilities.

 

I could see a water/storm corruptor as well.  Though I've not played that particular pairing, I've played the individual components, and they're quite potent.

[Myrmidon]

Water, water everywhere and all the boards did shrink;

Water, water everywhere nor any drop to drink.