Camel's Fire/Dark/Fire Controller. 45% Defense to Melee/Ranged/AoE, perma Hasten, Fade and Soul Absorption. (post-Fade nerf)

[Camel]

Well.... Here we go again. If you've read my other "guide" on my Fire/Energy Tank, then you'd know to stop reading right now. To those of you mad enough to continue on, I'd like to introduce you to my new love affair, MeEp. 



MeEp is my Fire/Dark Affinity/Fire Controller, a sadomasochists wet dream, a demon boi from Hell (who would have thought?). I hadn't played him in a long while, but decided it was time for a respec due to the changes to Fade no longer receiving +special buffs. And wow, what a success this has been. My goal was to reach 45%+ defense to Melee/Ranged/AoE despite Fade no longer getting extra defense from Clarion. And I was able to do so. So without further ado... Let's dive into it!

Fire Control& You®

Why? - Because any other secondary means you can't burn Nazis! MeEp takes great joy in burning Nazis in the physical plane, only to meet them once again in the depths of Hell. The damage is great, the knockback (or rather, knockdown) is GLORIOUS and the visuals are stunning. Notice a theme here? Neither do I. Fire hot, fire good, FIRE FUN. Now, let's go over the powers in GREAT detail.

Ring of Fire - I'll spare you a Johnny Cash reference here, you'll need all the reprieve you can get from this madness. You're welcome. Ring of Fire is great! I've debated swapping this out for Fire Blast from the APP, but the difference in damage is neglible AND you can use this at low levels if you take it at a low level (and you should). Also, I lied. Take this power and unleash your inner Johnny Cash on unsuspecting victims.

Char - Any good chef knows the secret to a good steak is just the right amount of char. S**t, thought I was on the Chicago Chefs Forums.. Umm.... I mean, this power is also great? Yeah. That's it. This is part of your ST rotation and also can stack an incredibly high magnitude of hold on your enemies. Take it, spam it, love it and use the power of Char to win over your enemies hearts... And stomachs.




Fire Cages - If I could fall in love with a power... It would be this one, but also like 6 or 7 others. I'm a polygamist and you can't tell me it's wrong. Just take this power, burn Nazis and stop asking questions. This will help set up containment, keep mobs in your patches of super bouncy fun time and doom and also make your enemies visually stunning. It's a win-win for everyone involved.

Smoke - Smoking is bad for you, but good for your enemies? I don't know. All I know is that I've never liked this power, especially in a meta that is so farkin fast. Which is a shame, because it IS a good power. It's just not a good power for me, and this build is so intricately woven.. There's just no room for it. Save your smoke for you, why would you want to smoke up your enemies?

Hot Feet - Ahhhhh yeah! Say goodbye to your endurance bar! I love this power. Mainly because it forces me to be in PBAoE range at all times, which is EXACTLY how you should be playing this build, but it's also a unique power amongst Controllers. Once you get containment set up, you'll watch mobs melt as your DoT's tick away. It's epic. 

Flashfire - This is where I'll be giving some Controller veterans an aneurysm. I rarely use this power. I repeat, I rarely use this power. Take a stroll through the Controller forums and you'll see some of the veteran Controllers all saying the same thing: The meta is so quick, control powers are oftentimes obsolete. Flashfire + Howling Twilight takes 5.54 seconds to activate between the two. This is a LIFETIME on teams that ROFLstomp everything in their way and those 5.5 seconds can be better used on other powers like Tar Patch or Bonfire. I really only open wth this on low level teams. 

Cinders - I really want to like this power.. I really do. And I would, if I had the room to put it in this build. But I need to reiterate again, this build is TIGHT, so tight.. And I just can't find a way to utilize it. Which is a shame, because it activates SO quickly. But it also has a 240 second base recharge.. Which is awful. You'd be better off stacking Flashfire + Howling Twilight to shut down mobs.

Bonfire - Now, the world don't move to the beat of just one drum, what might be right for you, may not be right for some. I don't think the people who came up with this ever played a Fire Control Controller... Bonfire is incredible. Slot the Overwhelming Force KB->KD IO and make your own drum beats! Bonfire + Tar Patch + Fire Cages is enough to completely neuter most mobs. The damage mitigation from this power alone is huge. Drop it on a group of enemies, jump into the middle of them and /e drum your heart out. 

Fire Imps - These little bastards.... I love them to death but they are SO reckless. It's a good thing you can buff them into oblivion so they can die anyways. 



Darkness Affinity& You®

Why? - Because any other secondary restricts your access to the depths of Hell, where you can further torment the Nazis you put down. It's a literal tool-box full of everything you could possibly want. Defense debuff resistance? Check. Turn your entire team into emissaries of darkness? Yup. HP and endurance management? Mmmmmmmhmmmmm. Fluffy? F**k YEAH! This has quickly become my favorite Controller secondary.. And for good reason. So let's go over those reasons.

Twilight Grasp - I can't even begin to tell you how many times I was kicked out of WalMart for stealing copies of Twilight... I couldn't tell you why I did it.. But just know that I did. And here we are. This "almost" helps keep your Imps alive... "Almost".
 


Tar Patch - A match made in heaven for Bonfire. Open up the gates of Hell and torment your enemies. This used to be more effective back when Controllers/Corrupters had Defender debuff values for this power. I hardly notice, it's still great! And also.... it stacks! Drop Tar Patch whenever it is up. You won't regret it.

Darkest Night - Just take it... Okay? Another power I use infrequently. I mostly use this to anchor a distant mob when I am at aggro cap. That way, when the Tank (or my whole team) finally catches up to me and takes the aggro I've acquired away from me, the mob I have this anchored to will come to me and my patches of DOOM. Useful for herd management and hard target debuffing.

Howling Twilight - AWWWHOOOOOOO!!!!! "The wolve's howls echoed through the night, sending a chill down my spine." Love the sound this power makes... It doesn't sound like wolves at all.. But a demon boi can dream. Useful for rezzing your teammates (which should be as immortal as you if you are doing your job) and also helpful for making hard targets squishy! Throw this on an AV as well as a few applications of Twilight Grasp and you can substantially reduce an AV's regeneration rate.

Shadow Fall -  Ohhh.. So edgy, so cool. One of the few powers that offers resistance to Psionic damage for yourself AND your teammates! And it's only one of two in this set that do so! Take it...  My Satan... Take it!!!!

Fade - Oh yes... This power. Let me TELL YA about this power. First... You want this perma, and it is on this build. Second.. It offers defense debuff resistance! To my knowledge, it is the only power that does so on a team wide level, outside of Ageless. This is HUGE. How many resistance based builds are rocking 45% defense to S/L/E/N or Melee/Ranged? A lot. And this further bolsters those defense while also giving DDR? So good! It also offers resistance to various damage types, most notably, Psionics. Take this power and make it perma, ASAP.

Soul Absorption - It just keeps getting better! Imagine if Regeneration Aura and Recovery Aura had a child and it became the spawn of Satan. That is this child. Nurture this child, it commands you. You can make this perma, and you should. This completely remedies your endurance woes, and believe me, there are endurance woes when running Hotfeet on top of the other toggles this build is running. This power is amazing and should be prioritized the second it becomes available AND you are surrounded by foes that are dead or alive. 

Black Hole - Finally a power that does exactly what the name implies. This power SUCKS. Next!!!

Dark Servant - FLUFFY!!! It's always there, lurking, watching... He's been with you ever since you were a child, hiding in the shadows. Corrupting anyone who gets close to you. The bond you share with Fluffy is immeasurable. Respect it and it will respect you.



Alright, now that THAT'S over. Let's dive into the build.

Quick stats at a glance:
Perma Fade, Soul Absorption and Hasten (with one FF +Recharge proc)
1,461 HP with accolades + set bonuses (1,257 HP with no accolades)
46% Defense to Melee/Ranged/AoE
39-42% Defense to all damage types
34.6% Defense debuff resistance
75% Resistance to Smash/Lethal
62.1% Resistance to Fire
49.8% Resistance to Negative Energy
45.2% Resistance to Cold
43.8% Resistance to Psionic
34% Resistance to Energy
8% Resistance to Toxic
28.5 HP/sec with 1 stack of Soul Absorption
5.52 End/sec with 1 stack of Soul Absoprtion
101% Global recharge (before Hasten)

Team buffs:
24% Defense to all
34.6% Defense debuff resistance
35.85% Resistance to Psionic/Negative Energy
19.96% Resistance to Energy
15.89% Resistance to Smash/Lethal

Perma Soul Absorption

Strategy: Aggressive. When exemplared, I play a tad bit more cautiosly, often opening up with Flashfire +Howling Twilight before engaging mobs and dropping Tar Patch or spamming Fire Cages. At 50+ I throw no caution to the wind. I engage every mob first, always. It takes some time to drop Tar Patch and Bonfire, and I prefer to do that BEFORE my team engages. Otherwise, by the time you get all your goodies set up, the team has already killed them. This allows you to utilize your powers to the fullest extent. I cannot stress that enough. Aggressive play is going to get you the most bang for your buck.

Anyways, here's the build! Let me know what you think or if there is any room for improvement. Off the top of my head, maybe taking the Agility Alpha would open up the door to save some slots, but endurance can be a bit taxing if you don't take Cardiac. There are a lot of things I'd like to add.. The Kismet IO, Power Transfer chance for heal IO... But as it stands, if I change even one IO, I lose 45% defense to all or perma Hasten. 
 

Hero Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.7.2.10
https://github.com/Crytilis/mids-reborn-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Magic Controller
Primary Power Set: Fire Control
Secondary Power Set: Darkness Affinity
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: zc_Leadership
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Fire Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Char -- SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear(A), SprWiloft-Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/Rchg(13), SprWiloft-EndRdx/Rchg(15), SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx(15), SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx/Rchg(25), SprWiloft-Rchg/Dmg%(27)
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- TchoftheN-Acc/Heal(A), TchoftheN-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(11), TchoftheN-Heal(13)
Level 2: Fire Cages -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(27), PstBls-Dmg/Rchg(29), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(29), PstBls-Dam%(31)
Level 4: Tar Patch -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 6: Ring of Fire -- Apc-Dmg(A), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), Apc-Acc/Rchg(7), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(9), Apc-Dam%(11)
Level 8: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(9)
Level 10: Darkest Night -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 12: Howling Twilight -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 14: Flashfire -- AbsAmz-Stun/Rchg(A), AbsAmz-Acc/Stun/Rchg(37), AbsAmz-Acc/Rchg(37), AbsAmz-EndRdx/Stun(37), AbsAmz-ToHitDeb%(40)
Level 16: Shadow Fall -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(17), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(17), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(21)
Level 18: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(19), Rct-ResDam%(19)
Level 20: Fade -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(21), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(23), Ags-ResDam(23), Ags-ResDam/Rchg(25), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(42)
Level 22: Super Speed -- BlsoftheZ-Travel(A), BlsoftheZ-Travel/EndRdx(42), BlsoftheZ-ResKB(42)
Level 24: Hot Feet -- Arm-Dmg(A), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), Arm-Acc/Rchg(34), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(36), Arm-Dam%(36), FuroftheG-ResDeb%(36)
Level 26: Bonfire -- OvrFrc-Dam/KB(A), FrcFdb-Rechg%(50)
Level 28: Soul Absorption -- NmnCnv-Heal(A), NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(33), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(33), EffAdp-EndMod(33), EffAdp-EndMod/Rchg(34)
Level 30: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(31), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(31)
Level 32: Fire Imps -- SvrRgh-Acc/Dmg(A), SvrRgh-Dmg/EndRdx(43), SvrRgh-Acc/EndRdx(43), SvrRgh-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43), SvrRgh-Acc(46), SvrRgh-PetResDam(46)
Level 35: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 38: Dark Servant -- GldNet-Acc/Hold(A), GldNet-Acc/Rchg(39), GldNet-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(39), GldNet-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(39), GldNet-Dam%(40), GldNet-Rchg/Hold(40)
Level 41: Tough -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A)
Level 44: Fire Ball -- Rgn-Dmg/Rchg(A), Rgn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(45), Rgn-Acc/Rchg(45), Rgn-Dmg/EndRdx(45), Rgn-Knock%(46)
Level 47: Fire Shield -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(48), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(48), UnbGrd-Max HP%(48)
Level 49: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(50), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(50)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Containment 
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Qck-EndRdx/RunSpd(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 -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(3), Mrc-Rcvry+(5)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-EndMod/Rchg(3), PrfShf-End%(5)
Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve 
Level 0: Portal Jockey 
Level 0: Task Force Commander 
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion 
Level 50: Cardiac Core Paragon 
Level 50: Pyronic Core Final Judgement 
Level 50: Reactive Radial Flawless Interface 
Level 50: Control Core Embodiment 
Level 50: Clarion Radial Epiphany 
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Edited June 24, 2020 by Camel

[BossBriquet]

Hit lvl 26 and I am enjoying her.  She's an end hog and not much on ST damage atm.

 

Great write up and combo suggestion.  One of these days I'll log in early enough to team with friends so I can lvl a bit faster non-solo.

 

One Question: have you ever tried soul mastery for soul drain (dark's is better I know) and dark oblit and dark embrace? maybe drop fluffy to fit? more -tohit

 

Anyway again thanks for the thread

 

Boss

[Lady War]

I’ve been looking for a Fire Controller build that’s not Fire/Kin! I’m very excited to start this, /Dark is one of my favorites to play. @Camel what are your thoughts on switching to Mu for the S/L/E resistance? Was /Fire a thematic choice?   

[Camel]

On 7/6/2020 at 11:21 PM, BossBriquet said:

Hit lvl 26 and I am enjoying her.  She's an end hog and not much on ST damage atm.

 

Great write up and combo suggestion.  One of these days I'll log in early enough to team with friends so I can lvl a bit faster non-solo.

 

One Question: have you ever tried soul mastery for soul drain (dark's is better I know) and dark oblit and dark embrace? maybe drop fluffy to fit? more -tohit

 

Anyway again thanks for the thread

 

Boss

When I first made this on the live servers I tried Soul. I enjoyed it, definitely. But I feel Fire does just as good of a job with one less power pick. Fireball does some respectable damage on its own. Glad you’re enjoying the combo!

[Camel]

On 7/8/2020 at 10:05 AM, Lady War said:

I’ve been looking for a Fire Controller build that’s not Fire/Kin! I’m very excited to start this, /Dark is one of my favorites to play. @Camel what are your thoughts on switching to Mu for the S/L/E resistance? Was /Fire a thematic choice?   

Theme definitely played a part in it. The Mu resistance shield would be pretty decent though, I’d even say it would be generally better across the board. Energy damage is more prevalent. I just really enjoy the Fire epic, but also wanted to keep the theme of being a demon.

[IronJuke]

Hi Camel,

 

Thanks so much for your post.  It inspired me to level up a Fire/Dark Controller.   I had previously tried a Fire Kin and didn't really find an affinity for it.

 

Forgive me, but I took your build and tweeked it slightly.   I don't like running Ring of Fire, other than of course the coolness of the name.  

 

I really like Bonfire.  I use it on my Water Blaster's build as part of my rotation.  I think it's a proc beast.  I managed to keep the recharge and all of the great defensive and Resist bonuses you have in your build. 

 

With regards to using Mu Mastery vs. Fire, it seems like they are pretty much equal in all respects.   Same damage, same resist. 

 

Hero Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.7.2.10
https://github.com/Crytilis/mids-reborn-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Drina Darkfire: Level 50 Magic Controller
Primary Power Set: Fire Control
Secondary Power Set: Darkness Affinity
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: zc_Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Fire Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Char -- SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear(A), SprWiloft-Rchg/Dmg%(3), SprWiloft-Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/Rchg(13), SprWiloft-EndRdx/Rchg(15), SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx(15), SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx/Rchg(25)
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- TchoftheN-Heal(A), TchoftheN-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(3), TchoftheN-Heal/HP/Regen/Rchg(11)
Level 2: Fire Cages -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Dam%(7), Bmbdmt-+FireDmg(9), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(11), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(29)
Level 4: Tar Patch -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 6: Super Jump -- BlsoftheZ-ResKB(A), BlsoftheZ-Travel/EndRdx(7), BlsoftheZ-Travel(42)
Level 8: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(9)
Level 10: Hot Feet -- Arm-Dmg(A), Arm-Dam%(13), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), Arm-Acc/Rchg(34), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(36)
Level 12: Flashfire -- AbsAmz-Stun/Rchg(A), AbsAmz-Acc/Stun/Rchg(37), AbsAmz-Acc/Rchg(37), AbsAmz-EndRdx/Stun(37), AbsAmz-ToHitDeb%(40)
Level 14: Howling Twilight -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 16: Shadow Fall -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(17), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(17), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(21)
Level 18: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(19), Ksm-ToHit+(19)
Level 20: Fade -- Rct-Def/EndRdx(A), Rct-EndRdx/Rchg(21), Rct-Def(23), Rct-Def/Rchg(23), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(25), Rct-ResDam%(42)
Level 22: Kick -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(33), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(34), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36)
Level 24: Tough -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A)
Level 26: Bonfire -- OvrFrc-Dam/KB(A), PstBls-Dam%(27), Bmbdmt-+FireDmg(27), ExpStr-Dam%(29), Ann-ResDeb%(36), FrcFdb-Rechg%(50)
Level 28: Soul Absorption -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(31), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(33), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(33), Prv-Heal/Rchg(40), Prv-Absorb%(42)
Level 30: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(31), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(31)
Level 32: Fire Imps -- ExpRnf-+Res(Pets)(A), ExpRnf-Acc/Rchg(43), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg(43), ExpRnf-Dmg/EndRdx(43), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(46), ExpRnf-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(46)
Level 35: Darkest Night -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 38: Dark Servant -- UnbCns-Hold/Rchg(A), UnbCns-Acc/Rchg(39), UnbCns-Acc/Hold/Rchg(39), UnbCns-Dam%(39), UnbCns-Hold(40)
Level 41: Fire Ball -- Rgn-Dmg/Rchg(A), Rgn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(45), Rgn-Dmg(45), Rgn-Dmg/EndRdx(45), Rgn-Knock%(46)
Level 44: Fire Shield -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(48), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(48), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(48)
Level 47: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(50), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(50)
Level 49: Consume -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Containment 
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Qck-EndRdx/RunSpd(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 -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), Mrc-Rcvry+(5)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PwrTrns-+Heal(A), PrfShf-End%(5)
Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve 
Level 0: Portal Jockey 
Level 0: Task Force Commander 
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion 
Level 50: Cardiac Core Paragon 
Level 50: Pyronic Core Final Judgement 
Level 50: Reactive Radial Flawless Interface 
Level 50: Control Core Embodiment 
Level 50: Clarion Radial Epiphany 
------------

Fire Dark Controller.mxd

Edited November 1, 2020 by IronJuke