Mastermind - Less Pets means more endurance ?

[plainguy]

This is my constant soap box complaint.. Mastermind endurance and having the options for less pets and more attacks. Basically a mix and match option.

 

I always keep asking for more attacks or have the option to pick an attack instead of a pet. Almost similar to VEAT have when they can change powersets or mix the powersets.

 

So this time around I was thinking something more simple.

 

The game looks at your build and notices you do not have Pets picked up on the build. So it gives you some sort of endurance benefit.. Nothing else is changed on the Mastermind..  No NEW powers..

The problem I see is that a Petless or Semi-Petless Mastermind is difficult because the endurance cost for Mastermind on Powers is greatly inflated and the powers they have though named the same are in inferior when compared to  same power from another arch type. 

 

Personally I have been able to create some work arounds with the ability to use incarnate powers.  But leveling out right is impossible. The endurance drain is just too massive. 

 

Again old game in new era.  Not looking to take away the Old Mastermind.. Just looking for more Mastermind OPTIONS.. 

 

And I get what the DEVs here are looking to do..

They don't want to do some clanky give mastermind new skins by taking up character costume slots. 

They want to implement something correctly and professional. 

Or add new costume pieces even if they clip and look like crap for the sake of saying they added it.  Again I get it

 

But I also want to add that, there is a reason why most farming builds are Brutes.. What I mean by this is some things are just given.  You are not going to farm as well with a defender or a Mastermind as would with a Brute. 
I do not want to make Masterminds the new Tank or farming build or have them out DPS a Blaster or Corruptor.  

Just looking for some viable alternative to Mastermind builds. 
I see Masterminds somewhat limited in their build choices.. Because they MUST pick up X amount from their primary. You are pigeon holed into picking up 5 powers - 3 pets and 2 upgrades. Then with some like Beast you might be somewhat forced to pick up Fortify Pack, with Demons Hell on Earth is almost a requirement for the PET IO unique's, which is similar to Gang War for Thugs.

 

Then maybe with the addition of Pools like Experimentation and Sorcery and maybe adding a few more attacks to other existing pools, Masterminds can use these Pools to flesh out a few more attacks along with Ancillary / Epic Pool.

 

Then tomorrow we can figure out what other direction we could go with Masterminds if we see this as a workable concept.. 

 

 

Edited June 20, 2021 by plainguy

[Outrider_01]

6 hours ago, plainguy said:

there is a reason why most farming builds are Brutes..

You can farm with anything, fire brutes excel at it.  You can take your MM and if you got  S/L defense build, just run at a rate you can manage like +1/+8.  Hell, even -1 works as your pets will just slaughter everything and lower influence isn't the end all benefit as generic recipes sell for up to 100k.  Now PL with a MM, yeah a brute will be better.

[Razor Cure]

6 hours ago, plainguy said:

I see Masterminds somewhat limited in their build choices.. Because they MUST pick up X amount from their primary. You are pigeon holed into picking up 5 powers - 3 pets and 2 upgrades.

I get what you are saying, but in a set that IS all about pets..being 'forced' to pick..you know..pets is not bad. Not too mention you are totally free to NOT pick any pets or upgrades. I made a petless MM ages back, and that was being the new pool attacks came in.

Also, basically every AT is 'forced' to take a certain amount of powers. Melee Armour sets (barring stone) need mez power, 2/3 basic shields, heal/utility/aura. That is five powers right there that 99% of people playing said set HAVE to take.

Same with Ranged sets..you want at least 1 aoe, 3 ST, self buff, maybve a nuke. Again, at least 5.

Support sets..very few support sets can get away with picking less that 5 powers, with Kinetics having maybe the best performance for the fewest powers.

[MTeague]

/agree with @Razor Cure. I don't think a single one of my characters uses less than seven powers from their primary tree. 

Not ONE of them.

So, 3 pets, 2 buffs, 1 utility?  Par for the course. I don't see this as a problem. 

I mean, when you choose the class, it's pretty up front and unavoidable.

 

 

Sure, you CAN build a petless MM. Just like you CAN build a tank who doesn't take their status protection power, or like you CAN build a blaster who uses only Brawl, Jump Kick, Boxing, and Air Superiority to attack with. It doesn't mean it's a good idea. I mean, knock yourself out for whatever you choose to for character concept.  But if you're trying to ignore one of the fundamental principles of the AT, you do so at your own peril. 

 

I mean if you want your primary damage to come direct attacks plus providing decent support, there's the corruptor or defender. 

Choosing the King of the Pet Classes and then not wanting to use pets... I just don't get it.

 

Maybe at some point the HC devs will choose to adjust MM's the way you want, and provide X buffs to you based on the number of pet powers you have that you DON'T summon? Maybe that would be a way to handle T1 pets being whomped dead fast at max level content. I haven't seen any indication that's the direction they want to go in. If anything, then recent changes have been about letting you get your pets back into the fray sooner vs later.   

[Greycat]

3 hours ago, MTeague said:

I mean if you want your primary damage to come direct attacks plus providing decent support, there's the corruptor or defender. 

Choosing the King of the Pet Classes and then not wanting to use pets... I just don't get it.

 

About the only reason to do it now (other than "I want to try a petless MM for challenge") is that it's the only way to get whips.  (DP was the reason before that got turned into a blast set, after all.)

 

Though... I mean, not taking the pets, I'd think you kind of *have* an END discount there. You don't need to buff or support them. Varies by secondary and pools, sure, but still, if you're not having to heal/bubble/buff your pets (on top of just not having to re/summon or upgrade them,) that's END you're not using.