Storm - Who wears it best?

[Armaaz]

I have become a little fixated on the storm powerset with my 3rd storm toon now approaching 50. I also have a few lower level storm toons kicking about. It got me to wondering, what does the community think the absolute best AT and powerset pairing for storm is? Defenders have the best debuff numbers and defenders/corruptors have good aoe damage along with some powersets that provide a heal and/or force feedback slotable powers. Controllers dish out status effects and have more pets to create greater safety and have even more pets on the field causing havoc. And masterminds make for all the pets but I wonder how their end usage compares to other ATs.

 

Personally, my shortlist is:
Ill/storm and Plant/storm controllers.
Defenders and Corruptors with water blast

Thugs/Storm MM

[Without_Pause]

Storm has high end usage anyway. I got a Plant/storm to 50 so that's an easy suggestion. Ill/storm if you want true chaos, but I like having some control on keeping mobs on FR. Water or Dark for Def and Corr. Both offer a heal. Dark has added -tohit debuffs, and a way to immobilize. Not sure on MMs. Likely something which works at range since you can use Hurricane to keep mobs away.

[StriderIV]

On 1/23/2022 at 11:16 AM, Armaaz said:

I have become a little fixated on the storm powerset with my 3rd storm toon now approaching 50. I also have a few lower level storm toons kicking about. It got me to wondering, what does the community think the absolute best AT and powerset pairing for storm is? Defenders have the best debuff numbers and defenders/corruptors have good aoe damage along with some powersets that provide a heal and/or force feedback slotable powers. Controllers dish out status effects and have more pets to create greater safety and have even more pets on the field causing havoc. And masterminds make for all the pets but I wonder how their end usage compares to other ATs.

 

Personally, my shortlist is:
Ill/storm and Plant/storm controllers.
Defenders and Corruptors with water blast

Thugs/Storm MM

 

2 hours ago, Without_Pause said:

Storm has high end usage anyway. I got a Plant/storm to 50 so that's an easy suggestion. Ill/storm if you want true chaos, but I like having some control on keeping mobs on FR. Water or Dark for Def and Corr. Both offer a heal. Dark has added -tohit debuffs, and a way to immobilize. Not sure on MMs. Likely something which works at range since you can use Hurricane to keep mobs away.

Great question and one I pondered myself. It probably comes down to the sets that’ll determine which archetype is better.

 

I could see Water/Storm being great on a Corruptor, with how DOTS/Rains interact with Scourge.

 

Storm/Dark is a pairing I didn’t think of, seems like it could be really good on a Defender.

[Onlyasandwich]

Defenders are my nostalgic favorite for Storm, having made so many of them in the past. The /Dark pairing is always a fun bit of synergy.

 

After playing it on several controllers, however, I can't deny that it feels much better in that world. My personal favorite is a Fire/Storm controller. You double down on damage with the extra bits that Fire control adds (hot feet, extra dots, even Bonfire), and can rein in the chaos of /Storm as you see fit.

 

Don't get me wrong, sometimes you want the chaos, and -KB enhancements on any  AT help you let loose a bit more readily. However, the controller aoe immob provides a measure of precision control that is not present elsewhere, and is especially meaningful solo. You can just clump them and tie the bow with hurricane - easy peasy.

 

Fire/Storm does pretty beastly damage, though nothing too bursty from any one source. You have imps, lightning storms, tornados, bonfire, hot feet, aoe immobs, epic aoes - all of this spewing at once. Mobs melt very quickly, but it is probably the most end hungry combo I have ever played. Very good times though. The real key here is that you can precast so much of this, and it stays on the battlefield grinding away, and a lot of it even follows you around.

Edited January 25, 2022 by Onlyasandwich

[Heatstroke]

Fire/Storm Controller and Water/Storm Cor

On 1/24/2022 at 5:42 PM, Onlyasandwich said:

 

 

Fire/Storm does pretty beastly damage, though nothing too bursty from any one source. You have imps, lightning storms, tornados, bonfire, hot feet, aoe immobs, epic aoes - all of this spewing at once. .

And if you go with the Leviathan Patrol pool you can have Waterspout AND Tornado.. muahahahahahahahahahaha

Edited January 27, 2022 by Heatstroke

[StriderIV]

On 1/24/2022 at 2:42 PM, Onlyasandwich said:

Defenders are my nostalgic favorite for Storm, having made so many of them in the past. The /Dark pairing is always a fun bit of synergy.

 

After playing it on several controllers, however, I can't deny that it feels much better in that world. My personal favorite is a Fire/Storm controller. You double down on damage with the extra bits that Fire control adds (hot feet, extra dots, even Bonfire), and can rein in the chaos of /Storm as you see fit.

 

Don't get me wrong, sometimes you want the chaos, and -KB enhancements on any  AT help you let loose a bit more readily. However, the controller aoe immob provides a measure of precision control that is not present elsewhere, and is especially meaningful solo. You can just clump them and tie the bow with hurricane - easy peasy.

 

Fire/Storm does pretty beastly damage, though nothing too bursty from any one source. You have imps, lightning storms, tornados, bonfire, hot feet, aoe immobs, epic aoes - all of this spewing at once. Mobs melt very quickly, but it is probably the most end hungry combo I have ever played. Very good times though. The real key here is that you can precast so much of this, and it stays on the battlefield grinding away, and a lot of it even follows you around.

Fire/Storm just seems like such a COOL concept as well. Probably feels like power incarnate when you're playing it 😂

Edited January 28, 2022 by StriderIV

[Onlyasandwich]

15 minutes ago, StriderIV said:

feels like power incarnate

Perfect description! Everything you do is so flashy and impactful. Just storms and fire swirling everywhere, and enemies melting while flopping on the ground. 

 

If you aren't careful in keeping everything up and running you can get caught out and plant, but as long as you continue throwing out your powers, you feel like a conquering god.

[StriderIV]

30 minutes ago, Onlyasandwich said:

Perfect description! Everything you do is so flashy and impactful. Just storms and fire swirling everywhere, and enemies melting while flopping on the ground. 

 

If you aren't careful in keeping everything up and running you can get caught out and plant, but as long as you continue throwing out your powers, you feel like a conquering god.

*Excuses myself while I go make a Fire/Storm Controller*

[Onlyasandwich]

If you'd like to take a look for any inspiration, @StriderIV, I just updated my own Fire/Storm build with a new topic:

 

[StriderIV]

1 minute ago, Onlyasandwich said:

If you'd like to take a look for any inspiration, @StriderIV, I just updated my own Fire/Storm build with a new topic:

 

I was just gonna ask you! Appreciate it. I was torn with either Ill/Cold or Fire/Storm. Both seem like they can be amazing.

[Onlyasandwich]

3 minutes ago, StriderIV said:

Ill/Cold or Fire/Storm

I'm enjoying my Ill/cold so far for sure! I have another build shared recently on this as well, though I haven't even made it to 50 with him yet.

 

 

However, if you were starting from a baseline of never having tried either, I'd point you to fire/storm. Different boats, different floats, in any case.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Onlyasandwich

[Without_Pause]

Fire/storm is going to make you wonder if you have an end bar until Incarnates, but it will be one of the highest damaging Controllers sans Fire/kin.

[Onlyasandwich]

1 minute ago, Without_Pause said:

wonder if you have an end bar until Incarnates

This is extreme truth. On the other hand, it seems like end is so easily solved on many builds that it's sort of interesting to have a character that really appreciates outside end sources!

[Doomguide2005]

     Earth/Storm has been my personal favorite.  Tons of control from Earth and the damage and chaos of Storm in one package with one of the pets with actual taunt for tanking hard targets.

[DreadShinobi]

I'm shocked that storm/sonic defenders weren't mentioned. They absolutely shred hard targets with all the -res from sonic boosting your damage from tornado and lightning storm. It is even more synergistic than that because tornado and lightning storm deal so much damage without relying on constant animation time casts in an attack chain which gives you more time to get very solid stacks of -res from your sonic chain. Sonic attack is also very endurance light and works well with the endurance heavy storm summoning. I even run Burnout on my storm/sonic to double cast freezing rain, tornado, lightning storm, and dreadful wail which contributes heavily to some disgustingly fast AV/GM kills with how fast you can ramp up your dps when you start the fight with 2 lightning storms and 2 tornados pinging an AV with over 150% resist debuff.

[MTeague]

Extremely happy with my Storm/Sonic defender. 

That said, the "Best" version is the one you enjoy playing, regardless of objective numbers.

[roleki]

Among others, I've got a Fire/Storm and an Illusion/Storm, and while both are astounding, when it comes to street-level violence, neither holds a candle to Grav/Storm. 

 

Grav/Storm is just ridiculous at commanding an encounter - there is nothing in the game that imparts a sense of 'control' more than the ability to dictate not onoy where the fight takes place, but who is allowed to participate, and whether they'll be permitted a chance stand up at any point. 

 

Add to that the advantage provided by the ability to bring additional mobs to an existing Lightning Storm killzone, where stacked LS and Tornados turn bad guys to mulch in a matter of seconds, and you're looking at a pretty effective combination of powers.

[HachiMan2015]

On 1/28/2022 at 10:20 AM, Onlyasandwich said:

you feel like a conquering god.

I feel like that on every Tanker I play 😛🤣

[Peacemoon]

Earth/Storm is my favourite, it is just so EPIC. 
Both sets have amazing visuals and sounds and you can just dominate any battlefield. 
 

I like to change the Earth to the Molten look and pair it with Fire APP and judgement for the full works!