Need advise for an active secondary

[Muddyboot]

I've been playing around with a few different MMs recently and some of the secondaries (like Time) I found to be a little too sluggish for my tastes.  I am wondering if that is the case with all MM secondaries, or perhaps it is just that I am still low level.  Are there secondaries that require a little more interaction?  I saw a vid of a /Nature that looked pretty good.  Any advise welcome, I'm pretty much a newb, just getting back to this game since it was live.

 

Thanks,

[Omega Force]

I think Kinetics or Trick Arrow would keep you busy.

[Muddyboot]

Awesome, thanks for the tip, I'll check them out.

[Onlyasandwich]

Electric is super active, and also quite strong.

[Six-Six]

Yeah, I feel the same way about /Time. And you're right. low level powers tend to feel sluggish. I haven't tried Ice, Fire and Emp yet, but everything else I have. Among those, my favourites are /Elec, /Dark, and /Rad in that order. I don't care much for FF but maybe because I took with bots and it felt redundant. /Traps is a bit underwhelming in general, especially since it doesn't come with a heal... though i like it on other ATs. I don't like /Nature and /Kin because they feel like cheating and I like a bit of challenge. Storm is alright, a bit on the fence with it, but maybe because I paired with Ninjas.

My /elec is still levelling, but it's fairly stronk. My GM killer is bots/dark/soul. I 

[StrikerFox]

Storm. It has a variety of attacks (Gale, Lightning Storm, Tornado and Freezing Rain) that all do KB/KD. Play to keep targets on the ground, try to kill enemies as quickly as possible, to keep pets alive. 

[Muddyboot]

Thank you all for the replies.  You've been a big help here.  I'm going to check out a bunch of your suggestions, but, right out of the gate, electric seems to be what I am looking for.

 

Cheers

[EnjoyTheJourney]

Demons / electric is a powerhouse combination.

 

Electric affinity provides *very* strong buffs that are excellent at keeping pets alive. It also provides faraday cage, which means mez protection for pets operating inside (so, get used to hovering over melee, for example, and invite pets into the area). That means you can skip clarion as the destiny pick and instead pick barrier to make pets and your MM even sturdier. The end / recovery buffs are helpful for demons because they can sometimes run out of end at inconvenient times otherwise. 

 

Demons synergize particularly well with electric affinity because the -res debuffs in the pets and the MM personal attacks allow everything to hit harder (and the slow in the T3 pet is another debuff); since the amount of debuffing electric affinity brings on its own can be reasonably viewed as a key limitation of the set, demons make for a particularly strong pairing with electric affinity. 

 

The key potential drawback of this combination is that three key skills that heal pets, given them a hefty absorb shield, and refill everybody's endurance end up being used a lot. A. Lot. If you like having a lot of time to attack and/or debuff mobs, then electrical affinity probably won't end up being for you. You might enjoy storm, cold, or trick arrow more, in that case.  

Edited February 28, 2022 by EnjoyTheJourney

[DocMidknight]

@EnjoyTheJourney....that's one of the combos I still need to play on my demon MM builds. Would you have any build advice for the pairing, I've never used electrical affinity before. Thanks

[EnjoyTheJourney]

Although not well optimized and containing some sketchy power choices and omissions, the build below was still very solid in endgame and also when exemp'd down. 

 

Good luck with your demons / EA character. 🙂

 

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.1.2.5
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Spark Demon: Level 50 Magic Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Demon Summoning
Secondary Power Set: Electrical Affinity
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Mu Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Summon Demonlings -- SprMarofS-Dmg(A), SprMarofS-Acc/EndRdx(15), CaltoArm-Acc/Rchg(33), CaltoArm-Acc/Dmg(33), CaltoArm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), CaltoArm-+Def(Pets)(34)
Level 1: Shock -- PreOptmz-EndMod/Acc/End(A)
Level 2: Rejuvenating Circuit -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(11), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(11), Prv-Heal/Rchg(13), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(13), Prv-Absorb%(15)
Level 4: Corruption -- Dcm-Acc/Dmg(A), Dcm-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Dcm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), Dcm-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(9), Dcm-Build%(9)
Level 6: Enchant Demon -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 8: Crack Whip -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(17), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(17), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(19), PstBls-Dam%(19), JvlVll-Dam%(21)
Level 10: Energizing Circuit -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(46), PrfShf-EndMod/Rchg(48)
Level 12: Summon Demons -- SprMarofS-Dmg/EndRdx(A), SprMarofS-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(21), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg(23), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(23), ExpRnf-Dmg/EndRdx(25), ExpRnf-+Res(Pets)(25)
Level 14: Hover -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), Rct-ResDam%(46), WntGif-ResSlow(46)
Level 16: Faraday Cage -- UnbGrd-Max HP%(A), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(34), UnbGrd-ResDam(37), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(40), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(43)
Level 18: Hell on Earth -- SprCmmoft-Acc/Dmg(A), SprCmmoft-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), SprCmmoft-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36), SprCmmoft-Rchg/PetAoEDef(36), EdcoftheM-PetDef(37), SvrRgh-PetResDam(37)
Level 20: Empowering Circuit -- GssSynFr--Build%(A)
Level 22: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(31)
Level 24: Tactics -- AdjTrg-ToHit(A), AdjTrg-ToHit/Rchg(29), AdjTrg-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(42), AdjTrg-EndRdx/Rchg(42), AdjTrg-ToHit/EndRdx(43)
Level 26: Summon Demon Prince -- ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg(A), ExpRnf-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(27), SprMarofS-Acc/Dmg(27), SprMarofS-EndRdx/+Resist/+Regen(29), ImpSwf-Dam%(31), OvrFrc-Dam/KB(31)
Level 28: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(33)
Level 30: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 32: Abyssal Empowerment -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 35: Charged Armor -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A), GldArm-End/Res(39), GldArm-ResDam(39)
Level 38: Insulating Circuit -- Pnc-Heal/EndRedux(A), Pnc-EndRdx/Rchg(39), Pnc-Heal/Rchg(40), Pnc-Heal/EndRedux/Rchg(40), Pnc-Heal(43)
Level 41: Tough -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), StdPrt-ResKB(42)
Level 44: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(45), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(45), ShlWal-Def(45)
Level 47: Electrifying Fences -- Rgn-Dmg(A), Rgn-Knock%(48), Rgn-Dmg/EndRdx(48), Rgn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(50), Rgn-Acc/Rchg(50), PstBls-Dam%(50)
Level 49: Discharge -- PreOptmz-EndMod/Acc/End(A)
Level 1: Supremacy 
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Clr-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Swift -- Flight-I(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(5), Mrc-Rcvry+(5)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(3), PwrTrns-+Heal(3)
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 4: Ninja Run 
Level 50: Pyronic Core Final Judgement 
Level 50: Diamagnetic Core Flawless Interface 
Level 50: Banished Pantheon Core Superior Ally 
Level 50: Barrier Core Epiphany 
Level 50: Support Core Embodiment 
Level 50: Musculature Core Paragon 
Level 50: Freedom Phalanx Reserve 
Level 50: Portal Jockey 
Level 50: Task Force Commander 
Level 50: The Atlas Medallion 
Level 1: Cold Demonling 
Level 26: Demon Prince 
Level 12: Ember Demon 
Level 1: Fiery Demonling 
Level 1: Hellfire Demonling 
Level 12: Hellfire Gargoyle 
------------

Edited February 28, 2022 by EnjoyTheJourney

[DreadShinobi]

Demon Kinetics has been my most enjoyable experience playing masterminds. Proc loaded whip attacks at the damage cap from fulcrum shift gives your character a very tall ceiling on offensive output. The -res from whips synergizes well with the +dmg from kinetics. Requires active positioning of MM pets to get hurt pets in melee range of a transfusion target, but speed boost keeps your pets moving fast. A little dangerous to play compared to tankier MM sets like /dark or /time, but I found the risk vs reward to be enjoyable, unique, and worth it.

[Redletter]

Active sets?

 

Trick Arrow. Trick Arrow is the biggest, most active support set you've got and it's got TONS of "gameplay" goin' on.  You really need to stay on top of your arrows and what they all do, what their radius' are and if your pets are messing with the positioning of your enemies.

 

Following that? Storm. Storm is less busy, but has tons of moves youll WANT to be staying on top of, like, literally your FIRST power, Gale, is going to be something you'll be using from level 1 to veteran level 1000000000. It's a knock cone, so its a weird one to work around.

[Arbegla]

As much as people might disagree with me, I find /Traps to be very engaging once you get a decent (100% global?) recharge in it. You can easily get Acid Mortar up every spawn, Seeker drones every other spawn (to help soak the alpha) Caltrops every ~15 seconds, and Triage beacon for the boss fights.

 

Plus the FFG blows up every 5 minutes, so you're forced to resummon that pretty constantly too. When all else fails, you have Web Grenade to immobilize things and keep them from flying away (I'm looking at you Carny Illusionists, Mu, and Longbow Eagles!)

 

I also play /traps very very differently then most people, so it may be a playstyle change for you to really feel the flow of it.