Stun Control - Dark/Dark/Dark Corruptor

[Two Dollar Bill]

Dark/Dark Defenders and Corruptors have always been very Controllery and I wanted to give this character an emphasis on crowd control in the form of stun, while still inflicting reasonable damage and not being too squishy.
- Howling Twilight, Dark Pit and Oppressive Gloom can stack a lot of stun. There's even a stun proc in Moonbeam.
- Soft-capped Ranged Defense and 52% Smashing/Lethal resist should hopefully make him less-squishy.
I found it surprisingly difficult to squeeze everything I wanted in here. Every power slot was precious which is how he ended up being a Corruptor and not a Defender... I didn't want Dark Blast, the tier 1 filler attack which Defenders are required to take. I also ran out of enhancements slots, leaving some things under-slotted. But maybe you guys can do it better!

 

This Villain build was built using Mids Reborn 3.2.17
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

DDC 220313: Level 50 Magic Corruptor
Primary Power Set: Dark Blast
Secondary Power Set: Dark Miasma
Power Pool: Teleportation
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Dark Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Gloom -- SprScrBls-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(A), SprScrBls-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(3), SprScrBls-Rchg/+End(3)
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- Prv-Heal/EndRdx(A), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(5), Prv-Heal/Rchg(5), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(21), Prv-Absorb%(31), Acc-I(34)
Level 2: Moonbeam -- ExcCnt-Acc/Dmg(A), ExcCnt-Dmg/EndRdx(7), ExcCnt-Dmg/ActRdx(7), ExcCnt-Dmg/Rng(34), ExcCnt-Stun%(40), ExcCnt-Dmg/Rchg(50)
Level 4: Teleport -- Wrp-Range(A), Wrp-End/Range(9), Wrp-End(9), Wrp-+Special(11)
Level 6: Darkest Night -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 8: Tenebrous Tentacles -- Artl-Acc/Dam(A), Artl-Dam/End(11), Artl-Dam/Rech(13), Artl-Acc/Dam/Rech(34), Artl-Acc/Rech/Rng(36), Artl-End/Rech/Rng(46)
Level 10: Howling Twilight -- AbsAmz-Stun/Rchg(A), AbsAmz-Acc/Stun/Rchg(13), AbsAmz-Acc/Rchg(15), AbsAmz-EndRdx/Stun(37), AbsAmz-ToHitDeb%(50)
Level 12: Night Fall -- Artl-Acc/Dam(A), Artl-Dam/End(15), Artl-Dam/Rech(17), Artl-Acc/Dam/Rech(33), Artl-Acc/Rech/Rng(37), Artl-End/Rech/Rng(48)
Level 14: Dark Pit -- Stp-Acc/Rchg(A), Stp-Stun/Rng(17), Stp-Acc/EndRdx(19), Stp-EndRdx/Stun(19), Stp-Acc/Stun/Rchg(37)
Level 16: Shadow Fall -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(21), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(31), UnbGrd-Max HP%(39)
Level 18: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 20: Fearsome Stare -- CldSns-ToHitDeb(A), CldSns-Acc/ToHitDeb(23), CldSns-Acc/Rchg(23), CldSns-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(39), CldSns-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(43), CldSns-%Dam(48)
Level 22: Teleport Target -- BlsoftheZ-ResKB(A)
Level 24: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 26: Life Drain -- SprMlcoft-Acc/Dmg(A), SprMlcoft-Dmg/Rchg(27), SprMlcoft-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(27), SprMlcoft-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33), SprMlcoft-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33), SprMlcoft-Rchg/Dmg%(40)
Level 28: Petrifying Gaze -- BslGaz-Acc/Hold(A), BslGaz-Acc/Rchg(29), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(29), BslGaz-Slow%(40)
Level 30: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(31)
Level 32: Tar Patch -- Slow-I(A)
Level 35: Oppressive Gloom -- Stp-Acc/Rchg(A), Stp-EndRdx/Stun(36), Stp-Acc/EndRdx(36), Stp-Stun/Rng(42), Stp-Acc/Stun/Rchg(43), Stp-KB%(43)
Level 38: Dark Servant -- CldSns-Acc/ToHitDeb(A), CldSns-Acc/Rchg(39)
Level 41: Dark Embrace -- ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpArm-EndRdx/Rchg(42), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(42), ImpArm-ResDam(45), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(46), GldArm-3defTpProc(46)
Level 44: Tough -- Ags-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Ags-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(45), Ags-Psi/Status(45)
Level 47: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(48), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 49: Soul Transfer -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Scourge
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Health -- Mrc-Rcvry+(A), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(25)
Level 1: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-End%(25)
Level 49: Quick Form
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[Uun]

Hey, it's your concept and if you have fun, go for it. The problem is that all your stuns are mag 2. Enhancing them increases the duration, but not the magnitude, so you need to stack them if you want stun anything higher than a minion. HT is on a long recharge so it's not an every spawn power (and dropping a purple stun set in Howling Twilight seems like a waste). OG is a melee PBAoE, so to stack it with Dark Pit you need to run into a spawn and then cast Dark Pit where you're standing. Meanwhile, many of your attacks are cones, so you have to reposition to use them. You're using a lot of slots to enhance decidedly weak powers and skimping on the signature powers of a D/D/D. Skipping Blackstar? and Soul Drain? Waiting until lvl 32 for Tar Patch? 

 

If you really want to stun and do damage, I think this concept would work much better as a Dominator.

[Two Dollar Bill]

Well, if it were optimal, everyone would be doing it! What's the fun in that? The concept for this build came from my Dark/Dark Controller. I'm not a big fan of ground target powers like Shadow Field and so I was using Howling Twilight offensively and then stacking Heart of Darkness (PBAoE disorient) on it.

 

As far as I can tell, Dark/Dark/Dark Defenders and Corruptors are the only characters that can get three different AoE stuns for maximum stacking. I'm not sure what the magnitude of the stun proc in Moonbeam is, but I plan to test that out. Even if his crowd control is somewhat inconsistent he's still buffing, debuffing and healing... usual Defender/Corruptor stuff.

 

It would be great to have Blackstar/Soul Drain but I think the real signature powers of any Dark/Dark build are the cone attacks which, as you say, don't synergize well with PBAoE. The general plan is to fight at long range with cones, Howling Twilight and Dark Pit, and use my ranged defense to stay alive. I'm hoping Oppressive Gloom will only be used as a backup, and I have it slotted with the knockback proc so it will bounce melee attackers.

 

You're right that one of Howling Twilight's big weaknesses is it long recharge time. Unfortunately the old standby of stun IO sets, Stupefy, has a rather lackluster bonus to recharge time. That's why I went with the more expensive purple set, to get the best recharge for the fewest slots.

 

Tar patch could definitely show up sooner in the build.

 

I'm sure there are things I could shuffle around to get an extra slot in Hasten or maybe to slot Howling Twilight with five slots of Stupefy plus a recharge IO. Dark Embrace is over-slotted for Resistance but I wanted that endurance discount. I suspect I'll just have to build the character and see what works.

 

[oedipus_tex]

58 minutes ago, Two Dollar Bill said:

As far as I can tell, Dark/Dark/Dark Defenders and Corruptors are the only characters that can get three different AoE stuns for maximum stacking. I'm not sure what the magnitude of the stun proc in Moonbeam is, but I plan to test that out. Even if his crowd control is somewhat inconsistent he's still buffing, debuffing and healing... usual Defender/Corruptor stuff.

 

 

Minor addition, a Storm/Dark/Soul Defender can also stack stuns. Thunderclap and Dark Pit are very spammable (45 and 60 sec recharge), and have favorable radiuses (20 and 25). With Oppressive Gloom you're hitting Mag 6 on anything within 15 feet--Dominator levels. May be worth considering in your search for a control heavy Defender.

[Intermipants]

Hi Two Dollar Bill,

 

I was also looking for a build that was focused purely around control through stuns and I eventually settled on a dark armor / energy melee tank and just treated it like a melee controller. You get the stun effect from oppresssive gloom and then more or less every attack power, including an aoe, has a stun component.  I also took the earth ancillary pool for stalagmites to get another aoe stun.  It’s really fun to be in a massive group where everyone is wobbling about - it’s like being the designated driver in the pub at midnight. 
 

I know you’re looking for a defender AT and so apologies if this is an uncalled for tangent, just thought I’d throw it out there. Happy to post the build too if you’re interested. 

[Two Dollar Bill]

5 hours ago, Intermipants said:

I was also looking for a build that was focused purely around control through stuns and I eventually settled on a dark armor / energy melee tank and just treated it like a melee controller. You get the stun effect from oppresssive gloom and then more or less every attack power, including an aoe, has a stun component.  I also took the earth ancillary pool for stalagmites to get another aoe stun.  It’s really fun to be in a massive group where everyone is wobbling about - it’s like being the designated driver in the pub at midnight. 
 

I know you’re looking for a defender AT and so apologies if this is an uncalled for tangent, just thought I’d throw it out there. Happy to post the build too if you’re interested. 

Well, I did call the thread Stun Control, and I suppose Whirling Hands, Oppressive Gloom and Stalagmites does qualify as three AoE stuns. I do think that Stuns are more amusing than Holds, but while just about everyone has Holds they can stack on things, it's easy to be the only person on a team with meaningful disorient powers. Just ask any Human-form Warshade. Maybe we need a special theme team to make every mob stagger drunkenly around.

 

Although a disorient-spamming Tanker does sound fun, a strange thing happens when you join a team as a Tanker... people start following you around as-if you know where you're going. Since I often have no idea, I prefer to avoid that responsibility and only have one Tanker on Homecoming. Still, I would be happy to see that build if you post it in the Tanker forum.

[Intermipants]

I just posted the build in the tanker forums.  I'd totally be up for being part of a drunky stun theme team as well!

[Riverdusk]

On 3/20/2022 at 10:22 PM, Two Dollar Bill said:

Although a disorient-spamming Tanker does sound fun, a strange thing happens when you join a team as a Tanker... people start following you around as-if you know where you're going. Since I often have no idea, I prefer to avoid that responsibility and only have one Tanker on Homecoming. Still, I would be happy to see that build if you post it in the Tanker forum.

 

I'm with you there on tankers.  Idea does sound fun though.  Another way to go would be a EM/DA/Leviathan scrapper.  Leviathan for water spout for stun, and the fun of tossing them in the air too.  Leviathan is always one of my favorite scrapper epics to take anyway,  water spout a strong easy one pick wonder, leaving you with more room for other powers.

[Two Dollar Bill]

6 minutes ago, Riverdusk said:

 

I'm with you there on tankers.  Idea does sound fun though.  Another way to go would be a EM/DA/Leviathan scrapper.  Leviathan for water spout for stun, and the fun of tossing them in the air too.  Leviathan is always one of my favorite scrapper epics to take anyway,  water spout a strong easy one pick wonder, leaving you with more room for other powers.

It does seem like there are some good melee stunner options. Looking at Intermipants' Tanker build, I see there are stun procs I never considered. You could potentially go with a set like War Mace, Kinetic Melee or Super Strength that has fewer/weaker stun attacks if you were generous with the Pounding Slugfest and Triumphant Insult procs. Of course the melee stunners might still need some healing, so the stun-oriented Corruptor wouldn't be redundant!

[Snarky]

i like the idea

Edited May 30, 2022 by Snarky