Where Are All the Poison Defenders?

[00Troy00]

I thought poison defenders were supposed to be really strong, but I don’t really see them anymore. Did they get nerfed all to hell?

[SeraphimKensai]

I have one that solo's tf's but you're right I don't see many of them.

[Frozen Burn]

I tried Poison back on live when it first came out and had a hard time keeping people alive with it and I felt like the debuffs weren't making a difference either.  So I never finished playing it or even getting to the T8 and T9 powers, let alone sets and such.  

 

I believe there have been buffs / tweaks to the set since, if I recall correctly.  ???  Dunno for sure. 

 

But maybe I should give it another go this time around and stick with it to see how it goes.  

[Linea]

They are around.   If they ever got their two primary debuffs increased to 15' radius instead of 8', no one would every play anything else. 😜 They are very effective, just in a smaller radius than most would like.

As an aside: I have to nerf the crap out /poison in 801 to keep them from completely obliterating their victims.  Poison and Cold both.  Which means I suspect they are nicely effective in PvP, but I don't pvp.

[Underfyre]

Seems like a lot of what makes an Offender powerful is zeroing out a mobs regen. Only a handful of sets pack the -500% regen debuff, and poison ain't one of them. Tossing out -65% resistance and -50% regen doesn't really compare to the other sets doing -500% regen and ~-30% resistance, especially when you've largely forsaken your ability to also defend.

[Without_Pause]

Honestly, -regen is more for things above a boss level.

 

I made a Poison/rad, but it is currently shelved. I haven't decided on keeping it or maybe just changing the secondary. Mostly just trying to figure out a build which clicks for me. 

[oedipus_tex]

I played a Poison recently, was reminded of all the reasons I dislike it, and rerolled it as Trick Arrow.

 

Poison has a few things going for it, but I dislike 6 out of 9 powers, and the three that are great have small radii that I don't find fun to work with. 

 

 

Edited March 21, 2022 by oedipus_tex

[Dahkness]

We went out for lunch. It was a toxic gathering. So we just don’t show are faces as much anymore.

[Bionic_Flea]

I have a Poison/Ice Defender at 50+3, Toxic Flea, and a Plant/Poison Controller, Biotic Flea -- also 50+3.

 

I find that Poison pairs particularly well with Ice and Controllers as it has some strong holds that can stack with others.

 

The biggest problem poison has, IMO, is that [Venomous Gas] is the premier power of the set but it's quickly detoggled if you get mezzed.  That's why I also like using [Rune of Protection], [Indomitable Will], and [Clarion Radial Epiphany] to keep those mezzes from happening.

 

While I wouldn't mind a buff (can I have Traps version of Poison Trap?  Pleeeeeease?) I think it's a fine set that is underrated.

[EnjoyTheJourney]

I had two poison defenders I really enjoyed playing prior to the rune of protection duration nerf (before the nerf it could be kept up about 50% of the time, making a good pairing with melee core hybrid and barrier destiny). But, those defenders have essentially been shelved. I found a new main instead with a blaster. 

 

With poison defenders getting their defenses nerfed indirectly, with the RoP nerf, and with trick arrow being made noticeably stronger, poison defenders are fewer in number than they used to be. 

[00Troy00]

On 3/20/2022 at 1:15 PM, Linea said:

They are around.   If they ever got their two primary debuffs increased to 15' radius instead of 8', no one would every play anything else. 😜 They are very effective, just in a smaller radius than most would like.

As an aside: I have to nerf the crap out /poison in 801 to keep them from completely obliterating their victims.  Poison and Cold both.  Which means I suspect they are nicely effective in PvP, but I don't pvp.

Forgive my ignorance, but what is "801?"

[00Troy00]

22 hours ago, underfyre said:

Seems like a lot of what makes an Offender powerful is zeroing out a mobs regen. Only a handful of sets pack the -500% regen debuff, and poison ain't one of them. Tossing out -65% resistance and -50% regen doesn't really compare to the other sets doing -500% regen and ~-30% resistance, especially when you've largely forsaken your ability to also defend.

What powersets accomplish this?

[Psyonico]

1 hour ago, 00Troy00 said:

Forgive my ignorance, but what is "801?"

801 is a series of AE missions that, run at +4, is essentially incarnate content.  Some of the most difficult stuff in the game.

[Psyonico]

1 hour ago, 00Troy00 said:

What powersets accomplish this?

Rad and dark both will do it.  Traps will do it, trick arrow will do it, though the -regen isn't anywhere near permable

[Underfyre]

2 hours ago, 00Troy00 said:

What powersets accomplish this?

 

Sure, let me Google that for you.

 

Cold Domination:

Benumb: -500% regen, can be made perma, but only single target

Sleet: -30% res. AOE.

Heat Loss: -30% res. AOE.

 

Dark Miasma:

Twilight Grasp: -50% regen

Tar Patch: -30% res. AOE.

Howling Twilight: -500% regen, recharge can be reasonably brought down to ~50s, 60% up time, so roughly -300% regen. AOE.

 

Radiation Emission:

Enervating Field: -30% res. AOE.

Lingering Radiation: -500% regen. AOE.

 

Thermal Radiation:

Heat Exhaustion: - 500% regen

Melt Armor: -30% res. AOE.

 

Traps:

Acid Mortar: -26.6% res. AOE.

Poison Trap: -1000% regen. AOE.

 

Trick Arrow:

Entangling Arrow: -20% res.

Disruption Arrow: -40% res. AOE.

EMP Arrow: -500% regen for 45s, additional -500% regen for 15s.

 

Several sets. It's no unheard of.

[00Troy00]

2 minutes ago, underfyre said:

 

Sure, let me Google that for you.

 

Cold Domination:

Benumb: -500% regen, can be made perma, but only single target

Sleet: -30% res. AOE.

Heat Loss: -30% res. AOE.

 

Dark Miasma:

Twilight Grasp: -50% regen

Tar Patch: -30% res. AOE.

Howling Twilight: -500% regen, recharge can be reasonably brought down to ~50s, 60% up time, so roughly -300% regen. AOE.

 

Radiation Emission:

Enervating Field: -30% res. AOE.

Lingering Radiation: -500% regen. AOE.

 

Thermal Radiation:

Heat Exhaustion: - 500% regen

Melt Armor: -30% res. AOE.

 

Traps:

Acid Mortar: -26.6% res. AOE.

Poison Trap: -1000% regen. AOE.

 

Trick Arrow:

Entangling Arrow: -20% res.

Disruption Arrow: -40% res. AOE.

EMP Arrow: -500% regen for 45s, additional -500% regen for 15s.

 

Several sets. It's no unheard of.

I appreciate you taking the time.

[Redletter]

On 3/20/2022 at 12:24 PM, 00Troy00 said:

I thought poison defenders were supposed to be really strong, but I don’t really see them anymore. Did they get nerfed all to hell?

 

You thought correctly. But it's a powerset that forces you to spit on people, and fashion trumps literally any number in the enitre game? So if you can't make spitting on people work thematically, you just dont play it -- period. It's the rules.

[Dahkness]

On 3/22/2022 at 3:20 PM, Redletter said:

 

You thought correctly. But it's a powerset that forces you to spit on people, and fashion trumps literally any number in the enitre game? So if you can't make spitting on people work thematically, you just dont play it -- period. It's the rules.

[Ankhammon]

My poison defenders are both shelved right now for other thing I find interesting.

 

One thing I've noticed is using presence line really improved my lot in life on Poison. I stealth rush in and fear most of the crowd which allows me time to set up my destruction of the enemy.

[Onlyasandwich]

On 3/22/2022 at 6:20 PM, Redletter said:

make spitting on people work thematically, you just dont play it -- period. It's the rules.

This is the correct answer!

 

My Poison/ Defender is a gigantic baby, so puking is expected. 😄 

[MoonSheep]

pick me pick me!

 

i have a poison/fire/psi i made a long time ago, recently started playing it again and realised how over the top the debuffs are on a single target

 

great for speed runs where often the team are  mostly focused on single objectives 

 

having 5 damage procs in dominate makes it a really high damage power, great combined with blaze and snipe on debuffed enemies

 

don’t forget veng and rez, the circle of supernatural life is your gain

[oedipus_tex]

I was actually on a fire Farm recently where the Brutes left and a Poison/Water Defender who had been helping them went on to continue farming the map. He did die a few times, and used Soul Transfer to rezz. It was definitely impressive.

 

 

[Cutter]

Funnily enough, I just started a Poison/Water def yesterday in response to seeing this thread. Dumpster Juice is only L13, but it seems fun enough. Think I'm going to push for ridiculous amounts of procs everywhere.

[Onlyasandwich]

8 minutes ago, Cutter said:

Dumpster Juice

Oh man. Oh my. Oh no.

[Magnificus]

I have a poison def in the mid 40's but I get tired of playing it cause I end up in pug's set on child safety mode, and that doesnt give me a lot to do. It was that way for every tf with her as well. Just unlucky I guess.