Is the Buff to Control Effects some secondary sets get worth it?

[Redletter]

So, many dominator secondaries have a buff power that gives them a blanket +50% strength to their controls effects.

 

Im looking to remake my Seer (Psi/Martial Blaster) as a Dominator (I considered defender, I may STILL do defender since I have some ideas about a time/psi of FF/Psi defender? No idea yet) or a Controller. I shyed away from 'troller because there's no psi secondary, and in general, I have more luck with landing control effects as a Dominator. Obviously, that led me to looking at Psi Assault, and I realized it doesnt have the Control Effects Buff clickie that sets like Dark, Fire, and Energy get (pretty sure it's called Power Up in most of them, but some might have a different name).

 

So, my question is, are these powers really worth it over, say, Drain Psyche?

[Onlyasandwich]

I think it's generally worth taking if choosing a set that has one. None of them really compare to the raw power of Drain Psyche though. They are towards very different goals.

 

The extra control duration is pretty handy in some scenarios, but they are also useful for the bit of extra juice in most +defense powers (not all - despite what mids says, those with +res elements aren't enhanced). There aren't any tricks quite as good as what a defender can do with shields, however. The +damage is sort of a happy bonus for using it when it otherwise makes sense. I don't know that I'd rotate it in for the damage only if other effects are not desired at that time.

 

Secondaries with Power Up type do hold a special appeal for Electric Doms, as they will make sapping much more viable. Electric tends to be a bit slow out of the gate for this approach otherwise, or relies on Power Sink.

 

 

[oedipus_tex]

Power Up is a new power created for Homecoming. The original power is Power Boost, the same one in Blaster Energy Manipulation. On Homecoming, Power Up has 5 second shorter +Special and an added +Damage component.

 

The power Gather Shadows in Dark Assault is the same as it was on live IIRC.

 

To be honest, I miss Power Boost. The +damage is nice, but losing those extra 5 seconds of +Special means Power Up no longer has the armor potential it previously did. Originally you could get it to almost 50% up time, now it's around 30%. (I appreciate the other changes Homecoming made to these sets however).

 

With the original Power Boost, I did feel like clicking it as an opener was worth it, because it would increase mezz on the alpha breaker, and then on the first couple of holds or additional powers you threw. It also would increase the endurance drain of Electric Control and -ToHit of Dark Control.

 

With the newer version, I'm not as certain about using it on actual controls. +30% damage is in that zone where I'm not sure clicking it for the damage is all that useful either. I am not a math expert on this. It's not a bad power to hit prior to a big hitter like a Snipe.

 

One power I do think it's worth hitting Power Up prior to is Mass Confusion. The recharge on MC is very long, and I want anything I hit with it stay Confused for a very long time. The same logic can be applied to many of the AoE Holds--but a lot of the time, I find hitting PB and then a big hold awkward. Players with less shaky fingers may have a better experience.

[Mezmera]

Yes it was Power Boost in Energy Assault prior to the Dominator Secondary revamp that HC did long ago. 

 

My main on live was my Mind/Nrg dom but I was under no illusion that my Mind/Dark on live wasn't better.  Prior to the revamp the only thing that changed for Energy Assault was the snipe changes which was quite welcome but not enough to tempt me to remake my Mind/Nrg and was just sticking with my /Dark. 

 

The animation speed-up while keeping the same damage for a few of those powers was great and the Energy Release mechanic is superb for Power Burst and Bone Smasher.  The addition of a damage buff to Power Boost was great as well.  They did overtune Whirling Hands at first and unfortunately brought it back down a peg to being meh again but it was understandable seeing how Energy attacks throughout the game are stronger ST damage which Energy Assault for sure is top tier now.  

 

Between the duration increase of your controls that Power Boosting nets you which along with Domination gets you some real nice survivability on their own and what else you can do with Power Boosting things like defense powers I feel naked if I play a dom without this kind of ability.  Power Boosting really suits someone with an aggressive outside the box playstyle and its particularly suited well to already hard control characters.  

Edited March 23, 2022 by Mezmera

[oedipus_tex]

1 hour ago, Mezmera said:

Yes it was Power Boost in Energy Assault prior to the Dominator Secondary revamp that HC did long ago. 

 

My main on live was my Mind/Nrg dom but I was under no illusion that my Mind/Dark on live wasn't better.  Prior to the revamp the only thing that changed for Energy Assault was the snipe changes which was quite welcome but not enough to tempt me to remake my Mind/Nrg and was just sticking with my /Dark. 

 

The animation speed-up while keeping the same damage for a few of those powers was great and the Energy Release mechanic is superb for Power Burst and Bone Smasher.  The addition of a damage buff to Power Boost was great as well.  They did overtune Whirling Hands at first and unfortunately brought it back down a peg to being meh again but it was understandable seeing how Energy attacks throughout the game are stronger ST damage which Energy Assault for sure is top tier now.  

 

Between the duration increase of your controls that Power Boosting nets you which along with Domination gets you some real nice survivability on their own and what else you can do with Power Boosting things like defense powers I feel naked if I play a dom without this kind of ability.  Power Boosting really suits someone with an aggressive outside the box playstyle and its particularly suited well to already hard control characters.  

 

 

I agree, I'll take the HC version of the Assault sets any day over what was on live. 🙂

 

Despite my reservations, Power Up is still a must-take power. I do wish the original Power Boost was still around though. Those lost 5 seconds of Defense, extra Confusion in Arctic Air, extra slow, etc added up to a lot of coverage. I used to be able to build toons who were "Power Boost-capped" in the sense that I would build their Defense to where it was adequate, then Power Boosted to the cap around 50% of the time. Losing those lost 5 seconds hurt. The damage may make it worth it though.

 

With the current version, I especially like it where I can double-dip, e.g. hit Power Up on an Electric Control build and use it for +damage in attacks while the drain aura is ticking simultaneously.