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New plant/storm looking for advice

Zulgeek

By Zulgeek
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Zulgeek

Zulgeek

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Hello! Created a plant/storm controller last night and I'm really enjoying it. Still low level though. What are the must have powers and the skippable powers? Thanks for any advice!

Carnifax

Carnifax

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Posted (edited)

Plant : Seeds & Creepers, single target hold are must have. Flytrap is a decent pet. AoE Immob is useful for Storm. Vines is skippable but it's occasionally useful and takes nice sets (I went Lockdown for the Ranged Def & extra hold mag for a few seconds)

Storm : Freezing Rain is the beast in here. Steamy mist, Tornado (with a Knockback to Knockdown IO) and Lightning are decent. Hurricane and O2 are situational but I take them. Hurricane is a monster -ToHit debuff but you need to learn how to use it to push enemies where you want them rather than scattering them randomly. 

 

My build is here. I like Ice epic for the Freezing Rain + Roots + Ice Storm combo. 

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Edited by Carnifax
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My level 50 builds

[Bullitt Time : DP/Kin Corruptor] [Carnifax : Ill/Dark Controller] [Kerriae : Plant/Storm Controller] [Echinoderm : Bio/Spines Tank] [Iron Brew : Mace/Rad Brute] [Snookered : Staff/NRG Brute] [iScream : Ice/Ice Scrapper] [Binman : Savage/Shield Stalker] [Modul-8 : Time/Sonic Defender] [Concussion Blast : Fire/NRG Domi] [Orblivion : Dark/Martial Domi] [Mombie : Necro/Nature MM] [Tempore : Water/Time Blaster] [Thermodynamic Flux : Ice/Fire Blaster] 

 

[Carni's Online CombatLog Parser Alpha]

 

  • 4 weeks later
Delduath

Delduath

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Is there a build for us poor new people while leveling this on what IO's to put in when just buying from the stores or what we find?  Rather than sets?

Edited by Delduath
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Doomguide2005

Doomguide2005

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Posted (edited)

     Well my computer died so I can't post an actual Mids build but roughly this is what I be looking at overall:

  • Strangler - acc, endred, then holds
  • Roots - acc, 2×endred, then immobs
  • Seeds - acc, endred, 3×recharge
  • Spirit Tree - optional - endred, 2×recharge, 2 heal
  • Vines - acc, 2 endred, 2×recharge, 
  • Carrion Creepers - acc, endred, 3 damage
  • Fly Trap - acc, endred, 3×damage

Storm:

  • Gale - acc
  • O2 Boost - optional - endred, 2×heal, 2×recharge 
  • Snow Storm - optional - endred (one slot wonder for slow, -fly)
  • Steamy Mist - 2 endred, defense and or resistance to taste (I'd be happy pre IOs with 2 and 2)
  • Freezing Rain - 2×endred, 2×recharge (no acc or other enhancement needed)
  • Hurricane - 2×endred, 2×to hit debuff
  • Thunderclap - I'd skip, no AoE stun in Plant to stack stuns (otherwise my Stormies take)
  • Tornado - 1×endred, 2×recharge, 3×damage (no acc needed, auto hit)
  • Lightning Storm - 1×acc, 2×endred, 3×damage (or 1×recharge and 1×endred)

     Ultimately the exact enhancement and slotting isn't make or break especially while leveling and learning an AT.  But attacks in general cost more end/sec than defensive toggles so accuracy is important to avoid burning that end on a whiff, then endred to reduce that cost.  The rest is mostly finding an enhancement balance that works for you.

     Frankken-slotting can be a very useful.  That's using set IOs for their enhancement value and not for their set bonuses.  For example, using 2 endred/recharge IOs from any set as a source in 2-slotted Freezing Rain gives you more enhancement than using 1 endred and 1 recharge in those 2 slots.  Same in Steamy Mist slotting a mix of defense/endred and resistance/endred will end up giving you more value in the same number of slots.  Yes, in the long runs using sets as sets is generally stronger but using frankken-slotting is in general more slot efficient and stronger than using straight up SOs or even Generic IOs for your build.  There are also a number of special IOs that can be used to strengthen a build without going whole hog into IO sets and can be had using merits you earn just doing story arcs and task forces.  And I'm sure plenty of advice will flow in about how it's fairly easy and straightforward to use the market to generate lots of wealth very quickly and easily.   Or send a text to @Yomo Kimyataand afaik he's still giving away funds to newcomers.  I doubt we will ever bleed him dry but we can keep trying (as he giggles and counts his pile) 

Edited by Doomguide2005
Typos always with the typos.
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Ringo

Ringo

Posted
Posted

Now that the Sleep is Autohit, Spore Burst is a good one slot wonder to help facilitate control aggro/strategic withdrawal.  Just don't throw Roots at that group!

 

Otherwise, yeah I skip all those too

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Doomguide2005

Doomguide2005

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     Okay that's interesting, CoD lists Seeds as "Always" on the 'Notify Mobs' line.  Been long enough that I don't clearly recall if this is true or an incorrect entry.  Typically that entry when used means the power will cause aggro on you if, for example, the boss isn't confused.  Of course, most bosses, afaik, do not have confuse protection and are confused by the base mag of Seeds making it only matter if/when the duration expires.  But you could use other confuses all day, for example, Deceive or Mass Confusion and never have them aggro?

 

PS:  World of Confusion same thing but there makes a sense it also causes damage.

Edited by Doomguide2005
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Riverdusk

Riverdusk

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Posted
  On 10/1/2022 at 1:15 PM, Doomguide2005 said:

     Okay that's interesting, CoD lists Seeds as "Always" on the 'Notify Mobs' line.  Been long enough that I don't clearly recall if this is true or an incorrect entry.  Typically that entry when used means the power will cause aggro on you if, for example, the boss isn't confused.  Of course, most bosses, afaik, do not have confuse protection and are confused by the base mag of Seeds making it only matter if/when the duration expires.  But you could use other confuses all day, for example, Deceive or Mass Confusion and never have them aggro?

 

PS:  World of Confusion same thing but there makes a sense it also causes damage.

Expand  

 

Seeds does notify mobs, it is just different in that way from most other confuses.   Also seems reasonable to give it a drawback like that for balance reasons when you are looking at it compared to Mass Confusion.

 

It also will not confuse bosses with its base mag (mag 3 only, a normal boss needs mag 4) unless it "crits" which it has a 20% chance to do for an extra mag bringing it up to mag 4.   The purple Contagious Confusion proc can help with that though eventually by adding extra mag when it procs.  Or unless you are a dom using it under domination of course.

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Ringo

Ringo

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Riverdusk is correct.  Which is why opening with Seeds against mobs that can't be Confused is generally a death sentence

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Ringo

Ringo

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Okay, here's my most recently updated build for my main, Jenny Chaos:

 

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Pros:

Positional Defenses - Ranged 44.9%, AoE 45.5%, Melee 23.65% (if you're getting melee'd, turn on Hurricane for a -30% to hit debuff on your attackers + repel)

Resistances - S/L 75%, Energy 74%, Fire/Cold 44.9% (Surge of Power can boost everything but Psionic if you need it)

Max HP: +179, Regen: 188%

Recharge Debuff Resist: 35%

Global Recharge: 227%  Global Accuracy: +15%  Global Damage: +14%

Sprint (with Celerity Stealth) + Steamy Mist = True Stealth.  Just remember to "/release_pets all" to drop Fly Trap and Creepers before you start running for that blinky/boss room

 

Cons:

Hasten is 20 seconds short of Perma

No real Negative/Toxic/Psi damage resists

End Hungry Build is End Hungry

No Def Debuff resistances, Cascade Failures will happen (if you don't Hurricane)

 

How it plays:

Seeds->Roots->Freezing Rain->Tornado->Lightning Storm->Roots->Strangler

Alternate Roots and Strangler on anything not Confused (Bosses and higher usually) and throw down parts of your original chain when they recharge if the mobs haven't melted.  This combo generally eliminates minions/lts with ease, but struggles to really pour it on for hard targets. 

 

Tornado and Lightning Storm are your big hitters, but both Roots and Freezing Rain have -res procs (that will stack with each other) so don't forget to reapply.  Lightning Storm, Roots, and Freezing Rain all benefit greatly from Procs, while I find that Tornado gets the most out of actually slotting damage.  You *can* slot a KB/KD Proc in Lightning Storm, but basically if anything isn't already Rooted, you don't want it to close the distance with you anyway, so KB is hardly a problem. 

 

Spore Burst is an autohit (and I didn't want to slot it, but it was necessary) that can buy you some time, but you have to position the sleeping group away from your pets.  Vines will also buy you time, but less of it, and on a longer recharge.  Handy for stacking Holds though.

 

Gale and Hurricane are excellent damage mitigation.  Gale doesn't have the accuracy slotted to be a true lockdown power, but with a 50ft range and 80 degree cone, you're going to knock enough mobs on their butt to help.  Hurricane gives that sweet -range and -30% Tohit debuff that combos with your sub-par melee defense to rise above the normal defensive Softcap.  Ranged and AoE attackers within the Debuff will be having an even worse time.  I believe the debuff range is slightly bigger than the hurricane animation?  Don't quote me on that.  Hurricane's Repel is also great as it can herd baddies into a corner for your tank or Tornado.  Both the debuff and repel work together to help you create safe zones for your ranged teammates.  Any mobs attempting to get through you to the blaster will have their tohit debuffed and their range shortened - meaning they will have to close the distance to even fire, which will then hit them with the repel and make them repeat the process.  KB/KD resistant foes will ignore the repel, but then your ranged buddies just need to make sure that any melee attacks are still standing in your hurricane when they start swinging.  Hug the Hurricane!  Love the Hurricane!

 

Of course, the Hurricane eats all your endurance - which is why you need Power Sink (and some choice Incarnate picks).  Of all the Epic pools, Mu's Power Sink has 1) the quickest recharge and 2) No Accuracy Check.  Between Power Sink and Lightning Storm you could potential sap your targets, but what you really want is to fill up your blue bar - and this will do that for you.  Eat early, Eat often

 

Seeds of Confusion is the bedrock on which the Plant/Storm is built.  So it needs to be said - against Confuse resistant foes, all your normal plans go out the window.  Gale, Hurricane, and Spore Burst suddenly become keys to survival, and you'll actually need to pay attention to killing the minions/lts instead of just assuming they're gonna melt.  Be Wary of Longbow!

Jenny Chaos 22.2 - Controller (Plant Control).mxdFetching info...

Ringo

Ringo

Posted
Posted
  On 9/29/2022 at 5:27 PM, Delduath said:

Is there a build for us poor new people while leveling this on what IO's to put in when just buying from the stores or what we find?  Rather than sets?

Expand  

Here's what my leveling build for Jenny Chaos would look like, @Delduath:

 

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  • (A) Empty
  • (A) Endurance Reduction IO
  • (A) Interrupt Reduction IO
  • (A) Flight Speed IO
  • (A) Jumping IO
  • (A) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance
  • (9) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
  • (11) Miracle - +Recovery
  • (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End

------------

 

There's a few Set IOs in there that I will get into.  The main thing to remember is that you can use the same SOs instead of the non-set IOs, it's just really expensive to keep upgrading them over time, so using IOs of at least level 25 or higher will give you the same bonuses as even level SOs or better (with higher levels).

 

Okay so the Set IOs in the build are the 3 in Health, 1 in Stamina, and 1 in 02 Boost that will increase your HP/Regen/End overall.  Highly recommended!  The 2 in Tough, 1 in Manuevers, 1 in Hover, and 1 in Surge of Power are all about boosting global resistances and defense (and total hp).  Not as necessary before the late game, but you'll want them all eventually.  Gale and Tornado have the Knockback to Knockdown Proc.  These are quality of life enhancements, and not major for Plant/Storm because you can use Roots to convert your immobilized targets from KB to KD.  At some point you may want to have the comfort of the Procs, but then again maybe not!

 

There's an alternate slotting on Power Sink with two set IOs.  It decreases the amount of end to use Power Sink and increases the amount of end gained per mob hit.  It's handy, but drops the recharge reduction.  Up to you.

 

The main difference here in how you run the leveling build is that you don't have the Defense, Recharge, or Endurance to run at full tilt.  As it is, Steamy Mist/Tough/Weave/Charged Armor are the only toggles you want to be running full time.  Your recharge is low, and your biggest powers don't come until late - so make good use of Spore Burst and Gale.  Keep your teammates alive with Hurricane and 02 boost (it clears Disorient/Stun and Blindness!)  Once you have Creepers, Tornado, and Lightning Storm you'll really be cooking.

Jenny Chaos Leveling - Controller (Plant Control).mxdFetching info...

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Doomguide2005

Doomguide2005

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     I'd add one additional thing about O2 Boost which can especially helpful against Clockwork (such as during Synapse) or other end drainers is it provides end mod resistance (both recovery and -end) which stacks with itself.

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Voltak

Voltak

Posted
Posted
  On 9/2/2022 at 5:02 PM, Zulgeek said:

Hello! Created a plant/storm controller last night and I'm really enjoying it. Still low level though. What are the must have powers and the skippable powers? Thanks for any advice!

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