The Resurgence of the Empathy Defender - Thank you, ITF 4 Star

[Voltak]

****  The build I used for this is the same build I used to solo the ITF at 54 x 8, no inspirations, no temps, no deaths with an Empathy Defender ***

Thanks to the new Imperious Task Force, the drive for more defense within a team of only 8 players ( As opposed to Leagues, where you can have 16 or 24) is intense, especially for speed runs at harder or more difficult settings, like 4 star. 

While it is great for those Non-Cold or non-Force Field players, the question is - how can the Cold or Force Field players get the same number of shields since they cannot buff themselves, so they are always one defense shield short compared to the rest of the team. 

So, if you only have 3 Cold Corruptors or Defenders, those Cold players are only getting 2 shields. 
If you have 4 Cold players, the Cold players are only getting 3 shields. 

So how to solve that issue while still not losing a spot for the dedicated Buffer/Healer in the team?

Enter the Empathy Defender. 

WIth enough recharge, an Empathy Defender can provide Fortitude for 4 players perms, which is around -->

38% Defense to all with Power Boost

22.5% To Hit 

31.25% Dmg buff

So, here is what I was thinking when wanting to set up the team with the Empathy. 

Those providing defense shields to others without being able to give themselves those shields, they will be the targets for the Empathy's Fortitude. 
That way everyone in the team will have the same number of defense shields. 

We ran 
Parts 1 and 2 we had no deaths. 
Parts 3 and 4, we had 4 deaths in each

A total of 8 deaths

37 mins 47 seconds was the total time
That was having one of the worst maps for part 2. 

Again, we used no voice communications for this. 
 

 

Edited October 4, 2022 by Voltak

[Doomguide2005]

Still an awesome run even at 8 deaths overall.

 

And, of course, I'm totally biased on Empaths.  

[Doomguide2005]

Is that 4 power boosted Forts or just Forts overall (or even just the number needed to get defenses up to same values)?

[Black_Assassin]

have you considered turning on stacking buffs? means there is so much less screen clutter

[Nether]

Awesome!! Is there a link to a build perhaps?

[Voltak]

3 hours ago, Nether said:

Awesome!! Is there a link to a build perhaps?

I will post that build for sure.  
I am working on the post and on another video first. 

[Voltak]

22 hours ago, Doomguide2005 said:

Is that 4 power boosted Forts or just Forts overall (or even just the number needed to get defenses up to same values)?

You can have PB'd fort on everyone. 
If you ever have a need to PB the heal, then the next Fort up will be without PB. 
If you PB vengeance (on new build) then you will go the next Fort without PB. 

But you do have enough recharge on build to PB every Fort. 

[Doomguide2005]

Yes, but are you assuming 4 Forts (while under PB)?  Some of my Empaths are capable of 6+.  But that's all out on recharge including the Alpha slot.  Down side virtually no personal defenses and no procs for increased damage output.  Which would make them very dependent on any team buffs in a HM run.

Edited October 4, 2022 by Doomguide2005

[Voltak]

19 hours ago, Doomguide2005 said:

Yes, but are you assuming 4 Forts (while under PB)?  Some of my Empaths are capable of 6+.  But that's all out on recharge including the Alpha slot.  Down side virtually no personal defenses and no procs for increased damage output.  Which would make them very dependent on any team buffs in a HM run.

As clearly stated above, 

The build is for HM 4 Stars ITF runs
The build for AEON is identical except the epic armor is charged armor from Mu Mastery. 

HM 4 Stars ITF runs is very dependent on team buffs. This should be a given. 
Everyone depends on the team on 4 Stars, especially good speed runs. 

I am not stating what my max on fort is. 
I am stating that if we have 3 colds or 4 colds, I should have enough recharge to provide them with defense shields that they are not getting because they are incapable of buffing themselves 
The goal is for everyone to have, at least, the same number of defense shields. 
I should have enough recharge to make them all PB'd Fort. 

There are exceptions, and I stated those in the previous post. 

I hope that clears a bit. 

You assume wrong that the downside is no personal defense. 

I have defenses.  The way I built my toon, I have enough in the build. I certainly did not neglect defense in my build. 
In my build, I am over the soft cap (regular content soft cap)

You don't have to disregard your defenses. 

Edited October 4, 2022 by Voltak

[Doomguide2005]

     Thanks for confirming what I thought was your point namely enough PB Fort to get the other shield buffers an individual boost to cover them since their own buffs don't cover themselves.

     As to personal defense there i was speaking to my own builds (all pre HM, didn't exist when the computer died).  None truly have no defense but for most of them their defense is incidental (in part because almost every power yields a recharge bonus).  But that's building for very high global recharge and definitely not Hard Mode.  They were team builds intended for general content (and GM standards in terms of power choices etc.).  GM SG build requirements that haven't been updated since well before IOs, nevermind set IOs (😳🙄).  And the next iterations will undoubtedly add more defense while keeping close to the spirit of GM requirements (just because) but I will use second builds etc. for more specific tasks like solo, small team and HM content etc..

    Just curious but how much defense does your Empath have prior to external buffs?

[Voltak]

6 hours ago, Doomguide2005 said:

     Thanks for confirming what I thought was your point namely enough PB Fort to get the other shield buffers an individual boost to cover them since their own buffs don't cover themselves.

     As to personal defense there i was speaking to my own builds (all pre HM, didn't exist when the computer died).  None truly have no defense but for most of them their defense is incidental (in part because almost every power yields a recharge bonus).  But that's building for very high global recharge and definitely not Hard Mode.  They were team builds intended for general content (and GM standards in terms of power choices etc.).  GM SG build requirements that haven't been updated since well before IOs, nevermind set IOs (😳🙄).  And the next iterations will undoubtedly add more defense while keeping close to the spirit of GM requirements (just because) but I will use second builds etc. for more specific tasks like solo, small team and HM content etc..

    Just curious but how much defense does your Empath have prior to external buffs?

I kept compliance with GM requirements as well. 

I have 47 Defense Range and range is were I will live 🙂 

I will post when I write the post and include the videos 

[Doomguide2005]

3 minutes ago, Voltak said:

I kept compliance with GM requirements as well. 

I have 47 Defense Range and range is were I will live 🙂 

I will post when I write the post and include the videos 

     Excellent, look forward to see the build.  Hopefully before next year rolls around I'll actually have a computer to work with Mids.

[Voltak]

Just now, Doomguide2005 said:

     Excellent, look forward to see the build.  Hopefully before next year rolls around I'll actually have a computer to work with Mids.

I always try to include screenshots

 

[Doomguide2005]

4 minutes ago, Voltak said:

I always try to include screenshots

 

     Hey did more than a few of my main's respec/builds longhand on paper.   You're making me want to poke at it on paper.

[Voltak]

On 10/3/2022 at 9:03 AM, Nether said:

Awesome!! Is there a link to a build perhaps?

 

 

[Voltak]

On 10/4/2022 at 9:13 PM, Doomguide2005 said:

     Excellent, look forward to see the build.  Hopefully before next year rolls around I'll actually have a computer to work with Mids.