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Merc/Time looking for feedback


Oysterhead

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I'm new to building MMs (and my first real Time Manipulation as well), but pulled this together after trying to pick up info from other posts. Below is a 'leveling' build, so no purples or boosts in it. I was aiming for as much recharge as possible to get perma-everything in Time (or double/triple stacked where possible) and Serum as well. Hitting 232.5% global recharge as is which seems pretty nice for no superior sets, if my math is right it'd jump to 248.75% with the ATOs upgraded and one of the hold sets upgraded to 5-piece Unbreakable Constraint.

 

I dropped one of the pet auras (Call to Arms) to fit more recharge. I at one point had Slug with another FF proc in it, but really didn't find I was using it enough to justify the pick, so dropped it for Time Crawl (which does more damage with procs, fwiw) Damage procs in Time Crawl & Time Stop I'm wondering if I might be better off dropping into either Slowed Response or getting enough slots int Chrono Shift for 5-slot Synapse's Shock for another 6.25% global recharge?

 

Any thoughts appreciated!

 

Spoiler

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.4.7
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Iota Bunny: Level 50 Technology Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Mercenaries
Secondary Power Set: Time Manipulation
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Concealment
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Soldiers

  • (A) Edict of the Master - Defense Bonus
  • (3) Sovereign Right - Resistance Bonus
  • (3) Sovereign Right - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  • (5) Sovereign Right - Damage/Endurance
  • (5) Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Damage
  • (7) Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance

Level 1: Temporal Mending

  • (A) Preventive Medicine - Heal
  • (17) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance
  • (21) Preventive Medicine - Endurance/RechargeTime
  • (21) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance
  • (34) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime
  • (34) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb

Level 2: Time Crawl

  • (A) Tempered Readiness - Accuracy/Endurance
  • (45) Impeded Swiftness - Chance of Damage(Smashing)
  • (45) Ice Mistral's Torment - Chance for Cold Damage

Level 4: Time's Juncture

  • (A) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff
  • (11) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Endurance
  • (50) Dark Watcher's Despair - Recharge/Endurance
  • (50) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance

Level 6: Equip Mercenary

  • (A) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)
  • (7) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
  • (9) Steadfast Protection - Knockback Protection
  • (50) Gladiator's Armor - Resistance

Level 8: M30 Grenade

  • (A) Overwhelming Force - Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown
  • (9) Force Feedback - Chance for +Recharge

Level 10: Hasten

  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (11) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 12: Spec Ops

  • (A) Mark of Supremacy - Endurance/Pet +Resist +Regen
  • (13) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage
  • (13) Mark of Supremacy - Damage/Endurance
  • (15) Expedient Reinforcement - Resist Bonus Aura for Pets
  • (15) Expedient Reinforcement - Damage/Endurance
  • (17) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge

Level 14: Fly

  • (A) Winter's Gift - Slow Resistance (20%)

Level 16: Distortion Field

  • (A) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Hold
  • (42) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (42) Basilisk's Gaze - Recharge/Hold
  • (43) Basilisk's Gaze - Endurance/Recharge/Hold

Level 18: Serum

  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (19) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (19) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 20: Hover

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed

Level 22: Commando

  • (A) Mark of Supremacy - Damage
  • (27) Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage
  • (23) Command of the Mastermind - Recharge/Pet +AoE Defense Aura
  • (25) Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (25) Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  • (23) Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Endurance

Level 24: Farsight

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  • (27) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge
  • (29) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
  • (46) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 26: Tactical Upgrade

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  • (33) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  • (33) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance

Level 28: Slowed Response

  • (A) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff
  • (29) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Defense Debuff
  • (33) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Recharge

Level 30: Chrono Shift

  • (A) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime
  • (31) Numina's Convalesence - Heal/Recharge
  • (31) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Recharge
  • (31) Synapse's Shock - EndMod/Recharge

Level 32: Maneuvers

  • (A) Reactive Defenses - Defense
  • (34) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance
  • (37) Reactive Defenses - Endurance/RechargeTime
  • (39) Reactive Defenses - Defense/RechargeTime
  • (39) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance/RechargeTime
  • (39) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage

Level 35: Scorpion Shield

  • (A) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
  • (36) Red Fortune - Endurance
  • (36) Red Fortune - Endurance/Recharge
  • (36) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
  • (37) Red Fortune - Defense
  • (37) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed

Level 38: Time Stop

  • (A) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Hold
  • (43) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (43) Basilisk's Gaze - Recharge/Hold
  • (45) Basilisk's Gaze - Endurance/Recharge/Hold
  • (46) Neuronic Shutdown - Chance of Damage(Psionic)
  • (46) Ghost Widow's Embrace - Chance of Damage(Psionic)

Level 41: Stealth

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed

Level 44: Tactics

  • (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff
  • (48) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up
  • (48) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance
  • (48) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance

Level 47: Assault

  • (A) Endurance Reduction IO

Level 49: Temporal Selection

  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 1: Supremacy 


Level 1: Brawl
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Sprint
  • (A) Empty
Level 2: Rest
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Swift
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Hurdle
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Health
  • (A) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance
  • (40) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
  • (40) Miracle - +Recovery
Level 1: Stamina
  • (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
  • (40) Performance Shifter - EndMod
  • (42) Synapse's Shock - EndMod/Increased Run Speed
Level 14: Afterburner 

Level 1: Soldier 
Level 22: Commando 
Level 1: Medic 
Level 12: Spec Ops 
------------

 

The Alphabet Bunnies
Currently Building: Dark/Fire Tanker, Merc/Time MM


50 Bunnies: Alpha Bunny (Il/Rad Controller) Beta-Bunny (FF/BR Defender) Gamma-Bunny (Seismic/Stone Sent) Epsilon Bunny (Spines/Invul Scrapper) Theta Bunny (Willpower/Axe Tanker) Zeta Bunny (DB/EnA Stalker) Lambda Bunny (Bio/SvgM Tanker) Xi Bunny (Stone/Stone Stalker) Sigma Bunny (SR/KM Tanker) Upsilon Bunny (Shield/DM Tanker) Chi Bunny (Fire Farmer Brute) Omega Bunny (Claws/Ninja Scrapper) F - araday Bunny (Elec/Elec Defender)
50 Non-Bunnies: Darboux (Crab Spider) Invisible Icicle (Ice/Bio Stalker) Cooling-Tower (Rad/Ice Tanker) Ferrouscious Feline (Invul/WM Tanker) Bill the Yeti (SavM/Ice Stalker) Sally Salamander (Fire/MA Tanker) Blade Azure (Kat/EnA Scrapper) 

 

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One of my favourite combos. I'd put mercs in no. 1 spot for damage since page 5 although saying that usually starts an argument between those running necro with the new soul extraction and old thugs toons running burnout and gangwar. 

 

3rd rech io in serum is a wasted slot once you boost the first 2 to 50.

Rech io in farsight is a wasted slot its always available when you need it.

Put the call to arms back in. Mercs get great resists and with serum they become pretty godly but once you throw on farsight/manouvres/the def uniques.

Take power boost if your going mace so you can pb your farsight.

I like to take burst for gm/av's its much less end heavy than m30 nade which i save for mobs and to proc the ff+rech. They dont need slots they are just in the build to bump the damage of the pets.

If you start spamming time crawl/time stop/time crawl/slowed response/time crawl your blue bar vanishes fast so i try to fit in 2 acc/end pieces and boost them and call it a day.

I slot times juncture with the dark watcher and pacing of the turtle procs. Its amusing.

You could drop the def/end piece from tactical upgrade.

I like to heavily proc out slowed response with achilles/lady grey/shield breaker they fire off a lot in big mobs.

Stealth is a useless power if you run TJ and only useful if you plan to keep toggling it on and off when needed/ghosting.

 

Pet slotting....i carry a load of procs and unslotters and change my slotting on them regularly. I still havent found something i like that works best. Secondary is so important, if your chasing recharge which you do on /time it does leave you short of empty slots for damage procs in pets and mercs don't have that extra power to mule them in like demons hell on earth/necro soul extract/thugs gang war, its hard enough hitting max damage on them and if you do toss in procs they end up sucking wind in long fights. 

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That's a pretty sweet build. I really like that you got Serum perma. Few things:

 

-Hasten is still perma even with one slot.

 

-Jam in the Shield Wall unique somewhere for +5% res to all damage types.

 

-Equip Mercs will slot Steadfast, KB protection and Glad Armor? 

 

-MM endurance is worse than it appears on Mids'. The endurance buff from Chrono Shift lasts for 30 seconds. Only the +recharge portion lasts for 90s.

 

-Don't worry about pet endurance too much. Chrono Shift providing a 30s buff, and perma-Serum providing a diminishing end buff throughout it's 60s duration.

 

-Tactics probably doesn't need to be slotted so heavily. Farsight and Supremacy both add +tohit. Also all Merc pets apply -def debuffs.

 

-Manage to squeeze Power Boost into the build, using it just before Farsight, will add an additional +6.15% def to all damage types/position for you and pets/teammates in range.

 

Noticed a few of the MM powers are slotted with procs but the pets have none. Merc pets are sort of like proc monsters themselves. It will improve their dps significantly if that's something you're after. Unfortunately some of the pet uniques would need to be sacrificed. It's not ideal but did some testing with and without damage procs VS a pylon. Note Achilles' and Soulbound was still slotted in all the tests. Only Shield Breaker/Lady Grey/Explosive Strike were added/removed (Replaced with more acc/dam/end). MM personal attacks were not used.

 

With procs     106secs/490dps
Procless     158secs/371dps
With procs/Tar Patch/Serum     74secs/646dps
Procless/Tar Patch/Serum     118secs/453dps

 

If pets can get to a comfortable level of survivability with Farsight, Maneuvers, Time's Juncture, pet upgrades etc, and still maintain perma Hasten, Chrono Shift and maybe Serum, it would be worth cramming in a few damage procs. Procs in Soldiers make the most impact, followed by Spec-Ops and lastly Commando. Prioritize Lady Grey first, then Shield Breaker just because of their damage types (NE VS lethal). Explosive Strike is dead last.

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I'm glad to see someone testing them that knows numbers. I have mercs running with every secondary except /emp /rad /kin /elec although the /sonic /pain /ta /poison pretty much never get touched. They work so well with /time and /cold /traps /bubs /dark benefitting massively from the extra defence or huge - to hit put out. M30 nade with an ff+rech/overwhelming kb/kd/annihilation proc in bumps secondary powers and hasten to the point where they are all perma with very little recharge needed. Not sure about the procs slotting. They need it for sure but the t2 pets can take so many and they do a ton of cc it makes me wonder if its worth it with them as they cycle through so many different attacks. T1 benefit the most by a mile so i usually toss in the soulbound bu and a lady grey but i can't find a way to drop any pet uniques, the slotting is super tight, which doesnt leave room for the t2/t3 to get any.

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My thanks to you both!

Made some modifications, below, that I plan to respec into soon. Currently 36, so starting to come together. I fit a couple procs into t1 pets, switched t2 over to call to arms to get defensive aura over resistance. Ended up dropping all attacks, even M30, to fit powerboost in without giving up other stuff. I have Stealth to do exactly what you asked Meknomaner, drop TJ and stealth when needed, also for the final lotg slot. I did enjoy M30 for the ff procs, but, I'm still sitting at high enough global recharge that it shouldn't matter at all, everything is permanent without it. Otherwise the +damage to target doesn't seem as valuable as any power I'd have to drop to get one back in. If I keep this guy going 50+ I'll drop more procs into t2 pet at minimum, dropping the call to arms set bonus as upgrading to purples will give enough recharge to offset the loss, and potential in Commando too, is my thinking.I still have 4 slots in tactics (including the BU proc which I know isn't idea there, but I figure random build up procs for everyone is worthwhile), may drop 2 and add the -recharge procs to time's juncture.

 

Spoiler

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.4.7
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Iota Bunny: Level 50 Technology Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Mercenaries
Secondary Power Set: Time Manipulation
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Concealment
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Soldiers

  • (A) Edict of the Master - Defense Bonus
  • (3) Explosive Strike - Chance for Smashing Damage
  • (3) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Negative Damage
  • (5) Sovereign Right - Accuracy/Damage
  • (5) Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Damage
  • (7) Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance

Level 1: Temporal Mending

  • (A) Preventive Medicine - Heal
  • (7) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance
  • (9) Preventive Medicine - Endurance/RechargeTime
  • (9) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance
  • (11) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime
  • (11) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb

Level 2: Time Crawl

  • (A) Tempered Readiness - Accuracy/Endurance
  • (17) Impeded Swiftness - Chance of Damage(Smashing)
  • (17) Ice Mistral's Torment - Chance for Cold Damage

Level 4: Time's Juncture

  • (A) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff
  • (19) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Endurance
  • (19) Dark Watcher's Despair - Recharge/Endurance
  • (21) Dark Watcher's Despair - Chance for Recharge Slow

Level 6: Equip Mercenary

  • (A) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)
  • (21) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
  • (23) Steadfast Protection - Knockback Protection
  • (23) Gladiator's Armor - Resistance

Level 8: Hasten

  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 10: Hover

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed

Level 12: Spec Ops

  • (A) Mark of Supremacy - Endurance/Pet +Resist +Regen
  • (25) Mark of Supremacy - Damage/Endurance
  • (25) Call to Arms - Accuracy/Damage
  • (27) Call to Arms - Endurance/Damage/Recharge
  • (27) Call to Arms - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  • (29) Call to Arms - Defense Bonus Aura for Pets

Level 14: Fly

  • (A) Winter's Gift - Slow Resistance (20%)

Level 16: Distortion Field

  • (A) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Hold
  • (29) Ice Mistral's Torment - Chance for Cold Damage
  • (31) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (31) Basilisk's Gaze - Recharge/Hold
  • (31) Basilisk's Gaze - Endurance/Recharge/Hold
  • (33) Neuronic Shutdown - Chance of Damage(Psionic)

Level 18: Serum

  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (33) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 20: Time Stop

  • (A) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Hold
  • (33) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (34) Basilisk's Gaze - Recharge/Hold
  • (34) Basilisk's Gaze - Endurance/Recharge/Hold
  • (34) Neuronic Shutdown - Chance of Damage(Psionic)
  • (36) Ghost Widow's Embrace - Chance of Damage(Psionic)

Level 22: Commando

  • (A) Mark of Supremacy - Damage
  • (36) Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage
  • (36) Command of the Mastermind - Recharge/Pet +AoE Defense Aura
  • (37) Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  • (37) Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  • (37) Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Endurance

Level 24: Farsight

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  • (39) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge
  • (39) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge

Level 26: Tactical Upgrade

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  • (39) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  • (50) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)

Level 28: Slowed Response

  • (A) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff
  • (40) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Defense Debuff
  • (40) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (40) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Negative Damage
  • (50) Shield Breaker - Chance for Lethal Damage

Level 30: Chrono Shift

  • (A) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime
  • (42) Numina's Convalesence - Heal/Recharge
  • (42) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Recharge
  • (42) Synapse's Shock - EndMod/Recharge

Level 32: Maneuvers

  • (A) Reactive Defenses - Defense
  • (43) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance
  • (43) Reactive Defenses - Endurance/RechargeTime
  • (43) Reactive Defenses - Defense/RechargeTime
  • (45) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance/RechargeTime
  • (45) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage

Level 35: Scorpion Shield

  • (A) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
  • (45) Red Fortune - Endurance
  • (46) Red Fortune - Endurance/Recharge
  • (46) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
  • (46) Red Fortune - Defense
  • (48) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed

Level 38: Stealth

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed

Level 41: Power Boost

  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 44: Tactics

  • (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff
  • (48) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up
  • (48) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance
  • (50) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance

Level 47: Assault

  • (A) Endurance Reduction IO

Level 49: Temporal Selection

  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 1: Supremacy 


Level 1: Brawl
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Sprint
  • (A) Empty
Level 2: Rest
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Swift
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Hurdle
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Health
  • (A) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance
  • (13) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
  • (13) Miracle - +Recovery
Level 1: Stamina
  • (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
  • (15) Performance Shifter - EndMod
  • (15) Synapse's Shock - EndMod/Increased Run Speed
Level 14: Afterburner 

Level 1: Soldier 
Level 22: Commando 
Level 1: Medic 
Level 12: Spec Ops 
------------

 

The Alphabet Bunnies
Currently Building: Dark/Fire Tanker, Merc/Time MM


50 Bunnies: Alpha Bunny (Il/Rad Controller) Beta-Bunny (FF/BR Defender) Gamma-Bunny (Seismic/Stone Sent) Epsilon Bunny (Spines/Invul Scrapper) Theta Bunny (Willpower/Axe Tanker) Zeta Bunny (DB/EnA Stalker) Lambda Bunny (Bio/SvgM Tanker) Xi Bunny (Stone/Stone Stalker) Sigma Bunny (SR/KM Tanker) Upsilon Bunny (Shield/DM Tanker) Chi Bunny (Fire Farmer Brute) Omega Bunny (Claws/Ninja Scrapper) F - araday Bunny (Elec/Elec Defender)
50 Non-Bunnies: Darboux (Crab Spider) Invisible Icicle (Ice/Bio Stalker) Cooling-Tower (Rad/Ice Tanker) Ferrouscious Feline (Invul/WM Tanker) Bill the Yeti (SavM/Ice Stalker) Sally Salamander (Fire/MA Tanker) Blade Azure (Kat/EnA Scrapper) 

 

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3 hours ago, Oysterhead said:

My thanks to you both!

Made some modifications, below, that I plan to respec into soon. Currently 36, so starting to come together. I fit a couple procs into t1 pets, switched t2 over to call to arms to get defensive aura over resistance. Ended up dropping all attacks, even M30, to fit powerboost in without giving up other stuff. I have Stealth to do exactly what you asked Meknomaner, drop TJ and stealth when needed, also for the final lotg slot. I did enjoy M30 for the ff procs, but, I'm still sitting at high enough global recharge that it shouldn't matter at all, everything is permanent without it. Otherwise the +damage to target doesn't seem as valuable as any power I'd have to drop to get one back in. If I keep this guy going 50+ I'll drop more procs into t2 pet at minimum, dropping the call to arms set bonus as upgrading to purples will give enough recharge to offset the loss, and potential in Commando too, is my thinking.I still have 4 slots in tactics (including the BU proc which I know isn't idea there, but I figure random build up procs for everyone is worthwhile), may drop 2 and add the -recharge procs to time's juncture

 

 

When 50, boost the IO's in Hasten and Serum to +5, and upgrade the MoS to superior versions. Can lose CtA and the CotMM sets and still be perma. Is that how BU in Tactics work? I could have sworn it only increases the chance for your MM to get the buff, but pets/teammates around you does not get the chance to buff themselves at all. 

 

It will be a balancing act when hitting 50 to perfect this build. Supremacy + PB/FS + Tactics = +34% tohit for all your pets in range. Can increase that amount by slotting +tohit IOs in Farsight. Chrono Shift + Serum's endurance buffs. I'm not sure how much pet acc and end stats could be sacrifice to make room for procs and uniques. 

 

Explosive Strike in Soldiers is pretty useless. Only the Medic's Frag Grenade has a chance to activate it. Shield Breaker proc will be more effective. Explosive Strike is only good in Commando.

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42 minutes ago, StrikerFox said:

Is that how BU in Tactics work? I could have sworn it only increases the chance for your MM to get the buff, but pets/teammates around you does not get the chance to buff themselves at all. 

 

 

Ah you're right, I misread how it works as a chance to active on each member, rather than the chance to active raising per member. Yea with that in mind that's no where near as useful.

Thanks for the heads up on explosive vs shield breaker! I figured it was a global chance to proc one everything rather than the specific powers then work on, but that makes sense. 

The Alphabet Bunnies
Currently Building: Dark/Fire Tanker, Merc/Time MM


50 Bunnies: Alpha Bunny (Il/Rad Controller) Beta-Bunny (FF/BR Defender) Gamma-Bunny (Seismic/Stone Sent) Epsilon Bunny (Spines/Invul Scrapper) Theta Bunny (Willpower/Axe Tanker) Zeta Bunny (DB/EnA Stalker) Lambda Bunny (Bio/SvgM Tanker) Xi Bunny (Stone/Stone Stalker) Sigma Bunny (SR/KM Tanker) Upsilon Bunny (Shield/DM Tanker) Chi Bunny (Fire Farmer Brute) Omega Bunny (Claws/Ninja Scrapper) F - araday Bunny (Elec/Elec Defender)
50 Non-Bunnies: Darboux (Crab Spider) Invisible Icicle (Ice/Bio Stalker) Cooling-Tower (Rad/Ice Tanker) Ferrouscious Feline (Invul/WM Tanker) Bill the Yeti (SavM/Ice Stalker) Sally Salamander (Fire/MA Tanker) Blade Azure (Kat/EnA Scrapper) 

 

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7 hours ago, Meknomancer said:

I'm glad to see someone testing them that knows numbers. I have mercs running with every secondary except /emp /rad /kin /elec although the /sonic /pain /ta /poison pretty much never get touched. They work so well with /time and /cold /traps /bubs /dark benefitting massively from the extra defence or huge - to hit put out. M30 nade with an ff+rech/overwhelming kb/kd/annihilation proc in bumps secondary powers and hasten to the point where they are all perma with very little recharge needed. Not sure about the procs slotting. They need it for sure but the t2 pets can take so many and they do a ton of cc it makes me wonder if its worth it with them as they cycle through so many different attacks. T1 benefit the most by a mile so i usually toss in the soulbound bu and a lady grey but i can't find a way to drop any pet uniques, the slotting is super tight, which doesnt leave room for the t2/t3 to get any.

 

The mercs get insanely tanky on my /elec MM (Shock Commander).  Between faraday cage, serum, and the RES uniques plus electrics +ABSORB I plant them with an aggressive posture and a stay and they act like a high dps turret.  The mez & kb resistance is also a nice benefit.  I've been really happy with how he's turning out.

 

Also I have a merc/trick arrow that is surprisingly tough with all the debuffs TA can dish out (including -DMG which is basically +RES which goes really well with Serum).

 

I'd you're looking for a new spin on mercs I'd recommend these for a change of pace.

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Not a big fan of /elec on any AT having tried it with necro on mm, elecx2 troller and corr. I do love /ta and the mercs/ta is a lot of fun but for some reason i prefer it with bots. Mercs get massive res from serum so i tend to find they play better with the def sets than something like /elec which doesnt really have what i consider proper debuffs and the heal can be annoying when i actually need it for myself.

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  • 3 weeks later
On 1/5/2023 at 7:33 AM, Meknomancer said:

Not a big fan of /elec on any AT having tried it with necro on mm, elecx2 troller and corr. I do love /ta and the mercs/ta is a lot of fun but for some reason i prefer it with bots. Mercs get massive res from serum so i tend to find they play better with the def sets than something like /elec which doesnt really have what i consider proper debuffs and the heal can be annoying when i actually need it for myself.

 

 

/EA is a busy set, but it does bring a ton of tankiness to all pets.  Between Heals, Absorb shields and +Res Bubble and a END recharger your pets can keep going, and going and going....etc. True it does lack in debuffs such as -tohit, -def and -res.  But you can floor a MOBS end bar so they can't do anything to you anyway.  It's a set that you outlast your enemy and not just beat them down.

 

I just wish the Devs could fix the T9 power so it actually works on pets.

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  • 4 weeks later
On 1/26/2023 at 8:14 PM, Tacheyon said:

 

 

/EA is a busy set, but it does bring a ton of tankiness to all pets.  Between Heals, Absorb shields and +Res Bubble and a END recharger your pets can keep going, and going and going....etc. True it does lack in debuffs such as -tohit, -def and -res.  But you can floor a MOBS end bar so they can't do anything to you anyway.  It's a set that you outlast your enemy and not just beat them down.

 

I just wish the Devs could fix the T9 power so it actually works on pets.

 

Flooring mobs END does very little as soon as they get an end tick  they can use any attack regardless of its actual cost, its perhaps more useful in pvp, but for pve times -recharge would do more to mitigate damage since enemies couldn't fire abilities as often. 

 

That said I spent a couple hours coming up with what I would consider a very strong build for merc/time. Care was taken to ensure enough accuracy for +4 mobs once getting the +1 from incarns. soldiers are procced out, but commando and spec ops only got achilles heel as it provides the largest increase in damage since everyone does more damage to the target when debuffing -res. I'm going to be leveling a merc/time shortly and because of the absurd defenses provided by power boost + far sight + clarion for good measure I will be able to drop one or even both 5% defense aura IOs which will let me put both 10% resists into commando and give commando and spec ops a lady grey proc. 

 

Spoiler

This Villain build was built using Mids Reborn 3.4.7
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

MercTime: Level 50 Natural Mastermind
Primary Power Set: Mercenaries
Secondary Power Set: Time Manipulation
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Soldiers

  • (A) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff
  • (5) Soulbound Allegiance - Chance for Build Up
  • (5) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Negative Damage
  • (9) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Damage
  • (9) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  • (11) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Damage/Endurance

Level 1: Temporal Mending

  • (A) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb
  • (19) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance
  • (21) Preventive Medicine - Heal
  • (21) Preventive Medicine - Endurance/RechargeTime
  • (27) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime
  • (29) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance

Level 2: Burst

  • (A) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff
  • (3) Apocalypse - Damage/Endurance
  • (3) Apocalypse - Damage/Recharge/Accuracy
  • (40) Apocalypse - Damage
  • (42) Apocalypse - Chance of Damage(Negative)
  • (42) Apocalypse - Recharge/Accuracy

Level 4: Time's Juncture

  • (A) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff
  • (47) Dark Watcher's Despair - Recharge/Endurance
  • (47) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Endurance
  • (48) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance

Level 6: Equip Mercenary

  • (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
  • (7) Aegis - Psionic/Status Resistance
  • (7) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)
  • (11) Unbreakable Guard - +Max HP
  • (17) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance
  • (19) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance

Level 8: Hasten

  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 10: Temporal Selection

  • (A) Panacea - Heal/Endurance
  • (43) Panacea - Endurance/Recharge
  • (45) Panacea - Heal/Recharge
  • (45) Panacea - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
  • (46) Panacea - Heal

Level 12: Spec Ops

  • (A) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Endurance/Pet +Resist +Regen
  • (13) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Damage
  • (13) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff
  • (15) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Recharge/Pet +AoE Defense Aura
  • (15) Sovereign Right - Resistance Bonus
  • (17) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage

Level 14: Super Speed

  • (A) Celerity - +Stealth
  • (33) Celerity - Endurance

Level 16: Distortion Field

  • (A) Unbreakable Constraint - Chance for Smashing Damage
  • (43) Unbreakable Constraint - Hold
  • (43) Unbreakable Constraint - Hold/Recharge
  • (46) Unbreakable Constraint - Hold/Recharge/Accuracy
  • (46) Unbreakable Constraint - Recharge/Accuracy

Level 18: Serum

  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (33) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 20: Assault

  • (A) Endurance Reduction IO

Level 22: Commando

  • (A) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff
  • (23) Expedient Reinforcement - Resist Bonus Aura for Pets
  • (23) Edict of the Master - Defense Bonus
  • (25) Call to Arms - Defense Bonus Aura for Pets
  • (25) Soulbound Allegiance - Damage/Recharge/Accuracy
  • (27) Soulbound Allegiance - Damage

Level 24: Farsight

  • Hamidon Origin:Cytoskeleton Exposure

Level 26: Tactical Upgrade

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  • (37) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  • (37) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance

Level 28: Slowed Response

  • (A) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff
  • (36) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Negative Damage
  • (42) Shield Breaker - Chance for Lethal Damage

Level 30: Chrono Shift

  • (A) Panacea - Heal/Endurance
  • (33) Panacea - Endurance/Recharge
  • (34) Panacea - Heal/Recharge
  • (34) Panacea - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
  • (34) Panacea - Heal

Level 32: M30 Grenade

  • (A) Force Feedback - Chance for +Recharge
  • (40) Explosive Strike - Chance for Smashing Damage
  • (45) Endurance Reduction IO
  • (48) Overwhelming Force - Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown
  • (48) Bombardment - Chance for Fire Damage
  • (49) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy)

Level 35: Tactics

  • (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up
  • (37) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance

Level 38: Maneuvers

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  • (39) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)
  • (39) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage
  • (39) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  • (40) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance

Level 41: Scorpion Shield

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed

Level 44: Power Boost

  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 47: Time Crawl

  • (A) Pacing of the Turtle - Accuracy/Endurance

Level 49: Vengeance

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed

Level 1: Supremacy 


Level 1: Brawl

  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Sprint
  • (A) Run Speed IO
Level 2: Rest
  • (A) Healing IO
Level 1: Swift
  • (A) Run Speed IO
Level 1: Hurdle
  • (A) Jumping IO
Level 1: Health
  • (A) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance
  • (29) Miracle - +Recovery
  • (31) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
Level 1: Stamina
  • (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
  • (31) Performance Shifter - EndMod
  • (31) Endurance Modification IO
Level 14: Speed Phase 

Level 50: Musculature Radial Paragon 
Level 50: Banished Pantheon Radial Superior Ally 
Level 50: Assault Radial Embodiment 
Level 50: Ion Core Final Judgement 
Level 50: Degenerative Radial Flawless Interface 
Level 50: Clarion Radial Epiphany 
Level 1: Soldier 
Level 22: Commando 
Level 1: Medic 
Level 12: Spec Ops 
------------

 

 

 

Edited by Malinkadink
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On 1/2/2023 at 10:20 AM, Meknomancer said:

It does look good. Guaranteed fun. Still not sold on stealth but i'm happy to run a map and aggro the entire thing with TJ 🙂


Indeed, TJ is fantastic for “tankerminding” and debuffing at the same time!

 

TJ + Farsight + Chronoshift are the three pillars of the /Time set.

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