Cold/Fire

[Sweetcake]

Hi,

I'm trying to make what will be my main character on the game.

If anyone has any improvements or advice they could give to help improve the following build it would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance 🙂

 

 

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.4.6
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

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Level 50 Magic Defender
Primary Power Set: Cold Domination
Secondary Power Set: Fire Blast
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Ice Shield

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

Level 1: Flares

• (A) Superior Defender's Bastion - Accuracy/Damage
• (3) Superior Defender's Bastion - Damage/Recharge
• (3) Superior Defender's Bastion - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• (5) Superior Defender's Bastion - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (5) Superior Defender's Bastion - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• (7) Superior Defender's Bastion - Recharge/Chance for Minor PBAoE Heal
  

Level 2: Infrigidate

• (A) Accuracy IO
  

Level 4: Fire Ball

• (A) Superior Vigilant Assault - Accuracy/Damage
• (7) Superior Vigilant Assault - Damage/RechargeTime
• (9) Superior Vigilant Assault - RechargeTime/PBAoE +Absorb
• (9) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff
• (11) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage
  

Level 6: Glacial Shield

• (A) Defense Buff IO
  

Level 8: Fly

• (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points)
  

Level 10: Rain of Fire

• (A) Artillery - Accuracy/Recharge/Range
• (11) Artillery - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (15) Artillery - Accuracy/Damage
• (17) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff
• (17) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy)
  

Level 12: Arctic Fog

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

Level 14: Maneuvers

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• (15) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance
• (34) Kismet - Accuracy +6%
• (34) Reactive Defenses - Defense
  

Level 16: Hover

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• (21) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)
• (21) Reactive Defenses - Defense
• (33) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance
  

Level 18: Benumb

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

Level 20: Aim

• (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up
  

Level 22: Boxing

• (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage
• (23) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
• (23) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
• (25) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 24: Tough

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

Level 26: Sleet

• (A) Artillery - Accuracy/Recharge/Range
• (27) Artillery - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (27) Artillery - Accuracy/Damage
• (29) Ragnarok - Chance for Knockdown
• (29) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff
• (31) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff
  

Level 28: Blaze

• (A) Superior Vigilant Assault - Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
• (31) Superior Vigilant Assault - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
• (31) Superior Vigilant Assault - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (33) Gladiator's Javelin - Chance of Damage(Toxic)
• (33) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  

Level 30: Hasten

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO
• (36) Recharge Reduction IO
  

Level 32: Heat Loss

• (A) Power Transfer - EndMod
• (34) Power Transfer - Chance to Heal Self
• (36) Power Transfer - Damage/Recharge
• (36) Power Transfer - Damage/EndMod
• (37) Power Transfer - Damage/Accuracy/Endurance
• (37) Power Transfer - Damage/Accuracy/Recharge/Endurance
  

Level 35: Blazing Bolt

• (A) Superior Winter's Bite - Accuracy/Damage
• (37) Superior Winter's Bite - Recharge/Chance for -Speed & -Recharge
• (39) Superior Winter's Bite - Damage/RechargeTime
• (39) Superior Winter's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (39) Superior Winter's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (40) Superior Winter's Bite - Damage/Endurance/Accuracy/RechargeTime
  

Level 38: Inferno

• (A) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage
• (40) Superior Avalanche - Damage/Endurance
• (40) Superior Avalanche - Recharge/Chance for Knockdown
• (42) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (42) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (42) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 41: Soul Drain

• (A) Accuracy IO
• (43) Recharge Reduction IO
  

Level 44: Dark Embrace

• (A) Reactive Armor - Resistance
• (45) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance
• (45) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Recharge
• (45) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 47: Weave

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
• (48) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage
• (48) Reactive Defenses - Defense
• (48) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance
  

Level 49: Frostwork

• (A) Healing IO
  

Level 1: Vigilance 
Level 1: Brawl

• (A) Superior Blistering Cold - Accuracy/Damage
• (46) Superior Blistering Cold - Damage/Endurance
• (46) Superior Blistering Cold - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (50) Superior Blistering Cold - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (50) Superior Blistering Cold - Damage/Endurance/Accuracy/RechargeTime
• (50) Superior Blistering Cold - Recharge/Chance for Hold
  

Level 1: Sprint

• (A) Empty
  

Level 2: Rest

• (A) Empty
  

Level 1: Swift

• (A) Flight Speed IO
  

Level 1: Hurdle

• (A) Jumping IO
  

Level 1: Health

• (A) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance
• (43) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
• (46) Miracle - +Recovery
  

Level 1: Stamina

• (A) Power Transfer - Chance to Heal Self
• (43) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
  

Level 8: Afterburner 

Level 49: Quick Form 
Level 50: Agility Core Paragon 
Level 50: Task Force Commander 
Level 50: Portal Jockey 
Level 50: The Atlas Medallion 
Level 50: Freedom Phalanx Reserve 
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[Doomguide2005]

Solo or Team?

Large or Small team?

AVs Y/N?

3☆+ Hard Mode content Y/N?

Any must have powers?

 

Let's start there.  Really want to stick this in Mids for a good look.  But I'm waiting on a video card so for the moment no Mids.  And I need sleep.

 

[hemij]

Honestly this is a combo I'd heartily recommend going Fire/Cold Corruptor over a Defender.

 

Corruptor's get the same debuff values on Sleet the buff values on a Corruptor are still more than enough. In exchange you get notably higher damage out of Fire for minimal cost.

[Sweetcake]

I don't mind playing in teams but to be honest most of my time is spent soloing.  

This was basically going to be a a badger so wanted something capable of doing all content.

Hopefully the image below helps.  (it's just over 3 seconds short of perma hasten)

Looking at it now I would change the slotting for ROF and Sleet around.

 

 

As for def vs corr I just found the defensive + resistance values were much easier to hit on the defender and would have to have multiple builds for the corruptor depending on the content I was facing.

I do prefer to play corruptors and if I can come up with something decent enough will likely play that too.

 

Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

 

[Doomguide2005]

Some thoughts at random regardless if you end up a Defender or Corruptor (or both).  

• Ice Shield and Glacial Shield -> for a support oriented build I'd consider this under slotted.  Only for solo play would I consider going this minimalist for slots and even then it would depend on other options throughout the build.  As well the presence or absence of pets to consider.
• Infrigidate -> just going to mention this can take multiple damage procs and Achilles resist debuff.
• Fireball -> without Mids to play in, see totals etc. my only thought is a kd proc here might be fun (and useful mitigation tool) [and about now your 2nd post popped up 🙂]
• The problem with procs in this build is you've generally got fair bit of slotted recharge and an Alpha ability that works against procs.  But I'm not nearly knowledgeable enough to know how much is too much with a given power.
• Fly -> not much to add but this.  Only so many places to add a Winter's Gift +20% recharge resist and Cold can be outright immune rather easily to both movement and recharge debuffs.  You've got a base 60% in Arctic Fog to build on.  Slot 2 Frozen Blasts in 2 powers and you hit 100% (or a single pair of the Superior version nets you +15% for 95% resistance) assuming Winter's Gift is in the build as well.
• Rain of Fire -> Not sure how functional procs will be in this power.  Still both this and Sleet can potentially proc when cast and every 10 sec thereafter the power is active.  Solo that might be worth it (that's a lot of checks and pacing is under your control).  On a team, even a small one, they're likely dead before much beyond the initial proc check has happened.  Suspect the slots are more valuable elsewhere then.
• Arctic Fog -> in general i really like to fully slot for both Defense and Resistance (a 4 to 6 slot power) even solo and definitely for teaming/allies.
• Maneuvers and Hover -> I'd probably jiggle enhancements around here some.  Move the LotG to Glacial Shield.  The goal is Kismet in Hover and Def, Def/Endred, Def/Endred/Rchg enhancements in Maneuvers (it burns more endurance than Hover).  Granted once Heat Loss is in play endurance issues should be all bye bye, so this is either nitpicky or for running exemplar pre HL.
• Tough -> Another where I really like to slot and enhance fully.  Keep in mind it takes several S/L resistance set bonuses to equal the same benefit as simply enhancing Tough in the first place.   Rain of Fire and Sleet are likely places to get slots.
• Speaking of Sleet -> I get why you slotted the way you did (set bonuses) but I'm almost certain there's a better way to get there as that much Acc should be overkill, damage is a trivial side effect of FR (you're doubling a tiny amount to a still tiny amount) and you really want to max the recharge minimizing the cool down of FR.  Priorities are recharge, then endurance reduction, then debuff (with debuff a fairly distant third). 
• Health -> HL renders slotting the specials for +recovery moot except while exemplared.  Unless the +recovery portion of HL is well short of perma (90 sec)
• Soul Drain -> Armageddon and a +5 boosted To Hit.  Or Adjusted Targeting and a +5 boosted Damage Armageddon Or ... 

Food for thought.

[Sweetcake]

Thank you for the insightful feedback, I will have a go at rebuilding with your recommendations prior to respec.

[Zect]

On 1/7/2023 at 6:35 AM, Doomguide2005 said:

Some thoughts at random regardless if you end up a Defender or Corruptor (or both).  

• Ice Shield and Glacial Shield -> for a support oriented build I'd consider this under slotted.

 

They have agility alpha, so it's fine. An agility cold def with 1-slotted shields running arctic and maneuvers still hands out ~34% def. ED-capping shields boosts that to ~39%. That's not bad, but it's also not essential, and it does not hit a critical breakpoint like 45% on naked toons.

 

This is very optional, but I recommend a switcheroo as follows:

• Ice shield: lotg
• Glacial shield: lotg
• Hover: lotg, shieldwall unique
• Maneuvers: lotg, 2x red fortune
• Weave: lotg, 2x red fortune
• Arctic: 6x reactive defenses

This costs the same number of slots, leaves you at nearly 45% def (just +5 a lotg if you absolutely must see nice 45's in mids) and 74% SL res, while gaining 8.5% !! rech. Your hasten will now be nearly nearly permanent.

 

Why red fortunes? Because 2x red fortune gives the same bonus as the 2x reactive defenses you're using. So as an uncommon set, it can potentially be cheaper (but check the AH first). Don't pay the marketeers any more than you need to.

 

- Sincerely, a trillionaire marketeer.

 

On 1/7/2023 at 6:35 AM, Doomguide2005 said:

Infrigidate -> just going to mention this can take multiple damage procs and Achilles resist debuff.

 

True, but generally not an advantage for corrs and fenders, especially with a strong blast set such as fire. This is only useful if it saves you from taking an extra attack elsewhere, e.g. on controllers who do not natively get enough attacks for a full ST chain. For them an additional ST blast will have to come from sorcery (losing a power pool) or the epic (long wait, high level).

 

On 1/7/2023 at 6:35 AM, Doomguide2005 said:

Fireball -> without Mids to play in, see totals etc. my only thought is a kd proc here might be fun (and useful mitigation tool)

 

You don't have mids to see this, but they do have a KD proc in sleet (though sleet has its own 5% chance to KD - it will become KB if they both proc).

 

I recommend another switcheroo as follows:

• 6x def bastion in fireball
• 3x vigilant assault (incl proc) in blaze
• 3x vigilant assault in flares (Flares can afford to be underslotted slightly as it has the lowest damage scale).

This way, you heal yourself & team every time you cast fireball in a big mob, and you frequently get an absorb when using blaze on hard ST targets. Blaze is a better proccer than flares.

 

Speaking of procs: as someone who is a fan of procs, and does actually have 2x -res procs in sleet on a lot of my colds, they are not going to make a big difference in killspeed. They are ultimately very trivial luxuries. Procs have a low procrate in large aoe powers. Sleet I personally consider it worth it because you will use sleet on absolutely everything, from trash to single targets like AV's; however if you are looking for slots, think about cutting some of the annihilation -res from your aoe powers.

 

On 1/7/2023 at 6:35 AM, Doomguide2005 said:

Speaking of Sleet -> I get why you slotted the way you did (set bonuses) but I'm almost certain there's a better way to get there as that much Acc should be overkill,

 

This I would agree with. Here is a way to get more of the same bonus and better enhancement values, using the same number of slots: move the 3x vigilant assaults from one of your ST blasts to sleet (yes, it does go in sleet - try it out), replacing the artilleries. Then slot 3x thunderstrikes in the ST blast instead.

 

3x artillery is only 1.8% EN def. 3x thunderstrikes is 2.5% EN def. So this is a net gain. This also enables you to get more rech in sleet because vigilant assault is an extremely rech-heavy set. For a final note, you can also consider putting the vigilant assault proc in sleet. The proc notably has half a dual's worth of rech enhancement, as with many ATIO procs.

 

On 1/7/2023 at 6:35 AM, Doomguide2005 said:

Soul Drain -> Armageddon and a +5 boosted To Hit.  Or Adjusted Targeting and a +5 boosted Damage Armageddon Or ...

 

The most important things in soul drain are rech, with a 2ndary consideration of acc (you don't want it to miss when using it on a single target, e.g. AV, though this build can compensate by using aim beforehand). Armageddon is not a bad choice, but there are other possibilities as well.

• For a typed defense build like this I would recommend considering 3x eradication (+5 if necessary, as a lv30 set it has weak enhancement values) and 1 slot of frankenslotting to cap the rech. The 3.13% EN def from erads can replace one or more of your 3x artilleries. This then opens up the potential for ragnaroks or frozen blasts in the artilleries.
• For a positional defense build I would recommend considering 6x oblits. If you have 2 sets to slot pbaoes in, double 6x oblits gives 2.5% more melee def than 5x armageddon and 5x avalanche. It's not a bad deal for only 2 slots - just try finding 2.5% melee def for 2 added slots!

On 1/7/2023 at 12:54 AM, hemij said:

Honestly this is a combo I'd heartily recommend going Fire/Cold Corruptor over a Defender.

 

I also urge considering this. Here are more benefits you can expect, in addition to the better damage from scourge and the cheating by using fender pseudopets to get the same debuff values as fenders. The corr will be able to skip infrigidate, while the fender cannot. (For your first 4 powers on corr, choose flares, ice shield, fire ball, and fly/hover.) With the additional power choice freed up, you will be able to dark mastery instead of soul, and the soul drain from dark has twice the uptime. Finally, the dark consumption you are forced to take as the 1st dark mastery power choice is also a useful set mule. 2x oblits and 3x erads offer highly slot-efficient res and def respectively.

 

The big, big downside of corr is lower def due to a weaker defense buff scalar. Corrs can expect around 5% less def across the board, which is not a trivial amount to lose. However, as a corr there is an easy solution to this: take barrier core as your destiny, which is a very strong destiny in the current meta anyway. The weakest level of barrier core gives +5% def and res to all. So does a defense amp. So you can take barrier in HM TF's, and defense amp + clarion in easy content when you want to be lazy and not deal with mezzes.

 

Finally...

 

On 1/5/2023 at 5:11 AM, Sweetcake said:

Level 28: Blaze

• (A) Superior Vigilant Assault - Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
• (31) Superior Vigilant Assault - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
• (31) Superior Vigilant Assault - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (33) Gladiator's Javelin - Chance of Damage(Toxic)
• (33) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance

 

If you can afford only one damage proc in blaze, it should be the apoc proc (more damage, higher PPM).

 

On 1/5/2023 at 5:11 AM, Sweetcake said:

Level 18: Benumb

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

 

This is extremely optional. I'll mention it only because you say this is your main character.

 

A 53 D-sync provocation and a +5 rech common offer nearly the same rech for 2 slots, saving a slot. (You do lose 13% acc enhancement though.) If you've wondered why provocations are 700m apiece, now you know.

 

Overall, however, I must say this is a very well-done build. I'm seeing ambitious build goals, confidently met. You generally have a good grasp of the functions of your powersets and a strong familiarity with the IO system. You avoid many common pitfalls of building such as poor slot-efficiency, and the changes I can suggest to you are primarily minor optimizations. I'm always pleasantly surprised when I come into a thread expecting to explain how terrible your build is to you, only to find something that is by and large competently made. I don't think you should be coming to the forums for advice; you're probably more qualified to provide it.

 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2023 by Zect