Hypothetical AT - what else would you pair with Manipulation sets?

[biostem]

If you were creating a new AT, with blaster secondaries, (manipulation sets), as its primary, what type of set would you have as the secondary?  I was thinking pets could make for an interesting combination, or maybe control, (but the latter might be redundant or too close to dominators).  Your thoughts?

[Nayeh]

One of the Support lines paired with Blaster or Dominator secondaries - Because I'm dying for an AT that is a Support/Melee oriented hybrid. I think it would be cool to have something like a Paladin where you could have a Warmace with like Empathy (or some form of it). Heck, imagine having Trick Arrow and Weapons to be a 'Ranger' type. I would even roll a Poison/Melee character seeing as how Poison performs so well in melee range - like a Poison/Spines character with a Beetle or Pufferfish concept.

 

Making Support/[Blast] combinations is getting old.

Edited January 12, 2023 by Nayeh

[biostem]

25 minutes ago, Nayeh said:

'm dying for an AT that is a Support/Melee

I had thought about such an AT before - what they'd have to do, IMHO, is turn the various "ally-only" powers into something like a PBAoE so you would also benefit, thereby giving you the tools to survive being in melee range.  Some sets, like traps, might be difficult, but still doable...

[PoptartsNinja]

Manipulation/Manipulation, just be the weird single-target pseudo-control half-melee jack-of-some-trades you always wanted to be. It even comes with a built-in name: the Manipulator!

Edited January 12, 2023 by PoptartsNinja

[Zepp]

Personally, Manipulation / Assault (Take a look at the Zoomer)...

But:

Operative (19.09.24.06.34.01)

Assault/{Armor/Manipulation/Control}

Preparation: Low threat level, stealth (weak), and a bar that constantly builds but is reduced by attacks - grants improved secondary effects

Operatives are strategic agents that have many skills that they must strategically employ to be effective. They use a Manipulation secondary that has been bolstered by a modicum of armor and control for survival.

 

Zoomer (19.07.25.22.56.xx)

Manipulation/Assault

Zoom: Personal +SPD for ranged, enemy -SPD for melee, and increased speed cap.

Zoomers offer the feel of playing a speedster while providing access to two AT-specific power sets that are versatile an fun.

 

Manipulator (19.05.23.13.29.47.02)

Manipulation/Control

Edge: Non-stacking defense/resistance debuff for specific damage types, with a weak general secondary debuff.

Manipulators are a buff/debuff focused controlling AT.
 

Adaptor (19.08.29.22.14.08)

{Assault/Manipulation}/{Armor/Melee*} (it is unclear if this is Stalker Melee with Armor mixed secondary, or a Stalker Armor secondary.

[placeholder]:

A jack of all trades.
 

The Incarnate (19.10.11.18.14.01)

{Assault, Melee, Ranged, Pet, Support, Manipulation, Armor, or Control}/{Assault, Melee, Ranged, Pet, Support, Manipulation, Armor, or Control}

Undiminished: No diminishing returns on IOs, also has the inherent of the chosen primary AT

You wanted OP? I'll show you OP...

Sorry, my list is dreadfully in need of an update, but these are the ones I could pull.

Edited January 12, 2023 by Zepp

[Zect]

To answer this, you need to look at what blaster manipulation sets are intended to achieve. And the answer to that is to round out blaster primaries with:

• Melee attacks (rewarding the blaster for meleeing with high-dps attacks, while offering the ability to diversify damtypes and set-muling opportunities);
• Offensive support, either self-buffs (+dmg, +rech), foe debuffs (-res) or damage auras;
• Sustain, both health and end;
• Controls.

So the ideal 2ndary will be something that benefits maximally from all the above. And if you're going to port blaster manipulation sets unchanged, that's kind of hard because these sets are so closely tailored to the specific needs of blasters. Slapping a different set with them will either result in redundancies (doubling up on what manipulation sets already provide) or inadequacies (relying exclusively on manipulation sets to provide one critical thing).