New MM Questions - Lot has changed it seems!

[TatoSak]

Hey everyone.

Yet another player from back at live, returning after a while. I dabbled a bit, then jumped out, and finally back in and want to play a MM.

However, it seems most of what I remember is obsolete, so I am hoping I can get a few questions clarified.

If it helps with details, I am going Necro/Dark.

 

1. How do you slot the pets, and the upgrades now? I remember acc/dam would be slotted WAY back, but it seems that isn't the case anymore? I saw someone suggest just recharge or something in the help channel on Excelsior.

 

2. Is it still worth using macros to micro-manage pet movement? I remember there were specific macros that helped with managing them - and is bodyguarding still a thing (is there benefit still?)?

 

3. Specifically for Necro MM - How do I slot the blast powers with the new mechanic on them that summons the shade pet?

 

And general one I guess - is there a good guide for "Hey, returning to CoH? Welcome Back, here are things you should know!"? Between the P2W vendor, I/O leveling, merits, and other things I have heard - I feel like I am missing out on a lot that could be helpful.

 

Thank you in advance, and sorry for so many questions!

[TygerDarkstorm]

The core of what MM's do is still pretty much the same. Yes, bodyguard and such is still a thing. Here is a link to some numpad binds:

 

New MM changes can be read about here:

 

Much of your general questions can probably be answered here: https://forums.homecomingservers.com/forum/44-guides/

 

Don't forget to pay a visit to Yomo: https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/20275-yomos-whizbang-potpourri-extravaganza-of-a-giveaway/

 

And unfortunately I can't help with slotting as I don't really make builds; I just sort of read and slot things based on feel (or guess on occasion) because I'm a casual scrub, lol. Hopefully others can pitch in there for you. Your basics stay the same though--necro personal attacks don't require anything special to spawn the ghost dudes--so things like accuracy, damage, end redux, etc. are still good to go with until you're ready to do sets.

 

Welcome home!

[TatoSak]

Amazing! Thank you Tyger!

[Nyghtmaire]

@TygerDarkstorm is steering you right. For slotting pets, recharge isn’t necessary (or really beneficial). Summoning times have been reduced from Live so the powers themselves are up fairly quickly. Recharge continues to be pretty great for the recharge (level 18) intensive pets, like Soul Extraction (Necro) and Gang War (Thugs). Accuracy and Damage are still very, very important (generally). So is endurance reduction. The pace of play in groups is a bit faster, so pets burn through their endurance faster. 
 

Tier 1 pets need more accuracy as the level shifts are the same as Live generally (-2 tier 1, -1 tier 2, same level for the 3rd). The main change is incarnate content where the pets are all boosted now. 
 

Homecoming and procs are different. Here is a guide:

However, the core pets ignore recharge so the sections linked regarding slotted recharge and impact on proc rates is inapplicable here. Many players tend to slot procs in pets in which the proc has a chance to fire on multiple attacks. It varies from primary to primary what’s available, but you can check pet powers here:

https://cod.uberguy.net/html/archetype.html?at=mastermind
 

There are many theories as to how to slot personal attacks. Mostly, it hinges on what your other build goals are. For Necro/Ninja/Bots/Thugs, a single Accuracy in the base slot can cover you if the goal is merely to trigger the secondary effect (ghouls for Necro, crit bonus for Ninjas for example). Anything more is icing on the cake. 
 

IOs are cheaper now, and purpled builds are within reach. If you want all the pet uniques, for example, they are readily attainable. 
 

Lastly, there is far less disparity between the MM primaries. If you were a Necro fan on Live, you’ll likely be blown away by the changes.

 

If you have not seen, Mids has a version for this server. 

Welcome back; welcome home!

Edited April 18, 2023 by Nyghtmaire

[biostem]

4 hours ago, TatoSak said:

1. How do you slot the pets, and the upgrades now? I remember acc/dam would be slotted WAY back, but it seems that isn't the case anymore? I saw someone suggest just recharge or something in the help channel on Excelsior.

I'm going to speak in generalities, and taking into account how you're newly back, (welcome BTW!), here's what I'd suggest - If you're at all familiar with the invention system, (colloquially called "IOs"), slot 3 level 25 accuracy IOs and 3 level 25 damage IOs in you zombies, 2 acc, 3 dmg in your grave knights, and 2 acc, 3 dmg in your lich.  Stick with level 25 IOs from level 22 onward, as they never expire and are good enough to get you to 50, while being relatively cheap & easy to craft.  You get 2 additional builds you can use for more advanced slotting strategies later, so just go with those for now.  As for the pet upgrades - IIRC, those have been updated to be the source of the damage resistance and healing for your pets, so slot for that if you can fit in the slots.

 

4 hours ago, TatoSak said:

2. Is it still worth using macros to micro-manage pet movement? I remember there were specific macros that helped with managing them - and is bodyguarding still a thing (is there benefit still?)?

Yes, bodyguard is still a thing.  Your pets have to be in defensive mode for it to work, (and not given a direct attack command, if memory serves).  I tend to keep things simple, and use these for my MMs:

 

This makes all your pets stop whatever they are doing and go to the specific place you alt-left click, (useful for forcing your minions into melee range or specific locations):

/bind lalt+lbutton "petcomall goto passive"

 

This creates a power button labeled "Atk", which causes your pets to attack your target, and go into an aggressive stance, where they will attack any enemies in range.  Replace "aggressive" with "defensive" if you still want them to attack, but not to initiate combat with any other targets:

/macro Atk "petcomall attack aggressive"

 

This creates a power button labeled "Flw", which will trigger bodyguard mode and make your pets follow you.  They won't initiate combat, but will attack if an enemy attacks them first:

/macro Flw "petcomall follow defensive"

 

4 hours ago, TatoSak said:

3. Specifically for Necro MM - How do I slot the blast powers with the new mechanic on them that summons the shade pet?

They also updated the necromancy dark blasts powers to have a 70% chance of summoning a temporary ghost minion.  They cannot be controlled and don't last long.  Each blast power can only summon 1 minion at a time, but each one is treated separately for this purpose, so you could have 3 out at any given time, (1 each from dark blast, gloom, and life drain).  I wouldn't make slotting them up a priority, but if you have the free slots, 2 acc, 3 dmg in dark blast & gloom, and 2 acc + 3 dmg, 1 heal if you don't want to use life drain for its heal, or 2 acc, 3 heal, 1 dmg if you do, (or some variation therein).  With your secondary being dark, slotting it for the heal may be redundant, but that may also save your butt sometime.

 

4 hours ago, TatoSak said:

And general one I guess - is there a good guide for "Hey, returning to CoH? Welcome Back, here are things you should know!"? Between the P2W vendor, I/O leveling, merits, and other things I have heard - I feel like I am missing out on a lot that could be helpful.

I can't point you to 1 specific guide, but check around the forums - there's tons of helpful folks.

 

4 hours ago, TatoSak said:

Thank you in advance, and sorry for so many questions!

You're welcome, & it's NP!  :-)

Edited April 18, 2023 by biostem

[tidge]

Welcome Back! I won't repeat the links (thanks @TygerDarkstorm); I do recommend you read them.

 

I used to use keybinds for henchmen control, but for the MM primaries I play (as well as my chosen content), and with many of the ongoing changes (faster recharge times on summons, the way most buffs work, the availability of all enhancements) a level 50 build doesn't get that much advantage from them. I'm not knocking them, it's more that just having a handful of macros in a power tray gets me 98% of what I would use the keybinds for, even in the content that would most matter. As for "which content", I'm thinking its mostly +N and/or x8, where the henchmen will be at a level disadvantage and/or likely to fall quickly and you need to position them (mostly for Supremacy/Unique Enhancement bonuses) and/or direct their fire. I'm almost never specifically sending a henchmen to go get aggro and bring it back, which is near-trivial to do with the macros.

 

TL;DR: get comfortable with the henchman before diving into the keybinds. (IIRC you can drag the default henchman macro icons from the "pet window" into a power bar, from "all" or individuals)

 

Re: Slotting... the spawned henchmen are your damage, so they need to be slotted with accuracy and damage, just like any attack. The recharge intensive pet summons also benefit from recharge (slotted and global), depending on how long they last. The global unique enhancements which help pet Defenses and Resistance should eventually be added to them. I don't recommend trying to add %damage via "procs" to henchmen, except in very special circumstances:

• The henchmen (or pet) has to trigger the %proc on almost every attack (because of the nature of the attack), otherwise it wastes a slot
• The henchmen (or pet) has to have decent ToHit/Accuracy, otherwise the %damage won't even have a chance to trigger

One unique piece I think is a game changer for most classes Henchmen is the Overwhelming Force %Knockdown (and KB->KD) from the Summer Blockbuster, as if it is slotted in the first tier of henchmen, you will (eventually) have 3 attackers exercising soft-control of Knockdown on every attack.

 

Tier 2 Henchmen often have some other effect that is worth enhancing (with a single slot) besides damage, just sayin'.

 

Don't try to do damage with the personal attacks from MMs: The damage scale is terrible and the Endurance cost is astronomical. Use the attacks for Enhancement set bonuses and to leverage some other effect from them which make your henchment more effective.

 

[twozerofoxtrot]

When you get ready to do Hamidon raids, HC has given MM's a huge boon by making it so when you feed an Essence of the Earth inspiration to any of your pets, they all get the benefit for the duration.

 

As such, I've crafted a handy-dandy little macro for this:

 

/macroimage Inspiration_Hambrosia "Feed Pets an EoE" "inspexec_pet_name Essence_of_the_Earth INSERT NAME OF YOUR TOUGHEST HENCH HERE"

 

It'll make a button that looks like an EoE appear, and when you click it will feed an EoE anywhere in your trays to your henches.

[TatoSak]

All this info is amazing! Thank you so much everyone.
Lot of reading to do, but ecstatic at some of these changes since live.

[Arbegla]

On 4/18/2023 at 5:58 AM, twozerofoxtrot said:

When you get ready to do Hamidon raids, HC has given MM's a huge boon by making it so when you feed an Essence of the Earth inspiration to any of your pets, they all get the benefit for the duration.

 

As such, I've crafted a handy-dandy little macro for this:

 

/macroimage Inspiration_Hambrosia "Feed Pets an EoE" "inspexec_pet_name Essence_of_the_Earth INSERT NAME OF YOUR TOUGHEST HENCH HERE"

 

It'll make a button that looks like an EoE appear, and when you click it will feed an EoE anywhere in your trays to your henches.

 

Just an FYI, you don't actually need to feed your pets the EoE, you just need to use it. It'll affect all your pets either way.

[twozerofoxtrot]

Thanks! I did discover this later and felt kinda silly.

 

[Redletter]

On 4/27/2023 at 5:00 PM, twozerofoxtrot said:

Thanks! I did discover this later and felt kinda silly.

 

The solution is simple.

 

Make the macro a *rolling* macro, so on press it feeds to the minions, and on release, it feeds to you!

Two EoEs eaten in ONE easy key press. This consumes DOUBLE the EoEs than necessary!