Seeking solo AT advice (for most challenges)

[Arcadio]

I had a really nice experience soloing through Praetoria/First Ward/Night Ward with a Ninja Blade/Katana stalker. I'd recommend a stalker for two reasons: 1. The damage is a given for any of the primaries, 2. It's nice to always have to option of stealthing through anything you don't want to fight. The NB/SR pairing also let me crank the difficulty up to +2 in FW/NW with minimal IOing since Divine Avalanche is so good for pumping your defenses.

[nihilii]

Going to echo the sentiment many builds can work.

I'm partial to EM/ scrappers with a defense secondary, /nin or /EA ideally but /SR and /Shield are also good.

Reasoning:

- EM gets you an extremely powerful and end efficient attack chain early on, on SOs even. Energy Transfer costs 0 end, deals the best damage per activation in the game in quick form and still decent DPA in slow mode, recharges fast. It's a godsend for lowbies. This ensures AVs won't be a grind.
- defense is the most powerful survivability mechanic in CoH. I would argue doubly so on SOs: pop lucks and you're set. Starting with a defense secondary minimises the number of lucks you need to chug to be softcapped.

- /nin and /EA get a heal which is nice in general and also helps to deal with the -hp of ET.

[Raikao]

On 7/21/2023 at 6:32 PM, tidge said:

 

I agree 100%. with no Hasten in the build my Robotics/Traps can toss Caltrops on every spawn, have two Acid Mortars out at a time. Posion Trap is under 30 seconds recharge IIRC. I've skipped Seeker Drones, Trip Mine and Detonator. I wonder if it an old-school thinking about setting up Trip Mines has confused players that think MM /Traps is "slow"?

 

The only thing that actually slows down my deployment of traps are those maps where the map construction itself defeats my ability to use targeting macros to deploy traps. (Folks in the know will know what I am referring to.) Off the top of my head the ONLY enemies that provide an inherent aggravation for /Traps are Caleb (gotta get it close to the ground) and Diabolique (because she will fly far away, often while intangible)... and to a much lesser extent the Arachnos Flier (not a big deal, but the short period when it has its shields down and isn't close to the ground mitigates the usefulness of some Traps). I find that /Traps is a great secondary against groups like Knives of Artemis, Carnies, as well as any group that is inclined to make a mad scramble away from the action. If this bothered me enough, I wouldn't have skipped the immobilize!

 

Of those last three powers: the only one I'd consider adding back into the build are the Seeker Drones, but Robotics/Traps doesn't need a -ToHit (and the other effects aren't worth it IMO) and my MM has plenty to do with its primary/secondary. As I wrote above, an immobilize would serve me better... but even with AoE options in the Patron pools I won't make the change.

 

Would a Robots/Time be on par? 10% worse? What's your take on that?

 

Because while I'm currently leveling a few different ATs I am starting to wonder which should be my main. So I stumbled upon this thread and instead of making another one I shall hijack this one :P

 

Basically I want to do the followong (solo):

- +4x8 Missions, and not just against The Council (certain factions will be harder than others, but should be doable still)

- GMs / AVs - I really liked killing an AV once in a solo mission on my stalker back in...2010? It took forever but it was fun. How much -regen do I need for that I wonder? Time has a little bit and you get -200% per active skill from robots. Question is how much -regen do you need to solo GMs/AVs?

- Do Oroborous Flashback content. So the build should exemplar down well too. I'm not expecting to do +4/x8 lvl 10 missions but if I run those at lower difficulty, I still want to get through them. I'm thinking getting Time's Juncture early + AoE Heal should take care of that. Throw in Maneuvers and pet set bonuses and should be fine?

 

Now if Robots/Traps can do those thing A LOT better than Robots/Time I'll swap to it. I'd like to play an MM as my main and still accomplish these goals. So I was positively surprised when MM was mentioned here. I mean Widows or Dominators are cool as well, but I just like summoners too much.

[Raikao]

On 7/25/2023 at 8:05 PM, nihilii said:

Going to echo the sentiment many builds can work.

I'm partial to EM/ scrappers with a defense secondary, /nin or /EA ideally but /SR and /Shield are also good.

Reasoning:

- EM gets you an extremely powerful and end efficient attack chain early on, on SOs even. Energy Transfer costs 0 end, deals the best damage per activation in the game in quick form and still decent DPA in slow mode, recharges fast. It's a godsend for lowbies. This ensures AVs won't be a grind.
- defense is the most powerful survivability mechanic in CoH. I would argue doubly so on SOs: pop lucks and you're set. Starting with a defense secondary minimises the number of lucks you need to chug to be softcapped.

- /nin and /EA get a heal which is nice in general and also helps to deal with the -hp of ET.

 

EM = Energy Melee (based on you mentioning Energy Transfer I could rule out Electrical Melee)

EA = Energy Aura or Electric Armor?

[Without_Pause]

3 hours ago, Raikao said:

 

EM = Energy Melee (based on you mentioning Energy Transfer I could rule out Electrical Melee)

EA = Energy Aura or Electric Armor?

Energy Aura. I could at least see the case for Elec if you were going Brute or Tank, but Scrappers have a lower Res cap. An Energy/ea Scrapper is great. I got mine in the high 30s before I realized I just don't like Energy Melee nor Elec Melee for that matter.

 

I can't fathom Bots/time MM not wrecking so many things. If I were to make one MM, that would likely be it.

[tidge]

3 hours ago, Raikao said:

 

Would a Robots/Time be on par? 10% worse? What's your take on that?

 

 

/Time's last three powers are absolutely NOT skippable, like /Traps are.

 

My hot takes on the Time secondary (for MMs) are:

 

Temporal Mending <- This power is worth taking in place of Maintenance Drone, since it will heal more than just the henchmen.

 

Time Crawl <- Single Slot, but keep for hard targets. Yes it can %damage, but ST damage from the MM is not a winning strategy.

 

Time's Juncture <- The -ToHit is probably most important. Won't need many slots, consider keeping. (2slot HO Enzymes)

 

Temporal Selection <- Hard to pass up a potential Buff for one of the Henchmen, I would consider keeping it, but delaying the choice of it.

 

Distortion Field <- Two slots max [ Pacing of the Turtle – Endurance/Recharge/Slow: Level 50+5,  Superior Entomb - Endurance/Recharge], could be used to take aggro off the henchmen. (I like slows when playing MMs)

 

Time Stop <- I like holds, but this is single-target. I'd skip it on a MM.

 

Farsight <- DO NOT SKIP. There are a lot of ways you can go with this. You'll have at least 4 slots in it. Off the top of my head, I'd go with

 

Level 24:               Farsight

 (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed

 (*) HamiO:Membrane Exposure (Endurance/ToHit Buff/Defense Buff): Level 53

 (*) HamiO:Membrane Exposure (Endurance/ToHit Buff/Defense Buff): Level 53

 (*) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance

 (*) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Recharge/Endurance

 

Slowed Response <- I would keep (again, AoE aggro magnet), and I'd be tempted to have it be a %damage power (requiring accuracy)

 

Level 28:    Slowed Response    
 (A) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50+5
 (*) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5
 (*) Shield Breaker - Chance for Damage (Lethal)
 (*) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Damage (Negative Energy)

 

Chrono Shift <- You want this, I recommend:

 

Level 30:    Chrono Shift    
 (A) Doctored Wounds - Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5
 (*) Panacea - Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5
 (*) Panacea - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5

 

 

[Without_Pause]

In my Fire/time controller I put the -Res proc into Slowed Response over the Chance for Lethal. If you can find the slots, Time's Juncture can fit two damage procs in it as well. 

[Neiska]

6 hours ago, Raikao said:

 

Would a Robots/Time be on par? 10% worse? What's your take on that?

 

Because while I'm currently leveling a few different ATs I am starting to wonder which should be my main. So I stumbled upon this thread and instead of making another one I shall hijack this one 😛

 

Basically I want to do the followong (solo):

- +4x8 Missions, and not just against The Council (certain factions will be harder than others, but should be doable still)

- GMs / AVs - I really liked killing an AV once in a solo mission on my stalker back in...2010? It took forever but it was fun. How much -regen do I need for that I wonder? Time has a little bit and you get -200% per active skill from robots. Question is how much -regen do you need to solo GMs/AVs?

- Do Oroborous Flashback content. So the build should exemplar down well too. I'm not expecting to do +4/x8 lvl 10 missions but if I run those at lower difficulty, I still want to get through them. I'm thinking getting Time's Juncture early + AoE Heal should take care of that. Throw in Maneuvers and pet set bonuses and should be fine?

 

Now if Robots/Traps can do those thing A LOT better than Robots/Time I'll swap to it. I'd like to play an MM as my main and still accomplish these goals. So I was positively surprised when MM was mentioned here. I mean Widows or Dominators are cool as well, but I just like summoners too much.

 

My take after playing several Robo MMs -

 

/Traps would beat /Time for -regen, which is crucial for GMs and AVs. /Time has a little bit of -Regen, and you could take personal attacks for a bit more, but /Traps would still win. But for virtually everything else, +4/8 missions, Orobo missions, exemplar-ing down, etc, my money would be on /Time being superior at all those other activities. /Traps can be a little clunky or lacking in power until later on. Both like recharge, but /Traps requires more of it. And /time is good from level 1 onward.

 

Also specifically for Robots (and Mercs) I would also suggest group fly. It makes a lot of difference in how durable your pets are when you can effectively negate many of the incomming attacks. It's not a fix-all, it can very according to map and enemy type. But for the majority, if you are alone it makes a very large impact on pets surviving, even on harder difficulties.

 

Hope this helps!

[Raikao]

Well that was a lot of very usefull information. This is what I'm currently going for:

 

Should be softcapped on positionals if using PowerBoost->Farsight->ChronoShift as the standard combo every 90 seconds (which is why I went for less recharge and no frankenslotting in Farsight, and more defensive slotting in certain powers).

 

Please feel free to tell me to change something and explain why. I do want to make this build the best it can be. As for the problem of -regen, I took 2 actives, which gives me -550% regen in total I think.

 

Don't forget to add 17,6% Defense to everything but Toxic and Psionic from the Protector Bots. Mids doesn't show that. Had that confirmed by someone ingame using the same slots and Agility Paragon

 

Edit: With the incarnate it seems like one +5 Recharge IO in Haste is enough for perma. So feel free to slap an extra slot somewhere O_o

 

 

 

DarksynthV7 - Mastermind (Robotics - Time Manipulation).mbd

Edited August 8, 2023 by Raikao
changed to V7

[Raikao]

15 hours ago, Without_Pause said:

Energy Aura. I could at least see the case for Elec if you were going Brute or Tank, but Scrappers have a lower Res cap. An Energy/ea Scrapper is great. I got mine in the high 30s before I realized I just don't like Energy Melee nor Elec Melee for that matter.

 

I can't fathom Bots/time MM not wrecking so many things. If I were to make one MM, that would likely be it.

 

I'm happy about the buffs for sure. I used to play Energy/Energy back on live. Made an alt on HC as well based on someone else's OC. My plan is to level her with only radio/alignment missions that are "defeat x". You can fly through those with stealth easily.

[Saiyajinzoningen]

If you don't mind lots (and I do mean lots) of clicking 

try giving dominators a try.

They do more damage than controllers, are immune to mez (permadom) and have great CC.

[Without_Pause]

On 8/8/2023 at 11:28 AM, Without_Pause said:

In my Fire/time controller I put the -Res proc into Slowed Response over the Chance for Lethal. If you can find the slots, Time's Juncture can fit two damage procs in it as well. 

I decided to play test this. Yeah, don't do that. Put more the damage procs into Slowed Response. You are far more likely to have them go off there if you do.

[JJDrakken]

On 7/17/2023 at 5:02 PM, wRECk69 said:

Hello, everyone!

 

I have been running my traditional toons on Homecoming--Defender, Tank, and Controller.  This last TF run today made me stop and sigh, as we blew through the TF so fast that I didn't have time to stop and smell the flowers.  As an Elec/Elec defender, I almost felt unneeded when the blasters/corrupters jumped into mob after mob and just nuked them away.  Even the tank seemed more useless than helpful, though he did a good job gathering where possible.  I know that changes, depending on the circumstances, but it left me deflated.  And, on Homecoming--especially lately, every TF and arc that I've been on a team with has been a steamrolling ride.

I'm looking for something that I can solo up through the game at a leisurely pace.  However, I'd like it to stand up to whatever challenges await--AVs in arcs and TFs, mobs (though I don't care about soloing +4/x8 at level 2), and perhaps even GMs once I am able build-wise.  I have a few 50's on Homecoming (a farming tank, a regular tank, a 'troller (Illusion), a few defenders), since I gravitate toward them, but I'm willing to try anything.  Money isn't an object, given my farmer.  I'll team when I am able, but I'd like to solo a lot to reread some of the great arcs in CoH.  I'll likely start blue-side, as I have a few gold-side toons and I really don't care for red-side.

 

TL;DR

Something that can solo CoH content, harder challenges (AV/GM), and can still take time to smell the flowers!  Any AT suggestions are welcome, especially if you think it will be a nice change from the tank/'fender/'troller playstyle that I am inclined to play.

Thank you in advance for your pontifications!

 

The MOST challenging? Petless MM period. Lowest output for personal DPS. You'll have 3 basic attack powers, maybe a 4th, depending on main AT you choose. Then your secondary.  Your basically a basic human who got some tricks to use.

[Riverdusk]

On 7/17/2023 at 4:16 PM, wRECk69 said:

Thanks for your thoughts, carroto!  I appreciate your comment (quoted above), as that's on my mind.  Yes, I can take almost any toon to 50, slot out all the incarnates, and then solo almost anything in the game (maybe using two builds, depending on the content).  I'm trying to think of something that opens up earlier.  My tanks, while very survivable, couldn't out damage an AV when exempted down to the lower levels.  My solo attempts at them always ended in a stalemate...and I didn't bring P2W powers to bear.

 

 

 

I assume you've long ago already found some options to try, but going to put my 2 cents in anyway.  Bots are definitely a good option as others have mentioned.  However, another option that I've recently started and I'm finding good for general play and also pretty good at taking down tougher stuff is a beam rifle sentinel.  Damage is good now with the sent revamp and it is very survivable.  It also does open up early.  Beam specifically as you mentioned AV hunting (something I also enjoy) because it gets decent -regen (-225% worth) as early as level 6, earlier that even most of the debuff sets.   People often say "just use envenomed daggers", but I don't like to have to depend on them, and secondly you can still use daggers to add even more -regen, so I still find it a plus to just have some as part of your powerset directly.

 

Probably the biggest downside are the sound effects (more pew pew and less buzzing sounds would have been better), but I can look past that.  There are other sets with sounds that bother me much more.  And if you are really desperate there are sound mods.