Defender build end game philosophy? (54 and up). What's your's?

[shortguy on indom]

Defender build end game philosophy?  (54 and up).  What's yours?

 

Mine:

• Build as much team buffs as i can, (+tohit, +defense, +heal, +status effect protection, +damage, etc.), because they are not resisted at all.
• Build as much acc/tohit in my few attack powers as possible.
• Try to incorporate either immobilize or sleep powers because they are not resisted (sometimes) by bosses on up.
• Leadership pool and Hybrid status.

 

?

[Psyonico]

12 minutes ago, shortguy on indom said:

 

• Build as much acc/tohit in my few attack powers as possible

I question why you say "few attacks". at level 50 you should have a full attack chain

[shortguy on indom]

i usually have 3 or 4 tops.  rather have one maxed built up:  rapid fire, aoe, and a t9 myself. sometimes add another aggro or taunt.

 

 

[Doomguide2005]

     Very similar.  Usually I'm also prioritizing recharge over defense or resistance at least on a "team" vs solo build.  That said I tend to tweak builds towards more defense than I typically would have on Live for any given build.  And for Hard Mode or Incarnate content it's even more likely that I give a little recharge potential for a bit more defense.  Immobilize powers are a must have for me.  Really dislike trying to follow Rommy and other track stars all over the map

[Without_Pause]

(has a full attack chain of AoEs on my Time/rad)

 

I aim for as much Def, Recharge, and the End to run it all. 

 

I like sleeps, but trying to incorporate that on a Defender isn't easy or even practical. Same for Immobilization powers. That's what Controllers and Doms are for.  Buff/Debuff and nuke everything in your pathway.

[MoonSheep]

my philosophy is aligned with yours - i build my defender to be the best support alt it can be. most of my focus goes on the buffs/debuffs and powers which support the team - slotted veng, fold space etc

 

i only choose attack powers which have a debuff component, such as sonic or elec. i never build for damage or personal defence 

 

a good defender is one who supports the team in my view. my low damage attacks are a minor benefit compared to the much greater benefit the buffs can give - and the focus that comes with prioritising one thing, support

[tidge]

On 10/24/2023 at 10:10 PM, shortguy on indom said:

Mine:

• Build as much team buffs as i can, (+tohit, +defense, +heal, +status effect protection, +damage, etc.), because they are not resisted at all.
• Build as much acc/tohit in my few attack powers as possible.
• Try to incorporate either immobilize or sleep powers because they are not resisted (sometimes) by bosses on up.
• Leadership pool and Hybrid status.

 

My Defender priority list is similar:

• Team Buffs (Defense, Status, Resistance... roughly in that order, but I don't always have a choice)
• Personal Accuracy/ToHit and Endurance Managment
• Enemy Debuffs (-Regen, -Res are priorities)

I like to solo (although not +4x8) so all my characters will have an attack chain for all level ranges.

 

EDIT: I should clarify... this is roughly my priority through all levels, but for "level 54" or Incarnate Content: Debuffing the hardest targets is something I find really important for teams, and pushing teams well-beyond the "Incarnate softcap" is usually critical fro team success. Most players will have figured out how to deal with Status effects, but it doesn't hurt to layer extra help on them.

Edited October 27, 2023 by tidge

[SwitchFade]

Be a Tankmage. Solo farm 54/8 content. Alpha soak, linchpin for team survival 

 

Unkillable and near blaster level damage

[shortguy on indom]

Played hockey for years, so play my support position (most of the time) lol.  I let the damage specialists do their thing and I buff and aggro.  (Sometimes the damage specialists do not benefit from my single player buffs depending on enemy it seems, if so, then I just aggro buff.  Whatever works).

 

I solo (80% of the time) and small team (4 or less) for the rest.  Solo settings are usually +4/2, do some solo +4/8 if I have the time, but takes far longer to go thru larger groups. I am no damage monkey and keeping it at +4/2 allows me to keep the flow going if I team with a few low lvl folks.   Sometimes like to take on impossible quests either solo or with one other. lol.

 

 

[Andreah]

I've played many variations. My current favorite focuses on these:

 

• Self survivability - I won't be very effective if I'm defeated all the time or frantically trying not to get defeated.
• Maximize primary set buffs/utility. My primary set will be as strong as I can reasonably make it.
• Tactical flexibility from things like teleport, soft controls, ground patches, and so forth
• General team support from leadership, hybrid, etc.
• Burst "save-the-day" capability.

 

I play mainly on teams, and I like to think people were glad to have me along, and get that excited glint in their eye if they see me join up the next time around.

[SeraphimKensai]

On 10/28/2023 at 2:24 PM, shortguy on indom said:

Played hockey for years, so play my support position (most of the time) lol.

Also played hockey for years, but each of my defenders end up competing for the Hobey Baker Award and depending on if they win it, largely effects how well they'll do for me at the pro level.

 

Realistically it depends a lot of the powersets of the defender. I'm playing an Empath a lot different from how I play a Kin. That said most my defenders like to ensure they are self sufficient and unlikely to need a rez. I like making use of the defender buff values for things like leadership as well.

 

That said I have defenders that are legit mage tanks with provoke that handle things like +4 Rommy and such. I like to maximize buffs with things like power boost and clarion radial when it's practical for me to do so. All my defenders have a healthy attack chain and have no qualms about laying down some DPS especially when I can to make use of the debuffs on my secondary powers too.

[shortguy on indom]

you may get a laugh outta this... story below

 

we were playing late-nite pickup hockey at one of the local hockey rinks....

as usual, i got there late... there already was a full locker room, and about 10+ players warming up on the ice...

10 minutes later a guy opens the locker room door and asks if there is room for one more player....

someone says to em... we are full up... he thanks us and he walks out carrying his equipment...

one of the guys who was on the ice already came in the locker room says... you know who that guy was that just left?

nope says all

former NHL goalie who played in 5 games of the stanley cup.....who lives in the area nearby.

never laughed so hard in all my days playing hockey.  they told him to leave. lol.

 

[SeraphimKensai]

On 11/5/2023 at 10:32 AM, shortguy on indom said:

you know who that guy was that just left?

nope says all

former NHL goalie who played in 5 games of the stanley cup.....who lives in the area nearby.

never laughed so hard in all my days playing hockey.  they told him to leave. lol.

 

Please tell me it was someone like Patrick Roy or Marty Brodeur.

 

I played intramural ice hockey in college (as I did the whole military thing right after highschool and was too old/slow to play for the college team, so I was the 'old guy in my upper 20's) and being an intramural league at a D1 school, we got shitty ice time as you can imagine. One night we're skating around scrimmaging and a couple guys my age show up. Turns out it was Ryan Carter and David Backes back in town for an alumni event prior to the NHL's regular season starting up. They had been drinking and heard there was a intramural game going on so they swung by to see what's up. Naturally being pros at the time they couldn't lace up and play with us, but it was still cool to even meet them.

[shortguy on indom]

15 hours ago, SeraphimKensai said:

Please tell me it was someone like Patrick Roy or Marty Brodeur.

my list would favor billy smith on the top rung for extra-curricular uses of the goalie stick. lol

 

sry, but not a montreal goalie... but still a goalie, rob esche.  rob's a good guy, does a lot for the community around here.