A general guide to defender primaries.

[Killer300]

Great topic! I found this really helpful because a lot of powers have changed a lot since earlier guides I think, or as with radiation, the game changed around them in ways that messed with the power in question.

[Killer300]

On 11/13/2023 at 9:52 AM, drbuzzard said:

Storm Summoning is a very controversial set. The adherents think it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. The detractors would rather have a mime in their room while playing the game. I’m closer to the mime camp myself. I’ve seen good players use Storm Summoning to good effect. I’ve also seen tons of unskilled users unleash chaos which effectively squandered team ability. There’s quite a few garbage powers in the set to offset the few gems (freezing rain, lightning storm are the gems, hurricane is good, but tricky to use well). On a positive note, you don’t really need to chase recharge too hard with the set, so a cheap build will be OK (a few KB->KD will be useful). However this set demands the most skilled play to not be more hindrance than help to a team. As I mentioned before, it’s about being deft and not ham handed. I have a storm, and even knowing what I ought to do, I still find myself ham handed so that alt sits. It’s definitely not the best set, though on a good player it’s a good one. In the hands of a bad player, it’s pretty close to if not the worst. Odd how it comes down mostly to how you use hurricane, but that's really it. 

 

So, I wanted to ask the thread, has the above gotten better?

 

I bring this up because as a new player, I'm okay with a build that isn't optimal, however, a power set that actively angers the rest of the team if I'm not playing optimally is terrible. However, it feels like Homecoming has patched a lot of powers to be better, like Assault Rifle, and I'm curious if that applies at all to Storm Summoning, including in the upcoming patch. Thanks in advance to anyone who replies!

[drbuzzard]

11 hours ago, Killer300 said:

 

So, I wanted to ask the thread, has the above gotten better?

 

I bring this up because as a new player, I'm okay with a build that isn't optimal, however, a power set that actively angers the rest of the team if I'm not playing optimally is terrible. However, it feels like Homecoming has patched a lot of powers to be better, like Assault Rifle, and I'm curious if that applies at all to Storm Summoning, including in the upcoming patch. Thanks in advance to anyone who replies!

 

The guide isn't that old. This is the current state of storm and there's no sign of a change on the horizon. Personally I think removing the repel in hurricane would do a lot to help the set, but I imagine there's current users who like it. 

Edited February 8 by drbuzzard

[Uun]

11 hours ago, Killer300 said:

I'm curious if that applies at all to Storm Summoning, including in the upcoming patch. Thanks in advance to anyone who replies!

There are a few minor changes to Storm in the upcoming patch, primarily for balance and QoL. None of them alter how the set works, which has been largely unchanged since launch (the biggest change to the set was probably the introduction of KB>KD enhancements). Storm is a set that takes practice, as well as some thought as to what it's being paired with. For the latter reason, it's more frequently played by controllers than defenders.

 

Storm Summoning

Similarly to Cold Domination, Storm Summoning has been using incorrect values for one of its powers (Freezing Rain). It now is a true pseudopet and will use that caster's AT modifier tables. Summary of changes for each AT is provided below.

• Freezing Rain
  • Defender: -Res increased from -35% to -40%
  • Controller/Corruptor: -Defense lowered from -30% to -24%
  • Masterminds: -Defense lowered from -30% to -18%
  • Turned into a real pseudopet, inheriting AT modifiers
• Storm Summoning > Steamy Mist: Now only affects teammates and leaguemates.

[Killer300]

Thanks for replying to me guys! 

7 hours ago, Uun said:

There are a few minor changes to Storm in the upcoming patch, primarily for balance and QoL. None of them alter how the set works, which has been largely unchanged since launch (the biggest change to the set was probably the introduction of KB>KD enhancements). Storm is a set that takes practice, as well as some thought as to what it's being paired with. For the latter reason, it's more frequently played by controllers than defenders.

 

Storm Summoning

Similarly to Cold Domination, Storm Summoning has been using incorrect values for one of its powers (Freezing Rain). It now is a true pseudopet and will use that caster's AT modifier tables. Summary of changes for each AT is provided below.

• Freezing Rain
  • Defender: -Res increased from -35% to -40%
  • Controller/Corruptor: -Defense lowered from -30% to -24%
  • Masterminds: -Defense lowered from -30% to -18%
  • Turned into a real pseudopet, inheriting AT modifiers
• Storm Summoning > Steamy Mist: Now only affects teammates and leaguemates.

Your point about Controllers getting more use out of it makes sense. 

[DreadShinobi]

On 2/8/2024 at 2:11 PM, Killer300 said:

Thanks for replying to me guys! 

Your point about Controllers getting more use out of it makes sense. 

 

Storm is also very good with Sonic Attack. The -res from your shouts increases the damage of your tornado and lightning storm which just rips through AV health bars insanely fast even without regen debuffs in the set.

 

Storm Summoning can be an excellent choice to dip into Burnout in the speed pool to double summon tornados, lightning storms, and freezing rain. This is the strongest way to ramp up your damage fast for AVs - starting the fight with 2 lightning storms and then ramping up to 3 storms. You can take conserve power or power sink to manage the burnout crash from ancillary pools or use ageless/vigor. Sonic is also pretty endurance light, to complement the end heavy storm summoning

 

I would think Storm with Beam Rifle would also be a good combo. You get a bit of regen debuff and you still get 1 resist debuff attack in the set compared to Sonic. The t3 blast is also a stun which could theoretically make Thunderclap useful but I've never played Beam rifle.

Edited February 19 by DreadShinobi

[TheMoncrief]

On 11/13/2023 at 9:24 AM, Without_Pause said:

One of the cases where this is different if you are playing a Controller. 

 

Or a Mastermind. On a Mastermind, Choking Cloud and its viny twin from Nature Affinity are incredibly potent for keeping your pets alove. I can't argue with the assessment that on Defenders (and probably Corruptors) they are absolute skips. A lot of endurance spent for not much benefit.

[TygerDarkstorm]

I was only kind of skimming, but I see a lot of talk about how busy Electrical Affinity is and I noticed that you missed a key element in your write up. Standing in Faraday Cage lets you build stacks of the charge effect thing. This set is only as busy as you make it, and if your team is good, you don't have to be pushing a button just because it's up.

[Ardent Owl]

Very interested in hearing your thoughts on the waterpower. I am working on making a character for ech type of hero (Blaster, Controller, Defender, etc.) Right now, I just made a water/water defender but overall, I am looking for a defender set that can solo but I don't want to go the BnB route and do Kin, Pain Dom, or Time just because they don't interest me. Just from reading your analysis on Sound and Dark, I am kind of leaning towards Sound/Sound or Dark/Sound. Like I said, I am really interested in your thoughts on the water before I put in the grind.

[Techhead]

Really enjoyed your guides to the different primaries, and the one to TA is especially helpful for me. I was wondering if you had recs of other secondaries you can take with it to take besides Fire Blast, and/or useful pool powers

[Psyonico]

1 hour ago, Techhead said:

Really enjoyed your guides to the different primaries, and the one to TA is especially helpful for me. I was wondering if you had recs of other secondaries you can take with it to take besides Fire Blast, and/or useful pool powers

For TA, obviously archery is a common choice for theme. 

 

I like TA/Dark, I've got 1 at 50 and she's really strong.  The self heal in Life Drain is a nice touch too.

 

I personally am not a huge fan of Water Blast, but seeing as it is 100% ranged (including the nuke) I see potential with it.  Again, like /Dark, you've got a self heal.  Additionally, Steam Spray will ignite OSA, so you don't have to use an origin temp to do it.

 

If you are going to go Fire, I'd suggest a Corruptor over a Defender, since scourge plays nicely with Rain of Fire.

[Without_Pause]

It is also reasonable to go Corr for Ice, but Ice can further stack with its holds. My TA/ice feels very Controller like.

[Riverdusk]

On 11/8/2023 at 9:57 AM, drbuzzard said:

Dark Miasma

 

 Howling Twilight: It’s kind of an odd thing rolling debuffs into a resurrection power, but that is Howling Twilight. It gives ten times the regeneration debuff of Twilight Grasp, but with a long (180 sec) recharge. Perma-hasten means you can keep up the debuff on a target all the time easily. It’s a good power, so take it. It will help melt AVs and GMs. 

 

 

 

Just noticed this one.  Not only are you not keeping up howling twilight's debuff "easily", it is literally impossible.  Even with absolute max recharge allowed (+400% or in other words taking a power's recharge down to 1/5th of base), you still aren't getting howling twilight's debuffs perma.  180/5=36 second recharge and its debuff lasts for 30 seconds. 

 

More realistically if you are just hitting perma hasten you are looking at around +275% recharge total (95 slotting, 110 global, 70 from hasten), so more like 48 seconds recharge with a 30 second duration (180/3.75=48).  

 

Still a great power, but it isn't going to be perma no matter what you do.  I usually do end up with it in the 45-55 second recharge range when all is done.

[drbuzzard]

On 11/7/2024 at 10:11 PM, Riverdusk said:

 

Just noticed this one.  Not only are you not keeping up howling twilight's debuff "easily", it is literally impossible.  Even with absolute max recharge allowed (+400% or in other words taking a power's recharge down to 1/5th of base), you still aren't getting howling twilight's debuffs perma.  180/5=36 second recharge and its debuff lasts for 30 seconds. 

 

More realistically if you are just hitting perma hasten you are looking at around +275% recharge total (95 slotting, 110 global, 70 from hasten), so more like 48 seconds recharge with a 30 second duration (180/3.75=48).  

 

Still a great power, but it isn't going to be perma no matter what you do.  I usually do end up with it in the 45-55 second recharge range when all is done.

 

Didn't notice that error. I'll have to fix it when I get around to doing this up again. I need to anyway since Marine Affinity came out. 

 

Though the uptime% on HT does make me wonder why people go on about how great it is as a debuff. Really Lingering Radiation is definitely a better regeneration debuffing solution. 

[Riverdusk]

3 hours ago, drbuzzard said:

 

Didn't notice that error. I'll have to fix it when I get around to doing this up again. I need to anyway since Marine Affinity came out. 

 

Though the uptime% on HT does make me wonder why people go on about how great it is as a debuff. Really Lingering Radiation is definitely a better regeneration debuffing solution. 

 

I think it is more of the set as a whole in that regard.  Twilight grasp also gives -50% regen for 20 seconds, which isn't much, but it is stackable.  So if you spam it you are probably looking at another -150% or so regen.  Then dark servant also has twilight grasp so it is likely giving another -50 or -100% regen debuff.  It all adds up to be a solid -regen set despite its lapses in uptime for its biggest one.

 

Traps is probably the best  -regen set though with radiation, cold, and thermal not far behind.

[TygerDarkstorm]

4 hours ago, drbuzzard said:

 

Didn't notice that error. I'll have to fix it when I get around to doing this up again. I need to anyway since Marine Affinity came out. 

 

Though the uptime% on HT does make me wonder why people go on about how great it is as a debuff. Really Lingering Radiation is definitely a better regeneration debuffing solution. 

I was always under the impression that HT is more useful as a sort of "oh shit" button because it stuns the enemies it hits.

[Riverdusk]

18 hours ago, TygerDarkstorm said:

I was always under the impression that HT is more useful as a sort of "oh shit" button because it stuns the enemies it hits.

 

Mag 2, so it is only going to affect minions unless you have something else to stack with it.  Maybe at lower levels it can help.  At higher levels minions usually aren't much a concern (they are often wiped out by someone's nuke in about 2 seconds).  At that point I typically only use it as a rez or as an AV debuffer myself.

Edited November 10 by Riverdusk

[TygerDarkstorm]

3 hours ago, Riverdusk said:

 

Mag 2, so it is only going to affect minions unless you have something else to stack with it.  Maybe at lower levels it can help.  At higher levels minions usually aren't much a concern (they are often wiped out by someone's nuke in about 2 seconds).  At that point I typically only use it as a rez or as an AV debuffer myself.

Good to know! Not an area/thing I'm super experienced with, so I always enjoy reading threads like this to try and learn more.

[Doomguide2005]

16 hours ago, TygerDarkstorm said:

Good to know! Not an area/thing I'm super experienced with, so I always enjoy reading threads like this to try and learn more.

While Riverdusk is totally correct keep in mind that as an 'Oh snap' power even at high levels while you may not stun more than any minions, all those bosses and Lts (and maybe EBs especially on an ITF) have also been hit by the massive regen debuff and just got easier to defeat by the presumable struggling survivors.

Edited November 11 by Doomguide2005