MMO vet looking for advice for CoH

[AnvilMAn]

i did play on live but i barely remember anything about the game, stuff like what 2 power sets synergize and such.

 

im a healer main first and foremost, i know empathy defender is the powerset for that but i see posts saying its not great at like endgame and i do remember playing a controller with empathy as its secondary with my friends but i dont remember what my primary was.

 

i also play tanks as well, im thinking shield/war mace or dark/dark

[Shenanigunner]

See the SPECTACULAR new new user guide over in Guides for a general restart.

 

As for "what alt?" you'll still be asking that question in five years. The good part of HC is that you can roll and reroll alts to your heart's content, and abandon any that don't thrill you with very little cost except some sunk time. Pick a build and go.

 

 

Edited January 19 by Shenanigunner

[Nuc]

I'd also recommend The Holy Trinity Isn't for someone coming from other MMOs as support in CoH is much more than just heals.

[MoonSheep]

nature affinity is the new empathy

[TygerDarkstorm]

6 minutes ago, Nuc said:

I'd also recommend The Holy Trinity Isn't for someone coming from other MMOs as support in CoH is much more than just heals.

Playing support in CoH is so much more fun than playing just a healer in other MMOs, imo.

[Nuc]

5 minutes ago, MoonSheep said:

nature affinity is the new empathy

And Pain Domination was red empathy 😉

[Ironblade]

2 hours ago, AnvilMAn said:

im a healer main first and foremost, i know empathy defender is the powerset for that but i see posts saying its not great at like endgame

(snort)  My empathy defender is fully tier 4 incarnate.  It's fine in endgame content.

As for synergy, I find empathy/dark to be great.  Dark blast is loaded with debuffs to enemy 'to hit' odds so it means my teammates (and I) get hit less.

 

I see a plug for Nature Affinity and that's also a great set.  I have a nature/fire defender.  He's only level 31 so far.

 

Re tanks, I've done shield/axe and dark/dark.  Dark armor can have END issues due to the number of toggles but you can make it work - even in extreme cases.  I did a concept build named Toggle Man.  He's a dark armor / spines scrapper and runs 16 toggles in combat just to make a point.  🙂

[biostem]

2 hours ago, AnvilMAn said:

im a healer main first and foremost

Give an earth control/pain domination controller a try;  You have some excellent support powers and a wide array of other powers to support your teammates.  You also get a pretty durable pet later on, which can also benefit from your buffs while solo.  It's a fun and infrequently-encountered combo if you're looking for something distinct, to boot!

[JasperStone]

2 hours ago, AnvilMAn said:

i did play on live but i barely remember anything about the game, stuff like what 2 power sets synergize and such.

 

im a healer main first and foremost, i know empathy defender is the powerset for that but i see posts saying its not great at like endgame and i do remember playing a controller with empathy as its secondary with my friends but i dont remember what my primary was.

 

i also play tanks as well, im thinking shield/war mace or dark/dark

I played on Issue 2 til sunset.

My first, and main, was an Emp/Elec

...

Healing is not the priority it used to be.

They still have their place, but think more of characters that Debuff/Buff.

[cranebump]

If you’re just coming back, and Emp was your original jam, I’d just play that. It’ll let you ease back in in a comfortable manner.

[evetsleep]

2 hours ago, biostem said:

Give an earth control/pain domination controller a try;  You have some excellent support powers and a wide array of other powers to support your teammates.  You also get a pretty durable pet later on, which can also benefit from your buffs while solo.  It's a fun and infrequently-encountered combo if you're looking for something distinct, to boot!

I have one of these!  Named Prolapser and he's gross, but amazingly effective both solo and in team play.

[Ironblade]

3 hours ago, biostem said:

Give an earth control/pain domination controller a try;  You have some excellent support powers and a wide array of other powers to support your teammates.  You also get a pretty durable pet later on, which can also benefit from your buffs while solo.  It's a fun and infrequently-encountered combo if you're looking for something distinct, to boot!

Yeah, the tough pet was on my mind when I made an earth/radiation controller.  He's pretty devastating and radiation is great for the team.

[Riverdusk]

5 hours ago, AnvilMAn said:

i did play on live but i barely remember anything about the game, stuff like what 2 power sets synergize and such.

 

im a healer main first and foremost, i know empathy defender is the powerset for that but i see posts saying its not great at like endgame and i do remember playing a controller with empathy as its secondary with my friends but i dont remember what my primary was.

 

i also play tanks as well, im thinking shield/war mace or dark/dark

 

Also might look at illusion/empathy controller.  You get the best invisibility power in the game so if you really want you can heal from the shadows.  Also allows you to tank (with your phantom army pets) in a pinch.  Was actually my first 50 on live.

[Water]

Time manipulation is an excellent support set with excellent healing.

[Clave Dark 5]

3 hours ago, JasperStone said:

I played on Issue 2 til sunset.

My first, and main, was an Emp/Elec

...

Healing is not the priority it used to be.

They still have their place, but think more of characters that Debuff/Buff.

I've heard stuff like this from a number of the "git gud" community who work to min/max everything within an inch of their lives, yet still find myself on teams not even starred hard content team, still using a heal (or even less min/maxy, a Res power) more often than you'd think.

 

Players have found ways to really OP characters, bu that's not all players, nor even I think a majority of them.  Play what you want, no cookie-cutter builds needed here.

[Psyonico]

3 minutes ago, Clave Dark 5 said:

I've heard stuff like this from a number of the "git gud" community who work to min/max everything within an inch of their lives, yet still find myself on teams not even starred hard content team, still using a heal (or even less min/maxy, a Res power) more often than you'd think.

I'm assuming you're playing empathy or pain? "When all your have is a hammer, everything begins to look like a nail"

 

The stronger buff/debuff sets allow for the need for less, and sometimes even no, healing.  There's a reason Cold, Trick Arrow, Traps don't have a heal, they don't need them.

[Clave Dark 5]

On any toon with any heal or Res power that I take. 

[Bastille Boy]

7 hours ago, AnvilMAn said:

im a healer main first and foremost, i know empathy defender is the powerset for that but i see posts saying its not great at like endgame and i do remember playing a controller with empathy as its secondary with my friends but i dont remember what my primary was.

 

There are several powersets with strong heals in CoX, including Empathy, Pain, Thermal, Nature, Electrical Affinity. Empathy and Pain are top-tier for PVP. For PVE (which for most players is the whole game), Thermal, Nature, and Electrical Affinity are stronger. You can still make Empathy and Pain work well if you play them well.

 

Healing is never your main role on a team in CoX (except in PVP). Good empathy defenders heal when players need healing, but they spend most of their time buffing and attacking. "Dedicated support" isn't a thing in this game. All good characters take attack powers and use them. 

 

7 hours ago, AnvilMAn said:

i also play tanks as well, im thinking shield/war mace or dark/dark

 

Tanks are in a really good place right now. In addition to their defensive / aggro management role, they do very good AoE damage.

 

Both the combinations you're thinking about are very good. You might be happier with Shield/War Mace, which is beginner-friendly and also a top tier combination for the endgame. Dark Armor has a lot of potential, but it's a little bit tricky to build well.

 

2 hours ago, Riverdusk said:

 

Also might look at illusion/empathy controller.  You get the best invisibility power in the game so if you really want you can heal from the shadows.  Also allows you to tank (with your phantom army pets) in a pinch.  Was actually my first 50 on live.

 

Illusion/Empathy could be good for someone who only plays on teams. I like to mix solo and team play on all my toons. Soloing Ill/Emp would be frustrating, since it wouldn't do much damage.

 

For soloing with Illusion, you really want a secondary that includes a resistance debuff, to increase the damage from your Phantom Army. It also helps to have a power that enhances your global recharge. Illusion/Radiation and Illusion/Time each give you debuffs, recharge enhancement, a PBAoE heal, and at least one strong team buff.

[Snarky]

9 hours ago, AnvilMAn said:

i did play on live but i barely remember anything about the game, stuff like what 2 power sets synergize and such.

 

im a healer main first and foremost, i know empathy defender is the powerset for that but i see posts saying its not great at like endgame and i do remember playing a controller with empathy as its secondary with my friends but i dont remember what my primary was.

 

i also play tanks as well, im thinking shield/war mace or dark/dark

I almost sped read past this because “i play healer” lol

 

I have a Dark/Dark Tank and Brute build.  The Tank also uses a ranged AoE debuff to mess with enemies and draw a ton of agro

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=74317&key=73ee13a356bfafc32a62fee50fa43a50

Edited January 20 by Snarky

[Snarky]

Tanker - Dark Dark RES oddball Dark Night.mbd

[American Decoy]

Welcome home.  Hell, try them all out.  Enjoy the trip and not the destination.  Find old friends and make many more new ones.  Read the forums and brush your teeth before going to bed.

[GM Crumpet]

Empathy gets a bad rep these days. It has some nice buffs, and those heals come in real handy at lower levels. Yes pure healing is less important at high levels, but try doing a MSR with no clouds of green numbers flying about. It's painful. Where I would agree with people is that calling yourself a healer isn't the instant team invite it is in other games. Just being you and available is generally enough. Teams in this game are more interested in numbers and contribution rather than power sets. As long as you don't hang back by the door and take part in the fights nobody cares that much if you are an empathy defender or a broadsword brute.

[JasperStone]

11 hours ago, Clave Dark 5 said:

I've heard stuff like this from a number of the "git gud" community who work to min/max everything within an inch of their lives, yet still find myself on teams not even starred hard content team, still using a heal (or even less min/maxy, a Res power) more often than you'd think.

 

Players have found ways to really OP characters, bu that's not all players, nor even I think a majority of them.  Play what you want, no cookie-cutter builds needed here.

you missed the point of my posting.

but first...

Absolute disdain for this part - "git gud" community, min/max, and cookie-cutter builds. NONE of those terms apply to me. I find them toxic and generally used by fragile egos who don't like to be disagreed with and/or have a "better than thou attitude." Mostly while pontificating down to us from the hilltop.

 

I don't even use MIDS, except when I put in a COMPLETED build, that I am currently running, because I feel it isn't performing the way I want. Out of 200 characters I have done it ... TWICE. 

 

Currently working on a character on Blueside, no dblexp...using only DOs and SOs. 

 

4 hours ago, GM Crumpet said:

Empathy gets a bad rep these days. It has some nice buffs, and those heals come in real handy at lower levels. Yes pure healing is less important at high levels, but try doing a MSR with no clouds of green numbers flying about. It's painful. Where I would agree with people is that calling yourself a healer isn't the instant team invite it is in other games. Just being you and available is generally enough. Teams in this game are more interested in numbers and contribution rather than power sets. As long as you don't hang back by the door and take part in the fights nobody cares that much if you are an empathy defender or a broadsword brute.

THIS ALL OF THIS.

Never said it was useless. The Buffs in Empathy are just as important as the heals. Which is why I said "think Buffs/Debuffs"

 

My main is an Emp/Elec. Jasper Stone. My forum name.

Jasper, in all its forms, is considered a powerful healing stone. Jasper is regarded as a gemstone that gives a sense of well-being, intensifying that feeling. Also a stone of gentleness and relaxation, fancy jasper's rich colors blend and complement each other so well for a complete sense of wholeness.

 

I could log in during Live and receive tells asking if I was available. Or see requests in chat.

During HC that has happened exactly ... ZERO times

If I see them now I will know it is you trying to prove me wrong

I see it for MSR and for sure for 4-star Aeon.

 

Am I happy when an Emp or healing character is on my time? Happy to see those greens. AB-SO -Frigging-Lutely

Do I panic when we don't have one, far less than on Live.

 

This is why I used the phrase "not a Priority"

the fact or condition of being regarded or treated as more important.

"the safety of the country takes priority over any other matter"

 

which leads too

...

A second main character(I only had the two at the time on Live) was a Fire/Kin

Outside of Fulcrum Shift why would I run this character a lot ... hmmmmm

 

18 hours ago, Nuc said:

I'd also recommend The Holy Trinity Isn't for someone coming from other MMOs as support in CoH is much more than just heals.

This was my point as well. Did you respond to this post? Nope.

Edited January 20 by JasperStone

[Doomguide2005]

     Empathy Defenders do fine in endgame.  The majority of characters are not t4'd to hell and back and PuGs aren't renowned for being tailor designed to function as a cohesive unit.  Stuff happens from getting swarmed by foes on an ITF where one lucky hit by a +4 foe triggers cascade defense failure to the auto hit Nictus AV decides the Tanker needs spanking and we haven't even got to the new Hard Mode TF's.  Now an Empath certainly isn't the only character capable of restoring that health but ... .  So yes you'll spend a lot of time buffing and blasting rather than healing but the whole package is needed at times.  But that Cold or FF is going to love your Power Boosted Fortitude as while they can cover the team with shields well they also can't cover themselves leaving them always a bit behind in the defense race.  And when not if several teammates get simultaneously hammered by an AoE again only a few builds have the tools to repair all at once especially without needing a foe to target off of to do so.  

     I personally would not choose a Controller to pair with Empathy (been there done that).  And here's why.  With my Controllers I'm focused heavily on the Foes and battlefield and less so my teammates.  With my Defender when (not if) things start going south well my focus is heavily on my teammates.  Who's getting hammered (and why).  Who needs what heal or buff NAO!  I've gone for minutes barely seeing the greater battlefield and foes trying to keep everyone upright.  A Controller in the same situation my attention is exactly the opposite I'm far too busy trying to bring control to the situation.  Laying patches and trying to mez the the ambush or adds or whatever is causing the issue.  That extra second or so on my heal or buff/debuff on my old reflexes might be a second too late.

    The only Controller I might pair up with Empathy these days would be Illusion.  PA and Phantasm's duplicate can't be buffed and are very fire and forget relatively.  So when things go sideways I can swap to focus on the team window while they largely do their thing with minimal issues created.

     Bottom line a well played character trumps pretty much anything else regardless of AT (and regardless of level).

 

Reyna Morningdew of Green Machine and the RO Network (and a whole bunch more)

[Clave Dark 5]

17 hours ago, JasperStone said:

you missed the point of my posting.  [snip]

Whoa whoa, I wasn't finger pointing at you, I was bouncing off what you said more towards speaking to the OP instead.  Apologies for that coming across differently.  No need for the chapter and verse, I'm on your side here!