Nature/Storm - Help with power selection and slotting?

[KingBear]

Hello friends!  Returning player here with some questions. 

 

I'm currently a L38 Nature/Storm Defender, my highest-level character.  Most guides I look at are focused on far endgame when you can fully slot with crafted set IOs, but I'm just trying to figure out how to choose and slot my powers.  My goal is an entirely team-focused Defender.  I'm not interested in soloing on this character, so while damage can be helpful for speeding up mission and TF fights, I don't feel like I need to craft my build around DPS output.  I'm a min/maxer and I'm most interested in picking powers that are good and helpful rather than building around a character concept.

 

That said:

 

1. What pool powers are helpful?  I've got Hasten and my travel power.  Are Maneuvers/Tactics still good?  Any hidden gems I should check out?

2. For folks familiar with Nature Affinity - which powers do you recommend six-slotting, and with what?  My enhancements are all over the place right now 🙂

3. Thoughts on Epic power pools?  Any must-haves?

 

Thank you, and good luck out there!

[Psyonico]

Yes, Leadership is still a good skill line to take

 

As for nature affinity, it depends on your goals, I like high-recharge builds for it, so I've got the following powers slotted as such:

 

Regrowth - 6 Preventative Medicine

Wild Growth - 4 Recharge/Resistance IOs, 1 end redux (thats really only necessary on an MM)

Spore Cloud - 4 Dark Watcher's Despair

Wild Bastion - 5 Panacea, 1 recharge

Overgrowth - 5 Adjusted Targeting

 

Corrosive Enzyme is a 1 slot wonder power, just an accuracy will do.

 

As for Epic pools, Mace mastery is always nice because it provides defense.

Soul Mastery is great for power boosting Regrowth

Rune of Protection in Sorcery is a great power, as it can act as a break free.  Not an epic pool, but just a thought.

[Uun]

Largely agree with @Psyonico but here are a few alternatives:

Wild Growth - 3 Unbreakable Guard (res, res/rech, res/end/rech) plus 3 Preventative Medicine (heal, heal/rech, heal/rech/end)

Overgrowth - 2x 50+5 rech IOs

Entangling Aura - 3 end/hold IOs

 

If you take Entangling Aura, I strongly recommend taking a ST hold from an Epic pool. This will allow you to hold bosses.

 

[Achilles6]

For Defenders and MM's:

 

I usually take Entangling Aura with 2 End Reduc and the Lockdown proc

For Epic I then take Dark Mastery For the Oppressive Gloom

 

These 2 powers together are just sooooo sweet!

 

It's just too bad Controllers don't get Oppressive Gloom in their Dark Mastery