Essential Defender

[blinkyfish]

If you were only going to make and level 1 Defender to 50 what would it be, and why not a corruptor instead?

[mousestalker]

A Dark/Dark/Dark.

 

I prefer being support. Corruptors solo better, but they are not capable of the level of support and overall debuffiness a defender can bring. I like to be in a teasm and while in a team I rarely use my secondary. A corruptor is really just a blaster with a much better secondary. If I'm going to be a ranged damage dealer my first choice is neither a blaster or a corruptor but a sentinel.

 

#nowthateveryoneismadatme

[_NOPE_]

Guess.

[oedipus_tex]

In terms of pure power gaming?

 

Blast set: /Sonic Blast. Zero competition here.

 

Support set: The usuals I'd say. Radiation, Cold, Dark, or Time.

 

 

 

 

 

[Hjarki]

If you were only going to make and level 1 Defender to 50 what would it be, and why not a corruptor instead?

 

I think the "why not a Corruptor" question could be summed up as: Corruptors are only better than Defenders for very specific builds (most of which are fairly weak).

 

The only advantage to a Corruptor is damage. This has three components:

1. 12.5% better nukes.

2. Scourge

3. 500% damage cap rather than 400%.

 

#3 only matters if you're Kinetics - and, even then, it probably doesn't matter except if you're building a pure farm toon who is always fighting purpose-designed content.

 

#1 and #2 could potentially matter. However, the additional buff/debuff values from Defender, the 30% solo bonus for Vigilance and the fact that those additional buff/debuff values amplify your team as well mean that the damage add for the Defender version of a build is almost always greater than the damage add for the Corruptor version. Especially when you consider how little value Scourge actually brings to the table for non-AV/GM fights in most builds.

 

Even aspects of the sets that you wouldn't think would matter do. Consider a Time/* Defender vs. a */Time Corruptor. The former has 6% or more overall defense due to Farsight once you've taken into account factors like Power Boost. That translates into not having to slot defense and instead being able to focus on amplifying your damage more. Likewise, there are any number of abilities where the Defender can potentially consume one less slot because their base values are better.

 

I can't think of many builds that aren't better as a Defender than a Corruptor, but one might be Water/Cold. Two of the key debuffs (Benumb and Sleet Storm) have their essential features the same rather than using reduced Corruptor numbers and there aren't any aspects to Water that really work better as a Defender - while Rain effects tend to work better for Corruptors than expected. Ice/Cold would probably also fall into this category.

 

I tried a lot of different builds and ending up preferring my Storm/Sonic (posted elsewhere on these forums) - it's an absolute beast in terms of damage/soloability and really only has trouble with fliers/slow resistant enemies (an issue I could fix via Epic pools if I so choose).

 

Some others I think are fairly strong choices:

- Nature/Ice. Nature is a control-light set, while Ice is a control-heavy one. However, Ice Blast in secondary takes a long time to mature.

- Time/Beam. This is really a 'play at 50, grind to get there' build. Once you've got Judgments and full IO sets, the lack of decent AE aside from the ultimate is meaningless and you're just left with great single target performance and debuffs from your Blast set.

- Kinetics/Dual Pistol. To compensate for the non-existent defenses of Kinetics, you really need a lot IO and some careful slotting. However, it's relatively cheap slotting because you've got all the recharge you need. Dual Pistols is a set that can operate effectively when half of what you're doing is using Kinetics buffs/debuffs.

 

I think if you're going to play a set that primarily revolves around healing/buffing others, you're better off playing a Controller or Mastermind (both of whom gain personal benefit from those Ally-only abilities via their pets). Likewise, some sets - like Dark Miasma - are so much better in the hands of another (in this case, Controllers) that it's hard to justify taking them as a Defender.

 

[KnightSoul]

Only one Defender?!

*Runs around in indecisive panic*

[mousestalker]

Only one Defender?!

*Runs around in indecisive panic*

 

Fruit salad forever!

[Tremalion]

Time/Sonic. Just got mine to 50 and he is capable of so much stuff it really does feel like the only Defender I'd ever need.

[Konru]

My first serious character, and the one that I got closest to level 50 on the original game was a Radiation/Electric Defender.

 

Why I didn't go Corruptor instead was actually rather simple.  When City of Villains was originally released, I actually did try to make a Corruptor version of my character but was not happy with it.  The Defender version of Radiation Infection has a base 30% to-hit debuff.  After SO or level 25 IO enhancements, that comes out to 48% debuff, which hits the "defense" cap without debuff resistance.  The Corruptor version starts at 25% to-hit debuff.  So after the same SO or IO enhancements, I get pretty much 39% to-hit debuff before resistance.  That pretty much doubles the chance I get hit in exchange for a net 9% DPS increase plus possible scourge crits.  (17% more base damage, but you lose 5% each from the damage buff of Accelerate Metabolism and resistance debuff of Enervating Field.)  I did not find it a good trade, so I went back to being a Defender and went Mastermind Robots/Dark for the Redside content.  Mind you, this was all before 'Going Rogue,' so taking my Defender Redside wasn't an option for a long time.

 

[Alty]

Kinetics over everything!... Defender because I don't want to wait longer for Kin goodness.

 

That is all.  :D

[Gulbasaur]

I played a kin/psi defender back in the day, and that was pretty decent. The AOE heal is ridonkadonks from level 1 and the rest of the buffs are pretty nifty. It could solo quite nicely as the constant damage and recharge buffs made a massive difference. If you want a strong offensive defender, kin is pretty awesome as you make teammates much, much stronger.

 

I started a rad/rad defender yesterday for some duo-ing with my brother's brute and as long as we get in melee or mid-range, we are untouchable. Hiding round corners has never been more productive. If you want a strong defensive defender, rad is hard to beat as you make your enemies much, much weaker.

 

We've been playing +1x4 since about level 14. As soon as we get some more AoE damage, we'll up it again as at the moment it's just quite time-consuming. There's little risk unless we pull two loads of mobs, but it's just mowing them all down that takes a while.

[Without_Pause]

If you were only going to make and level 1 Defender to 50 what would it be, and why not a corruptor instead?

 

I would go controller over a corr if I was looking for a defender/support build alternate. Kin or any of the better debuffs sets with /sonic will make end game AVs rather easy.

[Gaticus]

I'd recommend either Rad or Dark, just 'cause they both have a really fun variety to the mechanics of their powers, so you kind of get a lot out of playing them.

 

They also happen to be really powerful sets, which is sorta icing on that cake.

 

I also have a lot of fun with a traps defender, but it's... weird.  I find myself using my secondary a lot while things are on cooldown.  I might try it as a Corruptor, see if that flows better for me.

[Chance Jackson]

Time/Sonic/Soul

Time: is amazing overall, & good to great at many things, all but 1 power can be used solo, Chrono Shift will help you Perma hasten which will help you Perma Chrono Shift. Finally many of it's powers can be boosted by Power Build Up

 

Sonic: Dmg is underwhelming on paper until you factor in the -res which will make it easy to stack over 100 -res easily doubling the dmg of any allies & pets & that is in addition to whatever -res or +dmg your primary offers!

 

Soul: Provides PBU, a perm-able DMG Pet, a +dmg PBAOE (you can use to boost your sonic attacks which in turn will add -res for when you use your judgement attack)

[Rumors]

If I could only make one Defender and level it up, I'd end up with five or six of them anyway because Defender/Corrupter altitis is much more powerful than others just because of how different the sets are.

 

Only reason I don't have like 6 or 7 Defenders/Corrupters at the moment is due to a lack of freetime and concepts. 

[Private Ed Venturer]

My preference is RadiationEmission/SonicAttack Defender.  More resistance debuffs please.  Everyone should have an alt of this.

[star_fury_lives]

Guess.

 

Empath/doesn't matter because you'll only take the compulsory blast? xD

[_NOPE_]

Guess.

 

LOL +1 Inf

 

Empath/doesn't matter because you'll only take the compulsory blast? xD