Illusion/x help

[Warshades]

Hello everyone.

 

To preface, I just recently discovered that CoH is back up and got back into the game while also realizing there are quite a few new sets and combinations allowed along with several changes. Before the game shut down, I had a illusion/dark controller that I built with the concept of soloing GMs/AVs and I would like to replicate that concept. With additional pets from the incarnate system, I was actually able to solo the Kraken in IP along with all the tentacles. It took quite a bit of time, but it was a fun challenge to accomplish. 

 

With all of that said, I'm wondering what secondary pairing would work best to build for the same goal and if any of the new secondary options can improve on what I was able to do with /dark. I would like to avoid using /rad.

 

Ideally, the secondary set would provide a good amount of survivability while having enough debuffs to be able to wear down GMs and AVs solo.

[Force Redux]

You are asking for Traps, an amazing secondary for taking down hard targets!

[Lyrium]

The usual GM killers are /Rad or /Cold

[Braddack]

my Main is an Ilu / Poison, he soloes all Avs and GMs.

[KC4800]

Illusion/TA works as well.

[Warshades]

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll take a look into TA, cold, and poison to try out something different from /dark. I know that /rad works really well for this, but I have just never liked playing the set since before CoH shut down. 

[ExeErdna]

Like others said Traps, TA, Cold, Poison, Rad do rip apart AV's yet if want recharge speed considered then Cold has the highest potential out of the group. Rad is a classic. Traps is safer, TA is cheaper while also very mobile. Poison is kinda a mixed bag depending on what you want to keep, it's the same with Rad and Traps imo. Dark is imo the hardest to pair because both sides want slots to be really good. Yet once you get something that works it's damn near unkillable.

[Warshades]

4 hours ago, ExeErdna said:

Like others said Traps, TA, Cold, Poison, Rad do rip apart AV's yet if want recharge speed considered then Cold has the highest potential out of the group. Rad is a classic. Traps is safer, TA is cheaper while also very mobile. Poison is kinda a mixed bag depending on what you want to keep, it's the same with Rad and Traps imo. Dark is imo the hardest to pair because both sides want slots to be really good. Yet once you get something that works it's damn near unkillable.

 

I'm leaning heavily towards going with ill/cold right now. It's got a lot of -res and -regen debuffs it can stack. Quick question regarding the LotG recharge proc, can I use the ice shields in /cold as mules for them and get the recharge procs without using the shields if I'm playing solo? 

[Force Redux]

Yes, you can. 

[Warshades]

1 hour ago, Force Redux said:

Yes, you can. 

Thanks!

[SeraphimKensai]

Also note that GMs were recently buffed, so soloing them is likely going to be harder than before.

[Uun]

Keep in mind that the sets with the strongest debuffs lack self heals and have limited self buffs. Cold, Poison and TA have no self heals and Traps just has the Triage Beacon. Will be a change if you're used to /Dark, which has a strong heal and defense, resist and regen buffs. I've got Illusion/Poison and Illusion/Time, and while /Poison takes hard targets down faster, /Time is decidedly safer.

[UltraAlt]

2 hours ago, SeraphimKensai said:

Also note that GMs were recently buffed, so soloing them is likely going to be harder than before.

 

I've run into some players on monster hunting teams that have said that it takes less time to defeat them solo then when they are on teams.

If I understand it correctly, GMs get tougher based on the number of characters that are fighting them.

[SeraphimKensai]

1 hour ago, UltraAlt said:

 

I've run into some players on monster hunting teams that have said that it takes less time to defeat them solo then when they are on teams.

If I understand it correctly, GMs get tougher based on the number of characters that are fighting them.

Page 7 had these changes regarding GMs....

 

• All outdoor Giant Monsters (excluding Lusca) have been granted additional maximum HP.
• General resistance adjustments.
• Increased magnitudes on Giant Monster's offensive Mez effects.
• Model size adjustments to certain Giant Monsters to be bigger and easier to see in groups.
• Most summon powers now summon an increased number of enemies or calculate based on the amount of participants fighting.
• Some Giant Monsters have been given additional powers, including telegraphed abilities and other mechanics. Some existing abilities have been re-tuned to provide this same value.

So unless they are talking about GM summon powers increasing adds based on participants, I don't think they are any more difficult based on how many people are participating.

 

I guess someone could look into CoD and check out their powers, but the last time I looked I didn't see anything that scaled HP, resistance, defense, or regen based on the number of people fighting a GM. Another option would be to use a power analyzer on one that you encounter solo, then recruit a team/league engage and use the power analyzer again to compare the numbers.

[EnjoyTheJourney]

Something that may (or may not) matter to you is that illusion / cold won't be strong for AOE. If soloing GMs / AVs is your only goal then that's probably not as much of an issue. 

Warning: a bit of a "love letter" to illusion / TA / psy follows ...

 

An Illusion / TA / psy controller is one of my most played and enjoyed characters in the most recent year of gameplay. It would, of course, at times be nice to have a heal. Still, as a hover-blasting debuffer / summoner who is almost always invisible at the start of fights, the build is quite survivable. Phants are "on paper" 0.54 seconds away from being perma. But, using psionic tornado, which has a +recharge proc IO in it, means that phants are effectively perma. Psy mastery also provides access to indomitable will, which is a mez protection clicky power that is also nearly perma in the build (again, though, effectively perma when using psy nado). That makes it easier to take barrier core as the destiny incarnate, which provides a good "peak survivability" option when aggro gets to be a bit too much for your controller. In addition, teams tend to love T4 barrier, especially when doing hard mode content. Overall, it's quite helpful to have mez protection which only has the cost of one mouseclick about every 90 seconds. Finally, EMP arrow is an excellent skill that debuffs / controls enemies and boosts and self resistances and mez protection for teammates in the bubble, including your controller; it is a very, very nice skill for fighting GMs / AVs. 

 

I also have an illusion / poison / psy controller. She is very capable and can make fights go even quicker than my illusion / TA / psy controller. But, her need to be in or near melee for peak effectiveness and her presence on the ground make her harder to keep alive when teaming in 4* content than my illusion / TA psy controller. 

[UltraAlt]

3 hours ago, SeraphimKensai said:

So unless they are talking about GM summon powers increasing adds based on participants, I don't think they are any more difficult based on how many people are participating.

 

Yeah, I can't remember where I read it.

Maybe I read it in a dream.

[Warshades]

11 hours ago, EnjoyTheJourney said:

Something that may (or may not) matter to you is that illusion / cold won't be strong for AOE. If soloing GMs / AVs is your only goal then that's probably not as much of an issue. 

 

I'm aware. My old ill/dark wasn't great or fast with mobs either. Mainly focused on the challenge of clearing hard bosses like AVs and GMs.

 

11 hours ago, EnjoyTheJourney said:

Psy mastery also provides access to indomitable will, which is a mez protection clicky power that is also nearly perma in the build (again, though, effectively perma when using psy nado). That makes it easier to take barrier core as the destiny incarnate, which provides a good "peak survivability" option when aggro gets to be a bit too much for your controller.

 

I may go this route to have some protection especially since /cold doesn't get heals. That's the only thing I think I'll miss from /dark secondary is having the extra protection and heals.

 

15 hours ago, Uun said:

Keep in mind that the sets with the strongest debuffs lack self heals and have limited self buffs. Cold, Poison and TA have no self heals and Traps just has the Triage Beacon. Will be a change if you're used to /Dark, which has a strong heal and defense, resist and regen buffs. I've got Illusion/Poison and Illusion/Time, and while /Poison takes hard targets down faster, /Time is decidedly safer.

 

Worst case if I don't end up liking /cold, I can always reroll a /dark or /time and just transfer over most IOs. Hopefully with the right incarnates, staying safe won't be to big of an issue.

[Force Redux]

On 4/9/2024 at 1:31 AM, Warshades said:

Thanks!

Very welcome!

[Nostromo21]

My main is Ill/Dark, I really don't understand anyone who wants to look any further if you mostly solo ;). Ill/Storm is the classic after all.

I want to try Time at some point. And I think a Ill/Dark Dom rather than a troller could be awesomesauce! *duck*

----

Having said all that, I'd really appreciate some suggestions on the fastest, reasonably fun way to level her up 40-50. Just going 39-40 is feeling really slow, even with double XP, although she tramples all 0/0 content, so perhaps time for me to bite the bullet & try +1/2 difficulty...? What's the most fun fairly quick group content I can do at this level, ala DiB/DfB...? 

Edited April 20 by Nostromo21