Mastered the Mastermind Basics - Now I need to get advanced

[khy]

I've spent hundreds of hours playing MMs. I just can't stay away - they're just the most fun I have in this game.

 

My main is a Bots/FF and he's loads of fun, but lately I've been branching out. Mercs/Storm is amazing and I love watching the shells being thrown around with the winds. Necro is, of course, hilariously fun with ghosts and spirits and zombies everywhere. And who doesn't love throwing birds in other people's faces?

 

But in the end, I always seem to come back to Bots and Mercs as my favorite sets.

 

Now, I don't like to play solo. This game is just more fun in a group so that's my playstyle. I want my henchmen to be doing the damage while I aid my teammates. And that's what I like to focus on as a goal - Buffing friends, debuffing enemies, and doing OK damage so I don't feel useless. I'm not looking to top any damage charts but I don't want to be tickling enemies either!

 

But I'm hoping to up my game a bit. There's a few things that are tough for me to decide upon and I'd like some advice on them.

 

1) Slotting - My initial instinct is always to 6-slot my 'main' powers (All the henchmen and my big Force Field Buffs), then slap entire sets in at once. But I see so many other people who 'frankenslot' and put a mix of various different things in different places. How can I tell when that should be done vs just going all in on a single set? Is there a good guide out there I can check out? I know I can just copy other people's sets, but I'm hoping to learn what to be actively looking for so I understand WHY other people slot the way they do.

 

2) Incarnate Powers - What's generally recommended for an MM, especially a bots/ff MM? My initial instinct is to go 'Nerve' to boost my bots' accuracy which always feels lacking, and get some Defense Buff power out of it. But on the other hand, my bots sure could use the +attack from musculature. The other bonuses it has aren't very helpful for me though.

 

How does 'Interface' work with bots? Does it only offer procs on my attacks, or ALL of my bots attacks? Is there a clear winner for usefulness here?

 

What are the other 'go to' Incarnate options, and why?

 

3) Auras, Procs, and Me. Obviously there are some really important IOs to get my mitts on first, because they grant auras. What I'm unsure of is how to determine what works where. A few examples of things I'm unsure about :

 

Sovereign Right - Resist All. Does that apply to me as the MM or to my Pets? If it applies to pets, does it apply to all of them or just the ones I slot it into?
Superior Command of the Mastermind - the AoE Defense Aura, does it center on me or on the pet it's slotted into?
How do I know when an enhancement is a 'proc' versus when it's a constant effect? Do I specifically look for the word 'chance'?

If I put a constant-effect IO into a healing power does it affect me all the time or does it affect the person I use the power on? (Panacea HP/End, Numina's Regen/Recovery, etc)

 

4) Lastly, how do level/incarnate shifts affect my pets? If I'm Level 50+1 does that make my Battle Drones level 47 or 48?

 

This may sound kind of basic but the systems don't give me clear info to go on and I want to learn more details. Too much of my knowledge of the game predates IOs and Incarnate content.

[Lunar Ronin]

I'll answer your second and fourth questions.

 

2. For Alpha, either Musculature Radial (for extra damage for your henchmen and extra endurance for yourself), Intuition Radial (extra damage and range for your henchmen, and extra defense debuff, slow, and to-hit debuff for yourself), or Agility Radial, (for extra defense and extra endurance - but only if you don't care much about procs).

 

For Interface, it procs on all of your henchmen's attacks.  You generally want either Degenerative Radial or Reactive Radial, although there's some value in Diamagnetic Core.  It's generally a good idea to take two Interfaces as only up to four of the same Interface can stack, so I usually take Diamagnetic Core and Reactive Radial.

 

For Judgment, Pyronic Core.  Accept no substitutes.

 

For Destiny, if you don't have any AoE mez protection from your secondary Clarion Core is a good way to go.  A mezzed henchman is a useless henchman.  If you do have AoE mez protection in your secondary, then Barrier Core or Rebirth Radial would be options depending on your needs.  For Force Field though (along with Sonic Resonance), I would go with Ageless Core just because it is such an endurance hog.

 

For Lore, that's mostly up to you.  Quite a few decent choices here - Longbow Core, Banished Pantheon Core, Carnival of Shadows Core, and others.

 

Now, the important one.  Hybrid.  The only Hybrid that works for Masterminds out of the box is Support Core.  There really is no other choice for Masterminds.  Assault can work on henchmen, but is very fiddly and IMO not worth it.  Just go with Support Core.  Melee doesn't work at all on henchmen.

 

4. A +1 level shift would make your minions level 49, your lieutenants level 50, and your boss level 51 essentially.  One thing to be aware is that Incarnate content buffs up your henchmen to be essentially equal level to your Mastermind.  As a result, Masterminds are more powerful in Incarnate content than regular content.

[tidge]

14 hours ago, khy said:

But I'm hoping to up my game a bit. There's a few things that are tough for me to decide upon and I'd like some advice on them.

 

1) Slotting - My initial instinct is always to 6-slot my 'main' powers (All the henchmen and my big Force Field Buffs), then slap entire sets in at once. But I see so many other people who 'frankenslot' and put a mix of various different things in different places. How can I tell when that should be done vs just going all in on a single set? Is there a good guide out there I can check out? I know I can just copy other people's sets, but I'm hoping to learn what to be actively looking for so I understand WHY other people slot the way they do.

 

Full disclosure, I don't like FF as a MM secondary.

 

My experience with FF on other AT is that the character hits the point of diminishing returns fast... so 6-slotting every bubble/shield is probably a waste of slots. Most Defensive powers are fine with just 2 slots of 50+5 Defensive pieces (or equivalent, or Hami-O). The only Defensive set bonuses I bother with are Reactive Defenses, and Shield Wall. If I am skimping on slots and using LotG Def/Recharge, occasionally I will use 50+5 LotG pieces to further enhance those powers... I just don't value the LotG set bonuses that much,

 

MM attacks when chosen should be slotted for set bonuses. It is a bad idea IMO to try to make a MM a source of damage (from procs or otherwise).

 

MM's have five "unique" global Defense/Resistance enhancements from (Recharge Intensive) Pet sets, one Superior %buildup piece for henchmen, and two more global defense/resistance pieces from the ATO sets. Ignoring the %Build Up, that is seven enhancement pieces that ought to be included in every MM build to make the henchmen more survivable... they are the source of damage. The three tiers of henchmen have max 18 slots, so without some other power (like Gang War) it is necessary to divide up those 7 pieces among the three tiers. It is possible that with FF secondary one or more of the global aura enhancements could be skipped, but I don't recommend it without serious testing. On my Robots build I only used four of the five Pet damage pieces myself.

 

The next thing to consider is this: You really ought to enhance both Accuracy and Damage for the henchmen tiers! not only are the henchmen the source of damage, there will be level shifts (downward) for most of the game's content. The MM (superior) ATO are very good for this! Since you mention Robotics, let me share my slotting... as this should make it clear how my thinking goes.

 

Level     1:            Battle Drones   

 (A) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Damage: Level 50

 (*) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50

 (*) Soulbound Allegiance - Chance for Build Up: Level 50

 (*) Expedient Reinforcement - Resist Bonus Aura for Pets

 (*) Sovereign Right - Accuracy/Damage

 (*) Sovereign Right - Resistance Bonus

 

The Battle Drones get two of the five damage set pieces. With four remaining slots I want to get an ATO bonus (10% Global Recharge, because my MM is doing other things) and I want as much Accuracy and Damage as possible, so Sovereign Right offers me more Accuracy/Damage plus a Regeneration bonus... normally I don't care that much about Regeneration, but because of the effective pool of Hit Points/Health when using Bodyguard mode, I'd rather have it than not. This piece could be franken-slotted with a Hami-O.

 

Note that I put the %Build Up piece in the henchmen tier I will have three of... each henchmen will trigger this %proc, and quite frequently... and this is the henchman tier that needs the boost the most. My three T1 end up doing the equivalent amount of damage as my one T3 in the same amount of time, FWIW.

 

Level 12:              Protector Bots  

 (A) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Damage/Endurance: Level 50

 (*) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 50

 (*) Hami-O  Defense/Endurance (53 or use a 50+5)

 (*) Edict of the Master: Defense Bonus

 (*) Call to Arms: Defense Aura for Pets

 (*) Call to Arms: Accuracy/Damage

 

I found it hard to get a lot of offense from the T2 robots, so they get two of the five damage set unique pieces. It also provides another 10% Global Recharge bonus. The T2 burn endurance quite hard, so they get Accuracy, Damage and Endurance Reduction boosts. The T2 provide defensive bubbles, which on a non-FF MM are well-worth boosting, I use a Hami-O. The Call to Arms set tops at level 30, but the extra Endurance recovery is valuable for my MM. If the Recovery boost is not valued, the fifth of five global aura pieces could go in its place, or a Hami-O, or a boosted Soulbound Allegiance.

 

Level 22:              Assault Bot        

 (A) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50

 (*) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Damage/Endurance: Level 50

 (*) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50

 (*) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Recharge/Pet +AoE Defense Aura: Level 50

 (*) Superior Mark of Supremacy: Accuracy/Damage: Level 50

 (*) Superior Mark of Supremacy: Endurance, +Resist (All) +Regen(Pets): Level 50

 

Nothing fancy for T3, except to get MM ATO set bonuses I want (2x 10% more Global Recharge), plus the two global pieces for henchmen/pets.

 

15 hours ago, khy said:

3) Auras, Procs, and Me. Obviously there are some really important IOs to get my mitts on first, because they grant auras. What I'm unsure of is how to determine what works where. A few examples of things I'm unsure about :

 

Sovereign Right - Resist All. Does that apply to me as the MM or to my Pets? If it applies to pets, does it apply to all of them or just the ones I slot it into?
Superior Command of the Mastermind - the AoE Defense Aura, does it center on me or on the pet it's slotted into?
How do I know when an enhancement is a 'proc' versus when it's a constant effect? Do I specifically look for the word 'chance'?

If I put a constant-effect IO into a healing power does it affect me all the time or does it affect the person I use the power on? (Panacea HP/End, Numina's Regen/Recovery, etc)

 

Auras affect the henchmen (and pets) while they are close to the MM. They do nothing for the MM directly, and only indirectly through Bodyguard mode.

 

Comments about %damage procs, which I generally avoid. Note that AFAIK, all %damage procs for henchmen can only come from "secondary" effects.

 

1) %damage will only trigger in the attacks made which include the specific secondary effect. If (for example) a henchman is only casting a power with a -Defense secondary effect half the time... the %damage will never have a greater than 50% chance to be applied (for each henchman)

 

2) %damage requires each of an initial ToHit check for the base attack, a %proc chance (between 10% and 90%), and an individual ToHit check for the %damage based on the inherent and slotted accuracy of the power (i.e. no global ToHit or accuracy bonuses)... if the henchmen are fighting level shifted enemies, they will have inherently poor %damage chances because of the ToHit formula.

 

%procs like the Soulbound Allegiance %Build Up and the Overwhelming Force %Knockdown will have a chance to trigger on every attack... these are much better choices IMO than any %damage choice for Henchmen, I realize others feel differently, but my opinion is that T1 and T2 need Accuracy and Damage, and without accuracy the %damage will be mediocre anyway, so why try to thread that needle? The T3 is IMO the place to put the MM ATO sets,.. adding %procs to T3 is hindering its damage output IMO.

 

 

 

[Jacke]

Most Pets don't benefit from Global Buffs of their Caster (Global Accuracy, Global ToHit, Level Shifts).  Thus, the need to ideally slot any Pet Summons with ED-capped Accuracy.  As well, if the Pets have critical Powers that have less than 1.2 Base Accuracy, there should be ways to apply +ToHit (Tactics) to Pets or -Def to the targets.  This is to get final ToHit against targets on +4 content to 95% or as close as practical.

[Redlynne]

17 hours ago, khy said:

1) Slotting - My initial instinct is always to 6-slot my 'main' powers (All the henchmen and my big Force Field Buffs), then slap entire sets in at once. But I see so many other people who 'frankenslot' and put a mix of various different things in different places. How can I tell when that should be done vs just going all in on a single set? Is there a good guide out there I can check out? I know I can just copy other people's sets, but I'm hoping to learn what to be actively looking for so I understand WHY other people slot the way they do.

 

The best answer is ... IT DEPENDS.

 

Some powers lend themselves better to frankenslotting than others ... typically because the set options are "lackluster" or otherwise Do Not Support™ what you want a particular power to actually DO for you.

 

I, myself, no longer play on the Homecoming server, but there are a few powers in my own Ninja/Time MM build that strongly lend themselves in favor of frankenslotting rather than going for pure set builds, just for the sake of sets. I'll defer my choices for Minion Powers for question 3, below and simply highlight my thought process for this question in other contexts, which you can then proliferate conceptually to other uses as a framework for how to answer question 1 on a case by case basis.

 

CONE ATTACKS

 

I have become a big proponent of Cones, as opposed to Target AoEs, for one very simple reason ... you can enhance the range of a Cone, which increases the area/volume that it affects. As a rule of thumb, a +50% Range enhancement to a Cone will effectively 2x the "area" (triangle) that the Cone can inflict damage into. This has the side effect of making the Cone "wider" at the far end, making it easier to catch "more $Targets" spread farther apart when attacking using a Cone from long(er) ranges.

 

My go to frankenslotting for Cone attacks, is this:

 

Level 8: Fistful of Arrows

• (A) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
• (9) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff: Level 20
• (11) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy): Level 20
• (25) Detonation - Damage/Endurance/Range: Level 50+5
• (34) Hamidon Origin: Centriole Exposure (Accuracy/Range)
• (34) Hamidon Origin: Centriole Exposure (Accuracy/Range)

This specific frankenslotting WORKS for any Cone Damage attack power. The range boost it yields is considerable(!) while also enhancing accuracy, damage and endurance reduction at the same time. The -Resist Debuff and the Positron Damage Proc yield remarkably advantageous throughput, especially when "shooting into traffic" at a reasonably rapid rate of fire. On my own Ninja/Time MM build, the completed build yields a recharge time for Fistful of Arrows that is only slightly longer than the animation time for Aimed Shot, so as far as MM personal attacks go I only need to make use Aimed Shot+Fistful of Arrows on repeat to start having a pretty respectable output and effect on whatever is "in front of me" when fighting either solo or participating in the chaos of iTrials.

 

The reason why this particular frankenslotting "works" while a "pure set" of inventions would not is because NONE of the sets (even Rolling Barrage) puts any kind of privilege on enhancing the range of a set into the enhancements that actually make up the set itself. For Cones, I want the "reach out and spank you" power of enhanced range. With sufficient range enhancement, most Cones can be given comparable reach (almost 80 ft) to most single target attack powers ... which has HUGE implications for tactical positioning and ranging relative to Foes. So frankenslotting "does something that SETS cannot" in this case ... and since that benefit is "worth more" to me as a Player than what the set enhancements and/or set bonuses bring to the table, that's what I use.

 

PROC MONSTERing

 

Another instance where frankenslotting is a superior choice to reaching for set bonuses is when the base power itself, without enhancement, yields an over 90% chance for procs.

 

Level 20: Time Stop

• (A) Lockdown - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold: Level 31+5
• (21) Lockdown - Chance for +2 Mag Hold: Level 30
• (21) Ghost Widow's Embrace - Chance of Damage(Psionic): Level 20
• (23) Neuronic Shutdown - Chance of Damage(Psionic): Level 10
• (23) Gladiator's Net - Chance of Damage(Lethal): Level 10
• (50) Unbreakable Constraint - Chance for Smashing Damage: Level 50

This is my slotting for the Hold power in Time Manipulation. As you can see, it's MOSTLY procs (5 out of 6 slots, 4 of which are damage procs). Here's what the proc chances (in my build) work out to be:

 

Time Stop: Lockdown (2.5 PPM), Ghost Widow's Embrace (3.5 PPM), Neuronic Shutdown (3.5 PPM), Gladiator's Net (3.5 PPM), Unbreakable Contstraint (4.5 PPM)

• 2.5 * ((16 / ( 1 + 19.25 / 100 )) + 2.17) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 64.95%
• 3.5 * ((16 / ( 1 + 19.25 / 100 )) + 2.17) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 90.93%)
• 4.5 * ((16 / ( 1 + 19.25 / 100 )) + 2.17) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 116.91%)

So as you can see, the damage proc chances are "quite high" per proc slotted. This turns Time Stop into power that CAN do damage, but only via procs. As far as Incarnates (such as Interface) are concerned, Time Stop is not a power that does damage "natively" and thus it does not proc Interface. However, Time Stop IS a Mez power, so there are potential benefits when synergized with Hybrid: Control, for example.

 

Another example of this that I have in my build is this:

 

Level 35: Slowed Response

• (A) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5
• (36) Shield Breaker - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
• (36) Shield Breaker - Chance for Lethal Damage: Level 10
• (37) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff: Level 10
• (37) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Negative Damage: Level 21

Same basic thinking behind the choices here ... and this is how the proc chances compute:

 

Slowed Response: Shield Breaker (3.5 PPM), Achilles' Heel (3.5 PPM), Touch of Lady Grey (3.5 PPM)

• 3.5 * ((90 / ( 1 + 59.11 / 100 )) + 2.27) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 25 * (11 * 360 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 90.02%) per $Target

This makes an otherwise "unremarkable power" that doesn't do anything especially useful (Foe -Defense, -Resist Debuffing) into something "respectable" to toss into the mosh pit.

 

FRANKENSLOTTING SETS

 

Sometimes, your optimal use of slots involves frankenslotting sets for a particular combined purpose for that specific power, rather than reaching for global set bonuses. In those cases, the global set bonuses you can get are merely "bonus" rather than the purpose of the exercise.

 

Level 38: Chrono Shift

• (A) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Recharge: Level 27+5
• (39) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge: Level 27+5
• (39) Regenerative Tissue - Heal/Recharge: Level 27+5
• (39) Regenerative Tissue - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5

That specific combination of slots yields a "respectable" amount of recharge enhancement (the primary consideration) while also boosting both the heal/regeneration and endurance/recovery components of the power.

• Performance Shifter 2-set = improves your Movement by 7.5%.
• Regenerative Tissue 2-set = improves your Movement by 6%.

So in this instance, the set bonuses are "unnecessary, but not unwanted" since they're more just "extra benefits" of the slotting, rather than the primary purpose of choosing that specific slotting.

 

And let me tell you, being able to boost the Regeneration value on Ninja Pets makes a pretty big difference in their survival when the rest of your build stacks up to providing them with NO GET HITSTU!! levels of +Defense. Sure, they're going to take SOME hits and SOME damage will leak through their protection ... but with enough +Regeneration in the mix, they aren't going to need AS MUCH active healing to prevent them from crumpling into the ground.

 

And what's true for MM Pets is also true for MM Servants Teammates and Leaguemates that you're running content with. +Regeneration, especially when stacked (see Regeneration powerset) can be remarkably powerful in the right contexts.

  

17 hours ago, khy said:

2) Incarnate Powers - What's generally recommended for an MM, especially a bots/ff MM? My initial instinct is to go 'Nerve' to boost my bots' accuracy which always feels lacking, and get some Defense Buff power out of it. But on the other hand, my bots sure could use the +attack from musculature. The other bonuses it has aren't very helpful for me though.

 

How does 'Interface' work with bots? Does it only offer procs on my attacks, or ALL of my bots attacks? Is there a clear winner for usefulness here?

 

What are the other 'go to' Incarnate options, and why?

 

These are my choices for my own Ninja/Time MM build.

 

Level 50: Intuition Radial Paragon
Level 50: Ion Radial Final Judgement
Level 50: Spectral Radial Flawless Interface
Level 50: Robotic Drones Core Superior Ally
Level 50: Rebirth Radial Epiphany
Level 50: Support Radial Embodiment
Level 50: Socket Radial Flawless Genesis

 

T4 Intuition Radial synergizes TOO WELL with Time Manipulation.

T4 Ion Radial can "chain around corners" which does not limit it to Line of Sight ONLY. The Hold from Radial can also relieve pressure for a "tide turning" difference, since the "breathing room" can be advantageous during Mothership Raids in the Rikti War Zone.

 

T4 Spectral Radial is going to seem controversial (because it's not Degenerative or Reactive) ... but do not let appearances fool you. This (specific) choice is build transformative, particularly in context with T4 Socket Radial. A (75+10)=85% chance for Negative Energy DoT ticks (which cancel on MISS) is GIGANTIC for damage throughput from a Mastermind ... especially if you've taken 1 single target and 1 multi-target personal attack from your MM primary (as I have). EVERYTHING you hit with an attack power that NATIVELY does damage (procs do NOT count for this!) can proc Interface damage ... and everything YOUR PETS (MM and Lore!) can hit with an attack power that NATIVELY does damage (procs do NOT count for this!) can ALSO proc Interface damage. In other words, my MM Personal Attacks and my Ninja Attacks and my Lore Pet Attacks can ALL proc Interface DoT ticks ... and with a 15% chance to miss, that adds up to a LOT of extra bonus damage! However, that's ALSO "a lot of procs" going off from my own and my Ninjas (and Lore Pets) attacking ... and there is a STACK LIMIT on DoTs of various types from ALL sources. In other words, if I had chosen Degenerative or Reactive, my DoTs would be "competing for limited DoT slots" on everything I attack (and probably getting overwritten by everyone else around me who are ALSO using Degenerative or Reactive for their Interface slot choice). The practical upshot is that by choosing Spectral, in iTrials I'm basically "the ONLY ONE" who is using Spectral, so I have "no competition" for my DoTs "sticking" to my $Targets for their entire damage throughput ... meaning that I do "more damage" with Spectral than I would by "following the herd" into using Degenerative or Reactive. The Immobilize effect is more or less a "nice to have when it happens" kind of "side effect" of using Spectral, which just so happens to be beneficial for my Ninjas (so they need to do less chasing of runners). When my MM plus all my Ninjas "unload a response" into a single $Target (because Bodyguard), it's not uncommon for that $Target to wind up Immobilized (temporarily) just from the sheer rate of fire that I and my Ninjas can animate into that #Target in just a few seconds. CHUCK LOTS OF DICE™ like that and you'll start getting even low proc chances stacking up into useful quantities of "it might happen" ... and all you need is a few seconds for a pack of Ninjas to "Ginsu" a $Target into being a faceplant.

 

T4 Robotic Drones Core might seem like an especially odd choice, until I explain that my Ninja/Time MM build is Technology Origin. But even then, I know that there are other "better" (on spreadsheet) choices for Lore Pets. In this particular instance, my choice is driven by the fact that the Robotic Drones have CONE ATTACKS on reasonably short recharge times (which cannot be buffed or enhanced, because Pets) which also include -Regeneration Debuffing ... and the Robotic Drones do not do Knockback (which Polar Lights do). With my completed Ninja/Time MM build, I can (very effectively!) "solo" a bunker door in the Behavioral Adjustment Facility iTrial without any assistance from anyone else (and even dispatch runners that escaped from other bunkers during the phase!). I need the Core (2 attacker) Robotic Drones for the 5 minute duration (same as the Resistance escape phase during the BAF iTrial). The Cone attacks that these Lore Pets do ALSO gain the benefits of Interface: Spectral + Genesis: Socket, so those Cone attacks are stacking on YET MORE DoTs to "burn them all" to the ground (and helping to add Immobilize procs in the process, because, Spectral).

 

T4 Rebirth Radial certainly seems like a peculiar choice for a MM with Pets (and Ninjas in particular). I originally went with T4 Clarion Radial (for the "power boost" and +range), but Clarion turned out to be remarkably superfluous when running iTrials in Leagues. Eventually I switched to Rebirth Radial (for +regeneration rather than +HP) and noticed that it was making an astonishingly large difference in group survival rates (not just my own Pets specifically). It's also been key to boosting my path for Healing Badges. The amount of +regeneration that Rebirth Radial adds is NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT and will often times be both sufficient to avoid needing to resummon Pets (except against One Hit Kills) while also making EVERYONE who gets buffed "sturdier" for the 2 minute duration. In most cases, the +regeneration winds up yielding "more HP" for Foes to chew through than the +HP alternative would have ... because +regeneration just "keeps on working" for you (until you're defeated). The "security blanket" feeling with Rebirth Radial is extremely difficult for me to say no to.

 

T4 Support Radial just makes "life better" in a lot of ways. When it's UP, it's basically a 2x Maneuvers boost to Defense (stacked on top of everything else) ... AND ... it buffs accuracy, damage, defense and special(! see: Power Boost) of all Allies within an 80ft PBAoE by +8%. That basically means that even with a 40-50% uptime, Support Radial is "yielding more overall throughput" in League play (iTrials, Mothership Raids, etc.) than even Assault can deliver ... because it's not just buffing ME (and my Pets), it's buffing EVERYONE AROUND ME the same way that Maneuver, Assault and Tactics do from the Leadership Pool (plus adding a mini-Power Boost effect into the bargain!).

 

T4 Socket Radial carries over the same mentality of "make the DoTs COUNT" from Interface: Spectral into the Level 44- Exemplar regions of the game ... and it can make Level 1-9 content feel almost trivial as a result. The added DoT can pretty SEVERELY multiply your damage throughput onto (lower level) $Targets, such that you need to spend less time and endurance animating attacks, improving your offensive tempo and reducing the time that you yourself are vulnerable to being attacked (because Defeat Is The Ultimate Debuff).

 

That's my mentality regarding Incarnate slotting, but as always ... Your Mileage May Vary.

  

17 hours ago, khy said:

3) Auras, Procs, and Me. Obviously there are some really important IOs to get my mitts on first, because they grant auras. What I'm unsure of is how to determine what works where. A few examples of things I'm unsure about :

 

Sovereign Right - Resist All. Does that apply to me as the MM or to my Pets? If it applies to pets, does it apply to all of them or just the ones I slot it into?
Superior Command of the Mastermind - the AoE Defense Aura, does it center on me or on the pet it's slotted into?
How do I know when an enhancement is a 'proc' versus when it's a constant effect? Do I specifically look for the word 'chance'?

If I put a constant-effect IO into a healing power does it affect me all the time or does it affect the person I use the power on? (Panacea HP/End, Numina's Regen/Recovery, etc)

 

The Pet Buff Procs basically "modify the MM" with a PBAoE effect that only buffs Pets. The radius for this buff is your Supremacy radius. Point being that the Pet procs don't "emanate" from the Pets themselves, but rather from the MM. If the Pets "run off" and leave Supremacy range, they stop getting the Pet buff procs.

 

As for slotting of the Pet power themselves, here is what I've settled upon:

 

Level 1: Call Genin

• (A) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage: Attuned
• (3) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Attuned
• (3) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Attuned
• (5) Overwhelming Force - Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown: Attuned
• (7) Call to Arms - Defense Bonus Aura for Pets: Level 10
• (50) Soulbound Allegiance - Chance for Build Up: Level 50

Level 12: Call Jounin

• (A) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage:  Attuned
• (13) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge:  Attuned
• (13) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Damage/Endurance:  Attuned
• (15) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Recharge/Pet +AoE Defense Aura:  Attuned
• (15) Superior Witchcraft - Accuracy/Recharge: Attuned
• (17) Superior Witchcraft - Chance for Res Debuff: Attuned

Level 26: Oni

• (A) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Damage:  Attuned
• (27) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Endurance:  Attuned
• (27) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance:  Attuned
• (29) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Endurance/Pet +Resist +Regen:  Attuned
• (29) Edict of the Master - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 27
• (31) Edict of the Master - Defense Bonus: Level 15

That Superior Witchcraft proc in Jounin can proc on almost every attack that the Jounin make:

 

Call Jounin: Superior Witchcraft (6 PPM)

• Basic: Gambler's Cut (-DEF, 3s recharge)
• Basic: Sting of the Wasp (-DEF, 5s recharge)
• Basic: Caltrops (Slow, 30s recharge)
• Train: Soaring Dragon (-DEF, Knockback, 9s recharge)
• Zen: Golden Dragonfly (-DEF, Knockup, 12s recharge)
• Zen: Blinding Powder (-To-hit, 120s recharge)

  Which means that in actual gameplay, I'm seeing A LOT of Pentacle icons showing up on $Targets.

However, even better yet is the fact that each of the two Jounin Ninjas are considered DIFFERENT CASTERS ... meaning that the Witchcraft procs they inflict CAN STACK onto $Targets.

 

And remember, I've got -Resistance procs slotted into my Fistful of Arrows MM primary attack AND in my Slowed Response MM secondary attack ... ALL of which CAN STACK for some pretty Cruel And Brutal Resistance Debuffing™ that helps to make even "hard" targets melt faster (once I've joined the fray with my Ninjas).

 

The Overwhelming Force proc in Genin gives them Knockdown capability AT RANGE (with Shuriken and Exploding Shuriken) and IN MELEE ... which makes a pretty hefty difference in the amount of damage that can be directed at them or at my MM. Besides, it's fun seeing the 0.5% proc chance for a nuclear mushroom cloud go off MULTIPLE TIMES in rapid succession!

 

So in my estimation, 4-slot set + 2 extra makes for a really nice "optimal mix" of slotting in MM primaries that do not have the benefit of a 4th "Pet slotting" power available.

 

17 hours ago, khy said:

4) Lastly, how do level/incarnate shifts affect my pets? If I'm Level 50+1 does that make my Battle Drones level 47 or 48?

 

This may sound kind of basic but the systems don't give me clear info to go on and I want to learn more details. Too much of my knowledge of the game predates IOs and Incarnate content.

 

Let's just say that +Level Shifts help you AND your Pets, and leave it at that.

[Glacier Peak]

1 hour ago, Redlynne said:

 

The best answer is ... IT DEPENDS.

 

Some powers lend themselves better to frankenslotting than others ... typically because the set options are "lackluster" or otherwise Do Not Support™ what you want a particular power to actually DO for you.

 

I, myself, no longer play on the Homecoming server, but there are a few powers in my own Ninja/Time MM build that strongly lend themselves in favor of frankenslotting rather than going for pure set builds, just for the sake of sets. I'll defer my choices for Minion Powers for question 3, below and simply highlight my thought process for this question in other contexts, which you can then proliferate conceptually to other uses as a framework for how to answer question 1 on a case by case basis.

 

CONE ATTACKS

 

I have become a big proponent of Cones, as opposed to Target AoEs, for one very simple reason ... you can enhance the range of a Cone, which increases the area/volume that it affects. As a rule of thumb, a +50% Range enhancement to a Cone will effectively 2x the "area" (triangle) that the Cone can inflict damage into. This has the side effect of making the Cone "wider" at the far end, making it easier to catch "more $Targets" spread farther apart when attacking using a Cone from long(er) ranges.

 

My go to frankenslotting for Cone attacks, is this:

 

Level 8: Fistful of Arrows

• (A) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
• (9) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff: Level 20
• (11) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy): Level 20
• (25) Detonation - Damage/Endurance/Range: Level 50+5
• (34) Hamidon Origin: Centriole Exposure (Accuracy/Range)
• (34) Hamidon Origin: Centriole Exposure (Accuracy/Range)

This specific frankenslotting WORKS for any Cone Damage attack power. The range boost it yields is considerable(!) while also enhancing accuracy, damage and endurance reduction at the same time. The -Resist Debuff and the Positron Damage Proc yield remarkably advantageous throughput, especially when "shooting into traffic" at a reasonably rapid rate of fire. On my own Ninja/Time MM build, the completed build yields a recharge time for Fistful of Arrows that is only slightly longer than the animation time for Aimed Shot, so as far as MM personal attacks go I only need to make use Aimed Shot+Fistful of Arrows on repeat to start having a pretty respectable output and effect on whatever is "in front of me" when fighting either solo or participating in the chaos of iTrials.

 

The reason why this particular frankenslotting "works" while a "pure set" of inventions would not is because NONE of the sets (even Rolling Barrage) puts any kind of privilege on enhancing the range of a set into the enhancements that actually make up the set itself. For Cones, I want the "reach out and spank you" power of enhanced range. With sufficient range enhancement, most Cones can be given comparable reach (almost 80 ft) to most single target attack powers ... which has HUGE implications for tactical positioning and ranging relative to Foes. So frankenslotting "does something that SETS cannot" in this case ... and since that benefit is "worth more" to me as a Player than what the set enhancements and/or set bonuses bring to the table, that's what I use.

 

PROC MONSTERing

 

Another instance where frankenslotting is a superior choice to reaching for set bonuses is when the base power itself, without enhancement, yields an over 90% chance for procs.

 

Level 20: Time Stop

• (A) Lockdown - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold: Level 31+5
• (21) Lockdown - Chance for +2 Mag Hold: Level 30
• (21) Ghost Widow's Embrace - Chance of Damage(Psionic): Level 20
• (23) Neuronic Shutdown - Chance of Damage(Psionic): Level 10
• (23) Gladiator's Net - Chance of Damage(Lethal): Level 10
• (50) Unbreakable Constraint - Chance for Smashing Damage: Level 50

This is my slotting for the Hold power in Time Manipulation. As you can see, it's MOSTLY procs (5 out of 6 slots, 4 of which are damage procs). Here's what the proc chances (in my build) work out to be:

 

Time Stop: Lockdown (2.5 PPM), Ghost Widow's Embrace (3.5 PPM), Neuronic Shutdown (3.5 PPM), Gladiator's Net (3.5 PPM), Unbreakable Contstraint (4.5 PPM)

• 2.5 * ((16 / ( 1 + 19.25 / 100 )) + 2.17) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 64.95%
• 3.5 * ((16 / ( 1 + 19.25 / 100 )) + 2.17) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 90.93%)
• 4.5 * ((16 / ( 1 + 19.25 / 100 )) + 2.17) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 0 * (11 * 0 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 116.91%)

So as you can see, the damage proc chances are "quite high" per proc slotted. This turns Time Stop into power that CAN do damage, but only via procs. As far as Incarnates (such as Interface) are concerned, Time Stop is not a power that does damage "natively" and thus it does not proc Interface. However, Time Stop IS a Mez power, so there are potential benefits when synergized with Hybrid: Control, for example.

 

Another example of this that I have in my build is this:

 

Level 35: Slowed Response

• (A) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5
• (36) Shield Breaker - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
• (36) Shield Breaker - Chance for Lethal Damage: Level 10
• (37) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff: Level 10
• (37) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Negative Damage: Level 21

Same basic thinking behind the choices here ... and this is how the proc chances compute:

 

Slowed Response: Shield Breaker (3.5 PPM), Achilles' Heel (3.5 PPM), Touch of Lady Grey (3.5 PPM)

• 3.5 * ((90 / ( 1 + 59.11 / 100 )) + 2.27) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 25 * (11 * 360 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 90.02%) per $Target

This makes an otherwise "unremarkable power" that doesn't do anything especially useful (Foe -Defense, -Resist Debuffing) into something "respectable" to toss into the mosh pit.

 

FRANKENSLOTTING SETS

 

Sometimes, your optimal use of slots involves frankenslotting sets for a particular combined purpose for that specific power, rather than reaching for global set bonuses. In those cases, the global set bonuses you can get are merely "bonus" rather than the purpose of the exercise.

 

Level 38: Chrono Shift

• (A) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Recharge: Level 27+5
• (39) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge: Level 27+5
• (39) Regenerative Tissue - Heal/Recharge: Level 27+5
• (39) Regenerative Tissue - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5

That specific combination of slots yields a "respectable" amount of recharge enhancement (the primary consideration) while also boosting both the heal/regeneration and endurance/recovery components of the power.

• Performance Shifter 2-set = improves your Movement by 7.5%.
• Regenerative Tissue 2-set = improves your Movement by 6%.

So in this instance, the set bonuses are "unnecessary, but not unwanted" since they're more just "extra benefits" of the slotting, rather than the primary purpose of choosing that specific slotting.

 

And let me tell you, being able to boost the Regeneration value on Ninja Pets makes a pretty big difference in their survival when the rest of your build stacks up to providing them with NO GET HITSTU!! levels of +Defense. Sure, they're going to take SOME hits and SOME damage will leak through their protection ... but with enough +Regeneration in the mix, they aren't going to need AS MUCH active healing to prevent them from crumpling into the ground.

 

And what's true for MM Pets is also true for MM Servants Teammates and Leaguemates that you're running content with. +Regeneration, especially when stacked (see Regeneration powerset) can be remarkably powerful in the right contexts.

  

 

These are my choices for my own Ninja/Time MM build.

 

Level 50: Intuition Radial Paragon
Level 50: Ion Radial Final Judgement
Level 50: Spectral Radial Flawless Interface
Level 50: Robotic Drones Core Superior Ally
Level 50: Rebirth Radial Epiphany
Level 50: Support Radial Embodiment
Level 50: Socket Radial Flawless Genesis

 

T4 Intuition Radial synergizes TOO WELL with Time Manipulation.

T4 Ion Radial can "chain around corners" which does not limit it to Line of Sight ONLY. The Hold from Radial can also relieve pressure for a "tide turning" difference, since the "breathing room" can be advantageous during Mothership Raids in the Rikti War Zone.

 

T4 Spectral Radial is going to seem controversial (because it's not Degenerative or Reactive) ... but do not let appearances fool you. This (specific) choice is build transformative, particularly in context with T4 Socket Radial. A (75+10)=85% chance for Negative Energy DoT ticks (which cancel on MISS) is GIGANTIC for damage throughput from a Mastermind ... especially if you've taken 1 single target and 1 multi-target personal attack from your MM primary (as I have). EVERYTHING you hit with an attack power that NATIVELY does damage (procs do NOT count for this!) can proc Interface damage ... and everything YOUR PETS (MM and Lore!) can hit with an attack power that NATIVELY does damage (procs do NOT count for this!) can ALSO proc Interface damage. In other words, my MM Personal Attacks and my Ninja Attacks and my Lore Pet Attacks can ALL proc Interface DoT ticks ... and with a 15% chance to miss, that adds up to a LOT of extra bonus damage! However, that's ALSO "a lot of procs" going off from my own and my Ninjas (and Lore Pets) attacking ... and there is a STACK LIMIT on DoTs of various types from ALL sources. In other words, if I had chosen Degenerative or Reactive, my DoTs would be "competing for limited DoT slots" on everything I attack (and probably getting overwritten by everyone else around me who are ALSO using Degenerative or Reactive for their Interface slot choice). The practical upshot is that by choosing Spectral, in iTrials I'm basically "the ONLY ONE" who is using Spectral, so I have "no competition" for my DoTs "sticking" to my $Targets for their entire damage throughput ... meaning that I do "more damage" with Spectral than I would by "following the herd" into using Degenerative or Reactive. The Immobilize effect is more or less a "nice to have when it happens" kind of "side effect" of using Spectral, which just so happens to be beneficial for my Ninjas (so they need to do less chasing of runners). When my MM plus all my Ninjas "unload a response" into a single $Target (because Bodyguard), it's not uncommon for that $Target to wind up Immobilized (temporarily) just from the sheer rate of fire that I and my Ninjas can animate into that #Target in just a few seconds. CHUCK LOTS OF DICE™ like that and you'll start getting even low proc chances stacking up into useful quantities of "it might happen" ... and all you need is a few seconds for a pack of Ninjas to "Ginsu" a $Target into being a faceplant.

 

T4 Robotic Drones Core might seem like an especially odd choice, until I explain that my Ninja/Time MM build is Technology Origin. But even then, I know that there are other "better" (on spreadsheet) choices for Lore Pets. In this particular instance, my choice is driven by the fact that the Robotic Drones have CONE ATTACKS on reasonably short recharge times (which cannot be buffed or enhanced, because Pets) which also include -Regeneration Debuffing ... and the Robotic Drones do not do Knockback (which Polar Lights do). With my completed Ninja/Time MM build, I can (very effectively!) "solo" a bunker door in the Behavioral Adjustment Facility iTrial without any assistance from anyone else (and even dispatch runners that escaped from other bunkers during the phase!). I need the Core (2 attacker) Robotic Drones for the 5 minute duration (same as the Resistance escape phase during the BAF iTrial). The Cone attacks that these Lore Pets do ALSO gain the benefits of Interface: Spectral + Genesis: Socket, so those Cone attacks are stacking on YET MORE DoTs to "burn them all" to the ground (and helping to add Immobilize procs in the process, because, Spectral).

 

T4 Rebirth Radial certainly seems like a peculiar choice for a MM with Pets (and Ninjas in particular). I originally went with T4 Clarion Radial (for the "power boost" and +range), but Clarion turned out to be remarkably superfluous when running iTrials in Leagues. Eventually I switched to Rebirth Radial (for +regeneration rather than +HP) and noticed that it was making an astonishingly large difference in group survival rates (not just my own Pets specifically). It's also been key to boosting my path for Healing Badges. The amount of +regeneration that Rebirth Radial adds is NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT and will often times be both sufficient to avoid needing to resummon Pets (except against One Hit Kills) while also making EVERYONE who gets buffed "sturdier" for the 2 minute duration. In most cases, the +regeneration winds up yielding "more HP" for Foes to chew through than the +HP alternative would have ... because +regeneration just "keeps on working" for you (until you're defeated). The "security blanket" feeling with Rebirth Radial is extremely difficult for me to say no to.

 

T4 Support Radial just makes "life better" in a lot of ways. When it's UP, it's basically a 2x Maneuvers boost to Defense (stacked on top of everything else) ... AND ... it buffs accuracy, damage, defense and special(! see: Power Boost) of all Allies within an 80ft PBAoE by +8%. That basically means that even with a 40-50% uptime, Support Radial is "yielding more overall throughput" in League play (iTrials, Mothership Raids, etc.) than even Assault can deliver ... because it's not just buffing ME (and my Pets), it's buffing EVERYONE AROUND ME the same way that Maneuver, Assault and Tactics do from the Leadership Pool (plus adding a mini-Power Boost effect into the bargain!).

 

T4 Socket Radial carries over the same mentality of "make the DoTs COUNT" from Interface: Spectral into the Level 44- Exemplar regions of the game ... and it can make Level 1-9 content feel almost trivial as a result. The added DoT can pretty SEVERELY multiply your damage throughput onto (lower level) $Targets, such that you need to spend less time and endurance animating attacks, improving your offensive tempo and reducing the time that you yourself are vulnerable to being attacked (because Defeat Is The Ultimate Debuff).

 

That's my mentality regarding Incarnate slotting, but as always ... Your Mileage May Vary.

  

 

The Pet Buff Procs basically "modify the MM" with a PBAoE effect that only buffs Pets. The radius for this buff is your Supremacy radius. Point being that the Pet procs don't "emanate" from the Pets themselves, but rather from the MM. If the Pets "run off" and leave Supremacy range, they stop getting the Pet buff procs.

 

As for slotting of the Pet power themselves, here is what I've settled upon:

 

Level 1: Call Genin

• (A) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage: Attuned
• (3) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Attuned
• (3) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Attuned
• (5) Overwhelming Force - Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown: Attuned
• (7) Call to Arms - Defense Bonus Aura for Pets: Level 10
• (50) Soulbound Allegiance - Chance for Build Up: Level 50

Level 12: Call Jounin

• (A) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage:  Attuned
• (13) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge:  Attuned
• (13) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Damage/Endurance:  Attuned
• (15) Superior Command of the Mastermind - Recharge/Pet +AoE Defense Aura:  Attuned
• (15) Superior Witchcraft - Accuracy/Recharge: Attuned
• (17) Superior Witchcraft - Chance for Res Debuff: Attuned

Level 26: Oni

• (A) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Damage:  Attuned
• (27) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Endurance:  Attuned
• (27) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance:  Attuned
• (29) Superior Mark of Supremacy - Endurance/Pet +Resist +Regen:  Attuned
• (29) Edict of the Master - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 27
• (31) Edict of the Master - Defense Bonus: Level 15

That Superior Witchcraft proc in Jounin can proc on almost every attack that the Jounin make:

 

Call Jounin: Superior Witchcraft (6 PPM)

• Basic: Gambler's Cut (-DEF, 3s recharge)
• Basic: Sting of the Wasp (-DEF, 5s recharge)
• Basic: Caltrops (Slow, 30s recharge)
• Train: Soaring Dragon (-DEF, Knockback, 9s recharge)
• Zen: Golden Dragonfly (-DEF, Knockup, 12s recharge)
• Zen: Blinding Powder (-To-hit, 120s recharge)

  Which means that in actual gameplay, I'm seeing A LOT of Pentacle icons showing up on $Targets.

However, even better yet is the fact that each of the two Jounin Ninjas are considered DIFFERENT CASTERS ... meaning that the Witchcraft procs they inflict CAN STACK onto $Targets.

 

And remember, I've got -Resistance procs slotted into my Fistful of Arrows MM primary attack AND in my Slowed Response MM secondary attack ... ALL of which CAN STACK for some pretty Cruel And Brutal Resistance Debuffing™ that helps to make even "hard" targets melt faster (once I've joined the fray with my Ninjas).

 

The Overwhelming Force proc in Genin gives them Knockdown capability AT RANGE (with Shuriken and Exploding Shuriken) and IN MELEE ... which makes a pretty hefty difference in the amount of damage that can be directed at them or at my MM. Besides, it's fun seeing the 0.5% proc chance for a nuclear mushroom cloud go off MULTIPLE TIMES in rapid succession!

 

So in my estimation, 4-slot set + 2 extra makes for a really nice "optimal mix" of slotting in MM primaries that do not have the benefit of a 4th "Pet slotting" power available.

 

 

Let's just say that +Level Shifts help you AND your Pets, and leave it at that.

Welcome back, I've missed these posts. If only @Bopper was also still posting their guides and in-depth build studies!

[tidge]

I'll repeat: As far as attacks from the Mastermind (direct or via pseudopets) go... I would not franken-slot those, except for enemy-affecting things like debuffs (and to a lesser extent, knockdowns or slows).

 

Masterminds pay a heavy endurance tax on their powers... so more casting to try to get more %damage is generally a strategy that slows down play. If the %damage is in single-target, then that's also a sort of wasted effort IMO, because directing even one reasonably slotted T1 henchmen against that target is likely to do more damage.

 

%damage requires accuracy slotting in the power, because just like global Accuracy/ToHit bonuses don't help henchmen/pets, they also don't help %damage hit... even if the %proc is successful. For example:

 

On 7/24/2024 at 2:21 PM, Redlynne said:

Level 35: Slowed Response

• (A) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5
• (36) Shield Breaker - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27+5
• (36) Shield Breaker - Chance for Lethal Damage: Level 10
• (37) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff: Level 10
• (37) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Negative Damage: Level 21

Same basic thinking behind the choices here ... and this is how the proc chances compute:

 

Slowed Response: Shield Breaker (3.5 PPM), Achilles' Heel (3.5 PPM), Touch of Lady Grey (3.5 PPM)

• 3.5 * ((90 / ( 1 + 59.11 / 100 )) + 2.27) / (60 * (0.25 + 0.75 * (1 + 25 * (11 * 360 + 540) / 30,000))) = 90% (Pre-clamp: 90.02%) per $Target

This makes an otherwise "unremarkable power" that doesn't do anything especially useful (Foe -Defense, -Resist Debuffing) into something "respectable" to toss into the mosh pit.

 

 

On my /Time Corruptor, I discovered similar to @Redlynne that what should have been a fine source of %damage was pretty poor without accuracy slotted. On that solo Corruptor I went with:

 

Level 28:    Slowed Response    
 (A) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50+5
 (*) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5
 (*) Shield Breaker - Chance for Damage (Lethal)
 (*) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Damage (Negative Energy)

 

But for a MM, I might use a %-Res piece instead. I would certainly keep at least one %damage just to help keep aggro on the MM... It's hard for me to not add %damage to a 25-foot radius power that has a max target cap of 16! The only thing working against my inclination to add as much %-Resistance as possible to this MM "attack" is that Slowed Response already applies a pretty hefty amount of -Resistance.... and generally I prefer %-Res choices that can "stack" (i.e. extend the 10-second application time) which may-or-may not be possible with the Achilles' Heel piece. I generally prefer using multiples of the Annihilation piece.