Dark/Dark - A very different (and quite remarkable controller after level 18)

[Diantane]

Every controller that I played before this one had the ability to lock down the mobs with immobilization, sleep, etc. , but the creatures could still attack you at range. The Darkness controller's power to do this is "Living Shadows" available at level 2. I have it slotted with two single origin accuracy and one immobilization enhancements. According to MIDS, this gives me an accuracy of 125% and a duration of 37.24 seconds. That is of course.... if it worked. This power is definitely broken as it either does nothing at all or lasts less than a second. Now all controllers also get a stronger controlling power with a long 240 second base recharge; so it can't be using every time. On this controller that power is "Shadow Field" which is not available until level 22. But all it does is disorient the mob for a few seconds (which is just enough time for the team to run in and start attacking).

 

The problem with all controllers is that they "can not" perform the alpha (first engagement to the mob). It doesn't matter in I use any lockdown or secondary power, they will retaliate and kill me every time. So I always had to wait for someone else to take the alpha.

 

Here's where the Dark/Dark controller changes everything in the game after level 18 when they get "Haunt." I've seen many controllers use this power but just like any other one. They just keep spamming their powers with no purpose. However sometimes the team would be going through a cave and for some reason, they usually skip the side passages and go straight (thinking that they can skip most of the map), but always have to run all the way back. I never follow the tank. I always go up the side passages on my own. But what can I do as a controller?

 

I reach a large mob. There's no one backing me up. Its just me. I simply cast Haunt at one of the creatures (an incredible dual pet range of 80 ft). This does not make the rest of them retaliate towards me. Their full attention is on the two shades that are attacking them. Then I hit them with "Darkest Night" which affects the entire group and is on a toggle. This power has had three single origin to-hit debuffs in it since level 8. So at this level, they just can't harm the shades or me. So I can take my time killing them even if the shades disappear (they did their job taking the alpha). 

 

Later when I train the Umbra Beast and slot it with 2 acc, 3 dam and one recharge single origin, they start doing "fair" damage as long as I keep them healed. If another thermal or cold domination teammate is around, they can put a shield on the Umbra Beast (yes it does work as I can see when I look at their attributes. They have an innate resistances as well).

 

So if you play this controller correctly, you can easily solo with them -- with just SO's. (we were playing at a dif of +3)

[Meknomancer]

3 hours ago, Diantane said:

Every controller that I played before this one had the ability to lock down the mobs with immobilization, sleep, etc. , but the creatures could still attack you at range. The Darkness controller's power to do this is "Living Shadows" available at level 2. I have it slotted with two single origin accuracy and one immobilization enhancements. According to MIDS, this gives me an accuracy of 125% and a duration of 37.24 seconds. That is of course.... if it worked. This power is definitely broken as it either does nothing at all or lasts less than a second. Now all controllers also get a stronger controlling power with a long 240 second base recharge; so it can't be using every time. On this controller that power is "Shadow Field" which is not available until level 22. But all it does is disorient the mob for a few seconds (which is just enough time for the team to run in and start attacking).

 

The problem with all controllers is that they "can not" perform the alpha (first engagement to the mob). It doesn't matter in I use any lockdown or secondary power, they will retaliate and kill me every time. So I always had to wait for someone else to take the alpha.

 

Here's where the Dark/Dark controller changes everything in the game after level 18 when they get "Haunt." I've seen many controllers use this power but just like any other one. They just keep spamming their powers with no purpose. However sometimes the team would be going through a cave and for some reason, they usually skip the side passages and go straight (thinking that they can skip most of the map), but always have to run all the way back. I never follow the tank. I always go up the side passages on my own. But what can I do as a controller?

 

I reach a large mob. There's no one backing me up. Its just me. I simply cast Haunt at one of the creatures (an incredible dual pet range of 80 ft). This does not make the rest of them retaliate towards me. Their full attention is on the two shades that are attacking them. Then I hit them with "Darkest Night" which affects the entire group and is on a toggle. This power has had three single origin to-hit debuffs in it since level 8. So at this level, they just can't harm the shades or me. So I can take my time killing them even if the shades disappear (they did their job taking the alpha). 

 

Later when I train the Umbra Beast and slot it with 2 acc, 3 dam and one recharge single origin, they start doing "fair" damage as long as I keep them healed. If another thermal or cold domination teammate is around, they can put a shield on the Umbra Beast (yes it does work as I can see when I look at their attributes. They have an innate resistances as well).

 

So if you play this controller correctly, you can easily solo with them -- with just SO's. (we were playing at a dif of +3)

 

So i'm not sure exactly where your going with this. Dark control gets heart of darkness at lvl 12 which gives you a mob stun similar to flashfire/stalagmites but requires you to hop into the centre of the mob.

 

Shadow Field is the mob hold not disorient. 

 

I think your also ignoring the fact that your secondary is one of the top 3 controller options. Howling twilight is another mob stun available at lvl10. You have a self heal that doubles as a to hit and regen debuff. Tar Patch. Darkest Night. And you have all these by lvl 10. The problem is the cone living shadows. Its never going to hit the mob the way other controller immobs do in that it won't hit the entire mob unless some one has herded them up. That someone should be you. Use darkest night to pull the mob to a corner where you have placed a tar patch. This way they will be tightly packed and living shadows will immob them all. Jump in and use heart of darkness or stand at range and throw howling twilight. Hit them with fearsome stare from range (lvl 8 pick) Then you can take your time killing them. There's so much stacked -to hit debuffs in dark/dark chances are you won't get hit and if you do they are doing less damage due to darkest night and you can heal yourself with twilight grasp. 

 

Its the secondary doing most of the work to keep you alive which is what makes /dark so good. There's not many other secondaries that work this well at such a low lvl. The primary is a little irrelevant at this point in terms of your survivability vs +3 mobs. Its entirely down to your secondary.

Edited 19 hours ago by Meknomancer

[Octogoat]

[Psyonico]

3 hours ago, Meknomancer said:

i'm not sure exactly where your going with this. Dark control gets heart of darkness at lvl 12 which gives you a mob stun similar to flashfire/stalagmites but requires you to hop into the centre of the mob.

OP also forgot about Fearsome Stare which is available at 8(?).  It is easily permable and as long as you stick to single target attacks, you'll get no retaliation.

 

Also, I LOLed at "controllers can not perform alpha strikes"

[Diantane]

5 hours ago, Meknomancer said:

 

So i'm not sure exactly where your going with this. Dark control gets heart of darkness at lvl 12 which gives you a mob stun similar to flashfire/stalagmites but requires you to hop into the centre of the mob.

 

Shadow Field is the mob hold not disorient. 

 

I think your also ignoring the fact that your secondary is one of the top 3 controller options. Howling twilight is another mob stun available at lvl10. You have a self heal that doubles as a to hit and regen debuff. Tar Patch. Darkest Night. And you have all these by lvl 10. The problem is the cone living shadows. Its never going to hit the mob the way other controller immobs do in that it won't hit the entire mob unless some one has herded them up. That someone should be you. Use darkest night to pull the mob to a corner where you have placed a tar patch. This way they will be tightly packed and living shadows will immob them all. Jump in and use heart of darkness or stand at range and throw howling twilight. Hit them with fearsome stare from range (lvl 8 pick) Then you can take your time killing them. There's so much stacked -to hit debuffs in dark/dark chances are you won't get hit and if you do they are doing less damage due to darkest night and you can heal yourself with twilight grasp. 

 

Its the secondary doing most of the work to keep you alive which is what makes /dark so good. There's not many other secondaries that work this well at such a low lvl. The primary is a little irrelevant at this point in terms of your survivability vs +3 mobs. Its entirely down to your secondary.

 

Well I surely missed out on that one (Heart of Darkness). Because that is an AoE from your position, I thought it was some sort of attack and I rarely casted it (currently level 32). But how am I supposed to cast it? I would have to be in the middle of the mob. Not as friendly as them in front and away from me (as "Psyonico" pointed out).

[TygerDarkstorm]

16 minutes ago, Diantane said:

 

Well I surely missed out on that one (Heart of Darkness). Because that is an AoE from your position, I thought it was some sort of attack and I rarely casted it (currently level 32). But how am I supposed to cast it? I would have to be in the middle of the mob. Not as friendly as them in front and away from me (as "Psyonico" pointed out).

It's called jousting, my dude. You jump in and out of a group of mobs as needed.

[Psyonico]

6 hours ago, TygerDarkstorm said:

It's called jousting, my dude. You jump in and out of a group of mobs as needed.

Alternately, since Fearsome Stare is up so regularly, cast that, then jump in and cast Heart of Darkness.