Implement MM on-summon buffs to prevent pet deathloops.

[Shin Magmus]

   I completed the the new Zoe Langston TF on Advanced Mode, blind, 2-man with my friend as usual.  Since MMs have been "buffed" in this patch I decided to do it with my MM.  We did finish, but the entire TF is incredibly anti-MM and the last mission in particular has the most forced, unavoidable, autohit, wide-ranging AoE dmg I think I've ever seen in this game; It is overwhelmingly anti-MM.  This highlights a significant problem, because while you can theoretically be allowed to play the game while maintaining perfect uptime on 90% Res buffs and supported by tons of Regen buffs and heals, the instant a pet dies once you are no longer allowed to play.  There is no safe area, no gap, no time to realistically resummon a pet and be able to apply your Upgrade Powers and any other buffs to the pets before they die again.  This is the MM pet deathloop.

 

   The MM pet deathloop can occur in other content, but it's never been as prevalent and completely unbeatable as it is in the Zoe Langston TF.  I'm not exaggerating for comedic effect, it's "literally unplayable" unless you run away from the encounter and summon somewhere else, far from your team and the actual battle.  You can try to teleport back to your team and perfectly time some Barriers + Wild Growth + World of Pain etc. and maybe your pets won't die in less than 2 seconds, maybe... big maybe.  So, since this last update started to address MM issues, I would like to make a suggestion for further improvements.

 

Holy Mission: To Defeat the evils of Mastermind Pet Deathloops

   All MM Henchmen should have a buff on summon that works like a hyper-condensed version of Barrier Destiny, with short-lived depreciating buffs.  The purpose of this power is to give any MM player just enough time to cast 3-4 powers on their MM reliably: both Upgrade Powers and then either some shields/buffs in their secondary (Deflection Shield) or Barrier Destiny.  The detailed information of this power is below:

 

"TENACITY"

   Henchmen are the strength of the Mastermind, and cannot be so easily defeated.  We get knocked down, we get back up again.

+18% Damage Resistance (All) / +9% Defense (All), unresistable, for 3 seconds (90% / 45%)

+18% Damage Resistance (All) / +9% Defense (All), unresistable, for 4 seconds (72% / 36%)

+18% Damage Resistance (All) / +9% Defense (All), unresistable, for 5 seconds (54% / 27%)

+18% Damage Resistance (All) / +9% Defense (All), unresistable, for 6 seconds (36% / 18%)

+18% Damage Resistance (All) / +9% Defense (All), unresistable, for 7 seconds (18% / 9%)

 

🙂 Being allowed to play the game is much more fun than not being allowed to play the game.🙂

 

 

[Bionic_Flea]

56 minutes ago, Shin Magmus said:

We get knocked down, we get back up again.

 

I approve, but only if we call the power Chumbawumba.

 

Also, there seems to be a logical inconsistency in your post.  You stated that you completed the ZTF on an MM with only one other person and later stated that the MM deathloop makes the ZTF completely unbeatable.

[Shin Magmus]

59 minutes ago, Bionic_Flea said:

 

I approve, but only if we call the power Chumbawumba.

 

Also, there seems to be a logical inconsistency in your post.  You stated that you completed the ZTF on an MM with only one other person and later stated that the MM deathloop makes the ZTF completely unbeatable.

   My friend solo'd the final fight on his Brute while I did nothing but give him World of Pain and Painbringer.  We are strong players, even with my character neutered and almost completely ineffective, he was more than capable of defeating the multiple Nemesis AVs.

[golstat2003]

Agree with this suggestion. 
 

I’ve never been in favor of newer content made in a way that neuters entire ATs.

 

Single mission changes to make powers like confuse less effective in certain encounters to avoid one player cheesing an entire encounter/TF? Fine, makes sense for obvious reasons.

 

Entire ATs being made ineffective? No, no thanks.

 

This suggestion seems like a good idea if the encounter makers want to keep having things like unavoidable zone wide death traps and the sort. LOL

[nyttyn]

Yeah, I fully agree pets need some way to be immune for a bit while being raised, make upgrades automatic, or even both. There's nothing you can really do when you're stuck in the failure vortex. 

 

The task force kind of invalidates stuff in general, I did it in a trio with two friends and the fact that I brought a tanker was totally moot since the TF was full of auto-hit stuff or attacks that completely ignored aggro or did a massive AoE. 

 

Really poorly designed TF. 

[arcane]

Can’t say that “was trying to duo advanced mode content” was the best way to start making a case. I don’t know that anyone should reasonably expect success under those conditions. That said the proposed idea might still be a good one.

[Captain Fabulous]

Patience, young padawan.

[Shin Magmus]

1 hour ago, Captain Fabulous said:

Patience, young padawan.

   While we wait, an AT is relegated to being a useless sack of shit: a half-strength Defender with no attacks.  But it's okay because MMs are "strong" on really easy content that presented no challenge, and we can't buff them too much or they might be OP on easy content.

[Captain Fabulous]

28 minutes ago, Shin Magmus said:

   While we wait, an AT is relegated to being a useless sack of shit: a half-strength Defender with no attacks.  But it's okay because MMs are "strong" on really easy content that presented no challenge, and we can't buff them too much or they might be OP on easy content.

Hyperbole much? Settle down Beavis.

[srmalloy]

6 hours ago, Shin Magmus said:

We get knocked down, we get back up again.

So you're Weebles, then...

[Arbegla]

On 11/29/2025 at 11:05 AM, Captain Fabulous said:

Patience, young padawan.

I'll second this but also add that I solo'ed the ZTF on my bot/traps MM and while it wasn't in advanced mode, I was able to complete it in a pretty decent time (about 2 hours) and that's with clearing all of the maps and looking for hidden easter eggs (also reading each of the new mobs 'About' sections because I like new stuff) 

 

I did not experience any deaths until the last mission, where there is a LOT of AoE from long range snipers in hard to reach areas. This seems intended and I loved the use of actual 'Sniper' mobs being placed in hard to reach areas as it really leveraged their AI. I think I died a total of 4 times, but one of them was due to the 'CRUNCH' cuz I just walked off the edge without thinking about it. I did notice the pets are immune to CRUNCH already which is a nice bonus.

[Ghost]

It's a wonder anyone still plays this game.

I think every last AT and powerset has been declared "completely useless" at least once.

🤔