Ill/Time advice?

[Jit_]

Hey guys. This is my first crack at any sort of theorycrafting or high level building. Ultimately I'd like to be able to take this build and use it to solo high level content.

 

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.962

http://www.cohplanner.com/

 

Click this DataLink to open the build!

 

Esprit 50: Level 50 Magic Controller

Primary Power Set: Illusion Control

Secondary Power Set: Time Manipulation

Power Pool: Sorcery

Power Pool: Leadership

Power Pool: Speed

Ancillary Pool: Primal Forces Mastery

 

Hero Profile:

Level 1: Blind

• (A) Unbreakable Constraint - Hold
  
• (3) Unbreakable Constraint - Hold/Recharge
  
• (5) Unbreakable Constraint - Accuracy/Hold/Recharge
  
• (9) Unbreakable Constraint - Accuracy/Recharge
  
• (13) Unbreakable Constraint - Endurance/Hold
  
• (15) Unbreakable Constraint - Chance for Smashing Damage
  

Level 1: Time Crawl

• (A) Tempered Readiness - Accuracy/Slow
  
• (3) Tempered Readiness - Range/Slow
  
• (5) Tempered Readiness - Accuracy/Damage/Slow
  
• (15) Tempered Readiness - Accuracy/Endurance
  
• (31) Tempered Readiness - Endurance/Recharge/Slow
  

Level 2: Deceive

• (A) Accuracy IO
  

Level 4: Mystic Flight

• (A) Flight Speed IO
  

Level 6: Flash

• (A) Superior Will of the Controller - Accuracy/Confused/Hold/Immobilize/Sleep/Stun/Terrorized
  
• (7) Superior Will of the Controller - Confused/Hold/Immobilize/Sleep/Stun/Terrorized/Recharge
  
• (7) Superior Will of the Controller - Endurance/Recharge
  
• (17) Superior Will of the Controller - Accuracy/Confused/Hold/Immobilize/Sleep/Stun/Terrorized/Endurance
  
• (23) Superior Will of the Controller - Accuracy/Confused/Hold/Immobilize/Sleep/Stun/Terrorized/Endurance/Recharge
  
• (31) Superior Will of the Controller - Recharge/Chance for Psionic Damage
  

Level 8: Superior Invisibility

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
  
• (9) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  

Level 10: Time's Juncture

• (A) Pacing of the Turtle - Accuracy/Slow
  
• (11) Pacing of the Turtle - Damage/Slow
  
• (11) Pacing of the Turtle - Accuracy/Endurance
  
• (40) Pacing of the Turtle - Range/Slow
  
• (42) Pacing of the Turtle - Endurance/Recharge/Slow
  
• (46) Pacing of the Turtle - Chance of -Recharge
  

Level 12: Temporal Selection

• (A) Panacea - Endurance/Recharge
  
• (13) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance
  

Level 14: Arcane Bolt

• (A) Accuracy IO
  

Level 16: Distortion Field

• (A) Tempered Readiness - Endurance/Recharge/Slow
  
• (17) Tempered Readiness - Accuracy/Slow
  
• (37) Tempered Readiness - Accuracy/Damage/Slow
  
• (46) Tempered Readiness - Range/Slow
  
• (48) Tempered Readiness - Damage/Slow
  

Level 18: Phantom Army

• (A) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Recharge
  
• (19) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage
  
• (19) Expedient Reinforcement - Damage/Endurance
  
• (25) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  
• (34) Expedient Reinforcement - Endurance/Damage/Recharge
  
• (34) Expedient Reinforcement - Resist Bonus Aura for Pets
  

Level 20: Time Stop

• (A) Superior Overpowering Presence - Accuracy/Confused/Hold/Immobilized/Sleep/Stunned/Terrorized
  
• (21) Superior Overpowering Presence - Confused/Hold/Immobilized/Sleep/Stunned/Terrorized/RechargeTime
  
• (21) Superior Overpowering Presence - Endurance/RechargeTime
  
• (36) Superior Overpowering Presence - Accuracy/Confused/Hold/Immobilized/Sleep/Stunned/Terrorized/Endurance
  
• (37) Superior Overpowering Presence - Accuracy/Confused/Hold/Immobilized/Sleep/Stunned/Terrorized/Endurance/RechargeTime
  
• (45) Superior Overpowering Presence - RechargeTime/Energy Font
  

Level 22: Assault

• (A) Endurance Reduction IO
  
• (23) Endurance Reduction IO
  

Level 24: Hasten

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  
• (25) Recharge Reduction IO
  
• (43) Recharge Reduction IO
  

Level 26: Spectral Terror

• (A) Nightmare - Endurance/Fear
  
• (27) Nightmare - Accuracy/Fear
  
• (27) Nightmare - Fear/Range
  

Level 28: Farsight

• (A) Reactive Defenses - Defense
  
• (29) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance
  
• (29) Reactive Defenses - Endurance/RechargeTime
  
• (40) Reactive Defenses - Defense/RechargeTime
  
• (40) Reactive Defenses - Defense/Endurance/RechargeTime
  
• (46) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage
  

Level 30: Tactics

• (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff
  
• (31) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance
  
• (43) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 32: Phantasm

• (A) Soulbound Allegiance - Damage
  
• (33) Soulbound Allegiance - Damage/Recharge
  
• (33) Soulbound Allegiance - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  
• (33) Soulbound Allegiance - Accuracy/Recharge
  
• (34) Soulbound Allegiance - Damage/Endurance
  
• (48) Soulbound Allegiance - Chance for Build Up
  

Level 35: Slowed Response

• (A) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Defense Debuff
  
• (36) Analyze Weakness - Defense Debuff/Endurance/Recharge
  
• (36) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Recharge
  
• (50) Analyze Weakness - Defense Debuff
  

Level 38: Chrono Shift

• (A) Preventive Medicine - Heal
  
• (39) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance
  
• (39) Preventive Medicine - Endurance/RechargeTime
  
• (39) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime
  
• (43) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance
  
• (48) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb
  

Level 41: Conserve Power

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  
• (42) Recharge Reduction IO
  
• (42) Recharge Reduction IO
  

Level 44: Rune of Protection

• (A) Aegis - Resistance/Recharge
  
• (45) Aegis - Endurance/Recharge
  
• (45) Aegis - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 47: Power Blast

• (A) Accuracy IO
  

Level 49: Power Boost

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  
• (50) Recharge Reduction IO
  
• (50) Recharge Reduction IO
  

Level 1: Brawl

• (A) Empty
  

Level 1: Containment

Level 1: Prestige Power Dash

• (A) Run Speed IO
  

Level 1: Prestige Power Slide

• (A) Empty
  

Level 1: Prestige Power Quick

• (A) Empty
  

Level 1: Prestige Power Rush

• (A) Empty
  

Level 1: Prestige Power Surge

• (A) Empty
  

Level 1: Sprint

• (A) Empty
  

Level 2: Rest

• (A) Empty
  

Level 4: Ninja Run

Level 2: Swift

• (A) Run Speed IO
  

Level 2: Health

• (A) Healing IO
  

Level 2: Hurdle

• (A) Jumping IO
  

Level 2: Stamina

• (A) Performance Shifter - EndMod
  
• (37) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
  

------------

------------

Set Bonus Totals:

• 16% DamageBuff(Smashing)
  
• 16% DamageBuff(Lethal)
  
• 16% DamageBuff(Fire)
  
• 16% DamageBuff(Cold)
  
• 16% DamageBuff(Energy)
  
• 16% DamageBuff(Negative)
  
• 16% DamageBuff(Toxic)
  
• 16% DamageBuff(Psionic)
  
• 3.13% Defense(Fire)
  
• 3.13% Defense(Cold)
  
• 12.5% Defense(Energy)
  
• 12.5% Defense(Negative)
  
• 5% Defense(Psionic)
  
• 14.69% Defense(Ranged)
  
• 1.56% Defense(AoE)
  
• 1.8% Max End
  
• 8% Enhancement(Held)
  
• 7.5% Enhancement(Max EnduranceDiscount)
  
• 8% Enhancement(Confused)
  
• 8% Enhancement(Stunned)
  
• 10.45% Enhancement(Terrorized)
  
• 39% Enhancement(Accuracy)
  
• 16% Enhancement(Sleep)
  
• 5.5% Enhancement(SpeedRunning)
  
• 16% Enhancement(Immobilized)
  
• 51.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
  
• 5.5% Enhancement(JumpHeight)
  
• 5.5% Enhancement(SpeedJumping)
  
• 5.5% Enhancement(SpeedFlying)
  
• 15% SpeedFlying
  
• GrantPower Preventive Medicine (10% chance, if Scourge)
  
• 99.19 HP (9.75%) HitPoints
  
• 15% JumpHeight
  
• 15% SpeedJumping
  
• MezResist(Confused) 77.5%
  
• MezResist(Held) 77.5%
  
• MezResist(Immobilized) 77.5%
  
• MezResist(Sleep) 77.5%
  
• MezResist(Stunned) 77.5%
  
• MezResist(Terrorized) 77.5%
  
• 13.5% (0.23 End/sec) Recovery
  
• 46% (1.95 HP/sec) Regeneration
  
• 19.75% Resistance(Smashing)
  
• 19.75% Resistance(Lethal)
  
• 22% Resistance(Fire)
  
• 22% Resistance(Cold)
  
• 20.5% Resistance(Energy)
  
• 20.5% Resistance(Negative)
  
• 24.25% Resistance(Toxic)
  
• 24.25% Resistance(Psionic)
  
• 0% Resistance(Smashing)
  
• 0% Resistance(Lethal)
  
• 0% Resistance(Fire)
  
• 0% Resistance(Cold)
  
• 0% Resistance(Energy)
  
• 0% Resistance(Negative)
  
• 0% Resistance(Toxic)
  
• 0% Resistance(Psionic)
  
• 15% SpeedRunning
  

 

 

 

 

 

The major idea behind the build is that, between Hasten and Chrono Shift together, I can more or less have both of them up permanently barring some seconds long gaps, and with both of those in play, I can have Conserve Power up at least half the time, effectively getting rid of almost all of my endurance issues. (Whether that's overkill or not, I have no idea.) I've got Rune of Protection up half the time for damage mitigation, Farsight up permanently for the defense buff (even stacking if it works that way, although I can't remember off the top of my head and don't think it does).

 

My major concerns are whether I have enough defense, as I'm more or less operating on just Superior Invis and Farsight, and whether I have enough damage with only Phantasm and Phantom Army being real damage dealers. Again, since this is the first time I've done something like this and I'm not familiar with the math, I have no idea if I've gone completely overkill with the Hasten/Chrono Shift/Conserve Power synergy and compromised my effectiveness elsewhere as a result.

 

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

 

 

[RandomGnome]

Hey there I am running an Electric/Time build and have even posted trying to get advice for my build as well, so I may not be the best advice.

 

I would say you could drop the slow from Time's Juncture since all it does is enhance the movement slow not the recharge debuff and instead change it to Dark Watcher Set for -ToHit. This set also grants some extra Recharge to lower Conserve Powers CD.

 

The same goes for Distortion Field's slow so you can either drop the slots from that and put them other places or someone mentioned in my thread about loading Distortion Field with procs for Damage and Hold to make it do some AoE Damage.

 

Finally the Time Crawl Slow has the same problem as above in as far as I can tell it only increases the movement slow which Distortion Field would be better for this so if you wanted to keep the slows in Distortion Field with no Immobilize from Illusion you can take the slots here and find a place to put them if possible. You can 5 slot Deceive with Coercive Persuasion gaining another 10% Recharge.

 

If you can add another slot to Superior Invis or was willing to lose some Def you could add the Unique 7.5% Global Recharge from Luck of the Gambler for some more recharge.

 

I was able to get Conserve Power down to 120s Recharge, but even if I add more recharge it will not go lower so I am assuming you can't get it lower.

 

Also keep in mind when you get to 50 there are Incarnate Powers that give Recharge. Alpha slot has Spiritual Core Paragon that gives recharge, but that means not getting the Hold Boost power. Destiny slot has Ageless Core Epiphany which is a click that has a 120s Duration and 120 CD that gives group +End +Recharge so that would also help.

 

Edit: Forgot to mention that with enough Recharge you don't even need to 3 slot Hasten to get Perma. Granted that takes a lot so thats a long term goal. Also if you want damage you could easily swap Deceive for Spectral Wounds. Even though it heals it still does pretty good damage.

[Erydanus]

I saw your original request for advice and wanted to respond but just didn't have a chance.

 

The issue is that I'm completely unfamiliar with Time but soloed an Illusion/Empathy controller to 50 (I don't recommend doing that).

 

I don't really feel like I'm in a position to give you too much advice on this build, but I can see a couple issues.

 

First is, some of your slotting looks like it's more about the set bonus than how you're enhancing the power, and that's a rabbit hole you want to be very thoughtful of. Sometimes you can enhance a power for some parameter, but doing so is almost worthless. As RandomGnome pointed out, Slow (snare) is enhancing movement speed debuff not recharge. Sometimes it would be a lot better to just stick in some endurance reduction and recharge in powers like that than go down the garden path. Similarly Superior Invisibility (which I recall being a bit of an end hog; oh yeah the i23 mids says its cost is 1.04 end/sec; for comparison "expensive" toggles like Darkest Night cost .52 end/s!) could probably benefit more from just having end reduction slotted in there.

 

Speaking of just shoving some basic IOs in strategically (Hasten I'm looking at you) keep in mind that at level 50 IOs are worth  42.4% so 2-slotting something with 50s gets you 83.32% enhancement post-ED. So some things that you might reflexively think need to e 3 slotted like hasten, stamina, flight speed, etc., can often just be given 2 slots if you're using 50s.

 

I don't think you should put Superior Will of the Controller in your AoE hold with a base 4 minute cooldown. The psionic damage proc is going to go to waste. Put it in your single target hold. Unfortunately Mids doesn't hae the full set so I can't actually judge if the numbers are good. But keep in mind that controller AoE holds got nerfed a long time ago, their recharge was doubled and their accuracy dropped to 60% from baseline 75% (single target holds are 90% accurate though). The upshot of this is that the ideal slotting for one of them would be 2 acc, 3 recharge, 3 hold if using SOs -- and that is NOT the pattern that every hold sets use. I just checked and Lockdown would be perfect for an AoE hold, at 50 you'd get 71% acc, 39% end, 89% recharge, 89% hold, plus room for a proc, chance of +2 mag hold.

 

Rune of protection has such a long cooldown I'm impressed you say you've got it to 50% uptime. However, you don't really need it for damage protection, you need it for the mez protection. I think you should work it into your build earlier - you can delay the leadership buffs to get it. Also, with only a single slot in arcane bolt I guess you don't plan to actually attack with it much. You might want to get mystic shield instead, at least you can slap it on your phantasm or your team's tank for a bonus protection. (If it were me I'd just stick 3 recharges into rune. Maybe 2 level 50 recharges and also the lowest level Steadfast Protection -knockback protection IO you can find.) If you really wanted actual damage protection because of the general toughness of high level stuff, then Temp Invulnerability is right there in your epic pool as clearly you're taking power blast as filler. Overall it's much better to have a good balanced (endurance) build than an overloaded one that relies on you pulling a trick (conserve power) to keep going. Things like Conserve Power are in epic pools not so much to fix builds as to compensate you for using high level end hog powers like Fallout, or for being attacked my Malta Sappers who drain endurance like crazy and shut you down that way.

 

Anyway good luck and have fun!

 

 

[Jit_]

Thanks for all the input!

 

I think I'm going to swap Deceive for Spectral Wounds, swap Arcane Bolt for Spirit Ward, and have a pretty big rethink about how I'm slotting. I'll report back when I think I have something workable. Thanks again!

[Riverdusk]

Most important long term goal in an illusion build in my experience is getting enough recharge to get phantom army up full time or very close to it at least.  They pretty much take care of both your damage and defense for you (as they are very good at keeping the mobs attention with a built in taunt effect).  You'll be able to solo any high level content you want at that point including any AV I ever tried.  My experience was with both illusion/rad and illusion/dark.  /time from what I can see is just as powerful and should make the recharge goal even easier.

[Phlarekat]

Here's a few pointers, since Ill/Time was my main before shutdown, way back when.  I'm also kind of rusty on some knowledge, so take this with a grain of salt. ^^

 

For controllers, especially Ill/, Time's Juncture is skippable.  I don't like being in melee range - that's what PA is there for!  TJ works better on AT's that want to be in close, like /Time Mastermind...where you defense up and play Tankermind while your pets of choice do work.

 

Flash is both endurance heavy and really disappointing at low levels.  Doesn't proc like you need it to, and the recharge time is long.  I do recommend taking it because it's both useful and a good place to put a Basilisk's Gaze 4-set, but it can be put off into your 20's.  I personally take it at 30, because in the mid-levels Distortion Field + Time Stop + Time Crawl are putting in the heavy control work.

 

Don't underestimate your damage, or look at 'spectral damage' that heals back and be put off by it.  I don't see Spectral Wounds in the build, and bumping up Flash to later levels makes room for SW and lets you keep Deceive, which is an underrated and really good power.

 

Leadership doesn't feel all that necessary, and taking Sorcery earlier in the build will only help you out.  Mystic Flight for mobility and teleport, and Arcane Bolt gives you a solid ST rotation in Blind > SW > [blast] > SW.  Before Sorcery was a thing, this rotation didn't happen until you got into ancillary pools.  I recommend either fire or ice ancil pools over leadership.  Psi is alright but doesn't give you a different damage type - robots and psi-resistant enemies will give you problems.  And earth's blast is way too slow.

 

Ill/ shines best when you get a boatload of recharge to where PA comes off cooldown before it's over, or very shortly after.  Basilisk's Gaze 4-piece IO sets fit very well into four of your powers:  Blind, Time Stop, Distortion Field, and Flash.  LOTG recharge can fit in Superior Invis, your ancil defensive power, and in good 'mule' powers like Hover and Combat Jumping.  Expedient Reinforcement 4-piece works right into your pet powers of PA and Spectral Terror. 

 

I've found that the Performance Shifter four-piece in Stamina worked fine in dealing with endurance issues from all of the above.  +End, EndMod, End/Acc, and End/Rech.

 

Lastly, a disclaimer.  These are just all tips in general.  If they don't work out, thematically, there's definitely ways to make your picks work.  Hope this helps!