Ages ago I had a Dark/Dark Defender who was my first 50. I didn't heal much, but I had a lot of PvE CC and Debuff. This kind of support let others do their thing a lot better. My dps was not to the blaster level, neither was my debuff/cc up to a controller, but I filled a slot that worked well in both roles. Besides I had a lot of fun using Blackstar, Howling Twilight, and Twilight Grasp as a massive crowd control.
I had a 50 Dark/Dark long ago too. I remember the healing wasn't that bad with the summoed pet healing too. As long a the team stayed close. The early levels sucked though. You have to have a team.
My Force Field Defender Works better then my Empathy Defender when it comes to keeping my team alive, It feels like you're coming into this guide with a lot of Misconceptions.
Force Field / Duel Pistol is crazy strong with a great Tank. Sure we don't heal but my group never have to worry about healing. You really need to try FF on a Defender to comment on this dude.
Rad/Rad and Storm/Electric is my favorite defender and fire/rad is my favorite controller and favorite other than peace bringer without squid and rhino powers just blasting and shields.
I'd argue that Kinetics/Electric Blast is one of the strongest sets for defenders, as the enemies can't attack. It's the best end drain combo in the game besides Elec/Kin Controllers and Elec/Elec Dominators.
No Radiation Love. Rad Rad my favorite defender! Might not be great in PVP but PvE it rocks. Holds and Buff, Debuff and heals on emissions Everything a Defender could need and Rad Blasts are awesome with Cosmic Burst Disorienting your foe and Atomic blast putting holds out on mass.
(Pardon wall of text) I wish you wouldn't state the powers you think are "better," on other archetypes. With rare exceptions (usually villain class buffs) defenders do every buff/debuff better than the others. So comparing a MM with weaker dark miasma powers, but a bunch of pets is apples to oranges. Lot of rare combos in this game that rock. One reason a dark miasma defender is fantastic, is defenders do not get damage mitigation like a controller does (with all their mezzes), but Dark Miasma provides huge damage mitigation on a defender. (almost a "Soft mezz," even though blindness or high -to hit isn't a mezz in this game). It is similar to cc types from a different angle. My tricked out dark miasma defender, alone, will make AV's rarely hit anyone. I played a Miss Liberty Task Force the other day with new players. We had no one who could tank Recluse until I debuffed Recluse with my Dark Miasma def, and hovered above him. This coming from a Dominator/Controller altaholic and Dark miasma on several of my MM's. With rare exceptions, all buffs and debuffs are best on defenders. So they do darkest night and shadow fall better than the MM's and Trollers for your team. You also get that aoe heal anchored off a villain, but healing around you with -regen and -to hit off your enemy anchor heal thats better on the defender.
While it is true that all buff and debuff values are highest on a Defender, the point he is making in most cases is that many skills, or types of buffs/debuffs, have hard or soft caps. Hard caps are when you literally cannot go any higher/lower, and soft caps mean you hit a point of diminishing returns to where it's typically not worth investing further. For example, recovery caps at 12.51%/second on the highest scaling classes, regeneration at 3,000%, recharge rate at 400%, to-hit chance can never be dropped to less than 5% nor higher than 95%, etc. When these caps can be hit by other classes, or when teammates have min/maxed bonuses to the point that other classes can still push them to caps, there's literally no benefit to the extra buff/debuff values from being a Defender. At that point those other classes are now matching the Defender in its own area while also excelling in other areas that a Defender can never compete with. So yes, while the combos can certainly be powerful if playing with new or less optimized players, but those benefits are going to massively diminish at higher levels of play if the bonuses you are providing are already capped out and you're not backing it up with competitive damage.
are there actually people in pvp zones or arena on indomitable? I have meant to check but the population always seems low when I am online, I play mostly on torchbearer and have never found anyone in a zone and only the occasional arena match. Thinking now I should maybe start making a bane spider for over there
Hey Jimmy thank for the UA-cam content get job. I'm trying to get more knowledge of pvp builds or just build in general, where can I go to look at builds?
If you join my discord, I have a channel with manifests to all of the alternative servers discord. There are build channels there that I’m sure can help you out.
I always try to mention PvP where I think it could apply. Most power combinations work in PvE aside from specific builds like AE Farming, soloing, exemping to low level task forces. But PvP has a growing community that I want to also support. Going forward my videos are going to be more specific and directive with the information provided so they are accessible for everyone (even pre-level 50!)
Most characters end up with max stats. The best use of a defender is by enhancing the debuff effects with power sets like Storm and Dark. Water blast and dark blast secondary sets have self heals.
Those are good. Dark attack is one of the only heals for a Dominator, too. Another heal option for defenders is sonic attack with Sandman chance for heal in Siren's song. Recharge is fast and you can spam a ranged cone that damages a mob/sleeps it/ and heals you. The defender chance for aoe heal and chance for aoe absorb are decent to slot in fast recharging aoe powers to get some more supplemental team heal/absorb for defender sets that don't have heals. And defenders get some of the highest boosts to the leadership powers. I max tactics and maneuvers for the team on all my defenders.
Just a heads up - you say Archery is a bit more powerful because it has no redraw which isn't what it was designed with in mind. This isn't true - testing has shown that redraw doesn't actually affect animation time. Powers with redraw secretly remove animation lag from the end of your attack if you needed to redraw your weapon, so it doesn't actually slow you down overall. The attack affected by redraw will come out slightly later, the overall animation time will remain the same.
Is it possible to make Rune of protection permanent? I skipped it and went for Indomitable on my controller because of the 4 minute difference in recharge and I have that permanently now. But it doesn't look as strong as Rune although it's pretty nice against all the high level psionic content
I mean no disrespect ...your channel, your content...you do you. However, say I am new to the game (for example) or at the very least have forgotten much as a returning player. You show the build as you know it (as I am sure you do), but I am like what is that set and left going well that wasn't very informative at all. Not as bad as saying hey folks slap in some stuff and things knowing what those stuff and things are, but a close second lol. Maybe post these builds you find/have so folks can pick it apart a lil more in depth, or cover everything a lil more detailed like. Maybe both? Just food for thought. -cheers P.s. I know you never claimed your videos as guides...but atm there are not a lot of build guides out there and your content kinda acts as such. P.p.s. wrote the above before hitting the 21 minute mark lol. In fairness you do mention where ya got the info from. Kudos!
Lol soon as I heard " you don't get a heal, which is kind of why you're there" which is why you're there lol I stopped watching xD City of heroes doesn't need a healer/tank like most games. You can literally run through content with blasters as a tank and controllers as "healers". Defenders are SUPPORT not healers lol. Support can be anything.
If you actually listened a bit further you would realized his suggestions were pvp focused on like 2v2s and stuff where you are better putting those support builds on corrupters or masterminds... Obviously in PvE support the higher values and larger teams with less focused damage and control changes things, title could be more clear though I suppose
Ages ago I had a Dark/Dark Defender who was my first 50. I didn't heal much, but I had a lot of PvE CC and Debuff. This kind of support let others do their thing a lot better. My dps was not to the blaster level, neither was my debuff/cc up to a controller, but I filled a slot that worked well in both roles. Besides I had a lot of fun using Blackstar, Howling Twilight, and Twilight Grasp as a massive crowd control.
I had a 50 Dark/Dark long ago too. I remember the healing wasn't that bad with the summoed pet healing too. As long a the team stayed close. The early levels sucked though. You have to have a team.
My Force Field Defender Works better then my Empathy Defender when it comes to keeping my team alive, It feels like you're coming into this guide with a lot of Misconceptions.
Cold/sonic is one of the best defender builds in the game. To dismiss Cold due to lack of heals is kinda ignorant.
Poison/sonic too and skipping the healing/buffs from poison is smart imo.
Force Field / Duel Pistol is crazy strong with a great Tank. Sure we don't heal but my group never have to worry about healing. You really need to try FF on a Defender to comment on this dude.
I have a L31 Archery/RadEm Defender. She s pretty fun so far.
Rad/Rad and Storm/Electric is my favorite defender and fire/rad is my favorite controller and favorite other than peace bringer without squid and rhino powers just blasting and shields.
My first defender and 2nd lvl 50 was empathy and energy
I'd argue that Kinetics/Electric Blast is one of the strongest sets for defenders, as the enemies can't attack. It's the best end drain combo in the game besides Elec/Kin Controllers and Elec/Elec Dominators.
Defenders DON'T have to be healers! WTH?!?!?
No Radiation Love.
Rad Rad my favorite defender!
Might not be great in PVP but PvE it rocks.
Holds and Buff, Debuff and heals on emissions
Everything a Defender could need
and Rad Blasts are awesome with Cosmic Burst Disorienting your foe and
Atomic blast putting holds out on mass.
Great option. Rad/rad Defenders feels weak to me, early game, but mid and late game they are aoe beasts, especially on teams.
(Pardon wall of text)
I wish you wouldn't state the powers you think are "better," on other archetypes. With rare exceptions (usually villain class buffs) defenders do every buff/debuff better than the others. So comparing a MM with weaker dark miasma powers, but a bunch of pets is apples to oranges. Lot of rare combos in this game that rock.
One reason a dark miasma defender is fantastic, is defenders do not get damage mitigation like a controller does (with all their mezzes), but Dark Miasma provides huge damage mitigation on a defender. (almost a "Soft mezz," even though blindness or high -to hit isn't a mezz in this game). It is similar to cc types from a different angle. My tricked out dark miasma defender, alone, will make AV's rarely hit anyone. I played a Miss Liberty Task Force the other day with new players. We had no one who could tank Recluse until I debuffed Recluse with my Dark Miasma def, and hovered above him.
This coming from a Dominator/Controller altaholic and Dark miasma on several of my MM's. With rare exceptions, all buffs and debuffs are best on defenders. So they do darkest night and shadow fall better than the MM's and Trollers for your team.
You also get that aoe heal anchored off a villain, but healing around you with -regen and -to hit off your enemy anchor heal thats better on the defender.
While it is true that all buff and debuff values are highest on a Defender, the point he is making in most cases is that many skills, or types of buffs/debuffs, have hard or soft caps. Hard caps are when you literally cannot go any higher/lower, and soft caps mean you hit a point of diminishing returns to where it's typically not worth investing further. For example, recovery caps at 12.51%/second on the highest scaling classes, regeneration at 3,000%, recharge rate at 400%, to-hit chance can never be dropped to less than 5% nor higher than 95%, etc.
When these caps can be hit by other classes, or when teammates have min/maxed bonuses to the point that other classes can still push them to caps, there's literally no benefit to the extra buff/debuff values from being a Defender. At that point those other classes are now matching the Defender in its own area while also excelling in other areas that a Defender can never compete with.
So yes, while the combos can certainly be powerful if playing with new or less optimized players, but those benefits are going to massively diminish at higher levels of play if the bonuses you are providing are already capped out and you're not backing it up with competitive damage.
A lot of the advice here is just not correct. :( A lot of the sets your saying are bad are actually best on a defender.
are there actually people in pvp zones or arena on indomitable? I have meant to check but the population always seems low when I am online, I play mostly on torchbearer and have never found anyone in a zone and only the occasional arena match. Thinking now I should maybe start making a bane spider for over there
Hey Jimmy thank for the UA-cam content get job. I'm trying to get more knowledge of pvp builds or just build in general, where can I go to look at builds?
If you join my discord, I have a channel with manifests to all of the alternative servers discord. There are build channels there that I’m sure can help you out.
Your guides are very PvP-centric. Is that your main focus for your CoX content?
I always try to mention PvP where I think it could apply. Most power combinations work in PvE aside from specific builds like AE Farming, soloing, exemping to low level task forces. But PvP has a growing community that I want to also support. Going forward my videos are going to be more specific and directive with the information provided so they are accessible for everyone (even pre-level 50!)
Most characters end up with max stats. The best use of a defender is by enhancing the debuff effects with power sets like Storm and Dark.
Water blast and dark blast secondary sets have self heals.
Those are good. Dark attack is one of the only heals for a Dominator, too.
Another heal option for defenders is sonic attack with Sandman chance for heal in Siren's song. Recharge is fast and you can spam a ranged cone that damages a mob/sleeps it/ and heals you.
The defender chance for aoe heal and chance for aoe absorb are decent to slot in fast recharging aoe powers to get some more supplemental team heal/absorb for defender sets that don't have heals.
And defenders get some of the highest boosts to the leadership powers. I max tactics and maneuvers for the team on all my defenders.
Why is Kinetics not good again?
Kinetics is awesome for any decent player, any mission, anytime day or night. =D
Just a heads up - you say Archery is a bit more powerful because it has no redraw which isn't what it was designed with in mind. This isn't true - testing has shown that redraw doesn't actually affect animation time. Powers with redraw secretly remove animation lag from the end of your attack if you needed to redraw your weapon, so it doesn't actually slow you down overall. The attack affected by redraw will come out slightly later, the overall animation time will remain the same.
Is it possible to make Rune of protection permanent? I skipped it and went for Indomitable on my controller because of the 4 minute difference in recharge and I have that permanently now. But it doesn't look as strong as Rune although it's pretty nice against all the high level psionic content
I mean no disrespect ...your channel, your content...you do you. However, say I am new to the game (for example) or at the very least have forgotten much as a returning player.
You show the build as you know it (as I am sure you do), but I am like what is that set and left going well that wasn't very informative at all. Not as bad as saying hey folks slap in some stuff and things knowing what those stuff and things are, but a close second lol.
Maybe post these builds you find/have so folks can pick it apart a lil more in depth, or cover everything a lil more detailed like. Maybe both? Just food for thought.
-cheers
P.s. I know you never claimed your videos as guides...but atm there are not a lot of build guides out there and your content kinda acts as such.
P.p.s. wrote the above before hitting the 21 minute mark lol. In fairness you do mention where ya got the info from. Kudos!
Lol soon as I heard " you don't get a heal, which is kind of why you're there" which is why you're there lol I stopped watching xD
City of heroes doesn't need a healer/tank like most games. You can literally run through content with blasters as a tank and controllers as "healers". Defenders are SUPPORT not healers lol. Support can be anything.
If you actually listened a bit further you would realized his suggestions were pvp focused on like 2v2s and stuff where you are better putting those support builds on corrupters or masterminds... Obviously in PvE support the higher values and larger teams with less focused damage and control changes things, title could be more clear though I suppose