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06-22-2010, 04:18 PM
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Vanguard
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Combat and Powers Forum
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Framework Summaries: A Guide to Power Synergies
This Thread a response to the multitude of threads started by newer players looking to learn and understand this game. Champions Online, unlike any other MMO has a totally independent, classless system with virtually unlimited possibilities available for character creation. Having so many options opens up so many doors for making unique builds, allowing you to work functionally in a multitude of circumstances. The traditional MMO style of having to choose if you are survivable, have good damage or are able to support your team can be thrown completely out the window as you blur the lines that separate them, building your character to be able to do varying levels of all three. Instead of focusing strictly on one of the typical roles of MMOs, you can delicately balance your survivability, damage, energy efficiency and support abilities until you have a character that fits both the concept in your mind and plays the way you want to play. Virtually any framework can do any of these jobs, but some do better at certain roles than others. Really, the ways to play Champions Online are virtually limitless..
However, with all this customization, and the ability to pick and choose as you wish, the complexity that this allows also creates a steep learning curve. So many options available means there are many combinations that can leave your character underperforming, weak, subpar, or at worst, almost unplayable. These kinds of combinations are where many new players can get caught up, not understanding exactly how the game's synergies work, and what is effective vs what is not. That being said, there are a plethora of small tweaks that can be done to virtually any build and turn any concept form subpar into a well-oiled machine. But how do you avoid these pitfalls? How do you make a character that both fits the concept in your mind and is a viable build for playing the game? The answer is synergies. Every framework in the game has them. Some have a variety of synergies, that can all work together. Some frameworks all base around a single synergy, and every power in the set helps to improve the capabilities of this one quirk. Some have synergies that allow you to capitalize on the effects of powers from other frameworks. Regardless of what they do or how they do it, they are there, it's just a mater of finding them. And that is why this guide exists; to help new players in removing the margin for error in building their characters' powers, and to help teach how synergies work, and to hopefully open your mind to discovering even more. In this guide, I will cover every single Framework in the game, as well as explain how the synergies of each work. Also included are the Key and Secondary Powers to make the set viable, Super Stat combination that compliment the synergies of the framework, and even suggested OOF (Out-of-Framework) Powers that can help to fill in the gaps and weakness the build may have. I've also included a section for building your talents to be most effective with your particular build. This guide will not tell you how to build your toon specifically. Instead, it help you to see how it is possible to make a potent and viable build from any framework in the game, and to help you learn to find and identify the synergies that exist in Champions Online. Index: Framework Summaries
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Having problems soloing? Need Advice on how to build? Just want to learn the syergies that make combat more interesting? Guide to All Frameworks in the Game and how to make them Effective: Here Quote:
Last edited by WillBlack : 07-06-2010 at 10:07 AM. |
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06-22-2010, 04:19 PM
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#2 | |
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Vanguard
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Combat and Powers Forum
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Framework Summaries - I: Energy Projection
I: Energy Projection
I will begin with the Energy Projection tree first for two reasons; first is that it's the first tree listed in the Character Creator and in Power Selection menus, but second, because the Energy Projector Frameworks are the easiest synergies to explain, understand and see at work. Energy Projector Frameworks are based around high levels of ranged damage. The destructive capabilities of an Energy Projector are almost unmatched, but all this power comes at a price. Energy Projector Frameworks tend to have a number of drawbacks including high energy costs, low defensive capabilities and a certain amount of setup time. However, each framework overcomes these drawbacks in their own way, be it through improving their ability to heal, crowd control to mitigate damage, or through having extremely long range, forcing enemies to come to them. Also, each Energy Projector (except Force) has a Reverberation Power associated with it that feeds energy back to the Energy Projector when they use particular synergies associated with their framework. Since Fire is the easiest to explain, and easiest to see in action, I will begin with it: Fire - Puck.Dragon
Electricity
Force
Now, Force does have a good amount of synergies based around Containment and Protection Fields. Force Cascade can put Containment Fields on a group of enemies, while Force Blast's Field Absorption and Force Detonation's Force Spate create explosions off these fields. Unfortunately, the very containment fields which are used to create this synergy also serves to make this combination useless by protecting the very enemies you want to defeat. I'm sure this will get fixed in the future, so check back for an updated summary. Ice - FrozenBones
Reasoning: Ice is it's most effective when focussed upon large AoE-Spike damage with some setup. First off the key power in this build is Shatter. This power bursts all Ice Structures and chilled foes hit by it racking up some nice damage. The damage of the ice structures depends entirely upon their health and rank, ranking up an ice structure power (i.e. Wall of Ice) increases its health, and the damage dealt upon bursting is equal to its health (apparently). For this reason powers like Ice Barrier do huge amounts of damage when shattered, and thus have a large cooldon. At this point you would think about taking INT but unfortunately to stack chill consistently you will need Frost Breath and its advantage Frost Bite. Frost Breath is a very energy hungry power so even splitting your stats between INT / END may not allow you to use as effectively. Ice Form's damage also scales on END so you will want as much as that as possible. Now you could replace DEX with INT and use that but you will have a lower damage spike because without crits shatter can be very weak. Additionally Int and End are mutually exclusive on gear, allowing you to get both to their optimal levels very difficult. Also note that when Cold Snap eventually gets fixed to be noticeable this is procced by critical hits. Crits are very important to an Ice build considering your Cold Snap buff is granted when you crit, and Ice Sheath increases your crit severity while active. As a side note, I've actually found that using Defile and as mainstay Single-Target damage does fairly well due to Ice Form's buff of Toxic damage, as well as when using Tempest Form and Devour Essence, damage can add up extremely quickly. Another option is to go build a healthy level of Con and use Imbue just before Shatter, guaranteeing a large number of successive crits. Running Ice Sheath and Imbue right before you Shatter can be devastating.
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Having problems soloing? Need Advice on how to build? Just want to learn the syergies that make combat more interesting? Guide to All Frameworks in the Game and how to make them Effective: Here Quote:
Last edited by WillBlack : 07-28-2010 at 04:55 AM. |
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06-22-2010, 04:20 PM
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#3 | |
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Vanguard
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Combat and Powers Forum
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Framework Summaries - II: Technology
II: Technology
Technology Frameworks are some of the best sets for Cherry-Picking powers. Many of the powers within the Technology Tree tend to syenrgize well, not only with each other, but can add to virtually any other Framework or Build, filling in weaknesses, or enhancing strengths. Most don't require any particular synergies to be viable. However, when the proper synergies are used, a Technology user can become an amazing damage machine, a nigh-unkillable survivor, or a well-rounded toon with no real weaknesses. The real strength of Technology is its Frameworks' Energy Efficiency. When used properly, most Technology users tend to rarely use their End Builder, if they do at all. The weaknesses associated with Technology tends to be a lack of burst damage. Technology tends to overcome this weakness by going in the exact opposite direction and specializing in maintaining as much damage on its enemies for as long as possible. Archery - The_Last, AshenX
Additionally, Archery is one of the best aggro-managing sets in the game. Pretty much, aggro is based around Challenging Strikes to generate aggro, and Crippling Challenge to make something attack you for 5 seconds. The neat thing about Challenging Strikes is that if the power has a cooldown, it continues to stack +threat every second it remains on cooldown, and archery has 2 powers that do this: Torrent of Arrows and Storm of Arrows. Combining these two powers makes for some pretty amazing threat generation, and Snap Shot is a fast-activating 100' range Crippling Challenge, allowing you to grab aggro from even very far away. For a bit of extra threat generation (and to take advantage of the Focus Stacks from your Toggle Form), pick up Reaper's Caress from Single Blade. This is another power that has Challenging Strikes that is relatively light on endurance cost and can be used while Torrent of Arrows and Storm of Arrows are on cooldown. Retaliation also works as a good block, allowing you to increase your next attack after successfully blocking. Use it to bump up the damage on your Torrent of Arrows, helping you maintain aggro better. Since many of Archery's powers can be heavy on your endurance, I recommend Force Shield with Force Sheath as a way to alleviate this. It works in two ways by giving you slightly more damage resistance, but also giving you energy every time you take damage. This oftentimes makes up for not having Quarry to lower the Energy costs of your powers directly. An Alternative is to use Quarry as your Passive for better DPS. In this case, simply Tap your Explosive Arrow on as many enemies as you can, switching between and switch off between Storm of Arrows and Torrent of Arrows between explosions, or to tap-spam Snapshot. Where's the Kaboom's damage doesn't scale up as you charge, and the explosive damage doesn't increase with Ranks. It's a great way to tap and deal a heavy amount of damage, you just need to use other attacks while you wait for to go off. This can get some pretty good DPS, and the endurance costs will stay healthily low thanks to Quarry. Quarry also helps by allowing you to focus your gear a bit more toward End, since Quarry will buff your Int when active. Gadgeteering - RynoHound
The major drawback of this set is the fact that it actually requires the Technology Tree's Teir 4 Power. This means that you only can take 3 other powers outside of the Technology tree. Outside of Gadgets, the Powers to take are Laser Sword to maximize your Particle Damage from Orbital Cannon and Particle Mine, Force Shield for limitless energy, Flashfire, and Electric Form for your passive. INT is definitely to be Super Stated for the Gadgeteer, because you're going to be throwing alot of attacks out, many of which have recharge times, so getting those times and endurance costs down is a must!. Super Stating END not only gives you more to work with should you choose but also Increases the damage ( up to 80%) that Electric Form Grants to all of your mainstay energy-based powers such as Laser Sword, Sonic Blaster, Sonic Device, Orbital Cannon, and Particle Mine. Bionic Shielding will not only be your main source of survivability, but it will also be able to aid others while teaming, allowing you to heal them and continue dishing out damage at the same time. Resurrection Serum is a decent rezz, but with the Reanimator advantage, it also summons zombies to help you, giving you even more pets and even more chip damage.
__________________
Having problems soloing? Need Advice on how to build? Just want to learn the syergies that make combat more interesting? Guide to All Frameworks in the Game and how to make them Effective: Here Quote:
Last edited by WillBlack : 07-28-2010 at 01:17 PM. |
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06-22-2010, 04:21 PM
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Vanguard
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Combat and Powers Forum
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Framework Summaries - II: Technology
Munitions
I also suggest to take a maintained heal, since DEX also increases your chance to crit-heal and EGO scales the severity of your crit-heals. If you take the Tempest Form as well, the stacks of Focus will buff the damage dealt by Devour Essence, meaning even when you heal, your DPS won't be hurt. When you get a full stack of 8 Focus, Fully Charge any Dragon Attack to gain the Rush buff. Rush is amazing for this build because it continues to generate energy for you as you attack, and the more stacks of Focus you have, the longer it lasts. For even more damage, drop a Circle of Ebon Wrath, increasing your damage and causing all your attacks to Hold their targets, or for more Energy Efficiency Circle of Arcane Power in addition to everything else can make even the mighty Gatling Gun bow down and become and End Builder. Pistols have a very unique synergy by making use of Defiance and Enrage. Two Gun Mojo gives you a single stack of or refreshes stacks of Enrage, while Breakaway Shot gives you a stack of Defiance, which you can turn into an 2 extra stacks of Enrage, if you use Enrage from the Might tree. Enrage also helps by increasing your chance to Dodge while maintaining Lead Tempest if you take the Tread Softly advantage. Another option, when you consider your constant ability to crit, Form of the Unleashed Tempest will quickly build up stacks of Focus making Bullet Ballet into a very powerful single target attack, or with the Not Without Incident advantage, a devastating melee AoE. Bullet Ballet can be very underestimated, however with Not Without Incident and Howl or another way to keep permanently Enraged, it becomes one of the most devastating melee attacks in the game. Keep in mind, if you choose to use the Toggle Form, you won't be able to stack more than one Enrage, making Howl a better choice in this case. However, with a couple of Dodge Bonuses like Evasive Maneuvers and LT's Tread Softly on top of Breakaway Shot's Defiance, you can actually become quite survivable, even in Avenger Role. Munitions may not have the upfront damage of Fire or Ego Blades, but in a long fight, the continuous stream of attacks with no need to ever use your energy builder makes this debatably the most damaging powerset in long fights against a single boss. Power Armor - Pulsewave
Additionally, three of your best attacks also have Damage Resistance Debuffs built in. Shoulder Mounted Minigun with the Advantage Teflon Coated Rounds decreases Damage Resistance by 7.5% and can stack up to 3 times, Laser Sword with the Advantage Particle Acceleration decreases Particle Damage Resistance by 15% and also stacks up to 3 times, and Chest Beam inherently lowers Damage Resistance by 8.3% but only stacks once. For extra hurt, use Invocation: Storm Calling to further debuff Energy Resistance by 17%. Not only do you do more damage, but your whole team does as well. Also take into account the high level of Damage that Chest Beam can do after applying all those Resistance Debuffs, and you'll make quick work of many enemies. Micro Munitions also makes for an excellent Sonic Device and Toxic Nanites delivery system. Start playing around with the different combinations of powers listed above and you'll start to see how they all play off each other. Another option is to use CON and INT as your Super Stats and to take advantage of the energy gain from Defiance. Minigun and Micromunitions can both take Challenging Strikes, and Power Gauntlet can take Crippling Challenge. Take into account that all your separate toggles can target different enemies, and use the same techniques listed above, and gaining aggro from every enemy in the room shouldn't be too difficult at all; and as long as you're being attacked, Defiance is generating energy for you. However, the energy management for this type of build can still be a headache at times, making it somewhat less effective against a single boss. Power armor is an extremely complex and versatile Framework with many intricacies. The above paragraph is a starting point and only a couple of basic ways to get started with Power Armor. For a a much more in depth Guide check Pulsewave's Power Armor Rundown.
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Having problems soloing? Need Advice on how to build? Just want to learn the syergies that make combat more interesting? Guide to All Frameworks in the Game and how to make them Effective: Here Quote:
Last edited by WillBlack : 07-24-2010 at 05:07 AM. |
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06-22-2010, 04:21 PM
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Vanguard
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Combat and Powers Forum
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Framework Summaries - III: Martial Arts
III:Martial Arts
Martial Arts are some of the most highly synergistic sets among themselves. A Martial Artist has a variety of powers that are available to him, no matter which Framework he chooses. Thunderbolt Lunge, Bountiful Chi Resurgence, and Lightning Reflexes, among others are found in every Framework of Martial Arts, and taking them counts as a prerequisite power for any Martial Arts Framework, allowing you to reach Tier 3 powers in multiple trees very quickly. Martial Arts was also the first tree to utilize the effects of Toggles called Martial Art's Forms. While a Form is active, all your powers cost more energy, but the benefits greatly outweigh it's drawback. Every Form has a certain requirement (such as getting a critical hit, or successfully dodging an attack) that, when met, grants burst of energy and gives a stack of the melee damage buff: Focus. Both of these effects scale with Dexterity, making it the key attribute for a Martial Artist. In addition, many of the powers can cross-synergize with each other, making Martial Arts incredibly versatile. The most commonly known crossover synergy is called the LR+BCR Synergy or Dodge Synergy from Unarmed Martial Arts. Unarmed Martial Arts - Nozark and Empyreal10
Combine this with Masterful Dodge to go from no health to full health very quickly. Active Offenses are very important to this build, as well as other damage buffs (such as Unfettered Strikes and Fists of the Righteous Flame) or resistance debuffs since BCR decreases damage by 10% per stack. This is another reason that your Toggle Form's Focus stacks will help you, by increasing your melee damage to compensate. Any other Martial Art Form, as well as Munitions, TK Blades and especially Archery can benefit from these synergies as well; however the Form of the Unfettered Master toggle will be more effective than the recommended toggles for those sets due to the above listed reasons. Single Blade
As far as Stats go, DEX is a MUST, as it increases your crit chance, your damage from WotEW, and the damage you gain from stacking Focus from your Form Toggle. STR is slightly less useful, only increasing melee damage and damage from WotEW; you shouldn't need more than 70. Thoguh STR gives you more reliable damage, I've found that I like EGO as my other Super Stat because the crits on Reaper's Embrace and Ruptures can get insane, fast. Even though Dragon's Bite isn't necessary, it does extend the duration of your bleeds. If you are in a battle where you are getting knocked around, or are having to move in and out of melee range regularly, use it to keep your bleeds going while you leave melee range then make your way back in. That way, you don't have to go back to work reapplying bleeds and can just return to stacking. The Out of Framework suggestions are simply ways to stack bleeds faster. SMG only applies bleeds if a target isn't already bleeding, but if used in melee will stack 2 bleeds instead of 1, and Bite is the fastest way I have found to stack bleeds past that. I recommend the No Mercy Advantage, since it gives you 2 bleeds 50% of the time, and when you perform your typical stack-chain, you'll max out at 5 and Rupture more quickly. Dual Blades - Shaolinwind
As an alternate style, Eye of the Storm can replace Sword Cyclone. The damage isn't as great, however, the survivability is much higher. While maintianing Eye of the Storm, it acts somewhere bewteen Invuln and a Force Field. It can absorb a flat amount of damage, however, every second this amount increases for as long as you maintain Eye of the Storm. Blade Beyond the Veil helps by reflecting damage back at enemies that are attacking you. This works extremely well against Munitions-based opponents that will be throwing alot of small but fast attacks. As for Boss Fights or PvP, you'll mainly be focusing on single target damage, so Dragons Wrath taps will take the place of Sword Cyclone in the combo. A bonus to this technique is Dragons Wrath bypasses blocking mitigation and so makes this combo especially deadly on a heavy blocker or Defiance-using enemy.
__________________
Having problems soloing? Need Advice on how to build? Just want to learn the syergies that make combat more interesting? Guide to All Frameworks in the Game and how to make them Effective: Here Quote:
Last edited by WillBlack : 07-12-2010 at 04:32 PM. |
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06-22-2010, 04:22 PM
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Vanguard
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Combat and Powers Forum
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Framework Summaries - III: Martial Arts
Fighting Claws - Nozark, RynoHound
Toxic Nanites adds just another DoT for more damage output, also a lunge is highly recommended if you do take Evasive Maneuvers to counter the backward lunge effect from Evasive Maneuvers. Even so, a Lunge is still highly recommended to get right in the middle of the enemy and claw their faces off! BCR (w/ Resurgent Reiki adv.) works best with LR and WotEW users, you can increase dodge % by taking Parry (w/ Elusive Monk adv.) or resistance with Energy Shield (w/ Laser Knight adv.). Way of the Enlightened Warrior further improves the damage potency of Fighting Claws with the damage buff and gives a minor Dodge buff, in short, Way of the Enlightened Warrior turns Fighting Claws into a lean, mean single target killin' machine. Form of the Unleashed Tempest can make for a good toggle for Fighting Claws due to their ability crit so often, and Form of The Unfettered Master works best if you choose to go the Lightning Reflexes route.
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Having problems soloing? Need Advice on how to build? Just want to learn the syergies that make combat more interesting? Guide to All Frameworks in the Game and how to make them Effective: Here Quote:
Last edited by WillBlack : 06-24-2010 at 03:47 AM. |
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06-22-2010, 04:22 PM
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#7 | |
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Vanguard
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Combat and Powers Forum
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Framework Summaries - IV: Mentalist
IV: Mentalist
The Mentalist Tree consists of two very different styles of powers: Telepathy and Telekinesis. With Telepathy is a weak-damaging set that contains some of the games best Support and Crowd Control abilities, Telekinesis is a highly destructive melee/ranged hybrid set. Both can be extremely potent in their perspective roles, but both share the same common weakness. Both sets most potent, most often used and best performing powers are Tier 3 Powers, with a select few that fall into Tier 2. This can make leveling with either set very difficult because of this. But this in no way makes the sets weak. Once you have access to powers like Mindful Reinforcement, Ego Blade Breach and Collective Will, both sets become very, very powerful. Telekinesis [TK Blades] - Empyreal10
It is important to note that Ego Form only buffs Ego damage, so your versatility is limited, but it automatically procs Id Blades (dual-wielding Ego blades). This is important, because Id Blades are able to receive up to 20% bonus damage using your EGO stat, in the same way physical melee attacks benefit from STR to receive an additional 20% damage. Regular Ego blades DO NOT scale in this fashion -- Id Blades are the only way to receive this bonus! For even more Damage, open up a fight with a fully charged Telekinetic Eruption to gain yet another bonus to Ego Damage then do 3 quick taps of Ego Blade Breach to lower enemy resistance against Ego Damage, upping your DPS even more! Continue ot practice these techniques, and soon you'll be seeing numbers that are pushing 5 digits. Telepathy - Dr.Sage
The Telepathy Tier 3 powers (Mindful Reinforcement, Ego Storm, Collective Will) are amazing. And some of its lower-tier stuff (Psionic Healing, Summon Nightmare) aren't that bad. Psionic Healing particularly is the overall best heal in the game. Ego Placate with Svengali's Guile is actually one of the better team-based debuff, lowering enemy damage and resistance. Also, pairing Ego Storm's Malevolent Manifestation with Telepathic Reverberation basically acts as a self-sustaining energy builder, allowing you to pretty much throw out your biggest and most damaging attacks constantly while it is going. Collective Will is probably the best pet power in the game, considering it is untargetable and debuffs enemy paranormal resistnace. Additionally, when summoning Collective Will, it can summon up to 3 more CWs if nearby enemies are also Crowd Controled, so always make sure to use either Ego Sleep, Grasping Shadows, or have Ego Storm running before you summon them. The problem is getting to this point. You're going to need to grab some form of reliable damage (along with a passive) from out of framework. I highly suggest Seraphim as that passive, due to it keying off PRE for its damage boost. If you go the Seraphim route, I'd suggest picking up Shadow Embrace, Ego Blade Frenzy or Vengeance. Grouping will be far more pleasant. Use Mindful Reinforcement and Psionic Healing to keep teammates standing. Spam Ego Placate on tough stuff, and use your AoE holds (Grasping Shadows, Ego Storm) to lock down groups. Keep in mind that hold protection kicks in after the first successful hold, so chain-holding stuff doesn't work so well. Skarn's Bane would probably be better for AoE damage in the long run, but Vengeance is selectable early on.
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Having problems soloing? Need Advice on how to build? Just want to learn the syergies that make combat more interesting? Guide to All Frameworks in the Game and how to make them Effective: Here Quote:
Last edited by WillBlack : 06-24-2010 at 03:52 AM. |
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06-22-2010, 04:23 PM
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#8 | |
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Vanguard
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Combat and Powers Forum
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Framework Summaries - V: Brick
V: Brick
Comprised solely of the Might Framework, Brick is by no means a one-trick Tree. The effectiveness of Might alone varies from unstoppable force to an immovable object, and any variation between. Might can be both a survivor, a damage-dealer or any combination of both. The main drawbacks of Might are high energy costs, and slow attack speeds, which is more than makes up for in pure, unbridled damage and staying power. Might [Damage Spec] - RynoHound, Dr. Sage
The main technique to using might as a DPS set is to keep your momentum going by refreshing and building stacks of Aggression and Enrage. The Aggressor Toggle makes it so that every time you attempt to knock an opponent (whether it works or not), you gain a stack of Aggression, further increasing your crushing damage. Enrage gives you two stacks of Enrage for every stack of Defiance you have, meaning you'll pretty much always max it out when you use it, if you're using Defiance. If you're using Unstoppable, you'll have to find another way to build Enrage. Additionally, the duration of Enrage scales with your CON, so the more CON you have, the better chance you have of being able to use Enrage again before it expires; while the damage bonus scales with your STR, which is also increasing your damage from Aggressor and Unstoppable, as well as increasing melee damage in general. Many Might-users also use Howl to refresh their Enrage, as it also gives Enrage to your allies and fears your enemies, lowering their damage. In an Unstoppable-based build, you'll find Roomsweeper will be your most commonly used attack. Roomsweeper is pretty much a guaranteed Knockback, so it always gives you a stack of Aggression, and if you fully charge it, it also grants a stack of and refreshes Enrage. The only real downside is that it sends enemies absolutely flying! Don't worry though, if the enemy is under a control effect, they'll be knocked up instead of back, allowing you to follow up with a nice Demolish/Haymaker combo. The best way to ensure that your Roomsweeper knocks up instead, is to first use Mighty Leap to root your opponent, or Thunderclap to stun a group of opponents. However, many Defiance users tend to use Uppercut over Roomsweeper, due to it being easier to use. Uppercut, like Roomsweeper, guarantees a knockup, but never knocks opponents away, only up. This makes it more manageable, but at the cost of having to manually refresh Enrage, which can be difficult. Using these techniques should allow you to constantly and quickly build Enrage and Aggression stacks, as well as keep them maxed out. Once you have your maximum stacks of Enrage and Aggression, you'll become just a Demolishing and Haymakering Machine, destroying everything in your path. Haymaker's damage is unmatched when you reach this point, and Demolish is a great power for any Might user because it lowers enemy damage resistance. With the Below the Belt advantage, the longer you charge the attack, the more it improves the resistance debuff, but to Crushing damage only (up to about -25% crushing resistance). But don't worry, you're Might, all your attacks are crushing damage! Might [Tank Spec] - RynoHound
Your Primary attacks most of the time will be Pyre and Shockwave. This makes you deadly at all ranges, and it will kill most minions, and in vast hordes if you are gutsy enough to "Pain Train" (which is simply a fancy term for "getting as many guys on you as humanly possible and killing them all!"). Mighty Leap with Crippling Challenge is recommended, not only because it will get you to your target, but it will also get their attention, and allow your Roomsweeper to do Knock-Up instead of Knock-Back. Energy Shield with Laser Knight will allow you to retain a Rank 1 equivalent Block while using any of your melee attacks, including your end builder. This comes in amazingly handy in any fight against Super Villains and larger. As for fighting the Large, Singular, Hard-Hitting things like Legendaries or Cosmics, you always want to keep your Pyre going so you have unlimited energy to work with, and to establish threat against the target. Shockwave and Beat Down with Crippling Challenge and Challenging Strikes will help you in this. You want to talk King of the Hill!? Set down a Circle of Primal Dominion in your Pyre. That way, as long as you are in the Pyre and the Circle, in addition to having near unlimited energy, your Damage Resistance, Regeneration rate, Knock-Resistance and Threat Generation all increase dramatically. Once you've established an Aggro-ceiling ( which is just another fancy term for "Your teammates haven't managed to pull aggro in a while), you can then unleash with your most powerful attacks. Using Demolish followed by a combination ofHaymaker taps and Charges, does incredible damage, and allows you to hold aggro through DPS instead of having to rely on CS and CC. Resurgence or Masterful Dodge is going to be your best bet for a mulligan. Practically speaking, you'll only ever have to use it in Lairs, and if you take Evanescent Emergence, either one can break holds. For leveling or farming, the Crippling Challenges and Challenging Strike Advantages can be swapped out for higher ranks to give you more damage or survivability, while still providing the feel of how you will perform as a Tank. Defiance vs Invulnerability: As a Might Tank, you can take Defiance if you like fighting Singular, Large, Hard-hitting things, or Invulnerability if you prefer being swamped by hordes and hordes of minions. Defiance gives you a greater percent of Damage Resistance based on CON (which also ups your hit points), while Invulnerability will give you a certain level of "Damage Ignorance" as I call it based on STR (this Damage Ignorance is a flat number that is taken off of all damage you take after other damage resistances are applied.) In regular solo/ farming combat, the 2 otherwise perform near-identically, with the exception of Defiance's energy boosting ability helping to alleviate Might's heavy endurance costs. If you go with Defiance, You'll also want to take Enrage, Aggressor and Roomsweeper. This will allow you to maximize your damage output since Roomsweeper works amazingly well at keeping both Enrage and Aggressor maxed out. If you go with Invuln, you'll want to go with Uppercut and Aggressor. Uppercut knocks things up instead of "Out of the Ballpark" like Roomsweeper, and once KB resistance kicks in, every hit of Uppercut, gives you another stack of Aggressor, so tap-spam it as fast as possible when you see the Knockback Resistance debuff. For Maximum damage, it's best to use Demolish before maximizing your stacks of either Aggressor and/or Enrage, and then follow up with your Haymaker onslaught. For Maximum versatility, having both Invuln and Defiance allows you to always use the Passive that best fits the situation: Invuln for groups, and Defiance for Bosses.
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Having problems soloing? Need Advice on how to build? Just want to learn the syergies that make combat more interesting? Guide to All Frameworks in the Game and how to make them Effective: Here Quote:
Last edited by WillBlack : 06-24-2010 at 04:01 AM. |
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06-22-2010, 04:24 PM
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#9 | |
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Vanguard
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Combat and Powers Forum
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Framework Summaries - VI: Mystical
VI: Mystical
The Mystical Tree is comprised of Darkness, Celestial and four types of Sorcery (as well as Infernal and Bestial Supernatural, but I'll be covering those two in the next section) and, like Martial Arts, is highly synergistic among it's Frameworks. Virtually every synergy listed that is Framework specific can be used effectively by any of the other Mystical Framework. A Mystic is the master of Paranormal Damage, Support and Healing. The versatility of this tree and it's multitude of powers are almost as unlimited in application as the rest of the trees combined. A Mystic can be a devastating damage machine like Telekinesis or Might, an Energy Efficient damage dealer with a number of tricks up their sleeve like Technology and Martial Arts, a Ranged Damage Glass Cannon like an Energy Projector, or a Support/Healer that can rival or exceed Telepathy. A Mystic can also be a master of numerous pets, or focus heavily on Crowd Control, helping themselves or a team to survive longer. The possibilities are nearly endless. The weakness of a mystic is survivability, which is makes up for either through raw damage, crowd control, pets to take their enemies' attention or through simply healing back damage taken. Again though, any synergies listed in any of these frameworks can be applied to other frameworks within the tree Celestial - Dr.Sage
The two most common forms of play are to play around either doing more personal damage, or by being more survivable. Seraphim works great for offensive play, since your PRE score buffs all your paranormal damage, allowing you to get some great DPS out of Skarn's Bane and Ego Blade Breach (along with your other Celestial attacks) while still having the incredible energy management that comes from Sentinel Role. When leveling, this works like a charm, allowing you to balance damage and survivability until you're able to get the powerful AoEs of Vengeance and Skarn's Bane. For the more healing-based build, Aura of Radiant Protection is the way to go. Even though Seraphim boosts healing based on your CON, what isn't readily realized is that CON and PRE are mutually exclusive stats on gear, causing you to have to choose between upping your healing and damage, or upping your healing bonus and hit points. The flat Resistance Bonus that AoRP gives not only scales with PRE as well, but actually tends to work better to prevent the need for as much healing on both your teammates and yourself. This kind of playstyle tends to work better at higher levels, once you're able to floor entire groups of enemies with Skarn's Bane. Rebuke can make for a nice alpha strike, but in combat, both it's damage and healing pale in comparison to Conduit, especially when paired with Illumination making it a make-shift AoE. Conviction buffs your Max HP, but also heals you for that same amount, making it a quick and easy self-heal. Palliate is a Healer and DPSer heal, not a Tank Heal. Throwing this on someone with loose aggro removes the need for further healing, as the Absolve advantage wipes their aggro and pulls them out of combat (just make sure not to use it on a tank); and Inequity, although dangerous, is the only Intant-BOOM Heal in the game, making it ideal for situations where an ally has gotten in over their head and needs immediate attention. Darkness
First off, keep in mind that Shadow Form buffs Ego Damage and Mystical Damage as well as Dimensional, so you are going to want to pick up nearly all the powers I listed in the Out of Framework category. Telekinetic Eruption, if charged over 90% both buffs your Ego Damage and gives you a small amount of damage resistance. The Enhanced Form Advantage makes this buff last longer. Ego Blade Breach is a devastating melee attack, and lowers enemy resistance to Ego Damage up to three stacks. If you charged up a Telekinetic Eruption first, you'll find your damage escalating extremely quickly. Use Ego Surge not only whip out your Dual Id Blades, but the Nimble Mind Advantage ups your Crit Rate as well. With the level of EGO you should be stacking, the buff you've given yourself with Shadow Form and Telekinetic Eruption, and the Ego Resistance debuff from Ego Blade Breach, you should see some very respectable numbers. Since it also buffs Mystic damage, you may find yourself eventually picking up Skarn's Bane, giving you a powerful cone attack.
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Having problems soloing? Need Advice on how to build? Just want to learn the syergies that make combat more interesting? Guide to All Frameworks in the Game and how to make them Effective: Here Quote:
Last edited by WillBlack : 06-24-2010 at 04:05 AM. |
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06-22-2010, 04:24 PM
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#10 | |
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Vanguard
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Combat and Powers Forum
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Framework Summaries - VI: Mystical
Sorcery - latronis
Control/Debuff Reasoning: If you have any holds Eldritch Blast' Sorcerer's Whim can quickly do a lot of single target damage. Each blast procs a Sorcerer's Whim, which is a flat amoutn of damage, regardless of how much you charge Eldritch blast by. This means that any enemy you gain a Hold of, tap-spam Eldritch Blast for massive damage. Binding of Aratron is a useful tool for holding foes, and since it has no cooldown, you Can use it to keep holds applied indefinitely, but you may like to take an AoE hold instead. Electrocute doesn't break from damage so Eldritch Blast taps can quickly add up, while Grasping Shadows is one of the best AoE holds in the game providing you don't take damage during the charge; however this is easily overcome by placing Mindful Reinforcement on yourself first. Without having to worry so much about your teammates you might find it useful to start of with Sigils of Arcane Runes, then follow up with Sigils of Ebon Weakness to debuff enemy damage. Ego Placate can help keep nasties off you, and with the advantage debuffs both enemy damage and resistance so your teammates will be hitting that much harder without taking much damage in return. Circle of Ebon Wrath is a bad choice due to its hold proc giving hold resistance interfering with your holds, but can be very useful if you just use it to keep enemies within melee range of you feared, and focus more on using your Crowd Control and Debuffs. The best effect you can gain from this setup is to sit inside your Ebon Circle and use your Crowd Control and Sigils during enemy fights, and focus more on your Ego Placate and Ebon Sigils during boss fights. Pet Reasoning: Sorcery has a lot of pets, it even has some good pets. Your main source of damage will be your Arcane and Primal Sigils, but your zombies from March of the Dead are no joke, and easily the most damaging pet in the game. With high INT, you can almost continuously summon more and more zombies to do your bidding. The ritual summons mentioned aren't exactly terrible though they aren't overly impressive either especially considering you cant spend even 10seconds at a time out of the circle. The Golems from Arcane Summoning work since they do electrical damage, which can benefit from Invocation: Storm Calling, and at Rank 3 they gain the ability to cast Electrocute (a massively good Hold), while the Demon from Ebon Summoning dishes out the most signle target damage, and the Spirit Wolf from Primal Summon does the most AoE damage, as well as has a number of debuffs. The Angel from Radiant Summon doesn't do great damage, and has no debuffs, but has a couple of buffs and heals to help support your more damaging pets. Summon Nightmare does great damage and Collective Will helps immensely by being untargetable and debuffing enemy Paranormal Resistance. Munitions bot are a somewhere south of fair on damage, but if you transform them into Turrets, they become a useful source of damage, especially since you'll likely be stuck to one spot anyway. And don't ever forget the Wolves from Command Animals. Although their damage is paltry and they die relatively easily, they do use Crippling Challenge, keeping aggro off teammates and your other pets. Not only that, but they have a pretty quick recharge time, so you can always just resummon them when they die. And dont' forget to use Skarn's Bane when all your pets are active. The damage on this power is incredible, and will help your pets to clear the way. Arcane Vitality is almost a must with this build, as it will be able to hit most of your pets at once, but you'll likely want Psionc Healing or Arcane Vitality as well to heal teammates. Circle Of Ebon Wrath helps get them focus on your sacrificial zombies, but hinders your healing. Circle of Radiant Glory seems to work best, so that even if you do manage to take stray aggro, you won't stay down for long. DPS Reasoning: And if you ever feel like just going all out with your magic spells, and I wouldn't blame you. Seraphim boosts your paranormal damage based on your PRE, and Sentinel Role gives you virtually unlimited energy. Paired with Circle of Ebon Wrath's further increase to your damage and crowd control abilities, you'll see some massive damage coming from your Skarn's Bane and Sigils. Ego Blade Breach is almost required in this build, as if anything gets into melee range, you'll simply destroy it.
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Having problems soloing? Need Advice on how to build? Just want to learn the syergies that make combat more interesting? Guide to All Frameworks in the Game and how to make them Effective: Here Quote:
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