What's a good archetype/power set combo for soloing these days?

[Trippy]

What's a good archetype/power set combo for soloing mission these days? I haven't been paying attention to the changes in the game since I stopped playing more than a year ago so I don't know which power sets have been boosted/nerfed/etc.

[stray]

Well, I've gotta say that I'm pretty happy with what they've done to controllers. Sure, they've weakened the AoE hold capabilities to an extent, but they've boosted their means of dealing individual damage as well. I haven't played much as of yet, but from the looks it, soloing with my Gravity controller (Grav/Kin....But Grav/Rad would probably be a better combo) is more panic free than playing my scrapper (Not as fast as a scrapper, but much faster than before for sure).

GDF (the hold) is still the bread and butter of the class, but Crush has taken on a new role, since it doubles the damage of any powers that follow it. Crush --> Air Superiority --> Propel puts you close to scrapper/blaster territory now (like I said though, a little slower...But it all pans out since you can put a lockdown on mobs as well). I wouldn't doubt that you could just solo arch-villians this way.

[Trippy]

Cool thanks for the info. One of my characters during the pre-order beta was a gravity controller and I thought that was fun (forklift tossing for the win!) so I might try that again. I switched over to a Mind controller for release but that was because I was multi-boxing and didn't have to worry about boneheads messing up my CC and I had my Scrapper to do damage.

Edit: deleted Wormhole question, fixed typo

[Llava]

Yeah, soloing as a controller without a pet suddenly became quite reasonable.  I definitely wouldn't say you could solo an AV, but bosses are no trouble.  My ill/rad is VERY strong now- spectral wounds did good damage before, now it shreds.

Scrappers, of course, still kick ass for soloing.

My Trick Arrow/Archery defender is doing pretty well solo, as well.

[stray]

Cool thanks for the info. One of my characters during the pre-order beta was a gravity controller and I thought that was fun (forklift tossing for the win!) so I might try that again. I switched over to a Mind controller for release but that was because I was multi-boxing and didn't have to worry about boneheads messing up my CC and I had my Scrapper to do damage.

Edit: deleted Wormhole question, fixed typo

It needs to be said though: Lift (as cool as it is) won't net you the benefits of the way the controller double damage thing works. You can have it around and all that, but get Crush first. I ended up respeccing out of it myself.

Also, be sure to get Air Superiority from the Flight pool as an extra offensive power. It's the best means of dealing heavy damage outside of Propel.

Then again, you may want to stick with Mind. I don't know much about them, but supposedly they're on the top of the list of solo capability now.

EDIT:

Btw, this is the patch note:

Controllers have a new Inherent Ability called Containment. All Controllers will do double damage (+100% unenhanced base Damage) to a target (non pvp) that is Immobilized, Disoriented, Slept or Held.

Basically, when a mob is locked down, you get a free chance at giving him Critical blows.

So, because Lift is just a knockback, and not an Immobilze, Disorient, Sleep, or Hold, you won't see the 2x damage. You can, however, see the Containment bonus using Lift after a mob has been, for example, immobilized with Crush or held with GDF. Just not before. For some reason though, Brawl damage doesn't change either way.

The reason why I respecced out of Lift though is that Air Superiorty is a more damaging ability to take it's place. And if, for whatever reason, I want a cool knockback animation, it does that too.

Not only that, supposedly the Containment effect is 3x in Arena/PvP (though I can't find the notes on this..Nor have I tried).

As for soloing arch-villians, I know it sounds ridiculous, but it seems like my Grav/Kin controller would have all the means of doing so. I have a hold (as well as my pet), I pretty much have permanent crit capability, I have knockback and high damage through Air Superiority and Propel, I have damage buffs, damage debuffs, attack rate buffs, attack rate debuffs, I have health and endurance healing capability, and lastly, a trayful of acc inspirations... I'd be stupid enough to try, if I get the chance at least.  :-D

[Llava]

You'd ordinarily have a shot, but keeping an archvillain held is quite difficult for a solo controller.  Even with dual controllers, they'll break free sometimes.

[stray]

On a slightly related note, I've been thinking of rerolling a Grav controller on Freedom for some time now (original is on Triumph), but I'm confused by the new secondaries. Trick Arrow makes for a cool concept (A hero who utilizes arrow technology with gravity powers...Think Spider-Man or Gambit. Both use a little technology to augment their abilities), but there's a complete lack of buffs and heals in that powerset. I wonder if I'd miss them. Especially for soloing.

There's a good offering of cc powers that would open up Containment damage though, and additionally, it'd probably make up for the general lack of control in the Controller Primaries. Grav and TA working together sounds like it'd be a pain in the ass for PvP too.

How's Trick Arrow/Archery working out for you, Llava?

[Llava]

Well, my character's still a lowbie (think early Hollows) but for so low it seems pretty good.  The glue arrow is surprisingly effective for nailing a big group and trying to drag just a few of them around a corner at a time so you can take them down.  Aimed Shot and Snap Shot together give you a pretty good attack chain (Snap, Aim, Snap, wait a sec, Snap, Aim, Snap, etc) for such low levels- you won't find yourself waiting on attacks to recharge for too long.

Personally, if you're gonna do Trick Arrow secondary, I'd do Fire primary to take advantage of the Oil Slick power.  Remember, it WILL light on fire and that DOES hurt enemies.

As a Controller secondary, Trick Arrow seems mostly like storm- some supplemental damage with more control to offer.  As storm is a perfectly viable secondary for Controllers, I would think Trick Arrow could hold its own.  What'd really bother me, though, is constantly putting the bow away and then pulling it back out.  That's sort of what drove me away from doing an Archery blaster.  (Though it's worth noting that having that "unsheath" animation includes an accuracy bonus, and nothing else offers controllers that particular bonus, so some may feel it's worth it.)

EDIT-

Looking at Trick Arrow a bit more closely, it includes Ice Arrow, a single target hold, and EMP Arrow, an AE hold.  That's on top of the single target and AE holds you'd get in your Controller primary.  You'd be better at Holding than any other Controller.  You could probably lock down an Archvillain a majority of the time, as long as you have the endurance to keep up with it (and EMP Arrow is one of those ones that halts endurance recovery).

[Trippy]

Now I remember one of the reasons why I didn't like CoH: trying to plan out a character is a fricking pain in the ass.

[stray]

Now I remember one of the reasons why I didn't like CoH: trying to plan out a character is a fricking pain in the ass.

It's the main thing that caters to the "Explorer" in me, I think. It's probably why I loved Shadowbane so much too. Even though both are still class based games, I'm not missing the idea of a pure skill tree system and whatnot. In my opinion, these two games offer something better than skill systems because they still bring a little bit of order to the table. I just don't like too much order.

[Trippy]

Now I remember one of the reasons why I didn't like CoH: trying to plan out a character is a fricking pain in the ass.

I finally settled on Illusion/Kinetics for my "five free days" Controller since I never tried those power sets earlier and, whoa, Deceive is like the uber power for those that are patient enough. In fact it actually seems broken since the enemies that are getting beat on by your deceived NPC don't fight back. One of my missions at level 12 had a level 13 boss in it who wasted me the first time I tried to take him head on so after I awakened I just had the minion next to him beat on him until he was dead and then moved on the rest of the mission. That seems wrong somehow.

[stray]

Funny that you mention that. Illusion used to be the best solo oriented controller around (and even more powerful), but now the other controller powersets have been tweaked to kill at that pace. I think that may even be more powerful actually, since Illusion doesn't have as many options to trigger Containment bonuses (same with Fire too, I think).

[Xanthippe]

I made an Ill/FF controller (B-Girl) on Victory that I've been playing lately.  Controller has always appealed to me in theory but playing one wasn't quite my cup of tea.  Until I5, that is.

F-U-N.

On level 12 now.  Anyone up for Positron TF?

[stray]

I made an Ill/FF controller (B-Girl) on Victory that I've been playing lately.  Controller has always appealed to me in theory but playing one wasn't quite my cup of tea.  Until I5, that is.

F-U-N.

On level 12 now.  Anyone up for Positron TF?

Unless you really, really....Really, really (really) want the badge, then I advise against it. Even people who like "the grind" would tell you that Positron isn't exactly up to snuff. It's also very long (something close to 5 or 5 1/2 hours). It's also pretty easy to die in for 15 and unders (and worthless for a 15 or above to even play in).

[Llava]

I think that may even be more powerful actually, since Illusion doesn't have as many options to trigger Containment bonuses (same with Fire too, I think).

I disagree.

6 slotted Spectral Wounds+Containment=PWN DMG

Seriously.  I kill a boss without about 4-5 Spectral Wounds with Containment bonus.  It's so much damage they didn't give it a 100% damage bonus, and it's STILL a ton of damage.  Illusion was the best solo set before, and I'd say it still is.  The others, however, contribute more control to a team.  Sounds good to me.

[dEOS]

Funny that you mention that. Illusion used to be the best solo oriented controller around (and even more powerful), but now the other controller powersets have been tweaked to kill at that pace. I think that may even be more powerful actually, since Illusion doesn't have as many options to trigger Containment bonuses (same with Fire too, I think).

Large AOE hold + Hot Feet (PbAOE dmg skill) seems to be a well-kept secret :)

As for soloing, it's scrapper first and foremost. /Regen for absolutely no downtime.

[Trippy]

As for soloing, it's scrapper first and foremost. /Regen for absolutely no downtime.

Yeah my release Scrapper was MA/Regen so I kind of know what that was like. I like the "timeout" capability of my Illusion Controller, though. Deceive seems to have some sort of built-in accuracy and/or magnitude bonus compared to Blind and I can land it *alot* easier on Bosses than I can Blind. That means if I'm having trouble with a Boss I can just Deceive it (which has a long confuse time even without enhancements), stand around for a bit to regain some end, do a transfusion or two to regain back some health, and then go back to beating on him. I can't do that nearly as easily with a Scrapper.

[Xanthippe]

Controller is so much more fun that scrapper or blaster, imo.  Since I5 that is.  Deceive is fun just for the novelty of getting to watch the mobs beat each other up.

[Trippy]

I made an Ill/FF controller (B-Girl) on Victory that I've been playing lately.  Controller has always appealed to me in theory but playing one wasn't quite my cup of tea.  Until I5, that is.

F-U-N.

On level 12 now.  Anyone up for Positron TF?

I resubbed so I can try to help out if you still need it. I never did any TFs back when I first played since they were bugged so badly Cryptic was recommending that people not do them until they fixed them. I play late nights into the wee early morning hours Pacific Time, though, so I'm not sure our play times overlap at all.

[stray]

Guys, I swear. Positron will kill the game for you (and if not that, then it'll get close). I suggest that you get a couple lvls (that is, if you already haven't gotten 'em) and just do the next TF (Synapse?).

[Xanthippe]

I did the Positron TF on my scrapper at 14, and it took 7 hours (I posted about it here somewhere).  I wouldn't mind if it took 5, if I started early enough in the day.  Did start it twice on controller, but both times the groups bailed at the second or third mission - with the CoT.

My hours are usually weekend daytimes Pacific.  @Astara is my global.

[Llava]

Positron TF- before they really knew what they were doing.  Ouch, hours upon hours and most of this you'll spend in debt, culminating in not much to show for it but a badge.

Croatoa TF- they've got this down to an artform.  Tons of experience, short, sweet, an AWESOME temporary power as a reward, plus you unlock a unique costume piece.

[Xanthippe]

Positron TF- before they really knew what they were doing.  Ouch, hours upon hours and most of this you'll spend in debt, culminating in not much to show for it but a badge.

Not anymore.  Died once in the clockwork mission, but made up all the debt before the end of the mission.

The xp boosts and debt reduction are awesome.

Annoying that the team I was on was inexperienced.  We totally owned the first Vhaz mission, did quite well on the first Clock mission, but then the spawn we got plus all the holds on the CoT mission reduced morale to the point where one guy just quit without a word, then two more quit after a little discussion about how we had the wrong group makeup, and by then the mission was undo-able since we had started with 8 and were down to 5 but with an 8-sized mission spawn.

(My apologies if this goes through twice, there was an error so I sent it again).

[Glazius]

You might want to steer clear of the Shadow Shard task forces for the time being, too.

Dr. Quaterfield is like Positron only longer and more pointless (here, clear out this lab! Now do it AGAIN!). Justin (bloody friggin' hell) Augustine is currently not awarding anything on completion, and Sara Moore and Faathim the Kind have a graphical bug where the keystones you have to activate 4 of simultaneously are invisible.

You can still find them by sound, which would be alright in Sara Moore's case, but there's an outdoor map in Faathim's where you have to do the same thing. It's one of the smaller outdoor maps, but it can still get annoying.

Though throwing down with Lanaruu the Mad and Ruladak the Strong is arguably worth the hassle.

--GF

[Jimbo]

I think the scrapper is still pretty good for solo play.  I like the spines/regeneration set.  It has a great ranged attack at level 8 so runners and pulling aren't that big a deal, is easy to build with some planning, and with superspeed, fitness, and leaping they seem super heroish still :)

The other scrapper sets are pretty fun too, but only claws has a ranged attack and you don't get it till level 18, and the others are great fun, but have to keep an eye out for runners or just ignore the runners all together.