Support/Tank hybrid?

arclighte

I would like a toon that can easily switch between ranged support and tanking - is this possible? I don't know if anyone's played Marvel Heroes but Emma Frost's design there is sort of what I'm looking for....she has good crowd control powers and can toggle diamond form on and off to increase her durability.

At the moment my toon is in the support role and she is actually really tanky, she never dies, and she also has good crowd control with the knock-toward advantage on Energy Wave + Thunderclap. But I would like to be able to switch to the tank role for better aggro management and HP etc. which I know will mean two passives. Here's a skeleton of my current build. Her powers are light and sound themed but it's a flexible concept so the empty power slots can go to pretty much anything. I'm thinking Invulnerability for my tank passive?

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name: Strobe

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats:
Level 6: Intelligence (Primary)
Level 10: Presence (Secondary)
Level 15: Constitution (Secondary)

Talents:
Level 1:
Level 6:
Level 9:
Level 12:
Level 15:
Level 18:
Level 21:

Powers:
Level 1: Force Bolts
Level 1: Protection Field
Level 6: Force Shield
Level 8: Aura of Radiant Protection
Level 11: Ego Form
Level 14: Unbreakable
Level 17: Empathic Healing
Level 20: Thunderclap
Level 23: Energy Wave (Reverse Polarity)
Level 26:
Level 29:
Level 32:
Level 35:
Level 38:

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Flight
Level 35: Acrobatics

Specializations:
Intelligence: Enlightened (3/3)
Intelligence: Tactician (2/2)
Intelligence: Detect Vulnerability (3/3)
Intelligence: Expertise (2/2)
Sentry: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Sentry: Precise (3/3)
Sentry: Sentry Aura (3/3)
Sentry: Persevere (1/2)
Protector: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Protector: Unrelenting (2/2)
Protector: Bulwark (2/2)
Protector: Defensive Expertise (3/3)
Mastery: Intelligence Mastery (1/1)

blueionstormz

Here is a build by another forumite that seem to fit your description.

arclighte

That build has more emphasis on healing than I would like (I prefer shields + passive resistance + buffs) but it did give me some ideas & help, thanks :-)

flowcyto

Considering that AoRP can give almost defense passive-levels of tankiness when in the Hybrid role, and that Bulwark increases threat in the Hybrid role, I wouldn't worry about taking something like Invuln and going the tank role (unless you just wanted to change the concept at its core- since then ur healing and team mitigation will be greatly lowered).

AoRP is great for a players that wants to be a tank w/ lotsa of support/heals for not just themselves, since it mandates getting some Presence anyways- if you want to help the teammate component.

Also, if you really want to be a tank, you need crippling strikes and a CC advantage on ur main attacks- it'll be tough to hold aggro otherwise (well, unless you use Defense Combo..). I'd recommend getting both CS and collateral dmg on Thunderclap- the threat and 50% larger reach can be handy.

Since you only have an aoe combo worked out (which sounds fine), what sort of primarily single-target attack abilities would you like? And I mean in terms of theme/looks.. just so I can narrow things down a bit.

Ya can also prob afford to drop Tactician for Battle of Wits in the Int tree- it'll boost ur hold and stun duration via Int. One of my recent toons (an ice-melee) uses it + Manipulator toggle w/ Thunderclap and he gets like 3.5-4.0 sec stuns at lvl 40 w/ rank 2 TC; as a dps that's been really nice in locking down groups of mobs.

Conviction's Reverence adv is also nice as a 15ft close range aoe heal, in addition to Conviction being a good spell as ur primary tank heal. The adv is not much in itself, but it heal can allies that are nearby and help patch up melee splash dmg.

arclighte

Thanks for the help!

flowcyto wrote: »

Since you only have an aoe combo worked out (which sounds fine), what sort of primarily single-target attack abilities would you like? And I mean in terms of theme/looks.. just so I can narrow things down a bit.

I've experimented with so many - lightning arc/gigabolt, TK blades, TK assault, demolish, mind break, etc. - I can get almost anything to fit my theme so I figured I would leave the attack powers for last and then pick something that fit well with the rest of the build.

flowcyto

well, I'll forgo the melee options since you mentioned being ranged support before. Still leaves a ton of power combos you could use that are still effective.

I guess if you wanted to stay in the mentalist tree, TKA/TK Lance would be a fine basic attack combo, and ya could add TK Maelstrom in there too. Would prob want to use Concentration as the toggle w/ Ego Reverb or MSA as the EU, then, but you could instead take Compassion as the toggle if you spec for Sentinel Aura.
Ya could also pick up Shadow of Doubt and Mental Storm in the TP tree, since they are great debuffs for Mentalist powers in general (no need for Mind Break, you don't want to detonate the debuffs as a tank anyways).

But that's just one option of many. Let us know if you have any prefs in particular (I mean in terms of visuals or attack animations, etc).

arclighte

The only one of those that wouldn't work for me is TK maelstrom because of the rocks. I actually wouldn't mind melee powers! since I would have to be in melee range to use the CC combo anyway.

Re: visuals and animations...anything goes as long as I can explain it as light or sound somehow. Think Dazzler, Songbird etc. - lasers, explosions, Green-Lantern-esque constructs, screams, fireworks - but a good old fashioned punch wouldn't be out of place either

flowcyto

arclighte wrote: »

The only one of those that wouldn't work for me is TK maelstrom because of the rocks. I actually wouldn't mind melee powers! since I would have to be in melee range to use the CC combo anyway.

Up to you. You can slap CC on ranged powers and do just fine tanking w/ them, but you can also slap on some Str and punch something in the face just fine

TK Eruption is a good aoe alternative aoe when TC and EW's cd are up- only charge it if you or ur team won't mind the aoe knockback (gives ya a nice buff too), otherwise ya can tap it to avoid that.

Fortunately, the telekinetic powers would be easy to work in as light manipulation, since they are a form of energy manip. If ya want a melee attack, then TK Blade Breech is a good one- since it also debuffs the target for ego dmg.

arclighte

alright, so this is what I'm looking at now - I know Gigabolt is redundant since I already have the two AOE powers but I always like to have one big flashy power for theme. Sonic Device can go if I'm missing something important, and I'm not sure if I picked the best active offense + defense.

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name: Prism

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats:
Level 6: Intelligence (Primary)
Level 10: Presence (Secondary)
Level 15: Constitution (Secondary)

Talents:
Level 1: The Inventor
Level 6: Shrug It Off
Level 9: Healthy Mind
Level 12: Diplomatic
Level 15: Intimidating
Level 18: Investigator
Level 21: Boundless Reserves

Powers:
Level 1: Force Bolts
Level 1: Force Shield (Force Sheathe)
Level 6: Protection Field
Level 8: Aura of Radiant Protection (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 11: Conviction (Rank 2, Reverence)
Level 14: Concentration
Level 17: Molecular Self-Assembly
Level 20: Unbreakable
Level 23: Ascension
Level 26: Thunderclap
Level 29: Energy Wave
Level 32: Gigabolt
Level 35: Telekinetic Assault
Level 38: Sonic Device

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Power Flight
Level 35: Acrobatics

Specializations:
Intelligence: Enlightened (3/3)
Intelligence: Battle of Wits (2/3)
Intelligence: Detect Vulnerability (3/3)
Intelligence: Expertise (2/2)
Sentry: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Sentry: Precise (3/3)
Sentry: Sentry Aura (3/3)
Sentry: Persevere (1/2)
Protector: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Protector: Bulwark (2/2)
Protector: Defensive Expertise (3/3)
Protector: Resolute (2/3)
Mastery: Sentry Mastery (1/1)

flowcyto

Ascension fits the build well, and Unbreakable is a good AD, so I'd prob keep both of those in.

I'd swap TKA's place w/ Protection Field since you need a good attack early when leveling (unless this is a lvl 40 retcon build, ofc). Here's how I'd do ur adv's w/ most of ur current powers (re-ordered as if it was a leveling build):


Powers:
Level 1: Eldritch Bolts
Level 1: Telekinetic Assault (Explosive Potential, Crippling Challenge)
Level 6: Aura of Radiant Protection (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 8: Concentration
Level 11: Conviction (Rank 2, Reverence)
Level 14: Thunderclap (Rank 2, Collateral Damage, Challenging Strikes)
Level 17: Molecular Self-Assembly
Level 20: Energy Wave (Reverse Polarity)
Level 23: Gigabolt (Rank 2)
Level 26: Protection Field (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 29: Force Shield (Rank 2, Force Sheathe)
Level 32: Ascension
Level 35: Unbreakable
Level 38: Redemption (Rank 2, Salvation)

gave you a res, just cause it rounds out the support toolkit, but Rebirth could also fit if ur worried more about urself
that also leaves 3 adv points free