Ego blade manipulator build, with... Ice??

gradii · October 2013

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name: Brainfreeze

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats:
Level 6: Intelligence (Primary)
Level 10: Dexterity (Secondary)
Level 15: Ego (Secondary)

Talents:
Level 1: The Marksman
Level 6: Negotiator
Level 9: Impresario
Level 12: Wordly
Level 15:
Level 18:
Level 21:

Powers:
Level 1: Ego Blade (Incisive Wit)
Level 1: Ego Weaponry (Rank 2, Siphoning Strikes)
Level 6: Ego Blade Dash (Nailed to the Ground)
Level 8: Id Mastery (Rank 2, Rank 3, Id Blades)
Level 11: Ego Reverberation
Level 14: Ego Blade Frenzy (Rank 2, Unnerving Rage)
Level 17: Ice Cage (Sub-Zero Cellblock)
Level 20: Manipulator
Level 23: Ego Blade Annihilation (Rank 2, Mental Acuity)
Level 26: Ice Burst (Freeze, Dirtbag)
Level 29: Bountiful Chi Resurgence (Resurgent Reiki)
Level 32: Ice Shield
Level 35: Ego Storm (Rank 2, Malevolent Manifestation)
Level 38: Masterful Dodge

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Acrobatics (Rank 2, Versatility)
Level 35: Ice Slide (Rank 2, Rank 3)

Specializations:
Intelligence: Tactician (2/2)
Intelligence: Battle of Wits (3/3)
Intelligence: Detect Vulnerability (3/3)
Intelligence: Expertise (2/2)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: The Rush of Battle (2/3)
Vindicator: Focused Strikes (3/3)
Warden: Fortified Gear (2/3)
Warden: Slaughter (3/3)
Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Mastery: Vindicator Mastery (1/1)

braxzana · October 2013

I'd seriously recommend swapping Manipulator for Form of the Tempest; even secondary, your DEX should be high enough you'll crit often and get stacks fast. Manipulator has such narrow cases when it can build up (if memory serves) and this appears to be a melee oriented build.

And before you put two ranks in Ice Slide, make sure you play around with it in the travel power training room of the Powerhouse --- Ice Slide is NOT a user-friendly travel power.

Unknown · October 2013

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braxzana · October 2013

I guess I'm just conditioned to be disappointed in "control" in Champions Online... in City of Heroes, even my Ice Blaster could lock down an entire spawn and stand there twiddling her thumbs for what felt like MINUTES, but in Champions you're lucky to get SECONDS of control.

kenpojujitsu3 · October 2013

braxzana wrote: »

I guess I'm just conditioned to be disappointed in "control" in Champions Online... in City of Heroes, even my Ice Blaster could lock down an entire spawn and stand there twiddling her thumbs for what felt like MINUTES, but in Champions you're lucky to get SECONDS of control.

Stack Manipulator, use Presence (or to a lesser extent Intelligence) and the proper specs to boost control. You won't feel that way anymore except on hold immune targets. Can hold or sleep targets for minutes and stun them for several seconds.

Unknown · October 2013

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theravenforce · October 2013

braxzana wrote: »

I guess I'm just conditioned to be disappointed in "control" in Champions Online... in City of Heroes, even my Ice Blaster could lock down an entire spawn and stand there twiddling her thumbs for what felt like MINUTES, but in Champions you're lucky to get SECONDS of control.

If you want to experience a control build do what Kenpo said and solo missions, you'll have PLENTY of time to lock down enemies from Henchmen to Super Villain. For control to be remotely useful it is best to either solo OR play with people who KNOW what your role is.

In team situations stuns and paralyzes are best used.

Oh yeah and to ensure you don't have a horrible experience stay away from inexperienced crowd controllers (or other crowd controllers in the main) who attempt to control all over your already controlled targets, this just results in stupidity and frustration as you actively help your targets by breaking each others holds.

I've only teamed with one other experienced crowd controller in my entire time in CO and they don't play the game anymore.

You will occasionally meet the individuals who KNOW how to play with a CCer on the team. Those individuals are hard to find however.

Maintained holds are pretty lacklustre thanks to their Incapaciderp changes, but can still be useful.

Charge Holds like Ego Sleep or Mental Storm tend to be more useful. Stuns are the most prevalent style of CC because it is quick and powerful, it's downfall is simply over application from multiple sources which = Hold Immune targets.

Crowd Control in CO is "passable" in solo instances where not much is a massive threat, in higher level or team instances you become Mr/Mrs Super Debuffer.

Unless you are fast in entering the scene first. Running Stuns/Incapaciderps can allow you to lockdown large sections of a map or even the whole map, like Trainstopping Alert. I have witnessed this done and done this myself, you just have to be fast. :cool:

Also using Ego Sleep on Super Villains does provide hilarious moments like this:*

* = For this Manipulator should be on the build as well as CC specs. Manipulator increase Hold Magnitude so you can hold SV's for a bit.

Unknown · October 2013

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theravenforce · October 2013

gradii wrote: »

I also had ALL the CC specs I could fit in one toon without a exploit.

Exploit? I thought only some PvPers used that...I personally don't see the point in using exploits.

Ego Sleeping SV's is doable, I'm not the only one who has accomplished this. Cyrone also did the same thing with his telepathy toons, so it's not like I am doing anything wildly different.

lol.

Unknown · October 2013

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theravenforce · October 2013

gradii wrote: »

I'm not accusing you of using them. I don't and I don't think you do. did you rank manipulator? perhaps that has some sort of effect.

Never EVER ranked a form in my entire time playing in CO (I don't count IDF since it has no stacks but meh, details..)

Ranking a Form Power will only increase the starting stacks meaning you only need 5 more activations to get to "full power", it doesn't actually affect the strength per stack or the form's potency.

Unknown · October 2013

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Unknown · October 2013

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theravenforce · October 2013

gradii wrote: »

also, I've noticed a wierd bug with ego storm. sometimes when you press the button it doesn't activate at all.

I haven't experienced this myself, I do remember the bug (fixed now) where Ego Storm would target self as well as foes resulting in you being held by...yourself.

Unknown · October 2013

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cyrone · November 2013

gradii wrote: »

seems a bit random. try running around while activating it using acrobatics, if mentella still also uses that. (I wanted to hit mentella with a water balloon, had to settle for bionic bullet by takofanes :P)

it seems to fail to activate more often if you tap the key while running. this is while using malevolent manifestation.

Rank 3 > Malevolent Manifestation.

Unknown · November 2013

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cyrone · November 2013

gradii wrote: »

because MM is bugged?

No. Because without MM the power can crit.

Unknown · November 2013

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cyrone · November 2013

gradii wrote: »

true but when I take MM its usually because I'm building a highly control focused toon, and MM allows you to start the power, then walk off and start on another group.

That's...not being "control focused".

Unknown · November 2013

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Ego blade manipulator build, with... Ice??

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