The Master Controller – Optimum melee tactics/cc/debuff build 12FTR/7MONK/1ROG

[Cetus]

Sounds pretty solid- but you'll never play this =D

[Dark-Star]

Sounds pretty solid- but you'll never play this =D

We ran some at level elite quests last night, not only does he play it, he plays it as advertised.

Zerging ahead he did the support role thing, and virtually every mob I came to was sapped, stunned, tripped or stoned (assuming stonedust wraps is what he was using), and Brutalisk was off up ahead handling the next encounter.

It will be a very cool concept build for someone willing to be selfless in their play, and with the skill to move perfectly and time their tactics. I look forward to seeing this guy in action in epics.

[Nick_RC]

I like this build a lot Nick. The thing is, this sounds suspicously like a support melee. A very effective one, but a support nevertheless. Discussing it last night, we just can't see you playing this, Mr A-type-personality.

Sounds pretty solid- but you'll never play this =D

Bah you two haters Builds a tonne of fun on elite quests - boring on normal atm because they die so fast. This will be solved more with mobs with more hp.

He was built completely as a support melee - hes there as a seal/shard runner for groan! but its a tonne of fun 2bh and if he can do what I think he can do at cap then il defiantely take him to 36p with 2x ftr pl for even more tactical fun. I dont care if its support or main tank as long as I can zerg! Shake is support!!!

Will write thoughts on it tonight after my leveling bud blacks out. should be 16-17ish.

N

[RS-Makk]

I am finding this build real interesting. Been looking for the right build to TR my elven exploiter into, and this is peaking my interest. That said - what variation would you recommend to if I want to continue to use my greensteel weapons for bosses/red names. I would imagine I'd back off on the monk levels to 1-2 monk and seek a different 'middle' spash for the other 6-7 levels, but am struggling to figure out what would be good there.

[transtemporal]

Bah you two haters Builds a tonne of fun on elite quests - boring on normal atm because they die so fast. This will be solved more with mobs with more hp.

He was built completely as a support melee - hes there as a seal/shard runner for groan! but its a tonne of fun 2bh and if he can do what I think he can do at cap then il defiantely take him to 36p with 2x ftr pl for even more tactical fun. I dont care if its support or main tank as long as I can zerg! Shake is support!!!

Seriously for a sec, I think you're right though. In the post-u9 world, sorcs are not going to be doing cc in epics (or at least, not as much). I think that moves tactics-based-melees from being "great in a party" to "essential".

[urusaikuneyaro]

I have hamstring on many toons and can confirm that it has no DC.

[Cetus]

Bah you two haters Builds a tonne of fun on elite quests - boring on normal atm because they die so fast. This will be solved more with mobs with more hp.

He was built completely as a support melee - hes there as a seal/shard runner for groan! but its a tonne of fun 2bh and if he can do what I think he can do at cap then il defiantely take him to 36p with 2x ftr pl for even more tactical fun. I dont care if its support or main tank as long as I can zerg! Shake is support!!!

Will write thoughts on it tonight after my leveling bud blacks out. should be 16-17ish.

N

heh fair enough . In that case, bring your support master back to argo and set the field up for me to obliterate.

[Niab]

I ran one like this in permadeath and it was great fun and worked well.

Mine was dwarf for extra tactics and had spring attack so I could just run through the mobs and incapacitate each one.

One of my favorites to play so far. She was eventually part of a near party wipe in Elite redfens finale elite at level 12.

[Nick_RC]

Just a quick update.

Dont play this build on a 32p platform. Its awful in endgame play.

It does what it set out to do offensively but just cannot take the hits. Its actually a fun build and was great to level with but the stats are spread to thin on 32p. Ideally you'd want to play it at 36p with a +3 dex tome banked to free up more points for con. Offensively tactics wise it was nice although definately was a bit light on the too hit side of things post U9 until I got ravens sight crafted. Im currently using epic spectrals/hot swapped with brawlers gloves if I dont need the too hit + raven sight and gem with epic bracers of the hunter for sneak. not bothering with seeker item what it adds is just not worth it anymore. Epic Gloves of the claw would replace brawlers if I wanted to dedicate the recourses into equipping him.

I believe this would be a very sound build on a multiple trd toon (especially with fighter past lives to help too hit and tactics) with good existing gear.

N

[slimkj]

Thanks for the field reports. I'll still try it on a 34pt build I think and bump CON a bit as have a +3 banked. I'll try and get another +3 from somewhere to free up some more points too. Worst comes to worst I could drop STR a notch and make up to lost to hit somewhere else.

Hmmm, but... when you say it can't take the hits, I'm guessing you mean in epics. Still fun to level, bank it at 18 then TR it again right away for the 36pt variant then...?

[Crusad]

Do you think that possible new blademarks docent is the best docent for this build right now? I know its not definitive, but when i saw this, this build was the first thing that i thought would use it the best :-)

Epic Blademark's Docent: Add Superior False Life, Vertigo +15;

[kendo]

any updates from Nick, or maybe slimkj? I was playing around with this build and having a blast, but only up to around lvl 10 or so at this time. the last update from Nick was a bit of a bummer but hoping that some of the new gear from U11 and U12 may help this along a bit.

would also echo slimkj's question - are you referring to epic runs, when you say it can't take a hit? I don't run a lot of epics, so if it still does fine for pretty much everything other than epics, that won't be a huge loss for me and can decide if I want to spend the time to someday TR it a time or two

[slimkj]

I do have something similar to this build now, yes. Notes:

1) Mine has 1 Rgr lvl, not Rog (FE: Construct - cheesy I know )
2) I switch it out between SD II and Kensai II dependent on what I am running (this can mitigate some HP issues)
3) I dropped STR by one notch and lost 1 tactics DC to put points elsewhere.
4) Gear changes have meant you can mitigate to hit issues cheaper/easier. Cannith crafted +4 attack trinket is relatively easier to acquire than Epic Spectrals, for example. If it's a fresh build and you don't have lots of Epic gear ready for cap, you can add things like Fabricator's Bracers & Gauntlets for a further +2 to hit.

Overall, I would say due to the collision detection/animation changes, the melee tactics approach feels less worthwhile these days. Still, I love monks and so a 12Ftr/7Mnk/1___ is fine by me as it's just mostly like playing a slightly lower dmg, higher HP and to-hit monk. I plan to TR this one to 12Mnk/8Ftr at some point with the new changes to Earth but it's down the list of TR priorities for me so won't be soon. I'm happy enough with it for raid running.