Hello you Mastermind experts

I was wondering, what is a great combination for a newb to MM?

I know that everyone is going to have different opinions, so don't just say "robo/ff frickin rocks!"

Please give reasoning so I know why you say "robo/ff frickin rocks!"

Thank you

Robo / FF is probably the best PvP MM setup, but it has no massive healing, so it can't handle large battles if shields drop. While my Robo / FF MM's are only 10, I have seen them in action, mostly during PvP. I guess the ability to prevent being teleported kind of removes one of the MM's major weaknesses.

Now, as for the MM's I'm currently playing, I have 2 level 38 Ninja / Dark Miasma. The pro's are that you do high end damage, while your pets arent exactly tanking material and can perish rather quickly. To put things into perspective, granted Im 2 boxing, but with 2 of these MM's, I'm quite able to hunt boss mobs 3-4 levels above me. As well as full groups of orange to purples, if you know what I mean.

I've never played Undead, Thug or Mercs yet, so I know very little about them. I really think it comes down to what you have an aquired taste for. I mean, when I play this game, I play a hero / villain that does what I think is cool, not what some powergamer's template says is the best combo of power sets.

I think my problem as a newbie is that I don't actually know what the different sets are better for. Is it all cosmetic, or are some power sets better for area of effect, and others for single target, etc?

Mastermind pets behave different from each other. So a mastermind robot is not the same as a mastermind ninja. (information taken directly from Paragon Wiki)

- Mercenaries: Mercenaries typically use conventional weapons and all Mercenaries have body armor that gives them resistance to smashing and lethal damage and their training makes them resistant to confusion and placate. These guys prefer range but do have some close combat attacks.

- Necromancy: Most Undead henchmen generally have good resistances to cold, negative energy, and psionic damage as well as sleep, fear and disorient. The undead prefer close combat with some mid range attacks with some mezzing.

- Ninjas: Ninjas have superior reflexes and can even super leap. Their training makes them highly resistant to confusion. The Ninjas prefer close combat with a few range attacks

- Robotics: Robot Henchmen generally have good resistances to lethal, cold and psionic damage, as well as sleep, fear and disorient. They are vulnerable to EMP attacks. Robots prefer range attacks. Their attacks have some knockback.

- Thugs: Most Thugs aren't particularly resistant to any damage type, but their lieutenants posses good Leadership skills. 'Call Gang' calls a gang of 10 or so Thug Posse to come to your aid for a brief while. Thugs prefer range attacks although the Bruiser will be the tank, with melee attacks.

Secondar Powers

Dark Miasma: Controlling set that also debuffs the accuracy of opponents. This set has a targeted AOE heal and also a rez ability

Force Field: The Force Field powers give you the ability to create shells of energy that protect yourself and your allies from various forms of damage and harm. Force Fields do not reduce damage, but reduced your allies chance of getting hit in the first place.

Poison: A debuff powerset that can affect anything from resistance to defense. Some holds attacks . This skillset also has an ally rez and a single target heal.

Storm Summoning: Will be implimented in issue 12. Storm Summoning has debuffers and disorients along with some knockback powers. It also has a single target heal ability.

Traps: Traps include ambush devices, as well as gadgets that can be contructed to aid you and your allies. This is a buff/debuff set.

Trick Arrow: AoE debuffs with hold attacks.

Power Pool: many Masterminds take the Leadership powerpool to further buff their minions and pets. This is a boon to your party members you may group with.

So, you see, it's not as simple as OMG FF FTW!!!11! Each set is different and plays different. I loved Robots and Thugs but I didn't care much for Undead and Ninja. I've not tried Mercs yet.

Forcefield was nice but a lot of micromanagement.. I've enjoyed traps. Poison Trap is an awsome hold with a funny animation (the mobs are pukeing) Traps works well with melee minions. Dark Miasma is a great secondary set for range minions. Drop a tar patch and let your range guys take pot shots as they try to get to your group.

Well, that was rather winded, hope it helped.

Alright thanx a bunch! When I do rejoin, I'll prolly have my two characters be:

Hero-Illusion/??? troller

Villain-Robo/Trap MM

Hopefully I can rejoin soon, not having the game is killing me!

And so you know, the reason I left both times (that's right, BOTH times) is because I couldn't find the right AT/Powers

Hopefully that doesn't happen again, because I know Co.. is pretty awesome (except for the grind. The grind sucks)

Basically stuff with melee minions take for micro management.

So Ninja and Necro may cause you problems especially ninja who can run after things like a pit bull on crack.

Thugs gets a melee Bruiser at 26 so that is also a concern.

The Mercs are technically ranged but the level 26 commando takes some micro management since his attacks widely vary in the range and he isn't smart enough to manage that right.

So Bots take the least micromangement but mercs and thugs only take a little and the melee sets take alot.

The rest isn't really that big of a deal just pick a secondary you think you would like.

I'm using a necro/dark  and so far in the early levels it's going pretty well. It's like having your own personal tank squad. I have a pretty good heal for my minions and some good offense to support them. Just picked up enchant undead and now they are doing great. Another good thing is your minions have unlimited range. You can send them after an enemy as soon as you can target them. This is useful for pulling enemies as once you have them attack you can call them back to you. Overall the MM is my favorite class in CoV.

Originally posted by bobokajoee

 

Hopefully that doesn't happen again, because I know Co.. is pretty awesome (except for the grind. The grind sucks)

Thankfully, they actually looked into that the last double xp weekend and smoothed out a lot of the rough areas. Grinding is not as horrid as it used to be.  Level progression is steadier.  The difference will be evident.

Something else to keep in mind is that some MoBs at later levels are resistant to certain kinds of damage. All MM pets with the exception of Bots do Lethal and Smashing damage (with the exception of a -few- attacks from tier 2 and 3 pets). While Bots do energy and to a lesser extent smashing damage.

Then look at AOE abilities, some pets, like ninjas do crazy damage on one MoB at a time, and can technically out damage a Bot, however a full team of Ninja pets can't kill a full even con spawn of MoBs as fast as 3 drones with the full auto upgrade. However those ninjas can take down a boss better than those drones can. Add in the other 3 members of the Bot crew and well there raw damage output is phenomenal when it comes to bots.

Uhh, I forgot where I was going with this at 3.30am lol, sorry not trying to sound like a fanboi about bots, I like the Thug set as well, just can't make myself level my Thugs MM because I want my first veat.

The problem with a Bots MM however comes from the lack of having to micromanage them, you WILL get bored.  My "main" I made back when CoV was launched, and it's just now 46, I've leveled 20+ other toons and tore through hero side but I've yet to get my first and main toon to 50 because I seriously get bored. He's a bots/ff. Only thing that really gets through my bubbles is psy damage.

Originally posted by KaltesHerz

Something else to keep in mind is that some MoBs at later levels are resistant to certain kinds of damage. All MM pets with the exception of Bots do Lethal and Smashing damage (with the exception of a -few- attacks from tier 2 and 3 pets). While Bots do energy and to a lesser extent smashing damage.

 

Then look at AOE abilities, some pets, like ninjas do crazy damage on one MoB at a time, and can technically out damage a Bot, however a full team of Ninja pets can't kill a full even con spawn of MoBs as fast as 3 drones with the full auto upgrade. However those ninjas can take down a boss better than those drones can. Add in the other 3 members of the Bot crew and well there raw damage output is phenomenal when it comes to bots.

 

Uhh, I forgot where I was going with this at 3.30am lol, sorry not trying to sound like a fanboi about bots, I like the Thug set as well, just can't make myself level my Thugs MM because I want my first veat.

 

The problem with a Bots MM however comes from the lack of having to micromanage them, you WILL get bored.  My "main" I made back when CoV was launched, and it's just now 46, I've leveled 20+ other toons and tore through hero side but I've yet to get my first and main toon to 50 because I seriously get bored. He's a bots/ff. Only thing that really gets through my bubbles is psy damage.

All depends on the enhancements my friend XD

Originally posted by bobokajoee

Alright thanx a bunch! When I do rejoin, I'll prolly have my two characters be:

Hero-Illusion/??? troller

Villain-Robo/Trap MM

 

Hopefully I can rejoin soon, not having the game is killing me!

 

And so you know, the reason I left both times (that's right, BOTH times) is because I couldn't find the right AT/Powers

 

Hopefully that doesn't happen again, because I know Co.. is pretty awesome (except for the grind. The grind sucks)

O-N-L-Y 2?!? ( ' ;  Fire up 6 - 8 - 12 alts until you find that special combination.  Hero-side you can crank through the sewers and some bank radio missions to get to 8 in about 2.5 hours then into the hollows to really try out your powers.

I have been playing a Robot / Traps Master Mind. I started him in April and as of 6/9/2008 he has made level 38. I have played mostly solo and found that the bots do extreemly well. Traps has two attacks that do very well with bots and those are Acid Morters and Poision Traps. PT will hold mobs while AM will drop their defenses. Once you pick up the second upgrade power, your little army of robots can do some serious damage and allow you to run at much more difficult levels. I am now facing level 40 Bosses and having no problems.

What ever you decide to pick up, I know you'll have fun with it. Good Luck !