Controllers need more powers?

[pawsplay]

I believe giving everyone the same uses of powers was a case of overfondness for symmetry.

 

[keterys]

... or possibly balance.

I'd suggesting that at least one person use a daily every combat, unless it's clearly a complete easy-fest.

 

[tombowings]

The situations that resulted in this topic involved the striker being already busy. In one particular encounter, the striker was busy taking out the enemy controller and the defender and leader were handling the brutes. So it was up to me to take the gnoll with the bow.

The controller will eventually have to handle lurkers, artillery, controller, and leaders. Most of your anti-ranged/stealth/aura powers are daily powers. So anytime you have more ranged/stealth/aura foes than strikers, you will have to drop a daily or hopelessly shoot at it with at will powers 'til a striker or defender kills their target.

Just like everyone will eventually have to deal with something they don't deal well with. it happens.

 

[Minigiant]

Just like everyone will eventually have to deal with something they don't deal well with. it happens.

Controller have enough problems with immunities, teleportation, resistances, and granted saving throws.

It is too much to ask for a bonus at will and an will that blinds on hit. Because every enemies doesn't love melee and slow/immobilze don't stop the 15 damage arrows.


The defender's job to to draw the enemy's fire.
The striker's job to take out the biggest threat.
The controller's job is to keep the strikers and defenders from being overwhelmed
The leader's jobs to increase team productivity, survivability, and efficiency

 

[Mistwell]

Cloud of daggers: a bit more damage?

It deals more damage than any other wizard power to a single target at 1d6+Int+Wis. It stays for multiple turns (longer with orb), can hit multiple targets, and can block the path in a enter-and-die way for minions. How much more do you want it to do?

 

[Sparilas]

In a paragon path adventure a wizard can abuse a bit the Ray of frost with feats like Burning blizzard,Wintertouched and Lasting frost so you can deal a good amount of dmg and slow a target.Also powers like blur and stoneskin help alot agains ranged attacks.In heroic lvls a wizard probaly will have a bigger problem from enemy artillery,so you need to have a good position in combat and a defender that can control the enemy artilery.An at-will power that blinds a target may be a bit too powerfull for a class

 

[theNater]

The situations that resulted in this topic involved the striker being already busy. In one particular encounter, the striker was busy taking out the enemy controller and the defender and leader were handling the brutes. So it was up to me to take the gnoll with the bow.

I know it feels good, but you don't have to split up and fight the enemies one-on-one. A few options with at-will powers for this situation:

1)Find yourself a handy piece of cover and start lobbing Magic Missiles or Clouds of Daggers at the controller. The sooner it drops, the sooner you and your striker can turn your attention to the artillery.

2)Lay down an array of Scorching Bursts on the brutes or pick the most heavily injured brute and send Magic Missiles/Clouds of Daggers at him. When one of the brutes drops, his opponent can get in the face of the artillery.

3)Delay your turn to go between the brutes and your defender and leader. Run up to the front lines and lay down a Thunderwave. On their turn, they close with the brutes and re-engage. Repeat until enemy artillery is on the front lines.

4)Use a well-timed Ray of Frost on the brute engaged with the leader. Have the leader move to engage the artillery. The slowed brute can't reach the leader or you, so he engages with the defender.

All of these options are better than trying to engage enemy artillery in an at-will shooting match. If you've got an encounter power that targets the artillery's weakest defense and applies a condition that will help you, launching it to reduce his damage for a few rounds is reasonable, but not necessary.

 

[Minigiant]

Yeah. I had to change tactics. I had no effective way to stop ranged enemies. But that's just an effect of the big problem...

The striker's job to kill the big threats of the enemy group.
If you look at the striker's list of powers, you'll see that their attacks are basically either one of 3 type:

High damage power
Med damage power with an effect or AOE
Damage and shift/push/slide power

Because all strikers have to do is bring the pain, set up the pain, and run from pain.

Controllers have to messed up enemy tactics. They need:

anti big tough melee guy powers (soldiers, brutes)
anti fast and sneaky melee creature power (lurkers, skirmishers)
anti minion power
anti ranged damage power (AOE damage controllers, artillery)
anti controller/leader power (nonAOE controllers, leaders)

But you only have 2 at will, 4 encounters, and 4 dailies at most. You have to either spread out your powers against a lot of types or foucs heavily on a few type. If you spread your powers, you only get 1 or 2 tries to control any given type for 1-4 turns. If you focused your powers, you put all the weight on your allies and are praying not to see many of the ignored types.

In 3rd, you could grab some wands and scrolls for special monsters and load your lower level slots with special spells and handle almost anything. In 3rd, when you hit someone with a condition, it stuck for a while.

In 4th, you're stuck with what powers you got and force allies to take what you can't handle. In 4th, when you hit someone with a condition, it sticks for a bit.

 

[darkdragoon]

Some more selective powers would help. Like say 4 fireballs that you can distribute in the burst.

 

[Jhaelen]

I hate that philosophy. It is essentially saying defenders and controllers are the side kicks to the hero of the story, the striker.

Umm? This is just a matter of your view. From the controller's perspective she's the hero. After disabling a bunch of them with a sleep spell, the side-kicks (read: strikers) get to dispatch them. How is that heroic? The REAL work has already been done by the controller.