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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MwaO" data-source="post: 6703403" data-attributes="member: 12749">Controller Themes<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Theme power has control or adds control to an existing power</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Theme power makes it easier to land control or keep control working</li> </ul>BeguilerThis is a sky blue theme for many controllers. Slide a target outside your area of effect into it.Blackstaff ApprenticeThis is a strong Dark Blue, potentially a weak Sky Blue in the right party. Magic Missile as a power is useful for free and a minor action attack is strong. Extra cantrips are good. The level 10 Feature is also very good as you basically get Dispel Magic as an alternate encounter power to potentially use multiple times a combat. Wizard with spellbook only, so very restricted, though a Swordmage could spend a feat to get a spellbook and a feat to MC into Wizard and a feat to do a power swap. Useful for regular Wizards in particular.<a href="http://community.wizards.com/lfr/blog/2012/04/06/character_themes:_citizens_of_splendor_(dragon_409_article)" target="_blank"> Note that some fluff aspects have been changed for LFR</a>Ghost of the Past(Breaking the normal rule - more of a Striker theme by my definitions, but this is one of, if not the top-tier theme for Controllers...) Double rolls for one attack, skill training, double roll on that skill training, benefit on an AP attack. All awesome. Oh, hey, and how about that utility 10 that no one should ever use as intended, but rather after the 1st combat to ensure an extra AP...Ooze AdeptMinor action control power, get to roll twice for a skill, and some decent acid resistance. Nothing spectacular, but solid.Order AdeptVery strong Controller option - Argent Rain does some leveling, solid bonus to a defense, and access to Wizard utility powers. To be clear, Dragon 399 lets PCs select from legal Wizard utilities, not just 2nd level ones as Compendium says. If only it worked properly in OCB, it might compete for Sky Blue given some of the very powerful Wizard Utilities out there.Primordial AdeptA bit of a damage booster and solid implement attack powers.Sorcere Adept Was gold, now just Dark Blue. The level 9 Daily is quite nasty - until you have a Stun power, though, this is just PurpleVeiled Alliance(DS)Decent implement attack power, but as usual, nothing else due to being Dark Sun. Great power swaps and if you're not here for the power swaps, you should be picking something else. LFR   Infernal SlaveHellfire touch seems not so great at first, but you can get resistance items that protect against fire/necrotic relatively easily. At which point, it is +damage and a relatively big slide. That 2nd part is where the value is. And it works with any attack. This could range from Blue to Sky Blue if you have powers that damage when entering a square or starting a turn in a particular square. Say Sorcerers with Flame Spiral. Still, be really careful with this theme - when the road ahead starts having road signs indicating TPK, this one pushes the gas pedal. BoVD, so Red for LFR.MotebornFlame Zephyr is basically a Fire version of Freezing Burst that doesn't use an implement, so no bonus to damage. On the other hand, it is a damage boost that moves around reasonably quickly. This could easily be Purple in a campaign where the expectation is more than 3 combats a day.Vile ScholarDark Speech is solid implement controller power. Level 5 option doesn't make a lot of sense, but assuming it is just +2 power bonus to knowledge checks, that's quite a good skill booster. BoVD, so Red for LFR.Wizard's ApprenticeImplement-based Color Orb is black. The level 5 ability is crazy good at 5th, almost worthless at Paragon. Order Adept, due to its +1 to Will and +4 to Arcana instead of +3, is almost strictly superior to Wizard's Apprentice once you hit Paragon.WindlordBig slide via weapon attack power with lots of potential movement for you.  Athasian Minstrel(DS)Decent weapon attack power with some control, but that's all it really gets. Power swaps might not be bad for certain classes, such as Avengers. LFRCormyrian Battle MageNot horrible if you're not a Staff Wizard or Sorcerer. Still though, not a strong path - no base attack power, just a utility that competes with Staff Expertise.OccultistJust plain weird. The standard action is a very weak power that might still be poor if the OA part triggered as part of the standard. The level 2 utility is the kind that's only good in games where you're not being challenged anyway. The skills and binding elements aren't horrible?Renegade Red WizardI think this is one of the themes that seems better than it actually is. You lose your 2nd school of magic, the 1st level ability is marginal - how often do Mages become Hidden, particularly at 1st level, and the 10th level ability is very situational and campaign dependent. No base attack power. Now there is that -2 to first save, but if you want to penalize saves, why aren't you an Orb of Imposition Arcanist? Arcanist + Beguiler should be much better.WatershaperDoesn't use implement for attack power, so this makes the attack power very lacklusterWidow of Arach-TinilithRidiculous restrictions. And for what? This one isn't particularly good, just some poor quality stuff. There might be some way to take advantage of the immobilize/slow feature of the spiderling. Or put your familiar into active mode as far away as possible for the +1 to all defenses and hope it doesn't die in an area attack.</blockquote>

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