The Controller - Subarchetypes
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The Controller actually covers a number of different types of support powers. Most Controllers are able to use at least two of three different types of control powers. These include rooting, charming - or taking over the minds of foes - and summoning "pets" which can be used to attack their enemies. Controllers also have access to the Buff/Debuff Power Sets, which as mentioned under the description of the Defender, have very different capabilities as well.
Mind Controller: The Mind Controller is a powerful type of Controller, but not the most damaging type. The Mind Controller uses his mental powers to take control of his enemies, and turn them against each other. He also has powerful abilities to root his enemies, and instill fear in them. With these powers, he is invaluable to a group for his ability to control and divide the opposition. Unfortunately, with few damaging attacks, the Mind Controller is not particularly powerful in terms of offense. And since one of his primary abilities, the ability to Confuse foes and turn them against each other, results in a loss of XP for the damage done by the confused targets, many players do not like the Power. Fortunately, Mind Control also contains a number of powerful roots, including area of effect powers. While Empathy is the closest match for Mind Control, Force Fields could be used to represent a psychic that could telekinetically move objects, such as the Defender's Telekinetic Telepath. Sonic Resonance could represent a "softer" type of mental shield, while its debuffs could be considered a "psychic scream" instead of a vocal one. The graphics of Sonic Resonance may even be a better fit with Mind Control than Force Field.
Gravity Controller: The Gravity Controller is probably the most popular of the Controller types. It has a number of powerful abilities, including gravity attacks which can do considerable crushing damage. It is the only Controller type with a "pet" that cannot be healed or buffed, and which has primarily status effects instead of damage. However, the Grav Controller also includes an interesting "warping" ability which can be used to teleport foes away. The Teleportation Power Pool can be used to "complete" this ability and give the Grav Controller even more choices. Note that the examples given, Jean Grey and Magneto, do not literally use gravity control as their power. But this Power Set, with its rooting and crushing powers, can double for either telekinesis or magnetic control. These two powers also share with Gravity Control it's most impressive attack, the ability to Propel objects at foes. In combination with Force Field, which would deflect attacks and protect allies, the Gravity Controller could serve a defensive purpose very similar to Jean Grey in the X-Men.
Summoner: The Summoner uses the power of the elements to summon powerful attacks that control his foes as well as damage them. In its ultimate form, the Summoner's power allows him the create a "pet" of his chosen element, which will fight alongside his allies. Since the Summoner's "pet" does not cost his group XP for the damage it does, Summoners can be more acceptable to some groups. Of course, their rooting powers may not be as powerful as some other types of Controllers, although this can vary. Earth Controllers usually have very powerful combination root and damage abilities, almost like Gravity Control, while Icy Controllers have the most powerful roots. While Thermal Emission goes naturally with Fire Control, and Cold Domination with Icy Control, Earth Control has no such match. Storm Summoning could be used for its connection to nature, or Radiation Emission. Storm Summoning could also be matched with Icy Control. The use of Swamp Thing as an example suggests another possibility, which is Empathy, for it's healing abilities.
Illusionist: The Illusionist uses magical powers, mutant mind control, or just advanced special effects to create illusions of light that confound and disorient his enemies. Illusion Control is the only Controller Set that allows the hero to summon pets AND confuse his enemies into attacking each other. It also does a considerable amount of damage with Spectral Wounds and Blind. Therefore, Illusion Control is sort of a jack of all trades. One of the most interesting things about the Illusion Control set is its ability to make decoys or duplicates of the hero as a distraction. Illusion Control actually has more "pet" Powers than the other Power Sets, and in greater numbers, although most of them are unable to do real damage. And since they appear to be "ghostly" heroes, and not monsters, this would be a good power set for those heroes who are able to duplicate themselves. Kinetics makes a good combination with Illusion Control, and can represent the illusionist's ability to confound and disorient his foes with his illusions. Force Field could represent solid walls of light, to go with illusions that are formed of "hard light". Sonic Resonance brings up the interesting concept of a hero that can create illusions of light and sound.
Plant Controller: The Plant Controller is a recent addition, brought over from the Dominator. In concept Plant Control is similar to Earth Control, but Seeds of Confusion and Spirit Tree bring the Controller unique abilities not found in any other Power Set, Confuse and healing respectively. Mind Control is the only other set with an AoE Confuse, and no other Primary has a pet with healing powers. Of course, most Controllers will have a heal in their Secondary, but the Spirit Tree can still be useful as a supplemental power. The use of Empathy was suggested above with the Summoner, also using the example of Swamp Thing, but Poison Ivy suggests that perhaps Radiation or Thermal might be a good match as well. Poison would be a really good match, although the use of poisons doesn't really fit heroes, but the set could be adapted as Empathy was into Pain Domination. Storm Summoning could be a choice because rain and weather helps plants to grow. Since Empathy itself could suggest a "green thumb", and in fact its effects are green, it may be the best current match.
Empathy Controller: The Empathy Controller, while it can be of any Primary Power Set, differs from the other subarchetypes in that he concentrates mainly on healing. Like the Empathy Defender, he is a support character, and is designed to operate only in a group. He may have rooting or knockback abilities, but will mainly use these powers to control the opponents instead of attacking directly. And even these abilities will take a secondary role to the Controller providing healing for his team, and supporting their attacks. This concept may even take the Spirit Tree from Plant Control and make constant use of it. For the most part, the Empathy Controller will use the same strategies described for the Empathy Defender.
Solo Controller: The Solo Controller is the opposite of the Empathy Controller. While the Empathy Controller chooses its powers exclusively based on their use to the group, the Solo Controller tries to make himself as soloable as possible. The high damage of Gravity Control makes it good for soloing, as does the Spectral Wounds power in Illusions. As with the Solo Defender, though, the most important factor in making the Controller soloable is to choose the proper buff powers, which can be used to defend the Controller. Of course, the Controller's root powers make this easier than with the Defender. Choice of Secondary is also very important to soloability. Kinetics is the Power Set that provides the most offensive buffs, raising the Controller's extremely low damage. And Storm Summoning has a lot of knockback and stealth powers that help when solo. Add in the damage doubling power of Containment, which even doubles the boost given by the Secondary, and you should be able to do considerable ranged damage with your normal holds and immobilize powers.
Scraptroller: The Scraptroller is a concept in which you create a soloable Controller by using primarily Powers from the Power Pool. The idea here is to start with a "normal" character, not a Scrapper or Tanker, but a character no stronger than an ordinary guy, and use the Pool to build him into a melee fighter. This particular concept isn't possible without the Control powers, though, you will need to hold down your foes, divide them up, and use stealth. Illusions works perfectly for this, with its Superior Invisibility, and once a foe is held you can close into melee to finish him off. Other Primaries can use similar tactics, with Fire Control for instance you can use Smoke to conceal your movements. The key to continuing to fight even when facing two or three foes, is using the Power Pool to reinforce the Controller's defenses, and to give him additional hand to hand attacks. He'll never be able to take on multiple opponents, like a Tanker or Scrapper, but by using Decieve, Blind, and maybe Siphon Power to pull the enemy he should be able to take them on one at a time. I definately see The Shadow as being a hero in this mold, he uses his invisibility not just to move around, but to throw his enemies into confusion, and even get them fighting against each other. This subarchetype is similar in many ways to the Dominator, and learning to use the above tactics can be helpful in learning to play a Dominator correctly, or vice versa. Of course, a Controller must hold down his foe first to use Containment, while a Dominator gets full damage all the time, so he can hold down a second foe while he fights the first. Then again, a Controller usually has much more powerful defenses than any Dominator. Any Controller, really, can benefit from taking some extra Power Pool attacks and making himself more soloable. |
