City of Heroes Coldfront (CoH, CoV)

Master of Cones (tm)! The I6 AR/NRG Blaster Guide by Captain IcyHot

AR/NRG is the best AoE set in the game. Period. It takes time to achieve uberness but once you are Master of Cones (tm)!, the world will stand up and take notice. The /NRG secondary utility powers have great synergy with AR and /NRG adds devastating melee attacks as well.

There are four requirements to be a true Master of Cones (tm)!:

Buckshot
Flamethrower
Full Auto
Boost Range

Everything else is optional but these powers are the reason to be an AR/NRG, AoE attack specialist.

There is so much flexibility in AR/NRG that my personal build for Cobalt Capybara has continually mutated throughout the game because of experimentation and what was most useful for those levels. I highly recommend that you plan on respecing into different builds as some powers are very useful in the early game and not that great in the mid to late game. Considering the frequency of “design vision” changes, I would guess that more free respecs would not be too unlikely.

Primary Power Set - Assault Rifle

Burst (1)
Brawl Index: 3.00 Lethal
Endurance Cost: 5.202 pts.
Recharge Time: 4 sec.
Activation Time: 2 sec.
Range: 90
Features: 4 tick DoT (~2 sec.), -Def, +5% Accuracy

Burst is a part of a great 1 - 2 punch with Buckshot. Later on you will be focusing on AoE attacks and this becomes a “so-so” attack. It is the only single target attack in AR that doesn’t have KB so this is your pulling attack if you don’t have TP Foe. It is also great as an interrupter for pet droppers.

Master of Cones (tm)! (MoC) 1 to 5 rating: 3

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam, 1 Recharge

Slug (1)
Brawl Index: 4.56 Lethal
Endurance Cost: 8.67 pts.
Recharge Time: 9 sec.
Activation Time: 2 sec.
Range: 95
Features: Knockback, +5% Accuracy

This IS your ranged single target attack. You will use this while waiting for your mighty cones to recharge. A great attack throughout the entire game. Do not use this to pull as the knockback element will alert the entire group of mobs to your presence.

MoC rating: 5

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam, 2 Recharge

Buckshot (2)
Brawl Index: 2.52 Lethal
Endurance Cost: 10.404 pts.
Recharge Time: 8 sec.
Activation Time: 2 sec.
Range: 40
Cone Degree: 30
Features: Cone, Knockback, +5% Accuracy

Your first cone and first step on the road to Master of Cones (tm)!. This is a short range, wide cone attack that will serve you well. Ignore those concerned about knockback, cones are your calling.

MoC rating: 5

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam, 2 Recharge

M30 Grenade (6)
Brawl Index: 2.49 (1.6683 Lethal, .8217 Smash)
Endurance Cost: 15.1725 pts.
Recharge Time: 17 sec.
Activation Time: 2 sec.
Range: 80
Features: Targeted AE, Knockback, +5% Accuracy

I have used this power only on test and really didn’t like the chaos it created. This knocks stuff all over the place instead of away from me like Buckshot. The MoC is against scatter so this gets a pass. However, it’s an AoE that you can get early so it could be useful in the pre-Full Auto game. I plan on getting it at lvl 49 and slotting it with KB for sheer silliness.

MoC rating: 2

Beanbag (8)
Brawl Index: 0.56 Smash
Endurance Cost: 10.404 pts.
Recharge Time: 20 sec.
Activation Time: 2
Range: 60
Features: Disorient (100% Mag 3), +5% Accuracy

A must have attack for the solo blaster. Nothing flashy. Click and disorient with token damage. For the Master of Cones, this is a later pick.

MoC rating: 3

Recommended slotting: 2 ACC, 2-3 Disorient, 1-2 Recharge

Sniper Rifle (12)
Brawl Index: 7.68 Lethal
Endurance Cost: 15.606 pts.
Recharge Time: 13 sec.
Activation Time: 5 sec.
Range: 120
Features: Interruptible, Knockback, +25% Accuracy

Had it. Used it at the beginning of a fight and then it sat unused until the fighting was over. That irritated me so I respeced out of it. Once I got Boost Range the fun returned. For the solo blaster, a very good power to start off a fight. For the Master of Cones, loads of Boost Range fun. Popping a mob that you have targeted and can’t even see anymore because of the distance is fun.

MoC rating: 3

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam

Flamethrower (18)
Brawl Index: 5.3336 Fire
Endurance Cost: 21.675 pts.
Recharge Time: 20 sec.
Activation Time: 3 sec.*
Range: 40
Cone Degree: 45
Features: 8 tick DoT (~8 sec.), Cone, +30% Accuracy

Great damage and get to mix Fire with your Lethal now. SLOOOOOOW DoT. So slow that even though the minions that you hit with it are going to die, they can still take you down with a couple of shots apiece. It leaves you rooted for about 3 secs. I like to think of rooting like flipping the bird to a bunch of bikers and then standing there defiantly as they stampede toward you. Very brave but occasionally quite painful. This is cone #2, a very wide cone and it’s the next step on your road to becoming Master of Cones (tm)!

MoC rating: 5

Recommended MoC slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam, 2 Recharge

Ignite (26)
Brawl Index: 6.666 Fire (.2222 per tic)
Endurance Cost: 5.202 pts.
Recharge Time: 4 sec.
Activation Time: 2 sec.*
Range: 30
Features: 30 tick DoT (~12 sec.), Small AoE Storm, +100% Accuracy

This is a “storm” type of power similar to Burn. Set and forget. Unfortunately, it also has the fear element so mobs will run out of it as soon as they can. With AR/NRG, you have no reliable way of keeping them in your very small fire patch. The only way you can really take advantage of this power by yourself is to use Air Superiority and chain Knockdown + Ignite. If you regularly team with controllers or tackle tons of AVs this can be a great power as well. The other problem with Ignite is the very short range and the targeting recticle. Until you get used to it, it can really cut into your DPS as you putz around with targeting Ignite instead of using your other attacks. Since Ignite has a bunch of situational uses it’s useful but...situational since, soon after you get it, you are firing your attacks from Guam via Boost Range.

On the PvP front, the radius of your patch is too small to interrupt stalker’s Hide power and other players just aren’t going to be caught in it unless they have burned through their Break Frees i.e. it is useless in PvP.

Hmm...that’s a lot of text to say that Ignite is a power that requires far too much work for most people to bother with it. Oh well.

MoC rating: 2

Recommended MoC slotting: 3 Dam, 0-3 Recharge

Full Auto (32)
Brawl Index: 8.10 Lethal
Endurance Cost: 26.01 pts.
Recharge Time: 25 sec.
Activation Time: 6 sec.
Range: 80
Cone Degree: 10
Features: 18 tick DoT (~6 sec.), Cone, Critical Hit Chance, +35% Accuracy

I never experienced the glory of a fully slotted, Hastened, pre-ED FA myself but it must have been unbelievable since it’s really good now. FA can be frustrating at first due to the very narrow cone. Once you get the hang of it AND get Boost Range it’s fan-freakin-tastic. You will dream of long, narrow, straight hallways

. It roots you for 6 seconds and that can feel like an eternity but it is still 1000% better than the “nukes”, especially after ED. It is “just” a big cone AoE with a quick recharge and no drawbacks but the rooting. Sounds and is great! You are almost to the summit of Master of Cones (tm)! goodness.

MoC rating: 5

Recommended MoC slotting: 3 Dam, 3 Recharge

Secondary Power Set - Energy Manipulation

Power Thrust (1)
Brawl Index: 2.2222 (1.1111 Energy/1.1111 Smashing)
Endurance Cost: 6.936 pts.
Recharge Time: 6 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Range: 5
Features: Knockback

I generally consider the 1st “no choice” power in a secondary as a freebie. This way I don’t get frustrated when they are often crap. Power Thrust is actually a nice power from lvl1 to lvl50. 100% KB on all but resistant mobs. Great for making scary things go away or playing KB soccer with your SG.

MoC rating: 3

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC

Energy Punch (2)
Brawl Index: 5.4445 (2.6667 Energy/2.7778 Smashing)
Endurance Cost: 5.202 pts.
Recharge Time: 4 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Range: 5
Features: PvP Toggle Drop (100%)

Good if you want to Blap a LOT or get in close to drop toggles. Since the MoC is a floating weapons platform in PvP, this gets a pass. It is not a bad attack and gets a lot of negative press but it just doesn’t fit into the MoC playstyle.

MoC rating: 1

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam, 1 Recharge, 1 End Redux

Build Up (4)
Endurance Cost: 5.202 pts.
Recharge Time: 90 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Duration: 10 secs
Features: 62.5% to hit buff, 100% damage buff

You chose NRG as a secondary, you take Build Up at lvl 4. Period. No other set gets this kind of power this early. With ED, you should easily have the slots to stick 3 Recharges in this one.

MoC rating: 5

Recommended slotting: 3 Recharge

Bone Smasher (10)
Brawl Index: 7.2223 (1.6667 Energy/5.5556 Smashing)
Endurance Cost: 8.67 pts.
Recharge Time: 8 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Range:
Cone Degree:
Dmg Composition:
Features: Disorient (50% Mag 3)

At early levels, this attack makes you understand the insane mindset of the Blapper. Once you get Bone Smasher you want to run into melee and lay down some serious hurt. Go ahead. I personally like the run-by method. Target a mob with Bone Smasher, Superspeed or Sprint up close and jump past. You should go through the animation as you jump past and are safely out of melee range. Once you get Full Auto, this is reserved for the foolish mobs that get too close. Build Up + Teleport Foe + Bone Smasher is also a great combo.

MoC rating: 5

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam, 1-2 Recharge

Conserve Power (16)
Endurance Cost: 7.803 pts.
Recharge Time: 600 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Duration: 90 secs
Features: 50% endurance discount

At lvl 35, the MoC is actually pretty end efficient. The rooting/animations in FA and Flamethrower slows down your button mashing but you are doing tons of damage to many mobs instead of focusing on one. That said, Conserve Power is still too good to pass up. In the early levels (pre-32), you are still doing enough frantic button mashing that a 50% End discount is very appealing. 90 secs of unlimited mayhem..good times. This is not a substitute for Stamina and relying on a very slow recharging click power for your End needs sounds pretty irritating to me. That said, get this at lvl 16 and you can live without Stamina til 22.

MoC rating: 4

Recommended slotting: 3 Recharge

Stun (20)
Brawl Index: 0.6945 (0.4167 Smashing/0.2778 Energy)
Endurance Cost: 10.404 pts.
Recharge Time: 20 sec.
Activation Time: 2 sec.
Range:
Dmg Composition:
Features: Disorient (100% Mag 3)

It’s a Melee attack that does token damage and won’t mez a boss by itself. Blah. Now the token... “Stun and Beanbag can be combined to disorient a Boss. Useful in the days before Total Focus.” There. I’ve said it. Let’s move on.

MoC rating: 1

Recommended slotting: 2 ACC, 1-3 Disorient

Power Boost (28)
Endurance Cost: 7.803 pts.
Recharge Time: 60 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Duration: 15 secs
Features: ~100% Boost to the following effects: Disorient Duration, Sleep Duration, Confuse Duration, Fear Duration, Immobilize Duration, Hold Duration, Knockback (Knock-Up) distance, Repel strength, Run speed, Fly speed, Defense Buffs, Heal Accuracy Buffs, and Endurance Drain.

I had this power for 7 levels and...well, I ran and flew a little faster for 15 secs a pop. Some people love it and use it primarily to give Total Focus a 20 sec disorient duration. The MoC was too focused on damage to try to maximize disorient duration. This gets a pass.

MoC rating: 2

Recommended slotting: 3 Recharge

Boost Range (35)
Endurance Cost: 13.005 pts.
Recharge Time: 60 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Duration: 30 secs
Features: 75% Boost to the range of all powers

This is the Holy Grail of the cone user and the reason to pair AR & NRG. It increases the range on EVERYTHING that has range. More range means wider cones. Wider cones mean more mobs affected. More mobs affected means more orange numbers for you and the adulation of all around you. There is nothing finer than unloading on a large group of mobs with Flamethrower, Full Auto, Buckshot and having the rest of the group go “.....Wow”. Then doing that every group. You are now truly the Master of Cones (tm)!

Boost Range is also great with the Teleport pool. An /NRG Blaster with TP and Boost Range is the fastest toon in the game.

BTW - This is “perma” with 3 recharges and what I have on auto during a fight.

MoC rating: 16

Recommended slotting: 3 Recharge

Total Focus (38)
Brawl Index: 9.8889 (2.7778 Smashing/7.1111 Energy)
Endurance Cost: 18.6405 pts.
Recharge Time: 20 sec.
Activation Time: 3 sec.
Range: 5
Features: Disorient (100% Mag 3, ~80% Mag 4)

The MoC is a ranged AoE specialist. We avoid melee when possible. ...but this is Total Focus. You must take it or I will mock you until you cry. A HUGE melee attack with a boss level mez. Take it...take it now!

MoC rating: 5

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam, 2 Recharge

Pool Power Comments

I recommend the Concealment, Fitness, Flight with Speed or Teleport pools for the MoC. Here are a few comments about all of the pools.

Concealment: Stealth

Stealth is pretty much a necessity for a Blaster. I’ve had Grant Invisibility but didn’t care for the buff bot role. A Blaster is supposed to blast. I loved Phaseshift before but don’t care for it now that it turns off after 30 secs.

Fitness: Swift, Health, Stamina

It’s the Fitness pool. Take what you want to get Stamina. It really doesn’t matter that much for a Blaster but Swift helps with cone positioning when on the ground.

Flight: Hover, Air Superiority

Hover is a terrific tool for positioning and avoiding melee in PvE and PvP. Air Superiority is the only way an AR/NRG blaster can take full advantage of Ignite without help from other players.

Leadership: None

Tactics can be nice for +perception in PvP but the MoC doesn’t have enough pools to ever fit this in. If you really want +perception, go /Devices or be an Ice/NRG PvP god.

Leaping: Combat Jumping, Super Jump, Acrobatics

I don’t really recommend the Leaping pool for the MoC but Combat Jumping’s Immobilize protection is great for a Blaster. Being immobilized for a toon that can create as much aggro as the MoC can be very, very bad. Super Jump is the easiest, most versatile travel power in the game. Acrobatic’s Knockback protection is pretty much a requirement for a true blapper...which the MoC is not.

Speed: Hasten, Superspeed, Whirlwind

Even though Hasten is not perma anymore it is still a great power. SS + Stealth is a terrific combo for a Blaster in PvE. Whirlwind has some interesting uses for the AR blaster. The spinning animation of Whirlwind cancels out the rooting effect of Flamethrower and Full Auto. When I combined Hover and Whirlwind, if I turned on Hover first I would get the funnel but I didn’t spin. I would root then. If I were building a primarily solo AR/NRG Blaster, I would definitely want Whirlwind.

Medicine: None

Honestly, I would rather stick 2 more recharge slots in Rest. A full non-combat heal AND endurance recharge every 90 secs.

Presence: None

Nothing to see here, move along. This just isn’t a Blaster pool and far too much work to get a fear power.

Teleport: Recall Friend, TP Foe, Teleport

Recall Friend is the best power around for reducing the amount of time a group waits at the mission door. TP Foe is a better pulling power than Burst for an AR/NRG IMHO as our best single target attacks are melee. Teleport and /NRG is the fastest travel power combo around.

Level 1-50 Walkthrough

Lvl 1-17 - Seeker of Cones

The playstyle is blapperific. Shoot, shoot, shoot, blap, blap, shoot, blap, shoot, shoot, etc. Any blaster with the /NRG secondary is part blapper whether they like it or not. Bone Smasher and later Total Focus are just too good to ignore. The problem is weapon primaries are worse than nonweapon primaries as blappers due to weapon draw/put away animations slowing them down.

Lvl 18-31 - Apprentice of Cones

About 1/2 cones and 1/2 blapper. You begin to learn how to set up your cones and lead with Flamethrower + Buckshot most of the time.

Lvl 32-35 - Journeyman of Cones

Feel the power of the Full Auto, my son. Here is where you practice with an unforgiving cone. The length and width of Full Auto is so different from the cones you’ve been using for 31 levels that it takes a little while to really master it. Then Boost Range comes in and messes it all up. Boost Range is amazing, don’t get me wrong, but your cones keep fluctuating in length. It can easily throw you off.

Lvl 36-50 - Master of Cones

At level 36, Boost Range gets two more slots, perma and is set on auto. You have reached the pinnacle of cone mastery. Now all you have to look forward to are Total Focus and APPs.

Build Examples

I group with the same 6 players 95% of the time. They include 2 controllers, 1 Empathy defender, 1 Tanker and 2 Ice Blasters. Aggro is taunted, held, flopping on ice, holding heads, etc. Life is as good as it can be for CoH’s biggest aggro magnet. These are builds for THAT team. You may need to modify them for your own needs.

Here is pretty much how I went through the early to mid game.

Level 1-31 Build

---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.6.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
---------------------------------------------
Name: CC-I6-Pre32
Level: 32
Archetype: Blaster
Primary: Assault Rifle
Secondary: Energy Manipulation
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Slug==> Acc(1) Dmg(7) Dmg(9) Dmg(9) Rechg(13)
01) --> Power Thrust==> Acc(1)
02) --> Buckshot==> Acc(2) Dmg(3) Dmg(3) Dmg(5) Rechg(5) Rechg(29)
04) --> Build Up==> Rechg(4)
06) --> Burst==> Acc(6) Dmg(7) Dmg(15) Dmg(27) Rechg(27)
08) --> Swift==> Run(8)
10) --> Bone Smasher==> Acc(10) Dmg(11) Dmg(11) Dmg(13) Rechg(15)
12) --> Hasten==> Rechg(12)
14) --> Super Speed==> EndRdx(14)
16) --> Conserve Power==> Rechg(16) Rechg(17) Rechg(17)
18) --> Flamethrower==> Acc(18) Dmg(19) Dmg(19) Dmg(21) Rechg(21) Rechg(29)
20) --> Health==> Heal(20)
22) --> Stamina==> EndRec(22) EndRec(23) EndRec(23)
24) --> Hover==> Fly(24) Fly(25) Fly(25)
26) --> Beanbag==> Acc(26) Acc(31)
28) --> Stealth==> EndRdx(28)
30) --> Sniper Rifle==> Acc(30) Dmg(31) Dmg(31)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> EndRdx(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
01) --> Defiance==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Rechg(2)
---------------------------------------------

32-50 Respec Build

This is Cobalt Capybara’s current build. I wanted to maximize Boost Range so I went with the Teleport pool. It’s an easy switch back to Speed if you hate Teleport.

---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.6.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
---------------------------------------------
Name: CC-I6
Level: 50
Archetype: Blaster
Primary: Assault Rifle
Secondary: Energy Manipulation
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Slug==> Acc(1) Dmg(7) Dmg(9) Dmg(9) Rechg(13) Rechg(15)
01) --> Power Thrust==> Acc(1)
02) --> Buckshot==> Acc(2) Dmg(3) Dmg(3) Dmg(5) Rechg(5) Rechg(7)
04) --> Build Up==> Rechg(4) Rechg(36) Rechg(37)
06) --> Teleport Foe==> Acc(6) Acc(27) Range(27) Range(29)
08) --> Swift==> Run(8)
10) --> Bone Smasher==> Acc(10) Dmg(11) Dmg(11) Dmg(13) Rechg(15) Rechg(46)
12) --> Stealth==> EndRdx(12)
14) --> Teleport==> EndRdx(14) Range(37) Range(37) Range(43)
16) --> Conserve Power==> Rechg(16) Rechg(17) Rechg(17)
18) --> Flamethrower==> Acc(18) Dmg(19) Dmg(19) Dmg(21) Rechg(21) Rechg(29)
20) --> Health==> Heal(20)
22) --> Stamina==> EndRec(22) EndRec(23) EndRec(23)
24) --> Hover==> Fly(24) Fly(25) Fly(25)
26) --> Beanbag==> Acc(26) Acc(31) DisDur(46) DisDur(46)
28) --> Recall Friend==> EndRdx(28)
30) --> Sniper Rifle==> Acc(30) Dmg(31) Dmg(31) Dmg(34)
32) --> Full Auto==> Dmg(32) Dmg(33) Dmg(33) Rechg(33) Rechg(34) Rechg(34)
35) --> Boost Range==> Rechg(35) Rechg(36) Rechg(36) EndRdx(40)
38) --> Total Focus==> Acc(38) Dmg(39) Dmg(39) Dmg(39) Rechg(40) Rechg(40)
41) --> Static Discharge==> Acc(41) Dmg(42) Dmg(42) Dmg(42) Rechg(43) Rechg(43)
44) --> Charged Armor==> DmgRes(44) DmgRes(45) DmgRes(45) EndRdx(45)
47) --> Shocking Bolt==> Acc(47) Acc(48) Hold(48) Hold(48) Rechg(50) Rechg(50)
49) --> M30 Grenade==> Acc(49) KB_Dist(50)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> EndRdx(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
01) --> Defiance==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Rechg(2)
---------------------------------------------

Tactics

Cones

A well placed cone is a beautiful thing. A badly planned Full Auto that hits one mob is heartwrenching. As you go through the game you will get the feel for the width degrees of your cone. For AR, Flamethrower is the widest and easiest to use effectively followed by closely by Buckshot and a distant third in Full Auto.

Cones are an artform. Spend a little time setting them up but don’t waste all day. If it feels like you’ve spent too long lining things up, you probably have. If you hit more than one or two mobs the cone has done it’s job.

Since Flamethrower and Buckshot have the same range they pair very well. Target a mob on the far side of the group you wish to destroy. I try to choose a mob that is stationary if possible. Get about 40 ft away (you will get the feel for this after some practice), click Build Up and Flamethrower, inch forward quickly until Flamethrower engages and queue up Buckshot for a follow up.

When Full Auto is available, if the set up is long and narrow I use FA. If it is short halls/caves or has lots of obstructions I use Flamethrower + Buckshot. I have read many times about ultimate attack chains with Flamethrower + Buckshot + Full Auto in some combination. In my experience, there are very few times in which Full Auto is maximized after the fighting really begins and aggro from the other players causes the mobs to scatter.

Solo

The MoC is not really set up to be a monster solo blaster. It does fine once you have Boost Range since you get to unload a couple of times before mobs can get to you.

If you want to be a strictly solo blaster...pick a different primary/secondary combo. The strength of AR/NRG is in the AoE cones. I consider myself a Damage support AT and the king of the floating orange numbers. That said, if I were taking the set and making a solo blaster I would take ALL the damaging melee attacks in NRG and focus more on blapper tactics. Power Thrust, Energy Punch, Bone Smasher and Total Focus. Shoot your AoE wad and prepare to blap the bosses with NRG melee.

Whirlwind, as stated above, is another power I would seriously recommend for the solo AR/NRG. The 6 secs of rooting in Full Auto can really be painful. Without the rooting, you can fire, run around a corner and avoid a lot of the ranged return fire while you wait for the 6 secs to be over. Teams can get irritated with your swirling graphic/sound quickly so don’t leave it on all the time if you do join a PuG.

Hover/Fly is another way to reduce the amount of damage from return fire. Ranged attacks hurt a lot less than melee and often mobs will waste time trying to run to you, climb on things, make a mosh pit under you, etc. instead of firing.

PuGs

Expect from pick-up groups (PuGs) what you expect from pick up games at your at the local outdoor court, Rec center, etc. They can be great, they can be mediocre or they can be filled with morons. The faceless, semi-anonymous nature of a MMORPG doesn’t provide a lot of social pressure to play well with others so don’t expect anything from other players. Watch and see what they ARE doing, not what they should be doing.

Veteran players pay attention to what other players are doing and what they can do. I always spend my time waiting at a mission door looking at what powers other players have by targeting them and selecting Info. This way I have a better idea what to expect. For example, if an Empathy defender has all his secondary attacks and almost none of his primary powers, I will go stock up on green inspirations and not expect healing...and shake my head.

The MoC does NOT alpha strike in a PuG unless it is exceptional. That is an express ticket to a faceplant. I usually do a couple single target attacks until the aggro is spread out among the other players and then back up and use a cone or two. Also, instead of targeting an entire group of mobs, I often will purposely target a smaller number to keep the aggro manageable. If you are defeated, you aren’t going to be contributing any more of your damage. Control your aggro. As your comfort with the other PuG members increases, I increase the rate of my cones and my boldness in their use. Debt in missions is gone before you know it but that doesn’t mean you should stick around if someone else's stupidity keeps getting you killed over and over.

Remember if you are frustrated or not having fun...quit the PuG and join another.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to all the authors of the AR and /NRG guides posted in the Guides section. They have helped to shape much of the format and content in this guide.

Thank you to the following people for their helpful comments:

NeonMan, Nocturne, Agent_Virgo, deadboy_champion, Fixit, KarmaCop, CthulhuNinja, Arc_Salvo, Fury_Flechette, Dragonkat,

And thanks to the amazing SG with whom Cobalt Capybara has played 95% of his career:

The Elemental Furries (now absorbed into Bob Johnson’s Cosmic Avengers for base purposes).