Everyone has their favorite AT. Mine is Scrapper, but only just barely. I have a minimum of one of every single AT except the Epic’s. So I’m going to take a little look at each of them and go over what I think the good and bad points are of each AT.
So, in no particular preference order, here they are.
The Blaster, your long range powerhouse. Thats what Blasters are good at, dealing damage from afar. Up close, they don’t do so well, with low defense and low health, it can be an issue. Still, almost any team will tell you they want a Blaster for damage output, not to mention the ever popular ‘pull’ tactic for those close together spawns. The blaster secondaries tend to be a combination of melee, holds and immbolize type powers, with a few boost type powers tossed in for good measure. I like the Blaster, it’s soloable as long as you are careful, and works just as well in a team. Challenging, but still easily playable for the more cautious newbie.
Next up, the Controller. The name, like the Blaster, says it all. Their job is to hold, immobilize, stun and confuse your enemies. Controllers are not on the easily soloable list, though one or two power sets are better than others. Over all, if you’re a Controller, you want to be on a team. And any large team with smarts likes having a Controller, because, really, whats better than having your enemies in total chaos? The secondaries for Controllers are the same sets as Defenders get primary, so you can second as a Defender, not as good, but likely enough to help yourself and your teammates. I like Controllers, but it can be hard to get teams sometimes, and soloing is either impossible or difficult. If you’re new to the game, I don’t truly recommend starting with a Controller, but trying one at some point? Absolutely.
Ah the Defender, the mainstay of any large team. When you say Defender, a lot of people are going to think ‘healer’. Personally, I like them all. Defenders are designed to be on a team, even more than Controllers. There are a few that can solo half decently, but generally, you’re gonna be wanting the team. Thats where the trouble starts. There does seem to be a bit of a prejudice against anything except Empathy Defenders, and there’s nothing more annoying then having to explain often that no, you do NOT heal (if you can’t) and then having people not want you on the team. Silly, but true. What do Defenders do for you? They buff you and your team and/or debuff the bad guys. The secondaries for Defenders are Blaster powers, so they can dole out some damage as well, even if it’s rather small. Over all, Defenders are fun, and I, personally, will take a Defender, any Defender, on my team any time.
Mm, the Scrapper, the solo icon. The Scrapper has the second best health of all the AT’s and a nice balance between defense and attack. Of course, they are the attack kings because of they land critical’s more often then anyone else. This makes the Scrapper, hands down, the best solo AT in the game. They are still popular with teams, because people want the damage output they can do, and because of the way the game is set up, there will be times when even Scrappers need teammates. The Scrapper barely holds on as my favorite AT because of this adaptability. I highly recommend the Scrapper for anyone just starting the game, oh, just remember, you will probably be visiting the hospital a lot as a Scrapper. I know I do, but it’s still fun.
And last, but certainly not least, is the Tanker. Like the machine they are named for, Tankers are damage soaking wonders, ponderous and slow when attacking, but able to stand toe to toe with things that will scare anyone else. It is, in fact, the Tankers job on a team to hold as much of the aggro as they can, sucking up the damage while their teammates take out the edges of the group. Not that Tankers can’t deal out damage, they can, they just don’t do it as quickly as the Scrapper or Blaster do. Tankers are fun to solo, which they can do, if more slowly then the Scrapper, but they truly rock in a team. Speaking for myself, it’s very exciting to be on a large team, in the middle of a huge fight, enemies all around you.. well, you get the idea. The Tanker holds my second place recommendation for beginners because they can solo and they take damage well.
So, there it is. Now, anyone who’s played for any length of time is going to know all this, but then again, if you haven’t tried something, maybe you’ll reconsider now. Personally I think each AT is a sheer blast to play, and while I have encountered the odd power set I don’t like, it’s personal preference and not because I think the sets are ‘broken’ or any of the other negatives given to them. I say, if you’ve been putting off trying an AT or a power set just because of what other people say, then maybe you should reconsider. You never know where you’re going to find fun.
As usual, this is just my opinion, the main thing is that you have fun. Maybe next time we’ll look at the CoV AT’s. We’ll see you in the game. @Mialiah.
