A Controller is one of the four roles available in DCUO. This role focuses on incapacitating enemies and group support including Power regeneration. Controllers have specific debuff abilities that can lower an opponent's defense, toughness, healing or damage output. This role requires high amounts of Vitalization and Dominance. The symbol that represents a controller is in the shape of a sound wave.
Role
In order to acquire the control role, you have to select Light, Gadgets, Mental, Quantum or Munitions as your power set. Once you reach level 10, you will automatically be given the control role. Controllers have no damage penalty, but do not gain any damage modifiers. Controllers gain 350 Vitalization and 100% Dominance. Control Effects are strengthened with longer durations and sometimes additional benefits.
In PVP, Controllers do not gain any Vitalization bonus.
Mail Messages
Upon reaching level 10, players receive a message from Oracle or Calculator, accessible from any mail terminal.
Heroes:
 From: Oracle
|
Subject: Mission Control |
|---|---|
| "Ready to turn the dial up against villainy?? It's all in your hand - in the Control Role! It boosts your control abilities, like encases and stuns, and reduces your damage output. Certain abilities also restore power to your teammates. Check out the descriptions in the the Traits tab of you Communicator for more on role Bonuses. Plus, if the action gets too heated, you can always switch roles out of combat by using the up button (T on the keyboard)." | |
| Attachment: Controller's Clutch of Command | |
Villains:
| From: Calculator
|
Subject: Mission Control |
|---|---|
| "Ready to turn it up a notch? It's all in your hand - in the Control Role! It boosts your control abilities, like encases and stuns, and reduces your damage output. Certain abilities also restore power to your teammates. Check out the descriptions in the the Traits tab of you Communicator for more on role Bonuses. Plus, if the action gets too heated, you can always switch roles out of combat by using the up button (T on the keyboard)." | |
| Attachment: Controller's Clutch of Command | |
Strategy
The Controller in group content is expected to maintain constant Power Over Time. The Controller should also provide instant power when a Healer is low on Power. Controllers can also buff the groups damage for a short time. A Defense debuff is useful on Boss opponents as it reduces Defense by 493 or 7%.
When running group content with two Controllers, the Controller with the higher Vitalization should provide constant Power Over Time. Both Controllers should provide instant power to the group. The Controller with the lower Vitalization should maintain defense, healing or damage debuffs on enemies and Boss opponents. If there are 3 Controllers in a raid the third one should also provide instant power and work on Crowd Control. Generating the least aggro than the other roles, controllers are responsible for rescuing group members, reviving group members and activating or moving items whilst in battle.
Stats
The primary stats for a Controller are:
Vitalization
Vitalization increases power generation effects.
10 points of Vitalization increase base power generation by 1%.
Dominance
Dominance affects Control Effects, Healing and Shield damage prevention.
The recommended Dominance for an Alert, Raid or Operation is needed for Control Effects to affect opponents in that content.
Power Control Effect duration is increased by 1 second for every 500 Dominance.
Controller Shields prevent damage equal to Dominance + Restoration.
Power
Power is required to use active powers and is drained as they are performed.
Power builds during weapon attacks as shown by the hit counter.
Power also regenerates slowly out of combat.
Critical Power Chance
The chance to perform a critical with a power restoration ability.
Base Critical Power Chance is 5%.
Critical Power Magnitude
The percentage increase of the amount of power restored with a critical power-restoration.
Base Critical Power Magnitude is 25%.
Special Powers and Abilities
Group Power
Controllers have abilities to restore power to group members.
|
Function |
Powers |
|---|---|
| Restores Power to group members Over Time |
Sticky Bomb, Taser Pull : Gadgets |
| Restores Power to the three most fatigued group members |
Defibrillator : Gadgets |
| Supercharge that restores Power to group members |
Battle Drone : Gadgets |
| Supercharge Shield that restores Power to group members |
Group Shielding : Light |
Debuffs
Controllers have specific abilities to remove damage, healing or power regeneration buffs as well as lower an opponent's defense, toughness, healing output or damage output.
|
Function |
Powers |
|---|---|
| Reduces Defense by 493 or 7% Reduces Toughness by 3800 or 10% |
Gauss Grenade, Stasis Field : Gadgets |
| Reduces Damage Output by 7%. Removes any active Damage buff. |
Vortex Cannon, Paralyzing Dart : Gadgets |
| Reduces Healing In by 25% and Healing Out by 50%. |
Napalm Grenade, Cryo-Foam : Gadgets |
Quantum
Time
Specializing in this tree grants +1% Critical Attack Chance and +35 Power.
|
Power |
Description |
|---|---|
| Tachyon Burst |
Restores Power to group members over time. |
| Temporal Extortion |
Restores Power to the three most fatigued group members. |
| Time Bomb | |
| Anomaly |
Reduces Healing In by 25% and Healing Out by 50%. |
| Warp Barrage |
Reduces Damage Output by 7% and removes Damage buff. |
Space
Specializing in this tree grants +5% Critical Attack Damage and +10 Vitalization.
| Power | Description |
|---|---|
| Gravitonic Field |
Restores Power to group members over time. |
| Event Horizon | Supercharge Shield that restores Power to group members. |
| Singularity | |
| Alcubierre Wave |
Reduces Damage Output by 7% and removes Damage buff. |
| Gravity Bomb |
Reduces Healing In by 25% and Healing Out by 50%. |
Light
Assault
Specializing in this tree grants +1% Critical Attack Chance and +35 Power.
|
Power |
Description |
|---|---|
| Light Claws |
Restores Power to group members over time. |
| Whip Thrash | |
| Snap Trap |
Reduces Healing In by 25% and Healing Out by 50%. |
| Light Weight |
Reduces Damage Output by 7% and removes Damage buff. |
Support
Specializing in this tree grants +5% Critical Attack Damage and +10 Vitalization.
| Power | Description |
|---|---|
| Boxing |
Restores Power to group members over time. |
| Impact | Restores Power to group members over time. |
| Recharge | Restores Power to the three most fatigued group members. |
| Group Shielding | Supercharge Shield that restores Power to group members. |
| Light Blast | |
| Grasping Hand |
Reduces Damage Output by 7% and removes Damage buff. |
| Entrap |
Reduces Healing In by 25% and Healing Out by 50%. |
Gadgets
Traps
Specializing in this tree grants +5% Critical Attack Damage and +1 Stealth.
| Power | Description |
|---|---|
| Taser Pull |
Restores Power to group members over time. |
| Defibrillator | Restores Power to the three most fatigued group members. |
| Battle Drone | Supercharge Pet that restores Power to group members. |
| Gauss Grenade | |
| Cryo-Foam |
Reduces Healing In by 25% and Healing Out by 50%. |
| Paralyzing Dart |
Reduces Damage Output by 7% and removes Damage buff. |
Tricks
Specializing in this tree grants +1% Critical Attack Chance and +35 Power.
| Power | Description |
|---|---|
| Sticky Bomb |
Restores Power to group members over time. |
| Vortex Cannon |
Reduces Damage Output by 7% and removes Damage buff. |
| Stasis Field |
Reduces enemy Defense by 7% and Toughness by 10%. |
| Napalm Grenade |
Reduces Healing In by 25% and Healing Out by 50%. |
| Suppressor Turret | Fires cryogenic rounds to Frostbite enemies, making them vulnerable to freezing, stun grenades or taser line to Electrify enemies, making them vulnerable to electrified power effects, or a Stasis Encasement to damage an enemy over time. |
Mental
Telekinesis
Specializing in this tree grants +1% Critical Attack Chance, and +35 Power.
| Power | Description |
|---|---|
| Telekinesis |
Restores Power to group members over time. |
| Psychic Empowerment | Restores Power to the three most fatigued group members, and increases your damage for a short time. |
| Bastion | Supercharge Shield that restores Power to group members. |
| Thought Bubble |
Reduces enemy Defense by 7% and Toughness by 10%. |
| Cryokinesis |
Reduces Damage Output by 7% and removes Damage buff. |
| Pyrokinesis |
Reduces Healing In by 25% and Healing Out by 50%. |
Illusion
Specializing in this tree grants +5% critical Attack Damage, and +1 Stealth.
| Power | Description |
|---|---|
| Terror Tendrils |
Restores Power to group members over time. |
| Terrorize |
Reduces Damage Output by 7% and removes Damage buff. |
| Phantom Flames | |
| Horrific Visage |
Reduces Healing In by 25% and Healing Out by 50%. |
Recommended Iconic Powers
- Intimidating Gaze : +25 Dominance
- Wisdom of Solomon : +50 Vitalization +100 Power
- Word of Power: Knocks back and stuns opponents while healing you and restoring power to you and up to 7 group members.
Recommended Equipment Mods
Placing Equipment Mods in slots does boost stats and improves performance while also increasing the CR slightly. Color Mods should match a socket color to gain bonus affinity stats.
White Tactical Equipment Mods require the Home Turf DLC.
| Slot | Mod |
|---|---|
| Blue Slots | Vitalization & Dominance or Vitalization & Health |
| Yellow Slots | Vitalization or Vitalization & Dominance |
| Red Slots | Vitalization & Precision or Vitalization & Might |
| Weapon Slot | Replenishing Adapter or Absorption Adapter |
| Neck Slot | Escalating Replenishing Procs |
| Back White Slot | Weakening Field or Breakout Protection |
| Feet White Slot | Deadly Block or Explosive Block |
| Chest White Slot | Reserve Tank or Core Strength |
| Hands White Slot | Regenerative Shielding |
Gallery
