Battlefield Control Combos/Thoughts 4th ed.

[HMS Invincible]

I thought about the usual thunderwave+wall of fire but the enemies aren't nice enough to stay close to the fire. I have the same problem with poison cloud for my lvl 5 daily. Anyone got ideas to maximize the usefulness of zones and walls? I always end up chasing them with the zones and as a result, they run straight for me or my allies.

Maybe I should combine grasping shadows with wall of fire/poison cloud in an action point nova.

[Kurald Galain]

Anyone got ideas to maximize the usefulness of zones and walls?

Sure. It depends on terrain though: if there is too much open space, then enemies can ignore most of your zones by moving around them.

(1) Boost your zones. Stinking Cloud can be combined with Enlarge Spell or the Staff of the Warmage. Wall of Fire can be combined with Architect Staff.
(2) Boost your Thunderwave. It is also a valid target for Enlarge Spell, as well as Resounding Thunder. Boost your wisdom, wear Gauntlets of the Ram and Rushing Cleats, and use an Orb of Irresistible Force.
(3) Slow, prone, and/or immobilize your enemies in the zone.
(4) Stack zones. In general, multiple zones in one spot are cumulative. My best so far is a five-hit combo: Thunderwaving an enemy away from two Swordmage allies (triggering both Booming Blades), through Grasping Shadows and a zone the Warlock had put up, into a Grease spell. Quadruple damage + slow + prone = awesome.

[HMS Invincible]

I can't find orb of irresistible force. Source?

[RTGoodman]

I can't find orb of irresistible force. Source?

It's actually orb of insurmountable force, from Adventurer's Vault. As an encounter power that's a free action, triggered when you hit an enemy, you can push the target a number of squares equal to the enhancement bonus on the orb.

[HMS Invincible]

I'm the only caster who makes zones and such. Everybody else is hack and slash.

I never thought immobilize was a good status effect, but now it makes me wonder if I should retrain one or two powers...

[RTGoodman]

I never thought immobilize was a good status effect, but now it makes me wonder if I should retrain one or two powers...

It's certainly not the BEST status effect (that probably goes to Stunned), but Immobilized has its uses. If you hit a creature without any kind of ranged attack (i.e., most Brutes, some Soldiers, and probably some of every other role besides Artillery) with Immobilized, you've effectively shut it down for a full round (or even until it saves, since Save Ends immobilized powers come relatively early, I believe) as long as everyone is out of its reach. Your Rogues, Wizards, Rangers, Warlocks, and anyone else with a ranged/area attack or reach can feel free to smack it around with fear of retaliation.

I'm not saying that should be a permanent tactic, but if you've got a big brute lumbering around, immobilize it as best you can and the party can either focus fire one it or perhaps not have to worry about it for a round or two (or more).

In general, as a Controller, I always feel like Dazing and Immobilizing powers are good to have around, Stunning is ALWAYS good, and any kind of Area of Effect with any of those is king.