darkSpyro

Up to this point I had a bunch of senseis, but only had the fire creation crystal that comes with starter packs. I happened upon somebody who was selling their creation crystals, and I bought one of each of the other 9, so now I have a full set to give the kids for Christmas. My kids are definitely the type who will love making their own skylanders, so I'm glad I have a bunch of them. Hopefully it'll cut down on the fighting.

But, the game is enough for me that I figured I'd nudge the kids toward making the crystals one of each battle class. Only sensible, right? And I can reset them (and back up the saves), but it'd be nice after they try out a few pairings to settle in on element-and-battleclass pairings.

So which movesets compliment each other best? Maybe like an element attack that's a good ranged attack with battleclass attacks that are more melee to make the imaginator more well-rounded? Or maybe just combinations that are the most fun/awesome?

If you have one of each, what do you like?

Damn it! I've been thinking of creating a topic about "Imaginators tactics" for month, but in the end you started it!

I'll replay later when I get some time.

Not only is it good to have balance with range and melee, but I like to combine damage with speed (or dodge/knock back.) Some of my favorite combos are:

Water Knight. Great melee combos with lots of damage combined with that wave/sea star move that zips around so fast while knocking back and leaving damaging stars behind.

Life Sentinel. The damaging plants combined with the staff really beat 'em up. Then when enemies close in, clothesline them off the edge.

Fire Swashbuckler. Great range attack with this class, and the spin move can really dodge. I combined that with the exploding fire attack that does close range damage.

Light also has a good dash move.

Smasher does incredible damage.

Dark is good with anything. Smoke and shadows really enhances the damage of any class.

Magic is another recommended element with a variety of useful attacks.

Fire Quick Shot : Great Dash attack and good range attacks

Dark knight : The dark dash improves the knight move set a lot in my opinion and makes skylanders from that class faster

Awesome responses so far, guys, keep them coming!

I guess another question I should add to the above (so please feel free to chime in on both), is, are there any pairings that DON'T work very well together? I'm wondering mostly if there are some element and battleclass attacks that are very similar, and would make your imaginator too monodimensional? But please, if there are combinations that for whatever other reasons just make the imaginator wonky/boring, let me know!

Magic Sentinel is kinda redundant, I'd guess. There's more than enough range in the class already.

Undead Knight, his Soul Gem ability makes you lose a bit of health to become temporarily stronger, and the Soul Stealer power creates orbs to retrieve the lost health.

I like Magic Ninja. Using the Time Bubble with Knife Storm equals entire groups of enemies dead in seconds.

I also like my Light Brawler, but I have a feeling I play him differently than most... I see strong preference for Speed of Light and Wave Fist when others talk about the combo, but I much prefer Rainbow Rampage for range due to its homing and spamming capabilities and Dashing Uppercut for dashing.

Quote: pjc613

Awesome responses so far, guys, keep them coming!

I guess another question I should add to the above (so please feel free to chime in on both), is, are there any pairings that DON'T work very well together? I'm wondering mostly if there are some element and battleclass attacks that are very similar, and would make your imaginator too monodimensional? But please, if there are combinations that for whatever other reasons just make the imaginator wonky/boring, let me know!

I'm not sure about that, honestly. Since I have 3 crystals per Elamelement, I wanted to keep each imaginator unique and not use the same move sets. By process of elimination, that left me with some combinations art the end that weren't most effective, or with some that were redundant. Most elements and classes have options that are varied enough that I doubt there is an element-class pairing that you can't make work.

With a but if fun experimenting, I'm sure you'll have an OP arsenal of imaginators.

Now of only they would get on with that clearance sale...

The combo I like least out of what I've created is a Tech Smasher. There's not even anything wrong with it, it's just not as fun as other combos I've made.

Basically, the classes and elements are balanced well enough that any combo is viable. Some are clearly better synergies than others, but every Imaginator combo can be made to work better than an average (C-class) Core character.

Are you asking us to design a layout where--with 10 Skylanders--each one would be a different element and class or are you asking which element goes best with what classes?

Well since I'm not sure, I'm going to answer the question as though you wanted to know which element goes best with what classes. If this isn't useful, feel free to tell me what you need me to provide and I'll do that. Anyways, here we go:

Air is arguably the most versatile element in the game. With shockingly swift step, you can pass through enemies and zap foes where you were previously standing, the attack that conjures a storm cloud that attacks enemies out of its own accord is good for getting in hits when you need to focus on evasion, but my favorite is the attack that creates the whirlwind that sends air blades flying in all directions every time you use an Attack 1, Attack 3 or Soul Gem Attack. If you have an Imaginator with fast, ranged attacks (like an Air Quickshot), you can usually shoot down crowds with your projectiles and the air blades before they will ever reach you. Air goes well with just about anything, but I recommend using it with Bowslingers, Quickshots or projectile-using Swashbucklers.

Life is great for reoccurring damage. Poisonous pestilence makes it possible to do damage repeatedly in a big, circular area while the plants from flower power can rapidly damage enemies in a pointblank range area of wherever they're planted down. The other 2 attacks are far more situational, and go well with certain classes, but poisonous pestilence and flower power are usually the best. Because of the potential to do damage in an area, I would suggest making a Life Brawler or Smasher.

Undead isn't good. The attack that summons a swarm of locusts to infect enemies and make them take reoccurring damage also has the side effect of making bugs swarm around your Imaginator, doing damage in a close range area all around them, which is useful if you're using a class that really has trouble defending itself when it gets surrounded, like Brawler. In general, I find the classes that are most compatible with this element are Swashbucklers and Brawlers.

In the Earth element, the stone fists inspired me the most. These not only are a reoccurring damage hazard (when upgraded), but they can also be used to block enemy projectiles! Of course the inverse is also true as well--Your projectiles can be stopped by them too. That's why you should pair Earth with melee classes, preferably ones that can also attack in an area, like Knight or Sentinel.

Fire gives knockdown and mobility aids. The attack that leaves a swirling ball of fire behind that damages enemies isn't strong, but can be used on the move at no cost to your movement speed and the attack where your Imaginator stomps and creates a fiery explosion is great for taking most enemies out of commission and increasing your damage output. I would suggest making a Fire Smasher, Bazooker or Brawler.

Water is really, really bad. The wave push attack grants pass-through movement (sort of...), but there are some enemies you can't pass through and it merely pushes aside while still leaving them in range of where they can hit you. The other attacks are either hard to use safely or don't do much. If you have to make a water Imaginator, make it a Sorcerer or Knight.

Magic is highly versatile and has some great ways to mess with your enemy (including teleportation and creating a dome that slows any enemy inside of it) and projectile orb attack that also decimates crowds. Magic can also go well with a lot, I'd suggest a Magic Sentinel, Bowslinger, Swashbuckler or Knight.

Tech is a helper element. You can either create turrets to help you that rapidly fire at enemies or little boxing Evilikin robots that will beat up enemies very aggressively. It also grants a pass through motorcycle charge that has defensive applications as well. Any class that would benefit from having extra helpers to hit enemies for you (like Bazooker, Bowslinger, projectile-using Swashbuckler or Sorcerer) would go great with the Tech element.

Light is wonderfully versatile too! The attack that creates a pillar of light will slow the movement and attack speed of any nearby enemy to a crawl and will reduce damage from the next hit you take drastically, and even creates an explosion that knocks enemies down! It also has a pass through movement ability (the one with the suns) and flashbang can stun enemies in a close range of where it goes off and do reoccurring damage! Similar to Air, it's hard to go wrong with Light, but the best matches for it are usually close ranged classes, most of all Brawlers and Smashers.

Dark is great for anyone who loves pass through movement. There aren't many means in the game of pass through movement that are as likable as the one that turns your Skylander into a black mist on the ground and lets them move through just about anything. Melee classes benefit from this greatly, while projectile-using classes usually don't get as much out of pass through movement. That means that classes like Knights, Sentinels and Brawlers stand to gain a lot from this element.

Wow, S2S! Awesome info! Thank you so much!

To answer your question, yeah, I actually only have one crystal of each element, so in the end, I'd like to settle in on one of each battle class paired with one of each element, but your info is still really great for giving me options which to put with which.

I'm realizing that I could probably make 4 or 5 AMAZING combinations, but at the expense of the others, or I could try to match them up so they're all solid, and have move sets that compliment each other. I'm definitely leaning toward the latter.

So if you were trying to come up with a best overall set, one of each battleclass and element, which 10 combos would you go with?

Alright, now I think I understand what you were after, pjc613. You are wise to have already realized that (exactly as you said) you could either make a few awe-inspiring, overpowered Imaginators at the expense of the rest or that you could make them basically equal in potential and make them complimentary to each other. Since you have said you want the latter approach, I will answer you with that approach in mind.

So with my response tailored to what you want, here are the 10 Imaginators I would suggest for you. Thank you for giving me the chance to do this too, because this was a lot of fun:

1) ________ the Water Sorcerer
Recommended attacks: Enlightened, Wave Push, Pro Bowler, Sorcerer's Circle
When you would use this Skylander: For any close range situation where you want to run around in circles, confusing your enemy and damaging them while you do it, this is your answer. Sorcerer's circle creates a close range circle around your Imaginator that rapidly damages enemies as long as it's there and I would imagine that would combine well with wave push--damage enemies while you barrel over them! Handy!--Or enlightened, which is basically Double Trouble's Eldritch Beam--you hit an enemy with the beam for a second, it "locks on", then you can move around the enemy in circles while it zaps them rapidly.

2) ________ the Life Brawler
Recommended attacks: Boxer, Poisonous Pestilence, Wave Fist, Fists Of Fury
When you would use this Skylander: Your Life Brawler will be an all-purpose Skylander. With fast, powerful attacks in close range, a chargeable projectile, an attack that leaves a hazard that damages enemies in an area and an attack that stuns enemies, this one will be versatile.

3) ________ the Tech Bazooker
Recommended attacks: Destroyer, Mechanical Microbots, Scorched Earth, 1M4G1N1T3 Payload
When you would use this Skylander: If you've ever used Rattle Drilla, this is based off his design. First, create your microbot helpers to attack enemies for you. You can now focus on evasion as much as you need to (and rest assured, you will need to with a Bazooker). If you have extra time, bombard enemies with artillery shells for damage in an area, or if they're beginning to close in, scorch the ground and get let the scorched earth force enemies to come to it to buy you a little more bombarding time before you have to retreat.

4) ________ the Undead Swashbuckler
Recommended attacks: Charger, Last Laugh, Sword Wall, Steel Fans
When you would use this Skylander: For situations when you need to defend, call this Imaginator. Sword wall blocks projectiles and keeps enemies away and you can attack enemies from behind it without destroying the wall by using last laugh, as it lobs the skull over the wall. Charger attacks super fast and quite hard, and if your enemies are down, punish 'em with steel fans!

5) ________ the Light Knight
Recommended attacks: Gladiator, Luminous Block, Mighty Cleave, Excalibur Execution
When you would use this Skylander: The first one to decide what happens to your HP will be you with this Imaginator! You can either reduce the damage you stand to take with luminous block by creating it when you're about to get hit, or ratchet up the pain and pay a small amount of your own HP with excalibur execution in exchange for a big boost to the damage your Attack 1 and Attack 3 do, as well as increasing the reach of those attacks! Mighty cleave is chargeable to slam down hard on a straight line ahead at a greater range than a knight could normally reach, and gladiator is not only fast and strong, but every 3rd attack is a spin attack!

6) _______ the Fire Ninja
Recommended attacks: Sneaky, Burning Dash, Party Popper, Stars Near And Far
When you would use this Skylander: This is your mobile Skylander who also can attack in a huge area. The one-two punch of party popper and sneaky is devastating by itself and if enemies are so close that you don't have time to get the mines down, you can always sprint out of there with burning dash (which also doubles as a pass through movement ability).

7) _______ the Dark Smasher
Recommended attacks: Obliterator, Dark Mist, Berserker, Smash, Smash, Rinse, Repeat
When you would use this Skylander: This sneaky Imaginator can pass through enemies and punish them from behind! Dark mist lets you zip right up behind them and then you can smash them with your club/mace to do big damage, especially with the reoccurring damage from the earthquake zones! Smash, smash, rinse repeat may have a slow start up time, but it helps to control crowds if you can get it going safely.

8) _______ the Magic Bowslinger
Recommended attacks: Long Shot, Time Bubble, Knockback Shot, Volley Storm
When you would use this Skylander: Here's a nice hindering Imaginator to keep your foes away with. Set up a dome that slows your enemies with time bubble and then bombard them with arrows. If anything ever does close in, you can just leap over them with knockback shot, rinse and repeat, or use Volley Storm for crowd control.

9) _______ the Air Quickshot
Recommended attacks: Marksman, Twisting Tornadoes, Death Blossom, Bounty Hunter
When you would use this Skylander: Need to mow down crowds long before they arrive? Then this Imaginator is for you! Create a whirlwind with twisting tornadoes and use the laser shots to get rid of just about anything. You can also use bounty hunter to slow their advance, and it can be fun to use it at the most obnoxious times.

10) ______ the Earth Sentinel
Recommended attacks: Buster, Earth Fist, Grand Slam, Where Did That Come From?
When you would use this Skylander: This Imaginator is great for crowd control and stopping projectiles. Bring up an earth fist if a projectile is coming your way (or if an enemy is nearby, just to do rapid, reoccurring damage to them) and bash enemies quickly and harshly with your Buster attack. The soul gem stuns enemies directly in front of your Imaginator before bringing down a hit that creates almost a screenwide, ground level shockwave that does big damage to anything it touches.