Tools of the Trade #2: Quantum Jumper & Power of Four

Tools of the Trade is released every Friday, and features in depth discussion of equipment for your agent.  It features two items:  One that may or may not always be available, usually a limited edition, special operation, pvp or other premium item, and then one item that is either always farmable, or researchable.

Premium Item - Quantum Jumper

How to obtain it:  Store (36 gold)

Effect:  Each other member of your team gains an additional turn and applies Exhaustion after that turn.  2 turn cooldown, STARTS ON COOLDOWN.

Quantum Jumper used to be a huge favorite back when it was immediately usable.  Now that it's not quite as good, I know that some people have benched it in favor of other items, but it still has one of the best effects possible, so it's worth bringing to people's attention.  Unlike the newest shiniest Shepherd's Staff, the Quantum Jumper gives you the turns _right now_, which can be very important when fighting heroes like Rescue or Phoenix, where allowing the opposing team a chance to respond is deadly.  However, I honestly can't suggest springing the gold on this item these days, because there are two similar items, one of which, Magnetic Field Generator, is our everyday item today.

If you are using the item, you'll probably want to pair it with hard hitting or buff-focused heroes that can keep you around long enough to use it.  Wonder Man springs to mind as a hero that can really take advantage of extra turns, allowing him to build huge Finest Hour! hits and piles of buffs on himself.

Everyday Item - Magnetic Field Generator (and Custom Magnetic Field Generator)

How to obtain it:  Drops from Magneto, the epic boss in 4-4.  (Requires Storm as a deploy to unlock the fight).

Effects:  Grants a shield to your team, and if the shield is broken (not expired or removed by effects) it grants an additional turn to that team member and applies Exhaustion..

Magnetic Field Generator is one of the first truly good defensive items you're likely to encounter in Avengers Alliance, assuming you're not springing for gold items.  Shields are powerful proactive defensive measures, and extra turns are some of the best possible things you can gain in this game.  This item provides the both.  It is a full, non-quick action to apply, keep that in mind, and you'll find this item to be not so great against agents with a Scroll, or Rescue, but often this item if correctly used and at a timely moment, will win you fights by itself.  A really solid pickup.

The only difference between the regular and Custom generator is that the Custom no longer has the Tech type.  This is barely relevant, there's a couple of things that prevent Technology effects, but realistically this item will be the same no matter which version you have.

It's also worth noting that 4-4 is one of the most efficient ways to farm Command Points, so in your quest for this item you might just get some CP along the way!

Tools of the Trade #1 - Sinister Scepter & Sudden Support

Tools of the Trade is released every Friday, and features in depth discussion of equipment for your agent.  It features two items:  One that may or may not always be available, usually a limited edition, special operation, pvp or other premium item, and then one item that is either always farmable, or researchable.

Premium Item - Sinister Scepter

How to obtain it:  Special Operation 4, Season 9 PVP Roulette

Damage Type:  Magic

Effects:  Customized damage (moderate), Inflicts Bane, grants Astral Form

Sinister Scepter is currently unique, it is the only item that grants the Phased status, similar to Shadowcat or Vision.  While Phased, your Agent will avoid a huge variety of attacks, the only exceptions being Psychic attacks.  One way to maximize the defensive capacity of the Phased status is to equip Techno-Organic Endoskeleton to your agent, making them immune to bleeds, poisons, and most importantly, Psychic attacks.  This can turn your agent into a literally unassailable monster.  Combine with a Protect effect of some kind and you've got yourself an Agent that will be a huge problem for opposing teams.

The other way you can abuse this item is with things that make you skip turns for powerful effects, like Shepherd's Staff or Arc Reactor Charge.  Both together with this and perhaps Sudden Support (featured below) will allow your agent to hit incredibly hard, then be immune to follow up damage.

The last feature of Sinister Scepter is that it applies Bane.  This is a neat feature, although limited, as only four Heroes deal magic damage on their own, and a few more have effects that inflict Soulfire.  This is primarily useful when paired with Custom Possessed Pistol, as it already hits incredibly hard, and so that 50% increased damage can result in massive damage from the Agent.  This can also be supported with the previously mentioned Arc Reactor Charge and Sudden Support to do massive damage to single targets, and it conveniently protects you during the setup time.

Everyday Item - Sudden Support

How to obtain it:  Buy for 58,840 silver and 15 Shield Points from store (after researching it at level 63)
Research tree:  Flexibility 1 > Sensory Perception > Advanced Targeting > Kinetic Stabilizers > Force Manipulators > Stasis Fields > Quantum Overdrive

Effects:  Quick Action, grants Sudden Support buff which gives increased stats on the immediate follow up turn.

Sudden Support is a very neat gem in the researchable items:  It's a quick action which is always appreciated, and it has a powerful impact on your pvp game by allowing your agent to have explosive bursts of damage.  When combined with hard hitting items like Custom Possessed Pistol, Golden Screaming Eagle or Custom Bolt-Action 4 Bore you can absolutely wreck people.

It's worth noting that if you have other quick actions that increase damage, like Arc Reactor Charge or the like, you need to use them before you use this item, because the stat boost for this item wears off after the turn it grants, unlike some of the others which grant a damage increase to your next attack.

As one of the easiest to obtain quick action support items, I can't recommend it enough.  Get this item!  You'll definitely want the ability to build a damage-surge heavy agent for use on offense.