BloodPython

Hit five oh!

Here's teh n3w3st version, and the final. Less they seriously change things, this's what he'll have til the end of time.
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Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
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Name:
Level: 50
Archetype: Scrapper
Primary: Katana
Secondary: Super Reflexes
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01) --> Gambler's Cut==> Acc(1)
01) --> Focused Fighting==> DefBuf(1)DefBuf(7)DefBuf(7)EndRdx(34)EndRdx(37)
02) --> Flashing Steel==> Acc(2)Dmg(3)Dmg(3)Dmg(5)Rechg(5)EndRdx(17)
04) --> Focused Senses==> DefBuf(4)DefBuf(9)DefBuf(9)EndRdx(37)EndRdx(40)
06) --> Swift==> Run(6)
08) --> Divine Avalanche==> Acc(8)DefBuf(11)DefBuf(13)DefBuf(13)Dmg(15)Dmg(15)
10) --> Practiced Brawler==> Rechg(10)Rechg(11)EndRdx(46)
12) --> Agile==> DefBuf(12)
14) --> Health==> Heal(14)Heal(17)Heal(31)
16) --> Dodge==> DefBuf(16)
18) --> The Lotus Drops==> Acc(18)Dmg(19)Dmg(19)Dmg(23)Rechg(23)EndRdx(25)
20) --> Stamina==> EndMod(20)EndMod(21)EndMod(21)
22) --> Quickness==> Run(22)
24) --> Build Up==> Rechg(24)Rechg(25)Rechg(31)
26) --> Soaring Dragon==> Acc(26)Dmg(27)Dmg(27)Dmg(29)Rechg(29)EndRdx(31)
28) --> Lucky==> DefBuf(28)
30) --> Hover==> Fly(30)Fly(43)Fly(43)
32) --> Golden Dragonfly==> Acc(32)Dmg(33)Dmg(33)Dmg(33)Rechg(34)EndRdx(34)
35) --> Evasion==> DefBuf(35)DefBuf(36)DefBuf(36)EndRdx(36)EndRdx(37)
38) --> Elude==> Rechg(38)Rechg(39)Rechg(39)DefBuf(39)DefBuf(40)DefBuf(40)
41) --> Caltrops==> Slow(41)Slow(42)Dmg(42)Dmg(42)Dmg(43)
44) --> Shuriken==> Acc(44)Dmg(45)Dmg(45)Dmg(45)Range(46)Range(46)
47) --> Exploding Shurken==> Acc(47)Dmg(48)Dmg(48)Dmg(48)Rechg(50)
49) --> Fly==> Fly(49)Fly(50)Fly(50)
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01) --> Sprint==> Empty(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Empty(1)
01) --> Critical Hit==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Empty(2)
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Quickness DOESN'T up Fly, but that's cool. Shurikens are good for shivving any runners in the back, so ya don't need to be uber fast in Hover. The three Singles on it for speed are fine, I haven't walked in most fights in a long while.

This IS optimized for PvE Katana/SR/Weapon Mastery/Fitness/Flight. It's specifically for those only, however, so if you go with any other sets you're going to get drastically different power costs and results.

Being toggle heavy and doing just fine without them, I didn't bother with Fighting. Not worth it if ya go by the Endurance costs to benefits ratio. Divine Avalanche has never missed enough for me to consider dropping it for Weave or Tough. It's also a great fast filler that rounds out the attack chain.

Travel powers are still last priority to me. Only took Hover and Fly cuz it fit conceptually. It is nice in the shard, but it's also fun to be earthbound and use the geysers. Depends on what jerks your chain. Could just as easily get and slot the two Medicine heals for less downtime between fights.

Lemme know if ya have any questions or comments! AVs die way more often than I do, and Invincible missions are the only setting that gives me any challenge solo or otherwise. Malta are actually my prey of choice. If this isn't working for you, just practice practice practice! For me at least, it's been unstoppable. Meteoric after Elude, even. If you're not using Elude all the time, you're not taking advantage of 2 minutes of god mode. The steady supply of blues 2 minutes killing full spawns gives will make the crash nonexistent. You can solo 8 man spawns on Invincible with it, I have.

Edit: Almost forgot this! For my attack chain, since someone asked, I Build Up as I'm charging since if you're moving already the activation won't root you. Then I'll crank my target with a Golden Dragonfly, Soaring Dragon, and Divine Avalanche in that order. They're usually dead, but then I've got Flashing Steel and The Lotus Drops for some serious AoE hurt. Build Up usually lasts for all five hits, sometimes you can work a sixth hit in. Then you just crank whatever hit you have up. I try not to waste the Dragons on badly wounded stuff, Divine and Flashing both do about 130 damage and come back fast so they're better for that.

Spulchekt fur tipoz!

Yay, ten points for Sun for the Spider comment!

"I want to eat a swan. Is that wrong?"

Have since gone back to Hover at 30 after having the joy of a few Shadow Shard missions. Wee! Threw two more Flights on it at 42.

Took Shuriken after Caltrops instead of Grenade, and have that slotted with 1 Acc, 3 Dam, 2 Range. Reason being is that I now Hover scrap, and Shuriken lets you slash halfdead runners in the back without having to chase the suckers as much.

A Crane that flies? Go figure!

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Exported from Ver: 1.7.0.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
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Name: Steel Crane
Level: 50
Archetype: Scrapper
Primary: Katana
Secondary: Super Reflexes
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01) --> Sting of the Wasp==> Empty(1)
01) --> Focused Fighting==> DefBuf(1)DefBuf(3)DefBuf(3)EndRdx(13)EndRdx(15)
02) --> Flashing Steel==> Acc(2)Dmg(5)Dmg(5)Dmg(7)Rechg(7)EndRdx(9)
04) --> Focused Senses==> DefBuf(4)DefBuf(9)DefBuf(11)EndRdx(13)EndRdx(15)
06) --> Swift==> Run(6)
08) --> Divine Avalanche==> Acc(8)DefBuf(17)DefBuf(17)DefBuf(25)Dmg(37)Dmg(40)
10) --> Practiced Brawler==> Rechg(10)Rechg(11)
12) --> Agile==> DefBuf(12)DefBuf(50)
14) --> Health==> Heal(14)Heal(31)Heal(31)
16) --> Dodge==> DefBuf(16)DefBuf(46)
18) --> The Lotus Drops==> Acc(18)Dmg(19)Dmg(19)Dmg(23)Rechg(23)EndRdx(25)
20) --> Stamina==> EndMod(20)EndMod(21)EndMod(21)
22) --> Quickness==> Run(22)
24) --> Build Up==> Rechg(24)Rechg(34)Rechg(37)
26) --> Soaring Dragon==> Acc(26)Dmg(27)Dmg(27)Dmg(29)Rechg(29)EndRdx(31)
28) --> Lucky==> DefBuf(28)
30) --> Hover==> Fly(30)Fly(42)Fly(42)
32) --> Golden Dragonfly==> Acc(32)Dmg(33)Dmg(33)Dmg(33)Rechg(34)EndRdx(34)
35) --> Evasion==> DefBuf(35)DefBuf(36)DefBuf(36)EndRdx(36)EndRdx(37)
38) --> Elude==> Rechg(38)Rechg(39)Rechg(39)DefBuf(39)DefBuf(40)DefBuf(40)
41) --> Caltrops==> Slow(41)Slow(42)Dmg(43)Dmg(43)Dmg(43)
44) --> Shuriken==> Acc(44)Dmg(45)Dmg(45)Dmg(45)Rechg(46)Rechg(46)
47) --> Exploding Shurken==> Acc(47)Dmg(48)Dmg(48)Dmg(48)Range(50)Range(50)
49) --> Fly==> Fly(49)
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01) --> Sprint==> Run(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Empty(1)
01) --> Critical Hit==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Rechg(2)
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Bam, that's what I'm gonna stick with from here til the end of time. Well, until they do another sweeping round of changes and it becomes worth sixing out Practiced Brawler...

It occurs ta me Shuriken says it's got two Recharge on it, I'm not bothering with em til I can get a few Range/Recharge Hammi's. Range is more important to start with.

I call dibs on the Boll Weevil Representative position.

Cuz ya know how sweet that gig'll be.

Heh, only if the Assassin's Strike it gets does pure Negative damage.

That's the only reason people [censored] so much about Energy Melee. Well, that and Total Focus. And Energy Transfer. ;P

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Okay, what I don't get: How is Touch of Fear any worse than Cobra Strike or Stun, or...heck...Total Focus? I mean, when it comes to mezzing attacks?

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ToF is much, much, better than those attacks, if not just for the -ACC.

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Oh, really?

Let me know when you manage to shut off toggles with fear effects, or manage to keep a Tsoo sorcerer from teleporting away, okay?

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It's because it has a 20% accuracy buff, and let's you keep a Boss perma-Feared with one power while you kill his little elfin helpers.

Cobra can drop toggles and stop porters, but there's no way ya can keep it perm on a Boss. I've tried.

Concept wise, I can see where you're going here, man.

But you shouldn't have taken Katana then, really. Broadsword also wouldn't have been a good choice, cuz to optimally use them you want to go with heavy area to supplement your two big hits.

I still kill bosses quite fast, and anything around them while I'm doing it. When you Flashing Steel or Lotus on a boss not only are you damaging him, but you also hit five to ten other potential targets.

Again, you do not NEED Hasten and such to speed up Soaring Dragon or Golden Dragonfly in PvE. By the time that first boss is dead, my area damage alone has killed or dropped below half life any minions who were near me. Then you just Soaring or Dragonfly each once to kill em.

This is also a much more endurance efficient way to play, you don't take near the number of attacks relying on singletargets does to kill a group of enemies.

Again, this isn't the case in PvP. I can see where having Dragon and Dragonfly for knockdown/up fast as you can are handy, but fighting any PvP opponent worth his salt you're going to need a LOT more tricks than just those two attacks. Squishies will simply never give you a chance to get close at all if they're any good at all. And Tankers and Scrappers will use their considerable resists to hammer the hell out of you and not flinch. In the latter case, it'll come down to how fast you can detoggle them with Brawl. And while you're trying to do that, they'll be beating the crap out of you with Build Up and Insights.

If you're serious about PvP I'd snag Teleport Foe and or Web Grenade to deal with Hover snipers, Focused Accuracy and maybe Tough to survive Stalkers and their evil AS (they can probly oneshot an SR Scrapper easy, the resists only kick in AFTER our life drops to a set point), and you maybe want Assault for the slight damage and mez boosts it gives too.

Which gives you such an odd and power hungry build that apart from lone Bosses in PvE, you really won't be taking full advantage of either SR or Katana. Groups will take way longer to kill, and you'll be stuck using large attacks on minions you could have killed with a ping of area damage. Basically you'll run out of juice faster solo.

Never saw a point in building for PvP, I'm still running with the maximum Defense values possible while wisely using slots. And I didn't have to give up on any PvE ability for a facet of the game that most people loathed due to gankers. Maybe come fifty, I'll respec for PvP, but I doubt it. They're talking about upping the cap to level 60, some day.

(A LOT of Regen/Broadsword people I've personally run into are the type who only took the sets because they heard they were "l33t", usually can't play tactically for crap. It's the Rad/Rad or Archery/Devices Hover snipers you gotta watch out for, they'll eat an SR scrapper alive.)

Whoa there Chester, might wanna update your Hero Planner. I'd do 3 Recharge, 3 Defense on Elude ASAP. Stealth isn't worth slotting for Defense, the already miniscule amount is cut in half when it's suppressed. Also, Phase Shift isn't perma, it's only good for 30 seconds a shot. Chances are if you aim to use it as an escape power and can't fire off Elude, it won't matter. You'll already be dead.

Again, maybe for PvP you need Hasten, who knows. But you seriously don't need it for PvE with a Katana/SR. 1 Recharge on five good attacks and Quickness. Bam. S'all you need. Doesn't matter at all if I can't use Golden or Soaring Dragon quite as fast, Flashing Steel and Lotus kill with some vicious area damage. Wounded stuff won't last long in your killzone if you use em right.

Hasten USED to be awesome for spamming one or two attacks over and over and over. But it's not even all that hot at doing that anymore. You'd still be better off with 2 Recharge and Quickness. That's up ALL the time. 1 Acc, 3 Dam, 2 Recharge. Then ya can throw three Recharge on Conserve Power, and 3 End Redux, 3 ToHit Buffs on Focused Accuracy (the single best power from Body Mastery). So again, why five slots and two power choices for Hasten and Super Speed? /SR already has a built in version of Super Speed.

If you're trying for a solid PvP build, you should have taken Teleport Foe and Focused Accuracy in there somewhere, so I'm not sure WHAT you're going for.

(Only takes two Recharges and Quickness to make Brawler permanent.)

The test will be if you can take out two +3 Warhulks WITHOUT Elude as a crutch.

Steel with the build I use, can drop two +3s alone. It's hairy and down to the wire a lot of the times if I don't use Elude or Inspirations, but I can do it about 80% of the time. That other 20% is of course due to Lady Luck being sadistic.

Not being mean, you're just not optimally slotted or set up for defense. Being as this's a build/guide section, people don't wanna get the wrong idea and end up with wasted slots or powers.

Hell, I don't care if people HATE my build! But they can still learn a lot from it. It's rock solid, numbers wise. Ya want vertical, drop Calling The Wolf for Hover. That's seriously the only thing you could change to be more "effective".

I'm odd in that while I love a concept (Steel's just a super fast samurai, no other flashy stuff at all), I build for all out PvE pwnage. Hasten's not up often enough to be reliable for me, the slots are better used elsewhere, ya don't need it if you've got a complete attack chain, etc... List goes on an on.

Again, I've run this for all 42 levels, through (my god has it been that many?) four respecs, and the build I'm using is what's come out of the grinder. This isn't a pipe dream or untested respec, this version of Steel's no stranger to the Crash Site. Trick's to squeeze every single bit of effectiveness out of every power you take. Otherwise what was the point of taking it at all? Could say RP, I guess, but when have you ever met a samurai whose hands glowed?

Thar she blows, my updated and thoroughly field tested Katana/SR build! I still will not go beyond level 40, take whatever Ancillary you want! This's just a build for Katana/SR, period.

1: Sting of the Wasp (unslotted) / Focused Fighting (3 Def/2 End Redux)
2: Flashing Steel (1 Acc, 3 Dam, 1 Rech, 1 End Redux)
4: Focused Senses (3 Def, 2 End Redux)
6: Swift (1 Running)
8: Divine Avalanche (1 Acc, 3 Def, 2 Dam)
10: Practiced Brawler (2 Rech)
12: Agile (1 Def)
14: Health (3 Heal)
16: Dodge (1 Def)
18: The Lotus Drops (1 Acc, 3 Dam, 1 Rech, 1 End Redux)
20: Stamina (3 End Mods)
22: Quickness (1 Run)
24: Build Up (3 Rech)
26: Soaring Dragon (1 Acc, 3 Dam, 1 Rech, 1 End Redux)
28: Lucky (1 Def)
30: Calling The Wolf (1 Taunt)
32: Golden Dragonfly (1 Acc, 3 Dam, 1 Rech, 1 End Redux)
35: Evasion (3 Def, 2 End Redux)
38: Elude (3 Rech, 3 Def)

Playstyles changed a bit, I'll usually always lead off with a Golden Dragonfly now. With the knockdown changes, it won't ever blow them back unless they're way below you're level. Then cork em with Soaring Dragon, then Divine Avalanche. I keep Divine at third in the chain because you want the other cuts debuffing your target to make sure you Avalanche's will hit. If you can keep two up, it gives around 45 to 50% defense to Melee and Lethal attacks when stacked on your SR powers. Flashing Steel is good anytime, it's fast, cheap, and is a nice single target OR area attack. Lotus I'll use more sparingly now, it's become my fifth attack on my hot tray. Only pop that sucker off when I'm in the thick of it, I find. Better to keep Avalanche and the other three singletarget hits going if there's only one target.

Build Up I did throw Recharges on a lot earlier than planned. It's key to doing well, I'd throw em on as soon as 25th, if you can swing it. Saved my butt as often as Elude has. The extra damage and accuracy can let you get that one last hit in that'll win the fight. Use it as often as it's back! (don't autofire it, that's a waste and you want Brawler on auto).

I'm still sticking with Calling The Wolf and foregoing a movement power. There're times when one would be handy, but I've played 70% of all 42 levels so far perfectly content without one. After you get Quickness and some Running Singles, you are NOT slow. If you start to remember the zones, you can actually beat your friends with movement powers to the destination. Again, if you want to slot for running later on, slot SPRINT. If you slot Swift or Quickness, you can't turn em off and will have a hell of a time lining up a multitarget Golden Dragonfly. You'll move about 10 feet every time you flick a key.

Elude rocks the casbah. If you've got a bad fight, chances are with the way I've slotted it you'll have Elude up to use. Again, it's hard to line up a Dragonfly hit as you move so fast with Elude up, but you're also basically untouchable for 3 minutes. Can use those to totally hammer a big group of +2s to +3s, run across three zones at speeds almost as fast as Super Speed, whatever. Just pop a few blues when it wears off, retoggle as fast as you can, and wait for your End Regen to kick back in.

As of me writing this, the Defense change has NOT gone in yet. So you want to be sticking to +2s or +3s tops. I'm taking them down alright solo and teamed, but any higher than that and the scaling ToHit/Defense ratios that are still currently in effect will be too much. You're gonna get boned hard and a lot if you insist on trying to dance with +4s and +5s without Elude or serious Inspirations.

Just did, mate! You're going to get STOMPED in the upper levels set like that. +2s and +3s still give Steel a real challenge, and I've worked the numbers as best I can with the current limits we've been given.

Not to be a killjoy, but you do know about ED right? The little patch that they did a while back to make perma-Hasten impossible and every enhancement beyond 3 of one type of Single only add 5%?

Basically makes anything beyond three of one type of Enhancement (say three Damage Singles) not worth slotting. Three give about 95%. Four 100%, five 105%, and six 110%. Not really worth all those slots for just 15% more.

Also, if you're skipping Divine Avalanche on a Katana/SR, you're shooting yourself in the foot. I moved slots off of Sting to slot Divine out with 1 Acc, 3 Def, 2 Dam it's that good. Easily gives you 25 to 30% defense to Melee and Lethal if you stack its buff twice.

Edit: Here ya go with a ED compliant build. Did a lot of number crunching, and with the Ancillary I took this's pretty optimized. My Katana/SR is 42 and climbing fast, so it seems to work well.

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showf...part=1#4357983

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I have it on good authority that Satanic_Hamster is in fact and Angelic Gerbil.

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He's actually Positron.

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Actually, I'm Positron. He's Brawler, and you're Manticore.

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I thought I was Positron?

And the mission you are referring to is not "Jack Emmert", it's "Jake Emmet", not even a relation of Jack's.

I have it on good authority that Jake is in fact... a 5th Column Mekman.

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Does he do The Robot? Seriously, we SO need a Robot dance emote in here.

It's intriguing that three of the "good" RPGs you just listed three were made by Bioware.

Bioware's one the shining examples of a good production company (and Cryptic of course, fact I've been playing this for over a year's testament to that!). Their devs are opinionated, and every single game they put out seems to be a dramatic improvement on their last.

KotOR was frickin awesome, yet Jade Empire totally blew the pants off that with the coolness of it all.

They're currently working on Mass Effect (bit too HALO for my tastes), and Dragon Age. I'd REALLY keep an eye out for Dragon Age, they're touting it as a next gen, better version of NWN. That's sayin a lot since NWN is so good and flexible people are playing it even STILL. Nobody's since been able to get the feel of a low level dungeon crawl right like NWN did. Nothing to save you from a ton of goblins but a dagger, crossbow, and some light armor. Still like the whole guerilla warfare feel you've gotta use there to do well. Straight fights are usually a death sentence.

So anywho! Ya, there's going to be a lot of companies that put out one hit wonders like Guild Wars or WoW (they just don't have the replayability unless you REALLY like PvP), but I think it'd be safe to wager that a few quiet firms like Cryptic and Bioware will continue to silently work in the background, improving on what's gone before and blowing the doors off convention with a game on a totally new level of quality and intrigue.

Both've done it at least twice now, about four times in Bioware's case. So just keep up the good work, dang it!

Name: Order of the Jet Moon

Shard: City of Heroes/City of Villains (redeemed Villains)

Overall Theme(s): An eclectic bunch of Wusha masters with decidedly Asiatic motifs, reliance on technology is shunned as a weakness or failure to master one's self. Experts in the paranormal, the Order's knowledge of arcane and paranormal lore is unprecedented. When the plebeian forces can't handle a problem, they call in the government Black Ops teams. When the Black Ops teams can't handle a problem, they call the Order of the Jet Moon. The Order IS a merc unit in the sense they will usually only work for payment, but this fee is only to cover the costs of maintaining the Order in their spartan cloister. Profits are for the weak minded and spiritually corrupt. The motives and circumstances behind each case they take are the primary factor in achieving approval.

Backstory: Rumored to have started as a cell of disgruntled ronin, monks, and shugenja in feudal Japan, the Order's initial purpose was to deal with problems in the remote areas the Shogun's armies didn't bother with. Their surprising successes against the supernatural eventually set them on the path that has seen the Order of the Jet Moon survive the centuries and become what they are today. Slayers and chroniclers of things that go bump in the night.

Group Make-up: Katana/SR scrapper, of course. Setup as per my Katana/SR guide that's floating around here, natch. MA/Regen set up with Crane, Axe, Storm, Eagle's, Dragon's, Cobra's, and Focus Chi. Spines/Dark Armor Scrapper specializing in Build Up'd area damage. Quills, Death Shroud, Spine Burst, and Dark Regeneration for big healing. Stone/Super Strength tanker with three slotted Swift, Rage, Mud Pots, Taunt, Earth's Embrace, and a maxed Rooted and Granite. Big engine of destruction, in other words, great for the sumo character. Ice/Storm controller with Shiver, Freezing Rain, Snow Storm, O2 Boost, Jack Frost, Lightning Cloud, and Ice Slick as key powers. Dark/Dark Defender with Fearsome Stare, Darkest Night, Tar Patch, Dark Servant, Howling Twilight, Dark Pit, Tenebrous Tentacles, and Nightfall as key powers. Fire/Fire Blaster with Fire Blast, Fireball, Fire Breath, Fire Sword Circle, Blaze (slot 2 Range), Blazing Bolt, Inferno, Tough, Weave, and Bonfire (three recharge to perm it) as key. Electrical/Electrical sniper set up with threeslotted Hover, Charged Bolts, Zapp, Lightning Bolt, Ball Lightning, Voltaic Sentinel, Aim, Build Up, and Tesla Cage as key (some Range on Cage, Voltaic, and Bolts to take them all out to ~80 foot strike range). All builds are assumed to have Stamina threeslotted by at least level 24.

Combat Strategy and Power Combinations: Tanker always leads the fight, draws the aggro, then Foot Stomps. Scrappers move in, with MA and Katana taking out bosses, and Spines maxing his/her area. Controller and Defender sling in control and debuffs to max effect. Fire Blaster sets up 30 feet away and drops Bonfire which he/she keeps up at all times to retreat into to lose aggro before opening up with Fireball, Fire Sword Circle, Fire Breath, and Inferno if needed. Electrical sniper summons Voltaic and stays 80 feet up frying stuff fast as able, especially physical resistant or hard to hit mobs.

Costume, Names, and Other Design Issues: Costume should be REALISTICALLY!!! colored. None of this crap BLUE like we can choose for font, no one with any fashion sense at all really wears that. Think paler or duller colors. It should have a definite Asiatic feel. Bare chests and arms for males common, as are robes or gis for both sexes. Wusha, not catgirl anime. Think Crouching Tiger or House of Flying Daggers. Hakama, capes, cowls, masks, bandanas all encouraged. Aura should be light or at least not purposely clash with colors of your costume. People in ugly computer blue and ugly computer red costumes with bright green Auras will be shot. No oddly colored hair, either, though white, or a pale green if you're a poison character, are fine. Skin tone can vary, but most should be traditional human skin tones unless you've a damn good reason. ie: the Ice/Storm could be pure white with blue highlights and white hair if it helps the "ice priestess" feel. People with pink hair will also be shot, then hung up in Atlas Park as a warning. Names are where all the fun really comes in, a few good examples are Crazy Meteor Luo, Iron Foot Keng, Filthy Mantis, you name it. Obviously no copyrighted or trademarked names. Laaaaaaame...

Alternative Suggestions: Tanker could switch powersets around among any of them, except for Invulnerability/Energy Melee. Neither of those sets has a "mystic" feel about them at all, they scream technological. Scrappers could take any attack sets, as well as any of the Secondary sets, but again steer away from Invulnerability. The ones I've listed above will still look the most "Wusha" out of all the possbilities. Controller could alternately go with Fire/Kinetics as a "kinetic leech that channels heat" or some such, but the Primary/Secondary should have some tie in that makes sense. No Fire/Force Fields for example. Defender could go with any power sets. Even Rad/Rad makes a goodlooking "shugenja" combo, but again the Primary/Secondary have to have a tie in. Blasters should NOT have Assault Rifle or Devices. Very basis of the group runs against tech like that. Stick to Elemental sets and try to pair them to tie together thematically again. Ice/Electrical sets could be interchangeable as a storm lord, but no way would you see an Ice/Fire in a traditional Wusha setting. People master one aspect as their trademark.

Redeemed Stalkers, Brutes, Corruptors, Master Minds, what have you would also work very well on the team in place of others. If you're replacing a Hero AT though, keep in mind what the strengths you'll be losing are to the SuperTeam and try to duplicate them with whatever Villain combo you'll be bringing in. Kheldians would also fit in, but they'd have to be all Human form builds. Peacebringers would make decent Chi masters for the Wusha setting, and Warshades would make one awesome "demonic" character. You'd look normal til you flare up and crush the life out of something with dark energies. Alternately, if there's one of each, you can run them as Yin/Yang channeling identical twins.

Feel free ta use this! Be a lotta fun, but it's looking like a cold day in hell before I ever meet 8 people on Protector who could do this well. Apart from the tank, none of the other ATs are very easy to play to their max potential. Wouldn't seem right to me to get together a group to do this who's halfassed in any way.

So as of right now, I'm a ronin of one!

~Steel Crane~

Right on, man. Good advice all around, just a few things I've heard that'd be worth clarifying.

Slow enhancements don't affect -Recharge debuffs. So slotting Slows won't make the enemy attack slower, they'll only MOVE slower. Still is worth it, as you're a tanker and it helps with aggro control. Just don't think it's slowing their power Recharge rates more.

Frost isn't just a decent area attack, it's actually the second most damaging in the whole set! It's hard to notice since it's DoT, but the only Ice power that hits harder is Greater Ice Sword. Freezing Touch comes close, but Frost still beats that for overall damage. Add in the fact that this can hit 3 to 5 mobs at once and this sucker rocks. Hardly anything resists Cold damage except Pantheon Husks, Circle of Thorn Daemons, and some powerarmored mobs later on.

Build Up rocks for Ice/Ice! Your use of Insights and Rages is noted, but think of it like this, what's better than more damage? Even MORE damage! On top of those inspirations, Build Up can give you 100% damage and 63% more accuracy for 15 seconds. This lets you get off a really strong chain with Sword, Greater Sword, Touch, and Frost. Also, while you're attacking, Build Up ramps up all the damage coming off Icicles and gives them a big accuracy boost so the pings almost always hit. If you go three Recharge on Build Up, it's back in 30 seconds, letting you totally shred stuff much faster than you can without it. Just two Build Ups per fight will probably totally hose any minions without you needing to attack them. The Icicles alone should kill them.

Same trick works for Fiery Embrace and Blazing Aura, if you're a Fire/Fire tanker.

They're about as fast as Super Speed with Swift, Sprint, Quickness and Elude going. I can keep up with friends who have SS.

They jump as if they had Combat Jump with Elude going too, but I've since done a respec and dropped Calling the Wolf for Hover.

Can drop the new slots I put onto Divine Avalanche (see below) on that and be the fastest in aerial combat of any hero. Quickness ups your Hover speeds too.

I also seem to have miscalculated slots, as I had FOUR extra: two to throw onto Divine Avalanche at level 37 and 40, and two to slot Build Up out. So Divine Avalanche is now slotted 1 Accuracy, 3 Defense, 2 Damage, and Build Up is sitting at 3 Recharge. What I get for doing this in my head, I guess! The older slotting above is still the same, I just had more slots than anticipated, so this is in addition to what's above.

For Epic powers, I'm snagging Calling The Wolf again (moved it back in priority), Web Grenade to drop flyers and hose AVs attack recharge (stack it and it's nasty), Caltrops with two Slows on it to hose groups bad (they mill about on em and so swing at you less), and Exploding Shuriken because it's frickin cool, dang it!!

Keep remembering little tricks I've been using after I post here. Remember back when I said don't keep any Catch A Breaths around? Yep, I was full of sh*%!! You want to keep about four at all times, I totally forgot about Elude. It usually leaves you with a smidge of Endurance when it drops, enough to keep your toggles going for 2 or 3 seconds. If you don't pop a blue or two before that, then your toggles will drop. Having a few Blues around to cope with the Elude crash is pretty key to doing well with the power.

Heya! Been a while, and it's been long enough for me to get 8 whole levels. Crane's now a 38 and is fricking deadly.

As of writing this, I haven't yet met a Blaster who can keep up with me for single target damage. Area wise they still have us nicely beat, but I am utterly destroying Bosses and AVs.

If you were wondering if losing Sting from the chain was smart, yes, it was. Way I'm set up the area kills minions as well as continuously wounds the boss in between Dragonfly, Dragon, and Divine.

About the only things that are giving me problems are the Hydra in the Abandoned Sewers, and those only because the Toxic ranged attacks they do are too much for SR yet. But not for long. As soon as the fix hits Live, our defense will not scale down against + level enemies.

And I'm totally gutting +3s at lightning speed as is! No more hit and run, he's a total killing machine now. I actually had to tank Mary MacGowen(?) on the Croatoa TF when our tank dropped. With Fort on me, I could stand up to an even con AV easily, so static Defense's just going to be frickin nuts for SR.

I've been running with a few Blaster friends, and I find I'm having to slow down cuz I feel guilty for cutting the targets apart so fast. They get about one or two enemies for my three or four. Same goes true for teaming, I've been keeping an eye on the window and I'm consistently killing more than anyone else on teams I've joined, regardless of AT.

I'm not just getting the last hit in, I only go after mobs no one else is so I'm killing more mobs than anyone else starting from full HP! If you get down the mobility that Swift and Quickness give with one Single on em, you can target and engage new mobs insanely fast.

Katana/SR's a dang tornado of razored hurt so far, and it shows no signs of stopping! DE Guardians will suck once emanators are fixed and they start dropping the massive +Acc buff Quartz again, but that'll be my one REAL weakness.

So! That being said, I can tell ya that this build IS optimized. There's nothing you could do to make it nastier for PvE, I've tried everything and this is the "ultimate" slotting and such, if you will. PvP is another story altogether, but I never play in that. Should be strong as hell even there, but it won't have stuff like Tactics to let you see doublecloaked Stalkers or Teleport Foe to hose sniper Blasters.

If you're having problems with PvE using this build as a guide, feel free to get in touch! Your play style is off and I may have some pointers. Build's rock solid!

~Rock~

Let my sharpen my quill here...

Jane's Addiction - True Nature
The Dandy Warhols - We Used To Be Friends
Our Lady Peace - Starseed
Veruca Salt - Get Back
Tilt - Animated Corpse
Bif Naked - Make Like a Tree
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Sympathetic Noose
V.A.S.T. - I'm Dying
Big Sugar - Dear Mr. Fantasy
Rancid - Red Hot Moon

One thing I should add:

If you're worried about vertical movement, drop Calling the Wolf at 30 and get Hover instead. Move the two slots off Dodge onto Hover, and drop in three Flight Speeds. Defense of it's pathetic, but Quickness stacks with the three Flight Speeds to give you the fastest Hover speeds of anyone outside of a Kinetics Defender running with Siphon Speed.

Here's my current Katana/SR guide Rock's Katana/SR Guide

Hope it helps.

Heya! Been giving a lot of advice lately about SR, so I figure what the hey, I'll just save some air and post what I've found to work. This is my current build for Steel Crane, my level 30 Katana/SR. At 24 I did the respec TF and moved four slots off of Sting of the Wasp onto my two toggle defenses so I could slot End Redux. Only going to 40 here, but I'm gonna take the Weapon Mastery Epic.

SR doesn't "need" a movement power; Swift, Sprint, Quickness, and Elude all stack to up running and jumping by a lot. However, you could probly find a way to work it in if you MUST have one. Just means being frugal with your other powers.

1: Sting of the Wasp (unslotted) / Focused Fighting (3 Def/2 End Redux)
2: Flashing Steel (1 Acc, 3 Dam, 1 Rech, 1 End Redux)
4: Focused Senses (3 Def, 2 End Redux)
6: Swift (1 Running)
8: Divine Avalanche (1 Acc, 3 Def)
10: Practiced Brawler (2 Rech)
12: Agile (1 Def)
14: Health (3 Heal)
16: Dodge (1 Def)
18: The Lotus Drops (1 Acc, 3 Dam, 1 Rech, 1 End Redux)
20: Stamina (3 End Mods)
22: Quickness (1 Run)
24: Build Up (1 Rech)
26: Soaring Dragon (1 Acc, 3 Dam, 1 Rech, 1 End Redux)
28: Lucky (1 Def)
30: Calling The Wolf (1 Taunt)
32: Golden Dragonfly (1 Acc, 3 Dam, 1 Rech, 1 End Redux)
35: Evasion (3 Def, 2 End Redux)
38: Elude (3 Rech, 3 Def)

That's all 46 slots you get by level 40 (less I missed something). At epic levels I'll slot the Shurikens, throw two more Recharge on Build Up, and slot my passives for Defense a tad. Build Up without three slots on it is coming back fast just due to Quickness and 1 Recharge, so I'm gonna tough it out.

When you slot stuff most stuff matters, but you really want to try and get the three Defense on each toggle ASAP. Next are Stamina and Accuracy and Damage for your attacks. Then I slotted Recharges and End Redux on the attacks, then slotted Avalanche, and will next slot out Health. So basically you're following the defense>offense>longevity pathway.

Plays like this: I target the nastiest and get ready to charge. I've got Brawler on autofire, and all my toggles running. Don't need Sprint on, you're damn fast as is. Run in and have Build Up fire off when you're just out of melee, you can move during it's activation. Immediately Soaring Dragon your priority target and follow it up with Divine Avalanche to get your Defense boosted for the fight. Next I usually use The Lotus Drops and aim it to hit as many as possible. By then you should have a few lined up in a tight arc in front of you and you can Flashing Steel to hit multiple targets. If you're under the effect of Speed Boost or Accelerate metabolism, Soaring Dragon will be back fast enough to get another Build Up shot of it off. If not, you have another attack soon recharged and ready to fire. Just those four are near continous.

I'm going to add Golden Dragonfly in as my last attack in the chain once I get it, but may play around depending on how it goes. The theory is this: it does huge damage and a knockback so I'll use it as a finishing move. Using it FIRST in the chain would make me need to run after my target and ruin my AoEs. Using it last means that it may outright kill the target after all the other four hits soften it up. Another big plus of using it last is that three of the earlier cuts stacked a 15% Defense Debuff on your one target. Dragonfly should rarely miss then.

That initial onslaught with Build Up is generally enough to severely wound or outright kill one or more enemies. Your priority target is dead from one attack chain if they hit and it's a Lt. or lower. Not sure if Dragonfly's added damage will let me kill a boss in one chain, but it'll be dang close. After that first chain, it's just a matter of cycling powers as they recharge for maximum effect. Stuff with more life left use Dragonfly and Dragon to drop in one clean hit. Lots of grouped stuff hit with your AoEs, then finish with an Avalanche ping or the two Dragons as needed.

*And ALWAYS use Divine Avalanche every time it's recharged. Defense bonus from it's too great to ever let drop.*

Well, that's about all I got for ya! Lucks and Respites are always good to keep on hand. You shouldn't need any Catch a Breaths after Stamina, so use or delete those soon's ya get em. Insights help for evil stuff like Rikti Drones, but you shouldn't need many. Katana has a 5% accuracy bonus, and every hit but Avalanche debuffs defense.

Keeping with the theme, I'm taking Weapon Mastery at 41. 1 Acc, 3 Dam, 2 Range on the Shurikens. Probly go two Slow on Caltrops and 1 Acc, 3 Immob on Web Grenade to hose flyers or hit and run things. Rest'll go onto Build Up, and the last two onto Dodge. SR is so fast in a fight it'll be easy to close to melee, so that's where Defense should be strongest.

Needs to be doing The Robot, too. Bobbing's all well and good, but Pos doing The Robot for our geek enjoyment? Priceless.

Offtopic here, but you know that the Mad Caddies have a song titled after your name, Weird? It's off their "Rock The Plank" album. It's beauty, eh!

If they don't fall behind with graphics and software updates like poor old NWN did, there's theoretically no limit as ta how long this sucker can go.

NWN only took a hit once the flashier online games totally blew its graphics outta the water. Conceptually and gameplay wise, that game's still one of my faves.

There SHOULD be a blood option in CoH, though. Maybe throw a parental passworded lock on it like NWN did.

Be fun ta get sprayed with rancid black blood when ya whack open an Abomination.