CFIndustries

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Orbiting Death DOES suck, though! (Until you get Stamina, that is)

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It's not THAT bad, and it's quite handy. After learning micro-toggle-management with my Claws/DA, OD on a Kheld is a piece of cake.

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Anywhere to find a guide about beign a PB with no other forms.

I decided to play my toon without the other shapes, NOVA and TANK...

I know, I know, no flaming, just tell me where is that guide, kk thx bye

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I'm trying to find one too. If you find anything, post it! I am working on it via a separate thread so maybe I can get some ideas that way.

My human-only Warshade is working out fairly well so far, despite all the "DOOOOOM!!!" the guide/FAQ writers would have you believe. ;-)

I'm not going to flame you, just congratulate you. Tired of hearing "single-form is teh gimp!" and "Orbiting Death sucks"--I've found both to be quite untrue. ;-P

I'm a little confused, having got my human-only Warshade to level 6 so far, and quite easily I might add:

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At lvl 6 you get your first form power if you so choose. If you decide to go the whole human only route you are in for a very hard road indeed.

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I've not had a problem, despite the fact that I want to be an AoE/pet Warshade, so the only attacks I have are the base blast attack (1-slot, TO accuracy) and Orbiting Death (1 slot, TO end reducer). Have Gravity Shield 3-slotted (defense TOs).

I can go through three even cons in short order, solo yellows decently enough, and even two yellows at a time with patience. 4-5 blues, and all the greens I have patience for.

I would have to ask the author, have you ever played a controller or a low-damage/high-end scrapper like Claws/DA? An all-human Warshade to me feels like a "aggressive controller" so far, though far more effective than either Claws/DA or any controller at this level.

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Between lvls 1-13 you still do not have a power to deal with Voids and Quantums.

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Haven't seen a Void yet (thank goodness) but three Galaxy Quantums later and nothing to it. My attack sequence is:

--Turn on Orbiting Death (Gravity Shield runs full-time)
--Teleport right in front of the Quantum. Right after clicking the teleport, immediately click the blast to queue it up.
--Blast away.

So far for blue and white-conned they are dead before they can even punch me a couple times.

Voids, that's another story...not looking forward to THAT.

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If you have stuck with human form you’re damage isn’t getting any better in fact it’s getting worse.

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To an even-conned villian the damage seems decent enough. It's not blaster-strength but it's decent.

Again I have to wonder if the author has ever played things like Defenders, Controllers, Claws/* at these levels. Personally I have, and find the Warshade equipped for the task despite my intentionally odd slotting. Far more fun than this guide led me to believe.

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Orbiting Death sucks so much end that even with three endurance reducers it doesn’t help.

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I guess my experience with *DA/Death Shroud gives me perspective. Orbiting Death is no worse than Death Shroud, which my Claws/DA finds very handy and overall helps DPS despite the endurance drain. I find the same is true of Orbiting Death.

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Your main damaging attack powers don’t do damage at all but more like little ticks against a big elephant

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Well, if you're used to playing Invincible on huge teams, I suppose it might seem that way. I had planned to team my Warshade eventually, but only once I had a few more damage-dealing powers (and things like Sunless Mire to help out). For now, solo'ing seems safer. Also means I can adjust to playing a Warshade, which is alot different than the non-Epic ATs.

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In Human form you notice one thing and one thing only; you are out of endurance and you are dying way too much. I would not suggest the Human form…ever.

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I'm having fun with it, albeit solo. It'll be nice once I get equipped enough to team. I'd like to hear the OPs thoughts on the solo-versus-team as well as their experience with other ATs. I think this FAQ kinda too easily dismisses the all-human Warshade out-of-hand. I decided to go that route *despite* this guide (and I did read it while researching Khelds) and I found the all-human route so far to be quite enjoyable and alot more powerful than I would have guessed.

Thanks for the excellent guide.

I've yet to take advantage of making a Kheldian for lack of a concept, an idea. The multi-form didn't appeal and broke concept for me (many having to turn human and back to forms to get some power running). Being a squid or a lobster didn't feel "hero" to me. Squid felt too "blastery" and lobster to "tankery."

But all-human...felt like an "attack controller." More my style, as I enjoy controllers and defenders (and scrappers to a degree). I also like a challenge, and everyone has told me all-human is brutally challenging...though I think that's mostly solo, and I like teams, even pickup teams.

Thanks again.

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Just wanted to say these powersets together are a little gem of defenderdom.

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Not to hijack or anything, but another little Defender gem I've discovered is a "meleefender" Kinetics/Electric build. Basic idea a "scrapper support" defender.

That's right, you follow the psycho scrapper around, right next to or behind him. Tankers work too, but the scrappers get more benefit from the build.

Let's just say it's a rush to be a defender in the thick of the worst combat messes and walk away with a full health bar (well, when you don't die outright...lol).

Us Rad/Dark folks need to be careful though...the scrapper forums have been in un uproar over some recent tests and already many have caught-on that some Defender and Controller builds can handle as many or more villians than a scrapper and walk away in one piece. Albeit slower, but easily.

Statesman seems to be leaning on the idea that only tankers should be able to manage alot of villians at once. And the nerf bat has become an AoE lately...so remember to duck when Statesman swings it. :-O

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PG will hold Lts but it will take two hits to hold a boss. I would slot it with 2 ACC and as HOLDS as you can (I plan on putting 4). If you are not perma hastened, you might want one recharge.

As far as I've seen it TT seems to work great.

Dark blast is ok but you can get critical hits!!

GF

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On Petrifying Gaze, is that 4 slots total...2 acc, 2 hold?

What's kind of minimum slotting would you recommend for DB and TT?

Has anyone tested the effectiveness of these power based against their equivalent in normal power sets?

For example (Dark Mastery):

--How well does Petrifying Gaze work, and how should I slot it?

--What about Dark Blast...is it worth it? How should it be slotted?

--And the one that fascinates me the most for my heroe's concept...Tenebruous Tentacles. Does it work as well as the Defender version? How about slotting advice here?

Any help appreciated...

Except for doing custom binds, let's not forget that I3 introduced a way to make global changes to your chat bubbles, under Options.

This helped me alot, in that it shortens my binds up considerably. Now I only use colors in binds when they vary from my "normal" colors.

After playing some other Defenders and Controllers...

--Emp/Elec ("Pure Empathy")
--Ill/Kin
--FF/Elec
--Fire/Rad

...I have to say that the Rad/Dark is a great combo! I built it primarily to solo after seeing one in action in the lo 20s.

The dude I watched would just run through the Family-infested docks in Striga (white/yellow), round up as many as he could in RI, lock them down with TT, and blast away. I was duo'd with him for a while and he put out XP in a shorter timeframe than some blasters.

The funniest part is that visually, you'd swear he was some kind of odd Invul tanker. But it wasn't that he was taking a a pounding...quite the opposite, they couldn't hit him!

I've plowed through to level 10 on my Rad/Dark in record time (for me) and am easily doing missions with yellow minions and orange bosses. Reds can be a challenge, but doable with strategy.

Since I don't have a travel power yet and my missions are showing up in the deep Hollows (insta-death-ville), I may team for 10-14 to get through the XP faster rather than the street hunt grind. The best part? I can be as good a team player as a soloist. Very cool.

My experience with radiation with my Fire/Rad controller is similar...rad is addicting. I duo the Controller with a Fire Tanker and she is addicted already...makes her feel like and Invul, even though she isn't exactly. ;-)