CaptainIcyHot

Hello all!

It has been about a year since my group quit to do other MMOs but we have seen the error of our ways. We are making an all corruptor group and so the account has been re-upped! Once I get my head around some of the changes (especially the IOs) I'll probably do an update....don't expect it any time soon though.

Thanks. I think most people create guides because of the enjoyment they've gotten out of the game using a powerset and a desire to give something back. That was certainly the case with Cobalt Capybara and me.

CC hit 50 on Oct. 19th and did his first Hami raid on the 21st. I don't know how much PvPing he will be doing as AR/NRG is not a fabulous solo PvP set but I'm gonna see what he CAN do.

[ QUOTE ]
You make some good points with your build but you miss you real opportunities. These are in no certain order.

M30 Gernade - ok, it does scatter KB. However, Build Up + Shotgun + M30 Gernade = Dead Blue Minion Spawn and below (and this is with training origin accuracies slotted out... I dont touch damage until DOs arrive). This will allow you to blow your way to flamethrower by sweeping Hazard Zones. Do you keep it is another matter entirely. If you respec in the later game then drop it, but it will still serve you as a last damage push after dropping the seriers of AoE Cones. I also love it as a panic button in emergency situations. You (or your team) is in retrograde operations (retreat), drop a gernade in the enemies lap. The scatter knockback will sew a little chaos in the enemies at you beat feet. M30 Gernade + Boost Range = completely safe AoE Damage. It is also useful in a bad pull, just find a corner. 1st enemy sticks his head out around the corner and BAM!, all his friends running close behind all get hit for the AoE too. Now you sweep around the corner and rain death on them with the cones while they are trying to pick themselves up off the pavement. If all you want is cone attacks then this does not fit the build. If you want to put as much damage as possible downrange toward a target(s), I would rate this higher than a "2".

[/ QUOTE ]

As I said, early game I could see using it. I just didn't care for it. In the later game, it's just not needed and just doesn't work with my group and my attack chain.

[ QUOTE ]


Power Boost - oh is this a great power. All I have to say is get the Medicine Pool and use Power Boost. +100% to Stimulat, Aid Other or Aid Self is just to nice to pass up. As an AoE Blaster your three biggest concerns are Endurance, Health and Aggro. You can manage the Endurance with Conserver Power and Stamina. Power Boost + Aid Self will help manage the Health. If you hit them with all the AoEs you won't have to worry about the aggro, dead men don't shoot back. This deserves at least a "3" in the usefulness scale. It earns its pay with Power Thrust, Bone Smasher, Stun, Total Focus and Beanbag. The Medicine pool is just gravy.


[/ QUOTE ]

Aid Self + Power Boost = Good Thing. As I said, that build is for a very specific group. An empathy defender always in the group means that the Medicine pool is just not needed. However, there is not a whole heck of a lot of time in normal combat to click Power Boost + Aid Self and not be dead. Blasters live binary (Dead or Not Dead) lives until you start stacking HP boosts from accolades and the APP armors come into play.
[ QUOTE ]


Burst - why take it? If you put 2 recharges in Slug it will be back up almost as often as you need it. If you went SuperSpeed and have Haste slotted, then it will be up as often as you need it (unless your need is a semiauto slug power). If you want single target damage hit em with slug or pop em with Bone Smasher/Power Thrust (and that is in the lower levels). Personally I would rather lay the hammer down on the whole group then pull one by one (we are AoE damage dealers here, we want the spawn not just Fred or Barney). Giving Burst more than a "2" is a disservice to the rating scale.


[/ QUOTE ]

Burst is RANGED single target damage. I currently have Buckshot slotted with 2 recharge and it's still not enough when I need ranged single target damage. It means that I can get runners without having to leave a prime cone position. It's definetly not the greatest power but there aren't any other choices for ranged single target damage. It's a good pulling power as well since KB from the other single target powers aggros groups.

I do plenty of blapping as well but my main role is ranged damage.
[ QUOTE ]


Unconventional Tactics (ie not the Cones/AoE)
Beanbag + Stun does lock down a boss. Power Boost + Bean Bag + Stun = doing whatever you darn well want to a boss. Drop Bone Smasher and/or Total Focus in the mix and the boss will probably never look at you ugly again.

Stun/BeanBag on a LT or below followed by Bone Smasher and Power Thrust is a stunned LT way over there about to get a Slug dropped into his chest.

Now, I know we are all about the AoEs but sometimes you want take someone out of the action fast. Tsoo Sorcerers, Sappers, you get the picture... you dont want them doing what they do best. Boost Range + Beanbag (if you cant kill them outright with a Boost Range + Snipe + Slug) will draw the lower level threats to you and leave the uber threats far behind the front line action. You can then take them out at your leisure.


[/ QUOTE ]

Mez the icky Lts? Standard tactics. Stun is just not necessary esp. after you get Total Focus. Total Focus + Vanguard Accolade &/or Power Boost...I don't see how Stun is worth it in the late game.
[ QUOTE ]

You have a great guide, I think you just need to look a little beyond the Cones.

[/ QUOTE ]

TY. This guide is information about the powerset, showing the amazing synergy between AR & NRG and what I did in a group. Maybe someday I will revise this to add a more solo/independant version outlook as well...but probably not too soon.

BTW - Wo0t to Cobalt Capybara! He's 2 bubs from 50 and going to hit that on SG nite this Thursday.

[ QUOTE ]
Did you choose the Electric APP because of the cone attack?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep.

The Electric cone has the same damage and range numbers as Buckshot. It's nice to mix in energy damage and with Hasten or Speed Boost you have very little down time in a ranged, AoE attack chain. As for the rest of that APP...the hold is nice and looks awesome. The armor is great. EMPulse is mostly a letdown. It's recharge is just way too long to depend on it for anything but an "Oh $#@!" button.

If I were going to solo a lot though...I'd probably go with Personal FF & Force of Nature. FoN is just scary. My SG's Ice/NRG Blaster uses it to wade in to sure death and survive.

I like the idea of these posts but "Top Issues" they are not. Horrible performance in CoV has never been acknowledged. THAT should be a Top Issue. I have a brand new Nvidia 7800GS vid card and far above the minimum hardware needed for this game. There are many, MANY people that are high end players that tweak the heck out of their systems for performance...that just doesn't transfer to CoX. Read the Tech forum some time.

Most bug fixes....irritating but not Top Issues. I would appreciate honesty from the Devs on the performance issues and could accept a statement of "Yes it's screwy. We are working on it". As it is, I think that I am leaving the game for at least a few issues soley because the software is running so poorly. I hope that things are ironed out by then because this is a great game in every other respect.

Oh lord....a currently undo-able SF that will eventually be toned down to just very, very, very difficult.

Total Annihilation is doomed to hit the debt cap trying for that badge.

[ QUOTE ]
*bump*

Why do you take swift first, though? I'd think you'd want to pick up Hasten quickly, and leave the small speed boost from swift for later....

[/ QUOTE ]

I teamed in a SG with toons that started at lvl 1 and we leveled past the single digits so fast it really didn't matter that much. No grand scheme reason. Hasten could easily be first and probably should.

Honestly...I was kinda hoping for a toggle aura (instead of Lightning Field damage) that did consistant END drain/transfer every tick. Significant enough to make END a non issue when facing say 3 or more mobs but not enough in one shot to be a serious PvP or PvE sapper. If it came before lvl 20 this would remove the need for the Fitness pool and Stamina. Say the lvl 18 uber power.

If this was the only Brute powerset that not only had no end issues but also could painlessly skip the Fitness pool, it would be HUGE even with the other holes. Plus it would also have 3 free power slots to patch mez holes.

What would make me more interested is to find out how much protection vs. the "rare" attacks this set gives. If I can laugh at the end drain of Spec-Ops, Sappers, Mu, Carnies, etc. I would certainly try the set. If it is practical invulnerability to end drain (which is everywhere in CoV) then I'm in. How about resistance to -Fly and -Jump as well as Slows?

I would happily take the Leaping pool again if I ignored some of the other prevelent irritations in CoV. If it is a minor resist than this is a crap set.

If they want to make it unique, make it really, REALLY resistant if not immune to many of the most irritating special effects that the other armors do not cover.

SS/FA here. I took SS for Rage. I LOVE Rage even with it's irritating end drop and quiet time. I went to 50 with FA on my tank and know it well. I love how Rage and damage auras interact. It's consistant damage and it hits when I am lying on the ground/slowed/etc.

I created a fantastic version of Dick Cheney called The VEEP as an NRG/DA Brute and that's probably my next toon. Maybe I should have made him as an AR corrupter.

Ignite Addendum

I have created a bind for Ignite by tweaking the TP bind in TopDoc's Movement Guide. It takes one step out of the Ignite process. You normally have to (1) click the power, (2) target with the recticle and (3) click again. By using the bind it works by (1) targetting with the mouse sans recticle and (2) pressing ctrl&lbutton at the same time.

Since I already use lshift for the TP bind I have chosen ctrl for Ignite.

/bind ctrl+lbutton "powexec_name Ignite"

You will only see the targeting recticle if you exceed the range of where you can lay the Ignite patch.

[ QUOTE ]
Now, after that, whenever I clicked on a scientist, they would say 'Come back for me after you've saved him.'

[/ QUOTE ]

This happened to me and some of my fellow SG members. We could reset it by un-teaming and rezoning. It seemed to happen when I got too far ahead of my scientist and when someone else clicked on him. They got control but I still registered as "owning" a scientist.

In the end it was my fault for being a paranoid, twitchy, bullseye of a squishy in a PvP zone.

[ QUOTE ]
heck, add in another badge too...like the X times the victor badge, have one that changes to show how many Giant Monster's you've defeated. Or make a few badges so you get one for 5 monsters, 10 monsters, etc. That's extra incentive right there to take them on whenever I see them.

e can wait on the artwork, just plop the "exploration" graphic on their and give it a nifty description like:

Monster Hunter Apprentice - You have taken down 5 of the Giant Monsters that sometimes plague Paragon City
or
City Savior - You've defeated 20 Giant Monsters in your career, Tokyo officials have your number on speed dial.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was just going to post the same thing. Especially with CoH Japan coming out Monster hunting badges for large numbers of monsters defeated is a good idea.

The DE on monster island in PI are REALLY hard. This could be due to the fact that it's not too hard to accidentally aggro other monsters. It's the only place my pre-ED fire tank regularly went down & had full team wipes. Either the difficulty of these should be toned down OR there should be some other incentive(xp, rare hami type drops, rare temp power drops, accolade invovled in kill 50 DE monsters, etc.) to get a team to hunt them....other than the joy of a team wipe.

I don't know why but it really bothers me to see areas of the game unused 99% of the time.

From a deadboy_champion post:

Blaster: Energy Manipulation: Bone Smasher (100% chance of dropping one toggle, 75% chance of dropping a second toggle 50% chance of dropping a third toggle)
Blaster: Energy Manipulation: Energy Punch (100% chance of dropping one toggle, 20% chance of dropping a second toggle)

Look out! It's...

Master of Cones (tm)! The AR/NRG Blaster Guide

Master of Cones (tm)! The I6 AR/NRG Blaster Guide by Captain IcyHot

AR/NRG is the best AoE set in the game. Period. It takes time to achieve uberness but once you are Master of Cones (tm)!, the world will stand up and take notice. The /NRG secondary utility powers have great synergy with AR and /NRG adds devastating melee attacks as well.

There are four requirements to be a true Master of Cones (tm)!:

Buckshot
Flamethrower
Full Auto
Boost Range

Everything else is optional but these powers are the reason to be an AR/NRG, AoE attack specialist.

There is so much flexibility in AR/NRG that my personal build for Cobalt Capybara has continually mutated throughout the game because of experimentation and what was most useful for those levels. I highly recommend that you plan on respecing into different builds as some powers are very useful in the early game and not that great in the mid to late game. Considering the frequency of “design vision” changes, I would guess that more free respecs would not be too unlikely.

Primary Power Set - Assault Rifle

Burst (1)
Brawl Index: 3.00 Lethal
Endurance Cost: 5.202 pts.
Recharge Time: 4 sec.
Activation Time: 2 sec.
Range: 90
Features: 4 tick DoT (~2 sec.), -Def, +5% Accuracy

Burst is a part of a great 1 - 2 punch with Buckshot. Later on you will be focusing on AoE attacks and this becomes a “so-so” attack. It is the only single target attack in AR that doesn’t have KB so this is your pulling attack if you don’t have TP Foe. It is also great as an interrupter for pet droppers.

Master of Cones (tm)! (MoC) 1 to 5 rating: 3

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam, 1 Recharge

Slug (1)
Brawl Index: 4.56 Lethal
Endurance Cost: 8.67 pts.
Recharge Time: 9 sec.
Activation Time: 2 sec.
Range: 95
Features: Knockback, +5% Accuracy

This IS your ranged single target attack. You will use this while waiting for your mighty cones to recharge. A great attack throughout the entire game. Do not use this to pull as the knockback element will alert the entire group of mobs to your presence.

MoC rating: 5

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam, 2 Recharge

Buckshot (2)
Brawl Index: 2.52 Lethal
Endurance Cost: 10.404 pts.
Recharge Time: 8 sec.
Activation Time: 2 sec.
Range: 40
Cone Degree: 30
Features: Cone, Knockback, +5% Accuracy

Your first cone and first step on the road to Master of Cones (tm)!. This is a short range, wide cone attack that will serve you well. Ignore those concerned about knockback, cones are your calling.

MoC rating: 5

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam, 2 Recharge

M30 Grenade (6)
Brawl Index: 2.49 (1.6683 Lethal, .8217 Smash)
Endurance Cost: 15.1725 pts.
Recharge Time: 17 sec.
Activation Time: 2 sec.
Range: 80
Features: Targeted AE, Knockback, +5% Accuracy

I have used this power only on test and really didn’t like the chaos it created. This knocks stuff all over the place instead of away from me like Buckshot. The MoC is against scatter so this gets a pass. However, it’s an AoE that you can get early so it could be useful in the pre-Full Auto game. I plan on getting it at lvl 49 and slotting it with KB for sheer silliness.

MoC rating: 2

Beanbag (8)
Brawl Index: 0.56 Smash
Endurance Cost: 10.404 pts.
Recharge Time: 20 sec.
Activation Time: 2
Range: 60
Features: Disorient (100% Mag 3), +5% Accuracy

A must have attack for the solo blaster. Nothing flashy. Click and disorient with token damage. For the Master of Cones, this is a later pick.

MoC rating: 3

Recommended slotting: 2 ACC, 2-3 Disorient, 1-2 Recharge

Sniper Rifle (12)
Brawl Index: 7.68 Lethal
Endurance Cost: 15.606 pts.
Recharge Time: 13 sec.
Activation Time: 5 sec.
Range: 120
Features: Interruptible, Knockback, +25% Accuracy

Had it. Used it at the beginning of a fight and then it sat unused until the fighting was over. That irritated me so I respeced out of it. Once I got Boost Range the fun returned. For the solo blaster, a very good power to start off a fight. For the Master of Cones, loads of Boost Range fun. Popping a mob that you have targeted and can’t even see anymore because of the distance is fun.

MoC rating: 3

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam

Flamethrower (18)
Brawl Index: 5.3336 Fire
Endurance Cost: 21.675 pts.
Recharge Time: 20 sec.
Activation Time: 3 sec.*
Range: 40
Cone Degree: 45
Features: 8 tick DoT (~8 sec.), Cone, +30% Accuracy

Great damage and get to mix Fire with your Lethal now. SLOOOOOOW DoT. So slow that even though the minions that you hit with it are going to die, they can still take you down with a couple of shots apiece. It leaves you rooted for about 3 secs. I like to think of rooting like flipping the bird to a bunch of bikers and then standing there defiantly as they stampede toward you. Very brave but occasionally quite painful. This is cone #2, a very wide cone and it’s the next step on your road to becoming Master of Cones (tm)!

MoC rating: 5

Recommended MoC slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam, 2 Recharge

Ignite (26)
Brawl Index: 6.666 Fire (.2222 per tic)
Endurance Cost: 5.202 pts.
Recharge Time: 4 sec.
Activation Time: 2 sec.*
Range: 30
Features: 30 tick DoT (~12 sec.), Small AoE Storm, +100% Accuracy

This is a “storm” type of power similar to Burn. Set and forget. Unfortunately, it also has the fear element so mobs will run out of it as soon as they can. With AR/NRG, you have no reliable way of keeping them in your very small fire patch. The only way you can really take advantage of this power by yourself is to use Air Superiority and chain Knockdown + Ignite. If you regularly team with controllers or tackle tons of AVs this can be a great power as well. The other problem with Ignite is the very short range and the targeting recticle. Until you get used to it, it can really cut into your DPS as you putz around with targeting Ignite instead of using your other attacks. Since Ignite has a bunch of situational uses it’s useful but...situational since, soon after you get it, you are firing your attacks from Guam via Boost Range.

On the PvP front, the radius of your patch is too small to interrupt stalker’s Hide power and other players just aren’t going to be caught in it unless they have burned through their Break Frees i.e. it is useless in PvP.

Hmm...that’s a lot of text to say that Ignite is a power that requires far too much work for most people to bother with it. Oh well.

MoC rating: 2

Recommended MoC slotting: 3 Dam, 0-3 Recharge

Full Auto (32)
Brawl Index: 8.10 Lethal
Endurance Cost: 26.01 pts.
Recharge Time: 25 sec.
Activation Time: 6 sec.
Range: 80
Cone Degree: 10
Features: 18 tick DoT (~6 sec.), Cone, Critical Hit Chance, +35% Accuracy

I never experienced the glory of a fully slotted, Hastened, pre-ED FA myself but it must have been unbelievable since it’s really good now. FA can be frustrating at first due to the very narrow cone. Once you get the hang of it AND get Boost Range it’s fan-freakin-tastic. You will dream of long, narrow, straight hallways . It roots you for 6 seconds and that can feel like an eternity but it is still 1000% better than the “nukes”, especially after ED. It is “just” a big cone AoE with a quick recharge and no drawbacks but the rooting. Sounds and is great! You are almost to the summit of Master of Cones (tm)! goodness.

MoC rating: 5

Recommended MoC slotting: 3 Dam, 3 Recharge


Secondary Power Set - Energy Manipulation

Power Thrust (1)
Brawl Index: 2.2222 (1.1111 Energy/1.1111 Smashing)
Endurance Cost: 6.936 pts.
Recharge Time: 6 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Range: 5
Features: Knockback

I generally consider the 1st “no choice” power in a secondary as a freebie. This way I don’t get frustrated when they are often crap. Power Thrust is actually a nice power from lvl1 to lvl50. 100% KB on all but resistant mobs. Great for making scary things go away or playing KB soccer with your SG.

MoC rating: 3

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC

Energy Punch (2)
Brawl Index: 5.4445 (2.6667 Energy/2.7778 Smashing)
Endurance Cost: 5.202 pts.
Recharge Time: 4 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Range: 5
Features: PvP Toggle Drop (100%)

Good if you want to Blap a LOT or get in close to drop toggles. Since the MoC is a floating weapons platform in PvP, this gets a pass. It is not a bad attack and gets a lot of negative press but it just doesn’t fit into the MoC playstyle.

MoC rating: 1

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam, 1 Recharge, 1 End Redux

Build Up (4)
Endurance Cost: 5.202 pts.
Recharge Time: 90 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Duration: 10 secs
Features: 62.5% to hit buff, 100% damage buff

You chose NRG as a secondary, you take Build Up at lvl 4. Period. No other set gets this kind of power this early. With ED, you should easily have the slots to stick 3 Recharges in this one.

MoC rating: 5

Recommended slotting: 3 Recharge

Bone Smasher (10)
Brawl Index: 7.2223 (1.6667 Energy/5.5556 Smashing)
Endurance Cost: 8.67 pts.
Recharge Time: 8 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Range:
Cone Degree:
Dmg Composition:
Features: Disorient (50% Mag 3)

At early levels, this attack makes you understand the insane mindset of the Blapper. Once you get Bone Smasher you want to run into melee and lay down some serious hurt. Go ahead. I personally like the run-by method. Target a mob with Bone Smasher, Superspeed or Sprint up close and jump past. You should go through the animation as you jump past and are safely out of melee range. Once you get Full Auto, this is reserved for the foolish mobs that get too close. Build Up + Teleport Foe + Bone Smasher is also a great combo.

MoC rating: 5

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam, 1-2 Recharge

Conserve Power (16)
Endurance Cost: 7.803 pts.
Recharge Time: 600 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Duration: 90 secs
Features: 50% endurance discount

At lvl 35, the MoC is actually pretty end efficient. The rooting/animations in FA and Flamethrower slows down your button mashing but you are doing tons of damage to many mobs instead of focusing on one. That said, Conserve Power is still too good to pass up. In the early levels (pre-32), you are still doing enough frantic button mashing that a 50% End discount is very appealing. 90 secs of unlimited mayhem..good times. This is not a substitute for Stamina and relying on a very slow recharging click power for your End needs sounds pretty irritating to me. That said, get this at lvl 16 and you can live without Stamina til 22.

MoC rating: 4

Recommended slotting: 3 Recharge

Stun (20)
Brawl Index: 0.6945 (0.4167 Smashing/0.2778 Energy)
Endurance Cost: 10.404 pts.
Recharge Time: 20 sec.
Activation Time: 2 sec.
Range:
Dmg Composition:
Features: Disorient (100% Mag 3)

It’s a Melee attack that does token damage and won’t mez a boss by itself. Blah. Now the token... “Stun and Beanbag can be combined to disorient a Boss. Useful in the days before Total Focus.” There. I’ve said it. Let’s move on.

MoC rating: 1

Recommended slotting: 2 ACC, 1-3 Disorient

Power Boost (28)
Endurance Cost: 7.803 pts.
Recharge Time: 60 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Duration: 15 secs
Features: ~100% Boost to the following effects: Disorient Duration, Sleep Duration, Confuse Duration, Fear Duration, Immobilize Duration, Hold Duration, Knockback (Knock-Up) distance, Repel strength, Run speed, Fly speed, Defense Buffs, Heal Accuracy Buffs, and Endurance Drain.

I had this power for 7 levels and...well, I ran and flew a little faster for 15 secs a pop. Some people love it and use it primarily to give Total Focus a 20 sec disorient duration. The MoC was too focused on damage to try to maximize disorient duration. This gets a pass.

MoC rating: 2

Recommended slotting: 3 Recharge

Boost Range (35)
Endurance Cost: 13.005 pts.
Recharge Time: 60 sec.
Activation Time: 1 sec.
Duration: 30 secs
Features: 75% Boost to the range of all powers

This is the Holy Grail of the cone user and the reason to pair AR & NRG. It increases the range on EVERYTHING that has range. More range means wider cones. Wider cones mean more mobs affected. More mobs affected means more orange numbers for you and the adulation of all around you. There is nothing finer than unloading on a large group of mobs with Flamethrower, Full Auto, Buckshot and having the rest of the group go “.....Wow”. Then doing that every group. You are now truly the Master of Cones (tm)!

Boost Range is also great with the Teleport pool. An /NRG Blaster with TP and Boost Range is the fastest toon in the game.

BTW - This is “perma” with 3 recharges and what I have on auto during a fight.

MoC rating: 16

Recommended slotting: 3 Recharge

Total Focus (38)
Brawl Index: 9.8889 (2.7778 Smashing/7.1111 Energy)
Endurance Cost: 18.6405 pts.
Recharge Time: 20 sec.
Activation Time: 3 sec.
Range: 5
Features: Disorient (100% Mag 3, ~80% Mag 4)

The MoC is a ranged AoE specialist. We avoid melee when possible. ...but this is Total Focus. You must take it or I will mock you until you cry. A HUGE melee attack with a boss level mez. Take it...take it now!

MoC rating: 5

Recommended slotting: 1 ACC, 3 Dam, 2 Recharge


Pool Power Comments

I recommend the Concealment, Fitness, Flight with Speed or Teleport pools for the MoC. Here are a few comments about all of the pools.

Concealment: Stealth

Stealth is pretty much a necessity for a Blaster. I’ve had Grant Invisibility but didn’t care for the buff bot role. A Blaster is supposed to blast. I loved Phaseshift before but don’t care for it now that it turns off after 30 secs.

Fitness: Swift, Health, Stamina

It’s the Fitness pool. Take what you want to get Stamina. It really doesn’t matter that much for a Blaster but Swift helps with cone positioning when on the ground.

Flight: Hover, Air Superiority

Hover is a terrific tool for positioning and avoiding melee in PvE and PvP. Air Superiority is the only way an AR/NRG blaster can take full advantage of Ignite without help from other players.

Leadership: None

Tactics can be nice for +perception in PvP but the MoC doesn’t have enough pools to ever fit this in. If you really want +perception, go /Devices or be an Ice/NRG PvP god.

Leaping: Combat Jumping, Super Jump, Acrobatics

I don’t really recommend the Leaping pool for the MoC but Combat Jumping’s Immobilize protection is great for a Blaster. Being immobilized for a toon that can create as much aggro as the MoC can be very, very bad. Super Jump is the easiest, most versatile travel power in the game. Acrobatic’s Knockback protection is pretty much a requirement for a true blapper...which the MoC is not.

Speed: Hasten, Superspeed, Whirlwind

Even though Hasten is not perma anymore it is still a great power. SS + Stealth is a terrific combo for a Blaster in PvE. Whirlwind has some interesting uses for the AR blaster. The spinning animation of Whirlwind cancels out the rooting effect of Flamethrower and Full Auto. When I combined Hover and Whirlwind, if I turned on Hover first I would get the funnel but I didn’t spin. I would root then. If I were building a primarily solo AR/NRG Blaster, I would definitely want Whirlwind.

Medicine: None

Honestly, I would rather stick 2 more recharge slots in Rest. A full non-combat heal AND endurance recharge every 90 secs.

Presence: None

Nothing to see here, move along. This just isn’t a Blaster pool and far too much work to get a fear power.

Teleport: Recall Friend, TP Foe, Teleport

Recall Friend is the best power around for reducing the amount of time a group waits at the mission door. TP Foe is a better pulling power than Burst for an AR/NRG IMHO as our best single target attacks are melee. Teleport and /NRG is the fastest travel power combo around.


Level 1-50 Walkthrough

Lvl 1-17 - Seeker of Cones

The playstyle is blapperific. Shoot, shoot, shoot, blap, blap, shoot, blap, shoot, shoot, etc. Any blaster with the /NRG secondary is part blapper whether they like it or not. Bone Smasher and later Total Focus are just too good to ignore. The problem is weapon primaries are worse than nonweapon primaries as blappers due to weapon draw/put away animations slowing them down.

Lvl 18-31 - Apprentice of Cones

About 1/2 cones and 1/2 blapper. You begin to learn how to set up your cones and lead with Flamethrower + Buckshot most of the time.

Lvl 32-35 - Journeyman of Cones

Feel the power of the Full Auto, my son. Here is where you practice with an unforgiving cone. The length and width of Full Auto is so different from the cones you’ve been using for 31 levels that it takes a little while to really master it. Then Boost Range comes in and messes it all up. Boost Range is amazing, don’t get me wrong, but your cones keep fluctuating in length. It can easily throw you off.

Lvl 36-50 - Master of Cones

At level 36, Boost Range gets two more slots, perma and is set on auto. You have reached the pinnacle of cone mastery. Now all you have to look forward to are Total Focus and APPs.

Build Examples

I group with the same 6 players 95% of the time. They include 2 controllers, 1 Empathy defender, 1 Tanker and 2 Ice Blasters. Aggro is taunted, held, flopping on ice, holding heads, etc. Life is as good as it can be for CoH’s biggest aggro magnet. These are builds for THAT team. You may need to modify them for your own needs.

Here is pretty much how I went through the early to mid game.

Level 1-31 Build

---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.6.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
---------------------------------------------
Name: CC-I6-Pre32
Level: 32
Archetype: Blaster
Primary: Assault Rifle
Secondary: Energy Manipulation
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Slug==> Acc(1)Dmg(7)Dmg(9)Dmg(9)Rechg(13)
01) --> Power Thrust==> Acc(1)
02) --> Buckshot==> Acc(2)Dmg(3)Dmg(3)Dmg(5)Rechg(5)Rechg(29)
04) --> Build Up==> Rechg(4)
06) --> Burst==> Acc(6)Dmg(7)Dmg(15)Dmg(27)Rechg(27)
08) --> Swift==> Run(8)
10) --> Bone Smasher==> Acc(10)Dmg(11)Dmg(11)Dmg(13)Rechg(15)
12) --> Hasten==> Rechg(12)
14) --> Super Speed==> EndRdx(14)
16) --> Conserve Power==> Rechg(16)Rechg(17)Rechg(17)
18) --> Flamethrower==> Acc(18)Dmg(19)Dmg(19)Dmg(21)Rechg(21)Rechg(29)
20) --> Health==> Heal(20)
22) --> Stamina==> EndRec(22)EndRec(23)EndRec(23)
24) --> Hover==> Fly(24)Fly(25)Fly(25)
26) --> Beanbag==> Acc(26)Acc(31)
28) --> Stealth==> EndRdx(28)
30) --> Sniper Rifle==> Acc(30)Dmg(31)Dmg(31)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> EndRdx(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
01) --> Defiance==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Rechg(2)
---------------------------------------------


32-50 Respec Build

This is Cobalt Capybara’s current build. I wanted to maximize Boost Range so I went with the Teleport pool. It’s an easy switch back to Speed if you hate Teleport.

---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.6.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder
---------------------------------------------
Name: CC-I6
Level: 50
Archetype: Blaster
Primary: Assault Rifle
Secondary: Energy Manipulation
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Slug==> Acc(1)Dmg(7)Dmg(9)Dmg(9)Rechg(13)Rechg(15)
01) --> Power Thrust==> Acc(1)
02) --> Buckshot==> Acc(2)Dmg(3)Dmg(3)Dmg(5)Rechg(5)Rechg(7)
04) --> Build Up==> Rechg(4)Rechg(36)Rechg(37)
06) --> Teleport Foe==> Acc(6)Acc(27)Range(27)Range(29)
08) --> Swift==> Run(8)
10) --> Bone Smasher==> Acc(10)Dmg(11)Dmg(11)Dmg(13)Rechg(15)Rechg(46)
12) --> Stealth==> EndRdx(12)
14) --> Teleport==> EndRdx(14)Range(37)Range(37)Range(43)
16) --> Conserve Power==> Rechg(16)Rechg(17)Rechg(17)
18) --> Flamethrower==> Acc(18)Dmg(19)Dmg(19)Dmg(21)Rechg(21)Rechg(29)
20) --> Health==> Heal(20)
22) --> Stamina==> EndRec(22)EndRec(23)EndRec(23)
24) --> Hover==> Fly(24)Fly(25)Fly(25)
26) --> Beanbag==> Acc(26)Acc(31)DisDur(46)DisDur(46)
28) --> Recall Friend==> EndRdx(28)
30) --> Sniper Rifle==> Acc(30)Dmg(31)Dmg(31)Dmg(34)
32) --> Full Auto==> Dmg(32)Dmg(33)Dmg(33)Rechg(33)Rechg(34)Rechg(34)
35) --> Boost Range==> Rechg(35)Rechg(36)Rechg(36)EndRdx(40)
38) --> Total Focus==> Acc(38)Dmg(39)Dmg(39)Dmg(39)Rechg(40)Rechg(40)
41) --> Static Discharge==> Acc(41)Dmg(42)Dmg(42)Dmg(42)Rechg(43)Rechg(43)
44) --> Charged Armor==> DmgRes(44)DmgRes(45)DmgRes(45)EndRdx(45)
47) --> Shocking Bolt==> Acc(47)Acc(48)Hold(48)Hold(48)Rechg(50)Rechg(50)
49) --> M30 Grenade==> Acc(49)KB_Dist(50)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> EndRdx(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
01) --> Defiance==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Rechg(2)
---------------------------------------------



Tactics

Cones

A well placed cone is a beautiful thing. A badly planned Full Auto that hits one mob is heartwrenching. As you go through the game you will get the feel for the width degrees of your cone. For AR, Flamethrower is the widest and easiest to use effectively followed by closely by Buckshot and a distant third in Full Auto.

Cones are an artform. Spend a little time setting them up but don’t waste all day. If it feels like you’ve spent too long lining things up, you probably have. If you hit more than one or two mobs the cone has done it’s job.

Since Flamethrower and Buckshot have the same range they pair very well. Target a mob on the far side of the group you wish to destroy. I try to choose a mob that is stationary if possible. Get about 40 ft away (you will get the feel for this after some practice), click Build Up and Flamethrower, inch forward quickly until Flamethrower engages and queue up Buckshot for a follow up.

When Full Auto is available, if the set up is long and narrow I use FA. If it is short halls/caves or has lots of obstructions I use Flamethrower + Buckshot. I have read many times about ultimate attack chains with Flamethrower + Buckshot + Full Auto in some combination. In my experience, there are very few times in which Full Auto is maximized after the fighting really begins and aggro from the other players causes the mobs to scatter.


Solo

The MoC is not really set up to be a monster solo blaster. It does fine once you have Boost Range since you get to unload a couple of times before mobs can get to you.

If you want to be a strictly solo blaster...pick a different primary/secondary combo. The strength of AR/NRG is in the AoE cones. I consider myself a Damage support AT and the king of the floating orange numbers. That said, if I were taking the set and making a solo blaster I would take ALL the damaging melee attacks in NRG and focus more on blapper tactics. Power Thrust, Energy Punch, Bone Smasher and Total Focus. Shoot your AoE wad and prepare to blap the bosses with NRG melee.

Whirlwind, as stated above, is another power I would seriously recommend for the solo AR/NRG. The 6 secs of rooting in Full Auto can really be painful. Without the rooting, you can fire, run around a corner and avoid a lot of the ranged return fire while you wait for the 6 secs to be over. Teams can get irritated with your swirling graphic/sound quickly so don’t leave it on all the time if you do join a PuG.

Hover/Fly is another way to reduce the amount of damage from return fire. Ranged attacks hurt a lot less than melee and often mobs will waste time trying to run to you, climb on things, make a mosh pit under you, etc. instead of firing.

PuGs

Expect from pick-up groups (PuGs) what you expect from pick up games at your at the local outdoor court, Rec center, etc. They can be great, they can be mediocre or they can be filled with morons. The faceless, semi-anonymous nature of a MMORPG doesn’t provide a lot of social pressure to play well with others so don’t expect anything from other players. Watch and see what they ARE doing, not what they should be doing.

Veteran players pay attention to what other players are doing and what they can do. I always spend my time waiting at a mission door looking at what powers other players have by targeting them and selecting Info. This way I have a better idea what to expect. For example, if an Empathy defender has all his secondary attacks and almost none of his primary powers, I will go stock up on green inspirations and not expect healing...and shake my head.

The MoC does NOT alpha strike in a PuG unless it is exceptional. That is an express ticket to a faceplant. I usually do a couple single target attacks until the aggro is spread out among the other players and then back up and use a cone or two. Also, instead of targeting an entire group of mobs, I often will purposely target a smaller number to keep the aggro manageable. If you are defeated, you aren’t going to be contributing any more of your damage. Control your aggro. As your comfort with the other PuG members increases, I increase the rate of my cones and my boldness in their use. Debt in missions is gone before you know it but that doesn’t mean you should stick around if someone else's stupidity keeps getting you killed over and over.

Remember if you are frustrated or not having fun...quit the PuG and join another.


Acknowledgments

Thanks to all the authors of the AR and /NRG guides posted in the Guides section. They have helped to shape much of the format and content in this guide.

Thank you to the following people for their helpful comments:

NeonMan, Nocturne, Agent_Virgo, deadboy_champion, Fixit, KarmaCop, CthulhuNinja, Arc_Salvo, Fury_Flechette, Dragonkat,

And thanks to the amazing SG with whom Cobalt Capybara has played 95% of his career:

The Elemental Furries (now absorbed into Bob Johnson’s Cosmic Avengers for base purposes).

You can also go with Boxing from the fighting pool if you don't want Jab. You're gonna want it for Tough anyway later on. I currently use Brawl+Punch+Boxing as my Fury builder with KO Blow for fun when the Fury bar is high. Oh, what fun it is too

It may be incorrect info but I remember reading that SJ +Hurdle with 1 SO in each is so close to the cap that another slot is just not worth it i.e. you just get a couple feet more on your jump distance.

I've had bunch of toons with SJ. Hurdle is definetly an easier decision than stealing extra slots from somewhere. It's quite speedy too.

Are you sure that's the I5 recharge time on Full Auto? 25secs?

That is very interesting info on Hurdle. How is the verticle jump of 5 slotted Hurdle compared to SJ? I think 5 slotted Hurdle may be a fantastic plan for some heroes that need extra end and an extra pool if it is comparible.