Cemaphonic

Hate snipes, and Numina just seems extravagant in a blaster's Health. (the numina and miracle in my posted build are purely luxuries that I'll slot if they drop, but otherwise, just a couple common IOs in there)

also, I think the AOEs (especially ROA) need the recharge IO, since Positron's Blast is very poor for that.

I'm posting this largely for the benefit of someone who was wanting to know how to build high ranged defense on a blaster. I started this build wanting to do a "natural" concept archery blaster, and figured the energy secondary, and body mastery fit best once if I ditched the melee attacks. Leadership came in with a further evolution of the character concept.

Having decided to skip the melee, and having many power choices and slots free, I tried to squeeze every last bit of ranged defense out of the build, and came up with about 41%.

So in the end, it's a weird mix of minimax, and self-imposed concept restrictions, but hell, if I wanted a munchkin archery build, I would have gone with MM anyway.


Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

[u]Click this DataLink to open the build![u]

Level 50 Magic Blaster
Primary Power Set: Archery
Secondary Power Set: Energy Manipulation
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Munitions Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Aimed Shot -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(3), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7)
Level 1: Power Thrust -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(31), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(37), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(39), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Mako-Dam%(43)
Level 2: Snap Shot -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(9), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11)
Level 4: Build Up -- AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(46), AdjTgt-Rchg(46)
Level 6: Blazing Arrow -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(13), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(13), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(15), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(15), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(17)
Level 8: Aim -- AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(45), AdjTgt-Rchg(45)
Level 10: Swift -- Flight-I(A)
Level 12: Hover -- Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(A), Zephyr-Travel(17), LkGmblr-Rchg+(19)
Level 14: Fly -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(19)
Level 16: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(21)
Level 18: Fistful of Arrows -- Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(A), Posi-Acc/Dmg(23), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(23), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(25), Posi-Dmg/Rng(25), RechRdx-I(33)
Level 20: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), EndMod-I(21), P'Shift-End%(48)
Level 22: Explosive Arrow -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(33), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(33), Posi-Dmg/Rng(34), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(34), RechRdx-I(34)
Level 24: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 26: Stunning Shot -- Stpfy-Acc/Rchg(A), Stpfy-EndRdx/Stun(27), Stpfy-Acc/EndRdx(27), Stpfy-Stun/Rng(29), Stpfy-Acc/Stun/Rchg(29), Stpfy-KB%(31)
Level 28: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(42), RechRdx-I(43)
Level 30: Super Speed -- Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(A), Zephyr-Travel(31)
Level 32: Rain of Arrows -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(36), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(36), Posi-Dmg/Rng(36), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37), RechRdx-I(37)
Level 35: Boost Range -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(43)
Level 38: Maneuvers -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(39), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(39), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(40), RedFtn-Def(40), RedFtn-EndRdx(40)
Level 41: Body Armor -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), S'fstPrt-ResKB(42), ResDam-I(46)
Level 44: Surveillance -- UndDef-DefDeb/Rchg(A), UndDef-Rchg(45)
Level 47: Tactics -- GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(A), GSFC-ToHit(48), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(48), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(50), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(50), GSFC-Build%(50)
Level 49: Vengeance -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Defiance

This thread reminds me of one of my favorite Groucho-isms.

Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it is too dark to read.

I would be interested in hearing the devs' current position on the whole purpose of the invention system.

The current mechanics of the merit system (and a few of the dev comments that have surfaced) point to a "continued development for 50s" model. If that's the case, then I'd say it's working as intended, although it needs a few tweaks.

If the goal was to make IOs more available to casual or even borderline-hardcore by circumventing the market, then it needs a serious overhaul. Yes, under the merit system you can get one of the really expensive IOs much faster than you could ever farm the influence for them, but at the cost of so severely restricting the supply of the mid-tier IOs that you have to merit-grind for them as well.

As a returning player who really enjoyed the market activity and build customization that inventions brought the last time I was here, the current state of IO availability and costs have really dampened my enthusiasm for the game.