Gemini_2099
-
Posts
1066 -
Joined
-
Electric Control is fine as is. If it were to be changed it probably becomes an eye sore for others when it wasn't before.
Perfect example? Sonic Resonance. :P -
Quote:Even if you miss with the sweep combo (eg ablating strike misses) you can quickly recover with the empower combo.Originally Posted by Nalrok_AthZim
My DB/Nin is currently 18.
Good lord he's a blast. It's such a fast and fluid set. Having Sweep at level 8 is amazing, and Caltrops just makes things way too easy.
And once you reach 26 pick up sweeping strike to really unload a never ending fury of attacks.
-
Yeah Fire/Dark is a good suggestion. I wouldn't recommend AR/Sonic in comparison. :P
-
Quote:Yes, yes, Yes!Originally Posted by DarkMaster
except that ignites radius is only like...4 ft...
AR needs luv....
Make it happen Castle.
-
Dual blades is fun because it does bring team mitigation with the sweep combo, and a reason to use AS. I have heard people say that the weaken combo is weak, but I haven't tried it yet. Since that is the last combo you obtain, and have to use two of the last attacks in the set, it probably needs to become a significantly better at de-buffing foe -ToHit and -Def.
-
Before dual blades came out, claws was considered a graceful set. Now, it is hands down dual blades in my opinion. Let me also say that sweeping strike drastically alters how dual blades plays, similar to claws' focus, such that you may choose to drop attack vitals at that point. And to echo what was said above you are able to obtain three out of the four dual blade combos for stalkers before level 20. And the set functions really well even without the combos. I am looking forward to buildup + one thousand cuts out of hide, as I have heard many good things about that. The difference is that dual blades seems pound for pound a hard hitting lethal set across many of the attacks compared to claws, and the set has flexibility. You can go purely single target, or multi-target/single targete.
-
The dilemma is that you can't maximize the damage of ignite if the AI doesn't stay in the patch, but at the same time without the fear, it would lose its utility as it has been mentioned to block a door way.
-
Quote:Poor ignite.Originally Posted by GreenBone
I'm not sure how it was advertised, but I use it on my Illusion/TA Controller these days and it's AWESOME - lights every time with apprentice charm, does lots of damage, and hits an enormous crowd.
-
I agree with the OP that there is a possibility that new pools are on there way.
-
So is the fitness pool being replaced with something new?
-
Quote:Brutes lost a lot of their uniqueness due to the nerf compared to other melee, and I don't agree Brutes are more efficient now, but I am open to that idea if you have data to back this up.Originally Posted by Nalrok_AthZim
Good lord, we've been through this. It wasn't a full-fledged "nerf." It brought the AT in line with the other melee AT's and made Fury generation and playing a Brute as a whole more efficient.
-
Quote:Yes you can obtain those two combos fairly early and attack vitals isn't obtained till level 18 (Vengeful Strike). Basically if you avoid picking up a travel power you can have access to three of the dual blades combos before level 20!Originally Posted by DMystic
While I haven't played DB very far I do remember having both the Sweep combo and the Empower combo Pre Travel power.
IIRC
Bu-AS-Placate is Empower
Bu-AS-Ablating is Sweep
both of which should be available in the earlier levels.
Empower is good when the mobs are spread out, and you need to scrap it out.
Sweep excels when minions clump around a Lt or Boss on teams or solo.
Attack Vitals is a combo geared for single target damage, which works surprisingly well. -
Quote:Dual Blades for stalkers takes the mitigation of an alpha to another level with Sweep (Build up--->AS--->Ablating strike). When on teams with my DB stalker, I feel like I am helping with the killing speed of the team while protecting them from massive alphas or even ambushes that end up hitting the floor due to sweep.Originally Posted by Grey Pilgrim
I take it mob by mob, and depending on the team. AS is pretty nice for mitigating an alpha for a team, and also can help eliminate some nasty targets in a mob fast, and better than using some other attacks. I also try to run into mobs ahead of the team so I can make the choice as well. Pretty much all the melee ATs benefit from getting into a mob fast, so I have that tendency with all my characters.
-
The advantage of DB's for stalkers is that you don't rely on the combos all that much. I am only a low level, but I am surprised at how smooth the set feels, and how much damage it does for a lethal set. Attack Vitals is nice, but I am thinking of dropping one of the attacks in the chain to pick up sweeping strike or I could end up taking all the attacks in the set. :P
-
Leveling up an /EA stalker, and so far so good.
-
Caltrops is one of the best powers in the game, and it became infamous for what AR/Dev could do with it.
Anyways with that said, caltrops doesn't fit into what stalkers are missing. If hide is to remain a power it needs to be jazzed up or made inherent.
Quote:I am looking forward to that.When someone says I'm Single target focused, I'll go pop BU > 1kcuts from hide and laugh (probably because no other melee could accomplish this with their Dual Blades, which is apparently so much better).
-
Quote:That is a team over powering the content, ,which happens to be a broader issue not isolate to stalkers. And let me add that if a stalker isn't heading to the next spawn to set up AS they are doing it wrong.Originally Posted by seebs
Except that after that much of a delay, most LTs will be weak enough that a non-AS attack would have killed them too.
-
Does anyone know if the new oil slick, for trick arrows, works as advertised? If so, I think that just reinforces that ignite is simply underwhelming in its current state, and another edge to archery.
Ignite was "overpowered" back when the cap was level 40, and I still can't see how the recent nerf was warranted. -
Quote:Which is why you don't use AS on minions. But against harder targets, AS proves to be the better options for stalkers than straight up scrapping from the start like you are suggesting.Originally Posted by UberGuy
This is true, but I think it's important to point out that the target doesn't have to die to make me not want to AS it. If I use AS on a target where I'm wasting most of my AS's damage because the target is heavily damaged, that's still a drop in my effective DPS. What's the point in delivering the full DPA in AS when, say, 1/2 or even 1/4 of it is pointless? I'd do better to just activate a couple of lesser attacks that will deliver less, but suffiicent damage to defeat the target in comparable activation time, but have zero risk of interruption (from damage or from moving).
-
Quote:Flamethrower though at least has a higher base accuracy. Ignite really needs a lot of slotting to be effective along with a slow/hold/immoblize to be worthwhile.Originally Posted by Jade_Dragon
Yeah, I have to say not to diminish Rain of Arrows in any way, but Full Auto + Flamethrower is almost like having two Full Autos. And it's a wider arc, as well, which is great for catching anyone running away, or spread out by a Trip Mine.
Ignite, though, I could skip. (And do
)
I am not sure why ignite was nerfed, but put me down for puzzled for that. -
Quote:Originally Posted by Syntax42
The beauty of ignite is that while it is doing damage, you can do other things, like flamethrower or full auto just to ensure everything dies. The small radius is a limitation, but a web grenade from mace mastery can keep up to four enemies in it while you watch them burn.
Those are DoTs as well though. -
Given the lack of a single target damage, I find the snipe very useful for AR. As for bean bag I like it a lot to be honest, but to really make use of it you will probably need recharge. But without the recharge it still works against minions and Lt's.
Buck shot works fine as an AoE cone, and can be used in a single target chain. I don't mind that full auto is a DoT given the damage it does, and at the range it can be fired from. Flamethrower is a DoT that requires you to be at a closer distance, which I think is a drawback, despite it being fire damage, and its heft endurance cost which I find unreasonable. Ignite requires too much work to make it work against a single target. Lethal damage isn't a big concern with corruptors as with blasters because of having access to -res in so many of the secondaries, so the value of ignite and flame thrower are diminished. Grenade launcher needs to be tuned appropriately, and I think the set would be better overall. -
Quote:I like the weaken/confuse/control that stalkers can bring. Its fits in well where brute strength isn't always needed, but rather guile, and planning.Originally Posted by StratoNexus
Stalkers should also have debuff/control on top of defense and damage. Setting up stuff to weaken/confuse/limit an enemy has long been a thief role in stories and gaming.
The fear and -to-hit in AS was a good start. Bruising is the type of concept that stalkers need, although on a grander scale.
This is what make stalkers so interesting from my point of view. If stalkers became more bruising, I would stop playing the AT all together. -
Quote:I honestly believe the majority of stalker issues would go away if stalkers were allowed to utilize hide against ambushes.Originally Posted by Nethergoat
hide works great, stalkers are a lot of fun.
my one remaining gripe with them are ambushes that totally ignore stealth and home in on you like guided missiles. but that's not a problem with stalkers, it's a problem with ambush AI. -
Quote:Good post.Originally Posted by dmcfarland907
1. Bane is just as close to Brute/Stalker as Night Widow is. My point is Night Widow can deal even more melee damage than Bane so what is your point? You don't need to ask about my build. I know what I am doing. Trust me. I came here because even after set bonuses are included, NW > Bane in terms of damage and Crab, while not having as much ST damage as Bane, survives better, has way better aoe and can also debuffs faster with Venom (since Bane needs to draw Rifle out).
-Like you I used to just look at damage. However the more I played the game the more I realize damage isn't everything. The devs design these classes with the team in mind. Bane as they are now contribute greatly to a team. Night widows offer a different mechanic than Banes do. I have never been told to get another toon when I asked to join a team either in my huntsman spec or bane spec.
I am not a min/max nerd number cruncher, and those people are the reason why pvp in this game sucks. I like playing a toon because of the power sets, the animations and side abilities of various powers.
2. Surveillance is ok if you use it before you run in but when you use it again during battle, you have to draw mace again. Why is it so hard to understand? If Bane's "special ability" is to debuff, it shouldn't penalize Bane for using it during battle. And quite frankly, I don't give a !@#$ about Huntsman needing to draw Rifle out. Surveillance belongs to Bane soldier and it should favor Bane more. Question?
-Actually it should favor both as the Huntsman is more a leadership type build and what does a good leader do before going to battle? He recons his enemy!!! I love the surveillance animation. I am disappointed that their are only two career paths for SoA's, and I feel their should be a third ala the Huntsman, but fortunately the Huntsman build is doable without the need for a third path.
3. Did you even look at Black Scorpian Mace Beam attack? It has the same awful long activation with a bit more damage but on 9s recharge. You are not even reading what I am saying. I am saying THE RANGE ATTACKS ARE SO BAD THAT MOST BANES DON'T WANT TO TAKE THEM. It's not about "choosing styles". The range attacks take forever to shoot and quite frankly, Soldier has better range attacks than Bane's. So yeah, my Bane would rather just use melee attacks. And since range attacks can't critical from hidden, there is really little reason to take range attacks on Bane because the most beneficial thing to do is to just BU + Shatter/Crowd. I don't mind spending 2s on every attack if it is worth it. The current Mace Bean only recharges in 4s and spend half of its time on just activating it.... this gotta be the worst range in the game.
-Then don't get the Black Scorpion patron powers. Get bile spray from the Mako pool. Sure its not theme worthy but hey it does better damage, and of course that is all you seem to care about-well that and the fact that you hate the surveillance animation, because it chops a few seconds off your attack time.
4. Who says Bane is mostly ST melee damage? 4 out of 8 attacks (yes, 50% of them) are range. I certainly don't agree Bane is designed to be mostly melee. NW is more Melee than Bane. The enemy Bane usually shoots mace attacks and then go in for melee but that style would suck because Bane can't take advantage of "hidden" unless he can critical with range attacks as well.
-Banes are ranged fighters, and sure they have ranged attacks but they are weak attacks. I think the ranged attacks are more for filler and theme than anything else with the exception of venom ray or whatever the hell its called. I have venom ray, and the st ranged attack from mace epic set. I don't need anything else because my job as a bane is too sneak up on someone and turn their head into a gravy boat with my mace.
I don't need a surplus of offensive powers either. I like building character where the primary and secondary work hand and hand. That has been the case for the most part and I like making toons that follow a theme.
5. I have no issue with Bane having less survivability than other 3 branches. I never mention that Bane needs a health boost or defensive boost. Where I have problem with is Bane's lower damage (due to long animation), slower debuffs and just overally...very slow.
-The banes are using a mace and I think that was factored in when the devs made the class. Maces are suppose to be slow and devastating. I like the way it looks when I use shatter on some poor fools face. I wasn't referring to you when I mentioned survivability. I was mentioning the comments another poster made.
6. I am giving dev ideas because 1. 8/10 Soldiers are Crab from what I've seen 2. with two sides merging (sort of), there is even more reason to look at sets that are under performing.
-Go to the kheld forums and give the devs some ideas for fixing them. They need work especially for a viable human form build that doesn't require 2 billion INF to make viable. I like surveillance the way it looks. I have a lvl 50 dual build Huntsman/Bane and my bane build is a lot less IO'ed than my Huntsman build and does just fine. I use that build on hard EB's or if I am on a team and they need a front line melee build to either bookend with another melee like a scrap or brute or just be the tanks shadow beating things down.
In closing if you have so many problems with banes then respec to crab, make a huntsman or roll a widow. Better yet roll a straight class type of toon IE.. tank, scrap, blaster etc. SoA's are hybrids so their are going to be some downsides. I love my Huntsman/Bane and it was fun leveling him to 50 and building him.
You really sound like a min/max type and I think people like you really drag the game down. For you types its not about having fun, teaming with people, or building your toon. It's all about the numbers for your types and by all means have fun with that but don't ruin my game.