Miwa__

[ QUOTE ]
Another question is this; How dependent is rad/rad upon Hasten? I'd rather have flight than superspeed, but I can already tell that this is an endurance-heavy set.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hasten is very important, as it helps recharge AM. Losing perma-AM hurts, and you want to have it up as much as you can.

A few comments on overall build, I took a slightly different path, as had posted on earlier versions of this guide...

I still dont believe in CC. I dont play my rad that much anymore, so maybe it's more useful now, but holding minions never seemed like a worthwhile action, since they die so fast anyway. I also still have Atomic Blast, even tho' you can't really kill much with it anymore, and they fixed it so it really does drain all your end now. So, instead of SuperSpeed and Choking Cloud, I have Atomic Blast and EMP.

I'd also highly recommend Hurdle instead of Swift. It's a LOT faster.

Does self-damage count? Like the damage from ET or Oppressive Gloom?

[ QUOTE ]
Once every 24 hours versus once a week, Shall we do the math or are the numbers obvious?

Congrats on completeing this, a reward well earned.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's only once a week now because many, many heroes got all the HO's they could ever use months and months ago, and have no reason to raid anymore. Only takes a couple of weeks of trying to really get most of what you need... especially with SG help to run extra boxes and stand there for the freebies.

[ QUOTE ]
This SF is not something that will fail due to lack of #'s. Matter of fact once the AV's regen are brought down a bit as stated by positron you can probably due this TF with 5 or 6 of the ideal powersets.

[/ QUOTE ]

For SG's that have more than 8 ppl, maybe, but for a lot of us, getting together enough people of the right AT's and right powersets wont be that easy. I shudder to think what it's going to be like with the average spastic-cant-follow-orders-let-alone-plan-ahead PuGs. At least with respec in CoH, we could just get 3 of us together and bring along any scrub...

Not to mention it takes 3x as long to do for all involved, instead of what happens with hami where half the ppl show up after he's held.

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I could see if they didin't do this Hardcore SGs would be farming this two or three times a day. Maybe more if they have more teams of 8

[/ QUOTE ]

As opposed to as often as possible with Hami? Not exactly fair, since for hami, good SG's will just share acct info around, and folks will run multiple boxes since you can just stand there for an hour and get your friends an HO.

Yay, updated.

Atomic Blast should be 3/3 (looks like you missed a fix).


And nice to see you finally went with Dark over Energy or Power. Ah, the long arguments about how Soul Drain was just plain better than PBU for damage... :P

I'm still not a believer in CC, but I can see how it can be more useful now, since Rad/Rad can't just kill groups of orange minions in under 11s anymore. That and all the extra slots... poor RI, down to needing just 3 slots on a level 50 toon.

Do acc/mez HO's actually increase CC's accuracy? If not, then can't see slotting them as you suggested.. if so, wow, 3 of those might make CC worth using.

My HeroStats numbers bear out just how much a set-changing experience finally getting ET is.

Before ET, Death Shroud was my most damaging power (because I try to maximize my AoE's anyway, and DS is always on). After ET, it's not close, ET is far and away my most damaging power. Makes TF look like a joke, damage-wise. In spawns of 3, ET instantly removes one. So DS has 1/3rd less targets. End cost and recharge are low enough that it's there to use a LOT.

Pre-ET I can see how SS might be liked more, but ET makes all the difference. I hope to get to 40 before it gets nerfed. :P

Ya know, if the skills system is going to make people long for crafting, I'm glad it's on hiatus.

One of the best things about CoH is that there is no crafting. Therefore no farming and camping and all the other bad things related to that. Look what happened when they added a single uberloot item (HO's)...

If they do get forced into adding crafting, or crafting-like junk, it better never give an in-game reward that is at all useful for *anything*. Or if it does, anything that can be crafted better be able to be bought at a store. Then the crafters can sit around camping spawns, and the rest of us can continue to enjoy the game mechanics.

If those numbers are correct for DE, MC, and OS, then they only need 3 slots each, all damres (or less for OS depending how much psi resist you want). You'd be better off slotting CJ and Acro with extra endredux than putting the slots in those 3.

In practice, I believe the costs are that low, I dont have any endredux in those 3, and I still can't believe how much better my end usage is from what I remember with my DA scrapper.

I have a question with slotting.

I've been trying to find end cost guides, because Hero Builder shows values for end costs that are *much* different than pre-I5 DA scrappers.

Anyone have any validation or info about what the costs of Dark Embrace, Obsidian Shield, and Murky Cloud are? Because if the list I saw is correct, there is absolutely no reason to run end redux in those powers (and my testing on live seems to validate that).

[ QUOTE ]

The decrease is fairly minor. For defenders, it's really a 5% reduction in damage output.

The principle of the thing is that a dev said that EF was not reduced, and those saying it was were mistaken or lying. Seeing this patch note now after the comment that was posted when this was first brought up is a bit disturbing.

[/ QUOTE ]

No, 37.5% down to 30% isn't minor. Not only is it lots more than a 5% change, it's a huge time change. At 37.5% I could just kill groups of orange cons in 1 cycle of Irradiate+NBomb. Now it will take an extra cast of Irradiate, which will significantly increase amount of time it takes to kill.

I dont care about the principle, I care about results.

[ QUOTE ]
Dev Note:
This power has always been very strong and easy to use, despite its high endurance cost. With the overall decrease in the power of defensive buffs, this power had to be weakened or Radiation would be too strong compared to other Defender primaries and Controller secondaries.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, like Rads were way better than Dark with -RES in TP before. Why bother with Rad at all when you get the same thing in Dark, get more defense in Dark, and can stack TP every 22.5s?

At least my Rad is already 50 and I dont have to bother with it...

And what are the chances we'll get an actual 2nd update on this that is more explicit, and factually correct?

Such as:

"We reduced the effectiveness of Enervating Field only. Rads can just take it on the chin, or roll a Dark"

[ QUOTE ]
You'd think in the highest difficulty battles, AV's, that a Defender would be desired. Many times in the teams I've been on people have asked for a Rad Controller. When I've said how about a Rad Defender, you know because they DeBuff more, they've said they'd rather have someone who can do actual damage. It's mind boggling but it happens.


[/ QUOTE ]

Gah... I'm so sick of this perception. My Rad/Rad can wipe out groups much faster than my Fire/Rad could ever hope to. Imps will eventually kill everything, but being able to deal lots of AoE direct damage is just plain faster when fighting stuff that I'm suited to killing.

[ QUOTE ]
The hold on EM Pulse is so long that hold enhcmts are a waste. I highly sugest 2 acc and 4 rechrg

[/ QUOTE ]

EMP already has a high base accuracy, and typically you'd always use Aim before it, so adding acc is wasted.

Recharges can be added to taste, but I find that 2 is plenty, I rarely needed to use EMP. (rooms full of drones notwithstanding )

At least EPP armor has helped me a LOT with exploding Nems. Used to have to be careful taking on groups of Jaegers (since I'm AoE build, and they all die at once).

And, reposted here into this thread is my build for rad/rad. The difference is pool choices and I have EMP and ABlast
----------------------------------------------------------------

Excellent writeup, and great description of powers, uses, and why you'd want to slot things they way they are.

I humbly offer my final build, after much testing and playing. Like DodgerTA's 3rd build, this is a final respec build, and not an intermediary build (tho' it works well from 40 on, when all the AoE's are slotted up)

Archetype: Defender
Primary Powers - Buff/Debuff : Radiation Emission
Secondary Powers - Ranged : Radiation Blast
Level 1 (Starting Primary) : Radiant Aura /Heal,Heal,Heal,Heal
Level 1 (Starting Secondary) : Neutrino Bolt /Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg
Level 2 : Radiation Infection /HitDeb,HitDeb,HitDeb,HitDeb,HitDeb,DefDeb
Level 4 : Accelerate Metabolism /Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,EndRec,EndRec
Level 6 : Enervating Field /EndRdx,EndRdx,EndRdx
Level 8 : Hasten /Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,Rchg
Level 10 : Irradiate /Rchg,Rchg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg
Level 12 : Combat Jumping /Jump
Level 14 : Super Speed /Run
Level 16 : Hurdle /Jump
Level 18 : Swift /Run
Level 20 : Stamina /EndRec,EndRec,EndRec,EndRec,EndRec,EndRec
Level 22 : Aim /Rchg,Rchg
Level 24 : Stealth /EndRdx
Level 26 : Super Jump /Jump
Level 28 : Cosmic Burst /Acc,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg
Level 30 : Acrobatics /EndRdx
Level 32 : EM Pulse /Rchg,Hold,Hold
Level 35 : Neutron Bomb /Rchg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg
Level 38 : Atomic Blast /Rchg,Rchg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg,Dmg
Level 41 : Dark Consumption /Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,Rchg
Level 44 : Dark Embrace /EndRdx,DamRes,DamRes,DamRes,DamRes,DamRes
Level 47 : Soul Drain /Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,Rchg,Dmg,Dmg
Level 49 : Mutation /EndRdx


This build is a much more 'conventional' build, as it includes the 2 top tier powers in both primary and secondary sets, for those of you who like these powers. Because of how tight a Rad/Rad build is, there are concessions made in this build, the biggest being no Lingering Radiation. I could see adding in LR, and removing Mutation.

EMP is just too good to leave out. It's the best AoE hold in the game, and is very useful if you team much, or are in situations that are less than pleasant (such as soloing groups with more than 1 sapper). Atomic Blast is very useful for taking out groups of red minions (which take more than 1 or 2 cycles of Irr+NBomb), or when herding. I used this build to either herd stuff myself, or in combo with a DM/Inv scrapper. He could herd up half the board, and I could boom it. Rinse, and repeat.

This is also a non-phase shift build. Phase shift just got one nerf (the 300' toggle nerf), and it takes too long to activate to save you any better than SuperSpeed would. So it's used to sneak up, drop debuffs, and then either run away, or drop and have everything hit at once. SS+Stealth works well enough for the sneaking up part.

I slotted up Dark Consumption, as it's damage and end recovery are extremely welcome features for my normal attack cycle.

I have Soul Drain, and Aim slotted with an extra recharge, as I dont like to wait when running from mob to mob in PI. If you think this is overkill, move the extra recharge out of Aim, and switch one of the recharges to damage in Soul Drain.

I have Irradiate and NBomb slotted for the maximum recharge, while still killing oranges in 2 cycles (without Soul Drain). Putting more damages in will not let you kill whites in one cycle, so you might as well get the 2nd round off as quickly as possible. Note that my build is an end hog, and running more than 2 cycles starts to be an end problem. If you don't like that, swap out 1 of the recharges in NBomb and Irradiate for EndRdx. I may actually do this myself, because Soul Drain lets me kill in 1 round, and with all the toggles I'm running now, a little more end would be nice.

This build is designed to drop oranges in 1 cycle of Irr+NBomb. Positioning is everything, so sneak in, and carefully position such that you are as centered as possible, then start RI, EF, Aim, Soul Drain, Irradiate, NBomb, and finish with Dark Consumption. This will drop oranges, with +2 SO's, and leave you with a full end bar to boot.

NB and CB are used to pickoff stragglers, when your AoE's miss things. NB has the range, and CB has the punch. CB is also excellent for dealing with LT's. I have 1 acc slotted in CB, because I'll often use it outside RI. RI takes so long to cast, in fast moving groups, and against 1 or 2 minions, I don't even bother.

This build also will NOT get you around the shard. If that is your goal, you may be better taking Flight over Leaping, and slotting up Hover. Hover will give knockdown protection, but have fun lining up maximal Soul Drain and Dark Consumption usage (you'll also increase the distance to the outside mobs in a group, and stuff like dragoons wont move). You'll get one more power choice by choosing Hover, but you'll have to come up with 5 more slots for it.

One more note about EPP choices. If you have lots of respecs laying around, I'd choose the Power Mastery pool from 41-46 (go with PBU and TI), and then respec into Dark when you get to 47 for Soul Drain.

[ QUOTE ]
I have a 38 Rad/Rad defender. I have a question I wanted to ask about Irradiate.

How do you folks think 6 slotted like this would work: 2damage, 2recharge, 2 endredux

Would it recharge really fast and then because of the endredux do you think it would suck up as much end? Do you think being able to do it over and over very fast would be beneficial to damage over time or do you think the 1-2 shot version of all damage is better?

Oh and one other question: how do you folks slot AM so that it provides the maximum END regen and still is perma? I have hasten 4 slotted with recharge.

[/ QUOTE ]

Someone on the forum did some math, and I somewhat agree with the results:

Irradiate should be 4/1/1 Damage, recharge, end redux, or 5/1 damage, recharge.

I have mine 5/1, so it charges at about the same rate as NBomb.

For AM, you need 5 slots in Hasten, and 4 Recharges in AM for both to be perma, so you can have 2 end recovery in AM.

[ QUOTE ]
don't think there are any bad powers in the rad blast set. The black sheep used to be irradiate, and I used to hear people say that EH wasn't worth the endurance. The latest black sheep is XB, and I'm thinking of making a thread about how exaggerated the power of NB is, and how XB is really just as good or better in some situations. But I probably won't actually put XB in my build either Just not enough room for it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, you sort of hit why to go with NB and not XB. You *have* to take, NB, there's no option not to. NB and XB are pretty similar when slotted, and after getting CB, there's no reason to have all 3. I went with NB, and XB before respec, but ditched XB after respec and getting CB.

So my argument would be CB and NB are good enough, spend the power choice on something else.

Great post. I'm level 37, and have taken the same pools you have, after much testing of respec on the test server.

Only problems I forsee is epic pools. If Soul Drain is as good as it could be, then that totally messes up my builds. I took Grant Invis at 30 in prep for eventually taking phase shift, since EF and RI still work while phased. I may swap that for superleap on my next respec because I find myself getting knocked down all the time, and I want acrobatics.

I can't see ever taking the leadership pool as a rad/rad for 2 reasons. First is there's no way I could afford running another toggle, especially anything as expensive as stuff in the leadership pool. Second is I couldn't spare the pool. Even if I had a 5th pool, I'd take Fighting, as getting splatted post-40 is going to be a problem, I'm guessing.