Mr_Grumpums

Warshades don't have attacks that are pure dynamite by themselves, really, and you don't really get any controllery powers until the higher levels. Sunless Mire gives you a much-needed damage boost at lv 12, though it may need some ACC slotting. When you get your Black Dwarf, you can stack it's Mire with Sunless Mire for the REALLY nasty damage.

Personally, I grabbed Niva form for my Warshade and pretty-much stayed in Nova form until level 20 unless I was clicking Hasten or stealthing through missions with SS and Shadow Cloak. Once I hit lv 20, though, the Dwarf form made my WS into a monster. Right now, I've respecc'd into a mostly Bi-Form WS who repeatedly spams Mires and attacks while using Stygian Circle to maintain endurance and health. When needed, it can also act as a tanker. Win-Win. I still have the Nova form, but it's only there to serve as a flight travel power.

Earth Blast makes no sense. Do you throw rocks at people? Use a slingshot?

If you mean making stalagmites and tremors, that's more the job of an Earth controller.

I've got two friends who run a duo of Elec/DA Stalkers. They say that Oppressive Gloom stacks, so that they can take out the big nasties and then kill everything else while they're stunned with their AoEs.

But Stalker DA really isn't much to talk about by itself. There are better choices that are easier on the endurance bar and give better protection.

Thanks much, Thugsrus! I've been having a lot of trouble picking powers and slots for my Elec/Shield. Right now I have it running Flight so that I can use Air Superiority to bolster my attacks in the early game while I'm malefactored, but your build makes a lot of sense.

...Now if only I had more than 9 mil on my brute for slotting...

[ QUOTE ]
? No flury?

[/ QUOTE ]

Flurry? Is that a joke, or am I just a PvP n00b?

Or maybe both?

What's your opinion on Spirit Shark in PvP? I'm curious, since I PvP rather often.

Does the Paragon Studios logo remind anyone else of Homestar Runner?

Sonic Blasters are pretty solid in PvP and PvE nowadays, from what I can tell. The -Res debuff is nice, and so is the Cone Sleep power (especially nice in PvP now that Break Frees have been beaten with the nerf Bat). It also has a Cone Knockdown, a ST Stun, and a nuke with a nice Stun.

Energy Melee is the usual Blaster wrecking ball secondary. Its attacks have high damage, but the stronger ones have long animation times. It also has neat-o powers like Boost Range.

Personally, I play a Sonic/Mental Blaster, though right now I'm using a PvE build that focuses on Cone/AoE attacks that debuff enemies and stun them for easy mass slaughter.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I don't even know what Armada was. I grew up on GI Joe and the Ninja Turtles.

[/ QUOTE ]That and Transformers and Pee-Wee Herman's Playhouse and Knight Rider and A-Team and Dukes of Hazard and... Carebears?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. I remember the Carebears and Pee-Wee's Playhouse, but I was too young to remember much of the transformers other than the toys, too young to understand the A-Team before if went off the air, and too old to find the Dukes of Hazard interesting.

I agree with you. He was terrible. He tried to run away at the end, but he ran in straight lines.

But I thought that a monkey could play an Invul/EM and still win, so I didn't think much on it.

...Is this a bad time to mention that I13 actually made my Virtue DB/WP Scrapper not suck in PvP?

I mean, I'm TERRIBLE in PvP unless someone stands their ground, but at least now I can fire off an Attack Vitals Combo before my target runs away.

I've actually done some Warburg stuff recently, and I experienced a sad, sad one-on-one with an Invul/EM tanker. He was IO'd to the gills, and all I had in my entire build were sets of 4 Sciricco's Dervishes in my AoE attacks, some Impervium Armors, and 2 each of Numina/Miracle in RttC.

That's a DB/WP Scrapper vs. an Invul/EM Tanker. In I12, I would have been torn to shreds. In I13, I wore him down until he ran out of greens and kept hitting him enough that he couldn't fire off his Heal Self. The dude could barely touch me, and when he did the damage wasn't nearly as spectacular as it should have been.

I know it sounds weird, but the other guy should have won. There's no way that a DB/WP Scrapper with no Heal Self should have been able to take out an Invul/EM Tanker. Sure, I'm happy that my character can PvP now, but I don't want everyone else to be weakened so that I can do it.

I13 PvP feels like the devs started out wanting to make PvP fun and equal for everyone, but at some point gave up and decided to make it so completely unplayable that we'd try to block its existence out of our memories and never bother them about it again.

I don't even know what Armada was. I grew up on GI Joe and the Ninja Turtles.

Update: My Brute has gone BLINDED by his pretty! He now uses his strong to bash skulz and know where he is by the sound it makes echoing off stuff. He sees better than EVER now!

My Sonic/MM is lv 36 now, and it's a real blast. Right now, I'd say that it's a lot more fun when I play in big teams where the cones do their best work. Siren's Song is neat, but I think that a Sonic/EM blaster would get more out of it than a Sonic MM.

I especially like fighting Freakshow now. My favorite thing to do is to use concentration, hop into the middle of a big mob, and then use Dreadful Wail to kill everything at once. Once some of them start to rez, I use a blue Insp, Aim, and then Drain Psyche so that I can get back in the fight almost immediately.

Here's my build. It's PBAoE Stun happy in the later levels, and I tried to use less costly IOs, but I don't know how well I succeeded. The bonuses are pretty nice, though.

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

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

Babel Wave budget build: Level 50 Science Blaster
Primary Power Set: Sonic Attack
Secondary Power Set: Mental Manipulation
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Electrical Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Shriek <ul type="square">[*] (A) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage[*] (3) Decimation - Chance of Build Up[*] (7) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge[*] (34) Decimation - Damage/Endurance[*] (45) Decimation - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge[/list]Level 1: Subdual <ul type="square">[*] (A) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Immobilize/Recharge[/list]Level 2: Scream <ul type="square">[*] (A) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage[*] (3) Decimation - Damage/Endurance[*] (5) Decimation - Damage/Recharge[*] (15) Decimation - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge[*] (34) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge[/list]Level 4: Mind Probe <ul type="square">[*] (A) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge[*] (5) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage[*] (7) Mako's Bite - Damage/Endurance[*] (15) Mako's Bite - Damage/Recharge[*] (34) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge[/list]Level 6: Hurdle <ul type="square">[*] (A) Jumping IO[/list]Level 8: Shout <ul type="square">[*] (A) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge[*] (9) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge[*] (9) Devastation - Damage/Recharge[*] (13) Devastation - Damage/Endurance[*] (31) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage[/list]Level 10: Psychic Scream <ul type="square">[*] (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage[*] (11) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance[*] (11) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge[*] (13) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range[*] (31) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance[/list]Level 12: Combat Jumping <ul type="square">[*] (A) Kismet - Accuracy +6%[/list]Level 14: Super Jump <ul type="square">[*] (A) Jumping IO[/list]Level 16: Howl <ul type="square">[*] (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage[*] (17) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance[*] (17) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge[*] (27) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range[*] (31) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance[/list]Level 18: Health <ul type="square">[*] (A) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery[*] (19) Numina's Convalescence - Heal[*] (19) Healing IO[*] (43) Healing IO[/list]Level 20: Stamina <ul type="square">[*] (A) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Endurance[*] (21) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Accuracy[*] (21) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod[*] (43) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Recharge[/list]Level 22: Sirens Song <ul type="square">[*] (A) Fortunata Hypnosis - Sleep/Endurance[*] (23) Fortunata Hypnosis - Sleep[*] (23) Fortunata Hypnosis - Accuracy/Sleep/Recharge[*] (45) Fortunata Hypnosis - Sleep/Recharge[*] (45) Fortunata Hypnosis - Accuracy/Recharge[/list]Level 24: Drain Psyche <ul type="square">[*] (A) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge[*] (25) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Recharge[*] (25) Efficacy Adaptor - Accuracy/Recharge[*] (29) Touch of the Nictus - Accuracy/Healing[*] (37) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Endurance[/list]Level 26: Hasten <ul type="square">[*] (A) Recharge Reduction IO[*] (27) Recharge Reduction IO[*] (50) Recharge Reduction IO[/list]Level 28: Concentration <ul type="square">[*] (A) Recharge Reduction IO[*] (29) Recharge Reduction IO[/list]Level 30: Amplify <ul type="square">[*] (A) Recharge Reduction IO[*] (40) Recharge Reduction IO[/list]Level 32: Dreadful Wail <ul type="square">[*] (A) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance[*] (33) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage[*] (33) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Endurance[*] (33) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Recharge[*] (37) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Recharge[/list]Level 35: World of Confusion <ul type="square">[*] (A) Coercive Persuasion - Confused/Endurance[*] (36) Coercive Persuasion - Confused[*] (36) Coercive Persuasion - Contagious Confusion[*] (36) Coercive Persuasion - Accuracy/Confused/Recharge[*] (37) Coercive Persuasion - Accuracy/Recharge[/list]Level 38: Psychic Shockwave <ul type="square">[*] (A) Absolute Amazement - Stun[*] (39) Absolute Amazement - Accuracy/Recharge[*] (39) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance[*] (39) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Recharge[*] (40) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Recharge[*] (40) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Endurance[/list]Level 41: Static Discharge <ul type="square">[*] (A) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge[*] (42) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range[*] (42) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance[*] (42) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage[*] (43) Range IO[/list]Level 44: Surge of Power <ul type="square">[*] (A) Impervium Armor - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge[*] (46) Impervium Armor - Resistance/Recharge[*] (46) Impervium Armor - Resistance[*] (46) Impervium Armor - Endurance/Recharge[/list]Level 47: EM Pulse <ul type="square">[*] (A) Absolute Amazement - Endurance/Stun[*] (48) Absolute Amazement - Accuracy/Stun/Recharge[*] (48) Absolute Amazement - Stun/Recharge[*] (48) Stupefy - Accuracy/Recharge[*] (50) Stupefy - Accuracy/Endurance[/list]Level 49: Screech <ul type="square">[*] (A) Stupefy - Accuracy/Recharge[*] (50) Stupefy - Accuracy/Stun/Recharge[/list]------------
Level 1: Brawl <ul type="square">[*] (A) Accuracy IO[/list]Level 1: Sprint <ul type="square">[*] (A) Run Speed IO[/list]Level 2: Rest <ul type="square">[*] (A) Recharge Reduction IO[/list]Level 1: Defiance
------------
[u]Set Bonus Totals:[u]<ul type="square">[*]10% DamageBuff(Smashing)[*]10% DamageBuff(Lethal)[*]10% DamageBuff(Fire)[*]10% DamageBuff(Cold)[*]10% DamageBuff(Energy)[*]10% DamageBuff(Negative)[*]10% DamageBuff(Toxic)[*]10% DamageBuff(Psionic)[*]1.56% Defense(Fire)[*]1.56% Defense(Cold)[*]1.88% Defense(Psionic)[*]3.13% Defense(AoE)[*]6.75% Max End[*]60% Enhancement(Accuracy)[*]4% Enhancement(Confused)[*]45% Enhancement(RechargeTime)[*]99.4 HP (8.25%) HitPoints[*]MezResist(Held) 6.6%[*]MezResist(Immobilize) 8.8%[*]31.5% (0.53 End/sec) Recovery[*]64% (3.22 HP/sec) Regeneration[*]9.77% Resistance(Fire)[*]9.77% Resistance(Cold)[*]6.25% Resistance(Negative)[/list]------------
[u]Set Bonuses:[u]
[u]Decimation[u]
(Shriek)<ul type="square">[*] MezResist(Immobilize) 2.75%[*] 13.6 HP (1.12%) HitPoints[*] 2.25% Max End[*] 6.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)[/list][u]Decimation[u]
(Scream)<ul type="square">[*] MezResist(Immobilize) 2.75%[*] 13.6 HP (1.12%) HitPoints[*] 2.25% Max End[*] 6.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)[/list][u]Mako's Bite[u]
(Mind Probe)<ul type="square">[*] MezResist(Immobilize) 3.3%[*] 18.1 HP (1.5%) HitPoints[*] 3% DamageBuff(All)[*] MezResist(Held) 3.3%[/list][u]Devastation[u]
(Shout)<ul type="square">[*] 12% (0.6 HP/sec) Regeneration[*] 27.1 HP (2.25%) HitPoints[*] 3% DamageBuff(All)[*] MezResist(Held) 3.3%[/list][u]Positron's Blast[u]
(Psychic Scream)<ul type="square">[*] 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery[*] 1.58% Resistance(Fire,Cold)[*] 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)[*] 6.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)[/list][u]Positron's Blast[u]
(Howl)<ul type="square">[*] 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery[*] 1.58% Resistance(Fire,Cold)[*] 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)[*] 6.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)[/list][u]Numina's Convalescence[u]
(Health)<ul type="square">[*] 12% (0.6 HP/sec) Regeneration[/list][u]Efficacy Adaptor[u]
(Stamina)<ul type="square">[*] 13.6 HP (1.12%) HitPoints[*] 1.5% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery[*] 10% (0.5 HP/sec) Regeneration[/list][u]Fortunata Hypnosis[u]
(Sirens Song)<ul type="square">[*] 4% (0.07 End/sec) Recovery[*] 2.52% Resistance(Fire,Cold)[*] 15% Enhancement(Accuracy)[*] 10% Enhancement(RechargeTime)[/list][u]Efficacy Adaptor[u]
(Drain Psyche)<ul type="square">[*] 13.6 HP (1.12%) HitPoints[*] 1.5% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery[*] 10% (0.5 HP/sec) Regeneration[/list][u]Scirocco's Dervish[u]
(Dreadful Wail)<ul type="square">[*] 10% (0.5 HP/sec) Regeneration[*] 3.13% Resistance(Negative)[*] 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)[*] 3.13% Defense(AoE), 1.56% Defense(Fire), 1.56% Defense(Cold)[/list][u]Coercive Persuasion[u]
(World of Confusion)<ul type="square">[*] 4% (0.07 End/sec) Recovery[*] 4% Enhancement(Confused)[*] 4% DamageBuff(All)[*] 10% Enhancement(RechargeTime)[/list][u]Absolute Amazement[u]
(Psychic Shockwave)<ul type="square">[*] 4% (0.07 End/sec) Recovery[/list][u]Scirocco's Dervish[u]
(Psychic Shockwave)<ul type="square">[*] 10% (0.5 HP/sec) Regeneration[*] 3.13% Resistance(Negative)[*] 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)[/list][u]Positron's Blast[u]
(Static Discharge)<ul type="square">[*] 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery[*] 1.58% Resistance(Fire,Cold)[*] 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)[/list][u]Impervium Armor[u]
(Surge of Power)<ul type="square">[*] 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery[*] 1.88% Defense(Psionic)[*] 2.25% Max End[/list][u]Absolute Amazement[u]
(EM Pulse)<ul type="square">[*] 4% (0.07 End/sec) Recovery[*] 2.52% Resistance(Fire,Cold)[/list][u]Stupefy[u]
(EM Pulse)<ul type="square">[*] 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery[/list][u]Stupefy[u]
(Screech)<ul type="square">[*] 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery (Exceeded 5 Bonus Cap)[/list]

I think I have to admit that this thread made me make try out a WM/EA Brute, just to clear my conscience.

I love it so far. How many other brutes get Extreme damage ST hits by level 8? Heck, I'm lv 22, and I can use SS and Energy Cloak to go Invisible!

I look like a space nebula with a baseball bat! I'm hooked! XD

Hi there, Angry Citizen! I'd like to thank you for the informative guide. It helped me get an idea of where to go in my own build, though it looks a bit different from yours.

I was wondering if you have any input on the recent changes for Dark Melee and the Ancilliary pools.

Siphon Life now does superior damage, and its recharge was supposedly reduced. Midnight Grasp also gained larger initial damage and a shorted DoT duration. This gives Dark Melee two Superior damage attacks with pure negative damage.

As for the Epics, Each set for stalkers has taken on a new power. Soul Mastery gains Shadow Meld, which gives 20% extra defense (unslotted) for 15 seconds, and has a 90 second recharge. Mu Mastery gains Ball Lightning, which might be good for an AoE Stalker build. Leviathan Mastery gets Hibernate, and Mace Mastery gains Disrupter Blast, a ranged AoE with knockback.

Any new thoughts?

Interesting build, and very different from what I thought up. I had planned on avoiding Shockwave and Mindprobe while staying at range, but your build adds Mind Probe into the mix to make enemy elimination faster when using Siren Song. As I'm relatively inexperienced with ranged toons like this (other than a Fire/Kin Corrupter, but all you really need is a pulse and five minutes of practice to be dangerous with that build). It actually makes more sense, considering that I'd have to be in melee for Drain Psyche AND Psychic Shockwave.

The Epic Pool information was also very useful. I'd planned on Munitions Mastery to give extra control and a snipe at the cost of some protection, but your use of Static Discharge for a cone chain is somthing I hadn't thought of. Using Force of Nature and Drain Psyche was, likewise, not considered.

My Sonic/MM is only lv 10, but I think I might try out your build as my I13 alternate build and see what I get between the two.

This was my kind of guide. Low on numbers, and nice explainations on exactly WHY the numbers included were important. Thank you for creating it.

Is anyone working on a Broadsword/Fire guide, by chance? I'd like to see what you all have to say about it.

That 1-20 build is the exact same one that my DB scrapper went with. IT certainlt got everything that was needed, but post-lv 20 is when things get hairy due to all the things you need to add to make an effective DB/WP scrapper. Most important for lv 22 would probably be to either grab Fast Healing or start on the Fitness pool. I personally went for Fast Healing right off the bat because the WP lack of fire/cold/energy/negative energy damage was starting to seriously hurt me, even with RttC. Afterwards I went for Fitness powers as I could while acquiring Heightened Senses and Sweeping Strike. I remember feeling kind of frustrated in the 20's due to the number of available powers I wanted to acquire immediately while being on the "one power per every two levels" budget.

Into the 30s, I started to really slow down due to enemy lethal defenses/resistances. It was rough going until I acquired Thousand Cuts, which gave me access to the beauty that is Sweep Combo. Accuracy was still a problem, but being able to knock a bunch of enemies in your attack radius onto their backs was a great way to keep them from attacking, making survival less difficult. At level 35, when I was able to really lay into slotting all of my powers to their fullest, I finally started thinking of my scrapper as complete, and started rounding off the rough edges to make it closer to being perfect.

The 40s were icing. I still strongly suggest acquiring Focused Accuracy and Conserve power because those two powers go a long way towards fixing all of DB's endurance and accuracy problems, but I ended up with some wiggle room to grab a couple of fun powers that I feel help personalize my DB/WP scrapper.

[ QUOTE ]
Also, if anyone has any information about these two combos that they'd like to share, I will credit you in the guide appropriately!

[/ QUOTE ]

Dual Blades Combo Numbers Guide

I didn't make that guide, and DO NOT take credit for anything in it.

Here are my experiences with Weaken and Empower as a lv 50 DB/WP Scrapper. Please keep in mind that I skipped Power Slice until lv 30, and relied on combos entirely for my damage:


Especially in the low-levels, Weaken is a solid opening combo. It makes enemies miss more often, and keeps enemies from dodging you. If you're a SR Scrapper, then being able to place a 10% ToHit debuff on everything in range is a pretty sweet deal. Being a WP Scrapper, though, I rarely used it after getting SOs until the mid-30s, when my attacks began to miss more often. At that point I used it liberally against enemies with high Lethal defense until I got Focused Accuracy at level 41.

I rarely used Empower until I got Vengeful Slice. The extra 10% damage boost on top of Blinding Feint's 37.5% buff turned Vengeful Slice into a powerful finishing attack. At that point I would use Weaken-Empower-Vengeful Slice as an attack chain, aiming Vengeful Slice at lieutenants or bosses while Weaken wittled down minions. That chain served me well until I hit lv 26 and gained the Attack Vitals Combo, and it kept on being useful until I managed to finish slotting up Sweeping Strike. Nowadays, I only occaisionally use Empower at the start of combat to boost my DPS a bit.

Hope that helps!

Thanks for this information Circeus, you've always been a huge help in trying to make ice armor balanced. I can't say that I'm surprised though, defense got screwed with this update, and Ice armor got less powerful once again. I'm thinking though that CoH may be near its end, I've never seen a server at full at any time I've logged on for the last 2-3 months. I think the real problem is they took a game where people want to be super heroes and changed it to something else. I've been one of those saying keep it up ice tanks, we'll have our day. But now I'm getting so tired of this game and the "Balance vision". Yes the blasters needed the health increase and defiance, but why do these updates seem to mostly lower powers? I'm not going to delete my ice tank I worked too darn hard to get him to 50, I just want a balance within the tanks for once!