Negescape

Well that's against an EB not an AV. Little less resists and defense there to cut through.

My only distaste with invuln is the whole typed defense thing. I despise stacking Kinetic Combat sets to get the worthwhile boost in S/L because aside from the S/L defense, the rest of the bonuses are lacking, accuracy especially.

Effective hitpoints. This is how long you're going to live before you actually keel over before healing.

LPH = 1 / (1 - Res)

HPs * LPH = EH

You figure your average scrapper has around 1600 and around 2000 at the upper end for WP.

1 / (1 - 0.2) (we'll assume it's someone with moderately low resistance) = 1.25

1600 * 1.25 = 2000

Now let's give him 10% more resistance.

1 / (1 - 0.3) = 1.42

1600 * 1.42 = 2272

272 HP gain from 10% resistance. 13% gain in longevity. Let's check that for the upper end WP scrapper with 2k HPs.

2000 * 1.25 = 2500
2000 * 1.42 = 2840

Another 13% gain. Now lets take that S/L resistance clear up to 51%ish where it's going to be.

2000 * 2.04 = 4080

Obviously with the spread of different damage types you can't pigeon hole your effective health this easily, but the point remains that a "little" gain in resistance is also going to result in a equal or greater gain in your longevity through effective health.

I wish my damaging psuedo-pets had an archetype multiplier attached to them and they could crit.

Yeah, I've had the same beef with CI. I mostly try to use it as my opener to an AoE chain, and I prefer to open it with lieutenant, but since I'm running 0/0s right now those aren't exactly abundant. The game senses this tension, I'm sure of it, because 90% of the time I will pull out a crit and outright kill a minion. No jumps, no chains. Even after I've worn down a group with lieu's I still cant use it reliably because it will kill the first lieu and result in no jumps.

In terms of single target it does okay damage, but the cost and recharge are very hindering. I do appreciate that it's slotted as a single target because I can squeeze out that 3.75% range defense bonus from Mako's instead of a 3.13% elsewhere, but I really would prefer that it be treated more as a single target ability with an AoE perk, than an front loaded AoE that frequently does much less damage than it's capable of.

I dunno about 30%, on my new little electric project I've been running with 23% melee and 24% ranged/aoe since like level 19 and haven't really felt pressured on normal mission runs (I've been running freak arcs to farm merits for the more expensiver (see: ALL) uniques) to get more. But I am running 0/0 to keep speed rates up, but then I'm also herding 16 mobs at once for those kill all missions. So i dunno.

End heavy set? Dark is an end heavy set, sir. Shields are middle-of-the-road end use at best. Currently at level 38 on my ElM/SD (yes, me too) I don't really have any end issues going from mob to mob killing while I have both SJ and Sprint going. I do have a PShifter and a Numina, but I wouldn't call those a major save.

No heal kind of sucks, but SR doesn't have a heal either. Must be a defense set thing.

Given the choice between taking SMaul or SPunch, I'd go for Maul. Similar single target dps, so it's good for that, but more than likely you'll be using it on more than 1 mob and get more dps out of it.

Yeah, a Kin will usually do that on the damage end, but is there a recharge cap? I know a single SB isn't quite enough to get you there if there is. In that situation SR will shine a little brighter.

The situation I like quite a bit about Shields is the fact that I can herd with AAO. Very very handy for those AoE fests. Something SR just plain can't do.

Edit: Redundant words are redundant.

Another weakness I can think of is non-positional attacks, especially of a psionic nature. But then, most everyone has the hole in their armor anyway. The other secondaries have their place and uses, but I just live Shields because the drawbacks hardly outweigh the benefits.

Math:

100 damage attack every 3 seconds, 100/3 = 33dps

20% haste = 2.5 seconds = 100/2.5 = 40dps, 23% gain

20.6% damage boost (3 enemies) = 120.6 = 40dps, 23% gain

So any time you're fighting more than 3 mobs the damage boost aura is going to outweigh the dps gain of having Quickness. That's until you hit the 400% damage cap anyway. Or if you're stuck fighting a single mob. Quickness also makes it much easier to get perma-hasten. That and it's vastly easier to soft cap SR than it is with Shields. You also have the choice between a static 35% S/L (17% other) res vs. the scaling (up to 50%) resistance of SR to consider. There's greener grass to be had on either side really.

I should have been a little more specific then. Actually, no, "uniques" should have been specific enough. I meant the Numina/RT/Miracle uniques. Those will not work when exemped down unless they're in range. Not sure if their slot matters O.O

Given the choice I'd rather get a unique at the earliest level possible so it still works when I'm exemped down. As it is, I'm leveling my ElM/SD scrapper doing flashback missions, mostly tracking down which arc is going to be my golden goose, ie. gives the most Merits for the time invested. Those also tend to give the biggest xp bonus at the end as long they last more than 2 or 3 missions (which also have a solid merit/minute ratio).

Are you just looking for soft capped defense? Single target? AoE?

This build is def capped and leaves the final 3 powers and 8 slots to your discretion. You can sub out Jacob's Ladder for Havoc Punch (and its melee defense IO set equivalent) if you so choose. Or just make it one of those final 3 powers, whatever.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.601
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 46 Science Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Electrical Melee
Secondary Power Set: Shield Defense
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Charged Brawl -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(3), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(5), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), Mako-Dam%(7)
Level 1: Deflection -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(7), LkGmblr-Def(9), LkGmblr-Rchg+(9)
Level 2: Jacobs Ladder -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(11), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(11), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(13), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), Oblit-%Dam(15)
Level 4: Battle Agility -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(15), LkGmblr-Def(17), LkGmblr-Rchg+(17)
Level 6: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 8: Build Up -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(19), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(19), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(21), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(21), GSFC-Build%(23)
Level 10: Active Defense -- HO:Membr(A), HO:Membr(23)
Level 12: Thunder Strike -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(25), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(25), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(27), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(27), Oblit-%Dam(29)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(29), Zephyr-ResKB(31)
Level 16: Against All Odds -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 18: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 20: Health -- RgnTis-Regen+(A), Numna-Heal(31), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(31)
Level 22: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), P'Shift-EndMod(33), P'Shift-End%(33)
Level 24: True Grit -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), ResDam-I(33), ResDam-I(34), Heal-I(34), Heal-I(34), Heal-I(36)
Level 26: Chain Induction -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(36), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(36), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(37), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37), Mako-Dam%(37)
Level 28: Phalanx Fighting -- Ksmt-ToHit+(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+(39)
Level 30: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 32: Lightning Rod -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg(A), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(39), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(39), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg(40), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40)
Level 35: Shield Charge -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(40), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(42), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Oblit-%Dam(43)
Level 38: Tough -- Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg(43), Aegis-EndRdx/Rchg(43), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(45), Aegis-ResDam(45)
Level 41: Weave -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def(45), LkGmblr-Rchg+(46)
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit

While it's great that you can keep most every mob around you drained, my concern is whether you can live through the alpha for that to happen.

I'm guessing that since Mids has no qualms with slotting both the GSFC and the Decimation versions that it's a viable option in game?

You go to the Mid's site and get v1.601?

So given the option between putting a build up proc in an ability, would you put it in focus or follow up?

Time to taste the rainbow.

The +% Def potion of the Steadfast IO is an "always on" kind of bonus, so that can go in either Tough, Deflection or OwtS (if you take that) and not really worry about the loss.

Would I say that True grit is absolutely mandatory? No, not really. Would I personally skip it? No, not really. More HPs and resists is always going to be a boon because the RNG is always going to hate you at some point, and having a backup plan is a good thing. And like Sant says, it's a great place to stow that Steadfast unique even if it's not the onliest place.

My cape can fly in the wind, my wings can flap to carry me, but my tail sits there as stiff as my hair and antennae. Is animating the tails out of the question?