coffee_EU

Basing this on my CoH Experience, haven't played either in CoV really.

Martial Arts
Pros:
- Strong, Single-Target Capabilities.
- Holds a few attacks with Stun Modules and Knockdown
- Fast executing and recharging attacks.
Cons:
- Damage is so-so. Best served in attack chains.
- Lacks that really big-hitter
- Lacks in the AoE and Cone Department
- Lots of smashing resistances. Easily resisted.

Martial Arts
- Supposedly low endurance usage
- Few attacks you really, really want here. Less slotting .
- Short, Ranged attack and 2 Cones. Fair AoE capabilities.
Cons:
- The 3 last attacks is what most likely will be your main attacks. Not a set that will shine early on.
- Lethal Damage, also easily resisted.
Undefined:
- For Good and For worse, regular Build-up instead of follow-up.

[ QUOTE ]
Not having played either since there first few days of launch can't comment on which is better. However recently a team-mate rolled a */archery defender, which was deleted soon after. The problem was that because the primary wasn't trick arrow every time they swapped from secondary to primary and back the bow kept having to be re-drawn which slowed everything down.

As you can't roll archery/trick arrow I'd assume an archery blaster suffers a similar problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

As far as I've heard and read, the re-drawing should be purely visual. It has nothing to do with the actual activation time and execution of a power.

Would be great if someone can confirm this.

Nope, no extra attack. For me (Tanker in CoH though) Jab > AS > Haymaker > KO Blow is a very sufficient and competent attack chain.

Hasten is by far nothing I really desire right now. I can see why it would help me recharge some things faster, such as Dull Pain and Rage. But as far as attacks go, I could easily stuff an Recharge enhancer in the slower ones. Have one in KO Blow so far.

Foot Stomp was mainly if you still wanted to try to squeeze in Resist Elements or Resist Energies. If you want mesh, many people like Hand Clap.

Also, don't cry your heart out just yet . We're obviously recieving 40-50 content for CoV, so you'll soon get those extra slots you need. And if we get some of those ancillary power pools in there as well, my suspicion is that you can drop Hurl and pick up a sensible ranged attack as well.

[ QUOTE ]
can't see why every1 needs to pick at things but if a blaster is attacking another player with shields after i5 and 6 they have less resistance, opponents firing at blasters do less dmg so can't kill them as quick, healers can't heal as much to save their team mates, most players used perman hasten and so on....every1 was affected so the kill ratios are likely to remain around the same level. once again, the point is the player is more important than the build in pvp

[/ QUOTE ]

First off, I'm not picking on anything or anyone. You're just missing my point, or I just didn't make myself clear.

Blasters has been weakened as well. Before I5 and I6 a Blaster could pretty much Floor the Accuracy of an even-level foe, and reach up to 50% S/L Resistances or so through Power Pools and Ancillary Power Pools.. Don't trust these numbers completely, they're way old and my memory isn't what it used to be. This is a pretty impressive edge.

By todays standards that's almost current scrapper levels but with ranged attacks. So you can see why todays powers hardly relate.

And yes, Blasters still deal a lot of damage. They haven't by any means grown worse. They can still kill. I just seriously doubt that drawing parallels between what happened in Issue 4 and now is the correct approach.

Rather, give me an idea as to why this build and what Gatling did that made this build works so fantasticly well instead.

And, I do agree, player skills are the most important you can't get anywhere with a player who knows how to handle his character. I'm just trying to state that what worked in I4 might necessarily work in I6.

I think the point being is that I5 brought some pretty drastic defense changes, and I6 brought some extremely drastic changes to, amongst other Damage Output.

Many blaster relied on Perma-Hasten, for instance. Also, back in the days Blasters could get respectable Resistances and Defenses from powerpools and Epics. Something that's not really possible anymore. Blasters more or less get negligable defense bonuses, in consideration to how many powers and slots they would have to spend on raising their defense.

Yes, I5 and I6 were of course drastic changes for everyone. But as I numbercrunched a lot more in those days, and in comparison to what I know now there's no way you can get the same results out of your Blaster build.

Of course, I haven't seen Gatling's build. And I'm not putting him down either. I'm just stating, that the numbers have changed, and flipped, and turned. Please, let's all compare to current patches instead of looking back on the old days. That just makes me all nostalgic and sad...

Personally, I find Punch very weak in comparison to Air Superiority.

The two powers are identical, Air Superiority is slightly slower to execute but not much. Comparing to Punch's 30% chance of knocking down someone, to Air Superiority's 90% the choice isn't hard if I also tell you that the two powers deal approximately the same damage.

In CoH they deal exactly the same power. I assume, seeing how SS now is a primary it should deal slightly more damage. Still, Air Superiority is a very handy power.

Jab, is also a consideration. It's has the highest DPS in the set, comparing Execution Time + Recharge. It also has the highest Endurance Usage.

So, basicly, both Jab or Air Superiority is a better pick than Punch, IMHO. Especially if you're not slotting 'em for damage anyway.

Resist Elements and Energies is strictly optional. Yes, the resistances are nice always nice in an auto power IMHO, but with Tough you'll be more of an Smash/Lethal kind-of-guy anyway.

Foot Stomp is kind of a two-edged sword. While a PBAoE attack like that is always nice, it's got high end cost and is therefore very poor against single targets. I experienced this with my MA/SR where I was dang close to just respec out Dragon's Tail once I picked it up. It was nice to have for the knockdown, but that was just about it.

My suggestions, if you wan't to free up powers and move stuff around.

<ul type="square">[*]Skip Punch, Jab or AS instead[*]Try holding out on Foot Stomp, unless you feel it's an absolute must-have[*]Just ditch ele/en res as you have now. You're better off teaming if you plan on fighting a horde of these anyway. And there's always DP and Unstoppable when things start going badly.[/list]

Speaking out of no experience what-so-ever (have studied and experienced the game mechanics for a very long time though), but IMHO an MA/Dark would be fairly versatile for PvP. Good single-target capability along-side with must be one of the most versatile armor sets.

*/SS Tanker. Great knock-around capabilities. Sturdy with a lot of HP. Stone Tankers are probably the hardest nut to crack, but quite slow. Invulnerability is a bit more mobile. For the fun of it, go for ice. That set might get some more love in I7, not only considering the update to Defense.

IMHO, any set and combo will work. Don't go all bananas if 1 on 1 gives you trouble, or some ATs are just too hard. Statesman himself has indeed claimed that 1 on 1 combat won't be a priority. It will not be fully balanced, mainly because it's pretty much impossible.

Best way in PvP, all games, is knowing which fights you can take and when. Just have fun and do your best and eventually you'll learn. I never tried to take PvP all too serious. Play what you find most fun, and make it work for you instead of constantly trying to find an über-class that don't exist...

[ QUOTE ]
The debuffing / buffing in this game is just so silent it really is quite hard a lot of the time to see if you're making a big difference. I did make tests and watched the flying numbers so do know the buffs are all working good.

I'm hoping TA is not too bad as when i'm been playing with lots of people they all seem to notice you are actually helping a lot. Ok, Oil slick is the most visual power you have but you do notice the dmg increase etc when I fire out the Acid Arrow etc.

So come on all you TA sceptics! Give a chance you might be surprised ...

[/ QUOTE ]

Whenever I play with Rad/* Defenders or */Rad Trollers, I just love enervating field. More damage for everyone, and me .

I would say the biggest problem is that people only trust what they can see, and what affects them. Bubblers, Empaths, Kinetics, Rad all have powers that affects others in a way that they can notice. They recover endurance faster, move faster, jump higher, deal slightly (to a lot) more damage.

When it comes to debuffing part of rad, storm, TA and dark people just seem to ignore it because it's "got nothing do with them". They don't seem to be realising that DeBuffing an enemy in the end is the same as recieving a buff, in someways more so. For instance, Kinetics can let you hit the damage cap, but lower enemy res with 50% on top of that, and suddenly you're over the cap...

Also, people hugely seem to underestimate a good DeBuffer. Many people think that they can kill just as good with an extra empath or two. Well, I've had the pleasure of playing in some organized teams with a good Rad, and players acctually minding the anchor and there's a huge difference. Instead of just killing and surviving you get to wreck havoc and dominate

[ QUOTE ]
If you dont mind being hit and just want to soak all that damage, be inv tank. No defense at the lower lvls, but the damage res makes sure you just take lower dmg for all the hits. So in other words, you gotta keep an eye on your health bar otherwise you'll be faceplanting at the low lvls.

[/ QUOTE ]

Acctually, I would rather place Invulnerability in the middle right now, it's as the Tanker sets should be. A mixture of Defense and Resistances.

Ice and Fire is both at the opposite end, either all Defense or All Resistances. Stone plays mostly as a Defense-based set at early levels (with resistance to certain powers).

Invulnerability plays as a middle set basicly, dealing with (quite situational though) defense when you need it the most (in the midst of a mob) and resistances in other cases.

With above mentioned, I don't really see Invulnerability as real damagesoaker, more a balanced set. Most tanks are pretty hard to kill, due to their HP, but my health drops rather fast when faced up against a bunch of flamethrowers. Not to critical level, but still has me slightly worried about having to worry about dying

Build-wise, regardless of what you decide on, make sure to pick up Toggled powers first. They grant a better bonus than passives. Granted, at the cost of endurance but you'll manage up until Stamina and End Reducing Enhanments that matter (DOs and then SOs).

Also, slot these (3 Def/3Res). There's been plenty of builds and research posted here and on the US Forums. Hit the Search on both, is my advice.

Attacks? Be moderate. A regular attack chain won't consist of maybe 3 "regular" attacks, and one big-hitter. Again, this depends on what set you pick. Energy for instance get two big-hitters and their early attacks are rather mediocre if you ask me.

As for personal preference, I enjoy my Inv/SS Tanker. Early levels aren't too bad, just make sure to pick Temporary Invulnerability first thing you do.

As for Super Strength for secondary, it's a catch-all kind of set. Damage is acctually pretty lousy, at least up front. But it's a quick recycling set, with high DPS and a lot of status effect. Chance to stun with jab, Knockdown with Punch (I would highly recommend to replace Punch with Air Superiority though, higher chance of knockdown) and Knockout Blow has a secondary effect that looks like a knock-up but is listed as a hold . So... uhm... a little of each acctually.

Regarding the other sets, being purely a tanker, I believe Stone Tankers to be the best. If all you do is Taunt, Provoke and take damage you can't fail really. Granite Armor is the winner of all the level 32 powers, when it comes to pure number crunching.

I'm discouraged to recommend Ice, it never seem to catch a break however, seeing how it was originally the worst set (no sleep res what-so-ever), then quite playable and then back to worst set it should only get better, after some patching that is.

And well, Fire works, but still not much of a Tanker set IMHO, it's good but it will always be a scrapper set with higher caps in my eyes.

So, I would probably recommend either Stone or Invulnerability.

And as for secondary, go for whatever you like. I recommend SS for it's "controllery" and yet high-damaging approach. But Energy and Fire are also sets which are pretty good.

I won't argue too much with you, but for the sake of it I must debate this a little. Or at least make myself clear.

[ QUOTE ]
being that an invuln has more smash and lethal resist than anyother tanker and yet other tanks manage i left it out as its imo the most optional power seeing as you have tough and therefore i didnt finish lvl 49 off.

[/ QUOTE ]

Other Tankers that have a pure S/L Resist armor is: Fire Tankers. And that's it. And, for those who do put all the eggs in one basket: Stone Tankers and their Granite Armor.

From personal experience, I would say that your primary powerset is more than enough for your regular soloplay.

To compare with the days before I4 when tankers invited 7 people, spawned an 8 player mission and then kicked out the other people.

What Cryptic decided to do was to go out on a limb IMHO, and I'm not really fond of having my character cut by his knees (and then the waist) but it works as it seems. If I want more resistances or defense than those that my powerset can give, I team up with someone.

Basicly, what it all comes down to is: The Days of "überness" (reluctant to even use that word) is gone. The cards have been shuffled and dealt. No more number crunching to hit the caps in the most efficient way, because we won't hit them.

Personally, I prefer to get the most of my primary rather than relying on power pools, but that's just me. It's a contradiction, because I am by heart a powergamer and would prefer the perfect most well calculated build. But I also believe that the intent should be to create a Tanker, without having to resort to power pools.

The day I discover Tough is a complete must-have, that day I lay my tanker to rest.

[ QUOTE ]
Nothing and i mean nothing can ever replace personal experience no matter what people say about what changes they would make. I like the idea of people altering things, not making carbon copies and then playing the way they like to. I had hurl, i was advised air superiority so i respec'd it in, hated it and now i got back hurl. It may well be good to have a handclap to aid self combo move to add survivability if its all slotted right for all i know.

[/ QUOTE ]

Appreciate the guide, I can't say I agree with it completely. It's seems very much like a pure respec build to me.

Experience at all levels matter. Air Superiority comes at level 6. Hurl a lot later. I recommend Air Superioriy throughout the first 30 levels really. Especially over, let's say Punch.

Also? Skipping RPD? 7.5% Base isn't something you sneeze at, for a power that costs you absolutely nothing. Pick it up early, real early.

Just some comments.

Don't forget that Defense might look good in calculations, but it's an "all-or-nothing" game. Either you get hit or you don't. 7% might make a whole lot of difference in calculations, but in-game we all should know by now that it's not fail-safe.

Also, Defense scales with enemy level. Resistances doens't. That means 7% Defense against a considerably higher level foe is totally negated, while Resist Elements and Resist Energies still negate the same amount of damage.

Either way, energy and elemental res are pretty marginal in comparison to what they used to be (almost at the cap). Each man (or woman) does what she feels is necessary to survive, me, I just avoid the Fighting Pool. If I need defense there's always inspirations.

It's also toggles we're speaking off. In comparison to passives. Consider the extra endurance drain. I just don't find it worthy in the end.

I was a bit off on my reasoning. Totally unaware about the I6 changes to enhancments.

4-5 Slots in Jab would be enough then. 1 Acc, 3 Dam, 1 EndRdx. Or something like that. Number crunching time as soon as I exit the game .

[ QUOTE ]
THis inherent is made available to Trick Archers, Ice Tanks, (any other suggestions?)

[/ QUOTE ]

Level 12 Blasters bragging with the adamant badge.

Passives only Tankers.

At later levels, Controllers who think pets are overpowered and refuse to use them.

Powerleveled people who pick up a Peacebringer. Get to 50 without even learning how to get into a team and believes the best way to make yourself heard is spamming.

Hmm, no those should have another inherent power. They have to pay you to be on the team...

[ QUOTE ]
I think you over-rate the masses.

[/ QUOTE ]

Have to stay positive. It's how I get by up in the morning

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I've missed reading up on patch changes, but I believe it used to be 6/4 (hasten/am (recharge enhancments only)) or 5/5. Or as some people do, 6/3, and stick more endrdx in AM to make it account for more each time rather than have it perma.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since IG and ED, having any more than 3 of any one kind of enhancement in a power is pretty much a waste. You can't make Hasten perma anymore, and I suspect you can't make AM perma as a result. Since the changes, three recharge/three endmod is probably the way to go.

[/ QUOTE ]

Found the patch notes, will have to study this a bit. I cancelled my subscription about two weeks before that. Cheers for the heads up though.

Rad/Dark (Rad Primary, Dark Secondary) was named as a vicious Tank Mage combination in CoH.

AM + EF was used in CoH to fake-hit the Blaster Damage Cap. Since EF reduces Enemy Resistance, it stacks on top of all your own Damage Enhancments. AM is obviously constructed the same way. It acctually boosts travel powers beyond the cap as well. At least it did, back when I was more active. Haven't looked through all patch changes as of yet.

Anyhow, me rambling.

Tenebrous Tentacles enables you to lock your enemies down, staying inside the RA and EF radius. With all the -acc debuffs, you can pull of a couple of moonbeams, effectively deal extreme single target attacks.

Basicly, you can't go wrong with Dark/Rad. I'm currently doing one. Baby steps, don't have that much game time now a days.

With the AoE changes, and limitation to amount of enemies you can hit. Dark/Rad strategy didn't suffer much, it wasn't intended for huge mobs anyway, but rather going after as high-level pray as possible.

You most definetly need Stamina.

I've missed reading up on patch changes, but I believe it used to be 6/4 (hasten/am (recharge enhancments only)) or 5/5. Or as some people do, 6/3, and stick more endrdx in AM to make it account for more each time rather than have it perma. Don't have all mi ol' notes left, so you have as much chance as me to Search it up .

So my advice is Dark/Rad.

[ QUOTE ]
LMAO at that.

Your lucky, its normally...

"Are you a Healer?"

*Twaing*

*Boot*

[/ QUOTE ]

/Rant On

It's not really unique to Trick Arrow Defenders, although I can imagine that they have a harder time than most others (have yet to acctually see one, except my own who is in the crib so far).

Anyone who's not an Empath (IMHO, the only true healer) is lucky. Stormies (if you can catch 'em), Bubblers, Kinetics, Darkies, Rad, everyone gets the boot if you find yourself stranded in a team of lousy tankers who don't like the looks of having to have rock armor activated, crappy blasters with 3 travel powers (and fourth one on the way) and scrappers who 6-slotted Brawl and Sprint for novelty.

I've completed entire TFs in the past on 3 blasters and me as a Fire Tanker (back on US). Healing is overrated.You don't need an empath spamming his heart out with heals when suddenly all have capped Defense, capped damage and the enemies deal half damage and are at -50% resistances . Hopefully the masses will realise that in the end.

/Rant Off

[ QUOTE ]
Hi everybody
I want to know if you have some experience with the Trick Arrow Primary.
I heard its crappy, but is that really true?

[/ QUOTE ]

I can't really see it as a powerset for the masses. Still, it doesn't seem crappy to me. Just that other sets has been spoiled with being able to get away 1-shotting all your primary powers, at least early game ... 6-slot some of those debuffs and things will happen . It's also fairly new, wouldn't surprise me if isn't all out balanced yet. It's taken most of the other power sets a full year to get to the state of unbalance they are in now

And as a side-note, why it won't work:

"Defender! Heal!"
*Twooiing*
"What the ... !?"

Later on...

"Great, now I died because you didn't heal me when I aggroed that huge +8 mob! Can you at least res me!?"
*Twaaaiing*
"What the ... !?"

Some additions (was a while ago, so I might be slightly off in my reasoning, and assuming not too much has changed in any recent patches (not read up on that)).

Jab. Unless the numbers has changed, this power still has the highest DPS in the entire set. 6-slot. Also has the worst Endurance cost, considering how often you can throw a jab. But, in retrospect, it's about burning the candle in both ends. More Damage per Second for Higher Endurance Cost.

Punch. Skippable, acctually. Air Superiority deals exactly the same damage. But with a 90% chance knockdown instead of punch's 30%. Just hold out the first few levels and skip for AS. Unless you're not planning on picking up Fly, then you don't want to dip into the Flight pool, and should just go with punch...