dave_p

Ha, I hadn't considered that!

Here's the first build:

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

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

Blazing Fist: Level 50 Technology Tanker
Primary Power Set: Fiery Aura
Secondary Power Set: Energy Melee
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Pyre Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Fire Shield -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam(3), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(3), RctvArm-EndRdx(19), S'fstPrt-ResKB(34), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(50)
Level 1: Barrage -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(34), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(45), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 2: Energy Punch -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(5), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(5), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9)
Level 4: Healing Flames -- Mrcl-Heal/Rchg(A), Numna-Heal/Rchg(7), Numna-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(7), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(19)
Level 6: Combat Jumping -- DefBuff-I(A), DefBuff-I(31)
Level 8: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 10: Blazing Aura -- C'ngBlow-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(11), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), Sciroc-Dam%(15), Erad-%Dam(15), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(37)
Level 12: Plasma Shield -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam(13), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(13), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(37)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Zephyr-ResKB(A)
Level 16: Whirling Hands -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(17), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(17), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(25), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(25), Oblit-%Dam(39)
Level 18: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Mrcl-Rcvry+(50)
Level 20: Stamina -- Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg(A), Efficacy-EndMod(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Maneuvers -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def(23), DefBuff-I(23)
Level 24: Boxing -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(45), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(45), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 26: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(27), RctvArm-ResDam(27), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg(40)
Level 28: Build Up -- AdjTgt-Rchg(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(29), RechRdx-I(29)
Level 30: Weave -- RedFtn-Def(A), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(31), DefBuff-I(31)
Level 32: Taunt -- Mocking-Taunt(A), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg(33), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(33), Mocking-Acc/Rchg(33), Mocking-Taunt/Rng(34), Mocking-Rchg(40)
Level 35: Energy Transfer -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(36), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(36), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37)
Level 38: Total Focus -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(39), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(39), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40), Amaze-Stun(43), Amaze-EndRdx/Stun(46)
Level 41: Char -- Lock-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(A), Lock-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(42), Lock-Rchg/Hold(42), Lock-Acc/Rchg(42), Lock-Acc/Hold(43), Lock-%Hold(43)
Level 44: Melt Armor -- AnWeak-Acc/Rchg/EndRdx(A)
Level 47: Fire Ball -- Posi-Dam%(A), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(48), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(48), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(48), Posi-Acc/Dmg(50)
Level 49: Rise of the Phoenix -- Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(A)
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Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Gauntlet

45% S/L def, only 18.8% global recharge, 18% global Acc, but higher positional def than the 2nd build.

You really want Hasten for a good Stone build. I usually pick it up just before Granite, but you'll also want it for faster recharging EE, not to mention Rage if he's Stone/SS. In fact, you really want stacking Rage to avoid the -def from the crash w/a def-based set.

Two other "armors" that stay toggled w/Granite are Tough & Weave. Yes, laugh if you like, but for really high-end, survive the end of the world type of builds, Tough & Weave are actually useful. Tough let's you skip Stone Skin (though SS is still handy out of Granite), and Weave & a few IOs lets you hit S/L def cap running Rock (and psi cap w/Minerals), which in turn lets you stay out of Granite a whole lot.

And w/S&L and Psi def, you're actually taking care of prolly 90% of the damage out there, since most exotic damage (F/C/E/N) have a smashing or lethal component to them (this is why Crystal & Brimstone are usually skipped). Stuff like Flamethrower will hurt, but that's why you have high HPs and good regen. That and Granite.

Since I posted at an awkward hour (or maybe not for MMO players...), I'll try once more. Any inputs or suggestions? If not, I guess I'll go ahead and respec into... oh, the second build.

I more or less stopped playing my Fire/EM after the EM nerfs, but I wanted to see if I could reinvent him as a defensive tank rather than the scranker he used to be, mostly to get some variety back in my tanking life (i.e. I haven't played my Fire tank in months and I miss him).

No more FE, no Fire Blast in his attack chain, no Hasten even. Instead, S/L def cap with decent other typed/positional defenses as well. Don't wanna spend a silly amount either, though I may stick in some LotG's later on (got plenty of surplus Miracle/Numina uniques).

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

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

Some options I'm considering are 5-slotting Unbreakable Constraint in Char for more global recharge and accuracy, two things I'm pretty short on. That'd also free up an extra slot to stick in Melt Armor or RotP. Or take back Consume in place of RotP since it's almost doable w/2-slots.

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

I really hate giving up Hasten, and to a lesser extent FE, but I'm thinking the capped S/L def is worth it. Anyway, suggestions are most welcome.

It's not so much that battling robots and other lethal resistant mobs pains me when playing my Kat or DB scrappers, but I get a lot, lot happier cutting into some meaty, non-resistant flesh.

Awesome stuff. Loved your FF satanic bible too.

I was just thinking to myself, 'I wonder if he's going to emphasize just how important BU & Aim are...' then you did. I might've mentioned something about the 2 sets that don't get them though.

I might've also added something about waiting for the teammate whose job it is to get shot to, well, get shot first. Most of those will also assist in getting the enemy into a nice & AoE friendly clump. Maybe too much detail for a quick guide.

Also in the category of too much detail might be some ruminations about the value of burst damage, esp for a class whose mantra is killing to survive. I dunno, it's hard not to get things get carried away and I think you did a great job at a concise summary of how to play an effective blaster.

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Several pets have recently been buffed: Earth's Rocky is much better, dropping Stone Mallet for Seismic Smash and with much better AI. Jack is better, and Venus Fly Trap a/k/a Audrey II or "Twoey" is much better.

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From the OP's perspective (and one of the followup's posts), Audrey I never existed, so the improvement doesn't technically count.

My "descent" from being able to solo AVs w/my various controllers, and then not being able to, came down to 2 main things, ED and no more multiple pets, esp Imps & Phants. Really cut down on the amount of damage you could output, not to mention easily achievable perma-PAs and whatnot. IOs set the balance straight again, esp recently w/the +def changes, and in fact, I can solo stuff now that I couldn't dream of earlier when I merely *thought* I was teh uber, but it'll cost you.

Wait, what? Soulbound set doesn't work on imps? Was this known prior to this and the "fix" is merely to mention it in the help text? That's horrible.

I'm glad my Fire controller went for 6 Blood Mandates for the +def and my other 50 controllers aren't Fire since I did slot Soulbounds in a few of them. Are there other Controller or Defender pets or pseudopets that would be affected by this (say, Tornado or similar powers)?

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Even smoke would be better than repel on a farm build.

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Yeah, I can't do that though If I took out repel, the only other options I would have are Ring of Fire and Siphon Power. None of them are too appealing.

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You're worried about ST damage for bosses and such and don't like RoF? And Siphon Power is really nice against AVs and higher for when you're not farming.

Also, I think you start running into some serious diminishing returns w/all your recharge bonuses, esp if you can keep SS triple stacked on you at all times. You can prolly can skip some of the 5%, or even both the Kin Crash 7.5% bonuses and not miss them too much. Instead, maybe cultivate some +def, like by taking RoF instead of Repel and 6-slotting w/Thunderstrikes.

We're going a bit afield here, but...

Do ppl actually use EMP during AV fights? I mean, I guess w/multiple AMs or Transferences (SBs), etc going, it's no big deal, but I find it a bit too end intensive for a not very long lasting effect for solo fights. And I say a "bit" for my own Fire/Rad, cuz he has massive end recovery and can actually weather an occasional EMP rotation into the chain--a normal /Rad by himself prolly couldn't maintain it w/o eating a lot of blues to compensate. -Regen is a bit overblown for AV/GM fights and I find LR is more than enough.

Having said that, I do find EMP *does* help a bit, esp w/robotic types (Paladin. etc), and TA only gets EMP Arrow for -regen, so that's a little different story too. And if you have enough +end tools, why not go for broke?

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Looks like someone won the lottery, though I guess someone else lost.

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There are no winners here. Did you see that Went's fee?! Oh, the humanity!

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SD/Fire & SD/Ice lets you wield a sword & shield combo as a tank. If you happen to care about things like concept, getting a flaming (or frosty) shield and whacking things w/a flaming (frosty) sword is pretty damn cool.

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With enough Rad's, you could also floor her To Hit enough so that her heal wouldn't hit.

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TA will do it better, since flash arrow is unresistable.
Flash Arrow 3 slotted will give about 7.8% to-hit debuff, meaning you'll floor her at 6 TAs.

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Wow, I didn't know that. I still think 8 /Rads will be better since I'm also assuming 8x Maneuvers and you'll still hit def cap one way or another for the imps. TA will have better -resists w/Acid & Disruption than just EF, but then you get AM and more -regen with the Rads. Either way, it'd be a slaughter.

Dark for OG + Dark Pit, then Soul Drain & Blackstar in safety, then blue pill + Dark Consumption.

Power for PBU and the mega debuffs (and fear, holds, heals and whatnot) it brings. Oh, Conserve Power doesn't exactly suck either.

Can't go wrong w/either, but I'd lean towards Dark myself.

Runner up would be Elec for what I think are the best armor & end recovery tool, not to mention a stacking hold (Pet Gaze + Shocking Bolt) for bosses. Psy gets this too, but I like Power Sink way more than anything else Psy offers.

With enough Rad's, you could also floor her To Hit enough so that her heal wouldn't hit, but you'd need way more than just 2 (an even lvl AV has 85% resistance to debuffs, not sure what +4 AVs have ottomh). 8 Fire/Rads w/Maneuvers should be able to swamp her w/Imps (and EF, AM, etc x8) and take her down *very* fast.

On a less optimized group, yeah, stay out of range, immob & blast from afar.

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The negatives:

1) 2.03 cast time for an 8 foot radius PBAoE.

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While this is a legit gripe, I should point out that Burn has a very good DPA if you get mobs to stay in the radius for the full 10 sec, a big IF, I know. If you only get 5 sec out of the burn patch, you're still doing better DPA than FSC and you outperform Combustion (itself a DoT) at around 3.3 sec. In fact, if you throw on an immob or hold, even against a single target, Burn as a very respectable DPA, better than all tier 1 & 2 blasts (and Ring of Fire has a great DPA too, so combined, that's a far better 1-2 combo than say Flares & Fire Blast).

Having said that, I don't bother w/the power myself. For one thing, calculating DPA on long DoT powers is tricky at best since you're assuming the mob will take the full brunt of the DoT and not die along the way. Still, I think the power gets a bit more negative press than it deserves. I do like Eldagore's idea of stacking it w/the other PBAoE & Slow effects. In fact, if you're Fire/Fire or Ice/Fire, you can add another rain w/a slow effect for maximum coverage (alas, I'm Arch/Fire w/no slows in my primary).

Are you going for a (close to) def capped build or for more global recharge? Assuming you really want Flash Freeze for the cheap purp set, and you're going for defense, I'd go something like this:

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

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

Gives up some of your 5% rech bonuses, but makes up for most of it w/added LotC +reches. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of BFR, esp since you have 2 holds already. Its DPA is kinda crappy so I certainly wouldn't slot it for damage. Also moved around some some IOs. Stealth into Sprint so that you can 3-slot BotZ in SS for the added AoE def, and the Karma -KB was removed from Maneuvers for a LotG Def/End.

Bottom line: 44.2% ranged def, 21.7% AoE. Not too shabby.

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It strikes me as slightly sad that people will take hours of their time, sweating and slaving, just to spec out a character to make it "t3h ubur l33t."

Honestly I would rather be spending time having fun playing the game... or making new characters.

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What in the world makes ppl dress up imaginary characters in spandex and fight equally imaginary bad guys in a virtual world? Why not lead a real life?

Likely, esp if you fully saturate AAO w/minions around you while fighting the AV (this would be especially helpful for SD/DM). Being a tank, surviving the added incoming damage shouldn't be a problem. You also need to be able to sustain your end bar while outputting enough DPS. Some AVs might be flat out impossible for tanks to overcome because of their regen, god mode, heals, etc.

Just so you know, after containment, Fire controllers have comparable DPA in their first two "attacks" as blasters (pre Defiance, anyway). Char & RoF both have DPA numbers that are just over half of most Blaster tier 1 & 2 attacks, which is to say equal or even better once you throw in containment. The fact they also hold & immob is just gravy.

Other sets don't fare nearly as well, but you still get decent, defender level numbers once you throw on containment, so for soloing, feel free to slot those tier 1 & 2s w/damage and "blast" away.

There's a difference bet. "not having problems" and being really freakin' good at it. "Not having problems" will get you by solo or on slow teams, but for fast moving, fast killing teams, Fire's & Ice's AoE potentials do not compare, and if they did, it'd be grossly overpowered for Ice considering its mitigation effects.

Frost Breath is actually pretty comparable to Fire Breath. Slightly lower DPA, but wider cone and adds a slow. Same for Ice Storm vs. Rain of Fire--bit lower DPA, better slow effect, but honestly, if this is up for every fight, you're killing too slow. Now add in Fireball and Fire pulls far, far ahead. If you're satisfied with Ice's AoE for your style of play, more power to you, but it's pretty silly to say that Ice is in any way comparable for AoE damage to Fire.

Not even going to get started on not having BU (and Aim) on a blaster...

BTW, I happen to think Ice primary is perfectly balanced for its damage & mitigation. It's very good at what it does, as are most blaster primaries. I just happen to think that Ice/Ice is too much mitigation for a blaster combo and that Fire/Ice gives you more than enough to survive while doling out a whole lot of AoE (and ST--Fire's the damage king, period, not just AoE) loving. My own Ice blaster I paired w/MM for a bit more AoE oomph and it works out great. Ice/Fire would've been fine too, or Ice/Elec or EM if I wanted to be a pure ST specialist. Ice/Ice is just a bit too much of a good thing.

I agree w/most of your assertions (and I mention a few of them), and in fact it's why I don't have a MA myself, but I wanted to point out that it's not all that gimp like a lot of ppl seem to think. I realize the scrapper forum regulars know better, but I think the prevailing sentiment on MA makes it seem a lot worse than it really is. Having said that...

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~ Can't slot -resist procs. It may seem like a small thing, but many of the other middle of the pack sets can slot -resist procs, sometimes in multiples. This really helps prop up their overall damage.

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That's a good point that I hadn't considered. Mostly only matters for high-ish end builds going up against really tough opponenets (at least boss level), but scrappers tend to do that a lot, so I think that's a legit minus for any set that doesn't allow for it.

As for allowing for an Absolute Amazement set (as a pro for MA), remember too that anyone can take Boxing. In fact, since you can slot 2 or 3 sets in just epics, I generally don't consider what you can and can't slot out w/purps a good indicator of if a set is worthwhile or not, esp considering as Umbral points out, you shouldn't waste like a stun set in a high damage attack.

Quick thoughts:

Add some procs to Cages. Hotfeet too, once you can ED cap its damage & end redux (prolly not possible w/lvl 35 IOs).

Add end mods to AM. Frankenslot w/end mod/rech IOs.

Slot Char for damage if you're looking for more, though this is an end-game option. Same for Ring of Fire. Char, RoF & an epic blast will let a Fire/Rad take down AV/GM/Pylons faster than scrappers (mostly because of the debuffs, but still...).

Fallout, but no Cinders makes me sad. You don't really need LR except for AV, etc fights. I'd take LR at 35 and Cinders at 24.

CC will need a lot more slotting, obviously, and takes damage procs as well.

Honestly, w/Imps, I never felt the lack of damage. I'm not sure if you're expecting Fire blaster level damage or what, but I find once Imps are slotted, Fire/Rads output a whole lot of damage, esp with containment + Hotfeet running. End may be an issue when AM is down, but you need to cut back on spamming Cages and whatnot during that time and let the Imps work for you. You might even need to turn off a toggle or two, but really, things shouldn't be that bad (what's really bad is if EMP is used while AM is down).

Hope that helps a bit.

I always feel a little ripped off if I insta-buy anything, at any price. I'm cheap that way.

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Four acc/rech/holds.

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This is what I do.

[/ QUOTE ] Can't argue with that.

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That's good for a leveling build. Once I'm past 40, I 6-slot w/Lockdowns and go for defense. If you're not going for a high def build, frankenslotting is the way to go.