[u]Neural Circuit's Ice/Energy Blaster PVE Brutal Damage Guide[u]
Well here it is, my first guide. This one's a guide to the world of Ice/Energy blasting and blapping. Now this guide is strictly PVE only, so you'll want to look elsewhere if PVP is your thing.
Now what does Ice/Energy bring to the table? Two very specific things. Extremely high single target damage at melee range and from a distance, and control. These two sets synergize so well it's scary. There's a reason this combo is a PVP favorite, but personally I don't PVP much. It is a superior PVE combo as well.
Basically, if you want to prove Scrappers wrong when they insist that they outdamage us Blasters, this is the toon you want.
The Basics (What You Need to Know)
[u]#1: You will not be able to get all of the powers you want.[u]
Ice and Energy are both amazing sets, with practically no bad powers. It's almost impossible to avoid having to skip something that you want. Basically salt your build to taste; take those powers which you think you would have the most fun using. That's what it's all about, right?
[u]#2: You are not a Scrapper.[u]
Blapping is definitely something worth doing when you have the Energy secondary, but remember that you are not a Scrapper. You don't have defense, damage resistance, or mez protection. What you do have is control. Use your control powers as much as possible. Freeze Ray should be fired off every time it's up. Try to focus it on lieutenants while you clean up minions. Control is your only means of protection.
[u]#3: You are a Blaster.[u]
Melee powers or not (and you can make a very strong build with or without them), you are still a Blaster. Your job is to do damage. Ice/Energy is very single target oriented, so most of the time it will be single target damage. Focus on that. All attacks should have 3 damage enhancements, and Aim and Build Up are not optional. Hasten slotted with 3 Recharge is also very strongly recommended.
Tips for Your Build and Slotting
If you want to dish out as much damage as possible, your best bet is a build that isn't pure ranged or pure blapping, but somewhere in the middle. I spend most of my time in and around melee, but the ranged attacks definitely come in handy when an enemy is trying to run or if you want something to do while running toward someone.
That being said, this will drain your endurance like you wouldn't believe. Stamina is a must and should be 3 slotted with Endurance Modification. Conserve Power is also a good idea and should be 3 slotted with Recharge. Save Conserve Power for when you're running low in the middle of a battle.
You'll notice below that I only put one accuracy in each attack, but sometimes opted for up to 2 Endurance Reduction. In my experience, this makes for much better sustained damage. You'll run out of endurance a lot less, and as long as you cycle Aim and Build Up back and forth (you did 3 slot them both with Recharge right?) you won't have very many accuracy issues, even against reds and purples.
I wouldn't recommend slotting for Recharge in your attacks. Even though it's only going to be up 2/3rds of the time, Hasten is a much less slot intensive solution, and you need those slots for Accuracy, Damage, and Endurance Reduction.
Once you reach level 25, I highly recommend heading to Croatoa and doing everything you need to get the Geas of the Kind Ones accolade. It is an amazing click buff that boosts recharge, endurance recovery, and accuracy. The downside? A defense reduction during its duration. Little do the ghosts of Croatoa know that you didn't have any anyway! Victory is ours! This power cannot be slotted, but its extremely long recharge rate is reduced by Hasten.
The Powers
All the powers below will have a description and a rating of either low, medium, high, or essential.
Ice Blast
[u]#1: Ice Bolt[u]
Brawl Index: 2.7778 (2.2222 Cold, 0.5556 Smashing)
Activation: 1 second
Recharge: 4 seconds
Rating: Medium (High if you are avoiding melee)
Recommended Slotting: 1 Accuracy, 3 Damage
A fast but low damage blast. Part of the Holy Trinity of ice blasting. This power is more necessary if you're avoiding your blaps (which you shouldn't be). Personally I skip it on account of the blaps from Energy giving me a very complete attack chain without it. Like all ice attacks, it has a -recharge and -slow component, though in my experience neither of these is very noticable.
[u]#2: Ice Blast[u]
Brawl Index: 4.5556 (2.7778 Cold, 1.7778 Smashing)
Activation: 1 second
Recharge: 8 seconds
Rating: High (Essential if you are avoiding melee)
Recommended Slotting: 1 Accuracy, 3 Damage, 2 End Reduction
A fast but moderate damage blast. Part of the Holy Trinity of ice blasting. I highly recommend this even if you are blapping, as its very fast activation and good damage make it really easy to work into a blapping attack chain. Like all ice attacks, it has a -recharge and -slow component, though in my experience neither of these is very noticable.
[u]#3: Frost Breath[u]
Brawl Index: 3.8888 (2 ticks of 1.9444 Cold)
Activation: 2.67 seconds
Recharge: 16 seconds
Rating: Medium
Recommended Slotting: 1 Accuracy, 3 Damage, 1 Range, 1 End Reduction
A decent cone AOE that does cold damage. This power is made much better with one range enhancer, though you can avoid that if you take Boost Range later on. I find this power to be very situational. I end up using it more on teams on big groups of mobs than I do solo. Most of the time you can kill things faster with your single target attacks. Like all ice attacks, it has a -recharge and -slow component, though in my experience neither of these is very noticable.
[u]#4: Aim[u]
Activation: 1.2 seconds
Recharge: 90 seconds
Rating: Essential
Recommended Slotting: 3 Recharge
A click buff that boosts your damage and accuracy for a few seconds. This is an essential power as the damage boost is very noticable, and it stacks with Build Up. With 3 recharge in it you can essentially use it whenever it is up without worry that it won't be there when you need it.
[u]#5: Freeze Ray[u]
Brawl Index: 0.2778 (0.2778 Cold)
Activation: 1 second
Recharge: 10 seconds
Rating: Essential
Recommended Slotting: 1 Accuracy, 3 Hold Duration, 1 Recharge, 1 End Reduction with Hasten or 1 Accuracy, 2 Hold Duration, 2 Recharge, 1 End Reduction without Hasten
A ranged Magnitute 3 hold. This is an essential power as control is your only means of protection as an Ice/Energy blaster. This power will hold bosses with two applications and anything below that with one. It's fast activation time and recharge means you will be using this often and exhibiting a decent amount of control, which is a good thing. Use it whenever it is up.
[u]#6: Ice Storm[u]
Brawl Index: 7.344 (72 tics of 0.051 Cold, 72 tics of 0.051 Lethal)
Activation: 2 seconds
Recharge: 60 seconds
Rating: Medium (High if you have or will have Blizzard)
Recommended Slotting: 3 Slow, 3 Damage or just 3 Slow
A targetted AOE that does damage and slows mobs very noticably. This is a very controversial power in the Ice primary. This power combines well with Blizzard by adding additional damage and slowing the enemies even more, keeping them in the range of Blizzard longer. By itself this power is very situational, and can draw a lot of aggro. If you use this often by itself, it will get you killed sometimes on large teams. The overall damage is good, but the problem is that each tic has an accuracy check, and that mobs will try to run out of its range immediately.
As of I7 this power is affected by damage buffs, such as Aim and Build Up, so it's significantly better than it used to be, at least for dishing out damage.
[u]#7: Bitter Ice Blast[u]
Brawl Index: 6.3334 (3.5556 Cold, 2.7778 Smashing)
Activation: 1.07 seconds
Recharge: 12 seconds
Rating: High
Recommended Slotting: 1 Accuracy, 3 Damage, 1 End Reduction for blappers or 1 Accuracy, 3 Damage, 1 End Reduction, 1 Range for ranged blasters
A fast, high damage, but short range blast. This is a truly excellent power that should be taken by ranged blasters and blappers alike. The damage is very good and the activation power is not noticably higher than your other single target blasts. The range on it is short, but this shouldn't be a problem if you're playing this build right, in which case you won't be far away from the enemy anyway. Like all ice attacks, it has a -recharge and -slow component, and this one in addition has a -accuracy component, though in my experience none of these are very noticable.
[u]#8: Bitter Freeze Ray[u]
Brawl Index: 3.6667 (3.6667 Cold)
Activation: 3.7 seconds
Recharge: 20 seconds
Rating: Low
Recommended Slotting: 2 Accuracy, 3 Hold Duration
A ranged single target hold that also does moderate damage. This power is also controversial in the Ice primary. Personally I don't think it's very useful. Some people use it to stack holds, but it's almost as fast to just use Freeze Ray twice, and the damage is far eclipsed by other powers in the Ice and Energy powersets.
[u]#9: Blizzard[u]
Brawl Index: 10.0008 (12 tics of 0.4167 Cold, 12 tics of 0.4167 Lethal)
Activation: 2 seconds
Recharge: 360 seconds
Rating: High
Recommended Slotting: 3 Damage, 3 Recharge
A targetted AOE that debuffs accuracy, speed, causes knockback, and does a lot of damage. The most powerful AOE in the game. Using this power will drain the users endurance and leave them unable to recover endurance for a short time. This power is significantly better now that it can be buffed, and stacks well with Ice Storm. The damage it can do is tremendous, and the knockback not only offers protection, but keeps the mobs under its affect as well. A situational power, but a very very good one.
Energy Manipulation
[u]#1: Power Thrust[u]
Brawl Index: 2.2222 (1.1111 Energy, 1.1111 Smashing)
Activation: 1 seconds
Recharge: 6 seconds
Rating: Low
Recommended Slotting: 1 Accuracy
A melee attack that does a small amount of damage and knocks back the target. This isn't really that great of a power, and unfortunately, you have to take it. The damage is ok, but the knockback means you can't really use this in a melee attack chain very efficiently. I wouldn't waste any slots in this. It does occasionally have uses, but there are other, much better methods of control available to you as an Ice/Energy blaster.
[u]#2: Energy Punch[u]
Brawl Index: 5.4444 (2.7778 Smashing, 2.6667 Energy)
Activation: 0.57 seconds
Recharge: 10 seconds
Rating: High
Recommended Slotting: 1 Accuracy, 3 Damage, 2 End Reduction
A fast melee attack that does decent damage and has a 30% chance of Magnitude 2 disorient. This is an excellent power, and only those terrified of melee should skip it. It's very fast activation time makes it extremely easy to work into a good attack chain, and the damage is good too.
[u]#3: Build Up[u]
Activation: 1.2 seconds
Recharge: 90 seconds
Rating: Essential
Recommended Slotting: 3 Recharge
A click buff that boosts your damage and accuracy for a few seconds. This is an essential power as the damage boost is great, and it stacks with Aim. With 3 recharge in it you can essentially use it whenever it is up without worry that it won't be there when you need it.
[u]#4: Bone Smasher[u]
Brawl Index: 7.2222 (5.0556 Smashing, 2.1667 Energy)
Activation: 1.5 seconds
Recharge: 14 seconds
Rating: High
Recommended Slotting: 1 Accuracy, 3 Damage, 2 End Reduction
A melee attack that does great damage and has a 50% chance of Magnitude 3 disorient. This is your second true blapping power, and it's a very good one. I'd say even those of you who want to avoid melee completely should grab this, if only as an emergency melee damage power. The disorient is nice too, but not reliable enough to use specifically as a control power.
[u]#5: Conserve Power[u]
Activation: 1.17 seconds
Recharge: 600 seconds
Rating: Medium (Essential if you don't get Stamina)
Recommended Slotting: 3 Recharge
A click buff that reduces the endurance cost of all powers for 90 seconds. This is a good power, but not absolutely necessary by any means. The long recharge means it can't be consistently used to keep your endurance under control. If for some insane reason you are not getting Stamina, this is an essential power for maintaining your endurance as much as possible.
[u]#6: Stun[u]
Brawl Index: 0.6945 (0.4167 Smashing, 0.2778 Energy)
Activation: 1.8 seconds
Recharge: 20 seconds
Rating: Medium
Recommended Slotting: 1 Accuracy, 3 Disorient Duration, 1 Recharge, 1 End Reduction
A melee power that does minimal damage but has a 100% change of Magnitude 3 disorient. This is a decent power, but the long activation time can be annoying. With the other control options available to you as an Ice/Energy blaster, this power is very skippable, especially once you get Total Focus.
[u]#7: Power Boost[u]
Activation: 1.17 seconds
Recharge: 60 seconds
Rating: High
Recommended Slotting: 1 Recharge or 3 Recharge
A click buff than enhances mez and secondary effects of your powers. This is a very good power, especially with Ice/Energy. The following Ice/Energy effects are boosted by this power; -speed, -accuracy, disorient, hold, +accuracy. It will also boost the heal of Aid Self from the Medicine Pool. It affects other things too, but those are the ones important to you as an Ice/Energy blaster. It will make you much more effective at controlling, which as stated before, is your only means of protection.
[u]#8: Boost Range[u]
Activation: 1.17 seconds
Recharge: 60 seconds
Rating: Medium (High for ranged blasters, Essential if you have Teleport)
Recommended Slotting: 2 Recharge
A click buff that increases the range of all of your ranged powers for 15 seconds. With 2 recharge in it, it's almost always availabe when you want it. This is an excellent power for the ranged blaster, as it will effectively turn all of your blasts into snipes, and make Frost Breath's cone huge. This is also a great choice if you have Teleport, as it will boost the range of your jumps, making travel faster.
[u]#9: Total Focus[u]
Brawl Index: 9.8889 (2.7778 Smashing, 7.1111 Energy)
Activation: 3.3 seconds
Recharge: 20 seconds
Rating: Essential
Recommended Slotting: 1 Accuracy, 3 Damage, 2 End Reduction
A melee attack that does extremely high damage and has a 100% change of Magnitude 4 disorient. This is the cream of the crop when it comes to single target damage. The ridiculous damage is combined with a guaranteed Boss-level disorient, making this power indispensable even if you are focusing primarily on range. Take this power at level 38 and love it.
Power Pools
This is a quick overview of how each power pool can benefit or detriment an Ice/Energy blaster. Personally I only took Hasten from the Speed pool and Combat Jumping, Super Jump, and Acrobatics from the Leaping pool, but this is certainly not the only effective way to go.
[u]Concealment[u]
Really I don't think this is very useful. There aren't really any powers in Ice/Energy that benefit greatly from stealth, and with so many good powers in Ice/Energy I can't see using this pool, except maybe to stack Stealth with Super Speed to get through glowie missions.
[u]Fighting[u]
This might seem like a good choice for a blapping playstyle, but it really isn't. The benefits you get from Tough and Weave, as a blaster, are completely not worth their end cost or the power slots they use. Skip this pool entirely.
[u]Fitness[u]
As far as I am concerned, Stamina is essential. Pick whichever powers you like to get to Stamina. Personally, I recommend Hurdle and Health. Additional HP regen is always good, and Hurdle makes for a good combo with Combat Jumping.
[u]Flight[u]
This is an excellent choice for the blapper looking for more melee. Air Superiority is an excellent melee attack that also has a knockdown (NOT knockback) component, which is good for controlling your target while you beat them up.
[u]Leadership[u]
Not a good choice at all. Not only do Blasters get some of the worst buffs from these powers, but they add even more endurance drain to a build thats heavy on endurance use already. Skip this.
[u]Leaping[u]
I very highly recommend this pool for all blasters. Combat Jumping and Acrobatics offer mez protection, which can't really be attained anywhere else for a blaster. Combat Jumping provides great protection from immobilization and Acrobatics is great for knockback. Combat Jumping combined with Hurdle will also make you a lot more mobile, and is a great combination for a blapper to move from target to target quickly.
[u]Medicine[u]
Not a bad choice at all really, especially if you team a lot. Aid Other comes in handy between battles, and Aid Self with 3 Health 3 Interrupt Reduction can be very handy indeed, especially with Power Boost to increase the heal. Aid Self also provides temporary resistance to disorient as well. Resuscitate is also nice if you don't want to have to worry about if your defender or controller teammates can rez.
[u]Presence[u]
You don't want lots of aggro on you, and even if you did, Ice Storm would be more than happy to give it to you. No blaster should take these powers. Skip it.
[u]Speed[u]
Take Hasten. Period. With 3 Recharge slots, it will be running about 2/3rds of the time. Which means you'll be doing a lot more damage 2/3rds of the time. Super Speed is also a decent travel power, though the lack of vertical movement is annoying.
[u]Teleportation[u]
This is a good choice, especially when you have Boost Range. Recall Friend is always a great team power, and Teleport is the most underrated travel power in the game. With Boost Range and 3 Range slots in Teleport, you'll be moving much faster across zones than any other travel power by far, so long as you slot some Endurance Reduction in there as well.
Teleport Foe is also nice for a "blapper snipe" when you want to kill mobs one at a time in relative safety. This power also benefits from Boost Range.
