SnipeFu's Definitive Guide to Energy Blasters V3.0
By
Airhammer,
Posted on: 2004-11-09 13:44 in Player Guides
This has probably been asked, but don't want to read through every post; have you made a guide to the Electric secondary? I've had an energy/energy as my main and wanted to try out energy/electric.
Yep, what SnipeFu said. It's a GUARANTEED knockback. And if you hover above an enemy, like a Fake Nemesis, it's a guaranteed knock-down, which is even better. Just keep them on their back and finish them off. I used it all the time in my later career.
Also, there are definately times when you suddenly find yourself with nothing but a sliver of health left and you need to fly out fast...but you can't have them firing at you either. That's when I knockback with Power Push, take off, heal up, then come back to finish them off. I wish I could withstand more sometimes, but I'm a blaster. :P
Just a note, that's why I loved Energy Torrent, too. It was a pretty good knockback for when you're suddenly getting cornered.
[ QUOTE ]
This has probably been asked, but don't want to read through every post; have you made a guide to the Electric secondary? I've had an energy/energy as my main and wanted to try out energy/electric.
[/ QUOTE ]
I have not written a guide to /electric although I have wanted to, but I really don't think making an energy/electric blaster is the best way to go unless you like to take the road less travelled, or the paved for that matter.
The Legion of Freedom
[ QUOTE ]
Here is my Blaster spec'd out until level 50
Advice is welcome please.
Ignore the color of the enhancements I am more interested in comments about slot placement
I am currently level 32.
Thank you.
Exported from version 1.5A of CoH Planner
http://joechott.com/coh
Archetype: Blaster
Primary Powers - Ranged : Energy Blast
Secondary Powers - Support : Energy Manipulation
01 : Power Thrust acc(01) dam(3) dam(3) dam(33) dam(33) dam(33)
01 : Power Bolt acc(01) dam(5) dam(5) dam(31) dam(31) dam(31)
02 : Power Blast acc(02) dam(7) dam(7) dam(27) dam(29) dam(29)
04 : Build Up recred(04) recred(9) recred(9)
06 : Power Burst acc(06) dam(11) dam(11) dam(13) dam(25) dam(27)
08 : Sniper Blast acc(08) inttim(13) dam(15) dam(15) dam(17) dam(17)
10 : Hasten recred(10) recred(19) recred(19) recred(21) recred(21) recred(23)
12 : Aim recred(12) recred(23) recred(25)
14 : Super Speed runspd(14)
16 : Hover fltspd(16) fltspd(34) fltspd(34) fltspd(34) fltspd(36) fltspd(36)
18 : Swift runspd(18)
20 : Health hel(20)
22 : Stamina endrec(22) endrec(36) endrec(37) endrec(37) endrec(37) endrec(39)
24 : Stealth endred(24)
26 : Power Push acc(26)
28 : Conserve Power recred(28) recred(39) recred(39) recred(42)
30 : Power Boost recred(30)
32 : Nova recred(32) recred(40) dam(40) dam(42) dam(40) dam(42)
35 : Boost Range recred(35) recred(43)
38 : Total Focus acc(38) dam(43) dam(43) dam(45) dam(45)
41 : Bone Smasher acc(41) dam(45) dam(46) dam(46) dam(46)
44 : Personal Force Field defbuf(44)
47 : Temporary Invulnerability endred(47) damres(48) damres(48) damres(48) damres(50)
49 : Force of Nature recred(49) recred(50) recred(50)
-------------------------------------------
01 : Brawl dam(01)
01 : Sprint runspd(01)
02 : Rest recred(02)
[/ QUOTE ]
Can I get some advice on some of the slotting for Total Focus and stuff like Bonesmaher and the Ancillary pools.. Thanks much
The hard things I can do--- The impossible just take a little bit longer.
If numbers are so much more important than a teammate who is fun to play with, forget about the game altogether and go play with a calculator instead. -Claws and Effect-
[ QUOTE ]
Can I get some advice on some of the slotting for Total Focus and stuff like Bonesmaher and the Ancillary pools.. Thanks much
[/ QUOTE ]
What's the goal with those powers?
The Legion of Freedom
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Can I get some advice on some of the slotting for Total Focus and stuff like Bonesmaher and the Ancillary pools.. Thanks much
[/ QUOTE ]
What's the goal with those powers?
[/ QUOTE ]
SnipeFu hit it on the head--what is it you want to do?
What you have is very close to the build I made, except I had Power Push instead of Bone Smasher. I preferred to fight from a distance as much as possible and keep the enemy at bay. But if you like a little up-close scrapping, Total Focus + Bone Smasher can be lethal. Just keep in mind that both work much better slotted well for damage, so make sure you have the slots.
Well originally since I tend to hunt small packs was to use Power Boost Build Up and Aim and then Total Focus to stun the crap out of a boss and figuring since Bone Smasher does the second most damage in the set follow up with BS and Power Burt . Then I could always use Power Push if the boss is still concious to give me some distance and start my Snipe, Power Blast, Power Bolt sequence.
I dont want to be a Blapper. I am not trying to melee on a regular basis but when the situation is right I want to do it well.
I was considering taking out Bone Smasher and using Explosive Blast simply to get another long range blast in my power set but the damage suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuux.
The hard things I can do--- The impossible just take a little bit longer.
If numbers are so much more important than a teammate who is fun to play with, forget about the game altogether and go play with a calculator instead. -Claws and Effect-
[ QUOTE ]
Well originally since I tend to hunt small packs was to use Power Boost Build Up and Aim and then Total Focus to stun the crap out of a boss and figuring since Bone Smasher does the second most damage in the set follow up with BS and Power Burt . Then I could always use Power Push if the boss is still concious to give me some distance and start my Snipe, Power Blast, Power Bolt sequence.
I dont want to be a Blapper. I am not trying to melee on a regular basis but when the situation is right I want to do it well.
I was considering taking out Bone Smasher and using Explosive Blast simply to get another long range blast in my power set but the damage suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuux.
[/ QUOTE ]
In that case I think your slotting is fine for those.
The Legion of Freedom
regarding Power Push: I've been meaning to thank Mr. Fu for his recommendation of this power. Now that I have it (via respec), I don't know how I lived without it. It has greatly improved the game for me. Being able to keep a boss on his butt is just invaluable. I cycle it into my attacks and more often than not, manage to avoid any damage from the heavy hitters.
I hear that I am trying to find an extra slot so I can get it up darn near instantly.
The hard things I can do--- The impossible just take a little bit longer.
If numbers are so much more important than a teammate who is fun to play with, forget about the game altogether and go play with a calculator instead. -Claws and Effect-
OmikronOmega:
[ QUOTE ]
Well wouldn't you agree that if you need to use PP on a regular basis you're doing something wrong?
I mean how many times do you actually NEED to knockback a foe? Only when they get to close. If you are pulling them close to you ALL the time then you should be working on a new strategy.
I'm just trying to understand PP better. Don't take my post as an argument
[/ QUOTE ]
SnipeFu:
[ QUOTE ]
Well just the other day, I decided to take on 2 lvl 50 Circle of Thorns bosses. Now we all know how nasty one can be let alone two, especially for a blaster. I kept one on his a$$ by chaining PPs back to back while I arrested the other one using a combination of other things.
[/ QUOTE ]
Total focus and the chain knockback you get from regular energy attacks is usually good enough to take out the two death mage combination, although its dangerous and power push helps greatly. Death mage pairs are actually the *easy* boss pair in PI. They are susceptible to knockback, and they give energy lots of chances to set up chain knockback by standing there and bringing up their toggles.
Where total focus + aggresive blasting falls apart is the fake/warhulk pair. This pair is nasty because one has the long range mega-snipe (fake) which you have to take out right away, and one is resistant to disorient and has a really hard melee swipe (warhulk). Expending TF on the fake leaves you not a lot of options for the warhulk except continuous chain knockback fire. Meanwhile the fake is going to periodically need to be disoriented back into next tuesday, which makes this exercise very challenging.
Power push does improve the odds quite a bit. It has 100% knockback, so you aren't as reliant on continuous energy blasting for chain KB, its ranged (unlike PT) so you dont have to get into swipe range, and it continuously pushes the warhulk farther away, preventing him from closing the distance on you and swatting you like a bug. Meanwhile you have a couple seconds breathing room to thwack the fake with total focus again.
I've never had it pre-50, but I can see now how power push would have made it much easier to go after single bosses in the old days as well. Until you have total focus at 38, the only other mez-like effect that en/en has that is reliable besides power push is power thrust, and it does require getting up close and personal more than some blasters would like. To think how much easier freakshow bosses would have been with power push - ah well.
BTW, if death mages is the "easy" pair, and warhulk/fake is the "medium" pair (two warhulks is also medium - harder to take on up close, but susceptible to long range snipe), what's the "hard" pair? Carnie bosses. If any blaster has a mechanism for taking on pairs of carnie bosses at even con or better, I'd love to hear it. Heck, taking on just one master illusionist requires a ton of insps and a lot of luck, and the other carnie boss is only slightly less impossible to solo.
At some point, Omikron, all blasters have had to (at least attempt to) figure out how to take out mezzing bosses and LTs, and ultimately, normal KB will only take you so far. We either need 100% knockback (PT, push), or better mez (total focus) to keep us in the game. At 21 or 35, you might not have seen the nastiest of the nasty yet: the Rikti Magus, pairs of Mentalists, Malta sappers and Gunslingers, Fake Nemesis and Warhulk bosses, and of course the creme de la creme of nasties, the Carnival of Shadow bosses. Mez or die, and most blaster mezzes are up-close-and-personal powers. At lower levels, power push is used effectively to split up a group that a blaster doesn't think they can take on - push the LT or boss away, and deal with whats left, keeping the boss or LTs out of range (or at least out of melee range - vis-a-vis the freak tank that decides to charge after you).
One more thing about knockback - sometimes we are using it for the "back" part of knockback. But often times we are using it for the "knock" part - meaning its damage mitigation; power push is effectively 2-4 seconds of immunity from attack on most things; they can't attack you if they are on the ground. Hit a DE thorn with power push, and you can practically clear the entire rest of the room before he gets back up - 100% damage mitigation, and I wouldn't really care where he actually lands. Other attacks have KB, but PP is certain so long as it actually connects - you can essentially already be shifting targets after you click it.
[Guide to Defense] [Scrapper Secondaries Comparison] [Archetype Popularity Analysis]
In one little corner of the universe, there's nothing more irritating than a misfile...
(Please support the best webcomic about a cosmic universal realignment by impaired angelic interference resulting in identity crisis angst. Or I release the pigmy water thieves.)
Exported from version 1.4D of CoH Planner
http://joechott.com/coh
Archetype: Blaster
Primary Powers - Ranged : Energy Blast
Secondary Powers - Support : Energy Manipulation
01 : Power Thrust acc(01)
01 : Power Bolt acc(01) dam(3) dam(5) dam(15) dam(31) dam(40)
02 : Power Blast acc(02) dam(3) dam(7) dam(15) dam(31) dam(40)
04 : Energy Torrent acc(04) dam(5) dam(9) conrng(17) dam(34) dam(42)
06 : Hover defbuf(06) defbuf(7) defbuf(11) defbuf(17) defbuf(34) defbuf(42)
08 : Sniper Blast acc(08) dam(9) dam(13) inttim(19) dam(34) dam(42)
10 : Power Burst acc(10) dam(11) dam(13) rng(19) dam(36) dam(43)
12 : Swift runspd(12)
14 : Fly fltspd(14) fltspd(36) fltspd(43)
16 : Health hel(16)
18 : Power Push acc(18)
20 : Stamina endrec(20) endrec(21) endrec(21) endrec(25) endrec(36) endrec(43)
22 : Hasten recred(22) recred(23) recred(23) recred(25) recred(37) recred(45)
24 : Build Up recred(24) recred(37) recred(45)
26 : Explosive Blast acc(26) dam(27) dam(27) recred(29) dam(37) dam(45)
28 : Conserve Power recred(28) recred(29) recred(31) recred(39) recred(46)
30 : Aid Other recred(30) inttim(39) hel(46)
32 : Nova dam(32) dam(33) dam(33) dam(33) dam(39) dam(46)
35 : Aid Self recred(35) inttim(40) hel(48)
38 : Aim recred(38) recred(50)
41 : Repulsion Field endred(41) acc(50)
44 : Personal Force Field defbuf(44)
47 : Temporary Invulnerability endred(47) damres(48) damres(48) damres(50)
49 : Force of Nature recred(49)
I'm currently at level 39 and I'm finding that this build is almost perfect for my play style. I've been slowly tweaking it from suggestions in this forum and have arrived here.
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated... as I am at least another month away from my next (and final, unless States comes through with the Rularuu TF suggestion) respec. Thank you all for the help! Good luck and good hunting!
If you are going up against the rularuu at some point, I would suggest one of three things: add range to snipe, take boost range, or take total focus. The rularuu are definitely not stand and fight foes, you either have to seriously outrange them, or disorient them, or both, especially against rularuu bosses. Without a way to kite them, or stun them, I don't know how a blaster takes on one of them. FoN might help, but there is no mez protection in FoN; you might find yourself stuck in a detention field until FoN expires.
In general, in fact, as you enter the 40s, lacking any sort of alpha strike mez might be a problem. Power push will help in this regard, but a lot of things recover way too quickly from knockback for this to be completely reliable on its own (and the rularuu in particular tend to fly).
Just a thought; you have a while to think about it before 41.
[Guide to Defense] [Scrapper Secondaries Comparison] [Archetype Popularity Analysis]
In one little corner of the universe, there's nothing more irritating than a misfile...
(Please support the best webcomic about a cosmic universal realignment by impaired angelic interference resulting in identity crisis angst. Or I release the pigmy water thieves.)
[ QUOTE ]
Without a way to kite them, or stun them, I don't know how a blaster takes on one of them.
[/ QUOTE ]
The only way I could take on rularuu was either to Nova a pack with no bosses or join a team.
The Legion of Freedom
OK, I need help pretty badly here. I'm at debtcap, and have been for some time-- and despite my bravado ("Permadebt means no fear!"), I'm getting pretty tired of eating turf.
Now, word is that SnipeFu is the most helpful poster this side of the Yellow Line. They Say that the Energy guide is the best of the best.
So when I needed some serious respec advice, there no question where to turn....
My build, as is, at Level 25:
Power Blast/ Dmg 5, Accuracy 1
Power Bolt/ Dmg 3
Sniper Blast/ Dmg 5, Accuracy 1 (mmm, snipe...)
Aim/ Recharge Rate 1
Energy Torrent/ Dmg 4, Accuracy 1
Power Thrust/ Damage 1 (expired)
Build Up/ Recharge Rate 4
Brawl/ Recharge rate 1
Dash/ Run Speed 1
Sprint/ 0
Rest/ Rechage 1
Hover/ Flightspeed 1
Fly/ Flightspeed 1
Swift/ Run Speed 1 (expired)
Health/ Health 1
Stamina / 0 (strangely, I'm not having End trouble, despite this)
Hasten/ Defense 1, Recharge 3
Stealth/ Defense 1
[ QUOTE ]
So when I needed some serious respec advice, there no question where to turn....
[/ QUOTE ]
The Blaster forum is a good place for general blaster advice.
[ QUOTE ]
My build, as is, at Level 25:
[/ QUOTE ]
Overall I can't see much wrong with it. You have hit the Power Pools pretty heavily, which means that you haven't been able to take the bigger blast powers that became available from level 16+.
If you want to struggle on a bit you could start to pick those up and would probably see an increase in your viability.
Otherwise ..
[ QUOTE ]
Stamina / 0 (strangely, I'm not having End trouble, despite this)
[/ QUOTE ]
Maybe this is something you could push back. If you aren't having End problems then dropping Stamina (I know it is heresy) gets you three powers which will give you a lot more tools to keep yourself off the floor, even if you have to pause for breath after each fight.
[ QUOTE ]
Hasten/ Defense 1, Recharge 3
[/ QUOTE ]
Generally slotting of Hasten is all recharges, with 6 recharge SO's it can be on all the time (Perma) and the Def bonus isn't really big enough to get you a good return for an Enh slot.
regards, Screwloose.
"I am not young enough to know everything."
How to Look Stuff Up Yourself - It's Fun and Easy
Looking for Powers Numbers try City of Data.
For Fraks sake read the Guides and FAQs
Global Chat Channels - Australia
Just a note to say this guide made the voting list for best guides! Yay! Be sure to lock in your vote!
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showf...part=1#2591650
Thank you for the kind words Damiani, and thanks Jury Duty for the heads up.
In regards to your build Damiani,
Screwloose gave you some solid advice.
Here's mine:
In general your build looks great. The first thing that rang a bell in my head was this:
[ QUOTE ]
I'm at debtcap, and have been for some time-- and despite my bravado
[/ QUOTE ]
Bravado is not something blasters can afford to have. You need to be more stealthy and calculating in general. Debt cap should never happen to you again. 
Now as far as specifics are concerned:
1) Power Bolt needs an accuracy enhancement. Try and slot it more when you have a chance.
2) The reason you're probably not having end issues is most likely because you aren't attacking enough. Hasten should come into your build earlier and you should try and have it perma'd (6 recharge slots) by level 22. This will double the recharge rate of all your attacks and start sucking away at your end like nothing else. Stamina will then become a major factor.
3) Unless it's for concept, drop flight for the time being and take Super Speed. Stacking Super Speed with stealth makes you invisible and you will have a much easier time navigating the rest of the game through level 50. Keep hover and slot that puppy up for flight speed. You will be amazed at what it can do. It's also a great substitute for flight.
Other than that I think everything looks really good. Try to be hovering in battle as melee attacks will wipe you out fast.
Also if you want more detail try and find MsKnight's build buried in these pages somewhere. It's solid.
The Legion of Freedom
You know, this is eeriely similar to what I remember having at 25, except instead of Aim I had energy punch - seriously. Also, my slots were more balanced between bolt and blast, which was also an idiot mistake. And I did not have hasten. At all. I had - tada - grant invisibility.
Oh my god was I broken in retrospect. There's a reason I got really, really, really, really, really really really really reallyreallyreally good at pulling.
That build is not made for bravado. That build is made for using stealth to get just into snipe range and using BU+Snipe to destroy minions from Seattle. Also, torrent works best inside solo missions, not street hunting, where you are facing the optimum number for energy blasters to control - 3 to 4. BU+Snipe one, one down. Torrent everybody, everybody fall down. Power blast+bolt #2, probably two down. From the moment the first snipe lands and the foes have any idea you are there, about 6 seconds have elapsed. One on one, you can take the last minion with nothing but power thrust if you want. I'd consider slotting it for accuracy, though.
Also, I'd strongly consider picking up power burst and slotting it for another powerful minion killer, especially if you follow SnipeFu's advice and respec in superspeed. Stealth+SS means you can close to point blank range without being seen (by most foes), and then you have two immediate minion kills. Snipe kills one, torrent+burst kills two, blast+bolt (on top of torrent damage) does a heavy number on #3, you should be sitting better.
What did I take at 26 to help fix up my build? Explosive blast. Because, its like EXPLOSIVE, man. It must be good.
I deliberately avoided reading guides or numbers on the forums until I leveled past 30. You can tell.
[Guide to Defense] [Scrapper Secondaries Comparison] [Archetype Popularity Analysis]
In one little corner of the universe, there's nothing more irritating than a misfile...
(Please support the best webcomic about a cosmic universal realignment by impaired angelic interference resulting in identity crisis angst. Or I release the pigmy water thieves.)
A question about knockback:
I'm not a very high level yet, but I've yet to have a problem with power push or power thrust knocking folks around (although a couple of them have landed standing up, which was cute).
I was wondering, for those more experienced: who won't get knocked over? I know there are enemies who're resistant -- who, or what, are they? In addition, I believe clocks have negative resistances to knockback -- is that right? If so, are there other enemies like that?
Thanks for the help,
Bow
As far as I know wolves and DE are resistant to KB. Certain others also, but more often than not you can knock anyone around especially with power push.
The Legion of Freedom
Snipe, didn't know if you could back this up for me. Recently discovered the Wonderful World of Total Focus. Power is REAL helpful post 40, when everything starts to annhilate blasters, stun the boss and take out everything else while he's woozy.
Anyways, anyone else notice an issue with after hitting with total focus, the target will not start acting woozy unless they're made to take a step? If they don't move they jsut continue to swing/shoot/etc. as if not affected.
Thanks bud
I don't have Total Focus because I'm /electric but if that is happening it is indeed a bug that should be reported. Maybe you have someone let you test it out in the arena and report back?
The Legion of Freedom
Memory lapse on the electric thing. Will update everyone on what I find out.
Well just the other day, I decided to take on 2 lvl 50 Circle of Thorns bosses. Now we all know how nasty one can be let alone two, especially for a blaster. I kept one on his a$$ by chaining PPs back to back while I arrested the other one using a combination of other things.
The Legion of Freedom