SnipeFu's Definitive Guide to Energy Blasters V3.0
By
Airhammer,
Posted on: 2004-11-09 13:44 in Player Guides
Thanks for the wonderful responses.
I noticed something very peculiar last night. I ran herostats for the first time and just tracked the damage output of my powers over time. I used torrent and explosive blast together almost all the time and in the end it told me that EB did more damage than ET. I know that as a general rule ET outdamages EB, I see the damage numbers over the enemies, but I will investigate further and report.
The Legion of Freedom
wow...i thought i was the only Energy/Electric blaster ever good to see i'm not alone 
Comments: i pretty much agree with everything you put except snipe, i have 1 acc and 5 damg, and it's part of my attack cycle, i find the time for a mob to get back up is about equal to snipes warmup time, i usually run Aim+Buildup-->Snipe-->Burst-->Blast-->Bolt-->Push-->Snipe etc
also i have burst 1 acc 2 range and 3 damages and it's still amazingly powerful and usable outside the risk of most PBAOE effects. with 1 range i had issues staying away form oppresive gloom/any AOE dmg aura etc. 2 fixed that right up.
And i can't stress how useful Stealth/SS combo is for an energy blaster because positioning is EVRYTHING. also the safety of not aggroing extra mobs when you toss one of them into a pack is useful.
I love energy by the way and Power pushing a level 1 when you have vanguard on is like punting a football.
Fury level 44 Energy/Electricity Blaster
Guardian Server
Fury 50 NRG/ELC Blaster
Alecto 23 MA/Reg Scrapper
Megarea 22 Ill/Storm Controller
Gloomwave 23 Warshade
Among many others...Part of Guardian's Evolution
G Handle: @Fury. with the period sigh
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And i can't stress how useful Stealth/SS combo is for an energy blaster because positioning is EVRYTHING. also the safety of not aggroing extra mobs when you toss one of them into a pack is useful.
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That's the truth. Getting Stealth/SS has completely changed my game and made it SO much better. I wouldn't ever do without it.
Wow I built my Blaster (as far as primary & power pools) almost exactly as you listed. I am going to change a few things at my next (Epic pool) respec.
I am going to try the 6 slotted Hover thing. I spend most of my time super speeding nowadays, I only need flight for hill climbing, so to speak. So I will drop Fly & try your method. I have one more respec if I don't care for it after a few weeks.
I am going to replace the acc I have in Nova with a dam, so it will be slotted dam/dam/dam/dam/rech/rech. When I Nova reds they have a sliver of life if I don't have aim & build up ready, this may fix that.
I am going to CONSIDER getting Power Push. I will try it on test after respec, but I have avoided this one for a while.
Now, I disagree on Explosive Blast. It is a great power in my book. Slotted acc/dam/dam/dam/dam/dam, it is very effective when combined with Energy Torrent for mob killing. It just requires proper angle on the attack. It is also good as a 4th 'nuke' in certain situations, & it has a fast animation so you can fire the next attack quickly.
Just wanted to say that Snipe-Fu is a damn fine En blaster and you would be hard pressed to find a better person to write this guide. I recently teamed with him (second time, but the first was a loooong time ago) after sending out a broadcast request for help to take down a +1 Nemesis (the AV) and he just said 'As long as you keep agro I'll kill him' - well, I did, and he did, extremely quickly. Nice to see someone that knows what they are doing at work (working with a non-provoking tanker can tax an En blaster), and writing a guide like this.
Warspite
Lv 44 Inv/SS
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hence I know a lot about powers and snipe. My point is that you can get Snipe off in the middle of battle because if there is a will there is a way and you can do it without interrupt enhancements.
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I concur. I have always been able to get off at least one or two snipe shots in a battle without interruption.. Of course I also use hover to my advantage in battle as well.
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-
Being a level 50 NRG/NRG blaster. I am enjoying reading over this and finding almost everything here accurate. I go with Ms KNight on the 3dmg/3Recharge on Nova. With Hasten I nova ever 2 minutes and 30 seconds. without the Recharges it was close to 3:30 between uses.
I found that the recharge time on it outweighs the slightly decreased damage which can easily be compensated by Red Skittles as i like to call em. I do also use SS + Stealth to manuever. But have kept both fly and hover both however have movement speed in them.
The only reason I can see to Keep fly is , impatience in my case, and my own personal use of GROUP FLY in the Shadow Shard, with 2 Movements in it, it has a pretty good flight rate, and if you Auto follow one of your group members instead of them following you no outdistancing.
on Build up/AIM/Sniper,
I compiled this data here one night at 3am when I was bored in a Portal mission with nice squishy no ranged attack werewolves, in an attempt to better my effeciency
LVL 44
Sniper
DMG 45+
DMG 45+
DMG 45+
DMG 45+
DMG 45+
Damage Solo
White Con LT, Beta Werewolf
253 E, 96 S
Damage With Build Up
White Con LT
344 E, 131 S
Damage with Build Up/AIM
358 E, , 136 S
Damage with AIM
309 E, 117 S
Now this is the same test with 6 damage
LVL 44
Sniper
DMG 45++ x 6
Yellow Con: LT / Nemesis lvl 44
Damage Solo
354 E / 135 S = 489
Damage With Build Up
430 E / 163 S = 593
Damage with Build Up/AIM
430 E / 163 S= 593
Damage with AIM
422 E/160 S = 582
Don't pay as much attention to the actual numbers as we are dealing with different levels of Resistance to damage, ((the werewolves i was targetting had dark armor on them))
Mostly pay attention to what the Cap is and how much difference there is between using Build up AND AIM, vs Just build up.
What I found is that I can instead with a few red skittles, Cycle my build up and AIM. Build Up Sniper, and follow up shot as needed. then AIM and follow up shot which is usually needed, Rinse and Repeat
Hope this adds something to the excellent posts above
@PlasmaStream
"Big Bada Boom(tm)!"
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http://GuardianForce.Guildportal.com - Virtue
Niska: Are you Familiar with the works of Shan Yu?
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Being a level 50 NRG/NRG blaster. I am enjoying reading over this and finding almost everything here accurate. ..I do also use SS + Stealth to manuever. But have kept both fly and hover both however have movement speed in them.
The only reason I can see to Keep fly is , impatience in my case...
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So you feel the ease of maneuverability with fly outweighs the speed and defense of combat jumping/sj/acrobatics?
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Being a level 50 NRG/NRG blaster. I am enjoying reading over this and finding almost everything here accurate. ..I do also use SS + Stealth to manuever. But have kept both fly and hover both however have movement speed in them.
The only reason I can see to Keep fly is , impatience in my case...
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So you feel the ease of maneuverability with fly outweighs the speed and defense of combat jumping/sj/acrobatics?
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In my case? yes. But it is also a matter of playing style. Being a roleplayer ((::waits to be crucified:) I found flight made more sense to the character when I first began play.
In retrospect as I look over all the levels, and listen to alot of people that I know and leveled with. With my current build..as it was, never Respecing (except onceto remove bone smasher)). I can only say this:
I have never hit the debt cap
I have never recieved more than 2 Bubbles of Debt (close but not quite)
My debt has never exceeded 300K at any one point in time.
If you snipe the thing that can hold you while you are stealthed then it can't hold you.
Over all. It is all about play style. by all means Acrobatics/SJ/CJ is ideal for ultimate defense, but i run with 3 slotted Stealth, 1 Defense in hover and have little problems. 3 slotted swift more than compensates for the stealth decrease in speed and then some.
My choice was Hover/flight. Both of which only post 42 began to get Slots for speed.
So ultimately, its an opinion of which you feel better suits your play style and character. Just sayin what worked for this gal.
Edit: It should be noted a few of my choices will probably change when the Epic Power Pools are fully published and I have time to analyze which will fit the build of the character. At current, epic fire manipulation sounds likely. It depends on the two unlisted powers, but rise of the phoenix would be a nice addition.
@PlasmaStream
"Big Bada Boom(tm)!"
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http://GuardianForce.Guildportal.com - Virtue
Niska: Are you Familiar with the works of Shan Yu?
Warspite, thanks for the compliment bro. You were pretty damn good at tanking that AV yourself it was great teamwork.
Plasma Stream, thanks for the great info. I'll see you on top of the lvl 50 mountain soon!
Jury Duty, as far as the combat jumping/SJ/Acrobatics ticket is concerned I feel this way about it. Remember this all my opinion. Taking 3 powers to get some protection is not really worth it. Acrobatics only really protects against KB and similar things. Super Jump ios not the best travel power for a blaster, and combat jumping gives you a 5% defense and is not useful otherwise really. Hover gives you the same 5% defense bonus and protects against KB, you don't get Knocked down, you just do a little flip and are ready to keep blasting really quickly. I feel that for a blaster SS and FLight are by far the best travel pool powers.
The Legion of Freedom
This is a well written guide Snipe-Fu
Just curious when I tested out Aim I got a 62.5% Damage Boost. I tested vs. 2 sets of opponents neither of which had any known resistances to Smashing and/or Energy.
It's in this thread
@Deadboy
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A suggestion and a question...
Suggestion: For each power above would you add a line under Range: that says Suggested Slotting: and then list your suggested slotting? You may even have to do a couple of these for each one as sometimes it depends on the build, but I think that would be nice for a quick reference.
For instance for Energy Torrent:
Suggested Slotting: 1 Accuracy, 1 Cone Ext, 4 Damages
Suggested Slotting (Device Blasters): etc, etc.
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DONE!
also added a little more info on nova's damage structure.
The Legion of Freedom
Snipe! Wherever did you get that insightful information on Nova? Whoever found that should get some gold stars! 
but i already gave you five stars knight! heh thanks for getting the info on nova
The Legion of Freedom
TY!
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Another addition to "Jousting" - If you can time it right, hit jump right as the animation starts going. Most (all?) attack powers require you to stop and execute the animation. However, if your airborn, you'll continue along your path. It works even better with ranged attacks, no matter how short the range is.
With Super Speed and Super Jump, I've been able to hit melee attacks, and land 100 yards away right as the animation finishes.
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This is a great tactic! I use it to keep all the the baddies bouncing towards my melee teamates, instead of away from them , I just thought Id add that if timed right you can skip the animation for build-up, the trick is to get it to execute while your in mid air 
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A suggestion and a question...
Suggestion: For each power above would you add a line under Range: that says Suggested Slotting: and then list your suggested slotting? You may even have to do a couple of these for each one as sometimes it depends on the build, but I think that would be nice for a quick reference.
For instance for Energy Torrent:
Suggested Slotting: 1 Accuracy, 1 Cone Ext, 4 Damages
Suggested Slotting (Device Blasters): etc, etc.
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DONE!
also added a little more info on nova's damage structure.
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Thank you! This makes it even easier to remind yourself of what to slot at a glance. Best thread ever!
Hey snipe, I must say this is an excellent guide. One thought I imagine but am not clear on, do interrupt reducers reduce the actual animation time on snipe or just the period in which you can be interrupted?
If it reduces animation time it makes interrupt reducers a more viable slotting option when used as an opener or even in combat. With build up and/or aim as you would have more time to fire off some more attacks that will be boosted by these buffs.
unfortunately baddy it only reduces interrupt time, but that is still pretty sweet considering how easy it is to be interrupted within the 6 second time frame and that you're free to move around after 2 seconds for the rest of the animation.
The Legion of Freedom
Very nice guide. I haven't used my Energy blaster much since just before issue 2 came out, but with epic PPs I think I will try some respec options, this guide has given me a couple of things to try out (mainly interupt time reducer on snipe)
On the subject of Acro/SJ/CJ, this is my current setup mainly because CJ gives you added resistance to imobalize and costs very little end, plus I like to ping about a bit during combat, and Acro also gives you some protection against holds (very useful in the 40+ game). Oh, and I love SJ, it is just fun
The BIG advantage of hover is keeping out of mele range outdoors, and makes target selection very easy. Main problem is it isn't so good indoors.
When I respec I am torn between the two. Hmm
tagging for favorites and thanks for the info.
wut/where can i find a good ene manip guide to go with this build?
hello?
Pulsewave's Energy Manipulation Guide
Here ya go!
Wow! Amazing thread for its detail and options. I was already using power burst with the jousting though I didn't know it was called that because it's the only real way to get the blast off and not be in melee range long enough to get hit. I would like to add that my favorite opening attack has to be snipe, but when I face a boss, it's total focus all the way. My god that power is awesome! I have it six slotted, five damage, and 1 accuracy. What I like to do is use aim, joust the boss with total focus, use power burst, power blast ( hopefully still with aim up), then hit build up and snipe, by this time the disorient usually wears off so then I use whatever blast is up, and that usually finishes them off if not sooner. I have noticed that I can take on bosses like this without them even getting a shot off. The disorient on total focus is amazing almost 100% if you hit...some bosses resist albeit rarely, and that damage of that attack is insane.