Warshade Three Form Guide Updated

Kyrin · 02-22-2005 09:14 AM

Overview

This guide and build is geared for Warshades who want to utilize all three forms. The build that I use is not the best and nowhere near perfect but it fits my playstyle and I have fun with it. Those who wish to use only one or two forms should still find some useful information in this guide.

Where possible, I have included numbers from other posts. As I get more information, I will make additions to this guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are Kheldians?
A: Kheldians are alien energy beings that have merged with a human host. There are two types of Kheldians: Peacebringers and Warshades.

Q: What are Warshades?
A: The Warshade represents the fusion of a human with a Kheldian who has undergone radical scientific experiments to become a Nictus, a being of pure darkness. Though most Nictus feed on the life forces of others, the Warshades have seen the error of their ways and wish to redeem themselves by acting as legitimate heroes in the fight against their dark brethren.

Q: What is a Kheldians role?
A: The Kheldian role is that they can do a little of everything - and, on a full team, have a combination of defense and ranged offense that's second to none. (Statesman)

Q: How do I get access to a Kheldian?
A: When you hit level 50, it will unlock the Kheldian archetype. You can then make a new character with that archetype in any of your empty character slots.

Q: What happens to my level 50 character?
A: Nothing happens to your level 50 character. You do not lose it.

Q: Do I have to start a Kheldian on the same server where I have my level 50 character?
A: No, you can make a Kheldian on any server now.

Q: What enhancements can a Warshade use?
A: Warshades can use the same Enhancements as Science Heroes.

Q: What power sets do Warshades have access to?
A: Warshades have access to a single Primary Offenssive Set, Umbral Blast. The Secondary Set is Umbral Aura, which gives them access to defensive abilities like Twilight Shield, Eclipse and Stygian Return. Kheldian primary Power Sets have fourteen powers. Their Secondary Sets each have twelve powers.

Q: What is Dark Sustenance and how does it work?
A: Kheldians get an inherent power that allows them to gain in strength as they group with other Heroes. Warshades amplify what a team is already good at. Teaming with Tankers and Defenders will increase the defense of a Warshade, and teaming with Scrappers and Blasters will increase their offensive potential. Also, Warshades will gain resistance to Mez-type attacks (Sleeps, Holds, Stuns, and Immobilizes) when grouped with Controllers.

Q: Why cant Kheldians take teleport or flight pools?
A: Kheldians cannot take the Flight or Teleport Power Pools. Peacebringers have Fly as an inherent power at Level 1, and Warshades have Teleport. Later on, Warshades get Recall Friend as an inherent power and can pick Teleport Foe from their primary power set.

Q: Do Kheldians get access to Ancillary Power Pools?
A: No.

Q: What is shapeshifting?
A: Kheldians retain the patterns of their past hosts, and can use these patterns to transform themselves into energy-based duplicates of those creatures, gaining new abilities in the process. The Dark Nova and Black Dwarf powers allow Warshades to change their entire shape, and to access several additional powers.

Q: What is Dark Nova?
A: The Dark Nova power transforms a Warshade into duplicates of alien beings from the center of a gas giant. They make very effective Blasters. Dark Nova form has inherent flight, accuracy, endurance recovery, and get access to four ranged offensive powers. Two of these powers are area effect.

Q: What is Black Dwarf?
A: The Black Dwarf power transforms a Warshade into duplicates of creatures that exist on the surface of faraway stars. They are able to withstand damage with resistances rivaling Tankers. Black Dwarf form has inherent Teleport, Provoke, Sunless Mire (which works like Soul Drain) and three attacks. One of these attacks is a life drain allowing you to heal some damage in combat.

Q: What powers can I use when I switch to Nova and Dwarf form?
A: While in Nova or Dwarf form, you lose access to all other powers, including pool powers and inherent powers. Note: The effects or buffs and click powers like Hasten and Eclipse will carry over to Nova and Dwarf forms.

Q: Is there a hero planner that supports Kheldians?
A: Verxion has put a lot of time and effort into building a hero planner that works for Kheldians and other ATs. He is constantly making changes and updating the software. You can find his planner at www.joechott.com/coh/ or by searching for his posts.

My Build

This build that I am going to respect into when I hit level 50.
Currently, this is the build that I am going to respec into. As said earlier, this build is far from perfect but it works for me. I urge you to copy over to the training room and try out any power you are thinking about before purchasing them on the live servers.

Inherent : Shadow Step - Endurance Reduction
Inherent : Shadow Recall - Range

Level 1 : Absorption - Damage Resistance
Level 1 : Ebon Eye - Endurance Reduction, Damage (x2)
Level 2 : Gravity Shield - Endurance Reduction, Damage Resistance (x2)
Level 4 : Orbiting Death - Endurance Reduction
Level 6 : Dark Nova - Endurance Recovery (x5), To Hit Buff
Inherent : Dark Nova Bolt - Endurance Reduction
Inherent : Dark Nova Blast - Endurance Reduction
Inherent : Dark Nova Emmanation - Endurance Reduction, Damage (x5)
Inherent : Dark Nova Detonation - Endurance Reduction, Damage (x5)
Level 8 : Hasten - Recharge Reduction (x6)
Level 10 : Shadow Blast - Endurance Reduction, Damage (x5)
Level 12 : Sunless Mire - Recharge Reduction (x2)
Level 14 : Shadow Cloak - Endurance Reduction
Level 16 : Swift - Run Speed
Level 18 : Gravity Well - Endurance Reduction, Damage (x3), Accuracy, Hold
Level 20 : Black Dwarf - Endurance Recovery (x2), Damage Resistance (x4)
Inherent : Black Dwarf Step - Endurance Reduction
Inherent : Black Dwarf Strike - Endurance Reduction
Inherent : Black Dwarf Smite - Endurance Reduction, Damage (x5)
Inherent : Black Dwarf Drain - Endurance Reduction
Inherent : Black Dwarf Mire Recharge Reduction
Inherent : Black Dwarf Antagonize Accuracy, Taunt
Level 22 : Stygian Circle - Endurance Reduction
Level 24 : Nebulous Form - Endurance Reduction
Level 26 : Health - Healing
Level 28 : Inky Aspect - Endurance Reduction
Level 30 : Stamina - Endurance Recovery (x6)
Level 32 : Dark Extraction - Recharge Reduction (x3), Damage (x3)
Level 35 : Quasar Damage (x6)
Level 38 : Eclipse - Recharge Reduction (x5), Accuracy
Level 41 : Starless Step Accuracy
Level 44 : Twilight Shield Endurance Reduction
Level 47 : Penumbral Shield Endurance Reduction
Level 49 : Stygian Return Recharge Reduction

Powers

All offensive powers lower attack and movement speed. From experience as an ice tanker with Chilling Embrace, slow enhancers will not affect a targets attack speed but they will affect their movement speed. I would not slot any power with slow enhancers.

Warshades have a resistance cap of 85% regardless of the form they are in according to Gekos post in the training room. It is possible for a Warshade to hit the resistance cap with Eclipse and the shields.

Level 1: Dark Sustenance (Inherent) For each defender and tank on your team, your resistances will increase. For each blaster and scrapper on your team, your damage will increase. For each controller on your team, you gain some protection from status powers. You cant enhance this power and the range is limited. This power, like other auto powers, does not work when you shift form.

Level 1: Shadow Step (Inherent) This power works exactly the same as teleport. The player guides forum has several excellent guides and faqs on teleport. Also see the Binds and Trays section in this guide.

Level 1: Ebon Eye (Primary) - This attack does moderate damage and has a slightly higher recharge time than Shadow Bolt. I use this attack as a filler (or ranged brawl). I chose Ebon Eye because I liked the look. Its DPS is close to that of Shadow Bolt so you could always go with that instead.

Level 1: Absorption (Secondary) - This is automatic power gives you some resistance to Energy and Negative. I am not planning on slotting this power but combined with Twilight Shield, you do have decent resistance to energy and negative energy for those times when you do need it.

Level 2: Gravity Shield This toggle power gives you resistance to smashing and lethal damage. Slotting depends on how much you stay in human form and how much you plan to rely on Eclipse. For me, it was worth adding a few slots because most enemies you encounter will do smashing or lethal damage.

Level 4: Orbiting Death This toggle power does minor dot damage to those in melee range of you. When I first got this power it wasnt impressive and like many others I called it Orbiting Debt. At higher levels and with some slotting, it can be a reliable source of damage when soloing. It shines when combined with inky aspect, your pets and short range attacks. I don't use it much so I do not have it slotted though it is very good at drawing agro.

Level 6: Dark Nova This is your first shapeshift and it will allow you to level fairly quickly in groups or solo. The attacks on this form do damage comparable to a blaster. I use this form for soloing and situations where I need to do area effect damage. I slotted the base form with 5 endurance recovery enhancers and 1 to hit buff enhancer. I have no trouble hitting enemies above my level with the nova attacks. The two area effect powers are six slotted for damage allowing me to decimate minions with impunity.

Level ?: Shadow Recall (Inherent) This power works exactly the same as recall friend. I put a single range enhancer in this power. I learned the hard way that this power has a maximum range and increasing the range is more useful than endurance or recharge enhancers.

Level 8: Hasten Even though you cannot use this click power in your other forms, you can use it in human form and have its effects carry over. I went the perma-hasten route because I wanted to dish out as much damage as fast as possible, get out more pets and improve the recharge time on Eclipse and Unchain Essence.

Level 10: Shadow Blast This is one of my bread and butter attacks in human form. It does a lot more damage than Ebon Eye even though it is listed as moderate damage. Also, the animation time is fairly quick. Eventually, I plan to slot this power out but for now I rely on my pets in human.

Level 12: Sunless Mire This power works just like the Dark Melee Scrapper power, Soul Drain. For each enemy hit, this power will buff your damage and accuracy by 11%. It has a built in accuracy bonus. With and four recharge enhancers and perma-hasten, there is only a 8 second window when I am not buffed. In situations with large number of enemies, it will allow your damage powers to cap out. Also, you can shift to nova or dwarf form before the buff runs out.

Level 14: Shadow Cloak This toggle power increases your defense by 7.5% and offers some concealment from enemies. It comes in handy for sneaking thru missions, difficult fights where you want a defense bonus and those time when you want to make yourself less noticeable as well as for long range pulling. I use it and nebulous form to help me get into position so I can launch an attack before the enemy notices me. If the sound bothers you, Stealth is a viable alternative.

Level 16: Swift It was either Swift or Hurdle. The extra ground movement is more helpful to me in missions than being able to leap. If I need Z-axis movement, I can use teleport or nova form.

Level 18: Gravity Well This power is hard to get used to since most holds in the game are at range. I use this most often in conjunction with Inky Aspect. While the minions are disoriented, I will use Gravity Well to hold a LT and take them out first. Another use for it is to hold Quantum Gunners and Voids. A lot of times, I will use shadow cloak, nebulous form, or teleport to get next to my target and then I use Gravity Well. The hold has a relatively short duration.

Level 20: Black Dwarf This is your second shapeshift. According to Geok, the attacks in this form does more damage than tankers but less than scrappers. The base resistance is 45%. I use this form when I need to substitute as a tanker or for those occasions where I need good resistances and status protection. I also use this is the form to take out bosses after I softened them up with my human or nova form powers. I slotted the base power with 2 endurance recovery and 4 resistance enhancers. My total resistance is 81% against all damage except psionic. I also six-slotted the smite so I can take out enemies quickly and enhanced antagonize with an accuracy and taunt enhancer so I can hold agro a little better. When and if Sunless Mire works, you will be able to dish out a lot of damage.

Level 22: Stygian Circle - This power is awesome for reducing downtime. It can also serve as an emergency heal, provided you have defeated enemies around you. Its little or no slotting though you might want to consider slotting it with endurance reduction.

Level 24: Nebulous Form This power works like the phase shift from the concealment power pool. It also increases your jumping allowing. I use this power for scouting / blitzing missions and to get into position when taking out void or quantum gunners. When in nebulous form, your pets will still do damage. You can run into a group of enemies while in nebulous form, absorb an alpha strike then have the pets cut lose. Depending on the enemy, you can either switch form, attack in human form or just watch the fight.

Level 26: Health - I picked health to counteract the hit point loss of Inky Aspect.

Level 28: Inky Aspect This toggle power works like Oppressive Gloom from the dark armor scrapper secondary. It will disorient any minions around you. I like it because disoriented enemies are not damaging me. The power is fairly inaccurate so I am slotting this power with an accuracy enhancer. Also, the disorient doesnt last long so a disorient enhancer is being added as well. Keep in mind that you will lose some hit points for each enemy disoriented.

Level 30: Stamina I took stamina because the human form uses a lot of toggles and has some very expensive powers. Combined with Eclipse, you should have no endurance worries.

Level 32: Dark Extraction - The pets are awesome. They make things a lot easier especially for you no matter what form you are in. The pet can fly though not as fast as nova form. It does a decent amount of damage even with minimal enhancements. One of its attacks is an AE which will help you make mincemeat of enemies extremely fast. You do not lose the pet when you switch forms so it will always be around to increase your damage output. The pets last about the same amount of time as Dark Servants and the power has the same recharge. I have this power slotted with 3 recharge and 3 damage enhancers. With perma-hasten, I can keep 2 pets out easily.

Level 35: Quasar This power works well when used in combination with Eclipse, Sunless Mire and your other powers. You can devastate large groups as well as any blaster and on some teams outdamage them if you use Sunless Mire first. I will generally use Nebulous Form and/or teleport to close the distance and eat the initial alpha strike. I will then drop Nebulous Form and use Eclipse to buff my resistances. Then its Sunless Mire and Quasar. If anything is left, my pets can finish them off while I stand there with capped resistances.

In the past, I had Unchain Essence. This attack is the second highest damage dealing AE a Warshade has in human form. It also disorients enemies. It made a nice follow up to a blasters nuke but I dropped it because of the problems targeting corpses in the heat of battle and the fact that I would rather use the AEs in Nova form to clean up anything that is left after an initial attack.

Level 38: Eclipse I can't say enough good things about this power. I think every Warshade should take and slot this power as soon as possible. This melee AE can be used to regain endurance, drain endurance from enemies and buff your resistance. For each enemy hit, you will gain endurance and resistance. This power accepts damage, accuracy, resistance, end drain and end recovery enhancers. 5 recharge enhancers will allow you to keep the resistances until Eclipse recycles again and 1 accuracy enhancer so I can improve my chances to enemies. Like other click powers, the effects carry over to Nova and Dwarf Form. That means you can cap out your resists in Nova form to become a blaster with capped resistances. In dwarf form, you now have extra resistances for those few enemies who debuff resistance.

Level 41: Starless Step Unlike blasters, Warshades do not have a sniper attack. I picked teleport foe as an alternative for those times when I want to pull one enemy from long range.

Level 44: Penumbral Shield This power provides resistance to fire, toxic and cold damage. I am not planning to slot this power. Instead, I will rely on Eclipse to enhance my resistances.

Level 47: Twilight Shield - This power provides resistance to energy and negative energy damage. Like Penumbral Shield, I am not planning to slot this power. Instead, I will rely on Eclipse as well as the bonus from Absorption to enhance my resistances.

Level 49: Stygian Return I went with the self rez for the time being. I might change my mind and pick up another power instead. A lot depends of things shape up after Eclipse is fully slotted.

Numbers

These numbers have been taken from the large number of posts in this forum and the training room. A special thank you to all the people (Wulfbam, Paragonsentry, and numerous others) who took the time and effort to come up with these numbers.

Resitances Cap: According to Geko, Kheldians have a resistance cap of 85% in all forms.

Absorption: 13.5% resistance to energy and negative energy damage

Dark Sustenance: 10% bonus for each person on your team.

Dwarf Form: 45% resistance to all damage except psionic. Protection from status powers

Eclipse: It drains about 45 end from each enemy around you. It also stops enemies from recovering endurance but I am not sure for how long this lasts. The resistance buff is 9 - 11% per enemy. This power is awesome against large groups of minions and lts. You can easily cap out my resistances (even with the 30% penalty). That means its base recharge time is around 5 minutes and the duration is about 90 seconds.
Essence (and Black Dwarf) Drain: Heals 10% of your hit points

Gravity Shield: 27% resistance to smashing and lethal damage

Hasten: 5% defense. Check one of the many Perma-Hasten threads for numbers on how much this power increases your recharge speed.

Inky Aspect: Magnitude 2 disorient. This is enough to affect most minions if the attack hits.

Leadership Power Pool: Kheldians have around 10% base for all leadership powers, similiar to controllers.

Nova Form: 12.5% bonus to accuracy. Remember, To Hit Buffs enhancers work differently than Accuracy enhancers.

Penumbral Shield: 27% resistance to fire, cold and toxic damage

Shadow Cloak: 7.5% defense with an annoying sound. Stealth gives the same bonus but with a movement penalty and no annoying sound.

Stygian Circle: Heals about 20% for each minion, 30% for each lt, 40% for each boss and 50% for each av / monster that is in the area of effect

Sunless (and Black Dwarf) Mire: 11% bonus to accuracy and damage for each enemy hit

Tough: 18% resistance to smashing and lethal damage

Twilight Shield: 27% resistance to energy and negative energy damage

Brawl Index Numbers: Wufbam has done a lot of work coming up with numbers. They can be found in the Kheldian planner or by searching Wufbam's posts in the CoH Forums.

Slotting

I have an odd philosophy regarding slotting. Simply put, you dont have to six slot each and every power. Some powers only need one or two slots to make them effective while others (your bread and butter attacks) need more slots.

Also, several powers like Eclipse and Sunless Mire will help you save slots on your other powers. For example, you can use Eclipse to boost resistances and save yourself from slotting up all you toggle powers that provide resistances. A lot will come down to playstyle.

I would advise doing a respec trial and using the test server to figure out which powers to take and how much you need to slot them for the desired effect. This will keep you from wasting slots.

Leveling

In my opinion, there are four things you need to do to level fast and easy.

1) Avoid anything with high resistance to Negative Energy damage such as Banished Pantheon, Circle of Thorn spirits and Lost Souls. Such enemies won't fall quickly or easily which means there is a lot more risk in fighting them.

2) Use Nova and Dwarf Forms until you hit your high 20s or low 30s. Whether you solo or group, the forms make leveling a lot easier. If you don't like the forms, you can always respec out of them.

3) Learn to identify quantum gunners and voids. Blindly leaping into a pack of enemies to find out one of them is a quantum gunner is the easiest way to win a trip to the hospital.

4) Use all the experience you picked up playing your other characters. If you don't have experience as a tank, blaster or pet user then check one of the many guides for advice.

Once you hit level 32 and pick up the pets, things get a lot easier. Just stick with it, there is a light at the end of the tunnel (and it isn't a muzzle flash).

Trays and Keybinds

I use trays 1 and 2 for my human form powers. Tray 3 for nova form and tray 4 for dwarf form. This set up works well with the keybinds that I use.

Teleport Bind: Human Form
SHIFT+LBUTTON "powexec_name Shadow Step"

Teleport Bind: Black Dwarf Form
CRTL+LBUTTON "powexec_name Black Dwarf Step"

Switching to Human Form
NUMPAD1 "powexec_toggle_off dark nova$$powexec_toggle_off black dwarf$$goto_tray 2"

Switching to Human and Nebulous Form
/bind SUBTRACT "powexec_toggle_off dark nova$$powexec_toggle_off black dwarf$$goto_tray 2$$powexec_name Nebulous Form"

Switching to Dark Nova Form
NUMPAD2 "powexec_toggle_on dark nova$$goto_tray 3"

Switching to Black Dwarf Form
NUMPAD3 "powexec_toggle_on black dwarf$$goto_tray 4"

Final Words

Epic (adj.)
1. Of, constituting, having to do with, or suggestive of a literary epic
2. Surpassing the usual or ordinary, particularly in scope or size
3. Heroic and impressive in quality

Many people say that Warshades are not an Epic AT. If you define Epic as Uber then you're right. Warshades are not uber but they can be very fun and effective. Their versatility make them far from being an ordinary AT and their powers when used in certain combinations are extremely impressive.

Kheldians are not weak though builds that focus on one form are weaker at lower levels than builds that use two or three forms. Human form builds suffer the most at low levels.

With that said, Kheldians are not for everyone. It took me a while to get used to them and now I enjoy playing my Warshade more than my tankers.

Captain Booth - Necro / Storm Mastermind
Operative Cole - Soldier of Arachnos
Tango One - Fire / SS Tanker

Generic_Past · 02-22-2005 11:48 AM

Nicely done. As I sit here I'm typing up my PB's 2 form guide. Hopefully it turns out well

This space is intentionally left blank.

Viscount_Gareth · 02-23-2005 01:55 PM

Very well written and informative! Bravo!

/e clap

CGU:
Honor Harrison: 50 PB
CGS:
Capt. Arabella Blood: 50 Ice/Kin C
Maiden Might: 50 SS/INV B
Valentina Metis: 50 NW
Dark Falconayra: 45 EM/DA B
Imperiatrix: 45 Fire/Kin C
Fiona Flitterwing: 47 Ice/Kin C
Doc Electroshock: 43 SM/ELA B

Thorny_Toad · 02-24-2005 04:10 PM

Firstly, awesome guide. Very informative and unbiased. A few things I've noticed that I'd just like to add:

You might also want to point out that Nova form doesn't just have inherent fly. You have PERMA-fly. People who haven't played the squids yet might not realize that you literally CAN'T land, walk, run, etc. Also, the fact that this is the only flight that doesn't come with an Acc penalty (an Acc bonus even) might be worth mentioning.

showstealer · 02-27-2005 12:48 PM

I think since there aren't much guides out there, this will be really useful (not saying this as "this is a bad post, but it'll have to do ) great work

Ruby_Kick · 03-17-2005 11:05 PM

Are the Key Binds, correct? I tried, them and get Unknown Command for the Powerexec_name parts.

I'll admit I haven't played with key binding much. I can get it to switch the trays, but not the forms.

marqaha · 03-17-2005 11:13 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Are the Key Binds, correct? I tried, them and get Unknown Command for the Powerexec_name parts.

[/ QUOTE ]

The command is actually "powexec_name" or "powexecname". There's no "r" in it.

Meet my characters: Marqaha's Managerie
Adversity/Animosity: Strength through Diversity. Respect and Fun.

Ohms__NA · 04-11-2005 10:16 AM

Thanks tons. I've kept my altoholism in check long enough to get a character to lvl 50 and I'm in full on "Uhm... which Kheld should I roll up?" mode.

Raven_Akurei · 04-26-2005 09:33 AM

I just got my 'shade and this has been very helpful since I wanted to go the three form route. thanks for typing it all up!
I'd made some binds for shifting forms+ trays but I didn't know the command to specifically turn a toggle on or off. thanks for posting that!

Devolution · 05-01-2005 12:45 AM

Thanks for the guide and the insight - I was wondering if there as a viable three form build, and apparently there is! Kudos on the good work.

Pseudo_Nym · 05-02-2005 10:26 AM

Thanks for this guide, I just started a Warshade and this will come in very handy. Well done!

MysticArcane · 05-02-2005 01:28 PM

I am not sure if anyone else has noticed this, but I played with a team of 3 controllers and 3 blasters/scrappers and a defender. I did notice a small increase to my damage, but no noticable increase to my resistance, and I am not sure what the numbers for the status protection increases are, but I think it is around zero, because I was getting hold/sleep by a single attack... I was easily within 50 feet of my team, so I doubt I was outside the sustenance range, but then again, maybe not... does anyone know the range for it?
anyone else notice this?

Dr_Nice_Guy · 05-02-2005 01:31 PM

Hmm, if you were that close you most definetly were in it. I've heard of the max range to be anywhere from 175 ft to 250 ft, but i dunno, i've never actually tested it myself.

Bass_Akwards · 05-03-2005 02:23 PM

I want to thank you for this guide. Its definatly altered the effect on how I felt about my Warshade. I actually stopped playing him for a while because I didn't think they were any good until I read some of these guides. I started playing him in a whole new light!!! Those keybinds you supplied made a world of difference to my game play. Thank you again.

Bass.

iLurk · 05-03-2005 07:04 PM

I'm having problems with the bind to switch forms back to human

"powexec_toggle_off dark nova$$powexec_toggle_off black dwarf$$goto_tray 2"

This will switch me out of nova , but not out of dwarf .
The tray switches fine though . Has anyone else had this problem or did I screw something up ? This is for my PB so i substituted white for black and bright for dark .

"powexec_toggle_off Bright Nova$$powexec_toggle_off White Dwarf$$goto_tray 2"

any help would be muchly appreciated thanks =)

ExidorTheQuick · 05-03-2005 07:24 PM

Try "powexec_toggleoff dark nova$$powexec_toggleoff black dwarf". It works for me.

I should have stopped paying you as soon as I realized that you were using my money to change the PvE game I love into a PvP game. It was foolish of me to trust you to leave PvE intact.

_MuK_ · 05-14-2005 03:06 AM

Thanks, very helpful.

Harold_NA · 05-23-2005 03:31 AM

Brilliant Guide to Warshades - I have been involved in this game since its start and have taken the best part of a year to get a Mind/Rad Troller to SC50. Not easy but really the best!
So I chose a Warshade as there is some negative press about them and with this guide I feel I have a hed start on proving the detractors wrong.
Thanks you for all your insights on the powers etc - the personal view is very helpful.
Just to make it harder for myself though I may try without the dwarf option and see how I get on.

Brill Stuff!

The_Shield · 06-25-2005 05:41 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I'm having problems with the bind to switch forms back to human

"powexec_toggle_off dark nova$$powexec_toggle_off black dwarf$$goto_tray 2"

This will switch me out of nova , but not out of dwarf .
The tray switches fine though . Has anyone else had this problem or did I screw something up ? This is for my PB so i substituted white for black and bright for dark .

"powexec_toggle_off Bright Nova$$powexec_toggle_off White Dwarf$$goto_tray 2"

any help would be muchly appreciated thanks =)

[/ QUOTE ]

Try the names without capitalization. Sometimes its the little things that get ya on this binds.

ScorchingBlaze · 07-08-2005 08:14 AM

Hmm... on my binds I just have this:

/bind P "powexec_name Dark Nova$$goto_tray 1"
/bind [ "powexec_name Black Dwarf$$goto_tray 1"
/bind ] "powexec_name Dark Nova$$goto_tray 2"
/bind \ "powexec_name Black Dwarf$$goto_tray 3"

I use P and [ for switching back to human form from Nova and Dwarf, then the others for switching into those forms.

War_Head · 07-10-2005 08:47 AM

I'm very grateful for the guide and the hero planner you mentioned, but I'm still missing BIs for many attacks. Verxion's hero planner hasn't been updated since Feb, nor has he posted recently. Wufbam hasn't got any posts about Kheldians. I'm thinking that, post-Eclipse, a human form-only build would be most effective, but I can't tell how much less the base damage for human attacks is.

BTW, isn't the teammate bonus to damage for human form a percentage of base damage, capping at 400%? It would be sweet if it was an increase to the base damage, which would then make the 400% cap more damaging, rather than easier to reach.

Suisei · 07-10-2005 09:02 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I am not sure if anyone else has noticed this, but I played with a team of 3 controllers and 3 blasters/scrappers and a defender. I did notice a small increase to my damage, but no noticable increase to my resistance, and I am not sure what the numbers for the status protection increases are, but I think it is around zero, because I was getting hold/sleep by a single attack... I was easily within 50 feet of my team, so I doubt I was outside the sustenance range, but then again, maybe not... does anyone know the range for it?
anyone else notice this?

[/ QUOTE ]

Were you in human form? You didn't say you were or weren't, so it pays to ask.

Malakim · 07-10-2005 11:19 AM

Kyrin,

Firstly, wonderful post. Yours truely is one of the best guides out there.

I'd recommend altering one of your binds. Your bind for Human+Nebulous Form uses the "powexec_name Nebulous Form" bind. This works, but for those of us who use Nebulous Form often use it when in extreme danger. In that situation, I often keep pressing the key over and over again. This of course would turn the form on, then off again. Using "powexec_toggle_on Nebulous Form" would allow you to ensure that it gets turned on and stays on in case you accidently or in haste make more than the one keystroke.

Again, well done an a wonder guide.

Malakim

Malakim

-Playing since COH beta and still love the game!

NightKnight · 07-11-2005 12:23 PM

My WS is now 39, almost 40, and I basically followed this guide with a few minor changes.

I would like to make one suggestion for those just starting a WS and using this guide, since I wish I had thought of it before getting this far:

I know Shadow Cloak provides a small bit of defense, but a better choice might be to take Super Speed instead. Especially if you are already getting Hasten here.

First of all, both SS and SC will both give you roughly the same stealth level. So this is really no trade-off in this respect.

Secondly, SC actually slows your run speed whereas SS will increase your speed immensely.

SS will cost you slightly more end/sec, but I think it's certainly worth it for the speed benefit. I realized that this might be a good choice when doing some missions with SC and Nebulous Form on, along with Sprint... to click the glowies to complete a mission. It was soooo slow, and fellow teammates were Superspeeding all over the map as I was putting around. I figured that it would be much faster to trade SC out for SS, and still retain the full invisibility with a higher run speed. I could also leave sprint off now to make up for the added endurance cost (not that it would really be a factor with a 6-slot stamina).

So, if you are following this guide to the letter, please consider taking SS at 14 (exactly when it becomes available anyway) instead of Shadow Cloak, and never look back. I would also suggest slotting SS with a single end redux as it will already be plenty (or to some too) fast already. Actually, this is a very good travel power combination too for those that aren't big fans of TP. You have Phase Shift for complete safety, SS for arguably the second fastest travel power, and Nebulous gives you a semi-superjump (actually seems to be a capped Combat Jumping) good enough to get over just about any obstacle easily. If you ever get stuck and the jump height isn't enough, you always have TP or Nova fly to bail you out.

While I am at it, I would like to suggest another idea in regards to strategy. I fell in love with the concept of a double-mire, break into nova, rip stuff up. Well, as long as the mobs are in the +3 to +4 range or below and you get a decent hit % on your mires, I would suggest using either sunless or dwarf mire, going nova and blasting until mire fades, then drop out of nova and hit the other mire that you have available. Alternating them will give you longer periods of capped acc/dam since either one will cap you with enough mobs being hit. I find that 2 consecutive mires is usually a waste since the first already caps you when you hit enough mobs.

Starfire_One · 07-28-2005 03:42 PM

I am one of those strange people, I am making a "Pure Kheldian." I have taken no power pools, because I feel I do not need them. Anyway, I am currently level 33. This is my build. It works amazingly well. Oh, the things in Italics I haven't taken/added yet.

Exported from version 1.5A of CoH Planner
http://joechott.com/coh
Name: Shadowsinger
Archetype: Warshade
Primary Powers - Ranged : Umbral Blast
Secondary Powers - Support : Umbral Aura

01 : Absorption damres(01)
01 : Ebon Eye acc(01)
02 : Gravimetric Snare acc(02) dam(3) dam(3)
04 : Orbiting Death acc(04) dam(5) dam(5)
06 : Dark Nova thtbuf(06) endrec(9) endrec(15) endred(19) endred(42)
08 : Starless Step acc(08)
10 : Gravity Shield endred(10)
12 : Sunless Mire acc(12) endred(13) dam(36) dam(48)
14 : Shadow Cloak endred(14) defbuf(15) defbuf(27) defbuf(46)
16 : Penumbral Shield endred(16)
18 : Gravity Well acc(18) dam(19) dam(37) dam(48)
20 : Black Dwarf endrec(20) endred(21) damres(23) damres(25) damres(45)
22 : Stygian Circle endred(22) recred(37) hel(48)
24 : Nebulous Form endred(24) endred(50)
26 : Unchain Essence acc(26) recred(37) dam(50)
28 : Twilight Shield endred(28)
30 : Essence Drain acc(30) recred(31) hel(40) hel(50)
32 : Dark Extraction recred(32) recred(33) recred(33) recred(33) recred(34) recred(34)
35 : Stygian Return recred(35)
38 : Eclipse acc(38) recred(39) recred(39) recred(39) recred(40) recred(40)
41 : Quasar acc(41)
44 : Inky Aspect acc(44)
47 : Gravitic Emanation acc(47)
49 : Dark Matter Detonation acc(49)

-------------------------------------------

01 : Brawl acc(01)
01 : Sprint jmp(01)
02 : Rest recred(02)
01 : Shadow Step endred(01)
10 : Shadow Recall endred(10)
06 : Dark Nova Bolt dam(06) dam(17) dam(29) dam(46)
06 : Dark Nova Blast dam(06) dam(17) dam(29) dam(46)
06 : Dark Nova Emmanation dam(06) dam(7) dam(11) dam(13) dam(27) dam(42)
06 : Dark Nova Detonation dam(06) dam(7) dam(9) dam(11) dam(25) dam(42)
20 : Black Dwarf Strike acc(20) dam(36) dam(45)
20 : Black Dwarf Smite acc(20) dam(34) dam(45)
20 : Black Dwarf Mire acc(20) acc(23) dam(31) dam(43)
20 : Black Dwarf Drain acc(20) acc(21) hel(31) hel(43)
20 : Black Dwarf Step endred(20)
20 : Black Dwarf Antagonize acc(20) tntdur(36) tntdur(43)

Warshade Three Form Guide *Updated*

Warshade Three Form Guide Updated