City of Heroes: Live Forum Archive

How to Make an Anti-Stalker

Airhammer

By Airhammer,
Posted on: 2006-11-24 14:38 in Player Guides

 

Posted

Revision History
Version 0.0, Rough Draft published for public review: 11/8/06
Version 1.0, Final Draft: 11/24/06

Are you tired of going to Siren's Call and getting ganked by the first stalker that sees your squishy blaster butt? Or do you like to PvP but can't find a reliable partner or team. Well, look no further, because I have the build(s) for you.

An anti-stalker is a devices blaster designed specifically to hunt and kill opposing stalkers. It has the following characteristics:

* Stacked +perception powers (tactics and targeting drone)
* Movement hindrance powers (web grenade and caltrops)
* Great unsuppressed combat movement
* Fast activating blasts

It also has, in its variations:
* TP Foe and trip mines
* Cloaking device
* Acrobatics

The build does not rely on ranged mezzes such as freeze ray since most stalkers have mez protection and are unaffected by it. Sure, you can have it in your build to hold those villains who do not take acrobatics and do not carry breakfrees, but in my experience, freeze ray without an additional hold power, is situational.

So, without further ado, here are the builds. I present three variations, each with its specific strengths and weaknesses:

---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder - (http://sherksilver.coldfront.net/index.php)
---------------------------------------------
Name: Ice Devices Speed Build
Level: 50
Archetype: Blaster
Primary: Ice Blast
Secondary: Devices
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Ice Blast==> Acc(1) Dmg(3) Dmg(5) Dmg(9) Rechg(13) Rechg(34)
01) --> Web Grenade==> Acc(1) Range(31) Range(40) Rechg(43) Rechg(43) EndRdx(46)
02) --> Ice Bolt==> Acc(2) Dmg(3) Dmg(5) Dmg(9) Rechg(13) Rechg(34)
04) --> Caltrops==> Rechg(4) Rechg(31) Slow(37) Slow(40)
06) --> Aim==> Rechg(6) Rechg(7) Rechg(7) TH_Buf(17) TH_Buf(27) TH_Buf(34)
08) --> Combat Jumping==> Jump(8)
10) --> Targeting Drone==> EndRdx(10) EndRdx(11) TH_Buf(11) TH_Buf(15) TH_Buf(17)
12) --> Hurdle==> Jump(12) Jump(39) Jump(39)
14) --> Super Jump==> Jump(14) Jump(15)
16) --> Swift==> Run(16) Run(39) Run(40)
18) --> Bitter Ice Blast==> Acc(18) Dmg(19) Dmg(19) Dmg(23) Rechg(29) EndRdx(33)
20) --> Stamina==> EndMod(20) EndMod(21) EndMod(21)
22) --> Acrobatics==> EndRdx(22) EndRdx(23)
24) --> Hasten==> Rechg(24) Rechg(25) Rechg(25)
26) --> Assault==> EndRdx(26) EndRdx(27)
28) --> Tactics==> EndRdx(28) EndRdx(29)
30) --> Super Speed==> Run(30) EndRdx(31)
32) --> Ice Storm==> Acc(32) Slow(33) Slow(33) EndRdx(46)
35) --> Blizzard==> Dmg(35) Dmg(36) Dmg(36) Rechg(36) Rechg(37) Rechg(37)
38) --> Cloaking Device==> EndRdx(38)
41) --> Personal Force Field==> DefBuf(41) DefBuf(42) DefBuf(42) Rechg(42) Rechg(43)
44) --> Temp Invulnerability==> DmgRes(44) DmgRes(45) DmgRes(45) EndRdx(45) EndRdx(46)
47) --> Force of Nature==> Rechg(47) Rechg(48) Rechg(48) DmgRes(48) DmgRes(50) DmgRes(50)
49) --> Freeze Ray==> Acc(49) Hold(50)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> EndRdx(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
01) --> Defiance==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Rechg(2)
---------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder - (http://sherksilver.coldfront.net/index.php)
---------------------------------------------
Name: Sirens Fighter Bomber
Level: 50
Archetype: Blaster
Primary: Fire Blast
Secondary: Devices
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Fire Blast==> Acc(1) Dmg(3) Dmg(5) Dmg(7) Rechg(9) Rechg(15)
01) --> Web Grenade==> Acc(1) Immob(37) Range(43)
02) --> Fire Ball==> Acc(2) Dmg(3) Dmg(5) Dmg(7) Rechg(9) Rechg(17)
04) --> Caltrops==> Rechg(4) Rechg(40) Slow(43)
06) --> Combat Jumping==> Jump(6)
08) --> Hurdle==> Jump(8) Jump(34) Jump(34)
10) --> Targeting Drone==> EndRdx(10) EndRdx(11) TH_Buf(11) TH_Buf(17) TH_Buf(34)
12) --> Aim==> Rechg(12) Rechg(13) Rechg(13) TH_Buf(46) TH_Buf(46)
14) --> Super Jump==> Jump(14) Jump(15)
16) --> Swift==> Run(16)
18) --> Blaze==> Acc(18) Dmg(19) Dmg(19) Dmg(23) Rechg(23) EndRdx(25)
20) --> Stamina==> EndMod(20) EndMod(21) EndMod(21)
22) --> Cloaking Device==> EndRdx(22)
24) --> Assault==> EndRdx(24) EndRdx(25)
26) --> Tactics==> EndRdx(26) EndRdx(27) EndRdx(27)
28) --> Trip Mine==> Acc(28) Acc(29) Dmg(29) Dmg(31) Dmg(31) Rechg(33)
30) --> Teleport Foe==> Acc(30) Range(31) Range(33) Range(50)
32) --> Acrobatics==> EndRdx(32) EndRdx(33)
35) --> Blazing Bolt==> Rechg(35) Dmg(36) Dmg(36) Dmg(36) IntRdx(37) Rechg(37)
38) --> Inferno==> Dmg(38) Dmg(39) Dmg(39) Rechg(39) Rechg(40) Rechg(40)
41) --> Personal Force Field==> DefBuf(41) DefBuf(42) DefBuf(42) Rechg(42) Rechg(43)
44) --> Temp Invulnerability==> EndRdx(44) EndRdx(45) DmgRes(45) DmgRes(45) DmgRes(46)
47) --> Force of Nature==> Rechg(47) Rechg(48) Rechg(48) DmgRes(48) DmgRes(50) DmgRes(50)
49) --> Teleport==> Range(49)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> EndRdx(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
01) --> Defiance==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Rechg(2)
---------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder - (http://sherksilver.coldfront.net/index.php)
---------------------------------------------
Name: Sirens Raptor
Level: 50
Archetype: Blaster
Primary: Fire Blast
Secondary: Devices
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Fire Blast==> Acc(1) Dmg(3) Dmg(5) Dmg(7) Rechg(9) Rechg(15)
01) --> Web Grenade==> Acc(1) Immob(36) Rechg(37) Range(37) EndRdx(46)
02) --> Fire Ball==> Acc(2) Dmg(3) Dmg(5) Dmg(7) Rechg(9) Rechg(15)
04) --> Caltrops==> Rechg(4) Rechg(37) Slow(43) Slow(46)
06) --> Combat Jumping==> Jump(6)
08) --> Hurdle==> Jump(8) Jump(31) Jump(34)
10) --> Targeting Drone==> EndRdx(10) EndRdx(11) TH_Buf(11) TH_Buf(17) TH_Buf(36)
12) --> Aim==> Rechg(12) Rechg(13) Rechg(13) TH_Buf(36) TH_Buf(40)
14) --> Super Jump==> Jump(14) Jump(17)
16) --> Swift==> Run(16)
18) --> Blaze==> Acc(18) Dmg(19) Dmg(19) Dmg(23) Rechg(25) EndRdx(31)
20) --> Stamina==> EndMod(20) EndMod(21) EndMod(21)
22) --> Acrobatics==> EndRdx(22) EndRdx(23)
24) --> Assault==> EndRdx(24) EndRdx(25)
26) --> Tactics==> EndRdx(26) EndRdx(27) EndRdx(27)
28) --> Hasten==> Rechg(28) Rechg(29) Rechg(29)
30) --> Super Speed==> EndRdx(30) Run(31)
32) --> Blazing Bolt==> Acc(32) Dmg(33) Dmg(33) Dmg(33) IntRdx(34) Rechg(34)
35) --> Cloaking Device==> EndRdx(35)
38) --> Inferno==> Dmg(38) Dmg(39) Dmg(39) Rechg(39) Rechg(40) Rechg(40)
41) --> Char==> Acc(41) Acc(42) Hold(42) Hold(42) Rechg(43) Rechg(43)
44) --> Fire Shield==> EndRdx(44) EndRdx(45) DmgRes(45) DmgRes(45) DmgRes(46)
47) --> Rise of the Phoenix==> Rechg(47) Rechg(48) Rechg(48) DisDur(48) DisDur(50)
49) --> Vengeance==> Range(49)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> EndRdx(1) Run(50) Run(50)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
01) --> Defiance==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Rechg(2)
---------------------------------------------

The first build is really the most straight forward. You rely on quick movement, hasten and the ability see stalkers to find them, web grenade them so they don't jump away and fire your blasts before they can get away.

The second build is a build incorporating tp foe and trip mine. You can opt to take acrobatics instead of cloaking devices pre level 30. However, I prefer cloak and play with a significant hole in my defenses. Part of the reason why is that I prefer to have an option to deal with MMs. A cloaked dev blaster utilizing tp foe is quite nasty for a MM. I find that I often have to get rid of the MMs first before I can concentrate on the stalkers. A MM is too dangerous an adversary to leave alone and a well played one can take multiple heroes to take down.

The third build is a variation of the first except with fire instead of ice. Fire blast -> fire ball -> blaze is just as fast as Bitter ice blast -> ice blast -> ice bolt. Fire also suppresses hide longer due to the fact that its attacks also inflict a damage over time after the initial hit.

Okay, some possible questions:

1. Why 1 accuracy in the build instead of 2? Mostly because you can. I've tested the above builds pretty extensively and the only builds I have trouble hitting consistently without aim are SR stalkers with their passives slotted or stalkers that have their tier 9s running. The builds above ARE dependent on Aim to hit opposition but I find that even without it that my accuracy is pretty good. It is completely a legitimate design decision to go with 2 acc in every attack. That with targeting drone gets you past a lot of defenses. I went with an approach that emphasized increased recharge and some end redx (a more balanced approach). My builds are also targeted for the Siren's Call levels (so they mature around level 34ish). In SC, 1 accuracy enhancement is probably enough. At RV, you'd probably want two accuracies in each attack though you'd have to get by with slower recharge and often times more end usage.

2. Why leaping instead of teleport as a travel power? Teleport can be used effectively but I find that it is a difficult power to use when pursuing foes. Stalkers run! TP is a great power to use to get the jump on someone but I find leaping from behind a stalker's point of view just as effective. Leaping can be suppressed by opposition web grenades, so the tactic that you yourself can use to devastating effect can be turned back on you. Now, with that said, I've gotten a lot of PMs that swear by TP as a travel power for PvP. TP has no suppression and offers a way to escape away from almost any bad situation (you've been hit with a rad debuff or had a -fly, -jump applied against you). This may be a play style choice issue. I simply find leaping more straight forward to my style of play; however, I do acknowledge that tp (especially when bound to a mouse key) can be fast and just as effective.

3. How good are web grenades? In PvP, they're nasty. Unless a stalker has another form of travel (the vast majority have leaping), you can keep them from leaping away and watch them run / leap away at a crawl. Web grenades have -jump, -fly and -spd. It grounds leapers and fliers but does not affect tpers or super speeders. Rooting them will give you plenty of time to hit them with your blasts. For super speeders, you will need to use caltrops which can prevent them from running away unless they are buffed with speed bosot.

4. How good is the +perception of tactics and targeting drone? Pretty good. It allows me to see stalkers just using hide as plain as day and enable me to also see stalkers using hide + stealth pretty easily. The stalkers I can't see well are those using hide + invisibility. Targeting drone and tactics allow you to see them at around 10'. However, even with this limitation, you can often get stalkers by using the following tactics:

a) Wait for them to attack first. Stalkers toggle off invisibility and toggle on hide, allowing them to be visible a second before they attack. You can often hit them first with a quick blast and ruin their AS and their hide. Follow up with a web grenade to root them in place.

Comment from DarkMaster on this tactic (which offers a better alternative to deal with this scenario):

[ QUOTE ]

Fury, just to add, it's MUCH better to simpy lay down a bed of caltrops at theirr feet at this point. It's a fast activation too, so no worries there.

First, if it's a high +def build......you WON'T run the off chance of "missing" and recieving a full AS to the kisser. Second, after you've completely messed up their AS and taken them out of Hide, now they are "slowed" and unable to escape as easily!

If you quickly toss down Caltrops, then follow up with a Web Nade, even if you are placated, there's a good chance they'll still be around for you to finish off


[/ QUOTE ]

b) There's a weird graphics bug that allows stalkers using hide + invisibility that allows them to be seen at a great distance but not be seen as you get closer. It has something to do with the client not fully loading your opponent's effects. Anyways, its an advantage until the devs fix it. I use it as an early warning signal to let me know that a stalker is in the vicinity. I can usually just hop around and see if I can spot the stalker within 10'. I've gotten a lot of stalkers this way who think that invisibility plus hide renders them entirely invisible.

5. Why fire and ice blast? Fire and ice are just the fastest activating blasts. There's nothing wrong with the other blast sets, but there's no arguing that fire and ice are just faster. This is important because you need to take down a stalker quickly before they jump / tp / run out of your perception and before the -jump / -fly in your web grenade runs out. Fire also has the benefit of an additional damage over time, which helps suppress hide longer. Fire is my preferred primary for this build.

Also, you'll note that I purposely stay around from certain attack powers: fire breath and frost breath. These powers are great in PvE and I would recommend them in that setting. However, in a PvP setting, they leave a lot to be desired. Though they do good damage and are situationally useful against MMs, they will root you in place while the animation finishes. The whole reason why you go fire or ice blast is to get fast activating attacks. You defeat the whole point of that if you take slow animating powers. This is also the reason why I dislike energy and sonic blast for this type of build (though they could work). Energy and sonic blast have slow animating, short range, heavy damage attacks (power burst and shout respectively). The attacks do respectfully damage but compared to how fast blaze and bitter ice blast animates, the two blasts are very inferior and will often leave you susceptible to attack.

6. So how effective is this build in a group? Very effective. In a team, you act as a scout, protecting your teammates from getting AS'ed. The ability to see a stalker setting up to use an AS is invaluable. I've saved many a teammate by hurling a well timed fire blast just before the stalker was able to get off his attack.

7. How do you do against teleporting stalkers? These are the most frustrating opponents to fight quite honestly because while I have no problems finishing off stalkers that stick around (because they're hit with a -jump or -fly), a teleporting stalker is out of your perception within two teleport hops. The only way I've been able to get a tp'ing stalker is by following them as they tp and hope they tp in a straight line and not in a zig zag pattern that most experienced stalkers use. If they tp badly, you can often launch one or two more blasts to finish them off. The really skilled players that teleport well are difficult to kill (for just about anybody).

8. How good is this build solo? Very good. It's designed to be a solo zone PvP build. I leveled up this build because I wanted an option to go and PvP at any time without needing to get teammates or SG mates. You are much better teamed (which is true of any AT), but much like your stalker opponent, you can do quite well solo. Also, given the fact that most solo villain PvPers are stalkers, you always have an adversary to hunt. Against a well organized villain team, get a team of your own.

9. Why do recommend using a blaster as an anti-stalker as opposed to other ATs that also have +perception in their power sets? A couple of reasons. First, a blaster build can concentrate on getting offensive powers and little or no defensive ones. Blasters at the Siren's Call levels can have pretty well rounded attack chains (aim + 3 blasts) with utility powers, a travel power and tactics (for that second level of +perception). Other ATs also have to pick up defensive powers and often have their heavy hitting attack after level 30. Remember level 30 is important, because I consider Siren's Call the stalker hunting grounds and powers above level 30 are not usable at Siren's Call.

Second, devices blasters have access to web grenade and caltrops, the two powers that have the best chance at slowing down a fleeing stalker. Many other ATs can hit and see opposing stalkers but have few, if any, tools to slow them down so they can be finished off. Sure, you can buy temporary web grenades, but they not only run out but they cannot be slotted with either accuracy, range or recharge.

I hope you find this guide useful and informative. Please note that by following this guide you will not be given the ability to kill stalkers at will. Some stalkers are just great players and you'll have a hard time killing them regardless of what they happen to be playing at the time. However, it will give you a fighting chance and great tools in at least putting yourself at an equal footing.

Happy Hunting!

FF

 

Posted

Interersting Guide.. thanks for sharing this..

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-

 

Posted

Hi all,

This is a small update to this guide.

Below is a build for issue 8 in anticipation of upcoming buffs to both fire and devices.

1. Taser to have a 20' range. A ranged stun is just too good not to have. No need to slot for duration in PvP, just enough to drop toggles like rad debuffs and opposing acrobatics. It won't help you against stalkers (unless they forget to click on their mez clicky), but it will help you against most everything else. I anticipate taser being able to take range enhancements. It's noted in the build.

2. Blaze to get to a 40' range. Honestly, the build even on live (with the 20' range) is pretty darn good. Now, the build will be even better.

3. This build is built more for RV, but should do well in other zones. In this build I have dropped tp foe and trip mine to make room for taser. Rain of fire in the build is your anti-MM deterrent as is inferno. It's always nice to have these in the builds because in RV, you face a lot more things than stalkers.

4. Since there wasn't enough pool for medicine, I opted for cold mastery: hibernate as a combo heal and phase shift. Snow storm is just nasty. Slap that on a stalker and throw a web grenade and the stalker (unless he has tp) isn't going anywhere.

5. As I noted above in the main guide body, ice can be substituted for fire. I still prefer the ranged stun of taser to freeze ray only because acrobatics counters the hold of freeze ray while taser will stun a character through it.

---------------------------------------------
Exported from Ver: 1.7.6.0 of the CoH_CoV Character Builder - (http://sherksilver.coldfront.net/index.php)
---------------------------------------------
Name: RV Fire - Devices PvP
Level: 50
Archetype: Blaster
Primary: Fire Blast
Secondary: Devices
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Fire Blast==> Acc(1) Acc(3) Dmg(5) Dmg(7) Dmg(9) Rechg(34)
01) --> Web Grenade==> Acc(1) Acc(17) Range(37) Range(37) Rechg(39) EndRdx(40)
02) --> Fire Ball==> Acc(2) Acc(3) Dmg(5) Dmg(7) Dmg(9) Rechg(27)
04) --> Caltrops==> Rechg(4) Rechg(36) Slow(37) Slow(39)
06) --> Combat Jumping==> Jump(6)
08) --> Hurdle==> Jump(8) Jump(36) Jump(36)
10) --> Targeting Drone==> EndRdx(10) EndRdx(11) TH_Buf(11) TH_Buf(15) TH_Buf(17)
12) --> Aim==> Rechg(12) Rechg(13) Rechg(13) TH_Buf(40) TH_Buf(43) TH_Buf(43)
14) --> Super Jump==> Jump(14) Jump(15)
16) --> Swift==> Run(16) Run(39) Run(40)
18) --> Blaze==> Acc(18) Acc(19) Dmg(19) Dmg(23) Dmg(23) EndRdx(25)
20) --> Stamina==> EndMod(20) EndMod(21) EndMod(21)
22) --> Assault==> EndRdx(22) EndRdx(43)
24) --> Tactics==> EndRdx(24) EndRdx(25)
26) --> Acrobatics==> EndRdx(26) EndRdx(27)
28) --> Taser==> Acc(28) Acc(29) Range(29) Range(31) Rechg(46) Rechg(48)
30) --> Hasten==> Rechg(30) Rechg(31) Rechg(31)
32) --> Inferno==> Dmg(32) Dmg(33) Dmg(33) Rechg(33) Rechg(34) Rechg(34)
35) --> Cloaking Device==> EndRdx(35)
38) --> Super Speed==> Run(38) EndRdx(46)
41) --> Snow Storm==> EndRdx(41) EndRdx(42) Slow(42) Slow(42)
44) --> Frozen Armor==> EndRdx(44) EndRdx(45) DefBuf(45) DefBuf(45) DefBuf(46)
47) --> Hibernate==> Rechg(47) Rechg(48) Rechg(48)
49) --> Rain Of Fire==> Acc(49) Dmg(50) Dmg(50) EndRdx(50)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> EndRdx(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Acc(1)
01) --> Defiance==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Rechg(2)
---------------------------------------------

Thanks to Unknown Blaze for testing the build out in RV.

 

Posted

First off thanks for the guide - My Fire/Dev has been goin to pot since he hit 50 more than a year ago. I'm working with the latest build here ... I'm looking at Taser on test server and it doesnt accept Range enhancements.

Also I see that you slotted up Frozen Armor (protects smash/lethal/cold) but none on Cloak Device (protects verse All) ...I'm sure you have a some reasoning on that I just wished to know why?

@artphobia
To the best dev team ever: I enjoyed meeting you all at the Summits and best of luck in all your future endeavors.

 

Posted

Have to chime in FF again good guide.. it's too bad Deadboy is Energy lol

[ QUOTE ]
Also I see that you slotted up Frozen Armor (protects smash/lethal/cold) but none on Cloak Device (protects verse All) ...I'm sure you have a some reasoning on that I just wished to know why?


[/ QUOTE ]

FA's base is higher than CD's base.

@Deadboy

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
Have to chime in FF again good guide.. it's too bad Deadboy is Energy lol

[ QUOTE ]
Also I see that you slotted up Frozen Armor (protects smash/lethal/cold) but none on Cloak Device (protects verse All) ...I'm sure you have a some reasoning on that I just wished to know why?


[/ QUOTE ]

FA's base is higher than CD's base.

[/ QUOTE ]

ah had a feelin it was something like that

@artphobia
To the best dev team ever: I enjoyed meeting you all at the Summits and best of luck in all your future endeavors.

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
First off thanks for the guide - My Fire/Dev has been goin to pot since he hit 50 more than a year ago. I'm working with the latest build here ... I'm looking at Taser on test server and it doesnt accept Range enhancements.

[/ QUOTE ]

It isn't in the current game build, but the character build posted is in anticipation of a future change to taser. Castle confirmed that it will take range enhancements eventually.

[ QUOTE ]
Also I see that you slotted up Frozen Armor (protects smash/lethal/cold) but none on Cloak Device (protects verse All) ...I'm sure you have a some reasoning on that I just wished to know why?


[/ QUOTE ]

Deadboy answered already, but yes, it's because the defense values for the epic armor is higher.

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
Have to chime in FF again good guide.. it's too bad Deadboy is Energy lol

[ QUOTE ]
Also I see that you slotted up Frozen Armor (protects smash/lethal/cold) but none on Cloak Device (protects verse All) ...I'm sure you have a some reasoning on that I just wished to know why?


[/ QUOTE ]

FA's base is higher than CD's base.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't you have a Fire/Devices running around some place? I seem to recall you did. Anyways, thanks for the compliments.

FF

 

Posted

Thanks for letting me know .... though I'm still not able to place range enhancers in Taser. I'm guessing that got removed from the changes on test? Nonetheless the normal range has been extended.

@artphobia
To the best dev team ever: I enjoyed meeting you all at the Summits and best of luck in all your future endeavors.

 

Posted

all good suggestion yes ... but since most stalkers now stacks invis and hide ... /devs uber perception is now useless ... having hover/tp as travel lets them tp beside you not worrying about caltrops or you seeing them since when you tp beside your target they can't see you off the bat and give the stalkers time to get AS off .. and the next blow will finish you .. not trying to discourage anyone that wants to make /dev blasters .. just fyi that stalkers now found ways to get around them .. but hey not all stalkers are built that way .. so you'd still be effective .. and not forgetting against other ATs

Freedom Server & Virtue Server - @Bugnoy
LEGIT (Leader), SiK (Leader), S.i.K. (Leader)

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
all good suggestion yes ... but since most stalkers now stacks invis and hide ... /devs uber perception is now useless ... having hover/tp as travel lets them tp beside you not worrying about caltrops or you seeing them since when you tp beside your target they can't see you off the bat and give the stalkers time to get AS off .. and the next blow will finish you .. not trying to discourage anyone that wants to make /dev blasters .. just fyi that stalkers now found ways to get around them .. but hey not all stalkers are built that way .. so you'd still be effective .. and not forgetting against other ATs

[/ QUOTE ]

1. Stalkers have to toggle off invis to AS you, then they are visible as long as they are in your field of vision. If anyone is stupid enough to just stand around, sure you can be AS'ed but a dev blaster that is moving and then using stacked +perception is difficult to take down.
2. It's not invisibility that makes a stalker hard to kill, it's teleport.
3. The guide makes no illusion that most don't go stalkers go hide + invis. In my experience, that's not what gives me problems, because there are ways around that.

I stand by my research and my tactics.

 

Posted

Hey Fury great guide i've wanted to try this for awhile now..

noticed you've got Stamina in all the builds, but no Health..

might need to change a few things around

Virtue: Sistah Powah, Afrodizziac, NeutronBlonde,Distortionist,IonMaiden,BlindFaith,M adwoman, Vital Signs,Yzzorrdrex,Diesel Mage, Defend, Glasshouse,Rescue I, Bootytrap, The Experience, AE Virus, Drawback, Daytime, Nighttime, Chamberwraith, Invincible Ink, Monster Mitts, Hex Object, Hexperiment, Frightningbolt, Spooky Deville, Scream Weaver, Cackler, Shocktopus, Ogrekill,Road Hazard,Fahrenhate,Duotherm,Black Lung, Horrorculturalist,Foulmouth,

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Fury great guide i've wanted to try this for awhile now..

noticed you've got Stamina in all the builds, but no Health..

might need to change a few things around

[/ QUOTE ]
I can't speak for FF but I think the reason is having unsupressed movement via slotted Hurdle and Swift is better than the meager regen Health might give.

 

Posted

Playing the Sirens Raptor... very nice. Normally I dont play in teams so I took out Vengence and put in Taser though

@artphobia
To the best dev team ever: I enjoyed meeting you all at the Summits and best of luck in all your future endeavors.

 

Posted

arggg...no.

XX/Devs is FOTM but great guide... basically you are a droning master - as you lay down caltrops and 20 mines and sit there cloaked waiting to tp foe a villain into it...this annoys me to no end as most devs blasters will KS in PVP (unless you are on their team).

P.S. - little secret - mines are pets - a confused blaster in the middle of mines goes BOOM!

a couple of suggestions = - on most of your examples you have tripmines past 30 - essential for SC is Cloaking,caltrops,webnades,targeting and the lovely tripdrones...er mines...all need to be take before or at 30.

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
arggg...no.

XX/Devs is FOTM but great guide... basically you are a droning master - as you lay down caltrops and 20 mines and sit there cloaked waiting to tp foe a villain into it...this annoys me to no end as most devs blasters will KS in PVP (unless you are on their team).

P.S. - little secret - mines are pets - a confused blaster in the middle of mines goes BOOM!

a couple of suggestions = - on most of your examples you have tripmines past 30 - essential for SC is Cloaking,caltrops,webnades,targeting and the lovely tripdrones...er mines...all need to be take before or at 30.

[/ QUOTE ]

Devices isn't close to FoTM. Really, it isn't. And certainly, not Fire/Dev, which is my preferred primary/secondary pairing. Energy manipulation yes, then followed by electric manipulation.

In my guide, I only have one build with trip mines in it. I currently have trip mines in my live build only because I like the flexibility to weed out large groups of villains and for the occasional pesky MM. However, I get a vast majority of my kills from moving fast, hitting opponents with web grenade and then kiting until they're dead. TP foe + trip mines is really kind of a slow way to get kills.

Most players that have used this guide have told me that they much prefer the build without trip mines, since it affords them the ability to take either hasten or medicine pool and they can put acrobatics in their builds.

As to the tactic of confusion, yes. A confused devices blaster can be killed by her own trip mines. Then again, I've turned that around many times by using a breakfree and then using a defianced charged blaze to kill the dominator or stalker. *shrugs*

 

Posted

heh check out sirens on freedom - xx/devs abound - all hidden with cloaking device tping into caltrops and tripmines for easy bounty...

 

Posted

So now...it's time for stalkers to make the anti-anti-stalker. Teleport FTW!

Great guide, by the way. You hit just about everything.

Member of:
Repeat Offenders Network - The Largest Coalition Network in the Game, across Virtue, Freedom, Justice and Exalted. Open to all, check us out.

Current Team Project: Pending

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
arggg...no.

XX/Devs is FOTM but great guide... basically you are a droning master - as you lay down caltrops and 20 mines and sit there cloaked waiting to tp foe a villain into it...this annoys me to no end as most devs blasters will KS in PVP (unless you are on their team).

P.S. - little secret - mines are pets - a confused blaster in the middle of mines goes BOOM!

a couple of suggestions = - on most of your examples you have tripmines past 30 - essential for SC is Cloaking,caltrops,webnades,targeting and the lovely tripdrones...er mines...all need to be take before or at 30.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fire/Dev FOTM? That's so 2 years ago.

@artphobia
To the best dev team ever: I enjoyed meeting you all at the Summits and best of luck in all your future endeavors.

 

Posted

The good old days. I have a Fire/Dev I created when it was FOTM over 2 years ago. Back when Smoke Grenade was uber, BP zombies were vulnerable to fire, and toe-bombing was all the rage. Got him up to 38, then got bored. Unfortunately I haven't built up enough stalker hate to bring him out of retirement for revenge.

Goodbye and thanks for all the fish.
I've moved on to Diablo 3, TopDoc-1304

 

Posted

lol, yep, same here. Remember this guide?

http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showf...Number=1155869

why is this thing still around anyway? This was my original Fire/dev blaster as well.

I still fondly remember taking down the spawns of Sky Captains in TV. what a fun 2 days that was.

 

Posted

called team with a emp.

 

Posted

Emp Buffs < Hide + Invis

Freedom Server & Virtue Server - @Bugnoy
LEGIT (Leader), SiK (Leader), S.i.K. (Leader)

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
all good suggestion yes ... but since most stalkers now stacks invis and hide ... /devs uber perception is now useless ... having hover/tp as travel lets them tp beside you not worrying about caltrops or you seeing them since when you tp beside your target they can't see you off the bat and give the stalkers time to get AS off .. and the next blow will finish you .. not trying to discourage anyone that wants to make /dev blasters .. just fyi that stalkers now found ways to get around them .. but hey not all stalkers are built that way .. so you'd still be effective .. and not forgetting against other ATs

[/ QUOTE ]

1. Stalkers have to toggle off invis to AS you, then they are visible as long as they are in your field of vision. If anyone is stupid enough to just stand around, sure you can be AS'ed but a dev blaster that is moving and then using stacked +perception is difficult to take down.
2. It's not invisibility that makes a stalker hard to kill, it's teleport.
3. The guide makes no illusion that most don't go stalkers go hide + invis. In my experience, that's not what gives me problems, because there are ways around that.

I stand by my research and my tactics.

[/ QUOTE ]

Its good you stand by your tactics .. im not saying its a poor one .. i was simply stating the fact that i dont find /devs at all threatning .. my build is to hunt down those /devs ... with tp self slotted for 3 range .. i can be well far away from my target .. when u give us that second of /devs laying mines .. i drop invis .. tp to my target and when the animation is going i q my AS and then *final blow* this happens in seconds .. so reacting to it is quite hard ... moving /devs are harder to kill i agree ... a way around that? yes ... team of stalkers .. tp into the middle of stalkers... nothing lives .. unless they all miss with AS

Freedom Server & Virtue Server - @Bugnoy
LEGIT (Leader), SiK (Leader), S.i.K. (Leader)