IO slotting example: Combat Jumping

Scrapulous · 04-29-2007 02:48 PM

IO slotting example: Combat Jumping

I've noticed while playing with i9 builds that a lot of the fundamental points of conventional i8 wisdom are challenged by the new opportunities afforded by IOs and especially set/rare IOs. One example is the benefits of six-slotting Health. Another is the benefits of slotting Combat Jumping.

The idea for this guide came up in a discussion that Devouring Culture, Sniktch, Tundara and QuantumForce2 and I were having about various set bonuses, and they deserve credit for the ideas here.

We'll follow the familiar format for my IO slotting examples: first we'll take a look at my assumptions so that we're all on the same page. Then we'll look what Combat Jumping does, and then an i8 slotting baseline. Once we have that understanding, we'll compare the i8 baseline with various potential i9 slottings to see what benefits we can reap from this humble power.

Assumptions

We're considering a level 50 character using level 50 enhancements.
Enhancement values are shown after ED takes effect unless otherwise noted. I am using Circeus' formula to calculate total benefit.
Slotting examples are PvE focused.

Combat Jumping

Combat Jumping is actually a versatile power. It can be used for many purposes: extra marginal protection for high defense characters, a travel power, a flight control power, immobilization protection, or even just a pre-requisite to Super Jump or Acrobatics.

These are the level 50 effects of Combat Jumping:
<ul type="square">[*]+200% JumpHeight[*]+1.75 - 2.5% Defense (all), depending on AT[*]+1% JumpSpeed[*]+2077.1 or 4000% MovementControl, depending on AT (Scrappers and Stalkers get the low value, all others get the high value)[*]+20% MovementFriction[*]-8.304 to 12.975 Immobilize, depending on AT[/list]
The MovementControl, MovementFriction and Immobilization protection are all unenhanceable as far as I know, so we'll ignore them for the sake of this assessment.

i8 Slotting

SO slotting: 1 defbuff
def: +20%

This is the most common i8 slotting. Typically more slots are not put into Combat Jumping because of the small marginal benefit. Even in the best case, a Tanker, one extra defbuff SO gives only .5% defense to all. Almost any build can get considerably better marginal value out of a slot. The same slot in Weave, for example, gives twice the benefit. Builds that are likely to get noticeable benefit from such small amounts of defense are builds that already have a lot of defense... and by their nature those builds typically have many other powers that they can more profitably slot.

Slotting endurance reducers into Combat Jumping is also a mistake: it is the cheapest toggle around. It costs onky 23% of what a typical defense toggle does, it costs 19% of Tough and Weave, and only 11.5% of Acrobatics. It is a bargain endurance-wise.

HO slotting: 1 def/end
def: +20%
end: +33.3%

Somebody who is absolutely drowning in HOs could slot one into this power, reducing the very cheap .03 end per tick to a very slightly cheaper .0225 end per tick. It's not an effective use of a rare IO, but it can be done.

i9 Slotting

Now let's look at some ways to slot Combat Jumping in i9.

Common IO slotting: 1 defbuff
def: +25.5%

This takes a Tanker's Combat Jumping from 2.5% to 3.1% instead of just 3% (the SO slotting value). It is not appreciably better than SO slotting.

Set IO slotting #1: Luck of the Gambler def/end
def: +15.9%
end: +26.5%

This is the closest a single-slot IO arrangement can come to the HO slotting values: it gives a Tanker +2.9% defense, and .024 end/tick. Still not very impressive.

So we can see that slotting for pure enhancement value isn't ideal under any circumstances. But let's start looking at the various opportunities to slot for set bonuses and global effects.

Set IO slotting #2: Luck of the Gambler +5% rch global
Global bonus
Recharge: +5%

Set IO slotting #3: Karma KB protection global
Global bonus
Knockback protection: mag 4

Set IO slotting #4: Kismet +6% tohit unique global
Global bonus
tohit: +6%

Set IO slotting #5: Gift of the Ancients +7.5% runspeed global
Global bonus
Runspeed: +7.5%

These are four ways to get more potential value out of Combat Jumping with only the default slot. Only the tohit global is unique, meaning that up to four duplicates of the others can be put into other defense powers, giving a total of 25% global recharge, mag 20 KB protection, or 37.5% runspeed (more than Swift). Those with Stone Armor in particular might be very excited to get some extra mobility.

Set IO slotting #6: Stealth: Unbounded Leap +Stealth unique global
Global bonus
Stealth

This is a particularly interesting case. Are you planning to get Concealment > Stealth on your build? If that's the only power you're planning to get from the Concealment pool, consider getting Combat Jumping instead, for a few reasons.

First, Stealth diminishes your mobility, while Combat Jumping enhances it. Second, Combat Jumping gives you immobilization protection, while Stealth has no equivalent benefit. Third, Combat Jumping carries only 19% the endurance burden that Stealth does. Fourth, Stealth takes 20 seconds to recharge, while Combat Jumping is recharged instantly (like Sprint).

Stealth does have twice the defense benefit of Combat Jumping, but as soon as you attack, are hit, or click a glowie half of it disappears and it becomes exactly equivalent to Combat Jumping. So Stealth's one benefit, higher defense, is valuable only when absorbing alpha strikes from mobs... and yet its core benefit, Stealth, is designed to reduce the incidence of taking alpha strikes from mobs.

Unless you're planning to get Invisibility or Phase Shift or you have some elaborate high-defense alpha mitigation strategy, I recommend taking Combat Jumping and slotting a +Stealth global into it instead. Alternately, you could slot a +Stealth global into Sprint or one of its many clones, but Combat Jumping still has the edge in that it is more end efficient, and gives defense and immob protection.

But that's just the default slot. What can we do with more slots invested?

Set IO slotting #7: Global Madness:
Luck of the Gambler +5% rch global,
Karma KB protection global,
Kismet +6% tohit unique global,
Gift of the Ancients +7.5% runspeed global
Global bonuses
Recharge: +5%
Knockback protection: mag 4
tohit: +6%
Runspeed: +7.5%

This is obviously just a concatenation of the four globals above. It costs 3 extra slots, and you can mix and match to taste.

Set IO slotting #8: Luck of the Gambler def, +5% rch global,
def: +25.5%
Set and Global bonuses
Regen: +10%
Recharge: +5%

For an investment of one extra slot, we've got the same defense bonus we would from 1 common def IO slotted, plus the global recharge benefit and 10% Regen. Not bad.

Set IO slotting #9: Kismet def/end, +6% tohit unique global
def: +13.1%
end: +21.8%
Set and Global bonuses
Recovery: +1.5%
tohit: +6%

Here we get minor defense and end enhancement, a decent recovery bonus, and the global tohit buff.

Set IO slotting #10: Karma def/end, KB protection global
def: +13.1%
end: +21.8%
Set and Global bonuses
Debt protection: +1.5%
Knockback protection: mag 4

This gives the lackluster debt protection set bonus, and is not likely to be a popular slotting option.

Set IO slotting #11: Gift of the Ancients def, +7.5% runspeed global
def: +23.2%
Set and Global bonuses
Recovery: +2%
Runspeed: +7.5%

This option offers a nice recovery bonus.

Set IO slotting #12: Granite Armor special:
Luck of the Gambler def,
Luck of the Gambler +5% rch global;
Gift of the Ancients def, +7.5% runspeed global;
def: +25.5%
Set and Global bonuses
Regen: +10%
Recharge: +5%
Runspeed: +7.5%

This combination addresses some of the drawbacks of Granite Armor while also stacking on top the regen value of Rooted.

Set IO slotting #13: Lots of Slots:
Luck of the Gambler def/end,
Luck of the Gambler +5% rch global;
Kismet def/end,
Kismet +6% tohit unique global;
Gift of the Ancients def/end,
Gift of the Ancients +7.5% runspeed global;
def: +43.5%
end: +72.4%
Set and Global bonuses
Regen: +10%
Recovery: +1.5%
Recovery: +2%
Recharge: +5%
tohit: +6%
Runspeed: +7.5%

This costs five extra slots, but gives a pretty impressive array of benefits. Most builds won't have the extra slots to do something like this, but it's an interesting demonstration of the potential of CJ to become a very versatile power encompassing travel, status protection, defense, and a wide array of bonuses.

Set IO slotting #14: Lots of Slots 2: Jumping:
Luck of the Gambler def/end,
Luck of the Gambler +5% rch global;
Kismet def/end,
Kismet +6% tohit unique global;
Unbounded Leap jump,
Unbounded Leap +Stealth unique global;
def: +29%
end: +48.3%
jump: +42.4%
Set and Global bonuses
Regen: +10%
Recovery: +1.5%
JumpSpeed: +4%
Recharge: +5%
tohit: +6%

This is a similar approach but focuses on enhancing the travel aspects of the power. This is potentially good for those who use Combat Jumping and Hurdle in lieu of a travel power. The Unbounded Leap set bonus helps here. This turns Combat Jumping into a Stealth equivalent, as well.

Conclusion

This short guide is intended principally as encouragement to re-examine i8 slotting conventions when planning i9 builds. Combat Jumping is a power that is not considered profitably enhanceable, but in i9 that changes somewhat. Even with just the default slot IO sets allow you to do some interesting things with the power: Stealth, recharge, tohit, knockback protection, and runspeed. And depending on what set bonuses you're aiming for in your build, it can be valuable to add slots to it.

Tundara · 04-29-2007 03:16 PM

Excellent guide as always Scrap! I'm curious though, what did I say to inspire this? Was it my comments on Ice Melee last night? O.o

I've been thinking today about doing something simular with Permafrost and Temperature Protection from the Ice and Fire sets respectively. Issue 9 seems to be bringing us some interesting times.

=. .=

Natsuki · 04-29-2007 04:08 PM

Two things, I could be wrong though...

With the global IO's in a toggle power, you have to be running the toggle power to get their benefit right?

And, it is my understanding that when using Granite Armor, ALL Jump Toggles (CJ, or SJ) are deactivated, as well as ALL Run Speed Toggles are deactivated (SS, and the Sprints).

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Demobot · 04-29-2007 04:41 PM

Another excellent guide. Keep up the good work!

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Scrapulous · 04-29-2007 05:54 PM

[ QUOTE ]

And, it is my understanding that when using Granite Armor, ALL Jump Toggles (CJ, or SJ) are deactivated, as well as ALL Run Speed Toggles are deactivated (SS, and the Sprints).

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh! Well. In the words of Emily Litella... never mind!

I had thought that jumping was disabled, but I didn't realize the jump toggles were. My mistake! But...

[ QUOTE ]

With the global IO's in a toggle power, you have to be running the toggle power to get their benefit right?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not quite, it seems. It turns out that it depends on the global IO. iakona explains this a bit in this post. It may be worth reading the whole thread for context, but basically some of the global IO effects are acting like set bonuses, meaning both that they disappear when exemping and that they are on even if they're slotted in a toggle that isn't on.

Nutty, huh?

Scrapulous · 04-29-2007 06:02 PM

[ QUOTE ]

what did I say to inspire this? Was it my comments on Ice Melee last night? O.o

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, it was when we were talking about Devouring Culture's X-treem Recharge Project. You made a comment about how deep the slotting commitment is for a lot of +Recharge builds, then you minced off to bed - that got me to thinking about how single slotted powers could be used to slot globals in order to ease the slot burden for that build. I started thinking of defense powers that a lot of people wind up taking, and Hover and CJ came to mind. CJ seems more popular, and since it's less frequently slotted than Hover it seemed like the better choice for a discussion on re-assessing existing slotting conventions.

But otterly bedtimes seem to come a bit earlier than for the rest of us, because you minced off to bed before DC finished up explaining his recharge build. Once he did, the conversation veered toward Combat Jump.

Et violin, as they say in France.

Maalox · 04-29-2007 11:24 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

And, it is my understanding that when using Granite Armor, ALL Jump Toggles (CJ, or SJ) are deactivated, as well as ALL Run Speed Toggles are deactivated (SS, and the Sprints).

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh! Well. In the words of Emily Litella... never mind!

I had thought that jumping was disabled, but I didn't realize the jump toggles were. My mistake!

[/ QUOTE ]

While this may not be viable to have CJ up with granite... it looks like all those IO sets could also fit into Weave from the fighting pool. And you can have Weave on and Granite at the same time. It also looks like you (if you had 5 extra slots to spare) slot Weave up with:
Set IO slotting #13: Lots of Slots:
Luck of the Gambler def/end,
Luck of the Gambler +5% rch global;
Kismet def/end,
Kismet +6% tohit unique global;
Gift of the Ancients def/end,
Gift of the Ancients +7.5% runspeed global;
def: +43.5%
end: +72.4%
Set and Global bonuses
Regen: +10%
Recovery: +1.5%
Recovery: +2%
Recharge: +5%
tohit: +6%
Runspeed: +7.5%

That way Weave gives you that nice Bonusi... And I know that most Granite tanks would say: HUH? to the fighting pool.... but I know my Granite Brute will love it...

But Weave isn't what this post is about.... so OOPS

Organicide · 04-30-2007 12:28 AM

Could someone tell me if you can run Combat Jumping while also running Rooted?

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Fire_Chief · 04-30-2007 04:20 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Could someone tell me if you can run Combat Jumping while also running Rooted?

[/ QUOTE ]

nope!

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James_Bonnell · 04-30-2007 07:52 AM

Yep - you can do this kind of thing with a lot of +def powers.

Including, of all things, Maneuvers.

Currently: 50s (5), 40s (3), 30s (5)
Red and blue side, mostly Infinity, Virtue, and Freedom.

Justice Blues · 04-30-2007 09:18 AM

[ QUOTE ]

These are four ways to get more potential value out of Combat Jumping with only the default slot. Only the tohit global is unique, meaning that up to four duplicates of the others can be put into other defense powers, giving a total of 25% global recharge, mag 20 KB protection, or 37.5% runspeed (more than Swift). Those with Stone Armor in particular might be very excited to get some extra mobility.

[/ QUOTE ]
The part I bolded is wrong. The Karma KB Protection is also Unique. The Steadfast Protection KB protection for resistance powers is not unique and can be stacked in multiple powers.

Justice Blues, Tech/Tank, Inv/SS
----------------------
Fighting The Future Trilogy
----------------------

The_RaZ · 04-30-2007 10:26 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

These are four ways to get more potential value out of Combat Jumping with only the default slot. Only the tohit global is unique, meaning that up to four duplicates of the others can be put into other defense powers, giving a total of 25% global recharge, mag 20 KB protection, or 37.5% runspeed (more than Swift). Those with Stone Armor in particular might be very excited to get some extra mobility.

[/ QUOTE ]
The part I bolded is wrong. The Karma KB Protection is also Unique. The Steadfast Protection KB protection for resistance powers is not unique and can be stacked in multiple powers.

[/ QUOTE ]

Then someone better tell the Paragonwiki because it lists the Karma one as not unique.

Dominators don't need mitigation from their secondaries. Even if they did, there's ice (slows), psi (-recharge), and fire and elec (death).
-Talen_Lee commenting on Energy Assault's Utility

James_Bonnell · 04-30-2007 10:28 AM

I'll have to check in-game, as I slotted one yesterday on test, but I don't remember the text of the IO as stating "Unique". Pretty sure that Numina's Convalescence (the +rec/+regen) one did, and Stealth IOs.

Doesn't mean it doesn't, either, just that I didn't notice it. Have to check in-game to make sure.

Currently: 50s (5), 40s (3), 30s (5)
Red and blue side, mostly Infinity, Virtue, and Freedom.

Aggelakis · 04-30-2007 11:05 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
These are four ways to get more potential value out of Combat Jumping with only the default slot. Only the tohit global is unique, meaning that up to four duplicates of the others can be put into other defense powers, giving a total of 25% global recharge, mag 20 KB protection, or 37.5% runspeed (more than Swift). Those with Stone Armor in particular might be very excited to get some extra mobility.

[/ QUOTE ]The part I bolded is wrong. The Karma KB Protection is also Unique. The Steadfast Protection KB protection for resistance powers is not unique and can be stacked in multiple powers.

[/ QUOTE ]The Karma KB prot is not Unique. The Karma +tohit is Unique. Neither of the KB prots are Unique.

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Bosor · 04-30-2007 12:22 PM

One other way to go, is the way I'm planning on doing it for my Claws stalker, its the maximum +recharge bonus you can get from the power(or any defensive power, see below).

Slot 1 +7.5% recharge LoTG IO, and 5 pieces of the red fortune set.

It gives you the full +defense bonus on CJ, as well as reduces its end cost(though largely inconsequencial, every bit helps).

It provides in set bonuses...
Reduces the duration of immobilize effects on you by 1.65%
Improves the duration of your Confuse effects by 1.5%
Increases damage by 1.5%
Increases the Recharge Time of all of your powers by 3.75%

And the confuse effect will be changed to fire/cold resistance, per _Castle_ on his recent post.

That gives a total +recharge bonus of 11.25%. Thats quite a bit from just CJ alone. Also keep mind you can slot this combo into any defensive power, up to 5 times on a single build.

5x would give you a massive 56.25% +recharge. Just from 25 slots, and 5 powers. Thats pretty crazy.

Great guide though, as all your IO suggestions have been.

BonSavant · 04-30-2007 02:06 PM

I was just thinking that Anarchgorilla's near-defense-cap /EA Brute build will now be able to reach the soft cap for defense in issue 9 outside of it's tier 9 power. Additionally, it could be host to a number if similar set bonuses...scary.

Justice Blues · 04-30-2007 02:25 PM

The worst part about being wrong about that is I have sold a Karma KB IO because I already have one slotted.

Justice Blues, Tech/Tank, Inv/SS
----------------------
Fighting The Future Trilogy
----------------------

James_Bonnell · 04-30-2007 07:07 PM

Set IO slotting #13: Lots of Slots:
Luck of the Gambler def/end,
Luck of the Gambler +5% rch global;
Kismet def/end,
Kismet +6% tohit unique global;
Gift of the Ancients def/end,
Gift of the Ancients +7.5% runspeed global;
def: +43.5%
end: +72.4%
Set and Global bonuses
Regen: +10%
Recovery: +1.5%
Recovery: +2%
Recharge: +5%
tohit: +6%
Runspeed: +7.5%

If I can, I'm going to try this on my already HO'd out AR/DEV blaster. Just added 5 slots to Cloaking Device tonight. Attacks are pretty much all 6-slotted anyway, so why not?

Can't wait to get that, the Miracle +recovery, and the Numina's Convalescence +recovery/+regen into Health. Should be tremendous fun.

Currently: 50s (5), 40s (3), 30s (5)
Red and blue side, mostly Infinity, Virtue, and Freedom.

LJHalfbreed · 04-30-2007 07:29 PM

Six.... slot.... CJ???

*head asplodes*

Granted, it's heavy twinking, but one of the main things I like about inventions is that they can add so much frickin utility to a build, you can tweak (not twink) your build to be much more suitable to your playstyle, or (more importantly, imho) get a character to play more how you envisioned them.

Comicsluvr · 05-01-2007 02:19 AM

Once Inventions goes live I'm gonne be spending a lot of time on the test server...

Wow Scrap...most of the negative things I've said about Inventions will be trumped (not invalidated...just trumpted) by some of the stuff you put here and you Six Slot Health guide. The number of different ways you can slot Powers to get the same (or better) benefits sounds like it's going to be enormous.

Let me know if you need help compiling data...I have more free time than most.

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JRoy777 · 05-04-2007 04:45 PM

Now that I'm bringing my Katana/Regen scrapper out of I5 or so and into I9, I'm not sure about taking hurdle any more since I may skip Stamina, and Health is now quite nice for me (back in the old Instant Healing days you couldn't die so it didn't matter).

Am I right to assume that the Leap:Stealth power is better in Hurdle (if I take it) than anywhere else, because then it's always on whether I use CJ or SJ or nothing? I'm probably going to use your "Set IO slotting #8" for the 10% regen and 5% recharge.

Scrapulous · 05-04-2007 06:27 PM

I prefer being able to turn off stealth, so I'd rather put it into a toggle. Involuntary stealth is sometimes a bad thing, most especially for people who deliberately want to collect aggro.

JRoy777 · 05-04-2007 08:44 PM

Ah, good call.

Scheister · 05-04-2007 09:32 PM

My Mastermind build will be including:
6 slotted Health
6 slotted Combat Jumping
6 slotted Poison Gas Arrow
6 slotted Acid Arrow

Oh Devs, what lewt have you wrought that I'm slotting Acid Arrow for damage?