BS/WP: The Arm Strong Approach

The Arm Strong Method: A Guide to Broadsword/Willpower

Firstly, credit to Joy_Division for the Fire/Willpower Scrapper guide that seems to be one of the only ones out there for the Willpower secondary: The Will to Burn: Fire/Willpower Scrapper I12. I also referenced EvilGeko’s very comprehensive gide for Broadsword/Regeneration: EvilGeko's I11.? BS/Regen Guide: Glorious Killing!. Those two guides alone give a solid basis for puzzling out the powerset combination, but I wanted to create a guide specifically for it, since there are some synergies and nuances to the pair that I think are worth discussing. Credit also goes to Werner and Desmodos for some excellent feedback and suggestions during the development and maturation of my build. Input from a variety of sources caused me to reassess the build several times, which I firmly believe resulted in a more robust character, both for teams and soloing. Note that there are a myriad of options and areas of focus available to generate a viable BS/WP Scrapper. With the advent of Invention Origin Enhancements in Issue 9, there are a lot of directions that you can “tweak” your build, so I’ll focus on my personal approach and methodology in this guide and touch on a few other options. Also, I will freely admit that I have negligible experience in the PvP area of CoH, so all the advice and commentary in this guide will be purely PvE in nature.

Also, for those just interested in the final build, please follow this link here to skip all the wordy descriptions.

What is a Broadsword/Willpower Scrapper?

Conceptually, Broadsword/Willpower is an ideal candidate for a Natural origin character. The set has no unearthly abilities, no flashy or shiny effects, and for the most part is pretty easy on the eyes. If you are looking for a character that has an “average joe turned hero” backstory, this powerset combination works really well.

Apart from the concept, mechanics-wise, the BS/WP Scrapper is pretty easy to play. It has a lot of toggles, but no click-heals or other active management beyond it’s Tier 9 power. That means you basically just jump in and start hacking at stuff. That, in itself, it pretty fun. After playing a Katana/Regeneration Scrapper, I have to admit the BS/WP set is much more relaxing to play. Less micro-management of health and more attacking. The set also (at least for me) “feels” tough. You just Scrap it up and run your toggles and survive situations that will drop Tanks. That is a big plus for me. Lots of raw damage output from the Primary, excellent survivability from the secondary, and they just go together like peanut butter and jelly. Hard to go wrong with a Scrapper like that.

From a high level, the Broadsword/Willpower Scrapper offers a lot of versatility. You get some very strong single-target damage with the set, layered mitigation from the secondary including a mix of Defense, Resistance, Regeneration, a To-Hit Debuff, and increased Maximum Hit Points., a blend of AoE damage from some of the attacks, and lastly a fantastic Defense power in Parry. At its core, the build is regeneration-based with the other powers supporting it. Like other Scrapper sets, it is very strong against melee and lethal damage, less so to exotic damage types with perhaps the exception of Psionic damage. That being said, let’s head into a discussion of the Primary and Secondary and we’ll discuss more about the details of the build afterwards.

The Low-Tech Approach: The Broadsword Primary

A quick note here, with the advent of “real numbers” information in the game and the various other guides that break down the details of each power, I’ll focus on my personal impressions and some data to support them. It also is worth noting that as part of the animation tweaks in the past few months, Broadsword has gotten a lot better. Attacks chain more fluidly together and aggregate damage output is higher. Visually, the set flows a lot better than it used to and is less “choppy” (if you pardon the pun) than the old version.

It is worth noting that one down side to the secondary is that it deals lethal damage, one of the most resisted damage types in the game. That is particularly apparent in the late-game where foes seem to be particularly resistant to S/L damage. There are ways to address this and mitigate the impact, but those will be covered in later in the discussion on IO sets.

Tier 1: Hack (High Lethal Damage, Foe -Def )

This is your first must-have attack. The good news is that it’s available at level 1. It provides some serious single target pain and will be a staple in your attack chain through you career. It’s the third most damaging attack in the Primary behind Headsplitter and Disembowel. As a nice side-effect, it also debuffs the target’s Defense, making follow-up attacks easier to land. The power takes both Melee IO sets as well as Defense Debuff IO sets. Take it, six-slot it as soon as you can and use it frequently.

Tier 2: Slash (Moderate Lethal Damage, Foe -Def)

Well, with Hack being such a powerhouse, this is the “other” attack available at Level 1. Truthfully, I’ve always found it a bit of a dog. It’s damage is very “meh” and it’s not required to build an early attack chain. In fact, Slice does more damage and it’s a cone attack. This is one of the powers that most people skip when building a Broadsword Scrapper. If you do take it early on, respec out of it when Disembowel opens up. Like Hack, this power debuffs Defense and takes both Melee IO and Defense Debuff IO sets.

Tier 3: Slice (Cone, Moderate Lethal Damage, Foe -Def)

As odd as it may sound, this power is actually one of my favorites in the Broadsword set. It’s a nice cone attack with a 130° arc and is available early on in your career. Coupled with Hack and Parry, it will be a staple in your lower-level attack chain. Part of what I love about this power is its versatility. It works as a single-target attack. It works as your first AoE with some positioning. It also provides a Defense Debuff to those it hits, which is nice since you’re generally hitting 2-3 foes with this in a crowd at a minimum. Later in your career once you get your Tier 8 and 9 attacks, this is still a great attack to swap into your chain when in big groups of enemies. It’s definitely one of the unsung heroes of the set from my perspective. The power takes both PBAoE IO sets as well as Defense Debuff IO sets. Take it, eventually six-slot it and use it in crowds. I like using this on enemies clustered around the team Tank, since they are all located in your forward arc.

Tier 4: Build-Up (+Damage, +To-Hit)

This is a common power across most of the Scrapper primaries. Provides 10 seconds worth of extra damage (+100%) and boosts your to-hit substantially as well (+20% base). This is useful to provide burst damage in fights and add to your overall damage output. I tend to fire this off selectively when Hack, Disembowel, and Headsplitter are all recharged. With the right timing you can fire off all three of those during the duration. That adds up to a ton of extra damage. The extra to-hit is also nice when trying to hit Ritki Drones, Behemoths with Invincibility running, and Paragon Protectors with MoG running. Great power and three slots is fine for this one. Accepts To-Hit Buff IO sets.

Tier 5: Parry (Minor Lethal Damage, Self +Def to Melee/Lethal)

Parry is one of the defining powers of the Broadsword set. It opens up at Level 8 and trust me, you want to pick it up as soon as it’s available. It is an attack that deals roughly half the damage of Hack, but it has a great secondary benefit of buffing your Defense against Melee (positional) and Lethal (typed) damage by 15% (base). Out of the box, you can double-stack it for +30% defense. That is a [u]huge[u] benefit, particularly early on when the majority of the damage you’ll be facing will have a lethal component to it. It also has a nice recharge to it that makes it perfect for filling out your early attack chain.

Parry is actually one of the best reasons for taking the Willpower Secondary to go with the Broadsword Primary. Combine the Defense from Parry with the raw Regeneration and layered damage mitigation from the other Willpower powers and you get some mammoth survivability. Later in the game, spamming this power to get to the soft-cap against foes that melee and/or deal a lot of lethal damage will make you damn near unkillable. It’s fast activating and fast recharging, as well, so it doesn’t slow down your attack chain or require much in the way of additional Recharge enhancement. Overall, this is just a fantastic power and one to put slots in [u]early[u] on for the sheer difference it makes in your combat capabilities.

The power takes both Melee IO sets as well as Defense Debuff IO sets. Since this is an atypical attack, I’m going to touch on slotting for it. Firstly, the defense buff is only applied when the power hits a target. That means slotting for accuracy is critical in this attack to reliably get its benefits. Second, the power early on should be getting Defense enhancements. Think about the main purpose of this power as buffing your Defense, dealing damage is purely a nice side effect. As you level up and graduate from DOs to SOs to IOs and IO sets , the slotting will change accordingly. Ideally, you want this slotted to allow you to hit the soft cap for defense (45% Melee/Lethal) later in your career. Once you have a path to that, you can start slotting for damage (since you’re spamming the attack, you might as well maximize the damage it’s doing).

Note that slotting for Parry will also depend on the other Defense powers in your build. For example, a build with both Combat Jumping and Weave would require fewer Defense enhancements in Parry to get to that 45% soft-capped Defense value. Choose enhancements to get to the soft-cap first and then work on adding Damage/Endurance Reduction/Recharge after that.

Tier 6: Confront (Ranged Taunt, Single Foe)

Some people advocate Confront for Scrappers... Personally, I don’t. Focus on dealing damage and surviving. Powers that don’t contribute to either aren’t ones I try to squeeze into the build. Let’s move on. Nothing to see here. If you really want to Taunt something, go pound on it with that big hunk of steel you are carrying around. It’s bound to get their attention.

Tier 7: Whirling Sword (PbAoE, Moderate Lethal Damage, Foe -Def)

Here it is, the AoE you’ve been starving for to complement your brutal single-target attack chain. It’s not the highest damage AoE from the Scrapper Primaries, but it’s definitely one of the better ones with it’s high damage output and defense debuff effect. It’s definitely serviceable and adds a lot to your damage output in crowds, which is where Willpower excels. You [u]want[u] to be surrounded by a swarm of foes, both to prompt them to use their melee attacks to maximize Parry’s Defense and also to feed Rise to the Challenge for increased regeneration.

Whirling Sword pushes out damage roughly equivalent to Slice in an 8 foot radius and also debuffs Defense for those it hits. Part of that damage is in the form of a three-tick DoT at the end of the attack, which some people overlook. Between this and Slice, you have some very respectable AoE capability. It can be leveraged by corner pulling and through positioning to maximize the number of foes hit. In practice, I tend to focus on my single-target chain in crowds and swap in Slick and Whirling Sword when they become available. The power takes both PBAoE IO sets as well as Defense Debuff IO sets. Overall, this is a very useful attack to round out your capabilities.

Tier 8: Disembowel (Superior Lethal Damage, Knockup, Foe -Def)

Ahhhh… Yep, you finally made it to Level 26 and you get access to this gem. This power is great and will make you really start to see why Broadsword has garnered a reputation as an exceptional single-target damage set over the years. Disembowel pushes out about 20% more damage than Hack and has a 75% chance of over a Mag 4 Knockup. I find knockup very useful, as it is pure mitigation for the foe hit by it. Having them fly straight up in the air takes them out of the fight briefly while they soar up and then bounce off the floor. Since it is knock[u]up[u], there also is no risk of knocking the enemy back into another spawn, off a roof, down a set of stairs, etc. The foe essentially stays put so you can keep wailing on them. The only time knockup can be a problem is when you character is on follow. In those circumstances, frequently the follow AI forces your character to reposition to try and follow the opponent shooting up in the air. This can cause a brief (and occasionally frustrating) pause in your attack chain. Despite that, the high damage, defense debuff this power applies to the target, and knockup mitigation just make this attack fantastic. The power takes both Melee IO sets as well as Defense Debuff IO sets. Take it, six-slot it as soon as you can and spam it to your heart’s content.

Tier 9: Head Splitter (Cone, Extreme Lethal Damage, Knockback, Foe - Def)

Yep, the Mac Daddy of Broadsword attacks, this is a massive addition to your attack chain and is one of the most damaging attacks in the entire game. It deals about 60% more damage than Hack, has a 60% chance of low-magnitude knockback (which essentially is knock[u]down[u] for most foes), has an increased chance to critically hit, and debuffs enemy Defense all at the same time. And if that wasn’t enough, it’s also a narrow cone (10° arc for 10 feet). This is important, since the range gives you more “reach” with this attack than others in your repertoire. Once you pick this up, you can tag those annoying opponents on the outside of the pack surrounding you without repositioning. Note that with some intelligent positioning and practice, you can hit more than one foe with this (particularly if you pull to a corner and bunch the opponents up). This is your “big gun” for the Broadsword set. Six-slot it immediately. The power takes both PBAoE sets ([u]not[u] Melee sets, a frequent mistake people make) as well as Defense Debuff IO sets.

As a general rule of thumb, Build-Up + Head Splitter + Critical Hit = O.o
If you crit more than one foe with this at once, it’s almost a religious experience…

Tough as Nails: The Willpower Secondary

Tier 1: High Pain Tolerance (Self +Res to all, +Max HP)

As a tier 1 ability for a Scrapper Secondary, this one is surprisingly good. It offers a default +20% Max Hit Points, of which 10% is enhancable (so max at the ED cap is about +30%). The other effect of the power is to provide a low level (+5.625% base) resistance to all types of damage. As such, the power can be slotted with both Heal IO sets as well as Damage Resistance IO sets. Many people use this power to slot the Steadfast Res/Def unique, since the enhancement value for the Resistance portion of the power is very low. At later levels and with IO set bonuses, the extra hit points from this power have a substantial effect on survivability, particularly the ability to absorb the alpha strike from a spawn.

Tier 2: Mind Over Body (Toggle, Self Res Smashing/Lethal/Psionic)

Mind Over Body is a solid Resistance power for the set. It offers good resistance to S/L damage (base 16.875%) with an added bonus of Psionic resistance (base 15%) that comes in handy vs. Lost bosses and in the late game. It’s a good choice to add to layer on top of other complementary powers in the secondary, but due to the endurance cost, I advocate adding this power after Quick Recovery opens up at Level 20. Prior to that you really want the endurance for swinging that big hunk of metal around. However, some focus more on durability early on with their Scrappers and take MoB earlier. This approach is viable, although not one I personally use. The power can be slotted with Damage Resistance IO sets.

Tier 3: Fast Healing (Self +Regen)

An auto power, this selection matches VERY well with High Pain Tolerance. The default +75% Regeneration is fully enhancable and offers great early mitigation against all damage types. In fact, the HPT/Fast Healing combo is preferred by many early on over Mind Over Body, since it requires no endurance to run, cannot be detoggled, and provides mitigation against all damage types. Later on, Fast Healing synergizes exceptionally well with Rise to the Challenge to boost your Regeneration rates to amazing levels. Interestingly, City of Data also lists it as providing Regeneration debuff resistance that scales as you level… A key power, I recommend picking this one up early and 3-slotting it with Healing enhancements, perhaps adding a 4th slot in the late game when you have a surplus. The power can be slotted with Healing IO sets.

Tier 4: Indomitable Will (Self Res status effects, +Def Psionic)

This is a very good status protection power, better than many actually. It not only offers protection from Stun, Sleep, Hold, Knockback, and Immobilize, but also offers protection against Confuse and Fear. It also offers a base 7.5% Defense against Psionic damage, which is very prevalent in the late game. I generally recommend picking up status resistance powers as soon as they become available since they allow you to stay on your feet and keep fighting. It also makes fighting Lost a lot easier early on, since they do a lot of Knockback and the bosses Mez frequently. I recommend picking this up and leaving it with an endurance reduction enhancement in the default slot. Use it as your status protection toggle and later (say in your late 30’s or early 40’s) start slotting for Defense. Prior to the late game content, Psi damage is not very prevalent and slots are at a premium. Note that some don’t bother slotting for Defense at all for this power, but I like the way it fills the traditional Psi hole in most Secondaries. As mentioned, the power can be slotted with Defense IO sets.

Tier 5: Rise to the Challenge (Toggle, Self +Regen, Foe –To-Hit)

Many consider this power one that defines the set, and I agree that is has a substantial effect on tactics and survivability. It offers an initial boost to regeneration for the first foe that enters the area of effect, and then a smaller boost for every foe after that up to a total of 10 foes in range. The power also has a Mag 3 taunt effect of short duration (1.25 seconds). Personally, I consider this a big plus, as it helps attract foes to melee range and it can also help pull aggro off a beleaguered teammate that’s catching it in the back row. It can also aid in herding/corner pulling while solo. Lastly, the power provides a small (3.8%) To-Hit Debuff for foes in range. While not fantastic, it does augment your Defense powers and is part of the package. The set takes both Healing IO sets and To-Hit Debuff IO sets. Get it ASAP and slot it as soon as you can with 3-4 slots. It really does change the game for you once you pick it up.

The part that makes this power really awesome when combined with the Broadsword set is how it synergizes with Parry. If you can draw your foes into melee range, chances are they will be using melee attacks on you. That is a four-fold benefit to your character. First, it maximizes the regeneration from RttC. Second, it allows RttC to debuff their To-Hit. Third, it maximizes the benefit from Parry on your Defense, greatly increasing your survivability. Fourth, it maximizes the number of opponents that will get cut down by your PBAoEs (Slice and Whirling Sword) and melee attacks, thus reducing the number of threats and duration of the combat. I swear, it’s almost like Parry and RttC were designed to go together, there is just that much synergy between them.

Tier 6: Quick Recovery (Self +Recovery)

This is a huge reason a lot of people initially consider Willpower for a Secondary. It’s the equivalent of Stamina on steroids. It provides a base +30% Recovery and is fully enhancable. (Compare this to Stamina that gives a base +25%.) The power is also available at level 20 [u]with no pre-requisites[u]. That gives a lot of flexibility in power selections up to that point and allows you to plan out when you will pick up the Fitness Pool later in the build. Yep, that’s right. Willpower is essentially a Regeneration set at its core, so layering on the +40% (base) Regen from Health is almost a no-brainer. Add in that with the endurance costs for the new faster Broadsword chains and the toggles in the Secondary, the extra Recovery from Stamina is very valuable. Necessary? No. Makes life a ton easier? Yes. More on that later in the discussion of pool powers. This power accepts Endurance Modification IO sets.

Tier 7: Heightened Senses (Toggle, Self +Typed Def, +Perception)

Since we talked about Willpower being all about layered mitigation, it’s no surprise that this power is a big reason behind that. It offers a small amount (2.475% base) of Defense against S/L damage, but offers a more substantial (9.75%) Defense against Fire, Cold, Energy, and Negative Energy. This power is the bulk of your mitigation against exotic damage beyond your regeneration. It also offers a Perception boost (useful for Arachnos smoke grenades and stealthed foes) and Resistance to Defense Debuffs. Layering Defense over the Resistances from the set, on top of the Defense boost from Parry, and all on top of your Max Hit point buff and stellar Regeneration helps explain the reputation of the set for being very hard to kill. I recommend 4-slotting this as soon as you can. It accepts Defense IO sets.

Tier 8: Resurgence (Self Rez, Special)

Depending on playstyle, this is a power you will either love or find next to useless. I can see both sides of the argument, but I have to say I lean toward not taking it. It does make a nice “Oh Crap” button, but it soaks up a power choice and is situational at best. I generally skip self-Rez powers and focus on powers that add value before you are face-down on the carpet. The Broadsword/Willpower combo is durable enough that skipping this power is the approach I advocate. If you want to take it, go for it. Whatever works for your playstyle and preferences.

Tier 9: Strength of Will (Self +Res Status Effects, +Res Typed, +Recovery)

SoW is considered by some to be a lackluster Tier 9 power. I have to say that I disagree. While it does not provide game-breaking “god mode” performance, it [u]does[u] provide a substantial benefit. More-so when considering that it stacks on top of the already substantial mitigation that the Primary/Secondary powerset combination provide. The power lasts two minutes and provides (base) 18.75% resistance to S/L damage, 9.375% resistance to all other types, including Psionic

and Toxic. It also essentially doubles your status protection and gives a +30% bonus to Recovery. The drawback is the “crash” at the end takes 50% of your endurance bar. As tier 9 crashes go, that’s pretty mild (as opposed to Unstoppable, for example) and is almost unnoticeable in combat.

My personal observations have shown me (my opinion only) that the key to Strength of Will is that it is not a panic button in combat, but rather something you pop [u]before[u] you get in a tight spot. I usually light it off before hopping into a spawn to absorb a particularly nasty alpha or when fighting an AV to buy myself time for my Regen to catch up. In both cases, you need to predict that the situation has the potential to turn ugly and use the power before it does.

The quirk about the power is that it cannot be slotted for Recharge. It’s on an unenhancable 6 minute timer. A 6 minute recharge is actually not that bad, considering that you should not need to use it every fight. It tends to recharge fast enough for me that when I reach for it, it’s available. It’s probably the most useful and friendly tier 9 defensive power I have ever used in CoH (although I hear good things about the new MoG). The power accepts Damage Resistance IO sets.

Tying it all together: Pool Powers

The Broadsword/Willpower combination alone is exceptionally durable and lethal. By selectively taking pool powers, you can play to the strengths of the set and add additional elements such as mobility and reduced down time. That support is vital to getting the absolute most out of your Scrapper build. One note, the Epic Pools are not used in my personal build, since Pool power selections support the build my objectives better. Personally, I really dislike the Scrapper Epics and really consider the Fighting pool to be a much better substitute, but I will discuss them as potential options for consideration.

[u]Leaping Pool:[u]

Jump Kick (Moderate Smashing Dmg, Foe Knockup)

Skip this one. Mediocre attack, all smashing damage, only a 20% chance of knockup, and forces a re-draw for your Broadsword. Nothing to see here.

Combat Jumping (+Jump, + Def to All, +Res Immobilize)

A solid power choice early on, Combat Jumping is dirt cheap toggle to run, offers a small (1.875% base) Defense to all (including Psionic), and gives great air control. Taking this power is more about combat mobility than Defense, but that little bit does layer nicely on top of the other Defense powers in the Secondary. Since combat positioning is essential to lining up Head Splitter on multiple foes and also to maximize your AoEs, Combat Jumping is a power I really rely on in the build. Accepts Defense IO sets.

SuperJump (+Long Jump)

SuperJump is an ideal and efficient power pick for a Broadsword/Willpower Scrapper. It has Combat Jumping as a prerequisite and doesn’t need any slots to be a great travel power. You get excellent vertical movement from this toggle, it’s not hard on your blue bar, and you travel very fast from point to point. About the only place I ever long for a different travel power is the Shadow Shard. Overall, it does the job and lets you put slots other places where they are needed (like your attacks). Accepts Jumping IO sets.

Acrobatics (Self Res Knockback/Hold)

Another power to skip. Indomitable Will provides great status protection. Picking this power would be redundant. Nothing to see here.

[u]Fitness Pool:[u]

Swift (+Run Speed, +Flight Speed)

Pretty straightforward, this power boosts your running speed on the ground. Some people advocate Hurdle, but personally I prefer the additional ground speed for combat positioning. A little extra speed is nice to have to maneuver for those cone attacks and also to chase down runners. This is a pre-requisite for the other powers in the Fitness Pool, and it’s an auto power, so it takes no endurance to run and cannot be detoggled. Does not accept IO sets (does take common IOs though).

Hurdle (+Jump Speed/Distance)

The alternative to Swift, this power boosts your jumping height and speed. In terms of ground speed, it is actually slightly faster than Swift. It also synergizes remarkably well with Combat Jumping. Having both in your build gives unsurpressable movement similar to a mini-SuperJump. Several people I know use that speed and the “follow” command to rapidly move from target to target in combat. Others use the air speed and positioning that the extra jumping ability give to set up and maximize their positioning for AoEs (I do this on my Ice/Fire Tank quite a bit). The decision between Hurdle and Swift is purely user preference. Both act as a pre-requisite for the other powers in the Fitness Pool, and both are auto powers, which take no endurance to run and cannot be detoggled. Does not accept IO sets (does take common IOs though).

Health (+Regen, +Res Sleep)

A key power for any Willpower Scrappers. The additional Regeneration layers on top of the benefits provided by Fast Healing and Rise to the Challenge. Unslotted, the power gives +40% Regen. 3-Slotted up at the ED cap, it gives about 80% regeneration. Take it and slot it up when the build allows. It will contribute to your overall survivability and plays to the strengths of the Broadsword/Willpower combo. The power takes Healing IO sets.

Stamina (+Recovery)

Yep, this power is pretty much taken by every character in the game. It provides +25% recovery base and about +50% Recovery when slotted up at the ED cap. With Quick Recovery available at 20, there is not the pressure to take it early like other sets or archetypes. However, Broadsword is a greedy mistress when it comes to Endurance and Willpower has a bunch of toggles on top of that. Grabbing Stamina in the mid-to-late game allows you to essentially run flat-out non-stop and keep fighting even after SoW crashes and takes half your endurance bar with it. The ability to fight flat out indefinitely increases your combat effectiveness and damage output. It also means one less thing to worry about, reducing the overall load of data to manage while playing.

I tend to use that reduction in other distractions to pay more attention to the macro-level combat and watching team health bars. Less micro-management means I am more in tune with the team, and that’s good for everyone. Note that since a BS/WP build almost certainly has QR in it already, there is less pressure to immediately add slots to this power. Add them to suit when your build allows. The power takes Endurance Modification IO sets.

[u]Fighting Pool:[u]

Boxing (Moderate Smashing Damage, Foe Disorient)

This is a prerequisite for the rest of the picks in the pool, so you need to grab it. Or Kick, whichever you prefer. Personally, I think they are both worthless for a BS/WP since they do crappy damage and force you to redraw, which always seems to break the flow of combat for me.

Kick (Moderate Smashing Damage, Foe Knockback)

This is a prerequisite for the rest of the picks in the pool, so you need to grab it. Or Boxing, whichever you prefer. Personally, I think they are both worthless for a BS/WP since they do crappy damage and force you to redraw, which always seems to break the flow of combat for me.

Tough (+Res Smashing/Lethal)

A solid power choice (toggle) for a Broadsword/Willpower Scrapper. It gives an additional measure of Smashing/Lethal Resistance to the set and will allow you to cap your S/L Resistance with Mind Over Body and Strength of Will. Base values are +11.25% Resistance to Smashing/Lethal, and about 17.5% when fully slotted at the ED cap. Adding this power adds to the layered damage mitigation that makes Willpower so robust. A great power to have to maximize the survivability for your build. This power takes Damage Resistance IO sets.

Weave (+Def to All, +Res Immobilize)

Another end-goal for taking the Fighting pool for your Scrapper. Weave is a toggle that adds a base 3.75% Defense to all, and about +5.8% when slotted to the ED cap for Defense. The combination of Weave and Combat Jumping add a total of +7.7% Defense to all. Add in the SteadFast Resistance/Defense IO from High Pain Tolerance (covered earlier) and you get a total of +10.7% Defense layering on top of the Defense values from Parry, Indomitable Will, and Heightened Senses That means that with a single Common Defense IO slotted in Parry and double-stacking it, you’ll be over the 45% soft cap for Defense against Melee. That’s a great place to be. This power takes Defense IO sets.

[u]Leadership Pool[u]

Assault (Toggle, +Team Damage, Res Taunt/Placate)

I chose Assault over Hasten for a level 49 power choice in the build. Thematically, it fits the all-out approach my Scrapper has to combat. Numbers-wise I chose to add more damage to all attacks and all attacks from the team over just increasing the recharge on my attacks. Unlike other powersets, like Regeneration that relies on click heals, the additional Recharge from Hasten would not really be of any benefit to my secondary. That and the power only requires its base slot to be effective, so that frees up at least two extra slots for use elsewhere in the build. The extra 10.5% damage may not be that thrilling, but it does add up over the course of a mission. Plus, damage is what Scrappers are all about, right? This power does not accept IO sets (although it does take common IOs).

Maneuvers (Toggle, +Team Defense)

Well, despite the fact that this adds more Defense to your build and team, I say skip this one. The Defense boost is minimal (2.275% base) and really not worth the endurance cost to run, even on big teams.

Tactics (Toggle, +Team Ti-Hit, Res Confuse/Fear, +Perception)

Well, here is a Leadership pool power that is arguably very good for a Scrapper. The power adds a base +7% to-hit for all team members (almost +11% at the ED cap when enhanced for To-Hit). That extra to-hit can come in very handy when fighting +4/+5 foes, Rikti Drones, Behemoths, etc. that have high Defense values. Many look at this power as a compromise to Focused Accuracy from the Epic Pools. It has a lower to-hit buff, but also is much less endurance to run. A power to consider depending on the goals for your build. This power accepts To-Hit Buff IO sets.

Vengance (Targeted AoE, Teammates +DMG, +To-hit, +Def to all, Res Effects)

Here is an odd power and highly situational. You need a teammate face down on the pavement to fire off this power, and truthfully…? You should be out head-hunting whoever took them out. I see Defenders/Controllers pick this up from time to time, but I highly advocate that you not consider this in your build. Just doesn’t fit well, at least in my opinion.

[u]Flight Pool[u]

Although the Flight pool is very popular, I really don’t care for it with the Broadsword Primary. Air Superiority forces a redraw and you have plenty of other high-damage attacks to fire off instead. Hover is slow as death and needs precious slots to increase flightspeed to make it viable. Fly is a fantastic super-power and one I love on other characters, but not for BS/WP. You need the slots for flight speed in other areas of the build (like attacks) and the pre-requisites just are not attractive. Group-Fly is even worse and I’m just going to skip that altogether. If you want a concept build and need Fly for it, go for it. Otherwise, I’d bypass this pool altogether.

[u]Concealment Pool[u]

Scrappers are not very sneaky folks, generally to eager to go stab/kick/burn something to stay concealed. I advocate skipping this pool, as the Defense from Stealth is minimal and the rest of the powers are better suited to a support AT like Defenders and Controllers. If you want concealment, investigate getting one of the +Stealth IOs out there present in several IO sets (like Celerity +Stealth that can be slotted in Sprint).

[u]Presence Pool[u]

Again, with a damage-focused AT like a Scrapper, the Presence Pool is of questionable value. With no other powers to stack Fear from the set, there is little synergy here and should be skipped unless there is an overwhelming concept reason to pick it up.

[u]Medicine Pool[u]

Here is a pool with some debate about whether or not it is worthwhile. Aid Self is often looked at for the Willpower secondary due to the lack of a self-heal in the set. However, Aid-Self requires a lot of slots to be effective, has a lengthy animation, is interruptible, forces a redraw on your Broadsword, and has Aid Other or Stimulant as a prerequisite. Neither Aid-Self or Stimulant are very good and definitely not in line with the raw frenzy of damage that is usually what Scrappers are all about. Truthfully, with a solid build and Parry in your attack chain, you should not need Aid Self except for in some seriously bad situations where reducing your damage output to heal yourself might get you in WORSE trouble. Overall, just not worth it. I say skip this pool.

[u]Teleportation Pool[u]

I’ve never been a fan of this pool. As a travel power, Teleport is clunky without having Hover as well. The two pre-requisites are nice, but don’t support the focus of the build (damage and survivability). Overall, the Leaping pool is a much better choice and I recommend not picking Teleportation for your Broadsword/Willpower Scrapper.

[u]Speed Pool[u]

Out of all the pool powers, this is perhaps the best option as an alternative to the Leaping Pool. Hasten is a great power and with both QR and Stamina as options for the build, you should have the spare endurance to run it. While it will benefit your primary and speed up your attacks, it will have essentially no effect on your secondary. Sets like Katana/Regeneration make much better use of Hasten, since it speeds up the click heals that are the foundation of the Secondary’s damage mitigation. Since Willpower has toggles that provide this, speeding up their recharge has no real benefit. That said, faster recharging attacks are always nice, so feel free to pick this as an alternative to the Leaping Pool.

Flurry (Moderate Smashing Damage, Foe Disorient)

Crappy attack power, period. Long animation, roots you in place, smashing damage, low chance (20%) to disorient, and forcing a redraw on your Broadsword all make this an attack to stay away from. If you want the Speed pool, get Hasten.

Hasten (Self +Recharge)

Hasten is a great power. Gives a 70% boost to recharge (making things recharge faster) for 2 minutes. The recharge on the power is a default 7.5 minutes that can be brought down to about 3.8 minutes or so with Recharge enhancements. That means about half the time Hasten will be up, and about half the time it will be recharging. Many leave this power on “auto” and just let it click away in the background while they play. Note that the “crash” at the end takes 15 endurance with it (about 15% of your blue bar), but with Quick Recovery and Stamina in the build, this is virtually unnoticeable.

Personally, I opted not to add this to the build. It’s nice to have, but my attack chain is pretty fluid right now, so the extra recharge is really not needed. However, for builds using SO’s or common IOs, this may be a VERY attractive power. For those cases, the extra recharge can really improve the performance of the build. So, if you are only use SOs or are not comfortable with IO sets, Hasten is likely a good option. This power does not take IO sets (but will take common IOs).

Super Speed (Self +Runspeed/+Stealth)

If you’re taking Hasten as part of the build then Super Speed is a good choice for a travel power. Super Speed offers great ground speed and really doesn’t require any additional slots beyond it’s default. The secondary stealth effect also comes in handy, particularly when navigating zones with enemies far in excess of your current level. The only hang-up with this power is the lack of vertical movement. Many address this with Hurdle and/or Combat Jumping to give some additional jumping ability to get over obstacles. The Good-vs-Evil jump-pack is also a good option to use in zones not friendly to horizontal travel. And, of course, you can pick up the temporary travel powers (Zero-G Pack and Raptor Pack) and ration their usage throughout your career without much difficulty. This power takes Run Speed IO sets.

Whirlwind (Toggle, PBAoE, Foe Knockback)

Although humorous, this power is generally not a solid choice for Scrappers. You spin around at high speed and create a mini-tornado that knocks back opponents around you. While useful to mitigate damage, it does no damage on its own and is situational at best. For low-damage ATs (Defenders, for example), this power can be used strategically on teams to push foes into a corner for maximum AoE effectiveness. However, a Broadsword/Willpower Scrapper is better off just hacking away at nearby enemies. Definitely a power to skip.

The Late Game Option: Epic Pool Powers

Now, while I personally dislike the functionality and choices in the Scrapper Epic Pools, they are attractive to many players. As such, I’ll touch on them here to try and round out the choices available to characters past Level 41.

[u]Body Mastery[u]

Out of all the Epic Pools, this would be the one I would consider first for a Broadsword/Willpower Scrapper. It offers some solid powers that synergize with the powerset combination and the rest of the build.

Conserve Power (Self Endurance Discount)

This is a great power for most Scrappers, particularly those that tend to be somewhat “endurance challenged”. However, with both Quick Recovery and Stamina available, Conserve Power is of limited usefulness for a Broadsword/Willpower Scrapper. The power gives about a 115% endurance discount for all powers (both click and toggles) for a minute and a half (90 seconds). It has a 10 minute recharge on it which can be dropped to about 5-6 minutes or so with Recharge enhancements. The only time this power may be considered is to help with builds that do not take Stamina or builds that opt for SO’s/common IO’s and have some endurance challenges in long fights (say versus AVs). If by level 41 you are not seeing endurance problems, don’t consider this. However, if you are having issues in sustained fights, this may be worth considering. Personally, I don’t think it’s needed in a build with Stamina, but I’ll leave it up to you. This power does not accept IO sets (but does accept common IOs).

Focused Accuracy (Self +To-Hit/Perception, Res Debuff To-Hit)

Here is a power to toggle on when you absolutely, positively need to HIT something. It gives a base +20% To-Hit and is enhanceable up over +30%. That means you can hit enemies you would be whiffing on otherwise, like +4 Rikti drones bubbled by a Guardian. Although I don’t discuss PvP in this guide, obviously this power is also popular for people that participate in that activity. This massive To-Hit buff is not without drawbacks, though. It’s endurance cost has been classified by some as “extreme” and the “old school” slotting started with the power three-slotted with Endurance Reduction enhancements to make it manageable. For those obsessed about not missing with their attacks, this can be a good choice. Also, this tends to be a situational toggle. You turn it on when you need it and leave it off when you don’t. If this sounds attractive to you, consider picking it up, but plan how you are going to manage the endurance cost. The power accepts To-Hit Buff IO sets.

Laser Beam Eyes (Ranged Moderate Energy Damage, Foe –Def)

I will have to admit, this is my favorite Ranged attack out of the Scrapper Epic Pools. Red lasers shooting out of your eyes and nailing a foe across the room? Yeah, that really tickles my geek bone. That said, having a ranged attack doesn’t buy you much. As an opener, I prefer Parry or Headsplitter since they are either a Defensive or Offensive maneuver to start the combat. If you need to tag an opponent, using LBE won’t make much of a dent in them unless they only have a sliver of health left. If they don’t, then you still have to go over there and smack them around with that hunk of steel you are dragging around with you. Overall though, definitely skippable on a melee-oriented character like a Scrapper. Focus on what your high-damage melee attacks and leave the ranged stuff to the Blasters. This power takes both Ranged IO sets and Defense Debuff sets.

Energy Torrent (Cone, Minor Smashing/Energy Damage, Foe Knockback)

Energy Torrent is popular amongst certain Scrappers since the damage is actually pretty good, about 60% of Hack’s damage with about 80% of it Energy damage. It also has a 100% chance of low-magnitude knockback (which is knockdown on most foes). Actually, it has the same magnitude knockback as Head Splitter, so by the time you can access this power you should be familiar with what that looks like in practice. The power is nice in that it does decent AoE damage to supplement Slice and Whirling Sword, and can also be used to buy breathing room by keeping foes on their back. Truthfully though, I tend to focus on my single-target attacks with my BS/WP Scrapper. The AoEs are nice, but single-target damage output is where Broadsword really shines. Also, the power requires two predecessors in the Body Epic Pool and I personally think that the Fighting Pool has better synergy with the powerset combination. As such, I skipped it. If you’re interested in this pool and can work it in to your build, go for it. In the level range where you can add Epic Pool powers, you’re really fleshing out the character with “options” to round them out. Prior to that people have access to both tier 9s and levels to slot them up to their full potential.

[u]Darkness Masteryl[u]

The Darkness Mastery Epic Pool offers some interesting options, including some control options otherwise missing from the Broadsword/Willpower combination.

Petrifying Gaze (Ranged Hold)

This power is a Mag 3 single target hold similar to the tier 2 Controller holds, but much shorter in duration (only about 40% the duration actually). This magnitude hold will affect Minions and Lieutenants with one application, and Bosses with two applications. It does no damage. The power is generally used on “problem” opponents, such as Sappers, to keep them out of the fight until you can hammer them into the ground. Personally, I am too offense oriented with my Broadsword/Willpower Scrapper to bother with powers like this. I can drop Sappers with two hits, less with a critical. That said, some others really like the diversity and control elements that this power can provide for the build.

Dark Blast (Ranged Moderate Negative Energy Damage, Foe –To-Hit)

Similar to (but less visually impressive than) Laser Beam Eyes, Dark Blast is a typical ranged attack. It deals negative energy damage and does about 60% of Hack’s damage. Note that Negative Energy damage is often less resisted than Lethal damage in the late game, so effective damage is higher than you may expect. Other than the damage, the power debuffs the target’s To-Hit by about 5%. Same arguments for/against LBE apply here, so reference the discussion above.

Tenebrous Tentacles (Ranged Cone, Moderate Negative Energy/Smashing Damage, Foe Immobilize/-To-Hit)

Almost the opposite of Energy Torrent, Tenebrous Tentacles is a damage-over-time attack that roots opponents caught in its cone. The immobilize can be nice to stop runners and lock down a tight spawn so it doesn’t spread out during combat. The secondary effect is that it debuffs foe To-Hit by about 5%. Note that the –To-Hit from this can stack with the –To-Hit from Rise to the Challenge to get to about a 10% debuff in total. While not stellar, this does give some additional survivability. Again though, the attack is a nice AoE, but the Immobilization will prevent knockup/knockdown, which is the mitigation that Disembowel and Head Splitter provide. Overall, not enough damage and it just doesn’t fit my vision for a Broadsword/Willpower Scrapper. Despite that, I am sure that this attack would be viable for someone with an alternate character concept or a different approach to the build.

[u]Weapon Mastery[u]

Weapon Mastery is perhaps the best epic pool to fit with a Natural origin character concept. Lots of devices and ninja-style weapons may really be a good fit for the right build and costume selection. Particularly when paired with the Tsoo Katana unlockable weapon model for the Broadsword set. See here for a photo and a link at the bottom to some additional information on Paragonwiki for that weapon model.

Caltrops (Ranged Location AoE, Minor Lethal DoT, Foe –Speed)

If you have ever tangled with the Knives of Artemis villain group, you know first-hand exactly how much of a pain in the posterior this power can be when you get hit with it. I actually consider it the most useful power in the Weapons Mastery Epic Pool. When corner pulling, it can be used to bunch up foes and keep them in one location for the AoE characters on the team to just unload on them. It can also be used to limit movement of opponents and also to break interruptible powers (like COT Mages blowing up when they get low on health). A clever player can find a ton of good uses for this power.

Despite this, subtlety is not the mainstay of a Broadsword/Willpower Scrapper. You’ll likely spend more time diving headlong into a spawn for the fun of it rather than carefully planning a coordinated maneuver with the team. Non-stop attacking and damage output are the order of the day and the focus for my BS/WP character at this level. With close to Tank-level survivability with Parry running, the need for subtlety is low. However, this is a viable option for those with a different approach or those looking for some more thematic control elements for their character.

Web Grenade (Ranged Foe Immobilize/-Recharge/-Fly)

This attack immobilizes at range and applies a 40% Recharge debuff to the target. It also prevents all forms of knockback/knockdown. And it does no damage and the foes are still free to shoot/attack you to their hearts content. Yeah, not a favorite of mine and one I definitely recommend skipping.

Shuriken (Ranged Minor Lethal Damage)

Pretty straightforward. You throw sharpened metal at people. It hurts. That’s about it. The attack does pure lethal damage about equal to 50% the damage of Hack. The recharge is pretty short on this attack, however, so you could spam it or use it as a filler attack depending on the situation. Still, just too little and too late in the build for me. Lack of any secondary debuff also makes it less attractive than other attacks that offer some mitigation along with the damage. Skip this one unless it really is important to your character concept.

Exploding Shuriken (Ranged AoE, Moderate Lethal Damage)

The AoE version of Shuriken, this does about 60% the damage of Hack to all foes in a 10 foot radius. Pure lethal damage and no secondary debuffs or other effects. Yup, just doesn’t excite me for a Broadsword. Same comments as Shuriken (above) apply here.

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

A few words about Invention Origin Enhancements:

With the introduction of Issue 9 came invention origin enhancements. For me, personally, they changed the game. IOs offer a fantastic vehicle for maximizing performance of the character you are playing. They represent a path for huge increases in effectiveness in terms of enhancement values alone. Add in set bonuses, and you get substantial gains to damage output, survivability, and endurance management.

For those interested in more detail, I recommend the following guides related to IOs and some common approaches to affording them (since many complain about their expense). I do not want to re-invent the wheel or attempt to distill the great information in these guides, so please take a look if you are new to IOs or merely interested in learning more. The guides are:

Capn_Canadian's Guide - IO's for Newbs, Casual Playas, & Cheapskates
PeterPeter's No Numbers Guide to I9 for the Casual Player
Viva Las Vegas intermediate guide to IOs (I9)
FrozenHorizon's Guide to Getting Rich Quick
Wentworth's 101-107
Mid's Hero Designer

There are others available. Take a look in the Player Guides section of the Forums for more information and resources. Note that I will, however, provide some IO related commentary on each of the sample builds provided in the next section.

The Total Picture: Sample Builds

OK, so after gobs and gobs of text, here is what many would consider the “meat” of the document. Sample builds. I’ll start with

Broadsword/Willpower – SO version at Level 50

Here is a simple version of a durable BS/WP Scrapper build based on SO enhancements with appropriate slotting for those enhancement values.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.4006
http://www.cohplanner.com/

SO_Version: Level 50 Natural Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Broad Sword
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Hack -- Acc(A), Acc(3), Dmg(5), Dmg(23), EndRdx(25), Dmg(31)
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- Heal(A), Heal(7), Heal(7)
Level 2: Slice -- Acc(A), Acc(3), Dmg(5), Dmg(23), EndRdx(25), Dmg(36)
Level 4: Fast Healing -- Heal(A), Heal(13), Heal(15)
Level 6: Build Up -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(15), RechRdx(19), ToHit(46)
Level 8: Parry -- Acc(A), Acc(9), Dmg(9), RechRdx(11), DefBuff(11), DefBuff(13)
Level 10: Indomitable Will -- EndRdx(A), DefBuff(42), DefBuff(42), DefBuff(43)
Level 12: Combat Jumping -- DefBuff(A), DefBuff(46), DefBuff(46)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Jump(A)
Level 16: Rise to the Challenge -- EndRdx(A), Heal(17), Heal(17), Heal(40)
Level 18: Whirling Sword -- Acc(A), Acc(19), Dmg(37), Dmg(37), EndRdx(37), RechRdx(40)
Level 20: Quick Recovery -- EndMod(A), EndMod(21), EndMod(21)
Level 22: Mind Over Body -- EndRdx(A), ResDam(39), ResDam(40), ResDam(45)
Level 24: Swift -- Run(A)
Level 26: Disembowel -- Acc(A), Acc(27), Dmg(27), Dmg(29), EndRdx(29), Dmg(31)
Level 28: Heightened Senses -- EndRdx(A), DefBuff(31), DefBuff(34), DefBuff(42)
Level 30: Health -- Heal(A), Heal(45), Heal(45)
Level 32: Head Splitter -- Acc(A), Acc(33), Dmg(33), Dmg(33), Dmg(34), EndRdx(34)
Level 35: Stamina -- EndMod(A), EndMod(36), EndMod(36)
Level 38: Hasten -- RechRdx(A), RechRdx(39), RechRdx(39)
Level 41: Strength of Will -- ResDam(A), ResDam(43), ResDam(43)
Level 44: Boxing -- Acc(A)
Level 47: Tough -- EndRdx(A), ResDam(48), ResDam(48), ResDam(48)
Level 49: Weave -- EndRdx(A), DefBuff(50), DefBuff(50), DefBuff(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Run(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit



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This is a build that will probably be more comfortable for those still nervous or apprehensive about the whole Invention Origin aspect of CoH. It attempts to maximize survivability through use of the Fighting Pool and makes use of Hasten to attempt to add some additional Recharge into the build to smooth out the attack chain. Stamina and Quick Recovery are both part of the build, and will be useful to maintain good combat performance.

[u]Overall, this SO version of the build has (without Parry active):[u]
12.6% Smashing/Lethal Defense
24% Energy/Negative Energy/Fire/Cold Defense
20.5% Psionic Defense
8.8% Positional (Melee/Ranged/AoE) Defense
49.5% Smashing/Lethal Resistance
5.6% Energy/Negative Energy/Fire/Cold Resistance
29% Psionic Resistance
207% Recovery
568% Regeneration
129.5% Max Hit Points

Pretty robust for a Scrapper, particularly vs. Psi damage (a typical weak spot for melee sets). Now, if you factor in Parry, which gives +21% Melee/Lethal Defense per hit… Single stacked, Parry gets you to a Melee/Lethal Defense of 29.8%. Double Stacked, you get to 50.8% Melee/Lethal Defense, which is well over the 45% soft-cap. If you swap out one of the Defense SO’s in Parry with another enhancement, the Defense boost drops to +18% per application. This gets you to 44.8% with Combat Jumping, Heightened Senses, and Weave. That’s pretty close to the soft cap and may be viable for some looking to swap in another Damage SO into the power. Note that there are a lot of foes (i.e. Cimerora, for example) that debuff Defense, so having the extra margin over the soft cap is probably a safe idea.

Note that common IOs could also be substituted into this build, although some may want to consider adjusting slotting slightly since higher level IOs have enhancement values superior to their SO equivalents. Still, this format would be a good framework for that.

Broadsword/Willpower – IO version at Level 17

Leaving behind SOs, I’ll start showing a leveling progression as an example for how a Broadsword/Willpower Scrapper can develop. Note that my own build and experience was used as a template, and the previous guide discussion and my personal preferences are reflected in it.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.4006
http://www.cohplanner.com/

L17_with_IOs: Level 17 Natural Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Broad Sword
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Leaping

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Hack -- P'ngFist-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:20(A), B'Snap-Acc/Dmg:20(5), B'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:20(7)
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- Heal-I:20(A), Heal-I:20(3), Heal-I:20(3), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:15(13)
Level 2: Slice -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:20(A), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg:20(5), C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:20(7)
Level 4: Fast Healing -- Heal-I:20(A), Heal-I:20(15), Heal-I:20(15)
Level 6: Build Up -- RechRdx-I:20(A), RechRdx-I:20(11), RechRdx-I:20(11)
Level 8: Parry -- Acc-I:20(A), B'Snap-Acc/Rchg:20(9), DefBuff-I:20(9), DefBuff-I:20(13)
Level 10: Indomitable Will -- EndRdx-I:20(A)
Level 12: Combat Jumping -- DefBuff-I:20(A)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Jump-I:20(A)
Level 16: Rise to the Challenge -- Tr'ge-Heal/EndRdx:20(A), Tr'ge-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:20(17), Heal-I:20(17)
Level 18: [Empty]
Level 20: [Empty]
Level 22: [Empty]
Level 24: [Empty]
Level 26: [Empty]
Level 28: [Empty]
Level 30: [Empty]
Level 32: [Empty]
Level 35: [Empty]
Level 38: [Empty]
Level 41: [Empty]
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit



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So here is a good example of why IOs, even at lower levels, can be VERY effective. Take the power Hack, for example. At Level 20, normally people would be using DO’s for their build. DO’s for Accuracy, Damage, Recharge, and Endurance Reduction are all Schedule A enhancements with a even-level value of 16.7%. A +3 Schedule A DO will have an enhancement value of 19.16%. Got that?

Ok, now look at the enhancement values for Hack (three slotted):
44.8% Accuracy
44.8% Damage
12.8% Recharge

That’s the equivalent of over two +3 DO’s worth of Accuracy, over two +3 DO’s worth of Damage, and close to an even level DO’s worth of recharge. Essentially, you get the same benefits with three slots as you would if you [u]five[u] slotted the power. That’s like getting two extra slots worth of enhancement value! And the great thing is that IOs at this level are cheap. Salvage is generally inexpensive and crafting costs for these level IOs are cheap. Even the cost at the market for these are generally cheap, as you can mix and match to get the enhancement values you are looking for. It also allows for customization, too. Want more damage? Slot for it. Want Endurance Reduction? Slot for it. IO sets really allow customization of the enhancement values for your powers.

Now, some may say “Hey! But those sets in there don’t match.” That’s correct. The approach here is commonly referred to as “Frankenslotting”. This approach pretty much ignores set bonuses and focuses on the increased [u]enhancement values[u] that individual Set IOs provide. Capn_Canadian’s guide goes into this approach in much greater detail. It’s worth a read if you are not familiar with the concept or application of it.

[u]Overall, this Level 17 IO version of the build has (without Parry active):[u]
5.2% Smashing/Lethal Defense
5.2% Energy/Negative Energy/Fire/Cold Defense
12.7% Psionic Defense
5.2%% Positional (Melee/Ranged/AoE) Defense
6% Smashing/Lethal Resistance
6% Energy/Negative Energy/Fire/Cold Resistance
6% Psionic Resistance
100% Recovery
429% Regeneration
+27.6 Max Hit Points

Not overwhelming, but remember that the character is still in his teens. The primary forms of damage mitigation is through regeneration and maximum hit points. On top of that, Parry adds a lot to the survivability of the build. Single stacked, Parry gets you to a Melee/Lethal Defense of (19.6 + 5.2) = 24.8%. Double Stacked, you get to (19.6 x 2) + 5.2 = 44.4% Melee/Lethal Defense. Take note: A [u]Level 17[u] Scrapper that can very nearly hit the soft-cap for Melee/Lethal Defense. That is a HUGE reason why playing a Broadsword/Willpower Scrapper can feel incredibly powerful from early on. That kind of Defense with your Regeneration chewing away in the background will make you feel invincible vs. foes that play to your strong suit. Early on, a lot of the damage in the game is Lethal Damage or has a Lethal Damage component to it. That makes you very tough indeed under the right circumstances…

Your attack chain at this level should consist of starting the attack sequence with Parry and then alternating between Hack and Slice. Parry recharges quickly and can make for a good “filler” attack for you. Veteran temp power attacks (i.e. Sands of Mu, Nemesis Staff) can also be worked in here for some extra carnage. Truthfully though, those three basic Broadsword attacks will be your bread and butter until Level 26. It’s a solid chain and is fairly endurance friendly as well.

Broadsword/Willpower – IO version at Level 27

So now you’re getting somewhere. Attacks are slotted out more fully, your secondary is adding more to your overall survivability, and you now have one of your two “Big Guns” with Disembowel that was picked up at Level 26. Life is good and getting better. Let’s take a look at a suggested IO slotting at this level…

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.4006
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Arm Strong: Level 27 Natural Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Broad Sword
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Hack -- F'dSmite-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:30(A), F'dSmite-Acc/Dmg:30(5), S'ngH'mkr-Acc/Dmg:30(7), S'ngH'mkr-Dmg/EndRdx:30(19), S'ngH'mkr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:30(23)
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- Heal-I:30(A), Heal-I:30(3), Heal-I:30(3), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:15(13)
Level 2: Slice -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg:30(A), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:30(5), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:30(7), C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:30(19), C'ngBlow-Dmg/EndRdx:30(25)
Level 4: Fast Healing -- Heal-I:30(A), Heal-I:30(15), Heal-I:30(15)
Level 6: Build Up -- RechRdx-I:30(A), RechRdx-I:30(11), RechRdx-I:30(11)
Level 8: Parry -- F'dSmite-Acc/Dmg:30(A), F'dSmite-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:30(9), S'ngH'mkr-Acc/Dmg:30(9), S'dpty-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:30(13), DefBuff-I:30(23)
Level 10: Indomitable Will -- EndRdx-I:30(A)
Level 12: Combat Jumping -- DefBuff-I:30(A)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Jump-I:30(A)
Level 16: Rise to the Challenge -- H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx:30(A), H'zdH-Heal:30(17), Heal-I:30(17)
Level 18: Whirling Sword -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:30(A), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg:30(25)
Level 20: Quick Recovery -- EndMod-I:30(A), EndMod-I:30(21), EndMod-I:30(21)
Level 22: Mind Over Body -- EndRdx-I:30(A)
Level 24: Swift -- Run-I:30(A)
Level 26: Disembowel -- F'dSmite-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:30(A), F'dSmite-Acc/Dmg:30(27), S'ngH'mkr-Acc/Dmg:30(27)
Level 28: [Empty]
Level 30: [Empty]
Level 32: [Empty]
Level 35: [Empty]
Level 38: [Empty]
Level 41: [Empty]
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit



<font class="small">Code:[/color]<hr /><pre>| Copy &amp; Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build |
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Note that this build is not a respect, it just adds on to the same build we previously covered at Level 17. Let’s take a look at Hack again. With five slots, it has a lot more potency. Also, now SO’s are available for the character, so let’s look at that first. If we slotted with SO’s, we’d probably choose something like Acc x2, Dmg x2, and End Redx. That would give (assuming +3 SO’s) an enhancement value of 76% Accuracy, 76% Damage, and 38% Endurance Reduction. Not bad.

Ok, now look at the enhancement values for Hack (five slotted with IOs):
60.9% Accuracy
81.38% Damage
56.5% Endurance Discount
34.8% Recharge

Looking at the aggregate totals, using SO’s gives a total enhancement value of (5 x 38.33) = 191.65. To compare, look at the aggregate total enhancement value with IOs. These give (60.9 + 81.38 + 56.5% + 34.8) = 233.58. Using IOs gives roughly 122% the enhancement value of plain SO’s. That’s a little better than getting an Extra SO in the power and also allows you to spread the enhancement values around (want more Recharge, tweak the IO slotting, etc.) As a final benefit, slotting three Smashing Haymaker IOs in the power grants an extra +1.5% Maximum Hit Points. A very nice benefit that adds to the Max Hit Points from High Pain Tolerance. Note that none of these sets are expensive, mostly made up of some of the “undesirable” recipes since their set bonuses are not that great.

[u]Overall, this Level 27 IO version of the build has (without Parry active):[u]
5.3% Smashing/Lethal Defense
5.3% Energy/Negative Energy/Fire/Cold Defense
12.8% Psionic Defense
5.3%% Positional (Melee/Ranged/AoE) Defense
22.9% Smashing/Lethal Resistance
6% Energy/Negative Energy Resistance
7% Fire/Cold Resistance
21% Psionic Resistance
161% Recovery
483% Regeneration
+44.7 Max Hit Points

As you can see, the build is maturing. Quick Recovery gives a lot more endurance recovery to offset the added toggles and attacks. Mind Over Body gives some much needed Resistance. And to top it all off, Parry now hits harder, is more accurate, and gives 44.7% Melee/Lethal Defense when double stacked. With four attacks to cycle, your attack chain really begins to fill out and the knockup mitigation from Disembowel really adds a lot to your survivability against tough bosses. Your already tough build is getting tougher.

Broadsword/Willpower – IO version at Level 37

Ah, this is the time when you REALLY start to hit your stride. You now have access to Head Splitter and all of a sudden, you really understand why people have been raving about the Broadsword set. Attacks are well slotted, your layered Damage mitigation is pretty far along, and you’re really starting to consider investing in the “Good” IO sets now that you have an idea what you want for your character. This is really one of the most enjoyable times in your career. Exploring the newly available content in the RWZ, experimenting with just how tough a spawn you can take down solo, and really pushing the limits for your build.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.4006
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Arm Strong: Level 37 Natural Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Broad Sword
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Hack -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:40(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:40(5), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:40(7), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:40(19), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:40(23), Achilles-ResDeb%:18(34)
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- Numna-Heal/EndRdx:40(A), Numna-Heal/Rchg:40(3), Heal-I:40(3), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:15(13)
Level 2: Slice -- C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:40(A), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg:40(5), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:35(7), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg:40(19), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:40(25), Achilles-ResDeb%:18(36)
Level 4: Fast Healing -- Numna-Heal/EndRdx:40(A), Numna-Heal/Rchg:40(15), Heal-I:40(15)
Level 6: Build Up -- RechRdx-I:40(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg:40(11), AdjTgt-Rchg:40(11)
Level 8: Parry -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:40(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:40(9), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:40(9), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:40(13), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:40(23), DefBuff-I:40(31)
Level 10: Indomitable Will -- EndRdx-I:40(A)
Level 12: Combat Jumping -- DefBuff-I:40(A)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Jump-I:40(A)
Level 16: Rise to the Challenge -- Numna-Heal/Rchg:40(A), Heal-I:40(17), Numna-Heal/EndRdx:40(17)
Level 18: Whirling Sword -- C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:40(A), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg:40(25), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:35(36), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg:40(37), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:40(37), Achilles-ResDeb%:18(37)
Level 20: Quick Recovery -- EndMod-I:40(A), Efficacy-EndMod:40(21), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc:40(21)
Level 22: Mind Over Body -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx:40(A)
Level 24: Swift -- Run-I:40(A)
Level 26: Disembowel -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:40(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:40(27), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:40(27), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:40(29), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:40(29), Achilles-ResDeb%:18(31)
Level 28: Health -- Heal-I:40(A)
Level 30: Stamina -- Efficacy-EndMod:40(A), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc:40(31)
Level 32: Head Splitter -- C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:40(A), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg:40(33), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:35(33), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg:40(33), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:40(34), Achilles-ResDeb%:18(34)
Level 35: Heightened Senses -- S'dpty-Def/EndRdx:38(A), S'dpty-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:38(36)
Level 38: [Empty]
Level 41: [Empty]
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit



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Note that several of the IO sets here are getting expensive. Numina’s, Crushing Impact, and some of the Scirocco’s Dervish IOs are getting up there in price. The good news is that your recipe drops are worth more and with some help from Frozen Horizons' Guide to getting rich quick!, you can earn the influence to afford those nice recipes. Set bonuses here really start getting good. Crushing Impact provides +Recharge, +Accuracy, and +Max HP bonuses. Several of the sets have some very appreciable +Regen bonuses, and a few have some extra +Recovery. All of these bonuses stack on top of the contributions from your Primary and Secondary and really start to build the synergy that will make your build perform at levels you did not think possible.

I won’t go into the set bonuses in detail here, since they are many and varied. Despite that, I would recommend loading the data chunk at the bottom of the build into Mid’s Hero Designer so you can look around and see how the sets all come together.

One item to note is the Achilles Heel –Resistance Procs slotted in five of my attacks. This proc has a 20% each hit to debuff the opponent(s) resistance by 20%. Against mid to late-game foes that become increasingly more resistant to the Lethal Damage that Broadsword dishes out, this really makes a difference in your overall damage output. It also debuffs the opponents for the rest of the team, so in this respect, I find it a far better choice for the build versus damage procs.

Broadsword/Willpower – IO version at Level 50

This is it, the end game final build. Stuffed full of IOs, pumped with set bonuses, and ready to chew through damn near anything in your path. At times, you will feel immortal… Not that you are, but coming through a situation you thought was unwinnable with flying colors will leave its mark on you, and really create a True Believer in the Broadsword/Willpower combination. Truthfully, it’s durability may spoil you for other Scrappers later on. I never thought my Spines/Dark Armor would feel frail until after I tried the BS/WP combo. Man, it’s good stuff.

Note, this is my personal build, so take it as such. You can always customize the Level 41+ powers to suit, but this is my approach. Note IOs in my in-game build are not all Level 50’s, but rather a hodge-podge of Level 40-48 IOs. I dislike using L50’s for IO sets since if you Exemplar down below Level 47, you lose the set bonuses. I also don’t advocate Purples for my builds, since I’d rather spend the influence on a new character than dumping it into a Level 50 build to make it incrementally better. That’s just my preference.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.4006
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Arm Strong: Level 50 Natural Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Broad Sword
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Hack -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:50(5), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(7), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(19), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(23), Achilles-ResDeb%:20(34)
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- Numna-Heal/EndRdx:50(A), Numna-Heal/Rchg:50(3), Numna-Heal:50(3), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:18(13)
Level 2: Slice -- C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg:50(5), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(7), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg:50(19), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(25), Achilles-ResDeb%:20(36)
Level 4: Fast Healing -- Numna-Heal/EndRdx:50(A), Numna-Heal/Rchg:50(15), Numna-Heal:50(15), Heal-I:50(50)
Level 6: Build Up -- RechRdx-I:50(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg:50(11), AdjTgt-Rchg:50(11)
Level 8: Parry -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:50(9), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(9), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(13), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(23), DefBuff-I:50(31)
Level 10: Indomitable Will -- S'dpty-Def/EndRdx:40(A), S'dpty-Def/Rchg:40(43), S'dpty-Def:40(43), S'dpty-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:40(43)
Level 12: Combat Jumping -- Ksmt-ToHit+:30(A)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Jump-I:50(A)
Level 16: Rise to the Challenge -- Numna-Heal/Rchg:50(A), Numna-Heal:50(17), Numna-Heal/EndRdx:50(17), Heal-I:50(50)
Level 18: Whirling Sword -- C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg:50(25), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(36), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg:50(37), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(37), Achilles-ResDeb%:20(37)
Level 20: Quick Recovery -- P'Shift-EndMod:50(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc:50(21), EndMod-I:50(21), P'Shift-End%:50(46)
Level 22: Mind Over Body -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx:50(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam:50(40), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:50(40), ResDam-I:50(40)
Level 24: Swift -- Run-I:50(A)
Level 26: Disembowel -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:50(27), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(27), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(29), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(29), Achilles-ResDeb%:20(31)
Level 28: Health -- RgnTis-Regen+:25(A), Numna-Heal:50(39), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+:36(42), Heal-I:50(50)
Level 30: Stamina -- Efficacy-EndMod:50(A), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc:50(31), EndMod-I:50(42)
Level 32: Head Splitter -- C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg:50(33), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(33), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg:50(33), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(34), Achilles-ResDeb%:20(34)
Level 35: Heightened Senses -- S'dpty-Def/EndRdx:40(A), S'dpty-Def:40(36), LkGmblr-Def:40(39), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx:40(39)
Level 38: Strength of Will -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx:50(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam:50(42), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:50(46), ResDam-I:50(46)
Level 41: Boxing -- Acc-I:50(A)
Level 44: Tough -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx:50(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:50(45), TtmC'tng-ResDam:50(45), ResDam-I:50(45)
Level 47: Weave -- S'dpty-Def/EndRdx:40(A), S'dpty-Def/Rchg:40(48), S'dpty-Def:40(48), S'dpty-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:40(48)
Level 49: Assault -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit
------------
[u]Set Bonus Totals:[u]<ul type="square">[*]2% DamageBuff(Smashing)[*]2% DamageBuff(Lethal)[*]2% DamageBuff(Fire)[*]2% DamageBuff(Cold)[*]2% DamageBuff(Energy)[*]2% DamageBuff(Negative)[*]2% DamageBuff(Toxic)[*]2% DamageBuff(Psionic)[*]3% Defense(Smashing)[*]3% Defense(Lethal)[*]3% Defense(Fire)[*]3% Defense(Cold)[*]3% Defense(Energy)[*]3% Defense(Negative)[*]3% Defense(Psionic)[*]3% Defense(Melee)[*]3% Defense(Ranged)[*]3% Defense(AoE)[*]27% Enhancement(Accuracy)[*]15% Enhancement(RechargeTime)[*]5% FlySpeed[*]241 HP (18%) HitPoints[*]5% JumpHeight[*]5% JumpSpeed[*]MezResist(Immobilize) 6.6%[*]MezResist(Sleep) 6.6%[*]3% (0.05 End/sec) Recovery[*]100% (5.59 HP/sec) Regeneration[*]5% RunSpeed[/list]


<font class="small">Code:[/color]<hr /><pre>| Copy &amp; Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build |
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So there it is… For me, the culmination of a ton of great fun playing the character.

[u]Overall, my personal Level 50 version wound up with (without Parry active):[u]
14.7% Smashing/Lethal Defense
26.2% Energy/Negative Energy/Fire/Cold Defense
22.5% Psionic Defense
10.7% Positional (Melee/Ranged/AoE) Defense
50.8% Smashing/Lethal Resistance
6.1% Energy/Negative Energy/Fire/Cold Resistance
30% Psionic Resistance
221% Recovery
758% Regeneration
147.2% Max Hit Points
+15% Recharge
+6% To-Hit
+27% Accuracy
+12.5% Damage (counting Assault)

As good as it looks on paper, it’s better in practice. I cannot highly recommend enough the Broadsword/Willpower combination. It’s a fantastic mix of brutal non-stop damage and incredible (at times, awe-inspiring) survivability. As Ferris Bueller once said…

“It is [u]so[u] choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.”

Good luck out there and I hope this guide can be of some use to those of you looking for some more guidance or information on this great Scrapper combination.

An excellent guide to an ever increasingly popular build.

I'm glad you took the time to write it, many can benefit from it.

Minor nit pick Garth; you should specify how many target you have in melee for your Regeneration value. RttC can create a great deal of confusion with discussing regeneration as players tend to adjust that slider at their discretion.

I thought about that and wound up using the default value in Mid's which I expect is ten enemies within the 8' radius for RttC. In either case, I made an effort to stay consistent with the builds so the Regeneration rates should be apples to apples (so to speak).

Even if the absolute value of the Regeneration is off, comparing the relative levels between the builds should allow a basis for comparison.

[ QUOTE ]
I thought about that and wound up using the default value in Mid's which I expect is ten enemies within the 8' radius for RttC.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually no, it's not. The default value is 1 mob. On more then one occasion, confusion has arisen between a player and I in terms of regeneration on a Will Power build. These are almost always attributed to player using a different value in RttC than I do. Your build for example, uses one target in melee. That's how I judge mine. Many players I've discussed the build with use 3-5.

Yay!

Nice job, Garthalus. Now I just need to decide whether I'm going to start a Broad Sword/Willpower or a Katana/Willpower. Decisions, decisions.

I usually use three enemies in range of RttC when messing around with Willpower builds, but I do like to move the slider back and forth and see what the range looks like.

Nice, I am going to rebuild my BS/WP using this guide and hope he is better. It would of been helpful to see slotting choices during the read for each power, but managed to figure it out good enough.

Nice guide Garth! Im glad to see that people still reference my guide.

Im running a lvl 42 WP/Stone tanker atm and it's a haus! I have been pondering on rolling a /WP Scrapper...either Katana or BS. I have a lvl 50 BS/Regen, but the KAH-CHUNK sound never gets old.

nice guide

QR

Guide looks good, you did miss one of the major perks of SoW though. It can be used as a breakfree if you ever do have something that stacks over your base protection.

Minor comment on the L50 IO build, move the 4th slot dmg resist from SoW to HPT, gives more resists to the elementals since S/L is capped with it on, and its on all the time.

That's a good point and one I hadn't considered. My intention was to cap the exotic Resistances for SoW. You are right that the Elemental Resistances would benefit from a Level 50 Resistance IO in HPT and it would be present all the time. Since the base value for HPT is low, it wouldn't be a stunning change, but it probably gives more milage...

Thanks, I'll see if I can work that into my build later on.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I thought about that and wound up using the default value in Mid's which I expect is ten enemies within the 8' radius for RttC.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually no, it's not. The default value is 1 mob. On more then one occasion, confusion has arisen between a player and I in terms of regeneration on a Will Power build. These are almost always attributed to player using a different value in RttC than I do. Your build for example, uses one target in melee. That's how I judge mine. Many players I've discussed the build with use 3-5.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hrrrm. I'll have to play with that in Mids and update the build(s) with that caveat for the Regeneration rate. Thanks Des, that's a good point.

A great guide. I really like the guides that give good power explanations. One question... How does this build stand up against AVs? Particularly if you are wanting to solo some AVs?

Never really soloed AVs for long. I team a lot, as that makes things more interesting for me.

My limited observation is that it really depends. Infernal was not doing much to me. Neuron was also relatively mild. Antimatter was spanking me.

Two problems fighting AVs solo with BS/WP...
First is that RttC provides less mitigation with a single foe in range. That means rebounding from a big hit takes longer.
Second is that Lethal damage is pretty heavily resisted.

This build is not designed to solo AVs. If it was, I would have heavily invested in sets for Recharge and Damage bonuses. If that's your cup of tea, I am sure Werner could offer some advice, as I seem to remember he's been tinkering with an AV killer Scrapper. It's not a BS/WP, but he could probably offer some insight I lack...

Nice guide Garth! Thanks for putting in the effort!

I think this is the best guide I've ever seen. Great explanations and examples. Thanks.

[ QUOTE ]
I think this is the best guide I've ever seen. Great explanations and examples. Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

I feel the same, I really like how you gave example builds at lower levels.

Thanks for taking the time to put out such a great guide!