One more Fire^3 Blaster Guide, Solo Style (I12)

*reposted from the Blaster forums*

I recently dinged level 50 on my Fire/Fire/Fire Blaster "Blu Blazes", so while the character is still fresh in my mind and given the recent Fire-related threads, I figured I'd share my build with some comments as a semi-guide. Is there a particular need for another Fire guide? Probably not, but this one might offer up a couple of different ideas.

My CoH background

I started playing in June 2005, when a number of my online friends joined up during a free trial period. A few of them played for a couple months, but for the most part I am the only one to have stuck long term. I play primarily on Virtue, and benefit from having a number of those long dormant characters padding the rolls of what is essentially a supergroup of one (though that one has two accounts). My first 50 was a BS/Regen. I then moved to my Inv/EM tank (which was actually my first toon), then my Mind/Kin troller, then my Grav/Storm troller. Blu Blazes makes my fifth 50 and is my first blaster of any note (I played my son's low level Ice/Ice here and there). Most of these were done solo. I'm not averse to teaming, I just usually like to go at my own pace and with young children I may need to go AFK at any moment, which I hate doing to a team.

I planned my build with the following ideas in mind:

• Should be self-sufficient, both in combat and in [market] resources
• Defense, specifically ranged defense, would be a consideration. This is a ranged blaster, not a blapper.
• Despite "new defiance", Mez protection would also be a consideration
• This toon would be mainly soloed, and would be facing solo spawns - 3x Minion, Minion + Lt, etc.
• I would take powers that looked interesting to me, even if they went against common practice

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Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.40
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Blu Blazes: Level 50 Mutation Blaster
Primary Power Set: Fire Blast
Secondary Power Set: Fire Manipulation
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Ancillary Pool: Flame Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Fire Blast -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(13), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(25)

I typically take the tier 2 power starting out, leaving the tier 1 for a little later. Not much to say about Fire Blast - your basic solid single-target attack. I six-slotted with Thunderstrike, which is affordable and gives nice bonuses in Recovery, Accuracy and Ranged Damage (ding!). One of my bread and butter powers.


Level 1: Ring of Fire -- Dev'n-Hold%(A), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(21)

The default. To be honest, I don't use Ring of Fire much. I use Flares, Fire Blast and Fire Ball more because of their better Range (80 vs 50), and if I am close enough to use Ring of Fire, I will have added Blaze to the attack chain. As such, I only three-slotted this. I did spring for Devastations though for the regen bonus, and I slotted a Chance for Hold to try it out. I'm not sure it's worth it honestly as it doesn't hold often when I DO use the power, but it's not a huge deal so I'll keep it as-is.


Level 2: Fire Ball -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(7), Posi-Dmg/Rng(15), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(31), RechRdx-I(46)

AoE goodness. It doesn't quite have the damage that Fire Breath does, but I prefer it due to its range, quick animation, and because you don't have to worry about positioning as much. Positron x 5 for the Recovery, ACC and Recharge. I have a Chance of Damage purchased, but will probably opt to keep a RechRdx slotted as I want this up quickly.


Level 4: Fire Sword -- T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), T'Death-Acc/Dmg(11), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg(46)

I do like Fire Sword, but as a melee attack on a ranged build, slotting it was not a priority. But certainly it IS handy for those mobs that have closed and entered melee range. I slotted Touch of Death largely because it was cheap and available, and for three slots gives better bonuses than Crushing Impact and only slightly lesser than Mako's Bite.


Level 6: Rain of Fire -- Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(7), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg(15), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(19), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rng(37)

Not everybody does, but I loves me some Rain of Fire. Though I will admit, the higher the level, the more I found I was using this situationally. Early on, I would lead with this as the alpha, or for groups with a Boss/Lt., Aim->Snipe and then drop RoF (target and queue the RoF while Blazing Bolt is animating). Then I would follow with Fire Ball, and then with Fire Breath or with the single target attacks to clean up whatever's left. The damage on this does add up, especially against the minions in a group. It scatters mobs some, but remember they are running SLOWLY. And when they're running they are not attacking. Sometimes they'll run, look like they want to attack, and then think better of it and start running again. So especially against large groups I found this to be a good thing - it was doing more overall damage, and the mitigation was such that I wasn't getting hit by all the mobs in the group. Fire Ball as the follow-up fires fast, so the groups hadn't run very far anyway.

Oh - another thing. If they are running in panic, odds are they are not running AT you. RoF serves as a good buffer keeping mobs from getting in melee, either dropping it right on them, dropping it between them and you, or even dropping it right at your feet (before other options become available). If you find yourself with too many foes in melee and moving yourself isn't an option, dropping it where you stand can provide some relief.

I should point out that some mobs will be immune to the slow effects of Rain of Fire - notably Warwolves. So you can't count on RoF slowing them down.


Level 8: Flares -- Entrpc-Acc/Dmg(A), Entrpc-Dmg/Rchg(9), Entrpc-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9), Entrpc-Dmg/EndRdx(23), Entrpc-Heal%(27)

I picked up Flares at level 8. Anywhere from 2-10 doesn't really matter much, these levels go so quickly anyway. But this is definitely a power that I wanted, and I use it in tandem with Fire Blast all the time. Sometimes, alternating between the two is my entire attach chain. Like when I'm held! With Defiance 2.0, there's a lot to like about this power. It has a good range, it maintains and often STACKS defiance buffs, it is quick, uses little end and can be fired even when held. No, it is not the most damaging power per hit. But it's not bad. Entropic Chaos works well here if you can acquire a full set - 10% regen, +MaxEnd, -Rech. It gives enough of a Damage boost (not getting to 95% isn't going to kill you here), and I find the Chance for Heal to be pretty useful. In other powers maybe not as much, but with how often Flares can be fired off, this is a good place for it.


Level 10: Fire Breath -- Det'tn-Acc/Dmg(A), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rng(11), Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(17), Det'tn-Dmg/Rng(34), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(34)

More sweet AoE action. This doesn't have the range or quickness of fireball, but it packs more punch. I opted for Detonation here, as it was MUCH cheaper then Posi's, gives some AoE defense, and has an extra DmG/End/Range instead of the proc. A sixth slot wasn't needed, as Damage was covered and I didn't need the extra EndRdx or the Toxic Restistance bonus. Though I could see a case for putting an extra slot here for a Range IO.


Level 12: Combat Jumping -- DefBuff-I(A)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Jump-I(A)

I'll group these together. SJ is my favorite travel power (save for the occasional rubberband), and when I'm not traveling CJ is on. Every bit of defense helps. I didn't feel the need to add slots to either of these though.


(continued)

Level 16: Build Up -- AdjTgt-Rchg(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(17), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(19), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(39), AdjTgt-ToHit(39), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx(43)


I took Build Up before I took Aim because I prefered to have the higher damage buff first. 6 slots here may be overkill, but my goal here was to get teh 7.5% Mez Resistance that Adjusted Targeting offers. The 9% +ACC, 5% -Rech and 2% +Dam don't hurt either.


Level 18: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 20: Health -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(21)
Level 22: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), P'Shift-EndMod(23), P'Shift-End%(45)

Standard fare here, but at 18-22 rather than 16-20. Really I just didn't want to put Build Up off for six levels, but I could survive without Stamina for two. I opted for Hurdle just to be really jumpy, and figured two slots was good enough for Health given the power of IO. I'm not going to bother putting a Numina's unique in there. I did add a third slot to Stamina at level 50 though with Performance Shift Chance for End in mind. Having added Fire Shield and Hot Feet late in the build, I've found there are times I could use an extra end boost.


Level 24: Blaze -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(25), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(27), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(31), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(36), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37)

Blaze is just fantastic. Get it, slot it, use it often. I opted for another Thunderstrike set here.


Level 26: Acrobatics -- EndRdx-I(A)

Acrobatics! This is actually the first time I've taken this power, and except for a few instances (oh hai, Mr. Fake Nemesis) it kept me from getting knocked back, even with the decrease in mag. Also good for the Hold resistance. Very handy for a Blaster. I just went with an End IO in the default slot.


Level 28: Blazing Bolt -- ExecCtrt-Acc/Dmg(A), ExecCtrt-Dmg/EndRdx(29), ExecCtrt-Dmg/ActRdx(29), ExecCtrt-Dmg/Rng(31), ExecCtrt-Stun%(33), ExecCtrt-Dmg/Rchg(33)

Not everybody likes snipes. On a team, you often won't need them. Solo I find them handy, either as some opening damage, the opportunity to elminate a problem minion (one-shot that sapper), or even for an old-fashioned tactical pull. I opted not for Sting of the Manticore, but for Executioner's Contract and the 3.13% Ranged Def. The Recovery (2%) and Hold Resistance (2.75%) are also very nice. The set does require some salvage, but the recipes themselves are dirt cheap.


Level 30: Fire Sword Circle -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg(A), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40)

Fire Sword Circle is a good and popular power. But again, my goal was to stay at range when possible, so like Fire Sword, FSC wasn't given priority. Actually I ignored it to the point that I still have to buy the Scirocco's for it. I'll use it if I'm in the middle of a pack, but without slots Fire Ball would be just as effective.


Level 32: Inferno -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg(A), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(33), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(34), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(37), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg(46)

It is tough to deny the raw damage that Inferno can do. But with my playstyle, I will admit to really not using it all that much. For what I face, it doesn't make a lot of sense for me to take the endurance hit (a bit more on that later in the guide). So Inferno became more of an "Oh Crap!" power. If I bit off more than I could chew or if I was ambushed and things weren't looking good, time for Inferno. Unfortunately many times I end up hitting the floor before Inferno animates, but the idea was there. Scirocco's x 5 for the bonuses, including the 3.13% AoE Defense.


Level 35: Aim -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(36), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(36), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(39), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(43), GSFC-Build%(45)

I ended up putting off Aim for quite a while I guess. I six-slotted Gaussian's to mix things up (vs Adjusted Targeting) and to add the 2.5% positional defense bonuses. I think I opted for putting the Gaussian's here because the Chance for Build Up could suppliment its lower damage buff. In honesty, I have no clue when it actually fires.


Level 38: Burn -- Sciroc-Dam%(A), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(40), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(42)

Burn? Yeah sure, why not. At this point there wasn't a whole lot more that I wanted to take, and I could slot it with some more Scirocco's. It does have some utility in that it is easier than dropping Rain of Fire if you need to scare some mobs out of melee (no targeting). I suppose it also does more damage than RoF, and also has almost double the duration. Wait, what? It only takes 5.2 end, recharges in less than half the time (actually stacks) and frees you from immobilize? Ok, maybe Burn is actually pretty good. I don't use it all the time, but I did find myself using it in EB fights to keep minions away while I focused on the EB or to remain mobile when I really needed to.

(continued)

Level 41: Bonfire -- FrcFbk-Dmg/KB(A), FrcFbk-Acc/KB(42), FrcFbk-Rchg/KB(42), FrcFbk-Rchg/EndRdx(43), FrcFbk-Rechg%(45), FrcFbk-Dmg/EndRdx/KB(50)

Fire/Fire is decried for its lack of mitigation, but Bonfire from the Fire Epic Pool is a great tool to cover some of that hole. I've found it to be very handy in boss battles, to either provide an obstacle between the boss and me (if the boss crosses through it...combat jump to the other side) or to serve as a safe zone where I will stand in the middle of the Bonfire. In the latter approach, you can pretty much ignore minions as they will try to close on you and bounce away. The patch lasts for 45s, which should be plenty long enough for most fights. Some mobs will be knocked down rather than knocked back - this is great, as they will pop like popcorn. Rain of Fire is great in these cases. It's not bad with knockback either - drop Rain of Fire behind the Bonfire; when they reach Bonfire, they may be knocked right back into the RoF. I six-slotted this with Force Feedback for the Movement, Regen, Damage, and 3.13% Ranged Defense bonuses.


Level 44: Fire Shield -- Aegis-Psi/Status(A)

Damage resistance, sweet damage resistance! To the tune of 19.25% Smashing/Lethal, 14% Fire, 7% Cold. Even with a number of defense bonuses, I AM going to get hit. And when I do, any bit of resistance helps. This also allows me to slot the Aegis Psionic/Status Resistance IO. Stacked on top of Acrobatics, and it makes that first hold that breaks through a lot more bearable - about 50% of the duration.


Level 47: Hot Feet -- P'ngTtl-Acc/Slow(A), P'ngTtl-Dmg/Slow(48), P'ngTtl-Acc/EndRdx(48), P'ngTtl-Rng/Slow(48), P'ngTtl--Rchg%(50), P'ngTtl-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(50)

Hot Feet is just something I wanted to play around with a little, plus I saw the opportunity for another large AoE Defense bonus from Pacing of the Turtle (!?!). PotT is really a pretty good set (also +9% Acc, +2.5% move, -2.75% Hold), if you can find a place for it. Hot Feet is a pretty good place. For 47+ levels I preached the "stay at range" mantra, but with Hot Feet I find myself closing into melee more and more often. It steadily ticks damage, and it makes foes try to flee - in vain! It's a great power trip to have a Steel Strongman with his back to you, running in place, while you unload on him. If you're going toe-to-toe with an EB (while toked up on purples, anyway) it's also handy for that little extra damage, plus a chance to slow recharge (proc). The only downside is that it is quite endurance intensive.


Level 49: Rise of the Phoenix -- Dmg-I(A)
------------

Ever have those fights where you and your opponent each have a sliver of health, and he lands the final shot just before you do? That's what this is for. That or if you draw a little too much attention with your AoE on a team. Or if you just hate carrying wakies. Or are generally lazy and hate traveling back from the hospital. Hey, there's no shame in any of those. Rise of the Phoenix comes in handy in each of those situations, PLUS it packs a PBAoE punch only a step behind Inferno. I've not had a chance to use it often (once so far I think), but it's a good revenge power.

Notable Powers NOT Taken

Aid Self

I see this in a lot of guides, and I can see the utility but I've never fit this into any of my builds. With Health and Regen bonuses, I was hoping that this wouldn't be necessary, and I was able to survive without it.

Consume

Ok, this is a biggie. I understand that in conjunction with Inferno, you have the ability for a pretty nasty power that doesn't completely take you out of action. I tried Consume on a low level tank though and wasn't overwhelmed (I know - it wasn't slotted up yet). Maybe I'd been spoiled on Transference. If I'd been going for a team-oriented build, I likely would have fit this in. But with that long a long recharge, I would rather have a steady endurance recovery through Stamina and sets, and a steady pace using other powers. Just my preference.

Hasten

Hasten could have made the long recharge of Consume more tolerable, yes. I've never been big on Hasten though (I do have it on my tank). For the most part Fire has a lot of fast recharging powers, so I didn't see Hasten as being essential.

Combustion

3s cast time, requires me to be in melee range...not for this character.

Blazing Aura

I can see the utility for a tank, scrapper or blapper, but like Combustion, not as much for a ranged blaster.


------------
[u]Set Bonus Totals:[u]

• +7% DamageBuff(Smashing) for 10.8 seconds
• +7% DamageBuff(Lethal) for 10.8 seconds
• +7% DamageBuff(Fire) for 10.8 seconds
• +7% DamageBuff(Cold) for 10.8 seconds
• +7% DamageBuff(Energy) for 10.8 seconds
• +7% DamageBuff(Negative) for 10.8 seconds
• +7% DamageBuff(Toxic) for 10.8 seconds
• +7% DamageBuff(Psionic) for 10.8 seconds
  
• +5% Defense(Energy) to Self for 10.8 seconds
• +2.5% Defense(Melee) to Self for 10.8 seconds
• +13.8% Defense(Ranged) to Self for 10.8 seconds
• +12.5% Defense(AoE) to Self for 10.8 seconds
• +2.25 Max Endurance to Self for 10.8 seconds
  
• +17.5% Enhancement(FlySpeed) to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +17.5% Enhancement(RunSpeed) to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +17.5% Enhancement(JumpSpeed) to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +17.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime) to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +17.5% Enhancement(JumpHeight) to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +8% FlySpeed to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +8% JumpHeight to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +8% JumpSpeed to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +8% RunSpeed to Self for 10.3 seconds
  
• +MezResist(Confused) (Mag 10.3%) to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +MezResist(Held) (Mag 13%) to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +MezResist(Immobilize) (Mag 10.3%) to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +MezResist(Sleep) (Mag 13.6%) to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +MezResist(Stun) (Mag 7.5%) to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +MezResist(Terrorized) (Mag 10.3%) to Self for 10.3 seconds
  
• +59% Enhancement(Accuracy) to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +11% (0.18 End/sec) Recovery to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +62% (3.12 HP/sec) Regeneration to Self for 10.3 seconds
• +67.8 HP (5.62%) HitPoints to Self for 10.8 seconds
• +4.5% XPDebtProtection to Self for 10.8 seconds
  
• +1.58% Resistance(Fire) to Self for 10.8 seconds
• +4.7% Resistance(Cold) to Self for 10.8 seconds
• +5.01% Resistance(Energy) to Self for 10.8 seconds
• +7.51% Resistance(Negative) to Self for 10.8 seconds
• +2.1% Resistance(Psionic) to Self for 10.3 seconds [Non-resistable]

Other General Thoughs

• IO, sets, the Market. For most builds, IO sets are great (my NRG/Kin corr would argue otherwise...). Definitely look into them, and don't be afraid to slot some "lesser" sets - not all of them are all that bad. Plan your build out, and look to buy some of these in advance - if you need something at level 36, put a bid on it at level 33. Don't get hung up on level range. My Devastations in Fire Breath are all 37 or lower. I looked to replace one, and I think it would have increased range by like half a foot and damage by two points. Damage especially will get into ED range pretty quickly, so don't kill yourself getting 50s. Also, put bids on a good spread of levels. I put bids on three levels of Aegis +Mez, and ended up getting all three for under 200k each. I ended up reselling two of them for a nice profit.
  
• Inspirations Typically, I will try to keep a couple greens, 1-2 break frees, a blue, and as many purples as I can carry. I won't bother with revives, and tier-2 reds/yellows/oranges and even greens will get converted to purples if I get three of them. Tier-1 insps will be burned as to always have a slot open for a tier-2 drop. For boss fights, I'll always keep a slot open just in case of a tier-3 drop. In general though, don't be afraid to use inspirations. They speed things up, and they always refill.
  
• Elite Bosses These guys are always a concern in the late game. I took a pretty standard approach to them - bring a lot of purples, and do as much damage as possible before they wear off. in Tina M's arc and the first half of Maria's, I was pretty wimpy regarding EBs, dropping the mission difficulty to Heroic. It became apparent though that I could handle orange-con EBs without much difficulty at all (again, using purples). So I upped the difficulty back to Rugged (my usual setting) and proceeded. Everything went just fine. In the penultimate mision of Maria's arc, Dominatrix even spawned as a 51 to my 49 and I was still able to handle it (though she put up a heck of a fight). That felt pretty good.
  
• Malta Bosses I figured I'd make a point of mentioning these guys, as they've been brought up before. They are a pain, and were perhaps the greatest threat to this character - they have a ranged hold, and a BEAR of a ranged attack. So if you go in unprepared and get held, things will be over quickly. There is no shame in using a break-free and a purple going into this fight. Bonfire comes in handy with them, as they can be knocked around - for them, it's not a bad opening attack.
  
• Have fun! I had a lot of fun with this build. Whatever character choices you make, have fun with them. They needn't be the "standard" to meet that goal.

Nice guide. I recently started a Fire/Fire and have her at level 21. I have Stamina 3 slotted already and still have endurance issues. I don't know how you did it with only two slots! Did you slot for EndRed before you IO'd out the attacks?

Thanks!

I believe I did slot some for EndRdx, and I also laid off some of the AoE attacks. I didn't have FSC until well after Stamina, I didn't use Fire Breath for every spawn, and I budgeted Rain of Fire. Fire Ball I'm sure had to have had an EndRdx. Other than that, the early game was a lot of single-target attacking with the low end Fire Blast/Flares (and Fire Sword when an attacker closed). Solo I could get away with that.

So I don't get why you didn't give Fire Shield ANY slots?? I mean WTF you don't have to settle for 19% res, I 5-slotted it and it saves my [censored]. i don't remember the specifics, but its something like 36% resistance s/m plus all the bonuses from sets...whyyy? It seems silly to take Fireshield and not slot it.

[ QUOTE ]
So I don't get why you didn't give Fire Shield ANY slots?? I mean WTF you don't have to settle for 19% res, I 5-slotted it and it saves my [censored]. i don't remember the specifics, but its something like 36% resistance s/m plus all the bonuses from sets...whyyy? It seems silly to take Fireshield and not slot it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Generally speaking, I guess I just didn't need my behind saved all that often? Had it really been a problem, I could have adjusted my planned build to add resistance here. It just wasn't a problem.

Also, I guess it boils down a little to bonus chasing vs utility of a couple powers. Going for a defensive build, a 3.13% AoE def for a Aegis x 5 might have been nice. But where would the slots come from? Bonfire has that same bonus at 6x, but I'd argue its lower bonuses are better. I'd say the same for Hot Feet. I suppose I could have put in an extra slot or two for a Steadfast and/or Impervious Skin status protect...though it'd be costly. Admittedly Aim and Build Up don't really need 6 slots each, but again, I like the bonuses in those sets.

"It's a great power trip to have a Steel Strongman with his back to you, running in place, while you unload on him."

Kinky