I've got two friends who run a duo of Elec/DA Stalkers. They say that Oppressive Gloom stacks, so that they can take out the big nasties and then kill everything else while they're stunned with their AoEs.
But Stalker DA really isn't much to talk about by itself. There are better choices that are easier on the endurance bar and give better protection.
Too many alts to list.
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I've got two friends who run a duo of Elec/DA Stalkers. They say that Oppressive Gloom stacks, so that they can take out the big nasties and then kill everything else while they're stunned with their AoEs.
But Stalker DA really isn't much to talk about by itself. There are better choices that are easier on the endurance bar and give better protection.
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Yeah, the toggles stack. I guess I should have thought about that when my twin brother and I made new stalkers. I went with /energy aura just because I heard so much bad things about it (it is surprisingly better than I thought but /psi damage from bosses/av SUCKS).
It's the micro-management part that annoys me. If my toggle hits, I get revealed so I usually turn it off first and then turn it back but the two toggles take about 5s to activate and it just eventually gets too annoying.
You know what really sucks on Stalker and I've seen it? /Electricity Armor!!! Yes, elec armor has a bit better overall resistance but it has no heal and the god-mode has health crash too. Yikes... my friend made a Spine/Elec with me and he consistently dies more often than mine Spine/EA.
What's left is to normalize all Assassin Strikes and improve Stalker's old sets (Claw, MA and EM)! You don't need to bring back the missing PbAoE attack. You just need to make the existing ones better! For example, make Slice a WIDER and LONGER cone.
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I can honestly say /dark armor sucks on Stalker. I've tried a lot of secondaries on Stalker and /da is the only set that I have trouble with. It just doesn't mesh well. And even with the mez toggles, it still feels weak on stalker.
Not sure about on scrapper though. The mez toggles don't mess with Hidden so I guess it's better.
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I have 5 Dark Armor Scrappers, most of them 50. I have a level 50 Dark Armor tanker with plans for another one...eventually. I have two Dark Armor brutes with plans for 1-2 more...eventually.
I don't have any Dark Armor stalkers. I have no plans for any Dark Armor stalkers in the foreseeable future. Presently, I cannot imagine what could possibly entice me to role a Dark Armor stalker.
For the record, I don't have any stalkers at all, but there are a few combos that interest me.
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Stalker is very good now. 
Welcome to the dark side! Just don't make a /da stalker to start.
What's left is to normalize all Assassin Strikes and improve Stalker's old sets (Claw, MA and EM)! You don't need to bring back the missing PbAoE attack. You just need to make the existing ones better! For example, make Slice a WIDER and LONGER cone.
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I will correct you on the fact that the "known" scrappers haven't gone nuts on this set. And there is a reason. There is a rule of BS/DA that quite a few of those that are decked out tend to keep. We don't talk about it. Sure you can tweak using MIDs, but that will not compare to learning the set.
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Hee! Gotcha. So if I join the club, do I have to promise not to say anything about what I can accomplish with it?
"That's because Werner can't do maths." - BunnyAnomaly
"Four hours in, and I was no longer making mistakes, no longer detoggling. I was a machine." - Werner
Videos of Other Stupid Scrapper Tricks
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I will correct you on the fact that the "known" scrappers haven't gone nuts on this set. And there is a reason. There is a rule of BS/DA that quite a few of those that are decked out tend to keep. We don't talk about it. Sure you can tweak using MIDs, but that will not compare to learning the set.
[/ QUOTE ]
Hee! Gotcha. So if I join the club, do I have to promise not to say anything about what I can accomplish with it?
[/ QUOTE ]
No promise required, but you may convert willingly to the code! 
[ QUOTE ]
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I will correct you on the fact that the "known" scrappers haven't gone nuts on this set. And there is a reason. There is a rule of BS/DA that quite a few of those that are decked out tend to keep. We don't talk about it. Sure you can tweak using MIDs, but that will not compare to learning the set.
[/ QUOTE ]
Hee! Gotcha. So if I join the club, do I have to promise not to say anything about what I can accomplish with it?
[/ QUOTE ]
No promise required, but you may convert willingly to the code!
[/ QUOTE ]
(wringing hands with glee) Mwhahahahahahahah!
"That's because Werner can't do maths." - BunnyAnomaly
"Four hours in, and I was no longer making mistakes, no longer detoggling. I was a machine." - Werner
Videos of Other Stupid Scrapper Tricks
I am not sure I can see a defense capped Dark, that would require some huge sacrifices and be insanely expensive.
Quick Def #'s off top of my head: CoD 8(I think), CJ 2ish, Two Uniques 6(3ea), Tough 5, Set of Gaussian (2.5). Thats what 21.5...I take it back with one of the swords you might be able to cap defense and have decent recharge.
You know what about capping smash/lethal on a spines/dark, does the positional defense stack with typed?
Werner your getting me all fired up, there might be some nice opportunities in /dark after all with enough IO's. Any chance you think we could make the heal work better in pvp with IO's?
In addtion to def, DA can achieve some pretty solid resists as well.
I think, after somewhat IOing out my Claws/DA, that a Katana/DA could achieve some incredible durability and performance. Considering that with Weave, CJ, Cloak of Darkness and another filler defense power, you've got 4 LotG Recharge slots to help shore up any recharge lost on trying to cap Ranged/AoE. AoE wouldn't be too hard to soft cap by 5 slotting Aegis a couple times... I can see it going pretty good.
I'll go ahead and post this. I pretty much hate this build, but it does demonstrate you can in fact soft cap Dark Armor. I did this awhile back, but abandoned it because I knew I would hate playing it. I've yet to revisit the idea, does show possibilities.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/
[u]Click this DataLink to open the build![u]
Desnocta: Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Broad Sword
Secondary Power Set: Dark Armor
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Teleportation
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Hack -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(3), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(5), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), Mako-Dam%(17)
Level 1: Dark Embrace -- Aegis-ResDam(A), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(7), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg(7), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(9), Aegis-EndRdx/Rchg(33)
Level 2: Slice -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(11), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(11), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(13), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40)
Level 4: Death Shroud -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(15), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(15), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(17), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(27)
Level 6: Combat Jumping -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(34), Zephyr-ResKB(42)
Level 8: Swift -- Flight-I(A)
Level 10: Obsidian Shield -- Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg(23), Aegis-Psi/Status(23), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(25), Aegis-ResDam(25)
Level 12: Parry -- HO:Lyso(A)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-ResKB(19), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(27)
Level 16: Dark Regeneration -- Theft-Acc/Heal(A), Theft-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(21), Theft-+End%(29), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(29), Erad-Acc/Rchg(31), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(31)
Level 18: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Mrcl-Rcvry+(19)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), P'Shift-EndMod(21), P'Shift-End%(48)
Level 22: Murky Cloud -- Aegis-ResDam(A), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(34)
Level 24: Whirling Sword -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(36), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(36), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(36), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(48)
Level 26: Disembowel -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(37), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(37), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(37), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39), Mako-Dam%(45)
Level 28: Cloak of Fear -- Cloud-Acc/ToHitDeb(A), Cloud-Acc/Rchg(31), Cloud-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(39), Cloud-ToHitDeb(39), Cloud-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(43), Cloud-%Dam(46)
Level 30: Cloak of Darkness -- HO:Enzym(A), HO:Enzym(33), Ksmt-ToHit+(34)
Level 32: Head Splitter -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(33), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(40), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(42), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43)
Level 35: Build Up -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(40), GSFC-Build%(43), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(45), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(46), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(46)
Level 38: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 41: Tough -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A)
Level 44: Weave -- HO:Enzym(A), HO:Enzym(48)
Level 47: Recall Friend -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(50), Zephyr-ResKB(50)
Level 49: Teleport -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit
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SI Radio has many DJs and listeners whom hold City of Heroes close to their hearts. We will be supporting many efforts to keep CoH ALIVE!!
my Katana/DA just hit 49. I'm at the soft cap for ranged defense, and about 30% vs AOE.
I can take out groups of +4 Rikti pretty easily, alot more easily than my DM/SR scrapper can. One interesting thing I've noticed is that with CoD up I can jump a boss on one side of the group and only aggro the nearest mobs, the rest of the group doesn't notice. I guess stealth is a form of mitigation.
As far as AV's go, I've only been able to solo Battle Maiden, Bob Cat and infernal. Infernal took an incredible amount of time (and attempts).
For endurance I've slotted all of my resists with 4 Impervious Skin IO's. This helps a ton, not only does it increase your recovery it also increases your base endurance as well. With all 4 resists slotted thats +10% recovery and +9% to base endurance. And of course I've got Conserve Power which is the real tier 9 power for DA.
I'm really happy with my guy to date, just need to tweak him a little (drop Death Shroud I suppose) for AV hunting.
InidiousX - lvl 50 Ill/Rad Controller
Black-Talon - lvl 50 DM/SR Scrapper
Night-Blade - lvl 50 Katana/Dark Screapper
Bone-Shredder - lvl 50 SOA
Red-Phantom - lvl 50 Elec/SR Brute
All on Champion!
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One interesting thing I've noticed is that with CoD up I can jump a boss on one side of the group and only aggro the nearest mobs, the rest of the group doesn't notice. I guess stealth is a form of mitigation.
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It's a -huge- form of mitigation. It's one of the two reasons I can not play other secondaries. Other reason is Dark Regen.
Being able to ghost (with the help of a stealth IO in sprint) TF, Flashbacks, missions, or just take down one group beside another is very nice, never gets old and has spoiled me.
Plus it is amusing when somone tries to follow you.
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Plus it is amusing when somone tries to follow you.
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I get yelled at a lot for this.
SI Radio has many DJs and listeners whom hold City of Heroes close to their hearts. We will be supporting many efforts to keep CoH ALIVE!!
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If you put it with the right primary and load it up with IO's its ok otherwise it just doesnt bring enough to the table.
In my humble opinion it only works with spines and even then it takes a large IO investment before it becomes truly powerful. Claws and the swords can work with dark but they would be stronger with almost any other secondary which is a telling point.
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Now, I'm only talking about seriously expensive builds here. And I don't have a build I'm satisfied with, but I can tell you what I believe that Katana/Dark and Broad Sword/Dark are capable of. I believe they are capable of soft capping defense, plus having all those nice resists, plus having one of the best heals in the game on a quick recharge, plus being solid builds that give up almost nothing to get there. I think they would have better survivability than most top tier scrappers under most circumstances.
Again, I'm not fully-satisfied with anything I've seen or made yet, but I think there's a build out there waiting to be discovered that will put most everything else to shame.
Or I could be wrong. But even if I'm wrong, the builds I've seen are at least competitive.
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I'd agree with most of those assessments Werner with one qualification: it's gonna be hell on your blue bar. You're either going to get a build that has nice, sustainable blue bar, or you're going to get one that blows every other set's survivability out of the water. There isn't really much middle ground on the mega-builds.
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This. Ive found the hurdle with IOing my BS/DA is that...you cant get as awesome of survivability and efficiency as other scrapper combos. Which has led me to abandon IOing it.
It was a fun 50 but it doesnt have the peak potential of other scrapper combos.
I tend to disagree on peak potential, it takes a tight build with layered defense and resist but it can be done.
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I tend to disagree on peak potential, it takes a tight build with layered defense and resist but it can be done.
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Youre either one or the other. Extreme Defense but with a lowered Damage Output compared to others, or a Great Offense but a lack of the extreme mitigation that other sets can achieve.
(I Feel this way about Fire as well)
I'd sacrifice offense. I'd run my standard defensive chain, put out maybe 170 DPS or so, and be perfectly happy. Still haven't worked any further on a build, so I don't really have anything new to add.
Well, maybe a little. The to hit buffs and defense debuffs in Architect Entertainment make me uncomfortable. I'm feeling less confident in the abilities of a soft-capped Katana/Dark. Broad Sword/Shields is sounding better to me these days due to the defense debuff protection and ability to go well over the soft cap on melee defense.
"That's because Werner can't do maths." - BunnyAnomaly
"Four hours in, and I was no longer making mistakes, no longer detoggling. I was a machine." - Werner
Videos of Other Stupid Scrapper Tricks
I am pretty lazy on calculating DPS but my chain is HS, Hack, Parry, Disembowl, Hack, Parry for long fights.
As an aside, I ran my BS/DA in my fun little lizard mission in comparison to my SS/SD brute. Both are fully IO setted. My scrapper is far more solid but for the majority of missions it doesn't matter because you rarely will fight non stop multiple waves of mobs.
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Being able to ghost (with the help of a stealth IO in sprint) TF, Flashbacks, missions, or just take down one group beside another is very nice, never gets old and has spoiled me.
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I have the same "problem" with Dark Miasma/Shadowfall on Defenders and Corruptors. It's a huge spoiler.
Blue
American Steele: 50 BS/Inv
Nightfall: 50 DDD
Sable Slayer: 50 DM/Rgn
Fortune's Shadow: 50 Dark/Psi
WinterStrike: 47 Ice/Dev
Quantum Well: 43 Inv/EM
Twilit Destiny: 43 MA/DA
Red
Shadowslip: 50 DDC
Final Rest: 50 MA/Rgn
Abyssal Frost: 50 Ice/Dark
Golden Ember: 50 SM/FA
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Being able to ghost (with the help of a stealth IO in sprint) TF, Flashbacks, missions, or just take down one group beside another is very nice, never gets old and has spoiled me.
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I have the same "problem" with Dark Miasma/Shadowfall on Defenders and Corruptors. It's a huge spoiler.
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Agreed, this is why most every single one of my toons, including the tanks and brutes, have the potential for full stealth (usually SS+IO). Also, stealthy powers are all GREAT def set mules.
I am the 99%. Occupy the World.
Minister of Infinity's Secret Police, Official Mooch of dUmb and League, Official Purveyor of Free Straws, the Most Interesting Man in the World.
http://www.change.org/petitions/ncso...city-of-heroes
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Plus it is amusing when somone tries to follow you.
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One of my friends ran DA, and I would *always* be all about following the scrapper...and wind up dead when I went "Oh crap he's stealthed."
Thought I'd finally learned my lesson...until another friend rolled a stalker.
Currently playing:
The Domestic: Broom/WP
Shadowhex: Dark Control/Dark Affinity
Defenestration Lass: Grav/Kin
"See, this is what happens when you have to shove all this stuff into your pockets: it's easy to misplace a suborbital warhead." -Arcanaville, on how crowded our power trays are getting lately
My first high level character was DM/DA before the armors stacked (yeah, back in the day you had to choose what you wanted to be resistant to). It wasn't a very popular set then, and it isn't a popular set now. That does not mean it is weak.
It used to have a very high learning curve as far as this game goes, and it still does to an extent. Once you get Dark Regeneration, and successfully use it on a spawn before face planting you might get hooked on this set. That power is just an amazing thing to have.
I want to play my DM/DA again. Bye!
Ok, for people claiming Dark Armor is impossibly intensive I just solo'd a Rikti Pylon on my 50 Katana/dark. It took forever (29 minutes) but I did it running--Tough, Weave, Cloak of Darkness, Combat Jumping, Obsidian Armor, Death Shroud and Dark Embrace, hitting conserve power whenever it was up.
for the record I used 2 small blue inspiration as well.
InidiousX - lvl 50 Ill/Rad Controller
Black-Talon - lvl 50 DM/SR Scrapper
Night-Blade - lvl 50 Katana/Dark Screapper
Bone-Shredder - lvl 50 SOA
Red-Phantom - lvl 50 Elec/SR Brute
All on Champion!
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I can honestly say /dark armor sucks on Stalker. I've tried a lot of secondaries on Stalker and /da is the only set that I have trouble with. It just doesn't mesh well. And even with the mez toggles, it still feels weak on stalker.
Not sure about on scrapper though. The mez toggles don't mess with Hidden so I guess it's better.
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I have 5 Dark Armor Scrappers, most of them 50. I have a level 50 Dark Armor tanker with plans for another one...eventually. I have two Dark Armor brutes with plans for 1-2 more...eventually.
I don't have any Dark Armor stalkers. I have no plans for any Dark Armor stalkers in the foreseeable future. Presently, I cannot imagine what could possibly entice me to role a Dark Armor stalker.
For the record, I don't have any stalkers at all, but there are a few combos that interest me.