Looking for opinions on which build to roll

Hi, I've played this game off and on for years, so I understand the mechanics. I've spent the last week since returning learning the ins and outs of the IO system as best as possible.

I'm thinking of rolling a fire/mm, ice/mm, elec/mm, or arch/mm blaster and I am looking for advice as to the merits of each build.

I'm not very familiar with the strengths/weaknesses of each epic power pool and how they will compliment the build I ultimately end up choosing, so any opinions pro or con will be much appreciated in that aspect as well.

Finally, if anyone has alternate suggestions for a build that would be fun and excel in the role a blaster should fulfill in a larger group, please feel free to make a recommendation to a build outside of the ones I am currently considering.

Edit: My purpose in rolling a blaster is a bit variable, but I'm looking to maximize my utility in terms of damage/end efficiency/modicums of control in group settings. I'm not interested in solo'ing as I find it boring.
Thanks

I would go with archery. Rain of Arrows is just that freaking awesome.

Due to more frequent recharge and no end penalty I'm assuming? Any specifics on how that nuke contrasts with the other at's respective nukes?

Thanks Mr. Brannigan

Archery is light on endurance, offers and amazing nuke because it recharges fairly quick, no end and does a cheese load of damage.

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Due to more frequent recharge and no end penalty I'm assuming? Any specifics on how that nuke contrasts with the other at's respective nukes?

Thanks Mr. Brannigan

[/ QUOTE ] I belive(someone else can confirm) that Rain of Arrows does more DPS than the other nukes by a mile.

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Due to more frequent recharge and no end penalty I'm assuming? Any specifics on how that nuke contrasts with the other at's respective nukes?

Thanks Mr. Brannigan

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You are comparing apples and kumquats.

You cant directly compare dps between crashing and non crashing nukes because of the crash and needed recovery actions.

Blizzard with aim and build up does a ridiculous amount of damage over 15s. 1800 points over the 15s iirc

ROA with aim and build up does 800 points over 6 seconds.

whats important here is to consider what comes next. At 50 an even con minion has 430 hit points so both will kill them all.

LTs however have 855 and may have resistance to your damage type. Blizzard takes them out.

A boss is going to be at about 2500 so he will be annoyed by ROA but seriously hurt by blizzard.

Then there is the issue of secondary effects. ROA and FA have none, Blizzard had knockdown and slow, psychic wail has a stun etc

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fire/mm, ice/mm, elec/mm, or arch/mm

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Out of these 4 I would say Fire/MM. I have both a Fire/MM and Arch/MM and while I've enjoyed my Archer I absolutely adore my Fire/MM. I feel like an unstoppable wrecking ball of destruction on my Fire/MM with Drain Psyche, PSW, Fireball and Psyscream, I'm dealing the AoE dmg in the thick of it. Meanwhile my Archer just sits back and unleashes his fury, while fun, I like to get myself wet with the blood splashing of my enemies

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcanaville Sure, the devs are supposed to listen to their customers, mister business 101 out there. And if I decide to start suggesting that the devs change the game from being about superheroes and supervillains to being about clowns that is my right as well, and technically Paragon Studios is supposed to pay attention to me. But I hope strongly that they assume a meth-head somehow managed to hack into my forum account and make paper airplanes out of my posts, because I hope they recognize stupid when they see it. I assume they will recognize futile just as accurately.

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Hi, I've played this game off and on for years, so I understand the mechanics. I've spent the last week since returning learning the ins and outs of the IO system as best as possible.


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If you left before IO's (maybe you just never played around with the system) there have been a few changes in mechanics since then. Defiance 2.0 for one thing.

Of the four choices I'd go fire/mental, but you have to understand that I've got high level fire/elec, fire/energy and fire/ice blasters...

Fire as I understand is geared toward more drastic aoe damage while being less efficient on endurance and more likely to pull agro. Is that a fair assessment?

The weaknesses of fire are counteracted by MM?

Anyone have non-conceptual reasons to roll an archery/mm over fire/mm? I tested an archery/mm to level 9 last night, I noticed that inherent accuracy bonuses are helpful prior to do's, and that blazing arrow is quite nice, but my early observations aren't that relevant long-term.

I've read over as many threads of this nature as I possibly could and I've decided that I'm going to simultaneously level a fire/mm and an archery/mm, even though for now I'm leaning towards fire/mm due to the potential for aoe destruction.

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I would go with archery. Rain of Arrows is just that freaking awesome.

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even though for now I'm leaning towards fire/mm due to the potential for aoe destruction.

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Actually, if you're curious, Arch/MM can actually maintain greater levels of AoE dps than Fire/MM can. The advantages of Fire/MM are that fire is the least resisted damage type in the game whereas lethal is the most and fire has greater single target damage potential because Blaze is absurdly awesome.

My fire/mm is only level 22, but it's by far my favorite blaster. My others are a fire/dev and archery/energy, both at level 50. I actually found archery to get a little boring above level 40 or so, since it was pretty much aim, buildup, RoA every single mob. It got a little too repetitive for my tastes. I tend to not be super fond of sets that have a single, set-defining, really awesome power, and are otherwise a bit sub-par.

DPS is great, but I'm assuming fire has higher burst potential with the massive nuke as well as other aoe's.

I've rolled both and I've been enjoying fire so far.

Fire also has the side effect of....more damage! So yeah it's all about toasting your enemy's (pun intended) with fire

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Fire as I understand is geared toward more drastic aoe damage while being less efficient on endurance and more likely to pull agro. Is that a fair assessment?

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I just wanted to go back to this Grunthorr quote for a second.

Fire has some good singletarget attacks as WELL as good AOE's. As the side effect of Fire is "bonus damage" it has, technically, better damage-per-endurance than other Blaster sets.

Aggro is very multivariate. Damage over Time increases aggro. Mez effects (like knockback or stun) seem to give disproportionate aggro. Sheer damage increases aggro.

My solution on my fire blasters is "I don't care how angry they are. They can send me hatemail from the zig."

Anyone mind sharing how they'd socket a 50 Fire/MM? Assume that I have middle of the road amounts of influence but am willing to farm for expensive ones (Numina's etc)

i've never played Mental Manip but this looks ok to me..
lol, there's too many attacks :P
i need to make one.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

[u]Click this DataLink to open the build![u]

never played mental: Level 50 Magic Blaster
Primary Power Set: Fire Blast
Secondary Power Set: Mental Manipulation
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Cold Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Fire Blast -- Dev'n-Acc/Dmg(A), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(3), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(3), Dev'n-Dmg/EndRdx(34)
Level 1: Subdual -- Dev'n-Acc/Dmg(A), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Dev'n-Hold%(42), GravAnch-Hold%(46)
Level 2: Mind Probe -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(37), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 4: Fire Ball -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(5), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(5), Posi-Dmg/Rng(11), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(17), EndRdx-I(17)
Level 6: Rain of Fire -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Posi-Dmg/Rng(7), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(9), Posi-Dam%(9), EndRdx-I(50)
Level 8: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 10: Combat Jumping -- Ksmt-ToHit+(A), Krma-ResKB(11), ULeap-Stlth(46)
Level 12: Aim -- AdjTgt-ToHit(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(13), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(13), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(15), AdjTgt-Rchg(15)
Level 14: Hasten -- Empty(A), Empty(43), Empty(43)
Level 16: Super Jump -- Empty(A), Empty(43)
Level 18: Concentration -- AdjTgt-ToHit(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(19), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(19), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(34), AdjTgt-Rchg(34)
Level 20: Blaze -- Dev'n-Acc/Dmg(A), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(21), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(21), Dev'n-Dmg/EndRdx(31), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(33)
Level 22: Drain Psyche -- Nictus-Heal(A), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(23), Nictus-Acc/Heal(23), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(25), RechRdx-I(25), RechRdx-I(31)
Level 24: Health -- Empty(A)
Level 26: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(27), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(27), EndMod-I(29)
Level 28: Super Speed -- Empty(A), Empty(29)
Level 30: Acrobatics -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(31)
Level 32: Inferno -- Dmg-I(A), Dmg-I(33), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(33)
Level 35: World of Confusion -- CoPers-Conf(A), CoPers-Conf/Rchg(36), CoPers-Acc/Conf/Rchg(36), CoPers-Acc/Rchg(36), CoPers-Conf/EndRdx(37)
Level 38: Psychic Shockwave -- Amaze-EndRdx/Stun(A), Amaze-Acc/Stun/Rchg(39), HO:Nucle(39), HO:Nucle(39), Dmg-I(40)
Level 41: Flash Freeze -- FtnHyp-Acc/Sleep/Rchg(A), FtnHyp-Acc/Rchg(42)
Level 44: Frozen Armor -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(A), TtmC'tng-EndRdx/Rchg(45), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(45), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(45)
Level 47: Hoarfrost -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(A), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(48), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(48), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(48), Dct'dW-Rchg(50)
Level 49: Hibernate -- Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg(A), Efficacy-Acc/Rchg(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Defiance

i've never tried making a smash/lethal defense build...and after this, i don't think its worth the trouble..

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

[u]Click this DataLink to open the build![u]

The main thing about Blasters in my opinion is that the make-or-break is not so much the build as the playstyle. There are a few basics you need: recharge in your AOE's, Stamina, Build Up and Aim (as available), a knockback IO and ideally a stealth IO.

I built a defense-based blaster [smash,lethal,energy] and it didn't really get good at Defense until about level 45. I like my Blasters from level 1 on.

So I say frankenslot and don't worry too much about the final build. I've built for HP/Regen/Damage and it worked pretty well, I've build for Recharge and it worked pretty well, and I've built for Defense and it worked pretty well.

Lemme see if I can put together a "level 34" build on the back of an envelope. The estimated expensive things here are going to be the Stealth and Knockback IO's; a couple of Positron's; one Scirocco; one Obliteration or Eradication. Check this in Mid's.

L1: Fire Blast. 5 slots, all Thunderstrike except the Dam/End .
L2: Fireball. 5 slots. Three Dam/Rech (one from each set), two Acc/Dam (one Detonation, one Air Burst.) If you have spare money you can get the Posi Acc/Dam instead . You're going to be around 9.5 second recharge on this.
L4: Flares. 5 slots (lower priority). I don't use Flares much because I am a dinosaur and the world changed around me. I'd slot either the five Thunderstrikes, or frankenslot with three thunderstrikes (A/D/R, D/E/R, D/R) and a Ruin and a Maelstrom (A/D/R and D/E/R) for 95% recharge. This is one of your "use while mezzed" attacks.
L6: Swift.
L8: Fire Breath. Slot like Fireball.
L10: Psy Scream. This doesn't need nearly as much recharge to be on the same cycle as your other two AOEs. Four slots- two Acc/Dam, one Dam/Rech, one generic Damage. Buy what's cheap, which is two Detonations and one Air Burst.
L12: Aim. Two slots, generic Recharge.
L14: Health. Two or three Heal slots.
L16: Build Up. Two slots, generic Recharge.
L18: Blaze. Five slots. I'd go for the 95% recharge Frankenslot here, because it's a really good thing.
L20: Stamina, 3 slots, absolutely standard.
L22: Hover. 1-slot with knockback reduction Karma IO. Level 30's are more expensive than any other level, for no reason. Usually level 10-15 is where I get em these days.
L24: Flight. I think it's actually worth it at some point to 2-slot Flight for speed, but you may not have the slots yet.
L26: Dealer's Choice 1. I chose Blazing bolt, because it keeps me from running into the fight ahead of the Tank. And sometimes you do need to pull, or to extract an unpleasant and inconvenient sapper, or whatever. 4 slots. Two Acc/Dam, one Dam, one Dam/Interrupt or something. Two Executioner's Contract and one "whatever"- this is about the only time you may be able to buy set IO's crafted for cheaper than the recipe + ingredients.
L28- Drain Psyche. Two slots- both Acc/Health .Each person you drain is like a Speed Boost worth of End Mod, so unless you go for "crazy nuke recovery build" you'll have plenty of endurance.
L30- Dealer's Choice 2. I picked Assault, no extra slots.
L32: Inferno. You might be able to four-slot this (three Dam/Rech, one Acc/Dam/Rech) but I went for five. Cap Damage, cap Recharge, try and get "half an IO" of accuracy in there. Obliterations and Eradications are still expensive, I think, and the Scirocco Dam/Rech is going to cost, probably. If you have extra money and slots try to get a Scirocco Acc/Dam to go with the Dam/Res, for a tiny amount of extra regen.

Other things: Sprint [or a prestige sprint if you have 'em] should get an Unbounded Leap or Celerity stealth in there.

Go out there and wreck the place.