In my opinion, for a Warshade to abandon its Human/Dwarf form powers and focus solely on their Nova-form and its powers, would be comparable to any other AT taking powers from one of its power sets. Sure Nova blasts are quite effective, but the Warshade Human/Dwarf forms pack so much more than just DPS, you'd be missing a lot.
I believe that a Kheldian Gold Standard should be based on SO's, and for anything above that... there's Platinum!
Save Ms. Liberty (#5349) � Augmenting Peacebringers � The Umbra Illuminati
Save Ms. Liberty (#5349) � Augmenting Peacebringers � The Umbra Illuminati
First off, aside from IOs, there's not much that's changed for Khelds aside from the Inherent now working across forms. So regardless of how much 'dust' the guides may have, most are still very much applicable.
Second, the tremendous variation in Kheldian builds makes guides that provide IO builds extremely limiting unless the guide in question provides a variety of different options. I despise posting builds for Kheldians in guides for just this reason - there's no 'best way' and I dislike putting forth anything that pretends to be such.
As for the Nova question, Dark Nova has four blast powers. Once you six-slot those, you're going to have more slots left over. You could put together a workable Human/Nova build that used Human form largely for utility and IO Sets however and that should work reasonably well. Not gimped, but perhaps not as good as you might be.
A full-on Human/Nova build with slotting towards actually spending some time in human form might ultimately be stronger, as spending 100% of the time in either form tends to be very limiting.
Iscariot's Guide to the Tri-Form Warshade, version 2.1
I'm sorry that math > your paranoid delusions, but them's the breaks -- Nethergoat
P.E.R.C. Rep for Liberty server
I would never advocate creating a Nova only build, particularly for a Warshade. Warshades benefit immensely from the various utility powers that are available in human and Dwarf (Colloquially known as lobster) forms.
Not using human form would leave you without the huge buffs from Sunless Mire and Eclipse. You'd also have to go without pets because you wouldn't be able to draw Extracted Essences from foes. Going without Dwarf is less detrimental but it does leave you with fewer options.
Moreso than Peacebringers, Warshades lend themselves particularly well to TriForm builds. While that isn't the only option, you'll be severely reducing your abilities by choosing to go Nova Form only. I have to advise you against such action; especially if your only reasoning for doing so is aesthetic
Well, since the duration of the Dwarf's Mire has been reduced, the ability to use it to boost Nova damage has been reduced. It's really meant more to boost Dwarf damage. And with that boost, Dwarf still does a lot of damage, making it more than just for tanking. It kind of fills part of Nova's role.
OTOH, once you get Eclipse, you have huge defense you can use in the Nova form. So while I don't think a pure Nova form would work (I don't think it would work on a PB, either) I can see how Nova/Human might be competitive.
I have a Human Form WS, and I find that for the most part, it seems to take a long time to come into its own, but once it does, it really becomes quite powerful. A Nova/Human form would be the same, it's just that by that time you would likely have Dwarf too. Why not put it to use?
Personally, I've been thinking of trying a dual build, with Human/Nova for the one build, and Human/Dwarf for the other. Then I basically get the best of both slotting choices, but have access to all three forms.
I can see human only builds, as well as human/nova or human/dwarf being very effective. I myself went triform. I love the versatility it gives me. I use nova form for damage, dwarf form for tanking and an 'oh crud' button, and human form for tanking (to a lesser extent) and team utility. All three forms have their strengths.
"The danger is not that a particular class is unfit to govern. Every class is unfit to govern." Lord Acton
Madam Enigma's History
Can't forget you also get mez protection in Black Dwarf.
Elec/Cold Troller AV/Pylon/GM/TF/SF Soloing Antics
everytime...he gets me everytime.... DAMN U BOOMIE
-- _Ilr_
Take the Magic: The Gathering 'What Color Are You?' Quiz.
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Can't forget you also get mez protection in Black Dwarf.
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This is of particular importance. Toggling on Dwarf form acts as a sort of Break Free due to the form's inherent mez protection. Even if you don't slot the powers it grants you, this effect will drastically improve your performance.
My WS is a human/nova bi-form because dwarf has mezz protection...
While running in teams, I would end up "trapped" in Dwarf form, hiding from the mezzers...
Now that I have dropped it, I am free to kick much @55 and spray purple awesomeness around the surrounding countryside...
So that is one penguin's reason for dropping dwarf...
Penguin of Death 50 Ice/Cold/Scorp Corr
Kittyklysm 50 Fire/Fire/Flame Blaster
Shattered Illusions 50 Illusion/Storm/Ice Controller
Wicked Vixen 50 Warshade
Mystic Vixen 50 Fire/Cold/Dark Corr
You know, nowadays, whenever my Kheldians get mezzed, I jump into Dwarf-form (or even meet the enemies head-on with Dwarf) and either juggle the enemies around me with White Dwarf Flare or hurt them like crazy with Black Dwarf Mire. I also use Break Free once in a while when I don't feel like tanking and I'd rather be in a form other than Dwarf.
However, thanks to Dwarf, there's nothing sweeter than blasting something with Nova only to meet it on the ground in Dwarf, I don't know... that trick won't ever get old, no matter how many Kheldians I'll make. 
I believe that a Kheldian Gold Standard should be based on SO's, and for anything above that... there's Platinum!
Save Ms. Liberty (#5349) � Augmenting Peacebringers � The Umbra Illuminati
Save Ms. Liberty (#5349) � Augmenting Peacebringers � The Umbra Illuminati
The only foes we face in PvE that "trap" me in Dwarf form are Knives of Artemis. All the rest can be handled in human form.
-Largo
Founder of A.G.O.N.Y. Supergroup on Victory
Member of Thought Sanctum VG on Victory
Member of St0rm Batallion SG on Guardian
Knives are annoying for sure... but trap you? I hate Malta and Carnies much more.
I believe that a Kheldian Gold Standard should be based on SO's, and for anything above that... there's Platinum!
Save Ms. Liberty (#5349) � Augmenting Peacebringers � The Umbra Illuminati
Save Ms. Liberty (#5349) � Augmenting Peacebringers � The Umbra Illuminati
My trip to Triform...
Once upon a time, my WS was Human/Dwarf. Human form was for killing... Dwarf form was for killing when mezzers were around. Perfect synergy. But somewhere in my 30's, I just wanted more slots! I needed to really dive into all of those nifty Human form powers. And so... Human-only I became.
While the loss of my purple lobster was a great blow to my heart, my Essences were there to wipe away my tears... and all the way to 50, we travelled together. Sometime thereafter, the SG and I were hitting a lot of AV's and GM's. During those longer fights, my Essences would get bored and leave me, and without fresh corpses around, I couldn't pull them back. (Oh, how painful it always was when I would lift a nice dead body off of the ground, but as soon as the Essence began to form, the body would disappear, leaving me with a long cooldown and nothing to show for it...)
In addition, blasting away without the number of foes necessary for capping my damage or corpses to refill my red and blue bars got to be quite taxing. Even though I was always relatively safe, my damage numbers were too low for my taste, especially when considering that the squid might be able to persist in the long battles where human couldn't quite shine. Soooooo... my answer was... Triform!
Now I have my whole family of purple death bringers back and it's a win-win situation for us all!
The End... 
I want to thank everyone for all the responses, but now that I have gotten a bit more mileage out of my Kheld, I can see where the utility comes from. Human form powers are simply late-bloomers behind the lobster and the squid. With that said, I withdraw my question, as I see that giving up human form would negate my ability to self-buff: and who wants that?
Hurrah! you've been saved brotha!!!!
I believe that a Kheldian Gold Standard should be based on SO's, and for anything above that... there's Platinum!
Save Ms. Liberty (#5349) � Augmenting Peacebringers � The Umbra Illuminati
Save Ms. Liberty (#5349) � Augmenting Peacebringers � The Umbra Illuminati
I can't stand nova form on my warshade. Dwarf offers mez protection and an AOE minigame that I adore playing, human form offers some ST DPS and area control, and nova offers... what, exactly? Tri-form stretches my khelds too thin. Even if I went nova/dwarf, I'd sac the human form for it. And I wouldn't do that on a PB, and I wouldn't do it on a WS.
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nova offers... what, exactly?
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The most damage.
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nova offers... what, exactly?
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The most damage.
[/ QUOTE ]Not distributed in a significant enough way to give a damn.
I mostly use my nova form on teams where someone else is tanking. Now and then I go back to human form to create a new pet or use stygian or mire, and if I get mezzed I go dwarf until it passes, but most of the time I'll spend in nova form to just sit back and blast.
Winner of Players' Choice Best Villainous Arc 2010: Fear and Loathing on Striga; ID #350522
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nova offers... what, exactly?
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The most damage.
[/ QUOTE ]Not distributed in a significant enough way to give a damn.
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In the situations where you're fighting a single target for long time periods, Nova trumps human form. Once the Essences drop and you've got only one mob to Mire off of, even though the Human form is still fun, cool looking, and relatively viable at that point... Nova is more efficient.
This, among some other situations that I might be able to list if I wasn't sneaking on here at work, sure makes ME give a damn... but people are different. Totally fair opinion you've got there.
I can't think of any time I fight a single thing long enough to run out of both essences. Hm.
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I can't think of any time I fight a single thing long enough to run out of both essences. Hm.
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Are you taking into account an SO'ed build trying to fight an EB or an enemy that is resistant to negative-energy and slows, Talen?
I believe that a Kheldian Gold Standard should be based on SO's, and for anything above that... there's Platinum!
Save Ms. Liberty (#5349) � Augmenting Peacebringers � The Umbra Illuminati
Save Ms. Liberty (#5349) � Augmenting Peacebringers � The Umbra Illuminati
From the point of view of a Lv50 Warshade with enough funds to completely purple-out anything they wish to, a Human-only build also works perfectly fine, so basically, I don't think one should judge the usefulness of Nova based on ones' personal experience in light of an advanced build.
I believe that a Kheldian Gold Standard should be based on SO's, and for anything above that... there's Platinum!
Save Ms. Liberty (#5349) � Augmenting Peacebringers � The Umbra Illuminati
Save Ms. Liberty (#5349) � Augmenting Peacebringers � The Umbra Illuminati
Gee, [censored], silly me thinking I could offer my opinion based on my experience. Never mind, I'll just be going and sitting in the corner, then.
Information on Khel's seem scarce, and what there is has dust on it. The only builds that I have found that seem remotely fresh are tri-form builds. Is that the only way to go, or are there other viable options? So far, on my WS, I have developed a love of Dark Nova to the point that I can't imagine ever using the ugly crab or human form again (aside from social pursuits). There's something about the purple blasts.
Are there any decent builds out there that would cater to this preference, or would I be gimping myself?