Tweaking Jab slotting for soft-capped Inv/SS build

My Inv/SS currently has slotted Jab with 4 level 35 Kinetic Combats for 21% Acc, 87% damage, 41% end and 41% recharge.

I can add 1 or 2 slots to Jab (the second would be free if I give up 4-slotting Rage for to-hit and recharge, and just throw the recharges in it. I can't get Rage's recharge to the ED soft-cap with 3 slots using to-hit buff sets; gotta use plain IOs for that, or at least 4 slots).

I will have some global +acc and to-hit boosts from both Rage and Invincibility, so I'm not too worried about the low accuracy.

I can throw in a Mako's quad (I have a 45 on hand and can probably buy a 50 since I won't get set bonuses for it anyway) and then maybe a common end IO.

Am I right in assuming that reducing the end cost of Jab is useful to my overall end situation because I use it so many times a minute, even though the base end cost is small?

I could alternatively throw in a proc; maybe the Mako's quad (to bump damage up to the ED cap) and then Hecatomb's damage proc. Would that "save endurance" by killing faster, since the proc doesn't use end when it fires? Or am I better off maximizing the end reduction enhancement?

I'm not much of an expert on HOs, but here's a thought: would three Membrane Exposures (to-hit buff+20%, recharge +33%) be good in Rage? Would the recharge be sufficient after ED? That would allow me to put that last slot in Jab and still get some to-hit enhancement out of Rage.

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If we are to die, let us die like men. -- Patrick Cleburne
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The rule is that they must be loved. --Jayne Fynes-Clinton, Death of an Abandoned Dog

Yes, END reduction on the attacks you use the most is very effective. Also keep in mind, if you use the attack a lot, it's a significant source of damage. Based on the numbers you listed (and since accuracy is already covered), I'd want to increase the END reduction to over 60% and get that recharge as high as possible.

I have one tank with a bunch of attacks slotted with 4 Kinetic Combat and 2 Pounding Slugfest (8% regen for 2 pieces). Assuming those Kinetics are already slotted, Pounding Slugfest wouldn't be the best way to go. If you can add 2 slots, Mako's Bite would be good: damage/recharge and accuracy/endurance/recharge. Starting from scratch, I would have gone with Pounding Slugfest and use different pieces from Kinetic Combat.

As for procs, the regular ones are kind of shabby. The purple ones are quite good: 33% chance for additional moderate damage. I'm not a big fan of slotting purple procs by themselves because I prefer to slot full sets.

Three Membranes would be great in Rage. Each will give 20% accuracy buff and 33% recharge so you'll hit ED on both effects.

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Thanks.

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Starting from scratch, I would have gone with Pounding Slugfest and use different pieces from Kinetic Combat.

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The only piece of KC I didn't use was the knockdown proc. I assume slotting it isn't what you had in mind if you think (non-purple) damage procs are shabby... Can you elaborate?

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If we are to die, let us die like men. -- Patrick Cleburne
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The rule is that they must be loved. --Jayne Fynes-Clinton, Death of an Abandoned Dog

Well, how do these two alternatives comnpare:

4 level 35 Kinetic Combats, 1 level 50 Mako quad, 1 lvl 50 End red common for 39% Acc, 95% damage, 95% end and 59% recharge

4 level 35 Kinetic Combats, 1 level 50 Mako quad, 1 Hecatomb proc for 39% Acc, 95% damage, 59% end and 59% recharge -- and the proc.

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If we are to die, let us die like men. -- Patrick Cleburne
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The rule is that they must be loved. --Jayne Fynes-Clinton, Death of an Abandoned Dog

if it was me, I'd use the proc.

put that attack on auto, esp when fighting AV's or elite bosses.

I've also used it when I'm very low on endurance.
The dam/sec on jab goes up significantly.

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Procs are usually worthwhile on quick recharging attacks, as they have more of a likelihood of going off. Jab definitely fits that description. You can also find logic of doing this with long recharging attacks (like KO Blow), as it makes the activation even more worthwhile when the proc goes off.

I think Jab, Punch, and KO Blow all have procs in my Shield/SS build, though I had the further encouragement to put those in to get my defenses to the softcap from defense bonuses. At any rate, they're a nice bonus and I have good recharge, endurance reduc, etc. on all of them as well.

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Grey Pilgrim: Fire/Fire Tanker (50), Victory

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Yes, END reduction on the attacks you use the most is very effective. Also keep in mind, if you use the attack a lot, it's a significant source of damage. Based on the numbers you listed (and since accuracy is already covered), I'd want to increase the END reduction to over 60% and get that recharge as high as possible.

I have one tank with a bunch of attacks slotted with 4 Kinetic Combat and 2 Pounding Slugfest (8% regen for 2 pieces). Assuming those Kinetics are already slotted, Pounding Slugfest wouldn't be the best way to go. If you can add 2 slots, Mako's Bite would be good: damage/recharge and accuracy/endurance/recharge. Starting from scratch, I would have gone with Pounding Slugfest and use different pieces from Kinetic Combat.

As for procs, the regular ones are kind of shabby. The purple ones are quite good: 33% chance for additional moderate damage. I'm not a big fan of slotting purple procs by themselves because I prefer to slot full sets.

Three Membranes would be great in Rage. Each will give 20% accuracy buff and 33% recharge so you'll hit ED on both effects.

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Accuracy 20% = aroo?

Edit: Aha, To-Hit buff, not Accuracy, duh.

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Well, how do these two alternatives comnpare:

4 level 35 Kinetic Combats, 1 level 50 Mako quad, 1 lvl 50 End red common for 39% Acc, 95% damage, 95% end and 59% recharge

4 level 35 Kinetic Combats, 1 level 50 Mako quad, 1 Hecatomb proc for 39% Acc, 95% damage, 59% end and 59% recharge -- and the proc.

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What about 4 KC, hecatomb proc and triple for the 4% recov set bonus.

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It's true. This game is NOT rocket surgery. - BillZBubba

4 Kin Combats (which is how I start all my SS slotting, btw) is close enough to ED cap for damage, and pretty good on the other aspects (except for Accuracy, but you have Rage's +to hit), that I go w/procs for Jab (and Punch) for when Rage crashes. Another option would be a taunt IO if you have a weak aura (*cough*WP*cough). 2 Zinger IOs (proc & taunt) even gives you a tiny fear resist (yeah, it's not much).

For my big SS attacks tho (Haymaker, KO), I definitely want to max out the stats. I actually like 2 of the Pounding Slugfest (A/D & D/R) for the +regen bonus, but you can also do a Mako quad or CI A/D/R and a proc

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Well, how do these two alternatives comnpare:

4 level 35 Kinetic Combats, 1 level 50 Mako quad, 1 lvl 50 End red common for 39% Acc, 95% damage, 95% end and 59% recharge

4 level 35 Kinetic Combats, 1 level 50 Mako quad, 1 Hecatomb proc for 39% Acc, 95% damage, 59% end and 59% recharge -- and the proc.

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What about 4 KC, hecatomb proc and triple for the 4% recov set bonus.

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Well, the triple is Acc/Dmg/Rch. The acc is probably not critical with Invincibility and enhanced Rage to-hit bonuses. I'd like to have more, but probably won't need it. The recharge is of questionable benefit as it has such quick recharge already, and I have 41% from the KC set and 35% or so globally.

But end reduction would do me some good on my most-commonly-spammed attack.

How about if I substitute the Dmg/End Hecatomb for the triple?

That gives me 22.9% Acc, ~100% damage, 74% end and 41% recharge -- plus the Hecatomb proc, plus that 4% recovery set bonus.

Yeah, that might be the ticket.

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If we are to die, let us die like men. -- Patrick Cleburne
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The rule is that they must be loved. --Jayne Fynes-Clinton, Death of an Abandoned Dog

I actually quite like the kinetic combat proc for extra mitigation as part of my set of 4 (also means you only need one of the DE and DER which are the hard ones to get), this is currently working well on my ElM/EA stalker, at which point the two purples make sense to up the enhancement bonuses.

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It's true. This game is NOT rocket surgery. - BillZBubba