Well, if you're planning on having Force Bubble up "most of the time", you could probably drop Repulsion Field and pick up another power that you could slot for +Recharge instead. But if you're only using Force Bubble "sometimes", then yeah, I'd keep RF, it's just too awesome.
If you need to move some slots around to add more recharge, PFF is just fine all by itself, you could just leave the +Recharge special IO there in the "free slot" and move the other two slots somewhere else where you might need them. It already gives PLENTY of Defense (75% to all and the "soft cap" is 45%) all by itself.
I see no glaring omissions with your primary.
I'm ... confused.
Like, really confused.
You're going for soft-capped AoE and ranged, while also slotting your blasts for ToHit debuffs? And slotting Repulsion Bomb with a disorient set? And Life Drain with debuffs? While /not/ maxing out the def bonuses from Dispersion Bubble and Maneuvers? You're taking Speed over Leaping or Flight, which both have powers that give +def? You want to max out your use of Force Bubble, but don't have any +range in Tentacles? You want maxed out recharge, but you're 2-slotting hasten? You have a, seemingly, team-oriented build, but you've skimped on the +def for Insulation?
You seem to be going off in a few different directions at once, and I honestly can't see where you're going. Your only powers slotted for damage are Total Focus, a melee power, and Blackstar, a PBAoE ... but you have built your toon for survivability at range?
That's a whole lot of contradictions, and I can't this build working out all that well.
So: what do you want this toon to do? Team support? Soloing? AoE carnage? What's the goal in maxing out recharge? Why the focus on making Force Bubble useful, but having few powers that can reach its edge?
[ QUOTE ]
You're going for soft-capped AoE and ranged, while also slotting your blasts for ToHit debuffs?
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm creating a synergy between the FF and the Dark. It will be running the ITF a bit.
[ QUOTE ]
And slotting Repulsion Bomb with a disorient set?
[/ QUOTE ]
The set slotted in that power give 6.25% recharge or somewhere around there and 3.13 ranged defense bonus. I think it's somewhere around those numbers, as I'm not at home where I made the build up. It's one of the best sets for capping ranged and recharge. I have it on a archer blaster in stunning shot.
[ QUOTE ]
And Life Drain with debuffs?
[/ QUOTE ]
I did that for the defense bonus the set offers. After second guessing myself, I was thinking about putting a heal set in there. Or something that will offer more range. It's tough to figure out what to put there that will keep the balance between AOE, ranged, and rechage.
[ QUOTE ]
While /not/ maxing out the def bonuses from Dispersion Bubble and Maneuvers?
[/ QUOTE ]
They are maxed or very close to it. 53% defense bonus roughly.
[ QUOTE ]
You're taking Speed over Leaping or Flight, which both have powers that give +def?
[/ QUOTE ]
I always take speed as my first travel power because of the +stealth. With a stealth IO, I have total invisibility. I took hover for combat manueverability. Both hover and superspeed is giving me AoE and Ranged defense bonuses.
[ QUOTE ]
You want to max out your use of Force Bubble, but don't have any +range in Tentacles?
[/ QUOTE ]
This, I realized the next day while I was thinking about it. I will have to figure out how to increase my range so I can keep force bubble up and use the to hit debuffs at longer range to make it more effective. Any ideas on this? I'm using the Acc/Debuff sets for the ranged and aoe defense boost.
[ QUOTE ]
You want maxed out recharge, but you're 2-slotting hasten
[/ QUOTE ]
3 slotting hasten only gives about 15% more recharge bonus with anoter recharge IO. With PK's idea of leaving PFF one slotted, I have two more slots to work with though.
[ QUOTE ]
You have a, seemingly, team-oriented build, but you've skimped on the +def for Insulation?
[/ QUOTE ]
Defense is almost capped. With Power Build Up, I'm not to worried about it.
[ QUOTE ]
You seem to be going off in a few different directions at once, and I honestly can't see where you're going. Your only powers slotted for damage are Total Focus, a melee power, and Blackstar, a PBAoE ... but you have built your toon for survivability at range?
[/ QUOTE ]
I wanted a couple of decent powers if I wanted to solo. That's what total focus, and blackstar are for. While I like playing support, it's nice to have a few powers that will let me solo. That's what those two powers are for. Are there any other powers that deal decent damage that would work better with what I have?
[ QUOTE ]
what do you want this toon to do? Team support? Soloing? AoE carnage? What's the goal in maxing out recharge? Why the focus on making Force Bubble useful, but having few powers that can reach its edge?
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm making this toon team support with the option of soloing. If I could find a ranged attack that deals as much damage as total focus, I could swap out for that power. The goal for maxing out recharge is to make the powers that I would use solo recharge quicker because there wouldn't be many of them. And the focus on force bubble is because I have two FF, one a FF/NRG and the other a Mind/FF and force bubble makes mobs really mad. I'd like to be able to use it more in confidence that I won't get smashed when it's up from ranged attacks.
Thanks for the ideas and suggestions though, I'll try to modify the build a bit so it has more range and see if I can find something better than total focus and blackstar.
Just a few thoughts especially if you are going to be ITFing alot.....
I have a FF/Dark/Dark that I use for this.
You don't need stealth OR Super Speed. You will be softcapped to Ranged and AoE AND you have PFF. If you can't walk through a bunch of romans (whether they can see you or not) with impunity..... you did something wrong.
You won't want to run (nor will your team want you to run) Force Bubble. While it may do a fine job of keeping the melee off the squishies it's totally unneeded. The squishies should all be softcapped with your grantable shields, Dispersion, and Manuvers. If a squishy gets into trouble that's what Force Bolt and Torrent are for. Tenebrious Tentacles will also assure that squishies remain out of melee.
Roman melee debuffs defenses. You melee teammates are going to need the extra defense from Dispersion Bubble as a buffer against defense debuffs. Force Bubble has a greater radius than Dispersion Bubble which means that your melee teammates (remember not all melee range teammates are non-squishies like Kins, Blappers, and */MMs) will be outside the radius of Dispersion all the time.
Force Bubble also puts you too far away from the action and it is WAY too easy to push mobs out of debuff patches and mobs tend to spread out around the bubble. Your team will want them grouped for AoEs. It's a much better plan to immob them with Tenebrious Tentacles (T_T has no -KB component) and then push them into a pile with Torrent.
You won't need Repulsion Field at all. You are soft capped to Ranged and AoE. Tenebrious Tentacles means that no mobs are going to enter melee with you, ever, especially if you hover outside melee range.
Slot Life Drain as a heal. A way to recover some health after a large burst attack gets through is all that you really need. Slotting Life Drain as a heal covers that base.
There's really no reason for a Bubbler to take their nuke. You don't want your toggles dropping and neither does your team.
-Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein.
-I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. - Galileo Galilei
-When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty. - Thomas Jefferson
[ QUOTE ]
You won't want to run (nor will your team want you to run) Force Bubble. While it may do a fine job of keeping the melee off the squishies it's totally unneeded. The squishies should all be softcapped with your grantable shields, Dispersion, and Manuvers. If a squishy gets into trouble that's what Force Bolt and Torrent are for. Tenebrious Tentacles will also assure that squishies remain out of melee.
[/ QUOTE ]
I was thinking specifically of mission 3 and 4 of the ITF. Possibly even mission 2. Mission 2 would allow me to run through with force bubble and help whoever is breaking cysts move through unharmed. Mission 3, force bubble could be used for the computer and for the AV's. Mission 4 FB would keep the ambushes out. It will make me a target which is what I want the soft cap for.
QR
Here's the modified build based on suggestions ... Picked up a little more recharge, and some more range on some attacks.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/
[u]Click this DataLink to open the build![u]
Level 50 Magic Defender
Primary Power Set: Force Field
Secondary Power Set: Dark Blast
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Power Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Personal Force Field -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 1: Dark Blast -- Cloud-ToHitDeb(A), Cloud-Acc/ToHitDeb(5), Cloud-Acc/Rchg(5), Cloud-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(7), Cloud-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(7), Cloud-%Dam(9)
Level 2: Deflection Shield -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(3), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(3)
Level 4: Force Bolt -- FrcFbk-Dmg/KB(A), FrcFbk-Dmg/EndRdx/KB(11), FrcFbk-Rechg%(21), FrcFbk-Acc/KB(27), FrcFbk-Rchg/KB(33), FrcFbk-Rchg/EndRdx(34)
Level 6: Insulation Shield -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(9), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(11)
Level 8: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(34), RechRdx-I(46)
Level 10: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 12: Dispersion Bubble -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(13), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(13)
Level 14: Super Speed -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(15), Zephyr-ResKB(15)
Level 16: Tenebrous Tentacles -- Cloud-ToHitDeb(A), Cloud-Acc/ToHitDeb(17), Cloud-Acc/Rchg(17), Cloud-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Range-I(19)
Level 18: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Mrcl-Rcvry+(34)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Night Fall -- SipInsght-ToHitDeb(A), SipInsght-Acc/ToHitDeb(23), SipInsght-Acc/Rchg(23), SipInsght-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(25), SipInsght-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(25), SipInsght-%ToHit(27)
Level 24: Repulsion Field -- FrcFbk-Dmg/KB(A), FrcFbk-Rechg%(36), FrcFbk-Acc/KB(36), FrcFbk-Rchg/KB(36), FrcFbk-Rchg/EndRdx(37), FrcFbk-Dmg/EndRdx/KB(37)
Level 26: Repulsion Bomb -- Stpfy-Acc/Rchg(A), Stpfy-KB%(29), Stpfy-Acc/Stun/Rchg(31), Stpfy-EndRdx/Stun(37), Stpfy-Acc/EndRdx(39), Stpfy-Stun/Rng(39)
Level 28: Hover -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-ResKB(29), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(33)
Level 30: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(31), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(31)
Level 32: Force Bubble -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(33)
Level 35: Life Drain -- Acc-I(A), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(40), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(40), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Dct'dW-Heal(42), Dct'dW-Rchg(42)
Level 38: Dark Pit -- Stpfy-Acc/Rchg(A), Stpfy-KB%(39), Stpfy-Acc/Stun/Rchg(40), Stpfy-EndRdx/Stun(43), Stpfy-Acc/EndRdx(45), Stpfy-Stun/Rng(45)
Level 41: Power Build Up -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(43), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(43), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(46), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(46), GSFC-Build%(50)
Level 44: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(45)
Level 47: Moonbeam -- Mantic-Acc/Dmg(A), Mantic-Dmg/EndRdx(48), Mantic-Acc/ActRdx/Rng(48), Mantic-Dmg/ActRdx/Rchg(48), Mantic-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 49: Temp Invulnerability -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), ResDam-I(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Vigilance
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<-- was rick rolled by folonius' sig - gahhhhhhh
What is all the recharge for?
It's certainly nice to have the cones popping up under 4 seconds to pile them on, but without enhanced damage (unless you're always gonna be fulcrum shifted +300%--which would likely mean you'd have +recharge going anyhow) it seems less meaningful, and the debuffs don't mean as much with your defense.
Repulsion Bomb and Dark Pit up a lot?
I've done a somewhat similar thing with an FF/Sonic, but the attacks are slotted for damage (and the recharge isn't near as good). It did require Box/Tough/Weave though.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You won't want to run (nor will your team want you to run) Force Bubble. While it may do a fine job of keeping the melee off the squishies it's totally unneeded. The squishies should all be softcapped with your grantable shields, Dispersion, and Manuvers. If a squishy gets into trouble that's what Force Bolt and Torrent are for. Tenebrious Tentacles will also assure that squishies remain out of melee.
[/ QUOTE ]
I was thinking specifically of mission 3 and 4 of the ITF. Possibly even mission 2. Mission 2 would allow me to run through with force bubble and help whoever is breaking cysts move through unharmed. Mission 3, force bubble could be used for the computer and for the AV's. Mission 4 FB would keep the ambushes out. It will make me a target which is what I want the soft cap for.
[/ QUOTE ]
On mission 2 your grantable shields should be more than enough for the suicide jockey(s) running off to break cysts. Since that's usually the tank and scrappers, where you'll be needed is where all the squishies are huddled together trying to figure out how to survive multiple ambush spawns being dropped on them. (This is where FB might actually be useful but most likely it'll just be pushing mobs off Ice Slick and out of debuff patches.)
On mission 3 at the computer same deal. Pushing the robots away from the computer means they unload those AoE rockets. The tank and scrappers have enough resistance to survive the mass AoE strike (especially the 3rd wave) the squishies will still drop from the 5% of all those attacks going through.
Mission 4 Will Power, Invul, and Sheild melee toons will want to be surrrounded by those extra mobs, For mobs that are on squishies T_T and Torrent pushes them to the melee or off the roof and makes sure they don't come back until T_T wears off, and no one is going to want you accidentally pushing Rom off the roof. (which can happen pretty easily if you get pushed by an ambush mob)
-Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein.
-I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. - Galileo Galilei
-When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty. - Thomas Jefferson
[ QUOTE ]
On mission 2 your grantable shields should be more than enough for the suicide jockey(s) running off to break cysts. Since that's usually the tank and scrappers, where you'll be needed is where all the squishies are huddled together trying to figure out how to survive multiple ambush spawns being dropped on them.
[/ QUOTE ]
It may seem that the grantable shields would be more than enough, but they're really not. With his idea, where he'll be needed is at the cysts (the suicide jockeys are the ones getting the mission done.)
[ QUOTE ]
On mission 3 at the computer same deal. Pushing the robots away from the computer means they unload those AoE rockets. The tank and scrappers have enough resistance to survive the mass AoE strike (especially the 3rd wave) the squishies will still drop from the 5% of all those attacks going through.
[/ QUOTE ]
From my experiences (an ITF almost every night for the past month or so) those AoE rockets are already firing, and the squishies usually die anyway if they're still on the platform towards the end. The bubble idea sounds good to me ...at least to keep them away for the last 1/8 of the computer's health when its really tough to keep everyone alive for just. a. few. more. SECONDS!
[ QUOTE ]
Mission 4 Will Power, Invul, and Sheild melee toons will want to be surrrounded by those extra mobs
[/ QUOTE ]
I definitely don't. Tanking Rommy on my scrapper isn't a problem. Tanking the nictus away from Rommy and the rest of the team isn't a problem on my scrapper. Tanking anything with one of those ambushes descending down upon me IS a problem ...I dont need AAO saturated that badly ..I just need to stay alive.
More than half of the ITFs I've ran were completed without a tank. The use of force bubble the way he mentioned just might make that all the easier.
[ QUOTE ]
I definitely don't. Tanking Rommy on my scrapper isn't a problem. Tanking the nictus away from Rommy and the rest of the team isn't a problem on my scrapper. Tanking anything with one of those ambushes descending down upon me IS a problem ...I dont need AAO saturated that badly ..I just need to stay alive.
[/ QUOTE ]
Just to point out ...
A well-built scrapper, facing anything under +5s (and, guesstimating, +6s for a twinked scrapper), is generally unkillable in PvE while bubbled. That's why I think the OP's position of, essentially, tanking for the team with his blasts slotted for debuffs and soft-capped defense is misguided.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
On mission 2 your grantable shields should be more than enough for the suicide jockey(s) running off to break cysts. Since that's usually the tank and scrappers, where you'll be needed is where all the squishies are huddled together trying to figure out how to survive multiple ambush spawns being dropped on them.
[/ QUOTE ]
It may seem that the grantable shields would be more than enough, but they're really not. With his idea, where he'll be needed is at the cysts (the suicide jockeys are the ones getting the mission done.)
[ QUOTE ]
On mission 3 at the computer same deal. Pushing the robots away from the computer means they unload those AoE rockets. The tank and scrappers have enough resistance to survive the mass AoE strike (especially the 3rd wave) the squishies will still drop from the 5% of all those attacks going through.
[/ QUOTE ]
From my experiences (an ITF almost every night for the past month or so) those AoE rockets are already firing, and the squishies usually die anyway if they're still on the platform towards the end. The bubble idea sounds good to me ...at least to keep them away for the last 1/8 of the computer's health when its really tough to keep everyone alive for just. a. few. more. SECONDS!
[ QUOTE ]
Mission 4 Will Power, Invul, and Sheild melee toons will want to be surrrounded by those extra mobs
[/ QUOTE ]
I definitely don't. Tanking Rommy on my scrapper isn't a problem. Tanking the nictus away from Rommy and the rest of the team isn't a problem on my scrapper. Tanking anything with one of those ambushes descending down upon me IS a problem ...I dont need AAO saturated that badly ..I just need to stay alive.
More than half of the ITFs I've ran were completed without a tank. The use of force bubble the way he mentioned just might make that all the easier.
[/ QUOTE ]
You should get better teammates. I do a nightly ITF with this FF defender pretty much just like I've said. Times typically run between 18 and 22 minutes. (Then 3 or 4 of us spend another 10 minutes cleaning every thing off the last map.)
On mission 2 I bubble the tank and 2 scrappers and they each run down one pipe (on the map that has 3, which is fairly typical but doesn't always happen) and break cysts. The rest of the team sits in the interesecttion of all the main cave branches and farms purples (the ambushes) inside my Dispersion Bubble while we wait.
In mission 3 letting some of the Robots use melee attacks on the melee focused characters allows the squishies to stay alive (we usually pull Rom and Requiem and take them on while we destroy the comp).
Mission 4 we bum rush Rom (all the defense means the healing nictus does a poor job of healing Rom).
I can assure you that the only thing that Force Bubble or Repulsion Field does is slow the process down.
-Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein.
-I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. - Galileo Galilei
-When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty. - Thomas Jefferson
[ QUOTE ]
There's really no reason for a Bubbler to take their nuke. You don't want your toggles dropping and neither does your team.
[/ QUOTE ]
That's not really going to matter considering especially with shields on them that the mob you are attacking WILL have their accuracy floored for 20 seconds after using Blackstar (62.5% base debuff)
Plasmic's Guide to Sonic/Mental
Plasmic's Guide to Regeneration
Plasmic Fire - 50 Fire/Rad Victory Server
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
There's really no reason for a Bubbler to take their nuke. You don't want your toggles dropping and neither does your team.
[/ QUOTE ]
That's not really going to matter considering especially with shields on them that the mob you are attacking WILL have their accuracy floored for 20 seconds after using Blackstar (62.5% base debuff)
[/ QUOTE ]
Except that with a 1/2 strength defender nuke you won't kill any thing but minions, plus the 5% that you always miss, the 5% that always hit you, all the mobs that were outside of blackstar's radius, purple patch for higher level and high rank mobs and the 5+ (or more) seconds that it will take you to recover enough end after the crash and retoggle every thing while you and your team are being smacked around by the stuff that is no longer debuffed, with out your mez protection, without a good chunk of your defense, fully aggroed and locked on to you.
Good plan!
-Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein.
-I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. - Galileo Galilei
-When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty. - Thomas Jefferson
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
There's really no reason for a Bubbler to take their nuke. You don't want your toggles dropping and neither does your team.
[/ QUOTE ]
That's not really going to matter considering especially with shields on them that the mob you are attacking WILL have their accuracy floored for 20 seconds after using Blackstar (62.5% base debuff)
[/ QUOTE ]
Except that with a 1/2 strength defender nuke you won't kill any thing but minions, plus the 5% that you always miss, the 5% that always hit you, all the mobs that were outside of blackstar's radius, purple patch for higher level and high rank mobs and the 5+ (or more) seconds that it will take you to recover enough end after the crash and retoggle every thing while you and your team are being smacked around by the stuff that is no longer debuffed, with out your mez protection, without a good chunk of your defense, fully aggroed and locked on to you.
Good plan!
[/ QUOTE ]
Or you could use it INTELLIGENTLY, and make sure it has enough accuracy, and only use it when its going to hit the whole mob, so that is not an issue. With 5.3% to hit debuff slotted on blackstar, its debuff Plus slotted ally shields will floor +4 enemies without a problem.
There is also this thing, called a blue. Its this very inventive thing the devs made, oh, back in, BETA. Its amazing! It lets you use it after a nuke, to retoggle *GASP* before the debuff wears off!!! AMAZING!
Plasmic's Guide to Sonic/Mental
Plasmic's Guide to Regeneration
Plasmic Fire - 50 Fire/Rad Victory Server
QR
I can't advise slotting KB% Stupefy in Repulsion bomb! The glory of that power is the KD imo.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
There's really no reason for a Bubbler to take their nuke. You don't want your toggles dropping and neither does your team.
[/ QUOTE ]
That's not really going to matter considering especially with shields on them that the mob you are attacking WILL have their accuracy floored for 20 seconds after using Blackstar (62.5% base debuff)
[/ QUOTE ]
Except that with a 1/2 strength defender nuke you won't kill any thing but minions, plus the 5% that you always miss, the 5% that always hit you, all the mobs that were outside of blackstar's radius, purple patch for higher level and high rank mobs and the 5+ (or more) seconds that it will take you to recover enough end after the crash and retoggle every thing while you and your team are being smacked around by the stuff that is no longer debuffed, with out your mez protection, without a good chunk of your defense, fully aggroed and locked on to you.
Good plan!
[/ QUOTE ]
Or you could use it INTELLIGENTLY, and make sure it has enough accuracy, and only use it when its going to hit the whole mob, so that is not an issue. With 5.3% to hit debuff slotted on blackstar, its debuff Plus slotted ally shields will floor +4 enemies without a problem.
There is also this thing, called a blue. Its this very inventive thing the devs made, oh, back in, BETA. Its amazing! It lets you use it after a nuke, to retoggle *GASP* before the debuff wears off!!! AMAZING!
[/ QUOTE ]
If I'm starting a team and I pick up a FF/dark and his opening comments are something like "I'm a great FF/dark! I have Blackstar and use it!" My response is to punt the AE pl'd n00b off the team and find someone that knows what the heck they are doing.
Blackstar is NOT the reason I invite a FF/dark to my team.
I have done the intelligent thing, by skipping it.
The Blaster version of Sniper Blast, with 3 Damage SOs, Aim, and Build Up does 617.2 damage at level 50. This is not quite enough to kill a lieutenant.
ED soft capped Blackstar does 343.5 damage. Since /Dark lacks Aim and FF/ lacks any damage buffing/resitance debuffing power, that's all the damage you'll get out of it barring a few small percentage points from set bonuses and adding in Assault if you choose to take it. That's barely enough to kill minions.
Blackstar has 105% base accuracy and since FF/Dark has neither Aim nor Build Up you'll need at least 1 Acc (2 if you are using it against +4/5s).
If you use a slot for Acc Debuff you've no room left for recharge unless you Franken slot in which case you give up that important 6th slot set bonus.
I found that it simply doesn't do enough damage, has too many draw backs, creates too much down time for a toggle heavy toon (I run leadership as well, that's 10 seconds worth of retoggling just to wipe out minions), is far too situational especially on a team where you would be most likely to use it.
A team steam rolling mobs at the speed that FF buffs allows them has no need of the FF/Dark defender's feeble nuke no matter how you attempt to spin it as a good thing.
By the time you get your Catch a Breath popped, get retoggled, and catch up to the team they'll probably have the next mob just about taken out.
If the team has your buffs they won't need your Blackstar damage. If the team NEEDS your black star damage there is more wrong with your team than your FF buffs can fix.
You can spin it how ever you want, you can play it how ever you want, what ever floats (sinks) your boat. With a play style like that you won't be on MY team for longer than it takes me to 1 star and kick you.
-Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein.
-I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. - Galileo Galilei
-When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty. - Thomas Jefferson
While I agree that blackstar is probably skippable based on what you have said thus far, I think it's skippable mainly because the power is to situational, not because it doesn't deal enough damage. With enough +Acc sets, and a acc/to hit debuff set, it would be able to hit +4's without to much problem, but it's not a power I'd be using every group. Maybe only against groups which have an AV or EB.
Using this power as a situational power, you won't need to worry about slotting it for recharge, or damage. It would only need accuracy and to hit debuff. Combined with power build up shields, it would be just as effective as having your toggles running. I do think that blackstar would work better with other primaries though which don't relie on toggles as much. I could see a TA/dark taking blackstar.
I just don't see the need for a powerful to hit debuff like that of a FF/Dark when I have several AoE debuff attacks which should be enough to create a decent synergy between soft capped defense and -tohit.
[ QUOTE ]
If I'm starting a team and I pick up a FF/dark and his opening comments are something like "I'm a great FF/dark! I have Blackstar and use it!" My response is to punt the AE pl'd n00b off the team and find someone that knows what the heck they are doing.
[/ QUOTE ]
I don't even have to read the rest of the comment to flat out obliterate your statement by saying, that if his comment SAYS "i use blackstar!" You SHOULD expect noobish behavior from him.
I'm not saying its the end all power, simply that it has its use, and if used properly can benefit the team by being used in situations where its damage can amount to enough of a use tied in with its debuff to valididate the power.
Set bonuses can also play a factor in the selection of such a power.
[ QUOTE ]
ED soft capped Blackstar does 343.5 damage. Since /Dark lacks Aim and FF/ lacks any damage buffing/resitance debuffing power, that's all the damage you'll get out of it barring a few small percentage points from set bonuses and adding in Assault if you choose to take it. That's barely enough to kill minions.
[/ QUOTE ]
Hence why its mainly used as a fun power till you can get soul drain or power build up to boost its damage for better use.
[ QUOTE ]
Blackstar has 105% base accuracy and since FF/Dark has neither Aim nor Build Up you'll need at least 1 Acc (2 if you are using it against +4/5s).
[/ QUOTE ]
Hence why in general after suggesting ANY FF defender to pick up tactics, why i slot my nukes with a acc/dam scirocco, plus multiple accuracy set bonuses.
And giving up the "important" 6th slot set bonus? that is LARGELY based on opinion. I 5 slot my nukes, in the case of blackstar scirocco acc/dam, dam/rech, for the regen bonus, and then multi strike dam/rech, cleaving blow dam/rech, and the cheap version of dark watchers despair that has debuff/rech in it. Like i said it only needs like 5.3% debuff slotted, so it would only take that one of whatever IO with debuff in it to do so.
Again, not ONCE did i say it was the end all power. I'm SAYING that it does have a purpose, aside from being plain old fun.
AS far as you FREAKING out about retoggling so much, the only toggles that will make a difference for 20 seconds would be assault and tactics. I'm fairly certain the team will survive without them for 7.34 seconds. Depending on the teammates who most slot/IO/bonus for enough accuracy then the really only toggle would be assault until the debuff from blackstar would wear off.
And i love how you say "with a playstyle like that" without even considering how that sounds. Not "how you use the nuke" its "if you even use it, i will kick you" To me that just sounds like your so unconfident in your own abilities that you can't survive with only the ally shields, is just laughable.
Plasmic's Guide to Sonic/Mental
Plasmic's Guide to Regeneration
Plasmic Fire - 50 Fire/Rad Victory Server
[ QUOTE ]
While I agree that blackstar is probably skippable based on what you have said thus far, I think it's skippable mainly because the power is to situational, not because it doesn't deal enough damage. With enough +Acc sets, and a acc/to hit debuff set, it would be able to hit +4's without to much problem, but it's not a power I'd be using every group. Maybe only against groups which have an AV or EB.
Using this power as a situational power, you won't need to worry about slotting it for recharge, or damage. It would only need accuracy and to hit debuff. Combined with power build up shields, it would be just as effective as having your toggles running. I do think that blackstar would work better with other primaries though which don't relie on toggles as much. I could see a TA/dark taking blackstar.
I just don't see the need for a powerful to hit debuff like that of a FF/Dark when I have several AoE debuff attacks which should be enough to create a decent synergy between soft capped defense and -tohit.
[/ QUOTE ]
Because there ISN'T a "NEED" for the power. Its there for fun. It has its fun, and its uses, and its not going to mess you up to use it. That is all, and that is ALL i've been saying lol, Milady's does not seem to be getting that.
Plasmic's Guide to Sonic/Mental
Plasmic's Guide to Regeneration
Plasmic Fire - 50 Fire/Rad Victory Server
[ QUOTE ]
While I agree that blackstar is probably skippable based on what you have said thus far, I think it's skippable mainly because the power is to situational, not because it doesn't deal enough damage. With enough +Acc sets, and a acc/to hit debuff set, it would be able to hit +4's without to much problem, but it's not a power I'd be using every group. Maybe only against groups which have an AV or EB.
Using this power as a situational power, you won't need to worry about slotting it for recharge, or damage. It would only need accuracy and to hit debuff. Combined with power build up shields, it would be just as effective as having your toggles running. I do think that blackstar would work better with other primaries though which don't relie on toggles as much. I could see a TA/dark taking blackstar.
I just don't see the need for a powerful to hit debuff like that of a FF/Dark when I have several AoE debuff attacks which should be enough to create a decent synergy between soft capped defense and -tohit.
[/ QUOTE ]
Except that it's completely unneeded even for the debuff. FF + Manuvers soft caps your teams defense. Add in a few set bonuses for yourself and yours are capped too.
The acc debuff from T_T, Nightfall, and Torrent all stack. With standard rech slotting and a little bit of +rech from set bonuses you can easily get the mobs acc debuffed to -58.98% with out adding any debuff slotting (more with hasten and a little bit more +rech).
Blackstar simply isn't needed as a debuff by ANY /Dark defender and it's totally redundant for Forcefields/Dark
As far as the damage goes you'll have done more damage (even more if you use procs) by stacking those 3 powers in the time it takes to cast and recover from Blackstar and without bottoming out your end, forcing a retoggle, and losing your mez protection.
As far as Wind goes he's the kind of person that believes that his play style is the only valid one and he's made it a point to try to contradict every post of mine that he finds.
To show my geekness and quote a Star Trek Episode...
"What the Klingon says is unimportant and we do not hear his words."
/1 star
/kick
/gignore
-Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein.
-I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. - Galileo Galilei
-When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty. - Thomas Jefferson
[ QUOTE ]
The acc debuff from T_T, Nightfall, and Torrent all stack. With standard rech slotting and a little bit of +rech from set bonuses you can easily get the mobs acc debuffed to -58.98% with out adding any debuff slotting (more with hasten and a little bit more +rech).
Blackstar simply isn't needed as a debuff by ANY /Dark defender and it's totally redundant for Forcefields/Dark
[/ QUOTE ]
Except that you aren't going to be using torrent that often. If you are then you're in a situation with a perfect corner where you don't need ANY debuffs at all.
The debuff makes up for the fact that you used it in the case of ff/dark. On any other combo the debuff from blackstar basically acts as a 20 second hold as the enemies won't be hitting you.
And lol @ milady's hearing nothing i've said so far, by saying its not the only choice to pick blackstar, or for STILL thinking i'm so Gun-ho about it that you HAVE to use it every single time it's up. I am simply granting its worth as a power, NOWHERE near advocating it as a must have.
It entertains me how little you value ANY other opinion unless it's your own.
[ QUOTE ]
and he's made it a point to try to contradict every post of mine that he finds.
[/ QUOTE ]
Sayeth the tea pot.
Plasmic's Guide to Sonic/Mental
Plasmic's Guide to Regeneration
Plasmic Fire - 50 Fire/Rad Victory Server
I hear what you are saying, you simply make no sense.
At one point in time I had blackstar in my build. After running about 20 missions and never finding an appropriate time to use it I looked into the power's descriptions, and numbers and compared them. It rapidly became obvious that there would never be an optimum time for my FF/Dark to use it.
Other powers or combinations of powers were better in all respects. Unlike some power sets dark's debuffs self stack. I can keep the same level of acc debuff on all mobs, not lose any of my defense, not cost the team part of theirs, not lose my mez protection, not cost the squishies on the team theirs, not crash my end, not have to retoggle, do more damage in the same amount of time that it takes to cast and recover from the crash, and not be vulnerable to mobs missed/not defeated by blackstar or any subsequent ambushes.
Hovering over the mobs makes the floor a perfect corner on every map in the game. My AoE attack chain consists of T_T, Nightfall, Torrent, and Repulsion Bomb. The mobs that aren't debuffed into the ground by the shields and the acc debuffs in the blasts are knocked back to the ground everytime they stand back up and double (or more) stacked T_T makes sure they aren't running after another squishy or running out of range.
If you want effectiveness (which is usually what an OP that wants a critique of their build is looking for) taking a highly situational power such as Blackstar is not an effective use of that power pick.
Your idea behind using Blackstar is not optimum especially when taking into account the OP.
If I want the "fun" of using a nuke I'll bring one of my blasters to the team.
-Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein.
-I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. - Galileo Galilei
-When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty. - Thomas Jefferson
So I'm making a ff/dark, and she's (female toon) getting close to 47, so I wrote up a mids build I'm going to use for her. I'm going for soft capped ranged defense and soft cap AOE defense, and as much recharge as possible. I want the ranged and aoe to be soft capped so force bubble is more useful. If anyone sees anything I could do differently, I'm open to opinions. Right now the recharge is a little on the low side which is what I'm trying to figure out how to raise without dropping AoE or Ranged below 45.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/
[u]Click this DataLink to open the build![u]
Level 50 Magic Defender
Primary Power Set: Force Field
Secondary Power Set: Dark Blast
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Power Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Personal Force Field -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(3), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(3)
Level 1: Dark Blast -- Cloud-ToHitDeb(A), Cloud-Acc/ToHitDeb(5), Cloud-Acc/Rchg(5), Cloud-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(7), Cloud-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(7), Cloud-%Dam(9)
Level 2: Deflection Shield -- DefBuff-I(A), DefBuff-I(11), DefBuff-I(21)
Level 4: Force Bolt -- FrcFbk-Dmg/KB(A), FrcFbk-Acc/KB(27), FrcFbk-Rchg/KB(33), FrcFbk-Rchg/EndRdx(34), FrcFbk-Dmg/EndRdx/KB(34), FrcFbk-Rechg%(34)
Level 6: Insulation Shield -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(9), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(11)
Level 8: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(46)
Level 10: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 12: Dispersion Bubble -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(13), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(13)
Level 14: Super Speed -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(15), Zephyr-ResKB(15)
Level 16: Tenebrous Tentacles -- Cloud-ToHitDeb(A), Cloud-Acc/ToHitDeb(17), Cloud-Acc/Rchg(17), Cloud-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Cloud-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Cloud-%Dam(21)
Level 18: Health -- Heal-I(A)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(46)
Level 22: Night Fall -- SipInsght-ToHitDeb(A), SipInsght-Acc/ToHitDeb(23), SipInsght-Acc/Rchg(23), SipInsght-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(25), SipInsght-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(25), SipInsght-%ToHit(27)
Level 24: Repulsion Field -- FrcFbk-Rechg%(A), FrcFbk-Dmg/KB(36), FrcFbk-Acc/KB(36), FrcFbk-Rchg/KB(36), FrcFbk-Rchg/EndRdx(37), FrcFbk-Dmg/EndRdx/KB(37)
Level 26: Repulsion Bomb -- Stpfy-Acc/Rchg(A), Stpfy-EndRdx/Stun(37), Stpfy-Acc/EndRdx(39), Stpfy-Stun/Rng(39), Stpfy-Acc/Stun/Rchg(39), Stpfy-KB%(40)
Level 28: Hover -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-ResKB(29), LkGmblr-Rchg+(29), LkGmblr-Def(31), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(33), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(33)
Level 30: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(31), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(31)
Level 32: Force Bubble -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(40)
Level 35: Life Drain -- Cloud-ToHitDeb(A), Cloud-Acc/ToHitDeb(40), Cloud-Acc/Rchg(42), Cloud-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Cloud-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Cloud-%Dam(43)
Level 38: Blackstar -- Sciroc-Acc/Dmg(A), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(45), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg(45), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45), Sciroc-Dam%(46)
Level 41: Power Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(43)
Level 44: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 47: Total Focus -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), HO:Nucle(48), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(48), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(50), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 49: Temp Invulnerability -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), ResDam-I(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Vigilance
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