My Warshade tri-form guide for I6
Great guide- Thanks for taking your time to write it
You my friend are a Master,Great guide have some stars
Great guide Double. Seems like I have been doing the right thing with my Warshade so far
You guys should know how this feels for some1 probably never having a kheldian...i kinda eat this text within minutes
I know, this is how good it was for me
thanks for all the comments guys, really appriciate it
@Double
Double Flame 50 fire/devices
Double Shade 50 tri-form warshade
Double Light 50 dwarf-human peacebringer
Double Control 50 earth/rad
Excellent looking guide and is in part responsible for me starting a warshade
One thing I'll say is that having a single target immob is often really useful, as any web grenade user will tell you
IN MEMORIUM OF GAYBABY
CRUELY TAKEN FROM THIS WORLD WHILE SO YOUNG
[ QUOTE ]
One thing I'll say is that having a single target immob is often really useful, as any web grenade user will tell you
[/ QUOTE ] Indeed, I use the /Elec immobilize on Fusebox in a way that's pretty handy. Fight near a corner, immobilize one, then hide behind the corner to cut down the number of mobs facing you, I imagine you can do the same with the Warshade power too.
Reading this, it makes my wish I was 27 lv higher *sigh*
I want a kheldian!
Heroes
Anjos lv 23 grav/storm con
Blue Volt lv 5 emp/electric def
Villains
Lady Cyanide lv 17 ninjas/poison mm
Virginia Creeper lv 8 plant/thorny dom
All Union
Well i am only 3 bars off lvl 50, and can almost taste the kheldian air !
A few good missions with my sg tonite should see me straight into kheldsville to roll my pb. !
Nice Guide , helpful towards my WS
Nice one, have some stars!
Thank you all for your positive comments. The work I've put up for this guide paid off as every day I log into CoH, people ask me for their advices after reading my guide, even on alts. It really, pleases me to find out how many people have read my guide, as I got no negative responses on the guide yet. So thank you all very much, and if you have any questions, please ask me.
PS, I'm working on a Peacebringer atm, and who knows, maybe i'll make a PB guide someday
@Double
Double Flame 50 fire/devices
Double Shade 50 tri-form warshade
Double Light 50 dwarf-human peacebringer
Double Control 50 earth/rad
This was a great guide to read, especially because its up to date with ED/I6. Thanks!
@SinghMC
![Big Grin](images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
You know how good i think ur guide is..weve teamed and shared ideas..but ill post it here to stroke ur ego abit lol
I gotta hand it to ya, excellent guide on the WS, which I without a doubt will use to build up my very first WS with. Great Work!
Nice guide.
Synaesthetix:if your mum wasn't already dead I would go kill her for bringing
you into the world
Excellent guide. Everything you said is good advice.
Superb Guide, using this to help my WS
Visionist LVL 50 Ill/kin
Adventurist Lvl 50 BS/Sr Scrapper
Destructionist lvl 48 elm/dark armor Scrapper
63 month Veteran
we love you double!
Now that I'm almost at the same point with a tri-form WS I feel I can make some comments
These are my personal opinions and I'm talkin about the way I play my WS, so don't take them as a bible.
I took pretty much the same powers, except some stuff:
I never picked Swift, the change in speed is minimal and I picked Super Speed instead since it stacks with Shadow Cloak and makes you invisible.
I have both my Mires slotted for 1 acc 3 recharge, as the damage is not that big on them, but having them up more often is vital, you could go with 2 acc 3 recharge I guess but I was short of slots
The Dwarf Drain is priceless, I have mine 6 slotted(1 acc 3 heal 2 rec redux)and it's the only power that I won't rethink the slotting of.
My Dark Exctraction is slotted for 3 damage and 3 recharge but that's mainly because i like having 2 of them out almost perma, your slotting might be more effective tho
I tried Gravitic Emanation and respecd it out, with SS+ Shadow Cloak I usually run in a mob, fire Eclipse, Sunless Mire, Dwarf Mire and waste said mob, without needs of disorienting them
As a filler I would swap Starless Step for Grant Invisibility, as there are situations where you need it(a mob with a Sapper and a Quantum/Void?)so the sooner you get it, the better.
Anyway, this is what I'm goin around currently:
01) --> Ebon Eye==> Acc(1)
01) --> Absorption==> DmgRes(1)
02) --> Gravity Shield==> EndRdx(2)
04) --> Orbiting Death==> EndRdx(4)
06) --> Dark Nova==> EndMod(6) EndMod(7) EndMod(7) TH_Buf(15) TH_Buf(17)
08) --> Hasten==> Rechg(8) Rechg(9) Rechg(9)
10) --> Penumbral Shield==> EndRdx(10)
12) --> Sunless Mire==> Acc(12) Rechg(13) Rechg(13) Rechg(17)
14) --> Super Speed==> Run(14)
16) --> Shadow Cloak==> EndRdx(16)
18) --> Gravity Well==> Acc(18) Acc(46) Hold(50)
20) --> Black Dwarf==> DmgRes(20) DmgRes(21) DmgRes(21) EndMod(23) EndMod(23) EndMod(42)
22) --> Stygian Circle==> EndRdx(22) EndMod(25)
24) --> Nebulous Form==> Rechg(24)
26) --> Unchain Essence==> Acc(26) Acc(27) Dmg(27) Dmg(29) Dmg(29) Rechg(31)
28) --> Twilight Shield==> EndRdx(28)
30) --> Starless Step==> Acc(30)
32) --> Dark Extraction==> Dmg(32) Dmg(33) Dmg(33) Rechg(33) Rechg(34) Rechg(34)
35) --> Quasar==> Acc(35) Dmg(36) Dmg(36) Dmg(36) Rechg(50) Rechg(50)
38) --> Eclipse==> Acc(38) Acc(39) DmgRes(39) Rechg(39) Rechg(40) Rechg(40)
41) --> Stygian Return==> Rechg(41)
44) --> Stimulant==> IntRdx(44)
47) --> Aid Other==> IntRdx(47)
49) --> Resuscitate==> Rechg(49)
---------------------------------------------
01) --> Sprint==> Empty(1)
01) --> Brawl==> Empty(1)
01) --> Shadow Step==> EndRdx(1) EndRdx(3) Range(3) Range(5) Range(5)
01) --> Dark Sustenance==> Empty(1)
02) --> Rest==> Rechg(2)
10) --> Shadow Recall==> Range(10)
---------------------------------------------
06) --> Dark Nova Blast==> Dmg(6)
06) --> Dark Nova Bolt==> Dmg(6)
06) --> Dark Nova Detonation==> Acc(6) Dmg(11) Dmg(15) Dmg(19) Rechg(31) Rechg(46)
06) --> Dark Nova Emmanation==> Acc(6) Dmg(11) Dmg(19) Dmg(31) Rechg(46)
20) --> Black Dwarf Strike==> Acc(20)
20) --> Black Dwarf Smite==> Acc(20) Dmg(40) Dmg(45) Dmg(45) Rechg(45)
20) --> Black Dwarf Mire==> Acc(20) Rechg(43) Rechg(43) Rechg(43)
20) --> Black Dwarf Drain==> Acc(20) Heal(34) Heal(37) Heal(37) Rechg(42) Rechg(42)
20) --> Black Dwarf Step==> EndRdx(20)
20) --> Black Dwarf Antagonize==> Acc(20) Acc(25) Taunt(37) Taunt(48) Rechg(48) Rechg(48)
I 5 slotted TP at lvl 3 and 5 because the pants resistance from the shield or the tickling from the Ebon Eye aren't really needed, or at least I still have to feel the need of it as the first 6 levels are very fast, then you have nova for the damage and that's pretty much all I needed till now(lvl 48).
The shields are mainly for showing off, no real need of em as I'm mainly in shapeshifts and in human I only use Sunless Mire, Eclipse and Stygian Circle(yes, i often forget to use Unchain Essence
Thanks a lot Jiaozy, It is always good to have someone to comment on your guide and offer other ways for success.
As for the SuperSpeed, I haven't taken it since Nebolous Form helps me to be invisible, and usually 60 seconds are more then enough the infiltrate a mob.
And about the disorient attack, it does help to have half the mob disorient and knocked back, or atleast help taking down a void by yourself, instead of jumping in the mob when soloing, running the animation of Gravity Well, and getting hit. The range of Gravity Well is melee, but Gravitic EmAnation is really good to take down half the mob from a big range, long before they see you. Unless, of course, we are talking about snipers.
In addition, it does help taking down a blaster in PvP - those who always run around and stuff? The chance of getting close enough to him in order to run a melee hold attack is pretty slim comparing the chance of a range attack to hit him, knockback him for sure, and maybe even drop his toggles - show me one attack blasters, controllers and deffenders (non-Forcefielders) can take in order to protect *themselves* from disorients - other then O2 and breakfrees it can really make a difference in the slim-looking Warshade in PvP.
@Double
Double Flame 50 fire/devices
Double Shade 50 tri-form warshade
Double Light 50 dwarf-human peacebringer
Double Control 50 earth/rad
Here I stand, a new level 50 talking to my team leader after the Hami raid, telling him that I have a level 4 WS, did he have any advice. He then tells me to go have a look in the forums for his tri-form WS guide, I sure know who to ask (only I didn't). After reading this I needed to tell someone and you guys were closest at hand.
Black Light, Electricity/Devices Blaster at Union
White Knight, Illusion/Radiation Controller at Union
Obscurum est absentis lux lucis. Ego sum lux lucis!
Another new WS character who will be studying your excellent guide intently.
Union
Ebola EngEng Lvl 50 Blst
Maelstrome DrkDrk Lvl 50 Scrp
SRobo-tron RoboTraps Lvl 47 MM
Flaming Radium FireRad 35 Controller
Thanks Double for this guide, it is a good one. to think I knew you when you just had one fire/devices blaster...man you have come a long way in this game...se you around.
Let me start this guide by saying this following statement: I'm not from the UK, or any other country where you speak mostly English, so my English will suffer from badi English and grammar problems and mistakes, so you are noted.
Welcome to my guide: My tri-form Warshade for I6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This guide will talk about how I started my Warshade, how I handled it, information about most of the powers and advices. The main reason why I'm writing this guide is the lack of new guides about Kheldians and Warshades. I took my Warshade all the way to 50, made friends doing so, enjoyed teaming, enjoyed soloing, and I only had several complaints. I'll also give slotting comments to some important powers, and, according to my play style, dos and don'ts in power selections, and even respec advices... So, if I indeed write this all the way to the end, it will include everything I think is important.
On some points you might agree with me, on others you will disagree and argue against my opinions. This guide will be about MY Warshade, whether its builds, powers, slotting, and even play styles.
So, let's get down to business: where do you start?
My journey into 'Warshading' began a while before I even got my first 50, so let's start there. My first two main characters were both blasters squishy, weak and powerful. Other characters included a defender and a controller. Can you see the pattern? It might just be because of my personality: I'm a kind man(yeah right), and I don't like the 'Look-at-me-I-can-take-a-lot-of-damage' types of characters, so I just went with the best option I liked: helping and damaging. My blasters really helped me play the Warshade. At any time, I didn't give up my Warshade, because the squishy life were so similar to me, it just didn't bother me.
Around the time I got close to my first 50, and the Kheldians, I started reading. I mean, a lot of guides reading, deciding what I liked, disliked, approved and disapproved. When I start something I like, I don't quit in the middle of it. A lot of research prepared me for my journey, and it helped knowing what will be good for me, bad for me, etc. However, there were still some blank spots in the build, such as how good are the self heals, and how good will each human-shield be with slotting this and that, but I knew where I was heading, and I just went straight towards it at full speed.
So, when I reached those 'blank' levels, I made some mistakes: powers I didn't use, crappy powers that were just too weak to begin with, and very strong powers I just missed. I'll include in this guide the important things, and try not to miss anything.
Play style:
For me, Kheldians is the prize for getting your first 50. Playing Kheldians, for me at least, is an art of game play. I've seen some power levelers who leveled all the way to 50 using Dreck, got to 50, and then started a Peacebringer or a Warshade. He wasn't very smart, still isn't, and when he got to about level 8, asked my friend, who has a level 50 tanker, to power level a new Kheldian, because he didn't like Peacebringers. He continued playing his Peacebringer, and wasn't very good at it.
I've decided to make my Warshade tri-form. Why, you might ask? Because it is so much easier this way. Yes, thats right, Warshades are better off with two more backup forms. One form consist of flying around and simply blasting everyone in sight, whereas another focuses on defense, weak attacks and different statue attacks, which will be explained later on. Last form, human, is neither of the above: it is, for me, only self buffs, self heals, weak attacks, statue attacks, you get the picture. However, although sound as a controlish type form, it is much more. For me, it is a link between strong attacks and strong defense. It is the basic survival kit. It has powers that, if used right, can absolutely change the other forums from top to top: can make the strongest form of all, combining both superb AoEs and excellent defense that will make a tanker cry, while watching his teammate getting all the aggro.
Yes, it isn't always perfect: the fearsome quantums and voids can really mess you up, making you want to leave the game forever. Let me just tell you, once you are 22, it won't make a difference; they will simply become a wasp at your hands, and only if they are bosses, which will really happen once in a few days, they won't even get near you. At 22, every thought I had about getting stamina faded away: my Warshade didn't even take the second power in the fitness pool. First power was taken because I had to take something
Some powers will let you do the impossible: you will be able to kill groups with 85% damage resistance to all types (and to psionic, thanks to I6), and walk out with full HP and endurance, as if you were a regen scrapper. Others will give you a very big damage boost, making you so powerful and yet, they do have a price: most of them require enemies around you: dead or alive as one. At times, this could be a bit annoying, but small groups will fall for your AoEs and pet(s), and big groups will give you enough boosts to kill them all.
I know, I describe it as if you can be unstoppable, and just as I wrote it: at times but they do have a price, and one quantum boss in a mission before your 20s can really hurt you and make you leave that 'weak' Warshade alone for a long while. Pros and Cons, ladies and gentlemen
Forms and Power Trays:
Let me just make this note: I have not less the 7(!!!) power trays filled with powers; each one has its own use. Bar #1 is for Human's attacks, #2 is Dwarf, #3 is Nova. #4 is click powers & useful attacks, #6 is 'RUN' tray and emergency powers, and #7 is temp powers. At all times, I have 3 power trays open.
So, has I said, I chose a tri-form Warshade. Why? Because, again, it is easier. I've read about people talking about how they respec'd their Warshade out of the Dark Nova form, and regret it it was certainly unplayable this way. Don't be wrong! The human form of Warshade is NOTHING like the Peacebringer's human form. Whereas Peacebringers can scrap around with strong melee attacks, Warshades do not have those they have the controlish powers. Therefore, TAKE at least one form other then human, if not both.
Dark Nova is your second form, after human. Black Dwarf is your third and last form. Thing is, about forms, is that you are restricted to the form's powers, and you can't use the attacks in another form, and you can't use the human form's attacks while in the Nova or Dwarf forms. When changing forms, you make a nice BOOM effect, and then you can't use any other toggle but the 'Dark Nova' and 'Black Dwarf'. Yes, thats right, for those of you who are new, you can't use toggle powers such as shields, traveling powers, etc. On the other hand, you CAN use click powers, such as hasten, and medallions will stick. This allows the Dark Nova and Black Dwarf forms to be a bit more restricted then human form, but open to more possibilities. Changing forms takes exactly 2 seconds each time. I'm using macros and binds in order to change tray bars.
Onto the powers, the fun part:
Some powers, as you may find out, are rarely used. Most of them will just sit in your tray or even in your 'powers' tab, hidden. But most of them do have uses, and even if you don't want X power, you do have to take it in those 'boring' levels.
Your primary, and the only primary you can choose, is called 'Umbral Blast', which includes your few blasts, a lot of statue attacks (holds and such, you know, useful controlish powers), tp foe, and your first (or second, including human) form. It is whatever you can call as 'attacks'. Your other side, the secondary, is called 'Umbral Aura': Shields, buffs, and your second form.
You get two traveling powers: Teleport at level 1, inherent, and again at level 20, if you choose the dwarf. Second traveling power is Flight, at level 6, with the squid, nova form. I found it enough for me: You can teleport around, drain your endurance, and by the time you finish off your endurance, you get two seconds to switch to nova form before you fall, and fly away gaining more endurance. Couldnt ask for more
Note: every damage attack will lower the attack speed and movement of the attacked foe might be nothing, but with a pet hovering about you, bosses can be almost held Also notice that powers can be unlocked as a couple in one level: Dark Nova and Shadow Blast are both unlocked at level 6, more at 18, 26 and 32. This is made to increase the total number of attacks you can choose and use we are, after all, epic. This is why I got 7 power trays.
Umbral Blast:
~~~~~~~~~
Shadow Bolt and Ebon Eye Level 1- The most basic attacks you get. I took them both, because they ARE, after all, attacks, and will put you through level 6, until your first form. Shadow sends a Bolt energy, and Ebon sends an Eye ray. Basic attacks and damage, and they are enough. Slot them both for minimum; at the end-game, you may have leftover slots because of ED, but you still have to slot it at the beginning. It's either this or the shields, which will be covered later on.
Gravimetric Snare Level 2 A simple Immobilize attack for just one guy. I wouldn't take it because the animation is bad enough, damage is worse and you get better stuff then this.
Dark Nova Level 6 So this is your second form. At this level, pre-SOs, blaster are weak no SOs makes their attacks pretty weak (I know from two blasters, and if you got one decent 50, you will know this as well), but this isn't the case here. At level 6, you pick up 4 attacks, one toggle and the Flight traveling power. Toggling this power on costs a little amount of endurance/sec, but considering you can fly with 1/10 of Flight's endurance, it is nothing. You get extra damage, about 45% if I'm not mistaken, and got an accuracy boost. You can slot this form with endurance recovery like stamina, and to-hit buffs. I found that 3 ERs and 2 THB is enough for me to hit anything, and you don't need to slot each attack with accuracy. Sounds good, right? Well, there is this one small problem since you can't activate any shields while in the forms, and can't slot the form itself with resistance enhancements, the form has 0 defense, so it is kill or be killed. Around the later levels, this problem will be solved, but during the teens, you will notice how blaster-like the form is.[*] Dark Nova (will be referred to as DN from now on, because I'm lazy) Bolt is your basic and weakest DN attack, which shoots a bolt with the above side-effect and a small Knockback at times.[*]DN Blast is a bit stronger, same side-effect + Knockback, like every DN attack, and should be slotted later on. [*]DN Emanation is your Cone attack. It is VERY powerful, and will be one of your 2 attack cycle for instant kill. The animation won't show if you miss the foe. Recharge is a bit long, but 1 will be enough. Please note that accuracy isn't the greatest, so you might want to extra slot this one with accuracy in addition to the form's THB.[*]DN Detonation is your powerful AoE attack. It can Knock your enemy backwards, and it will most of the time, has the above side-effect, and will get, like the Cone, 1/2 of the foe's HP.
So, use the AoE to knock them back from their feet, Cone to finish them off and the blasts for leftovers. Overall, we got a flying blaster at level 6, which can kill mobs like flies, can recover endurance pretty good, a decent 45% damage boost and another accuracy boost. Most of my Warshading was about this form, blasting around, and then switching to other forms. It is a BIG part of your blasting life, stronger then the dwarf much stronger.
Shadow Bolt Level 6- Another blaster. This is a decent attack that does decent damage, side effects, etc. if you do skip the DN form, please take this attack to make life easier. Also, you might want to blast in human once in a while for a link between the forms and the controlish powers. Slot later on.
Starless Step Level 8- This is the basic 'Teleport Foe'. Take this if you want, but it is useless unless it is a good part of your quantum/void fighting procedure.
Sunless Mire Level 12- Now, remember when I said we were epic? This is your second step to epicness. This attack is a PBAoE, about 25ft. long for 30 seconds. This attack will decrease the foe's movement and attack speed, and, for each foe hit, will increase your damage output and accuracy by 11.25% (or so). This means, that you can get a good damage output: 16 foes is the limit for such hits, so 11.25*16 is 180% damage output. At lower levels, such mobs can kill you in a second, such as the ones in the hollows. Trick is, that the dwarf form also has a Mire, and you can activate a double mire, while protected in the dwarf's form for a short while, and blast away with the 360% damage bonus. Please note, that the DN form has 45% damage bonus, 100% damage bonus for Kheldians, so it can reach the 505% damage bonus in dwarf form, and I think 500% is the maximum. Take this, slot it later on with 3 recharge reductions and accuracy as needed.
Dark Detonation Level 12- I heard this attack was so crappy, all it can do is scatter the mob, which will only interfere with the DN's AoE and Cone. Damage is low, so we don't want this.
Gravity Well Level 18- This is your first weapon against quantums and voids. The damage is decent combined with a good DoT, and it has a good Mag 3 hold. Just teleport next to a void, hold, mire, Dark Nova, and kill, or teleport the foe to you using Starless Step (above), hold and kill. Take this one as soon as you can, don't miss out, and take this at 18. 1 accuracy and 3 holds will be pretty good, and maybe damage and recharge enhancements as well. There are no excuses.
Essence Drain Level 18- Is your first self heal in the set. It requires a foe to heal from, damage is weak and heal isn't that great. You will get Stygian Circle in 4 levels, that will wipe this power out of the way, and the self heal dwarf gives you in 2 levels is much better, because you can heal yourself while protected. If you are going to skip the dwarf form, take this attack later on and slot with heals and recharge. Otherwise, only later on should you grab this one. Always good to have backup.
Gravitic Emanation Level 26- This Power is a Mag 3 Cone disorient power, that will hit LTs. The damage is pretty damn low, but it is not why you want to take this power. Since it is a cone disorient power, you can jump in front of a mob and simply snipe them all from a far, disorienting most of them. Like Gravity Well, I suggest to take this at either 26 or 28, the sooner the better, slot one accuracy, 3 disorient and one recharge reduction. Like I said, the damage is too low to make this an attack power; it is only a statue attack. There are no excuses.
Unchained Essence Level 26- Is also a pretty good power. Actually, it's even better. You see, it's like a second nuke: one dead guy is simply enough for this attack to fire. It is as strong as Quasar, our nuke: good AoE attack, which fires off the dead foe's energy, releasing it in the range of about 25 ft., allowing you to disorient those foes. However, it does require a dead foe, and the recharge is VERY long think of the normal nuke's recharge time. So, one accuracy, 2 recharges and 3 damage enhancements will do.
Dark Extraction Level 32- If you need to choose from this power to the second level 32 power, take this one. Everyone will say the same. This power, although requiring a dead foe, will extract a Dark Nova, or the squishy, strong ball of dark energy. It has the DN Bolt, Blast and Emanation attacks from our Dark Nova form. It can be destroyed, has a good amount of HP, but will be gone in about 2 minutes. No recharge enhancements will give you one pet at a time, 2 recharges and hasten will give you two together for a short period. 1 accuracy is a must because it tends to miss a lot, and also the attack enhancement is not something you will want to leave alone unslotted. This power is good, so get and slot ASAP.
Quasar Level 32- Although we are the epic AT, our nuke is rather weak. Good animation, very cool look, but thats about it. Won't kill an orange minion, but the Knockback is there and will send enemies flying, and will save your [censored] at times of need. It's a PBAoE attack, so jump in, nuke and get to safety until you reach 38 for your last secondary.
I'll talk about tactics after I cover the secondary power set, called:
Umbral Aura:
~~~~~~~~~
Absorption Level 1- It is the must have power. Small amount of resistance to energy and negative energy attacks. It is always on, no endurance, only slot if you are not taking the dwarf at 20.
Gravity Shield Level 2- The shield provides a Smash/Lethal resistance. Only slot if not taking dwarf, but do choose it, if only to avoid the crappy Immobilize attack
Orbiting Death Level 4- This toggle will simply fire a nice looking balls which will orb around you. Enemies effected will be hit with DoT. Thats about it. Take it if you are planning on Inky Aspect later on. Do not slot.
Penumbral Shield Level 10- Resistance to Fire and Cold. Same as the other shields.
Shadow Cloak Level 14- Now its getting interesting. You get this stealth power that has no movement penalty. Combined with powers like Nebulous Form and Super Speed, you are completely invisible. I don't see why defense slots should be put here, but endurance reduction is a big part in this one, so give it one endurance reduction and enjoy stealth life. Note, it is a toggle, so it doesn't carry over to the forms.
Twilight Shield Level 16- More energy and negative energy resistance. Same as other shields.
Black Dwarf Level 20- TAKE THIS. This is THE shield. It will give you some pretty good resistance to ALL kinds of damage but psionic and resistance to all kinds of statue effects such as holds. It comes with Teleport self, so you can run. It accepts endurance recovery, and it has an extra HP boost. Anyway, take this, give it at least 3 resistance slots, and use it as a panic button.[*]BD Strike is a bit weak damage-wise, but recharges fast enough to keep the enemies down with its Knockback effect.[*]BD Smite is stronger, recharges a bit slower, and will also keep the enemies down, while watching the very cool animation it gives.[*]BD Drain is your main self heal power. It hits the enemy with decent damage, and will give you 1/8 of your dwarf's HP. Slot this with 3 heal enhancements and one accuracy. Slot a recharge reduction if you want, because of ED.[*]BD Antagonize is the Dwarf's taunt, simple, not as strong as the tanker's taunt, but will keep enemies away from your teammates. Slot with taunt enhancements, since it takes 0 endurance and the recharge is really fast.[*]BD Step is the teleport. One endurance reduction please[*]BD Mire is an important part of the dwarf. It is the same one as the Sunless Mire, but again. Another step to 505% damage bonus Tactics using the two mires will be discussed later on.
Stygian Circle Level 22- Is the reason why you didn't take stamina. It basically gives you about 1/3 of your own HP and 3/8 of endurance for each dead foe within the range (25 ft. or so). It is as cool as that: after a mob is dead, fire this power and no more downtime for me. Yes, it needs dead foes, but you can do it during a long wave of attacks, every 30 seconds, less with hasten. Do NOT miss this power. I have mine with one endurance reduction, so I can fire it as fast as possible, one heal enhancement for extra healing and two endurance recovery enhancements, so I can get full endurance with two dead foes.
Nebulous Form Level 24- Yes, it has been nerfed, but it is still the second best Phase Shifting powers, allowing you to be invincible for a minute. No additional slotting is required, only one endurance reduction is necessary to keep this up for a minute and still have full endurance. Animation time is 4 seconds, by the way.
Inky Aspect Level 28- This is one of those powers which I didn't want to take, but had nothing else to take. I personally don't like it, because it is annoying. It makes a field of 25 ft. or so, and every foe in that area will be effected and disoriented in a second or two. It is a Mag 2, so it will help you disorient bosses using Gravitic Emanation. Any foe effected will take a bit of HP from yourself, so it can be quite annoying, but Essence Drain will help you here, and Orbiting Death is pretty useful as payback.
Stygian Return Level 35- Your self resurrection power. Works the same as Stygian Circle does it will only resurrect you if you have at least one foe near you, and each foe will give you some amount of HP and endurance. Also, when resurrected you get something like 2 seconds of invincibility, so you can activate your Nebulous Form in time.
Eclipse Level 38- If you haven't picked this power in 38, all my work has been for nothing. This excellent attack will give you 11.25% of resistance damage to ALL types of damage, including psionic. No statue resistance here, but unlike the counterpart, Light Form, you can change forms all you want. Activation time is maximum 1 second, and in a mob of 16, you will get 85% of damage resistance to all types. Get in your Dark Nova and start blasting, because this is a click and will stay on for a minute and a half. Recharge is a bit long, but 3 recharge reductions will allow you to have this on every other mob. No real need for resistance enhancements, but be my guess, and give it at least one accuracy enhancement.
Tactics:
So, we have covered all the ground rules. In my build, I didn't take any shield but Gravity Shield, skipped Orbiting Death, and took every attack but the Dark Detonation and the Immobilize one.
Around the 20s, you can start hunting. Jump into a mob in Croatoa using the Dwarf Form, hit mire, turn human, hit the Sunless Mire, and use the Dark Nova to AoE everything to the ground.
This is nothing comparing to the time when you get the pets. You can fly to a mob, fire the AoE and Cone, the pet(s) will also fire their Cone. Every minion by now is dead, so you can fire the Unchained Essence, with the strength of the nuke, and use Stygian Circle to be back up on your feet. In the mean time, the pet(s) will kill the boss.
Dwarf form also gives you a fair amount of resistance, so even with ED and a healer you can tank AVs. You know those missions where each mob is all about 15-20 minions, 5 LTs and 2 bosses. Just jump in there with the Dwarf, fire the BD's Mire, turn human, Eclipse, Sunless Mire, DN to throw some AoEs and Cones. In the mean time, jump back to human, use Unchained Essence followed by Dark Extraction, and you got more Cones. Stygian Circle makes you as good as before the fight even started, and the DN's attacks are already recharged. Or you can jump into the dwarf and taunt foes to you, and continue with human form to disorient them. The possibilities are endless.
Also, take hasten and 3-slot it before the 30s, because you will need it. Another traveling power is a complete waste, but power pools such as the concealment is not a complete waste, because you can always have another phase shift to back you up (never tried it, and I dont recommend you to do it), and Grant Invisibility is good for stealthing with your pets. Medicine isn't a complete waste either: I took it for the 'Aid Other' to heal my pets and friends, yet I didn't give it any other slots. I took Swift from the Fitness pool in order to run faster, since I didn't have room in the power tray for Sprint, and also because I had nothing else to take. You might as well ask me 'If your Warshade is so great, how come you have so many levels where you have nothing to take?'. The answer is simple: only happened to me twice: in level 30, where I'm waiting for the pets and already have my Unchained Essence and Gravitic Emanation, and at that time you dont need more heals, and in the end-game, because we don't get ANY epic power pools (We are already epicly strong).
While playing the Warshade in the process of leveling, I did make some mistakes, I did chose powers that I needed and skipped. Every player's playing build is different from his 50's builds, and so, stuff there seemed important became useless when I turned 50.
My build is as following:
Archetype: Warshade
Primary Powers - Ranged : Umbral Blast
Secondary Powers - Support : Umbral Aura
01 : Absorption damres(01)
01 : Ebon Eye acc(01) dam(3) dam(5)
02 : Shadow Bolt acc(02) dam(3) dam(5)
04 : Gravity Shield damres(04)
06 : Dark Nova endrec(06) endrec(15) endrec(15) thtbuf(17) thtbuf(17)
08 : Shadow Blast acc(08) dam(46) dam(48)
10 : Hasten recred(10) recred(11) recred(11)
12 : Sunless Mire acc(12) recred(13) recred(13) recred(42) dam(50)
14 : Shadow Cloak endred(14)
16 : Swift runspd(16)
18 : Gravity Well acc(18) hlddur(40) hlddur(40) hlddur(42)
20 : Black Dwarf damres(20) damres(21) damres(21) endrec(48) endrec(48) endrec(50)
22 : Stygian Circle endred(22) hel(23) endrec (45) endrec (45)
24 : Nebulous Form endred(24)
26 : Gravitic Emanation acc(26) slw(27) slw(29) slw(42)
28 : Unchain Essence acc(28) dam(29) dam(31) dam(31) recred(31) recred(34)
30 : Grant Invisibility endred(30)
32 : Dark Extraction acc(32) recred(33) recred(33) dam(33) dam(34) dam(34)
35 : Quasar acc(35) recred(36) recred(36) dam(36) dam(37) dam(37)
38 : Eclipse acc(38) recred(39) recred(39) recred(39) damres(40)
41 : Stygian Return recred(41)
44 : Essence Drain hel(44)
47 : Starless Step endred(47)
49 : Aid Other hel(49)
-------------------------------------------
01 : Brawl dam(01)
01 : Sprint enhancement(01)
02 : Rest recred(02)
01 : Shadow Step endred(01)
10 : Shadow Recall endred(10)
06 : Dark Nova Bolt dam(06)
06 : Dark Nova Blast dam(06)
06 : Dark Nova Emmanation dam (06) dam(7) dam(9) recred(19)
06 : Dark Nova Detonation dam(06) dam(7) dam(9) recred(19) recred(37)
20 : Black Dwarf Strike dam(20)
20 : Black Dwarf Smite acct(20) dam(45) dam(46) dam(46)
20 : Black Dwarf Mire acc(20) recred(25) recred(27) recred(43) dam(50)
20 : Black Dwarf Drain acc(20) recred(23) hel(25) hel(43) hel(43)
20 : Black Dwarf Step endred(20)
20 : Black Dwarf Antagonize acc(20)
So this was my guide for an I6 Warshade. This is how I played and enjoyed my Warshade to 50. Any questions are welcome, and I might even add stuff for this guide later on. Sorry for all the English mistakes I must have written, and I hope this guide will help someone. Any feedback will be welcome
@Double
Double Flame 50 fire/devices
Double Shade 50 tri-form warshade
Double Light 50 dwarf-human peacebringer
Double Control 50 earth/rad