Oh yes good post mate i agree with this 100%, i picked up build up late on my blaster but slotted as plight has said along with aim the damage output is fantastic.
Another important point it that whilst these powers are very good post 22 when you are slotted up with SOs, they are actually far better before that when you powers aren't slotted with SOs.
My latest blaster, a Fire/Fire picked up Aim at about level 12 and Build Up at level 16. Being able to use one of these powers most fights really made a huge difference with the 3 AoEs I have as it meant I didn't run out of endurance because the fight only lasted a maximum of 2 attack cycles.
My Ice/Dev blaster on the other hand didn't pick Aim up until I started playing him a bit in I6 after having him for over 6 months. I think that was a mistake, Aim is a good power. I think Build Up is better though.
@Unthing ... Mostly on Union.
Totally agree Plight 
I could/still can oneshot oranges at level 12.
Totally agree. Get em both, slot em both.
Although, if your build is tight but have Hasten, i've found there is minimal difference whether you 2 or 3 slot recharge.
Also if you slot toHit buffs, put em in Aim first...i.e. 2 tHB in Aim gives a better return than slotting either 2 in BU or 1 in each.
I still think blasters need a bit of loving with a primary damage buffing though...either that or nerf Impale! Or both!! 
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I still think blasters need a bit of loving with a primary damage buffing though...either that or nerf Impale! Or both!!
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I assume this is a PvP related comment. Impale is essential to make Spine a viable set in the early levels. If they made it less effective then Spines would be completely rubbish until level 26.
On pure damage I think Impale is probably about even with Bitter Ice Blast, which is not the best blaster single target non snipe power but is close ( Flaming Arrow is the best, then Blaze ).
I think whoever designed Spines gave it too many secondary effects, it has the secondary effects from both Ice Blast and Fire Blast at the same time.
@Unthing ... Mostly on Union.
Even saying that though, Impale pwns AS.
Long Range, High Damage, Short Interrupt, Immob, %Crits and Toxic DOT (Impale)
against
PB Range, High Damage, Long Interrupt, %Detoggle, Crits (AS)
or
Long Range, Extreme Damage, Long Interrupt, %KD (Snipe)
It is PvP related.
A shortening of the range would be good to bring it into line with 'most' blasters short range high damage power - i.e. about 20'
Don't forget the -jump and -fly
I have a lv50 En/Dev Blaster, and obviously didn't have Build Up due to my secondary, but I never took Aim from the primary either.
I don't think I suffered as a result, I was still the last man standing in most of the missions during the 30-50 level range, and could take down enemies with relative ease, and still can post-ED.
All I'm saying is, although it's a ncie addition, it's far from being essential.
Indeed, i agree with this post, Build + Aim = yumyum.
But remember kids...
Unslotted Build Up damage ( blaster ) = 100+100
Slotted damage ( 3 SOs ) = 100+95
slotted Build Up Damage = 100+95+100
So Slotted Build Up damage is 295/195 times more than the Slotted attack. This is a 51% boost in damage.
So it starts off by doubling your damage pre-SO's/DO's, but afterwards, it only adds 50%
Shnyet AWAY
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All I'm saying is, although it's a ncie addition, it's far from being essential.
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There is not one power in the game that is essential to take. For PvE you could manage just fine with any random build you like, although obviously some will be more productive than others.
For PvP however, if you want to kill anyone who knows what they're doing you really do need to take atleast 1 of them, and preferably both. You will struggle to defeat anyone competent without either. (Not aimed at you btw Max, just generally).
Jupiter is slow looking into his notebook, but he always looks.
The [b]Retribution[/b] is coming.
[url="http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j19/Valens_ii/"]Some of my toons[/url]
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Long Range, High Damage, Short Interrupt, Immob, %Crits and Toxic DOT (Impale)
[/ QUOTE ]Since when has it had interrupt time? 
Oh, and it's also -fly
Hehe, I remember I used to argue with plight that you don't need aim for PvE in addition to build up, but since I now heavily PvP with my blaster I can't imagine life without the combo. In PvP the combination of both is awesome.
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I have a lv50 En/Dev Blaster, and obviously didn't have Build Up due to my secondary, but I never took Aim from the primary either.
I don't think I suffered as a result, I was still the last man standing in most of the missions during the 30-50 level range, and could take down enemies with relative ease, and still can post-ED.
All I'm saying is, although it's a nice addition, it's far from being essential.
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I was amazed how much difference Aim made on my Ice/Dev blaster. It was [almost] the same level of why didn't I get this power beforeness that I had when I first got Dull Pain in I5 on my Inv tank.
For the Dev blaster, getting Targetting Drone, removing an Accuracy and putting either recharge or end in your attacks ( depedning on the attack ) results in around 33% increase in DPS for the same EPS. This is the same increase in sustainable damage output as Build Up but obviously without the frontloaded burst damage advantage. Note that when you add Hasten into the mix Targetting Drone falls behind.
@Unthing ... Mostly on Union.
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Long Range, High Damage, Short Interrupt, Immob, %Crits and Toxic DOT (Impale)
[/ QUOTE ]Since when has it had interrupt time?
Oh, and it's also -fly
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Christ...I only saw it in use...that's a wee bit OTT.
The attack damage can not be buffed iirc. 2 slotted To Hit and 3 Recharge stats here:
Build Up= 87.50% Increase to Accuracy & 100% to damage every 46.17 seconds.
Aim= 140% Increase to Accuracy & 62.50% to damage every 46.17 seconds.
In short, Plights right here, if your a blaster that can get these and hasnt, your really not making up on your potential
I think you're kind of aiming for the PvP slant Plight, I only took Build Up and IMO (and not liking the colour yellow) didn't feel the need for a another self buff and never had it, nor felt like an inadequate blaster, either in PvP or PvE.
I will be taking Aim and Build Up on another blaster, but one thing I will say about Aim and Build Up - yes, it will probably devastate your target, possibly even eliminate them, but that's you. Spent. You're vunerable straight after you've fire.d off those buffs and let them go, and good PvPers can take advantage of this.
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I think you're kind of aiming for the PvP slant Plight, I only took Build Up and IMO (and not liking the colour yellow) didn't feel the need for a another self buff and never had it, nor felt like an inadequate blaster, either in PvP or PvE.
I will be taking Aim and Build Up on another blaster, but one thing I will say about Aim and Build Up - yes, it will probably devastate your target, possibly even eliminate them, but that's you. Spent. You're vunerable straight after you've fire.d off those buffs and let them go, and good PvPers can take advantage of this.
[/ QUOTE ]What are you talking about Fraz? two points...
1. In PvE any blaster with these powers will outperform a blaster with the same powers but minus Aim and Build Up
2. Aim and Build Up have no negative effects on a blaster at all, not even an animation immobilisation. I think maybe you are talking about tier 9 primaries which have huge 'self -end -rec' debuffs.
If this was a PvP thing I would have said so, I have a lot of hours of PvE with and without these powers, and I have played in PvP without them. As I said, this post is aimed at blasters as a damage dealing AT, not at any particular blasters
Plight
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Indeed, i agree with this post, Build + Aim = yumyum.
But remember kids...
Unslotted Build Up damage ( blaster ) = 100+100
Slotted damage ( 3 SOs ) = 100+95
slotted Build Up Damage = 100+95+100
So Slotted Build Up damage is 295/195 times more than the Slotted attack. This is a 51% boost in damage.
So it starts off by doubling your damage pre-SO's/DO's, but afterwards, it only adds 50%
Shnyet AWAY
[/ QUOTE ]Your assuming people have 3 slotted their damaging powers. Personally my best example of why Aim and Build Up add more to this is that I have a minor DoT (damage over time) power and another AoE which is slotted for 3 things, non of which are damage, but it does do damage. So for these powers I still get my 100% boost to damage which is as good as ever at level 50
Plight
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I have a lv50 En/Dev Blaster, and obviously didn't have Build Up due to my secondary, but I never took Aim from the primary either.
I don't think I suffered as a result, I was still the last man standing in most of the missions during the 30-50 level range, and could take down enemies with relative ease, and still can post-ED.
All I'm saying is, although it's a ncie addition, it's far from being essential.
[/ QUOTE ]Of all your powers on your neg/dev which do you think allows you to contribute the most in teams as a damage dealer? : /
IMO and at a guess it was cloaking device that saved you in conjunction with having a clue about aggro as a blaster.
I agree with the nay say posts that you don't need these 2 powers, and agree with the post that says no power is essential, this thread is merely about letting new and less experienced blasters know what these powers do as it's not obvious from their descriptions how good they are.
Plight
In reply to Plight:
i.) Probably my 1-2-3 attack chain (Power Bolt, Power Blast, Power Burst) six-slotted for damage (these were pre-ED days, but still gives a tangible mini-boost nowadays) coupled with Targeting Drone. I was a single-target blaster, and still am. I knew that focusing on AoE was likely to result in more bad situations than good.
ii.) I was clued up on aggro, but I had a nasty habit of forgetting I even had Cloaking Device, and even when it was used, it seemed to lose a lot of its effectiveness after Issue 5, which was when I hit those later levels
iii.) Not going to argue there, just a matter of opinion at the end of the day.
its not i4 any more is it
bed time for meeee
Plight
Plight is correct, Aim and buildup have no weak points at all. Iirc BU doesnt even root you, but aim might, anyway the animation in both is very fast.
Aim doesn't either; I can fly in under Stealth in PvP; Powerboost/Aim/BU and then stop to Snipe a Mastermind/Corruptor.
'POP' says the Weasel
Hi there people, new, old, clueless and confuzzled.
I have just read a post where a friend was talking about how, many blasters do not take both Aim and Build Up. I've also run into a lot of blasters in game without one or both of these powers.
I'd just like to say that if Aim and Build Up are in your sets (they aren't in Assault Rifle or Devices) then to maximise your potential as glass cannon, you need these powers. These are all about doing more damage more often, and for many blasters, damage is all you have (utility is discussed elsewhere I know).
I played a blaster for a few months without Build Up when I started a few years ago and was amazed when I got it and slotted it. I didn't pick up Aim for about 9 months and I never regretted anything so much, and I was very happy indeed with the benefits it brought.
I recommend slotting both of these powers with 3 recharge reduction enhancements, and if you plan to PvP, add as many to hit enhancements as you can spare. Try and fit these powers in before too many levels go by, 15 is very early, while the early 20s is sensible, by 30 these powers really should be part of your build.
[EDIT in response to a quick reply]: These powers boost damage and accuracy the same proportion of base values at all levels, so where, for example, Build Up boosts your damage in the mid to late game from around 195% (enhanced) to 295%, at level 12 or so the values would be boosted from around 120% (enhanced) to 220%, a far greater proportional reward at earlier levels indeed.[/Edit]
I hope this post will help make many new and existing blasters mash more and more foes into the ground ever before, and allow blasters as an AT to outdamage scrappers, it is the one the deities of CoH intended it to be.
Plight
P.S. A kind note to all of the freedom of build types who do not wish people to follow cookie cutters. Aim and Build Up are in nigh on every blaster set; blasters do damage, people enjoy the game more when they die less and they die less with builds that have optimised function. If you want to create a concept toon without these 2 powers then go for it and good luck, but if you are new to CoH or blasting, or feel that your blaster is underperforming, these are 2 very quick fix powers to get into your attack cycles.