Sorry Shnyet I missed this [img]/uk/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] and to the OP, a lot of good points are made, I would take the most notice of extremus if you just want to mash things up [img]/uk/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
For teams fire/ is prettiest and does great damage, but you will never save your team if it gets messy, there is no utility, if you solo you are limited to lower level spawns as you cant cope with the aggro or pre empt mezzzers like malta by using holds. on this note energy/ and /energy have good KB utility but it isn't as reliable as the energy blasters like to think, when compared with sonic, elec and ice primaries i mean [img]/uk/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] (ranged mez)
ice/ is great ST dmg, although i see people neglecting over half the set due to a combo of popular opinion and the powers actually being a bit weak. here i mean cast AoEs and positional cones, I love cones but elec AoE control is far easier to use, and works better than slows 99% of the time.
/ice is nice solo but not uber
/fire is nice in teams with fire/ but again not uber, i imagine elec/fire melee blasters would do bonkers AoE and PBAoE dmg, but again, their survivability and end doesnt compare to that of elec/elec
/nrg is awesome for ranged blasters/blastrollers but due to the heavy melee utility and dmg of /nrg its usually worth the slots in boosting our range or mez, a combo like elec/nrg makes far better use of the shorter range and PBAoE utility boost given by PB
elec/ is uber, it has massive DPS and DPE as well as more utility than you can shake a stick at, tbh, the best thing to do is watch a good elec play, then you understand them better (max i could lock down without going to melee was 7 +2 freaks, just as atest yesterday messing about, although the same spawn type died in about 25 seconds using usual play style and tactics)
sonic/ is nice but i feel ppl dont go for the stacked deuff enough, maybe sonic/nrg or /elec with massive recharge in the primary would do the best DPS long term, but its rare you need that sustain on 1 enemy
i dont have much else to say other than AR/dev is for fun and concept only, it is not and never will be uber, not matter how you play it, again, imxp i have duoed with DreamWeaver's AR/dev/mun with my elec/elec/elec, the spawns we faced were about 5-6 sapers per spawn, in the time she killed about 1.5 minions i totalled the rest of the mob, i don't have a nuke, and when I did, it was silly [img]/uk/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
survivability wise in small mobs ice/nrg and elec/elec and even ice/ice all have very high survivability, the only major difference (i say "only") are that in teams the elec/elec blasters' utility and control scales up to the entire mob, where as ice and nrg are left with ST control and utility.
elec/nrg is awesome but imo elec/elec is better all round and has better synergy than any other sets. invince from low levels all the way to 50 without hasten or stamina and no toggle travel, cant be bad [img]/uk/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
oh, and archery looks nice
Plight
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oh, and archery looks nice
Plight
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*Ka-Dead*
Just look at my archery guide in the Guides forum :P It does more than pretty pointy sticks... [img]/uk/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]
Best for AoE, Elec/Fire. Lightning Ball, Short Circuit, Combustion, Fire Sword Circle, Blazing Aura, Hot Feet, and an AoE Target Nuke. Not to forget Consume for draining endurance further.
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I would say that the highest AoE damage blaster is by far fire/fire. Aim+build up, fireball, fire sword circle, combustion. pretty much everything in a +1/+2 spawn lay on the floor. There's no way AR can compare to the sheer destruction that a fire/fire blaster can lay down.
[/ QUOTE ]Build up, FSC, combustion, flamethrower, buckshot, full auto, M30.
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The thing is fire doesn't need to use any additional attacks as everything is lay on the floor. but fire does compare in AoE Attacks build up, aim, fireball, fsc, combustion, firebreath, nuke. My experience with AR means you go build up, fsc, combustion, flamethrower, awaken
One thing I should mention is I don't mean fire/fire has more AoE attacks. Just more unresisted and therefore more powerful attacks.
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i dont have much else to say other than AR/dev is for fun and concept only, it is not and never will be uber, not matter how you play it, again, imxp i have duoed with DreamWeaver's AR/dev/mun with my elec/elec/elec, the spawns we faced were about 5-6 sapers per spawn, in the time she killed about 1.5 minions i totalled the rest of the mob, i don't have a nuke, and when I did, it was silly
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That pretty much says it. While one blaster had taken down a single target and weakened another. The other blaster had leveled the spawn. I have an AR/Dev/Mun and I think it is a very good concept build but appauling damage output when compared to others in the same AT.
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Not to forget Consume for draining endurance further.
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I thought consume just hurt them and gave you endurance back
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/fire is nice in teams with fire/ but again not uber, i imagine elec/fire melee blasters would do bonkers AoE and PBAoE dmg, but again, their survivability and end doesnt compare to that of elec/elec
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The PBAoE damage, in particular, is insane. Survivability depends rather a lot on the team - but a good Tank is helpful for getting plenty enemies into AoE range too and makes a great combo.
FSC, Combustion, Ball Lightning and SC make a nice solid AoE attack chain when Hasten is up which just chews trhough enything in the mission. In Hasten gaps I throw in a few extra Lightning Bolts on the harder targets. Very little survives long enough to get End drained by a second SC...
Consume has improved the End situation a bit (although it's still a very End hungry build). Voltaic Sentinel works well with this guy - it follows me into the Tanks herd to chuck out even more damage in a nice End efficient manner. The two damage auras add some nice extra DoT, but they aren't really all that necessary most of the time since things die so quickly from the normal attack chain. Their best use is slightly softening up things which are getting missed due to the AoE cap by the other attacks.
I'm undecided on Burn. It's very in-concept for this guy and still provides great damage when there are controllers around (which is quite often) but obviously it's a bit tricky to use.
Elec/Fire does make for a very fun build with a really colourful fireworks show of special effects, though!
By my 50s shall ye know me:
Tundra, DVM, The Late, Neutrino Ghost, Sir Clanksalot, End Of Days, Prof. Migraine
Howler Monkey
Sounds awesome Tundra [img]/uk/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img], i bet it does look pretty. For the OP, i'd still go elec/elec [img]/uk/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
Plight
A highly survivable build and one i've enjoyed playing is elec/ice. Highly underrated imo. It offers as much, if not slightly more control than elec/elec.
Whilst the drains from the elec secondary are good you still have that window between short ciruit and power sink to be mezzed, damaged etc. With /ice it's not a problem.
Ice patch is perma out of the box, and will knock down most mob types, including bosses, giving you plenty of time to knock out 2 short circuits. Then proceed to mop up with combinations of both primary and secondary attacks. You even have enough time to get a snipe off.
Chilling embrace is great also for those that do manage to stand up, especially as it is -dmg aswell as -recharge and -spd.
And it's an endurance light build, which is needed as you don't have access to any end recovery other than stamina.
Add in Voltaic sentinel (which i haven't as it annoys me) and you are dishing out alot of damage too, without taking a great deal yourself.
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Chilling embrace is great also for those that do manage to stand up, especially as it is -dmg aswell as -recharge and -spd.
[/ QUOTE ]Wasn't the -damage only for the tank version?
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Chilling embrace is great also for those that do manage to stand up, especially as it is -dmg aswell as -recharge and -spd.
[/ QUOTE ]Wasn't the -damage only for the tank version?
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If it is then they've got the text wrong on the blaster version. Haven't actually tested it.
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but a good Tank is helpful for getting plenty enemies into AoE range too and makes a great combo.
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Then it's a shame you're pretty much stuck with me tanking atm then, isn't it? 
Speaking as the usual designated aggro anchor for the above mentioned PBAoE nightmare, I'd like to say a couple of things.
1) Nemesis are nasty opposition. Vengeance. Stacking Vengeance, at that, and lots of AoE's aimed at the tank mean that standing next to said tank is not particularly the safest place to be. Alos, on an 8 man team, especially on outdoor maps, the risk of aggro cascades is high, if the idiot voltaic sentinel, or one of the even more idiot blasters isn't careful about watching their fire.
2) If you're going to try and tank for a build such as is being discussed, then make sure you can solidly hold aggro.
Teatime, I'm off :
Warning:
The above post may contain Cynicism, sarcasm and/or pessimism. If you object to the quantities contained, then tough.
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Chilling embrace is great also for those that do manage to stand up, especially as it is -dmg aswell as -recharge and -spd.
[/ QUOTE ]Wasn't the -damage only for the tank version?
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If it is then they've got the text wrong on the blaster version. Haven't actually tested it.
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There was -damage on it last time I tested (a bit after I6) but I haven't had my Ice/Ice out recently so if it's been changed in a patch since I might have missed it.
Don't recall seeing it in patch notes, though.
By my 50s shall ye know me:
Tundra, DVM, The Late, Neutrino Ghost, Sir Clanksalot, End Of Days, Prof. Migraine
Howler Monkey
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I would say that the highest AoE damage blaster is by far fire/fire. Aim+build up, fireball, fire sword circle, combustion. pretty much everything in a +1/+2 spawn lay on the floor. There's no way AR can compare to the sheer destruction that a fire/fire blaster can lay down.
[/ QUOTE ]Build up, FSC, combustion, flamethrower, buckshot, full auto, M30.