Advice on a power pick


BindW

 

Posted

I've been mulling over power picks for my nrg/nrg blaster for the last couple of days as I'll probably get lvl 22 tonight (it's part of my attempt to escape altitus and get a character beyond the early 20s) and I really can't decide what to take.

Current powers are:

Power Bolt
Power Blast
Power Burst
Aim
Power Thrust
Build Up
Conserve Power
Hasten
Super Speed
Leaping
Health
Stamina

I'm slotting up Power Burst with range enchancers with the aim of acting as a mid-ranged blaster able to use hasten/aim/build up to churn out a continuous stream of single target damage vs minions. It's a team based toon (I do solo a fair bit but I've always felt that being useful on a team is more imporatant than being uber by yourself).

The options I'm looking at are:

Pick up snipe: I respecced it out recently and haven't really missed it. Being able to churn out 2 or 3 other blasts (with hasten) in the time it takes to get off a snipe seems like a fair tradeoff to me and I'm not sold on the idea that it's required for pulling. That said it IS a lot of damage and with some interrupt reducers it could be an effective mid ranged weapon. Just not convinced that I can't do more damage by getting multiple bolts/blasts instead.

Energy Torrent: As much as knockback puts a smile on my face, I've always felt that you should stick to doing what your AT does well, nrg blasters are great at single target damage, so picking up a cone seems like an odd choice. Even with slotting, the damage is pretty dissappointing and in a team environment it just feels like it'd be an aggro magnet. On the other hand, loads of people swear by it so it makes me wonder.

Stealth/Leadership: I've had recomendations to pick up stealth since it will give me the total invis when comboed with super speed, however I have a feeling that the defence bonus won't be worth the power pick. The Leadership pool is something else I've considered, I have endurance to spare and can afford the toggles, so anything that boosts defence or damage seems like a sound investment. That said, I'm concerned that given my already very high damage and very poor defence, these bonuses will barely be noticable.

If anyone can offer some advice on which one to go for (or suggest something I've not thought of) then I'd appreciate it. I'm really rather stumped over this one.


 

Posted

Well I will offer some comments on the options you have listed all as ever imo...

Snipe: I am not a snipe fan tbh but if you are staying at range then its got its uses.

Energy Torrent: Not my cup of tea but too bad really multi target damage can be very cool and its not the worst pick out there, I'd look again at it tbh.

Stealth: Seen it used well but imo stealth aint what it used to be and is far more situational than ever before, I would tend to not bother myself.

Leadership: Beacause Leaderships bonuses are based on your AT and blasters dont get much out of it I would avoid it, better to add attacks if you want more damage imo.

Of those you have listed I would say your best served by Torrent or the Snipe and I would take torrent but as stated I am not a snipe fan.

Moving off the list briefly I would point at Bonesmasher and how really rather good it is, but since you are avoiding blapping it may well just not be your personal cup of tea, still it is very cool. Also if you want some added survivability consider the medicine pool and getting to Aid Self slotted well its a life saver and as a benifit your prerequisite is one of two very team friendly powers.

Anyway hope that helps

Cheers,

White


 

Posted

You seem to be a little anti-melee, but I would get Bonesmasher. I would also lose Power Bolt for Energy Punch, but that would obviously require another respec.. (and probably a whole change of playstayle, so ignore that if you like...)

From those that you propose I would get the snipe.


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]

 

Posted

Is a self heal really useful for a blaster? I always felt that if you were in a position where you needed to heal yourself, a blaster would be dead before he completed the animation.


 

Posted

To be honest, I've never had a self heal on a blaster PvE build, but with Power Boost and 3 slotted with heal SO's you will be healing yourself for ~500hp (at level 25-30) so it's very much worth getting.

Easy to use when you get the hang of the interupt. Just jump behind a corner, heal and you're away again


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]

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
To be honest, I've never had a self heal on a blaster PvE build, but with Power Boost and 3 slotted with heal SO's you will be healing yourself for ~500hp (at level 25-30) so it's very much worth getting.

Easy to use when you get the hang of the interupt. Just jump behind a corner, heal and you're away again

[/ QUOTE ]

Bah beaten to it ... well said V

Hardly essential but can be handy

Cheers,

White


 

Posted

Hmm looking at current powers I also think that little melee attacks wouldnt hurt. I wouldnt lose power bolt though, with my own lvl 50 PVP build im instead thinking of getting power bolt back in next respec. Of the Melee attacks bonesmasher, energy punch, total focus in that order. If youre not taking aid self you should be able to fit them all in nicely, and the damage youll churn out might make you change mind if you dont like melee now

I don't think power burst will ever be good from range. I have thought of it as a closerange attack for a long time, even when I used to have boost range. It is still great attack though


Aid self can be really good when combined with power boost of energy secondary, but Ive always thought it as more of a PVP power. In PvE its not essential.

Snipe is nice but personally I have not had trouble without it.

Leadership buffs arent really worth it imo. Maneuvers especially is too weak. Stealth+SS gives you chance to ghost PVE missions. Def bonuses arent worth it though.


 

Posted

I'm very anti snipe for many reasons. In the time it takes to pick a targetif they arent a high level lt or a boss someone else has done you snipe dmg before you could. for a ranged blaster it makes sense to pick of bosses and lts but tbh if your going teamcentric then its all about AoE (if you are going AoE with nrg/ then please please please hover above the mob and KB them flat into the floor for the aggro control). Another reason i dont like snipe is that animation time vs damage +time to move to fire mroe attacks is a joke when compared to melee powers. in pvp the onlo thing snipe ever did for me was pick off stalkers as they ran after a whopping melee hit.

True what you say, blasters are for damage, but some have utility, without KB you are nothing (note, ranged only energy blaster in pvp = total joke vs acrobatics cos they have, you guessed it, nothing). I would recommend playing about with slotting your KB pwoers in different ways, I've seen coin slot up some range in KB pwoers and they are funny as hell to watch and effective at solo hover PvE. i know you prefer teams, but if you want to solo u will need KB (and aid self and power boost imo )

stealth = joke since the nerfs, although with SS you can ghost as stated (big WoW). leadership, again the def and dmg are pretty lame for blasters, although assault resists taunt in team PvP (50% iirc) and is better than a 4th dmg SO for the entire team (imagine 8 blasters with assault, thats the equivalent of about 2 SOs dmg), maoeuvres isnt really worth it, the thing here imo for a blaster looking to help the team is 5 slotted tactics (3 tohit 2 endred) and vengeance with a few tohits and 3 defs imo. IDK what the values are but even a gimped vengeance should be awesome!

aid self is a very solo/pvp power, aid other is nie for duoing with melee ATs and stimulant is great for teaming with squishies. resuscitate is useful if you like to play in wreckless teams (me??), although generally not an uber power, i have always been greatful for it when people have it (i die more than you can imagine)

best advice is thinkoutside the box, in the box, smash the box an rebuild your own then test it on test for at least a few hours (try 3 days). at the end of that process, let me know and I will wack you in teh face lots to see if you got it right

Plight

P.S. Stamina = booooooo