if you want AoE, go Spines/Dark
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Would agree with Alvan. /Dark has a PBAoE Stun, a PBAoE Damage Aura and a heal based on the number of foes around you. It's by far the best AoE-damage secondary.
If you're just trying to decide on Spines or Claws, and you've your heart set on /Regen: Spines is far, far better for AoE. If you're soloing you won't get much use out of AoE though, since the most foes you'll ever see will be 4-6 per mob on Tenacious or Unyielding.
Definitely Spines. If you can manage the end use go /Dark and you'll be an AoE killing death machine.
I think Claw/Dark is really nice, but I guess to get the most out of AoEs it is spines all the way. Of course you'll be ugly but that cant be helped. Even DA cant hide your hideous spine efects
"Well, they found my diary today.
They were appropriately appalled
at the discovery of the eight victims
They're now putting it all together.
Women wrapped in silk
with one leg missing
Eight legs, one body, silk,
spider, brilliant!"
I'd agree with the rest although i play my claws lots and lots when it comes to AoE spines comes on top however be careful of the end issue but if you go regen should be fine with QR.
I see you are swaying to claws.. I will say that claws still does great AoE damage with shockwave however in large teams it can annoy a number of your team mates with it's big KB. But it is stilla great life saver at times for that squishy regen 
Tbh I think DA covers up for AoE dmg for most sets, so for decent AoE dmg any set with DA will do to an extent, however, if you're looking for "teh ubah" AoE dmg, Spines/DA is unbeatable at that, at least while you have end.
If you're primarily soloing then Claws is probably a better option. It has better soft control than Spines and a better selection of single target attacks which are essential for soloing.
DA is The AoE secondary but it takes a bit of time to get going properly.
Thanks for all the input, i played both to lvl 10 and i like the claws better, the spines are just hideous.It would be better if the spines looked more like a porcupine, straight and thin.
Good Luck with the claws - Focus, Follow Up Shockwave all great powers.
Just be careful with the cone KB on big teams
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Just be careful with the cone KB on big teams
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Yup. Shockwave, big fun Claws 32 attack, has a rather potent knockback which can be a troublemaker on teams. Look to avoid knocking anything clear of the team tank. Probably the best application of Shockwave is after a controller has thrown down something like Fire Cages, that way the mobs will stay firmly rooted to the ground.
Another handy application is dusting off any mobs that have charged a squishy. The few seconds they spend trying to get up after you attack will give the squishy time to heal/hide or exact vengeance as desired. 
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If you're primarily soloing then Claws is probably a better option. It has better soft control than Spines and a better selection of single target attacks which are essential for soloing.
[/ QUOTE ]Spines can chain ripper, throw spines and impale just fine on single targets.
Spines/Regen is the thing you want if you want both high AoE damage and good survivability.
Spines / Dark for all out AoE, of course.
I even have a psionic damage proc in cloak of fear now... that makes three damage aura toggles (of a sort!) 
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Spines/Regen is the thing you want if you want both high AoE damage and good survivability.
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You got to be joking!
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Spines/Regen is the thing you want if you want both high AoE damage and good survivability.
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You got to be joking!
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I'd agree here... after level 35, Dark Armor > Regen for survivability whenever you're facing more than one target. And if you're building for AoE damage, you should be facing more than one target most of the time.
The only thing my Spines/Dark had trouble with after 35 were tough Bosses (fighting TWO +4 bosses was often easier than fighting one) and EBs. He could easily wade through big mobs that a /Regen couldn't handle. My Kat/Regen has comparable survivability to my Spines/Dark, but that's solely down to "Divine Avalanche".
Yep, Spines is mainly AoE dmg so you want mobs to make the most of it, unfortunately, /regen is not that mob friendly as /DA or even /SR and by no means alpha strike friendly.
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I'd agree here... after level 35, Dark Armor > Regen for survivability whenever you're facing more than one target. And if you're building for AoE damage, you should be facing more than one target most of the time.
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My Regens are far superior to my DA Scrapper when soloing. Most of the time they are fighting more than one target.
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Spines can chain ripper, throw spines and impale just fine on single targets.
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That's all well and good at 32+ but Spines is end inefficient for soloing before then. Spines is the undisputed team primary for scrappers, but as a soloist it's wasteful and lacks the focused damage of other primaries (with the exception of Dm, because Dm is odd).
Claws provides a good set of fast single target and AoE attacks and a decent amount of soft control for a low cost in endurance. Ideal for a primarily solo player.
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if you want AoE, go Spines/Dark
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This is pretty much the maxed out AOE powersetcombo, but it will be pretty hard to play in the early game.
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if you want AoE, go Spines/Dark
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This is pretty much the maxed out AOE powersetcombo, but it will be pretty hard to play in the early game.
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Prior to 22 don't take damage auras, take plenty of single target attacks, then respec into AOE build would be my advice (thats what I did on my spines/dark)
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Good Luck with the claws - Focus, Follow Up Shockwave all great powers.
Just be careful with the cone KB on big teams
[/ QUOTE ]On teams I find that running ahead of tanker into mob, hit shockwave for great orange numbers, then let the tank aggro them... But as stated before claws is mainly single target, compared to spines.
Spin is always good for AoE damage when standing next to a tanker who has control of the aggro...! Followed by Eviscerate.
Main 50 & Badger Nine Claws Claws/Regen/Body
Other 50's Ph10x Brute Unjust Law Tanker Samantha Urai Scrapper Codename 1250 Scrapper
Cepheus Defender Nilus Scrapper Electro Field Blaster S.PONGE Tanker
I have some "sweet moves" with claws, when solo anyway where I can promise Id get what I want done, done!
Run in middle if tight follow up spin, knock to a corner with shockwave, stacking them and then eviscerating more than one. Or run in shockwave pull to an outside corner eviscerate more than one and use spin. Either way I herd for myself. Claws is second to Spines for AoEs and can have the best ST dps, I have all but the first attack to try to capitalise on both. I dont PVP and so can afford to.
He will honor his words; he will definitely carry out his actions. What he promises he will fulfill. He does not care about his bodily self, putting his life and death aside to come forward for another's troubled besiegement. He does not boast about his ability, or shamelessly extol his own virtues. - Sima Qian.
Spines or Claws/Regen? i PVE mainly solo, i like them both but not sure which one is best.
I'm leaning more towards claws but no idea why,any views on the pros and cons will be wellcome.