I blast, but is it right?


Blue_Note

 

Posted

I think I'm doing this wrong. At the moment I have 3 blasters

Energy/Energy
AR/Elec
Fire/Fire

Now my problem is that I never seem to use my secondary powers. I'm always trying to defeat mobs before they reach me and in the case of AR (buckshot) and Energy (energy torrent) I knock back any that do get within melee

Hit and run tactics really no melee power involvement

Is this the wrong way to play a blaster? should I be mixing melee and ranged or just choosing one or the other?

Also if you do mix how do you work out an effective attack pattern?


 

Posted

Not wrong, but you're pretty definitely not getting the most out of the characters if you're not using secondary attacks. Elec and Energy have stomping single target attacks apart from anything else, and on Fire/Fire FSC is a good part of the AOE attach chain, Consume is awesome for solving all end problems, and Fire Sword gives you a full single target attack chain when added to Blaze and Fire Blast - you've a definite gap without it.

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Also if you do mix how do you work out an effective attack pattern?

[/ QUOTE ]

Jump around. Seriously, it works.

Edit: That's put an absolutely terrible song in my head.


 

Posted

It's not "wrong" per se, it's just inefficient. Especially with fire/fire, since you have FSC in your secondary, which fills up your AoE chain.


 

Posted

The good thing about CoH is that you can play your characters your way and still be about as effective as everyone else.

Most people combine primary and secondary attacks to get the most damage, but playing purely ranged is a lot safer, especially against enemies such as the Freakshow or the Warriors.

Just remember to play your characters how you want to, not how other people want you to.


Main Hero: Mazey - level 50 + 1 fire/fire/fire blaster.
Main Villain: Chained Bot - level 50 + 1 Robot/FF Mastermind.

BattleEngine - "And the prize for the most level headed response ever goes to Mazey"

 

Posted

Hmmm, well I have an Ice/Fire that uses mostly /Fire with a bit of ice. So I guess I make up for you not using your /fire very much.

I guess it depends what you're after.

My Archery/Devices mostly uses pointy sticks and stands at the edge of range. Getting me into mellee aint gonna happen unless I'm slept, held or stunned.


"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!"

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
Most people combine primary and secondary attacks to get the most damage, but playing purely ranged is a lot safer, especially against enemies such as the Freakshow or the Warriors.

[/ QUOTE ]

Safer for sure but I find it a lot more fun getting in amongst the bad guys to hit them with a big melee attack or PBAoE


Octavian Vanguard
@ohmsEU and @ohms 2

Badging character: Bimble on the Union server, Badgehunter.com and City Info Tracker.

 

Posted

Don't worry, I'll keep you alive, honestly!


 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Most people combine primary and secondary attacks to get the most damage, but playing purely ranged is a lot safer, especially against enemies such as the Freakshow or the Warriors.

[/ QUOTE ]

Safer for sure but I find it a lot more fun getting in amongst the bad guys to hit them with a big melee attack or PBAoE

[/ QUOTE ]

As if there was anything better than a good PBAoE


"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!"

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]

Jump around. Seriously, it works.

Edit: That's put an absolutely terrible song in my head.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fixed that for ya. And if Demonika's out there, I think I have a video challenge for you.

Although I hate SJ as a travel power, getting Combat Jumping and Acrobatics can seriously improve the life of a blaster. Use height, position, terrain and RANGE to your advantage. Unless you've got a specific ("blapper") build for closeup combat, your melee moves are just to take down anything that gets near you QUICKLY so you can move away and start again.


Is it time for the dance of joy yet?

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
My Archery/Devices mostly uses pointy sticks and stands at the edge of range. Getting me into mellee aint gonna happen unless I'm slept, held or stunned.

[/ QUOTE ]

While I prefer AR over archery, this is also how my blaster operates. Especially since Lead's 'melee' attacks consist of tazer and brawl (okay, she also has some axe she found that works quite well on ghosts and a loan of an iron sword that works well on fairies).

Normal tactics for Lead are drop caltrops, wait for tank to get aggro, open fire and keep on shooting till no targets are left or she runs out of endurance.

Howevr, it all depends on your blaster's powersets and the powers you picked. Some blappers have hardly any ranged attacks, while some like Lead have practically no melee attacks.


UNION @Flitz 50, Lead Hose 50, Red Rag 50
DEFIANT Rose Bloodthorn 34
VIGILANCE Captain Caledonia 20 - Yeah, I made toons on the French server coz we only had 4 back then (might have to transfer/recreate them on one of the US servers)
..and many more!

 

Posted

If you have an Energy/Energy blaster, once you reach level 38 you'll WANT to enter melee. Power boost + Aim + Build Up + Total Focus + Bone Smasher.

I use Super speed to enter melee very fast, deliver a couple big hits and then leave melee as fast as you can (with no SS, cos it is supressed but well).

Sometimes melee is not the most dangerous place around an enemy, specially if your melee attacks can mezz/debuff it to hell.


 

Posted

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I use Super speed to enter melee very fast, deliver a couple big hits and then leave melee as fast as you can (with no SS, cos it is supressed but well).

[/ QUOTE ]

Combat Jumping + Hurdle is very good for that, especially if you have the slots to spare to 3 slot each with Jump IOs. (I also like to slot CJ with a Kismet +Tohit, Karma KB protection and LoTG Recharge but that's just me)


Octavian Vanguard
@ohmsEU and @ohms 2

Badging character: Bimble on the Union server, Badgehunter.com and City Info Tracker.

 

Posted

Your playstyle is what your blaster makes it unique. Ranged or melee, mixed or combo, its what you like most. You're not playing wrong if u stay ranged being /nrg, neither if u go melee while being AR.

Each set can be played differently, even the same set can be played differently. Depending on the mobs, u even have to play differently (some mobs u dont wanna be with on melee range).


50)Sinergy X/(50)Mika.
(50)MaceX/(50)Encore

Sign the petition, dont let CoH go down! SIGN!

 

Posted

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[ QUOTE ]
My Archery/Devices mostly uses pointy sticks and stands at the edge of range. Getting me into mellee aint gonna happen unless I'm slept, held or stunned.

[/ QUOTE ]

While I prefer AR over archery, this is also how my blaster operates. Especially since Lead's 'melee' attacks consist of tazer and brawl (okay, she also has some axe she found that works quite well on ghosts and a loan of an iron sword that works well on fairies)

[/ QUOTE ]

My Archery/EM/Elec has and entire two melee attacks.

Brawl, and Power Thrust. Because I couldn't avoid having them.

Hover out of melee range at the edges of Boost Range enhanced Rain Of Arrows range and watch as things fall over. Lots.

Yes, you have a secondary, but you don't have to play your toon in any way other than the way you want to. If anyone tells you otherwise, ignore them, with extreme prejudice.

(BTW, for anyone remotely interested, this should be a pic of my build as per just before 50. Can't remember where the slots went, but it was nothing earth shakingly important.)


Warning:

The above post may contain Cynicism, sarcasm and/or pessimism. If you object to the quantities contained, then tough.

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
Your playstyle is what your blaster makes it unique. Ranged or melee, mixed or combo, its what you like most. You're not playing wrong if u stay ranged being /nrg, neither if u go melee while being AR.

Each set can be played differently, even the same set can be played differently. Depending on the mobs, u even have to play differently (some mobs u dont wanna be with on melee range).

[/ QUOTE ]

You have a point, FSC and Combustion are really bad on low level Nems cause those little steambots blow up and kill you


"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!"

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Your playstyle is what your blaster makes it unique. Ranged or melee, mixed or combo, its what you like most. You're not playing wrong if u stay ranged being /nrg, neither if u go melee while being AR.

Each set can be played differently, even the same set can be played differently. Depending on the mobs, u even have to play differently (some mobs u dont wanna be with on melee range).

[/ QUOTE ]

You have a point, FSC and Combustion are really bad on low level Nems cause those little steambots blow up and kill you

[/ QUOTE ]

Ouchie yes indeed they do! But also some spawns have some very heavy hitting bosses (left) standing.