Need thoughts on a PvE Fire/Ice build...

Mega_Troll · 02-01-2008 03:10 PM

Currently my Fire/Ice Blaster is level 12, and I'm playing with a build that let's me get to 22 pretty fast solo, but still works in teams...
When I hit level 22 I'm going to respec into my final build, which is going to be one below, maybe with some minor changes depending on your comments and suggestions, and I would really like some thoughts on it...

As a small note I should say that I absolutely hate melee on my ranged toons...

In the first build I've taken all Fire Blast powers except for Blazing Bolt, and I've only taken a handful of Ice Manipulation powers besides Chillblain; Chilling Embrace for when baddies get too close, Build Up to activate with Aim, and of course Ice Patch so I can use my AoEs to their fullest...

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1,30
http://www.honourableunited.org.uk/mhd.php

Double Season: Level 50 Science Blaster
Primary Power Set: Fire Blast
Secondary Power Set: Ice Manipulation
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Medicine
Power Pool: Teleportation
Ancillary Pool: Flame Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Flares -- Acc-I:50(A), EndRdx-I:50(3), Acc-I:50(7), Dmg-I:50(31), Dmg-I:50(39), Dmg-I:50(43)
Level 1: Chilblain -- Acc-I:50(A), EndRdx-I:50(11), Acc-I:50(11)
Level 2: Fire Blast -- Acc-I:50(A), EndRdx-I:50(3), Acc-I:50(7), Dmg-I:50(34), Dmg-I:50(39), Dmg-I:50(43)
Level 4: Fire Ball -- Acc-I:50(A), EndRdx-I:50(5), Acc-I:50(5), Dmg-I:50(17), Dmg-I:50(37), Dmg-I:50(40)
Level 6: Swift -- Flight-I:50(A)
Level 8: Rain of Fire -- Acc-I:50(A), EndRdx-I:50(9), Acc-I:50(9), Dmg-I:50(31), Dmg-I:50(37), Dmg-I:50(40)
Level 10: Hover -- EndRdx-I:50(A), Flight-I:50(15), Flight-I:50(15), Flight-I:50(17)
Level 12: Aim -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(13), RechRdx-I:50(13)
Level 14: Fly -- Flight-I:50(A), Flight-I:50(25), Flight-I:50(31)
Level 16: Health -- Heal-I:50(A)
Level 18: Blaze -- Acc-I:50(A), EndRdx-I:50(19), Acc-I:50(19), Dmg-I:50(25), Dmg-I:50(37), Dmg-I:50(40)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I:50(A), EndMod-I:50(21), EndMod-I:50(21)
Level 22: Ice Patch -- EndRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(23), RechRdx-I:50(23)
Level 24: Chilling Embrace -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 26: Build Up -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(27), RechRdx-I:50(27)
Level 28: Fire Breath -- Acc-I:50(A), EndRdx-I:50(29), Acc-I:50(29), Dmg-I:50(34), Dmg-I:50(39), Dmg-I:50(43)
Level 30: Stimulant -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 32: Inferno -- Acc-I:50(A), Acc-I:50(33), Dmg-I:50(33), Dmg-I:50(33), Dmg-I:50(34), RechRdx-I:50(46)
Level 35: Aid Self -- RechRdx-I:50(A), Heal-I:50(36), Heal-I:50(36), Heal-I:50(36), IntRdx-I:50(48), IntRdx-I:50(50)
Level 38: Recall Friend -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 41: Char -- Acc-I:50(A), EndRdx-I:50(42), Acc-I:50(42), Hold-I:50(42), Hold-I:50(46), Hold-I:50(46)
Level 44: Fire Shield -- EndRdx-I:50(A), ResDam-I:50(45), ResDam-I:50(45), ResDam-I:50(45)
Level 47: Rise of the Phoenix -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(48), RechRdx-I:50(48), Heal-I:50(50), EndMod-I:50(50)
Level 49: Resuscitate -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
------------

I've read that some people say that Shiver is a good power, and I could probably fit it in by skipping Recall Friend, but I have absolutely no slots left to put in it, as the build is now...
I _could_ take a Recharge away from Ice Patch and Inferno, but that could also be a mistake, especially from Ice Patch...

But anyhow... What do you think and what do you suggest?

DSorrow · 02-01-2008 06:58 PM

Take shiver and move the slots from RoTP to it. RoTP doesnt need any slotting at all, 1 recharge and you're good to go.

- @DSorrow - alts on Union and Freedom mostly -
Currently playing as Castigation on Freedom

My Katana/Inv Guide

Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either. -Einstein

Mega_Troll · 02-02-2008 07:31 PM

If I go with Shiver instead of Recall Friend, then I'm
going to slot it with 2 Acc, 1 EndRed, 1 Slow and 1 Range, so the range adds up to around 75, which is the about the same range as my attacks...

So the attack-chain would be something like this I think:
Start at 70-ish feet -> Shiver -> Fire Ball -> Run to around 30-ish feet -> Fire Breath -> Blaze on Boss/Lieutenant -> Run in the middle of group with Chilling Embrace -> Ice Patch -> Rain of Fire -> Defeat rest with what is active

I guess that by using Shiver, it would give me a better control of the group, to use Fire Breath and later Ice Patch...
But is it really that good? I would like to hear your thoughts about how to use it properly...

On the other hand... As you can see from the build, it's majorily offense, with a couple control powers and then some emergency-support from Resuscitate and Stimulant, which will be a nice addition with Recall Friend.

Maelwys · 02-27-2008 09:34 AM

To be honest I don't think you *need* Shiver if you make good use of Ice Patch and Rain of Fire. I have Shiver in my Fire/Ice's build, but it only really sees any use when I'm soloing higher level Bosses. Occasionally Ice Patch isn't sufficient mitigation, or a Boss is resistant to knockback. Shiver is great in those situations.

It's usually superfluous on teams unless your Tanker has paper thin defenses or you're fighting something like an AV. In PvP I've no doubt it's a fantastic recharge/runspeed debuff, but PvE it's usually overkill since normal mobs fall really quickly and AVs resist recharge debuffs something shocking.

The main good benefit Shiver provides over Ice Patch is that it's ranged whereas Ice Patch is a PBAoE. If you prefer "hoversniping" or fighting from range, or if your toon has poor Supressed Movement speed (and thus tends to get the snot beaten out of them in melee range) you'll get more use out of Shiver than Ice Patch.

My ST "Attack Chain" is really whatever's recharged at the time, but at least one of Blaze/FireBlast/FireBall is usually recharged for Single-Target attacking, and I can fill in with Char in a pinch since it actually does higher damage than Flares plus is a hold. I'll "joust" mobs with Ice Sword when they're floundering on an Ice Patch if I want them to die faster. Chillblain isn't used as an attack, but as a ST immobilise and extra -recharge for the occasional times I want to "Shiver + Hoversnipe" something rather than simply Ice Patch it.

For AoE, Breath of Fire + Fireball kills most mobs, and dropping Rain of Fire finishes whatever is left. When soloing I usually "Herd" mobs by standing on an Ice Patch around a corner from them and hitting them with Rain of Fire from out of line-of-sight. Dropping Rain of Fire right before I nuke with Inferno gives me a nice bit of breathing space too, as survivors tend to panic whilst in the rain.

For reference, this is my Fire/Ice's build. Currently the toon is sitting at level 47, and has all the enhancements slotted apart from Membrane HOs (He has oodles of +accuracy in his attacks plus set bonuses, hitting +5s reliably without Aim/BU... so for now common Recharge IOs are fine!).

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.30
http://www.honourableunited.org.uk/mhd.php

Level 50 Magic Blaster
Primary Power Set: Fire Blast
Secondary Power Set: Ice Manipulation
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Medicine
Ancillary Pool: Flame Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Fire Blast -- Decim-Acc/Dmg:40(A), Decim-Dmg/EndRdx:40(3), Decim-Dmg/Rchg:40(3), Decim-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:40(11), Decim-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:40(17), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(29)
Level 1: Chilblain -- HO:Endo(A), HO:Endo(48)
Level 2: Fire Ball -- Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:50(7), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(7), Posi-Dmg/Rng:50(13), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(15), Acc-I:50(15)
Level 4: Ice Sword -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:50(5), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(5), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(11), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(29), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:50(34)
Level 6: Hurdle -- Jump-I:50(A), Jump-I:50(46)
Level 8: Fire Breath -- Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:50(9), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(9), Posi-Dmg/Rng:50(13), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(17)
Level 10: Combat Jumping -- Ksmt-ToHit+:30(A), Krma-ResKB:30(34), LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(46)
Level 12: Hover -- LkGmblr-Rchg+:50(A), Srng-EndRdx/Fly:50(50), Srng-Fly:50(50), Flight-I:50(50)
Level 14: Super Jump -- HO:Micro(A)
Level 16: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+:50(A), Mrcl-Rcvry+:40(43)
Level 18: Blaze -- Decim-Acc/Dmg:40(A), Decim-Dmg/EndRdx:40(19), Decim-Dmg/Rchg:40(19), Decim-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg:40(23), Decim-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:40(25), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(27)
Level 20: Stamina -- Efficacy-EndMod:50(A), Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg:50(21), EndMod-I:50(21)
Level 22: Ice Patch -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(23)
Level 24: Aim -- HO:Membr(A), HO:Membr(25), HO:Membr(37), Rec'dRet-Pcptn:20(40)
Level 26: Build Up -- HO:Membr(A), HO:Membr(27), HO:Membr(37)
Level 28: Stimulant -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 30: Aid Self -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx:50(A), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg:50(31), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg:50(31), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:50(31), Dct'dW-Heal:50(46)
Level 32: Inferno -- C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg:50(33), Sciroc-Acc/Rchg:50(33), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg:50(33), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg:50(34)
Level 35: Shiver -- TmpRdns-Acc/Slow:50(A), TmpRdns-Acc/EndRdx:50(36), TmpRdns-Rng/Slow:50(36), TmpRdns-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow:50(36), TmpRdns-Acc/Dmg/Slow:50(37)
Level 38: Rain of Fire -- Posi-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx:50(39), Posi-Dmg/Rchg:50(39), Posi-Dmg/Rng:50(39), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(40), RechRdx-I:50(40)
Level 41: Char -- HO:Perox(A), HO:Perox(42), G'Wdw-Acc/Hold/Rchg:50(42), EoCur-Acc/Hold/Rchg:50(42), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(43), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(43)
Level 44: Fire Shield -- HO:Ribo(A), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx:50(45), Aegis-ResDam:50(45), Aegis-Psi/Status:50(45)
Level 47: Rise of the Phoenix -- Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg:50(A), Numna-Heal/Rchg:50(48), RechRdx-I:50(48)
Level 49: Resuscitate -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I:50(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth:50(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 1: Defiance
------------
[u]Set Bonus Totals:[u]

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