New Kinetic Toon - Trying to pick a Secondary...


Carnifax

 

Posted

OK, here's the deal:

With the whole "new character slots" business I've rediscovered altitis. This has led to my rerolling of an old level 4 placeholder Stone/Ice Tanker as a Stone/Stone tanker. Not the most original toon, I know, but the prospect of double Force Feedback Proc stomps whilst in Granite Armor appeals to me (Tremor and Fault)!

This tanker will be used for Tanking. Pure and Simple. Mostly main-tanking on PUGs... for AVs, GMs and endgame TFs. Support will be irrelevant. It's going to be an aggro-holding and "maximum survivability" build. I've got a INV/SS tanker that is built much the same way, but due to powersets choices it is more balanced between offense and defence, and requires a bit of support when tanking non-S/L damage AVs without a horde of "buff minions".

Now, I could powerlevel the Stone/Stone fairly easilly. But that's not my cup of tea. I like content, I like getting temp powers from arcs, and I like having all my zone contacts phonable in order to buy insps off them later. So in order to avoid constant teamhunting with the Stone/Stone I'm going to be levelling up a Kinetic toon on my second account at the same time. This Kinetic toon will eventually be used as a team buffbot/secondary damage-dealer, and might even make it into some lighthearted PvP (primarily as a buffbot/sapper). It'll also probably eventually be used alongside my Spines/DA Scrapper and Fire/Ice Blaster for some mob-farming fun.

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Herein lies the point of this post: I haven't got a high level Kinetic toon yet. And I don't know what offensive set to go for.

I've partially levelled a Fire/Kin and an Ice/Kin troller before to test them out, but nothing "serious". I know the theory of how all the Kin powers work. I've decided against anything with "Knockback" since it'd detract from Fulcrum Shift/Transfusion/Transference. That rules out an Illusion/Kin troller. I've got an Ice, a Mind and a Fire troller, and the other troller Primaries don't interest me much, so I'm going for a Defender for the new Kin.

Energy Blast is obviously out due to Knockback, and I've already got an /Elec defender. That leaves me with: Psy Blast, Dark Blast, Ice Blast, Radiation, Archery and Sonic.

+ I have an Ice Blaster and a Sonic Blaster so ideally I'd prefer to have a different set, but I'm willing to consider taking them.

+ I like the idea of Archery. Siphon Speed + Hasten = very regular Fulcrum Shift + Rain of Arrows, but is the bow redraw issue annoying enough to take the fun out of this? On a level 2 Kin/Archery toon running about in outbreak this would appear to be so...

+ Sonic -Resistance plus Kinetic's +Damage is the obvious synergy option. Siren's Song would let me skip Mass Hypnosis to cast Fulcrum safely, and the Sonic Debuffs are handy for PvP (as well as Scream's DOT to interrupt Aid Self). However I have a Blaster with Sonic Blast, and can't help but wonder if Shout's long animation bites even with IR's unsuppressed movement?

+ Is Psy Blast worth taking on a Kin? Psy damage sucks in PVE. In PVP it'd certainly be damaging enough, but I'd lose "Aim" to make sure the Siphons and Transference land properly.

+ Rad Blast is another one I've looked at and it might be a contender. But although the accuracy would be spectacular the damage output doesn't measure up to Archery or Sonic.

+ Ice Blast is fast and high damage. Also, Siphon Speed + Slows + Fulcrum + Blizzard is full of win. But I already have a Ice/Dev Blaster and an Ice/TA Controller, and Ice lacks an acro-breaking mez for PvP.

+ Dark Blast looks a bit pants to be honest. No synergy with Kin at all and the attacks aren't that great damage output.

At the moment I'm leaning more towards Sonic (Maximum +Damage plus -Resist), Ice (High Damage ST blasts, plus Blizzard) or Archery (Rain of Arrows + Fulcrum). Sonic's probably top of that shortlist.

Any thoughts from people that've got a Kinetic Defender(s)?


 

Posted

You worry too much.

Toss a coin.


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.

 

Posted

I would go for Rad, Sonic or Ice. However I'm not a big PvPer but here's my thoughts:

I'm currently levelling a Kin/Ice and the synergy is nice. Between Siphon Speed and the Ice attacks, you can do some really nice -speed.

Sonic is obvious due to the -res, the sleep and ranged stun but you've covered that.

I've never tried Rad but IIRC, Rad does -Def which, Kinetics would benefit from due to having a few powers that need to land to take effect. I do know someone who is Kin/Rad and he's wildly effective with it.

Dark is an odd one but don't rule it out. It's more of a utility set and can reduce your return fire with its -acc. Kinetics can garner a lot of attention I've found! TT will keep all the mobs together for your debuffs and a well slotted (at least 5) Dark Pit can cut out a lot of aggro. However, as you say, the damage is a bit pants but Siphon Speed would let you spam a lot (+yummy -acc as well).

Hope that helps.


@Dante EU - Union Roleplayer and Altisis Victim
The Militia: Union RP Supergroup - www.themilitia.org.uk

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
You worry too much.

Toss a coin.

[/ QUOTE ]

Helpful as always Shannon...

Bugger that. I'm not going to spend another 50 levels worth of buffage playing a sub-par blast set.

And don't start on that "whichever you like the look of" nonsense either. I couldn't care less about the asthetics, as long as the set performs well. Hence ruling out Energy Blast ('tis pretty, but pants!)

[ QUOTE ]
I would go for Rad, Sonic or Ice. However I'm not a big PvPer but here's my thoughts:

[/ QUOTE ]
Cheers for that.

I suppose I'd better qualify that the Kin will be aimed at offensive rather than defensive ability, so the nature of defensive secondary effects such as -tohit is largely irrelevant.

Firstly, it'll be levelling with a Stone Tanker. Secondly, I already have an Empath, a Sonic and a Rad... the Kin is going to be all about keeping team damage ticking out (hence the Sonic -resists to increase damage already being output, or Fulcrum + Rain of Arrows to inflict regular large damage onto Herded foes).

At present it's really [Blizzard carnage], [-Resist fun], or [Rain of Arrows carnage]
versus [Already got one + no mez], [Already got one and Shout is slow] or [Redraw issue]


 

Posted

Per-for-mance.

I learned a new word today!

OK take the top 4 choices, min/max them then ask yourself "which one is better?"


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.

 

Posted

I'd go with Rad. I like irradiate. FS'ed Cosmic Burst is a killer too.


@False Fiction - Virtue / Defiant

Current projects - [Glaciologist - Ill/Cold Troller] [Cloudshaper - Storm/Dark Def] [Harald Wartooth - Elec/Psi Domi]

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
Per-for-mance.

I learned a new word today!

OK take the top 4 choices, min/max them then ask yourself "which one is better?"

[/ QUOTE ]

Did you actually read the OP? I've done that already. Builds done for all secondaries, with Perma-Hasten. I'm just asking how they actually play paired with Kin since that's not deducable via number-crunching.

But just to humour you: Sonic, Ice, Archery, Psy.

+ Sonic has the best secondary effects. Good ST damage, with an OK Nuke and cone Sleep. But Shout is Pants. You could go and make your dinner and it'd still only be halfway through the animation.

+ Ice has good ST damage, slows and a class nuke. But no decent mez. And like Sonic, I've played the set before. It doesn't buff team damage, and unlike Rain of Arrows, Blizzard drains your entire blue bar.

+ Archery has fantastic AoE damage and good ST damage. But suffers from redraw. And since I don't have a high level Kin/Arch already, I'm not sure how annoying the bow redraw is when paired with Kin at high levels.

+ Psy is good in PvP, but [censored] in PvE. It also lacks "Aim", which could be trouble with no -Defence in PvP. Virtually everything highly resists Psy damage in PVE, and the set is lacking in AoEs anyway.

I actually quite like the idea of Rad. Useful secondary effect- even if I don't need higher accuracy, my PUG teammates might. Unfortunately the base damage on the attacks is much lower than Ice or Sonic, and Cosmic Burst's animation is almost as slow as Shout (though it does do a nice Mag Stun).


 

Posted

In terms of PvE Rad may come out better due to the AOEs it has (2 + a thin cone which should accept Forced Feedbacks). Plus you can stick Achilles Heels in any of the attacks.

My personal take would be Rad or Archery, with Kin I reckon it'd be a case of chaining 2-3 Kin powers (FS, Siphon Speed and either transfusion, transferrence or Siphon Power) and then blasting away for a bit so Archerys Redraw mightn't be too bad.

I'd go with Rad or Archery for team PvE. Sonic for solo/small team PvE and Ice for PvP I think.

If I was making one now I think I'd lean towards the set I haven't played at all : Archery. Although I'd be thinking "ooh Rad sounds fun too"....


 

Posted

I wouldn't play a defender with the rad secondary again, but then I see you doint want a repeat either and thats the reason why I wouldn't choose rad for me.

That said Iradiate is a stupidly good debuff and I guess cosmic burst would be good on acro'd squishies in PvP.... hell its a damned fine stun anyway.

I dont like sonic, stops me moving for too long. Its a pain.

Archery I like the set, but the defenders damage level on it makes me sad, that, its lack of secondary effects and redraw makes it a no for me.

Ice........ now there's a set I would repeat from my blaster. On a ddefender with the slows and the hold I'd think it were lovely, bitter ice blast is such a nice blast feel wwise so am guessing its good DPA.

Cold and en aren't greatly resisted so would go Rad or Ice. I can recomend Rad cause I wont be required to play it


"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 ]
Per-for-mance.

I learned a new word today!

OK take the top 4 choices, min/max them then ask yourself "which one is better?"

[/ QUOTE ]

Did you actually read the OP? I've done that already. Builds done for all secondaries, with Perma-Hasten. I'm just asking how they actually play paired with Kin since that's not deducable via number-crunching.

[/ QUOTE ]

I read it for the first reply but not for the second reply so thats more than a 3 second gap. XD

I expect figures to change over time with regards to the cast times. I'd prefer a quick set but it wouldn't surprise me if some of the slower sets got faster.

As a defender I find damage poo, if anyones gonna get lost in an attack chain then they shouldn't roll one and so with that, given a choice of throwing out an attack during all the buffing and debuffing I'd throw out an AoE. What can't be done to a single target can be done to a group at least.

Id get hover, assault and tactics, power mastery on a kin an all thinking of large teams against serious enemies. I'd want to ramp up my buffs over time with haste and not miss with a acc check of a power. So looking at all the power pools I'd stack on a Kin, due to a nice aoe in which to def debuff I would of probably of gone Rad.

In game I went ("Kinetic energy - energy blast = kerching thats a concept!)

To solo and pug team I would probably pick up Ice. To solo and not pug team then I'd choose sonic. Ice for its tools against nightmare players really.

Archery never. By the time you go thru the animation of RoA nothing is left.


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.

 

Posted

I'd go dark...

Why? Well Dark 2ndary is far more controllerish than the others, you have an AoE stun and a cone immobilise. The damage type is not highly resisted in PvE or PvP (Negative) and most of the ttacks are pure negative. Plus most if not all of the attacks de-buff To Hit. True it does have a power that does knockback, but that is one from the whole set, unlike energy (I deleted my kin/nrg).

Saying all that I have a level 44 Kin/Dark who I hardly ever play...