In the Invention era we're living now, one way to achieve "perfect" slotting is to mix-and-match different IO set, without paying much attention to the set bonuses (also known as "Frankenslotting").
A simple example:
Power Blast
- [*] Ruin - Accuracy/Damage: Level 25[*] Ruin - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 25[*] Ruin - Damage/Endurance: Level 25[*] Maelstrom's Fury - Accuracy/Damage: Level 30[*] Volley Fire - Accuracy/Damage: Level 30[/list]with 5 slots you achieve (after ED effects): 78% acc, 95% dmg, 20% end red, 16% recharge; you can then fill your 6th slot, if you have it, with a single-effect enhancement of your choice, (rech, end, range, ...).
Note that, due to ED reduction, you can use lvl 25-30 sets, as above, all the way to 50 without really losing much efficiency, which is also quite a money saver.
With Dual Core, my first En/En blaster, I went to 30 with the standard 2 ACC/3 DMG slotting, while bidding for those recipes in the meantime; once I got them all, I replaced all my 3 main blasts (Bolt,Blast,Burst) with a similar setup... work wonders and it didn't cost that much
In this guide
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showf...0&fpart=1&vc=1
you'll find some very nice examples of frankenslotting for the most typical powers
So you bought those IO's at level 30, and from then on you just stuck with them and it worked great? That sounds brilliant.
Contact me in-game: @CheeseSlicer
This kind of slotting is good enough for new players,casuals and people that want to make cheap builds but is by far inferior from perfect possible slottings even if you look the stats alone.
Best possible slotting in blasts is usually a mix of Devastations+Thunderstrikes due to the best combination of bonuses + stats.
Devastations: Acc/dmg,Dmg/rech,Acc/dmg/rech,Acc/dmg/end/rech
Thunderstrikes: Acc/Dmg,Acc/Dmg/Recharge
This provides with a high hp regen bonus,+hp,+dmg,+recovery
The stats skyrocket to an awsome 101% dmg 97% acc 85% recharge 18% end discount
You can switch about dmg/rech with dmg/end and thunderstrike acc/dmg with acc/dmg/end to play around with the balance between end discount and recharge based on your needs however perfect blasting relies uppon recharge for increased DPS considering its all about spike and fast dps and sustainable dmg is not a target with blasters.
Frankenslotting is ok with low budget builds or for new players and casual gaming but for "Perfect" it doesnt even come close.
I am leaving epic slotting out of this since its a bit up to personal choice when it comes to epics.
PS: Unless KS you are refering to non bonus slotting of course intended for featherweight blasting.Then prolly Frankeslotting could be useful.
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This kind of slotting is good enough for new players,casuals and people that want to make cheap builds but is by far inferior from perfect possible slottings even if you look the stats alone.
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Yes, you're right, that was a build with cheap sets taken randomly just to illustrate the point; the lvl 25-30 were also chosen so you can build like that while leveling, with low influence cost and good of investment; hence the quotes in "perfect".
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Best possible slotting in blasts is usually a mix of Devastations+Thunderstrikes due to the best combination of bonuses + stats.
Devastations: Acc/dmg,Dmg/rech,Acc/dmg/rech,Acc/dmg/end/rech
Thunderstrikes: Acc/Dmg,Acc/Dmg/Recharge
This provides with a high hp regen bonus,+hp,+dmg,+recovery
The stats skyrocket to an awsome 101% dmg 97% acc 85% recharge 18% end discount
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Also true; however now you're comparing numbers between [u]6 slot[u] lvl 50 sets with [u]5 slot[u] lvl 25-30 sets... let's add a generic recharge slot to my example, and replace the 25s with 30s:
96% dmg 81% acc 52% recharge 21% end discount
Inferior? yep. Skyrocket inferior? nope.
Not to mention that the crafting cost alone for the 50s is around 1000% more and you need to wait 20 more levels to reach those values.
The only real selling points here are the set bonuses, which, i agree, are definitely superior.
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Frankenslotting is ok with low budget builds or for new players and casual gaming but for "Perfect" it doesnt even come close.
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Well, by definition, you proposed frankenslotting too... only less "franken" 
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So you bought those IO's at level 30, and from then on you just stuck with them and it worked great? That sounds brilliant.
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So far (lvl 42) they are doing fine; consider that they offer better stats than what you could achieve, even at 50, pre-Invention (save for using Hamidon stuff).
Some of the melee attacks and Nova got a similar treatment too, the nuke, for instance, can easily reach 95% damage & recharge right when you ding level 34, by combining all the 3 available PBAoE set recipes with 2 common IO:
- [*] Cleaving Blow - Damage/Recharge: Level 35[*] Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Recharge: Level 35[*] Multi Strike - Damage/Recharge: Level 35[*] Damage Increase IO: Level 30[*] Recharge Reduction IO: Level 30[/list]
Ok just to clarify.Knowing KS is a pvper my impression is his question is more on the PvP side hence my post.PvE wise i am choosing to pass on answering 
This are the Set Combinations i'm usually using on my Blaster:
Ranged Attacks:
6x Thunderstrike
6x Devastation
4x Devastation + 2x Thunderstrike
4x Thunderstrike + 2x Devastation
5x Decimation + 1x Secondary Effect Enh (Hold/Slow/Stun etc.)or a Proc
6x Apocalypse
Targeted AOE:
5x Positron Blast + 1x Rech
5x Ragnarok (Ragnarok Knockdown Proc is not worth the Slot in my Opinion)
AOE:
1x Scirrocos Derwish or Cleaving Blow (Dam/Rech) + 2x Dam + 2x Rech, if you have the Slot Spare add the Scirrocos Derwish Proc to get the 10% Regen Bonus or add 1x Secondary Effect Enh (Hold/Slow/Stun etc.)
6x Armageddon
Aim/Build Up:
2x Adjusted Targeting (ToHit/Rech + Rech) + 1x Rech Red IO
5x Gausians Synchronized Fire Controll (the Chance for Build Up Proc is not worth slotting for the Proc Effect in my Opinion, the Global Bonus for the Set of 6 is not bad though if you have the Slot Spare)
if you PVP alot, the Rectified Recticle Increased Perception Unique is worth slotting in Aim or Build Up
Melee:
6x Crushing Impact
6x Makos Bite
4x Makos Bite + 2xPounding Slugfest
6x Hecatomb
These Set Combination mainly add Rech,Acc,Dmg,Health,Rec and Regen
Posting a PvP combo not many people have picked up on (Everyone seems to go for +Recharge set bonuses!):
Level 50 Devastation - Acc/Dam, EITHER Dam/End or Dam/Rech, Acc/Dam/Rech, Acc/Dam/End/Rech
Centriole HO (Dam/Range)
Level 40 Decimation or Ruin Acc/End/Rech
Gets you the +Damage, +HP, +Regen bonuses plus a bit of Range. Will put an 80 foot attack at 96 Feet.
85.5% Acc / 126% Damage (ED Capped in BB and Sirens) and either 85.5% or 59% Rech depending on IOs.
Alternatively:
Level 50 Devastation - Acc/Dam, Dam/Rech, Acc/Dam/Rech, Acc/Dam/End/Rech
Common level 50 Range IO
Level 25 Salvo Acc/Dam/End/Range
Trades Rech and End for more range. Still gives the +Damage, +HP and +Regen set bonuses. Will put an 80 foot attack at 107.1 Feet. 80.25% Acc / 106.75% Damage (ED Capped in Sirens) and 66.25% Rech.
You can play about with Centrioles too, such as:
Level 50 Devastation - Acc/Dam, Acc/Dam/Rech, Acc/Dam/End/Rech
Centriole HO (Dam/Range)
Common level 50 Range IO
Level 25 Salvo Acc/Dam/End/Range
Trades a Set Bonus and some recharge for more +Range. An 80 foot Attack goes to 121.4 Feet. Loses the +Dam Bonus but keeps +HP and +Regen. 80.25% Acc / 113.55% Damage (ED Capped in Sirens) and 39.75% Rech.
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Everyone seems to go for +Recharge set bonuses!)
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Personally i avoid ranged damage sets with +recharge like the plague. You can easily get +recharge from other sources and decimations are as rare as bigfoot.
I like the +range combo for non /nrg sets.Makes the lack of Boost Range more easy to cope with
Cool thanks guys gives me a better idea!
4 devistations 2 damge/range ho I love that slotting 
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Which devistaions give me a slotting idea ?
acc/dam dam/rech acc/dam/rech acc/dam/rec/end and 2 dmg range ho is the pimp. I've used this slotting since io's were introduced . I know my attacks are only at 60% accuracy but i've got tactics and enough + acc from set bonuses and the extra little bit recharge doesn't make any diffrence to mee since I have the sexy range
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acc/dam dam/rech acc/dam/rech acc/dam/rec/end and 2 dmg range ho is the pimp. I've used this slotting since io's were introduced . I know my attacks are only at 60% accuracy but i've got tactics and enough + acc from set bonuses and the extra little bit recharge doesn't make any diffrence to mee since I have the sexy range
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You know the Damage on that 2nd Dam/Range wouldn't make a blind bit of difference since you're already way over the ED damage cap? Like, 60% over the damage cap. You'd be better off one Dam/Range and one level 50 Range Common IO, and still be ED damage capped in Sirens and Bloody Bay (still >26% damage over)... 
that extra dmg stacks with assault and the + dmg you get from sets so it isn't useless .
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that extra dmg stacks with assault and the + dmg you get from sets so it isn't useless .
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You're one of those people that still six-slot hasten because every bit helps? 
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that extra dmg stacks with assault and the + dmg you get from sets so it isn't useless .
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You're one of those people that still six-slot hasten because every bit helps?
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And Brawl. Can almost get that perma, with six recharge IO's at level 50, and set bonuses.
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that extra dmg stacks with assault and the + dmg you get from sets so it isn't useless .
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You're one of those people that still six-slot hasten because every bit helps?
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nope im not but the 1 extra feet i get off slotting a ranged io isn't that usefull i rather have 3% mor dmg
So should blasters in PvP Slot more for Dam/Acc/Rcg or Range ?
I have little idae when it comes to Blasters or Ranged toons how to slott your attacks so you get the most out of Acc/Dmg/Rcg/Range ?? Anyone got any types they wanna share ??