I've tried time bomb in the earliest days of enforcer and found the same problems. Solo it was hard to get the enemies to run into its radius and teamed everything was dead before it went off. few teams are prepared to wait for it to be deployed before attacking.
In fact, there aren't that many powers in devices I actually use.
Trip mine got its uses and is quite handy now and then but only when soloing. While time bomb is essentially a trip mine being awkward. My tip. /respec
I never took it on my /Devices blaster - I most commonly use Cloaking Device and Trip Mines 
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Soloing;
Some people do the tripmines around a group of enemies and then put a timebomb in the middle trick. The timebomb kbs enemies onto the trip mines but I never do that, thats inaccurate. I much rather herd them to a stacked set of trips and a time bomb and have the whole lot go off together before I autofire. I have caltrops to slow the enemy in the vicinity and I out range the trips so they don't trigger then at the moment timebomb is due I shoot back into range and trigger the lot.
Toe bombing;
I often drop a timebomb in the middle, then either count (but I can't be bothered to count these days) before putting a tripmine on top. The cast time of the trip mine is equal to the quicker flash of the timebomb. When it speeds up for the last few seconds, you in that moment stack a trip mine. they go off together and you pull back and autofire or something.
In teams;
Blasters are Rangers part of Scout class, Traps are part of Rogue class and also, therefore Scout class. Having a Trapper Scout is a no brainer to have on offer in games for diversity and concept, but in teams its more efficient to play more as a ranger, unless a lowered fight duration is wanted by the team who are in a "Don't think we can live through this situation". Then you set a trap to create the mother of all alphas to cut the fight duration by a lot and promote survivability. I've done as much as 22 trips + a timebomb, on a large room of +4 Malta, trust me the lag is good! Hess trial with a competent team and a competent tanker you used to be able to herd the volcano out onto them, then set them off. It was so easy I really had to throw the book at people who fluff it up. I loved the lag. If you phase you can phase herd, just have a point t block yourself quick as you unphase.
Apart from that Tanks may give a pull to point to prevent the whole team getting their aggro cap and so you can drop one at the pull point. As a tanker I wouldn't fail pulling to it in time. Most others will, I'd be embarassed if I was them and some stupid team mates will prevent the enemy from getting to it, like "No, no, don't get near the timebomb that hits all 10 at once as we would rather single target a spread group.
I think in soloing is where it does get most use. I do invincible and I like to do a group at a time. Sometimes set up is less than fight duration as it was with less risk.
I've done the scout to the second group and drop a time bomb before the first group is finished to find that just before it goes off some PB dawn striked (couldnt save it for the next group, no that would be too sensible) they had to kb the enemies away from the timebomb. If I was on a PB I would let timebomb have that group and then nuke the next group or stack nuke to it.
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.
Time bomb. My advice would be drop it. Far too few times when it would actually be of any use what so ever. I had it for a while and don't think I ever managed to cause damage with it, without toe dropping it. Much easier to set a pile of trips mines and caltrops. Then pull enemies to it. Takes less counting too.
I used to duo my AR/Dev with Dameron's AR/Dev. We'd take it in turns to destroy mobs with Time Bomb + Trip Mine combo. No trouble placing it with SS + Cloaking device.
Uselss in teams, useless solo, but a curiosity nonetheless. I don't currently have it on my 50 AR/Dev.
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I don't have it in my AR/Dev blaster's build, I don't actually have the room for it, although the Gun Drone could be considered a candidate for substitution.
To me Time Bomb is a first strike weapon to be placed "toe bomb" style once any other traps have been set. It's not intended for use in the middle of a fight, the whole purpose of the Bombs in the Devices/Traps sets is pre-placed attacks.
Basic semi-safe solo strategy would be to place trip mines on a path between your hiding place and the mob, then place any other traps as appropriate, then place your Time Bomb at the feet of your targets and retire to your hiding place to wait (hiding is important so the mobs don't just stand there and gun you down).
Result = Time Bomb goes BOOM > Survivors get annoyed and head for you (if they can't see you yet, if they can you're screwed because they'll stop and fire off an alpha at you) straight through the your mine field, BOOM BOOM BOOM etc > any survivors of that get stuck on your tertiary traps (caltrops etc.) and can be mopped up by your Primary attacks.
Time Bomb = disappointing.
Solo Trip Mines - stick them behind a corner, lots of them, then draw the enemies towards them.
Team Trip Mines - Let the tank get the aggro then run in and drop lots of trip mines, or just blast them, either way.
[url=http://vox-doom.deviantart.com]Take A Gander At This.[/url]
Don't have trip or time bomb on my AR/Dev. Partly because I was going for a theme, partly because I heard they weren't much good. I took Gun Drone instead, but even it doesn't always get used when I'm teaming.
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..and many more!
yea time bomb is a pretty awful power, I remember taking it and then dropping it after a couple of missions.
Trip mines are good for solo'ing and it's a pet hate of mine when you're in a team with people that think its fun for you to sit for 5 minutes whilst they drop a on of trip mines (most of which won't even touch the critters. It's not fun and like a say a couple of well placed mines is far more useful and less time consuming.
Trip mines are handy in teams (and solo'ing) when you know you're gonna be ambushed.
@SkullFester
I'm not changing this signature until I'm proclaimed 'King of the World'.
Time bomb, never even picked it on my /dev blaster. Seemed like a waste of a power pick. i do have trip mine and Gun Drone but if they halved the activation time or made it the same as the malta Engineers I'd be happy. Any increase to it's duration would be welcome too!
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@Miss Chief
I took it on my level 50 Blaster when it first became available to me... then respecced it after a couple of levels. I TRIED to like it, and I tried to find uses for it, but it's just so awkward that it's almost unusable.
I found myself dying more often when trying to pull mobs into the time bombs radius when solo.
In teams, the enemies would be dead before the time bomb is deployed AND then set off.
Like the others have said though, trip mine is nice 
Sneaky trip mining is lovely. Smoke the mob, go in while cloaked, lay a trip mine and watch the orange numbers fly
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trying to pull mobs into the time bombs radius
[/ QUOTE ]I think that's where the problem is (at least for a /Dev Blaster). You're trying to use Time Bomb in a role suited for Trip Mines. Time Bomb should be used as the "pulling" attack, the 15 seconds is there for your to retire to a safe place and sling some caltrops down.
For a Corruptor that doesn't have a chance to get Cloaking Device, it's a whole other kettle of fish. 
IMO it's barely useable and would have been better as a bomb you set off with a remote. 2008 has it and the only time I ever did any damage was during a Rikti Invasion. Plant it just as they start to arrive and eventually it will go boom and you may hurt someone
In these days it should be pointed out that time bomb, just like the poison sets poison trap is very useful for ambushes and other "spawned" mobs like... here it cometh..
...Trick and Treat!!!
Flurry > Time Bomb.
Brawl > Time Bomb...or is that too far?
@SkullFester
I'm not changing this signature until I'm proclaimed 'King of the World'.
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In these days it should be pointed out that time bomb, just like the poison sets poison trap is very useful for ambushes and other "spawned" mobs like... here it cometh..
...Trick and Treat!!!
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Trip mines are far superior for ToTing, they open the door, run into the trip mine you planted outside it and die.
At least, they do with me.
They'd be dead before the time bomb could go off the way I play.
[url=http://vox-doom.deviantart.com]Take A Gander At This.[/url]
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trying to pull mobs into the time bombs radius
[/ QUOTE ]I think that's where the problem is (at least for a /Dev Blaster). You're trying to use Time Bomb in a role suited for Trip Mines. Time Bomb should be used as the "pulling" attack, the 15 seconds is there for your to retire to a safe place and sling some caltrops down.
For a Corruptor that doesn't have a chance to get Cloaking Device, it's a whole other kettle of fish.
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When solo I could set traps in one place and then lay a timebomb in the group. The moment it goes off, you can autofire then pull back to the trips.
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.
@Heart_Attack: Remote detonation, now that would be awesome, stick it on the suggestions board. I'm sure they could redo it as a non-moving cloaked pet which could be commanded to detonate.
Ok from a /Dev blaster's point of view let me see if I can understand this...
Time Bomb, a device that can be placed while stealthed, (according to Mid's) when 3 slotted with damage SOs does 325.2 Lethal and 216.8 Fire damage A.o.E., is worse than Flurry?
That's only marginally less (52 points) damage than Nova.
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They'd be dead before the time bomb could go off the way I play.
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I'd be dead before the time bomb goes off the way I play.
It's a rubbish power and I'd love to see it changed for something useful such as, I dunno, Airstrike or something.
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It's a rubbish power and I'd love to see it changed for something useful such as, I dunno, Airstrike or something.
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I love that idea Complete with a high pitched voice reminiscent of the Worms series! "Incoming!" *BOOM!* ... and so on
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It's a rubbish power and I'd love to see it changed for something useful such as, I dunno, Airstrike or something.
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I love that idea Complete with a high pitched voice reminiscent of the Worms series! "Incoming!" *BOOM!* ... and so on
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No Donkey Bomb then?
Personally, Trip Mine(s) + TP Foe was a great way of dealing with just about anything, including naughty little Stalkers.
Is it time for the dance of joy yet?
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They'd be dead before the time bomb could go off the way I play.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'd be dead before the time bomb goes off the way I play.
It's a rubbish power and I'd love to see it changed for something useful such as, I dunno, Airstrike or something.
[/ QUOTE ]
*cough* holy hand grenade *cough*
@SkullFester
I'm not changing this signature until I'm proclaimed 'King of the World'.
I just got time bomb for my assault rifle/traps corruptor and, and i have some thoughts that need venting.
First: 8 sec interuptable cast and 15 sec countdown makes the bomb almost unusable in actual combat, because you will be interupted while placing it, or place it and find that all your intended victims are allready dead and your ordnance exploded in a whooping anti climax.
However if you say have a gravitation user with wormhole, you could theoreticaly time it so that the teleported mobs find themselves on top of a rather devastating explosion.
But basicaly i find that: Placing the bomb, luring the mobs you wanna blow to kingdom come into the area of effect at the right time, using an aggro magnet (preferbly not yourself since you are most likely, quite squishy) will benfit you.
Corners and objects in your surrounding area will benfit you in this way, and timing is again essential.
Secondly: The time bomb looks like a trip mine with a blinking antenna attached to it . . . nuff said, get some heavy duty gfx on that, it should look like the mother of all bombs, round and black with a fuse or maybe a batch of dynamite with a clock.
Third: In my humble opinion i think the time bomb would be easier to use if it had a 6 second cast and 10 second delay, however i suspect that extensive testing has been done to balance this already so i am probably not gonna get much positive feedback on that notion.
fourth: Does anyone have some tips on using the time bomb or traps in general?
thats it, ranting complete.