AR/NRG Build for AOE Fun?

Ok, so in my other thread, I was looking at NRG/NRG, but have decided to compromise and pick AR/NRG, which I hear synergize well, and allows me some outlet for my KB urge, but a more balanced Primary.

I am looking for a build idea for AR/NRG. What I am looking for is probably going to mostly be levelling AE so AOE damage, with some survivability for jailbroken bosses.

For concept + survivability I will definitely be hovering.

Just looking at Mids, I get this, but please bear in mind this could be horrible, I just wanted to try to do something rather than be the guy that asks for help with out at least doing some legwork.

I do not know if I should take Slug, if hasten is taken too late, if I am not taking enough from NRG, or if I have taken anything that un-be-knownst-to-me is gimpier than it looks.

Thanks for any and all comments!


Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 48 Mutation Blaster
Primary Power Set: Assault Rifle
Secondary Power Set: Energy Manipulation
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Concealment
Ancillary Pool: Munitions Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Burst -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Power Thrust -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Buckshot -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Build Up -- Empty(A)
Level 6: Hover -- Empty(A)
Level 8: M30 Grenade -- Empty(A)
Level 10: Beanbag -- Empty(A)
Level 12: Sniper Rifle -- Empty(A)
Level 14: Fly -- Empty(A)
Level 16: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 18: Health -- Empty(A)
Level 20: Stamina -- Empty(A)
Level 22: Flamethrower -- Empty(A)
Level 24: Stun -- Empty(A)
Level 26: Ignite -- Empty(A)
Level 28: Power Boost -- Empty(A)
Level 30: Hasten -- Empty(A)
Level 32: Full Auto -- Empty(A)
Level 35: Boost Range -- Empty(A)
Level 38: Total Focus -- Empty(A)
Level 41: Body Armor -- Empty(A)
Level 44: Cryo Freeze Ray -- Empty(A)
Level 47: LRM Rocket -- Empty(A)
Level 49: Stealth -- Empty(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Defiance

Definetly take Slug. The one problem with AR is it's weak ST damage and losing Slug hurts that even more. I'd say take Slug at 4, Build up at 8, and M30 Grenade at 26 (I found that the endurace of M30 Grenade is high enough to make it worth pushing the power back until after you have Stamina). You can either drop Ignite entirely or switch out something else.

Regarding Ignote, I don't like it but I know a lot of people do so you'll have to decide if you want it or not .

Consider switching Cyro Freeze Ray for Surveillance. You've got 3 single target stuns (even if two are melee attacks) so you probably don't need a ST Hold as well. Surveillance is a useful power to have against AVs or if you have to solo.

Hasten is tricky. I'd actually advocate dropping it entirely. I've got an AR/Dev Blaster and with a little bit of +Recharge Set Bonuses (I have 4 5-slotted Positron's Blast sets) I find that my recharge is just fine without Hasten. You'll get more benefit from it than me due to the longer recharge on Build Up and Boost Range but you don't really need it for any of your attacks (except LRM Rocket which is great fun but not hugely powerful anyway).

It is not too long ago that my AR/NRG blaster dinged 50, so I might just share some of my experience with that combination.

- Take Slug. Seriously, going for AoE damage is all fine and dandy, but you will need some ST damage for those pesky bosses.
- Drop M30 Grenade, at least do not keep it beyond level 32 when you have Full Auto. By the time you might want to use it everything but bosses is dead and that grenade will hardly harm those.
- Ignite... well, since it was nerfed that badly it is hardly worth the effort. There are faster and easier ways to kill stuff.
- Conserve Power should be a must-have for an AoE-heavy build. Otherwise you would need a pocket kin or sacrifice many slots for endurance reduction if you do not want to rest after every other spawn.
- Stun. I did never feel the need to take it. With Hasten and a bit of slotting you can perma-Beanbag that one mezzing lieutenant that survived your initial attack, so the only use of Stun would be for stacking stun effects on bosses and even that is only necessary if the boss is resistant to KB. Otherwise he will lie on his back most of the time anyway. (Slug helps a bit in that regard, too.) On top of that, with Boost Range you will often fire at enemies from outside their fire range and kill them before they get close enough.
- Roughly the same is true for Cryo Freeze Ray, only without the mez stacking.
- Surveillance on the other hand is a must-have. It makes your life so much easier against resistant mobs and bosses.

Just to illustrate my comments, during the later levels the typical encounter (solo on CL 4) will see you using only Sniper Rifle or LRM Rocket and Full Auto as attacks before you run to the next spawn. When Build Up is not up you will have to use Buckshot and Flamethrower on top of that and of course you need your ST stuff if there is a boss or some strange guy you somehow could not hit. (Because of that you definitely want Hasten and as much recharge bonus as you can find.)

Thanks for the input!

Based on the responses and my own fiddling a little with actually doing some playtime, I came up with this overview.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 48 Magic Blaster
Primary Power Set: Assault Rifle
Secondary Power Set: Energy Manipulation
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Concealment
Ancillary Pool: Munitions Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Burst -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Power Thrust -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Buckshot -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Slug -- Empty(A)
Level 6: Hover -- Empty(A)
Level 8: Build Up -- Empty(A)
Level 10: Beanbag -- Empty(A)
Level 12: Sniper Rifle -- Empty(A)
Level 14: Fly -- Empty(A)
Level 16: Conserve Power -- Empty(A)
Level 18: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 20: Health -- Empty(A)
Level 22: Stamina -- Empty(A)
Level 24: Flamethrower -- Empty(A)
Level 26: M30 Grenade -- Empty(A)
Level 28: Power Boost -- Empty(A)
Level 30: Hasten -- Empty(A)
Level 32: Full Auto -- Empty(A)
Level 35: Boost Range -- Empty(A)
Level 38: Total Focus -- Empty(A)
Level 41: Body Armor -- Empty(A)
Level 44: Surveillance -- Empty(A)
Level 47: LRM Rocket -- Empty(A)
Level 49: Stealth -- Empty(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Defiance

Hmmm, if you can make it work slot-wise you will have a lot of fun with that build.