I think I've created a monster

It all started with me complaining about my lack of funds and deciding I need a good farmer. I listened to ideas thrown out on JFA and heard one I liked- a Spines/Dark Scrapper. I even came up with a concept, a Chubracopra (I've been corrected on the spelling at least twice), which by my own personal theory is a Grey alien version of a werewolf. Finally, I created the bizzare excuse to use the Alien Skull helmet option and took it into outbreak.

Jeez louise, this thing is a monster! I heard Barb Swipe is the worst attack but it tore through the Infected pretty well (when I wasn't one-shotting them with Sands of Mu), looking rather nasty at the same time. I've never had so much fun getting Isolator before.

Though this is meant for farming so I'll willing to do whatever dirty tricks I need to get to the good levels, I'd like some advice on what to do with this thing I've created and how to best utilise the horrible murderness.

Depending on how much cash you want to sink in, you may want to switch to something like spines/wp. spine/wp is a lot cheaper, much better on end bar, and less squishy....only downside is you dont get the damage aura from dark armor. If you are intent on sticking with spine/dark though, I am sure you can find a pretty good build somewhere on the forums. it is pretty common so it shouldnt be too much trouble

I don't go 'switching' once I decide on a build and concept. Anything can work in this game, and I'm making damn well sure of that! And as I said, farmer.

I've got a Spines/Dark I use for exactly this purpose, will post my build a little later but let me just say, you made the right choice.

There are a few hurdles you'll want to jump, -
You're going to want Tough & Weave, and ideally you want the positional defense above 30%, along with Oppressive Gloom (which is useless with only basic Accuracy, but awesome once it has the equivalent of two SOs worth, I used global +Acc to accomplish it)
The Stories you've heard about it being an End Hog are true, so slot accordingly, and do everything you can improve your end recovery (but then I run 11 toggles on mine as well)

With those two covered though, you are golden, mine outpaces a lot of Fire/Kins, and with a Fire/Kins buffs, two damage auras is just pure awesome.

anyway, they are awesome, welcome to the club

Ahh, found it, the build I've been using, not as expensive as you may think, but not on a budget either, regularly use it to farm the Cim Wall, and the drop rate isn't bad, so definitely paid for itself, anyway -->

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

Click this DataLink to open the build!

MONKEY: Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Spines
Secondary Power Set: Dark Armor
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Body Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Lunge -- Mako-Dam%(A), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), Mako-Acc/Dmg(36), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(37), Hectmb-Dam%(37), Hectmb-Dmg/EndRdx(48)
Level 1: Dark Embrace -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), S'fstPrt-ResDam/EndRdx(3), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(3), ImpArm-ResDam(5)
Level 2: Death Shroud -- Oblit-%Dam(A), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), Oblit-Dmg(7), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(7), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(13), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(17)
Level 4: Spine Burst -- Armgdn-Dam%(A), Armgdn-Dmg(33), Armgdn-Dmg/Rchg(33), Armgdn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Armgdn-Dmg/EndRdx(34), RechRdx-I(34)
Level 6: Murky Cloud -- EndRdx-I(A), ResDam-I(29)
Level 8: Build Up -- GSFC-Build%(A), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(9), GSFC-ToHit(9), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(11), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(11), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(13)
Level 10: Impale -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(31), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(39), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(45), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(46)
Level 12: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 14: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Numna-Heal(15), Mrcl-Rcvry+(15), Mrcl-Heal(17)
Level 16: Dark Regeneration -- Nictus-Acc/Heal(A), Nictus-Heal/HP/Regen/Rchg(37), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(39), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(40), Nictus-%Dam(40)
Level 18: Combat Jumping -- Ksmt-ToHit+(A), Zephyr-Travel(19), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(19), Zephyr-ResKB(29)
Level 20: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(21), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(21), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(23)
Level 22: Quills -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(23), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(25), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(25), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(27), Oblit-%Dam(27)
Level 24: Obsidian Shield -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 26: Ripper -- Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(A), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(36), Oblit-Dmg(46), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(48), Oblit-%Dam(50), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 28: Cloak of Darkness -- DefBuff-I(A), DefBuff-I(31), EndRdx-I(31)
Level 30: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 32: Throw Spines -- Posi-Dam%(A), Posi-Dmg/Rng(40), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(42), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(43), Posi-Acc/Dmg(43), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43)
Level 35: Tough -- ResDam-I(A), EndRdx-I(36)
Level 38: Weave -- HO:Enzym(A), HO:Enzym(39)
Level 41: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(42), RechRdx-I(42)
Level 44: Super Jump -- Zephyr-ResKB(A), Zephyr-Travel(45), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(45)
Level 47: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), HO:Enzym(48), HO:Enzym(50)
Level 49: Oppressive Gloom -- Acc-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit



F7]Critical Hit[/color][/b]

I haven't quite figured out how to use Mids properly... every time I open that link I get various errors. Maybe I need to update.

I'll probably be taking the fast track to level but I can only stand leeching off farms for so long, so I'll probably take breaks to solo it. Dual Builds time I suppose.

Another question: If I'm going to farm with this thing, where, what and how do I farm?

While you're leveling, do some in Dark Astoria from 21-29 or so. Large crowds of Banished Pantheon on the streets, fairly close to each other. They're vulnerable to your lethal damage, they're slow, and get slowed further by your Spine poison, and they drop arcane salvage that's very valuable these days.

My god man, the toggles....the TOGGLES!

If I wanted to roll up a 3rd DA character I would consider Spines/DA. I'm enjoying my Spines/Fire so far at 38, and I know more or less how a Spines/Dark will play (having played both primary and seconday to at least high enough to have all the powers)

Yes, you have indeed created a monster.

And also, kudos on finding a way to use probably the most seldom used costume piece in the game.

Here is my spines/dark build

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

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Murcielago: Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Spines
Secondary Power Set: Dark Armor
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Body Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Lunge -- Hectmb-Dmg(A), Hectmb-Dmg/Rchg(3), Hectmb-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(3), Hectmb-Acc/Rchg(5), Hectmb-Dmg/EndRdx(5)
Level 1: Dark Embrace -- ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpArm-ResDam/Rchg(7), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(7), ImpArm-ResDam(9), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(9), S'fstPrt-ResKB(33)
Level 2: Death Shroud -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(11), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(11), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(13), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(13), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15)
Level 4: Spine Burst -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(15), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(17), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(17), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Oblit-%Dam(19)
Level 6: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 8: Impale -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(21), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(21), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(23), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(23), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 10: Obsidian Shield -- ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpArm-ResDam/Rchg(25), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(27), ImpArm-ResDam(27)
Level 12: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(29), RechRdx-I(29)
Level 14: Super Speed -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(37), Zephyr-ResKB(37)
Level 16: Murky Cloud -- ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpArm-ResDam/Rchg(33), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(33), ImpArm-ResDam(34)
Level 18: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A)
Level 20: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(34), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(34), P'Shift-End%(36)
Level 22: Dark Regeneration -- M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(A), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(25), Numna-EndRdx/Rchg(36), Numna-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(36), Theft-+End%(37), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 24: Build Up -- AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(31), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(31), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx(48), AdjTgt-Rchg(50)
Level 26: Ripper -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(40), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(40), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Oblit-%Dam(42)
Level 28: Quills -- M'Strk-Acc/Dmg(A), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(42), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(43), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(43), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45)
Level 30: Cloak of Darkness -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def(31), LkGmblr-Rchg+(48)
Level 32: Throw Spines -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(45), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(45), Posi-Dmg/Rng(46), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(46)
Level 35: Oppressive Gloom -- Amaze-Stun/Rchg(A), Amaze-Acc/Rchg(39)
Level 38: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 41: Tough -- Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(50), Aegis-ResDam(50)
Level 44: Weave -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def(46), LkGmblr-Rchg+(48)
Level 47: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 49: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit

First: You spelled Chupacabra wrong

Second: Thanks to Santorican's color palette my eyes are bleeding

I've got a mid 20s Spines/Dark gal that is a ton of fun to play, but I'm putting her on hold until i16, so I can compare how Spines/Elec plays out.

I hear good things about the Chance for +End proc in Dark Regen.

I have nothing else useful to add.

Only current question: Should I take Obsidian Shield or Dark Regeneration first?

NM, I decided to take both.

Wondering if I should try farming zombies of some sort since do Lethal and have resistance to Dark.

Sounds almost as fun as murdering Carnies on my BS/SR, which is currently in respec hell. Hence my need for a farmer.

Incidentally, while tagging along a boss farm and gladly testing out my murdering abilities, I coined new CoH terminology: Ding Melee and Ding Armour, the powersets of a non-lazy lowbie on a farm.

So Ding/Ding is pretty much a 60 second buff on ,what, a 2 to 6 minute timer?

Jeeze someone gave me a demerit on my reputation for posting my build? Rough crowed.

probally for the purple/pink eye melter