Quote:
Damage auras are WAY more than worth it. Put up herostats and it'll show you just how much damage the damage aura's are doing for you.|
Originally Posted by Jeminiks
Also all this love for Damage Auras doesnt really give the truth. Theyre nice, and Lightning Field coupled with Power Sink will help keep enemies sapped, but Sans farming, they wont be doing anything worthwhile. Mostly saving you Fractional Overkill but even then their end costs over time might not be worth it.
Play with the Auras and figure it out for yourself, I never took them in PvE on my Spines/Dark but Im looking forward to Lightning on my Spines/Elec for Sapping. Also for Endurance issues...really? Youre not going to have any with Power Sink and Energize, youll be firing them off nearly every group so you should be topped off. Lastly Tough and Weave are definitely worth it over an Epic. Spines has Redraw and if youre IOing, even Franken Slotting, youll have enough attacks to fill any holes that Epics wont make a difference. The survivability boost from Fighting is worth more than the extra attacks you likely wont use. For general play, Dont Auto Energize, just fire it when you need a heal, your Endurance doesnt start tanking til Throw Spines shows up (Unless you decided to just opt into the DoT Auras early, then youre gasping for an effect thats hardly noticeable teaming) and right after Throw Spines is Powersink. 3 Slot with recharge and you get a free Blue Bar Refill every 30 seconds. |
Personally its one of the deciding factors to ever take an armor set that has it. If youre going to skip the damage aura, then you might as well choose a different armor that is stronger to keep you alive, like willpower or IOd SR.
Plasmic's Guide to Sonic/Mental
Plasmic's Guide to Regeneration
Plasmic Fire - 50 Fire/Rad Victory Server
Some general advice on powers:
Lightning Field - a must have power, it contributes great damage and you won't have endurance problems because of Power Sink and Energize.
Grounded - optional with -KB IOs, but a great place to put the Steadfast +3% def IO.
Energize - frankenslot it with 4 heal/recharge IOs or put 5 Doctored Wounds in it. Fire it off as necessary as a heal, and since that will be often enough you'll have decent mileage out of its end redux.
Power Sink - slot it with 4 Performance Shifters and together with Energize watch all of your endurance problems disappear, provided you took Stamina.
Combat jumping - put a LotG +rech in it and it will provide you with +2% defense to everything. I consder it an essential power on all brutes and scrappers because of that, and the fact that you can stuff Zephyr into it (which you should, at least two of them).
Travel power - put the entire Zephyr inside. Very nice set bonuses, not to mention additional KB protection.
Stamina - if you can spare 4 slots, put 4 Performance Shifters inside, including the proc. If not, 3-slot it with the Perf proc and 2 lvl 50 endmod IOs. The proc is better then a third endmod IO, and even on par with the first one as well as being immune to recovery debuffs.
Health - for the Miracle and Numina uniques, in that order. Unless you have enough end ofcourse.
Fighting pool - if you're going for typed instead of positional defenses, you'll want to stuff 4 Kinetic Combats into boxing as a mule. Tough and Weave are nobrainers, put a fourpack of LotG into the latter (including the +rech one) to get a nice accuracy bonus, but you can skimp on the 4th slot if you really can't spare any. Tough gets 4 Reactive Armors if you're going for typed defense, or 5 Aegis if you're going positional.
Now, on to some specifics of your last build.
Titanium coating is usually not worth slotting for +hp from my experience since there are plenty other sets that provide that 1.5% bonus in addition to the stuff you also want from them.
Move that Steadfast from Charged Armor over to Grounded. That IO in Grounded is giving you almost nothing, and you'll be able to stuff something nicer in Charged Armor.
Lightning field - erm, what are you trying to pull here? You can get better AoE bonuses elsewhere, so you can stuff Obliteration inside for +def to melee and +recharge. Energy Manipulator proc... Really, get Obliteration inside and don't worry about end usage, you have Power Sink and Energize, remember?
Power Sink - No. Will not do. You need as much recharge in there as possible - see my guidelines above.
Power Surge - In my experience it is better to replace it with another power, even just for muling sets, as it doesn't get much mileage. If it does, you have wrongly built your toon :P
Ancillary Pool - If you need to hold something with Petrifying gaze that means you're doing something very very wrong since you could already have killed it. Dark Blast - I can see you picking this power if you want to have a bit better single-target efficiency than the standard Spines/ scrapper. In my opinion you go Spines/ if you want to be an AoE deathmachine so stick with the concept. You can go Body Mastery for Perfection of Body (although I don't see it of much use here because of /Elec) or try to stuff in Fireball. Otherwise, rearrange those two power and slot picks for better set bonuses.
Static Shield - ... yeah. Get it at 10 and stuff in a useful resistance set.
I'll post an example build if I get the time.
Making the build made me realize the end drain that two damage auras and several 3-slotted toggles create. I'm not even sure that Power Sink and Energize can mitigate that:
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.601
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Level 50 Mutation Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Spines
Secondary Power Set: Electric Armor
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Lunge -- T'Death-Acc/Dmg(A), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx(3), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg(3), T'Death-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(5), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), T'Death-Dam%(34)
Level 1: Charged Armor -- TtmC'tng-ResDam(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(7), TtmC'tng-ResDam/Rchg(7)
Level 2: Spine Burst -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(9), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(11), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(11), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), Oblit-%Dam(13)
Level 4: Conductive Shield -- ImpArm-ResDam(A), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(15), ImpArm-ResDam/Rchg(15), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 6: Super Jump -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(19), Zephyr-ResKB(45)
Level 8: Impale -- Decim-Acc/Dmg(A), Decim-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), Decim-Dmg/EndRdx(21), Decim-Dmg/Rchg(21), Decim-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(23)
Level 10: Static Shield -- TtmC'tng-ResDam(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(25), TtmC'tng-ResDam/Rchg(25)
Level 12: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 14: Lightning Field -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-%Dam(17), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(27), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(29), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31)
Level 16: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), Zephyr-Travel(17), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(19)
Level 18: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(50)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(33), P'Shift-End%(33)
Level 22: Energize -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(A), Dct'dW-Heal(23), Dct'dW-EndRdx/Rchg(34), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(34), Dct'dW-Rchg(36)
Level 24: Quills -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(36), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(37), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37), Oblit-%Dam(39)
Level 26: Ripper -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(27), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(31), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39), Oblit-%Dam(39)
Level 28: Lightning Reflexes -- Run-I(A)
Level 30: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(31), RechRdx-I(40)
Level 32: Throw Spines -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(40), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(42), Posi-Dmg/Rng(42)
Level 35: Power Sink -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-Acc/Rchg(36), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(43), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(43)
Level 38: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 41: Tough -- Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg(42), Aegis-EndRdx/Rchg(43), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(45), Aegis-ResDam(45)
Level 44: Weave -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(46), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(46)
Level 47: Build Up -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(48), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(48), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(48), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(50), GSFC-Build%(50)
Level 49: Grounded -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit
------------
Set Bonus Totals:
- 17% DamageBuff(Smashing)
- 17% DamageBuff(Lethal)
- 17% DamageBuff(Fire)
- 17% DamageBuff(Cold)
- 17% DamageBuff(Energy)
- 17% DamageBuff(Negative)
- 17% DamageBuff(Toxic)
- 17% DamageBuff(Psionic)
- 13.6% Defense(Smashing)
- 13.6% Defense(Lethal)
- 10.5% Defense(Fire)
- 10.5% Defense(Cold)
- 7.38% Defense(Energy)
- 7.38% Defense(Negative)
- 4.88% Defense(Psionic)
- 24.3% Defense(Melee)
- 11.8% Defense(Ranged)
- 13.3% Defense(AoE)
- 4.5% Max End
- 45% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 52.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 4% Enhancement(Heal)
- 10% FlySpeed
- 140.6 HP (10.5%) HitPoints
- 10% JumpHeight
- 10% JumpSpeed
- Knockback (Mag -4)
- Knockup (Mag -4)
- MezResist(Held) 2.75%
- MezResist(Immobilize) 5.5%
- MezResist(Sleep) 4.4%
- MezResist(Stun) 8.8%
- MezResist(Terrorized) 2.2%
- 10% (0.17 End/sec) Recovery
- 10% (0.56 HP/sec) Regeneration
- 2.84% Resistance(Fire)
- 2.84% Resistance(Cold)
- 15% RunSpeed
- 2.5% XPDebtProtection
Perhaps a typed defense approach would be better, as you get +end, +hp and +def to N/E within 4 slots of Eradication, that goes into PBAoE powers.
This is what I could whip up using typed defenses. It's got 0.3 end/s better recovey, at a significant price of defense. Not satisfied. Generally, sets that give typed defense bonuses are better geared at creating tough toons, with greater end and hp as opposed to positional sets that are better for recharge.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.601
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Level 50 Mutation Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Spines
Secondary Power Set: Electric Armor
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Lunge -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(3), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(3), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), HO:Nucle(5)
Level 1: Charged Armor -- ImpSkn-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpSkn-ResDam/Rchg(7), ImpSkn-EndRdx/Rchg(7), ImpSkn-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(9), ImpSkn-Status(50)
Level 2: Spine Burst -- Erad-Dmg(A), Erad-Acc/Rchg(9), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(11), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(13)
Level 4: Conductive Shield -- ImpSkn-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpSkn-ResDam/Rchg(13), ImpSkn-EndRdx/Rchg(15), ImpSkn-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(15), ImpSkn-Status(50)
Level 6: Super Jump -- Jump-I(A)
Level 8: Impale -- Decim-Acc/Dmg(A), Decim-Dmg/EndRdx(17), Decim-Dmg/Rchg(17), Decim-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Decim-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(19)
Level 10: Static Shield -- ImpSkn-Status(A), ImpSkn-ResDam/EndRdx(21), ImpSkn-ResDam/Rchg(21), ImpSkn-EndRdx/Rchg(23), ImpSkn-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 12: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 14: Lightning Field -- Erad-Dmg(A), Erad-Acc/Rchg(23), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(25), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(25), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(27)
Level 16: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 18: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(27)
Level 20: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(29), P'Shift-EndMod(29), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(31)
Level 22: Energize -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(A), Dct'dW-Rchg(31), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(31), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(33), Dct'dW-Heal(33)
Level 24: Quills -- Erad-Dmg(A), Erad-Acc/Rchg(33), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(34), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(34)
Level 26: Ripper -- Erad-Dmg(A), Erad-Acc/Rchg(36), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(36), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37)
Level 28: Lightning Reflexes -- Run-I(A)
Level 30: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(37), RechRdx-I(37)
Level 32: Throw Spines -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(39), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(39), Posi-Dmg/Rng(39), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40)
Level 35: Power Sink -- Efficacy-EndMod(A), Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg(40), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(40), Efficacy-Acc/Rchg(42), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc(42), Efficacy-EndMod/EndRdx(42)
Level 38: Boxing -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(43), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(43), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43)
Level 41: Tough -- Aegis-ResDam(A), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(45), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(45)
Level 44: Weave -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(45), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(46), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 47: Build Up -- Rec'dRet-ToHit(A), Rec'dRet-ToHit/Rchg(48)
Level 49: Grounded -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(46), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(48), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(48)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit
------------
Set Bonus Totals:
- 2.5% DamageBuff(Smashing)
- 2.5% DamageBuff(Lethal)
- 2.5% DamageBuff(Fire)
- 2.5% DamageBuff(Cold)
- 2.5% DamageBuff(Energy)
- 2.5% DamageBuff(Negative)
- 2.5% DamageBuff(Toxic)
- 2.5% DamageBuff(Psionic)
- 16.1% Defense(Smashing)
- 16.1% Defense(Lethal)
- 6.13% Defense(Fire)
- 6.13% Defense(Cold)
- 15.5% Defense(Energy)
- 15.5% Defense(Negative)
- 3% Defense(Psionic)
- 9.56% Defense(Melee)
- 9.25% Defense(Ranged)
- 4.56% Defense(AoE)
- 9.45% Max End
- 52.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 18% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 4% Enhancement(Heal)
- 5% FlySpeed
- 291.2 HP (21.7%) HitPoints
- 5% JumpHeight
- 5% JumpSpeed
- MezResist(Confused) 22.5%
- MezResist(Held) 22.5%
- MezResist(Immobilize) 33.5%
- MezResist(Sleep) 29.1%
- MezResist(Stun) 22.5%
- MezResist(Terrorized) 24.7%
- 6.5% (0.11 End/sec) Recovery
- 20% (1.12 HP/sec) Regeneration
- 2.84% Resistance(Fire)
- 2.84% Resistance(Cold)
- 10% RunSpeed
- 6% XPDebtProtection
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Windenergy21
Damage auras are WAY more than worth it. Put up herostats and it'll show you just how much damage the damage aura's are doing for you.
Personally its one of the deciding factors to ever take an armor set that has it. If youre going to skip the damage aura, then you might as well choose a different armor that is stronger to keep you alive, like willpower or IOd SR. |
And you show me where the damage Aura KILLED anything or did anything besides dropped the mobs health 2% before you two shotted the group as a Spiner.
Damage Auras are nice, but people take Herostats way out of context. Fractional Overkill.
If I have a Mob with 150HP, 2 AoE attacks that deal 100 and 75, and Im running DoT Auras that tick for 10hp every second, I dont need the DoT Auras (Gross Oversimplification, but it explains my point) The only thing DoT Auras tend to be useful for are Finishing the Sliver of Health enemies, or eliminating them, but Honestly with how quickly Throw Spines recharges vs Having both DoT Auras running, one more TS finishes a group, Not to mention when grouping You have additional AoE covering you.
The *only* time Ive seen DoT Auras really be useful is when Im farming on my Spines/DA with a Kin buffing me. Watching me shave ticks of 50 between my Auras is kinda nifty on groups Ive herded.
Wait, I'm confused. The ammount of damage a damage aura does isn't as important as if it kills something?
I plan on using both Quills & Lightning Field, but you're both entitled to your own opinions, of course.
Okay, so if I build for more defense, particularly melee defense, I can get a 26.8% set bonus. Add that to what I get from things like CJ and that makes 32.4%. Not too shabby. On top of that it has a fair amount of recharge & damage bonuses, too. I was able to fit a chance for mag 2 stun into both damage auras, which I think might be interesting. I might want to take hasten earlier but I'm not sure. I'll have to see if I think I need it as gameplay progresses.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.401
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Shifted Sentinel: Level 50 Mutation Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Spines
Secondary Power Set: Electric Armor
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Lunge -- T'Death-Acc/Dmg(A), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx(3), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg(3), T'Death-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(7), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), T'Death-Dam%(15)
Level 1: Charged Armor -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam(11), TtmC'tng-ResDam/Rchg(13), TtmC'tng-EndRdx/Rchg(46), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(46), TtmC'tng-EndRdx(48)
Level 2: Spine Burst -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(5), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(5), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15), Oblit-%Dam(17)
Level 4: Conductive Shield -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam(25), TtmC'tng-ResDam/Rchg(25), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(50)
Level 6: Super Jump -- Zephyr-ResKB(A), Zephyr-Travel(50)
Level 8: Impale -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(9), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(9), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(11), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(17), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19)
Level 10: Static Shield -- ResDam-I(A)
Level 12: Build Up -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(27), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(27), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(29), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(29), GSFC-Build%(31)
Level 14: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 16: Health -- Heal-I(A), Heal-I(48)
Level 18: Quills -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(19), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(21), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(21), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(23), Oblit-%Dam(23)
Level 20: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), EndMod-I(31), EndMod-I(31)
Level 22: Energize -- Dct'dW-Rchg(A), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(33), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(33), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(33), Dct'dW-Heal(34)
Level 24: Lightning Field -- EnManip-Stun%(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(34), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(36), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37), Oblit-%Dam(39)
Level 26: Ripper -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(34), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(36), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37), Oblit-%Dam(39)
Level 28: Lightning Reflexes -- Run-I(A)
Level 30: Boxing -- T'Death-Acc/Dmg(A), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx(39), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg(40), T'Death-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40), T'Death-Dam%(42)
Level 32: Throw Spines -- Ragnrk-Knock%(A), Posi-Dam%(42), Posi-Acc/Dmg(43), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(43), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45)
Level 35: Power Sink -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(45), EnManip-Stun%(48)
Level 38: Tough -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam(45), TtmC'tng-ResDam/Rchg(46)
Level 41: Weave -- DefBuff-I(A), DefBuff-I(42)
Level 44: Power Surge -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 47: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 49: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Dmg-I(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit
------------
Set Bonus Totals:
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Smashing)
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Lethal)
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Fire)
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Cold)
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Energy)
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Negative)
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Toxic)
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Psionic)
- 14.9% Defense(Smashing)
- 14.9% Defense(Lethal)
- 4.25% Defense(Fire)
- 4.25% Defense(Cold)
- 9.56% Defense(Energy)
- 9.56% Defense(Negative)
- 3% Defense(Psionic)
- 26.8% Defense(Melee)
- 12.4% Defense(Ranged)
- 5.5% Defense(AoE)
- 4% Enhancement(Heal)
- 52% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 38.8% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 9% FlySpeed
- 125.5 HP (9.37%) HitPoints
- 9% JumpHeight
- 9% JumpSpeed
- Knockback (Mag -4)
- Knockup (Mag -4)
- MezResist(Held) 8.25%
- MezResist(Immobilize) 5.5%
- MezResist(Sleep) 6.6%
- MezResist(Stun) 11%
- MezResist(Terrorized) 2.2%
- 7% (0.12 End/sec) Recovery
- 2.84% Resistance(Fire)
- 2.84% Resistance(Cold)
- 9% RunSpeed
The resistances are pretty high up there, and I have a decent amount of regen. I'm aware that I could put in things like the regen & recov globals, but I doubt I'd be able to afford it anytime soon. I was just able to afford a numina's global on my tank after saving up for a couple of months.
Quote:
Example: I have two AoEs that deal 125 Damage, I can fire them back to back. My Teammate has an AoE that deals 70 Damage.|
Originally Posted by Enamel_32
Wait, I'm confused. The ammount of damage a damage aura does isn't as important as if it kills something?
|
The Enemies have 200HP.
My AoE Plus his AoE is just shy of killing him, therefore mathematically his AoE is pointless when I can fire my 2nd and finish the group.
DoT Auras are your Teammate with the Pointless AoE here. They may generate lots of pretty damage, but they are not as useful as people want to believe.
Herostats showing giant Numbers doesnt show the entire truth.
Quote:
Which you can do with a spines/elec too with a kin. I see where you are coming from for sure, but it also depends on what enemies you are fighting, got two bosses? When slotted for enough end redux it becomes worth it even then. With elec, having extremely good end management, its even added DPS when facing just a single boss or lt even.|
Originally Posted by Jeminiks
And you show me where the damage Aura KILLED anything or did anything besides dropped the mobs health 2% before you two shotted the group as a Spiner.
Damage Auras are nice, but people take Herostats way out of context. Fractional Overkill. If I have a Mob with 150HP, 2 AoE attacks that deal 100 and 75, and Im running DoT Auras that tick for 10hp every second, I dont need the DoT Auras (Gross Oversimplification, but it explains my point) The only thing DoT Auras tend to be useful for are Finishing the Sliver of Health enemies, or eliminating them, but Honestly with how quickly Throw Spines recharges vs Having both DoT Auras running, one more TS finishes a group, Not to mention when grouping You have additional AoE covering you. The *only* time Ive seen DoT Auras really be useful is when Im farming on my Spines/DA with a Kin buffing me. Watching me shave ticks of 50 between my Auras is kinda nifty on groups Ive herded. |
I'm not saying hero stats is the end all, but i've easily been in any situation where the damgae auras helped. Even on my spine/inv i IOd for farming, quills helps to take out enemies. And as invuln with no extra endurance power like elec armor has, and he has no end problems at all.
So when its all extra for you, not to mention set bonuses , it just adds to your efficiency.
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No, what Jeminicks was saying, which in his situation i agree with, was that, if your throw spines and spine burst are going to kill the enemies anyways, having the damage aura take away some hp in between using those two powers would be meaningless.|
Originally Posted by Enamel_32
Wait, I'm confused. The ammount of damage a damage aura does isn't as important as if it kills something?
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The only thing is though, its a specific situation he is dealing with, and isn't looking at the full picture. I farm with my spine/invuln. I dont farm even levels, i fight +2 - +3s. Scrapper attacks also crit, they CAN miss, and mobs aren't always 100% in your aoe area, and not to mention max mob size is 16, where spine burst and throw spines have a max target cap of 10 (i thought spine burst was 16, but checking red tomax's site it says 10, either way it still shows my point that in the first aoe volley if fighting max teammates that not every enemy will be dead).
Meaning there will be enemies left over after the initial aoe volley, even when farming. Maybe not every mob, but lots for sure, especially on teams fighitng much harder enemies, and where bosses will be prevalent where they can be avoided if he's only soloing.
With elec armor, the end from them is negligible. No way in my comparison from spine/inv to spine/elec is the extra damage aura of lightning field going to cost more endurance than the discount of energize and addition of power sink are going to do, so end management is not, or at least should not be an issue in his final build. Then there are also IO set bonuses to consider. Personally as a damage toggle, that does not need slotted for recharge and benefits more from end redux, i slot scirocco's dervish into them, instead of obliteration.
On an elec armor, the extra regen will help a lot, both during, and when energize is down. There's 18% acc bonus in those two powers, and 6% negative energy resistance which is where elec armor is weak at. If you 5 slot you're also getting 6.26% aoe defense. And for the stat's you need can also put the damage proc from sciroccos dervish in both damage auras.
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Originally Posted by Exxar
Some general advice on powers:
Lightning Field - a must have power, it contributes great damage and you won't have endurance problems because of Power Sink and Energize. Grounded - optional with -KB IOs, but a great place to put the Steadfast +3% def IO. Energize - frankenslot it with 4 heal/recharge IOs or put 5 Doctored Wounds in it. Fire it off as necessary as a heal, and since that will be often enough you'll have decent mileage out of its end redux. Power Sink - slot it with 4 Performance Shifters and together with Energize watch all of your endurance problems disappear, provided you took Stamina. Combat jumping - put a LotG +rech in it and it will provide you with +2% defense to everything. I consder it an essential power on all brutes and scrappers because of that, and the fact that you can stuff Zephyr into it (which you should, at least two of them). Travel power - put the entire Zephyr inside. Very nice set bonuses, not to mention additional KB protection. Stamina - if you can spare 4 slots, put 4 Performance Shifters inside, including the proc. If not, 3-slot it with the Perf proc and 2 lvl 50 endmod IOs. The proc is better then a third endmod IO, and even on par with the first one as well as being immune to recovery debuffs. Health - for the Miracle and Numina uniques, in that order. Unless you have enough end ofcourse. Fighting pool - if you're going for typed instead of positional defenses, you'll want to stuff 4 Kinetic Combats into boxing as a mule. Tough and Weave are nobrainers, put a fourpack of LotG into the latter (including the +rech one) to get a nice accuracy bonus, but you can skimp on the 4th slot if you really can't spare any. Tough gets 4 Reactive Armors if you're going for typed defense, or 5 Aegis if you're going positional. Now, on to some specifics of your last build. Titanium coating is usually not worth slotting for +hp from my experience since there are plenty other sets that provide that 1.5% bonus in addition to the stuff you also want from them. Move that Steadfast from Charged Armor over to Grounded. That IO in Grounded is giving you almost nothing, and you'll be able to stuff something nicer in Charged Armor. Lightning field - erm, what are you trying to pull here? You can get better AoE bonuses elsewhere, so you can stuff Obliteration inside for +def to melee and +recharge. Energy Manipulator proc... Really, get Obliteration inside and don't worry about end usage, you have Power Sink and Energize, remember? Power Sink - No. Will not do. You need as much recharge in there as possible - see my guidelines above. Power Surge - In my experience it is better to replace it with another power, even just for muling sets, as it doesn't get much mileage. If it does, you have wrongly built your toon :P Ancillary Pool - If you need to hold something with Petrifying gaze that means you're doing something very very wrong since you could already have killed it. Dark Blast - I can see you picking this power if you want to have a bit better single-target efficiency than the standard Spines/ scrapper. In my opinion you go Spines/ if you want to be an AoE deathmachine so stick with the concept. You can go Body Mastery for Perfection of Body (although I don't see it of much use here because of /Elec) or try to stuff in Fireball. Otherwise, rearrange those two power and slot picks for better set bonuses. Static Shield - ... yeah. Get it at 10 and stuff in a useful resistance set. I'll post an example build if I get the time. |
Few things.
Stamina and Power sink, you'll want efficacy adaptors, not performance shifters. You won't be needing the extra 1% recovery that performance shifter gives. And adding up the 10% regen bonuses is more useful than going from 1.88% to 1.13% max hp bonus.
They are also cheaper as an added bonus.
Energize, you can do 5 doctored wounds. I prefer 3 numinas and 3 triage. Maxing heal/rech stats on the power, and granting 16% regeneration bonus, and 2.63% max hp bonus.
Physical perfection can definitely still be worth it. Not worrying about the recovery it gives, but slotting it for the regen, and also using numinas. 4 slot PP with 3 level 50, or 3 level 40 (exemplaring) and 1 level 50 common heal IO for the 1.88% max hp bonus and 12% regeneration bonus as well.
Back to power sink, you don't need "as much rech as possible" Definitely try to get good recharge on it, but 4 efficacy adaptors with the rech ones in there is 74.2% recharge on power sink, and capped on end mod. Meaning its going to recharge without any set bonuses or hasten, in roughly 37 seconds or so IIRC, max recharge about 31/32 seconds. Now add recharge bonuses and hasten, and the difference in seconds lost by not capping its recharge is pretty negligible. Especially considering with full end every 30 seconds, along with energize, and any end redux and set bonuses the build will probably have is more than enough.
Capped end mod on it also means its much more useful for things like AV battles. If you go the physical perfection route you'll need to use it even less. Which additionally i'd put the numina unique into health for the regen, the recovery is bonus. But i would definitely not even bother with the miracle unique in it.
Also if you go the physical perfection route. Pick up focused accuracy, its the best place to 6 slot the gaussians set to get the 2.5% defense bonus to all 3 positional defense types, in addition to the other bonuses it provides like the 2.5% damage and recovery buff, and the 1.88% max hp buff.
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And Im just speaking from the Realm of Min-Maxing. When youre IOd to the point that it takes two seconds for your Throw Spines to recharge and having Build Up Available for the start of every group and then some, the Damage Auras might be pointless.|
Originally Posted by Windenergy21
Which you can do with a spines/elec too with a kin. I see where you are coming from for sure, but it also depends on what enemies you are fighting, got two bosses? When slotted for enough end redux it becomes worth it even then. With elec, having extremely good end management, its even added DPS when facing just a single boss or lt even.
I'm not saying hero stats is the end all, but i've easily been in any situation where the damgae auras helped. Even on my spine/inv i IOd for farming, quills helps to take out enemies. And as invuln with no extra endurance power like elec armor has, and he has no end problems at all. So when its all extra for you, not to mention set bonuses , it just adds to your efficiency. |
I also said its something that a player should decide for themselves and that for farming (Especially with a Kin) The Auras are useful, for PvE they are less useful.
And you can get set bonuses yes, but you could easy trade the Damage Auras for an Epic and Third AoE or more survivability if youre attempting to squeeze them all in on top of Tough-Weave-Stamina-Travel Power and the useful spines abilities.
Skipping damage auras seems like a terrible choice to me, especially on a build like ELA where the endurance cost isn't a concern even with SOs. I can't find any compelling reason to skip a power that does damage free of any activation time.
Yeah. It's one of the reasons I'd pick spines in the first place, besides them looking so good now.
Outstanding thread and many thanks to everyone that contributed before this post! So much food for thought!
Now, here's a question: How crazy would it be to build with a focus on high regen and recharge without adding defense bonuses?
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I mostly play blasters so I'm definitely not an expert, but I'd assume the defense would be preferable. The reason why is that the AoE & cones will be drawing a fair amount of aggro so even a little bit of defense will go a long way. If a lot more mobs are attacking you then that means that more are hitting you, alpha-style. All the regen & resistance in the world won't help if they all hit you. 
And I agree and want to thank everyone as well. This is the most helpful thread I've ever been a part of. My Spine/Elec is lv 10 now and I'm really enjoying him so far. I've been following the latest build that I posted on the previous page.
I have a 29 so its far from finished, but this is also my 4th spiner 
The way I see it is both damage auras strike for 50 hp every 2 seconds to all in group...that to me seems to be a signature spine move (the auras). My personal opinion is if you are going to get a spiner, then play it for what it is...a kill all toon..taking spines without the Auras seems to be a lot of damage you are missing out on..Now like the one man said, sure you can do without it, but its much more than killing a sliver of health..especially when that sliver of health determines if you live or faceplant..
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A couple of this, a couple of that.
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The set bonuses I get from either dark blast or nightfall aren't that stupendous. And, while I like nightfall a lot with other characters, I'll already have a bunch of cones, aoe, and 2 auras. I suppose survivability will definitely be a factor in regard to aggro, too. I'll have to think about that. I'd kind of like to put a kismet: 6% to-hit in there somewhere, too, now that you mention cj...
Edit: good thinking with +rech on power sink. That makes more sense.
Also, If you are taking grounded you won't need the steadfast kb IO. I'm not entirely sure how long groundeds -kb effect lasts when jumping but at level 50 on test i never got KBd once and my toon is a cj + hurdle movement guy.
If you insist on putting it in, take it out of charged armor, and put it into grounded. You'll want charged armor maxed on resistance values. And if anything if you were going for some bonus defense. put the steadfast res/3% defense IO. That way you cap resistance value on charged armor and get 3% defense to all as well.
Plasmic's Guide to Sonic/Mental
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Plasmic Fire - 50 Fire/Rad Victory Server