Quote:
Dark armor arguably sees the largest improvement in survivability on a limited budget, compared to the other secondaries (barring a very build restrictive cheap softcapped SR). It's much easier to slot death shroud, dark regeneration, and cloak of fear for multiple aspects without sacrificing endurance reduction when frankenslotting. |
Originally Posted by StrykerX
How well does /Dark Armor compare to te other Scrapper defenses on a moderate IO build? Can you handle the heavy endurance usage with just Stamina and frankenslotting / mid-range sets, or are recovery uniques pretty much required?
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Uniques were never required, they just make the build a bit more enjoyable. From my experience with a spines/dark, the ability to use mutli-type IO enhancements had a larger impact than the uniques did.
Leveling the character, my endurance problems stemmed from my inability to properly slot to maximize AE and single-target DPS. I found myself sucking a lot of wind while soloing bosses on my AE-centric build. No uniques affected that.
I may try something like this if I can afford it:
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.601
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Level 50 Technology Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Spines
Secondary Power Set: Dark Armor
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Body Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Lunge -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(7), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(15), B'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg(36), B'ngBlow-Dmg/EndRdx(43)
Level 1: Dark Embrace -- ImpArm-ResDam(A), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(3), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(7), ImpArm-EndRdx/Rchg(15), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(36), S'fstPrt-ResKB(40)
Level 2: Spine Burst -- Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(A), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(5), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(9), Oblit-Dmg(17), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(37), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43)
Level 4: Murky Cloud -- ImpArm-ResDam(A), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(5), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(9), ImpArm-EndRdx/Rchg(17), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(37)
Level 6: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 8: Impale -- Decim-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(A), Decim-Dmg/Rchg(11), Decim-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(11), Decim-Acc/Dmg(19), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43)
Level 10: Obsidian Shield -- ImpArm-ResDam(A), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(13), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(13), ImpArm-EndRdx/Rchg(19), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(40)
Level 12: Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(40), RechRdx-I(45)
Level 14: Combat Jumping -- Ksmt-ToHit+(A)
Level 16: Dark Regeneration -- Nictus-Acc/Heal(A), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(21), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(21), H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx(23), H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(23), Theft-+End%(25)
Level 18: Health -- Mrcl-Heal(A), Mrcl-Heal/Rchg(50), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx(50)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(25), EndMod-I(27), P'Shift-End%(42)
Level 22: Quills -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(27), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(29), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(46), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(48)
Level 24: Death Shroud -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(31), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(31), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(31), M'Strk-Acc/EndRdx(42), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx(46)
Level 26: Ripper -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(33), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(33), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(48), KinCrsh-Rechg/EndRdx(48)
Level 28: Cloak of Fear -- Abys-EndRdx/Fear(A), Abys-Acc/EndRdx(42), Abys-Acc/Fear/Rchg(50)
Level 30: Super Jump -- Jump-I(A)
Level 32: Throw Spines -- AirB'st-Dmg/Rchg(A), Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(34), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(34), Dmg-I(34), RechRdx-I(36), TmpRdns-Acc/EndRdx(46)
Level 35: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 38: Tough -- ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpArm-ResDam(39), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(39), ImpArm-EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 41: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 44: Physical Perfection -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(45), P'Shift-End%(45)
Level 47: Cloak of Darkness -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 49: Oppressive Gloom -- Acc-I(A)
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Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit
3.52 end / sec recovery (without uniques) and two Performance Shifter procs plus 11% +endurance should be plenty of juice, and I'll have 15% +damage and good accuracy. It's a more expensive build than I'd initially planned on, but I think I can afford it (depending on what non-quad Obliteration IOs are going for these days). No global recharge, but I think I have just enough recharge slotted to use Throw Spines -> Ripper -> Impale -> Lunge for my attack chain, which does pretty good DPS against bosses. I'd be burning exactly 1 end per sec more than I regen (not counting heals) with all toggles running, so as long as I can kill bosses in 90 seconds or so I'll be fine... which should be possible with just over 140 DPS.
140 DPS vs single targets, lots of AoE, good survivability vs just about anything... yep, I think I'll try it. Won't be much of an AV soloist, but should be great against normal spawns.
Cascade, level 50 Blaster (NRG/NRG since before it was cool)
Mechmeister, level 50 Bots / Traps MM
FAR too many non-50 alts to name
[u]Arcs[u]
The Scavenger Hunt: 187076
The Instant Lair Delivery Service: 206636
How well does /Dark Armor compare to te other Scrapper defenses on a moderate IO build? Can you handle the heavy endurance usage with just Stamina and frankenslotting / mid-range sets, or are recovery uniques pretty much required? I'm assuming I'll need to use Dark Regeneration fairly often, with the moderate resists and Cloak of Fear or Oppressive Gloom keeping me alive until it recharges (plus the high mitigation of killing everything in a massive AoE blitz that Spines gives
) Softcapping defense doesn't seem to be a real option even with a high budget, so it looks like the strategy is to use resists to survive an alpha, pop Dark Regeneration, and then try to keep things feared or stunned with your toggles.
I've heard very good things about high-end Spines/Dark builds, but how does it compare to Spines/Willpower or Spines/Regen on a sub-100 million budget? For that matter, it looks like Spines/Invul could be softcapped for S/L defense rather cheaply and with Aid Self that could be nasty...
Cascade, level 50 Blaster (NRG/NRG since before it was cool)
Mechmeister, level 50 Bots / Traps MM
FAR too many non-50 alts to name
[u]Arcs[u]
The Scavenger Hunt: 187076
The Instant Lair Delivery Service: 206636