Focus Chi

Has anyone went without this power?
I normally only take Build-Up powers when I'm focusing on AV builds...and I never really miss them during "regular PvE" (not taking Soul Drain on PvE builds).
Admittedly...this is only really with Dark Melee and its "hardly resisted" negative energy.

I'm worried about not taking Focus Chi because smashing damage is heavily resisted.

What are your thoughts on taking or not taking Focus Chi?

I have it on two of my four MA scrappers. On my /Regen for making sure DT takes down most mobs on my alpha for mitigating their alpha, and on my /Fire because Focus Chi + Fiery Embrace = Awesome, lots of Awesome, like 'did I just kill that whole mob with Blazing Aura and Consume' type Awesome. My /WP doesn't have it, but not for any real reason.

I don't generally go out of my way to get build-up powers either. They're nice, but I don't usually miss them that much.

I almost always take build up powers. I also sometimes forget about them and probably don't get the full usage of the power. I generally use the while AV fightin, or before using my aoe attacks. On my ma/sr, i use it then dragon's tail, then EC the first LT I see. I generally take them late in the build when I've got a good number of attacks and defense powers, usually in high 20s early 30s, and some toons as the last power pick as it requires 3 slots at the most unless your puttin a set in it.

I like this thread simply because it's reassuring to know that I'm not the only person who neglects Aim/Build Up type powers either by skipping them or taking them and forgetting to use them .

On my MA/SR, I specced into Focus Chi for a while (I'd levelled up without it) ... never got in the habit of using it, since I was always saving it for a "rainy day" against something nasty ... and simply found the power sitting unused in my tray all the time, not doing anything for me. No fault of the power, it's just that my playstyle didn't adapt to using it.

So I respec-ed out of Focus Chi and picked up Warrior's Challenge instead ... which I *do* use a lot, since the recharge time is short and there's hardly a downside to using it (aside from a slight loss of DPS). I'm much happier with the scrapper taunt than the build up power ... simply because of my scranktroller playstyle I use with NO GET HITSU.

It's the end. But the moment has been prepared for ...

Focus Chi is good for DPS and great for burst damage. I wouldn't skip it. As for usage patterns, I don't save Build Up powers for a rainy day. If I'm in a fight, I generally click on them as soon as they recharge unless I have a good reason not to (almost done with this spawn, want it for my alpha strike on the next spawn). But yeah, as people are pointing out, if it doesn't fit with your play style so sits there unused, don't waste the power pick. Pick something you WILL use.

In my opinion, no scrapper should ever skip Build-Up/Focus Chi. That's your bread & butter power for burst damage. Sure, it's only for ten-seconds, but that's 10-seconds of double damage. Even if you only use it once every minute or so, it's still nice to use to open up a can of alpha-strike, Scrapper-style.

Concerns about smashing damage being highly resisted is even more of a reason for being able to double your damage once every minute or so. You want to do damage, so Focus yo' Chi, and then crush your enemies, see them flee before you, and hear the laminations of their women.

Additionally, however, don't worry if smashing is heavily resisted. Katana and Broadsword also do heavily resisted Lethal damage, and they do fine. Same thing about MA, it does the damage, regardless if it's being resisted or not.

As for Redlynne's take on the power, I wouldn't recommend that view. That's not to say you still can't do it, but if you can't learn to use Focus Chi/Build Up on a scrapper, then you probably need to change sets or even ATs since you won't be hitting your damage potential. I also highly do not recommend Warrior's Challenge/Confront, from a PvE build-stand point. If you want to get single-target aggro, then hit it in the face; you don't need another power to do it for you, particularly when you got the damage potential to grab it anyway.

That said, some "non-optimized" builds are cool with me if you are building around a concept for your toon, whether performance or even RP-wise. Just be ready to state your concept if asked. Don't just make a willy-nilly build without any ideas in mind (unless you really are totally clueless on this game, but you aren't because you're posting on these forums, correct?). You'll compromise your Scrapper's strength with nothing in return.

I always take BU powers on scrappers. One simple reason: It's an awesome place for a set of Gaussian's that leaves me free to choose another Epic pool than Body.

For me, it's basically a set mule, but it's nice to have available if I want to hit something REALLY hard.

All build up powers are useful, and I would never suggest skipping them.

• They do improve DPS.
• They are a significant boost to toHit for their duration. This can be crucial for hitting through defense or toHit debuffs.
• There are times you want a burst of higher damage, DPS concerns aside. Examples would be the need to burst kill a annoying foe, such as a buffing or healing mob. BU-type powers can help ensure you defeat them too rapidly for them to do much.

I have Focus Chi on my MA/SD scrapper. I love it. I hit Focus Chi then Shield Charge into a group followed by DT = bunch of dead mobs.

I would definatly take a build-up power on anything I was using lots of AoE on. As the poster above me mentioned, it's HUGE with shield charge. But even with some of the smaller normal AoE powers it's a great way to open a fight, and also knock big chunks off the boss in each spawn.

Granted, my primary playing experience has been on Dual Blades, Claws, and Dark Melee, so I've never really had build up on a scrapper. But My blaster wouldn't leave home without it.... and I play him just like I do with my scrappers.

I only learnt to use BU regularly after playing a Stalker because you really, really want to see that BU'd AS.

It really makes a massive difference on all toons.

Huh I thought everyone took the build up powers no matter what. I could never dream of skipping it and like some others in the thread already stated I use it every time it's recharged.

Yeah, I know everyone plays differently but I can't imagine not having buildup on my scrappers. I use it as often as possible. Against high-defense enemies it's sometimes the only thing that allows me to hit them at all.

I even like it on my blasters... buildup + aim + snipe or nova is everything that makes a blaster fun to play. ^_^

Take it, but please don't set it to auto and then stand in the consignment house making the Build Up noise every 35-45 seconds. That drives me nuts -- not so much because of the noise itself, but by making me wonder who on earth would choose deprive himself/herself of the choice of when best to use BU, and instead rely on just hoping it happens to ping during a useful attack.

I can see people skipping all kinds of highly desirable powers for one reason or another. To each his own, and all kinds of oddball build strategies have proven effective even in spite of thsemselves.

That said, the highest DPS attack chains for Martial Arts have fairly high recharge requirements, and builds featuring this kind of recharge will also get a lot more uptime from Focus Chi. Thus, the more efficient your attack chain, the bigger a DPS boost Focus Chi will add to it.

So, if you're looking at a servicible, but sub-optimal, attack chain which is fun even if it produces mediocre results, then by all means skip Focus Chi, or whatever else in the MA set you don't see yourself using.

But if you want to be a powerhouse: you will take Focus Chi as soon as you have a decent attack chain to take advantage of it; you will get it to recharge as fast as you can; and you will use it whenever it's up. You won't save it for next spawn unless firing it means wasting half or more of the buff's duration on spawn-to-spawn travel.

Take it, slot it, love it, and for goodness sake use it. It will make you strong.

(Never set it to autofire, though.)

I can't imagine not taking buildup/FC on my scrappers either.

When you really, *really* want the target you're aiming for to be DEAD or nearly there (paragon protectors in last night's mission, I'm looking at you...lying on the floor, thank you!) or when you're wanting to clear the floor of mooks with an AoE, that's what it's for!