What works best with Assault Rifle?
By
Another_Fan,
Posted on: 2010-01-01 20:45 in Archetypes and Powers General Discussion
My opinion based on having multiple AR characters:
Blaster
AR/Energy = Boost range and AR cones
AR/Ice = Very strong synergy. Ice manipulation provides great mitigation tools and build up. Slows in secondary allows for slow animating AR attacks to function well.
AR/Devices*
(* = acquired taste, different playstyle, mostly solo)
Corruptor
AR/Cold = AoEs + sleet
AR/Rad = AoEs + EF and a self heal/AM
AR/Dark = AoEs + tar patch
Defender
Traps/AR = Thematic and AoEs + Acid Mortar
Cold/AR = See above for corruptor
Sonic/AR**
(** = Heavily IO'ed build that caps smash/lethal resistance along with soft capped range/AoE defense)
Again, this is just opinion. Other players will probably cite different reasons, and based on playstyle, their reasoning is probably just as valid as mine.
If you don't mind somewhat lower damage, Force Field also can work well with AR.
After you're done bubbling your teammates, there's very little redraw And once you hit 32, you can pick up Force Bubble. Pop it on, push the foes into a corner, then sit back and fire off your AoEs.
Head of TRICK, the all Trick Arrow and Traps SG
Part of the Repeat Offenders
Still waiting for his Official BackAlleyBrawler No-Prize
Well, my Blaster is AR/Fire, though lately I've respeced out of most of the Fire powers and focused on the AR side, with the fire attacks for melee finishing moves. It's an acquired taste probably, but it was true to my character concept and I love all the damage.
Blaster is AR/Energy by a long shot.. 
Boost Range is a HUGE enhancement to all the cone attacks that AR has available and really turns it into an AOE monster. On top of that, the Energy melee attacks help make up for AR's general lack of single-target damage.
Storm might be a good option.
I have a long experience with AR/Device. I found the combo very enjoyable, but as mentionned above, its an aqcuired taste. Many find the powers of Device to be lacking, but the AR/Device works very well because of one thing: Caltrops.
The thing is, AR have quantities of slow firing AoEs.
So any thing that will, 1st: keep baddies at bay and/or bunched up and 2nd: Disrupt their actions by AI modidfication (fear effect) or Knockdown, will be a godsend to an AR blaster. Caltrops accomplish both.
With that simple idea in mind, plenty of the AR comboes possible since proliferation sounds effective to me. AR/Storm (Freezing Rain), /Ice (Ice Patch), /Dark (Tar Patch) all have a caltrops-like power. /Force Field's Force Bubble sounds interesting if one can build enough self defense %'s with IOs.
What i mean to say is that ability is cornerstone to any *soloing* AR in my book. I'd recommend filtering the diffenrent comboes that provides that, then choose the one that have other powers you would like in *teams*.
One thing I always like to consider with blasters is actually control, as I want to be able to solo with them well (you can generally be a great teammate for damage with any combo, or so I have found). Given that, AR/En worked great for me. The KB from AR helps in most encounters, but for bosses, I can use Beanbag and Stun to take a boss out of the fight. The hard hitting ST attacks in Energy Melee are a nice compliment to all the aoe in the Assault Rifle set as well.
And that's without getting into Power Boost and Boost Range, which can be nice for a lot of the powers in both sets.
Guide: Tanking, Wall of Fire Style (Updated for I19!), and the Four Rules of Tanking
Story Arc: Belated Justice, #88003
Synopsis: Explore the fine line between justice and vengeance as you help a hero of Talos Island bring his friend's murderer to justice.
Grey Pilgrim: Fire/Fire Tanker (50), Victory
I took a corr to 50 with AR/Traps. Really good time, setting up a bunch of mines with a poison trap in the middle for anyone who doesn't get KB'd, then unload a full auto once they're all backwards blasted, it's fun.
I've got a 50 AR/Mental and every level was crazy fun. The four cones + M30 Grenade are so satisfying to fire off... and /Mental has all sorts of little tricks to it that make it a blast.
As a Corruptor or Defender, though, I have no idea. That's just my experience.
Wild Streak - Lv. 50(+3) Beast Mastery/Sonic Resonance Mastermind, Amnesty - Lv. 50 Staff Fighting/Dark Armor Stalker
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I tried the same combination and hated it. I leveled it to level 38 and deleted it. It's a great teaming toon, awful for soloing. Again, purely my opinion. I'm pretty particular about what characters should be able to accomplish at certain levels, and AR/Mental didn't cut the mustard. Strangely, my AR/Ice and a Rad/Mental both succeeded where AR/Mental failed.
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Originally Posted by Coldcrash
I've got a 50 AR/Mental and every level was crazy fun. The four cones + M30 Grenade are so satisfying to fire off... and /Mental has all sorts of little tricks to it that make it a blast.
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Ar/ment == win. I haven't tried every AR combo to 50 but this one just flys. |
Originally Posted by Coldcrash
I've got a 50 AR/Mental and every level was crazy fun. The four cones + M30 Grenade are so satisfying to fire off... and /Mental has all sorts of little tricks to it that make it a blast.
As a Corruptor or Defender, though, I have no idea. That's just my experience. |
Subdual + Ignite = dead bosses and or avs
drain psyche + TK thrust + Psychic shockwave + World of Confusion = melee fun
Psy scream + buckshot + Full auto = farming fun
Some like EM with AR , I just cant see taking a secondary for one synergy. Especially when its easy enough to build around
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LOL the same way coffee beans that have been processed through a lemurs colon is an acquired taste.|
Originally Posted by Fury Flechette
My opinion based on having multiple AR characters:
AR/Devices* (* = acquired taste, different playstyle, mostly solo) |
400, 800 and 2500 are the magic numbers in the game minion level hp, lt level hp, boss hp, respectively. Full auto with out build up just doesnt cut it. With build up the minions are cleared a lts and bosses seriously hurt. Toss in the fact that /dev requires prep before every spawn well you have just attached a giant time sink to your play. The reason that it doesn't do well with teams is that except for certain crotoa missions and respec trials the team has killed the spawns by the time you have set your mines, caltrops and summoned the gun drone.
There is good reason devices was the set that was most resoundingly selected for complete redesign voiding the cottage rule in the recent thread on the topic. Ar + Dev is a great theme but not so hot gameplay
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There's more than one aspect to the synergy between AR & EM. Yes, Boost Range is the primary one, but as has already been mentioned, EM also gets excellent single-target damage, which AR is sorely lacking in. It also provides excellent control between Power Thrust's 100% KB and stacking stuns with AR's Beanbag and EM's Total Focus or Stun, combined with Power Boost.|
Originally Posted by Another_Fan
Some like EM with AR , I just cant see taking a secondary for one synergy. Especially when its easy enough to build around
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Even considering the range aspect only, you can't build around that, as you claim is easy. You can't get an 80' range Flamethrower or a 130' range Full Auto by slotting Range enhancements.
Bullets.
@Quantum Evil Rad/Rad Corruptor
Making the world safe for maleficent particles since 2004.
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1st let me address the claim I didn't make and exists only in your head. I didn't say can build ultra long attacks in AR without boost range, I said you can build around range in AR. Anyone who has played AR knows ,AR has a glaring issue in that the cone come in all different ranges and it can be hard to leverage them solo (teamed it becomes a non issue). If you don't take some relatively easy steps it will be very hard to lay the cones over the mobs. Boost range is one way to work around that, but others are easy enough. |
Originally Posted by Panzerwaffen
There's more than one aspect to the synergy between AR & EM. Yes, Boost Range is the primary one, but as has already been mentioned, EM also gets excellent single-target damage, which AR is sorely lacking in. It also provides excellent control between Power Thrust's 100% KB and stacking stuns with AR's Beanbag and EM's Total Focus or Stun, combined with Power Boost.
Even considering the range aspect only, you can't build around that, as you claim is easy. You can't get an 80' range Flamethrower or a 130' range Full Auto by slotting Range enhancements. |
I really don't consider melee range single target damage a synergy with a cone heavy set. Sure it can come in handy and its by no means a bad thing, its just not as good as other things. An immobilize any immobilize has fantastic synergy with ignite, slows will prevent the mobs from getting to you. If you want ST and stuns /elec is probably a better chaice anyway as it has an aoe stun, or you can have a confused spawn killing each other, while they feed your endurance and hitpoints.
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Seconding this post. My own AR/MM is a murderous deathmachine and has been from the getgo. All kinds of tools at your disposal and AoE like nobody's business. The only complaint I have about the combo is that it ruined all other blaster sets for me |
Originally Posted by Coldcrash
I've got a 50 AR/Mental and every level was crazy fun. The four cones + M30 Grenade are so satisfying to fire off... and /Mental has all sorts of little tricks to it that make it a blast.
As a Corruptor or Defender, though, I have no idea. That's just my experience. |
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Dude, what is with the hostility here? Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, or do you just not get along well with others?
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Originally Posted by Another_Fan
1st let me address the claim I didn't make and exists only in your head.
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Trying to take taunt in a blaster thread ? |
Originally Posted by Panzerwaffen
Dude, what is with the hostility here? Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, or do you just not get along well with others?
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If you want to put words in someones mouth expect to be corrected, if you don't like being corrected don't do it. Cause and effect, not hostility.
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You do have to get used to the cones, but I wouldn't say they're hard to leverage, either. It might be a bit more tricky if you want to be a hover Blaster, but using Combat Jumping + Hurdle makes things pretty easy for my AR Blaster. I usually use Buckshot as an attack for anything that wasn't killed or knocked back by my opening salvo (oftentimes M80 followed by Full Auto). Not too much work to do that, especially if you're adjusting for Full Auto or Flamethrower already, which you should.|
Originally Posted by Another_Fan
Anyone who has played AR knows ,AR has a glaring issue in that the cone come in all different ranges and it can be hard to leverage them solo (teamed it becomes a non issue). If you don't take some relatively easy steps it will be very hard to lay the cones over the mobs. Boost range is one way to work around that, but others are easy enough.
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| I really don't consider melee range single target damage a synergy with a cone heavy set. Sure it can come in handy and its by no means a bad thing, its just not as good as other things. An immobilize any immobilize has fantastic synergy with ignite, slows will prevent the mobs from getting to you. If you want ST and stuns /elec is probably a better chaice anyway as it has an aoe stun, or you can have a confused spawn killing each other, while they feed your endurance and hitpoints. |
At any rate, AR can work with a few different approaches: Energy Melee is definitely one of them.
Guide: Tanking, Wall of Fire Style (Updated for I19!), and the Four Rules of Tanking
Story Arc: Belated Justice, #88003
Synopsis: Explore the fine line between justice and vengeance as you help a hero of Talos Island bring his friend's murderer to justice.
Grey Pilgrim: Fire/Fire Tanker (50), Victory
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Completely Agree AR works well with most things. The OP was looking for best and given the tone of his post best would be something that would hold his interest while leveling it up.
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Originally Posted by Grey Pilgrim
You do have to get used to the cones, but I wouldn't say they're hard to leverage, either. It might be a bit more tricky if you want to be a hover Blaster, but using Combat Jumping + Hurdle makes things pretty easy for my AR Blaster. I usually use Buckshot as an attack for anything that wasn't killed or knocked back by my opening salvo (oftentimes M80 followed by Full Auto). Not too much work to do that, especially if you're adjusting for Full Auto or Flamethrower already, which you should.
I would also say it depends on your pairing. AR/EN works very well as a Blapper: go to town with your cones and mop up as needed. Sometimes that will require getting up close, especially for bosses. I've teamed and soloed quite a bit with mine and it really does work. I've recently tried utilizing Ignite with Cryo Freeze Ray, but it doesn't really work better than leaping in quickly and dropping my target with ST attacks. At any rate, AR can work with a few different approaches: Energy Melee is definitely one of them. |
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Have you actually played AR/Dev, or are you just quoting numbers from Mids'? Try this: find a spawn with one LT and a bunch of minions. Snipe the LT, follow up with Full Auto, and move on to the next spawn. Or drop a trip mine for the 27% Defiance boost, fire off Full Auto, and finish off the LT.
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Originally Posted by Another_Fan
400, 800 and 2500 are the magic numbers in the game minion level hp, lt level hp, boss hp, respectively. Full auto with out build up just doesnt cut it. With build up the minions are cleared a lts and bosses seriously hurt. Toss in the fact that /dev requires prep before every spawn well you have just attached a giant time sink to your play. The reason that it doesn't do well with teams is that except for certain crotoa missions and respec trials the team has killed the spawns by the time you have set your mines, caltrops and summoned the gun drone.
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What level is your AR/Dev blaster? *crickets in the background* Yeah, I thought so.
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Originally Posted by Another_Fan
LOL the same way coffee beans that have been processed through a lemurs colon is an acquired taste.
400, 800 and 2500 are the magic numbers in the game minion level hp, lt level hp, boss hp, respectively. Full auto with out build up just doesnt cut it. With build up the minions are cleared a lts and bosses seriously hurt. Toss in the fact that /dev requires prep before every spawn well you have just attached a giant time sink to your play. The reason that it doesn't do well with teams is that except for certain crotoa missions and respec trials the team has killed the spawns by the time you have set your mines, caltrops and summoned the gun drone. There is good reason devices was the set that was most resoundingly selected for complete redesign voiding the cottage rule in the recent thread on the topic. Ar + Dev is a great theme but not so hot gameplay |
Whoa... more of a response than anticipated...
Anyway, I did consider both /Devices and Traps, but they don't mesh well with my play style - to much set up to do. I love Traps on a Mastermind, but I'm pretty sure it would drive me batty on a Defender or Corruptor.
I'm going to try out both an AR/Energy Manipulation blaster, and an AR/Mental Manipulation blaster, and see which I prefer.
Thanks, all!
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It might also depend on your playstyle. My first blaster at 50 was an Arch/Dev, and he did great as a hover blaster. He used Devices and his archery powers to keep foes out of range or sorry that they got close. He also used Stunning Shot and Taser to keep hovering out of range but also to keep a boss out of a fight.
My AR/En, as described earlier, is much more frenetic. With Combat Jumping + Hurdle + Movement bonuses, he leaps about like crazy, sometimes getting out of range, sometimes getting in close to pound the snot out of a hapless target.
Both approaches can be quite fun, and I enjoyed both immensely. Though some might prefer one over the other. At any rate, have fun!
The only thing I would recommend most is to get Burst, Slug, and Buckshot early on... Buckshot works as an ST attack in a pinch and keeps targets out of close range. I started off with M80, and its recharge is really long, which made my guy feel a little slow at first (you can almost get a ghetto ST chain out of Burst and Slug later on, but it's hard to get that recharge at early levels). Once I picked up Buckshot, I realized how fast, dynamic, and hard-hitting AR could be. Good stuff!
Guide: Tanking, Wall of Fire Style (Updated for I19!), and the Four Rules of Tanking
Story Arc: Belated Justice, #88003
Synopsis: Explore the fine line between justice and vengeance as you help a hero of Talos Island bring his friend's murderer to justice.
Grey Pilgrim: Fire/Fire Tanker (50), Victory
Dang Altitis... How I ever managed to get any 50s with it is beyond me...
Okay, so... just like it says on the tin. What works best with Assault Rifle?
And I'm not asking for any particular AT. I mean, across all the ATs that can use the Assault Rifle. (Well, okay, not a Merc/ Mastermind.)
Which Blaster Secondaries are good? Which Corruptor Secondaries are good? And Defender Primaries? (Not that I think the last two lists will be all that different.)
Thanks, all.
-This Space Intentionally Left Blank.-