Shields Question
By
Aett_Thorn,
Posted on: 2010-02-18 07:05 in Archetypes and Powers General Discussion
It's a pretty decent set, with a lot of tricks up it's sleeve. Granted, it's not as survivable as some other sets, like WP or Invuln, but it can get the job done, especially as a scrapper.
This is especially true since you'll get a decent return from Against All Odds in the +DMG area, which will work nicely with your primary.
The problem of the set, when you're not at the soft cap for Defense, is that you don't have a heal, so any damage that does come through can be problematic. However, that's not such a huge concern if you can defeat your enemies fast enough. Shield Charge can be a good opener, and help you avoid some of the alpha strike, which is a big help.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
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Interesting. Thanks Aett. I think I have me a new toon...|
Originally Posted by Aett_Thorn
It's a pretty decent set, with a lot of tricks up it's sleeve. Granted, it's not as survivable as some other sets, like WP or Invuln, but it can get the job done, especially as a scrapper.
This is especially true since you'll get a decent return from Against All Odds in the +DMG area, which will work nicely with your primary. The problem of the set, when you're not at the soft cap for Defense, is that you don't have a heal, so any damage that does come through can be problematic. However, that's not such a huge concern if you can defeat your enemies fast enough. Shield Charge can be a good opener, and help you avoid some of the alpha strike, which is a big help. |
SD
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A Shield Tank is very easy to softcap and does very good damage.|
Originally Posted by SinisterDirge
How survivable is a shield toon(scrapper for sake of argument) without being softcapped? How does it measure up to say fire? I understand, it is kinda like comparing apples to oranges, however, I dont want to lvl up a shield toon, build for softcap, then get all indignant when the availability to have a softcapped toon gets "adjusted".
I guess I am asking if it is a good all around set, or only nice when softcapped? Thank you, SD |
SR for a scrapper is the easiest to softcap on a scrapper - obviously no damage buff or Shield Charge but very survivable, so with say FM good damage too.
Both can be capped with standard L50 IOs, a set of Gaussians and the Def/Res Unique.
L50s: Tanks: Cryofission - Ice/EM - Dr Celsius - Fire/Ice - Saint George - SD/SS | Controllers: Psichosis - Ill/Kin - Major Chaos - Ill/Stm | Scrappers - Neutron Crusader - DM/SR
Currently Levelling: Angelic Blade - BS/WP Scrapper | Seeds of Destruction - Plant/Kin Controller
It's pretty survivable and a lot of fun. Usually my MA/SD scrapper will do the following:
1.) Focus Chi
2.) Shield Charge
3.) Dragons Tail
4.) Crane kick to the (usually) one survivor
5.) Move on to the next group undamaged.
Good times.
"...freedom isn't a commodity to compromise." -- Captain America, New Avengers #21
Guide to Base Teleporters
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Thank you. Again, I am not trying to softcap. It will turn into a crutch for me. I would be very surprised if the ability to softcap every freaking toon in this game does not get adjusted. I would rather not use it to hold up my toon.|
Originally Posted by Psiphon
A Shield Tank is very easy to softcap and does very good damage.
SR for a scrapper is the easiest to softcap on a scrapper - obviously no damage buff or Shield Charge but very survivable, so with say FM good damage too. Both can be capped with standard L50 IOs, a set of Gaussians and the Def/Res Unique. |
I am not shaking my finger at anyone else, more power to you. I just remember how much my nose got out of joint when burn, ih, ih, ih (did I say ih?) were adjusted.
SD
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Nice. I'm drooling a little bit at the thought of a saturated aao and then soul drain, shield charge. and mg the boss. Toss in a siphon life and dark consumption as needed, and corner pull to shadow maul on occasion.
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Originally Posted by CaptA
It's pretty survivable and a lot of fun. Usually my MA/SD scrapper will do the following:
1.) Focus Chi 2.) Shield Charge 3.) Dragons Tail 4.) Crane kick to the (usually) one survivor 5.) Move on to the next group undamaged. Good times. |
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If the group you're facing is very dangerous, then opening with Shield Charge is indeed a good way to go. However, if you can withstand their alpha it's better to jump into them and wait for a beat or two before using Shield Charge; it's less sexeh than teleporting in and knocking them all unawares onto their butts, but this allows Against All Odds to saturate and ramp up your damage.
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Originally Posted by Aett_Thorn
Shield Charge can be a good opener, and help you avoid some of the alpha strike, which is a big help.
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Freedom: Blazing Larb, Fiery Fulcrum, Sardan Reborn, Arctic-Frenzy, Wasabi Sam, Mr Smashtastic.
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Just a note: Even IF the Devs do do something about the ability to soft-cap every character to at least some type of Defense (and that's a very big IF at this point), I highly doubt that it will do much to the ability of a melee character, with a Defense-oriented primary or secondary, to be able to hit the soft cap.
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Originally Posted by SinisterDirge
Thank you. Again, I am not trying to softcap. It will turn into a crutch for me. I would be very surprised if the ability to softcap every freaking toon in this game does not get adjusted. I would rather not use it to hold up my toon.
I am not shaking my finger at anyone else, more power to you. I just remember how much my nose got out of joint when burn, ih, ih, ih (did I say ih?) were adjusted. SD |
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
I took a MA/SD scrapper to lvl 50 in no time. He was a very entertaining toon and was very easy to soft cap as well. And now you can switch your kick attacks to punches because of i16! Ah, the little things in life...
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That's why I suggested these builds - they are so easy to softcap that the dev's would need to remove pretty much all defence bonuses from the IO sets to stop you capping.|
Originally Posted by SinisterDirge
Thank you. Again, I am not trying to softcap. It will turn into a crutch for me. I would be very surprised if the ability to softcap every freaking toon in this game does not get adjusted. I would rather not use it to hold up my toon.
I am not shaking my finger at anyone else, more power to you. I just remember how much my nose got out of joint when burn, ih, ih, ih (did I say ih?) were adjusted. SD |
The reason I made an SD tank and not a scrapper was the ease of softcapping - go for an SD/SS tank. Very easy to softcap and great damage.
L50s: Tanks: Cryofission - Ice/EM - Dr Celsius - Fire/Ice - Saint George - SD/SS | Controllers: Psichosis - Ill/Kin - Major Chaos - Ill/Stm | Scrappers - Neutron Crusader - DM/SR
Currently Levelling: Angelic Blade - BS/WP Scrapper | Seeds of Destruction - Plant/Kin Controller
My Shields scrappers are the least durable scrappers I've played, at least as of the late 20s (although I confess I have yet to take a serious crack at fire, so I couldn't compare there). Low defense values from each power combined with mediocre-at-best debuff resistance means that swords or guns trivially strip defense down into the negatives.
On the other hand, their offense is completely ridiculous. You gain some, you lose some.
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Fair point.|
Originally Posted by Aett_Thorn
Just a note: Even IF the Devs do do something about the ability to soft-cap every character to at least some type of Defense (and that's a very big IF at this point), I highly doubt that it will do much to the ability of a melee character, with a Defense-oriented primary or secondary, to be able to hit the soft cap.
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Originally Posted by Psiphon
That's why I suggested these builds - they are so easy to softcap that the dev's would need to remove pretty much all defence bonuses from the IO sets to stop you capping.
The reason I made an SD tank and not a scrapper was the ease of softcapping - go for an SD/SS tank. Very easy to softcap and great damage. |
Can anyone tell me how shield charge synergizes with fury?
Like I dont have enough alts...
SD
How does Shield Charge synergize with Fury? Well, it'll almost always be damage-capped due to the pet damage cap being +300% - but since Brutes get the absolute weakest version of it, they'll still tend to do less damage than anyone else. A Scrapper using Build Up with 2 even-level SOs slotted will do roughly the same damage as a Brute using Shield Charge at that version's damage cap.
And if you want to compare to Tankers, my Shield/SS Tanker is regularly capped on damage (after slotting) when using Shield Charge (yay for 2x Rage + AAO).
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Originally Posted by PleaseRecycle
it has gone from unconscionable to downright appalling that we have no way of measuring our characters' wetness.
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Originally Posted by Brillig
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Not sure about un soft capped, but soft capped is the way to go for me. This was my first toon to ever try to soft cap and he's a beast. It's lovely to stand in mobs of 0x8 as long as you want for AAO, then SC+LR=all dead. lol. Soloable up to +4x8 with no bosses easily.
My next one is gonna be a SD/SS tank but i may not like if the def is just as good and the damage is more on my scrapper.
Question. Is soft capped on a scrap = to soft capped on a tank? Cept for tanks get more hp?
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It's pretty nice. Soul Drain + Shield Charge is essentially a crashless Nuke. The only downside is they're not both recharged for every mob. Pretty much because you are tearing though mobs so fast.
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Originally Posted by SinisterDirge
Nice. I'm drooling a little bit at the thought of a saturated aao and then soul drain, shield charge. and mg the boss. Toss in a siphon life and dark consumption as needed, and corner pull to shadow maul on occasion.
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Stay Gold, Paragon. Stay Gold.
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.
How survivable is a shield toon(scrapper for sake of argument) without being softcapped? How does it measure up to say fire? I understand, it is kinda like comparing apples to oranges, however, I dont want to lvl up a shield toon, build for softcap, then get all indignant when the availability to have a softcapped toon gets "adjusted".
I guess I am asking if it is a good all around set, or only nice when softcapped?
Thank you,
SD