That's pretty much my take on them as well. Ice and Devices are probably the best mitigation sets. Devices is ok on teams, but there are a number of powers that just don't really work in a team setting.
Ice is a good set, and it does get mentioned a bit on the forums but not as much as others. I think the reason for this is that qwhile Ice is a good set people who come to the forums looking for advice are more likely to be looking for advice on builds for either teaming of farming and while Ice is fine for both it's not necessarily what a powergamer would select.
My Highest Blaster (47 Energy/Devices) was specifically designed to stay out of melee range. Basically Hover+Caltrops = melee free zone (almost).
You can drop the caltrops directly below where you are hovering.
Also you can drop the caltrops to block a hall or tunnel to keep the baddies on one side while you shoot safely from the near side. The only exceptions are Villains that fly or have resistance to movement debuffs (werewolves).
For teaming, Devices does suffer a little, since most folks dont wait around for you plant trip mines and such, but check out the guides on Devices, some of my favorite powers in devices work just fine on teams (caltrops under the squishies to protect them, trip mine at the corner where the tank is pulling to, cloaking device to stealth a mission, smoke grenade to help debuff and be stealthy, or even prevent aggro from unwanted mob groups, and web grenade to keep a nasty mob from coming after squishies (like you 
)
Finally, for Dual Pistols, I cannot think of any set that is more conceptually appropriate.
BIOSPARK :: DARKTHORN :: SKYGUARD :: WILDMAGE
HEATSINK :: FASTHAND :: POWERCELL :: RUNESTAFF
Quote:
Devices is only awkward on teams made up of Leeroy Jenkinses. Sadly, that seems to be most of them. If you can find teammates that have the patience to wait a few seconds before each spawn, it's a different story.
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Originally Posted by Harkness
*/Devices (unplayed) has always read like a solo set, awkward in teams
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Another option for devices is to out-Leroy the rest of the team. Move ahead of them and plant your mines in a good spot so they get used.
To the OP, I have a dp/nrg on test that is fun, but I only have 3 powers from it. The first kb attack, build up and boost range. Power thrust is nice if someone gets close, build up is build up, and boost range is nice for all attacks, but especially for the cone and executioners shot. Boost range also makes piercing rounds more like a snipe.
Without the melee attacks energy is definitely all about supporting the primary. Leaves lots of room for primary attacks and pool powers though.
I also have a dp/mm, but haven't played him very much. It didn't click for me as well as energy did. However, it seems like it should be a good combo.
I like the tools and tricks devices gives and miss them on my /energy, but at the same time build up and boost range are very nice. I may have to make one of each.
Quote:
Everything that's being said about Devices supports my initial impression: Nifty, but awkward on teams.|
Originally Posted by Nights_Dawn
Another option for devices is to out-Leroy the rest of the team. Move ahead of them and plant your mines in a good spot so they get used.
To the OP, I have a dp/nrg on test that is fun, but I only have 3 powers from it. The first kb attack, build up and boost range. Power thrust is nice if someone gets close, build up is build up, and boost range is nice for all attacks, but especially for the cone and executioners shot. Boost range also makes piercing rounds more like a snipe. Without the melee attacks energy is definitely all about supporting the primary. Leaves lots of room for primary attacks and pool powers though. I also have a dp/mm, but haven't played him very much. It didn't click for me as well as energy did. However, it seems like it should be a good combo. I like the tools and tricks devices gives and miss them on my /energy, but at the same time build up and boost range are very nice. I may have to make one of each. |
I've had enough bad experiences with people not waiting on the tank, and on the flipside, enough bad experiences with tanks yelling at anyone that doesn't stand exactly where they want, that Devices feels like a bit of headache. Perhaps Reside, where pulling still seems to happen, but in modern-day Blueside, it seems like a lot of effort to work around your team.
(Although an Arch/Dev might be a lot of fun if I'm prepared to do that much running around the team or spend most of my time solo.)
DP/NRG really seems to be winning out for me. It's just a pity the self-buffs cause redraw.
Most often what I do with my ar/dev on teams is just don't use my mines. I still get the benefit of cloak, targeting drone, and I use caltrops if the situation warrants.
No Build Up does leave me feeling weak at times, but fortunately AR puts up lots of orange numbers to make me feel better, and pistols is similar.
What I might do, especially for GR, is make a dp/traps corruptor instead of a dp/devices blaster. Lower damage, but more cool toys, including debuffs, and scourge is nice too. This is in addition to my planned dp/nrg though.
Regarding the redraw, it's not too bad. Boost range is every 30s when enhanced, and I find the sound it makes more annoying than the redraw. More out of combat than in it though. When in combat I am busy chaining attacks, and it doesn't get a chance to fire unless I stop queuing attacks. Then I'll slow down to let it fire at a convenient time.
Build Up is definitely worth the redraw, and again, I haven't found it annoying anyway.
I'm having a harder time solo-ing with my Blasters than my Corrs, Controllers or Defenders. I realise that I probably shouldn't be, but I typically am.
I think my problem is a lack of mitigation/control, and that I can't stay out of melee, where I die a lot. While 95% of my time is spent in teams, I like the option of playing solo, which my */Fire struggles with.
So I guess I'm saying that I need to stay out of melee
With that in mind, what advice can people give me on Secondaries? I do have Dual Pistols in mind, but I'd appreciate more general advice as well.
*/EM seemed to be focused on melee, where I died a lot (deleted early 30s)
*/NRG (unplayed) has always seemed like an odd grab-bag of powers that boost your Primary (as well offering some good melee options)
*/Devices (unplayed) has always read like a solo set, awkward in teams
*/Fire keeps me in melee where I die a lot (taken to 50, debating deletion)
*/IM (unplayed) I can see how the control in this might be great, but I don't see a lot of mention of them on here.... Why is that?
*/MM, I love, but I'm already bringing a Fire/MM up to 50, so I don't want another just yet.