Ice/Ice blaster - fighting pool? Leadership?

Hello ladies and gentlemen. I am not a frequent blaster so I am a bit newb-ish when it comes to using pool powers. I was wondering if I should go with a the fighting pool for some mitigation and resistance. Don't get me wrong, being an ice/ice is cool because I have a number of powers at my disposal that aid in me not getting hit, but I'd like to up that percentage as much as i can. Also would the leadership pool be cool for a blasters endurance? Maybe I should just ask what pool powers would you recommend? I'm using Flight right now and I'd like to keep it. I don't have any set bonuses YET. I have about 100 mill to use so far (I know it's not alot)

Bumpity

Interesting. I actually overlooked the epic power pools. My defense would definetly be taken care of as far as blasters go. Anything else I'd just have to work on positional defense from set bonuses I'm assuming. Luckily for my I have 3 vet respecs if I need them AND of course dual builds capabilities. I only use one because I don't PvP and I don't have situational builds...it is what it is...a blaster.

I leveled to 50 on my ice blaster without ever having Ice Patch or using shiver.

I relied almost solely upon Freeze Ray and Bitter Freeze ray to nail down trouble mobs and particularly bad bosses (Gunslingers).

Any extra mitigation I wanted I got from the Ice Ancillary. And even then I didn't need it much.

Leadership is a pretty hefty end drain and the bonus from it is sorta mediocre when compared to what a defender can produce.

I went Ice/Ice/Ice - Fitness - Flight and the -only- place I encounter trouble is when there's multiple mobs who hold. Like dual Death Mages near Portal Corp.

Well Leadership is... unimpressive on a Blaster (actually it's unimpressive on most characters unless you have something to stack it with). If you do take it I'd recommend Assault and Tactics over Maneuvers but YMMV.

Fighting isn't a great pool to take on Blasters, but it can work especially if you're going to go with Ice for your Epic. It doesn't really provide a lot of mitigation but the Ice epic provides a decent chunk of S/L defense for you to build on and every bit helps (and boxing/kick provide another place to slot Kinetic Combat sets).

I wanted to see how cheaply I could get high S/L defense on my blaster. The Ice/Ice/Cold build below has 42.1% Slash/Lethal defense when Hovering and doesn't use the Leadership or Fighting pools.

The most expensive component required for defense is the Steadfast: Resist/Def. If you invest hundreds of millions in two sets of Kinetic Combat you can get the defense up to 45.8%. The Positron's Blasts are usually relatively cheap and aren't needed for the defense, so you can skimp on those if you're cash-poor.

Your biggest problem playing this type of build will be mobs that debuff defense. Since you have no defense debuff resistance you will quickly lose your defense if when you start getting hit by things like bullets and Roman swords. Your second biggest problem will be ranged attacks that aren't S/L (Carnies can be bad).

Depending on the mobs you're fighting you can solo at +0/x6 or higher with ease. My tactics include jumping into the middle of mobs and putting down an Ice Patch. That, Snowstorm and Chilling Embrace provide a lot of mitigation.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.621
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Frost Maven: Level 50 Science Blaster
Primary Power Set: Ice Blast
Secondary Power Set: Ice Manipulation
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Cold Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Ice Blast -- CtlSpd-Acc/Slow(A), CtlSpd-Dmg/Slow(3), CtlSpd-Acc/EndRdx(3), CtlSpd-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(9), Dmg-I(9), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(36)
Level 1: Chilblain -- Enf'dOp-Acc/Rchg(A), Enf'dOp-EndRdx/Immob(34), Enf'dOp-Acc/EndRdx(40), Enf'dOp-Immob/Rng(45), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob/Rchg(50), Enf'dOp-Acc/Immob(50)
Level 2: Ice Bolt -- CtlSpd-Acc/Slow(A), CtlSpd-Dmg/Slow(5), CtlSpd-Acc/EndRdx(5), CtlSpd-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(17), Dmg-I(17), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(36)
Level 4: Ice Sword -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(7), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(7), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11)
Level 6: Hover -- Krma-ResKB(A), Flight-I(43)
Level 8: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(25), RechRdx-I(25)
Level 10: Freeze Ray -- NrncSD-Acc/Rchg(A), NrncSD-EndRdx/Hold(13), NrncSD-Acc/EndRdx(13), NrncSD-Hold/Rng(15), NrncSD-Acc/Hold/Rchg(15), NrncSD-Dam%(37)
Level 12: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 14: Fly -- Flight-I(A)
Level 16: Health -- Heal-I(A)
Level 18: Bitter Ice Blast -- CtlSpd-Acc/Slow(A), CtlSpd-Dmg/Slow(19), CtlSpd-Acc/EndRdx(19), CtlSpd-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(23), Dmg-I(23), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(37)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Build Up -- Rec'dRet-ToHit(A), Rec'dRet-Pcptn(37), RechRdx-I(39), RechRdx-I(42)
Level 24: Aim -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(36)
Level 26: Chilling Embrace -- CtlSpd-Acc/EndRdx(A), CtlSpd-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(27), CtlSpd-Dmg/Slow(27), CtlSpd-Rng/Slow(31), EndRdx-I(31)
Level 28: Frozen Fists -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx(29), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg(29), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31), TmpRdns-Acc/EndRdx(34)
Level 30: Ice Patch -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 32: Ice Storm -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(33), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(33), Posi-Dmg/Rng(33), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(34)
Level 35: Combat Jumping -- Winter-ResSlow(A)
Level 38: Blizzard -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(39), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(39), Posi-Dmg/Rng(40), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40)
Level 41: Flash Freeze -- LgcRps-Acc/Rchg(A), LgcRps-EndRdx/Sleep(42), LgcRps-Acc/Sleep(42), LgcRps-Sleep/Rng(43), LgcRps-Acc/Sleep/Rchg(43)
Level 44: Frozen Armor -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(45), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(45), RedFtn-Def(46), RedFtn-EndRdx(46), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(46)
Level 47: Snow Storm -- CtlSpd-Dmg/Slow(A), CtlSpd-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(48), CtlSpd-Acc/EndRdx(48), CtlSpd-Rng/Slow(48), EndRdx-I(50)
Level 49: Hibernate -- RechRdx-I(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Defiance
Level 0: Ninja Run

Assault is a staple of force multiplication available to every character, besides, it doesn't need more slots (maybe a second endredux if your end is tight) than the first one, so you can use more slots elsewhere.

Alone one Assault might not be impressive, but stacked with other Assaults the effect is noticeable.

My level 50 Ice/Ice/Ice is built around staying at range with Hover. The single power I use most from my secondary is Shiver, which provides a huge amount of damage mitigation from its -Recharge, and it keeps foes from running away very fast so I can use my AoEs. I can hold Bosses with two ranged holds, and then I sprinkle around other holds as needed.

If I see a tough group, I will usually drop to the ground, cast an Ice Patch at a corner, then back into the air to pull around the corner. It is easy to take them down while they slip and fall.

Personally, I think Leadership and Fighting are wasted on a blaster. I would only take Leadership if I was on a special team that always plays together, where everyone has it. You have some pretty good mitigation between the holds, Shiver and the APP powers.

My Ice/Ice Blaster just hit lvl 32, and I find that I have a pretty good amount of damage mitigation with Freeze Ray, Bitter Freeze Ray, Chilling Embrace, and Ice Slick with no set bonuses yet. I am one of the many who will take a tough spawn solo by pulling them into an Ice Slick that I've hidden around a corner, then coupling it with CE to keep anyone who does stand up long enough to take a swing at me from doing so often.

I am finding that with Flight I don't have to worry much about KB, but I have to remember to turn it off before laying down an Ice Slick (not sure if you need to be on the ground to activate it or not, but rather than not being near enough to the ground, I just turn it off and then turn it back on), so I *may* respec into super speed and save up for a BotZ -KB to stick into it.

Are the Leadership and/or Fighting pools are useful on a Blaster? Honestly, this one is a matter of personal preference, I find. Leadership is a great pool to take when there are other players who take it to stack with yours or if you PvP regularly and want Tactics. Otherwise Assault is a mildly decent damage buff if you can afford a second slot in it to reduce the Endurance cost.

Fighting.... again, probably a matter of personal preference. I have never felt the need to take any part of the fighting pool on any powerset combo I have ever played in this game... and I have played a LOT of combos. However, I can see people taking it to get to Tough and/or Weave to eke out a little bit of extra Resistance and/or Defense (the Steadfast Res/Def IO fits well into Tough, obviously).

Again, to each their own, but I find that neither the Leadership nor Fighting pools are necessary with an Ice/Ice Blaster (or a E3, or a Psy/MM, or a Sonic/EM). A Fire/Fire Blaster... if you build for Recovery bonuses, then I could possibly see them being worth it to stack with whatever Ancillary PP armor you may take.