Soloing as a Blaster

Hey guys. So I just hit 21 on my DP/NRG blaster and I'm having fun. I'm now starting to get into the levels though when soling as a low defense character can be a bit harder. I don't solo 100% of the time with this guy. I'd say it's something like a 50/50 split between soloing and teaming, I just like to have to option open to me. There's a few questions I had though.

Acrobatics - should I take this power to help with the knockback and mezzers? is there a better way to take care of those? Obviously I'll be targeting mezzers first and now that we can fire off some attacks while mezzed is it even that important?

heals - should I just stay stocked up on insps or should I go for aidself? I know it's interuptable and hard to use in the midst of a battle but still. Oh and what about the chance to heal IOs. I don't plan on buying most IOs but if these are really really helpful I don't mind using my 50 to finance them.

thanks for the help,
Ice_Storm

Name of the game for a blaster is to hit hard and fast. Also, try to open with your KO powers to get mobs knocked on their back, so they're firing back at you less while you are dropping them. Then, try to set up a good chain to drop mobs as fast as you can. EM will give you some hard-hitting melee powers to throw in there when you want a really quick kill on a mob that's in your face (or you can push them back).

So, do fast and heavy damage, but fight when you are ready (e.g., if build up is about to recharge, wait a few seconds and your next fight will be much easier). Also know what your mitigation powers are and use them. Dual Pistols while solo may be best with Lethal Ammo to get KB on mobs, for instance. Use Suppressive Fire to take a lieutenant out of the equation. You can focus on the minions without the lt hitting you hard, and then you can take them out at your leisure once the minions are down.

For KB, I either slot a KB power with the KB IO set that gives you KB resist for the fourth bonus (Kinetic Crash is the set) or grab a -KB IO. You can get Acrobatics instead, but it's a power pick, somewhat high end cost to keep running, and most of the -kb recipes aren't too bad in price now (Karmas and Steadfasts). You do want to do something about kb, and any of those can work, depending on your build and money situation.

I would also recommend going for defense from an IO build on your Blasters (I usually start slotting level 30-35 recipes on my Blasters when they get to that range). It does cost more than regular SOs or IOs, but even getting your defense to about 20% to range or smash/lethal can make a noticeable difference in how long you can last in a fight. 30%-35% is even better, and good enough for most of my blasters with their other mitigation powers thrown in.

Probably good enough for now. Have fun with your Blaster: when played and built right, they can be great solo and on teams.

Acrobatics is a power I have only ever taken on my defender, and eventually he respecced out of it. The truth is, it is an expensive toggle that only does one thing, and doesnt even do it that well. Plus, you cannot slot any IO sets into it.

Aid Self, I took on my blaster, but ONLY because it fit his Tech theme. To supplement it, I also went with Power Mastery and took Personal Force Field. You could go without PFF, but I was unimpressed with the power, even with interrupt enhancers in it. It became a Pseudo-rest until I had high defense AND PFF. Even with good defense though, you will get interrupted and waste alot of time trying to fire it off.

Grey Pilgrim covered alot of tips for you, so I will only emphasize that IOs will help you immensely solo. Get +defense sets and some basic pools to help boost your solo-ability.
You could also take Tough/Weave for a little durability, but they were less impressive on my Blaster, until I took an Epic resist toggle and had over 30% ranged defense.
After level 45, I respecced out of tough/weave and went Hover/Epic toggle/Manuevers.
Then slotted the Steadfast IO into the Ancillary toggle. Didnt miss Tough or Boxing at all, especially since they turned into 2 more attacks.

Hope this helps a little

Aid self couples really well with powerboost and could be just what you need to recover your health enough to move from spawn to spawn without rest. If you need to heal in an encounter just back out of the fight for a second and duck around a wall PB->Aid Self. By time the mobs can gather up real tight on the corner you'll be there waiting for them with a full or close to full HP bar.

I personally try to avoid taking acrobatics at all costs. Slot power thrust with a cheap kinetic crash set and see if you cant slot a karma, steadfast or Zephyr -kb somewhere else on your build and call it a day.

Another option would be to take the ice epic for the s/l defense and control. With some decent slotting you can get your recharge over 80% while still being capped to S/L. You'll be able to avoid most melee attacks and many of the ranged ones. Slot Blessing of the Zephyr in your travel powers to get yourself above 20% ranged.

The only trouble with this will be concept. You can't customize epics, so you'll look like an icicle. If this bothers you I like fire and force as alternates. Fire for Rise of the Phoenix and force for an extra AOE, God Power and some resistance.

The mez will still hurt you, but at least you can fire while held now. I've never kept acrobatics in a build, not with IO's so readily available. As far as help at level 21, you can get a steadfast KB protection IO which will keep you from getting knocked down/back as much and you can team to 22. Once a blaster hits 22 the damage gets a lot better with SO's. The death of your enemies is the ultimate mitigation.

Here's a S/L softcapped blaster with recharge at 95%. The new version of Mids is giving a +40% resis bonus for some reason to my blasters, so just subtract that in the totals menu. I think I took this build from Outlaw Omega, whoever that is on the forums (thanks, works great btw). I know your primary and/or secondary may not be the same, but it will give you some ideas for slotting. I realized yesterday when I posted that you probably have no resis powers to slot a steadfast. You can slot a blessing of the zephyr knockback protection in your travel powers though. They're just a bit on the pricey side. Hope this helps

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.601
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

My Rad/Elec blaster has both AidSelf and Acrobatics. After running into mobs that deal a lot of KVB (Council) I respeced. Sure I need to use and extra power to get Aco but have SJ for movement and took Jump Kick since I do not have much in the way of melee attacks (heavy in my primary while only really have Elec Field and the end recover in my secondary).

Aidself is, like mentioned, good for between fights but have Interrupt slotted and use occasionally during battles; am a melee range type blaster. Am level 41 and have great fun when soloing; slider is only +1/x2 currently but will be upping to +1/x3 shortly.

A lot of people are giving advice for the 40+ (or 45+ for epic armor, or 50 for purples) game.

If you're going to solo a lot on the way there, it is important to know this:

You are initially doing way more damage than they have HP. They will catch up and they, in turn, will tend to do more damage than you have HP.

Blasters get their damage boosts 1) big and 2) early. Your big improvements are "DO's", "Build Up", "Aim", and "SO's" in that order. I don't want to say "it's all downhill from here on" (you have at least one big hitter power left in your primary, no?) but be aware that the game will take a turn for the ugly when soloing at some point. 22 isn't that point because you just took an ABRUPT boost in outbound damge with SO's. But it may come.

Good hunting, and remember that you're James Bond and not Colossus. Someone may put your face through a window, and it will hurt. So shoot them first and shoot them hard.