Best way to fix the endurance issues on DA is to slot the Theft of Essence: Chance For +Endurance proc into Dark Regen. It has a 20% chance per target of giving you +10 endurance, which goes a long way towards reducing or eliminating the end cost of using your heal.
http://boards.cityofheroes.com//showthread.php?t=189427
Read through the entire thread, it is full of really good advice.
Kat/Da is pretty awesome when SO'd out. It is an insane beast when properly IO'd out. I am still learning about IO sets and playing around with my build but I based most of it on that thread above and she is very impressive.
Edited to add:
a lot of the IOs I use were from drops or by being patient and not paying a lot at WW. I did trade a few merits for a couple of recipes. Even though that link lists IO builds it can give you a good idea what to slot for in each attack and toggle. You may need to play with the slotting a bit if you are going to stay away from IO sets completely.
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Not using sets makes what you're looking to do a bit trickier, but it's still manageable.|
Originally Posted by Defragment
...not have Endurance issues using only common IOs. I am not looking to set this toon out! Thank you.
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*Get the passive Accolades
*You're on the right track with Conserve Power and Physical Perfection, but they come pretty late (41 and 44 at the earliest), so you'll want to do a few other things, as well
*The general rule of thumb is "One Endurance Reduction IO=2 Endurance Modification IOs", so be sure to slot your attacks accordingly
*Manage toggles: if you're fighting mobs that just do S/L, you don't need to run Murky Cloud. I typically target E/N/F/C using enemies first, since those are the damage types I'm weakest against (Dark Embrace+Tough+Divine Avalanche makes S/L damage pretty negligible)
*Manage toggles part 2: a common mistake that /DA users make is to turn off Death Shroud when End starts to run low; it's actually more efficient to keep it on if there are >3 mobs (or so) around you, and just spam GC and DA on any hard target(s) that might be nearby.
Honestly, without set IOs, I'm not sure that you'd ever be able to really run non-stop with a Kat/DA. My specific Kat/DA is at 42 right now, and isn't fully kitted out, and still needs to occasionally Rest (although that may be due to the length of fights; I typically run at +1/x7 with Bosses).
Hmmm, I don't plan or save leveling builds, so I can't give you mine. But I didn't have any serious endurance trouble, and it was pretty strong. I know you said common IOs, but frankenslotting is in about the same cost neighborhood, and is almost THE answer to endurance woes. You can seriously have 80-90% endurance reduction in your attacks without compromising accuracy, damage or recharge. Do the same in Death Shroud, which IS an attack, and should be treated as one. Normal endurance reduction in most toggles (for me, one SO or IO). I ran Cloak of Fear as well. Oppressive Gloom was better for me in the mid game, but Cloak of Fear was better in the end game, so that's my recommendation. I probably put two endurance reducers in it. Probably two accuracy, two endurance, two fear. Just guessing. I strongly suspect I took Conserve Power and Physical Perfection while leveling. I do have them now. I grabbed the endurance accolades.
From my late 30s respec into my final attack chain, I was playing generally between +2x3 and +2x6 with bosses no AVs, but was willing to turn it down when playing against, say, Arachnos or Vanguard.
I agree that the Theft of Essence proc is almost magic for your blue bar. No clue what they cost, though, so it might fall into the "I am not looking to set this toon out!" category. Still, if you're willing to toss in a few fairly cheap IOs, I'd strongly recommend the Theft of Essence proc, Steadfast Protection unique, and Kismet unique.
Edit: Theft of Essence looks hard to get below 30. The 30s are going between 510,000 and 2,000,000 for the last five. Kismet is about 5 million if you want it now at level 30, less if you're willing to spread your bids around and possibly wait. Steadfast Protections look pricey (30 million) at the most available level, 30. But with some spread out bids in the lower levels, it looks like you could get one in the 3 to 4 million range without a lot of trouble.
"That's because Werner can't do maths." - BunnyAnomaly
"Four hours in, and I was no longer making mistakes, no longer detoggling. I was a machine." - Werner
Videos of Other Stupid Scrapper Tricks
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It's even better than that. Death Shroud is ALMOST as efficient as your single target attacks against a single target (I think the only difference is that it has a hair less DPE because it can't critical). It wins handily once there are two targets. I recommend simply never turning it off for any fight.
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Originally Posted by StormDevil
*Manage toggles part 2: a common mistake that /DA users make is to turn off Death Shroud when End starts to run low; it's actually more efficient to keep it on if there are >3 mobs (or so) around you, and just spam GC and DA on any hard target(s) that might be nearby.
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"That's because Werner can't do maths." - BunnyAnomaly
"Four hours in, and I was no longer making mistakes, no longer detoggling. I was a machine." - Werner
Videos of Other Stupid Scrapper Tricks
Quote:
Amen that I have always left it on when i did my dm/da, my spines/da and on my db/elec I leave Lighting Field on also a damaging aura|
Originally Posted by Werner
It's even better than that. Death Shroud is ALMOST as efficient as your single target attacks against a single target (I think the only difference is that it has a hair less DPE because it can't critical). It wins handily once there are two targets. I recommend simply never turning it off for any fight.
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Also look over at the plyon thread with the results of one guys db/elec with and without LF on
When you get to the 40's 6 slot Death Shroud with 6 Multi strike that will net you about 70+% end 70+% acc and 95+% damage and you get 1.88 defense to Melee and AOE to boot
Here is the kicker the set cost about 6-10 million to buy for the complete set
Pinnacle
Langar Thurs-Katana/SR 50; Hejtmane-DM/DA 50
Rogue Spear-Spines/DA 50; Hypnosis-Ill/Rad 50
Sir Thomas Theroux-DM/SR 50; Melted Copper-Fire/Shield 50
Byzantine Warrior-DB/ELA 50;Blade Tempo-50 DB/EA
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I've actually got Death Shroud 5-slotted; 3 Scirocco's (A/D/E, A/D, A/E) and 2 Multi-Strikes (A/D and A/E)*, which gives you 95% Acc, 95% Damage, and 74% Endurance, and of course saves a slot. You don't get the Defense bonuses, but if you're not chasing sets anyway, that's not really that big of a deal. |
Originally Posted by Hejtmane
When you get to the 40's 6 slot Death Shroud with 6 Multi strike that will net you about 70+% end 70+% acc and 95+% damage and you get 1.88 defense to Melee and AOE to boot Here is the kicker the set cost about 6-10 million to buy for the complete set |
*alternatively, you could swap out the Multi-Strike A/D for an A/D/E; that gives you 91% for each value
So, a long time ago I made a Ninja Blade/Dark Armor Stalker and I recall it ate Endurance a LOT!! He is 50 and I will not deleted, yet I wanted to have the character on Virtue so I went with a Katana/Dark Armor Scrapper this time.
I picked a Scrapper because of the differences in some Katana powers compared to the Stalker versions. Also, because Body Mastery has "Conserve Power" and "Physical Perfection."
I am curious if anyone has any tips or advice for having a Katana/DA Scrapper that can run with some toggles, play well and not have Endurance issues using only common IOs. I am not looking to set this toon out! Thank you.