Best Rad/dark build? Including slotting and methods of playing *PVE*
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.621
http://www.cohplanner.com/
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Terrabyte: Level 48 Natural Defender
Primary Power Set: Radiation Emission
Secondary Power Set: Dark Blast
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Power Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Radiant Aura -- H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx(A), H'zdH-Heal/Rchg(3), H'zdH-Heal(17)
Level 1: Dark Blast -- Acc-I(A), Dmg-I(3), Dmg-I(17)
Level 2: Gloom -- Acc-I(A), Dmg-I(9), Dmg-I(15)
Level 4: Radiation Infection -- EndRdx-I(A), DampS-ToHitDeb(5), DampS-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(5), DampS-ToHitDeb/Rchg/EndRdx(15), DarkWD-ToHitDeb(36)
Level 6: Accelerate Metabolism -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(7), RechRdx-I(7), EndMod-I(9), EndMod-I(34)
Level 8: Super Speed -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 10: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(11), RechRdx-I(11)
Level 12: Lingering Radiation -- TmpRdns-Acc/Slow(A), Acc-I(13), Acc-I(13)
Level 14: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 16: Health -- Heal-I(A)
Level 18: Tenebrous Tentacles -- Acc-I(A), Acc-I(19), Dmg-I(19), Dmg-I(36)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Choking Cloud -- NrncSD-Acc/EndRdx(A), NrncSD-Dam%(23), G'Wdw-Dam%(23), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(25), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold(31)
Level 24: Enervating Field -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(25)
Level 26: Night Fall -- Acc-I(A), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg(27), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(27), Det'tn-Dmg/EndRdx(31)
Level 28: Fallout -- Dmg-I(A), Det'tn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(29), Det'tn-Dmg/Rchg(29), AirB'st-Dmg/Rchg(31)
Level 30: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(37)
Level 32: EM Pulse -- NrncSD-Acc/Rchg(A), NrncSD-Acc/EndRdx(33), NrncSD-Acc/Hold/Rchg(33), RechRdx-I(33), RechRdx-I(34), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(34)
Level 35: Tactics -- AdjTgt-ToHit(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(36), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(37), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx(37)
Level 38: Blackstar -- Acc-I(A), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg(39), M'Strk-Dmg/Rchg(39), M'Strk-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 41: Power Build Up -- Empty(A)
Level 44: Conserve Power -- Empty(A)
Level 47: Force of Nature -- Empty(A)
Level 49: Temp Invulnerability -- Empty(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Vigilance
Level 0: Ninja Run
Currently at level 39 and deceptively understated. This defender is great on teams.
Triumphant Defenders Forever
Psylenz FF/Psi, ArticQuark Storm/Rad, Symon BarSisyphus Bots/psn, Max VanSydow Thugs/Dk, Cyclone Symon Bots/stm, Blue Loki Ice/Cd, Widow 46526
HelinCarnate:OMG it is so terrible. I have the option to take 3 more powers but no additional slots. Boo F'ing hoo.
Awesome thank you so much! Do you know what you're going to do build wise post-39?
Also, how did you come upon this build? Or did you just pick and choose and then slot guess and it just worked out nicely? (NOT bashing AT ALL, very appreciative of the info given). I'm just wondering how you got to where you are now! Thanks ! 
Out of curiosity, why did you take Power Build Up? I use it on mine but she has vengeance (62% defense is amazing).
An alternate build would be to take the /Dark pool. You can stack Oppressive Gloom with Dark Pit to stun minions and lieutenants, and you get a nice self damage buff plus a resurrect for when things go sour...and an endurance filling power.
Basically for IO sets, I did it on the cheap. Harmonized healing with a nod to recharge and end reduction fit my bill. If I wanted to purple this out and make it uber I would work on better IO sets for the blasts. Powers like Accelerated Metabolism, Hasten, Stamina, don't really have sets geared to maximize the benefit of the power with minimal slotting.
Looking at this again, I would say that Lingering Radiation could use some slot loving for more slows. It is important for this power to hit big game so the emphasis on accuracy. Radiation Infection could use another slot to get a defense debuff even a achilles heel -resist proc in there.
Choking cloud is one of my favorite powers. I get a little accuracy, a nod to recharge some hold, but the damage proc's just keep ticking away as I hug the radiation infection anchor, also helping the choking cloud hit.
Fallout is my mini-nuke. It works best on a PuG team where you are less careful, no did I say that?, less able to keep everybody alive. It work really well at times.
There is a lot of fun in EM Pulse. It's a huge PbAoE hold, it does damage to robots/mech men, and there's a bit of an end drain, too. Some folks have actually suggested skipping this power. The holds on EM Pulse will stack with choking cloud. You have tons of mitigation in there. Finally EM Pulse has a big chunk of regeneration debuff; it's a big game killer. With EM Pulse and Lingering Radiation for your -regen needs, it's no wonder so many teams look for a Radiation defender when tackling big projects.
I like leadership, extra tohit is a plus hunting big game. I also like nukes on my defenders. I don't use them like blasters to open a fight. They make better 'grande finales'. This will partly answer the other poster's question about Power Buildup.
On a team with a tank, big group herded, radiation infection and enervating field in place: pop Power buildup, lingering rad, EM Pulse, and Blackstar. You get big damage for a defender, any survivors are slowed, held, or their tohit has been floored.
I also Power Buildup accelerated metabolism along with lingering radiation and EM Pulse. Power Buildup is dandy on Radiation defenders.
I plan to take the power mastery pool in the 40s. Power Buildup, Conserve Power, Force of Nature and Temporary Invulnerability almost seem like natural choices. Conserve Power couples nicely with EM Pulse and its reduced recovery.
Slotting is pretty simple for me I just go for the usual focus of the power and build on that. I have been in game since May 04. Blast powers need accuracy and damage. Debuffs need end reduction and accompanying debuff features. The procs are still a bit new to me and I have to work to remain mindful of the possibilities. Such as, that achilles heel proc in Radiation Infection is looking really good.
Triumphant Defenders Forever
Psylenz FF/Psi, ArticQuark Storm/Rad, Symon BarSisyphus Bots/psn, Max VanSydow Thugs/Dk, Cyclone Symon Bots/stm, Blue Loki Ice/Cd, Widow 46526
HelinCarnate:OMG it is so terrible. I have the option to take 3 more powers but no additional slots. Boo F'ing hoo.
Ahhh okay, thank you for that. I will use those tactics most definitely!
Psylenz, I agree totally with a lot of the choices you made in your build. My Rad/Dark is set up a little differently, don't have a build to post but will critique yours in view of the choices I've made. I'll also point out a couple of places where you might want to tighten up your own build to squeeze the most out of it.
My Rad/Dark operates under the basic philosophy of simply making the team better and enemies weaker out of the box. She is oriented towards maximum weakening of AVs, especially with the -regen aspect of LR and EMP. Teamwise, she has tactics, manuevers, and assault as well as AM to improve the team and the debuff toggles, LR, and RA to keep everyone safe and topped off with health. DB+Gloom can whittle down bosses or AVs, and TT+NF can add some DPS on groups if everything else is under control (plus all her dark blasts have a debuff component that synergizes with RI).
Main differences in powers you took that I didn't take:
Choking Cloud: I have this power on a Grav/Rad controller and like it, but for my defender I just never got into it. It eats up a lot of slots, burns through my end, and I'm not completely sold on its value. On my controller singularity is throwing out random holds, so its like turning the random hold factor up to 11. I guess its value has a lot to do with how you play, so not slamming it.
Fallout: personally I have a hard time taking this over mutation. Both are situational, but mutation just needs one slot and its good. You've got it 4-slotted. Not knocking fallout as a power, just that I enjoy the vibes of rezzing a teammate (more powerful than before) over just turning him into a bomb. I don't think mutation is a must-have and I typically put it off in favor of the powers that I feel will help me do the stuff that I want to do, but it makes me feel heroic.
Blackstar: the end drain effect is too much for me. I run a bunch of toggles, and I hate turning them back on. In a team situation, I feel like blackstar takes too much potential. Its not really a finishing move, its not a proper "oh-isht" button (see EMP), compared to all the other stuff I could be doing with my endurance (and slots) I don't think that Blackstar is worth it.
Again, the above are philosophical choices, not condemnations of how you like to play Rad/Dark.
With the exception of those powers (that I didn't take) I agreed with the order in which you took your powers. For a solo defender, I'd take Gloom at 2 over RI, a defender that always teamed could put it off till later. I agree with putting off EF until after stamina (though I could also see putting it earlier). Rad *especially* wants to get to stamina ASAP. Rad *especially* benefits from hasten (synergizes with AM, synergizes with so many awesome powers).
I agree with you on EMP, and you are right to want to put a couple of more slots into LR. LR needs more emphasis on recharge, less on slow enhance (it only affects movement, not -recharge and -regen). I love EMP to death. Its up enough to where I can basically fire it off whenever I find it useful (conserve power helps me weather the storm). If I were you, I'd switch up the slotting of EMP to include a couple more acc/hold/rech IOs and skip the set bonuses. Basilisk Gaze has the + recharge bonus, so that might be worth it, but if you are trying to maximize EMP frankenslotting is the way to go.
[Frankenslotting is using set IOs not for the set bonuses but for the advantage they have over generic IOs if you would otherwise slot for every aspect they enhance. For example, 3 acc/hold/rech IOs give more total power than using 1 acc, 1 hold, and 1 rech IO of the same level. By frankenslotting, you can maximize the use of slots (at the expense of set bonuses).]
RA and RI slotting: I like my RA a little beefier and feel that RI can be skimped on a bit more . . . 3-4 slots in RI, 5 slots in RA. RI works fine out of the box, 1 end red and 3 to-hit debuff will be more than enough. For leveling up, I would prioritize RA and slot it for recharge. Doctored Wounds is pretty nice in there, or like EMP frankenslot to get 6 IOs of power out of 5 slots.
EF needs 2 end reduction (3 eventually if you can spare it), you have it slotted just right. Just wanted to emphasize that.
Here's my biggest disagreement where I'd ask you to look beyond playstyle: tenebrous tentacles. I think that power deserves 6 slots fairly early on. It does so much. Ghetto control, debuffs accuracy, *and* does damage. Throw a couple of acc/to-hit and acc/immob in there, some acc/dam, dam/rech, etc . . . TT can do it all and with 6 slots (and creative frankenslotting) you can really make it shine. NF is a little different, its more of a straight damage power (but a good one). Moreso than DB and Gloom and even NF, I'd ask you to look at TT in your arsenal and make sure you were getting the most out of it.
That said, my philosophy about attacks is "if you are going to get them, might as well slot them up". DB and Gloom are 3 slotted with TT and NF being 4 slotted. I personally find that having my bread and butter attacks well-slotted gives me more power and flexibility than have a couple of situational powers well-slotted. So I guess I've drifted back into "what works for my playstyle" rather than anything else. TT *screams* for 3 more slots, its awesome, but I really can't fault you for using NF or gloom however suits you best.
I didn't mean to be pedantic or overly critical, we agree on like 80% of what a rad/dark ought to be about. I just figured that in teasing out the 20% where we didn't agree that a new player could see differences of opinions and take points that would fit how they wanted to play. At your level, though, I would seriously look at frankenslotting RA, EMP, and AM . . . with a little thought, you can get some extra oomph out of those bread and butter powers.
Long time lurker, never-time poster,with a fault space bar from the EU. Rad/dark is my main, and here is my build.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.601
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Level 50 Science Defender
Primary Power Set: Radiation Emission
Secondary Power Set: Dark Blast
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Dark Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Radiation Infection
- (A) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Negative Damage: Level 50
- (3) Touch of Lady Grey - Defense Debuff/Endurance: Level 50
- (3) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Recharge/Endurance: Level 50
- (5) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff: Level 50
- (5) Dark Watcher's Despair - To Hit Debuff/Endurance: Level 50
- (7) Dark Watcher's Despair - Recharge/Endurance: Level 50
- (A) Decimation - Damage/Recharge: Level 40
- (7) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 40
- (9) Decimation - Damage/Endurance: Level 40
- (9) Decimation - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 40
- (11) Decimation - Chance of Build Up: Level 40
- (11) To Hit Debuff IO: Level 50
- (A) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage: Level 40
- (13) Decimation - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 40
- (13) Decimation - Damage/Endurance: Level 40
- (15) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 40
- (15) Decimation - Damage/Recharge: Level 35
- (17) To Hit Debuff IO: Level 50
- (A) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Accuracy: Level 50
- (17) Performance Shifter - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
- (19) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Recharge: Level 50
- (19) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
- (21) Performance Shifter - EndMod: Level 50
- (21) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
- (23) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
- (23) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
- (A) Jumping IO: Level 50
- (A) Defense Buff IO: Level 50
- (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50
- (25) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50
- (25) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50
- (A) Healing IO: Level 50
- (A) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (27) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (27) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range: Level 50
- (29) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (29) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy): Level 50
- (31) To Hit Debuff IO: Level 50
- (A) Healing IO: Level 50
- (A) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50
- (31) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End: Level 50
- (31) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50
- (33) Performance Shifter - EndMod: Level 50
- (A) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (33) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range: Level 50
- (33) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (34) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy): Level 50
- (34) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (34) To Hit Debuff IO: Level 50
- (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50
- (36) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50
- (36) Lockdown - Endurance/Recharge/Hold: Level 50
- (36) Lockdown - Chance for +2 Mag Hold: Level 50
- (37) Lockdown - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold: Level 50
- (37) Lockdown - Accuracy/Hold: Level 50
- (A) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge: Level 50
- (37) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
- (39) Red Fortune - Defense: Level 50
- (39) Red Fortune - Endurance: Level 50
- (39) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance: Level 50
- (A) Tempered Readiness - Endurance/Recharge/Slow: Level 50
- (50) Tempered Readiness - Accuracy/Slow: Level 50
- (A) Jumping IO: Level 50
- (A) Lockdown - Accuracy/Hold: Level 50
- (40) Lockdown - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
- (40) Lockdown - Recharge/Hold: Level 50
- (40) Lockdown - Endurance/Recharge/Hold: Level 50
- (42) Lockdown - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold: Level 50
- (42) Lockdown - Chance for +2 Mag Hold: Level 50
- (A) Run Speed
- (A) Obliteration - Damage: Level 50
- (42) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
- (43) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (43) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage: Level 50
- (43) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (50) To Hit Debuff IO: Level 50
- (A) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
- (45) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage: Level 50
- (46) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (46) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
- (48) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (A) Impervium Armor - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge: Level 40
- (45) Impervium Armor - Resistance/Endurance: Level 40
- (45) Endurance Reduction
- (46) Steadfast Protection - Knockback Protection: Level 30
- (50) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%: Level 30
- (A) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
- (48) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (48) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (A) Absolute Amazement - Stun/Recharge: Level 50
Level 1: Brawl
- (A) Empty
- (A) Empty
- (A) Empty
------------
Set Bonus Totals:
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Smashing)
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Lethal)
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Fire)
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Cold)
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Energy)
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Negative)
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Toxic)
- 19.5% DamageBuff(Psionic)
- 3% Defense(Smashing)
- 3% Defense(Lethal)
- 4.25% Defense(Fire)
- 4.25% Defense(Cold)
- 4.88% Defense(Energy)
- 4.88% Defense(Negative)
- 3% Defense(Psionic)
- 3% Defense(Melee)
- 6.75% Defense(Ranged)
- 5.5% Defense(AoE)
- 4.5% Max End
- 45% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 5% Enhancement(Held)
- 36% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 10% FlySpeed
- 72.5 HP (7.13%) HitPoints
- 10% JumpHeight
- 10% JumpSpeed
- Knockback (Mag -4)
- Knockup (Mag -4)
- MezResist(Held) 4.4%
- MezResist(Immobilize) 7.7%
- MezResist(Stun) 6.6%
- 15.5% (0.26 End/sec) Recovery
- 4.41% Resistance(Fire)
- 4.41% Resistance(Cold)
- 10% RunSpeed
There are a bunch of tricks to playing him - but he is my best soloer (I have a bunch of scrappers in their forties, another 50 controller and a 43 WP/WM tank. The tank is generally as survivable, but slower on damage.)
Tactics: the debuf corner pull on the boss, hop in for Soul drain, hopbackand let into the boss with all four attacks. When the boss falls, the rest should be dead.
Vs mez heavy mobs: try tohit them firstwith EMP. One Mez and I can be dead - but in general, the -tohit keeps me safe. If one gets through, and doesn't wear off fast enough with AM to jumpback and toggle up, then hit my self rez and awake fresh. The recharge on this guy rocks,with nigh perma hasten,AM and solid set bonuses - so the nuke and EMPare up almost every spawn (just short, really). Always have a panic button.
The proc in CC is sexy.
The damage rocks my world. Yes, blasters are faster and a ton squishier, but none of my other toons touch it. The build-up procon the lightning recharge dark blast,and the damage procs inmy cones,mixed with the -res of EF, reallydrops them fast. Cim wall, Malta, Carnies - I solo on +2/x4 or +1/x4 for Arachnos,all with bosses. Arachnos are bastards - really - but this is true for all my toons.
I would love some feedback on this toon if anybody could be bothered. He is made as a solo offender, managing pretty well at farming (0/x6) and can help any team bring down any GM/Av. I wonder, with the new vigilance, do you thinkI could squeeze in assault? 50% more damage seems almost overkill - he doesn'treally need it, because as soon as the mob arivesin the debuff zone before him, he eats it. But it does sound tasty...
Cheers,
Vow.
Quote:
Actually I would say we agree on 95% playstyle, because I admit I tend to underslot attacks on certain defenders like radiation that are enhancement slot piggies. I have 4 slots in TT with the accuracy bonus from Tactics and I should slot another Neuronic Shutdown pushing the Acc total to 16% plus the RI, then I think the acc should be decent in Tenebrous Tentacles. Squeeze another slot from Acc Metab, and we got another damage slot for TT, again.|
Originally Posted by Young_Tutor
...SNIP...
That said, my philosophy about attacks is "if you are going to get them, might as well slot them up". DB and Gloom are 3 slotted with TT and NF being 4 slotted. I personally find that having my bread and butter attacks well-slotted gives me more power and flexibility than have a couple of situational powers well-slotted. So I guess I've drifted back into "what works for my playstyle" rather than anything else. TT *screams* for 3 more slots, its awesome, but I really can't fault you for using NF or gloom however suits you best. I didn't mean to be pedantic or overly critical, we agree on like 80% of what a rad/dark ought to be about. I just figured that in teasing out the 20% where we didn't agree that a new player could see differences of opinions and take points that would fit how they wanted to play. At your level, though, I would seriously look at frankenslotting RA, EMP, and AM . . . with a little thought, you can get some extra oomph out of those bread and butter powers. |
Most of the time, I have radiation builds for teams of friendlies. This is definitely a PuG build. I usually take mutation before fallout on a build meant for friendlies. It might be cold, but I love to use fallout on squishies that get out on their own in over their head and leave them there to think about it after blowing up half the stuff that killed them. I just did it again today, but they got so much experience they levelled and got up themselves
.
Triumphant Defenders Forever
Psylenz FF/Psi, ArticQuark Storm/Rad, Symon BarSisyphus Bots/psn, Max VanSydow Thugs/Dk, Cyclone Symon Bots/stm, Blue Loki Ice/Cd, Widow 46526
HelinCarnate:OMG it is so terrible. I have the option to take 3 more powers but no additional slots. Boo F'ing hoo.
New defender and just would mainly like slotting and build tips..I plan on leveling with only grouping so dont worry about solo play.
Thanks all!!
*Stickies are outdated and aren't really any good ones for Rad/dark