Looking for suggestions on power pool powers.


DrMike2000

 

Posted

I've recently been working on a DP/MM blaster, and have been having quite a bit of fun, but I've been running into a bit of a problem. Namely, I don't know the blaster archetype well enough to know if there are any really good options for power pool powers.

Between skipping some of the powers I don't care for, and using ninja run as a travel power (it works well enough for me and I'm usually stingy on powers), I have a few slots open. Even with elec mastery that I plan on going for, I'm going to have 4 to 5 extra powers to choose from.

To give an idea of what I'm looking for, I'm basically designing myself to be able to pump out some serious AoE dps, with 6 different AoEs to cycle through (empty clips, bullet rain, hail of bullets, psychic scream, psychic shockwave, and static discharge, for a total of 3 cones, an AoE, and 2 PBAoE's (you'll notice I'm skipping piercing rounds as it rarely can hit enough targets to be worth the animation time)). Even at level 30 I'm already able to keep up a decent cycle of AoE's when haste is up, so so far it's working quite well.

Other notes about my build/concept: I'm not interested in PvP at all, I doubt I'll have enough money to even finish outfitting myself with rares before I move onto another character, and so far the power pools I've been looking at taking are super speed + stealth IO + recall friend to help stealth mish's, and the medicine powerset to help keep myself and the healers alive.

Anyways, I'd appreciate any ideas as to some good power pools for my blaster, or any idea as to where I can look to find good info on this that has already been said. Thanks in advance.


 

Posted

You'll find Fitness very useful. You'll need Stamina to not be sucking wind after a round of AoE's. Its three power picks to get to Stamina, but its worth it.

Medicine is not bad. It has interruptible heals and buffs, my take on it is its good for a Blaster to patch themseleves up between fights and save their green inspirations for use in combat. It may be worth taking Stimulant instead of heal, giving a support character mez resistance is often more useful than a quick patch up after a fight, and will often benefit you in return if they're free to buff and heal you rather than held or stunned.

Hasten is a very good choice. Not only do your AoEs come up quicker, but so do Aim and Build Up, your all-important self Damage buffs.

Don't bother with Fighting on a Blaster.


 

Posted

Stamina is pretty much required for a Blaster unless you want to spend a fortune on IOs (and it's useful even then), so that's three power choices required. I'd suggest Hurdle rather than Swift if you like Ninja Run... using Hurdle + Ninja Run as a mini-Super Leap is faster than running with Swift + Ninja Run and doesn't require fooling with Sprint.

Aid Self is a huge benefit for a Blaster. You can use it to almost eliminate downtime once you have Stamina by healing up between fights... Stamina plus halfway decent endurance slotting (I suggest frankenslotting with cheap sets) means almost never running out of endurance since you won't be running many toggles so the thing that slows you down is health. Being able to top off your green bar after every fight is worth the two power picks, and you can also use Aid Self in combat if you time it well (the interrupt period is only one second) or just duck behind something.

Fighting is only useful if you are trying to softcap defense and need Weave.

Leadership is pretty pathetic on Blasters due to their low buff values. It can be useful if you run with a premade team and everyone takes Assault and Maneuvers but otherwise it's not worth the endurance.

Some people love Hasten... I personally tend to skip it unless I'm going for a high recharge build and will have it up most of the time or I just have a spare power pick. It's handy for bosses and EBs but hardly vital. But then I prefer powers that boost my performance full time over part time buffs... I even tend to put off Build Up and Aim for a while (though I do get them).

Flight is a huge benefit to Blasters... you can avoid most melee attacks simply by being out of reach. Grab Swift instead of Hurdle for a speed boost, especially with Hover. And do take Hover... it costs a lot less endurance than Fly, is faster in combat than Fly, and it has some -Fly protection to keep you from being dropped by Web Grenades and such.

Personally, I'd go with Swift, Health, Stamina, Stimulant (or Aid Other), Aid Self, Hover, and Fly. Then add Hasten if you have room. Or skip Fly and just use Ninja Run for travel and Hover for combat, though flight is a lot of fun so I tend to take Fly anyways.


Cascade, level 50 Blaster (NRG/NRG since before it was cool)
Mechmeister, level 50 Bots / Traps MM
FAR too many non-50 alts to name

[u]Arcs[u]
The Scavenger Hunt: 187076
The Instant Lair Delivery Service: 206636

 

Posted

Stamina = ASAP. By 20, just in case you run Positron TF, which you will. If you don't have it at 20, you're going to hate it. I've not had it happen, but I've had my stale SOs go red during a TF.

I never take self heal and never use hasten if I get it. If I do, I put it on automatic.

Lately I've been making stealther/ghosters. So concealment and an IO in a sprint. Many put the IO in SS, which Hasten leads right into, but I smack into walls. And to ghost a mish, you need recall friend. So there's two, no matter how you slice it. But don't get stealth and SS. Buy the IO. Yes, it costs too much, but if that's a thing you need get it. [that said, I break my own rules constantly.]

If you don't mind the Frozen Armor look, and take the icy route for epic pool, and don't mind the expensive KC, etc, to cap your s/l defense, then you must take Fighting. Boxing isn't that bad for a blaster melee help, kinda. And tough is very useful. I wish it were easier to build for resistance as reisstance always works and defense, no matter how good, is rolling the dice.

Vengence. Everyone disses it, but when it's used against you it totally sucks. And folks are gonna die. Same concept as taking something like assault, someone should do it. When you get up in levels you start picking random crap anyway. [Or I do, which is the worst time to screw up, when you have the good IOs in place already so the second build would be a pain.]

I always wanted to take Force Mastery, but never could bring myself to do so. Oh, an never getting a blaster to 41 has something to do with that too.


 

Posted

Thanks for the suggestions so far, though it seems I forgot to mention some things when I posted late last night. Those 4-5 slots I mentioned having open was actually after I had already taken swift, health, stamina, and haste. I do take haste, but I leave it on auto, and I forgot to mention stamina namely because I never, ever skip it.

Also, as a side note, this is actually my second high level blaster, my first is now a lvl 50 AR/Devices blaster that I pretty much never use because I felt that the lack of either aim or buildup was simply too much of a hinderance. That blaster was pretty much proof to me that you didn't have to have an optimal build to be effective enough to reach lvl 50.


 

Posted

Our builds sound very similar. My DP/MM wanted to softcap, so I went with the ice APP and took boxing/tough/weave, combat jumping, and maneuvers.

Assault is a nice power for any AT. Vengeance is too, but you're taking a lot of powers to get it (especially if you want to build for defense.)


@Dysc, on virtue:
Virtue blues: Overnight (DP/MM), Kid Ridiculous (FC/rad), Panorama (Ill/time)
Virtue reds: Block Party (SS/SD), Goldcrush (earth/fire), Deadwire (claws/elec), Snowcrush (ice/kin)

 

Posted

CJ+hurdle lets you joust your pbaoes and makes for a smoother transition for getting out pbaoe range and into cone range. While you are at it, grab SJ and acro too, because kbs can ruins your positioning.


 

Posted

Or just buy a -KB IO for Combat Jumping... they can be had for a few million if you are patient and one is enough to negate about 95% of KB attacks.


Cascade, level 50 Blaster (NRG/NRG since before it was cool)
Mechmeister, level 50 Bots / Traps MM
FAR too many non-50 alts to name

[u]Arcs[u]
The Scavenger Hunt: 187076
The Instant Lair Delivery Service: 206636

 

Posted

First and foremost, Fitness is a necessity, you'll wonder how you got by without once you get it. Also, my typical play-style at least is moving around alot, Combat Jumping in the leaping power pool is very useful, especially when you combine it with hurdle from fitness. It allows you to very quickly dart in and out of melee range/cone range or run, which is what blasters are all about. The more risk, the better reward.

Also if you have a couple of free power slots i'd recommend getting medicine, a self heal for a blaster is very handy rather than having to rely on inspirations all the time.