Going to start a Dual Blades scrapper (help?)

Hey, all,

So I've been going through a lot of the threads about Dual Blades, and while they are really helpful, they are all written as though the person reading has already been playing their DB scrapper for years.

I honestly don't care how to slot IOs, because I haven't even rolled the 'toon yet.

I'm looking for some good, solid, basic information considering I'll probably be in regular, DO, and SO enhancements for quite a while.

What's the best secondary for DB? I'm leaning Willpower, but part of me likes the idea of Reflexes.

How should I slot early so that I don't faceplant every mission?

Basically, assume I know -nothing- about Scrappers, since all I've ever played with any regularity are Defenders. Don't let my join date fool you; I've been away from the game for almost two years. It's basically a whole new game for me and I'm having to learn how to play all over again...

Thanks!

There's no best secondary for Dual Blades. It goes well with pretty much anything. Dual Blades/Willpower is a classic, though probably mostly because both sets came out at the same time. Dual Blades/Super Reflexes is very good. Both are fairly straightforward, in the mostly toggle up and go sort of sense. Willpower is probably the simpler of the two since it has toggle mez protection, and it'll also bloom earlier, and is more forgiving of build and play mistakes, I'd say. So I'd recommend that.

Let's see, basic information. I wouldn't worry about the low level combos. Just pick attacks that look good to you. I'd judge attacks primarily by DPA, which should be one of the numbers that you can view if you view details about the attack before you pick it. Instead of Stamina at 20, you're going to take Quick Recovery at 20 - it's more powerful and has no prerequisites. For power pools, I'd personally go with Leaping (primarily or even exclusively for Combat Jumping), Fitness (I'd pick up Hurdle and maybe Health early, but only pick up Stamina much later in the game, like maybe in the 30s), Fighting (Boxing just because you need some prerequisite, then Tough and Weave) and... well, it's kind of open. Hasten might be good for your damage output, but doesn't really help your survivability much. I'd probably take Leadership, picking up Maneuvers, and maybe Tactics towards the end game. I WOULD use IOs while leveling, but only a couple. I'd buy a Steadfast Protection unique and a Kismet unique as soon as I could afford them (I'd leave open lowball bids, adding new ones every time I got more influence). They're not particularly cheap, but if you think of them as your only big ticket items 1-50, they're easily afforded.

For early slotting (before level 22), I tend to slot ONLY accuracy and endurance reduction in my attacks, pretty much evenly. For toggles, my first slot is usually endurance reduction. Combat Jumping is an exception since it's so cheap. When you get to level 22 and swap to SOs, that's when I'd slot attacks with some damage. I'd probably go one or two accuracy, one endurance, zero or one recharge, and three damage. If you don't have six slots yet, I'd put the accuracy in first, then the endurance, then the damage, then the recharge.

Also for early slotting, focus primarily on your attacks. Even if you focused on your secondary, you'd still be squishy. So just focus on killing the enemy as fast as possible. Your secondary comes later, like in the 20s I'd say. I mean, go ahead and pick up critical powers (such as your status protection, Indomitable Will, and Rise to the Challenge, pretty much the core power of the set), but don't devote a lot of slots until you have your attacks under control, and feel happy with your damage output.

If you make build mistakes, they're ultimately fixable. You might have veteran respecs. If not, there are sets of missions you can run to get the ability to respecify your character. Unless it's seriously unplayable, I'd just keep moving forward until at least some time in the 20s, when you're slotted with SOs and have a better idea what you want to do.

As for respecs, don't forget that the Devs are generous and pass out Free Respecs with just about every new Issue. Every issue, I take a survey of my toons and consider if any are ripe for a respec, either because of bad power-picks, bad slotting, or as an opportunity to upgrade Enhancements. I usually find one or two that need tweaking, sometimes more.

So I burn my stored free respec and then the new issue comes out and the Devs give me a new free respec... Easy and fun.

Be Well!
Fireheart

Yeah, the crazy IO builds floating around are absolutely not required for normal PvE content, or even abnormal PvE content. They're mostly only necessary for the most extreme PvE content with your hands tied behind your back (no temps, no inspirations). For regular old leveling up, I DO use a few IOs, but pretty much only what I have lying around or can pick up cheap on the market. Typical is to slot a Steadfast Protection and Kismet when I have room, frankenslot my attacks in the mid 30s, and then I'm good to go to 50. Nothing that I can't afford on what I earn during the journey. I also almost never plan out my leveling builds. I just pick what sounds good at the time, though admittedly I have a lot of experience in knowing what will work out well for me.

I find the 2 starting combos, rather lack luster, so I just skip them. Don't even bother taking Nimble Slash.

That said...if you do plan on trying to go the route of never respecing (I do that), I'd go for Blinding Feint -> Attack Vitals -> Repeat for an attack chain.

That leaves Nimble Slash or Power Slice. I always take Power Slice, as I just like the animation more.

Secondary, Willpower you won't redraw at all on.

But as long as you can handle the redraw, they're good to go with anything.