Bit stuck on a 49th power choice for my FF/AR
By
Adeon Hawkwood,
Posted on: 2010-07-09 09:21 in Defenders
While I don't have really much experience with either Ignite or Total Focus, I'd take Ignite, especially since you're teaming with someone with an immobilize.
Using 2 Dam IO's in either one, Ignite will recharge twice as fast, do over twice the damage, has 1/5th the endurance cost, and only animates .7 seconds longer. More available slots would help TF out, since that means it'd be up faster and the stun could be enhanced, but with only 2/3 slots, I'd go with Ignite.
I agree with Square One. Ignite is almost useless without an Immobilize (except against AVs who are immune to fear) but if you mostly team with someone who has one then I highly recommend it. Ignite is a pseudo-pet power and they didn't update the pet for Defenders so it does Blaster level damage.
Keep in mind that total focus isn't an extremely good power for dealing damage. You're likely to be able to deal more by avoiding it and simply blasting away from range. Total focus is most useful as a stun which does respectable damage and is stackable with beanbag.
You might get some use out of Ignite if you put it in a corner and shove everyone in there with Force Bubble. I don't use Force Bubble much and I have zero experience with Ignite, so there is no weight behind this suggestion. Although underslotting for Ignite (one hami, one L50 damage = about 75% damage) isn't going to do it any favors.
Also, and this is probably my inexperience with AR, why all the Recharge ? You're spending hundreds of millions, and a whole lot of slots, on it... FF has no rech-intensive powers in it. AR has, I thought, about fifteen activation seconds of AOE damage powers. Really, how much recharge do you need?
(Side note: Vengeance? in my FF experience, Vengance is something I'd use every 2 hours, if that. I only started paying attention when someone went below 50% health.)
Mini-guides: Force Field Defenders, Blasters, Market Self-Defense, Frankenslotting.
So you think you're a hero, huh.
@Boltcutter in game.
Thanks for the thoughts guys, I'm going to try Ignite first and give it a whirl, I can see some creative use for it which I love 
Plus I have 3 veteren respecs available so this is really just a first draft to get a feel for how things work.
P.S I just love global recharge, can't get enough of it. Who can't love Full Auto with a 20s cooldown?? ;-) As for vengeance, its a bit of an experiment so far. I've taken it low enough because honestly people don't die much after 40, plus it fits Nina's theme of keeping faith. Even when things are looking so bad that someone has died, vengeance is ready to defy the odds.
Ignite is a wonderful single target damage power, I enjoyed it a lot on my AR/Traps Corrupter (who did admittedly have Web Grenade).
Its also worth noting that a lot of AVs don't try to run from the patch, and neither do Rikti Drones. Using it with Force Bubble should work pretty well for damage mitigation as well - the target will probably still try to run, unlike an immobilised target who just gives up and starts attacking again.
Looking over your power choices, have you considered Conserve Power for those occasional longer battles. I know on my FF characters, endurance issues came up quite often compared to other defenders I have played.
BIOSPARK :: DARKTHORN :: SKYGUARD :: WILDMAGE
HEATSINK :: FASTHAND :: POWERCELL :: RUNESTAFF
Ignite, Ignite, Ignite! (I am lead to believe it does blaster level damage).
Been trying to choose a 49th power for my FF/AR but just don't what to choose. Also I don't have experience with most of the powers on the list which makes it hard to really weigh up the options.
A little about my hero:
I specialised her to be a good team player with buffs and leadership. I usually play Controllers so really wanted to capitalize on a Defenders strength, so gone for a lot of AoE attacks.
She has 4 toggles, dispersion bubble, manouvers, assault and temporary invulnerability. EndUse comes out as 0.99 with all 4 running. (They are all slotted for end reduction.) I'll link her Mids build at the end.
Anyway about the 49th power, here are the options. I have 2 slots avail for it (Max is 3 if I take out an end reduct in temp. invuln.)
Conserve Power: Im a bit worried she will continue to have end problems so this is kind of a fail safe. With her global recharge and 2 recharges slotted it has a pretty decent uptime.
Total Focus: Because I specialised her in AoE powers, I thought it might be nice to give her a big hitting single target attack for use on bosses. Also I could stack the stun with Beanbag, although i have slotted beanbag to be great for that task just on its own. The other advantage is its non-lethal damage. Pesky robots!
Ignite: Seems like it does a load of damage but I have no experience with the power at all. My common teaming partner is a fire controller, so with AoE immobalize..?
Repulsion Field or Force Bolt: Been trying to squeeze these powers in but just never found the room for them.
So...now you see my dilemma! Any advice is appreciated. At the moment I'm favouring either total focus or ignite.
Nina's build as promised:
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.707
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Nina Faithshield: Level 48 Magic Defender
Primary Power Set: Force Field
Secondary Power Set: Assault Rifle
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Power Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Deflection Shield -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(3), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(3), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(5), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(5), RedFtn-Def(7)
Level 1: Burst -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(9), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 2: Slug -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(11), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(13), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(13), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(15), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(48)
Level 4: Buckshot -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(15), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(17), Posi-Dmg/Rng(17), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(19), Posi-Dam%(19)
Level 6: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 8: Hover -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 10: Personal Force Field -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 12: Dispersion Bubble -- RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(A), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(21), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(21), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(23), RedFtn-Def(23), RedFtn-EndRdx(25)
Level 14: Fly -- Flight-I(A)
Level 16: Insulation Shield -- RedFtn-EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(25), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(27), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(27), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(29), RedFtn-Def(29)
Level 18: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(31)
Level 20: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(31), EndMod-I(31)
Level 22: Beanbag -- Amaze-Stun(A), Amaze-Stun/Rchg(33), Amaze-Acc/Stun/Rchg(33), Amaze-Acc/Rchg(33), Amaze-EndRdx/Stun(34)
Level 24: Sniper Rifle -- Mantic-Acc/Dmg(A), Mantic-Dmg/EndRdx(37), Mantic-Acc/ActRdx/Rng(37), Mantic-Dmg/ActRdx/Rchg(37), Mantic-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39), Mantic-Dam%(39)
Level 26: Maneuvers -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(34), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(34), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(36), RedFtn-Def(36), RedFtn-EndRdx(36)
Level 28: Flamethrower -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(39), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(40), Posi-Dmg/Rng(40), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40), Posi-Dam%(42)
Level 30: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 32: Vengeance -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 35: Repulsion Bomb -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(46), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(46), Posi-Dmg/Rng(46), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(48), Posi-Dam%(48)
Level 38: Full Auto -- Ragnrk-Dmg(A), Ragnrk-Dmg/Rchg(42), Ragnrk-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Ragnrk-Acc/Rchg(43), Ragnrk-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Ragnrk-Knock%(43)
Level 41: Power Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(45), AdjTgt-Rchg(45)
Level 44: Temp Invulnerability -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), S'fstPrt-ResKB(45), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(50)
Level 47: Force Bubble -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 49: [Empty] -- Empty(A), Empty(50)
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Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Vigilance
Level 6: Ninja Run
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Set Bonus Totals: