Ice blast and Mental manipulation or Ice blast and ice manipulation as a total noob?
By
Candlestick,
Posted on: 2010-08-02 11:54 in Blasters
Ice Blast has good single target damage and very good control (for a Blaster), so it is safe but somewhat slow. Ice/Ice is probably the safest Blaster you can make since Ice Manipulation adds even more control and damage mitigation powers... everything that isn't held or falling down will be greatly slowed and therefore attack a lot less often. The main drawback is that Ice/Ice is one of the lowest damage Blasters, especially against larger spawns (like those you get while teaming). It does have some AoE capability, but it's slow since you are relying on Ice Patch and Shiver to keep things in an Ice Storm for several seconds instead of just blowing them up with a Fire Breath + Fireball combination.
Ice/Mental is still pretty safe and /Mental gives you additional area effect damage, which Ice lacks. It will be a better choice for teaming and is still one of the safest solo options, just not quite as safe as Ice/Ice. Both solo very well provided you aren't fighting large groups (once you get good enough to fight tougher enemies, go after small groups of higher level foes instead of larger groups your level).
Either one is a good choice... I'd go with Ice/Mental if you plan to mostly team and Ice/Ice if you plan to solo a lot.
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
Quote:
I really dont like the sound of not beeing able to do good AoE. I wish to make trains of monsters and then jump around and nuke them. Maybe im better of with Fire / Mental or fire / Ice?
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Originally Posted by StrykerX
Ice Blast has good single target damage and very good control (for a Blaster), so it is safe but somewhat slow. Ice/Ice is probably the safest Blaster you can make since Ice Manipulation adds even more control and damage mitigation powers... everything that isn't held or falling down will be greatly slowed and therefore attack a lot less often. The main drawback is that Ice/Ice is one of the lowest damage Blasters, especially against larger spawns (like those you get while teaming). It does have some AoE capability, but it's slow since you are relying on Ice Patch and Shiver to keep things in an Ice Storm for several seconds instead of just blowing them up with a Fire Breath + Fireball combination.
Ice/Mental is still pretty safe and /Mental gives you additional area effect damage, which Ice lacks. It will be a better choice for teaming and is still one of the safest solo options, just not quite as safe as Ice/Ice. Both solo very well provided you aren't fighting large groups (once you get good enough to fight tougher enemies, go after small groups of higher level foes instead of larger groups your level). Either one is a good choice... I'd go with Ice/Mental if you plan to mostly team and Ice/Ice if you plan to solo a lot. |
Quote:
Blasters don't have the HP for that kind of activity, at least not without unconventional powers and creative Enhancement slotting. It's not uncommon for a Blaster, with its superior ranged damage, to aggro a big group of enemies and then peel his own lips off the wall after the resulting retaliation. You'll hear the phrase "glass cannon" used to describe Blasters, since it's fairly accurate: you can do a lot of damage, but you are somewhat fragile.|
Originally Posted by randomkille
I wish to make trains of monsters and then jump around and nuke them.
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If you want to make trains of monsters, you'll need something with dedicated defenses, like a Scrapper or a Warshade--or a Brute if you give Villains a go. The problem with Scrappers and Brutes is that they're not very nukeworthy, and the best damage you're likely to get is from ranged AoE attacks in epic powersets (levels 40-50) or auxiliary damage from the defensive set.
Warshades, on the other hand, can fairly easily round up huge groups of enemies, buff their own damage to high heaven and explode in a massive detonation laying waste to everything around them. In the world of farming large groups of enemies, Warshades are ranked way up there with the Super Strength/Shield Defense Brute and the Fire Control/Kinetics Controller.
Quote:
Ok, then i just forget about my massacre fantasies. Smaller groups will do.|
Originally Posted by GuyPerfect
Blasters don't have the HP for that kind of activity, at least not without unconventional powers and creative Enhancement slotting. It's not uncommon for a Blaster, with its superior ranged damage, to aggro a big group of enemies and then peel his own lips off the wall after the resulting retaliation. You'll hear the phrase "glass cannon" used to describe Blasters, since it's fairly accurate: you can do a lot of damage, but you are somewhat fragile.
If you want to make trains of monsters, you'll need something with dedicated defenses, like a Scrapper or a Warshade--or a Brute if you give Villains a go. The problem with Scrappers and Brutes is that they're not very nukeworthy, and the best damage you're likely to get is from ranged AoE attacks in epic powersets (levels 40-50) or auxiliary damage from the defensive set. Warshades, on the other hand, can fairly easily round up huge groups of enemies, buff their own damage to high heaven and explode in a massive detonation laying waste to everything around them. In the world of farming large groups of enemies, Warshades are ranked way up there with the Super Strength/Shield Defense Brute and the Fire Control/Kinetics Controller. |
I got four builds that i want to play to choose from now.
Ice / Mental manipulation
Fire Mental manipulation
Ice / Ice
Fire / Ice
Is fire / mental manipulation faster at solo leveling then ice / mental?
Quote:
Fire/Mental is faster yes... But not nearly a safe. For general solo play, your best bet is going to be Ice/Mental or Ice/Ice. |
Originally Posted by randomkille
Ok, then i just forget about my massacre fantasies. Smaller groups will do.
I got four builds that i want to play to choose from now. Ice / Mental manipulation Fire Mental manipulation Ice / Ice Fire / Ice Is fire / mental manipulation faster at solo leveling then ice / mental? |
When you play Solo, there is generally little need for alot of AoE. It's on teams that you want to have lots of AoE, and that is where stuff like Fire/Mental is godlike.
Quote:
"not nearly as safe" sounds a little bit to unsafe for me. I guess it will not be faster if im dead all the time.|
Originally Posted by Candlestick
Fire/Mental is faster yes... But not nearly a safe. For general solo play, your best bet is going to be Ice/Mental or Ice/Ice.
When you play Solo, there is generally little need for alot of AoE. It's on teams that you want to have lots of AoE, and that is where stuff like Fire/Mental is godlike. |
So whats best as second skill, ice or mental? with mental i get a nice heal and with ice i get some extra crowd control?
I've made a Leveling pact between my Ice/Mental and a Fire/Mental and where I can't totally judge how the fire/mental plays, I myself really like Ice/Mental, as it gives nice regen/rec (Drain psyche) and mean -rech from both sets. About the AoE situation, I think it's excellent! True, Fire will have more AoE, but less safety, due to less control.
Oh, and about your playing ground. I'm playing in Union, another European server. Have a nice time in Defiant 
It's a friendly place 
@Global: Difficult One
Playing on European Servers (Union, Defiant)
If a person turns down an idea, he turns down an opportunity to evolve himself
Quote:
Im going ice / mental then. Is there any nice up to date build on the forum so i know what powers to buy? and is there any special origin i should take for blaster ice/mental?|
Originally Posted by JanusFrs
I've made a Leveling pact between my Ice/Mental and a Fire/Mental and where I can't totally judge how the fire/mental plays, I myself really like Ice/Mental, as it gives nice regen/rec (Drain psyche) and mean -rech from both sets. About the AoE situation, I think it's excellent! True, Fire will have more AoE, but less safety, due to less control.
Oh, and about your playing ground. I'm playing in Union, another European server. Have a nice time in Defiant It's a friendly place |
To bad you aint on Defiant, Danish people are always great. Best country in the world.
You can try a few blasters. I don't know how populated the Defiant server is but with a sewer team or maybe an AE team you should hit level 10 in relatively short time.
If you want safety with decent AoE capabilities try:
Ice/mental, Sonic/Mental (sonic doesn't get safe till level 18, and you are pretty much stuck with single target attacks if you choose to use siren's song, but it is ridiculously safe as long as you leverage the sleep)
If you want to see what dealing mass carnage at very early levels is like try:
Fire/Energy, Elec/Energy, AR/Energy, any of these combos can achieve very high burst AoE damage by level 12, just be sure to take build up asap.
If you want to be crazy and learn to be an ultra aggressive blaster that has a good mix of Single Target and AoE damage, and likes punching stuff in the face try:
Fire/Elec, Fire/Energy (you will die a lot as you level these up and I'm not saying these are the best blasters, although they are very potent. But if you can play these well, you will most likely have learned the most about CoH mechanics out of any ATs that a beginner chooses as his first main.)
Quote:
Lies. Hazard zone blasting is awesome fun and doable without IOs.
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Originally Posted by GuyPerfect
Blasters don't have the HP for that kind of activity
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Quote:
Except the USA
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Originally Posted by randomkille
Danish people are always great. Best country in the world.
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Here's a look at my primary character, an ice/ice/fire blaster. Been playing him for over 3 years now. I'm sure there's room for improvement in this build, but for the most part it makes for a very solid performer.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.707
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Lt. Frost: Level 50 Technology Blaster
Primary Power Set: Ice Blast
Secondary Power Set: Ice Manipulation
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Medicine
Ancillary Pool: Flame Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Ice Bolt
- (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage
- (3) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance
- (9) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge
- (31) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (39) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
- (40) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (A) Devastation - Chance of Hold
- (A) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage
- (3) Devastation - Damage/Endurance
- (9) Devastation - Damage/Recharge
- (34) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (37) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (40) Devastation - Chance of Hold
- (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
- (5) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
- (5) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
- (34) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range
- (37) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
- (39) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy)
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
- (7) Recharge Reduction IO
- (7) Recharge Reduction IO
- (A) Freebird - +Stealth
- (A) Flight Speed IO
- (11) Flight Speed IO
- (11) Flight Speed IO
- (A) Unbreakable Constraint - Hold
- (13) Unbreakable Constraint - Hold/Recharge
- (13) Unbreakable Constraint - Accuracy/Hold/Recharge
- (34) Unbreakable Constraint - Accuracy/Recharge
- (37) Unbreakable Constraint - Endurance/Hold
- (40) Unbreakable Constraint - Chance for Smashing Damage
- (A) Winter's Gift - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range
- (15) Winter's Gift - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range/Endurance
- (15) Winter's Gift - Slow Resistance (20%)
- (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Recharge
- (17) Adjusted Targeting - Recharge
- (17) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff
- (A) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
- (19) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
- (19) Regenerative Tissue - +Regeneration
- (43) Miracle - +Recovery
- (A) Endurance Modification IO
- (21) Performance Shifter - EndMod
- (21) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
- (A) Apocalypse - Damage
- (23) Apocalypse - Damage/Recharge
- (23) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (25) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Recharge
- (25) Apocalypse - Damage/Endurance
- (42) Apocalypse - Chance of Damage(Negative)
- (A) Healing IO
- (A) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
- (27) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Recharge
- (27) Healing IO
- (A) Pacing of the Turtle - Accuracy/Slow
- (29) Pacing of the Turtle - Damage/Slow
- (29) Pacing of the Turtle - Accuracy/Endurance
- (42) Pacing of the Turtle - Range/Slow
- (42) Pacing of the Turtle - Endurance/Recharge/Slow
- (50) Pacing of the Turtle - Chance of -Recharge
- (A) Rectified Reticle - Increased Perception
- (31) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff
- (31) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up
- (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
- (33) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
- (33) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
- (33) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range
- (43) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy)
- (43) Detonation - Damage/Recharge
- (A) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage
- (36) Mako's Bite - Damage/Endurance
- (36) Mako's Bite - Damage/Recharge
- (36) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
- (46) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (48) Mako's Bite - Chance of Damage(Lethal)
- (A) Pounding Slugfest - Accuracy/Damage
- (39) Pounding Slugfest - Disorient Bonus
- (A) Decimation - Chance of Build Up
- (A) Aegis - Resistance/Endurance
- (45) Aegis - Resistance/Recharge
- (45) Aegis - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
- (45) Aegis - Resistance
- (46) Aegis - Psionic/Status Resistance
- (46) Steadfast Protection - Knockback Protection
- (A) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage
- (48) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Recharge
- (48) Scirocco's Dervish - Chance of Damage(Lethal)
- (A) Range IO
- (50) Lockdown - Accuracy/Hold
- (50) Lockdown - Chance for +2 Mag Hold
Level 1: Brawl
- (A) Empty
- (A) Quickfoot - Endurance/RunSpeed
- (A) Empty
Level 6: Ninja Run
Ice/Mental is a great combination. When running a blaster, you will be much happier learning to use Aim and Concentration as much as possible. Those two little buffs have short durations, but a dramatic impact on your performance.
Frost Breath + Psychic Scream is a crowd-pleaser, try to get those two powers 5 slotted by level 20. I'd try to get Bolt with 4 slots, blast with 5 slots as well.
Here is an example of how I might start an Ice/Mental who is meant to play at range.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.707
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Level 25 Mutation Blaster
Primary Power Set: Ice Blast
Secondary Power Set: Mental Manipulation
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Ice Blast -- Empty(A), Empty(3), Empty(15)
Level 1: Subdual -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Ice Bolt -- Empty(A), Empty(3), Empty(7), Empty(15)
Level 4: Frost Breath -- Empty(A), Empty(5), Empty(5), Empty(7), Empty(9)
Level 6: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 8: Freeze Ray -- Empty(A), Empty(9)
Level 10: Psychic Scream -- Empty(A), Empty(11), Empty(11), Empty(13), Empty(13)
Level 12: Aim -- Empty(A), Empty(17)
Level 14: Health -- Empty(A)
Level 16: Concentration -- Empty(A), Empty(17)
Level 18: Bitter Ice Blast -- Empty(A), Empty(19), Empty(19), Empty(21), Empty(23)
Level 20: Stamina -- Empty(A), Empty(21)
Level 22: Hasten -- Empty(A), Empty(23)
Level 24: Drain Psyche -- Empty(A), Empty(25), Empty(25)
Level 26: [Empty]
Level 28: [Empty]
Level 30: [Empty]
Level 32: [Empty]
Level 35: [Empty]
Level 38: [Empty]
Level 41: [Empty]
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Defiance
Level 6: Ninja Run
Why Blasters? Empathy Sucks.
So, you want to be Mental?
What the hell? Let's buff defenders.
Tactics are for those who do not have a big enough hammer. Wisdom is knowing how big your hammer is.
Quote:
Don't give up on them, just save them for teams. |
Originally Posted by randomkille
Ok, then i just forget about my massacre fantasies. Smaller groups will do.
|
A good tank can herd up plenty of things for you to nuke.Quote:
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I got four builds that i want to play to choose from now. Ice / Mental manipulation Fire Mental manipulation Ice / Ice Fire / Ice Is fire / mental manipulation faster at solo leveling then ice / mental? |
One other combination I really like is Archery / Energy. Get Hover and go with a pure ranged build (take Boost Range and put it on auto) and you'll be fairly safe with pretty good damage. And once you hit level 32 Archery gets the best Blaster AoE in the game: Rain of Arrows. You can wipe out every minion in a spawn from long range with it and it's not hard to get it recharging in 20-30 seconds. It's a completely different style than Fire or Ice but it's a lot of fun.
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
Hello
Im new to this game and going to do my first real toon. I prefer to play a DD so i guess im going to make a blaster, but i have no idea what skill sets to choose. I looked some at the forum and Ice blast / Mental manipulation and Ice blast / Ice manipulation seems like nice choices.
I wish to to do both grouping and some solo. I also wish to be able to out level the beginning zones fast, cause it seems like im the only player there.
Going to play att the Defiant server btw.
Really thankfull for answers.