Need help with Crab Build
Ditch your melee attacks, pick up Hover. Also in the name of all that is evil, pick up TT:Maneuvers at level 10. I kick Soldiers from teams for not taking that power at the first opportunity.
I was able to solo Ghost Widow in her EB form at level 41 for my patron arc with just the use of a few inspirations so there's no reason you shouldn't be able to solo most EBs u run up against as well.
Trick to using Mids; switch it to Dynamic (from Level-Up mode). Then in the power lists, just click the powers in the order of importance. I usually start most of my builds by clicking Stamina and then the pre-reqs for it first. Then I click the other powers that I want for my build. That way you end up getting the powers u need at the earliest opportunity.
Try the powers in the order in this datachunk:
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Definitely pick up Tactical Training: Maneuvers at the first opportunity. That plus CT: Defensive will give you a healthy amount of ranged defense, and that's before adding in set bonuses etc. Plus it's a nice contribution to any teams you join.
Unless you have a specific IO plan for it, drop Wolf Spider Armor - it's pretty much redundant when you have Crab Armor Upgrade and Fortification.
Arm Lash is fairly good, especially if you leverage the melee-cone aspect. But generally try to keep out of melee range and kite stuff, as your defenses are stronger vs ranged.
It's worth adding other sources of +def to edge you closer to the soft cap, whether that's via IO sets or pool powers like Combat Jumping or Hover (tho it's not worth wasting slots on enhancing the defense, the base amount is decent given the low endurance cost and that it's stacked on your more substantial CC and TT:M powers). For extra durability consider the fighting pool or leadership pool maneuvers (though both options will probably make endurance an issue).
If you're not at the defense soft cap, keep a handful of purple insps for EBs - two small purples will basically cap your ranged defense to them when layered over your other powers (even one should get you real close to the cap).
Also you should find soloing gets a bit easier once (if) you pick up the pets, as they draw a bit of aggro and increase your single target dps a bit.
Thanks, but I have some questions.
First what's so good about TT:Maneuvers when you solo? I can understand wanting a group power for those times I do team up with my friends, but is it so great when you solo?
Second, why hover? It's too slow and I like to charge through the door mission and defeat only the targets I have to defeat.
Thanks, but I have some questions.
First what's so good about TT:Maneuvers when you solo? I can understand wanting a group power for those times I do team up with my friends, but is it so great when you solo? |
Stack TT:Maneuvers on top of CT:Defensive and you're looking at ~26% ranged defense (for reference, Shield Defense clocks in just over 20% and Super Reflexes just over 30% - though obviously all 3 have other aspects to them as well).
(edit: although I don't take Hover on mine, the point of Hover is to keep enemies from closing to melee, since you get a fair bit more ranged defense than melee defense)
Definitely pick up Tactical Training: Maneuvers at the first opportunity. That plus CT: Defensive will give you a healthy amount of ranged defense, and that's before adding in set bonuses etc. Plus it's a nice contribution to any teams you join.
Unless you have a specific IO plan for it, drop Wolf Spider Armor - it's pretty much redundant when you have Crab Armor Upgrade and Fortification |
This is what I use now , he isn't perfect but he is ranged soft capped and a lot of fun to play. Didn't cost to much to IO ( except the Numina/Miracles ). I could probably do better but if he fun to play then why bother
P.S. Hes an AOE beast with fully slotted Fences, Venom, Frag and Achilles slotted Suppression
Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.707
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Level 50 Natural Arachnos Soldier
Primary Power Set: Crab Spider Soldier
Secondary Power Set: Crab Spider Training
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fitness
Ancillary Pool: Mu Mastery
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Channelgun -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(3), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(15), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(19), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43)
Level 1: Crab Spider Armor Upgrade -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), S'fstPrt-ResKB(36)
Level 2: Longfang -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(5), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(15), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(19), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43)
Level 4: Combat Training: Defensive -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(7), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(7), RedFtn-Def(46), RedFtn-EndRdx(46), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 6: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 8: Suppression -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(9), Posi-Dmg/Rng(9), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(17), Posi-Dam%(23), Achilles-ResDeb%(39)
Level 10: Tactical Training: Maneuvers -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(11), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(11), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(31), RedFtn-Def(31), RedFtn-EndRdx(31)
Level 12: Venom Grenade -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(13), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(13), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(17), Posi-Dam%(23)
Level 14: Super Speed -- Run-I(A)
Level 16: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 18: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Numna-Heal(45), Mrcl-Heal(45), Mrcl-Rcvry+(45)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(21), EndMod-I(21)
Level 22: Mental Training -- Run-I(A)
Level 24: Fortification -- TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(A), TtmC'tng-ResDam/Rchg(25), TtmC'tng-EndRdx/Rchg(25), TtmC'tng-ResDam(36), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(42), TtmC'tng-EndRdx(46)
Level 26: Frag Grenade -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(27), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(27), Posi-Dam%(29), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(33)
Level 28: Serum -- Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx(A), Dct'dW-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(29), Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(33), Dct'dW-Heal(42), Dct'dW-Rchg(43)
Level 30: Aim -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 32: Omega Maneuver -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(33), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(34), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(34), Posi-Dam%(34)
Level 35: Summon Spiderlings -- SvgnRt-Acc/Dmg(A), SvgnRt-Acc(36), SvgnRt-Dmg/EndRdx(37), SvgnRt-Acc/EndRdx(37), SvgnRt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(37), SvgnRt-PetResDam(42)
Level 38: Call Reinforcements -- ExRmnt-Acc/Rchg(A), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg(39), ExRmnt-+Res(Pets)(39), ExRmnt-Dmg/EndRdx(40), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), ExRmnt-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(40)
Level 41: Electrifying Fences -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(48), Posi-Dmg/Rng(48), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(48), Posi-Dam%(50), Range-I(50)
Level 44: Tactical Training: Leadership -- GSFC-Build%(A)
Level 47: Tactical Training: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 49: Wolf Spider Armor -- ResDam-I(A)
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Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Conditioning
Level 0: Ninja Run
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I appreciate all the suggestions. What about Web Grenade? Second best way to keep a target from getting into melee range is to keep them from moving (best way is to stay out of reach). And with Web Grenade your teammates are safe from melee too. Only problem would be with trying to web-up bosses and EBs. How do you do that?
The problem with Web Grenade is redraw. It's probably best to wait till 41 and pick up a patron immobilize. I'm partial to School of Sharks, which can then be followed with Venom Grenade, Arctic Breath and then Bile Spray and Suppression for massive AOE carnage.
Unless you have a spammable single target immobilize, it'll be next to impossible to immobilize EBs, which is why Hover if your friend . Bosses usually just need a mag 4 immobilize, so u can pick up Web Grenade and a Patron Immobilize if u wanna immobilize bosses; just gonna have to suck up the redraw pain.
I appreciate all the suggestions. What about Web Grenade? Second best way to keep a target from getting into melee range is to keep them from moving (best way is to stay out of reach). And with Web Grenade your teammates are safe from melee too. Only problem would be with trying to web-up bosses and EBs. How do you do that?
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I use to have Fences, Venom, Suppression, Frag then Ball Lightning but I found with hasten , Posi's and global recharge my first attack was available long before I got to the 5th one, so I respec'd out of Ball Lightning for another pet.
I though the -Status effect from Wolf armor and Crab armor stacks? I have always taken both and cant remember the last time I was Slept or Stunned.
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The only area that you might see benefit from taking Wolf too is Confuse and Fear, since Fortification doesn't protect against those. But those are much rarer types of mez so it's fairly unlikely you'd face more than one mob per spawn using them, and again high defense means the chances of more than one landing on you are slim.
Basically, the scenario where Wolf Armor would actually make the difference is so incredibly rare that you could quite easily play for hundreds of hours and never encounter it. I've not taken it and I also can't remember the last time I was slept or stunned; I'm not sure if my Crab has *ever* been slept or stunned, even soloing x8 spawns.
(I can maybe see the argument for taking it on a Bane Spider, since they don't get Fortification - though even then I didn't take it on my Bane and I can count the number of times I've been mezzed on that character on the fingers of one hand (they generally involve massed Green Ink Men) - you just don't get hit often enough for multiple mezzes to stack)
It does stack, but so does Fortification. Crab Armor + Fortification gives you status protection on par with most Tankers. You'd need to be hit with 5 overlapping holds/stuns/sleeps/immobs to break through, and it's a rare spawn that has that many, much less that can land that many at the same time against an SoA's defense values. Wolf Armor would just mean you'd need to be hit with 6.
The only area that you might see benefit from taking Wolf too is Confuse and Fear, since Fortification doesn't protect against those. But those are much rarer types of mez so it's fairly unlikely you'd face more than one mob per spawn using them, and again high defense means the chances of more than one landing on you are slim. Basically, the scenario where Wolf Armor would actually make the difference is so incredibly rare that you could quite easily play for hundreds of hours and never encounter it. I've not taken it and I also can't remember the last time I was slept or stunned; I'm not sure if my Crab has *ever* been slept or stunned, even soloing x8 spawns. (I can maybe see the argument for taking it on a Bane Spider, since they don't get Fortification - though even then I didn't take it on my Bane and I can count the number of times I've been mezzed on that character on the fingers of one hand (they generally involve massed Green Ink Men) - you just don't get hit often enough for multiple mezzes to stack) |
The problem with Web Grenade is redraw. It's probably best to wait till 41 and pick up a patron immobilize. I'm partial to School of Sharks, which can then be followed with Venom Grenade, Arctic Breath and then Bile Spray and Suppression for massive AOE carnage.
Unless you have a spammable single target immobilize, it'll be next to impossible to immobilize EBs, which is why Hover if your friend . Bosses usually just need a mag 4 immobilize, so u can pick up Web Grenade and a Patron Immobilize if u wanna immobilize bosses; just gonna have to suck up the redraw pain. |
As for the patron pools, I haven't thought about those yet. My first villain (a MM) took the electric pool for the defensive power. My brute took the shark pool since she's a dragoness and I liked having more breath weapons. This is my third and I'd like to try something new. Maybe boost my melee with Mace or try the psychic pool for kicks.
Sigh another respec , much hate........... I guess I could drop it and take Combat Jumping or Stealth for a free Gambler 7.5 or Karma KB slot
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In any case, its generally best to hold off on any respec until you have multiple things you want to change - while the wolf spider armor isn't helping you much, it isn't hurting you either. Of course, as Biowraith mentioned if you currently have a freespec you might as well use it before GR goes live next monday/tuesday (can't remember exact day) as they are re-issuing freespec's.
Globals: @Midnight Mystique/@Magik13
You'll have to forgive me. I've been playing CoX since the first weekend it was open. But I never really analyzed my characters. If I could get through the missions, I was happy. This is the first time I had real problems with a character underperforming (well second, the first is my healer but healers aren't meant to solo) and my first epic archtype. So I'm not familiar with the terms redraw or "mag 4". What do they mean?
As for the patron pools, I haven't thought about those yet. My first villain (a MM) took the electric pool for the defensive power. My brute took the shark pool since she's a dragoness and I liked having more breath weapons. This is my third and I'd like to try something new. Maybe boost my melee with Mace or try the psychic pool for kicks. |
Mag is short for Magnitude - all control effects have a magnitude that is compared against the magnitude of your protections to see if the control affects you - the magnitude of the control has to exceed the protections. If you are hit by the same control power multiple times they can stack up, adding their magnitude together, but powers that give you control protection can also stack. So if you have the crab spider armor and nothing else, you have magnitude 4 protection to stun, sleep, immobilize, holds, confusion and fear. If you also have fortification you add 8.3 to the stun, sleep, hold and immoblize protection for a total of mag 12.3 protection to each of those 4 status effects (but you still only have mag 4 protection to confustion and fear).
Most attacks with status effects are magnitude 3 - so with just the crab armor 1 hold, for example, will not affect you but 2 holds stacked on each other will add up to mag 6 and overwhelm your protection, holding you. With fortification added to that it will take 5 holds to affect you. Those holds have to hit you, which your defenses will make a lot less likely, and they have to hit closely together so that the first holds haven't worn off. Thus, with mag 12.3 hold protection and a high defense it is unlikely you will ever be held.
As for patron pools - the general advice for crabs or huntsman (or any soldier that has venom grenade) if you are just looking to be effective is to go with leviathan mastery for bile spray - its a large cone AoE that does toxic damage and your venom grenade has a resistance debuff that is twice as strong for toxic damage as it is for other damage. Arctic breath, another large cone attack in that PPP also does a resistance debuff, so using venom grenade + arctic breath + bile spray will result in a LOT of AE damage. However, you look kind of corny as the animation for the two cones basically involves vomiting on your enemies. So if you want to go with one of the other pools for concept (or to try out something different) I would say go for it.
My last comment is on hover - while you CAN be effective as a hover blaster between the def from TT: defensive and TT: Maneuvers and the resistances in fortification a crab should be capable of handling at least some melee (and built correctly you can actually act as a light tank) so if you don't like hover as a movement power I would suggest combat jumping - you get the same def bonus, more control when jumping and can take super jump as a movement power - plus it costs a lot less end than hover.
Globals: @Midnight Mystique/@Magik13
Any power that uses a weapon animation has faster activation if the weapon is already out - if the weapon isn't out you have to 'draw' it, adding to the activation time. Since wide area web grenade fires from the soldier's gun, you will have to draw the gun to use it.
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I did a respec the other night based on the advice given and it's working pretty well. I don't have as many slots in my attack powers (focused on defense first) but that will change as I get more slots. I have noticed that I get into melee often because the targets run up to me and because of the animation time I can't get further away. I'll have to work on that. But I've already raised the diff level to base and with another level or 2 could see pushing it up to +1.
Thanks for all the help!
Thank you. I've had several characters with weapons and I don't think it's as bad as you say mostly because there are times when even with drawn weapons there's a delay between when I push the button and when the weapon fires. I haven't noticed the faster activation time. But speaking of delay, what about the Interrupt Time enhancements I've seen. What are they good for? Do they make the activation time faster? If so is it worth the fraction of a second it would save?
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I don't believe that slotting an interrupt enhancement will actually reduce the cast time, just the amount of the activation that can be interrupted. They will have no effect on weapon draw.
Globals: @Midnight Mystique/@Magik13
Fortification is a great power effectiveness wise, but can you guys really tolerate that aura? I feel the need to respec out of this power just so I can see my costume.
I've been having problems soloing with my Crab Spider lately. Since I want to get through all the story arcs I had to crank the difficulty level to -1 (less XP means the longer I can put off turning off earning XP to get everything done). But there have been some missions I couldn't do even then, usually against EBs. Now this concerns me a bit because my brute never had to lower the diff settings and my MM (my first villain too) actually raised the settings and took out 2 EBs at once.
I'd like to be able to solo again with my crab. I prefer ranged attacks but know that things often devolve into melee. I like the suppression power so even if it doesn't quite fit in, I plan on keeping it. Also even though I'm down as level 30, I'm actually 32 I just haven't trained. I'd like to have a better build in mind first. And, oh yes, I know I haven't maxed out all the slots. I plan to once I have a better idea of what I need.
I already plan on switching Frenzy with Serum for the HP boost and Slice with Armlash because I think the animation is better. (But if these are bad ideas, I'm flexible.)
(I'm also bad at Mids, so pay no attention to the order of the powers or slots.)
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.707
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Paleotarbus: Level 29 Natural Arachnos Soldier
Primary Power Set: Crab Spider Soldier
Secondary Power Set: Crab Spider Training
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fitness
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Channelgun
- (A) Accuracy IO
- (3) Damage Increase IO
- (3) Endurance Reduction IO
- (5) Recharge Reduction IO
- (5) Range IO
Level 1: Crab Spider Armor Upgrade- (A) Resist Damage IO
- (25) Resist Damage IO
- (27) Impervious Skin - Status Resistance
Level 2: Slice- (A) Accuracy IO
- (7) Damage Increase IO
Level 4: Longfang- (A) Accuracy IO
- (7) Damage Increase IO
- (9) Endurance Reduction IO
- (9) Recharge Reduction IO
- (11) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff
Level 6: Combat Training: Defensive- (A) Defense Buff IO
- (17) Defense Buff IO
- (21) Karma - Knockback Protection
- (23) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
Level 8: Combat Training: Offensive- (A) Accuracy IO
Level 10: Suppression- (A) Accuracy IO
- (11) Damage Increase IO
- (13) Endurance Reduction IO
- (13) Recharge Reduction IO
- (15) Range IO
- (15) Empty
Level 12: Venom Grenade- (A) Accuracy IO
- (17) Recharge Reduction IO
Level 14: Fly- (A) Flight Speed IO
Level 16: Hurdle- (A) Jumping IO
Level 18: Frag Grenade- (A) Accuracy IO
- (19) Damage Increase IO
- (19) Endurance Reduction IO
- (21) Knockback Distance IO
Level 20: Health- (A) Healing IO
- (23) Healing IO
Level 22: Stamina- (A) Endurance Modification IO
- (25) Endurance Modification IO
Level 24: Fortification- (A) Endurance Reduction IO
- (27) Empty
- (29) Empty
Level 26: Frenzy- (A) Empty
Level 28: Mental Training- (A) Run Speed IO
- (29) Flight Speed IO
Level 30: Wolf Spider Armor- (A) Empty
Level 32: [Empty]Level 35: [Empty]
Level 38: [Empty]
Level 41: [Empty]
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
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Level 1: Brawl
- (A) Empty
Level 1: Sprint- (A) Empty
Level 2: Rest- (A) Empty
Level 1: ConditioningLevel 6: Ninja Run
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