Is Martial Arts messed up?

I read about the new change on Cobra Strike so I was thinking about making a Stalker MA. I've tried MA Scrapper a bit and while it's not the best set, it is ok with at least one aoe attack.

I looked at MA again last night just to plan the build. The more I look at it, the more I think the whole set is pretty much messed up... like poorly designed, or with lack of "focus".

Well, for one, I think Martial Arts is the worst set on Stalker because it stands out NOTHING. It doesn't stack stun the way Energy Melee can (also has no aoe attack) and has no secondary damage type. It has a pretty far knockback and one immb attack.

Now with the additional of Cobra being a good attack, why bother taking Crane kick? Now you can change animation so it's not like you feel you have to choose a theme, either all Punches or Kicks.

On Stalker, I almost don't even want to take the first two attacks Thunder and Storm even though Storm has probably the best activation time for damage but it has no secondary effect. T_T


I think Eagle Claw's damage is just too low for the activation time. With Cobra strike doing Crane kick damage, it's almost like you are better off not using Eagle for the best DPS attack chain? The mag 3 stun is nice but the damage is poor. They can move the recharge up IMO to at least 16s. By the way, mids is showing Stalker's Eagle Claw having 16s recharge. I thought it's 12s? Scrapper is showing 12s.


For a set that has no AoE, I feel Martial Arts only has style and nothing else. You can at least stack stuns with Energy Melee and having dual damage type.


What's your take on it? I was glad that "oh, they did something nice for Cobra strike" but then when I look at it, it's like "why bother taking so many ST attacks"? I mean a melee toon only really meeds 3 ST attacks in the end and get more from patron. It's better to skip some ST attacks in Martial Arts and take aoe or range attack from epic/patron.

The Scrapper version has a unique mechanic-- it basically causes the attack you use immediately after it to have its critical chance increased by 33%. So, it can increase the AoE damage of the sweep attack by 33% or give you up to a 43% chance of critical on a powerful follow up attack like Cobra Strike or Crippling Axe Kick.

I ran the DPA numbers accounting for Arcanatime for the new Stalker MA - throwing out Thunder Kick as "most likely to be skipped" and Assassin's Strike as "wait, you're using this out of hide?!", the lowest DPA in the set is Eagle Claw - which, after the damage scale change, is tied for Focus from Claws.

I don't know that "messed up" is the word I'd use.

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Martial Arts is fine as is with the current changes.

Still think Eagle's Claw for Scrappers needs about 2.5-3 seconds to add a critical to another attack, as 2 seconds is really short, and a server hiccup or power not firing properly is asking for the effect to do nothing. The changes do help a fair amount, even though the set was pretty good before.

I may be mistaken, but I think what you are seeing is the Scrapper Crit potential that is part of their inherent. Most, but not all, Stalker powers Crit out of Hide, and they have an increased chance of Crit (even out of Hide) depending on how many teammates are in a 30' radius.

Yes, its true that Stalker MA lacks AOE powers, but I would offer that it doesn't really need them. Its ST attacks are now very strong. The only enemy that has given my MA/Nin significant trouble so far has been Polyphemus.

Scrapper EC now gives a window where your next MA attack will auto crit if you queue it early during EC's animation.

Stalker EC is now just plain more damaging. This makes sense, as they can deliver a controlled crit with it right out of the gate.

Given these designs, I don't especially recommend that a Stalker use EC in an attack chain because of the long animation, bit I do think it's good to have and use out of hide. Deciding to put it it in your chain is less a function of its DPA (which is now more respectable) but more that the DPA of your other attacks are now very good.

You should not want to skip Storm Kick. It is a good attack.

And no, Stalkers do not need AoE attacks. I have an MA/Regen that plays and survives quite well. But having (more) AoEs is going to make a Stalker more attractive to a team, and make them able to survive taking on more foes at a time. Would most Stalkers want to do that? Of course. "Need" I don't buy into so much.

[QUOTE=UberGuy;3156872]Scrapper EC now gives a window where your next MA attack will auto crit if you queue it early during EC's animation. /QUOTE]

AFAIK, it's not auto (as in 100%), but increases the chance to crit by 33%.

Sorry, yes, I said that very badly. I... don't really know what I was thinking there, but I knew it wasn't a 100% chance.

I made a MA/Elec Scrapper and so far I like it. Having Cobra and Crane at lvl 8 is very good but I have huge endurance problem ATM.

I am going to need Lightning Field for some aoe damage.

I like Stalkers and I team a lot but I can't stand not having even one aoe attack until lvl 41. This is unacceptable to me. Stalker excels in soloing and having a set that focuses on soloing seems over-lapping to me. Even Spines can solo. It's harder but Impale makes it better and once you have Throw Spines, soloing with Spines is just as easy in most parts. I am sure MA solos better than Spines.


The best solo Stalker set is probably Dark Melee but I am biased when it comes to EM/DM VS MA.

MA's numbers for lolpvp are greatly buffed as well. Eagle's Claw in pvp does more damage that Head Splitter. Nothing terribly amazing since it's still smash damage but it's something to remember.

It's still pretty weaksauce for Scrappers, honestly. It lacks the single-target dps of DM, and the crit chance, while nice for the AOE, doesn't make it the be-all. Could use some more oomph (make Storm Kick a cone like Crow Control?) including another AOE and a better DPS chain. None of the top pylon-killing builds are MA. MA/Shields got hit pretty hard by the Shield Charge nerf.