It is a good power, but I skipped it too. I have enough control without it for my build. Its nothing dramatic, but it is a nice extra AoE control that can give you (or your team) a second to set up something that will last longer.
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So, you want to be Mental?
What the hell? Let's buff defenders.
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On test, I was really unimpressed with Jolting Chain. Now I see it as a short-term AoE control -- nice to use when a teammate has used an AoE damage attack on Static Field -- just long enough to keep the foes distracted until the next sleep pulse can hit them. Nice to use as the standard attack of Static Field, Jolting Chain, Chain Fences. The knockdown prevents attacks while you apply the AoE Immob on top of Static Field. It works sometimes when your other controls don't.
It is not a key power in the set . . . more an extra, fast recharging tool that is handy to have. Especially once I get Choking Cloud, I think it will be nice to have. Choking Cloud takes a few seconds to work . . . Jolting Chain will give a few seconds of AoE control with its knockdown.
I haven't seen whether procs in the power will only hit the first foe hit, or if the proc will spread to others (I suspect the first). I'm sure some folks with more time than I have will have already tested this.
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Guide Links: Earth/Rad Guide, Illusion/Rad Guide, Electric Control
I find it to be a great pulling mechanism. My biggest plus as an Elec/Rad is being able to lead an entire group into Static Field and shut them down with sleep and my toggle debuffs. Jolting Chain is a great way to pull an entire group rather than the off chance of just having one guy break off. It's also a good butt-saver if you suddenly find yourself getting hit. Gives you just long enough to heal/pop insps/immobilize and run like hell.
My guides:Dark Melee/Dark Armor/Soul Mastery, Illusion Control/Kinetics/Primal Forces Mastery, Electric Armor
"Dark Armor is a complete waste as a tanking set."
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Most procs you put in Jolting Chain will check at every jump. I havent test the Endmod IO sets procs of the FF proc, but I do know the preorder damage IOs work as does the KB damage proc. I know the -end, the hold procs from the Ranged Damage IO sets also work. I havent done enough testing to see if this holds true for any secondary chains that branch off the first one.
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Originally Posted by Local_Man
I haven't seen whether procs in the power will only hit the first foe hit, or if the proc will spread to others (I suspect the first).
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I use it as an intermediary power, if I'm going to be using a power that will break Static Field's sleep. That way by the time they can react they're back to sleep.
Plus I love seeing groups of mobs flopping onto their backsides. it's perversely amusing.
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One advantage of Jolting Chain is that due to it's pseduo-aoe and dual-splitting mechanics, it's virtually guaranteed to hit the full 16 targets once it's hit the first one. See http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=235533 for full explanation.
It's an ok power. I wouldn't call it a must-have.
The thing about Jolting Chains is if you manage crowds carefully, everything past the first strike is basically auto-hit. With some recharge, the knockdown ratio is actually better than Ice Slick, and it does damage.
Whether that's useful depends largely on your secondary. There is little else in Electric Control you should be spamming. It is really a question of what's going on with the rest of your overall build. Are you Kinetic? Then you probably don't have time to use Jolting Chains that much. Force Field? Well then Jolting Chains is probably better than whatever else you'd be doing.
Jolting Chains is also an oddity from an IO standpoint. Even though it's essentially an AoE, it takes single-target damage IOs, including the Chance for Hold proc. It also allows you to slot a purple damage proc into an AoE, which with any other AoE would be prohibited. It's a 33% chance to do 107 damage. With 15 targets the proc will hit approximately 5 per cast. Total damage: 500 points, from that one proc alone without considering the base damage Jolting Chain itself does.
Now in terms of understanding how the power works you may want to take a look at the discussion here: http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=235533 . The explanation basically comes together over the course of the discussion, with me beating my head against a wall trying to understand what was going on with the power and finally Arcanaville swooping in like some math goddess to save me. If you don't feel like reading the full set of posts, I'll give you a summation of what's happening below:
Jolting Chain starts out like a regular single target attack. If you hit you hit, if you fail you fail. However unlike most attacks, on a successful hit, Jolting Chain temporarily tags the target. After a short pause that target emits two separate, invisible AoE blasts, each with a 15ft radius (about the size of Fireball). Each of these blasts has a target cap of 1. This means only enemy can be hit by it, but also means the AoE rolls and rolls and rolls and rolls against every available enemy in the area of effect until it either hits one of them, the StreakBreaker forces a hit, or it misses every single available, untagged target (EXTREMELY unlikely when there are a few enemies in range with average defense). Targets that are hit are then tagged, and after a brief pause they too emit an AoE. And then it happens again. In the end, up to 15 enemies can be hit. The basic chain formation looks like this:
I hope that makes sense. I plan on trying to write something more formal about it later.
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This is true as long as JC does not defeat the MOB. If it does JC does not propagate a chain. This means that if I want to use it as an AOE, I have to switch MOBs at the last moment. Not a real big deal being you will probably take out the previous MOB, it's just something you have to remember, and learn to play with.|
Originally Posted by Blue_Fenix
One advantage of Jolting Chain is that due to it's pseduo-aoe and dual-splitting mechanics, it's virtually guaranteed to hit the full 16 targets once it's hit the first one. See http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=235533 for full explanation.
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Now to the OP.
JC plays like a low damage full ranged ST knockup, that happens to also be a low damage full ranged AOE knockup. It plays well with containment, and all of the damage is upfront, and all of it is energy. It is the forth dmg/control power (Thus not replacing any of the standard dmg/control powers.), in an AT that is notoriously short on damage powers, and available at lvl six, which is great for a lowb. It can be proc'd for extra damage as has been mentioned, and it seems with some pretty heavy proc's, which can make it a valuable tool in the upper game.
Hells, how many other Troller sets have one of these?
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Testing so far suggests all damage, debuff, and mezz (kb/kd, hold, stun, -end, slow, etc.) procs work as they should. The Chance for +End, +Rech, +Heal procs seem to affect either the target or the pseudopet, but not the caster (except against the first target with the +Rech and Self Heal procs). Someone reported that the Chance to Heal proc heals the enemies when it goes off, but I know of no actual testing for that effect.
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Originally Posted by Saltyhero13
Most procs you put in Jolting Chain will check at every jump. I havent test the Endmod IO sets procs of the FF proc, but I do know the preorder damage IOs work as does the KB damage proc. I know the -end, the hold procs from the Ranged Damage IO sets also work. I havent done enough testing to see if this holds true for any secondary chains that branch off the first one.
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One other thing to consider about Jolting Chain is that its recharge is pretty darned good. So, if you get a perma-hasten build going, you can basically perma-knockdown whole groups as long as you are willing to click it. At 2.06 seconds to animate, and about 2.36 seconds of recharge, you can cycle it every 4.42 seconds ... more or less.
I bet that is pretty hilarious. Perma-flop? Yes please. 
Lewis
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ZZZ CON ELEC SONIC: Level 50 Science Controller
Primary Power Set: Electric Control
Secondary Power Set: Sonic Resonance
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Stone Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Tesla Cage -- BasGaze-Acc/Hold(A), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold(3), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(3), BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(9), Lock-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(9)
Level 1: Sonic Siphon -- Acc-I(A), EndRdx-I(31)
Level 2: Chain Fences -- GravAnch-Immob/Rchg(A), GravAnch-Acc/Immob/Rchg(5), GravAnch-Acc/Rchg(5), GravAnch-Immob/EndRdx(34), GravAnch-Hold%(36)
Level 4: Sonic Barrier -- ImpSkn-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpSkn-ResDam/Rchg(11), ImpSkn-EndRdx/Rchg(11), ImpSkn-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(40), ImpSkn-Status(46), ResDam-I(46)
Level 6: Jolting Chain -- Decim-Acc/Dmg(A), Decim-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Decim-Dmg/Rchg(7), Decim-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(34), Decim-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34)
Level 8: Conductive Aura -- Efficacy-EndMod(A), Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg(17), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(17), Efficacy-Acc/Rchg(37), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc(37), Efficacy-EndMod/EndRdx(37)
Level 10: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(19), RechRdx-I(19)
Level 12: Static Field -- FtnHyp-Sleep(A), FtnHyp-Sleep/Rchg(13), FtnHyp-Acc/Sleep/Rchg(13), FtnHyp-Acc/Rchg(15), FtnHyp-Sleep/EndRdx(15)
Level 14: Super Speed -- QckFt-EndRdx/RunSpd(A)
Level 16: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 18: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(43)
Level 20: Stamina -- EndMod-I(A), P'Shift-EndMod(21), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(21), P'Shift-End%(43)
Level 22: Sonic Dispersion -- ImpSkn-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpSkn-ResDam/Rchg(23), ImpSkn-EndRdx/Rchg(23), ImpSkn-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(25), ImpSkn-Status(36), ResDam-I(36)
Level 24: Sonic Haven -- ImpSkn-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpSkn-ResDam/Rchg(25), ImpSkn-EndRdx/Rchg(31), ImpSkn-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(40), ImpSkn-Status(48), ResDam-I(48)
Level 26: Synaptic Overload -- CoPers-Conf/Rchg(A), CoPers-Acc/Conf/Rchg(27), CoPers-Acc/Rchg(27), CoPers-Conf/EndRdx(29), CoPers-Conf%(29)
Level 28: Disruption Field -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(31)
Level 30: Combat Jumping -- Krma-ResKB(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+(48)
Level 32: Gremlins -- ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg(A), ExRmnt-Dmg/EndRdx(33), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), ExRmnt-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(33)
Level 35: Clarity -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 38: Paralyzing Blast -- UbrkCons-Hold(A), UbrkCons-Hold/Rchg(39), UbrkCons-Acc/Hold/Rchg(39), UbrkCons-Acc/Rchg(39), UbrkCons-EndRdx/Hold(40)
Level 41: Fissure -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(42), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(42), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(42), Posi-Dam%(43)
Level 44: Seismic Smash -- C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(45), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(45), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 47: Sonic Cage -- Acc-I(A)
Level 49: Rock Armor -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(50), LkGmblr-Def(50), LkGmblr-Rchg+(50)
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Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Containment
Level 4: Ninja Run
Code:
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Random AT Generation!
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Its a good proc thrower if you don't plan on setting it fully with something.
Could try going all out, and slot with 1 Accuracy IO (For obvious reasons) and 5 procs, excluding the the chance for heal, build up, recharge.
5 Procs with varying % Chance and effects would at the very least be a laugh to watch, as you spam it every chance you get.
I treat Jolting Chain as an immediate time-buyer: it will always be up because its recharge is so low, and it buys a few extra seconds to get a better solution into place or finish sapping some jerks' endurance.
It's a bit like the soft-control element of Lift or Levitate with the damage taken out and replaced by AOE utility.
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Originally Posted by Ben_Arizona
I treat Jolting Chain as an immediate time-buyer: it will always be up because its recharge is so low, and it buys a few extra seconds to get a better solution into place or finish sapping some jerks' endurance.
It's a bit like the soft-control element of Lift or Levitate with the damage taken out and replaced by AOE utility. |
That's actually a good comparison and is in fact how I use the power sometimes. You can juggle a boss with Cage >> Jolting Chain >> Cage.
I got to try this power out last night, and I've enjoyed it. I found the soft control as people have mentioned here, very handy for buying time for a heal to come of cooldown.
It's also quite fun for when that surprise ambush appears... they're all running at you in a line, hit the front target and laugh as they all go down like dominoes. A precious couple of seconds bought.
At L7 I made the silly mistake of slotting in a knockback range - only for it to hit the first target, throw them back and therefore miss anyone else - not so pro or good for the tank. Quite funny though the one time when the knockback actually threw them into more targets to helping its propagation.
Why do I feel like I'm the only person that just isn't impressed with jolting chain whatsoever. It seems like everybody on here can't imagine skipping the power, but I respecced out of it fairly early. Is there something I'm just not seeing? I'm a level 27 elec/rad btw.