City of Heroes: Live Forum Archive

a little constructive criticism for a new blaster?

Another_Fan

By Another_Fan,
Posted on: 2010-09-28 05:17 in Blasters

 

Posted

Hey everyone

I am about to start yet another blaster, maybe this one will go past level 22 :S

I was hoping the experts on these forums could help me take a look at this build and tell me if it will work.
I focused mainly on getting some Smash/Lethal defence (Mid's says I am at 45.8%) as my main issue with blasters have always been how "squishy" they are.
Secondary goal was to up the recharge so I can use the big guns more often

I would love to push the recharge to a point where Hasten was perma, but I seem to be stuck with about 15 secs downtime.

Anyway, here we go...(and please ignore the slot levels, right now I am just focusing on whether it is a viable build):

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1,803
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Primary Power Set: Fire Blast
Secondary Power Set: Energy Manipulation
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Fire Blast

  • (A) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage: Level 40
  • (3) Decimation - Damage/Endurance: Level 40
  • (3) Decimation - Damage/Recharge: Level 40
  • (5) Devastation - Damage/Recharge: Level 40
  • (5) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 40
  • (7) Decimation - Chance of Build Up: Level 40
Level 1: Power Thrust
  • (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage: Level 35
  • (43) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance: Level 35
  • (43) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge: Level 35
  • (46) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 35
Level 2: Fire Ball
  • (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
  • (7) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  • (9) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  • (9) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range: Level 50
  • (11) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  • (11) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 4: Build Up
  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
  • (13) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
  • (13) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 6: Super Jump
  • (A) Jumping IO: Level 50
Level 8: Fire Breath
  • (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
  • (15) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  • (15) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  • (17) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range: Level 50
  • (17) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
  • (19) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 10: Swift
  • (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50
Level 12: Aim
  • (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff: Level 50
  • (19) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge: Level 50
  • (21) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance: Level 50
  • (21) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance: Level 50
  • (23) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Recharge/Endurance: Level 50
  • (23) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up: Level 50
Level 14: Health
  • (A) Healing IO: Level 40
  • (42) Healing IO: Level 50
  • (43) Healing IO: Level 50
Level 16: Conserve Power
  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
  • (29) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
  • (31) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 18: Blaze
  • (A) Apocalypse - Damage: Level 50
  • (25) Apocalypse - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  • (25) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  • (27) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
  • (27) Apocalypse - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
Level 20: Stamina
  • (A) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50
  • (34) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50
  • (34) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50
Level 22: Bone Smasher
  • (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage: Level 35
  • (29) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
  • (34) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance: Level 35
  • (36) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge: Level 35
  • (36) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 35
  • (36) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
Level 24: Rain of Fire
  • (A) Ragnarok - Damage: Level 50
  • (37) Ragnarok - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  • (37) Ragnarok - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  • (39) Ragnarok - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
  • (39) Ragnarok - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
Level 26: Hasten
  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
  • (40) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
  • (40) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 28: Combat Jumping
  • (A) Karma - Knockback Protection: Level 30
  • (37) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance: Level 50
  • (40) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed: Level 50
  • (42) Luck of the Gambler - Defense: Level 50
Level 30: Kick
  • (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage: Level 25
  • (31) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance: Level 35
  • (31) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge: Level 35
  • (45) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 35
Level 32: Inferno
  • (A) Obliteration - Damage: Level 50
  • (33) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
  • (33) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  • (33) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  • (39) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage: Level 50
  • (42) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
Level 35: Boost Range
  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 38: Total Focus
  • (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage: Level 35
  • (46) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance: Level 35
  • (46) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge: Level 35
  • (48) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 35
  • (50) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
  • (50) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 41: Scorpion Shield
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed: Level 50
  • (45) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance: Level 50
  • (45) Luck of the Gambler - Defense: Level 50
  • (50) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge: Level 50
Level 44: Tough
  • (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%: Level 30
Level 47: Weave
  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed: Level 50
  • (48) Luck of the Gambler - Defense: Level 50
  • (48) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance: Level 50
Level 49: Hurdle
  • (A) Jumping IO: Level 50
------------
Level 1: Brawl
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Sprint
  • (A) Empty
Level 2: Rest
  • (A) Empty
Level 1: Defiance
Level 1: Ninja Run
------------
Set Bonus Totals:
  • 9,5% DamageBuff(Smashing)
  • 9,5% DamageBuff(Lethal)
  • 9,5% DamageBuff(Fire)
  • 9,5% DamageBuff(Cold)
  • 9,5% DamageBuff(Energy)
  • 9,5% DamageBuff(Negative)
  • 9,5% DamageBuff(Toxic)
  • 9,5% DamageBuff(Psionic)
  • 21,1% Defense(Smashing)
  • 21,1% Defense(Lethal)
  • 4,25% Defense(Fire)
  • 4,25% Defense(Cold)
  • 4,25% Defense(Energy)
  • 4,25% Defense(Negative)
  • 3% Defense(Psionic)
  • 16,8% Defense(Melee)
  • 5,5% Defense(Ranged)
  • 5,5% Defense(AoE)
  • 2,25% Max End
  • 51% Enhancement(Accuracy)
  • 66,3% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
  • 5% FlySpeed
  • 185,2 HP (15,4%) HitPoints
  • 5% JumpHeight
  • 5% JumpSpeed
  • Knockback (Mag -4)
  • Knockup (Mag -4)
  • MezResist(Immobilize) 13,8%
  • MezResist(Stun) 2,2%
  • 11,5% (0,19 End/sec) Recovery
  • 46% (2,31 HP/sec) Regeneration
  • 5,67% Resistance(Fire)
  • 5,67% Resistance(Cold)
  • 5% RunSpeed



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My Decision Has Been Made
- Don't Try To Confuse Me With Facts!

 

Posted

Mini-guide to blasters is in sig.

You're not going to have any significant Defense till the 40's. Your problem with Blasters starts in the 20's. If you won't enjoy the Blaster without the Defense, you won't really enjoy the Blaster. I recommend the following:

Play that build till level 8.
Go to Perez Park. Pick out a nice big group of whites. Target one near the back. Hit Build Up, Fireball, Fire Breath. Finish the survivors with your singletarget attacks.

Did you like it enough to put up with all that getting shot? If not, Blasters really aren't the character for you.

Minor build recommendations:

Delay Conserve Power till just before Inferno.
Take Bone Smasher earlier. I like the Bone Smasher/Energy Punch combo- fast activating and a CHUNK TON OF DAMAGE. Something like 60% more damage than headsplitter in the same elapsed time. (actually, I like the corresponding powers on an /Elec blaster, but the main difference is visuals.) If you're going to be that close to someone, you better hit them REALLY hard REALLY fast.

I don't like Rain of Fire (aka Rain of Aggro) because I want to put the enemy down in four seconds flat. Rain of Fire takes a long time to do its damage, and Blasters don't have a long time.

Mini-guides: Force Field Defenders, Blasters, Market Self-Defense, Frankenslotting.

So you think you're a hero, huh.
@Boltcutter in game.

 

Posted

What's your level up build going to be? The one you posted is the finished product, what are you going to do before that build is realized?

While leveling up you won't have the luxury of softcapped defense, so you'll have to rely on fundamentals. If you want to endure the 40 some levels it takes before you start reaping the rewards of your soft-capped build/investment, you first need to work on those blaster fundamentals. If you don't you aren't going to enjoy the ride. So the question you really should be asking is "How should I augment my playstyle so I'll enjoy this new blaster enough to justify such an investment into my build?" And you will get a lot of different answers.

To help you get started, these things have helped me as I was learning the game as a squishy.

1 - Line of sight is you friend, if mobs can't see you they can't hit you, if you are in danger, hide behind an obstacle and use inspirations while mobs are running to you.
2 - Identify mezzers (ruin mages) or annoyance mobs (e.g. sorcerers) and deal with them first and deal with them fast.
3 - Mobs are stupid, if you move close to them they switch to melee mode, move away it sometimes they stay in melee mode, so they chase. If they are chasing you then you aren't getting shot at, and you have the luxury of tossing ranged attacks on the move.
4 - Keep moving, this should be #1
5 - Immob protection and KB protection are really nice, a stationary blaster will inevitably become a dead blaster.
6 - Don't shy away from melee but that doesn't mean you need to stay in melee either, hop in, take your shots, hop out, combine this with #3
7 - Pop inspirations, that's what they are there for.
8 - Know when to hold back on a team, and know when to go all out.
There are lots more tips and I'm sure others will chime in.

Finally when you reach the pinnacle of blasterdom, you can start playing like a noob straight out of outbreak, the only difference will be that you aren't the one face planting, you'll be the one melting faces.

That said fire/eng is a top notch combo, the burst output on it is nasty and that aspect flourishes earlier than most other combos. I hope you do stick with it.