shield charge vs. lightning rod

I asked this in another thread, but it was at the end of the thread, so I guess nobody saw it. So reposting as a new topic.

How does shield charge compare to lightning rod, let's say if both are used by scrappers? Are they basically the same exact power? Or is one better than the other in some way? From a technical perspective, they do appear to be identical, so I'm mainly wondering about the damage of each. I just got LR on my new scrapper, so I want to know how SC compares.

I am math deficient, so I don't know if the numbers support this, but from my experience lightning rod does slightly more damage than SC on my brute. I currently have a full set of oblits in each. It's when you string them together that you see why elec/shield is the best melee/def combo in the game

Edited out for misreading the question! :/

Gah edited again. Fail post.

the difference comes in the AT...in a Scrapper and Brute lightning rod will be in the primary...and Shield charge will be in the secondary... therefore LR will do more damage, however for a tanker...SC will do more damage as the primary and secondary are switched

I'm pretty sure SC and LR are virtually identical, except for dmg type.

SC actually does have 2 chances for damage, one in the big area, and an additional one in the area right around you.

And Elegost is right, primary/secondary means nothing when it comes to the performance of any power; the different AT modifiers are what determine that. As a result, Shield Charge is just as good as Lightning Rod for scrappers.

Ok thx all, sounds like they're similar enough to be equally awesome

Basically, lead with LR, then hit SC and beat on the boss thats left standing. By the time your done with him, LR + SC into the next group

I think they are numerically similar in damage value, however. Shield charge has the benefit of having a substantial damage buff attached to it in the form of Saturated AAO. (Which will hit around 70% I think)

So while lightning rod can get the 100% dmg buff from build up, SC can and will benefit from both AAO and whatever "Build up" type power the primary of the set has, whether it be Soul Drain, Build up or Siphon Power.

Of course Lightning Rod will get the same benefit if you went Elec/SD.

Another difference: you can Shield Charge to or from the air, but Lightning Rod must start and end on the ground.

Actually, disregard my post up there! I just remembered they changed it a few months ago. It does have staggered damage like LR now. Doh!

The only difference is in the type. LR will do a little bit more sometimes because of the energy damage being less resisted.

I'll put some numbers up later on, but I'm pretty sure that on my Elm/SD Scrapper, LR consistently out-damages SC by a fairly significant amount.

Lighting rod wins, everytime. Now you woulda asked me this a couple months ago it woulda been a hard question.

Oh ok. I guess that's why everybody and their dog made one recently.