Kat/WP...Spiritual? Muscular?

I'm about to do my first Alpha slot, but before I do, I need to decide on what to slot. I've already maxed up to ED on my damage and most of my recharge, and plan to pick up some LotG7.5%s from merits/hmerits, so I'm not sure about Spiritual.

With muscular, with the damage maxed through slotting for bonuses, that leaves only the def debuf boosts, which none of my powers have that anyhow.

What's your opinion? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Here's her as-built currently, which I'm not sure matters as the alpha rides over all powers:

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.92
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Trixi Chalk ASBUILT via Titan 110324: Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Katana
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Gambler's Cut -- Achilles-ResDeb%:19(A), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:33(3), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg:47(3), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:37(5), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:33(5), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(7)
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- Aegis-ResDam/Rchg:46(A), Aegis-ResDam:42(7), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx:50(9), Heal(9), Heal-I:50(11), Heal-I:50(11)
Level 2: Flashing Steel -- C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngBlow-Dmg/EndRdx:50(13), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg:50(13), Erad-Acc/Rchg:30(15), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:27(15), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:30(17)
Level 4: Fast Healing -- Heal-I:45(A), Heal-I:20(17), Heal-I:35(19)
Level 6: Hasten -- RechRdx-I:25(A), RechRdx-I:45(19), RechRdx-I:45(21)
Level 8: Divine Avalanche -- Mako-Acc/Dmg:50(A), Mako-Dmg/Rchg:50(21), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg:50(23), RedFtn-Def/Rchg:50(23), DefBuff-I:50(25), Dmg-I:50(25)
Level 10: Indomitable Will -- Ksmt-ToHit+:30(A)
Level 12: Mind Over Body -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:14(A), Aegis-ResDam:40(27), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx:39(27), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:39(29)
Level 14: Build Up -- Rec'dRet-Pcptn:18(A), RechRdx-I:50(29), RechRdx(31)
Level 16: Rise to the Challenge -- Heal-I:45(A), ToHitDeb(31), H'zdH-Heal/EndRdx:40(31), H'zdH-Heal:40(33), DarkWD-ToHitDeb:48(33), DarkWD-Slow%:29(33)
Level 18: The Lotus Drops -- C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngBlow-Dmg/EndRdx:50(34), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg:50(34), Erad-Acc/Rchg:30(34), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:30(36), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:30(36)
Level 20: Quick Recovery -- EndMod-I:25(A), EndMod-I:25(36), EndMod-I:50(37)
Level 22: Boxing -- P'ngS'Fest-Dmg/EndRdx:15(A), P'ngS'Fest-Dmg/Rchg:19(37)
Level 24: Tough -- Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx:39(A), Aegis-ResDam:39(37), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:39(39)
Level 26: Soaring Dragon -- RechRdx-I:50(A), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:50(39), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg:50(39), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(40), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(40), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:44(40)
Level 28: Heightened Senses -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx:36(A), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg:39(42), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:36(42), LkGmblr-Def:40(42)
Level 30: Weave -- LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx:39(A), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg:45(43), LkGmblr-Def:30(43), LkGmblr-Rchg+:49(43)
Level 32: Golden Dragonfly -- C'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngBlow-Dmg/EndRdx:50(45), C'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg:50(45), Erad-Acc/Rchg:30(45), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:28(46), Erad-Dmg/Rchg:30(46)
Level 35: Hover -- Winter-ResSlow:11(A)
Level 38: Fly -- Flight(A), Flight-I:50(46)
Level 41: Super Speed -- EndRdx-I:50(A)
Level 44: Assault -- EndRdx(A)
Level 47: Strength of Will -- ResDam(A), ResDam(48)
Level 49: Resurgence -- EndMod-I:50(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Jump-I:50(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx(A)
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I:50(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I:50(A), Jump-I:50(48)
Level 2: Health -- Heal-I:20(A), Heal-I:45(48), Heal-I:35(50)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I:25(A), EndMod-I:25(50), EndMod-I:25(50)
Level 1: Critical Hit
Level 4: Ninja Run
------------
Set Bonus Totals:

• 3% Defense(Melee)
• 3% Defense(Smashing)
• 3% Defense(Lethal)
• 12.38% Defense(Fire)
• 12.38% Defense(Cold)
• 16.13% Defense(Energy)
• 16.13% Defense(Negative)
• 3% Defense(Psionic)
• 9.563% Defense(Ranged)
• 7.688% Defense(AoE)
• 5.4% Max End
• 17.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
• 32% Enhancement(Accuracy)
• 80.32 HP (5.998%) HitPoints
• MezResist(Immobilize) 7.7%
• 20% Perception
• 4.5% (0.075 End/sec) Recovery
• 28% (1.565 HP/sec) Regeneration
• 20% ResEffect(FlySpeed)
• 20% ResEffect(RechargeTime)
• 20% ResEffect(RunSpeed)
• 15% RunSpeed

• MezResist(Immobilize) 2.2%
• 15.06 HP (1.125%) HitPoints
• 7% Enhancement(Accuracy)
• 5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)

• 5% RunSpeed
• 3.125% Defense(Fire,Cold), 1.563% Defense(AoE)

• 1% (0.017 End/sec) Recovery
• 1.25% Defense(Energy,Negative), 0.625% Defense(Ranged)

• 1.8% Max End
• 3.125% Defense(Energy,Negative), 1.563% Defense(Ranged)

• MezResist(Immobilize) 3.3%

• 3% Defense(Melee), 3% Defense(AoE), 3% Defense(Ranged), 3% Defense(Smashing), 3% Defense(Lethal), 3% Defense(Fire), 3% Defense(Cold), 3% Defense(Energy), 3% Defense(Negative), 3% Defense(Psionic)

• 5% RunSpeed
• 3.125% Defense(Fire,Cold), 1.563% Defense(AoE)

• 20% Perception

• 1.5% (0.025 End/sec) Recovery

• 20.08 HP (1.5%) HitPoints

• 1% (0.017 End/sec) Recovery
• 1.25% Defense(Energy,Negative), 0.625% Defense(Ranged)

• 1.8% Max End
• 3.125% Defense(Energy,Negative), 1.563% Defense(Ranged)

• 8% (0.447 HP/sec) Regeneration

• 5% RunSpeed
• 3.125% Defense(Fire,Cold), 1.563% Defense(AoE)

• MezResist(Immobilize) 2.2%
• 15.06 HP (1.125%) HitPoints
• 7% Enhancement(Accuracy)
• 5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)

• 10% (0.559 HP/sec) Regeneration
• 15.06 HP (1.125%) HitPoints
• 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)

• 10% (0.559 HP/sec) Regeneration
• 15.06 HP (1.125%) HitPoints
• 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
• 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)

• 1% (0.017 End/sec) Recovery
• 1.25% Defense(Energy,Negative), 0.625% Defense(Ranged)

• 1.8% Max End
• 3.125% Defense(Energy,Negative), 1.563% Defense(Ranged)

• 20% ResEffect(RunSpeed), 20% ResEffect(RechargeTime), 20% ResEffect(FlySpeed)

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Anecdotal advice: have you considered Nerve? Would help max defense and attacks arent overly slotted for acc.

You may wanna check the Tank Forums as I've noticed more tanks than scrappers use Nerve. There is also a good thread in the General Discussion section Nerve here: http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=252203

I'd strongly favor Nerve.

Fly no longer needs Fly speed enhancers slotted, it reaches the cap just turning it on. Hover, OTOH, benefits greatly from Fly Speed enhancers. I'd stick the Winter's Gift in Fly and add the 2nd slot to Hover. That way Hover can be slotted with 2 fly speeds (or 1 fly speed and a LotG +recharge).

I'd consider Maneuvers over Resurgence, although the self rez can be handy (but I do find Resurgence to be a low quality self-rez).

After getting my main character, a rather IO'd DB/WP scrapper, the Spiritual Radial Paragon tier 4, I'd still managed to collect a pile of shards and another Notice.

Despite my initial disappointment with a Musculature tier 2 on my WP/DB tank, I went ahead and crafted a tier 3 musculature for my scrapper. Damage was already at 95 to 98% after ED, thanks to slotting 4 Kinetic Combats and a "something" in each single target attack and 5 or 6 Scirocco's Dervishes in the AoE's.

"But HALF of the 33% damage bonus will ignore ED! And what else am I going to do with this Notice?"

After creating the new alpha, I ran out and ran a quick radio mission vs. Council, first set at level 50 and then at 53, first with the Spiritual alpha and then with the Musculature. Against the "soft targets" -- not wolves or Warcries that resist lethal -- the "big orange numbers" weren't quite as big as I'd expected:

Slowly autofiring Vengeful Slice and Sweeping Strike only got me a 10.52 and 9.87% increase versus 50's, and a 9.75 and 9.52% increase against 53's. That sounds more impressive than watching the "big orange numbers" go from 233 to 256 vs. 50's and from 168 to 184 vs 53's.

Personally, as a WP scrapper who's tried to pay attention to regen with IO set bonuses (as well as building up defenses), I'm sticking with the Spiritual. Enough recharge to run Blinding Feint -> Attack Vitals nonstop*, plus a regen bonus, plus a to-hit bonus? Looks more like "win" from where I'm standing!

*Spiritual on top of 5 LotG 7.5's was enough to get me to that attack chain -- I don't believe that "just" Spiritual would do it.

WP doesn't really have anything that benefits from more recharge, so mostly you're looking at the offensive benefit of either. If the Spiritual can get you to a better attack chain, I think it would be worthwhile. Otherwise you'd get more damage out of Musculature - with your attacks at the ED damage cap from slotting, a Musculature Core Paragon will give you 32.25% extra damage in all your attacks, which is like having a second Build Up power on an ~30s recharge if you average it over time, or having a medium red inspiration all the time. As Eldorado says, it's not a huge difference, but it's definitely there. In I20, Musculature will also boost your Judgement attacks and Lore pets, and that IS a huge difference - Musculature'd Judgements can easily hit for >600 damage. Neither of them benefit from Spiritual.

However, Spiritual will enhance your regeneration and +hp from High Pain Tolerance, while Musculature has no really useful secondary effects.

Hmmm... may need to look at Musc. Rad. Paragon for my DM/SR (right now has Spirit Core Paragon); however, as it stands I'm not certain building around Incarnate Powers is that prudent given their situational nature - so far.

And this discussion is still relevant for Broadsword/, right? Levelling up a BS/WP here, and am looking at endgame content.

Sitting here thinking about it, Spritual probably would be the way to go for Broadsword, since those attacks are uniformly more recharge-intensive than are Katana's. Plus Shadowmeld from Soul Mastery... yep, Spiritual might just be the ticket.

Hmm. When I first looked at this thread, slotting the Nerve made the most sense. However, the build I posted might prefer the Spiritual Core. You lose some small bit of defense, but get a big boost on Hasten and can run GC-SD-GC-GD gapless. The build's accuracy loses out fighting +4s, but it is still solid against +3s (and with the level shift, that is all we are going to be facing, at least in the near future). Endurance use may be an issue in longer fights, though we can always attack slower.

In the same sense that a damage SO is a 33% bonus, yes. If you mean as a percent increase relative the damage you already do, it's closer to 15%, since damage bonuses are additive and not multiplicative with each other.

Spiritual.

Recharge helps your attack chain, and the heal component does indeed add to things like HPT and Rise to the Challenge since it adds to anything that will accept a heal SO.

With the tier 4 you can probably hit or get close to scrapper HP cap without going too far out of your way to HP bonuses.

Spiritual: more regen, more +hp, more recharge

Since I already had enough recharge for my target attack chain, I went with Musculature. Granted, I'm Kat/SR, so I have easy access to gobs of easy +Rech /WP might not have.