CC is absolutely skippable on a Rad/sonic due to the more ranged nature of the build. Maybe the best known Rad/sonic player took it and defended the decision, but there really is no need for it. Like you said, if there is something there to stack with it, see Fire, Ice, and Elec controllers, then it becomes much more useful.
Aim is mostly about +tohit and that tends to be easy to get elsewhere. Defenders don't gain as much from +dmg as other sets. If you do want +dmg, go Dark epic. I haven't done my build for i19, but I might fit Aim in. Aim + Soul Drain with stacked -res just seems rather nice.
I took amplify partly because I like the little dmg buff but mostly because I can put the GSFC set in there heading toward the range soft cap.
As for CC I skipped it because it goes completely against my builds strengths. I have hover and use my ranged defense (43%) to my advantage along with my high resists (70% S/L)
I wouldn't skip amplify for the very same reason most people do: because Defenders have low damage mods.
Their reasoning? since Defenders have such low damage mods, Amplify doesn't function as effectively as it would on say, a Blaster.
My reasoning? since Defenders have such low damage mods, every little bit of help I can get to increase damage output is very much welcome.
There's a better reason for not taking amplify. Because the combo already has so much +damage (the more damage buffing you get the less effective more damage buffing is) and because using amplify wastes the -res of previous attacks you've used AND makes your future attacks miss out of the -res you would've had if you hadn't used amplify, you actually end up doing about the same amount of damage if you use amplify than you would have if you hadn't. I've run the numbers on it before in a previous thread. On a rad/sonic, amplify just takes up a power slot.
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This jives with what I've experienced playing many hours on a high level rad/sonic. With the amount of recharge that thing pumps out I pretty much just use shriek and scream, with the occasional howl. Any team he's on kills stuff way too fast; the activation time alone (of Amplify) makes it unnecessary at best.|
Originally Posted by Garent
There's a better reason for not taking amplify. Because the combo already has so much +damage (the more damage buffing you get the less effective more damage buffing is) and because using amplify wastes the -res of previous attacks you've used AND makes your future attacks miss out of the -res you would've had if you hadn't used amplify, you actually end up doing about the same amount of damage if you use amplify than you would have if you hadn't. I've run the numbers on it before in a previous thread. On a rad/sonic, amplify just takes up a power slot.
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So I would say: skip amplify. CC, imo, is useless on this build as well; we (me and OP) seem to agree on the reasoning there.
I would, however, argue the case for taking EM pulse. Of all your fantastic debuffs, this one is the monster. Taking ancillary Power Boost will make this thing an AV/GMs nightmare. (I generally go PB>EMP>LR>pewpew). Unlike a nuke, the EM pulse only costs 50 end. The recovery crash is the same, but it's short lived and I've rarely noticed it (and I use EMP *every* single time it's up). You can take Conserve Power out of the same pool as Power Boost for a safety net (if you want to). PB also boosts damage, so you can squeeze off a few higher damage attacks in addition to making LR and EMP extra crippling.
Open the pod bay doors, Hal.
Rad/sonic is a very endurance-light build, especially if you are skipping CC. It's possible to EMP at full endurance, keep fighting and have the crash wear off before you completely run out of endurance.
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Not using Amplify in static fights is good advice, but going from that to "waste of a power slot" is a bit much. There's always travel time between mobs, and Amplify doesn't root. There's also situations in which you can use the extra tohit for LR to hit, i.e. AVs in Elude type godmode. | There's a better reason for not taking amplify. Because the combo already has so much +damage (the more damage buffing you get the less effective more damage buffing is) and because using amplify wastes the -res of previous attacks you've used AND makes your future attacks miss out of the -res you would've had if you hadn't used amplify, you actually end up doing about the same amount of damage if you use amplify than you would have if you hadn't. I've run the numbers on it before in a previous thread. On a rad/sonic, amplify just takes up a power slot. |
I could see if the build was tight, but I can't find a good reason not to take Amplify on a rad/sonic, the combo is filled with empty power selections as it is.
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Rad/sonic doesn't have all that much +dmg.|
Originally Posted by Garent
There's a better reason for not taking amplify. Because the combo already has so much +damage (the more damage buffing you get the less effective more damage buffing is) and because using amplify wastes the -res of previous attacks you've used AND makes your future attacks miss out of the -res you would've had if you hadn't used amplify, you actually end up doing about the same amount of damage if you use amplify than you would have if you hadn't. I've run the numbers on it before in a previous thread. On a rad/sonic, amplify just takes up a power slot.
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+95% slotting
+25% AM
+18% Assault
+148% still leaves a large gap to the damage cap. And -Resist and +dmg stack in the most delicious of ways.
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That's pretty much the main use of it for sonic blast. Starting off with strong damage instead of having to spend 3-4 attacks ramping up.
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Originally Posted by Nihilii
There's always travel time between mobs, and Amplify doesn't root.
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I have been working on my Rad/Sonic and looking at many of the builds posted on the forums and I have a couple questions for the Rad/Sonic aficionados.
I notice most builds skip "Amplify". I was planning on taking this power but is there a reason its skipped a lot? Is the fender version not worth the pick?
I also see many builds with "Choking Cloud". I was under the impression that without a second form of AoE hold to stack with "CC" the hold would be unreliable and it has a very small radius. I have "CC" on my Earth/Rad troller and its great to stack with "Volcanic Gasses" but on its own seemed rather lack luster. Can anyone explain the reasoning behind taking this power on a Rad/Sonic? Is it just for a Basilisk mule? I guess it could stack with "EM Pulse" but I'm not a fan of that power because with all the toggles a rad has running, the last thing I want is my Recovery to stop...um....recovering.
tldr:
1)Why do most rad/sonics seem to skip Amplify?
2)Why do most rad/sonics take Choking Cloud?
Thank You for your time.
P.S. Funny story, I spent about 4 hours last night preping and gathering all the IOs needed for my Rad/Sonic and only once I was mostly done with a respec did I realize that I had not gone red side yet for the PPPs. Looks like I'll be building it in about 4 days now....lol