Hypothetical: Dark/Dark Defender DPS methodology

Let me lead off with noting that yes, I know, defenders are not meant for this. But it's an interesting thought experiment.

That said, I'd like to see about trying to build a level 50 for maximum personal DPS production. Everything else is secondary to producing damage, including self and team buffs (except ones that help me produce more damage output), and survivability. This may never actually go in game, but it's interesting for me to consider and plot, and I might use some of what I learn in the process for the build I actually end up with.

I'd like advice on how to go about this. I'm not actually looking for complete builds here, but more the reasonings on how to approach things from that perspective in this context. The thought process, what things I should be looking for and why.

I've tried doing some searching, but I mostly end up finding complete builds with little information, and guides that are for the more traditional (read: sensible) approaches for building and playing defenders.

If anyone can help me locate some appropriate theory crafting, I'd greatly appreciate that, and any thoughts that can be shared are welcome.

EDIT: Since I've already had one person ask, I'll clarify that the objective of this hypothetical is to generate the most orange numbers I can. It's not so much about KILLING things, but about doing as much damage as possible. Also, I'm not really looking at incarnate stuff here, just core build. At least, for now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcanaville Softcapping an Invuln is fantastic. Softcapping a Willpower is amazing. Softcapping SR is kissing your sister.

If you'd be willing to go dark/sonic instead, I think you'd see a lot more dps. The -resist stacks among the different attacks, I believe, which helps a lot. Plus, AoE-wise, you can do the cute trick of cone damage, then cone sleep, then single-target attacks until the cones recharge. Dark Blast does have the two cones that do damage though, where Sonic has only one. (I don't count Torrent, Shockwave, or Siren's song as damage.) Sonic will also let you concentrate on one target at a time and take it down fairly quickly. End of advertisement, and I'll assume you want Dark Blast for concept. I'm basing my advice here on my dark/sonic defender at 50 (probably my best character) and a dark/storm corruptor at 30 who hasn't really been a powerhouse so far. I'm also assuming you're taking the dark epic, which I'd recommend anyway.

Put lots of recharge in Tar Patch. A slow or two wouldn't hurt either, so things stay put for cones, and stay in the -res effect.

I don't know if damage procs are worth it. Personally I don't use them, and I tend to slot cones with Positron's Blast minus the proc and put recharge in the sixth slot. I also don't use the damage procs in Twilight Grasp (busy with heal, acc, rech) or Fearsome Stare (slotted with Cloud Senses for ranged defense). They're popular enough that I assume they're decent, especially in your tier 1 blast and anything aoe.

IO sets with +damage percent will help, and there are a few you can use. My dark/sonic is built primarily for ranged defense, control, and survival, so I didn't get all the damage I could, but I still got 9.5% damage (one set Lockdown in Petrifying Gaze, one set Gaussians in Tactics, two sets Red Fortune in Shadow Fall and Maneuvers), and I really wasn't even trying. You can also put Obliteration in Soul Drain and Dark Consumption for another 3% each. Efficacy Adaptor also works in Dark Consumption for 2.5%. http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Category...improve_Damage will tell you more.

You can also put Obliteration in Blackstar. Normally I don't take nukes on defenders, but dark can nuke more safely than most: stun everything with Oppressive Gloom, Dark Pit, and/or Howling Twilight, fire off nuke, then if anything is still alive, pop a blue, hit Dark Consumption to refill your end bar, and carry on. Even if you don't have a blue, Fluffy will probably keep you healed and the enemies debuffed. Also, having Soul Drain available makes a nuke more appealing. It should still be active by the time you hit Dark Consumption, even.

Slotting Fluffy with a partial set of Touch of the Nictus for acc and heal plus a couple common to-hit debuff IOs will make him a pretty decent healer/debuffer. Alternately, Dark Watcher's set will give a damage bonus, or you could even get one via Lockdown and have him occasionally surprise you by holding a boss with the proc. But don't bother slotting him for damage. He just doesn't do enough to be worth it. It's like putting damage in Brawl.

My current Dark/Dark/Dark Defender is specced highly towards Recharge, and damage-procced attacks. She kills quite quickly for a defender, and is a joy to play as long as she doesn't get mezzed. (gotta get her Clarion!)

Most her attacks have at least 2 damage procs, with the rest being a set for a +rch bonus, or some sorta franken-slotting. I also have some dmg procs in Tar patch.

Tar Patch increases the damage from procs to the low 100 range, and with all her recharge she can cycle through her 2 cones (TT and Nightfall) very swiftly. All the to-hit floating around keeps her nice and safe, and of course there's a heal and fluffy too.

Then toss in perma Soul Drain from her APP, for a nice chunk of increased damage, and the end utility of Dark Consumption.

Her biggest downfall is fairly lack-luster single target damage, but I built her for pure ranged AoE madness. So I usually turn bosses off, although she could handle them, they just slow her down too much.

Dark blast has one advantage and one disadvantage going for its single target damage output. The advantage is that gloom is a tier 2 blast with a short animation time. The disadvantage is that there is no serviceable third blast. Of course, that disadvantage is easily sidestepped by looking into ancillary powers.

Dark Blast- 36.15 damage, 4s recharge, 1.188s animation, 30.43 dpa
Gloom- 63.62 damage, 8s recharge, 1.32s animation, 48.2 dpa
Electric Fence- 36.15 damage, 4s recharge, 1.32 animation, 27.38 dpa
Dominate- 36.15 damage, 16s recharge, 1.32s animation, 27.38 dpa

Let's take a look at the ideal attack chains in order of difficulty

dark blast, gloom, dark blast, dominate: requires +333% recharge on dominate, does base 34.11 dps with the opportunity for two purple procs.

dark blast, gloom, dark blast, electric fence: requires +237% recharge in dark blast, does base 34.11 dps with the opportunity for 1 purple proc.

dark blast, gloom, electric fence: requires +219% recharge in gloom, does base 35.34 dps with the opportunity for 1 purple proc

The second chain is obviously superior. The first is the best one theoretically, as only one of the attacks would have no purple proc in it, but the amount of recharge it requires is just not possible in standard situations. The second chain is superior to the third despite its lower base dps because the purple damage proc in dark blast will be going off more often. Getting that much recharge into dark blast is very difficult, but not impossible. A build that is close to perma-hasten will accomplish it.


Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.94
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Level 1: Dark Blast -- Dev'n-Dmg/Rchg(A), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(3), Dev'n-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), GJ-Dam%(5), Apoc-Dam%(7)
Level 2: Gloom -- Dev'n-Dmg/Rchg(A), Dev'n-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(9), Cloud-%Dam(11), GJ-Dam%(11)
Level 6: Assault -- Empty(A)
Level 41: Electric Fence -- Dev'n-Dmg/EndRdx(A), Dev'n-Dmg/Rchg(42), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(42), GJ-Dam%(43), TotHntr-Dam%(43)
Level 50: Musculature Radial Boost

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That is excellent, Garant. That gives me a lot to work with, and is a good example of what I was looking for (regarding methodology and logic). Thank you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcanaville Softcapping an Invuln is fantastic. Softcapping a Willpower is amazing. Softcapping SR is kissing your sister.

Hmm.. a Dark Blast chain that could do ~150 DPS (solo for max vigilance, and paired with Tar Pit). Nice work, Garent. If I get around to dusting off my FF/Dark someday, I'll likely do something similar.