Fire/Energy respec advice wanted ... extra slots

All,

So I have a cool perma-hasten Fire/Energy (Fire Epic) Dominator on live that I play and really enjoy. However, I slotted the Sniper Blast for a snipe set for the recharge bonus but I never use it really. Occasionally I shoot it and giggle but really, its doing nothing. I noticed I only have 4 LOTG global recharges and so I can pick up one more by swapping out the snipe for another concealment power and a 5th LOTG and keep the same global recharge.

The reason I want to do this is not only that I never really use the Snipe, but because it gives me 4 luxury slots. I'm pretty sure I want to throw 2 of those into my Fire Imps and get the Build Up proc, but I'm not really sure what else to do with my other 2 slots.

So I'm looking on advice for where to put 2 bonus slots.

Also, I skipped Hot Feet on this build, and I havent missed it. But I also notice that I pretty much never use Whirling Hands at all. It looks cool but I get much more mileage from my epic AOEs.

So my other question is ... should I drop Whirling Hands for Hot Feet? I could keep the same slotting and IOs.

Or should I go totally crazy and drop both Hot Feet and Whirling Hands and pick up yet another 5 slots, giving me 7 free slots?

Instinct tells me I should put Stealth and a LOTG in, move 2 slots to Fire Imps for numbers and the Build Up proc. I would then put an extra slot on Health for a Numina and another on one of my single target blasts so that I can pick up 6.25% global from the Decimation set while keeping numbers in the power that I find acceptable. This extra 6.25% global lets me swap out Whirling Hands for Hot Feet, drop a slot, min-max acc/dam/end in 5 slots, and use the other saved slot to throw a Kismet accuracy in Combat Jumping in order to make up (and then some) the loss of global accuracy from losing a 4-slot Thunderstrike.

But I'm wondering what YOU think.

Thanks,

Lewis

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Meteor Freak: Level 50 Science Dominator
Primary Power Set: Fire Control
Secondary Power Set: Energy Assault
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Concealment
Power Pool: Flight
Ancillary Pool: Fire Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Char -- BasGaze-Acc/Hold(A), BasGaze-Rchg/Hold(3), BasGaze-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(3), BasGaze-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(9), Lock-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(9)
Level 1: Power Bolt -- Acc-I(A)
Level 2: Bone Smasher -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(7), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(21), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37)
Level 4: Power Push -- Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(A), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(5), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(27)
Level 6: Super Speed -- QckFt-EndRdx/RunSpd(A)
Level 8: Fire Cages -- GravAnch-Immob/Rchg(A), GravAnch-Acc/Immob/Rchg(21), GravAnch-Acc/Rchg(43), GravAnch-Immob/EndRdx(43), GravAnch-Hold%(46)
Level 10: Power Blast -- Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(A), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(11), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(27)
Level 12: Flashfire -- Amaze-Stun(A), Amaze-Stun/Rchg(13), Amaze-Acc/Stun/Rchg(13), Amaze-Acc/Rchg(15), Amaze-EndRdx/Stun(15)
Level 14: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), Krma-ResKB(46)
Level 16: Power Boost -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(17), RechRdx-I(17)
Level 18: Grant Invisibility -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 20: Invisibility -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 22: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(40), RechRdx-I(40)
Level 24: Hover -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), Srng-Fly(25), Srng-EndRdx/Fly(25)
Level 26: Bonfire -- KinCrsh-Rechg/EndRdx(A)
Level 28: Total Focus -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(29), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(31), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31)
Level 30: Cinders -- UbrkCons-Hold(A), UbrkCons-Hold/Rchg(31), UbrkCons-Acc/Hold/Rchg(34), UbrkCons-Acc/Rchg(34), UbrkCons-EndRdx/Hold(34)
Level 32: Fire Imps -- ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg(A), ExRmnt-Dmg/EndRdx(33), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), ExRmnt-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(33)
Level 35: Whirling Hands -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(36), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(36), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37), EndRdx-I(37)
Level 38: Power Burst -- Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(A), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(39), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(39), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40)
Level 41: Fire Ball -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(42), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(42), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(42), Posi-Dam%(43)
Level 44: Rain of Fire -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(45), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(45), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45), Posi-Dam%(46)
Level 47: Sniper Blast -- Mantic-Acc/Dmg(A), Mantic-Dmg/EndRdx(48), Mantic-Acc/ActRdx/Rng(48), Mantic-Dmg/ActRdx/Rchg(48), Mantic-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 49: Fire Shield -- Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Aegis-ResDam(50), TtmC'tng-ResDam/EndRdx(50)
Level 50: Cardiac Core Paragon
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Domination
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Flight-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(23), EndMod-I(23)

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I'd personally recommend Hot Feet, because aside from the AoE damage, it's saved my bacon a couple times from things that resist even perma-dom'd controls and hit hard in melee (I'm looking at you, Night Widows.) Even if you miss, stuff like Kriegers, Slag Golems or SE golem guys will hit you once then run away for a few seconds, which gives precious time to retry to Char them. I know I get far more milleage from it than my snipe, which I gave up on pretty fast on my Fire/Fire.

I got a question though - do you actually use Hasten? I mean, aside from a slot mule for LotG. I personally use Ninja Run and the Jump Pack from the GvE edition for really high stuff. Were I you, I'd switch it over for Stealth, which would save you yet two more slots and let you keep Whirling Hands. But that's a personal opinion, YMMV. Both Hot Feet, and WH, Fire Cages, Consume and Flashfire... You'd be a PBAoE death machine.

I assume you meant to ask if I use Hover. Yes, I use it constantly. Not only do I prefer to play with Hover, I love it.

Also, I don't have access to Consume. Isnt that a Fire Assault power?

Thanks for the reply, and thanks to anyone else who replies also. I probably won't do the respec until over the weekend sometime, so I'm still wanting to hear opinions.

Thanks,

Lewis

Do you have any particular build goals that you want to meet? It sounds like your playstyle is primarily Hover / Ranged ...? Do you spend any time in melee with Bone Smasher / Total Focus?

For better or worse, I do tend to have a ranged playstyle, somewhat. I usually open with power boost + flashfire + fire cages. I then throw in a fireball and cast rain of fire. Only then do I move in close. Then I use all my single target attacks, including bone smasher and total focus, to eliminate survivors as the Rain of Fire burns at them. However, I tend to remain at the edge of the pack working my way through them. I have perma-flashfire, so if for some reason they arent all dead, I can re-cast it and continue working through the bad guys.

I never really like to stand in the middle of the bad guys. I stay on the edge and melee/single target. I've found that standing in the middle of them gets me dead, at least vs some cheesy overpowered (compared to the rest of the game) groups.

So I like a ranged/fringe melee style. So neither Hot Feet nor Whirling Hands nor Snipe get used much. The only reason I feel I should consider Hot Feet is for the slow, to have a bit of a buffer between me and the baddies.

As for goals otherwise ... permahasten was a goal. Goal met.

EDIT: On other Fire Controllers and Dominators, I've been more willing to stand right among the bad guys. And I feel safer on my Earth/Energy so I tend to run into the VG/knockdown/control zone and single target some dudes. But for Fire/Energy I've just always been a bit ranged.

Lewis

Based on that, I have a couple of thoughts:

Hot Feet: Has some pros & cons.

Pros: Has a 20' range. So even if you're just dancing around the edges of groups, you'll be doing decent damage over time (15 DPS give or take) to a lot of mobs. Also, the slow effect could help with Rain of Fire. Also has a fear effect for those "Oh <censored> moments".

Cons: Cannot be activated while flying / hovering. Last I checked if you toggle Hot Feet on AND THEN fly, it remains on. But if you're already flying and then try to toggle on you'll be blocked from doing so. But its been a while - this could have changed. Also has a high end cost, but you're running cardio so you should be OK.

Whirling Hands: 8' range. If you're not in the middle of things, I would drop it. Just IMO. For Hot Feet is a good call, depending on your tolerance for toggling preflight.

Soulbound Proc: Not sure if its working correctly. There were reports from some folks that the proc did not appear to fire in testing. You may want to test it out. Either way, I would look into getting some more slots in Imps.

Sniper Blast: In general, I look to take powers that I plan to use in game (Notable exceptions: Boxing/Kick to get into Fighting Pool). I used to take the snipe on my Fire/Fire but dropped it.

Health: Good call on the Numina.

In general, I might advise trying to get a little Ranged defense as a cushion if something goes wrong. Places you could get it (after stripping Sniper of its slots): 6 slotting your blasts with Thunderstrikes (1 extra slot per power = 3 slots = 7.5% more ranged def). Adding two more Expedients to Imps for 3.13% ranged def. Toss a +3% defense IO into your res shield. That's a nice little +13% cushion to layer onto Hover's defense, and the extra ranged defense you're already getting from Thunderstrikes and Basilisks.

I personally prefer going Leadership instead of Concealment - would net you Maneuvers, Assault (or Tactics) and Vengeance, but at a loss of a LOTG. Maneuvers adds another layer of ranged defense, and Vengeance is great on teams when <censored> REALLY hits the fan. Not sure if you can afford the LOTG if you're losing 7.5% from dropping the Sniper blast.

That's all I've got. Swap WH for HF, add a little Ranged Def cushion ... should make things a little faster for damage and easier on defenses.