Have I come up with the ULTIMATE Fire/Shield build?

I've been playing with Fire/Shield builds for months now, and this is (imho) the pinnacle of my attempts. Constructive feedback please!

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.94
http://www.cohplanner.com/

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Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Fiery Melee
Secondary Power Set: Shield Defense
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Medicine
Ancillary Pool: Blaze Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Fire Sword -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Deflection -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(3), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(3), Aegis-ResDam(5), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(5), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg(7)
Level 2: Cremate -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(9), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(9), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11), Mako-Dam%(11)
Level 4: True Grit -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Numna-Heal(13), Numna-Heal/EndRdx(13), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(15), GA-3defTpProc(45)
Level 6: Battle Agility -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(17), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(19), HO:Enzym(19)
Level 8: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 10: Active Defense -- HO:Enzym(A), HO:Membr(21), HO:Membr(21)
Level 12: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def(23)
Level 14: Tough -- Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx(A), Aegis-ResDam/Rchg(23), Aegis-EndRdx/Rchg(25), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(25), Aegis-ResDam(27)
Level 16: Against All Odds -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 18: Fire Sword Circle -- Armgdn-Dmg/Rchg(A), Armgdn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), Armgdn-Acc/Rchg(29), Armgdn-Dmg/EndRdx(31), Armgdn-Dam%(31), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31)
Level 20: Phalanx Fighting -- Ksmt-ToHit+(A), LkGmblr-Rchg+(45)
Level 22: Weave -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(27), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(33), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(33), RedFtn-Def(43), RedFtn-EndRdx(43)
Level 24: Build Up -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(36), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(37), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(37), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(37), GSFC-Build%(50)
Level 26: Incinerate -- T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx(A), T'Death-Acc/Dmg(33), T'Death-Dmg/Rchg(34), T'Death-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(34), T'Death-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), T'Death-Dam%(36)
Level 28: Grant Cover -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 30: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(36)
Level 32: Greater Fire Sword -- Hectmb-Dmg(A), Hectmb-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(39), Hectmb-Acc/Rchg(39), Hectmb-Dmg/EndRdx(39), Hectmb-Dam%(40), EndRdx-I(40)
Level 35: Shield Charge -- Oblit-Dmg(A), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(40), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(42), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Oblit-%Dam(43)
Level 38: Aid Other -- IntRdx-I(A)
Level 41: Char -- Empty(A)
Level 44: Melt Armor -- Empty(A)
Level 47: Fire Ball -- Ragnrk-Dmg/Rchg(A), Ragnrk-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48), Ragnrk-Acc/Rchg(48), Ragnrk-Dmg/EndRdx(48), Ragnrk-Knock%(50), JavVoll-Acc/Dmg/End/Rech(50)
Level 49: Aid Self -- IntRdx-I(A)
Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve
Level 0: Portal Jockey
Level 0: Task Force Commander
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion
Level 50: Spiritual Core Paragon
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A), Mrcl-Heal(15), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx(17), RgnTis-Regen+(46)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(45), P'Shift-EndMod(46), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(46)

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Hi Motley_Cruel,

I know these builds can take a long time to put together on Mids'. And even when you have the build finally on your character you will want to make changes.

In your post you forgot to mention what this Scrapper will be used for in the game. This is important for the purposes of refining your build.

One thing I noticed right away is the slotting of the power Active Defense. I would suggest placing an End Red IO in the original slot, and that's it. Defense debuffs are generally very short in nature and not worth slotting against. The 2 slots you save in Active Defense would serve you better in Aid Self.

Your travel power is Combat Jumping. I recommend dropping Grant Cover and picking up SS.

Greater Fire Sword, drop the IO and in its place put a Crushing Impact: ACC/DMG/RECH. You want this attack to Recharge faster.

Health, drop the slot that contains Miracle: Heal/End. Place this slot in your new SS or somewhere else.

These days, with time-based gameplay being more and more prevalent (be it itrials where it is by design or normal TFs that most people want to speedrun), even having Ninja Run + Hurdle + temp jetpacks I find Super Speed to be much more efficient than an additional 10% damage, 3% def or whatever.

What's especially nice with SS is that you can use it and keep CJ on, which is great as unsuppressed movement. Using NR/CJ, even with a bind toggling either, is still one additional key press between each fight, and that time lost can be significant when the brunt of the fight takes all of five seconds ; well, at least it is for me, as I can tell the difference between my NR guys and my SS guys.

I still go without travel powers unless I have a free power pick to spare, because there's often other cool things I want to have, and I'm also not too concerned about earning rewards as fast as possible, so enjoy the extra whatever I'm getting by not having SS in situations where movement speed doesn't matter. If general efficiency is the goal, though, I find it hard to argue against SS (that said, other travel powers, I could see).

Some of these comments will mirror Infini's, but I think they're worth repeating for emphasis.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIinfinity One thing I noticed right away is the slotting of the power Active Defense. I would suggest placing an End Red IO in the original slot, and that's it. Defense debuffs are generally very short in nature and not worth slotting against. The 2 slots you save in Active Defense would serve you better in Aid Self. Your travel power is Combat Jumping. I recommend dropping Grant Cover and picking up SS.

You really find that "defense debuffs... are not worth slotting against"? I find the exact opposite - they're one of the main survivability holes that I'd love to be able to address in builds that don't come with defense debuff resistance. One of the main benefits of Shield Defense over soft-capping other sets is that you can cap your DDR. I agree that Aid Self wants more slots, and yes we want One with the Shield, but I wouldn't throw DDR into the toilet to get there, and particularly not for a mere travel power. We have other options.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIinfinity Greater Fire Sword, drop the IO and in its place put a Crushing Impact: ACC/DMG/RECH. You want this attack to Recharge faster.

Recharge on Greater Fire Sword is sufficient for the top DPS chain (with Spiritual). The only point to recharging faster would be if recharge debuffed, which doesn't seem like sufficient reason to mess with endurance, which I suspect will be a minor problem with this build.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIinfinity Health, drop the slot that contains Miracle: Heal/End. Place this slot in your new SS or somewhere else.

I'd probably agree with dropping the heal/end from Health. I'd put it in Aid Self. Better to improve your healing than your regeneration and hit points in this case, I think.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Infini Having that extra bit of DDR could mean the difference between winning or losing when you're fighting groups like 5th Column. That said, I do think that the Enzyme exposure could come out of its slotting.

Due to three separate unintended game mechanics, the Enzyme in Active Defense caps DDR while a Membrane puts it at 91.5% and dropping the slot puts it at 84.5%. With more than sufficient recharge from Spiritual to make it permanent, we don't need a third Membrane, and I certainly wouldn't want to triple the strength of incoming defense debuffs. I'd keep the Enzyme.

Motley Cruel, if you really want One with the Shield, you could sacrifice about 4% DPS and replace Greater Fire Sword with Fire Sword. That also lets you move the Gladiator's Armor to One with the Shield to save a slot. Now you have another slot to move to Aid Self to improve healing further. I'd do it personally, but then, I'm always trying to turn my Scrappers into Tankers. I'm probably more willing to sacrifice DPS than most people.

It's a nice build, by the way. Endurance would be my main concern. The Fire Sword swap would help address that as well.

Haha thanks for the responses, all! I suppose I should have mentioned that this build is intended to be a jack of all trades, and hopefully MASTER of all as well. That's why I was trying to get the top chain as well as fireball. I want to be an AoE (potentially farming) wrecking ball, and a single target AV solo machine all in one, and I don't know any set that does that as well as fire.

As far as Aid Self goes, on my SR toons I felt like I needed it so rarely that the significant slots invested were a waste. Obviously once I hit 50 with this toon I'll have to get a feel for whether Aid Self needs more slotting or not.

The slotting in GFS is because it already has ED Capped damage, is accuracy boosted to begin with, and recharges easily within the time required for the attack chain, therefore, the only thing left to do was improve end usage, seeing as it's the highest EPA attack of the 3.

Active Defense and GC are there for DDR, that was spot on.

Unfortunately for me, if I want a travel power, I'm gonna have to free up 2 picks, because I don't really care about travel powers except for the Winter's Gift Slow resistance, and I'd certainly fit in OWTS over super jump or speed.

The Miracle Heal/End gives me additional HP and regen, and if I put it in Aid Self, it would enhance a very rarely used power at the expense of one which is on 24/7.

Werner, I feel you on the attack chain switch, and I tried it, but I just can't do it, as a matter of principle. Yes the build would be tougher, and yes it would only lose about 10 average DPS, but I just really want the top chain here. Also, if I wanted to save a slot, I could drop cremate and enhance Fire Blast, which is another chain that with a purple proc does more than FS-C-I, but on this build, I just HAVE to have the top chain. My other idea was subbing in Mu mastery and Ball Lightning. It's only a tiny drop in performance against Fire Ball, and it would get me OWTS. In this case, it's a matter of concept. A guy walking around with a fire sword and a flaming shield, and then he suddenly throws lightning!?!?! Doesn't work for me

And finally, the endurance thing. I think there's a common misconception about Fire's endurance use. I did the math and found the EPS of the top chain for every primary, and Fire was THE cheapest! Cheaper than claws! Somewhere in my room, I've got the math to prove it, but obviously I could be forgetting something. Anyway, Werner, with my current recovery, EPS of Attack chain + EPS of Toggles < Recovery, meaning I should be able to run the chain pretty much indefinitely, as the only things not factored in are Active Defense, Build Up, and Aid Self, none of which do much to my end bar.

Thanks again everyone, and as always, if you see any glaring issues upon a second look, let me know

I feel VERY squishy on my purpled and PvP'd Fire/Shield that doesn't have Aid Self. On the other hand, I have enough survivability to handle the RWZ challenge, so I suppose "squishy" is a bit of a misnomer. I'd feel a lot more solid with a decent heal, though, and I'd find reasons to use it. But that one's a concept character, and the tricorder is not in concept.

Aid Self does a LOT more for your top end survivability needs than a few more hit points and a few points of regeneration. But there's a lot to be said in regular play for doing everything you can to simply never need a heal (kind of like I do everything I can to never need a rez, and then I never take a rez power). And you won't need Aid Self at all unless you really crank the difficulty and have an aversion to greens, and you DO have it as back up still when things get ugly, and it's buffed by Spiritual. So I can understand going for passive over active. Perfectly reasonable.

I can understand needing the top chain. If you don't take it, you'll KNOW you could have done better. Stuff like that eats at me. Just for me it's usually on the survivability side. I'd be thinking, "Man, I could have had One with the Shield and a better Aid Self." But again, going for the top chain is perfectly reasonable.

I went with Fire Ball myself over Ball Lightning. Again, concept, so I can hardly fault you for yours.

In a sense, fire is cheap for endurance because its special effect is more damage, so it has high damage per endurance. However, if you're spamming the top chain, that could eat a lot. Let's see if I can confirm what you say about sustainability, though. Yeah, your chain does NOT consume a lot of endurance. I have your attack chain at 2.73 EPS, toggles at 0.98 EPS, and you'll have a bit more from Hasten and Active Defense. Recovery is 3.54 + 0.2 EPS from the performance shifter proc, putting you at net recovery of 0.03 EPS before we worry about Hasten or Active Defense. I think that's technically unsustainable, but good luck finding a long enough fight to drain you. So yeah, I was wrong; your endurance is just fine.

I guess you nailed it? Surely there's SOMETHING that could be better, but nothing's jumping out at me.

I know! I'd take Fire Blast over Melt Armor because I like having a ranged attack other than the veteran stuff for pulling and runners and the like. There!