Honestly, I'd skip trying to build ranged defense for Psi damage, Energy damage is much more common and more likely to be problematic. Also, since FA is capped to Fire resistance, F/C def will be mostly protecting you from Cold damage, which is one of the least common damage types in the game. So I'd try to get S/L/E/NE to 32.5% and just not worry overly much about other defense types.
And although there's a large personal preference component to the Hasten question, I think it's definitely worth getting, especially since you have a lot of attacks and other powers that it would be nice to have recharged ASAP. As a matter of fact, I think Hasten would be useful much more often than the slow resistance in Temp Prot--and as a matter of fact, will help address any recharge slows you do run into.
I'm also not a fan of Focused Accuracy; it's a huge end hog and you can get as much additional ToHit by slotting the Kismet +Acc without the endurance drain. I'd get Conserve Power instead and single-slot it with a recharge IO.
Here are some issues I see with the slotting of the current build:
The Reactive Armor sets are overslotted for end reduction and underslotted for resistance. Replace the End IO with the Res/Rchg.
Barrage and EP are underslotted for accuracy and damage. Add another slot to each; I prefer the Mako's Acc/Dam/End/Rchg, but any IO with accuracy and damage will do.
Scirocco's Dervish is not a great set if you're working toward typed defense. Use 3-4 Eradication plus another 1 or 2 slots from another set to get sufficient end reduction.
The E/NE def bonus in BotZ is not worth slotting for, IMO. I'd pull the non-KB IO in SJ and use it elsewhere and replace the second BotZ in CJ with the Kismet +Acc.
In WH, Obliteration is a poor choice for S/L def, the bonus is small and 6-slotting Oblit leaves it underslotted for end reduction. Either slot it like Burn or go with 3 Eradication and 2 Scirocco's Dervish, depending on whether you prefer the +HP bonus or the regen bonus.
Using the Gaussian's set in BU is a lot of slots for relatively little return in typed defense. I'd pull 4 of the slots and use them elsewhere. Weave is underslotted; I'd go with either 4 GotA or 4 LotG, depending on your preference and your budget.
Mako's Bite is not a good choice for Energy defense, like Oblit it needs a lot of slots for relatively little return.
There are some very good, inexpensive sets for Taunt; I like Mocking Beratement especially since it has three very desirable set bonuses--S/L def, F/C def and recharge.
I'd try to find another slot for Maneuvers, it's a relatively high end toggle and currently it's underslotted for end reduction.
Here's your build with the changes I recommended. S/L/E/NE are above 32.5%, it has 12 pts of KB protection, more regen and more recharge, especially when Hasten is taken into account.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.942
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Copper Sun: Level 50 Science Tanker
Primary Power Set: Fiery Aura
Secondary Power Set: Energy Melee
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Fire Shield -- Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx:40(A), Aegis-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:40(3), Aegis-ResDam:40(3), S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+:30(42), S'fstPrt-ResKB:30(43)
Level 1: Barrage -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(5), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(7), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(7), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(40)
Level 2: Energy Punch -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(11), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(27), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(29), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(33)
Level 4: Blazing Aura -- Erad-Dmg:30(A), Erad-Dmg/Rchg:30(5), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:30(9), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx:50(31), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(34)
Level 6: Bone Smasher -- KntkC'bat-Acc/Dmg:35(A), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx:35(11), KntkC'bat-Dmg/Rchg:35(23), KntkC'bat-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:35(23), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(25)
Level 8: Healing Flames -- Mrcl-Heal/Rchg:40(A), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg:40(13), Mrcl-Heal/EndRdx:40(15), Numna-EndRdx/Rchg:40(21), Numna-Heal/Rchg:40(34)
Level 10: Combat Jumping -- Zephyr-ResKB:40(A), Ksmt-ToHit+:30(45)
Level 12: Plasma Shield -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx:40(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg:40(13), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:40(48), RctvArm-ResDam:40(48)
Level 14: Consume -- Erad-Dmg:30(A), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:30(15), Erad-Dmg/Rchg:30(34), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc:50(42), Efficacy-EndMod/EndRdx:50(46)
Level 16: Whirling Hands -- Erad-Dmg:30(A), Erad-Dmg/Rchg:30(17), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:30(17), Sciroc-Dmg/EndRdx:50(19), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(19)
Level 18: Burn -- Erad-Dmg/Rchg:30(A), M'Strk-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:40(21), Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:30(27), Erad-Dmg:30(33), Erad-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:30(42)
Level 20: Super Jump -- Winter-ResSlow:40(A), Zephyr-ResKB:40(50)
Level 22: Kick -- Acc-I:35(A)
Level 24: Tough -- RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx:40(A), RctvArm-ResDam/Rchg:40(25), RctvArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:40(29), RctvArm-ResDam:40(43)
Level 26: Fiery Embrace -- RechRdx-I:40(A)
Level 28: Build Up -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(33)
Level 30: Weave -- GftotA-Def/EndRdx:40(A), GftotA-Def:40(31), GftotA-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:40(37), GftotA-Run+:40(40)
Level 32: Hasten -- RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(37)
Level 35: Energy Transfer -- P'ngS'Fest-Acc/Dmg:30(A), P'ngS'Fest-Dmg/EndRdx:30(36), P'ngS'Fest-Dmg/Rchg:30(36), B'ngBlow-Acc/Dmg:30(36), B'ngBlow-Dmg/Rchg:30(37)
Level 38: Total Focus -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg:50(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx:50(39), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg:50(39), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(39), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:50(40)
Level 41: Taunt -- Mocking-Taunt:40(A), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg:50(43), Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng:50(45), Mocking-Acc/Rchg:50(46), Mocking-Taunt/Rng:50(46), Mocking-Rchg:50(48)
Level 44: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I:50(A)
Level 47: Physical Perfection -- RgnTis-Regen+:30(A)
Level 49: Maneuvers -- GftotA-Def/EndRdx:40(A), GftotA-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:40(50), GftotA-Def:40(50)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Gauntlet
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Numna-Heal:40(A), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+:40(31), Mrcl-Rcvry+:40(45)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- EndMod-I:50(A), EndMod-I:50(9)
------------
Set Bonus Totals:
- 11.1% Defense(Melee)
- 19.3% Defense(Smashing)
- 19.3% Defense(Lethal)
- 9.25% Defense(Fire)
- 9.25% Defense(Cold)
- 19.3% Defense(Energy)
- 19.3% Defense(Negative)
- 3% Defense(Psionic)
- 11.1% Defense(Ranged)
- 6.13% Defense(AoE)
- 9% Max End
- 12.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 7% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 203.8 HP (10.9%) HitPoints
- Knockback (Mag -12)
- Knockup (Mag -12)
- MezResist(Held) 2.75%
- MezResist(Immobilize) 12.7%
- 9% (0.15 End/sec) Recovery
- 52% (4.06 HP/sec) Regeneration
- 20% ResEffect(FlySpeed)
- 20% ResEffect(RechargeTime)
- 20% ResEffect(RunSpeed)
- 5% Resistance(Fire)
- 12.5% RunSpeed
Code:
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My Characters
Knight Court--A CoH Story Complete 2/3/2012
Thank you for the thoughtful and useful advice. You've really given me some insight into the shortcomings of my slotting. I'll definitely be replacing Temperature Protection with Hasten, finding a slot for the Kismet +Acc, and make a number of the other slot configuration changes that you recommended.
I'm still wondering about ranged defense. Community consensus seems to be that building for S/L/N/E should be the primary concern. I understand that psionic damage is relatively rare, but it still pops up with plenty of factions -- Arachnos, Carnies, Rikti. Anyway, even with my original build I had 33/33/31/31 for S/L/N/E, plus 33 for ranged. But you don't think I could maintain that ranged defense and still address the weaknesses in my original slotting? Putting the two Mako sets back into ET and TF would restore the ranged def to just over 32. Is there any reason to not build for ranged def, assuming I can handle for, say, the underslotting of Barrage and EP for accuracy and damage?
Thanks again for all your efforts.
I don't recommend adding positional defense on top of typed defense because it's going to be redundant most of the time--a kind of belt-and-suspenders approach as it were.
Keep in mind that although it's probably true the majority of Psi damage attacks are Ranged, some are also typed smashing, some are melee or AoE, and some have no positional flag at all, so Ranged def won't help with any of those. Also, IME unless you're talking about a Psi AV like the Clockwork King, Psi attacks relatively rare, not terribly high damage and easily survivable for a tank.
But if you really, really want the Ranged def, if you use the build I recommended and slot ET and TF with Mako's Bite you'd have around 35% E/NE def and a tad less than 32% ranged def. You could pull the two slots from your first two attacks or from Taunt. Taking them from Taunt means you'd lose the F/C def and recharge bonuses, but I'd take that instead of underslotting attacks.
My Characters
Knight Court--A CoH Story Complete 2/3/2012
I wonder if people might comment on this Fire/EM build. I have moderately decent finances, enough to feel okay putting together two or three Kinetic Combat sets, but I don't feel able to totally purple out. Trying to not gimp powers for set bonuses, I built with the following goals in mind:
1. Ranged defense. Fire has no resistance to psionic, and most psionic will be tagged as ranged (correct me if I'm wrong about that). Ranged attacks also seem to encompass the most (to me) oppressive of secondary effects -- end drain and slow. A ranged defense that can be soft-capped with a small purple pill powerfully mitigates those issues.
2. S/L defense. A few encounters with Devouring Earth disabused me of the notion that FA's resistance to S/L was good enough to skip getting S/L defense to 32.5% at least.
3. Regeneration. I figure this is another good layer of defense, especially for a resistance-based powerset (since there will always be some damage to heal). I boosted it to 254%.
4. Hit points. More hit points = more regeneration and more time to hit panic buttons when necessary.
5. Recovery. FA runs a lot of toggles, and I want to run Focused Accuracy, too.
6. Accuracy. Who can't use more accuracy? I'm not sure I got enough, though, and I'm open to suggestions on how to acquire more.
I also built for 8 points of KB protection (do I need 12?), and 20% slow resistance to stack with Temperature Protection (for 40% slow resistance).
I boosted ranged and S/L defense up to 33% each, and N/E is up over 31%. But... AoE defense suffered (23%). I figure I'm somewhat vulnerable to the following: psionic AoE, cold AoE, and toxic AoE (unless any of those are also tagged ranged or S/L/N/E). Are those small ****** in the armor? Am I overlooking anything?
I didn't build for recharge, nor take Hasten. Is that a big deal for this character?
Thanks for any insight you can give! Here's the build:
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.942
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Copper Sun: Level 50 Science Tanker
Primary Power Set: Fiery Aura
Secondary Power Set: Energy Melee
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Fire Shield
- (A) Reactive Armor -
- (3) Reactive Armor - Resistance
- (3) Reactive Armor - Endurance
- (48) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
Level 1: BarrageResistance/Endurance
- (A) Kinetic Combat -
- (5) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
- (7) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
- (7) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
Level 2: Energy PunchAccuracy/Damage
- (A) Kinetic Combat -
- (11) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
- (29) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
- (33) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
Level 4: Blazing AuraAccuracy/Damage
- (A) Endurance Reduction
- (5) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage
- (9) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Recharge
- (31) Scirocco's Dervish - Damage/Endurance
- (34) Scirocco's Dervish - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
- (50) Scirocco's Dervish - Chance of Damage(Lethal)
Level 6: Bone SmasherIO
- (A) Kinetic Combat -
- (11) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
- (23) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
- (23) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (25) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
- (27) Focused Smite - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
Level 8: Healing FlamesAccuracy/Damage
- (A) Miracle -
- (13) Miracle - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
- (15) Miracle - Heal/Endurance
- (21) Numina's Convalescence - Endurance/Recharge
- (34) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Recharge
Level 10: Combat JumpingHeal/Recharge
- (A) Blessing of the Zephyr -
- (45) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points)
Level 12: Plasma ShieldRun Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range/Endurance
- (A) Reactive Armor -
- (13) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
- (48) Reactive Armor - Resistance
- (48) Reactive Armor - Endurance
Level 14: ConsumeResistance/Endurance
- (A) Eradication -
- (15) Eradication - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (34) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Accuracy
- (42) Eradication - Damage/Recharge
- (46) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod/Recharge
- (46) Efficacy Adaptor - EndMod
Level 16: Whirling HandsAccuracy/Recharge
- (A) Obliteration -
- (17) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge
- (17) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge
- (19) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (19) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (43) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage
Level 18: BurnDamage
- (A) Eradication -
- (21) Multi Strike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
- (27) Eradication - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (33) Eradication - Accuracy/Recharge
- (42) Eradication - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
Level 20: Super JumpDamage/Recharge
- (A) Winter's Gift - Slow
- (29) Blessing of the Zephyr - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range/Endurance
- (50) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points)
Level 22: KickResistance (20%)
- (A) Accuracy IO
Level 24: Tough- (A) Aegis -
- (25) Aegis - Resistance
- (46) Aegis - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
Level 26: Fiery EmbraceResistance/Endurance
- (A) Recharge Reduction
Level 28: Build UpIO
- (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control -
- (33) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance
- (40) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Recharge/Endurance
- (42) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff
- (43) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance
- (43) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up
Level 30: WeaveTo Hit Buff/Recharge
- (A) Gift of the Ancients -
- (31) Gift of the Ancients - Defense
- (37) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
Level 32: Temperature ProtectionDefense/Endurance
- (A) Steadfast Protection -
Level 35: Energy TransferResistance/+Def 3%
- (A) Mako's Bite -
- (36) Mako's Bite - Damage/Endurance
- (36) Mako's Bite - Damage/Recharge
- (36) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
- (37) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (37) Mako's Bite - Chance of Damage(Lethal)
Level 38: Total FocusAccuracy/Damage
- (A) Mako's Bite -
- (39) Mako's Bite - Damage/Endurance
- (39) Mako's Bite - Damage/Recharge
- (39) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
- (40) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (40) Mako's Bite - Chance of Damage(Lethal)
Level 41: Focused AccuracyAccuracy/Damage
- (A) Endurance
- (45) Endurance Reduction IO
Level 44: Physical PerfectionReduction IO
- (A) Regenerative Tissue -
Level 47: Taunt+Regeneration
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
Level 49: Maneuvers- (A) Gift of the Ancients -
- (50) Gift of the Ancients - Defense
------------Defense/Endurance
Level 1: Brawl
- (A) Empty
Level 1: GauntletLevel 1: Sprint
- (A) Empty
Level 2: Rest- (A) Empty
Level 4: Ninja RunLevel 2: Swift
- (A) Empty
Level 2: Health- (A) Numina's Convalescence -
- (31) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
- (45) Miracle - +Recovery
Level 2: HurdleHeal
- (A) Empty
Level 2: StaminaIO