To answer some of your questions in no particular order...
The pros of DP/EM will be a lot more damage, more range on tap as you say, and a lot more mobility. That last one is really important to some of us but perhaps not as important to you. The selling points of DP/Traps are of course mez protection, defense, powerful debuffs, and controls. The corr will solo safer and maybe even faster prior to incarnate abilities, and will also bring more to AV fights and such.
If it sounds like I'm recommending the corruptor unconditionally, I'm not. I love my DP/EM and I doubt I could play the set in corruptor form. It absolutely excels at the manic bunnyhopping style of play and the corr simply won't have that option. It's also the difference between being able to hit BU, leap into a spawn, and clear it with hail, and having to set up a mortar just to be able to hopefully finish off lieuts with it. DP/Traps would be a fantastic combo but I think it would require a more methodical mindset.
So, do you prefer cackling gleefully as you rain chaos and fire upon all who stand before you, or do you prefer having the absolute strongest character available? I'd say that's pretty much the difference.
PleaseRecycle, what makes /EM more mobile? The mix of ranged and melee attacks, or something else?
I'm your questions at the bottom, the first was obviously referencing the blaster...but you think the Corruptor is the "absolute strongest character available"?
Both are good because of the IO sets bonuses that the powers are able to take.
DP/EM - Will allow you Ranged Defense cap and Aid Self and the decent ability to handle mobs that come into melee range.
But I think DP/Traps is better. I have a DP Trap corruptor
DP Traps offers full positional defense cap. You can combine Poison Trap with Trip mine with Hail of Bullets for a decent combo. Poison Traps has a fast recharge so you can pretty much cycle between Poison Traps and one of your AOEs.
The one big weakness with Traps is FFG. If you pull to many enemies they will aggro on FFG. It can be tough at times to pull mobs off FFG. Sometimes it takes you to fly up ( via power or temp ) to get FFG above the mobs.
If you can have Range defense cap Aid other and Hover ( which I am pretty sure you can ) it might be decent to go DP/EM. Though I do not know how Hail of Bullets will work hovering above mobs. I don't know if HOB attacks work in that direction. So if it doesn't your then its going to be a useless power hovering. I just think that since the range is so short your putting yourself in harms way so you would have to get some S/L defense in also.
Where as with DP/Traps its pretty much all built in.
1. Why Soft Cap is Important : http://dechskaison.blogspot.com/2011...important.html
2. Limits: http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Limits
3. Attack Mechanics: http://wiki.cohtitan.com/wiki/Attack_Mechanics
4. Rule of Five: http://wiki.cohtitan.com/wiki/Rule_o...e_Law_of_Fives
I don't take the melee attacks, but it's having all of your damage baked into your character or relying on pets and pseudopets to do a lot of the work. DP/EM buffs itself as needed and is good to go. DP/Traps obviously has to spend some time laying the traps. For example, you're going to hit force field generator every three or four minutes, and often you need to wait for it to catch up to you, you'll drop an acid mortar basically whenever possible, trying to cover two or three spawns when you can, PGT and seeker drones are worth using very frequently, and caltrops isn't often necessary but against certain types of enemy it would be silly not to use it since you've got it. All of those powers are great but they don't activate themselves, you need to take a couple seconds to place them when you want them.
That said, when you're sitting in a cloud of poison gas with two acid mortars plinking away, seekers whizzing around and all of it covered by your force field, you're both more durable than the blaster and contributing more to the team's damage, especially against an AV. My question therefore was which situation would you rather be prepared for? Pulling your friends out of the fire, or shoving most non-AV groups directly into it?
One follow-up. Mental manipulation. Excellent? Ok? Poor? How is the synergy with DP? The concept still works thematically with what I'm wanting to build.
Would one recommend MM over EM if you're just comparing blasters? In what way would they differ? Strengths of each? Weaknesses?
MM is a lot like EM in many ways. They both get a few core buffs that are the main reason to take em. MM is the only blaster set that gets a regen debuff, and what a regen debuff it is, so most people would probably tell you that MM is the best blaster secondary and I can't really argue with that. They aren't radically different in performance most of the time though, again that's more of a hard targets only kind of thing. Both give you build up, both give you some sort of endurance management, EM gives you boost range and power thrust while MM gives you world of confusion (to be used as a purple mule) and a completely average immobilize.
So, please be ever so gentle with me here. I've been using IO's for a LONG time, but only the non-set variety. Could you guys take a look at my build and offer suggestions for improvement? Ignore the slot levels in there, I was moving things around as things grabbed my attention. The question would also be...is this a multi billion INF build? I've never seen 1B INF, let alone multiple.
A note about my power pools. These are thematic in nature, in addition to their in-game playability.
Stealth: I know that I can use a Stealth IO to accomplish some of what Stealth does...but I'd actually like to find a way to grab both Stealth AND the Stealth IO (currently not in the build) for "full invisibility". Again, thematic.
Teleport: Same thing with Teleport vs. the flight or leaping pool. I know that both of those give me some better Defense options, but I'm pretty dead-set there.
Leadership: Thematic plus moving me along towards the softcap. Ex-soldier whose discipline makes not just himself, but his teammates better as well.
Fighting: This seems to be on everyone's builds these days. Fits.
Force Mastery: I grabbed both the "oh crap!" button and Temp. Invuln which boosts the much-needed Smashing and Lethal resistances, since those defensive areas are lower.
With Power Boost on and the portion of Stealth defense not-yet suppressed, I'm way "over" the softcap for my Ranged, Energy, and Negative defenses. Everything is sitting around 24.9%. That's up about half the time, but when off I'm sitting above the softcap in Ranged, and at it for Energy and Negative.
Help me improve here some pretty please.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.942
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Blackbriar EM: Level 50 Natural Blaster
Primary Power Set: Dual Pistols
Secondary Power Set: Energy Manipulation
Power Pool: Concealment
Power Pool: Teleportation
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Force Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Pistols
- (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage
- (3) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance
- (7) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge
- (43) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (43) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
- (45) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (A) Explosive Strike - Damage/Knockback
- (46) Explosive Strike - Accuracy/Knockback
- (46) Explosive Strike - Chance for Smashing Damage
- (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage
- (3) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance
- (7) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge
- (9) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (15) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
- (43) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
- (5) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
- (5) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
- (9) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range
- (15) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
Level 8: Build Up
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
- (34) Recharge Reduction IO
- (36) Recharge Reduction IO
- (A) Explosive Strike - Damage/Knockback
- (11) Explosive Strike - Accuracy/Knockback
- (11) Explosive Strike - Chance for Smashing Damage
- (13) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
- (13) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
- (40) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
- (A) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
- (25) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge
- (31) Red Fortune - Endurance/Recharge
- (37) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
- (42) Red Fortune - Defense
- (42) Red Fortune - Endurance
- (A) Endurance Reduction IO
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
- (17) Recharge Reduction IO
- (17) Recharge Reduction IO
- (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage
- (19) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance
- (19) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge
- (21) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (21) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
- (42) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range
- (45) Blessing of the Zephyr - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range/Endurance
- (A) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
- (23) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge
- (23) Red Fortune - Endurance/Recharge
- (25) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
- (37) Red Fortune - Defense
- (37) Red Fortune - Endurance
- (A) Endurance Reduction IO
- (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
- (27) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
- (27) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
- (31) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range
- (31) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
- (48) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy)
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
- (45) Recharge Reduction IO
- (46) Recharge Reduction IO
- (A) Empty
- (A) Explosive Strike - Damage/Knockback
- (33) Explosive Strike - Accuracy/Knockback
- (33) Explosive Strike - Chance for Smashing Damage
- (33) Cleaving Blow - Accuracy/Damage
- (34) Cleaving Blow - Damage/Recharge
- (34) Cleaving Blow - Damage/Endurance
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
- (36) Recharge Reduction IO
- (36) Recharge Reduction IO
- (A) Mako's Bite - Damage/Endurance
- (39) Mako's Bite - Damage/Recharge
- (39) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage
- (39) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
- (40) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (40) Mako's Bite - Chance of Damage(Lethal)
- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
- (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
- (A) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance
- (48) Reactive Armor - Resistance
- (48) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
- (A) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
- (50) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge
- (50) Red Fortune - Defense
- (50) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
Level 1: Brawl
- (A) Empty
Level 1: Sprint
- (A) Empty
- (A) Empty
- (A) Run Speed IO
- (A) Miracle - +Recovery
- (A) Jumping IO
- (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
- (29) Performance Shifter - EndMod
- (29) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Recharge
Level 6: Chemical Ammunition
Level 6: Cryo Ammunition
Level 6: Incendiary Ammunition
Level 6: Incendiary Ammunition
------------
Set Bonus Totals:
- 13.5% DamageBuff(Smashing)
- 13.5% DamageBuff(Lethal)
- 13.5% DamageBuff(Fire)
- 13.5% DamageBuff(Cold)
- 13.5% DamageBuff(Energy)
- 13.5% DamageBuff(Negative)
- 13.5% DamageBuff(Toxic)
- 13.5% DamageBuff(Psionic)
- 3% Defense(Melee)
- 3% Defense(Smashing)
- 3% Defense(Lethal)
- 3% Defense(Fire)
- 3% Defense(Cold)
- 24.6% Defense(Energy)
- 24.6% Defense(Negative)
- 3% Defense(Psionic)
- 31.1% Defense(Ranged)
- 3% Defense(AoE)
- 30% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 39% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 17% FlySpeed
- 40.7 HP (3.37%) HitPoints
- 17% JumpHeight
- 17% JumpSpeed
- MezResist(Held) 3.3%
- MezResist(Immobilize) 11%
- 14.5% (0.24 End/sec) Recovery
- 8.51% Resistance(Fire)
- 8.51% Resistance(Cold)
- 3.13% Resistance(Toxic)
- 17% RunSpeed
Set Bonuses:
Thunderstrike
(Pistols)
- 2% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery
- 2.5% Defense(Energy,Negative), 1.25% Defense(Ranged)
- 7% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 4% RunSpeed, 4% FlySpeed, 4% JumpSpeed, 4% JumpHeight
- 2.5% Defense(Ranged), 1.25% Defense(Energy), 1.25% Defense(Negative)
(Power Thrust)
- 1.5% DamageBuff(All)
- 1.88% Defense(Ranged), 0.94% Defense(Energy), 0.94% Defense(Negative)
(Dual Wield)
- 2% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery
- 2.5% Defense(Energy,Negative), 1.25% Defense(Ranged)
- 7% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 4% RunSpeed, 4% FlySpeed, 4% JumpSpeed, 4% JumpHeight
- 2.5% Defense(Ranged), 1.25% Defense(Energy), 1.25% Defense(Negative)
(Empty Clips)
- 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery
- 1.58% Resistance(Fire,Cold)
- 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 6.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Bullet Rain)
- 1.5% DamageBuff(All)
- 1.88% Defense(Ranged), 0.94% Defense(Energy), 0.94% Defense(Negative)
(Bullet Rain)
- 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery
- 1.58% Resistance(Fire,Cold)
(Stealth)
- MezResist(Immobilize) 2.2%
- 1.26% Resistance(Fire,Cold)
- 2% DamageBuff(All)
- 5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 2.5% Defense(Ranged), 1.25% Defense(Energy), 1.25% Defense(Negative)
(Executioner's Shot)
- 2% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery
- 2.5% Defense(Energy,Negative), 1.25% Defense(Ranged)
- 7% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 4% RunSpeed, 4% FlySpeed, 4% JumpSpeed, 4% JumpHeight
- 2.5% Defense(Ranged), 1.25% Defense(Energy), 1.25% Defense(Negative)
(Teleport)
- 1.25% Defense(Ranged), 0.63% Defense(Energy), 0.63% Defense(Negative)
(Maneuvers)
- MezResist(Immobilize) 2.2%
- 1.26% Resistance(Fire,Cold)
- 2% DamageBuff(All)
- 5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 2.5% Defense(Ranged), 1.25% Defense(Energy), 1.25% Defense(Negative)
(Piercing Rounds)
- 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery
- 1.58% Resistance(Fire,Cold)
- 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 6.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 3.13% Resistance(Toxic)
(Hail of Bullets)
- 1.5% DamageBuff(All)
- 1.88% Defense(Ranged), 0.94% Defense(Energy), 0.94% Defense(Negative)
(Hail of Bullets)
- 1% (0.02 End/sec) Recovery
- 1.25% Defense(Energy,Negative), 0.63% Defense(Ranged)
(Total Focus)
- MezResist(Immobilize) 3.3%
- 18.1 HP (1.5%) HitPoints
- 3% DamageBuff(All)
- MezResist(Held) 3.3%
- 3.75% Defense(Ranged), 1.88% Defense(Energy), 1.88% Defense(Negative)
(Personal Force Field)
- 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Temp Invulnerability)
- 3% Defense(Melee), 3% Defense(AoE), 3% Defense(Ranged), 3% Defense(Smashing), 3% Defense(Lethal), 3% Defense(Fire), 3% Defense(Cold), 3% Defense(Energy), 3% Defense(Negative), 3% Defense(Psionic)
(Tough)
- MezResist(Immobilize) 1.1%
- 1.25% Defense(Energy,Negative), 0.63% Defense(Ranged)
(Weave)
- MezResist(Immobilize) 2.2%
- 1.26% Resistance(Fire,Cold)
- 2% DamageBuff(All)
(Stamina)
- 5% JumpSpeed, 5% JumpHeight, 5% FlySpeed, 5% RunSpeed
- 22.6 HP (1.87%) HitPoints
Okay, looks good for the most part but just a few things. I would skip the acc/dam in posi's blast as the six slot bonus is useless. Five is all ya need and the set gives you global acc anyway. Speaking of bonuses to shoot for, four slots of red fortune in weave doesn't accomplish a whole lot. Good values, sure, but if you aren't shy about using lotgs, well, four lotgs including the global give better bonuses, similar values, and a lotg global. The most egregious error I see in the build is the slotting on hail - do not treat it as a standard nuke! I could see slotting nova for kb because one of nova's perks is how amusing it is to send people flying, but with hail you want it to only knock them down because it will do so multiple times per enemy per application and this keeps you safe from reprisal while it animates. You'll also get the best values out of a set like eradication or obliteration since those give fantastic bonuses and good damage and recharge enhancement. I personally chose eradication, my hail is well below the ED cap for damage and it still kills everything it hits.
I wouldn't take power boost. It doesn't do much for DP and it doesn't do much for EM, rendering it a somewhat odd power to exist in the set. You also have conserve power and boost range overslotted. Boost range will be perma with either one or two slots but you won't want to use it perma anyway in any but extraordinary circumstances. Conserve power could use two slots at most, with two level 50 generic recharges in it. I would swap executioner's shot with suppressive fire, also - you don't even have to change out the thunderstrikes if you don't want to, but if you slot six lockdowns instead you still get the 3.75% ranged defense out of it plus better hold duration with incendiary rounds. Six slotting stealth is kind of weird too. It gives the same defense as combat jumping yet slows you as opposed to speeding you up. By all means take stealth if you want, but it would be fine with three lotgs, for example. Absolutely take combat jumping too however. It can take a lotg, a karma and a kismet, and if you put two level 50 generic jumping ios into hurdle you get unsuppressable 50some mph movement in combat between the two.
I swear I didn't intend for the first line of this post to seem ironic. You would do fine if you went ahead as it was, but, you know, consider alterations.
Couple of thoughts in reply while not at my computer:
- Good thoughts on the Posi powers. That'll conserve some slots.
- LOTG's are pretty expensive, unless there are "easy" ways to get them that I'm unaware of. Was trying to avoid rapid ramp-up of the set's cost by things like LOTG's.
- The slotting on Hail was mostly to leverage 2 different sets that both gave ranged defense at three slots. I'll take a look at both Eradication and Obliteration when I get home.
- Power Boost was taken almost entirely because it significantly raises the defense buffs from weave, maneuvers, stealth, etc... It was more than just a few percentage points, which seemed incredibly worthwhile given we do the same thing with Weave.
- Good notes on conserve power and boost range. I'll see where I can relocate some slots there.
- Why the swap out of Executioner's for Suppressive? Isn't Executioner's our hardest hitting single target attack? Is the hold worth it that much? What's the magnitude? Can it reliably stun bosses?
- Stealth was 6-slotted for the ranged defense set bonus I believe, and I had the slots to spare. Normally I wouldn't spend nearly so many slots, but was going for the ranged defense soft cap.
- What would you recommend me dropping for Combat Jumping? Teleport and Stealth are pretty non-negotiable for the character concept. I guess I could really use a Stealth IO to accomplish the same thing. Can you stack Stealth IO's for "invisible" like you can the Stealth power with Stealth IO?
There is indeed an easy way to get lotg globals: alignment merits. You can trade in two hero or villain merits for the rare IO of your choice, including lotg globals. Just in the process of leveling up the character you should easily get ten or more alignment merits if you run story arcs, tips, and tfs, so that's them right there.
Hail is such a significant part of your arsenal that it isn't worth making major compromises on its effectiveness for the sake of bonuses, but the nice thing is that eradication gives you some ranged defense itself so there's no real reason not to use it.
Power boost does buff defense powers but it does so for iirc ten or fifteen seconds. Shadow meld is an example of a power that gives a significant enough defense boost for that time period that it's worth taking, slotting, and animating. A couple percentage points doesn't really cut it by comparison for something so very far from permanent.
Basically executioner's shot is no better than pistols, dual wield, and piercing rounds. Therefore, most of the time you can get by with just those instead of taking a fourth power that fills the same niche but not as well as the other three you already have. It is true that your attack chain will not be as smooth without executioner's shot but in my view it isn't worth the opportunity cost. Suppressive fire, meanwhile, will take a pesky minion or lieut out of action immediately and most likely permanently, and if you slot it with lockdown it has a 20% chance to instantly hold a boss. I like those odds. I admit it is more attractive if you also take a second hold from an epic pool however.
If you can't stomach losing any of those pools for leaping that is fair enough. I can hardly imagine not taking cj myself but I will try to get past it just this once!
Ok, a revised build:
Couple of thoughts on it. My ranged defense is now 40.7% instead of 45.7%. E/N now at 37.3% instead of 39.2%. My resistances to smashing and lethal are at 48.5% instead of 39.3%. End use is down slightly, end recharge up slightly. Global recharge appears 7% faster in the new build.
Interesting to note...the Hail damage actually decreased by 60 or so with the new slotting of Eradication. Trying to figure out the positive of going that instead of the Explosive Strike + Cleaving Blow combo.
(Note, I haven't switched out of Executioner's in this build)
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.942
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Blackbriar EM: Level 50 Natural Blaster
Primary Power Set: Dual Pistols
Secondary Power Set: Energy Manipulation
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Teleportation
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Force Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Pistols
- (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage
- (3) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance
- (7) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge
- (37) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
- (43) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (43) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (A) Explosive Strike - Damage/Knockback
- (46) Explosive Strike - Accuracy/Knockback
- (46) Explosive Strike - Chance for Smashing Damage
- (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage
- (3) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance
- (7) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge
- (9) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (15) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
- (17) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
- (5) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
- (5) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
- (9) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range
- (15) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
Level 8: Build Up
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
- (34) Recharge Reduction IO
- (36) Recharge Reduction IO
- (A) Explosive Strike - Damage/Knockback
- (11) Explosive Strike - Accuracy/Knockback
- (11) Explosive Strike - Chance for Smashing Damage
- (13) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
- (13) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
- (40) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
- (A) Karma - Knockback Protection
- (25) Kismet - Accuracy +6%
- (31) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
- (36) Unbounded Leap - +Stealth
- (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range
- (42) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points)
- (48) Blessing of the Zephyr - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range/Endurance
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
- (17) Recharge Reduction IO
- (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage
- (19) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance
- (19) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge
- (21) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (21) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
- (42) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range
- (42) Blessing of the Zephyr - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range/Endurance
- (45) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points)
- (A) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
- (23) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge
- (23) Red Fortune - Endurance/Recharge
- (25) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
- (37) Red Fortune - Defense
- (37) Red Fortune - Endurance
- (A) Endurance Reduction IO
- (A) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy)
- (27) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
- (27) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
- (31) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range
- (31) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
- (43) Recharge Reduction IO
- (A) Empty
- (A) Eradication - Damage
- (33) Eradication - Accuracy/Recharge
- (33) Eradication - Damage/Recharge
- (33) Eradication - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (34) Eradication - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (34) Eradication - Chance for Energy Damage
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
- (36) Recharge Reduction IO
- (A) Mako's Bite - Damage/Endurance
- (39) Mako's Bite - Damage/Recharge
- (39) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage
- (39) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
- (40) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (40) Mako's Bite - Chance of Damage(Lethal)
- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
- (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
- (45) Reactive Armor - Resistance
- (45) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Recharge
- (46) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance
- (A) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance
- (48) Reactive Armor - Resistance
- (48) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
- (50) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
- (50) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
- (50) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
Level 1: Brawl
- (A) Empty
Level 1: Sprint
- (A) Empty
- (A) Empty
- (A) Run Speed IO
- (A) Miracle - +Recovery
- (A) Jumping IO
- (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
- (29) Performance Shifter - EndMod
- (29) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Recharge
Level 6: Chemical Ammunition
Level 6: Cryo Ammunition
Level 6: Incendiary Ammunition
Level 6: Incendiary Ammunition
------------
Set Bonus Totals:
- 8% DamageBuff(Smashing)
- 8% DamageBuff(Lethal)
- 8% DamageBuff(Fire)
- 8% DamageBuff(Cold)
- 8% DamageBuff(Energy)
- 8% DamageBuff(Negative)
- 8% DamageBuff(Toxic)
- 8% DamageBuff(Psionic)
- 3% Defense(Melee)
- 3% Defense(Smashing)
- 3% Defense(Lethal)
- 6.44% Defense(Fire)
- 6.44% Defense(Cold)
- 26.1% Defense(Energy)
- 26.1% Defense(Negative)
- 3% Defense(Psionic)
- 29.6% Defense(Ranged)
- 9.88% Defense(AoE)
- 1.8% Max End
- 48% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 40% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 17% FlySpeed
- 81.3 HP (6.75%) HitPoints
- 17% JumpHeight
- 17% JumpSpeed
- Knockback (Mag -12)
- Knockup (Mag -12)
- MezResist(Held) 3.3%
- MezResist(Immobilize) 7.7%
- 13.5% (0.23 End/sec) Recovery
- 10% (0.5 HP/sec) Regeneration
- 5.99% Resistance(Fire)
- 5.99% Resistance(Cold)
- 17% RunSpeed
- 2% XPDebtProtection
Set Bonuses:
Thunderstrike
(Pistols)
- 2% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery
- 2.5% Defense(Energy,Negative), 1.25% Defense(Ranged)
- 7% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 4% RunSpeed, 4% FlySpeed, 4% JumpSpeed, 4% JumpHeight
- 2.5% Defense(Ranged), 1.25% Defense(Energy), 1.25% Defense(Negative)
(Power Thrust)
- 1.5% DamageBuff(All)
- 1.88% Defense(Ranged), 0.94% Defense(Energy), 0.94% Defense(Negative)
(Dual Wield)
- 2% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery
- 2.5% Defense(Energy,Negative), 1.25% Defense(Ranged)
- 7% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 4% RunSpeed, 4% FlySpeed, 4% JumpSpeed, 4% JumpHeight
- 2.5% Defense(Ranged), 1.25% Defense(Energy), 1.25% Defense(Negative)
(Empty Clips)
- 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery
- 1.58% Resistance(Fire,Cold)
- 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 6.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Bullet Rain)
- 1.5% DamageBuff(All)
- 1.88% Defense(Ranged), 0.94% Defense(Energy), 0.94% Defense(Negative)
(Bullet Rain)
- 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery
- 1.58% Resistance(Fire,Cold)
(Combat Jumping)
- Knockback (Mag -4), Knockup (Mag -4)
(Combat Jumping)
- 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Recall Friend)
- 1.25% Defense(Ranged), 0.63% Defense(Energy), 0.63% Defense(Negative)
- 1.88% Defense(AoE), 0.94% Defense(Fire), 0.94% Defense(Cold)
- Knockback (Mag -4), Knockup (Mag -4)
(Executioner's Shot)
- 2% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery
- 2.5% Defense(Energy,Negative), 1.25% Defense(Ranged)
- 7% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 4% RunSpeed, 4% FlySpeed, 4% JumpSpeed, 4% JumpHeight
- 2.5% Defense(Ranged), 1.25% Defense(Energy), 1.25% Defense(Negative)
(Teleport)
- 1.25% Defense(Ranged), 0.63% Defense(Energy), 0.63% Defense(Negative)
- 1.88% Defense(AoE), 0.94% Defense(Fire), 0.94% Defense(Cold)
- Knockback (Mag -4), Knockup (Mag -4)
(Maneuvers)
- MezResist(Immobilize) 2.2%
- 1.26% Resistance(Fire,Cold)
- 2% DamageBuff(All)
- 5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 2.5% Defense(Ranged), 1.25% Defense(Energy), 1.25% Defense(Negative)
(Piercing Rounds)
- 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery
- 1.58% Resistance(Fire,Cold)
- 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 6.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Hail of Bullets)
- 1.8% Max End
- 3.13% Defense(Energy,Negative), 1.56% Defense(Ranged)
- 27.1 HP (2.25%) HitPoints
- 2% XPDebtProtection
- 3.13% Defense(AoE), 1.56% Defense(Fire), 1.56% Defense(Cold)
(Total Focus)
- MezResist(Immobilize) 3.3%
- 18.1 HP (1.5%) HitPoints
- 3% DamageBuff(All)
- MezResist(Held) 3.3%
- 3.75% Defense(Ranged), 1.88% Defense(Energy), 1.88% Defense(Negative)
(Personal Force Field)
- 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Temp Invulnerability)
- 3% Defense(Melee), 3% Defense(AoE), 3% Defense(Ranged), 3% Defense(Smashing), 3% Defense(Lethal), 3% Defense(Fire), 3% Defense(Cold), 3% Defense(Energy), 3% Defense(Negative), 3% Defense(Psionic)
(Temp Invulnerability)
- MezResist(Immobilize) 1.1%
- 1.25% Defense(Energy,Negative), 0.63% Defense(Ranged)
(Tough)
- MezResist(Immobilize) 1.1%
- 1.25% Defense(Energy,Negative), 0.63% Defense(Ranged)
(Weave)
- 10% (0.5 HP/sec) Regeneration
- 13.6 HP (1.12%) HitPoints
- 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Stamina)
- 5% JumpSpeed, 5% JumpHeight, 5% FlySpeed, 5% RunSpeed
- 22.6 HP (1.87%) HitPoints
Any other thoughts on the build? Alternative builds worth considering? A contrasting build from DP/Traps? Any reason to even remotely consider /Devices, besides thematic reasons?
I tried out flying while using Hail of Bullets and it works in all directions. So this is my suggestion based on my Archery EM toon.
I am Range defense capped I have Aid Self and I am six slotted in health. Basically I was trying to get enough health during the times mobs missed. So on top of 6 slotting health with Numina I also worked on getting Regen high. If you can get Hover which will help your defenses either way, Get Range Defense capped and have Aid Self I think you will be fine. On my Arch EM I just jet pack and can solo the crey fire farm on 4/8 setting.
With Traps you need to understand ( and I know you do ) its about setting up. It isn't long at all and all the powers really do have a fast recharge. Some players go for recharge for going some defense for some reason or regeneration. Why I don't know since your never going to have a triple Triage Beacon out or even have a need for a triple Triage beacon out. But beyond that you will have double acid mortar at all times double poison traps.
With Traps and I have 5 Traps toons, Robot Traps MM, Sonic Traps Corruptor, DP Traps Corruptor, Traps AR Defender and finally a Semi petless mastermind DS Traps at level 38 all which are defense capped or will be once the Petless MM hits 50. All can run 4/8 settings. The reality is I am NOT killing mobs as fast as a Defense capped Scrapper or Brute. But I can do it. I have gotten many of my Purple IOs from doing 4/8 radio missions just to get Tip missions to drop.
I did see someone just post a DP MM build with Force as the epic. I thought it was pretty good and Force was a good back up when stuff gets ugly with Personal Force Field.
The simple concept is your giving up speed for durability. Traps really is a tank and I cannot express how good poison traps with the lockdown proc is.
The one method I use with traps is super speed with Stealth IO proc. I run in and drop a poison trap and then FFG so now I am capped and I fire off Hail of bullets followed by Trip mine or vice versa. Again I am running 4/8 settings.
I do use LOTG in sets of 3's in Traps builds. defense, defense endurance, defense recharge ( for FFG ) and the LOTG 7.5% recharge. I buy them with hero/villain merits.
The good thing about Traps build it is the same across the board. Mastermind, Defender, Corruptor all same build just some of the other powers need to be slotted to build up the defenses where you might be short. It usually takes place in slotting thunderstrike in a range attack.
I never tried to take out an AV with Arch EM or a GM. But I have with Traps.
Personally I would not suggest under any circumstances take devices. Traps is just better even if you wanted thematic.
1. Why Soft Cap is Important : http://dechskaison.blogspot.com/2011...important.html
2. Limits: http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Limits
3. Attack Mechanics: http://wiki.cohtitan.com/wiki/Attack_Mechanics
4. Rule of Five: http://wiki.cohtitan.com/wiki/Rule_o...e_Law_of_Fives
The new build looks good to me. Two reasons to use erads in hail: previously, you essentially had its recharge unenhanced, eradication fixes that big time. Also, slotting level 30ish erads should actually increase the damage enhancement compared to your old slotting - for it to drop by 60 would be a 23% reduction. Are you sure you didn't flag incendiary ammo as off or something? I don't know how mids works but I assume that's a thing that you can do.
Not being exactly softcapped isn't really a big deal in my opinion. For one thing you're going to kill things so rapidly that even on a team inspirations will be copious. Beyond that, the softcap becomes more of an issue for endurance-based (as in time consuming, not the blue stuff) challenges. 5% off of softcap can definitely mean the difference between soloing an av or not, but is that something you plan to do with a blaster? Actually, that isn't even especially true anymore what with incarnate powers - anyone can grab a Victoria, or now the longbow heavy I hear, and rip anything a new one.
To put the incarnate issue another way, I recently got tier 4 rebirth on my dp/em and most of the time I use it to heal teammates rather than myself because aid self is still good enough for me even though I only have like 37% ranged defense. Full disclosure, I did take rise of the phoenix and I do have the occasion to use it now and then! If I played even a little bit more conservatively it wouldn't be necessary at all though.
I would rework it some to get atleast one proc in Empty and Piercing, if not two in each. It makes a big difference when hitting a group with both, while soloing. I think DP needs to wholly leverage its AOEs as its single target is pretty meh. Bonesmasher may be better than Total Focus for your melee attack. Its so much quicker. If you want to hover blast, you can give yourself another 3.75% defense from it and Zephyr. I would add aid self, its great when softcapped, pretty good at other times.
I think MM is too slow to activate its stuff, makeing DP seem even slower.
If you are not totally set on Blasters (my favorite, dont really care for corrs or fenders) you may consider DP/Kin corr. Plays very blasterish, synergizes well with HoB and Fulcrum, adds a heal that is not dependant on defense to use, and takes care of your recharge.
Traps is ok, I find it effective, but mind numbing and too slow on fast teams.
GL, I so want to love my DP's, sadly I dont. lol.
Over the last several years of on-again off-again CoH, I've played a ton of different characters. I've got a a couple of 50's, and a couple of other high level chars that I've enjoyed quite a bit.
I want to seek some opinions here, though. I've never really built a DP character. The theme that I'm going for is an ex-military spec forces kind of guy. I have zero interest in AR, which is why I settled on DP despite the lolsy-long animations.
My real question is whether to build him DP/EM or go the Corruptor route of DP/Traps. I'm not on a mid's accessible computer at the moment, so I can't check the damage from one to the next.
Some pre-requisites before diving into specific questions: This character will be going Stealth, and probably Teleport. The other two power pools are wide open, though I was considering Manuevers and Assault from the Leadership pool for both potential chars (jives with his military background).
1) Would the blaster variant do THAT much more damage, assuming a budget non-set IO build? Are we talking 5%? 10%? 30%? More?
2) What strengths would the blaster have over the Traps? Enhanced range is one that immediately comes to mind...and a built up DP nuke being the other. Does boost power enhance the -dmg that DP can stack from the poison bullets?
3) What strengths would the Corruptor have over /EM? I'm not going to be a guy that takes 5 minutes to lay trip mine after trip mine the majority of the time. One or two, sure. A full room, nope. Can I get enough mileage out of Acid Mortar, Poison Gas Trap, Seeker Drones, and the force field to overcome lower damage than /EM?
4) Assuming non-arch villain gameplay, how would the soloing or duoing compare? My wife routinely plays a SS/Shield brute. The majority of my gameplay would be either with her or by myself. Will I feel that I'm just plinking away at the mobs on my Corruptor...the Lt's and Bosses taking forever to kill? Would the Corruptor allow her to do even more crazy SMASH! action and ramp the difficulty way up (she is also non-set built)?
5) I'm also open to other alternatives. /DEV is NOT an option. If I'm playing a blaster, I want build up in the secondary. Would a VEAT work well with the theme of this character? I've never played one, so I have no idea. I was wanting to start in Praetoria, but I'm ok with not if a VEAT is highly recommended.
Thanks in advance for the advice.