Any DM/SR Scrapper guides or builds out there?

Since I began trying to break my Tank dependance I started looking at scrappers. After reading several places that Dark Melee & Super Reflexes were a good combination with natural synergy I decided to give it a go. I'm pushing L30 now, enjoying the combat style and starting to wonder what to aim for at L50.

Is DeNMaN's "Shadow Brawlers Guide to Dark Melee/Super Reflexes" really the most recent guide? DeNMaN's guide is very helpful for understanding how the powers work generally but I was hoping to find some guidance on how best to shoot for the defense cap (can't completely break the tanker's defense first focus).

"Best" meaning most efficiently, leaving me with the most enhancement slots free to spread around damage dealing once I can survive the inevitable aggro.

Not to mention what to aim for with all the incarnate options around now.

Any advice, builds or other guidance around this topic would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.

Chances are that that is the most recent and while it may be a good place to start, it is pretty outdated when it comes to inherent fitness and IOs.

First thing you want to focus on is bringing your defense up to 45% for melee, range, and aoe. After that you want bonuses for +hp, +regen, and +rech (not necessarily in that order - more like a balance of the 3).

This is the build I'm currently running. It is a fairly recent respec and I've been having a blast with it. Keep in mind that Maneuvers is not necessary to hit the softcap. I'm just using it so I am a small luck away from the Incarnate softcap (59%) while I'm in those trials. Also, AoE defense is just under 45% without Maneuvers on, but I don't really see it as a big deal (others may disagree). Also keep in mind that there are several ways to go about softcapping. This is just the way I did it.

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.942
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Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Dark Melee
Secondary Power Set: Super Reflexes
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Blaze Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Smite -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(3), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx(23), Mako-Dam%(43)
Level 1: Focused Fighting -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(15), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(17), LkGmblr-Def(37)
Level 2: Shadow Maul -- Oblit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), Oblit-Dmg(3), Oblit-Acc/Rchg(5), Oblit-Dmg/Rchg(7), Oblit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(23), Oblit-%Dam(43)
Level 4: Focused Senses -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(15), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(17), LkGmblr-Def(37)
Level 6: Combat Jumping -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), Ksmt-ToHit+(34), Winter-ResSlow(45)
Level 8: Siphon Life -- HO:Nucle(A), HO:Nucle(9), C'ngImp-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9), Numna-Heal/Rchg(11), Numna-Heal/EndRdx(13), Numna-Heal(21)
Level 10: Practiced Brawler -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 12: Agile -- S'dpty-Def(A), S'dpty-Def/EndRdx(40), S'dpty-Def/Rchg(42)
Level 14: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 16: Dodge -- S'dpty-Def(A), S'dpty-Def/EndRdx(40), S'dpty-Def/Rchg(42)
Level 18: Dark Consumption -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(19), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(19), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(21), P'Shift-Acc/Rchg(29), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(46)
Level 20: Quickness -- Run-I(A)
Level 22: Tough -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A)
Level 24: Weave -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(25), HO:Cyto(25), LkGmblr-Def(37)
Level 26: Soul Drain -- Erad-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(A), Erad-Dmg/Rchg(27), Sciroc-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(27), Sciroc-Dmg/Rchg(29), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(31), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(45)
Level 28: Lucky -- S'dpty-Def(A), S'dpty-Def/EndRdx(40), S'dpty-Def/Rchg(42)
Level 30: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(31), RechRdx-I(31)
Level 32: Midnight Grasp -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(33), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(33), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(33), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(34), Mako-Dam%(43)
Level 35: Evasion -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(36), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(36), LkGmblr-Def(36)
Level 38: Maneuvers -- Ksmt-Def/EndRdx(A), Ksmt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(39), GftotA-Def/EndRdx(39), GftotA-Def(39)
Level 41: Char -- Acc-I(A)
Level 44: Fire Blast -- Acc-I(A)
Level 47: Fire Ball -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(48), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(48), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(48), Posi-Dam%(50)
Level 49: Confront -- Mocking-Taunt/Rchg/Rng(A), Mocking-Taunt/Rng(50)
Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve
Level 0: Portal Jockey
Level 0: Task Force Commander
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion
Level 50: Reactive Radial Flawless Interface
Level 50: Spiritual Total Radial Revamp
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit
Level 1: Sprint -- ULeap-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Numna-Heal(13), Mrcl-Rcvry+(34), Mrcl-Heal(45), RgnTis-Regen+(46)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-End%(A), P'Shift-EndMod(11), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(46), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(50)

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Guides for specific power sets are not needed. Generally, a primary power set and secondary power set have little synergy which forces certain build decisions that you would or wouldn't make with a different primary set choice. If you really want a guide, look for the latest on Super Reflexes and the latest on Dark Melee.

The most important parts of Dark Melee are the attack chain and Soul Drain. Get as much recharge as you can fit in the build if you want to be as effective as possible. The attack chain -- Smite -> Midnight Grasp -> Smite -> Siphon Life -- requires a lot of recharge in MG to run it seamlessly. Fortunately, more recharge means Soul Drain can be made permanent.

I developed a Super Reflexes template that gets to the soft-cap efficiently and leaves plenty of room for adding recharge set bonuses. It can be adapted to work with any primary power set, and lets you customize everything the way you want, except for the core powers that are already in place. Just try to put the set bonuses somewhere in the build when you change it to DM. I would put the Scirocco's set in Dark Consumption and the Gaussian's set in Soul Drain unless you feel like the recharge bonus from Gaussian's isn't enough.

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Here's another build for variety. Not hugely different from Infini's, though. It's possible even that it was his I originally based mine off of, but I don't recall now.

I went with Soul Mastery as it fit with my concept (for this character, all the darkness stuff equates to ink -- Ink Blast, Ink Beam, Disappearing Ink...). Plus the Soul version of Dark Blast is a great attack, and Shadow Meld is a nice little mini-elude with no crash. Oh, and Moonbeam hits like a truck.

Edit -- just wanted to add for anyone who might take a look that I'm totally open to suggestions on this build if you have any. Thanks!

-JM

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Yep! I remember Smiting Dragon now I will take note of that update, thanks!

Wow, awesome responses thanks very much. Way better response than I dared hope for & very useful.

Cheers.

Never really mentioned anything about Incarnates so I'll do that now.

Alpha - Went with Spiritual to finish the recharge needed for the mg>smite>sl>smite chain and to boost the healing of siphon life.

Judgement - This is mainly whatever you want. All of them have their merits. I'm going to be going with Cryonic so I have a multi-elemental thing going (dark/fire/cold).

Interface - Reactive is popular for increasing damage, but no big deal if you choose to go with one of the other paths.

Destiny - Rebirth Radial all the way. Having a well slotted SL and cycling through your attack chain will handle pretty much any damage you get, but Rebirth will help to prevent you from getting 2 shotted by AVs when the first strike brings you below 50%hp or so. Spiritual in your alpha will also buff the heal/regen of Rebirth.

Lore - I hear Romans and Warworks are the best for ST dps. Again this slot is largely to taste unless you're solely interested in dps.