Dual Builds: Pros and Cons?

So just rejoined after leaving the game just as issue 13 was coming out, so I haven't experienced dual builds.

I was trying to understand the pros and cons

pros:
- frees up using a another character slot if you wanted to play different flavor of a build
- great for epic archetypes (such as triform/human only PB)
- uses less slots per SG
- lets your friends find you by name rather than lean two character names
- faster than switching characters

cons:
- character gets only one respec per new issue (do you get to run the respec trial for your second build?)


Am I missing something (other than the it's be grat if you could share enhancements between your two builds, that would make it truly worth it)

Some you sorta covered but getting a bit more specific

Pros:
* Team build, Solo Build, PvP build
* One build for high level, a different build for exemping
* Poor man's "respec"

Cons
* Each build requires completely separate set of enhancements
* Each build requires completely separate respec

Also, don't forget that once you unlock your Alpha slot (at 50, obviously), your toon has access to THREE total builds...

Really nothing more to it than providing a means of having an alternative build that you can switch to. For example, perhaps your usual build works good in a team, but you want to use an alternative "solo" build at times.

Read about Multiple Builds at ParagonWiki.com

-Johnny

that's a going rogue feature right?

the paragon wiki explains how it works, I was more tyring to figure out if it's "worth it"

can you run the respec trial on the 2nd build?

I level up build 1 with SOs and then IO out build 2. This frees me up having to use a respec although I have numerous respec tokens via vet rewards. If I'm doing end game content, I can use build 2. If I am doing lower level stuff, I can simply use build 1 if I feel it is needed.

I have a high level build with level 45+ IOs that squeeze out as much set bonuses as possible. This is the expensive build.

Then I have a low level build that 5- and 6-slots all the power selections up to level 32. I cheaply frankenslot this build by not worrying about set bonuses, but by over slotting so as not to be hit by the huge enhancement debuff that comes from exemplaring down. Then for all the 33+ powers, I choose the utility one-slot wonders (Teleport, Vengeance, etc...). This lowbie build is still surprisingly effective at level 50 which allows me to switch builds in the middle of a TF if I need a specialty power or to recharge a long recharge power and still be pretty effective.

My personal feeling is that actively using (as opposed to simply a roundabout respec) multiple builds is only worth it in certain niche situations, such as building specifically for pvp/pve, team/solo, 50/exemp etc. In most cases a second build requires just as heavy an investment as the first; otherwise you generally end up with something no better suited to the task for which you are building than you already have. For example, suppose I dump a ton of inf into a cold/ice defender's first build, but then decide to make a second build for soloing. I drop the ally-targetted powers for a couple of other powers, but only use SOs to save inf. In the end that second build may not be any better at soloing anyway, since I've lost all the benefits of my IO build.

In general I would have to be able to answer "yes" to all the following questions to invest in a second build:

• Will this character see a lot of play?
• Will this character split substantial time between activities for which one build is very poorly suited?
• Is the expense of time and effort justified compared to what else I could do with it?

ok thanks. I completely misunderstood something about multiple builds: I thought you needed to *play* through to 50 again.
I tried it on my Peacebringer (to make a human only build) and realize it *is* like a respec, without saving the enhancements