New Player - Dark/Energy Stalker Advice

I want to build a DM/Energy Aura stalker that I could play in all the PVP zones on Freedom. I just can't find any good guides or advice on making one. It would be nice to get to 50. Then be able to go into any zone and not worry that I didn't pick this or that power at a certain level.

Could someone point me in the right direction with some build advice?

Thanks!

Energy Aura? Wait for the remake coming with i21. You can read what the changed are in the Beta Forum -> Announcements -> Patch notes (there are 2 threads for patch notes now, seek the older one).

I'm trying this build out to see how it plays.

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.942
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Dark Energy: Level 50 Mutation Stalker
Primary Power Set: Dark Melee
Secondary Power Set: Energy Aura
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Concealment
Ancillary Pool: Leviathan Mastery
Villain Profile:
Level 1: Shadow Punch -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(3), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(3), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(5), SipInsght-Acc/ToHitDeb(5), SipInsght-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(7)
Level 1: Hide -- GftotA-Def(A), GftotA-Run+(23)
Level 2: Smite -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(7), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(9), SipInsght-Acc/ToHitDeb(11), SipInsght-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(11)
Level 4: Kinetic Shield -- GftotA-Def/EndRdx(A), GftotA-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(13), GftotA-Def(13), GftotA-Run+(15)
Level 6: Assassin's Eclipse -- Mako-Acc/Dmg(A), Mako-Dmg/EndRdx(15), Mako-Dmg/Rchg(17), Mako-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(17), Mako-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Mako-Dam%(19)
Level 8: Power Shield -- GftotA-Def/EndRdx(A), GftotA-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(21), GftotA-Def(21), GftotA-Run+(23)
Level 10: Entropy Shield -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 12: Placate -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(25)
Level 14: Build Up -- AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(A), AdjTgt-ToHit/EndRdx/Rchg(27), AdjTgt-Rchg(27)
Level 16: Combat Jumping -- Ksmt-ToHit+(A)
Level 18: Siphon Life -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(29), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), Nictus-Heal(31), Nictus-Heal/HP/Regen/Rchg(31), Nictus-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(31)
Level 20: Super Jump -- Jump-I(A)
Level 22: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 24: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(33), RechRdx-I(33)
Level 26: Stealth -- Ksmt-Def/EndRdx(A), Ksmt-EndRdx/Rchg(33), GftotA-Run+(34)
Level 28: Energy Drain -- Efficacy-EndMod(A), Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg(34), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(36), Efficacy-Acc/Rchg(36), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc(36), Efficacy-EndMod/EndRdx(37)
Level 30: Super Speed -- Zephyr-Travel(A), Zephyr-Travel/EndRdx(43), EndRdx-I(48), Clrty-Stlth(48), Winter-ResSlow(50)
Level 32: Midnight Grasp -- C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg(A), C'ngImp-Dmg/Rchg(37), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), C'ngImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(39), SipInsght-Acc/ToHitDeb(39), SipInsght-ToHitDeb/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 35: Tough -- ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), ImpArm-EndRdx/Rchg(40), ImpArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(40), ImpArm-ResDam(46)
Level 38: Overload -- RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(A), RedFtn-Def/Rchg(40), RedFtn-EndRdx/Rchg(42), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(42), RedFtn-Def(50), RechRdx-I(50)
Level 41: Weave -- GftotA-Def/EndRdx(A), GftotA-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(42), GftotA-EndRdx/Rchg(43), GftotA-Run+(48)
Level 44: Spirit Shark -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(45), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(45), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45), Dev'n-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46)
Level 47: Hibernate -- Dct'dW-Heal/Rchg(A)
Level 49: Energy Protection -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Assassination
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Mrcl-Rcvry+(25)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(34), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(43), P'Shift-End%(46)

I don't know anything about EA really but in general for Stalkers, offense is going to be your main focus, jam in as many procs as you can while retaining as close to ED numbers as possible... HP cap is going to be a big focus for IO bonuses also for anything that isn't WP.

Don't underslot your travel powers, keep in mind there's not many attacks as a stalker that you will actually use often and slot accordingly.

EA isn't the best defense set by any means right now, but in i21 it is going to get a self heal (Energize) and some other goodies, which will make it perfectly viable Stalker secondary.

I haven't ever looked into EA but I'm sure it doesn't have any built in perception (I could be wrong) and if that's the case then you might want to take Leadership over Fighting. I think you would be crippled more by the lack of perception than you would the lack of resistance.

Morti.

Whatever you do, don't play an /EA stalker.

Dark/Nin or Dark/WP would be 100 times better.

/EA stalkers used to be alright in PVP, but it makes me sad to say this, but I can't recommend it anymore.

I remember teleport protection EA used to have as a perk was really nice, but now...meh.

I will have to disagree with some others. I think EA is going to be a great secondary after i21 hits. Energize as a self heal does have a slightly longer recharge than the other sets but it does have a +regen/+end redux component to it. The new passive resistance values are nice along with the +20% recharge reduction for all powers in one of the toggles. On top of everything else the tier 9 is still great and the base defense values, although typed, still have a slightly higher numbers than /nin. Also built in knockback and teleport protection..

I am also curious about repulse being replaced with a stun aura. Since offensive toggles are suppressed while hidden, I am curious if you could actually stun someone after firing off an AS provided they are still next to you. I don't think this will be very viable though lol.

I also recommend tactics over the fighting pool for the +toHit and perception.


I don't have experience with Dark Melee but I think you sacrifice some damage for -toHit and the ability to slot some proc's that other sets couldn't.

EA *will* be much better off come i12, but something that will still be there is the gaping psi hole in both its regular and tier 9 defenses making nin a much much much better set given the prevalence of Psi/EM's and Mind/ Doms.

What made it great before was the ability to run a near 10 minute match in Overload and have a much easier time shrugging off MM pets (3 up, 1 down for Archmage, 3 up again) along with Repel Resists to AS through force bubble. Since the changes its pretty sub par.

A little late to the party, but I've just IOed my DM/Ene Stalker and it does stellar in RV. With the upcoming changes, it will only get that much better. Overload is your crown jewel: 3 minutes of godmode. I've already sparred with 3 KM scraps and a few Blasters and made it out alive; That added Elusivity is what makes it. It's not too bad price-wise either! Tried and tested, see what you think:

NOTE: Conserve Power is there for the upcoming Energize replacement, which I plan to 5-slot Doctored Wounds in.

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/EA works great, if you enjoy sitting in the base waiting until Overload's recharged. It was good for like one issue when elusivity was set too high, and now it's merely okay. As it stands it's like having almost no secondary at all but with the changes that might be better though the heal's going to be on too long a timer to be useful. WP and Nin are better secondaries.

EA lives in it's t9, outside of it you will consistently die up against anything, in it you will be the most survivable stalker there is.

EA has 0.1 elusivity (as most defense based toons) and Overload grants another 0.2, meaning you end up at 0.3

0.3 was where elusivity was before it was nerfed to 0.1, so you'll get a taste of how it used to be.

If understand elusivity correctly, from 100% acc in the attack and 100% acc from bonuses, 0.1 will make their overall acc drop from 200-->180, where as 0.3 will make it drop from 200-->140, and then DR is factored on top of that. It's nice.

The most impressive thing I've seen from a stalker was watching them act like a t9 tank/brute and go up against 6 heroes until they crashed. Granted, I think they only sharked a blaster to death, and I don't remembr psi being present, still nice to see a stalker even survive 2 people.

Brutes get a lot more from overload with the +hp. My SS/EA on beta was sitting at perma 88 hp/sec, 3.1k hp (didn't have accolades yet, would hit cap) with 55%ish defense.

Lastly, Demonic is a god mode for EA, while almost useless on SR or nin. Wp would be fine with it though.

If I could trade my old EM/SR for a EM/EA, I would, just to use overload/demonic/barrier to be unkillable for a while at a time.

I'm not sure how good Burnout will actually be when i21 hits but that would be another power to fit in to extend the length of Overload.

Morti.