I must be a lunatic. Beam Rifle/Trick Arrow (BR/TA)?


Atomic_Toy_Guy

 

Posted

Seriously, I was sitting there wanting to make my self a Beam Rifle character last night after I got hit with the inspiration for a new toon. I was having a difficult time choosing a secondary though.

My requirements for a secondary were as follows:
1.) Must be all ranged.
2.) Must provide extra AOE damage.
3.) Must fit a tech theme.

My choice came down to Traps or Trick Arrow. I went with Trick Arrow because it would benefit from energy damage of the beam attacks. I also didn't choose Traps because most of the powers require you to get somewhat close or in the middle of the group to get the greatest effect.

Just wondering if anyone else saw this as a potential power combo and what sort of results they are seeing.


 

Posted

All I know is that I'm now thirsty for filtered water for some reason.



Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.

 

Posted

I'm not usually bothered by redraw, but I've never been able to get anything TA/* past level 4.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hyperstrike View Post
All I know is that I'm now thirsty for filtered water for some reason.


My new Youtube Channel with CoH info
You might know me as FlintEastwood now on Freedom

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr_Kingkillaha View Post
I'm not usually bothered by redraw, but I've never been able to get anything TA/* past level 4.
Unfortunate, as it is a pretty fun set - I think my TA/Arch defender was probably one of my favorite defenders at 50. It's late blooming.


My new Youtube Channel with CoH info
You might know me as FlintEastwood now on Freedom

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by JayboH View Post
Glad you appreciated it!



Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hyperstrike View Post
All I know is that I'm now thirsty for filtered water for some reason.
Color me confused. Must be a reference I don't get or an inside joke.


 

Posted

BR/TA = Brita, a type of water filter. Don't worry, I didn't get it at first either. Then I re-read the topic title.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rock_Crag View Post
BR/TA = Brita, a type of water filter. Don't worry, I didn't get it at first either. Then I re-read the topic title.
Nice, now I want to see if I can get the name BRiTA. LOL


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hyperstrike View Post
All I know is that I'm now thirsty for filtered water for some reason.
That's funny.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Atomic_Toy_Guy View Post
Seriously, I was sitting there wanting to make my self a Beam Rifle character last night after I got hit with the inspiration for a new toon. I was having a difficult time choosing a secondary though.

My requirements for a secondary were as follows:
1.) Must be all ranged.
2.) Must provide extra AOE damage.
3.) Must fit a tech theme.

My choice came down to Traps or Trick Arrow. I went with Trick Arrow because it would benefit from energy damage of the beam attacks. I also didn't choose Traps because most of the powers require you to get somewhat close or in the middle of the group to get the greatest effect.

Just wondering if anyone else saw this as a potential power combo and what sort of results they are seeing.
Haven't tried this particular combo, but have done TA combined with AR. Redraw for me was a non issue and I'd expect the same from Beam. Glue and Oil will be nice for keeping groups together to let Disintegration effects spread, I would think. All of the Beam attacks should be able to ignite the Oil Slick, too. Not a lot of mitigation, though. I'd wager it'll be a late bloomer.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by JayboH View Post
Unfortunate, as it is a pretty fun set - I think my TA/Arch defender was probably one of my favorite defenders at 50. It's late blooming.
I would feel more comfortable playing my lvl 50 TA/A defender, if you know the TA numbers for damage mitigation weren't pathetic coupled with the pathetic damage of archery. If they just fixed one of those it would be worth playing.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Turbo_Ski View Post
I would feel more comfortable playing my lvl 50 TA/A defender, if you know the TA numbers for damage mitigation weren't pathetic coupled with the pathetic damage of archery. If they just fixed one of those it would be worth playing.
If you feel both sets are pathetic why on earth did you level it all the way to 50?


Support Guides for all Corruptor secondaries and Fortunatas
The Melee Teaming Guide for Melee Mans

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Silas View Post
If you feel both sets are pathetic why on earth did you level it all the way to 50?
It was a concept character.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by JayboH View Post
I don't play defenders expecting gobs of damage, so that's where we differ.
I think you misunderstand, I wasn't talking about defenders there. I was talking about Archery in general being low damage compared to other blast sets.


 

Posted

After playing this combo for a bit on a corruptor, I am really starting to get a very MEH feeling about beam rifle. The DOT for disintegrate really makes this set feel slow. I wasn't expecting it to be like fire blast, I knew that out of the gate, but this set is feeling like it kills less efficiently than Electric Blast or Dark Blast.

Also after considering the length of recharge on the Nuke which I feel is unjustifiably long considering the slow performance of the rest of the set, I get the feeling I am going to abandon this concept.

Beam rifle feels like the worst performing blast set I have played to date. I have 50's of the following blast sets Ice, Fire, Dark, Archery, & Assault Rifle. Also I have played all the other blast sets to at least 40, with the exception of Sonic and Energy blast. So I can speak from experience. Whats really sad is it seems this set is balanced around disintegration spread, which has a pathetic radius and is not at all reliable.

Perhaps I'll seek a PL to get a better feel for the set at a later level. But WOW the devs must hate us rangers. Because this set is pathetic, and dual pistols wasn't much better. I am really getting tired of sets balanced around a gimmick.


 

Posted

Yeah I hear that alot from certain players - they just want to press buttons and have stuff die or be arrested, instead of playing with a set's mechanic correctly the way it was designed.

BR/Poison is crazy amazing against hard targets.


My new Youtube Channel with CoH info
You might know me as FlintEastwood now on Freedom

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by JayboH View Post
Yeah I hear that alot from certain players - they just want to press buttons and have stuff die or be arrested, instead of playing with a set's mechanic correctly the way it was designed.

BR/Poison is crazy amazing against hard targets.
OK, Tell me how to play Beam Rifle, because I just don't get it.

I get that its single target biased and that I should lead with disintegrate. The problem I am having is that I hit a target with disintegrate and then they start running at me. By doing this they get separated from the pack, so when disintegrate finally decides to spread there is nothing close enough for it to spread to. I have to disintegrate them, but don't kill them too fast otherwise you'll waste the spread. Oh yeah and don't hit my AOE until the spread happens. Is this how it's meant to be played? I am meant to keep stuff alive until all these wiz bang things take effect so the set will actually do proper damage.

Also its not like the in game descriptions do a fantastic job of explaining how to best play the set.


 

Posted

I cant really figure out how the set works either. But it looks cool, so good enough. If stuff dies slow because I am a dumdum, well thats ok. Cause I have a cool hat.


Random AT Generation!
"I remember... the Alamo." -- Pee-wee Herman
"Oh don't worry. I always leave things to the last moment." -- The Doctor
"Telescopes are time machines." -- Carl Sagan

 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by UnicyclePeon View Post
I cant really figure out how the set works either. But it looks cool, so good enough. If stuff dies slow because I am a dumdum, well thats ok. Cause I have a cool hat.
Glad to hear I'm not alone. Apparently its a mystery only to be known by those already in the know. That or the set just stinks.


 

Posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by Turbo_Ski View Post
I would feel more comfortable playing my lvl 50 TA/A defender, if you know the TA numbers for damage mitigation weren't pathetic coupled with the pathetic damage of archery. If they just fixed one of those it would be worth playing.
??? Oil slick is what, 643 damage on my defender, with a recharge of < 45 sec. And rain of arrows is 376 damage with a recharge of < 15 sec. I am not sure where you are getting a lack of damage. TA/As do as much damage as blasters do, with their nuke in oil slick having comparable damage to a blaster nuke, but up twice as often and having the control effect of the knockdown added as well (and not draining your own end). And don't forget you still have the rain of arrows mini-nuke up all the time. And these damage numbers aren't including debuff effects from all of the -resistance you get or bonuses from aim (but do include assault)--actual numbers are better.

I know TA/A had some rough years, but it is fine now honestly. TA is about damage, control, and debuffing in about equal measure. Treat it with that in mind and you will be satisfied with it. A is about the quick recharging rain of arrows (and two other aoes.) I realize both sets are late blooming and that they sucked in '05 but they are fine now. I think it is somewhat middle of the pack currently among the buff/debuff sets.


"Hi, my name is Ail. I make people sick."
A partial selection from my 50's on Freedom: Ail = Ice/Traps, Luck = Street Justice/Super Reflexes Stalker, Mist = Bane, Pixy = Trick Arrow/Archery, Pure = Gravity/Energy, Smoke = Fire/Fire Dominator

 

Posted

Okay this is a blaster's perspective on beam rifle, ATG, but here's how it goes down. You lead with disintegrate, yes, but you immediately follow up with piercing shot. This has two effects: the first is dealing increased damage and -res to your primary target, presumably a boss. The other effect is that since you will have surreptitiously lined up another enemy or two into the cone, when it hits the entire spawn will aggro because you've hit more than just one guy. Now the entire spawn is running at you and disintegration may spread freely.

My problem as a blaster is that since I haven't finished ioing yet, this sometimes leads to my doooooooooom as I am not near the range softcap. Your problem as a corruptor may be that you don't have piercing shot yet. If that's the case, I can't guess if it is or not, the main cone would be a good stand-in. The objective is to get the whole spawn coming at you as a blob for obvious reasons. If you're /ta, you should have ample means of bogging them down for aoeing.


 

Posted

Well, thinking you have to keep anything alive for the chance to spread disintegration is a first mistake...


My new Youtube Channel with CoH info
You might know me as FlintEastwood now on Freedom

 

Posted

I'm convinced. This should be a helluva offender.

I know the only problem i've had so far with my ta/ice is a bit of a lower single target damage than i would want. Yes, DPA was fine, but it blew through end that way. I think BR will help a lot with this... and no end crash is a good thing.