With my Rad/MM, I have two chains that I cycle through. t1-> t2 -> t3 for single target, naturally, and neutron bomb -> irradiate -> PSW for pbaoe mayhem. Now, obviously /dark doesn't get PSW, but soul drain is a pretty damn good stand-in, and if it works like other versions of soul drain then if you slot it with obliterations or something it should be a solid attack in its own right. I am imagining running soul drain -> neutron -> irradiate -> filler -> neutron -> irradiate and it sounds pretty dang good.
Neutron bomb and irradiate aren't exactly chainable until you've got loads of global recharge and full slotting, so I think the solution to the mid level woes is baked into the recharge on your aoes. Since you won't be able to sit in the middle of a spawn and burn things down, your natural impulse will instead be to hit the spawn and then retreat and take things down at range, which of course is a totally viable way for blasters to behave in the first place.
In my own blaster's case, I pretty much levelled up as I expect one typically does - soloing a little bit on x1 and later x2, doing some tips and such that way, but by and large teaming. Ran a lot of TFs, rustled up a few teams of lowbies to run my mid-high level stuff. You're 50 before you know it. The thing about being a half-complete aoe blaster is that it only takes a little bit of "support" to spread the aggro around and you have license to unload. Don't expect instant perfection, just do the best you can with what you have and the results should please you.
Quote:
Firstly, are you going for large amounts of AoE damage, or single target? |
Originally Posted by Pattern Walker
tl;dr version: How do I survive my Rad/Dark/Soul blapper until the low 40s? And does my suggested playstyle seem realistic for him once he has a nice suite of mezzes to use?
I'm not normally much of a blaster player. My only successful blaster is an Elec/Elec/Mace sapper blapper, and I suspect that I was able to get him to 50 only because Mystic Amethyst's really nice (but now dated) guide to Elec/Elec/Elec convinced me that it was possible. I'm also largely a solo player, though I enjoy teaming and I'm willing to team more for this character. I have a concept I'm attached to for a new blapper, this time a Rad/Dark/Soul blaster. I have him to 16 so far, but I'm already having anticipatory jitters about the 20s and 30s. ("The dying, all the dying!") Here's my thought: Rad/Dark/Soul will provide a really wonderful set of stacking stuns in Cosmic Burst, Dark Pit, and Oppressive Gloom. Cosmic Burst is available at 18, and is a nice attack and mag 3 stun (lieutenants and below). Dark Pit comes much later, at 35, is only mag 2 and has horrible accuracy. However, Rad's -def and Aim will make it much more possible to hit with Dark Pit. Finally, Oppressive Gloom provides a really nice and cheap mag 2 stun, with normal accuracy, but can't be taken until at least 41 if I take Dark Pit at 35. I can imagine approaching a spawn, hitting the most dangerous mob with Cosmic Burst, then hitting Aim and Dark Pit, and then run into the middle of the spawn. (Or open with Aim and DP, then Cosmic Burst.) Oppressive Gloom and Death Shroud are running and will start to affect mobs fairly quickly and I'll activate Soul Drain for the damage boost. I'll use Irradiate (PBAoE) and Neutron Bomb (targeted AoE) and my other melee attacks as time permits. Dark Embrace should cut down some of the incoming damage until mezzes can stack. Just stacking Dark Pit and Oppressive Gloom will provide a mag 4 stun. This would seem to be a nice, relatively safe PBAoE monster who will be able to take out lots and lots of minions and lieutenants and even the occasional hard target. At high levels. But how do I not get so frustrated that I quit playing him as things start to get harder for blasters in the late 20s and 30s? I think these levels are especially difficult for blappers. I'm really open to advice on this. My only requirement is that I eventually want to end up with a blapper. If folks want to recommend trying a ranged playstyle to get me through tough times, I'm willing to try it, even though range doesn't really play to these sets' strengths. |
I've played an energy/energy blapper through the 30s-40s and it wasn't tough and won't be for you, as long as you play effectively.
Since /rad has -defense debuff slot your AoE attacks with Achilles' Heel: Chance for -resistance procs. This gives a 20% chance to deal a 20% resistance debuff to any enemy it hits. In AoE's it will fire off like mad.
Considering that /dark has extremely hard hitting melee attacks with fast animations I would jump into a group, fire off dark pit, then both of your AoEs and 1-shot the guys that pit missed. In this situation it's also good to have some sort of ranged defense build because hard hitting melee toons like /NRG and /Dark kill guys in melee range just short of instantly, so you'll only be left with ranged attack enemies. This strategy works VERY well with my DP/Fire (minus dark pit)
Another strategy is, spam your AoEs at a distance and use the single target blasts to kill them + pull the mob closer. Once they're close enough a 1-2 shot from /Dark will wipe them out before they get to do the same to you. Again, this works well with ranged defense. This one works well with my NRG/NRG.
Both toons can be considered blappers in their own way, considering they both can hold their own very well in melee range.
As for Dark pit, the acc may be bad at first, but if you six slot it with stupify (I think) you'll get a hefty ranged defense bonuse out of it, and those sets focus on acc + Stun. So both of those will be maxed out
Quote:
Actually, what I'd like to do is to use Irradiate and then Neutron Bomb, and then stand in the middle of the spawn using Shadow Maul and Smite until Irradiate is back up. Honestly, I'd kind of like to take only X-Ray Beam, Irradiate, Aim, Cosmic Burst, and Neutron Bomb from my primary, but I suspect I'm really going to want ranged options until I get my stuns.|
Originally Posted by PleaseRecycle
Neutron bomb and irradiate aren't exactly chainable until you've got loads of global recharge and full slotting, so I think the solution to the mid level woes is baked into the recharge on your aoes. Since you won't be able to sit in the middle of a spawn and burn things down, your natural impulse will instead be to hit the spawn and then retreat and take things down at range, which of course is a totally viable way for blasters to behave in the first place.
|
Jump in with Soul Drain, Irradiate, jump out, use Neutron Bomb, Cosmic Burst, etc. Hrm. That probably makes the most sense.
Quote:
Really good thought about the Achilles' Heel Proc. I'm not sure about the ranged defense though. My Elec/Elec/Mace blapper took Scorpion Shield. Even though he's not softcapped (yet) to S/L/E, it makes a big difference. But I'm reluctant to go the positional route, especially if I eventually want to be living in melee.
|
Originally Posted by Bionut911
Firstly, are you going for large amounts of AoE damage, or single target?
I've played an energy/energy blapper through the 30s-40s and it wasn't tough and won't be for you, as long as you play effectively. Since /rad has -defense debuff slot your AoE attacks with Achilles' Heel: Chance for -resistance procs. This gives a 20% chance to deal a 20% resistance debuff to any enemy it hits. In AoE's it will fire off like mad. Considering that /dark has extremely hard hitting melee attacks with fast animations I would jump into a group, fire off dark pit, then both of your AoEs and 1-shot the guys that pit missed. In this situation it's also good to have some sort of ranged defense build because hard hitting melee toons like /NRG and /Dark kill guys in melee range just short of instantly, so you'll only be left with ranged attack enemies. This strategy works VERY well with my DP/Fire (minus dark pit) Another strategy is, spam your AoEs at a distance and use the single target blasts to kill them + pull the mob closer. Once they're close enough a 1-2 shot from /Dark will wipe them out before they get to do the same to you. Again, this works well with ranged defense. This one works well with my NRG/NRG. Both toons can be considered blappers in their own way, considering they both can hold their own very well in melee range. As for Dark pit, the acc may be bad at first, but if you six slot it with stupify (I think) you'll get a hefty ranged defense bonuse out of it, and those sets focus on acc + Stun. So both of those will be maxed out |
Unless you are using a cone and/or using range as your defense, there's no need to jump in and out of spawns on a Blapper. Targeted AoE's turn into delicious PBAoE's if your target is next to you, and ST blasts don't care how far away the target is.
I am the 99%. Occupy the World.
Minister of Infinity's Secret Police, Official Mooch of dUmb and League, Official Purveyor of Free Straws, the Most Interesting Man in the World.
http://www.change.org/petitions/ncso...city-of-heroes
Quote:
Yes, I anticipate my eventual playstyle will involve firing off all my AoE's within melee range. My concern in doing so in the 20s and 30s, prior to getting the layered stuns these sets will provide, is that I will die, die, and die again as I stand in melee range.
|
Originally Posted by Errant
Unless you are using a cone and/or using range as your defense, there's no need to jump in and out of spawns on a Blapper. Targeted AoE's turn into delicious PBAoE's if your target is next to you, and ST blasts don't care how far away the target is.
|
Quote:
I'd suggest finding/forming a team then, grabbing either/or on some support AT's or a Tank/Brute/Scrap(with Taunt Aura) to piss off everything first.|
Originally Posted by Pattern Walker
Yes, I anticipate my eventual playstyle will involve firing off all my AoE's within melee range. My concern in doing so in the 20s and 30s, prior to getting the layered stuns these sets will provide, is that I will die, die, and die again as I stand in melee range.
|
I remember when I was leveling both my Human form PB (blapper, no shields 'cause they got mezzed off) and my Ice/Elec (damage aura and SO Tasty melee attacks), I'd form a team by typing search, and inviting lower leveled and lonely looking Defenders, sending a tell asking if they wanna help make an unstoppable killing machine. I prefer leading from the front, so never looked for a Meleer to soak the aggro, since they'd have to jump in ahead of me.
I am the 99%. Occupy the World.
Minister of Infinity's Secret Police, Official Mooch of dUmb and League, Official Purveyor of Free Straws, the Most Interesting Man in the World.
http://www.change.org/petitions/ncso...city-of-heroes
Also if your pockets are deep enough you can slot Irradiate with Fury of the Gladiator: Chance for -Res 20%. With that Proc and Achilles Heel things get just plain DED lol.
I have an Elec/Dark and I play the same way. Once you get good recharge and proc'd out you'll become a monster. Your Stuns along with Soul Drain + Aim then hitting them with you PBAOEs...amazing...you know, I can't express how much I love Soul Drain. Ugh, great power.
Quote:
Oh! That's great advice!, Negate! I'm glad to hear that this is a viable style of play.
|
Originally Posted by Negate
Also if your pockets are deep enough you can slot Irradiate with Fury of the Gladiator: Chance for -Res 20%. With that Proc and Achilles Heel things get just plain DED lol.
I have an Elec/Dark and I play the same way. Once you get good recharge and proc'd out you'll become a monster. Your Stuns along with Soul Drain + Aim then hitting them with you PBAOEs...amazing...you know, I can't express how much I love Soul Drain. Ugh, great power. |
Quote:
No problem! I just keeping buying lucks until I can afford to IO him out heh.
|
Originally Posted by Pattern Walker
Oh! That's great advice!, Negate! I'm glad to hear that this is a viable style of play.
|
Quote:
What PPP or EPP did you take your blaster?
|
Originally Posted by Negate
No problem! I just keeping buying lucks until I can afford to IO him out heh.
|
Quote:
Currently he has Scorpion Shield and he's 45% on defense...but I'm having second thoughts...I like the safety of Cold Mastery. With Hoarfrost and Hibernate I can keep myself alive when things get really crazy. Also Snow Storm and Frozen Armor are awesome...I think I'm going to go Cold.
|
Originally Posted by Pattern Walker
What PPP or EPP did you take your blaster?
|
tl;dr version: How do I survive my Rad/Dark/Soul blapper until the low 40s? And does my suggested playstyle seem realistic for him once he has a nice suite of mezzes to use?
I'm not normally much of a blaster player. My only successful blaster is an Elec/Elec/Mace sapper blapper, and I suspect that I was able to get him to 50 only because Mystic Amethyst's really nice (but now dated) guide to Elec/Elec/Elec convinced me that it was possible. I'm also largely a solo player, though I enjoy teaming and I'm willing to team more for this character.
I have a concept I'm attached to for a new blapper, this time a Rad/Dark/Soul blaster. I have him to 16 so far, but I'm already having anticipatory jitters about the 20s and 30s. ("The dying, all the dying!")
Here's my thought: Rad/Dark/Soul will provide a really wonderful set of stacking stuns in Cosmic Burst, Dark Pit, and Oppressive Gloom. Cosmic Burst is available at 18, and is a nice attack and mag 3 stun (lieutenants and below). Dark Pit comes much later, at 35, is only mag 2 and has horrible accuracy. However, Rad's -def and Aim will make it much more possible to hit with Dark Pit. Finally, Oppressive Gloom provides a really nice and cheap mag 2 stun, with normal accuracy, but can't be taken until at least 41 if I take Dark Pit at 35.
I can imagine approaching a spawn, hitting the most dangerous mob with Cosmic Burst, then hitting Aim and Dark Pit, and then run into the middle of the spawn. (Or open with Aim and DP, then Cosmic Burst.) Oppressive Gloom and Death Shroud are running and will start to affect mobs fairly quickly and I'll activate Soul Drain for the damage boost. I'll use Irradiate (PBAoE) and Neutron Bomb (targeted AoE) and my other melee attacks as time permits. Dark Embrace should cut down some of the incoming damage until mezzes can stack. Just stacking Dark Pit and Oppressive Gloom will provide a mag 4 stun.
This would seem to be a nice, relatively safe PBAoE monster who will be able to take out lots and lots of minions and lieutenants and even the occasional hard target. At high levels. But how do I not get so frustrated that I quit playing him as things start to get harder for blasters in the late 20s and 30s? I think these levels are especially difficult for blappers.
I'm really open to advice on this. My only requirement is that I eventually want to end up with a blapper. If folks want to recommend trying a ranged playstyle to get me through tough times, I'm willing to try it, even though range doesn't really play to these sets' strengths.