Very good build, in fact it's very similar to my own, however I use Crane Kick instead of Crippling, and for epic powers I instead chose the Patron powers of Ghost Widow for Shadow meld. Welcome back
MA/REGEN: 50th Shadowgeist
SHLD/SS: 50th Justice Machine
ENG/ENG: 50th Dr. Fear
Thanks, I'm glad to be back.
A couple of questions: What are the advantages of Crane Kick over Crippling? With the Ghost Widow patron pool, since you don't have Melt Armor and Fireball, don't you suffer from a lack of AoE damage? Finally, I understand that Shadow Meld pushes you into that long-favored softcap, but is it possible for it to be perm'ed without sacrificing enough defense that the change is no longer as favorable?
shadow meld, as far as I know, cannot be permanent (nor would you want it to, since it lasts only 15 seconds). However, it will be up every 40 seconds or so, so between that, Moment of Glory, Instant Healing, and Rebirth or Barrier Destiny, you never have to sit at base defense/healing. You can pretty much always run with either a Regen or def boost (a considerable one).
I love Soul Mastery, and use 3 powers from the pool. Dark Blast is a good, fast range ability that debuffs and does good dmg, Soul Storm is a nice DoT ST hold, and of course Shadow Meld is the jewel of the group. I highly recommend this pool.
I am DM/Regen, so I have only 1 AoE, and it doesn't bother me at all. Add in a judgement incarnate ability, and I can still blow up every other group of mobs while solo-ing. Even without, you'll kill single targets fast enough to not worry too much about the lack of AoE. Just my opinion and play style, though, make sure you focus on fun rather than min/maxing.
- Xyzor, Lightning.Rod, Kagyx - Rubber Mulch / Wholesale Candy - Freedom Server
"A couple of questions: What are the advantages of Crane Kick over Crippling? With the Ghost Widow patron pool, since you don't have Melt Armor and Fireball, don't you suffer from a lack of AoE damage? Finally, I understand that Shadow Meld pushes you into that long-favored softcap, but is it possible for it to be perm'ed without sacrificing enough defense that the change is no longer as favorable?"
I prefer the animation & damage mitigation of Crane Kick. It does slightly less damage than Crippling Axe, but allows me to send a foe flying a few feet back onto their butt, drop down to a sweep for Dragontail on those surronding me, then go straight into single target damage. I'm never worried about AOE. The Dragon tail resets fairly for me, and I only have slotted 3 Luck of the Gamblers. Working on 2 more, but so far everything is running fairly smoothly and fast that its almost not even a concern at the moment. I have Judgement "Ion" blast as an additional AOE. It's nice if not awesome, but i'll probably switch it to Void for theme & concept plus its ability to reduce incoming damage. My Shadowmeld isnt perma, but its up often & quickly. As Xyzor said, Moment of Glory is often ready if not IH & im often not using them all that frequently unless its a massive alpha strike coming in or im diving into unknown groups of enemies. Most often it's Shadowmeld, but if i start to sweat, i'll hit MOG & finish the fight off with that. I dont think I would ever want SM running permanently becaus eyou turn into a shadowy energy form. I need to see my costume most of the time lol. Either way, you'll have a number of safety buttons at your disposal at all times. PS: I also went Musculature & Reactive tier 4, so single targets drop very quickly. Maybe overkill, but im going to Destiny slot for Rebirth. Sounds to me like an extra regen power that'll fit nicely in my build.
MA/REGEN: 50th Shadowgeist
SHLD/SS: 50th Justice Machine
ENG/ENG: 50th Dr. Fear
Quote:
Rebirth fits VERY well with Regen. It's like a combo Reconstruction+IH that is up about as often, and also helps the team when you are in one.|
Originally Posted by Dr_Fear
Maybe overkill, but im going to Destiny slot for Rebirth. Sounds to me like an extra regen power that'll fit nicely in my build.
|
I've never played MA, so I'm not sure about recharge/attack chain, but Regen works best, IME, with Spiritual. The +Rech helps keep as many of your survival tools available as often as possible, in additional to keeping offensive powers up faster, too. The secondary effect of +heal is nice, too, obviously.
I would NEVER want a 15 second-duration power on perma, because your entire game experience will be clicking that power over and over and over... In general, with Shadow Meld, it lasts 15 seconds, then has about a 25-35 second down time depending on your +Recharge (mine is up every 40 seconds, so it's downtime is 25 sec). I usually pop Shadow Meld before I dive in to a group, then either Rebirth/IH or MoG (if there are annoying mobs like Sappers/Mu's). Once they are done, SM is up again, followed by the others again, if anything is left standing.
- Xyzor, Lightning.Rod, Kagyx - Rubber Mulch / Wholesale Candy - Freedom Server
Alright, thank you both for all of your input. Shadow Meld definitely sounds worth trying, and the only reason I don't immediately jump upon it was how much lack of AoE bothered me before the respec from Body Mastery. There's always the Test server for that, though.
Again, thank you all, and with how much Incarnate slots were mentioned I'm definitely going to have to get more than my Alpha slot operational and try out the stuff before I make any final decisions as to my build, seeing that Judgement may very well compensate for AoE and always running around with a major defense or regeneration buff sounds great.
First, I decided to take the advice of Dr Fear and Xyzor, and replaced the Fire Ancillary with Soul Mastery for Shadow Meld and Dark Blast. I took Revive for the hell of it. Well, because I had a slot free and like self-rez powers.
Then I ran numbers till I was sick of running numbers, and long story short, found that replacing Cobra Strike with Dark Blast from the PPP actually both increased my DPS and decreased my end consumption (especially because I could slot another purple set into Dark Blast, allowing me a free slot to put end redux in it and Storm Kick. Also freed up end for Assault). I could provide the numbers, if anyone wants.
I am now, with the full ST attack chain going, losing end at a rate of .021 per second- numbers rendered completely inconsequential considering MoG's recovery buff. I could get away with less, but want insurance against electricity mobs.
According to the NoChain application, I have 337.112 DPS per second with five or ten powers in the attack chain, costing me 3.221 endurance per second.
Storm Kick > Dark Blast > Crippling Axe Kick
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.952
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Martial Arts
Secondary Power Set: Regeneration
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Storm Kick
Level 1: Fast Healing
Level 2: Reconstruction
Level 4: Quick Recovery
Level 6: Combat Jumping
Level 8: Assault
Level 10: Dull Pain
Level 12: Focus Chi
Level 14: Maneuvers
Level 16: Integration
Level 18: Crippling Axe Kick
Level 20: Hasten
Level 22: Boxing
Level 24: Tough
Level 26: Dragon's Tail
Level 28: Instant Healing
Level 30: Weave
Level 32: Resilience
Level 35: Tactics
Level 38: Moment of Glory
Level 41: Dark Blast
Level 44: Shadow Meld
Level 47: Revive
Level 49: Vengeance
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion
Level 50: Spiritual Core Paragon
Level 50: Reactive Radial Flawless Interface
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Level 1: Brawl
Level 1: Sprint
Level 2: Rest
Level 1: Critical Hit
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift
Level 2: Health
Level 2: Hurdle
Level 2: Stamina
Code:
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Returning to the game, I found I needed a newer build for this guy. Credit goes to Umbral for the original build, which I made some unprofessional attempts to upgrade to match some of the updates.
Goals have been retaining the decent amount of defense and recharge while adding in the Fire Mastery Ancillary to help with AoE damage (which I found highly lacking on myself) and attempting to fix the endurance problems that came with losing Physical Perfection and Conserve Power.
Attempting to avoid purples as much as possible (besides Hecatomb), and no PvP IOs except for the +3% defense one from Gladiator's Armor. No travel power because Ninja Run and Jetpack.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.952
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Martial Arts
Secondary Power Set: Regeneration
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Blaze Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Storm Kick
- (A) Hecatomb - Damage/Recharge
- (3) Hecatomb - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (3) Hecatomb - Accuracy/Recharge
- (5) Hecatomb - Damage/Endurance
- (5) Hecatomb - Chance of Damage(Negative)
Level 1: Fast Healing- (A) Miracle - Heal
- (27) Miracle - Heal/Endurance
Level 2: Reconstruction- (A) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance
- (7) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge
- (7) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
- (9) Doctored Wounds - Heal
- (9) Doctored Wounds - Recharge
Level 4: Quick Recovery- (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
- (11) Performance Shifter - EndMod
- (11) Endurance Modification IO
- (40) Endurance Modification IO
Level 6: Combat Jumping- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
Level 8: Cobra Strike- (A) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage
- (15) Touch of Death - Damage/Endurance
- (15) Touch of Death - Damage/Recharge
- (17) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
- (17) Touch of Death - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (19) Touch of Death - Chance of Damage(Negative)
Level 10: Dull Pain- (A) Doctored Wounds - Endurance/Recharge
- (19) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge
- (21) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
- (21) Doctored Wounds - Heal
- (23) Doctored Wounds - Recharge
Level 12: Focus Chi- (A) Adjusted Targeting - Recharge
- (13) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Recharge
- (13) Recharge Reduction IO
Level 14: Maneuvers- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
- (23) Endurance Reduction IO
- (34) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
Level 16: Integration- (A) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
- (25) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
- (25) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance
- (40) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
Level 18: Crippling Axe Kick- (A) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage
- (31) Touch of Death - Damage/Endurance
- (31) Touch of Death - Damage/Recharge
- (33) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
- (33) Touch of Death - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (33) Touch of Death - Chance of Damage(Negative)
Level 20: Hasten- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
- (29) Recharge Reduction IO
- (42) Recharge Reduction IO
Level 22: Boxing- (A) Absolute Amazement - Stun
- (27) Absolute Amazement - Stun/Recharge
- (29) Absolute Amazement - Endurance/Stun
- (34) Absolute Amazement - Accuracy/Recharge
- (34) Absolute Amazement - Chance for ToHit Debuff
Level 24: Tough- (A) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)
- (42) Endurance Reduction IO
Level 26: Dragon's Tail- (A) Obliteration - Damage
- (36) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge
- (36) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge
- (36) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (37) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (37) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage
Level 28: Instant Healing- (A) Doctored Wounds - Endurance/Recharge
- (37) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge
- (39) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
- (39) Doctored Wounds - Heal
- (39) Doctored Wounds - Recharge
Level 30: Weave- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
- (31) Endurance Reduction IO
Level 32: Resilience- (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
Level 35: Tactics- (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff
- (43) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge
- (43) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance
- (43) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Recharge/Endurance
- (45) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance
- (45) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up
Level 38: Moment of Glory- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
- (45) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge
- (46) Recharge Reduction IO
- (46) Recharge Reduction IO
Level 41: Char- (A) Unbreakable Constraint - Accuracy/Recharge
- (48) Unbreakable Constraint - Chance for Smashing Damage
Level 44: Melt Armor- (A) Accuracy IO
- (46) Recharge Reduction IO
- (48) Accuracy IO
Level 47: Fire Ball- (A) Ragnarok - Damage
- (50) Ragnarok - Damage/Recharge
- (50) Accuracy IO
Level 49: Vengeance- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
Level 0: Freedom Phalanx ReserveLevel 0: Portal Jockey
Level 0: Task Force Commander
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion
Level 50: Spiritual Core Paragon
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Level 1: Brawl
- (A) Empty
Level 1: Sprint- (A) Empty
Level 2: Rest- (A) Empty
Level 1: Critical HitLevel 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift
- (A) Run Speed IO
Level 2: Health- (A) Miracle - +Recovery
- (48) Miracle - Heal
- (50) Regenerative Tissue - +Regeneration
Level 2: Hurdle- (A) Jumping IO
Level 2: Stamina