Accuracy / Status Powers

Tactical Training: Offensive
Tactical Training: Leadership
Pool Leadership: Tactics

All three? Two?
Which ones?
Why?



Wolf Spider Armor
Crab Spider Armor Upgrade
Both?






-P.S.
Sub Lv50 sets still give set bonuses at 50 right?
It's only if you EXEMPLAR that you lose them...
So I could still use Steadfast Protection in a 50 build, yeah?

Probably should have just called this a general spider build thread.
There are just way too many powers in here

3 Leaping
3 Fighting
4 leadership (manevuersx2, assaultx2)
3 Area attacks (Nades and Suppression)
4 Channel Gun and Melee (I like Channel Gun...)
1 Omega Maneuver
3 Defense Fortification, mental training, combat training: Defensive.
1 Automatic lv1 pick: Crab Spider Armor Upgrade.


All that leaves only 2 picks, and I really hate missing. I'd like to get at least one accuracy buff power in there, and I should probably take Serum as an "oh shi-" button.

Looking for feedback on the first post and any insights about powers that aren't as useful as they appear. I notice lots of builds drop Frag Grenade, but I don't see a reason for that. Heavy burst is 100% lethal and lower damage so I ruled that out long ago, but I'd like to keep frag I think.

Of those three accuracy boosting powers, TT:Leadership is probably the best bet. Tohit buffs are generally more useful than accuracy buffs, and TT:L has a lower endurance cost than pool Tactics. I wouldn't say you'd need more than one, though, unless you're going to be using SOs, slotting only one acc per power, and planning on fighting higher than +2s, in which case some extra help might be nice (slotted TT:L plus one acc will cap you at 95% against even cons and +1, and almost cap against +2s).

If you are using IO sets, you will likely be coated in 9% accuracy bonuses from Luck of the Gambler, Positron's Blast, Obliteration, etc. so you won't really have any pressing need for accuracy powers.
I agree with Muon_Neutrino that Tactical Training: Leadership is the best. It gives your whole team and all your pets the same accuracy bonus as Combat Training: Offensive.

With Crab Spider Armor Upgrade and Fortification you have so much status protection that you can bask in Romulus' Stygian Return (self-resurrect) without feeling groggy. The only things that can affect you are in incarnate trials. Wolf Spider Armor is completely redundant and skippable.

You lose set bonuses if you exemplar more than three levels below the level of the IOs.
Using lower-level IO sets is fine. The only problem with them is that their enhancement values are somewhat lower than 50's. My own Crab uses level 40 set IOs for everything so that he can exemplar better. He loses a few percentage points of bonus but some of that bonus was being eaten by enhancement diversification anyway.


Leaping - My own Crab has Super Jump and nothing else from this pool, and he still soft-caps with level-40 IOs. Many people only take Combat Jumping and/or Hover.

Fighting - If you just want to blast people with AoE attacks at long range, you could soft-cap your positional defenses without Weave and you would not really require Tough. If you see yourself using Frenzy a lot, you want Tough and Weave.

Leadership - I advise everyone to use the Leadership powers and love them. They are one of the great strengths of Soldiers of Arachnos, and especially good for Crabs, which can have the most pets. My Crab has Maneuvers x2, Assault x2, TT: Leadership and Vengeance... turning dead Blasters into useful bonuses.

Area Attacks - True AoE junkies often take things like Bile Spray and Heavy Burst, picking and choosing the best AoEs from all sources. Since Frag Grenade does not debuff resistance, deal toxic damage or cover a big cone, it often loses out. If you like the Crab theme and don't spit poison or summon sharks, then Frag Grenade is a worthwhile power. If your Crab likes Melee combat, you can skip it for that other AoE... Frenzy.

Filler Attacks - Channelgun is more popular than Longfang, and you really don't require both.

Melee Attacks - If you just wanted one melee attack, I'd recommend Arm Lash. It looks cool and it hits hard. It is an AoE attack, if you pay attention to the positioning of your victims. You can certainly go all the way and make a "Tank Crab" that specializes in melee. I would only caution that it takes set bonuses to soft-cap (45%) your melee defense and you will not really be ready for the big time as a melee Crab until this is done.

Defenses - Don't even think about skipping Fortification, it's awesome. Mental Training gives you +20% global recharge (only slightly weaker than 3 LotG uniques combined) and it requires no extra slots. I'm trying to think of a reason to skip it, but I can't. Combat Training: Defensive depends on your other defensive abilities, and how much you like purple sets (which don't improve your defenses). It is possible to skip it if you have lots of strong defense toggles, but it does give you a big chunk of ranged defense with very minimal slotting.

Serum - One of the advantages of Crab Spiders over other Soldiers is their self heal. Even badly slotted, it can be a life saver.

Thank you, Two Dollar!