A Meleer Finally Finds a Ranged Toon He Likes

Yep, had to say it as a headline. I've been playing CoX (on and off) since I2, mostly Tanks/Brutes, with occassional forays into MM, and several failed attempts at ranged/control toons - the highest was an Ice/Dark Corr, which petered out at 43.

But I still wanted to try ranged - the issue is that my playstyle is up in the enemies face, with them attempting to hit back. Massive held enemies slowly dying just seems boring to my inner kid (sorry Controllers/Doms; I'll crack that nut sometime).

I then followed an off-the-cuff suggestion from another player to try Fire/Kin, after Fire/Time just didn't do it for me. Yeah, I know, supposedly "overpowered" and "everybody's got one" (not true, at least on Guardian).

It's sweet. I had to babysit it through the 30s/40s, especially eating BFs like candy, but once I hit 47 with lvl 50 IOs and near Def softcap, then Incarnate with Clarion perma... yeah, baby. This is a toon I can love: lots of AoE face-melting damage, self-buffs galore, keeps the green and blue bars full, and brings value to the team ...and can still play in melee range.

So, if any other longterm meleers perusing the Corruptor forums are having trouble finding a likable ranged toon, try Fire/Kin - it lets you have your ranged toon in melee pretty dang well.

Congrats!

For me it was a long while back now (well before IO's) but I kept trying to find a blaster that I liked. Ended up be a Fire/Nrg blapper ... closed while tossing the Fire then up into their faces with Energy Manipulation's melee moves to clobber anything still moving.

Gratz!

Hm, might have to try Fire/Eng Blapper someday. For now, I'm beginning to delve into ATOs and Enhancement Catalysts, and trying to figure out a "best" build for Pixelbeater, my Fire/Kin Corr. Here's what I'm looking at currently:

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.953
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Pixelbeater alt1: Level 50 Science Corruptor
Primary Power Set: Fire Blast
Secondary Power Set: Kinetics
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Fire Blast -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(5), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(33), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33)
Level 1: Transfusion -- Numna-Heal/EndRdx(A), Numna-EndRdx/Rchg(9), Numna-Heal/Rchg(9), Numna-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(29), Numna-Heal(29), Numna-Regen/Rcvry+(37)
Level 2: Fire Ball -- Ragnrk-Dmg/Rchg(A), Ragnrk-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(3), Ragnrk-Acc/Rchg(5), Ragnrk-Dmg/EndRdx(21), Ragnrk-Knock%(27), Posi-Dam%(37)
Level 4: Fly -- Winter-ResSlow(A), Flight-I(39)
Level 6: Rain of Fire -- Posi-Acc/Dmg(A), Posi-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Posi-Dmg/Rchg(7), Posi-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(21), Posi-Dam%(23), Empty(23)
Level 8: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(17)
Level 10: Siphon Speed -- TmpRdns-Acc/EndRdx(A), P'ngTtl-Acc/EndRdx(11), RechRdx-I(11)
Level 12: Aim -- AdjTgt-ToHit/Rchg(A), AdjTgt-EndRdx/Rchg(13), AdjTgt-Rchg(13)
Level 14: Hover -- LkGmblr-Def(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(40), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(43), LkGmblr-Rchg+(43)
Level 16: Increase Density -- GA-3defTpProc(A)
Level 18: Blaze -- Thundr-Acc/Dmg(A), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx(19), Thundr-Dmg/Rchg(19), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(31), Thundr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(31), Thundr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31)
Level 20: Speed Boost -- Zephyr-ResKB(A)
Level 22: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 24: Tactics -- GSFC-ToHit(A), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg(25), GSFC-ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(25), GSFC-Rchg/EndRdx(27), GSFC-ToHit/EndRdx(46), GSFC-Build%(50)
Level 26: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 28: Tough -- S'fstPrt-ResDam/Def+(A)
Level 30: Weave -- LkGmblr-Def(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(34), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(34), LkGmblr-Rchg+(34)
Level 32: Maneuvers -- LkGmblr-Def(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(37), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(40), LkGmblr-Rchg+(40)
Level 35: Transference -- Efficacy-EndMod/Rchg(A), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(36), Efficacy-Acc/Rchg(36), Efficacy-EndMod/Acc(36)
Level 38: Fulcrum Shift -- EndRdx-I(A), Acc-I(39), RechRdx-I(39)
Level 41: Scorpion Shield -- LkGmblr-Def(A), LkGmblr-Def/EndRdx(42), LkGmblr-Def/Rchg(42), LkGmblr-Rchg+(42), RedFtn-Def/EndRdx(43)
Level 44: Web Cocoon -- Lock-Acc/Hold(A), Lock-Acc/Rchg(45), Lock-Rchg/Hold(45), Lock-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(45), Lock-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(46), Lock-%Hold(46)
Level 47: Summon Disruptor -- ExRmnt-Acc/Rchg(A), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg(48), ExRmnt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48), ExRmnt-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(48), ExRmnt-Dmg/EndRdx(50), ExRmnt-+Res(Pets)(50)
Level 49: Afterburner -- LkGmblr-Rchg+(A)
Level 50: Pyronic Partial Core Judgement
Level 50: Reactive Radial Flawless Interface
Level 50: Clarion Core Epiphany
Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve
Level 0: Portal Jockey
Level 0: Task Force Commander
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion
Level 50: Agility Radial Paragon
------------
Level 2: Swift -- Flight-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrcl-Rcvry+(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- P'Shift-EndMod(A), P'Shift-EndMod/Rchg(15), P'Shift-EndMod/Acc(15), P'Shift-End%(17)
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
Level 1: Scourge
Level 1: Sprint -- Clrty-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run

Code:

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I already have everything listed except:

1. Ragnaroks in Fire Ball - I'm using Posi's Blast there now.
2. Empty slot in Rain of Fire is slated for Malice of the Corruptor: Chance for Neg (eventually).
3. The last 3 slots in Web Cocoon - they're currently in other powers, just waiting for me to respec.
4. The last 2 slots in Summon Disruptor - they're currently in other powers, just waiting for me to respec.
5. T4 Incarnates: I have Alpha/Lore/Destiny at T3 and Interface at T2.

Here are the good things/rationale behind the build:

1. Def softcap S/L/E; Neg and Ranged within a small purp.
2. Perma-hasten with Siphon Speed 2x stack (which it often is in practice).
3. Plenty of status protection from Clarion.
4. Enough damage, not front-loaded like a Blaster, but plenty once Fulcrum Shift kicks in - this toon is often at the Corruptor damage cap.
5. A hold power (Web Cocoon) for some pesky enemies (Sappers).
6. Acc/hit capped even against +4 enemies. I only use Aim for an initial damage boost until Fulcrum Shift gets going. (I verified acc/hit capped using 39% Base ToHit with Tactics turned on but Gaussian: Chance BU removed.)
7. I've found Celerity:+Stealth in Sprint with Fly/Afterburner to be superior to Celerity:+Steatlth in Sprint with Super Speed for speeding through missions. Afterburner's +Def if the reason. Plus, I can use Afterburner with enhanced Fly to get between missions just a little more quickly.

Things I'm wondering about - in other words, why I'm posting this build:

1. The extra slots in Web Cocoon/Summon Disruptor do help those powers a bit, but the extra Range +Def doesn't fully cover the gap between 32.5% and 45%, so they're not really critical. Do you see any better places to put those slots?
2. Do you see a place to better use the 2nd slot in Fly? The only thing I get out of it is more Fly speed with Afterburner running.
3. It looks like the only real use I'd get out of Enhancement Catalysts would be a bit of EndRed and Dam. I don't see any place where Def, RechRed, or Acc/Hit would help. So it looks like Ragnarok: Dam/End in Fire Ball and Posi's Blast: Dam/End in Rain of Fire would be the only places to use these, and then really only for the EndRed. Would you actually consider this a worthwhile use of the Enhancement Catalysts? It seems I would be pouring a lot of rare stuff after a little bit of EndRed which I don't really need. If this were your toon, Would you spend the EnhCats on this toon at all?

My playstyle is to get in the enemies' face and let loose. I want my toon to benefit from Fulcrum Shift, Transference and Transfusion just as much as any melee toon would.

By the way, I don't PvP (yet) nor will I ever AE farm with this build. Yes, I do hit repeatable missions and trials, and recognize them as "dev-sanctioned farms" . I'm just looking to see whether there are any specific opinions on how to squeak the last ounce of PvE high-level performance out of this toon.

change the FlyIO in fly for a KB prot IO in Fly or hover or somewhere else

I do already have Zephyr-ResKB in Speed Boost. Maybe I should put an EndMod in SB instead for teammates, however with Transference firing off so often in addition to teammates' own Endurance mitigation/regaining powers, I haven't noticed any of them running out of End.

Aha - thanks to your suggestion, vernichterhelge, I did find a way to have my cake and eat it too!

I'll swap the Zephyr-ResKB to Fly and the Winter-ResSlow to Speed Boost, and change Fly's Flight-I to Zephyr-Travel, giving me +1.25% Ranged Def.

Then if I replace the Posi's Blasts in Rain of Fire with 6 Malice of the Corruptors, I'll hit Ranged Softcap Def even w/o making them Superior. This will also give me a bit more +Rech. I'll lose 9% Acc, but I'll be hit-capped against +4 even so. Heh - I'll still make the MotCs Superior because I'm picking up EncCat drops everywhere I turn in DA.