Here is my latest build for my Empathy/Archery Defender ... Flight of Stars (on Virtue). This build includes the ATO1 set (6 slots), the Overwhelming Force set (6 slots), and is ready for both the ATO2 set (6 slots) and the upcoming change to Snipe powers with their +22% To Hit threshold for zero Interrupt time.
Aimed Shot (ATO1 set) and Snap Shot (ATO2 set ready) were chosen as the best locations for the ATO sets simply for lack of anywhere better to put them. Fistful of Arrows is currently frankenslotted for maximum range while Explosive Arrow is slotted for Overwhelming Force (for obvious reasons) and Ranged Shot is slotted with Sting of the Manticore because of the +Recharge bonus the set offers. Stunning Shot and Rain of Arrows make for "less than ideal" locations to slot ATO sets ... which basically leaves Blazing Arrow as the only other alternative. In actual gameplay, even when Exemplared, the potential for chaining Snap Shot and Aimed Shot against single targets is remarkably high, making these powers the potentially preferable choices for slotting ATO sets ... particularly because these powers (in this build plan) are both available when Exemplar at Level 1 (meaning you'll always have access to the ATO Procs and the survivability benefits they offer).
Achieving the +22% To Hit threshold is made trivial in this build by simply having Maneuvers (with Kismet unique) and Tactics always running. This yields a +25.1% To Hit Buff which should be "adequate" except when Debuffed by hostiles (there are some which do this). Ironically, the damage throughput of Ranged Shot is only slightly better than that of Blazing Arrow ... although the Range on Ranged Shot is markedly superior (since it is basically double). Endurance Cost for Ranged Shot is higher than Blazing Arrow, and in another bit of irony ... Ranged Shot *without* an Interrupt Time will be faster to cast than Blazing Arrow (1.67s vs 1.83s). Note that because of the order of Power Picks, this means that Maneuvers and Tactics will *always* be available to "supercharge" Ranged Shot for zero Interrupt Time at any Exemplar Level of 23+.
Uptime on Recovery Aura and Regeneration Aura are both excellent thanks to high global recharge over a wide range of Levels, being better than 50% when Exemplar to Levels 28+, and improve to around 75% when playing Level 50 content. This puts both of these powers, and Adrenaline Boost, into the "Use Early, Use Often" category where there is rarely an advantage to be gained by NOT using these powers whenever possible.
As a side note, I'll point out that this isn't just a "paper" build that I'm going to be respec-ing to when I can find the time ... it's already a done deal and I've been playing Flight of Stars doing daily Double Feature runs. She does quite well with just about anything and everything thrown her way (except excessive aggro gain and spike damage) and manages to play very smoothly. I've also taken her on BAF, TPN and Keyes Trials so far and found the build to be surprisingly survivable on TPN ... particularly since I didn't have any Level Shifts from Incarnate slotting yet(!). Things could get a little "dicey" every now and then, but so long as I stayed focused (on Empathy instead of Archery), it was actually quite difficult for NPCs to bring me down with collateral AoE damage.
The last thing I'll point out about this build is that it is very much a "Level 50 build" since it makes a few assumptions about timing of getting/placing slots which might be "less than ideal" when leveling up. That said, it wouldn't be "crippling" to level up your own Empathy/Archery Defender using this exact build plan ... it's just that everything won't "come together" completely until being able to allocate those last few Enhancement Slots at Level 50. I'd also point out that even though this is a "Level 50 build" what you see before you is a decidedly Exemplar Friendly build, intended to receive Global Set Bonuses starting at Levels 24, 28 and 34 ... aside from what the ATO set(s) and Overwhelming Force set grant.
Flight of Stars: Level 50 Technology Defender Primary Power Set: Empathy Secondary Power Set: Archery Power Pool: Flight Power Pool: Leadership Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Teleportation
Please note when importing from Data Chunk that Explosive Arrow is importing as having no enhancements in its slots in Mids' 1.958. This is in error, as Explosive Arrow is 6-slotted with Overwhelming Force.
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It's the end. But the moment has been prepared for ...
Here is my latest build for my Empathy/Archery Defender ... Flight of Stars (on Virtue). This build includes the ATO1 set (6 slots), the Overwhelming Force set (6 slots), and is ready for both the ATO2 set (6 slots) and the upcoming change to Snipe powers with their +22% To Hit threshold for zero Interrupt time.
Aimed Shot (ATO1 set) and Snap Shot (ATO2 set ready) were chosen as the best locations for the ATO sets simply for lack of anywhere better to put them. Fistful of Arrows is currently frankenslotted for maximum range while Explosive Arrow is slotted for Overwhelming Force (for obvious reasons) and Ranged Shot is slotted with Sting of the Manticore because of the +Recharge bonus the set offers. Stunning Shot and Rain of Arrows make for "less than ideal" locations to slot ATO sets ... which basically leaves Blazing Arrow as the only other alternative. In actual gameplay, even when Exemplared, the potential for chaining Snap Shot and Aimed Shot against single targets is remarkably high, making these powers the potentially preferable choices for slotting ATO sets ... particularly because these powers (in this build plan) are both available when Exemplar at Level 1 (meaning you'll always have access to the ATO Procs and the survivability benefits they offer).
Achieving the +22% To Hit threshold is made trivial in this build by simply having Maneuvers (with Kismet unique) and Tactics always running. This yields a +25.1% To Hit Buff which should be "adequate" except when Debuffed by hostiles (there are some which do this). Ironically, the damage throughput of Ranged Shot is only slightly better than that of Blazing Arrow ... although the Range on Ranged Shot is markedly superior (since it is basically double). Endurance Cost for Ranged Shot is higher than Blazing Arrow, and in another bit of irony ... Ranged Shot *without* an Interrupt Time will be faster to cast than Blazing Arrow (1.67s vs 1.83s). Note that because of the order of Power Picks, this means that Maneuvers and Tactics will *always* be available to "supercharge" Ranged Shot for zero Interrupt Time at any Exemplar Level of 23+.
Uptime on Recovery Aura and Regeneration Aura are both excellent thanks to high global recharge over a wide range of Levels, being better than 50% when Exemplar to Levels 28+, and improve to around 75% when playing Level 50 content. This puts both of these powers, and Adrenaline Boost, into the "Use Early, Use Often" category where there is rarely an advantage to be gained by NOT using these powers whenever possible.
As a side note, I'll point out that this isn't just a "paper" build that I'm going to be respec-ing to when I can find the time ... it's already a done deal and I've been playing Flight of Stars doing daily Double Feature runs. She does quite well with just about anything and everything thrown her way (except excessive aggro gain and spike damage) and manages to play very smoothly. I've also taken her on BAF, TPN and Keyes Trials so far and found the build to be surprisingly survivable on TPN ... particularly since I didn't have any Level Shifts from Incarnate slotting yet(!). Things could get a little "dicey" every now and then, but so long as I stayed focused (on Empathy instead of Archery), it was actually quite difficult for NPCs to bring me down with collateral AoE damage.
The last thing I'll point out about this build is that it is very much a "Level 50 build" since it makes a few assumptions about timing of getting/placing slots which might be "less than ideal" when leveling up. That said, it wouldn't be "crippling" to level up your own Empathy/Archery Defender using this exact build plan ... it's just that everything won't "come together" completely until being able to allocate those last few Enhancement Slots at Level 50. I'd also point out that even though this is a "Level 50 build" what you see before you is a decidedly Exemplar Friendly build, intended to receive Global Set Bonuses starting at Levels 24, 28 and 34 ... aside from what the ATO set(s) and Overwhelming Force set grant.
==========
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.958
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Flight of Stars: Level 50 Technology Defender
Primary Power Set: Empathy
Secondary Power Set: Archery
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Teleportation
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Healing Aura
- (A) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance: Level 31
- (3) Doctored Wounds - Endurance/Recharge: Level 31
- (5) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge: Level 31
- (5) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 31
- (7) Doctored Wounds - Heal: Level 31
Level 1: Snap Shot- (A) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage: Level 27
- (15) Decimation - Damage/Endurance: Level 27
- (34) Decimation - Damage/Recharge: Level 27
- (34) Decimation - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27
- (37) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 27
- (37) Decimation - Chance of Build Up: Level 25
Level 2: Heal Other- (A) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance: Level 31
- (7) Doctored Wounds - Endurance/Recharge: Level 31
- (9) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge: Level 31
- (9) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 31
- (11) Doctored Wounds - Heal: Level 31
Level 4: Aimed Shot- (A) Defender's Bastion - Accuracy/Damage: Level 27
- (15) Defender's Bastion - Damage/Recharge: Level 27
- (23) Defender's Bastion - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27
- (25) Defender's Bastion - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 27
- (25) Defender's Bastion - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27
- (34) Defender's Bastion - Recharge/Chance for Minor PBAoE Heal: Level 27
Level 6: Resurrect- (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 8: Clear Mind- (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 10: Blazing Arrow- (A) Entropic Chaos - Accuracy/Damage: Level 27
- (11) Entropic Chaos - Damage/Endurance: Level 27
- (13) Entropic Chaos - Damage/Recharge: Level 27
- (13) Entropic Chaos - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27
- (17) Entropic Chaos - Chance of Heal Self: Level 20
Level 12: Fortitude- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed: Level 25
Level 14: Hover- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed: Level 25
Level 16: Fistful of Arrows- (A) Accuracy IO: Level 50
- (17) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50
- (21) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
- (23) Detonation - Damage/Endurance/Range: Level 50
- (48) HamiO: Centriole Exposure (+2 Damage/Range)
- (48) HamiO: Centriole Exposure (+2 Damage/Range)
Level 18: Recovery Aura- (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
- (19) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
- (19) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50
- (21) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50
Level 20: Explosive Arrow- (A) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
- (45) Overwhelming Force - Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
- (45) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (46) Overwhelming Force - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
- (46) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
- (46) Overwhelming Force - Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown: Level 50
Level 22: Maneuvers- (A) Kismet - Accuracy +6%: Level 10
- (40) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance: Level 27
- (40) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27
- (42) Luck of the Gambler - Defense: Level 27
- (42) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed: Level 25
Level 24: Tactics- (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff: Level 27
- (43) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Recharge: Level 27
- (43) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge: Level 27
- (43) Adjusted Targeting - Endurance/Recharge: Level 27
- (45) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance: Level 27
Level 26: Regeneration Aura- (A) Doctored Wounds - Endurance/Recharge: Level 31
- (27) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge: Level 31
- (27) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 31
- (29) Doctored Wounds - Heal: Level 31
- (29) Doctored Wounds - Recharge: Level 31
Level 28: Ranged Shot- (A) Sting of the Manticore - Accuracy/Damage: Level 37
- (31) Sting of the Manticore - Damage/Endurance: Level 37
- (31) Sting of the Manticore - Accuracy/Interrupt/Range: Level 37
- (31) Sting of the Manticore - Damage/Interrupt/Recharge: Level 37
- (33) Sting of the Manticore - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 37
- (33) Sting of the Manticore - Chance of Damage(Toxic): Level 35
Level 30: Assault- (A) Endurance Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 32: Adrenalin Boost- (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
- (33) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 35: Stunning Shot- (A) Stupefy - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 27
- (36) Stupefy - Endurance/Stun: Level 27
- (36) Stupefy - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 27
- (36) Stupefy - Stun/Range: Level 27
- (37) Stupefy - Accuracy/Stun/Recharge: Level 27
Level 38: Rain of Arrows- (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage: Level 27
- (39) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance: Level 27
- (39) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge: Level 27
- (39) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range: Level 27
- (40) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 27
Level 41: Hasten- (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
- (42) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 44: Recall Friend- (A) Winter's Gift - Slow Resistance (20%): Level 10
Level 47: Absorb Pain- (A) Doctored Wounds - Endurance/Recharge: Level 31
- (48) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge: Level 31
- (50) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 31
- (50) Doctored Wounds - Heal: Level 31
- (50) Doctored Wounds - Recharge: Level 31
Level 49: Vengeance- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed: Level 25
Level 1: Brawl- (A) Accuracy IO: Level 50
Level 1: Sprint- (A) Unbounded Leap - +Stealth: Level 15
Level 2: Rest- (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 1: VigilanceLevel 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift
- (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50
Level 2: Hurdle- (A) Jumping IO: Level 50
Level 2: Health- (A) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery: Level 30
Level 2: Stamina- (A) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50
- (3) Endurance Modification IO: Level 50
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge- (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50
Level 0: Freedom Phalanx ReserveLevel 0: Portal Jockey
Level 0: Task Force Commander
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion
Level 50: Spiritual Core Paragon
Level 50: Cognitive Core Flawless Interface
Level 50: Support Radial Embodiment
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Please note when importing from Data Chunk that Explosive Arrow is importing as having no enhancements in its slots in Mids' 1.958. This is in error, as Explosive Arrow is 6-slotted with Overwhelming Force.