Always moar damage.
But there are parts of this I don't understand. Why would you have to ditch a power for an alpha slot?
Generally, I like resist on my blasters. Yep, I use tough. And weave. Especially, resist is very nice to layer with ranged defense for a hover blaster type. And I have a couple blasters built for mid 30s s/l/e/n with resist as an added layer of mitigation. That said, on /MM, your ability to leverage DP is what it's all about. Why agility? More +def for what powers? As an aside, I run spiritual and musculature on my /MMs, and the extra healing from spiritual noticeably boosts survivability when the stuff hits the fan (even with DP 'close enuff' to perma either way). And the extra dmg from musculature noticeably kills stuffs moar.
I don't think I can answer this meaningfully without more information.
edit: Oh, i missed the edit. Without seeing the builds under consideration, I'm gonna go ahead and vote more dmg.
Here's my build. This is what I had planned for earlier:
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.956
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Psyravant: Level 50 Magic Blaster
Primary Power Set: Dual Pistols
Secondary Power Set: Mental Manipulation
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Pistols
- (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
- (3) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (3) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (7) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (7) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (9) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
- (A) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 50
- (A) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
- (9) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (11) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (11) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (13) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
- (13) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Recharge/Chance for Fire Damage: Level 50
- (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
- (15) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (15) Positron's Blast - Damage/Range: Level 50
- (17) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (17) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy): Level 50
Level 8: Bullet Rain
- (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
- (19) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (19) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (21) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (21) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy): Level 50
- (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage: Level 35
- (23) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance: Level 35
- (23) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge: Level 35
- (25) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 35
- (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage: Level 35
- (25) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance: Level 35
- (27) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge: Level 35
- (27) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 35
- (A) Lockdown - Accuracy/Hold: Level 50
- (29) Lockdown - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
- (29) Lockdown - Recharge/Hold: Level 50
- (31) Lockdown - Endurance/Recharge/Hold: Level 50
- (31) Lockdown - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold: Level 50
- (31) Lockdown - Chance for +2 Mag Hold: Level 50
- (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Recharge: Level 50
- (33) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
- (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
- (33) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (33) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (34) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (34) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (34) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
- (A) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Recharge: Level 50
- (36) Touch of the Nictus - Heal/HitPoints/Regeneration/Recharge: Level 50
- (36) Touch of the Nictus - Accuracy/Healing: Level 50
- (36) Touch of the Nictus - Accuracy/Endurance/Heal/HitPoints/Regeneration: Level 50
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
- (37) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed: Level 50
- (37) Kismet - Accuracy +6%: Level 30
- (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage: Level 50
- (37) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (39) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (39) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance: Level 50
- (39) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy): Level 50
- (A) Coercive Persuasion - Confused: Level 50
- (40) Coercive Persuasion - Confused/Recharge: Level 50
- (40) Coercive Persuasion - Accuracy/Confused/Recharge: Level 50
- (40) Coercive Persuasion - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
- (42) Coercive Persuasion - Confused/Endurance: Level 50
- (42) Coercive Persuasion - Contagious Confusion: Level 50
- (A) Damage Increase IO: Level 50
- (A) Obliteration - Damage: Level 50
- (42) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50
- (43) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (43) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge: Level 50
- (43) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50
- (45) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage: Level 50
- (A) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All): Level 50
- (45) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%: Level 30
- (45) Steadfast Protection - Knockback Protection: Level 30
- (46) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance: Level 40
- (46) Reactive Armor - Resistance: Level 40
- (46) Reactive Armor - Endurance: Level 40
- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed: Level 50
- (48) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance: Level 50
- (48) Luck of the Gambler - Defense: Level 50
- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed: Level 50
- (48) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance: Level 50
- (50) Luck of the Gambler - Defense: Level 50
- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed: Level 50
- (50) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance: Level 50
- (50) Luck of the Gambler - Defense: Level 50
- (A) Trap of the Hunter - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 50
- (A) Stupefy - Accuracy/Endurance: Level 50
- (A) Damage Increase IO: Level 50
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash
- (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50
- (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50
- (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50
- (A) Celerity - RunSpeed: Level 50
- (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50
- (A) Celerity - Endurance: Level 50
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50
Level 4: Swift
- (A) Run Speed IO: Level 50
- (A) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery: Level 50
- (5) Miracle - +Recovery: Level 40
- (A) Jumping IO: Level 50
- (A) Performance Shifter - EndMod: Level 50
- (5) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End: Level 50
Level 6: Cryo Ammunition
Level 6: Incendiary Ammunition
Level 50: Agility Core Paragon
Level 50: Barrier Core Epiphany
Level 50: Reactive Radial Flawless Interface
Level 50: Warworks Radial Superior Ally
Level 50: Void Core Final Judgement
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Set Bonus Totals:
- 16% DamageBuff(Smashing)
- 16% DamageBuff(Lethal)
- 16% DamageBuff(Fire)
- 16% DamageBuff(Cold)
- 16% DamageBuff(Energy)
- 16% DamageBuff(Negative)
- 16% DamageBuff(Toxic)
- 16% DamageBuff(Psionic)
- 15.38% Defense(Smashing)
- 15.38% Defense(Lethal)
- 7.25% Defense(Fire)
- 7.25% Defense(Cold)
- 21.63% Defense(Energy)
- 21.63% Defense(Negative)
- 6% Defense(Psionic)
- 13.5% Defense(Melee)
- 27.88% Defense(Ranged)
- 8.5% Defense(AoE)
- 2.5% Enhancement(Held)
- 4% Enhancement(Confused)
- 10% Enhancement(Range)
- 73.75% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 74% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 13% SpeedFlying
- 99.39 HP (8.25%) HitPoints
- 13% JumpHeight
- 13% SpeedJumping
- Knockback (Mag -4)
- Knockup (Mag -4)
- MezResist(Held) 2.2%
- MezResist(Immobilized) 6.6%
- MezResist(Stunned) 2.2%
- 17% (0.28 End/sec) Recovery
- 30% (1.51 HP/sec) Regeneration
- 4.73% Resistance(Fire)
- 4.73% Resistance(Cold)
- 13% SpeedRunning
Set Bonuses:
Thunderstrike
(Pistols)
- 2% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery
- 2.5% Defense(Energy,Negative), 1.25% Defense(Ranged)
- 7% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 4% SpeedRunning, 4% SpeedFlying, 4% SpeedJumping, 4% JumpHeight
- 2.5% Defense(Ranged), 1.25% Defense(Energy), 1.25% Defense(Negative)
(Dual Wield)
- 15% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 10% Enhancement(Range)
- 4% DamageBuff(All)
- 10% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 5% Defense(Ranged), 2.5% Defense(Energy), 2.5% Defense(Negative)
(Empty Clips)
- 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery
- 1.58% Resistance(Fire,Cold)
- 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 6.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Bullet Rain)
- 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery
- 1.58% Resistance(Fire,Cold)
- 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 6.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Mind Probe)
- MezResist(Immobilized) 2.75%
- 18.07 HP (1.5%) HitPoints
- 3.75% Defense(Smashing,Lethal), 1.88% Defense(Melee)
(Telekinetic Thrust)
- MezResist(Immobilized) 2.75%
- 18.07 HP (1.5%) HitPoints
- 3.75% Defense(Smashing,Lethal), 1.88% Defense(Melee)
(Suppressive Fire)
- 3% DamageBuff(All)
- 2.5% Enhancement(Held)
- MezResist(Held) 2.2%
- 2.5% Defense(AoE), 1.25% Defense(Fire), 1.25% Defense(Cold)
- 3.75% Defense(Ranged), 1.88% Defense(Energy), 1.88% Defense(Negative)
(Concentration)
- 2% DamageBuff(All)
(Executioner's Shot)
- 2% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery
- 2.5% Defense(Energy,Negative), 1.25% Defense(Ranged)
- 7% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 4% SpeedRunning, 4% SpeedFlying, 4% SpeedJumping, 4% JumpHeight
- 2.5% Defense(Ranged), 1.25% Defense(Energy), 1.25% Defense(Negative)
(Drain Psyche)
- 22.59 HP (1.87%) HitPoints
- 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
(Combat Jumping)
- 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Piercing Rounds)
- 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery
- 1.58% Resistance(Fire,Cold)
- 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 6.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(World of Confusion)
- 4% (0.07 End/sec) Recovery
- 4% Enhancement(Confused)
- 4% DamageBuff(All)
- 10% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 5% Defense(Ranged), 2.5% Defense(Energy), 2.5% Defense(Negative)
(Hail of Bullets)
- MezResist(Stunned) 2.2%
- 3% DamageBuff(All)
- 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 3.75% Defense(Melee), 1.88% Defense(Lethal), 1.88% Defense(Smashing)
(Tough)
- 3% Defense(Melee), 3% Defense(AoE), 3% Defense(Ranged), 3% Defense(Smashing), 3% Defense(Lethal), 3% Defense(Fire), 3% Defense(Cold), 3% Defense(Energy), 3% Defense(Negative), 3% Defense(Psionic)
(Tough)
- 1.5% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery
- 3% Defense(Melee), 3% Defense(AoE), 3% Defense(Ranged), 3% Defense(Smashing), 3% Defense(Lethal), 3% Defense(Fire), 3% Defense(Cold), 3% Defense(Energy), 3% Defense(Negative), 3% Defense(Psionic)
- Knockback (Mag -4), Knockup (Mag -4)
(Tough)
- MezResist(Immobilized) 1.1%
- 1.25% Defense(Energy,Negative), 0.63% Defense(Ranged)
(Weave)
- 10% (0.5 HP/sec) Regeneration
- 13.55 HP (1.12%) HitPoints
- 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Maneuvers)
- 10% (0.5 HP/sec) Regeneration
- 13.55 HP (1.12%) HitPoints
- 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Scorpion Shield)
- 10% (0.5 HP/sec) Regeneration
- 13.55 HP (1.12%) HitPoints
- 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Stamina)
- 5% SpeedJumping, 5% JumpHeight, 5% SpeedFlying, 5% SpeedRunning
Code:
If I go Musculature, I'd remove three slots from Tough & slot them in Kick for another Kinetic Combat set to softcap my S/L defense. | Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| |MxDz;1574;704;1408;HEX;| |78DA6D945B6F125110C7CFB28B2D142C944BA12DBD00A5582816F5DD44AB26A6245| |8129F54DCC0866E4260038BB18FFD08D668B577FD00BE78FD287E092F2FDE5A2B0E| |CC9FB269BA09FCCE99F9CF9C3967F66CEEF192EBCDADF5AB42725FAFAACD66F11AF| |D9B5AC39E532B7A49D0E3C837D71AEA23B5660ED06C1CFEE28A5AAB68E5CC524BAD| |16F37AD3AC579BB19EAFD0328C7AC3CCE4B49A49EE9C5AD38D565535F57A4D38F3F| |57A35533034ADECEA0E9735D5D06B1577777253AFAC9A341BEEB9CA5AA3B9AA1BE1| |1B865ECAF4F2E7D492467F9DF15A888ACAD02FEC1178DA76B14BC82AC2B607EE33C| |F1D80AF9883AF994FC449AC101B52D73646F924E493B664D66F339D3BE02ED3B507| |EE33C72956E658457ECB6B9C7F077E607A3E829F98131463EF2ED86E47683C80F80| |1C48F207EE43DD38F783FE2373AADE218D99127441511BC03AE304305E653C210B4| |43D086A01D83760CDA49AAC58D7370FFB071AD3FC15FCCC9DFE01FF090F98CA2863| |9561ADE67DBF401738AF27A91D78B7E4DA35FD3E8D70CFA35837ECDA05FCF093EE1| |ECD6EF2B70BF627E3EFB58000C32A37490013E572990E2F8381824DF287CA301CE1| |33FA669846AA0FAC2E841183D88A30709F420811E24D083CDCE05E17CF6F17BBCCF| |B9FBE003B0C8BCF010549936AA2582773012C17EA986299CD1D411F47F99F3C7E03| |FB0CD4C0BDEB74CF9A2A8257A896DE9CE66696FE91073619238478C8231A642B1B3| |1C6B9BC5B95CF4807EA69734496892A73459688EA8FE14342968B2A734871EBEBF9| |D7D675EB0ED25CD16615B5C67DB8462B9A3BDF3E9D87067E6ADFE05F62F9E61CB9E| |61BB6CB50DF2395E3943B7DC5F8F2E28EBF2CAC977424878AF1CFDFBDFFE42AFA98| |C181979BEF56D927C97F7A7DCE6B3FF6AD52759FFDDAADFE075954DE6165D223BD6| |DAB68C77BCFDEFC96190A4181FF8680C4DF7F9ECEB3BF3FEFE386519FF072572E57| |1| |-------------------------------------------------------------------|
Should I stick with the original plan or switch it up?
Well, that's really about your own goals and playstyle. It's a tough call as your DP (drain psyche, not dual pistols. durned acronyms) could really use the recharge from Agility...
Just to be difficult, I'm going to suggest you consider Spiritual if survivability is the goal. And by switching a little, you could have the option to run Musculature when you're felling well protected. I don't think you'll miss the wee bit of resist from tough, but I'd still leave it toggled on. As long as you're attentive keeping DP up, your end should be ok.
That said, I don't think there's really a 'bad' choice in this case.
If you can fit in a KB protection somewhere else (do you use both Probe and Thrust? If not, you could drop one, move the KC set to Brawl or Kick, and use the power slot for a travel power with a BotZ in it), I'd say go Musculature, then get back your softcap with a 4th piece of Reactive Armor in Tough, and a Rectified Reticle in Concentration (it still recharges faster than HoB).
Depending on how badly you want the recharge bonuses, you might also get some wiggle room by using an Overwhelming Force set for energy defense in place of a Positron's Blast set.
Thank you guys so much for the tip! My build is finally ready! 
You know, it is possible to perma Drain Psyche and either softcap s/l defense or reach 32.5% m/r/a, on top of ~50% s/l and 30% nrg resistance, on one build.
I feel like you're chasing an odd set of things here- Your Blaster would be more survivable if you took a resistance shield (I recommend Mu or Elec Mastery) and built up your defense through set bonuses- Again, either 45% s/l or 32.5% m/r/a, and you absolutely want Drain Psyche recharging around the 30 second mark (it has a 1.5s cast time so it's not truly perma unless you get it down to 28.5, but 30.5 is close enough in my experience- You can also put a FF +rech proc in your BR to bring it up even more quickly.)
If you're completely sure that you want to build s/l/r, 40% ranged defense is kinda precarious. Anything under 45% and you're not softcapped, so you'll need purple inspirations. If you can't softcap it (which I absolutely would not recommend on your build- Your recharge is suffering enough as it is) there's no point in going past 32.5% since you'll need a small purple to softcap anyways. That should save you some slots.
Edit: The Barrier thing is not a route I recommend. Clarion is your best bet.
Quote:
Yes that will work, as long as you do not swap ammo. When you swap ammo, procs that rely on a property of the power to work (in this case Force Feedback's +recharge is a KNOCKDOWN slotting) will stop working with ammo that does not have the proper effect. A very disheartening Dual Pistols failure. This includes things like slotting Supressive Fire's HOLD, and then shooting it with swap ammo off, you get no +disorient slotting on that power.|
Originally Posted by TwoHeadedBoy
... You can also put a FF +rech proc in your BR to bring it up even more quickly.)
|
My DP/MM has S/L/E/R soft-capped with enough recharge for Drain Psych. It certainly feels strongly defensive at least. (for a blaster).
Hello, just wanted to know whether there are any Blasters out there that utilize Tough for a small bit of resistance. I have a DP/MM build and I'm stuck at a decision between toggling Tough off and taking Musculature, or toggling Tough on & taking Agility instead.
Here's the problem though: If I go with the former, I'll have more damage, and I'll be softcapped to S/L, but if I go with the latter, I'll do less damage, but I'll be softcapped to S/L/E, and with Barrier T4's 5%, softcapped for range defense.
So my question is...Small bit of Resistance or more damage?