Rebuilding my Gunslingers

raighn

Ok... I've been putting this one off for long enough now and I really do need to get it overwith...

Since the changes to dual pistols hit live I've got 2 builds that have been reset and I now need to rebuild them with some changes... I'm not entirely sure how to go about rebuilding them though... I only know a few key aspects I'd like to keep for each of them...

First up is Rose Blackstone... Key aspects: 2GM, TC, MuniBots, Support Drones, Holdout:Stimpack, Energy Shield... She's a ranged dual pistol DPS with a power armor themed support/defense... I'll probably also keep Sonic Device & Toxic Nanites on her too...

Next is Pandy... Key aspects: Bullet Beatdown, PFF, Holdout:Stimpack, Con stacked, Gattling Gun... She's a mentalist themed PFF tank using the power of her mind and childish imagination to create mental pistols... I'm looking to make her more close ranged with the new Pistol Whip power combined with Bullet Beatdown, using Gattling Gun primarily to grab distant/flying targets... It's worth noting that despite how much defense STR PSS may give, I will NOT be statting Str on her.

flowcyto

Well, one issue w/ the TGM build is that having 2 pets out is giving you a ~21% final energy penalty, and for the new TGM's energy cost that's gonna suck a bit. Esp since ya want to use TC over something like AoPM.

That said, it may still be feasible w/ good enough stats. Atm there's basically two main ways to approach TGM now for dps: KI + very high Ego w/ Ego PSS and Insight, or very high Int + MSA + cds like Holdout Shot to roll it. They both can work for high-dps TGM builds w/o using things like AoPM or DT, but does take high-end gear to eliminate energy issues.

For the PFF build, I would need some more clarity. Do you mean you don't want to use Str PSS at all, or are open to Str PSS but not gearing Str? BB builds are easier to accommodate now, regardless. I also assume you are taking Con SS on a PFF build for ES/NM? Or for Con PSS?

raighn

I was considering EGO/Dex/Int for Rose using Insight + Int to bring costs down to a minimum... If I keep the on-hit powers in her build then both KI & MSA are completely viable options for her, so it'd come down to which one would yield the better consistent return... Since she's already lv40 may as well leave it for the final power to test which one works better for her... She's always been a bit of a glass cannon, and TBH I'm OK with that...

I don't want to use STR PSS at all on the PFF build... taking Con SS for ES/NM and as a cushion for if/when PFF drops... I'm not 100% sure if I should try going back to CON PSS or if I should stick to the EGO PSS she had prior...

flowcyto

Yeah you can always test TGM w/ KI vs. MSA out in the gear ya plan on using, though it would require changing ur stat focus- so it'd be best to do that on the PTS. Last I checked, it required at least 400 of either Ego or Int to be good w/ energy most of the time, but its always worth getting a feel for the energy situation urself.

Con PSS also gives ur PFF user more knock resist, more maxHP, and Adren Rush. Ego PSS will be worth more dps and crit more often (which can help Stim Pack), though, so it'll just depend on ur priorities.

Bare-bones build for the BB/PFF toon:

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats:
Level 6: Ego (Primary)
Level 10: Constitution (Secondary)
Level 15: Dexterity (Secondary)

Talents:
Level 1: The Void
Level 6: Ascetic
Level 9: Acrobat
Level 12: Shooter
Level 15: Quick Recovery
Level 18: Wordly
Level 21: Impresario

Powers:
Level 1: Gunslinger
Level 1:
Level 6: Bullet Beatdown (Not Without Incident, Crippling Challenge)
Level 8: Killer Instinct
Level 11: Personal Force Field (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 14: Form of the Tempest
Level 17: Holdout Shot (Rank 2, Stim Pack)
Level 20: Gatling Gun (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 23: Masterful Dodge
Level 26: Ego Surge (Nimble Mind)
Level 29: Field Surge (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32:
Level 35:
Level 38:

Travel Powers:
Level 6:
Level 35:

Specializations:
Ego: Force of Will (2/2)
Ego: Insight (1/3)
Ego: Aggression (2/2)
Ego: Follow Through (3/3)
Ego: Sixth Sense (2/3)
Warden: Fortified Gear (2/3)
Warden: Slaughter (3/3)
Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Focused Strikes (3/3)
Vindicator: Offensive Expertise (2/2)
Mastery: Ego Mastery (1/1)

Slot #2 is for Burst Shot w/ the Furious-granting adv. MSA could also work for the BB build, shifting to an Int focus, and w/ Holdout Shot being the main trigger. Either Ego_Con or Warden Mastery are good for the build, assuming ur using BB often. Could also consider using Laser Knight on Energy Shield w/ BB.

raighn

Ok... I got distracted with other builds... but I finally got around to putting their new builds together today...

PowerHouse   (Link to this build)

Name: Rose Blackstone

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats:
Level 6: Ego (Primary)
Level 10: Dexterity (Secondary)
Level 15: Intelligence (Secondary)

Talents:
Level 1: The Marksman
Level 6: Field Ops Training
Level 9: Command Training
Level 12: Sniper Training
Level 15: Academics
Level 18: Coordinated
Level 21: Shooter

Powers:
Level 1: Gunslinger
Level 1: Holdout Shot (Stim Pack)
Level 6: Concentration
Level 8: Killer Instinct
Level 11: Burst Shot (Taking Names)
Level 14: Breakaway Shot
Level 17: Two-Gun Mojo (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Lead Tempest (Rank 2, Maybe I'm Just Better)
Level 23: Targeting Computer (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 26: Energy Shield
Level 29: Munitions Bots (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Support Drones (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Toxic Nanites (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 38: Sonic Device (Rank 2, Deafening Dissolution)

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Acrobatics (Versatility)
Level 35: Swinging (Flippin')

Specializations:
Ego: Force of Will (2/2)
Ego: Insight (3/3)
Ego: Follow Through (3/3)
Ego: Sixth Sense (2/3)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
Guardian: Retribution (2/2)
Guardian: The Best Defense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: The Rush of Battle (3/3)
Vindicator: Modified Gear (2/2)
Mastery: Ego Mastery (1/1)

Built her to keep Furious running no matter what she's doing, EGO/Int to keep her power costs down, and Dex SSS to maximize her crits... As I said, I don't mind her being a glass cannon, she's been a glass cannon ever since Dodge was separated from Dex... If I can get her costs down to a manageable level with DEX PSS then I might consider switching to DEX PSS for Dodge... until then EGO PSS granting Defense and Guardicator should work fine...

and

PowerHouse   (Link to this build)

Name: Pandy

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats:
Level 6: Ego (Primary)
Level 10: Dexterity (Secondary)
Level 15: Constitution (Secondary)

Talents:
Level 1: The Void
Level 6: Field Ops Training
Level 9: Survival Training
Level 12: Sniper Training
Level 15: Ascetic
Level 18: Acrobat
Level 21: Shooter

Powers:
Level 1: Gunslinger
Level 1: Holdout Shot (Stim Pack)
Level 6: Killer Instinct
Level 8: Bullet Beatdown (Not Without Incident, Crippling Challenge)
Level 11: Gatling Gun (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 14: Lead Tempest (Challenging Strikes, Maybe I'm Just Better)
Level 17: Personal Force Field (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Field Surge (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 23: Ego Surge (Nimble Mind)
Level 26: Miniaturization Drive (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 29: Form of the Tempest
Level 32: Masterful Dodge
Level 35: Void Shift (Emerging Nightmares)
Level 38: Force Shield (Force Sheathe)

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Acrobatics (Rank 2, Rank 3, Versatility)
Level 35: Flight (Rank 2)

Specializations:
Ego: Force of Will (2/2)
Ego: Insight (3/3)
Ego: Follow Through (3/3)
Ego: Sixth Sense (2/3)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
Guardian: Retribution (2/2)
Guardian: The Best Defense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: The Rush of Battle (3/3)
Vindicator: Modified Gear (2/2)
Mastery: Ego Mastery (1/1)

Opted for Lead Tempest over Burst Shot since I can use it to build Furious as well with it's advantage, and it gives me a 360° AoE for CS... minidrive for the added defense by debuffing enemy offense... and a personal preference for Guardicator over Wardicator... I just don't find Warden to be a useful spec in 99% of builds...

flowcyto

For Rose: Well.. again one way to make energy management easier is to drop one or both of the pets. That, and/or consider getting rid of one or both of the On-Next-Hit cds if ur using KI over MSA. For the MSA route, Holdout Shot in itself can run it pretty well, though having another cd in there couldn't hurt. If including Breakaway Shot, then I'd prob at least get the wire pull adv for some CC- else its not really doing much for the build imo.

I get that ur fine w/ the character being glassy, but not having any of the ADs, a threat wipe, and/or a self-res in there could still be nice.


For Pandy: If ur main attack here is Bullet Beatdown then ya def want Warden over Guardian. If ur instead using the other attacks more often then the opposite is fine (though Elusive in Warden is still good from a defensive standpoint).

Burst Shot's debuff would still be good to have here, though not as high in priority. The build is also gonna be a bit knock-prone for a tank. Otherwise for the most part, its pretty good.

raighn

As it stands with EGO/Int/Dex on Rose I can run all of her powers near endlessly ungeared... with the exception of 2GM which I get just under half maintain before running out of energy if I EB to full first and only 1/5 maintain otherwise... With gear she should be able to run all her powers with out issue... the pets have been a part of her build since the day I made her... I really can't part with them... I tried once, she just didn't feel right without them... same goes for the On-next hit powers... I thought I could drop them but she just doesn't feel right without them...

Breakaway Shot has been her primary means of survival for some time now... Breakaway + Sonic Device followed by Holdout Shot has saved her more times than I can count... I had the wirepull advantage on it for a short while but I found it counter productive to pull my target towards me when I lunge away...

Just a personal build philosophy of mine... I don't include ADs on builds unless they are defensive builds such as tanks or hybrids, and occationally Support... it's rare for any of my DPS builds to have ADs... It's even rarer for any of my builds to have threat wipe or self-res... I build primarily for theme and self-res powers are completly out of theme for 99% of my builds... Threat wipe on the other hand is difficult to work in to most of them in a thematic way due to the sources of threat wipes... Sure Rose could use EM instead of Breakaway for access to a threat wipe, but that doesn't really fit her personality as well...


As for Pandy... I just personaly find the Retribuion spec from Guardian far more benefitial than Warden's specs... Most of the specs in both trees are interchangable between the two (mainly due to being identical)... But overall Retribution is just more valuable to me than Elusive, Slauter, Reactive Strikes, or Upperhand...

Yea, Burst Shot's debuff would be nice, but I just needed the AoE threat more and both give me Furious with an advantage... As for the knock prone issue... Even my melee tanks with loads of STR &/or CON PSS are knocked around like flies... Knock resistance in my experiance isn't really worth the investment to me with the current state of knock resist... I actually had her running CON PSS before, but in testing her survival was better with EGO PSS... Usually I prefer CON PSS over EGO or STR PSS for tanks, but in the case of a PFF tank the survival just isn't there due to lack of passive resistance... She needs the extra Def from EGO PSS, unfortunately...

flowcyto

Well, Con PSS also boosts Defense via Armored and Con Mastery's nice defense bonus, and gets you higher maxHP innately. Adren Rush too, though that's less important for PFF. There shouldn't be much of a survival diff between the two setups.

I am unsure how Breakaway Shot is providing a primary means of survival here. Do you mean the stack of Defiance it gives? Cause the reverse lunge can effectively be replaced by having a good travel power. Ya also have LT's dodge boost for AoE, so I guess I don't really see the point- aside from Breakaway getting style points.

raighn

flowcyto said:

I am unsure how Breakaway Shot is providing a primary means of survival here. Do you mean the stack of Defiance it gives? Cause the reverse lunge can effectively be replaced by having a good travel power. Ya also have LT's dodge boost for AoE, so I guess I don't really see the point- aside from Breakaway getting style points.

More often than not her survival issues occur when engaged with melee combatants, Breakaway puts distance between her and her targets and when paired with Sonic Device to stun them keeps the distance momentarily while she recovers health via Holdout Shot. The defiance stack provides minimal benefit but even a tiny resistance buff from 1 stack of defiance can be the difference between barely dying and barely living from a ranged attacker... on occation the damage component from breakaway can aid in her survival by finishing off an enemy or two caught in the cone while distancing her from other threats... The latter was of greater benefit prior to 2GM becomming an AoE however...