Best DPS Passive for a HW/Fire/Earth toon?

beerbane

Per the post title, still mulling through what passive would work best for a DPS toon that uses Heavy Weapon attacks mixed in with a few Fire and Earth powers (i.e. primarily fire and crushing damage). Concept is an elemental entity that engages in melee with a few ranged/AoE powers mixed in (such as Fissure, Pyre and Fire Snake). Energy unlock is going to be based around Clinging Flames.

I don't want to default to a defensive passive just because there's no immediate synergy with fire/physical damage in the offensive stable. The only option I'm really seeing is Night Warrior - I feel like WoTW or Unstoppable would leave any non-melee attacks by the wayside. Am I missing an option or should I just accept that most of my damage is going to occur close up?

xcelsior41

beerbane said:

Per the post title, still mulling through what passive would work best for a DPS toon that uses Heavy Weapon attacks mixed in with a few Fire and Earth powers (i.e. primarily fire and crushing damage). Concept is an elemental entity that engages in melee with a few ranged/AoE powers mixed in (such as Fissure, Pyre and Fire Snake). Energy unlock is going to be based around Clinging Flames.

I don't want to default to a defensive passive just because there's no immediate synergy with fire/physical damage in the offensive stable. The only option I'm really seeing is Night Warrior - I feel like WoTW or Unstoppable would leave any non-melee attacks by the wayside. Am I missing an option or should I just accept that most of my damage is going to occur close up?

Try earth form maybe? I believe it buffs physical/crushing, so you get your melee fix, and also any earth based offense you may take(unless your using earth for util/defense?) For fire, you coould maybe grab Therm reverb(HW powers now apply clinging flames) and maybe fire patch or something along those lines to trigger it?(possibly even absorb heat for your heal).

Stats might be something like STR/CON/REC or CON/STR/REC or END(whichever one therm reverb). Just my thoughts to appease all 3 sets

flowcyto

Quarry w/ Int as a PSS, or Night Warrior, or if using Hybrid role go w/ AoPM or AoED. Unstoppable and WotW also buff all non-melee dmg now, though by a smaller amount vs. the melee bonus and vs. other specialized passives. If I wanted to make a tankier build that stayed in the melee dps role for this, then I'd prob go w/ WotW. NW if I wanted more of a dps focus.

beerbane

Awesome - appreciate you folks taking the time to respond. I hadn't even considered Quarry/AoPM/AoED... that's a good deal more options than just NW.

Since I'm theory crafting, does anyone happen to know if the slows in Earth Form qualify as a Snare that would proc Trapped in the Overseer Tree? Just trying to think of some weird ways to blend hybrid melee/ranged attacks. If not, I really like the idea of the enrage melee Combo Blaster in Flow's excellent thread.

flowcyto

The innate snare from EF doesn't proc anything, last I checked - and that's prob a result of its effect not automatically putting you in combat against affected targets_objects. Its just a minor aura effect.

Unfortunately, Fire's blast is instant, so something like a Combo Blaster won't work w/ it. Ya could make a combo from Cleave + Stone Shot, though. Maybe something like this:

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats:
Level 6: Strength (Primary)
Level 10: Constitution (Secondary)
Level 15: Endurance (Secondary)

Talents:
Level 1: The Devastator
Level 6: Physical Conditioning
Level 9: Boundless Reserves
Level 12: Bodybuilder
Level 15: Quick Recovery
Level 18: Relentless
Level 21: Amazing Stamina

Powers:
Level 1: Throw Fire
Level 1: Cleave (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Thermal Reverberation
Level 8: Aura of Primal Majesty (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 11: Stone Shot (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 14: Enrage (Endorphin Rush)
Level 17: Pyre (Rank 2, Backdraft)
Level 20: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 23: Pounce (Furious Rush)
Level 26: Resurgence (Rank 2)
Level 29: Fissure (Rank 2, Reconstruct)
Level 32: Stone Shroud (Rank 2)
Level 35: Ego Surge (Nimble Mind)
Level 38: Rebirth

Travel Powers:
Level 6:
Level 35:

Specializations:
Strength: Swole (3/3)
Strength: Physical Peak (2/3)
Strength: Brutality (2/2)
Strength: Juggernaut (2/3)
Strength: Overpower (1/3)
Warden: Fortified Gear (2/3)
Warden: Slaughter (3/3)
Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Avenger: Ruthless (2/2)
Avenger: Round 'em Up (3/3)
Avenger: Offensive Expertise (2/2)
Avenger: Preemptive Strike (3/3)
Mastery: Avenger Mastery (1/1)

Going for the versatile AoPM route, so energy is easier to manage (Pyre and Fissure are great, but kinda costly). Fissure and Pyre can consume Preemptive Strike and work w/ Enrage, Cleave procs Enrage and TReverb, and charged Stone Shot for when AvM procs. Heal cd can be something other than Conviction if ya like, ex. Absorb Heat. As usual, max-lvl only build for AvM to work.

kamokami

Are you planning to use this in Hybrid or in an offensive role? If Hybrid, then AoPM will get you the highest damage output of all the options assuming optimal gear and power choices.

If not Hybrid then you have two branching paths depending on whether your main attack, that you intend to do the most damage with, will be:
- melee
- ranged

If melee and you see yourself using full charges then NW is a competitive choice. If melee and you'll be using taps, then Unstoppable.

If ranged then Quarry with EGO or INT PSS.

Note that I'm simply going off of what would deal the most damage over time.

roughbearmattach

Also note that the fire damage from earth and HW powers do not count as "Fire Offense" for the Qwijybo's Fury mod. I found out the hard way, yesterday, that only direct damage powers in the Fire Framework count.

beerbane

Appreciate the continued advice. Also, thank you for the head's up on Qwijybo's Mod - I had a couple banked and would have likely used them while being none the wiser.

In light of all the options presented, along with the fact that I really like the elemental/magma concept, I'm actually going to create two separate toons:

#1 - Melee Build Using Enrage - following Flow's build above, but subbing NW in place of AoPM.

#2 - Ranged Hybrid Build - INT as PSS with AoPM as the passive

A few of follow up questions:

-If I change Stone Shroud to a Fire Shield or Guard, does that reduce the healing effectiveness of Reconstruct in Fissure to the point it would be more efficient to take Fissure Rank 3 instead?

-If I'm using Stone Shot for my blast in the C-C-COMBO Blaster rotation, would Fault Line be a good candidate for Preemptive Strike? I figure the interaction of Stagger from Stone Shot for boosted Fault Line damage plus the Enrage generation would make this ideal, but it seems like the overall damage stinks.

-As an alternate to Fault Line, I also love the appearance of Earth Splitter from the HW tree. Is that also a loser in the damage department compared to something like charged Pyre?

-Any reason to take Flashfire for energy generation with Thermal Reverb these days? I understand this has been brought to heel and now most flame generating powers create comparable Clinging Flames.

Thanks for any additional insight!

flowcyto

Cave In is Earth's best ST dps attack, which is kinda sad since its 'decent' at best. Could also try Fireball w/ UA and see how much it boosts CF's dmg (prob not by much). Earth Splitter is only a bit higher base dps than Fault Line.

Fissure's Reconstruct is still pretty nice even w/o Stone Shroud- since ur gonna be up in melee often, and its not like you should be blocking that often anyways.

Cleave's full combo can give ya CF as is, so Flashfire wouldn't be necessary here from that standpoint.

beerbane

Good stuff - thanks again for the responses. I guess half the challenge with these builds is optimizing combat effectiveness against the urge to pepper in powers because they look cool or match theme. I'm looking at you, Earth Framework -- WHY CAN'T YOU BE BETTER!?!