Help dual blade/gun build

mrnery

I went gold about a month ago and I've been getting to know the sistem. I also know it's probably in bad taste to post someone elses build asking for help, so I'll make it absolutly clear:

I needed to learn how to build a freeform charactr so I took a build someone in the NPW forums (I can't remember who, and i can't find the original thread, so i decided to post here instead) because the concept seemed fun. I quickly realized it made use of a broken power that was later nerfed (two-gun mojo) so I adapted it a little. I have some questions about how this build fares today (it's pretty old). I have some ideas based on the perceptions i have over the character in combat, and I would like to know if my instincts are right, or what can i do to improve it (I want to personalize it)

Please bear in mind i'm not familiar with every concept, so I'm likely not to understand abbreviations.

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name: Munchausen

Archetype: Freeform

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

Talents:
Level 1: The Blade
Level 6: Shooter
Level 9: Martial Focus
Level 12: Professional Athlete
Level 15: Acrobat
Level 18: Ascetic
Level 21: Physical Conditioning

Powers:
Level 1: Gunslinger
Level 1: Burst Shot (Taking Names, Challenge!)
Level 6: Killer Instinct
Level 8: Lightning Reflexes (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 11: Bullet Beatdown (Rank 2, Not Without Incident)
Level 14: Parry
Level 17: Eye of the Storm (Rank 2, Blade Beyond the Veil)
Level 20: Form of the Tempest
Level 23: Lead Tempest (Rank 2, Tread Softly)
Level 26: Bountiful Chi Resurgence (Resurgent Reiki)
Level 29: Lock N Load (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Dragon's Wrath (Rank 2, Tiger's Courage)
Level 35: Masterful Dodge (Rank 2)
Level 38: Two-Gun Mojo (Challenge!, Nailed to the Ground)

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Teleportation
Level 35: Acrobatics

Specializations:
Dexterity: Gear Utilization (3/3)
Dexterity: Brush It Off (2/2)
Dexterity: Evasion (2/2)
Dexterity: Deadly Aim (3/3)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
Guardian: Tenacious (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: Dexterity Mastery (1/1)


Allright, so, I just took Two gun mojo, and It drains my power bar in one sit. I already had energy management problems and adding a power that sucks it all out is a bit troublesome. After hitting lvl 38 survivability seems less of an issue, as Masterful dodge really helps bountiful chi resurgence (I think). That does seem to help often.

I am considering finding a way to replace burst shot with two gun mojo after a retcon, and I also wonder if Vorpal Blade is a good choice for this build (could replace dragons wrath, but i don't know if it's useful).

Overall I just need confirmation that this build is not dated, and advice on how to personalize it.

flowcyto

TGM was changed markedly. Its now innately a small cylinder AoE that auto-grants stacks of Furious/Willpower. It lost its 10% piercing dmg, its energy costs were hiked up by a large amount, and it was moved to a high-tier. Burst Shot was meant to take its place as an early starter power (can still be useful for its Taking Names adv and its debuff). W/ that debuff, TGM can still get roughly the same single-target dps it had before, and Willpower is nice defensively, but now its quite expensive.

If ya can't tell, I'm not huge into the TGM changes in total, but you can still work it into a build for high dps.

Since tank builds have to devote more stat allocation to Con (and potentially to energy, due to Tank role's penalty there), and you may not be particularly well-geared (esp w/o being max level yet), I may suggest using AR as a replacement if ya want a decent single-target dps maintain that is also pretty cheap.

Although.. I'm not sure if that build is trying to be a proper tank or not, as it only has Challenge on one thing, and is low-health w/o Con SS. I'd also generally not bother w/ Dex PSS's dodge/avoid options. Dex PSS is better served as a pure dps spec, as two of its main draws are Expose Weakness and Deadly Aim. For dodge tanks, I'd just stick w/ Con PSS and Resilient + Deflection w/ high Dex.

Here's an AR + pistols + DB dps-hybrid build that uses a defensive passive + Hybrid role. Doesn't try to tank, though it can take a few hits if it must. You can decide to play either melee or ranged to suit ur taste:

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Archetype: Freeform

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

Talents:
Level 1: The Glacier
Level 6: Covert Ops Training
Level 9: Acrobat
Level 12: Healthy Mind
Level 15: Coordinated
Level 18: Quick Recovery
Level 21: Impresario

Powers:
Level 1: Gunslinger
Level 1: Assault Rifle (Rank 2, Mow 'em Down)
Level 6: Holdout Shot (Stim Pack)
Level 8: Form of the Tempest
Level 11: Invulnerability (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 14: Molecular Self-Assembly
Level 17: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Lead Tempest (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 23: Thunderbolt Lunge
Level 26: Eye of the Storm (Rank 2, Blade Beyond the Veil)
Level 29: Dragon's Wrath (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Resurgence (Rank 2)
Level 35: Energy Shield (Rank 2)
Level 38: Ego Surge (Nimble Mind)

Travel Powers:
Level 6:
Level 35:

Specializations:
Dexterity: Combat Training (2/3)
Dexterity: Gear Utilization (3/3)
Dexterity: Deadly Aim (3/3)
Dexterity: Expose Weakness (2/2)
Warden: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
Warden: Elusive (2/2)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Focused Strikes (3/3)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (2/3)
Mastery: Dexterity Mastery (1/1)

AoPM would also be a good passive to take adv of the Hybrid role versatility (more dps, healing, and energy), though its less survivable than using a defensive passive.

Gears mostly for Dex and Con, w/ some Int for MSA. Also skips on gearing for severity rating on gear once it picks up Dex Mastery at lvl 40.

mrnery

thematically an assault riffle is a bit complicated (It's the baron munchausen, so i use the flintrock gun and an appropiate sword) but from what i gather you are telling me to focus more on survivbility (and no, it's not meant to be a tank)

How about going from dual to single blade and use vorpal blade. (maybe keep eye of the storm for the defensive aspect)

also a lunge would be good.

(By the way, i already hit 40)

flowcyto

SB can work, though it'll prob be more the focus of ur offense, as getting the most mileage from it is via building bleeds and rupturing them. If you rely on EotS instead of Lead Tempest for AoE, though, and sub in Vorpal Blade, then ya won't have much room left for Pistol powers.

Here's a variant of that w/ SB, using AoPM + Int PSS if ya want to be a bit more versatile, but less tanky:

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Archetype: Freeform

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

Talents:
Level 1: The Glacier
Level 6: Covert Ops Training
Level 9: Acrobat
Level 12: Healthy Mind
Level 15: Coordinated
Level 18: Boundless Reserves
Level 21: Accurate

Powers:
Level 1: Gunslinger
Level 1: Reaper's Caress (Rank 2, Cleaving Strikes)
Level 6: Holdout Shot (Stim Pack)
Level 8: Form of the Tempest
Level 11: Aura of Primal Majesty (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 14: Molecular Self-Assembly
Level 17: Eye of the Storm (Rank 2, Blade Beyond the Veil)
Level 20: Thunderbolt Lunge
Level 23: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 26: Reaper's Embrace (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 29: Resurgence (Rank 2)
Level 32: Ego Surge (Nimble Mind)
Level 35: Retaliation (Rank 2)
Level 38: Vorpal Blade (r2, r3)

Travel Powers:
Level 6:
Level 35:

Specializations:
Intelligence: Preparation (2/2)
Intelligence: Enlightened (3/3)
Intelligence: Detect Vulnerability (3/3)
Intelligence: Expertise (2/2)
Warden: Slaughter (3/3)
Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
Warden: Upper Hand (2/3)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Focused Strikes (2/3)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Mastery: Warden Mastery (1/1)

Here you'd want to gear for severity rating as then ur going w/o Dex Mastery. Main stats are still Dex and Con, though. Holdout is the only major pistol power (outside the end builder), though its good enough on its own for what it does.

mrnery

Question, is there an advantage of form of the tempest over form of the swordmaster? I ask because i tested the build and i apply bleed pretty often, they both grant focus and with the hold out shot advantage Open Wound i have 3 sources of bleed, which chould stack focus more often that relying on crits. And it comes with the advantage Cut where it counts that can help too.

sykov

mrnery#2485 said:

Question, is there an advantage of form of the tempest over form of the swordmaster? I ask because i tested the build and i apply bleed pretty often, they both grant focus and with the hold out shot advantage Open Wound i have 3 sources of bleed, which chould stack focus more often that relying on crits. And it comes with the advantage Cut where it counts that can help too.

You have more ways of stacking focus with form of the tempest as you're not just limited to using bleeds like Form of the Swordsman

mrnery

Yes, but the only other attacks I have are eye of the storm and the lunge attack. I lunge as an opener so I'm not concerned with using it too much. And eye is used mostly because of the defense buff. I'm going to be spaming mostly the attacks that cause bleed and rupture, and vorpal guarantees a focus stack upon it's use... So I was wondering if I really get a better use with tempest...

flowcyto

EotS is easier to AoE grind with than Reaper's Caress, though. And it doesn't have to only be used for defense- its dps is fine enough as long as you cancel and re-channel it, as most of dmg ramp-down occurs near the end of the full maintain.