An Earth powerset build request

blueionstormz

Hello, I'm looking for an Earth powerset build. Could use an offensive or defensive passive or even both, as a rock/Thing-like creature that could do damage or toughen up as needed. Any suggestion would be helpful.

baelogventure

Suggestion: Don't make an Earth character until Earth is revamped

flowcyto

Here's an Earth dps build that uses Str PSS for extra defense and knock resist (not as high dps as taking something like Dex or Ego PSS here, but still decent in that respect):

(Unnamed Build) - Freeform

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

Talents
Level 1: The Hero (End: 6, Rec: 6, Other Stats: 8)
Level 6: Covert Ops Training (Str: 3, Dex: 3, Con: 3, Int: 3)
Level 9: Healthy Mind (Con: 5, Int: 5)
Level 12: Physical Conditioning (Str: 5, Con: 5)
Level 15: Body and Mind (Str: 5, Int: 5)
Level 18: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 21: Negotiator (Int: 5, Rec: 5)

Powers
Level 1: Wield Earth
Level 1: Stone Shot (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Earth Form (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 8: Concentration
Level 11: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 14: Molecular Self-Assembly
Level 17: Tremor (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Cave In (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 23: Hurl (Rank 2, Nailed to the Ground)
Level 26: Resurgence (Rank 2)
Level 29: Stone Shroud (Rank 2)
Level 32: Ego Surge (Nimble Mind)
Level 35: Rebirth
Level 38:
Adv. Points: 30/36

Travel Powers
Level 6:
Level 35:

Specializations
Strength: Swole (3/3)
Strength: Aggression (2/2)
Strength: Brutality (2/2)
Strength: Juggernaut (3/3)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
Guardian: Find the Mark (2/3)
Guardian: 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: Strength Mastery (1/1)

Tremor can AoE and knockup targets for CC; can also stun w/ the combo of Stone Shot's Stagger and charged Cave In. Cave In will be ur main single-target attack, w/ Hurl being an easy MSA trigger to throw out. Gears mostly for Int and Con. Last power slot can be w/e.

blueionstormz

baelogventure said:

Suggestion: Don't make an Earth character until Earth is revamped

Yeah, I've heard Earth is an underwhelming powerset though I'm making one now to get a feel for this set as am not familiar with it.

rtma

baelogventure said:

Suggestion: Don't make an Earth character until Earth is revamped

Eh-heh-heh-heh. *!0 years later, tumble weed drifts by*

blueionstormz said:

Yeah, I've heard Earth is an underwhelming powerset though I'm making one now to get a feel for this set as am not familiar with it.

That shouldn't stop you from trying, I've got 2 guys that are about Earth powers, they work but obviously fall behind, mostly because Earths subpar damage and charging slow it down, I had a Earth Tank but couldn't hold aggro cause of the damage, went DPS, it's okay, feel more like a debuff set with Stagger stacking and slow/snare debuffs.

Could try your basic synergy, Ego,Con,Rec combination.

blueionstormz

flowcyto said:

Here's an Earth dps build that uses Str PSS for extra defense and knock resist (not as high dps as taking something like Dex or Ego PSS here, but still decent in that respect):

(Unnamed Build) - Freeform

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

Talents
Level 1: The Hero (End: 6, Rec: 6, Other Stats: 8)
Level 6: Covert Ops Training (Str: 3, Dex: 3, Con: 3, Int: 3)
Level 9: Healthy Mind (Con: 5, Int: 5)
Level 12: Physical Conditioning (Str: 5, Con: 5)
Level 15: Body and Mind (Str: 5, Int: 5)
Level 18: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 21: Negotiator (Int: 5, Rec: 5)

Powers
Level 1: Wield Earth
Level 1: Stone Shot (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Earth Form (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 8: Concentration
Level 11: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 14: Molecular Self-Assembly
Level 17: Tremor (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Cave In (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 23: Hurl (Rank 2, Nailed to the Ground)
Level 26: Resurgence (Rank 2)
Level 29: Stone Shroud (Rank 2)
Level 32: Ego Surge (Nimble Mind)
Level 35: Rebirth
Level 38:
Adv. Points: 30/36

Travel Powers
Level 6:
Level 35:

Specializations
Strength: Swole (3/3)
Strength: Aggression (2/2)
Strength: Brutality (2/2)
Strength: Juggernaut (3/3)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
Guardian: Find the Mark (2/3)
Guardian: 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: Strength Mastery (1/1)

Tremor can AoE and knockup targets for CC; can also stun w/ the combo of Stone Shot's Stagger and charged Cave In. Cave In will be ur main single-target attack, w/ Hurl being an easy MSA trigger to throw out. Gears mostly for Int and Con. Last power slot can be w/e.

Thanks Flow. Going to run with this. The tips on how to use the powers help, otherwise will have to get to know how to use this toon by trial and error. Also the use of Str+Wardicator sound like a good compromise rather than going dual passive.

blueionstormz

rtma said:

baelogventure said:

Suggestion: Don't make an Earth character until Earth is revamped

Eh-heh-heh-heh. *!0 years later, tumble weed drifts by*

blueionstormz said:

Yeah, I've heard Earth is an underwhelming powerset though I'm making one now to get a feel for this set as am not familiar with it.

That shouldn't stop you from trying, I've got 2 guys that are about Earth powers, they work but obviously fall behind, mostly because Earths subpar damage and charging slow it down, I had a Earth Tank but couldn't hold aggro cause of the damage, went DPS, it's okay, feel more like a debuff set with Stagger stacking and slow/snare debuffs.

Could try your basic synergy, Ego,Con,Rec combination.

Thanks for the encouragement. So Earth is better as DPS then. Ego/Con/Rec sound like a viable option, What EU do you use?

rtma

blueionstormz said:

Thanks for the encouragement. So Earth is better as DPS then. Ego/Con/Rec sound like a viable option, What EU do you use?

I don't use one, since their isn't one for Ranged knocks. o.3.o Concentration if you consider that.

blueionstormz

rtma said:

blueionstormz said:

Thanks for the encouragement. So Earth is better as DPS then. Ego/Con/Rec sound like a viable option, What EU do you use?

I don't use one, since their isn't one for Ranged knocks. o.3.o Concentration if you consider that.

True, hopefully every sets will have their own EU eventually. Concentration does help but it's not the same as an EU. Will play around with the stats and see how it goes.

flowcyto

You may still potentially be okay w/ energy not SSing Int in favor of something like EGO PSS and still using MSA, but I'm not too sure as that's stat-dependent and is best just tested out in the PH w/ the gear you want/have. In my build, the most energy intensive attacks would be Cave In and Tremor spam. But yeah, there's no simple fit for an EU for Earth atm, regardless. Int PSS is still a fine choice for dps setups though, imo- esp if taking adv of Dex SS and Expertise and hitting targets that have resist w/ Detect Vuln.

Ofc, you can also include Crushing debuffs from other powersets to boost dps; ranged Crushing setups can now pretty easily add a ~30% dmg debuff via stacking Muni's Frag and Incendiary Grenades w/ their debuff advs, but that's also prob quite out-of-theme and requires 2 power slots to be opened.

blueionstormz

flowcyto said:

You may still potentially be okay w/ energy not SSing Int in favor of something like EGO PSS and still using MSA, but I'm not too sure as that's stat-dependent and is best just tested out in the PH w/ the gear you want/have. In my build, the most energy intensive attacks would be Cave In and Tremor spam. But yeah, there's no simple fit for an EU for Earth atm, regardless. Int PSS is still a fine choice for dps setups though, imo- esp if taking adv of Dex SS and Expertise and hitting targets that have resist w/ Detect Vuln.

Ofc, you can also include Crushing debuffs from other powersets to boost dps; ranged Crushing setups can now pretty easily add a ~30% dmg debuff via stacking Muni's Frag and Incendiary Grenades w/ their debuff advs, but that's also prob quite out-of-theme and requires 2 power slots to be opened.

Thanks for explaining Flow. I'll use your build's power choice as is. Will give the SS options a try at 40 at the PH as you suggest. Won't be branching to munitions for this toon but thanks for mentioning the idea. So the options are Int/Con/Dex; Str/Con/Int; and Ego/Con/Rec, just for the sake of ideas, would that means that Ego/Dex/Int gives the best DPS? I'm trying to understand the implications for each. Would they be:

Str/Con/Int - Sturdiest and good energy management.
Ego/Con/Rec - Higher DPS, with better starting energy pool.
Int/Con/Dex - DPS through crits+Det Vul with good energy management.
Ego/Dex/Int - Highest DPS with good energy management but is squishy.

Going back to the ~30% dmg debuff you mentioned, would that stack with burst shot?

flowcyto

Burst Shot's debuff is the same as Frag Grenade's adv (Armor Piercing); it won't stack on itself coming from the same player/source.

I'd still take an SS setup w/ Int in it somewhere, just cause of the synergy w/ Conc and MSA, but yeah there's a few other SS setups that can work to varying degrees here. Dex PSS would also be another that can be higher dps than the rest (DEX/Int/Con). If you want to be a more hardy then I'd stick to the Str PSS option, but feel free to experiment around if you have the ability on the PH_PTS.

qawsada

Frag Grenade with both adv might be a good idea. Cuts and Scrapes will debuff the Crushing Damage, and Open Wound would cause the target to bleed, which can easily triggering the Relentless EU if you don't want to take MSA and if you have a high crit chance.

blueionstormz

flowcyto said:

Burst Shot's debuff is the same as Frag Grenade's adv (Armor Piercing); it won't stack on itself coming from the same player/source.

I'd still take an SS setup w/ Int in it somewhere, just cause of the synergy w/ Conc and MSA, but yeah there's a few other SS setups that can work to varying degrees here. Dex PSS would also be another that can be higher dps than the rest (DEX/Int/Con). If you want to be a more hardy then I'd stick to the Str PSS option, but feel free to experiment around if you have the ability on the PH_PTS.

I see. That makes sense.

I do have a preference for sturdier toon. Ok, will give the other stat a try. Thanks for explaining.

blueionstormz

qawsada said:

Frag Grenade with both adv might be a good idea. Cuts and Scrapes will debuff the Crushing Damage, and Open Wound would cause the target to bleed, which can easily triggering the Relentless EU if you don't want to take MSA and if you have a high crit chance.

Thanks for mentioning that option. Won't be using it on this toon because on theme but will keep that in mind for the future. Thanks.

rtma

I have something like this for Gaia, enjoy.

legendarylycan

blueionstormz wrote: »

Thanks for mentioning that option. Won't be using it on this toon because on theme but will keep that in mind for the future. Thanks.

frag grenade can still be in-theme with a bit of imagination - just pretend it's an exploding pinecone, macgyver-style​​

blueionstormz

shadowfang240 said:

blueionstormz wrote: »

Thanks for mentioning that option. Won't be using it on this toon because on theme but will keep that in mind for the future. Thanks.

frag grenade can still be in-theme with a bit of imagination - just pretend it's an exploding pinecone, macgyver-style​​

Hm.. that could work.