Non-Toggle PA dps build

jaazaniah1

I'm wanting to try a non-toggle-based PA build now. I have a boatload of Int mods and so want to try to get some use out of them. Not sure about the last slot. It'd be easy to go with another AO or maybe Fire All Weapons, but I'm not wed to anything. Would this work for a basic dps set up? I'm thinking of getting Int up to ca. 550 (or whatever it takes to get the damage bonus from concentration to 20) and the rest in Dex.

(Unnamed Build) - Freeform (Any / Multiple)
v3.34:32

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

Talents
Level 1: The Marksman (Dex: 10, Int: 10, Ego: 10, End: 8)
Level 6: Coordinated (Dex: 5, Int: 5)
Level 9: Accurate (Dex: 5, End: 5)
Level 12: Investigator (Int: 5, End: 5)
Level 15: Acrobat (Dex: 5, Con: 5)
Level 18: Healthy Mind (Con: 5, Int: 5)
Level 21: Boundless Reserves (Con: 5, End: 5)

Powers
Level 1: Power Bolts
Level 1: Power Gauntlet (Rank 2, Downrange Disaster)
Level 6: Targeting Computer (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 8: Concentration
Level 11: Chest Beam (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 14: Unified Theory
Level 17: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Particle Wave (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 23: Energy Wave (Rank 2, Recharge)
Level 26: Resurgence (Rank 2)
Level 29: Energy Shield (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Imbue
Level 35: Masterful Dodge
Level 38: Munitions Bots (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Adv. Points: 36/36

Travel Powers
Level 6: Rocket Jump (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Prism Speed

Specializations
Intelligence: Enlightened (3/3)
Intelligence: Tactician (2/2)
Intelligence: Detect Vulnerability (3/3)
Intelligence: Expertise (2/2)
Avenger: Ruthless (2/2)
Avenger: Round 'em Up (3/3)
Avenger: Offensive Expertise (2/2)
Avenger: Preemptive Strike (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Focused Strikes (2/3)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Mastery: Intelligence Mastery (1/1)

Devices

flowcyto

I'd prob add Rocket Punch w/ adv so you have a basic AoE to spam after lumping things up w/ Particle Wave (Chest Beam's AoE is quite narrow). I may also use Tac Missiles as the basic blast, since its base dps is a bit higher. You also prob want to get Preparation in INT PSS. Here's a quick edit:

(Unnamed Build) - Freeform (Ranged Damage)
v3.34:32

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

Talents
Level 1: The Marksman (Dex: 10, Int: 10, Ego: 10, End: 8)
Level 6: Coordinated (Dex: 5, Int: 5)
Level 9: Accurate (Dex: 5, End: 5)
Level 12: Investigator (Int: 5, End: 5)
Level 15: Acrobat (Dex: 5, Con: 5)
Level 18: Healthy Mind (Con: 5, Int: 5)
Level 21: Boundless Reserves (Con: 5, End: 5)

Powers
Level 1: Power Bolts
Level 1: Tactical Missiles (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Targeting Computer (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 8: Concentration
Level 11: Chest Beam (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 14: Unified Theory
Level 17: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Particle Wave (Rank 2, Bad Footing)
Level 23: Rocket Punch (Rank 2, Grasping Hand)
Level 26: Resurgence (Rank 2)
Level 29: Energy Shield (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Masterful Dodge
Level 35: Imbue
Level 38: Fire All Weapons (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Adv. Points: 36/36

Travel Powers
Level 6: Rocket Jump (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Prism Speed

Specializations
Intelligence: Preparation (2/2)
Intelligence: Enlightened (3/3)
Intelligence: Detect Vulnerability (3/3)
Intelligence: Expertise (2/2)
Avenger: Ruthless (2/2)
Avenger: Round 'em Up (3/3)
Avenger: Offensive Expertise (2/2)
Avenger: Preemptive Strike (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Focused Strikes (2/3)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Mastery: Intelligence Mastery (1/1)

I assume the main rotation is to alternate between a blast and Chest Beam. FAW will be costly, but having Unified Theory proc'ed first can help there.

jaazaniah1

I kind of want to keep Gravity Wave. How about using Rocket Punch for the Blast and dropping Tactical Missiles? E.g.

Rocket - Freeform (Any / Multiple)
v3.34:32

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

Talents
Level 1: The Hero (Str: 8, Dex: 8, Con: 8, Int: 8, Ego: 8, Pre: 8, Rec: 6, End: 6)
Level 6: Coordinated (Dex: 5, Int: 5)
Level 9: Accurate (Dex: 5, End: 5)
Level 12: Investigator (Int: 5, End: 5)
Level 15: Acrobat (Dex: 5, Con: 5)
Level 18: Healthy Mind (Con: 5, Int: 5)
Level 21: Boundless Reserves (Con: 5, End: 5)

Powers
Level 1: Power Bolts
Level 1: Rocket Punch (Rank 2, Grasping Hand)
Level 6: Targeting Computer (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 8: Concentration
Level 11: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 14: Unified Theory
Level 17: Chest Beam (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Particle Wave (Rank 2, Bad Footing)
Level 23: Energy Wave (Rank 2, Reverse Polarity)
Level 26: Energy Shield (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 29: Resurgence (Rank 2)
Level 32: Masterful Dodge
Level 35: Fire All Weapons (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 38: Imbue
Adv. Points: 36/36

Travel Powers
Level 6: Rocket Jump (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Prism Speed

Specializations
Intelligence: Preparation (2/2)
Intelligence: Enlightened (1/3)
Intelligence: Tactician (2/2)
Intelligence: Detect Vulnerability (3/3)
Intelligence: Expertise (2/2)
Avenger: Ruthless (2/2)
Avenger: Round 'em Up (3/3)
Avenger: Offensive Expertise (2/2)
Avenger: Preemptive Strike (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Modified Gear (2/2)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Mastery: Intelligence Mastery (1/1)

Devices

I've always wondered about a build with End PSS. I've got even more of those mods than I do of Int. Could that possibly work here?

theravenforce

END PSS could work, but you'd need something to apply Negative Ions if you wanted to make use of END properly (and pair it with the appropriate form).

Ball Lightning w/ Chain Lightning could work subbed in here. Or just Ball Lightning alone.

flowcyto

Eh, why have both Particle Wave and Energy Wave, though? And yea, you could feasibly just use Rocket Punch as the main blast (provided the splash AoE won't pose any problems), though it's also considerably higher in energy cost, so you'd have to make sure it's not giving you energy problems w/ Chest Beam. I'd prob skip End PSS here; Outburst is nice, but Chest Beam's cost alone will make that harder to exploit properly.

jaazaniah1

I was thinking that since I was using Unified Theory (based on End) and applying radiation effects all the time, End might be an option for PSS.

theravenforce wrote: »

END PSS could work, but you'd need something to apply Negative Ions if you wanted to make use of END properly (and pair it with the appropriate form).

Ball Lightning w/ Chain Lightning could work subbed in here. Or just Ball Lightning alone.

Well, it is fun to be able to scatter the mooks who sneak up behind me and are out of the cone of Particle Wave . I think energy will only be an issue at lower levels. With Int PSS (for energy from the form and it's own cost reduction) and gear + mods slotted for cost reduction I think I would be OK.

flowcyto wrote: »

Eh, why have both Particle Wave and Energy Wave, though? And yea, you could feasibly just use Rocket Punch as the main blast (provided the splash AoE won't pose any problems), though it's also considerably higher in energy cost, so you'd have to make sure it's not giving you energy problems w/ Chest Beam. I'd prob skip End PSS here; Outburst is nice, but Chest Beam's cost alone will make that harder to exploit properly.

jaazaniah1

So after PTS testing I see no energy issues when using end game gear in the last variant above. I am curious about one thing, and that is if a R7 Coruscating Might mod is more useful than a 2nd R7 Gamblers mod for a build relying on spamming Chest Beam?

With the CM mod my base Off = 225.5 (=+8.1% damage) and my Crit Chance = 36.2. When CM kicks in Off = 639.4 (=+19% damage).

With a 2nd Gamblers my Crit Chance is 38.7.

Maybe in a short fight the Gamblers is more useful, while in a long battle against a cosmic maybe the CM comes more into its own due to the RNGness of the mod bonus?

flowcyto

jaazaniah1 wrote: »

I am curious about one thing, and that is if a R7 Coruscating Might mod is more useful than a 2nd R7 Gamblers mod for a build relying on spamming Chest Beam?

With the CM mod my base Off = 225.5 (=+8.1% damage) and my Crit Chance = 36.2. When CM kicks in Off = 639.4 (=+19% damage).

With a 2nd Gamblers my Crit Chance is 38.7.

Maybe in a short fight the Gamblers is more useful, while in a long battle against a cosmic maybe the CM comes more into its own due to the RNGness of the mod bonus?

I dunno. Since it's gear-dependent, that sort of thing is best left to parsing out over longer tests in the PH/PTS, since you need to also factor in crit and proc rng effects. Being that heavy into crit DR may make CM better here, but that's just a guess.

jaazaniah1

Finally had a chance to test R7 CM vs. R7 Gambler. Over 10 minutes Gamblers gave 2% more damage. So, not a huge difference, and maybe some of it is still to RNG, but may be noticeable over a long fight?

flowcyto

jaazaniah1 wrote: »

Finally had a chance to test R7 CM vs. R7 Gambler. Over 10 minutes Gamblers gave 2% more damage. So, not a huge difference, and maybe some of it is still to RNG, but may be noticeable over a long fight?

Well, they both have some rng, yea?- just in diff ways (crits vs. proc mechanics). I'd say just stick w/ the extra crit if it's parsing higher over 10 mins, as that's a pretty good length.

jaazaniah1

Yea. But I do wonder how much R7 CM would have to be bumped up to be more truly equal to R7 Gamblers? E.g. would a bonus of 19.5% be enough? +20%? More?

flowcyto

I don't know, but you could surmise that roughly by doing a test w/o either mod to first get a baseline comparison for how much each mod is adding, then you could just calculate how much stronger CM's result would have to be to equal the Gambler's result.