I want to make a Single Blade and/or Chain DPS that isn't squishy

renegade0

I have a theme set that's strictly single blade and chains so no dual blades at all (any of the chain sets would be fine honestly), but she does occasionally kick and punch. I'd also like for her to be able to self heal. I'm strictly PvE and have zero desire to ever do PvP. It's just not fun to me, honestly. I'm also not concerned with being at the top of score boards. I want to do good damage without being squishy lol

One of the problems i'm running into when trying to come up with something is that it seems like all the martial art powers really really want force you into using dodge and avoidance rather than defense which is what I'd like to use. Unless dodge and avoidance is decent without end game gear? I just remember trying to build for it in the past and it being horrible, but maybe I did it wrong? I really don't want to constantly face plant my way through cosmics trying to get gear to make the build viable.

After playing a while, I've learned that I really don't want to tank in this game. Healing is great, but I'd like to play a theme i've been working on as a dps.

I'm not even sure what to pick stats-wise. I used to have a build that had INT as the primary but that involved Ego Blades, but I'm using a single blade and chains this time.

if I had to use just chains to make it viable, that'd be find too honestly because i can just have a sword be a part of the costume. But the theme for the character is that they use one sword and chain/whip type weapon. Any tips would be very appreciated

pantagruel01

dodge/avoid with low end gear is perfectly fine average mitigation but unreliable. A lot of it depends on what you really think of as 'not squishy', often the best way to improve survivability with a dps is to kill stuff faster.

flowcyto

Chain powers don't have great single-target dps options, but SB powers can help w/ that aspect. You can use something like Barbed Chain to build bleeds (assuming you still want the chain theme to be pretty prominent), and SB's Reaper's Embrace to rupture them. And yea, you don't have to build around dodge/avoid defensively, even if taking WotW or NW as the passive. Here's an example build:

(Unnamed Build) - Freeform (Melee Damage)
v3.44:37

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

Talents
Level 1: The Samurai (Dex: 10, Con: 10, Rec: 10, End: 8)
Level 6: Impresario (Dex: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 9: Amazing Stamina (Rec: 5, End: 5)
Level 12: Accurate (Dex: 5, End: 5)
Level 15: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 18: Acrobat (Dex: 5, Con: 5)
Level 21: Boundless Reserves (Con: 5, End: 5)

Powers
Level 1: Reaper's Touch
Level 1: Barbed Chain (Rank 2, Sever)
Level 6: Form of the Swordsman
Level 8: Unstoppable (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 11: Lacerating Cyclone (Rank 2, Vortex Technique)
Level 14: Wild Thing
Level 17: Resurgence (Rank 2)
Level 20: Reaper's Embrace (Rank 2, No Mercy)
Level 23: Scything Blade (Rank 2, Swallowtail Cut)
Level 26: Barbed Lariat (Open Wound, Work Up)
Level 29: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Deflect (Rank 2)
Level 35:
Level 38:
Adv. Points: 32/36

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)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Focused Strikes (3/3)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (2/3)
Warden: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
Warden: Upper Hand (2/3)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Mastery: Dexterity Mastery (1/1)

The last 2 powers can be w/e ya want.

For single-target dps, it builds bleeds w/ Barbed Chain, and uses charged REmbrace to rupture the bleeds (and you can tap Barbed Lariat to put up Open Wound initially). For AoE, Lacerating Cyclone can rope in enemies in a wide area, while Scything Blade can be your higher-dps melee pbAoE option. Conviction, Resurgence, and Barbed Lariat's adv can help heal you here. The build should still be pretty sturdy for a dps unit overall, given decent gear. I took Unstoppable as the slotted passive here for the extra knock resist, but WotW, Pestilence, Earth Form, or NW could be taken instead. Gears mostly for Dex, w/ some Con and End (and some extra cost discount on gear).

renegade0

Thanks! I appreciate it. I'll try it out tonight

renegade0

I've played around with the build a bit and like it okay. I'm wondering though, after looking at these guides: https://www.arcgames.com/en/forums/championsonline#/discussion/1208228/endgame-dps-build-guide/p1

I'm wondering If I could go with a PRE primary and then gear mostly for DEX and with some extra PRE, would that maybe help my self healing and possibly a forcefield? I'm also wondering if I could even off heal a bit. After playing mainly healer, being on a team without one can be brutal x_x

or if I went with INT, maybe that would help recharge the self heals

flowcyto

Well, you already know that chain powers have lower dps overall, and going for something like Pres PSS would lower that even further. Time spent actively healing others is also time that's not spent dps-ing. Pres PSS can still be fine, esp if you take something like Crippling Coils to proc Vulnerability for allies (to help make up for your lower personal dps), and I suppose it's more natural for you to consider it when you normally play Support. It's def not a normal dps setup, though, and my build already includes a good amount of self-healing for a typical dps build, so I guess it also depends on how you want to be training yourself to play a different role. Maybe you could start w/ some more support-related aspects and ramp them down as you get more comfortable playing as a dps unit.

Int PSS wouldn't boost your healing by that much, in comparison, and I prob wouldn't suggest it here since Int isn't a main stat focus for this build (and Detect Vuln, Int PSS's best dps option, scales w/ Int).

Overall, it's up to you on how you want to adjust the build's focus, but keep in mind that there's usually going to be a trade-off between having better heals_defenses and doing more dps.

renegade0

When it comes to overall DPS, I see defeated party members as a loss of that DPS. But I don't think a "paladin" build is viable for this game. I'd probably be terrible at DPS and healing at the same time lol. I guess I just expected a melee DPS to be more survivable than my healer.

flowcyto

Sure, but you're not really talking about playing a dps anymore- more like a dps-healer hybrid. That can still work, just it seems different from the goals that you originally outlined. If you want to be an off-healer for other players then that's your choice, but then you may want to ask how much you want to commit to it, since pure healers will always be more efficient at it, and you can't save every group/player (them dying is not necessarily a fault w/ you or your build). Also, healers can be more survivable than dps, mostly just cause of the large healing bonuses they can turn to use on themselves, but it does depend a bit on the builds you're comparing and the nature of the content (as higher dps can mean fights end faster to need less healing/tanking overall, and the Support role does have a maxHP penalty too).

pantagruel01

renegade0 wrote: »

I'm wondering If I could go with a PRE primary and then gear mostly for DEX and with some extra PRE, would that maybe help my self healing and possibly a forcefield? I'm also wondering if I could even off heal a bit.

In practice, trying to do two things at once makes you bad at both. I don't generally find any heals except consumables and resurgence contribute significantly to survival for dps.

renegade0

Yeah, I don't really want to do a DPs/healer. I was just mentioning it and why I'd want to do it. I just don't think it'd be a good build for this game. After playing with the build longer, i can see why barely anyone uses single blade. So much clicking...It looks cool, but my fingers are sore.

I think I'm going to try a dual blade build. Maybe see what the other melee sets have a maintain. I'll probably keep one chain skill just to stay on theme though.

If I could just do a little bit better damage on my healer, i wouldn't even want to make a DPS

flowcyto

Well, if you want a maintained attack (assuming that's what you meant), then SB does have a newer power that can be used for single-target dps instead (Relentless Pursuit). If taking it, then you'd prob either want to get its Open Wound adv or maybe switch to FotTempest as the toggle/form instead (since it can't bleed innately). Maybe try it out in the PH/PTS to see if you like it? Dual Blades as a set doesn't have a good maintained single-target attack, though it's main single-target attack (DW) is charge-able, at least.

Also, there's a few ways to boost your own dmg as a healer (one is just using the Hybrid role when out solo or in content that doesn't demand much healing). AoPM can boost dps (if you aren't already using it), and AoED can do that even more so. Up to you if you want to switch to one of them, or you could maybe use a dual-passive setup where you can pick which passive you want to use to suit the content. There could also be higher base dps powers available to your build, depending on its structure and what's okay for the theme/concept. Getting more crit and/or severity can also help w/ dps a bit, as could potentially a +dmg utility mod (if your attacks mostly come from one powerset). Certain dmg debuffs can also help w/ your dps (and also potentially your team's).

Up to you on how to tackle this all, and it may just end up taking much trial and error (or just experimenting in the PH/PTS) before you find something you like (and that can be okay, as there's many things you could explore and learn more about). I'm not sure of what other help I can offer, but good luck, either way.