Darkness Build Suggestions

tammer316

I recently quit playing DCUO and my friend recommended me this game due to the hero content. Although i've been playing MMOs for while, the amount of powers in this game is a little overwhelming. Don't get me wrong. More powers=more fun but to a newb like me, it's a head scratcher. I've come across a few builds for darkness but it seems like they are all out of date. I'm looking to for a dps/ or balanced build for PVE(for now). Any suggestions would be appreciated. I've been playing for the last 4 days and i keep re-rolling characters. I would love to actually start playing this game.

This was a recommended build which i found here but its outdated.
http://co-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=112828
Superstats:
Level 5: Super Constitution
Level 13: Super Endurance

Powers:
Level 1: Shadow Bolt -- Despondency
Level 1: Shadow Embrace -- Accelerated Metabolism, Rank 2, Fatal Allure
Level 5: Ebon Void -- Voracious Darkness
Level 5: Teleport
Level 8: Shadow Form -- Rank 3, Rank 2
Level 11: Shadow Shroud -- Rank 3, Rank 2
Level 14: Spirit Reverberation
Level 17: Lifedrain -- Rank 3, Rank 2
Level 20: Ego Sprites -- Rank 3, Rank 2
Level 23: Dark Transfusion -- Blood Sacrifice, Rank 2
Level 26: Masterful Dodge
Level 29: Resurgence
Level 32: Ego Storm -- Malevolent Manifestation, Rank 2
Level 35: Telepathic Reverberation
Level 35: Flight
Level 38: Flashfire -- Sweltering Heat, Rank 2

Talents:
Level 1: Abyssal
Level 6: Enduring
Level 9: Energetic
Level 12: Brilliant
Level 15: Healthy Mind
Level 18: Boundless Reserves
Level 21: Investigator

lanessar13

I've been playing this build, just up to level 19 as of yesterday. The powers work terrifically for leveling up to Lifedrain, but I suspect that Resurgence and onward, it won't fly (can't take two energy returns, the OP states the second energy return absorbs the cost of the AOEs like Ego Storm).

Honestly, to get to level 40, I'm fairly sure that all you need is the powers up to level 17. Nothing really comes close to killing me with intelligent play. But basically, Shadow Bolt, Shadow Form, Shadow Embrace and you just waltz through enemies.

I'm suspicious about taking the sprites and onward with this build, just because it seems centric to Ego Storm and a second energy return (not possible now).

carrionbaggage

Yep, that's outdated.

Darkness works quite well as a self-contained set. I threw together a quick damage-centric build that stays mostly in-set. It should level smoothly, and be pretty survivable even with its Offensive Passive. It's heavily loaded with attack powers, but there's plenty of wiggle room with powers and advantages. Think of this as a basic template.

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name: Hi, I'm a Darkness Build

Archetype: Freeform

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

Talents:
Level 1: The Void
Level 6: Ascetic
Level 9: Daredevil
Level 12: Boundless Reserves
Level 15: Shooter
Level 18: Acrobat
Level 21: Accurate

Powers:
Level 1: Shadow Bolt
Level 1: Shadow Embrace (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Shadow Form (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 8: Lifedrain (Rank 2, Vampiric Sympathy)
Level 11: Spirit Reverberation
Level 14: Dark Transfusion (Rank 2, Blood Sacrifice)
Level 17: Concentration
Level 20: Summon Shadows (Rank 2, Devouring Darkness)
Level 23: Grasping Shadows (Unyielding Agony)
Level 26: Ebon Rift (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 29: Ebon Void (Voracious Darkness)
Level 32: Ebon Ruin (Rank 2, Nyctophobia, Paranormal Paranoia)
Level 35: Masterful Dodge
Level 38: Ego Surge (Nimble Mind)

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Flight (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Teleportation

Specializations:
Ego: Force of Will (2/2)
Ego: Insight (3/3)
Ego: Follow Through (3/3)
Ego: Exploit Opening (2/2)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (1/3)
Guardian: Locus (2/2)
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: The Rush of Battle (3/3)
Vindicator: Modified Gear (2/2)
Mastery: Ego Mastery (1/1)

Shadow Embrace, Lifedrain, and solid energy management will let you breeze through the early game. In the late game, hit Dark Transfusion and summon your Shadows before a fight, open with Grasping Shadows, maintain an Ebon Rift, then mop up with Shadow Embrace or Ebon Ruin. Lifedrain, Ebon Void, and Masterful Dodge help you through difficult situations, while Ego Surge breaks holds and spikes your damage. While leveling, look for gear with +Critical Hit. And make sure you're playing in the "Ranged Damage" role.

Hope that helps!

lanessar13

Thanks, Carrion. I'm guessing Ego Sprites and the synergy there isn't valuable any longer? Per the description, it appears that Shadow Form and Shroud would be a buff to the dimensional damage there.

Additionally, the original build cites reasons for taking CON as primary, yet you use Ego as primary. Endurance I understand (due to the fleshed out descriptions of the guide), but I'm not sure why Ego would be the main stat to advance.

Also, survivability-wise, it seems line Ebon Void should come much earlier, and I've seen a lot of negativity on either Ebon Rift or Ebon Ruin in the forums (being extremely situational as far as usefulness).

I suppose my question just boils down to current build differences, since the OP from Path to Darkness laid out the synergies so well and did a good job describing how powers worked together. I'm sure that things changed (old COH player, so I've been through the situation where a stat no longer affected XYZ power, making a respec necessary).

I'm nearly level 20, and wanted to make sure I do a respec if needed so I don't have a hard time leveling this build in the 30's or 40's.

I was an original player of CO back in the day, and hit a wall with every character I played around level 15 - pretty much any group of mobs used to kill me. Granted, I don't know what the issues were with those builds (I had literally just started playing, and it was release day for the game), but I don't want to block myself from advancement a second time.

kenpojujitsu3

Here's a darkness build that works well for me and others.

http://champions-online.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=gameguides&action=display&thread=495

Several more builds of various themes by various players can be found in the link in my sig.

lanessar13

kenpojujitsu3 wrote: »

Here's a darkness build that works well for me and others.

http://champions-online.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=gameguides&action=display&thread=495

Several more builds of various themes by various players can be found in the link in my sig.

Thanks!

EDIT: Questions answered in the thread where the build was posted.

Your stats make total sense. I see the synergy between End, Con and Pre in this build, which pretty much boosts all the major powers you've selected.

I was interested in a "pet-based" darkness build, and this one really fits the bill. To get up to L40, I might go with the "boring" direct-dmg build, then spec over once I've played through.

carrionbaggage

I'm guessing Ego Sprites and the synergy there isn't valuable any longer?

Right. From what I read in the build creator's post, the Sprites were added just for extra Paranormal-type AoE damage. Between Ebon Rift and another AoE attack (Shadow Embrace in my build, Skarn's Bane in Kenpo's), you'll have plenty of mob-mangling damage without Sprites.

I'm not sure why Ego would be the main stat to advance.

I wouldn't think of it as the main stat. While you naturally receive more points in a primary stat versus a secondary (a 40 point difference at level 40), there's a lot of room to customize your stat bonuses in gear and talents. In fact, if I were to slap some end-game gear on the build I posted, I would choose to make Constitution the numerically highest stat.

The main reason to take a stat as primary rather than secondary is the specialization tree it offers. The Ego Tree offers three very useful options:

- Force of Will increases your Defense and scales with your secondary superstats. The other spec tree choices contain "The Best Defense" and "Aggressive Stance", which will feed that extra Defense into your Offense and back again. You'll end up with a bit of extra damage and noticeably better damage resistance.

- Insight reduces your ranged power cost, scaling with your Ego.

- Follow Through increases your Critical Severity, scaling with your Ego. If you gear for +Critical Strike bonuses, you can run around with about a 25% critical hit rate (Kenpo mentions the same thing in his build explanation). Lifedrain also crits, and the return from its critical heal depends on your Critical Severity. So boosting your Critical Severity indirectly boosts your survivability. Plus, your pets inherit half of your critical rate and severity.

Ego inherently increases your ranged damage, and boosts the damage bonus and energy return from your Concentration toggle.

survivability-wise, it seems line Ebon Void should come much earlier

The build I posted focuses on energy management and damage output in the early levels, which should make you plenty survivable against most of CO's content. But if you feel you need Ebon Void at an earlier level, go for it. The build is pretty flexible.

I've seen a lot of negativity on either Ebon Rift or Ebon Ruin in the forums (being extremely situational as far as usefulness)

Kenpo covers their uses pretty well in his guide. Ebon Ruin is your strongest single-target attack (much stronger than Lifedrain), and the resistance debuff from its advantage affects the damage from both you and your pets. It makes a big difference against tough enemies.

Ebon Rift sucks in and damages nearby enemies, and lingers after its maintain for as long as you maintained it. Some people like the advantage as a soft control, while others hate it for scattering mobs. Ebon Rift isn't necessary, but it does add a lot of damage while keeping enemies away from you. Try it out in the Powerhouse and see what you think.

If you want a Rank 3 Void Horror, you could ditch Ego Surge and remove Rank 2 from Dark Transfusion in the build I posted. Or swap out Ebon Rift, if it's not your style.

Kenpo's build looks good, but keep in mind that it lacks a toggle form.
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lanessar13

Thanks, I greatly appreciate your insight! The choices make much more sense now.