Wind Reverberation vs. Overdrive (FF build help)

r0y0

I started leveling up an old toon (all my toons are 500+ days old), and I respec'd this one into wind. I think.

Wind and earth are new sets, as is a lot of the game since I last played. However, I've been actively playing for about 2 weeks now, and *think* I have a grasp on most of it.

I've not done wind before and wanted to try it, so here is how I retcon'd him (still in PH, though):

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name: Broken Wind

Archetype: Freeform

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

Talents:
Level 1: The Squall
Level 6: Martial Training
Level 9: Field Ops Training
Level 12: Survival Training
Level 15: Sniper Training
Level 18: Command Training
Level 21: Jack of All Trades

Powers:
Level 1: Wind Lash
Level 1: Hurricane (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Wind Reverberation
Level 8: Wind Breath (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 11: Stormbringer (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 14: Concentration
Level 17: Typhoon (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Wind Barrier
Level 23: Ball Lightning (Rank 2, Triplicity)
Level 26: Bountiful Chi Resurgence (Rank 2, Resurgent Reiki)
Level 29: Evasive Maneuvers (Sleight of Mind)
Level 32: Protection Field (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Electric Sheath (Rank 2, Matter ? Energy Union)
Level 38: Masterful Dodge

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

Specializations:
Dexterity: Combat Training (2/3)
Dexterity: Gear Utilization (3/3)
Dexterity: Deadly Aim (3/3)
Dexterity: Quick Reflexes (2/3)
Overseer: Ruthless (2/2)
Overseer: Overseer Aura (3/3)
Overseer: Impact (2/2)
Overseer: Enhanced Gear (3/3)
Warden: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
Warden: Reactive Strikes (2/2)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Mastery: Dexterity Mastery (1/1)

I am a big fan of maintains, so I often SS recovery and am a big fan of Energy Unlocks (who isn't, right?).

Now, my biggest issue (at level 25) is:
Which energy unlock is better here? Wind Reverberation vs. Overdrive

Currently, I'm testing out Wind Reverberation, as I have a few wind-repel powers. Normally, for maintain powers, I will take Overdrive. During my PowerHouse testing, I'm not feeling Wind Reverberation's power as much as Overdrive is felt on my other toons (level 40); without undo'ing my powers to switch unlocks, does anyone have insight on this?

I have tried wind reverb with END ss'd and REC ss'd - the energy gained didn't feel that much better, and w/o REC ss'd, maintains have to wait for some energy buildup, and that sucks. So I will be sticking with REC ss'd over END.

Any and all help or insights are welcome!

-r0y

svajda

IF, your primary/most used attacks are maintain, then overdrive is good. Also, wind reverb should give you VERY high chance of going off with an AoE maintain that pushes/pulls everything, it can also be triggerd by the wind block, which has repel on it.

Another thing to note, if you like END as a possible primary, keep in mind, the endurance mastery is very good, you get energy for whatever your role is, like DPS = hitting things gives you energy, tank? getting hit = energy, support, yep, healing gives you energy, in hybrid role you simply get energy every 5 seconds and don't have to do anything.

r0y0

svajda wrote: »

IF, your primary/most used attacks are maintain, then overdrive is good. Also, wind reverb should give you VERY high chance of going off with an AoE maintain that pushes/pulls everything, it can also be triggerd by the wind block, which has repel on it.

I understand how they are triggered, but what I think I am seeing is, while Wind Reverb is really nice with hurricane, it is not with all other (non-repel) stuff. This is very limiting.

I ended up keeping Overdrive.

svajda wrote: »

Another thing to note, if you like END as a possible primary, keep in mind, the endurance mastery is very good, you get energy for whatever your role is, like DPS = hitting things gives you energy, tank? getting hit = energy, support, yep, healing gives you energy, in hybrid role you simply get energy every 5 seconds and don't have to do anything.

I always take REC over END and never Primary either. With a secondary SS'd REC, a player has the pool of energy to open up with a nice maintain or charge power. Further, when I was exploring the Mastery Tree on the wiki (hi, Lohr!), it says:

CO Wiki wrote:

Endurance MASTERY: You gain 3% of your Maximum Energy when certain criteria are met, depent on your Role.
__o Tank Role: Whenever you take damage. This effect can only occur once every 3 seconds.
__o Melee Damage or Ranged Damage Role: Whenever you deal damage. This effect can only occur once every 3 seconds.
__o Support Role: Whenever you Heal a target. This effect can only occur once every 3 seconds.
__o Hybrid Role: Every 5 seconds you are in combat.

(Theorycrafting post / thinking-out-loud here, this is NOT in reply to you, svajda)

OK, so tanking the TANK role, we get 3% of our maximum energy every 3 seconds. Sounds great! How much energy does a toon have with, say, 200 endurance? That's the big question. I do not know, as I have never Primary SS'd end or rec.

I do know that with REC secondary SS'd, Overdrive gives me about 10 energy per stack, so 3 stacks is about 30 energy. Wind is slightly less, but doesn't need stacks (on the same toon, it was about 27 energy or so. These where just the tool-tip/hover info (could be wrong).

For 3% of max energy to equal 25, our END would have to be 833.3+ which is really high; granted, we're not saying END mastery should REPLACE an energy unlock, it's just that 3% of my max every 3 seconds sounds nice, but the practicality of it seems limited. In fact, if we assume an END of 300 (which is overly-high, but this is in theory), 3% would be 9 energy every 3 seconds.

Now, 9 energy / 3 seconds seems fine, but you're giving up some REALLY nice *other* mastery options (like STR, DEX, CON, PRE). Not sure it's worth the trade to me at this point.

-r0y

svajda

Have you heard the term "it's all gravy"? I think end mastery is supposed to be like the nice topping on something already good.

Tanking as an example, 3% plus energy return from defiance plus energy from a form, and then not having any energy unlock tailored to tanking sets isn't all that bad. Although, on that note, brick sets almost all have knockback wich triggers wind reverb, which makes wind reverb work great for a lot of sets like might, force, etc.

For the wind set, most powers have some knock/repel, even the energy builder, in the end really though it comes down to what FEELS good/fun/effective the math usually at some point takes the back seat.