How handy is the Taunt on melee energy builders?

williamkony

The Taunt aspect of melee energy builders causes enemies to run over to you, right? How high a tier of enemy does this affect? Is the threat generated more potent than damage from a ranged energy builder?

I'm needing to switch from my beloved Radiance energy builder to one from the technology tree in order to make my power selections work, and I adore multi-purpose abilities. Radiance was nice in that it let me keep my energy builder on whether I was attacking enemies or healing allies. It's already going to be disappointing enough having to turn off my energy builder whenever I want to heal someone, I'd at least like to have some other form of usefulness to it. :P

raighn

I feel like I have to ask... why are you needing to switch your energy builder? Unless your using a ton of upper tier abilities with nothing that can be used as stepping stones to bridge the gap there really isn't any reason to have to change your EB to any specific power set if you wanted it as a certain one to begin with.

That said though... the taunt part of melee EBs is in my experience, rather useless... It usually has to tick off 5, 10, or 15 times before the target will take notice and attack you in melee range... and many enemies seem to ignore it all together... for the most part if it can fly or if it can attack with an array of powers from a distance then taunt won't do anything... really about all taunt does is it generates threat to try to make them attack you... it really doesn't even force them into melee... just some enemies if they have melee abilities will be more inclined to use them on you when taunted...

that's been my experience with taunt anyway... as a result I tend to not use taunt any more and instead just run up and start hitting things instead of waiting for them to come to me.

TBH I think most melee EBs would be better served to be structured more like Wield Earth...

williamkony

I'm switching Compassion out for Intertial Dampening Field, as I don't really need the healing boost and that damage reduction would serve me better. :P Before, first three powers were Radiance, Iniquity, Compassion, getting me to the point where I could start grabbing powers willy-nilly. Now, I'm needing to go technology energy builder first, then Concentration, Ricochet Throw, into all the other powers.

Sad to hear that the taunt isn't effective. I guess I'll need to go for a different energy builder. Was eager to use that laser sword thing, too. XD

jonesing4

Any time I use a melee EB at range, the mob I've targeted will immediately attack me. Same with Bosses in alerts; instant attack from the enemy, regardless of level. If that's all you were looking for in it, then the laser sword EB should work just fine.

wrathsoul1

williamkony wrote: »

I'm switching Compassion out for Intertial Dampening Field, as I don't really need the healing boost and that damage reduction would serve me better. :P Before, first three powers were Radiance, Iniquity, Compassion, getting me to the point where I could start grabbing powers willy-nilly. Now, I'm needing to go technology energy builder first, then Concentration, Ricochet Throw, into all the other powers.

Sad to hear that the taunt isn't effective. I guess I'll need to go for a different energy builder. Was eager to use that laser sword thing, too. XD

There's a reason lunges exist.

williamkony

jonesing4 wrote: »

Any time I use a melee EB at range, the mob I've targeted will immediately attack me. Same with Bosses in alerts; instant attack from the enemy, regardless of level. If that's all you were looking for in it, then the laser sword EB should work just fine.

Well, shoot, conflicting answers confuse me. XD Thanks, though, I suppose it's not yet out of the question. :P

wrathsoul1 wrote: »

There's a reason lunges exist.

It's not really that I NEED the taunt; I've gotten by just fine with Radiance, after all. It's just that I like having interesting powers, so I might as well get something neat if I have to give up Radiance.

And I don't really like lunges. They take too long to activate, I'm better off just Superspeed-ing over to the enemy myself.

roughbearmattach

Some thoughts:

The earth energy builder switches from melee to ranged, based on far away the target is.

The boomerang energy builder actually does significant damage at lower levels, unlike other energy builders.

Taunts will generate energy just fine, especially if you have statted for End or Rec. I have several toons that are essentially ranged, but use melee energy builders for theme.

bravehoptoad

williamkony wrote: »

And I don't really like lunges. They take too long to activate, I'm better off just Superspeed-ing over to the enemy myself.

Fastest is Pounce, .35 seconds to activate -- one of the fastest powers in the game.

jellycupsowbug

When I use melee energy builders with lunges, bad things happen. Usually, the taunt causes one mob to separate from the group, toward me, while I lunge at it. The lunge launches me to the starting position of the mob, and the mob moves to the place that I did the taunt from. The distance is usually to short for "Melee Ignores Targeting" to work, so then I have to run back to the mob that I taunted. Turning off target selection will solve the targeting problem, but weird ai pathing caused by the taunt is still irritating.

The only good thing about most lunges are Crippling Challenge, Nailed to the Ground, and the snare. It's way easier and faster to manually move to the target unless your frame rate is crapping out, or travel powers are disabled.

aaronkorr

Just to clarify a bit the 'taunt' isn't really one in the terms most think but a debuff that just tells the enemy to run over into melee with you if it was not in combat or you already have the aggro of said enemy. Mostly it's useful for forcing ranged enemies to run up to you as a melee build including those that might be flying out of reach. It's not designed as a high threat mechanic but just as a 'get over here' taunt.

And as stated above, can be a bit wonky with lunges.