Melee/Energy concept build help

thirdperson1

Hi everyone,

I've been gone from the game for quite a while but I recently started rediscovering it and dusting off my old toons. There is a character that I am trying to make work that is most a concept build but I want smooth out the rough edges and give him as strong a build as possible. As the title says its a melee character with some energy based powers kinda like Sentinel from Marvel comics I guess. I realize a lot of the force powers conflict with a melee centric build because of all the knock back. So my idea is for the energy type powers to not serve much purpose beyond serving the concept. That said I still want to try and build a pretty strong freeform character that isn't gimped by the concept. As of now my toon is level 21 and does ok but I wanted to see if I could do any better. I wanted a character that was a little more on the Tank side but still able to do a good bit of damage. So here is what I threw together quickly. My biggest issue is knowing which talents and stats to pair with a build.

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name:

Archetype: Freeform

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

Talents:
Level 1: Superhuman
Level 6: Tireless
Level 9: Body and Mind
Level 12: Enduring
Level 15: Amazing Stamina
Level 18: Relentless
Level 21: Paramilitary Training

Powers:
Level 1: Clobber (Rank 2)
Level 1: Beatdown (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Mighty Leap (Rank 2)
Level 8: Force Shield
Level 11: Concussor Beam (Rank 2, Rank 3, Accelerated Metabolism)
Level 14: Field Surge (Rank 2)
Level 17: Personal Force Field (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Thunderclap (Rank 2, Rank 3, Challenging Strikes)
Level 23: Uppercut (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 26: Overdrive
Level 29: Aggressor (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Reconstruction Circuits (Rank 2)
Level 35: Force Eruption
Level 38: Energy Storm

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

Specializations:
Strength: Swole (2/3)
Strength: Physical Peak (3/3)
Strength: Aggression (2/2)
Strength: Juggernaut (3/3)
Brawler: The Glory of Battle (3/3)
Brawler: No Escape (3/3)
Brawler: Finishing Blow (3/3)
Brawler: Offensive Expertise (1/2)
Protector: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Protector: Unrelenting (2/2)
Protector: Bulwark (2/2)
Protector: Exhausting Strikes (1/2)
Protector: Defensive Expertise (2/3)
Mastery: Strength Mastery (1/1)

cptmillennium

Couple of things:

• Without a toggle Form you're missing out on a lot of damage potential
• Reconstruction Circuits is a Power Armor ability, so you won't be able to use any other abilty while it's on
• You've got some inefficient use of ranks (R2 Mighty Leap, for example)
• Two forms of flight is redundant

Try something like this. The knocks will fuel Enrage, which gives you Unleashed Rage, which is a tremendous energy-like release. You probably won't have the energy to throw around a lot of fully charged Force Cascades, but Ego Surge will let you fire one off easily due to it being an Energy Form.

Defiance should make you pretty tanky and help a lot with energy, but Aura of Primal Majesty and Earth Form may be great alternatives as well.

I should mention I put this build together really quickly so I didn't have time to think about ordering the powers for leveling. Mix them around however you like, but I'd probably take Mighty Leap and Conviction a lot earlier than I've shown.

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name:

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats:
Level 6: Strength (Primary)
Level 10: Constitution (Secondary)
Level 15: Intelligence (Secondary)

Talents:
Level 1:
Level 6:
Level 9:
Level 12:
Level 15:
Level 18:
Level 21:

Powers:
Level 1: Clobber
Level 1: Beatdown (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Defiance
Level 8: Demolish (Below the Belt)
Level 11: Enrage (Endorphin Rush)
Level 14: Haymaker (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 17: Unleashed Rage (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Ego Surge (Rank 2, Nimble Mind)
Level 23: Force Shield (Force Sheathe)
Level 26: Force Cascade (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 29: Mighty Leap (Crippling Challenge, Nailed to the Ground)
Level 32: Masterful Dodge
Level 35: Resurgence
Level 38: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)

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

Specializations:
Strength: Swole (3/3)
Strength: Physical Peak (2/3)
Strength: Brutality (2/2)
Strength: Juggernaut (3/3)
Warden: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
Warden: Elusive (2/2)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Focused Strikes (3/3)
Vindicator: Modified Gear (2/2)
Mastery: Strength Mastery (1/1)

cptmillennium

Okay, I made some adjustments and turned it into more of a leveling build. You don't really need Beatdown in this build so I swapped it for Aggressor, and with R3 Conviction I think you may get more mileage from Unbreakable than Resurgence. I also added talents.

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name:

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats:
Level 6: Strength (Primary)
Level 10: Constitution (Secondary)
Level 15: Intelligence (Secondary)

Talents:
Level 1: The Mountain
Level 6: Physical Conditioning
Level 9: Body and Mind
Level 12: Healthy Mind
Level 15: Covert Ops Training
Level 18: Paramilitary Training
Level 21: Field Ops Training

Powers:
Level 1: Clobber
Level 1: Defiance
Level 6: Mighty Leap (Crippling Challenge, Nailed to the Ground)
Level 8: Demolish (Below the Belt)
Level 11: Enrage (Endorphin Rush)
Level 14: Haymaker (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 17: Unleashed Rage (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 23: Force Shield (Force Sheathe)
Level 26: Force Cascade (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 29: Ego Surge (Rank 2, Nimble Mind)
Level 32: Masterful Dodge
Level 35: Unbreakable
Level 38: Aggressor (Rank 2, Rank 3)

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

Specializations:
Strength: Swole (3/3)
Strength: Physical Peak (2/3)
Strength: Brutality (2/2)
Strength: Juggernaut (3/3)
Warden: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
Warden: Elusive (2/2)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Focused Strikes (3/3)
Vindicator: Modified Gear (2/2)
Mastery: Strength Mastery (1/1)

thirdperson1

Thats awesome. Thank you for the help Cap. I will do some tweaking.

helbjorn

Here's mine that I've been tweaking for a really long time. Lots of options left open to suit different tastes. This is an easy build to level with.


PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name:

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats:
Level 6: Strength (Primary)
Level 10: Constitution (Secondary)
Level 15: Intelligence (Secondary)

Talents:
Level 1: Superhuman
Level 6: Physical Conditioning
Level 9: Body and Mind
Level 12: Healthy Mind
Level 15: Paramilitary Training
Level 18: Covert Ops Training
Level 21: Field Ops Training

Powers:
Level 1: Clobber
Level 1: Force Blast or Roomsweeper (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Mighty Leap
Level 8: Aura of Primal Majesty or Unstoppable or Way of the Warrior (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 11: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 14: Enrage (Endorphin Rush)
Level 17: Force Shield (Force Sheathe)
Level 20: Force Cascade (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 23: Haymaker or Burning Chi Fist (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 26: Masterful Dodge
Level 29: Molecular Self-Assembly
Level 32: Aggressor (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Ego Surge (Nimble Mind)
Level 38: Unleashed Rage (Rank 2, Rank 3)

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Power Flight (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Mach Speed (Rank 2)

Specializations:
Strength: Swole (3/3)
Strength: Aggression (2/2)
Strength: Brutality (2/2)
Strength: Juggernaut (3/3)
Warden: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
Warden: Elusive (2/2)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: The Rush of Battle (2/3)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Mastery: Strength or Vindicator Mastery (1/1)


Force Blast is not as well supported by your buffs but gives a cheap 100' attack. Roomsweeper will build Enraged stacks faster, obviously.

Passive is a more thoughtful choice. AoPM makes you a FC-spamming fool with much better energy management. Unstoppable and WotW will give you better DPS (buffing to a lesser extent the physical damage of your Force powers as well) at the cost of energy management. WotW will give better survivability with its Dodge component. I prefer AoPM, as this guy is my superstrong-themed character with STR pushed almost to 500 (while staying well rounded). AoPM allows you to reach those kinds of numbers without otherwise gimping the character.

Haymaker vs BCF is a personal choice. Haymaker is more appropriate if you find yourself fighting a lot of knock-resistant bosses (for the added damage buff). BCF is quicker to spam and puts out a little more DPS than Haymaker (outside of bosses). Also, BCF doesn't knock and is friendlier to use when teamed. It won't build Enraged stacks, however.

Mastery choice depends upon what you end up doing more of: ranged or melee. STR gives a smidge more melee damage, Vindicator a smidge more ranged. It's almost a wash either way.

bravehoptoad

Would both helbjorn's and cptmillenium's build be improved by using Force Bolts with the Energy Refraction advantage? This would give a ranged energy builder and also a "free" energy form to chop the cost of Force Cascade in half now and then.

Also maybe Balance on the STR tree? If any character could ever use Balance, it would be one with 500 STR and frequent use of Force Cascade.

helbjorn

Force Bolts with adv would be helpful if you're charging FC when you use it. Personally, I usually am tap-spamming it, which wouldn't make that choice worthwhile. To me, Energy Refraction attempts to dictate how I play. I don't like feeling obligated to use FC just because the shield procs.

Balance is worthwhile if you prefer to solo over grouping. Having short distance knocks on your Force powers makes you a bit more compatible with group-play like Alerts. Personally, I feel there are better choices in the STR tree.

bravehoptoad

Ehh...just an idea. Didn't see the down-side to it, because who gets wedded to Clobber? Even tap-spamming Force Cascade is 144 EPS.

But yes, I can see how waiting around for ER procs could be a drag.

cptmillennium

Yeah, it's a good advantage and procs surprisingly often, but ideally you'll graduate beyond the need for your energy builder and every shot you take with it is a drain on your DPS.

With Defiance and Force Sheath you get pretty steady energy coming in, though you may need to gear for cost reduction and a bit of END to pull off full FCs. On the other hand, if FC-Lite is what you're after, just don't worry about full charges. Maybe you can only ever get a 70% charge, and that's okay.

flowcyto

cptmillennium wrote: »

Yeah, it's a good advantage and procs surprisingly often, but ideally you'll graduate beyond the need for your energy builder and every shot you take with it is a drain on your DPS.

Except for the Impulse- no energy granting toggle, no EU, only Force Sheath (though that requires it to actually deal enough dmg to get hit in the 1st place). Its actually a pretty damn good adv for that AT, at least.

(poor Impulse..)