Help with character concept: Sacrifice

gurugeorge

I have an idea for a toon, called "Sacrifice", whose NeatTrick is that she is at her most powerful when she dies and is reborn.

I'm a returning player (last time on 2013) so haven't kept up with whatever changes there have been. I recall starting the idea for this toon using some combination of Rebirth and the sorcery power that revives you instantly (so there's two version of "coming back to life, one more powerful, one less powerful). But I've no idea where to start, or how viable it is.

My thought is that it would need to have two "phases", one where she's weak enough to be killed pretty quickly, and another when she's got a period of being hard as nails and powerful when she's been reborn. Playstyle would maybe be to teleport into a bunch of mobs, be killed, then be reborn in a blaze of glory and power.

Also, I want it to look spectacular, like a Phoenix reborn type of thing. (I was thinking Pestilence and the Toxic stuff might figure in in some way - but is it possible to negate the "cloud of flies" graphic? I'd like something more etherial and dark magic looking if poss.)

It's probably a tall order to make something like this that's viable, but any ideas or pointers greatly appreciated!

TIA

flowcyto

Main issue w/ this concept, aside from centering around player death, is that in terms of gameplay there's problems w/ recovery- death and recovery means you have to renew ur toggle and travel power, which kinda kill the mood of getting back on ur feet w/ full gusto and in a glorious fashion. Also, ofc, there's certain content that locks you out on-death.. and though that content is the vast minority, it'd all depend what you plan on tackling.

Easiest way to make it really seem like ur bouncing back is to use Ascension- gives ya a temp travel power, has an awesome animation that's very fitting, and gives ya a bonus heal (and small dmg) buff for a short time (can also heal ur ghoul buds).

In order to die easily, you'll prob need the baseline build to be squishy- but supplement it w/ active defenses to make it seem like ur indomitable for a short time after recovery. That pretty much means the MD + Unbreakable rotation. both AD's last 18 sec each, can can be used in succession for a >half-minute window of power. You'll want some burst dps moves ya can call on during this time to make it seem like ur even more potent.

Here's one way to try for this (not a leveling build as is; more or less just threw powers in as they seemed appropriate):

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

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

Talents:
Level 1: The Void
Level 6: Field Ops Training
Level 9: Healthy Mind
Level 12: Ascetic
Level 15: Academics
Level 18: Quick Recovery
Level 21: Negotiator

Powers:
Level 1: Strafe
Level 1: Quarry (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Concentration
Level 8: Void Shift (Emerging Nightmares)
Level 11: Molecular Self-Assembly
Level 14: Epidemic (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 17: Circle of Radiant Glory
Level 20: Rebirth (Rank 2, Grave Consequences)
Level 23: Ascension (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 26: Rimefire Burst (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 29: Masterful Dodge
Level 32: Unbreakable (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Sonic Device (Rank 2, Deafening Dissolution)
Level 38: Mind Link (Rank 2, Aggression Inhibitor)

Travel Powers:
Level 6:
Level 35:

Specializations:
Ego: Force of Will (2/2)
Ego: Insight (3/3)
Ego: Follow Through (3/3)
Ego: Sixth Sense (2/3)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (2/3)
Guardian: Locus (1/2)
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: Offensive Expertise (2/2)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Mastery: Ego Mastery (1/1)

Quarry w/ Int gearing will help shorten ur cd timers, grant ya more energy from MSA, more energy/dmg from Concentration, and Audacity will mean you'll have decent Ego as well. I threw in Mind Link cause it seemed the most fitting ultimate, and its special adv can give ya extra mitigation should the MD/Unbreakable cycle run out and ya want something to bridge it.

Added in Rimefire just so ya have something bursty to throw out. It or Mind Link could be replaced for other cds like Sonic Device, TK Maelstrom, or Mental Storm, or w/e- depending on prefs.

For single-target or boss dps, and when ya dun want to abide by the theme as much for practicality (or groups), ya can just channel Epidemic while using the cd powers for MSA. The dps won't be great, but will still be decent enough.

Prob other ways to go about it, but hope this helped give you some ideas.

gurugeorge

Billiant, that's great food for thought, thanks!

Actually, coincidentally, while I'm camped in the Powerhouse trying things out, I was looking at Taco's "Atomic Angel" build elsewhere on here, the Strength pss version, and I had an inkling that would be the right area, so I was trying that out, basically just substituting Rebirth for his Unbreakable. What you've posted here is not too dissimilar (except Quarry v Pestilence, but the Int ss/MSA combo and the Sonic Device/Epidemic trick are the same). I think this is definitely the right area, just need to play around and refine to taste for flavour!

Trying it out in the Powerhouse (Demon Hard 5-man), I can either play it straight as a DoT monster, or do the "trick" for fun, it's really cool (basically popping Ascension after Rebirth gives the requisite "rising in glory" oomph - I also have Phoenix Flight so there's a kind of thematic continuity with the aetherial wing thing, and smooth transition to travel power on). (For amusement's sake, I also have tunnelling as secondary travel power, so I can sort of be "in the grave" and pop out with Phoenix Flight )

Actually as CON and INT seem to be de rigeur for the build as sss, could you go into the merits and demerits of STR vs. EGO pss? STR seems good for being like a rock against some CC so good for being in the thick of the action, but EGO I guess has the extra ranged damage.

flowcyto

Yeah, it does bear some resemblance to Taco's build atm- which itself is quite good for AoE grinding.

gurugeorge wrote: »

Actually as CON and INT seem to be de rigeur for the build as sss, could you go into the merits and demerits of STR vs. EGO pss? STR seems good for being like a rock against some CC so good for being in the thick of the action, but EGO I guess has the extra ranged damage.

Well I choose Ego PSS here specifically for 2 reasons: Quarry's Audacity (more Ego from Int gearing naturally), and so Mind Link would be more powerful (ofc Mind Link itself is optional- just threw it in for thematic reasons). Its also a good PSS tree overall for dps, cause its crit-related choices also help w/ self-heals and any melee powers (if you want any). Ofc, since those two choices aren't set in stone for the concept ya can always change the stat focus.

Str PSS is a really good alternative. Ego PSS would be more dps (and higher crit healing%) and less energy use on ranged powers in a build like this, but Str PSS has more defense (and offense) avail via Juggernaut and The Best Defense + Aggressive Stance, and also gives ya some innate knock resist that Ego lacks.

gurugeorge

Great, thanks for that.

I'm really enjoying catching up to your posts here, your knowledge seems really solid and you explain it really clearly - reminds me of the old Pulsewave stuff

flowcyto

I have my foibles as a builder and poster here, certainly, but thanks for the note of support 8)

I am a bit curious how such an unconventional playstyle will fare in practice. Only have conjecture to rely on atm, but I hope ya can make it work for you somehow. If ya put the concept into play and want to tune it more based on those experiences, just let us/me know.

gurugeorge

OK, I'm going to try a blend of the your build and Taco's. Sticking with the Pestilence route rather than Quarry (and imagining the dark-blue painted toxic damage as just some kind of dark magic stuff), but going the EGO pss route of your build and adding Mind Link (which I LOVE thematically). I'm losing out on the extra healy stuff from Taco's build (Conviction and BCR), and the extra toughness from going down the Strength route, so this is more squishy and risky, but that fits the theme. Just have to play it well!


PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name: Sacrifice

Archetype: Freeform

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

Talents:
Level 1: The Void
Level 6: Field Ops Training
Level 9: Healthy Mind
Level 12: Ascetic
Level 15: Academics
Level 18: Quick Recovery
Level 21: Negotiator

Powers:
Level 1: Infernal Bolts
Level 1: Devour Essence (Phlebotomist)
Level 6: Pestilence (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 8: Epidemic (Rank 2, Outbreak)
Level 11: Sonic Device (Deafening Dissolution)
Level 14: Mind Link (Rank 2, Aggression Inhibitor)
Level 17: Molecular Self-Assembly
Level 20: Aspect of the Infernal (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 23: Rebirth (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 26: Ascension (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 29: Defile (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Masterful Dodge
Level 35: Unbreakable
Level 38: Ego Surge (Rank 2, Nimble Mind)

Travel Powers:
Level 6:
Level 35:

Specializations:
Ego: Force of Will (2/2)
Ego: Insight (3/3)
Ego: Follow Through (3/3)
Ego: Sixth Sense (2/3)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (2/3)
Guardian: Locus (1/2)
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: Offensive Expertise (2/2)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Mastery: Ego Mastery (1/1)

(On checking this I realize I should probably rank up Unbreakable, probably don't need Rank 2 in Ego Surge or Rank 3 in Ascension.)

flowcyto

Pestilence would be a fine passive for that build, since its mostly using Toxic dmg powers anyways. DE can effectively replace a regular heal like Conviction or BCR, but ya have to be careful about its melee-only range, and you'll need MSA energy to help power it since it can't proc either Concentration-granting toggle. An alternative is using Supernatural Power instead of MSA, but then you'd want some Rec and End gearing.

Yeah, I would rank up Unbreakable at least once; MD is best left unranked, though.

To free up some more adv points, ya generally don't want to rank up most toggles (including Aspect of the Infernal) since ranks only boost the stacks you start w/ (and it should be pretty easy to build up and hit the max 8 stacks).

I think you mentioned that ya didn't want the 'circling flies' visual aura, yea? Well, that comes from Aspect of the Infernal. Ya could take Concentration instead if that's bothersome- it'd still work w/ the build, but won't stack as quickly as AotI's version w/ Epidemic and Defile.

Otherwise, aura graphics were separated from their slotted passives (not toggles or other sources) a while ago- ya can now use any Legacy Aura ya want (ex. Seraphim's visual effect, but using Pestilence as the passive). In case ya didn't know about this yet: you get a free one-time use & BoP token that you can use at the 'new' Aura vendors near the tailors in Ren Cen (they cycle through the ones on the list, so ya can preview them). Other (non-free) auras are also avail by various means now.

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flowcyto

Yeah he mentioned using Phoenix Flight (and tunneling). Its a good idea. Seems there's ample means in the game to confer this sort of theme.

I may try out a Fire+Celestial build sometime. The concept is cool enough and the abilities and costume ideas are there. I'd prob tint all the powers blue, though, just cause I like blue fire :x

something like..
PowerHouse (Link to this build)

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

Talents:
Level 1: The Invincible
Level 6: Healthy Mind
Level 9: Boundless Reserves
Level 12: Investigator
Level 15: Acrobat
Level 18: Coordinated
Level 21: Accurate

Powers:
Level 1: Throw Fire
Level 1: Thermal Reverberation
Level 6: Fire Shield (Rank 2)
Level 8: Quarry (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 11: Concentration
Level 14: Pyre (Rank 2, Backdraft)
Level 17: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Flashfire (Sweltering Heat)
Level 23: Celestial Conduit (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 26: Ascension (Rank 2)
Level 29: Expulse (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Rimefire Burst (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Rebirth
Level 38: Unbreakable (Rank 2, Rank 3)

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Phoenix Flight (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Blazing Speed

Specializations:
Intelligence: Preparation (2/2)
Intelligence: Enlightened (3/3)
Intelligence: Detect Vulnerability (3/3)
Intelligence: Expertise (2/2)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
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: Focused Strikes (2/3)
Vindicator: Offensive Expertise (2/2)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (1/3)
Mastery: Intelligence Mastery (1/1)

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flowcyto

bluegrassbeast wrote: »

You could even slip a few Infernal powers in there too; tinted to match the fire effects blue infernal does look a bit like "holy wrath."

And Empathic Healing could fit the look too, colored properly.

Mhm, some of Infernal SN's stuff could work too. Infernal Blast + Defile's debuff can be fine options for dps (counting DP's DoT at 10 stacks) that are also good w/ tinting and the theme in general.

Empathic does have that cauterizing style look when used on someone else, yea. Though I should note that I included Conduit in that build primarily for dps via tap-spamming. If I were to make it more of a group support I'd prob use AoPM w/ Hybrid role and somewhat diff powers (esp including an ally res).