Looking for help with Nova Boy v.4: Energy Storm, "Hand Blaster" Megaman-ish tank

ogremindes

I'm working on a new version of Nova Boy, my Mega Man inspired robot boy. His present build is an oddball mix of melee and ranged powers to try to capture the feel of having all those distinct weapons Mega Man has. I'm now thinking of remaking him as a ranged tank build, and given the mixed powers I want to use, it seems like an interesting idea to try and get good work out of Energy Storm, but still limiting myself to powers that fit my theme, robot, tech-based, with powers projecting from the hands or chest. I'm also wondering if I can make one of the Reverb energy unlocks work.

This is what I'm thinking, first draft:

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name: Nova Boy 4.0

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats: Damage, health and energy management. Not 100% sure on PSS End. Alternatives are PSS Int or SSS Rec
Level 6: Endurance (Primary)
Level 10: Ego (Secondary)
Level 15: Constitution (Secondary)

Talents: Normal SS-based set, with a little Rec.
Level 1: The Void
Level 6: Daredevil
Level 9: Boundless Reserves
Level 12: Ascetic
Level 15: Field Ops Training
Level 18: Wordly
Level 21: Quick Recovery

Powers:
Level 1: Power Bolts EB
Level 1: Rocket Punch (Rank 2, Rank 3, Blast Wave)Fun, robot-y, fills prereqs. Probably should be something with Crippling Challenge, though.
Level 6: Concentration Ranged build.
Level 8: Force Shield (Force Sheathe)Useful advantage.
Level 11: Invulnerability (Rank 2, Rank 3) Tank passive
Level 14: Pyre (Rank 2, Backdraft, Challenging Strikes) PbAoE, chance for Clinging Flames.
Level 17: Molecular Self-AssemblyEnergy Unlock, not sure if I can get away with one of the Reverb powers instead.
Level 20: Typhoon (Rank 2, Cold Front, Ionic Discharge) Chance for Chill, interacts with Negative Ions. Animation's not really my favorite for this concept, but not too far off.
Level 23: Masterful Dodge Just in case.
Level 26: Rimefire Burst (Rank 2, Rank 3) Applies Chill and Clinging Flames, Also interacts with them.
Level 29: Ball Lightning (Rank 2, Triplicity) Chance for Negative Ions, Supplemental damage. Doesn't fit my theme quite as well as I would like, but the only other electric power I liked the look of, Thunderstrike, felt redundant.
Level 32: Bountiful Chi Resurgence (Rank 2, Resurgent Reiki)Self heal, interacts with Masterful Dodge.
Level 35: Energy Storm (Rank 2, Rank 3) Interacts with Chill, Clinging Flames and Negative Ions.
Level 38: Lock N Load Hold breaker.

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Hyper Ball
Level 35: Rocket Jump (Rank 2)

Specializations:Guardicator with End PSS. Could swap Outburst with Power Overwhelming if my energy doesn't tend towards max. Power Overwhelming would feed the Off/Def loop, after all.
Endurance: Readiness (3/3)
Endurance: Gear Utilization (3/3)
Endurance: Outburst (3/3)
Endurance: Power Overwhelming (1/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Modified Gear (2/2)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Guardian: Locus (2/2)
Guardian: Find the Mark (2/3)
Guardian: The Best Defense (3/3)
Mastery: Endurance Mastery (1/1)

flowcyto

I dun really consider Energy Storm worth the hassle or wind-up, but if ur set on using it, then the build looks okay for it overall. It seems strange to me to take End PSS and MSA, but skip on Int SS entirely. Ya could try INT/End/Con or INT/Dex/Con or something similar, in that case.

cyrone

The only good effect you can get from draining foes with Energy Storm, in my opinion, is the Severity increase on crit from chill effects.

ogremindes

flowcyto wrote: »

I dun really consider Energy Storm worth the hassle or wind-up, but if ur set on using it, then the build looks okay for it overall. It seems strange to me to take End PSS and MSA, but skip on Int SS entirely. Ya could try INT/End/Con or INT/Dex/Con or something similar, in that case.

cyrone wrote: »

The only good effect you can get from draining foes with Energy Storm, in my opinion, is the Severity increase on crit from chill effects.

It occurs that the build doesn't really take advantage of crit sev. Bringing in primary Ego or secondary Dex would sort that out.

For my energy unlock, I'm wondering if there's a reliable way to keep Thermal or Ionic reverb rolling while sticking with theme. If not, I probably really do need Int for MSA and Concentration.

Following is the second draft of the build. Int/Dex/Con Super Stats, and swapping Rocket Punch for Ice Blast are the main changes. With Ice Blast in for chill, I could possibly swap Typhoon and Ball Lightning for Thunderstrike or Gigabolt and another temp summon (Dust Devil maybe?).

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name: Nova Boy 4.0

Archetype: Freeform

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

Talents: Because of Enlightened I went for a wider range of stats here, with an emphasis on End for Preparation.
Level 1: The Glacier
Level 6: Field Ops Training
Level 9: Survival Training
Level 12: Command Training
Level 15: Sniper Training
Level 18: Investigator
Level 21: Accurate

Powers:
Level 1: Force Bolts
Level 1: Ice Blast (Hard Frost, Crippling Challenge)
Level 6: Force Shield (Force Sheathe)
Level 8: Concentration
Level 11: Invulnerability (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 14: Pyre (Rank 2, Backdraft, Challenging Strikes)
Level 17: Molecular Self-Assembly
Level 20: Ball Lightning (Rank 2, Triplicity)
Level 23: Masterful Dodge
Level 26: Typhoon (Rank 2, Cold Front, Ionic Discharge)
Level 29: Rimefire Burst (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Bountiful Chi Resurgence (Rank 2, Resurgent Reiki)
Level 35: Energy Storm (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 38: Electric Sheath

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Rocket Jump (Rank 2)
Level 35: Hyper Ball

Specializations:
Intelligence: Preparation (2/2)
Intelligence: Enlightened (3/3)
Intelligence: Detect Vulnerability (3/3)
Intelligence: Expertise (2/2)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Modified Gear (2/2)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Guardian: Locus (2/2)
Guardian: Find the Mark (2/3)
Guardian: The Best Defense (3/3)
Mastery: Intelligence Mastery (1/1)

Addendum: On second thoughts, I don't want to have more than 2 powers that apply Chill. I want to have each attack to have a distinct colour, and Chill (or rather, it's Ice Cage effect) really needs to be blue (I reckon I can get two sufficiently distinct blues). Typhoon has grown on me, so maybe something from electric? Then again, I with Chain Lightning out because it doesn't fit theme, I don't think there's a power I could use with both Negative Ions and Crippling Challenge.

flowcyto

cyrone wrote: »

The only good effect you can get from draining foes with Energy Storm, in my opinion, is the Severity increase on crit from chill effects.

Yeah that combined w/ the hit additional target effect (I think it was from NI) are prob the best ya can get from Energy Storm, since the AoE from CF is a small radius, and Force's takes using holds that raise enemy dmgRes and iirc don't work on bosses

Addendum: On second thoughts, I don't want to have more than 2 powers that apply Chill. I want to have each attack to have a distinct colour, and Chill (or rather, it's Ice Cage effect) really needs to be blue (I reckon I can get two sufficiently distinct blues). Typhoon has grown on me, so maybe something from electric? Then again, I with Chain Lightning out because it doesn't fit theme, I don't think there's a power I could use with both Negative Ions and Crippling Challenge.

Well, Ice Blast is nice here for its dps, but Rocket Punch was good too (less for the dps, more for the theme). Force Blast could work as well, if ya want a CripC power and less Ice attacks in there.

ogremindes

flowcyto wrote: »

Yeah that combined w/ the hit additional target effect (I think it was from NI) are prob the best ya can get from Energy Storm, since the AoE from CF is a small radius, and Force's takes using holds that raise enemy dmgRes and iirc don't work on bosses



Well, Ice Blast is nice here for its dps, but Rocket Punch was good too (less for the dps, more for the theme). Force Blast could work as well, if ya want a CripC power and less Ice attacks in there.

Maybe if I go as far towards purple as I can while still being blue with one, and into the turquoises with another I can get one in between... for me the alternative seems to be Throw Fire. Sadly Rocket Punch apparently said no to CCs.

Still haven't entirely decided between Typhoon and Gigabolt. I think Typhoon fits the build better but Gigabolt fits the theme better.

ogremindes

Tinkered with the build a little more. Settled on Gigabolt simply because Typhoon is more spectacular than what is ostensibly my ultimate attack. Well, that and Gigabolt fits theme a bit better.

Last decision is Ball Lightning vs Dust Devil. I like the idea of the build covering the breadth of Energy Projector, and DD does have 2 power interactions going for it. But I suspect that Gigabolt is not a very reliable way of proccing Negative Ions and that Triplicity Ball Lightning is.

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name: Nova Boy 4.0

Archetype: Freeform

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

Talents:
Level 1: The Glacier
Level 6: Field Ops Training
Level 9: Survival Training
Level 12: Command Training
Level 15: Sniper Training
Level 18: Investigator
Level 21: Accurate

Powers:
Level 1: Force Bolts
Level 1: Ice Blast (Hard Frost, Crippling Challenge)
Level 6: Force Shield (Force Sheathe)
Level 8: Concentration
Level 11: Molecular Self-Assembly
Level 14: Pyre (Rank 2, Backdraft, Challenging Strikes)
Level 17: Bountiful Chi Resurgence (Rank 2, Resurgent Reiki)
Level 20: Rimefire Burst (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 23: Invulnerability (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 26: Gigabolt (Rank 2, Death Arc)
Level 29: Masterful Dodge
Level 32: Dust Devil (Rank 2, Triple Threat)
Level 35: Energy Storm (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 38: Electric Sheath

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Rocket Jump (Rank 2)
Level 35: Hyper Ball

Specializations:
Intelligence: Preparation (2/2)
Intelligence: Enlightened (3/3)
Intelligence: Detect Vulnerability (3/3)
Intelligence: Expertise (2/2)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Guardian: Locus (2/2)
Guardian: Find the Mark (2/3)
Guardian: The Best Defense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Modified Gear (2/2)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Mastery: Intelligence Mastery (1/1)