Need Help Updating Cyrone's Radiation Build

benoitsean · September 2018

I have been trying to come up with the right radiation build to fit my radiation character. I looked online and found the perfect radiation build that Cyrone came up with for his/her character named Photon Fury. Only problem is that it's really outdated. I want to know if anyone can help me update it or if Cyrone him/herself can help me.

Photon Fury Any / Multiple
v3.11:30

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

Talents
Level 1: The Scourge (Con: 10, Ego: 10, Rec: 10, End: 8)
Level 6: Tireless (Rec: 8)
Level 9: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 12: Enduring (Con: 8)
Level 15: Worldly (Ego: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 18: Indomintable (Ego: 8)
Level 21: Ascetic (Con: 5, Ego: 5)

Powers
Level 1: Power Bolts
Level 1: Power Gauntlet (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Concentration (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 8: Pestilence (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 11: Electric Shield
Level 14: Plasma Beam (Rank 2, Melta Cannon)
Level 17: Thermal Reverberation
Level 20: Flashfire
Level 23: Ball Lightning (Triplicity)
Level 26: Condemn (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 29: Ego Surge (Rank 2, Nimble Mind)
Level 32: Rebirth
Level 35: Energy Storm (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 38: Gigabolt (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Adv. Points: 36/36

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

Specializations
Recovery: Gear Utilization (3/3)
Recovery: Staying Power (2/2)
Recovery: Super Charged (3/3)
Recovery: Second Wind (2/2)
Avenger: Ruthless (2/2)
Avenger: Anguish (2/2)
Avenger: Round 'em Up (1/3)
Avenger: Surprise Attack (2/2)
Avenger: Relentless Assault (3/3)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Initiative (2/2)
Vindicator: The Rush of Battle (3/3)
Vindicator: Focused Strikes (1/3)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (1/3)
Mastery: Recovery Mastery (1/1)

This is what Cyrone says about the build (in his/her own words).

Since there is a lack of a Radiation powerset in Champs, I've decided to make my own Rad themed character utilizing particle damage as the primary damage source.

Radiation (Damage) explained:

Particle Damage - Power Bolts, Power Gauntlet, Plasma Beam, Energy Storm - These are your typical, everyday harmful rads that you hear about. Like gamma radiation.

Particle Damage (DoT) - Plasma Burn - Not everyone is resistant to radiation. Some lose their good health faster than others.

Fire Damage - Flashfire - This here is your thermal radiation.

Electric Damage - Ball Lightning, Electric Shield, Gigabolt - Ionizing Radiation. For when you need to charge some particles.

Toxic Damage - Condemn (graphics) - Concentrated radioactive blast.

Toxic Damage (DoT) - Pestilence, Deadly Poison - This here is your radiation sickness. Might want to get that glow looked at.

Brief run down:

This character is, by design, *supposed* to get weaker as the fight goes on. Just like an irradiated area loses its radioactivity over a period of time, this character loses damage potential over time.

This is remedied by having Recovery Primary, Thermal Reverb and Flashfire.

Get yourself back into the fight by firing a couple hits of the energy builder and/or snapping a Flashfire and standing in the burning glory.

Highest critical chance possible is when your energy is 90% or more, enemy health is 90% or more and you use Ego Surge. This is why damage goes down during combat. Enemy health goes down? Lose crit chance. Energy goes down? Lose crit chance. Ego Surge on Cooldown? No crit chance.

I find it to be a fun build and had a blast leveling it up. Hope you all enjoy.

Keep your eyes on that geiger counter, people. Tick-tick-tickety means run your **** out of there.

(Current gear set up is for increased crit severity on Offense, +defense on Defense and balanced on Utility.)

I would like to keep the build pretty much how it was intended with just a few changes (mainly replacing Ego Surge since it no longer works with just any build). Thank you all for helping me with this.

flowcyto · September 2018

Eh, the build sacrifices too much efficiency in the name of a rigid conceptualization for me to recommend it. Rec PSS isn't a great spec tree overall, and the slotted passive doesn't buff the majority of the attacks here. The build also doesn't have a strong single-target attack, has redundant AoE, wastes ranks on the toggle/form (could go to things like the block enhancer), and mixes one slotted PA attack w/ other attacks (have to deal w/ lockouts and delays when using it). Energy Storm isn't a very good ult, the build is weak in heals or defenses, and you'd prob want a diff self-res now than Rebirth. TReverb also scales mostly w/ End.

He built that character specifically to be weaker w/ less energy and less enemy health (though the only normal attack that can proc Surprise Attack is Power Gauntlet here), which is a pretty heavy self-imposed limitation. Also wouldn't expect nearly as high burst crit w/ the ES/NM nerf.

Its still workable in casual content (though most builds are). You're free to try it, if you really want.

deadman20 · September 2018

Photon Fury Any / Multiple
v3.11:30

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

Talents
Level 1: The Scourge (Con: 10, Ego: 10, Rec: 10, End: 8)
Level 6: Field Ops Training (Con: 3, Int: 3, Ego: 3, Rec: 2, End: 2)
Level 9: Survival Training (Dex: 3, Con: 3, Pre: 3, Rec: 2, End: 2)
Level 12: Ascetic (Con: 5, Ego: 5)
Level 15: Worldly (Ego: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 18: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 21: Daredevil (Ego: 5, End: 5)

Powers
Level 1: Power Bolts
Level 1: Concussor Beam (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Concentration
Level 8: Electric Form (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 11: Ionic Reverberation
Level 14: Ball Lightning (Triplicity)
Level 17: Chest Laser (Rank 2, Melta Cannon)
Level 20: Eye Beam (Rank 2, 20/20 Fission)
Level 23: Electrical Siphon (Rank 2)
Level 26: Ice Sheath (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 29: Electric Shield (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Neuroelectric Pulse (Recharge)
Level 35: Storm Strike (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 38: Thundering Return
Adv. Points: 36/36

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

Specializations
Ego: Force of Will (2/2)
Ego: Insight (1/3)
Ego: Aggression (2/2)
Ego: Follow Through (2/3)
Ego: Sixth Sense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Offensive Expertise (2/2)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Guardian: Locus (2/2)
Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
Guardian: Find the Mark (3/3)
Mastery: Ego Mastery (1/1)

--

I opted to try for a bit more of a concentrated build primarily focusing on Energy damage types instead of moving all over the place with Particle, Electricity, Toxic and Fire. That sort of situation may work out well on a tank or healer since their damage types only matter if they utilize a Debuffing effect. Here, it's primarily Particle damage with Electricity sprinkled in. It's basically a Beam PA build with some interesting amount of sustained damage and residual self-healing. To me, I wanted to focus less on the side-effects of radiation's destructive nature (burning, mutating, sickness) and more on its immediate impact (atomic/ionic discharge, plasma damage). It's just a shame PA doesn't have more variety in traditional attacks instead of being highly toggle-focused.

Some things can be swapped out for others, Ionic Reverb could be Overdrive if you think it would work out better. Ego Surge has been replaced with Ice Sheath. Think of that one like quickly releasing coolant to ensure performance. Yes, it uses a Guardicator setup, but it serves nicely as a ranged vanguard particularly with the way the Electricity passive heals over time. It'll be an energy hog. Thankfully, the Electricity passive is also a nice performance booster there. Neuroelectric Pulse helps too, if you have it available.

If all works out well, I'd give it a 4/5 on Damage, 3/5 on Survivability. Anyway, that's my take on things. Hope the insight helps.

riverocean · September 2018

A lot of people are going to look at the original build and not get what makes it work.

I ran it on a old character for long time and here's the gist.

Plasma Beam + Pestilence is borderline OP.

I'm not sure why that combo is as effective as it is.. but it melts mobs very quickly. And it's pretty much the heart of the build. Also Pestilence + Flash Fire isn't bad either. Watching those damage tics ramp up is very addictive and satisfying.

If I were to run that build now, I'd swap out Ego Surge for another AO. Dump Condemn for a Self Heal, and swap in Masterful Dodge over Resurgence. Energy Storm was OK, but the build does so much crazy AOE damage as it is, you never really ever get to use it.

Cyrone did explain to me why Pestilence works so well with Plasma Beam, but I can't find his post about that.

flowcyto · September 2018

Borderline OP? Huh.. trying it out in the PH now (same Rec PSS setup and specs) and I don't really see it. Maybe it lost its magic w/ all the power revamps?

It can apply Pestilence's DoT from ranged at a rapid pace in AoE if you swing Plasma Beam around, which can be fun. But the actual tick dmg isn't anything standout since there's not as many dmg bonuses going for all of it. Getting up in there w/ Epidemic is going to melt mobs quite faster (can prob even do better w/ Venom Breath or Condemn). Plasma Beam's dmg isn't as standout when used alone, since its intended to be run w/ other PA slots.

magpieuk2014 · September 2018

Plasma Beam's tick rate got changed in the last PA revamp. I think it went from 0.1 seconds to 0.25, so if the idea was to use PB to apply Poison DoT effects from Pestilence..... that's quite a big hit.

flowcyto · September 2018

Yea, perhaps it was causing the passive to register Pestilence dmg each 0.1 sec tick of PBeam before? That's only way I could think of it getting out of whack, though it doesn't seem like that sort of behavior from Pestilence's DoT is the case w/ PBeam now anyways.

benoitsean · September 2018

Hey thanks guys, I really appreciate it. I was thinking about it and decided to make an electric build with Pestilence as the passive. Basically pure ionic radiation. I used deadman20's SS's, Talents, and Specializations but changed Offensive Expertise to Focused Strikes so it can work with Lightning Arc. This is the build I decided on.

Photon Fury Any / Multiple
v3.11:30

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

Talents
Level 1: The Scourge (Con: 10, Ego: 10, Rec: 10, End: 8)
Level 6: Field Ops Training (Con: 3, Int: 3, Ego: 3, Rec: 2, End: 2)
Level 9: Survival Training (Dex: 3, Con: 3, Pre: 3, Rec: 2, End: 2)
Level 12: Ascetic (Con: 5, Ego: 5)
Level 15: Worldly (Ego: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 18: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 21: Daredevil (Ego: 5, End: 5)

Powers
Level 1: Electric Bolt
Level 1: Electrical Current (Rank 2, Unlimited Power!)
Level 6: Ionic Reverberation
Level 8: Pestilence (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 11: Power Source
Level 14: Ball Lightning (Rank 2, Triplicity)
Level 17: Lightning Arc (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Sparkstorm (Electric Personality)
Level 23: Electrical Siphon
Level 26: Ice Sheath (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 29: Electric Shield (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Lightning Storm (Stolen Thunder)
Level 35: Storm Summoner (Rank 2, Particle Storm)
Level 38: Thundering Return
Adv. Points: 36/36

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

Specializations
Ego: Force of Will (2/2)
Ego: Insight (1/3)
Ego: Aggression (2/2)
Ego: Follow Through (2/3)
Ego: Sixth Sense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Focused Strikes (2/3)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Guardian: Locus (2/2)
Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
Guardian: Find the Mark (3/3)
Mastery: Ego Mastery (1/1)

What do you all think?

flowcyto · September 2018

Eh, you still have the general issue of Pestilence not boosting any dmg from your attacks- just applying the DoT dmg. The DoT is nice, but overall it may not make up for the lost dmg bonus all around.

Sadly, Pestilence's dmg boost only applies to Toxic and Slashing dmg atm (and to poison or bleed stacking w/ -resist). If Pestilence is a must-have for the build, then I may retool it to having mostly Toxic and/or Slashing attacks.

-
Other option is using Fiery Form and going for a mostly Fire/Elemental styled build, since Fiery Form also damages enemies close to you (though not at ranged when attacking something, unlike Pestilence), and can apply CF to any attackers. You'd want to play close up for that:

Unstable Bomb Ranged Damage
v3.11:30

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

Talents
Level 1: The Scourge (Con: 10, Ego: 10, Rec: 10, End: 8)
Level 6: Ascetic (Con: 5, Ego: 5)
Level 9: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 12: Worldly (Ego: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 15: Daredevil (Ego: 5, End: 5)
Level 18: Boundless Reserves (Con: 5, End: 5)
Level 21: Amazing Stamina (Rec: 5, End: 5)

Powers
Level 1: Throw Fire
Level 1: Fireball (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Fiery Form (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 8: Fiery Will
Level 11: Thermal Reverberation
Level 14: Pyre (Rank 2, Burning Sun)
Level 17: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Flashfire (Rank 2, Fan the Flames)
Level 23: Resurgence (Rank 2)
Level 26: Lightning Strike
Level 29: Fire Snake (Rank 2, Trail Blazer)
Level 32: Electric Shield (Rank 2)
Level 35: Immolation (Blazing Body)
Level 38: Thundering Return
Adv. Points: 32/36

Travel Powers
Level 6:
Level 35:

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

(edited to remove the adv from the lunge, since you won't usually have Negative Ions up here)
Trying a diff approach to the normal ranged Fire build that uses Incinerate.

Dive in w/ the lunge (and pop Immolation if you have it), charge up a Pyre for the healing rune and initial patch, drop Firesnake and Flashfire, then spam Fireball in the enemy's face. Can hit pretty hard, and does a pretty good job of melting things that are too close. More scattered enemies can be AoE'd w/ Pyre's wide pbAoE, and Pyre can be charged to proc TReverb and Fiery Will at any time. Pyre can also have the knock adv, if you want more CC, though it'll do less dmg then. Can also play pretty competently at ranged w/ Firesnake, Flashfire, and Fireball filler.

Added some Electricity powers to broaden the theme, and since they can cover some utility w/o much concern that their dmg isn't affected by ur passive. If you have FF/Gold, maybe color the powers green or yellow for fun. Gears mostly for Rec, w/ some Con and Ego.

benoitsean · September 2018

Hmm... This looks interesting, Flow. I will definitely try this build out. Thanks a lot. You're awesome.

riverocean · September 2018

magpieuk2014 wrote: »

Plasma Beam's tick rate got changed in the last PA revamp. I think it went from 0.1 seconds to 0.25, so if the idea was to use PB to apply Poison DoT effects from Pestilence..... that's quite a big hit.

flowcyto wrote: »

Yea, perhaps it was causing the passive to register Pestilence dmg each 0.1 sec tick of PBeam before? That's only way I could think of it getting out of whack, though it doesn't seem like that sort of behavior from Pestilence's DoT is the case w/ PBeam now anyways.

Yeah. I'm going to assume the old Photon Fury build doesn't really work like it did before. I can't seem to find the thread where Cyrone discussed pairing the Pestilence Passive with non-infernal frameworks. I do recall Pestilence and Plasma Beam ticking insanely fast. Also, something about mixed damage types overcoming mob defenses quickly. But that was a few years back. I think we can assume that after various updates those old builds are no longer viable. It was fun while it lasted.

theravenforce · September 2018

A lot of older builds need updating to the new building types and powers we have in CO now.

Having worked with Cyrone's Photon Fury in combat...I can definitely say it was very crazy, literally melted things like no mans business.

I'm sure if Cyrone (or anyone really) wanted...they could find a way to make it a reality again.

yannbios · September 2018

Ya tried it today on pts...no bueno. Like flow stated..toxic or slashing only

Need Help Updating Cyrone's Radiation Build

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