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Forums > Home› Power Discussion

Form of the Swordsman, Way of the Warrior, and Heavy Weapons?

sedaileysedailey Posts: 34 Arc User
in Power Discussion
Does Form of the Swordsman do anything for Heavy Weapons? Initially I thought it might, but since it's crushing damage (instead of slashing damage) I'm guessing there is no bleed so no Focus?


Would Way of the Warrior be the way to go with Heavy Weapons?

Best Answer

  • flowcytoflowcyto Posts: 12,858 Arc User
    edited January 2019 Answer ✓
    Yea, I get what you mean by effectiveness vs. character concept. Its pretty much the normal struggle of anyone not just gunning for a min-max build- ie. balancing theme w/ practicality in regards to CO's combat and content. Sometimes there just isn't a simple answer and you need to cut things out for a build to be workable, or accept that CO just can't do some character concepts well, and you suspend your disbelief enough to make a satisfactory build anyways.

    You mentioned beams, though, and Incinerate is a fine pick for that visually ofc. Wall of Ice isn't really a beam or a blast, and FC is just a big scattering blast. I may consider Ice Blast and Force Blast instead, as compromises. Problem then is that Blasts (the formal attack type in CO) are kinda weak dps and there's little to no practical reason to have more than one in a build (when even one isn't often considered due to their lower dps), and Ice Blast is still just for theme as it can't proc Enrage or TReverb, or provide a debuff that's useful to the rest of the build. Even then, FC is extremely expensive vs Force Blast too, so at least w/ the blast you could use a Force attack that doesn't bottom out most of your energy each time.

    Its interesting that you put Challenge on Incinerate, though. I guess you want the ability to off-tank? If so, its fine to put it on a power you wouldn't normally use, but just keep in mind that using Incinerate when you don't want to try to tank will add extra threat (and Incinerate obv won't proc Enrage and/or TReverb by itself, so you'd have to throw in things like Eruption on cd or Eruption + Arc for that).

    If you wanted a bare-knuckle attack w/o using an invis weapon skin, you could just take R3 Haymaker in Might instead of Annihilate. It won't be quite as ideal when mixed w/ Heavy Weapons, but it still fills the same role of being the heavy single-target attack.
    <CO stuff> .: Petco :. // A basic FF building guide (see 1st reply) // PSA on Power Activation Delay // Ayonachan's Gift Horse (misc stat data)
    - Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!

Answers

  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    Heavy Weapons has one attack that randomly applies bleeds ( Skewer ) so FotS isn't really a good fit with Heavy Weapons. For now Form of the Tiger works okay ( probably won't once the Fighting Claws update hits ).

    Way of the Warrior will work with Heavy Weapons, but Unstoppable is just a bit more optimal with it. Depends on how much you care about having a bit of dodge on your toon vs having more energy generation.​​
    Squishy DPS builds that can solo QWZ w/videos.
    My super cool CC build and how to use it.
  • sedaileysedailey Posts: 34 Arc User

    spinnytop wrote: »
    Heavy Weapons has one attack that randomly applies bleeds ( Skewer ) so FotS isn't really a good fit with Heavy Weapons. For now Form of the Tiger works okay ( probably won't once the Fighting Claws update hits ).

    Way of the Warrior will work with Heavy Weapons, but Unstoppable is just a bit more optimal with it. Depends on how much you care about having a bit of dodge on your toon vs having more energy generation.​​



    I think I'm leaning toward Form of the Tiger or maybe even Enrage. I've run both Unstoppable and Defiance as slotted passives; I might be using them wrong, but I seem to get more from Defiance. It's a FF jack of all trades sort of character; a little hands on from might + a lot of heavy blade + 3 different flavored beams . . . anything that gives back some energy is a plus.

  • flowcytoflowcyto Posts: 12,858 Arc User
    Well, Defiance and Unstoppable are quite different, since one is a defensive passive and the other a offensive passive. You should mainly be picking between them based on whether you want to be a tank or a dps. You should have ample energy using either, assuming you still have a fitting form and decent stats (Enrage or FotTiger, and Thermal Reverb for Heavy Weapons). Just keep in mind that Enrage scales w/ Strength while FotTiger scales w/ Dex.

    I'm guessing, though, that the 3 diff beams are the hangup in the build. I assume you mean PA's toggles? If so, those won't work well w/ non-PA powers due to lockouts, and most PA stuff won't knock to proc Enrage or Unstoppable's energy. They also are not melee to work w/ FotTiger, nor do they bleed/wound for FotS.
    <CO stuff> .: Petco :. // A basic FF building guide (see 1st reply) // PSA on Power Activation Delay // Ayonachan's Gift Horse (misc stat data)
    - Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
  • sedaileysedailey Posts: 34 Arc User
    edited January 2019
    flowcyto wrote: »
    . . . I'm guessing, though, that the 3 diff beams are the hangup in the build. I assume you mean PA's toggles? If so, those won't work well w/ non-PA powers due to lockouts, and most PA stuff won't knock to proc Enrage or Unstoppable's energy. They also are not melee to work w/ FotTiger, nor do they bleed/wound for FotS.


    My first mistake: trying to recreate an old pen & paper character in CO. =)

    I was going for some Space Ghostesque power bands (multiple beams: heat/ice/force). I went with Fireball, Wall of Ice, and plan on Force Cascade when (if) he makes it to level 32.

    source.gif
    https://media.giphy.com/media/4qOOhHrdJ5iuI/source.gif
  • flowcytoflowcyto Posts: 12,858 Arc User
    I mean.. the only real way to tie those together w/ melee like Heavy Weapons would prob be w/ Form of the Tempest, maybe still using Thermal Reverb. Even then, FotT is still a melee-focused toggle, and is a bit rng cause its crit-based. You def will have energy issues affording Force Cascade too. One of the drawbacks of trying to fit in too many attacks from diff sets in one build is that they won't always work well together, so you may want a narrower focus for combat. The blaster concept could be an entire build in of itself.
    <CO stuff> .: Petco :. // A basic FF building guide (see 1st reply) // PSA on Power Activation Delay // Ayonachan's Gift Horse (misc stat data)
    - Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
  • sedaileysedailey Posts: 34 Arc User
    flowcyto wrote: »
    . . . One of the drawbacks of trying to fit in too many attacks from diff sets in one build is that they won't always work well together, so you may want a narrower focus for combat. The blaster concept could be an entire build in of itself.

    One of the main drawbacks of trying to translate a preexisting character concept into a MMO, the other being that some options just don't exist (i.e. Antman/Atom scale miniaturization or Vision/Martian Manhunter/Flash phasing through walls). :s

    This character was a Jack-of-all-trades/engine of destruction type; wore symbiotic armor that provided a level of invulnerability and heightened strength (tank). He also carried a sentient sword (more tank), and wore bracers that allowed him to fire flame, ice, or plasma/force beams (DPS). His armor would absorb and store a portion of any energy-based attack, so that he could eventually release it in a power orb that detonated with MOAB level force (nigh impossible to simulate).

    In the original, the blasters were always secondary. He was primarily a get your hands dirty bashing and slashing type, but the blasters were there to help him get into bash/slash range. The MOAB was a weapon of last resort that would more than likely take him out as well.

    Not the easiest to translate into a CO build, but I'm hoping to come up with a PVE build that will at least have the style of the original concept . . . and not be so gimped by it that he's unplayable once he gets to the endgame stuff. :)

  • hemslordhemslord Posts: 166 Arc User
    Have you thought about trying Laser Sword? Obviously it depends on the skin you want to go with for the sword but there might be something that tickles your fancy. There are a couple of abilities that could work with the plasma beams idea but you would still need to fill in the ice & fire powers.

    I'm not sure where you could turn to for the MOAB concept. I'd suggest using Energy Wave as a way of your character smashing the power orb into the ground but you would probably want something that hits harder, follow it up with Meltdown maybe (I've no idea what the animation looks like on this one mind).
  • flowcytoflowcyto Posts: 12,858 Arc User
    Well, in that case you can take R3 Invulnerability as a passive and make a hybrid-dps build. Strength is mostly a dps stat in CO, and wielding a sword wouldn't really imply a role focus as much as govern what type of attacks you'd use. Also, in CO using blaster style attacks wouldn't mostly be there to get enemies in range as much as just give you an option to attack from range. You could use something like TK Wave, though, which has an adv that can pull enemies in to you. Unleashed Rage could be the 'detonation' style ability for a close-range nuke, as long as you take Enrage as the toggle for it to do good dmg.

    https://aesica.net/co/herocreator.htm?v=30&n=&d=11340WbAMBPE00000091009D019A03H804H2057G00H90CH700K503HE05ON01FJ091L00JO032jN742iK2MGB20000000000&e=

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

    Talents
    Level 1: The Devastator (Str: 10, Con: 10, Rec: 10, End: 8)
    Level 6: Covert Ops Training (Str: 3, Dex: 3, Con: 3, Int: 3)
    Level 9: Physical Conditioning (Str: 5, Con: 5)
    Level 12: Healthy Mind (Con: 5, Int: 5)
    Level 15: Body and Mind (Str: 5, Int: 5)
    Level 18: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)
    Level 21: Relentless (Str: 5, Rec: 5)

    Powers
    Level 1: Power Bolts
    Level 1: Energy Shield (Rank 2)
    Level 6: Invulnerability (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Level 8: Enrage (Endorphin Rush)
    Level 11: Eruption (Rank 2, Magma Burst)
    Level 14: Molecular Self-Assembly
    Level 17: Arc of Ruin (No Quarter, Wildfire)
    Level 20: Decimate
    Level 23: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Level 26: Annihilate (Rank 2, Scorching Blade)
    Level 29: Resurgence (Rank 2)
    Level 32: Telekinetic Wave (Rank 2, Mental Instability)
    Level 35: Thundering Return
    Level 38: Unleashed Rage (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Adv. Points: 34/36

    Travel Powers
    Level 6:
    Level 35:

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

    Not an early leveling build (could take a basic attack like Cleave early on and retrain out of it later when attacks like Arc of Ruin are available). Main single-target attack is charged Annihilate, while you add in taps of Arc of Ruin to debuff, and Eruption on cd to put up CFlames and proc MSA. Main AoE filler is in charging Arc of Ruin, while TK Wave can pull enemies in, and the lunge can close gaps and be a cheap & fast MSA proc. If you don't want to knock trash away w/ Annihilate, you can use Arc, TK Wave, and/or Eruption to build up knock immunity first. Its best to use the ult (UR) when you have 8 stacks of Enrage. Gears mostly for Str, w/ some Con and Int.
    <CO stuff> .: Petco :. // A basic FF building guide (see 1st reply) // PSA on Power Activation Delay // Ayonachan's Gift Horse (misc stat data)
    - Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
  • sedaileysedailey Posts: 34 Arc User
    flowcyto wrote: »
    I mean.. the only real way to tie those together w/ melee like Heavy Weapons would prob be w/ Form of the Tempest, maybe still using Thermal Reverb. Even then, FotT is still a melee-focused toggle, and is a bit rng cause its crit-based. You def will have energy issues affording Force Cascade too . . .

    Looking at forms, toggles, passives, etc. . . . I’m wondering how Overdrive would work (instead of Thermal Reverb)? It generates Energy while you have a toggle active, so if you have Enrage on it’s generating energy.
    I through Clobber in as my PB; adding Onslaught gives a 15% of adding or refreshing Enrage. Skewer would also add Enrage. Roomsweeper, Annihilate, Arch of Ruin, Vicious Descent and Force Cascade all have Knock (or can get it via advantages) so those can also feed Enrage.
    hemslord wrote: »
    . . . I'm not sure where you could turn to for the MOAB concept. I'd suggest using Energy Wave as a way of your character smashing the power orb into the ground but you would probably want something that hits harder, follow it up with Meltdown maybe (I've no idea what the animation looks like on this one mind).

    I can’t seem to find videos of Energy Wave or Meltdown. I was thinking maybe Viscous Descent leading into Unleashed Rage might look good and put a respectable level of damage out.


  • shredmonkey#6879 shredmonkey
    shredmonkey#6879
         Posts: 60 Arc User
    Enrage is a form, not a toggle. Forms do not trigger overdrive.
  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    edited January 2019
    shredmonkey#6879 wrote: »
    Enrage is a form, not a toggle. Forms do not trigger overdrive.

    Forms are toggles, so Enrage is both.

    sedailey wrote: »
    Looking at forms, toggles, passives, etc. . . . I’m wondering how Overdrive would work (instead of Thermal Reverb)? It generates Energy while you have a toggle active, so if you have Enrage on it’s generating energy.

    More specifically Overdrive gives you a stack when you use a maintain or a toggle for at least half of its duration. Forms are toggles, but they have infinite duration ( or at least extremely long duration ) so you're never going to get to that halfway point to proc Overdrive. Even if it did proc when you just use a toggle, it would only proc when you initially turn your Form on since that's what use implies, and wouldn't be very useful in that regard.

    So, to sum up, Overdrive is only good if your build primarily uses Power Armor toggles, or a lot maintains. Even in the latter there are often better options.​​
    Squishy DPS builds that can solo QWZ w/videos.
    My super cool CC build and how to use it.
  • flowcytoflowcyto Posts: 12,858 Arc User
    edited January 2019
    sedailey wrote: »
    Looking at forms, toggles, passives, etc. . . . I’m wondering how Overdrive would work (instead of Thermal Reverb)? It generates Energy while you have a toggle active, so if you have Enrage on it’s generating energy.
    I through Clobber in as my PB; adding Onslaught gives a 15% of adding or refreshing Enrage. Skewer would also add Enrage. Roomsweeper, Annihilate, Arch of Ruin, Vicious Descent and Force Cascade all have Knock (or can get it via advantages) so those can also feed Enrage.
    (you don't really need to take extra time embolding or italicizing the abilities, btw)
    Although its good to have your main attacks procing your form/toggle, you don't necessarily need every attack to do that (esp since there's an internal cd on procing a stack of the form). I suggested FotT earlier cause you mentioned elemental blaster style attacks, and most of those would not knock for Enrage, while FotT is a more universal form that can tie together builds using attacks of very different properties, since the only requirement is that they can crit.

    That said, it generally would be more efficient to narrow the build down to mostly knock attacks to be able to use Enrage easily (since you can focus on Strength then, and not have to rely on the rng of crits as much). However, that prob means focusing more on the melee aspect w/ a few basic ranged attacks that could ideally knock things towards you for melee follow-ups (most, though not all, Force attacks will knock foes away). TK Wave w/ adv was that for my build; PA's Energy Wave w/ Reverse Polarity is another option (pbAoE instead of a frontal cone like TK Wave, but both are AoE knock-ins). Particle Wave in Laser Sword is similar to TK Wave in that respect, but using a laser sword to send out the wave visually.

    Regardless, I generally would avoid ranking up an energy builder (ex. Clobber), since its is very low dps and once you get good gear and high levels you should be working to reduce (or wholly eliminate) the need to use the energy builder.
    sedailey wrote: »
    I can’t seem to find videos of Energy Wave or Meltdown. I was thinking maybe Viscous Descent leading into Unleashed Rage might look good and put a respectable level of damage out.
    In case you didn't know already: you can test powers out in the PowerHouse and its various training rooms to see for yourself, since anything newly trained in the PH can be un-trained for free as long as you stay in the PH complex (powers and their advantages are 'fixed' to your build once you go to exit the PH and it gives you a warning that you have to confirm). Meltdown is a locked power, though. Easiest way to get it is prob via the Auction House atm, assuming you have the in-game funds for it. Meltdown is also an ultimate (like UR), so you can't have both it and UR trained at the same time (and you can't train an ult until the character is at least level 35).
    (and if you're in the PH, go ahead and train Force Cascade and see how much energy it takes. I think you'll get where I was coming from before :x )
    <CO stuff> .: Petco :. // A basic FF building guide (see 1st reply) // PSA on Power Activation Delay // Ayonachan's Gift Horse (misc stat data)
    - Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
  • sedaileysedailey Posts: 34 Arc User
    Well I've been tinkering with my build a bit, and here is what I've come up with so far:

    Braum (II - Steve Jones) Any / Multiple
    v3.27:30

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

    Talents
    Level 1: The Devastator (Str: 10, Con: 10, Rec: 10, End: 8)
    Level 6: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)
    Level 9: Paramilitary Training (Str: 3, Con: 3, Rec: 3, End: 3)
    Level 12: Physical Conditioning (Str: 5, Con: 5)
    Level 15: Covert Ops Training (Str: 3, Dex: 3, Con: 3, Int: 3)
    Level 18: Shooter (Dex: 5, Ego: 5)
    Level 21: Jack of All Trades (Str: 2, Dex: 2, Con: 2, Int: 2, Ego: 2, Pre: 2, Rec: 2, End: 2)

    Powers
    Level 1: Clobber (Onslaught)
    Level 1: Cleave
    Level 6: Enrage (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Level 8: Invulnerability (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Level 11: Roomsweeper (Concussive Blow)
    Level 14: Fireball
    Level 17: Wall of Ice (Rank 2)
    Level 20: Annihilate (Rank 2, Rank 3, Accelerated Metabolism)
    Level 23: Form of the Tempest (Rank 2)
    Level 26: Arc of Ruin (No Quarter, Wildfire)
    Level 29: Skewer (Rank 2, Rank 3, Follow Through)
    Level 32: Force Cascade
    Level 35: Vicious Descent (Relentless)
    Level 38: Unleashed Rage (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Adv. Points: 36/36

    Travel Powers
    Level 6: Athletics
    Level 35:

    Specializations
    Strength: Swole (2/3)
    Strength: Physical Peak (3/3)
    Strength: Brutality (2/2)
    Strength: Juggernaut (1/3)
    Strength: Overpower (2/3)
    Warden: Fortified Gear (3/3)
    Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
    Warden: Upper Hand (2/3)
    Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
    Guardian: Make It Count (3/3)
    Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
    Guardian: Retribution (2/2)
    Guardian: The Best Defense (3/3)
    Mastery: Strength Mastery (1/1)

    Devices

    Additional Notes:
    Might swap Unleashed Rage R3 out with Gravity Driver R3, Implosion Engine R2 w/ IPF, or Meltdown R3.


    Thoughts?
  • flowcytoflowcyto Posts: 12,858 Arc User
    Again, its generally a waste to rank the energy builder here, as you shouldn't be using it that much (or at all) to begin with. Also, you have >1 toggle/form, when you can only have one active at a time. I'd just pick Enrage if you want to focus on knocks and Strength (FotT scales w/ Dex, besides, and that's not SS'd here). On that topic, you typically don't want to rank up toggle/forms like Enrage or FotT, since its relatively easy to gain and max stacks of a fitting form.

    Its also mostly redundant to have both Roomsweeper & Arc of Ruin, and both Skewer & Annihilate. I would prob keep Arc, since it doesn't scatter KB like Roomsweeper does, and Annihilate works better w/ Enrage than Skewer. You're also missing an energy unlock (could maybe get away w/o an EU when using Defiance or Unstoppable, but not here). You can keep some ranged attacks for theme, but I wouldn't prioritize using them, as the build doesn't really cater to them regardless. Even then, its possible to include some Fire/Ice/Force stuff that can work w/ the rest of the build better - like Force Snap_Geyser for Force, Pyre w/ Backdraft for Fire, and maybe Ice Burst or Ice's block for Ice. Would also prob include more heals in there, and an Active Defense.

    Make It Count in Guardian is also of no use there, since you don't have any attacks that are actually classified as Blasts (even if you did, that spec option is pretty weak anyways). I'd prob just use Wardicator specs here (or Warden + Brawler, for more melee dps). Example edit:

    https://aesica.net/co/herocreator.htm?v=30&amp;n=Braum (II - Steve Jones)&amp;d=11380WdAFQPE063000H000H204H8049A032D00H90CH700HE05ON01K5035901380G2F05HH032jN742iK2MGB20000000000&amp;e=

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

    Talents
    Level 1: The Devastator (Str: 10, Con: 10, Rec: 10, End: 8)
    Level 6: Paramilitary Training (Str: 3, Con: 3, Rec: 3, End: 3)
    Level 9: Physical Conditioning (Str: 5, Con: 5)
    Level 12: Bodybuilder (Str: 5, End: 5)
    Level 15: Boundless Reserves (Con: 5, End: 5)
    Level 18: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)
    Level 21: Relentless (Str: 5, Rec: 5)

    Powers
    Level 1: Bludgeon
    Level 1: Eruption (Magma Burst)
    Level 6: Enrage (Endorphin Rush)
    Level 8: Invulnerability (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Level 11: Thermal Reverberation
    Level 14: Arc of Ruin (No Quarter, Wildfire)
    Level 17: Decimate
    Level 20: Annihilate (Rank 2, Scorching Blade)
    Level 23: Resurgence (Rank 2)
    Level 26: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Level 29: Ice Shield (Rank 2)
    Level 32: Force Geyser (Nailed to the Ground)
    Level 35: Pyre (Rank 2, Backdraft)
    Level 38: Unleashed Rage (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Adv. Points: 36/36

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

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

    (if leveling really early on, you can use Cleave instead of Eruption, and then you can re-train out of Cleave in the PH once you can access Arc of Ruin)

    Eruption can quickly put up Clinging Flames to proc Thermal Reverb and to optimize Annihilate's dmg. You can also charge Pyre to put down a fire patch to proc TReverb and potentially apply CFlames that way. Once you put up CFlames or put down a fire patch, your main AoE is in charging Arc of Ruin. For single-target dps, lunge in, use Eruption for CFlames, tap Arc to debuff, and charge Annihilate as your main filler- using Arc taps to refresh debuffs.

    If you don't want to knock away trash w/ Annihilate, then you can use Arc, Eruption, and/or Pyre instead until the mobs are knock-immune. Force Geyser can attempt to CC from a distance and can ground flying enemies, and you have Ice's block for defense (and to retain some Ice theme). Gears mostly for Str, w/ some Con & End (and some cost discount on gear).
    <CO stuff> .: Petco :. // A basic FF building guide (see 1st reply) // PSA on Power Activation Delay // Ayonachan's Gift Horse (misc stat data)
    - Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
  • sedaileysedailey Posts: 34 Arc User
    I like it, it definitely squeezes some more points into the primary and secondaries than what I did. I wasn’t sure if it was better to concentrate solely on those or to try to bring some of the other stats up to get a little benefit from things like Dex’s + to crit. chance, Ego’s + to crit. Damage, Int’s – energy cost, etc.

    A lot of great points here (like not ranking up toggles/forms) that will save me hours of trial and error.

    The part that I always wrestle with is effectiveness vs. character concept.

    In this case, the character is primarily a frontline, punch throwing, heavy sword wielding tank that also sports a pair of bracers that he can fire heat beams, cold beams, and energy beams from. He also can use a weapon of last resort that sets off a MOAB level blast – not good for ANYONE in the blast radius. His primary weapon being his sword.

    I think trying to shoehorn him into CO should probably look like a heavy weapon tank, with a couple (at least 1) bareknuckle attacks and 1 ice beam, 1 fire beam and 1 energy beam (for the character concept and giving some ranged options). The MOAB will probably look like a combo of the lvl 35 power quickly followed by the lvl 38 power . . . not sure which to go with for these, but to do justice to the original concept it needs to a) do as much damage as possible while knocking the snot out of targets, and b) look really cool.

    While your edit looks like an effective build; it doesn’t have a bareknuckle attack, and Pyre, Ice Shield and Force Geyser don’t look much like beams. It might be possible to do something cool looking with the invisible weapons skin and Arch of ruin, but I don’t think there’s any way to come up with that.
  • sedaileysedailey Posts: 34 Arc User
    With a little more tinkering and giving up on including a bareknuckle attack, I came up with this:

    Braum (II - Steve Jones) Any / Multiple
    v3.27:30

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

    Talents
    Level 1: The Devastator (Str: 10, Con: 10, Rec: 10, End: 8)
    Level 6: Paramilitary Training (Str: 3, Con: 3, Rec: 3, End: 3)
    Level 9: Physical Conditioning (Str: 5, Con: 5)
    Level 12: Bodybuilder (Str: 5, End: 5)
    Level 15: Boundless Reserves (Con: 5, End: 5)
    Level 18: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)
    Level 21: Relentless (Str: 5, Rec: 5)

    Powers
    Level 1: Bludgeon
    Level 1: Eruption (Magma Burst)
    Level 6: Enrage (Endorphin Rush)
    Level 8: Invulnerability (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Level 11: Thermal Reverberation
    Level 14: Arc of Ruin (No Quarter, Wildfire)
    Level 17: Resurgence (Rank 2)
    Level 20: Incinerate (Burninator, Challenge!)
    Level 23: Annihilate (Rank 2, Scorching Blade)
    Level 26: Wall of Ice (Rank 2)
    Level 29: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Level 32: Vicious Descent (Relentless)
    Level 35: Force Cascade (Rank 2)
    Level 38: Unleashed Rage (Rank 2, Rank 3)
    Adv. Points: 36/36

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

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

    Devices

    Additional Notes:
    Might swap Unleashed Rage R3 out with Gravity Driver R3, Implosion Engine R2 w/ IPF, or Meltdown R3.
  • sedaileysedailey Posts: 34 Arc User

    flowcyto wrote: »
    . . . You mentioned beams, though, and Incinerate is a fine pick for that visually ofc. Wall of Ice isn't really a beam or a blast, and FC is just a big scattering blast. I may consider Ice Blast and Force Blast instead, as compromises. Problem then is that Blasts (the formal attack type in CO) are kinda weak dps and there's little to no practical reason to have more than one in a build (when even one isn't often considered due to their lower dps), and Ice Blast is still just for theme as it can't proc Enrage or TReverb, or provide a debuff that's useful to the rest of the build. Even then, FC is extremely expensive vs Force Blast too, so at least w/ the blast you could use a Force attack that doesn't bottom out most of your energy each time.

    Its interesting that you put Challenge on Incinerate, though. I guess you want the ability to off-tank? If so, its fine to put it on a power you wouldn't normally use, but just keep in mind that using Incinerate when you don't want to try to tank will add extra threat (and Incinerate obv won't proc Enrage and/or TReverb by itself, so you'd have to throw in things like Eruption on cd or Eruption + Arc for that).

    If you wanted a bare-knuckle attack w/o using an invis weapon skin, you could just take R3 Haymaker in Might instead of Annihilate. It won't be quite as ideal when mixed w/ Heavy Weapons, but it still fills the same role of being the heavy single-target attack.

    In my first version, I was running Fireball which was a tolerable visual, but Incinerate looks better. I've been experimenting with using the Challenge to invite mobs that are kiting me to come in close and eat some blade.

    Wall of Ice is also a carry over from that first version; not a beam, but an acceptable visual, and it was a useful cc effect in the early lvls. I may change it out for Ice Blast, but lower dps vs cc . . . I might just learn to live with WoI.

    I've got him in the lvl 25/26 range at the moment so I haven't loaded up FC yet. I may go for the cheaper FB. I also thought Hand Cannon might look good (+Knock) or Concussor beam, but I haven't found a video of them anyplace yet.

    As for the knuckle attack, I could maybe see going with Haymaker R2 with Nullifying Punch . . . but from what I've seen, Annihilate is a much cooler looking visual.


  • flowcytoflowcyto Posts: 12,858 Arc User
    Again, if you don't know how a power may look or play out, you can always test them out in a local Powerhouse when you can train them and have points to use from leveling, and you can undo the training for free as long as you stay in the PH during testing. There's rooms w/ test dummies you can practice rotations and test energy out on, and other resources in other training rooms.
    <CO stuff> .: Petco :. // A basic FF building guide (see 1st reply) // PSA on Power Activation Delay // Ayonachan's Gift Horse (misc stat data)
    - Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
  • hemslordhemslord Posts: 166 Arc User
    sedailey wrote: »
    I also thought Hand Cannon might look good (+Knock) or Concussor beam, but I haven't found a video of them anyplace yet.
    Concussor beam has your character raise both hands and then shoot the beams from his/her palm at a single point. Whilst it looks nice I reckon you would find this power more annoying that anything since the damage isn't fantastic (it's designed to be used with other power armour toggles) and the constant repel will keep them out of melee combat.

    I have to echo what flow has suggested, and reccomend you head to the powerhouse to try out combinations & animations. Once you are certain which powers you want to use for each element of your character your build should be relatively simple to round off (I'd hope) ;) .
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