Help with Magma Theme

Comments

• flowcyto Posts: 12,859 Arc User

  January 2021 edited January 2021

  I may opt for a more reliable and longer-ranged option to put up CFlames, at least for single-targets and Incinerate's adv. That way you don't have to rely on chance w/ a r1 pbAoE like Pyre for it. Muni's Incendiary Grenade can fit that role well, since it can also put up a Fire debuff in No Quarter, and that boosts Earth's Crushing dmg too. Avenger's Preemptive Strike is also not applicable here, since you aren't using a Blast power (Preemptive isn't great to pair w/ maintains like Incinerate anyways, since it only works on one tick if it procs). Fiery Form also won't boost any Crushing/Earth attacks that you have; you may have to settle on taking NW for the general dmg bonuses, even if you never use the Sneak-related powers. Here's an example edit that tries to keep most of the powers in:
  
  (Unnamed Build) - Freeform (Ranged Damage)
  v3.44:36
  
  Super Stats
  Level 6: Ego (Primary)
  Level 10: Endurance (Secondary)
  Level 15: Constitution (Secondary)
  
  Talents
  Level 1: The Scourge (Con: 10, Ego: 10, Rec: 10, End: 8)
  Level 6: Amazing Stamina (Rec: 5, End: 5)
  Level 9: Worldly (Ego: 5, Rec: 5)
  Level 12: Daredevil (Ego: 5, End: 5)
  Level 15: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)
  Level 18: Ascetic (Con: 5, Ego: 5)
  Level 21: Boundless Reserves (Con: 5, End: 5)
  
  Powers
  Level 1: Wield Earth
  Level 1: Land Slide
  Level 6: Stone Shroud (Rank 2)
  Level 8: Night Warrior (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 11: Concentration
  Level 14: Pyre (Burning Sun)
  Level 17: Thermal Reverberation
  Level 20: Incendiary Grenade (Chemical Burn, Scorched Ground)
  Level 23: Incinerate (Rank 2, Rank 3, Burninator)
  Level 26: Resurgence (Rank 2)
  Level 29: Fissure (Reconstruct)
  Level 32: Quicksand (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 35: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 38: Meteor Blaze (Rank 2)
  Adv. Points: 32/36
  
  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 (3/3)
  Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
  Guardian: Find the Mark (3/3)
  Guardian: The Best Defense (2/3)
  Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
  Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
  Vindicator: Focused Strikes (3/3)
  Vindicator: Mass Destruction (2/3)
  Mastery: Ego Mastery (1/1)
  
  Not a leveling build, ofc, and if leveling you'd just train in a basic power like Stone Shot or Fire Strike early on, and re-train out of it later.
  
  This way, you can opt to also stay at ranged and use the grenade + Incinerate for easy single-target dps. If you still wanted the self-res, then you'd have to drop another power for it- maybe the lunge (if you have a good travel power), Conviction, or the Ult. Gears mostly for Ego, w/ some Con and End. You could go back to Int PSS and an Int-focus, and/or drop Con SS for Dex SS. I like the versatile setup w/ EGO/Con/End, but it's ultimately up to you what to take there.

  <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!

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• piontest

  piontest#9391

  Posts: 44 Arc User

  January 2021

  Thanks Flow! I'm digging it. Trying a few variations on it now - only level 27 so pushed land slide and resurgence back for quick sand and fissure to see how it plays. I'm finding Rec instead of End keeps me pretty much topped off, but I'm going to try the EGO/Con/End set up with incendiary grenade between giant bear runs. Too many alts....
  
  I'm also torn on Pyre/Quick Sand - Pyre does great group damage to the point that it's simply faster than quick sand, but quick sand/fissure is kind of the heart of the magma idea, and quick sand pulls into the fissure and fire patch... the fire patch also boosts the concept, while quick sand looks too much like sand, no matter how you color it. It's just too often I find myself thinking "why quick sand when I can just Pyre?"
  
  How does EGO PSS w/specs compare to an INT/Dex build? I'm wondering if I should take a look at some of my other DPS toons....

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• flowcyto Posts: 12,859 Arc User

  January 2021 edited January 2021

  Ego PSS is better against mobs that don't have very high innate resistances (usually lower-rank stuff), and is quite well-rounded for ranged in also giving defense and/or cost discount and general +crit%. Int PSS becomes more competitive w/ Dex or Ego PSS against high-resist targets (like cosmics) due to Detect Vuln, so it'll somewhat depend on the content you do. Expertise + Dex SS is nice for Int-based dps as well. They're both solid dps options overall, though.
  
  Quicksand vs. Pyre is also just up to you. Pyre works innately w/ the build in using TReverb, but there's other ways of putting up CFlames and/or a pyre patch too (like w/ the grenade). Quicksand's pull-in can be pretty nice, but it does take some build up, and Pyre does have the healing rune option. They're both okay to keep in the build, but if had another power in mind then you could drop one of them for it.

  <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!

  0
• piontest

  piontest#9391

  Posts: 44 Arc User

  January 2021

  I'm loving your variation of the build but it seems energy is low when opening up combat and I'm wondering if this might change at higher levels? INT Rec was obviously never-ending energy, but EGO End has some management trouble, but I'm only at level 30. Does Thermal Reverb+Incendiary Grenade scale up to negate the need for EB? Would an R7 Rec Mod at 40 make this problem non-existent? Looking to shift that equilibrium point enough for a better start as large groups don't give much time to ramp up.
  
  I'm also LOVING Wield Earth - I didn't realize that was a range power. Side note - I found a purpose for Quicksand - in large groups it helps pick off the weaker enemies thus reducing incoming damage, and quickly builds Mass Destruction stacks (in addition to keeping everyone from leaving my DoT area) where Pyre is more effective vs higher HP baddies.

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• flowcyto Posts: 12,859 Arc User

  January 2021 edited January 2021

  Yea, it's not uncommon to have more energy issues when leveling, and before you get decent gear that has larger amounts of things like cost discount rating and main stats. I wouldn't worry about it too much, unless you find that you are still having energy issues as you get close to max lvl w/ better gear. And yea, Wield Earth can work as either ranged or melee; it's nice, but ofc at max level you hopefully shouldn't be using it much (or at all).
  
  Boosting your starting energy w/ more Rec can help in some ways before you get there (End/Rec will also help the energy builder be a bit better, when you're still stuck using it), but keep in mind that Rec isn't a main scalar for your EU or toggle/form here. The grenade is a good power for helping your energy via TReverb in the long term (and ofc as a great debuffer for Fire), but it does have a decent up-front cost to use (similar thing w/ charged Pyre). Also, you may already be aware of this, but keep in mind that the grenade (as an instant power) can't proc Concentration unless you are 25ft+ from your main target when using it (say, as an opener).
  
  Also, Mass Destruction doesn't operate via a stacking mechanic. I assume you meant Guardian's Find the Mark there, and yea maintains do a better job at stacking that up, for what its worth.

  <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!

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• bulgarex Posts: 2,310 Arc User

  January 2021

  If you wouldn't mind saying, I'm curious about your character's origin.

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• piontest

  piontest#9391

  Posts: 44 Arc User

  January 2021

  bulgarex wrote: »

  If you wouldn't mind saying, I'm curious about your character's origin.

  
  Not at all - it's not too developed - the character was actually inspired by the costume pieces - the rock bracers and inferno AT default costume, but tweaked a little and I wanted to try something combining the two, mixed with some personal background.
  
  Carlos Garcia is just a typical Central American kid who moved to the US, attending university and taking too many philosophy and sociology classes where he became known as Charlie. One day he discovered he had a connection with rock and fire, channeling the volcanoes of his homeland.
  
  He's unsure of the source of his powers, as they are not in his family line, and he was never in any weird accidents or cosmic storms - college is just a lot of boring talking - it's just a thing he can do. He suspects it might be magic, or he might be some sort of elemental tied to his cultural roots, and, while he's curious to one day find out, he's decided it doesn't matter where they came from, what matters is how he uses them.
  
  He thought about "fighting crime" but laws change, rules are different from place to place, systemic injustice is rampant, it wouldn't do to burn a mother stealing a loaf of bread to feed her kids, and ultimately, the goal is keeping people safe, so he now uses his control over magma to protect the innocent.
  
  He moved around a lot and saw people in need all over the world, with an absurd concentration of evil in Detroit, now Millennium City. He toyed with ancestral inspirations, but eventually settled for the short, snappy moniker of "Char."
  
  He hates statistics. It's boring and full of lies.

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• piontest

  piontest#9391

  Posts: 44 Arc User

  January 2021

  flowcyto wrote: »

  Also, Mass Destruction doesn't operate via a stacking mechanic. I assume you meant Guardian's Find the Mark there, and yea maintains do a better job at stacking that up, for what its worth.

  
  You're right, I was thinking of Relentless Assault.
  
  I'll push through a few more levels with EGO/End/Con and see how that feels - my gear is pretty not great - using the winter set for easy scaling right now.

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• flowcyto Posts: 12,859 Arc User

  January 2021

  Yea, afaik that gear doesn't have any cost discount rating on its utility part, and if so then so that may explain some of your energy troubles atm.

  <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!

  0
• bulgarex Posts: 2,310 Arc User

  January 2021

  piontest#9391 wrote: »

  bulgarex wrote: »

  If you wouldn't mind saying, I'm curious about your character's origin.

  
  Not at all - it's not too developed - the character was actually inspired by the costume pieces - the rock bracers and inferno AT default costume, but tweaked a little and I wanted to try something combining the two, mixed with some personal background.
  
  Carlos Garcia is just a typical Central American kid who moved to the US, attending university and taking too many philosophy and sociology classes where he became known as Charlie. One day he discovered he had a connection with rock and fire, channeling the volcanoes of his homeland.
  
  He's unsure of the source of his powers, as they are not in his family line, and he was never in any weird accidents or cosmic storms - college is just a lot of boring talking - it's just a thing he can do. He suspects it might be magic, or he might be some sort of elemental tied to his cultural roots, and, while he's curious to one day find out, he's decided it doesn't matter where they came from, what matters is how he uses them.
  
  He thought about "fighting crime" but laws change, rules are different from place to place, systemic injustice is rampant, it wouldn't do to burn a mother stealing a loaf of bread to feed her kids, and ultimately, the goal is keeping people safe, so he now uses his control over magma to protect the innocent.
  
  He moved around a lot and saw people in need all over the world, with an absurd concentration of evil in Detroit, now Millennium City. He toyed with ancestral inspirations, but eventually settled for the short, snappy moniker of "Char."
  
  He hates statistics. It's boring and full of lies.

  
  That all sounds very reasonable, and it appears you have a good handle on Char's personality and how to role play him. ("Hatred of statistics" seems to come out of nowhere, though.) Lore-wise you don't need some dramatic event to explain his powers, e.g. there's an official villain called Geos who was born a mutant with the power to control earth and stone, not inherited from anyone.
  
  However, given he's originally from Central America, you might like to know that there's a Champions Universe fictional country there named Guamanga where ARGENT engineered a coup back in 1994, to try to gain a country of their own. The famous Justice Squadron hero team eventually overthrew ARGENT, but there are still examples of leftover advanced tech scattered and lost around the country. Menton found psionic amplification devices in 2005 which he used to manipulate the entire country into voting him Guamanga's president.
  
  It occurs to me that ARGENT could have conducted experiments on one or both of Char's parents, which may not have borne fruit right away but could have led to his powers now. If ARGENT figured out Char's identity and background, they'd undoubtedly want to "retrieve" him for further study.
  
  (The full write-up for Geos is in Champions Villains Volume Three: Solo Villains. For more background on ARGENT, you could check this forum thread.)

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