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locochoco
Posts: 348 Arc User
Still a work in progess.
Build: Freeform, Tank/Hybrid
Concept: (Specialist AT) Mercenary, Soldier, Enforcer, Bounty Hunter
Travel Powers: Acrobatics (Rank 2), TBD
Super Stats:
- Constitution (Primary)
- Ego (Secondary)
- Recovery (Secondary)
Talents:
- The Scourge (Con: 10, Ego: 10, Rec: 10, End: 8, Str: 5, Dex: 5. Int: 5, Pre: 5, )
- Indomitable (Ego: 8)
- Enduring (Con: 8)
- Tireless (Rec: 8)
- Worldly (Ego: 5, Rec: 5)
- Ascetic (Con: 5, Ego: 5)
- Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)
Powers:
- Gunslinger - (None)
- Shotgun Blast - (Breaching Round, Mind The Uniform)
- Invulnerability - (Rank 3)
- Bullet Hail - (Wall of Bullets, Boogeyman)
- Concentration - (None)
- Strike Down - (None)
- Eye of The Storm - (Blade Beyond The Veil)
- Assault Rifle - (Uncompromising, Mow 'Em Down)
- Binding Shot - (Rank 2)
- Resurgence - (None)
Specializations:
Constitution: Tough (2/3)
Constitution: Fuel My Fire (3/3)
Constitution: Unyielding (2/3)
Constitution: Quick Healing (2/3)
Constitution: Armored (1/2)
(I made a mess of my Con block and I recognize that much already)
Arbiter: Enforcer (3/3)
Arbiter: Ruthless (2/2)
Arbiter: Enhanced Gear (3/3)
Arbiter: Preservation (1/2)
0
Comments
https://aesica.net/co/herocreator.htm
Can link and copy it that way better.
I already have my build plan, and all purchases and progress are cataloged on my actual character.
Will this provide me with a evaluation or rating of the build, or is it simply for aesthetic/organizational purposes for others to digest the information?
That said, I'm not quite sure what you want with this post here. Do you want a review of what I assume is a Muni + Dual Blades hybrid-dps build? If so, it can help to have a bit more info, like how relevant theme is (or simply just what attacks_powers you'd most like to add or keep), and/or what type of content you plan on doing, etc. If the build is a mix of melee and ranged, then it can also help to know which part you want to emphasize more (I generally wouldn't advise melee/ranged mixes in CO, but they can still be done and can fare alright).
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
I tend to get pretty solid advice/discussions in-world, and it seems to be far more accessible and easy. Thanks so much for your time.
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
This is my current endgame, as far as I've planned it out: https://aesica.net/co/herocreator.htm?v=36&n=Black%20Tempest&d=13570b537WNP0410308001870C891p9A039C01BN04BH048R0C9J01ON048E008O01EG018G012sNM42c51sJP30000000000&e=
- I would prob not use the Tank role here, since you aren't a proper tank w/o Challenge advs to more reliably hold aggro, and otherwise the role will lower your dmg and energy reserves. Unless you want to change the build a bit to be a proper tank for group content, you can just use the Hybrid role and be a sturdy dps that could off-tank if needed.
- I'd prob also not use Con PSS if its not a proper tank build. Ego PSS would be a solid overall pick for a sturdy ranged hybrid-dps.
- You generally don't want to rank up your energy builder. Although you'll prob have to use it much more often when leveling, once you get high level and w/ much better gear (and gear w/ decent cost discount rating) you should rarely (if ever) be using your energy builder.
- You also typically don't want to rank up the toggle/form (here, Concentration), as a rank only gives you an extra starting stack, and it should be relatively easy to get stacks anyways.
- I would also tend to avoid Accel Metab advs. Even if they cost just one point, they don't return much energy overall, and share an internal cd. If you end up having one floater adv point in a build, you may want to consider using it to rank up a travel power further.
- On the above note, you prob also want to get your most-used travel power to R3, when it's available. I'd also prob change one of your travel powers into type that grants some form of Flight.
- Although Eye of the Storm's (EotS) dmg shield can be nice, in a ranged build it's less useful since it can't proc Concentration (nor Killer Instinct). You already have the dmg shield option on Bullet Hail anyways.
- In general, I'd prob just drop the melee powers, since they aren't compatible w/ your toggle/form. You could use Form of the Tempest (FotT) in Dual Blades (and switch to a Dex focus) if you want to be able to proc a toggle/form with any attack, but that also will lower your ranged dmg since FotT is primarily a melee toggle (and is a bit more RNG on its procs, being crit-based). This is partly why I don't advise ranged/melee mixes- they are innately sub-optimal and have a tendency to not work cohesively w/ other aspects of the build. You could still use some melee in a ranged-focus build, but I wouldn't make it a frequent thing.
- I'd prob skip out on making Assault Rifle (AR) into an AoE, since you already have other AoE options, and instead take R2 to help it in being your main single-target attack.
- Binding Shot won't be too powerful of a hold as a non-Support, and it'll break early to inc dmg. You could still keep it for a CC option, but I wouldn't expect that much out of it for the cost.
- Arbiter isn't a very strong spec atm, and its a bit more focused on melee. For a ranged build, I'd prob just take Guardicator (Guardian & Vindicator specs) here, as it gives you a decent mix of personal dps and defense. You also typically want to get crit severity-boosting options in the specs that have them.
There may be some other things I'm missing, but those are the aspects that stuck out to me atm. Here's one possible way to edit the build, in light of some of these suggestions:
Black Tempest - Freeform (Hybrid)
v3.44:36
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: Worldly (Ego: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 9: Quick Recovery (Con: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 12: Amazing Stamina (Rec: 5, End: 5)
Level 15: Ascetic (Con: 5, Ego: 5)
Level 18: Daredevil (Ego: 5, End: 5)
Level 21: Boundless Reserves (Con: 5, End: 5)
Powers
Level 1: Gunslinger
Level 1: Bullet Hail (Rank 2, Wall of Bullets)
Level 6: Concentration
Level 8: Invulnerability (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 11: Killer Instinct
Level 14: Shotgun Blast (Breaching Round, Armor Piercing)
Level 17: Resurgence (Rank 2)
Level 20: Assault Rifle (Rank 2, Uncompromising)
Level 23: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 26: Lock N Load (Rank 2)
Level 29: Parry (Rank 2)
Level 32: Strike Down (Nailed to the Ground)
Level 35: Bullet Ballet
Level 38:
Adv. Points: 31/36
Travel Powers
Level 6: Acrobatics (Rank 2, Rank 3)
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)
I still included some melee, if you wanted it, but mostly just for the theme (the lunge can be another CC option, and Bullet Ballet at least can proc Killer Instinct, even if not the toggle/form). Those powers could also be removed w/o that much practical effect on the build, though. The last open power slot can also be w/e ya want (and you also have some free adv points to fiddle around with).
You'll mainly want to use Bullet Hail (and Lock N Load) to build up 3x Furious, tap Shotgun Blast to apply/refresh Armor Piercing and refresh Furious stacks, and otherwise use the Assault Rifle as your main single-target attack. For AoE, you can just use a mix of Bullet Hail and/or the Shotgun. Another general approach w/ AR is to get it to R3 instead and not worry about Furious maintenance for it, though this will be lower optimal dps in longer single-target fights. Regardless, the build gears mostly for Ego, w/ some Con and Rec.
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
I play Tempest as Tempest. I don't care about aggro to save you from taking damage. My goal to take as little dmg as possible. However, you do raise a good point on the aggro. There are times when I am working with SG members or new players and a more powerful target will begin to bully them. It's not out of the question to add challenge to a few powers vs beginning to rip parts off and add new ones.
If you are leveling and have Invulnerability you should not be dying at all, assuming you know both when to block and when to pop a heal. It should be safe to have Ego PSS and Con SSS and that will allow you to do more damage and still take little damage.
A couple other options are to take a self rez (instead of Bullet Ballet); e.g. Fiery Embrace. Last power slot could be used to give yourself a dual passive build by taking Targeting Computer and having one build with the Range role, and another build using Invulnerability and Tank role. If you are in a group with a proper tank and healer you will do more damage and contribute more to the group effort with the TC build. When you are doing harder content solo (e.g. Qliphothic War Zone) you could slip into the tank build to improve survivability.
Of course if you are just doing non-endgame content on your own you can use almost any build you want since the game is pretty forgiving for FFs.
When I got my FF slot, I went in Zone and said I was starting "Project Unkillable" and got some advice. I used that advice to make selections like Con as a primary over Ego (for PvP mostly, not PvE), and taking Recovery over End, because I want ready and regular access gladly at the cost of frequently spending the tank. My EB fills my bar to 80% in 3 shots. I also grabbed Resurge after hearing it's praises sung on numerous occasions, and I have to say it is one OP self heal.
I am trying to make an unstoppable tank. And lately I have been debating the need for those blades. I think I at least want Strikedown for nailed to the floor and to close distance if I need to. I feel like I need a power move for PvP and bosses. Something like Sniper Rifle.
My last dps build was an Ego-Rec-End PA character and I set myself the challenge of developing him to the point where he could solo the QWZ. Does he take damage? Lots. Do I have to think about how I enter the fight? Sure. But that was the challenge I set for myself and it worked out in the end.
You ALSO have a free power selection and some advantages which you could just invest into a secondary passive for a 2nd build - I have a character that duals as melee and tank, and in melee mode he puts up some serious damage, while switching to tank role with Invuln makes him tough to down. He's no Cosmic tank, but he's no chump, and often finds himself tanking even when there's dedicated tanks on the team simply because his damage pulls threat. Between Resurgence and a small heal like BCR or Conviction, he can tank in melee mode for a solid 30 seconds, which means most things are well past dead, and anything harder than that is 1 click into Invuln tank (I use a gamepad actually, so it's a 2-button press, but w/e) and he can just stand there and ignore things. If you also have a solid healing device (I don't know of any, b/c I have that free LTS full heal/energy thing), that can buy you even more time for Conviction to come back around.
If using dual passives for "oh snap" moments, or pulling for teammates you gotta familiarize yourself with your threshold when it comes to Resurgence - ask yourself is this a melee w/resurgence fight, save resurgence until switching to tank to get those extra hits in, or straight tank from the start, try and keep topped off with conviction until you need resurgence.
And there's also the option of having a second set of gear on you for build switching - at 180 Con my guy was pretty tough, topping out at around 9k (ish - I moved some points to Rec/End b/c I wanted to be able to FC from equilibrium), and had about 350 Dex and Str with rank 5-7 mods. You get a set of secondaries that are all Con, that's 90 points right there
Point is, Flo's build provides a lot more on survivability spectrum than what initially appears if you're clever about it without sacrificing TOO much, but you gotta feel it out to find your sweet spot.
Edit:
Just realized Flo's was running Invuln - idk why I thought it was a Muni passive - but still, just add more points into Con for survivability until you find your sweet spot, change role using builds for tough moments, put challenge on a lunge and/or bullet ballet for those "get off him" moments, and you should be more than fine.
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
As a DPS build, it seems you need a ton of work and attention at gearing them up and taking exactly the right combination of powers and advantages in order to make that DPS actually count for anything in the more stacked situations, and in order to actually dish out more dmg than you can handle when your opponent isn't some street urchin slumming around the streets of Westside.
When you're a tank? Doesn't really matter. Unless your powers are set up for single file combat where you chip away at enemies one at a time whilst they pummel you to shreds, it won't matter what they do, or how many get together to do it.
The gap in logic here seems a bit broken to me.
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
I paid hard G & N to remaster him, saving my Free retcon token for endgame stages to work out any kinks an address any flaws or future developments.
https://aesica.net/co/herocreator.htm?v=36&n=Black Tempest&d=13570b537WPQ0400008000872I890m9A039C009D009J048T01ON048O018G000000000000002x6O3byZ000030000000000&e=
As far as the specs: Quick Healing in Con PSS is quite weak healing, I would suggest getting Merciless in Vindicator, and your 2nd spec can be Guardian w/ Find the Mark (or maybe Protector if you really want to stress the defensive part, or Warden w/ Elusive). Ranking up the block enhancer would also be good in the long run.
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
Binding Shot & Sniper rifle are for pvp. I will probably be adding a stealth charge to cover sniper rounds as well.
I may not keep the sniper, but I am not going back to AR.
LnL is for some actual offense over and above concentration. It also applies some furious stacks, and although it's not an ption on the Hero Creator, I have put the Remember Me adv on Bullet Ballet.
If you're okay w/ it's looks, TGM is a good alternative to AR too. It doesn't have the same long range, but it does allow full movement (vs. AR slowing you), and has Furious procs built in.
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
Bullet hail does maybe a little over half that, to the entire mob, and I can run it's full cycle twice from a full tank of energy. So would I rather 5 big 100 dmg hits, or 20, 60 dmg hits?
It's a question of math, and whether or not I want my "big single target" to be that, or something more stated such a as a big hitter finishing move, which the AR is just not.
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
https://aesica.net/co/herocreator.htm?v=36&n=Black Tempest&d=13570b537WPQ0410M08000872I890m9A039C039D009J058T03ON048O038G019E00EA007T002x6M3byZ0mfL20000000000&e=MiBBdiBwb2ludHMgYWNjb3VudGluZyBmb3IgdGhlICdSZW1lbWJlciBNZScgQXYgb24gQnVsbGV0IEJhbGxldC4gfCBMYXN0IHBvd2VyIHN0aWxsIHVuZGVjaWRlZC4gfCAxIFNwYXJlIHBvaW50IGhlbGQgdXAgaW4gQWNyb2JhdGljcw~~
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
But I haven't had my FF to 40 yet, so I want to really test my concept before making huge changes.
He's just a Soldier with Invulnerability now.
I'm not sure what to do anymore. Seems that builds are subjective. Everyone will find a flaw or minor semantic hiccup in virtually any build. Some flavor of preference or bias that lends itself directly to a particular strategy or desired outcome.
When it's boiled down to what roles you want to use, what content you're going to be playing, it's probably best to just try to have fun with it. My quest to make my build better made it worse for my playing style and logic.
If what you have is working, stick with it.
Now, if you like your original build and just PVP or do things solo you should go with what you like. Just be prepared to see fairly low scores if you show up to end game cosmics.
(Unnamed Build) - Freeform (Any / Multiple)
v3.44:36
Super Stats
Level 6: Ego (Primary)
Level 10: Recovery (Secondary)
Level 15: Dexterity (Secondary)
Talents
Level 1: The Gunslinger (Dex: 10, Con: 10, Ego: 8, Rec: 10)
Level 6: Shooter (Dex: 5, Ego: 5)
Level 9: Worldly (Ego: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 12: Impresario (Dex: 5, Rec: 5)
Level 15: Acrobat (Dex: 5, Con: 5)
Level 18: Ascetic (Con: 5, Ego: 5)
Level 21: Boundless Reserves (Con: 5, End: 5)
Powers
Level 1: Gunslinger
Level 1: Concentration
Level 6: Killer Instinct
Level 8: Targeting Computer (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 11: Shotgun Blast (Mind the Uniform, Armor Piercing)
Level 14: Concussion Grenade (Stun Grenade)
Level 17: Two-Gun Mojo (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Bullet Hail (Wall of Bullets, Boogeyman)
Level 23: Sniper Rifle (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 26: Imbue
Level 29: Mini Mines (Stim Pack)
Level 32: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Resurgence (Rank 2)
Level 38: Invulnerability (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Adv. Points: 36/36
Travel Powers
Level 6: Athletics (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35:
Specializations
Ego: Mental Endurance (3/3)
Ego: Force of Will (2/2)
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)
Devices
I got my Soldier to lvl 40, and played him well beyond that. Even when I jacked his Ego using gear, his dps was nothing short of a bad joke. Lvl 24 tanks were rolling him in duels like a 5 pound sack of potatoes.
I wanted to make a tank. Not an ego tank, not a dodge tank, an HP Tank. A tank that has so much HP, I never have to tap the Num 1 key during battle. Ever. Be it street urchin mobs, alert bosses, or mission bosses.
Perhaps the difference is, I'm a newb. I don't know the etiquette. I don't know what you're "supposed" to do, or what the established norms are. But as a gamer I seldom follow the pack. I almost always forge my own style and strategy in games with ability customization such as this. I always think outside the box and around the norms.
I may delete Black Tempest simply to do better with my FF slot because I know for a fact I can. This build was informed by an RPC. A role play character of mine. His weapons and pwers are based on his character. So considering, I think I id alright for trying to adapt a character to the game. But the limitations and hiccups it created were evident.
I am now faced with the decision of how to proceed. Keep lugging around my RPC because I found a game I can actual "play" as him in, or get serious about the game itself and make The Master instead. My plan for him would likely irritate you just as much or more, but I really like it, and the Teneb AT it is based on.
From what we know, even the devs have made these mistakes on builds, repeatedly.
So I pose the question everyone seems so afraid of, simply so I can have the knowledge moving forward: How broken is CO? It's evident to any gamer that it's broken, but how deep are the fractures?
That said, I don't like giving builds that are very sub-optimal to people, but it's your build at then end of the day. I'm unsure what flexibility you wanted, though, since you said that you were sold on me having you drop some melee from the build, but that would also make the play-style less dynamic. Most of the rest of my advice was to address inefficient adv or spec choices, or to make sure you didn't go without a good single-target attack (as that would make you more of a liability for much lvl 40 content).
I guess at this point it may be best for you to test diff powers out in a Powerhouse and see what powers you really like most (even if just for their looks). Like, what do you consider the 'core' of the build? (beyond just having lotsa effective HP, since most end-game tanks pretty much do that by necessity) It can be easier for others to refine a build if they know that there are certain things that you just don't want changed, since they obv can't know everything that you want w/ the character. Just keep in mind that, as Jaaz said before, things like your energy situation and other aspects can potentially change drastically from low-mid levels vs. at high levels, so you may not want to judge a build too much before it's fully actualized.
Anyways, you can make a good build out of any of the powersets and for practically any role (or roles), but there are some basic principles that you should keep in mind for attaining a competent FF build. Namely, having:
- at least one good AoE attack
- at least one good single-target attack
- a fitting Slotted Passive
- a fitting toggled Form (usually not ranked)
- a fitting Energy Unlock
- and a heal or two.
- (usually you also want a ranked block enhancer, at least for end-game content)
^ If you have those things covered then you're generally gtg (at least for the powers), and satisfying such basics should still leave you w/ some open power slots. For the other stuff, like stats: you should pretty much always SS the stat that scales up your toggle/form (sometimes you have a choice there), usually also SS the energy unlock's main stat, and in your case also SS Con - and then your gear will focus on these 3 SS's to varying degrees (usually w/ some cost discount and crit/severity thrown in). The Spec choices will just depend on your overall goals for the build and/or its main role. That all covers the basics of FF building, and it should still leave a good amount open to experimentation.
(also, 1v1 duels aren't really a great measure of a build's power, unless pvp really is your top priority; for most players that just isn't the case)
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
I don't really understand your last statement. CO is a very old game now that has a small/limited dev team. Many of us have known its quirks and flaws for years and want various things from it, and its still been developed throughout that time despite the small playerbase.
Yea it would be nice, but there's a limited dev team and limited time available *shrug* At least you can do w/e ya want in the PTS and have it not affect your character on Live.
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
So idk if you're aware, but as was briefly mentioned, there's the battle station in the PH - you can set team size and enemy type, as well as difficulty and that's a pretty good starting point to test survivability and damage. It's not perfect but you can set to 5 man team at max difficulty and you get 3 mobs of about 7-15 baddies per, and they don't just stand there - it is an actual mob/setting simulator, and not mindless docile crash dummies, with differing power types - Purple Gang, Psi, Demons, etc., and 3 supervillians - Kevin Poe and 2 others I don't remember.
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
The different PHs in different areas have different mooks in the battle station area. But those guys really aren't much of a challenge. That's why I recommend going to the QWZ for anyone who has access to PTS.