Ranged Earth DPS build for review. Advice needed

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  spookyspectre Posts: 632 Arc User

  September 2021

  Here's my take on a Pulverizer focused build vs a Destructive focused build, since the Earth set has a lot of knock options and Hurl has a nice built-in knock along with being able to apply Demolish.
  
  Ranged DPS Earth Build - Freeform (Ranged Damage)
  v3.44:37
  
  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: 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: Wield Earth
  Level 1: Stone Shot
  Level 6: Tremor (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 8: Concentration
  Level 11: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 14: Stone Shroud (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 17: Cave In (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 20: Hurl (Hard Fall, Didn't See That Coming)
  Level 23: Earthquake (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 26: Pulverizer
  Level 29: Earth Form (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 32: Resurgence (Rank 2)
  Level 35: Fissure (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 38: Imbue
  Adv. Points: 36/36
  
  Travel Powers
  Level 6: Teleportation
  Level 35: Earth Flight (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  
  Specializations
  Ego: Force of Will (2/2)
  Ego: Insight (3/3)
  Ego: Follow Through (3/3)
  Ego: Sixth Sense (2/3)
  Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
  Vindicator: The Rush of Battle (2/3)
  Vindicator: Focused Strikes (3/3)
  Vindicator: Mass Destruction (2/3)
  Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
  Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
  Guardian: Find the Mark (3/3)
  Guardian: The Best Defense (2/3)
  Mastery: Ego Mastery (1/1)
  
  Against single targets, like bosses, the main rotation would include Hurl to apply Demolish/proc Pulverizer and Cave In for your main single target damage, with Fissure or Earthquake thrown in.
  
  In either build, I'd probably drop the Reconstruct advantage from Fissure. You've got other, better healing options. I'd also drop Molten Core from Earthquake. Earth Form doesn't enhance fire damage and I don't know that the advantage would be worth it without fire related buffs/debuffs. I'd rank up Stone Shroud to Rank 3. In the Destructive build, I'd probably pull the advantage points from Resurgence.
  
  I'd also recommend considering replacing Imbue with a Threat Wipe. You could take Imbue as your last power choice. Should you decide to swap it out, it should cost a lot less than a full respec.
  

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  omnius

  omnius#0640

  Posts: 204 Arc User

  September 2021

  I've ben working on the build you sent me the other day in-game, and I know Flow is going to have input pretty close to the build you posted here. The only observation I have so far isn't end-game but just my mileage while levelling - I'm finding survivability on this powerset during leveling fairly difficult (only at level 26 so far, wearing heirloom stuff) compared to my experiences while leveling other ranged toons. I think it's the long-ish animation times and self roots during charges that are doing me in during solo content, combined with the 50 instead of 100' range on my Tremor and Cave-in. I think I'll definitely want to keep Fissure with Reconstruct in my own build at least until I'm 40 and also better geared.
  
  This is what I slapped together after talking to both you and Flow. The main difference is the lack of Hurl with the DPS advantage because I was out of advantage points and wanted the extra minor healing from Fissure to deal with my survival issues right now. I suppose I could drop Fiery embrace along with R2 from Stone Shot and R3 from my block like you did but that's something I might revisit for a retcon at 40.
  
  Earth Ranged - Freeform (Ranged Damage)
  v3.44:37
  
  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: Worldly (Ego: 5, Rec: 5)
  Level 9: Daredevil (Ego: 5, End: 5)
  Level 12: Amazing Stamina (Rec: 5, End: 5)
  Level 15: Shooter (Dex: 5, Ego: 5)
  Level 18: Ascetic (Con: 5, Ego: 5)
  Level 21: Boundless Reserves (Con: 5, End: 5)
  
  Powers
  Level 1: Wield Earth
  Level 1: Stone Shot (Rank 2, Shard Burst)
  Level 6: Earth Form (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 8: Cave In (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 11: Destructive
  Level 14: Concentration
  Level 17: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 20: Tremor (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 23: Resurgence (Rank 2)
  Level 26: Stone Shroud (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 29: Fissure (Rank 2, Reconstruct)
  Level 32: Entrancing
  Level 35: Earthquake (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 38: Fiery Embrace
  Adv. Points: 36/36
  
  Travel Powers
  Level 6: Tornado Flight (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 35: Athletics
  
  Specializations
  Ego: Force of Will (2/2)
  Ego: Insight (3/3)
  Ego: Follow Through (3/3)
  Ego: Sixth Sense (2/3)
  Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
  Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
  Vindicator: Focused Strikes (3/3)
  Vindicator: Mass Destruction (2/3)
  Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
  Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
  Guardian: Find the Mark (2/3)
  Guardian: The Best Defense (3/3)
  Mastery: Ego Mastery (1/1)
  
  Devices
  
  
  

  Unholy Consult | Pantheon | Lazarus Frost | Sword Saint | Gammatron | Blackguard | Imperator | Sardaukar | Risen Osiris

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  spookyspectre Posts: 632 Arc User

  September 2021

  I should probably mention that the power choices in the build I posted wasn't setup with leveling in mind and I didn't put them in a preferred order for levelling. I can change that but just posted what the level 40 build would have.

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  flowcyto Posts: 12,742 Arc User

  September 2021 edited September 2021

  The original build looks like it could work, though it'll somewhat depend on your rotation, since Cave In and R3 Tremor can't proc Destructive on their own, but powers like Stone Shot can. Taking Hurl enables you to easily use MSA or Pulv instead, but that means you'd prob want to change End SS to Int SS (for MSA) or Rec SS (for Pulv). And yea, I prob wouldn't take the special adv on Earthquake if using Earth Form.
  
  (Also, it's okay to use a different build for leveling than for max level. If you're finding your build to be too squishy, for instance, you could level w/ Regen or Invuln in the Hybrid role and change that out later on, if you don't mind the hit to base dmg. You could also take more self-heals from other sources, like BCR or ERush, and not need or have them in the final build)

  <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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