Build Reviews

blueionstormz · July 2022

Hello, have realized that I do not have any builds using the TK and Telepathy passives, though I did use some of these power with defensive or support passive. Here are my attempts at building a pure DPS build under these power sets. How do they look?

TK Range DPS

TK Melee DPS

Telepathy DPS

Was wondering if I should use concentration for the Telepathy build, in the end I went with Manipulator as both its EU and form uses Pre.

flowcyto · July 2022

For the Ranged TK build, I'd prob replace TKA w/ TK Strike and its Stress adv, and alternate between that and TK Lance for single-targets. You could also get the stun adv and/or the Dependency adv on TK Barrage, if you want that utility. TK Maelstrom and/or Mental Impact could also be good powers to get. I'd prob also get Focused Strikes in Vind spec for TK Lance (and possibly also Mass Destruction for TK Barrage). Also, you'll want a Dex focus here if using Mental Precision, but then you'll also want to get 3/3 in Sixth Sense, if keeping Ego PSS.

The TK Blades build is a bit more survival-oriented w/ Siphoning and Mental Block- which is fine, but it will mean less optimal dmg coming from it. You prob want to get the Stress adv on Ego Weaponry (and possibly Upper Hand in Warden spec), since EBA will be carrying your single-target dmg here. Again, I would get Focused Strikes in Vind spec (for EBA), and Mass Destruction can also boost Ego Weaponry's crit rate for Siphoning, if desired. TK Maelstrom and/or EB Pandemonium could also be good power picks here.

The TP build looks okay, given the set's limitations for dps. I may throw Mental Leech and/or taps of Ego Sleep in there, and then switch the toggle/form to Mental Precision (+Dex SS) or Shadow Manifestation (+Pres SS), unless you want to boost the holds a bit more w/ Manip (at the cost of a bit less base dmg).

blueionstormz · July 2022

Thanks for the feedback, as always. Have incorporated your ideas into the build.

TK Range DPS

TK Melee DPS

Telepathy DPS

For the Telepathy build, will be trying shadow manifestation, just have some question, which powers do I have will be used to trigger the form? If I use Mental Precision, which powers under Telepathy will be able to trigger it? What does Mental Leech do? Is it a debuff for Telepathy powers? and Ego Sleep is for the EU, right?

flowcyto · July 2022

I forgot about this earlier, but you also want to get the special adv on Mental Storm in the TP build, for the Stress debuff (esp when using a toggle/form for Mental States).

blueionstormz wrote: »

For the Telepathy build, will be trying shadow manifestation, just have some question, which powers do I have will be used to trigger the form? If I use Mental Precision, which powers under Telepathy will be able to trigger it? What does Mental Leech do? Is it a debuff for Telepathy powers? and Ego Sleep is for the EU, right?

Both Shadow Manifestation and Mental Precision use the same proc condition (applying Mental States)- they just differ in their main scaling stat (Pres vs. Dex). Mental States are outlined in the tooltip for the toggle/forms, but they include Fear and other debuffs like Dependency (which Mental Leech can put up, and is a decent background HoT) and Stress. Ego Sleep can help w/ the EU, but it can also be another potential proc for the toggle/form (w/ its Fear adv). Also, if keeping Ego Sleep, then you can just get its Fear adv and leave it at R1 (since this isn't a CC-focused build). Mental Leech also doesn't benefit that much from ranking up overall, so you can save some adv points there, if you want.

Summon Nightmares (R2 + special adv) can also be added back in if you want more dmg in the background. Ofc, they still have all the pitfalls of being a pet power, and you'd have to free up a power slot for them, so it's up to you if you want to take them.

-
Also, I noticed that you swapped away from Siphoning Strikes in the TK Blades build (similar thing w/ Mental Block on EB Frenzy). That's fine if you want more dps overall from it. You will be giving up its strong self-healing potential, and yet you also have other healing/defensive options available, so it's just up to you on what to prioritize there (and you could always make them one of the last powers/advs trained if you want to more easily change them in the future).

blueionstormz · July 2022

Thank you for explaining and clarifying. So for TP build, main attack would be Ego Blast, and the rest, Mental Storm w/ adv., Ego Sleep w/ adv., Mental Leech are used to build energy or toggle the form. This is the revised build, I included celestial conduit as a last optional power for hopefully better dps, but its taken last as I am not certain about its use yet.

TP

For the Melee TK build, good idea about taking the adv. last, will experiment on those when I reach 40, all these builds are in their mid 20s now. Am leveling up multiple toons so when the xp buff goes away, they will be able to hopefully get to their 30s on the remaining time.

Could you also look at three more builds? I haven't had any toons with Chi manipulation and FotM, so the first one is build around that. The second is an alternative electricity build, already have 4 Electric build that uses LA/LS with either AoPM, EF, Storm Bringer, with Ego, Int and End PSS, I'm using other Electric powers I haven't used before for this one. The third one, I wanted to use preemptive strike with fire strike and fireball, as I went with conflagration with my other fire builds.

MA DPS

Electric DPS

Fire DPS

jaazaniah1 · July 2022

A Psionic Accelerator device (from the Drifter store) is a useful and themeatic dps addition to any TP tool kit

flowcyto · July 2022

Celestial Conduit is pretty low dps, and you have other healing options available, so I don't think you'll find much use for it in the TP build. Ego Blast is okay as a basic filler attack- since it'll be boosted by the special adv and by Stress, at least. If you want a basic filler AoE attack that's not on a cd, then you could take something like TK Burst, since Ego Leech is also a Mental State, but it's also not strictly needed (and isn't a TP power, technically). Ego Sprites are another AoE (2x stacked DoT) option that could be used as some filler, if desired.

For the MA build, I may replace 100Hands w/ Dragon Kick as your AoE, since it also gives you access to the Rush adv, which you may need for extra energy when using BCF heavily on single-targets. Potential energy issues aside, the build could work okay.

For the Elec dps build that focuses on Gigabolt, I'd prob change Electrocute to R1 Chain Lit (w/ SC adv), so you can apply NI and Superconductor at long range, and maybe replace TStrike for Ball Lit (w/ advs) for NI and SC refreshes and more energy from Ionic Reverb (Gigabolt can take much energy to use). Elec Current is somewhat redundant here, though you could keep it as a closer-up & cheaper AoE, and maybe get the stun adv on it. Elec Siphon can be a decent heal, but you'll have to be w/in 25ft of a target w/ NI for it to be useful (you could just fallback to Conviction instead). Also, your main stat here will be End (for Power Source), so you'd want 3/3 in Sixth Sense if keeping Ego PSS.

Fireball is a bit limited as a main AoE attack, since it's AoE is reduced splash dmg, and has only 10ft spherical reach. I suppose you could still make it work, though. If anything, I figured you'd want to use a different single-target attack than Incinerate (which Fireball could also sub for, albeit w/ lower single-target dps), since you also have Firebreath and Pyre as AoE alternatives to Conflag, but it's ultimately up to you on what main powers you'd like to utilize. Also, Rec will be your main stat if using Fiery Will, so you'll want 3/3 in Sixth Sense there too.

blueionstormz · July 2022

jaazaniah1 wrote: »

A Psionic Accelerator device (from the Drifter store) is a useful and themeatic dps addition to any TP tool kit

Thanks for the tip. I haven't been buying keys and opening lockboxes in a long time so don't have much drifter salvage, been putting my zen into character slots, costume sets and shared hideout inventory, etc. I've seen a lot of TP character using it and it does look very useful. Will look into getting one when I do get enough drifter salvage someday.

blueionstormz · July 2022

flowcyto wrote: »

(Flow's post)

TP - Ok, understood, I forgot about Ego Sprite, will take that in place of Celestial Conduit. Thanks for mentioning it.

MA - I have taken Dragon Kick on a few MA build already, I am retconing out Hundred Hands on one of my character to replace it with Dragon Kick with rush, incidentally, and wanted to make another one that uses it. You are right though, without Dragon Rush, MA usually suffers from lack of energy when using BCF. I don't want to take two AoE though, and already have 3 or 4 toons that uses Dragon Kick, will most probably add an End mod on his gear, hopefully this will be adequate.

Electric - Ok, making the change, better to have them all at 100 feet. Thanks.

Fire - You make a good point on the fire build. I was feeling nostalgic and missing the power visuals on my old Inferno AT using the old fire framework. At that time, my main attack was using fireball, so this was the reason behind the power choice. I already have 3 Fire toons and wanted to use Fireball again for this fourth one.

Again, thank you for your time and recommendations, your kind and patience explanations are very clear and helpful in enabling me to understand the power synergies and making better builds, though I may at times, make sub optimal choices for aesthetic or nostalgic reasons. Hehe. Will ask again soon when a new concept comes to mind.

flowcyto · July 2022

For the MA build: If you don't want to use Dragon Kick, then you could always just take another Dragon attack for Rush. It'll be a single-target attack, but it may still be worthwhile to ease up the energy requirements. Up to you, though, and you also don't necc need Rising Knee for the Demolish refresh when you can just re-use something like Elbow Slam or TKicks (w/ Demolish adv) to put up it again (and at its full duration). The R1 Active Offense also isn't adding much to the build and could be axed for another free power slot to work with, if desired.

For the TP build, you may also want to get the healing adv on Ego Sprites, but R3 is okay for more dmg too. As w/ the MA build, the R1 AO is also replaceable here.

For the Elec build, you can potentially skip R2 in Chain Lit, since I assume you're mostly just using it to initially put up Superconductor and NI (which Ball Lit can refresh).

You linked the Elec build again in the Fire one, but if you want a Fire build that replaces Incinerate w/ Fireball, and also uses a different AoE than Conflag, then here's an example:

(Unnamed Build) - Freeform (Ranged Damage)
v3.45:38

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: Throw Fire
Level 1: Fire Strike (Wild Fire, Kindling)
Level 6: Fiery Form (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 8: Chilled Form
Level 11: Fireball (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 14: Thermal Reverberation
Level 17: Resurgence (Rank 2)
Level 20: Fire Breath (Rank 2, Rank 3) (*or take Pyre)
Level 23: Fire Snake (Rank 2, Trail Blazer)
Level 26: Flashfire (Sweltering Heat, Fan the Flames)
Level 29: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 32: Fire Shield (Rank 2)
Level 35: Fiery Embrace
Level 38: Mind Wipe
Adv. Points: 33/36

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)
Avenger: Ruthless (2/2)
Avenger: Round 'em Up (3/3)
Avenger: Relentless Assault (2/3)
Avenger: Preemptive Strike (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Focused Strikes (2/3)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Mastery: Ego Mastery (1/1)

Alternates between Firestrike and charged Fireball for single-targets, and can also use charged Fireball as an AoE opener, while Firebreath can be used as wider filler AoE (Pyre is another option instead). Also generally keeps Fire Snake and Flashfire up for debuffs and extra dmg. Gears mostly for Ego, w/ some Con and End.

-

blueionstormz wrote: »

Again, thank you for your time and recommendations, your kind and patience explanations are very clear and helpful in enabling me to understand the power synergies and making better builds, though I may at times, make sub optimal choices for aesthetic or nostalgic reasons. Hehe. Will ask again soon when a new concept comes to mind.

Its np. Most players prob don't min-max all of their builds, or at the least will leave some room open for comfort picks (and it's even easier to do that for dps builds).

blueionstormz · July 2022

Thanks for the Fire build, I like it, will use that instead.
I hear you, for the MA, am replacing Rising Knee with Dragon's wrath with rush and invisible weapons, that way, can alternate bet the 2 ST attack.
Will also take slave mentality instead of R3 for TP.
Yes, Chain Lightning is for refreshing superconductor, will move it to R2 Energy Sheath.
The AO are there also as hold breakers, though I could take the Resurgence break free adv. and use another power instead. Hm..
By the way, what does the power rotation look like for the Fire build? Is it something like this? Fire snake > charged fireball > flashfire > fire strike > fireball?

flowcyto · July 2022

For the Fire build, you're mostly just alternating between Fire Strike (for Preemptive Strike, Wild Fire, and Kindling) and charged Fireball. You throw in Fire Snake and Flashfire as their cds allow. Fireball can also be used as an opener attack, if desired, and Pyre or Fire Breath can be the main filler for AoE situations.

blueionstormz · July 2022

I hear you, Simple to use, doesn't need to push a lot of button. Thanks again.

Build Reviews

Comments