Not your average PA build - need help

Comments

• pugdaddy Posts: 248 Arc User

  September 2012 edited September 2012

  Beams attacks are Particle damage and non-physical. Quarry buffs non-physical damage just a little bit. So, I assume you took Quarry for it's combination of offense and defense. Try the Fair Game Advantage for Quarry, it really helps with survivability.

  0
• pugdaddy Posts: 248 Arc User

  September 2012 edited September 2012

  PowerHouse (Link to this build)
  
  Name:
  
  Archetype: Freeform
  
  Super Stats:
  Level 6: Dexterity (Primary)
  Level 10: Intelligence (Secondary)
  Level 15: Constitution (Secondary)
  
  Talents:
  Level 1: The Marksman
  Level 6: Accurate
  Level 9: Boundless Reserves
  Level 12: Investigator
  Level 15: Covert Ops Training
  Level 18: Coordinated
  Level 21: Acrobat
  
  Powers:
  Level 1: Power Bolts
  Level 1: Power Gauntlet (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 6: Concentration
  Level 8: Plasma Beam (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 11: Electric Form (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 14: Field Surge (Rank 2, Power Swell)
  Level 17: Force Shield (Force Sheathe)
  Level 20: Reconstruction Circuits (Rank 2)
  Level 23: Energy Wave (Rank 2, Hardened Particle Matrix)
  Level 26: Overdrive
  Level 29: Chest Beam (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 32: Support Drones (Rank 2)
  Level 35: Lock N Load (Rank 2)
  Level 38: Orbital Cannon (Rank 2, Anvil of Dawn)
  
  Travel Powers:
  Level 6: Jet Boots
  Level 35:
  
  Specializations:
  Dexterity: Gear Utilization (3/3)
  Dexterity: Brush It Off (2/2)
  Dexterity: Evasion (2/2)
  Dexterity: Quick Reflexes (3/3)
  Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
  Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
  Vindicator: The Rush of Battle (3/3)
  Vindicator: Modified Gear (2/2)
  Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
  Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
  Guardian: Retribution (2/2)
  Guardian: The Best Defense (3/3)
  Mastery: Dexterity Mastery (1/1)
  
  This build uses Dex instead of Ego. The Dex specializations here help with Dodge/Avoid. Con will add more Hit Points. I made the Talents add Endurance to increase your maximum energy. That could be traded out for more Rec instead. I don't have the reflexes of a younger man, so I prefer toons with lots of HP. Con could be traded out for another stat if you find survivability is no longer a problem.
  This build uses Electric Form which gives a substantial buff to Particle damage. It also really helps with energy. Your Energy Unlock, Overdrive, completely relies upon Plasma Beam to gain stacks. So, maintain Plasma Beam at least 1/2 way through as often as possible. Another idea would be to use Concussor Beams with the Wind Reverberation Energy Unlock as it provides energy return when you Repel a target. Problem is: concussor Beams is single target and Plasma Beam can hit targets in a line. Personally, I would trade Power Gauntlet for Concussor Beams just because I don't like Blast attacks as much as maintains. Just my personal preference.
  Electric Form with the Dex and the attack powers makes this a good dps build.
  I traded Shockwave for Energy Wave. I'm assuming Shockwave is for melee range targets. You could use Laser Sword instead as Electric Form buffs it too. After looking at Shockwave in the CO Wiki, it will also get buffed by Electric Form, so it looks good as it was. Electric Form buffs Electric, Sonic, and Particle damage.
  I had to add Orbital Cannon to this build since it is beam based and uses Electric Form. The Anvil of Dawn advantage makes the beam chase its target around for a while. Nasty! It just takes forever to activate.
  For defense, I added Field Surge which is a great emergency force field. The Block power is Force Shield. The Force Sheath Advantage for Force Shield makes some of the protection and energy return stay active for like 8 seconds after you stop blocking. It's best to activate it by blocking before you start an attack. Lots of people use this tactic because it works so well.
  Support Drones are a reliable healing pet and Reconstruction Circuits provides healing. Reconstruction Circuits has some limits- you can't use non-PA toggle powers while it is active. Keep that in mind.
  So, between the added damage output from Crits and Electric Form, the increased Dodge and defense from Force powers and healing from Drones, hopefully this build will satisfy your PA needs.

  0
• secksegai Posts: 1,354 Arc User

  September 2012 edited September 2012

  pugdaddy wrote: »

  Beams attacks are Particle damage and non-physical. Quarry buffs non-physical damage just a little bit. So, I assume you took Quarry for it's combination of offense and defense. Try the Fair Game Advantage for Quarry, it really helps with survivability.

  
  I would disagree. Fair game isn't something that sees regular use because if you're using quarry, you're wanting to make the most of the stat bonus as well as the avoid. Also, the times where you need healing most, fair game and similar function spec's are useless as your target has far much health and won't be dying anytime soon.
  
  You're getting eaten alive because you have no real mitigation. Quarry does boost the dodge/avoid some - but when that dodge doesn't proc, you are taking full damage, or at least whatever gets through the standard defense, which will be a lot. You won't be out-healing that much damage.
  
  Masterful dodge is a standard AD these days, especially since it doesn't get nerfed to uselessness in certain situations like Unbreakable. Unbreakable itself is still quite useful, but it has limitatons and requires ranks to be worthwhile, otherwise its really easy to pop and stop working before full duration. Resurgence is also quite nice to have, especially if you have high con and no significant healing bonuses.
  
  Since my damage focused toons are almost always end up having to tank in alerts, while my ATs have to make do with devices, my FFs get by through Active defenses, something I've had to learn to use extensively from pvp.
  
  I definitely would have a much different looking build, but I've got countless hours spent in pve, pvp and even the power house. You'll really need to decide on how much offensive focus you want, because you can't run a glass cannon and expect it to handle 5 man spawns cleanly. Either you focus on glass or give up some for ADs and the like.

  0
• benevon Posts: 388 Arc User

  September 2012 edited September 2012

  Well I swapped out Quarry for Electric Form and seems to work out pretty well. I've been leveling it on live through alerts mainly. I really should test it out more on solo content and such.
  
  As far as what you said Seck, yeah, I definitely want to focus on offense while not getting roflstomped if I pull aggro. My main, a muni with quarry and no AD, can still solo 5 man hard battle stations rooms with little problems. But he is also fully geared so I guess it's not a real comparison, and an error on my part.
  
  Another question, are It Burns and Melta Cannon worth it, or should I just rank Plasma Beam to 3? I've been doing some testing but I am lazy when it comes to numbers.

  ---

  
  My Characters on PRIMUS
  Toons and costumes thread
  @Benevon
  Leader of Super Serious Brooding Vigilantes

  0
• pugdaddy Posts: 248 Arc User

  September 2012 edited September 2012

  benevon wrote: »

  Another question, are It Burns and Melta Cannon worth it, or should I just rank Plasma Beam to 3? I've been doing some testing but I am lazy when it comes to numbers.

  
  With a dps build, it's probably better to just wipe mobs instead of apply dot effects. However, if you spend lots of time fighting Bosses in Alerts, some dot probably isn't that bad.

  0
• stavarous Posts: 5 Arc User

  September 2012 edited September 2012

  DPS build I would definitely do something with Int for primary SS and REC and END for secondary, get active defenses, (int will drop the CDs on them so they will have more uptime) Energy wave is a good aoe KB power, I have a level 32 PA (beams and blasts only) I run in Hybrid role, he has Invuln as his passive, and attack powers are Power Bolts, Power Gauntlets, Concussor beams, eye beams, plasma beam, toggle is concentration, energy unlock is overdrive, has energy shield with phalanx def sys. for healing he has Resurgence and the Empathy heal from telepahty, He CAN defeat a 5 man Hard Powerhouse run.
  
  I'm out of respecs on him, but if I were to do it over I would swap resurgence for reconstructive circuits the pa chest toggle heal. I don't see a need for chest beam on him, Power Gauntlet at rank 3 cant hit for 1200+ non crit, Plasma beam is my aoe attack, concussor beams + eye beams kills the harder mobs, I can basically ignore minions thanks to invulnerability.

  0
• benevon Posts: 388 Arc User

  September 2012 edited September 2012

  PowerHouse (Link to this build)
  
  Name:
  
  Archetype: Freeform
  
  Super Stats:
  Level 6: Dexterity (Primary)
  Level 10: Intelligence (Secondary)
  Level 15: Recovery (Secondary)
  
  Talents:
  Level 1: The Marksman
  Level 6: Agile
  Level 9: Brilliant
  Level 12: Tireless
  Level 15: Coordinated
  Level 18: Impresario
  Level 21: Negotiator
  
  Powers:
  Level 1: Power Bolts
  Level 1: Concentration
  Level 6: Overdrive
  Level 8: Chest Beam (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 11: Plasma Beam (Rank 2, Melta Cannon)
  Level 14: Evasive Maneuvers (Sleight of Mind)
  Level 17: Lock N Load (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 20: Electric Form (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 23: Electric Sheath (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 26: Bountiful Chi Resurgence (Rank 2, Resurgent Reiki)
  Level 29: Masterful Dodge
  Level 32: Force Shield (Force Sheathe)
  Level 35: Toxic Nanites (Rank 2)
  Level 38: Lightning Arc (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  
  Travel Powers:
  Level 6: Jet Boots (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 35: Athletics (Rank 2)
  
  Specializations:
  Dexterity: Combat Training (3/3)
  Dexterity: Gear Utilization (3/3)
  Dexterity: Deadly Aim (3/3)
  Dexterity: Quick Reflexes (1/3)
  Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
  Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
  Guardian: Find the Mark (2/3)
  Guardian: The Best Defense (3/3)
  Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
  Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
  Vindicator: Offensive Expertise (2/2)
  Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
  Mastery: Dexterity Mastery (1/1)
  
  So this is what I have been leveling with so far. Just hit 35. Kinda squishy but with BCR and masterful dodge, solo leveling content is easy enough and alerts I'm survivable to get me by. Not sure about the last power if I really need a single target (plasma beam is working fine for me in alerts so far) or if I should grab another heal.

  ---

  
  My Characters on PRIMUS
  Toons and costumes thread
  @Benevon
  Leader of Super Serious Brooding Vigilantes

  0
• ghostdogg Posts: 23 Arc User

  October 2012 edited October 2012

  I am liking all these builds. I started this game as a solid PA toon using Pulsewaves and Judge's builds. I am really digging on Pugdaddy's
  
  Pugdaddy, two questions.......Have you found that Plasma beam works better now and do you use it as a main AT. Second, is there a way to have a force power in here for CC to push mobs away from you if you get swamped?
  
  Thanks guys really enjoying this thread!

  [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  
  "If it weren't for whiskey the Irish would rule the world"

  0
• pugdaddy Posts: 248 Arc User

  October 2012 edited October 2012

  I honestly prefer using Mini-gun. But, for a Beam-only build, Plasma Beam would be the "aoe" Maintain. If it weren't for that thematic restriction, i would definitely suggest Lightning Storm and also Ball Lightning from Electricity. Those are the Energy damage pimps.
  
  Lately I've been running a PA/Heavy Weapons build, so I haven't worried about repelling melee range targets. Force Eruption w/ Gravitational Polarity looks pretty good. I've used Energy Wave before and enjoyed it but it's expensive. Expensive but does good damage. Force Eruption is more affordable and does less damage but the Gravitational Polarity Advantage looks really useful as it creates a spot on the ground that gives you +15% damage while you stand on it.

  0
• ghostdogg Posts: 23 Arc User

  October 2012 edited October 2012

  pugdaddy wrote: »

  I honestly prefer using Mini-gun. But, for a Beam-only build, Plasma Beam would be the "aoe" Maintain. If it weren't for that thematic restriction, i would definitely suggest Lightning Storm and also Ball Lightning from Electricity. Those are the Energy damage pimps.

  
  Funny you say that, I did insert Ball Lightning and the other power that repels MOBs from you. I forget the name of it and I am at work. But the advantage you can get makes it a toogle and it is from the Lightning skill tree
  

  pugdaddy wrote: »

  Lately I've been running a PA/Heavy Weapons build, so I haven't worried about repelling melee range targets. Force Eruption w/ Gravitational Polarity looks pretty good. I've used Energy Wave before and enjoyed it but it's expensive. Expensive but does good damage. Force Eruption is more affordable and does less damage but the Gravitational Polarity Advantage looks really useful as it creates a spot on the ground that gives you +15% damage while you stand on it.

  
  I am gonna give Energy wave a try tonight once i get home from work. Is it 360 or a cone attack? Just curious.
  
  Thanks again Pug you rock!

  [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  
  "If it weren't for whiskey the Irish would rule the world"

  0
• scrapperlok Posts: 4 Arc User

  October 2012 edited October 2012

  Hey PugDaddy,
  
  Im looking for a PA heavy weapons build! However, I dont want to hijack this thread, so can you point me to yours, if its posted online?
  
  Im doing a loosely based Iron Giant theme\look, but I have fallen in love with minigun.
  
  In goofing around with mini-gun, Im nearly at a point where I can make it perma with my energybuilder running. Still, Id like something survivable, and I should probably take one or two other powers as well...maybe XD
  
  Thanks in advance.

  0