Help with a PA/Force Build

wiltonwarrior · November 2012

I am building a thematic character (Power Armor/Force) build for ranged tanking mostly. May I have some advice from soneone better at numbers then me on how to build this character?

titotito333999 · November 2012

What are you looking out of the Force Set because PA does't like to play nice with others, and if its knock backs Chest Beam can take care of that... Can you elaborate more on your theme?

wiltonwarrior · November 2012

Well here's the story thematically:
A person got shot into a black hole. The character is a reflection of her caused by light streams (it gets complicated) who encased herself in metallic armor to keep from causing radioactive explosions and whatnot. From Force I'm looking for a lot of the knockback powers and area powers. Things that are really flashy. From Power Armor I'm hoping for more of the beam/energy weapons then the physical bullets or missiles.

wiltonwarrior · November 2012

Created A Sample Build for critque:

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name: Infinity

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats:
Level 6: Endurance (Primary)
Level 10: Constitution (Secondary)
Level 15: Recovery (Secondary)

Talents:
Level 1: Abyssal
Level 6: Amazing Stamina
Level 9: Boundless Reserves
Level 12: Quick Recovery
Level 15: Energetic
Level 18: Enduring
Level 21: Tireless

Powers:
Level 1: Power Bolts
Level 1: Force Blast (Rank 2, Field Inversion)
Level 6: Invulnerability (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 8: Force Shield (Rank 2, Rank 3, Force Sheathe)
Level 11: Concussor Beam (Frenetic Blast)
Level 14: Force Eruption (Rank 2, Gravitational Polarity)
Level 17: Chest Beam (Rank 2)
Level 20: Field Surge (Power Swell)
Level 23: Unbreakable
Level 26: Crushing Wave (Rank 2, Disruptive Force)
Level 29: Energy Wave (Hardened Particle Matrix, Reverse Polarity)
Level 32: Containment Field (Grinding Halt)
Level 35: Overdrive
Level 38: Protection Field

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Jet Pack (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Teleportation (Rank 2)

Specializations:
Endurance: Readiness (3/3)
Endurance: Withstand (2/2)
Endurance: Outburst (3/3)
Endurance: Hardened (2/2)
Protector: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Protector: Bulwark (2/2)
Protector: Defensive Expertise (3/3)
Protector: Resolute (2/3)
Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Guardian: Locus (2/2)
Guardian: Retribution (2/2)
Guardian: The Best Defense (3/3)
Mastery: Protector Mastery (1/1)

How is it?

titotito333999 · November 2012

Sorry it took me so long to reply... holidays and family hehe. After looking at your sample build, in my opinion you have too many attacks that do the same things. By focusing on thematic/play-style attacks(beams, flashy, knock-backs) and switching to MSA, you get better synergy. You also don't have a self heal and a way to hold agro. Here's a build that I tested on PTS with great DPS/Survivability and I hope stays within your theme. It is a leveling build that you can retcon into at LV8, but it wont shine until you get decent gear/mods at LV40.

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name: PA/Force Juggler Tank

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats: LV40Test toon had 133DEX 502INT 110REC
Level 6: Dexterity (Primary) Got this for extra DPS from crits and DEX Mastery
Level 10: Intelligence (Secondary) The main stat of the build, geat asmuch as u can unless you feel squishy then also get some CON
Level 15: Recovery (Secondary) Got this to attack from rest

Talents: All talent support your SS, you can also switch REC talents for CON talents at LV40 if you can get a full charge Cheat Beam off from rest
Level 1: The Soldier
Level 6: Agile
Level 9: Brilliant
Level 12: Tireless
Level 15: Coordinated
Level 18: Impresario
Level 21: Negotiator

Powers:
Level 1: Power Bolts Theme energy builder, you will never use it at LV40 with decent gear/mods
Level 1: Invulnerability (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Concentration
Level 8: Plasma Beam (Melta Cannon, Accelerated Metabolism, Challenging Strikes) Main tanking power, nice DPS Cylinder AoE
Level 11: Molecular Self-Assembly Energy unlock, procs from a power's cooldown ending, scales with INT/REC, since not all your attacks are maintains/PA MSA is better than overdrive
Level 14: Bountiful Chi Resurgence (Resurgent Reiki) Great heal, with adv you get extra heals when you dodge every .5sec, procs MSA
Level 17: Evasive Maneuvers (Rank 2, Rank 3) +Dodge chance, procs MSA
Level 20: Force Detonation (Rank 2, Rank 3, Accelerated Metabolism) Theme flashy knock back force attack, procs MSA
Level 23: Energy Shield (Phalanx Defense System) Great block with adv,you get extra resistance when you use a PA attack
Level 26: Chest Beam (Rank 2, Rank 3) Theme flashy PA attack
Level 29: Masterful Dodge AD, +dodge chance/avoidance
Level 32: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3) Great heal, it crirts, procs MSA
Level 35: Lock N Load AO, break free, lowers cost of attacks and +crit chance
Level 38: Circle of Primal Dominion (Rank 2, Rank 3) Filler, CoPD in Tank role will increase your agro, along with damage/knock back resistances and heal you in any role, great for bosses/Cosmics

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Teleportation
Level 35: Distortion Superspeed (Rank 2, Rank 3) Plasma Beam does't play nice with flying travel powers

Specializations: Spec'ed for more crits/offence
Dexterity: Gear Utilization (1/3)
Dexterity: Brush It Off (2/2)
Dexterity: Power Swell (2/2)
Dexterity: Deadly Aim (2/3)
Dexterity: Expose Weakness (2/2)
Warden: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
Warden: Elusive (2/2)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Modified Gear (2/2)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Mastery: Dexterity Mastery (1/1)

The way the build plays(at LV40) is to open with BCR and Evasive for healing, +dodge chance and MSA proc. Then a full charged Chest Beam(big knock back), that will proc Concentration energy return and MSA will be up from before. Then a Force Detonation for an extra juggle and MSA proc after the cooldown. After that just maintain Plasma Beam for agro. And don't forget to keep your heals/evasive/AO/AD up, their cooldowns will keep MSA going.
Test toon had Precision, Agility and Speed gear. All with 6 rank7 INT mods, 2 rank7 Gambers mods in offence/defense, and 1 rank 7 Impact mod in utility.

wiltonwarrior · November 2012

OMG Thank you. I am terrible at these kind of things and this was exactly the kind of thing I was looking for.
Thank you So Much!

beldin · November 2012

Some notes, even if titotito333999 already replaced this powers in his build, but maybe
it helps to know why :

Proterction field is totally useless for an Invuln Character, since it takes damage before your defense
and so the 1200 or whatever it gives, are eaten in seconds even from normal villains.
So Conviction, BCR and / or Bionic Shielding are much better.

Unbrekable also is not really that great, since it can break indeed very easy now, and i prefer
Masterful Dodge instead-

gypsyinspace · November 2012

titotito333999 wrote: »

Sorry it took me so long to reply... holidays and family hehe. After looking at your sample build, in my opinion you have too many attacks that do the same things. By focusing on thematic/play-style attacks(beams, flashy, knock-backs) and switching to MSA, you get better synergy. You also don't have a self heal and a way to hold agro. Here's a build that I tested on PTS with great DPS/Survivability and I hope stays within your theme. It is a leveling build that you can retcon into at LV8, but it wont shine until you get decent gear/mods at LV40.

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name: PA/Force Juggler Tank

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats: LV40Test toon had 133DEX 502INT 110REC
Level 6: Dexterity (Primary) Got this for extra DPS from crits and DEX Mastery
Level 10: Intelligence (Secondary) The main stat of the build, geat asmuch as u can unless you feel squishy then also get some CON
Level 15: Recovery (Secondary) Got this to attack from rest

Talents: All talent support your SS, you can also switch REC talents for CON talents at LV40 if you can get a full charge Cheat Beam off from rest
Level 1: The Soldier
Level 6: Agile
Level 9: Brilliant
Level 12: Tireless
Level 15: Coordinated
Level 18: Impresario
Level 21: Negotiator

Powers:
Level 1: Power Bolts Theme energy builder, you will never use it at LV40 with decent gear/mods
Level 1: Invulnerability (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Concentration
Level 8: Plasma Beam (Melta Cannon, Accelerated Metabolism, Challenging Strikes) Main tanking power, nice DPS Cylinder AoE
Level 11: Molecular Self-Assembly Energy unlock, procs from a power's cooldown ending, scales with INT/REC, since not all your attacks are maintains/PA MSA is better than overdrive
Level 14: Bountiful Chi Resurgence (Resurgent Reiki) Great heal, with adv you get extra heals when you dodge every .5sec, procs MSA
Level 17: Evasive Maneuvers (Rank 2, Rank 3) +Dodge chance, procs MSA
Level 20: Force Detonation (Rank 2, Rank 3, Accelerated Metabolism) Theme flashy knock back force attack, procs MSA
Level 23: Energy Shield (Phalanx Defense System) Great block with adv,you get extra resistance when you use a PA attack
Level 26: Chest Beam (Rank 2, Rank 3) Theme flashy PA attack
Level 29: Masterful Dodge AD, +dodge chance/avoidance
Level 32: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3) Great heal, it crirts, procs MSA
Level 35: Lock N Load AO, break free, lowers cost of attacks and +crit chance
Level 38: Circle of Primal Dominion (Rank 2, Rank 3) Filler, CoPD in Tank role will increase your agro, along with damage/knock back resistances and heal you in any role, great for bosses/Cosmics

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Teleportation
Level 35: Distortion Superspeed (Rank 2, Rank 3) Plasma Beam does't play nice with flying travel powers

Specializations: Spec'ed for more crits/offence
Dexterity: Gear Utilization (1/3)
Dexterity: Brush It Off (2/2)
Dexterity: Power Swell (2/2)
Dexterity: Deadly Aim (2/3)
Dexterity: Expose Weakness (2/2)
Warden: Fortified Gear (3/3)
Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
Warden: Elusive (2/2)
Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
Vindicator: Aggressive Stance (2/2)
Vindicator: Merciless (3/3)
Vindicator: Modified Gear (2/2)
Vindicator: Mass Destruction (3/3)
Mastery: Dexterity Mastery (1/1)

The way the build plays(at LV40) is to open with BCR and Evasive for healing, +dodge chance and MSA proc. Then a full charged Chest Beam(big knock back), that will proc Concentration energy return and MSA will be up from before. Then a Force Detonation for an extra juggle and MSA proc after the cooldown. After that just maintain Plasma Beam for agro. And don't forget to keep your heals/evasive/AO/AD up, their cooldowns will keep MSA going.
Test toon had Precision, Agility and Speed gear. All with 6 rank7 INT mods, 2 rank7 Gambers mods in offence/defense, and 1 rank 7 Impact mod in utility.

What kind of gear should I focus on getting for this build?

galen1969 · January 2013

Hello. another refugee from Paragon City here who's browsing builds to get a feel for how things work here. I'm trying out this build, but I think I'm doing something wrong. I went through and respecc'd to get the first three powers, but when I made level 8, I couldn't choose plasma beam even though I had 3 powers from the PA set. Is there some trick I'm missing? Thanks in advance.

cyrone · January 2013

galen1969 wrote: »

Hello. another refugee from Paragon City here who's browsing builds to get a feel for how things work here. I'm trying out this build, but I think I'm doing something wrong. I went through and respecc'd to get the first three powers, but when I made level 8, I couldn't choose plasma beam even though I had 3 powers from the PA set. Is there some trick I'm missing? Thanks in advance.

Concentration doesn't count for unlocking in set powers for some reason.

galen1969 · January 2013

From what I've seen, Concentration is a Gadgeteering set power while everything else is PA. Might that be a reason?

Help with a PA/Force Build

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