Need help with force build!

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  jonesing4 Posts: 800 Arc User

  August 2013 edited August 2013

  Right off the bat I'd say the first thing you definitely want to do is get rid of CON as a superstat! That's the main advantage to using PFF--ideally, they aren't getting through to your HP bar, and if they are, you're probably screwed already.
  
  CON's spec tree is doing nothing for your damage, and the bonus that the stat itself gives (HP) is doing nothing for your defense.
  
  Go with a more offensive stat set-up. EGO/DEX/REC? If you aren't having Energy trouble as is, that would probably be a clean switch that will add a lot of extra punch, and open up some options. The EGO tree is focused on Crits (which you want!) but also offers some flexibility. You can add Defense, Offense, Cost Reduction, whatever you need.
  
  The other problem I see (the problem with Force in general, really) is that you just don't have many great attacks. Crushing Wave is terrible because of its slow damage ticks. Force Eruption is only useful for its advantage (by the way, pick that up if you keep the power... Gravitational Polarity will give your alphas a nice little boost). Gigabolt is decent but there are better single target spikes.
  
  It seems from your choices that you're trying to use Force without sending enemies flying everywhere (understandable). Unfortunately, the only good AoEs in Force... send enemies flying everywhere. You could build around Force Cascade so that one shot kills everything (invest heavily in Cost Reduction). An alternative approach that one of my Force characters uses:
  
  Force Snap
  Force Geyser
  Force Detonation
  Cooldown Reduction gear
  
  They all activate immediately. They all have short cooldowns, which is great for your MSA. They add up to decent damage. Only the last one (FD) sends enemies on a long trip, and they usually die before that. But mainly, it's fun because it feels like combo-oriented combat, and you can just ping-pong helpless baddies. Maybe not your cup, but I've enjoyed it.
  
  At any rate, Gigabolt is fine, but you really need to solve your AoE problem. You could get Lightning Storm, but then you're kind of just an Elec toon with PFF. Other options exist, but you need to get something other than Crushing Wave, IMO.
  
  Aside from that, not knowing how survivable you are at present, you could drop IDF for Concentration. Your defense would take a hit, but (if you SS EGO) you would gain some extra punch as well as some added Energy management.
  
  Hope some of that was helpful, feel free to follow up.

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  brfabeiras Posts: 182 Arc User

  August 2013 edited August 2013

  Thanks! Really helpful advices! As soon i have enough G to reset my toon, i'll give it a try!

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  brfabeiras Posts: 182 Arc User

  August 2013 edited August 2013

  Following jonesing4 advices, i did this build:
  
  PowerHouse (Link to this build)
  
  Name: Force Breaker 2.0
  
  Archetype: Freeform
  
  Super Stats:
  Level 6: Ego (Primary)
  Level 10: Dexterity (Secondary)
  Level 15: Recovery (Secondary)
  
  Talents:
  Level 1: The Void
  Level 6: Ascetic
  Level 9: Acrobat
  Level 12: Quick Recovery
  Level 15: Shrug It Off
  Level 18: Healthy Mind
  Level 21: Boundless Reserves
  
  Powers:
  Level 1: Force Bolts (Accelerated Metabolism)
  Level 1: Personal Force Field (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 6: Force Shield (Force Sheathe)
  Level 8: Force Snap
  Level 11: Force Geyser (Hard Landing)
  Level 14: Masterful Dodge
  Level 17: Bountiful Chi Resurgence (Rank 2, Resurgent Reiki)
  Level 20: Inertial Dampening Field (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 23: Conviction (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 26: Molecular Self-Assembly
  Level 29: Field Surge (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 32: Force Detonation (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 35: Force Cascade (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 38: Ascension (Rank 2)
  
  Travel Powers:
  Level 6: Power Flight (Rank 2, Rank 3)
  Level 35: Superspeed
  
  Specializations:
  Ego: Force of Will (2/2)
  Ego: Insight (3/3)
  Ego: Follow Through (2/3)
  Ego: Sixth Sense (3/3)
  Warden: Fortified Gear (3/3)
  Warden: Ruthless (2/2)
  Warden: Tenacious (2/2)
  Warden: The Best Defense (3/3)
  Guardian: Fortified Gear (3/3)
  Guardian: Ruthless (2/2)
  Guardian: Tenacious (2/2)
  Guardian: The Best Defense (3/3)
  Mastery: Ego Mastery (1/1)
  
  Used Ascension to combo with Conviction (+damage increase) and BCR to combo with Masterful Dodge. All talents have con to increase my HP a little and specializations increases my defense and boosts my offense as well.
  
  Opinions are very welcome! :biggrin:

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  jonesing4 Posts: 800 Arc User

  August 2013 edited August 2013

  I think that looks like a fun build that should be pretty tough, while still having some good attack options. Just a few more suggestions/thoughts:
  
  I noticed you've got two heals. Your experience may vary from mine, but when I've used PFF I have tried to take advantage of not having to worry (as much) about the HP bar. You need to focus on (1) your shields and (2) your killing power. Most of your power choices help those out, but 2 heals seems redundant with a passive whose main selling point is that enemies rarely damage your actual HP pool.
  
  I might try dumping BCR for something else that will buff your offense. An Active Offense (Ego Surge would be great), the sorcery Circle (if that isn't theme-breaking), even Sonic Device could have some cool possibilities with its Force-y graphics and decent added punch (plus another shortish cooldown to help fuel MSA).
  
  Again, you may find that both of those heals are necessary, but with PFF + IDF + 2 AD's + hopefully some Dodge/Avoidance gear, your defenses should be pretty solid. Use Conviction fairly often with those little divots that enemies will make into your HP bar, but lose BCR (and it's damage tax) for some offense.
  
  I liked your first spec tree setup better; I think you'll find that taking The Best Defense twice might push your Offense into diminishing returns at the cost of losing Defense--your initial pairing of Vindicator and Warden gives a nice healthy number for both Offense and Defense. Vindicator also gives you more Crit/Severity utility.
  
  Could be that you've already used Vindicator and Warden/Guardian on a hundred toons already, though, and wanted to just try something different. Your current setup is by no means unworkable or 'bad', just probably not optimal.
  
  Last piece of advice is just a small quibble with the advantage points... again harping on the healing powers. If you jettison BCR, put those 4 adv points into one of your unranked attacks. I would probably leave Conviction unranked in favor of maxing my attacks, as well. Conviction is the gravy, your attacks are the meat and potatoes. You're only needing to heal the little damage (hopefully) that gets through, while you're always needing to attack. Make all of your attacks hit harder, and you won't need the healing as much.
  
  Again, looks like a fun build as-is, but I think there are still some tweaks to make it even more successful.

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  brfabeiras Posts: 182 Arc User

  August 2013 edited August 2013

  Well, let's work on this build then! Made some changes again:
  
  -Swapped BCR for Ego Surge (with Nimble Mind advantage);
  -I'm using Warden/Vindicator again on spec tree;
  -Swapped Force Snap for Force Eruption (with Gravitational Polarity to give me some damage bonus. Also helps in case to be surrounded by enemies);
  
  For now i'm not going to remove rank 2 and 3 from Conviction, but i will sure test this when i'm able to reset my toon.
  
  Like you said, just need to work on it a little more and maybe this build become able to solo some elite content :biggrin:

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  jaazaniah1 Posts: 5,431 Arc User

  August 2013 edited August 2013

  My PFF Force hero has both Concentration and IDF. Which I use depends on the situation.

  

  Perseus, Captain Arcane, Tectonic Knight, Pankration, Siberiad, Sekhmet, Black Seraph, Clockwork

  Project Attalus: Saving the world so you don't have to!

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