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TK Blades: DEX or EGO?
shaenthebrain
Posts: 111 Arc User
My forum searches seem to be finding equal numbers of players advocating for either DEX or EGO as the primary super-stat for an Ego Blade wielder looking for a high critical hit chance. Which one is the "better" choice?
Here's the breakdown as I understand it. Please let me know if I got anything wrong or missed anything.
Critical Hit Chance:
DEX gives crit chance by default, at what appears to be around +1% per 5-10 points (gross simplification).
The DEX specialization "Combat Training" gives what seems to be a tiny amount of critical strike rating (which is effectively bonus DEX for the purpose of calculating critical hit chance) based on Offense. At rank 2/3 of Combat Training, every 10 points of Offense equal +1 bonus point of DEX, so 100 Offense would grant the equivalent of +10 DEX, or...+1% crit chance. Not exactly a game-changer.
The EGO specialization tree gives what appears to be a tiny bonus to critical hit chance with Sixth Sense, based on secondary super-stats (appears to be about +1% per 100 points in each stat at rank 2/3). Because we get 2 secondary super-stats, that appears to make Sixth Sense about twice as "good" (relative term) as Combat Training from the DEX tree.
EGO Mastery gives bonus points to secondary super-stats, so if DEX is a secondary super-stat, it effectively gives bonus critical strike rating, and more bonus crit chance with Sixth Sense.
Critical Hit Severity:
The DEX specialization tree gives crit severity with Deadly Aim (based on secondary super-stats) and DEX Mastery.
The EGO specialization tree gives crit severity with Follow Through (based on EGO).
Deadly Aim appears to give about +15% severity with a secondary super-stat at around 200. With two super-stats at 200, that would be +30% severity. Follow Through would give about +25% severity with EGO of around 200. So EGO does more with less.
Offense/Defense:
The DEX specialization tree gives +18% Offense and Defense from gear with Gear Utilization 3/3. At about +1% damage resistance per 4 points of Defense, and what appears to be about +1% damage per 5 points of Offense, that would roughly translate to 100 points of Offense/Defense (+20% damage, +25% damage resistance) becoming 118 points (roughly +24% damage, +30% damage resistance).
The EGO specialization tree gives +20% Offense from gear with Aggression (about +5% more damage from Offense; not as good as Gear Utilization, since Defense gear seems to be much more common than Offense gear). It also gives a Defense bonus based on secondary super-stats with Force of Will (+1 Defense per 10 points in each stat, so 100 points in each stat would give +10 Defense / +2.5% damage resistance).
Dodge/Avoid:
The DEX specialization tree gives Avoidance based on secondary super-stats with Evasion (almost +1 Avoidance per 10 points in each stat), and Dodge based on DEX with Quick Reflexes (+1 Dodge per 10 DEX points at rank 2/3).
EGO does not affect Dodge or Avoidance.
Energy:
DEX does nothing for energy management.
EGO gives a bonus to the energy gain from Ego Reverberation (15 by default, +1 per 10 points of EGO).
(Insight from the EGO specialization tree only works for ranged attack powers, so it is nearly useless for a TK blade wielder.)
Overall Damage:
DEX does nothing for overall damage.
EGO gives a small buff to the damage for all the Ego Blade powers (about +20% at 70, then about 1/4 that bonus for points beyond 70).
Final Analysis:
It really does seem neck-and-neck between these two. I'm hard-pressed to pick the "better" option.
EGO primary without a DEX secondary isn't going to provide any significant crit chance to speak of.
DEX primary without EGO secondary will provide a substantial crit chance.
EGO primary with a high secondary DEX seems to be the best choice for a high overal critical hit chance.
Overall crit severity seems to be a tie. DEX Mastery gives some crit severity, but then Deadly Aim needs two super-stats to equal or slightly surpass the same severity provided by one stat with Follow Through.
EGO primary would give slightly better overall damage, and significantly better energy management.
DEX primary would provide significantly greater survivability.
I think EGO/DEX/(?) barely wins as the "best" stat choices for a TK blade wielder, but it seems like you really could go either way.
Here's the breakdown as I understand it. Please let me know if I got anything wrong or missed anything.
Critical Hit Chance:
DEX gives crit chance by default, at what appears to be around +1% per 5-10 points (gross simplification).
The DEX specialization "Combat Training" gives what seems to be a tiny amount of critical strike rating (which is effectively bonus DEX for the purpose of calculating critical hit chance) based on Offense. At rank 2/3 of Combat Training, every 10 points of Offense equal +1 bonus point of DEX, so 100 Offense would grant the equivalent of +10 DEX, or...+1% crit chance. Not exactly a game-changer.
The EGO specialization tree gives what appears to be a tiny bonus to critical hit chance with Sixth Sense, based on secondary super-stats (appears to be about +1% per 100 points in each stat at rank 2/3). Because we get 2 secondary super-stats, that appears to make Sixth Sense about twice as "good" (relative term) as Combat Training from the DEX tree.
EGO Mastery gives bonus points to secondary super-stats, so if DEX is a secondary super-stat, it effectively gives bonus critical strike rating, and more bonus crit chance with Sixth Sense.
Critical Hit Severity:
The DEX specialization tree gives crit severity with Deadly Aim (based on secondary super-stats) and DEX Mastery.
The EGO specialization tree gives crit severity with Follow Through (based on EGO).
Deadly Aim appears to give about +15% severity with a secondary super-stat at around 200. With two super-stats at 200, that would be +30% severity. Follow Through would give about +25% severity with EGO of around 200. So EGO does more with less.
Offense/Defense:
The DEX specialization tree gives +18% Offense and Defense from gear with Gear Utilization 3/3. At about +1% damage resistance per 4 points of Defense, and what appears to be about +1% damage per 5 points of Offense, that would roughly translate to 100 points of Offense/Defense (+20% damage, +25% damage resistance) becoming 118 points (roughly +24% damage, +30% damage resistance).
The EGO specialization tree gives +20% Offense from gear with Aggression (about +5% more damage from Offense; not as good as Gear Utilization, since Defense gear seems to be much more common than Offense gear). It also gives a Defense bonus based on secondary super-stats with Force of Will (+1 Defense per 10 points in each stat, so 100 points in each stat would give +10 Defense / +2.5% damage resistance).
Dodge/Avoid:
The DEX specialization tree gives Avoidance based on secondary super-stats with Evasion (almost +1 Avoidance per 10 points in each stat), and Dodge based on DEX with Quick Reflexes (+1 Dodge per 10 DEX points at rank 2/3).
EGO does not affect Dodge or Avoidance.
Energy:
DEX does nothing for energy management.
EGO gives a bonus to the energy gain from Ego Reverberation (15 by default, +1 per 10 points of EGO).
(Insight from the EGO specialization tree only works for ranged attack powers, so it is nearly useless for a TK blade wielder.)
Overall Damage:
DEX does nothing for overall damage.
EGO gives a small buff to the damage for all the Ego Blade powers (about +20% at 70, then about 1/4 that bonus for points beyond 70).
Final Analysis:
It really does seem neck-and-neck between these two. I'm hard-pressed to pick the "better" option.
EGO primary without a DEX secondary isn't going to provide any significant crit chance to speak of.
DEX primary without EGO secondary will provide a substantial crit chance.
EGO primary with a high secondary DEX seems to be the best choice for a high overal critical hit chance.
Overall crit severity seems to be a tie. DEX Mastery gives some crit severity, but then Deadly Aim needs two super-stats to equal or slightly surpass the same severity provided by one stat with Follow Through.
EGO primary would give slightly better overall damage, and significantly better energy management.
DEX primary would provide significantly greater survivability.
I think EGO/DEX/(?) barely wins as the "best" stat choices for a TK blade wielder, but it seems like you really could go either way.
Post edited by shaenthebrain on
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Comments
Ego really is best on a ranged toon that uses Concentration, even though you get the minor bonus to Ego Blade damage like Str gives to other melee abilities.
DEX will give you a much higher Crit Severity and a bit higher Crit Chance as well because the spec tree scales better with Crit Severity, and you will get the inherent bonus of Crit Chance by having a high Dex on top of that.
Not to mention, Form of the Tempest is based off Dex as well...if you decide to use that as your Toggle Form, and you should give that some serious thought if you aren't using that already :biggrin: This eliminates most energy problems in itself.
Plus DEX Mastery is the best mastery as you get tons of stats that you don't normally get to gear for.
Remember: Half the people you know are below average...
Do not correct a fool, for he will hate you for it. Correct a wise man, for he will appreciate you for it.
Don't be like the Qularr. They would not last one round in the Interstellar Galactic Arena...
Handle @brayv
You can achieve higher crit chance with EGO primary. DEX and the Combat Training spec are both subject to diminishing returns. Sixth Sense is not. Where you fall on the diminishing returns curve would depend on your gear. Monsterdaddy's Ego Blade build (revised build on page 3) outlines how to get 100% critical chance with Ego Weaponry. If you haven't already seen it, it's an interesting read.
I would vote for EGO/DEX/??? (probably CON, though other stats have their merits depending on your power choices), with Wardicator and Warden Mastery.
Some random thoughts that might be useful:
Damage-wise, Rank 3 Mental Discipline's multiplicative bonus (and up to 10% crit bonus) generally outperforms Form of the Tempest's additive bonus, especially if you're already stacking a lot of additive damage bonuses. The downside is the lack of energy return, but there are ways to build around that.
The bonuses from DEX's Dodge/Avoid specs are hit hard by diminishing returns once you get endgame Dodge/Avoid gear. You would also need to pull points from very useful damage-increasing specs in order to take them.
DEX Mastery is attractive. But if you're using Ego Weaponry as your main attack, Warden Mastery's multiplicative damage bonus is an excellent option.
I agree that Mental Manipulation will outperform FotT at 40 in full gear, but while leveling that energy bonus is highly needed, but at 40, the cost reduction gear will eliminate that need.
The main problem that annoys me with EGO primary is that you can't take both the 3/3 Crit Chance and 3/3 Crit Severity spec since they are both on the second row :mad: The DEX Crit Chance is on the first row and Crit Severity on the second row...along with only a 2/2 for Avoidance, making it possible to take all of it. I know it's minor, but I'm a little OCD about that kind of thing.
I think as melee, the Dodge/Avoidance bonus is much more enticing than anything else, since you will be getting hit with more aoes than ranged will. You can expect around a 10-15% Dodge difference and around a 10% Avoidance difference with Heroic gear.
You can also expect around the same Crit Chance (unless you sac the point from Severity to boost it another 3%) but you get quite a bit more Severity with DEX even with the 3/3 Severity spec from EGO.
However, the Warden Mastery could be worth looking into.
Remember: Half the people you know are below average...
Do not correct a fool, for he will hate you for it. Correct a wise man, for he will appreciate you for it.
Don't be like the Qularr. They would not last one round in the Interstellar Galactic Arena...
Handle @brayv
Warden Mastery is fun if you use Ego Weaponry often. By the way, anyone know if The Upper Hand from the Warden tree works properly with Ego Leech? Ego Leech is stored on the user rather than target, so the description leaves me doubtful. Ego Leech used to do something different and was placed on targets, but that was changed way before spec trees came. Also, I think Vindicator Mastery doesn't allow you to double-dip Ego for bonus TK blade damage. Is this intentional?
Mental Discipline is great. If you're worried about energy, I'd suggest taking advantage of Ego Blade Annihilation's mechanic when it consumes Ego Leech stacks. It returns 1 Ego Leech every 2 seconds for 2 seconds per Leech consumed. Those will trigger Ego Reverb. It comes off feeling like the Rush mechanic in the Martial Arts "Dragon" powers.
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Sorry for the confusion. I only play freeforms.
I used Form of The Tempest on my freeform Night Warrior, and loved it. But I'm liking Mental Discipline more for my Ego-Blader. And EGO primary with Ego Reverberation, along with geared-up REC, seems to have solved my energy issues.
My freeform Darkness character uses EGO primary and Concentration, and loves it, so I agree with that part.
Sorry. I was asking as much for general reference as for my specific build.
A little of both? This is the current build I'm working on. It's not 40 on the live server yet. When I work on a build, I alternate back and forth between leveling it up on the live server, and testing a level 40 version on the test server.
Really? Good to know.
Yes, it is. That build, and Lightstar's Galaxi build, were the two main ones I studied and referenced after searching through a dozen pages of the forum.
That's what I thought.
And I think I found them.
Also good to know, thanks.
I am using Ego Weaponry as my main spam attack, but I'm actually leaning toward Ego Mastery rather than Warden Mastery.
High REC and Ego Reverb seem to have eliminated that need already. I definitely don't have any high-end gear yet; I'm still working with whatever the bad guys drop, or whatever the good guys give me for making the bad guys drop.
I feel your pain.
For the most part, Regeneration makes me unkillable against anything less than a Super-Villain or a 5-person team's worth of henchmen, but I'd definitely like to stack on some Dodge/Avoid as another layer of damage mitigation.
Yeah, that's a fact.
Agreed. And that's exactly what I did. It's working out pretty well so far.
You should definitely take Warden before Vindicator though. The Best Defense is on tier 2, so if you take Warden last then you'll have to wait till level 35 to start the loop at all. Whereas Aggressive Stance is on tier 1 and it only takes two spec points to max it, so you'll have the complete offense/defense loop by level 31.
EDIT: Oh, your a regen toon? Are you using Ego Weaponry for DPS or as a heal? Because it's probably a bit redundant as a heal with Regen. All regen needs as far as additional heals go is Resurgance for emergencies. I'd take it to R3 and get Warden Mastery for massive damage.
That Dork In The Suspenders, signing out.
WARNING: Not An Actual Internet Reviewer
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Focused Strikes and Slaughter? Yes, I'm maxing both.
Yeah, someone pointed that out to me a while back. I should edit that build if it's still showing Vindicator before Warden.
That's pretty much what I'm doing. Rank 3 Ego Weaponry (no Siphoning Strikes), Rank 3 Regeneration, and Rank 3 Resurgence as a panic-button.