Needin' a handy standalone power.

williamkony · December 2013

If I do a little bit of power/advantage juggling, I can free up an extra power slot on my main character. The problem is, I'm not really sure what I'd want to put there.

I'm massively obsessed with versatility. I like to make sure that I'm prepared for each and every need that arises. The way my build is set up, if a team needs a good tank, I can do it. If they need a good healer, I can change to fill that role instead. And if both of those are covered, I can always go good ol' damage-role.

But, I've got all of those covered already. I don't know what else I could add.

I'm going to regret this once I start getting swarms of people telling me my build concept of two years could never work, but here it is anyway.

PowerHouse (Link to this build)

Name:

Archetype: Freeform

Super Stats:
Level 6: Presence (Primary)
Level 10: Intelligence (Secondary)
Level 15: Constitution (Secondary)

Talents:
Level 1:
Level 6:
Level 9:
Level 12:
Level 15:
Level 18:
Level 21:

Powers:
Level 1: Boomerang Toss
Level 1: Ricochet Throw (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 6: Concentration
Level 8: Night Warrior (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 11: Evasive Maneuvers (Sleight of Mind)
Level 14: Aura of Primal Majesty (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 17: Rebuke (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 20: Mindful Reinforcement (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 23: Inertial Dampening Field (Rank 2)
Level 26: Defiance
Level 29: Lead Tempest (Challenging Strikes)
Level 32: Resurgence (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 35: Circle of Primal Dominion (Rank 2, Rank 3)
Level 38: Devour Essence (Crippling Challenge)

Travel Powers:
Level 6: Ninja Vanish
Level 35: Swinging

Specializations:
Presence: Repurpose (3/3)
Presence: Grandeur (2/3)
Presence: Moment of Glory (3/3)
Presence: Force of Will (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: Presence Mastery (1/1)

It's undergone a few changes over the past couple weeks. Not because it wasn't filling my needs, but just because I was in need of a little bit of a change, and decided to give it a little more PvP functionality (I am NOT expecting it to ever be a master PvP build, but I'm wanting to make it enough of a contender that it's not just there to be farmed), but it still retains most of its PvE functionality. The biggest thing I've lost in this rebuilding is Redemption for reviving allies, which I will be covering at some point when I finally get a Become Celestial device.

Anyway, my thought is, I could take out Devour Essence and place Crippling Challenge onto Rebuke instead. It'd obviously be less capable for threat generation, but would work better alongside Circle of Primal Dominion, and generally, when someone doles out enough threat to take attention away from me, they're equipped to handle it.

I'm not really sure what I'd get out of that, though. What would I use the extra power slot for? I've already got everything I want. I've considered a few things, but don't know that they're really all that fantastic.

A block power? I survive just fine against frequent-hitters, though, and mostly only have problems with attackers that load everything into just a couple giant attacks, like PvPers or Gravitar, so Ebon Void's Voracious Darkness advantage wouldn't make much of a difference. Force Shield's Force Sheath isn't a huge boost, either, as getting nicked while in tank mode causes Defiance to completely fill my energy bar anyway, and the low amount of energy per individual hit makes the shield less potent versus the big hitters.

Skarn's Bane? Not even taking into account how hard it is to "explain it away" RP-wise (as infrequently as I RP), how much of an effect does it really have? What can I use it on that'll make an actual difference? Genuine question, there, I'm not really sure where all it's useful.

Compassion? I had it, before, and it was never really all that necessary. Healing is rarely needed in situations where I can actually play healer, and the ones that need it are the ones who won't benefit from me healing such huge amounts. Granted, I used to use Iniquity, so my healing is halved now, but it still seems to be enough to keep people topped off when I actually have a chance to play healer, such as in Gravitar.

An Energy Unlock? I'm generally alright on energy, aside from when I'm not getting hit at all in tank mode or when Concentration decides not to give me the energy from gaining a stack. And I don't really have any situations shared between all three roles to trigger any of the available Energy Unlocks... Nor do I have the relevant stat piled on for any of them, given that I switch between my three Superstats for each role.

I suppose I could use more healing in tank mode when I'm up against heavy hitters, but my dodge rate is at the default 10% (So BCR is underperforming), Support Drones are killable, Conviction is so similar to Resurgence that it's kind of a boring choice (I may actually switch Resurgence for Conviction, in fact, though I'd have to be "on top of it" a lot better), and I'm wanting to grab Necrullitic Elixir at some point, anyway.

In the last Zombie Apocalypse match I went into, Ebon Ruin's Trauma effect was my greatest enemy. Some way to counter that would be nice, but I may already have counters to it in the form of Evasive Maneuvers and Ninja Vanish. I didn't think to make use of those that match, and I'm sure I could've survived much better if I did.

So, yeah. My problem is that I've got all I want already. Help me to want more, please!

kenteko · December 2013

Why not Toxic Nanites, Sonic Device, or Miniaturization Drive? The latter is a really nice debuff, Toxic Nanites will be useful for most anything and Sonic Device is a nice on demand stun if need be. All of them may help give Rebuke more "oof" too.

williamkony · December 2013

kenteko wrote: »

Why not Toxic Nanites, Sonic Device, or Miniaturization Drive? The latter is a really nice debuff, Toxic Nanites will be useful for most anything and Sonic Device is a nice on demand stun if need be. All of them may help give Rebuke more "oof" too.

Ooh, that'd be great if it affected Ricochet Throw's bounces, as well. XD Sonic Device might work... It'd make the alpha strike of Ricochet Throw without Concentration stacks about 30-ish% stronger, alongside a stun. Certainly handy. It's mostly a benefit to damage role, less so for tank and support. Would still like further input, just to really explore the options, but thanks for the response, that'll certainly be a consideration.

jamesbonnell · December 2013

Here are a few random thoughts...

I have Ricochet Throw and Mini Drive - I believe the shrink does apply to the bounces. Can't confirm the others.

Ebon Ruin or Haymaker to apply Trauma, and nerf healing. Ao'qephoth will rarely trouble you again.

Thunderclap or TK Maelstrom for an insta-stun (Thunderclap or TK Maelstrom tap).

Bolas or Grasping Shadows/Unyielding Agony or Soul Mesmerize / Glossolalia to apply paralyze.

Rebirth for self-rez.

Implosion Engine for grouping mobs.

Ascension for a hold-breaker, +damage, +heal, and short-term flight. I've seen this used to great effect by some characters.

You're Pre PSS - you'd also be a great user of the Sigils - either Ebon Weakness to reduce mob damage, or Radiant Sanctuary to stealth/heal/damage resist. Maybe Primal Storm, but you probably don't need the added damage with your versatility.

Ego Placate with Svengali's Guile - you already have Night Warrior, reduces damage dealt and reduces damage resistance with the advantage. I use it mostly for debuffing on the character I have it on.

I've occasionally considered a triple-passive character, I think you've done about as well as you could with it. Might have to dust one of mine off anyway - Night Warrior, Regeneration, and AoPM maybe.

What you lose in specialization, you gain in handling of many situations. Plus, you've hit the best ones I can think of for doing that - AoPM, Night Warrior (stealth, huge buff to Ricochet Throw, and Shadow Strike), and Defiance for not-having-to-rank-it goodness.

I also have a tank that currently (pre-40) switches between Enrage and IDF, with Earth Form and Defiance - it makes her very versatile.

The one thing i might do with what you already have personally is Evanescent Emergence - if you were looking for a hold-breaker, but maybe R3 Resurgence works out better for you.

Hope this helps - what do you get for the char that can do pretty much everything? Whatever you can figure out.

williamkony · December 2013

jamesbonnell wrote: »

Here are a few random thoughts...

I have Ricochet Throw and Mini Drive - I believe the shrink does apply to the bounces. Can't confirm the others.

Ebon Ruin or Haymaker to apply Trauma, and nerf healing. Ao'qephoth will rarely trouble you again.

Thunderclap or TK Maelstrom for an insta-stun (Thunderclap or TK Maelstrom tap).

Bolas or Grasping Shadows/Unyielding Agony or Soul Mesmerize / Glossolalia to apply paralyze.

Rebirth for self-rez.

Implosion Engine for grouping mobs.

Ascension for a hold-breaker, +damage, +heal, and short-term flight. I've seen this used to great effect by some characters.

You're Pre PSS - you'd also be a great user of the Sigils - either Ebon Weakness to reduce mob damage, or Radiant Sanctuary to stealth/heal/damage resist. Maybe Primal Storm, but you probably don't need the added damage with your versatility.

Ego Placate with Svengali's Guile - you already have Night Warrior, reduces damage dealt and reduces damage resistance with the advantage. I use it mostly for debuffing on the character I have it on.

I've occasionally considered a triple-passive character, I think you've done about as well as you could with it. Might have to dust one of mine off anyway - Night Warrior, Regeneration, and AoPM maybe.

What you lose in specialization, you gain in handling of many situations. Plus, you've hit the best ones I can think of for doing that - AoPM, Night Warrior (stealth, huge buff to Ricochet Throw, and Shadow Strike), and Defiance for not-having-to-rank-it goodness.

I also have a tank that currently (pre-40) switches between Enrage and IDF, with Earth Form and Defiance - it makes her very versatile.

The one thing i might do with what you already have personally is Evanescent Emergence - if you were looking for a hold-breaker, but maybe R3 Resurgence works out better for you.

Hope this helps - what do you get for the char that can do pretty much everything? Whatever you can figure out.

Oh, wow, I don't know how I never noticed that Ego Placate has no cooldown. Definitely seems pretty multi-purpose with the advantage, so I'll look into that.

Too bad the Placate part doesn't affect other players! Suppose I can see why it wouldn't, though. XD

From what I tested myself using Ricochet Throw and Sonic Device, it only affected the first target hit.

Thanks for all the suggestions, there are a lot of good ones.

As a note, if you do make your own tri-passive character, one of the other reasons I took Defiance was for energy generation. Regeneration won't give you that. :P Not a problem, though, if you end up using Supernatural Power alongside Supernatural-... Powers.

Needin' a handy standalone power.

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