Advice needed, Supernatural build

Comments

• flowcyto Posts: 12,859 Arc User

  May 2015 edited May 2015

  I see one major problem w/ both of these- no energy unlock. I think ya meant to include Supernatural Power, though MSA (w/ Int instead of Rec) could also work.
  
  Otherwise, some smaller adjustments:
  - Move the rank in the end builder to something else- like Unbreakable, Aggressor, Ego Surge, NttG on Pounce, ER on Enrage, etc. Ya hopefully shouldn't be end building much by lvl 40.
  - R3 instead of Blood Mess on Massacre (the 30% is not fully multiplicative, like a normal rank is).
  - I'd max Ruthless instead of Fortified Gear in Warden, and consider getting Upper Hand due to Shredded.
  - Although Overpower is okay for a Str-heavy melee build, most people would prob get Juggernaut over it for the much higher defense (and offense via Wardicator).
  - May want to consider a diff heal than BCR/RR (at least for the non-WotW build). DE or Conviction could work.
  
  Thunderclap I assume is there more for its utility, since it seems to not really jive w/ the rest of the builds.
  
  The diff between Enrage/Unstoppable and WotW/AotB (and possibly Warden vs. Str Mastery) will come down to how heavily ya use Massacre vs. Shred, and though WotW is better defensively it won't give as good energy returns in a knock-based build.

  <CO stuff> .: Petco :. // A basic FF building guide (see 1st reply) // PSA on Power Activation Delay // Ayonachan's Gift Horse (misc stat data)
  - Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!

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• mauk2 Posts: 76 Arc User

  May 2015 edited May 2015

  Aha! Thanks for replying! Some good stuff here, let me address it.
  

  flowcyto wrote: »

  I see one major problem w/ both of these- no energy unlock. I think ya meant to include Supernatural Power, though MSA (w/ Int instead of Rec) could also work.

  
  Actually, no, I deliberately left off an energy unlock. I've used Molecular Self Assembly and Supernatural Power on this toon, and they both have issues. MSA requires pounce and thunderclap to power, and when I'm settled into a long shred/massacre cycle against a boss, I hate throwing either one into the mix.
  
  As for supernatural, I find it's a lot more 'hit and miss' with massacre than I'd like. Quite often, I'll get 'out of energy' dings while using massacre. I think it's because the base cost of a charged up massacre is large enough that it will take me to zero end and fail before supernatural would normally fire.
  
  I'm playtesting this setup now, and I'm rather liking it. I set my energy builder to auto and it fires regularly as I'm moving between targets, and with the Rec Super Stat, that's a lot of End in what's normally dead time.
  
  Against bosses, one swipe with the energy builder will pretty much fill my bar if the bleed procs, and it's rare that I have to worry about it. One swipe witht he energy builder and a series of shreds will generally fill my bar, easy. Heck, with bleeds and rec super stat, I can run shreds forever with my bar essentially maxed.
  
  We'll see how I feel after tonight's runs.
  
  

  Otherwise, some smaller adjustments:
  - Move the rank in the end builder to something else- like Unbreakable, Aggressor, Ego Surge, NttG on Pounce, ER on Enrage, etc. Ya hopefully shouldn't be end building much by lvl 40.

  
  Not bad advice, but as I said, I'm trying something. Breakin' new ground!
  

  - R3 instead of Blood Mess on Massacre (the 30% is not fully multiplicative, like a normal rank is).

  
  Really?! A plain old R3 is stronger damage than a fairly sharply limited 'adder'? (Must have a bleed running, on an attack that does not proc bleeds.) If that is true, that's just terrible game design. Who builds something like that?
  
  

  - I'd max Ruthless instead of Fortified Gear in Warden, and consider getting Upper Hand due to Shredded.

  
  Upper Hand.... Hrrrrrrrrm. I love my wardicator, but.... Hrrrrm. That's appealing. Crap, a hard decision is in my future....
  

  - Although Overpower is okay for a Str-heavy melee build, most people would prob get Juggernaut over it for the much higher defense (and offense via Wardicator).

  
  Excellent idea, I'm changing that right away. Good call.
  
  

  - May want to consider a diff heal than BCR/RR (at least for the non-WotW build). DE or Conviction could work.

  
  Conviction is awesome, but daaaang, it eats End.... Would make MSA more appealing for sure. Hrrrm. Devour Essence is kind of out of character, but it sure works well on this build. I was trying to avoid it, though, I use it a lot.
  
  Bionic Shielding takes forever and looks bad for this build, maybe Summon Shadows witht he advantage? No.... How does Endorphin Rush on Enrage work? Is it a heal for every stack of rage?
  
  

  Thunderclap I assume is there more for its utility, since it seems to not really jive w/ the rest of the builds.

  
  The stun on thunderclap combined with the knock on Vicious Cyclone + Vortex means that sweeping up mobs is trivial. Even against bosses, the stun will keep them from firing their 'big bomb' attacks. Which against guys like Baron Cimmitiere, is a big deal.
  
  

  The diff between Enrage/Unstoppable and WotW/AotB (and possibly Warden vs. Str Mastery) will come down to how heavily ya use Massacre vs. Shred, and though WotW is better defensively it won't give as good energy returns in a knock-based build.

  
  
  Does unstoppable do more damage, seeing as how it doesn't have a real defense baked in? (The damage mitigation is...small.)
  
  Excellent thoughts here. Hrrrm......

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• flowcyto Posts: 12,859 Arc User

  May 2015 edited May 2015

  mauk2 wrote: »

  Actually, no, I deliberately left off an energy unlock. I've used Molecular Self Assembly and Supernatural Power on this toon, and they both have issues. MSA requires pounce and thunderclap to power, and when I'm settled into a long shred/massacre cycle against a boss, I hate throwing either one into the mix.
  
  As for supernatural, I find it's a lot more 'hit and miss' with massacre than I'd like. Quite often, I'll get 'out of energy' dings while using massacre. I think it's because the base cost of a charged up massacre is large enough that it will take me to zero end and fail before supernatural would normally fire.
  
  I'm playtesting this setup now, and I'm rather liking it. I set my energy builder to auto and it fires regularly as I'm moving between targets, and with the Rec Super Stat, that's a lot of End in what's normally dead time.
  
  Against bosses, one swipe with the energy builder will pretty much fill my bar if the bleed procs, and it's rare that I have to worry about it. One swipe witht he energy builder and a series of shreds will generally fill my bar, easy. Heck, with bleeds and rec super stat, I can run shreds forever with my bar essentially maxed.

  
  Ya prob won't be having much energy issues w/ a cheap combo like Shred, but might not be as easy w/ heavy Massacre use. Again, kinda depends on the attack(s) ur focusing on more here, which is ur call.
  

  The stun on thunderclap combined with the knock on Vicious Cyclone + Vortex means that sweeping up mobs is trivial. Even against bosses, the stun will keep them from firing their 'big bomb' attacks. Which against guys like Baron Cimmitiere, is a big deal.

  
  I just meant it felt odd to have that attack in a Bestial SN build, but TC is a pretty nice power regardless.
  
  Also, Baron's reflective block (that has no charge indicator, only an anim that can be easily obscured or missed) is stopped by Crippling Challenge (or just stop attacking him, ofc), since stuns don't generally work on bosses (save Nems).
  

  Does unstoppable do more damage, seeing as how it doesn't have a real defense baked in? (The damage mitigation is...small.)

  
  Not innately- their dmg bonuses are the same, though WotW also boosts bleed and rupture dmg where Unstoppable doesn't. If Unstoppable's extra energy on knock prevents ya from end building where ya still would end build w/ WotW, then that could be seen as a dps increase (though there are other means of addressing energy issues).

  <CO stuff> .: Petco :. // A basic FF building guide (see 1st reply) // PSA on Power Activation Delay // Ayonachan's Gift Horse (misc stat data)
  - Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!

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