Loadouts theorycrafting

aaramis75

Has anyone given any thought to the upcoming loadouts and what they're aiming for?

I'm thinking SW Combat or Trapper for trash, and PF Archery for bosses, but not sure. Might even buy a 3rd loadout option for PvP if inclined. Trapper does reasonably well for bosses too, though, with the insta-root damage applied, so it's a tough call.

Curious what everyone else is thinking.

rapo973

I'm really excited about loadouts.
I'm sure the DCs will love it: switching between AC DC and AC DO is great and eventually a third build dedicated to PVP (but only if PvP is improved in the near future).

jonkoca

How much is covered by loadouts..?

For example if I switch from pve to PvP, I switch gear, SH boons, artifacts, powers, armor enchant, mount bonuses, and belt slots. And if I flipped from combat to archer, I'd want swap pets too.

rayrdan

probably going to have 3 loadouts,
PF trapper for pve/pvp
PF combat for most of my pvp
SW combat for pve

rayrdan

pets and mounts are shared between different loadouts

jonkoca

Be funny if you can switch in combat. You could blast away from afar as archer, then switch as the mobs approach and nuke them down with a combat build.

Am I alone in thinking this is just too much in an already complicated gear set up game..?

ghoulz66

Exclude archery from the list. That capstone is utterly useless in groups. And the path offers no extra damage buffs compared to the other paths.

jaegernl

jonkoca said:

Be funny if you can switch in combat. You could blast away from afar as archer, then switch as the mobs approach and nuke them down with a combat build.

Am I alone in thinking this is just too much in an already complicated gear set up game..?

AFAIK, you can only change load-out outside of combat and at a campfire.

My inventory already weeps, though. Carrying around more sets of gear on multiple chars will take some bag space.

jaegernl

Anywho, as I'm pretty much PvE exclusive, I doubt I'll be using load-out switching a whole lot. I might dabble with a secondary Combat PF loadout for a while, which will require a secondary weapon set with a Vorpal and a bit more crit to off-set the loss of ten percent from Skirmishers, but I'm just too fond of the Trapper playstyle in general. And I certainly don't need load-outs to change between Encounters.

For my other characters, I'm a lot more excited. My OP will be able to switch between Tank/Heals. My CW will be able to switch between SS/Thaum for solo and pugging, and MoF/Rene for group content. The GF will be able to go Conq for soloing and Tact for groups. Good fun.

jonkoca

Same here, think I'll have a SW combat with dex belt/neck for trash clearing, and PF combat with orcus set for bosses. Dunno though, means 2 more bloody rnk 12 enchants. Maybe a pvp combat build too.

aaramis75

jaegernl said:

AFAIK, you can only change load-out outside of combat and at a campfire

Yeah, just did some testing on preview - this is correct.
Not sure if you can have different weapon enchants on each loadout - I'm trying it but can't seem to get it to work.

As for the Archery idea, it would be something I'd only ever use for bosses, and even then it depends on the boss. But I could see it doing ok for certain bosses. Gushing / Careful Attack would mean perma-3 stacks of Ranged AotS buff, for an extra +12% damage. The tree already gives you +20% to ranged powers, and Prey would mean an extra +50%. Plus if you use Hunter's/Careful, that's an extra +5% if feated. With the reduced CDs on ranged powers too, giving you an almost perma-uptime Longstrider's (+30%), this would be some serious Aimed Shot crits.
'Course, it's probably still less dps than I can do in Combat or Trapper, but might be worth a play around with for fun. It's less "dodge the red circles" chaos, anyways, but is absolutely useless in groups of trash (which mod 11 has in abundance unfortunately). /shrug

pitshade

Isn't the Predator capstone subject to the Effectiveness Cap?

rjc9000

The Predator capstone is how @chemodan007 actually found the DR/multiplier debuff cap.

On topic:

It's a shame that you can't save comps and enchants, but given how a lot of things could go wrong with the programming, I'm happy enough with this. By the way, doesn't VIP count as a campfire? When you swap powers in combat, there's normally a cooldown before the power becomes available to use, but if you have VIP, it is ready to use.

Tactician for easymodo tanking and Conq for when I'm awake...
DO or AC for maximum flexibility...
Even though my HR is relegated to inventory mule duty, PF Trapper for bossfights and SW Combat for bosses...
CW from SS Thaum to MoF debuffer... mmmm delicious cheese.

GWF fr- oh, who am I kidding, GWF isn't affected by these changed.

In short:

(read in best working class British accent)

I'm really feelin' it!

dupeks

aaramis75 said:

jaegernl said:

AFAIK, you can only change load-out outside of combat and at a campfire

Yeah, just did some testing on preview - this is correct.

Remember If you have VIP (the invoke-everywhere one) the game treats you as at a campfire whenever you are out of combat. No VIP on preview so you can't test until it goes live.

jaegernl said:

Not sure if you can have different weapon enchants on each loadout - I'm trying it but can't seem to get it to work.

Nope, enchantments are stated to not be included in the loadout switching mechanic. I would guess that it's a complexity issue (having to deal with the gold cost etc.) but I also think that's a really really sad shame that they didn't include it. It really undermines the potential benefit of the system.

But yes, definitely better than nothing :P

rjc9000 said:

GWF fr- oh, who am I kidding, GWF isn't affected by these changed.

What do you mean? You can use a loadout to switch between Daring Shout and Battle Fury, depending on if you have a GF marking targets. Given that you wouldn't want to switch enchants, pets, or mounts, this system was practically designed specifically with that GWF need in mind.

jaegernl

I'll forgive that misquote .

And I doubt you need loadout switching to switch BF with Daring. The same way I don't need Loadouts to hotswap some encounters depending on the party needs.

pitshade

Methinks dupeks was being a tad facetious.

Loadouts will be best for support classes solomode for dailies, supportmode for groups. Next would be CW and maybe SW to move between support and DPS as a party needs. Then HR might find it useful for trash clearing vs. boss. TR and GWF don't really have viable options (TR options tend to be expensive niche builds)

My HR is SW Combat. I may give Trapper a go as a second loadout. I wish Archery was in the cards but it really underwhelms. She should be starting RD on a week or so.

dupeks

jaegernl said:

I'll forgive that misquote .

And I doubt you need loadout switching to switch BF with Daring. The same way I don't need Loadouts to hotswap some encounters depending on the party needs.

Ah yes apologies for the mis-attribution.

And yes, that was me quietly admiring the brilliance of a system seemingly designed to seamlessly allow only the slightest changes between builds, because it excludes 4 elements (mounts, companions, enchants, and arti powers) that usually need to be adjusted/rebalanced for meaningfully different builds.

But I'm just being a brat. Very happy to get the loadouts feature, I just think if they can bring in those 4 remaining elements they open up a whole new world of exciting build complexity. Would allow parties to synergize more effectively, make viable some pretty awesome niche builds, and may even encourage dabbling in PVP.

When I first tested the feature, I started with just gear etc. and didn't realize companion / mount / enchant weren't working until about 20min into testing stuff. For those 20min I was on the verge of tears with excitement, which got brought back down to reasonable levels after. I can feel that excitement, it's there... almost within reach...

oldbaldyone

baby steps. The items they do allow to change are pretty much foolproof. Getting more complex on stuff, like mounts, companions, enchants, arti powers etc may come later. I dont know that I'd be comfortable with them in a first pass honestly and art powers have a cost associated.

IMO, the fact that they did boons, powers, feats etc is pretty good for a first pass.

Personally, Im PF Trapper and since I do fairly well with that on bosses and trash, I'd probably stick with that as a main setup. Clear the Ground is an at will that I really love, so I may have a second build thats SW combat, with my XP-heavy backup gear on it (I still need PPs), just for doing dailies (nothing like holding down CTG and just watching stuff die...course Im lazy). Depending on the cost of more loadouts, maybe a third loadout for Archery just for shiggles....

Remember, campfires are different than the VIP version...I doubt you will be able to switch anywhere as a VIP. Course, campfires usually are near bosses, so I guess an AOE option for trash, then a single target DPS option for bosses could work.

davidagaldo

I am happy to be reading about load outs. I only mentioned it several or more months ago. A single load out and a cost for more.

So yeah, don't get hinged on a load out retaining your full settings. A lot is at risk if you wish it to manage anything you refined.

@oldbaldyone CTG and Aimed Strike are my faves with SW Trapper/Combat. Had someone suggest Archer Combat this past weekend. Don't know why.

gabrieldourden

I think I'll keep my trapper as it is for PVE and have a tankier version for soloing/duos.

davidagaldo

I have a mix of PvE and PvP gear slotted and don't swap much at all. I will toy with artifacts and weapon enchant for the most part otherwise I leave things as they are. It's not that I don't have enough gold, I have plenty, I'm just lazy. The load out will allow me to be precise for each.

kydavi

MIght play around with a buffing Archery/Combat hyrbid just to have another option (been playing dps trapper for so long...)

jonkoca

Since orcus didn't end up being spectacular, and the new dex/wis neck being soon available, dunno if I'll bother creating a loadout alternate at all. PvP is dead, so my current build is good enough for everything.

jonkoca

Ok, so got the new dex/wis neck legenderized it by chucking in both orcus waist and neck lol, race-changed to human (my beard is back) and made a general PVE load out and an alt PVP version.

Noice. And my dex is 35 lol.

davidagaldo

Where is your Wisdom?

jonkoca

In my head.

wdj40

jonkoca said:

In my head.

Not if you are a manly Man... Wisdom then is located further South

jonkoca

Lol.

I can't remember what my wisdom is, high 20s. 100% crit when buffed by pet so it's good enough.

eeng1

I wanna try archery just for boss fights, does anyone has a boss-killing archery build?

ghoulz66

eeng1 said:

I wanna try archery just for boss fights, does anyone has a boss-killing archery build?

Just keep plugging it full of aimed arrows..... It's not magical and mysterious like the trapper....