Carnifax

Back in the day on Live I managed to get a Grav/TA to level 50. I even ended up writing a guide for it (according to the Web Archive apparently while I had a 1 month old baby. That baby is now a teenager who eats all my food). Now that Grav was buffed and Trick Arrow is about to be I thought it'd be a good time to resurrect and replay this character. So, with an eye on the incoming changes and having had a breeze around PI on Beta I came up with this and was wondering if anyone has any changes they'd recommend. I know I don't have a Fire/NRG Epic but on beta I found my procced up Acid Arrow was pretty good at setting things aflame with Oil Slick so stuck with defensive shields (Def & -ToHit work together a bit better than resistance & -Damage). This follows my usual "No Winters and no / few Purples" cheapo ethos. Hero Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.7.2.10 https://github.com/Crytilis/mids-reborn-hero-designer Click this DataLink to open the build! Quantum Arrow: Level 50 Technology Controller Primary Power Set: Gravity Control Secondary Power Set: Trick Arrow Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Flight Power Pool: Leadership Ancillary Pool: Ice Mastery Hero Profile: Level 1: Lift -- Thn-Acc/Dmg(A), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Thn-Dmg/Rchg(3), Thn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(5), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(46) Level 1: Entangling Arrow -- Acc-I(A) Level 2: Gravity Distortion -- BslGaz-Acc/Hold(A), BslGaz-Acc/Rchg(7), BslGaz-Rchg/Hold(7), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(9), GhsWdwEmb-Acc/Hold/Rchg(9) Level 4: Flash Arrow -- DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb(A), DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb/Rchg(11), DarWtcDsp-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(11), DarWtcDsp-Rchg/EndRdx(13) Level 6: Propel -- Thn-Acc/Dmg(A), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(13), Thn-Dmg/Rchg(15), Thn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(15), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(17), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43) Level 8: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(17) Level 10: Ice Arrow -- BslGaz-Acc/Hold(A), BslGaz-Acc/Rchg(19), BslGaz-Rchg/Hold(19), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(21) Level 12: Dimension Shift -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 14: Hover -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(46) Level 16: Poison Gas Arrow -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 18: Gravity Distortion Field -- BslGaz-Acc/Hold(A), BslGaz-Rchg/Hold(21), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(23), BslGaz-Acc/Rchg(23), GhsWdwEmb-Acc/Hold/Rchg(48) Level 20: Acid Arrow -- TchofLadG-%Dam(A), PstBls-Dam%(25), AchHee-ResDeb%(25), Bmbdmt-+FireDmg(42), JvlVll-Dam%(42), ShlBrk-%Dam(42) Level 22: Fly -- Flight-I(A) Level 24: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(43), DefBuff-I(43) Level 26: Wormhole -- Stp-Acc/Rchg(A), Stp-EndRdx/Stun(27), Stp-Acc/EndRdx(29), Stp-Stun/Rng(29), Stp-Acc/Stun/Rchg(31), SuddAcc--KB/+KD(31) Level 28: Disruption Arrow -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(31) Level 30: Tactics -- GssSynFr--Build%(A) Level 32: Singularity -- ExpRnf-Acc/Rchg(A), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg(33), ExpRnf-Dmg/EndRdx(33), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), ExpRnf-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(34), SuddAcc--KB/+KD(34) Level 35: Oil Slick Arrow -- Artl-Acc/Dam(A), Artl-Dam/End(36), Artl-Dam/Rech(36), Artl-Acc/Dam/Rech(36), Artl-Acc/Rech/Rng(37), Artl-End/Rech/Rng(37) Level 38: EMP Arrow -- SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear(A), SprWiloft-Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/Rchg(39), SprWiloft-EndRdx/Rchg(39), SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx(39), SprWiloft-Acc/Conf/Hold/Immob/Sleep/Stun/Fear/EndRdx/Rchg(40), SprWiloft-Rchg/Dmg%(40) Level 41: Hibernate -- RechRdx-I(A) Level 44: Frozen Armor -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(45), DefBuff-I(45), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(27), GldArm-3defTpProc(45), Ksm-ToHit+(46) Level 47: Ice Storm -- Artl-Acc/Dam(A), Artl-Dam/End(48), Artl-Dam/Rech(48), Artl-Acc/Dam/Rech(50), Artl-Acc/Rech/Rng(50), Artl-End/Rech/Rng(50) Level 49: Vengeance -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A) Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A) Level 1: Containment Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A) Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A) Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A) Level 4: Ninja Run Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A) Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), Mrc-Rcvry+(40) Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A) Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(34), EndMod-I(37) ------------

This. You definitely want Total Focus. Beta is currently gutting the Whirling Hands buff but Bonesmasher and Power Burst will still get a damage buff (as-is on Beta Whirling gets an instant recharge, which is pretty useless on a Domi. No, I don't know why changing how the power buff works totally makes sense either). Total Focus is also a nice spot for 4 Kinetic Combats, for a bit extra S/L. I dropped Power Blast personally (and left Power Bolt unslotted and unloved). Between your Hold, Sniper, Power Burst & Power Push you've still got a good ranged chain on any Domi with enough recharge for permadom.

Personally id tend towards Frozen armour for the s/l defense. Its also a handy place for the +Def uniques if for some reason you skipped Fighting.

Wait, so my SS / Tactical Arrow character is now back to getting stopped by every slightly too tall fence and wall???? Why would you do this?

Any if stuff gets really hairy you have a wee Ice Patch to drop. My Ice scrapper loves his tiny, 1 slotted control power so much. Plenty of times I've been the last man standing on a team, literally as the entire spawn falls over around me as I hoover them to death (that's the only complaint I have about Ice. Two of the hardest hitting attacks feel like you're giving the enemy a quick once-over with a dust buster.

Does Faraday Cage exclude the caster too? I've never used it. If not then this seems wrong (it seems wrong anyway to be honest. Support buffs working for the team but not you is very 2005).

Acid Arrow with 6 procs is a thing of joy. Mine is even lighting my oil slick for me now.

EMP Arrow : This is now a combination buff / debuff with a 16 target limit. Shouldn't this be 32, in line with Rad Armours Ground Zero (the only other power I know which is both a debuff & buff / heal). No sweat if not though as it seems pretty powerful. However the buffs aren't being applied to the Caster, just everyone else which seems a bit mean. Singy : Me :

Acid + Flash doesn't seem to be working correctly. I'm not seeing the 30% additional ToHit one would expect.

DPE is a really good point here. My Fire/NRG leaks End constantly on Live, even with Health fully slotted up with uniques, Hotfeet slotted for End, Stamina slotted up as well AND Domination kicking in every 90 seconds. I can't even run a few of my toggles. Meanwhile my Ice/Fire blaster hasn't even bothered fully slotting out Stamina or Health beyond 1 slot and is just fine, runs more toggles and I don't even bother with Consume very often (only if its Malta or Carnies for the End protection). Adding more End cost to NRG Assault really won't help. I did migrate that Domi to Beta to test the new changes, which is where my disappointment in this change is stemming from. Looks to me that NRG Assault is going to go the way of Martial Assault, from amazing to deeply mediocre. Can't we just lower it down from "OP with nice visuals" to "Decent with nice visuals"? (also throw Martial a bone, that set really got gutted)

Like people said : "I can survive in a fight" and "I can take the alpha" are nothing like "I can tank for the team" because once people start shooting you've no way to keep the aggro off the squishies and on you. And the lack of DDR means that you can very quickly see your Defenses stripped away (have a solo chat with a +4 Rune Soldier or a Carnie Ring Mistress with your Combat stats running and you'll see them rapidly strip it away). On a team being good enough just to absorb the alpha can be enough, if you have Support or Control behind you because they can very quickly neuter the spawn for you. Which is another point. Never think "I am totally amazing" because chances are the only reason you seem so unkillable is that there's a raft of Control & Debuffs being silently thrown in to support you and neutralize the enemies.

4 Cloud Senses, including the proc, is how I'd usually slot it. Maxes out the -ToHit and the proc has a chance to go off for anything he does. I've no idea why Dark Servant won't take Pet IOs when something like Tornado does. It's very odd.

Ah I dunno. I'm looking very forward indeed to new Trick Arrow. Some powers are a little strange now but I really like and appreciate the concepts behind them and the fact they've tried to give it its own "flavour". But I do think this step for NRG Assault is the wrong way to go about things. Like I said just tame down the bonus damage in the AOE and keep the mechanism, because seeing a whole spawn get "DOMINATE" and then "ENERGY RELEASE" always gladdens my heart.

Even moreso Praetoria. I'd love to see some way of being able to "dip into" the starting Praetorian zones somehow and use the content in there, because the zones are pretty. I have no idea how to go about it though (especially considering the 1-20 journey can be so quick nowadays)

But its on a Domi. Domis build for recharge. So its recharging in (checks notes) 5 seconds for me anyway. As is its pretty meh and really feels like something very fun in Nrg assault has been battered back to mediocrity. I mean a screen of "energy release" messages is so satisfying. So id prefer stemming the damage down to something suitable (and so the mechanic fits with the other powers in the set) rather than changing how the power works completely (to a mechanic from a totally different set).

Bonfire on me : /macro BF "powexec_location self Bonfire" Bonfire on you : /macro BT "powexec_location target Bonfire"

Whirling Hands No longer yields double damage with Energy Focus active Instead it will instantly recharge the power Domi Version : This is a horrible change. Changes Whirling Hands completely to a chunky "Splatter" to "Well I guess I'm going to watch this stupid animation forever". I'd much prefer if the Release mechanism stayed the same but the bonus damage was tamped down to 60-75% if it's overpowered currently. Having the option to cast it twice is pretty meaningless.

Just type them in and theyll create a button in your power tray to cast the power at the appropriate target (self or target). Placeable-be-gone. Keep the actual power on the trays somewhere too though so you know when theyre recharged.

My Dark / TA blaster would like a ranged nuke for sure (as would my sonic defender). On my Ice/Fire blapper I do get a ranged nuke but mostly I use powexec_location to use it as a pbaoe. Thats the thing, ranged can always throw together a macro (or two since Blizzard is a placeable) to make it pbaoe but.if you're stuck with a pbaoe then you're stuck with.it.

Acid arrow seems weird now. Not being able to stack Disruptions now kind of sucks too (Tar patch & Freezing Rain can stack)

Not Domi pets but Warshade Inkys are stackable as well. In fact it's pretty common for my WS to have 2-3 of them out unless I run out of corpses. Necromancer spirits I think you can also have two out. Again you need a corpse (one of your own in this case) to spawn them. Spirits are Henchies rather than pets though. All 3 will hang around and avenge you if you die while they are out.

This is a really clever idea.

I've also fallen for Energy's charms and Six Six is exactly right about it blooming late 30s / level 40. My Fire/NRG hit 40 and has just clicked over the last few levels

Time, Nature, Kinetics & Dark are fine imo. Time and Nature give you hefty teamwide buffs. You need to work a little to get them "perma" but that's okay. Fulc Shift is great. Dark Servant isn't a DPS master but being able to dump a mini-dark defender into a spawn knowing there'll be lots of -ToHit, some -Dam and the occasional heal is a good thing. EMP / EMP Arrow (and all AOE Holds) need to be rejigged slightly, unifiying the recharges across all ATs & sets would make the most sense. Lightning Storm, I always thought their blast should chain but maybe that would be too much.

I'd agree with this. Seems weird it doesn't work this way already and forces everyone to chase the perma-dom dragon instead. I mean my Illusion controller chases perma-PA and is a few seconds off but unless I'm fighting an AV there's little disruption to the fact I'm 1.5 seconds out. I just do without them for 1.5 seconds. On my Warshade when I was levelling the fact that Eclipse wasn't perma didn't unduly penalize me by adding another artifical "bar" which I needed to start refilling once it had expired. Domination seems to be the only power which punishes you for "Not quite being there yet".