Sarkany

One option: BS/shield stalker (so not a brute)! Super sneaky and applies criticals to BS' huge damage numbers. ALSO, shield charge does not break stealth! Here is my build: |MBD;23910;1483;1980;BASE64;| |G2VdACwKbBuZfSeOBuYtPTK/LkW69lSn+B7d8diJCaylQwRUad+Of82i09XXKbOURy9| |LofRT+ow9N3+qn9NaWbu3pdrRO/vdBZXgCHD6t2qZlgAUYEJQxVW7TE+gAN4w95JTjq| |MUjykhw4cOCaeIDKgRMBMghmAWbQ96PzSzmWFInL6NoXYddE3bT9EYJIbgr9UzLPJGR| |a9ufXBdLXSd+TYZx60NWH5HC8c7L/kKYIe0qYWoxETgr7Ev9L44L/d7QxyskFoOvw6Q| |ude0Hq+STMyVjGX0peSI+okLDuZnO0967YOFYau6zyq+G6evuHe+nTFuIUniyAWErHL| |VOytbP59zunQa2W24Vkkm0/rmdZIw5/Y8lDaD1jQdPHVZv4grxrRktlfFPlhrFafCXs| |vt361LR+ea39KRxfiO92VtcCGL372tHNbJmZjbLzmQIj2wqJzXK8ZHS+rFjNnS8mu1u| |jVcHTNijWAaYpexdAtO+15dPJofDHq926q0MQv7+XI/uNsUvI2zyzlY17JT1U8jB2Cx| |J33wz9bZggWexSkdHyuFWhQ0iMBkC/dyNmir6/t8Dws+Cr4GuukNTOjoMz/yH4rpdXF| |+tpdz6/9xay91JFAM9kpHB4owcw7Ku2DRtlxaDUawLupGsAMTWRTFZB29ibTX3prN/0| |EJnA9jpHT/ZUIwRWeEKxhSYX//akHVdk7BDYOPIycLGejKH651BVAI+6erAcUx8yTpo| |kLEPV5iI8lM0OEaU+yShOL1E/TATErO6J9fGMBiaimgODpZtWayeuGuC+Jckbw5JWbW| |fTUAATraQpCJTPWUNOQhyHAbZXWRUQ2kmP+IUmKrUWLkVpGAIXIbqG6AceR2UFxITjV| |CtV3NhwhealrfQhR3UdYWVRQ7nNQHZ1zkWlcARrCeKIRp3/VT82Qlbk5Cxb1qeOVdcB| |AwW/ZVQ4ocNMVBpwZ2pkLFXfvtbcRf9cMpRYMTVBNSZXrTYRioLTBp2qnMHadip6W0f| |viKTYnQSmJgw7BXb59q79n5AUlsxKy2MVw/ogHHIFSK0it15SxKH65VFeQsZqYiB6em| |/nk0dAgu2Ky0fQJ0uSFObyNW06E23IiI7005q6nZp2ZrJsBlmI5nJNQgdQRAEs6ujg5| |pBVhvc8VHdVvnAyXvfQZxmxDgoKHWCWL7mKtSnAHKybGNUGkjxPmuvFtmHma/1+i+VS| |1kGTQpqyxRB5nQFnzDODIwtBV0sXE1mp/uYfIzk8+cuf18ZXSyfEg+d7xlmfjETcYI0| |arKpze/TKsYaQ3c4tpwN0GIEy/OuVxKl2d2YRz2GgawNzoKqZHAFBRb1ucX4BULpa+B| |BLPg8o635apzwx8JFKHeXFAdUJ2AMeTWQPbqGu+1P2zYDjhhOjfRmK7LXmMI39OX1/E| |98pjHsY7IfBF+7fM3rciiZwlgwYAkT2NqmHnoPbv4zs719ZD3deDCsBUWp9I0izFgfX| |22bOr+w888NHNG7Vr7dayBF0M9sbENfKliLgmIU5SCijj0AzSTnclTwjAVtSLnE9KsM| |L0hi1TzRJZ43Bm4kMpeqH2Im/NiApOU5USaOrCgrfjWFoAhMkhg+WKAzo9G9V8H5GrK| |lssPYMOwuUezxdIMYXv56V20CRi47XvGeeChKR66+10Dw3jBy3rv0KzmYmkkkqcy8MH| |MJcXFTcH48v6kd5sHop0IDZbnn0QGPq05O6KeMYy9aXH6K0y1P7om3mgMrW+xXD97Mh| |MUWJkoV4H+o5y/ifmpz83wR/qXU90xjdQFhNUhX0x8Su59qiPFlt8wJn2oJNLtMPpnH| |EkjM8O/6Cjwc5YV/l1R/y9uytLMzVmjh1G8riqkaKoHvtD9ZdLWuiDji3KbZXgoFfG7| |Rux3arN8LfpRA+Eodmd+K7KrJ51oL0gmpsJEl14H/Jt9DQrVb2wg9vn3yo4xlmEyO1e| |4NBe3JQNdfkH+sdc/m81vTAbbxTfEIJxW7Q==|

BY THE WAY! Have you seen the massive update on the test server for cloak of fear??? I am about to have to uno reverse myself on this topic big time! Changes in test: Endurance cost lowered from 0.56 per second to 0.26 end per second. Pulse rate changed from every 5s to every 1s. Power is now auto hit (Fear effect still requires a hit roll). Radius increased from 8ft to 15ft (Fear and Taunt still only apply within 8ft). Accuracy increased from 0.67 to 0.8. Power now applies a scale 2 -dmg debuff (equal to Chilling Embrace). Power now applies a -25% kb str debuff on all affected targets. Power now grants + 1.0KB protection for each enemy in range for 5 seconds. This Stacks and refreshes even if only one foe is in range and is capped at 10 for a maximum of 10 kb mez protection. The most foes you have in melee range, the faster you will reach the cap.. Enhancements and resistance now affect magnitude instead of duration. That's a pretty impressive buff! to hit debuff, new damage debuff and new KB protection buff appear to be all auto hit! The old to-hit debuff now gets a huge boost to accuracy! I have already designed a modified build that drops darkest night for cloak of fear!

@Snarky @Yomo Kimyata @Psyonico IT WORKS! I can navigate the first mission! I did have to jump away from the mass of dark nictus baddies and then take them out in smaller groups, but it worked. I then went on to the next mission with the crystals and it's super easy... then the server reset on me mid mission and I now have to do some work. POINT IS: New version of build can solo ITF +4/8 missions. When I have a 2 hour block at some point I'll run it through to the end and see if I can manage enough damage output on Romulus. This has been a very fun journey so far. |MBD;25505;1678;2240;BASE64;| |G6BjERWcNgAtDnhzLuQFS4VoYMPKX9d9fSpFZ8fzsyN/HNRWRrcj+ibOpfxrYnmhrhs| |nY6O/WXS6+rrB2Lyk4U/1q6o9WX26ZnU1IvabmDsCEeD5r5XLsp4Z+gE1NDKhUcv+AD| |Wh1mjlkCNKWZvZ7jHngCKgKRQ3I29mCiUh9aDzMwP4j/6O3XFmM6uMZpnwptPASpErP| |V7WhGGRNCr6dCtwXS2NjPzjiOO2BuVvtDzOe+7ZN9ghbW6JikoE8zjjjNIX5/k5/2cc| |K6ShI88fhHtt6+sLiWIVGp6UJJXj+ZDeMD07/oRVi3XhYqEmxUQe+DbEvrTnamiQ41o| |ORyJy3g8qW8/lv5UaKLAF3/k4YF1zdDytSGnFNQMhTg91Se9w3WrwJXYcpC2wdDCMr/| |Q9mWtd0NBL+nYlR8OXkt+l819t1JxFc1/rHoxj32HzH5fmQBXPfDHYvTUsaX86hXLOl| |sInz1EUlzurNa3s9Dx9eD9Y27dRVv1Eq4+yTQSsfjLinr+J8Xi9WDvJzZ+TmaxNAutz| |XtSyNiO42O2Xuol+LCYZLRx8Kwwq0Ln83Ekav5GL6Wnd1mW/7P37K1Z7WpKk1dv2htl| |cfI0/+YupXBfGNUvdtuEX16hSGoVxpdjAogEGiGrDVizevakC8mkp9e1mPffCpTQNQD| |w88bxmsnJQsuk6lBbHkIjGlzQKIfJHEVxxMvCqADR1kV1beCpmYOgJWNUSxErqPNmcm| |MCGG9mryRYFiK48KlAY0S2WaIBkg+Wcjf3cuWhQitrr63e3iiA4b7ySPFFyCq5iVg6W| |kv04w//ZdfjcFZG16lZY6+gm0PVLoFSwAWxKc2G18qnNetGLWH2NPe6A1cHYyq3ksvr| |tiCsub7hQ0LjNF9E4JbKy38yn4+rGs+B7e+KVKWxJ8bK16l70xiCTQBe0xcKSXqvZPf| |6t/Eb5kb95sYPDyAhlqdZf7faUIWwUU6CjvwMYoWaEUUSBx42zaGFJgWS16mZd61jMY| |cH1lpVPX32WLr6yyxpYN6QgabcAlxOqlmHQgRTxLpRkK149r0E5BnwDKISOMsE3g28B| |sjbapbsGujMegBnqZlCrr1md5KvDHZGuO9XaS0iRKXY0KweKHdd8BfGevm1zLPU3JSS| |SiZ6Ch5yp6BSfhFvptbLMSScxbeJW8YreOoCsJpRsEVqQNozZazZvGEUAC1ySwQAUtu| |1wGWEJOsABF9LzsdRtxF5MpiviVTwAX+Whqaug9SPcWdn6RI9080ObWYBZAgwj8nXnt| |fmktD/MnfawOi/9kYffbci0Z3C4H/DKC4uy3NEeHSDyZtbg0GsAv2GW4Nxr0kJ710b+| |/NLUFcBCZV3Nh0gl634QtIPYdRBKlHTyjkvG06OvY+6Bg7qzlPB85SFcHlk+uqSJmy1| |pz6m09M2cakhGqwMm0E7VB8iubjPvAQ8Ez7DGo3QuMUQNSig7tHX7RJAA5L46w67/n+| |gS3rsnCeIuObXalYySmDNb0EELuHQFTSsLvzGPJzsw/mgXOwz9Usf3xb94PFOPAR+4v| |YZcAA9uwRtGNwEY3MoGmpsZ8yzgO35fAyNsKFO7cUQLq3bENxi+XCpQBK1L/dGkeHrk| |ZZXDgAXBoli4qKjoF8n/woKzYHfAheBqQ1aPtRayqTptVTRacE2KGb6GGAAfGj+TvmM| |nCyisJLbRKtGphneyc8i6ZLJcv1seDRhDeAIMIbwChdFJBZw0A87lJuiFW1L3c+QuME| |PNDHpFfn5IVyoI9yCL1oxnpi9wIDhUpNMqAP+tIJIEebEEqSIpzpwRFpJkUW4KCvBC8| |PYh58M4/H8Z2dSRZRFAUbSq4FDgj3EXpBf0ilxNNRDJR0/sb4K6P8RUp8KK7Zv+7HyA| |aN1ujtCK0n2agh9K1eEx6nNHyj4FMlahaC8Jx6W+DOlSPbkzFCHVzCku8e3IFAUWQpU| |Uxf9b0hN1PORWPg7/VF8mOzole+hixVAEGh7r+rOahaGvMaV9qxgnsdudFUMh3TEqtY| |E4uorE5ihm5+tnuvwFVV6fNRjTKYNCDjKdEPVwFrD3qy6q5oxZxOUA0XOP8mWdw7iw/| |WlsFvir+w57gEz5ocikExkxGVMK0J8n5y3Nyr6Ua8W+1+o5+HBjv1mQE0HeggNJHk+/| |VsXhednu3rvKWlDY+Xp88dpDxpZPBxdKMD9BX84LZsOhVNw7c0PvrjyQ28Q+vMn7MvI| |wykZz3vcm+792wekmnbCCM+fqHQ==|

Ha! I mean, I built out a BS/Shield stalker to 50 with purple sets in between the last post and now...

MY DOODS! Epiphany! I had left my Hybrid slot on Assault... but if I switch it to Melee, I get S/L resists to 98% along with a 500%+ native regen rate! I lose a little damage, but for this ITF test, gain a huge leap in survivability. This should solve the resist debuff problem as well. Made the switch! With the Ageless Partial Core Invocation (+end, +recovery, +recharge rate), I can run full blue bar and full green bar. This also allows me to dump sorcery and switch back in Leaping (combat jumping, super leap) and pick up taunt (a tad more team friendly) while allowing me to add some slots to health (add a numina's heal enhancer to get the +12% regen set bonus and boost health regen generally), stamina (power transfer for heal proc) and darkest night (now two slotted) New version retains 50% slow resistance. Only question is: do I have enough damage output? I think so... WILL TRY TEST AGAIN! (quick test on first cave section is very promising...) @Snarky @Yomo Kimyata @Psyonico

Love it! Don’t forget laterally too! So much of the fun of this is lining up those fast recharging cones!

My problem isn’t stuns or even fighting mass mobs of bosses… it’s the dwarf recharge debuffs on these ITF solo runs at 8/+4 stuns aren’t an issue either with the right sets on top of DA med protection.

POSTED in OP! Added saved file.

I do! AND I have a revised build that adds in ignite. It can solo an ITF and runs +3 s/l farms like a beast I’ll post in a few hours

OK! So after running that first ITF mission multiple times, I am now quite good at managing the first cave area. The build can manage that entire scene as long as one takes a bit of care in not biting off more than one can chew. In short: a pack of guys with 6 bosses is trouble if you don't eat a ton of inspirations. I am still stuck, however, with all of those dark dwarf/nebula guys on the outside. This version of the build did way better on that score... got through the first wave and then got waxed on the last wave. One option: fight the first wave, kill a bunch, fly away and then return to fight them in smaller groups while letting debuffs go away. Another option: have Archmage Armor ready for the toughest fights in the ITF? I haven't grinded it out on this brute, so can't test. OH! And of course I could go buy a P2W power I'm not sure this is possible with Dark Armor brutes. i think the resists are just too low. Maybe a shield character (comes with defense debuff resistance) or a very high resist set (invul) would work way way way better. Sadness! I'm very confident I could handle +3 version. Still love the build and character. This is a pretty dang optimized version. My next build is a BS/Shield stalker... can IT run a solo +4 ITF???

@Yomo Kimyata @Psyonico EXACTLY THE ADVICE I NEED! Easy fixes! Will revise and test again when I have some free time! I can drop a slot from Shred (costs some toxic/psi resist) to pick up the winter's gift IO. I like the fully proc'd out savage leap I have the full Avalanche set slotted which is good Ah! I only need 2 blistering cold slots in Boxing to get to 50% with the winter's gift IO... maybe I do need to drop that extra proc in savage leap... is 90% to hit on +4s sufficient accuracy ? That's where I land if I drop Kismet... kinda feels like I need to keep it, particularly to reliably hit Romulus. So I drop the Lethal Proc from savage leap? EDIT: OK! Decision made! I'm going to drop the fun power transfer set off of Stamina and switch to a +end proc. The fun heal proc won't make or break anything vs dark regen and I'd rather have the extra lethal proc in savage leap This build does end up with a massive toxic damage hole at only 39% resist (!) and a medium sized energy damage hole at 53% resist... but sacrifices must be made and the build does retain a 43.6% melee defense

@Yomo Kimyata @Snarky @Psyonico OK! Found small break of time to conduct a short test on the first ITF mission using the most recent build from above. In short... IT WORKS!!! I can tank an entire room! Health bar bounces around, but dark regen keeps me alive. NEW PROBLEM: I don't have enough endurance to run everything. Darkest Night is power hungry! One option: dump the debuff defense version of Ageless for the +recovery version. Trying that next (because it doesn't cost a respec). My backup plan is to dump Manuevers and free up those slots for blue bar procs and recovery EDIT: WORKS! Endurance problem solved even with the 90 sec version of Ageless. I can run this thing! The Romans are facing a new, undead god! One does need to pay close attention but as long as I don't make silly mistakes (e.g., not paying attention to green bar and miss a dark regen hit or fail to engage ROP when necessary etc) this thing sustainably works against +4/8 ITF. BUT NEW PROBLEM (pt 2): The dark dwarves are stacking massive recharge debuffs on me... never noticed this before because my blaster solos this by flying. Those debuffs prevent me from killing them. Advice?

Ha! fair. I could do Rom solo with my AR/nrgy blaster but that was definitely not +4. It could very well be that my damage won't be able to hack it. Let's just see if this is survivable first I just completed setting up the build. I don't have much time tonight but I'll try tomorrow and report back

For sure! All incarnates slots unclocked and equipped with top or next-to-top versions of each power. I do need to run the patron arc, turns out.... but I'll have that done tonight You know, it's the little challenges like this that keep me engaged in the game EDIT: I also appreciate your Monty Python reference

Rough scene! So heard in OG being of limited help on this specific use case. My problem with cloak of fear is the low accuracy (I can design a version with about a 75% accuracy on +4s... which I worry is not great... nevermind the high endurance cost)... but I do like the idea of stacking the to hit debuffs with darkest night. Huh. What if I ditched both cloak of fear AND OG and instead added Dark Obliteration with a 5 slot ragnorak set with knockdown proc? Looks like the to hit debuff from it lasts 10 seconds and I can get the recharge to 11 sec without Ageless active. Accuracy is over 100% vs +4s and if I spam it, I can almost ensure -16% to hit debuff all around me, including bosses with some knockdown now and again. Still retaining the 44% melee defense with 82% S/L resist. I happen to have a ragnorak set lying around. Kinda feels like you need solid melee defense to take advantage of the to hit debuffs, no? So game plan would be: -sneak near group -savage leap with proc goodness on nearest boss -activate darkest night on nearest boss -fire off dark obliteration -click new boss/lt to attak -Shred -Rending fury -Blood thirst (regain blood) -dark obliteration -Shred -Vicious Slash -Dark Regen if necessary -Shred -dark obliteration etc

Yeah... this is how my blaster solos ITFs. I'm going to try this again with the above build. Perhaps OG + Darkest Night + 84% S/L resists and 43.5% melee defenses are sufficient?

I am becoming obsessed with making this thing work on a solo 8/+4 ITF. To recap: The build can easily handle 8/+4 in other settings... but not in a solo ITF. I think the problem I'm trying to solve for are the defense and resist debuffs causing a cascading defense collapse which overwhelms dark regeneration. The build is actually close to working and can manage tanking one group at a time... but if I overdo it, BOOM, cascading defense failure due too many attacks incoming. Summary of mitigating tactics: 1) High resists to ignore resist debuffs. Problem: getting S/L resistance much above 82% on this build is difficult. Solution: Rune of Protection, Ageless (debuff resist), and potentially the archmage accolade (although only up 10% of the time for one minute... still, when combined with ROP, provides 100%+ resistances for 3 minutes (fills in ROP recharge time) 2) Oppressive Gloom to stun minions and reduce incoming attacks. I think it needs 5 slots but I'm going to drop Absolute Amazement for Rope a Dope. 2 reasons: (1) the price.... I'm not sure I'm ready to invest in that set for this build just yet and (2) rope a dope provide s/l resist which is pretty important on the ITF especially when it comes to added resist debuff resist. 3) Defense with to hit debuffs. I still think this is a viable approach... or at least I'd like to continue experimenting with it. New idea is to adopt @Snarky's use of Darkest Night which quite handily provides a -10% to hit debuff and -22% damage debuff in an AOE on target. Also, it auto hits. I find this way more compelling than trying to make Cloak of Fear work which has really poor accuracy and really high endurance costs. I can get Melee defense to 43.5% on a new version of the build. Add in sitting in Darkest night and perhaps it makes the difference? 4) Rely on stealth to avoid some fighting (although this is more about speed than defenses) 5) Alternative Destiny option: maybe we DO run Barrier instead of Ageless? Then we rotate: ROP, Barrier, ROP, Barrier, ROP... and can throw in an archmage on the toughest fights on the tail end of Barrier timer? The problem is that aside from something like this solo ITF adventure, barrier doesn't do much for the build... New version to test (I have 1 saved respec left!):

Ah. Thank you. Then OG is the key difference

Ok got it next question: does the 100%+ psionic resistance help ALL resistances ignore resist debuff or is it only nullifying psionic resist debuffs with the S/L resist using its own number against resist debuffs for S/L?

Ok ok ok so it’s not necessarily oppressive gloom that is so critical… it’s getting your psionic resist to 110% to use as your resist debuff defense? that’s why you are slotting up obsidian shield also makes rune of protection even more helpful

Clear! I have some redesign to work through…. I got a version up to 102% psionic resistance while keeping 40% melee defense. I don't take oppressive gloom on this one either... is OG really that big of a damage mitigator?

Ok! So! Sadness! @Yomo Kimyata@WuTang@Snarky I am super wrong! The defense debuffs, as Snarky pointed out, wreck defenses quickly and at 80% resists vs hordes of +4s and it's just not enough to run a solo ITF at +4 properly. Ageless (with debuff resist) helps a ton when it is available... but I think I need to concede. note: this build IS sufficient for +4 s/l farms and mission content from playing I'll run a version with Oppressive Gloom 5 slotted. Stunning all minions would reduce incoming attacks and therefore defense debuffs. I'm going to revise, respec and try again next week! I don’t have any stupefy sets lying around so I need to see how much influence I have to buy a set…

Ha! I didn’t realize you friends were interested! I got distracted with work and playing my ar/energy blaster. I’ll go run a solo ITF at 8/+4 and report back. I already know that this build is basically invulnerable to +4s and particularly to smash/lethal and dark foes so ITFs play to the defensive strengths The question really comes down to how long it takes to whittle away the AVs I’ll go run and provide timing! oh! And you don’t need barrier! your defenses are plenty good. Take Ageless! The best version right side tree provides defense debuff resistance! I also modified the build to incorporate rune of protection. I’ll edit the OP.

HA! Fair, friend, fair. Let me go solo an ITF at +4 with it and see what I experience. Maybe I'm way off base. To get to what you hit there just resident, I have to lose all defense and regen advantage... meanwhile, I can keep that stuff and surpass your resistances for 1/3 of the time with rune of protection up. I guess what I'm saying is: I think I end up with something more effective net.

Fair! I am. Also, I turned off your incarnate selections and from what I'm seeing, these two builds are quite comparable (see my send iteration... takes on some of your ideas). Yours ends up with more resistance and way better accuracy, while mine has a lot more defense (enough to make it meaningful and regen. I'm betting that net, mine is more durable. That regen is serious, especially with the extra healing procs. I also modified that second build to drop a slot out of Obsidian shield and add a Kismet +to hit enhancer I also get more out of Rune of Protection which I would run for every opening attack and on tough encounters. I think you have swayed me that my first build is less good than this new build. I'm not sold on dropping melee and s/l defenses entirely, the proc'd out savage leap and the high regen to attain your resistances, though, which is what I think I would need to do. to mirror what you got. @Thraxen ha! fair! I just think with death shroud this character can pull in aggro and hold it just fine. If I'm on a team, it's good enough. If I'm not, then it serves no purpose. Got to this with some more modifications (and no incarnates selected and without ROP up):