SomeGuy

Scrapper. EA or Rad.

lol I don't think I should have looked at this sans caffeine 😄 And for some clarification, none of my builds are ST or pylon only. None of them. If I can't solo TF/SFs with a build, I take it to the drawing board or completely gut that character (ever since the tanker changes, I've gutted all of my non-farming brutes for example). I'm a min/maxer also. Something to consider when looking at my builds. If unsure what that can mean...I get very frustrated playing DnD with people. Falling asleep, or reading a book, during a DnD session is very common for me. It's the norm for me to know a person's character's abilities more then the person playing said character when it comes to combat situations. Our DM gave up trying to balance combat encounters for the whole group because of me. Also, Paladins are super OP in DnD. Defense: I gave up trying to get to softcap with certain armor sets a very long time ago (before the HC servers were a thing). I have to sacrifice way to much of what I value in my builds. With most armor sets that aren't defense based, I go the Shadow Meld route. Gives me a litle bit longer then a buildup duration to blow a mob up. With it's default slot I just slap a LOTG recharge in it and it gives a VERY big chunk of +DEF to all. If I'm solo, I get a fairly steady stream of Insp if I need them. Teamed? There is a lot of +DEF flying around. Resistance? Similar thought process as defense for me. And TBH, I've played more then a few resistance capped scrappers and have never been personally impressed after playing resistance capped tankers/brutes. For example, with my Bio builds, Tough is just a set mule to take a +DEF to call proc. I don't even run the power. Also, my first 50 was a claws/regen so I am VERY fast to GTFO of a bad situation, or use LOS. Lots of little things. In a nutshell, the def/res thing doesn't affect me at all. And if it did? I'd edit my builds. If you're dead, you do 0 DPS. Genetic Contamination: this seems like a head scratcher for someone to skip. It's almost free DPS for ST and AOE (all of the PBAoE auras have a really good end/s for the amount of damage they do). As for it's damage comparison VS Spring Attack? That's an observation I never considered. I played around with SA just a little and didn't find it fun enough for me to use. Not to mention SA can only be used (normally) once per mob whereas GC is ALWAYS on and doing damage. Yeah, GC might not have the frontloaded boom that SA has, but it's damage over time is going to be more by a noticeable amount. As for the damage debuff GC provides? Oh, I'm sure it's useful. I personally just don't notice it. Personally, I just don't see the point of skipping Genetic Contamination, or ANY PBAoE for that matter. Your logic for helping it mitigate Alphas is sound as heck though. I can NOT debate that at all. Although I can say that Shockwave is cheaper and is up every few seconds and mitigates via soft CC, like Spring Attack, the entire fight... Maneuvers: I take it on almost alllllll of my builds. It does take another LOTG and the +DEF benefit is to good. As for end? I normally take Ageless Recovery. And if I exemp down, I normally don't have to run Maneuvers anyways, and if I do, Recovery Serums are dirt cheap and VERY good at what they do. Basically, end is not an issue if PA is down or not, for my playstyle. Shockwave: This power is way better then it used to be simply due to the KB-KD conversion IO it can take. Shockwave and Eviscerate used to be the two powers I always skipped in Claws, now Shockwave is mandatory for me to take. I still never take Eviscerate. Evis simply does not justify how long it roots you so you can die during the animation. I use SW in my ST and AOE rotation. It does really similar DPA to Strike (which I don't use, I only have it for set mule reasons). It also does soft-CC to a target/s via KD and it can take another -RES proc. It's a VERY versatile power. So basically, in a ST situation VS something that is susceptible to KD, between SW and Focus, you can keep whatever on it's butt until it gives you XP. It can also mitigate damage VS a whole mob via it's soft CC. Really good power. And it's ranged. Psi: Meh. Just a thing that is uncommon enough I don't worry about it. When it comes up? I just purple candy up and nuke stuff. Attack Chain: Not sure if this is something you specifically asked about. I'm unsure so I'll just list it anyways. ST: FU - Snipe - Focus - Slash - FU - Focus - Slash - Shockwave AOE: FU - Spin - Shockwave Mix of ST and AOE: FU - Spin - Focus (shockwave if I need soft-CC to mitigate incoming damage). As for obvious stuff? I personally build very different from most so if someone does something drastically different I just chalk it up to preference and playstyle.

Eagle's Claw isn't something you skip. You DRASTICALLY increases the chance of crit for your next MA attacks for 2s. It really is why the set can do really good AOE and really good ST. Here are the details per City of Data. It says by 33%. That is a LOT. Put the ATO2 in EC and if it goes off....that's an extra 83% chance to crit for your next couple MA attacks. The ATO1 universal extra 3%? Takes that to 86%. Yeah. Martial Arts slaps hard. Or kicks.

I find the performance really good, then again I'm very biased. Also, please do. Also, what @Camel wrote is something I very much agree with. Granted, I don't have a FF proc in my claws/bio since I don't see the necessity of more recharge with the build, but I definitely do see the logic of having non-attack abilities with a greater up time (Parasitic Aura comes to mind).

Lemme try again:

Also something to consider...EM corpse blasts (or overkills) a LOT. I can see the appeal of an extreme EFF YOU. If that's your thing, then EM is the GOAT at it. Even it's weaker attacks will do this. Claws would be the extreme opposite of that.

You talking about your Claws/Bio is the biggest reason I even said something. Some things just trigger me. As for your question, yup. Yes, I do. Obviously if you are hitting the damage cap from other sources the BU procs are a wash, but if you aren't? Different story. I've gotten close MANY times to damage capping myself solo on my DB/BIO with both procs in my build. Something to consider is that the damage buff from the procs only last 5s (you can verify this in game or on CoD) and that the DMG boost also affects your DOT Aura. The PPM sheet @Uun posted is a REALLY good resource btw (PPM List). This is my current build for my claws/bio for example.

It's a good idea. I do it with every build I can. My Claws/Bio does this. BU Proc in FU and BU Proc on Snipe (or focus). You can see my pylon kill times for reference. They are in my signature. If someone says it isn't a good idea, then hey. They are entitled to their opinion. No matter how wrong it is. *This assumes you aren't hitting the damage cap for a Scrapper. If so, the procs are useless. So, if solo, or not teamed with significant DMG booster, they are a good idea.

Broadsword, Rad Melee, and Energy Melee jump to mind when I hear that. Rad Melee has really good AOE and a interesting secondary effect to boot. The other too do also, with BS' not as noticeable, and EM applies stun to targets sometimes.

I'm going to assume the OVERALL contribution from a set is what you feel is. Like, Kinetic Melee applies a slow with every attack it does. Or Ice Mele has Ice Patch?

Parry: I personally don't use it but it IS a good mule for a LOTG recharge. You could do that, give it a go and see if you like it in your rotation or not. Strength of Will: Same thing as above. Energy mastery: If you don't have Freespecs, it isn't like they aren't cheap to buy. End will be less an issue the more sets and uniques you get in your build. And if you take Ageless recovery (something I do with ALL my DPS oriented characters) it could solve all your end worries. We're talking Stamina literally one slotted solve them. Soft caps: You could go the Soul epic mastery route. Get a Snipe to boost ST DPS and get Shadow Meld9 and SM can take a LOTG recharge also). When SM is active (about 15s) you get a MASSIVE +DEF to all. Broadsword can do good DPS, ST or AOE. Don't let anyone steer you wrong on that I haven't made a WP build since Live. I had a DB/WP when both sets were released at the same time, and a WP/SS tanker. WP is VERY setNforget. pairing it with BS since it has a +DEF attack for smash/melee seems pretty smart TBH.

Definitely have to agree with @Stormwalker. Staff does look really cool and has great animations. To bad it's like hitting stuff with an cardboard tube that would be better used for making lightsaber noises. But SW talking about solo-ing those TFs with their SF/WP is proof enough you can make every primary viable. yeah, Staff is fricking horrible when you look at the #s and compare it to anything else, but...is it fun? Yeah. Hell, I love DM and it's in a really bad place numerically. I've personally solo-ed every TF/SF in the game (yes, even Apex and Tin Mage...and excluding the villain Reichsman SF for obvious reason) with my DM/BIO. I will NEVER do LGTF solo ever again.

I thought this was sarcasm. Spines isn't close to the best AOE. hahaha Claws dog walks spines in every category. DM isn't good ST DPS. Energy Melee isn't top dog ST DPS (it is good though, really good).

DB. You can change the weapon to...I think batons? I can't remember. I know I changed them to Sais and made a Raphael ninja turtle with my DB/ENA. Don't do Staff. It is easily the weakest of the scrapper primaries. Easily. And you already ran it on a Tanker. Don't dismiss EA as a secondary. My WM/SD is Captain America or a SPEHS MAREEN. I'd be lying if I said I don't want to see this. I really do.

Honestly, because tankers are so OP now, I don't see the point of Brutes. They only do a little more DPS then tankers with a VERY noticeable hit in the survivability. That's just my opinion. Like you said, what people value more. I prefer the noticeable damage difference of Scrappers. Some prefer not being able to die that goes with a Tanker. Brutes get neither.