NemeanLion

So, I've looked around the forums and I can't find any Staff/Rad builds. Staff, in general, doesn't seem all that popular, but I've only heard good things from friends about it, so I'm wondering if it just it getting lost behind the popularity of OP sets like TW and Rad Melee. As such, I wanted to come here and ask the build gurus what would be a good lvl 50 build for Staff/Rad. Sky's the limit on expensive sets, let's go for the strongest possible.

This is my current build. Does well enough and I can comfortably handle +3/x7. I'm looking for ways I can improve on it, though. I haven't applied boosters yet, as I'm wanting to ensure the build itself is as solid as can be before I do. If it matters, my Incarnate powers are thus Alpha: Cardiac Judgement: Ion Interface: Reactive Lore: Robotic Drones Destiny: Barrier Hybrid: Assault Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.962 http://www.cohplanner.com/ Galadorn: Level 50 Technology Brute Primary Power Set: Savage Melee Secondary Power Set: Radiation Armor Power Pool: Speed Power Pool: Flight Power Pool: Fighting Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery Hero Profile: ------------ Level 1: Savage Strike SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg:50(A), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(3), SprBrtFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(3), SprBrtFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(5), SprBrtFur-Rech/Fury:50(5) Level 1: Alpha Barrier UnbGrd-ResDam:50(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx:50(7), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam:50(7), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:50(9), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+:30(9), GldArm-3defTpProc:50(11) Level 2: Gamma Boost EffAdp-EndMod:50(A), EffAdp-EndMod/EndRdx:50(11) Level 4: Proton Armor UnbGrd-ResDam:50(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx:50(15), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam:50(17), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:50(17), ImpArm-ResPsi:40(50) Level 6: Shred Obl-Dmg:50(A), Obl-Acc/Rchg:50(19), Obl-Dmg/Rchg:50(19), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(21), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(21), Obl-%Dam:50(23) Level 8: Hasten RechRdx-I:50(A), RechRdx-I:50(23) Level 10: Blood Thirst GssSynFr--ToHit:50(A), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg:50(25), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx:50(25), GssSynFr--Rchg/EndRdx:50(27), GssSynFr--ToHit/EndRdx:50(27), GssSynFr--Build%:50(29) Level 12: Fly BlsoftheZ-Travel:50(A), BlsoftheZ-Travel/EndRdx:50(29), BlsoftheZ-ResKB:50(31) Level 14: Fallout Shelter UnbGrd-ResDam:50(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx:50(31), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam:50(31), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:50(33) Level 16: Hover LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+:50(A), Rct-ResDam%:50(39), Rct-Def:30(50) Level 18: Vicious Slash TchofDth-Acc/Dmg:40(A), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx:40(33), TchofDth-Dmg/Rchg:40(33), TchofDth-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:40(34), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:40(34), TchofDth-Dam%:40(34) Level 20: Rending Flurry SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg:50(A), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/Rchg:50(36), SprUnrFur-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(36), SprUnrFur-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:50(36), SprUnrFur-Rchg/+Regen/+End:50(37) Level 22: Radiation Therapy TchoftheN-Heal:50(A), TchoftheN-Heal/HP/Regen/Rchg:50(37), TchoftheN-Acc/Heal:50(37), TchoftheN-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen:50(39), TchoftheN-%Dam:50(39) Level 24: Beta Decay DarWtcDsp-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx:50(A), DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb/EndRdx:50(40) Level 26: Maiming Slash TchofDth-Acc/Dmg:40(A), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx:40(40), TchofDth-Dmg/Rchg:40(40), TchofDth-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx:40(42), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg:40(42), TchofDth-Dam%:40(42) Level 28: Particle Shielding Prv-Heal:50(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx:50(43), Prv-Heal/Rchg:50(43), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx:50(43) Level 30: Boxing Acc-I:50(A) Level 32: Savage Leap ScrDrv-Acc/Dmg:50(A), ScrDrv-Dam%:50(45), Obl-%Dam:50(45), Arm-Dam%:50(45), PrfZng-Dam%:50(46), FuroftheG-ResDeb%:50(46) Level 35: Tough UnbGrd-ResDam:50(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx:50(46), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam:50(48), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg:50(48) Level 38: Meltdown Ags-Psi/Status:50(A) Level 41: Weave LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx:50(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg:50(48), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+:50(50) Level 44: Superior Conditioning PrfShf-End%:50(A) Level 47: Physical Perfection PrfShf-End%:50(A) Level 49: Afterburner LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+:50(A) Level 1: Brawl Acc-I:50(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Dash EndRdx-I:50(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Slide EndRdx-I:50(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Quick EndRdx-I:50(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Rush EndRdx-I:50(A) Level 1: Prestige Power Surge EndRdx-I:50(A) Level 1: Fury Level 1: Sprint EndRdx-I:50(A) Level 2: Rest RechRdx-I:50(A) Level 4: Ninja Run Level 2: Swift Run-I:50(A) Level 2: Health NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+:50(A), Mrc-Rcvry+:40(13) Level 2: Hurdle Jump-I:50(A) Level 2: Stamina PrfShf-EndMod:50(A), PrfShf-EndMod/Rchg:50(13), PrfShf-End%:50(15) Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve Level 0: Portal Jockey Level 0: Task Force Commander Level 0: The Atlas Medallion Level 1: Blood Frenzy Level 50: Cardiac Core Paragon ------------

Fun fact: I don't actually know anything about end-game builds! Whee! As such, I have no idea what sets I should aim for. I don't know how to reach the Def cap. From Savage Melee, I have everything except Taunt and Hemorrhage, and I have everything from Rad Armor. I took Super Jump as my travel power. I have Tough (currently 3-slotted with Unbreakable Guard) and Weave (currently has EndRdx and LotG: +Recharge) For my Epic pool, I took Energy Mastery and have Superior Conditioning and Physical Perfection, although I was thinking of taking Arctic Mastery to get Block of Ice, Shiver, and Ice Storm...more for thematic reasons. Any help from our resident build gurus would be greatly appreciated!

After some more playtesting, I think it's just that TW isn't for me. It's too slow to activate and I don't enjoy the jarring slowdown in my rampage. I'd like to give Rad Armor another go, as I know it has the potential to be powerful, but I'm not quite sure how to go about it. I'm thinking of trying out Psi Melee as my primary, as I've read good things about Psi/Rad. Or would you guys recommend another secondary to go with Psi? I wish Savage Melee's animations weren't so...animalistic. I love the mechanics of the set, but it's hard to make it work for a high-tech character concept lol

Yeah, Defensive Sweep. It's the first attack power for TW and I have that. Much like DA, I use it as my opener, but since it's so slow to activate, by the time it fires and the buff applies (assuming I don't whiff), I've already taken a lot of hits. As for enemy groups, I find I've had the hardest time with Vahzilok, Circle of Thorns (when there are lots of ghosts), and Sky Raiders (I've had to keep Tazer Dart on my bar just to stop the Engineers from summoning the FFGenerators).

Thanks for the input. I'm just feeling a bit at a loss, like I'm doing something wrong. I don't remember my Katana/Bio Brute feeling this squishy, though like I said, the +10% Def from DA probably helped that out a lot. TW hits hard, for sure, but the wind up without Momentum is...tedious, to say the least, and it only lasts for 5 seconds, which feels ridiculously short. I'm contemplating trying Rad Melee instead, but hesitant to roll Rad Armor again, given how it feels currently. I know it shouldn't feel OP at 22, but I shouldn't be dying so much on +0/x2 difficulty.

I have a TW/Rad Brute that just hit 22 and got lvl 25 IOs and I have to say, I am not understanding why everybody says Rad Armor is OP. I feel super squishy, especially coming from a Katana/Bio Armor Brute, though that may be because of the added Defense from Divine Avalanche. My slotting is as follows: Alpha Barrier: DmgRst x3 Gamma Boost: Heal x1, EndMod x2 Proton Armor: DmgRst x3 Fallout Shelter: EndRdx x1 Radiation Therapy: Acc x1, Heal x2, RchRdx x1 Beta Decay: EndRdx x1 With 4 toggles, I find myself often running short on End with TW's high End costs, even with Stamina 3-slotted and a Panacea: Chance for +HP/End slotted in Health. Though currently, my attacks are all slotted with 1 Acc, 2 Dmg. Does Rad Armor mature once I get Particle Shielding, am I doing something wrong and Rad needs to be slotted differently than other armors, or have I just lost my mind? Please help me understand why I'm dying so much with a supposedly OP armor set while soloing +0/x2 missions.

What about Savage Melee? I imagine it's speed would also lend itself well to /Elec

So I'm looking to start up a new character based around a specific concept. Punisher-style vigilante, so I'm wanting to keep away from super flashy powersets and go mostly Natural, possibly minor Mutation. For Primary, I'm mostly looking at Katana (because who doesn't love a little added +Def?) but Kinetic Melee looks neat. Unfortunately, my understanding is that KM is "meh" at best. For Secondaries, I know Willpower is and always has been a very solid set, but it's also very common. I'm tempted to try out Bio Armor and RP it as a mutation allowing him direct control over his endocrine system and enhanced cellular regeneration, but my understanding is that Bio Armor is a bit iffy on Scrappers due to the lower HP pool. Open to suggestions for both, but the main goals here are to keep within the concept, able to effectively solo most content without spending a fortune in IO sets, and not be gasping for End after every mob.

So I'm looking to start up a new character based around a specific concept. Punisher-style vigilante, so I'm wanting to keep away from super flashy powersets and go mostly Natural, possibly minor Mutation. For Primary, I'm mostly looking at Katana (because who doesn't love a little added +Def?) but Kinetic Melee looks neat. Unfortunately, my understanding is that KM is "meh" at best and not really very good for Brutes because of the long animations and low base damage not benefiting much from Siphon Power. Is that true, or is KM viable for a solo Brute? For Secondaries, I know Willpower is and always has been a very solid set, but it's also very common. I'm tempted to try out Bio Armor and RP it as a mutation allowing him direct control over his endocrine system and enhanced cellular regeneration. Open to suggestions for both, but the main goals here are to keep within the concept, able to effectively solo most content without spending a fortune in IO sets, and not be gasping for End after every mob.

I am predominantly a solo player and I don't have fortunes to spend on IO sets. I used to be a hardcore player back in CoH's heyday, but now with adult responsibilities and children, I'm more of a casual player, getting on for an hour or two a night. I used to have a SS/Elec Brute way back when, so while I know SS is old as dirt, it's the gold standard almost every other set is measured against. It also has that nice "superhero" feel to it's smashiness. Titan Weapon I have limited experience with, and I know it's painful at low levels until you get a decent attack chain and Build Momentum, but from what I read on these forums, it's an absolute BEAST later on. Kinetic Melee I have almost zero experience with, but it looks neat, and I can color the energy gold to maintain my "divine power" theme, but from what I hear, it's very "meh" at best. I'm sold on Radiation Armor because nowadays I'm a filthy casual so the "overtuned" armor set I've never played before sounds fun to me and I like the nice utility belt of powers it has.

So, I've never actually done much with IO sets and set bonuses. I've never used MIDS or PINE or any of those programs. I'm a very casual gamer and always have been. However, my first 50 is rapidly approaching as a Shield Defense/Street Justice Tanker and I honestly have no idea what sets I should go for and why. I don't have mountains of inf to spend, so I'm not reaching for absolute top-tier. Just goals to aim for as far as sets and appropriate set bonuses. Any help from the experts here would be greatly appreciated. I tried looking for Shield/Street builds/guides on here, but couldn't find any.

I...don't know how to pull up that window that shows your totals.

I have not been checking the combat logs, no.

Ok, the "boom" I was referring to was those extra orange numbers. I know there's no visual or audio effect. Thing is, I'm not seeing those extra numbers. More than just not noticing them, I'll smack a contaminated target with one of the aforementioned attacks, and adjacent mobs remain unscathed, so it seems to me like it's not doing what it's supposed to do. As for my build...I don't have MIDS or PINE or whatever, so bear with me here... Contaminated Strike: 1xACC, 3xDMG, 1xRchRdx Radioactive Smash: 1xACC, 3xDMG, 2xRchRdx Proton Sweep: 1xACC, 3xDMG, 1xEndRdx Fusion: 1xRchRdx Radiation Siphon: 1xACC, 2xDMG, 3xHeal Irradiated Ground: 1xEndRdx, Achilles' Heel: Chance for Resistance Debuff, Fury of the Gladiator: Chance for -Res Devastating Blow: 1xACC, 3xDMG, 1xRchRdx, 1xEndRdx Atom Smasher: 1xACC, 3xDMG, 1xRchRdx, 1xEndRdx Alpha Barrier: 3xDmgRst Gamma Boost: 1xHeal, 1xEndMod, Miracle: +Recovery Proton Armor: 3xDmgRst Fallout Shelter: 1xDmgRst Radiation Therapy: 2xHeal, 2xRchRdx Beta Decay: 1xEndRdx, 2xDefDebuff Particle Shielding: 3xHeal, 2xRchRdx Ground Zero: 1xACC, 2xDMG, 2xRchRdx Meltdown: 2xDmgRst, 2xRchRdx Health: Panacea: Chance for +Hit Points/Endurance Stamina: 3xEndMod, Performance Shifter: Chance for +Endurance All my enhancements are level 25 or higher IOs

So, I have a Rad/Rad Brute who's 43 now. Despite so many on these forums saying Rad Melee is overtuned and Rad Armor is so great, I can't help but feel...unimpressed with the combo as a whole. Rad Armor feels feel squishy to me. Even with all my toggles running, my absorb shield, and the AoE heal, I find myself eating dirt on +0/x3 missions and I know I shouldn't be this easy to kill. Rad Melee...seems inconsistent to me. I know it's whole gimmick is the Contamination debuff. Cool, I understand that, but when I hit Contaminated targets, there's supposed to be a big AoE boom...where's the boom? There is no boom most of the time, so it seems like it's entire mechanic doesn't even freakin' work. Add to that Proton Sweep or whatever it's called is just piss-poor performance, Radiation Siphon is weak damage and a very small, unreliable heal-over-time, Devastating Blow has possibly the longest windup in the game, and our ground-pound PBAoE smash has the tiniest radius in the world...it's hard for me to see what everybody is flipping their lid over. Rad Melee sucks, from what I can tell. Please, forum gurus...educate me or direct me to a better combo. Losing hope and motivation here. :(