Snarky

I do agree wholeheartedly with FUBARczar that a "true" Blaster is a Blapper in a very basic regard. They were designed that way. I actually developed (another) nervous tic every time I opened up the character generation screen and Blaster said "ranged." Grrrr. Almost everything in the original game gave Blasters a mix of heavy melee and ranged and building "ranged" characters was an exercise in making the character less powerful. My above Elec/Temp is an example of that, while taking the vacation from "bestest damage dealer" as an opportunity to use WW2 submarine tactics against entire maps. I may not get you with the first torpedo....but let me hide a bit and I will finish the job. Your Beam/Temp (and as I said a Beam/Temp is my best Incarnate Trial DPS toon) is a rare exception to the baked in rules that relegate Blasters to being Blappers to be most effective.

While I FULLY agree with FUBARczar on their analysis of Blasters my above build attempts to stand the logic on it's head. While I (as noted above) will not make any case this is a High Damage BLASTER, I feel a bit of pride in writing what I consider a "Tight" build for a fully ranged damage dealer, with a LOT of survivability. I have a Beam Rifle/Temporal I use for very hard Incarnate Trials with tough Leagues. Way more damage, especially ST. But given the choice to "Solo" the entire game I would pick the crazy Elec build without a second thought. Because once you start cheating, why go back?

I do not know if this is the "best" Blaster for soloing. Depending on your playstyle YES. This has more tricks (and basically armor as long as you play to your strengths) than ANY Sentinel. Almost any Blaster out damages it, although recent elec changes alleviate some of this. Pluses, High Ranged Defense (very high) and ALL Ranged attacks. Play keep away. When that goes south, there are THREE get out of jail free buttons. Force of Nature isnt a great one, but in close situations it helps. Personal Force Field and Phase Shift are insanely good. This was inspired by two things. 1) A Sentinel that could actually punch. 2) I saw a fellow on a farm using a Blaster with Elec set and phase shift when he took the heat away from the Brutes Tanks. Died relatively little. I think I improved the concept. This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.4.6 https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn Click this DataLink to open the build! Blanker: Level 50 Magic Blaster Primary Power Set: Electrical Blast Secondary Power Set: Temporal Manipulation Power Pool: Concealment Power Pool: Flight Power Pool: Fighting Power Pool: Speed Ancillary Pool: Force Mastery Hero Profile: Level 1: Lightning Bolt (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage (3) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance (3) Thunderstrike - Damage/Recharge (5) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (5) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (7) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge Level 1: Time Wall (A) Trap of the Hunter - Accuracy/Recharge (7) Trap of the Hunter - Endurance/Immobilize (9) Trap of the Hunter - Accuracy/Endurance (9) Trap of the Hunter - Accuracy/Immobilize/Recharge (11) Trap of the Hunter - Chance of Damage(Lethal) (11) Trap of the Hunter - Immobilize/Accuracy Level 2: Ball Lightning (A) Artillery - Accuracy/Damage (13) Artillery - Damage/Endurance (15) Artillery - Damage/Recharge (15) Artillery - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (17) Artillery - Accuracy/Recharge/Range (17) Artillery - Endurance/Recharge/Range Level 4: Stealth (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed (19) Luck of the Gambler - Defense (19) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All) Level 6: Charged Bolts (A) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage (21) Superior Defiant Barrage - Damage/RechargeTime (21) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime (23) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (23) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime (25) Superior Defiant Barrage - RechargeTime/+Status Level 8: Charge Up (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff (25) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge (27) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance (27) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Recharge/Endurance (29) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance (29) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up Level 10: Chronos (A) Recharge Reduction IO (31) Recharge Reduction IO Level 12: Zapp (A) Executioner's Contract - Accuracy/Damage (31) Executioner's Contract - Damage/Endurance (31) Executioner's Contract - Damage/Interrupt (33) Executioner's Contract - Damage/Range (33) Executioner's Contract - Damage/Recharge (33) Executioner's Contract - Disorient Bonus Level 14: Fly (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points) (34) Blessing of the Zephyr - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range Level 16: Grant Invisibility (A) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage Level 18: Phase Shift (A) Recharge Reduction IO Level 20: Temporal Healing (A) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb (34) Preventive Medicine - Heal (34) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End (36) Performance Shifter - EndMod (36) Endurance Modification IO Level 22: Time Stop (A) Lockdown - Accuracy/Hold (36) Lockdown - Accuracy/Recharge (37) Lockdown - Recharge/Hold (37) Lockdown - Endurance/Recharge/Hold (37) Lockdown - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold (39) Lockdown - Chance for +2 Mag Hold Level 24: Kick (A) Force Feedback - Chance for +Recharge Level 26: Tough (A) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance (39) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Recharge (40) Reactive Armor - Resistance Level 28: Weave (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed (40) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance (40) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge (42) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge (42) Luck of the Gambler - Defense (42) Kismet - Accuracy +6% Level 30: Hasten (A) Recharge Reduction IO (43) Recharge Reduction IO Level 32: Thunderous Blast (A) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage (43) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Damage/Recharge (43) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (45) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (45) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge (45) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Recharge/Chance for Fire Damage Level 35: Personal Force Field (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed Level 38: Time Lord (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3% Level 41: Repulsion Bomb (A) Bombardment - Damage (46) Bombardment - Damage/Recharge (46) Bombardment - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (48) Bombardment - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge/Endurance (48) Bombardment - Chance for Fire Damage (48) Sudden Acceleration - Knockback to Knockdown Level 44: Temp Invulnerability (A) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Endurance (50) Reactive Armor - Resistance/Recharge (50) Reactive Armor - Resistance Level 47: Time Shift (A) Impeded Swiftness - Accuracy/Slow (50) Impeded Swiftness - Chance of Damage(Smashing) Level 49: Force of Nature (A) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All) Level 1: Defiance Level 1: Brawl | Copy & Paste this data into Mids Reborn : Hero Designer to view the build | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| |MxDz;1668;724;1448;HEX;| |78DA75945B4F1351108067BB5B0A2D450AAD14B9172B97CAD262E2B30A342234216| |27C25B56CEAC6B56DDA62E407F8077C100501318A1A837FC2EB83FE01E39B2FBEA0| |26C66B42D6E9991D3C0BB1C976BF333367CECCEC9CC95C9F687CF776E61428C1712| |B5BA9CC9FC1FFAA51F666B2793307F8F3A1A470C528FB907B1CEDFCF96C216F2CE8| |939691AB96CD5CD6A27D71D6CF2D964AC57255BF605CC537AA33D982595AB4B255B| |35880D06CB168E953856B66C5BC645A667529202469CBCC5FAE06896B6816F27EB1| |9A2B19C642CB64C9CCE9E9623967A0BFDA394B510C2A86CF28B87EB617600DDF290| |D3CB0CEB041A0C13D864D823AB84F707AE8809B5B8A63B24C500FB7195608FCB0CA| |708720897B15D98D02AA57681A412368022F431D4133F818EA09825872F59F1FDBA| |342840E688130C3B42A404703AF645BF3AE094D1814060FC16150193482287809C6| |6A1F5C8EDC070F3C8EC9438223B0C5F088A0131E333C2198C03A36486E940648508| |5BB194EE02B20071C80E76CF282E125412FBC6278CDF0862080D106E59382F08162| |E883F7044D68724832C1C5372A5A336A42B226C4D1A5318156293AAD157654C7ED2| |78665F2DF0F37197A69F738EE8EC8B945E03B9BFC20380A3F197E31FC2638067F08| |3C185E9BE406DAE0066954D4B4CB9DD10EDDB8ECAA6DEE4118D0600062041ADA76C| |8C17470170D403343886048242D20CCB00BC2710CDD74C985EEE25A0D339CAC4D08| |F9A41E58511D935586BB04C7618D619D6183E0A94A777A2FED18073C85758DCB058| |98BFA6074DBD8038372DF0EC22E75F4087E3C0780AED528280C1E868F64B38D4727| |E4BA26445DB18A29AE6B8AEB7A1683D1255B45874D0A26055B04CFD05D52CE24096| |34EF368AE1161DB9D9A7BF208A16DC3CC7FE4B39A7BC4E042C877FC6EC7F8F4D3D7| |F97C5023767CD927C70EEB539D617551713AF21CE5FC759F2DA2730946F8124C0FB| |B73B671CAB86EA81D4D8851B5B027F80B3814D0A0| |-------------------------------------------------------------------|

In my opinion.....brutes have been held back because the Devs write for Blaster action. Hence the unavoidable giant damage patches that deal astronomical damage. Hence all the Brute nerfs, hence the Tank Buff (Blasters want one Tank on the team/league) If you wipe the pieces off the board and just stare at the squares the strategy becomes damn clear. Do not get lost in details. LOOK at the end result. The game is set up for Blasters now, with spots for a few support toons on any team/league.

you misspelled dumb.

Or we could trash what we like, Brutes for instance, in the hopes that will make the game more enjoyable for the world at large.

you left out hecklers!

I could mention something poetical about the meaningfulness of each gesture in the universe. I could mention something existential about the meaninglessness of everything. But I think i will just say piss off.

disappearing weapons have always irked me. this is nice.

as far as i know there is no sheathing of PC weapons (although we get tons of "redraw") Certain NPCs have sheathed weapons I believe. We get no functional sheathing of actual in game weapons. No quivers. Wait, i think there is a quiver. ENDLESS arrows.

There used to be something called the cottage rule. While I disagreed with a LOT (not shocking I know) that the various Dev teams did, I could always find some respect for that concept. Personally I look backwards. At what Brutes were. It seems every change made to the game (with the exception of adding inherent fitness) has been to the detriment of the Brute class. Sometimes blatant nerfs aimed at Brutes. Sometimes massively buffing, oh, Tanks for instance. Sometimes tweaking a power that Brutes use, but always making it less useful. Adding massively large damage patches that Melee characters have no answer for. I swear Sentinels do have a purpose. It is the end goal of the collective Dev Teams to make Brutes a melee version of Sentinels. And on they march to the goal, here a power nerf, there a broad spectrum downgrade, now buff another melee class, quick nerf that specific Brute power.

i feel vaguely singled out and insulted, while somehow being jammed into a collective....

Superhero aficionado mmorpg event. SAME. That opens it to champions, ship of idiots, lost city of titans, w/e I did my part. I gave you a name. Now go out and be the SAME

And I never even realized Fiery Aura got a Carp! Seriously though…. This just proves the point of my last two major Brute threads. I think (unless pesky undead hunters catch up to me) I will be devoting most of the next year and a half to music and writing. Very grateful for the game being back. Sad times for Brutes getting sadder, rowing my improvised lifeboat away from the Titanic now. Hope the Carp do not get me!

Well, if your backstory is that long you could write up a short story about it. Then a synopsis for the game. I learned good reporters use a pyramid when writing. The first paragraph will have the core information. The next couple paragraphs will expand on the important points mentioned. Then below that will be in depth information. If an editor needs to cut to fit the space available they just chop the bottom off and then what is left is what gets printed

Also, my MiDs numbers are way off. Spent a couple hours working on a build, then respecced a toon into it. Not accurate. Checks incarnate powers, usual suspects, etc. Kind of in the process of grieving it and finding a hole to stick it in.

This happened to me on live with my first (last ) stone Brute. I had this great look I was happy, really happy with. Then had to shit can the entire thing and walk around in this weird skin. Lasted an hour. Never played it again

I was talking about raw damage but this in depth analysis helps a lot. Thanks. So, even if i do not want to "main tank" rolling on a Tank will help a team way more than a Sentinel, due to the factors you state. (*side note, I take taunt even on my Brutes. Never did on live, but the game has evolved, we have more powers over the years, and Taunt rocks) I am starting to lean into the idea of a Dark/Dark Tank for my Halloween Lich concept. Personally, I think Dark armor is horrid for Tanking. The non suppressing stealth is exactly opposite of what a "TANK" needs. But it will work fine for "lazy Melee"

With Tank AoE upgrade, and many using them as Farmers, I was wondering how a Sentinel compares to a Tank in raw damage output.

Yeah, pretty sure why I shelved this one after farming it up. Dark Invul Brutes are on the lesser side of damage dealing of the Brutes. Makes sense. There is no "one two punch" with Sentinels unfortunately. I can lock up a Vicky robot on a Blaster with two holds and burn it down fast. Never happen on a Sent.

I actually dug deep into MiDs today and built a solid Dark Invul Sentinel. Took a bit but the Defense values are softcap across most damage types. That and being able to slip and slide away from combat should do well. I wanted Willpower but the build would not tighten up at all. I found a 50d Dark/Invul Sent on a back page of alts and Respecced. Alpha was open but no incarnate slots. Looks like I farmed it and shelved it with no play. This Halloween season seems right to see how it runs

I think the disappearance of the line is a layout issue. I can use it by clicking in the area and knowing what the power is. Looks like it does not realize hiw much screen is available and is just crammed itself up in there

But Brutes damage output is much closer to Scrappers. Which brings us full circle to the real issue. With Going Rogue and mixing RED/Blue The parallel games collided and the endless discussions of rebalancing and various nerfs and buffs happened. Brutes will never play the way they once did. The one tire is flat and I think there is a coolant leak. The current Dev team (in my opinion) is much more interested at writing end game content (and are doing a great job, incredible if you realize how little resources they have) and (it seems to me, unfortunately) trying to streamline the games ATs. Brutes are not streamlined. They are the A10 Warthog of the game. Good at one job and that is it. A job the current Devs do not see valuable, and are actively writing content that the Brute is crappy at. (They did not start that, unavoidable damage patches did) They are continuing the trend though. Heavy melee is less and less valuable. The modern game needs one or possibly two tanks, a ton of ranged DPS, and some buffers/debuffers/healers. Control is useless except somewhat randomly where it is absolutely required.

My old MiDs would not fully open so i downloaded the new mids. Which did a download of a new something program to allow it I guess. Then I opened it and everything mostly seems fine. Except....If i try a new build it truncates the first two powers off Primary and secondary with no way to scroll up. it also does not export files the way i am used to, Export, include data chunk. that causes an "unexpected" error. Arent they always? Is that a necessary description?