/EA vs /Elec

[TungstenShark]

Going to try leveling a Sentinel next I think. I had settled on Electrical Blast for the primary, but was interested in the differences between Energy Aura and Electric Armor. Both seem to have a couple of very similar powers and either would work thematically for my character. I'd be interested to hear thoughts as to why folks like one more than the other.

[Mercurias]

The primary difference between Energy Aura and Electric Armor is that Energy Aura is a typed defense set, while Electrical Armor is a resistance set. Both sets have solid (but not perfect) protection, PBAoE endurance drain powers, and endurance cost reduction powers that help them manage endurance-heavy primaries.

 

If you plan on making an IO build, you’ll have a pretty easy time slotting 5 LotG Global Recharge IOs in, and you’ll have an easier time reaching the defense softcap for most damage types. The way typed defense works, however, mean that you’ll have a really hard time trying to softcap Psychic defense.

 

Electric Armor has some good resistances and regeneration, and it gives a sweet 20% recharge reduction auto power, but it lacks defense powers to slot LotG procs into and necessitates power pool investment. It’s also much harder to defense softcap, meaning you’ll, have to devote more slots towards protection than offense if building for pure PvE survival. It’s also worth noting that Elec Armor lacks airborn KB protection, so if you want to fly then Energy Aura May be your better bet.

 

I would personally play Elec/Elec based on my own preference and familiarity with the set, but you can’t really go wrong with either.

 

 

Edited September 12, 2019 by Mercurias

[Haijinx]

think its impossible to softcap Psi on EA

 

don't really need it though.  

[Teirusu]

The Psi hole on /EA can be capped off a bit easily enough with some choice set bonuses and a few Impervium Armor IOs, if you so choose, so it's not really that big of a deal.  My /EA currently has over +30 Resistance across the board.  Along with over 40% Def on everything but Negative and Psi.  /EA also gets the 20% recharge bonus in Entropy Shield too, along with a very good HP boost in Power Armor.  You can readily hit the Sentinel HP cap on /EA with HP set bonuses and accolades, if you so choose.

 

/Elec does certainly have better END/REC debuff resistance though and it has that neat regen toggle.  The one thing that irks me about /Elec Armor is that quite a bit of the Energy resistance it gives is wasted since it easily blows past the resistance cap. 

 

Over-all, I'd give /EA a slight edge since you can readily soft-cap it or get close without too much of an since.  Good Type Defense set bonuses are everywhere.  

 

If you really wanted to go with a resistance based set, my pick would be /Rad

[Hopeling]

I really like the Sentinel version of /Elec. Its regeneration is kind of ridiculous, and with some defense from IOs on top of near-capped resists to most types, it's very tough. Immunity to endurance drain and high resistance to slows is also a nice perk. I agree that /EA might be a better choice if you're going to fly though.

[drbuzzard]

I have both  /elec and /energy sentinels at 50. I like both, but energy aura is really a lot more durable. Softcapping is a lot better for survival than getting to the 75% hardcap to resistance (which I've hit on a couple things, and coupled with the high regen, it's pretty damned tough). My energy aura sentinel can effectively tank, which doesn't go so well on the /elec one when I've tried (against resisted damage types). Energy also adds a fair amount of resistances to various things, so even after something gets past my defense, I don't take full force of a hit.

 

As for the 20% recharge boost in /elec, energy has the same thing, but in the status toggle instead of a passive (like in /elec or /SR).