Help me fix this: Ice/Rad

[KelvinKole]

I've really been enjoying this character, so I made an endgame build but I don't have much idea what I'm going with Stalkers. I've read a few guides and put some key enhancements where they are supposed to go, but need some help optimizing. I wanted to try and cap S/L/E resists and still have good defense from set bonuses. I might be sticking too many slots in things like Ground Zero and Water Spout, but I like the AoE potential very much. 

 

Anything glaringly wrong here? What do folks suggest for incarnates?

 

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.962
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Magic Stalker
Primary Power Set: Ice Melee
Secondary Power Set: Radiation Armor
Power Pool: Force of Will
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Leviathan Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Frozen Fists

• (A) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage
• (19) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (21) Touch of Death - Damage/Endurance
• (21) Touch of Death - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 1: Hide

• (A) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage
• (5) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)
• (5) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  

Level 2: Ice Sword

• (A) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage
• (3) Mako's Bite - Damage/Endurance
• (3) Mako's Bite - Damage/Recharge
• (19) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 4: Gamma Boost

• (A) Regenerative Tissue - +Regeneration
  

Level 6: Assassin's Ice Sword

• (A) Touch of Death - Damage/Endurance
• (7) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage
• (7) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage
• (15) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (15) Crushing Impact - Damage/Endurance
• (17) Superior Stalker's Guile - Recharge/Chance to Hide
  

Level 8: Alpha Barrier

• (A) Titanium Coating - Resistance
• (9) Titanium Coating - Endurance
• (9) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Endurance
• (13) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 10: Proton Armor

• (A) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance
• (11) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance
• (11) Unbreakable Guard - Endurance/RechargeTime
• (13) Unbreakable Guard - RechargeTime/Resistance
• (17) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime
• (23) Unbreakable Guard - +Max HP
  

Level 12: Build Up

• (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up
  

Level 14: Fallout Shelter

• (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/Endurance
• (39) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
• (39) Gladiator's Armor - Resistance
• (40) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)
  

Level 16: Mighty Leap

• (A) Empty
  

Level 18: Frost

• (A) Superior Stalker's Guile - Accuracy/Damage
• (37) Superior Stalker's Guile - Damage/Recharge
• (37) Superior Stalker's Guile - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (37) Superior Stalker's Guile - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• (39) Superior Stalker's Guile - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 20: Radiation Therapy

• (A) Doctored Wounds - Heal
• (50) Doctored Wounds - Recharge
• (50) Doctored Wounds - Heal/Recharge
  

Level 22: Kick

• (A) Empty
  

Level 24: Tough

• (A) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Endurance
• (25) Titanium Coating - Resistance
• (25) Titanium Coating - Endurance
• (31) Titanium Coating - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 26: Freezing Touch

• (A) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage
• (27) Touch of Death - Damage/Endurance
• (27) Touch of Death - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (29) Touch of Death - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• (29) Crushing Impact - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (31) Hecatomb - Chance of Damage(Negative)
  

Level 28: Particle Shielding

• (A) Preventive Medicine - Heal
• (31) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance
• (33) Preventive Medicine - Endurance/RechargeTime
• (33) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime
• (33) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance
• (34) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb
  

Level 30: Weaken Resolve

• (A) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff
  

Level 32: Frozen Aura

• (A) Superior Assassin's Mark - Accuracy/Damage
• (34) Superior Assassin's Mark - Damage/RechargeTime
• (34) Superior Assassin's Mark - Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime
• (36) Superior Assassin's Mark - Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
• (36) Superior Assassin's Mark - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
• (36) Superior Assassin's Mark - RechargeTime/Rchg Build Up
  

Level 35: Ground Zero

• (A) Obliteration - Damage
• (40) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge
• (43) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge
• (43) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (43) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• (45) Obliteration - Chance for Smashing Damage
  

Level 38: Meltdown

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO
• (40) Recharge Reduction IO
  

Level 41: Unleash Potential

• (A) Red Fortune - Defense
• (42) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge
• (42) Red Fortune - Endurance/Recharge
• (42) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 44: Water Spout

• (A) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff
• (45) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage
• (45) Annihilation - Damage/RechargeTime
• (46) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
• (46) Annihilation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (48) Overwhelming Force - Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown
  

Level 47: Hibernate

• (A) Empty
  

Level 49: Hasten

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO
• (50) Recharge Reduction IO
  

Level 1: Assassination 

Level 1: Brawl

[KelvinKole]

After reading through some of the FoTM numbers, it's become clear I may have to help myself here. This power set combination doesn't even show up on the level 50 list, so here's to being first. I'll keep a record for those that come after me.

 

• I gave up on using Water Spout and went with boonbeam for another good single target damage attack.
• Adding in Shadow Meld gave me another place to stick a LoTG +Rech and will fill in my lack of defense when needed. I also have Unleash Potential, so there's a couple "oh crap" buttons.
• I chose the Resilient alpha Incarnate slot for now, which got me to max resists on S/L/E/F/T, plus should add some absorb to Particle Shielding.
• Took the dmg proc out of Freezing Touch because ultimately I want that thing to recharge as fast as possible and the proc felt wasted. 
• Trying out the Call of the Sandman proc in Frozen Aura to see if it can become a sort of pseudo heal. Still have to test this.
• Moved some slots around in general, but afraid I may have some endurance challenges now. Thinking I could lean on Radiation Therapy, Unleash Potential, and the Ageless Incarnate to keep the blue bar filled but need to feel it out when I get there.

 

Villain Plan by Mids' Villain Designer 1.962
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Magic Stalker
Primary Power Set: Ice Melee
Secondary Power Set: Radiation Armor
Power Pool: Force of Will
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Frozen Fists -- FcsSmt-Acc/Dmg(A), FcsSmt-Dmg/EndRdx(19), FcsSmt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(21), FcsSmt-Dmg/Rchg(21)
Level 1: Hide -- Rct-ResDam%(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(5), LucoftheG-Rchg+(5)
Level 2: Ice Sword -- Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg(A), Mk'Bit-Dmg/EndRdx(3), Mk'Bit-Dmg/Rchg(3), Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19), Mk'Bit-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg(23)
Level 4: Gamma Boost -- RgnTss-Regen+(A)
Level 6: Assassin's Ice Sword -- TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx(A), TchofDth-Acc/Dmg(7), CrsImp-Acc/Dmg(7), CrsImp-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(15), CrsImp-Dmg/EndRdx(15), SprStlGl-Rchg/Hide%(17)
Level 8: Alpha Barrier -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(9), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(9), UnbGrd-EndRdx/Rchg(13)
Level 10: Proton Armor -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(11), UnbGrd-EndRdx/Rchg(11), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(13), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(17), UnbGrd-Max HP%(23)
Level 12: Build Up -- GssSynFr--Build%(A)
Level 14: Fallout Shelter -- StdPrt-ResDam/EndRdx(A), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(39), GldArm-ResDam(39), GldArm-3defTpProc(40)
Level 16: Mighty Leap -- Empty(A)
Level 18: Frost -- SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg(A), SprStlGl-Dmg/Rchg(37), SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), SprStlGl-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37), SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 20: Radiation Therapy -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(25), Prv-Heal/Rchg(48), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(50)
Level 22: Kick -- Empty(A)
Level 24: Tough -- TtnCtn-ResDam/EndRdx(A), TtnCtn-EndRdx(25), TtnCtn-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(31)
Level 26: Freezing Touch -- SprAssMar-Acc/Dmg(A), SprAssMar-Dmg/Rchg(27), SprAssMar-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(27), SprAssMar-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(29), SprAssMar-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(29), SprAssMar-Rchg/Rchg Build Up(31)
Level 28: Particle Shielding -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(31), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(33), Prv-Heal/Rchg(33), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(33), Prv-Absorb%(34)
Level 30: Weaken Resolve -- AchHee-ResDeb%(A)
Level 32: Frozen Aura -- FuroftheG-Acc/Dmg(A), FuroftheG-ResDeb%(34), ScrDrv-Acc/Dmg(34), ScrDrv-Dmg/EndRdx(36), ScrDrv-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36), CaloftheS-Heal%(36)
Level 35: Ground Zero -- Obl-Dmg(A), Obl-Acc/Rchg(40), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(43), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43), Obl-%Dam(45)
Level 38: Meltdown -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(40)
Level 41: Unleash Potential -- Rct-EndRdx/Rchg(A), Rct-Def/Rchg(42), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Rct-Def(42), LucoftheG-Rchg+(50)
Level 44: Moonbeam -- ExcCnt-Acc/Dmg(A), ExcCnt-Dmg/Rchg(45), ExcCnt-Dmg/EndRdx(45), ExcCnt-Dmg/Rng(46)
Level 47: Shadow Meld -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(A), LucoftheG-Rchg+(48), LucoftheG-Def(48)
Level 49: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(50)
Level 1: Assassination 
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Dash -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Slide -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Quick -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Rush -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Prestige Power Surge -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run 
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(A), NmnCnv-Heal(46), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx(46)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A)
Level 50: Resilient Radial Paragon 
------------

 

 

[Erydanus]

Hey I have just started an Ice Melee stalker, and I'm currently in the thick of things on a DB/Radiation Armor Scrapper and it has left me with a few thoughts. I have your first build open as I'm leaving these random thoughts.

 

1. If you want to go AoE nuts with your stalker, my Psi/WP stalker says you should follow your instinct and do that. AoE is super important in end game play because it's a crazy battlefield and spamming AoEs is basically the thing to do. But if you're sure you want to Moonbeam things instead that's fine. As far as end well...
2. So, uh, Gamma Boost is secretly a 2nd end recovery power, haha funny right? It's basically Quick Recovery if you're topped up with health, and turns into Fast Healing if you get chewed up; so you should have some end mod in here. I was running around on my scrapper the other day and looked at my recovery and it was way over 3 end/sec and I was like "WAIT WHAT THE WHAT" and there it was. Sheblam. It's actually stronger than Stamina. The tooltip in my copy of Pines just doesn't show that, it's completely wrong.
3. So, uh, Radiation Therapy, funny thing it's also an end suck power. Like, 5 end per target hit.  So yeah I'm using 3 slots of a targeted heal and 3 of an end mod set relying on the Acc/Rech/EndOrHeal piece of both to get my accuracy in, and then the full EndmodOrHeal piece, and the third is the EndmodOrHeal/Rech piece. When I get a little low say down to 1/3 of my scrapper hit points and maybe 50% of my end bar I let fly and heal myself up. Don't underrate this amazing self heal for increasing your sustainability.
4. The way you split up the Assassin sets confused me. Like, a lot.  A lot lot. You have the chance of hide proc in assassin's ice sword, great. Here's the thing, if you split the set (Superior form) into 2 groups of 3 you double down on 5% Smash/lethal def and 2.5 Melee defense. You have 2 ToD pieces in Assassin's Ice Sword for an energy resistance bonus, which is something your set excels at to begin with; if they were superior scrapper's strike pieces you'd have that tasty defense bonus. If you'd rather get the 5 piece recharge time bonus why not just full slot that set instead of putting it in frost? It looks like you're nearly capped S/L which is nice, but you might actually benefit more from shaving a few percent off there and getting it as defense instead and hey the 6 slot bonus is damage resistance anyway. Self win! Also, remember, each point of defense prevents about 2 points of resistance damage. If you can 3+3 that set, you can have +10% smashing/lethal defense (and 5% melee). That's the equivalent of 20 points of S/L resistance... With a set like /Rad that excels at energy & toxic resistance and is just a B for Smash/Lethal, stacking on Tough is directly helpful; but weave and those global defense procs are also really doing a lot. And the closer you are to capping generally the better return you are going to get by going to the other parameter with your effort. It's not just diminishing returns on the IO level but the tactical level. 
5. Call of the Sandman won't do shit for you. I had a brute (before /electric armor got a heal in it) who had one of those procs in every single one of his attacks that could take it. When they fire they heal about 60. For my character in that very rough situation (this was pre-inherent stamina and I was not going to give up powers for the medicine pool for aid self) it was the bare minimum to squeak by. It's not going to help you, not when you have an amazing self heal you've underslotted.
6. So uh, you realize the hole in Radiation is, perhaps ironically, actually cold, right? Like do not even look at Lady Winter, you will die. I was only able to defeat her on my scrapper by eating so many purples I was at the defense cap and then I ate some oranges as well.  Right now the Winter sets are more affordable than usual and they do offer some cold resistance and defense bonuses. Unfortunately the best are at both 5 & 6-slot but if you were to 6-slot Assassin's Ice Sword with Superior Stalker's Guile, you could slot Frost with Frozen Blast; if you can find 1 more slot (and I empathize because your build is entirely slot starved already) there would be a precious combined set bonus of 7.5% defense to AoE, Fire, and Cold.  

I hope this helps at least a little!

 

Edited December 11, 2019 by Erydanus

[KelvinKole]

6 hours ago, Erydanus said:

1.  
2. The way you split up the Assassin sets confused me. Like, a lot.  A lot lot. You have the chance of hide proc in assassin's ice sword, great. Here's the thing, if you split the set (Superior form) into 2 groups of 3 you double down on 5% Smash/lethal def and 2.5 Melee defense. You have 2 ToD pieces in Assassin's Ice Sword for an energy resistance bonus, which is something your set excels at to begin with; if they were superior scrapper's strike pieces you'd have that tasty defense bonus. If you'd rather get the 5 piece recharge time bonus why not just full slot that set instead of putting it in frost? It looks like you're nearly capped S/L which is nice, but you might actually benefit more from shaving a few percent off there and getting it as defense instead and hey the 6 slot bonus is damage resistance anyway. Self win! Also, remember, each point of defense prevents about 2 points of resistance damage. If you can 3+3 that set, you can have +10% smashing/lethal defense (and 5% melee). That's the equivalent of 20 points of S/L resistance... With a set like /Rad that excels at energy & toxic resistance and is just a B for Smash/Lethal, stacking on Tough is directly helpful; but weave and those global defense procs are also really doing a lot. And the closer you are to capping generally the better return you are going to get by going to the other parameter with your effort. It's not just diminishing returns on the IO level but the tactical level. 
3. Call of the Sandman won't do shit for you. I had a brute (before /electric armor got a heal in it) who had one of those procs in every single one of his attacks that could take it. When they fire they heal about 60. For my character in that very rough situation (this was pre-inherent stamina and I was not going to give up powers for the medicine pool for aid self) it was the bare minimum to squeak by. It's not going to help you, not when you have an amazing self heal you've underslotted. 

Appreciate the review and feedback!

As for splitting up the Stalker's Guile set, my reason was to avoid recharge enhancement in assassins strike, to maximize the occurancs of the hide proc. If my understanding of the PPM mechanics is off here, please let me know. 

 

After testing the Call of the Sandman proc, I can confirm two things. 1) it does work. Surrounded by targets you can reliably get it to proc 3-5 times off Frozen Aura. 2) that said, you have to have enough living targets around you to get that kind of result when you need it. The proc is 60hp per hit, so it doesn't add up to a huge amount at level 50. Paired with a secondary that doesn't offer any healing it might be a neat trick, but I'll be dropping it. 

Edited December 12, 2019 by KelvinKole

[Erydanus]

That makes sense as far as how you're treating your AS but I personally just preferred integrating it in my chain and treating any procs of hide as a sheer bonus. Since we have the mechanic to have it auto crit from insight, avoiding all recharge in it to maximize a proc isn't ideal, I don't think.  Well I suppose it's a case of balancing what you have in the power against your global recharge bonuses; on my Psi stalker I don't have that much global recharge and no perma hasten so actually I have found it not reset when insight pops up once in a while. 

 

Call of the Sandman: Chance for a tiny bandage - it's interesting it fired that many times for you in an aura but yeah, just not enough healing to be worth it. The proc is simply under powered. Neat idea, but just inadequate. 

[Microcosm]

Ya, I find the sandman proc to be garbage in my ice stalker.

 

I'll add to this that I frankenslot Frost so I can fit the two dam/range IOs in there and boost them to +5, which if I remember correctly without mids bumps it to 14ft range. I also use Frost in the single target rotation because I've got the -res proc in there and frozen fists is pretty weak.

 

On AS, I do mostly proc builds, so I slot the Acc/dam, Acc/dam/end/rech and the chance to hide from the stalker set to get the defense bonus with as little recharge slotting as possible and rely on global recharge bonuses. This doesn't work well if you don't have lots of global recharge, but if you do it allows for more procs and a better proc rate.