Build Requests: Dark Blast/Bio Armor

[Tzimisce8899]

Hello all, I'm quite new, looked through the bio skele mid's template on the discord pinned. Was just wondering if I could get someone to help me flesh out a more complete build. For leveling and also late game. Again I'm new, don't know much between sets, and numbers to min/max. Would very much appreciate it , thanks for reading.

[oldskool]

Welcome!  

Since you're new I'm not going to post a final build just yet.  Posting builds without context isn't really as helpful.  Posting builds in that manner is far more valuable once you know more of the ins and outs.  You can see the reasons for the decisions and you can go from there.  

Leveling: 

 

There is no harm in just picking up everything as you go.  One problem that Sentinels do not have is lack of choice in powers.  The way the primary and secondaries work create situations where an early build of all 9 powers from each is a perfectly valid approach.  It works that way leveling and can work that post 50 too.  You trim powers when you know what you're doing and you have specific goals in mind.  Being new, I don't know how you'd be there yet.

 

Bio Armor benefits a lot from its own internal synergies and dependencies.  Regardless of how you go in the end plan to take all 9 powers.  You will need to make some considerations on priorities in the early levels though.  Prioritize Environmental Adaption as pick by no later than level 14.  Earlier can be better, but level 14 is a tier in the game where things change.  This is linked to how the classic game worked.  What I mean here is that Environmental Adaption is your crowd control resist power.  Many enemy factions start to introduce more crowd control in the level 14+ range.  Enemies like the Trolls (knockback/knockdown), The Lost (sleep/hold), and The Outcasts (knockback/down) start to become more common place.  They get more dangerous than they were at level 4.  I'd also prioritize Ablative Carapace, and Rebuild DNA.  Those are pretty important as self heals usually are.  Adaptation is also important.  Get it as early as you can.  Inexhaustible is good, but you can push it off a bit into the 20's.  Resistance to slows and end drain aren't as obnoxious early on.  

 

For Dark, plan to take everything at first too.  Take both Dark Blast and Gloom fairly early.  Take Umbral Torrent too and Aim as soon as you can.  Take Abyssal Gaze when it feels comfortable to do so  but not much into the expense of your Bio Armor powers.  Take Dark Obliteration at 12 and try to take Antumbral Beam at 18.  

 

Maybe something like this: 

 

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|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

As for a more "final" build, that is more complicated.  Everyone has their preferences and there are a lot of approaches one can take with both of these sets.  My own preference for Bio Armor is to focus on global recharge and Hasten uptime.  More recharge means powers like Ablative Carapace, Rebuild DNA, and Parastic Leech are available more frequently.  I lean on these heavily with my Beam Rifle/Bio Armor build.  Recharge builds also have interplay with Dark Blast.  Blackstar is a very powerful attack and debuff.  The more frequently you can use it the better.  Being able to line up Blackstar and Aim around every 25 seconds should be a goal.  Do not be put off by the melee range on Blackstar.  If you jump in and use Parasitic Leech/Ablative Carapace first you can tank some hits before Blackstar either wipes everything out or makes the remaining enemies miss you more often.  

 

Dark Blast as a set has a number of options from using various procs to using full set bonuses.  That gets really complicated and what is the best on a scale of min/max is pretty much user preference.  CoH isn't that great about cookie cutter builds.  I'm sure one can be made, but the variations possible make it impractical to bother.  Besides, CoH isn't so demanding that one build something "the best way".  As long as you can complete the content you want to complete, then it is a good build.  

Edited February 9, 2020 by oldskool

[Tzimisce8899]

Thank you so much for the in depth response !
I really appreciate it. Does one need to take the flight powerpool ? Is hover that important?
 

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[oldskool]

22 minutes ago, Tzimisce8899 said:

Does one need to take the flight powerpool ? Is hover that important?

This is the core of why posting builds without context isn't helpful! 😆

 

Flight is there because it is a travel power and most people like travel powers.  I have no idea what you like, but figure you may want a quality of life power for movement.  Flight is also a popular power among players.  So figure a base 50/50 shot that Flight may be a good generic pick.  Also, as a Tzimisce, there are some monstrous looking wing options to match the vicissitude look that Bio Armor can bring.  Maybe the user name holds no relation there, but maybe it does?  Why else would anyone pair Dark Blast which has vampiric undertones with Bio Armor?  I digress... 

 

If you're taking Flight then it is a logical step to take Hover.  Hover provides some defense, which is welcome, and functions as in combat 360% movement.  Hover is slower and less endurance heavy than using Flight in combat which can feel unwieldy.  The final stepping stone on movement in that particular tree is Afterburner which makes you fly even faster.  Need it?  Not at all.  Athletic Regulation makes you move faster even on the ground and using Ninja Run (from the Pay-to-Win vendor, it's free) plus regular Sprint can be plenty fast.  

I often skip travel powers unless I absolutely want it to match a concept.  If I am skipping a travel power I will still often take some select powers from the travel pools.  Hasten, in Superspeed, is a global recharge buff that is a straight up power increase.  It's not mandatory, but it is so helpful that taking it feels like it sometimes.  Combat Jumping, in Super Leaping, is very similar to Hover.  CJ is a light weight (low endurance cost) defense to everything power (less than 2% to all) that also helps in vertical movement in combat.  Want to bunny hop over enemies? CJ will help with that.  Ninja Run, while free, is very endurance expensive and does not work with Combat Jumping (one will deactivate the other).  So for running to a mission I toggle Ninja Run + Sprint, and in combat I may only run Combat Jumping as endurance allows.  The basic powers of Swift and Hurdle need no extra slots but they will buff your other movement modes.

 

P.S., And if this were a Vampire the Masquerade homage, I'd recommend the possible inclusion of the Psychic Mastery pool in a final build.  You can make some the effect look like blood and some the powers fit higher Auspex powers.  If I'm off here, then just ignore all that. 😄 

Edited February 10, 2020 by oldskool

[Tzimisce8899]

You're not wrong on my name, but sadly the toon that I'm making isn't WoD based.
Thank you again on the response, and yea I have just been using ninja run+ sprint to get to missions. Though I kind of liked mighty leap and the look of the force of will powerpool