Alpha Slot for earth/rad/stone?

[Doc_Scorpion]

Looking at the various Alpha Slot abilities for my earth/rad/stone, I don't see any which leap out at me as being the most helpful/useful.  What am I missing?

I've put his build in a spoiler, essentially he's an SO/non-set IO jack of all trades.

 

Spoiler

Atomic Earthquake: Level 50 Science Class_Controller

Character Profile:
------------------
Level 1: Inherent Inherent Brawl
    EMPTY
Level 1: Inherent Inherent prestige_DVD_Glidep
    EMPTY
Level 1: Inherent Inherent Sprint
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (35)
Level 2: Inherent Inherent Rest
    Crafted_Recharge (35)
Level 2: Inherent Fitness Swift
    Science_Run (50+1)
Level 2: Inherent Fitness Hurdle
    Science_Jump (50)
Level 2: Inherent Fitness Health
    Science_Heal (50+1)
    EMPTY
    EMPTY
Level 2: Inherent Fitness Stamina
    Science_Recovery (50)
    Science_Recovery (50+1)
    Science_Recovery (50+1)
Level 1: Controller_Control Earth_Control Stone_Prison
    Crafted_Accuracy (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
    Crafted_Recharge (40)
    Crafted_Accuracy (40)
    Crafted_Damage (40)
Level 2: Controller_Control Earth_Control Fossilize
    Crafted_Accuracy (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
    Crafted_Recharge (40)
    Crafted_Accuracy (40)
    Crafted_Damage (40)
Level 6: Controller_Control Earth_Control Stone_Cages
    Crafted_Accuracy (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
    Crafted_Accuracy (40)
Level 8: Controller_Control Earth_Control Salt_Crystals
    Crafted_Accuracy (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
    Crafted_Recharge (40)
    Science_Sleep (50+1)
Level 12: Controller_Control Earth_Control Stalagmites
    Crafted_Accuracy (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
    Crafted_Recharge (40)
    Crafted_Accuracy (40)
    Science_Stun (50+1)
Level 22: Controller_Control Earth_Control Earthquake
    Crafted_Recharge (35)
    Crafted_Recharge (30)
    Crafted_Recharge (25)
    Science_Defense_DeBuff (50)
Level 26: Controller_Control Earth_Control Quicksand
    Crafted_Recharge (35)
    Crafted_Recharge (30)
    Crafted_Recharge (25)
    Science_Snare (50+1)
Level 28: Controller_Control Earth_Control Volcanic_Gasses
    Crafted_Recharge (35)
    Crafted_Recharge (30)
    Crafted_Recharge (25)
    Science_Hold (50+1)
    Science_Hold (50)
Level 32: Controller_Control Earth_Control Animate_Stone
    Crafted_Recharge (35)
    Crafted_Recharge (30)
    Crafted_Recharge (25)
    Science_Accuracy (50)
    Science_Accuracy (50+1)
    Science_Damage (50+1)
Level 1: Controller_Buff Radiation_Emission Radiation_Emission
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (35)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (30)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (25)
Level 16: Controller_Buff Radiation_Emission Mutation
    Crafted_Recharge (40)
Level 18: Controller_Buff Radiation_Emission Radiation_Infection
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (35)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (30)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (25)
    EMPTY
Level 20: Controller_Buff Radiation_Emission Enervating__Field
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (35)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (30)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (25)
Level 24: Controller_Buff Radiation_Emission Lingering_radiation
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (35)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (30)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (25)
    Science_Snare (50)
Level 30: Controller_Buff Radiation_Emission Choking_Cloud
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (35)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (30)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (25)
    Science_Hold (50+1)
    Science_Hold (50+1)
Level 49: Controller_Buff Radiation_Emission Fallout
    Science_Recharge (50)
Level 4: Pool Flight Fly
    Science_Fly (50)
Level 47: Pool Flight Combat_Flight
    Science_Fly (50)
Level 10: Pool Leadership Assault
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (35)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (30)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (25)
Level 14: Pool Leadership Tactics
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (35)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (30)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (25)
Level 44: Pool Leadership Vengeance
    EMPTY
Level 35: Epic Stone_Mastery Hurl_Boulder
    Crafted_Accuracy (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
Level 38: Epic Stone_Mastery Fissure
    Crafted_Accuracy (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
    Crafted_Endurance_Discount (40)
Level 41: Epic Stone_Mastery Seismic_Smash
    Crafted_Accuracy (40)
    Science_Endurance_Discount (50)
    Science_Endurance_Discount (50)
------------------
 

 

[Coyote]

Musculature Radial or Intuition Radial.

The two things I want to improve would be -ToHit and Damage. Damage because it's damage, and -ToHit because it's the main debuff for the character.

-Regen can't be improved, nor can -Res.

-Defense isn't relevant since you put out -Defense when you sneeze with Earth/Rad.

And as a bonus you also get +EndMod, which helps since you have both Stamina and Accelerate Metabolism, allowing AM to be underslotted for EndMod. Or you get +Hold.

 

Getting +Hold wouldn't be bad, but it's a defensive boost... if your defenses aren't set up strongly with Earth/Rad, I'd look elsewhere to solve that. Your main weakness on that combination should be low damage, so I would go with Musculature over Intuition. You can generally Hold most targets, but what you can't Hold has to hit you through Radiation Infection and Earthquake's debuffs plus your base defenses. So I see more use for Endurance than for Hold duration

 

[Doc_Scorpion]

Your reply lead me to spend some time last night actually paying closer attention to how I play and balancing that with the various Alpha Slot abilities.
 

On 4/30/2020 at 7:18 AM, Coyote said:

Getting +Hold wouldn't be bad, but it's a defensive boost... if your defenses aren't set up strongly with Earth/Rad, I'd look elsewhere to solve that. Your main weakness on that combination should be low damage, so I would go with Musculature over Intuition.

+Hold plays well with my soloing tactics - which is to lockdown the highest threat and let Stoney whale away.  It also boosts Choking Cloud, which is part of my mitigation strategy.  +Damage is also generally useful.

So looking at it closer and thinking more clearly also leads me to Musculature.  Thanks!

[Coyote]

3 hours ago, Doc_Scorpion said:

Your reply lead me to spend some time last night actually paying closer attention to how I play and balancing that with the various Alpha Slot abilities.
 

+Hold plays well with my soloing tactics - which is to lockdown the highest threat and let Stoney whale away.  It also boosts Choking Cloud, which is part of my mitigation strategy.  +Damage is also generally useful.

So looking at it closer and thinking more clearly also leads me to Musculature.  Thanks!

 

You mean, to Intuition? Both boost Damage and -ToHit, but Musculature adds +End while Intuition adds +Hold. So my choice is Musculature for +End, but if you're choosing +Hold, then you're saying that you're going with Intuition. At least, that's what my intuition ( 😄 ) is telling me.

[Doc_Scorpion]

36 minutes ago, Coyote said:

You mean, to Intuition? Both boost Damage and -ToHit, but Musculature adds +End while Intuition adds +Hold. So my choice is Musculature for +End, but if you're choosing +Hold, then you're saying that you're going with Intuition. At least, that's what my intuition ( 😄 ) is telling me.

That's what I get for posting on one cup of coffee...  (And because I always get +Hold and +Immob mixed up.)  No, Musculature - because the very attractive and usable +DMG comes early, then adds on +Immob.  But +Immob isn't quite as useful as +Hold...

I haven't had any END problems that I don't think Numina/Miracle/Performance Shifter won't cure, so +END isn't even on my radar.  I need to go test that to make double sure.

Back to the thinking board.