Blaster vs Scrapper: Why ever build a blaster?

[Bill Z Bubba]

Blasters get mezzed. They die. DPS drops to zero.

Even if they got soft-capped to range and go hover blaster, the lack of DDR means the defense doesn't work for long and they have to get out of dodge, or die. DPS drops to zero.

 

Scrappers just keep on trucking. DPS only falls to zero when traveling between spawns.

 

Granted, even with my post-snap mentality changing and causing me to play a LOT more archetypes than I did in the old days, I still expect everything I play to be able to solo tolerably well.

I have so far been incapable of finding a build or combo that does so while playing a blaster. Even those that survive are empty of insps before the mission is over AND I have to play at less than max diff.

 

They simply have to spend far too much time worried about survival when compared to any of the melee ATs, Sents or even my dominators.

 

All this said, I love teaming with blasters. I enjoy the mass carnage they bring. I kind of like my blasters when I'm teaming... when I can lean on a tank or someone buffing me so that I can survive.

 

But I'd just as well enjoy an all melee SF/TF knowing that there will be far fewer faceplants along the way.

 

Just sharing. Interested in your thoughts.

 

EDIT: Right after posting this I decided to run an all melee max diff kill most ITF. Turned out to be an MoITF. Done in 43 mins with 4 tanks, 2 brutes, a scrapper and a stalker. Such glorious carnage.

 

Edited May 16, 2020 by Bill Z Bubba

[Apparition]

Prior to Level 50, there's the Defense Amplifier from the P2W vendor, or Rune of Protection that can give you mez protection.  At level 50, there's the Clarion Destiny.  My Blaster is never mezzed.  My Blaster also has soft-capped defenses to S/L, and is soft-capped to melee with a small purple inspiration.  I've used it to tank ITFs with.  And no, I don't Hover blast, even though I have Hover.

 

Honestly, I find more reason to play a Blaster than a Scrapper in this day and age because there are several scenarios where you can't do melee DPS, or is at least incredibly disadvantageous to do so.  Apex TF and Incarnate trials for example.  Ranged > melee.

 

My Blaster can solo missions at +3x8 without dying, so it can solo very well.

 

Honestly, I think it is a combination of your Blaster builds and how you play them, because with the right builds and played correctly, Blasters are just as good as, or even better than, Scrappers.

[Cobalt Azurean]

*blows dust off an old meme*

 

[Bill Z Bubba]

Mostly serious. So the defense amplifier... I'll look into that.

 

Edit: New build for my fire/time blaster will go clarion. Doesn't look like the AT IO proc is reliable enough to count on.

 

Edit2: @Apparition what combo do you run?

Edited May 16, 2020 by Bill Z Bubba

[Apparition]

5 minutes ago, Bill Z Bubba said:

Mostly serious. So the defense amplifier... I'll look into that.

 

Edit: New build for my fire/time blaster will go clarion. Doesn't look like the AT IO proc is reliable enough to count on.

 

Edit2: @Apparition what combo do you run?

 

Clarion is a big help.  On most non-melee toons, from level 1 to 50, I stock up on the Defense Amplifier from the P2W vendor, and then use the Clarion Destiny at level 50.

 

My Blaster is DP/Temporal.

[Bill Z Bubba]

Felt the need to offer a followup. I respeced my fire/time blaster. Build below. Then ran a max diff ITF with a rad/fire def, a fire/spines tank, and me on blaster. We completed it with 2 faceplants from the def in 39 mins.

 

That was pretty farkin cool.

 

Off to test soloability now.

 

Side thoughts: the all melee ITF was a kill most. The threesome ITF was a zerg run. This explains the times somewhat. Off to test pylon time along with soloability now.

 

O.o Pylon times are on par with my claws/sr and claws/bio scrappers. 2:15 to 3mins Very nice.

 

Another update: Ran a CoT max diff radio mission in PI. No issues.

Ran a Carnie max diff radio mission in PI, 3 faceplants and I called it.

Blasters still < Scrappers. But... they can be very cool on teams.

 

Hero Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.6.0.7
https://github.com/ImaginaryDevelopment/imaginary-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Tempa Incendema: Level 50 Magic Blaster
Primary Power Set: Fire Blast
Secondary Power Set: Temporal Manipulation
Power Pool: Sorcery
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Flares -- SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBlsWrt-Dmg/Rchg(3), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(13), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15), SprBlsWrt-Rchg/Dmg%(17)
Level 1: Time Wall -- ImpSwf-Dam%(A), TraoftheH-Dam%(3), ImpSwf-Acc/EndRdx(40)
Level 2: Fire Ball -- SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg(A), SprDfnBrr-Dmg/Rchg(5), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(15), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(25), SprDfnBrr-Rchg/+Status Protect(25)
Level 4: Time Stop -- Lck-Acc/Rchg(A), Lck-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(5)
Level 6: Mystic Flight -- Frb-Stlth(A)
Level 8: Rain of Fire -- OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg(A), OvrFrc-End/Rech(9), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg/End(17), OvrFrc-Dmg/End/Rech(48), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg/End/Rech(48), OvrFrc-Dam/KB(50)
Level 10: Chronos -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(11), GssSynFr--Build%(11)
Level 12: Aim -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(13)
Level 14: Spirit Ward -- Prv-Absorb%(A)
Level 16: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 18: Blaze -- Apc-Dmg/Rchg(A), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(19), Apc-Acc/Rchg(19), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(33), Apc-Dam%(34), GldJvl-Dam%(34)
Level 20: Temporal Healing -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(21), Empty(21), Pnc-Heal/EndRedux(39), Pnc-Heal(40), Pnc-Heal/+End(40)
Level 22: Rune of Protection -- RctArm-ResDam/Rchg(A), ImpArm-ResDam/Rchg(23), TtnCtn-ResDam/Rchg(23)
Level 24: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 26: Blazing Bolt -- ExpMarks-Dmg/End/Int(A), ExpMarks-Acc/End/Rech(27), ExpMarks-Rng/FSnp(27), ExpMarks-Acc/Dmg(33), ExpMarks-Dmg/Rech(33), ExpMarks-Dmg/Int/Rng/Rech(34)
Level 28: Tough -- UnbGrd-Max HP%(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(39), GldArm-3defTpProc(39), GldArm-ResDam(42)
Level 30: Weave -- Rct-Def(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx(31), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(31), Rct-ResDam%(31)
Level 32: Inferno -- Arm-Dmg/Rchg(A), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Arm-Acc/Rchg(42), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Arm-Dam%(43), Obl-%Dam(43)
Level 35: Scorpion Shield -- ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(A), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(36), ShlWal-Def(36), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(36)
Level 38: Time Lord -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A)
Level 41: Summon Spiderlings -- ExpRnf-Acc/Rchg(A), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg(46), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(46), ExpRnf-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(46)
Level 44: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(45), LucoftheG-Def(45), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(45)
Level 47: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(48)
Level 49: Vengeance -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Defiance
Level 1: Quick Form
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-Heal/EndRdx(A), NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(37), NmnCnv-Heal(37), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(37), RgnTss-Regen+(50), Mrc-Rcvry+(50)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-EndMod/Rchg(9), PrfShf-EndMod/Acc(29), PrfShf-End%(29)
------------

 

 

Edited May 16, 2020 by Bill Z Bubba

[Olly]

On 5/16/2020 at 1:13 PM, Bill Z Bubba said:

Blasters get mezzed. They die. DPS drops to zero.

Even if they got soft-capped to range and go hover blaster, the lack of DDR means the defense doesn't work for long and they have to get out of dodge, or die. DPS drops to zero.

 

Scrappers just keep on trucking. DPS only falls to zero when traveling between spawns.

Blaster are definitely balancing on the fine line between death and destruction, more so than scrappers. For level 50, I have two */fire builds, and two scrapper builds. In the old times, I also had a decked out peacebringer perma light form tri-form; which seemed to play somewhere between the two. With the new incarnates and event sets (winter's blast +def), my blasters can hit ~42% S/L defense without insps and with incarnates and insps, can hold their own solo killing the nictus fragments in a +4 ITF.  Damage reduction in the form of knockdowns and slows (bonfire w/ kb:kb IO, rain of fire -type powers). But yeah, you definitely need to be more careful about which powers to pick, as well as spend a lot more influence to be as survivable when compared to a scrapper. On the upside, having that nuke, man! 

 

Quote

Granted, even with my post-snap mentality changing and causing me to play a LOT more archetypes than I did in the old days, I still expect everything I play to be able to solo tolerably well.

I have so far been incapable of finding a build or combo that does so while playing a blaster. Even those that survive are empty of insps before the mission is over AND I have to play at less than max diff.

 

They simply have to spend far too much time worried about survival when compared to any of the melee ATs, Sents or even my dominators.

Definitely not my go-to if I want to solo AV's at +3/+4. But definitely my go-to if I want to speed run and farm merits solo. But I'm confident my blasters could solo +3/*8, just haven't tried. My blasters can run the fire (or is it S/L?) farms at +4/*8 and survive -- it just takes longer than a brute would.

 

Quote

All this said, I love teaming with blasters. I enjoy the mass carnage they bring. I kind of like my blasters when I'm teaming... when I can lean on a tank or someone buffing me so that I can survive.

I love my blasters on a team, and my scraps solo. Particularly satisfying on teams is hitting a straggler running away, and the nukes(!). And if there's some AT gathering mobs together for me to nuke. Even better, when there's also an AT that nudges my recharge to the "nuke every mob" zone of play (it's usually around 35 seconds, just a tad short).

 

Quote

But I'd just as well enjoy an all melee SF/TF knowing that there will be far fewer faceplants along the way.

It will take a lot to face plant skilled and/or well kitted blasters. That being said, most people don't play blasters that way, which is probably why you see more blasters faceplant. But in i25, all the tools are there to keep them from doing so, especially in teams. Tho I think for speed running level 50 TFs, either all-corr or dom (or troller even) teams would win the AT race.

 

 

 

 

 

[Uun]

On a team, the amount of carnage a blaster can put out far exceeds a scrapper. I don't bother trying to soft cap defense and am happy with a mix of moderate defense and resistance. I'm generally careful not to aggro more than I can kill or at least put on their backs. Fire is a little tricky, as it doesn't provide any damage mitigation. My blasters are Ice and Dark, which helps in survivability. I don't solo my blasters much, and when I do its usually at +2/x4 or +3/x2.

[clucks2]

On 5/16/2020 at 7:13 AM, Bill Z Bubba said:

Blasters get mezzed. They die. DPS drops to zero.

Even if they got soft-capped to range and go hover blaster, the lack of DDR means the defense doesn't work for long and they have to get out of dodge, or die. DPS drops to zero.

 

Scrappers just keep on trucking. DPS only falls to zero when traveling between spawns.

 

Granted, even with my post-snap mentality changing and causing me to play a LOT more archetypes than I did in the old days, I still expect everything I play to be able to solo tolerably well.

I have so far been incapable of finding a build or combo that does so while playing a blaster. Even those that survive are empty of insps before the mission is over AND I have to play at less than max diff.

 

They simply have to spend far too much time worried about survival when compared to any of the melee ATs, Sents or even my dominators.

 

All this said, I love teaming with blasters. I enjoy the mass carnage they bring. I kind of like my blasters when I'm teaming... when I can lean on a tank or someone buffing me so that I can survive.

 

But I'd just as well enjoy an all melee SF/TF knowing that there will be far fewer faceplants along the way.

 

Just sharing. Interested in your thoughts.

 

EDIT: Right after posting this I decided to run an all melee max diff kill most ITF. Turned out to be an MoITF. Done in 43 mins with 4 tanks, 2 brutes, a scrapper and a stalker. Such glorious carnage.

 

Hey that reminds me of the +4/8 no deaths, no temps, no inspirations, 6 man blaster ITF I ran... in 25:25. Blasters are great, you just cant stand in melee range like you can on your scrapper. Clarion fixes Mez issue so that's a non issue, and content where I don't have claron is typically easy content.

[clucks2]

I also saw your comment that stated Blasters < Scrappers.... You referenced you playing a Fire/time blaster and immediately wrote off the entire AT based on that. My Fire/Fire blaster does a pylon about a minute faster than your scrapper, and only dies if I decide to be an idiot. I can solo +4/8 scanner missions of any type in PI. I'm not going to pretend like I'm tankier than you, but to say that scrappers are better than blasters is just wrong. They're just different. What criteria are you basing the whole better thing on? Survivability?

[Heraclea]

It's a lot easier to build a blaster for stealth - AFAIK any of them handle it fine - than it is to build a scrapper for stealth outside of certain armor sets.  Only ones I know of that work easily with stealth are Reflexes and Regen.  Now, my /Devices blaster gets stealth in her secondary, no power pool needed; there are others that do this too. 

 

This in turn means that while scrappers are murder machines, the blaster is a story arc completer who can hunt the glowies and look for target mobs without spooking the whole herd.  I enjoy doing this. 

 

And once you get to the Destiny unlock and pick Clarion, getting mezzed is much less of an issue.   High level content is, as @Apparitionnoted, full of misfeatures that are unfriendly to melee DPS.  I don't enjoy a lot of the highest level content, and think it's badly designed.  This is part of the reason why.  It remains the case that any blaster is more useful than a scrapper on material like Apex or BAF. 

 

Scrappers are one trick ponies.  If they can't melee DPS few of them bring much else to the table.  Blasters have a lot more variety.  I have an electric/electric blaster who's a defender in disguise, debuffing the mobs.   My ice/plants blaster is part controller, with three ranged holds and a targeted AoE hold - and these holds also do blaster scale damage.  This one is my first choice for a Hamidon raid, being useful there; not sure what kind of scrapper would bring as much to the table.  And when needed I have my archery/devices blaster who just blasts. 

 

Finally, blasters are unrivalled in their niche, while scrappers compete with brutes and stalkers as melee DPS characters.  What compares with a blaster for ranged DPS?  Corruptor?  Sentinel?  They wish. 

 

I like Scrappers, and have several of them.  But they don't have the flexibility of blasters as far as I can see.

 

Edited May 21, 2020 by Heraclea
also stalkers

[Sovera]

The Blaster has three things going for them.

 

-  Bu + Aim is biggo burst. Solo things do not hurt if they are dead.

- All AoEs are *wide* and thicc. No such nonsense as 8y AoEs.

- Range is a *powerful* defense that HD has no numbers for. Floating out of range is easily the equivalent of a native 30%. Fire is the best but picking something like Archery allows to be 100% range.

 

Considering their ST damage is also pretty good the real question is why a Scrapper? We don't have DPS meters to tally the end of a TF but the wide AoEs are such a difference between trying to hit something with 8y and blowing things up with 15y that it is night and day.

 

Then we have Clarion that permanently fixes CC, IOs for defense.

 

That said I'm still a melee person in CoH, which is WEIRD since I ONLY play ranged characters in other games! ONLY! But in CoH I love wadding into the thick of things and be surrounded by enemies.

[Nemu]

I play blasters to impress chicks.

 

One time I was on my Titan/EA scrapper (SO SUPA MEGA STRONK AND PRETTY) and I was flexing in front of a chic in pocket D and she was all like "pfft noob lol melee" and I was like oh yeah? Switched to my fire/elec face melter and she was all like ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ and she sent me a cucumber and some water drop emoji.

 

I learned two things that day - Lol melee and what cucumbers really meant.

[MunkiLord]

On 5/16/2020 at 12:13 PM, Bill Z Bubba said:

Just sharing. Interested in your thoughts.

In general I agree with you, my Scrappers are sturdier. Except my Ice/Fire Blaster, I feel that can stand with pretty much any Scrapper I have. It's the only character I've done a solo Master ITF with as well(+2x5 I think) and it's definitely a better farmer than any of my Scrappers.

 

But I only play Blasters in melee range unless I'm trying to solo an AV, I even took Provoke on my Arch/Temp Blaster. Provoke sucks btw.

 

Scrappers > Blasters > Dominators > Other Stuff

[Rathulfr]

I play Blasters (and Sents) because I'm too lazy to chase down runners and hate having to be within 5 feet of a target to kill arrest it.  I also love being able to one-shot minions and lieutenants before they even know I'm there.

[Bill Z Bubba]

6 hours ago, clucks2 said:

What criteria are you basing the whole better thing on? Survivability?

Yes. I completely understand that after 50, After getting clarion, the game changes for blasters. But I tend, these days at least, to PL a new character to 32, and play them past that. That's a lotta levels to get through without any kind of useful mez protection. It absolutely colors my view of the AT. I would, and do, have a different view when I decide to team more than solo.

 

And while I do team more these days than I ever did back before the snap, I still solo a lot and expect anything I play to be able to solo well. Or... it's not for me or it just gets dumped into the "I'll play this when I know I'm going to team" pile. Anything in *that* pile, while perhaps being fun for a variety of reasons, will always be in *that* pile.

[Apparition]

But I have already told you of two different ways to get viable mez protection before level 50.

 

As for soloing, a lot of things have difficulty soloing Carnies at +4x8, including my Energy Aura Scrappers and Stalkers.

[Bill Z Bubba]

6 hours ago, Apparition said:

But I have already told you of two different ways to get viable mez protection before level 50.

 

Both of which are very recent additions to the game proving quite well the flaw in the system. But you're correct. We buy/craft/whatever all manner of things to make our builds better. There's no real difference between staying stocked up on double xp and staying stocked up on defense amplifier.

[Zeraphia]

On 5/16/2020 at 6:10 PM, Bill Z Bubba said:

Felt the need to offer a followup. I respeced my fire/time blaster. Build below. Then ran a max diff ITF with a rad/fire def, a fire/spines tank, and me on blaster. We completed it with 2 faceplants from the def in 39 mins.

 

That was pretty farkin cool.

 

Off to test soloability now.

 

Side thoughts: the all melee ITF was a kill most. The threesome ITF was a zerg run. This explains the times somewhat. Off to test pylon time along with soloability now.

 

O.o Pylon times are on par with my claws/sr and claws/bio scrappers. 2:15 to 3mins Very nice.

 

Another update: Ran a CoT max diff radio mission in PI. No issues.

Ran a Carnie max diff radio mission in PI, 3 faceplants and I called it.

Blasters still < Scrappers. But... they can be very cool on teams.

 

Hero Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.6.0.7
https://github.com/ImaginaryDevelopment/imaginary-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Tempa Incendema: Level 50 Magic Blaster
Primary Power Set: Fire Blast
Secondary Power Set: Temporal Manipulation
Power Pool: Sorcery
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Flares -- SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBlsWrt-Dmg/Rchg(3), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(13), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15), SprBlsWrt-Rchg/Dmg%(17)
Level 1: Time Wall -- ImpSwf-Dam%(A), TraoftheH-Dam%(3), ImpSwf-Acc/EndRdx(40)
Level 2: Fire Ball -- SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg(A), SprDfnBrr-Dmg/Rchg(5), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(15), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(25), SprDfnBrr-Rchg/+Status Protect(25)
Level 4: Time Stop -- Lck-Acc/Rchg(A), Lck-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(5)
Level 6: Mystic Flight -- Frb-Stlth(A)
Level 8: Rain of Fire -- OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg(A), OvrFrc-End/Rech(9), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg/End(17), OvrFrc-Dmg/End/Rech(48), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg/End/Rech(48), OvrFrc-Dam/KB(50)
Level 10: Chronos -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(11), GssSynFr--Build%(11)
Level 12: Aim -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(13)
Level 14: Spirit Ward -- Prv-Absorb%(A)
Level 16: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 18: Blaze -- Apc-Dmg/Rchg(A), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(19), Apc-Acc/Rchg(19), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(33), Apc-Dam%(34), GldJvl-Dam%(34)
Level 20: Temporal Healing -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(21), Empty(21), Pnc-Heal/EndRedux(39), Pnc-Heal(40), Pnc-Heal/+End(40)
Level 22: Rune of Protection -- RctArm-ResDam/Rchg(A), ImpArm-ResDam/Rchg(23), TtnCtn-ResDam/Rchg(23)
Level 24: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 26: Blazing Bolt -- ExpMarks-Dmg/End/Int(A), ExpMarks-Acc/End/Rech(27), ExpMarks-Rng/FSnp(27), ExpMarks-Acc/Dmg(33), ExpMarks-Dmg/Rech(33), ExpMarks-Dmg/Int/Rng/Rech(34)
Level 28: Tough -- UnbGrd-Max HP%(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(39), GldArm-3defTpProc(39), GldArm-ResDam(42)
Level 30: Weave -- Rct-Def(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx(31), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(31), Rct-ResDam%(31)
Level 32: Inferno -- Arm-Dmg/Rchg(A), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Arm-Acc/Rchg(42), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Arm-Dam%(43), Obl-%Dam(43)
Level 35: Scorpion Shield -- ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(A), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(36), ShlWal-Def(36), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(36)
Level 38: Time Lord -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A)
Level 41: Summon Spiderlings -- ExpRnf-Acc/Rchg(A), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg(46), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(46), ExpRnf-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(46)
Level 44: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(45), LucoftheG-Def(45), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(45)
Level 47: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(48)
Level 49: Vengeance -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Defiance
Level 1: Quick Form
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-Heal/EndRdx(A), NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(37), NmnCnv-Heal(37), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(37), RgnTss-Regen+(50), Mrc-Rcvry+(50)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-EndMod/Rchg(9), PrfShf-EndMod/Acc(29), PrfShf-End%(29)
------------

 

 

This build, I hate saying this, but it tells me a lot about why you don't particularly feel your Blaster is as powerful if not more powerful than your Scrappers.

 

1. You didn't take Hasten, therefore you're not getting Snipe up as often as you could and you aren't getting Inferno up all that often either, you've basically shortchanged yourself. Hasten is a huge key to Blasters due to their nukes, you want their nukes up as often as possible and you want it for the Snipes.

2. Inferno is oddly slotted, most of the time the procs only add miniscule damage compared to what it normally will do just on base (by these procs you're probably only looking at about 10-15% more actual damage which isn't much when you're already going to be oneshotting +4 lei without them. 

3. You should probably take End of Time as another AoE when Inferno is down and get Fury of the Gladiator for -res.

4. Scorpion Shield is an over-rated trick for Blasters IMO, my blaster has gotten better survivability off of popping purples/greens when needed diligently than I have with Scorpion, adding the resistance of something like Fire Shield was a much better investment... speaking of better investments, the FIRE POOL is a MUCH better pool than Mace by a MILE. Bonfire, proc'd out Char, and Fire Shield are vastly superior to the non-softcapped S/L/E you currently possess.

5. The slotting with your Sniper is off as well, you should always when available slot Manticore's, it gives very nice unique bonuses and a great proc, 10/10, and then slot the 6th as a glad proc unless you're running UG, then use an unslotter and place a Fast Snipe IO but honestly Glad is just superior for its damage proc.

6. Health is way over-slotted.

7. Rain of fire is cool, but you don't need it at all, it is one of the most skippable powers considering all your hits deal very high damage in bursts immediately.

8. Time Stop is also very skippable, the -regen isn't high enough to merit it even once stacked. In most encounters with GM/AV, just use the envenomed, don't try to stack these and hurt your DPS, it's not worth it.

9. You don't have Hasten to take RoP and make it up consistently.

 

Are your pylon times with an Alpha +1, or Hybrid turned on? Those pylon numbers are actually really low considering what most Fire Blasters can do now, mine personally is at the 1:30's mark, however mine is Fire/Fire with proc'd out Char and well-slotted Ring of Fire and the Achilles -res from Burn.

 

 

Edited June 4, 2020 by Zeraphia

[Zeraphia]

On 5/21/2020 at 4:13 PM, Heraclea said:

Finally, blasters are unrivalled in their niche, while scrappers compete with brutes and stalkers as melee DPS characters.  What compares with a blaster for ranged DPS?  Corruptor?  Sentinel?  They wish. 

Sentinel? Not really.

Corruptor? Different story... 

 

Corruptors with something like /Poison and /Cold or especially Kinetics will in many cases out-DPS Blasters, and will significantly out-pace them in terms of their overall value in a group. However, you are correct that at just base damage Blasters will out-pace many combinations of those, I just think it's worth pointing out those exceptions.

[UltraAlt]

1) Character conception

2) I like playing blasters (and most archetypes for that matter - Kheldians not so much)

3) Most blasters can be built with a hold power that can hold a mezer

4) I've been on plenty of successful teams with no melee characters

5) Explore the game (all the powers and all the archetypes - and all your ideas!)

[Bill Z Bubba]

On 6/4/2020 at 8:32 AM, UltraAlt said:

1) Character conception

2) I like playing blasters (and most archetypes for that matter - Kheldians not so much)

3) Most blasters can be built with a hold power that can hold a mezer

4) I've been on plenty of successful teams with no melee characters

5) Explore the game (all the powers and all the archetypes - and all your ideas!)

You win for most correct answer.

[FUBARczar]

2 Blaster-Duo MoITF +4/8 no inspirations in 49:59

Two Beam/TA blasters  on-foot (not hover blasting) myself and Raw

 

Blasters can be made sturdy, and have high DPS.  The difference for me is that a blaster is more a scalpel and Scrappers are more of an ax.  Both are great tools used for cutting, but take different approaches.

 

[Dafydd Hywel]

On 5/21/2020 at 9:13 PM, Heraclea said:

I like Scrappers, and have several of them.  But they don't have the flexibility of blasters as far as I can see.

 

I tend to agree with this.  I often feel safer soloing my Blasters as they have a few more control options in their armoury.

 

If I over reach things on my Scrapper then the ONLY option is run away and rest..

 

The exception of course is Welsh Dragon, my Fire/Fire Blaster. Now THAT is seat of the pants CoH😂