Help with BS/EA

[AxerJ]

Hail, stalkers! I've recently been inspired to try a Vader character, and after reading about broadsword, decided stalker would be the more fun way to do it. Plus, the impale AS is perhaps worth it by itself. It's hard to not choose brute, but it's OK.

 

I went with Energy Aura for theme reasons (force + dodging), and I've never played it, so was interested. It also seems like a more fun set than SR. So I'd really love to keep EA if possible.

 

I'm trying to make this BS/EA stalker very survivable. The more the better, approaching as close as possible to brute levels. I just noticed Parry increases melee and lethal defense, and EA increases s/l. If I use Parry a lot, will it not even be stacking with EA's smashing defense? That seems like it'd make it harder to make this guy so survivable.

 

I'm thinking I need to try to increase s/l defense as much as possible through sets along with resistances wherever I can get them. But seeing the potential clash between parry and EA had me worried, as I was originally planning to supplement my def with parry. What do you think? Is this doable as I imagine it? Can I create a stalker Vader that would do him justice as incredibly tough to take down? Is my dream of a near-stanker flawed in and of itself?

 

I know a /SR or /Shield would pair better with parry. But I'd really rather do EA.

 

Thank you very much!

[Machariel]

Parry does stack with EA; generally speaking everything in this game stacks with everything else.  I wouldn't say there's a 'clash' with Parry and EA, but I would say that Parry should be pretty much redundant with /EA's defenses, which are excellent, and anyway any time you're casting parry is time that you're not doing damage. 

 

Energy Aura plus tough and weave and set bonuses can definitely be 'incredibly tough' or as far as any Stalker can be.  A brute will be tougher no matter what (higher resist caps, more HP) but 🤷‍♂️ Stalkers are plenty sturdy.  I was gonna recommend Ninja Blade over Broad Sword, but I won't, not because it's not better (it is) but because I see what you're going for with the Broad Sword animations which I do think fit Vader's character better (assuming you're going off of the Ep IV-V-VI lightsaber fights more than the flashier prequels).  I assume you'll go Mu mastery for the lightning which is excellent because Mu is very good. 👍

[Frostweaver]

ea's s/l defense and Parry's lethal stack just fine. and frankly, once you build up decent levels of defense with IO's, Parry will stack melee to cap as well fairly easily, although it's low damage means you won't stack it that often unless you are fighting a hard target... but you don't really NEED it for fighting anything but hard targets anyway.

27% s/l defense seems to be the easiest thing to achieve on /ea without making any cuts elsewhere, but if you are willing to compromise just a little you can get it to 35% easy... so when you are doing DA content, a single parry will take you to the lethal and melee insarnate cap against all those...lethal and melee using enemies. Although, to be fair, the missions where you fight Banished Pantheon are always challenging for /ea.

SR/Shield do not pair any better with BS, only bio does on a stalker. Lots of people love the MATH behind BS/shield, gut seriously, how often do you think a stalker wades into 10 targets just to get a slight damage bonus? They'd much rather fight an elite boss than 10 minions. And parry gives so MUCH defense that with a couple of applications and decent slotting you can cap your lethal/melee defense starting from ZERO... That's one of the reasons it works so well on the ITF, because it can cancel out the massive debuffs that cause cascade failure from massed cimeroran lethal attacks.

[AxerJ]

Great replies, thanks for the reassurance! And most definitely Vader Ep IV/V/VI, including a costume option with his helmet off and a bald, very white, corrupted head 👍

[Croax]

While the servers are down i made this build for a Vader Themed BS/EA Stalker:

 

Spoiler

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

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Magic Stalker
Primary Power Set: Broad Sword
Secondary Power Set: Energy Aura
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Mu Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Hack -- SprAssMar-Acc/Dmg(A), SprAssMar-Dmg/Rchg(19), SprAssMar-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(21), SprAssMar-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40), SprAssMar-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43), SprAssMar-Rchg/Rchg Build Up(43)
Level 1: Hide -- ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(A), Ksm-ToHit+(21)
Level 2: Slice -- Obl-Dmg(A), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(3), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(3), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(11), Obl-%Dam(15), AchHee-ResDeb%(15)
Level 4: Kinetic Shield -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), RedFrt-Def(5), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(5)
Level 6: Assassin's Slash -- SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg(A), SprStlGl-Dmg/Rchg(7), SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), SprStlGl-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9), SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9), SprStlGl-Rchg/Hide%(11)
Level 8: Build Up -- GssSynFr--Build%(A)
Level 10: Entropy Shield -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 12: Power Shield -- RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(A), RedFrt-Def(13), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(13), RedFrt-EndRdx(31), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(45), RedFrt-EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 14: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(40)
Level 16: Kinetic Dampening -- RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx(A), RctArm-ResDam(17), RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(17), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(23)
Level 18: Parry -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 20: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 22: Tough -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A), RctArm-ResDam(23), RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx(34), RctArm-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(37)
Level 24: Weave -- Rct-Def(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx(25), Rct-EndRdx/Rchg(25), Rct-Def/Rchg(48), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(50), Rct-ResDam%(50)
Level 26: Disembowel -- Hct-Dmg/Rchg(A), Hct-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(27), Hct-Acc/Rchg(27), Hct-Dmg/EndRdx(29), Hct-Dam%(29), AchHee-ResDeb%(31)
Level 28: Energy Drain -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 30: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(31)
Level 32: Head Splitter -- Arm-Dmg/Rchg(A), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Arm-Acc/Rchg(33), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(33), Arm-Dam%(34), FuroftheG-ResDeb%(34)
Level 35: Energize -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(36), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(36), Prv-Heal/Rchg(36), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(37), Prv-Absorb%(37)
Level 38: Zapp -- StnoftheM-Acc/Dmg(A), StnoftheM-Dmg/EndRdx(39), StnoftheM-Dmg/ActRdx/Rchg(39), StnoftheM-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39), StnoftheM-Dam%(40)
Level 41: Ball Lightning -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Dmg/Rchg(42), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(42), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(42), PstBls-Dam%(43), Ann-ResDeb%(46)
Level 44: Electric Shackles -- BslGaz-Acc/Hold(A), BslGaz-Acc/Rchg(46), BslGaz-Rchg/Hold(46), BslGaz-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(48)
Level 47: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(48)
Level 49: Super Speed -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Assassination 
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
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 -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), Mrc-Rcvry+(45)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PwrTrns-+Heal(19), PwrTrns-EndMod(45)
Level 50: Musculature Core Paragon 
Level 50: Barrier Core Epiphany 
Level 50: Ion Core Final Judgement 
Level 50: Assault Core Embodiment 
Level 50: Degenerative Radial Flawless Interface 
Level 50: Banished Pantheon Core Superior Ally 
------------

 

I got the Mu Mastery Because Lightning fits a Sith and also got the Electric Shackles as a Hold Power (i know it is not Force Grip.)

Even if you don't plan on investing much into this toon, there may be a few hints you can use for leveling.

Edited June 16, 2020 by Croax

[AxerJ]

Awesome, thanks very much! I also appreciate your pinned stalker guide, thanks for that!