Beam/Dev Concerns

[Lady War]

My first Blaster, even from live (I played CoV). 

 

I love Beam! I have it on 2 of my Defenders, I find it fun and useful. However, on my Blaster it seems the set-up takes quite long and I'm almost exclusively in melee range. 

 

I do like the idea of an actual ranged Blaster and I don't think Beam/Dev is going to be that.  What else pairs well with BR for a ranged Blaster? I know Beam/TA is popular but what else is out there?

 

On a completely other topic. I also love Ice as a primary - what would be an awesome secondary for that? 

[oldskool]

Is there a reason why you can't just skip the melee powers in Devices and just go all in on this ranged-only concept?  I think you'd find that if you started to pair other secondaries this is going to be the same question.  With Tactical Arrow you could skip utility powers just for the sake of layering defense bonuses.  The end result is identical though in both cases.  You're skipping powers in order for you to fulfill a concept.  

[DrInfernus]

38 minutes ago, oldskool said:

Is there a reason why you can't just skip the melee powers in Devices and just go all in on this ranged-only concept?  I think you'd find that if you started to pair other secondaries this is going to be the same question.  With Tactical Arrow you could skip utility powers just for the sake of layering defense bonuses.  The end result is identical though in both cases.  You're skipping powers in order for you to fulfill a concept.  

I’m currently playing Beam/Dev (lvl 28 atm) and this is exactly what I’ve done. Targeting Drone and the sustain/stealth power is all I’ve taken from Dev, and I plan on taking the tier nine too. I’m loving it, I have to say. 
 

I did the same with Doc Infernus, who’s a Fire/Em blaster. Just took the many self buffs from EM and left the melee attacks so I could stay at range. 
 

All powers are options, ultimately. No more, no less. 

[Lady War]

1 hour ago, oldskool said:

Is there a reason why you can't just skip the melee powers in Devices and just go all in on this ranged-only concept?  I think you'd find that if you started to pair other secondaries this is going to be the same question.  With Tactical Arrow you could skip utility powers just for the sake of layering defense bonuses.  The end result is identical though in both cases.  You're skipping powers in order for you to fulfill a concept.  

No. I can take a look at building out with just the range friendly abilities from Dev. Now that were talking about it that way it does seem to be a secondary that favors close range...in the end it all has to make sense and accomplish what the goal is. 

[reib]

I use It in PvP. Lot of fun and you can really be creative with build.

[ScarySai]

Beam/dev is perfectly viable and able to trash things easily, but If your goal is pure range, go beam/tac.

 

Plays very similarly, but you get the full benefits the set offers you without having to get close once. It's one of my favorite characters, proc out glue arrow.

[Lockpick]

My Beam/Devices is completely ranged.  He is my first ever Hover blaster (although he doesn't have to Hover).  I took everything in the primary except Cutting Beam and Piercing Beam.  In Devices I took:

 

• Toxic Web Grenade
• Targeting Drone
• Smoke Grenade
• Field Operative
• Trip Mine - I don't use this when Hovering

Perfectly viable to play at range.

[Rathulfr]

My current fave is an Energy/Devices hover Blaster that's 100% pure ranged "stealth sniper".  Beam Rifle should play very similarly, so I'd think that BR/Dev would be a great pair together.

[CaptainLupis]

I presume when you say the set up takes quite long you are meaning trip mine and time bomb? Mine is only level 27, so it's not high enough level to worry about that yet, but I think most people skip time bomb anyway. I may take trip mine but I'm not sure yet as I have been playing it like a ranged stalker, which I have been enjoying. Web grenade is good for keeping flying mobs (Skyraiders, CoT etc) away from you, caltrops for maps like caves where you can't get height, and taser for the persistent ones that manage to get too close (which doesn't happen that often).

 

If I do take trip mine and find it is slowing me down I'll dump it, unless I find I need it for set bonuses.

[VV]

Oh, you want an all-ranged awesome Beam/ blaster? I got you.

 

Beam/Tactical Arrow.

 

You got great self-buffs Eagle Eye, Agility, and Gymnastics. You got control arrows. You got debuff arrows. Just be sure you take the "no redraw" version of the powers, or you could spend all day pulling stuff out of your... uh... where ever you keep it.

[Lady War]

So my Beam/Dev Blaster (Callisign) is level 42 now. I took yalls advice and just choose the skills that keep him at range. Loving the play and ascetics. With that said I haven't found a build for BR/Dev so if anyone has one or can put one together... 

[Lockpick]

21 hours ago, Lady War said:

So my Beam/Dev Blaster (Callisign) is level 42 now. I took yalls advice and just choose the skills that keep him at range. Loving the play and ascetics. With that said I haven't found a build for BR/Dev so if anyone has one or can put one together... 

I hate to be that guy that touts his own build, but here is my build: