Infinitum Build Collection

[twospirited]

2 hours ago, Infinitum said:

What I would probably do - is swap taunt in the place of either Conserve Power or Focused Accuracy.  Given the issue with Rage crash and potential endurance issues I would probably keep conserve power of the two.  Does that logic seem correct?

aye i think the focused acc makes more sense. ty, will try the swap out in mids and beta before committing to doing it on live

 

[Random Axis]

2 hours ago, Infinitum said:

Could you post your build? - I am pretty good with Rad (I know there are others better than me at Rad though) - but I have never tried Staff actually so I am sure between me and other critiques of it we can come up with something for you.

Sure! It's 100% theory crafting, so I'm can't claim anything in there works. The biggest improvement I can think of would be to drop hasten for eye of the storm, and I'm not sure if serpent or innocuous is the better choice of the two. I'm thinking they're just not powers that mesh well. With defenses and pools, the offense is too weak, but fixing that would gimp my primary powers or wreck the hover, combat jumping, and evasive maneuvers triad. 

 

I'm leaning more towards Rad/SS since I have a character idea of a humorously bad robot, so it's not a critical loss if it can't be salvaged.

 

https://www.midsreborn.com/builds/download.php?uc=1596&c=731&a=1462&f=HEX&dc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

[PLVRIZR]

On 4/9/2022 at 7:02 PM, Infinitum said:

Hello all.

 

I wanted to apologize if it seemed like I was ignoring anyone on here.  I had some unfortunate real life issues come up this last year - changing jobs, deaths in the family, sicknesses in my household from October until honestly February - and some days I felt like I could barely keep my head above water, but I am a tanker and made it through it all like all tankers do - annoying the piss out of anything trying to kill you - because you... do... not... die... as a tanker  lol.  I am back now and all is well so far - so again deepest heart of heart apologies if I ignored any requests on here - it was not intentional.

 

Having said that, any future requests I will be more than happy to help - and as I get more time to do this again will update the primary post with a few new builds and changes I have been working on - I missed out on roughly a year of game so I am catching up myself now.

 

Take care everyone, and keep on keepin' on!

 

We are glad to have you back, Brother!

[Infinitum]

Updated the primary post - added a few gems I have been working on 

[Infinitum]

Updated the primary post and revised all stalker builds - explanation in primary post.  Also added a Dual Blades/Energy Aura Stalker.

[Troo]

38 minutes ago, Infinitum said:

revised all stalker builds

 

Oooo

[Golden Azrael]

On 6/23/2020 at 12:35 AM, Supertanker said:

Put the +Perception IO in FA and you don't even need to turn it on.

 

I put this in Foc' Acc'.  It didn't work?  I had to turn Foc' Acc' on.

 

Azrael.

[Supertanker]

6 hours ago, Golden Azrael said:

 

I put this in Foc' Acc'.  It didn't work?  I had to turn Foc' Acc' on.

 

Azrael.

 

It should be there. It's just a small bonus, but I find it helps enough that I generally only use FA against Arachnos.

 

 

[Golden Azrael]

7 hours ago, Supertanker said:

 

It should be there. It's just a small bonus, but I find it helps enough that I generally only use FA against Arachnos.

 

 

 

I'll try it again (I didn't check the stat window.)  Just observed that the Arachnos could blind me.  I was quite excited by the idea of being able to use the benefits of the increased perception vs Arachnos without the monumental end drain of turning the toggle on.  (My accuracy is high enough.  So perception was my main reason for getting Foc' Acc'.) 

 

I run Foc' Accuracy with x2 End Reducs in.  And I have Cardiac and Agility Alphas (my end bar was all over the place running Agility and Foc' Acc.)  I find it runs best if I have Cardiac on as it does a good job of slicing the costs of sprint and the likes of Foc' Acc'.

 

But I did have to turn the toggle (Foc' Acc') on to 'see' the Arachnos after I'd been blinded.  (I have noticed some Crey missions now have mobs that can blind you as well.  Is this another recent addition?

 

A broader question.  Do some Tanks have perception built in and some don't?  Is Focused Accuracy now a necessary pick for some or all tanks?  Not that I like fighting Arachnos that much.  (They weren't my favourite mob when they were introduced.  They were plastered everywhere.  It seemed like L50-L60 mob type but they forgot to raise the level cap.)

 

Azrael.

[Psyonico]

8 hours ago, Golden Azrael said:

A broader question.  Do some Tanks have perception built in and some don't?  Is Focused Accuracy now a necessary pick for some or all tanks?

 

I don't take it on most of my tanks, because of the end cost, but it is useful.  I would personally go Tactics over FA if you can spare the power pool pick and extra power pick for the prerequisite.

 

That being said, several armor sets have +perception built in.

 

Dark - Cloak of Darkness

Ice - Glacial Armor

Stone - Minerals

SR - Focused Senses

Willpower - Heightened Senses

[Golden Azrael]

1 hour ago, Psyonico said:

 

I don't take it on most of my tanks, because of the end cost, but it is useful.  I would personally go Tactics over FA if you can spare the power pool pick and extra power pick for the prerequisite.

 

That being said, several armor sets have +perception built in.

 

Dark - Cloak of Darkness

Ice - Glacial Armor

Stone - Minerals

SR - Focused Senses

Willpower - Heightened Senses

 

Hmm.  That's why I never noticed needing it.  I have done an Ice, Dark, Stone, SR and Willpower tanks. 🙂  Aha!  They had it built in (as I did note when I looked at their stats.)  I guess I took it foregranted all tanks had it.  :))

 

Needed to take it on Shield.   On my Elec Melee and MA Melee versions.  So that makes sense now.  It aint built into Shield.  Bah.

 

You make a sound point about perhaps using Tactics instead.  Probably much lighter on end cost if all I want is perception (and I get the To-Hit as well.)

 

Good reply.

 

Azrael.

Edited April 28, 2022 by Golden Azrael

[PLVRIZR]

12 hours ago, Golden Azrael said:

A broader question.  Do some Tanks have perception built in and some don't?  Is Focused Accuracy now a necessary pick for some or all tanks?  Not that I like fighting Arachnos that much.  (They weren't my favourite mob when they were introduced.  They were plastered everywhere.

 

While I do have FA on some of my tanks and I do hate the blind mechanic/effect, I also agree that it's sometimes not worth the end cost.  When blinded, I just spam AOEs 😆

 

 

Edited April 28, 2022 by PLVRIZR

[Infinitum]

3 hours ago, PLVRIZR said:

 

While I do have FA on some of my tanks and I do hate the blind mechanic/effect, I also agree that it's sometimes not worth the end cost.  When blinded, I just spam AOEs 😆

 

 

I don't usually notice having it being and endurance issue.

[PLVRIZR]

17 hours ago, Infinitum said:

I don't usually notice having it being and endurance issue.

 

On PLV, with FA single slotted (Encouraged Accuracy:  To-Hit/End Redx), no other procs or incarnates (but all armors except Granite, Rooted, Tough, Weave and Maneuvers - all on), end use goes up from 1.86 to 2.55 (a 35% increase).  Since his recovery is 3.38, I still need Ageless, even with Physical Perfection two slotted and Stamina three slotted, with FA on.

[Infinitum]

29 minutes ago, PLVRIZR said:

 

On PLV, with FA single slotted (Encouraged Accuracy:  To-Hit/End Redx), no other procs or incarnates (but all armors except Granite, Rooted, Tough, Weave and Maneuvers - all on), end use goes up from 1.86 to 2.55 (a 35% increase).  Since his recovery is 3.38, I still need Ageless, even with Physical Perfection two slotted and Stamina three slotted, with FA on.

Yeah i can see how that would be an issue on a stoner. 

 

On all of my non stone builds it isnt an issue though.  Literally hundreds of hours on each one also.

[Golden Azrael]

13 hours ago, PLVRIZR said:

 

On PLV, with FA single slotted (Encouraged Accuracy:  To-Hit/End Redx), no other procs or incarnates (but all armors except Granite, Rooted, Tough, Weave and Maneuvers - all on), end use goes up from 1.86 to 2.55 (a 35% increase).  Since his recovery is 3.38, I still need Ageless, even with Physical Perfection two slotted and Stamina three slotted, with FA on.

 

I'd 2nd that.  Foc' Acc' is an end hog.  If you're running alot of toggles it can add up.  Physical Perfection can mitigate that somewhat.  It can be better to just get left side Ageless.

 

I find it's better to just get Cardiac Alpha for my tanks.  It slices the prices of all the toggles and the big attacks.

 

Azrael.

[Golden Azrael]

13 hours ago, Infinitum said:

Yeah i can see how that would be an issue on a stoner. 

 

On all of my non stone builds it isnt an issue though.  Literally hundreds of hours on each one also.

 

I'll have to look at your Shield build.  I have looked at your Invul' SS build.

 

The equilibrium of Stamina coming in and the flow of it going out, endurance reduction is a running battle with tanks.

 

3 slot stamina running Foc' Accuracy and alot of toggles and that will not be enough.  Sure, we can consider playing styles (moderate paced vs high octane vs fighting x1 Council vs x8 on Arachnos with the end drainers...)  There is taunt to stop the 'cascade' of your end bar down with relentless attacking.

 

However.  Looking at your eg. Invul'/SS build, of COURSE it won't be as much of an issue as you have built accordingly (and builds are about trade offs...) with no less than 6 sets having end reduction(!) reducing the flow of stamina going out and about 5-6 procs/uniques to increase the flow of stamina coming in.  AND you have Physical Fitness.  AND Conserve.  (And...you have Agility Tier 4 left side maxed...)  So.  No.  In that scenario.  End won't be an issue bar the odd Hasten/Rage double crash.  But that might not be the case for many tanks that have not built that way.

 

On Shield, I have run 2 Brutes and two Tanks now.  Shield has issues due to the amount of toggles.  Add Foc' Acc' on top of that.  Of course my priority on my SO build was to cut the flow of stamina going out.  I SO'd each toggle.  I double end red' SO'd any attack over 10 and single for any attack below 10.  Some toggles need x2 end reds.  So, in Foc' Acc' case?  Two IOs.  It's pricey.  Following the build, it doesn't seem quite as efficient on end as it was on SOs.  Why?  Well, I put Obliteration in two AoE sets.  Nice set.  But it's not as generous in the end reduction bonuses.  But I was after the def' for melee and more recharge.  I also don't have x4 slots in Tough for unbreakable discount.  Didn't have the slots to spare.  

 

On my Shield MA build?  The objective was blistering speed and AoEs and to augment the defence even further to the cap and beyond.  Running Shield Charge, Spring Attack, Dragon's Tail can be very thirsty work on a high speed build (global + Hasten + Ageless Radial recharge...), you add the toggles (Fighting set alwyas feels pricey on end...)  Add Foc' Acc' into that...  (Plus I have the pricey Tier 4 cone punch from Fighting six slotted.  So many Aoes/cones six slotted part of the reason I ran out of slots.)  Sure, I could have 'lost some powers' to get the end reduction into the 3 powers that took the end reducing sets.  I could have not taken as many AoE end guzzlers.  I could have traded that for Physical perfection etc.

 

Unbreakable Guard.  I managed to fit in one for the End Reduction in deflection.  Could have max slotted Prev' Medicine x5 in True Grit or Even Tough((?)) for the end red' but I needed to put the two defensive uniques in there.  Because this isn't a resistance based set, there were less opportunities to use those to cut end costs.  Only '1' end reducted set vs the 6 you have eg. in Invulnerability.  2 end procs vs your 6.  In the end, it was easier just to take Cardiac as I have done so with most of my tanks.  I did notice the absence of Physical Perfection (I coudln't swing it/fit it in) from my Shield/Elec Melee tank to this Shield/MA tank.  But Cardiac is so good at cutting outgoing costs.  Sure, I COULD change my build around, lose some defence to put the end reduction sets in Tough and True Grit.  Add an extra end proc in health instead of the regen unique and put in the perf' proc' in my 3rd stamina slot.

 

Another example.  On my WP/Stone Tank.  I had two end bars.  It still wasn't enough.  Because stopping end going out is as important as the end coming in.  If not more so.

 

You can build around end with sets.  Ofc you can.  The opportunities vary.  Shield is an advanced set.  It doesn't have end return.  An absorb.  Or a heal.  You've basically got def', a damage buff for being surrounded and Shield Charge.  It's pretty stark.  It's basically a 4 power armour set.

 

Normally it's end efficiency above all.  But on this build I wanted to push the AoEs, the speed and the defence higher to build on Shield's strengths.  But I've had to use Incarnates to mitigate the price of that ambition.  And that's the trade off.

 

I haven't tier 4'd Cardiac yet.  I am experimenting with Agility.  I will probably bring in Ageless left side.  (Throwing in the towel, Azrael?)

 

Azrael.

 

 

Edited April 30, 2022 by Golden Azrael

[Bill Z Bubba]

14 hours ago, Golden Azrael said:

Shield is an advanced set.  It doesn't have end return.  An absorb.  Or a heal.  You've basically got def', a damage buff for being surrounded and Shield Charge.  It's pretty stark.  It's basically a 4 power armour set.

 

You get Defense, Heightened HitPoints which automatically equates to more Regen, static DamRes that can be built up with SetIO bonuses, +Damage from AAO, a Team Defense Buff, an Extra AoE and the second best DDR in the game if you doublestack AD. Little bit different than you describe.

[Infinitum]

17 hours ago, Golden Azrael said:

I haven't tier 4'd Cardiac yet.  I am experimenting with Agility.  I will probably bring in Ageless left side.  (Throwing in the towel, Azrael?)

That is an easy answer - just go ageless core and your issue is solved.  You dont even need cardiac with ageless core.

 

I use ageless radial and it is enough for my playstyle on any of my builds except my Troller builds, my Stoner tanker, and my farmer.  For those i go ageless core.

[Golden Azrael]

10 hours ago, Infinitum said:

That is an easy answer - just go ageless core and your issue is solved.  You dont even need cardiac with ageless core.

 

I use ageless radial and it is enough for my playstyle on any of my builds except my Troller builds, my Stoner tanker, and my farmer.  For those i go ageless core.

 

I swapped out Cardiac for Agility.  Both are Tier 4.  I DID 'just go' with Ageless Left Side Core (which I tend to do with most of my L50s.  It DOES solve alot of problems and you get MOAR recharge.)

 

If you're stamina independent then Ageless Radial T4 would be a good pick to handle those classic debuffers like Arachnos and the like.  I am to change from Ageless Core to Ageless Radial on my Ice/Ice/Ice Tanker.  I get killed by debuffs on +4x8 Arachnos/Longbow stuff.  Kill the recharge and you're in trouble.

 

I checked out your Shield build.  Good stuff.  But it does tie in with my view in that we build according to our objectives.  And that can come with tradeoffs.  Fortunately, the Inc' System allows the caveat for our key weakness.  ie.  What we leave out can determine whether we nail stamina to the cross.  It's just that on this occasion I wanted MOAR def and MOAR AoE attacks.  Which limited my choices to replicate your 'shrewd' placing of Endurance Discount sets like Unbreakable Guard which you included 3 times in your Shield Build (and the liberal placement of End' Procs.)  Anybody who wants to learn a Shield build would do well to check out yours.

 

Regards,

 

Azrael.

[Infinitum]

11 hours ago, Golden Azrael said:

 

I swapped out Cardiac for Agility.  Both are Tier 4.  I DID 'just go' with Ageless Left Side Core (which I tend to do with most of my L50s.  It DOES solve alot of problems and you get MOAR recharge.)

 

If you're stamina independent then Ageless Radial T4 would be a good pick to handle those classic debuffers like Arachnos and the like.  I am to change from Ageless Core to Ageless Radial on my Ice/Ice/Ice Tanker.  I get killed by debuffs on +4x8 Arachnos/Longbow stuff.  Kill the recharge and you're in trouble.

 

I checked out your Shield build.  Good stuff.  But it does tie in with my view in that we build according to our objectives.  And that can come with tradeoffs.  Fortunately, the Inc' System allows the caveat for our key weakness.  ie.  What we leave out can determine whether we nail stamina to the cross.  It's just that on this occasion I wanted MOAR def and MOAR AoE attacks.  Which limited my choices to replicate your 'shrewd' placing of Endurance Discount sets like Unbreakable Guard which you included 3 times in your Shield Build (and the liberal placement of End' Procs.)  Anybody who wants to learn a Shield build would do well to check out yours.

 

Regards,

 

Azrael.

Out of curiosity what do you do to gain more aoe attacks - Mu Epic?

[Golden Azrael]

On 5/2/2022 at 12:59 AM, Infinitum said:

Out of curiosity what do you do to gain more aoe attacks - Mu Epic?

 

Hello Infinitum,

 

I made the choice to do something 'different' this time.  (After you've rolled 10s of 'moar' alts and 4 shields...the question is then, 'How can I do this differently?') So even though I've logged hundreds of hours on tanks and the like, I'm always looking for something new and to learn something new/tips and tricks from luminaries such as yourself.  eg.  How can I do something different, do what I like to do and learn from my fellow players.  Note.  One thing I don't like to do is to take powers out to 'hack' builds.  I try to keep as many of the primaries and secondaries as I can.  It pains me to do otherwise.  However, this means I still run into those same design trade offs I posted earlier.)

 

So the decision was made to go all out on AoE/Cone/All Around Me Roundabout damage powers.  So, I got Shield Charge (ofc...), And I thought that Spring Attack might stack with that (I'd tried that power on my MA/Regen' Scrapper...and it is an effective AoE stacker...), then my friend suggested I could try the 'Slap' power out of Fighting (the one that's in Street Justice...) and that's more AoE cone goodness when inside the mob, then you've got the Dragon's Tail which is AoE goodness and...I got Mighty out of the Incarnate Judgement, added some knock up radial Tier 3.

 

By the time I unleash that AoE bu-a-shakka on a Council Mob, it's all over.  What's left of purple/red mobs is slithers which makes MA seem much more impressive than it actually is.  What's left doesn't survive a Cobra Strike, Storm Kick or Eagles Claw.  One, two or three blows max for the stubborn bosses.

 

My 1st Shield/SS brute.  I took the obvious route and got Mu Attack.  On this tank, again, I wanted something different.  I don't want to be just building for stamina (as much as I like to drive the stake through the heart of stamina sucking builds...)  And like I eluded to, my rational for this build's concept got in the way of adding 'mOAR' slots to the key End reduction sets in Def' Shield, Grit and Tough.  Aka.  I could only fit 1 set in Def' Shield.  IT was that tight.  I even had to drop my beloved 'Taunt.'  ('He's a naked tank.  Har, HAR!' *Brute points and laughs.)

 

So gain.  Shield Charge.  Spring Attack.  Dragon's Tail.  Cross Punch.  Mighty Judgement Radial.  (And in that chain, I get to rinse Dragon's Tail twice.)  So effectively giving me a 6 AoE attack chain with lungbusting stamina use (ergo my sermon about Cardiac/End red'.  But as I went along, I took Agility for MAOAR def.  It has SOME stamina and it runs faster travel on Radial.  This choice gave me far more defence onn my already 'build prioritised' Melee Defence.  I can stand in amongst Council +4 x 8 and barely get hit.)  So in the end, yes, I got the Ageless Left side and stacked it on top of the Agility (which Stamina and Agility alone couldn't cope with Foc' Accuracy in AOE Attack Chain pushed to the floor melee.)

 

Plus.  With Shield Charge, Dragon's Tail, Spring Attack(?), Crane Strike all have opp's for Force Feedback.  (gulps in MORAR stamina...)  So getting to 300%++ peak recharge (with Ageless, Hasten, FFeedback etc) isn't a problem at all.  It really drives the AOE attack chain.  Something I refer to a 'Drive Chain' for a build.  You can even make some cooldowns or long charge AoE seem like regular chainsaw chains.  They come around super fast.  You attack fast.  Hard.  Stack the AOEs.  And finish the drabs and drips with KER POWR! Single attacks.  Also, Cross PUnch in Fighting has it's own special bonuses.  One of which is moAR speed?!!! 😮

 

All those attacks are 6 slotted.  (Which limited my slotted choices for End Reduction sets.  eg. The two global Def' 3%ers are in Grit which is 5 slotted.  Tough has 1 end red in it.  Calculated choices.)  Purples for Acc/Recharge/Dam bonus and Dam Proc OR Oblivion for Melee Def/Recharge depending on build balance.  ON this build, there's no point 'saving end' on two other powers when a fight is over far quicker going the AoE route rather than taking ages spending end on single target attacks which aren't that impressive but are decent.

 

If you haven't rolled one with this emphasis.  (It's not an obvious route or one I've seen much of in other builds.)  I think your son would enjoy this (and you could have a sneaky go yourself?  I'd be interested to see how you'd go about building it.  It's got that Mike Tyson, 'Every one has got a plan until they get hit in the mouth' feel to it.  Just like his explosive KO.

 

Regards,

 

Azrael.

 

PS.  If you want to see it in action, just hit me up on Reunion sometime.

Edited May 3, 2022 by Golden Azrael

[Golden Azrael]

On 4/30/2022 at 11:41 PM, Bill Z Bubba said:

 

You get Defense, Heightened HitPoints which automatically equates to more Regen, static DamRes that can be built up with SetIO bonuses, +Damage from AAO, a Team Defense Buff, an Extra AoE and the second best DDR in the game if you doublestack AD. Little bit different than you describe.

 

Much of that is framed around building.

 

I'd argue that CoH out of the box isn't a building game.  It's hamburger, pick up and play, SO slotting.  And out of the box, Shield has great defence in Tier 1 and 2.  When I thought about all of that in two armour powers, it pickled my brain.

 

Grit.  Yeah.  Yeah.  But it's no Dull Pain, is it?  (And maybe it shouldn't be if you're getting all of that positional goodness in Tier 1 and 2.)  But you're on two toggles already.  (and you need many more to get it past the cap...and to get that perception...and they add up...)  It was torture when TOs were the rigour.  Running toggles with your tongue hanging out.  Taking a knee every other mob.  Sure.  SOs at L4 have helped massively.

 

I talked about the +Damage.  (I did say four armour powers?)  Mobs do less damage to me?  'Does seem dat way to me, I'm taking damage and I've got no heal to fix it.'  'What does less damage mean?' (beginner tanker me.)  Not so obvious to the beginning player/tanker (well, it wasn't to me when I 1st rolled one.  'What does this tank do exactly?  It's got no resistance, no heal, no stamina return...)

 

Team defence buff.  Meh.  I don't team alot. 😛

 

Who cares about dat?

 

And yes.  The '2nd best' DDR in the game.  (Which again, you need to turbo charge 'a build' to run it to the level you're suggesting.)

 

To the 'nuanced' player or tanker, it is a bit different to what a beginner tanker or player may see.

 

But I did say Shield Armour was an advanced tank armour set and I think the dev's designed it that way.  You get 'this' instead of 'that' and those are less obvious than pressing a button for 'moar' heal.  That's ok until you fight the Nemesis.  (...uh...how do my HPs come back again?  Or a Carnie Psi strikes you in one or two hits.  No panic button there either.)  And so you can build (put in some heal procs/regen tissue etc.), take rebirth (as a choice) or use hit and run tactics that kind of turn you into a Scranker which is the way I view this particular tank.  But a high octane one in my case.

 

I personally feel Ice is a better, more interesting tank.  You get Dull Pain variant, Def' stacking, stamina return and the Godly 'I'm an Iceberg' power.  Shield? Take away Shield Charge and you're left with 2nd best def and a damage aura.  Dat's ok...but  Tier 1 and T2 and that Sexy Shield Charge are the main draws fer me.

 

As it is, you can tune it to a thing of beauty marrying great hit and run tactics with AOE stacking bombast to rock alot of mobs to their core.  But with debuff mobs...it might not be that plain sailing.  Which in turns makes it more interesting to play than just standing there with an absorb and DoT ticks.)

 

Azrael.

Edited May 3, 2022 by Golden Azrael

[Bill Z Bubba]

Ice vs Shield SOs only. We'll argue base diff since we're only on SOs. 3 enemies in range. Hoarfrost is only up 66% of the time. True Grit is a passive. Seems to me Shield wins thanks to all the extra resistance to SLENT (can bump SL if we lose the endred in Deflection) but I guess Ice's extra HP 2/3 of the time might make up for it. Ice gets 51.9% DDR, Shield gets 65.91 with AD which is permanent at 2 recred SOs. Ice does have better aggro control but the +damage from AAO and the extra AoE wins the day for me. This is all, of course, going purely off Mids which I know can't be fully trusted at the moment. Edit: Guess my point is that I'm not seeing anything "advanced" about shield. It does more for less slot investment and covers more bases.

 

 

Edited May 3, 2022 by Bill Z Bubba

[Infinitum]

I just realized i have never built a Shield/EM Tanker.   What is wrong with me?  Getting lax in my old age.