Aim?

[Nemu]

Aim with the build up proc will do it, or if you enhance aim for additional to-hit, which some builds may or may not be able to do.

[Wavicle]

Aim and Build Up together will do it.

 

 Aim plus Power Boost will also do it.

[Omega-202]

I always take Aim and BU on any Blaster I can, and always but Gaussian's in Aim.  And the only build I go with Gasussian's in Tactics is on my Crabbermind.  

 

It's just so rare for a whole team to always be gathered together in your Tactics aura all of the time so that you get the full 8 chances to proc every 10 s.  In practice, on most teams, I'd be lucky to have 4 targets hit by Tactics outside of AV fights.  Crabs bring their own "team", and TT:L has a wider aura so it makes sense there, but for Blasters, Stalkers, Scrappers, etc., I don't even see Tactics as an optimal power pick.

[Llewellyn Blackwell]

5 hours ago, Clave Dark 5 said:

I base my love of Tactics + Gaussian's proc for the fact it has a chance to fire for everyone your Tactics is buffing, which includes mastermind pets, etc. (Unless someone's proven that not to be true?  Pretty sure not, but I can be wrong) When you're in a league, that ain't nothing, and I love MSR, ha ha. 

 

Have to admit I hadn't thought about the use of some extra accuracy when you're gonna blow a huge AoE off in everyone's faces though, that's a fair point.  I suppose I could check a build for another form of BU or something before skipping.

 

And it's funny, I think every build always takes Leadership but many seem to skip travel powers all together now (which is fine, Ninja Run+Sprint with an occasional jet pack can do just fine, but it does get old after a bit).

Whoah whoah whoah now bud, I cant believe this didnt have 6 replies right after it all aimed at it, pardon the pun. No your procs in buff powers do not magically transfer to others. Thats as nonsensical as the guy who thought that IO set bonuses on an MM should apply to all their pets.

 

Leadership is popular now days almost entirely because it has 2 powers that can mule lotg recharge specials. and while it wont see a lot of use a throw away veng is still more useful then a throw away stealth to most folks.

 

Your build up proc effects ONLY YOU!, its like if you put a performance shifter end proc on a power that can buff an allies end recovery, they wont ever get a surge of end from that PS, only you will.

[Omega-202]

5 minutes ago, Bentley Berkeley said:

Whoah whoah whoah now bud, I cant believe this didnt have 6 replies right after it all aimed at it, pardon the pun. No your procs in buff powers do not magically transfer to others. Thats as nonsensical as the guy who thought that IO set bonuses on an MM should apply to all their pets.

 

Leadership is popular now days almost entirely because it has 2 powers that can mule lotg recharge specials. and while it wont see a lot of use a throw away veng is still more useful then a throw away stealth to most folks.

 

Your build up proc effects ONLY YOU!, its like if you put a performance shifter end proc on a power that can buff an allies end recovery, they wont ever get a surge of end from that PS, only you will.

That's not what they were saying.  Tactics has a chance to proc Gaussian's FOR THE USER at a rate of 6.5% for every target it is currently buffing.

 

We all understood what they were saying.  You're the one who is confused.

[Carnifax]

11 minutes ago, Bentley Berkeley said:

Your build up proc effects ONLY YOU!, its like if you put a performance shifter end proc on a power that can buff an allies end recovery, they wont ever get a surge of end from that PS, only you will.

Actually is this even true? Gaussians is specifically flagged to affect Self (the caster). Different Procs have different target flags attached to them. 

 

So for the Performance Shifter? I seem to remember one of these in Elec attacks actually having the chance to give enemies back some Endurance back on Live. 

[Llewellyn Blackwell]

Just now, Carnifax said:

Actually is this even true? Gaussians is specifically flagged to affect Self (the caster). Different Procs have different target flags attached to them. 

 

So for the Performance Shifter? I seem to remember one of these in Elec attacks actually having the chance to give enemies back some Endurance back on Live. 

lol as one who uses PFs in all my elec melee attacks on an elec brute I can assure you that doesnt happen now days at least, no idea about back on live. But in general as far as I know, all procs that buff you can in no way proc on an ally even if on an ally effecting power.

 

For example any of the heal set procs that boost regen/recovery only effect the power user, not the person the power gets used on.

 

The 1 thing I am unsure on is the absorb proc. Ive not tested it or used it enough on heal other powers to see how it interacts.

[Omega-202]

8 minutes ago, Bentley Berkeley said:

The 1 thing I am unsure on is the absorb proc. Ive not tested it or used it enough on heal other powers to see how it interacts.

Preventative medicine's proc only affects the person who has it slotted, and it can be in a power you aren't even using. 

 

Examples: I have it slotted in O2 boost and Spirit Ward on different characters.  The proc never affects targets of either power, but is always active on my character, regardless of whether that power is getting used or not.  

[Llewellyn Blackwell]

3 minutes ago, Omega-202 said:

Preventative medicine's proc only affects the person who has it slotted, and it can be in a power you aren't even using. 

 

Examples: I have it slotted in O2 boost and Spirit Ward on different characters.  The proc never affects targets of either power, but is always active on my character, regardless of whether that power is getting used or not.  

Good to know, figured such based on what I was saying about other self buff procs, but had no first had experience to say for sure.

 

But to the OP this right here is why especially on ATs with nukes or other alpha strike attacks, controlling your build up proc via a click like aim is better then on a toggle that will proc it randomly,

[Pzn]

6 hours ago, Sovera said:

Having the Gaussian in Tactics is an option as well, but, IMO, it firing randomly is better for ATs without nukes.

I thinik putting Gaussian's in build up is better on stalkers too since the ATO recharges it.

[tidge]

I'm trying to think over my builds... I can speak to a few points:

 

Tactics: When I take Tactics, if I have a choice of powers I will only put the Gaussian's proc here if I have pets or if I'm a tanker. Otherwise I simply can't guarantee that for mission content I'm actually going to be buffing that many friendlies. I'm not referring to RWZ Mothership bowl squatting... even then Tanks shouldn't be sitting in the bowl. Tactics also tends to be a late addition to any build, so it isn't like I'm using it much in combat.

 

Aim (for my characters that have it) often gets turned into another late-build addition, as I favor the 'Build Up' powers. Because I tend to take it very late, it doesn't get many slots and I don't put the Gaussian's proc there because I won't have the power (or the proc) for lower level content.

 

My preference is to take the Build Up (or equivalent) ASAP. I would minimally slot it with the Guassian's proc and Recharge (at level) but typically I 6-slot the Gaussian's for the full suite of set bonuses as each one is better than the one before. IIRC I have a /Time Blaster where Chronos is ready every 21 seconds, and the proc is still at the 90% ceiling for firing. That toon keeps Chronos on auto-fire, which means neither the players who want the Gaussian's proc in Tactics think I'm dumb while the ones who want 'on demand' use of a Build Up think I'm wasting it.

 

One thing I haven't seen discussed is the effect of ToHit on Snipes. While I don't know exactly how the scaling works (or what limits may be present), I believe that in Homecoming both the Fast and Slow Snipes have a Damage boost based upon the attacker's ToHit bonus. If Snipes are part of an attack chain, if there is a damage boost as described it is worthwhile to at least consider all sources of ToHit. Note that the Kismet +6% 'accuracy' (really ToHit) must be in an auto power or an active power to contribute its bonus.

[Wavicle]

Only the fast snipe gets the to hit bonus damage.

[tidge]

6 minutes ago, Wavicle said:

Only the fast snipe gets the to hit bonus damage.

That's fine with me; my blaster uses the snipe as part of the regular attack chain. Do we know how the scaling works? I'm particularly curious if I'm 'wasting' ToHit buffs because I'm already at the Damage cap.

[Wavicle]

17 minutes ago, tidge said:

That's fine with me; my blaster uses the snipe as part of the regular attack chain. Do we know how the scaling works? I'm particularly curious if I'm 'wasting' ToHit buffs because I'm already at the Damage cap.

I’m not 100% certain, but I think it May be that the to hit bonus increases the Base damage. Somebody please correct me if I’m wrong.

[Omega-202]

26 minutes ago, tidge said:

That's fine with me; my blaster uses the snipe as part of the regular attack chain. Do we know how the scaling works? I'm particularly curious if I'm 'wasting' ToHit buffs because I'm already at the Damage cap.

See patch notes here. 

 

It seems to act as a base damage increase, so you can't really "waste" damage cap by overdoing the to-hit buff.

Edited August 19, 2020 by Omega-202

[tidge]

2 hours ago, Omega-202 said:

See patch notes here. 

 

It seems to act as a base damage increase, so you can't really "waste" damage cap by overdoing the to-hit buff.

Thanks for the link. The notes make it sound like any ToHit buff above 22% is no longer contributing to increasing damage.

[Wavicle]

27 minutes ago, tidge said:

Thanks for the link. The notes make it sound like any ToHit buff above 22% is no longer contributing to increasing damage.

Correct

[macskull]

11 hours ago, Bentley Berkeley said:

But in general as far as I know, all procs that buff you can in no way proc on an ally even if on an ally effecting power.

This is incorrect. If I put a Performance Shifter proc into, say, Speed Boost, any ally affected by Speed Boost has a chance to get the endurance, not me. Same thing goes for the Panacea proc - it will check against all targets of the power it's slotted in.

[Omega-202]

3 hours ago, tidge said:

Thanks for the link. The notes make it sound like any ToHit buff above 22% is no longer contributing to increasing damage.

Yes, but its a base damage increase, and not a +damage buff.  More tohit past 22% won't boost damage further, but it won't impact your damage  buff cap in anyway.  Sorry if I misunderstood the question.

[Eldyem]

Going to go against what I see a lot of people are saying and say I prefer Gaussian's in Build Up because Build Up, being the stronger boost, is clicked second in my 1-2 clicks of prepping for the biggest possible nuke, which means that Gaussian's procs also last that extra second or whatever, and also because I don't personally cycle Aim every time it's up the way I do Build Up (much less Upshot).

 

That being said, I think Aim is generally pretty useful solely because Nukes exist. The damage boost seems like its on the cutting edge of "worth it" to click on cooldown, but I don't care to the math.

 

I will say that, at low levels, Aim is super super useful versus the Circle of Thorns. Like absurdly useful. I just don't usually have the power slots to take it that early.

[Machariel]

My order-of-operations for the Gaussian Proc is to slot it in Build Up over Aim and in Aim over Tactics.  I found myself not really enjoying pressing both build up keys before attacking (I'm impatient!), and usually accuracy isn't an issue, so I stick the proc in the one that makes me do more damage.  If I really want to nuke stuff hard then I go Aim + Build Up to maximize the amount of attacking time with the peak damage buff. 

 

So on my Blaster it's in Build Up, on my Fortunata it's in Aim (though you could make a good case that it should be in Follow Up, probably?), and on my /Fire Dominator it's in Tactics, where she has no other options.  I wonder where the best place for it is on a Warshade... in Nova or in one of the Mires?

[Sir Myshkin]

... I don't take Aim. Unless it's quite literally my only buff effect option, then I will toss Gaussian's into it and try and get pseudo Build Up. I'd rather take Assault instead. 50% damage boost for 10/s, or (minimum) 10.5% damage boost all the time, for everyone around me. Considering I don't play many Blasters or Sentinels, this impacts me more from a Defender stand point, and they get an even better buff from Assault making its net return better overall, for everyone involved. I rarely solo anything without explicit purpose.

[DSorrow]

I take Aim always on characters whose main functionality is dealing damage and depending on the build for other ATs. On my Ice/Fire Blaster I cycle Aim > attacks > BU > attacks seamlessly so that one of the two buffs is always active, but on my Thermal/Sonic I haven't taken Aim at all. Currently I prefer slotting Gaussian's in Aim over Tactics on characters who have both because it gives me better control over when the proc happens. While I get more procs in Tactics slotting it in Aim allows me to time the proc for heavy hitters (and combat in general) which makes it feel more impactful. 

[Monos King]

4 hours ago, Sir Myshkin said:

Unless it's quite literally my only buff effect option, then I will toss Gaussian's into it and try and get pseudo Build Up. I'd rather take Assault instead. 50% damage boost for 10/s, or (minimum) 10.5% damage boost all the time, for everyone around me.

Worth nothing that while that definitely can work for support classes it is otherwise just a loss of damage. At any given moment + 10.2% dmg is like, pointless, compared to 50-60% at planned intervals. Particularly if your a blaster,  a mere 10.2% isn't going to impact your kill speed at all, less so still as enemies may have higher regen, but those bursts of 60% most certainly will impact your health burn, and by the time it's off your enemy who might've had a chance to threaten you otherwise is dead. Then you move to next enemy group, use again, repeat. It's why you use it or BU before dropping nukes. Even if assault does give a net larger damage buff over time than aim (which could only be true with unenhanced rech), practically it does not. That would also be assuming you are in non-stop battle, where in reality there is usually downtime to recharge as you travel group to group. So assault > aim dmg wise is true of instances like AV fight  mothership raid, and only with default recharge. Not to mention Aim is for accuracy anyway, so it's really valuable when  don’t want to  benumb or something even as a def/corr.

[Carnifax]

8 hours ago, macskull said:

This is incorrect. If I put a Performance Shifter proc into, say, Speed Boost, any ally affected by Speed Boost has a chance to get the endurance, not me. Same thing goes for the Panacea proc - it will check against all targets of the power it's slotted in.

Yup, that's what I thought too. Nowadays Performance Shifter is flagged only to affect Friendly targets so it will buff allies if it can. Pretty sure that "Friendly only" flag wasn't already there so for a while back on Live you had a weird situation where you could give your enemies End back if it was in a Blast. 

 

In addition on the ToHit / Snipe thing, as above ToHit no longer affects Snipe damage. When things were moved to giving everyone "In combat" fast snipes it was removed. 

^ Me am wrong!

 

This game is complicated sometimes 🙂

Edited August 20, 2020 by Carnifax