Lightning Field and the death-averse Blaster

[ChrisMoses]

Blasters have been my favorite AT since issue 1, beginning purely as a Range-only + way too many power pool powers before finding the love of blapping. Even upon embracing the melee attacks, I never took the respective damage auras; the cost/benefit analysis just never made sense to me. However, I want it to!

 

I have a rather survivable Water/Elec Blaster to which I'm looking to add Lightning Field, but I had a few questions:

Is Tough/Weave basically required for adding a Damage Aura? That's fine I don't mind, I just assumed that was the case.

Lightning Field seems like a perfect Proc machine. What immediately jumped out to me was the Power Transfer Heal Self, the Avalanche Knockdown, and the Fury of the Gladiator Resistance Debuff. Any others I may be neglecting besides the assortment of damage procs? 

Finally and most importantly, is the added aggro of a damage aura "worth it"? If I'm using it with the intention of adding primarily survivability procs, am I defeating the purpose?

[Greentea]

I never play /Elec, but a damage aura sounds bad, I mean you're a blapper with 0 defenses and low HP [which is why lots of blasters took fighting pool]. Water may have a lot of soft controls, but that doesn't help with the damage aura, not in a long run. Also, I vaguely recall procs go off in every 10 secs? Personally, I don't find that useful, the procs are better off in somewhere else other than damage aura.

 

Besides, with /Elec being strong ST DPS and Water, strong AoEs, do you need Lightning Field? It's a great combo, a perfect fit actually.

[Krazie Ivan]

i'd stop short of sayin Tough/Weave are required, but they sure will make a big difference in surviving melee. tho i've found squishies do far better when they have another form of mitigation on top of melee softcap & high Res, like -ToHit/Repel KD.

dmg auras don't proc often, like they did when we got IOs initially. it's not useless for all types of procs, but it's not much dmg either, and usually the slot can be better utilized elsewhere. some exeptions, like running multiple auras with multiple procs in them & going AFK. longtime mate of mine created a nice spreadsheet on procs that might help ya: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vd4ZZd1jfhOzdZZkGxC9O0NN5G0T1EdWPu_XRrV6s0U/edit#gid=905771942

if solo, you'll pull that aggro anyway. in a team, it's less likely to pull away from punch-voke with such low dmg tics, and won't pull aggro off Taunted foes. i'd kinda rate that as a toss-up, with teamed/taunted being the best chance for P.Transfer heal procs providing slight help... the dmg you take just has to be low & slow enough, but that proc can be pretty cool when you have several.

[Shred Monkey]

The downside I can think of for blasters not benefiting from lightning field is just that you're hittings so hard already with other attacks.   after taking out that boss you turn around and see minions with a 20 of health left due to the lightning field and BOOM you hit them a blast for 250 points of massive overkill.  But at the same time, maybe lightning field took out another minion while you used that blast.  So it probably balances out. 

 

Agro management is no different than all AoEs.  You should think before you jump... or in true blaster fashion, don't think before you jump.... just jump really really hard.

[ChrisMoses]

While I think Lightning Field full of Procs would be fun, it PROBABLY isn't worth that investment in a practical sense. 

So I went with a totally practical build that is fun and survivable, but I still miss some of the "fun," more utility powers (Havoc Punch, Epic/Patron powers).

 

Hero Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.6.1.25
https://github.com/Crytilis/mids-reborn-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Steel Eel: Level 50 Mutation Blaster
Primary Power Set: Water Blast
Secondary Power Set: Electricity Manipulation
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Hydro Blast -- DfnBrr-Acc/Dmg(A), DfnBrr-Dmg/Rchg(3), DfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), DfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), DfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), DfnBrr-Rchg/+Status Protect(13)
Level 1: Electric Fence -- HO:Nucle(A)
Level 2: Water Burst -- BlsWrt-Acc/Dmg(A), BlsWrt-Dmg/Rchg(7), BlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), BlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(17), BlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19), BlsWrt-Rchg/Dam%(19)
Level 4: Super Jump -- HO:Micro(A)
Level 6: Charged Brawl -- Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg(A), Mk'Bit-Dmg/EndRdx(9), Mk'Bit-Dmg/Rchg(9), Mk'Bit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45)
Level 8: Combat Jumping -- Ksm-ToHit+(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(17)
Level 10: Tidal Forces -- GssSynFr--Build%(A), RechRdx-I(11), RechRdx-I(31)
Level 12: Dehydrate -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg(15), Apc-Dmg/Rchg(15), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(23), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(23), Apc-Dam%(39)
Level 14: Acrobatics -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 16: Build Up -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(39)
Level 18: Water Jet -- Dcm-Acc/Dmg(A), Dcm-Build%(34), GldJvl-Acc/Dmg(34), GldJvl-Dam/Rech(36), GldJvl-Dam/End/Rech(37), GldJvl-Dam%(43)
Level 20: Force of Thunder -- SuddAcc--KB/+KD(A), TchoftheN-Heal(43), TchoftheN-Acc/Heal(43), TchoftheN-%Dam(46), EndMod-I(46), FrcFdb-Rechg%(46)
Level 22: Boxing -- Acc-I(A)
Level 24: Tough -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(25), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(25), UnbGrd-Max HP%(42)
Level 26: Weave -- Rct-Def(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx(27), Rct-ResDam%(27)
Level 28: Thunder Strike -- OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg(A), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg/End(29), OvrFrc-Dmg/End/Rech(29), OvrFrc-Acc/Dmg/End/Rech(48), OvrFrc-Dam/KB(48)
Level 30: Steam Spray -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Dmg/Rchg(31), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(31), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36)
Level 32: Geyser -- JvlVll-Acc/Dmg(A), JvlVll-Dam/Rech(33), JvlVll-Dam/End/Rech(33), JvlVll-Acc/Dmg/End/Rech(33), RechRdx-I(34)
Level 35: Whirlpool -- AchHee-DefDeb/Rchg(A), AchHee-ResDeb%(36), Rgn-Dmg/Rchg(37), Rgn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(37), Rgn-Dmg/EndRdx(40), Rgn-Knock%(42)
Level 38: Shocking Grasp -- Lck-Acc/Hold(A), Lck-%Hold(39), GldStr-Acc/Dmg(40), GldStr-Dam/Rech(40), GldStr-Dam/End/Rech(50), GldStr-Acc/Dmg/End/Rech(50)
Level 41: Power Sink -- EndMod-I(A), EndMod-I(48), RechRdx-I(50)
Level 44: Scorpion Shield -- ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(A), ShlWal-Def(45), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(45)
Level 47: Super Speed -- Clr-Stlth(A)
Level 49: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(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 -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Rest -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run 
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- RgnTss-Regen+(A), Pnc-Heal/+End(3), Mrc-Rcvry+(21), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(21), Prv-Absorb%(42)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-End%(5)
Level 1: Combo Level 1 
Level 1: Combo Level 2 
Level 1: Combo Level 3 
------------

[Chelsea Rorec]

On my elec/elec i took lighting field but only used 3 slots for end mods/end redux and a chance for self heal and it basicly used to keep the npc's end down.

Also i maxed the ranged def to 51% and maxed the S/L resists to 75% with 50% energy resists with tough/weave and charged armour.

But that's my elec/elec blapper build.

[kelika2]

On 8/27/2020 at 10:36 PM, Heliodorus said:

I never play /Elec, but a damage aura sounds bad, I mean you're a blapper with 0 defenses and low HP [which is why lots of blasters took fighting pool]. Water may have a lot of soft controls, but that doesn't help with the damage aura, not in a long run. Also, I vaguely recall procs go off in every 10 secs? Personally, I don't find that useful, the procs are better off in somewhere else other than damage aura.

 

Besides, with /Elec being strong ST DPS and Water, strong AoEs, do you need Lightning Field? It's a great combo, a perfect fit actually.

Im like 90% sure blaster damage auras do not have a taunt effect and the one time it did it got removed quick

[Greentea]

17 hours ago, kelika2 said:

Im like 90% sure blaster damage auras do not have a taunt effect and the one time it did it got removed quick

I'm not sure why you're talking about taunt. I already stated it before; Blasters have low HP, 0% defenses without set bonuses/defense abilities and high DPS thanks to the modifier.

 

Edit: Basically, you're an aggro magnet with low defenses/HP. ;D

Edited September 5, 2020 by Heliodorus

[kelika2]

1 hour ago, Heliodorus said:

Edit: Basically, you're an aggro magnet with low defenses/HP. ;D

This is where I get lost tho.  aggro means taunt or being attacked

[Greentea]

2 hours ago, kelika2 said:

This is where I get lost tho.  aggro means taunt or being attacked

Oh, my definition is different. Aggro means getting attention of an NPC without taunt, or aggressive behavior. Blappers are very aggressive due to mixed abilities.

Edited September 5, 2020 by Heliodorus

[Gulbasaur]

On 9/5/2020 at 5:52 PM, kelika2 said:

This is where I get lost tho.  aggro means taunt or being attacked

Aggro (the game mechanic) takes a few things into account, including debuffs. If you're attacking and debuffing, you'll get more aggro than just attacking or debuffing. If you're debuffing enemy endurance, you'll be attracting even more attention to yourself.