Claws / Ninjutsu - Is it viable? Alternative suggestions?

[SmokenBongs]

OK folks, I'd greatly appreciate your thoughts and any advice you can share on the following endgame build I'm working towards. 

I'm also curious as to any thoughts on what to run in place of the purple sets while I continue my journey to 50. 

 

Hero Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.7.2.10
https://github.com/Crytilis/mids-reborn-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Lady Foxy: Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Claws
Secondary Power Set: Ninjitsu
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Body Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Strike -- SprScrStr-Acc/Dmg(A), SprScrStr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(3), SprScrStr-Dmg/Rchg(3), SprScrStr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), SprScrStr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), SprScrStr-Rchg/+Crit(7)
Level 1: Ninja Reflexes -- RedFrt-EndRdx/Rchg(A), RedFrt-Def(7), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(9), RedFrt-EndRdx(9), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(11), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(11)
Level 2: Slash -- Hct-Dam%(A), Hct-Dmg/EndRdx(13), Hct-Dmg/Rchg(13), Hct-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(15), Hct-Acc/Rchg(15), AchHee-ResDeb%(17)
Level 4: Danger Sense -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), RedFrt-Def(19), RedFrt-EndRdx(21), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(21), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(23), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(23)
Level 6: Spin -- Arm-Dmg/Rchg(A), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), Arm-Acc/Rchg(43), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Arm-Dam%(45), FuroftheG-ResDeb%(45)
Level 8: Shinobi-Iri -- RedFrt-EndRdx/Rchg(A), RedFrt-Def(25), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx(25), RedFrt-Def/Rchg(27), RedFrt-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(27), RedFrt-EndRdx(29)
Level 10: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(29), ShlWal-Def(50), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(50)
Level 12: Kuji-In Rin -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 14: Follow Up -- SprCrtStr-Acc/Dmg(A), SprCrtStr-Dmg/Rchg(31), SprCrtStr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(31), SprCrtStr-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31), SprCrtStr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33), SprCrtStr-Rchg/+50% Crit(33)
Level 16: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(33)
Level 18: Seishinteki Kyoyo -- PreOptmz-EndMod/Rech(A)
Level 20: Focus -- Apc-Dam%(A), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(34), Apc-Dmg/Rchg(34), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), Apc-Acc/Rchg(36), GldJvl-Dam%(36)
Level 22: Kuji-In Sha -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(36), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(37), Prv-Heal/Rchg(37), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(37), Prv-Absorb%(39)
Level 24: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 26: Tough -- UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(39), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(39), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(40)
Level 28: Weave -- Rct-ResDam%(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(40), Rct-Def(40), Rct-Def/EndRdx(42), Rct-EndRdx/Rchg(42), Rct-Def/Rchg(42)
Level 30: Bo Ryaku -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), GldArm-3defTpProc(45), UnbGrd-Max HP%(46), UnbGrd-ResDam(46)
Level 32: Shockwave -- PstBls-Dam%(A), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(46), PstBls-Acc/Dmg(48), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(48), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(48), SuddAcc--KB/+KD(50)
Level 35: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 38: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 41: Vengeance -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 44: Kuji-In Retsu -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 47: Conserve Power -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 49: Physical Perfection -- PwrTrns-+Heal(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Critical Hit 
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 -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Pnc-Heal/+End(17), Mrc-Rcvry+(19)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A)
Level 50: Musculature Core Paragon 
Level 50: Assault Core Embodiment 
Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve 
Level 0: Portal Jockey 
Level 0: Task Force Commander 
Level 0: The Atlas Medallion 
------------

 

As always, I greatly appreciate you help!

[CaptainLupis]

An alternative slotting to consider for shockwave, if you are level 50, is 1 Hammi-o acc/dam and the damage IO from the purple set buffed to +5 gives you 33% acc and around 94.7% damage (if my memory serves) from just 2 slots, which leaves more slots for procs. I went for the sudden impact kb to kd, force feedback +recharge, and the others as damage procs. Because you aren't slotting recharge, and it's an AoE, the FF procs a lot, so it's more useful (for the way I play at least) than a bit of constant extra recharge from a set.

Edited October 9, 2020 by CaptainLupis

[Hew]

Great attack chain? Uh, spin,  shockwave, spin, spin, spin some more?

 

edit: spin really is the bees knees. you need to get that followup in there as well.

Edited October 9, 2020 by Hew

[Moonlighter]

Okay some notes from this discussion:

 

Slash has a -Def that can trigger enemy run behavior, and the -Res proc will also do that. Since /Nin doesn't have a Taunt aura you won't be able to have nice tight packs. Claws does have knockback powers (which you will convert to knockdown) between Focus and Shockwave so that's less of an issue. Farming will just be messier and require a little more work.

 

Claws is a set that builds power over time, because its damage comes from hitting and eventually stacking Follow Up, and that doesn't play well with /Nin. First, /Nin doesn't have any damage aura to boost with that sweet damage buff. Second, /Nin provides an occasional up front damage boost out of stealth which works best for front loaded sets. It's a fine combo, just be aware.

 

To comment on how the stealth damage buff works; the damage buff seems to have an internal cooldown of 30 seconds. So any time the cooldown is over and you go into stealth the damage buff will apply to your next attack, and then the cooldown will restart. You don't have to be in stealth for 30 seconds, rather the first time you go into stealth after the 30 second cooldown has passed the damage bonus will come up and apply to the first hit. So if you are used to opening up with Follow Up, which you probably should be, then that will be less effective for you. If I am being honest this perk is hard to use and not up that often in high end play so I wouldn't worry about it, but I can leverage it in missions by opening up with a heavy attack or my AoE when it comes online.

 

Ninjitsu has mediocre defense, but an admittedly good heal. If it had more DefDebuff resistance it would be much better in terms of raw defensive benefit.

 

It also has no offensive perk like +Dam, +Recharge, a damage aura, or some weird -Res field.

 

The mini-Ninja Run is a nice perk, because if you like Ninja Run you don't need to take another travel power since they stack and you save a power choice. Plus you have half stealth and it is simple to stack a stealth IO or Super Speed.

 

The Endurance click a good for leveling, but it costs DPS and at the high end you would need to solve that issue anyway so I wouldn't call it a great benefit, just a nice QoL thing. The place it does shine, however, is that you can take your last defensive power, and use your Endurance click and Conserve Power to recover from the End crash fairly smoothly which allows you to use that more often. I know most high end players skip those because they are building the defense into the build, but you can use it to combat DefDebuff cascades and recover the end crash so that's an advantage of the set, if a costly one in terms of powers.

 

But the real reason to take the set is to leverage Blinding Powder. If you aren't going to try to do that, and its fairly difficult to get right, then there are better sets. To define Blinding Powder, it is a medium cone that is a mag 2 Sleep and a 50% chance for a mag 2 Confusion. It is *terrible* unslotted, and it is hard to use and line up until you are used to it. Worse, the sleep component actually makes it less useful because the minions that do get confused just stand there and don't do anything because they are probably also asleep. So at first it is pretty bad.

 

So to get use out of it, you need to slot it up, throw the cone, and then use an AoE to get the minions to start punching each other in the face. But all is not lost. First, you can get most of a pack once you get good at lining it up. Second, it doesn't seem to break stealth so you can throw it and still follow up. Third, it is good at mitigating a return alpha strike. Finally, the goal is to get the Superior Purple proc slotted into it to multiply the confuse effect.

 

So if you run up to a huge pack of Romans you can get a bunch of them in the confuse, and follow up with an AoE and they start throwing defense debuff attacks at each other. That provides significant mitigation and provides extra damage once you are 50. You confuse some portion of the pack, concentrate on the bosses, and let the minions beat on each other as you cleave them down.

 

I can't say that's a better power than, say, just using Shield Charge to alpha strike a pack but it's really the only real offensive perk of the set.