Dark/psi - Barrow witch

[honoroit]

 

It has come upon me to create fun new things for myself. 

 

Looking over my next project, I thought about psi/dark corruptor... But then looked at the debuff %S on Def and thought that might be better. 

 

Has anyone made a dark/psi that has thoughts on Def VS corr? 

 

I've dark/darked before and it's quite effective, but I'm not a fan of dark blasts lineup. 

 

You could use ice for recharge defuff, but psi looks far nicer, and has a good range amongst its powers I feel. 

 

Feels like corruptor would obv do more damage, but would lose much of the secondary effect - importantly perhaps to a point where they're rendered middling or ineffective at higher levels? 

[HalfFlat]

My first (and for now at least, still main) character was/is a Kinetics/Psychic Blast defender, but I can't really recommend Psychic Blast.

• It is resisted surprisingly often, and when it is resisted, it's typically by a very large fraction, making whole classes of foes torturously slow to defeat.
• The -recharge debuff is essentially useless.
• While you might have more success with the cone of Psychic Scream than I do, the other non-nuke AoE, Psionic Tornado, is very slow to cast, doesn't do much damage, and then does that little damage over a very long time. The mitigation from knock-up is brief and patchy. Where it would have most effect — large groups falling under its generous radius — you're likely on a team which will quite happily wipe out any minions who might notice the damage well before they've taken more than a fraction of it.
• Scramble Thoughts is inferior in every regard to e.g. Dominate from the Psy epic. It's useful if you don't have any alternative though.

The problems with resist and damage output won't be so bad with a Corruptor though of course, and you get to skip the lackluster Mental Blast power.

Edited November 6, 2020 by HalfFlat

[honoroit]

hm. im in a sulk now. 

[Ankhammon]

I say the -rech is actually very helpful.

 

but the damage overall is not fantastic.

 

make the concept and try it out. If you have fun, then... win!

[HalfFlat]

20 hours ago, Ankhammon said:

I say the -rech is actually very helpful.

I'm surprised to hear this! Only because it wasn't really my experience. Could you elaborate further?

[Camel]

This is a build I came up with. I liked the concept myself. Could probably be a lot better, add some procs, etc. But this build has almost soft-capped Defense to a variety of damage types and positions, perma-Hasten and Soul Drain with a few procs from Force Feedback in Psionic Tornado. Wouldn't be a bad build, but as others have stated, when enemies DO resist Psi... you will notice. But you'll also notice when they don't.. Cyclps that pop Unstoppable, for example. With perma-Soul Drain and Psi damage... you'll take them out relatively quick.

 

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!

Level 50 Magic Defender
Primary Power Set: Dark Miasma
Secondary Power Set: Psychic Blast
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Dark Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Twilight Grasp -- TchoftheN-Acc/Heal(A), TchoftheN-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(9), TchoftheN-Heal(15)
Level 1: Mental Blast -- SprVglAss-Dmg/Rchg(A), SprVglAss-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15), SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(29)
Level 2: Tar Patch -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 4: Psionic Lance -- SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg(A), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), SprWntBit-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(37), SprWntBit-Rchg/SlowProc(37), StnoftheM-Dam%(43)
Level 6: Darkest Night -- DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb(A), DarWtcDsp-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(7), DarWtcDsp-Rchg/EndRdx(7), DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(9)
Level 8: Howling Twilight -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 10: Shadow Fall -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(11), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(11), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(13)
Level 12: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(13)
Level 14: Super Speed -- BlsoftheZ-ResKB(A)
Level 16: Telekinetic Blast -- SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg(A), SprDfnBst-Dmg/Rchg(17), SprDfnBst-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(17), SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(19), SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(25), SprDfnBst-Rchg/Heal%(25)
Level 18: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(19), Rct-ResDam%(34)
Level 20: Will Domination -- Apc-Dmg/Rchg(A), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(21), Apc-Acc/Rchg(21), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(23), Apc-Dam%(23), GldJvl-Dam%(42)
Level 22: Boxing -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(37), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(40), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42)
Level 24: Tough -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A), HO:Ribo(34)
Level 26: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(27), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(27)
Level 28: Psionic Tornado -- SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg(A), SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(29), SprVglAss-Rchg/+Absorb(31), FrcFdb-Rechg%(34)
Level 30: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(31), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(31)
Level 32: Dark Servant -- BslGaz-Acc/Hold(A), BslGaz-Acc/Rchg(33), BslGaz-Rchg/Hold(33), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(33)
Level 35: Tactics -- GssSynFr--ToHit(A), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg(36), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(46), GssSynFr--Rchg/EndRdx(46), GssSynFr--ToHit/EndRdx(46), GssSynFr--Build%(50)
Level 38: Psychic Wail -- Obl-Dmg(A), Obl-Acc/Rchg(39), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(39), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(39), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40), Obl-%Dam(40)
Level 41: Oppressive Gloom -- AbsAmz-ToHitDeb%(A)
Level 44: Dark Embrace -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(45), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(45), UnbGrd-Max HP%(45)
Level 47: Soul Drain -- Arm-Dmg/Rchg(A), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(48), Arm-Acc/Rchg(48), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(48), Arm-Dam%(50), FuroftheG-ResDeb%(50)
Level 49: Vengeance -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(42), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(43), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43)
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 1: Vigilance 
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run 
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(3), Mrc-Rcvry+(3)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-EndMod/Acc(5), PrfShf-End%(5)
Level 1: Quick Form 
------------

Edited November 9, 2020 by Camel

[Ankhammon]

19 hours ago, HalfFlat said:

I'm surprised to hear this! Only because it wasn't really my experience. Could you elaborate further?

Certainly.

 

My practical experience comes mostly from my Poison/Psy.

I was on a Posi TF with this char and not another defender in sight. It didn't take long before I noticed that if I led the charge and hit the baddies with Neurotoxic Breath and Psy Scream the team would finish the battle with no more than 20-25% health decrease. If I didn't lead then we were losing over half health and the brute was even worse off.

Totaling those two powers alone did a whopping 143.75% -rech (according to mids) which basically meant the baddies never used a power more than once.

 

The "problem" for you is you are already working a fantastic fearsome stare power that overlaps somewhat what you are doing with Psy Scream and Psy Tornado. You will get a nice 100% -rech with those blasts.

Fearsome stare will neuter some attacks coming your way since it does fear lock, but this isn't a just stop attacking power. When they take damage, they fire back. Now add on a very nice -rech and you are keeping everything locked down and taking damage while keeping you and the whole team safe as bleep in just 3 powers.

My guess is you won't even have to fire off Twilight Grasp except to top off the team.

 

Did I mention that you get that beefy -tohit for 20 seconds to layer on to this combo. Sounds tasty to me.

 

I'd be looking at something like this.

 

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!

Level 49 Magic Defender
Primary Power Set: Dark Miasma
Secondary Power Set: Psychic Blast

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Tar Patch -- ImpSwf-Dam%(A), ImpSwf-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(3)
Level 1: Mental Blast -- Empty(A)
Level 2: [Empty]
Level 4: [Empty]
Level 6: [Empty]
Level 8: [Empty]
Level 10: Psychic Scream -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(11), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(11), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(17), PstBls-Dam%(19), Ann-ResDeb%(19)
Level 12: Fearsome Stare -- GlmoftheA-Acc/EndRdx(A), GlmoftheA-Fear/Rng(13), GlmoftheA-Dam%(13), CldSns-Acc/ToHitDeb(15), CldSns-ToHitDeb(15), CldSns-%Dam(17)
Level 14: [Empty]
Level 16: [Empty]
Level 18: [Empty]
Level 20: [Empty]
Level 22: [Empty]
Level 24: [Empty]
Level 26: [Empty]
Level 28: Psionic Tornado -- PstBls-Dam%(A), FrcFdb-Rechg%(29), PstBls-Acc/Dmg(29), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(31), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(31), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(31)
Level 30: [Empty]
Level 32: [Empty]
Level 35: [Empty]
Level 38: [Empty]
Level 41: [Empty]
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
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 1: Vigilance
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run
Level 2: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Health -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- Empty(A)
------------

 

 

[Omega-202]

You mentioned Ice in your OP, and as the owner of an Ice/Dark/Dark Corruptor, I can say it's a pretty solid combo.  Ice Blast is probably the king of proc-ability, so it works really well on Corrs and Defenders.  

[Ankhammon]

Btw, my main on live for years was my Dark/Dark defender.

 

solo strategy is to have SS + Shadow fall on, run past the group and hit em with fearsome stare while Fluffy engages. Then tar patch and cone blast em into oblivion. You won't take hardly any damage.

 

Just make sure you have high acc cuz those are hit dependent.

[HalfFlat]

That's compelling! The added effect of Neurotoxic Breath aside, I suspect my own experience was tempered by my evident inability to use Psychic Scream effectively, and the resistance of hard, single targets (bosses and up) to -recharge.

[Ankhammon]

19 hours ago, HalfFlat said:

That's compelling! The added effect of Neurotoxic Breath aside, I suspect my own experience was tempered by my evident inability to use Psychic Scream effectively, and the resistance of hard, single targets (bosses and up) to -recharge.

I was a little surprised too but i only had those two abilities and the boss nerfer (Weaken?) from poison at that time so it became obvious as to what was going on.

 

Unfortunately, as far as resistance is concerned, that's the life of a Defender. When you get against harder targets our special skills (de-buffs and such) get the big nerf bat.

I know, not everything does but when it happens it's nasty.

 

That's why some of my favorite solo memories in this game were of beating like EBs or certain AVs on Defenders pre IO proc heaven. Nothing like a good 90+ minute fight.