Looking for a cheap entry level build that is good for incarnate content and is also fun to play!

[admiralnorman]

Unfortunately I do not play enough to be farming 100's of millions of inf on IO set builds. I'm already months in to saving up for my main tank anyways.  I'm looking for something that is competent at teamed end game content, but won't break the bank. In general standard IOs are fine, with a few entry level sets. I know I'm not into Energy Blast, that much is certain. A build centered around a hate mechanic is no thank you. I have tried a few others in blasters, corrupter, defenders, and doms, and i'm open to pretty much whatever.

 

Also if you could provide a Pines for your suggestion it would be hugely appreciated. Thanx in advance!

[oldskool]

Hate mechanic as in aggro control? Sentinels don't do well with this by default so I wouldn't ever recommend it.  I tend to feel that most of the Sentinel sets play very much the same.  This is probably because I've played/tested all of the primaries and actively swap between no less than 4 Sentinels at the moment.  So fun is totally subjective.  I'll focus on suggestions that are just more effective for the level of investment you're looking to give (which is low; and there is nothing wrong with that).  

Anyway, Fire Blast is hard to beat for cheap deeps.  Fire is an incredibly effective set for a lot of reasons and it remains a top tier primary regardless of ranged AT.  Sentinel Fire Blast can easily skip Fire Blast (the second choice power at level 1), Fire Breath, and Rain of Fire.  You don't need any of those to be competent because Fireball (available at freaking level 2) is really powerful.  Now, Fireball's base recharge is 16 seconds.  So you might want to pick up Fire Blast early on and plan to drop it with a respec at around level 20 when you pick up Blaze and Blazing Blast.  Or you may want to keep it.  Just change things around in the build below.  

For secondary, I'd recommend Invulnerability.  Invulnerability on Sentinels is a bit more newb friendly than its cousin set Willpower.  Willpower on Sentinels can be good, but it just requires a lot more investment than Invulnerability does.  Invulnerability can get fairly high typed defenses and Smashing/Lethal resistance without *any* set bonuses at all.  On top of this you have Dull Pain which gives you more hit points and also heals you.  Furthermore, Sent Invul gets Durability which gives you stamina and helps offset some of the drain of running toggles.  It gets even better because Environmental Protection is a power that functions as two separate powers in every other incarnation of Invul.  Huge value here.  Unstoppable is the one power that is generally worth skipping.  

Since both suggestions let you skip 4 powers without much penalty this opens up so many doors to being creative elsewhere.  Want Hover and Fly?  Go for it.  Want more defenses through Fighting and Leadership?  Go for it!  

I added Cremate and Fire Sword Circle because why the hell not?  

The build in the spoiler is slotted with just level 50 IOs.  The number of slots is useful with a wide range of various sets.  So you could keep much of the build as it is whenever you get around to a larger investment in the character.  The power scaling will only get better with more influence but the framework is pretty competent.  

I also included some thematic but potent Incarnate power options for when you get there.  Each is just the T1, but those are the ideal places to start.  Work Musculature towards the Core path (T4) as soon as you can.  Maxing the Alpha slot has really good return on investment.  Musculature is generally preferable to others since Sentinels don't requirement much help from any of the other Alphas (less return on investment).  
 

Spoiler

| Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer to view the build |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|MxDz;1518;602;1204;HEX;|
|78DA6D94DB52DA5014867720D402A2581015480454CAC908D3DEB7F580D3199971E|
|A03305176319D4CC0808E5EF6B277BDE9F4BA2FD0E963F4B22FD2C31BD015F61F30|
|0919996FFBEFB5D6BFF70A8BCEFDF1F2F7D38FAF98B47264EAA351F7825B63C3E26|
|6A4A3F78D2BE63C4BF4C9BA7AF79D6EF5794F6B1B36EF1E52CAB830DB3AE6EFB935|
|E2DA5BEBEED6B4B8AD5F1AA6317E60F1F3C1C0D4DAA6D1BF1E27C4DA591A563F36F|
|DEF62C8792F3D5D9E71BDC7EDD1B531EC5EF2B19E3D191A57DACC606ADA214F6E3F|
|6CD2A96AF41994199E498465092D99C92E15C1272E8B82ADBAE0EB0A519AE68619F|
|6761A82BB3EDE94114A3E12EA67C04DC5CBACCF274A2D0C0B1F16DE11DA21794784|
|168A1484960755D02E8BEE3B9E4BF07AEA125E313009CF243C6F29372A72A528B41|
|87844DE71B127C77785B6ECE34ADDCB381D242172580277F851656C15FD5B857FB1|
|E1EDA3CB3B3ACF1AEEB2863B3C53BC4CBB8467063525F24EC13B85DC3069EBF05E4|
|75C165E79DFBB93297603B11B882DAB5E1E8027D49B2D112B6D21BF0CB6692F873A|
|39D479AE2E66893C15F45FC17D54F013F5621BFDDFC67D0ACA621691734ADE257C5|
|F4AF0D8F79DFD0BC5ECA1EE1EEAD65CA2DEBE4B9CFF2BE554F05E2A88ADBA54BCAC|
|F9BED73A0D601DFDA863AFA12EE61B32D1D0570DFD3C005986B126DE6F1375F2F26|
|CAEE98F1EF6A1EA4C6BC45126B5C06E33A0B402CA8B80F232A09C0594737936F94C|
|9A2AD124CDB35026BF63B48BD99630177FE75A48C23CA96011FCF338AF22B47F8FF|
|3F01B10F2F1270D514BC44C7EA5E6EB6FA5F93A979EAF3F3B3138EB7F1728D32D|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

Edited November 23, 2020 by oldskool

[Force Redux]

Invulnerability is a solid choice. 

 

However I'd also recommend Super Reflexes. On sentinel, SR is a fabulous set. It's no hassle. It requires minimal slotting. It gets to defense cap easily. It passively helps your endurance and resistances. It has an absorb clicky to shore up any damage spikes. It has a speed/recharge boost.

 

And agree with Fire Blast. Easy. Reliable. Straight forward. 

 

I'm playing one now. Fun, relaxing, satisfying, durable.

Edited November 28, 2020 by Force Redux

[Six-Six]

I second SR on a sent. May I add that Sentinel armours are tough enough that you can minimally slot them, thereby devoting more slots to damage and debuff. I usually just slot 2pc IOs for the set bonus. Of course you won't be min-maxing or soft capping anything, but you will still be more than survivable. I find any secondary on a sent very good in their own respects, so it's just a matter of preference and concept/theme.

Additionally, Ninja Mastery will take ATOs, which can free your primaries to be slotted with moar damage/debuff.

I'm not a fan of expensive purple, winter sets, or pvp IOs (save maybe for the occassional Shield Wall, Glad Armor and Panacea). Most of my builds are yellow and orange sets. I am a great advocate of set bonuses, and there are some cheap sets that have awesome set bonuses. All of my sents can solo +2 or 3x8 without much worry of faceplanting. They do have trouble soloing AVs, though.

A few of my fav Sents are Beam/SR, DP/SR, Sonic/Energy, and Energy/Rad (though you said you're steering clear of Energy Blast). All are great fun to play. I use my Archery/Nin and Elec/Elec as tanks.

[Carnifax]

On 11/23/2020 at 3:45 PM, admiralnorman said:

Unfortunately I do not play enough to be farming 100's of millions of inf on IO set builds.

I've made about 350 million this week by just sending my TF merits to one character (convert them to Hero Merits at a rate of 1 to 50), buying and crafting level 31 yellow recipes and then using merit-bought converters to convert and sell them. Did it in 4 tranches of 20 minutes sessions. Do one session at the start of play them just switch and play something as they sell. 

 

I don't bother with Winters or Purples, so that's the bones of two full characters in  90 mins (still got about 30 millions worth selling) spread over a week.

 

The even quicker and dirtier method is just merits -> converters and sell those. But it's nowhere near as profitable. 

 

[Underfyre]

53 minutes ago, Carnifax said:

I don't bother with Winters or Purples...

Coming up on the season for those to come down in price tho!

[Crysis]

A Fire/Rad/Dark or Fire/Rad/Fire is extremely easy to play, very easy/cheap to softcap defenses and extremely durable.  It also comes with three nukes....well one big and two small....and an AOE immobilize to help you get max use out of them.  Inferno+Ground Zero+Fire Sword Circle will outright destroy a +3/x8 spawn and a follow up from Fireball cleans up the Lt’s.  Plenty of ST to take out the boss.