What's the consensus on Fire Breath?

[Kaipto]

I just made a villainous Fire/Martial Combat (with plans for Electric epic) Blaster modeled after Azula from ATLA (plz don't nerf me copyright lawyers). LOVE her conceptually--I can hear the voice actress saying all of the responses to mission dialogue in my head!

 

Fire Breath is a power that I used to love back on live as an intentional 1-2 AOE opener with Fireball, usually following BU + Aim. Perez Park solo farming days! However, I'm now finding it to be a bit more lackluster, perhaps due to MC's lack of BU?

 

Thematically, I can go either way. PRO: I could justify it as another savant skill she's picked up or simply an innate familial power she's debuted since Iroh is capable. CON: I've tinged all of her powers to be her iconic blue fire, but it looks weird for the fire breath, which I've defaulted back to its standard fiery colors.

 

I also feel like the pace of the game has changed dramatically since I played last, particularly at level 50+, with IO's + Incarnates. Obviously, I can just respec out of it if it becomes irrelevant, but curious if any level 50's have deemed Fire Breath "too slow" for incarnate strength teams?

 

Grateful for any HC vet opinions!

Edited November 29, 2020 by Kaipto

[Shred Monkey]

Considering how quickly fireball can come off cooldown, and the fact that you also have a rain power, I don't feel any need to get the power.

 

For theme, isn't there an alt animation where you can change it to a hand animation?   Or am I thinking of something else?

[silentbutdebtly]

I select the farthest enemy in a group, select this power then kite into the group with fireball following it up. Animation is a bit long so I try to use the kite method to shorten it up but still squeeze in another aoe attack. 

It works since Im fire/fire and want to be in melee but it's not for everyone.

[Vanden]

It stinks, but they'll buff it some day.

[DreadShinobi]

It's actually alot better than most people give it credit for, but it depends on your playstyle. I also prefer it on my Poison/Fire defender, Fire/Cold Corr and Fire/Kin Corr over the usage it gets on my Fire/TA and Fire/Mental Blasters that have it (My Fire/Fire skipped it). Because Corrs/Defenders don't have a secondary full of attacks to fill out their attack chain which puts pressure on the long animation of Fire Breath that could be put to better use. With that said the power hits like a truck, as long as you're good at lining up the cone and/or jousting with the power, which is very easy to do. Fire Breath gets alot of hate for it's long animation but it actually has better DPA than Fire Sword Circle, Atom Smasher, Psychic Scream, Psychic Shockwave, and End of Time (post patch). It also gets a convenient +Range boost from the Superior Blaster's Wrath ATO, your Sniper attack, enhancement from Positron's Blast or Artillery, and potentially Intuition Radial if you opt into that. It is a much different attack now with all the access to +range compared to pre-ATOs, pre Snipe-range buff. Fire Ball>Fire Breath is a great AoE opener for whenever your Nuke is on cooldown, and will produce more damage than most other 1-2 AoE punches available, which again is going to be more significant to other ATs than blasters that have less attacks as a whole to work with, but Fire Breath still outdoes many Blaster secondary AoEs. 

[Kaipto]

6 hours ago, Shred Monkey said:

For theme, isn't there an alt animation where you can change it to a hand animation?   Or am I thinking of something else?

Ooohhhh! I don’t think power animation customization had expanded beyond melee sets when I had played on live. Didn’t know this—this is great, thank you!

 

57 minutes ago, DreadShinobi said:

It's actually alot better than most people give it credit for, but it depends on your playstyle. I also prefer it on my Poison/Fire defender, Fire/Cold Corr and Fire/Kin Corr over the usage it gets on my Fire/TA and Fire/Mental Blasters that have it (My Fire/Fire skipped it). Because Corrs/Defenders don't have a secondary full of attacks to fill out their attack chain which puts pressure on the long animation of Fire Breath that could be put to better use. With that said the power hits like a truck, as long as you're good at lining up the cone and/or jousting with the power, which is very easy to do. Fire Breath gets alot of hate for it's long animation but it actually has better DPA than Fire Sword Circle, Atom Smasher, Psychic Scream, Psychic Shockwave, and End of Time (post patch). It also gets a convenient +Range boost from the Superior Blaster's Wrath ATO, your Sniper attack, enhancement from Positron's Blast or Artillery, and potentially Intuition Radial if you opt into that. It is a much different attack now with all the access to +range compared to pre-ATOs, pre Snipe-range buff. Fire Ball>Fire Breath is a great AoE opener for whenever your Nuke is on cooldown, and will produce more damage than most other 1-2 AoE punches available, which again is going to be more significant to other ATs than blasters that have less attacks as a whole to work with, but Fire Breath still outdoes many Blaster secondary AoEs. 

This is very thorough, helpful feedback and the exact sort of depth of experience with newer issues/Homecoming that I was looking for—thank you!
 

In particular, the incidental range buffs from IO’s (and potentially even the Alpha incarnate slot) widening the cone are definitely appealing.

[CaptainLupis]

5 hours ago, Kaipto said:

Ooohhhh! I don’t think power animation customization had expanded beyond melee sets when I had played on live. Didn’t know this—this is great, thank you!

 

This is very thorough, helpful feedback and the exact sort of depth of experience with newer issues/Homecoming that I was looking for—thank you!
 

In particular, the incidental range buffs from IO’s (and potentially even the Alpha incarnate slot) widening the cone are definitely appealing.

It does work with the hand animation, that's how I have it on my fire/atomic, I wouldn't have taken the power if I couldn't as I hate the breathing animation. As for the power itself I like it. I think a lot depends on your play style, for thematic reasons I went fly/hover and when you are using cones from above they are much more effective than using them at ground level, due to basic geometry.

 

Artillery is a good, cheap, set to consider for it. 4% ranged defence and it has +range, couple that with the range bonus after using a snipe and you have a very decent ranged cone. It's not an essential power by any means, but I get a lot of mileage out of it, although I can see why others might skip it.

[Jeneki]

15 hours ago, DreadShinobi said:

With that said the power hits like a truck, as long as you're good at lining up the cone and/or jousting with the power, which is very easy to do.

Yes that's definitely the way to play.  Ranged attacks, melee attacks, AoEs, cones, whatever, they're all are the same once you master jousting.

 

15 hours ago, DreadShinobi said:

Fire Ball>Fire Breath is a great AoE opener for whenever your Nuke is on cooldown

My preference is Fire Breath and then Fireball, in that order only.  Due to fire breath having a delay before the damage ticks start, this concentrates the damage into a smaller timeframe which I prefer.

 

[DreadShinobi]

8 hours ago, Jeneki said:

Yes that's definitely the way to play.  Ranged attacks, melee attacks, AoEs, cones, whatever, they're all are the same once you master jousting.

 

My preference is Fire Breath and then Fireball, in that order only.  Due to fire breath having a delay before the damage ticks start, this concentrates the damage into a smaller timeframe which I prefer.

 

You Fireball first because the animation time of Fire Breath allows your first Fireball to recharge. This lets you quickly get off 2 Fireballs per spawn, which is where your AoE damage per animation time is high with Fire Blast. It has a long animation but you can also take advantage of that. There is alot of different ways you can approach your dps with Fire blasting. Fireball>Fire Breath>Blaze>Blazing Bolt>Fire Ball will typically take out the entire spawn including the boss that you targetted with Blaze/Blazing Bolt, you can also opt to Blaze/Blazing Bolt before and after Fire Breath because the animation will recharge both of them, or Fire Ball>Fire Breath>Blaze>Fire ball for quicker aoe output. Fire Breath should also be noted is utility aoe damage, and sometimes skipping it entirely in a mob rotation can sometimes be best if your team already has high aoe damage and you should therefore be prioritizing Blaze/Blazing Bolt spam to take out the bosses faster. Using Fire Breath also takes away from time that can be spent casting your secondary powers as well, and so while it is not a power I like to skip, as it is very useful when you want to have that higher aoe punch in the right situation, I can't emphasize enough that it is utility aoe damage. Playstyle preference aside, there is no "in that order only" required when it comes to Fire Blasting.

Edited December 1, 2020 by DreadShinobi

[CaptainLupis]

14 hours ago, Jeneki said:

Yes that's definitely the way to play.  Ranged attacks, melee attacks, AoEs, cones, whatever, they're all are the same once you master jousting.

 

My preference is Fire Breath and then Fireball, in that order only.  Due to fire breath having a delay before the damage ticks start, this concentrates the damage into a smaller timeframe which I prefer.

 

I usually open with fireball. I find if you open with firebreath the longer animation time gives the group more time to scatter, meaning a follow up fireball might not be as effective.

[Jeneki]

9 hours ago, DreadShinobi said:

Fire Breath should also be noted is utility aoe damage, and sometimes skipping it entirely in a mob rotation can sometimes be best if your team already has high aoe damage and you should therefore be prioritizing Blaze/Blazing Bolt spam to take out the bosses faster.

Aye, I've been on those teams, and adjusted my playstyle as needed.  Glorious days!

[capricorpse]

I'm a fan of Fire Breath, especially with Combat Teleport for lining it up.

 

ALso, I'm literally going to roll this exact build because it seems really fun!  I am also a big fan of Azula!

[kelika2]

If you do get it, make sure to slot it with range.  as a fire/fire/flame, and fire/ice/lightning I run it with posi blast 5/6, skipping dmg/end and 1 range/dmg++ hami

[Mack008]

I'm firmly in the Fire Breath then Fire Ball camp.  I've never had a problem with targets moving too much, and that way the DoT from breath is simultaneous with ball.

[Kaipto]

On 12/1/2020 at 5:33 PM, capricorpse said:

I'm a fan of Fire Breath, especially with Combat Teleport for lining it up.

 

ALso, I'm literally going to roll this exact build because it seems really fun!  I am also a big fan of Azula!

Combat Teleport has definitely been helpful for positioning! I find it better to just cue up Fire Breath and joust into the pack for the opener, but mid combat it’s great. 
 

Build is super fun! Feel like it deviates a bit from some of the more popular Fire/X builds which keeps things interesting.
 

And glad you agree that Azula is 👸 Enjoy the new toon!

17 hours ago, Mack008 said:

I'm firmly in the Fire Breath then Fire Ball camp.  I've never had a problem with targets moving too much, and that way the DoT from breath is simultaneous with ball.

 I love the discussion that this has prompted! I’m generally in this camp, too, but I will be attempting @DreadShinobi’s approach at higher levels once I have some more recharge under my belt 😄

Edited December 5, 2020 by Kaipto
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