Dual Pistols/Willpower Vigilante

[Shock Star]

I've tried messing with a few things within the combination of Dual Pistols and Willpower. So far, I feel like the defensive powers are perfect, but I'm also getting the feeling I'm missing a way to add Executioner's Shot in there somewhere. However, the combination seems very effective in solo content so far.

 

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!

Viridian Vigilante: Level 50 Natural Sentinel
Primary Power Set: Dual Pistols
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Pistols -- SprSntWar-Acc/Dmg(A), SprSntWar-Dmg/Rchg(3), SprSntWar-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(3), SprSntWar-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(5), SprSntWar-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), SprSntWar-Rchg/+Absorb(7)
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(7), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(9), UnbGrd-EndRdx/Rchg(9), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(11), UnbGrd-Max HP%(11)
Level 2: Dual Wield -- SprOppStr-Acc/Dmg(A), SprOppStr-Dmg/Rchg(13), SprOppStr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(13), SprOppStr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(15), SprOppStr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15), SprOppStr-Rchg/+Opportunity(17)
Level 4: Mind Over Body -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(17), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(19), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(19)
Level 6: Super Speed -- Clr-RunSpd(A)
Level 8: Fast Healing -- NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx(A), NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(21), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(21), NmnCnv-Heal(23)
Level 10: Indomitable Will -- Rct-Def(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx(23), Rct-EndRdx/Rchg(25), Rct-Def/Rchg(25), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(27), Rct-ResDam%(27)
Level 12: Swap Ammo
Level 14: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(29)
Level 16: Bullet Rain -- Rgn-Dmg(A), Rgn-Dmg/Rchg(31), Rgn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(31), Rgn-Acc/Rchg(31), Rgn-Dmg/EndRdx(33), Rgn-Knock%(33)
Level 18: Up to the Challenge -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(33), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(34), Prv-Heal/Rchg(34), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(34), Prv-Absorb%(36)
Level 20: Suppressive Fire -- Apc-Dmg(A), Apc-Dmg/Rchg(36), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Apc-Acc/Rchg(37), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(37), Apc-Dam%(37)
Level 22: Boxing -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 24: Tough -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(29), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(39), Ags-Psi/Status(39)
Level 26: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(A), LucoftheG-Def(39), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(40)
Level 28: Quick Recovery -- PreOptmz-EndMod/End(A), PreOptmz-EndMod/Rech(40), PreOptmz-EndMod/Acc/Rech(40)
Level 30: Piercing Rounds -- Ann-Acc/Dmg(A), Ann-Dmg/Rchg(42), Ann-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Ann-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(42), Ann-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43), Ann-ResDeb%(43)
Level 32: Hail of Bullets -- Arm-Dmg(A), Arm-Dmg/Rchg(43), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(45), Arm-Acc/Rchg(45), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(45), Arm-Dam%(46)
Level 35: Heightened Senses -- ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(A), ShlWal-Def/Rchg(46), ShlWal-EndRdx/Rchg(46), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(48), ShlWal-Def(48), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(48)
Level 38: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 41: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(50)
Level 44: Assault -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 47: Tactics -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 49: Strength of Will -- ImpArm-ResPsi(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Opportunity
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 -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), NmnCnv-Heal(50), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx(50)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A)
Level 12: Chemical Ammunition
Level 12: Cryo Ammunition
Level 12: Incendiary Ammunition
------------

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by Shock Star

[oldskool]

5 hours ago, Shock Star said:

I'm also getting the feeling I'm missing a way to add Executioner's Shot in there somewhere. However, the combination seems very effective in solo content so far.

I'm about to drop some advice.  Take it with whatever grains of salt you want.  Take it or leave it.  This is not me crapping on your build.  I have 100% no idea on your playstyle or preferences.  However, looking over what you have I suspect you may not know some things about Dual Pistols and especially the potential of the set on Sentinels.  

If you like Piercing Rounds, then we can find some ways to keep it while working around it.  However, Piercing Rounds and Dual Wield are both dead weight most of the time.  

They are dead weight due to recharge scaling and animation capping your damage efficiency.  Dual Wield is the worst power in the Sentinel DP set.  Suppressive Fire is better than Dual Wield even with Incendiary Ammo despite that power not getting a damage over time effect.  Note, Suppressive Fire also splits damage evenly at 50/50 vs all other powers which split 70/30 under the elemental ammo effects.  This means Suppressive Fire can do slightly more damage when enemies are less resistant to the element than they are lethal.  

Piercing Rounds is weighted down by its animation time.  Piercing Round's most effective benefit is the ability to hit 3 targets which is made better by the two Sentinel ATOs which widen its fire arc. It becomes much easier to tag more than one target which is where Piercing Rounds has higher efficiency.  Piercing Rounds does gain a significant damage buff from Incendiary Ammo but it is only slightly ahead of Suppressive Fire in a vacuum.  In actual play where animation times restrict damage Suppressive Fire can make an attack sequence stronger when just one target is the focus.  

 

What does this mean?  

It means you're skipping both Executioner's Shot and Empty Clips for no good reason.  It means you have a lot of options to skip two powers out of Dual Pistols.  This would require a REALLY long write up to explain why.  I want to spare you that.  So instead, let's look at some options that don't fundamentally redesign your entire build.  

 

1) Piercing Rounds as the center piece.  

 

Piercing Rounds in your current build has a 4.6s cooldown.  Pistols x 2 + any 1.848 animating attack is exactly 4.224 seconds.  This means you can do the following: 

 

Piercing Rounds -> Pistols -> 1.848 attack -> Pistols -> 0.4 second delay -> repeat into infinity.   The 1.848 attack could be your choice of: Dual Wield, Empty Clips, Bullet Rain, Suppressive Fire, or Executioner's Shot.  

 

Out of all of those "fillers" Executioner's Shot is by far the strongest option against a single target like a boss, EB, or AV.  This puts Dual Wield and Suppressive Fire into the dead weight category.  Dual Wield has the weakest damage and the Defensive Opportunity effect is a drop in the bucket for Willpower.  Suppressive Fire is out classed by Executioner's Shot.  

 

Suggestion: Dump Dual Wield and Suppressive Fire for Executioner's Shot and Empty Clips.  Why Empty Clips?  Well, you don't need either Dual Wield or Suppressive Fire for starters.  Next up during your 28 second downtime off Hasten you're looking at a big DPS hit no matter what you use.  May as well use Empty Clips which can hit 6 targets which makes its damage contribution exponentially better against bigger spawns.  Empty Clips also recharges quickly making it better in team play as well as the fact that any of your AoE attacks can trigger that Opportunity Strikes proc per target.  Ideally you swap that Ragnarok set into Empty Clips and put the ATO into Bullet Rain.  However, this is a minor nitpick as both of those sets have really crappy procs.  They are there for the 10% recharge and their 6th slot is just minor buffage.  

 

2) Dump Piercing Rounds.  Dump Dual Wield too.

 

That 2.64 cast time of Piercing Rounds holds it back from being better than it should be.  Note above how Pistols x2 + 1.848 = 4.224 seconds.  That's around your Piercing Rounds downtime.  How much damage can you do in that downtime?  A lot.  A lot more than I think folks really realize.  Your current best chain is just over 100 DPS every 6.86 seconds.  That's almost 7 seconds of time.  Just swapping Executioner's Shot into the sequence above is more than a +30 DPS boost.  Executioner's Shot really is that good.  

 

You could easily swap to Executioner's Shot -> Pistols -> Suppressive Fire -> Pistols.  That takes 6.072 seconds to complete.  It too is stronger than what you have.  While the raw numbers are slightly less than Piercing Rounds -> Pistols -> Executioner's Shot -> Pistols do note that the time difference is around 0.8 seconds.  That's significant.  

Furthermore, you could do Executioner's Shot -> Suppressive Fire -> Pistols.  This completes in 4.224 seconds.  So in the time your Piercing Rounds is refreshing you can do more DPS with this combo *and* it is repeatable with a minor delay you may not really notice.  This translates into higher sustained damage over time and faster recovery from lost damage due to misses.  That is something that Piercing Rounds struggles with.  A missed PR hit is a massive loss.  

 

So in this example both Dual Wield and Piercing Rounds are potentially dead weight where Piercing Rounds has some arguable value against 2+ targets.  Still, if you wanted you could dump Piercing Rounds here too and pick up Empty Clips which can hit more targets.  Empty Clips gets better once the target saturation is 4+ but it also has a wider firing arc (again improved by Sentinel ATOs) and out performs Piercing Rounds at all 6 targets.  On top of this Empty Clips recharges faster, thus giving you damage SOONER, and it animates faster which is also a damage improvement.  

This doesn't go into proc abuse at all.  I can guarantee you Pistols, Suppressive Fire, and Executioner's Shot with procs eclipses any combination of Piercing Rounds on single target by about double the damage you're currently looking at.  I've tested this numerous times and it is how I have build my Dual Pistols characters ever since.  

 

OK, that's a long lesson on Dual Pistols in Sentinel-land.  I trimmed that down because I could go into a lot more depth, but this is already real long.  Let's look at some other slotting choices.  

 

Tough: Consider dropping that Psi resist IO for 4pc Unbreakable Guard.  That will boost your S/L defense a little but your melee more.  

High Pain Tolerance: Consider dumping that End/Rch IO for the Steadfast 3% defense.  You trade the set bonus to Psi for 31% melee defense, 33% Fire/Cold, 27% S/L, and 36% En/Neg when combined with the slotting suggestion for Tough.  That's one small purple inspire (12.5%) from softcap defense for multiple categories.  

Assault: Endurance reduction.  Recharge isn't that helpful. 

Fast Healing: Drop to 3 slots.  Remove a heal/rch/end IO.  

Health: Move the slot from Fast Healing to Health.  Dump a slot placed at 50 and add it to Hasten.  Replace the Numina Health with the proc.  Add the Miracle proc.  

Hasten: add a slot as above with recharge.  When you can +4 both.  

 

Why these changes?

 

1) The loss in resistance isn't that big deal as your defense will increase.  You also have Strength of Will which can cap your S/L resistance anyway.  You could fill in downtime with orange inspirations and even the Barrier Destiny would be useful here.  Speaking of Strength of Will, swapping to a level 50 common IO for resistance will improve all of your other resistances by 2%+ at a cost of -6% Psi resist all the time or just a -4% psi difference while SoW is active.  Not sure how important 60%+ Psi resist is to you, but 54% isn't that bad either.  

2) You overvalue +regen bonuses as well as the +heal in the Numina set.  If you use the Numina and Miracle procs you're not going to see a difference in effect.  Sure, you'll go down from 810% regeneration to 793% but you're going to recover 57 hp/s vs 59 hp/s.  You can tell me if 2 hp/s is worth that to you or not.  On top of that change the procs will add +0.5 end/s which doesn't count the Performance Shifter.  This can be nice to have once you get all of your Accolades as sudden you go from 3.29 e/s in your build to over 4.  If you plan to run Assault and Tactics that extra end can be nice to have.  

3) Adding a slot to Hasten and giving it +4 boosters each gets you 6 seconds of downtime on Hasten vs 28 seconds.  If you read through the suggested changes to your attacks you can tell this means you have considerably higher uptime on much tighter attack sequences which are in turn significant damage gains to your build.  

 

That's it.  I won't offer any dramatic redesigns to set choices or other slotting.  Anything I'd suggest to do that is really just minor preference because what you have isn't bad at all.  I just include a crap ton to thought because Dual Pistols attacks seem woefully misunderstood.  That doesn't mean I think the set couldn't use a buff but it can be used in a far more effective way without getting crazy with procs.  

 

Good luck!

  

[Shock Star]

Thanks for the input.

 

 

So I took your suggestions of getting rid of Piercing Shot and Dual Wield to heart. I noticed that the totals were exactly as you predicted when I messed around with it. Then I decided to take it a step further and slot out Suppressive Fire and move its slots to some of my defense powers. I know removing a power like that isn't the greatest thing to do, but I tested it out and liked the results a lot. I also replaced combat jumping with stealth and added invisibility with a single gambler's defense/global recharge. Since the recharge time is already really good, my rotation feels like rapid fire. Still have some problems with endurance, though. But not as much as before.

 

 

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!

Viridian Vigilante ver B: Level 50 Technology Sentinel
Primary Power Set: Dual Pistols
Secondary Power Set: Willpower
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Concealment
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Pistols -- SprOppStr-Acc/Dmg(A), SprOppStr-Dmg/Rchg(5), SprOppStr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), SprOppStr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(48), SprOppStr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(48), SprOppStr-Rchg/+Opportunity(48)
Level 1: High Pain Tolerance -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A), GldArm-ResDam(3), GldArm-End/Res(11), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(36), GldArm-Res/Rech/End(36), GldArm-RechRes(46)
Level 2: Mind Over Body -- UnbGrd-Max HP%(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(3), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(42), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(46)
Level 4: Fast Healing -- Pnc-Heal/Rchg(A), Pnc-Heal(5), Pnc-Heal/EndRedux(9)
Level 6: Empty Clips -- Ann-Acc/Dmg(A), Ann-Dmg/Rchg(7), Ann-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), Ann-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), Ann-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43), Ann-ResDeb%(50)
Level 8: Swap Ammo
Level 10: Super Speed -- Clr-RunSpd(A)
Level 12: Indomitable Will -- Rct-Def(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx(13), Rct-ResDam%(13), Rct-Def/Rchg(15)
Level 14: Stealth -- Rct-Def(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx(15), Rct-Def/Rchg(34)
Level 16: Bullet Rain -- SprSntWar-Rchg/+Absorb(A), SprSntWar-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(17), SprSntWar-Acc/Dmg(17), SprSntWar-Dmg/Rchg(23), SprSntWar-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43), SprSntWar-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(45)
Level 18: Up to the Challenge -- Prv-Absorb%(A), Prv-Heal(19), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(19), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(39), Prv-Heal/Rchg(40), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(42)
Level 20: Quick Recovery -- PwrTrns-+Heal(A), PwrTrns-EndMod(21), PwrTrns-Dam/EndMod(23)
Level 22: Kick -- FrcFdb-Rechg%(A)
Level 24: Executioner's Shot -- Apc-Dam%(A), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(25), Apc-Dmg(25), Apc-Dmg/Rchg(45), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(31), Apc-Acc/Rchg(39)
Level 26: Tough -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(27), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(27), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(50), StdPrt-ResKB(50)
Level 28: Heightened Senses -- ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(A), ShlWal-Def(29), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(29), ShlWal-EndRdx/Rchg(34), ShlWal-Def/Rchg(37), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 30: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(31), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(31)
Level 32: Hail of Bullets -- Arm-Dam%(A), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(33), Arm-Dmg(33), Arm-Dmg/Rchg(33), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), Arm-Acc/Rchg(37)
Level 35: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(37)
Level 38: Resurgence -- PrfShf-End%(A)
Level 41: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(42), LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(43), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(46)
Level 44: Tactics -- GssSynFr--Build%(A), GssSynFr--ToHit(45)
Level 47: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 49: Invisibility -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Opportunity
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 -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(A), NmnCnv-Heal(36), Pnc-Heal/+End(40), Mrc-Rcvry+(40)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(21)
Level 8: Chemical Ammunition
Level 8: Cryo Ammunition
Level 8: Incendiary Ammunition
------------

 

 

[oldskool]

I normally don't care for Winter Sets, but if you want to get crazy with the defense potential here you go... 😆

 

| Copy & Paste this data into Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer to view the build |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|MxDz;1482;691;1382;HEX;|
|78DA6594594F135114C7EFB45381B2CB529622B605CB5286567D50A3E1C1AA89424|
|2C4E86333B497B630B64DA74679F453F8055CC0ED495CBE83EB930B10B798A80914|
|777DAAA773FE40939964F29BF9DF7BCEFFDE33E7CEC4A568DDDD1397C784D270D4D|
|04D333625338574461AEE33329ECA648D6C725E94AF2ABABD9B83B1D37A2629135A|
|F4826EC426D366216B985D5B8351392333A6D4CEA50D2397BD28F3A275329B35B47|
|1A92764DE4CA573B16959D0DD9638959332516F3D1E4F2753942159B7393B472F5D|
|C772E9B8B69D5BCFCFC52674B320F3F31DB4A401BA57830257C9255EA842445451F|
|71C7CCC6C7A023E65F63D63CA720205B13F9D96B6E317F88759FD0FF4D0C41E55B8|
|F7F2FBDB2042295679C4F9F63C04EF814BCCE07DF00173867C9DECEB74C23708DF2|
|1F886FE32DF918F0B3EAE3B1C1FBA0D2E304716C19BE02DE67B8AAD629F528A3C6B|
|F859A96953AC717713F303CDAB8547ED2AC78EAE80AFC0D7CCC81B7099A90F0951C|
|F791DF5C8DB80BC0DA7780F4B834234C2BBF1336B912FCC8FE4DD0CEFE688C3D276|
|86C11073D708A881A3CC59DA530BBC5BBEF27A5A8BE0159E13A7F5B5E11BB72DB2D|
|6BE005E65765D03AF33BD379849CAEF417E0FD6DD817577AC31FD74363AB1B7CE61|
|42A45A78C1398AEFC677EE466D7CADCC006A1468612A94A787EB207A4A74894F549|
|95E54A6F708AF68F761F0007890E93B048EF1AA9C94CD0F673F3A2C800EEB4387F5|
|A1C3CED32AFBE1DC1F1296A652FC00AA36F083E70D7E07D7C1223A7603FCC66CA7D|
|8618E15C3D8F5347D050D9AE6638F046961F88631CFAB6E9DE672D352156607CB67|
|D465F5F0906D346C532236659F4DD96F53C66DCAA4BA75BE856229354D746A5929A|
|DB96954A91C2D6E2B0EE52CEFC6719218A46AFAB832EBB6A88DCAA80DEE5CC76FA6|
|8A0E7E19E41F70D977B9E279A5E274FF07DAA20A22|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|