Rad/Sonic

[MajikMayhem81]

Just hit 50 on my rad/ sonic, and I was working on a couple of builds.  Would I be better off softcapping s/l/e and ranged?  Or would I possibly get more mileage out of just softcapping ranged and taking a res armor (to cap s/l resists).  Both seem like they would have their uses.

[Doomguide2005]

Generally defense is better mitigation than resistance.  With resistance you still have to deal with mez since while the damage was reduced any mez coming with it is still there to stun, sleep, hold etc. you.  S/L plus Energy are chosen to cap because they're the major portion of the damage type(s) you'll face endgame.  That said unless you use Choking Cloud you've no reason to get into melee range, hover plus capped range defense and strong resists could also work as long as you can keep them at range.

[Onlyasandwich]

We had a great discussion on this a month or so ago, and I came out with a very satisfying softcap range build with strong resistances.

 

Spoiler

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!

Free.Radical: Level 50 Natural Defender
Primary Power Set: Radiation Emission
Secondary Power Set: Sonic Attack
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Psychic Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Radiant Aura -- NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx(A), NmnCnv-Heal(3), NmnCnv-Heal/EndRdx/Rchg(3), NmnCnv-Heal/Rchg(5), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(5), NmnCnv-EndRdx/Rchg(7)
Level 1: Shriek -- SprVglAss-Dmg/Rchg(A), SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(7), SprVglAss-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9), GldJvl-Dam%(15)
Level 2: Accelerate Metabolism -- PrfShf-EndMod/Rchg(A), SynSck-EndMod/Rech(19), EffAdp-EndMod/Rchg(21)
Level 4: Radiation Infection -- HO:Enzym(A)
Level 6: Howl -- SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg(A), SprDfnBst-Dmg/Rchg(9), SprDfnBst-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11), SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), SprDfnBst-Rchg/Heal%(13), SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15)
Level 8: Enervating Field -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 10: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), Krm-ResKB(13)
Level 12: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(17)
Level 14: Lingering Radiation -- Acc-I(A)
Level 16: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 18: Choking Cloud -- Lck-%Hold(A), Lck-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(29), Lck-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(33), Lck-Acc/Hold(33), Lck-Acc/Rchg(33), Lck-Rchg/Hold(34)
Level 20: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), LucoftheG-Def(31)
Level 22: Kick -- ExpStr-Dmg/KB(A), ExpStr-Acc/KB(23), ExpStr-Dam%(23)
Level 24: Tough -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(25), UnbGrd-ResDam(25), UnbGrd-Max HP%(29), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(31)
Level 26: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(27), ShlWal-Def(27), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(31)
Level 28: Amplify -- GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg(A), GssSynFr--ToHit/EndRdx(36), GssSynFr--Build%(37), GssSynFr--ToHit(37), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(37), GssSynFr--Rchg/EndRdx(39)
Level 30: Shout -- SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg(A), SprVglAss-Rchg/+Absorb(36), SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(39), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(39), Apc-Dam%(40), GldJvl-Dam%(40)
Level 32: EM Pulse -- BslGaz-Acc/Rchg(A), BslGaz-Acc/Hold(34), BslGaz-Rchg/Hold(34), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(36)
Level 35: Dominate -- HO:Nucle(A), GldJvl-Dam%(40), GldNet-Dam%(42), UnbCns-Dam%(45), GhsWdwEmb-Dam%(45), NrnSht-Dam%(45)
Level 38: Dreadful Wail -- SprAvl-Rchg/KDProc(A), SprAvl-Dmg/EndRdx(42), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(42), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(43), Arm-Dam%(43)
Level 41: Tactics -- HO:Cyto(A)
Level 44: Mind Over Body -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(46), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(46), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(46), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 47: World of Confusion -- CrcPrs-Conf(A), CrcPrs-Conf/Rchg(48), CrcPrs-Acc/Conf/Rchg(48), CrcPrs-Acc/Rchg(48), CrcPrs-Conf/EndRdx(50), CrcPrs-Conf%(50)
Level 49: Vengeance -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
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 -- Clr-Stlth(A)
Level 1: Vigilance 
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run 
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Mrc-Rcvry+(A), Pnc-Heal/+End(17), Prv-Absorb%(21)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(19)
Level 50: Musculature Core Paragon 
Level 50: Degenerative Core Flawless Interface 
Level 50: Clarion Core Epiphany 
Level 1: Quick Form 
Level 50: Banished Pantheon Radial Superior Ally 
Level 50: Pyronic Core Final Judgement 
Level 50: Assault Radial Embodiment 
Level 10: Shadow Recall -- Empty(A)
------------

 

Here is the thread, which includes a few different interesting builds:

 

[Meknomancer]

With rads i find the best way to test them is find some lone Gm wandering about and stick your debuff toggles on it and throw some attacks and see how long your endurance lasts. Its great having softcapped defences and high resists and running about in teams where other players are popping ageless and you don't have time to get the debuffs on cos everythings dead before you finished the animation. But that time when your solo and that enemy needs debuffing and you throw enervating and rad infection on it click 4 attacks and realise thats it.....Running stuff like choking cloud and world of confusion on top of that? Check your recovery vs end drain. I do like the way WoC looks its great but the radius is so small your lucky if a single minion ever gets tagged. Choking Cloud eats end almost as much as enervating so 2 boosted end reds (in enervating)is my advice especially if you plan to go GM hunting. I like 2 enzymes and an achilles proc in rad infection-3 enzymes if i can afford the slot and bump them to 53. I'd rather sacrifice a little def knowing i can debuff stuff and not start panic clicking the insp tray trying to make blues. I ran a rad/sonic on live and when i soloed the tough stuff i had to drop half the stuff in the build and couldn't even keep tough running. Its a lot easier on HC where you can just say to yourself...tier 4 ageless on every toon with musculature but thats only good for 45+ content. What do you do when you exempt down. And what do you do when you proc out all your attacks and have no end red in them. Are you planning on playing the toon in endgame content only and only then in teams running recovery buffs. Rads are one of the tougher sets to build for because they have so much fun stuff in. Just a quick look over the above build-def and res numbers are fantastic but then i look at recovery vs end drain and i wonder how it will play.

[Onlyasandwich]

WoC is just a mule for the purple set in my listed build, which helps cap Ranged defense. I only run it for fun when I feel like it.  Functionally, it is only a toy that looks neat.

 

This build does not have end problems at higher levels, and is perfectly manageable exemping, especially given that you have AM in addition to health uniques and slotted stamina. If you are exemped down far enough, there is of course a limit to your end management, but that is true of any build. This plays very smoothly from 1-50. I designed the build and levels of power picks with exemping in mind.

 

You would definitely not run chocking cloud while GM hunting - it wouldn't do anything. It would be nice to have an achilles proc in RI for these situations, although the proc mechanics do not favor it in terms of up time. I did not have the spare slot in my version. RI is really only there for lower level content and really hard targets like GMs. You won't need it in other situations - just jump in with Choking cloud and go to town, hopping out to howl every now and then.

 

Every attack other than dominate actually has pretty modest end redux in it as well. I believe I actually ended up going with Musculature radial instead of core for the extra buff for endmod on AM and stamina. 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2020 by Onlyasandwich