Elec primary has a bad rep

[AxerJ]

20 hours ago, Galaxy Brain said:

This is due to the Purple Patch. A +4 enemy will take 0.48x less effect from end drains, so with that 69% boosted by 78% > 122.82% * .48 = 58.95%. It gets better with the lower con, but yeah...

I just read about the purple patch, thanks!

 

So -- this topic is, unfortunately, pretty misleading. Power Boosted Short Circuit is called a "nope" button - but on my lvl 41 elec/energy with 3 end mods in Short Circuit, a PB'd Short Circuit plus a PB'd Ball Lightning still doesn't zero out an orange Council minion. It takes it close with the Ball Lightning - maybe the few extra percentage points from PB at lvl 50 will make the difference, but I doubt it.

Edit: A few orange Freak minions were zeroed by PB SC + BL - maybe they have less resistance to end drain?

 

Even +1 minions won't be zeroed by PB SC alone, and BL is needed. I think that's fine - but it's not useful to be able to zero groups of yellows, as they're not a threat. It could be marginally useful if we could zero out groups of oranges with PB SC + BL, but I'm not even sure that's possible at lvl 50 - it isn't at level 41.

 

Red minions still have a sizeable amount of end after PB SC + BL. We'd have to wait for SC to recharge before even hoping to zero reds.

 

So... not sure what the big whoop is here about Power Boosted Short Circuit. High level groups mostly fight at least reds, and this technique does not sap them. We may be able to zero out groups of oranges, which could be okay for smaller groups - not the norm - IF PB SC + BL zeroes them at lvl 50. Otherwise, what, is this promotion for people who want to fight groups of yellows? It works pretty well for whites.

 

Am I doing something wrong? Please let me know if there's a better way to sap reliably with normal pugs, not a niche mode where we recruit just a couple partners to fight yellows and oranges. 

 

The video Gatling posted is against a green lieutenant...

 

Disappointed =P

Edited February 26, 2021 by AxerJ

[Galaxy Brain]

So, according to Mid's 3 slotted SC + PB = 97.21% end drain, I don't think that is accurate but lets just say it's 100%

 

 

The purple patch works as such for basically all combat interactions, where if we have 100% end drain, it would go up to 111%, 122%, etc as you go higher than your enemy. Likewise, it lowers to 90%, 80%, etc as you go lower.

 

TBH, this is something I straight up forgot about when it comes to End Drain, and makes it's Zero-Sum mechanics all the more dubious...

Edited February 26, 2021 by Galaxy Brain

[bigfashizzel]

21 hours ago, Nayeh said:

My main gripes about Electric Blast are the animation times on both Short Circuit and Tesla Cage as well as the Voltanic Sentinel ability as a whole.

 

If you're looking to sap endurance using Electric Blast, I would advise getting Energy, Kinetics, or Poison as your secondary. I have yet to see someone run an Electric/Poison character in-game despite it seemingly having what I believe to be synergy with the sets.

- Poison not only has a Recovery Debuff, available slotting for the -Recovery Proc (It's a -ToHit IO).

- Contains what is essentially a -Power Boost debuff on monsters that will make them more susceptible to secondary effects.

- Both sets are moderately close/short ranged.

 

... and if you're looking for a concept, may I suggest something that revolves around high pH content such as Battery Acid to conduct electricity. 🙂

 

I've seen this pop up a few times, the -Recovery from Poison.Poison Trap only lasts for a single second when the trap itself detonates, then it clears.   I have a Poison/Elec and it is not a sapping combo.

 

the strongest sapping synergy in a support set is  Thermal Radiation with Heat Exhaustion.

 

[Nayeh]

4 hours ago, bigfashizzel said:

I've seen this pop up a few times, the -Recovery from Poison.Poison Trap only lasts for a single second when the trap itself detonates, then it clears.   I have a Poison/Elec and it is not a sapping combo.

 

the strongest sapping synergy in a support set is  Thermal Radiation with Heat Exhaustion.

 

It's the -Special from [Weaken] (30 second debuff) and the Proc from Deflated Ego I was referring to. Though on the Poison Trap, it might be worth noting it kinda has a Tick element to it so perhaps you could try modifying Endurance.

 

There is also the Incarnate Interfance to look into.

Edited February 26, 2021 by Nayeh

[Coyote]

8 hours ago, AxerJ said:

So -- this topic is, unfortunately, pretty misleading. Power Boosted Short Circuit is called a "nope" button - but on my lvl 41 elec/energy with 3 end mods in Short Circuit, a PB'd Short Circuit plus a PB'd Ball Lightning still doesn't zero out an orange Council minion. It takes it close with the Ball Lightning - maybe the few extra percentage points from PB at lvl 50 will make the difference, but I doubt it.

 

A dedicated sapping build for a Blaster would almost certainly take the Musculature Alpha, so once Incarnated, the character would have higher End Drain. Also, the Alpha at Tier 3 will give a level shift, so you generally won't see +4s again... Level 54 mobs will count as +3 to you when calculating level adjustments. So sapping at full Incarnate levels should be somewhat stronger than in the 40s.

[GetRidOfWires]

So how do you handle those Zombie Bomb enemies in the new Vahzilok arc? They instantly appear and detonate in seconds. Can you drain them fast enough to prevent that? I find that arc a good test of my characters, and often a lesson in humility.

[Doomguide2005]

1 hour ago, GetRidOfWires said:

So how do you handle those Zombie Bomb enemies in the new Vahzilok arc? They instantly appear and detonate in seconds. Can you drain them fast enough to prevent that? I find that arc a good test of my characters, and often a lesson in humility.

     I have a dead computer so haven't faced this mission or the foes yet.  Are these new foes or the old explody foes in a new arc.

     If these are the old zombies in a new mission arc:

     Keep moving, ideally after they start the animation then they'll basically take themselves out. 

     Any DoT attack as long as you use it before they blow.  The power has an interrupt period, the DoT will keep interrupting the attack. 

    If they literally pop in and blow I'd keep a patch of some sort under me at all times.  Hot Feet, Burn, Quicksand.  Or just don't stay in one spot more than a second or so ... pretend there's a pesky Stalker around you can't see trying to AS you in RV 😋

 

 

Short Circuit and Ball Lightning are both DoT's. 

 

Or Seeds of Confusion ... they'll blow each other up and their allies.

     

Edited March 9, 2021 by Doomguide2005
Afterthought

[Nemu]

On 2/26/2021 at 6:17 AM, AxerJ said:

I just read about the purple patch, thanks!

 

So -- this topic is, unfortunately, pretty misleading. Power Boosted Short Circuit is called a "nope" button - but on my lvl 41 elec/energy with 3 end mods in Short Circuit, a PB'd Short Circuit plus a PB'd Ball Lightning still doesn't zero out an orange Council minion. It takes it close with the Ball Lightning - maybe the few extra percentage points from PB at lvl 50 will make the difference, but I doubt it.

Edit: A few orange Freak minions were zeroed by PB SC + BL - maybe they have less resistance to end drain?

 

Even +1 minions won't be zeroed by PB SC alone, and BL is needed. I think that's fine - but it's not useful to be able to zero groups of yellows, as they're not a threat. It could be marginally useful if we could zero out groups of oranges with PB SC + BL, but I'm not even sure that's possible at lvl 50 - it isn't at level 41.

 

Red minions still have a sizeable amount of end after PB SC + BL. We'd have to wait for SC to recharge before even hoping to zero reds.

 

So... not sure what the big whoop is here about Power Boosted Short Circuit. High level groups mostly fight at least reds, and this technique does not sap them. We may be able to zero out groups of oranges, which could be okay for smaller groups - not the norm - IF PB SC + BL zeroes them at lvl 50. Otherwise, what, is this promotion for people who want to fight groups of yellows? It works pretty well for whites.

 

Am I doing something wrong? Please let me know if there's a better way to sap reliably with normal pugs, not a niche mode where we recruit just a couple partners to fight yellows and oranges. 

 

The video Gatling posted is against a green lieutenant...

 

Disappointed =P

It gets you there faster than non-power boosted short circuit. It's not all that useful against minions because you'd most likely kill them before the drain has any noticeable effect, but try face tanking a few rikti magus + bosses on an MSR, the accelerated end drain matters. That + defense softcap allows you to stand toe to toe with hard targets. As a blaster def softcap isn't enough, you need other forms of mitigation and AoE draining targets is as good a sustainable mitigation tool as cycling AoE KD, it just takes a little longer to get there.

[Coyote]

16 hours ago, Doomguide2005 said:

Any DoT attack as long as you use it before they blow.  The power has an interrupt period, the DoT will keep interrupting the attack.

 

I don't think it has an interrupt period, and the zombies move like they're Speed Boosted. They come in fast, hard, and blow up. The good news is that the explosion isn't as bad as the Embalmed Abominations, but having 5-6 of them come in and go BOOM! was not pleasant for my MM. The main trick is to hammer them with a knockback attack, and try to finish off a couple of them after that before they get up and come to you... you can take a couple of them exploding, you just don't want to get a faceful of them exploding at once. So give up on the idea of avoiding all of the explosions (unless you're a Hover-Blaster, in which case you can just snicker at them), and just focus on lowering the numbers that get to reach you.

 

A large team triggering a large ambush of these could do very well by having enough AoE to blasts them before they get to you... or could get wiped in one cool fireworks display, depending on how ready they are and what AoEs they have ready at that level.

[Doomguide2005]

2 hours ago, Coyote said:

 

I don't think it has an interrupt period ... <and stuff clearly indicating these are not the zombies of old I'm familiar with>

If the ambush triggers are known then laying down patches (Quicksand, Bonfire) or fast activating mez (AoE Immobilize or stuns -> Stalagmites) ready to use should be effective.  Maybe Fold Space used by someone with good defense/resistance to the attack (brownie points for the FS user doing that onto something like Bonfire with the KB to KD proc).  Sleep or Confuse?. 

     Basically as a whole I saw a lot of teams, in general, where it seemed the entire team would blow its currently available 'alpha's at a mob .  Less individual and team zerg, more coordinated team effort keeping reserves for the ambush(es).  But doesn't sound like Endurance Drain by itself would work fast enough unless there are multiple endurance drain characters involved.  

 

     Maybe Repel powers --> Hurricane, Repel (from Kinetics), Force Bubble etc., in addition to KB powers.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Doomguide2005
Afterthoughts

[DocRadio]

I haven't played an Elec blaster since my Triple Elec back on live. I remember it being a particularly effective build. But not because of drain. It was because of the utility. It had a ranged nuke and I could cripple bosses by either cycling shocking grasp and tesla cage or powersink and short circuit. The damage was supplemented by some decent melee attacks and static discharge as additional AoE damage. It was a swiss army knife build that was flexible and adaptable to a lot of situations. That's why I loved it. I'll probably bring the build back when I have time so I can see what I can do with set bonuses boosting survivability even more. Not to mention the more combat ready insta-snipe and incarnates. Should be groovy.

 

[DocRadio]

On 3/9/2021 at 2:29 PM, GetRidOfWires said:

So how do you handle those Zombie Bomb enemies in the new Vahzilok arc? They instantly appear and detonate in seconds. Can you drain them fast enough to prevent that? I find that arc a good test of my characters, and often a lesson in humility.

No... you effing run or lose your teeth.

 

[Gatling]

On 2/25/2021 at 11:51 AM, AxerJ said:

I have a question about the fabled Power Boost + Short Circuit technique --

 

I have a lvl 40 elec/energy, and my Short Circuit is even 3-slotted with lvl 40 end mods (I'll change em later), so Short Circuit drains 69% (gig) of end before Power Boost.

 

Power Boost should increase that by 78% or something, taking end drain over 100%. 

 

But I'm finding even with these enhancements, it's not enough to completely 100% drain even an orange minion. I have to couple it with Ball Lightning. And I can't even drain reds/purps when adding Ball Lightning.

 

Is this working as intended? I was under the impression this combo could just knock out people with Short Circuit -- but is that ONLY for white groups and with a max end-mod-enhanced Short Circuit? Is it something that only works at lvl 50? I won't be getting -that- much more out of Power Boost at 50...

 

Your video shows the attack on a green lieut, Lord Gatling... if the secret techniques are only meant to be used on white enemies, surely they'd have all melted before the circuit could be shorted?

 

Guidance would be appreciated, oh demigods of sappage. How can I reliably sap red groups as an elec/energy? Is this not what was meant? Don't we fight red groups, though?

I would love to help, but I've been High-end Elec so long I'm not sure what's going wrong. Some builds have certain level windows where their effectiveness is pretty lacklustre, and when you're maxed out it's difficult to remember when that is, as for most builds, maxing out makes you nigh unstoppable in PVE content(case in point vs an AV where End Drain WILL rarely be an option:

). Are these level 40 end mods SO's or IO's? I'm sure you're 50 now as I don't frequent these boards enough. But if you ever need help, I can do what I can. Although I'm on Torchbearer.

However, in Very High level content you may find you wont be draining 100% end, however A Ball-lightning is usually enouigh to finish off the drain. If you're timing is correct you can also actually throw a ball lightning, fly in, and Shortcircuit and hit both around the same time before they Alpha you (Some will succeed but the AI tends to have a slightly slow enough reaction time to stop the death)

 

  

On 3/9/2021 at 10:29 PM, GetRidOfWires said:

So how do you handle those Zombie Bomb enemies in the new Vahzilok arc? They instantly appear and detonate in seconds. Can you drain them fast enough to prevent that? I find that arc a good test of my characters, and often a lesson in humility.

Fly.

  

On 2/26/2021 at 11:17 AM, AxerJ said:

I just read about the purple patch, thanks!

 

So -- this topic is, unfortunately, pretty misleading. Power Boosted Short Circuit is called a "nope" button - but on my lvl 41 elec/energy with 3 end mods in Short Circuit, a PB'd Short Circuit plus a PB'd Ball Lightning still doesn't zero out an orange Council minion. It takes it close with the Ball Lightning - maybe the few extra percentage points from PB at lvl 50 will make the difference, but I doubt it.

Edit: A few orange Freak minions were zeroed by PB SC + BL - maybe they have less resistance to end drain?

 

Even +1 minions won't be zeroed by PB SC alone, and BL is needed. I think that's fine - but it's not useful to be able to zero groups of yellows, as they're not a threat. It could be marginally useful if we could zero out groups of oranges with PB SC + BL, but I'm not even sure that's possible at lvl 50 - it isn't at level 41.

 

Red minions still have a sizeable amount of end after PB SC + BL. We'd have to wait for SC to recharge before even hoping to zero reds.

 

So... not sure what the big whoop is here about Power Boosted Short Circuit. High level groups mostly fight at least reds, and this technique does not sap them. We may be able to zero out groups of oranges, which could be okay for smaller groups - not the norm - IF PB SC + BL zeroes them at lvl 50. Otherwise, what, is this promotion for people who want to fight groups of yellows? It works pretty well for whites.

 

Am I doing something wrong? Please let me know if there's a better way to sap reliably with normal pugs, not a niche mode where we recruit just a couple partners to fight yellows and oranges. 

 

The video Gatling posted is against a green lieutenant...

 

Disappointed =P

The proceeding video isn't a "green Lieutenant".
It's a Red Boss (And once the HD version is uploaded, yes I can 100% end drain it with 1 Short circuit*). I cannot get Purple unless I go into a mission, and By then asking for a 100% end drain on a Purple +4 is unreasonable (can I even get +4 anymore?), and not the point of this post. I'm just trying to show people that Elec/Energy is nowhere near as bad as people think it is, and I think this video shows that well enough. And yes you can expand this video to bigger group numbers. COH always shines in player positioning, speed of power use and context of power use. So there are always going to be variables that render certain tactics/choices wrong or ineffective.
ALso, some enemy groups/types do Resist End-drain, and cannot be 1 shot end drained. But what Respectable hero sits around to 100% end drain and that's it? Sometimes it takes 2 attacks. But there is a massive difference between eating 1 attack vs 4-5 successive attacks from every Enemy on screen. The below video should be enough proof to show how End-drain in a combat scenario works. Also note the frequency of attacks I do receive after the enemy gets their end back. (Also my nvidia shadowplay doesn't work anymore so... I had to calibrate OBS for this, hope the quality is okay in the end)

* Some enemies can acquire a buff to prevent/reduce -recovery so even if you do 100% end drain them they can get 1 tick back. Once they get 2 ticks back they will attack again. So you will need to successively attack the higher priority target E.G. A boss or a CC character.

Edited April 9, 2021 by Gatling

[AxerJ]

Hmm, well, that's awesome, Gatling! You're a badass. I've actually been having a LOT of fun with my Elec/Energy, as it's so active -- juggling the 4 power-up powers keeps me always doing something. I'm still not able to two-shot-sap red bosses like you've done - I have trouble even two-shotting even oranges. But maybe there's more for me to discover. My character is actually lvl 44 or something, took a veery long break. But regardless, it's still an incredibly fun and very powerful combo to play, so thanks for your suggestion! And I have hope for sapping like General Gatling someday...