Help with my first 50 - Energy / Devices

[skeeze]

Hi folks,

 

After playing since late 2007, I have finally gotten my first character to 50.  I'm not tackling incarnates yet (but suggestions are welcome) and  am after some feedback on my build.    

 

Some general questions / statements

• Now that I am 50, I should slot level 50 IOs rather than attuned ones, is that right?
• I know most builds go Scorpion Shield but hopefully Charged Armor is in the same ballpark.    I quite like Shocking Bolt.
• I am not sure at all about Afterburner, its just a fill the gap choice that can take a LoTG.  
• I have really enjoyed the Hover blasting playstye.
• I'm not really sure what resists / defenses / recharge reduction targets I should be aiming for.
• Smoke Grenade was fantastic on live but seems to have been nerfed into oblivion.   Is it even worth taking any more?
• Is 6 slotting my attacks with the same enhancement type the way to go or should I diversify?
• Ive managed to break Mids somehow but if you click the link all slots are assigned.  Reinstalling Mids has fixed this, i have updated the build below

 

 

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.0.4.7
https://github.com/Reborn-Team/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Technology Blaster
Primary Power Set: Energy Blast
Secondary Power Set: Devices
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Electrical Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Power Blast

(A) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage (3) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Damage/Recharge (3) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (7) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (7) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge (13) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Recharge/Chance for Fire Damage
Level 1: Toxic Web Grenade (A) Accuracy
Level 2: Energy Torrent (A) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage (5) Superior Defiant Barrage - Damage/RechargeTime (5) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime (9) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (9) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime (13) Superior Defiant Barrage - RechargeTime/+Status
Level 4: Power Bolt (A) Superior Winter's Bite - Accuracy/Damage (11) Superior Winter's Bite - Damage/RechargeTime (11) Superior Winter's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (15) Superior Winter's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (15) Superior Winter's Bite - Damage/Endurance/Accuracy/RechargeTime (50) Superior Winter's Bite - Recharge/Chance for -Speed & -Recharge
Level 6: Hasten (A) Recharge Reduction (21) Recharge Reduction
Level 8: Sniper Blast (A) Apocalypse - Damage (19) Apocalypse - Damage/Recharge (19) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (21) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Recharge (23) Apocalypse - Damage/Endurance (25) Apocalypse - Chance of Damage(Negative)
Level 10: Power Burst (A) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage (23) Devastation - Damage/Endurance (25) Devastation - Damage/Recharge (27) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (27) Devastation - Chance of Hold (29) Devastation - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
Level 12: Targeting Drone (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff (29) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Endurance
Level 14: Aim (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff (31) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge (31) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance (31) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Recharge/Endurance (33) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance (33) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up
Level 16: Hover (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
Level 18: Fly (A) Winter's Gift - Slow Resistance (20%)
Level 20: Caltrops (A) Pacing of the Turtle - Chance of -Recharge
Level 22: Field Operative (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed (33) Luck of the Gambler - Defense (34) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance (34) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
Level 24: Smoke Grenade (A) Accuracy
Level 26: Boxing (A) Accuracy
Level 28: Tough (A) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All) (34) Steadfast Protection - Knockback Protection (36) Aegis - Psionic/Status Resistance (36) Aegis - Resistance (36) Aegis - Resistance/Endurance/Recharge (37) Aegis - Resistance/Endurance
Level 30: Trip Mine (A) Armageddon - Damage (37) Armageddon - Damage/Recharge (37) Armageddon - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (39) Armageddon - Accuracy/Recharge (39) Armageddon - Damage/Endurance (39) Armageddon - Chance for Fire Damage
Level 32: Nova (A) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage (45) Superior Avalanche - Damage/Endurance (46) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance (46) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (46) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge (48) Superior Avalanche - Recharge/Chance for Knockdown
Level 35: Weave (A) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All) (40) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed (40) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage (40) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance (42) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge (42) Red Fortune - Defense
Level 38: Gun Drone (A) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Recharge (42) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage (43) Expedient Reinforcement - Damage/Endurance (43) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge (43) Expedient Reinforcement - Endurance/Damage/Recharge (45) Expedient Reinforcement - Resist Bonus Aura for Pets
Level 41: Shocking Bolt (A) Lockdown - Accuracy/Hold (45) Lockdown - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold
Level 44: Charged Armor (A) Unbreakable Guard - +Max HP (48) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance (48) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance (50) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime
Level 47: Combat Jumping (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed (50) Karma - Knockback Protection
Level 49: Afterburner (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
Level 1: Defiance 
Level 1: Brawl (A) Empty
Level 1: Sprint (A) Empty
Level 2: Rest (A) Empty
Level 2: Swift (A) Empty
Level 2: Hurdle (A) Empty
Level 2: Health (A) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance (17) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
Level 2: Stamina (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End (17) Performance Shifter - EndMod
Level 49: Quick Form 
------------ Edited March 12, 2021 by skeeze

[Meknomancer]

I haven't played this combo so not sure i'll be much help i have an energy/time i don't touch and i played an energy/energy on live but i realise now how much i hate knockback so unless your going full on 1 shot kills its really annoying on teams. Solo its great fun you can blast away to your hearts content nobody's gonna complain if you stick that mob halfway into a wall and can't get it 😛 First up Charged Armour. Its not in the same ballpark as Scorp Sd its not even in the same galaxy. Afterburner-if you take fly and skip this you may as well drop fly for mystic flight and the same awful fly speed...at least til next update. Smoke nade offers tiny - to hit and tiny dmg buff, handy on devices which doesnt have build up but if you skip it i doubt you'd notice if your running hover blaster with 45% defence. Should you 6 slot your attacks with the same set-short answer is no unless you need that 6th bonus for a specific part of your build. For example the 6th bonus in apocalypse set gives psi defence. If thats the only bonus you have giving that type of defence then its pretty much wasted. I've seen a lot of good energy blasters being played doing great damage but i havent seen the builds. If you plan to hover blast then you'd want at least 45% ranged in which case you can get away with any def/resist epic/patron they don't even need to be turned on all your ranged defence bonuses come from your sets bonuses. Problem with energy is your doing kb and if you start slotting sudden acc pieces for kb/kd you miss out on that ranged def bonus your chasing. So your stuck with kb. i threw this in mids its tiny bit shy of 45% but if you boost def bits you'd probably hit it. Its just for ideas i wouldn't plan on using it-for hover blasting your aim should be 45% ranged and as much s/l resist as you can get. Recharge isn't too important:

 

 

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.0.4.7
https://github.com/Reborn-Team/MidsReborn

Energy devices: Level 50 Technology Blaster
Primary Power Set: Energy Blast
Secondary Power Set: Devices
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Electrical Mastery

Hero Profile:
------------
Level 1:    Power Bolt            SprDfnBrr-Rchg/+Status Protect(A), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(7), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(7), SprDfnBrr-Dmg/Rchg(9), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg(9)
Level 1:    Toxic Web Grenade        EnfOpr-Acc/EndRdx(A)
Level 2:    Power Blast            Thn-Acc/Dmg(A), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(11), Thn-Dmg/Rchg(15), Thn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(43), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(48)
Level 4:    Energy Torrent            SuddAcc--KB/+KD(A), Bmbdmt-Dam(46), Bmbdmt-Acc/Dam/Rech(47), Bmbdmt-+FireDmg(47), Bmbdmt-Acc/Dam/Rech/End(48), Bmbdmt-Acc/Rech/End(48)
Level 6:    Power Burst            SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg(A), SprWntBit-Dmg/Rchg(17), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(19), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(19), SprWntBit-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(46), Apc-Dam%(46)
Level 8:    Sniper Blast            StnoftheM-Dam%(A), StnoftheM-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11), StnoftheM-Acc/Dmg(13), StnoftheM-Dmg/EndRdx(15), StnoftheM-Acc/ActRdx/Rng(17)
Level 10:    Caltrops            TmpRdn-EndRdx/Rchg/Slow(A)
Level 12:    Aim                GssSynFr--Build%(A), RechRdx-I(13)
Level 14:    Targeting Drone            HO:Cyto(A)
Level 16:    Kick                Empty(A)
Level 18:    Fly                BlsoftheZ-ResKB(A), BlsoftheZ-Travel(25)
Level 20:    Field Operative            LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), PrfShf-End%(21), PrfShf-EndMod(21)
Level 22:    Hover                LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), BlsoftheZ-Travel/EndRdx(23), BlsoftheZ-Travel(23)
Level 24:    Afterburner            LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 26:    Explosive Blast            SuddAcc--KB/+KD(A), Bmbdmt-+FireDmg(27), Bmbdmt-Acc/Dam/Rech/End(27), Bmbdmt-Dam(37), Bmbdmt-Dam/Rech(40), Bmbdmt-Acc/Dam/Rech(43)
Level 28:    Trip Mine            SprBlsWrt-Rchg/Dmg%(A), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(29), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(29), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(31), SprBlsWrt-Dmg/Rchg(31), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg(34)
Level 30:    Hasten                RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(31)
Level 32:    Nova                Arm-Dam%(A), Arm-Dmg/EndRdx(33), Arm-Acc/Rchg(33), Arm-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), Arm-Dmg(34)
Level 35:    Shocking Bolt            Lck-%Hold(A), Lck-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(36), Lck-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(36), Lck-Rchg/Hold(36), Lck-Acc/Rchg(37), Lck-Acc/Hold(37)
Level 38:    Gun Drone            ExpRnf-+Res(Pets)(A), ExpRnf-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(39), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(39), ExpRnf-Dmg/EndRdx(39), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg(40), ExpRnf-Acc/Rchg(40)
Level 41:    Charged Armor            StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), GldArm-3defTpProc(42), HO:Ribo(42)
Level 44:    Maneuvers            LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(45), ShlWal-Def(45), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(45)
Level 47:    Tough                HO:Ribo(A)
Level 49:    Weave                LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), Rct-ResDam%(49), Rct-Def/EndRdx(50), Rct-Def(50)
Level 1:    Brawl                Empty(A)
Level 1:    Defiance    
Level 1:    Sprint                Empty(A)
Level 2:    Rest                Empty(A)
Level 2:    Swift                Empty(A)
Level 2:    Health                Mrc-Rcvry+(A), Pnc-Heal/+End(3), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(5), Prv-Absorb%(25)
Level 2:    Hurdle                Empty(A)
Level 2:    Stamina                PwrTrns-+Heal(A), PwrTrns-EndMod(3)
Level 49:    Quick Form    
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[Flat Line]

I mainly played Eng/Eng on live and now on Homecoming.

So hopefully I can help a little.

 

Personally, I like keeping Attuned sets. I sometimes exemplar and play Ouroboros missions. But you have three build slots. So you could always make another build for maximizing level 50 content.

 

Seems like everyone uses Scorpion Shield... It’s ok I guess. It only adds to Smashing/Lethal defence. Personally, I built for Ranged defence and used the electric shield to get my Resistance capped. I’m at over 45 ranged defence and 75 Smashing/Lethal resistance. It’s nice to have a high resistance when playing against AVs or Elite Bosses that can strip your defence.

 

I like Afterburner a lot. It’s nice to be fast, and it slots a Luck of the Gambler. But even better if you’re building for Ranged Defence, it puts you way over the top. 
You can use it as an “Oh Sh@t button”. You can also use it to “stealth” missions. You can’t attack while it’s on, But you CAN click glowies!

 

There are a lot of ways you can build. I usually end up using all three slots for alt builds. 

[ninja surprise]

Congrats on your first 50! Now that you've hit the Big Ding you get to tweak your hero until it's "perfect". Here's some answers for your questions:

• Now that I am 50, I should slot level 50 IOs rather than attuned ones, is that right?
  • -- Depends on how you play! If you are building for set bonuses and exemp a lot for task forces, trials, and pick-up groups, you'll want Attuned. If you are building for absolute enhancement values, you'll want level 50's and maybe boosted too.  The exception being: Purple and PvP IO's give their set bonuses regardless of the IO level, so you can get those at level 50 and still have the set bonuses on a Positron TF.
• I know most builds go Scorpion Shield but hopefully Charged Armor is in the same ballpark.    I quite like Shocking Bolt.
  • -- Go with your heart! People choose Scorpion Shield for the defense, but they build their entire build around that defense.  It's totally OK to do the Shocking Bolt instead and will be more fun for you.
• I am not sure at all about Afterburner, its just a fill the gap choice that can take a LoTG. 
  • -- This is fine. Afterburner makes you fly faster right now. When the next patch is released Afterburner will be replaced with a toggle that gives you more maneuverability and defense and your LotG will still fit.
• I have really enjoyed the Hover blasting playstyle.
  • --  Me too!
• I'm not really sure what resists / defenses / recharge reduction targets I should be aiming for.
  • -- Basically, you want your big blasts/attacks to recharge quick enough that you can use them in every spawn. Hasten gives 70% recharge bonus, and it's pretty easy to get that via set bonuses without taking Hasten.  I rarely take Hasten, I just slot so that my attack gets 2 IO's worth of recharge and I have 2 more IO's worth of set bonus recharge and that cuts every power's recharge time in half.  Some people only take 3 attacks and need enough recharge to use them in rotation without pause. But I take almost every attack and use whatever's up because I like the variety. I even six-slot Toxic Grenade because it does as much damage as the T1 blast and I can use it while mezzed.
• Smoke Grenade was fantastic on live but seems to have been nerfed into oblivion.   Is it even worth taking any more?
  • -- Check the Effects tab in Mid's to see what it does. I don't know what the Live stats were but here it makes enemies so they can't see you until you attack them. So you can use it to click a glowie right next to badguys, or turn a Hot door into a Warm door, etc. Up to you. Like I said, I take all the powers because I like clicking buttons 😄
  • 
• Is 6 slotting my attacks with the same enhancement type the way to go or should I diversify?
  • -- Assuming you mean "slotting with a full set", like putting 6 Decimation in Power Bolt... again, depends on your goal.  Frankenslotting is when you take individual pieces from multiple IO sets and it's a great way to maximize your enhanced value and minimize influence cost. For instance, in a power like Rain of Fire I'll put 3 different Dam/Rech in order to maximize damage and recharge since I don't care about anything else. The benefit of slotting full sets is to get a set bonus that requires 5 or 6 pieces. Example: 5 Decimation give 6.25% bonus to global recharge. If you equip 5 sets of 5 Decimation that's 31.25% global recharge bonus, as much as a bonus Recharge IO in every power. Or, Winter sets (like Winter's Bite or Frozen Blast) give a bonus resistance to slow effects when you've equipped 2 or 3 of them, which I love because I hate getting slowed, so I'll get 6 of those and put them in 2 or 3 different powers.
    Old enhancement practice was 1 Acc, 3 Dam, 1 End, 1 Recharge. With Frankenslotting you can get a better total enhancement values with the same # slots.

Hope this helps!

And like Flat Line says, you have "alternate builds" you can access by going to a trainer and choosing "switch to an alternate build" or something like that. On each build you can choose different powers and different enhancements. So you can have a pure level 50/incarnate build, and a Positron / low level build, or a max-recharge build, or high defense, etc. 

Plus you can buy Respec recipes, or do Respec trials, or buy Enhancement Unslotters, and rebuild as often as you want, so you're never locked in if you wind up with a build or enhancement you don't like.

[Flat Line]

One more thing to add: 

   You can quickly change builds with this bind:

 

   /macro B1 “select_build 1”

 

You can use the macro for each build and change on the fly. Just remember to turn your toggles back on!