Dual Pistol/Ninjitsu...will I be disappointed?

[Xandyr]

I love my tanks. I love knowing that I can jump in the middle of a mob, and I'll be the last one standing. Might be a while before everything is "arrested", but I know they will be.

 I also loved my Dark/DP defender. Perhaps it's because I love guns IRL. Perhaps because the animations are "cool". Perhaps it's because of Sawp Ammo. Either way, I enjoyed the set.

  And this is when I started thinking Perhaps I should make a Sentinel. Seems like it should survive (maybe not as a main tank, but close). AND better damage than a tank and my DP defender.

 

 Am I expecting too much, or will it satisfy?

 Appreciate any insight!

[oldskool]

On 3/15/2021 at 2:47 PM, Xandyr said:

Seems like it should survive (maybe not as a main tank, but close). AND better damage than a tank and my DP defender.

Well... this is a really simplistic view of all things being stated.  The *and better damage* is a MASSIVE... maybe.  Why do I say this?  Well, Tankers did receive a base damage bump.  Their default melee modifier is on par with the Sentinel's ranged modifier.  Unfortunately, melee attacks trend towards better damage, but with the caveat that they need to be real close.  Sentinels can be close-quarters fighters too but the range is more forgiving.  Also, Tankers can hit more targets in AoE now which is potentially significant.  

In other words, due to absurd power creep, Tankers are potentially better at a baseline than the current Sentinel is.  (thanks multiple buffs to ATs that arguably didn't need that kind of treatment)

 

However, we can't declare this in a vacuum.  I don't know how you build or play your Tanks.  I know how I build *mine*.  However, ever, if you're the kind of builder that likes full set pieces vs frankenslotting, then the Sentinel is going to come across poorly, potentially at least.  Though if you like the idea of frankenslotting plus some proc use, then the Sentinel isn't that bad.  It may not compete with your Tankers but once again there are so many variables here that... *shrug*.  

Same goes for the Dark/DP Defender.  That is a HUGE can of worms on potential power.  This completely depends on how you built that character and how you leverage the nutty power that exists in Dark Miasma.  I play this combo myself.  I run Dark Mastery/Dark Miasma/Dual Pistols.  Soul Drain -> Tar Patch -> Attacks is a lot of potential damage while solo.  It also isn't too shabby in groups either.  

 

One good thing about the Sentinel version of Dual Pistols, actually the *only* good thing, is that you can explore a whole new attack chain with it.  You can, potentially, completely dump Piercing Rounds out of your loadout.  Sentinels get the absolute worst version of Piercing Rounds when it comes to the resistance debuff.  It makes stressing over running anything outside of Incendiary Ammo a near total waste of your time.  Sentinel Cryo ammo gets a slight variant, but who cares? (Rhetorical question, I know at least one person that loves it).  

So when it comes to answering whether or not you'll like this combo there is an awful lot of unknowns.  Dark/DP Defenders can be built like absolute monsters with FAR more functionality than a Sentinel could hope for right now.  That same combo can do some good to great damage under certain conditions and that damage is AoE (due to how Tar Patch works).  The Sentinel doesn't really match that, ever.  Tankers have been buffed and stupidly strong for the kind of mitigation they have.  

OK, now that all of that is said, the Sentinel can be a lot of fun if you don't try to make comparisons to other ATs.  You may (or may not) be really disappointed if you do.  Sentinel Ninjutsu is a great secondary set.  Dual Pistols can be a lot of fun.  These power sets together can allow for a character with soft-capped defenses and additional damage from procs.  I've played it.  I enjoyed it when I did, but ended up recreating the same character with DP/SR (SR is just hands down superior for what *I* wanted).  The Ninja Tool Epic or even Psychic Mastery (Link Minds) are good compliments for them or potency.  

One last diatribe to get through.  Your build will matter a lot.  Sentinels pretty much need the Musculature Alpha slot if they want to tread water with the DPS meta game.  If using things like Agility, then your Tanker *will* do more damage if not match it.  Thankfully, Nin enables aggressive building if you want to do that.  Just fair warning.

[Grindingsucks]

Plus, with a dual pistol/ninjitsu sent, you get to be a cowboy ninja.  I mean... COWBOY NINJA!  C'mon.  😁👍

[oldskool]

3 hours ago, Grindingsucks said:

Plus, with a dual pistol/ninjitsu sent, you get to be a cowboy ninja.  I mean... COWBOY NINJA!  C'mon.  😁👍

This renders all arguments against the character invalid. 

Well played. 

[Grindingsucks]

I feel joy that at least one other person recognizes the awesome of Cowboy Ninjas.  Thank you.  😁

[TygerDarkstorm]

1 hour ago, Grindingsucks said:

I feel joy that at least one other person recognizes the awesome of Cowboy Ninjas.  Thank you.  😁

That's kind of why I went DP/Ninja on my blaster. 😄 

[twozerofoxtrot]

5 hours ago, oldskool said:

Rhetorical question, I know at least one person that loves it

 

Here I am!

 

5 hours ago, oldskool said:

SR is just hands down superior for what *I* wanted

 

Same! To the OP I'd emphasize if you really want to max the juice-per-squeeze out of a DP sent, look heavily into Proc builds or be prepared for some disappointment. I went with SR to be able to 6-slot every attack I took to maximize procs.

 

Nin does have a slight advantage, I feel, of pumping up your all defense earlier in the game, though. SR still has higher overall defense numbers, but for some reason you don't see your AoE defense toggle until 35, and that can be frustrating, since you've got all your defense toggles by level 6 on Nin. Food for thought.

[Thrax]

My first sentinel is dp/sr. He is a neo rip off. Has flurry 6 slotted. That being said though the toon is a shit ton of fun. Like others have said, I’d proc out your st attacks. I’ve played /nin on scrap and stalker but not sentinel. Sr is great on anything though but unless your in it for thematic reasons I’d take sr instead. There is something I like about having at least one melee attack on my sentinels. I just respec’d my beam/inv and miss the one melee attack. 
 

being able to skip piercing rounds is good. I was skipping it regardless as the animation is just plain dumb. I know they are all over the top but that one is just plain stupid. 

[oldskool]

9 hours ago, twozerofoxtrot said:

Nin does have a slight advantage, I feel, of pumping up your all defense earlier in the game, though. SR still has higher overall defense numbers, but for some reason you don't see your AoE defense toggle until 35, and that can be frustrating, since you've got all your defense toggles by level 6 on Nin. Food for thought.

So I worked around this by making sure to pick up Tough/Weave in the early 20's.  The two 3% global defenses and Weave really helps to tide one over on AoE until Evasion later.  
 

I agree though Nin has it a little easier early on due to gaining its best tools very early.  The full control over health and end bars is nice.  The stacking mezz can also be nice.  The stealth can make for far easier set up of Hail of Bullets later (which is now buffed on the Test server with lower animation time).  

Nin can be a bit tricky to fully soft-cap all positions when running heavy procs.  There are solutions for this (like full Performance Shifter in the end clicky/stamina, or an PBAoE sets in those kinds of powers), but it may be cumbersome.  SR is just easier to build with, imo.  

Power wise, I find Nin and SR pretty close and both are good for different reasons.  Nin does lack DDR (it is baked into the T9), but I've solo'ed plenty of things on my former DP/Nin.  So it does work just fine.  

[josewales2]

I have only played Homecoming for about two months now.  And can only compare DP/Bio through experience to my SS/Bio brute, who both are pretty much solid in Incarnates, IOs and Attunes.  I made the effort to exploit resistance debuff and stack as much damage/bonus to better my dps (why I chose bio for 10%), and so far it turned out ok.  Not the same dps as my SS brute, but it does feel bursty now compared to when I first started on the DP at 50.  They indeed are lot of fun.  Good defense and in/out playstyle in teams for the big pbaoe.  I agree with opinion that Sents need some love though.  Their aoe is meh at best even though they are slated for improved cast time in next issue patch.  And hope that the new travel power revamp opens up some slots and an pool AOE to add in.  Epic pools forgot about the sent:P  Oh what to give for the SS power up:P.  Opportunity damage bonuses are meh imo, where I save it for bosses for solo mostly... and the incendiary ammunition is still fluff.  Teams already have some great debuffs or buffs as it is.

 

I play DP for mostly style that has just enough dps to keep me from not playing. 😄

 

Btw I am curious...is 'extreme' a typo in suppressive fire description?  Numbers are quite lower than its inferior counter shots in rotation.

[Force Redux]

Just going to add that my DP/Nin is one of e favorite characters. Style is solid and performance is reasonable.

Edited March 20, 2021 by Force Redux

[Xandyr]

As long as I find a toon "fun"  that's enough reason to play.