Questions and Suggestions for a Rad/Sonic

[Bopper]

 

One way to look at this is 'debuff time per activation':

 

Shriek: 4.2088

Scream: 3.7879

Shout: 3.4435

Screech: 8.6830

Howl: 3.1898

 

How did you calculate these numbers? Maybe we have different sources. I get the following:

 

Shriek = 5 (5s/1s)

Scream =  4.2 (7s/1.67s)

Shout = 3.75 (10s/2.67s)

Screech = 8 (12s/1.5s)

Howl = 3.43 (8s/2.33s)

 

[Hjarki]

How did you calculate these numbers? Maybe we have different sources. I get the following:

 

I pulled the numbers from Pine's: 1.188, 1.848, 2.904, 1.716, 2.508 (the single targets in order, Howl at the end).

[Bopper]

How did you calculate these numbers? Maybe we have different sources. I get the following:

 

I pulled the numbers from Pine's: 1.188, 1.848, 2.904, 1.716, 2.508 (the single targets in order, Howl at the end).

 

Thanks, I did notice Pines showing a different cast time than redtomax (and I think also Mids). I wonder why the discrepancy

[DSorrow]

That's what was called ArcanaTime back in the day, it can be toggled on for calculations in Pine's options. Basically it's actual animations adjusted for the number of frames they occupy, i.e. if the animation length only took 8.5 frames, the game still wouldn't allow you to start another action until the beginning of the 9th frame so the 0.5 gets added to the animation time. It could also be that the requirement was 1 empty frame between actions (so in this example, 8.5 frames becomes 10 frames actual animation time), but I don't really trust myself to remember these kind of details accurately after so long.

[Bopper]

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Thank you Rumors and DSorrow for the better information. Being away from the game for so long has shown I have a lot to relearn. On my original post (bottom of Page 1) I have updated my response. I added some analysis using proper numbers (hopefully). If you see anything incorrect, I'll happily update it with the right numbers.

[DSorrow]

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Thank you Rumors and DSorrow for the better information. Being away from the game for so long has shown I have a lot to relearn. On my original post (bottom of Page 1) I have updated my response. I added some analysis using proper numbers (hopefully). If you see anything incorrect, I'll happily update it with the right numbers.

 

Well, as it turns out I wasn't 100% correct in my assumptions either (-Res from the same sonic blast does apparently stack) so we're all rediscovering mechanics here.

[Scientist]

As for adding Screech for the purpose of solo play, only do it if you take Dreadful Wail. You can hit the Boss with Screech, then come in hot with Dreadful Wail to stun the minions and the boss. This is probably a stretch of a reason to add a single power for a solo build, however.

 

I will say I find use for a ST mezz on a rad defender because (1) I can use it first on a LT I want to take down after sleeping the spawn when I know they mezz, then actually dps them down while they stumble around, and (2) with the whiffs from Rad Infection on a boss, you can often hit them with Screech a second time before they mezz you, and keep them out of the fight thereafter.  I've even used a ST hold from an Epic power pool and double stacked that on one boss and a Stun on another boss in double boss spawns in the Shadow Shard to lock them both down, but you need to be willing to do a lot of retargeting to make that work. 

 

Very handy to have max debuff chains, an extra 10% -resist debuff from a defender will generate way more team damage on an AV than improving your own dps by 10-20%. 

[Scientist]

To the OP, consider putting Preventive Medicine instead of Doctored Wounds into your heal, 8.75% global recharge instead of 5%.  This is a new set with I25.  If you need slots, consider taking some from Radiation Infection, you can do pretty well with 3 Enzymes (HOs) in that, it optimizes everything that power does.  Then an Achilles proc if you want still more -resist, though that may be overkill on a /sonic. 

[Bopper]

As for adding Screech for the purpose of solo play, only do it if you take Dreadful Wail. You can hit the Boss with Screech, then come in hot with Dreadful Wail to stun the minions and the boss. This is probably a stretch of a reason to add a single power for a solo build, however.

 

I will say I find use for a ST mezz on a rad defender because (1) I can use it first on a LT I want to take down after sleeping the spawn when I know they mezz, then actually dps them down while they stumble around, and (2) with the whiffs from Rad Infection on a boss, you can often hit them with Screech a second time before they mezz you, and keep them out of the fight thereafter.  I've even used a ST hold from an Epic power pool and double stacked that on one boss and a Stun on another boss in double boss spawns in the Shadow Shard to lock them both down, but you need to be willing to do a lot of retargeting to make that work. 

 

Very handy to have max debuff chains, an extra 10% -resist debuff from a defender will generate way more team damage on an AV than improving your own dps by 10-20%.

 

That was one thing I wasn't sure about, Screech's mez stacking. I thought in the past powers that do damage can't have their mez stacked, so I figured you couldn't mez a boss with Screech. If you can in fact stack, then Screech should be owned in most solo and team builds as it does offer the optimum debuff chain for teams and a ton of boss mitigation.

[Scientist]

That was one thing I wasn't sure about, Screech's mez stacking. I thought in the past powers that do damage can't have their mez stacked, so I figured you couldn't mez a boss with Screech. If you can in fact stack, then Screech should be owned in most solo and team builds as it does offer the optimum debuff chain for teams and a ton of boss mitigation.

 

While I haven't tested it with Screech, I regularly stack Cosmic Burst, the Rad stun which is also very nice damage (IMHO Sonic gets a bit cheated here compared to the early, unbalanced sets), and Dominate, the Epic pool hold which also does damage.  In both cases the second shot on a boss mezzes them.  I've even toggled between them on 2 bosses to perma-mezz both. 

[Rumors]

Same-mezzes stack.  Otherwise most Controllers would never be able to solo hold a boss without blowing their AoE hold on them.  But you can probably skip Screech for team mez since you're liable to have one or more Controllers or Dominators to lock bosses down more efficiently, which you can aid more efficiently with Choking Cloud, EM Pulse, or an EPP Hold.

 

Or heck, take Oppressive Gloom and you can walk up to most bosses to single-shot stun them with Screech or Dreadful Wail.

[Rylas]

To the OP, consider putting Preventive Medicine instead of Doctored Wounds into your heal, 8.75% global recharge instead of 5%.  This is a new set with I25.  If you need slots, consider taking some from Radiation Infection, you can do pretty well with 3 Enzymes (HOs) in that, it optimizes everything that power does.  Then an Achilles proc if you want still more -resist, though that may be overkill on a /sonic.

 

Hmm, that's certainly tempting. And the proc would be an added bonus. My only issue is I'll have to find the slot from somewhere else, as I like the debuffs in RI flooring both def and to-hit in my foes. Perhaps I could just leave Lingering Radiation one slotted.

[Rylas]

Or heck, take Oppressive Gloom and you can walk up to most bosses to single-shot stun them with Screech or Dreadful Wail.

 

Oh, I took OG alright. That, Choking Cloud and of course RI make for some very safe melee range combat. 30% positional defense helps too. :D

[Bopper]

Same-mezzes stack.  Otherwise most Controllers would never be able to solo hold a boss without blowing their AoE hold on them.  But you can probably skip Screech for team mez since you're liable to have one or more Controllers or Dominators to lock bosses down more efficiently, which you can aid more efficiently with Choking Cloud, EM Pulse, or an EPP Hold.

 

Or heck, take Oppressive Gloom and you can walk up to most bosses to single-shot stun them with Screech or Dreadful Wail.

 

You're right, I went back and looked up where I saw that and it was in reference to a sleep power. So of course you can't stack since damage wakes them.

 

That changes my opinion of Screech then. Get it for solo as it can lock down a boss, and also get it for team as it gives you your ultimate -Res debuff attack chain.