Ice / Bio / Blaze - Stacking a bit of -res, beefing up resists & healing / absorb, but losing some procs, damage & defense

[EnjoyTheJourney]

Hopefully the following build, while not maxing out damage procs, still offers good damage and has enough toughness and enough stacked -res for running harder  content. 

 

There are a fair number of departures from Croax's sample build, for better or worse. Feedback is welcome.

 

Villain Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.6.0.7
https://github.com/ImaginaryDevelopment/imaginary-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Infernal Elekinetic: Level 50 Magic Stalker
Primary Power Set: Ice Melee
Secondary Power Set: Bio Armor
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Force of Will
Ancillary Pool: Blaze Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Ice Sword -- TchofDth-Acc/Dmg(A), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx(3), TchofDth-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(3), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), TchofDth-Dam%(5), SprAssMar-Rchg/Rchg Build Up(7)
Level 1: Hide -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), Ksm-ToHit+(17)
Level 2: Frost -- Bmbdmt-Dam(A), Bmbdmt-Acc/Rech/End(19), Bmbdmt-Dam/Rech(19), Bmbdmt-Acc/Dam/Rech(21), Bmbdmt-Acc/Dam/Rech/End(21), Bmbdmt-+FireDmg(50)
Level 4: Hardened Carapace -- UnbGrd-Max HP%(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(7), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(9), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(9), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(11)
Level 6: Assassin's Ice Sword -- SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg(A), SprStlGl-Dmg/Rchg(11), SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(13), SprStlGl-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15), SprStlGl-Rchg/Hide%(15)
Level 8: Boundless Energy -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-End%(17)
Level 10: Environmental Modification -- Rct-Def(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx(23), Rct-EndRdx/Rchg(23), Rct-Def/Rchg(25), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(25), Rct-ResDam%(27)
Level 12: Build Up -- GssSynFr--Build%(A)
Level 14: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 16: Adaptation 
Level 18: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 20: Ablative Carapace -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(27), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(29), Prv-Heal/Rchg(29), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(31), Prv-Absorb%(31)
Level 22: Tough -- UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(31), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(33), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(33), GldArm-3defTpProc(33)
Level 24: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(34), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(34), ShlWal-Def(34), ShlWal-Def/Rchg(36)
Level 26: Freezing Touch -- Hct-Dmg(A), Hct-Dmg/Rchg(36), Hct-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Hct-Dmg/EndRdx(37), Hct-Dam%(37), UnbCns-Dam%(37)
Level 28: DNA Siphon -- TchoftheN-Acc/Heal(A), TchoftheN-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(39), TchoftheN-%Dam(39)
Level 30: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(39)
Level 32: Frozen Aura -- Obl-Dmg(A), Obl-Acc/Rchg(40), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(40), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Obl-%Dam(42)
Level 35: Ring of Fire -- Apc-Dmg(A), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Apc-Acc/Rchg(43), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Apc-Dam%(43)
Level 38: Parasitic Aura -- Prv-Heal/Rchg(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(45), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(50)
Level 41: Weaken Resolve -- AchHee-ResDeb%(A), TchofLadG-%Dam(45), ShlBrk-%Dam(45), CldSns-%Dam(46), Acc-I(48)
Level 44: Mighty Leap -- WntGif-ResSlow(A)
Level 47: Unleash Potential -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg(48)
Level 49: Melt Armor -- AchHee-ResDeb%(A), Acc-I(50)
Level 1: Assassination 
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Quick Form 
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 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run 
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(46), Mrc-Rcvry+(48)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PwrTrns-+Heal(46)
Level 16: Defensive Adaptation 
Level 16: Efficient Adaptation 
Level 16: Offensive Adaptation 
Level 50: Musculature Core Paragon 
Level 50: Pyronic Core Final Judgement 
Level 50: Degenerative Core Flawless Interface 
Level 50: Storm Elemental Radial Superior Ally 
Level 50: Barrier Core Epiphany 
Level 50: Assault Radial Embodiment 
------------

Edited May 11, 2021 by EnjoyTheJourney

[Oysterhead]

Not having Ice Patch on Ice Melee seems heretical to me, but beyond that this looks pretty good. I'm building up an Ice/Bio stalker myself right now, more of a standard build than the psuedo-defender style setup you have with building towards stacking -res, which seems like a fun playstyle potentially. But all the more reason given the lower defense outside of Unleash Potential to look at Ice Patch?

Ice Patch is massive. It'll do more for survivability than any IO set of defense or resists., and only requires the single starter slot to be fully effective (with haste and global recharge you can have 2 ice patches out with only 1 recharge IO slotted) One Ice patch can keep a whole pack of things on its back. Drop it at a choke point and run things through and you can thin out a big pack. It's one of those things you won't need to use often, but when you can make use of it. I am not certainly exactly what in your build I'd drop to make room for it without losing the original concept. Maybe Unleash?

Edited May 11, 2021 by Oysterhead

[ZemX]

On 5/11/2021 at 9:15 AM, Oysterhead said:

Not having Ice Patch on Ice Melee seems heretical to me, but beyond that this looks pretty good. 

Seconded.  I am even considering respeccing out of Tough/Weave to see what other utility I can fit in.  But I get that not everybody cares about that sort of thing on a Stalker.

 

Still, Patch is not just defensive if you consider using it to collect and nuke groups.   I was just using it last night on an ITF.  I could pile up entire Roman ambushes into a neat little pack and nuke them with Frost, Frozen Aura, and Ground Zero (with a few procs).  Shame I didn't have Judgement slotted yet too.  With Assassin's Mark it was sometimes literally: Hide -> Patch -> Build Up -> Frozen Aura -> Build Up -> Ground Zero -> Build Up -> Frost ... etc.  And through that, Patch helps keep you alive by cutting down on a ton of attacks you would otherwise be receiving.

 

To me that's worth the 1-slotted power spot it takes up in my build.

 

If there's a down-side, it's that Ice Patch occupies a spot in the primary usually filled by another moderate/high-dmg ST attack.  As a result, when I eventually dropped Frozen Fists while leveling up, I feel like I no longer have a fast ST chain to build focus quickly.  At least it seems like I see less of the orange ring around AS than I do on my Staffer.  Thinking about finding room for Frozen Fists again.  I might drop Fighting pool and pick up FF along with some other fun stuff.  I'll have to ponder that.

[EnjoyTheJourney]

You both make a very good case for ice patch. I'll consider how to tweak the build to incorporate it. 

[ZemX]

11 hours ago, EnjoyTheJourney said:

You both make a very good case for ice patch. I'll consider how to tweak the build to incorporate it. 

I guess the problem is what you'd drop for it.  As mostly a defensive measure, you could drop Fighting and gain a slot for Ice Patch and two other picks but... that's got some caveats.  While I said I'm thinking about dropping Fighting, I haven't done it yet.   Ice Patch protects well against ground-based melee enemies mostly, not aerial or ranged, unless you have a means to get them onto the dance floor.  It's particularly useless against CoT ghosts, for example, as I was painfully reminded on a Tarikoss SF last night that was set to +2.  At that level, the CoT debuffs were brutal and the ghosts just laughed at Ice Patch as they floated above it flooring my toHit.

 

I am also just a few points shy of capped S/L on my Ice/Rad and that's pretty nice.  I am not at the soft cap, so losing Weave doesn't hurt me much.  I could pick up Maneuvers instead and get a few of those points back as well as the place to slot a LotG.  But losing around (if I remember right) 17% S/L?  Ouch. 

 

Other than that, you might drop Unleash Potential, but it would cost you a LotG.  Less than it would cost you in recharge if you lost Hasten though of course.  Anything else you'd drop looks like it would walk back some of your -res goal.   

[Sgt. Terminus]

When I first saw that title, with "/Blaze", I wondered how will they slot fire ball...

 

Seriously you should consider adding, if you are going to go Blaze, IMHO, it one of the best AOE's period of any AT.   One second caste time, great DPA, 16 targets, big area (15).   And it does fit with your theme of -res in a way since Fire is still the least resisted damage type in the game.    As far as what to drop, I would look at how many times do you really need Parasitic Aura, I dropped it from my ice/bio, didn't really make a difference and I often found it unused. 

[EnjoyTheJourney]

Thank you all for the feedback. 

 

Below is a build that incorporates ice patch and fireball, giving up unleash potential and mighty leap in exchange. Another tradeoff was to take damage procs out of weaken resolve; in the older build weaken resolve hit hard enough that it could reasonably fit into a regular ST damage chain as a follow up to an assassination, or as an opening attack when scrapping it out while not hidden. Essentially, this build prioritizes AOE over ST, compared to other choices, because the debuffing from weaken resolve doesn't have any damage procs in this new build. 

 

If ST feels like it's in a good place, then this build may be fine as is. If it doesn't, then fireball can be removed and that power pick and the 5 extra slots currently assigned to it can be reallocated. 

 

Villain Plan by Mids' Reborn : Hero Designer 2.6.0.7
https://github.com/ImaginaryDevelopment/imaginary-hero-designer

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Infernal Elekinetic: Level 50 Magic Stalker
Primary Power Set: Ice Melee
Secondary Power Set: Bio Armor
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Force of Will
Ancillary Pool: Blaze Mastery

Villain Profile:
Level 1: Ice Sword -- TchofDth-Acc/Dmg(A), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx(3), TchofDth-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(3), TchofDth-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), TchofDth-Dam%(5), SprAssMar-Rchg/Rchg Build Up(7)
Level 1: Hide -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), Ksm-ToHit+(17)
Level 2: Frost -- PstBls-Acc/Dmg(A), PstBls-Dmg/EndRdx(19), PstBls-Dmg/Rng(19), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(21), PstBls-Dam%(21)
Level 4: Hardened Carapace -- UnbGrd-Max HP%(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(7), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(9), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(9), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(11)
Level 6: Assassin's Ice Sword -- SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg(A), SprStlGl-Dmg/Rchg(11), SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(13), SprStlGl-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), SprStlGl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(15), SprStlGl-Rchg/Hide%(15)
Level 8: Boundless Energy -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(17)
Level 10: Environmental Modification -- Rct-Def(A), Rct-Def/EndRdx(23), Rct-EndRdx/Rchg(23), Rct-Def/Rchg(25), Rct-Def/EndRdx/Rchg(25), Rct-ResDam%(27)
Level 12: Build Up -- GssSynFr--Build%(A)
Level 14: Combat Jumping -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 16: Adaptation 
Level 18: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 20: Ablative Carapace -- Prv-Heal(A), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(27), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(29), Prv-Heal/Rchg(29), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(31), Prv-Absorb%(31)
Level 22: Tough -- UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(31), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(33), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(33), GldArm-3defTpProc(33)
Level 24: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(34), ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(34), ShlWal-Def(34), ShlWal-Def/Rchg(36)
Level 26: Freezing Touch -- Hct-Dmg(A), Hct-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Hct-Dmg/EndRdx(36), Hct-Acc/Rchg(37), Hct-Dam%(37), UnbCns-Dam%(37)
Level 28: DNA Siphon -- TchoftheN-Acc/Heal(A), TchoftheN-Acc/EndRdx/Heal/HP/Regen(39), TchoftheN-%Dam(39), FuroftheG-ResDeb%(48)
Level 30: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(39)
Level 32: Frozen Aura -- Obl-Dmg(A), Obl-Acc/Rchg(40), Obl-Dmg/Rchg(40), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), Obl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), Obl-%Dam(42)
Level 35: Ice Patch -- RechRdx-I(A)
Level 38: Ring of Fire -- Apc-Dmg(A), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), Apc-Acc/Rchg(43), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(43), Apc-Dam%(43)
Level 41: Melt Armor -- AchHee-ResDeb%(A), Acc-I(45)
Level 44: Fire Ball -- Bmbdmt-Dam(A), Bmbdmt-Acc/Rech/End(45), Bmbdmt-Dam/Rech(46), Bmbdmt-Acc/Dam/Rech(45), Bmbdmt-Acc/Dam/Rech/End(50), Bmbdmt-+FireDmg(50)
Level 47: Weaken Resolve -- AchHee-ResDeb%(A), Acc-I(48)
Level 49: Parasitic Aura -- Prv-Heal/Rchg(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(50)
Level 1: Assassination 
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Quick Form 
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 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 4: Ninja Run 
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A), NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(46), Mrc-Rcvry+(48)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PwrTrns-+Heal(46)
Level 16: Defensive Adaptation 
Level 16: Efficient Adaptation 
Level 16: Offensive Adaptation 
Level 50: Musculature Core Paragon 
Level 50: Pyronic Core Final Judgement 
Level 50: Storm Elemental Radial Superior Ally 
Level 50: Barrier Core Epiphany 
Level 50: Assault Radial Embodiment 
Level 50: Degenerative Radial Flawless Interface 
------------

Edited May 15, 2021 by EnjoyTheJourney