Beam Rifle/ Devices Testimonial

[JusticeBowler]

Wow, I've never had a character come together so early in the game and feel like a complete and useful member of any team they join. Because of Devices, especially the Targeting Drone and Field Operative I've got a complete attack chain and solid damage dealing in every setting (between instasnipe and endurance recovery with a bit of stealth for aggro management). Heck, smoke grenade is surprisingly useful in keeping adds away from the team getting their business done. Man, I love being useful.

 

I mean, it is good enough that I'm sure if Statesman were here he'd want to nerf it. There's no point in adding recharges to my attacks since I'm only ever waiting to fire because I'm waiting for an attack animation to finish. I don't need endurance reductions either owing to a combination of workable firing pace with FO's boost. And as long as I'm not fighting +3s (in which case I'm in a team and getting buffs from elsewhere) I don't even need to slot for accuracy (I have three SOs in TG).

 

All of this at the tender level of 22. I mean, I know no one talks about builds that aren't lvl 50 and full of purple sets, and you all have your Pine-codeblocks to share the awesomeness. That's fine a good. But I have a great character to play and enjoy "getting there" rather than getting there and working backwards.

 

Sure the nuke will be fun and collecting sets will be fun too. And I'm not ragging on anyone for how they like to play. I'm just celebrating that I can play my way and have fun too.

 

The truth is, it was a blast (pun intended) as soon as to hit buffs rolled in from teammates about lvl 12 and snipe became a part of the chain. It really was a game changing experience for me. And FO and Recall friend are available even when you run Positron's TF so I'm stocked, loaded, and ready to be the guy who gets the missions done quick if that's what people want.

[Novacat]

You'll enjoy Piercing Beam as soon as you get it (and a tiny bit of practice to learn the "cone" in battle). Take Lancer Shot, increase the damage bonus on Disintegrating ones, lose the stun, gain a bit of -res, and hit three targets in a line.

 

Absolutely glorious.

[Adeon Hawkwood]

I'm glad you like it. Personally I tried a Beam Rifle/Devices blaster back when it first went live and couldn't stand it. Part of the problem for me is that my main blaster was (and is) an Assault Rifle/Devices and I hated the lack of AoE that BR has compared to AR.

[Zumberge]

smart words

 

Listen to this man.

 

Beam Rifle/Devices gets good really early and stays good.  You can lay down a bunch of caltrops near the tank and hang out back with the Defender or Mastermind melting every problem lieutenant or boss that comes into your line of fire.  Beyond all that, you feel like a sniper; pure long-distance interdiction with the satisfaction of knowing that piece of shit Tsoo Sorcerer couldn't do a thing to stop you.

[JusticeBowler]

I'm glad you like it. Personally I tried a Beam Rifle/Devices blaster back when it first went live and couldn't stand it. Part of the problem for me is that my main blaster was (and is) an Assault Rifle/Devices and I hated the lack of AoE that BR has compared to AR.

 

I actually grabbed it initially because I detest Damage over time, but it so happened that losing the aoe was part of that. I'm fine. I don't need it solo and someone else always has plenty in teams.

[Adeon Hawkwood]

That's one of the things I love about CoH. Two completely different playstyles and neither of them are wrong. I'm an AoE whore, I just love arresting large groups of baddies at once.

[shushilady]

I played ar/dev back on live and it was fun, but I think I've had my fill of devices. Do you have a sense of any other secondaries that mesh well with beam rifle? Sounds like targeting drone and field operative would be hard to give up. 

[jack_nomind]

I played ar/dev back on live and it was fun, but I think I've had my fill of devices. Do you have a sense of any other secondaries that mesh well with beam rifle? Sounds like targeting drone and field operative would be hard to give up. 

 

Field Operative isn't hard to give up because every Blaster secondary has pretty significant sustain, with sets buffed or added by the i25 team having some truly ridiculous levels.  Martial Combat, Fire, Ice, Atomic, Ninja, and Tactical Arrow all have toggle versions similar to Field Operative.

 

Targeting Drone is great, but you can get "close enough" with Tactics.  Tactical Arrow has a +ACC effect similar to Targeting Drone, while Dark has a version of Build Up that can be made permanent (but requires enemies in range). 

[Novacat]

All regen-type sustains give +225% half of which is enhanceable, and all those that give +recovery (energize is a massive end discount instead) grant +50%. That's basically universal across the class.

 

Ninja gets to keep the stealth. It gives you a very slight damage boost and lets you also open with an extra 43% or so for 50% total, every 30s IIRC. Hell of an overcharge, that.

 

Tactical Arrow doesn't get +Hit but instead +Acc so it won't give you instasnipe, but it also gets a +recharge power and Gymnastics (mild travel buff and 1.75% defense for slotting globals in).

 

Temporal Manipulation has a pretty powerful Absorb form sustain and Time Lord is as awesome as its name should be, but it uh... drove me nuts. Temporal healing is very visible, and noisy too.

[JusticeBowler]

Targeting Drone is great, but you can get "close enough" with Tactics.  Tactical Arrow has a +ACC effect similar to Targeting Drone, while Dark has a version of Build Up that can be made permanent (but requires enemies in range).

 

Well, I'm a little bummed that they changed Snipe to be instasnipe "when in combat"... so Targetting Drone isn't the bump for the set that it was. And given what you've all said about everyone getting a major source of Recovery at 20, I'm wishing I might have chosen Mental Manipulation instead (that was the other choice I was considering).

 

Still, this is fun to play and when I go solo back through Ours to play old story arcs for badges I'll still be glad I have it. No regrets.

[ParaBruce]

It's really funny. I was on the City of Heroes Discord's build-discussion channel yesterday, having gotten a bit of an urge to make a gadgeteer of some sort. I asked what folks would recommend as most fun for my particular mix of tastes, with beam rifle/defender blaster tacked on at the last minute. Well, folks there thought I'd like it a lot. Then I flipped over here...and this thread had just started. Like, within 10 minutes or so. I took it as a good sign. :)

 

I'm loving it so far. I haven't been able to give it a lot of time yet, but even at really low levels it's strong and fast, and I'm so looking forward to more.